A visitor takes photos of commodity exhibits showing the change of life style of Chinese people over the past four decades during a major exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Crops rot in rain, sending veggie prices high By Shelton Hettarachchi in Nuwara Eliya View(s): View(s):

Vegetable prices have skyrocketed with the recent adverse weather and further price increases are expected during the festive season if the bad weather continues. Large portions of crops have been damaged by heavy rain and vegetables have rotted. Carrot, beetroot, leeks, cabbage, bitter gourd, ladies fingers and pumpkin are vegetables fetching high prices due to the reduced harvests.

Farmers organisations said they were unprepared for the deluges and had been increasing cultivation on the basis of the arid conditions that had prevailed earlier. The farmers, due to the drought conditions, even cultivated vegetables in ground that used to retain water, and now these areas have flooded and as a result the crops have been destroyed, All-Island Farmers Federation National Organiser, Namal Karunaratne said.

He added that the fast-growing vegetable varieties promoted by the government were weak and easily damaged by adverse weather.

There was some good news. The farmers are again cultivating now that the rains are clearing, so in 45 days we are expecting vegetable prices to come down, Mr. Karunaratne said. The reductions would be limited because prices are usually elevated in the Christmas season.

Farmers in Nuwara Eliya said 75 per cent of their crops had been destroyed, leading to high prices for vegetables that could be salvaged after the rains. At the Nuwara Eliya Economic Centre, carrots were being sold for Rs. 200-250 a kilo and the price per kilo of leeks and potatoes was about Rs. 150. In April, carrots fetched about Rs. 85 a kilo and leeks went for Rs. 135.

The head of the Traders Association of Nuwara Eliya, Susil Shantha, said farmers had expected to harvest 7,000kg of carrot, but had only realised 2,000kg. Fertiliser and other costs were high and would not be recouped due to the failed harvests. We are forced to reduce the number of labourers who work in our vegetable farms because of the smaller harvests, Mr. Shantha said.
No congratulatory messages yet from foreign leaders View(s):

One month after the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, foreign governments continue to show reluctance to send formal congratulatory messages. The Foreign Ministry first notified Sri Lankas Heads of Missions and Posts abroad of the appointment of the new Prime Minister on October 27the day after the eventdespite a spokesperson claiming that foreign leaders had not send congratulatory messages only because the news was not relayed until the entire Cabinet was sworn in.

Mr. Rajapaksas publicity team said the Ambassador of China and the High Commissioner of Pakistan visited and offered their congratulations to him on his new position. However, neither China nor Pakistan in official remarks claimed to have felicitated him.

The Chinese Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Mr Rajapaksa on October 27. Beijing did not issue a statement on the meeting. Two days later, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said at his regular news conference that his country had been closely following the situation in Sri Lanka as a friendly neighbour. Beijing follows a principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries, he added.

What is going on in Sri Lanka is their domestic affairs, he said. We believe that the Sri Lankan Government, parties and people have the wits and ways needed to deal with the current situation. China sincerely hopes that all relevant parties in Sri Lanka could resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation and maintain their nations stability and development.

Pakistans High Commissioner met Mr Rajapaksa and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on November 1. During the meetings, the current political situation in Sri Lanka was discussed, a statement from the Pakistani mission in Colombo said. The High Commissioner reiterated Pakistans support for continuation and consolidation of democratic process in Sri Lanka. He expressed the hope that the ongoing political situation will be overcome peacefully and amicably in accordance with the constitution and aspirations of Sri Lankan people, it said.

India, meanwhile, has adopted a hands-off policy, preferring to maintain behind the scenes that it is up to Sri Lanka to figure it out.

A meeting between the representative of Burundi and Mr Rajapaksa was telecast over a private television station but it was not possible to confirm who the diplomata manwas. Burundi has no ambassador in Sri Lanka and its mission in New Delhi is headed by a woman.

It is customary diplomatic practice to issue ceremonial communications (which include congratulatory or condolence messages) on the occasion of a change of Head of State or Government. The Cabinet of Ministers was only finalised on Friday and Parliament was subsequently dissolved the same night, said Saroja Sirisena, Director General of the Public Communications Division, on November 10, in response to a question about why no felicitation messages were received. What we have at present is a caretaker Government. The new list will be sent following elections in January.

Ms Sirisena said the name of the Prime Minister was also normally conveyed with the list of Cabinet Ministers. Since the list of Cabinet Ministers was not complete, it was not sent to missions or capitals, she said, adding, They do not issue statements on caretaker governments.

However, the first circularNo 243, tagged MOST URGENT in terms of prioritywas dispatched on October 27. It read: Copies of the Extraordinary Gazette Notifications No. 2094/43 and 2094/44 dated 26.10.2018 issued by the Presidential Secretariat, appointing Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, to the Office of Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka with effect from 26 October 2018, is attached herewith for your attention and necessary action please. Attached were the Gazettes in three languages.

On October 28, circular No 244 was sent by the Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary. Please find attached hereto, for your information, a document containing the legal basis as reflected in the Constitution of Sri Lanka, on which H.E. the President acted in removing the former Prime Minister from office and appointing a new Prime Minister, as conveyed by the Presidential Secretariat, it said. You may wish to use the contents of the said document in your interactions with the interlocutors in your country/ies of accreditation.

The three-page attachment cites Constitutional Articles reflecting the earliest positions taken on the removal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge. Among other things, it states that, under the Sinhala version of the Constitution, it can be reasonably assumed that the framers of the Constitution have envisaged that the President of the Republic has the power to remove the PM.

Also conveyed to all of Sri Lankas missions abroad on October 28 was the English translation of President Maithripala Sirisenas first address to the nation after he removed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. On October 29, all Heads of Divisions were sent circular No 247 containing the salient issues raised by President Sirisena and Prof G.L. Peiris at a diplomatic briefing for Colombo-based foreign Heads of Mission held on the same day.

The 19th Amendment very clearly states that in a consensus Government formed by two major parties, if one party to withdraw [sic] from the coalition, the Cabinet of Ministers would stand dissolved automatically. In this eventuality, the Constitution states that I, as the President, have the power to appoint a new Prime Minister, the President is reported to have said.

He also told diplomats he prorogued Parliament to formulate budget proposals. And that: The Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa has the majority in Parliament and when required this will be made evident. The paper trail shows that Sri Lankas Heads of Mission/Post were systematically updated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On November 10, circular No 264 from the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained the grounds for the President dissolving Parliament, effective from midnight of November 9.

On November 12, the missions received a transcript of remarks made by Sarath Amunugama, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, at a second diplomatic briefing held that morning. It took place after the dissolution of Parliament. He said the assembly was disbanded because on an indication there would be a floor fight on the day it reconvened after the prorogation lapsed.

Now, it is very important to remember that the Prime Minister has the time to show his majority, he is quoted as saying. Theres nothing which says that he must do it on the first date that we meet. Dr Amunugama has also said that, in a subsidiary court action, the Attorney General gave the opinion that the President was well within his constitutional rights in taking the action against the former Prime Minister.
Police on maximum alert; rival parties intensify battle UNF planning public rallies and civil disobedience; counter events by Govt. parties View(s): View(s):

Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera has sent instructions to OICs island-wide to stay on maximum alert as the new government and the ousted government began preparations for countrywide rallies to state their respective cases over the month-long Constitutional crisis following the October 26 sacking of the United National Front government.

With Parliament in a political gridlock, the United National Front (UNF) is planning protest rallies and a civil disobedience campaign in principal towns, and the new government is making arrangements to counter them through public events. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told the Sunday Times yesterday that all police stations had been asked to keep emergency services such as ambulances and fire engines on stand-by to deal with any emergency situation, as fears spread that the stand-off between the new government and the ousted government could lead to a breakdown in law and order.

Last Friday, ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe chaired a meeting at the parliamentary complex to plan the partys strategies. It was attended by UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim, Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, and Assistant LeaderRavi Karunanayake.

Besides a UNF rally in Kandy yesterday, plans are afoot for a long motorcade to travel from Colombo to Kataragama and thereafter to the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. It is being organised by Badulla District parliamentarian and former Minister Harin Fernando.

UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim told the Sunday Times that the UNF had invited all like-minded groups, including left partie,s to an alliance to demand the restoration of democracy. He said a trade union alliance and a civil disobedience campaign will also be launched against this illegal government.

In their campaign, t he government parties will focus on different electorates where public rallies are to be addressed by Premier Rajapaksa and other leaders. We have made preparations for them and the campaign will begin next week, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the Sunday Times.

These events, which will take to towns and villages the battles of the two warring political factions, come at a time when the new government will have no funds to operate from January 1 next year.

The Cabinet last Wednesday approved an On Account Vote and the matter is now with the Attorney Generals Department for scrutiny. A defeat of this, in terms of the Constitution, will see the Cabinet of Ministers stand dissolved.
President ready to appoint new PM if Parliament follows Standing Orders View(s):

President ready to appoint new PM if Parliament follows Standing OrdersAs the countrys political turmoil entered the second month, President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he would appoint a new Prime Minister if Parliament follows Standing Orders and shows a majority.

If Mahinda Rajapaksa has the majority in Parliament, he can continue with the government without any obstacle. If it is proved that Mr Rajapaksa does not have a majority, I believe he will take a decision, he told the Sunday Times.

This was his first exclusive interview since he ousted Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26. I have no possibility of re-appointing Mr Wickremesinghe. I will stick to that principle, he said.In what seemed a coincidence, Premier Rajapaksa and leaders of his partner groups met President Sirisena on Friday night. It was to ascertain the future of the one-month-old government in the absence of a majority in Parliament. Mr Sirisena urged him to continue.

Despite President Sirisenas offer to name a new Premier, it has become a distant possibility in the light of what appears to be a new deadlock between the Executive and Legislature. Last Sunday, Mr. Sirisena told party leaders, including ousted Premier Wickremesinghe, that Parliament should abide by Standing Orders.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who thereafter met party leaders last Friday, just ahead of Parliament sessions, named a Parliamentary Business Committee. Dinesh Gunawardena, Leader of the House objected to the move, saying their request for seven slots had not been heeded and only five had been given. He and his colleagues then walked out.

Later, Parliament endorsed the composition of the Committee after MPs of the Sirisena-Rajapaksa alliance walked out. It was passed by 121 voting in favour and none against. We do not recognise this Committee, Mr. Gunawardena told the Sunday Times.

The United National Fronts answer is to move a motion to cut off funds allocated to Cabinet Ministers. It has already moved to cut off funds allocated to the Prime Minister. Thus, government leaders are armed with a reason to forestall the recognition of a majority vote. At least for the moment, we will not pursue the No Confidence Motion, a UNF source familiar with their moves said.

President Sirisena told the Sunday Times, When the majority is shown in Parliament, the responsibility lies in the party leaders to continue with the work. Whoever has the majority in the 225 member House will be Prime Minister.
A labour of love and an empty chair from Lanka at In Flanders Fields Museum By Randima Attygalle View(s): View(s):

Making the same journey made by those who sacrificed their lives in World War 1 from 1914-1918, 120 empty chairs representing the nations that fought in the war arrived at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium a few weeks ago. The artistic expression of remembrance of the fallen heroes from all parts of the world, was part of the Centennial Commemorations of the First World War by the In Flanders Fields Museum dedicated to the memory of the First World War. The Sri Lankan representation was made by MCPOE (Rtd) S.A. Ariyarathne.

Located in the renovated Cloth Halls of Ypres, the In Flanders Fields Museum presents the story of the First World War in the West Flanders front region and is seen as an important symbol of wartime hardship and later recovery.

The empty chairs, as Brigadier K.A. Gnanaweera, President, Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemens Association (SLESA) explains, symbolised the loss from each country. Like the empty chairs which now remain in Belgium, those who left the shores of their respective countries never returned and the idea of international collaboration was to remember them all collectively.

The voluntary contribution by Mr. Ariyarathne, which included the travel to Belgium and the cost of the chair was a labour of love. When SLESA tabled the invitation extended by the In Flanders Fields Museum, I volunteered to represent the country, says the former naval officer.

The chair made of teak made its journey to the In Flanders Fields Museum in a specially delivered carton of 9552 cm. The design of the chair was our call and it had to be fitted into the special box which was dispatched to all participating nations, recollects Mr. Ariyarathne. The chairs, he tells us, will be part of a permanent collection at the Brussels National Museum after a public display at In Flanders Fields Museum.

As part of the commemoration programme, the chairs were placed in Astrid Park in the centre of Ypres behind St. Martins Cathedral and were lit by a candle in a lantern in recognition of the country and distance they had travelled.
Appreciations View(s):

She brought kindness, compassion and much needed sense of humour to all

Sr Mary Irene Perera (Emmo)

The 3rd month death anniversary of Sister Mary Irene fell on November 20. Sr Mary Irene (Emmo) after her fathers loss, at a very early stage in life realized that her call was to serve the Lord. She was passionate in serving humanity and practised humility and simplicity, which were the outstanding virtues of St. Francis of Assisi. Sr. Mary Irene was born on May 10, 1921 to Joseph and Nellie Perera and was the eldest of five siblings. On June 13, 1942 she joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Novitiate at Mattakuliya and proceeded to take her first and final vows in 1945 and 1948 respectively. She served in different parts of the island  Moratuwa, Kalaoya, Minneriya, Mahiyagana and Mattakuliya.

At the time when leprosy was highly infectious without proper medicine to treat the disease, Sr. Emmo volunteered to look after the leprosy patients and went through the jungles of Minneriya and other areas in the North Central Province in search of patients who were in hiding and marginalized by society. She would attend to their material needs, dress their wounds and give them medicines too. She was unwavering and nursed them with dedication and commitment. Even when she was in her late 80s she visited the patients regularly and even organised a Christmas party for them every year.

She was selfless, giving whatever she could to the needy and was at all times compassionate towards the poor, sick and the neglected. Her compassion for the poor had no limits. Wherever she was, she would visit them and try to satisfy their needs always. She also engaged in a variety of other apostolate services like teaching, taking Holy Communion to the sick etc.,

She did all this with a smile, and I have never seen her complaining or angry. Her love and compassion made everyone around her feel the radiating joy emanating from her. Being a very light hearted person, she always blended her conversation with humour. Sr. Emmo was never known to hurt anyone with words or action, in fact her smile won our hearts.

There arent enough words to express the love and gratitude I feel towards Sister Emmo. She was so kind, and was so much fun to be with.She brought kindness, compassion and much needed sense of humour to all  in fact I am amazed at her sense of humour! Blessed with an outgoing personality, she reached out to everyone  young, old, rich or poor and built up relationships with all and sundry.

She was called to rest on August 20, after 75 years in religious service and I believe she is already with St Francis of Assisi in heaven today.Thank you seems hardly adequate to Sr. Emmo who gave this world so much love, without counting the cost. She is an unsung hero of our times, and the most courageous example of faith I have ever known. We are proud of you Sr. Emmo and we miss you!

Renuka De Zoysa

A shining light among the Moor community

Mohamed Sameer Bin Hajie Ismail Effendi

It is over 45 years since my paternal grand-dad Mohamed Sameer, son of Hajie Ismail Effendi, passed away on November 21, 1972 at the age of 82, when I had clocked 22.

Sameer Appa, as we affectionately called him, was born on March 7, 1890. He received his education at Hameedia School in 1900, at City College and at S. Thomas College located in Mutwal, Colombo, passing the London College of Preceptors in 1902.

He met with Colonel Orabi Pasha, before his departure on September 18, 1901, in view of the Egyptian revolutionarys close friendship with his late father Hajie Ismail Effendi (1854-1896) who was an Arabic scholar. Sameer Appa attended the historic Fez Question Mass meeting held at the Maradana Mosque Colombo grounds on December, 31, 1905.

In 1909, he edited the monthly Tamil journal The True Messenger, and published Jewels of Islam in 1912. In 1915, he was a pioneer member of the All Ceylon Muslim League founded by CM Meera Lebbe Marikar who was its secretary, and the Moors Union, whose president, Proctor NHM Abdul Cader, MLC, MMC, ceremonially released Sameer Appas book, A Short Sketch of the Life of ILM Abdul Azeez, on November 26, 1915.

On February 15, 1941, he retired as a special class officer after having served over 30 years in the Colombo Municipal Council. He was the sole Ceylonese Moor clerk who joined the Assessors Department on January 1, 1911 as chief correspondence and acquisition clerk under NG Power. He functioned in varied disciplines, ending as head clerk of the Veterinary department. He served C. Stewart Orr and HP Beling, especially under the mayoralty of WL Murphy, (1932-1937) (later Sir William Lindsay Murphy. He published a piece in the CDN of October 9, 1969 on former mayor Major Newnham, commending his efficiency during his tenure, as reported by editor MJ Wangsa Achmed in the Truth newspaper of March-April, 1941. Thereafter, he was recalled and did temporary stints as head clerk in the central milk-feeding section, Civil Defence Commissioners department, and in the claims section, Valuation department.

I used to accompany him on occasion smartly kitted in his suit to the CMC to collect his monthly pension, and thereafter to procure stationery and sweets before returning home in Bambalapitiya. His famous mottos used to be: You first, to those who rudely barged in, and, A book lent is a book lost.

He was a founder and senior member of the board of trustees of the Moors Islamic Cultural Home, Inc., (MICH) Colombo. At a ceremony held in November, 1965, the MICH board of trustees awarded him its coveted gold medallion and citation, in recognition of his services in the collection, presentation and dissemination of information relating to the Moors of Ceylon. The MICH souvenirs of October 1965 and July 1970 carry a sizeable work of his research.

A member of the Maradana Mosque Colombo congregation since June 1908, he was recommended by its president, Barrister AHM Ismail, MA, LL.B, for appointment as its managing trustee on three alternate 2-year terms from June 1941 to 06 June 1951. During his tenure he cleansed the Augean Stables of the Maradana Mosque administration as described in his work, How I served the Maradana mosque. He also wrote a history of the Maradana mosque, personages of the past, and a diary of events titled Recalled to life, and edited a translation of his fathers travels of Hajie Ismail Effendi in 1884.

He used to type his essays using an Olivetti desk typewriter. As age crept up on him, I used to help type them and mastered the keyboard, which ability now helps me behind a PC. He was deeply affected by the demise of his beloved wife Raliya Noordeen, on September, 1968, five days prior to her 75th birthday, but continued to focus on life with fortitude.

He maintained an extensive global correspondence with Islamic institutions, and with the Departments of Archaeology and Museums, Dr Senarath Paranavitana, Sir Dr Paul Pieris, Statesmen Sir Razik Fareed, Senator Dr AMA Azeez, historians and writers Lieut-Comm. Somasiri Devendra, SLN, Capt SL Mohamed, barrister AH Macan Markar, AIL Marikar, ALM Lafir, AHM Azwer, MM Thawfeeq and Marzook Burhan, consulted him on various issues concerning the Ceylon Moors.

One morning in November, 1972, lying in bed, he summoned, apart from his youngest son Sadiq in London, my dad Thahir, Ismail and Farooq, daughters Rameela, Saleema, Jazeela, Ameena, Rahma and Khalisa, and their spouses, 34-grandkids and close kin and bid them goodbye. He serenely passed on at 4-pm. May Allah bless you dear Sameer Appa with Jennathul Firdous (Heavenly Bliss)!

Firoze Sameer

Vivid are those memorable times together

Prianca Perera

The air is cool and crisp, as a sublime breeze blows in from the mountain side. I think of our dear friend Prianca who passed away suddenly on that Monday night. The weekend before we had received an email from him, telling us that he would not be able to be with us for Christmas as he was on the threshold of working on a new venture with a friend.

When our neighbour from Colombo called us with the news, we were stunned. It took us a while to comprehend this news about our good friend. I recalled the first time we met him at Calvary Church with another dear friend Damayanthi Herath, who sadly passed away many years ago in the prime of her life of cancer. Prianca was a solemn greeter in church, impeccably dressed, who took his duty as an usher very dedicatedly.

Even though we left Sri Lanka in 2005, we kept in touch via email and phone. Prianca and Manique became very dear to Hillary and me. I recall the lovely times we spent after church, going to Carnival for ice cream, the many dinners and gatherings with our Calvary friends in our homes. We enjoyed black cherry cheese cake that our sister-in-law Mano introduced us to at the newly opened Don Stanleys at that time. We never missed a Purple Rain, or a Philharmonic Pops concert. We listened to lobby music at hotels, just enjoying a fun evening together. Prianca loved keyboard music. I would plead with him to treat us to a bit of his piano playing occasionally at his home.

The trips we did with our group of friends, were memorable. It was so much fun. Trips to Welimada, to Worlds End, and Habarana, were such a scintillating experiences. I remember most clearly how we ended up at a tourist bungalow in Anuradhapura during one of those suddenly planned long weekend trips. Despite the not so comfortable accomodation, we enjoyed the loud taped music of the Gypsies, while we laughed at each joke or story while we swatted mosquitos and ate every morsel of food that was prepared for us.

Prianca loved God deeply and would not miss hearing His word at any given opportunity. Its hard to talk about the once so happy memories, when our friends are no more. Our minds are the repositories of all those lovely memories of friends who have left us. They will always be vivid and be present in our lives.

Prianca was such a caring brother to Manique. In his quiet unobtrusive way, he did all that he could as a son, and brother, a giving nephew to his aunt, and also to any friend who needed his help. He, as our friend understood all the upheavals Hillary and I were going through regarding our home in Colombo, the home where we spent many a time of togetherness and joy. Prianca would remind me to be still, to make those two Bibilical words my affirmation, to have total reliance in God to see us through this trial.

Priancas earthly life has ended. He has now passed the moon and the stars. He is with Christ in Heaven. We thank God for the beautiful memories of our times with you Prianca. Goodbye dearest friend. We will see you again.

Charmaine Candappa
Leelaratnes literary body, a contribution to reconciliation By Rajitha Weerakoon View(s): View(s):

Trilingual author Upali Leelaratne carried away the award for the Best Translation of Short Stories at the recent State Literary Awards ceremony having won the Award for the same category last year as well. It is a singular literary achievement for he was also the first award winner of Tamil to Sinhala translations.

This years award winning translation  Aluth Manalaya, is a collection of short stories on the life of upcountry plantation workers where he takes readers through their ardous lives  living in line rooms, plucking leaves from the lush tea bushes in inclement weather and competition during weighing of the harvest as well as light-hearted moments in the estate classrooms or out on the rough terrain.

Leelaratne, himself lived his childhood years among the children in estates of Talawakelle and has a deep understanding of their needs, aspirations and the simple joys through their poverty and suffering. It is commendable that his focus on them in this age of reconciliation, has been rewarded.

Born in Ahangama, in the deep south, Leelaratne was an infant when the family moved to Talawakelle with his fathers appointment as a machine operator in a printing press. With his new home bordering several tea plantations, his playmates were Tamil children with whom he spent most of his time. Although Leelaratne did not study Tamil while at Sumana Maha Vidyalaya in Talawakelle, through his close association with Tamil friends, he began reading Tamil books. He exchanged books with his friends, borrowed books from Tamil school libraries and later learnt to write in Tamil as well. These were the 1960s when he had Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala friends with whom he communicated in both languages and lived in harmony free of communal conflicts.

Leelaratne hastened to add that although school libraries on the estates had books of literary value which he accessed, among the plantation workers who were mostly illiterate, there were no literary inclinations. What were widely circulated were cheap, colourful, illustrated romantic stories.

Given the extreme poverty most faced, the Talawakelle Municipal Council, each year, distributed school text books free of charge to students  a step that made children attend schools and took them away from pulp literature.

Although his link with the plantations ended at grade 7 when he won a scholarship to study at Nugawela Madhaya Maha Vidyalaya in Kandy, the impact of Talawakelle lasted. He has translated 30 Tamil novels of South Indian, Jaffna and Colombo authors. He entered journalism when he translated Tamil articles and political writings of Jaffna newspapers. He also wrote eight Tamil novels where he brought out the realities he was familiar with, the values that existed with real characters he knew on the estate enacting them. Some of his stories did have political connotations like when he wrote about the destruction of the Jaffna library and satires on government bungling bringing out the absurdity and sensitivity of the situations. This year, he also had his Vathukaraye Demala Keti Katha among the books nominated for an award when his translation, Aluth Manalaya, written by M. Sivalingam, carried away the award.

Leelaratne gained international recognition when his translated novel Galanguru won him the Nalli Desai award. It was awarded in 2010 by the famed Surangam  a book published in Tamil Nadu in eleven languages. Galanguru was a translation of a novel of Sinnappa Bharathi, a trade unionist and novelist of Tamil Nadu. Leelaratne had translated six out of his ten novels and was the only Lankan writer to win an award.

It was also in 2010 that he, for the first time, translated a collection of short stories titled, Periyathambige Thith Eluwa based on estate life and was nominated for a State Literary award which inspired the writer to take to pen. His Kedeli Bindi Giya Pasu however, was a collection of short stories written by migrant Tamils from Jaffna and Colombo and published in the book titled Gnanam authored by Dr. T. Gnanasekeran. The stories which are expressions of feelings for the mother country and yearning for a past that enriched their lives, won him the State Literary Award last year. Earlier, he translated a Tamil novel of Jeevakumaran  a migrant of Jaffna domiciled in Denmark titled Sangani Chandiya. He also wrote Komathi based on a LTTE woman rebel.

Leelaratne says that migrants are grateful to him for translating their writings. They want people back home to know that they treasure the traditions that enriched their lives and their love for the country they left behind. The translation made it possible for them to convey this message to those in Sri Lanka. These migrant writers visit Leelaratne whenever they arrive in Sri Lanka, buy the books in bulk and distribute them in Sinhala schools free of charge.

The two-time national award winner is attached to the Publication Department at S. Godage and Brothers and being proficient in all three languages, had been for 32 years in charge of printing of school textbooks.
Letters to the Editor View(s):

Make the Constitution a document by the people, for the people

We as citizens are aware that a Constitution is a well-intentioned instrument to ensure and sustain good governance, integrity, sanity, law and order in a country. We know that despite the meticulous attention given to its drafting by constitutional experts, it is prone to loopholes and interpretation difficulties caused by exceptional, unforeseen circumstances and human error.

Being an imperfect but dynamic document, a Constitution also needs to be amended in keeping with the democratic needs and aspirations of the people living in changing times. People expect that all efforts are made to minimise ambiguity and maximise clarity of clauses/articles with minimum legal jargon to achieve the sacred objectives of a Constitution.

Thus, in the event of any ambiguity, or interpretational problem, the concerned parties should strive to implement the good spirit and the objective of the different clauses.

Who should draft or propose amendments to the Constitution?

Since the Constitution is the primary document to safeguard the sovereignty of the people, it should be drafted by the people themselves as the principals and not be given to politicians who are only agents required by the principals to act in terms of the Constitution.

Here are a few suggestions, to solve the present Constitutional imbroglio.

1) Firstly, a representative team of members from civil society organisations including a few retired judges and university dons should be immediately assigned with the task of carefully re-framing all the debatable clauses in the constitution in order to ensure utmost clarity, justice, equity and democracy. The process should be made transparent by seeking political as well as public opinion through the mass media from time to time before finalizing the draft amendments. Some clauses which need immediate attention are:

a) The abolition of the cross-over mockery in order to prevent horse -trading by the agents of the people for money and power and ensure sanity of the Parliament though it may hardly arise in the future, if step No. 3 below is successfully implemented. In this regard clause No. 99(13) needs to be amended.

b) The removal of the clause which allows the Executive President to appoint Ministers at his will from another party to ensure political peace, good order and Parliament democracy.

c) Instead, entry in to the Cabinet should be made a Constitutional right of all seat winning parties at every General Election on a proportionate basis which will see the emergence of a truly National/Peoples Govt. for all times. This amendment will surely help to remove all political and ethnic rivalries and make politicians think and act as true Sri Lankans to achieve the common goal of developing the country.

d) The clauses which enable the Executive President to usurp the sovereignty and independence of the Parliament should be removed, to prevent any future conflict arising between the two institutions. In other words, the need for intervention by the Judiciary on constitutional matters should be minimized as prevention is better than cure. Also, in the light of the strong public opinion established over the years (since 1994) to discontinue the Executive Presidential system, it is reasonable to strike an equilibrium by further reducing the unhealthy powers of the Executive Presidency. The renewed clarion call by Late Ven .Sobhitha Thero in 2015 saw the passage of the 19th amendment,(though weakened) as a major step in this direction. The citizens would eventually expect the powers of the Executive President to be confined to look after the Countrys Defence, Provincial Council System and ceremonial functions/appointments.

2) A robust public opinion poll should be held to convert the finalized amendments to a sovereign, public document directly coming from the Principals viz. the people. Political agents and vested interests should not be allowed thereafter, to debate and tinker with such well-founded, people approved amendments. Only the Rubber stamp of the Cabinet and the Parliament would be needed to legalise such amendments. The clearance from the Supreme Court can be obtained for passage of the amendments without going for a Referendum that carries a colossal expenditure without a tangible return.

3) The Election Commission should lay down stringent eligibility criteria coupled with a structured interview system for parties to select educated,honourable, patriotic, political professionals with high integrity to enter the Parliament. In the event the recent rowdy and indecent behaviour of some ill-bred MPs in the Parliament, leads to a snap general election, the civil society and the media should pressurise the contesting parties to nominate more new faces using the aforesaid criteria. Only then will the sovereign voters get a fair opportunity to assess the quality of the teams fielded by the parties to run the country.

We earnestly appeal to the Government, Elections Commission, civil society activists and organisations to shoulder this national endeavour of re-making Sri Lanka as a proud, decent and civilized nation.

Bernard Fernando Moratuwa

The Parliament fair

I went to the Parliament fair,

The thugs and the thieves they were there,

A big buffoon, in broad daylight at noon,

Had taken the Speakers Chair.

The thugs and the thieves they did shout,

While throwing their weight about,

But others sat still and their time did fill

Making sure of the majority count.

The Speaker at last did appear 

The brave man he had nothing to fear.

Though around him they ranted and raved,

Behaving just like the depraved.

Books and chairs through the air did fly,

Chillie powder hit some in the eye,

The thieves ran away with the chair,

While the thugs fought on in despair.

The Speaker his work he got done,

With no interruption to their fun,

While the donkeys set loose in the well

Paved their own pathway to hell.

So that is the tale of the Parliament fair,

Which I thought I must with all of you share,

For now they say that its not what it seemed,

And maybe its only what I must have dreamed.

MaryAnne Philip Via email
Monaravila Keppetipola: The Disawa turned valiant soldier By Udumbara Udugama Today marks the bicentenary of the UvaWellassa uprising View(s): View(s):

Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne to present her painting of

Keppetipola at the commemoration ceremony at the Peradeniya University The bicentenary of the 1817-1818 national freedom struggle (UvaWellassa uprising), led by Monaravila Keppetipola Disava will be commemorated today, Sunday November 25, at the Senate building of the University of Peradeniya. A commemoration lecture will be delivered by Dr. Palitha Kohona, former Foreign Secretary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Professor C.M. Madduma Bandara, Emeritus Professor of the University of Peradeniya spoke to the Sunday Times regarding the events to mark the occasion. Artist Avanti Sri Nissanka Karunaratne will present her painting of Keppetipola Disava on horseback, brandishing his sword at this ceremony.

Two other commemoration ceremonies will be held in Kandy and Matale in the morning of November 26. The Matale ceremony is organised by Veera Monaravila Keppetipola Jatika Padanama and its President Walter Parahitiyawa Tenne explained that there will be many cultural programmes, including a perahera starting from the Dharmaraja Pirivena that will arrive at the Public Library premises near the Matale Town Hall.

The Jatika Padanama has identified a few selected families in Matale whose ancestors had been part of the 1818, 1823 and 1848 struggles and they will be recognized and remembered on that day. A lecture on the countrys history will be delivered for 100 schoolchildren too.

On the 26th, Avanti will once again display the painting in Kandy at the ceremony to be held in the Maha Maluwa opposite the Sri Dalada Maligawa, where the skull of Keppetipola rests under a memorial pillar.

The Kandyan Convention, formerly ceding the Kandyan Kingdom to the British was signed at the Magul Maduwa or audience hall of the King, on March 2, 1815 by the British Governor Robert Brownrigg and Kandyan Chieftains. Only three Chieftains, Keppetipola, Galagoda and Galagama signed in Sinhala. The others signed in Grantha, a combination of Sinhala and Tamil characters. There was no participation by the people. Thus ended the independence of the people of the Kandyan region.

Monaravila Keppetipola was appointed Maha Disave of Uva. The Governor explained that the powers of the chieftains, laws and customs would be the same and Buddhism, clergy and places of worship will be protected. But this was not to be. Within two months, the Chieftains, Buddhist clergy and the people were dissatisfied with the British authorities. Madugalle and Ihalagama Thera with other monks from the Malwatte Temple had a discussion to overthrow the British rule. Ekneligoda Mohottala revealed this to the authorities. Madugalla was imprisoned. Ihalagama Thera escaped arrest.

William Tolfrey, Chief Translator stationed in Kandy wrote to the Governor that  a deep and extensive plot to annihilate British power was being organized in the Kandyan areas. The rebellion broke out in October 1817 as the result of the appointment of a Moor, Hadji as Muhandiram to Velassa. On October 12 receiving information that a Pretender was seen in Velassa, Sylvester Wilson, the Assistant Government Agent, Badulla despatched Hadji Muhandiram, to apprehend the stranger. Hadjiwas captured by armed gangs and executed. On learning of the fate of Hadji Muhandiram, Mr.Wilson set out for Velassa on October 14. His efforts for a discussion with the rebels were futile and he was killed on his return to Badulla.

Mr.Sawers, the British Commissioner in Kandy sent Keppetipola Disave to Uva. He met the rebels Maha Badulugama Rala, Butave Rate Rala and others who convinced Keppetipola to join them and give them leadership. Keppetipola returned the muskets and ammunition issued by the Government through the men who came with him with a note to Mr. Sawers, informing him of his desire to join the rebels.

The fighting spread to many districts and by January 1, 1818 most of the Kandyan Kingdom was fighting to gain their lost independence. Governor Brownrigg addressed the Chiefs in the Audience Hall. In his speech which was interpreted by Abraham de Saram, he expressed his disappointment. The Governor read a Proclamation declaring Keppetipola and 18 others to be rebels, outlaws and enemies of His Majestys Government. Their lives were accordingly forfeited and their property confiscated. A reward of 1,000 gold pagodas was offered for the head of Keppetipola and equal sum for the heads of Pilimatalave and Madugalle.

The fighting was intense. Martial law had been declared in the whole of the Kandyan Provinces.

Keppetipola and Pilimatalawe were captured on October 28, 1818 in Nuwara Kalaviya by Lieutenant William ONeil. Madugalle was captured three days later. On November 13, Monaravila Keppetipola was tried by court martial for levying war with intent to subvert His Majestys Government lawfully established.

Dr. Henry Marshall came to Ceylon in 1808 as the Deputy Director General of the Army Hospital and met Keppetiola in jail. In his Description of the Island and its Inhabitants he writes that he found Keppetipola conducting himself in prison with much self possession. On one occasion in jail, the Disava spread out the coarse soiled cloth which he wore around his waist and said smiling: you know, this is not the way I used to dress.

Marshall recorded an account of the tragic and final moments of Keppetipola Disava and Madugalle on November 26, 1818. At the request of the prisoners they were taken to the Sri Dalada Maligawa and met by Mr. Sawers. Kneeling before the priest upon the threshold of the sanctuary, the repository of the Sacred Relic, the Chief detailed the principal meritorious actions of his life, such as the benefits he had conferred on the priests together with the gifts which he had bestowed on the temples, and other acts of piety. He then pronounced his prarthana(last wish), that at his next birth, he might be born in the mountains of the Himalayas and finally attain Nirvana.

Keppetipola was taken to the place of execution near the Bogambara wewa. His life ended with the second stroke of the sword. His head was separated from the body and in accordance with Kandyan custom was placed on his breast.

The Disawas cranium was later presented by Marshall to the Museum of the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh. When Ceylon gained its independence, it was returned to the country.

In Marshalls words Had the insurrection been successful, Keppetipola would have been honoured and characterised as a patriot instead of being stigmatised as a rebel and punished as a traitor.

Keppetipola Disava and 18 others who were considered traitors by the British Government have been named as true patriots and heroes of our motherland by a Gazette Notification in 2016. Today, we salute our hero Monaravila Keppetipola Disawa, the valiant soldier.
What makes this Pizza Hut special? By Randima Attygalle View(s): View(s):

Lalani is pleasant and courteous taking a pizza order from a young couple. Tech-savvy, she effortlessly operates the tab in her hand and confirms the order with a smile. Thushan is oblivious to the world around him baking a tantalizing pizza in the production department of the Siripa Lane (Thimbirigasyaya) outlet of popular fast food chain Pizza Hut. Nishan, Nirmani, Pradesh, Voshan and Yasintha follow suit.

Eleven hearing-impaired youngsters are happily and productively employed, part of a ground-breaking move by Pizza Hut Sri Lanka to emerge as the first among its global network to have an outlet staffed by the differently-abled. For us, these youngsters are specially-abled, says Bryan Gunarathne, Executive Trainer of Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, the franchise holder for Pizza Hut in Sri Lanka. The move, as Bryan tells us was a challenging one from a social, psychological and a HR (human resource) perspective, striking a fine balance between assuring customer satisfaction and creating equal working opportunities. To assist these recruits, there are three non-disability colleagues along with the delivery personnel who are also those with non-disability as there are practical difficulties the hearing-impaired will experience in certain job portfolios, explains Bryan.

The initiative which is the fruit of four years of research and comparative studies across the world by Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, is done with the collaboration of the School for the Deaf in Ratmalana. The new recruits who are products of the Ratmalana School have completed their formal education and received special training in bakery production as part of their vocational training. Having trained for six months at Pizza Hut, they were offered permanent job postings at several Pizza Hut outlets for exposure prior to starting work here.

The whole exercise has been challenging and stimulating, says Bryan who had to get into the shoes of these differently-abled youth along with his other colleagues. Apart from learning sign language from a Ratmalana School trainer, we also developed a special Pizza Hut sign language jargon to enable better communication. The exercise, has also empowered the families of these youth who had felt ostracized by society at times, Bryan notes. The employment opportunities have made the parents confident that their children, despite certain odds, are given a level-playing field. Besides, these gifted youth had proven that although they are deprived of certain faculties, they are endowed with other gifts such as high concentration power and attention to detail which are effective in business, adds Bryan.

Manager of the Thimbirigasyaya outlet, Manoj Fernando says this has been a rewarding experience. The best part is, these youngsters are enabled a career path by Pizza Hut. It is a great place to climb up the ladder on the strength of ones performance, says Manoj who has set the example himself. Having started his career as crew member, Manoj takes pride in climbing up the ladder as a supervisor and now being a manager.

The customer response to the ambitious move has been very positive, says Manoj. Several customers from Colombo suburbs having received the news from social media and friends came to get first-hand experience which speaks for the progressive mind-shift the country is moving towards.

Im a great fan of spicy pizza and whenever Im in Sri Lanka I drop in and this time its a wonderful surprise, says Debra, a HR professional from Seychelles who applauds the management for their progressive thinking. Nobody should be left behind in the modern world of work and Sri Lanka has spoken for the fact, she adds.

Sachinda Dulanjana a youth worker who was enjoying a meal with a friend applauds the endeavour as championing diversity as an asset rather than as a barrier. It is time we changed our mindset that the differently-abled people may not need our sympathy anymore, but empathy. These young people with hearing impairments who work at the Pizza Hut, Thimbirigasyaya outlet are the best example for that.

With a beaming thumbs up Lalani and Thushan signal they are quite delighted to be part of the Pizza Hut team. With the assistance of their Manager, Manoj, both endorse the ambitious move by the organization, urging others also to take a cue.

Kaushal Mendis, Director- HR and Administration at Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd reflects that what the customer is assured of is not just fast food, but a holistic experience. Our business is all about quick service. Anyone who walks into this outlet will experience the same speed and same quality of service sealed with the same smile debunking all misconceptions about the differently-abled. Pizza Hut aspires to make their outlets diverse by replicating their latest experience. If we can inspire fellow Sri Lankans with our move and one day see all these recruits donning the Managers tie, that is our success story, says Kaushal with a smile.

Reminding all that the 30-year civil war has left many young people disabled, Kaushal also urges other organizations to harness their talents. We often complain of the shortage of skilled labour in this country forgetting there is a community whose talent has not been utilized.

Lauding his Operations Team for the unstinted support extended in making the whole project a success, Kaushal also applauds the Disability Network of the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) for their guidance. We partnered with the Network last year and the insights we received helped strengthen our resolve. With their assistance, we hope to make out outlets Braille-friendly for the benefit of the visually-impaired by making Braille menus available.

It is heartening to see member companies who walk the talk by promoting inclusivity, Director General, EFC, Kanishka Weerasinghe said, adding that his organization considers it a privilege to be associated with this first in the world event. Manager, Specialised Training and Disability Centre of the EFC, Manique Gunaratne, an internationally recognised activist for persons with disabilities sees the project as an eye-opener for all employers in the country. It gives persons with disabilities an opportunity to earn a living with dignity equally as other counterparts in the organization. Above all, it will help eliminate social stigma towards people with disabilities and foster a mind shift from exclusion to inclusion. I applaud Pizza Hut for helping the world learn a new language, she said.
Speaking at an international workshop in Hanoi on November 23, Kamal Malhotra pledged that the UNDP will also assist Vietnam in mobilising resources from international and national development partners, and provide the country with consultations on a long-term strategy in the sphere.

He encouraged other UN member countries supporting Vietnam in peacekeeping activities to work more closely with the UNDP representative in Vietnam so to provide the country with consistent, comprehensive and efficient coordination and assistance.

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, head of the Vietnam Inter-sectoral Working Group for Participation in the UN Peacekeeping Operations and the Defence Ministrys Steering Committee for Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations, stressed that joining UN peacekeeping operations is the sustainable and long-term political resolve of the Vietnamese Party, State and army.

The move signals the countrys responsibility for the international community and its aim to contribute to the global peace and consolidate national peace and stability, he said.

Vietnam wishes to receive support in training and equipment from such countries as the US, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Canada, the UK and France, among others.

Besides, Vietnam stands ready to share its experience and resources with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in this area, the officer noted.

Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, head of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, said Vietnam has sent 29 officers to UN peacekeeping missions, including a female, since 2014.

In October, 2018, the country deployed a level-2 field hospital to South Sudan to take over a field hospital of the UK.

Vietnam is working to consolidate the legal foundation and institutional capacity for its participation in UN peacekeeping operations, and prepare competent resources for the missions, he said.

Delegates at the workshop looked into Vietnams plans and priorities in UN peacekeeping operations, challenges facing the country in this field, and how to improve capacity for the training centre of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department.
Fake news, fake logic and poor arithmetic By Gamini Weerakoon Doublespeak View(s): View(s):

The collective wisdom on constitutional law expressed by the pundits for about a month  from learned professors like GL to three-wheeler drivers  cannot surpass the fundamental reality of parliamentary democracy: He who holds the parliamentary majority rules that land.

This is an elementary civics lesson we were taught over half a century ago at school. Even if the final legal decision upholds President Maithripala Sirisenas wisdom of sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and proroguing parliament, whatever new government that emerges cannot function without a working majority. This is clear to the dumbest of the dumb in politics. Even Sirisena has accepted that the claimed parliamentary majority does not exist. So why is this plain political fact being confused and obfuscated with fake logic for a near four weeks? Is it pig headedness, a diabolical political conspiracy or sheer desperation, with the reality staring them in the face? The reality is that had the Yahapalana government continued uninterrupted and the special courts continued trying the Rajapaksa clan and their cohorts, there could have been the likelihood of many of them doing the Jail House Rock for long years.

UNPers are asking why some honourable members of the highest legislature in the land are braying like strangled asses, screaming like jackals, hurling Mariyakade abuse and throwing chairs and water mixed with red hot chilli powder at the undoubtedly honourable Speaker? The UNP members and even the policemen called into the chamber for security reasons have been targets.

Such political exercises are being conducted, we are told, in defence of the sovereign rights of the people. Incorrect parliamentary procedures had been adopted when passing two no confidence motions against Mahinda Rajapaksa and the new government, President Maithripala Sirisena has held. Of course correct procedures have to be followed. But the whole hullabaloo started when Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on an incorrect procedure, in fact, for no reason at all, UNPers claim. He could not get along with Wickremesinghe, Sirisena has said. Its likely that Wickremesinghe himself could not get on with Sirisena. So could Wickremesinghe have sacked Sirisena? Constitutional experts will say that there is no provision for the prime minister to sack the president. But the moot point now is whether there are constitutional provisions for the president to sack the prime minister!

So the argument whether the chicken or the egg came first is likely to continue ad infinitum.

The claimed validity of the incorrect procedure by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is good enough justification for the chaos and mayhem let loose by Hon. Pohottuwa gentlemen, with the backing of even some constitutional authorities. Apparently there is no other parliamentary procedure to remedy the alleged flaw other than to throw chairs, chilli water and even slap a policeman doing his duty of protecting the Speaker. Two wrongs make a right is the basic fake logic now being deployed.

The problem in Sri Lanka is that, like our great big neighbour India, everyone is a pundit in everything. Some will even say the word pundit came across from somewhere in India. Not so, our doughty defenders of the Sinhala language  Hela Basa will say. They will howl pointing out that we have an equivalent for the word punditpandithaya  and quote chapter and verse from ancient texts. We will leave this issue for further comment to more peaceful and leisurely times and instead try to think what lies ahead for the Sri Lankan nation.

Whither Lanka? we ask; but the concern of most people is not so much about Lanka but who will take up the reins of leadership. Whoever it may be, if we go by past performances, we will be galloping into disaster.

Mahinda Rajapaksa has been made the prime minister on a unilateral decision of the executive president without  never mind a manifesto even a political or economic strategy. But it is apparent that he believes in a panacea (kokatah thailaya) for all Lankas ills  Rajapaksa, Rajapaksa, Rajapaksa and some more Rajapaksas as before. Towards the tail end of their regime 75 percent of the economy was controlled by them, while the president, speaker and defence secretary were Three Big Rs. Even nilames and kapuralas of money spinning devalayas were Rajapaksas or their cohorts while the Babes strayed out of their bounds and are now from facing the music in courts.

Can the Rajapaksa & Co rescue Sri Lanka, having left it neck deep in billion dollar debts from which the country is desperately trying to recover? Can Ranil Wickremesinghe with his neo-liberal strategies make Sri Lanka an Asian Tiger like Singapore or South Korea?

There are no definite rational answers to such questions in this age of Fake News and Fake Logic. However, all political leaders believe in the Science of Astrology. On the last occasion the science of astrology came a cropper and astrologers let down the Rajapaksas, but never mind all that. Science is not always right.

We were searching for enlightenment in this chaos and picked up the Daily News, which we have served for 15 long years. It still has the best Obituary Page but what attracted us was an article, Ten Theses on Sri Lankas Existential Crisis

We reproduce some excerpts:

Our island contains two consciousnesses.. the periphery of our island has the longest uninterrupted colonial history in the world this has resulted in a residue, sedimentation in the consciousness. There are elite classes, strata who have a dependent, colonial, pro imperialist puppet parasitic existence and mentality. Not all classes that live in the islands periphery have such a consciousness but they are handfuls that do, together with their supportive bourgeois and lumpen strata. This was the Lipton Circus crowd.

What a stunning analysis of the tens of thousands that constituted The Lipton Circus Crowd: Sediments of colonialism of a parasitic mentality and existence with the support of the petty bourgeois and the lumpen strata.

May there be more of the puppet parasites, petty bourgeois and those from the lumpen strata.It will be sufficient to win an election. Never mind even if these perceptive observations came from far away desolate Moscow.

President Sirisena has a knack of selecting propagandists and ambassadors.
Sir Winston Churchill : The greatest military strategist of the 20th Century By Jayantha Gunasekera View(s): View(s):

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born to a highly respectable family. He was the son of Lord Randolph Churchill and was born at Blenheim Palace on Nov. 30 1874. How he got into Harrow is a mystery, for he showed no scholastic ability beyond a remarkable capacity for memorising poetry. He never mastered Latin and did not go beyond Junior School. He had no University education. After two failures, he was squeezed into the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. There he suddenly matured. Not only did he do brilliantly in his military studies, but he began to take a keen interest in his fathers political career. His father, Lord Randolf died of a questionable ailment.

Leaving Sandhurst in 1894, Winston was gazetted to the Fourth Hussars in 1896. In 1896 he went out with his Regiment, to India. He was a war correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and the Allahabad Pioneer. Four years later he fought in Sudan under Kitchener to crush the rebel Dervishes.

Back in England, Winston wrote the tale of the River War which brought him high praise and profits. He decided to give up the Army and enter politics. In 1899, he fought and lost a bi-election at Old Ham. The Boer War started in the Autumn, and he served as the Chief War Correspondent of the Morning Post. Whilst he was in an armoured train venturing into Boer territory, the train was ambushed and he was taken prisoner, to Pretoria. He escaped to Durban. The Boers had offered a reward of 25 Pounds for his capture  dead or alive. In the 1900 election, he was elected to Old Ham, and soon made his mark in Parliament as a brilliant speaker. In 1902 he opposed Joseph Chamberlains Tariff Reform Campaign and he crossed the floor of the House to join his friend, Lloyd George in the Liberal Party.

In the 1906 elections, Churchill was returned as a Liberal for North West Manchester. He was then appointed undersecretary for the colonies and piloted the move to give Transvaal self government. During this period, he met Clementine Hozier, a grand daughter of the Countess of Airlie. They got married and in Winstons own words, they lived happily ever after.

In 1911 he took over the Admiralty from McKenna and equipped the country with battleships. As Lord of the Admiralty, sensing danger he arranged a big naval rally and retained the fleet on an Active Service footing, without cabinet authority. When the First World War broke out in 1914, the British Navy, thanks to Churchill, was ready. In the first few months, the oceans were swept clear of German vessels and every hostile warship was either sunk or bottled up in enemy harbours.

War was Churchills native air, and he plunged joyously into the struggle. He organised the Royal Naval Air Service, to defend Britains coasts, and directed the unsuccessful defence of Antwerp. He launched an amphibious attack on Turkey through the Dardenelles, but Kitchener would not spare the men and they failed. Churchill got the blame. When the First Coalition was set up, the Tories insisted on driving Churchill away from the Admiralty into the ineffective post of Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster.

In 1917 Prime Minister Lloyd George made Churchill the Minister of Munitions, and at the end of the War, he took over the War Office, to superintend demobilization. In 1924, the Tories won the election, and Churchill became Chancellor of the Exchequer.

At the 1929 elections the government fell and Labour again took office. Churchill made no secret of his opinion of Ramsay Mac Donald . He also quarrelled with Stanley Baldwin about the issue of Indian self government. In 1931 with the financial depression, Churchill was left out. During this period he wrote books, and painted. His history of the First World War and life at Marlborough are treasured by the reading public.

When King Edward VIII ascended the throne, the Prime Minister was Stanley Baldwin. The King ordered the Prime Minister to better the lot of miners. Baldwin said that Britain had no money, as they were recovering from the financial depression of 1931. The King also sought approval to marry the twice married divorcee American, Wallis Simpson. Baldwin declared to the King, that it will be done only over his dead body. The King abdicated , married Simpson and became the Duke of Windsor.

In 1939, the Second World War broke out. Holland surrendered to the Germans, and Belgium surrendered two weeks later. In the first speech to the House of Commons, Churchill said, I have nothing to offer but blood, tears, toil and sweat. He spoke to the heart of the British people who welcomed his tone of grim and unyielding defiance. Then followed the miracle of Dunkirk. Churchill voiced the spirit of the Nation in a broadcast, conveying its unconquerable determination , we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets.

Britain stood all alone, for Mussolini had joined Hitler. Now came the Battle of Britain. The Nazi aircraft the Luftwaffe, swarmed across the Channel to begin a German Invasion. They were brought down by the far smaller RAF fighter force. Churchill, in thanking the few heroic British pilots said, never in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many, to so few. He kept the morale of the British Forces and the Nation high, by his electrifying speeches, more than with weapons.

He met Roosevelt the President of the US. He also met Russias Stalin, laying aside his antagonism to Bolshevism and promising support to the Soviets. He signed the Atlantic Charter with Roosevelt. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour soon thereafter, and the US found herself drawn into the War. This is just what Churchill wanted, because the US all this time only spoon-fed Britain, and did not come out openly into the War.

In 1942, he placed Alexander and Montgomery in charge of the North African campaign. Rommel and his Italo-Germans were sent flying , and the Germans were in retreat. June 1944, saw the Normandy Invasion. British and American troops streamed across, and in April 1945, the German forces surrendered. It was on May 8, 1945 that the War in Europe was over. Wildly enthusiastic crowds were cheering Churchill as their hero. Had Britain lost the War, Churchill would have been blown to smithereens by the Germans.

Though Germany and Italy surrendered, their ally Japan was ordered by Emperor Hirohito to keep fighting. He told his subjects, I am not interested in my allies Germany and Italy surrendering, we will continue to fight. By that time the USA had perfected the atom bomb. They had no choice but to order Capt Tibbets to drop these Atom Bombs from his aircraft Enola Gay, on Hiroshima and a little later on Nagasaki. Nearly one million Japanese people died.

It is very strange that Emperor Hirohito was not tried at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, though he too was guilty of the carnage where millions of people died. The Japanese Military Commanders were as inhuman as the German Commanders.

At the very next elections after the War, Churchill lost, and Clement Attlee became the Prime Minister. Churchill was in the Opposition for six long years, and was elected Prime Minister in 1951. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth the 2nd , the present Queen of Britain.

Whatever the vicissitudes as Party Leader in domestic politics , Britain has known no greater leader in time of war. Sir Winston Churchill will go down in history as a soldier-citizen ,whose courage and eloquence sustained and inspired the people of his motherland Great Britain, in their darkest hour, and whose many-sided genius brought them through to victory.
The PM thanked Jansen for his active coordination with Vietnams functional agencies in preparing for his recent visit to Belgium, voicing his hope that, as a highly experienced diplomat, the Ambassador will make significant contributions to fostering the bilateral relations during his term of office in Vietnam.

Expressing his satisfaction with the good results achieved during his talks with the senior Belgian leaders, PM Phuc noted that the outcomes will be a solid foundation for strengthening the Belgium-Vietnam relations in the future. He said he hopes to welcome the Belgian PM to Vietnam at the earliest date.

The Vietnam-Belgium ties have been growing finely across all spheres, manifested through an increasing trend in two-way trade revenues (reaching US$2.3 billion in the first 10 months of 2018) and a growing number of Belgian businesses investing in Vietnam, the leader stated.

Vietnam has been making active preparations for the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he said, calling for Belgiums support so that the EU will promptly sign and ratify this important document.

Ambassador Paul Jansen said Belgian businesses wish for favourable conditions in order to continue expanding investment and seek new opportunities in the Vietnamese market, asking the Vietnamese Government to offer visa exemptions to Belgian citizens travelling to Vietnam, contributing to boosting tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

On a multilateral scale, the diplomat expressed his wish that Belgium and Vietnam would offer mutual support and continue their close coordination in the areas of peacekeeping and climate change adaptation.

Jansen affirmed Belgiums support of Vietnams participation in an FTA with the EU, which, he said, will help Vietnam leapfrog the huge strategic and economic interests brought about by the treaty.
At a meeting with Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Thailand, in Bangkok on November 23, Giang applauded Thailands important role in maintaining solidarity and development in the ASEAN.

The officer noted his belief that Thailand will successfully assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019 and urged the country to share its experience with Vietnam which will take over the position in 2020.

Giang expressed his belief that Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon will continue to create favourable conditions for collaboration in military and national defence between the two countries.

In reply, Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon said Giangs visit will contribute to consolidating and developing the bilateral strategic partnership. The host also said he wants to pay an official visit to Vietnam to discuss issues of shared concern.

While in Thailand, Giang held talks with Gen. Pornpipat Benyasri, Chief of Defence Forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, during which the two sides agreed to increase the exchange of delegations, including young officers, and enhance cooperation in training and air and naval forces, while seeking collaboration possibilities between the two armies.

On this occasion, Giang visited the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre of Thailand and the Vietnamese Defence Attache Office in Bangkok.
The agency required that the Quang Ninh Port Authority assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the relevant transport companies and other concerned parties to consider the size and draft of the vessels, while checking the actual conditions at the wharf and inspecting the pertinent regulations for licensing ships and boats operating at Hon Gai International Passenger Port, the first of its kind in Vietnam.

The Port Authority of Vietnam also requested the port operator, Ha Long Sun Co., Ltd., to coordinate with consultancy and specialised agencies to choose suitable vessels to operate at the port an ensure the stability and safety of the port and boarding ships.

The Hon Gai Passenger Terminal, invested in by Sun Group, in the form of a public-private partnership, is equipped with modern technologies and is capable of welcoming the most luxurious cruise ships in the world. It is capable of receiving two large passenger ships of up to 225,000 GT, carrying up to 6,500 passengers each, at once.

Construction of the VND1 trillion port began in November 2017, aiming to ease the overload for Tuan Chau Passenger Terminal and improve Ha Long's tourist service quality.
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Linkedin Editorial Desk (Dawn/ANN) Islamabad  Sat, November 24, 2018 08:28 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d9521f 2 Editorial #Afghanistan,#IslamicState,#Taliban,#TerrorAttack,#Terrorism,#terrorist,Afghanistan,terrorism,terror-attack Free

Once again, militants in Afghanistan have shown that nothing is sacred to them. Over 50 people were killed as a bomber struck a wedding hall in Kabul on Tuesday where people had gathered to celebrate the birthday of the Holy Prophet.

At this point it is unclear who is responsible for this atrocity.

However, while the Afghan Taliban have distanced themselves from the attack, suspicions have fallen on the local affiliate of the militant Islamic State group, which has been involved in a number of attacks in Afghanistan, aside from the violence perpetrated by the Taliban.

IS is particularly known for targeting Muslims it sees as "deviants"; its past attacks have had sectarian overtones, and have included violence against the Shia community in the country.

While the Afghan Taliban are of course no stranger to violence, IS is a far more vicious and expansionist set-up, comparatively speaking, and has demonstrated its blood-soaked capability in the Middle East.

Afghanistan is already a witness to massive levels of violence; as per one figure, nearly 3,000 people have been killed in militant attacks over the past two years.

While that unfortunate country has not seen stability for the last four decades, the IS threat cannot be underestimated as its propensity for violence and destruction is arguably greater than that of other militant actors.

The bombing comes as a sobering reminder that all principal actors  the government in Kabul, the Afghan Taliban, external players  must step up their efforts to bring about a negotiated conclusion to end hostilities in the country.

While considerable gaps may exist between Kabul and the Taliban, these need to be bridged as IS is a common enemy.

Moreover, if the self-styled caliphate were to establish itself in Afghanistans ungoverned spaces, the security of neighboring states, including Pakistan, would be increasingly compromised.

Therefore, all players need to facilitate dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban, with the Americans, who maintain a military presence in Afghanistan, as well as regional states playing their role.

The world has witnessed the mayhem IS caused when it occupied ungoverned spaces in Iraq and Syria. Now that it has been eliminated from most of its Middle Eastern strongholds, it is looking for a new foothold from where it can unleash turmoil and bring its apocalyptic dreams to fruition.

No country must be allowed to become that foothold. The US, with its military muscle and technology, must particularly do more to flush out IS from its Afghan redoubts.

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This article appeared on the Dawn newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Prasenjit Chowdhury (The Statesman/ANN) New Delhi  Sat, November 24, 2018 07:14 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d93d34 2 Opinion #SaudiArabia,#Khashoggi,#WashingtonPost,#oil,#USA,#MBS,Saudi-Arabia,saudi-prince,Khashoggi,murder-case,oil Free

In the context of Britains economic interests, its foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin, declared in 1949: In peace and war  the Middle East is an area of cardinal importance to the United Kingdom, second only to the United Kingdom itself.

The impact of Britains weakened post-war economy was a source of concern to Bevin, but he was equally concerned over the worldwide Communist threat. His fear was shared by a number of other decision-makers, one of whom in 1946 argued that if Britain moved out of the Middle East, the Russians would move in. This is somehow akin to the fear of President Trump that should the US take punitive action against Saudi Arabia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, then Russia and China would intervene.

By the end of the Second World War, Roosevelt, on his return from Yalta in February 1945, met the Saudi monarch and declared that his country was more important to US diplomacy than virtually any other nation. Soon, Truman and his Secretary of State, Dean Acheson, were working directly with Big Oil, as the worlds six or seven largest publicly traded oil and gas companies were then known, for strategic assistance.

From the perspective of the US political interests, the strategy was intended to shore up the Marshall Plan, to exercise veto power over Japanese imports, and to help control the spread of Communism in Asia. The geopolitics of the Cold War clashed with the reality of the oil market and the global economy, whose rough outline was only just beginning to take shape in the mid-1970s.

The murder of the Saudi dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, can be seen in the context of the Wahhabi kingdom being a metaphor for the corrupting influence of oil on Americas national security policy. Given its giant petroleum reserves and untapped production capacity, Saudi Arabia could flood the market by pumping enough surplus crude into the system to break the pricing structure and drive prices back down.

This is evident since the U.S.-Saudi oil coup directed against the Shahs leadership of OPEC in 1977. This had contributed to the collapse of Irans monarchy in 1979. It was Saudi Arabia that released oil to stall the OPEC price increases in 1973 and during the Gulf War in 1990-91. Within 24 hours of 9/11, nine million additional barrels of Saudi oil were released to keep prices stable. The other pillar of postwar US oil policy ~ Iran ~ had to contend with revolutionary Islam.

The investigation into Khashoggis death has already been subsumed by the way Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is overplaying the Iranian threat, under cover of which he had undertaken a disastrous bombing campaign against Iranian- backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in an apparent plea to contain Iranian influence in the civil war, which, according to the United Nations, is driving 14 million people to pre-famine conditions.

The murder of Khashoggi cannot derail the US-Saudi alliance, but if America takes a dim view of the journalists murder, it will reinforce the impression of the wilful use of power by MBS. He has imprisoned his rivals and many prominent Saudi officials in a perceived effort to fight corruption. This is happening with full connivance of the US. Apart from the excesses in Yemen, the Trump administration has tacitly backed the questionable actions of the Crown Prince, such as the clash with Qatar or the kidnapping the Lebanese Prime Minister.

In 1980, US foreign policy suffered a jolt when four American women were shot in El Salvador. The Reagan Administration, wary that Nicaragua had fallen to a leftist government, believed that the events there were being influenced and perhaps even instigated by Cuba and the Soviet Union. But the death of a civilian, or a few civilians, is of little moment when the talking point is the relationship between two countries of great strategic proximity.

The killing of Daniel Pearl could not stave the US off Pakistan. Hence the speculation that the death of Khashoggi would be overshadowed by the altar of the strategic imperative of the US to be close to the Al-Saud princes and vice versa. The US President had initially referred to Crown Prince Salman as an incredible ally, but has now expressed reservations over Saudi deception and prevarication, even frustration over the cover-up.

Most Americans rarely bother about the monarchy that rules Saudi Arabia, the status of its citizens, or the fundamentalist Wahhabi branch of Islam practised by many. They care little about the fact that Saudi Arabia is an extremely theocratic country where Saudi men never get to see a woman who is not a direct relative, and where Saudi women themselves cannot leave the house without a male chaperone, and live largely behind the purdah.

It is the worlds most gender-segregated nation. America has a long history of dabbling with zealots and autocrats as heads of nations as long as they served American interests. Trump is already known to befriend some of the worlds most loathed autocrats, including Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, whose extralegal death squads have killed many.

The US arming of the Saudi air force in Yemen with precision-guided weapons, missiles, anti-missile weapons and intelligence, and with casualties mounting by the day, Saudi Arabia has little reason for concern over such small acts of transgressions like the killing of a dissident journalist. The House of Saud can feel complacent that a death is too petty an irritant considering the goodwill around another $110 billion arms deal with the US.

The Saudi royal family has always understood that petropower signifies more than creating wealth, developing its economy, and preserving power. Oil is also Saudi Arabias primary weapon of national self-defence and the key to its security and survival.

The message that this ghastly act of killing conveys is one of brazen impunity; that Saudi Arabia, by dint of its proximity to the US, can get away practically with everything and can continue to enjoy the support of the Anglo-Americans, even with an act of killing of an American resident at Saudi Arabias own consulate, and that too, within the borders of a country that is a NATO ally of the United States.

Khashoggis murder might compel the comity of nations to be focused on Yemen. Patronage without accountability might well jeopardise Americas current posturings against Iran and its Middle East policy in the larger context.

The writer is a Kolkata based commentator on politics, development and cultural issues.

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This article appeared on The Statesman newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 08:45 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d9523f 4 Editorial #Editorial,child-marriage,childrens-right,child-bride,child-development,gender-equality,marriage,human-rights,domestic-abuse,child-abuse Free

It is high time President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued an emergency rule in lieu of law (Perppu) to end child marriage by increasing the legal minimum marrying age. This is not just because one child bride died in September following domestic violence in Indramayu, West Java. It is because the Indonesian state, through the law and the courts, up to the Constitutional Court and through parents and even religious leaders, continue to condone the rape of minors and force girls to be mothers.



Take the latest statement of the Supreme Court. Its spokesman told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that courts could not ban people from getting married including minors seeking the courts dispensation, as it was a human right.



The Constitutional Court in 2015 overturned a judicial review request to raise the legal marrying age of 16 for girls and 19 for boys in the 1974 Marriage Law, which 44 years ago was already radical with many girls married at an even younger age. Another attempt to convince the court failed.



The judges, with ears to the moralists, have rejected the arguments of experts, who have shown how child marriage contributes to Indonesias high maternal mortality rate and has negatively affected the children of the young parents, as their mothers are not psychologically or physically fit enough to be parents.



The expert witnesses also argued that instead of easing the familys poverty, as is often the reason cited by parents for marrying off their children early, it actually contributes to inter-generational poverty, as several studies show. Schools usually dismiss students who are pregnant or have married, or the student resigns, thus reducing their chances of gaining enough education and income, particularly for young mothers.



This year, Womens Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Susana Yembise said the government would increase the legal minimum marriage age.



Unsurprisingly, it is too late. In the Indramayu case, Yeni, not her real name, aged 15, was married to the person suspected of causing her death, identified as D, aged 16. The 1974 Marriage Law allows minors to marry with the consent of parents and the religious court.



The Indramayu Religious Court granted the parents request out of concern that the couple might have premarital sex. Later, Yeni had reportedly often complained to her grandmother about her husbands abusive behavior. The couples baby died after a caesarian section.



However tragic, Yenis marriage was reportedly only one of 354 dispensations granted to minors in 2016 alone by the regencys religious court. Statistics Indonesia data show that in 2016, 17 percent of Indonesians were married before they were 18; the Child Protection Law defines children as those under 18.



Like the swift issuance of the 2016 Perppu on chemical castration of convicted rapists of minors, child marriage should be accorded the same treatment, as the National Commission on Violence against Women has reminded us.



Must another child die as a result of violence in her purportedly safe home to wake us up?
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Linkedin Gratiyana Ningrat (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 11:57 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da237d 3 Opinion islamic-finance,blockchain,digital-economy,digital-technology,financial-technology Free

The 2030 agenda, interconnected universal goals that promoting sustainable, inclusive development for all to end poverty, protect the planet, peace, and more sustainable future for generations to come was adopted by 193 countries under the United Nations in 2015.

Poverty eradication is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, and so is the commitment to leave no-one behind, said Achim Steiner, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator about Sustainable Development Goals to address the issues of billion people in the world who lived on less than US$2 per day.

The global agenda for poverty alleviation is aligned with maqasid al-shariah  objectives of shariah, the philosophical framework from many classic Islamic scholars such as al-Ghazali and al-Syatibi, to explain the wisdoms behind rulings not only about developing consciousness of God but enhancing social cohesion.

The maqasid has an important aspect to developing Islamic economics which is maslahah or public interest. Money in Islam performs a social-role, that is why the main goals of Islamic finance are to distribute wealth efficiently, promoting socio-economy justice, and ensure the prosperity and well-being for all.

Meanwhile, the gap in financing for SDGs is currently estimated at $ 2.5 trillion every year. According to Thomson Reuters' projections, Islamic finance assets are projected to grow to $3.2 trillion by 2020. It depicts Islamic finance potentials to support the SDGs by providing innovative financing solutions.

Compared to individual contribution, giving zakat or sadaqah through formal institutions, investing in Islamic bonds, can increase outreach, targeting the people in need, and providing a more strategic and sustainable solution.

However, there are several challenges, inefficiency, a lack of transparency in terms of how the funds are collected, managed, distributed, and the differing views of Islamic scholars on how these should be dealt with the rulings or fatwa.

Blockchain technology can address those problems. In short, blockchain is a decentralized ledger that may be continuously growing as a list of records, transactions, value, and/or programs in a transparent and immutable manner.

It has ability to track where your transactions are going, when they arrived, and where they were used to govern the organizational inefficiency and corruption, means that greater transparency and accountability as the main concern of zakat contributors.

The International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) is developing a blockchain application for zakat. It is presented options for sadaqah (charity) or zakat, madhab or the school of thought of user follow  Shafii, Maliki, Hambali or Hanafi, the choices of project, and then user complete their payment.

After zakat payment has been made, it is registered on a node in the blockchain. Zakat payers will receive the notification of the utilization and projects scorecard credibility. It will gain more confidence among payers that their zakat has reached intended recipients.

Not only to track transactions, the technology has developed to benefits society in digital identities, smart contracts, food supply, fraud detection, and will continue to grow.

More example, smart contracts can be used for Islamic Bonds. Blossom Finance leverages smart contract in blockchain technology to increases the efficiency by standardizing and automating the process of issuance.

What differs with the conventional offerings is how it hasten the legal and accounting process, and payment overheads which lead cost reduction. In addition, it does not require institutions or recipient to add cryptocurrency to their balance sheet as the product supports the issuance in local currency.

Another blockchain project called HARA, a blockchain based decentralized agriculture data exchange. Due to profit and risk sharing principles, the problem on the ground is there are no reliable income statements to assess risk and return for the potential Islamic equity investors.

One of the reasons why they gather farmers cultivation and market traders data is to develop Islamic financing products and improve the transparency of agriculture ecosystems financials with data empowerment.

Those features would be a huge leap for Islamic finance to reach more potential users and establish more efficient commercial akad or contract based transaction with blockchain smart contracts such as mudharabah, bai al salam, musharakah, and the list goes on.

How is it for Indonesia? The largest Muslim population, a nation home to 12.7% of the world's Muslims has unparalleled potentials in realizing the SDGs using Islamic finance and funds.

According to BAZNAS the amount of zakat collection in Indonesia, only in formal institution, is reached Rp5 trillion in 2016. Yet, BAZNAS (Badan Amil Zakat Nasional) found that the potential of zakat fund is around Rp286 trillion ($19 billion) in 2015 with extrapolation method to GDP. A huge gap indeed.

"BAZNAS looks at the SDGs as a tool to achieve progress Indonesia, aligned with the vision, namely the welfare, alleviating poverty, improving quality human resources, encourage public health and all other aspects of empowerment", says Ir. Nanan Mintarti, one of the commissioners of BAZNAS.

Therefore, BAZNAS and UNDP Indonesia strengthen their partnership where Indonesia can take the lead for providing innovative financing, including Islamic finance and funds in SSMART (South South Cooperation) platform for SDGs.

On above mentioned, Indonesia can be the powerhouse of Islamic finance movement in achieving SDGs. It will bring greater impact if supported by blockchain technology.

Living in the midst of industry 4.0, an unprecedented technological revolution, the development policy should ceaselessly ensure that no-one left behind. The utilization of technology must be parallel with the global movement on realizing the SDGs.

Although the blockchain technology can disrupt Islamic finance, it is not as easy as flipping a coin.

Collaboration between private and public sector to ensure its implementation to pave the way of SDGs realization is essential.

***

The writer is Islamic finance and economics, middle-east and Islamic studies masters student at school of strategic and global studies, University of Indonesia.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Wendy Haryanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:41 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d99068 3 Opinion jakarta,Jakarta-administration,housing-sector,housing,inequality,economic-inequality,house-ownership Free

Housing in Indonesia is unaffordable, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Prices are so prohibitive that only the richest 20 percent of households can afford to buy a house in the formal market. The bottom 40 percent cannot access the formal housing market at all. The middle 40 percent can only do so through government subsidies.



Jakarta residents are not only deprived of affordable housing but also of green spaces. The latter make up less than 10 percent of the capital citys land area, depressingly short of the 30 percent mandated by the 2007 Spatial Planning Law. The consequences are dire: Water catchment areas to prevent flooding are insufficient; trees to produce oxygen are scarce; free and healthy recreation areas are inadequate.



What hampers the provision of housing and green spaces is land shortage. Jakarta is among the worlds densest cities, on par with Tokyo with about 14,000 residents per square kilometer. The difference is how they are built. Jakartas density is sprawling horizontally with low-rise single-family houses.



Such development swallows excessive land area and leaves little space for affordable housing and parks. For this reason, Jakarta needs to build upwards.



The advent of the mass transit system in Jakarta could make the capitals land utilization significantly more efficient and housing more affordable. Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministerial Regulation No. 16/2017 promotes transit-oriented developments (TOD) through densification around transit nodes. Thus, Jakarta is to create more floor space around MRT, light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT) and commuter train stations by building vertically.



This entails designing compact, mixed-use and mixed-income neighborhoods that are well-integrated with mass transit options while allowing open, green areas. While TODs are theoretically attractive, their implementation in Jakarta is challenging because of two key issues: lack of vision in Jakartas master plan and the high cost of land.



Jakartas 2030 master plan, published in 2014, is devoid of a spatial vision and offers projections on its population and economic growth that are too conservative. It assumed a population increase of merely 20 percent (from 10 to 12 million) between 2014 and 2030.



While it is true that Jakartas population only expanded by 20 percent (from 8.4 to 10 million) between 2000 and 2014, its economy grew astonishingly by 187 percent in real terms in the same period.



Indeed, most of the economy is still based in Jakarta, but the bulk of the population expansion happened in the suburbs: Tangerang, Bekasi, Bogor, Depok, etc.



Clearly, Jakarta cannot continue to rely on its suburbs to accommodate its population in low-density housing. We are already experiencing the drudgery of long commutes, not to mention the further loss of water catchment areas and fertile agricultural land.



The first step toward better planning is to acknowledge that population growth is inevitable and to support it Jakarta needs to build upwards.



Adopting TOD principles as mandated by the 2017 ministerial regulation requires an update in Jakartas master plan. The plan, due to be updated in 2019, needs to allow more space for housing, particularly the affordable kind.



This means allowing densification and vertical development around transit hubs while simultaneously enabling space to be used for much needed green areas.



The second issue stems from the high cost of land. Previous non-subsidized attempts to get developers to build affordable housing as part of their social obligations have been ineffective. Those vertical houses ended up in far-flung areas, such as Marunda and Rorotan in North Jakarta, where land is affordable, but these locations are undesirable for low-income household who earn the minimum wage as they need easy access to the citys economy and job markets. Businesses and other segments of the population too require the services of cleaners, drivers, etc. to maintain daily operations.



Because of the high cost of land, providing affordable housing in TODs requires public subsidies in the form of land in strategic areas. Otherwise, affordable housing will always be built in unattractive, inaccessible locations.



An innovative way to address the issue is to engage state- or provincial-government-owned enterprises as part of the solution.



They own vast amounts of land in strategic areas, yet such land has low floor area utilization for its use is limited to a single service (i.e. a market or a bus terminal). Take one- to two-floor traditional markets for example. What if we build multistory low-income apartments on top of them?



This could be a win-win solution: Public enterprises earn extra income from unused air rights for developers to build low-income apartments that they are obligated to construct anyway; markets get more business; low-income households live in the city.



Finally, once some residents of low-rise housing have moved to nearby vertical flats in TODs, Jakarta can carve out land for green areas. This is in fact a way to revitalize kampung without relocating them to the fringes and disrupting existing establishments. Furthermore, this will help Jakarta fulfill its obligation to allocate 30 percent of its land for greenery.



TODs offer a timely opportunity to address the citys long-standing issues: lack of affordable housing and scarcity of green spaces.



However, to seize this, as a first step, Jakarta needs to properly update its master plan to accommodate higher density, especially around transit hubs, allocate under-utilized public land for residents welfare and reclaim space to make Jakarta green again.



Jakarta must build upwards!

***

The writer is executive director of Jakarta Property Institute.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Under wraps Art Bali, a world-class presentation of contemporary art by 39 Balinese, Indonesian and foreign artists in Nusa Dua, closed on Nov. 9. The most anticipated art exhibition in the islands recent history, it was Balis first venture into the realm of global art events.

The origin of Art Bali is the synergy of a relationship beginning in 1998 when Heri Pemad, the CEO and founder of ARTJOG, Indonesias flagship contemporary art fair that has evolved into one of the most colorful and unique events on the global art map, and Balinese artist I Made Aswino Aji, were students studying fine art in Yogyakarta.

Heri and Aswino Ajis discussions began more than 3 years ago laying the events conceptual foundations, the catalyst in Art Balis realization, however, was Heris relationship with the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf). The opportunity arose when Bekraf head Triawan Munaf presented Heri the challenge of organizing a special event to coincide with the annual meetings of the IMF & World Bank held in Nusa Dua, Bali from Oct. 6 to 19.

According to Heri the Indonesian government was inspired to include an event within the IMF-World Bank side program, the meeting was attended by 34,000 participants from around 200 countries, They wished to challenge the ideas of delegates visiting Indonesia for the first time that Indonesia was a still a traditional country. Through a presentation of contemporary art dialogue they could observe a nation in a process of development and change.

Heri's immediate task was to create a branch of Heri Pemad Art Management (HPAM) in Bali with a local team, led by Aswino Aji. After two years of hard work and waiting for the Indonesian governmental bureaucratic process to fall into place, the event was given the green light, which left two months for the physical details of Art Bali to become manifest.

Art Bali was opened by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani on Oct. 9. Held in a purpose built venue designed by Heri and sited within the Nusa Dua tourism precinct in the ABBC Building, set over 1000 square meters, it was erected in a whirlwind 40 days. We are pushing Indonesian art onto the new map of the global creative economy, said Triawan. We are optimistic that the creative economy will become the backbone of the national economy.

Global art events in Indonesia that present the finest local and international talent, attracting large national and international audiences, the media, collectors and the art industry have been a feature of the Java art landscape for over a decade. Art fairs, ARTJOG and Art Jakarta have become crucial platforms and meeting points for the Indonesian art world -- the events brands now securely positioned on the global art map.

Art Bali will be an annual event, Aswino Aji said. The venue will become a new feature on the Bali landscape, in the pipeline is a series of regular events.

Read also: ARTJOG 2018 kicks off with new, fresh look

Art Bali, however, is the subject of speculation. If the event continues it could prove to be a vital game changer -- a catalyst within the reconfiguration of an important economic sector that was the initial driver of the tourism economy on Bali almost a century ago.

Art and cultural tourism was responsible for the first wave of tourism to the island beginning in the 1930s, until 1945. In the 1970s during a renewed period of tourism growth art and culture again played defining roles. Post 2008 witnessed the new phenomenon of lifestyle tourism, driven by events such as the Bali Spirit Festival, and the Ubud Readers & Writers Festival, along with the development of resort tourism, as the burgeoning new economic engines. The advancement of new digital technologies as practical and powerful tools has fueled the rapid growth in these thriving sectors.

The lack of local initiative and know-how to build a dynamic and functional infrastructure has, however, resulted in art being almost forgotten within the islands recent fortunes, with enormous social and monetary potential being unrealized -- and this is where Art Bali becomes essential.

Our aim is to help build a sustainable art ecosystem in Bali, Aswino Aji stated.

For a sustainable art ecosystem to evolve three essential fundamentals from the 20th century global art machine must exist within the Bali art landscape; a world-class art fair, museum and auction house, all with international stature. Understanding and prioritizing the need to revive and preserve Balis renowned creative traditions is also vital. This may be achieved by a purpose built center for research and development that also focuses on the necessary platforms to launch products and talent into the 21st century global creative economy.

Each year Art Bali must inject fresh and exciting energy into its program, making it very international, with new artists and new works, building its brand beyond Indonesia; first targeting collectors from Southeast Asia, China, Japan and India. Understanding Art Balis target audience of national, regional and international art collectors, and being able to lure them to Bali will be one of the keys to its future success. When the above-mentioned key facets of the art infrastructure are in place, the other essentials will organically evolve.

For Art Bali to flourish and become the spearhead of a sustainable art ecosystem, teamwork and collaboration are pivotal, including support from many Indonesian government ministries beyond Bekraf, and likewise the cooperation from the Bali administration. A challenge is how to mobilize the enormous pool of talent from Bali  its artists and art communities.

Art Bali needs to capitalize on the superb international branding power of Bali, while making a clear distinction from ARTJOG by having an event with a strong Bali identity. A vision of how the sustainability of Balis art ecosystem can be achieved is possible. Art Bali is the first step in this process. (kes)
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Linkedin Stanley Widianto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 14:42 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da6a28 1 Art & Culture Bunga-Penutup-Abad,Pramoedya-Ananta-Toer,theatrical-play Free

Bunga Penutup Abad (The Flower that Ends a Century) exposes Pramoedyas beautiful words in the face of tragedy and adversity.



Anguish pervades Pramoedya Ananta Toers work like a fly you cant swat. A son is executed for the killing of a corporal, leaving his mother deranged and in constant mourning. A man has a target on his back.



The lives on Pramoedyas pages can be cheap, but they also evoke resilience, a passionate desire to be free. No human resolve in his books comes from just thinking about it one day  circumstances often force them to keep their guard up.



These pages might also be a reflection of their maker. It was always uncertain where Pramoedya would end up next or sometimes until when. He had had his belongings taken, along with the years he could have spent caring for his children.



In his early adulthood, he had known too many prison cells for a guy his age. In the case of his most celebrated tetralogy, the Buru Quartet (from This Earth of Mankind to The House of Glass), he conceived the sprawling tale as a political prisoner. Authorities failed him; he knew anguish by heart.

Read also: Bumi Manusia movie stills unveiled

As the crescendo rings inside Teater Jakarta at the Taman Ismail Marzuki complex, the play Bunga Penutup Abad  based on Buru Quartets first two books  communicates anguish so starkly. Nyai Ontosoroh (Marsha Timothy) sits upright, while her son-in-law Minke (Reza Rahadian) hunches a little.



They read the letter sent by Minkes friend, Panji Darman, who is with Annelies, Nyais daughter, who has just left for the Netherlands.



This is the third iteration of Bunga Penutup Abad, all of which were directed by Wawan Sofwan. It was first staged in 2016, with Happy Salma (who serves as producer) as Nyai Ontosoroh; Reza, Chelsea Islans Annelies; Lukman Sardis Jean Marais and Sabia Arifins May Marais. Marsha now assumes the role of Nyai.



Staging Pramoedyas books was indeed a marvel. But Bunga Penutup Abadexcels as at building a narrative structure.



Delving into the theme of identity (what makes one pribumi, Indo or white?), the play is framed by the series of letters that Panji sends, notifying Minke and Nyai Ontosoroh about Annelies who refuses food and defecates in her bed, paralyzed by fear and resignation.



If you were to dismantle any form of commentary in Pramoedyas books, then you would also perhaps find tragedy looming over his characters. Bunga Penutup Abad knows this very well.

Read also: Why literature needs more minority authors

Told through monologues and flashbacks, the laundry list of misfortunes and ordeals that befall these characters are not for the faint-hearted: Herman Mellema, Annelies father, dies in a whorehouse. Nyai, born Sanikem, was a concubine during her childhood, sold by an inconsiderate father and a feeble mother. I was sold to a white giant with the skin of a lizard, she says.



She had turned her misfortunes around, overseeing a company that has become so big that the white Europeans want to take it away from her.



Nyai Ontosoroh provides Bunga Penutup Abad with the plays heart: she recounts her tragic past to Annelies, never losing her composure. Pain, however, still lingers and manifests itself in deep distrust. Only their skin is white, she says of the Dutch settlers. Let the mother handle the pain, the daughter should rest easy.



Bunga Penutup Abad spends its time exploring its characters in the time of adversity. Minke, from a

lowly boy to a respected writer, assumes the role of a dutiful son-in-law and a romantic lover. He is also in conflict with himself.



During an argument with his friend, Jean Marais, he argues about his insistence on writing in Dutch  the people who would read his writings wont. His European education wont permit the gross act of reaching across the aisle. Jean, of course, isnt having it, berating Minke for his pretentiousness.



All of the actors in this play  there are only five of them  are uniformly excellent. Rezas punctuating his awkwardness when meeting Chelseas Annelies for the first time (Her smile could make your faith collapse, he says) by speed-talking incoherently is an example of sublime acting. Marshas unbridled rage that transitions into hardened composure is testament to her versatile acting.



But the saddest fate befalls Annelies. Chelsea is more than able to capture her desolation. Bunga Penutup Abad juxtaposes her cheerful, innocent past (she is taken out of school by her mother and works for her ever since, depriving her of friendships and childhood) with her unseemly present. Wonokromo, Nyai and Annelies residence has seen too many hardships, like the country that holds it steady.



And everything goes back to the words of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. He is still a puzzling, incredible figure.



Bunga Penutup Abad is more than a tribute, but it does coast on your knowledge of Pramoedyas books. What it also does is remind you that it has been 12 years since the writer died. But, as Nyai Ontosoroh tells her son-in-law, his words wont go out with the wind.
As the holidays draw near, it would be hard not to think about food. From comforting meals at family gatherings to delicious restaurant fare. Indeed, nothing connects people from different backgrounds and cultures better than a pleasurable meal.

Food brings people together and transcends cultural barriers, as the art of dining is a universal language that anyone can understand, writes the program book of Wanderlust Kuche, a culinary dialogue recently held by Goethe-Institut Indonesien.

Taking place in the inner courtyard of GoetheHaus Jakarta, the culinary dialogue becomes manifest in a pop-up restaurant titled Magic Hour Dinner, featuring Petty Elliott and Helge Hagemann. The Manado, North Sulawesi-born Petty is an Indonesian food writer, culinary teacher and self-taught chef, while Helge is a member of Wertekoche, a Hamburg-based collective of German chefs with initiatives that put forward the love of cooking, good food and mindful, responsible culinary practice.

The Magic Hour Dinner carried a mission to create a unique fusion of German and Indonesian cuisine, where the different culinary traditions of the two countries are combined to create new dishes. While Indonesia is known for its rich and diverse culinary heritage, Germany is more generally known for its Bavarian cuisine including sausages, pork knuckles, sauerkraut, pretzel and beer. However, no classic Indonesian or Bavarian cuisine was present on people's plates that evening.

Read also: Mexican regional cuisine drives booming food scene

One of the main courses was beef tartar rendang sauce, with the chopped fresh meat being balanced with pomelo, pineapple, edible flowers and rempeyek peanut crisps. The rendang sauce on the side wraps up all the flavor combinations.

Slow braised chicken with young nutmeg and clove leaves, bread dumplings, onion cream, walnut and grapes was to follow. The protein has a good quality similar to that of perfectly grilled chicken, with an appetizing smoky aroma and generous sauce that gives adequate moisture. While Indonesias nutmeg and clove leaves enhance flavor, bits of red and green grapes give fresh surprises. The bread dumplings, with a hint of mushroom, represent world renown German bread.

The dinner closes with caramelized spice apple, a dish of apple slices topped with speculaas crumbles, its ginger flavor and aroma a reminder of Christmas that is coming in just a few weeks.

Petty said the speculaas element was indeed related to her familys Christmas celebration in Manado.

It is also the tradition in Germany although they dont call it speculaas, Petty told The Jakarta Post.

She went on to say that the most interesting thing for her about the collaboration was learning more about regional German cuisine.

He [Helge] is from Hamburg and apparently the classic dishes are more seafood and fish. Also, it is a privilege for me to give him information about regional Indonesian cuisine and the unusual ingredients. And to have a perfect main course as our collaboration. We never tried or cooked the dishes together before, we just each give our ideas and creativity, and I am so happy it worked well, Petty recalls.

Petty, who was recently accepted as a member of the UK Guild of Food Writers, also said it was important to have a good culinary dialogue with a positive attitude, professionalism, open mind, good communication and respect for both of the food cultures.

We work as a team rather than as individuals, said Petty.
* Indonesia's Lion Air will meet with Boeing management next week in the United States to review its orders of 737 Max series aircraft until 2035, director of the airlines said in Jakarta on November 22.

* Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on November 22 pledged to strengthen political dialogue and mutual cooperation in areas such as politics, trade, culture and science as a way to expand links between the two countries.

* Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to Spain, Argentina, Panama and Portugal from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, and attend the 13th Group of 20 (G20) summit from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the announcement in Beijing on November 23.

* US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had not drawn any conclusion on the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death.

* The Brexit withdrawal agreement recently reached by the European Union (EU) and British negotiators will require further discussions before it can be signed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) warned on November 22.

* Turkey and the European Union (EU) held a high-level diplomatic meeting on November 22, signaling the resumption of the bilateral dialogue, while revealing the obstacles in Turkey's accession to the bloc.

* Prime Minister Theresa May said on November 22 afternoon that she will do "everything possible" to deliver for the British people the Brexit deal which is "within grip."

* The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November 22 confirmed that Iran is sticking to the 2015 nuclear accord. In a report of IAEA chief Yukiya Amano to a board meeting in Vienna, the capital of Austria, the agency said that under the monitor of IAEA, Iran is still complying with the Iranian nuclear accord reached in July 2015.

* US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington was "in very strong negotiations" with Afghanistan, also hinting a possible visit to the war-torn country by himself.

* Turkey could buy US Patriot missiles besides the Russian S-400 system if it got a good offer, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Thursday.

* Iran's foreign minister said on November 22 that if the signatories to the Iranian international nuclear deal, other than the United States, cannot secure Iran's economic interests under the accord, the country would consider other "options" to its advantage.

* The plans of the US establishment to withdraw from existing arms control agreements like the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) are shortsighted and dangerous, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

* US President Donald Trump renewed a threat on November 22 to shut down the entire US border with Mexico as part of his administration's efforts to deter the entry of Central American migrants.

* The Italian foreign minister said on November 22 that the 2015 international nuclear agreement, which ended the disputes over Iran's nuclear program, contributes to world peace and security, Tasnim news agency reported.

* France on November 22 imposed sanctions, including travel ban on 18 Saudi citizens, suspected to have been involved in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, foreign ministry's spokesperson Agnes von der Muhll said.

* Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on November 22 met with Masoud Barzani, leader of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), who made his first visit to Baghdad after the disputed Kurdish independence referendum last year.

* The Bangladesh Election Commission announced its plan on November 22 to deploy army troops across the country two weeks before the national elections slated for December 30.

* Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said Thursday that he has no solution for ending the long delay in government formation.

* Altogether 61 individuals were arrested Thursday in a large crackdown on child pornography carried out by Brazil's Federal Police.

* The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday said that 174 illegal Nigerian migrants have been voluntarily deported from Libya to Nigeria.
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Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Sat, November 24, 2018 19:08 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877daacf2 1 Environment pest,border-areas,border,Indonesia,wildlife,food,#food Free

The Agriculture Quarantine Agency (Barantan) held on Monday a four-year performance review at the Botani Square in Bogor, West Java.

At the event, Barantan head Banun Harpini identified the five Indonesian border zones most vulnerable to the entry of various exotic plant and animal pests. They are the coasts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Papua.

Barantan is collaborating with the Indonesian Army, Navy and National Police to secure the areas in accordance with Indonesias agriculture vision of becoming a world food storage country by 2045.

Banun said Barantan supported the vision by mitigating, controlling and monitoring entry risks.

Read also: Pretty polly or pests? Dutch in a flap over parakeets

"Natural resources are our modality to becoming a world food barn, so we must protect this natural wealth," she said.

This year, Indonesia has 17.14 million cattle, 34.98 million goats and sheep, 8.2 million pigs and 2.24 million poultry. They are free of quarantine animal pest class 1 such as mad cow disease (BSE) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

According to a research by veterinarian Dr. Tri Satya Putri N Hutabarat, 35.76 tons of meat in Indonesia were contaminated with FMD in 2017. The potential loss of FMD occurrence in meat through illegal trades can reach Rp. 9.38 trillion (US$643.25 million) per year. (iru/kes)
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Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 22:00 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877dad68c 1 Art & Culture Design-Camp,designers,art,#art,arts,arts-and-culture,#ArtsandCulture,design,#design,culture,#culture,nature Free

Design Camp, an ongoing short residency program initiated by the local administration of Nara Okuyamato, Japan, has opened its doors to designers from around Asia, including Indonesia.

During the program, international participants are invited to collaborate with Japanese designers to propose new ideas to local businesses in Nara Okuyamato.

Local designer Diaz Adisastomo, writer Athina Dinda and Fandy Susanto, the founder of multidisciplinary design agency Table Six, were among the participants.

Fandy told The Jakarta Post that the three of them had joined the program at different times.

During a discussion themed Closer to Nature, which was part of Into the Woods exhibition, at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace in Kemang, South Jakarta, last week, the trio revealed that the program not only taught them about proposing design communication to local businesses but also allowed them to learn about nature.

Read also: 'Into the Woods': Explores Japanese wood artistry

Prior to the talk, Fandy told The Jakarta Post that the trees were central to Nara Okuyamato's way of life.

People live surrounded by the trees. The trees give life to the people, providing them with jobs. As a form of appreciation, people take care of the woods. The mutual respect between nature and the people there has been ongoing for hundreds of years, Fandy said, adding that he saw the designers as having a great amount of spiritual respect for the woods, inspiring and influencing their work.

Meanwhile, Diaz said during the discussion that people in Nara were aware of natural threats, such as typhoons and earthquakes.

But [on the flip side], the people also realize nature as a resource and they can use it wisely, said Diaz.

As for Dinda, the writer mentioned that upon returning from Nara she started to think about the origins of the food she consumed.

Hiroaki Fukuno, the deputy director general at the regional development department of the Nara prefectural government, said that as a civil servant, they tried to protect their heritage while also innovating to match the current era.

In regard to the government's effort to protect the environment, Hiroaki said Japanese people were mostly aware of the importance of protecting nature, which was why the government did not need to impose rules pertaining to the matter. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Paris  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:24 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d96e83 2 Art & Culture Japan,osaka,World-Expo,exhibition Free

The Japanese city of Osaka was selected Friday to host the World Expo 2025, beating Russia and Azerbaijan for the right to organize the exhibition at which countries showcase their achievements.

Osaka garnered 92 votes compared with 61 for the Russian city of Ekaterinburg in the second and final round of voting by members of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions, which organizes the mega-event.

Azerbaijan's capital Baku was knocked out in the first round.

The first world fair to celebrate culture and industrial progress was held in Victorian-era London in 1851.

Read also: Osaka is Japan's new tourist hot spot for Asian visitors

The concept quickly caught on and cities were soon jostling to outshine each other with huge exhibitions featuring dazzling new creations, such as the Eiffel Tower, which was built for the World Fair of 1889.

Japan's winning bid was entitled "Designing Future Society For Our Lives".

In a video message to the delegates meeting to choose the city in Paris, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the May-November 2025 expo would aim "to make our world a wonderful place".

The World Expo is held on average every five years, with the next one taking place in Dubai between October 2020 and April 2021.
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Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:54 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d9a442 1 Art & Culture art,art-and-culture,painting,counterfeit,Indonesian-artists Free

The robust but hidden industry of art forgery is a reality in the global art scene.



From the existence of legitimate reproductions to the overwhelming demand for reproduced prints of works by late artists, it is an industry that serves well on its own  hidden in plain sight, only criminal in theory but not in practice.



Indonesias own art scene is not excluded from this phenomenon. For the past several years, there have been random and sporadic cases of supposed forgeries of works by late Indonesian masters, which have drawn criticism aimed at collectors, curators and brokers of fake art.



The problem in Indonesia is that many reproductions are passed off as real works, as many bear an authentic-looking signature of the original painter.



This is an issue that hits the heart of the Indonesian Fine Art Lovers Association (PPSI), as they feel the market will ultimately be flooded with unauthorized fakes, which would diminish the quality of Indonesian art.



The general consensus is that fakes are acceptable only if they are presented as such, without the forged signature of the original artist, or with the blessing of the artists family.



But it seems in Indonesia, many reproductions are being passed off as the real thing, and for collectors who acquire the supposedly genuine works, it would be a blow to their pride to admit their misjudgment.



Completely eradicating forged artworks in Indonesia is very difficult to do, said PPSI chairman Budi Setiadharma. But as the PPSI, we operate on the feeling that it is the right thing to do, morally.



To address the issue, the organization launched a new book titled Melacak Lukisan Palsu (Tracing Fake Paintings), a collection of extensive research-based pieces into the phenomenon by art critics, media, curators, collectors and family members of the artists whose works have been forged.



The books editor, art critic and collector Syakieb Sungkar, said it was the first book ever published on the topic of art forgery in Indonesia and had been in development for the past four years.



Over the years we worked on this book, we had to update it frequently because many forgery cases popped up. But the fact there have been so many updates shows how rampant this issue is in Indonesias art world, he said.



The book takes an in-depth look at the skills of renowned Indonesian artists such as S. Sudjojono, Hendra Gunawan and Lee Man Fong and the history of their paintings being among the most widely forged in Indonesia.



A chunk of the book also talks about a controversy that arose in 2012 regarding the Oei Hong Djien Museum in Magelang, Yogyakarta, in which curator and collector Oei Hong Djien was severely criticized by the families of Sudjojono and Hendra Gunawan for passing off fakes of the artists paintings as real. A full in-depth article printed by Tempo magazine back in 2012 is also included in the book to provide context to this controversy.



In tandem with the books release, and as a subtle dig at the phenomenon itself, the PPSI is both celebrating and condemning art forgeries by holding an exhibition displaying reproduced paintings at the Ciputra Artpreneur Gallery in Lotte Avenue, Central Jakarta from Nov. 22 to 25.



The works displayed at the Maestros and their Disciples exhibition here are seen not as forgeries but as tributes, as other artists purposefully reproduce works from legendary Indonesian artists such as Affandi, Dullah, Arie Smit and Indonesia-affiliated German painter Walter Spies.



The artists involved in this exhibition are either direct students or the followers of the artists being paid tribute, such as Men Sagan to Affandi, Gung Man to Arie Smit and Inata and Kok Poo to Dullah.



The differences here are that these reproductions are not signed in the name of the original artists, as forged ones are, said Ciputra Artpreneur president director Rina Ciputra. The artists here either paint the originals as they are, or they use the techniques of the artists they are paying tribute to in their own original paintings.



An example of the latter is shown in the Affandi reproductions, which are painted by Men Sagan and Affandis own daughter, Kartika.



Men carefully and faithfully recreated several of Affandis paintings to a T, such as Nelayan (Fishermen) and Pohon Beringin (Banyan Tree), which could pass as the original Affandi to an unskilled eye. Men, however, does not sign Affandis signature on his reproductions.



Kartika displayed her own original paintings, but doing so in the same style as her father. From the looks of her 1994 work Tukang Cukur (Barber) and 1992s Pasar Malam (Night Market), her fathers signature traits of heavily layered carefree colors as well as intricately thin but steady lines have passed down very well.



While the immaculate skills of professional forgers and reproducers are generally recognized by the art world, art critic Agus Dermawan T. believes the talents of those who are able to forge and reproduce could mean so much more if only they did not pass off their fakes as originals.



But since there is an active supply and demand for such artworks, forgeries will always be part of the market, and professional forgers will always receive works from curators and collectors to make forged paintings.



As long as people feel they will never own a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt, a copy of it will always suffice. Its the truth too for prints and works that are either extremely rare or extremely expensive. It is worth more too if it gives out the idea it was by the original artist themselves, Agus said. Its a reality we have to accept.
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Linkedin Alfred Bayle (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Sat, November 24, 2018 21:01 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877dac9be 2 Science & Tech yokohama,Japan,gundam,gundam-statue Free

Another Gundam is set to rise in Japan as the city of Yokohama plans to build a full-sized moving statue.

The project, called Gundam Factory Yokohama, was announced during the Gundam 40th anniversary event livestream. The project is a product of the Gundam Global Challenge, which outsourced ideas around the world on how to make a full-scale Gundam move.

This new Gundam statue will be the third built in Japan, and has been scheduled for a 2020 summer reveal at Yokohamas Yamashita pier.

The first Gundam statue was a full-scale replica of the RX-78-2 from the Universal Century franchise. It was constructed to celebrate the Gundam series 30th anniversary and completed on June 9, 2009. It stood 18 meters tall and towered over Tokyo Park. After a one-year stay, it was moved to Shizuoka City and stood there from July 2010 to March 2011. It was again moved in August to its final destination at Odaiba, in front of the Diver City Tokyo Plaza.

Read also: Japanese engineer builds giant robot to realize gundam dream

A second Gundam was later announced on March 5, 2017, to replace the RX-78-2. March 14 saw the disassembly of the RX-78-2. In its place rose the RX 0 Unicorn, which was revealed in all its transforming glory in September 2017.

Both the RX-78-2 and Unicorn featured limited mobility as a prelude to the dreamed-of fully mobile Gundam statue. The RX-78-2 was able to rotate its head and pop open the cockpit to reveal a display inside.

Meanwhile, the Unicorn had multiple moving panels that allowed the statue to transform from unicorn to destroy mode. The entire statue also lights up to showcase the glass-like psycho frame inside the chassis.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Phil Hazlewood and Aminu Abubakar (Agence France-Presse) Lagos, Nigeria  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:45 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d998dc 2 World #Nigeria,#BokoHaram,#attack,#TerrorAttack,#election,Nigeria,boko-haram,attack Free

Increasing numbers of Boko Haram attacks against troops have raised questions about the group's current strength, capability and support, as Nigeria's main opposition seized on mounting casualties to criticize the government's record on security before next year's election.

AFP has reported at least 17 attempts to overrun army bases since July, most of them in the remote northeast state of Borno, which has been the epicentre of the nine-year conflict.

A strike this weekend on a base in Metele village, near the border with Niger, killed at least 44, according to security sources, although unconfirmed reports put the death toll much higher.

More than 27,000 people have been killed since 2009 and some 1.8 million are still homeless, while aid agencies are battling the humanitarian fall-out of the fighting.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari made defeating the Islamist insurgents a key plank of his 2015 election campaign and has said the jihadists were "technically defeated".

But the repeated attacks, many of which have been claimed by the IS-backed Boko Haram faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have cast doubt on the truth of that claim.

Security analysts tracking the conflict said more attacks were expected in the run-up to Feb. 16 next year, when Nigerians go to the polls to elect a new president and parliament.

But Yan St-Pierre, a counter-terrorism specialist with the Modern Security Consulting Group (MOSECON) in Berlin, said there were implications beyond Nigeria's borders.

The intensity and regularity of recent attacks indicated ISWAP now had "a capacity for sustained warfare" and "a significant number of fighters and materials" at its disposal.

Asked whether that meant external support from IS remnants from elsewhere, he told AFP: "Without a doubt."

He added: "ISWAP's attacks occur against military and foreign targets with increasing frequency in Nigeria, Chad and Niger, with an increasing presence in Cameroon."

That "not only demonstrates that ISWAP has the capacity and the mobility to successfully organize attacks in multiple areas but that its interests are fully regional", he said. "Put in the context of expanding IS activity in the Sahel -- especially eastwards -- this regional focus is an important change that affects ISWAP military operations."

Seven local employees of a French drilling firm and a government official were killed in southeast Niger on Thursday when suspected Boko Haram gunmen stormed their compound.

Eight Chadian soldiers were killed in an attack in the Lake Chad region last month. Both areas are known hotspots for Boko Haram activity. Nigeria's government and military have not commented publicly on the latest deaths in Metele and have strongly denied previous reports of heavy casualties.

But Buhari's main challenger at next February's election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sent a condolence message to the families of those who were killed.

He said the losses were "a clear sign that our troops need to be better funded and better equipped", after soldiers complained of being over-stretched and underresourced.

On Thursday night, Senate leader Bukola Saraki, a Buhari critic who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP earlier this year, also spoke out about the deaths. He announced that a delegation of senators would travel to the northeast to visit frontline troops, as others in the party questioned the effectiveness of the counterinsurgency.

"It is time that we face the reality that Boko Haram is not technically defeated," said Peter Ayodele Fayose, a former state governor and leading PDP figure.

Amaechi Nwokolo, a security analyst at the Roman Institute of Security Studies in Abuja, told AFP: "The whole thing [the insurgency] has been politicized.

"Now, as election season and Christmas approach, we are likely to see an upsurge in attacks. These terrorists are not dumb. They will certainly want to create chaos around the election."

Political analyst Chris Ngwodo said the PDP would likely want to make capital out of the current situation but added it had not translated into a loss of support for Buhari or the APC.

"I can't see that these attacks have shifted public opinion here," he said from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. "Borno still feels like Buhari territory.

"The opposition will look for chinks in the armour of the ruling party but I don't know if they can generate the kind of traction from these kinds of incidents."
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Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:30 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d974ad 1 National tobacco,advertising,Advertisement,tobacco-control,cigarette-smoking,bogor,Depok,smokers Free

Tobacco groups have demanded that the government withdraw bans on cigarette promotional displays in shops and kiosks in Bogor and Depok, West Java, in a move to stop budding initiatives to forbid tobacco advertising in the country.



In a letter signed on Oct. 16, the Indonesian Light Cigarette Producers Association (Gaprindo) and the Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo) filed with the Home Ministry their objection to the bylaws issued by the two local administrations, arguing that the decrees had created legal uncertainty that may harm their businesses.



Gaprindo chairman Muhaimin Moefti said the regulations were worrying because they were not in line with a regulation issued by the central government, which still allows stores to display cigarette promotional materials.



We were shocked when we found out about the regulation, because as stakeholders we had never heard this information before, Muhaimin told The Jakarta Post on Friday.



The Bogor administration has since 2009 been trying to prevent children and teenagers from being exposed to tobacco products with Bogor Bylaw No. 12/2009 on smoking ban areas, including a ban on all outdoor cigarette advertisements. But it was only in 2016 that the administration started to effectively prohibit stores from putting cigarettes on display. Depok issued a similar regulation in September.



Bogor and Depok are currently the only two cities that have implemented a regulation to ban tobacco displays.



Cigarettes are legal products, and according to Government Regulation No. 109/2012 on addictive substances in the form of tobacco products, they can be sold, promoted and advertised, including in shops and stores, said Muhaimin.



Although the association, which includes large cigarette producers, had not counted the financial loss incurred as a result of the bans, the groups cigarette merchant colleagues, including thousands of traditional retailers in Bogor and Depok, were anxious because the Public Order Agency could immediately close the cigarette display without even informing them in advance.



Indonesia, one of the worlds five largest cigarette markets, is the only ASEAN member country that has not yet totally banned tobacco companies from advertising their products in print media, television, radio and movies.



The 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) released on Nov. 8 shows that the prevalence of young smokers aged 10 to 18 in Indonesia increased from 7.2 percent in 2013 to 9.1 percent in 2018.



A National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) study released in September predicted that without strong tobacco control, the prevalence of Indonesian smokers aged under 18 would grow to 10.7 percent by 2019, 15 percent by 2024 and 16 percent by 2030.



The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended banning tobacco as one of the most effective ways to reduce cigarette consumption. But with pressure from the industry, the country has only implemented limited restrictions on tobacco, such as restricting TV ads at certain hours.



The director of regional legal products of the Home Ministrys Directorate General of Regional Autonomy, Sukoyo, said they had met with Aprindo and Gaprindo on Wednesday and he could understand the considerations of Gaprindo.



We are now still learning about the documents [] Whether or not there will be a revision of the regulations depends on the result of our comprehensive study, he said.



The Bogor Health Agencys health promotion division head, Nia Nurkania, said the complaint voiced by the groups was an old song, and they would continue to implement the ban that they believe protects the young.



We are not prohibiting [companies] from selling cigarettes in their stores, we are just asking them to take down the display and instead put up a sign that says they sell cigarettes there. The purpose was so youngsters were not exposed to the advertisements and cigarette promotions that are displayed in stores, she said.



Nia said most malls, stores and minimarts in Bogor had followed the regulation. However, she said it was harder to monitor small kiosks in peripheral areas.



Lentera Anak Foundation said the bans issued by the administrations were a brave decision to save youngsters, who were exposed to cigarette advertisements almost everyday and still have relatively easy access to tobacco products.

This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post's print edition on Nov. 24, 2018, with the title "Big tobacco spurns ad bans".
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 17:08 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da8bbc 1 City Education,MuhadjirEffendy Free

Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Saturday that educators should encourage multicultural dialogues with students to teach students to embrace diversity.

At an annual meeting of Catholic educational institutions in Jayapura, Papua, on Saturday, Muhadjir said he supported educational institutions initiatives to integrate diversity values in their teachings.

Every educator has a responsibility to create a multicultural environment [at schools]. It should be their responsibility, Muhadjir said in a statement.

Read also: I appreciate what Catholic schools have done for multiculturalism: Minister Muhadjir

Muhadjir cited as an example that accusing other people of intolerance for wearing religious clothing and symbols was not a good thing to do.

We need transparency and dialogue to look for solutions together, Muhadjir said.

Chairman of the National Catholic Education Council Rev. Darmin appreciated Muhadjirs efforts for integrating character-building values in the ministrys programs.

We believe that character-building should embrace [the countrys] reality of multiculturalism. Papua itself is a reflection of diversity. Any form of education that leaves out local culture will soon lose its roots, he said.

The annual National Catholic Education Council working meeting was attended by 300 participants representing Catholic educational institutions from 37 different dioceses nationwide.

Editor's note: The heading of this article has been updated to clarify Muhadjir's statement.
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Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 10:17 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d9b5a9 2 City waria,transgender,human-rights,attack,hate-crime,Komnas-HAM,Bekasi Free

A human right activist, who are helping her waria (transgender woman) friends find justice, visited the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and National Commission on Human Rights on Friday after her friends were attacked on Monday night.

The activist, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said finding support to fight discrimination was imperative because the persecution of waria is on the increase.

She said the election year had led to an increase in attacks on waria -- who form part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community -- especially by religious groups. We want there to be no more attacks on waria. As Indonesian nationals, we all have the same rights.

Beaten and stripped off their clothes

Dozens of men attacked the two waria in Bekasi, West Java, on Monday night.

The activist said one of them had arrived at the scene at around midnight for a gathering with friends, while the other victim had already been waiting there.

Not long after that, around 50 to 60 men in white clothes on motorcycles chased the two waria to a place where fellow waria had gathered, she said in a written statement on Wednesday.

She added that the men had parked their motorcycles and continued the chase on foot, catching the victims in front of a fast food outlet.

The men then forced one of the waria, who looked more feminine, to strip but then told her to put her clothes back on after seeing her breasts. They assaulted her with a metal rod and cut off her long hair.

The other victim, who wore a short wig and appeared more masculine, was stripped naked, hit on the chest and had the wig removed by force, while the men shouted, You are a man, right? And your friend is a banci [transvestite]? Dont you know that its a sin [to be waria].

The victims cried and called for mercy, saying, Ya Allah, but the men said, There is no Allah for you. No need to mention Allah. You dont deserve to have been born, the activist said, adding that the men, who assaulted the victims, were still young, with those aged 14 to 20 years continuing the attack even though the older ones, around 25 years of age, had told them to stop.

After the attack, several onlookers, including restaurant employees, assisted the victims and helped them to get dressed. They also advised them to report the incident to the police, but the victims were reluctant to do so.

Fortunately, they still had their mobile phones and money to order a taxi home, she said. They have bruises around the eyes and chest as well as cuts on their limbs.

Past attacks

Earlier this week, seven waria in East Jakarta were told to leave their boarding house by some of their neighbors. They have lived there for five to 10 years and this is the first time that something like this has happened to them.

The Bekasi activist said the attack against her friends was not the only attack against waria in the area. She said several men had also harassed and pulled another friends hair. But she chose not to go to the police because she was too scared.

What report?

However, after Mondays incident, she was determined to do something to stop such attacks.

The victims reported the attack to the Bekasi Police on Wednesday. They also went to Bekasi General Hospital to undergo a medical examination to record their wounds and complete the report.

Bekasi Police chief Sr. Comr. Indarto said he had not received any information about the report.

What report? he asked the The Jakarta Post. What were they doing on the streets?

Pratiwi Febry, a public advocate with the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), said a police officer should never ask such questions when a hate crime is reported. What they did on the streets should never be the focus of the investigation.

This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post's print edition on Nov. 23, 2018, with the title "Waria fight for rights after attack".
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Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana and Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Yogyakarta  Sat, November 24 2018

Twenty-year-old University of Indonesia (UI) law student Salsabilas voice shook with emotion as she told the story of a friend who had been sexually assaulted by an older student.

When she told me about what happened, I couldnt stay silent, so I confronted the perpetrator about what he had done, she said. Of course he was defensive and denied it, claiming that it was all hearsay.

But what frustrated her more was the reaction of their mutual friends. I asked them, are you just going to let him get away with it? They said, Thats just the kind of guy he is, she said.

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* The Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on November 23 agreed to actively cooperate in upgrading the direct communications line between the two sides.

* US President Donald Trump said on Twitter on November 23 that he was quite happy with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's performance, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the president was dissatisfied with Mnuchin.

* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Friday's terrorist attacks at the Chinese Consulate-General in Karachi and a market in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

* Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke on November 23 by phone about the November 30 signing at a G20 summit of a new trade deal between Mexico, Canada and the United States, Pena Nieto's office said in a statement.

* Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on November 23 that a summit of European leaders due to take place on November 25 to endorse a Brexit deal is likely to be called off if there is no agreement by then on the question of Gibraltar.

* Around 100 Palestinians were wounded Friday during clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said.

* Turkish prosecutors have charged 28 suspects, including US-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, over assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, Anadolu Agency reported on November 23.

* Two people were killed and 24 others injured in an explosion at a machinery plant in the northern Chinese province of Jilin, the local government said on November 24.

* Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Slovak President Andrej Kiska met in Kiev on November 23 to discuss bilateral cooperation, Poroshenko's press service said. In particular, the sides have discussed trade, energy and infrastructure cooperation between the two countries, as well as Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

* Bahrainis vote on November 24 in a parliamentary election from which opposition groups have been barred in a crackdown on dissent in the Western-allied kingdom as tensions with the Shi'ite Muslim opposition show no signs of abating.

* Ecuador needs some US$550 million to provide aid to Venezuelan citizens fleeing their country's economic crisis, and hopes to raise the funds through donations from multilateral agencies and nearby countries, an Ecuadorean official said the Friday.

* The UN Development Program (UNDP) on November 23 announced to launch a 50-million-euro (56.7-million-US dollar) program funded by the EU to support basic services for vulnerable people in Libya.

* The World Bank and the Republic of Korea on November 23 signed a US$3.8 million grant agreement to facilitate development of cutting edge skills in scientific and technological fields in Sub-Saharan Africa.

* The Ukrainian parliament on November 23 approved the 2019 state budget, lowering the target for next year's deficit to about 2.3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) from 2.4 percent this year.

* Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, will extend its visa-free period for foreigners transiting through the city from 72 hours to 144 next year, local authorities said on November 24.

* The Macedonian government will increase 2019 defense budget to MKD8.3 billion (about US$153 million), or 1.19 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Macedonian Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska said on November 23.

* At least 25 people were killed on November 24 after a bus carrying them fell into a canal in southern Indian state of Karnataka, officials said. The accident took place near Kanaganamaradi village of Mandya district, about 105 km west of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka.

* Over 700 ex-combatants of Rwandan rebel group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have been repatriated to Rwanda from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where the group is based, the Rwandan government said Friday in a statement. Another group of over 800 is expected to be repatriated to in the near future, said the statement.
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Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana and Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Yogyakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 10:28 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d9c671 1 National sexual-abuse-on-campus,sexual-abuse,sex-abuse-scandals,university Free

The 20-year-old University of Indonesia (UI) student's voice shook with emotion as she told the story of a friend who had been sexually assaulted by an older student.



When she told me about what happened, I couldnt stay silent, so I confronted the perpetrator about what he had done, the student who requested anonimity said. Of course he was defensive and denied it, claiming that it was all hearsay.



But what frustrated her more was the reaction of their mutual friends. I asked them, are you just going to let him get away with it? They said, Thats just the kind of guy he is, she said.



Her story was just one among many shared by UI students at a rally in front of the UI railway station on Thursday to show solidarity with Agni, the pseudonym of a female Gadjah Mada University (UGM) student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow student in 2017.



The case surfaced after UGM student publication Balairung interviewed Agni, who told them how she was blamed by campus officials after the case.



Manik, a 21-year-old public health student who was one of the organizers of the rally, said Agnis case was just one of many that had happened on campuses across the country, including UI.



He cited a case from 2013, when noted poet and then-UI lecturer Sitok Srengenge was accused of raping an UI student identified by the initials RW. The report is still being processed by police to this day, while Sitok remains free to hold exhibitions and make public appearances.



He pointed to a culture of victim-blaming that was still prevalent on campuses and in society as a whole as one of the reasons such cases still occurred.



Nje, a 22-year-old political science student from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta, said persistent action from students could make a difference in how sexual assault cases were handled on campus.



For example, in 2013, there was one lecturer at UIN who would often make body-shaming comments aimed at female students in class. He would say things like: Your ass is shaped like a globe, she said. After a while, we all got fed up and rallied for days inside the campus and in the end he was transferred from the campus.



Nje added that campuses tended to consider sexual assault cases shameful incidents that they needed to cover up, citing her experience advocating for a fellow student in 2017.



The student was sick and an older student took her to her room and then suddenly kissed her. When we reported it to university officials, they said, Oh, he kissed you because he cares for you, she said. That was baffling. And thats the type of logic we need to counter. We need to show that standing up for victims actually makes the campus look better rather than shame it.



Saras Dewi, a lecturer at UIs cultural studies department who has counseled several students in sexual harassment and assault cases, said she hoped the peace protest would help push for better regulations to create safer spaces for female students on campus.



Since 2013, the law department has been pushing for the creation of a crisis center for sexual assault victims. I hope that can be realized soon, she said.



Ikhaputri Widiantini, a fellow philosophy lecturer and student counselor, said that while UI had general regulations about assault, they did not specify what actions should be taken against perpetrators.



Often the decision about what to do is just left to each department, she said. There is still a mindset that [the perpetrators] are one of us, so they only need to be reminded.



Meanwhile, activists in Yogyakarta were stopped from holding a planned rally in support of Agni in front of graduating UGM students.



UGM spokesperson Iva Ariani said an ethics team had been formed to decide on a punishment for HS and was set to hold a meeting on Friday.

This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post's print edition on Nov. 24, 2018, with the title "More unis call for safe campuses".
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, November 25, 2018 08:27 1095 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da75fb 4 Business romaine-lettuce,E-Coli,outbreak,USA,AgricultureMinistry Free

The Agriculture Ministry has guaranteed the public that Indonesia is free from E-Coli-tainted romaine lettuce, which was recently discovered in the United States.

Banun Harpini, head of the Agriculture Ministrys Quarantine Agency, said in Jakarta on Friday that the tainted lettuce had not entered the Indonesian market.

I have instructed the Quarantine Agency to strengthen its supervision to assure that the commodity wont enter Indonesia. If the commodity enters Indonesia, we have to reject it, said Banun as reported by tribunnews.com.

According to USA Today, the US Food and Drug Agency was investigating an E-Coli outbreak that has affected 32 people in 11 states. The news comes months after an unrelated E-Coli outbreak connected to romaine lettuce.

Banum said Indonesia did not import romaine lettuce from the US and Canada, but exported the vegetable to Singapore and Malaysia.

Nevertheless, he said the Quarantine Agency would remain alert for the possible entry of the commodity, particularly through Indonesians who were returning home from the US and Canada and had taken romaine lettuce with them. (bbn)
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Linkedin Thomas Cabral (Agence France-Presse) Lisbon, Portugal  Sat, November 24, 2018 22:01 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877dae0e5 2 World #Russia,#UK,Russia,threat,UK,espionage Free

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group.

"In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal.

"I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces."

Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)."

Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare."

Lavrov, speaking after a meeting with Portugal's president, said such criticisms were not "original".

He claimed that former US president Barack Obama had "placed Russia on the same level as the Ebola virus" in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

That appeared a reference to a September 24, 2014 speech Obama made in which he spoke of Russia's threat to the "post-war order" notably through its actions in Ukraine, where a Russia-backed insurgency is being waged. He then went on to speak of US efforts to help contain an Ebola outbreak, without any mention of Russia.

- UK-Russia tensions -

Relations between Russia and Britain have sunk to historic lows this year after London accused Russia's military intelligence service of using a banned nerve agent to poison an ex-Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March.

The incident prompted a wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Moscow and the West, as well as a ratcheting up of US sanctions.

Carleton-Smith told Saturday's Daily Telegraph that, following IS battlefield loses in Syria and Iraq, the Western alliance must switch focus to the threat posed by Russia, and do so through NATO.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance," he said.

It was the first interview by the former special forces commander since becoming Britain's chief of the general staff in June.

He made the comments after visiting British troops deployed in Estonia as part of a NATO battle group intended to deter aggression from neighbouring Russia.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, November 25, 2018 08:27 1095 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da629e 1 National palm-oil,Wilmar,greenpeace,deforestation,biofuel Free

Environmental watchdog Greenpeace Indonesia has responded to a statement from the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) and the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers Association (Apkasindo) that called on the government to take firm action against Greenpeace, which they said was harming Indonesias economy.

To be clear, Greenpeace is not anti-palm oil, it is anti-deforestation," Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia Global Forest Campaign, said in a statement to The Jakarta Post.

Apindo and Apkasindo made their statement in response to Greenpeace's rally on a Wilmar International-owned tanker transporting crude palm oil from a refinery in Dumai, Riau, to Europe. The ship was in the Bay of Cadiz in Spain when the activists boarded and unfurled banners that read Save Our Rainforest and Drop Dirty Palm Oil".

The industry group said Greenpeaces campaign had insulted the dignity of Indonesia with accusations of dirty palm oil.

Wilmar earlier urged Greenpeace to take collaborative action with the company if it wanted to improve the palm oil industry. It also said in a statement that Greenpeace did not take into account that palm oil was the most efficient vegetable oil.

Read also: Palm oil industry calls on govt to take 'firm' action against Greenpeace

Greenpeace said it was aware that palm oil was an important plantation product for Indonesia and that the crop was a more "efficient crop generally in terms of land use" than soybean or sunflower.

"If palm oil is banned, companies or governments might turn to other crops, which might replace palm oil's role in deforestation [or even worsen it] in Indonesia and elsewhere. We support palm oil from producers or palm oil companies that aren't destroying forests or exploiting people, and theres plenty of palm oil that fits that bill," it went on.

Greenpeace noted that the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG) was an example of a multi-stakeholder initiative from the most progressive palm oil producers and NGOs, including Greenpeace.

"POIG represents best in class standards for palm oil production and properly addresses the environmental, social and human rights impacts of palm oil development. Local people shouldnt have to lose their livelihoods over palm oil, but the current situation means the production of palm oil can result in land grabs, loss of livelihoods and social conflict," Kiki said.

Greenpeace argued that the economic benefits of the palm oil boom had fallen to a handful of already-wealthy individuals that control the big plantation companies.

The watchdog also noted that the Oil Palm Smallholders Union (SPKS) had filed a judicial review in April this year on a 2015 government regulation on plantation funds, specifically about subsidies for biofuel products. The union argued that regulation had failed to increase palm oil productivity as it was supposed to, and only benefited companies receiving biodiesel incentives.

In 2016, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) issued a report on the palm oil industry and showed that from August 2015 to April 2016, 81.8 percent of the biofuel subsidy totaling Rp 3.26 trillion was channeled to four companies: PT Wilmar Bionergi Indonesia (Rp 779 billion), PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia (Rp 1.02 trillion), Musim Mas Grup (Rp 534 billion), PT Darmex Biofuel (Rp 330 billion).

"Only a fraction of this amount has been spent on smallholders," said Kiki.

"It is these practices that insult the dignity of Indonesia, and palm oil traders like Wilmar jeopardize Indonesian palm oil commodities and the state economy in the long run. Greenpeace calls on the government to take firm action against these forest destroyers, and law enforcement is key, said Kiki. (evi)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 15:03 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877da6a41 1 News students,Competition,Science,Education Free

Indonesian students made it to the top 10 at the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) held recently in Beijing.

They secured one gold medal, one silver and three bronze medals at the competition, which was hosted by the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, kompas.com reported.

The high school students were among the 209 participants, 71 team leaders and 35 observers from 39 countries participating in the event, which was held on Nov. 3-11.

Indonesian team leader Hakim L. Malasan said that in the 10 days, the students were able to pass the theoretical round, team competition, as well as the observation and analysis round.

Read also: Indonesian students win three trophies, 38 medals at World Scholar's Cup

Observation rounds were carried out indoors due to the weather, with the data analysis round taking five hours during temperatures of below zero degree Celsius. In the team competition, students were asked to determine the height of the hill behind their lodging.

"The weather was minus 5 degrees when they conducted an observation round, but with such conditions, their fighting spirit was extraordinary. Their results in this observation round were quite high, even close to perfect," Hakim said in a statement.

The team's results this year marked a big jump from 2017 when Indonesia took home four bronze medals.

Winners at this years competition include Nathanael Beta Budiman from state high school SMAN 2 in Jakarta who won a gold and Muhammad Ikhsan Kusrachmansyah from SMA Kesatuan Bangsa in Yogyakarta with one silver, as well as bronze medalists Ahmad Izuddin from SMAN Plus in Riau, Made Yongga Anggar Pangestu from SMAN 1 Mataram West Nusa Tenggara and Muhammad Fajril Afkaar Ali from SMA Kharisma Bangsa in Banten, West Java.

"I'm very thankful for the gold and I really didn't expect it," Nathanael said.

The next annual IOAA is slated to be held on Aug. 2-10 in Keszthely, Hungary. (liz/kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 24, 2018 09:40 1096 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d98cd1 1 News millennials,technology,TechSavvy,workplace Free

The growing number of technologically integrated workspaces that are open for the public, also known as coworking spaces, have prompted big corporations in Indonesia to redefine their work environments as tech-savvy millennials are demanding more flexibility in the office world.



Eddie Ang, executive director of Central Asia-Pacific businesses at Lenovo, said that open workspaces were catering to millennial employees who preferred the spatial flexibility of sitting beside colleagues to discuss and solve problems rather than sitting alone in cubicles.



The majority of large corporations are renovating their offices to become open spaces, Eddie said during a recent press conference in Jakarta.



Eddie said that even Lenovos office in Jakarta had knocked down walls, shrunk meeting rooms and purchased new furniture earlier this year.



Google Indonesia communications manager Jason Tedjasukmana told The Jakarta Post on Friday that his company, a benchmark for next-generation workspaces, agreed on the importance of an open workspace to foster collaboration among millennial employees.



Generally, Googles idea is to create a workspace where you want to go even if you dont have to, he said, adding that Google fostered a paperless work environment wherein documents were transferred device-to-device through a network.



Catering to Indonesias 90 million millennials is important for any company based in the country as young adults are expected to comprise 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, according to experts.



In the past two years, the growth of coworking spaces in Indonesia has been significant with a 400 percent surge, according to the Indonesia Coworking Space Association. In 2016, the association said the number of coworking spaces was only 45, but it reached 170 by January 2018.



The shifting millennial demand has also affected the banking industry, which is generally held as a bastion of rigid organization.



Maybank Indonesia president director Taswin Zakaria told the Post on Friday that his employees, who are more than 50 percent millennial, had pushed management to renovate several offices into being more fun and high-tech environments.



Google, Maybank and Lenovos decision to invest in open office spaces reflects a recent study by the United States-based market research firm, International Data Corporation (IDC), which found that 36 percent of large companies in Indonesia have looked into or have shifted some employees to open coworking spaces instead of renovating offices.



IDC data shows that Indonesias percentage is the highest in the Asia-Pacific compared to the 17 percent in Singapore, 30 percent in Hong Kong and 31 percent in South Korea.



The data also shows that 55 percent of large companies in Indonesia recognize the need to bring change to the workspace because of the increasingly large millennial workforce.



Indonesia is at the top in Southeast Asia in terms of a willingness to change into an innovative work culture, said IDC Southeast Asia managing director Sudev Bangah recently.



However, he added that work flexibility entailed more than providing open spaces but also providing employees a chance to work remotely and at hours of their convenience.



He acknowledged that top-level management generally preferred the predictability of fixed schedules and workplaces, but that companies would, inevitably, have to cater to the demands of their workforce. (nor)

This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post's print edition on Nov. 24, 2018, with the title "Tech-savvy millennials redefining workspaces".
Living and working in Germany, at a time of great political and cultural upheaval, the central tenets of Brechts theatrical vision remain important today, shaping the way in which modern theatre is staged and performed.

Image courtesy of Mike Steele on Flickr

Brechtian performance is very much attuned to its own theatricality. Unlike the naturalist movements which came before, Brechts plays do not set out to create a piece of reality for the audience but rather look to encourage a process of realisation and contemplation. Brechts theatre teases the audience with uncomfortable truths regarding the nature of society and, to some extent, humanity itself. Watching a Brechtian production, one is never allowed to become a voyeur, passively observing the action. Epic (or dialectical) theatre both immerses and distances its audience, creating a thrilling dichotomy of familiarity and unfamiliarity.Brechts plays and performances uphold deeply political and social messages. Writing during before, during and after World War Two, much of Brechts theatre is reactionary. Brecht fled from Germany just as Hitler rose to power in 1933, afraid of the persecution he might face due to his political views. A Marxist himself, Brecht rallied against the ideology of the fascist Nazi party. It is evident that many of his plays are critiques of and reactions against the authoritarian regimes which had engulfed much of Europe at the time. Plays such as Mother Courage and Saint Joan of the Stockyard see the protagonists pitted against oppressive capitalist or totalitarian systems, explicitly delivering and emphasising Brechts socialist sympathies. Through his theatre, Brecht set out to change the world and its political landscape. Although he may not have been overtly successful on this front, his work had a monumental effect upon the politics of performance and on the accepted model of theatre. Many of the techniques which Brecht employed were revolutionary at the time of their conception. Perhaps the technique most closely associated with Brecht, the verfremdungseffekt or alienation effect, broke down the popular conventions of theatre at the time and transformed the way in which audiences approach theatricality. Brecht wanted his theatre to act as a way of reflecting the truth of society, unsettling the audience and forcing them to recognise the similarities of the message of his productions to their own lives. His plays act as modern parables, didactic in principal and practice. The conventions which Brecht conceived have had a monumental effect upon modern theatre. Perhaps the primary example of this can be observed in Tony Kushners ground-breaking two-part masterpiece, Angels in America, which detailed the plight of those suffering from AIDs in 1980s America. Kushners drama has an essentially political message regarding societys appalling treatment of AIDs victims. This message is fiercely yet sophisticatedly conveyed via both Kushners awe-inspiring experimentation with the boundaries of theatricality. The philosophy of Brecht is clearly imprinted on the plays identity. The theatre which Brecht envisioned allows for a diagnostic exploration of society and culture: one which does not allow for comfortable or complacent viewing. Epic theatre encourages audiences to sit up and listen, delving into the minute details of ideology, oppression and, most of all, theatricality.
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Breitling announced its presence in China with a gala night at Beijings Phoenix Center. The Phoenix Center welcomed some 500 invited guests. They entered the venue via a red carpet flanked by lanterns while more than 100 members of the local and international media photographed and interviewed the VIPs as they arrived.

An atmosphere of elegance

Inside the Phoenix Center, the decor recalled Breitlings brand worlds of air, sea, and land. Live music was performed by the Beijing Percussion Art Troupe, which distinguished itself at the 2008 Olympic Games, and by an orchestra selected from among Beijings leading virtuosos. The musical interludes punctuated the evenings festivities.

 Breitling

A celebration of Breitlings Squads

Breitling CEO Georges Kern sarted the night off with the introduction of his brands celebrity guests, including Australian Surfers Squad member Sally Fitzgibbons and renowned photographer and filmmaker Peter Lindbergh, along with two high-profile members of the Breitling Cinema Squad, Daniel Wu and Brad Pitt.

Tonight marks the beginning of a new chapter for Breitling in China, and we are incredibly excited, said Georges Kern. Breitling opened its first Asian flagship boutique in Beijing only a few months earlier and we are strengthening our online and digital presence in Asia through our partnership with Alibaba with the opening of the Breitling Tmall flagship store.

Premier

At the gala night in Beijing, Breitling took the opportunity to introduce the watches in the new Premier family, which underpin the brands connection to its land environment and express an important part of Breitlings current mission statement: to create timepieces for men and women of action, purpose, and style.

The original Premiers launched in the 1940s were Breitlings first elegant watches and were a much-admired part of the collection, introducing a fashionable flair that complemented the instruments for professionals for which the brand was already well known.

 Breitling

Historic link with aviation

Breitling has built a significant part of its international reputation on its pilots watches, including, notably, the Navitimer. At the gala night in Beijing, the brand previewed two pilots watches that will be launched next year, commemorating the history of the legendary Curtiss P-40 Warhawk plane. On hand to help celebrate were pilots from two different generations, Taylor Stevenson and 93-year-old Ollie Crawford, the oldest living pilot to have ever flown a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk plane.

 Breitling

The stars came out at night

The evenings highlight featured the introduction of Breitlings Cinema Squad members, international film stars Brad Pitt and Daniel Wu, along with renowned photographer and filmmaker Peter Lindbergh. The three had worked together on Breitlings 360 #squadonamission campaign earlier in the year, and after watching short films covering the Cinema Squad photo shoot, they shared anecdotes from the experience.

Its great to be here in Beijing with Breitling. The brand is undergoing a transformation while also incorporating its history into the designs and Im enjoying being part of it, said Brad Pitt.

I think youve seen that the Breitling campaign is unlike anything being done by anyone else. Its very effective but I hope you can also get a sense of how much fun it is, added Daniel Wu.
An icy Thursday morning sunrise captured in Verdun. Multiple low temperature records were established this past week in Montreal, including the -18C (0F) recorded early Thursday morning. Warmer air is on the way this weekend and into next week, unfortunately so is the ice, rain and wet snow.


remaining of

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Speaking at a session during the fourth edition of "Rome MED  Mediterranean Dialogues", Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia will follow up on Egypt's efforts to bring about inter-Palestinian reconciliation.

Lavrov renewed the call for the Palestinian and Israeli parties to convene in Moscow to discuss the Palestinian issue without pre-conditions, Sputnik news agency reported.

He also stressed the necessity of reviving dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

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MBABANE  Leading by example, His Majesty King Mswati III has been bestowed with an award of excellence in leadership.



The King, who is the chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), was honoured by Roll Back Malaria in an event that was held in Mozambique last week.



Roll Back Malaria is an initiative intended to halve the suffering caused by the disease. It had been developed as a social movement.

The King was represented by the Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku, who was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Lizzy Nkosi.

Narrating about the event, Masuku said Roll Back Malaria was presenting a performance report on how countries fared in the fight against malaria.



improvement



It was reported that in 2017, most countries did not perform very well.

However, an improvement had been noted this year, he said.

Masuku also mentioned that the minister of health was on a panel where she related on challenges and what the country had done in the fight against the deadly disease.



He also pointed out that the organisation led by His Majesty, ALMA, outshined most institutions in the same battle.

This award was received on behalf of the organisation by the King, Masuku narrated.



Winning this award places the country in good standings because the King wants us to attain a First World status in 2022. We cannot achieve our goal if we still have to fight malaria, he said.



Even though ALMA had been awarded, Masuku said there was still a lot of ground which need to be covered.
EMCU class of 2018 bows out in style

MANZINI  For the past six years, working out the budget of EMCU has been challenging as squaring a circle.



This sums up the speech of Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) Chancellor Chun Yoon about the six years of the institutions existence in the Kingdom of Eswatini.



However, Yoon, who was speaking with the voice of Vice Chancellor In Whan Kim during the second graduation ceremony of the institution, said he was proud that they overcame the challenges and produced graduates who would be foot soldiers of the health sector in the country and beyond.

The graduation ceremony was held at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre yesterday and a total of 238 graduates graduated.



The chancellor said EMCU was a young institution with humble beginnings but big dreams. He said they were appreciative of the partnership they had with government but the level of subvention they received for operations was low.



Salaries



He said this made it difficult to pay competitive salaries, including benefits, and to attract highly qualified academic staff. Over the six years of our existence, working out the budget of the institution has been as challenging as squaring a circle, the chancellor said.



However, he said having been given a new lease of life by the Ministry of Education and Training, through the second memorandum of agreement (MoA), they were humbly looking forward to an increased subvention that would enable them to operate the university more efficiently and productively.



Furthermore, Yoon said there was a need to improve their facilities, particularly laboratory and library space. He said it was for this reason that the African Continent Mission and Pastor Chong Yang Kim took it upon themselves to once again engage in a fundraising drive for construction of laboratories of Pharmacy and Medical Laboratory Science, among other faculties.



The institution is also exploring various avenues for raising funds for the construction of students hostels as the present arrangement is not suitable for their boarding and lodging is not acceptable, Yoon said.



challenges



He said these were but few of their major challenges, which they were sparing no effort to address as they were striving to go full steam ahead and work towards the realisation of His Majestys dream for the country of attaining first world status by 2022. He said they aim to do this by making their contribution in training professionals with a difference for the health sector.



On another note, the chancellor said under the wise leadership of the King, the country recently held peaceful Parliamentary elections that were judged to be free and fair by internal and international observers. This is uncommon in many counties today, he said.



the chancellor said through successful negotiations by the government, Eswatini was once again enjoying the trade benefits made possible by the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) of the United States of America (USA), which was creating jobs for the citizens.



Furthermore, Yoon said the country had learned with a sigh of relief that the sector had taken great strides in the fight against pandemic HIV/AIDS as evidenced by the declining number of new infections.



Recognition



Still, in the health sector, the chancellor said the Kingdom had earned international recognition for its in the elimination of malaria and was accorded chairmanship of the Africa Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).



These achievements and many others are close to our hearts in that we are producing foot soldiers in health care who will join relevant sections in the country and beyond, the chancellor said.








MBABANE  There seems to be an irresolvable dispute on who has the authority to allocate land between traditional authorities and the Mbabane Municipal Council.



As of today, there are 13 cases that are pending before court on residents who may have their structures demolished if the court rules in favour of the council. The council last week cited the appointment of traditional authorities in Mbabane as one factor that has jeopardised development.



Resisting



This was said by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Council of Mbabane, Gideon Mhlongo.

Mhlongo said this has also led to the council having to go to court on cases where residents are resisting abiding by its rules.

As we speak we have about 13 cases that are pending in court while we have also been granted court orders on some cases that have resulted in demolitions, he said.



He said the appointment of traditional authorities in 2015 delayed development because of the conflicts that result from residents who carry on with construction on land that the council has reserved for apportioning.

Mhlongo reported this to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane, who was in the company of Principal Secretary Clifford Mamba and other officials from the ministry.



Displayed



He displayed a map showing the boundaries where Mangwaneni for instance, was mapped as one area that is situated within the city boundaries.

Acting Ludzidzini Governor Lusendvo Fakudze said as far as tradition was concerned, none of the areas that have traditional authorities appointed by the King belong to the respective city councils.

He made an example of the areas named emaNgwane which are famously known as Mangwaneni, saying they were present in almost all the countrys main towns.



These areas have traditional custodians and they essentially belong to the Indlovukazi (Queen Mother). This arrangement dates back to decades ago during the time of Indlovukazi Gwamile who was the founder of these areas, he said.

Fakudze went on to narrate that after the founding Indlovukazi, these areas were left under Indlovukazi Lomawa Ndwandwe.



From her, the ownership of the areas was taken by NaboMshengu, NaboZihlathi and then the reigning Indlovukazi.

When asked about the mandate of the traditional authorities in the area, Fakudze said they are custodians of the areas and they generally perform all duties entrusted to a chief.



Allocate



Chiefs have a right to allocate land which effectively means the ones in the town outskirts have this very same privilege, hence the dispute. This is exactly what concerns the Mbabane Municipal Council CEO as he foresees more demolitions taking place due to this confusion of whether land must be bought or a traditional structure can simply allocate.



However, Fakudze remained adamant that these places are not under any council and such should be looked into thoroughly.

So far, all cases that have been bought before court, involving land allocated through traditional structures (kukhonta) within the councils jurisdiction, have resulted in demolitions.



This effectively means the courts have so far ruled in the favour of Mbabane Municipal Council.



Concerned



This is why the CEO raised the issue as they are concerned about the number of people who will continue to build houses on land they were allocated by these traditional structures, only to be demolished in a few years.

A profile given by the CEO was that Mbabane is constituted by 12 Wards and has a population of about 61 940 people.
MBABANE  South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and Eswatinis Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, are birds of the same feather.



Flocking together in the path of economic recovery and sustainability, they have respectively decided to trade in the life of exclusive and luxury travel for business and economy class flights.



Dlamini announced yesterday at a press conference in Parliament that the countrys high-ranking politicians and figures of authority would no longer travel first class.



He, alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, presiding officers, principal secretaries and all others in the same category would travel in business class when attending to national duties. All other public servants will fly in economy class. He declared this as part of the strategy to tighten the tap on governments rapidly leaking funds.



This announcement coincided with pictures of Ramaphosa onboard SA fair economy class flight, that were splashed on social media platforms. This was during his trip to Durban yesterday morning.



According to reports from South African publication, News24, the president will use this mode of transport as it is more practical, convenient and cost-effective.



This is despite that South Africa is one of the largest economies in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).

When comparing the gross domestic product (GDP) of both countries, South Africa currently sits at 349.42 billion US Dollars, while Eswatini records a 4.409 billion US Dollars GDP.



This reflects that, even with South Africa being more developed, the president is cognisant of the need to cut-down on government expenditure.
MBABANE  The idiom, you can run, but you cant hide manifested when police arrested a man suspected to have murdered KaMfishane Constituency Councillor (Bucopho).



Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent, Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a man was arrested last night in connection with the death of Thoko Maseko (70).



The name of the suspect is known to this publication, but will not be mentioned because he was yet to appear in court. An impeccable source within the police service revealed that the man, aged 38 years old, was arrested at Malindza after police received a tip-off.



stabbed



Masekos daughter, identified as Dudu Magongo, confirmed that they were informed by police about the arrest. They revealed his identity to us. We are still waiting for more information from them, Magongo said. She further stated that they would find out from the suspect why he murdered their mother. It would have been better if he only stabbed her, than what he did, the 48 year old said in between sobs .



Preliminary investigations suggested that Maseko could have been beaten and further strangulated because her body was tied with a rope around the neck. It also had bruises and blue-black spots, indicating internal bleeding, according to one of the people who was at the scene shortly after her body was found. Even though they were still clueless on how their mother actually died, Magongo said they were hoping the suspect would shed some light on this.



Magongo stated that her mother did not deserve to die because she was viewed as an asset in the community. Asked about funeral arrangements, the daughter said Maseko might be laid to rest next weekend. Giving a brief background about the old woman, Magongo said Maseko was a staunch member of the Thembelihle Methodist Church.



A community member, John Harris, who was also part of volunteers who searched for Maseko, also confirmed that the family had informed him that police had arrested a suspect. The police have done a wonderful job by arresting the suspect swiftly . He needs to tell us why he killed the old woman. He must answer for this gruesome act, he said.



commended



Harris revealed that he was still trying to come to terms with why someone would murder an elderly person. Another person who has heaved a huge sigh of relief at the incarceration of the suspect was Mtsambama Member of Parliament (MP), Simosakhe Shongwe. He commended the police for a job well done.

Concerns were raised by her family on Sunday evening when she did not return home.

Maseko had left her homestead at around 9am on the day and headed for church where she attended the days service. She is said to have bid goodbye to other congregants at around 2pm and set off for home, but never reached her intended destination. The elderly woman, who had been serving her third term as bucopho, was eventually found dead on Wednesday.
The first step towards implementing President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis call to amend Egypts controversial NGO law came this week

On 17 November Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli ordered a committee to be formed to oversee the amendment of the NGO law.

A statement issued by the cabinet said the committee will be headed by Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali and includes representatives from other ministries and state bodies.

The committee will be given one month to suggest amendments to the existing law.

Amendments presented by the committee will then be subject to a national dialogue that will bring together all those interested in the activities of NGOs to ensure the new law is satisfactory to all, said the statement.

According to Wali, members of the ad hoc committee will be divided into groups, each one reviewing a section of the law and proposing changes.

These groups will review laws regulating the performance of NGOs in other countries to see what lessons we can learn, said Wali. The timetable is short but we will do our best to finish within the alloted period.

On 5 November President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi asked for revisions to be made to the 89-article NGO law which was passed by MPs in November 2016 and ratified by the president in May 2017. Almost immediately, the law attracted criticism from civil society organisations in Egypt and abroad.

Defending the existing law (70/2017), Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said MPs had been keen to ensure it was transparent, allowed NGOs to be formed by notification, and that the auditing of NGO activities observed international accounting standards.

In a 14 November meeting with Gyde Jensen, chairperson of the German Bundestags Human Rights Committee, Abdel-Aal said the committee formed to review the law in a national dialogue will propose amendments, after which parliament will discuss them to ensure they meet Egypts national security concerns while upholding the constitutional freedoms granted to civil society organisations.

NGOs say they will use the national dialogue to seek changes to a number of restrictive articles.

Talaat Abdel-Qawi, head of the general union of NGOs, told the daily Al-Ahram this week that a number of articles need to be amended.

The section on penalties should be removed, not only eliminating custodial sentences for administrative offences but also reducing the fines levied which currently range from LE500 to LE20,000.

Abdel-Qawi also wants the conditions necessary for dissolving NGOs to be changed. Currently, he says, NGOs are seen as criminals until proven innocent rather than vice versa.

The law also needs to dovetail more closely with Article 75 of the constitution which stipulates an NGO can be formed upon notification. Currently state authorities can investigate for up to 60 days pending the issuing of a licence.

Hafez Abu Seada, secretary-general of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, told Al-Ahram Weekly the language of the law needs to be tightened.

Currently, it outlaws NGOs from pursuing political activities, a loose term which needs to be replaced by the kinds of political activities NGOs should not perform.

What about an NGO which seeks to raise awareness of the importance of participating in political life, which urges citizens to join political parties or to vote in elections, he asked.

Abu Seada said the current NGO law was passed when relations between the government and NGOs were marked by mutual suspicions.

State authorities distrusted NGOs. Officials and MPs alike believed that NGOs had played a destructive role during the political upheaval between 2011 and 2015, says Abu Seada.

The government found that more than 1,000 NGOs were affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood and were supporting the group politically and funding its militant activities. These NGOs were licensed as charities but were undertaking political activities.

On the other hand, Abu Seada points out, NGO criticism of security forces and reports on human rights abuses were highly embarrassing for the government which sought to contain their activities and restrict civil society as a whole.

All the prison sentences, hefty fines and high licensing fees should be revoked, and the law should be reworded to fully conform with Article 75 of the constitution.

Mohamed Abu Hamed, a member of parliaments Social Solidarity Committee which drafted the current NGO law, argues the national dialogue should not be limited to civil society representatives.

We want a balanced law. While I agree prison sentences should be phased out I do not believe the foreign funding of NGOs should be left without any kind of government or parliamentary oversight, said Abu Hamed.

The only draft MPs will approve is one that takes national security concerns into account.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: NGO law under the microscope

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The Azerbaijani confectionery company Can-Pa intends to establish export of products to Russia, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates in 2019, marketing director of the company, Gunay Khalafzade, told Trend.

According to her, Can-Pa currently does not have any supplies abroad, but the company actively participates in exhibitions to promote its products and sign export contracts.

Khalafzade reminded that the Can-Pa products, Turkish delight, marmalade, dragees, and other locally made sweets are currently presented at the UZPRODEXPO food exhibition, being held in Tashkent.

"Uzbekistan is a close country for us, so we want to establish exports in that direction. We contacted the organizers of UZPRODEXPO and opened our stand at the exhibition, which will be active from Nov. 21 through Nov. 23," the company representative said.

She underlined that the company plans to significantly increase local production in 2019 in order to enter the markets of Russia and the UAE as well.

"On Feb. 5-9, 2018, our company, with the support of AzPromo, took part in the ProdExpo exhibition in Moscow. We plan to take part in the 24th Gulfood exhibition in Dubai on Feb. 17-21, 2019," Khalafzade said.

According to her, the company has already received a certificate for exports to Uzbekistan, and is currently negotiating with the Azerbaijani company Grante in Moscow on arranging export supplies.

International exhibitions, UZAGROEXPO  2018 Agriculture and UZPRODEXPO  2018 Food Industry, started in Tashkent on Nov. 21. The organizers earlier told Trend that Azerbaijan is represented at UZPRODEXPO with the products of the confectionery company Can-Pa.

Can-Pa LLC has been operating since March 18, 2003. The confectionery company is engaged in both production activities and retail. Can-Pa is a distributor of Turkish companies Elit, Taha, Ece, Ekmekcio?lu Hicret, etc.

In January-September 2018, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan reached $30.73 million, of which $7.08 million accounted for exports from Azerbaijan and $23.65 million for imports from Uzbekistan.
The Roman mosaic were looted and eventually sold to an American University

Pieces of a renowned Roman mosaic that were looted and eventually sold to an American university are to be returned to Turkey, thetimes.co.uk reports.

The twelve fragments once formed parts of the border of the gypsy girl mosaic in the ancient Roman settlement of Zeugma, close to the modern Turkish city of Gaziantep, and show human faces and birds.

The near-complete main part of the mosaic, which has remained in Turkey, depicts a girl with windswept hair and an intense stare. It is on display in Gazianteps Zeugma mosaics museum and has become an unofficial symbol of the city. The mosaic goes back to AD200-300.

Read more at www.thetimes.co.uk

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: Kvanc Nis f License: CC-BY-SA
Members of the Koutsolioutsos family will also reportedly resign from the board of the Hellenic Duty Free Shops SA, following the latest developments in beleaguered Folli Follie Group, which was established and led for decades by the former, naftemporiki.gr reports.

The report comes after a second petition by FF Group for temporary protection from creditors was turned down by an Athens first instance court.

The latest reports on Wednesday evening had Dimitris and Tzortzis Koutsolioutsos as resigning as an executive member and president of the board, respectively. The Hellenic Duty Free Shops' website now shows a three-member board, from the former five-member board of directors.

Tzortzis (George) Koutsolioutsos resigned last June from the board of directors of Swiss group Dufry, which owns 100% of Hellenic Duty Free Shops SA.

The multinational travel retailer bought 51% of Hellenic Duty Free Shops in 2012, with the Koutsolioutsos family acquiring 4.1 percent of the Dufry's shares and the right to appoint a non-executive board member. Dufry purchased the remaining 49 percent of Hellenic Duty Free Shops in 2013.

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: Hellenic Duty Free Shops License: CC-BY-SA pixabay.com
With a warm applause and in a festive atmosphere, Xenias inaugural ribbon was cut on Saturday, November 24, at 10:30 am, at the presence of a large crowd of people, while it was attend-ed by high-profile officials, according to xenia.gr

The ribbon of the exhibition, which takes place in the ultra-modern Metropolitan Expo from 24 to 26 November, was cut by the Minister of Tourism, Ms Elena Kountoura, in an atmosphere of excitement and with the cameras of all major TV channels ready to record the leading event for the Greek Tourism Industry. Ms Kountoura stated that the Ministry of Tourism, the Greek Tourism Organization and I, personally, support high-level exhibitions and actions that promote the extroversion of our tourism product and create bridges for Greek entrepreneurship and new investments in a dynamically growing sector. I would like to congratulate the organizers of Xenia, the exhibitors and all those who have worked for its successful organization, since Xenia brings together hotel businesses with professionals from many other productive sectors in order to promote new and beneficial collaborations, while focusing on quality in the field of hospitality.

The leading exhibition for the Tourism Industry

 Xenia will win this years credit for its huge contribution to the boom of Greek tourism. With this phrase, Mr Nikos Choudalakis, Chairman and CEO of FORUM SA, expressed, right after the opening ceremony, his optimism and conviction that Xenia will also play a key role this year in strengthening Greeces most precious national product, by mobilizing and providing tools to hoteliers throughout the country to further upgrade their services and climb to the highest positions in the global tourism business.

Xenia, the trade show-institution for the hotel industry, is expected, with this magnificent event, to expand its allure by reaping once again the rewards for its huge contribution to the growth of Greek tourism, concluded Mr Choudalakis.

With the full support of all the institutions of the hospitality industry, Xenia 2018, an already established institution, explained Mr Alexandros Vassilikos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), contributes positively and productively to the promotion of quality, and for yet another year, it functions as a privileged field for knowledge, information, experience, technology applications, and solutions with a common denominator to upgrade the Greek tourism product in every way.

Present at the opening ceremony were also Mr. K. Michalos president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industries & the Union of Hellenic Chambers Mr. G. Kavvathas -president of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, craftsmen & merchants (GSEVEE)- Mr. G. Tasios -president of the Hellenic Hotel Federation Ms. A. Chondromatidou VP of the Greek National Tourism Organization  Ms. E. Kourneta  secretary general of Ministry of Tourism- and Mr. . Konsolas Head of Tourism sector of Nea Demokratia. At the end of the opening ceremony, the representatives of all institutional bodies, headed to C1 conference room in order to attend the 2nd International Hospitality Forum.
Greek newspaper Kathimerini recently published the following report by Richard Pine who was voted Critic of the Year in the 2018 Irish Journalism Awards. He lives and works in Corfu, and is the author of Greece Through Irish Eyes.:

Lawrence Durrell described the condition of islomania as a rare but by no means unknown affliction of the spirit in people who find islands irresistible. He was describing the psychological compulsion which drives many writers, in particular, to try to satisfy an inner need. Durrells own island books include Corfu (where he discovered both Greece and himself), Rhodes and Cyprus. Today, we would call this the tourist gaze, the outsider wondering what it is like to be an insider.

Greece, with its hundreds of inhabited islands, and thousands uninhabited, offers a huge variety of unique island cultures. Its been a perennial attraction for island-hopping backpackers and an early factor in the Greek tourist industry. It would be crazy to suggest that there is any single pen that could do justice to this spectrum of island lives.

The other side of the coin is the writer born and bred in an island community, such as Konstantinos Theotokis (Corfu, 1872-1923), Alexandros Papadiamandis (Skiathos, 1851-1911) and Nikos Kazantzakis (Crete, 1883-1957). Its no accident that they all became pioneers of Greek writing and exponents of the Greek landscape and character. Their depictions of the mores, rhythm and syntax of island thought are never fully available to the visitor.

The outsider and the insider have quite different perspectives on the politics, aesthetics, ecology, economies and daily habits of an island. In Ireland, the case of John Millington Synge (the outsider) and Liam OFlaherty (the insider) in the western island of Inishmore (the name would translate into Greek as meganisi) is a signal of this insider/outsider dichotomy.

Read full article here

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Tasoskessaris License: CC-BY-SA
According to Lidl Hellas, the long-term goal is a presence throughout Greece and a network of 300 stores

Lidl Hellas, the German supermarket chain's subsidiary in Greece, this week announced an investment program for its operations in the country of between 100 to 120 million euros until early February 2020, naftemporiki.gr reports.

According to the company, the long-term goal is a presence throughout Greece and a network of 300 stores.

Lidl Hellas director Iakovos Andreanidis, who spoke on the occasion of the multinational's 20 years of operation in Greece, beyond store renovations and relocations, two new outlets will be opened in 2019, one in Thessaloniki and the other in Larissa, bringing the number of Lidl stores in Greece to 223. Lidl also has five logistics centers in the country and cooperation with almost 3,000 producers in Greece.

He added that the target is a workforce of 6,000 up from 5,466 positions today, as well as adding 250 product codes, of which roughly 50% will be Greek products.

Andreanidis flatly rejected any prospect of Lidl Hellas buying another rival in the domestic supermarket sector, saying the chair relies on its own retail growth model.

According to the chain, over the past 20 years Lidl has made 1.3 billion euros of investments in Greece.

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: Aljona83 License: CC-BY-SA
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced that its President and CEO Hamad Buamim has been appointed as the new chairman of World Chambers Federation (WCF) of the International Chamber of Commerce.

WCF is the International Chamber of Commerces forum uniting a global network of 12,000 chambers and their respective business communities.

The appointment marks the second time that an official from the Middle East region has been elected as WCF Chairman.

From 1991 and 1996, Adnan Kassar, the president of Beirut Chamber of Commerce and president of General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry, had held the coveted position.

The announcement came during a high-level WCF General Council meeting which was recently held at Dubai Chambers headquarters.

Buamim, who previously served as Deputy Chair of WCF, will assume his new position at the beginning of 2019 for a period of three years, during which he will preside over meetings and activities of the WCF Chairmanship, WCF Executive Committee, and WCF General Council.

In his new role, Buamim will supervise the WCFs efforts to foster and facilitate collaboration and cooperation between chamber leaders and their members worldwide.

The WCF actively promotes chambers of commerce as essential intermediaries between business and government, and between business and the general public. In addition, the organisation addresses common challenges and help its members benefit from new opportunities.

Buamim succeeds Peter Mihok, President of Slovakias Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who held the position of WCF Chairman for the last six years.

On the appointment, Buamim said: "As one of the worlds largest membership-based chambers of commerce, Dubai Chamber has played a crucial role in fostering cooperation and partnerships between chambers of commerce and championing best international practices to enhance our members trade competitiveness."

"We are now ready to launch a constructive dialogue about how chambers of commerce can align their efforts to achieve this goal on a global level," he stated.

Buamim also thanked HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for his strong support to Dubai Chamber and the business community in Dubai, and said that the achievement reflected Dubais strengthening reputation as a global business hub.-TradeArabia News Service
More than 400 delegates for the GCC and India were in Bahrain to attend the 10th Annual International Conference of the Bahrain Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (BCICAI).

The contributions of the ICAI in the economic growth of Bahrain in these challenging conditions have helped tremendously in working towards stabilization and economic growth in Bahrain. This conference could not have been more timely and appropriate

Held under the patronage of Zayed R. Al Zayani, Ministry of Industry Commerce and Tourism, the event was held at The Diplomat Radisson Blu yesterday (November 23) with technology and VAT ruling the airwaves.

Hameed Yusif Rahma, Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MOIC) lauded the role of Indian chartered accountants in Bahrains progress, saying: "The contributions of the ICAI in the economic growth of Bahrain in these challenging conditions have helped tremendously in working towards stabilization and economic growth in Bahrain. This conference could not have been more timely and appropriate."

The opening ceremony was also attended by Indian Ambassador Alok Kumar Sinha and Ali Abdulhussain Maki, Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Registrations and Companies (MOIC) and Brahmaviharidas Swami of the BAPS Foundation.

In his keynote address, Swami set the template for change, saying that change was inevitable, inescapable and cannot be categorised as good or bad.

"Since change is inescapable, we have to tackle it by adjusting ourselves, anticipating it, attuning ourselves to it and also changing ourselves without giving up on our spiritual and ethical values," remarked Swami.

As Shadow CEOs/Chairmen and entrepreneurs, accountants must be aware of change and prepared to build it into their lives. Like finding a location on Google, we need to find our own location first and then map our response, he stated.

Indian Ambassador Alok Kumar Sinha highlighted the transformative impact of the changes that India has embraced such as GST and said that Bahrain too was poised to benefit from new perspectives on economic and national growth.

Embracing change and working towards growth is not just an impactful lifestyle choice but its positive effects transcend to policy making and lead to better bilateral relations between Bahrain and India noted Ambassador Sinha.

KPMG Managing Partner Jamal Fakhro said: "With change, there is always growth and we must learn to swim with the current. He touched upon dispelling fear around the utilization of AI and the benefits of its integration."

Bahrain Accountants Association (BAA) President Abbas Al Radhi talked about staying ahead of the curve and preparing the market for blockchain and its effects.

Adding on, Al Maki, who has been a part of the BCICAI since its inception, said that the conference helps the financial world of Bahrain in keeping abreast with the ever evolving demands.

Day Two, which began with Khalid Al Rumaihi, CEO of the Economic Development Board as Chief Guest, saw the experts discuss topics such as Social Innovation, the impact of technology (AI, blockchain, cybersecurity) on accountancy procedures, Bahrain 2030 and integration of AI.

The evening ended with a scintillating concert of Indian classical music by Rajesh Vaidya, a renowned veena player and percussionist Karunakaran Nair. The event concludes today.-TradeArabia News Service
The pharmaceuticals market in Kuwait is in the growing stage and is primarily driven by governments healthcare initiatives, said a report.

The government had doubled the budget for healthcare spending between 2010 and 2016 which soared to hit nearly KD2 billion ($6.6 billion), stated Ken Research.

More than 20 large governmental healthcare projects are in the pipeline worth KD3.5 billion ($12 billion) across the country, it stated in the report titled Kuwait Pharmaceuticals Market Outlook to 2022.

This report provides a comprehensive analysis on introduction of Kuwait Pharmaceuticals market, value chain, stakeholders in Kuwait pharmaceuticals market ecosystem, market size by revenue (2012-2017), it added.

The report will have the type of drugs (Generic and Patented Drugs); By Channel of Distribution (Institutional Sales and Retail Sales) and By Therapeutic Class (Anti-Infectives, Gastrointestinal, Cardiovascular, CNS, Respiratory, Musculoskeletal, Analgesics and Anti Inflammatory and Others), it added.

The report also includes future outlook for the market (2018-2022) including estimated market size in terms of revenue and pharmaceuticals market segmentation by therapeutic class.

The report is useful for manufacturers, distributors, retailers of pharmaceuticals, hospital chains, Drug stockiest, Healthcare IT companies to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future.

A booming oil and gas industry and limited diversification into other sectors have significantly constrained the manufacturing activities in Kuwait.

As a result, domestic production of medicines in the country continued to be low and majority of the pharmaceuticals consumed were imported in this period, including branded and generic drugs, said the report by Ken Research.

Although the industry is closely monitored by the government, medicine prices in Kuwait continued to be high. Doctors and patients generally prefer patented and branded products, which has stretched the government funding system, it stated.

In 2017, patented drugs dominated the pharmaceuticals market of Kuwait as compared to generic drugs in terms of revenue. This is because branded and patented drugs are more popular in the country due to the relative wealth of the population and expatriate workers, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Egyptian naval and air forces arrived in Greece on Saturday to participate in the joint military training operation Medusa 7, which will be held on the west side of the Greek island of Crete.

In an official statement, Egyptian armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said the joint drills will include planning and administering joint naval and air offensive operations, maritime interception, identifying submarines, securing oil platforms and vital targets in the sea, as well as inspecting suspicious ships, and search and rescue procedures.

The joint drills, which will also include members of the armys special forces, will also see a role by combat aircraft training on defense, and joint offensives on hostile targets.

The special forces units participating will execute trainings related to amphibious landing exercises on the coast.

Medusa 7 will witness the participation of Egyptian naval forces college students within their overseas training programmes, as well as the attendance of a number of youths from the countrys presidential leadership programme.

The training comes under the Egyptian armys plan for joint training with allied countries to boost military cooperation and an exchange of training experiences across different fields.

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Heavy turnout was reported at the 14 general polling centres across Bahrain on Saturday as the voters cast their ballots in the fifth quadrennial parliamentary and municipal elections since 2002, said a report.

By midday, the polling stations in the first, second, third, sixth and tenth constituencies of the Northern Governorate witnessed a large number of voters, reported BNA, citing the heads of the electoral committees.

They also said that voters have been present at the polling stations since the early morning, the officials stated.

The great turnout in the elections shows the people's support for the reform process launched by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, they added.
Oil notched its biggest weekly loss since the depths of the last price crash, as record Saudi output, pressure from US President Donald Trump and a global stock sell-off intensified crudes freefall, reported Blomberg.

Futures slid below $60 in London on Friday and ended the week down about 12 per cent, the worst showing since January 2016.

Traders focused on the growing risks of a new glut of crude after Saudi Arabias oil minister said Thursday that production from the worlds largest exporter had climbed further this month.

Oil joined a swoon in equity markets nervous about international trade and a weakening economy, stated the report.

The S&P 500 Index fell to its lowest mark since May while European markets lost ground after a report showing a slowdown in Germany. Energy companies led declines, with shale drillers Concho Resources Inc. and Devon Energy Corp. each down more than 5 per cent.

Crudes getting shellacked, said Kyle Cooper, director of research at energy consultant IAF Advisors in Houston. The equities are giving a foreboding sign for overall economic growth. I think thats whats disturbing people.

In the US, West Texas Intermediate oil prices slid toward $50 a barrel, the baseline at which many large shale explorers set their budget this year, RBC Capital Markets analyst Scott Hanold said in a note to clients.

Smaller producers planned on even more, predicating budgets on WTI prices 10 to 15 per cent higher, he wrote.

Outside of a few better-positioned companies, demonstrating free cash flow will be challenging at current oil prices," stated Hanold.

The Saudis have signaled they will throttle back on production in December. But unless Opec and Russia can reach a new deal to constrain output in Vienna next month, analysts see the prospect of sustained oversupply in 2019, undoing the groups success over the last two years to drain global inventories.

Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will attend next weeks G20 meeting in Buenos Aires.

The Russian and Saudi energy ministers are also scheduled to travel to Argentinas capital, according to people familiar with their plans.

Crude collapsed into a bear market this month after the US allowed some nations to continue buying Iranian supply. Trade tension between America and China is raising concerns over demand and Trump renewed a call for lower oil prices, said the Bloomberg report.

Those factors pushed up oils volatility this week to the highest since early 2016, it added.
Egypts Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki left Cairo on Saturday for Sudan to hold important discussions with top officials in Sudan.

The visit aims to support aspects of cooperation and military relations between the armed forces of both countries, as well as discuss a number of issues of bilateral interest.

The talks will include conditions across the African continent in light of military cooperation between the armed forces, especially in the fields of training and the transfer and exchange of experience in a number of fields.

The visit will also include discussions on the efforts exerted to face challenges which aim to undermine security and stability of the region in light of threats faced by both countries on an Arab and African level.

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Japan, Vietnam to step up security co-operation 24 Nov 2021 | 9:48 PM Tokyo, Nov 24(UNI) Japan and Vietnam on Wednesday agreed to step up security co operation, while sharing security concerns regarding the regional waters. see more..

Russia-Islamic World meeting opens in Saudi's Jeddah, highlights cooperation 24 Nov 2021 | 8:46 PM Riyadh, Nov 24 (UNI/Xinhua) The meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia-Islamic World" opened on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia's city of Jeddah, during which Russia and Islamic states vowed to strengthen cooperation in various fields. see more..

IAEA says holds no political stance against Iran 24 Nov 2021 | 8:43 PM Tehran, Nov 24 (UNI/Xinhua) The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) denied that the agency has upheld any political stance against Iran, Iran's Press TV reported Wednesday. see more..

Putin vows Russia's permanent support for Lebanon's sovereignty, unity 24 Nov 2021 | 8:36 PM Beirut, Nov 24 (UNI/Xinhua) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday affirmed his country's permanent commitment to supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and unity, a statement by Lebanon's Presidency reported. see more..
Afghan army helicopter makes crash landing, 2 killed

Kandahar, Nov 24 (UNI) At least two Afghan army personnel were killed and two others wounded after a military helicopter made a crash landing in the country's southern province of Kandahar on Saturday, an army source said.

Despite earlier reports of no casualties, an MoD spokesman, Jawed Ghafoor, confirmed the two people were killed and two others were wounded when an Afghan Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing in Maruf district of Kandahar province, afghan channel tolo news said in a report.

Earlier, Kandahar police chief Tadin Khan said the helicopter made an emergency landing in the district, adding that "the helicopter was transferring troops from the provincial center to the district. He said there had been no casualties but the helicopter caught fire.
Cameroon army denies killing Kenyan priest in restive Anglophone region

Yaounde, Nov 24 (Xinhua) Cameroon army said Friday that it did not kill a Kenyan priest in Kembong, a locality in Southwest, one of the two war-torn English-speaking regions of the country.

"The preliminary investigations reveal that the authors of this criminal act did this to discredit the defense and security forces." Joseph Beti Assomo, Cameroon's Defense Minister said in a statement on Friday.

Rev. Father Cosmas Omboto Ondari, 33-year-old Kenya priest who was ordained in 2017 and immediately posted to Cameroon, was shot in front of the church of the Parish of St. Martin of Tours in Kembong "by government soldiers who were shooting at random from passing vehicle," according to an earlier version of the story by Andrew Nkea, Bishop of Mamfe Diocese where Ondari worked.
France to return twenty six artifacts to Benin

Paris, Nov 24 (Xinhua) France will return "without delay" twenty six artifacts to Benin which were removed from the West African country during the colonial era, President Emmanuel Macron's office said Friday in a statement.

The Elysee said Macron decided the restitution of twenty six works of arts requested by the Beninese authorities and which had been looted during bloody battles in 1892.

"Operational and legislative measures will be taken to allow these works to return to Benin, accompanied by the know-how of the museum which has preserved them until now," it added.
Land acquisition process for Jaitapur nuclear plant completed: Mah Energy Minister

Mumbai, Nov 24 (UNI) State Minister of Energy, New and Renewable Energy Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday informed Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad that the legal process of land acquisition for the construction of 9,900 Mega Watt nuclear power plant in Jaitapur in Ratnagiri has been completed.

If constructed, the Jaitapur nuclear project will be the largest nuclear power generating station in the world. However, Shiv Sainiks and local residents are strongly opposing the project citing the generation of hazardous chemical effects when the plant becomes operational.

Mr Bawankule disclosed the information while replying to a question raised by the Congress member Anant Gadgil.
New Zealand confirms mandatory phaseout of single-use plastic bags

Wellington, Nov 24 (Xinhua) A New Zealand environmental official confirmed on Saturday the mandatory phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags in New Zealand that will come into effect around the middle of next year.



This announcement by Associate Environmental Minister Eugenie Sage followed a five-week public consultation process, where 92 percent of submitters supported the proposed mandatory phase out.
New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid will arrive India on Saturday on a four-day visit.

According to official sources, the visiting dignitary will meet his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday and will among other programmes also call on President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.

This will be first visit by Maldives Foreign Minister to India after installation of a new regime in that country on November 17.

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday, November 17, took over as the new President of Maldives after a keenly observed elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the grand swearing in ceremony as one of the special invitees.

Shortly after the swearing in ceremony, Prime Minister Modi held a meeting with the new President Solih at Male.

"PM (Modi) conveyed that India looked forward to working closely with Maldives in further deepening our partnership underpinned by historical ties and friendship," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar had tweeted.

A joint statement pledging improvement in bilateral ties was also issued on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Teodor Melescanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, is also arriving on Saturday evening here.

Mr Melescanu will deliver a lecture at Observer Research Foundation here on Monday and will also meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, sources said.

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New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid arrived here on Saturday on an official visit.

This is Mr Shahid's first foreign visit since taking office.

"Both countries share ethnic, linguistic, cultural and commercial ties steeped in antiquity....Together we prosper," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

According to official sources, the visiting dignitary will meet his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday.

He will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took over as the new President of Maldives on November 17 after a keenly observed election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the grand swearing in ceremony as one of the special invitees.

Shortly after the swearing in ceremony, Prime Minister Modi held a meeting with the new President Solih at Male.

Meanwhile, Teodor Melescanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, also arrived here on Saturday evening.

Mr Melescanu is slated to meet External Affairs Minister Ms Swaraj.

He will also meet Deputy NSA.

"India and Romania celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year," MEA spokesman tweeted.

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Course for J&K Cops on Drug Law Enforcement begins, discusses factors responsible for growing drug menace among youth 24 Nov 2021 | 11:21 PM Jammu, Nov 24 (UNI) A three-day special course on the theme Drug Law Enforcement commenced on Wednesday here at Police Auditorium, Gulshan Ground.

The capacity building programme for JKP officers is being organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau to improve the investigation skills. see more..

Promotional events at Basholi on Nov 27 to showcase 75 off-beat destinations: Jammu Tourism 24 Nov 2021 | 11:20 PM Jammu, Nov 24 (UNI) To revive the tourism industry and celebrate the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu, is organizing a one day promotional events on November 27 at Purthu Beach in Basholi tehsil of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. see more..

Haryana: Man prohibits BJP, RSS, JJP leaders from attending his daughter's wedding 24 Nov 2021 | 11:18 PM (Repeat correcting error in first para)

Chandigarh, Nov 24 (UNI) People usually express themselves in various ways when it comes to political likes and dislikes, but one person took it to a new level by articulating his political dislike in the wedding invitation card of his daughter. see more..

22 new COVID-19 cases in MP 24 Nov 2021 | 11:18 PM Bhopal, Nov 24 (UNI) Twenty-two fresh instances of novel coronavirus infection were reported in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday following analysis of 57,387 samples thereby taking the infected tally to 7,93,074 including 7,82,443 individuals who recovered; 12 of them on this day.

A Health Services Directorate bulletin issued tonight said that the active cases number 104. The district-wise break-up of fresh sufferers is Indore 13, Bhopal five, Raisen three and Jabalpur one. see more..
Notorious red sander smugglers held, Rs 5 Cr worth logs seized

Kadapa Nov 24 (UNI) Police arrested three notorious red sander smugglers after conducting a raid on a godown, located at Katigenahalli village under Sampeghalli police station limits in Karnataka, and seized 119 logs worth Rs.5 crore.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Saturday, Additional Superintendent of Police Lakshminarayana said, that on a tip off, police teams of this district, led by Circle Inspector Narsimhulu, went to Katigenahalli village and conducted a raid on the godown, where red sander logs were hoarded.

Thereafter, the police teams arrested three notorious red sander smugglers, including international smuggler Mujib and Fayaz, who had been in red sander smuggling activities since 2009.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is set to inaugurate the 22nd round of Cairo International Exhibition and Conference on Telecommunication and Information Technology (ICT 2018) on Sunday.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and Planning Minister Hala El-Saeed are set to attend the exhibition which will be held at Egypt International Exhibitions Center under the slogan: Driving Transformation. It will run until November 28.

In a statement on Saturday, the planning minister said that she will be in charge of the governmental pavilion at the exhibition, in which a number of ministers and representatives of public and private institutions participate.

This years edition is focusing on the issue of digital transformation, in light of the governments plans for mechanizing all services extended to the public, Saeed added.

She stressed that the government is also keen to upgrade all State sectors using modern technology, she noted.

A number of sub-exhibitions will be held on the sidelines of the ICT 2018; namely the Learning Technology Fair & Forum for the Middle East and Africa, the Defense, Security and Public Safety Technology Fair & Forum for the Middle East and Africa, the Smart Transportation Fair & Forum for the Middle East and Africa, the Payment, FinTech & Digital Inclusion Fair & Forum for the Middle East and Africa and the Intelligent and Connected Cities Fair & Forum for the Middle East and Africa.

More than 500 international and local companies along with start-ups are participating in the ICT 2018.

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Poland joins EU's cyber rapid response force - Lithuanian Defence Ministry

VILNIUS, Nov 24 (Sputnik) Poland has joined the EU initiative on a cyber response force and mutual assistance led by Lithuania, the Baltic country's Defence Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"On November 24 Poland officially joined the European Union Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Cyber Rapid Response Teams Initiative launched by Lithuania. The Declaration of Intent was signed by Minister of National Defence of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak on a visit in Vilnius," the statement read.

Poland will participate in the initiative together with Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain  the EU member states that have signed the Declaration of Intent so far, according to the statement.
PVR takes safe entertainment to next level, installs first-ever indoor air purification system in India 24 Nov 2021 | 11:46 PM New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, PVR Ltd, known for providing opulent cinematic experience to the viewers, has joined hands with UFO Moviez, to install anti-viral cinema air purification system at its pan India locations, taking the safety of audience to the next level. see more..

Taliban have been 'very reassuring' in our conversations with them: Foreign Secretary Shringla 24 Nov 2021 | 11:26 PM New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) The Taliban have been very reassuring during Indias conversations with the Islamist group that is ruling Kabul, and they recognise that India has contributed greatly to the people of Afghanistan, and they have good things to say about India, which is a good start, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Wednesday. see more..

Thoroughly investigated Gujarat riots: SIT to SC 24 Nov 2021 | 11:21 PM New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was constituted by the Supreme Court to inquire into the complaint of Zakia Ahsan Jafri, the wife of slain MP Ehsan Jafri, on Wednesday told the Apex Court that it had "thoroughly investigated" the riots cases in Gujarat in a detailed and proper manner. see more..

Congress issues show cause notice to MP Preneet Kaur 24 Nov 2021 | 10:45 PM New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Congress on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to Preneet Kaur, Patiala MP and wife of former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, asking her to explain "anti-party activities". see more..
Trumps Middle East peace plan unfeasible as no instant solution exists

By Ksenia Shakalova

Rome, November 24 (Sputnik) The long-awaited Middle East settlement plan of US President Donald Trump is unlikely to bring a lasting peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, since the matter has no immediate solution, Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.

In September, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that President Donald Trump administrations long-awaited peace plan for Israel and Palestine would be completed soon.
United Nations, Nov 24 (UNI) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned terrorist attacks in the Pakistani city of Karachi and at a market in the north-west province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and expressed hope that those behind the acts will be swiftly brought to justice.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Guterres extended his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, United Nations news reported, quoting the media reports

On Friday, some gunmen attacked the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, also major port city, killing four individuals, including police officers. Three attackers were also killed. The staff inside the Consulate are safe.

In a separate attack, the same day, at least 30 people were killed in a bomb attack at a crowded marketplace in Orakzai district, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

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US using Islamic State like 'ally' against Assad, says Russian foreign minister

Lisbon, Nov 24 (UNI) Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday said in Lisbon that Washington is using the self-proclaimed Islamic State as an ally in fighting against the Syrian regime.

After talks with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva, the Russian foreign minister said

"The US State Department said the other day that IS had not been beaten yet and in order to defeat IS, the main prerequisite is regime change in Syria, AMN and TASS reported.
Suspected members of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram abducted around a dozen girls in raids on several border villages in southeastern Niger, a local councillor and an NGO said Saturday.

"We still don't know the number but we can estimate a dozen girls have been abducted from different villages," the Diffa regional councillor told AFP on condition of anonymity.

A source close to the regional governor confirmed as much without giving further details.

"The terrorist group Boko Haram abducted 16 young girls in two villages in Toumour commune," said Kaka Touda, a human rights activist with the Alternative Espace Citoyen NGO in Diffa.

Touda said nine girls had been kidnapped in the village of Blaharde and seven more in Bague.

One local source said "more than 50" assailants carried out the abductions.

The Boko Haram insurgency is in its ninth year and has left 20,000 people dead and 2.6 million displaced.

The group has also targeted soldiers and civilians in separate attacks in neighbouring Chad and Niger.

The latest abductions come two days after seven local employees of a French drilling firm and a government official were killed in southeast Niger after suspected Boko Haram gunmen stormed their compound.

That attack shattered months of relative calm in the Diffa region near the Lake Chad basin, a strategic area where the borders of four countries converge.

Last week, NGOs marked 500 days since the July 2017 kidnapping of 33 women and six boys at NGalewa, another Diffa village, renewing calls for the government to step up efforts to secure their release.

Boko Haram has repeatedly attacked Diffa, a region of some 600,000 inhabitants over the past four years, displacing around half of the local population, according to NGOs.

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Yemen: Envoy sees UN role in preserving essential aid pipeline at country's major port

United Nations, Nov 24 (UNI) The United Nations should actively and urgently pursue negotiations for a leading role in aiding the humanitarian crisis in Yemens port city of Hudaydah, the top UN envoy for the war-torn country has urged.

The attention of the world is on Hudaydah, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths said in a statement during his visit to the city, which hosts the major port of entry for most of the countys food and humanitarian aid.

I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly, he said, adding that such a role will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline that serves the country.
Yemen:UN role in preserving essential aid pipeline at major port

United Nations, Nov 24 (UNI) The United Nations should 'actively and urgently' pursue negotiations for a leading role in aiding the humanitarian crisis in Yemens port city of Hudaydah, the top UN envoy for the war-torn country urged.

The attention of the world is on Hudaydah, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths said in a statement during his visit to the city, which hosts the major port of entry for most of the countys food and humanitarian aid, United Nations reported.

I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly, he said, adding that such a role will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline that serves the country.
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The worlds leading powers are battling over Syrias new constitution, with Russia insisting it should be based on the Astana Process and the US wanting to see it supervised by the UN, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus

A Turkish-Russian summit meeting took place on 19 November focusing on the Constituent Assembly (CA) that will meet to draft Syrias new constitution.

While both sides want to settle the issue, there are core differences between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the nature of the CA.

The meeting came days after a briefing by US Special Envoy to Syria James Jeffrey, who has said the first step for the US was creating a committee under UN supervision to draft a new Syrian Constitution.

Jeffrey said this would be a decisive step towards reviving the political process. Our goal, which is supported by Russia, France, Germany and Turkey and was agreed upon in the Istanbul Declaration on 27 October, is to create this Constituent Assembly by the end of the year.

We will hold Russia accountable to assemble the Assembly by this deadline and expect [Moscow] to use its influence to bring the regime in Damascus to the table, he said.

Jeffrey added that the US wanted to see an irreversible political process in Syria led by Syrians and guided by the UN that would guarantee that all Iran-backed forces left the country.

He noted that a permanent defeat of the Islamic State (IS) group would not be possible before fundamental changes in the Syrian regime were made and changes in Irans role in Syria took place.

The summit between Putin and Erdogan came after the technical teams of both countries failed to agree on the composition of the CA and the failure of outgoing UN envoy to Syria Steffan de Mistura to convince the Syrian regime to create a CA based on the UN vision.

De Mistura argued that the CA must be chosen by Syrians and that the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad should hold one third of its membership. The Syrian regime claims that Russia has urged it not to accept de Misturas proposal and to stall the CA.

Russia is concerned about two issues, the first of which is that it wants to see the CA based on the outcomes of the Astana and Sochi meetings in which no Western countries participated.

They stipulated the creation of a consensus constitution that would conform with Russian wishes and appease the regime because it would guarantee that the regime was not changed.

Moscow is trying to convince the US to form a CA based on these principles, while Washington wants a CA supervised by the UN.

The second issue is the dispute over quotas in the CA. Russia and the regime want the latter to hold one third of the seats and another third to be composed of the opposition and civil society groups chosen by de Mistura with input from Russia and Iran.

This means that at best the opposition would hold only 15 per cent of the seats in the CA, while the regime and its associates would hold 85 per cent of the seats.

Syrian opposition sources say the international community will put pressure on Moscow if it does not deliver the regime to the negotiating table by the end of the year.

They add that Washington is determined to end the Syrian tragedy by pushing for a political process under a UN umbrella that guarantees Irans departure from the region.

Russia is in a difficult position and in dire need of showing its good intentions to the international community. That can only happen by pushing the regime towards the political track and not making unrealistic excuses, however.

While Moscow has been trying to tailor the CA to its liking, preparations are underway to hold another round of the Astana talks at the level of the foreign ministers from Russia, Turkey and Iran. The regime and the opposition will not attend the meeting.

These meetings began in December 2017 as a military track to support the ceasefire that was to cover all of Syria.

However, the opposition does not view Astana as a serious attempt to launch political talks because decisions regarding de-escalation were not respected and were violated hundreds of times by the regime, as well as by Russia and Iran.

The Astana statements regarding releasing prisoners as a confidence-building measure towards a political solution were also ignored.

The opposition believes Russias goal at Astana is to redirect the political process from negotiations based on the Geneva I Conference calling for the formation of an interim governing body and UN Security Council Resolution 2254 to the Astana Process that supports Al-Assad remaining in power and the incumbent regime.

This would mean regime security agencies continuing to operate at full capacity while marginalising the opposition that embraces a national vision for democratic political change.

According to the opposition, now that Syria has become part of the Iranian issue for the US administration, the Russian and Turkish calculations have also changed. Russia will be pressured to make compromises in Astana, but Moscow will not want to encroach on its core demands and will prevent the CA from tilting towards UN supervision.

The US will not accept these superficial compromises, but Moscow will try to buy time to bolster its control in other areas of Syria.

It wants to limit the problems to the new constitution, while ignoring other matters including the death of nearly one million Syrians, transitional justice, and political change that should be accompanied by overhauling the countrys security agencies.

The problems in Syria go far deeper than the constitution tailored by Al-Assad in 2012, in which he gave himself extraordinary powers and made himself the head of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government.

Although the opposition has agreed to participate in the CA, there is still no word on what the membership quotas will be or the mandate or mission.

It is not clear whether the CA will amend the current constitution or draft a new one and what the mechanisms of operation will be. It is also not clear whether the constitution will need to be accepted by all Syrians and not forced on the country from overseas.

Russia will not defer to the UN, but the US will not accept anything less. Meanwhile, the Syrians themselves, both regime and opposition, are too weak to influence the issue, and Iran will try to impede it as much as possible.

The UN will not make any moves unless there is a consensus, and therefore the battle over the constitution in Syria will remain a small part of the bigger global picture.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Battle over the Syrian constitution

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What did it take to launch the internets most notorious neo-Nazi site? A little help from Dad
The US wants Iraqs Shia militias to be eliminated, but that could be a bitter pill for its new government to swallow

On 4 November the US state department posted a message on Twitter saying that the Iranian regime must respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi government and permit the disarming, demobilisation and integration of the Shia militia.

The unusually blunt statement came as the Trump administration unveiled the full extent of its new sanctions on Iran targeting vast sectors of the Islamic Republics economy including oil, banks, the national airline and the shipping industry.

But by stepping up the rhetoric against the Iran-backed groups in Iraq, the Trump administration is drawing a line in the shifting sands of Iraq where disposing of tens of thousands of militiamen will be a drastic game-changer for the beleaguered nation and probably the entire Middle East.

With so much at stake, disbanding the Shia militias has several pitfalls mostly related to the fact that the groups are now working under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilisation Force (PMF) that Iraqs government recognises as a legitimate organisation and part of its armed forces.

Outlawing the militias could complicate the governments relations with the militias whose political arms are now represented in the national parliament while still retaining tens of thousands of armed members and supporters.

The idea of dissolving the Iraqi militias has been kicking around for a long time and is part of a larger scheme, which the Trump administration certainly shares with Iraqs Arab Sunni neighbours, but has been shunned by its Shia government.

Iraq has come out with a sharp rebuke to the US demands, which were also retweeted by the US Embassy in Baghdad. A statement by Iraqs Foreign Ministry dismissed the remarks as interference in Iraqs internal affairs.

The US demands come at sensitive time for the new Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who has been struggling for weeks to fill half of his governments portfolios amid wrangling over the distribution of the ministries.

Washington seems to be exploiting the vulnerability of the new government to increase the pressure on Abdul-Mahdi to dispense with the militias or at least to stifle their wide-ranging power.

One concrete suggestion that has been put on the table is to integrate the PMF into Iraqs security forces that are under Abdul-Mahdis personal control.

Iraqi media have reported that the Trump administration has made it clear to Iraqi officials that the dissolution of the militias is a precondition for Washington to ease the burden of the Iran sanctions on Iraq.

Two other conditions to exempt Iraq from the burden of the sanctions have also been reportedly made by Washington: Iraq should distance itself from Irans aggressive policies in the Middle East and stop Tehran from meddling in Iraqs internal affairs.

Washington has already granted Iraq a temporary waiver from the sanctions on Iran, giving Baghdad until the end of December to end its imports of Iranian natural gas and electricity.

Assim Jihad, a spokesman for Iraqs Oil Ministry, has made it clear that Baghdad has no alternative to purchasing natural gas from Tehran, however. Iraq imports some 1,300 MW of electricity from Iran, and its already strained power grid will be hard pressed to find an alternative source.

For Abdul-Mahdi, the increasing US rhetoric is bad news as he is struggling to complete his cabinet list and establish his governments authority over the country and its foreign relations.

Coming to office through the support of pro-Iran Iraqi militias and the blessing of Tehran, Abdul-Mahdi can hardly try to undermine Irans enhanced role in Iraq, a country that Iran has long seen as falling within its sphere of influence.

Since he assumed the premiership last month, Abdul-Mahdi has made it clear that he has no intention of getting rid of the PMF, which he considers to be an official state institution. In a meeting with PMF leaders last week, Abdul-Mahdi rejected the notion that the PMF was a temporary institution.

I stress that the Hashd Al-Shaabi [the Arabic name of the PMF] is necessary, and it is here to stay, he said. To keep the Hashd is one of our utmost duties, and I will support its presence with all my might, Abdul-Mahdi reportedly said.

Indeed, Abdul-Mahdis government has already doubled its support for the militia forces. The 2019 Iraqi budget that has been sent to the parliament for endorsement has allocated some $2 billion for the PMF, or about 25 per cent of the Ministry of Defence budget and three times that of the US-trained Anti-Terrorism Organisation in Iraq.

Abdul-Mahdi has also agreed to increase the salaries of PMF members and make them equal to their counterparts in the Iraqi military, a move his predecessor Haider Al-Abadi was reluctant to take.

The empowerment of the militias could complicate Iraqi-American relations as the United States is seeking the disbandment of the Iran-supported militias in Iraq that make up a large part of the PMF.

In a clear sign of discontent, the US treasury on 13 November blacklisted Iraqi militia leader Shibl Muhsin Ubayd Al-Zaydi along with several Lebanese Hizbullah operatives in its Specially Designated Global Terrorists list.

Washington said the men targeted in the action led the groups operational, intelligence and financial activities in Iraq. It described Al-Zaydi as the financial coordinator between Iraqs militias and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Al-Quds Force in Iran.

In addition, the US Embassy in Baghdad reported last week that unspecified militia leaders had discussed plans for kidnapping US citizens attending the Baghdad International Fair scheduled for 10-19 November. It said it had no further information regarding the timing, target or method of the planned actions.

The escalation has provoked a sharp response from militia leaders, who have described US troops in Iraq as invaders and promised to ask the new parliament to order their expulsion from the country.

Some militias have even threatened to target US forces in Iraq over the dispute. The United States probably has about 7,000 troops left in Iraq after Washington assisted the Iraqi security forces in the war to expel the Islamic State (IS) group from several provinces.

US commanders have said that US forces will stay in Iraq as long as needed to help stabilise regions previously controlled by IS. The US is also leading a mission by NATO to train and advise Iraqi security forces to help stabilise the country after three years of war against IS.

Iran, meanwhile, seems to be defiant. Its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told visiting Iraqi President Barham Salih that Baghdad should strongly resist any interference in Iraqs internal affairs and boost relations with Iran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also said on Saturday that Iran and Iraq could raise their annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.

During a meeting with Salih, Rouhani disclosed plans by Iran to increase investment in Iraq and to establish a free-trade zone along the border with Iran and a new railway line that would link southern Iran with Iraqs Shia holy city of Karbala.

To illustrate Irans business in Iraq, head of the Security and Foreign Policy Committee in the Iranian parliament Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said Tehrans non-oil trade with Iraq equalled its trade with the 28 members of the European Union.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air-conditioners, cars, spare parts, textiles, construction materials and cosmetics.

Most importantly, Iran has steadily expanded its strategic influence in Iraq in large part due to its cultivation of a network of proxies with both political and military wings.

These are the same proxies that the Trump administration thinks it can force Iran to abandon through its new strategy of anti-Iranian rhetoric and sanctions.

However, Irans entrenched presence in Iraq became a reality largely due to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the empowerment of Irans clients by the American Occupation Authority.

While the Shia militias have established operational primacy across Iraq, they are now also integrated into the US-funded and equipped Iraqi security forces. Moreover, they are also now the second-largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament with several seats in the cabinet.

There is little reason to believe that Washingtons drive to undermine Tehrans presence in Iraq will succeed. This raises the question of whether there is an alternative strategy that could terminate or at least weaken the Iranian influence in the beleaguered country.

The answer is that there is probably no such strategy, and in the wake of the broad strategy to revise the post-invasion US-sponsored political process in Iraq and bring non-sectarian Iraqi politicians to the fore, Irans influence in Iraq will continue to grow unchecked.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: US turns up the heat on Iraqs militias

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group.

"In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal.

"I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces."

Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)."

Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare."

Lavrov, speaking after a meeting with Portugal's president, said such criticisms were not "original".

He claimed that former US president Barack Obama had "placed Russia on the same level as the Ebola virus" in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

That appeared a reference to a September 24, 2014 speech Obama made in which he spoke of Russia's threat to the "post-war order" notably through its actions in Ukraine, where a Russia-backed insurgency is being waged. He then went on to speak of US efforts to help contain an Ebola outbreak, without any mention of Russia.

Relations between Russia and Britain have sunk to historic lows this year after London accused Russia's military intelligence service of using a banned nerve agent to poison an ex-Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March.

The incident prompted a wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Moscow and the West, as well as a ratcheting up of US sanctions.

Carleton-Smith told Saturday's Daily Telegraph that, following IS battlefield loses in Syria and Iraq, the Western alliance must switch focus to the threat posed by Russia, and do so through NATO.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance," he said.

It was the first interview by the former special forces commander since becoming Britain's chief of the general staff in June.

He made the comments after visiting British troops deployed in Estonia as part of a NATO battle group intended to deter aggression from neighbouring Russia.

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Statement by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on the Eve of the November Special European Council

"My dear fellow Gibraltarians, Ahead of the Special European Council in Brussels tomorrow, I have held an extraordinary session of the Gibraltar Cabinet this evening.

Tonight, I want to be clear with you all about what the current situation is. A few moments ago I took a call from Prime Minister Theresa May.

The message I deliver to you tonight, in respect of the position of the United Kingdom, comes direct from my conversation with her.

The statement today by the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, has confused a number of issues.

First of all, the only thing that the United Kingdom Government has agreed is an interpretation of Article 184 of the draft Withdrawal Agreement when read with Article 3 of it.

That interpretation does NOT exclude Gibraltar. That interpretation does NOT prejudice Gibraltar.

In fact, the United Kingdom Government has specifically stated that its interpretation is without prejudice to the fact that the UK will negotiate future arrangements to include Gibraltar.

The full text of the letter and clarification has been published and can be read by everyone.

Every aspect of the response of the United Kingdom was agreed with the Government of Gibraltar.

We have worked seamlessly together in this as we have in all other aspects of this two year period of negotiation.

Most importantly, the legal text of the draft Withdrawal Agreement has not been changed.

That is what the Spanish Government has repeatedly sought. But they have not achieved that.

The United Kingdom has not let us down.

Theresa May has not let us down.

She has stood firm. We have stood firm.

Spain has had to accept a clarification which does not have the weight of legal value that it sought in respect of Articles 3 and 184 of the Withdrawal Agreement.

So in that respect, you should have no concerns whatsoever.

And the WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT itself still constitutes a mechanism for a better and more orderly departure from the European Union than a cliff edge Brexit.

Indeed, I must emphasise that nothing that has happened today changes that the Withdrawal Agreement and its Transitional Period will apply to Gibraltar.

LET THAT BE CLEAR.

Separately, Pedro Sanchez also announced that he has agreed declarations with the other remaining 27 Member States of the European Union.

Lets be clear: those declarations are NOT agreed or shared by the United Kingdom. Neither are they binding on the United Kingdom in any way.

In fact, Mr Sanchez announced those declarations before they had even been shown to any UK politician, official or diplomat.

They are no more than a political position adopted by the remaining 27 Member States.

Just like the clarification of Articles 3 and 184, these political statements are of no legal value whatsoever.

In fact, this is simply in keeping with the position the EU 27 adopted under clause 24 of the negotiating guidelines.

As many of you will have seen, in the end, clause 24 was of very little use to the Spanish Government when it came to negotiating the Withdrawal Agreement.

Theresa May made repeatedly clear despite clause 24 that she would negotiate to include us in the Withdrawal Agreement.

And today, true to her word, we are a part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

In respect of the future trade and other arrangements, the United Kingdom has entirely rejected the EU 27 declarations that Pedro Sanchez has referred to today.

We entirely reject them also.

As a result, Pedro Sanchez - and Spain  will be left with political declarations that mean nothing in the face of the legal texts and the resolute determination of the people and Government of Gibraltar and of the United Kingdom.

Pieces of paper that will have no legal effect and which will not in any way condition our future.

Pieces of paper that will not in any way condition the way the UK negotiates future trade and other arrangements for the whole UK family  including Gibraltar - with the EU.

Pieces of paper that will not in any way condition, damage or determine the future status of our Nation.

Because the UK has made clear that it is negotiating for the whole UK family  and whether Mr Sanchez likes it or not, that includes us.

That will be good for individuals and businesses not just in Gibraltar, but in the whole region.

We will not be cleaved out from the British family in these negotiations.

We will not be peeled away from our precious British sovereignty for access to a common market.

Our main market is the United Kingdom.

Our access to it is already guaranteed.

So let us be clear: Pedro Sanchez has achieved no guarantees whatsoever in respect of the future of Gibraltar.

But I can guarantee Pedro Sanchez one thing in respect of the future of Gibraltar.

It is an entirely British future that will suffer no dilution.

It will be a prosperous future in which businesses will have the market access they need to flourish. And to you, my fellow Gibraltarians I say this:

These are testing times.

But we are navigating these testing times well.

And the Government of the United Kingdom has been completely firm in its resolve and in our support.

What you heard from the Spanish Prime Minister today was not a reflection of any new position, however much he tried to present it as such.

In fact, if anyone has a triple guarantee in respect of Gibraltar it is us, the People of Gibraltar. We have a triple lock on our sovereignty

The First Lock : is the sacred Constitutional commitment that the UK will never transfer our sovereignty against our wishes.

The Second Lock : is that the UK will never even start a process of sovereignty discussions with which we are not content.

And The Third Lock : is the most cast iron of all.

We are the third lock.

The fact that we, the People of Gibraltar, will never consent to such a process being undertaken.

So in respect of the statement from Mr Sanchez that Spain will table the issue of joint sovereignty in talks about the future trading relationship between Gibraltar and the EU, I have one answer.

We do not need to wait until the start of the talks.

I can tell Spain now.

We are not interested in any dilution of our sovereignty,

We are not interested in allowing for even the remotest concession to Spanish sovereignty, jurisdiction or control.

As the Prime Minister has today herself reconfirmed, the sovereignty is Gibraltar is and will remain entirely British.

Finally, tonight, I have a message for Pedro Sanchez himself.

Like many people around the world, I welcome the fact that he is acting to move the bones of the fascist General Franco from Valle de los Caidos.

But I must tell him that whilst he pursues the sovereignty of Gibraltar in the manner that he has today, he is doing no more than pursuing the policy bidding of the Generalisimo himself.

I sincerely hope he changes course.

Because abandoning the politics of Franco in respect of the sovereignty of Gibraltar would be a more effective way of turning over a new leaf.

Better that than simply moving the bones of a dead man from one part of Madrid to another.

Now, as we leave the European Union, the People of Gibraltar will hold their nerve.

We know weve acted properly and honourably in negotiating our orderly withdrawal from the EU.

We will continue to act sensibly and in the interests of all those who cross the frontier every day as we look to the future.

We will preserve everything that we hold dear.

And, together with Britain, we will build a better, stronger and more prosperous British Gibraltar every day.

Rest assured that our position is safe and secure. Thank you for listening.

Good night."
By WestKyStar & WKCTC Staff Oct. 31, 2018 | 08:53 PM | PADUCAH

The students, under the supervision of WKCTC dental hygiene faculty, will treat the military patients on Wednesday and Thursday at 8 am or 1 pm in the dental clinic located in the Anderson Technical Building, Room 230. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 270-534-3437. Proof of military affiliation and a photo ID is required. The plan of care can take three to three and a half hours.

"We want to honor our service men and woman for putting themselves in harm's way for our freedom," said Amanda Stringer, WKCTC dental assisting/hygiene instructor. "It's not only a wonderful learning experience for our dental hygiene students, but they are looking forward to meeting the veterans and thanking them personally for their service."





"We want to take our time and provide great dental care for our veterans," said Stringer.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College will offer "Smiles and Salutes," a dental hygiene clinic to provide dental cleanings for military veterans one last week in November. Veterans will receive a special price of $20.
Numerous armed Islamist groups continue to plague the East African region and especially Somalia as a result of the fragmentation of the country and the lack of central authority

The collapse of state institutions in Somalia after 1991 and the lack of a central authority capable of asserting its control over the whole of Somali territory generated a complex weave of social and economic deterioration that brought about mounting rates of poverty, unemployment and crime, lowering moral and ethical standards and adding to the lack of opportunities for dignified livelihoods and exacerbating drought and famine.

The Somali people increasingly had to eke out their lives by relying on humanitarian aid from international relief agencies together with generally paltry remittances from relatives abroad. Organised crime, the kidnappings of foreigners and piracy proliferated, as did militant jihadist groups.

Numerous Islamist groups have emerged in Somalia since the late 1960s, such as the Somali Reform Movement (or Somali Islamist Movement), the Somali Islamic Union Movement in the 1980s and 1990s, and the Islamic Youth Organisation, a proselytising organisation structurally and ideologically similar to the Muslim Brotherhood that was founded in 1969 and merged with the Gamaa Islamiya (Islamic Group) in the south of the country to form the Islamic Union in 1983.

Another group, Al-Itisam Bil-Kitab wal-Sunnah, was one of the splinter movements that emerged from the Islamic Union.

The focus here is on movements that had the most powerful and direct impact on political developments in Somalia.

The civil war and the lack of centralised state institutions and especially military and security institutions contributed to forming fertile soil for takfiri jihadist groups that exploited the rampant poverty and frequent famine in the country to spread their influence in Somali society.

The Islamic Union, or Al-Ittihad Al-Islamiya (AIAI), which arose in the early 1980s out of an alliance between the Islamic Youth Organisation and the Gamaa Islamiya, initially operated as a peaceful proselytising organisation that was politically opposed to the regime led by president Siad Barre.

However, it later evolved into a militant organisation that became a party to the armed conflict that erupted following the collapse of the Somali government and state in the early 1990s.

As the AIAIs activities spread throughout the country, many parts of society came under the influence of its ideology, which combined fundamentalist notions with Muslim Brotherhood dogma and Wahhabi intolerance and aimed to establish an Islamic emirate in Somalia and expand it across the Horn of Africa or Greater Somalia.

The AIAI also developed relations with other radical Islamist groups, such as Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, as it stepped up its activities locally, especially in the Ogaden region, precipitating escalating confrontations with Ethiopia.

In 1997, Ethiopian forces expelled the Islamic Union from the Ogaden region and destroyed its bases after accusing it of damaging security and stability in the Horn of Africa and East Africa region.

Addis Ababa charged that the AIAI had supervised camps to train Islamist fighters in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya and Uganda in the use of light weapons, guerrilla warfare, suicide bombing, manufacturing explosives, rigging car bombs and the like.

In 1998, the organisation, with the assistance of Al-Qaeda, carried out the twin bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. By the time of the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington and the implication of Al-Qaeda in those attacks, the AIAI had become so decentralised that it had ceased its activities for fear of being targeted in the clampdown against terrorism in East Africa.

After sustaining a series of military losses, the organisations leadership moved to Mogadishu where it fell into infighting and divisions. Because of its military setbacks, the movements old guard decided to renounce violence and re-assimilate into Somali society.

The decision was rejected by the younger generation, however, which split off to create what would become an even more radical and violent organisation.

Initially this fledging organisation remained underground as it developed its training and recruitment, especially among returnees from Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2006, it joined the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and became that movements military wing.

In 2007, however, it split off from the ICU and founded the Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen, more commonly referred to as the Shabab movement. The rupture occurred following a declaration of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia, espoused by Sharif Sheikh Ahmed who at the time was chairman of the ICU and who later became president of the interim government.

The Shabab opposed the new alliances decision to enter into UN-brokered negotiations with the Somali government.

THE SHABAB

As a Salafist movement that aims to create a state ruled by a strict interpretation of Sharia Law, the Shabab established links with Al-Qaeda through connections with the latters leaders in East Africa as well as through Somali returnees from Afghanistan.

Its operatives were involved in numerous terrorist attacks, including assassinations, the kidnapping of foreigners, hostage takings, car-bomb and suicide-bomb attacks, and armed assaults, and through its command of modern communications technologies the organisation was able to professionally document and publicise its terrorist operations, as well as to disseminate its extremist ideas among Somali youth and sympathisers at home and abroad.

In 2008 and 2009, the US and the UN designated the Shabab as a terrorist organisation. In 2010, Washington imposed sanctions on 10 senior Shabab leaders, including Shabab emir Mokhtar Abu Zubair (aka Ahmed Abdi Godane) and Sheikh Hassan Abdullah Al-Turki, commander of the Ras Kamboni Brigades. Many of the movements leaders were killed in air strikes, including Aden Aero in 2008, Saleh Nabhan in 2009 and Mokhtar Abu Zubair himself in 2014.

In September 2014, Ahmed Omar Diriye, aka Abu Ubaidah, succeeded Zubair as emir of the Shabab. In the same year, the organisation renewed its allegiance to Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri. Abu Ubaidah, now in his mid-40s, was born in Qalilani in the Ethiopian Somali Region and later moved to the coastal town of Kismayo, capital of Jubaland, where he worked as a Quran instructor before joining the Ras Kamboni Brigades, one of the factions of the former ICU, and was a founding member of the Shabab.

The organisations former emir Godane appointed him governor of the Bay and Bakool regions, and he was also a member of its governing Shura Council. Like Godane, Abu Ubaidah avoids all publicity and rarely appears among the Movements fighters.

The organisation has between 7,000 to 9,000 members, including native Somalis and foreigners. The latter are primarily from Arab and African countries, as well as from Pakistan. It is ideologically and organisationally affiliated with Al-Qaeda, and Al-Zawahri released a video officially announcing that the Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen had joined Al-Qaedas global network.

In spite of the fact that the Shabab managed to control around 80 per cent of the territory in central and southern Somalia from 2007 to 2011, it lost the popular and tribal support it once enjoyed when it fought Ethiopian forces because of its strict interpretation and implementation of Sharia Law, including by enforcing penalties such as public amputations, stonings, lashings and executions.

Eventually, the peacekeeping forces of the African Union (AU) Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) succeeded in driving the Shabab out of Mogadishu and Kismayo.

Although the Islamic State (IS) group tried to penetrate the Shabab and win its allegiance, as it did with Boko Haram in Nigeria, the majority of Shabab members rejected this bid.

The overtures did, however, trigger rifts, especially among the Shabab units in control of the north of the country. In October 2015, their leader, Sheikh Abdul-Kader Moemen, declared allegiance to IS and posted a recording of this on social networking sites, prompting Washington to add his name to its list of international terrorists with the designation IS leader in East Africa.

The Shabab organisation has several sources of funding, the most important of which are donations from Somali merchants, tribal leaders and ideological sympathisers abroad. Some Shabab members have engaged in extensive commercial activities themselves.

Previously, it financed itself from the revenues of piracy, arms and drugs-smuggling and sales, and from the Kismayo port when it was under its control.

The movement has sustained numerous ruptures and schisms, especially following the death of Ahmed Abdi Godane. Perhaps the most damaging rupture was that of Mokhtar Robow, aka Abu Mansour, the Shababs former deputy leader and spokesman, who, together with a group of his fighters, surrendered to the authorities in August 2017.

He subsequently fought Shabab forces in Hudur in the Bakool region, with the Somali government giving him military aid so he could sustain the fight.

Abu Mansours secession was preceded by many others.

Given that tribal affiliations prevail over religious ones in Somalia, a breakaway commander often takes with him large numbers of his aides and disciples, most of them from the same tribe.

Such ruptures could eventually severely weaken the movement, especially given that many splinter groups either join forces with the government to fight the Shabab or offer to cooperate with US counter-terrorist agencies stationed in the Horn of Africa and East Africa.

Often, they may report to the agencies bureau in Bosaso in the Puntland region, for example, and furnish information on the whereabouts of Shabab units or training camps. These are then targeted by US drones.

SHABAB ACTIONS

Ideological ruptures in the Shabab often trigger armed clashes, such as that which occurred after Moemen declared allegiance to IS and took with him some 300 fighters. Shabab forces eventually drove him and his followers into hiding in the mountains.

There are contacts between the Shabab in Somalia and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Yemen (AQAP).

The former took advantage of the waves of migration to Yemen before the current war in the country to infiltrate its members among the migrants and move some 600 fighters per month from the East African coast to the Arabian Peninsula.

The Shabab also has links with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and with the Al-Qaeda affiliate Boko Haram.

The Shabab has staged numerous terrorist attacks in Somalia both against Somali government targets and against foreign interests.

The suicide car-bombing near a crowded market in Mogadishu in October 2017 was one of the most atrocious attacks ever seen in Somalia, claiming more than 570 casualties. In 2016, the organisation attacked the Kenyan military base in Al-Adde in southwestern Somalia, killing more than 100 Kenyan soldiers, taking many of them prisoner, and seizing large quantities of munitions.

The Kenyan forces were forced to abandon their bases and retreat from Al-Adde and Badade in southern Somalia, which fell under the control of Shabab forces.

The group has also carried out terrorist attacks in neighbouring countries to boast of its power to operate abroad. Among the most salient operations have been the attack on a cafe in Kampala in 2010, killing 74 and wounding dozens of others, in response to Ugandas participation in AMISOM, and the Westgate Shopping Mall attack in September 2013 in which four gunmen stormed the Mall, opened fire randomly into the crowd, and held dozens of people hostage for four days during which more than 70 people were killed.

The Shabab also carried out the Garissa University attack in 2015, in which four terrorists stormed the campus and gunned down more than 147 people, most of them students.

The government of Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, which came to power in January 2017, has pursued several avenues in order to tackle the problem of the Shabab.

It has worked to rebuild the Somali military and its combat capacities in collaboration with international and regional powers involved in the war against terrorism, and it has facilitated and bolstered AMISONs efforts to combat the group during the time it takes to reconstruct the Somali armed forces.

It has also implemented strategies to aggravate divisions among the Shabab rank and file in order to dismantle the organisation from within. It has simultaneously worked to forge tribal alliances against the organisation, which have also created alliances between the government and some tribes.

COUNTER-TERRORISM

As Washington prepared to launch offensives in different parts of the world in retaliation against the 11 September 2001 attacks, one of its chief goals was the need to uproot terrorism in Africa and to prevent the continent, long a victim of political instability and civil warfare, from serving as a safe haven for terrorist groups.

The US paid particular attention to East Africa and the Horn of Africa region in view of its strategic location overlooking the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea, through which pass much of the worlds commercial maritime traffic and oil tankers.

Among the actions Washington took to fight terrorism in cooperation with East African governments was the launching of the East Africa Counter-Terrorism Initiative (EACTI) in 2003.

In addition, it rented a military base in Djibouti and stationed 3,000 US troops there, created a multinational joint counter-terrorism task force, promoted intelligence exchange among the countries of the region, and furnished them with logistical and technical support for their own operations.

The US also stepped up actions to cut the sources of funding for terrorism, freezing the assets of organisations suspected of financing terrorism such as the Taqwa, Al-Haramain and Barakat.

The US counter-terrorism strategy has had detrimental repercussions on the countries and peoples of East Africa, however. In the course of combatting terrorism, little attention has been paid to the need to address the factors that are conducive to terrorism, including security breakdown, porous borders, rampant poverty and disease, social and economic injustice, and the marginalisation of minorities.

As a result, counter-terrorist measures in East Africa have not succeeded in eliminating groups suspected of terrorism. Jihadist and takfiri groups continue to exist in Somalia, some affiliated with Al-Qaeda and others with IS.

Observers of developments in Somalia note that cultural values in the country are informed by utilitarian interests, as the Somalis, as a consequence of geography and history, primarily engage in either commerce or agriculture and animal husbandry. Tribal affiliations come second in their scale of priorities, and these have increased in importance since the collapse of the state in 1991.

Third in importance come religious affiliations, in view of the fact that 100 per cent of the population is Sunni Muslim.

As a result, the rise of the Salafist groups in the country that subscribe to extremist jihadist ideology runs against the grain of Somali society. The people are particularly averse to these groups rigidity and their implementation of forms of punishment that seem all the crueller when practised against a destitute people.

The assertion that thousands of foreigners have enlisted in the Shabab organisation seems unrealistic precisely because of the traditions and behavioural patterns of Somalia reinforced by security conditions that make this a closed and suspicious society.

The areas of the country that fall outside of government control are also extremely dangerous, not just because of the conflict and the violence but also because of widespread disease, including cholera.

Under such conditions, any significant foreign presence would be quickly detected and reported to the authorities.

Counter-terrorism forces and agencies also keep close tabs on terrorist activities and carry out frequent raids and airstrikes against terrorist lairs and training camps.

It follows that Somalia does not lend itself as a safe haven to foreign jihadist operatives fleeing counter-terrorist military operations in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.

However, this does not preclude the existence of some foreign elements from Yemen, Libya or elsewhere in North Africa, for example, or from some of the Sub-Saharan African countries.

*The writer is an expert in national security affairs.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Terrorism in East Africa

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(RNN)  Timothy Powell, 52, of Plantation, FL, has new $41,000 teeth and an almost $10,000 dog.

He paid for none of it.

One of his victims, a man by the name of Harry Brenner, suffers from Alzheimers disease, police said.

The Volusia County Sheriffs Office said Powell used stolen identification to rack up the fraudulent charges for the teeth implants and the pet.

He applied for credit to get his teeth fixed through the Friedman Dental Group and filled out credit card applications Aug. 1, according to court documents.

Powell produced a fake Connecticut drivers license with the name Harry Brenner. He also provided Brenners social security number.

The credit applications were approved, and Powell received dental implants during three appointments from Aug. 2 to Aug. 9, documents show. The implants were not completed and some of his teeth were only temporary, he said.

In total, the procedure costed $41,154.01.

Shortly after, Brenner, who lives in DeBary, FL, began receiving bills from the dental company and alerted police.

Investigators with the Volusia County Sheriffs Office contacted the Friedman Dental Group and later identified Powell as a suspect through fingerprints from his applications.

Police later found out that Powell used Brenners identity to purchase a French bulldog for $9,958.69 from Petland in Plantation, FL.

Powell told police he was given Brenners information by a man named Rico, who also provided him with the fake drivers license.

He said Rico encouraged him to get his teeth fixed at the Friedman Dental Group and drove him to and from the place. Rico told him that if he got his teeth fixed, hed look better for conducting fraudulent transactions at other locations in Florida.

Investigators received photos from the dental company showing Powell with damaged and rotting teeth.

He said that Rico got Brenners information from the dark web.

Powell also fraudulently withdrew $9,650 from a bank in Daytona Beach, FL, on Sept. 27, using the name Larry Gene Kelly, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department.

He told authorities that he purchased Kellys identification from an unknown male for $100.

Powell is charged with grand theft, using ID without consent and false report of a crime. He is also charged with unauthorized possession of a drivers license and fraudulent use of personal identification, among other charges.

Copyright 2018 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Fire Department is investigating a fire that occurred at a local apartment complex and caused $50,000 in damages.

According to TFD, the fire happened around 1 p.m. on Friday, at Sunrise Apartments.

TFD said everyone made it out safely before their arrival and no injuries were reported.

The Red Cross was on scene to assist families with temporary shelter. TFD was also assisted on scene by LCEMS, Tallahassee Police Department and City Utilities.

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by investigators with the Tallahassee Fire Department Prevention Division.
A firefighter battles wildfire near a freeway in Simi Valley, California, the United States on Nov. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong)

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The deadliest wildfire in 100 years in the United States, Northern California's Camp Fire, is nearly fully contained after burning for more than two weeks, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The massive fire, which has taken the lives of 84 people and scorched 153,336 acres (620 square kms), is 95 percent contained as of Friday morning, said Cal Fire in its latest incident update.

The blaze which was first reported on Nov. 8 in Butte County, destroyed over 18,000 structures, including 13,954 residences, 514 commercial and 4,265 other buildings.

More than 1,600 firefighters are still working on the scene, aided by 125 engines and 5 helicopters. They also got some help from the rain in the area in recent days.

"The rain has assisted in extinguishing hot spots and smoldering fire. All containment lines continue to hold," said Cal Fire in its update report, adding that firefighters will continue patrolling for hazards while responding to calls for service throughout the fire area and fire suppression repair personnel continue to assess areas for rehabilitation and conduct repair.

But local authorities also said that a flash flood watch is still in effect through Friday afternoon for the areas impacted by the Camp Fire. Officials warned local residents that they are at risk for flash flooding, mudflows and debris flows during periods of intense rainfall.

The Camp Fire has become the deadliest wildfire in the United States since 1918's Cloquet Fire which killed 453 people in northern Minnesota, and the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the history of the western U.S. state of California.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 05:40:32|Editor: Lu Hui

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DAMASCUS, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 civilians, including five children and three women, were killed Friday by renewed U.S.-led airstrikes on Islamic State (IS)-held area in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

The airstrikes targeted the town of Shufeh in the last IS-held pocket in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based watchdog group said the death toll could likely rise as many of the wounded are in critical conditions.

This comes as the IS carried out an attack Friday morning in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour near a base run by the U.S.-led coalition and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia.

The IS succeeded to advance in three positions of the SDF on the eastern bank of Euphrates River in eastern Deir al-Zour, said the report.

It added that 12 IS militants were killed Friday, increasing thus the death toll of the IS militants over the past 72 hours to 60 militants.

The Observatory said 685 IS militants had been killed since the U.S.-led SDF launched their offensive on the last IS-held pocket in September.

The IS attack on Friday came a day after the terror-labeled group launched a pre-emptive attack as the SDF was planning to launch a second wave of attacks after a failed attempt in September.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 07:15:48|Editor: mym

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BERLIN, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Frankfurt offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP were searched for a second time by German investigators in the Cum-Ex scandal, the international law firm confirmed on Friday.

Freshfields told press that the raid had already taken place in mid-November. Earlier, German newspaper Handelsblatt had cited unconfirmed information that German authorities had launched investigations to reputed partners at the firm in relation to tax consulting services rendered to the now insolvent Canadian Maple Bank.

The "Cum-Ex" scandal is widely considered to be the largest tax fraud scheme in Germany history.

As initially revealed by the newspaper Die Zeit, domestic and international banks, as well as some investment funds, used two distinct "Cum-Cum" and "Cum-Ex" loopholes in stock trading regulations over the course of several years to strip the German state of billions of euros.

"Cum-Cum" is a still legally-disputed practice whereby financial institutions help foreign investors in securing tax rebates they are not entitled to.

In broad terms, banks sell the stocks of a foreign client to a German buyer, for example a domestic brokerage firm, shortly before dividends are paid out. The brokerage can then claim a tax rebate from the German state which a foreign auctioneer would not have received. After dividends are disbursed, the stocks are sold back to the original foreign owner immediately and the tax rebate is split between participants.

The second method, "Cum-Ex", is more complex and was officially outlawed in 2015. Following this approach, a tax bill is settled by the owner of stocks once, before being claimed as a refund twice, or even multiple times. The profit thus achieved is then split again between the parties to the transaction.

The scheme is currently estimated to have caused total Europe-wide damage of 55 billion euros (62.47 billion U.S. dollars) and 31.8 billion euros in Germany alone to fiscal authorities.

Scores of lawyers, lobbyists and bankers were found to have assisted their clients with two lucrative "Cum-Ex" and "Cum-Cum" methods.

Commenting on the latest investigatory search of its Frankfurt premises, the Freshfields spokesperson said that its advice "always complied with the prevailing laws". The spokesperson added that the firm was "still confident that our advice was legally sound".
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 07:20:49|Editor: mym

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BERLIN, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The immigration of skilled workers from non-EU countries to Germany is on the rise, according to a study published on Friday by the Bertelsmann foundation.

According to the study, a total of some 545,000 people from non-EU countries immigrated to Germany in 2017, of which 7 percent were skilled workers.

In 2015, the share of skilled workers among migrants from non-EU countries in Germany was 3 percent. The main non-European countries of origin for professionals who migrated to Germany in 2017 were India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.S., Serbia and China.

About 635,000 people migrated from foreign EU countries to Germany in 2017. Some 60 percent of the inner-European migrants in Germany were skilled workers holding a university or vocational qualification. Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and Italy are the main countries from which people moved to Germany within the EU in 2017.

Matthias Mayer, migration expert at the Bertelsmann foundation and author of the study, said that an "effective immigration law" embedded in a "comprehensive strategy" for securing skilled workers for the German labor market would be needed.

The German government plans to acquire more qualified workers from EU countries and non-EU countries for the German labor market by adopting an immigration law for skilled workers.

Such a law should ensure, among other things, more effectiveness in dealing with immigrant specialists, according to Mayer. He demanded for "an optimization and acceleration of migration management" as well as a better recognition of foreign vocational qualifications.

Mayer said that such an immigration act should "also look after disadvantaged domestic groups, in particular older people, women, mothers, the (long-term) unemployed, the low-skilled and people with disabilities".
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 07:48:34|Editor: Chengcheng

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A man works at a photographic paper production line at a digital technology company in Jizhou District of Hengshui, north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 23, 2018. The district gave stronger support for private enterprises in recent years. There are more than 4,700 medical, composite material, and equipment manufacture private enterprises in Jizhou. (Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 07:55:53|Editor: mym

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YAOUNDE, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon army said Friday that it did not kill a Kenyan priest in Kembong, a locality in Southwest, one of the two war-torn English-speaking regions of the country.

"The preliminary investigations reveal that the authors of this criminal act did this to discredit the defense and security forces." Joseph Beti Assomo, Cameroon's Defense Minister said in a statement on Friday.

Rev. Father Cosmas Omboto Ondari, 33-year-old Kenya priest who was ordained in 2017 and immediately posted to Cameroon, was shot in front of the church of the Parish of St. Martin of Tours in Kembong "by government soldiers who were shooting at random from passing vehicle," according to an earlier version of the story by Andrew Nkea, Bishop of Mamfe Diocese where Ondari worked.

But Assomo said the information was false and blamed armed separatists for the death of the priest. He said they "opened fire" at the priest several times.

"The secessionist activist Eric Tataw based in the United States of America promised to kill any foreigner found in the Northwest and Southwest regions so as to draw the attention of the international community which has not paid any attention to the crisis." Assomo said and called on foreigners to notify government forces before traveling to the troubled regions.

Ondari was shot dead just about three weeks after an American missionary was killed in a crossfire in the restive Anglophone region of Northwest.

Fighting between government forces and armed separatist groups has been ongoing since October 2017 after the separatists declared the independence of a nation called "Ambazonia" in the two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest.


Passengers are waiting to board the bus heading to Madison at Union Station in Chicago, the United States on Nov. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

by Xinhua writers Ma Qian, Yang Shilong

NEW YORK, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Jam-packed airports, snarling tailbacks on the interstate highways, and a grand total of an estimated over 54-million travelers... America's largest annual migration is now underway.

The 2018 Thanksgiving holiday, basically running from Wednesday through Sunday, will witness travel volume reaching new high since 2005, with 54.3 million Americans hitting the road, skies, rail and waterway, a 4.8 percent increase over last year, according to AAA, a U.S. not-for-profit organization of services and information on travel, insurance, financial and automotive.

Passengers are lining for Amtrak Train No.352 at waiting hall of Union Station in Chicago, the United States, on Nov. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

BUSIEST THANKSGIVING TRAVEL

Some 48.5 million Americans are projected to take on a road trip, while 4.27 million will be getting to their destinations by airplane and the remaining 1.48 million by trains, buses and cruise ships.

Raven Xu, an architecture student doing internship in Brooklyn, was among the swarms of Thanksgiving holiday travelers. When Xu booked her ticket online, she found the prices rose by 70-80 U.S. dollars than normal. To avoid traffic jam, she left home one hour earlier than usual to catch her Wednesday night flight to Chicago.

Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel senior vice president, attributed this year's record-high amount of travelers to three major factors, namely, higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth.

"This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry," Sutherland said in a written statement.

This Thanksgiving, the biggest growth in travelers is projected to appear in air travel. A whopping sum of 30.6 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines during the Thanksgiving holiday, an estimated 29 million passengers more than the previous year, projected by Airlines for America, an U.S. airline trade organization.

#ThanksgivingTravel has become a hot hashtag on social media sites since Monday. Local netizens uploaded quite a few video clips to record their experiences at the world's busiest airports in the United States.

On early Wednesday morning, passengers packed the security check of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia, shown in several video footage on Twitter. Beside the nearby elevators, another passengers line was stretching all the way down towards the entry. When there was a little room closer to the security line, these folks got to move a bit.

In the immediate New York metropolitan area, La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International (JFK) are among the busiest transportation hubs for Thanksgiving travel. About 737,500 passengers will use JFK, while 385,200 are expected at La Guardia, according to a forecast by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Major U.S. airlines have started to gear up for the Thanksgiving rush since last week. American Airlines have been prepping for an estimated seven million customers during a 12-day holiday travel period, which it defined as from Nov. 16 to Nov. 27.

With an estimated 4.7 million customers flying through Monday, Delta Airlines has launched its Peach Corps team to assist with terminal meet-n-greet, way-finding, kiosk assist, wheelchair assistance and other customer service touch points.

The team consists of hundreds of Delta employee-volunteers to help passengers at the Atlanta airport, its busiest hub. The airline projected that a peak day will come on Sunday, when nearly 650,000 customers will take to the skies on Delta flights worldwide.

Passengers are lining for Amtrak Train No.352 at waiting hall of Union Station in Chicago, the United States, on Nov. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

CONGESTED HIGHWAYS, BUMPY RIDE

Bumper-to-bumper traffic has been seen since Tuesday night in metropolitan cities, including San Francisco, New York City and Boston, where drivers are expected to suffer the longest delays.

Driving times for travelers there are projected to quadruple, as everyone heads out or in to gather with their loved ones, according to INRIX, a global mobility analytics company.

"Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips, and this year will be no different," Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX, told media.

Local media are circulating "the worst and best times" to hit the road and air, which were analyzed by multiple travel companies and Google Maps, in a bid to help travelers better go through the intense traffic across the country.

Based on historical and recent travel trends, experts predicted drivers would bump into the greatest congestion during the early evening commute period this week. Travel times will also obviously increase on Sunday, as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend.

Apart from drivers, AAA predicted that there would also be 360,000 motorists at the roadside this Thanksgiving. The motor and leisure travel company pointed out dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires as the main troubles for road riders, reminding them to reduce the chances of a breakdown by doing better vehicle checks and inspections.

Aging U.S. roads and bridges have worsened the heavy traffic during bustling holiday seasons. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation's overall infrastructure a grade of D+ in its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, adding that an estimated total investment of 4.59 trillion dollars would be required to lift the U.S. infrastructure from a D+ to a B grade.

Yet construction costs for fixing and rebuilding bridges, tunnels and highways continued to rise, due to a tight labor market and higher steel prices caused by Washington's tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from its key allies in Europe and North America.

Instead of driving or riding home, plenty of people resorted to public transport this Thanksgiving.

"We see more people than ever taking our trains," said an officer at the information desk of the Chicago Union Station, the third-busiest rail terminal in the United States after Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station in New York City.

Outside the station, there are distant buses heading for adjacent states like Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Due to the heavy traffic pressure, the station witnessed a rarely-seen situation on Wednesday.

A host of passengers were waiting on board a bus with route number 67788, which was heading to Madison, capital of Wisconsin. While some people already had got printed tickets, others asked bus conductor to issue the tickets, which would be paid by cash.

"This scene is not always to be seen here. I already booked the ticket online two weeks ago," 63-year-old Marilyn Jackson told Xinhua. As a resident of the city's south side, she was leaving Chicago for Indianapolis to spend holiday with her 95-year-old mother and a big family there.

"The most important time is family get-together. I can cook good food for my family... It's time to have family reunion, and I've taken the bus home for 13 years," she said.

Passengers are lining for Amtrak Train No.352 at waiting hall of Union Station in Chicago, the United States, on Nov. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

TRAVEL LESS PAINFUL THANKS TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Inside the station's waiting room, there was a huge line of over 100 people waiting for Amtrak Train No. 352, which traveled from Chicago to Pontiac of Michigan.

Amtrak was expecting to receive strong ridership throughout the weekend, said Marc Magliari, a spokesman for the agency. While Wednesday was thought as a busy travel day, Sunday tends to be a lot busier as people rush home, he said.

To make the holiday trip as smooth as possible, a full complement of staff, including customer service representatives at major airports, police officers at main facilities and toll collectors at tunnels and bridges, has been set in place, the Port Authority said in a note to media.

New technologies have been utilized this year to ensure security and improve traveler experience. More than a dozen of America's largest airports have automated screening lanes, according to local media reports.

Coppered tomography X-ray scanners have been seen at the checkpoints of 16 airports to enhance threat detection capabilities. In Atlanta, it's reported that new biometrics technology has also been used to verify passengers' identities.

As the number of passengers to be screened at its checkpoints across the country is expected to be "extremely high," securing the travel of millions of passengers remains a top priority for Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

"We face an adaptive and agile enemy who is persistent on targeting the airline industry and transportation in general," said Andrea R. Mishoe, TSA's Federal Security Director for Maryland, in a statement, "which is why we continue to work daily with our airline and airport partners, to strengthen and expand security screening procedures."

(Wang Ping, Xu Jing in Chicago, Ye Zaiqi in San Franciso also contributed to the report.)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 09:36:11|Editor: Chengcheng

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FUZHOU, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- "I eat here often, but the sanitary conditions and customer service could be better," said Guan Shanqing, 24, who is not completely satisfied with Shaxian Delicacies.

Once a well-liked choice for many, the snack brand found in many Chinese cities, is currently facing an embarrassing situation.

Originating from Shaxian County in east China's Fujian Province, Shaxian Delicacies became a hit in the past decades. Countless people have to come to know and remember the name of this small town by grabbing a bite of its peanut butter noodles or pork wontons.

In the 1980s, local people started to open snack bars across the country. Along with the increasing number of college students, migrant workers and merchants in urban areas in the early stage of China's reform and opening-up, snacks from Shaxian County were warmly welcomed for their widely accepted flavors and affordable prices.

According to the local government, there are currently about 60,000 people from Shaxian County running snack bars across the country, with an annual income of 6 billion yuan (866 million U.S. dollars).

The industry has driven the town's development. "Noodles and wontons built the high-rise buildings of Shaxian," said local official Yang Xingzhong.

However, underneath the remarkable success of the industry, challenges have emerged in recent years.

According to a display board in a snack-themed museum in Shaxian County, the number of snack bars run by those from the county is more than 30,000. But Yang said only 2,000 of them were authorized to use the brand "Shaxian Delicacies," which was registered in 2016.

"The traditional husband and wife snack bar no longer fits with the customers' needs," Yang said, problems including poor sanitary conditions and disordered brand management are putting a brake on the industry's development.

The Shaxian County local government wants the brand to be repositioned.

Apart from registering a unified brand for local snacks, the government also set up supply chains to distribute semi-finished products to snack bars, hoping that standardized management can improve the brand's image.

Luo Fenlin, 27, has been running a Shaxian Delicacies bar in Beijing for four years. His eatery was franchised last year.

"A unified brand and improved decoration brought me more customers," Luo said. "It's necessary for the brand to establish certain standards. Only by doing so can the brand become more attractive."

"But I don't want the brand to change too much," said Guan. "I hope the prices will still be affordable."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 09:36:11|Editor: zh

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MADRID, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid said on Friday that their captain Sergio Ramos has never breached anti-doping regulations.

The Spanish La Liga giants said in a statement: "Sergio Ramos has never breached anti-doping regulations."

"UEFA requested specific information and immediately closed the case referred to, as is customary in such instances, following tests carried out by experts from the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) and UEFA itself." said Real Madrid.

German magazine Der Spiegel had reported that Ramos failed a doping test following the Champions League final against Juventus in 2017.

"In terms of the rest of the content published by the aforementioned publication, the club will not be making any comment, given the clearly insubstantial nature of the reports," The club said.
A burned out vehicle is seen at the attack site in Karachi, Pakistan, on Nov. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer)

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed on Friday an attack against the Chinese Consulate-General in Karachi in south Pakistan, and strongly condemned the terrorist attack, adding that all Chinese nationals in the diplomatic compound are safe.

The embassy also expressed the condolence to the two policemen killed during the attack, according to a statement from the embassy.

Police and security forces said they have completed the operation in the site, where also several foreign missions are located in.

All three terrorists involved in the attack were killed, according the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan army.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the attack and ordered a complete inquiry into the incident and has desired that elements behind the incident must be unearthed.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi condemned the attack and said police and security forces responded promptly and eliminated all the militants involved in the attack.

At least seven people, including two policemen, two civilians and three terrorists, were killed in the attack, police said.

Javed Alam, deputy inspector general of police of karachi south region, said that three terrorists armed with automatic guns, hand grenades, suicide jackets and explosive devices reached the area in a white colored vehicle and opened fire at the police personnel deployed for security in the Chinese diplomatic compound in the Clifton area of Karachi.

The heavily-guarded area is considered a red zone, and it is home to a number of upscale restaurants and schools.

Director of the Jinnah Hospital Karachi Seemi Jamali told media that overall five bodies and one injured have been shifted to the hospital so far.

Soon after the attack, police and security forces rushed to the site and cordoned off the area and launched an operation against the terrorists. All roads leading to the diplomatic area were blocked for public and media.

Following the gunshots and blasts of hand grenades, heavy smoke was rising from the site.

According to the reports, the terrorists also torched three vehicles present at the site.

An eyewitness said that three terrorists reached the area and started firing and also hurled hand grenades at the police personnel.

Police, security forces and the bomb disposal squad have cleared the area after search operation and diffusing the explosive devices planted by the terrorists, police said.

A heavy cache of explosive material, weapons, bullets, dry fruits, first aid medicines and some electronic gadgets were also recovered from the possessions of the militants.

An outlawed militant organization, the Balochistan Liberation Army, has claimed the attack. However, there is no official confirmation about the claim yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 10:21:18|Editor: Chengcheng

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CHANGCHUN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and 24 others were injured in a machinery plant explosion in northeast China's Jilin Province Friday night, local authorities said Saturday morning.

The accident occurred at around 11:40 p.m. Friday in Sanhe Township, Dongfeng County, leaving two people dead, including one who died in the hospital. The explosion also caused a fire in the plant.

So far, a total of 41 houses have been damaged.

Investigation into the explosion is underway and the rescue effort is continuing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 10:31:20|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- High yield or good taste? It's a long-standing dilemma for hybrid rice scientists.

Now Chinese researchers say they have finally found the balance in new hybrid rice varieties.

The cultivation of hybrid rice has expanded in China for more than four decades. But while yields have increased, the eating and cooking qualities of many varieties failed the taste test. In recent years, rice breeders have paid more attention to quality.

"Researchers have found a balance of yield and quality in Zhongke 804 and other hybrid varieties," said Liu Guifu, with the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Representatives from 38 Chinese rice distributors had a blind taste test of 38 rice varieties late last year, said Liu. Zhongke 804 scored higher than Daohuaxiang, regarded for decades as one of China's best rice types.

Daohuaxiang grows in Wuchang, north China's Heilongjiang Province. The ample sunshine and suitable climate provide it with extraordinary cooking qualities.

However, Daohuaxiang has an average yield of just 450 to 550 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares), which makes it too pricey for many people.

In September, in test fields in Wuchang, Zhongke 804 achieved an average yield of 745.4 kg per mu, said Liu. Compared with traditional rice varieties, Zhongke 804 also showed increased vigor, making it more competitive with weeds and more resistant to diseases and insects.

The type of starch in rice determines whether it's fluffy or sticky. Conventional hybrid methods select parent lines based on their visible or measurable traits. The process can be difficult, unpredictable, slow and costly.

Genome sequencing has enabled scientists to identify genes encoding important traits like yield, taste and vigor, providing a solid foundation for molecular breeding.

Developing a new hybrid rice variety through conventional methods can take seven or eight years, said Liu. By taking a "molecular shortcut," he and his colleagues shortened the process to three to four years.

They used molecular markers, a string of nucleic acid which tends to stay with the target gene. By pinpointing the markers, researchers can tell much sooner whether one seedling contains a target gene, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of breeding.

Liu said molecular breeding holds great potential for hybrid rice. They plan to work on "personalized" hybrid rice varieties in future studies, such as special rice for diabetes patients.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 12:16:33|Editor: Liangyu

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Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic(L) meets with visiting Chinese vice premier Sun Chunlan in Zagreb, Croatia, Nov. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Gao Lei)

ZAGREB, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- China and Croatia said Friday that they will enhance cultural exchanges and further promote the relations between China and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

The remarks were made during a meeting between Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Sun said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Croatia have been treating each other equally, with mutual respect and mutual trust, and have witnessed steady progress in bilateral ties and practical cooperation.

Led by such mechanisms as the Belt and Road Initiative, China-EU cooperation and 16+1 Cooperation, the two countries have seen comprehensive expansion of cooperation, growing people-to-people exchanges and deepening mutual understanding and friendship, said Sun.

The 16+1 Cooperation refers to a framework comprising 16 CEE countries and China.

She hoped that the two countries can further consolidate the popular support for future relations through increasing cooperation in education, health, sports, culture and tourism, among others.

Noting that China and Croatia will celebrate the Year of Cultural Tourism and that of 16+1 Education and Youth Exchanges in 2019, Sun said that China stands ready to work with Croatia to plan and successfully hold various cultural tourism activities, and cement cooperation on education and youth exchanges so as to strengthen the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties as well as the China-CEEC cooperation.

Plenkovic said that Croatia-China relationship is at the best period in history, with broad potential for all-around cooperation.

He added that the Croatian side is willing to seize the opportunity of hosting the next China-CEEC leaders' meeting and the Croatia-China Cultural Tourism Year to advance bilateral practical cooperation in various fields and inject new impetus in their comprehensive cooperative partnership.

During her stay in Croatia, the Chinese vice premier also met with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, and visited students and sportsmen from Beijing Sport University who are now receiving training here.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 13:01:37|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- China's national securities regulator has approved the initial public offering (IPO) applications of two companies.

Auto parts producer Shanghai Sinotech Co., Ltd. and medical equipment manufacturer Jiangsu Apon Medical Technology Co., Ltd. will be listed on the A-share market, said the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) in a statement, without specifying the total amount of funds to be raised.

Both companies and their underwriters will confirm IPO dates and publish their prospectuses following discussions with the stock exchanges.

Under the current IPO system, new shares are subject to approval from the CSRC. China is gradually switching from an approval-based IPO system to one based on registration.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 13:16:39|Editor: mym

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Bullet-riddled body of a former special police officer (SPO) was found in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said on Saturday.

The former SPO Basharat Ahmad Wagay was abducted by militants Friday evening from Rebban-Zainpora of Shopian district, about 70 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Last night police found body of Basharat Ahmad Wagay. He was abducted by militants before being shot dead," a police official told Xinhua.

According to police, three civilians - including Basharat - were abducted by militants from Rebban on Friday. Two were released but Basharat was killed.

There has been an increase in abductions of youths for their possible links with police agencies in Shopian since the beginning of this month.

Last week two youth were killed for reportedly working as police informers.

Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with police and defense agencies.

On Friday six militants were killed in the region in a gunfight with the government forces.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 13:16:39|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Around every nine in 10,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in China, a low rate compared to other countries, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

Sexual intercourse is the main channel for contracting HIV in China, the health authority told a press release Friday.

However, China has essentially prevented the spread of HIV through blood transfusions, with nearly zero cases of infection recorded through this channel and through using other blood products, the NHC added.

Wang Bin, an NHC official in charge of disease prevention and control, said that HIV transmission through injective drug use has also come under control, with reported cases of HIV contraction via drug injection in 2017 seeing a 44.5 percent decrease compared to 2012.

Meanwhile, the rate of mother-to-child transmission declined from 7.1 percent in 2012 to 4.9 percent in 2017, Wang added.

The NHC has been stepping up efforts in HIV testing and discovering HIV-infected people, said Wang, adding that a total of 200 million people in China had HIV tests last year, double that in 2012.

Some 80.4 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in China received anti-virus treatment in 2017, with the treatment success rate standing at more than 90 percent, the official said.

Noting that HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment is still arduous, Wang said the NHC will strengthen efforts in warning and educating people at risk of contracting HIV, promoting one-stop services for testing, consultation, diagnosis and treatment, and mobilizing social forces, including enterprises, funding bodies, health organizations and volunteers, to participate in the fight against the disease.

According to a joint evaluation by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization, there are around 1.25 million people living with HIV/AIDS in China by the end of this year, and 80,000 newly-infected people every year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 14:11:45|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory said Saturday that a cold front will sweep across northern areas over the next few days, leading to a fall in temperature and snowfalls.

Regions including Xinjiang Uyger Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, and areas in northeast China, will see temperatures plunge by up to 12 degrees Celsius from Saturday to Tuesday, accompanied by sleet or blizzards, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

The chill will be milder in areas to the north of the Huaihe River, with temperatures to decrease by four to eight degrees Celsius.

Before the cold air arrives, there will be heavy smog in places such as provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Jiangsu starting Saturday. Attention should be paid to the impact on traffic, the NMC said.
The final quarter of 2021 is on its way and theres so much positivity about the rapid growth of the...
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 14:26:46|Editor: mym

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KABUL, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. soldier was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday, the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) confirmed.

"One U.S. service member was killed in Afghanistan today. In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service member killed in action is being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete," the RS said in a statement.

The brief statement did not give details, saying "we will share additional information as appropriate."

NATO and U.S. forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the country.

However, around 16,000 foreign troops remained in Afghanistan to help train and advise the Afghan forces in the war against insurgents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 14:51:53|Editor: xuxin

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HAVANA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said here Friday that his government will continue to invest in Cuba and contribute to the economic development of the island nation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a business forum, the Spanish leader said Spain will not slow down its investment in Cuba despite the economic challenges facing the Caribbean country.

Sanchez was accompanied by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Noting that Spain is Cuba's third largest trading partner, Sanchez said that past obstacles and current difficulties are not going to prevent the growth of trade and investment between the two countries.

Spanish companies can lend their expertise in areas such as renewable energy, transport and infrastructure, and they could play a key role in Cuba's economic takeoff, he said.

Sanchez's trip is the first by a Spanish prime minister in 32 years.

The two-day business meeting brings together almost 300 Spanish entrepreneurs from around 100 companies to explore new areas of cooperation with their Cuban counterparts.

Cuban Vice President of the Council of Ministers Ricardo Cabrisas said current Cuba-Spain relations are at a "very positive moment" witnessing political and economic dialogues at its highest level in decades.

"This important visit by the Spanish prime minister after more than 32 years marks a new stage and relaunches our ties in different sectors, including economic and commercial cooperation," he added.

On Friday, Sanchez also toured Old Havana, along with the city's historian Eusebio Leal, where he appreciated the work to restore Spanish-era colonial buildings and houses.

During his stay in Cuba, the Spanish head of government will also host a meeting with Cuban intellectuals, artists, entrepreneurs, religious and civil society members.
Syrian schoolchildren walk as U.S. troops patrol near Turkish border in Hasakah, Syria, on Nov. 4, 2018. (Reuters photo)

DAMASCUS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 civilians, including five children and three women, were killed Friday by renewed U.S.-led airstrikes on Islamic State (IS)-held area in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

The airstrikes targeted the town of Shufeh in the last IS-held pocket in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based watchdog group said the death toll could likely rise as many of the wounded are in critical conditions.

This comes as the IS carried out an attack Friday morning in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour near a base run by the U.S.-led coalition and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia.

The IS succeeded to advance in three positions of the SDF on the eastern bank of Euphrates River in eastern Deir al-Zour, said the report.

It added that 12 IS militants were killed Friday, increasing thus the death toll of the IS militants over the past 72 hours to 60 militants.

The Observatory said 685 IS militants had been killed since the U.S.-led SDF launched their offensive on the last IS-held pocket in September.

The IS attack on Friday came a day after the terror-labeled group launched a pre-emptive attack as the SDF was planning to launch a second wave of attacks after a failed attempt in September.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 15:26:58|Editor: Liangyu

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CHENGDU, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, will extend its visa-free period for foreigners transiting through the city from 72 hours to 144 next year, local authorities said Saturday.

People of 53 listed nationalities with valid travel documents and onward travel booked for within 144 hours are eligible for the visa-free policy, which will become available from January 1, 2019.

The new arrangement is an extension and optimization of the current 72-hour visa-free transit policy, according to the exit and entry administration of the Sichuan provincial public security bureau.

Besides Chengdu, Fujian Province's coastal city of Xiamen, Shandong Province's coastal city of Qingdao, Hubei Province's capital city of Wuhan, and Yunnan Province's capital city of Kunming will also implement the policy on New Year's Day.

Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have been offering the visa-free service, allowing transit passengers to stay up to six days in total.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 15:47:01|Editor: xuxin

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SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- An advocacy group in the U.S. state of Oregon, one of the states where marijuana is legal, is lobbying to change a law that restricts smoking cannabis in public places.

Sam Chapman with the New Revenue Coalition (NRC) urged Oregon lawmakers to allow smoking in public places, given how many rental agreements don't allow smoking on the property.

"Oregon has a lot of cannabis and not a lot of places to smoke it. This group wants to change that," Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) tweeted Friday.

Chapman said the NRC plans to have a lobby day in early December and a fundraising event in Portland on Dec. 13, to make public places such as cafes accessible by cannabis consumers.

Oregon's public health agencies have banned tobacco smoking in pubs and restaurants, which forced people to consume cannabis in private.

NRC members are trying to persuade lawmakers to permit waivers to the Indoor Clean Air Act, which aims to protect people from secondhand smoke by creating smoke-free public places.

Tom Jeanne, an epidemiologist at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, said cannabis smoke is not harmless, but cannabis cafes will likely normalize the use of cannabis, especially among children.

Oregon was the first U.S. state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis including marijuana.

In 2015, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a controversial bill declaring marijuana sales legal for recreational users from dispensaries starting that year.

The NRC, which is a political action committee comprised of cannabis industry businesses and representatives, said on its website that legalization of cannabis consumption in Oregon has created thousands of jobs and generated hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in new revenue for the state.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 16:27:06|Editor: xuxin

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and many others injured Saturday after a passenger bus carrying them fell into a canal in southern Indian state of Karnataka, officials said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 16:37:08|Editor: xuxin

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KABUL, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- War-weary Afghans pin their hopes for return of peace on ongoing national and international efforts to initiate a political settlement for the war-battered country's lingering crisis.

"Afghans are suffering from daily violence, fighting on the grounds and terrorist attacks in the cities. I hope the latest efforts for peace negotiations lead to a peace settlement and put an end to the ongoing violence," resident Ahmad Fahim told Xinhua on Saturday.

Earlier this month, an Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives participated in a meeting on Afghanistan in Russia, in the latest diplomatic efforts to push for political solution to the Afghan conflict.

"I hope the peace talks take place as soon as possible as we are fed up with war, bombings and clashes. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost during the past years," he said.

He added that Afghans were firmly supporting the government in its inclusive peace and reconciliation process with Taliban, "but so far no tangible results have been seen. Now hopes are high to see early realization of lasting peace, stability and development in Afghanistan,"

A local mechanic, Farhad Gardizi, echoed Fahim for calling for more efforts to ensure peace and stability.

"I want the international community and the countries in the region to honestly take immediate actions for creating constructive conditions for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan," Gardizi told Xinhua.

"I hope that all Afghan armed opposition groups take part in the latest peace efforts and people are urging them to participate in the reconciliation process with Afghan government," he said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders have repeatedly offered peace talks with the Taliban.

"Afghanistan has a better chance of finding peace than it has for many years, with more coordination in international peace efforts and willingness to include all parties," local media Daily Outlook Afghanistan quoted UN humanitarian official Toby Lanzer as saying.

"It is shared responsibility of all countries in the region and countries which have contacts with the Taliban to bring them to the negotiating table," Gardizi said.

His comments came as the ongoing war and conflict have affected the lives of millions of Afghans.

Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of the armed conflicts, as more than 2,790 civilians were killed and over 5,250 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of this year, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:17:13|Editor: Yamei

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and many others injured on Saturday after a bus carrying them fell into a canal in southern Indian state of Karnataka, police said.

The accident took place in Mandya district, about 105 km west of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka.

"This afternoon a passenger bus skidded off the road and plunged into a canal here," a senior police official told Xinhua. "Fifteen people were killed in the accident and many are injured."

According to the police, the death toll is likely to increase in the accident.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:17:13|Editor: Yamei

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PARIS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- "Yellow vest" protests in France over fuel prices and low living standards have spread to neighboring countries, causing disorder in Spain, Belgium and elsewhere.

In Belgium, several dozen protestors wearing yellow high-visibility vests were detained at a fuel depot near the border with France, while in Spain, road blocks caused traffic jams on the cross-border highway.

An EU statement said the situation was "obstructing the free circulation of goods between member states," estimating the cost at 2 million euros (2.27 million U.S. dollars).

For a week, "yellow vests" protestors have blocked highways across French cities with burning barricades and slow-moving trucks, obstructing the access to fuel depots, shopping centers and some factories.

Hundreds were injured in the violence, including protestors, police officers, gendarmes and firefighters, with some in critical conditions.

In his plan to accelerate the country's energy transition and encourage motorists to switch to clean cars, French President Emmanuel Macron introduced a higher tax on diesel, the most commonly used car fuel in France, igniting critics who accused him of being out of touch with ordinary people.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:22:14|Editor: Yamei

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TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for Muslim unity and resistance against what he called "hostile" policies of the United States and Israel.

"Muslims have no way but to remain united in order to achieve victory over the United States and fight its blatant oppression," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

He made the remarks at the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference which kicked off in the capital Tehran earlier in the day.

Unity and brotherhood among Islamic countries must be assumed as a duty, which could not be achieved through words but requires collective action, Rouhani stressed.

Notably, the Iranian president said his country considers Saudi Arabia as its brother and is prepared to work with the Arab kingdom to resolve issues.

More than 350 foreign guests from 100 countries attended the ongoing International Islamic Unity Conference.

The event is held annually on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad in a bid to promote stronger solidarity among Muslims and provide appropriate solutions for their problems.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gives a public speech in the city of Khoy, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, on Nov. 19, 2018. (Reuters file photo)

TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for Muslim unity and resistance against what he called "hostile" policies of the United States and Israel.

"Muslims have no way but to remain united in order to achieve victory over the United States and fight its blatant oppression," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

He made the remarks at the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference which kicked off in the capital Tehran earlier in the day.

Unity and brotherhood among Islamic countries must be assumed as a duty, which could not be achieved through words but requires collective action, Rouhani stressed.

Notably, the Iranian president said his country considers Saudi Arabia as its brother and is prepared to work with the Arab kingdom to resolve issues.

More than 350 foreign guests from 100 countries attended the ongoing International Islamic Unity Conference.

The event is held annually on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad in a bid to promote stronger solidarity among Muslims and provide appropriate solutions for their problems.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:32:16|Editor: Yamei

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At last two Afghan army personnel were killed and two others wounded after a military helicopter made a crash landing in the country's southern province of Kandahar on Saturday, an army source said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:37:19|Editor: Yamei

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NAIROBI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenya targets to reduce new HIV infections among adults by 75 percent and cut mother-to-child transmission to 5 percent by next year, the National Aids Control Council (NACC) said in a report released on Friday.

The east African nation recorded 52,800 new HIV infections last year, of which 8,000 were of children below 14 years.

Some 1.49 million people are living with HIV in the country, a majority of them women while 713,500 are on anti-retroviral treatment and the nation recorded 28,200 deaths last year.

To achieve the drastic cut in HIV infections among adults and reduce mother-to-child transmission from 14 percent to 5 percent, Kenya has lined up a number of strategies, according to the NACC report dubbed Kenya Aids Response Progress 2018.

The east African nation has prioritized to further increase domestic funding to HIV programming to plug the gap created by the decline in donor cash.

Between 2014/15 and 2017/18, HIV programming expenditures increased from 59.37 billion shillings (582 million U.S. dollars) to 946 million dollars.

"Kenya targets to increase domestic financing for the HIV response to 50 percent," says the report.

Voluntary male circumcision, one of the foremost methods Kenya is using to fight HIV, surpassed its target in 2017 by reaching out to 239,001. Some 1.5 million males have been circumcised since 2013 when the programme was started.

Angeline Yiamiton Siparo, NACC's chairperson, said with results from the implementation of the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework pointing towards great progress, Kenya is on track in fighting the disease.
File photo shows a hippo in the Zambezi River. (Xinhua)

LILONGWE, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Parks and Wildlife in Malawi says it is investigating the cause of massive deaths of hippos at one of its national parks, Liwonde.

The investigation follows the deaths of 22 hippos in a month, a scenario described by authorities as strange in the history of the country.

Director of the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Brighton Kumchedwa, told a local media on Friday that samples have been taken and sent outside the country to establish the cause.

"We are working with the vet department officials and the African Parks who are managing the National Park to establish the cause as this is the first time for the country to witness this," said Kumchedwa.

Country director for Africa Parks Patricio Ndadzera also said the development is strange as most of the times it is poaching that causes deaths of animals.

Ndadzera expressed hope that by January 2019, they will have obtained results and informed the nation of the causes.

Currently, Liwonde National Park, which is in southern Malawi, has a population of 1,900 hippopotamus, according to the Department of Parks and Wildlife.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 17:52:21|Editor: Yamei

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WELLINGTON, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand environmental official confirmed on Saturday the mandatory phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags in New Zealand that will come into effect around the middle of next year.

This announcement by Associate Environmental Minister Eugenie Sage followed a five-week public consultation process, where 92 percent of submitters supported the proposed mandatory phase out.

"The clear majority of people who responded to the consultation supported a nationwide phase out of single-use plastic bags, and many called on the government to act quickly to make this change," Sage said in a statement.

The government has carefully considered the full range of views put forward, and it is now time to take action as a step towards addressing plastic pollution, Sage said, adding this will apply to all retailers.

"Single-use plastic bags often end up polluting our precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to marine mammals, sea-birds and other marine life," she said, adding plastic bags are among the most common items found in beach clean-ups in New Zealand.

Many retailers and individuals have already stopped using single-use plastic bags and recent research shows 50 percent of New Zealanders now say they always bring reusable bags when shopping, according to the environmental ministry.

This change will impact retailers, as well as local manufacturers and importers of plastic bags. For this reason, and to meet World Trade Organization requirements, the phase out will have a six-month implementation period, despite calls for a shorter timeframe, Sage said.

The ban includes bags under 70 microns, with the exception of lightweight bags made of synthetic fabric and designed for multiple use over a long life. Degradable plastic bags will also be included, which covers oxo-degradable, biodegradable and compostable plastic bags.

The exact date for the ban to come into effect will be known once regulations are considered in December.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 18:07:24|Editor: Yamei

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At last two Afghan army personnel were killed and two others injured after a military helicopter made a crash landing in the country's southern province of Kandahar on Saturday, an army source said.

"The incident took place in Maruf district shortly after the Afghan Air Force helicopter took off from an army camp Saturday morning," the source told Xinhua anonymously.

The Taliban militant group has claimed that its fighters had shot down an army chopper in Kandahar. However, the source ruled out insurgents' activities at the area, saying the incident occurred due to technical failure in the province, 450 km south of Kabul.

Security situation has been improving in Kandahar, the former stronghold of Taliban, over the last months as security forces have conducted search and cordon operations across the province. But the militants attack government interests in the province from time to time.

Late last month, 21 people were killed after an Afghan army helicopter crashed in western Farah province.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 18:52:30|Editor: xuxin

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 people were killed Saturday after a bus carrying them fell into a canal in southern Indian state of Karnataka, officials said.

The accident took place near Kanaganamaradi village of Mandya district, about 105 km west of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka.

"Twenty five people were killed in today's bus accident at Kanaganamaradi," G Parameshwara, deputy chief minister of Karnataka told the media. "The bus skidded off the road this afternoon and plunged into a canal here."

The deceased include women and children, police said

Reports said the bus was completely submerged in canal water of Cauvery river.

Following the accident locals and police rushed to the spot to carry out rescue work.

Authorities have pressed in divers to fish out bodies and help the survivors come out of canal.

Television images showed people holding ropes inside the canal to help pull the bus out of water.

The cause of the accident was not known immediately. However, police officials said preliminary investigations reveal the driver was rashly driving the bus.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka H D Kumaraswamy has expressed grief over the deaths in the accident and directed district administration and one of his ministers to rush to the spot to reach out to the victims.

A government spokesman said the chief minister has canceled all his programs and headed to the spot.

"The chief minister has advised the government to postpone the state cinema award ceremony that was scheduled to be take place this evening," the spokesman said.

Reports said a boy who jumped out of the bus at the time of accident was the only survivor.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

An official report says on an average 400 deaths take place every day in India due to road accidents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 19:12:33|Editor: xuxin

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GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan provincial government spokesman said on Saturday that a so-called Taliban chief for Gilan district of eastern Ghazni province had been killed following a coalition forces' air-raid.

"The airstrike was launched late on Friday night in Gilan district, resulting in the death of Muheb Ahmad, known as Shal, a Taliban designated district chief and one of the militants local commander named Mohammad Pazir," spokesman Aref Noori told Xinhua.

The Afghan security forces and NATO-led coalition forces have stepped up security operations against militants recently as the Taliban has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its positions ahead of winter in the Central Asian country.

The militant group has yet to respond to the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 19:12:33|Editor: xuxin

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SYDNEY, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Authorities closed a popular beach in Western Australia on Saturday after swimmers spotted a shark in the safety zone.

It is the latest encounter with the marine predators amid renewed concerns about their attacks on humans.

Police ordered swimmers out of the water at Middleton Beach, Albany, after a shark up to 2 meters long was found within the safety net area, according to local media.

No one could really believe it, that there was a shark inside. People were in disbelief, paddleboarder Paul Hepworth was quoted by the ABC news channel as saying.

The shark, believed to be a bronze whaler, was removed from the enclosure and possibly entered the zone through a hole in the net, according to local authorities.

The latest incident comes as state authorities ramp up measures to prevent shark attacks, including laying advanced non-lethal drumline traps initially stretching more than 10 km along the coast.

Recent shark attacks at popular coastal spots across the country have left at least one dead and three others severely injured, including a Western Australian Pyramids Beach surfer who suffered traumatic leg injuries earlier this month.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 19:17:36|Editor: Liangyu

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A contestant sings during a Chinese song competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nov. 24, 2018. Students studying the Chinese language in Malaysia joined a Chinese song competition on Saturday to showcase their love of the Chinese language and culture. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Students studying the Chinese language in Malaysia joined a Chinese song competition on Saturday to showcase their love of the Chinese language and culture.

The 40 finalists came from several hundred participants as the singing competition was well received by multiple universities in the country.

Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, told the students that "both governments are committed to the continuity of the relations, the task falls on you, the young students," he said.

Wang Zhenghai, Chinese director of the Kong Zi Institute at University of Malaya, said the event was aimed at promoting greater understanding among Malaysian people, especially the younger generation, of China and the Chinese culture, to foster closer communication and exchanges between China and Malaysia.

The Kong Zi Institute at University of Malaya, which was founded in 2009 as the first Confucius Institute in Malaysia, has hosted the competition since 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 19:42:38|Editor: xuxin

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MOGADISHU, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan military chief is visiting Somalia to review progress made in the transitioning of national security responsibilities to the Somali national security forces by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The AU mission said in a statement on Saturday that David Muhoozi, Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) of Uganda who arrived in Mogadishu on Friday lauded the AU troops for extending the 'frontiers of peace and liberation, and fostering development' in the country.

"A lot has been done, a lot more remains and I can only say that the resilience of the enemy is matched by the resilience of the troops in AMISOM and all the TCCs (troop contributing countries)," Muhoozi said, according to the statement.

"Uganda happens to be one of them and we are proud to contribute to the peace and security of Somalia," he said after holding talks with Francisco Madeira, the AU Special Representative for Somalia and head of AMISOM.

Muhoozi who is in Somalia on a routine visit to Ugandan troops deployed to the country, hailed troops from all the troop contributing countries to AMISOM, for their efforts in the degradation of al-Shabab extremists.

Madeira said the latest visit by the Ugandan military chief offers reassurance to the mission leadership and troops.

"We talked about how we can move ahead in the coming times. How we can, together, implement the transition, and Resolution 2431 of the UN Security Council, which gives us the mandate up to May next year," said Madeira.

The two also discussed planned joint military operations with the Somali security forces.

"We both agreed that we need to continue to move together, we need to ensure that Somali troops are ready to take over from us. We need also, to make sure that al-Shabab is further degraded," said the AU envoy.

He said the troops would soon embark on operations to free new areas, which are currently occupied by extremists.

"We need to create space for the government to occupy and be present in much wider areas than it is currently and make sure that the checkpoints and tax collection points by al-Shabab are dismantled," Madeira said.

He assured that Leego town which lies about 120 km southwest of Mogadishu will fall back into the hands of the government.

Al-Shabab took over control of Leego which links Mogadishu to the western regions of Bay and Bakool, in August 2017 after AMISOM troops withdrew from a Forward Operating Base, situated in the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 20:12:42|Editor: Liangyu

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COLOMBO, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese company constructed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) terminal in the Hambantota Port in the south of Sri Lanka has come to mechanical completion.

The LPG terminal is invested by one of Sri Lanka's largest LPG distributors, LAUGFS, and constructed by China Huanqiu contracting & Engineering Co., LTD, subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation.

LAUGFS Chairman, W. K. H. Wagapitiya said Friday that the LPG terminal in Hambantota would bring tremendous economic benefits to Sri Lanka, and make a difference in improving Sri Lankan people's livelihood.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan also welcomed the completion of the project, saying it is another success in the China-Sri Lanka cooperation in the Hambantota area under China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The LPG terminal in Sri Lanka's Hambantota is the largest of its kind in the Indian Ocean region with a total storage exceeding 60,000 cubic meters.

In recent years, Sri Lanka and China have been strengthening cooperation in the island country's Hambantota area. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holdings last year signed an agreement to co-run the Hambantota Port.

In addition to the port, plans are also underway to develop an industrial zone close to the Hambantota Port premises.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 20:25:05|Editor: Liangyu

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A white swan wearing a track collar is seen at the Yellow River wetland in Sanmenxia, central China's Henan Province, Nov. 22, 2018. White swans have flown from Siberia to the Yellow River wetland to spend winter. Measures have been taken to protect these migratory swans. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 20:32:47|Editor: xuxin

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Visiting UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths (R) meets with Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of Houthi revolutionary committee, in Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 24, 2018. The Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday pledged to attend the upcoming peace talks in Sweden, the Houthi chief said. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

SANAA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday pledged to attend the upcoming peace talks in Sweden, a Houthi chief said.

The commitment was made by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of Houthi revolutionary committee, during his meeting with visiting UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths in Sanna.

"Griffiths received affirm confirmation from the revolution to support peace efforts and attend peace talks," al-Houthi said in a statement.

"Griffiths told me that he bears good impression from his yesterday's visit to Hodeidah," he added.

There has been no comment from the UN envoy's office.

A day earlier, Griffiths, accompanied by the World Food Program Chief Stephen Anderson and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande, visited the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

"We have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly ... such a role will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline that starts here and serves the people of Yemen," Griffiths said.

On Wednesday, the UN envoy arrived in Sanaa, Yemen's capital under Houthi control, to try to bring the rebels to the negotiation table.

Hodeidah, the main Red Sea port city which handles 80 percent of Yemen's imports and aid, has witnessed deadly clashes over the past few weeks between the government troops backed by the Saudi-led coalition forces and the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

The government has been trying to recapture Hodeidah from Houthis who seized it along with much of the country's north in late 2014.

Griffiths urged the UN Security Council on Friday to adopt a humanitarian truce before holding peace talks in Sweden next month.

The clashes in Hodeidah have displaced about 445,000 people since July, according to UN aid agencies.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 21:17:57|Editor: xuxin

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CAIRO, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) on Saturday strongly condemned a decision by Israel to impose travel ban on two Palestinian officials.

According to the decision, Adnan al-Husayni, a member of Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and minister of Jerusalem Affairs, and Adnan Gheith, Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, were banned from travelling and communicating with some Palestinian figures.

"The decision is unfair and it is a violation of international and humanitarian law," said Saeed Abu Ali, AL assistant secretary general for the occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.

"The travel ban is a crime committed by the occupation authority," Abu Ali added.

He called on Israel to reverse its decision and to stop the escalation policies against Jerusalem and its Palestinian residents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 21:33:01|Editor: Liangyu

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DARWIN, Australia, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Liang Huiqiong had been worried about her son's education, until she met the officials from Chinese embassy in Australia, who came here to Darwin to help people like her.

Liang has been living in Australia for many years, where her son received education. This year her son is going to enter the university. Both she and the boy himself prefer study in China. However, they were not sure if he could get used to education there and get scholarship.

Five officials from the Chinese Embassy to Australia traveled 4,000 km from Canberra to the port city of Darwin in the Northern Territory, to have exchanges with Chinese students and immigrants there on issues including education and consular protection.

Zong Wa, education counselor of the Chinese Embassy to Australia, told her that many Chinese universities had cooperation with foreign ones, providing courses in English. Some universities and provinces offer scholarship to international students, about which the embassy could help to get more detailed information.

"We have been living overseas for too long, and there are many things that we do not know," said Liang. "The embassy makes me feel reassured."

Liang is not the only person who benefited from the exchanges. Yu Aihong is a Chinese language teacher who asked for her students about the visa application for short-term study in China.

"They were like parents visiting their children regularly," she said.

Regarding the previous request by overseas Chinese to simplify the procedure of visa application, the officials also briefed them feedback from the embassy.

"The embassy has always attached great importance to our compatriots overseas," Zong said. "Each year we visit Darwin where there is no consulate."

After the exchanges which took one and a half hours, Pan Weihua, third secretary in the embassy, gave participants a lecture about consular protection.

He told Xinhua that in the embassy they receive as many as 50 to 60 phone calls a day asking for help. "Some complained that their passports were stolen and misused. Some were involved in telecom fraud. It is necessary to raise their awareness about self-protection."

He also talked about other issues like transportation, medical care, travelling, among others.

Meng Fanyu, 24, is a student with the Charles Darwin University, who has been in Australia for three years.

"There are more than 300 Chinese students in Northern Territory," he said. "The tips for travel safety and measures against sex harassment are helpful."

On Saturday, two officials from the Chinese embassy went to the Alatai Hotel to help local Chinese people renew their passports. They took the fingerprints and photos, before the applicants could mail the documents to the Chinese embassy.

"Were they not here to help, we would have to go to Canberra for the passport renewal," said Ms. Huang, who got to know about the service three weeks ago on the WeChat.

"The Chinese immigrants and students in Australia play an important role in the relationship between the two countries," Zong Wa said. "Hopefully what we do could make their lives here easier."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 21:48:05|Editor: xuxin

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ISTANBUL, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The latest meeting in Ankara shows that Turkey and the European Union will continue to cooperate despite lingering disagreements in broad areas, as neither can afford to lose the other, analysts told Xinhua.

"Neither Turkey would break with the EU, nor the EU would give up on Turkey," said Murat Bilhan, vice chairman of the Istanbul-based Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies.

KEY DEAL ON REFUGEE

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Thursday with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the bloc's commissioner for enlargement Johannes Hahn.

There was an exchange of criticisms as well as words of mutual commitment to cooperation at the joint press meeting in Ankara.

The statements made at the meeting represent a typical example of how Ankara and Brussels will continue to work together despite divergences considering mutual interests, remarked Bilhan, a former diplomat.

For the EU, Turkey is its sixth biggest trading partner, while the union is not only Turkey's biggest trading partner, but also its biggest direct foreign investor.

Mogherini and Hahn were in Ankara to restart the long-stalled political dialogue with Turkey, a candidate struggling to become a full EU member since late 1980s.

They both underlined Turkey's importance as a partner for the EU, while criticizing Ankara for deficiencies in democracy and the rule of law.

In response, Cavusoglu criticized the EU for not fully cooperating with Ankara against organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Gulen movement, which Ankara has blacklisted as terror groups.

Fethullah Gulen, leader of the Gulen movement, is a U.S.-based Turkish cleric whom Turkey accuses of masterminding a coup attempt in 2016, while the PKK has been fighting against the Turkish government for decades.

Cavusoglu also called on the EU to stop placing politically motivated barriers before Turkey's full membership in the 28-nation bloc, as he underlined Ankara's will to join it.

"As usual, the EU's attitude consists of neither allowing Turkey to get away from the EU nor letting it into the bloc," said Hasan Koni, a professor of public international law at Istanbul Kultur University.

"The EU would particularly not want Turkey to get away from it because of the refugee issue," he added.

Under a deal finalized with Brussels in 2016, Ankara agreed to block the inflow of refugees into Europe via its territory in return for EU's financial help for Syrians being sheltered in Turkey as well as visa liberalization for Turks and the revival of Turkey's accession process.

The deal came after nearly 1 million Syrian refugees made it illegally into the EU via Turkey in 2015, a development which led to public protests in many EU countries.

Turkey currently hosts around 4.5 million refugees, and more than 3.5 million of them are Syrians.

TURKEY'S ROLE AS REGIONAL PLAYER

The EU is concerned that any flare-up in clashes in Syria's Idlib Province could push another flock of refugees into Turkey first, then toward Europe.

EU foreign policy chief Mogherini praised Ankara's stance on Idlib, while promising support for the refugee issue.

Thanks to Turkey's efforts toward a political settlement, Russia, a supporter of the Syrian government, agreed in September to give up launching a military offensive to remove the Islamist rebels in Idlib.

Mogherini described as important the cooperation between Brussels and Ankara regarding Syria, Iraq, Iran, the peace process in the Middle East and the Gulf region.

"The EU would seek to get Ankara to deal with the hard work in the Middle East and the refugee issue," stated Koni.

"The EU wants to use Turkey in the Middle East," echoed Bilhan, who also feels certain that the bloc would like to have Ankara anchored without admitting it as a full member.

Ankara's accession talks have long been stalled amid increasing EU criticism over what it calls deterioration in democratic standards in Turkey. In response, Turkey says it has been unfairly treated in the process by the EU as a Muslim country.

Ankara officially began accession negotiations with the EU in 2005.

Ties with Brussels only began to show signs of relative improvement in early 2018, but the EU does not seem willing to open new chapters in Ankara's accession talks.

The EU should, for its own interests, open the doors it has specially locked, said Cavusoglu, who stressed that Turkey-EU ties are strategically important.

Both analysts feel that the EU cannot afford to alienate Turkey, as Ankara would then look for partners outside the bloc.

"Turkey has never been without alternatives in any period of time," Bilhan said, noting Turkey is a regional power at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus.

"Strategically, the EU would like to have Turkey on its side as the Middle East is being restructured, because Ankara has sway over Islamist groups," argued Koni.

Although the political dialogue between Ankara and Brussels has resumed, no smooth progress is expected.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not receive Mogherini and Hahn despite their request for an appointment, the Cumhuriyet daily said Friday.

Leading EU countries such as Germany and France previously made clear that Turkey would not be granted a full membership status.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:03:17|Editor: mmm

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Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over and addresses a study session of the NPC Standing Committee Chairpersons' Council, in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 24, 2018. Senior legislators on Saturday met to study and discuss the legislative and supervisory work to foster and regulate the development of artificial intelligence (AI). (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Senior legislators on Saturday met to study and discuss the legislative and supervisory work to foster and regulate the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over and addressed the study session of the NPC Standing Committee Chairpersons' Council.

The legislators said a speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, set the direction and made plans for technological innovation and AI development in the new era, raising specific demands for the people's congresses and their standing committees to promote the healthy development of China's new-generation AI.

They stressed upholding the Party's leadership over the cause of science and technology development and striving to achieve leapfrog development in key scientific and technological areas such as AI. They said the NPC and its standing committee should plan their legislative and supervisory work around this goal.

The NPC special committees, working organs and relevant departments should carry out as soon as possible research on legal issues related to AI, make sound preparations for relevant legislation work, and promote the healthy and orderly development of AI, the legislators said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:08:21|Editor: mmm

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BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese brokerages have stepped up launching asset management products to help finance private companies and promised to invest their own money in the fundraising plans.

As of Friday, 26 securities companies including Everbright Securities and Dongxing Securities had pledged to offer a collective 44 billion yuan (6.35 billion U.S. dollars), the Securities Association of China (SAC) said in an online statement.

The SAC said 15 of them had signed agreements to set up 17 asset management products, including one subsidiary product, and contribute more than 31 billion yuan collectively.

Some had finished their initial funding rounds to help ease the cash crunch of private businesses, according to the SAC.

The group initiated the program nearly a month ago as a plunging stock market posed threats to firms that pledged their shares as collateral to borrow money.

The program is designed to provide liquidity aid to promising firms, support high-quality growth of the private sector and better serve the real economy, with the goal of drawing more than 100 billion yuan of funds from banks, insurance companies, state firms and governments.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:08:22|Editor: yan

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WINDHOEK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Endless trips to physiotherapists were the order of the day for 29 year old, Sakaria Martins, before trying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at Katutura Hospital in the country's capital Windhoek.

Martins who is a driver by profession was experiencing lower back pain that affected his work performance.

He could no longer drive and conduct his daily job duties which are his livelihood in a country which has an unemployment rate which hovers around 34 percent.

"I could not sleep and if I did sleep, I would wake up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain. But that has changed now since I commenced with acupuncture sessions," he told Xinhua during one of his treatments.

Martins is one of the patients being treated by the Chinese medical team in the country.

According to Martins, for the past three weeks acupuncture therapy has been administered to his lower back and he gladly said that he will soon go back to work after a few more sessions which have brought him much needed relief.

Dr. Chu Hailin from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and the 12th Chinese Medical Team leader in Namibia said that Martins has shown some remarkable recovery from the sessions and soon he would be back on his feet.

Another patient who has gained from TCM treatment is 75 year old, Shelly Townes, who suffers from chronic back pain which has been a hindrance since birth.

"My back has always been a problem. Over the years I have tried different medical procedures but to no avail as the back problems persist," she said.

Laying on her back at the Katurara Hospital with needles protruding from her back and leg, she smiled and said I have finally found some relief from years of pain through TCM therapy.

"I was opting to get a hip replacement and other corrective procedures but ever since TCM has been administered, I have had less pain and will continue with the treatments," she added.

According to Chu, the Chinese medical team has been working around the clock, as TCM has gained popularity in the southwestern African country.

"On a daily basis we get up to 70 to 100 patients who require different treatments from migraines, chronic pains and other ailments. We use tui na, acupuncture, cupping as well as Chinese creams and herbs for the different ailments," he added.

Chu said that his team has handled 5,445 patients since June this year in Windhoek and hopes next year the team will be able to travel to the remote areas of the country as currently TCM is being administered only in Windhoek.

The 12th Chinese Medical Team to Namibia are treating patients free of charge at the Chinese Acupuncture Department of Katutura State Hospital. China sent its first medical team to Namibia in 1996.

Meanwhile, Sister Nghishongwa Penehafo, who assists the Chinese Medical Team said that the locals have embraced the treatments and the message of TCM has traveled across the country. "Many of the patients who have experienced TCM have less pain after multiple treatments and can now sleep easier," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:23:25|Editor: yan

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ZAGREB, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A van full of illegal migrants crashed Saturday morning near the city of Rijeka, Croatian police announced.

The police arrested a 25-year-old driver from Serbia and 13 migrants who were hidden in the van. There were no casualties and no one was seriously injured. However, the origin of the migrants is still unknown.

According to the police, a man who was driving a van with Austrian plate ignored their sign to stop, collided with a police car and crashed. The driver tried to run away when the police caught him.

Witnesses of the accident claim that migrants were trying to get to the Croatian-Slovenian border, Croatian daily Novi list reported.

The accident indicates that the migrant route through Croatia is still very active. In 2015 and 2016, millions of illegal migrants passed through the country on their way to the western and northern Europe. In the last few months, there were several similar accidents in Croatia.

In October, Croatian police found 113 illegal migrants hidden in a truck near Senj on the upper Adriatic coast. In August in the same Croatian county, police found 59 migrants hidden in a truck, while in June a van with 14 Afghan migrants crashed on the highway.

Thousands of migrants are currently stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, waiting to cross the border and enter Croatia.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:28:25|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran has begun to issue electronic visas for attracting more foreign tourists, Press TV reported on Saturday.

The plan has been implemented since Thursday, Nov. 22, Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Ali Asghar Mounesan, was quoted as saying.

The plan is mainly aimed at facilitating travels to Iran by foreign tourists, Mounesan said.

He expressed hope that the move could play a leading role in attracting more foreign tourists to the country.

Also, the Head of Iran's Foreign Ministry's Visa and Passport Department, Mojtaba Karimi, said that electronic visas would be issued without any entry or exit stamp affixed on them.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:33:27|Editor: yan

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By Natasha Pavlopoulou

ATHENS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A team of Greek students and graduates are set to conquer the stratosphere this December with the "first Cretan astronaut", a symbol of efforts aimed to promote innovation and youth entrepreneurship in the country.

"Manousos" wears a space suit, grows a handlebar moustache and comes from Crete, the largest island of Greece. He is not a real human being, but a figure, the brainchild of a team of aerospace enthusiasts called "Cretan astronaut".

His test flight on Oct. 17 this year was crowned with success and the first official mission is scheduled for early December, depending on the weather conditions, his creators said.

"Manousos" will reach the stratosphere on a reusable "ship" built from scratch and will return to Earth with the help of a high altitude balloon.

The project is an idea of a group of seven students and graduates who aim to put Crete on the world map of technology and innovation, they told Xinhua.

They are trying to achieve their goal through Youth Entrepreneurship Club, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization based in Chania, Crete, created by young people interested in entrepreneurship.

The organization, founded in 2012, counts more than 100 volunteers and through its 30 actions has direct impact on 3,000 people. Its mission, according to the founders, is to highlight new opportunities for young people in Greece and to reverse pessimism and brain drain which had increased during the eight-year debt crisis.

"Manousos" was born when one of the team members proposed a year ago a flight to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere.

"At first it was a crazy idea that no one believed in, but afterwards with hard work it started to develop and somehow the first Cretan astronaut was born," said Olympia Kokka, executive director of Youth Entrepreneurship Club and one of the members of the project.

The test flight was recorded by a 360-degree camera and the two innovations used were the full reusability of the ship and the addition of two degrees of flight control, facilitating its recovery, Vasilis Kottas, the Marketing & Communications manager, explained.

"The journey which started from Chania lasted about 117 minutes, with an altitude of 23.5 kilometers and the temperatures Manousos had to deal with was about -40 degrees Celsius," he said.

People on Crete island embraced their "astronaut" from the very first moment and supported his journey through crowd funding. A financing campaign started on May 30 and closed on Sept. 15 raised 915 euros (1,037 U.S. dollars). "Manousos" was also blessed by people through a poll organized on social media platforms.

December's flight will not be the end of the mission for "Manousos".

"We also want to raise awareness through various actions such as speeches in schools and other institutions so as to show and inspire a different Greece, a country that can create opportunities and is extrovert. Finally we would like to transform this venture into a business model. This of course needs a lot of research and funding," noted Thanos Paraschos, project manager of "Cretan Astronaut".

The ultimate goal of all, according to the team members, is to create a workshop in collaboration with the Youth Entrepreneurship Club, where new scientists will be able to experiment and innovate in today's Greece.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:43:30|Editor: yan

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MADRID, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Spanish National police have detained 79 people in a wide-ranging operation against the production and distribution of child pornography.

The National Police confirmed on Saturday that the operation saw 80 raids carried out in 13 of Spain's 17 autonomous communities. These raids led to the seizure of 45 laptop computers, 113 external hard-drives, 25 mobile phones, 38 USB drives and over 300 DVD's in which "extreme images involving minors" were found.

In their press communique, the Police explained that the arrests were the fruit of an operation which began in November 2016 and that one of the detainees is a 57-year-old man who was arrested for continued sexual aggression against a three-year-old child and for producing pornographic images involving children from 2010 until 2013.

The police said this man was in contact with a Peruvian woman who was responsible for producing pornographic images of her 11-year-old daughter and four-year-old niece in her homeland and sending it to Spain.

Law enforcement agents reported that they were able to detect money transfers between the two which coincided with the production of the images.

In the press communique the police informed that they have sent all of their information to the Division for the Investigation of High Technology Crimes in Peru, so this part of the investigation can be continued.

Another of those arrested is a 27-year-old man who lives in Madrid and worked with children and used his job to produce and distribute images with content for pedophiles. Police discovered over 2,000 images of minors while searching this man's home.

The operation also led to the discovery of 97 wraps of hashish, 120 grams of the drug MDMA, 100 grams of designer drugs, a revolver, a large amount of ammunition of distinct caliber, smoke bombs, two large knives and a silencer.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:53:33|Editor: ZD

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MADRID, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that his government had reached an agreement over the future of Gibraltar.

This means Sunday's meeting in Brussels in which European Union (EU) leaders are expected to give their support to the Brexit agreement that would see the UK leave the EU on March 29, 2019, will go ahead as planned.

Spain had threatened to veto the Brexit agreement over what it considered to be a lack of assurances of its future relationship with Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory situated on the southwest tip of the Spanish mainland.

However, following a reported phone conversation with European Council President Donald Tusk, Sanchez confirmed he would both attend the meeting and support the Brexit deal.

"We have reached an agreement and we will vote in favor of the Brexit," said Sanchez in a declaration made from his official residence at the Palacio de la Moncloa.

"Spain has achieved a historic agreement which would definitively resolve the future of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom in the coming years," said the prime minister.

"Once the UK retires (from the EU), Gibraltar's relationship with the EU will be though Spain," said Sanchez, adding that this decision guaranteed the "national interest, joint prosperity and Spain's key role in the future relationship."

Gibraltar was ceded to the UK in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht which ended the War of Spanish Succession and has belonged to the UK ever since, much to Spain's frustration and restoring the 'Rock' to Spanish sovereignty is a matter of national pride to many Spaniards.

Nevertheless, 98 percent of the population of Gibraltar voted in 2002 against shared sovereignty between the UK and Spain, while 96 of Gibraltarians voted against the Brexit in the June 2016 referendum in which the UK voted to leave the EU by a narrow margin of 51.89 percent to 48.11 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 23:53:34|Editor: yan

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Vietnams central and southern localities have employed many measures to brace for Typhoon Usagi, which is forecast to make landfall on Sunday morning.

The steering board for disaster prevention, and search and rescue of Ho Chi Minh City has instructed all ferries in the locality to suspend operation as from Saturday evening in anticipation of the typhoon, Vietnam News Agency reported. The municipal Health Department has asked all hospitals in the city to stand ready for any emergency.

As of Saturday morning, about 1,000 offshore fishing boats in the southern province of Tien Giang had been asked to sail out of dangerous areas and keep contact with inland competent agencies.

The central coastal province of Khanh Hoa has evacuated more than 2,840 households with over 12,000 people to safer places, and encouraged 2,210 farmers at aquaculture breeding cages at sea to move inland.

Meanwhile, authorities of the central coastal province of Phu Yen encouraged local residents to move to safe places. Soldiers, policemen and militiamen in the province are working round the clock to cope with the typhoon.

Other localities such as the central province of Binh Thuan and the southern province of Long An provinces have also completed preparations for Usagi, the ninth typhoon to hit the South China Sea so far this year.

In 2017, typhoons claimed the lives of 386 people in Vietnam, damaged more than 600,000 houses and caused economic losses of about 60 trillion Vietnamese dong (2.6 billion U.S. dollars), according to the countrys agriculture ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 00:03:36|Editor: Chengcheng

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Excavators work at an archeological site of a tomb unearthed by an Egyptian archeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor, Egypt, on Nov. 24, 2018. Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced on Saturday the discovery of an ancient tomb in Luxor province in Upper Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

LUXOR, Egypt, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced on Saturday the discovery of an ancient tomb in Luxor province in Upper Egypt.

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany said that the tomb was unearthed by an Egyptian archaeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor.

According to al-Anany, the discovery has seen the light after five months of excavation work carried out by the Egyptian mission led by Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

"After removing about 300 cubic meters of rubble, the mission succeeded in discovering the tomb of Thaw-Irkhet-If, who was an official of the mummification shrine in Mut Temple," Waziri told Xinhua.

The walls of the tomb are decorated with colored scenes depicting the owner with members of his family, Waziri said.

Inside the tomb, excavators found two coffins with two mummies in good conditions.

Two wooden statues, a collection of 1,000 Ushabti statues carved in wood, faience and clay as well as five colored masks were found in the tomb.

In the same area, al-Anany witnessed the opening of a colorful sarcophagus of a mummified woman made of wood.

The sarcophagus was discovered by an archaeological mission affiliated to the French University of Strasbourg.

A mummy of a woman wrapped in linen was found inside the sarcophagus in a good conservation condition. The mission is set to conduct archaeological and scientific studies to uncover the historical era of the mummy.

Egypt, one of the most ancient civilizations, has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage and discover the secrets of its ancient antiquities in a bid to revive the country's ailing tourism sector.

Tourism sector has suffered an acute recession over the past few years because of political turmoil and relevant security issues.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 00:23:41|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean police confirmed to Finnish media on Saturday afternoon that five people including four Finnish nationals were killed in Friday's aircrash in Chamanjenjere Hills, Zimbabwe.

Initial international media reports from Zimbabwe had been conflicting about the number and the nationalities of the victims.

Paul Nyathi, spokesman for the Zimbabwean police, told Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat the nationalities were confirmed on the basis of passports found on the site.

Finnish media reported that the Finns were on a tourist hunting tour to East Africa. In addition to the four Finnish passengers, one local pilot was also killed.

Travel industry sources told Helsingin Sanomat that some dozens of Finns purchase African hunting excursions annually. The price ranges from a few thousands euros to tens of thousands. Finns usually obtain licences to hunt elephants and buffalos.

It is common that privately owned aircraft or helicopters are chartered. Zimbabwean police told Finland's national broadcaster Yle that the aircraft had taken off at the Buffalo Range airfield near Chiredz and was to fly to Victoria Falls.

Finland has no actual diplomatic representation in Zimbabwe except an honorary consul, and Finnish embassy in Lusaka, Zambia has been in contact with Zimbabwe.

Media reports gave the age of the victims as above 50. In Helsinki, Foreign Ministry spokesman Harri Kilpi said Finnish authorities would not comment on the nature of the travel, nor the age of the victims.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 00:23:42|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Trade between Iran and the European Union (EU) member states amounted to 14.89 billion euros (16.89 million U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of 2018, Eghtesadonline news website reported on Saturday.

The figure registered a 7.5-percent rise in the mutual trade in the nine months, compared with the corresponding period last year.

Iran's top five trade partners over the period were Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Greece with 3.78 billion euros, 2.31 billion euros, 2.28 billion euros, 2.25 billion euros and 1.11 billion euros worth of commercial exchanges, respectively.

Iran experienced decline in trade with Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Bulgaria and Ireland.

Iran exported 8.3 billion euros worth of commodities to EU member states during the nine-month period, which shows a 25.1-percent rise compared with the same period last year.

The top exported commodities included mineral fuel, mineral oil and products of their distillation, bituminous substances and mineral waxes, iron and steel, edible fruit and nuts, zest of citrus fruit or melons.

As for Iran's imports from the EU during the first nine months of 2018, they decreased by eight percent compared with the same period of the past year to stand at over 6.59 billion euros.

The imported products mainly included nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances and parts, vehicles other than rail or tramway rolling stock, electrical machinery and equipment.

The EU is working on a special transaction channel, called Special Purpose Vehicle, away from the U.S. financial system to keep up trade with Iran in the face of the recently reimposed U.S. sanctions against Iran.

The Special Purpose Vehicle, announced first by the European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, is said to involve a barter system that would allow firms to bypass the SWIFT international bank transfer system.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 00:28:43|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has urged parties involved in the conflict in Sudan's restive region Darfur to find swift solutions to the prolonged conflict in the region.

The chairperson made the call following AU officials' meeting with the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and Justice Equality Movement (JEM) from Nov. 22 to 23 at the headquarters of the AU in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, according to the AU's meeting outcome statement.

Faki, during his meeting with SLM and JEM representatives led by Minni Minawi and Gibril Ibrahim respectively, underlined the urgent necessity to end the conflict in Sudan's restive region Darfur.

"The prolonged conflict has brought untold pain and suffering on the people of Darfur and that the urgency of a quick and sustainable solution cannot be overstated," the statement quoted Faki as saying.

Faki, who noted the protracted nature of Darfur's political process, further "called upon all the parties to find a speedy solution to the conflict."

The AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, and the UN-AU Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, Kingsley Mamabolo, also discussed with SLM and JEM representatives.

During the meeting, the two armed liberation factions committed themselves to engage the Sudanese government on substantive issues, according to the AU.

"The JEM and the SLM expressed their readiness to enter into negotiations with the Government of Sudan on substantive issues with the view of reaching an agreement that paves the way for sustainable peace and development," the AU statement reads.

The meeting, among other things, called on the Peace and Security Council of the AU and the leadership of UNAMID to "relentlessly pursue all avenues to ensure that the movements and the government reach an agreement that would usher in lasting peace in Darfur."

SLM and JEM also initialed the proposed pre-negotiation draft document "as a demonstration of their political will and intent," it was indicated. The proposed pre-negotiation draft document is said to form the basis of an agreement.

The UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is a joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur, formally approved by the UN Security Council Resolution 1769 in 2007, with an aim to bring stability to the war-torn Darfur while peace talks on a final settlement continue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 01:38:50|Editor: yan

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PARIS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- After last week's countrywide blockades, tens of thousands of people protested once again on Saturday in France to voice their anger over higher tax on fuel and weakening purchasing power, while the government stood firm on its plan.

Earlier in the day, 8,000 protesters converged in Paris, with 5,000 taking the Champs-Elysees Avenue waving tricolor flags and chanting "Macron, resign."

By 15:00 local time (1400 GMT), 81,000 demonstrators participated in the second round of social action across French cities, compared with 244,000 reported for the same period last week.

Violence erupted in Paris after the crowd tried to move to the Place de la Concorde, which is close to the National Assembly and the Elysee Palace, defying a police ban on protests in the capital's main avenue.

A group of protesters removed the cobblestones from the streets and took down construction barriers to form barricades, some of which were torched. They also threw projectiles at anti-riot police who responded with tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd.

A total of 35 individuals were arrested, 22 of whom were placed into police custody following the standoff, said Paris prefecture, adding that hundreds of far-right extremists had infiltrated the demonstration.

As tension remained flared in the capital's protest, violent clashes between police and protesters left eight wounded, including two gendarmes.

"The ultra-right is mobilized and is building barricades on the Champs-Elysees. They are progressively being neutralized and pushed back by police," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said earlier in the day, pointing the finger at far-right leader Marine Le Pen for fuelling tension.

With no leader, the "Yellow Vests" movement, which got its name from the high visibility vests drivers keep in their cars, was created on social media, after several groups called for blockades and go-slow operations across the country to oppose higher fuel tax and diesel price, the most commonly used car fuel in France.

For more than a week, protesters have blocked highways in many regions, obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centers and some factories.

Last Saturday, the movement drew 288,000 participants countrywide.

Despite the protests that may cost him his place at the Elysee Palace, President Emmanuel Macron, already on the hot seat due to contested reforms, said he would not back down on the fuel tax plans.

During a visit to Belgium earlier this week, Macron said "things do not happen spontaneously...(The energy transition) involves changing habits, and it's never easy."

"The government is currently facing protests. It's with dialogue that we can get out of that... with the ability to find both the right pace and the solutions on the ground," he responded.

Last week, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced a 500-million-euro (567 million U.S. dollars) plan to help motorists with the lowest incomes to shift to more environmentally friendly transport.

In a further effort to appease public anger, the head of state will lay out on Tuesday the country's ecological roadmap with which he hoped to implement a "fair" energy transition.

"We must constantly ... find new measures, new devices that allow to help the French," said Minister of Ecology Francois de Rugy.

As the government's financial aid falls short and treads water on people's disenchantment, "Yellow Vests" supporters have already been coordinating on social media to stage more nationwide blockades next month that may paralyze the eurozone's second power and the world's top tourism destination during Christmas festivities.

An Odoxa poll conducted on Nov. 21-22 and released on Friday showed that 77 percent of 1,004 respondents approved the movement. Two out of three French people called for prolonged social action to force Macron to reconsider the tax increase and take further move to improve household purchasing power, the pollster added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 01:38:50|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack on the southeastern Libyan town of Tazirbu that took place on Friday, which killed and injured several people.

"The UNSMIL condemns the deadly terrorist attack on Tezirbu, an oasis southeast of Libya," the mission said in a statement.

"UNSMIL reminds the parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians and calls upon them to immediately cease targeting civilians and civilian objects in compliance with International Humanitarian Law," the statement said.

The mission also called on Libyan parties to join efforts against terrorism that threatens the country's stability and security.

The Libyan government later on Friday called for unity against terrorism, confirming it would spare no efforts to eliminate terrorism.

A military source told Xinhua that dozens of gunmen in armed vehicles carried out separate attacks on Friday evening against the police station and a number of government buildings in Tazirbu, killing eight people and injuring more than 15 others.

The source also confirmed that the terrorists took dozens of hostages when they withdrew from the area.

The source said that the attackers were likely Islamic State extremists, who carried out a similar attack last month in the central district of Jufra, some 650 km southeast of the capital Tripoli.

Tazirbu is a small oasis town in southeastern Libya. It is one of the most important groundwater sources for western and central Libyan cities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 01:48:53|Editor: yan

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TIRANA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Seven female workers from a tailoring facility in Durres, western Albania were hospitalized due to poisoning from the helium gas released by some air conditioners, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, the seven workers remained intoxicated due to the gas released in their workplace during the movement of some air conditioners.

Meanwhile, Genti Kavaja, vice director of Durres hospital, said two of the seven patients were sent to Tirana hospital for more specialized treatment, whereas the other five continue to stay in the Durres hospital in a stabilized condition.

"I was ironing, when I fainted," said one of the patients sent to the hospital after showing signs of intoxication.

According to the police, the owner of the tailoring manufacture, Italian citizen G.S., has been summoned to the police station to make his statement on the circumstances of the event.
An archeologist points at a mural inside a tomb unearthed by an Egyptian archeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor, Egypt, on Nov. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

LUXOR, Egypt, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced on Saturday the discovery of an ancient tomb in Luxor province in Upper Egypt.

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany said that the tomb was unearthed by an Egyptian archaeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor.

People look at artifacts unearthed by an Egyptian archeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor, Egypt, on Nov. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

According to al-Anany, the discovery has seen the light after five months of excavation work carried out by the Egyptian mission led by Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

"After removing about 300 cubic meters of rubble, the mission succeeded in discovering the tomb of Thaw-Irkhet-If, who was an official of the mummification shrine in Mut Temple," Waziri told Xinhua.

The walls of the tomb are decorated with colored scenes depicting the owner with members of his family, Waziri said.

An archeologist works inside the tomb unearthed by an Egyptian archaeological mission working at al-Asassif area on the West Bank of Luxor, Egypt, Nov. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)



Inside the tomb, excavators found two coffins with two mummies in good conditions.

Two wooden statues, a collection of 1,000 Ushabti statues carved in wood, faience and clay as well as five colored masks were found in the tomb.

In the same area, al-Anany witnessed the opening of a colorful sarcophagus of a mummified woman made of wood.

The sarcophagus was discovered by an archaeological mission affiliated to the French University of Strasbourg.

A mummy of a woman wrapped in linen was found inside the sarcophagus in a good conservation condition. The mission is set to conduct archaeological and scientific studies to uncover the historical era of the mummy.

Egypt, one of the most ancient civilizations, has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage and discover the secrets of its ancient antiquities in a bid to revive the country's ailing tourism sector.

Tourism sector has suffered an acute recession over the past few years because of political turmoil and relevant security issues.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 03:54:09|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ten people have been confirmed dead and more than 40 others rescued in a Saturday boat accident on Lake Victoria in the central Ugandan district of Mukono, police said.

Police said in a tweet the marine force was continuing with the rescue mission.

Luke Owoyesigire, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that the accident had occurred but could not give more details.

"The marine is handling and a report will come out. I won't speculate this night," he said.

Boat accidents on Ugandan lakes are common due to overloading.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 04:14:12|Editor: mym

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Visitors look at a 40-meter-long illumination of Chinese Dragon in the Chinese lantern festival in Pakruojis Manor, northern Lithuania, Nov. 24, 2018. An oriental lantern festival kicked off at northern Lithuania's Pakruojis Manor on Saturday night, showcasing more than 20 thematic installations of lights made by Chinese craftsmen from Zigong city of southwest China's Sichuan Province. The festival will run until Jan. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Guo Mingfang)

VILNIUS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- An oriental lantern festival kicked off at northern Lithuania's Pakruojis Manor on Saturday night, showcasing more than 20 thematic installations of lights made by Chinese craftsmen.

The festival, titled "The Great Lanterns of China", is the first of its kind in the Baltic region. It is co-organized by Pakruojis Manor and Zigong Haitian Culture Co. Ltd, a lantern company from Zigong, a city in southwest China's Sichuan province that is hailed as the "birthplace of Chinese lanterns".

With four themes -- China Square, Fair Tale Square, Christmas Square and Park of Animals, the festival highlights the exhibition of a 40-meter-long dragon, made of 2 tons of steel, some 1,000 meters of satin, and over 500 LED lights.

All the creations displayed at the festival are designed, made, assembled and operated by Zigong Haitian Culture. It took 38 craftsmen 25 days to make the creations in China, and 8 craftsmen then had them assembled here at the manor in 23 days, according to the Chinese company.

Giedriud Klim, owner of Pakruojis Manor, told Xinhua that he came across the Chinese lantern festival on the internet, and was so fascinated by the beauty of lights and the lively atmosphere when people visited it with their families that he decided to introduce them here in Lithuania.

"The winter nights in Lithuania are really dark and long so everyone is seeking for light and festive activities they could participate with family and friends, so we are sure that people will be amazed by the lanterns and some tastes of Chinese culture coming close to them during the festival," he said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ma Taotao, an official with the Chinese Embassy in Lithuania, said Lithuania is the first stop of the China Colored Lantern Festival in Eastern Europe, which not only shows the close cultural exchanges between the two countries, but also the welcoming of and respect for the traditional Chinese culture from the Lithuanian people.

The festival will run until Jan. 6, 2019.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 05:34:25|Editor: yan

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RABAT, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan police said Saturday that they have busted a new network of illegal migration.

During a police raid in the northern city of Tangier, two people linked to the network were arrested, the police said in a statement.

Eight people suspected of illegal migration, including six minors, were also arrested, the statement added.

The police also seized a car and equipments used in illegal migration, it noted.

The authorities launched an investigation into details of the case to reveal the links of the criminal network both inside and outside Morocco.

Morocco has seen a significant hike in illegal migration attempts this year.

According to the Moroccan Interior Ministry, authorities have foiled some 68,000 illegal immigration attempts between January and September.

During the same period, Morocco also dismantled 122 illegal migration networks, up from some 70 networks in 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 05:39:25|Editor: Chengcheng

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ANKARA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkey is uneasy about U.S.' plans to set up observation posts in northern Syria, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.

Akar said he told the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Joseph Dunford, during an international conference in Canada that the plans would have a very negative impact on bilateral relations.

"The U.S. move will make the complicated situation in the region even more complicated," he was quoted by state-run Anadolu News Agency as saying.

Akar underlined that Turkish Armed Forces are taking all necessary measures to protect the country from all kind of threats, including from across its borders.

He called on U.S. allies to cut their ties with the People's Protection Units (YPG) "as soon as possible."

Relations between Turkey and the United States have been strained because of the support provided by Washington to the YPG, which is regarded by Ankara as Syrian affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 05:44:28|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least six people died in a wave of floods of torrential rain that fell Saturday on Iraq's eastern province of Wasit, the Iraqi government said.

"The hospitals of Wasit province received six bodies of people died of floods during the day," Sayf al-Badr, spokesman of the Iraqi Health Ministry said in a brief statement.

The office of Wasit provincial governor, Mohammed al-Maiyahi, said in a separate statement that the service offices of the provincial government are at highest alert, and declared holiday on Sunday for the unstable weather.

Maiyahi office said that there is high coordination with the Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, directly who confirmed his full support to Wasit province.

On Friday, Mahdi chaired an emergency meeting for the crisis management cell to discuss the effects of the floods that hit Shirqat area and some other areas in the provinces of Salahudin and Nineveh in northern the country as well as areas in some southern provinces.

On Friday, the floods killed up to 11 people, including women and children in villages in Shirqat area, some 280 km north of Iraqi capital Baghdad, in addition to sweeping some 3000 homes, according to recent official report.

The floods came after torrential rain in many areas in northern, eastern and southern Iraq which sometimes caused a torrent of water that gushed some towns and villages.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-25 06:34:38|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's incoming government has agreed to support the U.S. government's plan to remake U.S. asylum policy, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Citing Mexican officials and senior members of president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's transition team, the newspaper said that the U.S. administration had won the support of Mexico's incoming government for a plan to remake U.S. border policy by requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims move through U.S. courts.

"For now, we have agreed to this policy of Remain in Mexico," said Olga Sanchez Cordero, Mexico's incoming interior minister, who will take office on Dec. 1.

The agreement would break with long-standing asylum rules and create a new barrier to Central American migrants attempting to reach the United States and escape poverty and violence, according to the report.

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed a threat on last Thursday to shut down the entire U.S. border with Mexico as part of his administration's efforts to deter the entry of Central American migrants.

"If we find that it gets to a level where we are going to lose control or where people are going to start getting hurt, we will close entry into the country for a period of time until we can get it under control," Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida.

A group of migrants, many of whom say they are fleeing persecution, poverty and violence in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, are making their way through Central America toward the U.S. border for weeks. Many of them want to claim asylum.

Thousands of U.S. troops have been deployed along the country's southern border with Mexico to help strengthen border security.
Hotii au furat cablurile de cupru din statiunea Straja

In statiunea Straja nu vin doar turistii, ci si hotii. Camera de supraveghere a celui mai inalt telescaun din statiunea Straja i-a surprins pe acestia in momentul in care furau cablurile de cupru aflate la o altitudine de 1.800 de metri. Hotii au reusit sa ia firele unei aparaturi nefunctionale [citeste mai departe]
ARTESIA, N.M.  Erin Herrgott, a 20-year-old from small-town Michigan, was working at the county probation office and dreaming of becoming a federal law enforcement officer when she stumbled across a job listing for the U.S. Border Patrol.

She worried she was unqualified: Herrgott didn't speak Spanish. She had never been to the Southwest. And she wasn't "jacked" the way she expected border agents need to be to face off with drug smugglers in inhospitable desert terrain.

A few days after she submitted her application, an email arrived notifying her that she was to begin the vetting process. Now she is one of the newest recruits at the U.S. Border Patrol Academy, where a six-month training program funnels new cadets directly onto the front lines of one of America's fiercest political battles.

President Donald Trump has made a crackdown on illegal immigration a policy priority, pressing Congress to fund a border wall, 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents and 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. He deployed thousands of troops to the southern U.S. border to stop a caravan of Central American migrants, some of whom began arriving in the Mexican border city of Tijuana this month. Border agents needed backup, Trump said.

Hundreds of miles away, here in the desert flatlands of New Mexico, the men and women who stand next in line to become the nation's border enforcers are training to take on the mission.

The Border Patrol has long struggled with recruitment, currently lagging 2,000 agents short of its quota  not including the 5,000 agents that Trump wants to add. The agency loosened admission requirements after 9/11 to try to expand the force, decisions that critics now blame for a rash of corruption cases and allegations of misconduct.

Most of the 46 cadets in Herrgott's class, which arrived at the academy in late August, are in their 20s, with no prior law enforcement experience or college degrees. Many previously worked in non-professional jobs, as cashiers and security guards, manual laborers and sales people. Roughly half are Hispanic.

And many, like Herrgott, stumbled across a career in the Border Patrol by accident.

Trevor Osman, a 23-year-old who most recently worked as an aircraft fueler, found the agency while looking for a job with police departments near his home in Littleton, Colorado.

"Most or all of the departments require at least a two-year degree, and that's something I don't have yet," Osman said. "I saw Border Patrol, and I saw that they didn't require a degree. So I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and just see where it went. . . . And here I am."

For many of the recruits, the Border Patrol simply offers a steady job with good benefits, an opportunity to provide for one's family while performing a public service. Among Hergott's 45 classmates are those hoping to pay off student loans, experience adventure and find purpose in life.

They'll learn how to be border agents under an extended curriculum  lengthened from three months to six  that the academy introduced last year to strengthen training.

Over the past decade, agents have faced allegations of ties to drug cartels, cross-border shootings, abuse of immigrant detainees and illicit drug use.

The new curriculum seeks to produce better agents who are well-versed in the law, less likely to accept bribes from a drug cartel, and less likely to kill or be killed. And as the debate over the Border Patrol's role has intensified, the academy wants to produce agents who can maintain their composure in the face of adversity.

"If someone challenges them and puts that camera in their face and says, 'You're a scumbag. I can't believe you would do this. I can't believe you would do those kind of things,' we're going to have them react as a top-notch professional," academy chief Dan Harris said.

During its nearly 95-year existence, the Border Patrol has operated on the literal periphery of the country's more celebrated and visible law enforcement agencies. It is outranked in the popular imagination by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and it is off the radar for many Americans who live far from the border.

The starting salary for a Border Patrol agent with no prior military or law enforcement experience is $41,187  comparable, Harris says, with the other federal agencies with which Border Patrol competes for recruits.

But the requirements are less stringent  a successful applicant needs neither a college degree nor relevant work experience  and the job usually requires agents to live on the hot, desert border, where schools and services are often lacking.

Charged with preventing drugs and people from illegally entering the United States, Border Patrol agents are stationed between the country's ports of entry, often in remote stretches of mountains, deserts and forests, and in areas that can be reached only on foot or horseback.

To recruit, the Border Patrol goes to military bases, college campuses and career fairs. Recruiters also speak at special events.

"You'd be surprised how many applicants we get from the PBR," the Professional Bull Riders rodeos, Harris said. Such events are attractive to people who grew up on ranches and have a strong sense of "obligation to serve their country," he said.

Not all make it in. The most common disqualifier for applicants to the Border Patrol Academy is drug use or lying about drug use on the mandatory polygraph test. And attrition is common. About one in four leave before graduation day. Some drop out because of injuries or other personal issues. Others fail  the immigration law class tends to be the hardest.

Then there are those who finish the program and embark on their mission but leave the agency after a few years for more desirable jobs with other federal agencies.

"This will be the first year our hiring will outpace our attrition," Harris said.
A Philadelphia Common Pleas Court jury on Wednesday delivered a $4.5 million verdict against the Defender Association of Philadelphia, a foster-care agency, and two foster parents in Lancaster County for abuse suffered by a twin brother and sister from Philadelphia.

The siblings, now 8 years old, were placed with the foster parents because their mother could not care for them, according to the children's lawyers, Nadeem Bezar and Emily Marks of the Philadelphia law firm Kline & Specter.

For more than three years, they suffered abuse in their foster home until they were removed in 2015 by a foster-agency worker, Bezar said. The children were taken into a basement, made to lay face down on a freezer, and beaten with hands or objects. In 2014, a Defender Association lawyer learned at a hearing about the girl's being forced to lower her underpants but did not pursue the matter, Bezar said.

In 2016, Wayne Keeny, the foster father, was charged in Lancaster County with unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of a minor, and aggravated indecent assault of a child, court records show. Rosella Keeny, the foster mother, was charged with endangering the welfare of children.

The cases were withdrawn a few months later, according to court records.

The jury on Wednesday decided that the Defender Association, which had an advocate role for the children, was liable for 55 percent of the verdict. Bethanna, which describes itself as a Christian organization that provides foster-care services, was liable for 20 percent. Bethanna reached a settlement before the nearly two-week trial. Wayne Keeny was liable for 20 percent and Rosella Keeny was liable for 5 percent.

The children now live with their biological father, the lawyers said.

Keir Bradford-Grey, chief of the Defender Association, said she would issue a statement on the case later. A lawyer for the Keenys could not be reached for comment Friday.
Joel Anderson (left) , CEO of Philadelphia-based Five Below talks to employees in the display window as he gets ready October 25, 2017 to open their newest store in the historic Litz Building on East Market Street. Read more

For the retail industry, customer emails are currency.

Get that address, and a company can personalize customers' future experiences, targeting them for discounts and promotions that could make them more likely to become repeat customers.

The responsibility to capture those emails often falls to the sales associates working the floor. In fact, collecting emails and signing customers up for loyalty programs is a big part of those jobs now, said Jill Dvorak, senior director of digital retail for the National Retail Foundation.

But workers at Five Below, the Philly-based national discount chain that's made headlines for thriving in the age of Amazon, say there are consequences when they don't. They're told email collection affects how many hours they get each week.

Tiffany Rogers, a recent Parkway Center City Middle College graduate who worked at the Five Below on Columbus Boulevard for five months, said she was told she had to get emails from 25 percent of the customers she rang up.

>> READ MORE: The nationwide workers' fight against unpredictable hours has hit Philadelphia

In February, after watching her hours dwindle from more than 20 a week during the holiday season to 10 to 14 after New Year's, she got scheduled for just four hours two weeks in a row. When she asked her manager about it, he told her it was because she wasn't getting enough emails.

"You have to get the emails," Rogers said her manager told her.

It wasn't easy. These were people who were buying a slime kit or a bag of sour gummy worms for a few bucks and they'd usually get defensive. What do you need my email for? they'd ask. She didn't actually know. It was never explained to her.

Sometimes, out of desperation, her coworkers would make up emails just to satisfy their bosses, but she was afraid she'd get in trouble if she was discovered.

Five Below workers across the country who posted on job review sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed had similar accounts, some saying their ability to get a raise was also tied to their ability to get emails.

"You have to get at least 20 percent in e-mails every week and sometimes [it] can be difficult because a lot of customers want to get in and get out or consider Five Below e-mails spam," wrote one former employee in Columbus, Ohio, who otherwise rated the job with five stars last December. "Sometimes one of our shifts would get taken if we didn't hit 20 percent."

>> READ MORE: 'Slime, squishy' sales boost Five Below profits, and stock jumps 23%

A former manager in Hopkinsville, Ky., wrote in April: "You have to obtain e-mails from customers and if you don't they hound you to the point of quitting."

Five Below marketing manager Dana Zuppo said there is no email quota for cashiers, nor are there incentives for workers to collect emails.

"The email ask at the register," she said, "is simply to benefit the customer, allowing them to stay in tune with the brand."

In a recent earnings call, the same day Five Below's stock rose to nearly $100 a share, the highest it has been since it went public in 2012, CEO Joel Anderson said a new point-of-sale system would begin to hit its more than 650 stores later this year. It's one that "provides the functionality and flexibility" for such features as a loyalty program. (Some in the industry recommend using email receipts or digital payments in order to more easily sign customers up for promotions at the point-of-sale.)

Dvorak of the National Retail Foundation said she hadn't heard of retailers using email quotas, but, "if they are out there, hopefully they're emphasizing quality and interest."

>> READ MORE: What the CEO-worker pay ratio tells us about Philly's publicly traded firms

She pointed out that email collection is about quality over quantity  they're only valuable if they result in customers making follow-up purchases.

She advises giving customers incentives: Offer a newsletter that will include exclusive promotions for a specific zip code or a discount for signing up. And, she said, it's also important to train your workers to know when and how to ask, so it's done in a respectful way that will make customers more likely to give their emails.

When it comes down to it, retail workers often complain about unrealistic job demands because they fear they'll be fired, said Chelsea Connor of the New York-based Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store International Union. This lack of worker protections is one reason organizations such as OnePA are advocating for a "fair workweek" law that will regulate how retail companies schedule their employees.

"You're effectively measuring someone's success on someone's willingness to give over their personal data," Connor said. "That doesn't make sense."
Police have reported no arrests in the shooting of two security guards outside V.I.P. Afterhours Club in North Philadelphia Saturday morning. Read more

Two security guards were shot early Saturday morning outside the V.I.P Afterhours Night Club in North Philadelphia, police said.

The shootings occurred around 5 a.m. after the guards, both males, had broken up a fight inside the club on the 3500 block of I Street and had walked four participants to their vehicles, police said. According to the Associated Press, one of the four pulled out a gun and fired at the guards from inside a vehicle.

One of the guards, who is 28, was shot in the left arm; the other, 27, was shot in the left leg. Police said both were taken to Temple University Hospital by private vehicle, where they were reported in stable condition. Their names were not released.

The 27-year-old guard fired his weapon 12 times, said police, who were not sure if anyone was hit. No arrests have been reported. The club is open from 2 to 6 a.m., according to its Facebook page.
FILE- In this Nov. 23, 2017, file photo shoppers enter a Best Buy looking for early Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving Day in Bowling Green, Ky. A solid 70 percent of Americans plan to shop on Black Friday this year, according to a recent NerdWallet study conducted by The Harris Poll. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP, File) Read more

Well-rested and full of turkey, millions of Americans are expected Friday morning to storm retail stores all across the nation to make the most of Black Friday deals. But not everyone is happy  many retail workers can't spend time with their family over the holiday because the demand for labor is so great. They find themselves working long hours in a stressful environment, only to see their weekly work hours  and salaries  drop once the holiday season is over.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016, there were almost five million retail jobs in America, with about 1 in 3 of those jobs being part-time. In the Philadelphia metro area, the number of people who worked in sales and related occupations, such as cashiers and supervisors, in 2017 was 72,490  about 8 percent of all workers. While these jobs are not at risk of disappearing, the growth of retail jobs is dramatically lower than other occupations due, in part, to the rise in online shopping.

While many large retailers have raised hourly pay beyond the minimum wage, workers in large retail stores often struggle to rack up the hours needed for a livable salary throughout the year. After months of begging for more hours, November comes, and employees find themselves working more than a full-time job  and on Thanksgiving, whether they like it or not. A CareerBuilder survey from 2015 found that in Philadelphia, 18 percent of workers spent their holiday with their coworkers.

This grievance sparked a movement asking people to boycott Thanksgiving shopping. But the good intentions and care for workers behind the call is not necessarily for the benefit of workers. Some bank on the holiday season for extra cash, especially when overtime pays time-and-a-half.

The real question is, then, how do we ensure that retail workers have both wage stability throughout the year and the ability to choose whether they work on holidays or not  just like consumers choose whether, and where, they want to go shop?

A first step is to ensure that workers have stable schedules. Even if workers finds themselves working extra in the holiday season, being able to plan around that in advance  and to plan on the money coming in  makes a big difference. Councilwoman Helen Gym's fair workweek bill provides hourly workers with that stability. Expected to be voted on Dec. 6, the bill also provides them with wage insurance in case their shifts are canceled.

Another less-discussed element of the bill is the good-faith estimate of work scheduled. Upon employment, the employee and employer will discuss what they can expect a workweek to look like. That is another step toward ensuring that retail workers have a stable and livable salary throughout the year and not only during November and December.

For this year, before any change can take place, shoppers themselves can make a difference  by being patient and kind to the workers they encounter, who might have just spent yet another holiday working in the store.
Climate change will cost the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, hitting everything from health to infrastructure, according to a government report issued on Friday that the White House called inaccurate.

The congressionally mandated report, written with the help of more than a dozen U.S. government agencies and departments, outlined the projected impact of global warming on every corner of American society in a dire warning that is at odds with the Trump administration`s pro-fossil-fuels agenda.

"With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century - more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many U.S. states," the report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II, said.

Global warming would disproportionately hurt the poor, broadly undermine human health, damage infrastructure, limit the availability of water, alter coastlines, and boost costs in industries from farming, to fisheries and energy production, the report said.

But it added that projections of further damage could change if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply curbed, even though many of the impacts of climate change - including more frequent and more powerful storms, droughts and flooding - are already under way. "Future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today," it said.

The report supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming and warned of catastrophic effects to the planet.

The studies clash with policy under President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximize production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world, above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said the new report was "largely based on the most extreme scenario, which contradicts long-established trends by assuming that...there would be limited technology and innovation, and a rapidly expanding population."

The government`s next update of the National Climate Assessment, she said, "gives us the opportunity to provide for a more transparent and data-driven process that includes fuller information on the range of potential scenarios and outcomes."

Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the U.S. economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit. Trump and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, arguing that the causes and impacts are not yet settled.

Environmental groups said the report reinforced their calls for the United States to take action on climate change.

"While President Trump continues to ignore the threat of climate change, his own administration is sounding the alarm," said Abigail Dillen, president of environmental group Earthjustice. "This report underscores what we are already seeing firsthand: climate change is real, it`s happening here, and it`s happening now."

Previous research, including from U.S. government scientists, has also concluded that climate change could have severe economic consequences, including damage to infrastructure, water supplies and agriculture.

Severe weather and other impacts also increase the risk of disease transmission, decrease air quality, and can increase mental health problems, among other effects.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report.
Ayodhya turned into a fortress as several workers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Shiv Sena reached the city on Saturday. The right-wing groups are demanding the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

While the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has declared that it will organise a Hunkar rally in Ayodhya on Sunday, while Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray is reaching the town on Saturday and will attend different events during his visit. The Shiv Sena has asked the BJP to come out with an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Police sources said there would be over two lakh people converging on Ayodhya on what is now being called the `Super Sunday`.

The local administration has imposed CrPC section 144 in Ayodhya, restricting assembly of people.

Here are the highlights from Ayodhya:

* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his son Aditya Thackeray offers prayer at Sarayu River in Ayodhya. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city on Sunday over the matter.

#WATCH: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his son Aditya Thackeray offers prayer at Sarayu River in Ayodhya. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/oJdSnVVwck  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018

* Announce date of Ram temple construction: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya.

* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Ayodhya.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. Shiv Sena will hold an event in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/C8G28fbgNH  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018

* "People have lost patience. Bring a law for Ram Mandir or else people will start building it on their own. If people do that, communal harmony could be disturbed. I believe there is no opposition to Ram in country, all Hindus, Muslims and Christians are his descendants," says Yoga Guru Ramdev.

* Uddhav Thackeray leaves for the airport.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves from his residence. He will reach Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/tPFewtVLVN  ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

* Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will reach Ayodhya in a chartered plane at 2 pm and head straight for Shri Vidhwant Sant Pujan. According to sources, Thackeray will hand over a silver brick to Saints for the construction of Ram Temple. He will attend Maha aarti ( Sarayu Aarati') around 6.00 pm on the bank of Saryu river in Ayodhya along with his son Aditya Thackeray. Shiv Sainiks in Mumbai will perform Aarti in different temples simultaneously.

* In Mumbai, Thackeray's wife Rashmi Thackeray will perform Aarti at Siddhivinayak temple. Nearly 5000 Shiv Sainiks will perform aarti at Hanuman Temple at Shivaji Chowk in Mumbai's Vile Parle East. A bike rally will be held by party members, followed by another Aarti at Khapreshwar temple at Parel in Mumbai. Aratis will also be conducted at Wadala's Ram Temple,

*Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/cD0PPn0GHI

 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018

* Nearly 25,000 Shiv Sena workers have reached Ayodhya Junction Railway station on Saturday morning.

* Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to take note of the situation in Ayodhya and call the Army, if needed, to keep it under control. Talking to reporters, Yadav said: "The BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution. The BJP can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court should take notice of it and bring Army, if necessary."

* Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said his party is pushing for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya because it was promised by the BJP ahead of elections.

* Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will reach Ayodhya later in the day. The Sena, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but has had strained ties with ally BJP, has demanded the Centre come out with an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

* 12 Vibhag Pramukhs/Vibhag Sanghataks (office-bearers) of the party have been tasked with organising "maha aartis" (grand prayers) simultaneously at 6 pm Saturday at several temples in Mumbai to coincide with Thackeray's Ayodhya visit. A Sena functionary, requesting anonymity, said the district administration in Ayodhya has denied permission to Thackeray to hold a rally on November 25 in the holy town of Uttar Pradesh.

* Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said there is no scope for an ordinance on building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, while asserting that the temple should be constructed at the birthplace of Lord Ram and efforts are to build consensus on the issue.

* Shiv Sena`s Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut courted controversy after saying when Babri Masjid could be demolished in 17 minutes, why it was taking so long for a law to build a temple there. "We demolished the Babri Masjid in 17 minutes but for paper work why it is taking so much time...for drafting a law or ordinance," he told reporters here in comments seen as provoking BJP with which its oldest saffron ally is not on good terms in the last few months.
Jaipur: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday sent a notice to senior Congress leader CP Joshi over his controversial remarks that 'only Brahmins know and can talk about Hinduism'. Nathdwara Returning Officer sought his reply by 11 pm on Sunday.

The Congress leader, who later apologised for his casteist comment, is contesting in the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections from Nathdwara constituency.

A video of Joshi surfaced on Thursday in which he was heard saying that only pandits and brahmins knew about Hinduism and were learned enough to speak about it.

"Does anyone know what is the caste of Uma Bharti? What is the caste of Sadhvi Ritambhara? In this country, if anyone knows about religion, it is the pandits and the Brahmins," he said.

However, regretting his comment, the Congress leader later tweeted, "Respecting the ideals of the Congress and the sentiments of the party workers, I express remorse for my statement if it caused any hurt to the sentiments of any section of the society."

Joshi was speaking at an event in Setha village of Nathdwara. The state is going to polls in a single phase on December 7 while the counting is scheduled to be held on December 11.
Bhopal: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will on Saturday hold multiple public rallies in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister is scheduled to address the rallies in Sagar, Vidisha, Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain.

On Wednesday, Adityanath said since the Congress did not work in the interest of farmers, it should be disbanded as wished by Mahatma Gandhi.

In a veiled reference to veteran Congressman Digvijay Singh, while addressing a gathering at Narsinghar, the UP CM said a Congress leader's name had cropped up in a Naxal-related case.

The Congress, which is in opposition in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, has not declared its chief ministerial face to take on BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the state.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly is going to polls on November 28 while the results will be declared on December 11.
Bengaluru: The special investigation team (SIT), probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has named Hindu right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

The SIT submitted the 9,235-page charge sheet in the Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday.

The charge sheet stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.

It also said the planning to kill Lankesh took place for almost five years.

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.

The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.

Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.

So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.

The gang is suspected to be involved in the killing of three other rationalists M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
New Delhi: Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav has several blockbuster ventures to his credit. The popular actor's recent release 'Raja Jani' hit the screens on July 13 in Bihar, Jharkhand, Nepal, Mumbai and Gujarat and has been going houseful since the first show.

And now, the 'Dabang Sarkar' actor is all set to transform himself into a coolie (porter) for his next project. Yes, Khesari has been roped in for a film titled 'Coolie No 1'.

Though not much has been revealed about the project yet, it has been reported that the film will have elements of romance and action in it.

Earlier, the Bhojpuri star shared a look of his character from the film 'Coolie No 1' on his Facebook account. In the photo, Khesari is seen dressed up as a porter (Coolie) holding a luggage box on his head. The pic will remind you of Amitabh Bachchan from the iconic cult film 'Coolie' which was released in 1983. Khesari's look also has a resemblance with that of Govinda from 1995 released 'Coolie No 1' which was directed by David Dhawan. Interestingly, in the film, Khesari's character is a huge fan of Govinda and will be seen spreading love and helping needy.

And now, more fresh stills of the actor from the film are out.

(Photo courtesy: Bhojpurixp.com)

'Coolie No 1' is being directed by Lal Babu Pandit and will hit screens in 2019.
New Delhi: Bhojpuri film industry's big-name Khesari Lal Yadav's 'Dabang Sarkar' has created a stir much before its release. The first look poster and teaser of 'Dabang Sarkar', which shows Khesari donning a rugged, ruthless avatar, has become a favourite of Bhojpuri film lovers.

And now, the latest report says that the family entertainer is all set to hit the screens this November 30. 'Dabang Sarkar' was originally slated to hit the screens during Dussehra this year. However, due to some alleged issues between the makers and the censor board, the release date of the film was pushed away.

However, the issue seems to have been resolved and the makers have unanimously zeroed down upon the final release date of the film. Film director Yogesh Raj Mishra confirmed the report to Bhojpurixp.com while appealing the audience to watch the film on November 30 in theatres.

'Dabang Sarkar' is produced by Deepak Kumar and Rahul Vohra and co-produced by Tewari and written by Manoj Panday. The music has been composed by Dhananjay Mishra.

Producer Deepak Kumar said Khesari has been presented in a never-seen-before avatar. His fans will be enticed by his powerful act in 'Dabang Sarkar'. The Bhojpuri superstar has been paired opposite Akansha Awasthi and Deepika Tiwari in the film.

He said, "This film is a big gift for Khesari fans on this Durga Puja." The trailer of 'Dabang Sarkar' received a warm response from the viewers.

The producer also revealed that soon he will plan a film with power star Pawan Singh and Khesari Lal Yadav which will be a big treat for the fans.
On November 26, 2018, ten terrorists brought Mumbai under attack. Associated with terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba, these men opened fire at several places in the financial capital of the country, carried out blasts and took people hostages. At least 164 people were killed in the simultaneous attacks that took place across the city.

Major areas where the attacks took place were Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital and the Nariman House Jewish community centre.

Mohammed Ajmal Kasab was the lone surviving gunman in the attack. He was caught on camera opening fire at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus along with another recruit, Ismail Khan. He was captured at 1:30 am from the CST station and during interrogation, confessed that he was trained in Pakistan. He also admitted to the role of LeT in the attacks. After a trial for nearly four years, he was hanged to death on November 21, 2012.

Here is a timeline of Kasab's trial from 2008 to 2012:

2008

November 26: 10 Pakistani terrorists including Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab attacks Mumbai.

November 27: Police capture Ajmal Kasab alive at 1: 30 am and admits him to Nair hospital.

November 29: Police record his statement. He confesses that he got trained in Pakistan and reveals the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the deadly Mumbai attacks.

November 29: Security forces secure all places under attack. While Kasab was arrested, all the other nine terrorists were killed.

December 27: Police conducts identification parade.

2009

January 13 : ML Tahaliyani appointed Special Sessions Court judge for Mumbai attacks case.

January 16: Arthur Road Jail selected for Kasab's trial.

February 5: Kasabs DNA samples match with articles found in Kuber.

February 20/21: Kasab makes a confession before the magistrate.

February 22: Ujjwal Nikam appointed Special Public Prosecutor.

February 25: Chargesheet running into 11,000 pages was filed against Kasab.

April 15: Anjali Waghmare removed as Kasabs lawyer.

April 17: Trial resumes after Abbas Kazmi appointed defence councel.

April 17: Kasab retracts confession.

April 20: Prosecution charges Kasab on 312 counts.

April 29: Experts say Kasab is major.

May 6: Charges framed, Kasab charged on 86 counts, but denies charges.

May 8: First eyewitness identifies Kasab.

November 30: Abbas Kazmi removed as Kasabs lawyer.

December 1: KP Pawar takes Kazmi's place.

December 16: Prosecution completes its case in 26/11.

2010

March 31: Trial concludes in 26/11 case.

May 3, 2010: Kasab convicted.

May 6: Kasab sentenced to life by trial court.

2011

February 21: Bombay High Court upholds trial courts decision on Kasabs death sentence.

October 10: SC stays execution of the death sentence awarded to Kasab

2012

February 23: SC hears intercepted conversations between the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and their Pakistani handlers, watches the CCTV footage of the carnage.

August 29: Supreme Court upholds decision on Pakistani gunmans capital punishment.

October 16: Union Home Ministry recommends to President to reject Kasabs mercy plea.

November 5: President rejects Kasabs mercy plea

November 8: Maharashtra government informed about Presidents decision.

November 21: Ajmal Kasab hanged at Yerawada jail in Pune at 7:30 am.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday responded to the government decision of opening up of Kartarpur border and said that any beginning is a good beginning.

He said that there are many hurdles and nothing should be underestimated.

"There are many hurdles and one should not underestimate those hurdles. But any beginning is a good beginning, I hope it is successful," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference titled "Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation", organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

Singh, however, did not say what he thought the hurdles were.

On first Sikh guru Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary on Friday, Modi had said, "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall?

Maybe, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries."

In a significant decision, the Union Cabinet had cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the neighbouring country to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor.

The Kartarpur border will be linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

In a landmark decision, the Cabinet on Thursday approved the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Gurdaspur district's Dera Baba Nanak to the International Border (IB) with Pakistan. Hours later, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Islamabad has conveyed to India its decision to open the Kartarpur corridor. The MEA sent a letter to Pakistan, urging it to construct the corridor on its side.

Kartarpur Sahib is located across Ravi river in Pakistan and is about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. The corridor will facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Narowal District of Punjab, Pakistan.

The project with all modern amenities and facilities will be implemented with the central government funding, announced Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji.

The corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to pilgrims to visit the holy shrine throughout the year. "The Pakistan government will be urged to reciprocate and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory," said Rajnath Singh.

Highlighting on the key points for the development on the issue, Singh said that a High-Level Committee chaired by him will regularly review, monitor and oversee the implementation of activities to celebrate the anniversary of Guru Nanak. The sources said India wants the corridor to be kept open for 24 hours on all days.

Taking to Twitter, Singh said, "The States/UTs also being requested to celebrate 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji in a befitting manner. Indian missions overseas to organize special events on the occasion. UNESCO to be requested to publish Shri Guru Nanak Devjis writings in world languages. Ministry of Railways will run a train passing through holy places associated with Shri Guru Nanak Devji."

"Commemorative coin and postage stamps to be released by the Government of India. Religious activities to be organised throughout the country. Doordarshan to telecast programmes on Shri Guru Nanak Devji and Gurubani," Singh said further.

"A centre for inter faith studies to be set up at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Chairs on Shri Guru Nanak Devji to be set up in one University each in UK and Canada. International seminar on the life and teachings of Shri Guru Nanak Devji to be organised in New Delhi. As major attraction for pilgrims and tourists, a heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi, Pind Babe Nanak da to be developed to depict life in the times of Shri Guru Nanak Devji. Sultanpur Lodhi railway station to be upgraded and developed," added the Union Minister.

The sources said Indian High Commission officials were not allowed to meet Indian pilgrims in Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan yesterday and India may raise the issue with Islamabad.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the Indian announcement to commence the construction of the Kartarpur corridor, calling it a "victory of peace".

"It is a step towards the right direction and we hope such steps will encourage voice of reasons and tranquillity on both sides of the border," he tweeted.

India had first proposed the Kartarpur Sahib corridor in 1999 when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took a bus ride to Lahore.

BJP president Amit Shah and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal termed as "historic" the Union Cabinet's decision to develop the Katarpur corridor.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving the historic Kartarpur Sahib corridor. This would greatly help pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. The Modi govt has continuously strived to enrich India's rich religious diversity and this step further reinforces it," Shah tweeted.

Badal said the SAD has been persistently requesting successive central governments for this corridor.
PANAJI: A civil society group demanding the resignation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar owing to his ill-health on Saturday decided to intensify their agitation.

RTI Activist Rajan Ghate has been on an indefinite hunger strike since the last nine days at the Azad Maidan here demanding Parrikar's resignation.

Parrikar, 62, was shifted to his private residence at Dona Paula near here on October 14, after he was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Parrikar has been absent from his office for a long time due to failing health.

The group of civil society members under the banner of "Citizens for Restoration of Governance in Goa" held a public meeting at the protest site.

"We have now decided to protest at the public functions attended by Union ministers and also State Governor Mridula Sinha, who has refused to exercise her power and get CM resigned from the post," said Aires Rodrigues, who is spearheading the movement.

Ealier on Tuesday, hundereds of people, including some Congress leaders, marched to the CM's private residence demanding his resignation, and a "full-time" CM in his place.

The people, who came together under the banner of 'People's March For Restoration of Governance', marched for about 1 km, and gave an "ultimatum" of 48 hours to Parrikar to step down as the CM.

Apart from the Congress, other political parties including NCP and Shiv Sena also extended support to the protest march, which was initiated by social activists and NGOs.

The protesters demanded Parrikar step down as the chief minister as he has been unwell.

They said the governance in the state had suffered as Parrikar was ill and remained hospitalised for more than nine months.

The police stopped the protest march 100 metres from the chief minister's private residence.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Collector Shashank Tripathy said the CM refused to meet the protesters due to his ill-health.

On behalf of the protestors, Aires Rodrigues, social activist and the leader of the protest march, publicly gave an "ultimatum" of 48 hours to the CM to step down.

"We need a full-time CM. For the last nine months, the state administration has collapsed. The CM is not meeting his own ministers and MLAs," Rodrigues said.

He said the people who marched to the CM's residence had also come to check on his health condition.

Rodrigues warned of launching a state-wide agitation in case Parrikar does not step down within 48 hours.

Congress leaders, including the party's Goa unit chief Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, MLAs Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Antonio Fernandes, Francis Silveira took part in the march.

The Goa unit chief of Shiv Sena Jitesh Kamat said, "The people of the state are praying for the speedy recovery of the CM, but that does not mean he should continue to put the state administration on hold."

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had earlier said Parrikar was suffering from pancreatic cancer.
NEW DELHI: Seeking to "significantly enhance" the country's design capabilities in the defence segment, the government will next week launch a new initiative to boost the quantum of intellectual property in the sector, a top official said on Saturday.

Secretary, Defence Production, Ajay Kumar interacting with reporters at his office in South Block here, also said, from April-October, "As many as 204 fresh patents have been applied for various designs by several defence units across the country."

"The extent of intellectual property was low. We want to significantly enhance the country's design capabilities and achieve self-reliance in the defence sector, so as to also reduce the transfer of technology or import of technology, and thus reduce cost," he said.

Therefore, a new initiative has been planned by the Defence Ministry, and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will launch 'Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti' on November 27, the senior official said.

He said the scope of the initiative would initially be for defence PSUs and OFB (Ordnance Factories Board), but later, the plan is to expand it to include other parts of the defence production ecosystem too.

The secretary said that "the count of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) awarded till March 2018, stands at 133. And, from April to October, another 204 have been filed," Kumar said.

According to data shared by him, among the PSUs Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) leads in the number of patents filed, at 63, followed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at 37, BEML at 28 and OFB at 20.

Asked, if the IPR applications are for national or global level, Kumar said, "First the applications will go to the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in the country, and then as per the response, we would apply for global patent as well."

"Under this new initiative, the target is to reach filing of 1,000 IP applications in year 2018-2019, and train 10,000 people from various PSUs and OFB. As many as 5,283 of them have already been trained from April-October," he said.

On November 27, besides the launch event at the DRDO Bhawan, a workshop would also be held on IPR.

Asked about the training procedure, Kumar said, besides, in-house trainers, "we also invite external trainers, and they train the master trainers, who in turn train other trainers".

"The initial immediate need was more on manufacturing, but now with more and more technologies coming up, we are trying to encourage design capabilities as well," he said.

The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), which falls under the Department of Defence Production, is the custodian of design received by India from transfer of technology, he said, adding that now, a separate vertical has been created as part of this initiative and a three-level "IP cells" have also been set up.

"The first level is shop floor or unit level, second is factory level and the third is corporate level, so as to proliferate the idea of new designs," Kumar said.
Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Saturday welcomed the invitation extended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to visit Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week but informed that she will not be able to travel.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj thanked Qureshi for the invite but informed that as she has prior commitments she will send representatives of the government to the ceremony.

She added that the Centre will be sending Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and Minister of State (IC) for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri as representatives.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj in a series of tweets said that India hoped Pakistan will expedite the construction of the corridor in order to ensure that Indians can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor.

"Thank you for your invitation for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the Pakistan side of the International Boundary on 28 November 2018. Due to my prior commitments, including election campaign scheduled in the State of Telangana on that day, I would not be able to travel to Kartarpur Sahib," said Swaraj.

"However, being mindful of the sentiments of our Sikh citizens and the importance of facilitating their smooth and easy access to holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, we will be sending Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister for Food Processing Industries and Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (IC) for Housing & Urban Affairs, as Government of India's representatives for the event planned for 28 November 2018," added the minister.

"It is our hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite the construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the minister further said.

Earlier, Qureshi had extended an invitation to Swaraj to visit the country to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week.

Apart from Swaraj, Qureshi also invited Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony which will take place on November 28.

Taking to Twitter, Qureshi said, "On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpura on Nov 28, 2018."

Official sources said that proper invitation letters were also dispatched to them, according to news agency PTI.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities on the Pakistani side on November 28.

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas.

India's Cabinet cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Amarinder Singh has invited Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the speaker of the Assembly in Pakistan's Punjab province, to attend a similar ceremony on the Indian side on November 26, according to PTI.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday said the "Kartarpur Spirit can be a step forward in the right direction from conflict to cooperation, animosity to peace and enmity to friendship."
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of those who were killed in a bus accident near Mandya.

At least 25 people died after the bus they were in, fell into Vishweshwaraiah Canal (VC) near Mandya. The incident took place around noon near Kanakanamaradi of Pandavapura taluk.

Cancelling all his official engagements, Kumaraswamy visited the site of the accident and expressed shock over the incident. Rescue teams have reached the spot and rescue operation were on in full swing, officials said.

The private bus was carrying passengers, mostly schoolchildren, and was on its way to Mandya from Pandavapura, said the police. The bus completely submerged after falling into the canal, they said, adding bodies of 23 victims were fished out.

Most of the victims are school children, they said, adding that they were returning home after half-a-day at school.

The district authorities roped in a crane to bring out the bus from the canal.

Police had a difficult time controlling the crowd as people living nearby thronged the accident site. Locals said they rescued three people even before the police reached the spot.

"I just came to know that a bus has fallen in a canal and 25 people have died. That is the latest report," said Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, expressing grief over the tragedy.

According to a statement released by the Chief Minister's Office, Kumaraswamy has spoken to district in-charge minister C S Puttaraju and district Deputy Commissioner and directed them to visit the spot immediately and oversee the rescue operation.

"25 people have died. I believe the driver was not driving properly, I will find out, take some more inputs," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while participating in the Gurupurab celebrations on Friday, said that Kartarpur Corridor could be a reason to connect people, adding that the incidents of 1947 should be left behind.

He further said that if the Berlin Wall, which restricted the relationship between the people of East and West Germany could be pulled down, then the Kartarpur Corridor between India and Pakistan can also promote people to people contact.

The Prime Minister who attended Guruparb Kirtan Darbar at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal`s residence in the national capital said, "When I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I ordered to re-construct the sacred place where Guru Nanak`s "padukaon" kept had got damaged due to earthquake in the State. Today, it has become a site of "World Heritage". With the blessing of Guru Nanak Dev ji, Kartarpur Corridor is not only a corridor, it also could be a reason to connect people."The Prime Minister offered `ardaas` (prayers) to Guru Grant Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs and sat to listen to gurbani during his visit.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister greeted the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti and recalled teachings of the Sikh Guru.

In a landmark decision, on the eve of Guru Nanak Gurupurab, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved building and development of Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to India-Pakistan International Border.

Following which the Pakistan government on Friday decided to open the Kartarpur corridor next year on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while briefing the National Assembly today, said that the government decided to open the Kartarpur corridor in 2019, an official statement said.

The development of the corridor will facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi River, in Pakistan, where Shri Guru Nanak Devji spent eighteen years. With this infrastructure development, pilgrims would be able to visit the holy shrine throughout the year.
NEW DELHI: Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will be visiting Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor. Sidhu said he has been invited by Pakistan Prime Minister and his friend and he gladly accepted the invite.

"Baba Nanak is helping the two nations come together. The prayers of crores of people have come true today. This process began three months ago. My friend (Imran Khan) has invited me and I will surely go," he said. He also added that the initiative will lead to improving the ties between the two countries and end bloodshed.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on November 28. Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had earlier confirmed that Sidhu would visit the country. This will be Sidhu's second visit to Pakistan this year.

The issue of Kartarpur Sahib came into focus after Sidhu visited Pakistan in August to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister. During his visit, he was seen hugging Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa leading to a massive controversy. Sidhu had then defended himself saying the Pakistan Army chief had told him that the country may open a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib which led to the hug.

The Centre had on Thursday said it will develop and build the corridor from Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan.

Hailing the Centre, the cricketer-turned-politician on Friday wrote to Union minister Sushma Swaraj and said, "As we move down this road and write a new chapter of faith and love for the region, I pray and hope that this enterprise will yield undeniable and implicit change and thaw in the relations, that it will build bridges, burn animosity and will act as a soothing balm for two neighbouring countries."

He said he was extremely grateful and indebted for the steps initiated as a Sikh devotee and as a man committed to the cause of Punjab and its people.

This has been a long-standing demand of the Sikh community across the globe and a step in this direction has brought a new ray of hope among pilgrims who anxiously await to pay obeisance at the historic Gurdwara Sahib across the border, he said.

"A few months ago, I had met you to express my concern that the Government of India must take up this initiative by formally writing to your Pakistan counterparts as this would be a great service to the community," he said in the letter.

These positive steps by both the nations are a great respite for the followers of guru's timeless teachings and for the people of Punjab, he said. "I wish that the Government of India writes formally to Pakistan on visa and other related issues for easy passage for pilgrims once the corridor is complete," he said.
In a positive move, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to visit the country to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week.

Apart from Swaraj, Qureshi also invited Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony which will take place on November 28, according to news agency PTI.

Taking to Twitter, Qureshi said, "On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpura on Nov 28, 2018."

Official sources said that proper invitation letters were also dispatched to them, according to news agency PTI.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities on the Pakistani side on November 28.

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas.

India's Cabinet cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Amarinder Singh has invited Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the speaker of the Assembly in Pakistan's Punjab province, to attend a similar ceremony on the Indian side on November 26, according to PTI.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday said the "Kartarpur Spirit can be a step forward in the right direction from conflict to cooperation, animosity to peace and enmity to friendship."
The Punjab Police on Saturday arrested the second person accused in the grenade blast at Nirankari Bhavan near Amritsar on November 18.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said that the accused, 32-year-old Avtar Singh Khalsa, has been sent to police remand till December 1 by a court at Ajnala in Amritsar district, as reported by news agency ANI. He said that weapons and ammunition have been recovered from the accused.

The DGP said that Avtar had links with a person called Javed in Pakistan and a Khalistan sympathiser Paramjit Singh Baba in Italy, as reported by news agency IANS.

"Police caught hold of Bikramjit, one of the accused and his examination led to the arrest of Avatar Singh. recovery of the weapon. The preliminary finding reveals that Paramjit Baba who I think is Italy based was instigating Avatar to commit the crime," said Arora.

Three persons were killed and at least twenty others were injured when two motorcycle-borne miscreants hurled a grenade at a religious congregation of over 200 devotees inside a Nirankari Bhawan at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi area on November 18.

The police on Wednesday had arrested Avtar's accomplice in the attack, an alleged operative of the Khalistan Liberation Force Bikramjit Singh near Loharka village in Amritsar. He was later remanded for five days in police custody by a court in Ajnala.

Bikramjit had reportedly stood at the gate of the Nirankari Bhawan, holding the gate attendants at gunpoint. The family of Bikramjit Singh have disputed the police claim of his being involved in terrorist activities. He is a resident of Dhariwal village in Rajasansi police station area.

Bikramjit Singh indicated to the police that the grenade was provided by Harmeet Singh Happy, also known as 'PhD' and suspected to be the Pakistan-based KLF chief.

The attack was described by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh as a "terrorist act". The CM had blamed Pakistan`s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan-based masterminds of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for the terror attack. He also said the grenade used in the blast was Pakistan-made. Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora said the motorcycle was recovered.

CCTV footage of the attack helped arrest Bikramjit Singh, who then identified Khalsa, a resident of village Chak Mishri Khan in Amritsar, as his accomplice. The duo retrieved the HG 84 hand grenade, made at the Pakistan Ordinance Factories, from an orchard near Majitha where it was buried for them, DGP Suresh Arora had said.

They also did a recce of the Nirankari Satsang Bhavan on November 13 morning when no one was present there, he had said.

During his interrogation, Bikramjit Singh revealed that while Avtar Singh Khalsa slipped into the Bhavan complex along with the devotees, he subdued the two 'sewadars' deployed at the gate. After hurling the grenade, the two fled on Bikramjit Singh's motorcycle to Khalsa's village, Arora said.

Happy had earlier come to notice of the police for supplying a hand grenade of the same Arges Type HG-84 specifications to Shabnamdeep Singh, the self-styled chief of Khalistan Gadar Force (KGF), who was arrested by Punjab Police in October, the DGP had said. Such grenades have been used in Jammu and Kashmir in the past, he had said.

Earlier in 2016-17, Happy had masterminded a conspiracy to target RSS and Shiv Sena leaders in Ludhiana and Jalandhar in collaboration with Pakistani establishment and its Inter-Services Intelligence, Amarinder Singh said. He said attempts by the ISI and the Pakistan establishment to forge linkages between Punjabi and Kashmiri terrorist groups is a matter of serious security concern for the state. He added the state police was working closely with central agencies to check the spread of such forces.

His government was committed to ensuring that nobody disturbs the state's hard-earned peace and harmony, the CM said.

Amarinder Singh said since March 2017, the state police have busted 17 terror modules and arrested 81 militants, preventing a large number of terrorist strikes. They have seized 77 weapons and explosives from these terrorists. These include 12 hand grenades, he said.
New Delhi: We have seen how actors go to extra mile to hide their character look from the public eye. While some manage to succeed, there are others who face situations when things go completely out of their hand.

And something similar happened with actor Arjun Kapoor, who was on Friday night spotted with his rumoured ladylove Malaika Arora, filmmaker Karan Johar and uncle and aunt Sunjay and Maheep Kapoor for a cosy dinner.

Arjun, who has been gearing up for Ashutosh Gowarikar's 'Panipat' in which he will be essaying the role of Maratha warrior Peshwa Sadashiv Rao Bhau, was seen struggling to hide his bald look which he has been sporting for the film.

Take a look at some of the photos from the last night in which the actor is seen hiding his face in disguise:

(Photo courtesy: Yogen Shah)

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Arjun recently shot for an episode of Karan Johar's Koffee With Karan where he came as a guest along with his half-sister Janhvi Kapoor. During one of the segments, when Arjun was quizzed about his relationship status by KJo, he surprised everyone by replying, "No, Im not single." His revelation took everyone by surprise along with his sister Janhvi and Karan, who were not expecting him to say that.

On the other hand, when Malaika was asked by a tabloid about her relationship with Arjun Kapoor and the wedding rumours that have been doing the round. However, she refused to divulge anything saying she does not like to talk about her personal life.

The wedding rumours first sparked when Arjun took Malaika by hand on the sets of India's Got Talent 10 where he came as a guest to promote his film 'Namaste England'. The pictures and videos of the lovebirds together on the show left tongues wagging.

Malaika recently turned a year older and the Bollywood's diva-actress was spotted at the Mumbai airport after celebrating her birthday in Italy. Incidentally, actor Arjun Kapoor was also spotted at the airport, giving rise to speculations that the duo was holidaying together.

Speaking of the film, 'Panipat' will be produced by Sunita Gowariker and Rohit Shelatkar and also features Kriti Sanon, Sanjay Dutt, Padmini Kolhapure and Mohnish Bahl. The first teaser poster was released in March this year. The music is being composed by duo Ajay and Atul and the lyrics have been penned by Javed Akhtar. The film is slated to release on December 6, 2019.
Bhubaneswar: The commissionerate police on Saturday said that adequate security measures will be taken for the visit of Shah Rukh Khan to Odisha after the Kalinga Sena threatened to throw ink on his face.

The Kalinga Sena, a fringe outfit in Odisha, has threatened to throw ink on the actor's face for distorting history in his film "Ashoka" that was released 17 years ago.

It also threatened to show him black flags on his arrival during the inauguration of the Men's Hockey World cup scheduled to be held at Kalinga Stadium here on November 27.

"We will take adequate security measures for the visit of Shah Rukh Khan during hockey world cup. However, the schedule of the actor is yet to be reached," said Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Sahu.

Hemant Rath, the chief of the outfit, demanded an apology from Shah Rukh for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Odisha people in "Asoka".

The outfit alleged that the film dishonoured the state's culture and its people by portraying the Kalinga war in a wrong manner.
New Delhi: Bollywood hunk Arjun Kapoor, who graced Karan Johar's talk show with sister Janhvi Kapoor, finally revealed that he is not single anymore.

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, during one of the segment, when Arjun was quizzed about his relationship status by Karan, he surprised everyone by replying, "No, Im not single." His revelation took everyone by surprise along with his sister Janhvi and Karan, who were not expecting him to say that.



Earlier, In an interview to Hindustan Times, Malaika Arora talked about her equation with Arjun. She said, I never answer personal questions. Not that I shy away from answering or whatever. I just dont feel comfortable talking about my personal life. And whatever my life has been, everyone is aware of it. I dont need to be talking about it. I am just enjoying my life - its beautiful and precious.

Malaika recently turned a year older and the Bollywood's diva-actress was spotted at the Mumbai airport after celebrating her birthday in Italy. Incidentally, actor Arjun Kapoor was also spotted at the airport, giving rise to speculations that the duo was holidaying together. Ahead of that, Arjun, who had appeared as a guest on the show, 'India's Got Talent', where Malaika is a judge, left tongues wagging when he walked on to the stage hand-in-hand with Malaika Arora.

After remaining in a denial mode for years, Arjun and Malaika have started making public appearances together. They were also spotted by the paparazzi making a joint entry in Arjun's car at Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla's party.
Playing the right cards and winning the game is everyone's desire. Playing out of line and not respecting the rules, is considered foolishness.

Paying for the deeds in the week gone by, contestants face Salman Khans wrath for their misbehaviour. Multiple fights in the house have created a very gloomy environment. Deepak and Meghas arguments where she ended up spitting and throwing a shoe at him; Jasleen and Somi's argument on being over dramatic had created a divide in the house, dejection was in the air and a bitter feeling took over most contestants.

Salman Khan accused Deepak of his misbehaviour and tonality of the language used by him. Salman told him, that he is being over smart as he knows nobody can touch him in the house and he can get away by doing such things. He even accused him of becoming irritating rather than entertaining. Megha was also questioned for being so rude and showing the world such a negative side of hers. Somi was told that more than Jasleen she interfered in others matter and for overlapping the conversations.

Dipika and Karanvirs friendship was also questioned that why they werent friends anymore. Karanvir defended this by saying that Dipika does not sort out issues but keeps it to herself. Surbhi added that Dipikas only priority in the house is Sreesanth.

Romils captaincy was also discussed by Salman Khan that how he failed as a captain and behaved like the owner of the house. Later. Salman asked everyone that who they thought was the gunhegaar of the week and Megha was nominated for the same. Megha was then sent to the torture chamber.

Will Salman's warning be adhered too? Will his guidance have any effect on the contestants? Who will mark the end of their journey this week?

To find out more, dont forget to watch Appy Fizz presents Bigg Boss 12 powered by Oppo F9 Pro every day at 9 pm only on COLORS
New Delhi: Google on Saturday celebrated the 306th birth anniversary of Charles-Michel de l'Epee, father of the deaf, with an interesting animated Doodle.

Charles was a philanthropic educator and founder of the first public school for the deaf.

He was born on November 24, 1712, and died on December 23, 1789, at the age of 77.
New Delhi: On the eve of the 10th anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the US has again asked Pakistan to act on Lashkar-e-Toiba, the terror group behind the attacks. In a response to WION's questions on Pentagon, spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner said, "We continue to press Pakistan to indiscriminately target all terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network and LET."

When asked on Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, Faulkner said, "No country has more to gain than Pakistan from a peaceful Afghanistan. We continue to call on Pakistan to arrest, expel or bring the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table."

The development comes days after US President Donald Trump slammed Pakistan in an interview to FOX News Channel for not doing enough on terror and providing safe haven to 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden.

In a daring raid from across the border in Afghanistan, US special forces launched an operation on April 2, 2011, at Osama Bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad and killed him. US President has also lashed out at Pakistan on Twitter saying, "We paid Pakistan billions of dollars and they never told us he was living there."

Pentagon also confirmed that it has suspended aid to Pakistan saying that last January "the Coalition Support Funds (CSF) security assistance the US provides to Pakistan was suspended" and this "suspension remains in place totalling approximately $1.66 billion in security assistance dollars to Pakistan that has been frozen to date."

During his interview to Fox earlier this week, Trump said that aid was cut since Pakistan doesn't "do a damn thing" for united states. The relationship between US and Pakistan has been going towards a downward spiral due to Islamabad's inability to rein in terror groups on its territory.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been saying that Washington has been trying to make Islamabad a scapegoat due to its failure in Afghanistan.
The occupiers used 120mm mortars, grenade launchers and anti-tank guided missiles near Troitske

Open source

As of 6 p.m., over November 23, the militants violated the ceasefire regime seven times in the hostilities zone in Donbas. As a result of the combat actions, two Ukrainian servicemen sustained injuries, reports the press office of the Joint Forces Operation on Facebook.

The enemy opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of different systems, heavy machine guns at the positions of the Joint Forces in the areas of settlements Krymske, Pisky, Marinka and Berezove.

The occupiers used 120mm mortars, grenade launchers and anti-tank guided missiles near Troitske. Besides, the use of PTRD anti-tank rifle was recorded in this area, the HQ reported.

As a result of the hostilities, two servicemen from Joint Forces Operation received injuries. The situation in the JFO remains under control.

Are it was reported, over the previous day, November 22, the militants opened fire at the positions of the Armed Forced of Ukraine in Donbas four times. No casualties were observed among the Ukrainian personnel.
From the beginning of November 24, the pro-Russian militants violated the truce in Donbas conflict zone four times. This was reported by the Joint Forces Operation HQ.



In the area of Novoluhanske and Lebedynske, militants fired Ukrainian soldiers using grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns. In addition, near Krymske, the enemy used 82 mm caliber mortars, said in a statement.

"Pursuant to the decision of the commander, Lieutenant-General Serhiy Nayev, the Joint Forces under the cover of the 72nd brigade units and in cooperation with the sappers conducted an inspection and liberated the settlement in the Svetlodarska arc," the report said.



It is noted that the Joint forces prepared the operation for more than a month. Just a month ago, intelligence found the invaders in the village.

Earlier International Committee of the Red Cross directed 380 tons of humanitarian aid to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The press office of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

21 trucks with humanitarian aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Mission Synodal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Family entered the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine through Novotroitske entry-exit checkpoint. More than 380 tons of humanitarian aid were issued in general, including food and hygiene kits, reads the message.



It is noted that the humanitarian convoy proceeded to the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk yesterday, November 23.

"Today the entry-exit checkpoint functions in the normal mode and opened according to the schedule of the autumn period, the SBGS summarized.

As we reported yesterday, On November 22, another Russian humanitarian convoy arrived in Donbas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned this action.
Human rights activists put a temporary sticker that looked as a crack on the Druzhby Narodiv Arch (the Arch of Friendship of Nations, - 112 International) in Kyiv. It appeared to be a sign of support for political prisoners who are illegally detained in Russia and annexed Crimea, reports Hromadske.



According to the organizers, the action aims to draw attention to the fate of Ukrainian citizens, imprisoned by Russia for political reasons, as well as to urge everyone on whom it depends to make as much effort as possible to free the hostages of the Kremlin.
Another hearing on the case of the Ukrainian took place on November 23

Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb doesnt receive mail in the Russian remand center where he is kept now. His father Ihor Gryb claimed this on Facebook.

Pavlo receives no correspondence again. But we still have to mail him. The support is vitally important. The letters should reach him. Support Pavlo!, Gryb, Sr. claimed.

Related: Lawyer to see Sentsov in late November, - Ukrainian ombudswoman

Yesterday, November 23, another hearing took place, where the witness for the prosecution was questioned. The session was held in closed regime.

Earlier, his father Ihor Gryb claimed that Pavlo was psychologically pressured in the penitentiary facility. As is known, Pavlo suffers from portal hypertension, which is why he needs special medicine on the daily basis. The Ukrainian side had repeatedly asked the Russian authorities to allow that. The Russian Federation responded that the Ukranian had no health issues.

Related: Defence of Ukrainian political prisoner Balukh requests his parole

Pavlo Gryb is the son of the former Ukrainian border guard Ihor Gryb. The Russian special service detained the 19-year-old boy on August 25, 2017, when he went to Gomel (Belarus) to meet his friend. Later, he was convoyed to Russia. The Russian law enforcers suspect Pavlo Gryb of preparing a terrorist attack at a school in Sochi (a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast, - 112 International).
Also, Vejonis intends to meet with the leaders of Crimean Tatars within the framework of his visit to Ukraine

President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis will visit Donbas within his official trip to Ukraine. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed this during the joint briefing with the Latvian colleague, later the leader of the Latvian Republic confirmed this himself.

The President of Latvia will visit Donbas near the line of contact, in order to see in real, what is going on, and to see Ukraines efforts towards the reconstruction of infrastructure in released cities from Russian occupation, Poroshenko claimed.

Although, he didnt mention the settlement Raimonds Vejonis is going to visit.

In addition, Vejonis intends to meet with the leaders of Crimean Tatars within the framework of his visit to Ukraine.

We will continue the policy regarding the non-recognition of the illegal annexation of the Crimea and Sevastopol. During my visit, I will meet with the leaders of the Crimean Tatars. We are concerned about the infringement of the rights of the Crimean Tatars and their persecution on the peninsula, the Latvian President said.

At the same time, the President of Latvia recalled that Riga repeatedly called for the release of Ukrainian political prisoners who are being held in Russia, as well as in the illegally annexed Crimea.

As it was reported earlier, President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis is in Ukraine on an official visit. He arrived in Kyiv today, where he had already met with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and held a joint meeting.
Czech Republic, flag Open source

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek stated that the Russian Federation is a threat to the Czech Republic and the European Union, Radio Praha reports.



According to him, Russia is becoming more stubborn and dangerous because of the spread of misinformation and the use of various hybrid threats.



The head of the Czech Foreign Ministry said that the Russian Federation is a real threat to the Czech Republic and the European Union as a whole.



"The Czech Republic should not wait idly on its knees, but rather more effectively resist such threats," said Tomas Petricek.

Earlier the relatives of 55 victims of the MH17 crash filed a lawsuit against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). It is reported by Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS).



The lawyer of the deceased relatives noted that the applicants had accused the Russian authorities of violating their fundamental rights by knocking down Boeing and obstructing an independent investigation. It is noted that Russia did not convey the important information to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). Moreover, it provided the facts, which then proved to be untrue.



It is reported that this is not the first complaint of relatives of the victims of the crash, which was sent to the ECHR. In 2016, a lawsuit in the amount of $ 330 million was filed by 33 applicants from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. In 2017, another 238 people joined the lawsuit.
The President stressed that the crime of Holodomor has no statute of limitations

Responsibility for the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine lies with Russia. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this during events dedicated to the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Holodomor in Kyiv.



'The historical responsibility for the Holodomor lies with the Russian Federation, as it is the successor of the USSR. And this crime has no statute of limitations. Russia again, like 100 years ago, launched the aggression against Ukraine to bring it back to the empire. The Kremlin again hates and fears the free European Ukraine. But I know for sure: they will not be able to turn back the wheel of history. Ukraine confidently goes its own way. We remember,' said Poroshenko.

Earlier, Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna paid tribute to the victims of Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine, the press office of the Presidential Administration reported.

Petro and Maryna Poroshenko laid spikelet compositions to the memorial sign to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv and honored the memory of the victims of the Holodomor, reads the message.



Yet the Presidential Administration claimed that there would be events near memorial sign Candle of Memory of the National Museum 'Memorial to Holodomor victims. Nationwide action Light the candle is to be held at 4 p.m.

Earlier, President Petro Poroshenko called Ukrainians to take part in scheduled events dedicated to the Holodomor Remembrance Day.

Learn more about the Holodomor in Ukraine here.
Open source

Ukraine prepares a draft resolution on the militarization of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea by Russia to consider it at the UN General Assembly in December. Spokesperson of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Kateryna Zelenko claimed that as quoted by Unian news agency.

It is anticipated that this matter wont be considered within the framework of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, Zelenko claimed.

Related: Russia accuses Ukraine of militarizing Azov Sea, refuses same charges against it

The United Nations General Assembly has to consider two resolutions in December 2018: violation of human rights in Crimea and the militarization of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

As it was reported earlier, Ukraine has arrested 15 vessels, which entered the ports of the annexed Crimea. In response to this, member of the Council of the Federation Committee on Defense and Security Frants Klintsevich claimed that Russia could block the Sea of Azov for any Ukrainian ship. Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak said that Ukraine was ready to react to threats both in the Sea of Azov and other areas.

Related: Ukraine-Russia agreement on Sea of Azov not to allow inspecting vessels traveling to Ukraine

It should be noted that the Russian activity in the Sea of Azov increased over the last three months. Russians do not allow the trade vessels heading to and emerging from the Ukrainian ports to freely pass through the Kerch Strait. In this regard, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko commissioned the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff and the Commandment of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to take measures to stop Russian provocations in relation to blocking the entry of vessels into Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine developed a set of measures in response to Russia's actions. The set of measures includes the limit of passenger traffic with Russia.
The corresponding note of protest was sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry

Open source

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine protests due to the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the annexed Crimea. This is stated in the message of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, as posted on the authority's website.



"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses a resolute protest in connection with another visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, on November 23, 2018. The visit was not coordinated with Ukraine," the statement reads.

Earlier the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned another humanitarian convoy of Russia, which arrived to the occupied Donbas on November 22. Kateryna Zelenko, the Spokesperson of the Ministry reported on Twitter.

We firmly condemn another humanitarian convoy of the Russian Federation as a blatant and cynical violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. One more provocation despite the Minsk Agreements, reads the message.
Today, Ukraine pays tribute to victims of one of the biggest national disasters of the 20th century

The U.S. expressed solidarity with Ukraine on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Holodomor, the press office of the U.S. Department of State reported.

This month we join Ukrainians around the world in marking the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, when millions of innocent Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death by the regime of Josef Stalin. The Soviet Unions barbaric seizure of Ukrainian land and crops was undertaken with the deliberate political goal of subjugating the Ukrainian people and nation. This catastrophic man-made famine was one of the most atrocious acts of the twentieth century and a brutal reminder of the crimes of communism, reads the message.

Related: Poroshenkos pay tribute to victims of Holodomor in Ukraine

It is claimed that Ukrainians are once again dying as a result of Russia attempts to destroy the identity and Western aspirations of the people of Ukraine.

Russias ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine has resulted in more than 10,000 deaths. However, Russia will not vanquish the resilient Ukrainian spirit, nor dampen Ukrainians desire for a better future, reads the message.

It is noteworthy that traditionally, on the fourth Saturday of the month, memorial services are held in the country, and the pots with grain and candles will be laid at the memorials.

Related: Ukraine's Parliament honors Holodomor victims with moment of silence

The leaders of the state will attend ceremonial events near the memorial sign Candle of Memory in Kyiv, including the heads of foreign countries, parliaments and international organizations, government officials from different countries, diplomats, representatives of religious denominations, regional delegations, public and cultural figures, witnesses of the great hunger.
The President stressed that the historical responsibility for the Holodomor in Ukraine lies with the Russian Federation as the successor of the USSR, and this crime 'has no statute of limitations'

A dozen of states at the level of parliaments recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as the genocide of the Ukrainian people. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during a speech after a prayer for the memory of the victims of this tragedy, which was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.



"This year, the Senate of the US Congress recognized the Holodomor as genocide. In total, a dozen and a half states at the level of parliaments qualified the famine of 1932-1933 as genocide," he noted.

Earlier the U.S. expressed solidarity with Ukraine on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Holodomor, the press office of the U.S. Department of State reported.

This month we join Ukrainians around the world in marking the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, when millions of innocent Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death by the regime of Josef Stalin. The Soviet Unions barbaric seizure of Ukrainian land and crops was undertaken with the deliberate political goal of subjugating the Ukrainian people and nation. This catastrophic man-made famine was one of the most atrocious acts of the twentieth century and a brutal reminder of the crimes of communism, reads the message.
The relatives of 55 victims of the MH17 crash filed a lawsuit against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). It is reported by Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS).



The lawyer of the deceased relatives noted that the applicants had accused the Russian authorities of violating their fundamental rights by knocking down Boeing and obstructing an independent investigation. It is noted that Russia did not convey important information to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). Moreover, it provided the facts, which then proved to be untrue.



It is reported that this is not the first complaint of relatives of the victims of the crash, which was sent to the ECHR. In 2016, a lawsuit in the amount of $ 330 million was filed by 33 applicants from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. In 2017, another 238 people joined the lawsuit.
Solemn events will be held near the Candle of Memory memorial sign, which is part of the 'Memorial to Holodomor victims National Museum

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna paid tribute to the victims of Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine, the press office of the Presidential Administration reported.

Petro and Maryna Poroshenko laid spikelet compositions to the memorial sign to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv and honored the memory of the victims of the Holodomor, reads the message.

Related: Ukraine's Parliament honors Holodomor victims with moment of silence

Yet the Presidential Administration claimed that there would be events near memorial sign Candle of Memory of the National Museum 'Memorial to Holodomor victims. Nationwide action Light the candle to be held at 4 p.m.

Earlier, President Petro Poroshenko called Ukrainians to take part in scheduled events dedicated to the Holodomor Remembrance Day.

Learn more about the Holodomor in Ukraine here.
Ukraine will provide humanitarian assistance to the Republic of Yemen, the Republic of Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was stated by the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at the solemn ceremony honoring the memory of victims of famines, which was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.



I have supported the initiative to provide humanitarian aid to the Republic of Yemen, the Republic of Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to mark the perpetuation of the Holodomor victims memory.



Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine today supports those who need its help, because it is the only way to atone for the guilt before those who it could not save in the past.

This year, Ukraine marks the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor tragedy of 1932-1933. The name itself means murder through starvation.

The manmade famine in 1930s Ukraine claimed from 7 to 10 million lives. According to the researchers, daily death toll in Ukraine was 25,000 people; 1,000 people died every hour, 17 - every minute. Average life expectancy of Ukrainians in 1933 was 7,3 years - for men, and 10,9 years  for women.
The commanders of Kharkiv and Odesa detached aviation squadrons received certificates for the vehicles

The Ministry of Internal Affairs transferred two modernized Mil Mi-8 helicopters to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, reports the press office of the authority.

The commanders of Kharkiv and Odesa detached aviation squadrons received certificates for the aviation equipment.

Related: State Emergency Service of Ukraine personnels salary planned to be increased, - Avakov

On November 24, Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov provided two upgraded Mil Mi-8 helicopters to Kharkiv and Odesa border patrol unit for the inspection of the border during his visit to the Kharkiv Border Patrol Unit of Eastern Regional Department of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Today, we are giving two certificates for modernized Mil Mi-8 helicopters but this is a temporary option. Very soon, the border service will receive new weaponry and new Airbus helicopters, which to be deployed in Kharkiv squadron. Your professional competence will be even better, Avakov said.

Press office of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs Press office of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs Press office of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs

Mil Mi-8 helicopters designed for the transportation of passengers, freight, assault forces, carrying out special patrol tasks, search-rescue operations and sanitary tasks. They have modern flight and navigation equipment and equipped with special equipment: searchlight, cargo winch, weather radar, satellite communication system, radio navigation system, audio/video recorder and airborne weapons complex.
According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the humanitarian convoy mostly consists of food and hygiene kits

Open source

The International Committee of the Red Cross directed 380 tons of humanitarian aid to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The press office of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

21 trucks with humanitarian aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Mission Synodal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Family entered the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine through Novotroitske entry-exit checkpoint. More than 380 tons of humanitarian aid were issued in general, including food and hygiene kits, reads the message.

Related: UN humanitarian convoy arrives in refugee camp in Syria

It is noted that the humanitarian convoy proceeded to the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk yesterday, November 23.

"Today the entry-exit checkpoint functions in the normal mode and opened according to the schedule of the autumn period, the SBGS summarized.

As we reported yesterday, On November 22, another Russian humanitarian convoy arrived in Donbas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned this action.

Related: Russia sends 82nd 'humanitarian convoy' to Donbas

It is noteworthy that the movement of humanitarian convoys of Russia is implemented with a blatant transgression of norms of international and Ukrainian legislation, as well as the modalities agreed upon with the International Committee of the Red Cross, therefore the Ukrainian interdepartmental group carries out only visual observation without performing control functions. Military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine notes that after each arrival of the humanitarian convoy of the Russian Federation in the area of the hostilities in Donbas, the firing activity of militants increases.

Heather Nauert, Spokesperson of U.S. Department of State claimed that the humanitarian convoys sent by Russia to the territory beyond Ukraines control which did not pass the check are illegal.
It is noted that international approval documents have to be produced soon

Open source

Uzhhorod International Airport, which is on the border with Slovakia, has to start working by the end of 2018. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed this during the joint briefing with President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska.

Mr. President and I raised the issue of the early launch of the international airport "Uzhgorod". We agreed that we would boost the procedure of receiving the international approval documents. Minister of Infrastructure Omelyan informed that they have to be produced in the EU soon. I set a task that the first flight has to take place this year, which to connect Kyiv and Uzhhorod via air service, Poroshenko claimed.

In his turn, Andrej Kiska noted that the issue of opening the Uzhhorod airport receives priority, since the Kiev-Uzhhorod service is very important for Slovakia too.
BEIJING, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe on Friday held talks with visiting Cuban Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Leopoldo Cintra Frias.

Highlighting the special friendship between China and Cuba, Wei recalled the high-level bilateral ties in recent years and the substantial development of military relations between the two countries.

The Chinese side is ready to work with the Cuban side to continue building up military-to-military strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation, to contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as both regional and world peace and development, said Wei. Cintra said Cuba is grateful to China for its selfless assistance over the years and is willing to continue elevating bilateral ties and military relations through enhanced solidarity and cooperation with China.
Lee surprised many by choosing to return in the low-budget "Beautiful Days," director Yun Je-ro's first feature film. She was mesmerized by the story after reading the script and even volunteered to work for free.

Actress Lee Na-young has ended her six-year hiatus from the big screen with the film "Beautiful Days," which was released on Wednesday. Since her last film in 2012, "Howling," she had lived outside the public eye, getting married to fellow actor Won Bin and having a child in 2015.

The overarching theme of the film is the inescapable nature of fate. A teen boy comes to Seoul from China at the request of his very ill father to search for his North Korean mother, played by Lee, who abandoned them to defect to South Korea 14 years earlier. The boy finally finds his mother, who is working as a bar hostess, only to return to China with a broken heart. When he finds his mother's diary, which she has secretly placed in one of his bags, he begins to discover the truth about his family.

The film is nothing more than a story of the suffering and pain the heroine has to go through. She is tricked into marriage by a Chinese broker, later working as a bar hostess and getting involved in drug smuggling. "She manages to survive no matter what the circumstances, and she does what it takes to survive, like a wild animal. She's overcome so many obstacles and hardships that nothing shocks her. She doesn't shed a single tear, even when meeting her son for the first time in 14 years," Lee said.

Lee's character remains mostly calm in the film, except for a few scenes in which her emotions overcome her. "I tried to look countrified and unsophisticated, so I got my team to find appropriate clothing and I only partially dyed my hair," she said. "I watched many documentaries about escaping from North Korea, and learned the North Korean accent from a North Korean actor."

"I think being a mother helped me to become immersed in this role. I was able to feel more empathy with other women in their 30s and 40s. I hope many North Korean defectors and Korean-Chinese people watch this film and take a message of hope from it," Lee said. "The film has a lot of eating scenes. Many North Korean defectors have been separated from their families, and the film tries to show the happiness that is to be found in ordinary things and ordinary moments, such as having a meal. We wanted to show the beauty of the trivial things in our daily lives despite all the misfortunes and sorrows."
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00:04 | Lima, Nov. 24.

The joint amphibious landing will take place in Lima's Costa Verde area.





Approximately 300 U.S. Marines and sailors from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Peru (SPMAGTF-Peru) will form a task force with Peruvian naval personnel (Reinforced Rapid Disaster Response Company - CIR) and participate in humanitarian assistance and disaster-response training exercises.





The operational deployment will take place at Agua Dulce Beach, in Chorrillos district, a strategic point in case of possible earthquakes and tsunamis, where different task lines will organize water purification, pitch medical tents, simulate debris removal and attention to individuals affected by a disaster as well as other activities, within a defined response time.





Helicopters, Zodiac boats, landing craft, and amphibious vehicles will be deployed in conjunction with surface vessels from both navies.





In addition to strengthening the relationship between institutions, this exercise seeks to improve interoperability, preparedness, and response capacity in the event of humanitarian crises or natural disasters.





This exercise, dubbed "Primus," is part of a series of activities of cooperation carried out over the years between friendly nations associated with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training.





An example of this is the recent visit of the U.S. hospital ship USNS Comfort that provided medical attention for five days in the port of Paita





Since 2006, the United States Department of Defense's Southern Command has invested more than US$44 million in 277 projects in Peru through its Humanitarian Assistance Program, focused on prevention and emergency management





These projects include the construction of Regional Emergency Operations Centers (COER) in 15 regions of Peru, including northern Piura Region.





Four large-scale complexes for humanitarian assistance and disaster response are currently under construction.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Russia has set up a special commission to probe the fatal incident at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport when a 25-year-old Armenian citizen was struck and killed by an airplane on the runway. The investigation will last ten days, Russias Federal Air Transport Agency director Alexander Neradko said, according to TASS.

He said that the plane that struck the man was operated by Aeroflot.

Neradko declined to comment on details of the incident until the probe is completed.

According to Interfax, the plane that hit the man landed in Athens with a damaged fuselage.

Athens airport told Interfax that the Boeing 737 landed at 22:50 local time and emergency personnel immediately examined the aircraft.

Biological traces and damages were discovered on the external parts of the fuselage. The aircraft has been temporarily grounded.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans citywide rally kicked off Saturday morning from Yerevans Nor Nork district.

Our todays march is a unique recap of the walking tour that we started together on 31st of March, 2018 from the Vardanants Square in Gyumri, and which was crowned with the non-violent velvet revolution, Pashinyan told the crowd of supporters. In two days this political phase is being concluded, and we can say that we have fulfilled the commitments we assumed before you, Pashinyan said, referring to the official start of the campaigning period that will begin Monday.

Earlier on November 21, when Pashinyan announced he will hold this rally, he said that the march will proceed across the entire city.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has recorded unprecedented progress in economic competition in 2018, according to Artak Shaboyan  president of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition of Armenia.

Shaboyan presented the annual report of his commission during a press conference today.

The World Economic Forum is the only international organization that is calculating and assessing the competitive environment in all countries of the world annually, he said. By assessments of the current year, Armenia has improved its positions by 9 notches in the economic competition sector and currently it is ranked 19th among 140 countries of the world", he said, adding that last year Armenia was ranked 28th.

In the ranking Armenia is ahead of the other EEU countries  Russia is 63rd, Kazakhstan is 84th and Kyrgyzstan is 102nd.

We are also ahead of a number of regional, CIS and Eastern European countries. Georgia is 80th, Lithuania is 87rd, Latvia is 58th, Slovakia is 82nd, Hungary is 99th, Moldova is 119th, Turkey is 86th. We are greatly focusing on those socially significant product markets that have high centralization, i.e. where dominant businesses exist, because they too might abuse their positions, he said.

Shaboyan noted that the access of new businesses carrying out both imports and exports in dozens of areas after the country joined the EEU has also positively impacted the competitive situation. He said that this has brought activeness into the market, by reducing the centralization in several sectors.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Cooperation has floundered on the rock of conflicting perceptions of trade and investment.

This is said to be the first time in its history that a joint communique has been the casualty of discord, primarily between the US and China.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit has failed, a collective failure that has been underlined by the inability to agree on a communique.

The worthies who gathered at Papua New Guinea over the weekend have agreed to disagree.

It is a measure of the tension between the big powers that police were called in when Chinese officials reportedly barged into the office of Papua New Guinea's foreign minister.

Of riveting concern at PNG was the trans-Pacific confrontation between the US and China, one that has acquired a new dimension with Donald Trump's sanctions and also, of course, the coordinated response of the US and the Western powers to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

For all the grandstanding that greeted President Xi Jinping's arrival, he stoked Western concerns when he met Pacific island leaders to buttress his Belt and Road Initiative.

That bilateral diplomacy, a sideshow to the multilateral meeting, was promptly countered by the US and its allies - Japan, Australia and New Zealand - with a US$1.7 billion plan to provide electricity and the internet to PNG.

Small wonder that PNG prime minister Peter O'Neill diagnosed (with tongue firmly in cheek) the failure of the 21 members of the APEC group - "You know, the two big giants in the room."

Intolerable Impact  Editorial, The Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)

The increase in antagonism between the US and China has affected multilateral talks.

The latest APEC summit ended without a joint declaration being adopted.

The US demanded that the declaration include a reference urging the World Trade Organisation to increase penalties against unfair trade practices, in an attempt to exert greater international pressure on China.

China sought to ensure the declaration includes objections to what it calls "unilateralism" by the United States.

Neither the US nor China accepted each other's assertions.

The APEC forum is a framework for Asia-Pacific nations and territories to cooperate in striving for the stability and economic development of the region. If the meetings continue to have similar results, it could raise questions about the reason for the forum's existence.

The US-China battle of words over supremacy in Asia was also staged through speeches given at APEC-related gatherings.

If China's aggressive moves, including an attempt to establish military footholds in the South China Sea, are left unchecked, it would allow the country to snatch leadership of the regional order and economic interests in the Indo-Pacific.

This sense of urgency is increasingly shared not only by the Trump administration but also by the US congress and industrial circles. To ease the US-China conflict, the Xi administration must realise that rectifying China's hegemonistic conduct and unfair trade practices is indispensable.

It is also impermissible for the US to be promoting trade policies that pay no heed to international rules, including the unilateral imposition of punitive tariffs. The US-China trade war is a factor in stagnating global trade and investment, and is disturbing financial markets.

At an upcoming summit meeting, US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping should promote constructive talks aimed at mending the rift.

Common Responsibility  Editorial, China Daily (China)

Thanks to their embracing of free trade and investment facilitation, the 21 APEC members, which include the world's most robust growth engines, now account for 60% of global GDP and 47% of global trade.

Although supposedly flying the flag for a rules-based region, the petulant me-first mentality on display at the leaders' summit in Papua New Guinea was again a disruptive presence seeking to subvert efforts to foster a greater sense of community and shared development.

President Xi Jinping's speech at the summit was a strong rallying call for countries to stand together and reject the take-what-you-can approach in favour of regional integration.

The choice facing the region and the world is a stark one: One path leads to progress, the other is a self-and all-defeating choice that leads back to the fault lines of the past.

Leaders in the region share a common responsibility to chart a peaceful and long-term development course for the Asia-Pacific as it enters its digital future.
Upon seeing the journalists  one officer called out Em ol reporter ya, ol laik kisim wanem kain story, paitim ol. (They are reporters, what kind of story are they here for, beat them up.)

They were simply there to do their jobs and cover the proceedings of what was happening at the national parliament when they were accosted by a group of inflamed disciplinary officers, both police and correctional service officers.

PORT MORESBY - As director of news for PNGFM, I am very disappointed at the manner at which two of my reporters, one male and one female, were assaulted by disciplinary officers while covering the storming of parliament on Tuesday 20 November.

Scene in Port Moresby last week as police and other security personnel stormed parliament

The female journalist was manhandled by a group of police officers who pulled at her shirt attempting to rip it.

One of the police officers pulled out my camera from my bag and smashed it right in front of me, she said.

While I was trying to take in what was happening, another officer pulled my bag causing the leather handle of my bag to break. He then threw my bag on the ground, kicked it towards the other officers, they in turn kicked the bag back to him, emptying out all my belongings in my bag.

Another officer picked up my phone and smashed it while others were shouting and yelling abusive language.

She was pushed back and forth during the commotion with just one elderly officer attempting to assist her and help her out to safety.

At the same time, the male reporter was separated from his colleague then told to put his camera away and not film or take shots.

During the struggle, I was attacked by a Correctional Service officer at first, which then lead to police officers surrounding me and attacking me, he said.

During the incident, I was trying to see what was happening to my colleague, but kept getting punched until one Police Mobile Squad officer pulled me away to safety.

I had my vest broken, my notebook gone and the company camera destroyed by the officers.

PNGFM has written a letter of complaint to correctional service commissioner Stephen Pokanis and police commissioner Gary Baki calling for those involved to be penalised.

Such an attack is an attack on our media freedom when journalists should be protected and not be subjected to such attacks for merely doing their jobs.

Meanwhile, at separate media conferences on Thursday, both Commissioner Pokanis and Commissioner Baki were informed of the assault against our journalists and have given assurance they will investigate this matter thoroughly.
Brexiteer Boris Johnson on Saturday lambasted British Prime Minister Theresa May's draft EU divorce deal, calling it a "historic mistake" of Titanic proportions. Johnson used a speech at the annual gathering of the Democratic Unionist Party -- the day before a special EU summit to sign off the agreement -- to deliver a blistering attack. "The Titanic springs to mind and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead," said the former foreign minister, who resigned from the cabinet in July in protest at May's Brexit approach. Johnson said that a contentious "backstop" plan for Northern Ireland, which if used would keep the British-ruled province more closely aligned with the EU in certain areas after a 21-month transition period, would leave it "an economic semi-colony" of the bloc. "No British Conservative government could or should sign up to any such arrangement," he said. He and the DUP -- the Northern Irish party whose support is vital to May's government and EU exit plans -- have pledged to oppose the deal when it comes before the UK parliament next month, where May faces an uphill task to get it passed. The DUP's 10 MPs have propped up May's government ever since she lost her parliamentary majority in a disastrous 2017 snap election. However that support -- secured with 1.0 billion (1.1 billion euros, $1.3 billion) in extra funding for Northern Ireland -- is now endangered by the draft deal for future ties with the EU after Britain departs the bloc next March. - 'Not in national interest' - The DUP is incensed at the backstop, which it fears will effectively create a border with mainland Britain, weakening bonds and increasing the chances of a unified Ireland. Speaking after Johnson, party leader Arlene Foster said May's plan "fails her own key commitments" and was "not in the national interest". "The choice is not between this deal and no deal despite what the Government spin machine may say," she said. "The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer then the only option is to look beyond this current draft withdrawal agreement," she added. In a warning shot to May earlier this week, the DUP withdrew its support for government legislation. Deputy leader Nigel Dodds warned again Saturday there would be "consequences" if May continued to pursue the current deal and the party's support was "a two way street". But in a possible conciliatory offer, he added: "It is in the interests of the country and of Northern Ireland that our parties continue to work together in the national interest". In a sign of the DUP's pivotal role, British finance minister Philip Hammond also attended the conference on Friday. - 'One nation' - Delegates in Belfast for the event echoed their leaders' concerns. "We do not want a border down the Irish sea," said Sam Cole, a local party politician. "We want the United Kingdom to go ahead as one nation -- and we're part of that nation, have been from our foundation." The DUP has fought bitterly to prevent closer ties with its southern neighbour Ireland, opposing the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that formally ended the decades-long Troubles and increased cross-border cooperation. The self-styled "Christian fundamentalist" party with an uncompromising reputation has softened its fiery anti-Catholicism and other harsh stances since it was founded by Protestant evangelical minister Ian Paisley in 1971. But it remains staunchly in favour of continued British rule in Northern Ireland and backed Brexit heavily in the 2016 referendum -- despite the province voting to remain by a majority of 56 to 44 percent. The party has faced public concern there about the prospect of a new hard border undercutting trade and evoking memories of decades of sectarian conflict, but remains vehemently in favour of leaving EU. Its increased influence at Westminster has prompted warnings it has disrupted the delicate balance of power in Belfast, harming the fragile peace. Irish republicans Sinn Fein have blamed the DUP-May London power deal for the failure to restart a power-sharing executive with the DUP in Northern Ireland. That arrangement collapsed in January 2017 because of a row over Foster's handling of a botched renewable heating funding scheme. Johnson launched a blistering attack on Theresa May's draft Brexit deal Britain is due to leave the EU in March 2019 Arlene Foster's DUP has propped up May's government since she lost her parliamentary majority in a disastrous 2017 snap election Theresa May faces an uphill task to get parliament to back her EU divorce plan
Juan Antonio Hernandez, the brother of the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, was arrested in the United States on Friday over suspected ties to drug trafficking, officials said Friday. Honduran authorities released a statement saying the arrest in Miami was consistent with the president's declaration last month that "no one is above the law" and came after persistent rumors of Antonio Hernandez's involvement in narcotics. The former head of the Los Cachiros cartel Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga had testified to a court in New York in 2017 that he had bribed the president's brother when he was a lawmaker, in exchange for his assistance to the traffickers. Maradiaga had also testified against Fabio Lobo, son of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for collaborating with the Los Cachiros cartel. In his testimony, he had explained how the Los Cachiros had set up an intermediary company which it used to conduct business with the government, and which served to launder its trafficking profits. The Los Cachiros cartel was responsible for moving tons of cocaine in to the United States before being dismantled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Antonio Hernandez was previously accused of being involved in the drug trade in 2016 by former Honduran soldier Santos Rodriguez. Rodriguez also accused Antonio Hernandez of being an accomplice to a plot to kill the US ambassador to Honduras. He denied all charges. Juan Antonio Hernandez stands accused of accepting bribes from the Los Cachiros cartel in exchange for assisting the traffickers
Pakistani police Saturday arrested hundreds of supporters of a hardline cleric whose party recently paralysed the country with violent protests over the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. Hours after firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi was detained late Friday, police launched a crackdown against supporters of the Tehreek-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party in Punjab province and the port city of Karachi. Following the arrest of the cleric and members of the TLP leadership there had been calls for protests ahead of a scheduled party rally on Sunday in Islamabad. More than a hundred supporters were detained in Karachi on Friday night when protesters blocked off a road and clashed with police after the arrest of their leader, senior police official Ghulam Azfar Mahesar told AFP. Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan told AFP that arrests continued in various parts of the province throughout Saturday. "I cannot give you an exact figure as we have not compiled the data yet but around four to five hundred arrests have been made in Punjab," he said. Separately, the Punjab government issued a statement on Twitter saying its chief minister was monitoring the situation. The country's information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the detention of Rizvi "has nothing to do with (the) Asia Bibi case," referring to the Christian woman who was on death row for eight years before the Supreme Court overturned her blasphemy conviction last month. The court's decision sparked furious demonstrations led by the hardline TLP, with protesters calling for Bibi's execution and blocking major roads, leaving large swathes of the country paralysed. In response, the government made a deal with the Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, who was released from jail earlier this month and awaits the outcome of a final review of her case. The TLP has vowed to return to the streets if she is allowed to leave the country. - 'Safeguard public life' - Early on Saturday clashes broke out in Karachi between Pakistani paramilitary forces and protesters over Rizvi's arrest. National information minister Chaudhry tweeted that police had detained Rizvi "to safeguard public life, property and order". "Law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals," he added. A notification issued by the Punjab government said the cleric would be held for 30 days. The notification said there was "credible" information that the cleric would create unrest. Blasphemy is a hugely inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders. Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party, has been arrested by police Early on Saturday clashes took place in the southern city of Karachi between Pakistani paramilitary forces and protestors over the arrest of Rizvi TLP leaders said police had arrested dozens of party workers in the port city of Karachi Pakistani Rangers take up position on a street in Karachi during clashes with protestors after the arrest of hardline cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi
A female doctor has been praised for putting her life in danger and standing on the edge of a high bridge to calm a driver stuck in a lorry after a crash.

The lorry driver crashed on a foggy bridge in the city of Jiyuan in the province of Henan in China.

The injured man, whose identity was not revealed, was waiting for the ambulance while trapped inside the vehicle.

A female doctor has been praised for putting her life in danger and standing on the edge of a high bridge to calm a driver. Photo: AsiaWire/Australscope

But when a 39-year-old doctor, Zhao Fenyan, arrived at the scene she climbed on the bridge rail to speak with the driver and calm him before the rescue team arrived.

She said: I know that one has a strong will to survive under these circumstances and the arrival of the medics will encourage him a lot, so I climbed up the rail to speak to the driver without hesitation.

The driver was later diagnosed with fractures on his legs and rushed to hospital. After medical treatment his condition is stable.

She climbed on the bridge rail to speak with the driver and calm him before the rescue team arrived. Photo: AsiaWire/Australscope

Zhao said: As a doctor, it is my duty to help the patients, so my first response was to get close to the patient.

Netizen Cao commented: The place where she stood looked so scary. Its really admirable for the doctor to expose herself to such danger to help others.
Egypt on Saturday unveiled an ancient tomb, sarcophagi and funerary artifacts discovered in the Theban necropolis of Al-Assasif in the southern city of Luxor. In a ceremony in front of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani announced that French and Egyptian archaeologists had discovered "a new tomb... with very nice paintings". Located between the royal tombs at the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Kings, the Al-Assasif necropolis is the burial site of nobles and senior officials close to the pharaohs. Among the finds in the tomb are sarcophagi, statues and some 1,000 funerary figurines called "Ushabtis" made of wood, faience and clay. The tomb dates back to the Middle Kingdom, which spanned the 11th and 12th dynasties, and belonged to "Thaw-Irkhet-If", mummification supervisor at the Temple of Mut in Karnak, according to the ministry. Separately, archeologists from the French Institute of Eastern Archeology (IFAO) and the University of Strasbourg have discovered two sarcophagi dating back to the 18th dynasty, Anani told a news conference. One of the two contains the "well-preserved" mummified remains of a woman named Thuya, the antiquities ministry said in a statement. But ministry spokeswoman Nevine Aref told AFP later that work was still ongoing to definitively identify the name of the mummy. Egyptian authorities regularly announce archaeological discoveries with great fanfare, although the country is often accused of a lack of scientific rigour and neglect of its antiquities. Archaeological sites, particularly in Luxor, make Egypt a major draw for foreign tourists. Hit by the turmoil that enveloped Egypt after the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime president Hosni Mubarak, the tourism sector has picked up this year. Egypt unveiled on November 24, 2018 an ancient tomb and funerary items discovered at the necropolis of Al-Assasif in the southern city of Luxor Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Enany inspects a sarcophagus at the Al-Assasif necropolis in the southern city of Luxor on November 24, 2018
Several international teams plan to wear rainbow laces in support of former Wales captain Gareth Thomas this weekend, but England may avoid a similar gesture because they do not fit into their boots. Thomas, 44, posted a video on Twitter on Sunday saying he had been a victim of a homophobic assault in Cardiff. Wales and France have already said their players will be wearing rainbow laces this weekend. But England's Sam Underhill, facing Australia on Saturday, said: "I won't be wearing them personally." "That is more to do with, it sounds a bit ridiculous given the size of the issue they are representing, the thickness of the laces, they are actually really uncomfortable in my boots," the flanker told reporters at Twickenham on Friday. "On game day, little things can make quite big differences." He added: "But it is an incredibly worthy cause, an incredibly important cause. "To see the reaction to the incident with Gareth Thomas in Cardiff earlier this week, the reaction was phenomenal and the rugby community in general has been hugely positive in its support for the LGBT community." Former Wales player Gareth Thomas was the victim of a homophobic assault
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday agreed to return 26 cultural artefacts to Benin "without delay", a move that could put pressure on other former colonial powers to return African artworks to their countries of origin. The decision -- which Macron said should not be seen as an isolated or symbolic case -- came as the president received the findings of a study he commissioned on repatriating African treasures held by French museums. Macron agreed to return the 26 works, mainly royal statues from the Palaces of Abomey -- formerly the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey -- taken by the French army during a war in 1892 and now in Paris' Quai Branly museum. In addition, he proposed gathering African and European partners in Paris next year to define a framework for an "exchange policy" for African artworks. The president "hopes that all possible circulation of these works are considered: returns but also exhibitions, loans, further cooperation", the Elysee palace said. Ousmane Aledji, director of the Benin cultural centre Artisttik Africa, said he was pleased to see "a new form of cultural exchange" with France. Britain has also faced calls to return artefacts, including the Elgin Marbles to Greece and the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, while museums in Belgium and Austria house tens of thousands of African pieces. - Legislation to return art? - Calls have been growing in Africa for restitution of artworks, but French law strictly forbids the government from ceding state property, even in well-documented cases of pillaging. In 2016 Benin demanded France return items including statues, artworks, carvings, sceptres and sacred doors. While that request was initially denied, in November 2016 Macron raised hopes in a speech in Burkina Faso, pledging to "return African heritage to Africa". Following his speech, Macron asked French art historian Benedicte Savoy and Senegalese writer Felwine Sarr to study the matter. Their report, a copy of which has been seen by AFP, has been welcomed by advocates of the restitution of works which were bought, bartered, or in some cases simply stolen. It proposes legislation be developed to return thousands of African artefacts taken during the colonial period to nations that request them. There are conditions, however, including a request from the relevant country, precise information about the works' origins, and the existence of proper facilities such as museums to house the works back in their home country. Macron's office said that museums will be invited to "identify African partners and organise possible returns" and should quickly establish "an online inventory of their African collections". The president also called for "in-depth work with other European states that retain collections of the same nature acquired in comparable circumstances". - Museums fear losing artefacts - A UNESCO convention against the export of illicit cultural goods adopted in 1970 called for the return of cultural property taken from a country but it did not address historic cases, including from the colonial era. With museums fearing they could be forced to return artefacts, former colonial powers have been slow to ratify the convention: France only did so 1997, Britain in 2002, Germany in 2007 and Belgium in 2009. On Tuesday, the governor of Easter Island in the Pacific tearfully begged the British Museum to return one of its famous statues. The London museum has held the Hoa Hakananai'a, one of the most spiritually important of the Chilean island's stone monoliths, for 150 years. Of the estimated 90,000 African artworks in French museums, around 70,000 are at the Quai Branly museum, created by ex-president Jacques Chirac, a keen admirer of African and Asian art. Elsewhere in Europe, 37,000 objects from Sub-Saharan Africa were at Vienna's Weltmuseum and 180,000 were at Belgium's Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren. The report commissioned by Macron said such collections were effectively depriving Africans of their artistic and cultural heritage. "On a continent where 60 percent of the population is under the age of 20 years old, what is first and foremost of a great importance is for young people to have access to their own culture, creativity, and spirituality from other eras," it said. Artefacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey claimed by Benin In 2016 Benin demanded the repatriation of treasures which also include carvings, sceptres and sacred doors Macron, during a visit to Burkina Faso last year, said "Africa's heritage cannot just be in European private collections and museums"
Gabon authorities said Saturday they have banned an opposition party from state media for three months over statements about the health of President Omar Bongo, who has been in a Saudi hospital for a month. Bongo, 59, was rushed to hospital in Riyadh on October 24 after falling ill at an economic forum. A source said on Friday he will be transferred next week to the Moroccan capital Rabat to convalesce. Gabon's HAC communications authority said the Union Nationale party had failed to respond to two summons to explain a statement by the party in which it called an official bulletin about the president's health a "state lie". The HAC said the party's statement was an "abuse of freedom of expression" and therefore "the Union Nationale is banned from public media for three months". The party, however, asserts it is not compelled to explain its comment to the communications authority. The HAC has in recent months suspended publication of a Gabon newspaper and banned some journalists who have been openly critical of the government. The communications authority in August also suspended for three months the French channel France 2 for broadcasting a documentary on Bongo. After the president was hospitalised, the presidency was silent for a time before admitting he was seriously ill but declaring that he was on the mend. Lack of official news -- along with memories of the secrecy-shrouded death of Bongo's father and predecessor Omar Bongo in 2009 -- has sparked numerous rumours, including speculation he was incapacitated, perhaps by a stroke. Bongo, 59, was rushed to hospital in Riyadh on October 24 after falling ill at an economic forum, but sources say he will be transferred to Rabat to convalesce
The unlikely friendship struck up between an Arizona teen and a grandmother has continued to blossom with the pair celebrating their third Thanksgiving together.

When 17-year-old Jamal Hinton received a message from an unknown number in 2016 inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner, he duly obliged.

The text was from grandmother Wanda Dench and, unknowing to her, the recipient of the message wasnt her grandson but was the Phoenix teen instead.

When discovering she had the wrong number via a hilarious exchange of texts between the new acquaintances, Ms Dench upheld her offer and welcomed Hinton into her home.

Somebody grandma is coming in clutch this year!! Ayee!!! pic.twitter.com/QGrx83nHLl  Jamal Hinton (@kingjamal08) November 15, 2016

After posing for a selfie together during their 2016 Thanksgiving dinner to the delight of eager Twitter followers keeping a close eye on the pairs budding relationship, they decided to make a tradition of it.

Just being friendly, I gained a new friend. A new tradition on Thanksgiving and I love it, he told NBC4 last year.

It was a reminder that there are still some good people left in this world, he told People magazine.

Ms Dench echoed the teens sentiments, telling NBC News the random encounter had given her faith in humanity.

Mr Hinton returned to Ms Denchs family home in 2017, and this week he made his third annual visit to the family.

2016, 2017 2018  Mr Hinton captioned three selfies of the pair on Friday taken from the last three Thanksgivings.

The pairs relationship goes further than just Thanksgiving, with the two exchanging Christmas gifts and Mr Hinton even calling Ms Dench his adopted grandmother.

Now 19, Mr Hinton even brought his girlfriend round to the Dench household for this years tradition.
A Peruvian judge issued an international arrest warrant for an ally of jailed opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in relation to the same money laundering probe that has seen former president Alberto Fujimori's daughter locked up for three years of preventative detention. Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho also ordered Jaime Yoshiyama to join Fujimori in pre-trial detention for three years. Yoshiyama ran for vice-president at the 2011 election when Keiko Fujimori first lost a presidential run-off. She is accused of accepting $1.2 million in illicit party funding from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign. Yoshiyama is currently recovering in Miami following an operation on his face, his lawyer said. In his ruling issued in the early hours of Saturday morning, Carhuancho ordered businessman Augusto Bedoya, one of Fujimori's campaign leaders in 2011, not to leave Peru in the next three years. The judge said "Yoshiyama's conduct in evading justice" by leaving the country meant "pre-trial detention becomes indispensable." Prosecutors have accused a total of 11 people linked to Fujimori's Popular Force party of running "a criminal organization" in order to raise illicit funding for her 2011 campaign. Seven of those are in pre-trial detention. Attorney general Jose Domingo Perez claims Yoshiyama and Bedoya each received $500,000 for the campaign with the other $200,000 allegedly paid by Odebrecht going to a fund for businessmen supporting Fujimori's campaign. Her disgraced father, president from 1990-2000, is serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity and corruption. Peru is one of the Latin American countries worst affected by the multi-million dollar, region-wide Odebrecht corruption scandal. The Brazilian company has admitted paying at least $29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials since 2004. Former Peru president Alan Garcia has been barred from leaving the country while under investigation and last week entered the Uruguay embassy in Lima seeking political asylum. Three more ex-presidents, Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kczynski are also under investigation. Odebrecht has admitted paying $788 million in bribes across 12 countries to secure public works contracts. Powerful opposition leader Keiko Fujimori was sentenced to pre-trial detention over corruption at the end of October
European leaders resolved a last-minute dispute over the rock Gibraltar on Saturday, clearing the way for a summit to approve a deal on Britain's withdrawal from the bloc. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez withdrew a threat to boycott Sunday's Brexit talks just hours before Britain's Theresa May arrived in Brussels. May met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU Council President Donald Tusk, and afterwards the former's spokesman Margaritis Schinas tweeted: "We are on track for tomorrow." In his letter formally inviting the leaders of all 28 EU member states to Sunday's summit, Tusk said the deal reduces "the risks and losses resulting from the United Kingdom's withdrawal". Later, he tweeted words from Freddie Mercury, frontman of band Queen, who died on this day 27 years ago: "Friends will be friends, right till the end." Ahead of May's arrival, however, diplomats had scrambled for an unexpectedly intense final round of discussions. Spain insisted on keeping a veto over future changes to EU ties with the British territory of Gibraltar, which borders Spain and which it has long claimed. Then Britain issued a statement saying it would continue bilateral talks with Spain after Brexit on March 29, 2019 -- and Sanchez relented. "I have just announced to the King that Spain has reached an agreement on Gibraltar," he told a news conference, adding: "Spain has lifted the veto and will vote in favour of Brexit." He claimed Britain had given ground, saying both countries "are going to have to talk about co-sovereignty". However, May told reporters after her meeting with Juncker: "The UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change. "I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar." - EU unity - According to Tusk's letter, the withdrawal agreement protects citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland peace process, while ensuring Britain will keep paying EU dues during a transition period. Alongside this, EU leaders will also approve a short political declaration Tusk said would act as a roadmap for negotiations after Brexit to "build the best possible relationship with the UK". He emphasised that "at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity". In legal terms, Spain's disapproval would not have halted the divorce settlement. But it would have been an embarrassing split for EU leaders who have proved remarkably united in the painful 17-month negotiation. Sanchez insists that Madrid holds a veto over the fate of Gibraltar, a rocky outcrop home to a port and around 30,000 people, in post-Brexit negotiations. London said it would not use the withdrawal agreement as cover to cut short its dialogue with Spain. "For the withdrawal negotiations, given there are some circumstances which are specific to Gibraltar, we held talks with Spain which directly involved the government of Gibraltar," May's spokesman said. "These were constructive and we look forward to taking the same approach to the future relationship." Any future relationship negotiated between London and Brussels will have to be approved by all remaining member states -- giving Spain a de facto veto further down the line. But May insists she will continue to negotiate on behalf of the "entire UK family" including Gibraltar. In an angry televised statement, Gibraltar's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, compared Sanchez's tactics to those of Spain's late fascist dictator Francisco Franco. "We do not need to wait until the start of the talks," he declared. "I can tell Spain now: we are not interested in any dilution of our sovereignty, we are not interested in allowing for even the remotest concession to Spanish sovereignty, jurisdiction or control." - Titanic mistake - A European source said the published minutes of Sunday's summit meeting would include language stressing the importance of Britain maintaining a level playing field for business during the 21-month post-Brexit transition. The summit will also give the European Council the lead over the Commission in negotiating future ties -- in part to reassure Madrid that its voice will be heard before any final settlement. May will still have to sell the deal to the British parliament, an even greater political challenge. Many of her own Conservative MPs oppose the deal, as does Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her government. At the DUP's annual conference in Belfast on Saturday, May's former foreign minister Boris Johnson said the Brexit deal was a "historic mistake". "The Titanic springs to mind and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead," he said. burs-dc-ar/cw British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday Gibraltar, a British territory claimed by Spain, is a bone of contention as London negotiates a new relationship with Brussels after Brexit
A police force in the US were well and truly in the Thanksgiving spirit this week when they took to the streets to hand out turkeys instead of tickets for its obedient motorists.

Footage uploaded by Stafford Police Department in Texas shows a female driver pleasantly surprised on Wednesday when she was presented with a turkey by local police officers as a reward for following the traffic laws.

The motorist initially thought she was being penalised by the officer. Source: Storyful

The clip, shared to the police Department Facebook page, shows an officer walking up to the drivers window and informing her she was pulled over for correctly stopping at a stop sign.

The officer then gives her one of 25 turkeys donated by a local family.

The stunned woman gets out of her vehicle, and hugs the officer for his generosity.

She was taken aback when the officers colleague handed her a Thanksgiving bag complete with a turkey. Source: Storyful

The department also shared photos of officers giving the turkeys away to families earlier that day.

The officers werent the only ones sharing the love during the celebrations, with an Arizona grandma welcoming her unlikely companion into her home for the third successive year.
Rain is helping to extinguish a deadly wildfire in Northern Californias Gold Rush country, but the moisture is also turning ash into thick paste and hindering the hunt for telltale fragments of bone that could indicate a body.

Searchers resumed their grim task Friday afternoon after a downpour eased up in Paradise, California. They fanned out across the ruins of a mobile home park, some combing debris with rakes while others lifted up twisted metal to peer underneath.

Craig Covey, who leads a search team from Southern Californias Orange County, said they were searching a mobile home park for seniors for the second time because there are people still missing whose last known address was in this neighbourhood.

Rescue workers saw through large pieces of sheet metal to allow cadaver dogs to search beneath them for signs of human remains at a mobile home park in Paradise, California. Source: AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne)

The searchers, many in yellow rain slickers and hard hats to protect against falling branches, looked for clues that may indicate someone couldnt get out, such as a car in the driveway or a wheelchair ramp. Theyre looking not only for bone, but anything that could be a pile of cremated ashes.

Hundreds still unaccounted for in Northern Californian fires

The nations deadliest wildfire in the past century has killed at least 84 people, and more than 560 are still unaccounted for.

Despite the inclement weather, more than 800 volunteers searched for remains on Thanksgiving and again Friday, two weeks after flames swept through the Sierra Nevada foothills, authorities said.

National Urban Search & Rescue Response System Orange County CATF-5 team members take cover from the rain in Paradise, California. Source: AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne

About 30 volunteers worked for several hours Friday morning before they stopped and returned to a staging area with hot coffee and food under two blue tents. An electric heater provided warmth.

While the rain is making everybody colder and wetter, theyre keeping the mission in mind, search volunteer Chris Stevens said.

Everyone here is super committed to helping the folks here, he said.

Showers help extinguish the blaze but hinder search

Search team members re-examine the mobile home park with search dogs. Source: AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne

Two days of showers have complicated the search but also helped nearly extinguish the blaze, said Josh Bischof, operations chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Story continues

Once the rain clears, state officials will be able to determine if the blaze is fully out, he said.

The first winter storm to hit California has dropped 5 to 10 centremetres of rain over the burn area since it began Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

The weather service issued a warning for possible flash flooding and debris flows from areas scarred by major fires in Northern California, including the areas burned in Paradise.

Search and rescue team members take cover from the rain in Paradise, California as high winds and heavy rain temporarily halts the recovery effort. Source: AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne

The fire ignited on November 8 and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings, most of them homes.

The Camp Fire, which destroyed the historical mining town of Paradise, is the most deadly in state history, with 84 fatalities as of Friday, according to statistics from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In Southern California, more residents were allowed to return to areas that were evacuated because of the 391-square-kilometre Woolsey Fire as crews worked to repair power, telephone and gas utilities.

About 1,100 residents were still under evacuation orders in Malibu and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, down from 250,000 at the height of the fire.
Dressed in a multi-coloured beanie and grey sneakers, Zaid Saad had just finished setting up his contemporary art exhibit on Baghdad's sandy riverbank when police showed up. The piece was part of a two-day walking tour of Iraq's capital, an effort by young artists to address social dilemmas and reclaim Baghdad's identity after more than a decade of violence. But at virtually every turn, organisers came up against some of the very stereotypes they sought to break down, from blast walls to jumpy security guards and sceptical members of Iraq's conservative society. Saad's art, for example, was set up in a highly-sensitive area: directly across the Tigris River from Baghdad's Green Zone, the walled-off enclave housing parliament, other government offices, and numerous embassies. Police officers arrived as he was preparing to unveil his work, leading to a flurry of phone calls and handwritten authorisations before Saad was finally able to introduce the piece to an audience of around two dozen. "Sanduq" or "Crate" in Arabic brought together 11 cardboard boxes, each representing an Iraqi who risked the sea route to Europe. A radio nearby blared testimonies of relatives or friends who wished them well. "I want to deliver the message that we should stay here. We should build our country first, and then go to other places," Saad, 27, told AFP. "They left because of the pressures and everything that happened here, which turned Iraq into an unlivable country. The main reason is the government present in the Green Zone," he said. - 'Better than nothing' - Art, he insisted, could be a way to address the toughest challenges facing Iraq today: waves of emigration, the aftermath of the Islamic State group, poverty and pollution. "Iraqi society has gotten used to all forms of demonstrations and protest. It wants something new," said Saad, a member of Iraqi art collective Tarkib. "Art, especially contemporary art, is new here. So it'll have an effect," he added. Iraq has been rocked by waves of instability, from the 2003 US-led invasion to years of sectarian violence and bombings, to the three-year war against IS that ended last year. Those 15 years have scarred the capital, with many streets sealed off by police and blast walls surrounding any building deemed to be a possible target. One segment of the "Baghdad Walk" ran parallel to a stretch of protective concrete T-walls separating a bustling open-air market from a public bank. Hussein Matar, the stocky photographer leading this portion of the stroll, was unphased. "Everything negative in the city is just skin-deep. We can change it," he told AFP. Matar had shot new versions of decades-old photographs of Baghdad's heralded past, hanging the paired pictures on the dilapidated classical Iraqi homes of Rasheed Street. Despite his optimism, most of Baghdad's heritage has been permanently "disfigured," warned Caecilia Pieri, associate researcher at the French Institute of the Near East. And initiatives like the walk, while an improvement, were only reaching a small segment of Iraqi society. "There are more cafes with young people, more creative initiatives, but it is in the restricted realm of educated urban bourgeoisie," said Pieri, a specialist in Iraq's modern urban history. "It's better than nothing, but not enough to irrigate the whole society." - History 'stronger than art' - Indeed, the scrums of shoppers along Rasheed were more interested in the tables of watches, shimmering carp, and fake Adidas than the public art exhibit. "Are you Iraqi?" one asked the walkers, as puzzled passersby looked on. As the sun set on Baghdad's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, artist Luay al-Hadari erected his contribution: a pink statue of a woman with snapped chains dangling from each wrist. Draped in a plastic sheet modelled after a traditional robe, the figure represented women IS had abducted and sexually exploited during its reign over parts of Iraq. "I cut the chain, her hands are up in the air -- there's hope in the piece," said Hadari, who told AFP he chose Tahrir Square because the artwork was about liberation. Hours earlier, he had to make last-minute adjustments to the statue's makeshift robe to cover more of her body. "Most people won't understand the concept and will consider it nudity," Hadari said in a nod to Iraq's conservatism. Ali Amer, a 34-year-old engineer attending the walk, said the onus was on Iraqi society itself. "Our city's filthy? We're the ones who dirtied it. It isn't safe? We're creating the problems," he told AFP. "Today was an attempt to solve these problems, that's why I wanted to take part." Abu Adhraa al-Rubaye, a burly man selling phone accessories near one of the art installations, was less sure. "We grew up on violence. There's no hope it'll change through art," he said. "War, after war, after war -- history is stronger than art." Zaid Saad talks to spectators in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on November 17, 2018, after a contemporary art exhibit on the banks of the Tigris River An artist practises at the Abu Nuwas Theatre that was destroyed in 2003 during the war in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on November 17, 2018 Artists practise at the Abu Nuwas Theatre that was destroyed in 2003 during the war in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on November 17, 2018
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group. "In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal. "I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces." Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)." Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare." Lavrov, speaking after a meeting with Portugal's president, said such criticisms were not "original". He claimed that former US president Barack Obama had "placed Russia on the same level as the Ebola virus" in a speech to the UN General Assembly. That appeared a reference to a September 24, 2014 speech Obama made in which he spoke of Russia's threat to the "post-war order" notably through its actions in Ukraine, where a Russia-backed insurgency is being waged. He then went on to speak of US efforts to help contain an Ebola outbreak, without any mention of Russia. - UK-Russia tensions - Relations between Russia and Britain have sunk to historic lows this year after London accused Russia's military intelligence service of using a banned nerve agent to poison an ex-Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March. The incident prompted a wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Moscow and the West, as well as a ratcheting up of US sanctions. Carleton-Smith told Saturday's Daily Telegraph that, following IS battlefield loses in Syria and Iraq, the Western alliance must switch focus to the threat posed by Russia, and do so through NATO. "We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance," he said. It was the first interview by the former special forces commander since becoming Britain's chief of the general staff in June. He made the comments after visiting British troops deployed in Estonia as part of a NATO battle group intended to deter aggression from neighbouring Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's acerbity was in response to the British army chief's assertion that Russia ia "indisputably" a worse threat than the Islamic State group
A London fine wine merchant this week became the latest business to announce stockpiling in case Britain splits from the European Union without a deal in March. The draft withdrawal deal reached by the two sides has not entirely removed the prospects because of deep divisions in both Britain and the EU. Doom-and-gloom predictions about life after a "no-deal" Brexit are plentiful and highly politically charged. The truth is no-one can say with certainty what happens if the divorce arrangements London and Brussels hope to sign off on Sunday are ripped up by the EU or UK parliament. But here are some things London is telling Britons to brace for in the first days of a worst-case scenario. - Rip-off roaming - We check our mobiles constantly and this is where people could notice things first. Free roaming would no longer apply and UK mobile phone operators can start charging extra for subscribers who pop off to "the Continent". London is also urging people in Britain's Northern Ireland to watch out for "inadvertent roaming" when straying too close to the EU border in Ireland. - Grounded at Heathrow - Heathrow and other big airports can be a nightmare at the best of times. But planes getting grounded when Brexit strikes at 2300 GMT on March 29 because airlines lose their licences would create chaos that ripples across the world. London says it would "envisage" granting European carriers special permission to keep flying -- and that it would "expect" the 27 EU countries to do the same. - Forms, forms, forms - Prepare to start signing your name. A lot. Thousands of companies that do business with Europe would have to fill out reams of customs and duties declarations. Tourists who want to rent a car may need to get international driving permits because their UK licences become invalid. And even pets might need to jump through new administrative hoops that require them to get new passports. People might want to check theirs as well. Those that expire within six months of travel might need to be renewed in advance. - Drug dilemma - Things turn more serious for those who rely on medication. Officials are talking to drug companies about creating a six-week "buffer stock" on top of the three-month one they already have in place. This should help cover any short-term disruptions at the border. Britain will also waive the need for EU firms to re-test their drugs under new rules. - Shoppers beware - That one-click purchase at your favourite online store might start looking slightly less tempting. The government says "increased costs and slower processing times" for payments made in euros are a possibility. Parcel deliveries could get more expensive because waivers for certain import and sales taxes would expire. - Flicks and tunes - Catching up on the latest Netflix releases while coasting on a high-speed Eurostar train may suddenly become a whole lot harder. Britons could theoretically lose access to streaming services -- everything from Spotify to Amazon Prime -- while abroad because the UK would no longer be in Europe's "digital single market". And the Eurostar service itself might be in trouble because old licenses of UK train operators in Europe will be invalid. - Pork pies - Britons are proud of their Stilton cheese and Scotch whisky. But the status of everything from Cornish pasties to Melton Mowbray pork pies will be up in the air because they will lose their "geographical indication" status in Europe. Britain's 86 GI-protected products make up a quarter all its food and drink exports. - Surprises - A host of other industries and products could also be affected. Britain will have to come up with its own warning stickers for packs of cigarettes because the current ones are protected by the EU image library. Imported sperm donations could face delays or stoppages. Caviar supplies might start running out because Britain will not be able to trade in goods covered by European endangered species rules. Also facing possible disruption: breeders of pedigree British horses and sheep. Prime Minister Theresa May's divorce deal with Brussels may not be approved by parliament Flights could be cancelled at Heathrow and other UK airports Caviar supplies might start running out
Sri Lanka threw away a decent position in the final Test against England on Saturday, collapsing from 183 for 2 at tea to 240 all out as Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes skittled the hosts in Colombo. At the close of a rollercoaster second day England were three without loss after four overs when bad light stopped play, 99 runs ahead with a 3-0 whitewash in their sights. "We came out after tea, had the belief, had the mindset and things just changed," said Rashid, who finished the innings with 5-49. "It worked out perfectly, Stokesy at one end bowling nice and aggressive and me at the other end mixing it up, bowling my variations," he added, after Stokes collected 3-30. In the opening session Sri Lanka's bowlers had wrapped up England's first innings for 336 within half an hour, the visitors losing their final three wickets for just 24 runs. Resuming on 312-7 after Jonny Bairstow had put his marker down to be England's permanent Test number three with a no-nonsense 110 the previous day, Moeen Ali continued his indifferent series with the bat, falling for 33. Stuart Broad followed for a duck and Jack Leach for 2. Left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking 5-95 while finger spinners Dilruwan Perera and Malinda Pushpakumara took the other five between them. - Solid start - With bat in hand and only five overs of the day played, Sri Lanka's batsmen laid solid foundations. Danushka Gunathilaka was the only man out for Sri Lanka before lunch, caught spectacularly by Keaton Jennings at short leg for 18 off Leach -- the first of four catches at short-leg for the Lancashire opener. Dimuth Karunaratne, dropped at slip by Joe Root off Broad early in his innings, then put on a 142-run third-wicket partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva. Just before tea, de Silva fell for 73, dismissed by another lightning catch by Jennings off Rashid. But with Karunaratne still in and Root rueing his error, Sri Lanka looked comfortable. But in the first over after tea Karunaratne went for 83, with Jennings again the catcher as he edged Rashid, and the collapse began. "They played exceptionally well before lunch but we had a positive mindset and knew if we stick to our plan things would change," said Rashid. Angelo Mathews fell next, the ball coming off the toe of his bat to keeper Ben Foakes off Stokes for five, before Roshen Silva became Jennings's fourth victim off Rashid for three. Rashid said Jennings' close fielding had made a "big difference". "This series he's proved he's an exceptional short-leg fielder. He reads the game well. He's alert. He practises hard in the morning and he gets his rewards. "It's nice having him in there for the spinners. We're happy!" Stokes, hammering in the ball with aggression and intent, then did for Niroshan Dickwella, caught behind by Foakes for 5, and Sri Lanka were reeling. Number four Kusal Mendis went for 27, an easy catch for Stokes at slip off Rashid. Then a direct throw ran out Sandakan for two as he tried to steal a run off a misfield. Pushpakumara survived an lbw review and hit the next ball for four. The next review went England's way though, as he went lbw to Rashid for 13, and Sri Lanka were all out. England's Stuart Broad (R) is bowled for a duck as Sri Lanka's bowlers made short work of England's tail order in the third and final Test
Students on Saturday marched in support of a university founded by US billionaire George Soros in Hungary, ahead of a deadline for a legal dispute to be resolved. The government says the embattled Central European University (CEU), chartered in the US state of New York, has not yet met the requirements of a law passed last year requiring foreign universities to have a campus in their home country. The legal dispute is part of a wider campaign waged by Budapest in recent years against the Hungarian-born Soros, 88, accused by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of stoking illegal immigration. "No university can last in limbo for long," said Petra Kornel, 18, one of around 2,000 students who took part in the march in Budapest. The bill's adoption, seen by critics as a blow against academic freedom, was cited in a recent scathing EU report on Hungary that prompted the European Parliament to launch unprecedented so-called "Article 7" legal action against Budapest in September. CEU says it has complied with the law by opening a facility in New York State that US regulators have confirmed as hosting educational activities. But a government spokesperson last week called the American site "a Potemkin campus" that fails to satisfy the law. Set up by Soros in 1991 to foster democratic values in post-communist countries, the university's rector, Canadian author and academic Michael Ignatieff, said last month it had had enough of "legal uncertainty" and that from 2019 it would admit students to a new Vienna campus if no agreement was reached by December 1. "You will bear responsibility for the harm that your decisions will do to Hungary's higher education system and to the country's international reputation," Ignatieff said last week in an open letter to the government. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Ignatieff Saturday of "political hysteria". Attracting students from over 100 countries and mainly offering US-accredited masters programmes, CEU has long been regarded by the nationalist Orban as a hostile bastion of liberalism. Students marched in support of a university founded by US billionaire George Soros in Hungary
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday accused the European Union's top diplomat of overstepping her brief by calling for the release of jailed Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas. "She exceeded her limits a little," Cavusoglu told CNN-Turk television a day after Federica Mogherini expressed hope that Demirtas, who has been held in Turkey for two years on terror charges, would be freed soon. Demirtas, 45, one of two former co-leaders of the leftist Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was arrested in November 2016 over alleged links to Kurdish militants. The Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday urged Ankara to release Demirtas -- who hailed the move as "legal acknowledgement of my status as a political hostage". The court accepted Demirtas had been arrested on "reasonable suspicion" of having committed a crime, but said the reasons given for keeping him behind bars were not "sufficient". At a press conference with Cavusoglu in Ankara, Mogherini said on Thursday: "We hope he will be released shortly." Demirtas denies all the charges and claims the case against him is politically motivated. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected the European court's finding. "The decisions delivered by the ECHR do not bind us," he said. Demirtas on Friday accused the government of putting "political pressure" on the Turkish appeals court to uphold his "completely unlawful" sentence, in a statement released by his party. "We are witnessing a clear political intervention," he said. "The aim here is to sentence me with another contrived political decision to keep me imprisoned, before the ECHR implements its decision." But he remained defiant, saying: "We will never bow down, and we will stand tall with determination, our spirits high." He added: "We will, soon or later, emerge victorious in our struggle for law, justice, freedom and democracy." Selahattin Demirtas is in jail in Turkey over alleged links to Kurdish militants
Two Colombian soldiers were killed and another two wounded Friday along the country's border with Venezuela in a bomb attack blamed by the military on rebels from the National Liberation Army. The soldiers were on patrol near a pipeline close to the border town of El Tarra when they triggered an explosive device the army blamed on the guerillas, known by their Spanish acronym ELN. The pipeline has been attacked 82 times this year, causing serious environmental damage, according to its operator, state-run petroleum giant Ecopetrol. "It is clear evidence of how the ELN systematically violates the tenets of international law with its indiscriminate methods of illicit warfare," the military said in a statement. With nearly 1,500 fighters, the ELN are Colombia's last active rebels following the disarmament and transformation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2017 after half a century of war in the world's biggest cocaine producer. The ELN were in peace talks themselves until the middle of this year, when right-wing President Ivan Duque came to power. Duque has conditioned the resumption of dialogue on the ELN releasing hostages -- who number 10 according to authorities -- and the suspension of their "criminal" activities. The ELN for their part have accused the president of wanting to tear up the peace process. In Colombia's Catatumbo jungle a flag flies from the ELN guerrillas, Colombia's last active rebel group
Ukrainians on Saturday marked 85 years since millions died in a Soviet-era famine that many now regard as a genocide ordered by then leader Joseph Stalin. The 1932-33 famine took place as harvests dwindled and Stalin's police enforced a brutal policy of requisitioning grain and other foodstuffs from farms. Historians differ on the scale of the death toll, with estimates ranging from four million to 10 million. Accompanied by hundreds of Ukrainians, President Petro Poroshenko laid symbolic sheaves of wheat and lit candles at a central Kiev monument to famine victims -- known as Holodomor, or death from hunger in Ukrainian. The famine was "man-made," the president said in a statement. "We must always remember the terrible crimes carried out on Ukrainian soil by the Communist regime," he said. The famine was "a genocide of the Ukrainian people", Oleksandr Turchynov, head of Ukraine's Security and Defence Council said in a statement, blaming the Soviet leadership. He compared it to Russia's role in Ukraine's eastern region where Kiev's forces are fighting Moscow-backed separatists. "Today fighting is going on once again on Ukrainian land. And ... the Kremlin is the main culprit in the tragedy," he said. The conflict between Russian-backed fighters and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014. Pro-Russian forces declared parts of eastern Ukraine independent following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March, 2014. Kiev and the West accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across its border with Ukraine. Moscow denies the claims, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Nearly 20 countries have also recognised the famine as an act of "genocide" against the Ukrainian people, in a move that irritates Moscow. Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday said that the famine was a "shared tragedy." A man walks through an exhibition which is held in the Ukrainian Parliament to commemorate the Holodomor famine of 1932-1933, which is regarded by many as a genocide, with estimates of the death toll ranging from four to 10 million
UN envoy Martin Griffiths met a Yemeni rebel leader in insurgent-held Sanaa on Saturday and is to follow up by holding talks in Riyadh with Yemen's government in a drive to relaunch a peace process. In a possible breakthrough despite scepticism on the government side, the envoy has said he has opened a dialogue with Huthi rebel officials on "how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace" in the key port city of Hodeida. A UN source said Griffiths will hold talks on Monday in the Saudi capital, where Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials have taken up residence. On Saturday, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the Huthi rebels' Higher Revolutionary Committee, met in Sanaa with the UN envoy, an AFP photographer said. "We hope that his (Griffiths's) visit to Riyadh ends with positive results," Huthi told reporters after their talks. Griffiths later flew out from Sanaa's airport without making comments to reporters. He arrived in the capital on Wednesday ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Shiite Huthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition. No date has yet been set for the negotiations. The UN-recognised government had not yet received "any information from UN envoy Martin Griffiths about the talks in Sweden and what is to be discussed", Rajeh Badi, a government spokesman, said Friday. "We are certain that the Huthi rebels have not yet taken a strategic and serious decision about peace," he told AFP. "They (Huthis) will not let go of their weapons. They would tell us: 'You're dreaming if you think we're going to disarm.'" Griffiths, however, struck a positive note on Friday during his first to Hodeida. "I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port," he told reporters. Griffiths urged Yemen's warring parties to "keep the peace" in the rebel-held Red Sea port city, which serves as the entry point of nearly all imports and humanitarian aid into the impoverished country. UN agencies say 14 million Yemenis are at risk of starvation and the closure of Hodeida port would further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. - Biggest peace push since 2016 - Under heavy international pressure, the loyalists and their Saudi-led military backers have largely suspended a five-month offensive on Hodeida. Humanitarian organisations are desperate to see the current peace push translate into a more permanent halt to Yemen's four-year war. The current peace push is the biggest since 2016. In September, UN-led peace talks faltered when the Huthis refused to travel to Geneva, accusing the world body of failing to guarantee their delegation's return to Sanaa or secure the evacuation of wounded rebels to Oman. Previous talks broke down in 2016, when 108 days of negotiations in Kuwait failed to yield a deal and left rebel delegates stranded in Oman for three months. The conflict in Yemen, which escalated when the Saudi-led alliance intervened in 2015, has killed nearly 10,000 people and left up to 22 million Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance, according to UN figures. Rights groups fear the actual death toll is far higher. The Arab coalition joined the conflict to bolster Hadi a year after Huthi rebels captured Sanaa, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. str-mou-sy-dm/hc UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths (3rd-R) meets with Mohammed Ali al-Huthi (L), head of the Huthi Revolutionary Committee, in the capital Sanaa A member of Yemen's pro-government forces walks through destruction in an industrial district in the eastern outskirts of the port city of Hodeida
The body of American missionary-adventurer John Allen Chau may never be recovered from the lost island where he fell in a volley of arrows fired by a reclusive tribe whose existence is threatened by the modern world, say experts. The menace to the Sentinelese from Chau's one-man invasion is such that tribal rights specialists say no murder charges will ever be laid and Chau's body will have to stay hidden to protect what is probably the world's last pre-neolithic tribe. Indian authorities -- who do not dare enforce their rule over North Sentinel island -- have not even tried to send police ashore to question the tribe who have been greeting outsiders with hostility for centuries. Police sent a boat near North Sentinel for the second time since the killing on Friday. "Due precautions were taken by the team to ensure that this particularly vulnerable tribal group are not disturbed and distressed during this exercise," said a police statement. Fears that 21st century diseases as mild as the common cold could kill off the tribe, or that experiencing electricity and the internet would devastate their lifestyle, has left them in a guarded bubble that Chau sought to burst with his "Jesus loves you" message. The American died last week after making several attempts to reach the Sentinelese to preach Christianity -- knowing it was illegal to go within three miles (five kilometres) of the island. - Double dilemma - Pankaj Sekhsaria, a tribal rights expert and author on the Andaman and Nicobar islands, said it would be "a futile exercise" to try to retrieve Chau's body. "I don't think it is a good idea to go anywhere near (North Sentinel) because it will create conflict with the community there," he told AFP. "I don?t believe there is any safe way to retrieve the body without putting both the Sentinelese and those attempting it at risk," added Sophie Grig, senior researcher for Survival International which campaigns for such isolated groups. Anup Kapoor, an anthropology professor at the University of Delhi, said that anyone wanting to open a dialogue with the Sentinelese had to show they were "on the same level." "Don't wear anything," he recommended. "Only then you can hope to have some sort of interaction." Kapoor once had contacts with the Onge, another Andamans tribe, adding: "It was only after I took off my clothes, except my underwear." The lack of knowledge of the Sentinelese, believed to be the last surviving descendants of the first humans to arrive in Asia -- and who 13th century adventurer Marco Polo called "brutish and savage" -- is the main handicap. "We have no clue about their communication systems, their history and culture, how can we go anywhere near them," said Kapoor. "What we know is that they have been killed and persecuted historically by the British and the Japanese. They hate anyone in uniform. If they see someone in uniform, they will kill him on the spot. "Let them be the way they are. Leave them in peace in the ecosystem they are in. Do not disturb them because that will only make them more aggressive." - No timeline - Police in the Indian Ocean paradise are now wrestling with a double dilemma: how to answer the prayers of Chau's family and maintain the privacy around North Sentinel that is essential for the tribe's survival. Andamans police chief Dependra Pathak has said no timeline can be given for finding a body. And Sekhsaria warned Indian authorities may now have to strengthen surveillance around North Sentinel to prevent a Chau copycat. "The administration is seized of the matter, they are already thinking about the surveillance," he said without giving detail. Indian outsiders have had a rough reception when going to North Sentinel. Arrows were fired at a helicopter that checked on the tribe after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Two fishermen who strayed too close in 2006 were killed. Police are talking with anthropologists and tribal welfare experts about the best way to establish contact. The Anthropological Survey of India has had previous rudimentary contact. "When we went there, nothing happened," said the survey's Andaman chief C. Raghu. "Our seniors visited the island and they came back. It is because we are experts and know the pulse of the people. "It's not just the risk of disease. You also have to think of how to handle yourself, what to say and what to share with them. To them, whoever gets there is from the outside, new world." Fears that diseases as mild as the common cold could kill off the tribe has left them in a guarded bubble Map showing the remote North Sentinel Island in India's Andaman islands. A lack of knowledge of the Sentinelese, who 13th century adventurer Marco Polo called "brutish and savage", is the main handicap to recovering a body
The Community Cupboard at Countryside Church on Duck Lake Road in Spring Lake has been busy. It is available whenever there is a need. We try to monitor and replace items and are grateful when blessings are returned. In this slippery roads, bad weather and expensive heating season, we hope it will be even more utilized.

What an interesting election year! Thank you all for voting, it was an energizing election to be sure! There were not as many Election Day luncheons or suppers as in the past, but still a number of bake sales. Many, many years ago, Conquest Church had an oyster dinner on Election Day. Often some candidates would buy up tickets and pass them out at the door hoping for a favorable vote. In my memory folks gathered at the election site (for years the town highway garage) to hear the results read after the votes had been counted. In one memorable election all the absentee ballots went to one candidate and there were years of hard feelings because everyone knew to whom the absentee ballots belonged. Sometimes in a small town the voting was not as secret as one might like. Also in a local election, candidates would stock up on chocolate bars and cigars and after a winning vote, pass them out in celebration. Both winning and losing candidates would be present and most often there were congratulations and hand-shakes. Not always, of course, but most often. In these days of electronic tabulation we miss the celebrations and the personal touches.

Saying goodbye is always difficult. On All Saints Sunday, we celebrated the lives of church members Nancy Hegeman, Ross Waterman, and Dan and JoAnne Hemple, recent passings leaving a hole in our hearts and our Countryside congregation. Of course we also honored dozens of saints who have kept our community and our church viable and exciting. At a happier and also important occasion, we celebrated the life work of our Cayuga County Sheriff David Gould at a glorious retirement dinner. He was lauded and thanked for his many years of service to our country, state and county.

As we enter this holiday season, we have many opportunities to celebrate! The Historic Butler Church will be hosting an Advent celebration at 2 p.m. on Dec. 2. The church is located on Route 89 just north of the Butler four corners. It will be an afternoon full of music and fellowship and particularly delicious goodies! The Port Byron Area Ecumenical Council has been preparing a Christmas cantata. You are invited to enjoy the presentations at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, at the Port Byron Federated Church or 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, at Countryside Church in Spring Lake. You will also see local volunteers ringing Christmas bells to help local families throughout this winter season and coming year. Through the generosity of last years giving, dozens of area families were assisted. Thank you!

I hope you have visited our new Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn. This structure is not only for the city of Auburn but an opportunity to recognize the myriad of people and institutions who have kept fighting for equality throughout our county. Our history continues.

Countryside Church recently packed 20 shoeboxes for Christmas delivery to the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. The boxes are for boys, girls, men and women to bring a bit of our love to this impoverished area of our country. It is wonderful to be part of a community where outreach is important. The Conquest community and local Girl Scouts also packed 10 boxes for our deployed soldiers. Included in each parcel were lots of homemade goodies and a bag of peanut brittle made especially by our eldest veteran, Dick Lees!

I invite you to join us in holy Christmas celebrations. Come worship with us at Countryside during Advent: 10:10 a.m. on Dec. 9 and 16, 10 a.m. on Dec. 23 and caroling in our community on the evening of Dec. 23. Christmas Eve worship will be held at Victory UMC at 7 p.m. If you need a ride or further directions, please call me at (315) 776-4726.

Joni Lincoln is the historian of the town of Conquest. She can be reached at (315) 776-4726.

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California: oh, the agony. Oh, the insults.

It is bad enough that the worst fire in the state's history has done cataclysmic damage, killing 80 souls, leaving another 1,000 still missing and reducing 12,000 properties to ash.

Then came the President, whose job at such an awful moment, while first responders do what they must do, is to offer solemn condolences and expressions of national resolve.

First, Trump threatened to withhold aid if the state's forest management isn't overhauled. (The fire started in a National Forest; the federal government oversees these.)

Sunday, he said the key to preventing future tragedy is to follow Finland's lead and "spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things." Finns replied with a well-known Finnish expression: What the hell are you talking about?

Americans should be grateful for all the professionals capable of expressing empathy and delivering timely relief. The President just doesn't happen to be one of them.

 The Daily News, New York

Americans would rightly be incensed if their government were gathering information on them on the scale that companies like Facebook and Google do. But few of us seem much concerned that private enterprise is doing this on a scale beyond anything dictators or advertising executives dreamed of just a few decades ago.

Maybe that's because it's all free, and users even get something in return  social networking, easy shopping, kitten videos. Perhaps these enterprises seem too big to comprehend, much less figure out how to reasonably regulate. Or maybe users have adopted a laissez-faire view of an unfettered internet.

Whatever it is, that mindset needs to change. The enormous influence of companies like Facebook might not be so bothersome if they behaved ethically. But as we're learning more and more, that's not always so.

Google, for example, was found to be tracking the movements of cellphone users even when they turned the feature off on their phones.

And as if Russian exploitation of Facebook's platform to influence the 2016 election was not bad enough, The New York Times details how Facebook went to great lengths to downplay it. It even hired a political consulting firm to help it discredit critics, in some cases with its own disinformation.

Russia going to such trouble to interfere in a U.S. election is one thing; an American company trying to keep that secret is quite another. That alone bears Congress' scrutiny.

The internet is a bastion of free speech, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, which reported nearly 1.5 billion daily users in September. The speech ranges from the benign  like personal celebrations or rants on life and politics  to the malignant  such as the state-sponsored disinformation campaign by Russia in our elections or the Myanmar military's use of Facebook to incite genocide of Rohingya Muslims.

Americans shouldn't tolerate infringement of free speech absent a clear and present danger. When nations and rogue actors have figured out how to weaponize free-speech platforms, the danger is clear.

As sensitive a task as it may be, it is time Congress engages in an earnest debate over what minimum standards companies like Facebook and Google should operate under. We offer a few for starters: They should be vigilant for disinformation, and diligent in curtailing it; they should give users the option to keep their data private and not be spied on or tracked; and they should be transparent about problems like data breaches, sabotage or manipulation that could compromise personal privacy or the national interest.

 The Times Union, Albany

We have long placed great trust in the state Senate to be a necessary speed bump on the costly policies proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Assembly.

The Nov. 6 election removed the speed bump and built a Democratic Party drag strip from Buffalo to Albany.

The news is particularly bad for Chautauqua County. State Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, has worked her way into key leadership positions in the state Senate, which helped give the county a greater voice on state issues. It will be interesting to see how rural counties like Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties fare when it comes to school and infrastructure funding with so much of the state's decision-making power centered downstate. It was a struggle dealing with upstate issues even with Republican control of the state Senate. We shudder to think that things could actually get worse.

To his credit, some items on Cuomo's list of priorities include things most reasonable people can agree should happen. New York needs ethics reform. The bail system in New York needs to be reformed, though not at the expense of public safety. Some voting reform is certainly worth discussion, though we hope Cuomo starts small.

The DREAM Act, which gives tuition assistance to college students brought to the country illegally when they were children, seems likely to happen. The "Flag" bill, which would allow a teacher or family member to petition a court to have weapons confiscated from a person who may be dangerous or emotionally disturbed, also seems a safe bet to become law.

The New York Health Act has been passed before in the state Assembly and we're sure it will be a talking point come January. The act would ban private insurance, eliminate all insurance options and force both employers and employee to pay huge tax increases and is sure to be a talking point come January despite an independent analysis that shows the cost could exceed $226 billion  or roughly 450 percent more than current state income tax projections.

We know the types of legislation that will be making news. No one knows if state government will run like children let loose in the world's biggest candy store or if someone in power will act like an adult.

 The Post-Journal, Jamestown

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Hardly a week goes by without hearing news that North Carolina or some North Carolina city or town is achieving a high ranking on a business or quality of life survey. The steady influx of millennials to cities like Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham paints a bright future with skilled technology workers and high-paying jobs. A recent article referenced a study by CompTAI that ranked Charlotte and Raleigh Durham the number one and two "tech towns" in the nation based on cost of living, IT job growth and salaries.Heady stuff. But don't be fooled by the glowing reports. Behind those shiny new glass buildings springing up in Charlotte and Raleigh lies a disturbing truth: Most of the workers to staff those new jobs are coming from elsewhere.Our schools are failing to prepare students for college and the world of work. The reality is the demand for tech jobs far exceeds the area's available tech talent. According to January 2018 LinkedIn Workforce Report , Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina had the 9thlargest skills gap in the country. Experts have been calling attention to the American skills gap for years. Even without Apple or Amazon locating in the Triangle, local companies are still having difficulty finding tech talent. A 2018 survey of local tech companies by Robert Half Technology found 63 percent of hiring managers want to expand their tech payrolls, but can't find the talent. A full eighty-six percent of hiring managers said they expect more tech workers to move to Raleigh for job opportunities.Our schools aren't helping. The evidence is not hard to find. Earlier this year, the ACT college entrance exam released its annual report called the Condition of College and Career Readiness . It concluded that many high school students will struggle with math and reading when they get to college. Only 40 percent of students nationally met the benchmark for math readiness. In North Carolina only 31 percent of all students met the math benchmark. Less than half (46 percent) of students who took the ACT test nationally met the readiness benchmark for reading. In North Carolina the figure was 35 percent.That's approximately one in three students in our state who meet the reading readiness benchmarks. Yes, I said one in three. Abysmal results - with potentially catastrophic consequences.The problems don't stop there. According to 2018 test results, the percentage of students demonstrating "grade level proficiency" (Level 3) in mathematics, declined every year from grade 3 through grade 8, except one (grade 5) which experienced a slight increase of less than two percent.Most pundits called North Carolina's 2017 NAEP results - generally considered the best indicators of academic progress - a mixed bag . Eighth-grade reading, and math scores were up one and two points respectively -essentially no change from the 2015 scores. More concerning were fourth-grade test results, which declined by two points in reading and three points in math.We're all familiar with the flurry of state and federal programs that have been developed to improve student learning and improve our competitiveness internationally. You've heard the names of the big federal initiatives, Goals 2000, No Child Left Behind, Every Student Succeeds Act, so I won't bore you.However, there has been no shortage at the state level as well. In 2010, the State Board of Education adopted Common Core Math and English Language State Standards with the express purpose of making our students ready for college and career. North Carolina received $400 million for A Race to the Top grant. In 2012, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Read to Achieve program. The goal was laudable: to provide funding for additional literacy instruction for students at risk of not reading at grade level by third grade, a pivotal time when students either demonstrate significant progress or begin to fall behind. The state legislature spent $150 million on this initiative.Have the programs worked? If the purpose of Common Core was to make our students college and career ready, we know the answer to that. Race to the Top? North Carolina received a $400 million grant. I don't mean to sound flippant, but can someone tell me what changed? Lastly, there is Read to Achieve.Researchers at N.C. State University recently evaluated the Read to Achieve program and foundThe outcome of these efforts underscores the truth that money is not the problem. Money is not unimportant, but merely throwing more money at proposed solutions is a losing battle. The lack of relationship between spending and improved outcomes is evident in much of the research. ( See: State Education Trends: Academic Performance and spending over the past forty years .)Conservatives often get accused of bashing the public education system. It's unfair. We are simply highlighting the problems of failing schools and students. Is it constructive to remain silent when less than 20 percent of North Carolinians meet college readiness benchmarks in English, Math, reading and science - eight years after the State Board of Education signed on to a massive effort specifically designed to make our students more college and career ready?Would any CEO survive if 80 percent of his or her products failed in the marketplace?For some reason we tolerate it.Presidents get defeated at the ballot box, CEOs get booted by shareholders. People need to understand the major education decisionmakers at the state and local level are the State Board of Education and local boards of education. Yet most people would be hard pressed to name a member of their local school board much less someone on the State Board of Education. The entire accountability structure seems largely inoculated from public sentiment. Why?Earlier this week, Amazon announced the site of its second headquarters -known as HQ2 - locating to Northern Virginia and New York City. The possibility of luring 50,000 jobs and billions in additional investment was strong enough to entice 238 cities to submit proposals - including Charlotte and Raleigh. Those proposals included millions in tax breaks and corporate incentives. What decided the outcome? One of Amazon's main requirements is simply the availability of tech talent. The Wall Street Journal reported that earlier this spring Amazon realized no single city could possibly meet its requirements for a talent pool. Solution: locate HQ2 in two cities with sizeable pools of tech talent.The decision upends the conventional wisdom that tax incentives and subsidies determine where businesses decide to locate. Amazon said it was the quality of the workforce, and the size of the pool of technology workers that won the day. An educated, skilled workforce draws private sector jobs and investments.Which brings us back to our problem: too many students are leaving high school in North Carolina not ready for college or a career.Companies continue to move to North Carolina, because we have cities with attractive pools of technology workers. It's hard to ignore the glaring fact that our schools are doing little to enhance that pool. Too many of our students aren't ready for college or work. Worse yet, most of the billions we've spent to reverse those efforts produce little to no measurable impact.That sentence is from A Nation at Risk , a national report from 1983 that many believe to be the founding document of the modern education reform movement.The sentiment is applicable across our state. So, is the question that emerges from it all: Where's the outrage.
I think Europe needs to get a handle on migration because that is what lit the flame. I admire the very generous and compassionate approaches that were taken by leaders like Angela Merkel [of Germany], but I think it is fair to say Europe has done its part and must send a very clear message - "we are not going to be able to continue providing refuge and support" - because if we don't deal with the migration issue it will continue to roil the body politic.

On Thursday, former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told The Guardian (UK) that Europe has badly mishandled the migration crisis from the Middle East. In verbiage reminiscent of one Donald J. Trump, Clinton acknowledged that Europe's influx of unvetted immigration from Muslim countries has led to social fracturing on the continent, explaining:This comment, of course, is directly in line with the statements of many on the political Right with regard to immigration in Europe, as well as unvetted illegal immigration in the United States. It's been a truism of European politics for years that mass migration from the Middle East has led to the rise of Right-wing forces from Norway to Austria to the Brexit movement. And Hillary Clinton's preferred policies in Libya and Syria were chief contributors to the migrant crisis that swamped the continent.So, here's the real question: why would Hillary suddenly decide to tell the truth about Middle Eastern immigration after years of demagoguing the issue for the love of the radical Left? Perhaps she's decided that fibbing was finally boring; perhaps she's decided that she wants to run in 2020 again, so she's shoring up her moderate base for her radical move to the Left.Either way, it's instructive to see Clinton admit a basic truism about unvetted immigration destroying the social fabric. And it will be even more instructive to watch the Left tear her apart for acknowledging this obvious truth, proving once again that the radical political Left doesn't have the street smarts to acknowledge basic political truths while providing different solutions.Instead, they prefer to ignore problems until those problems become too large to ignore - at which point they blame those on the Right for raising the issue in the first place.
Should Beaufort County elected officials demand that every alleged incident of Child Rape be investigated in Beaufort County?

Yes, without fail, irrespective of the parties involved; this heinous crime must be investigated, and the truth be known, and responsible parties prosecuted.
Bill Shine was forced to resign as co-president of Fox News over his personal mishandling of the rampant culture of sexual abuse, in which he abetted the company's culture of harassment, fondling, and coerced sex by its executives and on-air personalities.

Surprisingly, Shine's complicity in sexual misconduct did not disqualify him from serving in a senior role in the Trump White House; he replaced Hope Hicks as the White House's Communications Director, where he has distinguished himself by failing to make the mandatory financial disclosures required of anyone serving in that role, and by illegally barring Jim Acosta from White House press conferences in retaliation for Acosta's refusal to let Trump off the hook when he failed to answer a simple question (Shine has now instituted a one-question/no-followups rule for the White House press corps).





On Thanksgiving Friday, Shine belatedly filed his financial disclosure forms, which reveal that Fox News will pay Trump's new communications advisor a total of $7,000,000 while he is serving in the White House, as part of the $15,400,000 bonus that Shine was paid to reward him for his role in Fox's sex-scandal.





Shine was also involved in settlements with women who accused former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly of sexual harassment. O'Reilly was ousted from the conservative network last year after the hush payments surfaced and advertisers bailed on his show. Since Shine's hiring, which was praised by O'Reilly and Fox News' Sean Hannity, he has been involved in banning reporters from the White House and instituting new "rules" for the media that only allow one question to be asked. Shine's wife, Darla, who was a producer at Fox News, reportedly has complained that she can't use the N-word, spread baseless conspiracy theories about vaccines, and claimed that women in the military should expect to be sexually harassed.

Trump's communications director will get $7 million from Fox News while working in the White House [Frank Dale/Thinkprogress]

(via Late Stage Capitalism)

(Image: Omnisource5, CC-BY-SA)

state media,bill shine,fox news,#metoo, public-choice-theory
- A young womans tweet about her journey to success has gone viral

- Asanda Maqabuka is the owner of Nkukhu-Box

- Tweeps praised the young entrepreneur but some controversial messages were shared as well

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Asanda took exception to one of the first responses questioning why black people buy flashy cars instead of growing their businesses.

Her reply was swift and firm.

However, user, @PHASTARICO, criticised Asandas snappy response.

An interesting response was sent by user, @cns_classic, who shared that it was his friend who founded the original business and how he has empowered the local youth.

READ ALSO: Tweep throws shade on women who date successful men, twitter reacts

The response from Mzansi was overwhelmingly positive as tweeps heaped praise on the young entrepreneur.

Briefly.co.za also noted that Asanda appeared as a guest on Real Talk with Anele on SABC 3.

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Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLYs news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly.co.za
News / National

by Staff reporter

THE opposition MDC yesterday said Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube's silence on currency distortions in the 2019 National Budget presented on Thursday demonstrated government's reluctance to deal with the root of the problems that have seen prices pegged in the local bond note shooting through the roof.Observers have also expressed concerns that the pricing of basic commodities would remain beyond the reach of the majority of citizens earning their keep in bond notes.Retailers have resorted to pegging their prices in United States dollars  which are currently scarce on the market  while customers wanting to pay in bond notes or plastic money have to pay the US dollar price.MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said his party believed the budget was a self-conflicted document, with nothing to celebrate as most of the reforms proposed were built on quick sand.Ncube presented his budget with a raft of reforms meant to cut spending and inspire confidence in the local economy  something which some analysts said was a positive move  but failure to deal with currency discrepancy is set to make life difficult for the majority of citizens."The lack of clarity on currency issue is at the centre of the multi pricing system and a decisive Minister ought to bite the bullet and make a decision on the matter," party Mafume said."Yet, Mthuli, in his budget, ignores the distortions being caused by the bond note. He proves beyond reasonable doubt that he is scared of the raw State power which is in the hands of Zanu PF hardliners and securocratic oligarchs, who need to maintain a printing Press of sorts for purposes of patronage."Mafume described government's proposal to arrest run-away expenditure as "pub talk", as they will continue printing bond notes so that they can fund Zanu PF activities and the lifestyles of the elite.Mafume said Ncube should have proposed the demonetising of the bond note and revert to a proper multi-currency regime, outlining a path towards joining the rand monetary union.He said there was a foreign currency crisis in the country because of the unproductive environment affecting Zimbabwe's industrial sector.The opposition also said it was disturbed by the marginal allocation to independent commissions and failure to deal decisively with the land issue, among other topical matters."With all due respect, this budget is a continuation of the old order of economic lethargy, economic destruction, corruption and patronage. It does not even address the issue of the usurious 2c a dollar this government is fleecing from innocent Zimbabweans."The token reduction of 5% from the salaries of the well-heeled is so measly it will not make any positive impact," he said.Other stakeholders who spoke to NewsDay Weekender said the requirement on car importers to pay duty in hard cash made no sense, given that workers did not receive their salaries in hard cash.Vendors Initiative for Socio-Economic Transformation (VISET) described the budget as "an economic horror script", especially for those eking out a living in the informal sector."Hence, we state at this stage that the 2019 Budget is an instrument of economic attack on the poor and struggling masses while simultaneously opening up Zimbabwe for massive exploitation by foreign capital," said VISET executive director Samuel Wadzai.He said the budget dashed whatever hopes they had of seeing informal sector players evolving into big formal businesses."The policy pronouncements via the national budget have dealt a heavy blow on the formalisation of the informal sector drive. A cocktail of taxes and payments demanded by government will only push the informal sector into retreat," he saidCombined Harare Residents Association Mfundo Mlilo said the budget was full of contradictions, and Ncube failed to take the bold steps needed to deal comprehensively with the country's soci-economic challenges.He also said there was insincerity on the budget allocations and priority was misplaced."The budget is contradictory because on the other hand, it attempts to give a corrective diagnosis of the Zimbabwean problems, but on the other, he cherry picks what to address. The minister understands the problems that we are in, but when you go into the contents of his statement, you don't see any commitment to deal with the real problems," Mlilo said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Vice President Retired General DR Constantino Chiwenga says Zanu-PF is at its strongest due to the unity prevailing in the party's leadership.Chiwenga who was addressing thousands of people in Murombedzi reiterated that there is no vacancy in the presidency as President Emmerson Mnangagwa has just won a fresh mandate from the people.Vice President Chiwenga said those harbouring notions of taking over power should think again as the ruling party is as united as ever with President Mnangagwa at the helm.Chiwenga told thousands of people at a thank you rally at Murombedzi Growth Point that President Mnangagwa has a fresh mandate he got from the people who voted him into office.He also criticised opposition leaders who mix church and politics likening them to the false prophets referred to in the Bible as wolves coming in sheep's clothing.Meanwhile, the inaugural thank you rally was held in Mashonaland West where President Mnangagwa got 312 000 votes, the highest for the province since 1980.Chairperson of the Zanu-PF party Oppah Muchinguri as well as the province's chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi commended the party for the hard work.In Zvimba district the President got 55 000 votes against MDC Alliance leader Advocate Nelson Chamisa's 26 000 in the July 30 elections.
Opinion / Book Reviews

Professor Arthur G.O. Mutambara is the former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. Former President Robert Mugabe, the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Mutambara were the three GPA Principals who created and led the GNU. He is currently a Visiting Full Professor with the University of Johannesburg and an independent technology and strategy consultant. Previously, he was the President of the African News Agency, a technology-driven multimedia news platform. Mutambara has written two electrical engineering books. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers and the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences.

This is the second book in a series of three volumes that traces the leadership thoughts and philosophical disposition of Professor Arthur G.O. Mutambara over a period of 35 years. The dramatic removal of Robert Mugabe by a people-backed coup d'etat in November 2017 was greeted with euphoria and high expectations. However, the ensuing goodwill was rapidly squandered  the dream was deferred. Zimbabwe's elections in July 2018 generated tremendous hope  the exhilaration for change was palpable.Alas, it was not to be. It was a false moment. The vision of a peaceful, democratic and wealthy nation characterised by inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity  the Zimbabwean Dream'  has proven difficult to attain. In fact, this ambition has been hard to achieve in most African countries. Hence, Mutambara's work is in search of the elusive African Dream'. The trilogy constitutes a fascinating intellectual and political journey by the man who would become Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe at the age of 42. It is a collection of grounded reflections presented together with selected autobiographical material. The work is a product of rigorous and peer-reviewed research and analysis. It contributes to the epistemology of thought leadership from the perspective of an engineer-cum-politician, bridging the knowledge gap between the two disciplines.This volume  The Path to Power  deals with Mutambara's return to Africa from the United States and re-entry into Zimbabwean politics, leading to his swearing-in as Deputy Prime Minister. The book discusses the build-up to the disputed 2008 elections and the chaotic aftermath. An erudite and blistering speech Mutambara gave led to his arrest and detention. Neither SADC nor the AU recognised the sham and genocidal June 2008 run-off election. This led to the SADC mediation efforts, facilitated by SA's Thabo Mbeki. The intervention produced the GPA  the basis for the GNU. This well-researched book is the first literary contribution by someone intimately involved with both the GPA and GNU. The work provides a nuanced perspective of an insider and will assist scholars in this domain. In 2018, with the rigging of elections in Zimbabwe now at an industrial scale, the book articulates the lessons to be drawn from such polls. It proffers a strategic way forward  the path to power. The book is organised into three sections: Return to Africa and Re-entry into Politics (20032005); Building a Viable Alternative to ZANU-PF (20062007); and Journey Towards the GNU (20082009).
.           0:2      "F"   .  ,      -  60-70   ,         . "     -     .      ,      .  ,  ...
Opinion / Columnist

Brian Maregedze is a Research Associate with Leaders for Africa Network (LAN) and member of the Zimbabwe Historical Association (ZHA). Email; bmaregedze@gmail.com

The discovery of diamonds in Marange in 2006 located in the Eastern part of Zimbabwe did not translate into the much anticipated benefits to the local inhabitants. The yearning for positive development among the Marange people has become a 'crisis of expectation' as a number challenges have emerged in the post 2010 era. Marange: the Imprisoned Community is a film which chronicles narratives of "resource curse," a story of plunder, looting of diamonds by handlers of the levers of power in association with external players.The story of China's foothold in Africa with Anjin, a company leading in Eastern Zimbabwe in extracting diamonds exhibits the dilemma that indigenous people are confronted with. Far from the rhetoric of the 'New Dispensation,' the film produced by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), indicates a continuation of suffering from the Robert Mugabe led administration to the Emmerson Mnangagwa led government, for Marange Communal lands residents. The film is based on true life events taking shape in Manicaland province, eastern Zimbabwe. Marange is one of the biggest diamond mining spaces in Zimbabwe.Narratives from those who experienced torture, empty promises, and crises of expectation are well covered in this new 2018 film. Government operation code named Operation Hakudzokwe [Operation no return] was unleashed on civilians who were making efforts to survive on the diamonds during the climax of the discovery of diamonds in 2008. This saw the deaths of many people and every year in November, commemorations for Operation Hakudzokwe are made by Marange residents.Economic nationalism forms an important facet to this narrative as claims of belonging and right to ownership are noted. Artisanal miners being the ones who discovered the diamonds in 2006 expected to benefit economically. On the contrary, State sponsored violence followed with one male artisanal miner showing dog bits despite having surrendered in the face of security personnel. Farai Maguwu the director of CNRG argued that, these artisanal miners are not criminals and inhumane treatment and violence imposed by the state was uncalled for. Elsewhere in Zimbabwe, in the Midlands province covering areas such as Kwekwe, there are no such reported cases upon artisanal miners.For residents of Marange, Moses Mukwada another informant argued that it is now problematic to even own a car within this community as extra requirements are made. A permit worth Bond $40.00 is required to clear the car for movement. This is due to the fact that Marange is under the Protected Places and Areas Act which inhibits the freedom to move for community members and visitors alike.On development, Headman Chipindirwi argued that the companies are not doing much to address the plight of local residents. Fencing a local school called Banda is the only observable achievement worth noting. No tarred roads, land degradation, clinics are in a terrible state and relocation to ARDA Transau (a government owned old farm) from which the people were not compensated, add to this sad story for the Marange people. Matthew Ruguwa (2017) in a detailed study of Marange relocation argues that it was a development disaster, implying that the wealth derived from the extraction of diamonds has not trickled down to the displaced households in a meaningful way despite the fact that they were the ones who have had to bear the brunt of the devastating impacts of mining operations. 'Resource curse' aptly captures the story of ordinary people in Marange communal lands.The people of Marange community are saying, 'no to continued plunder of our resources' as it is their right to survive. Is this a democratic country?, queered the youth representative for Marange community. Failure to have access to the companies that are extracting diamonds, unemployment among the youths as well as other challenges indicate a society under siege by those in power. The missing 15 Billion was not left out in these narratives with Marange residents asking for answers to their plight.The challenges encountered by the ordinary people in Marange points to the fallacies of the new dispensation narrative generally propagated in the mainstream Zimbabwe media spaces. The struggle is far from over as colonial experiences of displacement and dehumanizing citizens persists. Some are more citizens than others. There is 'development of underdevelopment' as looting of diamonds is taking shape.However, the film produced by CNRG comes at a time when transparency and accountability issues remain problematic in the land locked Southern Africa country, Zimbabwe. In a report titled, An inside job Zimbabwe: the state, the security forces, and a decade of disappearing diamonds, Global Witness points to the involvement of Zimbabwe security forces in the looting of diamonds. The military controlled a 30% stake in the joint venture with the Chinese government-owned corporation, the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co Ltd (Afec). The same report indicates that the diamonds are channeled through Dubai, Belgium and Mozambique by a complex web of a number of companies located in various countries such as Mauritius, Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands and South Africa. Such is the complex nature of Marange diamonds and as such the inhabitants of the area remain victims of a greedy state and global society.
Will Amazon Ruin Dating In New York And DC?

Trending News: People Are Terrified Amazon's HQ2 Will Ruin Dating In NYC And DC

When Amazon announced its new headquarters in New York and Virginia, much of the talk was about how the arrival of 50,000 new employees will ruin commutes in surrounding areas  but the arrival might very well ruin something else.

Media in New York and Washington have run articles spelling out the problems that could come from Amazon invading their cities. Namely, how it'll ruin dating. But how do they know it'll be so bad if the headquarters haven't even opened yet? Just ask Seattle.

Related: Looking For Dates In New York? Start With These Apps

Take It From Seattle

Seattle is an awful place for dating. Don't take it from me, take it from this recent survey that listed it as the worst city in America for finding love.

When I see Amazon people on apps, I definitely take a second and already pre-judge them on that and most of the time swipe left, said 26-year-old Taylor OLeary to The Washingtonian. Its going to be the same old, same old. Theres nothing more to them other than Amazon.

Isabelle, a 27-year-old Seattle resident who works at Amazon (hence why she didn't release her last time), told The New York Post there are two types of Amazon "tech bros." First, there's the awkward super passive, super reserved. There's also the jerk: the guy who thinks hes Gods gift to engineering  super conceited.

In a 2014 Dame article titled 'Amazon Is Killing My Sex Life,' the author wrote that talking to guys who work at Amazon involves the kind of talk that shuts vaginas down cold.

A male programmer in Seattle even admitted there's a stigma about working for Amazon.

I hear horror stories all the time about man-children unable to have conversations about anything other than tech, said Paul, a 27-year-old who didn't disclose his last name, to The Post. So I dont list my job on any of my profiles, or wear company-branded clothes in public.

Stereotyping Much?

Of course, not everyone who works for Amazon is a horrible match. I'm sure there are plenty of great (see: rich) suitors.

Besides, if singles in NYC and DC are worried about only seeing people who live and breathe tech, they should be comforted in the fact that half of the employees on both campuses won't even be involved in tech, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

So chill out New York and DC, you're going to be fine. Don't blame Amazon for your future dating woes; I'm sure there are plenty of people in your cities who you can blame for that instead.

You Might Also Dig
Three more Canadian cases have been confirmed in the current E. coli outbreak associated with romaine lettuce, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Friday.

That brings the total number of people who have fallen ill in this country to 22, including four cases in Ontario, 17 in Quebec and one in New Brunswick.

The agency said there is no evidence that other parts of Canada have been affected.

The illnesses occurred between late October and early November, Dr. Howard Njoo from the Public Health Agency of Canada, said in a telephone briefing with reporters on Friday.

There's a lag time of 14 to 29 days between someone becoming ill and the agency confirming that it's an E. coli O157 infection  the strain that's behind this outbreak, he said.

When patients start experiencing symptoms, which can include diarrhea and vomiting, it may take time before they seek medical attention. Once they do, a stool sample has to be sent to a lab to confirm whether or not it's an E. coli infection. If the test is positive, local public health authorities are notified and that information is then conveyed to provincial and federal health officials.

The outbreak has also sickened more than 30 people in the U.S.

The romaine lettuce contaminated with the bacteria likely came from California, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday.

That conclusion is "based on growing and harvesting patterns," FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb tweeted.

"The goal now is to withdraw the product that's at risk of being contaminated from the market, and then re-stock the market," he said.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said on Friday that although it was incorporating the information from the FDA into its investigation, it could not yet confirm whether the romaine lettuce making Canadians sick was grown in California.

Gottlieb said the FDA wants "to help unaffected growers get back into production," noting that romaine lettuce would soon be harvested from other growing regions in the U.S., including Florida and Arizona.

Story continues

The agency also wants to make more specific product labelling "the new standard" to help trace food back to the source, he said. The FDA was "working with growers and distributors on labelling produce for location and harvest date and possibly other ways of informing consumers."

Labelling has proven to be a challenge in investigating food contamination, Matthew Wise, deputy branch chief for outbreak response at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CBC News on Friday.

"One of the things that we don't sort of see on packaging is where a leafy green product was grown," Wise said. "A lot of times those bags are listed with ... the location of the corporate headquarters from the company or something like that.

He said that makes it "almost impossible" for someone looking at a bag of lettuce to know whether, for example, it was grown in Arizona, California, Florida or Texas.

Another challenge in tracing E. coli to a particular product in this outbreak, Wise said, is the fact that lettuce has a short shelf life.

"One of the types of evidence that we rely on ... is to test the foods that we think are causing the outbreak and to see if we can find that specific outbreak strain in the foods," he said. "By the time we know that someone's part of an outbreak and we get back to, say, the restaurant that they ate at ... they're not serving the same lettuce that they were serving three weeks ago."

Marina von Stackelberg/CBC

Even when investigators are able to trace E. coli contamination back to a particular region, it's still difficult to narrow down the precise source of the bacteria. It could come from the water used to irrigate a particular farmer's field or somewhere in transport, at a distribution centre, or in a store.

In an outbreak of the same bacterial strain in leafy greens  including romaine lettuce  last year, neither Canadian nor U.S. officials were able to pinpoint where the problem lay.

"It's a complicated distribution chain. It's a tough product to investigate," Wise said.

What people should do

The Public Health Agency of Canada is continuing to urge people in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick not to buy or eat romaine lettuce or salad mixes containing romaine lettuce.

If people in those provinces have romaine at home, they should throw it out and clean and sanitize the container it was in, including bins in the fridge.

The agency also advises anyone experiencing vomiting or diarrhea who ate romaine lettuce to see their health-care provider.

Canadian officials have stopped short of advising people living in provinces and territories where cases haven't appeared to take the same precautions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken a much more aggressive stance, advising all American consumers to avoid romaine lettuce and throw any in their homes away.
A major geothermal power plant has broken ground in Saskatchewan.

The company leading the project, Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP), announced drilling has started at the site's location near Estevan.

The drilling will be used mainly for testing purposes to set up a facility that generates five megawatts of clean energy  enough to power about 5,000 houses. A spokesperson said DEEP would start construction in spring with an eye toward producing power in two and a half years

But the plant could potentially produce over 100 megawatts of power in the future, according to Kirsten Marcia, president and CEO of DEEP.

"This is really exciting for me," Marcia told reporters after Thursday's announcement in Regina.

A news release from the company says the plant would generate renewable and zero-emission power. It would also offset 27,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by producing five megawatts of electricity, which is the equivalent of taking about 7,400 cars off the roads annually.

Submitted by Exergy

"It's ironic, and wonderfully ironic, that it's our oil and gas industry that discovered this resource," said Marcia.

"We wouldn't know this resource was even there if the oil and gas industry hadn't drilled into it in their exploration for oil over the years."

Geothermal energy uses steam from hot water under the earth's surface to drive a turbine that produces electricity.

The plant will drill about 3.5 kilometres into the base of Williston Basin in southern Saskatchewan, making it the deepest well ever drilled in the province.

Exergy

Marcia said the plant will cost about $50 million, with Saskatchewan contributing $175,000 and Natural Resources Canada putting up $1.35 million.

She said the cost will "out-compete" wind and solar, because of low operating and maintenance costs once the facility is up and running.

The company says the plant is a first of its kind in Canada.

SaskPower signed a power purchase agreement in 2017 which would enable the Crown corporation to buy power from the plant, and help reduce emissions from by 40 per cent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

DEEP is a privately held Saskatchewan corporation, working with Epoch Energy Development on the project.
Canada's telecommunications regulator has issued a temporary order ruling Telus needs to make sure calls from its customers get through to Ice Wireless customers in northern Canada.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted two interim relief requests Friday in an ongoing dispute involving Telus and Iris Technologies Inc. Each company made those requests as part of their submissions in the case earlier this year.

Iristel  the parent company of Ice Wireless  alleges Telus is actively blocking calls from Telus customers to Ice Wireless customers, and has been doing so since May 29.

Telus insists it's not blocking any calls. Instead, it says it's taking steps to "control the flow of traffic to Iristel," according to a Sept. 10 submission to the CRTC.

Telus argues that it's doing this because Iristel is engaging in traffic stimulation, a practice where Iristel numbers in northern Canada are assigned to services not located in the North, illegally boosting its profits from a previous agreement with Telus.

The CRTC has yet to rule on the validity of either claim, but says in the meantime, the reduced capacity on the network "is not reasonable nor in the public interest" and the issue of calls not being completed needs to be addressed in an "expeditious manner."

10 days to change

The telecommunications regulator cited call failures reported by Iristel in its application and reporting from CBC News earlier this fall as evidence in the ruling.

Friday's ruling orders Telus make sure all calls to Iristel's users in northern Canada with an 867 area code connect within 10 days (Dec. 3). It also requires that Telus file a report with the CRTC confirming they've done this within the same timespan.

It also granted Telus' request to make the fees Iristel charges to use its network "interim." That leaves open the possibility the CRTC could order compensation to Telus if the regulator rules in its favour.

It's not clear when the CRTC will make its final ruling in the case.
Last week's Atlantic windstorm  reportedly the worst the Grand Banks region had seen in over 30 years  still wasn't strong enough to alarm those aboard the Hibernia GBS, the operator says.

Despite winds reaching 130 km/h, the Hibernia continued production last Wednesday according to its safety plan, the operator told CBC News on Friday.

"The Hibernia is designed to withstand the severe conditions that we find on the Grand Banks," said Margot Bruce-O'Connell, Hibernia Management and Development Company spokesperson, adding that the weather forecast that day was "within the parameters" of what the the platform can tolerate.

CBC

After the winds died down, a damage check flagged problems with three of the Hibernia's eight lifeboats, with one needing repair and a boom for the other two knocked out of place, presumably by the wind, Bruce-O'Connell said.

Ninety people were evacuated in response to the lifeboat damage. Bruce-O'Connell said lifeboat capacity was sufficient at all times throughout the evacuation, with at least one seat to every person on board.

Regulator has 'all the power it requires'

Bruce-O'Connell applauded the safety measures taken by staff onboard the rig. "Folk performed beautifully," she said.

The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board agreed. CEO Scott Tessier said the fact nobody got hurt in the entire offshore industry during the storm  the worst on the Grand Banks in three decades, he said  is a testament to how far safety procedures have come since the Ocean Ranger disaster in 1982.

The regulator has come under fire since a flowline to the SeaRose FPSO failed last week, causing a 250,000-litre oil spill that has not been recovered.

The C-NLOPB isn't involved in the day-to-day operations of offshore rigs, and doesn't, as a rule, tell vessels when sea conditions pose too much risk to continue production.

Tessier said that's normal for petroleum regulators.

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"There's a call for us to be a lot more hands-on and more prescriptive," he said, adding that the C-NLOPB already writes some of the rules for offshore operators.

But, he said , the board, like petroleum regulators elsewhere, is moving toward a performance-based system, where operators write their own rules and the regulator simply approves and oversees them.

CBC

"The board has all the power it requires," Tessier said, suggesting that a desire seems to exist for the board to "almost operate the facilities" itself.

"My response to that is, the responsibility lies where the liability lies, and that's with the industry. A performance-based regulatory regime, which we're moving toward, is going to go further into that direction."

More wildlife found

The board's investigation into Husky's response continues, Tessier added, with all eyes on how Husky Energy made the call to resume operations on the SeaRose in rough seas.

"In terms of their thinking and their decision-making, that's something that's going to be a close focus of our investigation."

Production on the SeaRose is still suspended as Husky begins a water sampling program, according to an update from the board Friday.

Hebron production started again Monday after a safety check concluded there was no damage from the storm.

Husky announced in a release Friday that a total of 18 oil-slicked seabirds have been found. Four of those are at a cleaning centre in St. John's, and four are dead.

With files from Chris O'Neill-Yates

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
CBC

The Muslim community is mourning the deaths of two young men after a car crash over the weekend. Yazen Hamza and Ahmed Debdub, both 17 and both originally from Syria died when the car they were travelling in struck a pole on Wyandotte Street West early Saturday morning. There were hundreds of people at the Windsor Mosque where an afternoon prayer was said for the two. That was followed by a large procession that brought them to their burial. Issam Hamza, Yazen's father, said his son will be dear
Ontario PCs want to make it next to impossible to sue the government

After a backlash, Premier Doug Ford's government announced Friday afternoon it will take a number of steps to bolster the French language in Ontario, although it's still cutting funding for a planned French language university.

In its fall economic statement, the Progressive Conservative government announced plans to eliminate the position of the French language services commissioner and scrap plans to build a French university as part of a plan to balance the budget.

The decision prompted immediate backlash from Ontarians, the federal government and Quebec's new premier, who asked Ford to reverse the cuts at their first face-to-face meeting this week. One of Ford's MPPs, Amanda Simard, broke ranks to criticize the move, saying she was disappointed and frustrated.

On Friday, the government announced it was changing its plans, vowing to:

Re-create the position of French language services commissioner, that will be attached to the ombudsman's office.

Name Caroline Mulroney as the minister of francophone affairs.

Hire a senior policy advisor responsible for francophone affairs in Ford's office.

However, Ontario's government is not restoring funding for a planned French-language university in the province.

It's unclear how much the changes will cost to implement.

"The fiscal realities of our province's finances prohibit a new stand-alone French Language University right now," Mulroney said in a news release.

Mulroney, who is also the province's attorney general, said she'll continue to advocate for the project.

Mitzie Hunter, the Liberal MPP representing ScarboroughGuildwood, called CBC Toronto to criticize Ford's move as little more than "rearranging staff."

While the announcement is still vague, Hunter said the reversal doesn't go far enough to ensure an independent officer is in place to protect the French language.

"We have to respect the rights of French speaking people," she said.

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Ford praises Franco-Ontarians as 'fighters'

In Friday's statement, Ford thanked "all the people who reached out" to his office following last week's announcement and said he looks forward to building a "constructive dialogue" with Franco-Ontarians.

"They're fighters. They're part of the history of Ontario. They continue to work hard for generations to promote and preserve their beautiful culture and language in our province," he said.

Ford will not take questions from reporters on Friday, his office said.

The Francophone Assembly of Ontario, which represents some 740,000 Franco-Ontarians, previously announced it's planning a day of action against the cuts on Dec. 1 in dozens of locations across the province.
MILAN (Reuters) - The radio unit of Italy's biggest commercial broadcaster Mediaset is looking to enter the Spanish market and does not rule out potential acquisitions, Mediaset Radio CEO Paolo Salvaderi said on Friday. "We plan to expand in Spain with one of our radio stations ... we are in talks with some potential partner," Salvaderi told Reuters on the sideline of a presentation. The unit -- which comprises Italian radio stations R101, Radio 105, Virgin Radio, Radio Subasio and Radio Monte Carlo -- will end 2018 with advertising sales of more than 100 million euros, he said, adding the business was growing at a double digit rate. Mediaset, whose main business is TV, saw total advertising sales rise 2.5 percent to 1.45 billion euros in the first nine months of the year. (Reporting by Giancarlo Navach; writing by Francesca Landini, editing by Valentina Za)
Vladimir Putin would have the power to launch nuclear strikes first according to plans to change the law in Russia (Picture: Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Vladimir Putin could be given the power to launch nuclear strikes first under plans to change the law in Russia.

Currently Russias military doctrine bans the initial use of nuclear weapons unless Russia is threatened by weapons of mass destruction.

But senators in the Federation Council have reportedly recommended that Russia should be allowed to retaliate with nuclear weapons if the country is attacked by conventional, non-nuclear strategic weapons.

The move comes after Donald Trump announced that the US plans to withdraw from the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987.

Both Russia and the United States have accused each other of violating the deal and Mr Putin and Mr Trump are expected to discuss the subject at a G20 meeting in Argentina.

The move comes after Donald Trump announced that the US plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev (pictured above) in 1987 (Picture: PA)

The Times reported that Franz Klintsevich, a member of the councils defence committee, said that eastern European countries that host Nato military bases, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania should understand that we wont simply look at that through our fingers  we will react.The proposals comes after the Pentagon updated its own nuclear policies in a similar way, broadening the circumstances under which it would carry out nuclear strikes.

MORE: Nigel Farage appalled by UKIPs appointment of Tommy Robinson as adviser

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But just last month, Mr Putin told an international policy forum that Russia would only use its nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack on the country.

He told the Valdai Club: Our strategy of nuclear weapons use doesnt envision a preemptive strike. Our concept is a launch under attack. Only when we become convinced that there is an incoming attack on the territory of Russia, and that happens within seconds, only after that we would launch a retaliatory strike.
The critical Muskrat Falls management contract was mired in turmoil and beset by performance issues in the months before and after the controversial hydro project was sanctioned, the man leading Nalcor Energy's project management team testified this week at the project inquiry.

Despite this, the inquiry heard, Nalcor did not see the need to increase cost estimates prior to green-lighting the project in late 2012.

It's the latest sign that hopes of achieving the cost and schedule estimates for Muskrat were a long shot when then-premier Kathy Dunderdale announced her government would sanction the project six years ago.

There were references to the tension earlier in the inquiry, but it was Paul Harrington who pulled back the curtain on serious issues between Nalcor and SNC-Lavalin, the Quebec-based engineering company that was awarded the EPCM  for engineering, procurement and construction management  contract in 2011.

Allegations of fraud, corruption

SNC-Lavalin's reputation was under threat because of fraud and corruption allegations related to its business activities in Libya. Its chief executive officer was arrested. And there was "significant distraction/lack of focus" following wholesale changes to SNC's leadership, Nalcor said in a statement provided to CBC News on Friday.

"All of the people that we had negotiated the EPCM contract with had gone," said Harrington, the British engineer and contractor-for-hire who was directing the Muskrat project for Nalcor.

That chaos spilled over to the Muskrat Falls project, Harrington testified.

"We were struggling to get resources from SNC," he said.

The SNC that we see today is much different from the SNC that we were experiencing at the time. They were going through some very difficult situations. - Paul Harrington

"The SNC that we see today is much different from the SNC that we were experiencing at the time. They were going through some very difficult situations."

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And Harrington said the situation was further complicated when SNC-Lavalin personnel did not want to relocate to Newfoundland and Labrador from their Montreal offices in order to fulfil a requirement that engineering for the project be carried out in the province.

"We had a succession of project managers and functional managers," said Harrington.

A troubling picture

Harrington painted a troubling picture for a project that was being led by a Crown corporation, with the risks being borne by electricity customers and the Newfoundland and Labrador taxpayer.

He said there were "poor controls" by SNC-Lavalin and inadequate co-ordination between experts in engineering, procurement and cost estimating.

Terry Roberts/CBC

"We saw an ideology gap between the bid phase and how we were actually going to run it from almost three million person-hours to almost double that," said Harrington. "Construction management of early site works was problematic."

And with the public growing increasingly concerned with the fact SNC-Lavalin was even involved with the project, Harrington said, it was "difficult to keep people motivated."

Nalcor takes action

With key milestones under threat, Nalcor was forced to take action, and essentially stripped SNC-Lavalin of its project management responsibilities by forming what's called integrated management teams, with Nalcor using its staff and contracted professionals to jointly manage areas such as supply management, planning and quality assurance.

Experts from other companies were also added to the team.

And documents show Nalcor relented on the requirement that engineering be completed in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We acted promptly on all these things and we turned it around," said Harrington.

Nalcor

But it all came at a steep cost.

Documents show EPCM contract cost estimates increased by $250 million from 2010 until final sanctioning two years later, and there were suggestions at the inquiry that the actual costs were even higher.

But Harrington refused to acknowledge this put any pressure on the project cost or schedule.

"If we hadn't have taken actions that we were taking (it) would have resulted in a significant risk to us. But we did take those actions. We did turn the SNC folks around," he said.

Muskrat Falls was sanctioned at $6.2 billion in 2012, with another $1.2 billion for financing that was not conveyed to the public at the time.

This estimate did not include a strategic reserve allowance, despite the fact that challenges with SNC-Lavalin had been ongoing for many months, and that an independent risk expert had recommended an allowance of nearly half a billion dollars.

The estimate also did not take into account that Nalcor was aware there was just a slim chance it could deliver first-power from Muskrat in mid-2017, and missing that target would almost certainly add millions to the cost.

Critics have argued these and other revelations at the inquiry are proof that Nalcor did everything possible to lowball the cost estimates for Nalcor in order to win public support for the project, and that the absence of a truly independent review of Nalcor's work allowed this to occur.

A spokesperson for Nalcor, meanwhile, said SNC-Lavalin "continues to provide engineering and other services as part of the (Lower Churchill Project) integrated project management team and they remain the engineer of record."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
By Josh Smith and Haejin Choi DAEGU, South Korea (Reuters) - When 17-year-old Lee Yong-soo returned home to South Korea in 1945 after years as a child sex slave for Japanese troops, her family, having given her up for dead, thought she was a ghost. "When I returned, I had a deep wound," Lee told Reuters, holding a black and white photo of herself in a traditional Korean dress, taken in her first year back home. She still remembers the blue and purple fabric of that dress, but other memories from those years are more traumatic. "I thought I was going to die," Lee said of the abuse and torture she endured in a brothel at an airfield in Taiwan used by Japanese kamikaze pilots in the final years of World War Two. Now 90 years old, Lee says she feels like a sincere apology from Japanese authorities for the wartime exploitation of so-called comfort women is no nearer now than when she returned home more than 70 years ago. Japan says the claims have been settled by past agreements and apologies, and that the continued controversy threatens relations between the two countries. Some historians estimate 30,000 to 200,000 Korean women were forced into sex slavery during Japan's occupation from 1910 to 1945, in some cases under the pretext of employment or to pay off a relative's debt. Now with only 27 registered South Korean survivors still alive, there is a sense of urgency behind efforts by the women to receive a formal apology as well as legal compensation from Japan while their voices can still be heard. Just days before Reuters interviewed Lee at her one-room apartment in the southern city of Daegu, a fellow victim had died, one of six so far in 2018. Another survivor, Kim Bok-dong, said she wanted to share her story, but suffering from cancer and expected to live only a few more months, she was unable to find time to speak. "SINCERE APOLOGY" Under the 1965 treaty, Japan reached a deal with South Korea to provide an $800 million aid-and-loan package in exchange for Seoul considering all wartime compensation issues settled. A South Korean panel late last year concluded a separate 2015 deal between South Korea and Japan had failed to meet the needs of former "comfort women". Acting on that conclusion, the South Korean government this week shut down a fund created under the 2015 deal and vowed to pursue a more "victim-oriented" approach, a move Japan said threatened the two countries' relations. A sense of shame and secrecy meant most tales of abuse and coercion at the brothels for Japanese troops were never discussed publicly, until Kim Hak-sun, one of the South Korean victims, came forward in 1991. She and two other former comfort women joined a class action lawsuit against Japan, which prompted the Japanese government to acknowledge its role for the first time in 1993. The case was eventually dismissed by Japan's highest courts in 2004. Lee was one of the survivors emboldened by Kim's move, and has since worked to raise awareness, including meeting the Pope and traveling to North Korea to meet other victims. "Since 1992, I had been asking Japan to make sincere apology, that is what I want," Lee said. "I have been doing this for 27 years, it doesnt matter whether it was raining or snowing, or the weather was cold or hot." UNRESOLVED DISPUTE From 1995 to 2007, Japan created a fund from donations to make payments to women throughout Asia, budgeted money for their welfare support and sent letters of apology from successive premiers. While a number of survivors have accepted compensation over the years, many South Koreans see the issue as unresolved because of what they consider a lack of sincerity from the Japanese government. Despite apologies from Japan, for example, the first comfort women fund was criticized in South Korea for not being direct compensation from the state, and the 2015 deal was faulted for failing to include a clear statement of the Japanese governments legal responsibility. Japan says South Korea had waived all claims in the 1965 pact, and that under the 2015 deal, Japan agreed to provide the funds to help the women heal "psychological wounds". Critics of South Korea have also accused it of ignoring the complicity of some Koreans in the sex trade at the time. Shutting the Japan-funded foundation is one of the most significant steps President Moon Jae-in's administration has taken as it revisits the comfort women controversy. In the past year, South Korea has also opened a new research center aimed at consolidating academic study of comfort women, named the first Comfort Women Day and unveiled a new memorial in Cheonan, a city south of Seoul. "We cannot ignore the truth just because it hurts," Moon said this week. "For the sake of sustainable and solid Korea-Japan relations, we must face up to the truth. Lee said she thinks Moon is "trying his best," and in a statement released from her hospital bed this week, Kim said the move to close the foundation restored her trust in the South Korean president. Moon's efforts, however, have faced pushback from Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Earlier this year, Japan formally complained after South Koreas foreign minister raised the issue in a speech at the United Nations. Japanese officials have expressed frustration at what they see as the South Korean government's changing positions and efforts to revisit settled agreements. For survivors like Lee, Japan's protests ring hollow. "The survivors of the heinous crimes the Japanese committed are dying day by day, and I bet Abe is dancing for joy," Lee said, becoming animated as she described her frustration. "They should apologize, tell the truth, and pay the legal compensation." (Reporting by Josh Smith and Haejin Choi.; Additional reporting by Linda Sieg in Tokyo.; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Britain's air safety regulator revealed details Wednesday of a Sunwing flight last year that narrowly avoided disaster after the flight crew inputted incorrect air temperature readings, which caused the jet to overrun the runway, run over a warning light and left it with just enough speed to get into the air.

According to a report from the U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch, the flight in question was a Boeing 737 with 185 people aboard, taking off from the Belfast airport and bound for the Greek Island of Corfu on July 24, 2017.

As the Canadian charter airline's flight was preparing to take off around 3:40 p.m., the outside air temperature was 16 C. But for some reason, the cockpit incorrectly input the temperature as 52.

Colder air requires less thrust from the engines to give the jet the same amount of lift, so the jet's response was to try to take off with far less power than it should have done.

"This, together with the correctly calculated assumed temperature thrust reduction of 48 C , meant the aircraft engines were delivering only 60 per cent of their maximum rated thrust," the incident report said.

The result was that the jet took off much farther down the runway than it normally would have, and in the process ran over a runway approach light that was 30 metres past the end of the takeoff runway.

Sunwing Airlines

"The low acceleration of the aircraft was not recognised by the crew until the aircraft was rapidly approaching the end of the runway," the report said.

Disaster was only averted because there was nothing past the end of the runway that got in the way of the slowly rising jet.

"It was only the benign nature of the runway clearway and terrain elevation beyond, and the lack of obstacles in the climb-out path which allowed the aircraft to climb away without further collision after it struck the runway light," the AAIB said. "Had an engine failed at a critical moment during the takeoff, the consequences could have been catastrophic."

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Air Accidents Investigation Branch

The jet didn't get up to full thrust until it was four kilometres away from the airport, the report said, but there was no damage to the aircraft, which continued its flight to Corfu, Greece, without further incident.

In the report, the regulator said that the jet's flight management system had an older software version that didn't allow the plane to alert the crew to the incorrect temperature reading. Updated software would fix that, and in a statement to CBC News the airline said the jet in question has received the requisite software upgrade.

"We received the Air Accidents Investigation Branch's (AAIB) final report with relation to the July 2017 incident at Belfast International Airport and are in agreement with their findings and support their safety recommendations," Sunwing said.

"We worked with the AAIB and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) throughout the investigation, and as noted in the report, we have already implemented the recommended updates to our ... software, training scenarios and incident reporting protocol."

"The safety of our customers continues to be our top priority and we have confidence that these mitigating actions taken in co-operation with regulatory bodies and software providers reflect this commitment," the airline said.
By Yimou Lee and Jess Macy Yu TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as chairwoman of the ruling pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after it suffered a major electoral defeat on Saturday, losing two of the island's most important city posts in mayoral elections. The results of the polls, being held just over a year before Taiwan's next presidential election, are likely to please China, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and has ramped up pressure on Tsai and her administration since she took office in 2016. In the run-up to the elections, Tsai and her government said repeatedly that China was trying to sway voters with "political bullying" and "fake news", accusations that Beijing denied. The DPP lost control of the mayoralties in Taiwan's second-most populous city Taichung and the key battleground of Kaohsiung in the south, which it held for two decades and played a central role in Taiwan's pro-democracy movement in the 1970s. Both were won by the China-friendly opposition, the Kuomintang, which once ruled China before fleeing to Taiwan at the end of a civil war with the Communists in 1949. Tsai said the DPP would reflect on the defeat, but she vowed to press on. "Continuing reforms, freedom and democracy, and protecting the country's sovereignty are the mission that the DPP won't abandon," she told reporters. She said she would not accept the resignation of her premier William Lai, who had offered to quit earlier in the evening. "TRAGIC DEFEAT" The DPP has now been left in control of only six of Taiwan's cities and counties, compared with at least 15 for the Kuomintang. The party held on in two of its other strongholds, however, keeping Tainan in the south and Taoyuan in the north. "This is a tragic defeat for the DPP," Yao Chia-wen, a senior adviser to the president, told Reuters. "But this is not support for the Kuomintang from the people. This is the people's disappointment in the DPP," he said, citing slower-than-expected initiatives that have drawn criticism including pension and justice reforms. Votes were still being counted in Taiwan's affluent capital Taipei, where the incumbent mayor Ko Wen-je, an independent, is in a close race with the Kuomintang's Ting Shou-chung, and the DPP is running a distant third. Kaohsiung's Kuomintang mayor-elect, Han Kuo-yu, who described the city as "outdated and poor" while on the campaign trail, told a rally he would go all-out to boost its economy. "We must immediately roll up our sleeves and get to work," Han said, speaking of what was once one of the world's busiest ports but which has lost much of its business to China. There was no immediate reaction from Beijing to the poll results, where state media simply noted Tsai's resignation as party chairwoman "to take responsibility for the party's performance in Taiwan's local elections". A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department praised Taiwan for "demonstrating the strength of their vibrant democratic system through a successful round of elections." HIGH TURNOUT Taiwan television stations reported a high turnout, with some polling stations in parts of Taipei and Kaohsiung remaining open past 4 p.m (0800 GMT) when the polls were due to close. Candidates fanned out across the island to shake hands and canvass votes, and held noisy, colorful rallies that have become the hallmarks of Taiwan's vibrant democracy, in marked contrast to China where the Communist Party tolerates no dissent to its rule. Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have heightened, with China conducting military drills around the island and snatching away Taiwan's dwindling number of diplomatic allies. Tsai's domestic reform initiatives, from the island's pension scheme to labor law, have also come under intense voter scrutiny recently. Confidence in the government has waned in recent months after reform moves upset both the opposition and some supporters, who said Tsai had backed away from promises to reduce the deficit and cut pollution. Underscoring Tsai's challenge are a series of public votes also held on Saturday on whether to make same-sex marriage legal, an issue which has deeply divided Taiwan. Voters looked set to back a referendum defining marriage as between and a man and a woman, dealing a sharp blow to Taiwan's position as a bastion of liberalism in Asia. Tsai has made little progress despite campaigning on a promise of marriage equality in the run-up to elections in 2016. In Asia's first such ruling, Taiwan's constitutional court declared in May last year that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry, and set a two-year deadline for legalization. Voters were also asked whether the island should join the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as Taiwan, rather than "Chinese Taipei"  the name agreed under a compromise signed in 1981. A vote to compete under a Taiwan banner would further rile Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. That referendum appeared to have been blocked, with most people voting against re-naming Taiwan's Olympic team. Final results for all the referendum votes are not expected until early on Sunday, according to election officials. (Additional reporting by Tyrone Siu in Kaohsiung, Cate Cadell in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry, Hugh Lawson and Helen Popper)
Trudeau shows no sense of urgency for Alberta economy during Calgary visit, says chamber CEO

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau missed an opportunity to talk about solutions to the systemic problems plaguing Alberta's economy when he rolled through Calgary on Thursday, according to the CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

"The overall sentiment was the sense of urgency was still not there," Sandip Lalli told the Calgary Eyeopener Friday.

"This is still very much about listening and you know forming plans and things like that, but really we needed clarity and concrete action as to what's going to happen."

Lalli conducted a Q and A with Trudeau Thursday at a downtown Calgary hotel, while an estimated 2,000 people protested outside.

"You know, I guess this protest was a signal of just the frustration that has built up here in Calgary," said Lalli.

Tax changes

There was the expectation that the prime minister, visiting on the day after his government released its latest fiscal update, would bring news of a plan for Alberta's beleaguered energy industry.

Instead, Trudeau touted the announcements made a day prior by his Finance Minister Bill Morneau, which included tax write-offs for equipment and the ability for a faster write-down on assets, which will also help with tax burdens.

"The expensing on machinery and equipment was well received across the board and that was a recommendation that came out of the Calgary Chamber and others and industry, so that was very well received," said Lalli.

"So there is some foundation things that are definitely positive for moving the economy forward. It just seemed such a miss to not address this root systemic issue for Alberta."

Province wants oil by rail support

Alberta oil is trading at basement prices, almost $50 below benchmark crude prices, due to a combination of factors including constrained pipeline capacity.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the time is now for solutions to the ongoing economic pain.

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"And let me say, if Ottawa won't come to the table, then we'll get it done ourselves  and if it takes buying trains to do it, well then that's what we're going to do," she said.

She said she wanted capacity for 120,000 to 140,000 more barrels of oil moving on tracks.

Complexity of rail shipments

Kevin Birn, Western Canadian crude oil market analyst with IHS Markit in Calgary, said that's a viable alternative to more pipelines, albeit one with its own set of complexities.

He said Notley's desired increase would require two or three dedicated trains.

"You physically have to have  the facilities that you can bring your crude oil to and then fill these cars with," he said.

"Then you need the railroads to deliver the equipment, which is human capital, and the engines required to move this stuff to market and you need the rail cars to fill. And typically those are leased, most cars in North America at leased. And then you physically have to move it to where you're going to go and then unload it."'

He pegs the cost of a oil rail car at around $90,000 and the lease price around $1 to $1.50 per barrel  but those costs are heavily influenced by the things like the type of car, demand and availability.

Oil by rail was an issue the prime minister did not want to discuss while in Calgary. When asked by reporters about support for oil by rail, Trudeau dodged the question.

Finance minister coming to Calgary

Morneau will be in Calgary next week and will also address the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, but Lalli doesn't expect anything will change between now and then.

"You know what, they actually want to hear next steps, not how we got here, and so hopefully that's what we'll get on Tuesday," she said.
The Yukon Employees' Union has been warned by Whitehorse bylaw officers about noise from the picket line outside the Many Rivers Counselling and Services building on Fourth Avenue.

Unionized workers there have been on strike since Nov. 2.

Union president Steve Geick said the City of Whitehorse bylaw department considers a speaker playing music on the picket line to be a noise-making device that requires a permit.

"So we immediately went to go and get a permit, and they would not give us one. So I'm a little confused about why they're asking us to obtain a permit, but will not give us one," Geick said.

Geick said the union's legal counsel with the Public Service Alliance of Canada is looking into the matter.

Mike Rudyk/CBC

City spokesperson Myles Dolphin said in an email that the city's been receiving complaints from people in the neighbourhood for at least two weeks.

"The primary concern is loud music being projected from a trailer that is acting as an elevated platform and occasionally a dance floor," said Dolphin.

"It's interfering with their lawful use and enjoyment of their property," he said.

A four-storey building with condominiums is directly across the street from the picket line.

Residents have complained that the music has woken them up in the morning and that it has been rattling items in their homes, Dolphin said.

Wayne Vallevand/CBC

Bylaw officers, however, have not personally witnessed items rattling, he said.

Dolphin said if noise complaints continue, the city may take action to enforce the bylaw.

He said vehicles have also been parked illegally at the site.

Meantime, Geick said the union has not received any new information from the RCMP about two incidents on the picket line earlier this month.

Union members said former Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie had grabbed one of the strikers by the shoulders. Fentie lives in one of the condo units across the street.

The picketters also said the driver of a flatbed truck swerved at the picket line.
A young bobcat was released into the wild on November 23 after it was caught killing chickens in a Kanarraville chicken coop the previous day, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said.

Officer Josh Carver told local media that the bobcat was trapped by the chicken coop owner on Thursday. Carver said he kept the cat overnight on Thanksgiving and fed it turkey before releasing it on Friday.

This footage, released by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, shows the young bobcat growling at the officer during his release. Credit: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources via Storyful
A teen girl and her mother are seriously injured following an assault in a Scarborough highrise building on Friday evening.

Neighbours called 911 around 6 p.m. after they heard an attack inside an apartment in the area of Danforth and McCowan roads, near Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto police say.

Emergency crews found a 17-year-old girl without vital signs and with stab wounds to her upper body. She was rushed to SickKids hospital in life-threatening condition, according to paramedics.

"[Officers] got her down and ready for EMS, and it looks like that probably helped save her life at this point," Det. Jason Hillier of 43 Division told reporters at the scene.

The teen's mother believed to be in her early 30s was also taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre with a head injury, police say. She is in serious, but non-life-threatening condition.

"It's been a pretty hectic scene because it was active," said Hillier.

Investigators are searching for a man, between age 35 and 40, around 5'9", wearing a white jacket and possibly without shoes.

He was last seen fleeing the area on foot north along McCowan Road near Trudelle Street.

Police say it's not immediately clear if the victims and suspect knew each other.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has developed new technology called Impact Based Forecasting Approach to assess rise of water level in rivers and reservoirs by rain. It shows pre-event scenario will help state governments authorities to minutely monitor impact of rainfall and take real-time decisions. It will help to avoid disastrous situation similar to Kerala floods. It can generate scenario to help take decisions to release water or not from reservoirs after heavy downpour. It will be helpful for every state authority to take decision. This system can be run in pre-event scenario.

Background

The heavy downpour which had ravaged Kerala in August 2018 had caused death of around 500 people and economic damages worth over Rs 40,000 crore. Excessive rainfall had led to floods in Kerala and was result of climate change. State Government had blamed IMD for lapses in its part for wrong rain forecast. IMD had forecasted estimated 98.5 mm rain in the state between 9 and 15 August, 2018 but Kerala received was 352.2 mm of rainfall resulting in severe flooding.

India Meteorological Department (IMD)

It is national meteorological service of the country and chief government agency dealing in everything related to meteorology, seismology and associated subjects. It was formed in 1875. It functions under Ministry of Earth Sciences. It is headquartered in New Delhi.

Mandate
The wife of a British academic jailed for life for 'spying' in the United Arab Emirates has said she is 'in complete shock' - and insists he is innocent.Matthew Hedges, a specialist in Middle Eastern studies at Durham University, appeared in court in Abu Dhabi today for a hearing 'lasting less than five minutes' - six months after his arrest in Dubai Airport.His wife, Daniela Tejada, who attended the hearing today said their 'nightmare has gotten even worse' and she is 'very scared for Matt', who denies the charge of spying and insists he was conducting research in the UAE when he was detained in May.It comes just weeks after 31-year-old Mr Hedges said being held in solitary confinement had left him suicidal.British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said this morning he was 'deeply shocked' by the life sentence, which carries a maximum term of 25 years, and warned of 'repercussions'. Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to raise it with authorities at the 'highest level'.Ms Tejada, from Exeter, called on the British government to 'take a stand' adding: 'I am in complete shock and I don't know what to do.'Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them.'This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning with no one taking Matthew's case seriously.'The British Government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens. They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price.'This has been the worst six months of my life, let alone for Matt who was shaking when he heard the verdict. The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice.'I am very scared for Matt. I don't know where they are taking him or what will happen now. Our nightmare has gotten even worse.'The life sentence was confirmed by family spokesperson, who said: 'The hearing lasted less than five minutes, and his lawyer was not present.'A Reuters journalist was barred from entering the court, which was closed to the public.According to The National, Mr Hedges, was convicted by the Federal Appeals Court for attempting to procure sensitive information during a trip to the Emirates earlier this year.In the UAE, life includes up to 25 years in jail followed by deportation. Mr Hedges, who was also ordered to pay legal fees, has the right to appeal the sentence within 30 days.This morning, Jeremy Hunt said he was 'deeply shocked and disappointed'.'Today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances,' he said.He warned the UAE that 'the handling of this case... will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust.'I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider'.Mr Hunt said he had personally raised the case at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during a visit to Abu Dhabi on November 12.Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs today: 'We are deeply disappointed and concerned at today's verdict. ... We are raising it with the Emirati authorities at the highest level.'According to The National, a full statement from the court hearing today, translated from Arabic said: 'The Federal Appeals Court of Abu Dhabi sentenced Matthew Hedges, 31, to life imprisonment after being convicted of spying on the UAE and providing sensitive security and intelligence information to third parties.'The court also ruled that he would be deported from the country after the execution of the sentence and would be charged the costs of the legal case.'The court ordered the confiscation of all his equipment, devices, research and studies. The convicted person has the right to challenge the ruling with the State Security Department of the Federal Supreme Court within a maximum period of 30 days.'Mr Hedges went to the UAE to research his PhD thesis, where he was accused of spying for the British Government and arrested.At Mr Hedge's last hearing on October 24, his court-appointed lawyer maintained that he is innocent.On October 29, Mr Hedges was released on bail after five months in solitary confinement and he has since been staying in Dubai with an ankle bracelet monitoring his movements.At the time, he said he had expressed suicidal thoughts because jail conditions have caused him severe anxiety and panic attacks.He said he had not had his passport returned to him and was being made to wear an ankle bracelet.Mr Hedges' wife, Daniela, of Exeter, said in October that he is tired and 'shocked by everything', but in a good mood and 'glad to be breathing fresh air' after his release.She also spoke of her hope for 'justice'.Yesterday, still hopeful her husband would be released without charge, she wrote on Twitter: 'Tomorrow, Nov 21, Matt will be appearing in court in Abu Dhabi. Hoping that justice will prevail and my husband will be granted his rightful freedom.'Earlier this year, the family said that during the first six weeks of his detention, Mr Hedges was interrogated without a lawyer or consular access available.They said he was made to sign a document in Arabic which it transpired was a confession. The family said at the time: 'Matthew does not speak or read Arabic'.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has previously said there are limits to what it can say publicly about the case because of the legal proceedings.It said it was monitoring developments closely and staff were in close contact with Mr Hedges' wife Daniela, offering her support.Radha Stirling, CEO of human rights NGO Detained in Dubai, said after today's sentencing: 'I fully expect that Matthew Hedges will launch an appeal but we must remember that he will be facing a judicial system that is known for corruption, unfair trials, forced confessions and discrimination.'The UK courts have repeatedly denied all extradition requests to the country on this basis and, in Matthew's case, the ultimate determination of his matter will come down to the ruling party, not to the legal system,' said Stirling, whose team of lawyers help those in difficulty with the Dubai judiciary.Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK's Director, added: 'This is terrible news  our worst fears come true. We've always had the gravest concerns about this case  from the long period that Matthew was in detention without access to a lawyer, the supposed confession in detention, and now the ludicrously short trial hearing today.'The UK should demand that the Emirati authorities fully explain how this case can ever be justified. Meanwhile, the UK should make it absolutely clear that jailing Matthew for life will have serious consequences for the UK's future relationship with the UAE.'
Contractors have pulled workers off the sites of at least five major solar projects in Queensland, as the woes of big engineering group RCR Tomlinson deepen.Union officials told RenewEconomy on Tuesday that work at the five Queensland solar farms being built by RCR Tomlinson had effectively come to a halt after workers were pulled from the site overnight.Peter Ong from the Electrical Trades Union said labor hire firms Inselec, Mass Recruitment and WorkPac were pulled from the Haughton, Clermont, Emerald, Collinsville and Darling Downs solar projects.The labor hire firms  two of which told the Australian Financial Review that they were owed significant amounts of money - had been advised by their insurers to remove the workers.'We tried to get ahead of it last week,' said Ong, who last week threatened to pull workers from the solar farms if the project developers and owners did not provide guarantees. 'The writing is on the wall.'RCR Tomlinson sought a trading halt early last week, then deepened the issue by suspending its shares from trade,and has now sought another week's suspension as it sorts out its problems.Those issues have been compounded by class action on behalf of investors launched by legal firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan over the dramatic fall in the company's share price.RCR Tomlinson announced a major writedown of $57 million from the $300 million contract for the Hayman and Daydream solar projects, a result it blamed on unexpected costs. It then made a $100 million capital raising. Its shares slumped and now the company has flagged more issues.It is not clear whether the latest suspension relates to more write-downs from solar projects that are unable to meet their budgeted costs, or because of a slowdown in its other industry sectors.Solar projects have been hit by a range of issues, including delays in approvals from networks and the market operator, and tough new requirements.This has resulted in other damages claims, such as the $22 million one made by Neoen against the builder of some of its NSW solar farms.Infigen Energy this week warned that its Cherry Creek wind farm and many other projects had been delayed by new connection standards, the requirement for multiple appraisals, and the lack of expertise at consulting firms to help companies through the process.Quinn Emanuel said it had filed proceedings against RCR Tomlinson in the Supreme Court of New South Wales on November 16. The action is being financed by Burford Capital.Damian Scattini, Partner at Quinn Emanuel, said in a statement: 'It's unlikely that the recent alarming disclosures by the company could have come as a surprise to Management  if they did, that's worse. RCR shareholders have seen a catastrophic decline in their share value.'
Under cover of darkness, two hooded figures approach a house in Billericay, Essex. One waves a laptop-sized device by the front door while the other holds a similar object near the 40,000 Mercedes-Benz parked on the drive.The latter then nonchalantly opens the driver's door and drives away while the first man departs in a getaway vehicle. The theft of the luxury car has taken 23 seconds. No picking of locks, smashing of windows or stealing a car key have been necessary.Unsurprisingly, the car's owner, company director Danny Talbot was 'beyond angry' when he viewed CCTV footage showing the ease with which his car was stolen on May 17.He, his wife and two children had been in the house at the time, but the first he knew about the theft was when he saw the empty driveway.'It happened in the early hours,' says Mr Talbot, who bought the Mercedes C-Class new in 2015.So how did the thieves make off with the Mercedes with such ease? The answer is by using a swift and silent technique so successful that it's one of the major factors behind car thefts in England a Wales hitting a six-year high last year.Yesterday official figures showed the number of cars reported stolen to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2017 rose to 43,308  up almost 9,000 since 2016.Yet crime surveys from the Office for National Statistics suggest the true figure is even higher, with 89,000 vehicles stolen in England and Wales last year. In certain areas, such as the West Midlands, car theft has soared by 80 per cent.Insurers paid out a record 271 million in theft claims in the first nine months of this year, says the Association for British Insurers, with keyless theft the 'main driver'.So-called 'relay' theft occurs when two thieves work together to break into keyless cars. They use equipment to capture electromagnetic signals emitted by keyfobs.One thief stands by the car with a transmitter, while the other stands by the house with another, which picks up the signal from the electronic key, usually kept near the front door on a table or hook.This is then relayed to the transmitter by the vehicle, causing it to think the key is in close proximity and prompting it to open. Thieves can then drive the vehicle away thanks to the keyless ignition and quickly replace locks and entry devices.Any vehicle with keyless entry could be vulnerable to relay theft. These include cars from BMW, Ford, Audi, Land Rover, Volkswagen and Mercedes.The same method could conceivably be used in a car park. And the distance between the device and key could be up to nine metres.Mr Talbot blames car companies for their flawed technology, and a government failing to tighten laws to prevent such crimes. After all, it is not illegal to sell or own a relay box device.The only way police can arrest someone is under the 'going equipped to steal' law  meaning they would have to catch the thief red-handed with it, or prove an intent to use it for theft.The same law applies to other gadgets supposedly designed to help owners who have lost their keys, such as key programmer devices, which tell the car to trust a new key and forget the code for the original one.But police sources, security experts and locksmiths specialising in vehicles have all told the Mail there is 'no legitimate reason' to be in possession of a relay device.If a driver was to lose their key, a relay box wouldn't help them get back into their car, as the devices only work when the key is nearby. Car manufacturers and service centres would instead use special keys called 'one time use' keys that let them key in a new code for the driver.An auto-locksmith already has tools to pick the lock of the car and gain access to it. They would then need to work with the owner and manufacturer to code a new key.West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson  who also decried Britain's car theft 'epidemic'  said: 'They can only be used for one thing  breaking into a car which you don't own.'How to protect YOUR vehicle from the high-tech car thievesEvery make and model of car which can start 'keylessly' is susceptible to a relay attack.To protect against car thefts, store your key more than 5m from the front door, as the key's signal can rarely be picked up beyond this distance.However, experts advise against hiding your car keys too obscurely in your house  because if serious criminals truly want to steal your car, they will break in and do anything to find the keys.Faraday pouches  small, cheap pouches which shield the key's radio signal from being transmitted  are useful in motorway service stations and car parks.Parking in a well-lit area, using a steering wheel lock and installing a proper tracking device to your vehicle are highly recommended.You'd be forgiven for assuming it's difficult to lay your hands on such a device. But a Daily Mail investigation has revealed it couldn't be easier.Insiders have warned that Britain's unregulated locksmith industry is awash with traders selling relay devices  some of which use their memberships of trade bodies as a masquerade for supplying them to criminals.As well as making and selling theft devices, some retailers also provide YouTube videos demonstrating their use.We discovered one Bulgarian electronics company has been using a small locksmiths in West London as a distributor of the gadgets in Britain.With prices starting at 14,500, the 'Keyless Go' devices sold by Bulgarian-headquartered Edilock Ltd, are favoured by crime gangs. When a reporter visited its high-street distributor, Greenford Security Services Ltd in Ealing earlier this month, he was told cash could be left behind the counter with 'no questions asked'.Ron Cliff, who declined to comment, is the owner of Greenford Security and a member of the Master Locksmiths Association. He had boasted that the technology was 'dead easy' to use, and would be delivered 'by DHL' to any address from Bulgaria.Employees at Greenford Security said customers visit the suburban locksmith from as far afield as the Midlands.Simon Touch, an automotive locksmith operating from Beirut in the Lebanon, was also named by vehicle recovery experts as a vendor of kits capable of being used for car theft used in Britain.Both Edilock and Simon Touch exhibited at the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) expo in London last year, while Edilock is a frequent presence at locksmiths' conventions around the country, having also sold its wares at shows in Telford, Coventry, Nottingham and Edinburgh.Last year, Ireland introduced laws compelling all locksmiths to be government-registered in order to stamp out cowboy vendors. But in Britain no accreditation or registration is required.Earlier this year, at an emergency summit between police groups, vehicle manufacturers and the Master Locksmith Association (MLA), the MLA said this was one of the main reasons for car crime being at such high levels.Peter Thompson of CanTrack Global, a vehicle recovery company, said: 'There's a real danger that saying 'I'm a proper locksmith' means being part of an association where they can sell these devices and legitimise themselves.'At global locksmith events there are law enforcement agents [from outside of Europe] buying off the same guys that are supplying to the criminals.' The Mail worked with Mr Thompson to demonstrate just how effective relay boxes are, using a device he obtained ethically through his work recovering stolen vehicles, to 'steal' three cars in under 60 seconds.We simulated a situation in which keys were in a house, with a box held up to the front door. The other box was passed from one vehicle to the next. This allowed us to keylessly enter and start the vehicles in under 60 seconds.Meanwhile companies like Edilock continue to tout their wares. Edilock was founded by Voskan Pehlivanyan, 42, a Bulgarian electronics expert who has been accused of using his skills to help steal cars  a claim he denies. He says instead that his expertise has been called in by car manufacturers and police in Europe.Both Mr Pehlivanyan and Ron Cliff, 77, claim to be members of the European branch of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) which counts Interpol, police bodies, car insurers and licensing companies among its members.Edilock's website is visited thousands of times a day, with the UK one of its largest sources of traffic.A description of one device retailing at 16,000 euros (14,500) says: 'The device is produced to open and start any car, without the use of any pick tools, equiped (sic) with Intelligent/ Keyless Go key system.'Another says it can work on Mercedes up to 300m away and 'when you do not have a clear view'.Notes in red alongside the devices warn: 'All devices are sold for official use only!!! If you use them for any illegal purposes, this is your own responsibility!!!' When a reporter posing as a buyer contacted Edilock over Skype, he was not asked why he required the device and was told he could pay 16,000 euros in cash by flying to Bulgaria or depositing the sum at Greenford Security.An employee said its Keyless Go devices worked on 'almost all' cars, and it had 'sold many' in the UK.The seller boasted that the device could 'pick a key signal through a pocket or door' and could be used an unlimited number of times.In a statement on behalf of Edilock, Mr Pehlivanyan said he began creating Keyless Go devices 'at the request of several police departments and secret services around Europe'. He said they later declined to pay for development of the technology and refused to buy it.'When you go to the supermarket and buy a knife and next minute you kill a man. Whose fault is it then?' he added.Similarly, Hans Kooijman, executive director of the IAATI board, acknowledged Edilock being accused of supplying kits capable of being used for car theft, but said the responsibility wasn't on product vendors to check who was buying.'If you go to a warehouse and buy a hammer are you going to use it to nail a hammer in the wall or to kill someone?' he said. IAATI itself refused to formally comment.Ian Elliott, a former Scotland Yard officer who specialised in detecting organised car crime for 30 years, said: 'While I was in the job, I came across a number of criminals using Edilock-type devices.' Mr Elliott said he wanted to see a change in the law preventing the manufacture of relay theft boxes, adding: 'A legitimate business would never need one.'With a relay box being of no use to a driver who has lost keys, and official car companies using one use keys in such situations, experts believe they are for criminal use.When shown the offending websites, the Home Office said it would 'continue to work with the police, industry and others to consider the evidence around new technologies and what more can be done to tackle emerging threats'.A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz said: 'All Mercedes-Benz vehicles have extensive security and anti-theft protection systems, which are continuously developed, taking account of the latest knowledge about criminal methods and attacks on security systems.'Customers have the option of deactivating the Keyless Go entry system with two clicks of the button on the key.'Meanwhile, the police investigation is ongoing. Mr Talbot says: 'I can't believe that technology is available allowing thieves to make off with my property so easily.'A sentiment no doubt echoed by many.
     :   BJP   ;   ,   JDU   TMC  
17 Islamic militants were sentenced to death on Thursday for their role in multiple church bombings in Egypt that killed scores of Coptic Christians.





It was reported that another 19 defendants were issued life sentences by a military court, while 9 others were given 15 years in prison for terror-related charges.





Several were found guilty of being involved in a suicide bombing at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo in December 2016, where 25 people died. Others were found guilty of being involved in the twin suicide bombings in churches in Alexandria and Tanta on Palm Sunday in April 2017, where 45 were killed.





Coptic Christians, who make up only 10 % of the population, have suffered of continuous Islamist attacks in Egypt, some which have been claimed by the Islamic State terror group.





Human rights group Amnesty International posited that the verdict on Thursday was rushed, and argued that the defendants need a fair hearing before a civilian court.





"There can be no justification for the utterly reprehensible attacks which targeted worshipers in Coptic Christian churches across Egypt in 2017. There is no doubt that the perpetrators of these horrific attacks should be held accountable for their crimes. But handing out a mass death sentence after an unfair military trial is not justice and will not deter further sectarian attacks," said Najia Bounaim, who heads the North African section of the human rights group.





"Egypt has a shocking track record of unlawfully trying civilians in its notorious military courts and sentencing scores to death after grossly unfair mass trials, often based on 'confessions' extracted through torture. Those accused of involvement in these heinous crimes must be retried in a civilian court in proceedings that comply with international human rights law and fair trial standards," Bounaim added.





Coptic Christians have in the past cried out for justice and demanded that the Egyptian government does more to protect them from attacks.





Church leaders have opposed previous death sentences, however.





When former president Mohamed Morsi was sentenced to death in May 2015 for his role in the killings of Christians at the hands of Muslim radicals, the Coptic Catholic Bishop of Assiut spoke out against it.





Anba Kyrillos William said at the time the Church does not compromise on defending life, and cannot back the death penalty.





"The Church respects the independence of the judiciary, but believes that life is an inviolable right, and remains opposed to the death penalty. The fact is that this type of sentence is still contemplated in the Egyptian legal order," William at the time.





Anba Angaelos, the General Bishop in the United Kingdom of the Coptic Orthodox Church, said in a statement earlier this year when marking the anniversary of the attacks that for the families of the victims, the anger and pain remains deep.





"As the situation facing Christians and minority groups in the Middle East increasingly spirals to new and dangerous levels of exclusion and dehumanization, the need is intensified for both the unified Body of Christ within the Christian family, and the global community as a whole, to stand in solidarity with those suffering, condemn acts of brutality, and provide whatever assistance may be needed, while at the same time, explore every possible means of healing, rebuilding and restoring of communities and lives," Angaelos on his website.





"We continue to hold those suffering great struggles, indignity and the loss of precious human life in our prayers, that grace, healing and strength be bestowed upon them all at this time. We also pray for those committing these atrocities, that they will one day realize the sanctity and dignity granted equally by God to every human life," he added.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

essexcaller.com, November 24, 2018
Joseph Garcia met George Rivas back in the summer of 1999, eight months before they started plotting their escape.





They were doing time together on the Connally Unit, counting out their days in the heat of a Texas prison.





Garcia was locked up on a murder charge, a crime hes long maintained was self-defense. Rivas, on the other hand, was a convicted kidnapper, violent and full of charisma.





They both had decades of time in front of them. But Rivas had better plans.





Around lunchtime on Dec. 13, 2000, they broke out of the maximum security prison south of San Antonio, bringing along five confederates as they made good on an intricate plot culled straight from the pages of a novel.





They took hostages, burst into the prison armory, stole weapons and stormed out in a prison truck, making for the biggest escape in Texas prison history. After pulling off two robberies in the Houston area, they headed to the Dallas suburbs, hoping to get as far as they could from the bloodhounds and helicopters hunting them down.





There, on Christmas Eve, the men held up a sporting goods store and made off with bags of cash and dozens of guns. On the way out, they ran into a cop.





In a chaotic scene, five of the men started firing, some at each other and some at the lawman. When it was over, Officer Aubrey Hawkins lay dead in the Oshmans parking lot, shot 11 times and dragged 10 feet by an SUV as the panicked prisoners fled.





After a six-figure reward and a spot on Americas Most Wanted, the wanted men were finally captured in Colorado more than a month later, living in a trailer park and posing as Christian pilgrims. One killed himself rather than be captured, and the other six were sent to death row.





It wasnt supposed to happen, Garcia told the Houston Chronicle in a recent death row interview. I wish I could take everything back.





Three have been executed and now a fourth  Garcia  is scheduled to die Dec. 4. Its a case thats galvanized outcry from activists, since its not clear that he ever shot anyone. Though hes consistently admitted to his role in the break-out and robberies, hes long maintained that he never fired his gun and never intended to kill the officer. Even so, he was sentenced to death under the controversial law of parties, a Texas statute that holds everyone involved in a crime responsible for its outcome.





Its the thing that put him on death row, but now its also a key part of the desperate inmates last-ditch efforts at appeal and pleas for clemency.





Whatever the law, it all feels too long for the slain officers friends and family.





Were coming up on 18 years since the incident, said Sgt. Karl Bailey, a Seagoville policeman and longtime family friend. Its a long time not to get closure  and it wears on you.





The Law of Parties





The law of parties has long been baked into the Texas criminal code. Its a statute thats broader  and used more frequently in death penalty cases  than in many other states, according to Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center.





The requirements are simple: The state must show only that an accomplice to one felony may have anticipated another felony could occur. So, if a three-man robbery crew hits a convenience store and one person kills the clerk, all three of them are guilty of capital murder  even if the other two never fired a shot. And, if theres a getaway driver waiting outside, he can be responsible as well, even if he never got out of the car.





In some cases, the actual shooter might manage to net a life sentence and be eligible for parole, while non-shooter accomplices face the death chamber.





In some states its known as vicarious liability. Nationally, its not clear how many people are on death rows across the country under such laws, but the Death Penalty Information Center counts only 10 clear cases of non-shooter accomplices whove been executed, including five from Texas.





Theres this borderline area between common and uncommon and I dont think its either of the two, Dunham said. But its applied much more frequently in Texas than in similar circumstances in other states.





Escape plan





Rivas and Garcia became friends because of a prison gang war. It was a feud between the Mexican Mafia and La Raza Unida that sparked a unit-wide lockdown, Garcia told the Chronicle, and the men met up in the dayroom where they bonded over a poor mans spread of prisoner-made food.





The lockdown ended and they went their separate ways, but a few months later, Garcia spotted Rivas standing by his cubicle talking to another man, Larry Harper.





Garcia was already frustrated, only four years in and not sure he could really do all the time stretched out in front of him. He still felt like he wasnt supposed to be there. And now, he wanted to steal back the life he thought the state had stolen from him.





Something told me it was time, he told the Chronicle. So I walked up and said, Whatever youre talking about, count me in. Then, he turned and walked away.





The next morning, Rivas woke him up, wanting to know if he was serious. He was.





So they hatched a plan, inspired by a book Rivas had read. It was slow going, but one thing they knew from the start: they didnt want to go over or under the fence. That would mean getting shot at. Instead, they wanted to drive out through the gate, like free men.





First, they had to pick a crew. Harper and a man named Randy Halprin were already on board.





Then, according to Garcia, they learned Donald Newbury was planning an escape of his own, so they invited him along. And they found Michael Rodriguez, whose father was willing to supply a getaway car. Finally, there was Patrick Murphy, a wood shop worker who could help build a false bed for the prison truck they planned to steal.





For each and every one of us, we all brought something to the table, Garcia wrote the Chronicle in a letter. Some more than others.





It would have to start, they decided, with figuring out a way to take control of the maintenance shop. Rivas already worked there as a clerk. He was a smooth talker, so he schmoozed the guards into getting his friends assigned there, too. It wasnt a hard sell; supplies went missing all the time, and his friends, he promised, would make sure that didnt happen.





They did, but putting a stop to the booming thieving business was not a popular move among inmates.





I was surprised we didnt get jumped, Garcia said.





At the same time, they started false rumors among the staff, got intel on officer training, stocked up supplies and memorized security routines.





The night before, Garcia said, they shared a meal and prayed. On Dec. 13, they stayed behind at lunch to wax the floor, then overpowered staff, officers and inmates as they returned to maintenance, according to testimony at the mens trials.





Two of the gang dressed up as prison workers to sneak into the armory and take control of the guard tower.





Others took the keys to a maintenance truck and loaded it with provisions and guns before they all fled, with some of the escape artists stowed away under the false bed in the pick-up.





They were free, but they didnt have a long-term plan. Garcia had envisioned a quiet life; maybe theyd fade into the woodwork and get jobs. He knew, on some level, that was never possible.





Surely, the long arm of the law would come grasping at seven high-profile escapees.





The Texas 7





The law of parties has been a perennial source of controversy, sparking editorials, rallies and bills to end it every legislative session.





One of the regular bill-filers is state Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston. Since 2003, he said, hes consistently proposed legislation to end vicarious liability.





We shouldnt use the law of parties to convict anybody of capital murder, he said. I think we ought to reserve that for the person who actually did the murder.





Some states have already stepped back from the law of parties. Earlier this year California narrowed its felony murder law, revising the statute to require major participation in the crime or at least the intent to kill. So, simply intending to rob a store wouldnt be enough to net a murder conviction anymore, even if the store clerk gets killed in the process.





But to Toby Shook, the former Dallas County prosecutor who handled all six of the trials, the Texas 7 case is a perfect example of why the statue is necessary.





This case clearly demonstrates why they need the law of parties, he said. This is a group of very violent men who broke out of prison and planned out elaborate robberies. They acted as a group and they murdered a police officer in a group and they acted as a team.





I think I killed him





Once they got beyond the razor wire, the fleeing prisoners soon realized their supplies werent enough.





Its not like in the books, Garcia said. You dont know people underground selling IDs and birth certificates.





After pulling off two robberies  one at a Radio Shack and one at a Western Auto  the crew decided to head north. They needed to pick up some cold-weather gear, and maybe some more guns, so they scoped out a sporting goods store in the Dallas suburb of Irving.





But first, they got a copy of the newspaper and cut out the picture of a Scholastic Award winner, then glued his image to a WANTED poster.





Dressed as ADT security guards and toting their cobbled-together poster as a prop, Rivas and Harper went in just before closing time to ask if anyone had seen the supposed smash-and-grab suspect or if hed been caught on security cameras.





It was all a plot to get into the surveillance room and figure out how much of the store was on camera. Once they did that, Rivas calmly announced it was a robbery.





The escapees scattered in different directions, each tending to their assigned tasks.





Garcia was supposed to go to the clothes and shoes, but there were more customers  more hostages  than theyd expected. So instead, he went to help Newbury tie people up in the breakroom.





Theyd only halfway finished when Garcia heard Rivas across the radio. It was time to go.





As Garcia remembers it, he was still inside the store when he heard the first shots.





Halprin recalled it differently, testifying that they were all outside when the patrol car pulled up and blocked them in by the loading dock. Rivas thought they were all already in the getaway car.





In a stand-off with the young officer, five revolvers fired shots. Rivas admitted in court that he shot Hawkins repeatedly. And everyone agrees Rodriguez fired a shot and Murphy was out front as the lookout guy. The rest was chaos and crossfire.





Afterward, they fled and ended up back at an EconoLodge where theyd been staying, trying to parse what had happened and who shot whom.





I think I killed him, Rivas said, according to trial records. Everyone fell silent.





The next day they left for Colorado.





Death Row





Since he was sent to death row, Garcia has renewed his relationship with God, written a book and waged almost two decades of appeals.





Hes raised a slew of claims about bad lawyering during trial and earlier in the appeals process, but the courts have denied them all.





Last month, he put in a long-shot plea for clemency to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, laying out his violent childhood with a drug-addicted mother who died of AIDS, his stint in the Coast Guard and evidence that he was not one of the shooters.





At the same time, in a Bexar County petition now in front of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Garcias attorneys  Mridula Raman and a team of public defenders  argue that the initial stabbing that landed Garcia in prison was actually self-defense, and his lawyer at the time just failed to show it. If true, that could pose problems for the capital case where prosecutors pointed to the earlier murder as evidence of future dangerousness  a requirement for a death sentence.





There are significant legal issues before the courts that have not been presented until now because of procedural technicalities and bad lawyering, Raman said. It is important for a court to step in now and give Josephs case the consideration it deserves.





And, in a separate appeal of his death sentence in Dallas County, lawyers raised concerns about the use of the Bexar County conviction, ineffective lawyers, an allegedly racist trial judge, and the constitutionality of executing someone the state never proved was a shooter, ever intended to kill anyone, or was even outside at the time of the slaying.





They were all tried under the law of parties, Shook said, so it really doesnt matter if he was out there or not but I firmly believe he was.





Garcia maintains otherwise.





I am on death row because of the actions and intent of others and because I am one of the Texas Seven, case closed, he wrote in a letter. Is it right that I should be murdered for something that I did not do?





If his appeals fail, hell be the 12th Texas prisoner executed this year. One more is scheduled for the week after.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Alabama can execute inmates by nitrogen. When it will is an open question.





State officials have yet to create a protocol guiding the use of the execution method, authorized by the Legislature last spring and which several death row inmates have already indicated a preference for.





We dont have any indication when anything will happen related to hypoxia, and there is no timetable that we know of, wrote John Palombi, director of the federal defenders office, in an email.





Gov. Kay Ivey in March signed a bill to give inmates the option to choose execution by nitrogen. The means of death through nitrogen inhalation are straightforward: Breathing the gas deprives the blood of oxygen, causing death.





But how the state will do so is unclear. Nitrogen asphyxiation has never been used in capital punishment before, and Alabama  along with Oklahoma and Mississippi, which have approved the procedure  finds itself inventing a method of execution.





We still dont know whether they are intending to use a vacuum chamber or some form of a death mask, said Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C. At the most basic level, none of the states have indicated what their manner of nitrogen executions will be.





The Alabama Department of Corrections said in a statement it was "continuing to develop the protocol" with the Alabama Attorney General's Office for carrying out such executions.





"The ADOC is taking a deliberate and methodical approach in developing the protocol to ensure the states requirement for carrying out such executions is met," the statement said.





The Alabama Attorney Generals Office referred questions to Corrections.





Supporters of the bill said it could be a humane way of putting condemned inmates to death, as well as a means of addressing issues with lethal injection, where drug suppliers have grown unwilling to see their products used in executions.





The states use of midazolam in the three-drug execution procedure has also drawn scrutiny.





Under the state's protocol, officials inject a condemned inmate with midazolam before administering the other two drugs  rocuronium bromide, which paralyzes the muscles, and potassium chloride, which stops the heart. But the drug is a sedative that critics say cannot keep a person unconscious in the face of stressful events, such as their own execution.





The drug has been used without visible incident in most executions carried out in Alabama since 2016. But Ronald Bert Smith, executed in December 2016, gasped and coughed for 13 of the 34 minutes of his execution. In October 2017, Torrey McNabb raised his right arm about 20 minutes into the execution and rolled his head in a grimace before falling back onto the gurney.





Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, the sponsor of the nitrogen execution bill, said death by nitrogen would be a more humane method of execution. The American Veterinary Medical Association authorizes the use of the method in animal euthanasia, though only for birds and small animals. It recommends the use of a sedative for larger ones.





The state carries out executions at Holman Correctional Facility. No contracts referring to the method of execution have appeared before the states Contract Review Committee. Last July, eight death row inmates dropped a lawsuit against the states lethal injection protocol, saying they preferred execution by nitrogen.





Condemned inmates can choose execution by electric chair, though none have chosen that method since lethal injection became the primary method of execution in 2002.





The adoption of a nitrogen execution protocol will not close the doors to legal challenges, Dunham said. States traditionally had leeway to create methods of execution so long as they were not deemed cruel and unusual, as forbidden under the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. But recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings requiring prisoners challenging a method of execution to propose alternative ones could challenge that.





All of the methods that were clearly deemed unnecessarily cruel at the time the Constitution was adopted are unconstitutional, he said. When it comes to modern methods of execution, they each will be subject to particular constitutional challenges, and most Americans believe gas and hanging and firing squads and beheading are cruel and unusual. But the courts have not said so.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
The celebration of a landmark building in Hanoi also marked the work of Hongkong Land in Vietnam for over two decades.

Leading members of the business community, senior government officials and diplomats attended Hongkong Land ceremony on November 21 at Hanoi Opera House.

On November 21, 2018, Hongkong Land celebrated the 20th anniversary of 63 Ly Thai To, an eight-storied Grade A retail and office development in the heart of Hanois central business centre.

Leading members of the business community, senior government officials and diplomats attended a ceremony held to commemorate the occasion.

''Hongkong Land early on recognized the potential of Vietnam and its capital city Hanoi, dating back to early 1990s. We are proud to have played a role in developing commercial space of the highest international standards in the city,'' said Robert Wong, chief executive of Hongkong Land.

"The success of 63 Ly Thai To over two decades reflects the close cooperation we have cultivated with our partners and tenants,'' he said.

Completed in March 1998, 63 Ly Thai To is owned 74 percent by Hongkong Land, with Chan Hung Polimex Limited under the arm of The Vietnam Fatherland Front, and Manolis & Company Asia Limited, as joint venture partners.

The building offers 8,000 sq. m. of premium accommodation over eight floors and also has a basement car park.

It is one of the first buildings in Vietnam to have column-free floors and under-floor cable trunking, with international standards of construction, facilities and management.

Situated at a major intersection on Ly Thai To Street, 63 Ly Thai To is in a prime location in the centre of Hanoi, close to the Hanoi Opera House, Government offices, and international hotels. It has consistently achieved an occupancy rate of more 95 percent since its opening.

63 Ly Thai To was Hongkong Lands second property development in central Hanoi, following the Central Building, a seven-floor Grade A office tower offering some 4,000 sq.m. of space that opened in 1995.

In more recent years, Hongkong Land has been active in the development of residential property in Ho Chi Minh City. Hongkong Land completed and handed over its first luxury high-rise residential development named The Nassim this year.

It is currently involved in two luxury high-rise residential developments that will bring new standards of international living to District 1 and the Thu Thiem New Urban Area.
Bank tellers receive customers at an Eximbank office, as shown in a file photo by VnExpress.

A court has ordered Eximbank to reimburse $10.48 million to a customer whose money was stolen by a former employee.

On Friday, the HCMC court also sentenced Ho Ngoc Thuy, 32, an employee at the local bank's HCMC branch, to 4 years and 6 months in prison for "negligence causing severe damage to state, organization or business property."

Thuy's five accomplices, also coworkers at the bank, received suspended sentences of 2-3 years for the same charge.

According to the indictment, Chu Thi Binh, a seafood company owner, had been making large deposits at the branch since 2007.

This gave her VIP status, and the branch's then deputy director Le Nguyen Hung was assigned to personally handle her transactions.

Taking advantage of her trust and using forged documents, in 2014, Hung allegedly started to withdraw money from her 11 saving accounts and deposit it into an account he had opened in the name of his wife's aunt.

Hung also abused his employees' trust to forge withdrawal and deposit slips to steal VND19 billion ($812,660) from two other customers accounts, the indictment said.

Hung's fraud was only discovered after he quit the bank in 2017 and Binh discovered that a huge sum was missing from her accounts. As hed already fled abroad, an international arrest warrant has been issued for Hung.

Thuy and five of her coworkers were arrested and brought to trial for failing to comply with banking regulations, enabling Hung to steal the money.

Binh claimed that Eximbank owed her the principal money that had been taken deposited in three savings account, VND245 billion ($10.48 million), as well as interest worth VND103 billion ($4.41 million).

Customer at fault, too

The bank's representative argued that Binh was also at fault in the case, as she had signed documents authorizing Hung to handle her accounts despite their being incomplete.

Furthermore, she did not check her saving accounts, enabling Hung to transfer her money into other accounts undetected.

"Binh cannot use the excuse that she trusted Hung so much that she was not vigilant. If Binh was more cautious, then Hung's actions would have been discovered early on and the losses would not have gone up to VND245 billion," the representative said and asked the panel of judges to consider these circumstances in order to give a fair judgment.

The bank also rejected the argument that it had loosened its regulations in order to keep customers, enabling Hung to commit the fraud.

"Eximbank did not issue any instruction for Hung to persuade customers to sign transactions," the bank's representative asserted.

In response, Binh's lawyer Phan Trung Hoai argued that his client had trusted Hung because he was the branch's deputy director, not an ordinary employee.

Hoai also argued that while Binh was careless when signing the authorization documents, if Eximbank employees had properly followed banking regulations, Hung couldn't have committed his crime. As such, the bank was liable to pay his client both the principal and interest she was owed, he said.
Customers shop at a shopping mall in Hanoi on Black Friday November 23, 2018. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Tu

Online Black Friday retailers failed to enthuse customers with usual discounts, while brick and mortar stores saw heavy traffic.

E-commerce giant Lazada combined its Black Friday and Cyber Monday into a four-day promotional event, offering discounts of up to 70 percent, mostly on cosmetics and fashion items.

New items were discounted by 15 percent, and the strongest price reductions were offered on low-value items of unpopular brands.

Other e-commerce services claimed to offer bigger discounts, of up to 91 percent on Tiki and 99 percent on Shopee, but these were restricted to a particular time frame after which the discounts passed on to other items.

However, such "flash sales" are familiar to online shoppers as daily offerings made by most e-commerce services.

Thus, retailers failed to enthuse customers with the discounts.

Minh Tien, an office worker in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1, said that he regularly checks flash sale items on these websites. "Its the same method this time, and Im in no rush as the event will last three to seven days."

Market observers said another reason that Black Friday online sales in Vietnam failed to catch fire was the Chinese Singles Day promotional event held earlier this month and the upcoming Online Friday hosted by the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA), under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on December 7.

But in contrast to the online market, the shopping atmosphere was vibrant at brick-and-mortar stores. People started to queue up at large shopping centers in Hanoi and HCMC early Friday.

Tthe shopping atmosphere was vibrant at brick-and-mortar stores. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Tu, Huu Khoa

A large fashion store on Ba Trieu street in Hanoi offered a discount on all items for five hours, attracting a large number of customers.

A shopping mall in Hanoi attracts a large number of customers. Photo by VnExpres/Anh Tu, Huu Khoa

In other stores, customers had to wait for up to two hours to buy household items. Office workers joined the shopping frenzy at lunch time, only to find out they were late because shops stopped letting new customers after 11 a.m.

As of 10 p.m. Friday night, customers were still queuing up at major shopping malls in Hanoi.
A HCMC court sentenced a Russian woman to 18 years in jail for smuggling drugs; she claimed she was set up.

Nikolaenko Galina, 26, wept and pleaded for mercy as she was sentenced Thursday, saying she was fooled into drug trafficking.

Thanh Nien newspaper reported that Galina was detained in January by HCMC police and customs department officials with about 688 grams of ecstasy in a box she was carrying.

Galina said a foreign man offered her VND1 million ($43) to take the box, delivered from Germany, from a postal office in HCMCs District 2 and place it next to a trash can in front of an unnamed restaurant on the Nguyen Hue walking street. The man did not specify what was inside the box.

However, Galina could not get the box because the receivers name on it wasnt hers. On January 17, she asked a Vietnamese interpreter to go with her and help her fill out the forms to receive the box. Once shes signed to receive the box and affirm her responsibility for it, authorities caught her as she was walking towards her vehicle.

Galina said shed met the foreign man in a restaurant in December last year, when she traveled to Vietnam as a tourist. She and him saw each other a few times afterwards, and kept in touch through an unnamed chat application.

She said she didnt know much about the man, only identified as Nikolay, but she "really liked him," so she decided to help him when he asked her to. She acknowledged that she was suspicious that she couldnt receive the box at first, and the fact that she had to place it next to a garbage can. Nikolay provided no answer when she asked him.

"I accept my responsibility for smuggling the drugs, but I was cheated and deceived," she said. She also claimed that she didnt know the box contained drugs.

The prosecutors said that since Galina couldnt prove that the man named Nikolay actually existed and police had found concrete evidence, they proposed that she be sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined VND20 million ($857).

However, in consideration of the fact that it was Galinas first offense and she had no criminal background, as also limited knowledge of Vietnamese law, the court gave her 18 years and the fine brought down to VND10 million ($428).

"Im still 26, unmarried and have no children. I regret my action very much. I hope the jury can reduce my sentence so I could reunite with my family," Galina beseeched the court in tears.

The court appointed two lawyers to represent Galina and a Russian-Vietnamese interpreters services were used during the court proceedings Thursday.

Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics around the Golden Triangle, an intersection of China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar and the world's second largest drug producing region.

The country also has some of the worlds toughest drug laws, with those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine possibly facing the death penalty.
A South Korean tourist was caught in Da Nang after robbing a taxi driver at knifepoint.

Park Young Jun, 49, was detained on November 23 by Ngu Hanh Son District police in Da Nang city.

The South Korean got into a taxi driven by Vo Van Duc to travel from Hue City to a hotel in Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang.

On Vo Nguyen Giap Street in Da Nang, Park asked Duc to stop the taxi and then forced him at knifepoint to hand over two mobile phones worth around VND1.3 million ($56).

According to the police, when Duc managed to open the door and shout for help, Park fled the scene.

The driver and other residents chased the tourist until the police arrived and caught the suspect.

Park Young Jun had entered Da Nang in August on a 15-day visa exemption, but stayed on illegally.

South Koreans have become one of the biggest groups of visitors to Vietnam in recent years. In 2017, Vietnam welcomed 2.4 million South Korean visitors. In the first ten months of this year, the number was more than 2.8 million, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

Da Nang has been a major draw for South Koreans visiting Vietnam. The countrys third largest city welcomed 1.35 million South Korean tourists in the first nine months of this year, a 55.89 percent increase year-on-year, according to Da Nang's Department of Tourism.
A glass of wine is served at a restaurant in Taiwan. Photo by Shutterstock/thanhminhvo

Four Vietnamese women have been detained for providing sexual services to customers at a restaurant in Taiwans Kaohsiung City.

Taiwans immigration officers raided the restaurant in Daliao District Monday, acting upon a tip-off that it housed Vietnamese women whod entered the territory on tourist visas, but engaged in commercial sex work, The Real Daily reported.

During the police raid, the Vietnamese women were found wearing skimpy clothes and plying male customers with alcoholic drinks.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the hostesses also offered sexual services to customers, police said.

Among the four detainees was a student who came to Taiwan for overseas study before engaging in commercial sex work as a part-time job to cover her tuition fees and living expenses there.

Her arrest means she is in danger of losing her scholarship and being expelled by her school, police said.

In recent years, Taiwan has emerged as a promising destination for Vietnamese workers looking for jobs overseas. As of 2017, there were around 164,000 Vietnamese working under official contracts in Taiwan, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the countrys overseas workforce, according to official statistics.
The forecast route of the storm is shown by Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Heavy rains lashed Phu Quy Island Saturday morning, hours before storm Usagi was forecast to hit the Vietnams southern coast.

Instead of moving westwards as forecast earlier, Usagi, the ninth storm of the year to form off the Vietnamese coast, has changed course and is now heading south.

Nguyen Van Linh, Vice Chairman of Phu Quy District in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, confirmed that the island has been hit by heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds since early Saturday morning.

No casualties or damage have been reported so far.

Phu Quy Island hit by heavy rains as storm Usagi gets close Torrential rains ravage Vietnams central island as Storm Usagi moves south

As of Saturday morning, the center of the storm was around 110 kilometers (68 miles) to the east of Phu Quy Island and only around 300 kilometers from the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, with maximum speeds of 100 kilometers per hour.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau, home to the popular beach town Vung Tau, lies next to HCMC.

Over the next 12 hours it is expected to move west-southwest at 10-15 kilometers an hour, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, the storm will be off the coast of central and southern provinces from Ninh Thuan to Ben Tre, sustaining wind speeds of 75 to 100 kilometers per hour.

It is expected to continue moving westwards and make landfall in south-central region at 4 a.m. on Sunday with wind speeds of 60 kilometers per hour before devolving into a tropical depression.

Ho Chi Minh City, which was expected to be directly affected by the storm, should expect heavy rainfalls of up to 250 millimeters from Saturday afternoon onwards and dozens of streets to be flooded, weather experts have said.

Weather stations in Hong Kong have predicted that the storm is projected to hit the coast off Vung Tau beach town and Can Gio coastal district before making landfall in the adjacent area between Long An and HCMC.

Due to the effects of the tropical storm, rough water and six-meter-high waves are expected off the south central and southern coast.

Central provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Binh Thuan and the Central Highlands, home to popular resort towns Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Da Lat, are likely to be battered by rains of up to 500 millimeters while southern provinces can expect up to 200mm.

Warnings of floods and landslides have been issued.

Storm preparations

On Saturday morning, authorities in HCMC's Can Gio ordered a mass evacuation of more than 4,100 residents to safer areas.

Authorities in Can Gio District evacuate local residents to safer areas on Saturday morning to mitigate storm Usagis impacts. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen

All schools in the district have been asked to let students stay home on Saturday, and all extracurricular activities have been cancelled.

The HCMC Department of Education and Training has instructed all schools in the inner city to close from 12 p.m. Saturday.

Storm Usagi comes a week after heavy rains from Typhoon Toraji triggered landslides that killed at least 20 people in the south central resort town Nha Trang.

Weather forecasters in Vietnam have warned another four to six typhoons and tropical depressions could develop off the country's east coast from now until the end of the year. Half of them would make landfall in and batter Vietnams central region, they said.

A record number of 16 tropical storms hit Vietnam last year, killing 389 people and injuring 668 others, mostly in the northern and central regions. The General Statistics Office estimated damage at around VND60 trillion ($2.64 billion), 1.5 times the previous years figure.

In the first 10 months of this year natural disasters left 185 people dead or missing and injured 134 others, and caused losses of more than VND8.8 trillion ($381 million).
Vietnam to restrict access to app using Chinese name for Paracels

A screenshot of website Windy.com shows it refers to Hoang Sa as

Vietnam will restrict use of weather app Windy because it uses a Chinese name for the Hoang Sa Archipelago.

The app refers to Hoang Sa, known internationally as Paracel Islands, as "Sansha."

Le Quang Tu Do, deputy head of the Broadcasting and Electronic Information Authority under the Ministry of Information and Communications, said the decision was made after the agency was unable to get the app correct the name of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.

Do said his agency had attempted to contact managers of Windy.com to request that the archipelago's name be corrected, but were unable to identify the site's owners or find their contact information.

"We have found that this weather forecast website has an international domain name, is hosted on an overseas server, and does not have a legal status in Vietnam so cannot be handled in accordance with domestic law," Do said.

The information ministry will, therefore, take technical measures to restrict Vietnamese users from accessing Windy.com, as well as other websites containing inaccurate information about Vietnams sovereignty.

Do also called on the public to only use websites and applications that use official maps without wrong information on Vietnam's sovereignty.

As of Saturday morning, the website Windy.com and its mobile application referred to Hoang Sa as "Sansha," or "Tam Sa" if the language is set to Vietnamese.

Windy is a popular app with over five million downloads by Android users. Following the naming controversy, many Vietnamese users have reacted by giving it a single star on Google Play.

Information authorities in the central province of Khanh Hoa had earlier this month reported on this issue to the ministry's Broadcasting and Electronic Information Authority, asking for guidance on how to handle Windy.

China seized the Hoang Sa Islands from South Vietnam by force in 1974, and has since been illegally occupying the islands.

In 2012 it established the so-called Sansha City with Woody Island as its seat.

The "city" also covers a number of reefs in Vietnam's Truong Sa Archipelago Spratly Islands that China seized by force in 1988 and the Scarborough Shoal, which is claimed by the Philippines.
For the first time ever, APEC leaders failed to produce a joint declaration. Photo by AFP/Saeed Khan

The host of a fractious Asia-Pacific summit said Friday that "alternative" views on free trade and WTO rules prevented members from agreeing a joint communique.

In a chairman's statement following last weekend's summit, Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O'Neill said members had been unable to agree on sections concerning reform of the World Trade Organization, and also protectionism.

"Most economies agreed to the following text, while a small number had alternative or additional views on paragraphs 9, 16 and 17," said O'Neill.

The highlighted paragraphs included a commitment to "improve the functioning of the WTO" by working "together to improve its negotiating, monitoring and dispute settlement functions."

Another urged economies "to advance trade in the region in a free, fair, and open manner, in a way that will support non-discriminatory, and mutually advantageous trade and investment frameworks.

During the summit, Chinese president Xi Jinping had lashed out at U.S. trade protectionism, saying it was a "short-sighted approach" that was "doomed to failure."

Sources said going into the meeting the United States had pressed for the leaders to issue what amounted to a denunciation of the WTO and a call for its wholesale reform -- a step too far for Beijing, which would likely get less preferential treatment under any changes.

O'Neill wrote that his own statement "reflects the full discussion, including areas where member economies did not reach full consensus."

The annual gathering, held for the first time in Papua New Guinea, was overshadowed by speeches from Xi and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, which appeared to represent competing bids for regional leadership.

Pence warned smaller countries not to be seduced by China's massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure programme, mocking Beijing's "constricting belt" and "one-way road" initiative.

For the first time ever, the leaders failed to produce a joint declaration - usually a technocratic exercise in fudging differences, overstating agreement and promising great things to come.
The United Nations logo is displayed on a door at U.N. headquarters in New York. Photo by Reuters/ Joshua Lott

South Korea said on Saturday it had received sanctions exemptions from the U.N. Security Council for a joint survey on inter-Korean rail.

It is the first step towards implementing an inter-Korean agreement on reconnecting railways and roads cut since the 1950-53 Korean War, as part of efforts to improve bilateral relationships.

The agreement were made during October talks aimed at following up on the third summit this year between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The two Koreas previously planned to carry out joint field studies on the transport plans from late October, with a goal to hold a ground-breaking ceremony in late November and early December.

But the plan was delayed amid stalled talks between Washington and Pyongyang following an unprecedented summit in June at which the two sides agreed to work toward nuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula.

Negotiations have since made little headway, with Pyongyang upset by Washingtons insistence that international sanctions must remain until it gives up its nuclear weapons.

The United States has told its ally South Korea it should not improve ties with North Korea faster than Pyongyang takes steps to give up its nuclear weapons.

Lee Do-hoon, South Koreas nuclear negotiator, has said earlier this week Washington supports the inter-Korean rail survey, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Nord Stream 2 "purely political" project - President of Slovakia

Ukraine and Slovakia leaders spoke about coordinating efforts to counter the pipeline construction.

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Joao Canziani on Traveling the Globe and Finding Photographic Potential in Every Corner of the Earth

Posted by Stacey Goldberg on November 24, 2018 | Photographer Interviews

Even if youve never visited Rajasthan, India, its apparent in Joao Canzianis photographs that Rajasthan is a land of sun-drenched desert landscapes, well-dressed gentleman in white suits and joyful women dancing in the streets. Similarly, you can get a pretty good idea about the Galapagos Islands after seeing Canzianis portrait of a seal, sunning itself in the sand and the teal water crashing against a rocky intertidal zone.

Whether traversing northern Peru to photograph traditional fishermen in reed boats or the foggy skyline of Beijing, Canziani has made the illusive idea of travel photographer a real thing.

His images combine natural highlights, tight composition and provincial subjects that makes them feel effortless and beautiful. Its no fluke that, since starting his career in the early 2000s, Canzianis editorial work has appeared in publications like Afar, Travel + Leisure and T: New York Times Style Magazine, and his commercial clients have included Nike, Apple, Gatorade and Microsoft.

Traveling sometimes as much as half the year, Canziani has seen many hidden corners of the earth. A recent assignment for Esquire, for example, had him on a remote lake in Patagonia, photographing the chef Francis Mallmann at his home. It was a nine-hour flight from New York to Buenos Aires, two-hour flight to Patagonia, five-hour car ride and one-and-a-half-hour boat ride to get to this island, Canziani says. I needed a very small kit, so all I brought was my Nikon D810 and a few lenses [a AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm, 70-200mm and 50mm fixed]. After eating gourmet meals prepared by Mallmann for three days, Canziani sailed away with incredible landscape shots and portraits for the magazine.

But much like his trip to Patagonia, getting to this point in his career has taken work.

Countries, Cultures and Coasts

Born in Peru, Canzianis first entry into photography was experimenting with his fathers Pentax. When a 15-year-old Canziani moved with his family to Vancouver, Canada, the unfamiliar landscapewet forest and gringos everywhere, he jokesgave him a new world to document. He was soon obsessive about photography, using classmates as subjects and converting a small bathroom in his familys basement into a darkroom. It became a beautiful process of spending time alone, listening to music and printing images, he says.

But photography as a career did not occur to Canziani at the time. Instead, he toyed with the idea of architecture as a respectable profession, then pivoted to majoring in psychology. Midway through college in Canada, Canziani went backpacking around Europe with his camera, and soon his path became obvious. He started developing his portfolio and finished his degree with the intent to apply to an art college in the U.S.

Canziani was able to procure an American green card and stay with his mother, who was by then living in California. With a portfolio of travel landscapes and conceptual portraits of friends, he applied to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and got accepted to the BFA program with a modest scholarship. [The BFA program] was an eye-opening experience because it wasnt just a technical school, there was a lot of color theory and composition, fine art history, etc., he says. They broke you to build you back up again.

Eager to start working, Canziani drilled through his degree, taking classes during the summer and building a fashion-heavy portfolio, stuff I cringe at when I look at it at now, he says. Graduating right before September 11, 2001, he came to New York to shop his portfolio around during the worst possible week for America. It was a shock for everybody, and a huge reset button for me, he says of the 9/11 attacks. I came in with a lot of cocky confidence about being a fashion photographeryet after that [week], the world stopped for a long time.

He retreated to Los Angeles, landing small photo and assisting gigs, transitioning bit by bit into the life of a professional photographer. But he never quite felt settled. I got aimless and wasnt sure what my path would be, says Canziani, who eventually returned focus to his personal work, editing a small series of images he had shot in Peru in early 2000.

I sent a small and humble set of promo cards that I printed myself to about 30 magazines I loved, including The Fader, he says. It caught the eye of an editor there who assigned Canziani a few initial L.A.-based storiesamong them a portrait of actress Shannyn Sossamon and Australian rock band, The Vines. An assignment for Travel + Leisure soon followed. The more he workedand traveled, the more work came in. So much so that Canziani was named one of PDNs 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch in 2005, resulting in an influx of work and exposure, albeit too soon. It overwhelmed me, and I dont think I was ready for it, he admits. I wish Id had the same work ethic I have now.

But by 2008, his motivation kicked in. While the recession had many photographers anxious about work, Canziani was itching for more: not just for new assignments, but also to find a supportive community of photographers. I grew tired of L.A., I got complacent living there, he says. I got the crazy idea that I was finally ready for New York. Where L.A. felt isolated and lonely, New York proved to be the opposite for Canziani. There were events like Adhesivea network for photographers, producers and creativesand photographers wanted to meet me, he says. Canziani proactively set up meetings with editors hed worked with, and wanted to work with. People were receptive, he says. It taught me how to hustle.

Practical Application

In the years that followed, Canzianis career grew consistently. Along with the hustle, he learned that traveling and making personal work was absolutely critical to getting the jobs he wanted. I always want to experiment more, play with light and discover more aesthetically, he says.

When he first came to New York, his goal was to get one advertising job per year. He got some agency names and contact information from a photographer friend, and supplemented with a subscription to Agency Access. Then, he used the same approach as he did with magazines: emailing to set up meetings. [Agencies are] a bit more intimidating, but its possible, he says.

After getting a few large jobs, he realized he needed a New York agent to help him navigate the business end, so he hired a consultant and through word of mouth met his current rep, Giant Artists, in 2013. The partnership has led to jobs for Nike, Delta Airlines and American Express.

But even when assignments dont give him an awe-inspiring, natural setting to document, Canzianis experience has taught him to see potential in every job. Once on a portrait assignment for The Red Bulletin at Barcade in New York City, Canziani showed up to a dark bar, seemingly lacking inspiration. I shot what I needed to for the [assignment], then I noticed the people playing video games in the arcade, he says. The lighting was interesting, and a couple of men were really engaged in their playing. One of them reminded me of [actor] Idris Elba, a bit bashful with his hoodie open revealing his cut chest. I photographed him and his friend, and a few other people, getting a series of photos I was really happy with.

WRITTEN BY JESSICA GORDON

This article is excerpted from the Fall 2018 edition of PDNedu. To learn more about Canzianispecifically his foray into motion and his advice to emerging photographersread the full article for free in the digital edition.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday announced a political agreement on the issue of Gibraltar, within the ongoing negotiations covering Brexit, as the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union is commonly known.

The first thing to say is that we have achieved a joint declaration from the European Council and the European Commission that rules out Article 184 being applied to territorial issues, he told reporters, in reference to the part of the UKs draft Withdrawal Agreement that Spain objected to, given that it did not specifically exclude Gibraltar from talks on the future relationship between Great Britain and the EU. Spain wants to discuss the future of the British Overseas Territory  over which it holds a historic claim  on a bilateral basis and completely separate from the future EU-UK talks.

Secondly, the British government has recognized this issue in writing, he continued, speaking from La Moncloa prime ministerial palace. And thirdly, the European Council and the European Commission have strengthened Spains position ahead of future negotiations.

We defend national interests, he added, explaining that the Spanish government had a responsibility to defend the situation of the inhabitants of neighboring Campo de Gibraltar, which is on Spanish soil.

Sanchez also announced that once the UK has left the EU, the political, legal and even geographical relationship of Gibraltar with the EU will pass through Spain.

He continued: The agreements that affect Gibraltar must be separate deals to those that are reached with the United Kingdom by the EU. We have obtained a joint political declaration, which is a historic text, and lays out the fundamentals in writing of a new way to approach the relationship with Gibraltar on a European level.

English version by Simon Hunter.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini has asked Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov to tell her in greater detail about an initiative earlier put forth by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to hold a meeting between the leaders of the United States, Russia, China, and the EU in Astana to discuss international security problems.

Abdrakhmanov and Mogherini met in Brussels on Friday on the sidelines of the EU-Central Asia conference, the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"At the meeting, the sides discussed the results of the 12th Europe-Asia Meeting, during which in September President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev put forth a number of suggestions on how to solve some of the most acute global problems. The head of state then came up with an initiative to organize a special UN session or a meeting with the participation of the leaders of the U.S., Russia, China and the European Union in Astana to discuss problems of international security," the press service said.

"The European diplomat believes that Nazarbayev's proposals are quite timely for the international community. She also underscored the importance of their further implementation and asked for details of the concept of such a meeting," it said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has sent 380 tonnes of humanitarian aid to territories temporarily uncontrolled by Ukraine.

"Twenty-one vehicles carrying humanitarian aid from the International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) and Mission of the Synodal Department of the UOC on Family Affairs crossed the Novotroyitske checkpoint in the direction of the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. In general, more than 380 tonnes of cargo, which contain food and hygiene kits, have been cleared for delivery," the State Border Service's press service said on Saturday morning.
Russia's hybrid military forces have mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action, the press centre of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported.

"Russian invaders opened fire on the positions of our troops 11 times. At the same time, the enemy twice used weapons forbidden by the Minsk agreements ... As a result of the hostilities, two soldiers of the JFO were injured," the JFO staff said on Facebook on Saturday morning.

The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire to attack the defenders of Stanytsia Luhanska, Krymske, Zolote, Troyitske, Pisky, Verkhniotoretske, Maryinka and Berezove.

"In addition, the enemy fired 82mm mortars and a ZU-23-2 towed 23mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled auto cannon in an attack on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Vilny. The invaders also used anti-tank guided missiles and 120mm mortars to shell the Ukrainian strongholds near Troyitske," it said.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, two militants of the illegal armed groups were killed, another one was wounded.
The purpose of Russia's actions in the Sea of Azov is to put political pressure and inflict economic damage on Ukraine, Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser said, according to his ministry's statement obtained by Interfax on Saturday.

"Russia's aim [in the Sea of Azov] is to exert political pressure on Ukraine and cause it economic damage. Furthermore, the situation is also affecting European Union states or those moving under the EU's national flags. Russia also introduced its military ships in the Sea of Azov, creating an even bigger security threat to Ukraine," Mikser said at a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

The world should pay more attention to the situation and Estonia urges Russia to stop its activities aimed "at looking for trouble and to respect international law," Mikser said.

"We support the additional EU sanctions against the organizers and winners of the illegal elections held on November 11 [in the self-proclaimed Donbas republics]."

The Estonian minister urged Ukraine to pay more attention to cybersecurity in advance of upcoming elections.
Sanctions imposed on Russia should be continued until full implementation of Minsk accords  Latvian President

The sanctions imposed on Russia should be continued until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis has said.

"The sanctions imposed on Russia should be continued until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements," Vejonis said at a joint press-conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Saturday.

He said, unfortunately, Moscow does not take any steps towards de-escalation and the blockade of the Sea of Azov is another proof of Russia's consistent destructive regional policy.

"Latvia strongly supports the position of the European Union regarding the non-recognition of the unlawful elections in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government. Latvia continues fully supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Vejonis noted.
The responsibility for the Holodomor, the 1932-1933 famine in Ukraine, lies with Russia as the successor to the Soviet Union, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday.

"The historical responsibility for the Holodomor lies with the Russian Federation as a successor to the USSR, and this crime has no statute of limitation. Yet again, like 100 years ago, Russia has launched an aggression against Ukraine to bring it back into empire (...) But I know for sure: they will no longer be able to turn the wheel of history in the opposite direction. Ukraine is confidently going down its own path," Poroshenko said on the 85th anniversary of the famine in Kyiv on Saturday.

On the eve of the anniversary "we heard words of memory about Holodomor victims from Pope Francis" and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople offered his condolences and support to the Ukrainian people, the president said.

The patriarch said that, "it was a tragedy which speaks for itself among the other atrocities against the humankind and God's creation carried out in the 20th century," Poroshenko said.

To mark the anniversary, a "Ukraine remembers, the world recognizes" forum is taking place in Kyiv no Saturday, which brought together representatives from 50 countries, he said.

Poroshenko blames Russia as USSR successor for 1930s famine

KYIV. Nov 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The responsibility for the Holodomor, the 1932-1933 famine in Ukraine, lies with Russia as the successor to the Soviet Union, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday.

"The historical responsibility for the Holodomor lies with the Russian Federation as a successor to the USSR, and this crime has no statute of limitation. Yet again, like 100 years ago, Russia has launched an aggression against Ukraine to bring it back into empire (...) But I know for sure: they will no longer be able to turn the wheel of history in the opposite direction. Ukraine is confidently going down its own path," Poroshenko said on the 85th anniversary of the famine in Kyiv on Saturday.

On the eve of the anniversary "we heard words of memory about Holodomor victims from Pope Francis" and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople offered his condolences and support to the Ukrainian people, the president said.

The patriarch said that, "it was a tragedy which speaks for itself among the other atrocities against the humankind and God's creation carried out in the 20th century," Poroshenko said.

To mark the anniversary, a "Ukraine remembers, the world recognizes" forum is taking place in Kyiv no Saturday, which brought together representatives from 50 countries, he said.
In an unprecedented development, an ultraconservative student group in Iran has asked the country's Supreme Leader to show up and give accountability about the Islamic Republic's 40-year record.

In a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an ultraconservative group has called upon him to attend a gathering in Tehran University and answer questions from students related to the performance of the "Islamic ruling system" in Iran since the downfall of monarchy nearly four decades ago.

The letter has also demanded Khamenei to respond to questions concerning the performance of state-run institutions under the Supreme Leader's supervision, including the Islamic Revolution Guardians Corps (IRGC) and other armed forces, as well as the judiciary, the Mostazafan Foundation of Islamic Revolution and the national radio and television network, a state monopoly.

The letter has been published on the Twitter account of pro-reform Tehran MP Mahmoud Sadeqi, and several sites supporting the conservative camp that practically dominates Iran.

Calling directly on Khamenei to be "accountable" and demanding him to "explain" his performance is an unprecedented move in the Islamic Republic.

The letter, signed by an obscure students rights group, has insisted that, based on the authority that the Islamic Republic's Constitution has entrusted to the "velayat-e faqih or the Supreme Leader, Khamenei is has an opportunity to offer an assessment of the record of the country's ruling system in the past forty years, as well as assess his role in supervising long-term national policies and his role as an arbiter between the three branches of power in the country.

As the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei has never attended a Q&A event or a press conference. He has always preferred to present his position on a myriad of matters through direct speeches addressed to a meticulously hand-picked limited audience.

Meanwhile, Khamenei's meeting with dozens of students on May 28, made headlines where his young conservative guests offered harsh criticism of the country's direction.

At that audience with Khamenei, university student Sahar Mehrabi read a speech in which, without directly blaming Khamenei, she recounted the "numerous crises" now facing the country.

Among them, she listed Iran's "intensified systematic inequality among social classes, the decline of public trust and the increase in environmental crisis and shantytowns." She also mentioned high unemployment, the challenges faced by minority groups and the way hard-line element's within Iran's judiciary and security system "fabricate security cases in a delusional way" to target activists.

"What answer does Your Excellency have in response to questions, criticisms, and protests," she asked.

In his own speech, Khamenei acknowledged many of the shortcomings, saying that "removing problems is not as easy" as the students expect. He said one solution can be the "injecting revolutionary, motivated and committed young people into the governmental apparatuses."

"Growth of the society requires freedom of expression," Khamenei said.

Khamenei's Twitter account also acknowledged the criticisms.

Furthermore, another university student, Mohammad Javad Motamedinejad, delivered a vitriolic speech at the meeting that echoed former hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejads recent remarks against the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.

Motamedinejad, who was later briefly detained by the judiciary, has presented himself as The Pro-Justice Students Movement of Iran that supports Ahmadinejad.

The signatories to the recent letter to Khamenei belong to a group labeled as the Assembly of the Pro-Justice Students or Justice-Seeking Students' League.

The League's manifesto on its official website presents it as an ultraconservative assembly supporting Khamenei and his close allies.

It is not yet clear whether the group is related to the one led by Motamadinejd, or not.

Several members of the Assembly as well as other students supporting Ahmadinejad, wrote an open letter to Khamenei last March, calling him to implement "essential and revolutionary" reforms in the Islamic Republic.
Labor unrest continued in Haft-Tappeh in the Shush region, in southwestern Iran on Saturday November 24 for the 20th consecutive day.

Hundreds of the town's sugar mill workers marched in the streets protesting against non-payment of their wages for four months, lack of job security and mismanagement of the factory.

The workers marched between the local governor's office and the main square in Shush, the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) reported.

Government officials on Thursday had said that the workers had received one month's wages and their labor union confirmed that three more detained workers were freed from jail.

One more sugar mill worker and labor leader, Esmail Bakhshi, and a reporter, Sepideh Ghalian are still in custody, ILNA added.

A Labor Ministry official also confirmed that only one of the workers arrested during last week's protests still remains in jail, adding that another person under arrest is a female reporter, "not a worker."

Meanwhile, Farzaneh Zilabi, the workers' defense lawyer, told reporters that the arrested workers have been freed on bail and their case awaits hearing.

During the protests on Saturday, Haft-Tappeh workers called on state officials to be serious in following up on the workers' case and to meet their demands.

The workers told reporters that the protests have so far led to the payment of only one month's wages and that they are still waiting to receive their unpaid wages for another three months.

They also called on officials to make sure that they receive their allowances and those who have retired receive their pensions. They also demanded continuing contracts for the workers employed based on fixed-term agreements.

Referring to the inability of the companys owners to run the factory, the workers called on the government to annul its privatization and hand over the sugar mill to the government or to a council made up of the their representatives.

The workers say, during the two years since the sugar mill's privatization, the inefficient management by the new owners created many problems for the factory.

Protests in Haft-Tappeh started 20 days ago when news broke out that one of the company's private owners had escaped from the country and another owner was detained, according to what Privatization Organization officials had told the workers.

The sugar mill was privatized in March 2016. Two months later, the MP for Shush warned -then-Economy Minister Ali Tayebnia about the inappropriate process of privatization, which put the sugar mill under the control of two inexperienced, but otherwise well-connected young men with links to Iran's clerical oligarchy.

The MP argued that the way privatization was handled was tantamount to the government abandoning the industrial establishment, warning that privatization of the factory would lead to many problems for its workers.

Haft-Tappeh is located in Shush region, ancient Susa, the cradle of one of the oldest civilizations in the world.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.25

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Overlooking the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the context of the Draft Resolution of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is harmful for the reputation of the EaP CSF in the eyes of the broader Azerbaijani community, reads a statement from the Azerbaijani National Platform of the EaP CSF.

We, the Members of the Azerbaijani National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF), following the widespread discussions of the Draft Resolution of the 10th Annual Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in the Azerbaijani media, feel the need to clarify our position on the following points.

We appreciate the role of the EaP CSF in aiding all EaP countries civil societies in their strengthening of democracy, rule of law and sustainable development, which leads to greater integration with the European community, said the statement.

The Azerbaijani National Platform said it acknowledges the positive role of the EaP CSF in bringing Azerbaijani and Armenian civil society representatives together, helping them to advance their peace agendas on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; however, the Draft Resolution has failed to uphold the importance of territorial integrity issues for all of the EaP countries.

This position has been stressed by the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit, held on 24 November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium, stating: The European Union remains committed in its support to the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all its partners.

The Azerbaijani National Platform is also concerned regarding the lack of Azerbaijani government representatives in the list of invitees. It wishes to see the active participation of Azerbaijani government representatives in the Forum and calls on the Forum, the government of Georgia and the EU to issue the invitations in a speedy manner.

The Azerbaijani National Platform stresses once more its appreciation for the work of the EaP CSF.

At the same time, it would like to draw attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani government and civil society have developed complementary narratives on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which remains a sensitive issue for the country.

Overlooking the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the context of the Draft Resolution is harmful for the reputation of the EaP CSF in the eyes of the broader Azerbaijani community.

We would like to remind that the core objective of the CSF is to establish mutual cooperation and understanding among the Civil Societies of the Eastern Partnership Member Countries in the best interest of our peoples. Unfortunately, the adoption of such a Draft Resolution within the CSF platform would lead to dissatisfaction among Azerbaijani government and society representatives, undermining the credibility of the Forum, reads the statement.

The 10th Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Annual Assembly will take place in Tbilisi on 10-12 December. This annual event brings together civil society organizations from all six Eastern Partner countries and the EU. It has been organized every year since 2009.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 24

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

The mutual visits of the heads of state and the signed documents once again show the strategic importance of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov said at an event dedicated to the centenary of the Republic of Latvia in Baku.

The deputy minister noted that 2018 was a significant year for both Latvia and Azerbaijan, as both countries celebrated their 100th anniversary.

After gaining independence, the two countries began to develop bilateral relations and achieved considerable success, Khalafov said, adding that the visits of both countries' presidents are the evidence for this.

He mentioned that President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis visited Azerbaijan in March 2017 as part of the 5th Global Baku Forum and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited Latvia the same year in July. During the visit, the sides signed memorandums in transport, construction, education and other sectors, which once again proves the strategic importance of bilateral relations, Khalafov added.

In turn, Latvian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Juris Maklakovs noted that relations between the two countries are developing dynamically.

"I hope that, thanks to our friendly relations, together we will be able to reach even greater heights and our relations will continue to develop," the ambassador added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.24

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Government representatives from all Eastern Partners, including from Azerbaijan, have been invited to attend the Civil Society Forum Annual Assembly that will take place in Tbilisi, EU Delegation to Azerbaijan told Trend.

The 10th Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Annual Assembly will take place in Tbilisi on 10-12 December. This annual event brings together civil society organizations from all six Eastern Partner countries and the EU. It has been organized every year since 2009. Government representatives from all Eastern Partners, including from Azerbaijan, have been invited to attend the Assembly, said the organization.

In addition, commenting on media reports that the draft declaration, which is expected to be adopted at the Forum meeting, expresses recognition of the territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Ukraine and Georgia, but there is no identical wording regarding Azerbaijan, the EU Delegation noted that no resolution has been adopted or agreed yet, it is a work in progress by the organizers.

The EU institutions are not in any way involved in the drafting process and are not asked to agree with the content of the resolution. The official view and position of the EU have been clearly expressed in Eastern Partnership Summit declarations, the most recent being the Brussels Summit declaration of 24 November 2017, said the EU Delegation.

The declaration adopted following the Eastern Partnership Summit held in Brussels Nov.24, 2017 reads that the European Union remains committed in its support to the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all its partners.

"Full commitment, respect for and adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the 1990 OSCE Charter of Paris are fundamental to our shared vision for a peaceful and undivided Europe," the declaration said.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, November 25

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Issuing entry permit to Russia for Bako Sahakyan, a representative of the illegal separatist regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, is undermining efforts to advance the negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and contradicts Russia's mediation as co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry.

The ministrys remarks came in response to the information about the visit of the "head" of the separatist regime created in Nagorno-Karabakh to Russia.

"This step of the Russian side does not correspond to the high level of current relations between Azerbaijan and Russia and contradicts the legal framework of bilateral relations, in particular the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Security between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which reads that "the Parties undertake not to support the separatist movements, as well as prohibit and suppress the activities of individuals, aimed against state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the other side".

Such voyages of the head of the illegal regime in the countries of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs can lead to an unpredictable development of the situation around the conflict. In this case, the entire responsibility will be on the Armenian side," the Foreign Ministry 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. 24

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

The Azerbaijani confectionery company Can-Pa intends to establish export of products to Russia, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates in 2019, marketing director of the company, Gunay Khalafzade, told Trend.

According to her, Can-Pa currently does not have any supplies abroad, but the company actively participates in exhibitions to promote its products and sign export contracts.

Khalafzade reminded that the Can-Pa products, Turkish delight, marmalade, dragees, and other locally made sweets are currently presented at the UZPRODEXPO food exhibition, being held in Tashkent.

"Uzbekistan is a close country for us, so we want to establish exports in that direction. We contacted the organizers of UZPRODEXPO and opened our stand at the exhibition, which will be active from Nov. 21 through Nov. 23," the company representative said.

She underlined that the company plans to significantly increase local production in 2019 in order to enter the markets of Russia and the UAE as well.

"On Feb. 5-9, 2018, our company, with the support of AzPromo, took part in the ProdExpo exhibition in Moscow. We plan to take part in the 24th Gulfood exhibition in Dubai on Feb. 17-21, 2019," Khalafzade said.

According to her, the company has already received a certificate for exports to Uzbekistan, and is currently negotiating with the Azerbaijani company Grante in Moscow on arranging export supplies.

International exhibitions, UZAGROEXPO  2018 Agriculture and UZPRODEXPO  2018 Food Industry, started in Tashkent on Nov. 21. The organizers earlier told Trend that Azerbaijan is represented at UZPRODEXPO with the products of the confectionery company Can-Pa.

Can-Pa LLC has been operating since March 18, 2003. The confectionery company is engaged in both production activities and retail. Can-Pa is a distributor of Turkish companies Elit, Taha, Ece, Ekmekcioglu Hicret, etc.

In January-September 2018, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan reached $30.73 million, of which $7.08 million accounted for exports from Azerbaijan and $23.65 million for imports from Uzbekistan.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 24

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Uzbekistan and Poland have agreed to create favorable conditions for the export of Uzbek textile products, the Uzbek textile association Oztoqimachiliksanoat said referring to a meeting of representatives of Uzbek and Polish textile industries during a visit of the Oztoqimachiliksanoat delegation to Poland on Nov. 19-25.

The purpose of the visit was to study the possibility of exporting textile products from Uzbekistan to the EU countries, in particular to the Polish market.

The meeting with participation of over 40 managers and representatives of leading Polish textile companies was initiated by the Embassy of Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the parties exchanged information on the current state of cooperation, plans for the future between Uzbekistan and Poland in the textile industry, investment activities of Polish companies, as well as cooperation in research and development.

Oztoqimachiliksanoat made a number of proposals to optimize the export of textile products to Poland.

Following the talks, the parties agreed to create the most favorable conditions for the export of Uzbek textile products to Poland.

The corresponding agreements are planned to be officially signed Nov. 24 following the international textile exhibition, Fast Textile 2018, held Nov. 22-24, in the town of Nadazhin, near Warsaw, in the new exhibition complex Ptak Warsaw Expo.

Fast Textile 2018 is the most important event of the Polish textile industry.

In 2017, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Poland amounted to $129.02 million, of which $50.5 million accounted for exports from Uzbekistan and $78.52 million for imports from Poland.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 24

By Rashid Shirinov  Trend:

In the first 9 months of this year, 41,200 airline passengers were transported from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan, and 42,300 passengers traveled in the opposite direction, Civil Aviation Committee of Investments and Development Ministry of Kazakhstan told Trend.

"During the same period last year, 42,000 airline passengers traveled from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan, and 41,800 passengers were transported from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan," the committee noted.

Thus, this year there was a slight increase in passenger traffic from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan and a minor decline in the opposite direction.

The committee also noted that according to the current regulatory framework, the airlines of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are allowed to operate 16 passenger and cargo flights per week from each side. Destinations for carriers of Kazakhstan are Baku, Ganja, Nakhchivan, and for carriers of Azerbaijan  Aktau, Almaty, Astana, Oral and Shymkent.

Presently, direct flights from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan are operated by SCAT Airlines (Aktau-Baku-Aktau route 7 times a week) and Air Astana (Astana-Baku-Astana and Almaty-Baku-Almaty routes 3 times a week each).

Azerbaijans Silk Way West Airlines, in turn, operates 3 cargo flights a week on the Baku-Almaty-Urumqi route.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid
In its foreign policy, Kyrgyzstan is guided only by national interests, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Chingiz Aidarbekov told at a meeting with journalists, kabar.kg reports.

He said that neighboring countries are priorities for Kyrgyzstan.

Our leade Sooronbay Jeenbekov indicated the need to resolve all issues with neighbors as he assumed the presidency. In 2018, the President paid visits to all the neighboring countries, which once again confirms the resolution of all issues, he said.

At the same time, Aidarbekov noted that the Kyrgyz Republic is not guided by the exception principles towards one state.

We are pursuing a balanced policy for all countries. The European Union is one of the priority partners, our cooperation with Russia is of particular significance, he added.
The European Union intends to invest  124 million in the development of various projects in Central Asia, the press service of the European Commission reported Friday following a series of meetings of foreign ministers in the EU-Central Asia format, kabar.kg reports.

As noted in the message, the EU programs, in particular, those aimed at creating jobs and sustainable development of the countries of the region, TASS wrote.

Our bilateral program will help the Government of Kyrgyzstan in providing fair and universal education for all, the press release presented the words of EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.  36 million will be allocated for this purpose.

Another six programs worth  88 million will be aimed at developing the private sector, trade and environmental protection in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
US claim that Iran is secretive about the issue of chemical weapons is baseless, Iran said through a statement Friday, IRNA reports.

The statement was released by Director General of the Department of International Peace and Security of Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs Reza Najafi in response to the anti-Iran claim made by the US Ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Kenneth Ward at the organizations conference at the Hague, the Netherlands.



The United States has had longstanding concerns that Iran maintains a chemical weapons program that it has failed to declare to the OPCW, the US ambassador told the OPCW conference on Thursday.



The full text of Irans statement on the US baseless claim is as follows:



Mr Chairperson,



We are not surprised by the new baseless accusations of the United States under the current administration which we categorically reject. As my Minister twitted if they say Iran perhaps is responsible for the California fires, because we didnt help rake the forests just like the Finns do! you should not be surprised.



But let us look at the facts.



1. During the 8-year imposed war by Saddams regime on Iran, the United Stated as a permanent member of the UN Security Council turned a blind eye to the extensive and brutal use of chemical weapons against Iranian civilians and servicemen, and by so doing, shouldered responsibility for tens of thousands of Iranians who continue to suffer and perish as a result of chemical weapons. Some of them are present in this Conference. The components of those chemical weapons came from the US and its allies companies. There are substantial evidences such as UNSCOM that many American and western companies provided Saddam with the required equipment, materials and technology to develop its chemical weapons program. Given that all of those companies needed to obtain export licenses from their governments, they could not transfer chemical weapons precursors to Saddam without the US governments blessing. Thus US must be held accountable for complicity of such war crimes.



2. The reports about the use of chemical weapons by terrorist groups in Syria, are very disturbing. It is evident that those terrorist groups could not procure toxic chemical agents as well as produce and use chemical weapons without the external assistance and support. This situation is very similar to how Saddams army could acquire and use chemical weapons in the 1980s.



3. We should not forget that the United States is the only possessor State Party that has not yet completed the destruction of its chemical weapons stockpile, while it has all of the necessary financial and technical capacities to do so. Furthermore, the US has not withdrawn its reservation on the 1925 Geneva Protocol where it still reserves its rights to use chemical weapons contrary to its obligations under the Convention. Keeping chemical weapons stockpiles together with its reservation to the Protocol, give rise to the assumption that US would like to maintain its chemical weapons as a so-called strategic reserve forever in full non-compliance with the Convention. US must make an official statement in this Conference to make commitments that it will withdraw its reservation on Geneva Protocol immediately and will never use chemical weapons under any circumstances and also it will complete destruction of all of its remaining stockpiles on time.



4. The US staunch ally in the Middle East, i.e. Israeli regime has also developed chemical weapons with the help of US which is another case of US non-compliance with the Convention.



5. The US history in developing WMDs and using these inhumane weapons is very dark. It has developed nuclear weapons and used them in Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing hundreds of thousands of civilians. It has developed chemical weapons and used them in Vietnam War killing more than 400,000 peoples. Contrary to its obligations under the Convention, US did not declare its abandoned chemical weapons in Vietnam and neighboring countries. A fact that just recently was revealed and shows US non-compliance.



6. The US is also in non-compliance with its obligations under Article XI of the Convention and by its unilateral sanctions against other States Parties to the Convention not only hampered the economic or technological development of States Parties but also prevented the importation and purchase of goods required for humanitarian needs, such as medicines and medical devices and agricultural commodities. A fact that was recognized by the International Court of Justice in its recent order.



7. While pretending to have concern regarding non-compliance of the others, the US is in complete non-compliance itself with the UNSC resolution 2231 which it had cosponsored. US also compels the other UN members to violate this resolution and thus the UN Charter too. The US is even punishing its own allies for compliance with the UNSC resolution and now ironically talks about concern over non-compliance with international obligations.



8. Furthermore, the US has also had a history of lying to the world about existence of WMD program of the others. In February 2003 its then Secretary of State in the UNSC meeting lied to the international community in order to invade Iraq. The result of attack, using all kind of weapons including CNS weapons, was the killing of thousands of peoples, including many civilians. Apparently its army believed the US officials lies and searched every inch of Iraq. They found Saddam in a small hole but they could not find a single WMD. They claimed 6 years later that they had found something and destroyed it. If it was true, they are in non-compliance with the Convention because they must have declared it to the OPCW and transferred or destructed it under verification of the OPCW. And if it was not true they told another lie to the world again.



9. The US is supporting terrorist activities in the Middle East and indeed it is the mother of terrorist groups as it was reconfirmed by its current president during election campaign who clearly declared that previous US administrations were the founder of ISIS (Daesh) and the co-founder of the other terrorist and extremist groups. It was a bitter confession but it is very true. All of these facts show that the US is not in a position to introduce itself as the guardian of the Convention.



I request this statement be considered an official document of this Review Conference and posted on its website. I thank you.
Iranian foreign minister on Saturday expressed his support for peace talks in Afghanistan, IRNA reported.

Iran will use all its capacities to help the Afghan government, Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Hamid Karzai, former Afghan president.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported the peace talks in Afghanistan conducted by the countries' government, Zarif asserted.

Zarif and Karzai discussed issues of mutual interest as well as the latest developments in Afghanistan.

Iran and Afghanistan held the first round of talks on a 'comprehensive strategic partnership' document in 2017.

Five joint committees were established to draft a 'comprehensive strategic partnership' document to promote two countries' cooperation in fields of security, defense, economy, culture, and education.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 24

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkmenistan has opened a new page in the development of relations between the two countries, MP Elman Nasirov told Trend.

He said that a record number of documents were signed during the visit.

Twenty-one documents of strategic importance were signed, he noted. The signing of 14 documents between the two countries during last years visit by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Azerbaijan, as well as the fact that the regulatory framework of bilateral relations includes 68 documents indicate that unique opportunities have been created for development of relations between Baku and Ashgabat in the political, economic, humanitarian and energy spheres, as well as in transport security."

"In addition, the joint statement signed by the two presidents once again demonstrated that in fundamental issues, that is, in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ashgabat takes a principled position that the conflict should be settled on the basis of territorial integrity and the principle of inviolability of Azerbaijans borders," the MP said.

Nasirov also noted that presently there is a great potential for development of economic ties between the two countries.

"Trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $164.1 million in 2017. Azerbaijan's exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $54.1 million and products worth $110 million were imported from Turkmenistan," Nasirov said.

He said in general the visit showed that there are no unsolved issues between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
Egypt sees increasing interest from US energy companies in developing its offshore oil and natural gas resources and expects them to participate in two bidding rounds due before year-end, Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla said, Reuters reported.

Egypt has emerged as an attractive destination for foreign energy firms following a string of major discoveries in recent years including the giant Zohr offshore field, which holds an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Molla said Egypt wanted to become a regional trading gas hub now it had achieved its goal of self-sufficiency, but would focus on meeting its existing commitments  including a contract to supply Jordan  once exports are resumed.

While declining to name potential bidders, Molla said there was an increase in appetite from different American companies and we will see this in practical ways when the closing of the bidding rounds and submission of offers.

This will be the proof that theyre interested, he said.

Molla, who met US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Francis Fannon in Cairo last week, said bidding for exploration and exploitation of gas and oil in offshore concession blocks in the Mediterranean under state-run importer EGAS was due to close on Nov. 29.

A second bidding round for concession areas in the Red Sea is scheduled to open before the end of the year, he added.

Officials and industry sources said last year that Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) was considering a foray into Egyptian offshore oil and gas, seeking to replicate rivals success in the country and boost its reserves.
The blast at car factory occurred at 11:40 p.m. (15:40 GMT) on Friday in the Dongfeng county, Chinas northeastern Jilin province, Sputnik reported.

The blast had caused a large fire at the plant. At least 2 people have been killed and 24 others injured in an explosion, local authorities said.

The county authorities said over 220 firefighters, 150 police officers and 80 medics were working at the site of the incident.

The authorities have ruled out that the incident might have been a terrorist attack.
China and Croatia said that they will enhance cultural exchanges and further promote the relations between China and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, xinhuanet reports.

The remarks were made during a meeting between Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Sun said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Croatia have been treating each other equally, with mutual respect and mutual trust, and have witnessed steady progress in bilateral ties and practical cooperation.

Led by such mechanisms as the Belt and Road Initiative, China-EU cooperation and 16+1 Cooperation, the two countries have seen comprehensive expansion of cooperation, growing people-to-people exchanges and deepening mutual understanding and friendship, said Sun.

The 16+1 Cooperation refers to a framework comprising 16 CEE countries and China.

She hoped that the two countries can further consolidate the popular support for future relations through increasing cooperation in education, health, sports, culture and tourism, among others.

Noting that China and Croatia will celebrate the Year of Cultural Tourism and that of 16+1 Education and Youth Exchanges in 2019, Sun said that China stands ready to work with Croatia to plan and successfully hold various cultural tourism activities, and cement cooperation on education and youth exchanges so as to strengthen the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties as well as the China-CEEC cooperation.

Plenkovic said that Croatia-China relationship is at the best period in history, with broad potential for all-around cooperation.

He added that the Croatian side is willing to seize the opportunity of hosting the next China-CEEC leaders' meeting and the Croatia-China Cultural Tourism Year to advance bilateral practical cooperation in various fields and inject new impetus in their comprehensive cooperative partnership.

During her stay in Croatia, the Chinese vice premier also met with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, and visited students and sportsmen from Beijing Sport University who are now receiving training here.
The immigration of skilled workers from non-EU countries to Germany is on the rise, according to a study published on Friday by the Bertelsmann foundation, Xinhua reported.

According to the study, a total of some 545,000 people from non-EU countries immigrated to Germany in 2017, of which 7 percent were skilled workers.

In 2015, the share of skilled workers among migrants from non-EU countries in Germany was 3 percent. The main non-European countries of origin for professionals who migrated to Germany in 2017 were India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.S., Serbia and China.

About 635,000 people migrated from foreign EU countries to Germany in 2017. Some 60 percent of the inner-European migrants in Germany were skilled workers holding a university or vocational qualification. Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and Italy are the main countries from which people moved to Germany within the EU in 2017.

Matthias Mayer, migration expert at the Bertelsmann foundation and author of the study, said that an "effective immigration law" embedded in a "comprehensive strategy" for securing skilled workers for the German labor market would be needed.

The German government plans to acquire more qualified workers from EU countries and non-EU countries for the German labor market by adopting an immigration law for skilled workers.

Such a law should ensure, among other things, more effectiveness in dealing with immigrant specialists, according to Mayer. He demanded for "an optimization and acceleration of migration management" as well as a better recognition of foreign vocational qualifications.

Mayer said that such an immigration act should "also look after disadvantaged domestic groups, in particular older people, women, mothers, the (long-term) unemployed, the low-skilled and people with disabilities".
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air is launching a new direct flight that will connect Georgia to Poland, Agenda.ge reports.

Starting from 18 September 2019, Wizz Air will launch flights between Georgias western city of Kutaisi and the southern Polish city of Krakow, the airline company announced.

As of today Wizz Air offers 21 flight destinations to 14 countries.

Wizz Air has been carrying out flights on the Georgian aviation market after it opened its first Caucasian base in September 2016.
The UK government said in a statement on Saturday it would discuss the future of Gibraltar directly with Spain, part of reassurances given to Madrid to agree to the European Unions Brexit deal, Reuters reported.

For the withdrawal negotiations, given there are some circumstances which are specific to Gibraltar, we held talks with Spain which directly involved the Government of Gibraltar. These were constructive and we look forward to taking the same approach to the future relationship, a UK government spokesperson said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that a deal had been reached on Gibraltar, clearing the way for an EU summit on Sunday to approve a Brexit deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May, according to Reuters.

Sanchez said any future decisions regarding Gibraltar would be made with Spain.

We have reached an agreement on Gibraltar, Sanchez said.
Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Boogie Yaalon met with Syrian rebels during his tenure in order to examine their requests for humanitarian aid during the countrys civil war, The Jerusalem Post reports.

The source confirmed that following the meeting between the three representatives and Yaalon, who was defense minister between March 2013 until May 2016, Israel began providing humanitarian aid to residents of the Syrian Golan Heights in an IDF operation known as Good Neighbor.

According to a report by Haaretz, Maj.-Gen. Gershon Hacohen, a former IDF General Staff Corps commander who retired in September 2014, said during a conference put on by Israel Democracy Institute that he was with Yaalon when the meeting took place. He did not say exactly when the meeting occurred.

When I was commanding a corps in the Golan and Bogie [Yaalon] was defense minister, we sat with three Syrian activists from the other side, from Syria, Hacohen was quoted as saying.

They came and Bogie wanted to understand who they were. He asked one of them, Tell me, are you a Salafist? And he said, I really dont know what a Salafist is. If it means that I pray more, then yes. Once I would pray once a week, on Fridays, now I pray five times a day. On the other hand, a Salafist isnt meant to cooperate with the Zionists. Im sitting with the defense minister of the Zionists. So I dont know. This means that identity components are very fluid. They dont tell you where the person is going.

With the goal of increasing aid given to Syrian civilians in villages near the border, the IDF acknowledged Operation Good Neighbors in June 2016.

In addition to a field clinic which treated an estimated 7,000 Syrian children before being closed in early August, another 4,900 Syrians were treated in Israeli hospitals. Several women also gave birth at Nahariya Western Galilee Hospital.

Those who arrived at the border were both combatants and civilians, and according to officials some 70% of the wounded treated by Israel were men of fighting age while the other 30% are women and children.



Most were transported by ambulance to Nahariyas Galilee Medical Center (70%) or Ziv Medical Center in Safed (20%); others are treated in hospitals in the center of the country such as Sheba Medical Center.



The operation has involved the provision of food, clothing, fuel, diapers and hospital equipment,



With Israel transferring 630 tents, 40 vehicles, 20 generators, an estimated 1,100,000 liters of fuel, approximately 26,000 palettes of medical equipment and medicine, 1,700 tons of food, 49,000 packages of baby food and 8,200 packages of diapers, and 350 tons of childrens clothing.



Another 20 mobile caravans to use as clinics or classrooms were also given to Syrian civilians with the help of the IDF.



The operation officially ended last week following the reoccupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in September seven years after losing it to rebel groups.
Expansion of Ben Gurion Airport will severely damage the economy of Or Yehuda, drive economically prosperous people away from it, and detract from its residents' quality of life, an objection recently submitted by the Or Yehuda municipality asserts, Globes reports.

The objections concern the development plan for the northern part of Ben Gurion Airport initiated by the Israel Airports Authority, which also includes a northern entry gate to the site. The airport expansion plan was submitted to the District Planning and Building Commission, which will discuss the matter next week. The plan applies to an area of over 1,200 dunam (300 acres) in the northern part of Ben Gurion Airport bordering Or Yehuda and Yehud-Monosson. The plan rezones the area, some of which is zoned for expanded parking for airplanes. The new zoning, which includes varied uses related to the airport, applies to a total of two million square meters.

"Construction of a new northern entrance to Ben Gurion Airport has considerable economic potential for local authorities to the north, among them Or Yehuda. Unfortunately, the plan in its current form threatens the future economic vigor of the city and its residents' quality of life. Construction of the northern entry gate to Ben Gurion Airport is liable to cause noise pollution and traffic jams in the vicinity," the objection filed through Adv. Eyal Mamo and Adv. Gal Ohev Zion from the Agmon & Co. Rosenberg Hacohen & Co. begins. The municipality alleges that the traffic and environmental analysis ignored the volume of traffic that will be created in the area and the noise pollution caused by construction of new terminal "at a distance of 600 meters from the homes of Or Yehuda's residents."

In its objection, the municipality expresses concern that if the northern entry to Ben Gurion Airport facilitates access for passengers on commercial flights to Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, the passengers might park their cars in Or Yehuda and use the city as a "long-term parking lot." The municipality argues, "This is liable to impose enormous burdens on all of Or Yehuda and paralyze the city." The municipality is therefore asking to District Planning and Building Commission to rule that passengers cannot use the northern entry gate and that access not be allowed from the gate to Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

The municipality states that the new plan will drive economically prosperous people away from the city, writing, "Because of the worsening acoustic nuisance, a large proportion of the city's veteran resident have been abandoning the southern neighborhoods in recent years. They have been replaced by people of low economic status, due to the fall in housing prices in these neighborhoods caused by the noise, which has been increasing with the rising number of takeoffs and landings at Ben Gurion Airport."

In its objection, the municipality is therefore demanding that the plan not be approved without an assessment of an acoustic appendix attached to it that includes the impact on the residents' homes and acoustic protection that should be built if airplane engines are run close to the homes of residents in Or Yehuda.

The municipality expresses anxiety about the city's economy because of the proposed plan, which will lead to direct competition for sources of municipal revenue by "allowing construction of two million square meters of office, commercial, and logistics space to be put on the open market on the site of the airport. This will deal a devastating blow to Or Yehuda's ability to fully utilize its business and commercial space The result is liable to be substantial damage to the city, which is in the midst of a residential development boom. The municipality relies on income-producing space to provide services to its residents."

The Or Yehuda municipality claims that the volume of income-producing space in the proposed plan obligates the District Planning and Building Commission to assess the demand for income-producing space and the needs the local authorities in the vicinity of the plan, including Or Yehuda. The municipality is also asking that distributive justice with respect to the revenue expected from the plan be taken into account. "The construction rights in the plan are disproportionate, without any regional economic examination of the resulting damage to the nearby local authorities In view of the many residential plans being promoted in the area, which will double the population in the next decade, as part of the national effort to increase the supply of housing in central Israel, an additional 1.2 million square meters of income-producing space is needed in order to maintain a balanced budget for a 20-year period. Allowing the Airports Authority to market such large amounts of business space exempt from municipal taxes, while the bordering local authorities are bearing the burden of increasing the supply of housing and providing services to their residents, amounts to an unfair economic advantage and contravenes principles of distributive justice," the objection states.

Commenting on the size of the plan, the municipality's objection says, "Or Yehuda objects to both the excessively generous construction percentages set forth in the plan, in stark contrast to the program prepared, and to the lack of clarity concerning uses mentioned in the plan, which will allow use of the space for offices, commerce, and logistics for the general public, not merely for airport employees and the airport."

The municipality claims that a large proportion of the space is currently zoned under National Outline Plan 2 for "a parking lot for airplanes," which the plans seeks to rezone to "general airport and regional service." In its objection, the municipality argues that the District Planning and Building Commission lacks authority to rezone land set aside under National Outline Plan 2 for an airplane parking lot, and this zoning should therefore be left unchanged. According to the municipality, in addition to the operational and aviation functions needed to operate the terminal, the plan permits a huge volume of construction for office, storage, restaurant service, and commercial uses in the vicinity of the plan. The municipality accordingly demands in its objection that the District Planning and Building Commission make it clear in the documents for the plan that all of the space in the plan be used solely for the airport's needs, and that the uses be allowed only as passenger service for those going through passport control.

The Airports Authority said in response, "Completion of the detailed plan for the northern part of Ben Gurion Airport on the last land reserves for development of Israel's international airport is needed to streamline operations and improve the level of passenger service. The Or Yehuda municipality's objection is inconsistent with the welfare of the millions of passengers passing through Ben Gurion Airport each year. The Airport Authority's response to the objection will be brought to a discussion of the matter in the District Planning and Building Commission."
French servicemen, engaged in the Operation Barkhane in Africa's Sahel region, have neutralized around 30 terrorists in Mali, the French Armed Forces Ministry said, Sputnik reported.

"Overnight into November 23, 2018, the French forces part of the Operation Barkhane dealt a major blow to the Macina Liberation Front terror group in the Mopti area of Mali  At the current stage of the assessment of the operation, we can see that around 30 terrorists were neutralized," the Armed Forces Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The statement suggested that Hamadoun Kouffa, the leader of the Macina Liberation Front Islamist group, and his key associates might have been among those affected by the French offensive.

Operation Barkhane has been ongoing since 2014. Apart from Mail, the mission entails Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger.

In October, the Council of Ministers of Mali prolonged by a year the state of emergency that was first introduced in the conflict-hit country in November 2015 following a deadly attack on a Bamako hotel.

The situation in Mali was destabilized in 2012 when the Tuareg militants seized vast territories in the northern part of the country. The conflict escalated even more over the activities of Islamists, forces loyal to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as well as French interference.
Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu will be arriving in New Delhi on Saturday for a four-day visit, Xinhua reported.

According to an official announcement, the Romanian foreign minister will hold meeting with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on Monday.

Besides, he will deliver a lecture at the New Delhi-based think tank Observer Research Foundation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to return "without delay" 26 African artworks claimed by Benin, according to the president's office, Al Jazeera reported.

The decision on Friday came shortly after Macron received a report detailing how former colonisers can return looted artworks to Africa.

Governments from Ethiopia to Senegal eagerly awaited the report, commissioned by Macron and complied by French art historian, Benedicte Savoy, and Senegalese economist Felwine Sarr.

It recommends that the thousands of items in French museums taken without consent during the colonial period be returned to the continent.

Unless it can be proven that the objects were obtained legitimately, they should be returned to Africa permanently, the report's authors say.

Savoy and Starr also recommend changing the French law to allow the restitution of cultural works to Africa, after Macron announced that he wanted the process to begin within five years.

French law currently forbids the government from ceding state property, regardless of how it was obtained.

"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France," Macron said during a visit to Burkina Faso last year.

"There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African heritage cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities," he said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held a meeting in Rome on Friday and discussed speeding up talks on a peace treaty in accordance with the argeement reached by the leaders of the two countries earlier in Singapore, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, TASS reports.

"We discussed with Lavrov the results of negotiations at the highest level in Singapore, in particular the issue of signing a peace treaty. We confirmed that we will expand the discussion at the level of foreign ministers, relying on the agreement between our leaders to accelerate talks on the peace treaty on the basis of the 1956 declaration," Kono told Italian reporters in an interview cited by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

At a meeting on November 14 in Singapore, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to intensify the peace treaty talks on the basis on the 1956 declaration.

Since the mid-20th century, Russia and Japan have been negotiating a peace treaty after World War II. The main stumbling block is the issue of the ownership of the southern Kuril Islands. After the end of World War II, all Kuril Islands were incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, Japan challenged the ownership of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan islands and a number of uninhibited islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge called the Habomai Islands in Japan.

In 1956, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a joint declaration on ceasing the state of war. The two countries resumed diplomatic and other relations, however no peace treaty has been signed. The Soviet Union committed to paper in the declaration its readiness to hand over Shikotan, Habomai and a number of uninhibited small islands to Japan as a gesture of good will after the peace treaty is ultimately signed.
The Kievskiy railway station in western Moscow has been evacuated as the police and the Emergencies Ministry's staff are checking the station premises for the presence of explosive devices there, a source in the Russian capital's emergencies services told Sputnik on Saturday.

"The employees of the Russian Interior Ministry are checking the Kievskiy railway station for the presence of explosive devices there. The units of the Russian Emergencies Ministry are supporting them," the source added.

In the earlier hours of Saturday, a source told Sputnik that the Hotel Complex "Molodezhny" in northern Moscow had been evacuated after a bomb threat call. However, no explosives had been found at the premises of the hotel.
The trade between Russia and Portugal may reach $1.5 billion by the end of 2018, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an article published in the Portuguese newspaper Publico on Saturday, TASS reports.

"The trade demonstrates positive dynamics and may exceed $1.5 billion this year. The Inter-Governmental Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation is making a useful contribution to the work in this sphere," Lavrov said in his article titled: "Russia-Portugal: Cooperation for the Sake of Creative Development."

At a regular session of the Russian-Portuguese Inter-Governmental Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation that will take place in Lisbon on December 6-7, the sides will discuss in detail their interaction in the sphere of high technologies and the fulfillment of the inter-governmental agreement on economic and technical cooperation, Lavrov said.

Russias foreign minister also noted the progressing political dialogue, including at the highest level. Thus, a meeting was held between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on June 20, Lavrov said.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 25, 2018 - 08:08 | World, All

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen announced her resignation as leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party on Saturday following her party's disastrous defeat in key mayoral elections that day, races viewed as indicators of voter sentiment ahead of the next presidential and island-wide legislative elections in 2020.

Speaking at the party headquarters, Tsai announced her resignation as leader of the party that is skeptical of closer ties to China. She congratulated the pro-China main opposition Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), on its success in elections to elect mayors of major cities, and apologized to DPP supporters for the party's poor showing.

"Today Taiwan's democracy taught us a lesson," Tsai said. "We humbly accept the election result and shall examine ourselves."

Among DPP candidates so far to concede defeat were incumbent Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung, and Chen Chi-mai, the ruling party candidate for mayor of Greater Kaohsiung, Taiwan's third-largest city and a long-time DPP stronghold.

The Central Election Commission website showed that in the Taichung mayoral race, Lin garnered about 43 percent of the votes cast, against 56 percent for his main rival Lu Shiow-yen of the KMT.

In the Kaohsiung race, the CEC website showed DPP candidate Chen received about 45 percent of the votes, while his KMT rival Han Kuo-yu garnered more than 53 percent of the ballots.

The CEC website also showed that the DPP candidates were trailing in the races for mayor of the capital Taipei and of New Taipei.

About 19 million eligible voters were expected to cast ballots for more than 11,000 local officials, including the mayors of Taipei and five other special municipal districts.

In all, nine categories of elected office, ranging from big city mayors and county magistrates to village chiefs and borough wardens, were up for grabs in what is commonly known as the "nine-in-one" elections.

As the vote counting continues, the greatest attention is focused on four special municipal districts where the outcome was uncertain and highly significant.

While the mayoral races in Taoyuan and Greater Tainan cities are widely expected to be won by candidates of President Tsai's DPP, polling ahead of the start of voting showed the mayoral races in the capital Taipei, New Taipei, Greater Taichung and Greater Kaoshiung were a dead heat.

The possibility that all four of the latter contests could be won by the KMT is a result that would represent a major setback for the ruling DPP and be welcomed in Beijing.

Before the elections, the DPP controlled four special municipal districts and nine smaller cities and counties, while the KMT controlled only one special municipal district and five smaller cities and counties.

In Taipei, incumbent Mayor Ko Wen-je is currently leading his main opponent, Ting Shou-chung of the KMT, by a thin margin. A political independent, Ko won the 2014 election with the backing of the DPP which decided to field its own candidate this time around.

KMT New Taipei candidate Hou You-yi holds a significant lead over his DPP rival Su Tseng-chang. Hou hopes to retain the only special municipal district his party controlled before the elections, while Su seeks to reclaim the top job he held from 1997 to 2005.

The island-wide electorate also voted on 10 referendums, including one initiated by the KMT to maintain a seven-year ban on food imports from five Japanese prefectures imposed after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The referendums are the first since the voting age on such initiatives was lowered from 20 to 18, and the largest number ever put to a vote on a single day.

Voting stations closed at 4 p.m. without any major incidents and amid good weather that likely boosted voter turnout. Results of the referendums were expected to be known by early Sunday morning.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 24, 2018 - 17:13 | All, World

The European Union's head of trade said Thursday she will support at a Group of 20 summit meeting in Japan next June efforts to push to reform the World Trade Organization.

The European Union and Japan see reform as necessary to check dubious trade practices by members such as China and to create a more level playing field.

"It is true that the WTO needs to be reformed, updated, modernized," European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom told Kyodo News and its member newspapers in Brussels, adding the European Union will support Japan over the issue when it takes over the G-20 presidency next year.

Earlier this month the European Union, along with Japan and the United States, submitted a joint proposal to the international trade body calling for tougher rules against trade-distorting subsidies, among other reforms.

Malmstrom said the European Union too is critical of China's massive industrial subsidies and for forcing foreign companies to transfer technology, but stressed that WTO reform cannot be achieved without China.

"We need to engage with China to remind them that the WTO has been very good to China and it is in their interest to participate to update the rules within the WTO, and not outside," she said.

At the same time, she criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's trade stance against China as the tariff war between the world's two largest economies shows no sign of ending.

"We do not think that the way to make China change is to have a tariff war or trade war. It is not going to create changes. We prefer the multilateral way, to sit down for talks, to try to negotiate, to find compromises and move forward," Malmstrom said.

But for now, she said the world can "only hope" that a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week in Buenos Aires will ease trade tensions, which have raised concerns of a sharp slowdown in the global economy.

Malmstrom warned that a trade war is bad for the world economy, and that it has "no winners."

Regarding the free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union that was signed in July, Malmstrom confirmed that the deal will enter into force on Feb. 1 if the ratification process goes smoothly.

"This is a win-win agreement between two friends and allies," she said, adding that it will not only remove nearly all tariffs but also make Japanese farm products easier to export.

Japan and the European Union are moving to ratify the free trade agreement as both sides face tough trade negotiations with the Trump administration over its "America First" policy agenda.

Trump has also criticized the WTO, which sets rules on global trade and resolves disputes between member nations, of being biased against the United States, and has threatened to withdraw from the organization if it fails to implement reforms.
It was already announced that the maximum age ceiling for the central committee members would be reduced to 75 from the existing 80.
Teacher Le Thi Hien Anh and a student of Nguyen Dinh Chieu school With 32 years experience in teaching visually-impaired students, teacher Le Thi Hien Anh has developed many projects and initiatives targeting these special students. Many of Hien Anhs students have achieved good academic results. Ngo Van Hieu, who used to be a student of Nguyen Dinh Chieu, was invited to become a teacher of the school after he graduated from the College of Education. Hieu is currently a teacher of mathematics and computer science. He has had 14 years of experience at the school. According to Hieu, all teachers at Nguyen Dinh Chieu school share the same hope that their students will be equipped with necessary knowledge and skills to successfully integrate into the society. Therefore, he always tries to share difficulties and stand side by side with his students and help them to broaden their knowledge. Students at a class of teacher Le Thi Hien Anh
U.K.-based trade union GMB organizes a protest against Amazon on Black Friday to oppose what it calls "inhuman" working conditions for Amazon warehouse workers.

Amazon has denied claims it mistreats employees and says it has created 25,000 well-paying jobs in the U.K.

GMB bases its claims on a Freedom of Information disclosure that showed ambulances had been called to Amazon warehouse facilities 600 times over three years.

On the biggest shopping day of the year , U.K.-based trade union GMB is organizing a protest against Amazon AMZN for what it calls "inhuman" conditions for warehouse workers.

Amazon has been under a microscope recently as it gets ready to bring 25,000 jobs to each of two new "headquarters" locations in New York and Arlington, Virginia. Since the announcement earlier this month, politicians and residents in those areas have questioned the benefit Amazon will bring to their cities as the influx of new workers will likely cause a strain on infrastructure and spike housing prices.

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GMB bases its allegations in part on a report that ambulances had been called to Amazon warehouses 600 times over the past three years as of May, a Freedom of Information request filed by the union revealed. Of the calls, 115 were to a single facility in Rugeley with 1,800 to 2,000 workers, the Guardian reported . That compares to eight ambulance calls to a nearby Tesco facility of a similar physical size with about 1,300 workers, according to the Guardian.

In a statement, Amazon said, "Our European Fulfillment Network is fully operational and we continue to focus on delivering for our customers. Any reports to the contrary are simply wrong."

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In a separate statement, Amazon noted that it has created 25,000 well-paying jobs in the U.K. and addressed the allegations of unsafe working conditions.

"All of our sites are safe places to work and reports to the contrary are simply wrong," Amazon said. "According to the U.K. Government's Health and Safety Executive, Amazon has over 40% fewer injuries on average than other transportation and warehousing companies in the U.K. We encourage everyone to compare our pay, benefits and working conditions to others and come see for yourself on one of the public tours we offer every day at our centers across the UK uk.amazonfctours.com."

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GMB said in a press release that it expects hundreds to participate in the protests at five Amazon warehouses in the U.K. and that workers in Italy and Spain will also "take action." CNBC could not independently confirm how many people attended the protests.

"The conditions our members at Amazon are working under are frankly inhuman," GMB General Secretary Tim Roache said in the press release. "They are breaking bones, being knocked unconscious and being taken away in ambulances. We're standing up and saying enough is enough, these are people making Amazon its money. People with kids, homes, bills to pay  they're not robots."

GMB did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.



-CNBC's Deirdre Bosa and Elizabeth Schulze contributed to this report.

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Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar at an October Brexit preparedness event. Pic: Reuters

A senior Bank of England official recently warned that UK businesses dont really know how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. Even though Britain is on the cusp of sealing a Brexit deal, the risk of no-deal scenario is still a possible reality, as the agreement needs to go through parliament.

At the moment, businesses only have the vaguely worded technical notices from the UKs Brexit department as resources to go on. Meanwhile, Irelands state agencies are in an advanced stage of helping the country, whose economy the International Monetary Fund says could be impacted just as much as the UKs, prepare for every kind of outcome.

On Friday, for instance, Irelands foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney will open a packed-out Getting Ireland Brexit Ready workshop, the fifth such event organised by his department.

Leaders from semi-state agencies like Enterprise Ireland, which supports export-driven Irish businesses, and Bord Bia, which focuses on the countrys food and drink industry, are among the regular panellists at these workshops.

READ MORE: Prospect of no-deal Brexit shapes Irelands 2019 budget

Nearly everything that we do now is defined by Brexit, Shane Hamill, the overseas trade manager of Bord Bia, told Yahoo Finance UK. In 2017, some 35%, or 4.4bn (3.9bn, $4.9bn), of the industrys exports were to the UK.

In March 2017, before prime minister Theresa May had even triggered the Article 50 departure process from the European Union, Bord Bia launched its Brexit Barometer survey. This, Hamill said, was to cut through the noise and speculation around Brexit  and allowed the agency to develop an evidence-based preparedness strategy for the entire industry.

And so the agency launched a series of workshops aiming to help its clients identify the practical steps they could take to insulate themselves from Brexit impacts. It released a supply chain guide and a new database of reliable distributors and logistics partners in export markets, encouraging firms to diversify away from the UK.

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READ MORE: Brexit fears send Irish business confidence to lowest level since 2012

While the second iteration of the survey, in March 2018, found that around 75% of the companies it supports were making plans or taking action related to Brexit, it also started to get more specific.

Only a third of businesses felt highly or moderately confident about managing their post-Brexit customs processes, and only half of respondents were able to identify the right tariff classifications for their products.

So we launched a customs and tariffs training programme, Hamill said. Companies get eight hours of group training and two hours of one-to-one mentoring. Meanwhile, dozens of companies have participated in its currency-risk training programme.

While Hamill said that Bord Bia remains committed to the UK market, Brexit also prompted the agency to launch its largest-ever market diversification exercise. It has expanded its overseas headcount, and will have staff for the first time in Japan, North Africa and West Africa.

From even the week before the referendum in June 2016, weve been telling our clients to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, hard Brexit, cliff-edge Brexitwhatever you want to call it, Jonathan McMillan, the head of Enterprise Irelands Brexit unit, told Yahoo Finance UK.

READ MORE: Irish government criticised for self-congratulations on Brexit deal

One of its early innovations was a scorecard that any company can use to assess how prepared it is for Brexit. And its clients can apply for 5,000 (4,400) Be Prepared grantsmoney that can be put towards Brexit-related consultancy and travel. And, like Bord Bia, it runs workshops for its clients.

We call it no-regret planning, he said. And while Enterprise Irelands message remains steadfast no matter what the prevailing mood, the media ups and downs do have a tendency to shift the focus of its clients, particularly if theres a lot of talk about no-deal scenarios. Thats when the level of activity on our Brexit website goes through the roof, McMillan said.

That said, there is definitely no Brexit fatigue, he insisted. We have to bring in extra seating and therere often people standing at our workshops.

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar and foreign minister Simon Coveney interviewed at an October summit. Pic: Reuters.

Nor is there evidence of Brexit fatigue at the big Brexit Ready conferences, which tend to be held in upmarket conference centres. The venue for the last one, held in October in Dublin, had to be moved to the citys largest convention centre so that it could cater for the hundreds of businesses who wanted to attend.

READ MORE: Varadkar says EU and UK would need a no-deal Brexit deal

It was opened with an at-times-jovial joint interview of prime minister Leo Varadkar and Coveney, who said then they were optimistic that the European Union would bash out a deal with the UK.

But Ireland is not under any illusions about the complexity of Brexit, a spokesperson for the Irish foreign ministry told Yahoo Finance UK on Thursday.

We dont have all the answers but there are steps businesses can be taking now, and there are state supports to pay for those steps. That is what these seminars are about.




The Trump administration just published a major report documenting the advance of climate change, weeks earlier than expected and on a day many Americans are occupied with family and holiday shopping. The news is predictably bad, but this time the tally comes with a pricetagone significantly larger than youll find at the mall.

The report catalogs the observed damage and accelerating financial losses projected from a climate now unmoored from a 12,000-year period of relative stability. The result is that much of what humans have built, and many of the things they are building now, are unsuited to the world as it exists. And as time goes on, the added cost of living in that world could total hundreds of billions of dollarsannually.

The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid, the authors write.

President Donald Trump has rejected without evidence the global scientific consensus that humans are doing grave damage to the planet. The Republican has sought to roll back Obama-era initiatives to slow greenhouse gas pollution in favor of fossil fuel interests. In recent years, thousands of Americans have died during, or as a consequence of, extreme weather tied to climate changefrom powerful hurricanes fueled by extremely warm seas to calamitous conflagrations stemming from drought.

The Trump administration cant bury the effects of climate change in a Black Friday news dumpeffects their own federal government scientists have uncovered, said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, in a statement. This report shows how climate change will affect every single one of our communities. The president says outrageous things like climate change is a hoax engineered by the Chinese and raking forests will prevent catastrophic wild fires, but serious consequences like collapsing coastal housing prices and trillions of dollars in stranded fossil fuel assets await us if we dont act.

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Part of the fourth U.S. National Climate Assessment since 2000 (the last one was in 2014), the report departs from predecessors in that it focuses on money, and how much of it America stands to lose to climate change. The costs assessed range from household expenses to the availability and pricing of food, energy and other goods people use in modern society.

And its not just the effects at home. The impacts of climate change, variability, and extreme events outside the United States are affecting and are virtually certain to increasingly affect U.S. trade and economy, including import and export prices and businesses with overseas operations and supply chains, the authors write.

Now its seen much more as a societal or economic issue than a narrow environmental one.

A chapter on how to avoid worst-case scenarios, called mitigation, looks at estimates of economic losses across the economy by sector, pinned to the end of the century. They suggest that policy, technological and behavioral changes that lead to significantly lower emissions can cut potential financial damage across many sectors roughly by half.

Nevertheless, such a best case-scenario will still leave Americans in a country where they are paying tens of billions of dollar more annually to address the fallout of accelerating climate change. A scenario with dramatically less pollution could slash projected losses in 2090 by 48 percent ($75 billion) a year in labor costs, 58 percent ($80 billion) in heat-related deaths and 22 percent ($25 billion) in coastal real estate, according to the report. (The NCA, which announces no specific policy or budget decisions, is a product of 13 federal agencies. Its the second volume of this iteration of the NCA; the first, about physical changes to the climate, was published a year ago.)

When the first NCA came out in 2000, researchers were still thinking through how different parts of the U.S. might be vulnerable to natural and human-driven changes. Almost two decades later, the assessment incorporates a grim accounting of actual damages, which in turn allows firmer projections of whats coming.

A lot has happened in 20 years, said John Furlow, a contributing author and deputy director of Columbia Universitys International Research Institute for Climate and Society. Now its seen much more as a societal or economic issue than a narrow environmental one.

Climate changes impacts, the report states, are presenting painful financial choices for every region of the country:

In Pennsylvania, aging bridges may not fare well against more extreme storms, and water and wastewater systems need almost $30 billion in investment. In general, about 90 percent of the northeast is built on infrastructure poorly suited to adjust to rising seas. Projected future costs are estimated to continue along a steep upward trend relative to what is being experienced today, the report states. More than 60 percent of big southeastern cities see heat-wave trends above the national average, and three of them, Birmingham, Ala., New Orleans and Raleigh, N.C., are exceeding the rest of the country across all major heat-wave measures. Anchored by Californias clean-tech economy, the Southwest is seeing much of the nations new energy investment. Legacy power technologies, such as water-cooled power plants, will continue to work for decades, however, and will be less effective as temperatures make cooling sources too hot. Hot water could reduce efficiency of these power plants by 15 percent by 2050. In the Midwest, a major producer of corn and soybeans, increased temperatures, rainfall and humidity have eroded soil and allowed harmful pests and pathogens to thrive, according to the report. Rising growing-season temperatures in the region are projected to be the largest single factor contributing to declines of U.S. agriculture production.

A new chapter of the NCA addressing U.S. interests abroad emerged from the previous reports work on agriculture. The sector directly contributed $136.7 billion and 2.6 million jobs to the U.S. economy in 2015. Its also a significant source of pollutionabout 9 percent of the U.S. total in 2016and vulnerable to its impacts both at home and from abroad.

The U.S. food system is a globalized food system, and we import a lot, said Diana Liverman, a Regents professor at the University of Arizona. Since the global nature of food-system risk drew interest during the 2014 report discussions, researchers conducted deeper analysis on things like the vulnerability of U.S. supply chains.

Strange phenomena are playing havoc with the U.S. food supply, including the loss of synchrony of seasonal phenomena, the report states, including an emerging disconnect between crops and pollinators. While scientists are developing climate change resistant crops, the progress has been modest, according to the NCA. It calls for more public investment in these projects and notes thatagainst the claims of some environmental groups genetically engineered crops have shown economic benefits for producers, with no substantial evidence of animal or human health or environmental impacts.

The NCA differs in important ways from similarly weighty, periodic reports from the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The most recent of these studies explored the difference between a world that warms 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees, the long-time international goal (slower sea-level rise, more Arctic sea ice, some coral left).

The NCA authors express concern about growing threats to global trade, supply chains and the price of goods. Other international issues addressed beyond trade include national security, humanitarian aid and what the report calls transboundary resources, such as fish, water and minerals managed jointly by neighboring countries.

Adaptation efforts are occurring across the country, but often are too incremental given the challenge faced. Modern flood maps and insurance rates that reflect risk, for example, help make decisions to live in places with lower risk. In many cases, however, addressing the full range of future climate change requires substantial changes in organizational practices and procedures, in public- and private-sector institutions, in individual and societal expectations and norms, in capital investment planning and in laws, the reports states.

Few studies exist that quantify the impact of climate change on U.S. corporations and the effectiveness of adaptation actions to reduce those impacts, they write. The goal of adaptation, they emphasize, is not to prepare lives and infrastructure for a new, static normal, but a continuous, forward-looking process.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The Latest on Brexit negotiations (all times local):

5 p.m.

The leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party has used her keynote speech at the annual conference to reject the British government's planned Brexit deal.

Arlene Foster said in Belfast on Saturday that the deal agreed by Prime Minister Theresa May is unacceptable and must be improved upon in the weeks ahead.

Foster's view is important because the DUP provides crucial votes that help keep May's Conservative Party in power despite its minority position in Parliament.

She said that the draft agreement raises constitutional questions that can't be ignored.

Foster said the DUP insists on "an outcome that does not leave Northern Ireland open to the perils of increased divergence away from the rest of the United Kingdom."

The DUP has said it may drop its backing of the government because of the Brexit plan.

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4:20 p.m.

Former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has slammed the proposed Brexit deal and urged the Democratic Unionist Party not to abandon the Conservative Party.

Johnson told the DUP conference in Belfast Saturday that the Northern Ireland party's support is crucial to the government.

He said that "I hope that you agree that it is absolutely vital that we keep this partnership going." Johnson warned of the dangers of weakening the Conservatives so much that the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn comes to power.

The DUP is threatening to break with the government over Brexit.

Johnson said that Prime Minister Theresa May's government is "making a historic mistake" if it goes forward with its Brexit plan. He said it would greatly reduce Britain's influence and ability to make independent trade deals.

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3:45 p.m.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Spain will agree to support the Brexit deal after Britain and the European Union agreed to give it a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar.

Sanchez says Saturday that the U.K. and the EU have agreed to include language in the Brexit divorce deal that Spain could deal with London directly on the issue of Gibraltar.

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Sanchez says "this is going to allow us to have direct negotiations with the U.K. regarding Gibraltar."

The issue had become a late stumbling block in the Brexit talks. Sanchez had said on Friday he wouldn't back the divorce deal U.K. and European Union leaders are supposed to vote on during Sunday's summit in Brussels, saying a draft agreement did not include clear language regarding Gibraltar.

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3 p.m.

The European Union is close to reaching an agreement to ease Spanish concerns about the future of Gibraltar in Brexit talks.

EU spokesman Preben Aamann said on Twitter Saturday that after a phone conversation between Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez and EU Council President Donald Tusk, "we are closer" to an agreement ahead of Sunday's EU summit in Brussels.

The future of tiny territory of Gibraltar  ceded to Britain in 1713 but which is still claimed by Spain  was the only dispute left hanging ahead of Sunday's summit.

On Friday, Spain pushed for a cast-iron guarantee of its say over the future of Gibraltar as a condition for backing a divorce agreement between Britain and the EU.

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2:45 p.m.

The deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland has used a party conference speech to try to persuade Prime Minister Theresa May to change course on Brexit.

Nigel Dodds told the conference in Belfast Saturday that it is not too late for May to alter her Brexit plan.

He says her proposed Brexit agreement reached with the European Union would leave the U.K. in a "pitiful and pathetic place."

The small DUP has an outsize role because its support has been crucial to May's shaky government, which doesn't enjoy a majority in Parliament.

The party is threatening to end its support over the Brexit plan favored by May. That would imperil May's already difficult challenge in winning parliamentary support for her proposal.

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2:20 p.m.

Portugal's foreign minister is in support of the Brexit deal including Spain's request to have its say on the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar.

Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva says that the original Brexit guidelines laid out last year that included assurances to Spain that it could deal with London directly on the issue of Gibraltar were "wise."

Spain said Friday it wouldn't back the divorce deal U.K. and European Union leaders are supposed to vote on during Sunday's summit in Brussels after language regarding Gibraltar didn't appear in a draft agreement.

Santos Silva says the impasse has an "easy resolution because the heads of state of the 27 had already agreed (.) that any agreement between the U.K. and the EU regarding Gibraltar would require previous agreement from Spain, and that appears to be a very wise line."

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11:05 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is kicking off a big Brexit weekend as she travels to the European Union headquarters in Brussels for talks on Saturday with key leaders.

Spanish objections over the status of Gibraltar  the tiny territory ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain  is the only dispute left hanging ahead of Sunday's summit of EU leaders.

May will meet with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council President Donald Tusk in the evening.

May hopes to leave Brussels on Sunday with a firm agreement on the withdrawal terms for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, as well as a comprehensive negotiating text on how future relations should look like once both sides agree on a trade agreement.
Theresa May arriving for eve-of-summit Brexit talks (Reuters)

UK prime minister Theresa May has vowed that she will always stand by Gibraltar despite striking a compromise with Spain in order to get her Brexit deal with the European Union over the line.

Over the last day, May has been accused by Labour of abandoning Gibraltar after Spains government claimed to have secured the countrys greatest diplomatic victory for 300 years.

But May, who is in Brussels to meet EU leaders ahead of Sundays Brexit summit, insisted she hasnt given an inch on the issue.

We will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar and in the future relationship we will stand up for their interests, she told journalists in Brussels. And the UKs position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change. Im proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar.

READ MORE: Gibraltar compromise clears the way for Brexit deal

The UK government and EU have given written assurances to Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez that any future trade deal will not be applied to Gibraltar without Spains consent.

After failing to have the commitment included in the withdrawal agreement, Sanchez threatened to veto the Brexit deal without the letters.

It is clear that after the United Kingdom leaves the union, Gibraltar will not be included in the territorial scope of the agreements to be concluded between the union and the United Kingdom, said the EUs letter to Sanchez.

It added a separate agreement covering Gibraltar will require a prior agreement of the Kingdom of Spain. Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell said the written assurances was the countrys most important international agreement since 1713.

The agreement on #Gibraltar reached today within the framework of the #Brexit negotiations is highly positive for #Spain and the most important one since the #Utrecht Treaty of 1713. I want to personally thank the Secretary of State for the #EU, our Permanent Representation (1/2)  Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 24, 2018

Sanchez said it meant the relationship between Gibraltar and the EU  political, legal and geographical relationship  will go through Spain. He also increased tensions by declaring he wants to discuss co-sovereignty of the territory with the UK.

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Molly Scott Cato, a British MEP who represents Gibraltar, said it looks like the government has sold out Gibraltar and abandoned talk of a future trade deal that works for the whole British family.

But May insisted it was the UK who had scored a victory in negotiations by ensuring Gibraltar was covered by the withdrawal agreement. In the future, we will continue to negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family and that includes Gibraltar, she added. Im proud that Gibraltar is British. I will always stand by Gibraltar.

The embattled prime minister was backed by Gibraltars leader, Fabian Picardo, in his live TV address over the diplomatic storm surrounding the British enclave of 30,000 people.

The legal text of the draft withdrawal has not been changed, he said. That is what the Spanish government has repeatedly sort but they have not achieved that.

READ MORE: Why Spain cant veto the Brexit deal

Gibraltars chief minister called for the letters of assurance, given to Spain on Saturday, in order to avoid a delay over the Brexit deal as pieces of paper that will have no legal effect.

And he concluded his address by comparing Sanchez, a fellow socialist politician, to former Spanish dictator, Franco.

I must tell him that whilst he pursues the sovereignty of Gibraltar in the manner that he has today, he is doing no more than pursuing the policy bidding of the Generalisimo himself, said Picardo. I sincerely hope he changes course.

May met the presidents of the European commission, European council and European parliament on Saturday evening.

Gibraltar was the final issue to be resolved after 18 months of negotiations, paving the way for the deal to be signed-off at Sundays summit. Its final hurdle will be votes in the UK and European parliaments.




With Black Friday and Cyber Monday, major U.S. retailers have succeeded in driving consumption around the holidays by offering irresistible deals and discounts. But since 2010, theres been another contender in the post-Thanksgiving shopping rush: small businesses.

In the aftermath of the recession, American Express launched Small Business Saturday on the Saturday after Thanksgiving as a way to encourage Americans to shop at local retailers. It didnt take long to convince the federal government of the ideas legs. One year later, the Senate passed a resolution supporting the holiday, and businesses across the country joined the movement.

Initially, the day offered incentives to American Express cardholders, giving them a $25 credit to their statement to use toward purchases at small shops. By 2013, that reward dropped to $10, and in 2015 the financial incentive was scrapped entirely. In 2016, the company offered cardholders double credit points instead.

AmEx told Fortune that there will not be a cardholder offer for Small Business Saturday this year. The statement credit offer started off as a way to help incentivize consumers to shop at local businesses, a spokeswoman said. These efforts helped create an annual event and occasion that has taken root in neighborhoods across the U.S.

As part of the day, American Express created the concept of Neighborhood Champions, which are business associations, state and local chambers of commerce, small businesses, and other community organizers who are responsible for rallying the community around the day. According to American Express data, the number of Neighborhood Champions has grown from 1,400 in 2013, to 7,200 across all 50 states in 2017.

U.S. President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, plugged Small Business Saturday in 2014 with a visit to a local bookstore in Washington, D.C. (

Participating businesses are eligible to receive materials and resources free of charge from American Express to help drive business on the day and year round. AmEx also lets businesses opt into being included in shopping recommendations that are emailed to American Express cardholders. That perk encourages business to accept American Express credit cards since only outlets that do so are eligible for inclusion.

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And efforts appear to have paid off. American Express estimates that American consumers have spent $85 billion at independent retailers and restaurants since Small Business Saturday was launched.

'Shop Small' has become a tagline of Small Business Saturdy. (Whitney Hayward/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

The initiative has gone international. The company launched a similar effort in the U.K. in 2013. Also called Small Business Saturday, American Express cardholders who spend 10 or more on their card in a single transaction at a participating store will receive a credit of 5.

This story has been updated to include a statement from AmEx.
ANKARA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would not meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Argentina for the G20 summit, broadcaster A Haber reported on Thursday, after his spokesman said a meeting could happen.

Earlier on Thursday, the state-owned Anadolu news agency quoted presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin as saying, "We're looking at the programme. It could happen", in response to a question about whether the two leaders would make contact at the summit. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu Editing by Ece Toksabay)
The crypto market is continuing to lose its value as the U.S., South Korea, and China demonstrate record high losses in their respective stock markets.

As an alternative store of value, cryptocurrencies are considered as viable long-term investments, especially by millennials, in a period of global financial market instability and volatility. However, recent weeks have shown that cryptocurrencies are still vulnerable to the weakening global economy and the asset class is not able to perform as a hedge against uncertainties in the market.

Global Markets Crash

A lack of correlation is not equivalent to an inverse correlation. Merely because an asset is not affected by a certain catalyst, which in the case of crypto could be the instability of the global market, it does not mean that the asset increases in value as a result.

Historically, the crypto market has demonstrated a lack of correlation with the global stock market and traditional markets like equities. It has consistently recorded independent price movements regardless of how the financial market performs.

Over the past several weeks, as investors began to head towards the exit of stock markets fearing a further drop in U.S. stocks, the price of major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) plunged by more than 35 percent.

The U.S. stock market is experiencing one of its worst sell-offs in history and the trade war between the U.S. and China has led to a decline in the valuation of the Chinese stock market. Overnight, Shenzhen Composite fell 3.3 percent and Shanghai Composite dropped 2.5 percent.

The weakening U.S. and Chinese markets directly affected the economy of South Korea, which was already in decline due to the countrys struggling growth rate. The Kospi fell by 1.2 percent in the past two days and investors generally expect the instability of U.S. and Chinese markets to be sustained.

Alvin Cheung, associate director for Prudential Brokerage, told SCMP:

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There is a lot of negative news about the US criticising China before Trump and Xi meet next week, and that has dented sentiment. The mixed messages could be the US trying to win some bargaining chips for the upcoming meeting. Investors are on the sidelines, closely watching to see if the meeting will yield any concrete results.

The trend of the global market is gearing towards the elimination of high-risk stocks, equities, bonds, and assets, which includes crypto. The short-term price drop of the market was triggered by the in-fighting of Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Cash SV, but the crippling global economy is said to be one of the major catalysts of the declining momentum of cryptocurrencies.

When Will Crypto Demonstrate Inverse Correlation?

Crypto could become a store of value, like gold, that is used by investors to hedge against the global economy. However, due to a lack of liquidity and infrastructure for retail traders, cryptocurrencies are not capable of operating as a hedging tool for large-scale investors.

As the market develops and the industry grows, better liquidity products will become available for both institutional and retail investors. Only then, crypto could potentially work as an inversely correlated asset to the global financial market.



The post US, Korea, China Stock Markets Plummet: is Crypto Correlated? appeared first on CCN.


Pakistani authorities have arrested a radical Islamic cleric whose followers held violent rallies against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.

Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the hard-line Tehrik-e Labaik party was arrested late on November 23 in the eastern city of Lahore, the party said in a statement.

Police said that Rizvi's supporters clashed with police soon after he was taken away, with at least five people wounded.

Scores of the clerics supporters were detained by police, the party statement said.

Earlier this month, Rizvi led three days of violent protests in several cities over the Supreme Court's acquittal and release of Asia Bibi on October 31.

Asia Bibi had spent eight years on death row on a blasphemy conviction.

The protesters blocked roads and threatened the judges who acquitted Asia Bibi.

Rizvi ended the protests after the authorities said Asia Bibi would not leave the country until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.

Rizvis detention appeared to set up a new confrontation, with the cleric urging his supporters earlier in the day to take to the streets if he was arrested.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
As goes Jeffco, so goes Colorado.

That adage about suburban Jefferson Countys bellwether status has been mostly true for decades, and thats why what happened on Election Day has some state Republican stalwarts sounding the alarm.

No one who follows politics in Colorado needs to be reminded that the GOP got its clock cleaned by state voters this year in a Democratic sweep nearly without precedent.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environments statistician, there arent more than around 50,000 state residents  roughly the population of Broomfield  who were alive the last time Democrats controlled the levers of power the party is poised to wield in the wake of the election, holding every statewide constitutional office and majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.

Bolstered by record turnout among the states surging ranks of unaffiliated voters, who leaned left by a wide margin, Democrats elected a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general.

They also swept every one of the battleground state Senate races by double digits, handing them the gavel, and increased the partys majority in the state House, including a win in a Jefferson County seat that has never before elected a Democrat.

While things looked bad for Republicans the morning after the election, its only after officials finished counting the votes  in nearly every case shifting the margins further toward the Democrats  that the extent of the wipeout has become clear.

Look no farther than Jefferson County  encompassing suburbs and foothills west of the metro area, its the states fourth-most populous county, behind Denver, El Paso and Arapahoe  to see that the breadth of the GOPs defeat is matched by its depth.

Jeffco, once as solidly Republican as any county in the state, has been trending blue for more than a decade, its voters favoring Democrats at the top of the ticket  for president, governor and the U.S. Senate  in every election since 2006, but it has still been considered a swing county and has reliably produced GOP lawmakers and county officials.

But that cant be said after this past election.

Out of the dozen legislative seats that represent Jeffco residents, just one is held by a Republican  state Rep. Colin Larson, a newcomer who won the nomination in the states closest legislative primary in June  while all three of the congressional seats that include parts of the county are held by Democrats.

Perhaps even more stunning, Jeffco voters elected only one Republican at the county level  and Sheriff Jeff Schrader, who won a second term, didnt have a Democratic opponent.

With the election of Lesley Dahlkemper as county commissioner  she defeated a Republican who was appointed to the office last year  Democrats will hold a majority on the three-member county commission for the first time since the mid-1950s, when two Democratic commissioners named Emil Schneider and Walter True were on the board.

Jeffco has elected Democrats to county office over the years  a county commissioner here, a clerk and recorder there  but theyve been relatively rare and havent lasted long. This time, however, the party nearly ran the table, winning the offices of treasurer, assessor and coroner and ousting the incumbent clerk and recorder.

Even the Republican county surveyor, an office not traditionally viewed through a partisan lens, was turned out by Jeffco voters

I think it really shows that these unaffiliated voters were voting a straight, anti-Trump ticket, Dick Wadhams, a Jeffco resident and former state Republican Party chairman, told Trail Mix. It made no difference who the Republican was in what race at what level. They were voting against Republicans.

It wasnt too long ago that the county was represented by two Republicans in Congress and sent mostly Republicans to the Legislature, recalled Wadhams, who ran a string of winning statewide campaigns for governor and senator.

Jeffco used to be a Republican bulwark, going back to the 60s and 70s and into the 80s and 90s. The courthouse was solidly Republican for decades, he said. It just shows you the depth of the Democratic victory.

Thats the starting point for the sobering pep talk he has been delivering to GOP groups since the election  that Republicans had better draw the right lessons from this years loss or risk going the way of the dinosaurs whose footprints adorn a Jefferson County landmark not far from his home.

We lost the governors race and all those things below it because there is an anti-Trump fervor that swept through Colorado, Wadhams said, adding that his conclusion echoed the findings of a survey of unaffiliated voters conducted after the election by GOP firm Magellan Strategies.

I am not an anti-Trumper, Wadhams said, noting that he heartily approves of the presidents accomplishments even as he frowns at his tone. But I think we have to acknowledge reality.

Where does that leave Republicans who arent willing to throw in the towel?

Wadhams message is simple: The only thing that matters is the re-election of Cory Gardner, the Republican senator whose term is up in two years.

Cory is the last Republican bastion in the state, Wadhams said. And if we dont start nominating candidates like Cory Gardner who can articulate a positive agenda. Hes dynamic, hes young, hes thoughtful and articulate  exactly the kind of Republican we need to have to attract these unaffiliated voters.

For Republicans who arent enthused about Gardner  he has his detractors in the GOP, including those who say he isnt conservative enough  Wadhams said they need only look to the results this year in Jefferson County for a glimpse of what the states future might look like without him.
When I was growing up, every television commercial break seemed to feature at least one advertisement that showed people (read: women) enjoying a bath. In the 70s and 80s, Jean Nate ads showed a woman stepping out of a luxurious bath and refreshing herself with the popular apres-bath scent. And who can forget the Calgon, take me away! ads? The catchy slogan became a verbal cry for any woman who needed a well-deserved break.

But in todays frenetic digitally paced world, taking baths  and owning bathtubs  has become a thing of the past for some.

Many newer boutique hotel brands, such as Canopy by Hilton, have done away with bathtubs in favor of barrier-free, walk-in showers.

Years of company research, including a survey of more than 9,000 travelers, found that the hotels guests valued functionality most, said global head Gary Steffen. Canopys rooms feature extra storage for amenities, doorless open closets and walk-in showers  all helpful for a traveler with a time-crunched schedule.

Standard rooms at the new Draftsman Hotel in Charlottesville, Va., part of Marriotts Autograph Collection, also have bathrooms with walk-in showers only. But the bathrooms in suites have tubs as well. The implication is that the tub signifies luxury, only afforded by those with the ultimate luxury: time.

The no-tub trend applies to homes as well. Millerton, N.Y.-based architect John Allee says almost all of his clients would prefer not to install bathtubs and usually do so only for resale value. When they do request one, its usually for a free-standing soaking tub for the master bathroom. (He often uses Victoria + Alberts contemporary, sculptural Barcelona model.)

Many of my clients are past toddler-time (except for grandchildren) and will put in a tub/shower combo only if there is a logical place like an extra guest suite, Allee says. Even his clients with younger kids only install a kid-washing tub if they have three or more full bathrooms. Allee theorizes that his clients move away from bathtubs is a combination of our cultures fastidious hygiene and our busy schedules. Relaxed bathing is a luxury and a therapeutic experience, neither of which seems to interest Allees busy clients.

Dolores Suarez and Caroline Grant, who head the New York-based design firm Dekar Design, say most of their clients need a tub and a shower. Its often a his-and-her situation, in which one prefers baths and the other, showers. So a designated space for the tub is essential. And if there are children, a tub is critical as the safest and most fun way to bathe them, the designers say.

Michael Rankin, a managing partner at TTR Sothebys International Realty, feels differently. As one of the top real estate agents in the D.C. area, he says his buyers still want tubs but dont necessarily need them.

Everyone is too busy, and time is short. But when you finally have a quiet moment, and that may only be every month or two, people still desire a bath, Rankin says. He equates the bathtub conundrum to that of the dining room: A dining room might only get used four or five times a year, but the buyer still wants a house with one. Rankin also makes it clear that having a tub, particularly in a master bathroom, is a sign of luxury that his clients expect. Free-standing spa tubs and walk-in showers with rain-shower heads, handheld fixtures and numerous body sprays are master bathroom musts.

Nancy Taylor Bubes, another top D.C.-area agent and associate broker for Washington Fine Properties, has a personal bias because she loves a bath and doesnt go a day without taking one. But the market has changed, particularly in urban areas, she says.

Young professionals are living in smaller places and seem to prefer the walk-in shower convenience because its quick and easy, Taylor Bubes says. Plus, a walk-in shower is low maintenance; with fewer parts to clean and fewer corners to catch mold, a bonus for singles and busy families.

Traditionally, Taylor Bubes says, bathtubs were always installed in the hall for the kids use, and the master bath was outfitted with a shower only. But over time, master bathrooms got bigger, and tubs got architecturally fancier. Eventually, high-end buyers began to expect free-standing luxury tubs in master suites. Sometimes I feel like tubs are the fireplace of the bathroom. They are the centerpiece, the focal point of the bathroom, she says. Many people still want both tubs and fireplaces, but the reality is that they dont use either as often as they might think.

Interesting, Taylor Bubes ponders. Fireplaces and tubs  the places we relax around  could both be on their way out?
Millennials love their pets, and that loves showing up on their holiday credit-card bills.

The much-discussed generation of shoppers, known for their industry-disrupting tastes, will spend heavily on their pets this holiday season  more than double what consumers overall are expected to pony up, according to a report from PwC.

Millennial households paid $70,000 or more will spend the most, forking over an average of $183 for pet gifts this holiday, versus the $67 that overall consumers will spend, according to PwC. High-earning millennials, feeling good about the economy, will spend an average of $2,021 on all gifts this season  including for people.

The holiday spending comes as pet owners increasingly treat their animals like family members  a trend known as humanization  boosting spending for premium pet food and toys.

Its the same kind of joy you get when you bring home a gift to a small child, said Lori Kogan, a psychologist and clinical sciences professor at Colorado State University.

Pet stores are trying to cash in on the trend. Petco is rolling out products targeted at gift-seeking consumers, with Christmas and Hanukkah-themed stockings, toys and treats already on shelves. The company also is gearing its latest dog apparel brand, Reddy, toward millennial shoppers, according to chief merchandising officer Alex Tomey.

Millennial consumers are fanatics about their pets, Tomey said.

Christopher Rivera, 32, makes that clear. Rivera  who works at an Unleashed by Petco, a small-format store on Manhattans Upper East Side  said hes already bought a laser pointer for his 19-year-old cat, Ajani. With the holidays around the corner, the Bronx-native now is thinking about what else to put under the tree.

Im going to just give her some extra treats, maybe one of those Christmas trees that have the catnip in them, he said, noting that his cat is equal priority to friends and family when it comes to holiday gifts. My cat is my sole responsibility; shes a perpetual kid.
Col. Monte Rone knows well the legacy entrusted to the care of his soldiers - the fact that his brigade, the "Raiders," have long been the nation's first into battle. But now, he's tasked with helping bring the United States closer to ending its longest-running war. A drumbeat of deployments to Afghanistan continued Sunday, as the post's 1st Brigade Combat Team formally bid farewell to Colorado Springs. Led by Rone, they left for a war zone swelling with Fort Carson soldiers - many of whom will be asked to help train Afghan forces and move the needle on a war entering its 17th year. "Our formation is fit, inspired, disciplined and ready," Rone said. They join the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
Colorado Springs isnt expected to get snow until Saturday evening, but you can catch some flakes earlier by standing downwind from the ice carving under way at the Promenade Shops at Briargate.

Ooh, its snowy, a woman exclaimed as shavings sprayed the table where she was doling out cookies and hot chocolate to Black Friday shoppers.

The ice carving kicked off the second annual Parad-Ice on the Promenade, which runs through 6 p.m. Sunday. Longmont ice sculptor Jess Parrish and his team will create nine sculptures over three days: one large sculpture a day and two smaller carvings during a dueling chainsaw competition where the crowd can call out requests.

Parrish started Friday by transforming 10 ice blocks into what one 4-year-old predicted would be a sled.

Santas sleigh, his 14-year-old brother replied.

Not so, the 4-year-old insisted, because its made of ice. That would be too heavy for the reindeer.

Parrish carved an outline for Rudolph, who could lead the sleigh. Over the weekend, he said, he also will carve a large snowman and the pinnacle, a flying angel.

Sean Peters brought his family visiting from Alabama for the dueling chainsaws show, something they said theyd never seen.

Dad likes those lumberjack shows, so its kind of similar, Peters said.

The show will take place in front of a different store at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Parrish makes the job look easy, using a chainsaw to slice through the glass-like ice as if it were butter. His creations typically are formed at international competitions, including one two days earlier in Germany. Next month, he said, hell compete in Poland and China, but Colorado always will be his favorite venue.

Ive been in every state but Hawaii  but this is home, Parrish said.

More examples of his work, which also includes wood carving and sand sculpting, can be found on his website, coolhandice.com.

People can vote on their favorite ice sculpture from the weekend on the Promenade Shops Facebook page. The sculpture with the most votes will have that dollar amount donated to the Empty Stocking Fund, sponsored by The Gazette Charities and El Pomar Foundation. The Empty Stocking Fund provides resources for health and human service agencies in the Pikes Peak region.

Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 or find her on Twitter: @njKaitlinDurbin.
Editors note: Richard Kirk murdered his wife in 2014 and is speaking out from prison for the first time about the marijuana edible he says caused him to do it. Meanwhile, new research at one Colorado hospital sheds light on edibles and psychosis.

A father of three who killed his wife by shooting her in the head in 2014 insists the marijuana edible he ate made him do it.

There is absolutely no other situation that I can think of where I would do that, said Richard Kirk, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2017 for killing his wife, Kris. For me, I know its 100 percent  its the marijuana and me ingesting it  is the reason that I did it.

Now a Colorado-based marijuana researcher says hes finding evidence that edible forms of marijuana spark more psychiatric problems than smoked versions. Thats on top of previous research that found some edible marijuana users experienced psychosis  a mental break with reality.

Clearly edibles seemed to have a more severe toxicity than inhaled agents, and it seemed that much of this is actually psychiatric in nature, said Dr. Andrew Monte, a marijuana researcher and a physician at UCHealth University of Colorado.

For the first time since the killing, Kirk spoke exclusively to Rocky Mountain PBS from the Bent County Correctional Facility, where he was incarcerated at the start of his 30-year prison sentence.

I didnt know it was my wife, he sobbed when asked why he pulled the trigger. I thought it was somebody else, I guess. Thats the only way I could have done it. I never ever once thought about even hurting my wife or pushing her or anything  let alone taking her life, taking her away from her three boys.

Kirk denied accusations that escalating marital conflicts and financial struggles could have been motives for murder and suggested that more studies and research about edibles and how they affect ones body and mind would be useful.

I believe 100 percent that can trigger a psychosis in someone that is otherwise completely mentally healthy, he said.

Paid defense consultant

Not everybody that takes an edible agent is going to have hallucinations, said Monte, the researcher. Many, many people do take it and take it safely, and so we need to understand and respect that. But  the risk seems to be much higher for edible agents than it does for smoked agents.

Monte sits on the states Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee and has conducted more than 10 cannabis-related illness studies since 2009. He also worked as a paid consultant for Kirks defense team early in the case.

His most recent study, which has been under peer review for several months, found a disproportionate number of complications, like hallucinations, in edible users who visited the emergency room when compared with patients who smoked marijuana.

Monte said he tracked the 2,600 marijuana-attributable patient visits to the emergency department over the last five years. While the number of visits was very low when compared with all emergency room visitors, less than 1 percent, Monte said the trend is important to watch.

There seem to be a disproportionate number of visits associated with edible cannabis products compared to other (marijuana) products, Monte said.

Kirk, who was addicted to pain pills in 2014, said he bought marijuana as an alternative to help with his back pain when his prescription medication expired. He purchased and consumed part of a 100-milligram marijuana gummy edible shortly after Colorado legalized the drug for recreational use.

At the time, the state had not yet developed regulations that would restrict the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, in a single recreational serving.

Kirk said he nibbled part of the orange gummy candy at home, and more than an hour later, he started feeling weird effects.

It was like I was in a different place. It was like I didnt know, he said. I remember being out on our deck. I remember jumping through my youngest sons window, trying to go to the screen when there is a door right outside of his room. I remember scraping my shins and being sore.

Kirk said he remembered fumbling with the familys gun safe after pressuring his son to recite the numbers in their street address.

I just lost myself, he said, crying. I didnt know where I was. I didnt know what I was doing. I didnt know what the threat was. I didnt know if I was the threat. I didnt know.

I miss the loving contact of my family, the embraces of my wife, the scent of clean pillows. I miss that I have absolutely no communication with my three sons, he said.

Despite his insistence that the marijuana made him do it, many have questioned his intentions.

He and his wife had financial difficulty, and Kirk was known for his short temper.

In a police report, one of his wifes family members told detectives that Kirk always seemed  like he was on the verge of being out of control, and had road rage issues.

Police documented allegations that Kirk had a nasty streak, and that his wife, Kris, told a colleague she wanted to tell (Kirk) that she didnt love him anymore.

Kris sister told authorities that she always had a feeling that Kirk was capable of hurting her sister.

Kirk said the problems he had with his wife were typical of any relationship. Those are normal things that I feel we were going through, he said.

The state has made significant changes to marijuana regulations since that high-profile incident, including restricting how much THC can go into a single edible and serving size.

Changes, sales, research

State estimates show about 6.5 million marijuana users visit Colorado annually, and the state sold more than 9.2 million recreational edibles in 2017.

There is no consistent tracking system for violent or psychotic reactions to marijuana in Colorado, but marijuana proponents point out that high-profile incidents, like the Kirk case, are extremely rare and consumers have been empowered to use edibles responsibly for years.

Did we do everything right out of the gate? No, said Rachel Gillette, who sits on the Board of Directors of Colorados NORML organization, a group that supports legalized marijuana products. I mean we obviously had a learning curve that weve worked very hard as a state to make sure (to address) all of the issues surrounding edibles and product safety  making sure consumers understand how to use them safely  were trying to make sure all of that is addressed by our body of regulations.

Gillette said it is unfair to link THC consumption to adverse behavior any more than any other drug, including alcohol.

These are unfortunate circumstances which is why I am for the importance of educating people on this product, Gillette said. The cannabis industry as well as cannabis advocates have been begging for the federal government to allow more studies that are more relevant to the use of cannabis  the safe use and consumption of cannabis.

Kari Franson, an associate professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Colorado, helped draft the states rules as a member of the Colorado Marijuana Consumer Safety and Social Issues Work Group.

I think the best thing that we did was limit what was the maximum dosage that could go into any one edible product, Franson said.

The state limits 100 milligrams of THC to a single package and serving sizes must contain no more than 10 milligrams of THC. Each serving must also be marked with a THC symbol.

Franson said the body absorbs edibles differently than smoked or inhaled versions of cannabis.

How much gets in can vary depending on what somebody ate that day, if theyre on another drug, if they just exercised that day, how much fluid they have in their system, Franson said. Theres a lot of different factors.

Email the writer: LoriGliha@rmpbs.org
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English Danish

Bagsvrd, Denmark, 23 November 2018 - Novo Nordisk today announced the headline results from the last global phase 3a trial, PIONEER 6, for oral semaglutide, an investigational GLP-1 analogue taken once daily as a tablet. This double-blinded trial investigated the cardiovascular safety of oral semaglutide 14 mg compared with placebo, both in addition to standard of care, in 3,183 adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk of cardiovascular events.

The trial achieved its primary endpoint by demonstrating non-inferiority of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with oral semaglutide compared with placebo, both in addition to standard of care. The results are based on the accumulated occurrence of 137 major adverse cardiovascular events, with a median follow-up time of 16 months. The primary endpoint of the PIONEER 6 trial was defined as the MACE composite outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke and showed a hazard ratio of 0.79 in favour of oral semaglutide compared with placebo. The 21% reduction in MACE in favour of oral semaglutide did not reach statistical significance.

The MACE results demonstrated by oral semaglutide were driven by a statistically significant reduction in cardiovascular death of 51% (HR 0.49, p=0.03), while non-fatal myocardial infarction (HR 1.18, non-significant) or non-fatal stroke (HR 0.74, non-significant) were broadly similarly distributed between the two treatment arms. In addition, a statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality of 49% (HR 0.51, p=0.008) in favour of oral semaglutide was observed.

The improvements in secondary endpoints including HbA 1c , body weight and blood pressure were similar to results reported throughout the PIONEER programme for oral semaglutide. Furthermore, the safety profile of oral semaglutide in PIONEER 6 was consistent with the established safety profile observed in previous PIONEER clinical trials.

"We are very encouraged that PIONEER 6 demonstrated cardiovascular safety as well as a significant reduction in both CV and all-cause mortality following oral semaglutide treatment in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk," said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk. "Based on the strong clinical data reported throughout the PIONEER clinical trial programme, we have now established a solid efficacy and safety profile for oral semaglutide and we are looking forward to sharing the results with regulatory authorities during 2019."

Novo Nordisk expects to file oral semaglutide for regulatory review in the US and EU in the first half of 2019.

As announced in August 2018, Novo Nordisk has since the approval of Ozempic (once-weekly injectable semaglutide) engaged in a constructive dialogue with the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on minimising the need for additional separate large cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) to obtain a cardiovascular (CV) indication for semaglutide in different formulations Following the results of the PIONEER 6 trial, Novo Nordisk is now evaluating the potential to obtain a CV indication for Ozempic based on the already obtained clinical data from the CVOT SUSTAIN 6 in combination with the CVOT PIONEER 6 with oral semaglutide. Novo Nordisk will continue these discussions with the FDA.

About PIONEER 6 and the PIONEER clinical trial programme

PIONEER 6 was an event-driven, pre-approval cardiovascular outcomes trial for oral semaglutide. It was a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the cardiovascular safety of oral semaglutide vs placebo when added to standard of care in 3,183 people with type 2 diabetes at high risk of cardiovascular events.

The PIONEER phase 3a clinical development programme for oral semaglutide is a global development programme with enrolment of 8,845 people with type 2 diabetes across 10 clinical trials, which have all been completed in 2018.

Further information

Media: Katrine Sperling +45 3079 6718 krsp@novonordisk.com Ken Inchausti (US) +1 609 786 8316 kiau@novonordisk.com Investors:







Peter Hugreffe Ankersen +45 3075 9085 phak@novonordisk.com Anders Mikkelsen +45 3079 4461 armk@novonordisk.com Valdemar Borum Svarrer +45 3079 0301 jvls@novonordisk.com Kristoffer Due Berg +45 3079 2849 krdb@novonordisk.com

Company announcement No 90/2018
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Hello, I am planning to apply to some MBA programs in China, although I am concerned that my current profile is a bit weak. I would like to ask for your advice before committing to moving forward with my applications. Also, I have not taken the GMAT yet, however I have a decent idea of what score I can achieve.Age: 23Full-time work experience: 0Part-time work experience: 6 years local pizza shop, 2 years collections agency, 1 year door to door salesUndergraduate: University of Toronto, Political Science (International Relations Stream), 3.01 GPA (3.40 for final 3 years, I had a rough first year) Graduated 06-2018University of Toronto Study Abroad Exchange (Shanghai & Beijing, 05-2017) 3.7 GPAOther education: Beijing Language and Culture University, 1 year language exchange (Current)Languages: English (Native), French (Intermediate), Mandarin (Intermediate)Extracurriculars:1. Compliance Director, G7 Research Group (Current) 1 year2. Country Specialist, BRICS Research Group (Current) 1 year3. Lead Analyst, G20 Research Group (Current) 1.5 years4. President, Project A Anime Club (2017-2018) 1 year5. Vice President, Project A Anime Club (2016-2017) 1 yearGMAT: First diagnostic 690 (full exam in exam conditions, V:40 Q:44 IR:8), confident on a 700+ score, aiming for 750Goals: I am planning to apply for the Tsinghua Global MBA Program as my first choice, and some other universities as backup, such as Renmin University, Beijing University, CEIBS. I am also hoping to stay in Beijing, where I currently am, however I would consider universities elsewhere in China such as Shanghai.Your help and expertise is greatly appreciated, as I have been racking my head for days as to whether or not follow through with my applications once I write the GMAT.
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These remarks came at a time when Irans national currency is suffering from chronic devaluation. At the same time, the country is struggling to retain access to much of the foreign business it had enjoyed in the first two years following implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Many international companies, particularly those based in Western nations, have fled the Iranian market since US President Donald Trump announced his governments withdrawal from the JCPOA in May. The decision to comply in advance with returning US sanctions was presumably made easier by the fact that Tehran never adopted the requirements outlined by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force regarding mitigation of money-laundering risks in international transactions.

Zarifs comments on Iranian money laundering included criticism of its beneficiaries for supposedly blocking multiple recent attempts to establish compliance with the FATF standards. I dont aim to pin this to any certain organisation, but those places that do launder thousands of billions are certainly financially capable of spending a few hundred billion on propaganda and psychological operations in the country, he said according to Agence France Presse.

Regardless of personal benefit, Iranian hardliners tend to publicly oppose anti-money laundering measures on the basis of their potential to disrupt Tehrans support of militant groups throughout the region, including Lebanese Hezbollah. Zarif himself is ostensibly a major player in the moderate or reformist faction of Iranian politics headed by President Hassan Rouhani, but their administration has been widely condemned by political dissidents and Irans foreign adversaries for failing to take any actual measures to cut down on terrorist financing or support human rights.

In view of that condemnation, questions arise about the significance of Zarifs recent comments. But although those comments have not been backed up by recognizable political initiatives, they did generate immediate backlash from other members of the Iranian socio-political establishment. According to AFP, Sadegh Larijani, the head of the Iranian judiciary, declared that officials are expected not to make two-sided statements that could be misused by the enemy, at a time when Iran is facing escalating sanctions pressure from the United States.

IranWire also reported upon the backlash, noting for instance that Javad Karimi Ghoddousi, a conservative lawmaker from Mashhad, had branded Zarif a counter-revolutionary and insisted that he must be prosecuted by security agencies and especially by the secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council for making statements against national security.

Such remarks reflect the notion that Zarif threatens to undermine confidence in the Iranian financial system at a very sensitive time. But the IranWire report also points to criticism that could be adopted both by hardliners and by dissidents who view both factions of mainstream Iranian politics as doing similar harm to the nations population. Hossein Shariatmadari, the head of the hardline daily newspaper Kayhan was quoted as saying that if Zarif knew the identities of money-launderers and failed to identify them, he would be committing treason against the people and the regime and collaboration with the money launderers.

Of course, the reference to treason against the regime suggests that the regime itself is not a beneficiary of money-laundering and other financial crimes. But a great many Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, are closely affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been credited with controlling more than half of the total Iranian gross domestic product, by way of money laundering, black market economies, and sometimes-clandestine ownership of major Iranian companies throughout the so-called private sector.

With this in mind, figures like Shariatmadari can be said to be covering for regime officials with a faulty presumption of innocence, while Zarif covers for those same individuals and institutions by his refusal to identify them, despite the acknowledgment of guilt. In this sense, the political conflict over allegations of money laundering can be seen as another example of two factions of Iranian politics attempting to deflect blame onto each other, even as they mutually defend the structure of the theocratic regime.

The perceived need to assign blame is presumably connected to the widespread recognition of a worsening financial crisis, which has given rise to numerous labor strikes and anti-government protests over the past year. In one of the latest examples of this phenomenon, the Center for Human Rights in Iran reported on Monday that workers at the National Steel Industrial Group had recently held five days of demonstrations, demanding two months of back pay. The same report noted that approximately 1,000 workers from the Haft Tapeh sugarcane company had been demanding four months back pay.

These are only two examples of a nationwide movement that began in earnest at the end of 2017 with a nationwide uprising during which expressions of economic grievance morphed into chants of death to the dictator and other explicit calls for regime change. The regime has struggled to get subsequent protests under control, and the relatively limited effectiveness of direct repression has seemingly led mainstream political factions to employ competing tactics of propaganda in an effort to inspire more confidence in the economic situation and more specifically in the governments capability for managing it.

Whereas Zarifs remarks imply  albeit without details of an actual plan  that the Rouhani administration is working on rooting out economic corruption, his hardline critics generally insist that there is no problem within the system, other than disunity.

Naturally, though, to restore even the appearance of unity, Iranian authorities would need to find greater success in tamping down public protests. Accordingly, repression has remained rampant in response to the steel and sugar workers strikes and numerous other demonstrations. Last Sunday, Iran Human Rights Monitor reported that several protesters had been imprisoned in connection with the actions at Haft Tapeh, which continued nonetheless. In fact, the report indicated that the movement was gaining momentum, having entered its 14th consecutive day with participants demanding the release of detained protesters as well as attention to their demands.

The conflict between government authorities and protesters continued through the past week, with Voice of America News reporting that five activists had been charged with national security crimes. Activists and attorneys quickly stepped forward to defend the arrested  a fact that seemingly prompted the regime to briefly back down before reversing course.

When approached by a lawyer seeking to represent the defendants, authorities initially stated that they would be released on bond to await trial, but then announced that they would remain in custody throughout an investigation of indeterminate length.

The authorities also barred the lawyer from formally representing the detainees, in keeping with the unlawful practice of limiting prisoners to a short list of government-approved attorneys in cases of supposed national security crimes.

In recent days, arbitrary arrests and summons have become prominent news in other areas of Iranian life, as well. On Wednesday, the Center for Human Rights in Iran reported upon at least 13 arrests, 30 summons, and 50 telephone threats by regime authorities following a second round of protests by teacher-activists.

Similar arrests had of course been reported during the previous strike one month earlier. Yet protest organizers issued a statement demanding the release of those detainees and reiterating the demand for reforms and sustainable wages. The statement also declared, We believe that the teachers demands are practical and lawful and we declare that if the present trend continues, the protests will continue at all costs in the coming months.

The nature of those demands and the underlying perceptions of the Iranian system were detailed by IranWire on Thursday. It quoted Rasoul Bodaghi, a member of the Teachers Association of Iran and a former political prisoner, as saying that education in the Islamic Republic had become a common source of graft, with student meals, exam fees, and other costs being a source of revenue for the governments budget.

Despite high costs for parents and children, teachers are routinely paid poverty-level wages and revenue is not channeled back into educational institutions but evidently contributes to the regimes spending on ideologically-motivated projects such as interventions into Syria and Yemen.

Bodaghis account of the Iranian education system undermines the arguments being offered to the public by both Foreign Minister Zarif and his detractors. In the first place, it highlights a logical area of government reform that has been ignored by so-called moderate authorities. And in the second place, it suggests that financial corruption is deeply ingrained into the fabric of Iranian institutions, where it cannot easily be attributed to isolated individuals and groups who do not represent the ruling system itself.
Friday, November 23, 2018

In her Decision and Order in People of State of New York v. Donald Trump (and three of the Trump children and the Trump Foundation), Justice Saliann Scarpulla denied Trumps' motion to dismiss the complaint by New York's Attorney General seeking dissolution of the Trump Foundation for violations of New York's Not-for-Profit Corporation Law and New York Estates, Powers, and Trusts Law.

The motion to dismiss argued in part that the state court lacked jurisdiction over "Mr. Trump" because pursuant to the Supremacy Clause, Article VI, a "sitting president may not be sued. As Justice Scarpulla stated, the New York Attorney General noted that Trump "failed to cite a single case in which any court has dismissed a civil action against a sitting president on Supremacy Clause grounds, where, as here, the action is based on the president's unofficial acts." Justice Scarpulla relied the United States Supreme Court's unanimous 1997 decision of Clinton v. Jones holding that then-President Clinton was subject to a civil action, and agreeing with another New York judge in Zervos v. Trump, held that this extended to state courts as well as federal. Justice Scarpulla rejected Trump's arguments that state courts are less fair to federal officials and less able to manage accommodations for a sitting president, pointing out that state courts were equally fair and competent. She also rejected the argument that state courts were less suited to address legal issues against federal officials: "The dissenting opinion that Respondents cite for this proposition simply noted that federal courts have greater expertise than state courts in applying federal law" and here, "resolution of the petition is governed entirely by New York law, thus a federal court's alleged superior knowledge of federal law is inapposite."

The Trump respondents also argued the petition should be dismissed because of bias by the former Attorney General and the office as a whole. Justice Scarpulla concluded that there was not a sufficient evidentiary basis for bias, conflict of interest, or abuse of confidence, and that "given the very serious allegations set forth in the petition," there is "no basis for finding that animus and bias were the sole motivating factors" for the petition.

The Trump respondents also raised grounds for dismissal of specific claims, including claims surrounding the misuse of foundation funds during the campaign; Justice Scarpulla rejected all of these.

Justice Scarpulla's order notes that the Foundation has been "attempting to voluntarily dissolve for the past two years" and urges the parties to reach an agreement leading to that dissolution. Justice Scarpulla did dismiss as moot one count of the petition which sought an injunction against continuing operation of the Foundation, stating that the Trumps were attempting to dissolve the foundation and that no injunction was necessary.

This decision by a trial judge  New York's Supreme Courts are trial courts  is not a final order, but if Trump's past litigation strategies are any indication, he will attempt to forestall answering the petition, which Justice Scarpulla ordered be done within 45 days.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2018/11/new-york-state-judge-denies-trump-foundation-motion-to-dismiss-complaint-by-state-attorney-general.html
Saturday, November 24, 2018

An Ohio attorney has been charged with "flagrantly" continuing to practice law after he had been suspended from practice for shoplifting wine.

The details of the alleged misconduct are contained in a 75 page charging document.

The bar investigation began when an opposing counsel filed a complaint in a matter in which a newly-minted attorney appeared to be a front for the respondent. The bar's investigation expanded to include the respondent and uncovered the alleged systemic continuation of his practice.

Among the highlights are his alleged assumption the identity of an attorney named Andrew Green.

Fox19now reported on the misconduct that led to the suspension

The Ohio Supreme Court suspended a northern Kentucky attorney for repeated shoplifting Thursday.

In an unanimous ruling, the Ohio Supreme Court suspended Rodger Moore, of Fort Mitchell, Ky., for two years with one year stayed because he had shoplifted on seven occasions and lied about it to the Cincinnati Bar after being advised to do so by his lawyer, according to court documents.

Moore was arrested in 2001 in Atlanta for allegedly stealing 12 bottles of wine from a grocery store, documents show. The wine averaged a little more than $12 per bottle. He agreed to do 65 hours of community service.

Documents show that in March 2012, Moore was again caught shoplifting three bottles of wine, along with olive oil at a Cincinnati grocery store. Instead of walking out with the items, he brought UPC codes for less pricey items with him and scanned those at the self-checkout which reduced the price by $359.10. He confessed he had taken expensive bottles of wine this way from the same store five other times. He pled guilty and was allowed to enter a diversion program.

Moore's lawyer advised him to report the March 2012 charge to the bar association but he made false statements about the incident and did not disclose the other thefts in correspondence and in an interview with the bar association during an investigation. He was suspended in Kentucky as reciprocal discipline. In November 2001, Moore was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, after attempting to leave a Kroger store with twelve bottles of wine, totaling $152 in value, without paying for them. Moore was able to avoid prosecution for this offense by entering into an agreement that required him to complete 65 hours of community service. Moore was charged with theft by shoplifting in March 2012 after he scanned UPC codes that he had carried into a Kroger store in Cincinnati to purchase three bottles of expensive wine and a bottle of olive oil at a self-scan checkout register. This deception reduced the price of the items purchased by $359.10. Moore pleaded guilty to the charges and was permitted to enter a diversion program. Later, Moore admitted that he had used this method to steal expensive bottles of wine from the same store on five separate occasions before his arrest. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/11/a-suspended-ohio-attorney-has-been-charged-with-flagrantly-violating-the-order-by-continuing-to-practice-law-the-details-of.html
American reporter Marie Colvin told important stories about the suffering of civilians in war.

Starting in the late 1980s, Colvin traveled to some of the most dangerous and horrifying conflicts in the world. She reported on the people she met and their experiences: parents whose children were killed or missing, children silenced by trauma, victims of rape and other atrocities.

Right now, several media projects explore Colvins life.

Matthew Heineman's movie A Private War is based on a story published in Vanity Fair magazine following the reporters death in Syria in 2012.

Actor Rosamund Pike plays the fierce American reporter who gave her life while reporting on conflicts around the world.

"In war zones, parents go to bed at night not knowing if their children will see the morning. That is a measure of fear that I can never feel."

While her fear may not have been as deep, the movie shows that Colvin clearly suffered as a result of her work. She lost her eye in 2001 when Sri Lankan forces attacked in a rebel-held area. The black-cloth eye cover she wore became a sign of her bravery.

But the movie suggests Marie Colvins mental pain was far worse. She most surely was a victim of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. Pike, playing Colvin, tells a friend about her relationship to alcohol.

"I'm most happy with a vodka martini in my hand, but I can't stand the fact that the chatter in my head won't go quiet until there's a quart of vodka inside me.

That is a main message expressed in A Private War. The mind continues to battle long after the person has left the war zone.

Colvin had terrible hallucinations for years. Often she would see the bloodied body of a young girl lying on Colvins own bed.

Rosamund Pike said understanding how Colvin moved was important in portraying her.

"I had to learn to smoke convincingly, because for Marie, everything was better with a cigarette, every conversation, every car drive. I had to see the way she gestured with her hands -- she had these wide apart fingers. I had to work out how the eye patch made her angle her head differently."

As a producer of documentaries, Heineman wanted to give this film a real-life feeling. In a scene of the discovery of a mass burial place in Iraq, Heineman used victims of war to play mourners.



"And at the end of that scene, like in any documentary that I made, something unforeseen happened. They started chanting and doing this prayer for the dead."

Rosamund Pike says she had a similar experience while filming an unwritten scene with a refugee woman. It is set in a safe house in 2012, during a Syrian government operation that was part of the three year offensive against the city of Homs.

The woman tells how she feeds her baby only sugar and water. She says her body stopped producing milk after the suffering of losing one of her children to a bomb attack.



"The woman said to me, she said, 'Please, I don't want this just to be words on paper. I want the world to know that a generation is dying here. I want the world to know my story.'"



Pike says, at that time, she felt what drove Colvin: the reporters responsibility to serve as a witness to people's suffering.



Filmmaker Heineman looks at the complexity of Colvins personality, her bravery and drive to get war reports out. He shows how she stood her ground in Homs even during the heavy shelling of the city by Syrian forces.

"She felt compelled to tell the story, to tell the story of a group of 28,000 civilians in Homs who were besieged...and she felt, as she often did, If I don't do this, then who will?"

And that story, of the inhumanity she witnessed in Homs was her last. Marie Colvin was killed there in a government shelling attack in 2012.

Maybe I would have liked a more normal life. Maybe I just dont know how.



Im Caty Weaver.

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Words in This Story

trauma - n.  a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time

atrocity - n. a very cruel or terrible act or action

chatter - n.  noisy talking and other sounds

gesture - n.  a movement of your body (especially of your hands and arms) that shows or emphasizes an idea or a feeling

unforeseen - adj.  not predicted or expected

scene - n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs

besiege - v. to surround a city, building, etc., with soldiers and try to take control of it


Swiss citizens will vote Sunday on an issue involving cows that has divided the country.

Voters will decide if farmers can receive government aid for not removing the horns of their cows.

Cows are an important part of the nations milk industry. They are also a national symbol for Switzerland and draw visitors to the country.

Farmer Armin Capaul began the effort to keep horns on cows nine years ago. Capaul told Reuters that listening to his cows incited him to act. When his campaign to persuade politicians failed, Capaul collected more than 100,000 signatures to hold a national vote on the issue.

He is seeking to have the government give farmers yearly payments of about $200 for each horned cow they have. Capaul says the money is needed to help famers pay for extra costs linked to keeping horned animals. Having more space for the animals helps prevent fights and injuries involving cow horns. Capaul hopes the government assistance will reduce the number of dehorned cows.

Capaul says horns help cows communicate and keep the right body temperature. We must respect cows as they are, he told Reuters on his small farm in northwestern Switzerland. Leave them their horns. When you look at them they always hold their head high and are proud. When you remove the horns, they are sad, he said.

About 75 percent of Swiss cows are dehorned or genetically hornless.

Capauls plan would require a change to the Swiss constitution. The government opposes the idea. It estimates the assistance would represent about $30 million a year of the countrys agriculture budget. Many farmers have also expressed concerns about how the country would pay for the proposed assistance.

Groups opposed to dehorning have supported Capauls campaign. Dehorning involves burning a young cows small horns with a hot iron. Critics say the process is painful and unnatural. But supporters say it is no worse than castrating male cats or dogs.

Farmer Stefan Gilgen has 48 cows that provide about 260 gallons of milk a day. He told Reuters that his cows get along better without horns. If cows have horns, the danger of injuries to the animals and humans is greater, he said.

Gilgen added that he does not agree that a vote should be taken to change the constitution for such an issue. Each farm should decide for itself. We have other problems in agriculture, he said.

The latest public opinion studies have suggested Sundays vote will be very close.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Reuters and the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

referendum  n. an election in which people in an area vote on a specific issue

horn  n. one of the hard pointed parts that grows on the head of some animals (such as cattle, goats, or sheep)

lobby  v. efforts made to try to influence government policy

proud  adj. feeling pleased and happy about ones self

castrate  v. to remove part of male reproductive organs
We present the short story "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen," by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.

There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all Americans go back to the old home and eat a big dinner. Bless the day. The President gives it to us every year.

Sometimes he talks about the people who had the first Thanksgiving. They were the Puritans. They were some people who landed on our Atlantic shore. We dont really remember much about them.

But those people ate a large bird called turkey on the first Thanksgiving Day. So we have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, if we have enough money to buy turkey. That is a tradition.

Yes. Thanksgiving Day is the one day of the year that is purely American. And now here is the story to prove to you that we have old traditions in this new country. They are growing older more quickly than traditions in old countries. That is because we are so young and full of life. We do everything quickly.

Stuffy Pete sat down on a seat in the New York City park named Union Square. It was the third seat to the right as you enter Union Square from the east.

Every Thanksgiving for nine years he had sat down there at one in the afternoon. Every time, things had happened to him. They were wonderful things. They made his heart feel full of joyand they filled another part of him, too. They filled the part below his heart.

On those other Thanksgiving Days he had been hungry. (It is a strange thing. There are rich people who wish to help the poor. But many of them seem to think that the poor are hungry only on Thanksgiving Day.)

But today Pete was not hungry. He had come from a dinner so big that he had almost no power to move. His light green eyes looked out from a gray face on which there was still a little food. His breath was short. His body had suddenly become too big for his clothes; it seemed ready to break out of them. They were torn. You could see his skin through a hole in the front of his shirt. But the cold wind, with snow in it, felt pleasantly cool to him.

For Stuffy Pete was overheated with the warmth of all he had had to eat. The dinner had been much too big. It seemed to him that his dinner had included all the turkey and all the other food in the whole world.

So he sat, very, very full. He looked out at the world without interest, as if it could never offer him anything more.

The dinner had not been expected.

He had been passing a large house near the beginning of that great broad street called Fifth Avenue. It was the home of two old ladies of an old family. These two old ladies had a deep love of traditions. There were certain things they always did. On Thanksgiving Day at noon they always sent a servant to stand at the door. There he waited for the first hungry person who walked by. The servant had orders to bring that person into the house and feed him until he could eat no more. Stuffy Pete happened to pass by on his way to the park. The servant had gathered him in. Tradition had been followed.

Stuffy Pete sat in the park looking straight before him for ten minutes. Then he felt a desire to look in another direction. With a very great effort, he moved his head slowly to the left.

Then his eyes grew wider and his breath stopped. His feet in their torn shoes at the ends of his short legs moved about on the ground.

For the Old Gentleman was coming across Fourth Avenue toward Stuffys seat.

Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years the Old Gentleman had come there to find Stuffy Pete on his seat. That was a thing that the Old Gentleman was trying to make into a tradition. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years he had found Stuffy there. Then he had led Stuffy to a restaurant and watched him eat a big dinner.

They do these things more easily in old countries like England. They do them without thinking about them.

But in this young country, we must think about them. In order to build a tradition, we must do the same thing again and again for a long time. The Old Gentleman loved his country. He believed he was helping to build a great American tradition. And he had been doing very well. Nine years is a long time here.

The Old Gentleman moved, straight and proud, toward the tradition that he was building. Truly feeding Stuffy Pete once a year was not a very important tradition. There are greater and more important traditions in England. But it was a beginning. It proved that a tradition was at least possible in America.

The Old Gentleman was thin and tall and sixty. He was dressed all in black. He wore eyeglasses. His hair was whiter and thinner than it had been last year. His legs did not seem as strong as they had seemed the year before.

As this kind Old Gentleman came toward him, Stuffy began to shake and his breath was shorter. He wished he could fly away. But he could not move from his seat.

Good morning, said the Old Gentleman. I am glad to see that the troubles of another year have not hurt you. You continue to move in health about the beautiful world. For that blessing you and I can give thanks on this day of thanksgiving. If you will come with me, my man, I will give you a dinner that will surely make your body feel as thankful as your mind.

That is what the Old Gentleman said every time. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years. The words themselves were almost a tradition. Always before, they had been music in Stuffys ear. But now he looked up at the Old Gentlemans face with tears of suffering in his eyes. The snow turned quickly to water when it fell upon his hot face. But the Old Gentleman was shaking with the cold. He turned away, with his back to the wind, and he did not see Stuffys eyes.

Stuffy had always wondered why the Old Gentleman seemed sad as he spoke. He did not know that it was because the Old Gentleman was wishing that he had a son. A son would come there after he himself was gone. A son would stand proud and strong before Stuffy, and say: In remembrance of my father. Then it would really be a tradition.

But the Old Gentleman had no family. He lived in a room in one of the old houses near the park. In the winter he grew a few flowers there. In the spring he walked on Fifth Avenue. In the summer he lived in a farmhouse in the hills outside New York, and he talked of a strange bug he hoped some day to find. In the fall season he gave Stuffy a dinner. These were the things that filled the Old Gentlemans life.

Stuffy Pete looked up at him for a half minute, helpless and very sorry for himself. The Old Gentlemans eyes were bright with the giving pleasure. His face was getting older every year, but his clothes were very clean and fresh.

And then Stuffy made a strange noise. He was trying to speak. As the Old Gentleman had heard the noise nine times before, he understood it. He knew that Stuffy was accepting.

Thank you. Im very hungry.

Stuffy was very full, but he understood that he was part of a tradition. His desire for food on Thanksgiving Day was not his own. It belonged to this kind Old Gentleman. True, America is free. But there are some things that must be done.

The Old Gentleman led Stuffy to the restaurant and to the same table where they had always gone. They were known here.

Here comes that old man, said a waiter, that buys that old no-good fellow a dinner every Thanksgiving.

The Old Gentleman sat at the table, watching. The waiters brought food, and more food. And Stuffy began to eat.

No great and famous soldier ever battled more strongly against an enemy. The turkey and all the other food were gone almost as quickly as they appeared. Stuffy saw the look of happiness on the Old Gentlemans face. He continued to eat in order to keep it there.

In an hour the battle was finished.

Thank you, Stuffy said. Thank you for my Thanksgiving dinner. Then he stood up heavily and started to go to the wrong door. A waiter turned him in the right direction.

The Old Gentleman carefully counted out $1.30, and left fifteen cents more for the waiter.

They said goodbye, as they did each year, at the door. The Old Gentleman went south, and Stuffy went north.

Stuffy went around the first corner, and stood for one minute. Then he fell.

There he was found. He was picked up and taken to a hospital. They put him on a bed, and began to try to discover what strange sickness had made him fall.

And an hour later the Old Gentleman was brought to the same hospital. And they put him on another bed, and began to try to discover what his sickness could be.

After a little time one of the doctors met another doctor, and they talked.

That nice old gentleman over there, he said. Do you know whats wrong with him? Hes almost dead for the need of food. A very proud old man, I think. He told me he has had nothing to eat for three days.

Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. What is your favorite holiday? What kinds of holiday traditions do they have in your country? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

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Quiz

Quiz - Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

For Teachers

The document below contains activities to help learners understand the story.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

Puritan(s)  n. a member of a Protestant group in England and New England in the 16th and 17th centuries that opposed many customs of the Church of England

tear(s)  n. a drop of liquid that comes from your eyes especially when you cry

bug  n. a usually small insect

cent(s)  n. a unit of money that is equal to / of the basic unit of money in many countries
Standard Bank recently launched Standard Bank Mobile, running on Cell Cs network.

In launching its mobile offering, Standard Bank became the 19th mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on the Cell C network.

The banks mobile network is hosted by MVN-X, Cell Cs partner for enabling MVNOs.

Cell C said it has seen excellent growth in the MVNO space, with South Africa catching up to global trends in terms of MVNO adoption.

Cell C launched its wholesale business unit in 2014, offering a platform for MVNOs to sign up on the network  but its first virtual network operator was Virgin Mobile SA, which launched in 2006.

Cell C has stated that there are 1.7 million subscribers signed up for MVNOs on its mobile network, and this number continues to grow.

With the recent launch of Standard Bank Mobile, we take a look at every one of Cell Cs MVNOs.

Standard Bank Mobile

Standard Bank Mobile is designed as a value add-on for existing and new Standard Bank customers.

Virgin Mobile SA

Virgin Mobile was launched in 2006 and is still going on the Cell C network.

FNB Connect

FNB Connect is an MVNO which available to FNB customers and allows them to choose between a range of contract and prepaid packages.

Mr Price Mobile

MRP Mobile offers prepaid, SIM top up, and contract packages, with its products available from selected Mr Price stores.

me&you Mobile

me&you Mobile said it was the first SIM-only network to launch in South Africa, and offer a number of unique features.

Trace Mobile

Trace Mobile offers SIM-only prepaid packages with data bundles that never expire.

Others

Cell C has many more MVNOs running on its network, listed below.

PSB Network  Founded by Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and aimed at ECG Church members.

Founded by Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and aimed at ECG Church members. Smart Mobile  MVNO launched in 2015, founded by iSmart.

 MVNO launched in 2015, founded by iSmart. Pink Mobile  Mobile network which aims to fund cancer treatment.

 Mobile network which aims to fund cancer treatment. Advinne  MVNO which offers lower rates the more customers use their SIM.

 MVNO which offers lower rates the more customers use their SIM. Viva Mobile  Offers customers free Funeral Cover depending on their recharges.

 Offers customers free Funeral Cover depending on their recharges. Van Schaik Mobile  Rewards programme and mobile network aimed at university students.

 Rewards programme and mobile network aimed at university students. BokSel  Afrikaans-focussed mobile network.

 Afrikaans-focussed mobile network. Xmobile  Standard mobile network with free funeral cover.

 Standard mobile network with free funeral cover. The Unlimited  MVNO which provides double airtime and data every time users recharge.

 MVNO which provides double airtime and data every time users recharge. OTM Mobile  MVNO with flexible contract structure.

 MVNO with flexible contract structure. Next Cellular  Mobile network aimed to cater for tourists.

Non-active

There are also a number of services which are currently live on the network but no longer commercially active.

These include Ignition Mobile and MVN-X1 Mobile, which were both launched following the creation of Cell Cs wholesale unit in 2014.

Apart from these two MVNOs, all virtual mobile networks remain commercially active in addition to live on the network.
Building green homes in Napa requires a combination of abiding by national standards, learning about the local natural environment and being aware of how light and heat change over the course of a day in Napa Valley.

A typical green home rewards its owner by using less energy and water, providing a monthly saving on utilities, and maintaining cleaner indoor air than a conventional home. There are many aspects of green building to consider, from heating to materials to protecting local bird populations.

Mike Zimmer, chief building official of Napa County, said mandatory and voluntary measures affect green residential home construction.

The California Green Building Standards Code (which took effect Aug. 1, 2009) is the nations first statewide green building code, said Zimmer.

Zimmer said even individuals doing a remodel or a small room addition can review green elements of home construction with a contractor.

In California, builders should be aware of the southwest exposure, the direction in which sunlight comes into a house.

It helps if you orient the house so the windows and openings face the southeast. That way, you can take in more sunlight during the day. Not having to turn the lights on early in the morning and late at night saves you energy, said Zimmer.

Zimmer said people who are low-income or on a budget can get assistance to make a home green by looking to the appropriate agency.

If youre retired and on a fixed income, different agencies in the state will repair or replace certain items for free. For example, the California Conservation Corps (CCC) will replace refrigerators, upgrade lighting, and change water fixtures for you. The California Department of Housing will assist with weatherization, said Zimmer.

Kenneth Russo, founder of Green Builder, a Vallejo-based contractor who builds green homes in Napa, advises several materials for green homes.

When you build where there is a risk of fires, you should use fire-resistant glass. (You should also have) metal shutters on the exterior of windows so you may close (them) and prevent hot (embers) from entering the home. I recommend metal stud construction for homes as well. Its economical, fire-resistant, and recyclable. It doesnt get termites or wood rot, said Russo.

Russo also recommends a roof made of refractive material, which holds heat in during the winter and keeps heat out during the summer.

It avoids the stack effect which allows infiltration of hot air into enclosed spaces. That way you do not waste heat or cooled air anywhere in the house. (Another thing you can do) is install vapor barriers underneath the home, said Russo.

Bob Massaro, CEO of Healthy Buildings in Napa, said the best strategy is starting with a really good building envelope.

Summer months in the Napa Valley can get quite warm. We design and build each homes building envelope, walls, floors and roofs, to be very energy efficient. (This way) the residents are always comfortable andthe requirement for using air conditioning is minimized. We also put solar power on our homes to make sure each home produces as much energy as it consumes. In the building industry, that is called zero-net energy, said Massaro.

Massaro advises not using wood on the outside of a home.

Its combustible and not allowed in many areas because of fire danger. Wood also does not weather well. We use composite materials, metal siding, and Smart Siding. These are durable, low maintenance products that are quite fire resistant, said Massaro.

Jarrod Denton, architect with Signum Architecture, LLP in St. Helena, said if you build a well-designed and constructed home in Napa Valley, you will not need air conditioning.

Make sure you get high-performance windows and doors. They perform eight-times better than conventional windows and doors. A well-insulated, airtight home is almost like having a Gore-Tex jacket in a rainstorm. Moisture can escape out. Nothing is allowed in unless you choose to open up the window or doors for a pleasant breeze, said Denton.
As the calendar flips to December and the holiday season, an array of groups in Napa County is stepping up to lend a hand with underprivileged families and children, troops serving abroad and others.

Local residents and businesses can choose from several ways to offer food, toys and other Christmastime donations to those in need. Here are some of the ways to offer aid.

Toys for Tots and the Napa County Holiday Assistance Program

Organizers of the Toys for Tots drive in Napa are seeking thousands of toys for the centerpiece of the annual effort to bring presents and food to low-income families during December.

Toy drop-off boxes were set out Monday at various locations around Napa County, with donations to be collected Dec. 7, according to Valerie Aguirre, chair of the Napa County Holiday Assistance Program.

Families who registered for the assistance program in October will receive their gifts Dec. 15. Each household is entitled to one large and one small toy per child, along with a family present and one or more boxes of nonperishable foods.

The Holiday Assistance Program is operated by a coalition including Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, the Napa Food Bank, Queen of the Valley Medical Center, American Canyon Family Resource Center, Upvalley Family Services, and a variety of churches, charities and volunteers countywide.

A list of Toys for Tots drop-off locations is available at toysfortots.org, where users can search sites by state and county.

For more information on toy drop-off sites or volunteering, contact Aguirre at 707-266-4586 or valnmike2@gmail.com. Donations to pay for toys can be sent by check to Toys for Tots at 6468 Washington St. (Space 209), Yountville, CA 94599.

CHiPs for Kids toy drive

The California Highway Patrol in Napa is gathering toys to give to local youth for its annual Christmastime donation drive, CHiPs for Kids.

New and unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the CHP Napa station, 975 Golden Gate Drive, Napa, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donation bins also have been set up at the following businesses:

- Treasury Wine Estates, 555 Gateway Drive, Napa

- Billcos Billiards and Darts, 1234 Third St., Napa

- The Loose Caboose, 820A Third St., Napa

- Toy B Ville, 1343 Main St., Napa

- Trade Brewing, 731 First St., Napa

- Brewed, Napa Premium Outlets, 865 Factory Stores Drive, Napa

In addition, CHP and Napa Valley Cruisers will co-sponsor a toy collection drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at Fosters Freeze, 1195 W. Imola Ave. in Napa, where vintage cars also will be on display, according to Officer Marc Renspurger.

Donors are asked to contribute only new and unwrapped toys, and not to choose any items resembling firearms or knives.

CHP will accept cash donations to buy more toys at its Napa bureau as well as during the Saturday toy drive. The highway patrol will distribute donated toys Dec. 14 to ParentsCAN and the Cope Family Center, which will then pass the items on to families in need, Renspurger said.

For more information, email Renspurger at mrenspurger@chp.ca.gov or call CHP in Napa at 707-253-4906.

Operation: With Love from Home

The nonprofit Operation: With Love from Home is in the midst of its 12th annual drive to create and send 1,200 care packages for U.S. troops serving abroad during the Christmas season.

The group, which assembles and ships care packages to service members year round, is accepting donated clothing, personal toiletries, snacks and other necessities at drop-off points across Napa County, including its year-round donation site in Napa at Community Outreach, 3448 Villa Lane (Suite 102).

Collections began Oct. 29 and will continue through Dec. 3. Operation: With Love from Home also is accepting donations of cash to pay the $13.65 postage on each of the 9-pound care package boxes.

Items in high demand this holiday season include beef jerky, peanut butter cups, boot socks, coffee singles, tea bags, drink mix packets, and AA and AAA batteries, organizer Liz Alessio said Tuesday.

Care packages also will include Christmas cards handmade by Napa County schoolchildren, members of service groups, and local residents.

Organizing of donated goods will take place at sorting parties where volunteers are invited to help. Sorting will take place Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 at the main conference rooms of Queen of the Valley Medical Center, 1000 Trancas St. in Napa. Each session runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Assembly will take place at a packing bee Dec. 8 in the gymnasium at Napa Valley College, 2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway (Highway 221), from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are also sought to help set up the packing bee the evening before, Dec. 7, from 4 to 8 p.m.

A Wall of Honor at the packing event will include photographs of active-duty service members and military veterans.

If someone has a friend or relative stationed overseas with the military, Operation: With Love from Home will send care packages to that person as well as others in his or her unit, so long as the group receives their names by Dec. 3, according to Alessio.

For more information, contact Alessio at 707-363-0043 or info@opwithlove.org. Visit Operation: With Love from Home online at OperationWithLoveFromHome.org or on Facebook.

Be a Santa to a Senior

The Home Instead Senior Care office serving Napa and Solano counties is inviting the community to provide gifts and holiday cheer to seniors who may be isolated from friends or family this holiday season through its Be a Santa to a Senior program.

This is the programs 14th year. Last year, more than 275 local seniors received 500 gifts.

Social isolation is a concern among seniors and the holidays often intensify feelings of distance and loneliness, Jaime Penaherrera, owner of Home Instead Senior Care, said in a statement. When we deliver the gifts and spend some time with them, it makes a big difference.

The organization has partnered with local nonprofits to help with gift collection and distribution.

To help out, go to one of the participating locations and look for the Be a Santa to a Senior tree on display through Dec. 17. Each tree will be decorated with ornaments featuring seniors first names and their desired gifts. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it to the store with the ornament attached. Volunteers and program partners will wrap and deliver the gifts to local seniors in time for the holidays.

The Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations: CVS Pharmacy, 291 S. Coombs St., Napa; CVS Pharmacy, 675 Trancas St., Napa; CVS Pharmacy, 1558 Trancas St., Napa; Kaiser Permanente, 3285 Claremont Way, Napa.

For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 707-552-2266.

Napa Elks Lodge No. 832 and CrossWalk Community Church food drive

Napa Elks Lodge is accepting donations of nonperishable food for its monthly collection drive, which it organizes in partnership with CrossWalk Community Church.

Donations began Nov. 1 for the Elks December food distribution and will continue through Dec. 12 in a collection box at the lodge, 2840 Soscol Ave. CrossWalk will distribute the donated food Dec. 18, the third Tuesday of the month, at its church building at 2590 First St. in Napa, according to Executive Pastor Darlene Valencia.

For more information, contact Napa Elks at 707-255-4522 or the CrossWalk church at 707-226-1812.

Adopt-A-Family, St. Helena, Calistoga and Napa

For the past dozen years, members of St. Helenas Grace Episcopal Church at 1314 Spring St. have adopted needy families for Christmas through the Adopt-A-Family program. This years effort began Nov. 11 and continues through Dec. 2.

Organizers plan to assist 75 to 90 local families split among Napa, St. Helena and Calistoga this holiday season, according to coordinator Jennifer Muhlner.

Gift cards in the amount of $50 per family member are being sought, which allows families to buy exactly what they need and want for themselves and their children. Adopting a family of four equals $200, or $300 for a family of six.

We suggest that you put your creativity into the packaging  filling a basket with holiday treats, decorations or fun age-appropriate activities for the children, Muhlner wrote in a Grace Episcopal newsletter.

Each year the church receives names from the UpValley Family Centers for St. Helena and Calistoga and the Cope Family Center for Napa. Delivery to the Cope Family Center will take place Dec. 3-6, and to the UpValley Family Centers Dec. 10-14.

The community is welcome to help adopt a family, and donations in any amount are welcome. Checks should be written to Grace Episcopal Church, with Adopt-A-Family on the memo line.

For details, call Muhlner at 707-963-6166.

The Giving Tree

The Napa County Office of Education is preparing its fourth annual Giving Tree to receive donations of holiday gifts for local students.

A tree will be set up Nov. 27 in the lobby of department offices at 2121 Imola Ave. in Napa, according to Kaycee Wanlass, the agencys purchasing and logistics assistant. Ornaments on the tree will be marked with a number, a family name and the number of children in that household, and a corresponding list will include childrens ages, the toys and clothing items needed, and likes and dislikes.

Gifts are due at the Office of Educations General Services department by Dec. 10, and will be distributed to children Dec. 12-14. The department also will accept donations of department store and supermarket gift cards for families, which can be brought to General Services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

For more information on the Giving Tree, contact Wanlass at kwanlass@napacoe.org or General Services at 707-253-6828.

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Forty years ago, an American preacher and madman named Jim Jones orchestrated the largest mass murder in recorded history when he forced more than 900 men, women and children to drink a cyanide-laced punch at his eponymous settlement in Guyana.

Early news reports referred to Jonestown as a cult of death and spread the idea that residents calmly lined up on Nov. 18, 1978, to offer cups of poison to their children before drinking it themselves. Reporters lustily relayed what sensational details they had, but also filled in the gaps with outrageous claims. They welcomed their own destruction, declared one San Francisco newscaster. That became the official take on the tragedy: A bunch of Californian lunatics had killed themselves at the behest of a sick demagogue.

This caricature of the Jonestown victims was much easier to digest  and dismiss  than the true story, which was one of betrayed ideals, terrifying helplessness and unfathomable heartbreak.

Even as the news media prompted public scorn for Jones victims, their bodies lay in the searing equatorial sun for four days while the United States and Guyana squabbled over what to do with them. The U.S. pressured Guyana to bulldoze the dead into a mass grave  but Guyana refused to clean up what it saw as an American mess. By the time U.S. soldiers bagged the bodies and flew them to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, they were so badly decomposed that forensic examiners could identify only 69 percent of the victims. Of these, roughly half were buried by their relatives; other families were so ashamed of their link to the suicidal cult that they refused to accept the remains of their loved ones. Several cemeteries refused to accept the remaining 409 bodies because of the stigma  and vociferous objections from neighbors  before Evergreen Cemetery in East Oakland agreed to bury them.

Surviving members of Jones church, Peoples Temple, were also vilified. Angry crowds gathered outside the building on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco, shouting, Baby killers! Those returning from Guyana  penniless and distraught  were turned away from welfare and food stamp offices; employers wanted nothing to do with them. They were deemed monsters, deserving of their fate.

Today, the horrific mass murder at Jonestown has been reduced to a banality. Dont drink the Kool-Aid is a glib warning against groupthink or blind loyalty to a charismatic leader or institution. (For the record, it was poisoned Flavor Aid.)

In recent years, the pervading view of Jonestown has begun to change. A number of survivors have published first-person accounts about their experiences in the jungle community. And a lawsuit compelled the FBI to release some 50,000 pages of documents and nearly 1,000 audiotapes collected from Jonestown after the massacre. This information deepens our understanding of the tragedy and starkly contradicts the narrative of blame imposed on Jones victims.

Jones sold his town to his followers  most of whom were African American  as a utopia where they could live free of Americas racism, sexism and elitism. Instead, the nearly 1,000 Americans who participated in this four-year experiment found themselves trapped. Residents believed they could return home at any time if Jonestown wasnt to their liking. But it was a two-day river journey from the capital of Georgetown to Port Kaituma, the closest village to Jonestown. No roads connected the capital to the hinterlands  still the case today. Jones confiscated everyones passport and money and told them that if they didnt like it, they could swim home. Despite promising families that they would live together in private homes, he separated husbands and wives, parents and children. Despite boasts of bumper crops, the thin jungle soil couldnt produce enough food to feed the increasingly hungry residents.

But the most chilling aspect for immigrating Temple members was the change in their leader. After sequestering his followers in the jungle, Jones dropped the facade of caring pastor and became a vulgar, drug-addled tyrant who banned any criticism of his town. Even mentioning the heat was considered counter-revolutionary. He forbade residents from leaving, telling them the wilderness that surrounded them was infested with poisonous snakes, big cats and shadowy mercenaries who wanted to destroy their community. He censored incoming and outgoing mail to make the world believe Jonestown was a happy success.

It was in Guyana that Jones first held a vote on his idea of revolutionary suicide. Although hed discussed the notion in California with his inner circle  an equally nihilistic coterie that ultimately helped him bring his macabre plan to fruition  the regular members of Peoples Temple moved to Jonestown seeking a better life for themselves and their children. When he brought up the prospect at an assembly in September 1977, residents were stunned and objected vociferously. They hadnt come to the promised land to die  they came to thrive. But night after night, he ground them down, refusing to let anyone go to bed until everyone raised their hands in ostensible support of their own deaths. According to one survivor, the constant talk of revolutionary suicide became boring and people raised their hands just so they could go sleep.

On Nov. 18, 1978, a deadly chain of events was set in motion. U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan (D-San Mateo)  whod flown down to investigate claims that residents were being held against their will  was leaving Jonestown with a group of unhappy residents when they were ambushed by Jones henchmen. The congressman, three reporters and a fleeing resident were killed. Before the news of Jonestowns failure became public, Jones ordered the death of his people. Surrounded by armed guards, residents were given a choice: They could die by bullet or they could die by poison. Life was never an option.

Jones recorded the event for posterity. The Death Tape is a harrowing, heart-rending listen, easily found online. Jones stopped and started the recording more than 30 times, editing out protestations. His final sentence is a grotesque lie: We didnt commit suicide; we committed an act of revolutionary suicide protesting the conditions of an inhumane world. The screams in the background tell the real story.

Jones victims dreamed of a better, more equitable world  a dream many of us share today. But instead of being remembered for their ideals, they are derided as freaks. These people who harbored such hope, and were so cruelly betrayed, deserve better.

It wasnt until 2011  32 years after they were murdered  that Jones victims were finally honored with a plaque listing their names at the mass grave in Evergreen Cemetery. Its a small step toward restoring their humanity.

Julia Scheeres is the author of A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Jonestown. She wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.
Welcome to this years Gifts that Give Back Guide! For the last six years, I have gathered up my favorite gift ideas from small businesses who give back to communities around the world.

Each year I am overwhelmed by the creative, beautiful, and innovative products I find. When you shop from these businesses you get more than a unique gift for a loved one. Your dollars also support people around the worldsurvivors of human trafficking, women refugees, transitioning homeless, and children in underprivileged neighborhoods.

As always, Ive tried to spotlight some new organizations this year, but Im also never able to include all of the incredible organization and social enterprises I find. If youre looking for even more ideas, please check out the Gifts that Give Back Guides from 2017, 2016, and 2015 or scroll through my Gifts That Give Back Pinterest Board for inspiration!

Ive picked a few of my favorite products from each business, but I hope youll take the time to explore each of their websites. Be inspired, be encouraged, and gift with purpose this season! I hope you enjoy picking out gifts for every special person on your list this year!

Ten Thousand Villages partners with artisans around the world, providing faith trade wages with every purchase of their variety of jewelry, accessories, clothing, and home goods.

My pick: Marble and Wood Cutting Board ($34.99)- This is how I feel fancy when I eat meat and cheese for lunch. This lidded basket would be perfect for a hamper or toy storage!

Hand in Hand Every purchase of Hand in Hands sustainable soaps, lotions, scrubs, and sanitizers help provide soap and clean water to communities in Haiti.

My pick: Clean Hands Set ($24.99)- Might as well treat ourselves while were doing all this hand washing, right? These hand soaps keep your skin nourished while washing away germs. Plus, they come in beautiful, recyclable aluminum bottles, with fun scents like Rosemary Lemon and Island Mimosa. This would be a great set to break up and use for stocking stuffers! Want to treat someone? Try one of their Sugar Scrubs (12.99).

Every purchase from House of Light Goods supports empowered employment for single mothers and provides a safe, supportive environment for vulnerable children in Primo Tapia, Mexico.

My pick: This Loreto Navajo Blanket ($75) looks like the ultimate campfire blanket. The Alegria Scarf is also speaking to me.

Adelisa & Co. is known for their handmade leather shoes and macrame goods, all of which are ethically made by Nicaraguan artisans. Every purchase helps support a fair wage and lasting change for families in Nicaragua.

My pick: Macrame Hammock Swing Chair ($120) This indoor or outdoor childrens swing chair would be the perfect addition to a cozy reading nook. Im also obsessed with these adorable leather Mary Janes ($66) (they make them in adult and kid sizes!).

Treetops Collective is a Michigan based organization committed to welcoming women refugees. They use creativity and asset based community development to help women heal, develop their skills, and establish a strong social fabric. Theyre fostering cross-cultural relationships and helping change the narrative around refugees in our communities. This is good-neighbor work at its core, and I am 100% here for it.

My pick: We Are the Women Weve Been Waiting For Tote ($20)- This tote was made to carry library books. Im also in LOVE with this Good Neighbor in Training Onesie ($18).

Handmade Palestine supports Palestinian artisans, cooperatives, and designers struggling to make ends meet under military occupation. Every purchase helps local artists make a fair trade wage and support their families.

My pick: These gorgeous botanical watercolor prints ($9.95) would be lovely in any room of the house. I also love these olive wood kitchen spatulas ($12.95), and the woven strap cross body bag ($66).

Hands Producing Hopes line of jewelry, apparel, wall hangings, and baskets are all ethically made, and provide dignified work, education, and hope for women and families in Costa Rica and Rwanda.

My Pick: I love a classic, neutral necklace that can be dressed up or down, and this Radiance Necklace ($56) definitely fits the bill! The Honey Pocket Swing Dress ($56) also looks so comfy and cute. I could see myself wearing this one year round!

Justea offers artisanal teas from Kenya, including oolong, black, green, and even purple! Theyre committed to building relationships with every tea farmer, providing living wages, and keeping profits within local communities.

My pick: I cant wait to sample the Purple Tea Trio ($15.99), which has more antioxidants and less caffeine than green tea. Plus, purple chocolate tea? Yes, please.

Humble Hilo has a gorgeous collection of Guatemalan textiles, including bags, dresses, sandals, pillows, and more. With each purchase, you can choose to support one of their three missions: child nutrition, education, and microfinance for women.

My pick: The Hilo Hip Satchel ($55)- Umm, Im sorry, WHAT? Do I like fanny packs? I think I do. This hip satchel is so cute, and can also be worn as a cross body. This would be PERFECT for travel. I wish I had known about this Hilo Dress when I was pregnant! It looks like the ultimate cute postpartum wear.

Every baby swaddle purchased from Mama Maya provides a clean birthing kit to a woman in a developing country.

My pick: Spot Swaddle Is there anything better than a swaddled baby? These 100% organic cotton muslin swaddles are gender neutral and come in a cute carry case.

Bitty & Beaus Coffee is a radically inclusive coffee shop that employs 120 people with disabilities. I cry every time I read about Bitty & Beaus story. They are doing beautiful, meaningful workchanging the way people see, value, respect, include, and love other people.

My pick: The #NotBroken tee ($25). What an incredible message and great conversation starter. A bag of Beaus blend would be a great gift for the coffee lover in your life.

Cheekbone Beauty is an indigenous owned beauty company known for their high quality, cruelty free beauty products. They are committed to creating less waste, supporting indigenous use, and limiting their profitability by donating to a variety of organizations and causes.

My Pick: Holiday Gold Glitter Beauty Kit ($70)- Want to treat someone to a little sparkle? This would be the perfect way to glam up for the holidays.

Imagine Goods is founded on the belief that when we buy a product, the cost of the item should be able to sustain every person connected to it with a living wage. YES. I am smitten with their line of skirts (I have one of their wrap skirts, and its wonderful), dresses, and aprons, and they also have the cutest baby clothes!

My Pick: The Sheer Duster ($48) would fit seamlessly into my look-classy-while-being-ultra-comfy plan, and IT HAS POCKETS. I also love this Wristlet Gift Bag for Nurses ($30). Your nurse friends definitely deserve this thoughtful care package.

Krochet Kids Year after year I come back to Krochet Kids. Their line of clothing, bags, and accessories is so cute and cozy, and I cant get enough of their mission. Krochet Kids provides life-changing job opportunities to women throughout the world. I also LOVE that they have apparel and accessories for men, women, AND children on their site!

My Pick: Kids Fox Hat ($28) I might literally die of cuteness if my child put this on. They also have adorable stuffed animals (see this knit alpaca ($35)), and I can personally vouch for the quality of their slouchy 5207.7 beanie ($24).

Root Collective makes gorgeous leather shoes and bags. They partner with small workshops in Guatemala City and Pastores and ensure all of their shoemakers are paid above and beyond fair trade wages.

My pick: Lili Mule in Olive Leather ($148)- These boots immediately caught my eye. I love the design, and theyd compliment almost any outfit.

Preemptive Love Coalitions Mission is one that is near and dear to my heart. They show up on the front lines of some of the worlds most violent conflicts and provide emergency relief, job opportunities, and community rebuilding. They have a range of refugee-made soaps, candles, and knit animals in their shop, as well as apparel.

My Pick: This Love Anywhere Sweatshirt is what I reach for on cold, gray days. Its ultra soft and cozy, and I love the inspiring and challenging message. Other favorites? The Sisterhood Peace Doll (stitched by a community of Israeli and Palestinian women working together for peace), and the Kinsman Charcoal Soap ($10) made in Iraq by men displaced by war.

Sseko designs beautiful bags, jewelry, and apparel. Every purchase supports employment for women in Uganda as well as college scholarships for continued education.

My Pick: Brave Drop Earrings ($25) look elegant on their own, but can also be paired with one of their many Brave Charms for customized looks!

Hons Honey Based in Baltimore, MD, Hons Honey provides dignified work to women at risk of addiction, poverty, human trafficking, and abuse. Their products include raw honey, candles, soap, body scrubs, and beard salves.

My pick: Healin Ointment ($15)- This natural ointment can be used to soothe cuts, scrapes, sunburns, rashes and even bug bites! This looks like the perfect gift for a new mom! These Beeswax Candles are also gorgeous and would look stunning on a holiday table.

Tegu makes simple, beautiful magnetic blocks for kids. Every purchase helps create stable jobs in Honduras, improving the livelihoods of not only the 200 employees that work at their factory but also the 361 family members that rely on them.

My Pick: Tegus Classic Set ($68) of blocks really cant be beat for hours of open ended fun. We keep this pocket pouch ($30) in the diaper bag. Its perfect for long car rides or restaurants!

Thistle Farms is a social enterprise providing safe housing, employment opportunities, and a supportive community to women in recovery from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction. Their website says it best: Together, we rise up against systems that commoditize, criminalize, and abuse women. They have a large collection of essential oils, beauty products, candles, home goods, scarves, and accessories.

My pick: I couldnt forget about stocking stuffers, and this Lip Balm ($3.60) is PERFECT for cold winters. I also love their seasonally scented candles ($32).

Note: All pictures are courtesy of the individual website. They retain all rights.
Sensation prevails after a bus, which was carrying 40 people including college students for a picnic party from Rowta to Bagamati, gutted at Ambarishnagar along the India-Bhutan border in Baksa district on Saturday.

The incident took place at about 10 am.

According to information, at least 40 people including students, teachers and others from Serega Foundation Junior Academy of Rowta under Darrang district, narrowly escaped from a major tragedy when the bus in which they were coming from Rowta to Bagamati, a picnic spot along the Indo-Bhutan border under Baksa district, caught fire due to technical disorder.

However, at least five students namely Neha Daimary (17), Sewali Daimary (18), Jintu Daimary(18), Sadarsha Brahma(17), Emanuel Daimary (17) and a teacher of the institute, Ajanti Basumatary (30), received injuries in the incident and they were admitted to the Naokata State Dispensary.

After providing primary treatment they were released.

According to eye witnesses, the students came to Bagamati along the Indo-Bhutan border for enjoying a picnic party. Suddenly fire caught the bus at the turning of Ambarish Nagar near the picnic spot. Panic prevailed among the students when the fire and black smoke covered the entire bus.

The students ran away from the bus. The locals also rushed to the spot hearing the hue and cry of the students and saved the lives of the students, teachers and others.

Fire tender which came from Goreswar doused the fire with the help of locals.

All the goods and food materials were burnt to ashes and the students went back home with broken hearts.
A 14-year-old girl, who went missing from her residence in Dimakuchi along the Indo-Bhutan border in Udalguri district was rescued within 24 hours from Tezpur in Sonitpur district.

According to reports, a youth identified as 21-year-old Ajesh Kumar, a resident of Orangajuli Tea Estate in Udalguri eloped with the minor girl on pretext of marrying her following which the family of the minor informed activists of the All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU) and the All Adivasi Students Union of Assam (AASAA).

In the meantime, the family members of the minor girl also lodged a missing report with Dimakuchi Police.

The police in co-ordination with the students body members based on inputs apprehended the youth and rescued the minor girl from Lokhra area of Tezpur.

Based on an FIR lodged by the minor girls family members on Friday, Dimakuchi police arrested the youth vide Dimakuchi PS case no.110/18 under the Indian Penal Code 366.

The police also produced the youth before the court which forwarded him to the judicial custody.
Opposition leader of Assam Debabrata Saikia on Saturday asked media to question PM Narenda Modi about his educational qualification first before questioning the candidates of the panchayat elections.

Before questioning the candidates to test their merits, media should question the Indian PM about his qualification. We all know that the PM had forged his educational documents, Saikia said.

Moreover, lashing out at Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his statement that Congress and ULFA (I) have same characteristics, Saikia questioned, How dare he (Sarma) compares Congress with ULFA (I) saying that both follow dynasty politics?

Saikia claimed, Congress always respects unanimous decision of the party workers. It is not dynasty politics.

Speaking about the deteriorated law and order situation in the state, Saikia said, The saffron party has been working with vested interests. It does not bother for the interest of the indigenous people of the state.

The BJP has ruined the panchayati raj system in the state. It did not release the funds to the panchayats. We have not observed any development in the panchayats of the state. People are still using partly damaged bamboo bridges in village areas. In many parts of the state ambulances cannot move due to the poor road condition, Saikia said.

Saikia also slammed BJP for its failure to curb corruption.

Congress had taken strict action against corruption related cases during its rule. But the BJPs much hyped gimmick of zero tolerance against corruption has failed. The party has failed to fulfill its promise to make the nation corruption-free, Saikia added.

Moreover, Saikia said the people of the state would give mandate in the panchayat election against the misrule of BJP.

BJP will come to know in the panchayat elections that people are not fool. They observe, analyse and choose, Saikia said.
Analyst: Iran's accession to EEU will create serious counterbalance to Turkey and strengthen Armenia's positions

Armenia FM holds phone talks with Iranian counterpart

Firefighters put out fire in Range Rover Sport near night club in Yerevan

Putin discusses current situation in Karabakh during phone talks with European Council President

Armenia's Liberation Movement holding march after rally, calling on citizens to join

Greek City Times: Azeri military captured the historic Armenian city of Shushi

Georgia says it's not considering possibility of joining '3+3' regional format

Union of Armenia National Security Service's Reserve Officers in favor of fulfillment of Liberation Movement's demands

Armenia, Russia FMs hold phone talks

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of another serviceman found in Mataghis

Armenia's ex-Ambassador to Iran appointed Advisor to PM

Armenia's Pashinyan receives Russia Deputy PM, unblocking of communications discussed

Armenia FM presents situation created after Azerbaijani aggression during phone talks with Tajik counterpart

Armenia convict dies from COVID-19 at medical center

Armenia Syunik Province's community heads: Nikol Pashinyan said there won't be corridor

NEWS.am daily digest: 24.11.21

Newly appointed Ambassador of Germany to Armenia presents credentials to Armen Sarkissian

Armenia Armavir Province governor sacked

Armenia MOD: Conscript's body found at combat position, with lethal firearm injury in head area

US has invited 110 countries to Summit for Democracy in December, including Armenia

Requiem Service for Armenian statesman Vano Siradeghyan to be held on Dec. 3

Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker meets with Argentina Ambassador

Armenia FM presents situation created as a result of Azerbaijan's aggression to Germany's new Ambassador

Armenia PM receives community heads of Syunik Province

Armenia ex-deputy economy minister appointed member of Eurasian Economic Commission's Advisory Board

Exchange rates in Armenia

Another plane heads to Baku through Armenian airspace

Ambassador: Armenia may play major role in development of Iran-Eurasian Economic Union cooperation

Details of Overchuk-Aliyev meeting reported

3 children hospitalized in Yerevan with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

UAE-Iran-Turkey corridor to officially start functioning after visit of Emirates officials to Tehran

Sweden elected a female PM for the 1st time in history

Konstantin Ishkhanov: EUFSC determined to continue presenting very best in classical music

Trade Representative of Russia in Armenia: Eurasian Union and Iran are interested in using North-South direction

Human Rights Watch calls on Poland to end violence against migrants

Apple confirms: Eavesdropping is carried out by Pegasus spy program in Armenia

WTI crude oil prices rise by close of trading in US

COVID-19 in Armenia: 28 new deaths

Policemen apprehend protesters who close Yerevan subway entrances

Apple suspends sales of devices in Turkey due to collapse of local currency

Court session kicks off as Serzh Sargsyan sues Khachatur Sukiasyan

Russian peacekeepers clear nearly 2 hectares of land in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian PM: Remains of Vano Siradeghyan will be transferred to Armenia soon

Armenian PM: 40-45 square kilometer territories of Armenia under Azerbaijani control after Azerbaijan's May 12 attack

Armenia premier says what the heaviest blow was during his term of office, adds that it's not the defeat in the war

Armenia PM: I had planned to deliver a message on circumstances of war and negotiations on Nov. 9

PM: Armenia decides road through which communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan will be ensured

Armenia PM: Karabakh conflict settlement and unblocking of communications shouldn't be discussed in '3+3' format

Pashinyan fails to clearly state whether Armenia applied to Russia and CSTO in writing in regard to Nov. 16 attack

Armenia PM: Azerbaijan is trying to turn the region into a jungle

Pashinyan: Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other's territorial integrity when they acceded to CIS in 1991

Pashinyan: If government of Armenia was a giver, there wouldn't be shootings

Armenia PM: 32 servicemen were captured on Nov. 16, according to unverified information

PM: It's the first time that direct communication is established between Armenian and Azerbaijani defense ministers

Armenian premier: Armenia will not give in to that policy of blackmail

Armenia PM answers question about online meeting with Azerbaijani leader on Nov. 9

Armenia PM on upcoming meetings with Azerbaijan President in Brussels and Sochi

Azerbaijani plane flies from Nakhchivan to Baku through Armenia's airspace (PHOTOS)

Armenia PM is giving a press conference

Armenian demining experts demine 2,000,000 square meters of territory in Damascus along with UNMAS

Armenia opposition movement holding march in Yerevan, calling on citizens to join

NEWS.am daily digest: 23.11.21

Russian analyst: Karabakh's regions under Azerbaijan's control are becoming a serious problem for Aliyev

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan intends to create terrorists training centers in Karabakhs territories

Iran and Georgia hold talks on creation of Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor

Israeli FM demands Turkey to close offices of Hamas movement

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

Karabakh National Security Service: Citizen gets lost, in territory under Azerbaijani control, taken into custody

ECHR awards  5,000 each to judges detained in Turkey after 2016 putsch

American Center of US Embassy in Yerevan sends more than 5,000 Armenian library items to United States

Iranian Ambassador to Turkey: Iran supports '3+3' regional format

Azerbaijan MOD thanks Turkish ASELSAN's CEO for equipment used during war against Karabakh

Armenia MOD receives Russia Ambassador and embassy's Defense Attache

MFA: Armenia has informed Moscow about its willingness to normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions

UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues calls US a nation of paradoxes

Armenian parliamentary commission honors memory of soldier who died yesterday

Alen Simonyan briefs Gerard Larcher over continuing aggressive behavior of Azerbaijan

China and Russia are discussing details of Putin's possible visit to Beijing Olympics

Yerevan court rejects motion to apply to Constitutional Court due to lack of procedures for overcoming MP's immunity

Criminal case initiated into death of Armenian soldier

Employee of Norabak village council on exchange of fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan, issue of wounded soldiers

Russian peacekeepers donate humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh

Coronavirus in Armenia: 48 new deaths

116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan

Armenian soldier who died in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province was Yezdi by nationality, was in army for a year

Taliban want to establish 'fraternal' ties with Turkey

Letter addressed to UN Security Council President about Azerbaijani attack published as SC official document

Armenia, India to end process of mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates soon

Syrian mercenaries who fought on Azerbaijani side during 44-day war complaining about not having received 'salaries'

Armenia Ombudsman: Videos about captured Armenian servicemen being explored, translated from Azerbaijani and identified

Armenia National Academy of Sciences Physiology Institute wins Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's grant

Armenian MFA on news about Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting

Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker receives ARF-D Lebanon Central Committee member Hagop Pakradouni

Armenia MOD: Conscript dies after Azerbaijani soldier's gunshot fired in Gegharkunik Province

Did the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan speak about 'the liberated territories'?

Armenia PM appoints new head of Vedi village
VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

PSF President and CEO Dr. Brian Riddell's statement:

Wild salmon and those of us who care deeply about them got some great news in federal Finance Minister Bill Morneaus Fall Economic Update. We were delighted to hear Minister Morneau announce major new investments to sustain Canadas fish stocks. The creation of a British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund  an investment of $105 million over six years - will include a $5 million contribution to the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund (PSEF) in 2018-19. PSEF plays a vital role by investing in the ongoing work of the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) and our hundreds of non-profit partners that work in communities across British Columbia to conserve wild salmon. We were also delighted to learn that significant new investments will be made in stock assessment as part of the new fisheries act. PSF has highlighted for many years the need for improved collection and analysis and sharing of data on salmon stocks - particularly critical are Chinook, coho, sockeye and steelhead stocks that have been in serious decline for many years. PSF and our partners, including DFO, have focused significant resources on improving science and data collection in recent years and it is extremely heartening to see new dollars announced on this front. On behalf of PSF, I commend Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government for investments during the last three years that benefit Pacific salmon through renewed support for Fisheries and Oceans Canada but especially for those that help enable the success of non-profits like the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund and Pacific Salmon Foundation. Minister Morneau rightly noted, that the best solutions for Canada's big challenges come from Canadians themselves. On behalf of the thousands of volunteers and donors to PSF and in the broader Salmon Community, we agree and say thank you!







For interviews, contact:

Elayne Sun

Manager, Communications and Marketing

Pacific Salmon Foundation

Cell: 604  340 -6940

Email: esun@psf.ca



About the Pacific Salmon Foundation
Posted by Larry Edsall | December 19, 2012



Photo Illustration by J&Z Priddy

I was driving into Los Angeles recently and within a half- mile stretch of Interstate 10 I passed an aged but nicely preserved Chevrolet El Camino and then a Dodge Magnum, the Hemi-powered wagon of much more recent vintage.

For some reason, the vehicles' images merged within my mind's eye and I thought it'd be cool to turn a Magnum into a modern-day El Camino.

Yes, I know I'm mixing manufacturer metaphors. We can't turn a Chrysler into a Chevrolet; though the Magnum's Hemi V-8 would give Chevy's small block a run for its money.

Speaking of modernizing the El Camino, I'd argue that such a vehicle would need four doors, not just two. After all, roughly 60 percent of all full-size pickup trucks sold in the U.S. have crew-cab passenger compartments. Why should people who want a car-based pickup be restricted to just two doors or to only two occupants? Why not a four-door vehicle with a bed in the back for those times when you need to cart a dirt bike or to bring home a big, new flat screen?

I know I cannot be the only one who thinks a car-based pickup remains a good and even marketable idea. After all, Aussies buy thousands of such "utes" each model year, and it's not unusual to see nicely preserved El Caminos on American highways because they are so cherished by their owners (and coveted by the rest of us).

Instead of building a modern El Camino from a coupe, why not a station wagon, which presumably already has more stout structure and suspension at its rear?

So, we start with a Magnum and:

Fabricate a bulkhead behind the second row.

Modify the backlight section of the rear lift gate to enclose the refined passenger compartment.

Remove the rear roof section and D-pillars.

Create inner linings and a floor for the pickup bed.

Modify the bottom section of the lift gate so it becomes a pickup-style tailgate.

(If you're really talented or can afford it, you can create a long-bed version by extending the wagon's rear quarter panels.)

Voila! A four-door El Camino. Or in the case of the Dodge Magnum, let's call it a Dodge Maximum.

Of course, the Magnum isn't the only modern wagon we could consider ripe for such modification (and you can speculate on others in the comments below), though at the moment it seems the most logical since it was built with performance in mind, including an SRT8 version with 425 horsepower that could get you to 60 mph in just a tick more than five seconds and to more than 100 mph by the time you lit the lights at the end of a drag strip.

Another plus for the Magnum is that it no longer is in production, thus you don't have to pay new-car prices for something you're going to chop apart anyway.

Of course, if you want to buy something even hotter and are willing to fork over whatever figure your local dealership demands, there's always the square-back version of the 556-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V.
The Hill

A pregnant woman in Florida died after a heated and violent interaction with a motorcyclist on the road Saturday. Sara Nicole Morales allegedly intentionally hit motorcyclist Andrew Derr in her car, the Orange City Police Department said, according to a statement on posted to Facebook.Derr was not injured, and he and other witnesses followed Morales after she started to drive away, according to authorities. The police said Morales drove to her...
Washington, DC, Nov. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Recall Release

CLASS I RECALL

HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs

Felicia Thompson (202) 720-9113

Press@fsis.usda.gov

FSIS-RC-117-2018

CHUNWEI, INC. RECALLS MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS DUE TO MISBRANDING AND UNDECLARED ALLERGENS AND MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2018  Chunwei, Inc., a Huntington Park, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 65,023 pounds of various ready-to-eat and raw meat and poultry products because the products are misbranded and may contain soy, wheat, dairy, egg, and sesame, known allergens, as well as monosodium glutamate (MSG), which are not declared on the finished product label, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products were produced on various dates from Nov. 16, 2017 through Nov. 19, 2018. The following products are subject to recall and can be found here.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number EST. P-8110 or EST. 8110 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a distributor and to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered by FSIS Inspection Program Personnel while conducting a routine label verification task.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be consumers refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that recalling firms are notifying their customers of the recall and that actions are being taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Yibin Huang, Owner of Chunwei, Inc., at Yibin.Huang@chunweius.com or at (626) 278-8199.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

###

NOTE: Access news releases and other information at FSIS website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Follow FSIS on Twitter at twitter.com/usdafoodsafety or in Spanish at: twitter.com/usdafoodsafe_es.

USDA RECALL CLASSIFICATIONS

Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.

Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).





Product Chart:


A Chinese novelist was sentenced to a decade in prison for writing and distributing homoerotic novels.

The female writer, commonly known by her internet pseudonym Tianyi, was arrested in 2017 following the success of her novel "Occupy".

Apparently the genre called "boys love" is really popular in China, and some even get turned into movies, but most authors only hint at the romance because of China's strict anti-pornography laws. If authors write more explicit stuff, they risk the government coming after them. But how did this author end up getting TEN years?! According to one lawyer, "

When the number of copies exceeds 5,000, the case is deemed as a severe one. So the 10-year imprisonment is based on that." another lawyer said,

"If judges think content related to homosexuality and indecency has a baneful impact on the society, they might choose a heavy sentence within the legal range."

From the source: "

Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, and was removed from the official list of mental illnesses a few years later. Activists and experts, however, have long argued that prejudices and discrimination -- as well as periodic government crackdowns -- persist."






This week Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that this administration is working toward establishing a natural gas trading exchange as part of a larger effort to relieve the rapidly developing nations reliance on crude oil and its byproducts. A large motivator for the desired shift away from oil is the countrys ever worsening pollution problem.

At a New Delhi ceremony for the laying of a foundation stone for the development of city gas distribution (CGD) networks, Prime Minister Modi said that his government wants to increase the use of natural gas by 2.5 times by the end of next decade." The plan is already getting underway with the construction of CGD networks in 129 districts auctioned so far.

The CGD networks underway are just one facet of Indias move to develop a transparent natural gas market. The price of gas would be determined on an exchange, with the intention of promoting a significant increase in the use of natural gas in the subcontinents total energy mix. The amount of natural gas in the current blend is just 6.5 percent, and Modis administration aims to raise the natural gas content to 15 percent between 2028 and 2030.

The Indian government has not yet disclosed the price tag for making this significant switch away from crude and toward natural gas. That being said, analysts have consistently said that using natural gas as fuel for vehicles and households alike is markedly less expensive than LPG, and considerably cleaner than petrol or diesel, a majorly important factor in the smog-choked country with an exponentially expanding middle class. As more people with buying power enter the market with the desire and the means to buy vehicles and power their homes, the importance of clean energy only becomes more dire. Related: JP Morgan Cuts Its Oil Price Outlook For 2019

That being said, not everyone is supportive of the move toward piped gas. The public is already accustomed to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and has little desire to change their habits, and the country has a long way to go toward building all the necessary infrastructure for refueling natural gas. In addition to the lack of transparency as to the cost of the project, there is also a fair amount of concern about how long the country will take to install the much-needed infrastructure. Its projected that this component will take as much as three years.

Another major factor of change in Indias energy industry at the moment is the projected decline of the nations traditional offshore assets over the next ten years. This will be offset by the planned deepwater and ultra-deepwater projects set for development in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin at the Bay of Bengal, but these projects will also be a major boon to Modis desired shift toward natural gas. The upcoming projects in the KG basin are, according to oil and gas analyst GlobalData, anticipated to meet the rapidly growing energy demand - natural gas especially - in India, in addition to reducing the nations dependence on imports by as much as 10 percent by 2023.

According to Prime Minister Modi, India has already begun the bidding process for what is now the tenth round of CGD, expanding the coverage to 400 districts (a whopping 70 percent of the country's total population) over the next two to three years. In addition, India is pouring 130 billion rupees (nearly $2 billion U.S. dollars) into constructing a pipeline to eastern India. This is a necessary development, as the east is the site of latent gas demand that has not yet been exploited thanks to the non-existent infrastructure (until now). This pipeline network, paired with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals currently being developed on Indias east coast and the massive CGD network project, are expected to work together to significantly increase natural gas consumption in the Indian subcontinent.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Anti-government protesters clashed with French police on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Saturday, leaving the area cloaked in tear gas and smoke from fires on a fresh day of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron. Demonstrators wearing the yellow, high-visibility vests that symbolise their movement threw projectiles at police preventing them from moving along the famed shopping avenue, which was decked out in twinkling Christmas lights. They also built barricades in some spots, and tore down traffic lights and street signs, creating riotous scenes reminiscent of France's 1968 civil unrest, or street insurrections in the mid-19th century immortalised in paintings and movies. Police arrested 130 people, 69 of those in Paris, and 24 people were injured, five of them police officers including one who suffered burns to his groin, the city police department and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said. Elsewhere, protesters took over highway toll booths to let traffic pass for free, or held go-slow vehicle processions, underlining one of their core complaints of escalating taxes on car fuel, especially diesel. Macron, targeted by protesters' calls that he resign, took to Twitter to thank police. "Shame" on those who assaulted or intimidated citizens, journalists and politicians, Macron said. "There is no place for violence in the (French) Republic." Calm returned to the streets of the capital after midnight on Saturday, with the Champs-Elysees reopening to traffic. The clean-up operation also got under way as garbage trucks were deployed and workers removed barricades along the famous avenue. - Smaller than a week ago - The violence was on a smaller scale than a week ago when the "yellow vest" movement staged its first nationwide protest. "We're not here to beat up cops. We came because we want the government to hear us," said one protest spokeswoman, Laetitia Dewalle, 37, adding that the largely spontaneous movement denounced "violence by pseudo-protesters" on the fringes. "We have just demonstrated peacefully, and we were teargassed," said Christophe, 49, who travelled from the Isere region in eastern France with his wife to protest in the capital. The interior ministry counted 106,000 protesters across France on Saturday, with 8,000 in Paris, of whom around 5,000 were on the Champs-Elysees. That was far less than the national tally of 282,000 in the November 17 protests. Castaner said after the tumult died down that damage on the Champs-Elysees was "small". The French government cast blame for the unruly protests on far-right politician Marine Le Pen, claiming she egged them on. But Le Pen rejected that accusation saying she had "never called for any violence whatsoever" and in turn accused the government of "organising the tension" and seeking to make her a scapegoat. Meanwhile, opposition parties on both the right and left accused the government of trying to reduce the protests to just the sporadic scenes of violence, and turning a deaf ear to the demonstrators' grievances. Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the radical left France Unbowed party who attended a separate march Saturday protesting violence against women, tweeted that the action on the streets was "a mass protest of the people" which signalled "the end for Castaner". - Rural frustrations - A week ago, two people died and over 750 people, including 136 police officers, were injured in sometimes violent demonstrations that have shone a light on frustrations in many rural areas and small towns of France. The "yellow vests" hail overwhelmingly from non-urban areas of France. They feel overlooked and penalised by policies they see as being pushed through by elitist politicians in Paris. Former investment banker Macron was elected on a pledge to put more money in workers' pockets. But the effects of his pro-business reforms on unemployment and purchasing power have been limited so far. Many of the often low-income "yellow vest" protesters are particularly incensed at his decision to hike anti-pollution taxes on diesel, while scrapping a wealth tax on the rich. "I'm not just fighting against the price of fuel. It's about tax, what we pay," protester Catherine Marguier told AFP near the village of La Gravelle in northwest France. Meanwhile, in a separate protest in the southern city of Marseille, police fired teargas at bottle-throwing demonstrators upset by the "gentrification" renovation work on the town's biggest square. Around 1,200 demonstrators took part and two were arrested. - 'Gap between rich and poor' - Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries. Citizens still pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP, and fuel-price protests are a common modern occurrence. Previous rounds pitting the government against drivers took place in 1995, 2000, 2004, and 2008, often when tax increases coincided with high oil prices -- as they have this year. A poll by the Odoxa research group for Le Figaro newspaper this week found that 77 percent of respondents described it as "justified".
Rhino horns are highly coveted in Asia, where they have fetched up to $60,000 per kilogram

Sotheby's on Saturday became the latest international auction house to end the sale of rhino horn artefacts, withdrawing antique lots from an upcoming event in Hong Kong following an outcry from environmental groups.

The auction house had been due to put three lots of rhinoceros horn under the hammer at a sale next week.

"The company will no longer offer rhino horn artefacts in the future," Nicolas Chow, chairman of Sotheby's Asia confirmed in a statement.

"Sotheby's deplores any illegal slaughter and trading of endangered wildlife, and strongly supports conservation efforts from the global community," he added.

The decision comes after Bonhams cancelled its sale in Hong Kong of 21 lots of rhino horn carvings, valued at $3.87 million according to Humane Society International, following mounting pressure.

"In future, Bonhams will not offer artefacts made entirely or partly from rhinoceros horn in its salerooms," Bonhams global CEO Matthew Girling said in a statement.

The decision came after thirty-seven wildlife conservation organisations including WildAid wrote to the company demanding it cancel the auction and stop future sales.

An online petition describing the Bonhams sale as unethical had been signed by more than 10,000 people.

"We congratulate Bonhams on its wise decision to stop selling rhino horn items. The rhino will only survive if the trade in their horns, in whatever form, is stopped," said John Baker, managing director of WildAid.

Christie's had already banned rhino horn items at its auctions.

Environmental groups warned even a small uptick in demand for trading in antique rhino horns, as well as pseudo-antique horns, would push rhinos closer to extinction.

South Africa, which is home to about 80 percent of the world rhino population, has been hit hardest by poachers. More than 7,100 animals have been killed over the past decade.

Rhino horns are highly coveted in Asia, where they have fetched up to $60,000 per kilogram.

In 2017, South Africa hosted its first online auction of rhino horn, following the lifting of the ban on domestic trade. The auction attracted fewer bidders than anticipated.

 2018 AFP
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.


Russian sanctions: why isolation is impossible



The US-led measures were designed to ostracise Putin, but the rhetoric has not matched reality as Moscow sells arms and builds alliances



Henry Foy in Moscow





 FT montage / AFP





It fires missiles that travel at 2km per second and can hit targets flying twice as fast. It can target 80 different enemy aircraft, drones and cruise missiles at the same time from 400km away, and spot stealth warplanes that previously evaded detection.



But arguably the most dangerous aspect of Russias S-400 Triumph missile defence system is the damage it has inflicted on the clout of Washingtons anti-Moscow sanctions programme, and concerted efforts by the US to isolate Russia from the rest of the world.



Despite sweeping sanctions against Russias defence industry to shut down its lucrative exports and a ban on other countries buying the S-400 specifically, Russia is doing a roaring trade in what most experts consider the worlds most advanced air defence system.



Over the past year, Turkey and India have signed deals to buy S-400s, China has received its first deliveries, and Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq have begun negotiations over deals to acquire the sanctioned systems.



If the wests sanctions regime, first introduced in March 2014, was designed to cut off Moscow from the rest of the world and isolate its critical industries, the truck-mounted missile launchers are a $400m-a-piece example of how that effort has failed.





Turkey and India have signed deals to buy Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft missile launcher  AFP





There is no question about the isolation of Russia. Nobody is even talking about it, says Andrei Frolov, editor-in-chief of Russias Arms Export journal. There are major breakthroughs thanks to China and India . . . the message is that Russia is still open for business.



Since 2014 and Russias annexation of Crimea, a sanctions regime led by the US and supported by the UK, EU and other western allies has sought to isolate Moscow by curbing its access to external finance, trade and diplomatic support in an effort to force a change in political approach from President Vladimir Putins administration.



Initially targeting Russian politicians, the countrys vast energy sector and military-industrial complex, the sanctions have become ever more targeted against individuals and businesses.



Allegations against Moscow of meddling in the 2016 US election, allowing the use of chemical weapons in Syria and carrying out the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal in the UK this spring have resulted in harsher restrictions.



But if the measures were designed to make Moscow an international pariah, friendless and toxic, they are falling short of achieving their goal.



An ever-closer friendship with China has provided Moscow with international finance, new trade opportunities and diplomatic heft. Moscow has also deepened its ties with a host of countries in the Middle East, from Turkey to Israel, Saudi Arabia to Iran, expanding its influence in the region at a time of American hesitation.



At the same time, a steady stream of EU leaders visiting the Kremlin, foreign direct investment from European corporates and continued demand for Russias oil and gas exports belies the rhetoric of belligerence from Brussels.



Isolation is impossible, that is clear, says Andrei Bystritsky, chairman of the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian think-tank. It was possible, 30 years ago, in the Soviet times. Then there were just two blocs. But now there are so many options.







When it comes to Russian isolation, reality has not matched rhetoric. While major defence deals like the S-400 agreements have drawn the ire of Washington, all of the EUs biggest economies have quietly continued to do business with their eastern neighbour.



Berlin, a key supporter of sanctions related to the annexation of Crimea, steadfastly supports Nord Stream 2, a Russian gas pipeline being laid under the Baltic Sea that opponents say will only increase Moscows influence over Europes energy supplies.



French president Emmanuel Macron was Mr Putins special guest at the annual St Petersburg Economic Forum earlier this year, telling his host: Dear Vladimir . . . let us play a co-operative game. Total, the French energy group, bought a 10 per cent stake in Russias $25.5bn Arctic LNG 2 project soon after, and last month opened a new factory close to Moscow.



The UK is one of the most hawkish towards Moscow, but British energy group BP is one of Russias biggest foreign investors through its 19.75 per cent stake in Rosneft, the Kremlin-controlled oil company subject to sanctions.





US president Donald Trump, left, meets Russian president Vladimir Putin  Getty





Look at Total, piling in as much as it can. Look at BP, says a senior executive at a major international energy company. You cannot isolate a country as big and as important as Russia. It was never going to work.



At a conference in Verona last month, Italys deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini told Russian delegates they were peacemakers and urged Italian companies to find ways around EU sanctions. In 2018 we do not need sanctions, we do not need troops. We need dialogue, we need friendship, he said. I want to thank Italian businessmen . . . for resisting, for taking up the initiative with this.



Western diplomats in Moscow privately admit that the sanctions have failed to achieve the impact many of their governments had desired.



Some blame the staggered implementation that has largely allowed Russias $1.6tn economy to slowly adjust. Others argue that the recovery in oil and commodity prices since 2016 has provided the Kremlin with enough cash to offset the impact. But others claim that many countries have lacked the resolve to follow through with the measures, fearing the damage to their own companies.



Germanys Daimler is building a factory close to Moscow that will start producing Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans early next year. US aerospace giant Boeing opened a production plant in central Russia this summer to manufacture titanium components. Europe is buying more gas from Russia than at any time in history.



All the activity suggests that for company executives, Russia is too large and lucrative to let politics get in the way.



There is something vitally important in the role of businessmen and policymakers continuing a dialogue, Bob Dudley, BPs chief executive, said at the Verona conference. More and more there is a great importance that business plays in bringing the world closer. There are a lot of forces trying to push us apart.



Since sanctions were first imposed on Rosneft in 2014, BPs stake in the company has earned Rbs90.7bn ($1.3bn) in dividends, according to information on the Russian companys website. It is very difficult to remain in business for a long time by taking sides . . . we try to build bridges, Mr Dudley added.



Compared with 2014, Rosneft has doubled the amount of oil it produces from joint projects with foreign companies to 1.4m barrels a day, thanks to partnerships with Norwegian, Vietnamese and Indian groups.



I am convinced that the mutually beneficial win-win ties will continue to develop, while any further escalation of sanctions will ironically set limits for the US themselves, Rosnefts chief executive Igor Sechin, who is banned from entering the US, said in Verona.



The Kremlin has pushed heavily the line that Washingtons use of international sanctions against Moscow will only force third countries to distance themselves from the US.



It is pretty clear from where we sit that by trying to isolate Russia, America is doing a good job of isolating itself, says one Asian diplomat in Moscow who declined to be named. Even the Europeans are developing their own independent Russia policy.





BP CEO Bob Dudley: 'It is very difficult to remain in business for a long time by taking sides . . . we try to build bridges  Bloomberg





As western sanctions sought to close off Mr Putins diplomatic options, he struck out aggressively in new directions.



Moscows 2015 intervention in Syria to swing the war in favour of Bashar al-Assads regime, alongside a strengthened trade and diplomatic outreach to Turkey and a warming of historic ties to Israel and Iran, have made Mr Putin a powerbroker in the Middle East.



But it is Russias relationships with China and Saudi Arabia that have seen the most dramatic, and effective, changes in the sanctions era. Built on Mr Putins personal friendships with Chinas president Xi Jinping and Saudis crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Russia has leaned on Riyadh and Beijing for more than just S-400 sales.



Boosted by new oil supply deals, agriculture and defence shipments, trade with China accounted for 15.5 per cent of Russias total turnover last year, up from 10.6 per cent in 2013. At the same time, the EUs share fell from 49.6 per cent to 43.8 per cent.



In September, Mr Xi visited Mr Putin in the Russian city of Vladivostok, and over shots of vodka, caviar and handmade pancakes, toasted a friendship that they said would stand against US protectionism. As the two leaders talked, their armies took part in joint military exercises involving 300,000 troops, the largest in Russia since 1981.



With Saudi Arabia, too, the S-400 deal has come as part of a wider diplomatic and trade push. Moscow and Riyadh joined forces in 2016 to regulate oil production and drive up crude prices.



Saudi Aramco, the kingdoms state oil producer, is keen to follow Totals lead and buy a 30 per cent stake in the same gas project, and is also in talks to set up a petrochemicals plant with Russian company Sibur.













When western governments and executives boycotted a conference in Riyadh last month over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Russia publicly backed Prince Mohammed and sent a large delegation to the event. It was rewarded with a deal for the kingdoms sovereign wealth fund to join a joint Russia-China development fund.



Some analysts see Russias new friendships as window-dressing, and question whether they are the result of long-term strategy, or a desperate rush by the Kremlin to show the west that it still has friends.



One western diplomat in Moscow says that although historical distrust between Russia and China would mean the countries could never build a full geopolitical alliance, it is an easy way for both of them to gain some small advantages from each other and have a pop at the US.



It is a bit of both: pragmatism and strategy, says Arkady Dvorkovich, Russias deputy prime minister until May this year, when asked about Moscows relationship with China. It obviously makes sense at the moment for Russia given the western context but also in a long-term sense this is a relationship that we want to keep building for the future. They are the worlds most important growth market.



The pivot away from the west does not sit well with all of Russias elite.



Sanctions are slowly cutting off some of Russias clique of billionaire oligarchs from access to western countries and their banks, lawyers, schools and hospitals that have become part of their lifestyles. Three sanctioned businessmen have been banned from the elite World Economic Forum in Davos next January. Replacing the cachet and glamour of London is not easy.



The new partnerships are all well and good, but frankly the elite here are more comfortable in the south of France, not on some island in the South China Sea, says one sanctioned Russian businessman. A new world order is obviously better than the current one. But no one here is a big fan of the Chinese life.



Regardless of their impact, western sanctions will probably continue for the medium term, at least. The Democratic partys victory in the House of Representatives last week has increased the chance of passing draft legislation imposing more restrictions on Russian banks and sovereign debt.



Few expect that talks between Mr Putin and US president Donald Trump in Paris on Sunday and in Buenos Aires at the G20 summit later this month will ease the pressure on Russia. In Soviet times, after a meeting of the two leaders the situation always got better. Today it is the opposite, says Mr Bystritsky. In the next one or two years the situation will get worse and worse, I think.



Washington in September imposed sanctions on Chinas military for the S-400 purchases, prompting a fierce rebuke from Beijing. It also warned India, Saudi Arabia and Turkey that they too could face consequences for buying the systems.



Undeterred, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi welcomed Mr Putin in New Delhi last month with a hug, and the $5bn deal was signed.



We will continue to closely follow the trends of the global arms market, and to offer our partners new flexible, convenient forms of co-operation, Mr Putin told a meeting of his commission on foreign arms sales.



He added: This is all the more important in the current conditions, when our competitors often resort to unscrupulous methods of struggle: they try to crush and blackmail our customers, including through the use of political sanctions.
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Husband, in-laws arrested for dowry death as law student ends life in Kerala

I dont know what he will say about me if I die...I suffered a lot... at last, I was able to slap him once, had I not done that I would be doing wrong to my conscience. Suhail, his mother and his father are criminals. They must get maximum punishment."




TUSCALOOSA, Ala.  Alabama won a five-set thriller Friday night against Arkansas, coming back from a 2-1 match deficit to win on senior night.

Alabama (20-12, 7-11 SEC) won the opening set, 25-13, before Arkansas (11-17, 5-13 SEC) answered with a 25-20 win to even the match. The Razorbacks took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-23 win in the third before the Crimson Tide responded with a convincing 25-10 win to send it to a deciding fifth set. Alabama trailed at the mid-set switch but made a late push to win, 15-10, and claim the five-set victory.

Celebrating senior night, Quincey Gary tallied a career-best 33 digs, pushing her final career total to 1,485, which ranks third in UA history. Fellow senior Cidavia Hall finished with a career-best .706 hitting percentage, with 13 kills and just one error on 17 swings. Junior Alexa Tomlak , who will be earning her degree his year, got the Foster Auditorium crowd on its feet with a service ace in the very first rally of the match.

Three Tide players finished in double figures in kills, led by junior Ginger Perinar with 17, followed closely by sophomore Doris Carter with 14 and Hall with 13. Freshman Mylana Byrd paced the offense with a career-best 28 assists, with sophomore Meghan Neelon posting 26 assists and 15 digs for her ninth double-double.

Trailing 7-6 early in set one, Alabama scored four-straight to start a 9-3 run that put the Tide ahead 15-10 at the media timeout. Alabama led by the same margin four points later and then a long rally helped by some stellar back-row defense ended in a kill from Carter to put the Tide ahead 18-12 and Arkansas called a timeout. A 4-1 run further extended the lead to 22-13 before the Razorbacks' second timeout and Alabama closed it out with three unanswered points to win, 25-13.

The opening half of the second set was a back-and-forth affair, with five lead changes and 11 tie scores before Arkansas led by two at the media timeout, 15-13. Later tied at 16-16, the Razorbacks tallied three in a row before Alabama took a timeout trailing 19-16 and then spent its second soon after, down 22-17. The Tide answered back with three unanswered to draw within a pair, forcing Arkansas to call a timeout with its lead trimmed to 22-20. The Razorbacks ended the frame with three-straight to win, 25-20, and even the match at 1-1.

Alabama rebounded quickly after the set loss, starting the third on a 5-1 run. After increasing its lead to five points, 9-4, a 5-0 run from the visitors tied the set up at 9-9. A kill from junior Hayley McSparin put the Tide back in front and the home team remained ahead at the media timeout, 15-12. Three-straight after the break tied it at 15-15 and the Arkansas eventually pulled ahead 20-18 before Alabama spent its first timeout. A pair or Razorback points further extended their lead to 22-18 and, after Alabama's second timeout, a 3-1 run from the home team made it a two-point game and Arkansas was forced to call its own timeout leading 23-21. The Razorbacks reached set point on the next rally but the Tide scored back-to-back points to stay alive, forcing Arkansas to call a timeout at 24-23. The Razorbacks held on to win the set, 25-23, and take a 2-1 match lead.

Needing to win the set to keep the match going, Alabama opened up the fourth with six unanswered points and Arkansas burned an early timeout. A service ace from sophomore Kaylee Thomas and kill from Carter extended the run to 8-0 before the Razorbacks scored their first point of the set. The lead eventually stretched to double digits, 12-2, and continued to pile it on, moving up 19-5 before Arkansas called its final timeout. It was all Alabama from that point on, with the Tide winning 25-10 to force a deciding fifth set.

Arkansas had the early momentum in the fifth, leading 6-2 before Alabama called a timeout. Alabama fought back to tie it at 7-7 but a kill gave the Razorbacks the one-point advantage at the mid-set switch. Trailing 9-8, a kill from Hall and an Arkansas attack error put the Tide in front, 10-9, and Arkansas took a timeout. The Razorbacks spent their final timeout trailing 13-10 and a kill from Carter and ace from Thomas closed it out as the Tide rallied to win the set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to Commentary.
John R. Lott Jr. is president of the Crime Prevention Research Center and the author most recently of "The War on Guns."
 Noticing California Gov Jerry Brown's recent robust approach to clemency | Main | "Paroling elderly inmates is humane solution to costly mass incarceration" 

November 24, 2018

What might the Founders have to say about modern federal sentencing debates?

I had the great fortune last night to (finally!) get to see the musical Hamilton (in Chicago). Reflecting on the play and the history of the founding of the United States, I could not resist wondering aloud here about how the historic figures of Founding era might have viewed the federal sentencing controversies today.

Because I am not a constitutional historian, I cannot provide a definitive account of what all the Framers said about crime and punishment. But I can highlight the work here of Professor John Bessler highlighting the impact and import of Italian thinker Cesare Beccaria's book On Crimes and Punishments on their thinking:

Beccarias book shaped American history. George Washington bought a copy in 1769 and, during the Revolutionary War, wrote Congress that death sentences were too frequent, lamenting the want of a proper gradation of punishments. At the Boston Massacre trial in 1770, John Adams forcefully quoted Beccarias words in defending British soldiers accused of murder, with his son John Quincy Adams later noting the electrical effect of those words. And in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison sought to curtail capital offenses by pushing for the adoption of A Bill for Proportioning Crimes and Punishments in Cases Heretofore Capital. One way in which Beccaria influenced Americas Founding Fathers is by shaping their views on cruelty, the concept embedded in the U.S. Constitutions Eighth Amendment. James Wilson  a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution  regularly cited Beccarias work and called cruel punishments dastardly and contemptible. And in the 1820s, Madison spoke of his attraction to penitentiary discipline as a substitute for the cruel inflictions so disgraceful to penal codes. After receiving an anti-death penalty pamphlet that quoted Beccaria, Madison wrote to a Kentucky physician: I should not regret a fair and full trial of the entire abolition of capital punishments by any State willing to make it.... One of Beccarias core principles  embraced by American revolutionaries such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson and William Bradford  was that any punishment which is not absolutely necessary is cruel and tyrannical.

I can also here note a few classics directly from the pen of Framers, such as Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 74 defending a broad and unfettered pardon power vested in the President:

Humanity and good policy conspire to dictate, that the benign prerogative of pardoning should be as little as possible fettered or embarrassed. The criminal code of every country partakes so much of necessary severity, that without an easy access to exceptions in favor of unfortunate guilt, justice would wear a countenance too sanguinary and cruel. As the sense of responsibility is always strongest, in proportion as it is undivided, it may be inferred that a single man would be most ready to attend to the force of those motives which might plead for a mitigation of the rigor of the law, and least apt to yield to considerations which were calculated to shelter a fit object of its vengeance.

And Thomas Jefferson starts his "Bill for Proportioning Crimes and Punishments" with an accounting of the need and value of properly proportioned punishments:

Whereas it frequently happens that wicked and dissolute men resigning themselves to the dominion of inordinate passions, commit violations on the lives, liberties and property of others, and, the secure enjoyment of these having principally induced men to enter into society, government would be defective in it's principal purpose were it not to restrain such criminal acts, by inflicting due punishments on those who perpetrate them; but it appears at the same time equally deducible from the purposes of society that a member thereof, committing an inferior injury, does not wholy forfiet the protection of his fellow citizens, but, after suffering a punishment in proportion to his offence is entitled to their protection from all greater pain, so that it becomes a duty in the legislature to arrange in a proper scale the crimes which it may be necessary for them to repress, and to adjust thereto a corresponding gradation of punishments. And whereas the reformation of offenders, tho' an object worthy the attention of the laws, is not effected at all by capital punishments, which exterminate instead of reforming, and should be the last melancholy resource against those whose existence is become inconsistent with the safety of their fellow citizens, which also weaken the state by cutting off so many who, if reformed, might be restored sound members to society, who, even under a course of correction, might be rendered useful in various labors for the public, and would be living and long continued spectacles to deter others from committing the like offences. And forasmuch the experience of all ages and countries hath shewn that cruel and sanguinary laws defeat their own purpose by engaging the benevolence of mankind to withold prosecutions, to smother testimony, or to listen to it with bias, when, if the punishment were only proportioned to the injury, men would feel it their inclination as well as their duty to see the laws observed.

I am inclined to read all these sources and resources as evidence that the Founders would have been quite supportive of the FIRST STEP Act and of modern US Presidents using their clemency powers often and on behalf of a lot more than turkeys.

November 24, 2018 at 11:15 AM | Permalink

Comments

Great post.

The First Step Act will be helpful to a few, but comprehensive sentencing reform requires a second step act. Congress acts with the speed of molasses when it comes to remediating problems it has caused. This quote from Justice Kennedy is from 15 years ago.

Justice Kennedy Speaks Out at the ABA Association, Aug. 3, 2003

He said "The current rules misspent America's criminal justice resources by locking up people for irrationally long amounts of time".

According to the FBI 30% of the adult population has an arrest record. One in every 28 children has a parent in prison. This is not a formula for a healthy society. The war on drugs has become a big government program that too many in the public and private sector depend on.





Posted by: beth | Nov 24, 2018 4:04:49 PM

A very nice addendum, beth. Legislative "inertia," as I like to call it, is a really severe problem at the federal level and a reason I am a big supporter of a lot of Libertarian notions of federalism that at some level make me a "conservative." Not to be confused with the GOP, which lost any claim to any conservatism other than social about 20 years ago or longer.

And I don't think anything suffers from legislative inertia to any greater degree than criminal justice. Title 18 is an abomination, not to mention all the other offenses scattered throughout United States Code.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Nov 24, 2018 9:31:23 PM

Picking and choosing modern issues in what our Founders would do is not really pertinent, once they realize that the structure that they, well, "founded" is nowhere NEAR the same one they created. For instance, the Founders believed in state, not federal, sovereignty over laws, and they also believed that the citizens themselves maintain a high moral code, at least in context of their communities, which essentially prevented the conditions for which modern crime has evolved. Hence, it is impossible for anyone to proclaim or even infer what the Founders would do to today's malaise.

Posted by: Eric Knight | Nov 25, 2018 11:52:46 AM

Fat Bastard - Inertia indeed, It's telling that Justice Kennedy's address to the ABA was 15 years ago. The comprehensive piece by Professor Bermen in the Harvard Law and Policy Review was published 10 years ago. http://harvardlpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/3.2_16_Berman.pdf

This is a piece from a message I got from a long time grass roots activist who has been advocating for 30 years.

Millions of dollars in funding-- where's some legislation that would rally the people affected and pull a disparate movement together? I'm stunned that for all the millions thrown at reform in the last six years, we aren't seeing anything substantive put forward in that regard. We've never, ever had anything that disparate reformers could unite around. We have never had a time like the present, but the grass is spreading, not green and growing tall...

Posted by: beth | Nov 25, 2018 5:51:45 PM

It is disheartening. Of course the other factor at work here is legislative cowardice. A bunch of them fear doing the right or at least a new and innovative thing because it might make them the subject of the next Willie Horton ad. And to paraphrase Barnum, few lost elections underestimating the power of "tough on crime" with the American people.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Nov 26, 2018 9:28:57 AM

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Before he came to Singapore in 2017, James Puddle was based in London, where he spent close to 12 years marketing UK residential property to investors in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He worked at two of the UKs most well-known real estate firms, Hamptons International and Strutt & Parker. He was with Strutt & Parker for more than six years, where he was last associate partner of residential development and investment, heading the international project marketing team.

In May 2017, about 1 years ago, Puddle bit the bullet and resigned from Strutt & Parker. He relocated his young family from London to Singapore. I had always wanted to set up my own company, says Puddle. The market was very difficult then, as it was just a year after the Brexit referendum [in June 2016]. All my colleagues in London thought I was crazy. During his frequent trips to Singapore, he had met Avril Lee, who was running her own real estate brokerage firm. She understands the Singapore market and, with my experience in international project marketing, we felt there was a lot of synergy, and agreed to [join forces], says Puddle.



Puddle: I had always wanted to set up my own company. The market was very difficult at that time. All my colleagues in London thought I was crazy. It was almost a year after the Brexit referendum [in June 2016] (Photo Credit: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

That led to the creation of One Global Property Services, of which Puddle is founding partner and managing director and Lee is key executive officer (KEO) and director. The duo started out working from a serviced office at One Raffles Place. Within 15 months, the team has expanded to 14 staff, many of whom have international property sales experience and had worked at international property consultancies such as Colliers International, CBRE, Knight Frank and ERA.

In mid-April this year, the firm moved to a double-storey conservation shophouse at 127 Devonshire Road. Besides Singapore, One Global is opening an office in Hong Kong and exploring the possibility of expanding to Indonesia. Our ethos is to be a boutique agency business that provides high-quality service to our purchasers and clients, says Puddle. The aim is to be a one-stop-shop not just for handling the marketing of overseas properties but also for leasing and resales. When we spoke with our Singapore-based clients looking to purchase an overseas property, we found that many of them have a portfolio of properties in Singapore that they would like us to manage, says Puddle. That is why we have created a hybrid company that handles both Singapore and overseas properties to provide all-round services.

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James Puddle joined forces with Avril Lee (pictured) to create One Global (Photo Credit: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

To provide a comprehensive services platform, One Global shares its office space at Devonshire Road with representatives of other service providers, such as Life Residential, a lettings and management specialist in London property; Capricorn Finance, a UK-based mortgage specialist; and Accouter Group, a UK-based interior design and furnishings company.

While the UK will remain One Globals primary focus, it has diversified its overseas property offerings to include Bangkok projects by established Thai developer Sansiri such as The Base Sukhumvit 50; and Australia-based Crown Groups latest project in Sydney, Mastery by Crown Group, which will be marketed in Singapore on the first weekend of December. In the UK, Brexit went very badly, and we need to depend on other markets for our business, concedes Puddle.



One West Point in Acton, London, which was jointly marketed by JLL and One Global in Singapore (Photo Credit: One Global)

In March this year, One Global jointly marketed One West Point in Singapore with JLL. One West Point is located in Acton, London and is developed by UK-based City and Docklands. According to Puddle, One Global achieved more than 25 sales over the three months from July to September  the highest number of sales secured in Singapore for any London project by any agency or developer since 2014.

One Global is also the appointed marketing agent in Singapore for the 150-acre Greenwich Peninsula by the River Thames, which, when fully completed, will have 15,000 new homes. Greenwich Peninsula is an 8.4 billion ($14.77 billion) regeneration project by Hong Kong-based Knight Dragon, the private property arm of Henry Cheng, chairman of Hong Kongs New World Development.



One Global is the marketing agent in Singapore for Timber Yard, a 379-unit residential development in Birminghams Southside district by Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital (Photo Credit: One Global)

In Singapore, One Global is also marketing Timber Yard, a 379-unit residential development in Birminghams Southside district by Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital. All of Global Ones property exhibitions and consumer seminars are held on its premises at 127 Devonshire Road, which functions as a sales gallery and office. We have moved away from doing weekend exhibitions at fivestar hotels on Orchard Road unless our clients specifically request for it, says Puddle. By holding the exhibition at our premises, we save our clients $15,000, which they would otherwise have to pay for renting an event space in a hotel.

Over the last few years, more overseas markets, from Australia to Canada and the UK, have increased foreign buyers stamp duty. However, Puddle still sees demand for overseas property coming from younger buyers in Singapore. There are also en bloc millionaires  a phenomenon of the last two years  who are looking to invest overseas, since it has become more expensive to buy homes here, he notes.



Apt Living in Brentwood, London is near Kew Bridge Station and Gunnersbury Park is one of the projects marketed by One Global in Singapore (Photo Credit: One Global)

The market has changed. In the past, the international firms had it easy, Puddle observes. They just relied on their brands, ran a lot of advertisements in newspapers, did an email marketing campaign, held an exhibition in a hotel and hoped that people would come. You cant do that anymore.

Instead, marketing agents have to be more proactive, adds Puddle. We have to do a lot of research; we hold consumer seminars. We focus on educating our buyers, not hard- sell. We are trying to reach the younger generation, who have not purchased a London property before. They are predominantly our buyers today.

Many of the international agencies no longer have an international property sales team in Singapore. For instance, Darien Bradshaw, CBRE executive director and head of international project marketing in Asia, now collaborates with One Global when it comes to marketing projects in Australia and the UK. One Global will focus on working with reputable developers in established markets such as Australia, the UK and Thailand. In the year ahead, I want to continue to grow the Singapore business and further establish our brand as the go-to agency here, Puddle says.

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DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajikistan started the first turbine of its Rogun hydroelectric power plant on Friday, part of a dam project that aims to secure the Central Asian nation's energy independence.

The former Soviet republic issued its first Eurobond last year to help finance the project, which will include the world's tallest dame when it is completed in 2026.

Italy's Salini Impregilo won a $3.9 billion contract, making it the biggest single investment in Tajikistan since it gained independence in 1991.

The government hopes the plant will help end power rationing in winter months while also allowing Tajikistan to boost energy exports its neighbours, such as Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

"This historical date will be inscribed in golden letters in Tajikistan's modern history and will be a source of pride for the next generation," Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon said as he started the power plant, 100 km (62 miles) east of Dushanbe.

The launch ceremony followed by a fireworks show televised on outdoors screens across the nation.

At Friday's launch of the first turbine, the dam on the Vakhsh river in the Pamir mountains was just 75 metres (yards) tall. By 2026, it will to rise to 335 metres and will have six turbines with installed capacity of 3,600 megawatts (MW).

Starting the turbines gradually before the dam's completion will help finance construction. Tajikistan's Finance Ministry estimates the project will require $4 billion to complete.

Uzbekistan, which lies downstream, previously voiced concerns about the impact on the water flows to Uzbek farmers. But Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who took power after Islam Karimov died in 2016, has softened Tashkent's stance and eased tensions.

(Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Edmund Blair)
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - As Cuban doctors in Brazil begin to head home amid a diplomatic spat between Havana and the South American country's far-right president-elect, Brazil's health ministry said nearly 84 percent of the resulting vacancies had already been filled.

The first of thousands of Cuban doctors left Brazil on Thursday after criticism by incoming President Jair Bolsonaro prompted Cuba's government to sever a cooperation agreement, leaving millions of Brazilians without medical care.

In a press release issued on Friday, the health ministry said it had managed in three days to procure 19,994 Brazilian doctors to take the Cubans' places, often in poor, rural areas.

"Of that total, 13,341 were enlisted, and 7,154 professionals have already been allocated to municipalities to start immediately," the statement said.

The health ministry said that a web portal to handle inscriptions, open until Dec. 7, had suffered cyber attacks, which had caused some problems, but the site was now stable.

Bolsonaro has said the Cuban doctors were being used as "slave labor" because Havana took 75 percent of their salaries. He said the program, which began in 2013, could continue only if they got full pay and were allowed to bring their families.

Bolsonaro, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, was elected last month by Brazilians fed up with rising crime and rampant corruption that reached new highs during almost a decade-and-a-half of leftist governments with close ties to Cuba.

Cuba has a respected health service and generates major export earnings by sending more than 50,000 health workers to over 60 countries. Even though they received only a fraction of their salaries, the money was good for the doctors by Cuban standards.

(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Dan Grebler)
Juan Antonio Hernandez, the brother of the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, was arrested in the United States on Friday over suspected ties to drug trafficking, officials said Friday. Honduran authorities released a statement saying the arrest in Miami was consistent with the president's declaration last month that "no one is above the law" and came after persistent rumors of Antonio Hernandez's involvement in narcotics. The former head of the Los Cachiros cartel Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga had testified to a court in New York in 2017 that he had bribed the president's brother when he was a lawmaker, in exchange for his assistance to the traffickers. Maradiaga had also testified against Fabio Lobo, son of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for collaborating with the Los Cachiros cartel. In his testimony, he had explained how the Los Cachiros had set up an intermediary company which it used to conduct business with the government, and which served to launder its trafficking profits. The Los Cachiros cartel was responsible for moving tons of cocaine in to the United States before being dismantled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Antonio Hernandez was previously accused of being involved in the drug trade in 2016 by former Honduran soldier Santos Rodriguez. Rodriguez also accused Antonio Hernandez of being an accomplice to a plot to kill the US ambassador to Honduras. He denied all charges.
Chinas trade and infrastructure development plan known as the Belt and Road Initiative could help to shape the future of globalisation, but it is too early to say how big an impact it will have on international trade, according to the former boss of its central bank.

Speaking on Saturday at the annual conference of the International Finance Forum (IFF) in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Zhou Xiaochuan said the scope and focus of globalisation had changed, and projects under the belt and road plan would bring about [new] rules, although he admitted they were still in the initial stage.

His comments come at a time of increased debate on the future of globalisation as cross-border money flows have dipped and countries that once championed open trade, such as the United States and Britain, have adopted a more inward-looking stance.

Some countries are  reluctant to see the further development of globalisation and want to scale it back, Zhou said, without naming any nations.

Zhou, who is chairman of the Beijing-based IFF, whose annual global conference had the theme New Globalisation, said many factors were shaping the future of globalisation.

While in the past, developed countries took the lead, emerging economies now accounted for a growing share of international trade, and the global supply of funding and investment, he said.

It is the rise of the emerging economies  with their adapted market economy development strategies  they are adding more weight to international trade, he said.

Beijings belt and road plan was also helping to change the global flow of capital for investment, Zhou said.

In the past, developing countries depended on Western nations for funding, but now emerging economies, especially in East and Southeast Asia, have their own capital and are becoming lenders themselves.

We say saving has an effect on investment  so the Belt and Road Initiative is not just about trade but also financing and investment, he said.

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Zhou said that China would look to work with international groups such as the World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund and the G20 on forming the new rules for globalisation, which should also consider the expansion of the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The belt and road plan will certainly be a highlight when [such groups] create the new rules, he said.

While political and financial leaders at the conference expressed their concerns about the apparent retreat of globalisation, and corresponding rise of unilateralism and protectionism, they were unclear on what shape the new global order might take.

We are at a key moment, said Jose Manuel Barroso, a former president of the European Commission and ex-prime minister of Portugal. The old order is no longer there, but theres no new order yet.

It was also possible that the current competition seen on trade would grow to other areas, such as technology. Instead of a single, global internet, there might one day be several, he said.

While he did not name China, Beijing has erected a firewall to control internet use in the country, although activity within it is vibrant.

On the belt and road plan, Barroso said he supported all measures to improve connectivity as long as they were multilateral and transparent.

The flow has to be from both sides  and have the support of all those involved, he said.

The trade war between the US and China has fuelled uncertainty about the future of globalisation around the world. Washington has demanded Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for American firms, cut industrial subsidies and reduce a US$375 billion trade gap. US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on US$250 billion of Chinese imports in an effort to force concessions and threatened to increase them to all Chinese imports.

This article Chinas belt and road plan can help shape future of globalisation, ex-central bank chief says first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
As Mauritius speeds towards becoming the first high-income nation in Africa, its small but influential Chinese community can give itself a pat on the back for making the island what it is today.

We Sino-Mauritians make up around 2-3 per cent of the population, but our influence is probably around 30 per cent as we punch well above our weight, said Antoine Kon-Kam King, Vice-President of Mauritius Chinese Business Chamber and a former UN diplomat.

Not far from the main bus station, the capital Port Louis Chinatown is a brightly coloured and bustling place.

It has two paifangs (archways) and walls painted with murals featuring Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen and Chairman Mao Zedong.

Flags flap in the air welcoming visitors. Pinned to the wire fence of a car park is a photo of a beaming Miss Mauritius standing next to a drawing of Confucius.

There is a Buddhist temple, barbers and well-stocked food shops, as well as other businesses and stores serving not only the Chinese, but also Hindu, Afro-Creole and French locals.

Ranked by the World Bank as the best place to do business in Africa in 2018, Mauritius economy is expected to reach developed country status by the early 2020s.

Since independence in 1968, the multicultural former British colony has morphed from a sugar plantation economy, through tourism and textiles to an emerging service economy specialising in finance.

Around 10 per cent of the population live under the poverty line and corruption still exists, but compared with other African countries, it is a model of good governance.

Despite dwindling numbers and only one cabinet member in a government dominated by people of Indian heritage, the local Chinese community still contributes greatly to the islands economic development.

There has been a Chinese presence in Mauritius since the late 1600s, starting with convicts brought by the Dutch who controlled the island at the time, followed by artisans and traders captured by French pirates.

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But it was only after 1810 when the British took over that their numbers increased and the community settled, establishing Chinatown in Port Louis as a centre for commerce, culture and gossip.

The abolition of slavery saw thousands of labourers recruited, mainly from India but also from China.

They werent docile like the Indian coolies, they already suffered British exploitation in Southeast Asia and didnt want to be whipped again by the French, said Kee Chong Li Kwong Wing, a former member of the Mauritius parliament, now chairman of the countrys second largest bank, SBM.

We Sino-Mauritians make up around 2-3 per cent of the population, but our influence is probably around 30 per cent as we punch well above our weight

Antoine Kon-Kam King

The current community of mainly Hakka-speaking Chinese arrived from Meixian in Guangdong Province in the 1840s, many planning to join the gold rush in South Africa, but stayed in Mauritius.

From the top floor of his bank in Port Louis financial district, Li tells the tale of how Chinese dug under the MCB, a bank founded by French slave-owners, and emptied its vault to pay for a ship back home.

True or not, what is fact is that the Chinese, rather than labour in sugar cane fields, opened shops in the Mauritian countryside to supply food to the Indian labourers, whose ancestors form most of the population.

The Chinese influence on the local cuisine is unquestionable with dishes like dumplings, fried rice and Poulet Mee Foon  chicken soup with rice vermicelli noodles that is eaten by nearly everyone.

Chinese continued to arrive in significant numbers well into the 20th century, so most have roots on the island going back three or four generations.

Their original goal was to make money and return home but China turned communist, so they couldnt go back, and they were stuck here, Li said. We played a vital intermediary role between the English rulers, the French farming community and the labourers because you needed an island-wide retail network to feed the labour force for continued work,

said Li, who believes the Sino-Mauritian shopkeepers were among the first in the world to develop a system of microcredit for the poor.



A peculiarity of the local Chinese is their long names. British immigration authorities demanded people add their fathers names as a way to make it easier to distinguish them.

As their businesses prospered, the Chinese began manufacturing essentials like biscuits, soap and shoes and started importing foreign goods from Britain. Indeed, the Chinese can be credited with starting the industrialisation process in Mauritius  first with food manufacturing then textiles.

Companies like Chinese-owned confectionery and cake manufacturer Esko are household names in Mauritius. Managing director Eric Lim also runs a number of charities that help the elderly.

Family-owned biscuit manufacturer Li Wan Po & Co celebrated its 100th anniversary this year.

Kings family history is typical. His father arrived in the 1930s, set up a rum distillery and lemonade factory, bought an old colonial house in downtown Port Louis that the family still own and raised 12 children  many of whom moved on to professional jobs.

Due to the shortage of Chinese women on the island, many Sino-Mauritians married into the local creole and Indian population.

If we had stayed in China we would have been planting rice, King said. I went back to my ancestral village and I looked around and thought  Im glad my father left. And we admire how they left because they were very poor and there were no cars. They walked and sailed on a junk.

But just as his ancestors had fled poverty, survived and thrived, today many of the young Chinese are leaving for better career prospects abroad, especially to Australia and Canada.

In an article published last year on Mauritius Defimedia website, Roland Tsang Kwai Kew warned that in a few years his community might become as dead as the dodo, referring to the flightless bird that roamed Mauritius before humans arrived and which is even today synonymous with extinction.

The only reason many people see to stay here and have a family is if they have their own business said mother-of-three Christelle Lim.

Lim and her husband run their own household goods manufacturing and import company.

She said old Chinese traditions, especially in important things like funeral and bereavement rites were being lost, which was a shame. But like most young Chinese locals, she understands things will change.

The hope is that as the Mauritian economy moves to first world status, locals who emigrated will come back and help move the country into the technological age.

Sino-Mauritians are no longer living at the back of a small shop sharing a bed with three brothers, said King.

Some are already returning, such as 25-year-old Jade Li, who studied bioengineering at Londons Imperial College.

She is currently setting up a non-governmental organisation called Katapault, which she hopes will attract graduates to work with young Mauritians from all backgrounds and get them interested in robotics.

Our education system doesnt encourage critical thinking and our young people struggle with that, she said. I want to empower young children  to be problem-solvers and change makers.

Mauritius now aims to become the Singapore or Switzerland of Africa, with even a bitcoin digital exchange in the pipeline.

The Chinese community that began with its tiny village shops, has fully integrated into Mauritian society and is well placed to drive Mauritius to its next stage of development.

And through the sophisticated and highly educated younger generations, the Chinese dodo could be reincarnated, even becoming airborne as a super-smart drone.

This article The Chinese who helped make tiny Mauritius an African success story first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.

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Pakistani police Saturday arrested hundreds of supporters of a hardline cleric whose party recently paralysed the country with violent protests over the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. Hours after firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi was detained late Friday, police launched a crackdown against supporters of the Tehreek-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party in Punjab province and the port city of Karachi. Following the arrest of the cleric and members of the TLP leadership there had been calls for protests ahead of a scheduled party rally on Sunday in Islamabad. More than a hundred supporters were detained in Karachi on Friday night when protesters blocked off a road and clashed with police after the arrest of their leader, senior police official Ghulam Azfar Mahesar told AFP. Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan told AFP that arrests continued in various parts of the province throughout Saturday. "I cannot give you an exact figure as we have not compiled the data yet but around four to five hundred arrests have been made in Punjab," he said. Separately, the Punjab government issued a statement on Twitter saying its chief minister was monitoring the situation. The country's information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the detention of Rizvi "has nothing to do with (the) Asia Bibi case," referring to the Christian woman who was on death row for eight years before the Supreme Court overturned her blasphemy conviction last month. The court's decision sparked furious demonstrations led by the hardline TLP, with protesters calling for Bibi's execution and blocking major roads, leaving large swathes of the country paralysed. In response, the government made a deal with the Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, who was released from jail earlier this month and awaits the outcome of a final review of her case. The TLP has vowed to return to the streets if she is allowed to leave the country. - 'Safeguard public life' - Early on Saturday clashes broke out in Karachi between Pakistani paramilitary forces and protesters over Rizvi's arrest. National information minister Chaudhry tweeted that police had detained Rizvi "to safeguard public life, property and order". "Law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals," he added. A notification issued by the Punjab government said the cleric would be held for 30 days. The notification said there was "credible" information that the cleric would create unrest. Blasphemy is a hugely inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders. Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.
HAVANA (AP)  A first group of Cuban doctors who treated impoverished patients in Brazil returned to Havana on Friday as both countries end a program that saw thousands of doctors dispatched to underserved areas.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel greeted 211 doctors who had worked in the South American country in exchange for hundreds of millions in badly needed hard currency given to the government.

They were among the more than 8,000 doctors that Cuba has recalled after rejecting conditions imposed by far-right Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who stipulated that doctors would need to directly receive their salaries from Brazil and be allowed to bring their families with them during their assignments, in addition to other conditions.

The Cuban government generally keeps most of the salaries of state employees working abroad as part of the socialist state's "international missions."

One of the doctors who returned from tending to patients along the Brazilian-Argentine border was 33-year-old Anisley de Arguelles.

"It's hard. I'm returning to my house and my homeland, but my heart is tight because I already had a connection with those people," she told The Associated Press as she stood next to the Cuban president. "We were doing very beautiful work that unfortunately will remain incomplete."

Some 40 flights are expected to bring back the Cuban doctors in upcoming days. Overall, roughly 20,000 doctors tended to nearly 113 million patients as part of the "Mas Medicos," or "More Doctors," program that began five years ago under leftist Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Cuba announced last week that it was cancelling the program overseen by the Pan American Health Organization.

Cuba still has similar missions in 67 other countries, but "Mas Medicos" in Brazil was considered one of the largest and most important, linking the cash-strapped island wit South America's largest economy.

Story continues

The end of the program signals a deterioration in relations between both countries and comes at a bad time for communist Cuba, which is facing its third year of slow growth.

Productivity is low in nearly every government industry on the island, tourism has slowed under the Trump administration and key ally Venezuela has cut back on subsidized oil and other aid.

Bolsonaro is offering asylum to Cuban doctors wishing to stay in Brazil and has called their work "slave labor." He has also questioned their professional backgrounds.

Those comments riled 32-year-old doctor Aliuska Rodriguez, who worked in the Brazilian town of Minas Gerais for two years but returned to Cuba on Friday.

"I don't consider myself a slave," she said. "We signed a contract before leaving."

All Cuban doctors work for the state and virtually all receive salaries that are well below $100 a month, in addition to food and service subsidies. Practicing doctors and doctors with particular specialties are not allowed to leave Cuba without government permission, a control that was lifted for other Cubans five years ago.

Participants in the program are also limited from bringing relatives with them, which critics say is designed to prevent doctors from emigrating.

Many doctors hugged each other when they arrived in Havana on Friday and sang the national hymn as they were greeted by officials including Bruno Rodriguez, the minister of foreign affairs, and Jose Angel Portal, the health minister.

"Cuban doctors have always been on the side of duty, even under the most complicated of circumstances," Portal said as he greeted them.

Cuba's president said the doctors were performing a humanitarian duty that could not be compensated with all the money in the world.

"The response we have given (Bolsonaro) is a worthy one, a courageous one that upholds the principles of the Cuban revolution," Diaz-Canel told doctors as they arrived.

"It was impossible for a government with a huge neoliberal arrogance to understand that people like you go to a country to offer health services, to truly be doctors out of duty."
As desperation swells in the squalid camps that are home to a million Rohingya refugees, long-dormant -- and often deadly -- trafficking networks are being revived, Bangladeshi officials warn. Smugglers operating rickety fishing boats prey on the hopes of people who fled violence in Myanmar, charging them small fortunes for a dangerous journey to Southeast Asia, offering an empty promise of a fresh start. The first vessel to depart Bangladesh for Malaysia since the end of the monsoon was intercepted by law enforcement, who warn others will follow. Many in the heaving Rohingya ghettos of Cox's Bazar feel they have no other option but to try to escape, community leaders and aid workers say. A deal to safely return the persecuted Muslims to Myanmar has failed, condemning them to limbo and deprivation in fetid camps where they are barred from leaving or looking for work to improve their lot. Sensing a surge, coastguard patrols have been stepped up since the first boat was detected in November in the Bay of Bengal, said Ikbal Hossain, deputy police chief in Cox's Bazar. Another boatload of refugees who fled a camp in Myanmar were found off the country's southern coast in November after spending 15 days at sea in a failed attempt to reach Malaysia. "As the sea turns calm, the smuggling rackets have resumed their activities. But we have a zero tolerance attitude toward human trafficking," Hossain told AFP. But he said traffickers were difficult to detect in the teeming hills where more than 720,000 Rohingya sought refuge after a brutal crackdown by the Myanmar military in August 2017. - Terrifying journey - Shabeda Begum, a 30-year-old widowed in what UN investigators called ethnic cleansing, said she was approached by another refugee offering to reunite her with a sister and brother-in-law in Malaysia. The Muslim-majority nation hosts one of the largest overseas Rohingya communities, many of whom arrived by boat from Cox's Bazar until that smuggling pipeline was closed in 2015. Begum was introduced to a Bangladeshi handler in the coastal town of Teknaf and arranged to get the required $120 from family in Kuala Lumpur. That secured Begum and her two children a spot aboard the crescent-shaped fishing boat crammed with 33 other refugees above and below deck. "They promised my life would change if I could reach there with my kids," she told AFP despairingly from a plastic-roofed shanty. Her son, seven-year-old Mohammad Riaz, recounted his terror as the creaking boat was tossed about in the churning sea. "I was scared because the boat was bouncing on the waves. I thought I would fall overboard and into the sea," he told AFP. Six traffickers were arrested in connection with the failed voyage, police said. One told AFP the fishing trawler had been due to transfer the Rohingya to a bigger Malaysia-bound ship out at sea. - False promises - At its peak, transnational smuggling networks passed refugees from boat to boat before docking in Thailand and moving them overland to secret campsites in Malaysia. That route collapsed in May 2015, when shallow graves were found at migrant holding camps along the Thai-Malaysia border. As authorities closed in, traffickers abandoned boats in the Andaman Sea, leaving starving and dehydrated passengers to drift south. No one knows exactly how many died in the transit camps or at sea. Local authorities fear another exodus is looming, as traffickers return to old tricks to lure vulnerable refugees onto ships. Mosammat Khadiza, a 16-year-old refugee, said her mother put her on board after traffickers promised that a wealthy Rohingya man in Malaysia would marry her. "We were kept in a fish refrigerator inside the boat's hull for hours. We couldn't move inside the tight space," she told AFP. The UN refugee agency UNHCR is running awareness campaigns in the camps about the dangers of trusting people smugglers and taking flimsy boats into the open ocean. "We recognise that the continued maritime movements, despite the serious dangers, illustrate the desperation that people feel," UNHCR spokeswoman Caroline Gluck told AFP. "Unless they believe there are other tangible solutions to their plight, Rohingya will continue to risk their lives on boats." But amid grinding hardship, with little prospect of a brighter future, camp leaders say the promise of a better life elsewhere would be difficult to counter. "This is not a life anyone would prefer," said Rohingya community leader Mohammad Osman. "That's why they jump on boats without a second thought when approached by traffickers." Despite her first setback, Begum has vowed to try again. "I will look out for another chance. My brother-in-law promised to take care of us if we could only reach Malaysia," she said.
The Hong Kong Police Force is one of the worlds oldest. For nearly 175 years, its officers have been at the front lines of the changing city. This is where they stand in times of protest, such as in 1967 when the city was rocked by pro-communist riots.

They are the first point of contact during humanitarian crises, handling the tens of thousands of mainland Chinese refugees whose settlement was destroyed by fire in 1953, and taking charge of security for the emergency housing of some 200,000 Vietnamese refugees who landed in the port in the mid-1970s.

In recent years, the police force has been increasingly caught in a societal divide stemming from political tensions, which boiled over in the 2014 Occupy movement. In the aftermath of clashes between protesters and police, seven officers received two-year jail terms for beating an activist, while a retired policeman received a three-month jail sentence for striking a bystander with a baton.

The biggest success of the Hong Kong Police Force is in making Hong Kong one of the safest cities in the world

Henry Ho, retired police senior superintendent

That verdict prompted police chief Stephen Lo Wai-chung to counter an outcry within the force with a call for unity and professionalism. The fallout from these events continues to reverberate, as the seven officers in the earlier case begin their appeal against the sentence.

While todays police look to maintain their image with a carefully curated social media presence, they are also often the subject of public critique.

Last month, two on-duty officers caught napping in their cruiser and another wearing his police cap backwards while on patrol, sparked long threads of public commentary online, with most condemning their behaviour, forcing top brass to address the matter.

Yet Hong Kong now ranks as one of the worlds safest cities, coming in at No 9 worldwide in the Economist Intelligence Units 2017 Safe Cities Index.

The biggest success of the Hong Kong Police Force is in making Hong Kong one of the safest cities in the world, said Henry Ho Ming-sun, a retired police senior superintendent and former chairman of the Hong Kong Police Old Comrades' Association. When I joined the force in the 1970s, Hong Kong wasnt safe.

Story continues

New police trial of body-mounted video cameras sparks concern

How has the force changed over the years?



Today around 29,000 officers patrol Hong Kong. They are all hired locally and required to speak both Cantonese and English. Before the citys handover from British to Chinese rule, officers came from throughout the British Empire to serve alongside locals and mainlanders, with the highest ranks largely filled by foreign personnel.

The first force in 1844 was made up of mainly European, Chinese, and Indian servicemen. In the 1860s, about two-thirds of officers were Indian, brought over from Mumbai to clean up crime on Hong Kongs streets and seas, which were crawling with everything from pickpockets to organised gangs and pirates.

Female officers have been part of the force since 1949, when Hui Kam-to, also known as Kimmy Koh, a Hong Kong resident of Malaysian-Chinese background, became a city detective.

By the end of this year, there will be fewer than 100 overseas officers, relics of the overseas recruitment that ended in 1994. More recent recruits have included officers from Pakistan, India, Nepal and the Philippines, who passed language tests and were hired on local contract terms.

About 16 per cent of the current force is female.

Asleep at the wheel: officers caught napping outside city school

What do the special teams and forces do?

A range of cases  from terrorism, cyberattacks and illegal immigration to drug deals and human trafficking  all fall under the purview of the Hong Kong Police.

To counter this swathe of crimes, the force is divided into five principal departments. There are also specialised units such as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau and the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau. The Marine Police covers law enforcement on water.

Perhaps the most iconic of the special teams is the secretive Flying Tigers squad or the Special Duties Unit. Bound by strict confidentiality agreements, this elite force deals with terrorism, hostage situations and other serious crimes.

The team has run over 160 missions and 335 underwater searches in more than four decades of action, including gun busts and shoot-outs with stun grenades and tear gas. They now work with a dedicated police Counter Terrorism Response Unit, established in 2012.

What are the different ranks of officers?

The force has a strict hierarchy, yet senior officers are allowed and even encouraged to move between departments over the course of their careers, according to retired officer Henry Ho. The police commissioner sits at the top; one deputy commissioner oversees operations and the other leads management, which includes personnel training and police communications, such as navigational and radar systems.

Within four departments which are run by directors, the assistant commissioner of police ranks highest, with 10 levels between this post and the lowest rank  constable  who is a beat patrol officer. The fifth department, the Planning and Development Branch, is commanded by the chief superintendent of police and has a civilian director.

A variety of badges and designations shown on uniforms indicate rankings, with constables only displaying their number.

How have the uniforms changed over the years?

The earliest police uniforms reflected the international backgrounds of the force. Sikh officers wore turbans, local officers wore conical bamboo hats, and colonial officers were often seen in their typical pointed helmets. There were even letters on collar badges indicating backgrounds, with A for Europeans, B for Indians, C for Cantonese, and D for the large group of officers recruited from Shandong province on the mainland, according to a historical account by journalist Kevin Sinclair.

For much of the 20th century until 1979, the force had a memorable summer look  khaki green uniforms with Bermuda shorts and high socks, while women sported khaki skirts and blouses. The current uniform includes light blue shirts with dark blue cargo trousers, black caps and ties for both sexes, with senior officers in white shirts. Officers on patrol will typically carry a service revolver.

How have rising political and social tensions in Hong Kong affected police?

The citys officers are increasingly pulled into its political narrative in recent years, caught between the divide in society over Beijings rule. Pro-democracy and localist advocates claim Hong Kongs freedoms are being encroached on, and this has led to conflicts in the form of protests and rallies, in which police are deployed for crowd control.

Violence between protesters and police escalated in 2016 during the Mong Kok riot over regulations on illegal street food hawkers just before Lunar New Year, with bricks and glass bottles hurled at officers. The chaos led to a policeman firing warning shots in the air after a colleague was knocked down.

In 2014s Occupy protests, co-organiser Benny Tai Yiu-ting called on police not to regard civil disobedience activists as troublemakers, promising in return they would not regard frontline officers as enemies. But tensions boiled over as the 79-day movement wore on.

In the years post-Occupy, both protesters and police came under the long arm of the law. Seven officers were jailed for assaulting a pro-democracy activist, and a retired officer was also thrown behind bars for hitting a bystander with a baton. The convictions further strained tensions in society.

In the last decade, particularly after 2014, there have been a lot of accusations and arguments towards the police, and a lot of [officers] feel unhappy from the peoples challenges, because they think they are really professional and they [act] in accordance with the law, says Lawrence Ho Ka-ki, criminal justice specialist and assistant professor of social sciences at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Ho said some members of the public are not fully convinced by the performance of the government and police, especially when the force as a disciplined service is equated with the administration.

According to him, there is an expectation gap between citizens concepts of how police should act and the force, which Ho says has remained largely the same in its organisation and aims since late British rule, with little modern reform over the past 20 years.

This article Are Hong Kong police Asias finest? A look at how the force has evolved over decades first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
Reuters

Bharat Biotech's vaccine was only 50% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in a high-risk population during a devastating second wave of infections in India this year, data gleaned from hospital workers showed. The real world study for Covaxin, conducted April 15-May 15, compares with a 77.8% effectiveness rate in a late-stage trial of more than 25,000 participants that was conducted November 2020 to January 2021. The much lower effectiveness rate for the two-dose shot seen in the new study can possibly be attributed to the fact that the study was restricted to hospital employees who had a higher risk of being infected than the general population, that it was conducted during a surge in infections and also to the prevalence of the Delta variant at the time, the study concluded.
Sri Lanka threw away a decent position in the final Test against England on Saturday, collapsing from 183 for 2 at tea to 240 all out as Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes skittled the hosts in Colombo. At the close of a rollercoaster second day England were three without loss after four overs when bad light stopped play, 99 runs ahead with a 3-0 whitewash in their sights. "We came out after tea, had the belief, had the mindset and things just changed," said Rashid, who finished the innings with 5-49. "It worked out perfectly, Stokesy at one end bowling nice and aggressive and me at the other end mixing it up, bowling my variations," he added, after Stokes collected 3-30. In the opening session Sri Lanka's bowlers had wrapped up England's first innings for 336 within half an hour, the visitors losing their final three wickets for just 24 runs. Resuming on 312-7 after Jonny Bairstow had put his marker down to be England's permanent Test number three with a no-nonsense 110 the previous day, Moeen Ali continued his indifferent series with the bat, falling for 33. Stuart Broad followed for a duck and Jack Leach for 2. Left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking 5-95 while finger spinners Dilruwan Perera and Malinda Pushpakumara took the other five between them. - Solid start - With bat in hand and only five overs of the day played, Sri Lanka's batsmen laid solid foundations. Danushka Gunathilaka was the only man out for Sri Lanka before lunch, caught spectacularly by Keaton Jennings at short leg for 18 off Leach -- the first of four catches at short-leg for the Lancashire opener. Dimuth Karunaratne, dropped at slip by Joe Root off Broad early in his innings, then put on a 142-run third-wicket partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva. Just before tea, de Silva fell for 73, dismissed by another lightning catch by Jennings off Rashid. But with Karunaratne still in and Root rueing his error, Sri Lanka looked comfortable. But in the first over after tea Karunaratne went for 83, with Jennings again the catcher as he edged Rashid, and the collapse began. "They played exceptionally well before lunch but we had a positive mindset and knew if we stick to our plan things would change," said Rashid. Angelo Mathews fell next, the ball coming off the toe of his bat to keeper Ben Foakes off Stokes for five, before Roshen Silva became Jennings's fourth victim off Rashid for three. Rashid said Jennings' close fielding had made a "big difference". "This series he's proved he's an exceptional short-leg fielder. He reads the game well. He's alert. He practises hard in the morning and he gets his rewards. "It's nice having him in there for the spinners. We're happy!" Stokes, hammering in the ball with aggression and intent, then did for Niroshan Dickwella, caught behind by Foakes for 5, and Sri Lanka were reeling. Number four Kusal Mendis went for 27, an easy catch for Stokes at slip off Rashid. Then a direct throw ran out Sandakan for two as he tried to steal a run off a misfield. Pushpakumara survived an lbw review and hit the next ball for four. The next review went England's way though, as he went lbw to Rashid for 13, and Sri Lanka were all out.
UN envoy Martin Griffiths arrived in the battleground Yemeni port city of Hodeida on Friday to encourage the warring sides to exercise restraint ahead of planned peace talks in December. Griffiths's visit is intended to send a message to the rebels, who control the Red Sea city, and the government forces, who have been attacking it with support from a Saudi-led coalition, to keep a lid on hostilities in the runup to the talks in Sweden, a UN source told AFP. Griffiths, who arrived in the rebel-held capital Sanaa on Wednesday, met rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Huthi and addressed "what can facilitate new discussions in December", rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said. The conflict in Yemen, which escalated when the Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, has killed thousands of people and left up to 14 million at risk of famine, according to UN agencies. In the past week, both sides have expressed support for the UN envoy's mission to relaunch peace talks, and the fighting in Hodeida has diminished despite intermittent clashes. bur-sy-dm-faw/kir
Dozens of protesters gathered at Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, Alabama, Saturday afternoon to call for a boycott and protest the officer-involved killing of a man at that mall on Thanksgiving night. On Thursday night, Hoover police shot and killed Emantic E.J. Bradford, thinking he was the one who shot and injured an 18-year-old man during an argument. A 12-year-old girl was also injured. Turns out, Bradford, 21, was likely not the shooter. Those who knew him immediately questioned the veracity of the police version of events saying that Bradford, who had enlisted in the U.S. Army, would not have shot anyone during an argument.

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Bradford was at the mall but was fleeing the shooting like everyone else. And like many around him, he was brandishing a handgun. But now officers are increasingly convinced he likely was not the one who fired the shots that injured the 18- and 12-year-olds. Over the past 20 hours, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office investigators and crime scene technicians have interviewed numerous individuals and examined several critical evidentiary items, Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said. New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim. 

Bradfords family has retained Ben Crump, a national civil rights attorney. Crump has previously represented the family of Michael Brown, the 17-year-old who was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, and the family of Trayvon Martin, who was killed in Florida by George Zimmerman.
At the end of a week that included an extraordinary rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts to the president, the White House made clear it wouldnt be shy about asking the countrys highest court to do its bidding. At a time when the justices are trying to emphasize the independence of the Supreme Court following the bruising confirmation battle of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the Trump administration is forcing them to go into thorny political territory yet again. This time, the issue involves the administrations attempt to ban transgender people from serving in the military. On Friday, the White House asked the Supreme Court to take on the issue even though it is just federal district courts that have entered injunctions against the new policy. Federal appeals court have yet to rule on the measure.

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This is hardly the first time the White House has implied the regular order of things shouldnt apply. The Trump administration has also called on the Supreme Court to rule on its decision to end the DACA program, which protects young immigrants from deportation. It has also demanded justices step in early on a case regarding climate change, and another on a decision to include a question about citizenship in the 2020 census. The Supreme Court typically doesnt get involved until at least one appeals court has ruled on the issue, but in all these cases the administration has implied the issue was so urgent that the justices could skip that step.

In the ban on trans troops, quick action by the justices is warranted because it has to do with an issue of imperative public importance: the authority of the U.S. military to determine who may serve in the nations armed forces, Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco wrote. But Peter Renn, an attorney for Lambda Legal, which was one of the groups that challenged the ban, said the highly unusual step by the White House is wildly premature and inappropriate. For now, trial judges have determined there is no evidence to support the notion that military cohesion or readiness would be affected if transgender people are allowed to serve.
Many precious findings are still hidden under the ground.

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Archaeologists found a treasure of Celtic coins in Mosovce near Turcianske Teplice. The finding of 40 coins contains the most precious coins that Celts minted in this era, so-called tetradrachms.

The Celts had highly-developed coin system; tetradrachms have four times the higher value of other nominals, explains Karol Pieta, deputy of director from Archaeological Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) in Nitra, as quoted by the SITA newswire.

Tetradrachms are about nine to ten grams in weight, as if they have four drachms inside, which were the smallest coins in that time, Pieta explains.

It is highly probable that they are minted from silver originating from a Carpathian (Slovak) deposit. The economic power of Celts in the Slovak area was to a considerable extent based on using natural resources, especially gold, silver and iron. The Turiec region belonged among the key economic and cultural centres of Celts in Slovakia, Pieta added.

Archaeologists are carrying out a systematic research in the cadastre of Mosovce village as well as in the cadastres of other villages in connection to wood mining, due to the bark beetle calamity.

Amateur archaeologists

They were lucky to overtake raiders who find precious findings with metal detectors in Slovakia and then sell them or exchange with other collectors.

An archaeologist does not find only precious and expensive objects, he/she looks for a connection and thanks to detail work in terrain, he/she may interpret the finding further, said Pieta, as quoted by SITA.

The coins were scattered in a steep slope. Archaeologists found a place where they were packed in a small knot of organic substance and thanks to soil erosion, they scattered on the slope. They also found out that Celts put them into soil in times of battles at the beginning of anno Domini. It is already the second large-scale finding of coins in this area, the first being in 2008.

Celtic coins are the oldest coins minted in the Slovak area. The finding proves that Slovakia is full of significant archaeological discoveries still hidden under the ground, thinks Matej Ruttkay, director of Archaeological Institute of SAV in Nitra.

Read also:

Read also: Archaeological research in Filakovo brought about discoveries of European importance Read more

We have to make a maximum effort to overtake raiders because everywhere we research we find tracks after people who were there before us, he said, as quoted by SITA, adding that unfortunately they have already lost many findings. He would appreciate an amendment that would allow the cooperation of professionals with amateur finders, as it works in many other countries.
Kit Harington's responds to rumors following alleged photo leak.

The allegations in this story are completely false. [Kit] has never even been to Luxembourg nor has he ever met Olga Vlasova, Kits rep said in a statement to ET Canada.

The 31-year-old Game of Thrones star became the subject of cheating rumors when Russian model Olga Vlasovaposted an alleged nude photo of Kit online.

Olga claimed that she had met Kit in Luxembourg and in the pic, a man who appears to be him can be seen sleeping on a bed with a laptop computer next to him.

The model also claimed the duo first hooked up during his engagement to Leslie and continued their affair following the wedding.

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Two young Vietnamese have been named among the top 100 security researchers of Microsoft.

Tran Tien Hung, 26, and Do Quang Thanh, 22, were placed 88th and 97th, respectively on the list, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday.

The two currently works at the Network Security Center of Viettel, a military-run telecommunication corporation in Vietnam, responsible for inspecting possible vulnerabilities in the system and give necessary warning.

Hung, whose screenname is hungtt08, found three by-design bugs on Windows operating system including Elevation of Privilege, classified as Important in Microsofts Bug Bar, which allows hackers to execute arbitrary codes or gain more privilege than authorized and exploit information stored in the hijacked computer.

This bug was found on the two dominant operating systems in the world, the Windows 7 and Windows 10.

In the meantime, Thanh, under the alias nyaacate, identified a critical bug related to a fault in Windows graphic interface.

This flaw opens a doorway to the private data inside the computers mainboard where personal information, bank account, social network accounts, or a hidden folder are stored.

According to Microsoft, this dangerous bug lays hidden at the core of the computer which a hacker can hijack and gain control of the entire operating system.

Microsofts Top 100 Security Researchers was announced at Black Hat Conference, a highly technical conference of computer security with attendees being governments, corporations and even underground researchers, in Silicon Valley in August.

The list was compiled according to cases fixed from July 1, 2017 to June 30,2018 on account of the security impact, scaled 1 to 20, and the severity of each cases, from level 1 to 3.

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Trade centers, stores, and particularly fashion boutiques, in both Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi were packed with customers, whereas online shopping websites were flooded with orders on this years Black Friday shopping spree.

Brick-and-mortar shops in Vietnam started observing Black Friday arguably in 2013, before the U.S.-styled shopping fever hit the Vietnamese Internet for the first time in 2014.

Just like any other previous years the sales event debuted in Vietnam, Black Friday 2018 attracted hundreds of people ready for the shopping spree right from the early morning, an indicator that the shopping day is becoming as popular in Vietnam as it is in its motherland  the U.S.

With hourly and one-day discounts, shopping centers across major cities in Vietnam had to surrender as they failed to serve long queues of patiently-waiting shoppers.

Several brands at major shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1 offered discounts from 30 percent to as much as 90 percent  a Black Friday price cut in Vietnam, resulting in large crowds of shoppers and causing congestion in the citys central business district.

A store in Ho Chi Minh City is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Ho Chi Minh City is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Ho Chi Minh City is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Ho Chi Minh City is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Similarly, people in Hanoi flocked to shopping centers and stores, especially after working hours in the afternoon, on streets across the capital city to hunt for clothes and shoes at heavily discounted prices. Most of these stores offered discounts from 30 to 80 percent.

The products most sought after by shoppers were fashion items from high-end brands.

From the early morning, these shopping malls were so flooded with customers that some of them had to close their doors, waiting for already in customers to finish shopping before welcoming the next seas of guests into the premises.

This situation remained tense until night fell, the stores even had to arrange security forces to ensure safety for customers.

A store in Hanoi is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Hanoi is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Hanoi is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Hanoi is packed with shoppers on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Below are other photos of the Black Friday shopping spree in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City:

A shop offers 50 percent discount in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A store in Hanoi offers discount at 50 percent on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A customer carries a handful of shopping bags at a store in Hanoi on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Traffic on Chua Boc Street in Hanoi is congested after working hours in the afternoon on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Shoppers flock to a store in Hanoi on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Shoppers flock to a store in Hanoi on Black Friday 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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A number of tourists and expats living in Vietnam have expressed their opinions on ripping off in Vietnam and suggestions on how to stop the act.

The comments were made under a request of Tuoi Tre News, after a series of expose of broad daylight robbery targeted at foreigners near iconic Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.

The scam artists forced tourists to buy or use poor products and services at exorbitant prices. For instance, a tourist was forced to pay 400,000 VND (US$17) to have his shoes polished without his approval. In fact, the shoes were almost pulled off of his feet.

Only affecting tourists not expats

I think it is because tourists do not understand the culture enough and have little understanding of the currency so become easy targets. Most of my experience has been people being overly pushy with their services or following you around for an extended period of time, which often turns in to a very awkward and unhappy experience.

Once I needed my shoes fixed and used a man on the street. He tried to hugely overcharge me, but thankfully Id been in Vietnam long enough so I knew to hold my ground and negotiate prices in Vietnamese, so it ended up being a bit more acceptable. However, I had to make it clear that unless he was fair, I was willing to walk off without paying anything. I had similar experiences in India where sales people were overly pushy, and it seems to pop up in tourist hotspots.

Its often a symptom of the division between rich and poor, often in tourist area of developing countries many people are trying to make a living through whatever means necessary, with very little access to government intervention. I can understand the mindset of taking advantage of wealthy foreigners coming to your city. The pushiness may simply be desperation.

As such a well-loved tourist destination, I would like to see better access to tourist police to report incidents. Maybe even licensing within certain areas such as around Hoan Kiem Lake and the old quarter of Hanoi. I would like to see other people in the tourist industry, such as hotel staff, take the lead and warn visitors of the dangers. For example, when I was visiting Manila in the Philippines, almost every stranger or staff I met took it upon themselves to warn me of the dangers of the city.

(Chris Smith from England)

Supplied photo of Chris Smith

Only happens outside of daily context

As an expat I was overcharged two to three times within the last five years living in Vietnam, but it all happened outside of my daily context, which can also happen to any Vietnamese. For instance, I had a flat tire far from my house in an area I was unfamiliar with.

However, I would say neither paying unimaginably high prices for service, nor paying for services against my will happens to me. Even if I ask my expat friends or screen the expat groups on Facebook and social media, it is true that foreigners sometimes have to pay higher prices for some services including rent and food, among others, but it is a part of an inevitable learning process of expats.

Regarding the case in Hanoi, the main targets are the tourists and not the expats as the tourists are unfamiliar with local customs and may naturally restrain their reaction for this reason. However, we cannot call this robbery as a real robbery case would resemble the gangs in Paris who chase the Asian tourists because they know these people carry a lot of cash.

Social media have a huge impact on tourism in Vietnam, as well as the world. Countries, cities, and hotels depend on social media to attract the tourists while their reputation is too easily affected by this channel where even the minor and small-scale events might be emphasized and exaggerated. This is made worse by the fact that tourists stay for few days or only a few weeks but their experience represents the whole image of Vietnam. Hence, they will easily bring back bad memories and consider the trip a bad experience if they come across unfavorable situations. This negative impression will be shared and will become Vietnams image of many people instead of truly understanding the smile and the kindness we, as expats, experience in Vietnam.

(Christopher Denis-Delacour from France)

Punishment must be hard enough

Cheating and extorting are pretty common all over the world. They prey on tourists who are afraid to fight back. The difference is only in the prevalence of the crime in each respective country. Some countries have good government which clamp down hard on these criminals while others are too lax.

In every society, there are a small percentage of people who would choose the easy way to make money by cheating and robbing others. This is a universal nature of men. It is not particular to Vietnam.

My country is not excluded. There are taxi drivers who cheat tourists by taking them for long rides or by quoting unfair prices. A good case of cheating was one committed on a Vietnamese man in 2014. The Vietnamese man was cheated when trying to buy an iPhone. The case was reported to CASE (Consumer Association of Singapore), an organization that helps to protect consumers from unscrupulous sellers. Normally the problem would be resolved by CASE with the seller but because the iPhone cheating case was serious and that the shop has past records of cheating, the authority stepped in and the shop salesmen and owner were jailed.

To prevent all crimes, the authorities must be serious with the problem and firm actions must be taken to bring the criminals to justice. The punishment must be hard enough to bring the message across to others that crime does not pay.

(John Lim from Singapore)

Be aware

It happened to me once on Phu Quoc and at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. These guys try to take the shoes from your feet for unnecessary repair. I was out shopping for new shoes on morning as my old shoes were ready for the rubbish. One guy took them from my feet and wanted to glue on new soles. He was very persistent so I laughed and told him he could keep the shoes. I walked off bare foot which is no problem for an Aussie and bought new shoes. Within a few minutes, another guy was also trying to get me to take them off for him as he wanted to do repairs. I told him no, thank you and proceeded on my way with a good laugh and a smile on my face. They may follow for a while but when you stand your ground and be stern with them, they get the message and leave you alone.

For the unsuspecting foreigners I guess this could upset them if they do not know the way of these operators. I understand this happens in most countries. Be aware is the best solution for all countries. I am sure some foreigners are ripped off in Australia and other countries in one way or another but the shoe business was the best I had ever seen.

Policing these unfair traders is the best and only solution as long as the public are not afraid to come forward and make the problem noticed by the authorities.

(Darren Spackman from Australia)

Better supervision thanks to social media

I am well aware that Vietnam is not only country that is facing such problem. Similar ways to deceive foreign visitors have been existent in Thailand many years ago. However, thanks to the authoritys approach and severe punishments, this problem was for most parts avoided for the last 20 years.

In Thailand, social media are very popular and have become a good way to keep an eye on the society with tourism services not being an exception. When such actions are found within the society, they are guaranteed to be uploaded and condemned on social media. That way, police, authorities, and customer control department will be acknowledged and take necessary measures to deal with the problem. More importantly, by this means people will be aware of the current situation and what kind of fraud there is so as to protect themselves.

Despite this advantage, social media make it too simple to frame service suppliers that do not deserve it. Moreover, as these networks are popular around the world, many foreigners might have a bad impression of the countries without actually getting to know them.

Immediate solution to all problems in the society remains severe fines and punishments. In Thailand we also have a group of people only investigating and making sure the regulations are being practiced.

(Jo Jeerachart from Thailand)
A sixth grader in north-central Vietnam had to be hospitalized after he was repeatedly slapped in the face by his classmates as a punishment from his teacher for allegedly using foul language in class.

The incident took place at Class 6.2 of Duy Ninh Middle School in Quang Ninh District, Quang Binh Province earlier this week, local education authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Leaders of Duy Ninh Middle School have been required to take disciplinary actions against Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy, the math teacher who asked the whole class to give their classmate at least ten slaps each.

Thuy was suspended from work pending her final punishment.

The student in question, referred to only as N., was discharged from the hospital and is receiving treatment at home, with his cheeks remained swollen.

The family said N. will return to school next week, adding that Thuy did visit and apologize to the student.

Tran Thi Chuoc, mother of N., said she was stunned to see the swollen cheeks of her son when he came home on Monday afternoon.

The student told her mother that Thuy asked the whole class to repeatedly slap him.

It all started when the student sitting next to N. accused him of swearing, only because he had read a sentence containing the name of her parent.

In Vietnam, primary and middle school students may call out the names of their classmates parents as a form of teasing and, in some cases, bullying.

Upon receiving the complaint, Thuy immediately asked each of the remaining 23 students of the class to slap N. ten times.

N. suffered all 230 slaps to his face.

When the last student hit him, N. said I hate you teacher, only to get the 231st slap, this time from the teacher herself.

Chuoc said she had to rush his son to the hospital for treatment. He was diagnosed with soft-tissue injuries and still has difficult opening his mouth, chewing and eating.

But more importantly, he is severely psychologically hurt by the incident, according to the mother.

The schoolmaster, Pham Thi Le Anh, said Thuy was asked to write a report about the incident.

As per the school regulations, any class whose students are found swearing will lose five points in the internal awards system, so Thuy must have acted under pressure.

The schoolmaster asked for the familys sympathy over the inappropriate way of handling the situation of the teacher.

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A man in Hanoi has been recognized by the Vietnam Record Association for owning the countrys largest collection of Peugeot bicycles, a renowned French bike brand.

Dao Xuan Tinh celebrated his new record by showcasing his collection in the Vietnamese capital on November 18.

The collection includes 100 authentic Peugeot bicycles made in France, all in excellent condition with genuine parts.

His oldest Peugeot bicycle was manufactured in 1918, but remains functional.

Part of what makes Tinhs collection so special is that all of his bicycles come in pairs - with one male and one female bike for each model. The bikes are also arranged by year and color.

Tinhs journey to build his two-wheel collection stems from the great affection of the old Vietnamese generations towards the road bikes of yesterday.

In the intricate social context of Vietnam 70 years ago, when the closed door policies overshadowed the whole nation and everything was purchased with coupons, not money, a road bike became the dream vehicle of many families.

Born in such hard time, the image of a French bicycle, a Peugeot or Mercie, was deeply engraved in the minds of the old Hanoi people and craving for one was the social norm.

In the same spirit, Tinh has spent the last 20 years traveling across Europe looking to purchase and bid on the bikes he dreamed of as a kid.

Aside from appealing to his deep nostalgia, each two-wheeler must also be vintage, authentic, and functional.

Several owners of the bikes, after realizing Tinhs motive of preserving their history, chose to let him take their pricy Peugoets for free.

At home, Tinh goes to great lengths to hire a crew of bike specialists who give regular check-ups to every bike in his collection, retaining each ones fresh look and mint condition.

One member of the team, now 80 years old, has devoted most of his life to fixing Peugeot bicycles and is just as dedicated as Tinh to maintaining the integrity of the collection.

Besides Peugoet bicycles, Tinh also bears great affection for vintage motorcycles and other classic items, such as his four electric scooters, four Peugeot mopeds, a Motobecane bicycle manufactured in 1970, and several wall clocks and tabletops.

At his showcase, Tinh donated a pair of Peugeot bikes made before 1954 to the National Museum of Vietnamese History so the precious bikes can continued to be admired by the public.

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Miss Vietnam 2018 Tran Tieu Vy has delivered a charming and friendly introduction about the Southeast Asian country, especially her hometown of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, to the Miss World 2018 pageant.

Tran Tieu Vy, an 18-year-old high school graduate, was declared the new Miss Vietnam after beating out 42 beauty contestants at the pageant finale in September.

As Miss Vietnam 2018, Vy will represent her country at Miss World 2018 in China in late December.

In the submission for the Head to Head Challenge at the beauty contest, the millennial recorded a video to introduce Hoi Ans beautiful people, sceneries, delicious foods and unique cultures to audience around the world.

In the second part of the video, the 2000-born lady confidently answered questions from the hosts in English, showing off her English command.

Vy is in the same group with five other representatives of Egypt, South Sudan, Panama, Montenegro and India in this challenge.

Viewers will vote for their favorite contestants through the social networking channels of Miss World to select the winners of each group. Twenty winners will go on to the second round.

Below is the video from Tran Tieu Vy:

Video of Miss Vietnam 2018 Tran Tieu Vy in the Head to Head Challenge at Miss World 2018

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Check out whats in today news!

Politics

-- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will continue to help Vietnam enhance its capacity for joining UN peacekeeping operations, said UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra at an international workshop in Hanoi on Friday.

-- Huynh Cach Mang, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee, received the Australian Political Exchange Council on Friday, expressing his wish that the council will continue supporting cooperation between Australia and Vietnam in general and with the southern metropolis in particular, especially in investment, trade, education, tourism and youth exchange.

Society

-- While investigating the scenes of an accident on Thursday morning, a police officer of An Phu District in the Mekong Delta Province of An Giang was killed by another truck, which was controlled by an apparent drowsy driver at a deadly-fast speed, the chief police officer of the district confirmed on Friday night.

-- Nearly 100 households in Uong Bi City in the northern province of Quang Ninh have been living without fresh water for the past few days after a roadwork led to the breaking of the underground water supply system to the residential area.

-- A South Korean visitor was arrested by the police of Ngu Hanh Son District in the central city of Da Nang on Friday morning after a failed attempt to rob a local taxi driver of his belongings at knifepoint following a ride from the neighboring city of Hue earlier the same day.

-- Customs officers at Ho Chi Minh City-based Tan Son Nhat International Airport and competent forces on Friday arrested a man on a flight from Paris to Vietnam for illegally carrying three firearms and four ammo boxes in his luggage.

Business

-- Trade centers, stores, and online shops, particularly fashion boutiques, in both Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi were packed with customers on the Black Friday shopping spree, which is becoming as popular in Vietnam as it is in its motherland  the U.S.

Education

-- All schools in Ho Chi Minh Citys coastal Can Gio District close today, November 24, as tropical storm Usagi, which is headed to the southern region of Vietnam, may leave direct impact on this suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City with downpours of 200 to 250 millimeters.

Lifestyle

-- An EDM (electronic dance music) festival scheduled to take place just outside Hanoi from November 23 to 25 was asked to cancel in the last minutes, despite around sold 3,000 tickets and 1,200 foreign and local artists and volunteers already heading to the venue.

Sports

-- Vietnam are expecting an easy win from Cambodia in their final Group A game at the ongoing 2018 AFF Championship, contested by ten nations affiliated to the ASEAN Football Federation, at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi at 7:30 pm (Vietnam time) today.

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Construction of a Japan-built metro line in Ho Chi Minh City might have to be halted after the end of 2018 as unpaid contractors wage has amounted to more than US$100 million, the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam said in a letter.

Development for the Ben Thanh  Suoi Tien metro line began in 2007 using official development assistance (ODA) loans from Japan.

However, since October 2017 the project has not received any budget disbursement due to late approval of an adjusted investment plan, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeka Kunio said in the letter sent to Ho Chi Minh Citys Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Even though the municipal administration has pledged to use its own money to pay Japanese contractors while waiting for budget from the central government, the promise has not been kept, Umeka Kunio said.

As of November, unpaid contractors wage has amounted to more than $100 million, the Japanese ambassador pointed out.

If this issue is not resolved by the end of December 2018, Im sorry to say that constructions on the project will have to be halted, Ambassador Umeda Kunio stressed in his letter.

According to Ambassador Kunio, Japanese contractors are working hard to get the metro line ready for its scheduled opening in 2020.

With that in mind, Kunio said, he hoped that Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan would take necessary measures to speed up budget disbursement for the project.

The first metro line in Ho Chi Minh City runs nearly 20 kilometers from Ben Thanh Market in the downtown area to the Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9.

It is estimated to cost VND47.3 trillion (US$2 billion) in investment capital, and will be capable of transporting 620,000 passengers per day upon completion, taking pressure away from the citys overcrowded public transport system thats overly dependent on buses.

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Managers of an airport in north-central Vietnam confirmed on Friday that a female ground service employee of budget carrier Vietjet was assaulted by three young men at the airdrome the same day.

The incident was made known to the public via a video that went viral on social media, which shows a group of three men beating and slapping the woman in the face.

The ground service employee eventually fell to the ground after receiving a kick from one of the attackers, according to the two-minute footage seen by Tuoi Tre News.

The violent men also noticed that a coworker of the victim had been filming their act and turned to shout at and verbally attack her.

Footage of the incident

A representative of Tho Xuan Airport, located in Thanh Hoa Province, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday afternoon that the incident took place at the airport.

Vietjet also said in a statement that the men involved were identified as Pham Huu A., Le Van Nh., and Le Trung D., who came to Tho Xuan to bid goodbye to their friend, Le Sy M., who boarded a Vietnam Airlines flight for Ho Chi Minh City at 3:05 that day.

After M. completed check-in, the three asked the Vietjet employee, Le Thi Gi., to take a group photo of them at the departure hall.

M. accepted the request, only to see the men continue asking her to join them for another group photo. This time the woman refused, saying she had to work.

Shortly after hearing Gi.s refusal, the three men started to attack her, first verbally and later physically. A. used his mobile phone to beat Gi. in her head and slapped her, whereas Nh. Also hit her in the face with his hand.

An airport manager witnessed the attack and tried to stop the men, only to receive a slap in her face and a kick to her abdomen. D., one of the attackers, also hit two airport security officers.

The three were eventually arrested when airport security was reinforced by police from the provinces Tho Xuan District.

The case was booked and Tho Xuan police are investigating further.

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Tropical storm Usagi, which developed from a tropical low-pressure system, is heading to south central Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City among localities to be directly impacted by the ninth typhoon to hit the East Vietnam Sea this year, meteorologists said Saturday.

As of 4:00 am, the typhoons center was about 450 km east of the coastal areas stretching from the south-central province of Binh Thuan to the southern Ba Ria  Vung Tau. The storm's strongest winds were at a speed of 60  75 km per hour, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the next 24 hours, it is forecast to move west at 10 - 15 km per hour and may gain more strength. The storm with sustained wind speeds at 75  100 km per hour will be about 230 km east of the coast of provinces from Ninh Thuan to Ba Ria  Vung Tau.

As of 4:00 am on Sunday, the storm will continue moving west at 10  15 km per hour and make landfall in the area between coastal provinces in south central and east southern regions. It is then weakened to a tropical depression, the center said.

The typhoon will cause torrential rains for south-central and south-east provinces, with localities stretching from Thua Thien  Hue to Binh Thuan provinces and the southern Central Highlands region forecast to suffer downpour with rainfall up to 300-500mm.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong co-chaired an urgent meeting to direct the 14 provinces to prepare for the typhoon on Friday, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

At the meeting, Dung requested that provinces implement such urgent tasks as evacuating residents living in areas at high risks of landslides and flash floods, reinforcing houses and sea dykes, and making plans to ensure reservoirs safety. The deputy premier also demanded that rescue forces be ready for emergencies.

In the meantime, Cuong said these provinces have to inform offshore vessels on the storms developments and take all possible measures to minimize damages.

Border guard soldiers help locals fortify their roofs in Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City, on November 23, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Ho Chi Minh City braces for Usagis impacts

Light rains were seen at the center of Ho Chi Minh City at around 1:00-2:00 am on Saturday, and it remained cloudy in the southern metropolis by 7:00 am the same day.

Le Dinh Quyet, an official of the Southern Weather Forecast Station, said under the impacts of storm Usagi, Ho Chi Minh City will suffer downpour with rainfall from 70 to 120mm, and thunderstorms capable of unroofing houses and uprooting trees.

Houses in the low areas of District 2, 6, 7 and 8, and Binh Thanh, Nha Be and Binh Chanh Districts are expected to suffer from flooding caused by high tides, Quyet told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

All schools in Can Gio District have been asked to allow students to stay home on Saturday, whereas all K-12 schools in Ho Chi Minh City are required not to hold any extracurricular activities while the city braces for storm Usagi.

Some 2,000-4,000 residents in Can Gio, a coastal suburban district located some 50km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, are ready for evacuation in case of emergency.

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As Western Australia reels in shock from a succession of family mass murders, Perth advocate Dr Ann ONeill offers a powerful message of hope on Mondays Australian Story.

This episode is introduced by Rosie Batty.

Twenty-four years ago, Anns estranged husband killed their two children and left her an amputee. She turned her grief into good and rebuilt her life to become one of the countrys leading trauma experts.

In this update of a powerful episode from 2004, we follow Ann as she works with the Margaret River community in the wake of Mays horrific mass killing.

As she helps those struggling with sudden loss, Ann offers hard-won wisdom about how to carry on in the face of sadness and grief.

8pm Monday on ABC.
FILE PHOTO: Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin attends the talks of Russian President Vladimir Putin with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 22, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/File Photo

By Alexandra Ulmer and Marianna Parraga

WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The head of Russian oil company Rosneft <ROSN.MM>, Igor Sechin, flew to Caracas this week to meet Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and complain over delayed oil shipments designed to repay loans, two sources briefed on the conversation said on Saturday.

The visit, which was not publicly disclosed, is one of the clearest signs of strain between crisis-stricken Venezuela and its key financier Russia.

Over the last few years, Moscow has become Venezuelas lender of last resort, with the Russian government and Rosneft handing Venezuela at least $17 billion (13.2 billion) in loans and credit lines since 2006, according to Reuters calculations.

State oil company PDVSA is repaying almost all of those debts with oil, but a meltdown in its oil industry has left it struggling to fulfil obligations.

Sechin and a large delegation of executives met with officials at PDVSA in a Caracas hotel this week. Sechin also met with Venezuela's leftist leader Maduro, and chided him over oil-for-loans shipments that are behind schedule.

"He brought information showing that they were meeting obligations with China but not with them," said one source with knowledge of the talks.

"They're running around in PDVSA because of this," added the source, asking to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to media.

The country's oil production has fallen to just 1.17 million barrels-per-day, a 37 percent drop in the last year, according to reports from secondary sources to OPEC, leaving it struggling to ship Russian entities the roughly 380,000 bpd it has agreed to send, according to PDVSA documents seen by Reuters.

The closing of a dock at Venezuela's main oil export port, through which the vast majority of shipments to Rosneft transit, has delayed millions of barrels in crude since August.

Sechin handed Maduro graphics about oil shipments to Russian entities compared with China, the two sources said.

Story continues

Top financier China, which has ploughed more than $50 billion into Venezuela, also gets reimbursed in oil.

According to Reuters calculations based on PDVSA data, the Caracas-based company delivered around 463,500 bpd to Chinese firms between January and August, a roughly 60 percent compliance rate. That compares with around 176,680 bpd to Russian entities, or a 40 percent compliance rate.

Rosneft and PDVSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the sources with knowledge of Sechin's visit, as well as two separate sources, said a Chinese delegation was also in Caracas this week.

CHINA, RUSSIA VIE FOR VENEZUELA OIL

As of early 2017, PDVSA began to fall months behind on shipments of crude and fuel under the loan deals with China and Russia due to problems in its oil industry, home to the world's biggest crude reserves, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.

The problems include operational mishaps, such as refining outages and delayed cleaning of tanker hulls, and financial disputes with service providers owed money by PDVSA.

This April, Rosneft and PDVSA signed a refinancing agreement designed to allow the Venezuelan company to catch up on delayed loan payments by delivering more crude to Rosneft. Under the refinancing, PDVSA has to provide Rosneft with some 380,000 bpd, up from around 310,000 bpd, according to Reuters calculations.

The Russian company was planning on using Joses South dock to pick up the cargoes, before an August tanker collision delayed exports to Rosneft. PDVSA reopened the dock earlier this month, sources said.

China agreed to use ship-to-ship (STS) operations to avoid Venezuela's clogged ports. However, the clients to whom Rosneft sends Venezuelan crude, Russian-backed Indian refiner Nayara Energy and Indian conglomerate Reliance, did not agree to STS transfers, likely heightening delays.

(Additional reporting by Corina Pons, writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Susan Thomas)
By Ben Martin

LONDON (Reuters) - Playtech's <PTEC.L> founder Teddy Sagi has sold out of the gambling software company he set up 19 years ago by offloading a stake worth around $87 million.

Sagi's Brickington Trading has offloaded about 15.2 million shares, equivalent to 4.8 percent of the London-listed company, his family office, Globe Invest, said in a statement on Friday.

The stock that the Israeli entrepreneur sold is worth approximately 68 million pounds at the current market price of about 450 pence a share, according to Reuters calculations.

It marks the end of Sagi's involvement in Playtech, which he set up in 1999 and floated on the London stock market in 2006. He has been cutting his stake in recent years and the latest disposal follows a sale earlier this month.

It also comes after both Playtech and Sagi faced pressure from U.S. activist investor SpringOwl Asset Management.

SpringOwl's founder Jason Ader told Reuters in September that he wanted Playtech to sell its financial services businesses and focus on gaming and said: "I don't have a sense that the future of this company includes Teddy Sagi."

Sagi's exit follows a plunge in Playtech's shares after the group rattled investors with a profit alert in July, which followed a similar warning in November 2017 that also hit the stock.

The shares have almost halved in price since the start of the year and have tumbled from a peak of 10.16 pounds in June 2017.

(Reporting by Ben Martin; Editing by Mark Potter and Louise Heavens)
FILE PHOTO: A BP logo is seen at a petrol station in London January 15, 2015. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/File Photo

Thomson Reuters

By Ron Bousso and Shadia Nasralla

LONDON (Reuters) - "Little hope of THIS rock ever producing oil," BP geologist Bill Senior scribbled in 1977 on a note assessing a recent oil discovery in a distant corner of the North Sea.

That same rock is today the heart of BP's prized Clair field in the West of Shetland region, which this week started its second phase of production.

The giant bridge-linked Clair Ridge platforms are among the projects that have given new life to this area of the North Sea, one of the oldest offshore basins, which was once predicted to run dry by the 2020s.

Consultancy Wood Mackenzie predicts West of Shetland will be the only North Sea zone with growing output between now and 2025.

With its deep waters, waves as high as 40 meters, brutal gales and thick fog, West of Shetland is hugely inhospitable.

The contrast between today's confidence and the scepticism of the 1970s is a result of big technological leaps, such as 3D seismic imaging and super-computers, and better drilling equipment that opened up new areas and gave a clearer picture of the rock lying miles under the water.

BP, like rivals such as Shell, France's Total and Norway's Equinor, plans to invest billions in West of Shetland projects while scaling back in the mature areas of the North Sea.

Forty years after its discovery, BP says Clair, which first produced oil in 2005, has another 40 years of production in it, thanks to its vast resources.

The huge oil and gas deposits in the region mean that as expensive as projects are, they can still compete with those in other basins around the world like the U.S. onshore shale development, which require a much smaller initial investment and are much less complex.

The Oil and Gas Authority, Britain's industry regulator, estimates the region held 1.3 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent in recoverable reserves as of the end of last year.

(Graphic: West of Shetlands - https://tmsnrt.rs/2Rbu37u)

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MASSIVE ACCUMULATION

"Clair is a massive oil accumulation with over 7 billion barrels of oil in place. That's why we see Clair Ridge being out there for 40 years," BP's head of North Sea Ariel Flores told Reuters.

"We will learn and continue to push the limits to what we believe is economically recoverable," he added.

Clair Ridge is expected to produce 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day at its peak and will involve drilling several new wells.

BP is today planning the third phase, Clair South, and with its partners - Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and ConocoPhillips - will decide on whether to go ahead with the project in 2019 or 2020, Flores said.

Elsewhere, new reserves continue to be discovered in the region. Total announced in September a major new discovery in the Glendronach area, which it estimates holds one trillion cubic feet of gas.

"We're only just scratching the surface of some of the gas plays and some of the other oil plays in the region," said Phil Kirk, chief executive of private-equity backed Chrysaor.

His company holds a stake in BP's 130,000 bpd Schiehallion field in West of Shetland and one of the world's largest floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels.

Shell and BP are also developing the Alligin field which will involve linking two wells to the Glen Lyon FPSO, which will lower the project's costs.

Equinor is expected to develop the Rosebank field, which it acquired from Chevron earlier this year and is estimated to cost $6 billion, according to Wood Mackenzie.

The Norwegian oil and gas firm is aiming to simplify the field's plans in order to reduce its costs, but that will probably lead to a delay in the start of development into 2020 at least, a source involved in the project said.

Private equity-backed Siccar Point drilled a test well at the Cambo field this summer in the area, and is expected to decide next year on its development together with its partner Shell.

"The West of Shetland is vital to the future of the UK oil and gas industry," Wood Mackenzie analyst Kevin Swann told Reuters.

With many fields in other regions facing closures in the coming years "we expect projects in the West of Shetland to account for more than 70 percent of total UK development spend in the mid-2020s," he added.

The region is also under-explored compared to other parts of the North Sea, with only 160 exploration wells drilled so far.

(Graphic: West of Shetlands fields - https://tmsnrt.rs/2R6LHcj)

NEW WAYS

Clair Ridge is a reminder however of lax practices seen in the oil and gas industry earlier in the decade, when oil prices soared and project costs ballooned with them.

The project was approved for development in 2001 with a budget of $4.5 billion. Its final cost reached $4.9 billion and production started years later than planned.

The collapse in oil prices in 2014 forced companies to slash costs and simplify projects in order to survive in a world where a barrel of oil traded at $40, compared to today's prices of around $62 a barrel.

The North Sea, and West of Shetland in particular, has learnt to adapt better than other regions, Flores said.

While Clair Ridge required a hugely complex construction process, the next phase, Clair South, will involve simpler and lighter designs, cheaper equipment requiring fewer crane lifts and technology including subsea robots that will radically reduce costs, he said.

In a sign of confidence in Clair, BP increased its share in the field in July to 45.1 percent in a swap deal with ConocoPhillips, from around 29 percent.

The region could get a further boost if programs such as Hurricane Energy's Lancaster project, which targets fractured basement rock formations, open up deeper, untapped layers of rock.

"If you want to be anywhere in the UK continental shelf, you want to be in the West of Shetland," Hurricane Energy Chief Financial Officer Alistair Stobie told Reuters.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Jan Harvey)

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  A Central African Republic militia leader and lawmaker who goes by the nickname Rambo told the International Criminal Court on Friday he was beaten and tortured after his arrest late last month in parliament.

Prosecutors at the global court allege that 43-year-old Alfred Yekatom is responsible for crimes including murder, torture and using child soldiers during his country's bitter conflict. He allegedly commanded some 3,000 fighters in a predominantly Christian militia that killed Muslims in attacks between December 2013 and August 2014 in and around the capital, Bangui.

At his first appearance before ICC judges since his transfer to the Netherlands over the weekend, Yekatom confirmed his name, age and that he had read the charges in his arrest warrant. He wasn't required to enter a plea at the 35-minute hearing.

Defense lawyer Xavier-Jean Keita told Presiding Judge Antoine Mindua that Yekatom says he was beaten with a Kalashnikov rifle butt after he was arrested last month after firing gunshots in parliament. Keita also said Yekatom was held illegally following his arrest and before he was put on a plane to The Hague, where the court is based.

"His fundamental rights were violated," Keita said.

Mindua set April 30 as the date for a hearing at which judges will listen to prosecution evidence before considering whether to confirm the charges against Yekatom and order him to stand trial.

The Central African Republic has been plagued by interreligious and intercommunal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the capital and mainly Christian anti-Balaka militias fought back. The violence left thousands of people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

The government asked the ICC in May 2014 to investigate crimes allegedly committed by both the Seleka and the anti-Balaka. So far, no Seleka fighters have been publicly targeted by the court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda.

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Yekatom's arrest warrant says he used "violent and inflammatory rhetoric" and ordered his forces to "kill Selekas and Muslims" and destroy their homes as well as a mosque.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the case against Yekatom.

Elise Keppler, associate director of the group's International Justice Program, said it "provides a chance for the International Criminal Court to do a more effective job in delivering justice for atrocities" in Central African Republic. She said the charges "should be the first among more involving crimes committed by all sides in the Central African Republic."

____

Hippolyte Marboua in Bangui, Central African Republic contributed.
By Lizbeth Diaz

TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) - Unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable migrants risk falling victim to crime in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, where thousands of Central Americans from caravans may be stuck for months as authorities tighten up asylum rules, advocates say.

Some 4,600 migrants from the bedraggled caravans whose advance has angered U.S. President Donald Trump are camped out with blankets and little food in an overcrowded stadium in Tijuana, whose mayor has declared a "humanitarian crisis."

Trump has sent troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, authorized the use of lethal force and threatened to shut down the frontier entirely if the migrant caravans are not stopped.

Among the Central Americans, many of whom are Hondurans fleeing violence and poverty in the struggling region, are about 80 minors between the ages of 10 and 17, according to migrants rights groups.

Josue, a 15-year-old Honduran in Tijuana, said that during a previous attempt to cross into the United States last year he was kidnapped and badly beaten in Mexico by drug traffickers claiming to be from the notorious Zetas gang.

"I ended up in the hospital, I don't know how, because I arrived there half-dead," he said, declining to give his second name.

Once he was well enough, authorities deported him, he said.

Reuters was not able to independently corroborate details of his story. Mexico's immigration institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the case.

Tijuana was rated by Mexican think tank Seguridad Justicia y Paz as the fifth most violent city in the world in 2017, with a higher murder rate than the Central American cities from which the migrants are escaping.

Juan Manuel Gastelum, Tijuana's mayor, said late on Thursday that the city was facing a humanitarian crisis and that supporting the migrants was costing more than 500,000 pesos (19,518 pounds) a day. He urged international agencies to help Tijuana.

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WAITING LIST

Activists fear the Central Americans could be stranded for a long time in the city, where some protests against the presence of the caravan have broken out.

In May, citing a lack of processing space at the same crossing, U.S. immigration officials stalled a previous caravan that also drew Trump's anger. Eventually, they began letting in a trickle of people from the group.

To manage flows of asylum claimants, Mexican and U.S. authorities have in recent years maintained a waiting list. Lawyers and human rights group Amnesty International have said such measures slow the process.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement sent to Reuters that the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which connects Tijuana to San Diego in California, could process up to 100 people per day and that it was working with Mexico to manage the flow.

Mexico's National Immigration Institute said it protects the rights of all foreigners and was "respectful of immigration policy implemented by other countries."

Stalled for days, migrants from the caravan have been signing onto the waiting list. They include gay and transgender teenagers.

Erika Pinheiro, director of litigation at Al Otro Lado, an immigration legal advocacy group, last week told a Californian court under oath that "LGBT children cannot safely stay in Mexico. They are at risk of violence and persecution."

Tijuana has just one shelter for migrant children, which subsists with the help of civic organizations.

"Young people are definitely the most vulnerable in this type of movement," said Mynor Contreras, who runs the local YMCA. "We've never received so many in such a short time."

If the children cannot enter the United States, they risk being deported from Mexico. That can spell big trouble.

"I don't want to die," said 16-year-old Justin, who related how his life was threatened last month for not paying a "war tax" that gangsters charged for his small used-clothing business in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. "That day I told my mother to give me her blessing and I left," he said, crying.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Additional reporting by Delphine Schrank and Michael O'Boyle in Mexico City and Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Dave Graham and Rosalba O'Brien)
By Dominique Vidalon and Emmanuel Jarry

PARIS (Reuters) - Police firing tear gas and water cannons clashed in Paris on Saturday with thousands of protesters angry over rising car fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France.

As night fell, the famed Champs-Elysees avenue, where fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld switched on the red lights of Christmas just a few days ago, was still aglow with fires lit by protesters.

President Emmanuel Macron thanked police forces for their" courage and professionalism" in dealing with demonstrators as calm progressively returned to the Champs Elysees.

"Shame on those who attacked them ... There is no room for this violence in the Republic," Macron said on Twitter.

During the clashes a trailer was set on fire and exploded on the Champs Elysees, France's most famous tourist mile, and a man who tried to attack fire fighters was overpowered by some of the demonstrators themselves.

On the nearby Avenue de Friedland, police fired special rubber balls to control demonstrators, who carried French flags or slogans, saying "Macron, resignation" and "Macron, thief".

Around 8,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where police tried to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace.

Police detained 130 people in Paris and in protests in other parts of the country.

Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy electric vehicles.

For more than a week, protesters clad in the fluorescent yellow jackets that all motorists in France must have in their cars have blocked highways across the country with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks, obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centres and some factories.

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Interior Minister Christophe Castaner accused far-right leader Marine Le Pen of fanning the protests in the capital.

"Ultra-right networks were very mobilised on the Champs Elysees," he said. There were about 20 people injured on the Champs Elysees, according to police.

CHALLENGE FOR MACRON

Last Saturday nearly 300,000 people took part in the first yellow vest demonstrations countrywide. By early evening on Saturday, more than 106,000 demonstrators were involved in protests across France, according to the ministry.

The unrest is a dilemma for Macron who casts himself as a champion against climate change but has been derided as out of touch with common folk and is fighting a slump in popularity.

While the movement, which has no leader, began as a backlash against higher fuel prices, it has tapped into broader frustration at the sense of a squeeze on household spending power under Macron's 18-month-old government.

Since coming to power, Macron has seen off trade union and street demonstrations against his changes to the labour rules, and overhauled the heavily indebted state rail operator. Foreign investors have largely cheered his pro-business administration.

(Editing by Richard Balmforth)
Two policemen were killed on Friday when gunmen stormed the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi, officials said, with the attack claimed by a separatist group which branded Beijing an oppressor.

Pakistani authorities said that security forces had secured the area after the attack, the latest in a series of assaults on Chinese nationals, including workers involved in a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project in the country.

Multiple gunmen tried to enter the consulate in the southern port city, but were intercepted by guards at a checkpoint, senior local police official Javaid Alam Odho told AFP.

An exchange of fire resulted in the killing two of our constables and critically wounding another, he said, adding that at least one attacker had been wearing a suicide vest which did not detonate.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters in Islamabad that all the terrorists have been eliminated.

Terrorists attempted to enter Chinese consulate. Rangers and police have got control. Three terrorists killed. All Chinese safe. Situation under control, the militarys media wing said in a statement.

The attack was claimed by a separatist militant group from Pakistans southwestern province of Balochistan, which is at the centre of a major Chinese investment project in the country.

We have carried out this attack and our action is continuing, the spokesman for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Geand Baloch, told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

We have been seeing the Chinese as an oppressor, along with Pakistani forces, he said, adding they were destroying the future of Balochistan.

The BLA is just one of the militant groups operating in Balochistan, Pakistans largest and poorest province, which is rife with ethnic, sectarian and separatist insurgencies.

Residents of the resource-rich province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, have long complained that it does not receive a fair share of the profits made from its mineral wealth.

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Chinese investment

China, one of Pakistans closest allies, has poured billions into the South Asian country in recent years as part of a massive infrastructure project that seeks to connect its western province Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar, in Balochistan.

The project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, is one of the largest in Beijings One Belt One Road initiative, comprising a network of roads and sea routes involving 65 countries.

For Pakistan, participating in the project presents an enormous challenge in a country plagued by weak institutions, endemic corruption and a range of insurgencies in areas slated to host the corridor.

The subject of economic dividends from CPEC is extremely sensitive in some of the areas the corridor will run through particularly in Balochistan.

Since the beginning of the project militants have repeatedly attacked construction sites, blowing up numerous gas pipelines and trains, and targeted Chinese workers.

In August this year three Chinese nationals were among six wounded in a suicide attack on a bus transporting Chinese engineers working on a mining project in Balochistan, in an attack that was also claimed by the BLA.

China has said it is confident the Pakistani military which has been repeatedly accused by international rights groups of abuses in Balochistan is in control of the issue.

Islamabad regularly accuses its eastern neighbour India of funding and arming Baloch separatists, and of targeting development projects in the province, particularly CPEC.

Karachi, Pakistans largest city and the capital of Sindh province which neighbours Balochistan, was for years rife with political, sectarian and ethnic militancy.

A crackdown in the city by security forces in recent years has brought a lull in violence, but scattered attacks still take place.

(AFP)
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pose for a photograph during a visit to Old Havana Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pose for a photograph during a visit to Old Havana, Cuba, November 23, 2018. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

By Sarah Marsh

HAVANA (Reuters) - On a historic visit to Cuba, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez vowed on Friday that his country would continue to increase investments there despite Cuba's cash woes, illustrating Europe's enduring interest in the opening market even as the United States pulls away.

On the second day of the first official visit by a Spanish leader to the Communist-run island in 32 years, socialist Sanchez opened a Cuban-Spanish business forum in a hotel run by Spanish chain Iberostar and owned by Cuba's military.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump recently added that hotel to a list of places banned to Americans as part of a tightening of the decades-old trade embargo on the island and partial reversal of his predecessor Barack Obama's detente.

But Europe continues to forge ahead improving ties with Cuba, which over the past decade has sought to open up towards the West, update its centrally planned economic model and attract more foreign investment.

Various European countries including Germany and Portugal have opened up trade offices in Havana in recent years. Within the framework of the renegotiation of Cuba's debt to the Paris Club of wealthy creditor nations, some have also agreed to establish countervalue funds to invest in the island.

The idea is that a percentage of the money owed these countries is discounted for local joint-development projects that will also help them get a foothold in the Cuban market.

At the inauguration of Friday's forum, attended also by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who in April succeeded Raul Castro, Sanchez said Spain's countervalue fund was worth 415 million euros (367.1 million pounds).

He also noted that Spanish exports to Cuba rose 5 percent to around 900 million euros in 2018. Spain is Cuba's third largest trade partner and one of its top investors, especially in the key tourism sector.

"The obstacles we encounter in the way will not interrupt nor slow down the increases in commercial and investment ties between our two countries," Sanchez told the forum.

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Spanish companies, like other foreign providers, have suffered delayed payments from Cuba in recent years as the country has faced a major cash crunch in the wake of declining aid from chief ally Venezuela and weaker exports.

This year, the tighter U.S. embargo is also affecting tourism revenue while Cuba faces a drop in income from the medical services it provides abroad. Earlier this month it severed its cooperation agreement with Brazil following criticism by far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, and the first of thousands of Cuban doctors left Brazil on Thursday.

But Spanish corporate executives said at Friday's forum that they were confident in the medium- to long-term potential of the Cuban market and hoped Sanchez's visit would boost their business opportunities.

Those in the tourism sector said they were already benefiting from the boom of the last few years.

"We've had 18 percent growth every year since 2015," said Ignacio Uriarte, whose medium-sized company Idurgo sells cutlery and porcelain to the Cuban tourism sector. "This visit can only help business further."1

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) -Claims in a book about President Vladimir Putin that billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club on the orders of the Kremlin to spread Russian influence in Britain are defamatory, a British judge ruled on Wednesday. In the 2020 book, British journalist Catherine Belton chronicles Putin's rise to power and how many of his associates from the former Soviet spy services rose to positions of wealth and influence after he won the top Kremlin job in 1999. A lawyer for Abramovich had argued in court that passages in the book "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West", published by HarperCollins, were clearly defamatory.
A worker holds the new vibratory machine for harvesting coffee in Chinchina, Colombia November 22, 2018. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

Thomson Reuters

By Julia Symmes Cobb

CHINCHINA, Colombia (Reuters) - Third generation Colombian coffee farmer Mauricio Giraldo knows all too well the stress of seeing some of his crop rot on the tree because he cannot find enough workers to pick the cherry-like red fruit.

His 35-hectare (86-acre) farm in the southern mountains of Huila requires 80 pickers, but sometimes during busy harvest seasons he can find only half that, as people gravitate toward urban centers and away from arduous agricultural work.

Colombia, the world's top producer of washed arabica coffee, lacks between 60,000 and 90,000 pickers overall, but a new machine invented by the coffee growers' federation and Brazilian machinery company Brudden could cut that shortage in half.

The DSC-18, similar in dimensions and noise to a home weed-whacker, was built specifically for the steep slopes of Colombian coffee country, unlike the huge harvesting combines used in Brazil's flatter coffee terrain.

At one end of the machine are two vibrating silver tongs - strong enough to knock ripe coffee berries off a branch, light enough not to disturb still-green fruit that has yet to mature.

"It's a great tool," Giraldo, 37, said while attending the debut demonstration of the machine with 300 other coffee growers in central Caldas province. "It's an opportunity to reduce production costs and not lose coffee in high season when we can't find workers."

The machine will play a major role in alleviating the country's perennial labor shortage, which is often exacerbated by a rolling harvest that requires workers to move from province to province, said federation head Roberto Velez.

"Labor is more scarce all the time," Velez said as several DSC-18s whirred behind him on the federation's test farm near Chinchina.

He estimates the DSC-18 could eventually save farmers 20 percent in costs, as they hire fewer workers and the average worker doubles daily output to about 176 kilos. Workers' salaries are also predicted to rise, since they are paid based on how much they harvest.

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More than half a million Colombian families make a living from coffee-farming. They hire more than 400,000 harvest workers in a typical year, according to federation figures.

The machines will retail for about $530 and the first batch will be in farmers' hands by March, said Brudden's commercial director Evair Rojo.

"In two years of development we made a machine that's more selective - it can touch the branch, move the red berries and keep the green ones in place," he said.

Rojo expects his company to get up to 6,000 initial orders. Farmers in Central American and African countries will also be able to place orders.

Brazil's coffee harvest has long been mechanized, with large combines stripping trees in huge flat fields.

Colombia and other mountainous coffee-growing countries like Guatemala and Costa Rica have struggled to mechanize because of steep terrain and the rolling harvest which rules out machines that strip branches of all berries at once.

For Johanna Romero, 40, who farms in Cundinamarca province, the machine's potential is worth changing how her farm is run.

"All change causes trauma, but we need to take a risk and adopt new technologies."

(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Helen Murphy)

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Theresa May insisted the UK's position on Gibraltar "has not changed" after she was accused of caving in to Spanish demands ahead of Sunday's Brexit summit.

The prime minister arrived in Brussels as EU leaders prepare to approve the UK's withdrawal agreement, which had been threatened by a diplomatic row with Madrid.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez revealed he would no longer vote against the Brexit deal, saying the UK and EU had agreed to demands for guarantees over the status of Gibraltar in future negotiations.

Mr Sanchez claimed the agreement allowed Spain to talk about "co-sovereignty" of the territory in the coming years.

But in a sharp response, Mrs May said: "The UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change.

"I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar."

Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell hailed the agreement over Gibraltar as "the most important" since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, under which the territory was ceded to the UK.

But Gibraltar's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, used a live TV address to dismiss the Spanish government's claims, comparing Mr Sanchez to the country's former fascist dictator General Franco.

"The government of the UK has been completely firm in its resolve and in our support," Mr Picardo said.

"What you have heard from the Spanish prime minister today was not a reflection of any new position, however much he tried to present it as such."

The diplomatic spat which threatened to derail the Brexit process was resolved after emergency talks involving Mr Sanchez, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The British government wrote to Mr Tusk to say that it would not interpret its withdrawal treaty as meaning that a future EU-UK trade treaty would automatically apply to Gibraltar - but it would seek the best deal for the territory.

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"We will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar," Mrs May said.

"We have worked through the withdrawal issues for Gibraltar in a constructive and sensible way."

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake claimed the PM had "caved in" and "appears to have cast the people of Gibraltar aside".

"She has conceded that Gibraltar won't necessarily be covered by a future trade deal, simply another example of why what she has negotiated is completely unacceptable," he said.

Mr Tusk said the Brexit deal reached by negotiators from the UK and Brussels "found the best possible compromise" and he would recommend that they approve it.

In a tweet, he quoted Queen's song Friends Will Be Friends to sum up the mood for Sunday's summit, saying: "Friends will be friends right till the end."

Ahead of the EU summit, Mrs May also faced domestic difficulties as the Democratic Unionist Party held its conference in Belfast, where Boris Johnson made a guest appearance.

The former foreign secretary - viewed as a potential leadership rival to Mrs May - said the UK was on the verge of "making a historic mistake", adding: "Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us - a satellite state."

Mr Johnson set out a series of demands, including a commitment in the withdrawal agreement for a "super Canada" trade deal, a provision to withhold "at least half" the 39bn divorce bill until trade talks are concluded, and a dedicated cabinet minister for no-deal planning.

In her conference speech, DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer, then the only option is to look beyond this current draft withdrawal agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome."
FILE PHOTO: A migrant holds a U.S. flag during their gathering near the El Chaparral port of entry of border crossing between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana FILE PHOTO: A migrant, part of a caravan of thousands traveling from Central America en route to the United States, holds a U.S. flag as the group of migrants negotiate with Mexican policemen during their gathering near the El Chaparral port of entry of border crossing between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana, Mexico November 22, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mexico's incoming government has agreed to back the Trump administration's plan to change U.S. border policy by requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims move through U.S. courts, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Citing Mexican officials and senior members of president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's transition team, the newspaper said the agreement would break with long-standing asylum rules and mount a new obstacle to Central American migrants attempting to reach the United States and escape poverty and violence.

Reached for comment by Reuters, incoming deputy interior minister Zoe Robledo said details of the "Remain in Mexico" scheme were still being worked out.

He confirmed the plan in essence foresaw migrants staying in Mexico while asylum claims are being processed, and said the incoming government wanted to find jobs for them in sectors that are short-staffed, such as maquila assembly plants.

"What we're aiming for is that people leaving their countries due to security issues or violence can find a place to stay in Mexico if that is their decision," Robledo said.

Lopez Obrador has vowed to try to eliminate the causes of migration by creating more jobs and improving living conditions in Mexico and Central America.

In exchange, he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump and the Canadian government will agree to help spur economic development in the region.

Outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto has also sought to stem the flow of migrants north by offering jobs to them, and has received backing from the private sector in his efforts.

Olga Sanchez Cordero, Mexico's incoming interior minister and the top domestic policy official for Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, told the Washington Post the plan, known as Remain in Mexico, was a "short-term solution."

"The medium- and long-term solution is that people don't migrate, Sanchez Cordero said. "Mexico has open arms and everything, but imagine, one caravan after another after another, that would also be a problem for us."

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The paper said that according to the outlines of the plan, asylum applicants at the border will have to stay in Mexico while their cases are processed, potentially ending the system Trump decries as "catch and release" that has until now generally allowed those seeking refuge to wait on safer U.S. soil.

Alison Leal Parker, U.S. managing director for Human Rights Watch, a New York-based rights organisation, said the policy was a pathetic attempt by the United States to shirk responsibility. Central Americans have faced serious harm in Mexico."

The effect, Parker said, would likely "push people fleeing for lives into riskier attempts to find safety, including using criminal human smugglers who will gain power under this new policy.

There was no immediate comment from the White House on the deal that the Washington Post said took shape last week in Houston during a meeting between Marcelo Ebrard, Mexicos incoming foreign minister, and top U.S. officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

Without confirming the deal, James McCament, Homeland Security's Acting Under Secretary for Policy, said the U.S. government has been working since the Mexican elections with its current and incoming Mexican counterparts on trade, border policy and other issues.

"We appreciate the leadership and partnership the Mexican government has shown," McCament said.

Trump has been seeking to block thousands of Central Americans travelling in caravans from entering the United States, and has ordered that immigrants who enter the country illegally from Mexico are ineligible for asylum.

That order has been temporary suspended by a U.S. judge.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; additional reporting by Dave Graham and Delphine Schrank in Mexico City and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Tom Brown and Marguerita Choy)
An "unprecedented" influx of migrants arriving in the UK on dinghies from mainland Europe has raised concerns, with one think tank warning some might die as a result.

Eight suspected migrants were intercepted off the Kent coast - the latest in a spate of crossings that has seen at least 86 people picked up in boats over the past two weeks.

The coastguard contacted the Border Force after the latest dinghy was sighted at about 7am near Dover, and the boat was intercepted.

All eight on board were men and said they were Iranian.

MP for Dover, Charlie Elphicke, called for more government funding to deal with the issue of illegal crossings.

"As winter sets in these people remain determined to break into Britain," he said. "The numbers we're seeing are unprecedented.

"We need to see more vessels patrolling the English Channel - and the government must invest in more cutters and skilled officers at the Dover front line."

Vice chairmain of the Migration Watch UK think tank, Alp Mehmet, said the numbers were high.

"It's just continuing and it's the way they're trying to do it that I think is, for me, an even greater concern because these people are now really seriously jeopardising their lives," he told Sky News. "Sooner or later we're going to have people die, frankly."

He said it was "sad" that smugglers were making money while people risked their lives on the small vessels.

"What we've got to do is try and make sure they don't leave France or wherever in the first place, and I'm not sure enough is happening to do that at the moment," Mr Mehmet added.

He said "tightened" security in Calais was preventing people crossing on lorries, and that they were resorting to travelling on boats. He said they were even changing routes and departing from Normandy and arriving in Portsmouth.

When asked if there was a "Brexit factor" driving the spike in crossings, Mr Mehmet said people smugglers may have told migrants it could be harder to gain entry to the UK after it leaves the EU.

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"The fact is, there's actually no difference between what's happening now and what is likely to happen over the next couple of years," he said. "It's a false way of persuading people to hand over large amounts of money."

He echoed Mr Elphicke's calls for more resources to deal with the problem, saying the UK had up to 13 patrol vessels compared with the 600 Italy has and the 200 or more Greece has.

The former director general of the UK Border Force, Tony Smith, called for smuggling gangs to be "put out of business quickly".

He told Sky News: "It's worrying that it's still ongoing and we haven't been able to put a stop to it. The smugglers aren't going to give up... these crossings are exceptionally dangerous and I'm worried someone is going to perish."

He added: "I don't think this is Brexit-related, this is displacement because we have done such a great job in Calais - the smugglers will try out new routes.

"I don't think many of the migrants will be sent back to France and it will continue to fuel the supply chain."

Over the past two weeks, at least 86 people have been detained after being spotted in boats off Kent - nearly all have said they are Iranian.

Fourteen were rescued from two dinghies off Kent in the early hours of Thursday.

Last Sunday, nine migrants were picked up at Folkestone and the previous Friday, seven others - also believed to be Iranians - were found near Dover.

Two days earlier, three more boats were intercepted off Kent containing a total of 24 people, including a toddler.

The day before that, 14 men and three children - all Iranian - were stopped at Dover trying to reach the UK on a fishing boat.

Responding to the latest arrivals, the Home Office said that "all eight individuals were checked by ambulance staff but were found to be medically well".

"They will now be transferred to immigration officials for interview," it added.
The first of thousands of Cuban doctors left Brazil on Thursday after criticism by Brazil's far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro prompted Cuba's government to sever a cooperation agreement, leaving millions of Brazilians without medical care.

Bolsonaro said the Cuban doctors were being used as "slave labor" because the Cuban government took 75 percent of their salaries. He said the program that began in 2013 could only continue if they got full pay and were allowed to bring their families from Cuba.

Bolsonaro, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, was elected last month by Brazilians fed up with rising crime and rampant corruption that reached new highs during almost a decade and a half of leftist governments with close ties to Cuba.

The Cubans practiced mostly in poor and remote areas of Brazil where Brazilian doctors do not want to work.

The government is now scrambling to replace them in 8,332 positions left vacant by the sudden departures of the Cubans.

Cuba has a respected health service and generates major export earnings by sending more than 50,000 health workers to more than 60 countries.

Even receiving a fraction of their salaries, the money was good for the doctors by Cuban standards.

As they lined up to check in at the Brasilia airport, many had large mainly 49-inch smart TVs packaged to take home to communist-run Cuba, where such imported sets are very expensive.

"I will be happy to see my children but sad to leave people without medical care," said Lume Rodriguez, a general practitioner who spent two years in the interior of Bahia state.

"Our patients came to hug us goodbye," said Rafael Sosa, 32, from Granma province in eastern Cuba. "I visited many patients here who had never had a doctor in their home."

In many Brazilian towns and the outskirts of cities that relied on the Cuban doctors, usually crowded waiting rooms at public health posts were empty this week and notices said appointments had been canceled until further notice.

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Adrielly Rodrigues, a pregnant 22-year-old, was turned away on Wednesday when she went for a pre-natal scan in Santa Maria, a town near the capital Brasilia.

"We are so worried because we don't have the money to pay for a private doctor and she is five months pregnant and still needs to be monitored and have tests," said her mother, Adriana Rodrigues.

A national lobby of mayors, the FNP, and the municipal health authorities council Conasems said in a statement that 29 million Brazilians could be left without basic healthcare. They urged the government to make it possible for the Cubans to stay.

Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, said last week he would grant asylum to any Cuban who asks for it, escalating tensions with Havana.

He said Cuban doctors were not qualified and would have to take exams to practice in Brazil.

The Health Ministry plans next week to waive a requirement that Cubans validate their medical diploma in Brazil so that they can continue working directly contracted by the Brazilian government and not through the Pan-American Health Organization.

It is not clear how many Cubans will want to break with their communist-run government's doctors-for-export program, which is present in about 60 countries, especially if they have children in Cuba since it would be tantamount to defecting.

Brazil plans to fill the medical vacuum with local hires.

In just two days since registration opened, 3.648 Brazilians have been selected to fill the empty posts, a ministry spokesman said, but those replacements are mainly in large urban areas.

One Cuban who will be staying in Brazil is Richel Collazo, who was so liked in the small town of Chapada in southern Brazil that the mayor asked him to become municipal health secretary.

"My town needs doctors and he has been key to our medical care," Mayor Carlos Catto said by telephone.

(REUTERS)
European museums are under mounting pressure to return the irreplaceable artefacts plundered during colonial times. As an archaeologist who works in Africa, this debate has a very real impact on my research. I benefit from the convenience of access provided by Western museums, while being struck by the ethical quandary of how they were taken there by illegal means, and by guilt that my colleagues throughout Africa may not have the resources to see material from their own country, which is kept thousands of miles away.

Now, a report commissioned by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has recommended that art plundered from sub-Saharan Africa during the colonial era should be returned through permanent restitution.

The 108-page study, written by French art historian Benedicte Savoy and Senegalese writer and economist Felwine Sarr, speaks of the theft, looting, despoilment, trickery and forced consent by which colonial powers acquired these materials. The call for restitution echoes the widely accepted approach which seeks to return looted Nazi art to its rightful owners.

The record of colonial powers in African countries was frankly disgusting. Colonial rule was imposed by the barrel of the gun, with military campaigns waged on the flimsiest excuses. The Benin expedition of 1897 was a punitive attack on the ancient kingdom of Benin, famous not only for its huge city and ramparts but its extraordinary cast bronze and brass plaques and statues.

The city was burnt down, and the British Admiralty auctioned the booty  more than 2,000 art works  to pay for the expedition. The British Museum got around 40% of the haul. None of the artefacts stayed in Africa  theyre now scattered in museums and private collections around the world.

The 1867 British expedition to the ancient kingdom of Abyssinia  which never fully acceded to colonial control  was mounted to ostensibly free missionaries and government agents detained by the emperor Tewodros II. It culminated in the Battle of Magdala, and the looting of priceless manuscripts, paintings and artefacts from the Ethiopian church, which reputedly needed 15 elephants and 200 mules to carry them all away. Most ended up in the British Library, the British Museum and the V&A, where they remain today.

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Bought, stolen, destroyed

Other African treasures were also taken without question. The famous ruins of Great Zimbabwe were subject to numerous digs by associates of British businessman Cecil Rhodes  who set up the Rhodesia Ancient Ruins Ltd in 1895 to loot more than 40 sites of their gold  and much of the archaeology on the site was destroyed. The iconic soapstone birds were returned to Zimbabwe from South Africa in 1981, but many items still remain in Western museums.

While these are the most famous cases, the majority of African objects in Western Museums were collected by adventurers, administrators, traders and settlers, with little thought as to the legality of ownership. Even if they were bought from their local owners, it was often for a pittance, and there were few controls to limit their export. Archaeological relics, such as inscriptions or grave-markers, were simply collected and taken away. Such activities continued well into the 20th century.

Making them safe

The argument is often advanced that by coming to the West, these objects were preserved for posterity  if they were left in Africa they simply would have rotted away. This is a specious argument, rooted in racist attitudes that somehow indigenous people cant be trusted to curate their own cultural heritage. It is also a product of the corrosive impact of colonialism.

Colonial powers had a patchy record of setting up museums to preserve these objects locally. While impressive national museums were sometimes built in colonial capitals, they were later starved of funding or expertise. After African countries achieved independence, these museums were low on the priority list for national funding and overseas aid and development, while regional museums were virtually neglected.

Nowadays, many museums on the African continent lie semi-derelict, with no climate control, poorly trained staff and little security. There are numerous examples of theft or lost collections. No wonder Western museums are reluctant to return their collections.

If collections are to be returned, the West needs to take some responsibility for this state of affairs and invest in the African museums and their staff. There have been some attempts to do this, but the task is huge. It is not enough to send the contentious art and objects back to an uncertain future  there must be a plan to rebuild Africas crumbling museum infrastructure, supported by effective partnerships and real money.

The rightful owners

Will the Musee du quai Branly, that great treasure house of world ethnography in Paris, which holds more than 70,000 objects from Africa, be emptied of its contents? Or the massive new Humboldt Forum  a Prussian Castle rebuilt at great cost to house ethnographic artefacts in Berlin which opens early in 2019  be shorn of its African collections? There are already fears at the British Museum that a very effective campaign may lead to the return of its Rapu Nui Moai statues to Easter Island.

This year is the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Magdala, and the V&A Museum has entered into worthy discussions to return its treasures to Ethiopia. But there are reports this would be on the basis of a long-term loan, and conditional on the Ethiopian government withdrawing its claim for restitution of the plundered objects. The Prussian Foundation in Berlin entered into a similar agreement, unwilling to cede ownership of a tiny fragment of soapstone bird to the Zimbabwe Government in 2000.

The report by Savoy and Sarr offers hope that such deals could become a thing of the past and that Africas rich cultural heritage can be returned, restituted and restored to the brilliant cultures that made it.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Mark Horton 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.
PARIS (AP)  Cities in Russia, Japan and Azerbaijan are vying to host the 2025 World Expo, an event expected to draw millions of visitors and showcase their local culture.

The Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions votes Friday on whether to award the Expo to Yekaterinburg, Osaka or Baku.

Past world's fairs introduced wonders including the Eiffel Tower, the Ferris Wheel and Seattle's Space Needle. They're now held every five years, and Dubai is set to host the next one in 2020.

Osaka is proposing an event on a man-made island on the theme of "Society 5.0."

Baku's Expo would highlight ways to redefine human roles in an automating world.

Yekaterinburg, on the Europe-Asia border in Russia's Ural Mountains, is promising an Expo showing how to balance technological innovation with quality of life.

See Also:
In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, South Sudan's Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth welcomes potential investors during the second Africa Oil and Power conference in the capital Juba, South Sudan. South Sudan is making its first big foreign investment pitch since declaring an end to its civil war, but the oil-rich nation seems to face hesitation from some companies that want to make sure the fragile new peace deal holds. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick)

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) -- South Sudan's oil minister says South Africa will invest $1 billion into the war-torn country's oil sector in what would be the largest investment in the East African country's history.

Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth confirmed Friday's signing of the memorandum of understanding with South Africa's energy minister, Jeff Radebe. Radebe told state broadcaster SABC that both countries would benefit.

South Sudan has Africa's third-largest oil reserves, at 3.5 billion barrels, and it hopes increasing production will help the country recover after a peace deal was signed two months ago.

One analyst warned that despite the signing there's no guarantee the South African money will come through, though if it does it would be "incredible." South Africa would join Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and other interests in South Sudan's oil sector.

The oil ministry said the South African money will be used for the refining and processing of oil and gas, research and development and the transfer of technology. South Africa's Radebe said South Sudan has plans to build a refinery with "a capacity of 60,000 barrels of oil per day."

Friday's announcement comes shortly after South Sudan's second Africa Oil & Power Conference, the country's first major attempt to attract investors since the government and armed opposition signed the fragile peace deal in September. Past agreements have ended in fresh gunfire.

"This is an enormous show of confidence in South Sudan's potential," Guillaume Doane, CEO of Africa Oil & Power which organized the conference, told the AP. "South Sudan needs investment capital and infrastructure. Working with South Africa on this level will give it both."

On paper the deal looks incredible, said Shawn Robert Duthie, senior analyst for Africa Risk Consulting. "It would almost be like being one of the first to invest in Nigeria. That said, it's just an MOU and agreements like this, the implementation will be very long."

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South Sudan's economy is one of the world's most dependent on oil revenues. Its oil sector has faced scrutiny for allegedly using the revenues to fuel the five-year civil war.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven gives a news conference at Swedish parliament in Stockholm Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven gives a news conference at Swedish parliament in Stockholm, Sweden November 23, 2018. Henrik Montgomery/TT News Agency/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. SWEDEN OUT.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's parliament will vote in early December on re-installing Social Democrat Stefan Lofven as prime minister after months of political paralysis, even though he has already failed once to form a new government.

Long a byword for stability and consensus politics, the country has been without a new government since elections in September left the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats - with whom neither the centre-left nor centre-right wants to deal - holding the balance of power.

With both the mainstream blocs lacking a majority and unwilling to work together, parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlen said on Friday the vote would probably take place on Dec. 5, hoping to force them to compromise and avoid a fresh election.

However, Norlen was cautious on Lofven's chances. "It is still a difficult political situation and there is, of course, no guarantee that his candidature will be successful," he told reporters.

Lofven has been prime minister since 2014 and remains acting premier, but lost his first confidence vote in parliament after the election. Since then lawmakers have also rejected the leader of the four-party centre-right Alliance, Ulf Kristersson.

Swedish elections are often followed by haggling among the parties, but deals are traditionally struck relatively quickly, with prospective prime ministers winning confidence votes.

Lofven appealed for broad backing to break the deadlock. "I want a government that is supported across the political spectrum," he told reporters. However, he would not comment on which parties might join a possible Social Democrat-led government.

The speaker's options are limited if parliament, as is widely expected, votes against Lofven but Norlen is banking on a rethink before another election is necessary.

An opinion poll this week for daily Dagens Nyheter showed a new vote would not change the balance of power in parliament.

Lofven hopes to persuade the Centre and Liberal parties, formally part of the Alliance, to support a government he leads but so far they have rejected the idea.

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The two parties also voted against Kristersson earlier this month, arguing his government would need support from the Sweden Democrats whose rise has shaken politics in a country that has traditionally been welcoming to immigrants.

Backing Lofven would break the Alliance but supporting a minority Alliance government would give the Sweden Democrats a chance to demand a role in policymaking.

GRAPHIC - Election scenarios: https://tmsnrt.rs/2p45tJh

(Reporting by Stockholm Newsroom; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and David Stamp)
FILE PHOTO: Tanzania's President John Magufuli addresses a news conference during his official visit to Nairobi, Kenya October 31, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas/File Photo

Thomson Reuters

By Omar Mohammed and Maggie Fick

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The soldiers started fanning out in the cashew nut growing regions of southern Tanzania - a jolting sight for traders and, campaigners say, a watershed moment for a country once held up as a darling of development groups.

The government said the troops were there last week to make sure growers and markets were obeying new orders by President John Magufuli, known to his supporters as "the bulldozer". His forceful interventions on everything from commerce to sexual morality have placed him on a collision course with donors.

On Monday, soldiers were out again further north in the tourist hub of Arusha, this time to crack down on street black market currency dealers.

"We as Tanzanians are not accustomed to this ... Since independence, we have not seen the army on the streets like this," said lawyer Fatma Karume who has represented opposition lawmakers in a series of lawsuits.

"There's a climate of fear. To suggest that Magufuli's policies are populist or popular is not understanding the mood among the average person. These policies are not popular, they're authoritarian."

Magufuli, 59, has said his interventions protect the economy. He appeals to nationalism - railing against foreign interference and telling women not to use birth control because Tanzania needs more people.

"Some countries are now facing declining population growth. They are short on manpower ... I see no reason to control births in Tanzania," the president said in a speech in September.

But donors and investors have looked on with increasing alarm, wondering at the speed of the decline of Tanzania's international standing. They say the economic and social interventions have been accompanied by increasing restrictions on the opposition, the press, even bloggers.

"Respect for human rights and the rule of law has been repeatedly undermined," the EU mission in the country announced last week after saying government pressure had led to the "forced departure" of its ambassador.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Augustine Mahiga told Reuters that the government had had a number of unspecified issues with the ambassador, without elaborating.

"TIPPING POINT"

Denmark suspended $10 million in planned aid last week over "unacceptable homophobic comments" by the governor of commercial capital Dar es Salaam, after he said a new security squad would start rounding up LGBT people. The foreign ministry later said his statement did not reflect official policy.

"What we are now seeing is a tipping point where (the government) has gone after so many different groups that international donors are saying 'Enough is enough'," said Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at Britain's Birmingham University.

"The question is whether donors are going to continue to pull out," he said. "Tanzania is not a country that can survive without this support, even though it has significant natural resources."

The government has for years received more than a billion dollars annually in foreign grants, putting it among the five biggest aid recipients in Africa, according to the World Bank.

Such grants are expected to account for more than 8 percent of spending, according to this year's budget.

The government response to criticism has ranged from a defiant defense of its record to quieter retreats on individual disputes.

Mahiga, the minister, dismissed pressure from aid groups as "intimidation".

"They are using the words 'You will suffer the consequences'", the minister told Reuters, declining to name the government he had been speaking to.

"If these are the consequences we are ready to suffer," he said. "We cannot kneel down and be blackmailed, because they have money and we are poor. I think this is not how international behavior should be between neighbors."

"DIRECTION OF TRAVEL"

Other responses have been less confrontational.

The World Bank this month put a planned $300 million loan for an education project on hold, partly in response to a law preventing pregnant girls from returning to school.

World Bank Vice President Hafez Ghanem flew into the country to discuss the issue, then said a cautious agreement had been reached to get the loan process back on track after Tanzania agreed to reconsider the legislation.

It is a world away from Magufuli early days, when he came to power in 2015, and won international praise for his promises to crack down on corruption.

He courted popularity with surprise visits at government departments, at one point walking into the country's main public hospital and sacking senior managers, saying they were not delivering.

But for Murithi Mutiga of the International Crisis Group, the populist alarm bells were already there.

"The world has only begun to pay attention to the situation after Magufuli weighed in on social wedge issues that typically attract media coverage, " he said.

"But the direction of travel in which he was taking Tanzania was clear from the start."

(Reporting by Omar Mohammed and Maggie Fick; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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By Natalia Zinets and Matthias Williams

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian lawmakers passed the 2019 budget early on Friday, a crucial step towards securing the first tranche of a new $3.9 billion IMF aid programme and providing financial stability ahead of elections next year.

Finance Minister Oksana Markarova said the government would submit the budget to the International Monetary Fund for assessment as quickly as possible but declined to comment on the tranche size.

Exact details of the budget's final version are not yet public but Markarova said it was in line with the IMF's demand for a budget deficit of around 2.3 percent.

The IMF did not immediately comment on the budget vote.

"We have begun many processes, reforms and transformations," Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman told lawmakers before the vote, held after parliament had worked through the night.

"The country's budget is a key tool for the implementation of these tasks," he said. "In 2019, in the year of turbulence, we must ensure stability."

Groysman had told Reuters last week he hoped to secure an IMF tranche as early as December once the budget passed, which would also pave the way for similar disbursals from the European Union and the World Bank.

Markarova said the government expected 500 million euros from Brussels this year and a loan guarantee from the World Bank that will allow Ukraine to borrow about $800 million.

The government cannot directly use the IMF money, which must be used to boost the central bank's reserves. But the deal gives the markets confidence, which has allowed Ukraine to issue eurobonds since the latest deal was struck.

The European Union and the World Bank will only lend to Ukraine once the IMF has.

Ukraine has tapped the IMF and other international bodies for money to guarantee its stability, as it faces a rising debt burden over the next two years and closely-fought parliamentary and presidential elections in 2019.

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However, the IMF loans may come at a political cost. The government was required to raise household gas prices by nearly a quarter as a precondition for them, a move criticised by some opposition lawmakers during Thursday's parliamentary debates.

Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister who has led some early opinion polls for next year's race, has denounced the price hike as a "genocide against the Ukrainian people".

Markarova, who has been acting finance minister since June, was confirmed in the post by parliament on Thursday.

Like Groysman and the central bank governor, Markarova has talked up Ukraine's need for further cooperation with the IMF, which supported Ukraine's economy after the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and the outbreak of fighting in the east.

IMF aid has effectively been frozen since April 2017, as Ukraine's performance on reforms, such as setting up a special court to try corruption cases, slowed down and the government proved reluctant to raise gas prices, kept artificially low since Soviet times, to market levels.

The government raised household gas prices by 23.5 percent but they are still just over two-thirds of what commercial consumers pay.

(Editing by Jon Boyle)
The United Nations Security Council has granted an exemption to sanctions which will allow surveys on inter-Korean railway lines.

North and South Korea plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony by the end of the year on an ambitious project to connect their railways and roads as agreed by their leaders.

The surveys would require the South to bring to the North fuel and a variety of goods, including possibly cars to test on northern tracks.

But beyond surveys and tape-cuttings, they cannot move much further along without the lifting of US-led sanctions against North Korea, which is not likely before Pyongyang takes firmer steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons and missiles.

The plan to modernise North Koreas outdated railways and roads and reconnect them with the South was among many agreements reached between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in, who met three times this year amid a diplomatic push that eased tensions over the Norths nuclear programme.

A South Korean soldier stands near a sign showing the distance to North Koreas capital Pyongyang and to South Koreas capital Seoul from Imjingang station in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Mr Kim also met US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, when they issued a statement about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur.

North Korea insists that sanctions should be removed first before any progress in nuclear negotiations.

There is also unease between the United States and South Korea over the pace of inter-Korean engagement, which Washington says should move in tandem with US-led efforts to denuclearise the North.

South Korea initially said that the joint surveys of North Korean railways would not violate UN sanctions and had hoped to start them in October.

Seoul later said that Washington had different views and the two sides had discussed the matter in a newly launched working group.

Even if the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearisation and gains sanctions relief, experts say updating North Korean rail networks and trains, which creak slowly along rails that were first built in the early 20th century, would require a massive effort that could take decades and tens of billions of dollars.

Story continues

Visitors look at a map of the railway and roads between Munsan in South Korea and Kaesong in the North, at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP)

UN sanctions against North Korea have strengthened significantly since 2016 as Pyongyang stepped up its weapons tests.

The measures now include trade bans on dual-use technology that could potentially be used for weapons development, transport vehicles and machinery and import caps on fuel.

Washingtons own sanctions against Pyongyang restrict an even broader range of economic activities and target a larger list of companies and individuals.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of an afternoon shower. High 79F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with thundershowers developing overnight. Low 62F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The Today show wasn't so different from other morning broadcasts on this November 21, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. There was a cornucopia of talk about turkeys and the recall of romaine lettuce, with all forms of the salad green under threat of E. coli contamination. There was even a lengthy segment on sharing family recipes, and Al Roker brought along his younger brother, Chris, to serve as his sous chef in preparing their mothers cherished recipe of Sweet Potato Poon, as she dubbed it, and nobody argues with mama.

The final step of the dish, rich with eggs, flour, sugar, and a heavy dose of butter and baking powder to accompany the main ingredient, is browning the top layer of marshmallows to a gentle golden brown under a broiler.

Both Roker boys admitted that they nearly always interrupted their mom at a crucial point in her watch, so perfection was nearly impossible to accomplish. Chris Roker also had some fun in making Al Roker his favorite target in tossing marshmallows.

Far more meaningful than these morning festivities was a meaningful meal prepared and served by Al Roker, his co-host, Natalie Morales, and some very notable culinary stars who all came together to serve a feast for Northern California firefighters and their families. No words can never be enough to convey the gratitude that area residents, Al Roker, or the entire nation feel toward these exemplary heroes, but being treated to a good meal is a start, as featured this morning.

Filling tummies and souls

Tomorrow morning, Al Roker will be alongside Sheinelle Jones for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, peeling his eyes to the skies and warning about blustery winds. Tuesday, however, the meteorologist was quite delighted to be peeling potatoes, chopping onions, or sauteing anything needed like a proficient lead cook within the line.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

He had help from Alejandra Ramos, Jordan Andino, Matt Abdoo, Roxanne Spruance, Eric Gabrynowicz, Aaron Bludorn, Kevin Sbraga, and Evette Rios. The superstar chefs covered every sort of specialty, and Natalie Morales came along to do anything needed, and give moral support.

An overbearing covering of smoke greeted their plane as they landed in Chico, CA-- one of the most devastated areas of the Camp Fire, and within hours, they would be greeting 50 firefighter families.

Bacio Catering, a local business, opened its facilities to make a feast possible. The owner, Amanda Leveroni, implored everyone to remember that the people they were about to serve lost their homes, too. This meal was as much about emotional filling as it was filling and fueling the body. Dishes included classic Italian Chicken Marbella, many salads using local produce, and of course, cookies to delight the kids.

Al Roker could hardly pull himself away from folks like Brandy Gowan, who lovingly embraced Al and described the painful truth that I love my husbands job, but I also hate it, relating how he got off the fire line after his long shift, only to be told that his own family's home was a complete loss.

Again and again, she and the Today favorite hugged. Thank you for being here, she quietly spoke to Roker, we need this hope.

Al offered his own words to the group, expressing abounding gratitude and his hope that the home-cooked effort brought just a little joy, even for an hour or two, and a great meal he and the team were honored to do it.

A touch of holiday warmth

Before leaving the dinner, families were provided with new clothes and jackets, and bags of essential toiletries and toys. Families were also provided gift cards from retailers like Target and others as a start to a brighter holiday.

The five-star food did not hold a candle to the warmth of a human touch and a willing ear to listen.

Despite facing their own tragic losses, these firefighters live to help others in their community, and their spirits will never succumb to the devastation around them. Ryan Hughes is certain that his community can rebuild. He asserts that laughter can still be possible, saying, we're going to have cries and good things will happen. The first responder admits that it is difficult for him and his colleagues to accept help from others.

Well, accept it, insists Al Roker, relating how everyone around the world knows what these men and women have saved and sacrificed, along with their families.

A single meal seems like so little, but any single act of kindness, done with love, has the power to be replicated in hearts and lives forever.
Imagine getting behind-the-scenes insights on a corporate acquisition that creates the worlds largest hotel company  from an experienced and articulate executive who helped make it happen.



Or working in student teams in a race to solve analytics problems  using real-world, anonymized data from one of the worlds top advisory services firms.



At the Pamplin College of Business, learning first-hand about practical business issues and challenges and gaining experience in problem-solving under imperfect conditions are two of the benefits students receive as a result of the colleges collaborations with business.



Business schools and businesses have long cultivated connections with one another for mutual gain. At Pamplin, companies have contributed funds to endow scholarships and professorships. They have sponsored a variety of programs and events; offered leading practices, methodologies, and case studies for instructional use; supported the activities of their employees as campus guest speakers and advisory board members; and prioritized the college in hiring.



The benefits include innovative, technology-focused learning experiences for students and faculty; updated curricula reflecting industry and societal needs; market-ready graduates with in-demand skills and knowledge, like data analytics; and research that better contributes to the understanding and practice of business and management.

Kevin Lane, an accounting alumnus who is a principal at Deloitte & Touche LLP and a cabinet member of the Pamplin Advisory Council, says such relationships are appealing to his organization from a couple of perspectives.

On a transactional level, people are the engine of our business, and the Pamplin College feeds us high-performing talent every year. Virginia Tech is a top strategic recruiting source for the Deloitte U.S. firms, Lane said.

At a more strategic level, Deloitte has a vested interest in contributing to the development of future business leaders. Like Virginia Tech, we want to push the boundaries and help develop the most talented leaders of the future.
Deborah Chasman in the Boston Review:

Deborah Chasman: The book focuses on the 2016 election and what made the public sphere so vulnerable to what you call disinformation, propaganda, and just sheer bullshit. You resist the idea that technology was the primary driver of that problem, that the manipulation of Facebooks platform, the Russian intervention, and fake news led to a Trump victory. What did you find in your research that led you to challenge the now common story that extreme polarization has been technologically driven?

Yochai Benkler: What really shaped our interpretation was the data. We analyzed just under four million stories online about the election or national politics, published between April of 2015 and the one year anniversary of the Trump presidency, using Media Cloud, a media ecosystem analysis system that we at Harvards Berkman Klein Center have been developing with our colleagues at MITs Center for Civic Media for a decade. We analyzed how these stories linked to each otherthat is, how media producers cited one another as authority or sources, and combined these with text analysis to understand what these stories were talking about and when. These gave us insight into the supply side of political news in the United States. We also analyzed how these stories were tweeted and shared on Facebook, from which we inferred audience attention patterns; and both on the supply and demand sides, we performed network analysis to map the architecture of authority and attention in the U.S. media ecosystem. To these we added detailed case studies of particular controversies, such as how the Clinton emails or Clinton Foundation were covered, or how the Trump Russia investigation was covered during 2017. For these case studies we added text analysis of television coverage to our analysis of online communications.

The data was not what we expected.

More here.
South Dakota Supreme Court strikes down recreational cannabis amendment

Amendment A passed comfortably but courts ruled it violated South Dakota Constitution, meaning marijuana will not be legal to use recreationally.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

The Land of Enchantment is a land of contrasting drought conditions.

Heavy rainfall from the remnants of several Pacific tropical systems over the last couple months have helped alleviate drought conditions in areas of southern, eastern and central New Mexico, but the northern mountains and Four Corners are still holding onto exceptional drought conditions, according to an updated map released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

San Juan County and parts of Colfax, Los Alamos, McKinley, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos counties  about 15 percent of the state  continue to see exceptional drought conditions, the most serious category.

About 26 percent of the state  parts of the eastern New Mexico counties of Curry, Eddy, Harding, Lea, Quay, Roosevelt and Union, as well as all or part of the southern and central counties of Dona Ana, Grant, Luna, Otero, Sierra, Socorro and Valencia  is drought-free.

Royce Fontenot, senior hydrologist with the Albuquerque office of the National Weather Service, said during a New Mexico Drought Monitor Working Group session this week that the area of exceptional drought centered over the Four Corners continues to entrench itself and has not moved in the last month.

Theres been some improvement along the southern (Sangre de Cristo Mountains), Fontenot said. While the recent snows have been great on the Sangres, they havent been so great over on the southern extension of the San Juan and Jemez mountains.

The Drought Monitor Work Group, comprised of members of the National Weather Service and state and federal agencies, determines the extent and severity of drought in the state.

Fontenot said most of the Rio Grande Valley, parts of the upper Pecos Valley and southern New Mexico, especially the Interstate 25 corridor, have seen improvement, while the states eastern border with Texas is almost drought-free.

By contrast, 78.9 percent of the state was drought-free at this time last year.

Bernalillo County improving

Bernalillo County has seen some improvement in conditions in recent weeks, thanks to those tropical system rains.

The southwestern and central parts of Bernalillo County are in the abnormally dry category, an area that was in moderate drought a month ago. Southeastern and northern parts of the county are in the moderate drought category, also an improvement from the severe drought conditions seen last month.

The Albuquerque International Sunport, the official reporting station for the metro area, is still in a rainfall deficit for the year, at 8.23 inches.

Average precipitation for the year to date is 8.83 inches.

Hoping for El Nino

Experts continue to express hope that drought conditions in the state will improve this winter with the probable arrival of El Nino, an ocean-atmosphere climate interaction that is linked to periodic warming in sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.

El Nino is certainly expected to come, Fontenot said. The majority of the models are predicting El Nino to develop October through December 2018. It looks like, as of now, that we will be returning to neutral conditions by summer, which is not unusual for a weak El Nino.

Meteorologists from NOAAs Climate Prediction Center project an 80 percent chance that El Nino will develop and continue during the winter and a 55 to 60 percent chance of the climate phenomenon continuing into the spring.

Snow in the north and rain in the south may have helped El Vado and Elephant Butte reservoirs increase water storage volumes in November, compared with the previous month. But both reservoirs were showing storage volumes well below their volumes from a year ago.

The Navajo, Heron and Abiquiu and Caballo reservoirs showed lower water storage volumes this month, compared with the previous month.
Hey, if peas and carrots can get a presidential pardon, how about the thousands of Americans waiting in line for similar consideration?

This week, we saw the traditional  some might call it corny and meaningless  spectacle of the president pretending to pardon rotund turkeys to ensure they dont wind up on someones Thanksgiving table. Meantime, pending petitions for a pardon  or even a commutation  pile up at the Department of Justice.

A quick pause here for a definition check. A pardon wipes away a persons conviction so they no longer have a prison record. If they are behind bars, they walk free. If they are already out, they have the burden of conviction lifted. By contrast, a commutation allows the prisoner to go free on time served, but keeps their conviction intact.

Back to my question. Why do we celebrate the annual presidential pardon for fowl and make the procedure for human beings so complicated?

Mine is not an original thought. Former federal prosecutor and law professor Mark Osler has been writing about this for years. Most recently, he penned an article about the contrasts in process.

Ironically, pardoning a turkey, Osler wrote, is a fair and well-thought-out practice. First, its timed to be an annual event, not a willy-nilly occurrence. Second, the process is overseen by an expert, in this case the chairman of the National Turkey Federation. Third, specific selection criteria are followed. As Osler writes, the finalists are selected based on their willingness to be handled, among other things. And, finally, attention is paid to make sure they thrive after their grant of clemency.

Now, lets contrast that with the way a human being seeking presidential clemency is handled. After a pardon or commutation petition is filed, it could take years for the convict to get an answer. And their filing is not studied or considered by an independent expert, it goes back through the very office that convicted them  the Department of Justice  and lands on the desk of civil servants who have lots of other responsibilities. As professor Osler puts it, the system is run largely by biased generalists, devoid of consistent, meaningful criteria, and it does little to ensure success of individuals after their release.

Grants of clemency, either pardons or commutations, also seem to have little to do with fairness. Some prisoners who were unjustly convicted or those serving extreme sentences that dont match the offenses are left on the sidelines with no-one to represent them to the powers that be. Yet, history shows some of the most notorious have elbowed their way to the top of the list and are handed that prized second chance outside prison.

In 1971, Richard Nixon pardoned corrupt Teamsters chief Jimmy Hoffa. President Gerald Ford then pardoned Nixon in 1974, although the disgraced president had never actually been charged with a crime. In 1999, President Bill Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 members of FALN, a violent Puerto Rican terror group that detonated 120 deadly bombs across America. One of the 16 FALN members, terrorist Oscar Lopez Rivera, refused the offer and the condition that he denounce violence. But on President Barack Obamas last day in office, Jan. 20, 2017, Lopez Rivera got a presidential commutation of his sentence with no conditions attached. In another controversial pardon that day, Obama awarded clemency to Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, who had served just seven years of a 35-year sentence for passing national security secrets to WikiLeaks.

More recently, TV personality Kim Kardashian West took the plight of Alice Marie Johnson, 63, straight to the White House after learning about Johnsons first-time, nonviolent drug conviction more than 21 years ago. President Trump was told about Johnsons life-without-parole sentence, her low-level involvement in a Memphis cocaine ring and that the co-defendants who testified against her got sentences of just 10 years or even probation. President Trump commuted her sentence and, last June, after almost 22 years in prison, the mother of five was allowed to returned to her family.

It doesnt seem fair that high-level labor union lobbyists (as in the Hoffa case), liberal politicians and Broadway stars (as in the Lopez Rivera case) or first amendment and Amnesty International types (as in the Manning case) get to push to the front of the presidential clemency line. Not even if the convict is deserving of early release (as in the Johnson case).

So far, President Trump has granted seven pardons and four commutations, more than any of his recent predecessors during their first two years in office. But he has concentrated only on high-profile cases brought to him by family and associates. If the goal is to truly Make America Great Again, it is clear we need a more impartial, honest and fair system that considers all clemency petitions on an equal and more time-efficient basis.

www.DianeDimond.com; email to Diane@DianeDimond.com.
The City Council continued this week to hold the executive director of civilian police oversight in Albuquerque in limbo.

Councilors on Monday night voted 5-4 to wait another two weeks before making a decision whether to extend the contract of Ed Harness, the executive director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency.

That body is tasked with investigating civilian complaints against officers and serious use-of-force cases, among other responsibilities.

It was the second time the council has balked at making a decision on Harness. The council in August delayed the vote on Harness contract for three months.

The Police Oversight Board, which Harness reports to, unanimously voted in May to extend Harness contract and give him a $15,000 bonus and a raise to adjust for the cost of living. Harness makes about $105,000 a year, according to the citys website.

POB member Joanne Fine said Harness contract is one of three votes the council has avoided that are disrupting the oversight board.

The board currently has six of nine seats filled, which is forcing board members, who are volunteers, to take on extra work. The council also has yet to vote on several proposed changes to the civilian oversight systems, which board members are seeking to give them additional powers, she said.

Of course were really disappointed, Fine said. I dont know what you call this. (Councilors) havent filled board seats, they havent renewed (Harness) contract and they havent finished the ordinance. I dont know how to take that.

Councilors Don Harris, Klarissa Pena, Cynthia Borrego, Diane Gibson and Trudy Jones voted Monday to delay considering Harness contract until Dec. 3. Councilors Ken Sanchez, Isaac Benton, Brad Winter and Pat Davis voted against waiting.

I dont have ulterior motives  But I have heard some things that made me think that I should probably ask some questions, Gibson said.

She said she has questions about the efficiency of the civilian oversight system. For example, she questioned why the board has spent so much time considering certain police policies.

If they are spending too much time reviewing policy thats already been adopted, yeah, I think that does diminish their efficiency, Gibson said.

Councilor Pat Davis said he will vote to extend Harness contract. He believes the vote has been held up after the POB requested a series of changes to city ordinances to give the board additional powers to keep an eye on the police department.

I think there are a couple things being conflated that dont need to be, Davis said. I think what we are seeing is people who are opposed to increase oversight using the Ed Harness vote as a chess piece in a broader conversation.

At Mondays meeting, Peter Simonson, the executive director of the ACLU in New Mexico and a member of APD Forward, which advocates for police reform, spoke in favor of Harness.

Simonson said the CPOA and POB have received positive remarks from the independent monitor overseeing a police reform effort, which aims to correct a pattern of excessive force.

One part of that reform project was for the city to have a more robust form of civilian oversight.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  The team behind special counsel Robert Muellers probe of Russian election interference is discussing a plea deal with an associate of one of President Donald Trumps confidants.

Thats what conservative writer Jerome Corsi has told The Associated Press. Corsis associate is a longtime friend of the president, Roger Stone.

Earlier this month Corsi said publicly that he expected to be charged with lying to federal investigators even though he was innocent of wrongdoing.

At issue is Stones connections with WikiLeaks. American intelligence agencies have assessed that Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks that damaged Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

Muellers office is trying to determine whether Stone and other Trump associates had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks plans.
The Mobile Media Summit 2018 (TMMS 2018) is Adgullys endeavor to convene advertising, media and marketing on a platform to deliberate upon various nuances of mobile marketing. The conference seeks to discuss and debate every facet of mobile marketing, to ensure that experience is enriching.

In this effort, we are well supported by our versatile Advisory Board, each member of which has spent considerable time and energy in shaping it up. Here is what they have to say about mobile as a media consumption and marketing platform.

Babita Baruah, Managing Partner, GTB

Of course, I am excited to be a part of TMMS. An event that generates conversations around holistic marketing communication that force us to rethink and re-evaluate our choices is exciting.A number of marketing communications professionals, including me are looking at mobile as the first screen of choice. While there is a comfort in knowing the reach of television and print and having well established measurement tools, there is no denying that fact that mobile is critical in any marketing communication piece. Having said that, do we give it the resources it deserves is something to deliberate upon.

Megha Tata, Chief Operating Officer, BTVI

In an increasingly Mobile First world, it is imperative that marketers understand the importance of mobile marketing and navigate the ecosystem. In our country, where smartphone market is exploding, data prices are falling, and content is being built and consumed for the smallest screen, it is important for a marketer to decode the mobile marketing space since more and more of their TG is consuming that space.

The Mobile Marketing Summit provides a unique platform for marketers to deep dive into the world of mobile marketing by bringing together mobile marketing gurus and marketing professionals at a common forum to discuss, debate and brainstorm about the future trends in this space through some very interesting panel discussions and fireside chats along with thought provoking keynote speeches.

Preeti Desai, ex-Country Head, Mobile Marketing Association (India)

It is imperative for any organisations competitive advantage to stay informed and understand varied mobile technology opportunities as consumers are fast dictating a close alignment of the physical and digital world. They are almost driving businesses to deliver seamless customer experience.

At TMMS, business leaders across industries will help reflect on the transformative role mobile is playing.

Sandeep Tarkas, Director, Songdew

In a fast-changing world, it always helps if one pauses every now and then to think, reflect and then move ahead. This momentary pause helps one understand the distance covered, progress made, as well as areas of improvement. Events such as TMMS serve exactly such a purpose.

It would help to converge at TMMS and have a look at the happenings in this very exciting and era-changing medium that is a medium and an ecosystem at the same time.

Sanjay Tripathy, Co-Founder & CEO, Agilio Labs

Mobile allows us to reach consumers on their most personal device, in engaging and creative ways, and in an instant. But the variety of platforms and opportunities available can easily get overwhelming, with new technologies vying for your attention. By understanding what it takes to maximise the marketing and mobile efforts, creating deep, authentic connections with the consumers, the participants can build on their capabilities.

TMMS is designed to offer senior marketing, retail, publishing and agency delegates clarity on how to proceed with the right mobile strategy. It intends to help the marketing community to lead the change in ways that enable future breakthroughs while optimising current activities.

Shamsuddin Jasani, Group MD, Isobar - South Asia

A platform like TMMS is very important for the industry right now because there arent enough forums that really bring such a large number of professionals together and enable conversation on where we are going as an industry. How relevant is it for marketing communication to be mobile centric? Whoever is coming to TMMS, can stay assured that it is a great learning and interacting opportunity.

Vasuta Agarwal, VP & GM - India & South Asia, InMobi

Industry events like TMMS have huge significance as they provide the right forum to marketers, agencies, measurement partners and platforms to get together and share their views on important trends and topics that matter in the ecosystem.
MN+, the Gold Class of Hollywood movies, will premiere American period crime drama, Detroit, for the first time on Indian television. Directed by the Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, the movie stars Will Poulter, Hannah Murray, John Krasinski and John Boyega. Detroit will air on Sunday, 25th November 2018 at 1pm and 9pm on MN+.

Fact-based drama set during the 60s, the movie is centred around the Algiers Motel incident, which occurred in Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1967. In the heat of the 12th Street uprising, a task-force raids The Algiers Motel searching for a sniper. When they fail to find him, the guests are subjected to a horrifying storm of race-hate and violence. Detroit is a gruelling riot epic from a turbulent past that casts a baleful light on Americas troubled present.

Detroit is a hardcore masterpiece that recreates one of the darkest chapters in American history and makes it an unmissable movie to watch on a Sunday afternoon.

Tune in to MN+ and catch the TV premiere of Detroit this Sunday, 25th November 2018 at 1pm and 9pm.
CAIRO  In a surprising statement that contradicts the usual Egyptian stance against Qatar, Egyptian Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan said Nov. 15 that Qatar is among the countries that treat Egyptian laborers the best, and that relations between Qataris and Egyptians are great.

Saafan was not the first Egyptian official to make such statements. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Nov. 5 during the World Youth Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh that Egypt always seeks to protect the stability of the Gulf countries, including Qatar.

Such statements raise questions as to whether the Egyptian authorities are ready to reconcile with Qatar and end Cairos participation in a boycott against Doha by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Still, several Egyptian parliament members asserted in a series of press statements Nov. 12 that there would be no reconciliation with Qatar unless the demands of the boycotting countries are met.

The Egyptian and Bahraini Foreign Ministries also reaffirmed Nov. 11 their commitment to the boycott of Qatar. At a joint press conference with his Bahraini counterpart, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry announced during his visit to Manama that Qatar is prolonging the boycott by avoiding the 13 demands of the boycotting countries, and that Egypt insists on these demands.

Egypt has been part of a boycott against Qatar since June 2017, claiming Qatar supports terrorism and meddles in the affairs of neighboring countries. The four countries calling for countering terrorism submitted a list of 13 demands Qatar must meet for a reconciliation. However, the Qatari administration turned down the demands  and the boycott remains in place.

Most demands require Qatar to refrain from supporting terrorism and to close Doha-based Al Jazeera international news channel, which the boycotting countries consider a tool for Qatar to disrupt its neighbors' affairs and spread harmful rumors.

The boycott took a public turn in Egypt in June 2018 when the families of five terrorism victims filed a lawsuit against Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The victims were killed in terrorist attacks that have taken place since 2013 targeting the army, police and civilians in Egypt. Their families accuse the emir of backing terrorism in Egypt and are asking for $150 million in compensation.

The Egyptian judiciary started looking into the lawsuit Nov. 7, but decided that same day to delay it until Feb. 14 when all the evidence and defense statements should be ready.

US President Donald Trump for months has called for ending the crisis with Qatar. When the CIA recently concluded that Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi had been assassinated Oct. 2 in Istanbul on the order of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, many observers expected the United States to use the Khashoggi affair to pressure Saudi Arabia to reconcile with Qatar, among other things. In exchange, observers predicted, the United States would tone down its rhetoric against the Saudis in the matter.

Though Trump refuses to accuse Prince Mohammed, despite the CIA's findings, the United States and Turkey are indeed joining other countries in calling for Saudi Arabia to exit the boycott against Qatar, according to Rakha Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.

The crisis of journalist Jamal Khashoggis murder and the implication of some Saudi officials or staff in the crime gave the US and Turkey leeway to pressure the kingdom to reconcile with Qatar," Hassan told Al-Monitor.

Hassan said that, even if Saudi Arabia reconciles with Qatar, Egypt will not necessarily follow suit. He noted that Egypt is independent in its decisions and that its reasons for the boycott due to Qatars support for terrorism might differ from the Saudis' reasons. The Saudi kingdom blames Qatar for meddling in its affairs through Al Jazeera and other news media outlets, according to Hassan.

Therefore, Hassan concluded, If Saudi Arabia reconciles with Qatar after receiving guarantees that Qatar will not meddle in its affairs, Egypt is not obliged to make amends with Doha in the absence of guarantees to halt supporting terrorism. Besides, the UAE and Bahrain might be on Egypts side in continuing the boycott.

Egypt especially takes exception to Qatar's support of the Muslim Brotherhood, a longtime Sisi nemesis.

Ahmed al-Quesni, Egypt's former deputy foreign minister for Arab affairs, told Al-Monitor there is no contradiction between Sisis talk about keeping Qatar stable and Cairo's measures against it. According to Quesni, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain are not besieging Qatar or punishing it to harm it, but to pressure it. They want Qatar to rectify its actions by ending its support of terrorism and its backing of Iran and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and to quit meddling in Arab states affairs.

He added that when Qatar returns to this path, it will ensure the stability Sisi talked about.

Ayman Samir, a journalist and researcher on Arab affairs and international relations at Al-Ahram newspaper, told Al-Monitor that Qatar is impeding the reconciliation and that it went too far by asking in August 2017 for the boycotting countries to apologize. He noted that even if these countries agreed to drop the 13 demands, they would not apologize to Qatar  and even if they did, the reconciliation would be superficial, just to lift the pressure from other countries. However, relations still would not return to normal unless the 13 demands were met.

However, Mohammed praised the Qatari economy during the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia in late October, despite the crisis and his previous statements insulting Qatar. Journalist Salim Azouz wrote in an Oct. 26 article in Al-Quds newspaper that the praise constitutes a message to Qatar and leaders of the boycotting countries, including Sisi, that a reconciliation is imminent and that Egypt has to follow suit.

Azouz noted that without Saudi Arabia, the boycott would not have the same impact.
Turkeys determination to go all the way to force Saudi Arabia to come clean over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is pointing to a serious crisis in the making between the two countries.

This crisis, which could have regional implications for Turkey, seems unavoidable since Ankaras accusations ultimately target Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly referred to by his initials, MBS.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government have no affection for the crown prince, who earlier this year characterized Turkey as a member of a regional triangle of evil.

To underline its sense of purpose over this murder, Ankara has spelled out that it will not let economic considerations with Saudi Arabia overshadow the need to secure justice for Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2.

The lack of support for Turkeys position by regional Arab governments, though  most of whom are beholden to the House of Saud, with the obvious exception of Qatar  risks more isolation for Ankara in a region that is already mistrustful of Turkish meddling in Arab affairs.

Raising the stakes even further, Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is now calling for an international inquiry by the United Nations into the case.

This call was promptly rejected by Riyadh, which also turned down Ankaras demand for the extradition of those suspected of carrying out the murder to stand trial in Turkey.

Following a number of unconvincing accounts regarding Khashoggis fate, Riyadh was finally forced by Ankara to admit that Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate, although it insisted this was done by rogue government elements.

Riyadh also announced that 18 people, including members of the hit team sent to Turkey to carry out the killing, had been arrested, with five of them facing the death penalty if found guilty.

No names have been released by Riyadh, though, which has added to Turkish suspicions that the Saudi side will sacrifice lower-level officials to deflect blame from MBS.

Turkey has not openly named MBS, but he is widely believed to carry the ultimate responsibility for Khashoggis murder. Writing for The Washington Post recently, Erdogan did not hold back in his accusations.

We know the perpetrators are among the 18 suspects detained in Saudi Arabia. We also know those individuals came to carry out their orders: Kill Khashoggi and leave. Finally, we know the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government, Erdogan wrote.

He did not name anyone, but the direction in which he was pointing was clear.

Following his meetings Nov. 20 with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton in Washington, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu repeated Turkeys position.

Cavusoglu told reporters that like other countries, Turkey also did not want to undermine its ties with Saudi Arabia.

We dont see the Khashoggi murder as a bilateral problem with the Saudis. This is a matter of shedding light on a murder, and the Saudis have been forced to acknowledge that this crime was committed, Cavusoglu said.

Cavusoglu also accused Riyadh of not cooperating sufficiently with Ankara to solve this case.

Considerations about trade, etc., are not important for us. We have no problem with Saudi Arabia, but  as our president said  we will go all the way and do all that is necessary to shed light on this murder, he added.

Repeating a call he made last week for an international inquiry, Cavusoglu said the UN could set up an ad hoc team to carry out the necessary investigation, and the Security Council could act according to its findings.

Taking a swing at Washington, which Turkey suspects is working to prop up MBS, Cavusoglu said America should put its economic interests aside and pursue this case to the end.

The law comes first, and we believe in an international order based on law, Cavusoglu said.

Ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have always been chilly for a variety of reasons, some of which hark back to Ottoman times when Turks were effectively the masters of the region we know today as the Middle East.

Retired Ambassador Ali Tuygan, who has served in Riyadh, believes Saudi Arabias approach to Turkey has remained the same from the start.

Saudi Arabia has traditionally looked at Turkey as a regional rival. Shaping its outlook has been Turkeys Ottoman legacy, not admitted envy for the progress Turkey has made under Ataturks leadership and hostility toward Turkeys secularism, Tuygan wrote in his personal blog, Diplomatic Opinion."

Distrust of Turkeys regional ambitions became more pronounced after the Arab Spring, during which established Arab regimes saw themselves facing an existential threat.

Turkeys support for groups despised by these regimes, most notably the Muslim Brotherhood, resulted in feelings of resentment that still linger today.

Ankaras strong criticism of the 2013 military coup in Egypt, which ousted the countrys first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, and his Islamist government, heightened suspicions about Turkeys regional ambitions.

This was particularly the case in Saudi Arabia, which supported Morsis ouster and banned the Muslim Brotherhood in 2014.

Ankaras undermining of Riyadhs efforts to isolate Qatar has also increased the resentment on the Saudi side toward Turkey. MBSs remark about Turkey being a member of a triangle by evil was made in this environment.

Other issues that have done little to further Turkish-Saudi ties include Ankaras strong political support for the Palestinian cause. This has left Riyadh  which is already suspected of having secret dealings with Israel  appearing indifferent to the plight of the Palestinians.

Despite these differences, Ankara and Riyadh have been trying to present an image of normality in their ties, with mutual expressions of a desire to improve ties further.

The Khashoggi affair, however, is set to deal a blow to what little relationship there is. Meanwhile, in an indication of the mood in Riyadh, the Saudi media has been targeting Turkey.

Countries determined on proceeding with their unfounded witch hunt against Saudi Arabia will be perceived as hostile to the Kingdom's sovereignty and stability, wrote Salman Aldosary, the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, which is owned by a member of the Saudi royal family.

Turkey, for example, instead of fuelling a media flurry can simply cooperate with Saudi authorities and exchange any evidence within its possession to help further clear details surrounding the case. Such collaboration will advance investigations rather than hinder them, Aldosary added.

Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have come out in support of MBS, while countries like Jordan and Lebanon  which have important economic ties with Saudi Arabia  have preferred to remain silent.

Ankara is also worried that for all the noise in the United States and Europe over the Khashoggi murder, the West will  in the final analysis  throw its lot in with MBS as a strategic partner, leaving Turkey alone in efforts to solve this case.

Key Western countries will be attending the upcoming G-20 summit in Argentina, and there are already reports that President Donald Trump will be meeting with MBS. Trump has already made it clear that he will not sacrifice $110 billion in military contracts with Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi affair.

Meanwhile, it is not clear what the position of European countries will be at the summit with regards to the crown prince.

Erdogan will also be attending the G-20, but there is no indication that he will meet MBS, although a handshake in passing could take place.

Retired Turkish Ambassador Mithat Rende is among those who expect Turkeys ties with Saudi Arabia to deteriorate over this affair as long as MBS remains in the line of succession.

Ties may improve if the crown prince is replaced, but the support he gets from the United States and Israel will be crucial to his political survival, Rende told Al-Monitor.

Rende also believes that this affair could have implications for Turkeys role in the Middle East as long as regional Arab governments continue to look to Saudi Arabia for economic, military and political support.

The bottom line is that whatever fate may await MBS, Ankaras ties with Riyadh will be clouded by this affair for the foreseeable future.
This is an opinion column.

The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun.

Im calling BS.

Weve heard this ludicrous fallacy too, too many timesmost notably from National Rifle Association mouthpiece Wayne LaPierre, but also, in various incarnations, from others who believe to their souls that two (or more) guns will right a wrong.

We heard it just last month from Donald Trump following the tragic murders of 11 people worshiping inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh by a gunman. If they had protection inside, the results would have been far better, the President said.

We hear it in our own state from zealots like Lt Governor-elect Will Ainsworth, who wants to arm teachers to make schools safer. The former Republican State Rep. from Guntersvilles bill was stymied by Democratic opposition during the most recent legislative session. Yet he vowed to return to Montgomery in one form or another next year, and I will continue pushing for this legislation until our students and teachers are properly protected, and our classrooms are properly defended."

BS.

Georgetown University clinical professor of psychiatry Liza Gold, who studies the relationship between mental illness and gun violence agrees. Its a good slogan, she told ABC News after the high-school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this year. "I have yet to see the evidence base for that claim.

Sometimes a good guy with a gun stops another good guy with a gun.

Or the wrong guy.

Then its a tragedy. Or worse.

I dont know Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr., the 21-year-old from Hueytown who was shot and killed by a Hoover policeman amid the frightening and chaotic aftermath of the shooting at the Riverchase Galleria that shook us all on Thanksgiving night.

I dont know if he was a good guy, by whatever your standard. Truthfully, thats not for any of us to judge. Most certainly not now, not based on what we know at this early juncture.

But I do know this: Bradford, who was said to have possessed a weapon, was not the shooter who left an 18-year-old young man and a 12-year-old girl severely wounded after an argument at the mall that, like all-too-many-other disputes in this unfortunate age, nonsensically became a gun fight.

We know because the Hoover police, only 20 or so hours after saying the dead man was the shooter, confessed theyd made an appalling mistake that turned tragedy to travesty.

Our department does not typically issue media updates during an internal investigation but there was information discussed with local media last night that merits update and clarification, the department said in a statement released Friday evening. . New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim  We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate

This isnt a rant for stricter gun-control regulations. Nor am I about to rail against our open-carry laws (which can, however, contribute to the challenge of discerning, in the midst of mayhem, the good guys from the bad.)

But only the blindly stubborn and blithely irrationalcount LaPierre and 45 in that clubwill still refuse to admit that good guys with a gun sometimes do bad things. Tragically bad things.

Especially when the bad guy is black.

Two years ago, white Iowanand bona fide bad guyScott Michael Greene killed two police officers and eluded law enforcement for hours before being captured alive miles away.

In April, Travis Reinking, a white man, allegedly killed four African-Americans with an assault rifle in a Nashville Waffle House, yet somehow was captured alive about a day-and-a-half later.

Bradford, of course, was African American.

The investigation into this shooting, as well as the full breadth of what transpired at the mall, will be scrutinized like few others--for myriad reasons.

Lets start with the undeniable history and still-tenuous relationship between Birmingham and its OTM neighbors, like Hoover. And there are so many nuances and complexities that already the investigation has been handed over the state from Jefferson County, where a potential conflict with a possible witness was already discovered.

It is vital that investigators get this one right rather than fast. With deliberate speed, yes. But not so fast that someone once again trips - even inadvertently - over the truth.

Kudos to the first responders whose actions Thursday evening likely forestalled what could have been an even greater loss of life or injury.

But lets see the mall video of Bradfords actual encounter with the officer. It all-but-certainly exists and could reveal Bradford may have created what might have been perceived by the officer as a life-threatening situation with his weapon.

If not, no matter how involved in the shooting he may prove to be (Hoover police also said investigators now believe more than two people, including him, were involved in the initial dispute and that the actual gunman was still at large), Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr. did not likely deserve to die on the Galleria floor.

Especially at the hands of a good guy with a gun.

Roy S. Johnsons column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Hit me up at rjohnson@al.com or/and follow me at twitter.com/roysj or on Instagram at instagram.com/roysj/
A Jefferson County judge, his wife and their daughter were the victims of a hit-and-run in Denver Thursday night.

Probate Judge Alan King, his wife Karen King and daughter Kendall King, were struck about 10 p.m. on Martin Luther King Boulevard and Quebec Street. A Denver police spokeswoman said all three were taken to the hospital.

The judges wife was pronounced dead at the hospital. King is reportedly undergoing surgery. The extent of his and his daughters injuries werent immediately known. Denver police said they do not release the names of victims, and the Denver Medical Examiners Office was closed on Friday.

Police on Friday said they are looking for a black, or dark-colored sedan, possibly a Cadillac, with damage to the front end and windshield.

The judge and his wife were in Denver visiting their daughter for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Kings colleagues. Karen King was a library specialist at Rocky Ridge Elementary School, and was set to soon retire, friends said. Family members are en route to Colorado.

Judge King was elected to the probate judge position in 2006 and re-elected in 2012. According to his bio, he has dockets at both the Birmingham Bessemer courthouses. He is also the chief election official for Jefferson County.

King has been on the bench for 18 years, and handles cases ranging from adult involuntary commitments to adoptions and name changes.

He and his wife Karen were married for 32 years.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

AL.com reporter Ivana Hrynkiw contributed to this report.
The family of a man killed by Hoover police at the Riverchase Galleria on Thanksgiving night has retained a national civil rights attorney following the deadly shooting.

Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., 21, died Nov. 22 when police say gunfire erupted inside in the Hoover mall. When it was over, Bradford was dead, his 18-year-old friend was seriously wounded and a 12-year-old bystander was shot in the back. Eight other people were treated by Hoover paramedics for injuries sustained in the ensuing chaos and evacuation of the mall.

Initially police said Bradford fired the shots that wounded the other two, but on Friday night said he likely did not fire the shots that wounded the others. They did not say whether he fired any shots at all, but said he was involved in the initial altercation and brandishing a firearm.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, out of Tallahassee, Fl., issued a press release Saturday saying he had been retained by the family. He is set to arrive in Alabama Saturday night.

Crump has previously been active in the high-profile cases, including representing the family of Michael Brown, a 17-year-old African American male, who was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri. He also represented the family of Trayvon Martin, also 17, who was fatally shot in Florida by George Zimmerman.

Crumps release stated that Bradford was an honorably-discharged veteran of the U.S. Army who was licensed to carry a concealed firearm. U.S. Army Public Affairs officials on Saturday confirmed to AL.com that 'Bradford did not serve in the Army, as he never completed Advanced Individual Training."

Crump released this statement from Bradfords family: Our family is completely shocked, heartbroken and devastated at the tragic death of our beloved E.J. E.J. was a devoted son and brother who dedicated his life to serving his country and always doing the right thing. As we continue to grieve, rest assured that we our working with our legal team to determine exactly what happened and why this police officer killed our son. We will never forget E.J. and ask for your continued prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said preliminary information indicated that two people were involved in a physical altercation that led to a 21-year-old male shooting an 18-year-old male several times. The 18-year-old victim was injured and transported to UAB Hospital. A 12-year-old girl was shot in the back and taken to Childrens of Alabama.

The 21-year-old  now identified as Bradford - was fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun, was engaged, shot and killed by a uniformed Hoover police officer, according to Rector. Over the past 20 hours, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office investigators and crime scene technicians have interviewed numerous individuals and examined several critical evidentiary items, Rector said Friday. New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim. 

Rector said investigators now believe that more than two individuals were involved in the initial altercation. The information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at-large, who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old and 12-year-old.

The news of Hoovers statement Friday night sparked Saturdays protest. Protesters gathered outside of the Macys department store at the mall and several people, including local activist Carlos Chaverst, and some of Bradfords family members. Dozens of people and Bradfords family members then marched through the mall chanting and carrying signs.

Police lied, and they still lying, Not one more time, and stop shopping here were some of the chants protesters repeated. Members of the media were not allowed inside the mall.

The State Bureau of Investigation took over as the lead investigative agency from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office after detectives determined a potential key witness in the mall incident is a cousin of the wife of Jefferson County Sheriff-Elect Mark Pettway.

SBI said the investigation is ongoing and no updates from any law enforcement agency have been released since Friday night.

Also Saturday, the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP condemned the shooting and called on legislators to end excessive force against black and brown people.

We have learned that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, but real and lasting consequences need to be taken against police officers who use excessive force, Benard Simelton, president of Alabama NAACP, said in a prepared statement.  The Alabama NAACP believes those officers should be immediately removed and never allowed employment with any police force or establishment where using a gun is a requirement.

Simelton said police officers must stop being trigger happy when it comes to our children. Police officers must stop being aggressive with young men of color and stop killing us. Police officers must use human rights tactics to engage who they believe is the perpetrator. A life has been lost because police do not see African Americans as humans. 

We need to know the standard of procedures used in this case and why was this young man left on the floor to die without CPR being rendered to save his life, Simelton said.
Longtime Jefferson County Probate Court Presiding Judge Alan King and his daughter are recovering after being victims of a hit-and-run in Denver on Thanksgiving night, family members said.

King, his wife Karen, and daughter Kendall were struck about 10 p.m. Thursday on Martin Luther King Boulevard and Quebec Street in Denver, according to local police. All three were taken to a local hospital, where Karen was pronounced dead. King and his daughter were seriously injured.

One of Kings brothers, retired Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Tom King, posted about his brothers recovery on Facebook early Saturday. Though Alan and Kendall remain hospitalized, we are very hopeful that their recovery will be full and complete, Tom King posted.

Toms full post read: So many family and friends have reached out to us since my brother Alan, his wife Karen, and their daughter Kendall were the victims of a hit-and-run in Denver, Colorado on Thanksgiving night. We are grieved and heartbroken at this tragedy that took the life of our beloved Karen. Though Alan and Kendall remain hospitalized, we are very hopeful that their recovery will be full and complete. Thank you for all of your calls, texts, and messages. Your many expressions of love, concern and support for our family during this difficult time sustains us and we are deeply grateful.

Judge King and his wife, a library specialist at Rocky Ridge Elementary School, were in Denver visiting their daughter for Thanksgiving. According to police, the three were struck after an unidentified driver drove through an intersection and ran a red light. The driver fled the scene after striking the King family, but witnesses described the vehicle to authorities. Police have said online they are looking for a black or dark-colored sedan with damage to the front end & windshield.

King was first elected as a probate judge in 2000 and was reelected in 2006, 2012, and 2018. He has served as Presiding Judge over the court since 2007, and is also the Chief Election Official of Jefferson County. He was tapped to join President Donald Trumps Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, and became one of 11 members on the commission. Last year, he submitted a five-page report to the panel letting other members know how he felt about what he sees as an effort to keep people from voting, rather than expanding the right to vote.

The 65-year-old Democrat and father of two grew up in a household filled with judges and politicians-- his grandfather was a presiding criminal Circuit Court judge, his father was a state senator, and his older brother Tom was a civil Circuit Court judge.

King has been vocal about several controversial issues during his career, including support for issuing marriage licenses to gay couples and opposing a national travel ban.

Place Two Judge Sherri Friday posted support for King on Facebook, along with dozens of other lawyers and colleagues.

This post will be updated.
The man shot to death by Hoover police at the Riverchase Galleria has now been publicly identified.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the slain suspect as Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. He was 21, and lived in Hueytown. Friends and family called him E.J.

Also Friday evening, Jefferson County District Attorney Mike Anderton announced the SBI will take over the probe from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office after learning a cousin of Sheriff-Elect Mark Pettways wife is a potential witness in the case.

The shooting happened while thousands were getting an early start at the Galleria, the largest mall in Alabama and a popular Black Friday destination for shoppers from around the state. The gunfire inside the mall sent shoppers scurrying for cover and city officials described the scene as chaotic.

An 18-year-old male was shot and was rushed to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center where he was in serious condition. A 12-year-old girl was also shot and wounded. Bradford, shot by Hoover police, was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:11 p.m. A 12-year-old girl remains hospitalized at Childrens of Alabama.

Hoover Fire treated eight other people for injuries unrelated to the gunfire, said Hoover Fire Capt. Scott West. Of those eight, six were transported to the hospital. Some injuries were from falls while trying to escape the mall, and others were medical calls. The severity of those injuries wasnt available.

Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said the shooting happened at 9:52 p.m. We received a call of shots fired outside of Foot Action. We already had multiple officers working at the mall for traffic control and police presence inside, he said.

Earlier information, he said, is that two adult males  one of them 18 years old  got into a physical altercation in the mall area. At least one of those individuals exchanged gunfire with the other, Rector said. The 18-year-old was struck. He was taken UAB with at least one wound. We believe he is in serious condition.

After the initial gunfire, Rector said the person who shot the 18-year-old  now identified as Bradford - was fleeing the area when he was confronted by two Hoover police officers, who were in uniform. One of our officers did engage that individual and shot him, Rector said. He was dead on the scene.

The Hoover police officer actually was running to the scene, he heard gunshots, he was obviously very near the scene, he actually shot and killed the person who injured the other person, Rector said.

He said they do not know what started the initial fight. We know they got into physical altercation. We know the deceased was armed with a handgun and we know he shot the person who was transported to UAB, Rector said.

The 12-year-old bystander was also hit, but police arent yet sure at what point she was shot. Her mother discussed at length on Facebook the details of her daughters ordeal.

At least several bystanders took photos and videos of the incident inside the mall and those photos  which included a graphic picture of the dead man  quickly made the rounds on social media. Friends of his mother and other family members were pleading for the sharing of the images to stop.

Rector said police had a solid protection plan for the Galleria beginning Thanksgiving night, as they do every year. This is a big shopping day for us as it is for everybody across the country, Rector said. We always gear up for extra manpower starting on Thanksgiving afternoon, we do that throughout Christmas.

Obviously our officers are well-trained and they go through different types of training throughout the year and they always do a good job responding, he said. We were fortunate enough to have two officers near an active shooting scene and those officers rushed to that scene and encountered an individual who just shot someone, so we were fortunate that Hoover officer was where he needed to be and we believe he prevented further injuries.

Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr responded to the scene. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office was asked to lead the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

We will be looking at every possible means to gather the evidence of what happened, Rector said. We want it to paint a very clear picture of what happened tonight.

We have been working this mall for over 20 years, with additional officers inside and outside. Unfortunately, this took place tonight here, Police Chief Nick Derzis said. Im very very proud of the Hoover police officers who were on the scene.

Thank God we had our officers very close. They heard the gunfire, they engaged the subject, And they took out the threat, Derzis said. That threat could have materialized into a lot more people being injured. Thank goodness that did not happen.

The district attorney said he received a call shortly before 12:30 p.m. Friday informing him of a potential conflict with the sheriffs office investigation the case. "It was explained to me that a potential witness in the case was at the Galleria at the time of the shooting saw what happened,'' Anderton said in a prepared statement.

After talking with all law enforcement agencies involved, Anderton requested that SBI be brought in to take over all related investigations including the officer-involved aspect, as well as the shootings of the other victims. "This will avoid parallel investigations involving the same witnesses and evidence,'' he said.

Anderton said his request should not suggest that the members of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office are incapable or untrustworthy in handling the matter. I have worked for the last 34 years with the JCSO investigators and I personally have absolute confidence in their ability and desire to conduct a fair investigation.

But an investigation of this sort takes time. The potential for the conclusion of this investigation coming during the term of the sheriff-elect, a cousin of a potential major witness in this investigation, could lead the public to question its fairness. This is what I seek to avoid.
A 21-year-old man shot and killed by Hoover police at the Riverchase Galleria Thanksgiving night likely did not fire the rounds that wounded an 18-year-old and 12-year-old, police announced Friday night.

Earlier Friday, the Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the slain man as Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said while the department does not typically issue media updates during an internal investigation, there was information discussed with local media Friday night that merits update and clarification.

Preliminary information gathered Friday night, Rector said, indicated that two individuals were involved in a physical altercation that led to a 21-year-old male shooting an 18-year-old male multiple times. The 18-year-old victim was indeed shot and transported to UAB Hospital, where he remained on Friday.

The 21-year-old  now identified as Bradford - was fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun, was engaged, shot and killed by a uniformed Hoover police officer. Over the past 20 hours, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office investigators and crime scene technicians have interviewed numerous individuals and examined several critical evidentiary items, Rector said. New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim. 

Rector said investigators now believe that more than two individuals were involved in the initial altercation. The information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at-large, who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old male and 12-year-old female.

We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate, but new evidence indicates that it was not, he said. We remain committed to maintaining the integrity of this investigation, helping determine the facts involved, and assisting ALEA in their efforts.

Bradfords family, thus far, has declined comment on his death.

Earlier Friday evening, Jefferson County District Attorney Mike Anderton announced the State Bureau of Investigation would be taking lead in the probe from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office after learning that a potential eyewitness is the cousin of Sheriff-Elect Mark Pettway.

Rector said Hoover police will cooperate fully as the case is transitioned from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office to ALEA investigators. Hoover police detectives will continue conducting an internal, but separate investigation, involving the officer-involved shooting portion of the case.

Rector said anyone with information, photos or video evidence of the crime scene is asked to call ALEA investigators. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward may call Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside of the Riverchase Galleria Saturday afternoon to protest the officer-involved shooting that happened Thanksgiving night inside the mall.

Carlos Chaverst Jr., president of the Birmingham activist group Justice League, organized the protest. The event was aimed to show unrest after Hoover police shot and killed Emantic E.J. Bradford on Thursday night, after believing Bradford was the person who shot and injured an 18-year-old man during an altercation. A 12-year-old girl was also hurt in the gunfire.

Friday night, Hoover police released a statement saying new evidence showed 21-year-old Bradford was likely not the shooter.

Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said preliminary information indicated that two people were involved in a physical altercation that led to a 21-year-old male shooting an 18-year-old male several times. The 18-year-old victim was injured and transported to UAB Hospital. A 12-year-old girl was shot in the back and taken to Childrens of Alabama.

The 21-year-old  now identified as Bradford - was fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun, was engaged, shot and killed by a uniformed Hoover police officer, according to Rector. Over the past 20 hours, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office investigators and crime scene technicians have interviewed numerous individuals and examined several critical evidentiary items, Rector said Friday. New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim. 

Rector said investigators now believe that more than two individuals were involved in the initial altercation. The information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at-large, who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old and 12-year-old.

The news of Hoovers statement Friday night sparked Saturdays protest.

Before the protest began, Bradfords aunt Catherine Jewell spoke. She called her nephew a great guy who was respectful and polite. She said Bradford was in the Army and was on furlough when he was in Birmingham for Thanksgiving. AL.com has not independently confirmed Bradfords military status.

They didnt have to take him like that, Jewell said. She said that she and Bradfords mother found out about the killing on Facebook and that no police officers came to Bradfords mothers house.

Jewell said Bradford did have a pistol permit.

Protesters gathered outside of the Macys department store at the mall and several people, including Chaverst, Jewell and another woman who claimed to be Bradfords great-aunt, spoke. Dozens of people and Bradfords family members then marched through the mall chanting and carrying signs.

Police lied, and they still lying, Not one more time, and stop shopping here were some of the chants protesters repeated. Members of the media were not allowed inside the mall.

Chaverst called Bradford a soldier, and said everyone should demand answers from Hoover police about what happened during the Thursday night shooting. He also called for the firing of Rector for lying about what happened, said body cam footage should be released, and that the name of the officer who shot Bradford should be publicly named. Chaverst also questioned why the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, who is now the lead agency investigating the case, was not initially brought in to lead the probe.

Chaverst called for protesters to stop shopping at the Galleria as well.
The BJP will try to convince the Hindu majority to vote along sectarian lines in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In April-May next year an estimated 900 million Indians will be heading to the polls to elect their next parliament. In the 70-odd years since Indias independence, this will likely be the first election that seriously challenges the countrys inclusive political culture.

If the current government led by the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi secures another emphatic mandate, the country will move dangerously close to becoming a majoritarian state.

A decisive victory would give the BJP hegemonic control over all state institutions, as well as the media and public discourse. This would further undermine the integrity and autonomy of different arms of the state, including the judiciary, public watchdogs and, more importantly, state-run educational institutions. Moreover, another BJP victory would put the freedoms and security of approximately 175 million Indian Muslims in jeopardy.

Amid waning public support for the government caused by economic failures, the BJP recently took a series of steps to accentuate Indias growing religious polarisation. It appears the far-right party is trying to secure an electoral victory not by convincing Indians that it will implement a strong social, economic and political agenda, but by fomenting the Hindu majoritys prejudices against Muslims and convincing them to vote along religious lines.

Fuelling religious polarisation

In 2014, Modi was voted into office for two reasons. First, anti-incumbent sentiment against the Congress-led coalition government was rampant, mainly as a result of corruption accusations and a downward drift in governance. Second, Modi managed to raise Indians hopes about their countrys future by making several ambitious promises.

Despite his controversial past  he was accused of initiating and condoning the 2002 Gujarat riots that resulted in the death of almost 1,000 people, many of them Muslims  Modi succeeded in presenting himself as a messiah of development throughout the election campaign.

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Once in power, however, he moved away from the reformist image he created for himself.

He did follow through some of his campaign promises, such as starting pro-poor economic schemes and innovative programmes but mostly used sectarian, Hindu-nationalist dog whistles to consolidate his power. As a result, Muslims became open targets for discrimination and abuse.

The Modi governments tacit promotion of sectarian politics resulted in disquiet in what is identified as Middle India  a burgeoning demographic block of urban middle-classes who are socially liberal and economically conservative.

They backed Modi in the 2014 election, mostly because they believed he had left divisive politics behind and was committed to economic policies that would help everyone prosper. They expected him to act as a neo-Thatcherite reformer and save the struggling Indian economy. However, only a couple of months into his reign, Middle India realised that he is no unifying reformer.

Over the past four years, the BJP government has repeatedly turned a blind eye on attacks by fringe groups on religious minorities. According to data from IndiaSpend, which tracks news about violence in English-language media, reports of religious-based hate-crimes  mainly targeting Muslims  have spiked significantly since 2014.

Modi himself did little more than deliver periodical tepid words of caution in the face of growing religious polarisation. He likely believes that firing up Hindu-nationalist sentiments would give him an electoral advantage. In the end, he was right. Sectarian politics did partially cost the BJP the support of Middle India but simultaneously made it more popular among wider Hindu masses across the country (As seen in the partys landslide victory in Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, in March 2017).

However, such divisive politics stopped yielding sufficient political dividends for the BJP from the autumn of 2017 and Modis personal popularity started to decline.

BJPs loss of electoral momentum

Modis loss of popularity was mainly caused by two controversial economic decisions: the demonetisation of high-value currency notes in November 2016 and the rollout of a Goods and Service Tax in July 2017. These decisions hurt small and medium-sized businesses and held the Indian economy back. Both decisions were criticised harshly by prominent economists and were not popular among ordinary citizens.

These economic moves diminished the government and the PMs political clout significantly, and are likely to negatively impact the BJPs prospects in the 2019 general election.

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The start of the BJPs electoral slide became clear last December when the party limped to a majority in Modis home state, Gujarat. The partys electoral decline continued into 2018: it won only three of the 13 parliamentary by-polls, and 5 of the 22 state legislature elections.

Beside demonetisation and the Goods and Service Tax, rising unemployment and spiralling distress in the farming industry are also expected to cause Modi some electoral headaches in 2019. Opinion polls consistently demonstrate that the BJPs popularity across India is on the decline. The BJP, well aware that it is facing strong anti-incumbent sentiments, is looking to find ways to widen its support base before the general election.

In the past, the party has tried to achieve this by stirring up nationalist sentiments and it is likely that it will continue to do so in the near future. For example, in 2016, Modi used the Indian militarys so-called surgical strikes against terrorist units in troubled Jammu and Kashmir for ultra-nationalist propaganda.

Just months after the strikes, he rode the wave of jingoistic fervour he created through these propaganda efforts and swept the elections in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier this year, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the anniversary of the operation would be celebrated every year as National Strike Day  further demonstrating that the BJP plans to continue using past military operations to stoke nationalist sentiment and garner support for the government.

Convincing Hindus to vote Hindu

The BJPs ideological siblings have been campaigning for a nation-wide Hindu resurrection since the 1920s  the era in which the partys core Hindutva ideology was first born. But, for a very long time, these efforts had limited success due to Indias syncretism and the caste-based divisions within Hindu society.

Hindu nationalists emerged as a major political force only in the late 1980s, on the back of the demands for a 16th-century mosque in Ayodhya to be replaced with a Ram (an avatar of Vishnu, a major Hindu god) temple.

The demolition of the mosque in December 1992 led to several months of inter-communal rioting in which Hindus and Muslims attacked one another. A decade later, the issue led to the Gujarat riots, which helped Modi transition from a satrap to a popular political leader. Anti-Muslim riots in the Uttar Pradesh town of Muzaffarnagar in 2013, which were fanned by members and sympathisers of the BJP, also contributed to Modis 2014 electoral victory.

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Such past efforts were indeed the main force behind the BJP and Modis rise to power, yet the governing party knows that it needs to do more to overcome the incumbents political handicap and is now actively working towards constructing a wider Hindu-nationalist voter block.

Thanks to the BJPs efforts, the Ayodhya temple dispute is once again roaring and Hindu nationalists are agitating for the demolition of other historical mosques allegedly built over temples, including one in Modis political constituency, Varanasi. There are fears that these issues may be raked up further before the elections.

In recent weeks, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath renamed one major city and another district, alleging that previous names were Islamic blemishes. Coming on the back of other renaming controversies, this raised fears that a Hindu-nationalist renaming spree is about to begin.

Coupled with ongoing campaigns against eating beef and so-called Love Jihad and conspiracy theories about Muslims illegally entering India from Bangladesh and altering the demographic balance of the country, the governments current attempts to fuel Hindu nationalist and anti-Muslim sentiments aim at shifting the voters focus away from daily grievances.

The BJPs ultimate goal is to make the 80 percent of Indians who are Hindus vote according to their religious identity, driven by animosity towards minorities, mainly Muslims. If the BJP succeeds, this would turn Indias political character on its head.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Activists called for boycott of what they describe as farce elections, raising doubts about its credibility.

Counting is under way in Bahrain after polls have closed in Saturdays parliamentary election from which opposition groups were barred in a crackdown on dissent in the Western-allied kingdom.

More than 350,000 Bahrainis were eligible to vote, according to Justice Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, adding that there were 54 polling stations across the country.

According to Bahraini state television, turnout for the election was 67 percent, the Reuters news agency reported.

In advance of the vote, however, activists and members of the banned opposition parties called for a boycott of what they describe as farce elections, raising doubts about the credibility of the polls. The government says the elections are democratic.

Polls opened at 8am local time (05:00 GMT) and closed at 8pm (17:00 GMT).

Much of the law-making power in Bahrain is in the hands of the National Assembly, which is divided into a lower house and an upper house, the Shura Council.

Members of that council, who can block initiatives by the lower house, are selected by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

According to Middle East expert Bill Law, founder of Gulf Matters, the elections are an attempt by the Bahraini government to give the impression the elections are open and democratic.

Its true that there are lots of candidates, but the general feeling among most Bahrainis is whats the point, Law told Al Jazeera, adding that the parliament is seen as largely ineffective.

For example, it has passed at the direction of the ruling family laws that prevent people who belong to the banned political parties from running in this election, he added.

2011 uprising

Bahrain has the longest-serving prime minister in the world, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who has been in power since 1971.

However, during a failed uprising in 2011, mainly organised by the Shia minority, protesters demanded the prime minister be replaced.

Those protests eventually failed after Saudi Arabia sent in troops to help crush the unrest in a mark of concern that any power-sharing concession by Bahrain could inspire Saudi Arabias own Shia minority.

Riyadh regards the neighbouring island nation, which does not possess vast oil wealth like other Gulf states, as a critical ally in its proxy war with Iran in the Middle East.

Since then, Bahrain has seen little to no reform despite repeated calls by both members of the Sunni and Shia communities.

The country has been in a political stalemate since 2011. There has been no reform, Law told Al Jazeera.

Bahrain, which is home to the US Navys Fifth Fleet, has closed the main opposition groups, barred their members from running in elections and prosecuted scores of people, many described by human rights groups as activists, in mass trials.

Clearly, legislatures from the worlds leading democratic states believe that the upcoming election in Bahrain lacks legitimacy. You simply cannot crush, torture and imprison your entire opposition, call for a pseudo-election, and then demand the respect of the international community, said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD).

The government said 506 candidates are running in the election, including the highest number of female candidates. It expects a higher voter turnout than in 2014, which it put at 53 percent, when opposition groups boycotted the elections.

Only 23 of 40 incumbents of the House of Representatives are seeking re-election this year to parliament, which has limited powers.

Many of Bahrains Shia say they are deprived of jobs and government services and treated as second-class citizens in the country of 1.5 million.

The authorities deny the allegations and accuse Iran of fostering unrest that has seen demonstrators clash with security forces, who have been targeted by several bomb attacks. Tehran denies the allegations.

Before Saturdays vote, Bahrains interior ministry claimed Iran was trying to interfere in the elections, saying Tehran was behind around 40,000 texts sent to Bahraini citizens that aimed to negatively affect the elections.

Following that claim, the government told citizens to only trust depend on reliable sources.

Bahrain emboldened

Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Manama is failing to create conditions necessary for a free election by jailing or silencing people who challenge the ruling family and banning all opposition parties.

A leader of dissolved opposition groups al-Wefaq said the rise of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, has emboldened Bahrains authorities in their crackdown on dissent, which has included stripping scores of activists from their nationality.

They couldnt go ahead with all the crackdown without the strong backing of the Saudi government. Mohammed bin Salman listens only to hardliners in Bahrains ruling family, Ali Alaswad, who lives in self-exile in London and has been sentenced in absentia to life in prison, told Reuters.

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Government opponents say the space for political expression has been shrinking in the lead up to the election. Several activists, including a former legislator, were arrested last week for tweeting about boycotting elections, activists said.

No one is barred from expressing their political views, said a government spokesperson.

Bahrain is home to 16 political societies, the majority of which have put forward candidates for the upcoming elections, and the government fully supports open and inclusive political dialogue.

Some candidates have taken to social media to urge Bahrainis to vote as a patriotic duty.

Those who dont participate will not be part of the national consensus or equation in Bahrain, said Ali Al Aradi, deputy president of Bahrains House of Representatives.

Some opposition figures hope the outcry over the murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Riyadhs consulate in Istanbul last month could help strengthen more moderate voices in the region, including members of Bahrains royal family who are open to dialogue with the opposition.

The killing of Khashoggi, a critic of Prince Mohammed, has drawn global condemnation and exposed Saudi Arabias crackdown on dissent and aggressive foreign policy.

Now, if theres a real accusation from the US against Mohammed bin Salman, radical wings in Bahrain which dont want to work with the opposition will be weakened, Alaswad said.

But some analysts are sceptical.

The killing of Khashoggi will simply serve to highlight that those wishing to highlight abuses face a much riskier task, said Marc Owen Jones of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter.

If anything, it will have a chilling effect.
US report compiled with input from 13 government agencies and departments says future risks depend on todays decisions.

Climate change will cost the United States economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, a new US government report has warned.

Global warming will affect everything from health to infrastructure if left unchecked, according to the major federal report issued on Friday.

With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century  more than the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many US states, the National Climate Assessment said.

The warning is at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil fuels agenda and the presidents own statements on global warming.

Global warming would disproportionately hurt the poor, broadly undermine human health, damage infrastructure, limit the availability of water, alter coastlines, and boost costs in industries from farming, to fisheries and energy production, the report said.

However, it added that projections of further damage could change if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply curbed, even though many of the impacts of climate change  including more frequent and more powerful storms, droughts and flooding  are already under way.

Future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today, it said.

Gary Yohe, professor of economics and environmental studies at Wesleyan University, told Al Jazeera that there is a need for immediate action.

We have been saying this for 15 or 20 years. Its just been getting worse and worse and worse over that time, he said.

Its gotten worse at a rapidly increasing rate over the last two or three years, and you havent done anything. Youve wasted 15 years of time to respond to climate change. If you waste another five years, it will be even worse. And the longer you wait, the more expensive the response will be.

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Response will have to come. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when. And starting now is certainly the best idea on the table, Yohe added.

At odds with Trump

The report supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming and warned of catastrophic effects to the planet.

The studies clash with policy under Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximise production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world, above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

During his 2016 election campaign, Trump called climate change a hoax, although he has since said that he does not believe that to be the case.

During a period of cold weather in the US this week, he tweeted: Whatever happened to Global Warming?

Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS  Whatever happened to Global Warming?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018

White House spokesperson Lindsay Walters said the new report was largely based on the most extreme scenario, which contradicts long-established trends by assuming thatthere would be limited technology and innovation, and a rapidly expanding population.

The governments next update of the National Climate Assessment, she said: gives us the opportunity to provide for a more transparent and data-driven process that includes fuller information on the range of potential scenarios and outcomes.

Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the US from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the US economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit.

Trump and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, arguing that the causes and impacts are not yet settled.

Environmental groups said the report reinforced their calls for the US to take action on climate change.

While President Trump continues to ignore the threat of climate change, his own administration is sounding the alarm, said Abigail Dillen, president of environmental group Earthjustice. This report underscores what we are already seeing firsthand: climate change is real, its happening here, and its happening now.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report.
Tijuana, Mexico  Bekeni Christain Tabasangh was one of dozens of people seeking the shade at the edge of a Tijuana plaza near the foot of the pedestrian bridge crossing into San Diego about a week ago.

Weeks earlier, he signed up on the list that included the names people waiting in Mexico to request asylum in the United States.

Tabsangh, 33, left Cameroon in August, fleeing violence in the countrys Anglophone regions.

Government forces are battling an armed Anglophone separatist movement in southern Cameroon, including where Tabasangh is from, in the Fako Division. Civilians are also being targeted.

The conflict has killed more than 400 people since last year and forced thousands more to flee, according to rights group and the United Nations.

I escaped Cameroon because they were looking for youths, killing youths all over, said Tabasangh told Al Jazeera.

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When they see you, they will say that we are terrorists. Likewise, the terrorists that are fighting with them, they are somewhere, hiding, so when [government security forces] run into you on the street they will not even ask if you are one of them or not, they will just kill you, he said.

The government, police and separatists often give conflicting accounts of who is responsible for the killings, but Tabasangh said police broke down the door of his younger brothers home and shot him dead.

People are dying every day for no good reason. They dont want the media to expose it, Tabasangh said.

The long wait

Tabsanghs wait to enter the US came as thousands of Central Americans, part of a mass exodus, trickled into Tijuana area to sign up on the waiting list to seek asylum in the US.

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Many told Al Jazeera they are fleeing violence, poverty or political persecution. The first of the highly visible groups, originally dubbed caravans and now a self-denominated exodus, left Honduras last month.

More than 5,000 migrants and refugees are now in Tijuana, and most of them are staying in a local stadium complex that is more than 2,000 people over capacity. Subsequent waves of the exodus, largely from Honduras and El Salvador, are making their way up through Mexico.

Central Americans remain at a shelter near the US-Mexico border fence in Tijuana [Pedro Pardo/AFP]

Baja California state Governor Francisco Arturo Vega is urging migrants and refugees taking part in the exodus to spread out to other ports of entry along the border instead of further concentrating in Baja California, to alleviate what we have here and to try to address and manage it with more promptness, with more efficiency.

US President Donald Trump has referred to the exodus as an invasion, which has no basis in reality, migrant and human rights organisations say. Furthermore, the US is intentionally creating bottlenecks and long wait times for asylum seekers for no good reason other than to attempt to dissuade people from seeking asylum, according to advocates.

The US governments refusal to prepare to receive refugees, which it knew about for some time, has created a humanitarian crisis in Tijuana and other Mexican border cities, Al Otro Lado border rights project director Nicole Ramos said in a statement this week.

It is inconceivable that a government, one arguably among the most powerful and wealthiest in the world, chose to install barbed wire and soldiers in place of developing strategies and spaces to process refugees expeditiously, and with the human dignity that all human beings deserve, she said.

Ramoss comments have been echoed by other rights groups at the border. The number of individuals who are able to cross into the US to request asylum varies widely from day to day.

US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) strongly disagrees with any assertions that border officials are intentionally creating backlogs and bottlenecks at ports of entry to dissuade or deter people from seeking asylum.

CBP processes undocumented persons as expeditiously as possible without negating the agencys overall mission, or compromising the safety of individuals within our custody, a CBP spokesperson wrote in an email to Al Jazeera.

Depending upon port circumstances at the time of arrival, individuals presenting without documents may need to wait in Mexico as CBP officers work to process those already within our facilities, the spokesperson said.

Trump ramps up threats

Meanwhile, the US government continues to ramp up measures in response to the Central American exodus.

Trump has deployed thousands of active duty troops to border areas and given the military more authority, including for the use of lethal force.

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On Thursday, Trump once again threatened to shut down the border with Mexico, alleging the situation could get out of control.

Trumps renewed threat will not likely affect Tabasangh, though. After four and a half weeks of waiting, his number was nearly up.

He will take almost no belongings with him. It was a long journey across three continents, including more than 7,500km up through Latin America alone, and almost everything he had brought with him from home was stolen.

When he first left on August 19, he travelled across West Africa to get to Ghana where he flew to Istanbul and then to Colombia. Once arriving in South America, he bussed, boated and trekked from one border and immigration checkpoint to the next. Due to tightened restrictions in Nicaragua, Tabsangh had to trek through dangerous forest routes to avoid checkpoints and border authorities.

I was robbed terribly. They take my passport, take money from me, take my hand luggage, all my shoes, everything, he said.

Asylum seekers must sign up on waiting list and wait for number to be called before attempting to enter the US [Sandra Cuffe/Al Jazeera]

He eventually made it to Mexico, where after spending a week in detention was given a transit permit, one of the only documents Tabsangh carries with him.

Dated October 19, it granted him two weeks to leave the country because until not all that long ago, that is how long it would take to cross all of Mexico and request asylum in the US. When Tabasangh finally crosses the bridge from Tijuana over into the US, his permit will have been expired for more than two and a half weeks.

For those still arriving, the wait could be several months, and some migrants and refugees are starting to become frustrated. A group of roughly 100 people walked towards the San Ysidro port of entry on Thursday in an attempt to pressure for a solution. Hundreds decided to camp out sleeping in the area Thursday night for the same purpose.

Near the foot of the pedestrian bridge over into the US, the sun began to rise Friday over migrants and refugees in the plaza, huddled under blankets for warmth. Others who had arrived before the Central American exodus soon showed up to check if their number was going to be called.
European leaders will meet in Brussels on Sunday where they could rubber stamp two Brexit texts.

Leaders from the 28 current European Union member states are set to meet on Sunday in Brussels for an emergency summit to finalise a deal on Britains departure from the bloc, or Brexit.

In what is seen as the latest chapter in the long-running Brexit saga, the leaders are due to vote on the draft texts agreed by both sides after months of complex and arduous negotiations.

The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

Here, Al Jazeera takes a look at what to expect at the key Brussels summit.

Whats on the agenda?

The deal consists of two separate documents which have been drafted and agreed by negotiators from the UK and the EU in the past two weeks.

The first one is the withdrawal agreement, also known as the divorce deal. This document sets out the terms of Brexit in the wake of a landmark June 2016 referendum, which saw 52 percent of voters opting to leave the club the UK had joined in 1973.

At 585 pages long, it is by far the longer of the two documents on the table on Sunday.

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The legally binding text deals with a number of issues, including citizens rights, the so-called divorce settlement and a mechanism to prevent a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland being implemented in the future, known as the backstop.

It also includes details on the length of Britains transition period, whereby no major changes will be made to the UK-EU relationship, as the two parties work out a post-Brexit trade deal.

That period is currently set to last from March 2019 until December 2020, although the length of the transition could change at Sundays summit.

The second document is the political declaration, an aspirational, non-legally binding text that sets out the terms of the future relationship between the EU and the UK over 26 pages.

It deals with ambitions for a future trading relationship, as well as close ties on foreign policy, criminal justice, law enforcement, security and defence.

What will happen on Sunday?

The leaders of the EU member states are due to vote on both texts.

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In the days before the summit, some states raised objections regarding the content of the withdrawal agreement, including over the issue of fishing rights in the UKs territorial waters post-Brexit.

The Europeans want to secure the same access to fishing waters around Britain that they currently enjoy, and have tried to tie the issue to a future trade deal with it.

Meanwhile, Spain had threatened to pull out of the summit altogether until it was given assurances over Gibraltar, although the issue appeared to have been resolved on Saturday.

If they reach a deal, will Brexit be over?

Not by a long way.

The British Prime Minister Theresa May will still have to get the deal approved by the UK parliament, where she faces a formidable task to win a majority in the 650-member House of Commons.

Domestically, the prime ministers draft deal has been attacked from all sides. Dozens of Mays 315 Conservative MPs are expected to vote against the deal, as is the opposition Labour Party.

Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up Mays coalition government with 10 MPs, has also indicated it will vote against the deal. On Saturday, the DUP urged May to bin the backstop.

The parliamentary vote is likely to take place in early-to-mid December.

What could happen next?

If the UK parliament approves the deal, which seems unlikely, then the British government would propose new legislation in January, which would then need to be approved by parliament before it becomes law. It would then need to be ratified by the EU before Brexit Day on March 29.

If MPs in the UK reject the deal, as seems highly likely at this stage, then a number of scenarios could play out.

Jeremy Corbyns Labour would likely push for a general election to be held as soon as possible.

Conservatives could look to either unseat May as leader of the party, or try and amend the Brexit deal before bringing it for a second vote in parliament.

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Meanwhile, campaigners for a second referendum on Brexit would likely also intensify their efforts to secure a new public vote, including the option for the UK to remain in the EU.

It remains to be seen whether politicians or the public have the appetite for a second referendum.

With Britain scheduled to leave the EU in March, there will not be much time for British leaders to act. If the UK reaches that date without a deal in place, then it will still leave the EU.

A so-called no-deal Brexit is widely predicted to prove catastrophic for the UK and is seen as an option that pretty much all sides are desperate to avoid.
Legislator says Congress will investigate Trumps response to Khashoggis killing when Democrats take control of House.

US legislators from the Democratic Party have vowed to investigate President Donald Trumps response to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The incoming head of the US House intelligence committee Adam Schiff said on Friday that the body would conduct a deep dive into ties between the US and Saudi Arabia.

The committee will investigate the US intelligence assessment of Khashoggis death as well as the war in Yemen, the stability of the Saudi royal family and the kingdoms treatment of critics and the press, Schiff told the Washington Post newspaper.

Certainly we will be delving further into the murder of Khashoggi, Schiff said. We will certainly want to examine what the intelligence community knows about the murder.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Schiff, who is currently the most senior Democrat on the committee, is set to become chairman in January when his party takes control of the US House of Representatives, following gains in this months congressional elections.

It will allow Democrats increased powers to conduct oversight of Trump and his administration, including the ability to hold hearings, investigate and issue subpoenas.

Trump has dismissed the CIAs reported assessment that Khashoggis killing was ordered by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

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Khashoggi, who lived in self-imposed exile in the US, was critical of the crown prince in his columns for the Washington Post.

The writer was killed after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, where he had been due to pick up documents related to an upcoming marriage.

On Thursday, Trump expressed doubts about the CIAs findings, saying that the agency did not come to a conclusion. They have feelings certain ways.

Saudi King Salman and Prince Mohammed vehemently denied any role in the killing, Trump said.

Schiff said his panel will examine the CIAs findings as well as whether Trumps private financial relationship with the Saudis influenced his response as president.

There are a whole set of potential financial conflicts of interest and emoluments problems that congress will need to get to the bottom of, Schiff said. If foreign investment in the Trump businesses is guiding US policy in a way thats antithetical to the countrys interests, we need to find out.

Trump, who still owns his business as president but has said he relinquished day-to-day control, told a rally in 2015 he earned hundreds of millions of dollars from Saudi purchases.

Trump has defended his stance towards Saudi Arabia, a key US ally in the Middle East, citing US arms deals with Riyadh and the larger US strategy towards Iran.
As a forensic archaeologist, Israel Ticas has solved more than 500 homicide and missing persons cases.

Editors note: This article contains graphic images.

San Salvador, Salvador  When Israel Ticas isnt in the field, he is doing most of his work in a cold, dimly-lit office with images of often disfigured homicide victims plastered on the wall.

In one image, the skeleton of a womans body that has been unearthed lies on her grave. Another shows the body of a man who had his mouth sewed shut before being suffocated.

It is here, where Ticas conducts most of his research.

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Ticas says that as the countrys forensic archaeologist, he has solved more than 500 homicide and missing persons cases.

In his office, he works with his assistant, trying to piece together the cases he has worked on, and keeps in touch with the families of victims that have been either assassinated or have disappeared.

I have all I need, he says.

Masks, caps, metric tapes, machetes, big and small brushes, cleaning instruments and lamps line the walls.

Ticass second office is wherever a crime took place or a body has been found. There, he wears a special blue and white suit that protects him from polluting the bodies and is suitable for digging up decomposing corpses.

My work is not to only take the victims out, I process the scene, I find more information, I understand how was the victim buried, what took place, Im also a criminologist, he says.

Its a dangerous and daunting task in a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world. An estimated 10,800 people have disappeared in El Salvador since 2010, according to police reports. Homicide rates peaked in 2016, with nearly 5,300 killed.

Many of the cases in my country go unpunished, and the families of those victims are secondary victims, Ticas says.

They are unable to close the cycle of suffering and they will stay in that cycle forever.

Everything Ticas does is captured in photographs, diaries and agendas [Ali Rae/Al Jazeera]

Unusual route to forensics

The 55-year-old got his start in forensic archaeology in 1989 after entering the police force during the Salvadoran war.

After the signing of the peace accord in 1992, Ticas became part of the Division of Scientific Technical Police and the National Civil Police. He also acquired some of his skills in the United States and South Africa.

I might not have a certification or a degree, specialising in criminology, but I have 20 years of experience, Ticas says.

In 2006, Ticas returned to El Salvador from South Africa with victim identification techniques that were unknown in the country.

Ticas dug his first grave the same year.

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The difference between his method, and others, is that he makes an effort to rebuild the scene.

The other experts, just dedicate their time to find the bodies, and when they find the corpse, they grab it, and pull it out so that Forensic Medicine can identify it, he explains.

This can be done in 25 minutes, but you lose the body language, you dont understand what happened to it.

Everything Ticas does is captured in photographs, diaries and agendas.

If you open one of those books you will find the photograph of corpses, describing the methods I used, he says, pointing to a table of stacked books, all of them tell the stories of hundreds of victims.

In recent years, he has developed a technique to preserve both the crime scene and the corpses.

He digs in parallel so that its structure remains untouched.

When I started working on this, I observed how the cases were processed. They stepped on the corpses, and there wasnt scientific proof of anything, Ticas says.

So, I started to develop an alternative. I have fused criminology, archaeology and anthropology, he adds.

As an anthropologist I knew I couldnt step on the corpses, as an archaeologist, I developed a technique to be able to work on the site without touching the crime scene, and as a criminologist I knew, I needed to preserve and recover evidence and micro-evidence to identify the victims as well as the perpetrators.

Some experts in the forensic anthropology field in El Salvador say that Ticas damages the crime scenes because he carries out aggressive excavations in which he prioritises the way things look in the tombs and not the conservation of the remains.

According to Legal Medicine, a medical institution supported by the government, the techniques used by Ticas prolong the excavations for too long, and are not practical.

They calculate that it would take a day to recover the remains that the criminologist extracts in three, according to local reports.

But in 2017, Jose Luis Perez Castro, the director of the Latin American Forensic Research Institute, praised Ticas and his work calling him the maximum exponent in El Salvador and in Latin America when it comes to corpse exhumation.

The Institute of Legal Medicine in El Salvador did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment.

For many, I am a farce. I am a madman, a person who alters and ruins everything. But, in other countries, I am Professor Ticas, the scientist, the engineer who has managed to merge techniques, Ticas says.

In El Salvador disappearances are as much of an everyday phenomenon today as they were during the civil war [Ali Rae/ Al Jazeera]

No humanity

Having done the job for more than a decade, Ticas has seen how murder has transformed in the country.

He says in 2006 bodies werent mutilated and dismembered as they are now.

One of the new methods is removing the skin from the victim. I think that comes from the movie Hannibal. Its the way the gangs try to show their power by cutting all the pieces and the parts of the bodies, he says.

The bodies he finds are victims of gang violence, robberies and other crimes. Often they are women who were subjected to the most severe forms of torture.

Ticas tries to separate the science of what he does from the emotional toll it can take.

I do not get into feelings, this is science, this is matter, and this is the shield I use not to break down emotionally, he says.

I see a body of a child, and while cleaning it, start thinking about how much he probably suffered, my heart begins to feel, and my human side comes in. Thats why Im forced to use my shield, he explains.

But when he does find a body that he wasnt necessarily looking for, he publishes his findings, including a description of the person and a photo, on his three Facebook pages, hoping that a relative will see it.

This is my human side, my other self, the person looking for missing people, he says.

Everything Ticas does is captured in photographs, diaries and agendas [Ali Rae/Al Jazeera]

Reporting for this story was supported by the International Womens Media Foundation as part of the Adelante Latin America Reporting Initiative.
DRC candidates form alliance, hope to unite opposition

Felix Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe have formed a united front in the run-up to elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo to replace long-time leader Joseph Kabila.
Authorities allow clinical trials even as a fresh WHO warning about babies becoming infected raises new fears.

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have approved clinical trials for four experimental Ebola treatments, even as the deadly diseases outbreak among newborn babies raises new fears.

The DRCs health ministry on Saturday said the clinical trials will allow researchers to collect valuable data in a country that is battling its worst ever outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever.

Precious information about the effectiveness of the treatments obtained during the clinical trial will allow for the development of these treatments on a wider scale to save more lives, the ministry said.

The four treatments are mAb114, which was developed by the United States government; ZMapp, an intravenous treatment made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical; Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences; and Regenerons REGN-EB3.

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Recent figures say 151 patients received one of the four drugs. Of those, 76 recovered, 44 died and 31 are still hospitalised  a mortality rate of 37 percent.

In contrast, among those who had not received treatment, the mortality rate was close to 80 percent.

Despite the use of the treatments, as well as an experimental vaccine manufactured by Merck, authorities have struggled to contain the outbreak in the countrys east amid widespread militia violence and community resistance to health workers.

Earlier this month, Ebola containment operations were briefly paused after seven United Nations peacekeepers and 12 DRC soldiers were killed.

Newborns infected

The WHO has been reaching out to mothers to address the Ebola outbreak crisis [WHO/Junior Kannah/Handout via Reuters]

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the disease has also been infecting babies, a population group not usually known to catch Ebola.

In an update published this week, WHO reported 36 new confirmed cases of Ebola, including seven in newborn babies and infants younger than two. Six cases were reported in children aged between two and 17; one case was in a pregnant woman.

While Ebola typically infects adults, as they are most likely to be exposed to the lethal virus, children have been known in some instances to catch the disease when they act as caregivers.

Few cases of Ebola in babies have been reported, but experts suspect transmission might happen via breast milk or close contact with infected parents.

Ebola is typically spread by infected bodily fluids. WHO cited health centres as a source of Ebola transmission, calling the current epidemic complex and challenging.





At least 228 people are believed to have died, with the WHO saying last week that it expects the outbreak to last at least another six months.

The increasing number of cases in children and health workers  39 health workers have been infected to date  suggests outbreak responders are having major problems stopping the virus.

WHO said the risk of the outbreak spreading to neighbouring countries remains very high but it does not recommend travel restrictions.

Uganda, this month, started vaccinating health workers against Ebola in a heavily-travelled border district near the outbreak.
There was no shortage of smiles and cheers as Felix Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe on Friday made their way into a room packed with cameras in Nairobi.

But as soon the two Congolese opposition stalwarts took to the microphone to announce their decision to join forces in the countrys long-delayed December 23 presidential election, the jubilation could also be felt far beyond the Kenyan capital.

The news prompted scenes of joy in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) thousands of kilometres away, where the politicians supporters took to the streets to celebrate the freshly-formed partnership.

The sight was in stark contrast to what unfolded some two weeks ago when Tshisekedis supporters had also poured onto the streets  this time, to denounce their leaders decision to throw his support behind member of parliament Martin Fayulu after high-level opposition talks in Switzerland.

Barely 24 hours after those protests, both Tshisekedi and Kamerhe withdrew their signature from the agreement in Geneva, shattering a rare moment of unity for the DRCs traditionally fractured opposition.

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Their teaming up now is expected to not only have decisive implications for the candidacy of Fayulu  who is still backed by several opposition heavyweights  but also that of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, the anointed successor of long-time incumbent President Joseph Kabila.

According to an opinion poll published by the US-based Congo Research Group last month, Tshisekedi is the most popular candidate by a distance (36 percent), trailed by Kamerhe in second place (17 percent). Shadary follows with 16 percent, while Fayulu is forecast to win eight percent.

As election season heats up, amid warnings over a hostile political environment and analysts reservations about the prospect of a free and fair vote, we take a look at the leading candidates in the race to succeed Kabila.

Felix Tshisekedi

Tshisekedi, the son of late veteran opposition politician Etienne Tshisekedi, has promised to restore the rule of law and fight the gangrene of corruption in the resource-rich DRC.

He has also pledged to end long-running conflicts in the countrys eastern North and South Kivu provinces, which  combined  border Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and are home to more than 100 active armed groups, according to Human Rights Watch.

Tshisekedi (right) and Kamerhe (left) have promised to crack down on corruption [Baz Ratner/Reuters]

If Tshisekedi tops the DRCs first-past-the-post vote, he appears likely to take a hard line on dealing with Kabilas divisive legacy.

Last year, he told the AFP news agency that he would set up a truth and reconciliation commission to call Kabila to account for his tenure, although he would also allow him to remain in the country.

His opponents, however, argue he has inadequate experience, having never held high office, and would be ill-suited for dealing with the countrys grinding poverty and several humanitarian crises.

For his part, campaign director Kamerhe  who is lined up to become prime minister in the case of a Tshisekedi win, said at Fridays press conference that the pair would run Congo differently and break with bad governance.

We are not among those who say, We come to power, its our turn to eat!, he told reporters.

Martin Fayulu

A former oil executive, Fayulu emerged as the somewhat surprise candidate of choice for the anti-Kabila front at the conclusion of the summit in Geneva on November 11.

DespiteTshisekedi and Kamerhes withdrawal, the remaining members of the alliance  including popular heavyweights Jean-Pierre Bemba and Moise Katumbi  have continued to back the 62-year-olds bid for office.

They have also sought to broaden their support base by aligning with civil society groups and working with the countrys influential Catholic Church network.

Fayulu (pictured) is backed by several opposition politicians [Kenny Katombe/Reuters]

Fayulu, a member of parliament with considerable grassroots support in Kinshasa, is known for his staunch opposition to the planned use of a new electronic voting system in this election, alleging it may be more vulnerable to vote-rigging than traditional pen and paper ballots.

Election officials have dismissed the criticism, saying the use of more than 100,000 South Korean-made touchscreen voting machines will cut down on election costs and the waiting period for results.

A fiery critic of Kabila, Fayulu has also routinely featured at the forefront of marches against the incumbent president. He has been arrested several times during opposition demonstrations in Kinshasa and elsewhere, once being struck in the head with a rubber bullet.

Kabilas ruling coalition, however, appears unfazed by Fayulus challenge, with leading officials saying they are not worried following the announcement of his candidacy.

Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary

Shadary is a long-term Kabila ally and a central part of the ruling Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition apparatus.

The 57-year-old has held several roles in the Peoples Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), a party he cofounded with Kabila and which heads the FCC.

As interior minister, a position he held from January 2017 until February of this year, he oversaw several violent crackdowns on anti-government protesters riled by Kabilas refused to step down from office when his second and final constitutional term officially expired in December 2016.

The European Union sanctioned him for his role in the repression of the protests, during which security forces killed scores of anti-government demonstrators, and accused him of being involved in planning, directing, or committing acts that constitute serious human rights violations in DRC.

Shadary (pictured) was sanctioned by the EU for his role in repressing anti-government protests [Kenny Katombe/Reuters]





Shadary has vowed to reinforce the authority of the state and diversify the economy, as well as create much-need jobs, tackle poverty and guarantee access to public services.

He remains a largely unknown figure in the vast expanse of the DRC, with meagre financial means and no substantial independent base of support.

Analysts have speculated that his relative anonymity is being harnessed by Kabila, who they suggest is seeking to create a new political class and, crucially, one indebted to the long-term leader for his support.
Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, urges anyone with information of undercover Israeli operation to come forward.

The armed wing of the Hamas group has published photos of what it says are members of an Israeli covert operations unit that infiltrated the Gaza Strip on November 11.

The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades posted pictures of eight alleged members of the Israeli force, including two women, on its official website, as well as pictures of two vehicles used by the force during the botched operation.

In a statement, the group called on Palestinians to communicate to them any information they might have regarding the persons but provided no further details on the identities of those pictured.

Israels army censor issued a statement shortly afterwards calling on the public and news media not to distribute the photos or information relating to them.

Hamas is attempting to understand and analyse the incident that occurred in Gaza on November 11 and any information, even if it seems harmless by those who distribute it, can endanger lives and put state security at risk, the army statement said.

Ceasefire reached

The botched operation resulted in the deadliest escalation since the 2014 war on the coastal enclave.

Seven Palestinians, including Nour Baraka, a senior commander of the Qassam Brigades, were killed during the same evening of the undercover Israeli raid, as Israeli forces pounded the Khan Younis area with air attacks to give the unit cover to escape back into Israel using a civilian car.

One Israeli soldier was also killed during the operation, the army said.

The following day, Palestinian factions fired hundreds of missiles into southern Israel, which was described as an act of unprecedented intensity.

By Tuesday, November 13, seven more Palestinians were killed by Israeli air attacks, which had targeted a number of residential and government-owned buildings such as the offices of the al-Aqsa television channel.

The latest round of fighting which had raised fears of a fourth Israeli offensive on the strip since 2008 ended on the same day after Egypt brokered a ceasefire. Avigdor Lieberman, Israels defence minister, resigned in protest, which Hamas viewed as a political victory for Gaza.
Over 3,500 Muslims have fled Ayodhya before a far-right gathering to be held at the ruins of a Mughal-era mosque.

Indian authorities will launch a major security operation at the ruins of a 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya, where hundreds of thousands of far-right Hindus are expected to gather on Sunday.

The demonstrators aim to put pressure on the government to build a new Hindu temple on the disputed site.

Constructed in 1528 by order of Babur, the first Mughal emperor of India, the mosque was razed on December 6, 1992, by Hindus who claimed the site was where their deity, Lord Ram, was born.

The incident prompted a series of massive riots which led to the deaths of about 2,000 people across the country.

Local media reported that more than 3,500 Muslims have fled the city before the gathering.

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Anil Pathak, the district chief of Faizabad, where the mosque is located, said: The government will ensure that the event passes off peacefully and the local administration has put in place an elaborate security apparatus.

No one will be allowed to disturb peace and order in the city, he told the Reuters news agency.

More than 900 extra police and a large number of military, including elite commandos, will be deployed at Sundays event, Vivek Tripathi, a spokesperson for the Uttar Pradesh police said.

BJP committed to building Ram temple

Hindu groups have insisted that there was a temple at the site before the mosque was built in the 16th century, an issue that has caused a permanent fissure in Indias social fabric and instilled fear among Indias Muslim minority.

More than 200,000 people will attend, said Surendra Jain, general secretary of the far-right Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which will be holding a religious congregation at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

We assure everyone  that not even a twig will be disturbed.

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In advance of a general election that must be held by May next year, leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  who led the Ram temple movement  have become more vocal in their demand that a new Hindu temple be built.

On Wednesday, the BJPs president said his party was committed to building the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and would not change its stand.

Ruled by the BJPs Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu hardliner, Ayodhya is in the politically important northern Uttar Pradesh state, which is bigger than Brazil by population, and sends more legislators than any other state to Indias parliament.

Adityanath has been repeatedly accused of inciting violence against the countrys Muslim minority, who make up around 14 percent of Indias 1.3 billion people.
In rare rhetorical outburst, Iranian president refers to Israel as a fake regime created by Western powers.

Irans President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called Israel a cancerous tumour established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East.

Irans leaders frequently condemn Israel and predict its demise, but Rouhani rarely employs such rhetoric.

Addressing an annual Islamic Unity Conference on Saturday, Rouhani said one of the ominous results of World War II was the formation of a cancerous tumor in the region.

He went on to refer to Israel as a fake regime set up by Western countries.





Iran supports groups like Hezbollah and Hamas that have pledged to fight Israels occupation of Palestine.

Iran warned it would hit US and Israeli targets if it were attacked by the US after President Donald Trumps security adviser said Washington would exert maximum pressure on Tehran going beyond economic sanctions. Israel views Iran as an existential threat.

Rouhani said the US cultivates close ties with regional Muslim nations to protect Israel, an apparent reference to Irans regional rival Saudi Arabia and the kingdoms Sunni Arab allies.

He said bowing to US pressure amounts to treason.

We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Quran and our Islam, Rouhani said.

Earlier in November, the US reimposed sanctions against Iran, cutting its energy exports and its banking industry.

Rouhani also said that Iran was prepared to defend Saudi Arabia from terrorism and superpowers.

We do consider you as a brother, he said. We do consider the people of Mecca and Medina our brothers, he added, referring to Islams two holiest cities, in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran nearly three years ago after Iranian protesters stormed its diplomatic posts in Iran in response the kingdoms execution of prominent Shia Muslim leader, Nimr al-Nimr.

The two countries support opposite sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen.
Kenya National Police Service posted on its official Twitter page the images of three suspects with a reward of $9,750.

Kenyan police have identified three suspects in the kidnapping of an Italian woman and are offering a reward of one million shillings ($9,750) for information leading to their arrest.

Silvia Costanza Romano, 23, was seized by six armed men on Wednesday from Kilifi, a coastal community. Five people were injured by the gunmen, including children.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the kidnapping, the first involving a foreigner in Kenya in several years.

Police have said they are optimistic the aid worker will be found within the shortest time possible.

Romano is a volunteer with Africs Milele Onlus, an NGO operating in the area.

Kenyas National Police Service posted on its official Twitter page the images of the three suspects, who were identified as Ibrahim Adan Omar, Yusuf Kuno Adan and Said Adan Abdi.

Wanted: Armed and dangerous. Ksh 1M reward. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/ffGDMeWAhU  National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) November 24, 2018

In a statement, Inspector General Joseph K Boinnet said that two motorcycles suspected to have been used as the gateway conveyance were found by police officers.

Meanwhile, the multi-agency team assembled to rescue the lady are doing all they can to rescue her and arrest the abductors, to answer for their crimes in accordance with the law, Boinnet said.

Such attacks had become rare after 2011, when Kenya deployed forces to neighbouring Somalia in a bid to stop the al-Shabab armed group from kidnapping foreigners.
At least five people were wounded in Fridays clashes between Khadim Rizvis TLP supporters and police in Lahore.

Dozens of protesters were arrested as they clashed with police in an ongoing crackdown against followers of a religious party leader, who had led three days of nationwide protests following the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.

Members of Muslim leader Khadim Hussain Rizvis Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) party had shut down major cities in protest earlier this month after Aasia Bibi, who had spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges, was acquitted.

At least five people were wounded in last nights clashes between Rizvis supporters and police in the eastern city of Lahore after police arrested the religious leader on Friday night.

A spokesperson for the Punjab chief ministers office said Rizvis second-in-command, Afzal Qadri, had also been detained.

Afzal Qadri and Khadim Rizvi have been sent to jail. Qadri has been admitted to the jails hospital. A crackdown is under way across Punjab against TLP activists, Shahbaz Gill told Reuters.

Information Minister Fawwad Chaudhry said on Twitter that Rizvi had been placed in protective custody after he refused to withdraw a call for further protests on Sunday.

Its to safeguard public life, property and order, he said.

A police document seen by Reuters listed 10 other leaders of Rizvis group who had also been detained.

Bibi in hiding

The TLP had demanded Bibis public execution, while Afzal Qadri called for the overthrow of the Pakistan government over the controversy.

TLP leaders had also threatened the Supreme Court judges who acquitted Aasia Bibi  urging their cooks and servants to kill them.

The protests ended only after the government agreed to a Supreme Court review of Bibis acquittal.

Bibi and her family are in hiding after her release. She was convicted in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. She has always denied committing blasphemy.

Her family has requested asylum, which has been offered by several countries including Canada, Spain and France.
Gay rights activists suffer setback, with conservative groups coming out on top in key referendums they initiated.

In a setback for LGBT advocates, voters in Taiwan have backed a series of initiatives opposing marriage equality, dealing a major blow to the islands reputation as a rights trailblazer.

A referendum on whether marriage should be recognised only as the union between one man and one woman in Taiwans Civil Code won more than seven million votes on Saturday.

Another vote, calling for same-sex unions to be regulated under a separate law, gained the support of more than six million people.

Gay rights activists had proposed that the Civil Code should give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, but only garnered three million votes.

Taiwans top court legalised same-sex marriage in May 2017, the first place in Asia to do so.

The court said its ruling must be implemented within two years, but the government made little progress in the face of opposition from conservative groups.

Overall, Taiwanese voters participated in 10 referendums on Saturday, apart from voting in local elections that delivered a defeat to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and prompted President Tsai Ing-wen to resign as party leader.

Major blow to LGBT rights

Pro-LGBT marchers took to the streets in October before the referendum [Chiang Ying-ying/AP Photo]

The Coalition for the Happiness of our Next Generation, a pro-family group, called the results a victory of all people who treasure family values.

The conservative group also beat gay rights activists on competing referendums about whether LGBT issues should be compulsory on the school curriculum.

Everyone used every single yes vote to tell the authorities what are the mainstream public opinions, the coalition said.

Jennifer Lu, a spokesperson for Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, said they were saddened by what she described as the absurd referendums and blamed government incompetence for allowing the votes to go ahead.

The regression of gender equality deals the most severe blow to Taiwans democratic values, she added.

Although the government had said the referendum results will not affect the courts original decision to legalise gay marriage, pro-gay campaigners worry that their newly won rights will be weakened.

The court did not specify how it wanted gay marriage to be implemented, leaving room for conservative groups to call for separate regulations.

With all three conservative referendums passing the threshold of 25 percent of eligible voters, the government must take steps to reflect the result, according to the referendum law.

Last month, nearly 130,000 people in the capital, Taipei, had participated in a massive gay pride parade, the largest in Asia, in advance of the referendums.

Rights group Amnesty International had also urged the Taiwanese government not to water down same-sex marriage proposals in the face of a conservative win.
President Tsai Ing-wen resigns as DPP leader after it suffers major defeats in key local polls.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen has quit as leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after it suffered major defeats in key local polls, a significant blow to her prospects for re-election in 2020.

The resignation on Saturday came as the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, seen as being close to China, made gains by winning two of the islands most important city posts in mayoral elections.

The local elections were seen as a referendum on the administration of the islands independence-leaning president amid growing economic and political pressure from Beijing.

Tsai will remain president and her resignation from the party leadership will have no direct effect on the business of the government.

Today, democracy taught us a lesson, Tsai said. We must study and accept the higher expectations of the people.

Setback in advance of 2020 election

The DPP lost the mayoral election to KMT in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, where it held power for 20 years.

KMT also defeated the ruling party in the central city of Taichung, while Ko Wen-je, the independent mayor of the capital, Taipei, appeared on track to win a second term.

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The DPP is left in control of only six of Taiwans 22 cities and counties, compared with at least 15 for the Kuomintang.

Analysts said the defeat ruled Tsai out as a candidate for the presidency in the 2020 election. But others said she may still run, in the absence of an obvious successor.

Observers put the results down to anger over pension cuts and labour reforms, including slashing the number of public holidays, as well as concern that tensions with Beijing are damaging local businesses.

The defeat certainly harms Tsais chances in 2020, said Shih Cheng-feng, a political analyst at Taiwans National Dong Hwa University.

One China

The DPP is traditionally pro-independence and Tsai has refused to acknowledge Beijings stance that Taiwan is part of one China.

Supporters of nationalist opposition, Kuomintang (KMT), celebrate after the results [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

What really upsets them (Beijing) is her refusal to back the one China policy, Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Taipei, said.

Tsai and her DPP won a landslide victory in 2016, but China swiftly responded by cutting all links with her government.

Beijing has been ratcheting up pressure on the island it claims as its own territory by poaching away its diplomatic partners, cutting official contacts and staging threatening military exercises.

But J Bruce Jacobs, professor emeritus of Asian languages and studies at Monash University, said the election had little to do with China.

The election was the result of young people and older people voting to improve the economy, Jacobs said on Al Jazeera.

It was also a report card on the central government which tended to be rather cautious, he said. To some extent, it led to a paralysis, Jacobs said.

Taiwanese officials had warned that Beijing was seeking to sway voters through the spread of fake news, similar to how Russia was accused of interfering in the 2016 US presidential elections.

There was no immediate reaction from Beijing to the poll results, with state media simply noting Tsais resignation to take responsibility for the partys performance in Taiwans local elections.
Local elections and a series of referendums on Saturdays ballot after allegations China meddled in campaigns.

Taiwan headed to the polls on Saturday in local elections that are a key test of support for the islands pro-independence ruling party before presidential polls in just over a year.

The country also voted in a series of referendums, including votes the contentious issues of same-sex marriage and gay rights.

The results will be closely watched in China, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and which has ramped up pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen and her administration since taking office in 2016.

In the run-up to the election, Tsai and her government have repeatedly said China is attempting to sway election results with its political bullying and fake news, accusations Beijing denies.

Its nice weather today, I hope everyone votes, Tsai told Taiwan media as she cast her vote in the capital Taipei.

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More than 11,000 seats are up for grabs in municipalities, counties, townships and villages, with the southern city of Kaohsiung a key battleground for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has held the city for two decades.

Taiwan television stations reported a high turnout, with some polling stations in parts of Taipei and Kaohsiung remaining open past 08:00GMT when the polls were supposed to close.

Candidates have fanned out across the island to press the flesh and canvass votes, and have held noisy, colourful rallies that have become the hallmarks of Taiwans vibrant democracy, in marked contrast to China where the Communist Party tolerates no dissent to its rule.

Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have heightened with China conducting military drills around the island and snatching away Taiwans dwindling number of diplomatic allies.

Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from the Taiwanese capital Taipei, said the shadow of China loomed over the poll.

Tsai Ing-wen was elected leader of this country, this island republic, almost three years ago, he said. Ever since then, there has been a real deterioration in relationships between Taiwan and China. The reason? Tsai Ing-wen refuses to accept that Taiwan is part of China, the so-called One-China policy.

As a result, China has been showing its displeasure by squeezing Taiwan, both economically and diplomatically, he said.

Weve seen a huge drop-off in Chinese tourists during the past two years, two million fewer coming here now than in 2016. China has been peeling away the number of countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Its lost five allies in the last two years. Taiwan is now excluded from a number of international organisations; The World Health Assembly, as well as Interpol.

Tsais domestic reform initiatives, from the islands pension scheme to labour law, have also come under intense voter scrutiny recently.

Confidence in the government has waned in recent months after reform moves upset both the opposition and some supporters, who said Tsai had backed away from promises to reduce the deficit and cut pollution.

Underscoring Tsais challenge will be a series of public votes on Saturday on whether to make same-sex marriage legal, an issue which has deeply divided Taiwan.

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This is a small step for myself, but a big step for mankind, Chi Chia-wei, a veteran gay rights activist who had petitioned Taiwans constitutional court to take up the issue, told Reuters after he voted.

Tsai has made little progress despite campaigning on a promise of marriage equality in the run-up to elections in 2016.

In Asias first such ruling, Taiwans constitutional court declared in May last year that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry, and set a two-year deadline for legalisation.

Voters will also be asked whether the island should join the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as Taiwan, rather than Chinese Taipei  the name agreed under a compromise signed in 1981.

A vote to compete under a Taiwan banner would further rile Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Results for the mayoral and local elections are expected to be released on Saturday, while the referendum votes may not come out until Sunday, according to election officials.
Tunisia protesters call for cancellation of MBS visit

The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is on his first foreign tour after news broke about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and some in Tunisia think his visit is inappropriate.
Khashoggis blood is not yet cold, activists say, as they announce protests during Saudi crown princes planned visit.

Tunisian politicians and civil society groups have expressed their rejection of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans upcoming visit to Tunisia.

The visit is part of Prince Mohammeds first tour abroad since the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul, which has widely been blamed on the crown prince.

Saida Qarash, a spokesperson of the Tunisian government, confirmed the visit of Prince Mohammed, also known as MBS, on November 27 via a local radio station.

The crown prince arrived in Abu Dhabi late on Thursday and is due to visit other countries in the region, including Bahrain and Egypt, where he will be warmly received by allied leaders who have stood firmly by his side amid international outrage over the murder of Khashoggi.

MBS will also attend the G20 Summit in Argentina at the end of this month, where he will likely come face-to-face with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has implicitly accused the crown prince of being behind the killing.

The Saudi Royal Court said that the tour was decided on the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and that it aims to strengthen the kingdoms relations regionally and internationally.

Planned protests

Qarash said Tunisia condemns Khashoggis murder, and stressed that her countrys position calls for revealing the truth.

According to Tunisian activist and former leader of the al-Irada party Tarek Kahlawi, hundreds of people are expected to gather in front of the presidential palace in Carthage, in conjunction with the crown princes arrival.

It is a shame that Tunisia, which has witnessed a democratic transition and a revolution against tyranny and dictatorship, will receive a criminal whose hands were stained with the blood of Saudis and Yemenis, he told Al Jazeera.

Kahlawi explained that the protest tent is a citizenship initiative that was called upon by all political parties to protest against the visit of the crown prince.

Hamma Hammami, the spokesperson of the main opposition Popular Front party, also condemned the upcoming visit of MBS and considered it a provocation to the Tunisian people and its revolution and principles.

We will not welcome the devastator of Yemen and its people, the one who is suspected of being behind the gruesome killing of Khashoggi, and the leader of normalising with the Zionist entity at the expense of the Palestinian people, Hammami told a local Tunisian radio station.

For his part, Emad Al-Daimi, the leader of the Peoples Movement party, warned Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in a Facebook post of the consequences of committing a mistake by allowing bin Salman to desecrate the soil of Tunisia.

MBS not welcome

A team of Tunisian lawyers said they would file a lawsuit, commissioned by bloggers and journalists who are demanding a ban on the visit.

In an open letter addressed to Essebsi, the Tunisian press syndicate said the aim of MBS visit to Tunisia was to whitewash his bloody record because of his involvement in human rights violations.

Intelligence officials and analysts say the operation to kill Khashoggi, who wrote critically of the crown prince for The Washington Post, could not have happened without Prince Mohammeds knowledge. The kingdom denies the crown prince was involved.

The letter described MBS as a threat to security and peace in the region and the world, in addition to being a true enemy of freedom of expression.

The blood of Khashoggi is not yet cold, and the murderer [Mohammed] bin Salman is not welcome in the country of Tunisia, Tunisian Journalists Syndicate president Naji Baghouri said in a blog post on Facebook.
Unresolved Gibraltar issues endanger Brexit plans, warns Spain

More than 10,000 Spanish workers cross the border into UK-controlled Gibraltar each day and Spains prime minister warns that it will oppose the Brexit agreement if its status is not clarified.
The 94-year-old ex-president of Zimbabwe is in Singapore for treatment and is expected to return home later this month.

Robert Mugabe, the 94-year-old former president of Zimbabwe, is no longer able to walk because of ill health and age.

The announcement was made by his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who said on Saturday that the former leader has been receiving treatment in Singapore for the past two months.

He is now old. Of course, he now is unable to walk but whatever he asks for we will provide, Mnangagwa told hundreds of supporters in Mugabes home area of Zvimba, about 100km west of the capital, Harare.

We are looking after him, added Mnangagwa, calling Mugabe the founding father of free Zimbabwe.

The president did not give further details about the condition of Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for nearly four decades since independence from Britain in 1980,

Mugabe was expected to return from Singapore in late October, but his health required him to stay an extra month, according to Mnangagwa.

He added that the former president is expected to return home at the end of November.

This month marked the one-year anniversary since Mugabes resignation in the wake of a military intervention.

Days before the armys move, Mugabe had dismissed his then-vice president and close aide Mnangagwa, who went on to become the countrys president and leader of the ruling ZANU-PF party.

In July, the 75-year-old Mnangagwa won heavily disputed presidential elections, narrowly exceeding the 50 percent threshold required to secure an outright victory.
This November was meant to be the month for MP Geert Wilders second Draw Muhammad contest, but Islamic law won a de facto victory over Dutch law mere weeks ago as Wilders announced the contests cancellation. When -- among many other threats similar attacks -- a 19-year-old Afghan stabbed two American tourists in Amsterdam, citing the planned contest as motive, Wilders canceled the event out of concern about further violence.

The Islamists had made their point: Having the law on your side makes no difference. Do what we want, or somebody is going to get hurt.

Such antics by Islamist Muslims are not new to Wilders and other speech and conscience advocates. In retribution for his firm and outspoken stance on this subject, he has spent 15 years living in safe houses and escorted by a security detail due to constant death threats. These are the tactics, of course, of any common mafia.

In securing Wilders retreat, the terrorists established Sharias authority for now in the Netherlands on the issue of speech.

The first Draw Muhammad contest, organized by Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, was held on May 3, 2015 in Garland, Texas. The purpose of Geller and Spencer, and the purpose of Wilders in organizing another this year, was to preserve space for free speech in the face of known supremacist Muslim intentions to forcefully diminish that space.

During the 2015 event, two Muslim men -- one a convert but both American-born -- armed with multiple rifles and handguns and 1500 rounds of ammunition, began shooting their way into the venue. Both were killed. The purpose of the Islamist mob is to assert authority for Islam over all other legal authorities, to become dominant.

What is going on, in other words, are tests of national sovereignty, a battle of civilizations. In this most recent round, I regret to report, the winner was not Western civilization, but rather the Islamist mob.

The Islamist mob is training many societies, and most particularly non-Muslims within them, to behave the way it wants them to behave. They are doing so through well-known manipulative techniques. Some being employed in this case include:

Threats of violence: If I dont not get my way, you will suffer or die. And it will be your fault, since I gave you fair warning. (No. The guilt for an act of violence lies with the perpetrator of that violence.)

Tantrums: I am going to lose control and make a big scene because of what you do. (No. Children throw tantrums but grownups find more productive ways to resolve their concerns.)

False equivalence: My hurt feelings warrant your death. (No. Hurt feelings are unfortunate, but death of the one who gave a perceived or actual slight is hardly a proportionate or justified response.)

Any mob is comprised of several different types of people:

Agitators

These are the vocal demagogues who take center stage or move about the crowd stirring people up. There are typically only a small number of agitators in any given mob. In this analogy, the agitators are those Muslim leaders and activists, and their Western leftist allies, who call for the imposition of Islamic laws speech limits in the West.

Sympathetic attendees

These are people who readily assent to the ideas of the agitators. Not all sympathetic attendees take direct action, but their presence and consent helps to advance the cause of the agitators.

In this analogy, the sympathetic attendees are the portion of Muslims and non-Muslims in the West and abroad who support restrictions on speech relating to Muhammad and the Quran, both those who speak out and those who remain silent as the agitators move their argument forward.

Lookie-loos

These are curious, indifferent, or timid onlookers. They are not sympathetic to the cause and many would oppose it if they gave it some thought but are useful to the agitators for their silence, which helps the optics by giving appearance of wide agreement. In this analogy, these are regular folks who may know something is wrong but dont want to stick their necks out.

Today is a moment in history. Many of us see ourselves as spectators without a serious part to play in the larger affairs of the world. I encourage you to understand that what you say matters. I encourage you to live purposefully and to, in love for your neighbor, take a stand for liberty in speech and deed as you go about your daily life.

Do not give up free speech so casually. It is a precious thing.

Dr. Daniel A. Brubaker is a writer for the Legal Project, an effort of the Middle East Forum.
None other than Hillary Clinton has advised Western Europe "to do something to lessen the flow of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa."

But don't jump to conclusions. Madam Hillary has not undergone an epiphany similar to the one Saul encountered on the way to Damascus. The reason Clinton said this is not because the massive influx of these migrants has strained Europe's welfare system, increased violent crime, and seriously degraded the culture and life-styles of the countries in which these immigrants reside.

Rather it's because the introduction of over one million of these people from the Third World into Western Europe has given rise to populist parties across the continent. This is Clinton-speak for calling Europeans of a nationalist bent racist -- just as she doe to those of us in here in the States. The premise of Clinton's comments is that if the Europeans weren't backward in their thinking, so racist and xenophobic, she'd be jake with the immigration flow continuing.

It is correct to say that immigrant has been a key factor in the rise populism in Europe. But populism is only a symptom. The disease causing it is allowing in so many people who can't be assimilated and who come from an alien culture that is orders of magnitude backward to that of the West. To acknowledge this is to admit that diversity is not the strength it is said to be. Populism is also fueled by the fact that nobody asked the average European if they wanted this mass immigration into their communities. It was mandated by the ruling elite.

Like Obama, Hillary Clinton does not have near the intellectual horsepower her cheerleaders in the media attribute to her. However, she is smart enough to see that the influx of immigrants into Europe is not going to abate anytime soon on its own. This is because of a combination of demographics and economics.

The populations of the Middle East and Africa are rapidly increasing. Together they are the fastest growing region in the world.

From an estimate 140 million in 1900, Africa grew to a billion by 2010. The United Nations projects this will increase to 2.5 billion in 2050 and 4 billion by 2100. "Today, one out of six people on Earth live in Africa. These same projections predict that the proportion will be one in four in 2050 and more than one in three by 2100."As for Europe, it's population is rapidly aging and is slated to actually start shrinking in a few decades.

The demographic difference between Europe vs. the Middle East-African region is bad enough, but economics make it worse yet. The fact is that Africa and the Middle East are the poorest and least developed regions in the world. Apart from the pipe dreams of the likes of Bill Gates and bureaucrats in the European Union, there is no Marshall Plan that can raise the economic viability of Africa. Whatever economic gains that may happen will be over taken by a constant increase in the impoverished population.

All this can only mean one thing: Wealthy Europe will continue to attract millions from Africa and the Arab lands. Without immigration restriction, Europe will literally be submerged by these foreigners. Some argue that Europe has already passed the tipping point, but this assumes no change in the behavior of the native Europeans. And someone who thinks a change can (and will) happen is Ralph Peters.

In an opinion piece in the New York Post in 2006, Peters wrote that 'Eurabia' is a myth:

The notion that continental Europeans, who are world champion haters, will let impoverished Muslims immigrants they confine to ghettos take over their societies and extend the caliphate from the Amalfi Coast to Amsterdam has it exactly wrong. The endangered species isn't the peace loving' Europeans lolling in his or her welfare state, but the continent's Muslim immigrants -- and their multi-generation decedents -- who were foolish enough to imagine that Europeans would share their toys. The historical patterns are clear: When Europeans feel sufficiently threatened -- even when the threat is concocted nonsense -- they don't just react, they overreact with stunning ferocity. One of their more humane (and frequently employed) techniques is ethnic cleansing.

Peters also thinks that "Europe's Muslims are living on borrowed time,"' and "all predictions of Europe going gently into that good night are surreal." He even imagines a scenario where the U.S. will have "to go ashore in Brest, Bremerhaven or Bari to guarantee the safe evacuate Europe's Muslims," presumably back to the Middle East.

Is Peters correct? I don't know. But as the awakening of Hillary Clinton, a poster-child for diversity, shows, the current situation in Europe is unstable.

Something has to give, and soon. Strict immigration controls imposed now is the mildest and most commonsense remedy. If not, the scenario outlined by Ralph Peters may prove correct.
If the Kavanaugh hearings showed Chief Justice Roberts anything, it should have been that the notion that the Supreme Court is in a pristine bubble immune from political considerations and thoughts is false and has been at least since the days that the character assassins of Robert Bork made his name a verb in the dictionary his failed nomination left on the ash heap of history:

The year was 1987. It was fall. It was November 11. It had been a tough year for President Ronald Reagan. Liberals were going bonkers with Iran-Contra as a hopeful tool to destroy a great president on the verge of winning the Cold War. The media was dubbing Iran-Contra the worst mistake of Reagans presidency. It was not. What happened on November 11, 1987 would, in due course, constitute the worst mistake of the Reagan presidency: the nomination of Anthony Kennedy for the U.S. Supreme Court. The Kennedy pick was supposed to calm the waters after the storm generated by the Robert Bork and Douglas Ginsburg nominations. Bork would have been a brilliant justice, but leftists savaged the man, transmogrifying him into an ugly beast -- a gargoyle. Bork suffered the ignominy of the likes of Senator Ted Kennedy portraying him as anti-woman. A new verb was introduced into the political lexicon: the process of being Borked.

It had dawned on the Democrats that they could bypass the cumbersome legislative process still tied to that inconvenient consent of the government thing by concentrating on the courts and populating it with judges who believed in the living constitution which was to be interpreted in the context of the times inflamed by public passions and the liberal cause du jour. Original intent was an anachronism.

Borks nomination scared the hell out of Democrats who thought the unalienable right to life Thomas Jefferson placed in the Declaration of Independence didnt really mean that:

When President Reagan nominated Bork to the Supreme Court, there was no serious question about his qualification for the bench. Just five years earlier, he had been unanimously confirmed for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, having earned an exceptionally well qualified label from the American Bar Association. But in the interim, the Democratic Party had taken control of the Senate. The late Senator Ted Kennedy orchestrated a smear campaign against Bork so breathtaking in its distortion that even the liberal Washington Post denounced it as a lynching. On Oct. 3, 1987, Borks nomination was rejected by the Senate on a 58-42 vote.

Bork was an originalist, meaning that he believed the Constitution contained no penumbras and emanations one could hang an imaginary right to an abortion on, a fact which prompted Chappaquiddicks champion of womens rights, Sen. Ted Kennedy, to cross that bridge when he came to it in his epic rant on Borks nomination:

"Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens' doors in midnight raids, and schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution," Kennedy said.

With a Senate cowed by political considerations and the passions of the moment, we got Anthony Kennedys America, a land of weather-vane SCOTUS decisions and coat-hangers continuing to be beaten into scalpels. Thanks to President Trump, who realized that the Supreme Court was and still is a political arena, at least for those who confirm SCOTUS picks, the appointments of Gorsuch and Kavanaugh have shifted SCOTUS back in an originalist direction. Are they Trump justices per se? Perhaps not, but they share his views on the role and limitations of the Supreme Court.

Roberts rebuke of President Trump for saying there was such a political animal as an Obama judge makes him a poster child for hypocrisy harkening back to the day that he sat silent as President Obama scolded the Supreme Court during the State of the Union address over the Citizens United victory for free speech:

Roberts sat quietly through President Obamas 2010 State of the Union Address when Obama sharply attacked Supreme Court justices sitting in the audience for their ruling in the Citizens United case, which allowed unlimited political campaign contributions by unions and corporations. President Obama falsely claimed in this speech that the Citizens United ruling allowed massive political contributions by foreign corporations. It did no such thing. As the justices sat in the House chamber listening to his speech, President Obama embarrassed the court directly and fiercely. Not a peep from Roberts. Only Justice Samuel Alito quietly mouthed to himself no, no as Obama railed against foreign campaign contributions. Roberts has said nothing about Obamas remarks in the eight years since.

Some would say that makes Roberts an Obama judge and the case could be made that his subsequent role in judging the constitutionality of ObamaCare.

Roberts was rebuked for caving in to Obama by Joseph diGenova, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia (who would make a damn good attorney general):

Many believe that Roberts caved to political criticism by President Obama and his Democratic cohorts in a case where Roberts was the decisive vote in a ruling that found ObamaCare was constitutional -- a historic victory for Democrats. Roberts clearly accepted the claim by Democrats in that case that the Supreme Court could not overturn ObamaCare or the high court would forever harm the republic and subvert the legislative process and the will of the people. It is widely believed that Roberts changed his vote at the last minute to stop the Supreme Court from overturning ObamaCare in that landmark case because of pressure from outside forces directed against him. Indeed, the wording of various dissents in the ObamaCare case -- especially Justice Antonin Scalias  made it clear that Roberts decision to find that ObamaCare was constitutional was political and nothing more -- not a decision based on the Constitution or on the law. The ObamaCare ruling was a legacy opinion for Roberts because he couldnt take another wave of criticism like what he received from the liberal media, Obama and the Democrats after his ruling in the Citizens United case.

Roberts capitulated and said ObamaCare was constitutional because it was a tax, a gross distortion that injected into the law the false notion that government could legally force people to buy a product they did not want. He knelt before the power of the state and not before the Constitution, the document that is supposed to limit government power that he was sworn to uphold and protect. In this instance at least, John Roberts became a judicial activist aiding and abetting a community organizer. He became an an Obama judge.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
Modern liberalism is diseased. It is wrought by mental maladies exacerbated by postmodernisms delusional insistence that empirical facts are figments of white male rule. This warped view subverts reality if it doesnt conform to their revisionist left-wing propaganda. Eight years ago, Michael Savage made this call in his book, Liberalism is a Mental Disorder. The mass malady also foments mental discontinuity and cognitive dissonance, ensnaring misguided college students in particular.

Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individuals thoughts or beliefs are rooted in inconsistency, which is precisely what modern liberalism wallows in. Under the auspices of effete liberal intellectuals, postmodernism is prevalent in academia where it enfeebles budding liberals thoughts with nihilistic notions that ravage objective truths. The resultant relativism engenders delusions and waywardness amongst malleable students  particularly in the soft social sciences that the would-be social activists pursue. Is it any wonder, when combined with their addiction to social media, that depression is the most common health problem afflicting college students?

Whereas classical liberalism underpins much of Americas greatness, modern liberalism dallies with madness that develops in the contrived curricula that pervades the humanities, sociology, and womens studies. Research in these fields is tainted by biased academicians who manipulate their methodologies to predispose positive results that favor social activism. Often motivated by the publish or perish syndrome, null results are given short shrift, skewing social science literature towards leftist tautologies. And skewering the impressionable minds of their dutiful minions-cum-social warriors who are all too willing to intimidate non-believers and desecrate the public square.

Stifled by an overwhelmingly liberal orthodoxy on campus, even instructors risk professional peril should they dare jump off the bandwagon bias. What chance do the gullible students stand other than to embrace the pathos of resentment and bitterness toward Western Civilization, and America itself? The susceptible students are even conditioned to question whether America is the land of opportunity. They are told that America was never really that great, even as many of the worlds wretched masses have been entranced by our brilliant beacon of freedom throughout our magnificent history.

These perverted teachings reverberating around campus do not nurture happy, well-adjusted people. Instead, postmodern liberalism provokes mental discomfort when confronted with empirical facts. For example, migrant caravans continue to assemble on our southern border  not so much in search of asylum, as they wave their home nations flags, but better economic opportunities, especially under President Trump. Liberals -- who put globalism over nationalism, and illegals over citizens -- welcome the disruptive hordes. Nevertheless, they deny their obvious motivation: seeking a better life in the land of opportunity, the last great hope of earth. Now thats madness, but it gets even more dissonant when the postmodern intelligentsia root for the United Nations over America; when they will a recession; and when they make a mockery of superb economic indicators.

Even as liberal media outlets such as the AP recently proclaimed that Democrats fight vibrant economy in bid for House, and the NY Times conceded that the economy is firing on all cylinders, college kids are being hoodwinked into the benefits of socialism. I wonder if they could even find Venezuela, North Korea or Cuba on a map since their propagandizing professors have glossed over the human misery socialism hath wrought?

Mental illness is often accompanied by a break from reality, such as believing something to be true that is false, or vice-versa. Such delusions may explain why misguided youth support socialism, and why polling indicates that most Dems do not approve of President Trumps handling of the economy, arguing his deregulatory agenda and tax cuts are merely a sugar fix. Actually, they incentivize production and profits, and repatriate factories.

Whereas defeatist Obama defiantly told us that manufacturing jobs werent coming back to America, Trump is bringing them back. Manufacturing and industrial production indicators are generally bullish. One has to be delusional to deny that policies have stimulated record low unemployment, and have inspired record high consumer and small business confidence. But that doesnt stop todays perseverating liberals from conjuring a dystopian reality.

Harboring such misguided sentiments in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence can usher cognitive dissonance or other mad stuff like dissociative disorder. Now, there are more job openings than candidates. Now, the soft-science snowflakes can escape indulgent mommys yoke and embark on a rewarding career. Now is simply not the time to be dallying with socialism. One wonders if they actually prefer Marxist mobs over jobs. Perhaps their liberal disease has progressed so insidiously that they are actually disassociated from the here and now.

Its a shame they have been inculcated with such postmodern pessimism proclaiming, Youre in danger, youre in danger. You cant succeed. Thats so Obama, and guaranteed to elicit mental discontinuity from the quantifiable economic optimism prevalent under Trump. Many impressionable students havent developed the mental faculties to resist the tenured faculty; they simply succumb to absurdism marked by distorted views of their perceived plight and contorted views of reality.

Examples abound, but perhaps none are more poignant than the wayward female student whos up on assault charges after disrespecting her male counterparts by indignantly throwing chocolate milk over nice College Republicans at Florida State University. They remained composed as she went on a bizarre tirade about fascism, apparently lacking any self-awareness or her own antics. Talk about a dissociative mental case! This tantrum-throwing girl, and her ilk, cannot be allowed to run amok. Shell now have to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy to quell her intermittent explosive disorder, and soothe her tormented liberal mind.

The college years are fertile ground for cognitive development in young adults, so its a shame they are imbued with leftist dogma which contrives a new reality to suit their postmodern sensibilities. Anyone who strays too far from the liberal asylum is labelled as sexist, misogynist or racist. But just consider the source  theyre a bunch of delusional socialists.

Vibrant debate born of classical liberalism bequeathed our great birthright, the last great hope of earth. Todays liberalism mollycoddles the precious little cupcakes whose delicate psyches cannot withstand the rigors of free speech. Faced with existential crisis every time they are contradicted, their behavior becomes disturbingly bi-polar. They either retreat to sympathetic safe spaces, or engage in rapacious, mob-like intimidation that is more reminiscent of the socialist upheavals they bizarrely favor, than a flourishing marketplace of freely exchanged ideas.

George Orwell observed that, [w]e are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. There sure is a lot of cognitive twisting going on within the impudent liberal intelligentsia as they manufacture prejudiced research to sustain their postmodern madness.

Image credit: Max Pixel
When asked how the Democrats will pay for Medicare for All, the "honest" answer from the DNC CEO, Seema Nanda, was that they didn't know. This isn't actually truthful, because they know what it will take to pay for this monstrosity, and if they admit it, the party will be sent packing come 2020.

The press was willing to give Obama a pass when he lied about ObamaCare to say that "if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor." They looked the other way when he said premiums would go down. The media even took his, Pelosi's, and Reid's word when they said it won't cost the taxpayers a penny.

The $40 trillion truth about Medicare for All funding is that the Democrats can't lie their way out of this reality no matter how deeply the compliant media buries their collective heads in the sand. No number of "experts" can convince enough people to go along with this boondoggle in the making.

Remember, ObamaCare passed by a whisker because the Democrats had complete control of both houses and the White House. Today they may have enough votes in the House to pass something, no matter how crazy, but it won't see the light of day in the Senate.

ObamaCare exempted company-sponsored plans, and they were going to do it in a way that nobody would have to pay a penny more in taxes. By doing this, they would supposedly limit the impact on the vast majority of the population. That made it easy for Joe and Jane Voter to go along with it. On the surface, ObamaCare was not a bad idea. Even the average Republican was in favor of doing something. So the messaging from Washington's left was that our company insurances would stay the same, it wouldn't cost us any money and we it was a good thing to do. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice...

Even if the Democrats are able to get the media to ignore Trump's tweets on this subject for the next two years, they have insurmountable hurdles that amount to political suicide.

First, ObamaCare, the plan that they expended so much goodwill and political capital to keep on life support, will have to be repealed and replaced. That will amount to admitting that it isn't working. That's a tough pill to swallow, especially if the Medicare for All push fails. It will open the door to a Republican replacement plan option.

Second, Democrats will have to convince a couple hundred million hard-working families that it's a good thing for them to give up their company plans which they love so much. All for the good of the 10% who either don't want or can't afford health insurance.

Third, this plan will put millions of people who work in the health insurance industry out of a job. Along with them, shareholders whose pensions and 401(k) Plans rely on dividends from insurance companies will be financially impacted. They may not be able to eat but don't fret, at least you won't have to worry about your health care. The government will be there to take care of you for free.

Fourth, yes, companies will pay those health insurance premiums to the government instead of greedy insurance companies, but it will be impossible to ignore the fact that these payments will not even come close to covering the government's cost. Millions of small businesses that only survive because they aren't paying for employee insurance will be forced to pay government premiums too, putting them instantly out of business. Still not enough to cover the costs, but now there are a lot more people for the government to care for. But don't be concerned, because the dimwitted Democrats will reverse Trump's tax breaks for corporations and raise taxes on the rich.

As always occurs under socialism, the leftists will eventually run out of other people's money and have to make big cuts in benefits and services. Republicans predicted a death spiral for ObamaCare. This plan will put the death in death spiral for the people.

Medicare for All is merely a campaign slogan. If the democratic socialists of the DNC admitted to the truth, they would all lose their jobs. For now, it's easiest to just claim that they don't know how it will be paid for.
The focus of the liberal media and many liberal commentators and pundits has been on President Trumps uncompromising defense of the USA from the migrant caravans, some of which now encroach on our southern border. They dont tend to praise him for doing the right thing. Rather, they are wholly critical of his unflinching intent to secure the border with the help of the military. They condemn President Trump for doing his duty to safeguard US national security and claim that the migrants are harmless and an asset to our country.

In their rage against President Trump, they commit themselves to the ill-informed and myopic view that he is harming the migrants. In reality, President Trump is being compassionate to countless future would-be migrants who would face a treacherous and often deadly journey on a misguided quest to enter the US illegally.

Border wall prototypes (Photo credit: Mani Albrecht)

Filmmaker Ami Horowitz visited the migrant caravan that began in Honduras and reported that it is comprised of relatively few women and children, with an estimated 90  95% of the caravan being men. Horowitz reported that the caravans did not just naturally coalesce and was not spontaneous, but rather is highly organized. People in the caravan tend to be looking for a better life in the United States, rather than fleeing for their lives from their home countries.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras organizes these caravans. In English the organization is known as People Without Borders, and, true to its name, its goal is for open borders -- something that poses a direct threat to the national security of the United States and other sovereign countries. Pueblo Sin Fronteras organizer Alex Mensing admitted to USA TODAY that the caravans are a mass exodus of people from Central America to the US -- effectively an attempt to begin to render the US border meaningless.

According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, as many as 10,000 migrants are expected to arrive at the US border, while the Mexican Consulate has reported on the presence of about 8,200 migrants. Secretary Nielsen made clear that seeking employment or seeking to reunite with family does not constitute a legitimate basis to seek asylum. According to Nielsen, most of those in the caravans are teenage or adult males, including an estimated 500 criminals, some of whom are gang members. The Mexican ambassador to the US, Geronimo Gutierrez, has also confirmed the presence of criminals among the caravans, though he is unsure about the number. It is noteworthy that Mexico has detained 213 migrants from the fourth caravan.

There are reports that 3,000 migrants plan to force their way through the US border as a stampede, posing an unprecedented threat to US border officials. Such a plan should not come as a surprise in light of an estimated 3,000 migrants who forcibly overran the Guatemalan border in order to break into Mexico last month, then took rafts to cross the river and enter Mexico.

It is imperative that the US military be properly prepared to completely stop any such stampede for the sake of their own safety and the safety and security of US citizens, including many who live right on the border. If thousands of the migrants break into the US, it will be that much more difficult to successfully track all of them and put them into detention facilities. With potentially hundreds of criminals among the migrants, President Trump must immediately ensure that the US military on the border is fully prepared, with all offensive and defensive measures necessary to protect US national security -- beyond the placement of troops and razor wire. US troops at the border must be armed as a last resort for self-defense and defense of the border, but even more importantly as a deterrent against riotous and potentially deadly behavior by members of the caravan.

While many of those in the migrant caravan will not qualify for asylum, the US is processing between 60 and 100 asylum seekers per day. The US offers asylum to those who flee persecution for a whole host of reasons.

President Trump is not simply upholding basic US national security by protecting the southern border; he is showing great compassion to countless future migrants who may seek asylum in the US. He is effectively saying that if you legitimately seek asylum, you should enter the US directly rather than take a treacherous journey from Columbia through Central America and Mexico and into the US. As long as a pathway exists to enter the US through subterfuge by traveling from countries like Guatemala and Honduras into the United States, many thousands of migrants will continue on that path, endangering their lives in the process. If President Trump, and perhaps other governments to the south, effectively shut off this pathway, far fewer people will attempt to enter the US illegally from the south.

The most dangerous part of the journey that migrants take to the US is through the Darien Gap. The Darien Gap is a 60-mile swath of jungle that separates Columbia from Panama. It is traversed by tens of thousands of people each year on their trek to the United States. A recent CBS documentary on the journey through the Darien Gap highlights the great danger to the lives of those who choose to traverse it:

Augustin, one of the smugglers we follow, says "The Darien Gap is... very dangerous. Because there are many hills, many rivers... many snakes, many jaguars. I've seen many people die. Not just one. Many." Added to that, there are violent paramilitary groups who control the drug smuggling corridor that runs parallel, but deeper inside the jungle According to Augustin, "People go in circles like a snail and they never make it. And many have come here like that and have never made it."

While it is imperative that the US grant asylum to those who qualify -- as it does -- it is also similarly appropriate for the US to shut down the backdoor into the US that often traverses the dangerous Darien Gap. If President Trump continues to stand unwavering in his determination to stop those who seek to illegally enter the country, even in the face of seemingly unrelenting criticism from many in the media and other supposed experts, he will be encouraging people who legitimately seek to enter the US to travel directly to the US and enter legally. He will also likely save the lives of many who would otherwise take the arduous journey from South America through the Darien Gap to Central America.

It is high time that President Trump receives the wall-to-wall commendation and support that he deserves for securing the border and for the border wall. His defense of the US border is ultimately a great humanitarian act in defense of the safety and the very lives of future migrants who seek to enter the US. The message is: Enter through the front door -- we will all be better off.
The Department of Homeland Security took a lot of flak for identifying 500 migrants traveling with the Central American caravan as known criminals. And President Trump was blasted in the press for saying the caravan had a lot of "rough people." But what's undercover intelligence compared to the media narrative that the caravan is just moms and kids, fleeing gangs?

Actually, the migrants are the gang.

Buried deep in this RT News story, with a Tijuana newspaper link of the official press conference, is news that the Tijuana cops have arrested 108 migrants on criminal charges. Not old charges, but charges for crimes committed upon arriving.

The city authorities have released new data on Friday which states that 108 Central American migrants have been arrested so far, including 104 for administrative offenses, such as possession of drugs, public intoxication and disturbance. The remaining four are to be prosecuted for robbery, fights and insulting authorities.

Sound like the kind of people who ought to be allowed in here?

Screengrab from Fox News via YouTube

They've only been in the city for a few days and already they are committing this many crimes? That's a lot of crime from so-called moms and kids fleeing "violence." From a group of 6,200 migrants camped out, 108 crooks that the cops know about and were able to catch signals quite a few criminals in the group. And that's the crooks the cops know about. It doesn't include the criminals whose crimes weren't reported to the police, or the crimes whose migrant perpetrators got away from the cops, or any potential situations that were resolved by "mordida," or, the bribing of corrupt cops, which is something that sometimes happens in Tijuana, though not to the extent it did in the past. Nor does it include past crimes. Just the crimes committed on the spot upon arrival that the cops were able to catch.

Seems the 500 criminals are doing their level best to make themselves known. And don't think there won't be more as the months pass and migrants await their asylum claims to be processed, likely rounding the figure upwards to at least 500. Did the Tijuana people have a point after all in their protests?

Score one for Homeland Security.

The silver lining here is that with the migrants cooling their heels in Mexico for the next six months, the crooks now have time to out themselves as the Tijuana police scoop them up one by one, and pitch them into the local hoosegow. Presumably, the asylum claims of such criminals would be rejected and the problem could sort itself out all by itself.

Unless the U.S.'s lefty judges let them in anyway on fake asylum claims in their bid to Get Trump.

Image credit: Fox News, via YouTube screengrab
Union walkouts at Amazon warehouse across Europe were planned for Black Friday as workers protested "inhuman" working conditions and being "treated like robots."

Techspot:

This isn't the first time Amazon has dealt with this sort of issue. In July, thousands of the company's Europe-based workers went on strike during Prime Day; a move they hoped would earn them better working conditions and improved pay. This time around, protesters have similar goals. "It is one of the days that Amazon has most sales, and these are days when we can hurt more and make ourselves be heard," said Amazon employee Eduardo Hernandez in a statement to the Associated Press (AP). "Because the company has not listened to us and does not want to reach any agreement." According to AP, union groups representing Amazon Spain's warehouse workers say "around 90 percent" of employees working at a "logistics depot" near Madrid did not turn up to work on Friday. Amazon has reportedly disputed that number, stating that most employees did indeed show up as scheduled. Employees in Germany and Britain are also walking out or planning to walk out, over the course of Black Friday. Whether or not these bold moves will pay off remains to be seen. Amazon has been battling with labor groups and disgruntled workers for years now, and not much in the way of progress seems to have been made.

The Guardian reports that workers may have a point about "unsafe working conditions."

A Freedom of Information request to ambulance services from the GMB union revealed 115 call-outs to Amazons site in Rugeley, near Birmingham, including three relating to pregnancy or maternity problems and three for major trauma. There were also two call-outs to the site for electric shocks and eight for people who had fallen unconscious. At least 1,800 people work year-round at the Rugeley warehouse and more than 2,000 more can work over the peak Christmas period. That compares to only eight calls in total to a nearby Tesco warehouse of a similar physical size and where about 1,300 people work, over the same period, according to another FOI request by the union. Amazon said it was simply not correct to suggest that we have unsafe working conditions based on this data or on unsubstantiated anecdotes. Requests for ambulance services at our fulfilment centres are predominantly associated with personal health events and are not work related. Nevertheless, ambulance visits at our UK fulfilment centres last year was 0.00001 per worked hour, which is dramatically low.

Warehouse work is notoriously low paying, but is it really as dangerous as the figures suggest? The Guardian reports that there were 600 calls for ambulance service over the last 3 years. That's a lot, no matter if they were "work-related" or not.

But in the end, the warehouse workers are in exactly the same boat as fast food workers here in America. In ten years, Amazon warehouse workers will be robots - the real thing, not a union rhetorical contrivance. The machines will work faster, more intelligently, and, most importantly, won't talk back to the boss or demand better pay and working conditions.

It is worrisome that very little thought is being given to what our economy will look like in the near future, with driverless cars and trucks as well as machines doing work currently being performed by minimum wage workers. Some politicians will look to slow the transition to an automated work force, but eventually, they will have to accept the inevitable.

This revolution is already underway and it's time that government, industry, and all interested parties start thinking very seriously about what the US will look like with 20-40% permanent unemployment rate.
The migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. in a bid to cut the line ahead of legal immigrants has revealed quite a few instances of chutzpah and ingratitude, in part because its participants aren't really the mere moms and kids fleeing violence that their organizers say they are.

The instance that stands out is the one of a rather well-fed-looking Honduran woman named Miriam Celaya holding up a plate of tortillas and beans donated by the Mexicans, screwing up her nose disdainfully at the plate that looks as though it actually had fingers dragged through it, and explaining to a Deutsche Welle interviewer that it was food "for pigs."

Get a load of the ingratitude:

Now, the food was donated food by the Mexicans, whose government is spending $26,000 a day on housing and feeding the migrants and it represents the normal cuisine of the country. When you go to Mexico, tortillas and beans are what you eat. It's something everyone eats, too. War story: Back when I was a reporter for Forbes magazine, doing the Mexican billionaire's list, I had breakfast with Mexican billionaire Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala, who owns much of the Corona beer fortune. What did she order at the restaurant we met at? Kid you not, tortillas and beans.

If the Honduran migrant here can't handle tortillas and beans without dragging her fingers through the plate and calling it pig food, how is she going to handle American food? There's kind of an assimilation deficit.

More importantly, there's a gratitude deficit. And that was obvious enough to the Mexicans, who obviously see beggars who insist on being choosers. It's not just bad character we are seeing - it's actually proof that the migrants, with their new logo-festooned clothes and expensive strollers, aren't really all that poor at all: like most migrants, they are members of their country's lower middle classes, well fed to the point of being overweight as many are and accustomed to certain things. Tijuanans protested these migrants over the weekend, in part because of the ingratitude showed for the imposition thrown at them. At the protest Sunday, they actually did chants shouting their favor of tortillas and beans based on widespread outrage at the video.

Knowing her remarks were making the caravan migrants unpopular in Tijuana, Celaya, or someone making Celaya do it, apologized. According to Newsweek:

As a result, BBC Mundo reached out to the woman identified as Miriam Celaya, who apologized to all Mexicans on Wednesday. She explained to the media outlet that she left Honduras so that her daughter could receive treatment in the U.S for her hearing and speech loss.

But for us in the U.S., the apology revealed even more undesirable things. She apologized because she said she was coming to the U.S. to get health care for her daughter, who had some expensive medical conditions? That's a rationale for ingratitude? Because it's important to make gringo pay instead? She wasn't looking to escape violence, she was coming for the free stuff. And that's the sort of person the U.S. should let in above all other legal immigrants if the leftwing press is to be believed? Given her requirements on the food front, whatever free health care America has to offer her isn't likely to satisfy her, either. And if the Mexicans are paying $26,000 in meals, imagine what the U.S. health care she's not going to pay for is going to cost.

Guess who's gets to pay for that one?

Image credit: YouTube screengrab
Now that #MeToo has made heroines out of women accusing powerful men of sexual abuse, Monica Lewinsky is providing her side of the story of the encounters that led to Bill Clintons impeachment. Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency, the same array of forces that circled the first Clinton White House to dismiss her as one of the nuts and sluts (hat tip: James Carville, who is all but invisible in the media) would be suppressing her story. But now that Hillary is a loser and embarrassment, and Bill old, feeble, and evoking shame among those Dems that are capable of that emotion, the former intern has a platform and an audience.

The A&E cable network is running a six part documentary series, featuring new interviews with now middle-aged Monica Lewinsky. The UK Daily Mail has a lengthy account of what is contained in the episodes broadcasts so far, including:

A&E screen grab

Monica Lewisnky recounted the moment that the sitting president encouraged her to lie under oath on the final episode of the A&E docuseries The Clinton Affair. It marked the first time that Lewinsky has actually stated that Bill Clinton advised her to deny their affair if called to testify in the Paula Jones case, pointing out that she could avoid being deposed if she simply denied the charge in an affidavit. Then, in a shockingly bold move, Clinton called for Lewinsky a few days later and the pair enjoyed an intimate, and private, Christmas party in the White House. Unbeknownst to Lewinsky that was the end of the pair's relationship, with Clinton quickly bailing on his 24-year-old paramour who was left to do battle with the special prosecutor, the FBI and the American public on her own while he fell back on a multi-million dollar legal fund raised by supporters. It became too much for Lewinsky at one point she said, and she seriously considered taking her own life.

When Bill told her that she was on the witness list to be called to testify in the Paula Jones lawsuit, he didnt directly ask her to lie, but hinted at the possibility:

'I was petrified. I was frantic about my family, and this becoming public. Thankfully, Bill helped me lock myself back from that and he said I could probably sign an affidavit to get out of it, and he didn't even know if a 100 percent I would be subpoenaed.' Lewinsky then pointed out that Clinton never said: 'Now, listen you're gonna have to lie here.' She followed that up though by stating he also never said: 'Listen, honey, this is gonna be really awful we're gonna have to tell the truth.'

In case anyone doubted that Bill Clinton is a cad (I know, its an old fashioned word in this era of Grinder and hookups), her account of his arranging a final tryst before letting her know that her services were no longer required settles the question.

Read the whole thing.

There is more to come, no doubt. Lewinsky speaking out will not help Hillary appeal to the feminist wing of the party if she seeks the nomination in 2020.
The popularity of socialism on Americas campuses and among a substantial fraction of Democrats defies the evidence of a natural experiment taking place in Venezuela, just across the Gulf of Mexico from America. Venezuelans already are starving due to socialisms perversion of incentives. Food producers cant make money under the price controls, expropriations and regulation of the socialists of Chavez and his successor Maduro, so they dont produce food, and people must flee by the millions in order to stay alive.

Venezuelan refugees in Colombia (photo credit: Daniel Cima)

Now, the same process of perverse incentives is shutting down the very resource that made Venezuela the richest country in Latin American before socialism ruined it. Fabiola Zerpa of Bloomberg reports:

Venezuelas fuel shortages are worsening as mass resignations at the state oil companys tanker fleet have delayed gasoline shipments. Petroleos de Venezuela SAs refineries are running at less than a quarter of their capacity, forcing the country to rely on imported gasoline.

Of course, foreign currency is in very short supply in Venezuela precisely because its oil production and refining output are collapsing, as incompetent political appointees screw up, and have no incentive to perform well. Because gasoline is regarded as so essential, Venezuela controls its price, further reducing incentive to produce:

Gas prices are still the among the cheapest in the world, with the black market rate earlier this month less than one cent per gallon. Maduro has yet to increase prices after vowing to do so at the end of September.

Price controls always produce shortages, as rent control regulations (also beloved by American socialists) demonstrate. Price may be affordable, but there are no goods available.

Now, not just oil production and refining, but also transportation is collapsing under cronyism and perverse incentives:

Resignations and requests for leave by personnel at PDV Marina, the oil companys shipping affiliate, are reducing the tankers crews to a minimum, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. At least 11 tankers are affected, and minimal staffing is hindering PDVSAs ability to deliver on time, the document shows. Venezuelas Oil Ministry and PDVSA officials declined to comment. Tankers are now delayed all the time, PDVSA union leader Gregorio Rodriguez said from Puerto La Cruz.The situation is worse in cities far from distribution centers, where the truck fleet service is also shaky, as is eastern Venezuela.

God forbid, a tanker disaster is possible with minimal crewing and inexperience.

Adam Smith wrote, Theres a lot of ruin in a nation. Venezuela is demonstrating the process by which the ruin of a nation unfolds, as vital systems gradually shut down, poisoned by socialism.

Media favorite Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who speaks Spanish, has never, so far as I can discover, commented on the ongoing tragedy socialism is foisting on Venezuelans. The Babylon Bee has satirized her silence, but our media progressives are not going to press her on the issue.

Its time for the American left to explain why the tragedy of Venezuela will not happen here if their policies are enacted.
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan says in case of having success in the upcoming general election and being re-elected to office he plans to re-appoint Zohrab Mnatsakanyan as foreign minister and Davit Tonoyan as defense minister.

Reporters asked Pashinyan today during a march if Mnatsakanyan and Tonoyan will continue serving in the Cabinet in their positions, and the caretaker Prime Minister said they will.

Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyans Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesnt represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.

In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.

The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.

Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.

The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.

The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
The Indonesian ministry of Defense announced on 22 November that the exports of defense industrial products reached US$284.1 million from 2015 to 2018. "On the other hand, the domestic sales in the same period reached Rp5.4 trillion," Rear Admiral Agus Setyadi, head of defense facilities, said on the sidelines of a discussion event at the East Java governor`s office here.



Widjajanto, PT Pindad's Chief Defence Business Officer, explains the company's new weapons displayed at IndoDefence 2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The exports worth US$161 million were achieved by PT Dirgantara Indonesia in the form of two units of CN-235 aircraft to Senegal, three units of NC-212 to Vietnam, two units of NC-212 to Thailand. PT PAL contributed US$86.9 million through the exports of two units of Strategic Sealift Vessel to the Philippines, while PT Pindad exported Anoa armored vehicles, tanks, arms and ammunition to meet the needs of countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, the UAE, South Korea, Nigeria and Timor Leste. "PT Pindad`s exports are valued at US$32.6 million," he commented.

PT Lundin also conducted exports to Russia and Sweden in the form of Sea Rider ships worth US$3.6 million, he added. To meet the domestic needs, he pointed out the defense industries sold products worth Rp1.83 trillion to the Air Force, worth Rp1.29 trillion to the Navy, worth Rp1.9 trillion the Army, and worth Rp180.4 billion to the Defense Forces Headquarters.

He noted the sale of defense industrial products was a matter of pride as it proved Indonesia`s global competence. "The sales achieved by Indonesia`s defense industry show the country has become a competitor for other nations` defense industry," he remarked.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis announced on 22 November that the country plans to acquire L-ATV combat multi-role vehicles from the USA. According to Leta.lv citing the Lithuanian Defense Minister, it is anticipated that the L-ATV (JLTV) contract will be signed in 2020 and will cost $114 million (Euro 100 million).



Oshkosh Defense L-ATV, or JLTV, demonstrated at DVD 2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The (technical) specifications are being finalized now. We plan to move toward final decisions next year or in 2020, the minister said. About 100 million euros have been earmarked, he added. A potential contract, announced on 22 November by Raimundas Karoblis, will be worth more than $114 million (Euro 100 million) and covers delivery of up to 200 Light Combat Tactical All-terrain Vehicles (L-ATV), or JLTV, from Oshkosh Defense.

The vehicles would be distributed across the Lithuanian Armed Forces to fill a shortage due to normal wear and tear of equipment and increased demand, the Defense Ministry has said. Currently, the Lithuanian Armed Forces use HMMWV and Toyota Land Cruiser 200 armored all-terrain vehicles.

The Oshkosh L-ATV/JLTV is a light combat multi-role vehicle which combines field-proven technologies, an advanced crew protection system that provides MRAP-level protection and expeditionary levels of mobility in a light-duty profile. Equipped with the Oshkosh TAK-4i intelligent independent suspension system*, this Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle delivers new levels of agility to safely traverse rugged terrain and compressed urban areas. The L-ATV can be fitted with a wide range of remote-controlled weapon stations or ring mount 7.62 or 12,7mm machine gun. The L-ATVs Oshkosh roof mounted turret is capable of mounting either an M240 machine gun, a Mk.19 grenade launcher or, a BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missile, all of which can be operated either from the turret or remotely inside the cabin.
The Belarusian aerospace industry is expanding its portfolio of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) with the Yastreb, an industrial source told TASS. The Yastreb unmanned aerial system (UAS) can be supplied in three configurations, namely, reconnaissance, combat, and target.



Belarus-made Yastreb Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at Army-2018 International Military Technical Forum, near Moscow, Russia. August 2018 (Picture source Army Recognition)

"Belarus has developed the Yastreb heavy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a payload capacity of 700 kg. This is the heaviest drone developed by the country," the source said.

The Yastreb UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) integrates a twin-boom unmanned aerial vehicle that takes off and land like a fixed-wing aircraft.It is powered by a Rotax-912S2/100 combustion engine, producing a speed of 120-220 km/h and an endurance of 6 hours or 10 hours without/with an external fuel tank. The vehicle carries 120 kg of useful payload.

The Yastreb`s sensor suite incorporates a daylight camera, thermal imager, and laser rangefinder and is mounted on a gyrostabilized platform.

The Yastreb is armed with two or three small kamikaze drone with a weight of 25 kg each, which are attached to the vehicles external hardpoints. The kamikaze drones feature a 10 kg high-explosive fragmentation or high-explosive anti-tank warhead and an automated guidance system. They have a range of up to 50 km, being able to hit a target with a circular error probable of no more than 1-2 m, the manufacturer claims.
On October 19, 2018, the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Singapore signed a free trade pact  the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA)  to deepen the economic relations between the two regions. Along with this deal, two other agreements have been signed between the two sides  the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement (EUSIPA) and the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (ESPCA). The trade pacts signal both sides strong commitment to free trade at a time of increasing protectionism and is also seen as a prelude to a future FTA between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Ratification and coming into force

On February 13, 2019, the European Parliament approved the EUSFTA by a majority vote. The stage is now set for the final ratification and entry into force of the trade pact between the two jurisdictions.

Trade links between Singapore and the EU

The European Parliament on February 13, 2019 also approved the EUSIPA and the ESPCA. However, unlike the EUSFTA, these two agreements have to be ratified by the national parliaments of the individual EU member states before they could come into force.

Singapore is the 14th largest trading partner of the EU for goods and the fourth largest for services. For Singapore, the EU is the countrys second largest trading partner for goods and the largest for services. More than 10,000 EU-based companies that use Singapore as a hub for Southeast Asia will highly benefit from the FTA. Besides, apart from Vietnam, Singapore is the only other ASEAN partner to sign an FTA with the EU.

The EU exported over Euro 33 billion worth of goods to Singapore and imported around Euro 20 billion worth of goods in 2017. This resulted in a positive trade balance for the EU of around Euro 13 billion. As regards services, the EU exported as much as it imported from Singapore  around Euro 20 billion  in 2016.

At the same time, foreign direct investment (FDI) play a major role in the economic relations between Singapore and the EU. In 2016, EU organizations invested more than Euro 167 billion in the Singaporean economy while at the same time receiving more than Euro 87 billion in inward FDI.

The trade volume between the two regions and the amount of mutual FDI makes Singapore a key player for EU trade activity in Asia.

The opportunities arising from EUSFTA

EUSFTA opens up both economies and contains some special provisions, which we will discuss in the following sections. Apart from the provisions regarding trade in goods and services, we will also focus on government procurement and geographical indications.

Trade in goods

The EU agreed to reduce its own tariffs to 0 within 5 years after the entry of force of the EUSFTA  cutting 75% of the tariff lines to 0% as soon as possible and the remaining tariff lines within three to five years. Some existing tariffs, especially on agricultural products, will remain. On the Singaporean side, more than 99% of all goods from the EU are already allowed duty-free access.

The agreement further aims at strengthening cooperation regarding regulatory standards as well as reducing unnecessary technical barriers to trade. Specific rules regarding food safety are also contained. EU standards for automobiles and automotive parts are accepted by Singapore. Electronics third-party testing will be replaced gradually in Singapore to comply with the EU rules. The EU further calls for greater transparency regarding pharmaceutical pricing. Furthermore, green technology must be treated the same as national products in both regions under the agreement.

Trade in services

Trade in services between the EU and Singapore is organized with a positive list. Everything on this list contains sectors that are opened up for competition from the partner countries. 12 sectors with more than 160 sub-sectors are included in this list. Amongst others, these are financial services, professional services, computer and related services, research and development, business services, telecommunication services, environmental services, and tourism and travel related services.

Postal service is also opened up on both sides, which is a sector mostly protected by states. Regarding e-commerce, the parties agreed on greater cooperation as well as to avoid imposing unnecessary restrictions and regulations. Free flow of information will be upheld under international standards of data protection.

Government procurement

Both parties are signatories of the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) of the WTO. This opens government procurement for goods and services under competitive bidding for certain sectors. In the EUSFTA, the EU extends this list to EU central government entities, city, and municipal level procurement, public works concessions such as railways, and some additional utilities. The EU dropped the threshold levels for bidding Singaporean companies.

Geographical indications

Geographical Indications (GIs) were one of the main negotiating planks of the EU-Singapore FTA. These are products only produced in a specific region that is protected as kind of trademark under GI. While the EU is the largest provider of these products, Singapore was not very welcoming of the idea. The EU list contains 196 GIs. Singapore ultimately added a list of 196 products to be granted GI status.

Investment protection agreement

The EUSIPA will replace 12 existing Bilateral Investment Agreements between Singapore and the EU member states. The agreement sets standards of fair and equitable treatment (FET) for investments amongst the signatories.

The EUSFTA and ASEAN

Protection against unreasonable expropriation is contained as well as the right to regulate of the states which says that states remain sovereign in their regulations and there is no possibility of investment arbitration regarding decisions on sovereign debt restructuring. If investment disputes arise, the concerned party has to refer the case to a tribunal, to be established under EUSFTA and which will deliver a decision in a pre-defined process. A major aim of the agreement is transparency during the disputes between investors and states.

The EUSFTA is seen as a pathway to revive the suspended negotiations for an FTA between the EU and ASEAN. The talks on such an agreement started in 2007 and ended in 2009 due to difficulties in setting standards amongst the ASEAN countries. From that time on the EU tried to conclude national FTAs as a means to eventually come to the point of starting negations on an FTA for the entire ASEAN region. The recently finalized FTAs with Vietnam and Singapore mark a major step towards a common FTA between the EU and ASEAN in the future.

Editors Note: The article was first published on November 23, 2018 and has been updated on February 15, 2019 as per latest developments.
Hallmark described the situation as close to catastrophic, adding that we were not quick enough, unfortunately, to book capacity or prioritize our derivatives within some of the group processes to get them certified on time. Considering the standard was finalized in 2015 and introduced in September 2018, Bentley doesnt have an excuse for the trouble it got itself in.A financial report further reveals Bentley lost 137 million in the first nine months of 2018, a disappointing result compared to the profit the automaker made in the same period last year. The document puts this loss down to the slow roll-out of the new Continental GT and fluctuations with the exchange rate.Because the British manufacturer sources a lot of components for its cars and SUVs from the continent, theres trouble from a financial standpoint when the pound sterling is weak compared to the euro. Worse still, global sales were down 11 percent in the first nine months of the year."This year is a conversion year to a better business model and next year you will start to see significant growth and a return to normality in terms of profit, Hallmark told Automotive News Europe . On that note, the luxurious Continental GT isnt the only Bentley affected by the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure.At the beginning of October 2018, the British motoring media reported that the Bentayga Diesel had been dropped from the lineup. A spokesman confirmed to Autocar that the legislative conditions are to blame, along with the significant shift in attitude towards diesel-powered cars.
While an aficionado could easily spot the vehicle used as a base here, the pixel player behind the stunt doesn't even try to hide the fact that the Audi RS3 was used as a starting point.And while the idea of a Sant'Agata Bolognese compact might seem to come out of nowhere, all the common bits of the Audi Q8 and the Lamborghini Urus will tell you where this came from.On the tech front, the Audi RS3 has all the firepower a Raging Bull compact would need, thanks to its monstrous turbocharged in-line five-cylinder engine, which already delivers 400 horsepower in Ingolstadt configuration.However, the quattro system of the RS3 still doesn't remove the understeering character of the car, which would be totally unfit for the Italian badge.Then again, the whole idea of such a rebranding is best left to the fantasy land that is our computer screen.From the dilution of the Lamborghini brand to completely ruining the already-threatened idea of a hot hatch's reasonable pricing, there are simply too many downsides to such a project.Returning to the real world, the Italian automotive producer is currently working to electrify its lineup. We're talking hybridization here and it seems that the first production gas-electric Lambo will come in the form of the Aventador replacement.Set to land in 2021, the plug-in hybrid setup will allow the supercar to maintain its naturally aspirated V12 and we're eager to see how much carbon fiber the Italians are ready to throw in the mix in the aim of keeping the scale footprint reasonable. Let the betting begin!
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The Brexit deal is back on track after U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May made a last minute effort to meet the demands of Spain over the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, Bloomberg reports.

Why it matters: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to boycott the Brexit summit of EU leaders on Sunday if there were no guarantees that Gibraltar would be excluded from any trade negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union. May's concession could further endanger her upcoming battle to get the deal passed through Parliament, per Bloomberg.
Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors transition team and other Mexican officials indicated to the Trump administration that they at least temporarily support a U.S. plan to rework the border policy so that asylum seekers must wait in Mexico as U.S. courts review their claims, the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: An agreement would break tradition with current asylum rules and provide a barrier in the path of Central American migrants attempting to receive asylum in the U.S.

Details: The plan, known as "Remain in Mexico" according to the Post, would potentially alter the current system, which Trump has labeled as "catch and release."

People seeking asylum have been able to wait on U.S. soil in the past where conditions are generally safer. Many asylum seekers are looking to escape poverty and violence.

But, the administration views this deal as a possible breakthrough that could deter future migrant caravans from Central America.

There's been no formal agreement yet and the WashPost reports the administration is concerned that Mexico could still pull out.

Go deeper: Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban for migrants who enter U.S. illegally.
In an annual telethon broadcast from Los Angeles, a pan-Armenian charity has raised more than $11 million that will mostly be spent on its ongoing infrastructure projects in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund received $12.5 million and $15.5 million in donations during similar fundraisers helds in 2017 and 2016 respectively.

As always, the Thanksgiving Day telethon featured prominent members of the Armenian community in the United States and Karabakh Armenian leaders. It was broadcast by Armenian and U.S.-Armenian TV channels.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian made a live televised appeal to Armenians around the world when he visited Hayastans headquarters in Yerevan early on Friday. He urged them to donate more funds to the charity, stressing the importance of its projects implemented in Armenia and Karabakh.

In a statement issued shortly afterwards, Hayastan said the sum collected by it this time includes $2.5 million donated by a benefactor who did not want to be identified. Two other wealthy donors, Armenian-American businessmen Antranig Baghdassarian and Albert Boyajian, contributed $1 million each.

Most of the latest donations will be channeled into two projects in Karabakh launched by Hayastan last year. One of them is aimed at expanding local irrigation networks while the other seeks to support greater use of solar energy by Karabakh households.

Hayastan has implemented over $350 million worth of projects in Karabakh and Armenia since being set up in 1992. The funds current Board of Trustees is headed by Armenias President Armen Sarkissian and comprises Pashinian, other senior Armenian state officials, Catholicos Garegin II as well as prominent members of Armenian communities around the world.

In recent years the fund has partly financed, among other things, the construction of a second highway connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. The 116-kilometer-long road was inaugurated last year.

Hayastans activities were overshadowed in July by the arrest and ensuing resignation of its then executive director, Ara Vartanian. Although Vartanian admitted using Hayastans money for online gambling and other personal purposes he avoided prosecution after reportedly compensating the charity.

Pashinians government has since pledged to help ensure greater transparency in the funds activities.
The Armenian economy is on course to grow by 5 to 6 percent this year, Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian said on Friday.

Economic growth in Armenia accelerated to 7.5 percent in 2017, according to official statistics. It hit 9.7 percent in the first quarter of this year, before the start of weeks of mass protests that led to the resignation of the countrys longtime leader, Serzh Sarkisian, and his government.

Data from the Armenian Statistical Committee shows that growth has slowed down since then. The government agency has also reported a sharp drop in foreign investment.

Political opponents of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, the protest leader who came to power in May, have seized upon these figures to criticize his economic record. They claim that his governments policies are scaring away local and foreign investors.

Khachatrian insisted that the dramatic regime change, commonly referred to as a velvet revolution, will benefit the domestic economy in the longer term. He argued that the new government has already broken up economic monopolies linked to the former regime and is taking other measures to improve Armenias business environment.

The revolution has led to a greater degree of economic freedom, easier access to the markets and more equal competition, said Khachatrian. These are factors that could and should create a more favorable environment for investment-related decisions. But they cant produce solutions and results at once.

The minister predicted that the upcoming parliamentary elections, which Pashinians bloc is widely expected to win, will also contribute to faster growth. The resulting stabilization of the situation in the country will only encourage businesspeople to launch new projects, he said.

Pashinian cited economic considerations when he started pushing for the holding of the snap elections in early October. He said political uncertainty resulting from his teams modest presence in the current Armenian parliament is hampering economic activity.
By Narmina Mammadova

The rich climate of subtropics, the riotous diversity of flora and the high quality of local bees - these are the favorable natural conditions of Azerbaijan, which contributed to the maintenance of the centuries-old tradition of beekeeping in Transcaucasia.

During the excavation in the Azokh Cave, where one of the most ancient settlements of the primitive man was discovered, a bowl with the bee depicted on it was found, which once again proves that beekeeping has deep roots in Azerbaijan.

An apiary organized in Mughan at the Caucasian silkworm station in 1889 became the center of rational beekeeping for the entire Transcaucasia.

From 1990 to 1999, beekeeping in the country decreased by 45 percent. There were many reasons for that. Most apiaries were destroyed in the area of military operations.

Currently, the Azerbaijani government does all its best to contribute to the rehabilitation and further development of beekeeping by creating favorable conditions for beekeepers.

The Ministry of Agriculture will provide subsidies to Azerbaijani beekeepers by the end of this year, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ilham Guliyev told report.az.

Thanks to stimulating measures, the number of bee colonies in the country is projected to double, he said.

"At present, there are 250,000-300,000 bee colonies in Azerbaijan. We expect that this figure will reach 500,000-600,000," said the deputy minister.

Speaking about beekeepers dissatisfaction with the increase in prices for labels, Guliyev noted that private companies sell them for 1.8 manats, and payment is made through the bank, which led to their appreciation.

The labels that beekeepers previously bought for 1 manat now cost 3 manats.

In accordance with the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev dated March 5, 2018, in order to stimulate the development of beekeeping in the country, support small businesses and provide employment in rural areas to individuals and legal entities involved in beekeeping, a subsidy worth 10 manats per year for each bee family (beehive) will be paid during five years, including this year as well.

The main task nowadays is to increase the production of honey and export it through participation of local beekeepers in international markets under the Made in Azerbaijan brand.

In 2017, Azerbaijan produced 3,000 tons of honey.

There are about 600 species of honey plants in Azerbaijan, of which almost 200, as a source of nectar and pollen, create even greater natural opportunities for the expansion of beekeeping.

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Trend:

Azerbaijan and China will discuss expansion of cooperation in the field of transport and transit, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said Nov. 23 at a press conference on the countrys transport and transit potential.

He said that this issue will be discussed as part of the expected visit of the Chinese delegation to Azerbaijan.

The minister noted that China is showing interest in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route in terms of container traffic.

Azerbaijan plays an important role in the transportation of goods from China to Europe and in the opposite direction, and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route passing through Azerbaijan corresponds to Chinas One Belt, One Road Initiative, the minister said.

Mustafayev noted that One Belt, One Road Initiative is also important for Azerbaijan from the point of view of implementing the countrys transit potential.

In addition, Mustafayev said that in 2015, as part of the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to China, a memorandum of understanding was signed on the joint promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Azerbaijan is one of the first countries that supported this strategy [of China], he said.

Azerbaijan and China will discuss expansion of cooperation in the field of transport and transit within the expected visit of the Chinese delegation, he noted.

Azerbaijans trade with China amounted to $984.5 million in January-October 2018, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. At the same time, Azerbaijans exports to China amounted to $35.8 million, while imports stood at $948.7 million.
By Narmina Mammadova

The Azerbaijani confectionery company Can-Pa intends to establish export of products to Russia, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates in 2019, marketing director of the company, Gunay Khalafzade, told Trend.

She said that Can-Pa currently does not have any supplies abroad, but the company actively participates in exhibitions to promote its products and sign export contracts.

Khalafzade reminded that the Can-Pa products, Turkish delight, marmalade, dragees, and other locally made sweets are currently presented at the UZPRODEXPO food exhibition, being held in Tashkent.

"Uzbekistan is a close country for us, so we want to establish exports in that direction. We contacted the organizers of UZPRODEXPO and opened our stand at the exhibition, which will be active from Nov. 21 through November 23," the company representative said.

She underlined that the company plans to significantly increase local production in 2019 in order to enter the markets of Russia and the UAE as well.

"On February 5-9, 2018, our company, with the support of AzPromo, took part in the ProdExpo exhibition in Moscow. We plan to take part in the 24th Gulfood exhibition in Dubai on February 17-21, 2019," Khalafzade said.

She noted that company has already received a certificate for exports to Uzbekistan, and is currently negotiating with the Azerbaijani company Grante in Moscow on arranging export supplies.

International exhibitions, UZAGROEXPO  2018 Agriculture and UZPRODEXPO  2018 Food Industry, started in Tashkent on November 21. The organizers earlier told Trend that Azerbaijan is represented at UZPRODEXPO with the products of the confectionery company Can-Pa.

Can-Pa LLC has been operating since March 18, 2003. The confectionery company is engaged in both production activities and retail. Can-Pa is a distributor of Turkish companies Elit, Taha, Ece, Ekmekcioglu Hicret, etc.

Earlier, another Azerbaijani confectionery factory Ulduz announced plans to expand its exports in the near future.

Presently, the company's products are present in Georgian, Turkmen and Russian markets.

The confectionery company also said it is working with Ukraine, Malaysia, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Its products are also represented in Iraq. Iran and Belarus might become next export destinations.

In January-September 2018, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan reached $30.73 million, of which $7.08 million accounted for exports from Azerbaijan and $23.65 million for imports from Uzbekistan

Azerbaijans trade turnover with Russia amounted to almost $2 billion in January-October 2018, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. At the same time, the export of Azerbaijani products accounted for $509.98 million. Compared with the same period last year, trade between the two countries grew 20 percent.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, in January-July 2018, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates amounted to $ 28.457 million, which is 67 percent more than last year. At the same time, exports from Azerbaijan to the United Arab Emirates amounted to $ 12.317 million (an increase of 58.8 percent), and imports - $ 16.139 million (an increase of 73.8 percent).

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Gazelli Art House presents Terra, an exciting exhibition of dynamic landscape works utilizing a variety of mediums to illustrate the geographical, economic and personal affiliations with ones surroundings.

Participating artists include Aziz + Cucher, Derek Boshier, Stanley Casselman, Charlotte Colbert, Philip Colbert, Jane McAdam Freud, Shan Hur, Francesco Jodice, Kalliopi Lemos, Giovanni Ozzola, James Ostrer and Saad Qureshi, alongside artists Yoonjin Jung, Hyo Myong Kim and Walter & Zoniel.

On display is a monumental work by Saad Qureshi created in 2011 for Gazelli Art House, titled Quicken. This incredibly detailed sculpture of a minaret, a slender tower typically part of a mosque in which daily prayers are called to Muslims, lays prone on the gallery floor and acts as a dramatic and poignant piece for visitors to experience. Minarets are seen as the "stitch between heaven and earth" and the placement of the sculpture refers back to a memory of the artist where he saw a tower collapse in one piece after a bombing.

Artist duo Aziz + Cuchers Scenapse series is a contemporary take on landscape works. Through the use of digital imaging, the artists created textured works with a tremendous amount of depth that bring these landscape scenes to life. Whether it be a desert, Scenapse #8, or an ocean horizon as in Scenapse Wave Copper, the works depict movement in a contemporary manner that comment on the digitization of our culture today.

Stanley Casselman is famous for his jaw-droppingly beautiful artworks that create the pure abstraction in the most unusual ways. "The only place where I find absolute logic is the pure abstraction," explains the artist. Its internal motion is created with acrylic paint or gloss gel medium dragged across the canvas with a squeegee, blended and subtracted with a pallet knife and textured by ribs. The works evoke strewn confetti and waterfalls, as layers of paint peek through affirming the sublime raw energy of color.

Charlotte Colberts Ordinary Madness series plays with contemporary concerns around our increasingly digital, computer and phone-centric age. Colbert takes the familiar icons of instant communication and places them in a derelict setting, creating a surreal parody of daily life as seen through the prism of the 21st century language.

At the Royal College of Art, Derek Boshier became close to the notable artists involved in the pop art movement, such as Kitaj, Allen Jones, R.B. and David Hockney. He introduced icons of American consumer culture with the incorporation of big brand logos. Taking a non-hierarchical approach to the use of popular images has been a long running theme within Boshiers work. Recently his production provides a witty social commentary on the digitalization of everyday life and the appreciation, or lack of, of ones surroundings.

Philip Colbert's large scale oil paintings push the boundaries of contemporary narrative painting. "We live in a world of ultra pop saturation, a sort of mega pop world where mass intake of Instagram and social media imagery merges with artistic memory." Colberts work follows on from a dialogue established by artists such as Richard Hamilton, James Rosenquist and Roy Lichtenstein.

Jane McAdam Freud follows honestly and tenaciously the "instinctive unconscious" while working on an artwork, or her unconscious mind might motivate her to begin creating a new piece. She believes that the minutest activity within a persons mind can direct thoughts and actions, and so she is highly receptive to these movements within her own mind and actively represents them through the process of "free association."

Shan Hur is marked by the discoveries found from cultural evolution and constant transitions, by incorporating found objects and antiquities inside his works, he questions the physical space of the gallery. His interventions disrupt the viewers perception of the gallery space and the role it plays in showcasing the work.

Francesco Jodice's work from his latest series, Sunset Boulevard, investigates the last great Western empire. Jodice rediscovers and captures "The American West" with traces of its magical geological history and recent colonization, such as Hollywood, nuclear testing, and militarization. The works aim to understand the American "long century" and present an archaeology of the present that is already past.

Kalliopi Lemos work continues to participate within a visual sphere of knowledge, perception and awareness into a global narrative. Approaching womens issues with an acute sensitivity, All is to Be Dared opens up an important contemporary discourse about the role of femininity - both historically and in todays world.

Giovanni Ozzola's attention has been focused on light as a necessary material for vision. In the center of his work, he puts his interest and emphasis on three-dimensional space and light. Ozzola produces picturesque images that oscillate between the immediacy of capturing the ephemeral and the carefully constructed artifice traditionally associated with painting  all while evoking the five senses.

James Ostrer's portraits from the Wotsit series are a commentary on human reliance on commodity and trade. The works illustrate the result of corrupted globalization and increasingly dangerous methods of food production.

The Terra exhibition takes place between November 24, 2018 and March 2019.

Gazelli Art House was founded in 2003 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where it held exhibitions with Azerbaijani artists. Having hosted conceptually interlinked off-site exhibitions across London, founder and director of Gazelli Art House, Mila Askarova, opened a permanent space on Dover Street, London in March 2012. As of 2013, Gazelli Art House started specializing in Private Sales in the secondary market, providing professional valuations for insurance, probate, trust and estates and for the current market value of single paintings or fine art collections.

In 2015, the gallery launched its Digital Art House www.gazell.io, an online residency for artists working in the digital and virtual reality realm, occasionally to crossover with an exhibition at the physical gallery space.

In 2017, Gazelli Art House re-opened in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a group show in an all new location. The inaugural exhibition of the redesigned gallery space of Gazelli Art House saw the highlights of works by gallery artists. The group show is based on the exhibition held at Gazelli Art House in London in 2015, celebrating its fifth year anniversary in London.
Trend:

The signed Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan documents show the practical significance of President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkmenistan, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend Nov. 23.

He was commenting on the importance of the meetings held and documents signed during the official visit of the Azerbaijani president to Turkmenistan Nov. 21-22.

Hajiyev noted that the expansion of international ties of Azerbaijan, the president's official and working visits to other countries, the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with other states, the country's receiving the foreign heads of state and government and other high-level officials are of particular importance.

Before the visits of the head of state to other countries, a detailed and informative agenda is formed; the visits are of more productive nature, they serve to further deepening of cooperation in the economic, trade, humanitarian and other areas, Hajiyev said. Naturally, the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and issues of regional and international security are a priority in the president's agenda.

Hajiyev noted that this week there were two official visits of the Azerbaijani president - to Belarus and to Turkmenistan.

Azerbaijan has historical and traditionally friendly relations with both countries, said Hajiyev.

The talks between President Ilham Aliyev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko that lasted more than two hours, the signing of about 10 documents, in particular the Joint Declaration, signed by the leaders of the two countries, opened up broad prospects for further deepening of strategic partnership.

Hajiyev stressed that the Joint Declaration signed by the two heads of state noted the importance of resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and on the basis of territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of borders, which are generally accepted principles of international law.

Turkmenistan expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan and in the presidents official visit there, said Hajiyev.

Thus, before the presidents visit, the deputy prime minister and the foreign minister of Turkmenistan visited Azerbaijan. In 2017, the Declaration on Strategic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan was signed. The Declaration defines the development of ties between the two countries in line with strategic cooperation.

The signing of 20 agreements and a joint statement by the two heads of state as part of the visit that took place Nov. 21-22 openly demonstrates the practical significance and results of the Azerbaijani presidents visit.

The signed documents cover transportation and logistics, transit transportation and its management, long-term industrial economic cooperation, science and education, as well as the humanitarian sphere, said Hajiyev.

He noted that the heads of state in a joint statement signed as part of the visit reaffirmed that the friendly countries of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan strongly support the territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of each other.

The presidents also noted in the joint statement the need for the peaceful settlement of conflicts in accordance with the principles and norms of international law, based on the respect for and compliance with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders, Hajiyev added.

Hajiyev noted that multimodal transport systems, seaports, as well as road and transport infrastructure were created in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkmenistan and the documents signed during the visit gave a solid momentum to integration and harmonization of the transport systems of both countries, the creation of a legal framework for cooperation in transportation and other areas, Hajiyev added.

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are making an important contribution to the development of the East-West Transport Corridor not only at the regional level, but at the level of the whole Eurasian continent.
Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkmenistan has opened a new page in the development of relations between the two countries, MP Elman Nasirov told Trend.

He said that a record number of documents were signed during the visit.

Twenty-one documents of strategic importance were signed, he noted. The signing of 14 documents between the two countries during last years visit by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Azerbaijan, as well as the fact that the regulatory framework of bilateral relations includes 68 documents indicate that unique opportunities have been created for development of relations between Baku and Ashgabat in the political, economic, humanitarian and energy spheres, as well as in transport security."

"In addition, the joint statement signed by the two presidents once again demonstrated that in fundamental issues, that is, in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ashgabat takes a principled position that the conflict should be settled on the basis of territorial integrity and the principle of inviolability of Azerbaijans borders," the MP said.

Nasirov also noted that presently there is a great potential for development of economic ties between the two countries.

"Trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $164.1 million in 2017. Azerbaijan's exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $54.1 million and products worth $110 million were imported from Turkmenistan," Nasirov said.

He said in general the visit showed that there are no unsolved issues between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
By Narmina Mammadova

The United States does not plan to participate in consultations on Syria in Astana at the end of November, but will be happy with their results if they prove to be effective, special representative of the U.S. Secretary of State for Syria, James Jeffrey, said, RIA Novosti reported.

He explained that the United States does not take part in every initiative on Syria.

"We do not plan to participate. We remain open-minded in terms of the possible effectiveness of negotiations in Astana," said Jeffrey.

The diplomat added that the U.S. welcomed the Istanbul summit held at the end of last month, in which Russian president and his counterparts from France, Germany and Turkey participated.

If the meeting in Astana turns out to be as effective as the Istanbul summit and also yields results that will benefit the people of Syria and international security in the region, then the United States will be happy and will work with such results, James Jeffrey said.

The meeting on Syria in Astana will be held on November 28-29.

Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad have discussed the situation in Syria and preparations for a meeting on the Syrian settlement in Astana, TASS reported.

The parties exchanged views in detail on the situation in and around Syria, including in the context of the upcoming 11th international meeting on Syria.

To date, Kazakhstans capital Astana hosted nine rounds of negotiations on resolving the conflict in Syria.

In December 2017, during the eighth international meeting on Syria, the guarantor countries agreed on establishing a working group on the release of detainees/abductees and handover of the bodies as well as the identification of missing persons, and adopted a joint statement on humanitarian demining in Syria, including UNESCO's cultural heritage sites.

Russia, Iran and Turkey coordinated terms of holding of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress on January 29-30, 2018 in Sochi.

Guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime - Russia, Turkey and Iran - had agreed on May 4 in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to establish "de-escalation zones" in war-torn Syria. De-escalation zones in Syria allowed to significantly reduce the scale of the conflict and contributed to the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria.

While the Astana process is separate from the UNs Geneva talks on Syrian crisis, the attendance of the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura links the Kazakh platform to broader international efforts.

Syria has been locked in civil war since March 2011. All previous efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution were ruined, with the opposition demanding Assad leave power, the government insisting he stay on, and neither side able to force the issue by achieving a military victory.

According to the UN, the number of victims of military operations in the country can range from 300,000 to half a million people. The settlement of the conflict is discussed in Astana and Geneva, and the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue, which took place on January 30 this year in Sochi, was the first attempt to gather a wide range of participants on one negotiating platform.

Many believe the Astana meetings to offer new opportunities, that should be used at any cost.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
I was 22 years old and working in Glasgow when one of my best friends from university called to offer me a job. Cath was and still is a big dote and the first person I met at uni. As I walked into our halls of residence, weighted down with bags, suitcases and a fear of leaving home, up came Cath with a massive big smile, a hug and an offer to help and we were firm friends from that moment.

A few years on and despite living more than 500 miles apart, we were still in almost daily contact. I had landed a job in the newsroom of a radio station and maths graduate Cath had been poached by an American company looking to open an office in London.

Cath explained that it was a business based on this new-fangled thing, the internet and the idea was that people looking for information or answers to their questions would type their queries into their web page and be redirected by them.

I couldn't get my head around that. I mean, how would you make money from finding facts or addresses for people?

Sure, wasn't that what the Yellow Pages and encyclopedias were for? So I ignored her advice to jump on board and instead turned down her offer to come and work at the company which had the strange name 'Google'...

More than 20 years on and Cath is no longer with that company but has had a wonderful, exciting life working first in London and in later years, Silicon Valley.

Of course, my early doubts about the lasting appeal of search engines have been proved wrong but there are still new technologies being introduced that I think I'll skip, thanks very much.

Like the relatively new practice of being microchipped by your company. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie but it's honestly true.

A small chip is inserted into the soft, squidgy skin between your thumb and forefinger and you can use it in your place of work in exactly the same way you use a contactless bank card.

You just swipe your hand in front of a vending machine or canteen till to pay for food and drink. You do the same thing to unlock doors or even to fill in passwords on computers.

You can also store lots of information on it in case of a medical emergency, everything from previous ailments to next of kin contact details can be discovered in seconds once the chip is scanned.

It all sounds very handy and helpful, but I can't get over the thought that there's something quite unsavoury about it.

The technology is already being utilised in some workplaces. For example, in two test hospitals in America they're using it to measure how often doctors and nurses wash their hands. In the fight against MRSA and other transferable bugs I get the idea behind it. Small bonuses and rewards are offered to the medical staff who always hit their target but my fear would be that at some stage the offer of a carrot could easily be replaced with the threat of a stick.

It's not much of a stretch to imagine it being rolled out to monitor all sorts of employee behaviour.

As a knackered, middle-aged mum-of-three it's not as if I'm fearful of being discovered doing something I shouldn't. Believe me, I have neither the time nor energy to be involved in any industrial subterfuge. It's the notion of being monitored and followed like a child that sits uneasily with me.

As somebody who works at the cutting edge of all that's new I asked Cath what she thought of being microchipped. It turns out that they introduced it at her very forward-thinking office at the start of this year.

Again, it's on a voluntary basis with employees but Cath said that she thought most of the younger, newer members of staff had signed up, some out of real curiosity but some because they feel it's what expected of them.

And as for Cath? Well, she's yet to be convinced and says that until the privacy and security of the information stored on the chip is improved, she'll pass.

Advice I'll definitely follow this time
Professor Sir George Bain was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada. His mother, Margaret Bamford, was brought up in Belfast and his great-grandmother ran Pat's Bar in the city's Sailortown from 1890 to 1918. His father, George Alexander Bain, came from Alloa in Scotland and later worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

George Bain has had a distinguished academic career and his senior posts include chair of the Warwick Business School, principal of the London Business School and president and vice-chancellor of Queen's University Belfast from 1998 to 2004.

He has led significant fundraising campaigns and is a former chair of the Lyric Theatre's development trust, former executive chairman of the board of the Ulster Orchestra and former chairman of the Keeper's Council of the Robinson Library in Armagh. He has been awarded many prizes, including 12 honorary doctorates, and was knighted in 2001.

He is married to Gwynneth and has two grown-up children from a previous marriage and four granddaughters. His recreations include genealogy, Western riding, piano playing and ice-skating.

Q. How and when did you come to faith?

A. I started attending Sunday School when I was about four and continued until I was about 15 or 16. I taught Sunday School for a couple of years after that. Until I was about 15, I was intending to train to become a minister in the United Church of Canada, which was a merger in 1925 of the Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists.

There was a close link between my faith and my politics - democratic socialism. The leading socialist politicians in Canada, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, between the 1930s and 1970s - JS Woodsworth, Tommy Douglas and Stanley Knowles - were all Protestant ministers, in the social gospel tradition.

I was also much influenced by the Rev (later Lord) Donald Soper, who spoke most Sundays at Hyde Park Corner and toured Canada when I was a teenager.

Although I am no longer a Christian, the Christian Socialist tradition that I was brought up in still has a profound influence on my ethics and values.

Q. Have you ever had a crisis of faith? Or a gnawing doubt about your faith?

A. I gave up believing, because I could no longer accept many of the key Christian concepts, such as the virgin birth, an afterlife, the Holy Trinity, the sanctity of the Bible.

Q. Have you ever been angry with God and, if so, why?

A. Not since I was very young. Since I don't believe in God, I find it difficult to be angry with him.

Q. Are you ever ashamed of your own Church or denomination?

A. No, since I do not belong to any Church. If I did, however, I would be ashamed of the way some religions treat gays and women.

I think that the Irish Presbyterian Church's stance on LGBT people is wrong and very unChristian.

Is not everybody - LGBT people included - made in God's image?

And, if they are believers, do they not deserve God's love?

I agree with George Orwell that the worst advertisement for Christianity and socialism are its adherents.

Q. Are you afraid of death? Or are you able to look beyond death?

A. No, I am not afraid. I will be 80 next February.

I revise my will every few years. And I have just completed 'Last Orders', guidelines as to how I want my secular memorial service to be conducted and my personal possessions to be distributed.

While I would like to live a few more years to complete various projects I am working on and to see my grandchildren grow up, I have no wish to live beyond the point when I no longer enjoy the best of health.

Moreover, the current state of the world makes it much easier for me to depart it.

For those who are afraid of death, I recommend Seneca: How to Die: An Ancient Guide to the End of Life, a short book republished recently by Princeton University Press.

Q. Are you worried at all about hell?

A. No.

Q. Do you believe in a resurrection? And, if so, what will it be like?

A. No. And since my body will be cremated, God would have trouble resurrecting me.

Q. What do you think about people of other denominations and other faiths?

A. I am an atheist, not an agnostic, but I am not an aggressive, or campaigning, atheist, like Richard Dawkins. I can think of no more useless activity than trying to convert people to atheism.

If people get comfort from their religion, who am I to tell them to give it up? Tolerance is what is required of both atheists and believers.

Two of my four granddaughters, aged five and two, are being raised in the Catholic faith.

They will decide when they are older whether they wish to continue with their faith.

And, if they do not, they will be acting more rationally than those who reject a faith without having first examined it.

Q. Would you be comfortable in stepping out from your own faith and trying to learn something from other people?

A. Yes. I think comparative religions is a most interesting and valuable subject and should be taught in schools, instead of the traditional RE, faith-based courses.

Q. Do you think that the Churches here are fulfilling their mission?

A. I think the mission of Churches varies by denomination and even by parish, so for me I find this a difficult question to answer.

Q. Why are so many people now turning their back on organised religion?

A. No doubt, many reasons - including higher levels of education, lack of relevance to some of the key political and social questions of the day and scandalous behaviour by the clergy of some faiths.

Q. Has religion helped or hindered the people of Northern Ireland?

A. On balance, hindered. My wife Gwynneth and I have lived here for 20 years and have greatly enjoyed it, but we are disappointed that the promise of the Good Friday Agreement, which is a less sectarian society, has not been delivered.

We are perhaps more divided today, though more peaceful, than we were a few years ago.

Q. What is your favourite film, music and book?

A. My favourite film is The Grapes of Wrath based on John Steinbeck's novel. It tells the story of the drought-ridden prairies of North America, where I was born in 1939 at the end of the Great Depression.

My favourite music is classical. It's stood the test of time and I've been playing it on the piano since I was seven. I also like hymns, military music and folk as they are used to mobilise people to achieve objectives.

I don't have a favourite book. As an academic, who has been reading and writing books for many decades, I love books in the plural.

Q. And finally, do you have any regrets?

A. Yes. That I did not accomplish more in the last 80 years.
Teresa Sweeney with her son Ronan. The familys Christmas pudding  made to a secret recipe that has been passed down through the generations  is sold through their business at the Poachers Pocket in Lisbane

Standing as a young boy elbow deep in flour along with his 8 siblings, gastro pub chain owner Ronan Sweeney has fond memories of his childhood at this time of year. And as the tradition of Stir-up Sunday takes place this weekend, Ronan is aiming to spread a little early festive cheer by sharing 'some' of the secret of his mum's delicious Christmas pudding recipe which is a firm favourite on his restaurant menus.

Stir-Up Sunday, which falls on the last Sunday before Advent, is a Victorian Christmas tradition, when the family would gather together to stir the Christmas pudding five weeks before the big day.

It is a tradition which Ronan remembers well from his childhood growing up in Newry when his mum, Teresa, baked up to 25 Christmas puddings for her extended family, roping in all of her 9 kids to help.

It was a sure sign that Christmas was coming when his mum brought out the big pot to mix up the ingredients.

The kitchen of their small home above their father's grocery store in Newry was filled with the spicy aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, rich fruit, stout and brandy which even now evokes those strong childhood memories for Ronan.

Ma Sweeney's pudding was legendary with her friends and family which is why she baked so many and needed so many tiny hands to help.

It has since become a firm festive favourite in the Balloo Inns chain of gastro pubs - The Parson's Nose, The Poacher's Pocket and Balloo House.

The chefs in all three have already prepared Ma Sweeney's puddings - not just to serve up to customers in the restaurants, but for people to buy and take home to be part of their own Christmas Day.

Ronan's mum kept the recipe, which was handed down from his granny, secret for years.

It was only when she no longer was able to bake it herself for the restaurant a few years ago that she agreed to share it with her son's chefs.

And sharing it with Belfast Telegraph readers today is a whole other step away from tradition, but one Ronan assures us his mum is happy with. "She did have a wee wobble because the recipe was secret for so long but she is really excited about sharing it and it is a great recipe that she has perfected over the years.

"We've maybe kept one or two of her special ingredients out to preserve the uniqueness of her recipe, but it is as close as anyone will ever get."

Ronan remembers his childhood home as full of happiness - a place where his mum cooked everything from scratch and, with so many mouths to feed, the kids were encouraged to help.

And he has no doubt that his own love of good food comes from his childhood.

He says: "My mum worked full-time and still cooked everything from scratch. She would come home in her lunch hour to cook for everyone and on Sundays there would have been apple pie and buns. She was always in cook mode and we all love cooking now.

"The smells of mum's baking and cooking evoke so many memories for me even now.

"This was the time for Christmas pudding and my mother would have made 20 or 25, 7lb Christmas puddings every year for us and her family.

"We would all have had to help and would have been elbow deep in the mixing bin.

"Mum used to reapply the brandy every couple of weeks coming up to Christmas to mature her puddings.

"She also made about 15 Christmas cakes and two or three of them would have had Guinness in them. The funny thing is she never tasted alcohol in her life, she was a lifelong teetotaller."

Ronan, who is in his 40s, believes this early experience of good food served up at home also influenced his choice of career.

He runs his multi award-winning restaurants with his wife Jennie. The couple have four children aged from 10 to 18 years.

They opened Balloo House in Balloo near Strangford in 2003 and a year later launched The Poacher's Pocket in Lisbane, followed in 2009 by the Parson's Nose in Hillsborough.

All three have won an array of accolades including Michelin Guide endorsements and this year were included in the Sunday Times 'Top 20 sexiest restaurants UK list' and the Mail on Sunday Best Sunday Lunches UK.

Every sauce, soup and meal served up is cooked from scratch by a talented team of chefs, and this is something Ronan says was also passed on by his mum.

Growing up there was no money for ready meals and even his late father, Gerald, who passed away in 1998 aged 74, contributed by baking fresh wheaten bread for the family every day.

Ronan says: "My dad didn't cook but he baked every day. Money was tight so mum wouldn't have been able to buy ready meals for 9 of us even if she had wanted to."

And this ethos of making everything from scratch is something which is important in Ronan's business.

"We don't buy ice cream in, we make our own and we don't buy cut chips as we do them ourselves," he explains.

"It is not a sales pitch, it's just what we do. It is more labour intensive but we believe it is always better to make everything from scratch just like my mum did when we were growing up.

"Even our bread and scones are baked fresh daily and that's what people want, something fresh that is just out of the oven.

"All three of our restaurants started to make Ma Sweeney's Christmas puddings in October to give them lots of time to mature, although we don't put in as much brandy as mum would have tipped into them.

"We also package them and sell them in the Poacher's Pocket.

"When we first opened in 2003, mum made the puddings for the restaurants and would have done 30-40 of them but when it became too much for her we had to wrestle the recipe from her.

"It is a fairly simple recipe but you have got to follow her technique. Everything has to be mixed thoroughly and cooked long and slow."

Of course, these days Ma Sweeney is taking things a lot easier at Christmas which she still spends surrounded by family who are now happy do the cooking for her.

As well as having an appreciation of good quality food, her son Ronan has learnt the hard way about eating healthily after he suffered a stroke 10 years ago.

It wasn't long after he opened his first restaurant and it took almost a year for him to make a full recovery.

Since then he has dramatically changed his lifestyle, cutting out smoking, exercising more, working fewer hours and eating more heathily.

Ronan is so grateful to have come through it that he has dedicated this year to raising awareness of stroke as well as gathering funds for the local charity Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke (NICHS).

All of his 120 employees, including chefs, managers and front-of-house staff, have got involved in fundraising as has every one of his customers.

Ronan was also motivated to support the charity by the tragic loss of his head chef at the Parson's Nose, Marius Clery.

Marius, a father of three boys from Enniskillen, was 50 when he suffered a stroke three years ago, and passed away a few days later.

Launching Balloo Eat and Defeat five months ago, the company invited customers at any of its three restaurants to add on a donation of 1 to their bill for NICHS.

Ronan says not a single person has refused. "In five months, not one customer has declined to contribute which is fantastic and I think that is a reflection of the worth of people in general.

"Every family has been struck by stroke or heart problems and people can really relate to what we are doing.

"The aim was to run it for a year but we will try and keep it going after that and continue to support the charity.

"The charity means a lot to me because of my own personal experience. I am absolutely committed to putting a lot of energy into supporting them.

"I am feeling super and I cycle two to three times a week with Killinchy Cycle Club.

"I've overhauled all aspects of my life and to be honest I feel healthier now than I have ever done."

Christmas pudding

Recipe inspired by Ma Sweeney

For a 2.5 pint pudding bowl, serves 6

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

450g/1lb good quality dried mixed fruit (sultanas, raisins, mixed peel)

1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and diced

3 tbsp brandy

250ml Guinness

75g/3oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

100g/3.5oz dark brown sugar

2 large free-range eggs

1 tbsp treacle

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

40g/1.5oz fresh white breadcrumbs

40g/1.5oz chopped almonds

METHOD

Place the dried fruit into a bowl. Add the measured brandy and Guinness and leave to marinate for about one hour.

Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon or a hand-held whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Fold the mixed spice into the creamed mixture. Add the breadcrumbs and the almonds. Add the soaked dried fruits with their soaking liquid and stir well.

Butter a 1.4 litre/2.5 pint pudding bowl and spoon in the pudding mixture, but don't fill the bowl to the top - leave a 1cm gap for expansion. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Cover the pudding with the pudding bowl lid.

To steam, put the pudding bowl into a large pot with enough boiling water to come three-quarters of the way up the side of the pudding bowl. Cover the pot with lid and simmer on a low heat for three hours, topping up with water regularly.

Remove from the pan and leave to cool. Turn the pudding out and wrap it in greaseproof paper. Store in a cool, dry place.

Place the pudding on a tray in a medium oven for 15 minutes. It can also be warmed in a microwave for 2-3 minutes. Serve with brandy butter or vanilla custard if preferred.
Mari Gallagher says: "I decided, 'if you are going to write about this, you can't just say I did this for my children'. To make a story authentic, you have to write about yourself, and that was the biggest thing I did - I told everything. I started at the beginning. That may sound reckless, but I think, to make a story, you have to tell it all."

That is how Mari, now 57, feels about the process of writing Becoming A Mother, Reflections On Adoptive Parenthood, and indeed, she has written a book that is candid, unafraid, and detailed. She writes about aspects of adoption that are difficult, including the simple but often unacknowledged fact that one woman's joy begins in another woman's tragedy. She also tells her own story, in the same kind of candid detail.

The book was inspired by Mari's experiences adopting two children, Kev and Tatiana, now aged 20 and 17, from Russia and Kazakhstan, and is, simply put, "the book I wanted to read, but that didn't exist".

"Not all parenthood starts with the desire to parent," Mari says, "adoptive parenting definitely does." Having felt "no maternal urge" until her mid-30s, Mari, who married Phil when she was 32, found that the desire for children "hit like a super-fast freight train" about two years later. And yet it was not to be. 'Unexplained' infertility was the diagnosis, or rather lack of one.

"'Unexplained' just means they don't know. It's no-man's land. It's not an answer. And the angry bit of me was going 'of course there's something wrong. If there wasn't something wrong, wouldn't I be getting pregnant?' That was going around in my head. I would see what I called 'apathetic parenting', and because your senses are so heightened, you're looking and being judgemental. You get into this thing of maybe being a little bit resentful: 'why did this happen to me?'"

She was, she says, "consumed" with the idea of getting pregnant, and went through two gruelling, and unsuccessful, rounds of IVF treatment. "It was brutal," Mari says, "I found the whole thing brutal. That's the only word."

At the time, Mari, now a psychotherapist, worked in a bank. She wanted to share what she was going through, but didn't dare do so under her own name. "I wanted to write, but I was absolutely terrified. I hadn't really told anyone. My sister knew - but outside of that, I didn't say anything. Shame held me back," she says. "I suppose there's a part of you that wonders why it's not happening: is there a flaw? Is there some superior being saying 'this is not for you. We're taking an executive decision, and you haven't made the cut'. Both those things hold you back. And, it is attached to a very personal part of you, which is your sex life. The minute you start to talk about that aspect of you, you're talking about someone else as well, and what happens between you. All that holds you back."

She wrote a piece for Medicine Weekly, in the mid-1990s, under a pseudonym, that led to a call from radio show Liveline, hosted by Marian Finucane at the time. "There was a message on the answering machine. They had contacted the magazine to say would I go on? I couldn't. I just couldn't."

After two rounds, she and Phil decided not to continue with IVF, but before "when I was still in the throes of that stark passage of trying all the reproduction treatments, my partner tentatively mentioned adoption. My first reaction was 'I'm not sure about that'" So she did "what I always do - I said 'I'll read up'. I went into the shops, and there was nothing, at all, of any sort, to read about adoption."

Soon afterwards, Mari says: "I got to a point where I thought 'if I don't get pregnant, do I want to be childless?' That was the question I had to ask myself. I really mulled over that for a while - all the possible advantages, all the considerations: 'Do you have to be a parent? Does society see you differently if you're not a parent? Do you miss out?' I mulled over all of it and thought, 'I just would love to share my life with a child, or two. That's what I want'. So I knew I was going to keep going. That was the point at which I thought, if it's a choice between having to go through adoption and it being just the two of us for the rest of our lives, I'll take the risk'."

Although the adoption was to be international - at the time, Russia was open for adoption in a way that it no longer is - the assessment was done in Ireland, and is a lengthy, demanding and intrusive process, often entered into at a tricky emotional time.

"Anger and disappointment at your own fertility is rumbling around in your head like the witches' cauldron from Macbeth - you're still a cauldron of emotions from what's happened to you, and you're moving into this whole new sphere where you have to think about a whole other set of priorities. It's a challenge."

What kept her going? "It was tough. But I guess I've always thought - if I become a mother after this sometimes I would sit down, in the midst of it all, and I thought I saw him [my son]. I know that sounds really daft - but I thought I saw him, this little bundle, sitting looking over at me from the sofa. That's what I was working towards. That kept me going."

And, in 1998 Russia went through a massive economic downturn. "I was looking at photos of people queuing and queuing outside banks, and thinking, 'this could happen now'. I could see what was going on in Russia - one person's tragedy really is another person's opportunity. I didn't feel comfortable about it, but it's the way of life."

Mari was right, and in February 1999, she and Phil flew to Moscow, then on to Yekaterinburg in Siberia and another 100 miles by car to an orphanage in the city of Nizhny Tagil, to meet six-month-old Kev Alexander Vladimir. What was she thinking, on that journey? "It was quite terrifying. It was cold, I couldn't eat - I wasn't able to, with the nerves I suppose. I had all these worries: 'Will he hate me? Will he not want me?' That was my fear. I had this thing - 'supposing he looks, and he doesn't want me?' When we met first, this has always stayed in my mind - he took a piece of my hair and a piece of my cheek, in his hands, and he pulled me in. He's 20 now," she laughs, "and he's still doing that."

Back home, "we could see, bit by bit - Kev was like a flower blossoming. He was serious, a little bit suspicious at the start. That all just blossomed out as he realised, these ones are not going to go anywhere, they're here. Any child coming from an institution will have seen loads of people come and go, minders, different faces and no face is the 'real' face. It happened quite quickly - maybe he was that type of a child? - but it wasn't difficult for him to become part of us. It happened easily."

Even so, she describes a time of post-adoption 'blues', a period of weeks after arriving home with Kev in which - no different to any other new mother - she found herself overwhelmed at the change in her life.

"There is no physical effect with adoption, as there is with giving birth, but there is an adjustment period with this child, who isn't a newborn, is older, more active. It's a shock, and you can feel guilty - thinking 'this is a wonderful miracle, and I'm so fortunate', however there is a downness."

It was not, she says, depression, although that can happen, more that she felt "quite blue. I was thrilled, but I was also puzzled: 'why am I feeling like this?'" Exhaustion, frustration and isolation very often go hand-in-hand with joy for new mothers, and Mari was no different, except that to those, she added anxiety.

"In the early days, whenever Kev cried, I was convinced there was something much more serious amiss than hunger, tiredness or a nappy that needed changing," she writes.

Two years later, Mari and Phil adopted Tatiana, from Kazakhstan. "Russia became difficult politically. We knew it would be a very long wait if we wanted to have two Russian-born children. My main thing was, I really wanted them to be close in age. So they could be companions, friends, for each other, which they are. There's a gap of two-and-a-half years between them." Tatiana was a little older, 10 months, when she came to Mari and Phil, and she too "blended quite quickly with us".

There are plenty of dark adoption stories, including shocking ones where parents 'give back' the child they have adopted, because they decide they can't, or don't wish, to cope. Were Mari and Phil warned about the possible difficulties, the effects of institutionalisation and the primal wound - something experts agree is a feature of children who have been removed from their birth mother, no matter how young they are when this happens - and can include feelings of loneliness, isolation, tantrums, developmental delay, and an array of challenging behaviour that can mimic the symptoms of - and is often misdiagnosed as - ADHD?

"Not at all," she says. "I think the social workers assessing us did try but at the time, denial was my cloak: 'Don't tell me those things. Don't stop me now, I am doing this'. You go into your adoption assessment with your best foot forward; it's like a job interview. You highlight all the things you're going to do great, you try not to mention the ones you're a little bit unsure about." The primal wound is something she never heard of until after she had adopted both her children - "I would have sensed sadness in both children, it did make sense," she says, of discovering this.

It was when researching post-adoption services, and discovering that at the time these were almost non-existent, that Mari began to think of changing career. She had taken a three-year sabbatical from the bank in order to be at home with Kev and Tatiana, and was carefully reading and researching every new phase of her children's development. "One of the things I noticed was that in Ireland there is very little post-adoption support. I thought that's an area I would like to work in."

After her sister - "I would say she was my best friend" - died of cancer in 2006, when she was just 44, Mari went for bereavement counselling. "It was wonderful. I was amazed that you could go in and talk your head off, with no judgment. I thought this is pretty good. So I moved in that direction." She left the bank and, in 2012, began training to be a psychotherapist; "as part of your training, you have to do 50 hours of therapy. At first I thought, 'is this just a racket?' But I was proved wrong. It was absolutely super."

In the book, Mari has written about revisiting her own childhood in therapy, growing up on a farm in Leitrim, the daughter of an alcoholic father. "There was love mixed with complete resentment," she says. "I did respect him because he did work hard, and he did taxi me around the place and bring me to things, and he did give me good advice about different things, when he was in the mood. But he was the other as well. Which has you tense and nervous, because you're not sure what's going to happen next."

Did she understand that he was an alcoholic? "I didn't. I would not even have thought that word until I went into therapy in my 40s. It would never have occurred to me. It was just who he was, part and parcel. It wasn't until I talked about it in therapy that it was clarified, and that was an amazing thing for me. The demons were flying around. It was like the cataracts fell from my eyes. It was," she says, "almost like the forming of a new me in a sense; clearing out a load of those conceptions I had. It was freeing, to know - that was a choice someone else made and I had nothing to do with it."

She left home at 17 - "I went out the back door of the secondary school and straight into the front door of the bank" - but came back every weekend. "I was able to form my own life, carve out a life for myself away from it. I did worry about my mother, that everything was going to be okay with her. That brought me home a lot. A letter during the week, then I'd be home at the weekend."

When Mari was 27 her mother got cancer and died within two years. Her father died just over a year later. "That was overwhelming," she says. "It was a crisis period, where everything was in flux; home wasn't home anymore." By then, she had met Phil - on a ski holiday in France - and "he was a significant part of my life by then. When you've found a significant other, it does really help things. It makes a huge difference. He was always there - we were there for each other. And I had my sister."

How did she find the process of writing about her childhood and her parents? "In a way it was cathartic, putting it down. But it is hard to do it - there's a loyalty. The word 'disloyalty' has gone around my head, and I have seen their faces, in my mind, and wondered. But it is 30 years. I suppose the thing that kept me going is that it is my story, and I have expressed my love for them."

The need for truth, for the telling of "it all" extends to Mari's children. She has tracked down both of their birth families and made contact with them. "There is," she says "receptiveness there although nothing has happened yet. The information is there. I hold it in trust for them." This means that when - if - Kev and Tatiana decide they wish to be in touch with their first families, they will not discover a trail gone cold or, as can happen, that death has intervened before them. Becoming A Mother has been written as the book Mari would have wanted to read before she began the journey of adoption. It is full of the things she was not told - the warnings, the recommendations, the research - as well as the many discoveries she made along the way. It is comprehensive, kind, and very useful. And it does not shirk from the hard truths of adoption, including the particularly dark history in this country.

The book is dedicated to Inna and Marina - Kev and Tatiana's birth mothers - acknowledgement that without their pain, there would not have been joy for Mari; that they are part of the story too.

Becoming A Mother, Reflections On Adoptive Parenthood by Mari Gallagher is out now, 16, published by Orpen Press. Fifty per cent of royalties will go to Barnardos, who provide post-adoption support. www.barnardos.ie

Mari Gallagher has written a deeply honest book about infertility, her difficult childhood, and adoption, writes Emily Hourican

Madonna:

Of all the controversies in her career, Madonna's adoption of four children has probably been the most heated. Accusations of 'buying babies' have dogged her since she adopted David from Malawi in 2006, followed by Mercy (right) in 2009, and four-year-old twins Esther and Stella in 2017.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt:

Along with three biological children, Brangelina adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002, Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005 and Pax from Vietnam in 2007. Now divorced, rumour has it that Angelina (right, with Maddox and Pax) is planning another adoption.

Charlize Theron: The actress adopted a son, Jackson, from South Africa in 2012, and a girl, August, from the US in 2015, and has said: "This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first."

Mia Farrow: Along with four biological children, Mia Farrow adopted 10 more children: Lark Song, Summer Song and Soon-Yi adopted with first husband Andre Previn; Moses and Dylan, adopted after her divorce from Previn who were later co-adopted by Woody Allen; Tam, Quincy, Frankie-Minh, Isaiah Justus and Thaddeus Wilk after her split from Allen. Three of her adopted children are deceased: Tam, Lark, and Thaddeus.
A north Belfast man who forced his ex-partner and two children to flee their home after setting her car and house on fire in an early-morning arson attack was given a three-year sentence yesterday

A north Belfast man who forced his ex-partner and two children to flee their home after setting her car and house on fire in an early-morning arson attack was given a three-year sentence yesterday.

Steven Colhoun (45) was also handed a five-year restraining order to keep him away from his former partner of 24 years.

During sentencing at Belfast Crown Court, Judge David McFarland said that while he accepted Colhoun's intention was just to set the car on fire, the father-of-two "must have known there was going to be a significant fire" which then spread to the house.

Colhoun, from Glandor Avenue, was charged with two counts of arson on April 23 this year, and of harassing his ex-partner over a three-month period from January to April, 2018.

He was also charged with drink driving on April 23, and admitted all the offences.

The court heard that in the hours prior to the arson attack, Colhoun had gone to his ex's home in the Skegoneill area of Belfast where a confrontation took place.

Colhoun left but, after consuming alcohol and cocaine, he returned in the early hours of the following morning when all the lights were off. He poured petrol over his ex-partner's car which he then set alight.

The blaze quickly spread to the house, which forced the woman and her two children, aged 15 and seven, to flee. The Fire Service was called, and Colhoun was arrested at the scene.

Judge McFarland noted that it was fortunate the fire didn't spread to the property's gas supply, which he said would have led to "catastrophic damage and physical injuries".

Other residents had to evacuate their homes while the blaze was dealt with. The damage to the property is estimated to be in the region of 130,000, while the car was destroyed.

Colhoun's former partner and two children have not yet been able to return home and are currently living in temporary accommodation.

Defence barrister Jonathan Browne pointed out that as soon as he was arrested, Colhoun made full and frank admissions, co-operated with police and expressed immediate remorse.

Ordering Colhoun to serve half his sentence in custody and half on licence, Judge McFarland told him: "Clearly this was extremely reckless conduct on your part."

Noting this was Colhoun's fifth offence for drink driving, the judge banned him from driving for three years.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond with DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast last night

Arlene Foster yesterday warned Theresa May that she risks losing DUP support if she presses ahead with the current Brexit deal.

Speaking ahead of her party conference, Mrs Foster called on the Prime Minister to ditch the Withdrawal Agreement or face the end of the Westminster pact.

She told BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics: "If she is successful in Parliament, and there is no evidence that she is going to be successful in Parliament, then of course we will have to revisit the confidence and supply agreement.

"That agreement was about giving national stability, it was acting in the national interest and delivering on Brexit.

"If this is not going to deliver on Brexit then of course that brings us back to the situation of looking at the confidence and supply agreement, but we are not there yet and we are not going to jump ahead until we see what happens in Parliament."

Later today, Mrs Foster will deliver her leader's speech to the DUP annual conference in Belfast.

Her remarks will come under intense scrutiny, after a torrid week in which her party has faced an unprecedented level of public criticism from business and farming interests, concerned about their potential rejection of Mrs May's controversial Withdrawal Agreement proposals.

In spite of tensions with the Government, Chancellor Phillip Hammond addressed a pre-conference dinner last night.

The gathering will be addressed later today by former minister and arch-Brexiteer Boris Johnson.

But Mrs Foster is expected to tell her audience that the proposed Withdrawal Agreement is not in the long-term interests of Northern Ireland.

She will say: "I know that there are many in the business community in Northern Ireland who are frustrated with the pace of negotiations and the politics around it and who simply seek certainty. I understand their position.

"They have been clear that they would prefer what is currently on the table rather than a no-deal outcome.

"But for us we cannot wish away the fact that the draft withdrawal agreement contains arrangements that are not in Northern Ireland's long-term economic or strategic interests.

"Northern Ireland would remain part of the European Union's customs code and as things stand we would be sowing the seeds of inevitable economic divergence from our largest market."

Mrs Foster will also point to the "contradictions" in the agreement, telling delegates: "On the one hand, we are told the backstop would be the best of both worlds and on the other we are told it is unlikely to be needed.

"Therein lies one of the many contradictions at the heart of this draft withdrawal agreement."

Mrs Foster will argue that the business community has accepted a false choice propagated by government spin doctors between Mrs May's unacceptable deal and the bogey man of a World Trade Organisation Brexit, which does not require a formal exit deal with the EU.

She will say: "The choice is not between this deal and no deal despite what the Government spin machine may say.

"The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer then the only option is to look beyond this current draft withdrawal agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome."

The conference will also hear from Nigel Dodds, the party's Westminster leader, who will deliver a blistering attack on the Irish backstop proposals and call on Mrs May to ditch the plans.

He is expected to state that "the confidence and supply deal is a two-way street". The Government's commitments under it are clear including on Brexit.

"Commitments freely entered into must be delivered and if they are not, then clearly, as we have shown, there are consequences."

He will add: "Rather than waste any more time putting forward false choices, we need the government to get on with securing a better deal."

Mr Dodds will describe the Agreement as "a pitiful and pathetic place for the United Kingdom".

"Hundreds of pages are devoted to a backstop which will bind the United Kingdom into taking the rules of the EU with no right to leave and no end date: a backstop that will put Northern Ireland under swathes of EU laws with no say for anyone in Belfast or London.a trade border down the Irish Sea: a backstop that keeps a continuing role for the ECJ: a backstop that deletes all reference to para 50 of the Joint Report giving the final say to Northern Ireland.

"Prime Minister - bin the backstop!" he will say.
The Government is considering providing extra border backstop assurances to the DUP, the Chancellor said yesterday.

Philip Hammond said ministers have a number of choices through the parliamentary process, which include extending the Brexit implementation period ahead of the permanent relationship.

That could avoid having to use a backstop, in which the UK would continue to follow EU regulations relating to trade across the Irish border - a solution which is adamantly opposed by the DUP.

Mr Hammond met DUP leader Arlene Foster and her deputy Nigel Dodds in the lobby of a Belfast hotel before holding a meeting with them.

He said he was delighted to be there and relations between the two parties were good.

The meeting, which lasted 30 minutes, came ahead of Mr Hammond's speaking appearance at the DUP's pre-conference dinner - a behind-closed-doors gathering.

Earlier, the Chancellor visited a school in Moira, Co Down and told the BBC: "I would much prefer to see us extending the implementation period and I am sure my DUP colleagues would take the same view.

"So we need to look at how we can provide reassurance about how we will use the options that the agreement gives us."

The DUP has promised to oppose the Prime Minister's draft Withdrawal Agreement with the EU over its concerns about the Irish backstop arrangement, which is designed to prevent imposing a hard border.

It would mean Northern Ireland continuing to follow EU regulations relating to matters like cross-border trade.

The DUP is determined to prevent any divergence from the rest of the UK.

The Chancellor met the owners of 20 small businesses in Belfast during a walkabout in the city centre followed by a round-table discussion hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Chair of the FSB in NI, Tina McKenzie, said Mr Hammond appeared to be in "listening mode" during the discussion.

She said he expressed interest in the FSB's proposal to make Northern Ireland an "enhanced economic zone", which the FSB chair argues could turn the province into the "Singapore of the Western Hemisphere" through the ability to trade freely into the UK market and throughout Europe.

The meeting also touched on business rates, the absence of an Executive and support for Belfast city centre. Last month the Chancellor announced 2m funding from the Treasury toward the recovery of Belfast city centre in the wake of the Primark fire.

Yesterday he said: "During my visit to the city centre today, I was impressed by the resolve of the Belfast people to recover as quickly as possible after the Bank Buildings fire. It has had a significant impact for many local businesses and I understand the urgency of opening up full access again and completing the regeneration works."

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox also visited Northern Ireland yesterday and said language in the draft UK-EU Political Declaration, which refers to looking at technology to address the Irish border, was "encouraging".

Manufacturing NI said that a survey among its members showed 94.4% in support, with just 21 firms opposed to the agreement.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson yesterday suggested that businesses were "swallowing the Prime Minister's propaganda", following comments earlier in the week, where he accused firms of being "puppets" for the NIO.

But Mr Fox told the Belfast Telegraph: "I think people can look at the information and make up their own minds.

"I think businesses will operate in the way that best suits their profitability and their own particular commercial future.

"The Prime Minister has set out a deal which not everyone is going to like equally. But it's a deal that is designed to provide a calm and rational transition from our membership of the European Union to being outside.

"I think businesses can see the benefit of that transition. Certainly businesses I've been talking to today have been very supportive," he said.
Boris Johnson joined with senior Democratic Unionists to demand the scrapping of the Irish border backstop at a party conference dominated by the draft Brexit deal.

The former foreign secretary, who was guest speaker at the annual DUP gathering in Belfast, also stressed the need for the Tories to protect their faltering confidence and supply agreement with the Northern Ireland party amid ongoing Brexit uncertainty.

Addressing the DUP faithful, Mr Johnson echoed calls from party leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds for the Prime Minister to bin the proposals that could see the region operate under different regulatory rules to the rest of the UK post-Brexit.

Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us  a satellite state, said the Tory MP.

He warned the draft Brexit deal is in danger of turning Northern Ireland into an economic semi-colony of the EU.

The backstop proposal in the Withdrawal Agreement would see Northern Ireland adopt a different regulatory regime to Great Britain in the event a wider UK/EU trade deal fails to materialise in talks on the future relationship.

It has been included to ensure a free flowing Irish border regardless of what sort of Brexit unfolds.

The DUP is vociferously opposed to it, claiming it would divide up the UK.

In her leaders speech, Ms Foster told DUP delegates that while she believes Theresa May is genuine in her desire to protect the Union, the draft deal fails to do that.

The Prime Minister has not been able to guarantee an outcome that eliminates the risk of the introduction of the so-called backstop arrangements, she said.

The DUP conference appeared more understated than in previous years. The was a markedly different tone, with no party singsongs or mass distributions of Union flags for delegates to wave  usually familiar sights at the annual gatherings.

Expand Close Boris Johnson and DUP leader Arlene Foster shake hands during the conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Boris Johnson and DUP leader Arlene Foster shake hands during the conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA)

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Mr Johnson watched on as Ms Foster gave her own address to conference (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images Boris Johnson and DUP leader Arlene Foster shake hands during the conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images Leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds pictured with Boris Johnston at the DUP annual conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Boris Johnson speaking during the DUP annual conference (Michael Cooper/PA) Boris Johnston MP pictured at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Boris Johnston MP is greeted at the DUP party conference by Leader Arlene Foster and Deputy leader Nigel Dodds MP pictured at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye October 2018. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 24th November 2018 DUP Annual Conference Boris Johnston MP pictured at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mr Johnson watched on as Ms Foster gave her own address to conference (Michael Cooper/PA)

Ms Foster had also used her speech to apologise for her partys role in Stormonts botched green energy scheme  the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)  after a catalogue of failings by senior DUP figures were laid bare at a public inquiry.

Some of our past decisions and actions have left a lot to be desired and I know that they have personally hurt and offended many of our members, voters and the public, she said.

I make no excuses. Today, as leader of the party, I apologise.

As a party we are deeply, deeply sorry for the mistakes we made and for the things we got wrong during that period.

Turning to Brexit, Ms Foster acknowledged the frustration of many in Northern Irelands business community with the pace of negotiations.

Her DUP has prided itself on its relationship with business leaders, but those links have been strained by the support many of them have voiced for the draft UK-EU deal in recent days.

Ms Foster said the constitutional implications of the deal could not be ignored.

We are not campaigning for a no-deal exit nor do we want barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and our neighbours in the Republic, she said.

The choice is not between this deal and no deal, despite what the Government spin machine may say.

The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer, then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome.

Expand Close Mr Johnson watched on as Ms Foster gave her own address to conference (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mr Johnson watched on as Ms Foster gave her own address to conference (Michael Cooper/PA)

The days and weeks ahead will be challenging. We will continue to work in Parliament to achieve the best possible deal for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole, guided by our principles and objectives.

In media interviews ahead of the conference, Ms Foster, a strong critic of Jeremy Corbyn, claimed Ms Mays deal would be a worse outcome for the UK than a Labour government led by him.

But she also warned the DUP would revisit its confidence and supply deal to support the Conservatives at Westminster if the Brexit agreement is voted through Parliament.

After a week that saw the DUP refuse to support the Government in Commons votes to signal their anger at the draft withdrawal text, Mr Johnson stressed the need to maintain the crucial confidence and supply deal going forward, warning of ruinous consequences for the UK if Mr Corbyn came to power.

And so to our allies in the DUP, I hope that you agree that it is absolutely vital that we keep this partnership going and that we are not so complacent as to abandon the government of this country to a man whose avowed policy is to break up this country, he said.

And we should work together to ensure that the whole UK  Northern Ireland included  can seize the opportunities of Brexit.

In his conference speech, Mr Dodds insisted it is not too late to bin the Brexit deal.

He urged Mrs May to change course, warning the proposed Withdrawal Agreement would see the UK assume a pitiful and pathetic place.

The partys Westminster leader insisted the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is non-negotiable.

He said: It is still not too late for the Prime Minister to change course.

Dont believe the propaganda that its too late  it isnt.

The DUP wants a deal with the European Union, we understand that businesses, families and communities want certainty.

But it is not this deal. It is not a deal at any price. The Prime Minister used to say that. We still say that.

So Prime Minister, the message from this conference, from every section of this party, is  bin the backstop.

The position of Gibraltar had been one of the issues facing EU states attempting to agree a common position on UK withdrawal, as Spain pressed for guarantees over its say on the future of the British territory.

On Saturday morning, a government minister from Gibraltar told the DUP conference it will not fold in the face of Spains Brexit demands.

Samantha Sacramento was given a rousing reception by DUP members as she insisted Gibraltar will not be bullied by any bid from Madrid to undermine its sovereignty.

Housing and equality minister Ms Sacramento was standing in for Gibraltars chief minister, Fabian Picardo.

He had been due to address the party conference but the renewed focus on the British territory in the Brexit talks forced him to pull out to concentrate on the negotiations.
DUP leader Arlene Foster has apologised to party members for the RHI scandal.

Mrs Foster, in her speech at the DUP party conference in Belfast, addressed the botched green energy scheme that she signed off on as the Minister for Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

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She said some of the decisions made by the DUP during this period "left a lot to be desired" and acknowledged the scandal had "personally hurt and offended" many DUP members, voters and the public.

"The public inquiry has been difficult for many individually and painful for the party collectively," she said.

"No party would want to have all of its dealings exposed for all to see at a public inquiry, especially in the unique system of government we have, with the struggles and strains required to make it work.

"But I make no excuses. Today as leader of the party I apologise. As a party we are deeply, deeply sorry for the mistakes we made, and for the things we got wrong during that period."

The RHI scandal exposed the taxpayer to a huge overspend by paying out more in subsidies than the fuel was worth.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds pictured at the DUP annual conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E PACEMAKER BELFAST 24/11/2018 Party Leader Arlene Foster and Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds pictured at the 2018 DUP Annual Conference at the Crown Plaza hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

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Whatsapp Leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds pictured at the DUP annual conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

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Whatsapp Arlene Foster giving evidence to the RHI Inquiry

As a result of the scandal a public inquiry, chaired by Sir Patrick Coghlin, was launched to investigate.

Mrs Foster, during several evidence sessions at the inquiry, said she was not aware of the overspend and denied any wrongdoing.

Mrs Foster, in her conference speech, said lessons had to be learned about special advisers, the appointment of ministers, transparency and openness in government and that the civil service had to be reformed.

She added: "We will work hard to make amends and regain the support and trust of those who were upset by what they saw unfolding over the last number of months."

The DUP leader also said over the course of the last year there had been a "number of other areas" where behaviour in the DUP ranks had not matched standards expected by the public.

Expand Close DUP MP Ian Paisley apologising to the House of Commons in London for failing to register two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government (PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP MP Ian Paisley apologising to the House of Commons in London for failing to register two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government (PA)

It is thought Mrs Foster was referring to the behaviour of DUP MP Ian Paisley, who was slapped with a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons after it emerged he took his family on two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and received more than 50k worth of hospitality on the trips.

Mr Paisley was also found to have breached rules on paid advocacy when he lobbied then Prime Minister David Cameron on a UN resolution concerning Sri Lanka.

"We must ensure there is no repeat of such behaviour and that those high standards we aspire to ourselves and that others rightly require of us are applicable at every level within this party," Mrs Foster added.
A woman who is a suspect in a murder probe following the death of a 40-year-old man in Ballymena appeared in court on Saturday to face a charge of fraud by false representation and was released on bail to go to a hospital.

Angela May Jean Irwin (53), of no fixed address, was described by a police officer at Ballymena Magistrates Court as a "suspect in a potential murder investigation".

She had been arrested following the death of a man named locally as Robin McMaster, whose body was discovered at a flat at Devenagh Way in Ballymena on Thursday afternoon.

On Thursday police said a 53-year-old woman was arrested and although they were treating the death as murder a post mortem still had to take place.

On Friday police announced the suspect had been released on bail pending further enquiries ahead of the post mortem on Saturday but that the woman was subsequently re-arrested and charged with fraud by false representation and due to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Irwin was wearing a grey tracksuit when she entered the dock at Ballymena Court on Saturday morning.

She was charged with fraud by false representation regarding Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

The charge was that she 'dishonestly made a false representation, namely ordering prescription medication with the intention by making the representation to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause a loss to the Northern Health & Social Services Trust'.

A PSNI detective constable said he believed he could connect the accused to the fraud charge.

The officer said he was objecting to bail because there was no suitable address for the defendant and he said the defendant was at a risk of self-harming as during interview the accused said she wanted to harm herself with prescription drugs.

The detective added: "She is still a suspect in a potential murder investigation".

He said a number of potential witnesses still have to be spoken to.

Defence solicitor Nigel McIlrath said the charge before the court did relate to a "more serious matter" but District Judge Liam McNally said he could only deal with the charge before him.

Mr McIlrath said it was hopeful a bed could be secured for the defendant at Holywell Hospital in Antrim.

Judge McNally said to address the concerns expressed about the defendant by the police officer he would eventually like to see a medical report regarding the defendant.

He released Irwin on 750 bail with a condition to reside at Holywell Hospital and she is to have no contact with potential witnesses or family members of Mr McMaster.

The judge added: "I'm granting bail because she is going to hospital care" and adjourned the case back to the same court next Thursday.
Tenacious bargain hunters hit Belfast's Black Friday sales yesterday as the city centre enjoyed its biggest shopping day in months.

In the wake of the Primark fire in August, shoppers have deserted the key retail area around its cordoned-off Bank Buildings premises.

Yesterday it was a different story as the streets around City Hall were packed with people on the hunt for a bargain.

Retail NI CEO Glyn Roberts acknowledged that while Black Friday is no longer the major shopping event it once was, the day was a welcome boost to the city's traders.

He said: "With people doing their Christmas shopping much earlier, Black Friday is now less of a big date in the retail calendar than it used to be and we will still see quite a few sales over the coming weeks.

"The Black Friday trade in Belfast this year appeared to be fairly steady and the city centre was bustling.

"It certainly seemed to be the busiest shopping day that we have seen since the Primark fire.

"Footfall is definitely up today and it shows that Belfast is marching on."

The Belfast Telegraph spoke to some eager buyers at lunchtime.

On William Street South, Rosemarie Harbinson, from Twinbrook, was shopping with her daughter Caitlin Seaton, who was taking advantage of the 'buy three, get three free' offer on make-up at KIKO Milano.

Rosemarie said: "I had an idea of what I wanted and so far the shopping is going well. I've managed to get some bargains that were on the list along with a few more."

With the weak pound attracting more shoppers from the Republic, there was a notable increase in people crossing the border into Northern Ireland.

Mother and daughter Ann and Katie Blake were shopping on Castle Lane having travelled five hours from Kilrush in Co Clare.

Ann said: "The exchange rate is in our favour so we're getting great value for money, but the deals don't seem to be as good as in previous years.

"A lot of places had already started their sales before today."

Ticking a few items off the Christmas list and saving around 100 on clothing, was Patrick McManus, from Kilkeel. He said: "The offers are good and I have saved 30% in All Saints so I'm happy.

"I always come into the city on Black Friday to get a good saving and buy my clothes for the year so it's definitely a worthwhile day out."

Returning to the city centre for the second year in a row to snap up some Black Friday bargains were friends Jennifer Scott and Rosemary Gilchrist, from Belfast.

Jennifer told the Belfast Telegraph: "It has become a tradition now to book the day off and come into town.

"I got my daughter a coat in Stradivarius and there was 20% off so I was happy."
Boris Johnston MP is greeted at the DUP party conference by Leader Arlene Foster and Deputy leader Nigel Dodds MP pictured at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye October 2018.

Leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds pictured with Boris Johnston at the DUP annual conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Boris Johnson has called for the Irish border backstop to be junked as he warned that the draft Brexit deal was in danger of turning Northern Ireland into an economic semi-colony of the EU.

The arch Brexiteer and former foreign secretary received a warm welcome at the DUP conference in Belfast as he demanded the scrapping of the contentious proposal that could see Northern Ireland aligned with EU regulatory rules post-Brexit.

After a week that saw the DUP refuse to support the Government in Commons votes to signal their anger at the draft withdrawal text, Mr Johnson stressed the need to maintain the Conservatives crucial confidence and supply deal going forward, warning of ruinous consequences for the UK if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came to power.

And so to our allies in the DUP, I hope that you agree that it is absolutely vital that we keep this partnership going and that we are not so complacent as to abandon the government of this country to a man whose avowed policy is to break up this country, he said.

And we should work together to ensure that the whole UK  Northern Ireland included  can seize the opportunities of Brexit.

Mr Johnson said the UK was on the verge of making a historic mistake.

If we are not careful, we are going to stay in the customs union, we are going to stay in the single market, we are going to be rules takers, he said.

Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us  a satellite state.

We will continue to accept the terms under which they have a surplus in trade in goods with us of 95 billion. But with no power, no British influence on those terms. We wont be able to do free trade deals of any value or significance.

Mr Johnson said the EU had achieved a very clever trick by making Northern Ireland an indispensable bargaining chip in future negotiations, noting the reference to the potential need to label goods from Northern Ireland UK (NI) under the backstop proposal.

Indeed if you read the Withdrawal Agreement you can see that we are witnessing the birth of a new country called Ukni, he said.

Ukni is no longer exclusively ruled by London or Stormont. Ukni is in large part to be ruled by Brussels.

And Ukni will have to accept large swathes of EU regulations now and in the future.

On lawnmower noise, on the labelling of sardines, on the use of coins and tokens that may be deemed to resemble a Euro.

And on the use of personal recreational watercraft. And nowhere has a more illustrious history than Northern Ireland when it comes to the creation of recreational watercraft.

The Titanic springs to mind, and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead.

Mr Johnson said the deal will would leave the UK facing a Hobsons choice of unthinkable options.

If we wanted to do free trade deals, if we wanted to cut tariffs or vary our regulation, then we would have to leave Northern Ireland behind as an economic semi-colony of the EU and we would be damaging the fabric of the union, he said.

With regulatory checks and even customs controls between GB and NI on top of those extra regulatory checks down the Irish sea that are already envisaged in the Withdrawal Agreement.

No British Conservative government could or should sign up to anything of the kind, and so our answer at the moment is rather desperately to make sure the whole UK stays in the backstop with the EU having the power to decide whether or not we can ever leave and why should they?

We are delighted to have @BorisJohnson with us today to address our Party Conference. #DUP18 pic.twitter.com/vGah2UNFWw  DUP (@duponline) November 24, 2018

Mr Johnson said the EU would have no incentive to let the UK leave the backstop arrangement, noting that the multibillion-pound divorce bill would have already been paid.

This deal risks yet further economic and political humiliation, he added.

We are locking ourselves in by treaty and making it impossible to negotiate our way out in the second half of the talks.

This is not what people of the United Kingdom voted for. It is self-evidently not taking back control of our laws.

Mr Johnson called for a sensible agreement, but added: We need to junk the backstop and agree that neither side will introduce a hard border in northern Ireland.

Both governments have already been clear that they have no such intention, as Michel Barnier has said himself the technical solutions do exist, and the whole subject should be remitted to the discussion of the future economic partnership where it properly belongs.

"What they've done in Brussels is a very, very clever trick" - From lawnmower noise to sardine tins, @BorisJohnson argues that the Brexit draft agreement means accepting EU regulations #DUP18



Here's the latest on his speech: https://t.co/q3dfYNg43d pic.twitter.com/IWv4p8x9YC  Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) November 24, 2018

He again argued for a super Canada style trade deal with the EU, and urged a rethink on the timeframe for paying the divorce bill, arguing that half should be withheld until 2020.

I have never known a major EU negotiation not to conclude with the financial settlement, and we need to restore the proper order and incentives, he explained.

Mr Johnson said there was a need for a dedicated Government secretary of state with responsibility for planning for a potential no deal, which would see the UK operate under World Trade Organisation trading terms.

He added: We need urgently to recover our confidence and our self-belief, and to stop treating Brexit as if it were a plague of frogs, or a murrain on our cattle, or some adverse weather event that had to be managed.

The former foreign secretary also used his speech to again call for a bridge linking Northern Ireland and Scotland.

It is a far shorter distance than that covered by some bridges these days  look at Shanghai to Ningbo, he said.

The problem is not the undersea Beauforts dyke or lack of funds.

The problem is an absence of political will.
Samantha Sacramento, Gibraltars minister for housing and equality, addresses the DUP conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA)

A government minister from Gibraltar has told the DUP conference that the British territory will not fold in the face of Spains Brexit demands.

Samantha Sacramento was given a rousing reception by the DUP faithful in Belfast as she insisted that Gibraltar will not be bullied by any bid from Madrid to undermine its sovereignty.

Housing and equality minister Ms Sacramento was standing in for Gibraltars chief minister, Fabian Picardo.

Expand Close Gibraltar government minister Samantha Sacramento with DUP leader, Arlene Foster at the partys conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Gibraltar government minister Samantha Sacramento with DUP leader, Arlene Foster at the partys conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA)

Mr Picardo had been due to address the party conference on Saturday morning but the renewed focus on the British territory in the Brexit talks forced him to pull out to concentrate on the negotiations.

The tensions over Gibraltar concern Spains demand that the territorys future is considered a bilateral issue between London and Madrid rather than between the EU and UK.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has threatened to veto progress without further guarantees for Madrid over the status of Gibraltar.

Mr Sanchez had warned that Sundays key European Council summit could be scrapped unless there was a breakthrough.

Expand Close Samantha Sacramento was given a rousing reception by delegates at the DUP conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Samantha Sacramento was given a rousing reception by delegates at the DUP conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA)

Ms Sacramento was applauded as she told DUP conference delegates in the Crown Plaza Hotel: Gibraltar will not fold.

The Union Jack, our precious Union Jack, is not a mere flag. To those of us who have endured hard times to secure the continuity of our British heritage, our British values and freedoms, the Union Jack encapsulates all we are as a people.

It is critical that the United Kingdom remains firm in the defence of our right to self-determination and that Spain is given no hope in its campaign to take our sovereignty from usGibraltar government minister Samantha Sacramento

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted the proposed EU withdrawal deal is in the interests of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar.

Ms Sacramento said Gibraltar was committed to making Brexit work, despite the fact that 96% of its citizens voted Remain.

It is critical that the United Kingdom remains firm in the defence of our right to self-determination and that Spain is given no hope in its campaign to take our sovereignty from us, she told the DUP faithful.

We are red, white and blue, we are red, white and proudGibraltar government minister Samantha Sacramento

Our borders and our history are very different but our solidarity in defence of our democratic right to preserve our British way of life is unshakeable.

She concluded: Gibraltar greatly appreciates the support that the DUP has expressed in support of Gibraltar and its right to remain British and, as my chief minister so often says, we are red, white and blue, we are red, white and proud.
The six pups which were born to a pregnant dog rescued from the streets

A family's team effort, led by a volunteer with Pet FBI animal sanctuary in Londonderry, has saved the life of an abandoned dog and her six pups.

The heavily pregnant dog arrived at the home of Lisa Patton in September after she was discovered by a member of the public.

Without this intervention, Lisa, who volunteers with the animal welfare group, said the young dog would have had to give birth in a ditch or along the roadside, and she and her pups would have perished.

Now named Everest, the animal gave birth to a litter of six a week after making herself at home with Lisa, but just days later she rejected her newborns.

This left Lisa - assisted by her husband and two daughters - facing the massive task of hand-rearing them all and so began a round-the-clock battle against the odds to keep the six little bundles alive, fed, watered and loved.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Lisa said: "I took a call from a member of the public who said she had found a dog in a very distressed state so I told her to bring it to me.

"I was a bit surprised to see that the dog, which we called Everest, was heavily pregnant so I took her to the vet who told me she was ready to give birth at any time.

"We made a whelping area ready for her and she delivered six pups a week later."

Everest, who, at around a year old is not much more than a pup herself, did well for the first week as a new mum but then kept sitting on her litter, burying them and dragging them by the back leg across the kitchen floor.

"I knew then I would have to step in or she would have killed the pups, so me, my two daughters and my husband worked around the clock bottle-feeding all six.

"The smallest one - we called him Tiny Tim because he was less than half the size of the others - had been bottle-fed from day one by me because he just wasn't going to survive," she said.

"He has done so well, in fact he did that well we couldn't call him Tiny Tim any longer and re-named him Arlo."

New homes have been found for five of the litter and their mother, but the idea of parting with the puppy formerly known as Tiny Tim was too much for Lisa so he has become the latest rescue animal to join the Patton household.

"People have asked me if it was hard to give them up and it was to an extent, but at the same time you are constantly cleaning up.

"They are lovely dogs who have gone to really good homes but I just couldn't part with Tiny Tim," she said.
Simon Robert James Fleming (43), of Somerset Drive and Brendan Joseph Letters (35), of Killowen Street, both Coleraine, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Two men allegedly said they were the 'INLA' and pulled a pistol on a man who was beaten in Coleraine after being accused of taking a person to a "Rangers bar", a court heard on Saturday.

Simon Robert James Fleming (43), of Somerset Drive and Brendan Joseph Letters (35), of Killowen Street, both Coleraine, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday.

They are both charged with aggravated burglary with intent to commit grievous bodily harm whilst having a pistol; possession of a firearm - a pistol - with intent to cause fear of violence and intimidation of the injured man.

Letters alone is further charged with making a threat to kill the man and making a threat to damage the man's mother's property.

The charges follow an aggravated burglary in the Drumtarsey area of Coleraine on Thursday.

Both men appeared in the court in handcuffs as a number of people looked on from the public gallery including a man with facial injuries.

A police officer said he believed he could connect both accused to the charges.

The officer said that on Thursday afternoon police received a report that a man was assaulted at his home and that he was attending hospital.

The officer said it was first reported to police that the accused men had entered the man's home armed with a "handgun" and carried out an assault.

The injured party told police he answered the door and Letters pushed him back into the flat.

The court heard Letters had allegedly taken exception to the man taking a member of Letters' family to a "Rangers bar".

The officer said the man said he was assaulted by Letters and a gun was produced by Fleming.

The policeman said threats had been made against the man's family as to what would happen if he contacted police and they questioned what he was doing living in The Heights area of Coleraine and said he wasn't welcome there.

During the incident, the officer told the court, it was alleged the men said they were from the "INLA" and the injured party was referred to as an "Orange b*stard".

The injured man was fearful to return to the property, said the policeman.

The officer said that during police interviews the men claimed they had gone to the flat for a drink and an argument had ensued about a person being taken to the "Rangers bar".

The policeman said the injured party was not friends with the defendants.

The court was told a "councillor" had first contacted police about the attack.

Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey denied the men had any association with paramilitaries.

He said: "The police would describe them as 'two chancers'. I think the height of their 'paramilitary activity' might be drunken episodes, in Celtic tops, shouting and roaring".

The police officer said he was concerned about possible interference with witnesses.

Mr Harvey said he was not ignoring the severity of the charges but said the injured man had a black eye and a cut above his eye but yet had claimed he was subjected to a sustained 45-minute long assault when he was screaming for help in a built-up area and had alleged a gun was pulled "in his face".

District Judge Liam McNally said he was not granting bail until witnesses were interviewed but Mr Harvey said police had not identified any witnesses at that stage.

Judge McNally remanded the men in custody to appear back in court on December 17 and said if they were to be released later they would need a bail address outside Coleraine.
A senior medic accused of withholding the truth about the death of a patient from an independent inquiry is being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC)

A senior medic accused of withholding the truth about the death of a patient from an independent inquiry is being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC).

Dr Robert Taylor was the anaesthetist in charge during a kidney transplant on four-year-old Adam Strain.

The youngster died from hyponatraemia on November 28, 1995, following surgery at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

His death was examined by the Hyponatraemia Inquiry, which scrutinised the care given to five children who died in Northern Ireland hospitals between 1995 and 2003.

Hyponatraemia occurs when there is a shortage of sodium in the bloodstream and can be caused as a result of receiving excess fluid.

The GMC is also investigating the actions of Dr George Murnaghan and Dr Joseph Gaston, who became involved in the case after Adam's tragic death.

Dr Gaston, who retired in May 2005, was a consultant anaesthetist and clinical director of anaesthesia, theatres and intensive care at the time.

Dr Murnaghan, also retired, was director of medical administration at the Royal Group of Hospitals when Adam died.

Adam's mum, Debra Slavin, last night welcomed the development and said she hopes the GMC carry out their investigation as quickly as possible.

"It is Adam's anniversary next week so this has come at the right time," she said.

"I feel like I can now look up now and tell him we're still fighting for him.

"We still don't know what happened to my son in his final hours."

The three medics are the latest doctors to come under the spotlight after the publication of the highly damning Hyponatraemia Inquiry report in January.

It found that the deaths of four of the children, including Adam's, were avoidable.

Publishing his findings, chair of the inquiry, John O'Hara QC, was particularly critical of the lack of information regarding Adam's operation.

He said: "It might be expected that a detailed analysis of Adam's surgery would allow a clear understanding of events in theatre.

"However, establishing exactly what happened during surgery has proved to be one of the most difficult areas of the inquiry's investigation."

He said "even the evidence identifying where the operation took place, when it took place and who was there, is worryingly unclear."

Giving his assessment of Dr Taylor's involvement in Adam's case, Mr O'Hara said: "Dr Taylor's management of Adam's fluids before and during the surgery of November 27, 1995, defies understanding.

"In his oral evidence, Dr Taylor said he could not understand it either, nor could he explain or justify what he did or how he subsequently defended it."

Mr O'Hara said that while he heard "a lot of evidence from Dr Taylor" he did not believe he "was told the full story".

He continued: "Dr Taylor offered no insight into why he did what he did during Adam's transplant.

"Dr Taylor made fatal errors in the treatment of Adam.

"I accept that this was most probably uncharacteristic and do not query his usual competence.

"However, and over and above the hurt inflicted on Adam's family by his death, Dr Taylor caused significant additional pain by acting as he did to avoid his own responsibility."

Dr Taylor is also being investigated alongside Dr Heather Steen for their treatment of nine-year-old Claire Roberts less than a year after Adam's death.
Mairia Cahill will call for more support for sex crime victims in court (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mairia Cahill is to call for more support for sex crime victims during court cases when she addresses a rally in Belfast.

Hundreds of women are expected to take part in the city centre march against gender-based violence.

Retired appeal court judge Sir John Gillen has made a range of preliminary recommendations about trials involving serious sexual wrongdoing following the acquittal of two Irish rugby internationals in a recent high-profile rape case.

It's time to take to the streets to make your voice heard against street harassment and gender based violence! Meeting at Buoy Park at 7pm, Saturday 24th November. #rtnbelfast #16days #BelfastHour #Lovelyloaf @BelfastHourNI pic.twitter.com/DfN0tOMPN2  Reclaim The Night Belfast (@RTNBelfast) November 22, 2018

Ms Cahill, in unrelated proceedings, has accused a senior IRA man of repeatedly sexually abusing her as a teenager. The suspect has always denied the allegations and was acquitted.

The campaigner and politician said: I contributed to the Gillen Review and I will be calling for more support services for victims going through the court process.

I was happy to contribute to it and would urge people to engage with the consultation review.

Saturdays march marks the beginning of 16 days of action addressing violence against women.

This is the fifth Reclaim the Night event to be held in Belfast.

The demonstration will begin at Buoy Park beside the Art College at 7pm and end at the Albert Clock.

Ms Cahill added: I commend the organisers of this Reclaim the Night march, anything that raises awareness of abuse and supports people to help them report abuse is welcome.

One of the march organisers, Elaine Crory, said: We are calling for an end to the constant targeting of women and members of the LGBT community.

We want to remind people that these issues arent going away and that as well as every high-profile trial or sensational incident, harassment is an everyday reality for women and for LGBT people

We want to remind people that these issues arent going away and that as well as every high-profile trial or sensational incident, harassment is an everyday reality for women and for LGBT people.Elaine Crory

Over the last number of years I have consistently worked to try to improve things for sexual abuse victims, and some of the changes that have come as a result of my own case collapsing include the creation of the PSNI public protection branch and 15 changes to the Public Prosecution Service in relation to streamlining services for rape victims.

Other speakers at Saturdays event will include Laila Daya from Queens University African & Caribbean Society; Alexa Moore, director of Transgender NI; Catriona OBrien from Sex Workers Alliance Ireland; and Rachel Watters, NUS-USI womens officer.

One of the march organisers, Elaine Crory, said: We are calling for an end to the constant targeting of women and members of the LGBT community.

We want to remind people that these issues arent going away and that as well as every high-profile trial or sensational incident, harassment is an everyday reality for women and for LGBT people.

While that continues to be true we will continue to march.
Theresa May is greeted by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as she arrives in Brussels (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP)

European Union leaders will give their seal of approval to Theresa Mays Brexit deal on Sunday as MPs at Westminster were warned rejecting it would cause economic chaos.

A summit in Brussels will go ahead after Spain claimed the UK and European Union had agreed to its demands for guarantees over the status of Gibraltar.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had threatened to block the summit over the issue but later said Europe and the United Kingdom have accepted our demands.

Madrids foreign minister Josep Borrell went further, saying the agreement is highly positive for Spain and the most important since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 under which Gibraltar was ceded to the UK.

(2/2) before the #EU and all diplomatic staff and civil servants who were part of Spains negotiating team for their effort, dedication and professionalism, in order to achieve such a satisfactory result for our interests. @HablamosdEuropa @UeEspana  Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 24, 2018

Mrs May ignored questions about whether she had compromised on Gibraltar as she arrived in Brussels for talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk ahead of the summit.

The diplomatic spat which threatened to derail the Brexit process was resolved after a clarification about the position and emergency talks between Mr Sanchez, Mr Tusk and Mr Juncker.

A letter from the UKs ambassador to the EU Sir Tim Barrow confirmed the Withdrawal Agreement imposes no obligations regarding the territorial scope of future agreements  Spain wants to make sure it has a say over how any UK-EU trade applies to the Rock.

But the UK has also made clear it will negotiate future agreements on behalf of all territories for whose external relations it is responsible  including Gibraltar.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said Mrs May had caved in and appears to have cast the people of Gibraltar aside.

He said: She has conceded that Gibraltar wont necessarily be covered by a future trade deal, simply another example of why what she has negotiated is completely unacceptable.

Following the resolution of the row, Mr Tusk sent out formal invitation letters to EU leaders for the summit, saying the Brexit deal reached by negotiators from the UK and Brussels found the best possible compromise.

I will recommend that we approve on Sunday the outcome of the #Brexit negotiations. No one has reasons to be happy. But at least at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity. https://t.co/N3EexasL2n  Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 24, 2018

He said: I will recommend that we approve on Sunday the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

No-one has reasons to be happy. But at least at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity.

Mrs May also faced domestic difficulties as the Democratic Unionist Party held its conference in Belfast  with Boris Johnson making a guest appearance.

Chancellor Philip Hammond sought to reassure the DUP over its understandable concerns about the Northern Ireland backstop provisions aimed at preventing a hard border with Ireland.

Expand Close Chancellor Philip Hammond warned of economic chaos if the Brexit deal is rejected by MPs (Nick Ansell/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Chancellor Philip Hammond warned of economic chaos if the Brexit deal is rejected by MPs (Nick Ansell/PA)

But he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme he believes the deal on offer is better for the UK than remaining in the EU, stressing it will help heal the divisions caused by Brexit.

Its a way of leaving the European Union with minimum negative impact on our economy, he said.

Economics is not the only consideration  we also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together because countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries.

With MPs including the DUP and scores of Tories from both the Remain and Leave wings of the party set to oppose the Brexit package, Mr Hammond issued a stark warning about the impact of rejecting it.

If the meaningful vote is lost we are in uncharted territory, he said.

We will be faced with potential economic chaos. I am sure we would get a very negative reaction from the business community, from investors, from the markets.

Expand Close Boris Johnson, centre, sits with DUP leader Arlene Foster and her deputy Nigel Dodds at the partys annual conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Boris Johnson, centre, sits with DUP leader Arlene Foster and her deputy Nigel Dodds at the partys annual conference in Belfast (Michael Cooper/PA)

In her conference speech, DUP leader Arlene Foster said: The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer, then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome.

Mr Johnson, viewed as a potential leadership rival to Mrs May, was given a rousing reception at the conference.

He said the UK is on the verge of making a historic mistake, adding: Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us  a satellite state.

He set out a series of demands, including a commitment in the Withdrawal Agreement for a super Canada trade deal, a provision to withhold at least half the 39 billion divorce bill until trade talks are concluded, and a dedicated Cabinet minister for no-deal planning.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reported the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas with restricted entitlements and rights while they are living in the UK as part of the post-Brexit immigration system.

Alternative plans could allow EU migrants aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for two years, with a strict cap on numbers.

The Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled tier 2 migrants entirely, the report said, with the plans set out in the week beginning December 3  a week before the crunch Brexit vote is expected in the Commons.
A woman who was questioned about the murder of a Ballymena man is to appear in court today

A woman who was questioned about the murder of a Ballymena man is to appear in court today.

The 40-year-old victim, whose body was found in Devenagh Court on Thursday afternoon, has been named locally as Robin McMaster.

The PSNI said that a 53-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of his murder and later released on bail.

But she was rearrested yesterday and has been charged with fraud by false representation.

A post-mortem examination is due to be held today as police continue to investigate the circumstances around Mr McMaster's death.

Officers were still at the scene late yesterday afternoon and detectives continued to carry out door-to-door enquiries.

Yesterday, near the entrance to the block of flats where Mr McMaster's body was found, candles and religious pictures had been put in place.

Neighbour Martin McAvoy described him as "fun-loving" and "happy-go-lucky".

He said: "He was a good neighbour. It's a pity we didn't have more like him.

"It is a total shock, like a death in the family, because that is what it feels like."

Billy McMaster posted on social media: "Thinking of my cuz and family circle at this sad time. God bless xx."

Mid and East Antrim mayor Lindsay Millar said it was "upsetting" to hear of the death in Ballymena.

She added: "My sympathies go out to the victim's family and friends."

She encouraged anyone with information to contact police.

Ballymena SDLP councillor Declan O'Loan said: "I want to express my sympathy to the family of the man who has died and we know that the police are investigating this as a murder.

"Devenagh Court is a very quiet and settled area and the immediate neighbourhood and the entire community in Ballymena are very shocked."

The councillor said there was sadness that a "relatively young life" had been brought to an end.

He appealed for anyone with information to get in touch with the police.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna, who is leading the investigation, said on Thursday night: "I want to appeal to anyone who has any information to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference 732 of 22/11/18.

"Alternatively information can be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
Only half of adults believe Northern Ireland is a welcoming society for refugees, a report has said.

The finding is even more stark among young people - just a quarter of 16-year-olds feel this way.

The statistics form part of research on support among the public for asylum seekers and refugees here.

The report on public attitudes entitled 'A welcoming Northern Ireland? Understanding sentiment towards asylum seekers and refugees' was published yesterday.

It used data compiled by ARK, a joint initiative between Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast.

The data from 'Life and Times Surveys' recorded the opinions of over 1,200 adults and 1,100 young people from here aged 16.

It found that almost two-thirds of respondents believe Northern Ireland has a duty to provide protection to refugees escaping persecution in their home country.

Support was strongest from those living in religiously-mixed areas and those living in urban areas.

More than half agreed that people from Syria should be allowed to come to Northern Ireland. Young people who socialise with those from minority ethnic backgrounds showed the highest levels of support.

The report also found that attitudes to immigration are strongly associated with thinking that we have a duty to protect refugees.

Most respondents who believed immigration should be increased felt this obligation, while less than a third who favoured a decrease in immigration agreed.

Dr Lucy Michael, a lecturer in sociology at Ulster University, said the findings show that people in Northern Ireland are largely hospitable to refugees, despite ongoing concerns about racism and discrimination here.

She added: "This is an important finding in the context of increasing numbers of refugees globally and indications of emerging anti-refugee politics in the rest of the world.

"The broad support across a range of age groups, political affiliations and national identities is encouraging, even if a few small groups are distinctly unsupportive.

"It's important that we understand the isolated nature of that hostility and work to ensure it does not overshadow the wider welcome."

Co-author Dr Paula Devine from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen's University added: "Since 1998, the Life and Times Surveys have provided independent evidence of public attitudes to immigration, and to specific groups such as refugees. These annual surveys allow us to look in the mirror and reflect on how welcoming Northern Ireland is."
The Secretary of State has been urged to immediately reconvene a talks process that could restore a devolved government to Northern Ireland.

Karen Bradley was challenged by the leaders of the Alliance Party and SDLP after it emerged that more than 160 pieces of legislation have been held up by the impasse.

Key decisions around issues such as the Programme for Government and an action plan to tackle paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime are sitting on a shelf because there are no ministers to sign them off.

The delays were reported by the Belfast Telegraph yesterday.

Alliance leader Naomi Long said that new powers for civil servants introduced recently, giving them greater control of decisions, will only go so far and that the only way forward was a restoration of the Assembly.

"We have been clear the current situation has been completely unsustainable for some time," she said.

"With each passing day, crucial decisions are not able to be taken and the services which people rely on are getting deeper into financial difficulty and falling further behind where they ought to be.

"That not only causes real suffering to people today but also carries with it a lost opportunity cost, with planning and infrastructure delays holding up investment and job creation. The recent Bill in Westminster has only a limited impact on those delays.

"Despite the suffering caused to our constituents, our families, our friends, there is simply no urgency around efforts to restore the Assembly.

"I have made clear to the Secretary of State she has a legal and moral duty to appoint an independent facilitator and get talks under way without any further delay. Waiting until the new year is unacceptable.

"She has nothing to lose - any party daring to refuse to attend and make every effort to end this suspension would stand condemned by their own actions and by the public, and rightly so.

"Further, their salaries should also be stopped if they don't turn up. Karen Bradley needs to grasp the nettle and get on with it."

Echoing Ms Long's call, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood added that the full scale of the political stalemate should come as a shock to no one.

"Without a functioning Executive, major legislative decisions will merely catch dust on a departmental shelf," he said.

"It is time for the Secretary of State to stop sitting on her hands and convene a talks process immediately.

"There is a crisis in our health service, chronic underfunding in schools, our economy is barely growing and Brexit is on the horizon.

"We now urgently need a process to bring devolution back."
Hundreds of pounds have been raised after an 83-year-old woman was robbed of 1,000 she had saved to buy Christmas presents for her family

Hundreds of pounds have been raised after an 83-year-old woman was robbed of 1,000 she had saved to buy Christmas presents for her family.

Pensioner Dolly Dickson from Mayo Street in Belfast was at the back of her home bringing in her bin when the robber sneaked in and stole her bag with her pension and savings in it.

News of the burglary broke when the PSNI posted a message about the theft on its Facebook page.

The investigating officer wrote: "This morning I have attended the scene of a domestic burglary which happened yesterday afternoon in the Mayo Street area.

"Someone has sneaked into the house and stolen around 1,000 cash. What makes this particularly repulsive is that the victim of this is an 83-year-old lady who lives alone. Get that, an 83 years old lady! Who in all good conscience can do this?"

Dolly's son Bill expressed fury at what happened.

"Just a wee warning to people and pensioners, especially in the Upper Shankill and Woodvale area," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"Yesterday some scummy wee b*****d walked into my mother's house and stole her bag with her pension and money she had saved for Xmas presents. Luckily for her she was out her back bringing in her bin other wise it could have been much worse."

Almost immediately, offers of help for Dolly flooded in from big-hearted Belfast folk, among them businessman Steve Cummings, who said he would personally donate 1,000 to make good her loss, and Peaky Blinders actor Packy Lee, who also stepped forward with an offer of help.

A charity page set up to help her had already received 690 in pledges toward its 1,000 target by last night.

The site can be seen at https://goo.gl/UUETcp
One man has been taken to hospital following a "heavy collision" in Co Londonderry.

The Five Mile Straight was blocked for a time between Lisnamuck Road and the A6 Glenshane Road as emergency services dealt with the crash.

Police described the two vehicle accident as a "heavy collision" and urged motorists to drive to the conditions.

A PSNI officer, posting on the force's Magherafelt Facebook page, said: "A lot of bad smashes the last few days, keep your wits about you in regard to naturally greasy roads at this time of year caused by leaves, damp, mud, ice patches etc and always be alert to a stray animal or two popping out of the hedge."

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it received a 999 call at 8.37am on Saturday following reports of a road traffic collision.

One A&E crew was sent to the incident and, following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one male patient was taken taken by ambulance to Altnagelvin Hospital.
Some of Northern Ireland's brightest and most courageous young people gathered at Stormont yesterday to be given awards in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Diana Awards were presented to 17 winners from across the province for their social or humanitarian work.

The late Princess's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have both given their backing to the awards which started in 1999 and have recognised 48,000 young people.

Volunteering, campaigning and tackling bullying were just some of the reasons that the special recipients were chosen.

Daniella Timperley, a pupil at St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena, said the subject of domestic abuse is "close to her heart".

Involved with two organisations, the 17-year-old supports intergenerational projects by visiting care homes as well as helping at homework clubs and summer schemes.

"I started volunteering for Women's Aid when I was around 14," she said.

"I was in the Voices group where we completed OCN accreditations in domestic violence, mental health, self-esteem and avoiding risks.

"We decided that we wanted to raise awareness about domestic violence and educate young people on it, so we made two films, which were both shown in school assemblies and on television as well.

"After that I went to represent Women's Aid on the BBC Children in Need Youth Panel where I basically voiced all of the needs of the women and children helped by the service. It also gave them reasons why they should keep on funding."

The campaigner said the fact young people are still being honoured in Diana's name shows the legacy she has left behind.

"Having an award under Princess Diana's name inspires me to do more," Daniella added.

"She was such a generous and kind person. Even though I'm way after her time, she's still inspiring loads of young people today."

Londonderry-based teenager Danny Porter (15) only found out what it was for when he arrived at Stormont.

When his mother died, it led the youngster to help others who had suffered in similar circumstances.

Danny said: "I go to a group called Kinship Care. It's an organisation which helps families stay together, so children live with their external family, other than their mother and father.

"I've helped out a lot with that group and been part of it for about two years now."

Bartek Wysokowski, who is originally from Poland and is a pupil at Longstone Special School, was nominated for his concern about the environment as well as being an anti-bullying ambassador.

"I think I've got the qualities for the Diana Award," said Bartek.

"I've been telling my friends to never give up on your dreams, do your work all of the time and be friendly."

Tessy Ojo, chief executive of The Diana Awards, said:"We congratulate all our new Diana Award Holders from Northern Ireland who are positive trailblazers for their generation."
Demonstrators in Parliament Square for a protest on climate change (Yui Mok/PA)

Environmental activists blocked roads and swarmed landmarks calling on the ecocidal Government to take rapid action to avoid potentially catastrophic climate change.

Hundreds of members of the Extinction Rebellion group wore black funereal clothing and laid wreaths to commemorate and grieve the loss of animal and human life due to climate change on Saturday.

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In central London, demonstrators gathered at Buckingham Palace and around Parliament Square waving banners and laying flowers on a black mock coffin meant to symbolise humanitys future.

One poster read: The climate is changing. Why arent our politicians?

Some 14 people were arrested for criminal damage, including for damage to the Women at War war memorial, Scotland Yard said.

Activist Gail Bradbrook read a letter at the protest, saying: It is clear beyond doubt that climate breakdown and ecological collapse is imminent unless governments, including our government, drastically change course.

The facts point to the destruction of families, our communities, our nation, our state unless we change course.

Expand Close Activists gathered in central London for a protest called by Extinction Rebellion (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The action follows similar events last weekend when hundreds of people descended on the capital as part of a mass environmental protest.

A total of 82 people were arrested following staged sit-ins on five bridges crossing the Thames.

Earlier that week, activists were detained after protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to entry gates at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

It has all come full circle. The coffin is now back in Parliament Square. Above the ground it was never allowed to be buried in. #ExtinctionRebellion pic.twitter.com/Esn5yeBmwM  Extinction Rebellion (@ExtinctionR) November 24, 2018

Extinction Rebellion said in a statement: We Rebel because we love this world.

It breaks our hearts to see it ravaged, to watch so many people and animals all over this world already dying, to know that this will soon happen to our children without urgent changes.

We are serious, this is an emergency, this is our home we are watching collapse.

Other events were scheduled to take place at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Manchester and the Menai Bridge in Bangor, as well as a procession from Sheffield Cathedral, organisers said.
The devastated family of a man found dead in woodland have urged the public to come forward with information after they say he was violently assaulted.

The body of Anthony Winter, 32, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, was found near Brookfield Drive, St Mellons, in the Welsh city on Thursday at around 7.15am.

Anthony may not have been perfect but he was our kind of perfect

In a statement his family said they are devastated by his death, and that his two-year-old daughter, who he adored, has lost her father.

Anthony may not have been perfect but he was our kind of perfect, the family statement said.

He was violently assaulted and left to die alone. He did not deserve to die that way.

Whether you were getting your children ready for school, preparing for work, enjoying a cuppa or out walking your dog, you might have seen or heard something and thought nothing of it at the time.

Anthony will never have the chance to do any of those things, so if you have any information at all, no matter how insignificant you think it is, please come forward and help the police.

We need justice for his daughter so that our brother can rest in peace.

South Wales Police said five people  a 16-year-old boy, two men aged 19 and 27, a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman  have since been arrested on suspicion of his murder, and remain in police custody.

The fifth person was arrested on Saturday afternoon, the force said.

Detective Superintendent Richard Jones said they are not looking for any other suspects, but urged those with any information to contact police.

He said: I would like to reassure his family and the wider public that we are committed to tracing and bringing to justice all those involved in taking this young fathers life.

It comes as Algerian national, Mohammed Megherbi, has been missing for a month  with Kane Burns, 26, from Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, charged with his murder on Friday.

Expand Close Mohammed Megherbi has been missing for a month (South Wales Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

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A police spokeswoman said they have no reason to believe either of the suspected murders are linked.

Despite extensive inquiries, Mr Megherbi, who has strong links to north-west London, has not been found, with a police statement saying they have found no proof of life.

A property in Pennsylvania, Llanedeyrn, has been forensically examined by police as part of the ongoing investigation.
A new nose drop containing "friendly" bacteria which could help prevent meningitis is being tested by UK doctors in a world-first trial

A new nose drop containing "friendly" bacteria which could help prevent meningitis is being tested by UK doctors in a world-first trial.

The treatment, developed at the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, involves a gene being inserted into a harmless form of bacteria to help it remain in the nose and prompt an immune response.

It is hoped the enhanced friendly bacteria, known as Neisseria lactamica (Nlac), will protect against its close cousin, Neisseria meningitidis (N.meningitidis), the strain responsible for causing a severe type of meningitis.

About 10% of adults carry N.meningitidis in the back of their nose and throat with no signs or symptoms.

However, in some people, it can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening bacterial infections, including meningitis and blood poisoning, known as septicaemia.

Meningitis occurs in people of all age groups but affects mainly infants, young children and the elderly.

Meningococcal meningitis, which is a bacterial form of the disease and is responsible for 1,500 cases a year in the UK, can cause death in as little as four hours from the onset of symptoms.

Professor Robert Read, director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, said if the new research is successful it could also result in making strides to combat "other diseases caused by bacteria that breed in the nasal pathway, such as pneumonia and ear disease".
A convicted paedophile accused of the 'Babes in the Wood' murders has told a jury how he was once wrongly arrested for the Brighton bombing

A convicted paedophile accused of the 'Babes in the Wood' murders has told a jury how he was once wrongly arrested for the Brighton bombing.

Russell Bishop (52) is on trial for the second time over the deaths of nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway.

He denies killing the girls, dubbed Babes in the Wood, who were sexually assaulted and strangled in a den in Wild Park, Brighton in October 1986.

Former roofer Bishop was cleared of their murders in 1987 but within three years was jailed for life for the kidnap, sexual assault and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl at Devil's Dyke on the South Downs.

He was ordered to stand trial at the Old Bailey for the killings of Nicola and Karen in light of new forensic evidence linking him to the girls.

Bishop's defence team has cast suspicion on Nicola's father Barrie Fellows.

Giving evidence, Bishop said he feared he would be blamed when he joined the search for the girls on October 10, 1986.

He said he was "bullied" into making a false account by "downright nasty" police.

He told jurors: "There was a few things that led to that kind of thinking. A couple of years before this I was wrongfully arrested for the Grand Hotel bombing in Brighton."

Before then, his father was wrongly arrested for the unsolved murder of a local woman called Margaret Frame who was buried in a shallow grave, the court heard.

Bishop said his "old man" had even warned him "don't get involved" before he set off to help in the search, during which he showed some of Karen's clothes to his dog Misty in the hope it would track the missing children, he added.

When two 18-year-olds found the girls, Bishop said he was told to go up and keep people away from the scene in Wild Park.

He said: "The young man sitting down said he did not know whether they were asleep or dead.

"I went straight to the victims, felt for a pulse, neck on Nicola and Karen on the right arm."

Bishop told jurors he felt "shocked, totally sickened".

Later, he changed his account to fit what the teenagers had said during a 13-hour police interview without a solicitor, the court heard.

He said: "I started getting all frustrated, confused, tied up in knots."

He alleged officers showed him pictures of the dead girls and the area where they were found.

Bishop denies two counts of murder. The case continues.
A knighthood granted to a Tory Eurosceptic has triggered a row over allegations of cronyism.

Sir John Hayes was given the honour in a surprise move on Friday, leading to criticism from political opponents and Tory Brexiteers who view it as an attempt by Theresa May to buy the support of a potential rebel.

In a colourfully-worded letter to Sir John, Tory MP Mark Francois  a Brexiteer who has called for a confidence vote in Mrs May  suggested that his coat of arms should be an utter cock rampant on one side and a big chicken on the other.

He also claimed that Sir John could write down his political principles on the back of an old postage stamp.

Expand Close Tory MP Mark Francois has written to Sir John mocking his honour (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The letter, obtained by LBC, said: It is encouraging to note that, even now, after all these years in Parliament, you have not succumbed to the cynicism which sometimes affects colleagues and that, to this day, you still maintain an irreducible core of passionate political principles, which I understand you now keep jotted down on the back of an old postage stamp, as an ideological aide memoire.

I should mention in passing, and just between us, that some colleagues are unkindly suggesting that this award is a sign, for those who understand these things, of absolute desperation by a Government which has effectively abandoned Brexit and now clearly lost the support of the DUP and many of its own backbenchers, to the extent that it is now reduced to handing out knighthoods to malleable colleagues, in a doomed attempt to stave off an almost certain defeat on the meaningful vote prior to Christmas.

However, do not be alarmed John, your colleagues have known you for many years and we know you are made of sterner stuff than that! All that quoting Plato, Socrates and Cicero in the Chamber down the years was for a higher purpose after all.

It's entirely up to you but could I cheekily suggest a crest with an utter cock rampant on one side and a big chicken on the otherMark Francois

He added: Its entirely up to you but could I cheekily suggest a crest with an utter cock rampant on one side and a big chicken on the other.

As you have spent your entire career as a staunch Eurosceptic, I cannot adequately put into words, really I cant John, how much I think of what you have done for your country  and I am sure that many of your colleagues now feel absolutely the same.

Mr Francois confirmed the letter was genuine and told the Press Association: I cant speak for every MP but normally when a colleague is knighted, on the Conservative MPs own internal WhatsApp group you get lots and lots of other colleagues say well done mate, great news.

When Gerald Howarth was knighted or when John Randall was knighted there were tons and tons of messages of congratulations. I havent seen one single colleague come up and say well done Sir John.

Labour MP Jo Stevens, a supporter of the pro-EU Best for Britain, said: This stinks of cronyism. It seems that in order to pass its unpopular Brexit deal, the Government is willing to hand out knighthoods left, right and centre.

Shadow cabinet office minister Chris Matheson said: It would be a spectacular act of desperation for Theresa May to be giving away knighthoods in a bid to win votes for her botched Brexit deal.

Sir John served in a series of ministerial roles from 2010 to January 2018 when he left his job at the Department for Transport as part of a reshuffle by Mrs May.

He was a security minister in the Home Office from May 2015 to June 2016 while Mrs May was home secretary.

Sir John has been MP for his Lincolnshire constituency South Holland and the Deepings since 1997.
The cash will be targeted on the the Mopti region (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Scottish Government has given 300,000 from its humanitarian emergency fund (HEF) to help provide vital supplies such as food and water for displaced people in Mali.

The United Nations estimates the crisis in the West African country affects around 5.2 million people, of which 1.6 million need urgent food assistance.

The cash will be targeted on the the Mopti region, where almost half of homes have insufficient food and humanitarian needs are said to have escalated most due to inter-community conflict.

Following a request by Scottish aid agencies working in Mopti, the funds are expected to go towards essential support such as food assistance, drinking water and hygiene campaigns.

The situation in Mali is very serious and this funding will provide aid to those most desperately in needBen Macpherson

Minister for International Development Ben Macpherson said: The situation in Mali is very serious and this funding will provide aid to those most desperately in need.

HEF member aid agencies on the ground, with extensive knowledge of the conflict, will work to ensure that this funding is targeted in order to maximise impact and alleviate suffering.

Scotland is a compassionate, outward-looking nation and that is why, in demonstrating good global citizenship, the Scottish Governments Humanitarian Emergency Fund provides essential aid to those in desperate need.

He said he hoped the move will help galvanise others to assist those affected by the crisis.

The HEF panel comprises Tearfund, Oxfam, Save the Children, British Red Cross, SCIAF, Mercy Corps, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and Christian Aid.
Scottish Labour will implement all-women shortlists in selections for Holyrood and Westminster, leader Richard Leonard has confirmed.

Speaking at the Scottish Labour Womens Conference on Saturday, Mr Leonard said the party needs to have women in the driving seat.

There have only been 491 female MPs since women first gained the right to stand for election to the House of Commons 100 years ago.

Two of the partys seven Scottish MPs are women, whilst 11 of the 23 Scottish Labour MSPs at the Scottish Parliament are women.

Addressing the conference, Mr Leonard said: Influential and inspiring women in our labour movement, are not just part of our history  You are part of our present and future as well.

That strength and passion lives on, you are both shaping and driving our party, with commitment, resolve and an unwavering belief, in the power of this party and this movement to change lives.

While much of that work will be done when we form the next Scottish and UK Labour governments, there are steps that we can take now.

In his speech, the Scottish Labour leader called for 50:50 representation on the board of the new Scottish National Investment Bank, which is expected to be established by 2020.

Mr Leonard also apologised to the thousands of council workers who went on strike in Glasgow last month calling for the settlement of an equal pay dispute.

He said: We owe an apology to all of those women workers who were forced to strike for equal pay earlier this month.

Women who faced, and continue to face obstruction and legal obstacle: in an example of corporate management of the very worst kind.

They have our support and our solidarity because if we, the Labour Party, do not represent working class womens interests on local councils, they are not represented at all.

In his speech, Mr Leonard reiterated his calls for the Scottish Government to effectively abolish Westminsters two-child benefit cap and the so-called rape clause in the Holyrood Budget.

He said: The two-child cap and resulting rape clause are abhorrent and must be scrapped. Here in Scotland, we could do so with the stroke of a pen, and help protect women from the worst effects of a Tory government.

The entire purpose of the Scottish Parliament is to allow Scotland to make different choices. Scotland has the power to build a fairer social security system. The SNP government must use its budget to end this injustice in Scotland once and for all.

While we will never stop the fight against the Tories, we can protect working people, and working women, from the worst of their policies.

For the avoidance of doubt, Scottish Labours position is not that the SNP should do this, it is that the SNP must do this.
The family of a man who died in police custody have led thousands of people on an anti-racism march in Glasgow.

Sheku Bayoh, 31, died after being restrained by officers responding to a call in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in May 2015.

In October, a Crown Office investigation ruled there would be no criminal charges against officers in connection with the case. It said it had conducted its probe with professionalism, integrity and respect.

The family of Sheku Bayou lead the St Andrews Day march into George Square #nojusticenopeace #antiracism #stillwerise pic.twitter.com/NruCmgdPqn  STUC (@ScottishTUC) November 24, 2018

Suki Sangha, the granddaughter of Sikh waiter Surjit Singh Chhokar, who was murdered in 1998, walked alongside Mr Bayohs family.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, MSP Anas Sarwar and lawyer Aamer Anwar also led the march.

Ms Sangha, chair of the STUC Black Workers Committee, said: The undertaking of anti-racist and anti-fascist work has never felt as important and urgent as it does in 2018.

Marching against racism is a simple act of solidarity with all those who face oppression and are denied justice not just here in Scotland but internationally. Very importantly the Sheku Bayoh family will lead todays march with @AamerAnwar 10.30am Glasgow Green. Still We Rise pic.twitter.com/NBK1pcQeHO  Suki Sangha (@sukisangh) November 24, 2018

The far-right are becoming more visible in public life across Britain, Europe and beyond.

Years of constitutional, economic and political crisis have replaced hope with fear after fear. We know that racism is a by-product of capitalism, we know who our real enemy is.

We need to learn and listen to what freedom and justice means for us all. Let us go beyond marches and build solidarity in every place we enter.

19 years ago I marched with the parents of murdered Surjit Singh Chhokar, today their granddaughter @sukisangh marched with the family of #ShekuBayoh who died in police custody on 3May2015/ at todays @ScottishTUC St Andrews March against Racism #NoJusticeNoPeace pic.twitter.com/kNx0yRTkrC  Aamer Anwar#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) November 24, 2018

The news recently that the nine police officers involved in the death of Sheku Bayoh will not be prosecuted should not shock us. It should cause fury. How many times must we see black communities plead for justice?

But our anger means nothing unless we are willing to show Shekus family our upmost solidarity.

Solidarity not just in name, but in practice.
Nicola Sturgeon has challenged Theresa May to a debate on the UK Governments Brexit proposals (Jane Barlow/PA)

Nicola Sturgeon has challenged Theresa May to a debate on the UK Governments Brexit proposals.

Amid speculation that the Prime Minister could hold a debate with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn before MPs vote on the deal, Scotlands First Minister called for a full leaders debate.

She tweeted: I cant speak for @jeremycorbyn, but Id be up for a full leaders debate on the deal. So, how about it PM @theresa_may?

I cant speak for @jeremycorbyn, but Id be up for a full leaders debate on the deal. So, how about it PM @theresa_may? https://t.co/0mg8R9NCUd  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 24, 2018

Ms Sturgeon and Mrs May met last week in London where they had a full, frank and calm exchange of views on Brexit.

The First Minister described the latest draft of the Prime Ministers Brexit agreement as a document which will ask people to take a blindfold leap off a cliff.

Ms Sturgeon said: Ive seen today the current draft  its not binding, it doesnt have legal effect and effectively it amounts to the House of Commons being asked to vote to exit the EU without knowing what comes next.

Thats asking people to take a blindfold leap off a cliff edge and I have said all along I just dont think thats a reasonable or acceptable thing to do.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the Prime Minister told Ms Sturgeon the deal on the table is the best deal that could have been negotiated.

She said: The Prime Minister made clear that we are negotiating a deal with the EU that works for all parts of the United Kingdom  Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland  and delivers on the result of the referendum.

The deal will give Scottish businesses the clarity and certainty they need to protect jobs and living standards, and see us take back control of our waters, improving the fortunes of our fishermen.

Ms Sturgeon also met all opposition leaders at Westminster last week, and said they were united in planning to vote down Mrs Mays deal, but claimed the next step was to agree on an alternative.
Authorities say a boat carrying 53 passengers crashed into a dock at San Franciscos famed Ferry Building, causing injuries to two people onboard.

A spokeswoman for Golden Gate Ferry told the Marin Independent Journal the ferry coming from Larkspur sustained damage following Friday afternoons crash.

Priya Clemens says the cause of the accident is under investigation and employees onboard are being questioned.

A witness told The Associated Press the ferry had bumped into one dock before careering towards another dock.

Tiffany Dennis said the accident set off panic among a crowd of people dining and shopping at the waterfront attraction.

The vessel came to a stop when it struck a concrete walkway.

The newspaper says a passenger and a worker onboard sustained minor injuries.
A 95-year-old man has been charged with more than 36,000 counts of being an accessory to murder on allegations that he served as a guard at the Nazi Mauthausen concentration camp, prosecutors in Berlin said.

Hans Werner H, whose last name was not released because of German privacy rules, is accused of serving as an SS guard in the camp in northern Austria from mid-1944 to early 1945.

During that time, 36,223 people were killed there, primarily by gassing but also by lethal injection, shooting, starvation and exposure, prosecutor Martin Steltner said. The suspect is not accused of a specific killing, but prosecutors argue that as a guard he helped the camp to function.

Overall, 95,000 people are believed to have died at Mauthausen, including 14,000 Jews, as well as Soviet prisoners of war, Spaniards who had fought against General Franco, and others.

"With his service as a guard he aided or at least made easier the killing of many thousands of inmates," Mr Steltner said, adding that the suspect denies the charges.

Efraim Zuroff, top Nazi hunter at the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, noted that Mr Wiesenthal himself was an inmate at Mauthausen when it was liberated by Americans in May 1945. Mr Wiesenthal died in 2005 after devoting his life to helping bring Nazi war criminals to trial.

"In a sense it gives a certain very nice closure that someone like this is brought to justice, which I'm sure would have been Simon's dream," Mr Zuroff said.
France is deploying thousands of police to try to contain nationwide protests and road blockades by drivers angry over rising fuel taxes and Emmanuel Macrons presidency.

Tensions have been mounting around the grassroots movement that drew more than a quarter of a million people a week ago to demonstrations across France, from Provence to Normandy and in between.

A new wave of protests was planned on Saturday, including beneath the Eiffel Tower.

Expand Close A yellow jacket protester holding a French flag walks past the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees in Paris (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Interior Minister Christophe Castaner called for calm and promised tough police measures against unruly crowds.

Paris alone is deploying some 3,000 security forces, notably around tourist-frequented areas like the Champs-Elysees, after an unauthorised attempt last week to march on the presidential palace.

Two people have been killed and hundreds of others injured in the week of protests, which are posing a big challenge to Mr Macron.

Authorities are struggling because the movement has no clear leader and has attracted a motley group of people with broadly varying demands.

The protesters call themselves the yellow jackets after the hi-vis security vests that drivers are required to keep in their vehicles.

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A man caused a dramatic stand-off with police on Friday when he donned a neon vest and brandished an apparent grenade at a supermarket in the western city of Angers. He was later arrested.

Most of the protesters anger is targeted at Mr Macron, a pro-business centrist accused of indifference to the struggles of ordinary people.

The president has defended the fuel taxes as necessary to reduce Frances dependence on fossil fuels, but promised to lay out new plans on Tuesday to make the energy transition easier.
The head of Russias Roscosmos space agency has said that a proposed mission to the moon will be tasked with verifying that the American moon landings were real.

We have set this objective to fly and verify whether theyve been there or not, said Dmitry Rogozin in a video posted on Twitter.

Mr Rogozin was responding to a question about whether or not Nasa actually landed on the moon nearly 50 years ago.

He appeared to be joking, as he smirked and shrugged while answering. But conspiracies surrounding Nasas moon missions are common in Russia.

The Soviet Union abandoned its lunar programme in the mid-1970s after four experimental moon rockets exploded.

In 2015, a former spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee called for an investigation into the Nasa moon landings.
As the political pressure mounts in the run-up to the crucial Brussels summit tomorrow, two of the major Tory ministers  Philip Hammond and Liam Fox  have visited Northern Ireland, while DUP leader Arlene Foster makes arguably the most important political speech of her career at the party conference in Belfast, which will be attended by Tory Brixiteer-in-chief Boris Johnston.

These are heady times indeed for all politicians, and particularly for those in Northern Ireland, though there has never been a more important time for cool heads to prevail than right now.

It is worth pointing out that Mrs Foster will speak in conciliatory terms about Mrs May. She will be warm about recognising the Prime Ministers hard work and determination for a favourable conclusion to the Brexit negotiations.

At the same time, there is no doubt that Mrs Foster is genuine when she says she wants to see an outcome that will do no harm to the Union.

Clearly the DUP is not changing its position in opposing the current  and only  deal on offer from the EU.

The reality is, therefore, that if we are to secure a better deal, the only option is to look beyond the current draft withdrawal agreement and use the time left to encourage everyone to work for a better outcome.

However, the DUP finds itself in a very difficult position, and Mrs Foster acknowledges the importance of avoiding a calamitous no-deal.

Nevertheless, for both the DUP and the UUP, the Union is something that is not negotiable, and is fundamental to their political identity. Basically, neither party can negotiate away the Union without damaging the essence of unionism itself. Brexit has now thrown all these complex issues into stark relief.

Without doubt, the insightful comments of former DUP leader Peter Robinson in a speech he gave this week will be a talking point among delegates at the Belfast conference today.

He said that confidence and supply agreements between political parties have a shelf life, the inference surely being that it is important for people not to overplay their hand.

These are wise words indeed at a time when the political stakes for Northern Ireland have never been higher.

The hand of history, once referred to by Tony Blair, is still hanging over all of us here.
Life in prison: British student Matthew Hedges, above with wife Daniela Tejada, has been jailed in the UAE for allegedly spying for the UK

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) sentencing of Durham university PhD student Matthew Hedges to life imprisonment for spying on behalf of the British Government has sounded alarm bells and called into question the level of trust between the United Kingdom and one of its historically close allies.

The fallout may result in a downgrade in diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Hedges and his academic supervisor at Durham say that he was researching civil-military relations in the UAE since the Arab Spring.

His research is said to have touched on the thorny issue of the UAE's military presence in Yemen.

The Saudi-led war in Yemen is a controversial topic, because of the thousands of civilian casualties, hundreds of alleged war crimes and dire humanitarian situation.

The UAE is careful to uphold a positive international image and likely would not want to fuel the fire and incriminate itself further in such a devastating conflict.

Despite countless democratic allies, a modern facade and glossy veneer of openness, the UAE is notorious for forced confessions, unfair trials and little tolerance for freedom of speech.

The UAE alleges "espionage material" was found on Hedges' laptop and, since May this year, he has been detained in solitary confinement in an Abu Dhabi prison in degrading conditions.

His sentencing verdict was delivered during a five-minute court session without the presence of his lawyer.

Hedges denies the allegations against him, although Emirati prosecutors claim that he confessed while under questioning. The move by Emirati authorities to allege espionage and impose such a steep punishment on a British citizen might be viewed as a sign of the diminished value the nation places on its ongoing economic and diplomatic ties with the UK, preferring to reorient its alliances elsewhere.

This summer the UAE ramped up political, security and economic relations with Russia, signing a new declaration of strategic partnership.

However, Emirati state media has also been touting the opportunities for enhanced trade with the UK, post-Brexit. The UAE's ambassador to the UK, Sulaiman Al Mazroui, stated earlier this year that he firmly believes a "global Britain" is a key partner for the UAE.

Hedges' wife, Daniela Tejeda, on Thursday met Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who tweeted that evening: "I've just had a constructive conversation with UAE FM (foreign minister) Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed. I believe (and) trust he's working hard to resolve the situation asap. We've a close partnership with UAE, which will help us take things forward."

Despite the susceptibility to arbitrary detention, human rights abuses and skirmishes in the past involving the imprisonment of British citizens for not adhering to the country's strict laws, which are based on its moral code, the UAE has hitherto been considered a safe and desirable country for Brits to both visit and to relocate to.

A souring - or even severing - of ties between the nations could have a devastatingly negative effect on more than 100,000 British nationals living and working in the Gulf state.

The UK and UAE (formerly known as the Trucial States and under a British protectorate until 1971) have very deep and long-established political, security and economic ties, with a historically strong trading relationship.

Bilateral trade doubled between 2009 and 2016 and is now nearly 15bn.

US President Donald Trump's support for Saudi Arabia after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which evidence suggests was perpetrated by the Saudi state, demonstrates that in the current climate, trade and economics are valued above justice and human rights.

For whatever aim, the UAE is perhaps taking advantage of the instability of Britain's political and economic climate and the intense pressure on the Government to negotiate a deal getting it out of the European Union.

The UAE knows that at such uncertain times, the loss of an important and strategic economic partner is a great risk for any nation.
In the last few years, cannabis has made its way into the medical mainstream in Western owing to its efficacy in multiple health conditions

The conference titled Cannabis R&D in India: A Scientific, Medical and Legal Perspective was recently held in New Delhi.

The day-long conference was jointly hosted by Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). Other prominent medical experts, policy makers and researchers including Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Prime Ministers office; Dr. Ram Vishwakarma, Director-CSIR-IIIM; Dr. Rajendra Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai; Dr. Dharmvira Gandhi, Member of Parliament,Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head Neurology),AIIMS; Dr Anurag Srivastava,Head (Surgery), AIIMS and Jahan Peston James, co-founder, Bombay Hemp Company were also present at the conference.

In the last few years, cannabis has made its way into the medical mainstream in Western owing to its efficacy in multiple health conditions, but in India, patients are denied cannabis-based medicines despite the country having a tradition of thousands of years of using the properties of this plant in the treatment of various ailments.

Talking about why cannabis-based modern medicines have nominal presence in India, Avnish Pandya, Director of R&D, Bombay Hemp Company said, Any medicine requires a standard, stable and predictable cannabis plants with standard cannabinoid output derived from their flowering tops to get consistent medicine. There is also a lack of clinical trials on cannabis and its isolated compounds. Clinical trials are based on single molecule compounds due to their predictability, in contrast to Ayurvedic medicines which represent a multi-faceted approach towards medicine. So, either cannabis has to walk down the path of clinical trials, or clinical trials have to accommodate multi-compound, complex formulations. The lack of regulatory clarity on cannabinoids other than THC, combined with socio-cultural stigma of cannabis consumption since 1985, has contributed towards the absence of cannabis-based medicines in the Indian market.

Dr Vivek Benegal, Professor, Centre for Addiction Medicine, NIMHANS said, Though cannabis is a psychoactive drug and causes intoxication, its addictive potential is lower than that of tobacco, alcohol, heroin, cocaine etc. In fact, the cannabis plant and its commonly used forms like ganja, bhang, charas contain many chemicals which are not psychoactive but have medicinal and therapeutic capabilities.

Speaking at the conference, experts said that India lacks three very important aspects to bring it up to the level of Western nations in terms of cannabis-based medicines. These include non-availability of standard cannabis varieties or strains which will have predictable outputs; negligible clinical research on cannabis due to lack of standard material; and absence of standard product development from standard cannabis varieties. They asked India Government to provide support on the plant-breeding side of cannabis ecosystem, as standard cannabis has not been bred in India since 1985.

Talking about the main challenges in the production and consumption of cannabis-based modern medicines, Dr.Dhiraj Vyas,Head of Dept-Plant Biotechnology, CSIR-IIIM said, There are no standard varieties or seeds of cannabis to cultivate in India. As cannabis is considered a narcotic commodity under the NDPS Act, research is restricted due to the non-availability of research-grade material. Research projects to produce standard varieties of cannabis have only recently begun in India by CSIR-IIIM in collaboration with the Bombay Hemp Company, and there are no standard extracts from which medicines can be produced. Since there are no standard medicines available, patients are reluctant to try cannabis in the form of oils, etc. and doctors lack awareness about endocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system that is present within every mammal. As a result, only a few doctors in India are currently in a position to prescribe cannabis-based medicine to anyone.

The experts also felt that the cannabis plant is a victim of misperception despite being an integral part of India culture. For thousands of years, it has been a trusted ingredient in the treatment of various ailments. Yet cannabis is mired in ambiguity when it comes to its application in modern healthcare.
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Srinagar, November 24: Complete shutdown was observed in south Kashmir districts, today, to mourn the killings of six youth by Indian forces in Bijbehara, yesterday.

The youth Azad Ahmed Malik, Basit Ishtiyaq Mir, Anees Shafi Butt, Atif Hassan Najar, Shahid Bashir and Firdous Ahmad Mir were killed by the troops during a cordon and search operation.

Complete shutdown was observed in Islamabad, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts. All shops and business establishments remained closed while traffic was off the road.

After several rounds of funeral prayers, one of the martyred youth, Firdous Ahmad Mir, was laid to rest in his native Machpuna area in Pulwama district, today. Since yesterday, thousands of mourners from dozens of villages of south Kashmir reached Machpuna to participate in his funeral prayers. After multiple rounds of funeral prayers, Firdous was laid to rest, amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Srinagar, November 24: A teenage girl injured in the firing of Indian troops in Khudwani area of Kulgam district on Thursday succumbed to her injuries, today.

The 14-year-old girl, Muskan Jan, was critically injured when the troops resorted to indiscriminate firing after an attack by unknown gunmen at an army camp stationed in Kashmir Agriculture University campus in Khudwani on Thursday morning. She was removed to a sub-district hospital in Qaimoh where from she was referred to SMHS hospital in Srinagar for specialized treatment.

Muskan Jan as per the doctors who operated her at the SMHS hospital slipped into coma. However, she succumbed to her injuries, today.

Meanwhile, a youth shot at near an Indian Army camp in Chattergam area of Budgam district last evening succumbed to injuries at Soura Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, today. The youth identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Ganai was soon rushed to a local hospital where doctors referred him to Soura hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment, however, he succumbed to his injuries today.

While locals said that the youth was shot by the Indian soldiers, army refuted by saying that he was fired upon by unknown gunmen 500-600 metres away from the camp.

On the other hand, bullet-riddled dead body of abducted former Special Police Officer was recovered from an orchard in Nikloora area of Pulwama district. He abducted from his native Reben area of Shopian district by unknown persons.
A senior figure in the Prison Officers Association (POA), suspected of smuggling drugs into jail, had a tracker device placed on his family car as part of a covert surveillance operation.

According to a whistle-blower, a private detective agency was retained to fit and monitor the device on the car and a log was kept of the mans movements outside the prison for up to a year.

In the latest details leaked from a sworn affidavit handed to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, the whistleblower claims that the official was targeted because he was suspected of smuggling drugs into a prison where he worked.

The tracking device was fitted outside the targets home. It had to be changed frequently because it had a relatively short battery life, so the prison officers vehicle had to be constantly accessed.

The whistleblower also claims that he was asked to gather details of the mans family and close friends. These were handed over to the private detectives to help them access the mans car without being detected.

The device was used to possibly identify who the prison officer met up with and was kept on the car for 12 months.

The whistleblower has also stated that he personally gathered information from this monitoring and passed it on to gardai.

The Irish Examiner has established that the prison officer targeted has never been charged with any drug-related offences and continues to work in the prison service.

The whistleblower who made the explosive claims about covert surveillance in the countrys jails has also raised concerns about how deaths in prisons are dealt with.

On Thursday, Mr Flanagan asked the Inspector of Prisons to conduct an inquiry into the claims under Section 31 of the Prisons Act 2007.

However, the solicitor acting on behalf of the whistleblower has written to the Minister for Justice stating the Inspector of Prisons, under the act, does not have the required legislative power to properly investigate the claims.

These concerns have been echoed by the POA, which said the allegations should be investigated by the gardai.

The POA said it was concerned about any practice that could impact on the safety and security of its members.

Under the act, inspectors can access books, record, other documents or extracts therefrom kept there within a prison. This provision does not cover access to documents kept in other locations, such as the headquarters of the Irish Prison Service.

The Irish Examiner understands that any record of the activity in the allegations would most likely not have been kept in a specific prison. This calls into question the power of the inspector to conduct the kind of examination that the minister said he was requesting.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fail Justice spokesman Jim OCallaghan has said the investigation must be thorough.

The preliminary statutory investigation to be conducted by the independent Inspector of Prisons, Patricia Gilheaney, must cover every element of the allegations, said Mr OCallaghan.

Therefore, the minister must guarantee that every necessary resource is provided to the Office of the Inspector of Prisons to conduct this investigation in a timely manner.

It is essential that a comprehensive investigation and report are completed as soon as possible.

This article was amended on Saturday, Novemeber 24 at 10.30am.
Ambitious social security scheme ready for private sector workers

The government has introduced an ambitious social security scheme to protect and secure employees working in the formal private sector, a historic step for a country where workers safety and rights have been an issue of concern.
Multiple Walkley Award-winning journalist and ABC personality Kerry OBrien told about 150 attendees, including recently elected member for Wentworth Kerryn Phelps and former NSW premier Bob Carr, that the public broadcasters board still has question marks over its head. Media commentators have argued the directors should explain to the public why they didnt do more to stop Milnes intervention in editorial matters, such as telling Guthrie to fire high-profile journalist Emma Alberici because the government hates her. Board sources adamantly deny not acting appropriately at the time. Everybody in the country who supports the ABC across the political spectrum ... should be watching Scott Morrison as the government goes through the process of appointing a new chair, O'Brien said, pushing for independence in the process of hiring. A board that is appointed at arm's length from government, not the appearance of it, not the bullshit version of it, the real one. A government that cant guarantee that, is a government that should be judged ... as found wanting.

When the government is searching for an ABC board director, a nomination panel is set up to select candidates, though the government can choose someone who is not shortlisted to sit on the board. The current ABC board includes several directors hand-chosen by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield. There is a nomination panel for the chairman though the Prime Minister can select a preferred candidate (Justin Milne was a friend of Malcolm Turnbull's), and the managing director is chosen by the board. The choice of Vanessa Guthrie as a director in February 2017, who is chairwoman of the Minerals Council of Australia and not chosen by the panel, was particularly controversial as it came at a time the government was criticising the broadcaster's coverage of coal mining and energy security. University of Melbourne senior research fellow Denis Muller has urged for the managing director role to be separated from the job of editor-in-chief, and for more transparency in the selection process. If the minister is going to appoint somebody other than someone on the nomination list, he should have to say why and why he isnt choosing those who are nominated, Muller says, It imposes a discipline on the government and stops them from being able to stack the board with mates. The same process should happen with the chairman when they vet him.

The call for greater transparency around board appointments was shared in submissions to the ongoing inquiry into allegations of political interference at the ABC by ABC Friends, the journalists union and The Australia Institute, which recommended a cross-party committee be added to both hiring processes. However, there is far less agreement when it comes to the question of funding. Follow the money Milne summed up the tension between the ABC and the government clearly after his resignation; in particular, hopes for an extra $500 million for a digitisation project were front-of-mind in his job. "You cant go around irritating the person who's going to give you funding again and again and again if it's over matters of accuracy and impartiality, he said in an interview on 7.30 at the time.

Earlier this month, he described the government as our shareholder, theyre our banker, theyre our regulator, theyre our occasional inquisitor on Four Corners. Loading The government chooses how to spend taxpayers money and decides on the ABCs triennial funding, which has been the system since 1989. If the government chooses to freeze the ABC budget's indexation (ultimately resulting in a funding cut due to rising costs) then it can. While budget decisions may be made for a range of reasons, such as the complexities for government bean counters trying to balance many areas in need of funding, Milne was clearly concerned about keeping politicians on-side. This inherently introduces a concern the ABC is held hostage to the government's decision and could shy away from criticism to ensure future funding.

Among those questioning whether this funding model works is acting managing director David Anderson, who is considered a frontrunner to keep the role in future. His recent submission to the inquiry argued prohibiting advertising ensured the public broadcaster was unencumbered by commercial imperative, but while the corporation has absolute discretion as to the application of such funds available to it, as the majority of its funding is delivered through government appropriation there is an inexorable link between government and the corporation. He welcomed consideration of alternative funding arrangements provided they included indexation settings to counter rising costs and funding set a number of years in advance. A global search Not every country funds its public broadcaster in the same way. Some public broadcasters take advertisements (including SBS), though this can raise issues of commercial independence.

The ABC is not allowed to take advertisements on most of its platforms, though it does allow ads on YouTube and around its content on Apple News. This only forms a small portion of its revenue (in the last annual report, the ABC was given $1.04 billion in government funding and generated $65.1 million from other sources). About $180 million is spent a year on transmission services. Some countries charge residents in the form of a television licence fee, sometimes levied alongside an electricity bill like in Scandinavia. TV licences are particularly common in Europe, and is how the BBC raised 3.8 billion ($6.75 billion) funding of an overall 5.1 billion. Households in Britain are charged about 150 ($266) to legally access broadcast television and there are 66 million people in the UK. Experts say more people using laptops, tablets and phones to access content could mean a device-focused levy would be more appropriate. Canadas TVO (covering 14.2 million people in Ontario) accepts charitable donations and bequests. In fiscal 2017, 31,400 people donated funds to the public broadcaster. This provided an additional $2.9 million net revenue from individual and corporation donations and sponsorships, though the majority of the funding ($39 million) came through the government. Transparency and scrutiny

Muller does not believe changing to an overseas method would be most appropriate, warning relying on charity or sponsorship dollars could be dangerous and may lead to even lower levels of government funding. Instead, he said triennial funding should simply be stated at the start of the period and any later changes should be subjected to debate in Parliament and subject to public scrutiny. Loading [The government] shouldnt be able to just do it in the papers and hide it on page 506, he said. "It needs to be transparent and subject to questioning. ABC Friends has recommended a five-year rolling funding, with three years underpinned by legislation, while the journalists union has suggested external independent advisers help determine the triennial funding. Some industry sources queried who would select the independent committee. The Australia Institute recommended public submissions about the ABC funding should be called for by the Department of Communications when each triennial period is coming to an end, with a consultation process and reports required.
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.
Amazon.com employees in Europe protested warehouse working conditions, some using the slogan 'we are not robots,' in another challenge for the world's biggest online retailer heading into its busiest time of year.

Workers in Germany, Spain, and France walked off the job at Amazon fulfillment centres on Black Friday, one of the busiest online shopping days of the year. In Italy and the UK, workers protested at several facilities, according to Bloomberg Law.

Amazon workers during a Black Friday rally Torrejon Ardoz, Spain. Credit:AP

More than 600 German workers at the company's Bad Hersfeld facility walked out on Friday morning local time. In Spain, workers at Amazon's Madrid-area San Fernando de Henares facility planned a two-day strike Friday and Saturday. That facility employs 1,800 workers and was last on strike during Amazon Prime Day, another major shopping day for the company in May, according to UNI Global Union.

About 500 workers in the UK demonstrated at five Amazon warehouses, according to the GMB union. Membership in the union among Amazon employees is small, national officer Mick Rix said. Images on social media showed small groups of people gathered with banners from the union.
It's the tiny insect that's had a big impact on several Canberra developments. It's also got a particularly fascinating story.

Imagine living for just five days, not being able to eat anything and having to produce up to 300 babies. Plus, the number of places you can live keeps shrinking.

That's the whirlwind life of the golden sun moth, the critically endangered insect that calls Canberra home.

A female golden sun moth at Macgregor. Credit:ACT Parks and Conservation

Late November is peak sun moth season as the gold and black-winged creatures leave their underground homes and emerge to mate.
The Australian War Memorial expects to begin procurement for its $498 million redevelopment before the year is out or in early 2019 as the major overhaul progresses.

The redevelopment is still in its infancy but has generated strong reactions from supporters and detractors since it was unveiled.

Artist impressions of the planned redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial.

Some historians have called into question the extravagant figure slated for the redevelopment while other major cultural institutions make do with existing funding. Many former military personnel have said the funds could be better spent supporting veterans.

Memorial director Brendan Nelson said he was "completely unapologetic" about the amount of funding given to the memorial and said the redevelopment was aimed at honouring the "Invictus generation".
Hes been disqualified from driving four times, twice been caught driving while disqualified and been labelled a habitual traffic offender.

Despite his record, when Mosman chief executive Savas Guven was caught driving without a licence in 2014, he successfully convinced a magistrate he should not be convicted again.

Savas Guven runs scaffolding firm AllRound Access.

Two employees signed statements in support of Mr Guven saying that they were at a meeting in the CBD, one claiming he had driven him, and the other that he saw Mr Guven take a call from his sister-in-law over a cancer scare. But both lied.

The truth only emerged after police began surveilling Mr Guven, also known as Savas Yucel, for unrelated reasons.
Emmanuel Aligiannis describes himself as "fully imported".

The Sydney restauranteur migrated from the Greek island of Lesbos after falling in love with Australian-born wife Louise more than four decades ago.

But even having seen the city transformed over the decades, with the population swelling past five million and increasing pressure on roads, buses, trains and schools, the couple both believe Prime Minister Scott Morrison is wrong about planning to cut immigration.

Emmanuel and Louise Aligiannis have a restaurant in Warwick Farm, Sydney's most culturally diverse suburb. Credit:Steven Siewert

"The country is what it is today, successful, because of immigration," Mr Aligiannis says. "If we have problems with roads or hospitals or education, it's not because of migration.
Beneath the State Library of NSW lies a massive collection of historic property porn: 40,000 subdivision maps with prices that will make any aspiring Sydney homeowner sick with envy today.

Bondi Beach subdivision map marks its development into the beachside suburb of today. Credit:State Library of NSW

"It is like the Domain.com or the realestate.com of the late 19th century and early 20th century," says Maggie Patton, chief curator of the State Library, of the subdivision plans. The collection details the collective dreams of Sydneysiders from 1860 to the 1930s to own their own home and land, she says.

Much like posters today promoting visiting artists and bands, large subdivision posters  often brightly coloured and designed  advertising the sale of land were plastered across suburbs and real estate agents' windows. Many, like a 1913 subdivision called Linkmead on Sydney Road near Manly, were pitched at the "man who yearns to be his own landlord and stop paying rent".

Developers turned dunes and farmland into housing lots. While the advertisements sold dreams and hopes, newspaper articles often detailed the controversies that erupted over these developments, such as construction on Bondi's sand dunes.
More than 20 fire crews are fighting multiple blazes across greater Brisbane, with one destroying caravans in its wake and another forcing residents from their homes.

On Saturday afternoon, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services issued a warning for people to leave immediately as more than 10 fire crews battled a worsening bushfire in Delaneys Creek.

A mulch machine is on fire at a Caboolture tip, north of Brisbane. Credit:Tyarna Gerrey.

"A dangerous fire is travelling in an easterly direction from Travers Court towards Mervyn Cavanagh Court, Delaneys Creek," the service's 3.30pm warning said.

"It is expected to impact Mervyn Cavanagh around 3.45pm."
Almost 20 teenagers have been arrested on the Gold Coast while celebrating their final night of schoolies, pushing past last year's final arrest tally.

Police arrested 18 male schoolies overnight on Friday, mostly for drug offences, while another 18 non-schoolies were arrested for offences, including public nuisance, obstructing police and contravening a requirement.

An increased police presence will continue on the Gold Coast as interstate schoolies are set to arrive. Credit:Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Overall, there were 69 charges for multiple offences for street and minor drug offences with no major incidents reported.

Gold Coast District Inspector Mat Rosevear said he was pleased with the outcome of schoolies this year, giving Queensland school leavers high marks for behaviour.
Scott Morrison's proposal to cut immigration is "not the answer" to south-east Queenslanders' concerns about population growth, experts say.

Rather, better planning is.

The Brisbane road interchange known as Spaghetti Junction, in Bowen Hills. Credit:nearmap.com

The Prime Minister has appealed to voters frustrated with road congestion and fuller schools, hospitals and public transport with a "fair dinkum process" to cut the national permanent migration intake by 30,000 places annually.

The policy, Mr Morrison said, would target Sydney, Melbourne and south-east Queensland, where 75 per cent of migrants end up, amid predictions this week burgeoning Brisbane could reach three million people by 2027.
It was the fourth item on the list of announcements from publisher Angus & Robertson for the November 1918 literary season.

Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie was about to hit the shelves. But 100 years on next week it has emerged that the gumnut baby rollercoaster could have been an even bigger cash cow for creator May Gibbs than it turned out.

'Workaholic' Gibbs didn't die with the wealth that her prodigious output of characters, comic strips and stories might suggest. That was because women were paid a fraction of what a male illustrator might receive in those days.

May Gibbs' Gumnut Babies. Credit:May Gibbs Archive, State Library of NSW  The Northcott Society and Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Yet all that could have been very different. Letters rediscovered on Friday at the Mitchell Library indicate that Gibbs tried for a movie deal, after her books caught the eye of a former Walt Disney staffer who produced Bambi.
Cold affects poor people in Tarai

The onset of winter has severely affected the impoverished communities of Musahar, Dom and Chamar in Province 2.
Deals organised by preference whisperer Glenn Druery have lifted the microparties to new heights, winning up to nine of the forty seats in the next Legislative Council  even though their collective vote went down.

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A new party set up by frustrated taxi drivers appears likely to win two seats in the Upper House, despite winning only a tiny percentage of votes, according to projections using ABC analyst Antony Greens election calculator.

The Transport Matters Party, run by hire car owner Rod Barton and running mostly Indian candidates, seems set to win the final seat in Eastern Metropolitan district from the Greens - despite winning only 0.6 per cent of the vote compared to the Greens 9.3 per cent.

Read more here.
By late Saturday afternoon, the mood in the Greens was pessimistic about four key inner city seats they had hoped to either win or retain.

Simultaneously, the mood in Labor rose to a cautious optimism that they would retain the seat of Richmond, held by Planning Minister Richard Wynne by a margin of just 1.86 per cent.

By 5pm on Saturday, one Greens advisor who spent the day handing out in Richmond said their candidate, Kathleen Maltzahn, was still in the race.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam arrives at Toorak Library voting centre. Credit:AAP

But a litany of setbacks over the campaign  ranging from a candidate posting inappropriate social media messages, to a candidate using misogynistic lyrics in their music through to a candidate being accused of rape  had hurt their push to take Richmond off Labor for the first time.
It wasn't supposed to end this way. The almost premier, Matthew Guy, standing on stage alongside his wife Renae at 9pm on election night conceding defeat after a "stunning night" for his opponent.

This was an election result in fast forward, almost like Guy's political career. First elected at the age of just 32 and leader of the Liberal party at 40, he could now be out of the parliament at 44.

Matthew Guy concedes. Credit:Chris Hopkins

The question of whether he stays on as leader or as an MP was left unanswered on Saturday night. He slipped out a side door at the Veneto Club in Bulleen before the media got a chance to ask him.

Guy was clearly emotional as he stood in front of a cheering crowd, thanking his staff, parliamentary colleagues and family for their efforts in a long and bruising campaign.
Our government has had several reminders this year of China's willingness to breach not only existing rules but its own commitments when it comes to hacking and theft of intellectual property, as well as its willingness to leverage its leading trade relationship with Australia in pursuit of political objectives.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison sought to walk between the raindrops, assuring media in Port Moresby that "there's a lot of movement under the water" towards resolving the trade stand-off between Washington and Beijing . But, as Mr Morrison knows and suggested in his own speech to the meeting , breaking this impasse would require the Trump administration to revisit a number of governing assumptions baked into Mr Pence's speech.

Protect your interests, preserve your independence and just like America, always put your country first. US Vice-President Mike Pence's words to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Port Moresby on Saturday, including a frank warning about the risks of accepting Chinese infrastructure investment , raised the temperature for those countries caught between "the two big giants", as PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill put it. The attempt by a Chinese delegation to force its way into the PNG foreign minister's office over the wording of the APEC communique added to the impression that our region faces a new and far more bellicose landscape.

The peril for the United States lies in trying to mirror this approach. Evan Feigenbaum, who worked in the State Department under George W. Bush, pointed out recently that "the US would do a hell of a lot better by leveraging addition and multiplication instead of subtraction and division". When Washington walked away from the Iran nuclear deal, it set up a zero-sum confrontation with Tehran that US allies were reluctant to support; Dr Feigenbaum warns against "trying to write China out of Asia's story as rhetoric or policy". Ash Carter, a defence secretary under Barack Obama, told The Washington Post that "we don't have a China policy, we have an Asia policy ... to give up the network approach would be to cede the battlefield to China". Yet the White House has been doing precisely that since it walked away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and only last week rattled key allies by again pondering tariffs on cars and car parts in the name of national security.

US Vice-President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping before the official family photograph at the APEC forum in Port Moresby. Credit:AAP

The United States struggled to pivot towards Asia long before Trump came to office. But to do so from an America First posture may prove even more difficult. By the same token, Asia-Pacific nations who are asked to choose between one giant or the other, in some modern reprise of the Judgement of Paris, may surprise or embarrass Washington, as Canberra did when it ignored US objections to Australia joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank under Tony Abbott.

The passage of the BUILD Act in Washington and Canberra's announcement of an Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility suggest that we might be engaged in an investment scramble for Asia and the Pacific, with all the potential for corruption and misplacement of funds seen in postwar Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet unless Western powers can do far more to genuinely persuade the nations of the region that they have a collective and multilateral conception of their interests, from climate change to trade to development, the People's Republic will continue to exploit its geographic position and the widening fissures in the international community to advance its own agenda.
House panel seeks Airbus deal papers

Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has directed the Nepal Airlines Corporation to present all documents related to the purchase of two wide-body aircraft.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Union minister and TDP MP Y S Chowdary for questioning on Tuesday in connection with alleged multiple financial irregularities, including the defrauding of banks to the extent of Rs 57 billion.

The ED said it had conducted raids in eight locations, seven in Hyderabad and one in Delhi, including the residence of Sujana Chowdary (as the former minister is popularly known), besides the offices of his Sujana Group of companies and other places on Friday, following a trail in an ongoing investigation. The agency has declared that its officials ...
Muslims in Ayodhya are "terrified" ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) 'Dharam Sabha', Zafaryab Jilani, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said on Saturday.

He alleged that the public meeting was part of the political strategy of the and the to keep the Ram temple issue alive in the run up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"The Muslims living in Ayodhya are terrified since about the past week...we have also asked those feeling insecure to come to Lucknow if they want," Jilani told PTI.

"We are keeping an eye on the developments and will look into them if something happens," he said.

The VHP, a right-wing Hindu group, has called for the public meeting in Ayodhya on Sunday to call for the construction of a grand temple for Lord Ram in the holy town. Ayodhya is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

The organisers of the 'Dharam Sabha' claim that more than 300,000 devotees of Lord Ram are likely to arrive for the meeting.

Jilani, who is also a senior counsel, said whatever is happening in Ayodhya is a contempt of court.

"The law is that an issue which is under consideration of the court should not be discussed publicly, but the court is being challenged through statements and by organising functions," he said.

The Supreme Court on November 12 had declined early hearing of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi- title dispute case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul had said that it had already listed the appeals before the appropriate bench in January.

Jilani said while the is very serious about constructing the temple, the is trying to prove it wrong, which is affecting both Hindus and Muslims in Ayodhya.

He said officials were also under tremendous pressure to ensure that the law and order is not disturbed.

Ayodhya was virtually turned into a fortress on Saturday with multiple layers of security.

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary, five companies of the Rapid Action Force, Anti-Terrorism Squad commandos and drones have been deployed in Ayodhya.
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Security Advisor and Chinese Foreign Minister held the 21st round of border talks in China's southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday, officials said.

Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, would also review the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister and President in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and The talks were expected to be concluded later Saturday.

This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, "We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability".

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year.

Since the first-ever "informal summit" between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance India's exports to to address the over USD 51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing India's export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said.

Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute.

The India- border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.

Senior defence officials of India and China held the 9th India-China Annual Defence and Security Dialogue in on November 13 after a one-year gap due to the Doklam standoff. During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges and interactions.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the government does not need any extra funds from the Reserve Bank or any other institution to meet the fiscal deficit target. However, he added that extra funds, which may accrue from the new capital framework of the Reserve Bank, can always be used for poverty alleviation programmes over the years by future governments. "We don't need any extra funds from any other institution to finance our fiscal deficit.

Let's be very clear that's not the intention of the government. And we are not saying that in next six months give me ...
On November 21, 2018, close to 80 women widowed by farmer suicides across Maharashtra gathered at the Azad Maidan grounds in south Mumbai with one demand: That the government acknowledge their existence as women farmers with rights to the land that they had once tilled with their husbands.

Anitatai, whose husband had killed himself five years ago because he could not pay off mounting debts, travelled 400 km from Osmanabad in central Maharashtra to join the protest here. When she was widowed, her in-laws refused to give her a share of the family land and threw her out of the house as ...
Richard Heald, chief executive officer of the UK-India Business Council (UKIBC), has been a frequent visitor to India as both nations raise the stakes in each other's economy. In the background of Brexit, Heald talks to Subhayan Chakraborty. Edited excerpts: What is the timeline for Brexit? This is a very important decision for the UK.

In June 2016, the British electorate made a decision and for 24 months there has been negotiation with the EU. Now, we have arrived at a withdrawal agreement and this has to be voted on by Parliament. We'll have to see how that goes over ...
Thirty-three of the total 200 Rajasthan Assembly constituencies are witnessing a fight between the same candidates of the BJP and the Congress who had contested the 2013 state polls.

Both the parties have changed their candidates on 43 seats this time.

On the remaining 124 seats, the two major parties have decided to field new candidates.

Of the 33 seats, 29 are sitting BJP MLAs and four are Congress MLAs that included former chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Karanpur seat is witnessing a fight between Mines minister Surendra Pal Singh and former Congress minister Gurmeet Singh, who had lost 2013 election to Surendra Pal Singh with a margin of 3,853 votes, while Hanumagarh seat is being contested by Water Resources minister Ram Pratap and Congress candidate Vinod Chaudhary.

Chaudhary had faced defeat with a big margin of 30,487 votes but the Congress has fielded him again and the seat will witness a direct fight between both the candidates.

Former Congress minister Rajendra Pareek is in the fray in Sikar constituency, which was won by BJP's Ratan lal Jaldhari in 2013 with a margin of 13,015 votes.

The seat in Shekhwati region is all set to witness a triangular contest with Rashtriya Loktantrik Dal's Wahid Chauhan in the race.



Read our full coverage on Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018

Chauhan contested the last polls as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate and stood third by securing 29.10 per cent votes.

Former speaker and Congress candidate Deependra Singh Shekhaat is in fight with BJP's Jhabar Singh Kharra at Srimadhopur, while Chomu seat is also witnessing a direct fight between BJP MLA Ram Lal Sharma and Congress candidate Bhagwan Sahahi Saini.

The winning margin of Sharma was 44,473 in 2013.

Jaipur's hot seat civil lines is again witnessing the same fight like that of 2013 and the candidates are Social Justice and Empowerment minister Arun Chaturvedi and former Congress MLA Prapta Singh Khachariyawas.

Similar situation is in Malvia Nagar where Health minister Kalicharan Saraf is in a close battle with PCC vice president Archana Sharma.

Candidates are same but people will vote for the Congress on December 7 because there is high resentment among people against Saraf who is facing corruption charges and people are inclined towards Congress, Sharma said.

People want clean leadership and corruption-free government which is focussed on development and the BJP failed to deliver and therefore the public is against the ruling party, she said.

Jayal seat of Nagaur district is also having repeat candidates and both are women named Manju.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained sitting MLA Manju Baghmar while the Congress has again fielded Manju Devi on the seat reserved for SC candidates.

Jodhpur's Sardarpura seat is witnessing contesting between sitting MLA and Gehlot who had defeated BJP's Shambhu Singh Khetasar with a margin of 18,478 votes.

Gehlot had the only advantage of caste factor. Apart from that, there is no charm of him. He did not work for his constituency and also often remained absent in the assembly. The issue in the assembly remains the same and unaddressed and I am confident that the BJP will win the seat this time, BJP candidate Shambhu Singh Khetasar said.

On the other hand, both the BJP and the Congress have changed their candidates in 43 constituencies.

Thirty four out of these 43 seats were won by the BJP in 2013 but the party dropped them this time and gave tickets to others which made some of such sitting MLAs, including ministers Rajkumar Rinwa (Ratangarh), Hem Singh Bhandana (Thanagaji) rebel.

As many as 2,294 candidates, including 189 women candidates, are contesting on 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan which is going to poll on December 7.
Columbia Sportswear has spent years designing ski jackets and hiking boots to withstand the elements: wind, rain, snow and, increasingly, tariffs. Located on a sprawling campus adorned with hanging canoes, the 80-year-old retailer has long protected its outdoor gear from the whims of Washington by engaging in what the company calls tariff engineering  adjusting its products to lessen import taxes on materials from outside the United States like rubber soles, zippers and waterproof nylon. But now Columbia worries that its approach is under threat from a ...
Lack of agenda delays winter session of federal parliament

The winter session of the federal parliament, which has dozens of laws to endorse ahead of the constitutional deadline, has been delayed because of inadequate agenda.
A summit is slated to be held on November 25 in Brussels in which prominent leaders from the European Union's 27-member countries and the United Kingdom will sit down for the final round of talks.

European Council President announced on Twitter that he has shared a draft Political Declaration on the future relationship between the EU and the UK with the EU member countries, while stating that the declaration has been agreed at the negotiators' level and "agreed in principle at political level". However, he highlighted that the agreement was subject to the endorsement of leaders on Sunday at the special summit.

"Sunday 25 November marks the special at which leaders of the EU-27 will vote on the deal reached during the course of negotiations," the official website of the UK Parliament stated.

EU had released the full text of the draft political declaration on November 22. UK Prime Minister Theresa May also spoke at the British Parliament on the same day outlining the text of the political declaration and trade dynamics.

"The negotiations are now at a critical moment and all our efforts must now be focused on working with our European partners to bring this process to a final conclusion in the interests of all our people," May said while speaking at the House of Commons.

The issue of Gibraltar may pose a challenge to a unanimous vote on Sunday, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously remarked that they would vote against the declaration over discontent on the clause regarding the future relationship between the UK and Gibraltar, according to Anadolu Agency.

However, May tried to alleviate fears regarding Sanchez's comments at the House of Commons, where she mentioned that she had spoken with the Spanish leader and was "confident" of a positive outcome from Sunday's summit.

The British Prime Minister has been fiercely defending the draft deal ever since it has been agreed by both sides on November 13.

The UK is slated to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, and move into a 21-month transition period, according to the draft deal.


Amid the global backlash, the duo took to Twitter to release a video To issue a statement saying,"Over the past few days, we have thought long and hard with great sadness about everything that has happened and what we have caused in your country and we are very sorry.After getting embroiled in a racial controversy and cancelling the their much-anticipated show 'The Great Show' in Shanghai, Giant issued an apology.

"We have always been in love with China. We've visited it and seen many of its cities. We love your culture and we certainly have much to learn. That is why we are sorry if we made mistakes in the way we expressed ourselves," Dolce said.

Joining him, Gabbban promised that the mistake will never be repeated. "We will never forget this experience and it will certainly never happen again. We will respect the Chinese culture in every way possible. From the bottom of our hearts, we ask for forgiveness," he asserted.

Post-cancellation of the show, the two tweeted, "What happened today was very unfortunate not only for us, but also for all the people who worked day and night to bring this event to life. From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to express our gratitude to our friends and guests."

The brand faced controversy over a series of videos released on social media. In the brand's social media accounts, a 40-second video showed a Chinese model struggling to eat pizza with the help of chopsticks.

In two other videos, the same model was shown to attempt eating a cannoli and a bowl of spaghetti, while saying the phrase 'Dolce and Gabbana', which was allegedly made to mock the way the Chinese people pronounce English words.

Following the controversy, the team revealed that the Instagram handle was hacked.

"Our Instagram account has been hacked. So has the account of Stefano Gabbana. Our legal office is urgently investigating. We are very sorry for any distress caused by these unauthorized posts, comments, and direct messages. We have nothing but respect for China and the people of China," the team wrote while apologising to the Chinese audience.

Before the postponement of the show was announced, several Chinese celebrities, including models, voted in favour of not attending the show, reported CNN.

This is isn't the first time they got embroiled in such a controversy. In 2013, people protested in Hong Kong as they were stopped from taking photographs of the store.
For the oil market, it looks like the real OPEC meeting will come a week ahead of schedule.

The cartel is set to meet on Dec. 6 in Vienna, but days earlier the key decision makers are set to gather on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in a meeting that may well decide the direction of oil prices in 2019. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who lead the worlds two largest oil exporters and have been working together to manage the oil market for the past two years, both plan to be in the Argentinian capital at the end of ...
General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of the British army, has said that Russia was now a "far greater threat" to the UK's national security than the (IS) terror group, the media reported on Saturday.

In his first interview since being appointed Chief of the General Staff in June, Gen Carleton-Smith said Russia was "indisputably" a bigger threat than Islamic terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and IS, the BBC reported.

"Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare," he said.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested."

The 54-year-old former SAS commander led the search for slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and was at the forefront of Britain's role in the campaign to combat the IS in Iraq and Syria.

The UK has blamed Russia for the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury earlier this year.

In October, the British government accused Russia's GRU military intelligence service of being behind four high-profile cyber-attacks on targets including the US Democratic Party and a small TV network in Britain.

Russia denies any involvement in the spy poisoning and has described the cyber-attack accusations as a "rich fantasy".
Taiwan began voting on Saturday in local elections, a key test of support for the island's pro-independence ruling party ahead of presidential polls in just over a year, and will also hold a referendum on same-sex marriage. The results will be closely watched in China, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and which has ramped up pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen and her administration since taking office in 2016. In the run-up to the election, Tsai and her government have repeatedly said China is attempting to sway election results with its ...
The French Armed Forces Ministry on Saturday informed that the French troops active under Operation Barkhane in Africa's Sahel region have managed to kill around 30 terrorists in Mali.

According to Sputnik, a statement by the Armed Forces Ministry read: "Overnight into November 23, 2018, the French forces part of the Operation Barkhane dealt a major blow to the Macina Liberation Front terror group in the Mopti area of Mali . At the current stage of the assessment of the operation, we can see that around 30 terrorists were neutralized."

According to the statement, there are reports of Hamadoun Kouffa, leader of the Macina Liberation Front Islamist group, and his key associated being affected by the operation carried out by the French troops.

Apart from Mali, Operation Barkhane that commenced on 1 August 2014 entails Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger.

In 2012, Tuareg militants had seized vast territories in the northern part of Mali following which the situation destabilised in the country. The conflicts further increased due to the French interference, Islamists, as well as forces loyal to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has called for a meeting with the Director General of Police (DGP), Principal Secretary Home, ADG Law and Order, and other officials over the Ayodhya issue.

The meeting will take place at his official Lucknow residence at 5, Kalidas Marg, on Saturday.

The Chief Minister's call for a meeting comes at a time when two separate events are slated to be organised by the Shiv Sena and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Ayodhya over the next 48 hours.

Thousands of Shiv Sena workers have already arrived in Ayodhya today for Ram Lalla's darshan. Security has been tightened in Ayodhya with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a strict vigil to keep the situation under control. Police personnel are barricading almost all crossroads, due to which pilgrims are forced to walk on the streets to travel from one place to another.

Meanwhile, a Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik told ANI, "A train will leave for Nashik at 10 pm tonight. Another train will leave for Thane at 4 pm tomorrow. Arrangements have been made for all of them (Shiv Sena members)."

The Supreme Court, on October 29, had adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019 to fix the next hearing date in the matter, challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling of 2010. The Allahabad High Court in its 2010 verdict had suggested a division of the disputed land in Ayodhya -- one for each of the parties the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla.

Babri Masjid, known to have been constructed by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was allegedly demolished by right-wing groups on December 6, 1992, who claimed that the mosque was built after demolishing the Ram Temple to the ground.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Police on Saturday registered a case and initiated a probe on the basis of a complaint filed by two African nationals who were wrongfully restrained by locals in Kakrola area of New Delhi on November 22 following an abduction rumour.

The complaint was filed by two women who were among the six African nationals who were rescued on the evening of November 22.

The police on Thursday rescued four Tanzanian and two Nigerian nationals from the aforementioned area after they were restrained by locals, following an unsubstantiated rumour spread in the area regarding the abduction of a boy.

The complaint has been filed at the Dwarka (North) police station, under Sections 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The women were residing in the area as tenants for the past two months. The cops rushed to the spot when they received information about them being restrained.

The police had apparently received multiple calls against them including one that alleged that they have abducted a child. However, it was later revealed that the abduction call was a hoax.

In a statement, the Delhi Police denied the attack being racial in nature and said, "We received a call that people were gathering. We reached there, dispersed the crowd and rescued two Tanzanian women. The crowd had gathered following abduction rumours. Later, we received a call of abduction, which turned out to be a hoax. We rescued the (remaining) Nigerian and Tanzanian nationals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
warehouse workers in Europe staged a wave of protests and strikes against the tech giant's unhealthy work culture on the day of

Black Friday, which marks a crazy day of sales for the customers, and a big day for the retailers to see bumper profits, comes with its own share of disappointments when it comes to the warehouse workers who have to work prolonged hours to meet the demand.

According to Cnet, union workers in the UK, Spain, Italy, and Germany staged "We are not robots" protests against Amazon's dangerous, high-pressure work culture, and its aggressive anti-union actions.

The UK-based GMB union said that the conditions are inhuman, there are instances of the workers breaking bones, being knocked unconscious, and taken away in ambulances. Meanwhile, refuted all these claims and said that it is a fair and responsible employer with positive and safe working conditions.
MG Motor to launch electric SUV in Nepal

The renowned British brand, MG Motor, is looking to capitalise on their recent launch in Nepal by launching an electric version of the popular ZS. The company has swapped the internal combustion engine with an electric motor that drives the front wheels.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Saturday claimed that some anti-Dalit elements allegedly conspired to kill her last year during the "heart-wrenching" Shabbirpur violence in Uttar Pradesh.

"We have got to know that some fraud outfits like Bhim Army and 'Bahujan Youth for Mission 2019 -Next PM Behan ji', which are against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), are going to our Dalit supporters and collecting funds for their interests and asking them to take part in rallies in order to make me the next Prime Minister," Mayawati told ANI.

"They are even spreading hatred in the minds of Dalit people against the upper castes by speaking against the upper caste people in front of them. They are doing so to stop the upper caste people from joining the BSP," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added.

"As part of this, anti-Dalit elements had even conspired to kill me. Their plan was not fulfilled due to our resourcefulness. I was forced to resign from my Rajya Sabha post as I was not allowed to raise this issue in the Parliament," she added.

"I want to urge the Dalit community to not get influenced by any such political organizations and waste their vote for their candidates. Our people know that just because of these organizations last year heart-wrenching Shabbirpur violence took place in Uttar Pradesh against Dalits," she said.

In the 2017 Saharanpur caste violence, one person was killed and 16 others were injured, including a Head Constable of Uttar Pradesh Police during clashes, which took place on May 5, 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A delegation of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), headed by Odisha Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera, submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday appealing to restore the original funding pattern of the post-matric scholarship scheme for the Scheduled Caste students.

In its memorandum, submitted through the Governor of Odisha, the BJD claimed that the revised pattern has given a "severe jolt" to the scheme. While requesting his intervention in the matter, the party urged the President to direct the Centre to reconsider the revised pattern and restore the original funding pattern of 90:10 for smooth implementation of the programme.

The BJD pointed out that the post-matric scholarship is a centrally sponsored scheme, wherein until 2016-17 the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was providing about 90 per cent, while the state government was bearing the remaining 10 per cent of the actual expenditure. In 2016-17, the Centre's share was Rs 215.80 crore while the state's share was Rs 22.48 crore, the party said.

With the changed pattern, however, the memorandum read: "It is a matter of concern that from 2017-18 onwards, the Ministry has revised the liability of the state government towards post-matric scholarship, wherein the state government has to bear more than 80 per cent of the total expenditure. During 2017-18, the state government had to provide Rs 238.28 crore, while the Ministry allocated a meager Rs 35.12 crore. During 2018-19, the state government has to provide Rs 238.28 crore, while Government of India share is projected to be Rs 49.39 crore," the memorandum stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday attacked by saying that its leaders are orchestrating the present action on Ram Temple in Ayodhya through its allies (Shiv Sena) and affiliates (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in order to divert people's attention from failure in governance ahead of the Assembly and general elections. She added that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are well aware of the fact that they are losing elections in States and Centre which is why they are resorting to Mandir issue through 'proxies and allies like Shive Sena, and VHP' as a strategy.

"Out of the promises that the Bharatiya Janata Party, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made to the people of this country during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, I personally feel not even even 50 per cent of that have been fulfilled. In fact, 50 per cent is also too much to say. Both BJP and Prime Minister Modi are fully well aware of this. They are also aware of the fact that they will not come back to power in the five states, where elections are currently being held. They are forcefully making Ram Temple a burning issue. If their mindset was correct, then they could have done its few years back also. This their political plan," Mayawati said.

ALSO READ: Modi and the cultural reframing of India

Mayawati's statement comes ahead of mass gatherings organised by Shiv Sena, VHP and some Hindu groups in Ayodhya over the weekend. While the VHP is terming its gathering as Dharm Sansad, chief Uddhav Thackeray is going to participate in an aarti at the Saryu River, offer prayers at Ram Janambhoomi. Thackeray is also carrying soil from Shiveri Fort in Pune, the birth place of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, that he will hand over to the priest of Ram Janambhoomi.

"In context with the Assembly elections in five states, I have done rallies in two states --Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh -- to support my party candidates. After conducting rallies in both these states I have learnt that does not stand any chance to come back to power in both these states," Mayawati told ANI on Saturday.

"This party (BJP) will also not come back in power in Centre too due to its failures. The BJP, and their alliances, especially Shiv Sena, are very well aware of this fact. This is the reason why this party as part of its well-designed conspiracy is trying to hide its failures by claiming that Ram Temple will be constructed in Ayodhya by putting in front saints, and Shiv Sena," she added.

Mayawati is of the view that the BJP should solve the only through the legal route and the Supreme Court.

A mass gathering has been organised in Ayodhya to build pressure on the Central Government for the construction of Ram Temple at the site of the razed Babri mosque. The mega show will coincide with a two-day visit of chief Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya.

This comes after the Supreme Court on October 29 adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi- title suit till January 2019 to fix the next hearing date in the matter, challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling of 2010. The Allahabad High Court in its 2010 verdict had suggested a division of the disputed land in Ayodhya -- one for each of the parties the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla.

Babri Masjid, known to have been constructed by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was allegedly demolished by right wing groups on December 6, 1992, who claimed that the mosque was built after demolishing the Ram Temple to the ground.
Union Tourism Secretary Rashmi Verma on Friday said that the government of India is taking several steps to boost the tourism potential of Northeastern states which would turn India into an all season tourist destination.

Verma made these remarks while speaking to reporters during a press conference on the sidelines of the 7th edition of the International Tourism Mart, in which 52 foreign delegates from 18 countries are taking part.

Sharing statistics of foreign and domestic tourists visiting the state, she outlined that there has been a good increase in their numbers owing to better connectivity.

"The flow of foreign tourists visiting the northeastern states increased by 16.7 percent than the previous year while the domestic tourists visiting the region increased by 22.8 percent, and this mainly because of better air and road connectivity," she said.

She added that globally there has been a change in the tourism trend and today tourists instead of sightseeing prefer experiential tourism, in which Northeast India has an advantage, hence making it a more popular destination for foreign tourists.

According to Verma, the government of India is focusing on developing tourism in Northeast India as this region offers round the year tourism opportunities owing to its pleasant weather clubbed with rich flora and fauna.

She announced that the government of India has a target of doubling the number of tourists visiting northeast India, within the next three years.

According to her, the numbers of tourist visiting the Northeast region were highest last year with 10.2 million people doing so. She also asserted that this was the first time when the figure touched the double-digit mark.

Sharing the comparative data of tourists visiting different North-eastern states, Verma informed that Tripura received the highest number of foreign tourist among all northeastern states whereas in domestic tourist segment the state's position was fourth in the tally.

"Sikkim had 13 lakh domestic tourists last year and the number is three times more than the state's population. A large number of tourists are flocking the state capital Gangtok. To keep up with the increasing tourism activity, government of India and Sikkim are trying to open up new destination to attract more foreign tourist," she said.

Highlighting Government of India's efforts to boost tourism in the region, Verma also revealed that out of total 67 tourism projects are being executed in the country with a cost of Rs 5600 crores, 15 projects worth Rs 1300 crores lie in the Northeastern region.

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Yoga guru Ramdev on Saturday called for a law on Ram temple otherwise, he feels, people will start building the temple on their own as they are losing patience, which will lead to social harmony.

Ramdev told media here, "People have lost patience. Bring a law for Ram temple or else people will start building it on their own. If people do that, communal harmony could be disturbed. I believe there is no opposition to Ram in the country, all Hindus, Muslims and Christians are his descendants."

Ramdev's statement comes ahead of the mass gatherings organised by Shiv Sena, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and some Hindu groups in Ayodhya over the weekend.

While the VHP is terming its gathering as 'Dharm Sansad', Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is going to participate in an 'Aarti' at the Saryu River and offer prayers at Ram Janambhoomi. Thackeray is also carrying soil from Shiveri Fort in Pune, the birthplace of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which he plans to hand over to the priest of Ram Janambhoomi.

On October 29, the Supreme Court adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019 to fix the next hearing date in the matter.

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New Delhi [India], Nov 23 (ANI): Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, while denying all charges leveled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Aircel-Maxis case, said the decision of his arrest is "plainly motivated and totally untenable."

In his rejoinder submitted to Delhi's Patiala House court, Chidambaram said that after he was granted interim protection on July 23 this year, a reason was "suddenly discovered" to arrest him without even having issued summons in the past four years.

Mentioning that the investigation in this matter has been pending since 2014, Chidambaram said that it was surprising that even after a lapse of over four years the investigation on the issue still remains pending. "This only reflects the mala fides," the rejoinder noted.

Further denying all charges levied against him, Chidambaram submitted that no offence was committed in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval, no illegal gratification was received and no conspiracy was hatched.

"The approval was granted on the basis of deliberation in the FIPB and the recommendations of the FIPB that was put up to the Finance Minister (P Chidambaram) in the normal course of official business," the copy read.

Chidambaram also claimed that the questioning was done from documents which are already in possession of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED). "As such, there arises no question of the applicant being evasive in his answers," it further noted.

On the investigators claim that Chidambaram is a highly influential person and may influence witnesses and tamper the evidence, Chidambaram said: "This contention of CBI is false, speculative, bereft of the details and untenable. CBI had no hesitation in making false allegations against me and summoning me for questioning. Besides, no evidence has been submitted by the CBI in support of its unfounded allegation that the applicant (Chidambaram) may tamper with the witnesses or evidence."

The matter is slated for hearing on November 26. During the next hearing, the bench will take into consideration the supplementary charge sheet filed by the CBI and the ED.

The court will also decide whether the interim protection to Chidambaram and his son Karti should be extended or not.

The Aircel Maxis case emerged out of the 2G spectrum cases, pertaining to a grant of FIPB approval to firm M/S Global Communication and Services Holdings Limited, Mauritius for investment in Aircel.

The FIPB approval was allegedly granted in the year 2006 when Chidambaram was the finance minister. According to the rules and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy of the government, Chidambaram was only empowered to give approval to proposals involving a foreign investment amount of up to Rs 600 crore. However, he reportedly approved the foreign investment proposal of Global Communication and Services Holdings Ltd worth Rs 3560 crore approximately.

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In what could stoke a fresh controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sakshi Maharaj has called for the demolition of Delhi's Jama Masjid while asking the people to hang him if idols of Hindu deities are not found beneath the staircase of the mosque.

Addressing a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao on Friday, the BJP parliamentarian said, "After entering politics, the first statement I made in Mathura was: Leave Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi and demolish Delhi's Jama Masjid. If you do not find Hindu idols beneath its staircase, you are welcome to hang me."

Maharaj, who is known for making controversial remarks, even cornered the Supreme Court for delaying the verdict on the Ram temple issue.

"I condemn the attitude of the Supreme Court. They delivered verdicts on a number of cases of less significance, but they are deferring the Ayodhya matter. I expect Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to pass a law in Lok Sabha for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. I expect the construction of the temple will start before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls," he asserted.

Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India built by Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656.

Maharaj's statement comes at a time when scores of political leaders are seeking a government ordinance for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

On Friday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut even questioned as to why the Centre is taking so long to bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya when Ram bhakts (devotees) had demolished the Babri Masjid in just 17 minutes.

The Ayodhya dispute has been a talking point of late, a mass gathering by organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and some Hindu activists and saints will be held in Ayodhya on Saturday and Sunday.The mega show will coincide with a two-day visit of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to the city.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a whirlwind tour of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday intensified his attack on the Congress party, saying that if Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were the first prime minister of India, then the condition of farmers would have been better.

"If Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would have become the first PM of India, then the condition of farmers that has deteriorated in the Congress rule of 55-60 years would have been better today. The farmers of our country would have been strong," he said while addressing an election rally here.

"Sardar Patel was a true leader who empowered the farmers of this nation. I invite the people of Mandsaur to visit the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, which is double the height of Statue of Liberty in the United States," Prime Minister Modi added.

He further trained guns at the Congress party saying, "Indira Gandhi ji gave the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' but were they able to eliminate poverty? They nationalized banks and said the poor would benefit from it, but what happened? So many people did not even have bank accounts."

"They left farmers helpless and in debt. We have worked hard to empower the farmers. In the last 15 years, under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh has seen rapid strides in the agriculture sector," he asserted.

Talking about the current condition of farmers in the state, Modi said that this generation of farmers is suffering due to the wrongdoings and wrong policies of the Congress. "Even our governments are facing bad names for those things. We put an end to black marketing of urea and lathi-charge on farmers for taking urea," he said.

Earlier, while addressing a rally in Chhatarpur, the Prime Minister slammed the Congress, saying that "one who does not have any agenda for elections, abuses someone else's mother."

"The party which ruled the country for so many years cannot compete with me and hence is abusing my mother. Such a low level of is unacceptable," the Prime Minister said. "They abused my mother; she does not even know the ABC of Still, they dragging her in it," he added.

With the November 28 assembly poll date inching closer, campaign rallies, characterized by political mud-slinging in efforts to undermine one another, have peaked in the state, with the BJP and the Congress leaving nothing unturned to score over each other. The results for the state assembly elections will be declared on December 11.

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Ten days after the terror attack on Nirankari Bhawan in Rajasansi area on November 13 in Amritsar district of Punjab in which 3 people were killed and nearly 20 others were injured, four suspected 'terrorists' were spotted in Pathankot's Saidipur village on Friday night, prompting the state police to launch a massive search operation.

Residents of Saidipur village claimed to have spotted suspicious movement of around four people, suspected to be 'terrorists.' Police have also recovered an abandoned white Alto car, which was found around 25 km away from Pathankot, near Bamiyal area. The car was also spotted by the villagers.

Police said, "We have cordoned off the area. Search is on. We have appealed to the people to give us any relevant information if they have and cooperate with us. The abandoned car can't yet be linked to the suspicious men. A probe in this regard is on separately." Police have, however, confirmed that the car carries the registration number of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to police, Balbir Singh, a resident from Saidipur village, saw three to four suspicious men on Friday night. He first informed the village sarpanch in this regard. Then the police were told about the incident, which immediately rushed to the spot and began the search operation after cordoning off the area.

It is worth mentioning that last week the Punjab Police launched massive search operations after its counter-intelligence wing informed that some Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists reportedly entered Delhi from the state.

In 2016, terrorists had attacked Pathankot Airbase after snatching the car of a police officer. Seven people had been killed in the attack. Earlier in July 2015 too, terrorists had attacked Dinanagar town in the neighbouring district of Gurdaspur district. It is noteworthy that Saidipur village where four suspected 'terrorists' were spotted is just 13 km away from Pakistan border.

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Upping his ante against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with regards to the controversial Rafale fighter jets deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that even though Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-made aircraft were used effectively by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to drop bombs during the 1999 Kargil War, the government did not find it competent enough to be part of the Rafale deal.

"During the Kargil War, HAL aircraft dropped bombs on the Pakistan Army. HAL knows how to make aircraft. The talks were confirmed. HAL discussed with France's Dassault to buy one aircraft for Rs 526 crore. After that, 'Chowkidar' became the Prime Minister. Soon after that, Prime Minister Modi visited France along with Anil Ambani. What happens next is that the Rs 526 crore aircraft now gets sold for Rs 1,600 crore. HAL is sidelined and Anil Ambani is made the offset partner. Anil Ambani never made an aircraft. HAL has been making aircraft for the last 70 years," Rahul said while addressing a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

The IAF had used MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, Jaguar and Mirage-2000 aircraft during the Kargil War. The aircraft were assembled by HAL under license production from the manufacturers.

Elaborating on the need for HAL to weigh in to manufacture aircraft, the Gandhi scion said: "The IAF came to UPA government and said that they want 126 fighter jets. The UPA government asked them to look around the world and buy the aircraft they find the best and buy them at the cheapest price. But we told them that the aircraft will be built in India as the youth want jobs and it will be made by HAL. Air Force people said that it's totally correct."

Rahul further said that the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was unaware of all this. "He stood up and said, 'I didn't do this job. I don't know what happened.' Prime Minister himself changed the contract. The French media asked them what has happened. How come Rs 526 crore became Rs 1,600 crore? Who is this Anil Ambani? How come he got this contract? Our press is a bit hesitant (in asking such questions)," he added.

The Congress chief then went on to say that people of Madhya Pradesh have "made up their minds" to dethrone Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government. "And in few months 56-inch chowkidar's government will also be removed. A woman told one of our workers that just like a tava gets bad in 10 years, similarly, Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government has become like that tava. Now we have to pick up the tava and throw it out. Every Chief Minister in a BJP ruled state is involved in scams, where public money is stolen," he said.

Citing the controversy involving Chouhan's son Kartikey, he asked: "Shivraj Singh Chouhan immediately filed a defamation case against me when I mistakenly used his son's name in Panama Papers. But why didn't he file a defamation case when I took his name in the Vyapam scam, the dumper scandal, and e-tendering?"

The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held for 230 seats on November 28, and the result will be declared on December 11.

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Int'l Trade Fair: Nepali exhibitors complain about hassles at customs

Nepali traders participating in the ongoing International Trade Fair in New Delhi said they faced hurdles at Indian customs while clearing their products for the exhibition.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday referred to the Delhi Police as his family and underlined that he respects the men in khaki immensely.

The Chief Minister also asserted that few senior police officials being politically motivated does not imply that the entire organisation is corrupt.

Kejriwal further said that despite several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs urging him to exclude Delhi Police from the Rs 1 crore compensation policy for the martyrs, he would not do so, because of the respect he has for the Delhi police.

"I want to say something, please don't connect it with I have been attacked twice in the last one month. Once when Signature Bridge was being inaugurated and second at the Delhi Secretariat recently. Some of our MLAs got furious over the attack and said that the One crore policy should not cover the Delhi Police, but I don't agree with it at all. Delhi Police is my family, it's a part of my family," he said.

"Delhi Police is not an individual, Delhi Police is not the name of a handful of officers, Delhi Police belongs to the people of Delhi. Delhi Police, especially the constables who put their lives at risk for us. There might be some senior officials who are politically motivated, but this doesn't mean that the whole of Delhi Police is bad. The Delhi Government, AAP and the people of Delhi respect the Delhi police, I salute Delhi Police," he added.

He made these remarks after paying floral tribute to late Constable Birendra Singh and late Constable Deepak Kumar in Palam. He also met with family members of both the deceased constables and handed over a cheque of Rs. 1 crore to them.

Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Kejriwal said, "Not only Delhi, but the whole country is safe because of such policemen and army personnel. We feel safe, our children feel safe, and our families feel safe because of brave men in uniform like both these constables. They made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty".

Highlighting his governments' initiative for Delhi policemen and soldiers, Kejriwal said, "The AAP was formed a few years back. When we were not in politics, we used to think that when sportsmen of the country make India proud they are given a huge amount of cash prizes by various institutions and organizations. But when armed personnel die, no one gives them financial support of Rs. 1 crore. Since that time this idea was on our minds that if we ever become capable of making such decisions, we will not only pay tributes to those who give supreme sacrifice in the line of duty but will also give Rs. 1 crore to their family as a mark of respect," said the Chief Minister.

He also slammed the Central Government for stalling the policy for martyrs and said, "I am sure, someday the Central Government will implement it, but they should not have withheld the Delhi Government's policy for so long. The policy was withheld for three long years, I went to the LG and made requests in all manners, but he refused to pass the policy.

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Asserting that the country is passing through a difficult phase, former president Pranab Mukherjee has said that the land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is now in news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day conference on 'Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation', Mukherjee stated, "We are holding this conference at a time when the country is passing through a difficult phase. Reading the newspapers in the morning is a painful and a distressing experience. The headlines are all about violence, anger, and hatred. The land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the civilizational ethos of tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, is now in the news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights."

"Peace and harmony prevail when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy, and aggression from our everyday lives," he added.

Stressing on the need of providing basic facilities to the citizens of India, Mukherjee said happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitant's basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy, and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. "People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured. Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace," he noted.

"For peaceful and harmonious social transformation, the society must have the capacity to meet the basic human needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities to enhance and sustain the quality of their lives and create the conditions for all individuals to reach their full potential. Where people are largely dependent on the governments for basic amenities, good governance has a vital role to play in such transformation," he said.

Mukherjee also touched upon the issue of widespread "cynicism and disillusionment growing with the governance and functioning of the institutions such as Election Commission, Comptroller And Auditor General (CAG) and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)".

"Institutions are a mirror of character. To save our democracy, these institutions must win back the trust of the people, without any delay. Our constitution provides a delicate balance of power between various institutions of the State. This balance has to be maintained. We need a parliament that debates, discusses and decides. We need a judiciary that gives justice without delays. We need leadership that is committed to the nation and those values that made us a great civilization. We need a state that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us. We need media and citizens who, even as they claim their rights, are equally committed to their responsibilities," the 82-year-old leader said.

Pranab Mukherjee also spoke on the poor quality of education in India and said that improving it should be placed on the top of the priority list. "India has one of the largest education systems in the world but the quality of education is far from satisfactory. India ranks second from the bottom in a list of 12 countries where some Grade 2 students were found to be unable to read a single word from a short text. Improving the standards of education at the primary, secondary and university level has to be our top priority. Our educational institutions should take the lead in meeting the moral challenges of our times and ensure that our civilizational values of love, compassion, tolerance, the performance of duty and respect for women and elderly get deeply entrenched in young minds," the veteran opined.

In his concluding statement, Mukherjee urged everyone, including the politicians and academicians, to work together, to carve out the path for a "violence-free transformation of the society towards peace, harmony, and happiness".

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Foreign Ministers of Iran and Russia deliberated on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, apart from other issues, on the sidelines of a conference in Italy's capital Rome on Friday.

The two sides discussed on the state of bilateral relations, regional issues and current developments in Syria and Yemen on the sidelines of a Mediterranean Dialogues conference in the city, according to the Iranian Foreign ministry, Anadolu News Agency reported.

The Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was inked between five countries-the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, and also the European Union. Under the agreement, the US and others agreed to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for it agreeing to control its development of nuclear weapons programme.

However, in May this year, US President Donald Trump had announced that Washington would exit the pact, terming it as "defective" and the "worst ever deal" leading to a spike in tensions between the US and Iran.

Earlier this month, the White House re-imposed the "toughest sanctions" on Iran, which were earlier lifted by former president Barack Obama under the nuclear deal. The penalties have been slapped on Tehran's shipping, financial and energy sectors and would also target the crude oil exports of the country.

The US would penalise countries for importing oil and foreign companies that do business with certain Iranian entities. However, it granted waivers for oil sanctions to eight countries-China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey.

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Poll bound Jammu and Kashmir recorded a voter turnout of 75.2 per cent on Saturday. The Kashmir division recorded 55 per cent while the turnout in Jammu division was 83.3 per cent in the third phase of panchayat polls.

Out of the 4.24 lakh people who were eligible to vote, over 3.2 lakh people exercised the right despite threats from terrorist groups and boycott calls given by the region's two major political parties, Conference and Peoples Democratic Party.

The polling in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions began at 8 am and concluded at 2 pm.

The first phase of panchayat polls held on November 17 recorded about 74.1 per cent polling across the state, with 64.5 per cent in Kashmir division and 79.5 per cent in Jammu division.

In the second phase, held on November 20, overall 71.1 per cent polling was witnessed across the state. An overwhelming 80.4 per cent polling was witnessed in Jammu division and 52.2 per cent in Kashmir division, stated Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra.

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In a scathing attack on senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that "Congress can keep Ali, while Bajrangbali is enough for us (Bharatiya Janata Party)".

Taking a jibe at Nath over a viral video purportedly showing him asking Muslim leaders to ensure as much as 90 per cent voting for his party from the community, Adityanath said, "I recently read a statement by Kamal Nath ji where he said that the Congress does not want SC/ST votes. The Congress only wants Muslim votes. I just want to tell him that Kamal Nath ji can keep Ali, Bajrangbali will be enough for us (BJP)."

Adityanath also criticised Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his promise of waiving loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh within 10 days if his party comes to power.

"Rahul Gandhi, in his speech, repeatedly says that he will waive off the debt of farmers in Madhya Pradesh. If that is the case, then the Congress is in power in Punjab and the state has a majority of farmers but they have not waived off any loans yet. And he talks about waiving off the debt in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh."

The state will go to polls to elect legislators for its 230 constituencies on November 28. Results will be declared on December 11.

While the BJP will look to extend its 15 year rule in the state, the Congress is in a bid to regain power in Madhya Pradesh.

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A day after US President Donald Trump refused to implicate Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death case, California Representative Adam Schiff has stated that the Democrats want a probe into Trump's knowledge of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report before he publicly supported the Crown Prince.

Trump threw his weight behind the Crown Prince despite a CIA report pointed to the pivotal role of the Saudi leader in Khashoggi's murder. "Certainly we will be delving further into the murder of Khashoggi, and I want to make sure that the committee is fully debriefed on it," Schiff told reporters.

"We will certainly want to examine what the intelligence community knows about the murder," Schiff, the future head of the US House Intelligence Committee, further added. Referring to the release of CIA report to the Congress, he stated, "It will be quite clear whether the president is relying on the intelligence community and our best source of information or whether the president is representing something very different."

According to Sputnik, the Democrat also said that the probe would show the Congress if Trump were "making representations to the public that are at odds with what we know."

Trump had defended MBS, stating that the CIA had not come to a firm conclusion and that there was ambiguity surrounding the fact whether the Crown Prince was informed before Khashoggi was killed in Saudi consular premises in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2.

Khashoggi was reported as missing after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for official work, after which his murder was confirmed by the Saudi prosecutor. Actions have been taken against the Saudi nationals who have been arrested by the Kingdom's authorities for their alleged involvement in the killing of Khashoggi.

However, The Washington Post published a CIA report which mentioned that the Crown Prince had ordered Khashoggi's killing, following which US Senators have called for Trump to be more transparent and to come clean with all facts around the killing of the journalist.

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With assembly elections around the corner, political temperature in the state of Madhya Pradesh is soaring. The candidates are leaving no stone unturned in maximising their chances of a win.

Amid all the stunts political leaders are pulling to bag the victory, a visit to this temple in Salkanpur area of Budni constituency has become mandatory, as it is believed that whichever contesting candidate pays obeisance to the deity in this temple wins the electoral battle.

Situated in the home constituency of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is Bijasan Mata temple of goddess Durga. This temple has gained traction after Chouhan made numerous visits to the place during his tours to the constituency.

Inspired by the chief minister's firm belief in the presiding deity of the temple, other candidates have also started turning up to the holy place to seek blessings of the goddess.

According to the legend, the goddess is known to help her devotees destroy enemies. The temple, itself, is famous for devotees thronging it to seek blessings for power.

The 230-Madhya Pradesh Assembly will go to polls on November 28. It will be only clear on December 11 as to who the people of state have blessed with their votes after the EVM's are opened for counting on this day.

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Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, arrived in the capital on Saturday, on a four-day visit to the country. This is Shahid's maiden official visit since taking office last week.

"Together we prosper! Foreign Minister of #Maldives @abdulla_shahid arrives in Delhi on a two-day official visit, his first foreign visit since taking office. Both countries share ethnic, linguistic, cultural and commercial ties steeped in antiquity," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle.

On November 26, the Maldivian Foreign Minister will meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj at the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan. On the last day of his visit (November 27), Shahid will meet President Kovind before his departure in the evening.

Shahid's visit assumes significance for India, following the swearing-in of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at a ceremony in Male last week, which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This is the first high-level visit from the Maldives after the new government took office.

Before departing for India, Shahid wrote on his Twitter handle that he was looking forward to "very fruitful" meetings, which would give a boost to the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Male. "Departing to India. I'm looking forward to very fruitful meetings which will further strengthen the ties of friendship and solidarity between our two countries and people," Shahid tweeted.

The Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that Shahid will be accompanied by Minister of Finance Ahmed Ameer and Minister of Economic Development Uz Fayyaz Ismail.

"Foreign Minister H.E. Mr Abdulla Shahid departs to India on an Official Visit. He will be joined by Minister of Finance H.E. Mr Ahmed Ameer, & Minister of Economic Development H.E. Uz Fayyaz Ismail. The delegation will hold discussions on strengthening #India-#Maldives relations," the ministry wrote on the micro-blogging site.

Relations between India and the Maldives came under strain during former President Abdulla Yameen's five-year rule, which saw him cozying up with China for various development projects, cracking down on dissent and imposing a state of emergency by jailing opposition leaders.

During Prime Minister Modi's day-long visit to the Maldives, Solih briefed the Prime Minister about Maldives' fragile economic situation. 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.

Both the 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. They also expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in combating terrorism both within the region and elsewhere, according to an MEA statement.

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Police in Lahore arrested Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the most notorious extremist mullah and Chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), from his residence in Lahore on Friday night. The detention of the TLP leader and his some close colleagues came just two days before the TLP's planned public rally in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi on November 25.

This is another big challenge for Imran Khan's government and everyone fears hatred demonstration and even some casualties in reaction of these arrests. According to the sources, the police personnel carried out an operation on Lahore's Multan Road and arrested at least 100 members of the politico-religious party TLP.

Earlier this month, TLP had led a protest, which lasted for days and included several other political parties. The sit-ins were against the Supreme Court's decision to release Asiya Bibi, a Christian woman on death row since 2010, acquitting her of blasphemy charges. The protests were ended after the government and the religious parties reached a 4-point agreement.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed that Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house. Fawad took to Twitter saying the step was taken after TLP refused to call off November 25 protest rally in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh.

He went on to say, "It's top priority of the government to safeguard public life, property and order and has nothing to do with Asia Bibi case." The minister added they (TLP) insisted to come to Rawalpindi refusing Governments proposal for alternative arrangements. "Government did its best to convince them but they refused every offer and started to provoke violence.

"The TLP has become a continuous threat to the life and properties of the citizens and is doing under the guise of religion... the situation is fully under control, people should remain peaceful and fully cooperate with authorities," he said in a tweet in Urdu.

The minister said the government "did it[s] best" to convince the party against convening for the protest, "but they refused every offer and started to provoke violence". Rizvi, who has support of big followers, was arrested from his hujra (private room) in Lahore. Rizvi's son, Saad said along with his father, all district leaders of TLP have been arrested.

The crackdown comes ahead of Rizvi's call to party members to observe martyrs' day on November 25. He had asked workers and supporters to gather at Faizabad in the Islamabad. According to police sources, a large-scale operation was started against TLP leaders in several major cities. TLP leader Pir Afzal Qadri in a video message corroborated that police was raiding their mosques in order to arrest leaders.

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Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora on Saturday said the owner of the car which was used by suspected 'terrorists' and found abandoned near Bamiyal in the district had been traced to Jammu. "The car owner has been traced. The person belongs to Jammu," he told media persons here.

Arora said the information about the suspicious movement of four suspected 'terrorists' in Pathankot's Saidipur village on Friday night, which prompted the state police to launch a massive search operation, had been shared with security forces including BSF, Army, and Air Force, and combing operations were also held.

In reply to a question, Punjab DGP said, "The car might have been used for smuggling. I have spoken to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Pathankot, in this regard. A probe is being carried out. The truths will be known in due course of time."

Residents of Saidipur village claimed to have spotted suspicious movement of around four people, suspected to be 'terrorists.' Police have also recovered an abandoned white Alto car, which was found around 25 km away from Pathankot, near Bamiyal area. The car was also spotted by the villagers.

According to police, Balbir Singh, a resident from Saidipur village, saw three to four suspicious men on Friday night. He first informed the village sarpanch in this regard. Then the police were told about the incident, which immediately rushed to the spot and began the search operation after cordoning off the area.

The terror attack on Nirankari Bhawan in Rajasansi area took place on November 13 in Amritsar district of Punjab in which 3 people were killed and nearly 20 others were injured,

It is worth mentioning that last week the Punjab Police launched massive search operations after its counter-intelligence wing informed that some Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists reportedly entered Delhi from the state.

In 2016, terrorists had attacked Pathankot Airbase after snatching the car of a police officer. Seven people had been killed in the attack. Earlier in July 2015 too, terrorists had attacked Dinanagar town in the neighbouring district of Gurdaspur district. It is noteworthy that Saidipur village where four suspected 'terrorists' were spotted is just 13 km away from Pakistan border.

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Pokhara people hail Supreme Court order on Lake Fewa

Pokhara residents on Friday welcomed the Supreme Courts order on Thursday directing the government to acquire all encroached land of Lake Fewa within a year.The top court also ordered to implement the recommendations listed by the Lamichhane Commission in its report.
In a bid to disperse large the number of demonstrators that had gathered at the Champs Elysees on Saturday, police personnel were forced to fire tear gas shells and water cannons at them.

The protesters were voicing their dissent against rising gas prices and French President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies.

The "yellow vest" protests, which initially began as a campaign against skyrocketing fuel prices, expanded into a huge agitation against the French government in recent weeks. Police said that around 3,000 officers have been deployed in the French capital to tackle the situation, CNN reported.

Furthermore, a security perimeter has been set up in the city centre with government buildings being put under strict watch.

Discussing the protests at a press conference on Friday, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had said that the demonstrators were free to protest but should not take law into their own hands.

"Their freedom of expression will be guaranteed, but it must not be exercised to the detriment of security, public order and the right of everybody to come and go. There is no liberty without public order," Castaner said.

The Macron government is facing heat over widespread discontent by the French public over its focus on extending environmental policies that were previously implemented under former president Francois Hollande's administration.

Since this year, the prices of the diesel commodity rose 16 per cent from an average 1.24 Euros (approx Rs. 99.37) per litre to 1.48 Euros (approx Rs. 118.61), which further spiraled to 1.53 Euros (approx Rs. 122.62) last month, according to the French Union of Petroleum Industries (UFIP), the country's oil industry federation.

The price hike is mainly due to an increase in the wholesale price of oil, with Brent crude oil, a benchmark for worldwide oil purchases, leaping from around USD 60 (approx Rs. 4,239.33) a barrel in the first half of 2018 to a high of USD 86.07 (approx Rs. 6,081.32) in early October, a jump of over 20 per cent.

Interestingly, the agitators are not venting their anger at the United States government for imposing tariffs on Iran, impeding its oil exports, or at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for its decision to reduce oil production.

Recently, a demonstrator was accidentally run over and killed by a car and over 200 others were wounded during a massive protest against the French government in eastern France.

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Punjab Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested Avatar Singh, the second accused in Nirankari Satsang Bhawan grenade attack case. The blast had claimed three lives and left around 20 people injured.

Speaking to ANI Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said, "Police had caught hold of Bikramjit, one of the accused. It was his examination that led to the arrest of Avatar Singh and recovery of the weapon. The preliminary finding reveals that Paramjit Baba, who I think is Italy based, was instigating Avatar to commit the crime."

Addressing media persons in Chandigarh, DGP Arora said, "Avatar would be produced in the court and the police would seek his remand. There is a strong evidence against the suspects caught in the case."

According to Arora, Avatar's links have also been traced to Harmeet Singh Happy alias PhD, the self- styled chief of ISI-backed KLF, based in Pakistan. "Happy has emerged as the most active leader of Punjab based outfits working under the watch and directions of the Pak ISI, which is determined to spread terrorism in Punjab by radicalizing poor and gullible youth of the state and motivating them to carry out terrorist actions," he said.

Responding to a question, the DGP said that there had been only two cases of the terrorist attack in Punjab this year, including Maqsudan police station attack and Adliwal grenade attack. "These were both sensitive cases," said the DGP, assuring the people of Punjab that nobody would be allowed to harm them.

Both the pistols which the perpetrators were carrying on the day of attack have been recovered on the disclosure of Avatar. The weapons recovered include two pistols (.32 bore), one of them is the US made, four magazines and 25 live rounds. DGP added that the recovery followed the arrest of one Shabnamdeep from Patiala.

Initial investigations have revealed that Avatar was contacted on WhatsApp, a few months ago, by one Javed, who claimed to be a Pakistani (PIO) from Dubai. The so-called Pakistani national, who spoke in Punjabi, first contacted him, on the basis of a reference, in the garb of seeking consultation for his back problem. Thereafter, he started to discuss Sikh issues with him and motivating him to target the enemies of the 'Sikh' community.

Police said that Avatar Singh revealed that he and Bikramjit went to the given location near Majitha on November 4, and successfully retrieved a polythene bag containing two .32 bore pistols, four magazines, twenty-five cartridges, and one hand grenade.

After retrieval, Avatar concealed the arms or explosive in his medical store. On November 13, 2018, Avatar and Bikram carried out a recee of Nirankari Satsang Bhawan at Rajasansi and both decided to target the Bhawan on an opportune day.

"On November 16, Avatar and Bikramjit met in Dhariwal village, planned the attack in details, and decided to carry out the attack on November 18. Avatar has corroborated the sequence of events of the 18th attack, as disclosed by Bikramjit," said the police in a statement.

After the grenade attack, Avatar received a WhatsApp message from a Pakistan number enquiring about his well-being and asking him to call back immediately. Avatar claimed that he had deleted the message as well as the number after the attack.

Police further claimed in the statement that Avatar Singh has also disclosed that he was staunchly opposed to 'Derawad' and all the self-styled gurus such as DSS, DJJS, Piara Singh Bhaniarewala and controversial Sikh preachers, including Sarabjit Singh Dhunda and Inderjit Singh Ghagga, and was also against the Hindu right wing and its leaders and workers.

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Even after the polling for assembly elections is over in the state, some workers of the party are still burning the midnight oil for a strange reason and have pledged to do so till the date of counting.

The reason no more is campaigning but guarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) kept inside the strong room here.

Commenting on the need of such exercise, Raipur Chief Vikas Upadhyay asserted that though they have full faith in the security personnel guarding the machines, their additional vigil is to thwart any attempt of hacking.



Read Business Standard's full coverage on Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018

Upadhyay said, "Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh have culminated on November 20 and EVM's are kept at this government college till the time of counting. We have full faith and confidence on the Central Reserve Police Force personnel but we have heard things about hacking from different parts of the country. There is Bharatiya Janata Party government in both Centre and State so to ensure more safety our party workers are monitoring this place round the clock. There have been instances reported related to EVMs after voting during Karnataka and Gujarat polls have raised doubts, so we are here on guard."

The state of Chhattisgarh went to polls in two phases. The first phase of polling was conducted on November 12 whereas the second phase was on November 20. The counting of votes will be taking place on December 11.

In 2013 assembly elections, the BJP bagged 49 seats, got 39, Bahujan Samajwadi Party and an Independent candidate got one seat each in the 90-member assembly.
As campaigning entered its final leg in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, politicians are leaving no stone unturned in appeasing voters. However, there is one voter who firmly believes that the money spent on pleasing the electorates through campaigning can be put to better use.

The lone man who has taken the burden to spread the awareness in this regard is Devendra Milan. Milan carries a placard with a message and a flag at various political rallies, to register his protest against the huge amount of money spent in election campaigns by political parties.

His endevaour enthralled eye balls at an election rally recently addressed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Sagar city, where, in his message he urged the politicians to use the campaigning budget for opening industrial training ITI (Industrial Training Institute).

Milan believes, that the extravagant money which is spent on campaigning can be used for development work, such as providing employment to the needy.

Elaborating on his initiative he stated, "people can get employment especially in the field of beedi and agarbatti manufacturing sector, with the amount being spread on political campaigns."

From Sagar, Milan is now planning to move towards capital city Bhopal in order to further spread his message.

The state of Madhya Pradesh will go to polls to elect legislators for its 230 constituencies on November 28. Results will be declared on December 11.

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The Supreme Court has spared the gallows to a man who was convicted in the sexual assault-cum-murder case, involving an 8-year-old girl in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, in July 2013.

In September 2016, the Rajasthan High Court ordered the execution of the accused, Parhlad, who was convicted in the case of sexual assault and murder of the victim. However, a bench, of the Supreme Court consisting Justice NV Ramana, Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Justice MR Shah was of the view that "there was no evidence of sexual offense and hence the punishment can be awarded in the murder case only."

In addition, the bench also examined the medical report of the deceased, which did not indicate any attempt of sexual violence. "In our considered opinion, this is not a fit case to impose the death penalty on him, inasmuch as the appellant (accused) does not have any criminal background, nor is he a habitual offender," the bench observed.

Justifying the decision taken by the Court, the bench remarked that "Death penalty is awarded in the case of gruesome crime, cold-blooded murder or committed in a diabolical manner." "There is every probability that the accused can be reformed and rehabilitated," the three judges added.

As per police reports, the girl was taken away by the maternal uncle (accused) on the pretext of giving her chocolates from a shop in 2013. Later, when the victim's family realized that their daughter was not at home, they started searching for her. Next morning, the family found her body and later an FIR was lodged against the man.

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A US court has rejected the lawsuit filed against Malaysia Airlines and the insurer, Allianz SE and Boeing in connection with disappearance of flight MH370.

US Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson dismissed the lawsuit saying that the "case is about the unexplained disappearance of a passenger plane operated by Malaysia Airlines as part of its national air carrier fleet following its departure from a Malaysian airport."

According to Sputnik that quoted New Zealand's local media, the judge further added that "litigation in the United States related to the Flight MH370 disaster is inconvenient."

The 61-page ruling came after a lawsuit was filed against the airline, insurer and manufacturer of MH370 on behalf of more than 100 victims.

MH370 disappeared less than an hour after its takeoff on March 8, 2014. The flight, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing had in total 239 people, 227 passengers and 12 crew members, on board.

So far, several pieces of debris believed to be a part of the disappeared aircraft have been found in the Indian Ocean.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asked the central government to announce the date of Ram temple construction in Ayodhya and assured full support if it brings in an ordinance.

"We want the date when the temple will be made. First, tell us when you will make the temple, then we can talk on other things. Today I want the date. I don't want to take credit for the construction of Ram temple, we want a date," he emphasised adding, "Today I have come here to tell the Centre that earlier Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government was formed under coalition, hence at that time raising the issue of Ram temple may have been difficult. But today's central government is a strong one."

Invoking Kumbhakarna, a mythological character from the Ramayana, Thackeray while addressing a gathering said his Ayodhya visit was to wake up the present-day Kumbhakarna (the central government), who, he said, has been sleeping for the past four years.

"When I was coming here, some people asked me why you want to come here. Is there politics behind this because elections are near? My answer was quite simple. We recall those, whom we forget. I am not here to do politics. Today is an important day in my life. Every Hindu wants the Ram temple to be made. Today I have come here to wake up Kumbhakarna. Kumbhakarna was not just a part of Ramayana; he is there today also. Kumbhakarna used to sleep for six months in Ramayana, but present-day Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for four years. So, I have come here to wake him up," he noted.

The Shiv Sena chief further requested all to come together to help in the construction of the Ram temple. "Every Hindu desire that the temple is built as soon as possible. If you are going to bring the Ordinance on the Ram temple, then the Shiv Sena will definitely support you. I want all to come together and make the Ram temple. That way the construction work can be completed as soon as possible," he added.

Thackeray, along with his son Aditya, offered prayers at the Sarayu river here, a day ahead of the mass event, organised by various wings of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, especially the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Shiv Sena to muster support to build pressure on the central government for the construction of Ram Temple at the site where the Babri Masjid stood.

Ayodhya is once again witnessing a tense situation. Police personnel are barricading almost all crossroads due to which pilgrims are forced to walk on the streets to travel from one place to another.

The Supreme Court, on October 29, had adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019 to fix the next hearing date in the matter, challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling of 2010. The Allahabad High Court in its 2010 verdict had suggested a division of the disputed land in Ayodhya -- one for each of the parties the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla.

Babri Masjid, known to have been constructed by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was allegedly demolished by right-wing groups on December 6, 1992, who claimed that the mosque was built after demolishing the Ram Temple to the ground.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing "friends" in the Congress, Mizo Front (MNF) and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) for alliance, if it gets respectable number of seats in the upcoming assembly elections in Mizoram.

Assam Finance Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's strategist in the North East Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday told ANI: "If we get a respectable number of seats then we have friends in Congress, Mizo Front (MNF) and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM). But first, our aim is to get the respectable number of seats in the upcoming elections." Mizoram goes to polls on November 28 and counting will be on December 11.

Underling that BJP will be a major factor in forming the government in the state, the leader asserted: "Once the result is announced, any political formation to form a government, they will need BJP."

The leader, who played a crucial role in the Assam Assembly elections in 2016 and Manipur Assembly polls in 2017 in installing the BJP governments there and ousting the Congress regimes, explained that communication and education will be BJP's top agenda in Mizoram.

He said, "I believe that the first thing which is imperative for Mizoram to develop is the communication network. The railways have not been expanded in the region. If one looks at the highways, all of them are under construction and state highways do not even exist. It is a sorry state of affairs in the region."

Responding to the allegation that the BJP is practicing communal politics, he said: "There is no evidence that BJP is playing religious We vowed for the Indian civilisation, we talk for Indian civilisation."

Sarma who was with the Congress for many years before shifting loyalty to the BJP before the Assam assembly polls, and helped the BJP make inroads in the North East, hit out at the Congress saying, "As far as Congress president Rahul Gandhi is concerned, today he is promoting leaders like Shashi Tharoor, Kamal Nath, CP Joshi. These leaders are blatantly doing religious Whenever Shashi Tharoor attends public events, he abuses the Hindu religion. Kamal Nath has joined the same rhetoric. CP Joshi too had stated that people belonging to OBC and SC/ST do not know anything about Hinduism. These leaders have the support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

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For supply of proppant

Vikas Proppant & Granite announced that the company Management has converted the business of the company and entered into a new niche market of Proppants manufacturing which ONGC and other oil and gas drillers are importing currently. The company has planned to manufacture Proppants and mining of granite and fractured debris near Jodhpur.

Proppants is in high demand worldwide including USA, which import a lot of proppants from China.

The company has received an export order of 75500 tons 40mesh proppant worth Rs.448.47 crore from TATNEFT, Russian Company, which is sixth largest oil and gas drilling company having its operations worldwide. Proppants would be shipped for their operations in Libya and Algeria.

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About 30 people, including 15 women and 8 minors, drowned to death on Saturday when a private bus they were travelling in plunged into a river canal in Karnataka's Mandya district, police said.

"The mishap occurred around noon at Kanaganamaradi village near Pandavapura town, as the bus skidded off the bridge and fell into the Cauvery river canal," a Mandya police control room official told IANS on phone.

Divers of the district fire brigade retrieved bodies of 30 passengers -- 15 women, 7 men and 8 minors -- from the 40-seater bus before it was lifted by a crane out of the Visveswaraya canal.

The accident spot is about 120 km from Bengaluru on the state highway towards Mysuru after Mandya town.

According to a witness, the speeding bus was on way to Mandya from Pandavapura when the driver apparently lost control of the wheel, resulting in the bus veering off the bridge and falling into the 20-feet deep canal, which does not have a retaining wall.

Vehicular traffic on the state highway was disrupted and rescue work affected, as hundreds of people from the surrounding areas thronged the mishap spot to see the bus plunged into the canal.

Another witness said about 10 passengers of the bus, however, survived the mishap by emerging out of the plunged bus and swam to the canal bank.

A few students were among the victims as they were returning home from schools and colleges which had half-day classes as it was Saturday.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who visited the mishap spot to condole the deaths, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the 30 victims.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh would be paid to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic accident," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

"This is a tragic incident. I pray for peace to the souls of the deceased and strength to their families to bear the loss," Kumaraswamy said in the statement.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, state Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna and district in-charge Minister C.S. Puttarajau also visited the accident spot with district Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushri and Superintendent of Police S.P. Devaraj to console the bereaved families and supervise the rescue operation.

District police have registered a case against the bus driver and its operator for the deaths.

"We have booked a case of negligence and rash driving against the driver and bus owner to investigate the case. The bus operator has been summoned for the inquiry," Devaraj told reporters later at Mandya.

A 20-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and specialist divers joined the rescue operation to retrieve the bodies and lift the ill-fated bus from the canal.

"We have directed the river authority to stop the water flow to speed up the rescue work and lift the bus from the canal," said Puttaraju.

The man-made canal was built to supply the river water to agricultural fields in the district.

--IANS

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Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Women working near busy roads are at high risk of developing breast cancer, due to traffic-related air pollution, researchers have warned.

The team, from University of Stirling in Scotland, analysed the case of a woman who developed breast cancer after spending 20 years working as a border guard at the busiest commercial border crossing in North America.

The woman was one of, at least, five other border guards who developed breast cancer within 30 months of each other and, at another nearby crossing, a cluster of seven other cases was noted.

According to Michael Gilbertson, the findings "infer a causal relationship" between breast cancer and very high exposures to traffic-related air pollution containing mammary carcinogens. A link between nightshift work and cancer was also identified.

"This new research indicates the role of traffic-related air pollution in contributing to the increasing incidence of breast cancer in the general population," Gilbertson said.

The group of women all developed a cancer believed to have been caused by exhaust fumes in what researchers have branded a 'new occupational disease'.

There is a one in 10,000 chance the cases were a coincidence, the study published in the journal New Solutions said, because the cancers were all so similar and close together.

A review of previous research confirmed that BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes -- which try to stop tumours growing -- can be "silenced" by exposures to dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - both found in exhaust fumes.

BRCA2 gets rapidly degraded in the presence of aldehydes - also components of exhaust fumes.

"There is much more research to be undertaken," Gilbertson said. "But we now have plausible mechanisms for inferring how the BRCA1/2 tumour suppressors in this highly-exposed border guard became dysfunctional and likely contributed to the ongoing epidemic of sporadic, early onset, premenopausal breast cancer among her colleagues.

"With this new knowledge, industry and government can plan for new designs for industrial and commercial facilities to cut down on the occupational exposures to traffic-related air pollution," Gilbertson said.

--IANS

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Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar says actress Alia Bhatt has raised the bar for herself in cinema with her role of Sehmat Kaur -- the Indian spy -- in the movie "Raazi".

"Alia performed quite challenging scenes in the movie. She would be trembling before you say action but the moment camera rolls, you see the performer in her taking over everything. She has raised the bar in acting for herself, " Meghna told IANS over e-mail.

The daughter of veteran lyricist-poet Gulzar, Meghna , who showed the India-Pakistan spy drama against the backdrop of the 1971 war through the film, admitted that Alia was her first choice for Sehmat and she could not see anyone except Alia playing the role.

"I could not see anyone else play this part. If she (Alia) had not done the film, I don't think I would have made it. Alia's vulnerability, fragility fitted the character which I imagined. I am grateful for the belief she had put into the character and brought it to life."

Besides Alia, "Raazi" which became the first female-led film (non-franchise) to earn more than 100 crore, also features actors like Vicky Kaushal, Alia's mother Soni Razdan and Rajit Kapur.

After having its world premiere on the small screen a few days ago, "Raazi" is now all set to premiere on Zee Cinema on Saturday night.

--IANS

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Actor Vicky Kaushal, who is on a roll with the success of "Manmarziyaan" and "Raazi", urged people to avoid having backup plans in their career.

According to Vicky, one should focus on one plan at a time and give 100 per cent to it.

"Being an engineer, I tore my job letter to give my entire attention to acting. Your backup can be your weakness, and thus to give those 2-3 per cent extra, I dropped my backup.

"Today everybody is giving 100 per cent to everything, but with backup, you will lose the motivation to put in those extra efforts," he said on the show "Sapne Sach Hote Hain" on Tata Sky Acting Adda.

The 30-year-old also asked people to overcome their fear.

Vicky said: "I was an introvert, I used to hate limelight. But you need to face your inhibitions. Face your inferiority complex. Over the years get control over your fear because fear keeps you alive and pushes you to do better."

After wooing the audience with his versatile roles, Vicky will now feature in upcoming films like "Uri" - based on the Uri attack of September 2016, and filmmaker Karan Johar's period drama "Takht".

--IANS

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday slammed former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for demanding the army be deployed in Ayodhya ahead of the 'Dharma Sabha' organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), labelling him "anti-Ram".

State BJP Spokesman Chandramohan said that the demand showed that the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief was not only against Hindus but also of "perverted mentality".

He added that Akhilesh was, in fact, carrying forward the legacy of his father and former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had ordered bullets fired on 'Kar Sevaks' in Ayodhya.

Chandramohan said that Hindu devotees were gathering at Ayodhya for a peaceful programme on Sunday.

Before demanding the army be deployed in Ayodhya, the SP President should remember that on several occasions, like the Muzaffarnagar riots that happened under his watch, the army had to be called in to restore peace in a sign that his government had failed, he said.

"You and your party have suffered setbacks in successive elections and the people will not tolerate the humiliation of Ram Bhakts," the BJP spokesman said.

--IANS

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The Pakistan government on Saturday announced that the hardline Islamist leader who had led protests against the acquittal of blasphemy charged death row convict Asia Bibi, has been arrested.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house," PInformation and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

The Minister said that Rizvi's Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party had insisted on holding a protest in Rawalpindi and rejected alternative arrangements offered by the government, reports Efe news.

"(The arrest is) to safeguard public life, property and order and has to do nothing with Asia Bibi," Chaudhry added.

Party leader Afzal Qadri said that the police had detained members of his party across the country, and called for fresh protests, local media said.

TLP protests almost paralysed the country in October and the beginning of November after the Supreme Court annulled Bibi's death sentence - first imposed in 2010 and upheld four years later by the Lahore High Court - and ordered her release.

The protests continued until the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan reached an agreement with the TLP in which it allowed them to file a petition with the Supreme Court against the acquittal and ban Bibi from leaving the country until the verdict was heard.

Bibi was released from prison on November 7 and transferred to a "safe" location, according the government. Her lawyer fled the country in fear for his life.

The TLP was founded in 2016 after the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, who was found guilty of killing former Punjab province governor Salman Tasir in 2011 for publicly defending Bibi.

The party secured two seats in the provincial assembly of Sindh in the general elections held on June 25.

Pakistan's anti-blasphemy law was established during British colonial rule to avoid religious clashes, but several changes to the law in the 1980s promoted by the then-military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, led to its abuse.

--IANS

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A new US government report has delivered a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impact, saying that the economy could lose hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century.

The federally mandated study "Fourth National Climate Assessment", was supposed to come out in December but was released by President Donald Trump's administration on Friday, reports CNN.

David Easterling, Director of the Technical Support Unit at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said: "The global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilisation has experienced, and this warming trend can only be explained by human activities."

Coming from the US Global Change Research Programme, a team of 13 federal agencies, the report was put together with the help of 1,000 people, including 300 leading scientists.

It's the second of two volumes. The first, released in November 2017, concluded that there was "no convincing alternative explanation" for the changing climate other than "human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases".

The costs of climate change could reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually, according to the report.

The Southeast alone will probably lose over half a billion labour hours by 2100 due to extreme heat.

Farmers will face extremely tough times. The quality and quantity of their crops will decline across the US due to higher temperatures, drought and flooding.

Heat stress could cause average dairy production to fall between 0.60 and 1.35 per cent over the next 12 years -- having already cost the industry $1.2 billion from heat stress in 2010.

When it comes to shellfish there will be a $230 million loss by the end of the century due to ocean acidification, which is already killing off shellfish and corals, CNN quoted the report as saying.

Higher temperatures will also kill more people, it added.

The Midwest alone, which is predicted to have the largest increase in extreme temperature, will see an additional 2,000 premature deaths per year by 2090.

There will be more mosquito- and tickborne diseases like zika, dengue and chikungunya. West Nile cases were expected to more than double by 2050 due to increasing temperatures.

Wildfire seasons -- already longer and more destructive than before -- could burn up to six times more forest area annually by 2050 in parts of the US. Burned areas in Southwestern California alone could double by 2050.

"The message is loud, clear and undeniable: climate impacts are here and growing, World Resources Institute US Director Dan Lashof told IANS.

The tragic Camp Fire in California serves as a stark illustration of how climate change is loading the dice for more extreme events that devastate people, homes and the economy.

"We should trust what we're seeing with our own eyes: more intense wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and heat waves. This is what climate change looks like and it will become far worse unless we rapidly shift to a low-carbon economy," Lashof said.

The report blames human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, as the primary cause of rising temperatures.

For adaptation and mitigation, it says transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will reduce the impact of climate change.

Visiting Senior Research Scientist with Columbia University Earth Institute Richard Moss said: "The Trump administration should take its own carefully prepared National Climate Assessment report seriously. If it does so, the logical response is for the administration to lead a bipartisan effort to slash climate pollution and work to reduce the loss of life and financial damage occurring from climate change intensified disasters."

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit back at the Congress saying that since it was bereft of issues and confused in its political discourse, it was dragging his mother into the poll debate and "abusing" her.

"My mother who does not even know the 'R' of Rajniti is being dragged into the political arena and is being abused," he said at a public rally here while campaigning for the BJP candidates from the Bundelkhand region.

He was responding to Congress MP Raj Babbar's attack on him when he said the value of the Rupee had fallen and touched his mother's age in a riposte to Modi's attack before the 2014 elections when he had compared the value of the Rupee with Manmohan Singh's age.

Modi urged the "mothers" and "sisters" of Bundelkhand region to give a "befitting" reply to the Congress at the polling booth for dragging his mother into the election campaign. He said that he has been "challenging and defeating them for the last 17 years and now when they don't have the courage of confronting me they are dragging in my mother."

Claiming that the 15 year rule of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has dwarfed the 55-year rule of four generations of the Congress party in the state, Modi said that at the national level a tea seller has taken the country to greater heights.

"Four generations of the Congress, and four years of a tea-seller. They are not ready to talk about the new heights we have taken our country to. Whenever there is a fight in a colony, you must have seen how the person who doesn't have truth on their side, starts abusing your mother," Modi said taunting the Congress.

Making a distinction between the government headed by a commoner and those born with a golden spoon, Modi said, "People who are born with golden spoon are confused and their party is confused."

Telling the gathering that "the people of India were their high command. he said "We are committed to serving them and fulfilling all their aspirations",

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of dividing the people into different lines and asserted that the days of the Congress' 'divide and rule' were over.

Addressing people of the age of 40 years and above who had experienced life under the Congress rule, Modi asked them if they would like their children to face the same problems and live like that.

"f tell them that if they don't want their children to live the life they had lived under the Congress rule, then they have to make up their mind and decide and remember the conditions that prevailed 15 years back when you had voted the Congress out of power.

On the Congress attacking Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is popularly known as 'mama', Modi said "before abusing Chouhan, think about your own Mama, Ottavio Quattrocchi, and Warren Anderson, the UCC Chief, who was sent to America by a special plane."

--IANS

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Rape laws across Europe were "dangerous and outdated", according to a new Amnesty International report.

The report released on Friday night found that out of 31 European countries, only eight -- Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg and Sweden -- have laws that define sex without consent as rape, CNN reported.

The overwhelming majority of countries in Europe recognise rape only when physical violence, threat or coercion is involved, Amnesty said, adding that some countries classify sex without consent as a separate, less serious offence.

In Croatia, convicted rapists can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years, while sex without consent convictions bring a maximum of five years.

In Malta, sexual offence legislation is framed in the context of "crimes affecting the good order of families", the report said.

According to a 2016 European Commission Special Eurobarometer Report on Gender-based Violence, nearly a third of all respondents (27 per cent) had said that there were situations in which sex without consent was justified, including if the person was drunk or on drugs (12 per cent), has voluntarily gone home with someone (11 per cent), has worn revealing clothes (10 per cent), hasn't fought back or hasn't said "no" clearly (10 per cent).

"Sex without consent is rape, full stop," Anna Blus, Amnesty International's researcher on Western Europe and women's rights, was quoted as saying in the report.

"Until governments bring their legislations in line with this simple fact, the perpetrators of rape will continue to get away with their crimes."

In the European Union alone, an estimated 9 million women over the age of 15 -- at least one in 20 women -- have been raped, according to a 2014 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights data analysed by Amnesty International.

Many countries still struggle to secure convictions, even with consent-based rape legislation, according to Friday's report.

In the UK, an estimated one in seven women has reported experiencing some form of sexual violence, placing it in the joint top five countries for the most amount of sexual assaults recorded.

But despite this, the number of rape convictions dropped 23 per cent in 2017-18, compared with the previous year, according to data from the UK's Crown Prosecution Service.

--IANS

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Saturday conducted searches at the residence and offices of former Union Minister and TDP MP Y.S. Chowdary here for alleged financial irregularities, asking him to appear before the agency on November 27.

According to ED, searches conducted at seven locations in Hyderabad and one in Delhi revealed that the banks have been defrauded by companies owned by Chowdary to the tune of over Rs 5,700 crore.

The ED seized six luxury cars including Ferrari, Range Rover, and Benz from Chowdary's residence. These vehicles, registered in the name of dummy companies, have been seized under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Documents recovered revealed that various FEMA/DRI/CBI cases were existing against the group companies. Similarly documents related to forex transactions were also seized, the ED said in a statement.

"Documents recovered indicate that they are controlling over 120 companies and most of them are non-operating or companies on paper only without any genuine business activities," it said.

Preliminary investigations indicate that certain loans to group companies were sanctioned against the personal guarantee of Chowdary.

Chowdary, a member of the Rajya Sabha, is a close aide of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Chowdary was Minister of Science and Technology in the Narendra Modi Cabinet till March when the TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

The raids were conducted in connection with three FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on complaints from 3 banks stating that the consortium of banks were cheated to the tune of Rs 364 crore by Best & Crompton Engineering Projects Ltd, Chennai (BCEPL), which had obtained loans by falsification of accounts and submission of false statements.

Meanwhile, Sujana Group said in a statement that the ED team from Chennai had come to gather some information with regard to a 10-year-old case and the same was provided to it. The group denied that lookout notices were issued for some directors.

Saturday's raids come just days after the Andhra Pradesh government withdrew the "general consent" it had earlier given to the CBI to operate within its territory.

The CBI now requires the permission of the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct raids in the state.

The move had come following a series of raids by the Income Tax authorities against TDP leaders including Naidu's close aide and MP C.M. Ramesh.

The party leaders alleged that the Modi government was misusing central agencies to target them.

--IANS

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The French Army, in a raid on a terrorist organisation in Mali, has neutralised at least 30 terrorists, including Hamadoun Kouffa, a prominent jihadist leader, officials said.

"At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action, among whom are probably the head of the Katiba Massina, Hamadoun Kouffa, and its main cadres," Chief of the Defence Staff of France, General Francois Lecointre, said in the statement on Friday.

The raid took place in the Malian region of Mopti, and combined the action of many air assets: Mirage 2000, Tiger and Gazelle helicopters backed by Reaper drones, C135 tanker and maneuver helicopters, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the general.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly has hailed the "courageous and effective" action of the soldiers involved in this operation.

"This new success of the French military engagement in the Sahel illustrates our desire to fight relentlessly against terrorism, and it also demonstrates our determination to help Malian authorities in their daily fight to stabilise and pacify their country," she said.

--IANS

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A 14-year-old girl who was injured in a firing incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district earlier this week, died on Saturday in a hospital here, police said.

Muskaan Jan succumbed to critical injuries at the S.M.H.S. Hospital.

"She was uinjured during cross-firing when militants attacked an army camp in Khudwani area on Thursday," the police said.

--IANS

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BJP Natiobnal Secretary Mahesh Girri on Saturday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of negative in the national capital and criticized him for not fulfilling his poll promise of installing CCTV cameras.

"The whole Delhi remembers Kejriwal's promise to install CCTV (close circuit television) across the city. But there is a huge difference in what he preaches and what he practises," the East Delhi MP said.

He said Kejriwal was not concerned about "security, safety and convenience" of people of the city.

Girri's remarks came soon after he inaugurated second phase of CCTV cameras installed from his MPLADS funds in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar area.

Girri said earlier he got high definition CCTV cameras installed at Delhi-UP Border area by giving Rs 1.57 crore from his MPLADS funds, while in second phase, CCTV cameras have been installed in six km area of Mayur Vihar using Rs 2.5 crore from his MPLADS funds.

Girri said so far he has provided Rs 8.91 crore from his MPLADS funds for installation of CCTV cameras in east Delhi.

--IANS

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore each to the families of two martyred policemen despite most of his party's MLAs saying that Delhi Police be exempt from getting the compensation.

"I want to say something, please don't connect it with I have been attacked twice in the last one month. Once when Signature Bridge was being inaugurated and second at the Delhi Secretariat recently.

"Some of our MLAs got furious over the attack and said that the Rs 1 crore policy should not cover the Delhi Police, but I don't agree with it at all. Delhi Police is my family, it's a part of my family," Kejriwal said.

He was speaking at a function organised in a tribute to late Constable Birendra Singh and late Constable Deepak Kumar.

Kejriwal said that only a few Delhi Police officers are politically motivated and that everyone in the force should not be treated in the same manner.

"Delhi Police is not an individual, it is not the name of a handful of officers. Delhi Police also have brave men like Birendra and Deepak, who not only keep Delhi safe but have also made Delhi Police proud...There might be some senior officers who are politically motivated, but this doesn't mean that the whole of Delhi Police is bad," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief said.

Kejriwal also attacked the Central government by saying that even though they made the policy soon after forming the government in 2015, the powers above them withheld it.

"The policy was made soon after we formed the government in 2015, the names of five brave martyrs were also announced soon after, but our policy was withheld by the powers above us. We are ready to face hurdles and fight, be it the installation of CCTVs or Mohalla Clinics, but how can they try to scuttle a policy meant for our martyrs?" he said.

The AAP supremo said that he reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Delhi government's policy and asked him to implement a similar policy with a compensation of Rs 5 crore.

"I am sure, someday the Central government will implement it, but they should not have withheld the Delhi government's policy for so long. I went to the LG and made requests, but he refused to pass the policy," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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Coinciding with Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray's high-profile visit to Ayodhya on Saturday, party activists and leaders performed 'maha-aartis' in different parts of the state and prayed for the success of the Ram temple construction mission.

A 'maha-aarti' was held at the famed Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai this evening, besides other parts of the city, in Thane, Ragnagiri, Raigad, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, and Kolhapur, led by party leaders, legislators, ministers and parliamentarians.

Mumbai's dabbawallas also participated in the 'maha-aarti' performed at the Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Dadar, said their spokesperson Subhash Talekar.

Thundering in Ayodhya, Thackeray demanded that the ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party should declare the "date" when the Ram Temple will be constructed in Ayodhya.

"The Hindus of the country will not remain silent any longer -- they will ask questions 'tell us the date when you will construct the Ram temple'. I have come to take the exact date from you," he said, firing a fresh salvo at the BJP.

He reiterated the party's recent slogan 'Har Hindu ki yehi pukar, Pehle mandir phir sarkar' and said he had come for his first darshan of Ram Lalla, and promised to come again in future.

"I have not come here to grab the credit for the Ram temple, but awaken the slumbering Kumbhkarnaa who slept for six months, this one (indicating the BJP-led government) has been sleeping for four years. The promises made must be fulfilled, that's the real Hindutva for us", Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, commenting on Thackeray's visit, Maharashtra BJP's Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar welcomed it saying there is "nothing wrong if he has gone there for a good cause like the Ram temple".

However, the Raj Thackeray-led opposition Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, mocked at his cousin's Ayodhya visit by putting up posters near the Sena headquarters, saying: "Gone to Ayodhya, but resignation still in pocket".

This implied the MNS' oft-repeated stance that the Shiv Sena must dare to quit the NDA at the centre and state instead of functioning like an embedded opposition party.

For the Ayodhya visit, Thackeray is carrying an urn containing the earth from the Shivneri Fort - the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Over 4,000 Shiv Sainiks from Maharashtra and other parts of the country have already proceeded to Ayodhya, a party spokesperson said.

Party leaders including Sanjay Raut, Minister Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and others have been camping in Ayodhya for the past few days to prepare for the Thackeray visit.

--IANS

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The Punjab Police claimed on Saturday that the main accused in the grenade attack on the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan in Amritsar district has been arrested.

Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora told media that the main accused, Avtar Singh, has been arrested. He said that weapons and ammunition have been recovered from the accused.

Avtar was the man who allegedly threw the Pakistan-made hand grenade on the followers of the Nirankari sect when they had assembled for a prayer meeting at the Satsang Bhawan complex in Adliwal village in Rajasansi area of Amritsar district on Sunday (Nov 18).

The DGP said that Avtar had links with a person called Javed in Pakistan and a Khalistan sympathizer Paramjit Singh Baba in Italy.

The attack, described by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh as a "terrorist act", left three people dead and 15 others injured.

Avtar's accomplice in the attack, Bikramjit Singh, was arrested by the Punjab Police on Wednesday. He was later remanded for five days in police custody by a court in Ajnala town, around 30 km from Amritsar.

Bikramjit had reportedly stood at the gate of the Nirankari Bhawan, holding the gate attendants at gun-point. The Chief Minister had blamed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan-based masterminds of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for the terror attack.

The Chief Minister said the grenade used in the blast was Pakistan-made. Amarinder said it was a "terror incident" and there was no religious link to it. The family of Bikramjit Singh have disputed the police claim of his being involved in terrorist activities.

--iANS

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Former champions Aizawl FC registered a superb first win in the 12th I-League season, that too in front of adoring home fans, overcoming the challenge of East Bengal (EB) 3-2, thanks to a brilliant 83rd minute strike from Mapuia, who had been on the pitch for just seven minutes before that.

In an entertaining physical and see-saw encounter that saw the lead swaying both ways, Ivorian Hero of the Match Zikahi Dodoz put the hosts ahead in the 25th minute, before Jobby Justin equalised in the 63rd minute for the visitors.

Spanish defender Borja Gomez put EB ahead in the 70th minute, but his effort was cancelled out three minutes later by Joe Zoherliana. Finally, Mapuia sealed it with a relishing strike off an even more delicious Dodoz assist to seal the fate of the match.

In the end, it turned out to be a combination of Dodoz' efforts and a couple of Gift Raikhan's substitutions which secured the win for Aizawl while for East Bengal, their fate seemed tied to three Lalram Chulova set-pieces, two of which brought them goals while one was disallowed.

The result moves Aizawl up to the eighth spot in the points tally from bottom and EB stay stranded at the fourth position, having bagged six points from two wins in four games.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio broadcast programme 'Mann Ki Baat', which completes the 50th episode on Sunday, has since 2014 touched upon social, national and international issues.

Through his 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi has reached out to millions across the country, shared the views and opinions of the citizens and lauded their contribution in nation-building.

"On October 3, 2014, we began the journey of 'Mann Ki Baat'. With your blessings, this journey completes 50 episodes tomorrow (Sunday), of sharing joy, positivity and amplifying the power of collective efforts. I hope you will enthusiastically tune in tomorrow for the 50th episode," Modi tweeted.

In the first episode, the Prime Minisdter urged the citizens of the country to use at least one khadi product, saying it would help poor weavers. "Subsequently, the sale of khadi products went up by 120 per cent," an official release said.

In November 2014, Modi shared how army personnel won a gold medal in a very prestigious event in Britain called Cambrian Patrol, defeating contestants from 140 nations.

In September 2015, Modi congratulated the armed forces, commemorating 50 years of India's war with Pakistan in 1965.

The Prime Minister dedicated the December 2014 episode of 'Mann ki Baat' to make India drug-free.

"The monthly radio broadcast in January 2015 saw a unique event - joint address by PM Modi and (then) US President Barak Obama who shared personal stories and gave an insight into what it takes to achieve your goals in life," it said.

While taking a cue from the idea given by a listener, Modi spoke at length about 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (save daughter, educate daughter) in the same episode.

"In the June 2015 episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', the PM shared the account of a Haryana village sarpanch who launched #SelfieWithDaughter campaign and the hashtag soon became viral on social media as people from different walks of life shared it," it said.

--IANS

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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that integrity of major institutions was under attack under the present dispensation and that a nation without well-functioning institutions was bound to fail.

He said well-functioning institutions of governance was a necessary condition to maintain peace and harmony and that if the present situations persists, it could create chaos in society, economy and polity.

His remarks came at a time when the government is under fire for "undermining institutions" including the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"Besides, the institutions must be impartial, objective and should function for the benefit of all sections of society. Unfortunately, integrity of major institutions faces many challenges. The deterioration of the institutions adversely affects the functioning of various organs of the state and in eroding their credibility," the former Prime Minister said at a conference on 'Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation'.

"Such a situation can create chaos in society, economy and polity. A nation without well-functioning institutions is bound to fail," he said.

The former Prime Minister said that maintaining secular character of all the institutions -- judiciary, executive and legislatures -- was a pre-requisite for peace and harmony.

"Eventually, it is the responsibility of the political and religious leadership, civil society, intelligentsia and the media to uphold the Constitution and the integrity of institutions," he said.

"When the institutions start deviating from a just discharge of their constitutional responsibilities and knowingly or unknowingly fall prey to the extra-constitutional powers and non-state actors, then there is a danger of violence entering into the process of transition and transformation," he said.

Singh added that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear through communal polarisation. He said communal harmony was crucial for citizens to lead a life free from fear, anxiety and uncertainty in a multi-religious society like in India.

"There are various types of economic and non-economic factors which give rise to fears, anxieties and uncertainties. We must diagnose the underlying reasons behind such a scenario and move forward to translate the conflict and anger into peace, harmony and happiness," he said.

He said the transition to peace and harmony would require transparency, honesty, probity and truthfulness in public life.

"Unfortunately, the use of religion, caste and other such factors by the political parties to advance their political interests and capture power can create an atmosphere of hate and division among religious and caste groups. Such an environment poses a serious challenge to the peaceful transition and transformation," he added.

"It is in this context that the saner elements in the society need to unite and counter the evil designs of those forces that are bent upon to disrupt the peace, harmony and happiness," Singh said.

--IANS

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Researchers have developed a novel testing kit that can detect Escherichia coli (E.coli) -- a deadly pathogen -- much more quickly than existing methods.

The kit detects E. coli 0157, commonly found in ground meat, and is considered more likely to cause severe illnesses than other forms of the bacteria.

The test detects a protein unique to the pathogenic E. coli bacteria and shows results in hours rather than days.

"Our goal is to get the testing to occur as close as possible to the source," Michael Rieder, Professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, said in a statement on Friday.

"This technology is not only faster, but it's less expensive, it's easy to use, and it can occur right in the processing plant."

Food samples to be tested are incubated for a few hours. A sample is then placed on a pad. After 15 minutes, the pad displays one red line to show it worked properly - and a second if the sample contains E. coli O157, the CTV reported.

"It's very much like a pregnancy test," Rieder was quoted as saying.

Current food testing methods typically rely on culture, which requires samples to be sent away for testing, with results taking up to two weeks to come back. By that time, the food has often been shipped to markets and large recalls have to occur.

The quicker testing ensures that results are received long before contaminated products make it to the market, thus reducing the risk to the public and the need for large-scale food recalls.

"We are looking at this specific biomarker because it is unique to this pathogenic bacteria. The presence of bacteria itself isn't bad, but we want to be able to identify specific bacteria that will cause people to get sick," Rieder said.

"The goal is a safer food chain for everyone so that public safety can be assured."

The kit has been approved by Health Canada and translated for commercial use.

--IANS

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In a taunt at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked: "how are all Modi-Modi," as he mentioned names of fugitive economic offenders Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

Addressing a gathering in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also attacked Modi on petrol and LPG price hike in the recent past.

"Tell me how there are Narendra Modi, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi in the country? How are all Modi-Modi," Rahul said.

"Modi, who claims himself as chowkidar (watchman) refers to common people as 'mitron' (friends) but he called Nirav Modi and other fugitives as 'bhai' (brother)."

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister is providing benefit to a few industrialists.

"The oil prices are dropping all over the world. During UPA's tenure, the price of petrol was 140 rupees per barrel (international market). Now the petrol price has been dropped to half. Currently, it is 70 rupees per barrel," Rahul said.

Whenever youths of Madhya Pradesh fill the tank of their vehicles, the money of the petrol went to the pockets of fugitives including Nirav Modi, the Congress chief said.

He faulted Modi for going back on his promise to provide LPG to each woman of the country. The value of LPG has reached double its price, he said.

Attacking Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on filing a defamation case against him after he mistakenly named Chouhan's son in the Panama paper issue, Congress President asked: "I have a question for Shivraj Singh Chouhan. When I spoke about Vyapam scam, e-tendering, dumper scam and illegal mining cases and named your wife and son's involvement in these matters, why didn't you file defamation cases against me?"

"It seems that there is something truth in them."

Admitting his mistake, Rahul Gandhi said that instead of Raman Singh's son, he named Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son in the Panama paper matter.

He alleged that BJP Chief Ministers in every state were involved in corruption. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's son has taken money from the fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi while Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's son name has surfaced in the Panama Papers, Rahul Gandhi said.

He claimed that the government waived loans amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore of 15 industrialists but did not give any such relief to the farmers.

The Congress president attacked BJP for ordering firing on farmers in Mandsaur and said that farmers are paying insurance money but all the benefit has goes to insurance companies.

He reiterated that Congress, if elected, would waive all farm loans within 10 days of coming to power.

--IANS

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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.

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The Rajasthan Congress on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah accusing him of flouting the model code of conduct by "provoking voters against the opposition party" in the poll-bound state during his recent Bikaner rally.

The Congress also filed a complaint against State Minister Srichand Kriplani and BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav.

State Congress Committee spokesperson Sushil Sharma said that Shah during his Bikaner rally asked the people to "hold opposition leaders by their collar" when they visit their place seeking votes.

"They should not be allowed to enter your villages," Sharma quoted Shah as saying (vipakshi party ke neta aye to unka collar pakad lena; unko gaon men ghusne nahi dena)".

"Such statements are an assault on democracy and violate the model code of conduct," said Sharma, adding such remarks raise possibility of disturbing peace during elections.

Another complaint was made against state Minister Kriplani, a BJP candidate from Nimbahera.

"He threatened people to commit suicide if they fail to vote him," Sharma said.

"As he is trying to seek votes by threatening people, it is yet again a violation of the model code of conduct. A complaint has been filed against Kriplani," said Sharma.

The Rajasthan Congress also filed complaint against BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav, the party's candidate from Alwar's Kishangarh Bas, for making a statement in contempt of a Supreme Court order.

Yadav in a video was seen seeking votes by telling people that "it is Ramhet Yadav's 'sarkar' due to which loaded tractors are plying otherwise these vehicles are not allowed on roads."

IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan for filing a defamation suit against him after he mistakenly took his son's name in the Panama Papers case and said he did not file any case when he talked about Vyapam, e-tender and illegal mining cases asking whether these were "true".

"Last time I had said mistakenly that the name of Shivraj's son is there in the Panama Papers. I realised it and said that I committed a mistake as there are a number of scams," he said addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls will be held on November 28.

Gandhi said that within a few minutes, Chauhan said that as he had given a wrong statement he would file a defamation suit against him.

"Shivrajji tell me one thing. You filed a defamation suit against me over the Panama Papers issue. But on Vyapam scam, e-tendering scam and illegal mining you did not file a defamation suit on me. Are these scams true," Gandhi asked, questioning the Chief Minister's "silence" on these issues.

He said that "there are elections in several states and in most of these states, BJP Chief Ministers are corrupt. In Rajasthan, the son of Chief Minister (Vasundhra Raje) took Rs 10 crore from Lalit Modi. In Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh's son name appeared in the Panama Papers. And here in MP, there is Vyapam scam, illegal mining scam and e-tendering scam cases," he said.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader said, before coming to power in 2014, in all his public meeting speeches he talked about "corruption, corruption and corruption".

"But now look carefully to all his speeches now. Now there is no reference of corruption, employment and farmer issues," he said.

Gandhi said Modi used to ask people then to not make him Prime Minister but a watchman. "But Modiji in his speech did not tell you that who he would be guarding whether Anil Ambani, Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi or Lalit Modi," he thundered.

"Some took away Rs 10,000 crore and some Rs 30,000 crore from the country and the watchman after stealing the money from the pockets of the people put in the pockets of an Indian industrialist," he said.

Gandhi said that the UPA government's deal for 126 Rafale fighter jets with French government was changed by Modi to favour his industrialist friend.

"Even former French President (Francois Hollande) has called our Prime Minister a thief," he said.

The Congress leader also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of not fulfilling its promises and said, "Modi had said we shall waive farmers loans but that has not been done yet. And once we are voted to power in the state, within 10 days we would waive the farm loans," he said.

--IANS

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President accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, embarked on a high-profile visit to Ayodhya on Saturday, aimed at grabbing centre-stage in the demand for constructing the as elections approach.

They took a flight to Faizabad from where they will drive down for an engagement at the Laxman Killa in Ayodhya, and later perform a 'maha-aarti' on the banks of Sarayu river on Saturday evening.

At the Laxman Killa, he will be felicitated by a large number of Hindu holy men, besides common people and perform a puja there.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied by local party leaders, sants and sadhus, interact with the media and later with the public, though plans for a public rally were not finalised yet.

For the Ayodhya visit, Thackeray is carrying an urn containing the earth from the Shivneri Fort - the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Over 4,000 Shiv Sainiks from Maharashtra, besides more from other parts of the country have preceded him to Ayodhya since the past couple of days, a party spokesperson said.

Party leaders including Sanjay Raut, Ministers Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and others have been camping in Ayodhya since the past few days to prepare for Thackeray's visit.

This will be the Thackerays' first-ever visit to the holy city, though in the past his father and founder of the Shiv Sena, the late Bal Thackeray had travelled to Uttar Pradesh on a couple of occasions.

The party's prime demand is to expedite the construction of the in Ayodhya by promulgating an Ordinance to the effect.

Upping the party stance on the issue, Thackeray had announced his plans to visit Ayodhya during his Dussehra rally here last month.

Coinciding with the visit, the has organised prayer meetings and 'maha-aartis' all over Maharashtra with senior party leaders joining them. Representatives of the North Indian community here have also expressed support for the party.
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to settle the issue of seat-sharing in the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Kushwaha had last week given an ultimatum to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads the NDA government at the Centre, to ensure a respectful number of seats for the RLSP by November 30.

On Saturday, he said: "PM Modi should come forward and intervene to settle seat- sharing for the RLSP in the NDA".

Kushwaha said he would seek an appointment with Modi and visit New Delhi to meet him.

--IANS

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An Uttar Pradesh Minister on Saturday said that the Army should be deployed in Ayodhya to control the situation in the temple town.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, President of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), broke ranks with ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Expressing concern over the congregation of Shiv Sainiks, VHP cadres and RSS workers in the temple town for the 'Dharam Sabha' slated for Sunday and the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the Minister said that he endorsed the views of the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the Supreme Court should issue an order for Army deployment in Ayodhya.

"I welcome the statement of Akhilesh Yadav and support his call for deployment of the Army," Rajbhar said.

He also inquired how hundreds and thousands of people were entering Ayodhya while Section 144 was clamped in the temple town.

"The police and the district administration seem to have failed in maintaining law and I feel time has come for the deployment of the Army," the Minister said.

Rajbhar drew criticism when he said that seers were doing drama about the Ram temple as "it was their bread and butter".

--IANS

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Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will lay the foundation stone for the newly-announced Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road corridor in Gurdaspur district's Mann village on Monday.

To mark Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary in 2019, the government earlier this week decided to build the Kartarpur road corridor up to the international border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project.

The corridor will let Sikh pilgrims visit the iconic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of the river Ravi in Pakistan.

The two countries had announced on November 15 that they would build corridors on their respective sides to let Sikh pilgrims visit the holy shrine without visa and to help them walk across and come back without having to secure a visa.

"The Indian side of corridor starts from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and extends up to the international border. The project corridor is four-lane with a service road and all other appropriate amenities for pilgrims intending to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib," an official statement said.

-IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Notwithstanding a growing chorus for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya ahead of next year's general elections, many youth in the holy city say they don't want to be drawn into the "political melee" while asserting that their future "won't hinge" on the fate of the proposed temple.

Another section of youth, however, are anxious to have the temple constructed but "not at the cost of communal harmony".

Aman Kumar, a stone craftsman in his late 30s who runs a statuary shop named Shri Ram Murti in the heart of the city, says, "Ayodhya is the land of Lord Ram. I was born here and more than three generations of my family have been living here. We are a family of Ram worshippers, and it pains us to see Ram Lalla inside a tent."

A precious idol of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram), along with those of Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan, is currently kept inside the tent at the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi- site, which many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Kumar, when asked about the current frenzy surrounding the controversial temple issue, says, "People of Ayodhya, of all communities, have always lived in peace. It is outsiders and politicians with agenda, who come to our town and vitiate the atmosphere."



"I will be very happy if a Ram temple is built but it should not happen at the cost of communal harmony. Ayodhya has already suffered in 1992," he told PTI.

On December 6, 1992, an army of 'kar sewaks' (right-wing activists), drawn from various parts of the country converged in Ayodhya and razed the 16th century Babri Mosque, triggering unrest in the temple town and large-scale riots in other parts of India.

The spectre of 1992 still haunts many people of both the communities, who had directly or indirectly suffered in the violence that erupted after the demolition of the mosque.

Meanwhile, senior police officials say, security has been stepped up in Ayodhya, in view of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's 'Dharma Sabha', being touted as the largest congregation of 'Ram bhakts' in Ayodhya since the 1992 'kar seva'.

Rohit Pandey, 18, a tour guide, who speaks multiple Indian languages, and wears a prominent 'tilak' on his forehead, comfortably pallies with Mohammad Azim, a 46-year-old auto-driver in the city, who bore the brunt of the 1992 tragedy.

"We affectionately call him 'Mamu' (uncle). He brings the tourists here and I then take them to Ramjanmabhoomi and other sightseeing places. Hindu and Muslims do not have problem here. I also want a but the peaceful atmosphere should not be disturbed," he says.

Azim says Rohit is almost of the same age as one of his four sons and "youth like him want to focus on building their future, but are misguided by politicians. My sons want to focus on their career, not this issue, which anyway is in court."



Vikas Dwivedi, 18, an Ayodhya native, currently pursuing engineering at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, says, "I am more concerned about my future, my family's future. The fate of the Ram temple is neither going to affect my career, nor would I let it be affected."Another Ayodhya resident, Anil Yadav, a college graduate now preparing for competitive examinations, says, "We have friends from all communities. We celebrate Holi and Eid together. Some politicians and right-wing groups may be whipping up sentiments on Ram temple issue, but I am going to be focussed on my career goals.""The Supreme Court will decide on the contentious issue, and everyone should respect that," he says.

The chorus has grown within the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, seeking construction of a temple there through ordinance as the apex court recently fixed the Ayodhya title suit for the first week of January next year before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.

Several BJP and VHP leaders have claimed that majority population of Ayodhya and rest of the country want to see the temple get built as it is a "matter of faith" for them.

Lucknow-native Himanshu Singh, a fresh law school graduate, who spent part of his childhood in Ayodhya, says, "Politicians and religious outfits' leaders should not try to become our spokespersons. Temple or no temple, why should they decide on behalf of people.
Days after leader Raj Babbar compared the falling of rupee's value with Prime Minister mother's age, the Prime Minister on Saturday slammed the Congress, saying that "one who does not have any agenda for elections, abuses someone else's mother."

Prime Minister Modi further stated that could neither compete with him nor discuss the development work and hence was dragging his mother into petty "When a person does not have issues to discuss and has a lot of egos, then he abuses someone's mother," he said while addressing an election rally on Saturday.

"The party which ruled the country for so many years cannot compete with me and hence is abusing my mother. Such a low level of is unacceptable," the Prime Minister said. "They abused my mother; she does not even know the ABC of Still, they dragging her in it," he added.

Stepping up his attack on the party, the Prime Minister further asserted that the party has a problem with the fact that the people of Madhya Pradesh call Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan 'Mama ji (maternal uncle)'.

Referring to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi and Warren Anderson, the Prime Minister asked the Congress to remember their 'Mamas' before using foul language for Chouhan.

Quattrocchi was sought by the Indian investigating agencies for acting as a conduit for bribes in the alleged Bofors gun scam, while Warren Anderson served as chairman and CEO of the Union Carbide Corporation and was allegedly responsible for Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984.

"They have this problem that why everybody in Madhya Pradesh calls Shivraj Singh as Mama ji. Before abusing Shivraj, one should remember their Mamas too. They should remember Quattrocchi and Anderson," the Prime Minister said and alleged that Quattrocchi was permitted to plunder the defense revenue through Bofors scam and Anderson was sent back secretly to his country soon after the Bhopal gas tragedy.

ALSO READ: Modi and the cultural reframing of India

Urging the people not to repeat their mistake by giving their mandate to the Congress party, the Prime Minister asked them to reject the party's negative politics.

The 230-member assembly state will go to polls on November 28 and the counting of votes will be announced on December 11.
Ahead of the Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya on Sunday to push for the construction of a Ram temple, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said if required the Army should be deployed in the town.

Thousands of people have started gathering in the town ahead of the event.

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also arrived on Saturday for a separate programme.

Talking to reporters Friday, Yadav had said, "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the Army, if required... as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent," Yadav told reporters.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed Yadav's claims, saying his remarks simply showed his frustration as it was a Dharam Sabha and the Army was not needed for it.

When asked that a significant section of the Muslim community was feeling apprehensive about the event, he tried to allay the fears.

"No one needs to fear (anything) as there is peace in Uttar Pradesh. The government has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he told PTI.

Referring to the firing on unarmed karsewaks in 1990, Maurya said, "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, then this will not happen under the government headed by Yogi Adityanath. We will provide adequate security to all and take all necessary action."



"This is a Dharam Sabha, and there is no need to deploy the Army, and Akhilesh Yadav must understand this," the UP deputy Chief Minister said.

On the eve of the VHP's Dharam Sabha, the temple town was virtually turned into a fortress will multiple layers of security and deployment of drones.

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of PAC, five companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drones were deployed here.

The Dharam Sabha is being touted as one of the largest congregations of Lord Ram devotees after December 6, 1992, when the was demolished, but some Muslim leaders view it as a move to polarise the voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Some members of the community had recently said they felt insecure as they remembered the attacks on Muslims in 1992 after the demolition on

Mohammad Umar a plaintiff in the Ram Janmabhoomi- title suit, said, "Ayodhya is our birthplace, we have been here from many generations, but we still remember how the VHP and Shiv Sena activists attacked Muslims after the demolition of the mosque on December 6."



Another plaintiff, Haji Mahboob, had said, "It is a fact that the Muslim population here is in a grip of fear over a possible attack by activists. They are feeling quite insecure."

Ayodhya Municipal Corporation Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay said there was no fear or apprehension among the Muslims.

"Some vested interests, who seeing that all their plans may fail to reap political dividends, have started spreading rumours," he said.

The mayor said the environment in Ayodhya was peaceful and harmonious and the people were going about their daily routine.

"Dharam Sabha and Dhara Sansad had been held here earlier as well. There are a handful of self-proclaimed leaders, who were trying to take this as an opportunity to realise their political interests but, their plans did not materialise," he said.

Elaborating on the security arrangements, Upadhyay said adequate arrangements were made by the police and district administration.

"As many as 13 parking slots were provided for the event. Shiv Sena leaders took part in aarti and met seers in the temple town. No permission was given to them by the government to hold a rally," the Ayodhya mayor said.

The co-convenor (organisation) of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, which is the affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), dismissed the reports of fear among the Muslims as false.

"A large number of Muslims have pledged to construct a in Ayodhya. As many as 500 programmes will be held across the country from November 20 to December 2 to spread this message," the co-convenor Moraridas said.

He said a campaign had also been started that "we (Muslims) are not minorities, we are the 'maalik' of Hindustan".

Moraridas stressed on the importance of Ayodhya, saying. "If there cannot be a second Vatican City, a second Golden Temple, and if there cannot be a second Mecca and Medina, then there cannot be a second Ram Janmabhoomi.
Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri will travel to Pakistan next week for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed to Islamabad Saturday.

Swaraj's response came hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited her to visit Pakistan to attend the ceremony on November 28.

In a letter to Qureshi, Swaraj thanked her Pakistani counterpart for the invite and said she was unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib due to prior commitments including election campaign in Telangana and that India will be represented at the ceremony by Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Puri.

"Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr H S Puri (sic)," she tweeted.

Swaraj also hoped that the Pakistan government will ensure that the construction of the corridor is expedited so that "our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in repeatedly raping a woman inside a parlour in the citys Tiljala area, police said Saturday.

Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, police on Friday arrested the three, a Kolkata Police officer said.

A medical test was conducted on the victim which confirmed rape, he added.

According to the police complaint, the woman was called by one of the accused at the beauty parlour and he raped her. The incident was filmed by two persons present there. They then allegedly took turns to rape the woman, the police officer said.

The trio threatened the woman of circulating the video and continued raping her, he added.

We are looking into the matter and have collected evidence. Our special officers have spoken to her, the police official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four Naxals, including two women, were Saturday arrested from different places in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district, police said.

While three cadres were apprehended from the forest under Bhansi police station limits, another was held from Barsoor area, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told PTI.

Those arrested in Bhansi area were identified as Meena Telam (22), who was active as in charge of "area supply team" of the Maoists, Manglo Telam (25)- a member of Mirtur LOS (local organisation squad) and Bhima Kunjam (25)- a member of the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Majdoor Sangathan (a front outfit of Maoists), Pallava said.

All three were associated with the Bhairamgarh "area committee" of the Maoists, he said.

He said the three were involved in torching two passenger buses and a truck on Bhansi-Dantewada road on August 8 this year in which one person was killed.

Besides, the trio were also involved in damaging railway tracks, putting up Maoist banners and posters and arranging meetings for them, he added.

Meena was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on her head while Rs 1 lakh was announced for the arrest of Manglo, he said.

In another operation, a Maoist "jan militia commander" Dashman Kawasi (45), with a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was apprehended near Mangnar road in Barsoor area, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 47 US-backed fighters have been killed in counter-attacks by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria over the past two days, a Britain-based monitor said Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights raised the death toll from an earlier figure of 24 after it said IS jihadists launched three fresh assaults Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Traffic Police has issued around 2,000 challans for violation of traffic rules on the Singature Bridge between November 6 and 20, police said Saturday, hours after an AAP MLA alleged that no police personnel has been deployed on the newly inaugurated bridge.

Twelve traffic police personnel are deployed at the bridge and its approach road on the Khajuri side from 8 am to 8 pm, police said while asserting that they were making efforts to make Signature Bridge safer for commuters.

Earlier in the day, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj tweeted, "Has @LtGovDelhi suspended DCP Traffic for failing to deploy traffic police at Signature bridge? After two young boys death due to over speeding on bike without wearing helmets, what was the due diligence on part of Police? NOTHING !!! (sic)"



He also tweeted in Hindi, "Is Signature Bridge not a part of Delhi? Has Pakistan or Burma government built it? Where were Delhi Traffic constable? After two deaths, the Delhi Police is sleeping. Delhi Police seeing the death of youngsters. Sometimes, there is menace of eunuchs and at other times, traffic violations (sic)."



Three men were killed in two separate accidents on Signature Bridge on Friday and Saturday. The bridge was inaugurated on November 4.

The police said that it has written to Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) for implementing certain speed calming measures and precautionary signage.

According to the police, 42 challans have been issued for dangerous driving, 85 for triple riding, 453 for riding without helmet and 263 for driving against flow of traffic between November 6 and November 20.

During the same period, 359 challans have been issued for improper parking, four for entering no-Entry zone and 48 for over-speeding, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kannada actor and politician Ambareesh has passed away here at a private hospital due to cardiac arrest, sources have said. He was 66.

A former Union minister, Ambareesh was rushed to the hospital after he complained of breathing trouble and passed away on Saturday night, officials at the hospital said.

"Ambareesh was brought to hospital around 9 pm and he passed away because of cardiac arrest," Vikram Hospital officials told PTI.

According to the hospital spokesman, Ambareesh was found unresponsive at his residence and the resuscitation efforts were initiated there and continued en route while he was shifted to the hospital.

"Despite all aggressive resuscitation efforts, he could not be revived and was declared deceased at 2215 hrs," the spokesman added.

Ambareesh, a three-time Lok Sabha member and also a former State minister, is survived by actress Sumalatha and son Abishek.

Born as Malavalli Huchche Gowda Amarnath on May 29, 1952, Ambareesh popularly known as a "rebel star" has acted in over 200 films in a more than four-decade long movie career with a fan following of his own at the peak of his popularity.

Ambareesh had not been keeping well in recent years and was hospitalised frequently. In 2014, he was shifted to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

Entering the movie world through film "Nagarahavu" (king cobra), directed by veteran late Puttanna Kannagal in 1972, Ambareesh had carved a niche for himself in the Kannada film industry, particularly as an "angry" man, earning the title "rebel star".

Beginning his film career in antagonistic roles, he later emerged on his own to become a hero.

Ambareesh also had a successful career in politics having been an MLA, a Lok Sabha member and a former minister at the state and central levels.

He was in the Janata Dal, the JDS and the Congress in his political career that took a hit when he was asked to resign as minister for housing during the previous Siddaramaiah government.

Ambareesh had served as the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting from 2006-2007 under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but had quit the post over the issue of formation of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal.

He has won several state government film awards and was bestowed with the honorary doctorate by the Dharwad University.

As the of his death spread, several political leaders including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and a host of film personalities visited Vikram Hospital.

A large number of emotional fans and followers also descended at the hospital with some saying that they became "orphans" without their "Ambareesh Anna".

Expressing shock over the demise, Kumaraswamy said Ambaresh's death "an era of love and affection in Kannada fim industry has ended".

"He was a rebel who was loved by all. He has carved a unique place in both politics and films," said Kumaraswamy, who himself is a film producer.

Ambreesh had spoken to a couple of Kannada channels earlier on Saturday, expressing shock and grief over a bus mishap in Mandya, his home district, in which 30 people were killed.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the hospital, Kumaraswamy said, the state government has decided to observe a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect for Ambareesh whose funeral would be held with full state honour.

Calling Ambareesh "Ajatashatru", the Chief Minister appealed to his fans to maintain calm and extend cooperation so that no hindrance is caused to public at large and the funeral related formalities happen peacefully.

"I can understand your pain, tomorrow morning around 7:30 or 8 his body will be kept at Kanteerava Stadium for paying last respects," he said.

Recalling Ambreesh's bonding with Mandya and Mysuru region, Kumaraswamy said special buses will be arranged from there for his fans and friends to pay their last respects here in Bengaluru.

Ambareesh was often referred to as "Mandya da Gandu" (Man of Mandya).

"We have to build a memorial for him here. Keeping this in view the family has decided to perform his last rites in Bengaluru," Kumaraswamy said while noting his contribution to state, films and politics.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arriving here ahead of Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction.

I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said Saturday, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said.

The town turned into a virtual fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones as people began arriving here for Sunday's 'Dharam Sabha', being organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of the Ram temple.

The Sena leader is also urging the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for building the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya, but he has not linked his own two-day visit to VHP event.

The VHP claimed three lakh people, including seers, will attend its public meeting, which has triggered some apprehension over the safety of the town's Muslim community.

Samajwadi Party and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the Army should be deployed in Ayodhya, if needed, to maintain law and order.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Zafaryab Jilani said Muslims in Ayodhya are terrified ahead of the VHP meeting.

No untoward incident was reported Saturday and the police assured that strict security arrangements are in place.

Thackeray said his party will support any legislation or ordinance for the Ram Mandir, which Hindutva organisations want to be constructed at the site where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

Day, months, years and generations have passed, the Sena leader said on what he described as his first visit to the town to seek darshan' of Ram Lalla.

Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said.

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then.

But the current government is strong, and the BJP is in power both at the Centre and in the state.

Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,' he said.

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple's construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple?



"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.

Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."



'There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed.

The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, was among those who welcomed Thackeray at Lakshman Qila, where the Sena leader made the remarks. A drone monitored the event.

Thackeray went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers.

The Sena claimed to have brought several thousand supporters to Ayodhya for Thackeray's events.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying they are raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to divert attention from their failures.

Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for five years. It's their political tactic, nothing else, she said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The AIIMS will conduct a two-day workshop starting Sunday on orthognathic surgery to enhance the skill of oral and maxillofacial surgeons of India in jaw deformity surgical correction.

Lectures, live surgeries and hands experience on 3D printed models will be given to surgeons during the workshop.

The orthognathic surgery is performed to give balance to facial bones along with rectifying the deformed jaws which enhances the aesthetics of a person.

"This also enhances the self esteem of a person, improves speech, eating and gives confidence in day to day life," said Dr Ajoy Roychoudhury, the head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Centre for Dental Education and Research (CDER), AIIMS.

Dr Roychoudhury explained that the surgery is performed from inside the mouth, with no scars and incisions on face.

"The surgeon makes appropriate cuts in the jaw bones, aligns them to proposed position and fixes them with metal plates and screws. Wires or rubber elastics may be applied to the teeth temporarily after the surgery. The patient needs to stay in the hospital for two to five days, depending on the type of surgery," Dr Roychoudhury said.

Final result is immediate, but the stable facial appearance may take four to six weeks after surgery.

The surgery may involve single jaw, anterior or posterior part of jaw, chin region or both the jaw.

In India, such surgeries are gaining popularity now as many maxillofacial surgeons are performing them at various centres.

"This is an expensive operation but at the AIIMS, it is done almost free of cost. The hospital is taking the endeavour to provide this surgical facility of jaw deformity correction to even the economically weakest strata of India.

"The current surgery involves lot of virtual planning 3D printing and precision execution of surgical steps," he said.

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Congress leader P Chidambaram has termed as "false" and "baseless" the allegations of the CBI before a court here that he as finance minister had unlawfully granted FIPB approval to a Mauritius-based company in the Aircel-Maxis case.

The submissions were made by the politician in his rejoinder filed in response to the reply of the probe agency.

The CBI, in its reply to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, had alleged that he was not cooperating in the investigations.

The averments (by the CBI) that the applicant (Chidambaram) had usurped the power of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, unlawfully granted the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval to Global Communication Services Ltd, Mauritius, and had chosen not to disclose facts which are in his exclusive knowledge are denied as being false, baseless and untenable, the politician said.

The rejoinder submissions were filed before Special Judge O P Saini through advocates P K Dubey and Arshdeep Singh.

It is submitted that the FIPB was chaired by the secretary, economic affairs, and included four other secretaries (industry, commerce, external affairs and overseas Indian affairs), and the secretary of the administrative ministry concerned.

"Five of them were among the senior most IAS officers and sixth was a senior IFS officer of the ministry of external affairs. Each one of them had a long and distinguished record of service," the rejoinder said.

It said as per the normal procedure, the recommendations of the FIPB are submitted to the Ministry of Finance where they are once again examined by junior officers and then by the additional secretary and secretary before the file is put up to the competent authority (Finance Minister).

It is the FIPB that decides who is the competent authority in the given case, the rejoinder said.

"Once the CBI itself chose not to either arrest Chidambaram during investigation, i.e., from the date of registration of the FIR in 2011 until grant of interim protection by this court vide it's order dated July 23, or even issue any summons directing him to appear for questioning after December 6, 2015, the CBI cannot at this stage, that too after filing of the charge sheet on July 19, oppose the grant of bail to the applicant of the ground of alleged gravity of offence, according to the rejoinder.

Chidambaram, a former finance minister, claimed that the allegations made by the CBI were "unsubstantiated" and there was no need of his custodial interrogation, as sought by the agency.

He claimed that all the evidence were documentary and already in the CBI's possession.

No evidence has been submitted by the CBI in support of its unfounded allegation that the applicant (Chidambaram) may tamper with the witnesses or evidence, the document said.

The court has extended till November 26 the protection from arrest to Chidambaram in the case.

In its reply, the CBI maintained that Chidambaram's custodial interrogation was necessary as he was evasive and non-cooperative in the probe.

Chidambaram filed his anticipatory bail application in May. His protection from arrest has been extended from time to time.

Investigating agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have sought custodial interrogation the Congress leader, saying he has not been cooperating and, therefore, making it difficult to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner as directed by the Supreme Court.

Chidambaram has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

In its charge sheet filed earlier in the case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others, the CBI alleged that Chidambaram granted Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis.

The Maran brothers and the other accused named in the CBI charge sheet were discharged by the special court, which said the agency had failed to produce any material against them to proceed with the trial.

The ED is also probing a separate money-laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis matter, in which Chidambaram has been questioned by the agency and currently their anticipatory bail is pending.

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: At least 30 passengers, most of them women and children, were killed when a speeding private bus in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district Saturday, officials said.

The bus, which was moving on a road along the VC canal at Kanaganamaradi, 105 km South-West of Bengaluru, swerved and toppled into it, completely submerging the vehicle and killing the victims instantaneously, officials said.

Police said 30 bodies have been recovered and two people were rescued.

Among those killed were eight men, 13 women and nine children, they said.

Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver may have caused the accident, officialssaid.

The fate of the driver and conductor was not known.

Officials have handed over most of the bodies to the family members.

Most of those killed were from nearby Vadesamudra village, locals said.

They said the children were returning home after half day school when the accident took place.

Long wails of grief-stricken kin ofthe victims rent the air as rescue teams fished out the bodies oneafter the other.

The district authorities roped in a crane to lift the bus from the canal.

Police had a difficult time controlling the crowdsas people living nearby thronged the mishap site.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy rushed to the accident spot, cancelling all his official engagements.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those killed.

"The Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs fivelakh to the kin of the deceased.

Deeply pained by theincident, he has prayed to God to give strength to the familiesof the deceased to help them bear the loss," the Chief Minister's office said.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and state opposition leaderB S Yeddyurappa expressed grief over the loss of lives.

"Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic bus accident in Mandya, Karnataka. Thoughts and prayers with the bereaved families and with the injured.

I understand localauthorities are making efforts to rescue and help affected passengers," the President tweeted.

"Deeply pained by the bus accident in Karnataka's Mandya. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased.May God give them strength in this hour of sadness: PM @narendramodi,"the Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka, in which over 20 people are feared dead & many others injured.

I extend my deepestcondolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

Girish, a carpenter who was rescued, said he survived as he was lucky and knew swimming.

"I'm not sure what caused the accident, but it lookslike it was the driver's fault. Fifteen people from my village and some of my relatives died," he said.

"There was no chance foranyone to survive.

I survived as I was sitting next to a window," he said.

Girish reportedly helped another survivor, Rohit, a school boy.

A case has been registered against the driver, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole Friday rubbished reports that his personal assistant was assaulted in his office by a proprietor of an unaided ashram school in Osmanabad district over bribery charges.

Arun Nithure, proprietor of a unaided Ashram school in Osmanabad district had on September 12 alleged that a personal assistant of Badole had demanded Rs 10 lakh bribe from him to approve his proposal.

There were reports in a section of media that there was a physical altercation between Badole's personal assistant and Nithure, when the latter had gone to the minister's third floor office in Mantralaya to inquire about the status of his case.

In his written response to a question by NCP's Hemant Takle, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde and others, Badole, however, said, "No personal assistant of the minister was assaulted."



Reacting to the media report, leader of opposition in legislative assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil had earlier said, "If the beating up of the corrupt personal assistant of the minister for work not done even after payment of Rs 10 lakh is anything to go by, the day is not far when a similar fate could befall the minister."



Following the controversy, Badole had said that Nithure had "unsound mind" and beaten up a clerk.

During the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislature held in Nagpur, Badole had said that he had given a notice of self-immolation to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

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Polls opened in Bahrain on Saturday to elect a new parliament, but absent from the ballot is the country's Shiite-dominated opposition, whose most prominent figures are serving lengthy prison sentences.

Up for grabs are 40 seats in Bahrain's lower house of parliament and 30 municipal council seats. Runoffs will be held next month.

It's the second election in Bahrain since mass protests led by the country's Shiite majority erupted in early 2011.

The government, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy, crushed the Arab Spring-inspired protests with help from Saudi and Emirati forces, but disenfranchised Shiite youth continue to hold scattered street protests in the tiny Persian Gulf nation.

Rights groups say Saturday's vote is taking place in a repressive environment that is not conducive to free elections.

Just before Bahrain held its last parliamentary elections in 2014, the country's largest opposition bloc, Al-Wefaq, was suspended.

Fourteen Shiite candidates won seats in those elections, which were boycotted by much of the Shiite-dominated opposition.

Since then, Al-Wefaq has been ordered dissolved and its leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Courts also dissolved the secular Waad group and closed the last independent newspaper in the country, Al-Wasat.

Just this month, prosecutors detained and charged a former lawmaker for expressing his intention on Twitter to boycott the elections.

Prosecutors say the tweets sought to "hamper the democratic process."



More than 100 Bahrainis have been stripped of their nationality in recent years, forced to take up residence in Iraq and other countries.

Human Rights Watch noted that in June, King Hamad signed legislation that disqualifies opposition candidates from these elections by banning anyone who belonged to a dissolved political organisation or who was previously convicted and sentenced to more than six months in prison from running for political office.

"By jailing or silencing people who challenge the ruling family and banning all opposition parties and independent outlets, Bahrain is failing to create the conditions necessary for a free election," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

The government, however, has defended the election as free and fair, saying the vote is being monitored by the judiciary and local civil society groups.

The state-run Bahrain Agency carried a report in the lead-up to the election saying those barred from running had been found guilty of violating the law.

It accused some of the barred opposition groups of receiving support from Iran and Qatar, which Bahrain has repeatedly accused of sowing instability.

Some Shiite protesters have taken up arms amid the crackdown and have carried out attacks on security forces.

The government accuses Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard of training and supporting them.

Bahrain, a nation of around 760 square kilometers (290 square miles) in size, is home to some 1.4 million people.

About half are Bahraini citizens, the majority of them Shiite.

There are 365,467 eligible voters.

The island is also home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet and a new British naval base.

The country has been ruled since the 1780s by the Al Khalifa family.

King Hamad, who took the throne in 1999, initially took steps to move the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one.

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Launched by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government a few years ago, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme was in fact first started by Guru Gobind Singh for empowering the girl child, Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat said Saturday.

"Guru Gobind Singh ji had started the movement in the name of 'Kudi Bachhao' from Kangra (district) to save the girl child and, at present, this movement has been given the form of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan," Devvrat said, while addressing a convocation of the Eternal University in Sirmaur district.

Urging the people to support and be a part of this campaign, Devvrat said that great saints and gurus of Sikhs made their highest contribution in building the society and nation in the past.

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The BJP ex-servicemen cell on Saturday organised a sit-in demonstration in central Kolkata, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress government of not doing enough for former army personnel in the state.

"We demand that there should be formation of soldier boards in all districts. There should also be proper allotment of ex-servicemen quota in government jobs, at least 10 per cent like in other states," said N Mohan Rai, convenor of BJP ex-servicemen cell, West Bengal.

In other states, government allots shops or land to the widows or family members of martyrs, but in Bengal, there is no such provision, he said.

"We demand that the state government immediately look into these issues," Rai added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma Saturday said that the party had worked together with the ruling Congress, the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) in Mizoram and there was nothing to hide in those alliances.

BJP and traditional rival Congress had formed a coalition in the Chakma Autonomous District Council in the state and had formed its executive committee.

The party is working with MNF as constituents of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), which is led by it and he is the convener, and also in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC), Sarma told newsmen here.

About ZPM, he said BJP had forged electoral alliance with the party earlier too in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation.

"There was nothing to hide in the alliances with those parties and everything was transparent," he said adding that if there is any alliance in the post-assembly poll scenario that too would be transparent.

The propaganda by certain parties calling BJP an anti-Christian party is "baseless and lies" as is seen in the neighbouring states of Nagaland and Meghalaya, he added.

The election to the 20-member CADC on April 20 had thrown up a fractured mandate with the MNF getting eight seats, the Congress six and the BJP five. The polling for one seat was stayed by the Gauhati High Court.

The coalition formed by BJP and Congress had faced a setback after some Congress members withdrew support to the BJP-led CADC.

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Opposition to a draft Brexit deal due to be approved by EU leaders dominated a conference on Saturday of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Northern Irish party whose support is vital to Prime Minister Theresa May's government and EU exit plans.

Ahead of a speech by Britain's former foreign minister Boris Johnson -- a staunch critic of the tentative agreement -- DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds warned May that she must abandon her proposal for a so-called backstop arrangement for Northern Ireland.

"The DUP wants a deal with the European Union... we understand that businesses, families and communities want certainty," Dodds said.

"But it is not this deal. It is not a deal at any price. Prime Minister -- bin the backstop," he urged May from the annual conference, this year coming the Sunday's special EU summit to sign off the plan.

The DUP's 10 MPs have propped up her government ever since she lost her majority in a 2017 election and was forced to turn to the fiercely pro-Brexit, unionist right-wingers to pass legislation.

However that support is hanging by a thread over its opposition to May's plans for future ties with the European Union after Britain departs the bloc next March.

It fears the backstop -- which if used would keep Northern Ireland more closely aligned with the EU in certain areas following a 21-month transition period -- will effectively create a border between the British province and the UK mainland.

The party withdrew its support for government legislation earlier this week in a warning protest and Dodds said Saturday its support was "a two way street".

But in a possible conciliatory ofer for May, he added: "It is in the interests of the country and of Northern Ireland that our parties continue to work together in the national interest".

In a sign of the DUP's central role, British finance minister Philip Hammond attended the conference Friday. Samantha Sacramento, the housing minister of Gibraltar -- the British territory which has become a last-minute sticking point ahead of the EU summit -- also addressed attendees Saturday.

"Our borders and our history are very different, but our solidarity in defence of our democratic right to preserve our British way of life is unshakeable," she said.

All eyes will be on Belfast when Johnson and DUP party leader Arlene Foster take the stage separately later in the day.

Foster will insist that the government "must implement the referendum result of 2016" and "we must leave as one nation," according to extracts released by the party.

She will tell May that the draft agreement "fails her own key commitments" but will hold off on withdrawing the party's support for her, according to the extracts.

The DUP is in favour of British rule in Northern Ireland, and fears that any weakening of the bonds with the rest of the country could increase the chances of a unified Ireland.

It has fought bitterly to prevent that happening, with its hardline tactics forged in the decades-long Troubles, which came to an end with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Johnson is also at odds with May and shares the DUP's dissatisfaction with the Brexit deal, with both promising to vote it down if and when the agreement comes to parliament next month as expected.

The DUP campaigned in favour of Brexit but is also faced with public concern in Northern Ireland about the prospect of a new hard border undercutting trade and the peace process.

The self-styled "Christian fundamentalist" party has softened its fiery anti-Catholicism and other harsh stances since it was founded by Protestant evangelical minister Ian Paisley in 1971.

But it still holds tight to what critics call its puritanical views, particularly on social issues such as abortion.

Its increased influence in Westminster has prompted warnings that a disrupted balance of power in Belfast could harm the delicate peace struck after decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.

Irish republicans Sinn Fein have blamed the DUP-May London power deal for the failure to restart a power-sharing executive with the DUP in Northern Ireland.

That arrangement collapsed in January 2017 because of a row over Foster's handling of a botched renewable heating funding scheme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the issue of national security Saturday, and hinting at the Congress chief's comments on the Rafale deal, said it was hard to guess whether he was speaking in India or Pakistan.

Speaking at a rally in Indore's Rau area, Adityanath also attacked Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over a video that has gone viral and made a veiled reference to the origins of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with an "Italy" jibe.

"The country is setting new records on the security front and has developed its hitting capabilities, due to which we can enter the territories of enemies like China and Pakistan. This is upsetting the Congress," he told the gathering.

Attacking the Congress chief, Adityanath said, "You will be surprised at the fake outlook of the Congress. Do you know what Rahul speaks? Sometimes, we cannot guess from his body language whether he is speaking in India or Pakistan."



Gandhi has been attacking the Centre on the Rafale fighter jets deal and has claimed that the aircraft were being bought for prices much higher than what the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had agreed to.

The Centre, however, has maintained that the Rafale deal was carried out after following proper norms.

Speaking about the video in which Nath is purportedly seen talking about the votes of the Muslim community, Adityanath said, "You can remain happy with Ali, we have Bajrangbali."



In the video, Nath is purportedly heard saying, "If the Muslim community does not record a 90-per cent voting, we will suffer a heavy blow."The Congress has, however, dubbed the video as a conspiracy of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide voters on communal lines.

"We (BJP) do not discriminate on the basis of the beneficiaries' caste and religion in government schemes. This is Ram Rajya, in which there should be no discrimination against any person on any basis," Adityanath said.

He alleged that the Congress had turned Hindi-speaking states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand into "Bimaru" ones.

"Bimaru" is an acronym for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and has regularly been used by economists and political pundits to signify the "bimar" (Hindi for ailing) socio-economic parameters of these states.

"During the Congress rule, there was terrorism in some of these states and Naxalism in some others. Besides, different types of mafia were also active," Adityanath alleged.

In an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi's origins, The Uttar Pradesh chief minister, without naming anybody, said, "Some mafias were brought here from Italy by the Congress as dowry."



He also questioned the Congress's pre-poll promise of farm loan waiver, something that has been mentioned by Rahul Gandhi in his election rallies in Madhya Pradesh as well as in other poll-bound states.

"First, the Congress should waive the debts of all farmers in Punjab," Adityanath said.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.

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By Damali mukhaye.

The Kampala capital city authority tree audit report has revealed that there are only 53,000 trees in the city, a figure which is very low to transform the city into a low carbon and climate resilient city.

While presenting the findings during the KCCA workshop in Kampala, the tree auditor at the authority Marvin Kibalama says that various reports have rated Kampala in danger of inhaling bad air due to les trees planted in the city.

He says that 53,000 tree species in makerere, kololo,Nakasero and mulago is very low in appear in such big spaces calling upon property owners in the city to plant more trees to cub down bad air emitted by cars, industries among others.

Meanwhile, he says that all parts of down town like at old park, and where arcades are located dont have any tree and majority of the trees are unhealthy.
A case has been registered against unnamed people on Saturday after two Tanzanian women complained that they were wrongfully restrained at Dwarka in Delhi, police said.

The two woman complained that they were wrongfully restrained in Harsh Vihar, Kakrola, on the evening of November 22 following an unsubstantiated rumour of kidnapping in the area, a senior police officer said.

A case has been registered at Dwarka (North) police station and investigation is underway, the official said.

Four Tanzanian women were rescued after a hostile crowd gathered outside their homes in Dwarka following rumours that they were cannibals and were abducting children, police said Friday.

Later, a police patrol party, while conducting searches in the area, found that two Nigerian men were locked inside a room and rescued them as well, they said, adding, there were rumours about them also being cannibals.

There were allegations about the foreign nationals being assaulted by the locals, but police dismissed the reports as baseless, saying they were rescued safely.

A police official had said the women were rescued Thursday evening after police received a series of calls informing them that they had an altercation with the locals.

When police teams reached there, they found that a crowd had gathered in front of the women's house and allegations were afloat that they had killed a child and eaten his flesh.

There was no assault on the Africans, police had said, adding all the six were brought to police station for their safety and no one was injured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A US court has dropped nearly all the charges against an Indian-origin doctor accused of performing female genital mutilation on at least nine underage girls by ruling that America's law over the practice was unconstitutional, outraging women's rights groups in the country.

In April last year, Jumana Nagarwala, MD, 44, Fakhruddin Attar, MD, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, all Michigan residents, were indicted by a grand jury for performing female genital mutilation on minor girls in the US, a first-of-its kind federal prosecution over the "brutal practice" which federal authorities said will not be tolerated in the United States.

However, in a major blow to the federal government, US District Judge Bernard Friedman ruled this week that America's female genital mutilation law was unconstitutional. This lead to the dismissing of the key charges against the Michigan doctors accused of subjecting at least nine minor girls to the cutting procedure in the nation's first FGM case.

The judge's ruling also dismissed charges against three mothers, including two Minnesota women who prosecutors said tricked their 7-year-old daughters into thinking they were coming to metro Detroit for a girls' weekend, but instead had their genitals cut at a Livonia clinic as part of a religious procedure.

The AHA Foundation, which advocates human rights and individual liberties and leads programs to protect women from honour violence, expressed shock at Friedman's decision, saying the ruling that effectively throws out a federal law criminalizing female genital mutilation since 1996 is a serious blow to the rights of girls in this country.

Senior Director at the AHA Foundation Amanda Parker said it has taken years for whistleblowers, police, FBI and attorneys to work together to bring this trial to court. Dropping the FGM charge is a real blow to the human rights of women and girls in the United States. This is outrageous.

The judge's ruling that the federal statute against FGM is unconstitutional sets a precedent that cutting girls genitals is not a concern at the national level, Parker said.

She said the ruling means that those 23 states that do not have laws protecting girls from FGM could potentially become destination states. She said if a perpetrator risks life imprisonment in Minnesota, where anti-FGM laws are in place, why would they not have girls trafficked across states lines to Iowa to mutilate them? This is exactly how we got here. The defendants in this case had the victims shipped from Minnesota to Michigan and the only way of holding them accountable for FGM was the federal statute.

The organization said judges regularly prosecute assault and other forms of mutilation at the federal level but prosecuting those who cut little girls genitals is not a priority for this court.

It sends the message that the authorities are not serious about protecting girls, especially those in immigrant communities, from this form of abuse, Parker said.

In his ruling Friedman had concluded that "as despicable as this practice may be," Congress did not have the authority to pass the 22-year-old federal law that criminalizes female genital mutilation, and that FGM is for the states to regulate.

FGM is banned worldwide and has been outlawed in more than 30 countries, though the U.S. statute had never been tested before this case.

"As laudable as the prohibition of a particular type of abuse of girls may be ... federalism concerns deprive Congress of the power to enact this statute," Friedman wrote in his 28-page opinion, noting: "Congress overstepped its bounds by legislating to prohibit FGM ... FGM is a 'local criminal activity' which, in keeping with long-standing tradition and our federal system of government, is for the states to regulate, not Congress."



A report in the Detroit Free Press said currently, 27 states have laws that criminalize female genital mutilation, including Michigan, whose FGM law is stiffer than the federal statute, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, compared with five under federal law. Michigan's FGM law was passed last year in the wake of the historic case and applies to both doctors who conduct the procedure, and parents who transport a child to have it done. The defendants in this case can't be retroactively charged under the new law.

Gina Balaya, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office, said the government is reviewing the judge's opinion and will make a determination whether or not to appeal at some point in the future.

The defendants have argued that Congress lacked authority to enact" the genital mutilation statute, "thus the female genital mutilation charges must be dismissed. They also argue that they didn't actually practice FGM, but rather performed a benign procedure involving no cutting.

Nagarwala's lawyer Shannon Smith said while the government could appeal against the ruling, "but we are confident we will win even if appealed."



Smith has maintained all along that her client did not engage in FGM.

FGM survivor and social activist Mariya Taher, who heads a campaign out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to ban FGM worldwide, also called Friedman's ruling crazy," saying she fears the ruling will put more young women in harm's way. "Unfortunately, this is going to embolden those who believe that this must be continued ... they'll feel that this is permission, that it's OK to do this."



The World Health Organisation had said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated. WHO said FGM, which is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15, is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

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A civilian, injured in a firing incident near a security forces camp in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, succumbed to injuries on Saturday, officials said.

Ishfaq Ahmad Ganaie was injured in the firing near the camp of Army's 50 Rashtriya Rifles unit at Chattergam area of Budgam in central Kashmir on Friday, a police official said.

He said Ganaie succumbed at the SMHS hospital here Saturday morning.

Local residents had accused the Army of opening unprovoked fire that led to Ganaie getting injured.

However,Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said the Army did not open fire and the civilian was injured in a "terrorist committed atrocity".

"In a case of terrorist committed atrocity,Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie of Magraypora was shot at by the terrorists, 500-600 metres away from Army camp at Chhatargam," Kalia said in a statement.

He said when the Army troops heard the sound of the firing, the Quick Reaction Team immediately rushed towards the direction of the fire to find out what was happening.

"When the party reached the spot, they saw Ishfaq in a pool of blood. He had bullet injuries, one in head and the other in leg and was immediately taken to Chhatargam hospital from where doctors shifted him to SMHS," Kalia said.

The defence spokesperson said the reports of "the individual lobbing a grenade on the Army camp and the Army retaliation are completely baseless".

Police have registered a case and initiated investigations in the matter, the police official said.

Meanwhile, in another incident, the official said a girl, critically injured in a shootout in Khudwani area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday morning, succumbed at a hospital here Saturday.

Muskan Jan, a resident of Wangud- Qaimoh was injured in cross-firing when militants attacked an Army camp at Khudwani in the wee hours on Thursday, the official said.

The Army retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of firing. Muskan was caught in a crossfire and sustained bullet injury,he said.

She was taken to the SMHS hospital where she succumbed on Saturday, the official said.

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: The Director General ofthe Indian Coast Guard, Rajendra Singh, Saturday reviewed the progress on coastal security strengthening efforts and its ongoing infrastructural development at Thiruvananthapuram.

The Station Commander at Thiruvananthapuram and the State Commander of Kerala briefed the Director General on the land acquisition adjacent to the city airport and leasing of the airport building, a Coast Guard release said.

The Director General was also briefed about the aircraft parking facility to expedite activation of air base and the construction of a 77 meter long dedicated jetty to facilitate berthing of medium vessels of the Coast Guard.

Singh expressed satisfaction over the efforts and hard work put in by the Coast Guard team at Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala to enhance the coastal security apparatus, the release said.

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Around 200 doctors and scientists participated at a conference in the city to talk about ways to improve the quality of life of existing patients and prevent the birth of Thalassemia major children.

The two-day conference which started on Saturday was organised by the National Thalassemia Welfare Society (NTWS) in association with the Department Paediatrics in Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC).

With more than five crore Indians suffering from Thalassemia gene and approximately 10,000-12,000 new Thalassemia major born every year, there is still ignorance about this serious blood disorder, said Dr JS Arora, the general secretary of NTWS.

He mentioned about the new drug in the pipeline, 'Luspatercept', that will improve Haemoglobin level in Thalassemia patients, saying it will drastically reduce the requirement of blood and iron chelating agents ultimately improving quality of the patient's life.

Dr Sandeep Soni, Haemato-oncologist, who is doing research on gene therapy in Thalassemia at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA said, "Gene therapy is designed to introduce genetic material into cells to compensate for abnormal genes or to make a beneficial protein. A gene that is inserted directly into a cell usually does not function. A carrier called a vector is genetically engineered to deliver the genes. The viruses are modified so that they can't cause disease."



Vinita Srivastava, senior national consultant and coordinator, Blood Cell, National Health Mission in the Ministry of Health apprised the steps taken by the ministry for the management and prevention of Thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

"Prevention is Cure" which is an ideal idiom for Thalassemia, was the emphasis of the conference which highlighted important issues such as Thalassemia management, blood transfusion, latest developments in gene therapy, National Policy of Thalassemia, Benefits of Disability for Thalassemia.

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The Tamil Nadu government Saturday expressed confidence that Governor Banwarilal Purohit would take a "decision" soon on its recommendation for the release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The governor "cannot be compelled" on the matter, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters here, even as the state cabinet's recommendation for their release is pending with him.

The three AIADMK men convicted in the killing of three women students in the 'Dharmapuri bus burning case' in 2000 recently walked free from prison because there was "no malafide intention" on their part, he said.

Officials had also explained to Purohit the case before he approved their release, he said.

Underlining the AIADMK government's "sincerity" towards the release of the seven convicts, Jayakumar said this was evident from the fact that the state cabinet met on a Sunday (September 9), where it decided to recommend to Purohit their release.

"It is a cabinet decision, which means not only the chief minister and ministers (were involved) but it was reflective of the sentiments of all Tamils. The fact that the cabinet meeting was held on a Sunday shows how sincere the government is for their release," he said.

However, "the governor cannot be compelled," he said.

"The governor cannot be compelled. The government has taken a cabinet decision and the governor will for sure respect it and take a due decision soon. That confidence is there," Jayakumar said.

The state cabinet had earlier decided to recommend to Purohit, the release of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini, all serving life imprisonment in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The decision was taken following the Supreme Court asking the governor to consider the mercy petition of Perarivalan seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur near here by an LTTE woman suicide bomber at an election rally.

Responding to the release of the three AIADMK men, Jayakumar said they were released as they had served over 10 years, besides there was "no malafide intention" in their action.

He also said the relevant departments had given due explanation to the governor on the matter, before he approved the files seeking their release.

A Nedunchezhian, G Ravindran and C Muniappan, serving life sentence for setting ablaze a bus in Dharmapuri that killed three women students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 2000, were released prematurely from the Vellore Central Prison on November 19.

They were released in commemoration of the birth centenary celebrations (2017-18) of former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, also AIADMK founder.

Soon after former chief minister J Jayalalithaa was convicted in the Pleasant Stay Hotel case on February 2, 2000 for allegedly flouting norms to favour a hotel at Kodaikanal, AIADMK workers held protests and a mob torched a varsity bus the same day in Dharmapuri.

Three students, Kokilavani, Gayathri and Hemalatha died in the blaze amid commotion while 44 other students and two college lecturers managed to escape.

The Raj Bhavan had later said Purohit approved their premature release after being satisfied that they would be "absorbed" by the society without any disturbance.

The decision was also taken based on grounds that the apex court had observed that the deaths took place in a state of mob frenzy and considering that the convicts had been in prison for 13 years.

Purohit eventually cleared them only after obtaining legal opinion from the state advocate general.

The Raj Bhavan had said that advocate general Vijay Narayan, chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and home secretary Niranjan Mardi had met the governor on October 31 "and said the three life convicts had no intention to kill and that they set fire to the bus in a state of mob frenzy.

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The Opposition Congress and the BJP on Saturday demanded the Odisha government to order an impartial probe into the "illegal" tree felling exercise to facilitate the setting up of a brewery in Dhenkanal district.

The issue was discussed through an adjournment motion in the House where members, cutting across party lines, expressed concern over the felling of a large number of Sal trees for construction of a beer bottling plant near Balrampur village in Dhenkanal district.

Terming the exercise as "illegal", the Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said the state government cannot lease out land with Sal trees to IDCO (Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) and the government agency in turn cannot lease it out to the company.

"It is a clear case of illegality committed by the state government," Mishra said adding that the villagers' protest against tree felling was also ignored by the government officials and police.

He said a case has already been filed with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The incident also shows an "unholy nexus" between IDCO, forest officials, contractor and the company, Mishra alleged asking the government to recover price of the timber from the officials responsible.

He also asked the government to withdraw criminal cases filed against the villagers who protested the incident.

BJP leader K V Singhdeo said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was to blame as he had laid the foundation stone of the brewery project.

"You (CM) did not stop the officials when they were cutting trees. You only ordered stop of tree felling after they were cut," Singhdeo said.

Stating that the forest was a natural habitat of the elephants, the BJP leader said that the forest secretary had opposed the tree felling but his opposition was overlooked by the officials of te Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

"Is it not the CMO that pushed for the bottling plant," Singhdeo asked demanding an impartial inquiry into the matter.

Forest and Minister Bijayshree Routray said the chief minister has already ordered the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northen Division, to probe into the matter.

"The government has taken steps as soon as it came to know about tree felling. The government will undertake plantation in the area where trees have been cut," the minister said.

Routray also told the House that the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Dhenkanal, had ordered felling of trees near Balarampur village on August 24.

He said the IDCO has allotted 12.05 acres of barren land to P&A Bottler to set up the brewery.

The IDCO CGM had sought the permission from the DFO on June 30 for felling of trees for the proposed plant, while the latter on August 24 had given the order to cut down the trees over 10.59 acres of land. There were a total of 956 small and big trees over that 10,59 acre of land, the minister said.

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The Congress Saturday came out with a "people's charge sheet" accusing TRS chief and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of failing to keep his promises to the people of Telangana.

Racheting up the attack on the Telangana Rashtra Samithi ahead of the December 7 state assembly polls, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala described KCR as "BJP stooge" and "King of Corruption and Rhetoric" and said the TRS should be renamed "Telangana Ravaged by Self-Interests."



Surjewala alleged that KCR (as Rao is popularly known) and TRS provided family rule, coupled with "unbridled and rampant corruption."



"The four-years-three-months of TRS government is corruption and utter misrule. KCR's single point agenda is family and coterie rule.

KCR-led TRS government should be given a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most corrupt government of India," he said at a press conference here, after releasing the "charge sheet on anti-people rule of TRS in Telangana."



Surjewala claimed that the TRS and BJP were undeclared allies in the state and Centre and that vote for TRS is vote for BJP.

"KCR is a BJP stooge failing to protect Telangana's interests. He supported the NDA and BJP on different occasions."



"Bada Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Chota Modi (KCR) are in the looting and cheating together to dupe and deceive the people of Telangana and the entire country, Surjewala said, referring to the TRS extending support to the BJP-led NDA government's decisions on demonetisation and GST.

KCR wasnow indulging in fake theatrics to distance himself from the Prime Minister and his party, but people know the truth, the congress leader alleged.

According to Surjewala, KCR came to power promising transformation of the newly carved out state but only his family members are in the car (TRS party symbol) and TRS leadership betrayed every strata of the society.

"Power hungry KCR hijacked the Telangana movement and betrayed the people of Telangana," he said.

People hoped that after the formation of the new state that they would have first right on resources---water--drinking and irrigation, funds, pension, health cards and housing, jobs in public and private sector but all that remained a pipe dream, Surjewala said.

"That's why we have brought out 24 major charges in the form of people's charge sheet"," he said.

He alleged that TRS leaders were involved in several scams.

Under the TRS government, he said, agriculture sector was in deep crisis and 4500 farmers had committed suicide.

"Not a single irrigation project has been executed," he said.

"The only thing they did is refurbished, redesigned and re-engineer to take maximum commission from contractors resulting in large-scale misappropriation of funds," Surjewala said.

The Congress leader attacked KCR for not making a Dalit the CM and accused him of failing to keep his promises including giving 3 acres to dalits and cheating tribals and minorities over reservation.

The finances of Telangana have been plundered, he alleged, adding that when Telangana was formed it had Rs 7,500 crore revenue surplus but under the TRS governmentpublic debt doubled to Rs 1.80 lakh crore as against Rs 70,000 crore during 2014-15.

"After the Congress-led alliance government is formed in Telangana, a People's Commission will be formed to investigate all these 24 charges in the people's charge sheet in a time-bound period.

Anyone found guilty, including chief minister and ministers and elected representatives, will be punished and sent to jail," Surjewala said.

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Congress Leader Ramesh Chennthala Saturday demanded resignation of Local Administration Minister K T Jaleel who has been accused of nepotism.

The Muslim Youth League has alleged that Adeeb K T, a cousin of Jaleel, was appointed general manager in the Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation, flouting rules.

Jaleel has dismissed as "baseless" the nepotism charges levelled against him.

"Jaleel has violated the oath which he took charge as minister. He is accused of nepotism. He must resign," Chennithala, opposition leader in the state assembly, told reporters here.

He also alleged that Jaleel has refused to part with the appointment details even under Right to Information Act.

"We demand the file to be placed in the legislative assembly. The minister is not giving the details even as an RTI reply," he said.

Jaleel is the second minister in the LDF government being accused of nepotism.

In October 2016, just five months after coming to power, then Industries minister E P Jayarajan had to resign on a similar charge.

However, the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau, which probed the case, absolved him of the charges and he was reinstated as a minister in August this year.

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Acting tough, the Congress Saturday expelled 19 party workers for six years for contesting against official candidates and nominees of its allies in the December seven Assembly elections in Telangana.

The orders will come into force with immediate effect, according to a statement from M Kodanda Reddy, Chairman of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's (TPCC) Disciplinary Action Committee.

Separately, the disciplinary action committee expelled five rebels from the party for a period of six years for working against the party's official candidate in Narayanpet Assembly constituency of Mahabubnagar district.

Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS).

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Iranians pass a CU convenience store in Tehran in this November 2017 file photo. / Courtesy of BGF Retail





BGF Group Chairman Hong Suk-jo.
A central team deputed to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Gaja in Tamil Nadu Saturday held discussions with Chief Minister K Palaniswami here.

The seven-member team is headed by Daniel E Richard, a senior official in the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi.

The team members met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat and held discussions with him, an official release said.

Tamil Nadu Ministers D Jayakumar, C Ve Shanmugam and RB Udayakumar and senior officials including Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan were present during the meeting.

While five members of the team had arrived from Delhi yesterday, two others who are stationed here, have joined them.

The offcials belong to various central departments such as Finance, Power and Agriculture.

The team is expected to complete its assessment in three days starting with a visit to Tiruchirapalli.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi Thursday, Palaniswami sought about Rs 15,000 crore as central assistance towards relief and rehabilitation activities in cyclone-hit districts of the state.

He also asked Modi to depute a central team to assess the damage.

Cyclone 'Gaja' had crossed the Tamil Nadu coast early on November 16 between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, about 300 km from Chennai. It left behind a trail of destruction in Nagapattinam district and also in several other districts.

The cyclone has claimed 63 lives, with Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai being the worst affected districts.

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Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain Saturday said he was scheduled to travel to Australia on the invitation of a university in Sydney and claimed that the central government has "denied permission" to him for it.

Sources in the central government, however said, in case of political clearance for Jain, a "considered decision" was taken based on inputs from its mission, and any suggestion to the contrary is "incorrect".

A delegation led by Jain was to visit Australia on the invitation of University of Melbourne and George Institute in Sydney. The schedule included a dialogue on Mohalla Clinics and health revolution in Delhi, with the Victoria government, the Delhi government said in a statement.

"The BJP-led central government declined permission to Satyendar Jain to travel to Australia," the Delhi government alleged, and claimed, the MEA has said that permission was denied "from a political angle".

"I would like to know the exact reason behind the MEA's political angle," Jain was quoted as saying in the statement.

Sources in the central government said, a decision on political clearance for a foreign visit by the ministry is taken based on "several considerations".

These include inputs from mission which take into account a number of factors such as the participation of the host government, the source of the invitation, the nature of the event, level of participation, source of funding of the visit and the nature of hospitality, they said.

"In the case of political clearance for Satyendar Jain's visit to Australia, a considered decision was taken based on these inputs, and any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect," a source said.

The Delhi government said, the University of Melbourne was slated to host a dialogue on health and its diverse aspects with representatives of the Delhi Health Department and Victoria Government to explore the possibilities to engage in the field of public health and universal healthcare on November 26-27.

"The BJP-led Union government has once again shown how much they fear the good work of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and how they don't want the good work of the Delhi government to be showcased," the city government alleged.

Jain was supposed to deliver a lecture on the health care initiative taken by the government of Delhi and share the experience on launching of extensive universal healthcare reforms in Delhi, it said.

"The meeting had lot of scope for mutual learning and collaboration in the field of universal health care (UHC). It is stated that Australia's existing health infrastructure and systems are one of the best in the world," the statement said.

In the meeting other public health issues, dengue and possible solutions with the help of latest healthcare technologies developed by scientists in Australia were to be discussed. The delegation was supposed to see the functioning of a few health facilities and visit George Institute of Global Health, Sydney to learn best practices in public health, the statement said.

"The Mohalla Clinics made by the Delhi government has been praised not only by several world leaders and governments but also been applauded by international media time and again. Several delegations of health experts, international governments and researchers have visited these clinics in Delhi," it said.

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Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said that he disagreed with his party legislators' demand to exclude Delhi Police from the ambit of the AAP government's Rs one crore ex gratia scheme, and asserted that the force is his "family".

AAP MLAs had demanded on Wednesday that the chief minister remove Delhi Police from the list of beneficiaries of city government's scheme of giving compensation of Rs one crore to the kin of slain security personnel, alleging that the force "betrayed" the people.

Criticising the "attitude" of the Delhi Police in cases of attack on Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party legislators had said that it puts a question mark on "impartiality" of the force.

At an event in Palam here on Saturday, Kejriwal paid floral tribute to Delhi Police constables Birendra Singh and Deepak Kumar, who died while on duty. He also met the families of the two constables and handed over Rs 1 crore cheque to them.

Kejriwal claimed that he has been attacked twice in the last one month. On Tuesday, a man flung chilli powder at the chief minister outside his office at Delhi Secretariat.

"Some of our MLAs got furious over the attack and said that the Rs 1 crore policy should not cover the Delhi Police, but I do not agree with it at all," a government statement quoted Kejriwal as saying.

The chief minister also said, "Delhi Police is my family, it is a part of my family. Delhi Police is not an individual, it is not the name of a handful of officers. The force belongs to the people of Delhi."



Delhi Police have brave men like Birendra and Deepak who not only keep the city safe but also made the force proud, he said.

"I respect the Delhi Police, specially the constables who put their lives at risk for us. There might be some senior officials who are politically motivated, but that doesn't mean that the whole of Delhi Police is bad," the chief minister was also quoted as saying in the statement.

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National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday strongly condemned the terror attack on the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's Karachi city.

Three heavily-armed suicide bombers stormed the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's largest city on Friday, killing four people including two policemen, before being shot dead by security forces.

Doval expressed condolences over the attack and strongly condemned it as a terrorist act, said a Chinese foreign ministry statement issued at the end of the 21st round of Special Representatives' talks on the border issue held in China's Chengdu city on Saturday.

Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi led both sides at the talks.

In his remarks, Wang stressed that such attacks on diplomatic missions cannot be tolerated.

"Terrorism is a common threat facing all countries in the world. The international community should work together to advance counter-terrorism cooperation," the statement quoted Wang as saying.

He said both China and India are great ancient civilisations and the two largest developing countries and the most dynamic emerging economies in the world today.

"We share broad common interests and broad space for cooperation. Working together, China and India will accelerate the development of the two countries and make new and important contributions to world peace and human progress," he said.

Wang said that this year, President Xi Jinping had three meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed the informal April summit between the two leaders at Wuhan as a milestone which had provided strategic guidance for the development of China-India relations.

Bilateral relations are showing a momentum of all-round improvement and development, he said.

It is necessary for the Special Representatives' meeting mechanism to keep up with this positive trend, demonstrate new atmosphere and new actions, push forward border negotiations constructively and create more favourable conditions and environment for bilateral relations, Wang said.

The Chinese statement also quoted Doval as saying that "a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue will send a positive signal to the outside world that the two ancient civilisations of India and China have the wisdom and capability to peacefully solve problems and disputes through dialogue and consultation".

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized six high-end cars, including Ferrari, Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz, reportedly belonging to TDP MP Y S Chowdary and has summoned him for questioning next week in connection with an alleged Rs 5,700 crore bank loan fraud case, officials said Saturday.

The agency said it took the action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after it conducted searches at eight premises of the Sujana Group in Hyderabad and Delhi on Friday.

The ED said Chowdary, a sitting Rajya Sabha member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), was the man behind the Sujana Group of companies and it has gathered evidence that "all directors of various Sujana Group of companies act under his instructions".

The agency said the high-end cars seized were registered in the name of dummy companies.

The TDP MP, considered close aide of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and party president N Chandrababu Naidu, has been summoned for questioning on November 27 in the case, it said.

Chowdary was a Minister of State (MoS) in the Union cabinet before Naidu quit the NDA early this year over the Centre's refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh



The ED said it raided the company (Sujana group) in pursuance of a bank fraud case of a Chennai based firm Ms Best and Crompton Engineering Projects Ltd (BCEPL).

Documents related to alleged shell firms, under the umbrella of the Sujana group, were recovered after raids were carried out against the Chennai firm, it said



"Verification conducted with the documents/records seized indicated that BCEPL along with other companies of Sujana group were functioning under the chairmanship of Y S Chowdary, who is a sitting RS MP of TDP.

"Investigations revealed that all directors of various Sujana group companies act under the instructions of Chowdary which is evidenced by the email correspondences and communications recovered from the business/residential premises of the directors of BCEPL," the ED said in a statement.

It said that in "voluntary statements tendered under Section 50 of the PMLA, directors of BCEPL had stated Chowdary is the person responsible for the entire activities of Sujana group of companies and that they all have acted/rendered their signatures on the insistence Chowdary, either directly or through CFO and company secretary of Sujana group and that they are namesake directors and as such they had no idea as to how the funds of BCEPL were utilised and that the entire operations/transactions of Sujana Group of companies are known only to these key persons."



In light of these charges, the agency searched eight locations of the Sujana group on Friday which "revealed that the banks have been defrauded by the group companies to the tune of more than Rs 5,700 crore", the ED said.

Documents recovered indicate that the group was controlling over 120 companies and most of them are non-operating or existed on paper only (shell firms) without any genuine business activity, the agency said.

Preliminary statements indicate that certain loans to group companies were sanctioned against the personal guarantee of Chowdary, it added.

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Brexiteer Boris Johnson on Saturday lambasted British Prime Minister Theresa May's draft EU divorce deal, calling it a "historic mistake" of Titanic proportions.

Johnson used a speech at the annual gathering of the Democratic Unionist Party -- the day before a special EU summit to sign off the agreement -- to deliver a blistering attack.

"The Titanic springs to mind and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead," said the former foreign minister, who resigned from the cabinet in July in protest at May's Brexit approach.

Johnson said that a contentious "backstop" plan for Northern Ireland, which if used would keep the British-ruled province more closely aligned with the EU in certain areas after a 21-month transition period, would leave it "an economic semi-colony" of the bloc.

"No British Conservative government could or should sign up to any such arrangement," he said.

He and the DUP -- the Northern Irish party whose support is vital to May's government and EU exit plans -- have pledged to oppose the deal when it comes before the UK parliament next month, where May faces an uphill task to get it passed.

The DUP's 10 MPs have propped up May's government ever since she lost her parliamentary majority in a disastrous 2017 snap election.

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Former chairman of Vajreshwari temple in Thane district of Maharashtra has been booked for allegedly misappropriating its funds to the tune of Rs 3.22 crore, police said on Saturday.

A search has been launched to trace the accused, Manoj Pradhan, former president of the Thane unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), who was on the run, police said.

"Pradhan, former chairman of the Shree Vajreshwari Yogini Devi temple trust, allegedly misappropriated temple's funds worth Rs 3.22 crore," Vilas Sanap, police inspector of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the district rural police, said.

The alleged fraud committed between February 2014 and March 2017, came to light during the audit, following which its present chairman Kalpesh Patil complained to the police, he said.

"As per the complaint lodged by Patil last week, Pradhan had fabricated the fixed deposit documents of the matured deposits to show as if they have been reinvested in a bank at Mulund although it was not the case," Sanap said.

In some cases, the FD receipts did not have the mandatory signature of bank officers, while in some others there were no signatures at all, he added.

According to sources, the fraud was brought to notice of the temple authorities by the auditors.

Sanap said Pradhan has been booked by Ganeshpuri police in the district under IPC sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 472 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc), and others.

Sri Vajreshwari Yogini Devi Mandir is situated in Vajreshwari town on the banks of Tansa river in Thane district.

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Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Saturday welcomed the building of the Kartarpur corridor, linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments that the corridor will act as a bridge between the people of the two countries, Singh, however, cautioned that there were many hurdles to cross before it could be achieved.

"There are many hurdles and one should not underestimate those hurdles. But any beginning is a good beginning, I hope it is successful," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference titled "Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation", organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

Singh, however, did not say what he thought the hurdles were.

On first Sikh guru Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary Friday, Modi had said, "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall? Maybe, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries."



Earlier, in a significant decision, the Union Cabinet had cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the neighbouring country to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor.

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Four persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in looting valuables from two women while they were returning home after watching a movie in the southern part of the citys Jadavpur area, the police said.

Motorbike-borne miscreants looted valuables from the women at gunpoint when they were returning home walking along a lane beside the South City complex after watching a film at 2.15 am Friday, a senior police officer said.

After the women lodged a complaint, police tracked down two bikers carrying a bag with a snake which they often used to scare people before looting them, he said.

Two other gang members were later arrested.

One of the women's purse containing an ATM card and Rs 300 in cash, a single-shot pistol and a cartridge were recovered from them.

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A central team deputed to assess the damage caused by cyclone Gaja in Tamil Nadu Saturday held discussions with Chief Minister K Palaniswami here and later began its inspection of the storm hit regions in Pudukottai district.

After the team members, led by Joint Secretary in the Union Home ministry Daniel E Richard, held talks with the chief minister at the Secretariat this morning, they visited Pudukottai later in the day.

The team, on its first day of inspection, assessed the extent of damage to standing crops, banana plantations, houses and electricity infrastructure and its restoration including putting up electricity poles, official sources told PTI.

Senior state officials briefed the team on the damage, they said.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai and Health Minister C Vijayabaskar were also present.

The team inspected several areas including Keeranur and Tirumalairayasamudram in Pudukottai district.

On Sunday, the team is tentatively scheduled to inspect Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts and it is expected to visit Nagapattinam on Monday.

Tamil Nadu Ministers D Jayakumar, C Ve Shanmugam and RB Udayakumar and senior officials including Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan were present when the team held discussions with the chief minister, an official release said.

While five members of the team had arrived from Delhi Friday, two others, who are based in Chennai, joined them.

Besides Daniel, the other four members belong to ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Rural Development and Power.

The two Chennai based members are from the ministries of Water Resources and Road Transport and Highways.

During his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi Thursday, Palaniswami had sought about Rs 15,000 crore as central assistance towards relief and rehabilitation activities in the cyclone-hit districts.

He also asked Modi to depute a central team to assess the damage.

Cyclone 'Gaja' had crossed the Tamil Nadu coast early on November 16 between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, about 300 km from Chennai, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming 63 lives.

Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai were the worst affected districts.

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Even as the Woolsey Fire  the largest wildfire on record for Los Angeles County, which has thus-far burned through 97,620 acres, destroyed at least 483 structures and damaged 86 others with thousands more still threatened  hovers at 50 percent containment, the fallout of the massive blaze continues to impact the lives of thousands throughout the affected areas. The communities of Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Oak Park in the Conejo Valley were primarily affected.

There are people who lost everything, people who lost a great deal, and people who are still under mandatory evacuation orders who are in need of material and emotional support, said Rabbi Moshe Bryski, Director of Chabad of the Conejo and Spiritual Leader of Chabad of Agoura Hills.

We launched an emergency effort on behalf of the victims. The response from throughout the community has been incredible and, frankly, overwhelming. Weve had literally truckloads of items come in.

Bryski reports that ever since the first of many mass emails went out on Sunday, community-members have been coming to Chabad of the Conejos headquarters on Canwood Street in Agoura Hills to drop off the full clothing, kids gear, gift cards to local markets, toiletries and hotel vouchers.

Coming over the ridge from the nearby area of Simi Valley, some thirty homes in Oak Park were lost to the inferno. One woman who lived in a nearby trailer park that went up in flames within minutes told me that everything she owned is now gone, shared Rabbi Yisroel Levine, Oak Parks spiritual leader. My heart broke for her and we tried to help in whatever way we could.

A makeshift volunteer corps headed by Chabad Rabbis Bryski and Levine loaded up vans and trucks dispatched to deliver donated goods to evacuation centers running short of certain essential items. Weve become an active crisis distribution center, said volunteer Rabbi Eli Laber. As the cities of Agoura Hills and Oak Park do not have local Red Cross chapters of their own, our Chabad center has become the de facto resource center for victims of the Woolsey fires and a drop-off point for those who wish to come to their aid.

The spirit of community solidarity and inter-cooperation is heartwarming in an otherwise horrific week. The City of Agoura Hills points to Chabad as the de facto resource center for fire victims on its official website. Government officials and members of the Agoura Hills City Council have visited Chabad, and are working with Rabbi Bryski on the recovery effort.

Chabad of the Conejo also organized and staged a community-wide demonstration of gratitude and appreciation to the firefighters for their tireless efforts saving lives and property.

Further north in the State, authorities said late Thursday the death toll from Californias Camp Fire has risen to to 66. In addition, more than 600 people have now been reported missing, according to the Butte County Sheriffs Office. 11,862 homes have been burned beyond repair.

The enormity of the devastation and loss and its effect on so many people is just beyond devastating, says Rabbi Mendy Zwiebel. He and his wife Chana direct the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center at Chico State University.

The Center has been turned into a refuge for hosting and feeding evacuees. Volunteers arrive every day to help cook and distribute hot food to displaced families. In the Jewish community alone, more than 20 families have lost their homes, workplaces and belongings.

In addition to the tragic deaths, the sad and frightening reality is that many people do not have proper insurance to cover these tremendous losses, Mendy says. This realization spurred the Zwiebels to set up a fund to help fire victims with immediate expenses with the hope that they will raise enough to also help people rebuild their future.

To help with the relief efforts, please visit www.chabadconejo.com/woolsey and www.JewishChico.com/firefund.








A civil society group demanding resignation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar owing to his ill-health on Saturday decided to intensify their agitation.

RTI Activist Rajan Ghate has been on an indefinite hunger strike since the last nine days at the Azad Maidan here demanding Parrikar's resignation.

Parrikar, 62, was shifted to his private residence at Dona Paula near here on October 14, after he was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Parrikar has been absent from his office for long time due to failing health.

The group of civil society members under the banner of "Citizens for Restoration of Governance in Goa" held a public meeting at the protest site.

"We have now decided to protest at the public functions attended by Union ministers and also State Governor Mridula Sinha, who has refused to exercise her power and get CM resigned from the post," said Aires Rodrigues, who is spearheading the movement.

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Seeking to "significantly enhance" the country's design capabilities in the defence segment, the government will next week launch a new initiative to boost the quantum of intellectual property in the sector, a top official said Saturday.

Secretary, Defence Production, Ajay Kumar interacting with reporters at his office in South Block here, also said, from April-October, "As many as 204 fresh patents have been applied for various designs by several defence units across the country."



"The extent of intellectual property was low. We want to significantly enhance the country's design capabilities and achieve self-reliance in the defence sector, so as to also reduce transfer of technology or import of technology, and thus reduce cost," he said.

Therefore, a new initiative has been planned by the Defence Ministry, and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will launch 'Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti' on November 27, the senior official said.

He said the scope of the initiative would initially be for defence PSUs and OFB (Ordnance Factories Board), but later, the plan is to expand it to include other parts of the defence production ecosystem too.

The secretary said that "the count of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) awarded till March 2018, stands at 133. And, from April to October, another 204 have been filed," Kumar said.

According to data shared by him, among the PSUs Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) leads in the number of patents filed, at 63, followed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at 37, BEML at 28 and OFB at 20.

Asked, if the IPR applications are for national or global level, Kumar said, "First the applications will go to the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in the country, and then as per the response, we would apply for global patent as well."



"Under this new initiative, the target is to reach filing of 1,000 IP applications in year 2018-2019, and train 10,000 people from various PSUs and OFB. As many as 5,283 of them have already been trained from April-October," he said.

On November 27, besides the launch event at the DRDO Bhawan, a workshop would also be held on IPR.

Asked about the training procedure, Kumar said, besides, in-house trainers, "we also invite external trainers, and they train the master trainers, who in turn train other trainers".

"The initial immediate need was more on manufacturing, but now with more and more technologies coming up, we are trying to encourage design capabilities as well," he said.

The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), which falls under the Department of Defence Production, is the custodian of design received by India from transfer of technology, he said, adding that now, a separate vertical has been created as part of this initiative and a three-level "IP cells" have also been set up.

"The first level is shop floor or unit level, second is factory level and the third is corporate level, so as to proliferate the idea of new designs," Kumar said.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Saturday expressed grief over the death of renowned journalist and litterateur Himanshu Joshi and said his demise was an "irreparable loss" to the literary world.

"Joshi's contribution to Hindi literature is immense. He wrote in almost all genres of literature including novels, short stories, poetry, memoirs and travelogues," Rawat said.

"His death is an irreparable loss to the literary world," he added.

Joshi died in Delhi on Friday night at the age of 83.

He hailed originally from Champawat district in Uttarakhand.

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Filmmaker S Shankar said Saturday he had approached "The Terminator" star Arnold Schwarzenegger to play the antagonist in "2.0", but things did not work out and the role finally went to Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.

Rajinikanth will be back in the role of a 'Chitti' in the second installment the mega-hit "Robot", which is slated to be released on November 29.

"We had thought of casting Arnold. We had talked and allotted dates also. But somehow things did not work out as the contracts of Hollywood and India are contradictory. So we thought of looking at a good cast from the Indian film industry," Shankar said at a press conference here.

"Lyca (producers of 2.0) and Akshay were in talks for a remake of a film called 'Kathi' in Hindi. Everyone told me to consider Akshay and I also thought it would be nice. I narrated the story to him and he said yes," the director said.

Shankar is confident that the film would connect with everyone as it has an international theme. The technology, he said, was better than the previous film and that was the reason they decided to title the film as "2.0".

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Counter-attacks by the Islamic State group have killed at least 47 US-backed fighters over two days as the jihadists struck from their embattled holdout in eastern Syria, a war monitor has said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Kurdish-led alliance supported by a US-led coalition is battling to expel the jihadists from a pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on the Iraqi border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said on Satrday the jihadists launched "three separate assaults" on Saturday.

The monitor said the counter-attacks targeted the villages of Al-Bahra and Gharanij and an area close to the Al-Tanak oilfield, which is commercially active but is also an SDF military position.

SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali confirmed "a series of attacks" led by IS in these three locations and said fighting had taken place all day, with the Kurdish-led ground forces receiving coalition air support.

The fighting on Saturday alone killed 29 SDF fighters, taking its total losses over the last two days to at least 47, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, revising up an earlier death toll of 24.

Thirty-nine IS jihadists have been killed - some in the ground clashes, others in air strikes - over the same period, the Observatory said.

IS confirmed in a statement on Telegram that it had launched attacks near Al-Bahra and Gharanij.

Earlier, the Observatory said IS had broken out of its holdout on Friday to attack Al-Bahra, where SDF fighters and coalition advisers are based. "IS launched a broad attack on the village of Al-Bahra next to its holdout, taking advantage of the fog," Abdel Rahman said.

The monitor said coalition raids have also killed 17 civilians, including five children, in the IS-held pocket since Friday.

Coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said he had not received any reports of civilian casualties, and insisted air strikes had been "very limited due to the weather".

The anti-IS alliance has repeatedly denied previous reports of civilians killed in its air strikes, and said it does its utmost to avoid hitting non-combatants.

Deir Ezzor activist Omar Abu Leila said the attack on Al-Bahra was "very scary" and that IS fighters were able to move quickly "taking advantage of the fog".

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled but has lost most of it to offensives by multiple forces in both countries.

In Syria, the jihadists are largely confined to the pocket in Deir Ezzor, but they also have a presence in the vast Badia desert that stretches across the country to the Iraqi border.

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 much higher.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

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The Islamic State (IS) terror group on Saturday claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in northwestern Pakistan that killed 32 people, including three Pakistani Sikhs, and injured 40 others.

In a statement on the group's website 'Amaq', IS claimed "57 Shiites (Shias) were killed and 75 were wounded" in the attack on Friday.

Most of the victims were minority Shia Muslims, who in the past have also been targeted in the area.

A suicide bomber triggered the powerful blast at a busy market outside a religious seminary in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

An improvised explosive device was planted in a bike at a popular Friday Market near a Shia imambargah in Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

The minority Sikh community in the area was previously displaced by the Taliban that controlled the region prior to the military operation in 2010.

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Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday lauded Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik's decision to bring the J&K Bank under the purview of the RTI Act, the CVC and the state legislature and said it had been "misused" by the state's ruling families.

The proposal for treating J&K Bank Limited as a public sector undertaking was approved at the State Administrative Council's (SAC) meeting, chaired by Malik, here on Thursday.

Singh said the governor's decision was in line with the Centre's commitment to maximum transparency in the functioning of such institutions.

Over the last four decades, the J&K Bank has been used to benefit the members of the state's ruling parties, Singh told reporters here.

He said the bank's autonomy was exploited to fill the coffers of those who swear by autonomy for the state.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) asked Malik to conduct an audit of the bank and place in public domain the names of illegitimate beneficiaries, loan defaulters and unverified investors.

Singh said those raising hue and cry over the governor's decision were the ones who needed to be investigated.

He added that it was a mystery how some of these people, with no apparent source of income or meager income, made fortunes overnight and acquired properties across India, Dubai, UK and elsewhere.

He also called for impartial high-level probes into the scams which came to light during the rule of the Congress and its allies.

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Political parties on Saturday condemned the killing of a civilian in a firing incident near an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district and called for a probe into the incident.

Ishfaq Ahmad Ganaie was injured in the firing near the camp of the 50 Rashtriya Rifles at Chattergam area of Budgam in central Kashmir on Friday. He succumbed to injuries at a hospital here on Saturday morning, police said.

Local residents have accused the Army of opening unprovoked firing that led to Ganaie getting injured. However, defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said the Army did not open fire and the civilian was injured in a "terrorist-committed atrocity".

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed deep shock and anguish over the incident. She asked the administration to strictly ensure that the security agencies were made accountable on protecting civilians and avoiding collateral damage during operations.

In a statement, National Conference (NC) central zone president Ali Mohammad Dar said the party condemns the killing of two civilians and an Special Police Officer (SPO) in different incidents across the Valley.

Dar expressed shock and anguish over Ganaie's killing, terming it "brutal" and a "cold-blooded murder". The NC leader threatened to file a public interest litigation (PIL) if the administration fail to lodge an FIR in the matter and ensure exemplary punishment against the culprits.

Dar said Ganaie belonged to a poor family and was the only breadwinner for the family.

Both Mehbooba and Dar demanded an inquiry into the incident and sought compensation to the kin of the deceased.

A J&K Congress spokesperson said the confusion surrounding the firing needed to be cleared in the larger interests of public order, saying such type of incidents would further vitiate the atmosphere in Valley.

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to the families of around 30 people who were killed after their bus fell into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district on Saturday.

Officials said as of latest count, at least 30 passengers, most of them women and children, were killed in the accident.

The private bus, which was moving on a road along the VC canal at Kanaganamaradi, 105 km southwest of Bengaluru, swerved and fell into it, completely submerging the vehicle and killing the victims instantaneously, they said.

"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka in which over 20 people are feared dead & many others injured. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," he tweeted.

Police said 30 bodies have been recovered and two people were rescued.

Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver may have caused the accident, officials said.

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The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) will be able to get "a clear picture" on how to put its excess land assets to commercial use, following a consultant's report in this regard in the next five-six months.

KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar said a consultant is expected to be finalised in a week's time, and it will give a report on how to monetise the excess land assets, which will not be used for port activities.

"We will get a clear picture in five-six months for use of KoPT land for commercial and urbanisation purposes," he said on the sidelines of the CII-organised Logistics Colloquium here.

In Kolkata, KoPT has land of about 400 acres that can be commercially used.

The West Bengal government has also urged KoPT to participate in river front development and commercial projects to boost logistics and maritime sectors in the state.

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra has asked KoPT to think on the lines of the Mumbai Port Trust to have a land-use policy for the excess assets.

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The father of India's white revolution, Verghese Kurien, used to donate money from the profit earned by the "Amul" dairy to Christian missionaries for religious conversions, senior Gujarat BJP leader Dileep Sanghani alleged Saturday.

When contacted, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF) chairman Ram Singh Parmar said, "We don't want to reply to such a bogus statement."



Kurien, who was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1999 for his work, passed away in 2012.

Addressing a gathering in Amreli town, located over 200 kms from here, as part of a rally, Sanghani said Kurien became more "popular" than the founder of the Anand Milk Producers Union Limited (AMPUL) or "Amul", "despite being only an employee".

The two-wheeler rally was organised in the run-up to Kurien's 97th birth anniversary, which falls on November 26. The day is celebrated as the National Milk Day.

"Kurien used to donate money to Christian missionaries from the profits earned by 'Amul', where poor farmers and milk producers of Gujarat deposited their hard-earned money. Kurien received support from the country because of the donations he gave to Christian missionaries," Sanghani said.

Sanghani, who is the vice-chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and a former Gujarat minister, also said that despite being only an "employee", Kurien became more popular than Tribhuvandas Patel, who had founded the AMPUL under the guidance of the country's first deputy prime minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Sanghani stuck to his remarks on Kurien when asked by reporters later.

"It is true that Kurien donated money to Christian missionaries. I have information regarding this," Sanghani, who served as the minister of agriculture, cooperative and animal husbandry in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state between 2007 and 2012, said.

He added that it was "not justified" to forget Tribhuvandas Patel and only remember Kurien.

"Tribhuvandas Patel was the founder of Amul, whereas Kurien was just an employee. To forget Patel and only remember Kurien is not justified," the BJP leader said.

The GCMMF is the apex organisation of the dairy cooperatives of Gujarat which markets its products by the brand name of "Amul".

Founded in 1948, the Anand-based AMPUL is a dairy cooperative managed by the GCMMF.

Criticising Sanghani's remarks, state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said those reflected the "mentality" of BJP leaders and were not acceptable.

"Amul was created by visionary Tribhuvandas Patel and was given a new direction by Kurien, who ushered in a white revolution in the country.

"The BJP government is trying to privatise Amul and has created a condition where farmers and milk producers are reeling under a financial stress. Such statements are unacceptable and only reflect the mentality of BJP leaders," Doshi said.

Kurien was a social entrepreneur whose "billion-litre idea" -- Operation Flood -- revolutionised dairy farming in the country.

The "Operation Flood" is credited with making India the largest milk producer in the world from a milk-deficient nation, doubling the availability of milk per person and increasing the milk output four-fold.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the late Indira Gandhi on Saturday, saying her famous slogan 'garibi hatao' was a "false promise" and bank nationalisation was a "fraud" in the name of the poor.

Were not those who promised to eradicate poverty "liars", he said in a blistering attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family at a rally here ahead November 28 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

He also said if he gets half the time the Congress spent in power, he would bring about a transformation in the country.

Modi's remarks came in the wake of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's constant criticism that the BJP made "false promises" to the people in the run up to the 2014 polls.

Modi said the four generations of the Nehru-Gandhi ruled the country, but did not waste a single opportunity to "hoodwink" the people.

"Grandmother of the'Namdar' (dynast), Shrimati Indira Gandhi, was prime minister of the country. Didn't she give the slogan of removing poverty 40 years ago?" he asked the gathering.

"Tell me honestly, has poverty been eradicated? Wasn't this a false promise? Weren't those who made the promise liars?" Modi asked.

The Prime Minister said that Indira Gandhi nationalised the banks "overnight" claiming that her government was opening their doors for the poor.

However, despite the nationalisation, half the people in the country had not seen the doors of the banks till 2014, he claimed.

"Wasn't it (nationalisation of banks) a fraud in the name of the poor?" he asked.

It was only after his government came up with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana that the poor got access to the banking system, he said.

"It is true that we need some time to correct mistakes of five-six decades. I have got just four years. Even if I get half the time they (Congress governments) had, I will bring about a drastic change," the Prime Minister said.

Indira Gandhi had given 'Garibi Hatao, Desh Bachao' (remove poverty, save the nation) slogan during the 1971 general election campaign.

Before that, in 1969, her government had nationalised 14 commercial banks.

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday urged Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda to ask the authorities of AIIMS, New Delhi, not to discharge twins Jaga-Kalia till they get fit for home care.

Patnaik wrote the letter to Nadda after the state government came to know that the Department of Neurology, AIIMS, was preparing to discharge the babies unilaterally against the views of the team of specialists from Odisha and despite the request of the state to continue their treatment in Delhi.

Stating that the professional team at AIIMS has conducted an extremely rare and difficult surgery last year in separating the craniopagus twins, Jaga and Kalina, who hail from Kandhamal district, Patnaik said: "Any capacity constraint in their treatment could prove counterproductive to all the serious and committed efforts made by AIIMS, New Delhi till now."



Patnaik informed Nadda that the state government has been regularly sending teams of specialists to AIIMS to review their condition.

"Our specialists have opined that the twins are recovering well but have not yet attained stable health condition on account of their being underweight and neurologically impaired."



"In brief, thw twins have not become fit enough for home care," Patnaik said in the letter adding that the state government is fully committed to bear all medical and related expenses for continuing treatment of the twins at AIIMS.

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The Tripura government will introduce NCERT textbooks and CBSE syllabus from the next academic session in place of the present curriculum prescribed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training, the assembly has been informed.

A team of NCERT experts is scheduled to arrive here on December 3 to impart a three-month-long training to the teachers about the new syllabus, minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

"We shall introduce complete NCERT textbooks and CBSE syllabus from next academic year, because the students in our state were lagging behind the standard of the country. We want them to be as competitive as students of other states," Nath in the assembly on Friday.

Shortly after coming to power in March ending the 25-year uninterrupted rule of the CPI(M)-led Left Front, the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) government has set up an expert committee on the change of school syllabus.

The expert panel has recommended National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) curriculum for schools in Tripura.

The panel also suggested implementation of the Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) syllabus across all government and government-aided schools in the state.

Chief Whip of the Assembly Kalyani Roy of the BJP said, recently class 9 students of a government school in Tripura's Unakoti district were asked in an examination question paper to write a short note on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The question paper went viral on social media earlier this month.

In his reply, Nath said the department has examined the question paper and found that the syllabus included a chapter on electoral politics and political parties.

"I was surprised by media reports on this issue. I enquired and found that the syllabus has got a chapter on the BJP, the Congress, the CPI(M), the CPI etc. School textbooks have also got mention of rigging and booth capturing," the minister said.

The previous Left Front regime had indulged in crimsonisation of the school curriculum by teaching wrong lessons to students, Nath alleged.

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Odisha Assembly Speaker P K Amat Saturday asked the state government to give special attention to protection and conservation of the Sun Temple at Konark.

Amat gave the ruling after assembly members cutting across party lines expressed concern over the manner in which the conservation of the Black Pagoda (as the temple is called) is being done by the Archaeological Survey of India.

"The state government to take this matter seriously and take adequate measures. The House should be informed on the actions taken for conservation and preservation of Konark temple," the Speaker said in his ruling.

The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress during zero hour. He alleged that the Centre has grossly failed in proper preservation and conservation of the Sun temple.

Referring to the media reports on replacement of old and damaged stone carvings with plain stone slabs by the ASI, Mishra sought a clarification in this regard from the Centre.

He also blamed the state government for not giving adequate importance to the 13th century monument. He said that the ASI team also comprise officials from the state government.

"A technical insitute has warned that the Konark Temple will crumble even in a mild tremor. Is not it a matter of concern for Odisha?" Mishra asked.

BJP legislature party leader K V Singhdeo said the state government should place the documents related to conservation of Konark Temple.

The people of Odisha have the rights to know the condition of the monument, he said.

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The Personal Assistant of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who suffered serious injuries in an accident recently, died at a private hospital here.

P C Madhan, who was admitted to Velammalhospital here died without responding to treatment on Friday, family sources said.

He was 40 and is survived by wife and two children.

The accident occurred last week while he was proceeeding in a car to the district from Madurai, they said.

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Pakistani police have arrested over 100 members of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, including the radical Islamist party's chief who had given a protest call for Sunday against the acquittal of Christian woman Aasia Bibi.

Last month, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) disrupted daily life across Pakistan by staging widespread protests following Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case by the apex court.

"We have taken into custody more than 100 TLP leaders and activists including its chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi from Lahore and other parts of the Punjab province," a senior police officer told PTI on Saturday.

He said a team comprising government officials and clerics tried to persuade Rizvi in Lahore late on Friday night to defer its November 25 protest, but he refused to budge.

"On this police arrested him and other leaders," the officer said.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police from Lahore. The action was prompted by TLP's refusal to withdraw its call for protest on November 25. It is to safeguard public life, property and order," Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

The minister, however, clarified that the "arrest has nothing to do with Aasia Bibi case".

"The TLP has become a continuous threat to the life and properties of the citizens and is doing under the guise of religion... the situation is fully under control, people should remain peaceful and fully cooperate with authorities," Chaudhry said.

He said the government did its best to convince the party against staging the protest, but they refused every offer and started to incite violence.

There were reports of TLP workers clashing with police in Lahore following Rizvi's arrest. Three policemen and seven workers are reported to have been injured.

The apex court, in a three-member bench led by chief justice Saqib Nisar, issued the landmark verdict last month.

Following the verdict, the TLP had termed the chief justice and other judges in the bench "liable to be killed" and had called Army chief General Qmar Javed Bajwa a non-Muslim and urged Muslim generals to revolt against him.

Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement.

She has been released from the jail and the government says is in a 'safe' house. The government says she cannot leave the country till decision on the review petition against her acquittal. Chief Justice Nisar has ordered full protection to Bibi.

TLP is an Islamist political party with Islamic ideology. It is known for widespread street power and massive protests in opposition to any change to Pakistan's blasphemy law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police fired tear gas and water cannon Saturday in central Paris against "yellow vest" protesters demanding French President Emmanuel Macron roll back tax hikes on motor fuel.

Some 3,000 police were deployed in the capital as demonstrators who have blocked French roads over the past week wearing their now signature high-visibility jackets were set to cause another day of disruption after calls to bring Paris to a standstill.

AFP reporters said several thousand had gathered by early Saturday on the famous Champs-Elysees where they clashed with police trying to prevent them moving down to the Place de la Concorde near the Louvre museum.

Police said the protestors had tried to break through a cordon several times but had been prevented from doing so, with tear gas used more than once.

"We have just demonstrated peacefully, and we were teargassed," said Christophe, 49, who travelled from the Isere region in eastern France with his wife to protest in the capital.

"We see how we are welcomed in Paris." Paris police authorities said Saturday's incidents were linked to the "presence of members of the far-right who harassed the security forces."



The 'yellow vest' protesters were seen ripping up paving stones or starting to build barricades.

Nearly 300,000 people blocked motorways, roundabouts, businesses, and fuel depots last Saturday and smaller protests have continued this week, with an estimated 5,000 people wearing the fluorescent yellow jackets taking part on Friday.

The demonstrations were sparked by an increase in diesel tax, justified as an anti-pollution levy by the government, but have since morphed into a broad opposition front to centrist Macron.

"I hope there will be a veritable yellow tide," one of the leaders of the movement, right-wing political figure Frank Buhler, said this week as he urged supporters to descend on Paris.

But with some protesters baulking at the cost of travelling to the capital, it was unclear whether the organisers would achieve their aim of causing gridlock in the City of Light.

Protesters had converged early Saturday on the Place de l'Etoile at the top of the Champs-Elysee avenue, shouting "Macron resign".

More than 35,000 people had vowed on Facebook to rally in the Place de la Concorde, a gathering banned by authorities due to its proximity to the presidential palace.

Police early Saturday had cordoned off the zone that included the Place de la Concorde, the National Assembly and a section of the Champs-Elysee.

"In this zone, no demonstration, no gathering, no march linked to the 'yellow vests' can take place," said Paris police chief Michel Delpuech.

He said mobile police units backed by helicopters were ready to intervene in case of violence or attempts to block the Paris ring road.

Paris authorities have authorised a demonstration in a park next to the Eiffel Tower.

"The government has done everything to demonise the movement that will take place in Paris," said Clement Jonie as he joined protesters gathering in the west of Paris early Saturday.

"We hear the deputies from the (governing) LREM say 'we will hold the course' but the movement is on its way, it is not ready to stop", said the 47-year-old logistician, who had travelled in from the suburbs.

Two people have died and over 750 people, including 136 police officers, were injured during the week of demonstrations that shone a light on frustration over stagnant spending power and the rollback in public services in some areas of France.

On Friday evening, a man with an explosive device and demanding protesters be allowed to meet the French president turned himself in to police in Angers in western France.

"He demanded that the yellow vests be received at the Elysee" presidential palace, local prosecutor Yves Gambert told AFP. Local official Bernard Gonzalez said: "There was a real risk, real danger, he had an explosive charge around his neck... This was not fake."



Former investment banker Macron was elected on a pledge to put more money in workers' pockets but the effects of his reforms on purchasing power -- persistently shown as one of the biggest concerns of the French -- have been limited so far.

The poor and low-paid are particularly incensed at his decision to hike anti-pollution taxes on diesel and petrol, while scrapping a wealth tax on the rich.

Opposition parties on the hard left and right have cheered on the protesters, whose revolt was described by 77 per cent of respondents in an Odoxa poll for Le Figaro newspaper as "justified".

"It's the cry of a France that is struggling and fed-up," Jordan Bardella, spokesman for the far-right National Rally (former National Front) said.

Macron, who is under pressure to tackle pollution ahead of European Parliament elections in which the environment is expected to feature prominently, has refused to back down on taxing polluters.

But with his ratings languishing at record lows of under 30 per cent, he has sought to present a more empathetic side. Next week, he will unveil a new energy plan that will aim to make the shift towards cleaner fuel and power more "acceptable".

"We have heard the message of citizens," one of his aides said on Thursday.

Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries -- citizens pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP -- while fuel price protests are a common occurrence.

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President Ram Nath Kovind's just concluded visit to Australia, the first by an Indian head of state, has added momentum to the bilateral ties and enhanced the strategic cooperation, officials said on Saturday.

Kovind arrived in Sydney on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation trip after concluding his trip to Vietnam.

During his four-day visit, the President engaged with the leadership of Australia at federal and provincial levels, business community, students and academics and Indian diaspora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"The first Presidential visit from India to Australia has added momentum to the ongoing growth in our bilateral engagements which in recent years has not only increased in regularity but has also intensified in all areas of our strategic cooperation," it said.

The Australian leadership expressed exceptional warmth and highly appreciated the growing ties and engagement with India, the MEA said.

India-Australia bilateral relations have been on an upswing and the economic ties grew during the past decades, after liberalisation of the Indian economy in the early 1990s.

According to the Indian High Commission in Canberra, bilateral trade in goods and services has grown from Australian dollar 6.54 billion in 2003-04 to Australian dollar 19.29 billion in 2015-16.

Kovind became the first-ever President of India to pay a state visit to Australia.

The President held talks with Prime minister Scott Morrison on Thursday to step-up bilateral strategic ties as the two countries signed five agreements to boost investments and enhance cooperation.

The agreements were exchanged in key areas like agricultural research, education, disability, trade and investments, scientific collaboration and innovation.

Prime Minister Morrison also released Australia's response to the India Economic Strategy, a blueprint to transform the economic engagement to increase the Australian investment from current 10 billion dollars to 100 billion dollars by 2035.

Australia also pinpointed the initial implementation plan with key actions for next one year which will include agreements forged between Austrade and Invest India, the establishment of an Australia-India Food Partnership, opening up new opportunities for agri-tech and service companies and Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grants of up to Australian dollar 500,000.

The fund is designed to help researchers solve challenges shared by both nations, including energy storage, marine science and plant genomics.

Kovind, who was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by Governor General Peter Cosgrove in Sydney, also visited Melbourne on Friday addressed university students.

Welcoming the creation of the Australian Space Agency, President suggested that the two countries can cooperate in space technology especially considering India's long standing experience in space sector, the MEA said.

Kovind on Thursday unveiled a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Sydney.

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The Punjab Police launched a massive search operation in Shadipur village of Pathankot district after a local claimed to have spotted six suspicious men.

The search operation was carried out on Friday evening after a farmer claimed to have seen six suspicious persons who were carrying backpacks, police said Saturday.

He immediately informed the police which conducted a search operation in sugarcane fields of the area to trace the suspects.

We have carried out search operation on Friday evening and as a preventive measure, we will again launch search operation in some more villages on Saturday, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni told PTI.

So far, nothing suspicious has been found, he said.

Meanwhile, in another incident, police also recovered a car near Muthi village of Pathankot after its occupants abandoned it.

Police believed that the car, bearing Jammu and Kashmir registration number, belonged to some bovine smugglers.

All the police check posts were alerted in Pathankot district to stop the car on Friday night after getting an input about the bovine smugglers.

However, four car occupants avoided two police check posts near Kollian village and Ujjh area. But later, they abandoned the vehicle near Muthi village when they found it was not possible to give a slip to the police check posts.

Police have also traced the owner of the car which is registered in the name of one Hassandin of Kathua area.

A raid was also conducted at his house but he was not found, police official said.

Nothing suspicious has been found from the vehicle, police said.

Meanwhile, extra vigil is being maintained by security agencies in the border district.

Security agencies in Pathankot and adjoining districts have been on alert after four persons, travelling in a hired SUV from Jammu, had snatched the vehicle from its driver at gunpoint near Madhopur area here a couple of days back.

However, police was yet to trace the vehicle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Western Rajasthan's Pokhran assembly constituency is set for a close fight on December 7 between a Hindu religious leader fielded by the BJP and son of Muslim 'peer' pitted against him by the Congress.

The BJP candidate, Pratap Puri, is the head of the Taratara 'math'. The Congress' Shale Mohammad is the son of Muslim religious leader Gazi Fakir, who has a large number of followers both within India and across the border in Pakistan.

Both Puri and Fakir hold considerable sway among their communities, making the Pokhran constituency in Jaisalmer district one of the state's most hotly contested seats.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath and Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address rallies in support of Puri and Mohammad, respectively, on Monday, setting the tone for the rest of the campaign in the region better known for the nuclear tests in 1998.

Puri expressed confidence that the BJP will win the Pokhran seat and blamed the Congress for making the contest "communal" by fielding a Muslim candidate against him.



Read more: Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018

Protection of Hindus and cows has always been an important issue, he said.

"Hindutva is in my veins and the party is going to win the election which has been made communal by the Congress by fielding a Muslim candidate against me," the BJP candidate told PTI.

Religious leaders should be in politics for its purification, Puri (51), who hails from the influential Rajput community, said.

"The people are with the BJP because they have faith in the party's policies and in leaders like Narendra Modi," he said.

His Barmer-based 'math', which holds considerable influence in the entire Jodhpur division, is pulling out all stops to win over the electorate, conducting social and religious activities.

"We hold drug de-addiction camps, provide education to poor children and work for cow conservation, besides conducting several other social activities," Puri said.

The Congress candidate, Mohammad, said his focus was core issues like drinking water and other basic amenities for people in Pokhran, which has a total electorate of 1.94 lakh.

"People here face difficulties in getting drinking water and fodder for cattle. The constituency lacks healthcare facilities and I am focusing on that," he said.

Mohammad (41) had lost the 2013 assembly elections from the same seat to BJP's Shaitan Singh with a margin of 34,444 votes.

Mohammad's father, an octogenarian, boasts of a strong following in the Sindhi Muslim community and has several criminal cases against him.

There are an estimated 55,000 Muslim voters, 45,000-48,000 and Rajput voters in Pokhran. It also has around 35,000 Dalit voters, according to the candidates.

Pokhran is one of the two assembly constituencies of the desert district of Jaisalmer.

The second constituency, Jaisalmer, will also see a direct contest between BJP candidate Sang Singh Bhati and Congress' Roopa Ram.

The BJP chose Sang Singh Bhati over its sitting MLA Chotu Singh Bhati, while the Congress has fielded Ram for the second time after 2013.

A total of 11 and 18 candidates are in the fray in Pokhran and Jaisalmer respectively.
In a veiled attack on the BJP over the Ram temple issue, the Shiv Sena Saturday said those talking about it had kept Lord Ram in "exile" in Ayodhya, despite being in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.

The Sena reiterated its demand that an ordinance be brought before 2019 for constructing the temple.

Without naming the BJP, the Shiv Sena likened it to 'Kumbhakarna', a character from the epic Ramayana mythicised for his long sleeping spells.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is in Ayodhya to wake "Kumbhakarna" from his "deep slumber" to set the ball rolling for the temple's construction, the party said.

Thackeray arrived in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh Saturday afternoon along with his family for a two-day visit.

The Shiv Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', claimed that the sentiment among Hindus, now, was "first temple and then government".

"The promise of constructing the temple was given in each election; the temple, however, has not yet been created despite those talking about it being in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh. Lord Ram has gone into exile in Ayodhya itself," the editorial said.

"This is the biggest betrayal. Those who came to power being Ram devotees have turned in to Kumbhakarna," it said.

The Shiv Sena said the 'Mahabharat' involved five villages, but the 'Mahabharat' in Ayodhya was for constructing the temple.

"To realise the natural truth of (constructing) Ram temple on his birth land, we should fight to win," it said.

Referring to Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya, the party added, "Maharashtra has been a born fighter. Maharashtra has built Ram Setu (bridge) to Ayodhya. We are heading to Ayodhya using this Setu.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Governor's Administration Saturday made it clear that the government has no intention of interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the J&K Bank and the lender will continue to be regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.

It said the latest decision taken by the State Administrative Council (SAC) is only aimed at promoting good governance and transparency in the functioning of the bank.

"Extension of RTI Act and CVC guidelines is only aimed at promoting good governance and transparency in the functioning of the bank, as this premiere financial institution has often been questioned on both these counts by the general public," an official spokesman said.

He said while concerns have been raised in certain isolated quarters, people of the state by and large have hailed the decision across the board as a welcome step.

"The concerns raised by certain isolated quarters mainly relate to the operational autonomy of the bank," the spokesman said.

He clarified that the State Administrative Council (SAC) decision has three main elements including J&K Bank being treated as a public sector undertaking, the bank being brought under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI), the bank to follow CVC guidelines and the bank to be accountable to the Legislative Assembly and its annual report to be tabled in the State Legislature.

The spokesperson made it clear that as far as treating J&K Bank as a PSU is concerned it is just a matter of fact and only restating the obvious.

"Since the state government holds 60 per cent of majority shares in J&K Bank, for all practical purposes, it is a Public Sector Undertaking. Therefore all transparency and accountability features that arise from this have to apply to the bank," he said.

He added that the main elements of transparency in J&K Bank will come through the application of the RTI Act as all recruitments and administrative issues of the bank would be subject to transparency provisions, like all public sector banks of the Government of India and it is being hailed by the people of the state overwhelmingly.

The spokesman said that as far as following CVC guidelines are concerned, these are followed by all government-owned banks to bring about certain probity into the banking decisions.

"It may be pointed out that J&K Bank was recently fined Rs 3 crore by RBI for not following KYC/ Anti-money laundering norms, he said and added that bringing the bank under the ambit of CVC guidelines will ensure better adherence to RBI norms in future.

The spokesperson further clarified the only other decision taken by the SAC is to table annual report of the bank in the State Legislature through the Finance Department.

"In any case, the annual report of J&K Bank is placed in the public domain through newspapers and on the official website of the bank after every Annual General Meeting," he said.

The spokesperson further explained that since the state government holds almost 60 per cent share of the J&K Bank, it has the characteristics of a Public Sector Undertaking.

"Only a couple of years back, when the bank was faced with a severe financial crisis, the state government came to its rescue by infusing capital worth Rs 532 crore," he said and added that J&K Bank also gets a lion's share of government business, therefore placing the annual report in the State Legislature like any other PSU is expected.

"As far as accountability to the legislature is concerned, this is normal for all government-owned banks and is a very limited exercise, he said and added that the commercial decisions of the bank are not a subject matter of legislative control.

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Stressing on achieving self-reliance for input material, chairman Anil Chaudhary said Saturday the company should meet two-third ferro alloy requirement in-house for better cost efficiency.

"It is time for us to not just concentrate on increasing production capacity but also to become self-reliant in terms of input material as well," said Chaudhary, during his visit to the state-run steel maker SAIL's Chandrapur Ferro Alloy Plant in Maharashtra.

"Chandrapur Ferro Alloy Plant (CFP) which meets about 40 of SAIL's Manganese ore based ferro-alloy requirement must raise the production to the rated capacity, so as to enable to meet two-third of its total ferro-alloy requirement. This will not just be a strategic advantage for but will also lead to better cost efficiency, he was quoted as said in a statement.

Chaudhary also said that each unit is important in reaching the set targets of production.

Elaborating further, he said SAIL is committed to the Ministry of Steel's target of increasing steel production to 300 million tonnes by 2030-31 and in the process, it will augment production capacity to 50 million tonnes.

Chaudhary said CFP must tighten its belt start preparing now because this will warrant an increased requirement of ferro alloys and the unit must be able to undertake such an increased requirement in the future.

He further said "the more self-reliant we are in terms of inputs and raw materials, the more will we be able to assert our presence in the market".

CFP is the India's largest and the only public sector company producing ferro-alloy in the country with an installed high carbon ferro manganese installed capacity of 1,90,000 tonnes per year or silico manganese installed capacity of 1,30,000 tonnes per year.

CFP manufactures three kinds of ferro alloy products comprising high carbon ferro manganese, silico manganese and medium carbon ferro manganese. CFP, erstwhile Maharashtra Elektrosmelt Ltd (MEL), was amalgamated into SAIL in July, 2011. Since, then it has been playing a pivotal role in meeting the internal requirements of ferro alloys in the company.

Chaudhary's CFP visit comes as a part of his structured visits to all the plants and units of SAIL to make a direct connect with the employees.

During his visit, Chaudhary met with a cross section of employees and employee unions. He also visited the raw material and product handling yard, two submerged arc furnaces (SAF) of 33 MVA and 1 SAF of 45 MVA capacity as well as other facilities in the unit.
A prominent Saudi royal said Saturday that whether or not heads of state gathered in Argentina next week for the Group of 20 summit warmly engage with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he is someone "that they have to deal with."



Prince Turki al-Faisal told The Associated Press the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul last month is "an unacceptable incident that tars and mars the long record of Saudi Arabia's own standing in the world." "We will have to bear that. It's not something that should not be faced. And we do face it," he said.

Intelligence officials and analysts say the operation to kill Khashoggi, who wrote critically of the crown prince for The Washington Post, could not have happened without Prince Mohammed's knowledge. The kingdom, which has offered several conflicting accounts of the killing, denies the crown prince had any involvement.

The crown prince embarked late Thursday on his first foreign tour since the October 2 killing with a visit to the United Arab Emirates. He's expected to visit other Mideast countries before going to Buenos Aires Nov. 30 for the start of the two-day G-20 summit, where he'll come face to face with world leaders.

President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has kept international pressure mounting on the kingdom, are among those expected to attend.

"Whether the leaders in that summit will warmly engage with the crown prince or not, I think all of them recognize that the kingdom as a country and King Salman and the crown prince are people that they have to deal with," the prince said.

He said Saudi Arabia will continue to play a role on the world stage and that Trump's statement of support for Saudi Arabia recognises the importance of the kingdom.

Trump insists there's not enough evidence to blame the crown prince for Khashoggi's killing, despite a US intelligence report's assessment to the contrary. Trump says the kingdom is an important ally that has helped to lower oil prices.

"I thought President Trump was expressing what he felt was in the interest of the United States. He emphasized the strategic relationship between the two countries in the same statement and how Saudi Arabia has been helpful in many instances not just oil," said Prince Turki.

The prince also firmly dismissed the U.S. intelligence assessments that the crown prince had ordered Khashoggi's killing, saying these same intelligence bodies had a "remarkably flawed assessment" in 2003 in the lead up to the US invasion of Iraq.

"So we don't take it as being, as I said, divine revelation," he said of the U.S. intelligence reports.

Prince Turki, who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, worked closely for years with Khashoggi before the writer became an outspoken government critic.

The prince said Khashoggi worked under him as a spokesman for the Saudi Embassy in London and later in Washington, and that he last spoke to him three years ago.

The prince's father is the late King Faisal and his brother is Prince Khalid al-Faisal, the governor of Mecca.

Prince Turki said that reports of discontent within the ruling Al Saud family over the crown prince's rapid rise to power do not reflect the "extraordinary support" that King Salman and his son, the crown prince, enjoy.

"I see no signs of such disquiet or uncertainty vis-a-vi the king and the crown prince," he said.

The prince spoke Saturday during a policy briefing by the Beirut Institute Summit . The summit is the brainchild of Arab writer and columnist Raghida Dergham. The prince is a board member and supporter of the summit, which draws upon recommendations of its participants to put forth policy ideas for the Middle East.

Among its recommendations is support for the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi initiative dating back to the early 2000s that calls for east Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in exchange for Arab state recognition of Israel and normalised relations.

In the absence of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, Gulf Arab states have moved ahead with their own outreach to Israel.

The driving force appears to be shared concern over Iran's expansion in the region. Oman, which has often played the role of regional mediator, welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a surprise visit last month.

Prince Turki, who himself appeared on a panel last year alongside a former chief for Israel's Mossad spy agency, said such appearances do not represent a normalising of relations with Israel.

"I don't think it's so much a rapprochement as, how can I put it, a shot by shot deal that rises as happened with the effort by the Sultan of Oman to push for a restart of the negotiations," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived here Saturday afternoon along with his family for his two-day visit at the temple town.

The Sena chief, who arrived with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya amidst slogans of "Jai Shri Ram", will offer prayers on the banks of the Saryu river in the evening.

The Sena, which has demanded expediting the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya by promulgating an ordinance to the effect, is believed to have sent some 3,000 Shiv Sena supporters by two trains from Maharashtra.

The cadres who have already arrived here first took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena sources said.

The Shiv Sena chief is reported to have brought a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the priest at the Ram janmabhoomi when he meets him later.

This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied, interact with the media and later with the public, party sources said.

The temple town will also witness another major congregation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists Sunday who will be taking part in a Dharam Sabha.

Security has been tightened at the disputed site with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a watch over the sensitive place.

On the security arrangements in Ayodhya, Additional Director General law and order, Anand Kumar said the Supreme Court guidelines will be maintained in and around the disputed site.

Ayodhya has been divided in 16 sectors and a security scheme is under force, Kumar said, adding that additional force has been deployed for maintaining law and order and efforts are on to ensure that the events pass off peacefully.

Barriers have been erected to regulate the surging crowd in the temple town and magistrates have been posted there. If some people want to have darshans of the Ram Lalla they can do it as per the traditions and guidelines.

Everyone will have to adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines, he said adding, that necessary steps have been taken to deal with all circumstances.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Targeting the BJP in poll-bound Rajasthan, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot alleged Saturday that some people use the slogan 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' for political gains and remember Lord Ram only before elections.

Polls in the state are scheduled to be held on December 7 and counting on December 11.

Gehlot's reaction came a day after Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the BJP treats the country as its mother, but "the Congress' mother is Sonia Gandhi".

"Who will hesitate in saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' but there are people who shout this slogan for political gain, while some say this from the heart. Raje comes from a 'Jamaat' or section where the name of Ram is used in elections," he said at a press conference here.

Referring to sloganeering in Bikaner where a Congress leader allegedly asked workers to raise slogans of 'Sonia Gandhi ki Jai' instead of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Raje had also said, "She (Sonia) is more than Mother India for the party (Congress)."



On the issue of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Gehlot said it was an issue for BJP for elections only.

BJP uses the name of Lord Ram during elections only. They have no genuine intention and they have been exposed before public, he said.

"Lord Ram will punish them," said Gehlot, who is contesting the poll from the Sardarpura assembly seat.

He also attacked Raje on the issue of corruption, alleging that her government had "patronised" the liquor, land and bajri mafia.

"No government in Rajasthan had ever patronised any mafia, but the Raje government did that. Land, liquor and bajri mafia flourished in her rule in connivance with officers and I blame that money has reached up to the top level," Gehlot, who is also an AICC general secretary, said in Udaipur Saturday morning.

He has been conducting electioneering in Mewar region for the party.

"Raje bowed before the party president (Amit Shah) but never met people in five years. Instead of bowing before Shah, she should have taken care of the people of Rajasthan who gave such a huge mandate in 2013 elections, but she betrayed the people, Gehlot said.

The BJP government in five years only worked to weaken schemes launched by the former Congress government and stalled various important projects in the state, he alleged.

"During the Congress government rule, there were 25 lakh people engaged in MGRENGA works but now the number has reduced to just 2.5 lakh," Gehlot said.

The Congress leader alleged that the government spent crores of rupees on Resurgent Rajasthan and demanded that information on how much investment was made in the state in five years be disclosed.

The Resurgent Rajasthan summit was held in 2015 to attract investment in the state.

Gehlot said that he received overwhelm response in his visits to Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Ajmer Bhilwara and Chittorgarh where he addressed meetings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has warned there would "very probably" be no summit to approve Britain's exit from the on Sunday if the issue of Gibraltar is not first resolved.

Madrid is seeking a guaranteed veto on post- relations between the EU and Gibraltar, the British enclave on Spain's southern tip, and has threatened to scupper the draft deal if it doesn't get its way.

"If there's no agreement" over Gibraltar, Sanchez said at a press conference in Cuba, "there very probably won't be a European Council" summit.

Earlier on Friday, Spanish officials in said Sanchez might not attend the summit if fails to put into writing a promise that no future agreement between Britain and the EU that applies to Gibraltar can be signed without first being negotiated on a bilateral basis with

That would effectively give the power of veto over any future relations between the EU and the 2.6 square mile (6.8 square kilometer) British territory on its southern tip.

Sanchez wouldn't confirm that threat to skip the summit but said current "guarantees are not enough and so maintains its veto on the deal." "If there's an agreement, we'll obviously go." An original clause in the deal Britain has drawn up with the EU gave Spain it's guarantees, but that has since disappeared from the final draft.

Although the legal service of the EU Council has tried to reassure Spain that the current text does not preclude this, Madrid wants that veto power clearly spelled out.

"We have demanded that it be published by the British authorities before the European Council on Sunday," Luis Marco Aguiriano Nalda, state secretary for European affairs, told reporters in

Both British and EU negotiators said that the withdrawal agreement itself would not change at this stage, but in a spokesman for the prime minister's office had earlier said: "We will work with the governments of Gibraltar and Spain on our future relationship."



Should EU leaders sign off on the deal, British Prime Minister would still have to convince her own parliament to back it, something seen as a greater challenge.

"If this deal does not go through, we are back at square one. What we end up with is more division and more uncertainty," said May.
Syrian regime shelling killed seven civilians including five children Saturday in a planned buffer zone around the country's last major rebel bastion, a monitor said.

A teacher and four schoolchildren were among the victims after the shelling hit near a school in the northwestern province of Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey in September agreed to set up a demilitarised cordon around the region of Idlib to stave off a massive regime offensive.

But the deal's implementation has stalled after jihadists refused to withdraw from the expected buffer zone by a mid-October deadline, and sporadic shelling and clashes have since rocked the area.

The teacher and four children were leaving the school in the town of Jarjanaz in the southeast of Idlib province when the artillery fire hit, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.

Saturday's killings are the latest in a string of similar incidents, according to the Britain-based monitor, which says it relies on sources inside Syria for its information.

On November 2, regime shelling killed at least five civilans in the same town of Jarjanaz.

On October 26, artillery fire by pro-government forces killed seven civilians in the town of Al-Rifa inside the Idlib region.

The September 17 deal was intended to protect three million inhabitants in the Idlib region, more than half of which is held by an alliance led by jihadists of Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate.

Syria's regime has insisted that the buffer zone deal is temporary and that Idlib will eventually revert to government control.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chitra Singh, the wife of Congress candidate in Jhalrapatan seat Manvendra Singh, has said it would be a tough fight in the home turf of Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, but expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious.

She has been intensively campaigning along with her husband in urban and rural areas of the constituency, which Raje has represented three times in the state Assembly.

Chitra Singh said she has been going door to door and meeting women, appealing them to channelise their anger against the BJP government by voting for the son of ailing BJP leader Jaswant Singh.

She admitted that it would a tough fight in Jhalrapatan in Jhalawar district but expressed confidence that her husband would win the seat, saying the people were filled with anger against the "mother and the son", apparently referring to Raje and her son, Dushyant Singh.

Chitra Singh said people wanted a change as the land in the area was fertile and favourable for setting up industries but neither were the farmers getting a fair return on their crops, nor were industries being set up.

She claimed the entire area had been left neglected and said if the Congress was voted for power, they would focus on generating employment for youths by setting up industries and promoting agro-industry.

On Manvendra Singh being a new face in the constituency, she said even Raje was a new face when she came here 30 years ago. She claimed the people had realised that despite being under the chief minister, the area was still neglected.

"We were also a new face, five days ago when we first came here, but the people have been giving us a very warm response," Chitra Singh said.

Manvendra Singh, who was a member of the BJP earlier before joining the Congress, said he was seeking to convert the "anger against Raje" into votes for him.

"I am receiving a positive response from the people during the campaign. They are very friendly and angry with the state government," Manvendra Singh told PTI.

"My main strategy to win is to convert the anger among the people against the chief minister into vote in the Congress' favor," he said.

Manvendra Singh had won as a BJP candidate from the Sheo constituency of Barmer district in the 2013 state Assembly polls.

Jaswant Singh was denied ticket by the party in 2014 Lok Sabha elections following which he contested elections as an independent candidate and lost the seat to BJP's Sonaram, who had joined the party from the Congress and was backed by Raje.

The decision of not allowing Jaswant Singh to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls antagonised the Rajput community that held the chief minister responsible for neglecting Jaswant Singh for an "outsider" Sonaram.

There was resentment among his supporters who rallied after Manvendra Singh making it an issue of their 'swabhiman'



Rajasthan Assembly elections are slated for December 7.

A Rajput leader from Jhalrapatan, Nand Singh claimed Manvendra Singh would give a close fight to Raje this time and it was possible that he might win.

He claimed that senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who is the party's Rajput face, had called up senior leaders of the community to persuade them to vote for the party's candidate.

Another Rajput leader said Rajput and Sondhya communities were traditionally a BJP votebank in Jhalrapatan constituency. There were estimated to be 55,000 to 60,000 Sondhya and Rajput voters in the constituency.

A local resident, Raghuraj Singh Hada, said Manvendra Singh is a strong candidate. "Even if he doesn't win, Raje's vote margin will come down," the ex-convenor of INTACH Jhalawar chapter said.

However, a local resident disagreed and highlighted the development works done by Raje.

Bhanwar Lal Thakur said Raje was the unopposed leader in Jhalawar and her loss from the seat was inconceivable as she had built a medical college, a helipad, airport, which would not have been possible without her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Page: 1 2 3 4 5 ... 36 CHARLOTTESVILLE:JAMES FIELDS : GUILTY 1st. DEGREE MURDER - ALL 10 COUNTS Isabella

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Post: #1 CHARLOTTESVILLE:JAMES FIELDS : GUILTY 1st. DEGREE MURDER - ALL 10 COUNTS

Advertisement Self-professed neo-Nazi to go on trial in deadly crash at Charlottesville rally



By Paul Duggan

November 23 at 8:00 AM



"Fifteen months after an angry demonstration by white supremacists in Charlottesville erupted in deadly mayhem, a self-professed neo-Nazi is set to go on trial Monday, charged with killing a counterprotester and injuring 35 others by intentionally ramming his car into another vehicle on a crowded street.



The alleged act of automotive rage by James Alex Fields Jr. on Aug. 12, 2017  which climaxed a day of violent clashes involving hundreds of white supremacists and their opponents  helped make Charlottesville a shorthand term for the emergence of emboldened ethno-fascists in the era of President Trump.



Now Fields, 21, charged with first-degree murder and other crimes, is due to face a jury in Charlottesville Circuit Court as prosecutors, using video evidence from the 2017 Unite the Right rally, revive memories of racist and anti-Semitic hate spewed on the streets of the small city that is home to Thomas Jeffersons University of Virginia.



The counterprotester who was killed, Heather D. Heyer, 32, worked for a local law firm and was remembered by friends as a committed advocate of social justice. Fields, who drove to the rally from his apartment in Maumee, Ohio, near Toledo, was described by acquaintances as being deeply fascinated by Nazi Germany, often espousing admiration for the militarism and racial-purity dogma of the Third Reich.



With tight security and an expected heavy police presence outside the red-brick courthouse on High Street , jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday morning and could last until midweek, followed by opening statements and the start of testimony Wednesday or Thursday. Judge Richard E. Moore has set aside 14 weekdays, until Dec. 13, for the entire proceeding."



-snip-





Read more:







" Alex Fields Jr., 21, of Maumee, Ohio, was indicted on 30 hate crime charges connected to the August 2017 attack, including several specifically linked to the death Heather Heyer, 32, of Charlottesville. " By Paul DugganNovember 23 at 8:00 AM"Fifteen months after an angry demonstration by white supremacists in Charlottesville erupted in deadly mayhem, a self-professed neo-Nazi is set to go on trial Monday, charged with killing a counterprotester and injuring 35 others by intentionally ramming his car into another vehicle on a crowded street.The alleged act of automotive rage by James Alex Fields Jr. on Aug. 12, 2017  which climaxed a day of violent clashes involving hundreds of white supremacists and their opponents  helped make Charlottesville a shorthand term for the emergence of emboldened ethno-fascists in the era of President Trump.The counterprotester who was killed, Heather D. Heyer, 32, worked for a local law firm and was remembered by friends as a committed advocate of social justice. Fields, who drove to the rally from his apartment in Maumee, Ohio, near Toledo, was described by acquaintances as being deeply fascinated by Nazi Germany, often espousing admiration for the militarism and racial-purity dogma of the Third Reich.With tight security and an expected heavy police presence outside the red-brick courthouse on High StreetJudge Richard E. Moore has set aside 14 weekdays, until Dec. 13, for the entire proceeding."-snip-Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/pub...story.html (This post was last modified: 12-08-2018 03:35 AM by Isabella .) LoP Guest

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Post: #2 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

Who is David Fields? Isabella

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11-24-2018 04:34 AM



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Post: #3 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

LoP Guest Wrote: (11-24-2018 04:25 AM) Who is David Fields?

Mrs. Field's son. Mrs. Field's son. GrimShaw

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11-24-2018 04:42 AM



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Post: #4 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

Free Fields! But he dindunuffin! She had a heart attack!Free Fields! LoP Guest

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Post: #5 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_George_Zimmerman Watch. They will try to use this as a flashpoint. Isabella

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11-24-2018 05:07 AM



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Post: #6 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

GrimShaw Wrote: (11-24-2018 04:42 AM) But he dindunuffin! She had a heart attack! Free Fields!

During his trial they'll still ignore that the coroner's report that says that she died from a blunt force to the chest which is known to cause a heart attack along with the never published security tape that the Grand Jury was shown from a restaurant that shows all of his premeditated actions leading to him charging down the street into the crowd which got him a first degree murder charge and declare him INNOCENT!

. During his trial they'll still ignore that the coroner's report that says that she died from a blunt force to the chest which is known to cause a heart attack along with the never published security tape that the Grand Jury was shown from a restaurant that shows all of his premeditated actions leading to him charging down the street into the crowd which got him a first degree murder charge and declare him INNOCENT! Isabella

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Post: #7 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

LoP Guest Wrote: (11-24-2018 04:45 AM) Watch. They will try to use this as a flashpoint.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_George_Zimmerman

'Stand your ground"? 'Stand your ground"? Isabella

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Post: #8 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday







Ahead of James Fields trial, Charlottesville judge bans electronics, sets overflow room





BY TYLER HAMMEL The Daily Progress Nov 19, 2018







"CHARLOTTESVILLE  Charlottesville is bracing for the maelstrom of media attention that is expected to accompany the murder trial of James Alex Fields Jr. Two orders dictating behavior at the Charlottesville Circuit Court House were released Monday give an idea of what the city is expecting. Signed by Judge Richard E. Moore, one of the orders instates a ban on electronic devices, backpacks, purses, firearms, bags and any item that the judge or a bailiff could deem disruptive on the court premises from Nov. 26 through Dec. 14.



The premises are defined as anywhere within the courthouse, courtroom and ground outside the courthouse, which includes the front steps, according to the order. Though the clerks office will remain open during week trial, which is scheduled for three weeks, the same restrictions will apply for those visiting the office, said Charlottesville Clerk of Court Llezelle Dugger. No other hearings are scheduled for the three week period." but Dugger said some early morning first appearance hearings could happen and likely would be done via video."



" A secondary viewing location has been set up on the second floor of the Levy Opera House. Moores second order applies the same restrictions to the viewing room at Levy Opera House, effectively establishing it as a second courtroom.



A live camera feed will show the hearing for those who are unable to get into the courtroom, though no cameras will be allowed in either the courtroom or the viewing room. Unlike the Charlottesville Circuit Court building, the restricted items will only be prohibited in the second floor courtroom, according to Dugger. Joe Rice, deputy director of the communications for Charlottesville, said Moore was expected to sign a finalized media plan late Monday.



That plan will likely be released Tuesday and will detail the logistics of the trial set up for members of the media. The plan also is expected to discuss road closures. Additionally, Rice said, a webpage on the citys site will be established to make the information easily accessible for the community.



Though there is not yet an estimate of how many media outlets are expected for the Fields trial, Huguelys trial drew approximately 35 media outlets and 175 media workers. Fields is charged with a slew of crimes, including murder, in the Aug. 12, 2017 car attack that killed 32-year-old counterprotester Heather Heyer and wounded dozens of others. Fields also is facing the death penalty on multiple federal charges stemming from the attack. Fields trial in Charlottesville Circuit Court is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 26.







https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/a...e2f7e.html Fields is facing the death penalty.BY TYLER HAMMEL The Daily Progress Nov 19, 2018"CHARLOTTESVILLE  Charlottesville is bracing for the maelstrom of media attention that is expected to accompany the murder trial of James Alex Fields Jr. Two orders dictating behavior at the Charlottesville Circuit Court House were released Monday give an idea of what the city is expecting. Signed by Judge Richard E. Moore, one of the orders instates a ban on electronic devices, backpacks, purses, firearms, bags and any item that the judge or a bailiff could deem disruptive on the court premises from Nov. 26 through Dec. 14.The premises are defined as anywhere within the courthouse, courtroom and ground outside the courthouse, which includes the front steps, according to the order. Though the clerks office will remain open during week trial, which is scheduled for three weeks, the same restrictions will apply for those visiting the office, said Charlottesville Clerk of Court Llezelle Dugger. No other hearings are scheduled for the three week period." but Dugger said some early morning first appearance hearings could happen and likely would be done via video."" A secondary viewing location has been set up on the second floor of the Levy Opera House. Moores second order applies the same restrictions to the viewing room at Levy Opera House, effectively establishing it as a second courtroom.A live camera feed will show the hearing for those who are unable to get into the courtroom, though no cameras will be allowed in either the courtroom or the viewing room. Unlike the Charlottesville Circuit Court building, the restricted items will only be prohibited in the second floor courtroom, according to Dugger. Joe Rice, deputy director of the communications for Charlottesville, said Moore was expected to sign a finalized media plan late Monday.That plan will likely be released Tuesday and will detail the logistics of the trial set up for members of the media. The plan also is expected to discuss road closures. Additionally, Rice said, a webpage on the citys site will be established to make the information easily accessible for the community.Though there is not yet an estimate of how many media outlets are expected for the Fields trial, Huguelys trial drew approximately 35 media outlets and 175 media workers. Fields is charged with a slew of crimes, including murder, in the Aug. 12, 2017 car attack that killed 32-year-old counterprotester Heather Heyer and wounded dozens of others. spo snouou

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Post: #9 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday





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Post: #10 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday







https://youtu.be/hItgRaJjyPE spo snouou

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Post: #11 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

Quote: the only good fascists are dead ones that was the prevailing theme in Europe for many years after WW2 and it still holds true today- The Resistance



(This post was last modified: 11-24-2018 10:15 AM by spo snouou .) 269346

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11-24-2018 10:53 AM



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Post: #12 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

Fatty was blocking the road, when she may have been strayed by a moving vehicle. Whose fault is that? 269346

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Post: #13 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

One thing is certain. She died of a heart attack LoP Guest

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Post: #14 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

269346 Wrote: (11-24-2018 10:54 AM) One thing is certain. She died of a heart attack

I bet you're fugly I bet you're fugly LoP Guest

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Post: #15 RE: CHARLOTTESVILLE: DAVID FIELDS To Go On Trial Monday

Isabella Wrote: (11-24-2018 05:07 AM) GrimShaw Wrote: (11-24-2018 04:42 AM) But he dindunuffin! She had a heart attack! Free Fields!

During his trial they'll still ignore that the coroner's report that says that she died from a blunt force to the chest which is known to cause a heart attack along with the never published security tape that the Grand Jury was shown from a restaurant that shows all of his premeditated actions leading to him charging down the street into the crowd which got him a first degree murder charge and declare him INNOCENT!

.

If you're interested in facts over propaganda, I suggest you look at the slowed down videos of the incident on youtube.



You'll see that he braked (brake lights came on) when he saw the cars in front were almost at a stop trying to crawl through the crowd who were baching the cars with bats and sticks.



Immediately after he brakes, a guy with a bat smashes his left rear tail light and others start running toward the car with sticks and bats.



Fields freaks out and rams the cars in front in an effort to get away. His car is then jumped and hit by half a dozen thugs before Fields reverses in panic and throws the violent leftists off the car.



The woman was obese and died of a heart attack. If Fields wanted to kill people, then he could have run down either side of the narrow street and whiped out dozens of leftists in a hit. He would not have rammed the back of a car (in panic).



(I'm not a Trump supporter. I'm just reporting what is easy to see if you put down your cult mentality brainwashing and call a spade a spade. If the situation was reversed, I'd be sticking up for the leftie driver because it WASN'T premeditated. He was attacked FIRST and he responded in a panic.



NOW GO AND FIND THE SLOWED DOWN VIDEO TAKEN FROM BEHIND THE CAR AND SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES. If you're interested in facts over propaganda, I suggest you look at the slowed down videos of the incident on youtube.You'll see that he braked (brake lights came on) when he saw the cars in front were almost at a stop trying to crawl through the crowd who were baching the cars with bats and sticks.Immediately after he brakes, a guy with a bat smashes his left rear tail light and others start running toward the car with sticks and bats.Fields freaks out and rams the cars in front in an effort to get away. His car is then jumped and hit by half a dozen thugs before Fields reverses in panic and throws the violent leftists off the car.The woman was obese and died of a heart attack. If Fields wanted to kill people, then he could have run down either side of the narrow street and whiped out dozens of leftists in a hit. He would not have rammed the back of a car (in panic).(I'm not a Trump supporter. I'm just reporting what is easy to see if you put down your cult mentality brainwashing and call a spade a spade. If the situation was reversed, I'd be sticking up for the leftie driver because it WASN'T premeditated. He was attacked FIRST and he responded in a panic.NOW GO AND FIND THE SLOWED DOWN VIDEO TAKEN FROM BEHIND THE CAR AND SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES. Advertisement



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Two Colombian soldiers were killed and another two wounded Friday along the country's border with Venezuela in a bomb attack blamed by the military on rebels from the National Liberation Army.

The soldiers were on patrol near a pipeline close to the border town of El Tarra when they triggered an explosive device the army blamed on the guerillas, known by their Spanish acronym ELN.

The pipeline has been attacked 82 times this year, causing serious environmental damage, according to its operator, state-run petroleum giant Ecopetrol.

"It is clear evidence of how the ELN systematically violates the tenets of international law with its indiscriminate methods of illicit warfare," the military said in a statement.

With nearly 1,500 fighters, the ELN are Colombia's last active rebels following the disarmament and transformation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2017 after half a century of war in the world's biggest cocaine producer.

The ELN were in peace talks themselves until the middle of this year, when right-wing President Ivan Duque came to power.

Duque has conditioned the resumption of dialogue on the ELN releasing hostages -- who number 10 according to authorities -- and the suspension of their "criminal" activities.

The ELN for their part have accused the president of wanting to tear up the peace process.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP MP Udit Raj said Saturday a rally will be organised to raise the issue of "less representation of Dalit and backward castes" in higher courts in the country.

The North West Delhi legislator, who is also the chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, said the rally will be held at Ramlila Ground on December 3.

"Some incompetent and corrupt politicians have paved the way for the judiciary to act as extra constitutional authority," he said in a statement.

He also criticised influential petitioners saying they approached courts not for peoples' rights but for their own agenda.

Citing ongoing sealing drive in Delhi, under supervision of a Supreme Court mandated committee, he said, "It is for the government to monitor the administration and not the judiciary."



Raj also expressed dissatisfaction over the manner his party colleague and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari was treated in a contempt of court matter over breaking of seal on a premises shut down by the Veterinary Services Department in Gokalpur.

"Tiwari was reprimanded but no case could be made out, then why was contempt proceeding initiated? What happened to the officers who sealed the houses and shops without giving notices?" Raj questioned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukrainians on Saturday marked 85 years since millions died in a Soviet-era famine that many now regard as a genocide ordered by then leader Joseph Stalin.

The 1932-33 famine took place as harvests dwindled and Stalin's police enforced a brutal policy of requisitioning grain and other foodstuffs from farms.

Historians differ on the scale of the death toll, with estimates ranging from four million to 10 million.

Accompanied by hundreds of Ukrainians, President Petro Poroshenko laid symbolic sheaves of wheat and lit candles at a central Kiev monument to famine victims -- known as Holodomor, or death from hunger in Ukrainian.

The famine was "man-made," the president said in a statement.

"We must always remember the terrible crimes carried out on Ukrainian soil by the Communist regime," he said.

The famine was "a genocide of the Ukrainian people", Oleksandr Turchynov, head of Ukraine's Security and Defence Council said in a statement, blaming the Soviet leadership.

He compared it to Russia's role in Ukraine's eastern region where Kiev's forces are fighting Moscow-backed separatists.

"Today fighting is going on once again on Ukrainian land. And ... the Kremlin is the main culprit in the tragedy," he said.

The conflict between Russian-backed fighters and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014.

Pro-Russian forces declared parts of eastern Ukraine independent following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March, 2014.

Kiev and the West accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across its border with Ukraine. Moscow denies the claims, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Nearly 20 countries have also recognised the famine as an act of "genocide" against the Ukrainian people, in a move that irritates Moscow.

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday said that the famine was a "shared tragedy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three people, including two former ULFA militants, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the grenade attack in Assam's Sibsagar district on Thursday that killed two people, police said.

Earlier in the day, the proscribed ULFA (I) had claimed responsibility for the grenade attack.

Eight people were picked up for questioning on Friday in connection with the incident at Demow area of the district, and three of them were arrested on Saturday. The trio also includes an employee of a petrol pump in Demow, police said.

A grenade had exploded at a hardware shop in the Demow Chariali area of the district on Thursday, killing a customer, Anup Gupta, and the shop owner, Kamal Agarwal.

Security has been beefed up in Guwahati, following the attack and reports of kidnappings in different parts of the state.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Ranjan Bhuyan said 17 suspected ULFA (Independent) linkmen have been picked up for interrogation from different parts of the city and all of them have previous criminal records and are accused of sheltering militants.

ULFA (I) Assistant Secretary Publicity and Information Arunodoy Asom, in a statement, said, "We take responsibility for Thursday's explosion and sooner or later stern action will be taken against those who betray us. But our target was not the customer Anup Gupta but the owner of the shop."



The banned outfit expressed condolences to Gupta's family, saying "our hearts go out to them". It however, denied any role in the killings of five people at Dhola in Tinsukia district on November 1, as claimed by the Assam Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Unidentified gunmen in battle fatigue had shot dead five Bengali-speaking individuals, including three members of a family, on November 1.

"We had clarified earlier that the ULFA (I) is not responsible for the Tinsukia incident and we challenge the NIA to tell the people of Assam on what basis they are accusing us of the killings," Asom said in the statement.

Director General of Police, Kuladhar Saikia, had said on Thursday that the ULFA (I) was behind the Tinsukia killings.

According to the preliminary investigations conducted by the police and NIA, there was sufficient "technical evidence" about a six-member team of the ULFA-I being behind the Tinsukia firing incident, the DGP had said.

Regarding the ULFA (I) denial about its alleged involvement in the Tinsukia killings, the DGP had said the police were not paying any importance to the clarification issued by the banned outfit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The banned ULFA (Independent) on Saturday claimed responsibility for the grenade attack in Sibsagar district on Thursday that killed two people.

A grenade had exploded at a hardware shop in the Demow Chariali area of the district, killing a customer, Anup Gupta, and the shopowner, Kamal Agarwal, on Thursday.

"We take responsibility for Thursday's explosion and sooner or later stern action will be taken against those who betray us. But our target was not the customer Anup Gupta but the owner of the shop," ULFA(I) Assistant Secretary Publicity and Information Arunodoy Asom said in an e-mailed statement.

The outfit expressed condolences to Gupta's family saying "our hearts go out to them".

The organisation, however, denied any role in the killings of five persons at Dhola in Tinsukia district on November 1, as claimed by the Assam police and National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Unidentified gunmen in battle fatigue had shot dead five Bengali speaking individuals, including three members of a family, on November 1.

"We had clarified earlier that the ULFA (I) is not responsible for the Tinsukia incident and we challenge the NIA to tell the people of Assam on what basis they are accusing us of the killings," Asom said in the statement.

Director General of Police, Kuladhar Saikia, had said on Thursday that the ULFA (I) was behind the Tinsukia killings.

According to the preliminary investigations conducted by police and NIA, there was sufficient "technical evidence" about a six-member team of the ULFA-I being behind the Tinsukia firing incident, the DGP had said.

Regarding ULFA (I) denial about its involvement in the Tinsukia killings, the DGP had said the police was not paying any importance to the clarification issued by the outfit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United Nations envoy Martin Griffiths met a Yemeni rebel leader in insurgent-held Sanaa Saturday and is to follow up by holding talks with Yemen's government in Riyadh, a UN source said.

The source said Griffiths will hold talks on Monday in the Saudi capital, where Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials have taken up residence.

On Saturday, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the Huthi rebels' Higher Revolutionary Committee, met in Sanaa with the UN envoy, an AFP photographer said.

"We hope that his (Griffiths's) visit to Riyadh ends with positive results," Huthi told reporters after their talks.

Griffiths arrived Wednesday in Yemen ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

In a possible breakthrough, the envoy said Friday that he discussed with Huthi rebel officials "how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace" in the key port city of Hodeida.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port," he told reporters on what was his first visit to Hodeida.

Griffiths urged Yemen's warring parties to "keep the peace" in the rebel-held Red Sea port city, which serves as the entry point of nearly all imports and humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.

According to UN figures, nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition joined the conflict in 2015 to bolster Hadi, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Rights groups fear the actual toll is far higher.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN Security Council has granted a sanctions exemption for the two Koreas to jointly conduct a survey on reconnecting railways across their border, a spokesman for the South Korean presidency said Saturday.

The two Koreas last month agreed to start the survey no later than late October and to hold the groundbreaking ceremony sometime between late November and early December, as the countries pursue a reconciliation drive.

But the possibility of the project running up against UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear programmes has caused delays.

"It is significant that this project has received support from the United States and international community", said Kim Eui-Gyeom, spokesman for the presidential Blue House in Seoul.

Railway experts from both sides will criss-cross the country on survey trains together, Kim said in a statement, adding that the process will "bring inter-Korean cooperation to a new level".

Yonhap agency said the South was expected to bring fuel for train locomotives, and other unspecified materials for the survey in the North.

Delivering fuel to North Korea could potentially have been in breach of a UN cap limiting imports to 500,000 barrels a year.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday any inter-Korean rapprochement had to move forward "in tandem" with efforts to denuclearise the peninsula, and could not come sooner.

US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore earlier this year, signing a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation.

But since then, talks on denuclearisation have stalled, with meetings either deemed unproductive, pushed back or cancelled altogether.

The US and South Korea have launched a working group to make sure that they don't "talk past each other", Pompeo said, as Seoul and Pyongyang appear to be moving ahead with their rapprochement more quickly than Washington and the North are making headway on nuclear disarmament.

A second leaders' summit is expected to take place in early 2019, according to Washington.

In the meantime, North and South Korea have made several concrete decisions on reconciliation and exchanges.

But the implementation of cross-border projects such as the reconnection of railways have been hamstrung by the lack of progress in denuclearisation talks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday warned that use of religion and caste by political parties to capture power can create an atmosphere of hate and division and asserted that saner elements in the society need to unite to counter such evil designs.

He said that attempts at communal polarisation create an atmosphere of fear, anxiety and uncertainty and said secular character of all the institutions, Judiciary, Executive and Legislature, is a pre-requisite for peace and harmony.

Addressing a conference organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation, Singh claimed that the integrity of major institutions is facing many challenges in the country, while noting that a nation without well functioning institutions is "bound to fail".

The deterioration adversely affects the functioning of state organs and erodes their credibility, he said.

"Such a situation, he said, can create chaos in society, economy and polity," he said at the conference -- 'Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation'.

The Congress leader said that institutions of governance are a necessary condition to maintain peace and harmony. Besides, they must be impartial, objective and should function for the benefit of all sections of society.

"Unfortunately, the use of religion, caste and other such factors by the political parties to advance their political interests and capture power can create an atmosphere of hate and division among religious and caste groups. Such an environment poses a serious challenge to the peaceful transition and transformation.

"It is in this context that the saner elements in the society need to unite and counter the evil designs of those forces that are bent upon to disrupt the peace, harmony and happiness" he said.

Quoting Rabindra Nath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Gurunanak and Sir Muhammad Iqbal, widely known as Allama Iqbal, the former prime minister said that they all wanted a nation which was free of communal unrest and without any division among people based on their caste, creed, colour, religion or baseless superstitions.

"It should always be remembered that India is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual country. However, there are certain forces which are taking advantage of such diversity and pose a threat to the unity of the country.

"In a multi-religious society, communal harmony is very important for citizens to lead a life free from fear, anxiety and uncertainty," he said.

Singh's remarks came on the eve of a 'dharam sansad' (religious conclave)called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Ayodhya on the sensitive Ram temple issue.

The former prime minister said that there were various types of economic and non-economic factors which give rise to fears, anxieties and uncertainties and that the underlying reasons behind them should be diagnosed to translate the conflict and anger into peace, harmony and happiness.

"That would require transparency, honesty, probity and truthfulness in public life," he said.

Maintaining secular character of all the institutions is a pre-requisite for peace and harmony, he said, adding that eventually it is the responsibility of the political and religious leadership, civil society, intelligentsia and the media to uphold the Constitution and the integrity of institutions.

"When the institutions start deviating from a just discharge of their constitutional responsibilities and knowingly or unknowingly fall prey to the extra-constitutional powers and non-state actors, then there is a danger of violence entering into the process of transition and transformation," he remarked.

He said that economic growth and development was a necessary condition but not a sufficient one for having peace, harmony and happiness in the society.

Empowering the underprivileged and marginalized with education, skill and good health is an important means to make the people partners in growth and development, he said.

"The sustainable development goals(SDGs), set by the United Nations for 2015-2030, are aimed at achieving peace, harmony and happiness for all and have a smooth transition to transformation.

"Happiness is the ultimate goal of mankind and it goes beyond the economic growth and development.The physical quality of life and UNDP's human development index (HDI) is a reflection of this reality. It would be useful to prepare state wise indices of happiness in India," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road corridor up to international border with Pakistan in Mann village in Gurdaspur on November 26.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh will be present on the occasion.

To mark Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th birth anniversary in 2019, the Indian government decided on November 22, 2018 to build the Kartarpur road corridor up to international border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project.

The corridor will let Sikh pilgrims visit the iconic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi in Pakistan.

India and Pakistan had announced on November 15, 2018, that they will build corridors on their respective sides to let Sikh pilgrims visit the holy shrine without visa and to help them walk across and come back without having to secure a visa.

"Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road corridor (up to international border) at a function in village Mann in Gurdaspur district of Punjab on Monday, the 26th of November, 2018," a Road Transport Ministry statement said.

Guru Nanak had assembled the Sikh community at Kartarpur and lived there for 18 years till 1539. The Gurudwara Darbar Sahib is built where he took his last breath.

The Indian side of corridor starts from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and extends up to international border between India and Pakistan. The project corridor is to be developed by National Highways Authority of India and will be funded by the Government of India. The project corridor is four-lane with service road and all other appropriate amenities for pilgrims intending to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur in Pakistan.

This corridor will be a historical landmark between India and Pakistan and will also boost tourism as more pilgrims would visit the holy shrine throughout the year between two countries, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Security agencies went into a tizzy in Punjab's border district of Pathankot after a farmer reported suspicious movement of six men, with police launching a massive search operation.

The agencies were already on alert after four people travelling from Jammu in a hired car snatched the vehicle from its driver at gun point on November 13 in the district's Madhopur area.

The Punjab Police Saturday ruled out a terror angle in the snatching case after the vehicle's driver identified one of the suspects who, officials said, was a local criminal.

Police were maintaining a vigil as in 2016, terrorists, who had launched attacks on the Pathankot air base, had snatched a Punjab Police officer's car to get to the military facility.

On receiving information from the farmer, police have shared inputs with all agencies concerned to trace the six men.

Balbir Singh, a farmer in Pathankot district's Shadipur village, claimed that he had seen six suspicious men on Friday evening when he was working in his fields.

"I saw six tall persons who were carrying backpacks. As they were looking unfamiliar, I informed the village sarpanch (head), who later told police about these suspicious men," Balbir told reporters.

Following the information, the Punjab Police issued an alert in the area and launched a search operation and domination exercise on Friday evening. On Saturday morning, a team of police again carried out a search operation to trace the person, an official said.

"We carried out search operations in at least five villages. However, nothing suspicious has been found yet, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni told PTI on Saturday when asked about the farmer's claims.

In Chandigarh, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora told reporters that he had spoken to the Pathankot SSP in this regard, and they had carried out search operation.

"We have also shared this input with all the agencies, the DGP said.

To a question, he said Punjab is a border state and it has 553 km of international border.

On the snatching case, Arora said, "One of them (vehicle snatchers) has been identified. He turned out to be a criminal belonging to Punjab."



"There is no terror angle involved in that incident, the DGP said Saturday evening.

The criminal belonging to Jalandhar district was identified after the driver of SUV recognized him from the picture, police said.

However, police have not been able to trace the vehicle.

In another incident, Pathankot police found an abandoned car near Muthi village, which it believes belonged to some bovine smugglers.

The car, bearing a Jammu and Kashmir registration number, has been traced to its owner Hassandin of Kathua district, and "a raid was also conducted at his house but he was not found", a police official said.

On Friday night, police got an input about some bovine smugglers in a car. Check posts were alerted in Pathankot district to stop the vehicle, the official said.

However, the car's driver avoided two police check posts near Kollian village and Ujjh. But later, the vehicle was abandoned near Muthi village when its occupants found it was not possible to evade police. There were four people in the car, the official said.

Nothing suspicious has been found from the vehicle, police said.

Extra vigil is being maintained by security agencies in the border district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Arriving here ahead of Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction.

He urged the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying his party will support it.

Day, months, years and generations have passed, he said Saturday on what he described as his first visit to the town.

Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said.

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

Thackeray and scores of Sena supporters arrived here just a day ahead of the Dharam Sabha being organised separately by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site.

There is a massive deployment of police in the city as seers and other people arrive for the VHP event.

The VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend its event. Thackeray came with his family for a two-day visit, which he said was to get a darshan' of Lord Ram.

He attacked the government over the delay in the construction of the Ram temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

"There should be a temple of Lord Ram at the Shri Ramjanmabhoomi, he said.

I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said.

He said there is a BJP government at the Centre and also in the state. Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,' he said.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, he said.

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple?



"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.

Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."



'There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed.

The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

After his remarks at Lakshman Kila, he went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers.

The Sena is believed to have sent in about 3,000 party supporters from Maharashtra by two trains.

The supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.

Thackeray is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivneri fort in Pune to be handed over to the priest at the Ram Lalla's temple when he meets him later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stand-up comedy's newest star Hasan Minhaj believes his Indian-American-Muslim identity gives him a certain edge, becoming "superpowers" in his "utility box" to help him take on all the "crazy stuff happening in politics and culture".

Minhaj, whose parents migrated to the US from Aligarh, began his comedy career on American late-night talk program, "The Daily Show", and rose to prominence after hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner last year where he roasted US President Donald Trump.

Trump, in a departure from tradition, skipped the event.

Minhaj, 33, followed that high profile act with "The Homecoming King" on Netflix, a huge hit that paved the way for "The Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj".

"I used to hate being Hasan Minhaj because people could not pronounce my name, people don't know who I am, they don't know anything about Indians, about Muslims. What am I? Now I have all these identities. These are superpowers in my utility box. I can use them at any point. It's cool," he said when asked about using his background as an asset in his comedy.

While "The Homecoming King" was more personal with Minhaj talking about being an immigrant and struggling with his dual identities, his new show focuses on politics, both American and global.

"I definitely think that it (his identity) gives me a comedic edge, for sure. Stand-up comedy is an art form, which involves a single performer on stage, sharing his/her perspective. It is one of the few art forms where individuality and uniqueness are honoured more than anything else," Minhaj told PTI over the phone.

He peppers his conversation with a unique blend of words, bringing in perspectives from American and Indian pop culture.

Minhaj, who often uses Hindi words such as "Log kya kahenge (what will people say) to drive his point home, finds it interesting that all the stuff that he thought was "weird" while growing up has become cool now.

"I used to think this stuff is so weird and then I was like 'No, it's not. It's who I am. I'm an immigrant.' The way I grew up with movies and pop culture... One of the things that I want to do is to add our culture to American popular culture."



"The Patriot Act", a pulpy, satirical take on topics such as America's marriage of convenience with Saudi Arabia (his words), oil, affirmative action and Amazon, is like "taking coffee and making a coffee espresso", he said.

"I realised my strength as a performer is having that longer runway. It takes the plane up and it takes longer to take off. You get to build a larger narrative arc, something that I never really got a chance to do on 'The Daily Show' because as a correspondent, you are servicing the show and the format."



The comedian says he wanted everything that he learnt from the four years he spent on "The Daily Show" to start his own venture of political storytelling.

"The power of both music and comedy as an art form is being able to distil esoteric things into their essence. If you see a great song, a joke or watch a great show, you go, 'that's exactly how I feel, thank you for saying this'. The magic of such shows and political satire is trying to take things that are otherwise esoteric and boring and translate it into something that is a really funny," he said.

In Minhaj's view, comedy has always been an "amazing" art form globally and is seeing a resurgence with the popularity of streaming services like Netflix.

"Comedy is suddenly given the stage and respect that it had in the '90s when cable companies started putting it on TV. It has heightened because of the internet. There are no borders to it, which is exciting. It has always been an important art form. We have always needed funny philosophers."



And comedy can be a great tool in highlighting elements that are important at a time when there are so many divisions everywhere, he said.

"I think with everything that's going on not only in our country but also in India, all the crazy stuff happening in politics and culture, civility, respect and the ability to laugh at yourself are the things that are really important.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee on Saturday said the state government would conduct an inquiry if it received any complaint about extortion by students' union members.

Asked to comment on reports of members of Trinamool Congress Students' Union being allegedly involved in extortion activities at Behala College, Chatterjee told reporters here, "If we get specific complaint about any such malpractice, we will investigate."



A section of students had agitated at Behala College on Saturday, alleging that those having less than 60 per cent marks were asked to pay a large sum of money to some union members, for allowing them to sit for under-graduate examinations.

"Under no circumstances, we will tolerate such act by anyone," the minister asserted.

Pointing out that the college was under his assembly constituency, Chatterjee said he will summon the local councillor on Sunday to get an update about the incident.

"There had been no such incident in any college under my constituency in the past," he said.

A spokesperson of Behala College, however, said that some students, unhappy over implementation of the choice-based credit system (CBCS) in Calcuttta University-affiliated under-graduate colleges, "created trouble" at the institution.

The spokesperson added that the college authorities had no information about students' union members being involved in any extortion activity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday termed the Congress-JD(S) government's performance in the first six months since coming to power as "poor".

He said the BJP will demand answers from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during the winter session of the state assembly in Belagavi. The session will be held from December 10 to 21.

"I have been demanding that the chief minister releases a white paper about the financial condition of the state. He did not do it and spoke lightly about it," Yeddyurappa told reporters here.

He claimed that the data collected by him about the government's development works showed that the state's total budget grant was Rs 1,87,996 crore, out of which 39 per cent, Rs 73,440 crore, has been spent.

For the corresponding period in 2017, it was 42.40 per cent, he said, adding that most of it was used for government employees' salary and travel.

"The (government's) performance is poor," the BJP leader said.

The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, has to explain the planned and non-planned expenditure and the progress made, Yeddyurappa demanded.

He also claimed that the state government's performance has been "dismal" under Special Development Plan (SDP), Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), Externally Funded Projects, Centrally Sponsored Programmes, and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, among others.

"I urge the chief minister to give a clear picture about the figures and the performance... during the Belagavi session we will discuss the financial condition and the progress that has been made by the government," he said.

The BJP has called a meeting of its legislators and MPs on November 29 to decide on the further course of action and agitation against the government.

Yeddyurappa claimed that MLAs of the Congress were themselves saying that the government has "not taken off" even after six months of coming to power.

He alleged that farmers continued to commit suicides in the state and funds were not being released to MLAs for development works.

The state BJP chief also hit out at former prime minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda over his remarks wherein he had said that the "democracy is in danger".

"What does he mean? He should explain," Yeddyurappa said.

The whole world is lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

"Democracy is not in danger, probably the Kumaraswamy government in the state is in trouble," the BJP leader said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India does not need money from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the next six months, the finance minister said in a TV interview telecast on Friday, rejecting opposition charges the government was seeking access to the bank's reserves to fund schemes ahead of the 2019 general election."I don't need money in the next six months," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told Times Now news channel.Critics accuse the government of trying to undermine the central bank's authority, but Jaitley said his government respected the institution's independence."We respect the autonomy (of the ...
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has wrapped up negotiations for a free trade and investment pact with members of the four-nation European Free Trade Association, and a final agreement is due to be signed in December, Indonesia's trade minister said.Negotiations on the Comprehensive Indonesia-European Free Trade Association Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IE-CEPA) between Indonesia and EFTA members - Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland - have taken seven years."This settlement is a milestone for Indonesia's relations with the four EFTA countries," trade minister ...
This is Zora. It may not look like much  more cute toy than futuristic marvel  but this robot is at the center of an experiment in France to change care for elderly patients. When Zora arrived at this nursing facility an hour outside Paris, a strange thing began happening: Many patients developed an emotional attachment, treating it like a baby, holding and cooing, giving it kisses on the head. Zora, which can cost up to $18,000, offered companionship in a place where life can be lonely. Families can visit only so much, and staff members are ...
New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) Terming the RBI-government rift as a ''symptom of a disease'', West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra Friday said the Deputy Governor's concern on autonomy shows RBI is imploding from inside and the Centre does not know how to manage institutions like the RBI and the CBI. The development surrounding RBI and CBI is a reflection of poor governance on the part of NDA government, Mitra said at a press conference here. He said no such incident of conflicts in the two institutions were witnessed during the previous governments. "This government does not know how to manage institutions. They have to learn... This is only a symptom of a disease," he said while commenting on the ongoing rift between RBI and the central government. RBI and the Centre have not been on the same page with regard to certain key issues like level of the central bank's reserves, lending to MSMEs, and liquidity of NBFCs. However, in a board meeting on November 19, RBI has agreed to some of the proposals of the government. In a public speech last month, RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya had raised issues regarding independence of the central bank. He had said that undermining the central bank's independence could be "potentially catastrophic". Referring to Acharya's speech, Mitra said it shows "it (RBI) is imploding from inside".Mitra also said it was unfortunate that there are two camps within the CBI, which is the premier investigative agency in the country. The infighting between CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, the second in command at CBI, has reached the Supreme Court, which is currently looking into the matter. Earlier this month, TMC-ruled West Bengal withdrew its "general consent" to the CBI to conduct raids and investigations in the state. Following this, the agency would now need permission from the state government to carry out investigation in the state, except those ordered by courts and against central government officials. PTI JD CS ANUANU
New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) The European Investment Bank (EIB) Friday said it will increase its support for India's wind energy projects by expanding the existing lending programmes with SBI. EIB and SBI have agreed to cooperate on financing renewable energy and providing new support for wind energy projects across India by expanding the ongoing financing initiative in the field of onshore wind projects, EIB said in a statement.With this collaboration, the promoters of wind projects in India will benefit from long-term low cost financing under the dedicated EUR 600 million renewable energy financing programme that is already supporting large-scale solar investment across the country. EIB has also approved a new line of credit to Yes Bank to boost private investment in clean energy projects. EIB will provide USD 100 million line of credit to the private sector lender in the coming months.Last year, Yes Bank has already utilised a USD 100 million funding from EIB towards solar power projects and wind farms across India, said an official from Yes Bank."Following the progress in allocating this financing, a second renewable energy credit is being finalised and expected to be rolled out in the coming months," EIB said.Scaling up renewable energy investment is crucial for economic growth, improving access to energy and addressing climate change, said Andrew McDowell, Vice President of the EIB responsible for Energy in South Asia. Support for renewables is a key priority for EIB here in India, he said. "We look forward to broadening cooperation with Indian partners to support new renewable energy projects in the months ahead and enabling offshore wind to contribute to clean power generation in the country," McDowell said.Funding clean energy projects in Asia since 1993, EIB has supported with EUR 7 billion in the last 25 years, he said. PTI KPM KPM ANUANU
New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) Farmers' "unrest" in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will hurt the BJP's poll prospects in these states, senior CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah claimed Friday.Elections in BJP- ruled Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to be held on December 7 and November 28, respectively.The CPI(M)'s in-charge for Rajasthan, Mollah, also claimed that since the BJP came to power in these states, there has been "agricultural distress"."Farmers' unrest in both Rajathan and Madhya Pradesh will hurt BJP's electoral prospects in the assembly poll. "Farmers in both the state are angry over agricultural policy decisions adopted by the BJP governments. There has been agricultural distress in both the BJP ruled states in last five years," said Mollah, who also general secretary in the All India Kisan Sabha. The Mandsaur police firing incident in which five protesting farmers were killed in Madhya Pradesh was a turning point and a political set back for the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, he told PTI."The Mandsaur incident had fuelled farmers' protest across Madhya Pradesh. The Chouhan government had a tough time to pacify the framers. The farmers anger continues against the BJP government in the state for not fulfilling the electoral promises made by it," Mollah said. These protests led to the formation of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a conglomerate of 206 farmers bodies, in which Mollah is a convenor. "In Madhya Pradesh, loan waiver, crop insurance and water supply for irrigation are the three main issues of farmers. The demands of farmers are genuine but the Shivraj Singh government failed to solve all the three key farmers' issues due to its apathetic attitude towards the farming community," he alleged. Mollah claimed that the Vasundhara Raje government's attitude towards solving common peoples' problem particularly those of farmers, has invited trouble for the BJP government in India's largest state. "The Raje government's failure to solve farmers' issues will rout BJP in rural Rajasthan. Raje in her tenure as chief minister rarely bothered about farmers' problem," the CPI(M) leader said. PTI DMB ASG ANBANB
(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir)Digital Intelligence Systems (DISYS), a leading global staffing, IT consulting & managed services firm, has started operations in North India after achieving business success in the south. The company on Thursday opened an office in Noida to expand its footprint in India. It has successfully built and operates its first Center of Excellence in US staffing, in Chennai, India. DISYS, a US-based multinational incorporated in 1994, has seen exponential growth and ranks as one of the largest IT staffing firms in the US which caters to staffing requirements of companies in various verticals. DISYS which boasts of a long history in the staffing and consulting industry has emerged as a leading international global talent productivity partner. As of today, DISYS has more than 33 offices across various countries and is rated among the top US staffing firms. Expressing happiness on the occasion, Mr. Kumar Rajagopalan, Vice President - India Operations of DISYS said, High performance and productivity has been the hallmark of DISYS team. DISYS India is equipped with ISO 9001, 27001 and CMMI level 3 certification and has matured employee engagement and retention practices with national level accolades for its HR practices and L&D initiatives. With opening in Noida, we strive to provide the same level of employee care program to build a strong customer focused team. We believe in delivering a high level of satisfaction, on a consistent basis, to our clients, Mr. Kumar added. Sharing his thoughts Mr. Sumeet Pankajakshan, Director, Talent Acquisition said, Noida is at the epicenter of the talent ecosystem required for US staffing and offers highly talented and agile workforce required to excel in this business. Our experience with hiring from this region has been extremely rewarding in the past and now with a fully staffed office in Noida, we are ready to take this to the next level. We strive to be the employer of choice for the most talented people in this business." DISYS provides talents for critical functions like application development, business analysis, business and IT consulting, business intelligence and big data, cloud computing, customer relationship management (CRM), database administration and SAP consulting. DISYS solves critical challenges in staffing industry by deploying experts in vertical and horizontal delivery teams. Its automated solutions help companies increase accuracy, process speed and productivity. DISYS also conducts rigorous, standardized and in-person skills assessments to ensure the talents it sends have the requisite technical capabilities. It also ensures its consultants have the necessary soft skills to be fit into corporate culture. About DISYSDigital Intelligence Systems, LLC (DISYS) is a global staffing, IT consulting & managed services firm with more than 33 offices worldwide. Within these offices, DISYS employs industry problem solvers who have the expertise to understand industry staffing issues but also possess the knowledge to locate inefficiencies, design and implement game-changing automation and other IT service offerings. Whether it is bridging or replacing legacy systems, moving an enterprise to the cloud, creating automated technology to streamline compliance or turning raw data into actionable information, DISYS is dedicated to enabling its clients to work smarter and more efficiently even in the smallest, most mundane of business tasks. For nearly 25 years, DISYS has served global industries such as information technology, banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare and life sciences and a multitude of government, retail, manufacturing and transportation clients. Within these industries, DISYS has imagined, designed and implemented technologies that solve IT problems that prohibit growth and impact an organizations bottom line. Incorporated in 1994, DISYS continually builds on the strategic vision of its CEO and Founder, Mahfuz Ahmed. His disciplined approach is firmly planted in the strategic study of data-driven analytics and business planning. Image: Team DISYS at the opening of Noida office PWRPWR
Paris, Nov 23 (AP) Cities in Russia, Japan and Azerbaijan are about to find out which one of them gets to host the 2025 World Expo, an event expected to draw millions of visitors and showcase the local economy and culture.The 170 member states of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions are voting Friday on whether to award the Expo to Yekaterinburg, Osaka or Baku.Past world's fairs brought the world such wonders as the Eiffel Tower, the Ferris Wheel and Seattle's Space Needle and today's version is aimed at finding solutions to challenges facing humanity.World Expos are held every five years; Milan hosted the last one in 2015, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is set to host the next one in 2020. Cities also hold specialised exhibitions in the interim years. No US city has hosted a world's fair since the 1980s.They can last up to six months and cost millions of dollars to host, but can help put a city on the global map by bringing in international visitors and attention.Yekaterinburg is trying for a second time after an earlier failure to win the expo, and its bid has the backing of President Vladimir Putin's government. This time the Russian city, on the border between Europe and Asia in Russia's Ural Mountains, is promising an expo demonstrating technological innovation and how to balance it with quality of life.Osaka is pitching itself as the safe, reliable choice notably because it already held the 1970 Expo, while the other cities are lesser known and would be first-time hosts. It's proposing an expo on a man-made island on the theme of "Society 5.0" and how to leverage robotics and artificial intelligence for the public good.Baku has the advantage of having lots of oil money thanks to its Caspian Sea reserves. Its expo would highlight ways to improve human health and redefine human roles in an automating world and the proposed venue would be designed to evoke the geometry of Azerbaijani carpets.(AP) RUPRUP
Vientiane, Nov 23 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday met her Laotian counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith and held wide-ranging talks to enhance cooperation in key areas like defence, trade, energy and agriculture.Swaraj, who is in Laos on a two-day visit, co-chaired the 9th Joint Commission Meeting with Kommasith as the two leaders laid out the roadmap for cooperation and partnership.The ministers held wide-ranging discussions covering cooperation in agriculture, trade and investment, defence, education, culture, Information Technology, energy and mining, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.Swaraj and Kommasith had constructive discussions during the meeting, he said in a tweet."Swaraj offered to share India's expertise and experience towards supporting developmental needs of Laos, taking the total offer of grant and line of credit proposal to USD 250 million," Kumar said.On Thursday, she attended an Indian community event here and interacted with participants.During her two-day visit, Swaraj will also call on Laos Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith. PTI CPS
(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PR Newswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) HYDERABAD, India, November 23, 2018/PRNewswire/ --New center to add 1,000 technology associates by end of 2019 UST Global, a leading digital transformation solutions company, today announced its new delivery center in Hyderabad, Telangana. The company plans to add 1,000 technology associates by end of 2019 at its new location. Present at the center inauguration were Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Telangana, along with the leaders from UST Global. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/540539/UST_Global_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/788825/UST_Global_team_Jayesh_Ranjan.jpg )The key focus of the company's Hyderabad delivery center is to support its global banking, financial and insurance services, healthcare, retail, technology, media, telecom and semiconductor clients. The new center is located in Cyber Pearl, Hi-Tech City, Hyderabad.Mr. K T Rama Rao, Minister for IT, MAUD, Textiles and NRI affairs, Government of Telangana, welcomed UST Global to Hyderabad and extended his wishes for the growth of the organisation.Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Telangana, said, "Telangana is well positioned in terms of infrastructure and talent to host organisations focused on digital and high technology like UST Global. We welcome UST Global to Hyderabad and are confident they will do well and find best of the talent here."Mr. Alexander Varghese, Chief Administrative Officer & Country Head, UST Global, added, "Hyderabad is a key market for us with existing portfolio of clients, vast business opportunities and promising talent. We are very excited to inaugurate and add Hyderabad office to our growing portfolio of delivery centers. We are also looking to hire associates who are aligned to our vision of Transforming Lives using new-age digital technologies. We are grateful to the Government of Telangana for the support and believing in our vision."The company's Hyderabad center will be led by Harilal Neelakantan, Center Head - Hyderabad, UST Global.With regional headquarters in California, Singapore and London, and over 35 offices across the world, UST Global uses its global presence to partner closely with its multinational clients, which includes over 50 Fortune 500 clients. The company's current global footprint spans USA, India, Mexico, Spain, Denmark, UK, Germany, Poland, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, and Australia. It has large dedicated Information Technology delivery centers in India, USA, Mexico, Spain, and Philippines.About UST Global UST Global is a leading digital technology solutions company that provides advanced computing and digital services to large private and public enterprises around the world. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies in banking and financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail, technology, manufacturing, shipping, and telecom. UST Global believes in building long-lasting, strategic business relationships through agile and client-centric global engagement models that combine local experts and resources with cost, scale, and quality advantages of global operations.For more information, please visit: http://www.ust-global.com.Source: UST Global PWRPWR
The logo of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its headquarters next to a red traffic light in Geneva, Switzerland, October 2, 2018. Denis Balibouse/File Photo

China demanded that the World Trade Organization (WTO) protect the interests of developing countries in deciding on appropriate reforms of the institution, a week ahead of the G20 summit meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The majority of [WTO] members, especially developing countries, should be able to participate in the reform process, rather than have a small group of members decide on the reforms, said Wang Shouwen, Chinese vice minister of Commerce, at a press conference on WTO reforms (link in Chinese).

One of the most urgent issues is to avoid the breakdown of the WTOs Appellate Body under its Dispute Settlement Body, which rules on trade policy disagreements between WTO members, by resolving the deadlock in appointing new members of the appeal body, Wang said. The United States blocked the reappointment of a WTO appellate judge in September, leaving only three judges to serve on the appeal body, the minimal number required for it to function.

The move to block the judges reappointment is not only a disagreement between the U.S. and China, but a disagreement between the U.S. and all the other members of the WTO, Wang said.

The Chinese call for more inclusiveness in the reform process came after the Trump administration suggested that removing China from WTO might be appropriate under current rules. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said in a BBC interview Wednesday that there could be a case for removing China from the WTO as the country has misbehaved in trade. The question is whether [Chinas bad trade practices] can fixed through bilateral negotiation, by reform of the WTO or even, by removing China from the WTO, he said.

Wang said some WTO members are complaining about other members legitimately compensating their state-owned enterprises while limiting technology exchanges. These countries are protecting their dominant position by limiting the development of other counties, Wang added.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative updated its report on Chinas trade practices Wednesday, accusing China of supporting cybercrime, illegally obtaining information from U.S. companies and forcing technology transfers, implying exchanges of technology between the worlds two largest economies may see further restrictions.

Wang also said WTO reform should resolve issues that developed countries have caused by over-subsidizing agricultural products  a practice which he said has distorted the international agriculture products market.

Expectations that WTO reform will be discussed by the G-20 summit have grown after there was no joint communique from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation groups annual gathering, which concluded on Tuesday. A dispute over language on trade was reportedly the reason why the group could not agree on a statement.

In July, China and the European Union announced that they would set up a joint vice-ministerial level working group on WTO reforms. A meeting of G-20 trade ministers released a joint statement in September that the group should increase communication about WTO reform so that the body could meet future challenges on global trade.

A previous version of this story mistook the WTOs Appellate Body for its Dispute Settlement Body.

Contact reporter Liu Jiefei (jiefeiliu@caixin.com)
Executive summary The volume of data that governments, businesses and Canadians produce is growing exponentially, animated by digital technologies. Organizations are changing their business models, building new expertise and devising new ways of managing and unlocking the value of their data. Governments need to evolve rapidly to keep up. Public service modernization efforts focus on a more transparent, collaborative, citizen-centered and digitally enabled public service. A forward-looking, open approach to data is an essential piece of public service renewal. How the Government of Canada collects, manages and governs dataand how it accesses and shares data with other governments, sectors and Canadiansmust change. The government has a responsibility to ensure its workforce has the skills and tools it needs to ethically leverage data to support the public good, while protecting the sensitive and personal data of Canadians. Data have the power to enable the government to make better decisions, design better programs and deliver more effective services. But for this to occurand for us to share data in a way that allows other governments, businesses, researchers and the not-for-profit sector to also extract value from datawe need to refresh our approach. Today, individual departments and agencies generate and hold a vast, diverse and ever-expanding array of data, including program, geo-spatial, administrative, sensor and population data. These data are often collected in waysbased on informal principles and practicesthat make it difficult to share with other departments or Canadians. Their use is inconsistent across the government and their value sub-optimized in the decision-making process and in day-to-day operations.

To enable social innovation and support economic activity, a modern digital and data-enabled government should develop and consistently follow world-leading standards governing transparency, archiving, management, usability, interoperability and privacy. This would enable governments and others to unlock the value of data and provide better services, support evidence-informed decisions, create internal efficiencies and better understand the real impact of programs so that funds can be directed towards those interventions that have the greatest impact. If we do so, Canada will become a destination of choice for researchers and entrepreneurs and Canadians will create new businesses, make scientific discoveries, improve services and find new solutions. Through the power of data, public servants can fundamentally transform governments by changing the way they operate, make decisions and deliver services

To this end, the Clerk asked us in January to develop a Data Strategy. The strategy is intended to position the public service to provide the best possible advice to Ministers and support the more strategic use of data while protecting citizens' privacy. While not all data have privacy implications, where they do, departments and agencies should incorporate privacy by design and engage early with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC). Following consultations with all federal departments and agencies, this report provides a roadmap for a more strategic use of data. The recommendations are structured around four themes: stronger governance, improved data literacy and skills, enabling infrastructure and legislation, and more focused treatment of data as a valuable asset. The goal is to set a foundation so that the Government of Canada creates more value for Canadians from the data we hold. This strategy will align our internal efforts to use data more strategically and complements other ongoing work, such as externally focused national consultations on digital and data transformation led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Their consultations are helping us better understand how Canada can drive innovation, prepare Canadians and firms for the future of work, and ensure that Canadians have trust and confidence in how their data are used. We are encouraged that so many departments and agencies are already developing data strategies and undertaking bold initiatives of their own. Organizational data strategies underpin the strategic use of data, support the transition to a digital government and ensure the public service is empowered and equipped to harness the power of data to make better decisions and create better outcomes for Canadians. This roadmap provides concrete next steps that can be taken over the short and medium terms. Recommendations are intended to continuously move the Government of Canada and our behaviours in the right direction on data issues. The most important things for us to do are: By September 2019, all departments, agencies or portfolios have a data strategy in place appropriate to their line of business. Provide greater clarity on who is in charge of data within individual organizations and for the government as a whole. Improve and develop overall standards and guidelines that govern how departments access, collect, use, safeguard and share data, and a clear process for developing and refining these over time. Clarify the governance around data to ensure that the Government of Canada manages valuable data assets for the public good. Improve recruitment and professional development practices to ensure that we have the skilled people we need to do data work in a digital environment. Ensure we have the right information technology (IT) environment that allows skilled professionals to use the disruptive technologies that will support the ambitious agenda outlined in this report. These recommendations acknowledge that while there is a need for common standards and principles to guide the government's efforts, there cannot be a "one-size-fits-all" approach to data. We have sketched out an architecture and principles, but recognize that different organizations will have different needs. To the extent that funding and authorities will be required to support the recommendations, they would be sought as appropriate at the initiative level. As well, this strategy is intended to be evergreen and will inevitably evolve with a changing context. Canada can and should be a leading jurisdiction with respect to the ethical use of data. Canada should be viewed as an ideal jurisdiction in which to undertake work using data, for both the public and private sectors, offer an alternate paradigm to strict government control or a free market approach to data, and build on and improve upon the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR). In conclusion, we would like to thank our respective teams and colleagues who undertook extraordinary work in a very short time, the networks across government that mobilized to help us understand how these issues play out in individual departments and agencies, and the Clerk for the opportunity to undertake this important work on behalf of Canadians.

Anil Arora

Chief Statistician of Canada Alex Benay

Chief Information Officer of Canada Matthew Mendelsohn

Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Results and Delivery

The challenge Managing, using and sharing data will be crucial in the coming years, but the government is not set up to treat data as a strategic asset for policy-making, program design or service delivery, or to create value for the public, private, not-for-profit, and research sectors. By increasing their capacity to create, manage and use data, many government departments and agencies are making better decisions and, ultimately, better serving Canadians. However, this is happening in a fragmented fashion, along the traditional business lines of government. While decentralization can create and support innovation and experimentation, an integrated, whole-of-government approach can enable synergies through sharing and interoperability; encourage openness and ongoing learning; and ensure commitment to some common standards and best practices while driving progress and results.

Across the government, data are created, used and stored within individual areas and are often limited to use for a single purpose. Access, use and re-use between and within organizations are often difficult, in part because of a lack of awareness that data could be useful to others and a reticence to share information with others. Additionally, Canada's regulatory and legislative landscape is complex, with federal, provincial, territorial, and even organizational provisions affecting data and information sharing between departments and agencies, as well as between levels of government and with Indigenous Peoples. Real and perceived barriers to collaboration have obvious consequences for citizens and businesses.

While intragovernmental data sharing does occur, it is often via ad hoc technical solutions requiring formal letters of agreement signed at the deputy minister level, adding to administrative burden. The government has also pursued greater availability of data through investments in open data, but more can be done to increase the volume of data made available by default. Compounding these challenges is the absence of a governance structure or senior-level decision-making table charged with providing strategic direction on data issues and driving cultural change.

Departments and agencies struggle with the same issues



Description - Figure 1: Departments and agencies struggle with the same issues

A table divided into four quarters. Each quarter lists an issue: Top left: Absence of horizontal governance for strategic direction on data issues .

Top right: Lack of data literacy and cultural reticence to break silos .

Bottom left: Lack of adequate digital infrastructure and a complex rules framework .

Bottom right: Challenge of acquiring, governing and managing large volumes of disparate data .





In this rapidly accelerating environment, data-driven innovation is an increasingly important source of economic growth, which is critical to the future competitiveness of Canada's businesses in traditional and emerging sectors. Advances in various digital technologiesnotably machine learning, edge computing, and satellite imageryhave the potential to greatly accelerate analytical power. While access to more data, along with technological advances, presents great opportunities for the private sector, this also elicits concerns and potentially increases risks for citizens, notably from a privacy perspective. It is clear that the government is at an important inflection point and should embrace significant new opportunities by better leveraging data.

The opportunity This is an opportunity for Canada to position itself as a leading jurisdiction in the data sphere by setting forward-thinking, globally recognized standards that spur innovation and economic growth, and create positive social impact. It is an opportunity for the Government of Canada to address a number of important issues facing governments around the world, including: Leveraging data as a strategic asset for the benefit of Canadians

Maintaining legitimacy and credibility in an increasingly complex society

Directing resources appropriately and harnessing opportunities to improve impact

Helping workers adapt and be competitive in a changing labour market

Protecting citizens from the misuse of their data and adverse impacts of technology

Maintaining sound resource management. Along a parallel track, the Government is conducting consultations on digital and data transformation to better understand the economic opportunities afforded by a data-driven society and how to balance these with privacy. The outcomes of these consultations will be instrumental in making progress on this Data Strategy.

Description - Figure 2: What the government of Canada is doing to become a leader in the data field A table consisting of three vertical rectangular columns. Arrows connect the first column to the second column and the second column to the third column.

The current state described in column 1 is transformed by the steps in column 2, to achieve a new state in column 3. First column. Title: Current State. Below the title, there are seven bulleted points: Canadians do not always have access to the data they need

Departments/agencies do not always know the data holdings of others that may be relevant to their work

Departments/agencies do not consistently collaborate or share data

There is no strategic oversight to the use of data

Data are not being effectively leveraged for evidence-informed decision-making

Programs and services for Canadians are not consistently improved through the use of timely data and analytics

Employees do not have the skills they need to use data effectively Second column contains seven bulleted points: Robust data governance, leadership, and stewardship

Increased availability and interoperability of data

Increased data analytics capacity and broader data literacy

Integration of data and analysis into decision-making processes

A culture of innovation and experimentation

Robust IT infrastructure

infrastructure Capacity building in data literacy and use The words What will success look like? appears on top of the third column. Third column. Title: New State. Below the title, there are eight bulleted points: Improved services

Greater public value from data

Greater usability and availability of data

Protection of individuals' information and privacy by design

Trusted and sound governance of data, which are treated as a valuable strategic asset

Increased evidence-informed decision-making

Better reporting on results

Increased intra and inter-governmental collaboration

The scope

This Data Strategy focuses on how the Government of Canada can improve how it creates, protects, uses, manages and shares data to improve the lives of Canadians and support businesses, researchers and the not-for-profit sector, and how it makes decisions on policy and programs. It builds on current federal data initiatives to ensure complementarity, coherence and transparency, so that emerging opportunities are understood and quickly acted upon.

Building on excellence: Many government departments and agencies are increasingly harnessing the power of data to make better decisions and ultimately better serve Canadians. Their expertise and the paths they have forged provide a strong foundation for progress for the government as a whole. From harnessing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for the reduction of manual processes to using maps and data visualizations to support decisions, there are many examples of excellence across the government, gathered through environmental scans and consultations, some of which are highlighted throughout this strategy.

Adapting the government to the digital era We have embarked on a journey to a digital government, as signalled by the recently expanded role for the President of the Treasury Board as Canada's first Minister for Digital Government. The role of the Chief Information Officer of Canada has been elevated to a deputy minister position, and strong relationships and networks are being built with digital leaders domestically and internationally. There are a number of intersecting data-related initiatives underway, including:

The launch of the Canadian Digital Service, and development of a digital policy to support the transition to a digital government, consolidating and evolving the existing Treasury Board Policies on Service, IT and Information Management (IM)

to support the transition to a digital government, consolidating and evolving the existing Treasury Board Policies on Service, and Information Management (IM) Engaging Canadians on digital and data transformation in support of the Innovation and Skills Plan to turn Canada into a global innovation leader, by focusing on skills, innovation, privacy and trust

to turn Canada into a global innovation leader, by focusing on skills, innovation, privacy and trust Statistics Canada's (StatCan) modernization initiative , designed to increase access to data to foster innovation and inclusion, by leveraging their expertise

, designed to increase access to data to foster innovation and inclusion, by leveraging their expertise Other government initiatives, including development of the 4th National Action Plan on Open Government, which includes commitments to improve transparency, accountability and public engagement

National Action Plan on Open Government, which includes commitments to improve transparency, accountability and public engagement The creation of the Results and Delivery Unit (RDU) at the Privy Council Office (PCO) to support the government in strengthening a culture and approach that is evi dence-base d and is focused on measurable results and the launch of the Impact Canada initiative by the Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU) to help departments accelerate the adoption of outc omes-ba sed and da ta-driv en approaches to deliver meaningful results to Canadians

and the launch of the Impact Canada initiative by the Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU) to help departments accelerate the adoption of to deliver meaningful results to Canadians Initiatives by other partners, including provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous Peoples

The development or implementation of specific department and agency data strategies

Assessing and modernizing legislative and policy frameworks to allow for responsible and innovative uses of personal information while ensuring continued protections and privacy by design.

As digital technologies proliferate and fundamentally transform economies and societies, the generation of data is increasing exponentially, helping drive innovation and shape decisions. These data must be used and managed as a strategic asset in an ethical and secure manner that respects privacy and generates trust.



Description - Figure 3: Where does public sector data come from?

A circle divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant features a type of data: Top left: Regulation, security and enforcement

Top right: Operations ( e.g. Human Resources [HR], financial)

Human Resources [HR], financial) Bottom left: Services to Canadians, including businesses

Bottom right: Research, policies and programs

Description - Figure 4: Data Strategy Framework for the Federal Public Service

Sub-title: A whole-of-government approach to creating, protecting, using, managing and sharing data as a strategic asset, enabling informed decisions that lead to better outcomes and services for Canadians. A large image with three horizontal rows. The top row is divided into two halves. The left half presents a circular graphic with six equal sections. Each section features one of the six guiding principles of the Data Strategy Framework: Client-centered

Trusted

Agile

Open

Enabling

Purposeful The right half is a list of the desired outcomes for citizens, businesses and governments: Improved services

Greater public value from data

Greater usability and availability of data

Protection of individuals information and privacy by design

Trusted and sound governance of data, which are treated as a valuable and strategic asset

Increased evidence-informed decision-making

Better reporting on results

Increased intra and inter-governmental collaboration The middle row is made up of three columns. Each column represents a proposed pillar of the Data Strategy Framework. First pillar: People and Culture. This pillar aims to ensure that the government has the talent and capacity it needs to manage, interpret, use and understand data. It includes, for example: Culture

Skills

Recruitment and retention

Development and training Second pillar: Environment and digital infrastructure. This pillar aims to ensure that processes and infrastructure are aligned to turn good data and analysis into action. It includes, for example: Enabling infrastructure and tools

Security, confidentiality and integrity

Privacy

Legislation and supporting policies Third pillar: Data as an asset. This pillar aims to ensure that the government has the data it needs, which are fit for use, discoverable, and available. It includes, for example: Planning and stewardship

Use

Quality

Storage

Sharing and access The bottom row represents the foundation on which the pillars rest. It is separated into two horizontal halves. Top half: Governance. Governance exists at the right levels to ensure that data are managed holistically as a strategic asset. It includes accountability, roles and responsibilities. Bottom half: Communication. Transparency to Canadians on the governments management and use of data, as well as effective intra- and inter-governmental communication.

Transformation roadmap The recommendations provided in this Data Strategy seek to ignite change, demonstrate value, resolve barriers, and help the government make better use of data to improve the lives of Canadians while continuing to safeguard their privacy in a modern data-driven environment. They are presented along a transformation roadmap consisting of two timeframes, designed to generate momentum through ambitious early actions, build horizontality through collaboration, and develop strength over time. As execution and delivery will be key, this report provides some concrete timelines and overall direction, while also providing flexibility for deputy ministers to tailor implementation to the needs of their organizations, which will be crucial to success. The recommendations are at varying stages of development, with some still being conceptualized and requiring further work and analysis by departments and agencies. As the Data Strategy is designed to be evergreen, the list is not exhaustive and will naturally evolve over time, with further work and strengthened data governance. Implementing several of the recommendations would require incremental resources. Costing estimates have not been undertaken as part of this report and there is no source of funds. Funding and authorities will be pursued, as appropriate, at the project level.

Description - Figure 5: Transformation Roadmap An arrow pointing to the right presents two columns with recommendations. First column: Title: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Short-term (up to September, 2019)

Below the title, there are two bullets: Build confidence, create momentum and demonstrate the value of changing the way the government uses and manages data Strengthen leadership to drive progress, set up systems and capability to support horizontal collaboration and greater use of data.

Second column: Title: Expanding and scaling across the government  Medium-term and transition advice (October 2019+)

Below the title, there are two bullets: Expand successful practices across the government, adapt to build capability and support progress Implement systemic changes necessary for holistic adoption and transformation.



Recommendations at a glance Governance People and culture Environment and digital infrastructure Data as an asset Short-term (to Sept 2019)



Laying the foundation and building momentum (1) Establish a senior level dec ision-mak ing body for horizontal data issues by modifying the mandate and membership of the Deputy Minister Committee on Enterprise Priorities and Planning (DM CEPP)

ing body for horizontal data issues by modifying the mandate and membership of the Deputy Minister Committee on Enterprise Priorities and Planning (DM CEPP) (2) Strengthen and clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, including by establishing a Government of Canada Chief Data Steward

(3) Develop and implement new frameworks and standards with respect to the ethical and secure use of data

(4) Require all departments, agencies or portfolios to develop data strategies that are relevant, scaled and customized to their needs and aligned with the Data Strategy

(5) Require all departments and agencies to ensure proper accountabilities, roles and responsibilities with respect to data

(6) Convene a central agen cy-le d working group to evaluate and make recommendations to the way data are considered in the dec ision-ma king process (9) Assess the current state of data literacy as well as skills and competencies required

(11) Pilot and launch a digital academy to develop digital and data skills of existing employees

(12) Ensure the government is competitive in its hiring practices (15) Accelerate work to assess the legislative and policy framework and practices to support greater strategic use of data while ensuring the protection of personal information

(16) Leverage work underway to support and build the digital identity ecosystem (19) Foster innovation within the public service and leverage the outcomes of existing pilot projects

(20) Leverage and expand secure, us er-frien dly environments to facilitate access to gover nment-he ld data for decis ion-ma kers and Canadians Mediu m-ter m and transition advice ( Oct 2019+)



Expanding and scaling across the Government (7) Provide regular updates on data to the Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries table, and encourage departments and agencies to pursue collaboration on specific issues or needs with other levels of government and Indigenous Peoples

(8) Recognizing that Indigenous Peoples have an inherent right to sel f-determinati on, c o-devel op with Indigenous partners distin ctions-bas ed strategies to advance Indigenous data governance and institutional capacity. The Government of Canada should also work with Indigenous partners, who are the custodians of their data, to c o-deve lop indicators and data collection strategies (10) Renew HR strategies with targeted training and development, including engagement with colleges, universities, and unions (13) Work with departments and agencies to establish a common set of data needs and establish a process for easy adoption of data tools

(14) Assess required digital/data infrastructure needs (17) Establish a centralized view of governm ent-he ld data, develop a government data quality framework, and develop guidance for the lo ng-ter m management of digital government assets

ld data, develop a government data quality framework, and develop guidance for the lo m management of digital government assets (18) Enhance the rigor of analysis of program administrative data and increase the generation of new data to assess outcomes and strengthen performance measurement, program evaluation and policy development

(21) Develop an approach to increase access to public and private sector data to drive insights for enhanced global competitiveness and social impact

Laying the foundation and building momentum: Driving early action

Description - Figure 7: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Driving Early Action

A pie chart presents short-term recommendations. A small circle at the centre of the graphic lists the whole-of-government recommendations, which focus on: Modifying the Deputy Minister Committee on Enterprise Priorities and Planning (DM CEPP)

Clarifying roles and responsibilities, including for a Chief Data Steward

Data in decision-making

Ethics and security frameworks The pie chart is divided into five slices fanning out from the centre and each representing one of the following aspects: Governance

People and culture

Environment and digital infrastructure

Data as an asset

Communications The inner part of each slice lists short-term recommendations for action by departments, agencies or portfolios. The outer part of the slice answers the question: Why is this important?: Governance - two recommendations: Develop data strategies

Ensure accountabilities for data roles and responsibilities Why is this important?: Provide horizontal direction on strategic and technical data issues

Model and support cultural change

Manage coherence and flexibility

Maximize public value from data through standardization and prioritization People and culture - five recommendations: Assess state of data literacy

Launch digital academy

Pilot demand map for hiring targets

Identify talent supply sources

Data scientist recruitment pilot Why is this important?: Foster a data-driven culture that is open and shares by default

All public servants are data agents

Hire, retain, cultivate, and empower the right talent and capacity

Increase the data literacy of employees Environment and digital infrastructure - three recommendations: Accelerate work to assess legislative and policy frameworks

Develop a federal roadmap for digital identities

Assess the required infrastructure needs Why is this important?: Protect data and privacy of information

Encourage horizontality and coherence

IT architecture supports and facilitates data management and analytics

architecture supports and facilitates data management and analytics Appropriate tools, infrastructure and processes are available

Fully harness technological opportunities Data as an asset - three recommendations: Review and analysis of data pilots

Develop prototype of a virtual data lab

Update policy requirements towards a new digital policy Why is this important?: Government has the data it needs

Greater use and availability of data

Data use is appropriate, citizen- and business-centric, and ethical

Data are well managed, secure, and fit for use

Value driven by combining government-held data with data from other sources Communications - two recommendations: Open and transparent communication with Canadians

Encourages data sharing, access and collaboration Why is this important?: Raise awareness

Commitment to transparency and protection of individual data

Engage key influencers, expert users, academics, and data providers

Data leads to better decision-making and policy development

Governance Objective Governance exists at the right levels to ensure that data are managed holistically as a strategic asset Why is this important? To provide coherent direction on strategic and technical data issues

To model and support cultural change

To ensure balance between coherence and flexibility

To provide standardization and prioritization to extract maximum public value from data

Figure 8: Governance An arrow pointing to the right presents two columns with recommendations related to Governance. First column: Title: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Short-term (up to September, 2019)

Below the title, there are six bullets: (1) Establish a senior level decision-making body for horizontal data issues by modifying the mandate and membership of DM CEPP (2) Strengthen and clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, including by establishing a Government of Canada Chief Data Steward (3) Develop and implement new frameworks with respect to the ethical and secure use of data (4) Require all departments, agencies or portfolios to develop data strategies that are relevant, scaled and customized to their needs and aligned with the Data Strategy (5) Require all departments and agencies to ensure proper accountabilities, roles and responsibilities with respect to data (6) Convene a central agency-led working group to evaluate and make recommendations to the way data are considered in the decision-making process

Second column: Title: Expanding and scaling across the government  Medium-term and transition advice (October 2019+)

Below the title, there are two bullets: (7) Provide regular updates on data to the Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries table, and encourage departments and agencies to pursue collaboration on specific issues or needs with other levels of government and Indigenous Peoples (8) Recognizing that Indigenous Peoples have an inherent right to self-determination, co-develop with Indigenous partners distinctions-based strategies to advance Indigenous data governance and institutional capacity. The Government of Canada should also work with Indigenous partners, who are the custodians of their data, to co-develop indicators and data collection strategies



Greater oversight to better leverage data Recommendation 1: Establish a senior level decision-making body for horizontal data issues by modifying the mandate and membership of DM CEPP Recommendation 2: Strengthen and clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, including by establishing a Government of Canada Chief Data Steward Recommendation 3: Develop and implement new frameworks with respect to the ethical and secure use of data Goal: strengthen data leadership, drive change and support the strategic use of data A deputy minis ter-lev el committee for data issues

The government has established a number of new government-wide senior official committees in recent years to support its efforts to adapt to digital and data developments. While these committees have tackled many important issues, there is a need for increased coordination of effort toward greater cohesion and coherence so that key organizations are represented and take part in the decision-making process.

Analysis and consultations have demonstrated the need for a single senior-level body to provide horizontal oversight of the strategic and technical uses of data and to make decisions on data management issues spanning the whole of government. It is recommended that the mandate and membership of the Deputy Minister Committee on Enterprise Priorities and Planning (DM CEPP) be broadened beyond IT direction and prioritization to address the need for horizontal oversight of both the strategic and technical uses of data. A shift in mandate and membership would allow the committee to also: provide strategic direction

drive cultural change

encourage greater data and analytics use

align and prioritize da ta-relat ed investments or gaps

ed investments or gaps drive progress on data strategies

ensure open by default and sharing by default

compel data decisions to be holistic. International best practices The United Kingdom's Data Advisory Board, led by the Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, aligns efforts to make the best use of data across government, such as initiatives to keep sensitive data secure, ensure common security standards, and make it easier for citizens to view and correct data about themselves, and refines ethical principles for data science techniques.

Consideration should be given to elevating the committee from a sub-committee of the Public Service Management Advisory Committee to a full co-chaired DM committee with decision-making authorities. Given the horizontal nature of the government's system, and to support cultural change, the committee should work closely with the Deputy Minister Task Force on Public Sector Innovation and should report on a regular basis to the Coordinating Committee of Deputy Ministers. The existing governance that supports DM CEPP ( i.e. , the Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Enterprise Priorities and Planning and the Enterprise Architecture Review Board) should be reviewed so that the DM committee is also supported by an Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM)-level body focused on the strategic elements of data.

Roles and responsibilities around data The government also needs to strengthen and clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, especially given the recent elevation of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Canada to a deputy minister position and the recommendations in this report. Therefore, further work and consultations will need to be undertaken to explore the best fit for enterprise responsibilities for data, especially with respect to the different categories of data held by Government. Champion enterprise data stewardship Formalizing the role of a Government of Canada Chief Data Steward (GC CDS) would support and empower government organizations and others in building their data management and stewardship capacity, optimize the strategic use of and access to data, and support data-driven innovation. The GC CDS would work closely with the CIO of Canada, and with other horizontal governance mechanisms, including the modified DM CEPP , to help ensure the effective use and management of data and information across the government. Ongoing collaboration would also be expected with those responsible for strategic data functions in departments and agencies to discuss progress on the government's data agenda. The GC CDS and the CIO should work to strengthen jurisdictional collaboration and interoperability, enabling public, private, not-for-profit, and research sectors to create economic activity and social innovation.





Enterprise-level and organizational data stewardship can: Support high quality and optimized use of data

Facilitate data discoverability and accessibility

Help build and promote innovation, expertise, skills and data literacy

Help set common data definitions, standards and policies to support interoperability

Reduce the time spent finding data, verifying results or identifying inconsistencies

Help eliminate duplication in the purchase and acquisition of data

Support effective data governance and strategies

Ensure collaboration with department/agency data stewards/custodians, other levels of government, Indigenous Peoples, etc.

GC CDS , StatCan and the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) would co-lead work on the development of frameworks, principles, protocols and guidance with respect to the ethical and secure use of data. This would support social license and ensure the government's use and analysis of data continues to be appropriate, citizen- and business-centric, and ethical.



Next steps Consult on committee changes and draft updated mandate, authorities, membership, governance and support (fall 2018)

Potential committee modifications implemented (winter 2019)

PCO , TBS and StatCan to work together to clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, including vis-a-vis roles of CIO and GC CDS with respect to data, for discussion at DM CEPP

, and to work together to clarify roles and responsibilities around enterprise data leadership, including roles of and with respect to data, for discussion at Ultimate scope and authorities of GC CDS to be determined as appropriate

to be determined as appropriate GC CDS , StatCan and TBS to c o-lea d work on the development of frameworks, principles, protocols and guidance with respect to the ethical and secure use of data

Build data and analytics capability and culture Recommendation 4: Require all departments, agencies or portfolios to develop data strategies that are relevant, scaled and customized to their needs and aligned with the Data Strategy Recommendation 5: Require all departments and agencies to ensure proper accountabilities, roles and responsibilities with respect to data Recommendation 6: Convene a central agency-led working group to evaluate and make recommendations on the way data are considered in the decision-making process Goal: ensure data are at the heart of decision-making and are strategically managed and leveraged to improve programs and services The growth in volume and strategic importance of data assets requires the development of organizational data strategies as well as the assignment of specific responsibility for data. This will help align strategy, processes and structures around data, support the transition to a digital government and help ensure the public service is agile, properly equipped and inclusive. To ensure essential elements are in place and support an integrated perspective on data, strategies will be built around a foundation of governance and the three pillars in alignment with this Data Strategy. In recent years, the roles of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and CIOs have become more professionalized as our working environments have evolved. Moving forward, government organizations will be significantly more data-enabled and data management will become just as important as human resources or financial management. Many would argue that this should already be the case, and that we are lagging behind. The Clerk's tasking requested consideration of the need for Chief Data Officers (CDOs) across the government and for the government as a whole. While their prevalence as an executive leader for data is growing in the private sector and some departments and agencies have recently named CDOs , such a position may not suit the diverse range of mandates and structures across the government. As well, recent changes to the IM / IT policies have empowered organizational CIOs with more responsibilities around data. However, all organizations must clearly identify who is responsible for fulfilling data functions and it would be expected that most will choose to have a CDO to achieve the appropriate balance between data management ( CIO ) and privacy, governance and analytics ( CDO ). The assignment of functions to positions should be articulated in organizational data strategies. Work will also explore how to consider data earlier in the decision-making process through the provision of guidance for Budget asks, Memoranda to Cabinet (MC) and Treasury Board submissions (TB Subs). This would include assessing the needs of others when planning new data activities. An assessment will be conducted of the necessity of data management plans aligned to the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable). This will support proper data stewardship and increase access to data that could be repurposed by others. This work will also consider implementing attestations, similar to what is required for the CFOs in decision-making processes, by the entire C-suite of officers, including CFOs , CIOs , CDOs and Chief Results and Delivery Officers (CRDOs). Next steps TBS , StatCan and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) to develop guidance/training on data strategies for all organizations by April 2019

, and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) to develop guidance/training on data strategies for all organizations by April 2019 Renewed DM CEPP to provide recommendations on reporting/updating of data strategies by April 2019

to provide recommendations on reporting/updating of data strategies by April 2019 All departments, agencies or portfolios to develop data strategies by September 2019

Central agen cy-l ed working group to make any recommendations for changes to dec ision-mak ing processes by September 2019

Accelerate collaboration Recommendation 7: Provide regular updates on data to the Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries table, and encourage departments and agencies to pursue collaboration on specific issues or needs with other levels of government and Indigenous Peoples Goal: drive intragovernmental and intergovernmental collaboration and alignment of efforts on data Local, regional, national and global issues are all increasingly complex. A great deal of success has been achieved in collaborating with the provinces and territories through long-standing initiatives, such as the National Justice Statistic Initiative, a cross-jurisdictional forum and partnership. And we continue to adapt to emerging needs, such as through collaboration on the collection and sharing of quarterly data on opioid-related deaths. But, more can be done. We need to continue to work together to replicate our successes across other domains and with all our partners to create more value for Canadians. All Canadians will ultimately benefit from greater collaboration between levels of government, with Indigenous Peoples, with the private sector, and with non-profit organizations. The Government of Canada needs to take a leadership role in the area of data, including through investments, standards and focus, to create platforms and opportunities that will enable all sectors to create value from data. Existing infrastructure, including the Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries table and current departmental and agency federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) tables will be leveraged to provide regular updates and drive progress on specific data issues or needs with provinces, territories, and municipalities. An approach to co-develop data strategies with Indigenous Peoples is discussed below. Next steps TBS , PCO and StatCan to host a joint FPT table at least once per year starting in 2019

, and to host a joint table at least once per year starting in 2019 Clerk to issue a statement encouraging the pursuit of collaboration with other levels of government and Indigenous Peoples

Where possible, expand collaboration on federal data tools, such as the Federal Geospatial Platform (FGP), to provinces and territories.

Calgary's use of data to help curb opioid overdoses The City of Calgary has integrated data from novel sources, including the Closed Circuit Television system for Calgary Transit, into their overall data on opioid-related incidents. According to the City, "Overdose reporting correlates with high social disorder locations, primarily along the C-Train lines. When incidents occur on Calgary Transit property, approximately one third of cases are reported using the help phone system and approximately 50% are reported by Transit operators or through CCTV monitoring at the Transit Operations Center. In response to this escalating issue, Transit and Alpha House are piloting an approach that pairs a Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership (DOAP) team outreach worker with a Transit peace officer. This team will operate on the C-Train system and proactively monitor locations with high social disorder and reported overdoses. This pilot is funded through Council's one-time Community Services Prevention Investment Fund." Source: The Opioid Crisis and Response: Update to Council and Senior Administration

Inter-jurisdictional collaboration on innovation In 2017, the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries committed to inter-jurisdictional collaboration through the FPT Declaration on Public Sector Innovation, by: Seeking out and applying new insights, ideas, tools and technologies to complex problems by working within and across governments to continuously improve policies, programs and services

Experimenting and measuring results by identifying what works and what doesn't, so that we can invest where we can have the greatest impact

Sharing knowledge and data with citizens in an open and transparent way, while learning from them and incorporating their expertise and input into our work

Putting citizens first by collaborating with all sectors of society, including Indigenous Peoples, the n on-pr ofit and private sectors, and civil society, to c o-de sign and implement better policies, programs and services

ofit and private sectors, and civil society, to c sign and implement better policies, programs and services Exploring opportunities to work together on prizes, challenges and other out comes-ba sed funding mechanisms

sed funding mechanisms Continuing the dialogue on innovation and experimentation across Canada by sharing experiences and knowledge, making linkages and establishing partnerships. Data investments in the health sector Health Canada provides leadership in the area of data standardization and collaborative partnerships through its funding of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Established in 1994, CIHI is an independent organization governed by a Board of Directors with Pan-Canadian representation. It collects, synthesizes, analyzes and disseminates comparable health information from partners from provincial and territorial governments, hospitals, regional health authorities and medical practitioners. CIHI 's standardized approach for the collection and reporting of health care datawhile ensuring its confidentiality and integrityhas supported policy-makers, managers and decision-makers in tracking health system improvements and shaping policies and programs.

Spotlight on data-sharing initiatives across the government Reducing client and government burden by providing access to information Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have long worked in collaboration, administering Canada's immigration laws, including in the realm of sharing data. When IRC C began requiring clients to provide information that demonstrated compliance with residency-in-Canada requirements, the operational impact on CBSA was enormous, as thousands of clients began requesting records of their travelling history across the border. Internally, there were risks of not meeting legislated timelines, and clients were frustrated with the delays in processing citizenship applications. A streamlined data exchange solved the problem. The two departments collaborated on providing direct and controlled access to the CBSA information required. This allowed IRCC officials to access, upon receipt of consent from their clients, the required information. By working collaboratively and sharing relevant data in a controlled environment, the organizations reduced the burden on operational resources and clients, and developed a faster, more efficient process. Improving services for Canadians by joining datasets Two of the government's largest service providers, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), together manage over 100 million interactions with Canadians every year. The two departments joined forces to improve the delivery of services to Canadians by creating connected datasets which inform decisions and spur innovation. For example, to assess and understand the vulnerability of populations to the government's move towards greater online service delivery, they created a visual representation (using the e-Vulnerability Index and aggregated tax filer data), which can also be used as a model by other jurisdictions. To facilitate data sharing between the CRA and ESDC , and to encourage new partners to structure their data in a similar fashion, the joint datasets were also made available on the Open Data portal. Another joint project, the Direct Deposit and Address Information Sharing Initiative (DAISI), is geared to enabling a "Tell Us Once" experience by sharing basic client information across organizations to streamline the process for Canadians to update their informationreducing time and confusion, and providing consistency. With consent, Canadians' banking information will be updated for all CRA benefits and credit programs, such as the GST / HST credit, the Canada Child Benefit, the working income tax benefit, and their income tax refund. This information is shared with ESDC to update Canada Pension Plan information. In November 2017, the first iteration of DAISI went live, and as of June 30, 2018, more than 188,000 transactions have been sent to ESDC from the CRA through the initiative. With an enabling and strong joint governance structure in place, the team successfully worked through some key challenges, including how to handle differing data structures between the organizations and aligning with legislation and policy around the privacy and protection of client information.

Supporting Indigenous data strategies Recommendation 8: Recognizing that Indigenous Peoples have an inherent right to self-determination, co-develop with Indigenous partners distinctions-based strategies to advance Indigenous data governance and institutional capacity. The Government of Canada should also work with Indigenous partners, who are the custodians of their data, to co-develop indicators and data collection strategies Goal: determine data strategies jointly with Indigenous partners, respecting the historical relationship and Canada's commitment to honour First Nations, Inuit, and Metis rights The Government of Canada is undergoing historic transformations towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. It is working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Metis to renew relationships, recognize and respect rights, advance self-determination, rectify socioeconomic inequalities, and remove barriers so that they can control and plan the delivery of the services that affect them. These transformations will need to harness meaningful and reliable data to strengthen Indigenous Peoples' abilities to pursue their own goals and improve the quality of life in their communities by establishing baselines and data strategies to ensure that results can be measured over time. While much progress has been made toward the development of new partnerships and approaches, there is still much work to do. In particular, there are several key driving forces that need to be considered toward a government-wide Indigenous data strategy. First, partnering with First Nations, Inuit and Metis to c o-deve lop data strategies that will contribute to se lf-dete rmination and assist them in the design, planning and management of their services.

to c lop data strategies that will contribute to se rmination and assist them in the design, planning and management of their services. Second, taking steps to enable devolution and greater Indigenous control over services. This includes exploring with Indigenous partners opportunities to build data collection, data storage solutions and analytic capacities outside of the Government of Canada.

Third, progressively reducing dependency on reporting requirements by establishing In digenous-le d institutions, developing data sharing agreements with Indigenous partners and leveraging existing data sources, such as administrative datasets and targeted surveys, in a manner that supports the advancement of Indigenous data governance and their custodianship over data.

d institutions, developing data sharing agreements with Indigenous partners and leveraging existing data sources, such as administrative datasets and targeted surveys, in a manner that supports the advancement of Indigenous data governance and their custodianship over data. Finally, co-developing data strategies that are distin ctions-ba sed and flexible to allow for aggregate data at the community, regional, and national levels, while at the same time, ensuring protection of sensitive and personal data, preventing potential misuse. This is also about integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into indicator development so that narratives are meaningful, reflecting distinct Indigenous cultures, values, and priorities. Looking ahead, Canada will build on existing achievements, continue to strengthen working relationships with Indigenous partners based on an approach of mutual respect and enhanced collaboration, and introduce new processes as required. This is an opportunity to advance a collaborative approach for data collection, sharing, and stewardship between Indigenous partners and Canada. It would also advance Indigenous leadership and governments' capacity to govern their own data.

People and culture Objective People and Culture: the government has the talent and capacity needed to manage, interpret, use and understand data Why is this important? To enable a data-driven culture that is open and shares by default

To recognize all public servants as data agents

To hire, retain, cultivate, and empower the right talent and capacity

To grow data literacy in existing and new employees

Description - Figure 9: People and Culture An arrow pointing to the right presents two columns with recommendations related to People and Culture. First column: Title: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Short-term (up to September, 2019)

Below the title, there are three bullets: (9) Assess the current state of data literacy as well as skills and competencies required (11) Pilot and launch a digital academy to develop digital and data skills of existing employees (12) Ensure the government is competitive in its hiring practices

Second column: Title: Expanding and scaling across the government  Medium-term and transition advice (October 2019+)

Below the title, there is one bullet: (10) Renew HR strategies with targeted training and development, including engagement with colleges, universities and unions.



Support ongoing learning and development Recommendation 9: Assess the current state of data literacy as well as skills and competencies required Recommendation 10: Renew HR strategies with targeted training and development, including engagement with colleges, universities, and unions Recommendation 11: Pilot and launch a digital academy to develop digital and data skills of existing employees Goal: develop and retain talent by providing more professional development opportunities, increase data literacy and support mobility The varying levels of digital and data literacy across the government, along with a constantly evolving context, requires a multi-pronged, nimble and agile approach to the upskilling of employees. First, the government must establish a baseline measurement of the current state of literacy, and assess the skills and competencies required to build a skilled data scientist/specialist workforce ( e.g. , programming, machine learning, AI , geographic information system, visualization, privacy training, etc. ). Second, renewed HR strategies must leverage best practices, accelerate capacity building and increase overall levels of digital and data literacy within communities ( e.g. , policy, administrative, IM and IT ) and across levels, targeting employees from orientation through literacy and career development. It will be especially important to develop the data and digital literacy of government leadership, which will be critical to widespread cultural change. Renewed strategies should include the development of training and curricula, communities of practice, a developmental program and options for increased retention and mobility. It will also be important to continue to engage in constructive dialogue with colleges and universities as well as with unions to grow the workforce of tomorrow, such that curricula, training and development are more data-focused. This should include engagement with credible industry and global experts to stay abreast of the latest tools and technologies. StatCan should be leveraged as a host organization to help build a network of data scientists and provide work experiences to support development and mobility.

Innovative HR initiatives underway CSPS is developing a blueprint for a Digital Academy that can be recreated in regions across Canada with strong emphasis on partnering with provincial and municipal governments, learning institutes (universities and colleges) and the private sector. It is also collaborating with the Policy Community Partnership Office to identify competencies related to digital/data literacy among the IT and policy communities. Global Affairs Canada has developed a Data Analytics Training pilot program as part of its overall data strategy to increase data capacity among employees to make greater use of data in evidence-informed policy-making. StatCan is working closely with 12 educational institutions with data scientist/specialist programs to seek out data scientists as part of their departmental HR strategy. The agency also offers Research Data Centres as a place to engage and collaborate with the data science community for experimentation and innovation.

Next steps CSPS , TBS (Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer [OCHRO]), Public Service Commission (PSC), StatCan and others to: develop a wh ole-of-gove rnment renewed HR strategy (including recruitment, talent management, training, performance management and classification) to support data analytics and digital comm unity-buil ding efforts, supported by organizational HR plans identify needs, required skills and competencies, in collaboration with departments and agencies, related to digital/data literacy by April 2019 complete the training of the inaugural cohort of the Digital Academy, including participants in a dedicated data stream establish an inventory of current training resources, recommend measures to facilitate access by December 2018 informed by dialog with the universities and colleges, update courses of the CSPS core curriculum to better incorporate training needs for data leverage and build on existing and developing partnerships to engage with colleges and universities on data literacy create a community of practice for data specialists work with the GC CDS , TBS , and DM CEPP to drive progress

, (Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer [OCHRO]), Public Service Commission (PSC), and others to: TBS and deputy ministers to actively engage with unions on the changing nature of work and on the workplace of the future

and deputy ministers to actively engage with unions on the changing nature of work and on the workplace of the future CSPS to investigate the possibility of a d ata-scie nce fre e-age nt program

to investigate the possibility of a d nce fre nt program Deputy ministers to ensure that employees have access to and are informed of training to increase their digital literacy, and to nominate learners for the digital academy

Increasing agility and mobility To tackle our toughest challenges, teams need to be multidisciplinary and cut across organizations. Experiments to increase agility and mobility are being conducted across the government, including through the following initiatives: Fellowship program: recruits subject matter experts to apply new innovative approaches to priority projects across the government. Fellows are matched with a department or agency to deliver results and improve outcomes in one of four areas of expertise: innovative finance, behavioural insights, impact measurement and data science.

recruits subject matter experts to apply new innovative approaches to priority projects across the government. Fellows are matched with a department or agency to deliver results and improve outcomes in one of four areas of expertise: innovative finance, behavioural insights, impact measurement and data science. Talent Cloud: an experiment to reimagine staffing for the digital age, including a new online platform for talent to apply for p roject-bas ed work in the public service. The model includes work on: reducing tim e-to-st aff; bias reduction and Indigenous inclusion; digital and tech talent; and improving f it-to-te am.

an experiment to reimagine staffing for the digital age, including a new online platform for talent to apply for p ed work in the public service. The model includes work on: reducing tim aff; bias reduction and Indigenous inclusion; digital and tech talent; and improving f am. Free Agent program: Canada's Free Agent program is designed to test Deloitte's "GovCloud" model. This clou d-bas ed free agency model allows employees to choose their work and undertake pr oject-ba sed opportunities across the public service.

Leveraging a multidisciplinary team to build GC Infobase At GC InfoBase, Canadians find answers to their questions about their government, such as how much is being spent, how many people are employed and what results are being achieved. Their questions are answered via interactive data-visualizations that transform complex data into simple visual stories. The tool contains many years' worth of government data, bringing together information previously scattered across over 500 government reports, such as the Public Accounts, Main Estimates and Departmental Plans. The team attributes its success to flexibility, an obsession with data quality, and the platform's status as the authoritative source for program-level resources and results data. Future plans include incorporating Budget data and raising the profile of the database to encourage greater use. Lessons that can be shared with the whole of government include: The right skills: The skillset to develop and build such a product is not normally found in one team; usually these skills are located in different functional silos ( e.g. , policy, communications and IT ). Success was achieved by building a cross-disciplinary team in one location.

The skillset to develop and build such a product is not normally found in one team; usually these skills are located in different functional silos ( , policy, communications and ). Success was achieved by building a cross-disciplinary team in one location. Enabling technology: In order to move quickly, InfoBase was built with architecture that has impeded the ability to add large amounts of new data.

In order to move quickly, InfoBase was built with architecture that has impeded the ability to add large amounts of new data. The importance of communication: Raising awareness and visibility is an ongoing challenge for the team, although the use of social media, presentations and word of mouth has helped.

Encourage job-seekers to choose the Government of Canada Recommendation 12: Ensure the government is competitive in its hiring practices Goal: find and hire people with the right skills The time has come to move away from passive staffing approaches and toward active engagement and a reduction in the time it takes to hire staff. Amid the current strong demand for data scientists/specialists, we need to be able to hire quickly to be competitive in the marketplace. We also need to provide new hires with enabling environments consisting of the technology and equipment they need to do innovative work. Some organizations are already exploring new ways to attract this talent, and their successes should be leveraged toward a specific hiring model for data scientists/specialists. The government should acquire talent through nimble, innovative hiring practices, and consider its value proposition, brand, and how it markets itself to potential candidates. It must also consider influencing the supply chain earlier via academia and the use of campus recruitment, a recruitment and development program, as well as the use of flexible resourcing options. Next steps StatCan to pilot a "demand map" in select departments to scope hiring targets for winter 2018-2019 and medium-term needs

to pilot a "demand map" in select departments to scope hiring targets for winter 2018-2019 and medium-term needs StatCan and ESDC to build upon their June 2018 Labour Market ha ck-a-thon to identify talent supply sources

and to build upon their June 2018 Labour Market ha to identify talent supply sources All government organizations to leverage and build upon existing and developing partnerships with academic institutions for hiring and explore novel recruitment models, including through partnerships with the private sector

StatCan and PCO to launch a data science stream to PCO 's fellowship program

and to launch a data science stream to 's fellowship program Pilot new assessment methods for potential hiring, including a data scientist recruitment pilot to be conducted by CSPS , TBS ( OCHRO ), PSC and StatCan

, ( ), and Scale up successful pilots as part of a lo nger-term govern ment-w ide talent acquisition strategy for entry-, mid-, and seni or-lev el positions

A successful targeted hiring approach The Chief Data Officer at ESDC recently conducted a successful hiring campaign for next generation data experts to conduct data science and research, and support evidence-based policy. Within four months from posters to offers, a pool of over 70 candidates was established, from which 37 offers across the department have been made to date. Key to its success were dedicating time and resources to internal, collaborative management of the process to ensure speed and quality in evaluation and sending offers out to top candidates before competing offers could be produced. Actions to gain visibility and garner interest included visiting career fairs and university campuses, contacting professors in top programs to speak in classes, meeting graduate students to encourage applications and producing a YouTube video featuring innovative work by Chief Data Office data scientists. The team is now preparing material to share its process such that its successes and lessons can be leveraged in other recruitment efforts, and developing retention plans for the new hires.

Environment and digital infrastructure Objective Environment and digital infrastructure: Processes and infrastructure are aligned to turn data and analysis into action Why is this important? To encourage horizontality and coherence

To provide supporting architecture to facilitate data management and analytics

To ensure appropriate tools, infrastructure and processes are available

To protect data and privacy of information

To keep pace with and fully harness technological opportunities

Description - Figure 10: Environment and Digital Infrastructure An arrow pointing to the right presents two columns with recommendations related to Environment and Digital Infrastructure. First column: Title: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Short-term (up to September, 2019)

Below the title, there are two bullets: (15) Accelerate work to assess the legislative and policy framework and practices to support greater strategic use of data while ensuring the protection of personal information (16) Leverage work underway to support and build the digital identity ecosystem

Second column: Title: Expanding and scaling across the government  Medium-term and transition advice (October 2019+)

Below the title, there are two bullets: (13) Work with departments to establish a common set of data needs and establish a process for easy adoption of data tools (14) Assess required digital/data infrastructure needs



Strengthen a modern and enabling infrastructure Recommendation 13: Work with departments and agencies to establish a common set of data needs and establish a process for easy adoption of data tools Recommendation 14: Assess required digital/data infrastructure needs Goal: ensure the government is prepared to meet its digital/data infrastructure needs and streamline access to required data tools The need for tools to collect, store, analyze, manage, share, and visualize data is increasing in all departments. Enabling open standards, open source, interoperability, and the sharing of expertise requires access to a common set of data tools commensurate with common data needs. At the same time, departments need a flexible framework to explore new tools and more advanced options, that are both interoperable and secure. The Government of Canada's IT infrastructure must be able to support the ambitious agenda of its data system. There is a growing need for higher computing capacity and for the modernization of older data infrastructures. For example, collaborative efforts are underway through initiatives, such as the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure. This initiative provides national geospatial standards and infrastructure critical to address environmental assessments, emergency response and space program continuity. It is important that the government take a proactive approach in addressing its future data requirements. Currently, many departments and agencies are anxious for the delivery of secure cloud infrastructure and/or procurement options. It is expected that Public Protected B cloud services will be ready for departmental access by spring 2019. Next steps TBS to work with departments and agencies to identify common business requirements, develop a catalogue of recommended and p re-appr oved tools, and establish updated guidelines and processes for their implementation

to work with departments and agencies to identify common business requirements, develop a catalogue of recommended and p oved tools, and establish updated guidelines and processes for their implementation TBS and Shared Services Canada (SSC) to assess required infrastructure needs over the short and medium terms ( i.e. , trajectories based on historical data usage, data pressures on the network and bandwidth consumption, forw ard-loo king opportunities) and provide an interim report to DM CEPP by the end of summer 2019

and Shared Services Canada (SSC) to assess required infrastructure needs over the short and medium terms ( , trajectories based on historical data usage, data pressures on the network and bandwidth consumption, forw king opportunities) and provide an interim report to by the end of summer 2019 TBS and SSC to provide a final report to DM CEPP by fall 2020, factoring in all organizational data strategies

A cloud-first strategy The government has adopted a cloud-first strategy, which presents a fundamental shift in the delivery of information technology services. As a cost-effective alternative to data centres, cloud services offer the flexibility to maintain information technology service as demand for online services increases and technologies evolve. StatCan has adopted this cloud-first approach, and plans to migrate almost all of its solutions to the public cloud by 2022. A continuous rollout of technical capabilities and solutions is being carried out over the next five years. For example, virtual data lab capabilities will become available to external partners over the next 12 to 18 months.

Processing large amounts of data at the Meteorological Service of Canada The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is the primary supplier of meteorological and hydrological information in Canada. Its core business is to provide vital weather and environmental information and warnings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help protect the safety and security of Canadians and their livelihood. The MSC is a world leader in processing large amounts of data to run forecasting systems and generate new, integrated and transferable data ranging from global to community-level. These data are made available through open data platforms, including: MSC 's DataMart, ECCC flagship websites Weather and WaterOffice, geospatial web services ( MSC GeoMet), and web-based tools that support application development. Every day: Over 100 M worldwide observations are received and processed by MSC ( i.e. , data from wind profilers, aircraft, surface buoys, GPS , satellites, and other types of measurement technology)

worldwide observations are received and processed by ( , data from wind profilers, aircraft, surface buoys, , satellites, and other types of measurement technology) 16 M worldwide observations feed into MSC 's weather forecasts

worldwide observations feed into 's weather forecasts Petabytes of data made accessible by MSC are downloaded

are downloaded 25 terabytes of new integrated atmospheric and environmental data and model outputs are generated. These data are a highly sought commodity: 664 M access requests were served through MSC geospatial web services in 2017

Align foundational support Recommendation 15: Accelerate work to assess the legislative and policy framework and practices to support greater strategic use of data while ensuring the protection of personal information Goal: protect Canadians' rights and privacy and support the greater use of data in the digital environment To continue to safeguard data and privacy and support trust in the government as a data steward, while enabling the opportunities offered by a greater use of data, a number of reviews are being conducted. These include a review of the Privacy Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Statistics Act, and a legislative review to support integrated federal service delivery. Principles to support an ethical framework for control of personal information will also be explored in the context of a modern, digital society.

Privacy Act Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) Statistics Act Services Review A modernized Privacy Act will support trust in the government as a steward of Canadians personal information. A review of the Act will focus on relevant contemporary data protection principles, including elements of transparency, accountability, and data security, to allow for responsible and innovative uses of personal information. A modernized PIPEDA will put in place safeguards for Canadians privacy in the collection, use or disclosure of personal information in the course of a commercial activity. This work will also consider the interoperability of data protection regimes both domestically and internationally, including Canadas status vis a vis the EU GDPR and other mechanisms, such as the A sia-Pac ific Economic Cooperation Cross Border Privacy Rules. A modernized Statistics Act will increase access to data for researchers and other departments and agencies of government, remove legislative barriers, enhance data sharing and interoperability, and lead to more detailed and timely statistical products and insights while ensuring confidentiality, privacy and increased responsible access. Options will be assessed to improve the government's ability to share information or otherwise undertake activities that would facilitate easier, more convenient service delivery to Canadians through a "tell us once" approach, while safeguarding privacy.

Next steps Develop proposals to modernize the Statistics Act in fall 2018

Continue the review of the Privacy Act

Continue the review of the PIPEDA

Incorporate feedback from National Digital and Data Consultations

Joint transition advice around the legislative framework environmentspring 2019

Continue to mandate that departments and agencies integrate privacy protection in the design of programs and initiatives, and to consult the OPC as appropriate

Services review: Assess requirements for more efficient information-sharingfall/winter 2018

Streamline info rmation-sha ring agreement processspring 2019

ring agreement processspring 2019 Develop options for legislative changesummer 2018 to summer 2019

Keeping data secure The Government of Canada has recently released a new National Cyber Security Strategy, outlining the key elements of the global cyber security environment and articulating some of the ways that the government will respond to an array of new challenges and opportunities in cyberspace. The Strategy is the roadmap for Canada's path forward on cyber security. It is designed to meet the objectives and priorities of Canadians and is rooted in a sustained commitment to: Protect the safety and security of Canadians and our critical infrastructure

Promote and protect rights and freedoms online

Encourage cyber security for business, economic growth, and prosperity

Collaborate and support coordination across jurisdictions and sectors to strengthen Canada's cyber resilience

Proactively adapt to changes in the cyber security landscape and the emergence of new technology The government has also recently created a Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which consolidates federal cyber expertise from several departments into the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), with a federal and national focus on: Informing Canada and Canadians about cyber security matters, as a single, clear, trusted source of information on cyber security for Canadians and businesses

Protecting Canadians' cyber security interests through targeted advice, specific guidance, direct han ds-on assistance, and strong collaborative partnerships

assistance, and strong collaborative partnerships Developing and sharing specialized cyber defence technologies and tools, resulting in better cyber security for all Canadians

Defending cyber systems, including government systems, by deploying sophisticated cyber defence solutions

Acting as the operational leader and government spokesperson during cyber security events The government is also making strides to help Canadians protect their personal information. Public Safety Canada publishes a Get Cyber Safe Blog and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner publishes Ten tips for protecting personal information as well as other information for businesses and individuals on privacy issues. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat offers a number of policy instruments, guidance and tools to support federal institutions in protecting the personal information of Canadians through the Treasury Board Policies on Privacy Protection and Government Security.

Work with our partners to create change Recommendation 16: Leverage work underway to support and build the digital identity ecosystem Goal: support inter-jurisdictional data sharing through a pan-Canadian approach to digital identity The Government of Canada is working to develop a pan-Canadian approach to digital identity. This will allow individuals to safely and securely access its services, using the method of their choice, regardless of channel. Since 2012, a cyber-authentication solution has provided end-users with choice in the credentials they use for a secure, single sign-in to available Government of Canada online services. Clients could sign in to over 100 services offered by 29 departments and agencies, including ESDC 's "My Service Canada Account" and CRA 's "My Account" and "My Business Account." This solution significantly reduced costs by replacing a proprietary system with a standards-based solution and provided organizations with the flexibility to determine authentication solutions according to their unique security needs. TBS is leading the procurement of a replacement solution for this mandatory service, called Sign In Canada, which will evolve the existing service to support the service strategy and federating identity across the government. The platform will be "identity-ready," with the ability to accept trusted digital identities that conform to the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, as and when they are available, positioning the government to take advantage of future developments and service evolution. Next steps Convene a digital ID cluster to drive and coordinate progress on the development of a federal roadmap for digital identity by fall 2018

cluster to drive and coordinate progress on the development of a federal roadmap for digital identity by fall 2018 Engage provincial and territorial partners for pro ofs-of-con cept to work towards accepting their trusted digital identities into federal programs using the P an-Cana dian Trust Framework assessment process by winter 2019

MyAlberta Digital ID Pilot The Government of Canada is working on a pilot to allow Albertans with a verified MyAlberta Digital ID to have real-time access to their My Service Canada Account, allowing clients to apply for benefits and services quickly and safely without having to provide numerous passwords and logins. This pilot aims to prove the concept of accepting a trusted digital identity from a non-federal entity such that the concept can be expanded for use with other jurisdictions. It would validate the principles of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, a set of agreed-on rules and criteria that enable governments to trust identity proofing and authentication processes originating from their own and external jurisdictions. This is an important step toward the ultimate goal of a pan-Canadian approach to digital identity, which will enable individuals to use their digital identity and supports data sharing with other jurisdictions.

Desi gn-dr iven interactive visualizations enhance access to information The National Energy Board's Exploring Canada's Energy Futures tool allows users to explore energy production and consumption forecast trends by region and sector of the economy. This was an early success, which provided the foundation for a three-year initiative to make data more accessible, discoverable and understandable. The Board collaborated with the Interactions Lab at the University of Calgary, a computer coding startup, and a data innovation specialist to assemble expertise in data structuring, information visualization and coding. To support and develop internal skillsets in these areas over time, all contracts include a training component. It was also specified that any visualization created would be open in both source-code and data to support the larger government and public efforts in this area. The NEB has also been shifting its focus to ensuring that this work and all the learnings are integrated into its everyday business. Visualizations published now include: a tool that enables the public to explore incidents that have occurred at NEB -regulated pipelines and facilities. It provides context and allows users to drill down to understand the details of specific incidents, and helps identify trends, such as the type of incidents more likely to occur during construction.

pipelines and facilities. It provides context and allows users to drill down to understand the details of specific incidents, and helps identify trends, such as the type of incidents more likely to occur during construction. an interactive tool, combining data from the NEB and StatCan , to explore Canada's energy imports and exports with more than 3 0 ye ars of data for electricity, crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, as well as export data for refined petroleum products.

and , to explore Canada's energy imports and exports with more than 3 ars of data for electricity, crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, as well as export data for refined petroleum products. additional visualizations of Canada's energy future reports as well as other improvements made based on feedback received. Some of these views have uncovered new insights into the forecasted changes of energy use in small regions, which added the ability to make meaningful comparisons with larger regions. Figure 12: An example of a data visualization produced using the National Energy Boards Pipeline Incidents tool Source: Incidents at NEB -Regulated Pipelines and Facilities

Data as an asset Objective The government has the data it needs, which are fit for use, discoverable, and available. Their use is appropriate, ethical, and generates social and economic value. Why is this important? To ensure the government has the data it needs

To support and inspire greater use and availability of data

To ensure data use is appropriate, citizen- and bus iness-cent ric, and ethical

ric, and ethical To ensure data are well managed, secure, and fit for use

To ensure that govern ment-hel d data can be combined with data from other sources so Canadians can unlock their value

Description - Figure 13: Data as an Asset An arrow pointing to the right presents two columns with recommendations related to Data as an Asset. First column: Title: Laying the foundation and building momentum - Short-term (up to September, 2019)

Below the title, there are two bullets: (19) Foster innovation within the public service and leverage the outcomes of existing pilot projects (20) Leverage and expand secure, user-friendly environments to facilitate access to government-held data for decision-makers and Canadians

Second column: Title: Expanding and scaling across the government  Medium-term and transition advice (October 2019+)

Below the title, there are three bullets: (17) Establish a centralized view of government-held data, develop a government data quality framework, and develop guidance for the long-term management of digital government assets (18) Enhance the rigor of analysis of program administrative data and increase the generation of new data to assess outcomes and strengthen performance measurement, program evaluation and policy development (21) Develop an approach to increase access to public and private sector data to drive insights for enhanced global competitiveness and social impact



Better understand the information we hold Recommendation 17: Establish a centralized view of government-held data, develop a government data quality framework, and develop guidance for the long-term management of digital government assets Goal: know what data we hold and ensure their quality and maintenance Know what data the government holds To increase the use of and access to data and reduce duplication, we must first have a complete view of the data we hold, along with an understanding of their quality, location, and format. This exercise will create an interface or tool to view all government data assets and will support interoperability so that organizations can share, combine and make optimal use of data. The work involves attaining a common vision for governance and stewardship and the development of a data reference model, privacy protection, security protocols and a maintenance plan. This will leverage existing work, including StatCan 's Inventory of Administrative Data Providers from the Public Sector. Experience gained will inform metadata standards and inform a data reference model for a whole-of-government approach. Next steps StatCan to conduct a pr oof-of-conc ept of the inventory in fall 2018

to conduct a pr ept of the inventory in fall 2018 StatCan and TBS to conduct consultations to include data from other da ta-int ensive departments and agencies in 2019

and to conduct consultations to include data from other da ensive departments and agencies in 2019 TBS will establish an enterprise data reference model, as well as establish gover nment-wi de data standards, including for metadata, reference data and master data. The development work will be co-led with StatCan and carried out in collaboration with other departments and agencies, beginning in 2019

will establish an enterprise data reference model, as well as establish gover de data standards, including for metadata, reference data and master data. The development work will be with and carried out in collaboration with other departments and agencies, beginning in 2019 TBS to work towards a tool to provide an authoritative, evergreen and accessible view of government data holdings, beginning in 2019 Ensure the quality and maintenance of data To maximize the value and strategic use of data, dimensions of quality, such as accuracy, timeliness, relevance, accessibility, interpretability and coherence according to intended use, must be applied. StatCan (for whom data quality management and quality control are core business activities) and TBS (who supports the development of administrative policies for the government), in coordination with other organizations, will develop, implement, and support data quality management strategies, policies, and practices for a comprehensive data quality framework. The proposed framework will be adaptable across government while establishing common enterprise-wide standards to ensure interoperability. Next steps Set up interdepartmental working group by October 2018

Analyze current data quality policies/practices by January 2019

Draft proposed quality approach/framework by May 2019

Complete training strategies by June 2019 Maintain digital information Digital assets have a longer life cycle than their supporting technologies and are especially vulnerable to corruption and loss. A GC Digital Preservation Working Group established by Library and Archives Canada shares common challenges and works toward facilitating long-term retention of digital assets. The work of this committee will be leveraged and expanded to develop guidance, including best practices and standards. Next steps Working group to complete work plan and share interim guidance from international best practices by June 2019

Develop strategies and guidelines for data management through effective use of tiered storage, clo ud-bas ed approaches by June 2020

Data visualization as a tool for new insights Supporting government decisions and accelerating change Providing non-partisan and expert advice is fundamental to the role of public servants, and the best advice is anchored in evidence, brought to life through rigorous data analysis. The Results and Delivery Unit (RDU) at PCO supports the government in strengthening a culture and approach driven by evidence. Routine Stock Take meetings with the Prime Minister and Ministers bring focus to results, identify implementation obstacles and address challenges. The creation of a "Digital Dashboard" by the RDU allows for a richness of data to be communicated at these meetings in a dynamic way that moves away from static presentations. Built in the cloud using Tableau Server on top of a database layer that uses open-sourced software, the data visualizations provide more interactivity and collaboration to support these conversations. The team is also a functional accelerator, bringing together talent and plugging into other areas of government to help those groups build their own skill sets. Key benefits include facilitating targeted policy interventions at the community level, relying on one automatically updated cloud-based platform such that one can be confident one is always working with the latest data, and collaborating in real time with organizations across government on one common set of briefing materials. Harnessing data visualization for internal deci sion-mak ing Data visualization has introduced new ways of doing business to Canadian Heritage and provides a leap forward in the department's ability to make decisions informed by evidence, ultimately supporting the goal of improving outcomes for Canadians. In late 2015, Canadian Heritage began making a number of strategic investments in data visualization technology to help empower the data analysis capabilities of employees. These investments have resulted in the creation of an Enterprise Data Management Platform, which incorporates data from a variety of internal and external sources into interactive dashboards. The platform currently features more than 15 multi-dashboards, each designed for a specific purpose. For example, administrative data from Grants and Contributions are combined with population data from StatCan and displayed in an interactive map. By making selections in drop-down menus, a user can map how certain types of funding agreements or funded events are distributed across the country. Employees are now able to quickly perform sophisticated data analyses, and the number of trained employees has grown considerably. The tools are facilitating data-driven decision-making across all business lines in the departmentfrom policy and research, to program operations, to management committees.

Strengthen analysis and experimentation Recommendation 18: Enhance the rigor of analysis of program administrative data and increase the generation of new data to assess outcomes and strengthen performance measurement, program evaluation and policy development Goal: leverage the powerful synergies from the creation and integration of data for development and evaluation The horizontal review of business innovation programs demonstrated the powerful synergies possible when data are brought together to help answer key policy questions. Rapid results were achieved by leveraging existing data holdings, infrastructure and analytical capacity across departments. To build on the success of this initiative, TBS and StatCan are continuing to develop common approaches to collect and analyze administrative data (including Grants and Contributions data), focusing first on business innovation programs. Going forward, this work will include reviewing capacity to carry out horizontal analysis to support and strengthen performance measurement and policy development in priority areas relating to Indigenous Peoples, Growing the Middle Class, and Diversity and Inclusion. The 2016 Direction on experimentation reinforced the government's commitment to experiment with new approaches to produce evidence. An ADM -led interdepartmental Committee on Experimentation was created to help implement rigorous experimentation approaches into the core business of departments and agencies. The Committee is also linked to the Deputy Minister Task Force on Public Sector Innovation, which plays an action-oriented role in experimenting with emerging technologies and approaches. A government-wide initiative to strengthen experimentation capacity would establish a focal point for rigorous data analysis and generation for the Government of Canada, working with relevant departments to ensure the government has the conditions, capacity, and experimental design capabilities to turn data into better information on which its interventions work most effectively. Consideration will be given to whether to update the direction by dedicating a fixed percentage of resources used for generating, analyzing, collecting or commissioning data to rigorous experimentation (exploring, testing, and comparing effects and impacts of programs, policies, interventions or approaches). Final recommendations will be brought forward after interdepartmental consultations. Next steps TBS , in collaboration with StatCan and other partner organizations, to ensure ongoing collection and sharing of administrative data by June 2019, and facilitate linking and releasing the data by December 2019

, in collaboration with and other partner organizations, to ensure ongoing collection and sharing of administrative data by June 2019, and facilitate linking and releasing the data by December 2019 Building on international best practices, develop options for the creation of civil soci ety-l ed work centres that can provide rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of programs

ed work centres that can provide rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of programs PCO , TBS , StatCan and others to evaluate capacity to carry out horizontal analysis to support the government's key priorities by June 2019

, , and others to evaluate capacity to carry out horizontal analysis to support the government's key priorities by June 2019 Consult across government about the proposal to dedicate a fixed percentage of resources to experimentation

Consider formalizing the ADM interdepartmental Committee on Experimentation

interdepartmental Committee on Experimentation Consider the creation of an innovation/experimentation fund to encourage departments and agencies to undertake and implement new approaches to data. To optimize outcomes, consider leveraging programs such as the Free Agent Program and the Fellowship Program to acquire the data skills and expertise required.

Enabling a richer understanding of the effectiveness of government programs The horizontal review of business innovation programs was recently conducted to evaluate innovation support programs from across the government, many of which fall within the ISED portfolio. Administrative program data from TBS were combined with economic microdata from StatCan , together providing 10 years of data for analysis. While program-specific reviews can evaluate how well programs achieve their specific goals, this approach allowed the examination of characteristics that were more successful in achieving outcomes. The project team produced rapidStatistics Canada results by leveraging existing data holdings and data infrastructure. TBS 's strong leadership and support in acquiring administrative data from across departments combined with the authorities of the Statistics Act were key in compiling the final dataset. Co-location of TBS and StatCan staff was also a success factorwith combined teams jointly working on validation of results. Another success factor was continual engagement with departments and agencies as well as the research community. As a result, TBS and StatCan developed a rich dataset that can benefit researchers and policy analysts within government and academia, and gained experience with an approach and methodology that can be applied to other domains. Continued collaboration could yield an even richer understanding of the effectiveness of various government programs.

Be boldinnovate and take risks Recommendation 19: Foster innovation within the public service and leverage the
The Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayang Pilipinas, the alumni of the Rainbow Ranger Sunday Soldier Home Defense Program and the University of the Philippines and its Department of Military Science and Tactics will celebrate the 155th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio at the Katipunero Monument at UPs Vinzons Hall in Diliman, Quezon City on Nov. 30. Being the site where the Katipunero Monument at the Cry of Balintawak was transferred, UP was also designated by the National Historical Commission as one of the sites for the celebration of Bonifacio Day. From 2014, the celebration honored Bonifacio as the Father of Citizen Soldiers for having founded and formed the KKK from raw civilians, with reservists from the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the deputy chief of staff for reservist and retiree affairs, J9, GHQ, participating.The event will kick off with a flag-raising ceremony at the back of the UP Grandstand at 8 a.m. with UP president Danilo Concepcion, the Commandant of UPDMST, the UPROTC and members of KMAB and RRAAI led by Graciano Mercado and Capt. Agustin Nacino, attending. The event will also feature the recitation of the KKK decalogue by KMAB members and inspirational talk by the UP president on the values, patriotism and heroism of Gat Andres Bonifacio.
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Louis Papp looks great for a man who should be dead. He was 14 when he first tried drugs. It was the mid-1970s, in Rome, and someone had passed him his first joint. He was so excited he went home and told his mother. Not long after that he tried amphetamines. Later, cocaine. It was the beginning of what would be an almost life-long affair with drugs. And his heady teenaged days of 1970s Rome were only partly to blame. I didn't take drugs because I was crippled - I took drugs because I enjoyed them, he says. I wasn't trying to escape anything. I just loved taking drugs, and that was my downfall. Today, Papp is a man in healing. For 17 years, he ran Loui's Coffee Shop at the city bus interchange, a bon vivant and well-known figure around town. But five years ago, he disappeared off the map, walking away from his business without a word to anyone. He had lost his wife, sons, house and business - all because of drugs. Since then, he has found God, reconciled with his family and discovered beauty in the world once more. Its a state of being he doesnt take for granted. Despite his classic Italian mannerisms, Papp was born and raised in Canberra to an Italian mother and Hungarian father, both migrants seeking a new life after fleeing a blighted post-war Europe. He remembers an ordinary suburban childhood, attending Downer Primary School and learning to play the accordion. When his parents split up in 1972, his mother took him and his two siblings back to Italy, where they settled in Rome. Twelve-year-old Loui found himself swept up immediately in the revolutionary, left-wing politics that were gripping young people. It couldnt have been more different to Canberra. Were sitting in Tilleys, one of Papps regular haunts, and Papp is sipping coffee while he tells the story - with full Italian gesticulation - of his downfall and redemption. While he's spry and bright-eyed, he looks older than his 59 years. It's not surprising when you hear of where he's been, and while his eyes shine at the memories of his formative years in Rome, hes not proud of where his journey took him. Back in Italy, Papp discovered jazz, travelled the country to attend demonstrations, and took plenty of drugs. My drug abuse wasn't necessarily because I wanted the experience - I was expanding my mind. It wasn't about lying on the couch and becoming a vegetable. That serves no purpose," he says. "It was all about getting high and listening to some really good music. After seven years, he decided to return to Canberra, to take a break and visit his father. He arrived in all his long-haired hippiedom and promptly met the woman who would become his wife, Trish, another migrant from Burma. He got a job at the National Gallery of Australia, first as a cleaner and later managing the gallerys bookshop, where he would work for seven years. He has fond memories of helping hang Blue Poles when the gallery first acquired it. He and Trish decided to start a family, but their first child, Josh, was born with fatal disabilities and lived for just 12 hours. Papps eyes still brim with tears at the memory, although he and Trish would have two more sons, now aged 23 and 27 and both living in Melbourne. In 1998, he opened Louis in the Civic bus interchange, running it for 17 years. And in all that time, he never stopped taking drugs. I was taking drugs, always. I functioned really well, he says - adding that he never got into dealing. He said if the police were ever to search his house, they would find nothing - he consumed the lot himself. He admits this kind of behaviour is common in the hospitality industry, especially among those of his generation, but has noticed in recent years that younger people don't seem to be as enamoured of the drug scene. It's for the best, he says. I tried heroin once and didn't like it. I just didn't see the point. And I was scared of needles," he says. If I wasn't scared of needles I would have been dead. I wanted energy, discovery, talking. But he tried just about everything else. By the end, when everything had fallen to pieces, he had narrowed it down to just cocaine and - worst of all - ice. I was such an arsehole on ice, he says, simply. Of all the drugs I've ever used, ice cripples you, it destroys you. He remembers snorting prodigious amounts of cocaine on a regular basis, often being awake for days. Meanwhile, he was burning through money, losing his friends and driving away his family. Trish - who, he says, has never touched drugs in her life - eventually left him, along with his now-grown sons. We sat down with our two boys, who were almost 23 and 20 at the time, and I fell to pieces and said 'There's no way to salvage?' And she said, 'No. I don't want to', he says. The cafe was still operating, she would come and help me, but I was abusing her, I was calling her everything under the sun, taking ice and coke in great abundance. I was intoxicated, polluted, body and soul, and still functioning. Worst of all, he says, he was losing the respect of his boys - the two people whose trust in him should have been paramount. They walked away in disgust. I sent them running, he says. But it didnt end there; he shut his restaurant and travelled to Europe for one last hurrah with his brother, who is based in Budapest. There I should have died, it was even more ridiculous than it was here, he says. We made Cheech & Chong look like the Wiggles, it was amazing. Tons of coke. Back in Canberra, with no business, family or home, he moved in with his mother for several months. She would say to me, Son, I hate you so much, but you know what hurts me most? I think of your two sons and what you did to them and how they have to live the rest of their lives with the pain and the anguish and the confusion in their minds, he says. He decided to get clean, and did it, he says, by going cold turkey and finding God. How could he not, he says, having come out on the other side of such destruction? I was told by a health worker that I was a miracle, because I took ice for about seven years, he says. But I was taking so many vitamins. I would pump myself with multi-vitamins and drink lots of water, I ate very little and I would stay awake for days on end, and I would go to work. When I look back, I think, how the f*** did I do it? Three years down the track, his once-large group of friends has mostly disappeared, and Papp says he can hardly blame them. In the meantime, he has reconciled with Trish and sought forgiveness from his sons; the family will be spending their first Christmas together in many years. He is managing Molto, a restaurant on the Kingston Foreshore. After declaring himself bankrupt, neither he nor Trish can afford to retire. But, he says, he has found a kind of peace, and a newly restored place in the world. Everybody's trying to find their way, he says. "You find out who your true friends are, and I'm not saying that because I want the ones who walked away to feel any guilt - I understand that too. Everyone deals with situations differently and I don't want to judge anybody. But I can see the world as a wonderful fantastic place, full of beautiful people, all wanting the same thing. If I died today, I wouldn't be in fear, I wouldn't run for my life. If somebody came up and put a gun to my head, I'd say, Just let me get on my knees for one second.

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news, crime

Two people have been arrested following a police chase through the streets of Goulburn last night in an allegedly stolen rental car. A 31-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, both from Queensland, were seen by officers just after 11.50pm on Sydney Road in Goulburn travelling in a Mitsubishi Lancer that had been reported stolen from a rental company earlier this month. Police tried to stop the car, but a pursuit began after the driver allegedly accelerated away from officers. The chase ended a short time later as the car entered the Goulburn CBD. The duo were later found on Sydney Road just after 1am on Saturday, when they were arrested and taken to Goulburn police station. Officers later found the car in a nearby laneway, where police say they also found a tent that had been reported stolen from Nowra on the state's south coast. It's also alleged the pair failed to pay for fuel on two occasions, once in Byron Bay and once in Kew earlier this month. The man was charged with two counts of not stopping for police leading to a pursuit, one count of receiving stolen property outside of NSW, one count of larceny and two counts of obtaining benefit by deception. The woman was also charged with two counts of obtaining benefit by deception and one count of receiving property stolen outside of NSW. The car was taken by police for forensic examination. Bail was refused for the pair and both are set to appear before court in Goulburn on Saturday.

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news, latest-news

Daniel Andrews and Labor have crushed their political opponents in Saturdays state election, charging back into power in a landslide victory. By 8.55pm on Saturday, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy had phoned Mr Andrews to concede defeat and congratulate the re-elected Premier on his victory. At the time of that call, Labor was set for victory in 60 electorates in the 88-seat lower house, a gain of 14 seats. In the cabaret room of Mulgrave's Village Green Hotel packed with elated Labor volunteers and staff members, Daniel Andrews said voters had given the governments ambitious infrastructure agenda a massive endorsement. They have in record numbers at the same time rejected the low road of fear and division, he said. And for that, I am very, very proud. The room erupted in booming cheers and applause as Mr Andrews declared his government the most progressive in Australia. We are the most progressive state in the nation, he said. Giving his concession speech just before at the Veneto Club in Bulleen, Mr Guy could not disguise his awe at the scale of Labors win and the superiority of its campaign. I rang the Premier Daniel Andrews and offered my sincere and gracious congratulations to him on what has been a stunning night for him and his party, he said. It is fair and the right thing for us to do to acknowledge his success, his party and his teams success and the strength of their campaign and tonight I do that. As counting continued into Saturday night, Labor also looked like it had inflicted serious reverses on the Greens in the inner-city battleground seats bitterly contested between the two parties, with the minor party tipped to hold just two of its three seats. Liberal frontbenchers David Southwick and the veteran Robert Clark appeared to be among the casualties, possibly losing their seats of Caulfield and Box Hill respectively. Shadow attorney-general John Pesutto was locked in a desperate battle to save his seat of Hawthorn. The political bloodletting went on right across traditional conservative strongholds in Melbournes leafy eastern suburbs with Forest Hill, Burwood and Mount Waverley also swept away on the red wave. Labors Planning Minister Richard Wynne looked to have survived the strong challenge from the Greens in his seat of Richmond and the Greens seats of Prahran and Melbourne remained in the balance late on Saturday. The Greens were in danger of losing two of their three seats, as counting continued. Labors after-party in Mulgrave erupted in jubilant cheers each time it looked like the government had picked up another seat. By 7.30pm supporters chanted one more seat as the results swung in their favour. Less than 10 minutes later the chant had turned to four more years and Daniel, Daniel as the scale of the massive victory became clear. As the full extent of Labors victory sunk in, a senior party source said the result had been several years in the making. This election was done many years ago, it was the Premiers complete focus on getting things done, the source said. This election [victory] dates back to the May 2015 budget when we financed the Metro Tunnel and level crossing removals, and [comes from Mr] Andrews fierce focus on things people care about  health, education and transport. This is too strong for federal factors alone, its a laser-like focus on things that matter. "Its an extreme endorsement of the strategy taken to the election by the Premier." Mr Pesutto said his party was going to have to have a root and branch review to determine what had gone so horribly wrong. We shouldnt be in this position, he said. Im looking at some people who are very good MPs ... Im seeing them at serious risk of losing their seats and I feel for them. We have to remember what were here for as a party, what kind of party we need to be. Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett has spectacularly called for state party president Michael Kroger to resign before midnight. "If there's one person who should stand down tonight it's Michael Kroger," he told Seven News. "And he should stand down before the clock strikes 12(am) because I think his leadership of the party over recent times has been appalling." Mr Kroger said it was not uncommon for Mr Kennett to call for people to resign. "Jeff regularly calls on others to resign. I wish him well," he told Sky News. "The organisation does whatever it can to support the party. But of course it's a collective responsibility, Matthew Guy, the parliamentary team, the president, everybody. "To try and get one person and say that person should go, that's nonsense." Former Liberal vice-president Greg Hannan said the scale of the loss was devastating. We were bracing ourselves for at worst a modest loss, he said. We were not expecting a catastrophe of this scale. The Liberal Party needs to focus on voters and stop focusing on itself. A senior Labor figure said the win was an endorsement of the vision the government had presented over the past four years and for future generations. We just stuck to the core things that matter to peoples lives, the figure said. The Liberals made a bad call about a narrow campaign of scaremongering without a positive vision. The Labor figure said the new MPs would need plenty of support to move into their new jobs, particularly considering some of them had not expected to win their seats. Long-serving federal Liberal MP Kevin Andrews was at the Veneto Club and said he had detected no hostility towards the Andrews government while doorknocking in the past two months. "My sense was that whilst I thought we were running a good campaign, Labor was going to be returned." Mr Andrews, a conservative who voted for Peter Dutton in the leadership spill, rejected the notion that division in the federal Coalition hurt the state campaign, He argued Victorians had simply chosen to give Labor a second term. If the swing is the size its looking now I think any federal impact is fairly minimal, Mr Andrews said. When its a big swing like it looks, thats obviously state issues.

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author: Mark Melnicoe

With tensions between the U.S. and China boiling over at the APEC forum in Papua New Guinea this week, one wonders if anything can come out of a meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi in less than two weeks.



The two are supposed to talk about their trade differences on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires set for Nov. 30-Dec. 1, but this week's developments at APEC seemed to poison the well.

The headline out of APEC was that no final communique emerged - for the first time in 29 years - because of an impasse between the U.S. and China. Officials from Beijing were so upset over the final language that they stormed into the office of the host's foreign minister insisting on changes, according to media reports.

Agence France-Presse reported that police were called to turn the Chinese away. Chinese officials denied this version of events. But if true, the action broke with diplomatic decorum at an event that aims to encourage dialogue among Pacific Rim countries.

Beyond that, speeches at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit amplified just how far relations have deteriorated between the world's two most important countries. Since President Trump launched his trade war by imposing tariffs on half of all Chinese imports into the U.S. and threatening to tax the remainder, diplomatic officials had hoped to contain the damage to economic matters.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaking in Papua New Guinea this week. (Source: Reuters)

But take a look at what was said at APEC. Vice President Mike Pence drew in a lot more than trade when he told the forum exactly what the Trump administration thinks about China's actions across the board.



"They begin with trade practices, with tariffs and quotas, forced technology transfers, the theft of intellectual property. It goes beyond that to freedom of navigation in the seas [and] concerns about human rights," he said.

In that single paragraph, Pence encapsulated three of the four intractable issues between the U.S. and China, leaving out only the status of Taiwan. The trade war exhibits no sign of resolution, and neither does China's territorial claims over islands in the South China Sea or its prison camps in Xinjiang together with other human rights abuses. These are longstanding issues that the U.S. can't just wave away.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping, without naming the U.S., was highly critical of its trade stance.

"Attempts to erect barriers and cut the close economic ties among countries work against the laws of economics and the trend of history," he said. "This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure."

Instead, Xi called for more trade, further economic opening and strengthening international institutions. Trump holds a clear disdain for multinational institutions and agreements and is willing to walk away from previously negotiated treaties.

"Win-win Progress or a Zero-sum Game?"

Beyond the trade dispute, is there now anything that can salvage the broader relationship between two countries in which open hostilities seem to be breaking out?

Some analysts said China was wrong to so emphatically reject the proposed communique at APEC, which most countries reportedly supported. Two provisions were at issue. One sought to fight against "unfair trade practices," and another, according to The New York Times, called on group members to work to improve the "negotiating, monitoring and dispute settlement functions" of the World Trade Organization.

"It is certain that China gained nothing by refusing a few words in the proposed draft when almost every other country accepted them," Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, told the Times. "We have seen this sort of situation generally since a few years ago."

Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University, told the Times: "China's strident reaction to such innocuous language signals its leaders' concern about being isolated by the U.S. and other countries who may still create a unified front to take on unfair Chinese trading and economic practices."

While Beijing's aggressive posture is fair game for criticism, Xi seemed to have a lot more than economic matters on his mind when he put things into apocalyptic terms.

"Mankind has once again reached a crossroads," he told the APEC forum. "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."

The speeches by Xi and Pence both came last Saturday, and neither listened to the other, instead leaving the hall.

Three delegates from summit host Papua New Guinea described the atmosphere between China and the United States at the summit as "extremely tense," the South China Morning Post reported.

With Trump and Xi scheduled to meet in less than two weeks, none of this appears to leave room for progress. More broadly, the rhetoric and atmospherics increasingly are reminiscent of the Cold War that turned the U.S. and Russia from allies into enemies after World War II.
ECCP president Nabil Francis

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines elected Nabil Francis as its new president during the re-organization of the ECCP officers at the board meeting held on Nov. 21. Francis, currently the head of Republic Cement Services Inc., has been in the Philippines for two years. Prior to his role at Republic Cement, he has held leadership positions in Morocco, India, Bulgaria, Egypt, Sri Lanka, France, and Germany, mainly in the construction and cement industry.He obtained a masters degree in business administration from ESSEC Business School in France and holds degrees in civil engineering from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees de Lyon and urban planning from McGill University. Im honored at the privilege of serving the European-Philippine business community through the ECCP. At Republic Cement, we recognize the hard work and the many good things that the Chamber has done over the past years and I look forward to continuing this during my term, said Francis.ECCP executive director Florian Gottein said: We are very much looking forward to working closely with Mr. Francis on the important advocacies that the ECCP champions. Republic Cement has been a staunch supporter of the chamber for many years now as part of the ECCP board. With Mr. Francis elected as president, we are looking forward to even closer cooperation for the benefit of the European business community in the Philippines. The ECCP thanks outgoing president, Mr. Guenter Taus, formerly of Jardine Engineering Corporation Philippines, for his contributions to ECCP during his term and wishes him well in his future endeavors, said Gottein.
author: Reuters

Trade talks between the United States and China should be equal and mutually beneficial, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said on Friday, adding that he hoped the two countries can find ways to manage their differences through dialogue.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to hold talks during the G20 summit in Buenos Aires next week as trade ties between the world's two largest economies become increasingly fraught.

"We hope that, on the basis of equal consultations, mutual benefits and trust, we could make common efforts to manage differences and find ways to resolve problems," Wang told a news conference in Beijing, the capital.

Officials of both countries were in close contact, instructed by their leaders, he added.

Washington wants Beijing to improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. firms, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375-billion trade gap. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions.

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.

Trump said on Thursday he hoped he could make a deal with China when he meets Xi.

"I can say this, China wants to make a deal very badly - because of the tariffs," Trump told reporters in the town of Palm Beach in Florida.

"China wants to make a deal; if we can make a deal, we will," he said.

The high-stakes meeting comes as the Trump administration shows little sign of backing down in its demands and rhetoric.

Washington said on Tuesday China had failed to alter its "unfair" practices at the heart of the dispute, in an update of the U.S. Trade Representative's "Section 301" investigation into its intellectual property and technology transfer policies.

Rising Protectionism

China hopes the G20 meeting could uphold its stance against protectionism, at a time of slowing growth in global trade and declining foreign direct investment.

On Tuesday, a top Chinese diplomat said an APEC summit's failure to agree on a communique resulted from certain countries "excusing" protectionism, a veiled criticism of Washington's tariffs.

"Currently, global trade faces a complex situation, unilateralism and protectionism are rising fiercely, adding to big uncertainties for global economic development," Wang said. "We hope the summit could further strengthen consensus of all sides on supporting multilateralism."

China supports reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to boost its effectiveness and authority, he added.

China rejected the fresh U.S. accusations of perpetuating "unfair" trade practices and urged Washington to stop provocations.

China's commerce ministry said it was deeply concerned by the report the U.S. administration issued this week.

Citing security concerns, the U.S. government on Monday also proposed stepping up scrutiny over technology exports in 14 key areas, including artificial intelligence and microprocessors, a move many analysts view as directly targeting China.

A 30-day public consultation period on plans to wrap those sectors in its broader export control regime ends on Dec. 19, the U.S. government's Federal Register shows.

Xi will visit Argentina, Panama, Portugal and Spain from Nov. 27 to Dec 5.
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Three jewelry store workers wielded swords to fight off four would-be thieves during an attempted robbery in Mississauga, Ont., police said.

Const. Danny Marttini said the incident took place around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday at Ashok Jewellers when four masked suspects got out of a truck and one person began smashing the store's windows.

Surveillance video released by police in an effort to identify the suspects shows one man jumping inside the store before three employees rush him with swords drawn.

Another suspect pulls the man back outside the store through the broken window as the employees flail away with swords  one of the employees fell while swinging his sword.

"This could have gone wrong in so many ways," Marttini said.

One of the suspects then pointed a gun inside the store. The suspects then fled, got in their truck and sped away through a red light, narrowly missing a collision with two transport trucks.

"I don't know how they didn't kill themselves or anyone else for that matter," Marttini said of the suspects, who left empty handed.

Police believe three of the suspects are men and aren't sure about the fourth. The getaway car is a dark-coloured Dodge Durango, she said.

Despite the successful efforts by the employees, Marttini said it's best to leave the crime-fighting to police.

"We don't condone violence to fight violence," she said. "It's better to save yourself than your property. Your life is more important than jewelry."

In late July, three masked men rammed a van into another jewelry store in Mississauga and made off with $100,000 worth of items.

The store's owner, Baldev Manjania, said he thought his wife was going to be shot during the robbery so he grabbed a sword and ran after the suspects as they took off.

In that case, the suspects jumped into their getaway car and drove away.

"I went to get my sword because I had to do something to save my family," Manjania said at the time.

Marttini said they have no information that suggests the two incidents are connected.
Madison Erhardt

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Kelowna.

Rain didn't put a damper on the 21st annual Tree of Hope light up, with 25,000 LED bulbs illuminating the Landmark Centre.

The tree stands over 120 feet tall and has become a local celebration and fundraising event.

In partnership with Landmark tenants and TD Canada Trust, the Tree of Hope event donates funds each year to local charitable organizations.

Over $500,000 has been donated to date.

This year, funds will be donated to a new study at UBC Okanagan. The study aims to determine whether the physical and emotional health issues of youth in Kelowna reflect national trends or if they are unique to the region.

By identifying the health and wellness needs of young people in Kelowna, we will provide the stimulus for the development and delivery of future targeted health and wellness initiatives, said Ali McManus, an associate professor of health and exercise sciences at UBCs Okanagan campus.

We are grateful to TD Canada Trust and the Landmark Centre for their support of this important research and for helping us move towards addressing some important issues in childrens health, McManus added.

From Late November until January, the Tree of Hope is a visible reminder to the citizens and visitors of Kelowna that the Christmas season is a time of generosity and compassion, bringing joy to friends and family.
Great Deals E-Commerce Corp. founder and CEO Steve Sy (left) and his team

Entrepreneur Steve Sy, one of the top online merchants in the Philippines, received a record 114,165 orders on Nov. 11 or Singles Day, which is widely considered the biggest electronic commerce sales event around the world. The 44-year-old founder and chief executive of Quezon City-based Great Deals E-Commerce Corp. says the figure represents the number of orders handled by his company on behalf of more than 100 clients and brands on Nov. 11 through e-commerce platforms Lazada, Shopee and Zalora. On 11-11, we received 114,165 orders in one day, says Sy, whose company manages the online sales of various brands such as Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Reckitt Benckiser (Lysol), LOreal, Shell, Maybelline, Max Factor, CLN, Reebok, Enfagrow, P&G, Anker, Zoo York, Vans, Anlene, Levis, Lee, Jag, Tribal, Pacsafe and Mango.Great Deals E-Commerce Corp. provides end-to-end e-commerce solutions to local and foreign companies. We take care of the e-commerce of our clients. They just leave the products to us, and we take care of everythingfrom the initial photo shoot until the last-mile delivery, says Sy. We are one of the top merchants in Lazada and Shoppe because we have a lot of brands that we carry, he says. If you add Shopee and Lazada, that is already 90 percent of the e-commerce market. His company takes care of content production, online shop operations and management, pricing, digital campaign, analytics and business intelligence, warehousing, packing, inventory system, delivery returns and cancellation process. We are more than an IT company. We offer end-to-end solutions. The only things we do not offer are the platforms which are managed by Lazada and Shopee and the logistics which are managed by LBC or 2Go. We partner with logistics companies and online platforms to complete the ecosystem of e-commerce, he says. We are the only local company that is doing this. All our competitors are multinationals, says Sy. Lazada right now has 75 million SKUs [stock keeping units], he says, adding that the figure is bigger than what can be found in a large shopping mall. Great Deals E-Commerce alone has more than 50,000 SKUs available online. It also has a database of 1 million customers. It has also grown from a five-man team a few years ago into a company employing over a hundred young professionals who get incentives such as vacation overseas. Right, now we have more than 100 people already, including 30 graphic artists, he says. The workforce temporarily swells to as many as 400 during big sales events. We also have an automated e-commerce warehouse management system. We are integrated with Lazada, Zalora, Shoppe. We have a synchronized inventory, he says. His company operates 7,700 square meters of warehouses in Quezon City and Marilao, Bulacan. Sy, who graduated from De La Salle University with a degree in Business Management, used to have brick-and-mortar stores selling mobile phone accessories in Makati City. The entry of Lazada, however, changed his view on retail and his business model. I started to sell online in August 2014 with my own brand of power banks. I used to sell cellphone accessories offline at Greenbelt and Glorietta. I closed them already. Now, 100 percent of my business is online, he says.When Lazada established a marketplace, I joined in 2014 thinking that I would sell my extra stocks through the platform. But 11-11 of 2014 came, and I was shocked because the whole stock of powerbanks in my warehouse was gone in a day. It was then that I realized that e-commerce is really something different, he says. In 2015, I started bringing in more brands online. I started with virgin coconut oil from a friend I met at a bazaar, and it sold well. In the latter part of 2016, one multinational company, Reckitt Benckiser, was looking for distributor, so I met with them. In five months, Lysol [a product of Reckit Benckiser] became the number one home-care brand online with a significant increase in sales. They ran out of stock in their warehouse, he says. Another client of Sy, New York Sneakers was awarded Online Revolution King of Fashion by Lazada in 2016. Its online sales were bigger than those of Bench, Penshoppe or even SM Stores, he says. When Alibaba bought Lazada in 2016, I made a conscious decision to close all my offline shops and concentrate online. I said this is gonna grow leaps and bounds so I put all my resources to concentrate online, he says. Another client, Maybelline, became the number one health and beauty brand online in 2017. More companies soon joined Sys client list. One by one, the brands came in, he says. I have never imagined this. We just kept growing and growing. Year-on-year, we are growing more than 100 percent in revenues. Right now, we have more than 1 million customers in our database, he says. Last year, we had 15,000 orders on 12-12 [Dec. 12]. In April, Lazada had birthday sales. So we prepared for 15,000, but we received 43,000 orders. Even the platforms were shocked of the volume that came in. This 11-11, we prepared for 100,000 orders, but 114,000 orders came. This was the largest ever. Definitely, the orders will be bigger on 12.12 this year because of the Christmas season, he says. The beauty of our industry is that it is still very, very young. We are expecting to double our revenues next year. The industry is so young and it is gonna grow more, he says. Sy won the StartCon Pitch for $1 Million event in Manila on Oct. 26 and will represent the Philippines in the regional competition on Nov. 30 at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The winner will receive $1 million in fresh investment. StartCon is Australias largest startup and growth conference owned by Freelancer.com. It is Asia Pacifics largest startup pitch competition, with hundreds of startups competing across 15 cities in seven countries for the chance to win $1 million from Australian venture capital firm Right Click Capital. Sy says winning $1 million would help his company scale up and expand to other countries. We are looking for strategic partners globally so that we will have a good global presence, he says. Sy says he plans to raise a total of $5 million to acquire and develop technologies related to data analytics and artificial intelligence. We have a positive cashflow, but we are raising money for expansion. We are raising $5 million. The $1 million is just a part of that, he says. One of the investment plan is to have a big data analytics system. Thats why we are raising capital. We will use our data on 1 million customers to develop analytics and insights and have a better business. For me, it is an honor and responsibility to represent the Philippines. If you could see me four years ago, I was just a simple merchant. But because of the e-commerce industry, we were able to grow our company. Now we are ready to go global. We would like to inspire the Filipinos, says Sy.
PLDT-Smart launches Xmas Grand Salubong

posted November 24, 2018 at 11:00 pm

WINNING OFW. Early bird winner Marites Seraspe Agbu (right) from Hong Kong, with Precy Katigbak, Smart vice president and head for National Key Accounts Development; and Dino Belmonte, Duty Free Philippines Deputy COO. To officially welcome overseas Filipinos who are coming home for Christmas, executives from leading digital services provider PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications held a ceremonial Christmas tree lighting at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018. The launch was held in partnership with the Manila International Airport Authority and Duty Free Philippines for Smart #OFWins Christmas Grand Salubong.Returning OFWs simply need to present proof of overseas employment at the Smart Booth for a chance to win from a Christmas Tree of Prizes to be set up in NAIA 1 and 3, as well as in Mactan International Airport, where similar launch events were also held.Holiday treats that are up for grabs include smartphones, gift baskets, a staycation experience, franchise packages and other prizes from Duty Free and other partners such as Reyes Haircutters, Zoomanity Group, Wilcon Depot, Golden ABC, Lamoiyan Corp., RFM Corp., Potato Corner, R. Lapids, Happy Skin, Baliwag Lechon Manok, SilverWorks, Kimstore, Kkday and more. Daily draws will start on Dec. 3 (excluding Sundays) and will culminate with a Grand Salubong on Dec. 20, 2018.

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The government has presented a long-term development program designed to transform Metro Manila into a highly competitive East Asian metropolis. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority came up with the ambitious program dubbed Regional Development Plan for the National Capital Region 2017-2022 which will serve as the regions framework in socioeconomic development for the next four years. This is a milestone activity for Metro Manila. We celebrate the completion of a regional development plan for NCR, our own contribution in support of the Philippine Development Plan of the current administration of our President, said MMDA chairman Danilo Lim. The plan, Lim said, identifies basic baseline and target indicators that will serve as basis for monitoring the planned implementation and consequently measure NCRs contribution to making an inclusive, connected and a resilient metropolis in support of Ambisyon Natin 2024. Let us use this plan to direct our policy decisions as well as our programs and project development interventions to ensure consistency with the PDPs strategic framework, the MMDA chief said.Adoracion Navarro, undersecretary for Regional Development of the National Economic and Development Authority, underscored the roles of concerned government agencies, local government units as members of the Metro Manila Council, and stakeholders as partners in national development. To regain peoples trust in public institutions and cultivate trust in fellow Filipinos, malasakit at both endsfrom the government and from the citizensare needed. LGUs are at the forefront of service delivery, said Navarro. Metro Manila is considered as the countrys premier region, being the center of political, cultural and economic activities, as well as being the key driver of urban development in the Philippines. It ranks 14th among the worlds largest urban cities and 18th among the worlds largest metropolitan areas. It is a home to 12.9 million population based on the 2015 household survey which increases to a million population during daytime.
Kevin Easley posted a game-high 21 points for the Chattanooga Mocs who lost 83-55 at No. 8 Michigan Friday afternoon. Easleys effort was efficient with his 21 coming on just 13 shots.I thought tonight was better (for Easley), Coach Lamont Paris shared. Today, I thought he was really efficient. I thought his shot selection was good. More so than his shot selection, his preparation was really good."He was ready to make plays.It was a consistent onslaught that did the Mocs in.The Wolverines did not have a scoring spurt of greater than 10 unanswered points, but they consistently found the bottom of the basket on the day.There were some positives on the day. The Mocs scored more points against the vaunted Michigan defense than all but one team to date  George Washington with 61  as defending national champion Villanova mustered just 46 on its home court and Big EAST member Providence managed 47. Thats the exact number opponents averaged against the Wolverines coming in.Defensively, while Michigan easily out-shot its season numbers with 48.3 percent overall and 36.4 percent from 3pt range, Coach Paris saw some things he liked.We had some possessions where I thought we did what we wanted to do, defensively, he began. There were small stretches, but we did have some possessions where we had a plan, we executed it and got them to take the shot that we wanted.The Mocs return to the Scenic City for three straight games over a 12-day span. It begins Tuesday night at 7 p.m., against Hiwassee. Tennessee Tech visits on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m., followed by the Southern Conference opener with VMI on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m. Tickets are available on GoMocs.com or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627).Back by popular demand are the Chattanooga Mocs Cyber Monday Deals. Good for one day only  Monday, Nov. 26  are excellent bargains on upcoming Chattanooga athletics events. Fans can purchase Family Four Packs, Thirsty Thursday Tickets and N.C. State Two-Packs.Details for this deal are listed below. The offers are available for online purchases only, but you can call the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627) if you have any questions. Orders must be placed between 10 a.m.-5 p.m., (EST) on Monday, Nov. 26.Family Four Pack:Available for all home games (only exception is NC State WBB):$50: 4 Gold Circle Corner (MBB)/4 General Admission for (WBB) | 4 Hot Dogs | 4 Fountain DrinksThirsty Thursday:$10: Gold Circle Corner/Endzone for MBB/Ga for WBB | 1 Souvenir Cup (Free refills on the first night of purchase)NC State 2 Pack:$25: Padded Reserved ticket for NC State & Mercer | Parking in Lot 31 GarageThe Mocs Club is participating in #GivingTuesday on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The athletics fund-raising arm is beginning its Drive for 25 campaign on #GivingTuesday. The campaign aims to raise $25,000 in scholarship funds for UTC student-athletes to which an anonymous donor has generously agreed to match.Created in 2012, Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the widely-recognized Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, which includes holiday and end-of-year giving.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will broadcast its annual Christmas Devotional on Sunday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. The devotional, originating from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be broadcast via satellite and online streaming to everyone throughout the world, including those in the greater Chattanooga area. Options for viewing the devotional live and free of charge are available at lds.org, BYUtv, YouTube, mobile app, and at local meetinghouses. Past Christmas devotionals may also be accessed online.

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional will feature Christmas music from the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, and inspiring messages about Jesus Christ. Speakers will be chosen from among the leaders of the Church. The First Presidency currently consists of President Russell M. Nelson, prophet  and his two counselors, Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring. Under the direction of Jesus Christ, the Church is led by 15 apostles. Three function as the First Presidency, or highest governing body of the Church. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is the second-highest governing body of the Church.

Like all First Presidency Christmas Devotionals, messages and music will focus on Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God  that he was born, that he died, was buried, and rose again  that through His atoning blood, all mankind will be saved from physical death by His grace. Through faith in Jesus Christ and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, we can also be saved from spiritual death.

Some 700 years before His birth, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed the coming of Jesus Christ. He proclaimed that His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Isaiah also prophesied the Second Coming of Christ  that He will come again in great glory, to wipe away tears from all faces (Isaiah 25:8), and to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, forever and ever (Isaiah 40:5). The prophet Nephi taught that there is none other name given under heaven save it be Jesus Christ whereby man can be saved (2 Nephi 25:20). So, come, let us adore Him. His gospel is the good news and glad tidings that brings joy to the world. Please join us on December 8, 2018 to celebrate the cause of Christ.
On Saturday the Tennessee Aquarium celebrated the passage of a major milestone with the arrival of its 25-millionth guest since opening in 1992.

Amanda, Michael, Michael, Jacob, and Taylor Roe from Bristol, came to Chattanooga to visit the Tennessee Aquarium for the very first time. Ms. Roe was surprised to learn she was the aquariums 25-millionth guest. We wanted to come down to Chattanooga to spend the weekend with our family, she said. We had never been here before, so we were so surprised to win.

In recognition of their important place in the 26-year history of the Aquarium, the lucky group was surprised in the River Journey building with a collection of prizes valued at more than $1,000 and guaranteed to inspire a return visit. The reward package included complimentary tickets to the Aquarium and IMAX 3D Theater, $250 toward purchases in the Aquarium gift shops, a special behind-the-scenes tour, a VIP pass to more than 20 Chattanooga-area attractions and a voucher to return to Chattanooga to stay in the new Edwin boutique hotel.

The Roes trip began with an unlucky delay that ended up working out quite well. We got in the car to come here, but the battery was dead, said Mr. Roe. We would have been here a lot earlier today and would have missed out if we didnt have to replace the cars battery.

The Tennessee Aquarium opened its doors on May 1, 1992. In the years since, the non-profit organization has achieved remarkable success without drawing on city or county tax money. The Aquarium consistently receives top ratings in customer satisfaction on TripAdvisor and was listed as one of the world's top aquariums in 2018.

Since opening, the Aquarium has contributed more than $3.3 billion to the local economy through non-local visitor spending.

Families like the Roes, who come to Chattanooga to enjoy the Aquarium, create cherished memories together while generating a $115 million dollar annual impact on the city and county.

Celebrating the Aquariums 25 millionth guests also honors the generations of visitors who preceded them and who experienced countless unforgettable moments of their own, says Aquarium President and CEO Keith Sanford.

The Aquarium and Chattanooga have come to hold a special place in the hearts of millions of people, Mr. Sanford said. As we always have, we strive every day to earn their support, to inspire others and to show how connected we all are to the natural world.
Asia Bibi's daughter thanks Christians worldwide for support, but fears 'religious enemies' want them dead Christian Post Contributor | 24 November, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov

One of Asia Bibi's daughters has appeared on a video thanking God and Christians worldwide who've been praying for her family as they continue to face many uncertainties.

"Thank you everybody for praying for my mother. I'd also like to thank the brave judges and the Pakistani justice system that recognize my mother's innocence," Eisham Ashiq says in a video, supplied by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

"I'd also like to thank all the governments  the Italian government that [is] concerned about our future and safety," she adds.

"Thanks God, she (Bibi) is free and I hope our entire family is finally happy and free. Thanks to all of you for praying for my mother and persecuted Christians."

Bibi's family has also said that "religious enemies" want them dead.

"They are living almost as fugitives with mullahs going house to house looking for them," ACN's John Pontifax told Sky News.

The British government has refused to grant asylum to Bibi and her family, The Telegraph reports her supporters as saying, "because of fear it would prompt 'unrest' in the U.K. and attacks on embassies."

Christians across Pakistan have been warned by police to expect attacks by Islamic hardliners following Bibi's acquittal in October. The Christian mother of five spent eight years on death row for the crime of blasphemy, but the country's Supreme Court found last month that there wasn't enough evidence against her.

Bibi's release has sparked protests, with Islamists shutting down streets across the country. Reports have said that Christians have been dragged out of cars and beaten in the wake of the unrest.

"Christians will pay close attention and act with caution in the organization of gatherings and celebrations at Christmastime," Catholic layman Adeel Patras Chaudhry of "Jesus Life TV" said in response to the latest police warnings.

"We pray for the protection of the faithful and of the security forces, committed to our protection. We are aware of the delicate situation and collaborate with the police and with the government."

Ashiq Masih, Bibi's husband, said earlier in November that the family has "nothing to eat" as they remain trapped in Pakistan.

"Help us get out of Pakistan. We are extremely worried because our lives are in danger. We no longer have even anything to eat, because we cannot leave the house to buy food," Masih pleaded.

The father has also called for world leaders to help.

Read more about Asia Bibi on The Christian Post.
Rider U. rejects student survey asking for Chick-fil-A, says company's values 'haven't progressed' Christian Post Reporter | 24 November, 2018 by Brandon Showalter

A New Jersey college is refusing to bring Chick-fil-A on campus because its values "have not sufficiently progressed" despite it being the most preferred option among the students.

In a Nov. 1 email obtained by Campus Reform, Rider University, a private institution in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, explained that they would not be bringing the popular chicken sandwich restaurant since "their corporate values have not sufficiently progressed enough to align with those of Rider," articulating that their decision was to promote "inclusion for all people."

During the spring semester, Rider surveyed the student body to inquire which restaurants they would like to see come to campus. When the students responded that Chick-fil-A was their top choice, the university paid no attention to the results.

"There are a number of factors that contribute to a campus' decision to invite a retail partner on campus," Rider Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Jan Friedman-Krupnick told the outlet.

"While Chick-fil-A is among other restaurants preferenced by Rider students, there are members of the community (faculty, staff, and students) who strongly opposed the option as well."

He added: "In all of our campus decisions, we carefully weigh benefits, risks and voices representative of all of our campus constituents."

The fast-food chain has drawn the ire of LGBT activists in recent years because of the socially conservative views of the Cathy family, who own and operate the company. Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy said in an interview in 2012 that they unapologetically believed in the historic Christian teaching on marriage as between one man and one woman, and criticized same-sex unions. The company has also donated to Christian nonprofit organizations that believe as they do. The restaurant has remained a point of contention in culture wars.

Some mocked Rider University's defense of acting out of tolerance for everyone.

"You mean a value like tolerance of opposing viewpoints?" tweeted Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman and radio host.

This is not the first time where the restaurant has faced such hostility from college environments, where the same line of argument about "inclusion" and "diversity" was used.

Last year, students at Duquesne University, a Catholic school in Pennsylvania, argued that having Chick-fil-A on campus posed a "risk" to LGBT-identified students and said that they would not be safe.

Read more about Chick-fil-A on The Christian Post.
Jamal Bryant says God told him to leave Empowerment Temple; church shocked

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Controversial Baltimore preacher Jamal Bryant revealed on Tuesday that God told him to leave Empowerment Temple, the megachurch he founded, for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia. Many of his parishioners, however, were caught off-guard because they were kept in the dark about his new assignment as senior pastor of New Birth.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bryant revealed that he told his parishioners at the 10,000-member Empowerment Temple in Baltimore that he was resigning on Sunday but did not tell them it was to take over as senior pastor of the church once led by his former benefactor, Eddie Long.

The news did not go over well, at all, Bryant said. There was a great gnashing of teeth. Nobody was expecting it.

When The Christian Post contacted Empowerment Temple on Tuesday to ask about the announcement that their pastor would be moving to lead the Georgia church, an official replied, "We have no information on that right now."

Bryant, 46, explained what he heard from God about his leadership at Empowerment Temple: This is not your church; it belongs to the people."

I had a sense of ownership that had leaped into entitlement. I began to think this (Empowerment Temple) is me, but God tapped me on the shoulder and said hold on. Not so fast, he said. I had no reason to leave Baltimore but for the prompting of God.

He said his father, John Richard Bryant, a retired presiding bishop in the AME Church, also advised him that when God called him to preach he didnt call you to a denomination, he called you to service. That meant the world to me as a third-generation AME.

Bryants ministry at Empowerment Temple was almost destroyed after he admitted to an extramarital affair while he was married to now ex-wife Gizelle Bryant, who stars on Bravo TVs Real Housewives of Potomac. Since his divorce, he was also alleged to have fathered a child with Latoya Shawntee Odom.

Thomas W. Dortch Jr., an Atlanta businessman and chairman of New Births board, told the AJC that they believe the mistakes Bryant made in life have helped him grow.

Yes, he made some mistakes in life, but hes learned from them and grown to understand he has to move forward, Dortch said. If you cant find redemption in the church, then where do you find it?

Bryant was chosen from a pool of 138 candidates to take the reins of a church that once boasted 25,000 members in its heyday. Membership at New Birth has since dropped to about 10,000 after Long was hit in 2010 by a series of sex scandals involving allegations from multiple young men that haunted him until his death in January 2017.

Bishop Stephen A. Davis, who took over leadership of New Birth shortly after Longs death, resigned from the church in June.

Dortch told the AJC that New Births board had asked applicants to come up with solutions to reduce the churchs $31 million debt and suggested that Bryant had a plan.

He didnt come in talking off the cuff, Dortch said. This is one guy whos an architect for religion.

For now though, Bryant hopes to build on New Births legacy of community involvement and guide the church into a place of healing and direction.

Weve got to rebuild trust and bring the church collective through the grieving process that I dont believe they have really gone through. Its just been shock after shock. They dont need a speaker, but a shepherd to help lead and guide, he said.
PARISDemonstrators who have blocked French roads over the past week dressed in high-visibility jackets, are set to cause another day of disruption on Saturday amid calls to bring Paris to a standstill. Security forces are on high alert again, but face difficulties in predicting where crowds will gather to support what is still a largely spontaneous movement led by angry voters in rural and small-town France. Nearly 300,000 people blocked motorways, roundabouts, businesses, and fuel depots last Saturday and smaller protests have continued this week, with an estimated 5,000 people still taking part on Friday. The demonstrations were sparked by an increase in diesel tax, justified as an anti-pollution levy by the government, but have since morphed into a broad opposition front to centrist President Emmanuel Macron. I hope there will be a veritable yellow tide, one of the leaders of the movement, right-wing political figure Frank Buhler, said this week as he urged supporters to descend on Paris. But with some protesters baulking at the cost of travelling to the capital, it was unclear whether the organizers would achieve their aim of causing gridlock in the City of Light. Paris authorities have authorized a demonstration in a park next to the Eiffel Tower. I will go to Paris to demonstrate because staying on our little roadblocks is more of an annoyance for motorists than the government, Philippe, a 42-year-old employee of state power company EDF, told AFP in the southeastern town of Dax. Two people have died and over 750 people, including 136 police officers, were injured during the week of demonstrations that shone a light on frustration over stagnant spending power and the rollback in public services in some areas of France. On Friday evening a man wearing an explosive device and demanding yellow vest protesters be given an audience by the French president turned himself in to police in Angers in western France. He demanded that the yellow vests be received at the Elysee presidential palace, local prosecutor Yves Gambert told AFP. Local official Bernard Gonzalez said: There was a real risk, real danger, he had an explosive charge around his neck... This was not fake. - Were not sheep - Former investment banker Macron was elected on a pledge to put more money in workers pockets but the effects of his reforms on purchasing power -- persistently shown as one of the biggest concerns of the French -- have been limited so far.The poor and low-paid are particularly incensed at his decision to hike anti-pollution taxes on diesel and petrol, while scrapping a wealth tax on the rich. Macron, we are not your sheep, a banner held aloft by roadside protesters in Montceau-les-Mines read Friday -- an allusion to their feeling of being fleeced by the government. Opposition parties on the hard left and right have cheered on the protesters, whose revolt was described by 77 percent of respondents in an Odoxa poll for Le Figaro newspaper as justified. Its the cry of a France that is struggling and fed-up, Jordan Bardella, spokesman for the far-right National Rally (former National Front) said. Macron, who is under pressure to tackle pollution ahead of European Parliament elections in which the environment is expected to feature prominently, has refused to back down on taxing polluters. But with his ratings languishing at record lows of under 30 percent, he has sought to present a more empathetic side. Next week, he will unveil a new energy plan that will aim to make the shift towards cleaner fuel and power more acceptable. We have heard the message of citizens, one of his aides said on Thursday. Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries -- citizens pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP -- while fuel price protests are a common modern occurrence. Previous rounds pitting the government against drivers took place in 1995, 2000, 2004, and 2008, often when tax increases coincided with high oil prices -- as they have this year. In 2013, Breton red hats forced the Socialist government of Francois Hollande to scrap a pollution tax on trucks after weeks of blockages. For political analyst Jean-Yves Camus, the French tend to rise up against taxes in particular when they feel the countrys revered public services are failing them. The acceptance of taxes is based on the notion of redistribution, he said. It declines when public services recede, the safety nets dwindle, and the gap between rich and poor increases.
Stephen Colbert reveals what brought him back to Jesus from atheism, shares who God is to him

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The Late Show host Stephen Colbert says a chance encounter with a person handing out Bibles on the street is what brought him back to faith when he was an atheist.

Colbert, a Roman Catholic, spoke last week with the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor at America magazine, and said he was a convicted atheist in his 20s.

I had lost my faith in God, to my own great grief, Colbert said. I was sort of convinced that I had been wrong all this time, that I had been taught something that wasnt true.

In past interviews, Colbert has opened up about the tragedy of his childhood, describing how his father and two brothers died in a plane crash when he was 10 years old.

In his interview with Martin on the "Faith in Focus program, he said that it was a cold night in Chicago, Illinois, when one stranger handed him a little green pocket Bible. He was 22 then.

That Bible was indexed by topics, and so Colbert turned to the page about anxiety. Jesus words at the Sermon on the Mount were presented:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ... Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

The talk show host revealed that he was absolutely, immediately lightened by Christs words.

I stood on the street corner in the cold and read the sermon. And my life has never been the same, he added.

In another exchange posted online, Martin asked Colbert to tell him who is God for you?

Its Jesus Christ, Colbert immediately replied. Not an old man with a beard."

The comedian went on to say that physically, he thinks of Jesus when someone asks him that question, but that image dissolves, as I try to subsume that image into the Trinity."

He added that one of the things he prays about is the ability to love.

"If I can love, I can be free, he said. When I think of love, I think of God, and when I think of God, I think of love."

Colbert has featured several segments and comedy bits revolving around religion on his CBS "Late Show program. He has also debated some notable atheist celebrities, such as comedian Ricky Gervais, on the topics of Creation, God, science, and religion.

He has also challenged some conservative Christian leaders, such as megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

After Jeffress suggested last year that God has granted U.S. President Donald Trump the authority to "take out" North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Colbert featured a comedy bit where a white-haired spoof version of God suggested that he agreed with Jeffress' comments.

"Oh yeah, I'm always on America's side when it comes to blowing stuff up," the spoof version of God said. Colbert then pointed out, "But that goes against your whole message of peace and forgiveness," to which the character said that such thinking comes from his "hippy" son Jesus.

Watch Colbert's interview on faith here.
Abortion rate hits historic low, but over 630,000 babies still aborted in US every year

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the number of abortions in the U.S. has hit a historic low, according to a report released on Wednesday.

"Among the 49 areas that reported data every year during 20062015, decreases in the total number, rate, and ratio of reported abortions resulted in historic lows for the period of analysis for all three measures of abortion," the report said.

The CDC report found that 638,169 abortions were reported from 49 states for 2015, which comes out to 11.8 abortions per 1,000 women aged 1544 years, "and the abortion ratio was 188 abortions per 1,000 live births." In total, the abortion rate decreased 2 percentage points from 2014, and as much as 24 percent from 2006.

The statistics showed that women in their 20s had the highest abortion rates, namely 31.1 percent for those aged 20-24, and 27.6 percent for those in the 25-29 age group.

A major drop was also reported when it comes to teenage abortions. Those aged 15-19 accounted for 9.8 percent of all reported abortions in 2015, which is a decrease of 41 percent from 2006.

The CDC did not comment on the decline, though both pro-life and pro-choice groups are taking credit.

Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, told Reuters: That is due, in a significant way, to pro-life legislation that seeks to provide life-affirming solutions to abortion, combined with pro-life efforts that educate Americans about the effects of abortion and the humanity of the unborn child."

Rachel Jones, research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion, argued that the increased use of contraceptives can be credited.

"Affordable access to the full range of contraception and family planning options is critical for people deciding if and when theyd like to become parents, develop their careers, plan for their futures and manage their health, Jones said.

The CDC's statistics showed that the abortion rate among non-Hispanic white women and non-Hispanic black women was the highest in the country in 2015, at 36.9 and 36.0 percent respectively.

Looking at marriage status, only 14.3 percent of all women who underwent an abortion were married, compared to 85.7 percent who were unmarried.

In the Discussion section of the report, the CDC noted that the big maternal age differences played an important factor in the observed abortion trends.

Because of the high rate and proportion of abortions that occurred among women in their 20s, women in this age group have contributed substantially to overall changes. Conversely, during 20062015, women aged 40 years had consistently low abortion rates and accounted for a limited percentage of abortions (3.7 percent); therefore, they have had a much smaller contribution to overall abortion trends, the government report explained.

Nonetheless, among women aged 40 years, the abortion ratio continues to be higher than among women in their mid to late 20s and 30s, it added.

Because of the limited proportion of abortions that are performed later in gestation among women aged 40 years, which might be completed for maternal medical indications or fetal anomalies, the continuing high abortion ratio among these older women suggests that unintended pregnancy is a problem that women encounter throughout their reproductive years.
Luis Palau reveals he's defying the odds, shares cancer update and future plans for ministry

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World-renowned evangelist Luis Palau shared an update about his health on Thursday as well as information about upcoming plans for his ministry work throughout the world.

At the top of the year, the beloved minister made the unexpected announcement that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. In his Thanksgiving Day update, however, Palau testified about how he's defying the odds and doing much better than doctors had anticipated.

For Pat and me, this has been a year unlike any other. Frankly, if you had asked me early in the year what Id be doing right now, I would have told you Id be celebrating with the Lord in Heaven. But clearly, He has different plans, Palau wrote in the post shared on his website.



Diagnosed with lung cancer in January, I was told Id be gone by Christmas. Probably sooner. Get your life in order, the doctor said. It was a sobering reality, he added. Yet here I am, quite well actually, and writing to you about plans for the months ahead! Its a testimony of Gods goodness. I believe its also a challenge.

In March, Palau shared that after two months of chemotherapy, the doctors were amazed at the results of his CT scan and blood work. All tumors had shrunk by one-third and there was no new growth of the tumors. The results were so uncommon for someone with stage four cancer that Palau said the doctors were stunned.

Whether the Lord gives me a few months or a few years ... I have no regrets. Evangelism has been my life. And theres nothing I want more for you than to have the same deep satisfaction in knowing you are obeying the Lord and investing in eternity, the Argentinian native wrote.



He revealed that the Luis Palau Association has multiple campaigns set for the months ahead with endless opportunities. The initiatives are arranged for the Ivory Coast, China, the U.K., Latin America, South Africa, and several cities in the United States.

Right now, however, their focus is set on Madrid, Spain.

The Lord has used our team in a unique way in Spain over the last 15 years. And now the local leaders are asking us to return for a major evangelistic festival in the capital city, the 83-year-old Christian leader said.

He concluded his post by boldly asking for financial help during the Christmas season.

Your giving to evangelism has a deep, eternal, multiplying effect. I pray you know that. And Im excited to tell you we have a matching challenge you can take advantage of before the end of the year, Palau ended.



Every monetary gift given, from now until Christmas, up to $250,000 will be met dollar-for-dollar.

On Nov 23, global Christian television network TBN celebrated Palaus ministry and legacy by airing a special titled,  Luis Palau: Ambassador of the Good News. The special journeyed throughout the last fifty years of Palaus soul-winning evangelism.

The Palau Association has collaborated with thousands of churches in hundreds of cities around the world. He has led millions into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in over 75 nations.

This reporter was in attendance in 2015 as he rallied 1,000 New York City churches together to make history in the Big Apple. It was one of the biggest evangelical moves in New York City as approximately 60,000 people gathered to hear the Gospel and worship at just one of the outreach events held in Central Park. The Palau Association has coordinated hundreds of citywide campaigns just like it in dozens of nations, including major evangelistic festivals on all five continents.



To stay up to date on Luis' condition and ministry, go to Palau.org.
People seeking exorcisms rising dramatically: report

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Demands for exorcisms in the Catholic Church are on the rise amid a resurgence of interest in occult practice in the United States.

According to the December edition of the The Atlantic, priests are fielding more requests for exorcisms.

Among the general public, a growing number of Americans believe that demonic possession is real, according to recent data from YouGov and Gallup polling on the subject. Gallup surveys indicate that from 1990 to 2007, the portion of Americans who believed as such grew from 55 to 70 percent.

Father Vincent Lampert, an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, told the Atlantic that he has received 1,700 phone or email requests for exorcisms this year, by far the most hes ever received in a single year.

Likewise, Father Gary Thomas, who is a Rome-trained exorcist, received "at least a dozen requests a week."

"Several other priests reported that without support from church staff and volunteers, their exorcism ministries would quickly swallow up their entire weekly schedules," the Atlantic reported.

The Roman Catholic Church has been training new exorcists in a few cities in the U.S. and other countries. While no official statistics exist, there were only 15 officially trained exorcists in 2011, according to Thomas, who now says there are over 100 today.

Involvement in occultic activity is a doorway to demonization, some priests say, and the rise in demonic possession is the result of a resurgence in practices of magic, divination, witchcraft, and attempts to communicate with the dead, also known as necromancy.

Other Christian thought leaders believe that not near enough attention is given to distinctly spiritual things, even though they say they believe in it. In April, Q founder Gave Lyons found out that 80 percent of attendees at one of his events where the subject was discussed had never or rarely heard a talk on the demonic realm.

"There's an inherent interest in these matters," Adam Blai, a Catholic expert in demonology who trains priests to become exorcists, told Lyons earlier this summer in a Q&A follow up session.

"I'm not sure why that is except that perhaps it's one of the places where the spiritual world really becomes physical. I think on a basic human level, that is inherently interesting to us. It's the reason they make movies about it."

He added that approximately a third of the miracle ministry of Jesus in the Gospels are related to casting out evil spirits.

"You're not only talking about something very real and physical, but you're also talking about something really central to the Gospel," Blai said.

Yet Christians need not be afraid, because "Jesus is in charge," he said.

"We need to focus on Christ ... He's the one who has the leash on all of these creatures."

Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, told The Christian Post in September 2017 that it's to our detriment when we make light of the reality of Satan and the demonic realm. An "anti-supernatural bent" pervades our modern culture, he said in an interview at the time.

"I think we have to be aware that this is deeply embedded in the Scripture and we need to be wise. There is a kind of cult of the demonic that I want to resist and not trivialize. But sometimes the demonic is too trivialized in our culture. I want to treat it with all of the biblical seriousness that the Word of God does."
PE teacher threatened with punishment for objecting to trans student in locker room, law group claims Superintendent says teacher was never punished: 'there haven't been any issues'

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A Christian physical education teacher in Florida says he's been threatened with punishment for not agreeing to watch over and supervise a trans-identified student in the boys' locker room.

Dozens of residents in Pasco County Florida voiced their outrage at a school board meeting on Tuesday over the school districts stance allowing trans-identified students to use locker rooms and showers consistent with their gender identity instead of their biological sex, The Tampa Bay Times Reports.

Many of the residents at the meeting go to the same church congregation as Robert Oppedisano, a PE teacher at Chasco Middle School in Port Richey.

The pro-bono conservative Christian legal nonprofit Liberty Counsel has voiced concerns about what it describes as an unwritten policy instituted by county school administrators in a letter to school board chair Cynthia Armstrong in late September.

The legal group has accused the county of violating the conscience rights of physical education teachers who objected to the policy.

Both of the P.E. teachers, Robert O. and Stephanie C., objected to administrators orders to allow the girl into the bathroom, with no forewarning of the boys, or their parents, so that the boys could take steps to protect their privacy, the letter explained. Administrators told them that informing the boys so they could take steps to protect their privacy would be discriminatory, and subject them to discipline.

The letter explained the Oppedisano objected to an order to supervise the locker room even though a biologically female student began using the boys locker room on Sept. 27. He was reportedly told by administrators that the student had every right to use the locker room.

Within the right to use the locker room are the rights to disrobe and shower in open showers, the Liberty Counsel explained.

Robert will not knowingly place himself in a position to observe a minor female in the nude or otherwise in a state of undress, the letter explained. Now, Robert has been told by administrators that he will be transferred to another school as a discipline for not doing your job in the locker room.

Oppedisano claims to have been told by the school district's lawyer that this might cost you your job.

Your teacher certificate might be taken from you, to where you can no longer teach, the teacher claims to have been told, according to Liberty Counsel.

Kathy Scalise, director of the Office for Employee Relations, threatened in an email to send the teacher home on administrative leave. I think it sends a clear message that we will not tolerate his behavior, she was quoted as writing.

At the school board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Kurt Browning clarified that Oppedisano has not been disciplined at all, in any way shape or form.

Browning also said that Chasco Middle School administrators have actually monitored the locker room in place of Oppedisano, The Tampa Bay Times notes. The superintendent also contended that students "do not undress in the locker room and that even though there are showers in the locker rooms, no one takes showers.

There have not been any issues on this at Chasco Middle, Browning asserted.

Browning then asked school board attorney Dennis Alfonso to explain the districts transgender-inclusive locker room policy.

Alfonso reportedly cited federal guidelines, laws and court precedents, including a federal court ruling this year allowing a transgender student to use locker rooms and bathrooms consistent with his gender identity in another Florida county.

It should be noted that while the Obama administration advised public school districts to create transgender-inclusive bathroom and locker room policies, the 2016 guidance was rescinded under the Trump administration.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, many opponents of the school districts policies who attended the school board meeting didn't believe the districts response and some even suggested that officials were lying.

Critics have called on the board to adopt a policy requiring students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with the sex on their birth certificate. They also asked for the installation of single-stall restrooms to aid transgender students or others who might feel uncomfortable.



"Create policy with privacy for all in mind," parent Deena Driver was quoted as saying.

The opponents of the policy called for teachers to be protected from having to supervise students of the opposite biological sex in locker rooms if they have objections. They also called on the board to require parental approval for students to participate in after-school activities like the Gay-Straight Alliance.

The Federalist reports that the Pasco County School District implemented its transgender-inclusive policy after it hired school psychologist Jackie Jackson-Dean as its LGBT liaison.

Jackson-Dean is the primary author of the school districts best practices guide that lists locker room and bathroom access for transgender students as a right." The guide also advises school staff not to disclose a childs gender identity to his or her parents.

The guide also pushes the Obama-era interpretation that federal laws that protect citizens on the basis of sex extend those protections on the basis of gender. Additionally, The Federalist notes, the guide calls on the school district to ignore the Trump administrations reversal of Obama's Department of Education guidance.
Rider U. rejects student survey asking for Chick-fil-A, says company's values 'haven't progressed'

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A New Jersey college is refusing to bring Chick-fil-A on campus because its values "have not sufficiently progressed" despite it being the most preferred option among the students.

In a Nov. 1 email obtained by Campus Reform, Rider University, a private institution in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, explained that they would not be bringing the popular chicken sandwich restaurant since "their corporate values have not sufficiently progressed enough to align with those of Rider," articulating that their decision was to promote "inclusion for all people."

During the spring semester, Rider surveyed the student body to inquire which restaurants they would like to see come to campus. When the students responded that Chick-fil-A was their top choice, the university paid no attention to the results.

There are a number of factors that contribute to a campus decision to invite a retail partner on campus, Rider Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Jan Friedman-Krupnick told the outlet.

While Chick-fil-A is among other restaurants preferenced by Rider students, there are members of the community (faculty, staff, and students) who strongly opposed the option as well.

He added: "In all of our campus decisions, we carefully weigh benefits, risks and voices representative of all of our campus constituents."

The fast-food chain has drawn the ire of LGBT activists in recent years because of the socially conservative views of the Cathy family, who own and operate the company. Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy said in an interview in 2012 that they unapologetically believed in the historic Christian teaching on marriage as between one man and one woman, and criticized same-sex unions. The company has also donated to Christian nonprofit organizations that believe as they do. The restaurant has remained a point of contention in culture wars.

Some mocked Rider University's defense of acting out of tolerance for everyone.

"You mean a value like tolerance of opposing viewpoints?" tweeted Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman and radio host.

This is not the first time where the restaurant has faced such hostility from college environments, where the same line of argument about "inclusion" and "diversity" was used.

Last year, students at Duquesne University, a Catholic school in Pennsylvania, argued that having Chick-fil-A on campus posed a "risk" to LGBT-identified students and said that they would not be safe.

"Chick-fil-A has a questionable history on civil rights and human rights," said Niko Martini, a student senator at the university, said at the time.

"I think it's imperative [that] the university chooses to do business with organizations that coincide with the [university's] mission and expectations they give students regarding diversity and inclusion."

In 2015, the Johns Hopkins University student government passed a resolution against Chick-fil-A, with demands of "non-discriminatory alternatives" to the restaurant chain, arguing its support of traditional marriage amounted to a "microaggression."

In June, it was announced that Americans selected Chick-fil-A as their favorite fast food restaurant, according to the The American Consumer Satisfaction Index. The restaurant has held the top ranking for the past three years.
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We think of Europe as secular, progressive, and confidently post-religious. But try criticizing Islam.

Should governments be in the business of protecting peoples feelings? Most Americans, I think would say no. The European Court of Human Rights, however, thinks otherwise. In a historic move last month, the international court affirmed a conviction by a lower court in Vienna against a right-wing speaker who criticized the prophet Muhammad.

Identified only as E.S., the woman, at a seminar in Vienna in 2009, described the founder of Islam as a pedophile. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was in his fifties when he married his third wife, Aisha, who was six years old at the time. Tradition also says Muhammad waited to consummate their union until the girl was nine.

For describing this relationship in direct though accurate terms, E.S. was reported to Austrian authorities, who charged her with publicly disparaging religious doctrines, which, believe it or not, is illegal in that country. The Austrian court convicted, describing her statement as a malicious violation of the spirit of tolerance, which was capable of hurting the feelings of Muslims, and of putting religious peace in Europe at risk.

After a lengthy appeal, the European Court of Human Rights reaffirmed this troubling verdict, ruling that the speakers remarks about Muhammad were not only without factual basis, but went beyond the permissible limits of an objective debate, thereby putting religious peace in jeopardy. So, peace is in jeopardy because Muhammad is critiqued, and not because of how his followers react to the critique?

Set aside for a moment the factual basis of Muhammads treatment of his nine-year-old child bride, and the fact that child brides are still shockingly common throughout the Muslim world. The rationale behind these rulings is genuinely scary for another reason.

This idea that speech should be illegal because it threatens religious peace is a capitulation to religious violence. Islamic extremists are well known for rioting and even killing whenever they believe someone has insulted the prophet Muhammad. Exhibit A: Asia Bibi, the woman who was just acquitted by the Pakistani supreme court and taken off death row, where she sat for eight years after an alleged slight against the founder of Islam. Bibi now faces the very real possibility of retaliation or assassination by Pakistani radicals and remains trapped in the country.

What the European Court of Human Rights has essentially done is enact a blasphemy law like Pakistans, only in the West! Extremists who get violent over perceived insults have been granted veto power over citizens free speech. This, just a few years after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in which twelve peopleincluding journalistswere gunned down in Paris over cartoons mocking (ironically!) the violent tendencies of Muhammad and many of his followers.

If guarantees to freedom of speechwhich Europe hasdo not include the right to say offensive things about religion, such guarantees are not worth the paper theyre written on. If anyone can shut someone else up simply by complaining of hurt feelings, your society is a dictatorship of the easily offended, not free. Caving to the threat of violence will ultimately embolden the violent, not appease them.

Protecting members of a minority religion from hurt feelings is unique to the West. Islamic extremists take advantage of Europes indulgence, demanding legal penalties against anyone who criticize Islam. They wont, of course, ever return the favor. In countries like Saudi Arabiathe birthplace of Islama Muslim who converts to Christianity still, to this day, faces the death penalty.

Of course, religious tolerance and free speech arise historically from only one religion, and it isnt the one founded by Muhammad. Those who think giving up freedom of speech will preserve peace in the long term arent insulting our religion. Just our intelligence.

Originally posted at breakpoint.org
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Its that time of year when single adults begin to feel left out, rejected, lonely or unloveable. They sometimes question God (for the 100th time) as to whether or not He has called them to remain single for their entire life. Like Jesus, Paul and others, they want to know if they were created to be a eunuch for the Kingdom of God or if they should wait for His perfect timing. The holidays are indeed a difficult time for them on so many levels.

It can be a time when some relinquish their hope for marriage to a misinterpretation of what a call from God looks like.

Were all called to be single for some part of our lives, whether it is before marriage, after a divorce or upon the death of our spouse. But the question remains, Am I called to remain single for the rest of my life?

Below are a few reasons why some people believe they have such a call when they havent and why some who have the call just dont know it yet.

I.God Heals You First So That the Call is Not Received in the Confusion of Brokenness

Many people who are NOT called to be permanently single need to ask the Lord if their perceived call to singleness is actually a manifestation of unhealed brokenness. Such areas can include:

-unresolved anger at parents who keep pressuring them to marry. Its a passive-aggressive form of revenge  meaning that their desire to remain single is actually a way of getting back at parents they still dont like or trust. Unrenounced vows and unforgiveness toward such parent(s) play a large part in such cases.

-fear, hatred or anger toward the opposite sex (for whatever reason)

-fear of marriage itself, and the commitment that it demands of each partner

-the kind of fear and unbelief that creates self-doubt

-unhealed narcissism

-unrestrained romanticism (often intertwined with narcissism) that demands perfection from their intended spouse due to romantic notions that do not reflect reality

Even though God called me to the gift of singleness, before doing so, He healed me of many broken areas, so that later in life, I would not have doubts that my Yes to Him had been uttered from brokenness rather than out of a true call.

II.God Does Not Impose a Call to Singleness. He Works Within the Heart and Mind so That the Person Gracefully Embraces the Honor that is Being Offered. The Option to Decline the Offer is Always on the Table.

This was how God approached me when He called me to stay single. He offered it as a grace, an honor and a blessing, while making it clear that there would be no remonstration or disappointment on His part should I say No. The unexpected result was that it actually freed me to say Yes.

Let not any eunuch complain, I am only a dry tree. For this is what the LORD says: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant  to them I will give within My temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

(Isaiah 56:3b-5)

To illustrate the point, when a parent is trying to persuade a toddler to eat their food, rather than forcing it on them, they will sometimes make eating attractive by making an airplane out of the spoon, which then comes in for a landing in the mouth of the now delighted child. Though an imperfect analogy, it illustrates the fact that God sometimes orchestrates events in order to persuade us to choose something that we actually would choose if we were mature enough, wise enough, or if we had His eternal perspective.

III.God Works a Physical Miracle in a Persons Body so That He/She can Physically and Emotionally Endure the Peculiar Nature of a Call to Singleness

For those who will eventually marry, this miracle is of course, temporary. Most refuse to ask for such a miracle because they fear that this quenching of sexual desire will be permanent. However, God is God and can bring those passions back in the same manner that He took them away, and at the right time.

For the person called to be permanently single, however, this is a great grace that most definitely should be sought. For them, God brings about a mystical completion of their sexuality whereby they are espoused to God and completed (or integrated) by Him in the way that healthy married couples complete one another.

One caveat, however, is that such a miracle must be sought persistently and with faith. It doesnt happen automatically.

IV.God Gives the Called Person a Supernatural Revelation Wherein They Become Wed to Him and Thereby Receive into Themselves the Completion of His Image Normally Achieved in Holy Matrimony with a Spouse

To further the last point and begin this one, God gave me a two-part revelation that brought with it a knowing or certainty of its special meaning. The initial revelation was not sufficient for such a major life decision, however, so I asked for additional confirmation. Heres how it all came down

One night, as I lay sleeping, God gave me a dream wherein I was in attendance at a wedding in heaven. Suddenly, I realized that I was the one getting married. A beat later, I realized that I was marrying God. It floored me because I had never considered that such a thing would happen until the summing up of all things in heaven when we, the Body of Christ, are wed to our Lord and Savior. Later I was to learn that such a dream or vision is quite common among Catholic priests and nuns who sense a call to permanent chastity and celibacy.

Upon asking the late Leanne Payne about my dream, she replied that everyone should have such a vision, even before marrying an earthly spouse, because understanding their marriage with God is what makes for a healthy marriage on earth.

Still needing further confirmation that this was a call to marry God alone, I sought Him further. I was grateful that He had first healed me of the many broken places that would have created havoc in any marriage. But now I needed more.

Several weeks later, I was flipping through a Judaica catalog and came across a ring. Thinking nothing of it, I kept flipping through the catalog, when the voice of the Lord spoke to my spirit saying, Go back. Its our wedding ring! I returned to the picture of the ring and noticed that it said in Hebrew letters, I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine. (Song of Solomon 6:3). Then I remembered that the word beloved in Hebrew is David  my name! Gods confirmations are always so unexpectedly perfect. And so, the confirmation of my permanent call carried with it a knowing and certainty because of the manner in which it came.

V.God Provides Multiple Confirmations of the Call

Sometimes God will use a prophetic word from one or more Christian leaders, independent of each other.

He also orchestrates divine appointments in Scripture, speaking to you through various related and seemingly unrelated portions.

Additionally, God might engineer comments from strangers, friends or in sermons that gently bear a consistent message on the matter.

He may arrange for unexpected meetings with those already called to permanent celibacy in order to alleviate the fears and concerns about how it works and what it will mean for your life.

God will also speak to you in your prayers, during your worship and as you meditate on His Word. Remember, God wants you to know when He has given you this gift. The only delay in communicating that to you will involve your readiness and His perfect timing. And as stated previously, it is always an invitation, not an imposition.

VI.God Provides the Grace Necessary to Withstand Opposition from Well-Intentioned Parents, Friends and Church Leaders Who Do Not Understand This Call on Your Life

Singles of every kind are often treated as though something must be wrong with them  especially as they advance into their 30s and 40s. Its the stares, the looks, and sometimes the well-intentioned church lady who repeatedly inquires whether or not you have a girl/guy yet.

Many, such as this church lady, exert pressure to date and/or to marry before you are ready, or before Gods timing. Perhaps you still need healing in vital areas. Perhaps your future spouse also needs healing (or salvation for that matter) before they can be a healthy mate.

Then, there are the parents, whose hopes of your getting married and having children have become an obsessive desire. First, they want assurance that you are normal (-e.g. not gay). Then, they want grandchildren! Such desires can also get tangled up in a need to be seen by their peers as good, competent and successful parents.

On occasion, it may seem as though those mentioned above would rather see you being promiscuous than remaining single  the fruit of a church that knows nothing about, nor values, a call from God to remain single.

Through all of this, however, God will give you the grace to endure and to wait for the fruits of your marital union with Him.

VII.How to Distinguish a Temporary Call to Singleness from a Permanent One

As previously mentioned, everyone has a call to singleness for some period of their life.

Even a supernatural diminishment of sexual drive may only be a temporary grace.

One way of seeking Gods will in the matter is to set out a fleece (read about Gideons fleece in Judges 6:37-40). But do not count on that alone. We are all capable of imagining a result that really isnt there. Neither is God obliged to submit to such a fleece.

Look for a multiplicity of signs, such as those mentioned in this article, or others. Look for unexpected signs  things you never would have thought up or arranged on your own.

Dont even think about it until you have sought and received extensive healing from any area of brokenness in your life that might impinge on having a healthy marriage.

Consider how God has led you thus far in your lifes work. Is it one that a marriage could withstand? Has He called you into a ministry, for example, that requires 60-80 hour work weeks, as He did me? Have you thereby been invited to be a eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom of God? Although not conclusive by itself, that is one element that might speak to a divine call to singleness.

VIII.Some Final Thoughts

..on loneliness

Loneliness should be a rarity for the believer, although it is epidemic among both singles and married people today. Its antidote is a deep, abiding, intimate relationship with God  especially God the Father. You may recall that Jesus was continually pointing His disciples to a pursuit of the Father (John 15 et al).

The problem is, most of us do not pursue such a relationship with the Father. We mistakenly think He is mad at us, doesnt love us, or may ask something of us that we dont want to do. So we stay at arms length. The result, chronic feelings of loneliness, whether married or not.

.on sensual passions

God will reduce them temporarily or permanently, according to ones call, provided the person seeks and values such a gift. This does not mean that all sensual passions will be eliminated. But it does mean that God will reduce them below the threshold of our capacity to resist, if we really want Him to. That means, our will needs to have been submitted to Gods, out of love for Him and a desire not to hurt Him any further. Victory also assumes that we have learned how to resist temptation by appropriating Gods power rather than trying to battle it out on our own.

However, God will give us over to idolatry if we pursue it. (Note that idolatry and sexual immorality are equated in Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5). That means, if instead of pursuing holiness and chastity, we pursue the modern idols of self, materialism, pornographic images, etc., God will give us over to their power (Romans 1:18-32). He says in Ezekiel 16:39 that He will give us into the hands of our lovers and it is they who will inflict the punishment.

.on finding a wife

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 18:22

Are wives/husbands hand-picked for us by God?

I believe that God does have a specific person in mind for us to marry, but when flawed human decision-making results in our marrying a different person, it is the grace and genius of God to turn plan B into plan A if the person earnestly, diligently and with great longsuffering, seeks God to do so.

One variable that God does not abrogate, however, is mans free will. If we will not earnestly seek Him, or if one or both parties will not live in communion and obedience with Him, then He will leave us to our poor choices  hopefully so that we will learn to make better, God-led choices the next time.

So, how then shall we live?

Marry God first. Mary to give, not to use.

Learn the full spectrum of what brings pleasure in the marriage bed (not just the physical, but the spiritual as well).

Understand that holy matrimony is a picture of the re-integration of woman into man in a one-flesh union. It is also a part of Gods image that has been stamped into our very beings and a prefigurement of the marriage between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:25-32).

Finally, here are some scriptures to read that have a direct application to the question of singleness, celibacy and chastity:Mt 19:9-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; 1 Corinthians 7:17, 19b; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; 1 Corinthians 7:36-38.

********

Dr. David Kyle Foster is the author of Transformed Into His Image, Love Hunger and Sexual Healing and is the founder/director of Mastering Life Ministries (www.MasteringLife.org). A major revision and expansion of Sexual Healing (The Sexual Healing Reference Edition) can now be ordered at: http://www.purepassion.us/shop/store/Pre-Order

Addendum

Being Married but Childless

Caesarius of Arles wrote:

Those who practice physical sterility should observe fruitfulness in souls, and those who cannot have earthly children should try to beget spiritual ones. All our deeds are children. If we perform good works every day, we shall not lack spiritual offspring.

Virginity for the Sake of the Kingdom of God (Catechism pp. 451-452; 623).

1618  Christ is the center of all Christian life. The bond with Him takes precedence over all other bonds, familial or social. From the very beginning of the Church there have been men and women who have renounced the great good marriage to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, to be intent on the things of the Lord, to seek to please Him, and to go out to meet the Bridegroom who is coming. Christ Himself has invited certain persons to follow Him in this way of life, of which He remains the model:

For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.

(Matthew 19:12)

1619  Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven is an unfolding of baptismal grace, a powerful sign of the supremacy of the bond with Christ and of the ardent expectation of His return, a sign which also recalls that marriage is a reality of this present age which is passing away. (cf Mark 12:25; 1 Corinthians 7:31)

1620  Both the sacrament of Matrimony and virginity for the Kingdom of God come from the Lord Himself. It is He who gives them meaning and grants them the grace which is indispensable for living them out in conformity with His will. Esteem of virginity for the sake of the Kingdom and the Christian understanding of marriage are inseparable, and they reinforce each other.

Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity. Whoever praises it makes virginity more admirable and resplendent. What appears good only in comparison with evil would not be truly good. The most excellent good is something even better than

what is admitted to be good.

(St. John Crysostom)

Chastity (Catechism pp. 620-623).

2337-2350  Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being.(maintains the integrity of the powers of life and love..opposed to any behavior that would impair it..an apprenticeship of self-mastery.either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy..the virtue of chastity comes under the cardinal virtue of temperance, which seeks to permeate the passions and appetites of the senses with reason..a long and exacting work..never acquired once and for all..presupposing renewed effort at all stages of life..progressing through stages marked by imperfection and sin..man day by day builds himself up through his many free decisions; and so he knows, loves, and accomplishes moral good by stages of growth..Chastity is a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort..Chastity leads him who practices it to become a witness to his neighbor of Gods fidelity and loving kindness..the Christian has put on Christ, the model for all chastity. All Christs faithful are called to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life..Some profess virginity or consecrated celibacy which enables them to give themselves to God alone with an undivided heart in a remarkable manner. Others live in the way prescribed for all by the moral law, whether they are married or single.
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Just before Briannas scheduled C-section, physician Brent Boles asked her if shed allow a photo to be taken once the baby was born. He wouldnt share any identifying information with the world, he said. Just the photo.

A photo to celebrate human life.

A photo to explain just why he provides the ever-growing Abortion Pill Reversal regimen to women looking to undo their chemical abortions.

Brianna happily agreed, and a little bit later, a gripping photo of a newborn baby, crying under the blaze of operating room lights, was captured.

Since posting the image to his personal Facebook page last week, Boles says it has garnered over 8,000 reactions and over 5,000 shares.

Along with the photo he posted, Boles wrote:

Recently I did this delivery, and am sharing the picture with the patients permission. You see, when a woman takes the abortion pill, she often immediately regrets it. This patient did exactly that. The abortion providers will lie and tell people that there is no way to reverse it. That is not true. This patient found www.abortionpillreversal.com and I am on the panel of prolife providers who are willing to try to reverse the poison they were given. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt, but as you can seeit is worth the effort.

Tweet This: After taking the 1st abortion pill, Brianna" immediately regretted it. That's when she found Abortion Pill Reversal & saved her baby's life

Otherwise known as the abortion pill or RU-486, chemical abortions involve a two-pill regimen.

Mifepristone, the first pillwhich Brianna took at a local Planned Parenthooddestabilizes a pregnancy by blocking progesterone receptors and reducing progesterone levels in the mother's blood. The second pill, typically misoprostol, induces labor, forcing her body to expel the baby.

The Abortion Pill Reversal protocol, which saved Briannas child, works by reintroducing progesterone to the mothers body up to 72 hours after the first pill is taken. The progesterone counteracts the mifepristone, restoring a womans natural ability to carry her baby.

Brianna, who immediately regretted taking the abortion pill, found Abortion Pill Reversal online, contacted the networks 24-7 helpline (1-877-558-0333), and spoke with Boles the same day. She was even able to get a prescription for progesterone and begin the treatment immediately.

Heartbeat International, which manages the protocols 24-7 helpline and network of more than 500 medical providers like Boles, recently shared that Abortion Pill Reversal has led to the births of more than 500 babies, with another 100 on the way.

Physician George Delgado, founder of Abortion Pill Rescue (formerly known as the Abortion Pill Reversal Network), released a study earlier this year, showing that up to 68 percent of women who used the Abortion Pill Reversal treatment were able to give birth to a perfectly healthy baby.

Tweet This: Do you regret taking the abortion pill? Abortion Pill Reversal is safe and effective! Call 1-877-558-0333 #APRsaveslives @APReversal

Boles, who monitored Brianna and her baby throughout the rest of her pregnancy, says she never experienced any complications, and that both she and the baby are doing very well.

Boles has prescribed the life-saving Abortion Pill Reversal protocol to women for about three years now, but has been involved in pro-life work for the last two decades.

His involvement began in 1995 when he was serving as the chief administrative resident in his residency program in Louisville. That year, a new residency requirement mandated that all OB-GYN programs offer instruction on how to perform abortions. The requirement, however, also included a clause that allowed students to decline the training.

After discussing the requirement with other residents, Boles led all 23 residents in signing a letter which formally rejected the training.

Most people just really didnt want to do it, Boles said in an interview with Pregnancy Help News. Some were personally pro-choice and didnt oppose a woman having an abortion.

He noted the paradox.

This is an issue where so many people will say that theyre pro-choice, but theyre too personally disgusted by the procedure to actually do it themselves, he said. If theres no problem with it, why dont you just go ahead and do it? But, just on some level, they dont want to be involved. Thats a very common thing.

A local paper heard about the residents letter and interviewed Boles, bringing his pro-life advocacy out into the public square. Ever since, Boles has been involved with pro-life ministries, lending his talents and his voice to the cause in a variety of ways.

For the last 13 years, he has served as the volunteer medical director for Porticoa pregnancy help medical clinic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. There, he reads ultrasound images for clients free of charge.

Along with providing pregnancy support through Portico and Abortion Pill Rescue, Boles has also played a role in the political process. He has advocated for quality standards for abortion facilities, and in 2014, rallied behind Tennessees Amendment 1a ballot initiative that eliminated the right to an abortion from the Tennessee state constitution.

With nearly 10,000 abortions reported to the Tennessee Department of Health in 2016, Boles certainly has his work cut out for him.

But as he said in his Facebook post last week, Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt, but as you can seeit is worth the effort.

Katie Franklin is managing editor for Pregnancy Help News and content writer at Heartbeat International. She previously served as director of communications for Ohio Right to Life and is a graduate of Denison University where she earned a B.A. in history in 2013. Katie lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband Miles and daughter Elizabeth.
S. Korean megachurch pastor Lee Jae-rock sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping 8 followers

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South Korean megachurch pastor Lee Jae-rock was sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping eight female followers, and telling them it was Gods will.

The Korea Times reported that Lee, the 75-year-old pastor of Manmin Central Church, was found guilty on Thursday of using his power and status to force the victims, all in their 20s, to have sex with him, saying that it was an "order from God."

The Seoul Central District Court also ordered the church leader to take 80 hours of therapy classes and banned him from working with youth institutions for 10 years after his prison term.

The court found that Lee had presented himself as a holy figure of sorts, with his followers too afraid to disobey him.

"The victims have been attending the church since their teenage years and regarded the pastor as a holy figure, thinking that obeying him would open the way to Heaven. So they did not disobey his orders, and he took advantage of this to repeatedly rape and harass them for a long time," the court said.

Lee, whose church claims over 130,000 followers, was arrested back in May on charges that he raped at least eight women on nearly 40 different occasions.

He insisted that the victims are intentionally defaming him and that they could have spurned his advances.

The court rejected the argument, however, noting that there was no reason for the victims to accuse him falsely because they themselves would face shame and public attention.

"The pastor praised himself as a holy figure. The victims believed him as such a figure and that the sexual acts were God's will, it added.

One of the victims, who wasn't named, told local media earlier this year that Lee would call women to his apartment and force them to have sex.

"I was unable to turn him down," the woman said.

"He was more than a king. He was god," she added, noting that she had been a member of the church since childhood.

Back in April, Manmin (which means "all creation") defended its pastor, claiming that "false rumors" were being started against him out of jealousy.

The church argued that Lee has long been "stressing the importance of sexual ethics."

Following Thursdays ruling, the church said that it would appeal, insisting that the court did not accept material it had offered allegedly refuting the claims of the victims.

The church has claimed that its growth since starting out in 1982 to open 10,000 branch and associative churches around the world has been due to God's blessings.

"Manmin has experienced such an astounding and rapid growth only in 30 years because, amidst God's abundant blessings, there are always the messages of life proclaimed by Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee, marvelous manifestations of the fiery works of the Holy Spirit, and the unceasing prayer of its members," it says on its website.
"The coffee-table book is a beautiful artifact, replete with gorgeous photographs, beguiling art and illustrations, and thought-provoking pieces." "The coffee-table book is a beautiful artifact, replete with gorgeous photographs, beguiling art and illustrations, and thought-provoking pieces."

It was glitterati meets literati at the launch of the handsome coffee-table book Rizal +, an anthology of art and literature starring the national hero. Jose Rizal is so much a part of the national consciousness that every Filipino raised in this country has an image of the author-physician-activist in his mind. Rizals writings, particularly his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are required reading in high school, and a mandatory Rizal course in the undergraduate introduces his essays and political writings. But it was in the once-compulsory 12 units of Spanish college courses that I read his poetry. Adios, patria adorada, region del sol querida who has not thrilled to the passion in his Mi Ultimo Adios, the last declarations of a man doomed to die by the guns of the colonizers? Thus any work related to him is bound to interest Rizalophiles, as this one is sure to do. Rizal + is edited by prize-winning writer Krip Yuson and published by Water Dragon, Inc., of Alfonso Boy Yuchengco Jr., scion of the late taipan Alfonso Yuchengco Sr. who founded the Yuchengco Group of Companies. The book launch was held on a full moon Friday, Nov. 23, at the Yuchengco Museum. From the moment I walked in I knew this event was going to be one of a kind. For one, the music was provided by Carol Bello and the Kadama Band, their tribal rhythms of electric guitar and violin punctuated by the throb of a steel drum and an upturned plastic jug partly filled with water. Bellos almost-primal wails and the urgent, pulsing music moved at least two people to danceYuchengco and Philippines Graphic literary editor Alma Anonas-Carpio. Yuson, seated under a gallery of Rizal-related artworks, busily signed copies of Rizal + for the attendees, comprising businessmen, corporate types, and socialites mingling with artists and writers. The artworks, some of which illustrate the book, are by visual artists Pandy Aviado, the late Edd Aragon, and others. Yuson stood front and center to explain the genesis of the book, how it had been eight or nine years since its inception, but the project was shelved along the way. It was revived recently by Boy Yuchengco, who, with Yuson, wanted to honor the memory of two collaborators on the project who have since passed awayAragon and writer Jose Victor Bimboy Penaranda.Also on stage were some of the books contributors. Artist and writer Solana Perez sent in years ago an essay written when she was 11. Philippines Graphic editor-in-chief Joel Pablo Saluds My Dream of Cafe de Madrid, illustrated by his eldest daughter Rei Salud, is an excerpt from a novel in progress. Dr Andrew Navarro cast the heros natal chart, a piece of interest to astrology buffs; and urban planner Paulo Alcazaren ponders on the preponderance of Rizal monuments in public plazas around the Philippines. Also present at the event was historian Jose Victor Z. Torres, who spoke about his essay A Fake Rizal Poem: Sa Aking Mga Kabata. Many of us will recall this stanza best: Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isda. But, says, Torres, The problem is it was not written by [Rizal], and explains why. The book also carries pieces by Vicente Albano Pacis, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Adrian Cristobal, Jose Butch Dalisay Jr., Gilda Cordero Fernando, Jose F. Lacaba, Ambeth Ocampo, and other eminent writers and artists. Where there are gaps in the historical record, we lean towards imagination and fancy to flesh out the areas of our interestwhat could have been, the might have been. Thus there are both fiction and non-fiction works in Rizal +. It is a beautiful artifact, replete with gorgeous photographs, beguiling art and illustrations, and thought-provoking pieces. Kudos to Yuchengco for finally bringing this book to life after nearly a decade in hibernation, to its editor Yuson (who also has a piece here), book and cover designer Orland S. Punzalan for the stunning design, and the contributors who thought, mused, and pondered over the enigmatic, mystical, and mythical Jose Rizal. Call or visit the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave., Makati City, for a copy of Rizal +. Dr. Ortuoste, a writer and researcher, has a PhD in Communication. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO
As flu season nears, churchgoers told not to dip wafers in communion wine

Churchgoers are being reminded not to dip wafers in the chalice when taking communion in order to minimise the spread of germs and colds this winter.

With flu season inching closer, the Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend David Walker is asking churches to review their communion procedures to keep the spread of germs to a minimum.

He said: 'It is already advised nationally that, for reasons of hygiene, the intinction of wafers should be avoided.

'When a wafer is given into the hands of a communicant, it may become contaminated by germs lying on the skin.

'Intincting the wafer then introduces those germs directly into the wine; there is also the possibility of finger tips inadvertently dipping into the liquid.'

He said that members of the congregation with a heavy cold should be assured that it was enough to take the bread alone.

'Should a communicant not wish to drink from the chalice, perhaps through having a heavy cold, then he or she may be assured that to receive the sacrament in one kind alone (bread or wine) is to receive the sacrament in its entirety,' he said.

Flu season leaves many people suffering with blocked noses, fevers, sore throats and coughs. But for some - the elderly and very young in particular - a flu can be deadly.

The Express reports that there has been a steady increase in the number of people becoming ill with the flu in Britain over the last four years. Statistics from Public Health England showed them to be particularly prevalent in care homes and hospitals.

In addition to hygiene concerns, Bishop Walker said there was increasing awareness of gluten intolerance and the reaction that some people could have even to a sip of communion wine that a wafer had been dipped into.

'We are becoming increasingly aware of the severe reaction some people have to gluten,' he sad.

'As a result, churches are now used to providing gluten-free bread in services of Holy Communion.

'However, what is often overlooked is that dipping wafers in the wine can introduce gluten which others then drink.'
Explore the real perks of proper roofing

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It is the roof which acts as the critical component of any building. The roof helps in protecting the house against extreme weather exposure. It also works as a guard from every form of stress and strain. The roof naturally gets more exposed to extremities in comparison to other construction parts of the house. Hence, it is vital to install a well-built roof. It is also crucial to maintain the same from time to time to guarantee safety of the inhabitants. A sturdy roof will help in enduring against every calamity be it the rain, storm, hail or wind. It has been specially and carefully built to suffer every stress and strain to keep the house protected. But unfortunately, the most robust components also suffer from damage and demands repair.

As the roof plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the home, so it needs proper care. Irrespective of what the roof is made out of it suffers maximum damage at all times. Amongst every other component present in the house the roof requires additional maintenance. At times of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, it turns more crucial. If the roof fails to function appropriately, those residing beneath it are likely to face danger. Besides if the roofing system is vulnerable the property may suffer damage. The need of the hour is to keep the roofs maintained.

Weather- The Roofing System's Greatest Enemy

We all know that a roofing system's greatest enemy is none other than weather. It is a crucial reason that leads to its decay. Weather conditions are not in our control so there is very little that we can do except maintain it properly. The roof withstands enough damage naturally which you can repair. So, you must keep the same under constant maintenance as and when possible. It is during the winter season this factor turns more crucial. Different forms of damages such as defects, dents, and leaks in the gutter, in fact, are some common things which can take place in the roof. During winter this happens more as most people do not maintain their roofs properly and replacing this will cost a fortune.

Roofing Material - Vital Facts

Often people consider shingles as the finest prevention against roof decay. Snow metal roofs are adequate when it comes to safeguarding its materials. People at times prefer to keep simple metal roofing with the hope that it will always prevail under almost every weather condition. No quantity of hailstorm will destroy such material easily. Metal roofing, of course, can protect one from lightning strikes. With rainwater too, there will be no damage.

It is because the roofing systems which are accessible today come with designs for scattering the current instead of storing it. The metal roof will serve as the lightning rod for transferring the current into the ground. Do not worry while installing such metal roofs. The current day metal roofs are capable of withstanding all forms of damages easily thereby being ideal for the winter season.

Know the Reasons Why

During the winter season, the snow begins to accumulate on the roof, woods, tiles, and no other material will be capable of enduring such conditions. The usual roofing shingles are not capable of sustaining under such stress. Here moderate damage which can take place during a snowfall will result in the collapse of the foundation entirely under the snow's pressure. For protecting one under this extreme condition, you need a material which is durable and robust and choose roofers made of metal. Such roofers are flexible and robust and thus can withstand these conditions. While roofs made of other materials can diminish quickly in value as it begins to age the metal roofs have the upper hand because it ensures a plethora of lasting benefits namely,

The low weight that helps to preserve both the integrity and life of the structure

Highly energy efficient which means it will keep the building cool

It is fire resistant

It comes with interlocking panels that will offer maximum wind resistance

It comes in beautiful styles to complement just any neighborhood or home

It has a proven performance expectation covering more than 50+ years

Acts as Good Insulators

Metal roofing systems during the winter will serve as an ideal insulation system for the home. When the weather is extreme, these roofs will offer warmth and protection. The makers of such roofing systems thoroughly know about the underlying science which we studied in school and create the materials as per it. The roofing systems made of metal may

e expensive yet will be an investment that is worth it. This material is expensive but is durable as well. Investing in these roofing systems will be a smart choice. These roofers are extremely energy-efficient thus can protect the home completely time and again. Most professional roof contractors today prefer using it over the conventional roof components. More than anything else, you will breathe a sigh of relief that these roofers will undoubtedly last a lifetime.

Modern Day Roofing Materials

With new advancements in technology seen almost every day, the roofing industry is not behind in the race. They too are coming up with improved and new materials for the different roofing needs. Such materials are more accustomed to withstanding the severe weather conditions. It is vital particularly for houses that are situated in places other than the subtropical and tropical regions. Roofs in the tropical areas are capable of surviving even with clay materials and straw. However, in the regions that heavy experience snowfall the roof demands better protection. People often use shingle roofing made of asphalt and bitumen for their abodes. These are created from fiberglass which is covered with granules. Manufacturers use such materials for producing tubs, sinks, piping and the like. Although this is an unconventional and new form of material yet is exceptionally durable. It is capable of enduring anything right from heavy snow, rain to sun and more. It is a petroleum-based material that you can use for making the roads durable and black under snow and rain.

No wonder it has turned into a popular pick for roofing. Here taking expert advice before choosing specific roofing materials will help. Today when it comes to roofing many choices are available. So, it is essential to understand which will cater to one's needs. A professional undoubtedly can assist you to make the perfect decision resting on the variables. To know more about roofing materials and supplies, contact Precision Roofing Supplies.

Professional Advice Matters

If you want the best with regards to the roofing needs, seeking the assistance of an experienced contractor rather than opting for a DIY will always be the right choice. Installation of a roof is a tricky business for handling on one's own. Here hiring a contractor will help and it is no shame to seek professional help. The moment an expert is involved one can save him against the perils of poor maintenance thereby assuring safety against difficult situations. Apart from this, it will also help in preventing the home against facing further damage that can take a toll on the home's interior eventually. It is indeed smart in extreme places that one assures the defense of their home to its maximum reach owing to the big difference in temperature during the different seasons. Here keeping the house under

frequent inspection as well as consulting an expert who is adept in this field will be the key.

Composition

A roofing contractor will use a special roofing hammer, an instrument for laying the roofing components composition. It is a tomahawk's smaller version with 2 additional tools fixed on its head. By moving this back and forth one can tighten or loosen the knob. You can use it for measuring the distance between every layer of shingles. As it comes with a very sharp blade, it helps in cutting shingles easily into shape. In case of pitched roofing, this tactic will prove handy but not much help with flat roofs. To arrange shingles, you will need special skills which one cannot do on their own. You will need a pad for guarding the hip. That is because when a person works on a roofing shingle, it can get very hot.

The bottom line is you need to understand the fact that investing in a roof will be a big decision. No matter you want to repair the old roof, install a new roof or get a damaged roof replaced one needs to take the help of a roofing expert before making the decision. An expert in this field, after all, will be aware as to what will be best for home. Here a couple of factors will have to be considered like if you plan to sell the house or keep it, the age of the roof and its condition at present. In case of minor damage, the professional will visit your place, inspect it and then suggest the finest solution possible. Observing beforehand the signs of damage if any and taking precautions will never hurt.
Irish Church leaders praying Brexit will not undermine peaceful relations

Church leaders in Ireland are praying that Britain's departure from the European Union will not set back peace on the island.

Representatives from the Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church and Church of Ireland met in Belfast on Wednesday to discuss the challenges posed by Brexit.

In a joint statement following the meeting, the Church leaders said relations between people in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and between the Republic of Ireland and the UK had 'improved and deepened immeasurably over the past 30 years or so'.

'This atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding and growing friendship has been the positive background against which many significant developments have taken place  ceasefires, political accommodation, increased connectedness and rising prosperity for many,' they said.

They said the message of Jesus to 'love your neighbour' was guiding their response to Britain's decision to leave the EU, and that it was 'important to acknowledge the legitimate aspirations those who voted to leave the European Union and those who voted to remain'.

'We also pray at this time that the inevitable tensions, which the Brexit negotiations and their outworking will entail, will not be allowed to undermine the quality of relationships and mutual understanding which are both so important in enabling all of us to work together for the common good,' they said.

As the public debate continues over how - and even if - the process of Brexit should continue, the Church leaders said public representatives needed to be respectful towards those who disagreed with their views.

They pleaded with people in positions of leadership to keep the debate around Brexit civil and 'speak with grace'.

'In this context, we particularly want to encourage public representatives, and all others who give leadership in our society, to weigh their words carefully, to respect the integrity of those who conscientiously differ from them and to speak with grace,' they said.

The statement was signed by the Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; the Rev William Davison, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; the Most Rev Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; the Right Rev Dr Charles McMullen, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; and the Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of Churches.
Rohingya refugees should not be forced to return to Myanmar, says CAFOD

The repatriation of Rohingya refugees should only happen when it is safe for them to return, Catholic aid agency CAFOD has said.

Over three quarters of a million Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the Myanmar military began a brutal crackdown against the minority ethnic group in August last year.

Earlier this month, Bangladesh reached a deal with Myanmar to repatriate thousands of Rohingya refugees living in crowded camps but the plan has been halted after international outcry.

CAFOD is among those criticising the forced repatriation of Rohingya refugees at this time. It said repatriation must be voluntary and only take place 'when there are firm guarantees for the safety, rights, and livelihoods of those who return'.

It said the majority of refugees it had spoken to in the camps said they still preferred remaining in the cramped shelters over returning to Myanmar.

'Currently, there are still people fleeing Myanmar, albeit in smaller numbers, and arriving in Bangladesh, and no refugee who is still in fear of their life should be required to return,' said CAFOD.

In addition to concerns over safety, the aid agency said it was important that those returning be supported in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.

'This requires further agreement on the refugees' status in Myanmar and assurances that there are clear mechanisms in place to help ensure safe returns and protection on their return,' it said.

In August, the United Nations called for Myanmar's top military leaders to face genocide charges over its treatment of the majority-Muslim Rohingya.

The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, which gathered over 800 eye-witness accounts, said the crimes committed against the Rohingya include murder, rape, torture, sexual slavery, persecution and enslavement.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, former UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and a member of the fact-finding team, said she was shocked by what she had found.

'The scale, brutality, and systematic nature of rape and violence indicate that they are part of a deliberate strategy to intimidate, terrorize, or punish the civilian population,' she said.

'They're used as a tactic of war that we found include rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced nudity and mutilations.'
A man was fatally shot in a south Houston shooting Friday night that also sent two others to the hospital in stable condition, police said.

Officials were investigating whether the shooting was tied to gang activity, and had not identified witnesses or a description of the getaway vehicle.
What's coming down the pike in for restaurants, bars, and consumers this new year?

According to international restaurant consultants Baum+Whiteman, who publish an annual report predicting the top food and beverage trends for the year ahead, there are a lot of big changes (and challenges) on the way.
Amelia, Ohio - The giraffe was supposed to be long gone, but here he is, beaming on the cardboard displays inside a Kroger.

He's right at home, surrounded by unblinking baby dolls and drones that are liable to break when little hands inevitably pilot them straight into the ceiling fan. Buckets of little green army men, waiting to be unleashed and eventually stepped on.

Kids, bundled up and rosy-cheeked, bound toward the toys and circle the displays like predators. They paw at the boxes, leaving fingerprints on the plastic. Some clutch toys to their chests before they begin pretty-pleasing.

"Mom," one boy with a buzz-cut yells, lofting an action figure. "Look, they have Venom!"

"I am not talking about this right now," his mother says, but she mouths the name on the box and nods, before whisking her son toward the pharmacy.

Parents pushing shopping carts rubberneck as they walk by the menagerie. Some smile in recognition. Others squint, eyeing the giraffe and his toys skeptically. That couldn't be, could it?

It is. The beloved mascot, the array of toys, the bright, blocky lettering spelling out "Geoffrey's Toy Box" are all seeds of the complicated comeback of Toys R Us.

- - -

Toys R Us' fall was a long one, marked by a botched buyout, mountainous debt and a losing battle with big-box and online competitors. After filing for bankruptcy in September 2017, the toy store that had delighted kids for six decades announced in March it would be closing its doors, leaving 33,000 employees jobless.

Then, as retailers geared up for the lucrative first holiday without Toys R Us, the company rose from the grave. The hedge funds that own its assets filed paperwork in October to hang on to the Toys R Us and Babies R Us brand names, Web domains and mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe while considering "a new, operating Toys R Us and Babies R Us branding company."

A month later, Kroger announced it would partner with Geoffrey, the subsidiary for Toys R Us intellectual property, to bring pop-up toy shops to 600 of its stores through the holidays. The pop-ups carry 35 toys from 6 brands that were once exclusive to Toys R U.S., including Imaginarium, Just Like Home and Journey Girls.

"I've never seen something in our stores that our customers are so excited about," said Erin Rolfes, a corporate affairs manager for Kroger. "It was disappointing for everyone to hear Toys R Us went bankrupt. And the idea of bringing it back in a hometown store like Kroger, well it gives a great sense of nostalgia and it's a good opportunity to introduce Geoffrey's Toy Box."

But while some customers revel in this return, the news was far less welcome for legions of former employees. Seeing the brand resurrected while so many families struggle after losing their jobs is gutting, said Carrie Gleason, campaign manager for the worker advocacy group Rise Up Retail, which works with ex-Toys R Us employees.

"It's hard to explain how it feels that the people responsible for liquidating the company are the ones that are doing this," said Anthony Kittleson, who was laid off, along with his fiancee, after years of working at Toys R Us. "It feels like a slap in the face."

After he found out about the Geoffrey's Toy Box pop-ups, Kittleson and his family went to their local Kroger in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., to protest. Families in Arizona, Washington, Ohio and elsewhere in California have done the same, Gleason said.

Kittleson propped his 7-month-old daughter Gemma up on the toy display with a sign that said, "I'll never get to be a Toys R Us kid because of Solus and Angelo Gordon," two of the hedge funds that now own the company. Solus Alternative Asset Management and Angelo Gordon & Company did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.

"Putting my daughter's face in front of that display was kind of our way of saying, 'Hey, these are the people you hurt,'" Kittleson said.

- - -

While Geoffrey's Toy Box is notable for marking the possible comeback of Toys R Us, it's unlikely that it'll capture much of the holiday toy market because of its limited offerings, according to Linda Bolton Weiser, an analyst with D.A. Davidson. Kids are rigid about their Christmas lists and aren't usually interested in products they don't recognize. The brands Geoffrey's Toy Box is offering don't have much name recognition, Bolton Weiser said.

"Kids are gonna want the Hot Wheels and Barbies and Nerf and other licensed products," Bolton Weiser said. Geoffreys' Toy Box "isn't carrying the products that would let them compete with the diversified retailers. It's immaterial in the whole retail landscape."

The primary customer for the pop-ups will be "convenience buyers," Bolton Weiser said, who need something fast and aren't sure what to get. Sure, some customers will feel warm and fuzzy when they lay eyes on Geoffrey, but that probably won't be enough to drive significant sales.

"Nostalgia only goes so far," Bolton-Weiser said. "It wasn't enough to keep Toys R Us in business."

Tuesday night, in an eastern Cincinnati Kroger, Rosemary Voyles rifled through boxes of Journey Girls dolls. The 73-year-old didn't particularly care that the pop-up was Toys R Us-related (she had avoided it before because of the crowds and chaos). Now she was on the hunt for a cheaper substitute to the pricey American Girl Doll her granddaughter wanted.

"I'm hoping she'll be satisfied if they have a doll named Amy," Voyles said. "That's her name."

All the dolls were named Dana and Meredith, so she moved on. She wasn't looking for gifts for her older grandson, because she knew he wanted a particular name-brand model car that wasn't on the shelves here. But her 3-year-old grandson would be satisfied with anything that buzzed or moved, she reasoned. She picked up a blue plastic saw that boasted "realistic blade action" on the box.

"This'll work well enough," she mused, and tossed it in her cart along with the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner.
Gonzalez and Century 21 Olympian Realtor are hosting the donation drive for Soles4Souls.

New or gently worn pairs of shoes can be dropped off at her office located at 6060 Richmond Ave., Suite 100, Houston, TX 77057.

I strongly encourage everyone in the community to drop off a pair of new or gently used shoes in any size to help a person in need, said Gonzalez.

Soles4Souls is a nonprofit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. Soles4Souls aims is to eradicate extreme poverty by 2050. Children every day are prevented from attending school and adults are unable to work as walking becomes unbearable, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty. To date, Soles4Souls has collected and distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes to those in need in 127 countries around the world and all 50 states in the U.S.

Businesses and individuals that host donation drives for Soles4Souls help us fulfill our mission by providing short-term relief and long-term solutions to global poverty, said Buddy Teaster, Soles4Souls CEO. Every single one of those pairs of shoes collected by our partners makes a difference in someones life.

For more information about getting involved with Soles4Souls or to become an official drop-off location, visit https://soles4souls.org/get-involved.
Courtesy illustration

The Houston Grand Opera presents Transforming the Human Spirit through Song, a holiday sing-along and part of the Seeking the Human Spirit initiative.

The holiday sing-along includes members of the HGO Chorus and members of the HGO Studio led by HGOco Music Director and Composer-in-Residence Damien Sneed at Discovery Green. The Dec. 15 event is free and open to the public.
Resource speakers during the Asia-Pacific Financial Forum. Paul David Gelario

The coordinator of the APEC Financial System Capacity Building, the Asia-Pacific Financial Forum at the Philippine International Convention Center recently told the forum that data is the new oil in this digital age.Corporations now rely heavily on data and APFF Coordinator Dr. Julius Caesar Parrenas believes that data is now as valuable as oil. With everyones data being extracted from CCTV cameras to online transactions, Parrenas told the audience that their data are collected at immense proportions and the only question is how these data can be meaningfully used. The skyrocketing value of data has caused numerous cyber attacks costing billions of dollars in the United States. In the United States alone, Identity Theft contributed to a loss of 21 billion dollars, former Team Leader of the United States Agency for International Development, Dr. Mario Lamberte said. In a 2017 study, 94% of executives rate security as the most important, he added. The given percentage has made cybersecurity extremely important in this current age to keep any data breach at bay. In the Philippines, Francis Senora of the National Bureau of Investigation Computer Crimes Division, admitted that although our system may be vulnerable to cyber attacks, theres always innovation to protect our data. The vulnerabilities are there, but again, theres innovation, Senora said.Senora added that the Philippine government has already pursued the necessary steps to augment its data security. In the Philippines, the government has already made steps, such as the existence of the National Service Security Plan, the NBICP, the NPC (National Privacy Commission) and the implementation of the RA10175 (Cyber Prevention Act) and the RA10173 (Data Privacy Act), he said. Senora cited an example that there was a company where its transaction was compromised, losing a total of 27 million pesos, but they took action and were able to recover the money and identify the foreign perpetrators. We were able to caught the foreign actors. We identified in the official reports that the actors were from Soviet Union (Russia), he said. Commissioner and Chairman of National Privacy Commission, Raymond Liboro added that Philippine-based industries can adapt in this digital age as the laws are there to protect them. We are very very confident that industries can adopt their own codes because we now have the omnibus and robust laws in place, Liboro said. Liboro added that according to statistics, 53% of data breaches are caused by employee error, while 47% were initiated by malicious attackers.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the second amendment to the Texas General Land Offices $5.024 billion state Action Plan for Hurricane Harvey has been posted for a federally required 30-day public comment period.

The amendment details an additional allocation of $652 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to benefit unmet housing recovery needs.

Hurricane Harvey devastated the homes and lives of thousands along the Texas Coast, Bush said. This allocation of $652 million will be used by the GLO to provide additional housing resources for Texas families recovering from Hurricane Harvey. We look forward to working with our partners in communities across the region to leverage these resources efficiently and effectively to benefit Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The amendment details how $652 million will supplement current Hurricane Harvey programs being implemented by the GLO, as well as additional programs in Harris County and the city of Houston. The amendment allocates the following amounts:

$236 million added to the GLOs Homeowner Assistance Program to repair single family homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey;

$200 million added to the GLOs Affordable Rental Program for the rehabilitation, reconstruction or new construction of multifamily rental units;

$89.3 million additional direct allocation for Harris County programs; and

$89.6 million additional direct allocation for city of Houston programs.

All comments should be submitted to cdr@recovery.texas.gov by 5:00 p.m. on December 19, 2018, to be considered. Per federal requirements, the GLO must respond to public comments before the amendment can be sent to HUD for its 45-day final approval.

Background and timeline of CDBG-DR funds for Hurricane Harvey recovery

On Sept. 8, President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018, and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017, which included $7.4 billion appropriated to HUD for long-term recovery. HUD then allocated $5.024 billion of the appropriations to Texas for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts  the single largest allocation of its kind for any event. To date, the GLO estimates more than $105 billion in unmet need in Texas as a direct result of Hurricane Harvey.

In April, HUD announced additional allocations from the March 23, 2018, Congressional appropriation of nearly $90 billion in total federal disaster relief funds. HUD allocated nearly $5 billion of this allocation to Texas with $652 million of the total to help rebuild damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure, while the nearly $4.3 billion in remaining funds were targeted for mitigation. On Aug. 14, 2018, HUD released its guidance for the $652 million, allowing the GLO to begin the action plan process for how to use these funds to plus up the existing housing programs. The GLO is currently awaiting guidance through a Federal Register notice from HUD to begin the planning process for the remaining $4.3 billion. The GLO will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners to ensure funding is available for ongoing recovery efforts.
Community Volunteer Fire Department posted on Facebook Nov. 21 the last call for Lt. Cindy Adams.

The eight-year veteran of the department died Nov. 13. Assigned to Station 2, she served as a fire suppression lieutenant and EMT-Intermediate. The department said her death was unexpected and not in the line of duty. Her husband is a captain at the same station.

Johnny Mitchell, assistant fire chief, said he had known Adams, 44, since she started with the fire department. She started as an EMT and then attended the fire academy.

At the academy, she won an award for highest grade in the class. In her third year of service, she was named firefighter/EMT of the year, he said.

At the Nov. 20 funeral, Fire Chief Bobby Clark announced that the Officer of the Year award will hereafter by named the Cindy Adams Award to honor her legacy and to make sure shes never forgotten, said Mitchell.

Though she was small in stature, she was unstoppable.

There was never a limit for her. She would figure a way to get the job done. If you knew Cindy was on the scene, you knew things would be OK, said Mitchell.

There was always a joke about her feet, he said.

She had the smallest feet. She had to special order her boots.

Mitchell traces her interest in public safety back to Pennsylvania where her father was an EMT.

She loved what she did, Mitchell said. She was damned good at it. One of the best EMTs Ive ever know.

She also was the first female suppression officer weve ever had, he added.

The department promoted Adams to lieutenant earlier in the year.

We were very proud to promote her. She deserved it. She was very proud to receive that position.

Mitchell said department officials are talking of the possibility of working with the Anne Sullivan Foundation, which raises funds and scholarships for women in the fire service. Sullivan was one of four Houston firefighters killed in the May 31, 2013 Southwest Inn fire.

Adams funeral service was relocated to a larger room to accommodate all the firefighters, family members and friends who attended.

She (Cindy) touched a lot of people. She strived for perfection. She didnt like incompetence and she would let you know if you werent doing it right, said Mitchell. She was good. She was very good. Shes definitely going to be missed.

During the Last Call on Facebook, the dispatcher says, Cindy your work here is done. Your dedication and the selfless service you provided to your community will never be forgotten. May you rest in peace knowing that your strength and legacy will live on in your husband. And that your honor will continue on with all of us. Thank you for your service. Weve got it from here. Lt. Cindy Adams out of service. 15-13

karen.zurawski@chron.com
Kristin Gyldenege said she's always been known as the "potty mouth" real estate agent with an edge.

The Houston-based Realtor aims for authenticity in her marketing tactics to avoid being cast as a stuffed shirt. And earlier this week, she launched one of her most edgy ideas yet, posing half-naked fitness models throughout a listed home in Conroe to draw attention to the property.

UNUSUAL MARKETING: Houston home listed for $1 sells for $270,000

She took photos of the models throughout the home to show a more realistic scenario of a young couple walking around partially clothed, she said. Multiple listing services showed the images after she uploaded them to har.com, but that website has since removed the photos after receiving more than 100 complaints, Gyldenege said.

The tattooed models are shown performing normal household tasks like changing a light bulb or cooking. The photos helped her book six showings the day after they went live, she said.

"I didn't want anything slutty," she told Chron.com. "I wanted to represent a young couple who was on top of their game all the way around and who had just moved into this great house."

Gyldenege said some listing services still have the photos on their websites. The home, located in a notoriously flood-prone neighborhood at 590 Mosswood Drive in Conroe, initially had been on the market for 40 days without any significant attention. In that time, fewer than 1,000 people had viewed the photos on the website, she said.

The models helped garner 20,000 views within the first 24 hours of posting the photos, she said.

RELATED: Houston-area realtor attracts home buyers with free tacos

Despite the complaints, Gyldenege said she doesn't regret the idea. She expected backlash, and the homeowner approved of the idea from the start, she said.

"In the end, that's what matters  doing what's best for my client," she said.

She said she had not received any serious offers as of Wednesday afternoon. She added that even though the neighborhood is known for flooding, the home sits on relatively high ground.

At the very least, she hopes the boost in attention will force more people to see it for themselves.

"[Potential buyers] may not look like [the models], but if they think they could look like that in this house, they would be more attracted to at least see it," she said.

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
The picturesque, rolling green lawns, palatial homes and polished storefronts of The Woodlands offer a major opportunity for those looking to make a break in social media.

For young people in The Woodlands looking to make their mark as a social media influencer, the market in the township is ripe for the picking.

You have to be a go-getter when youre starting out, said Hannah Khan, a local Instagram influencer who runs a beauty and travel account as @hannahhkhann.

Social media influencers, with their glittering online posts and thousands of followers, have slowly become one of the most effective marketing tools for companies in a range of businesses, from beauty products to travel companies. Even amid a crackdown by Instagram and other social media sites against inflated numbers of followers, the subtle  yet profitable  work of influencing draws thousands of young and old into the social media world.

For Visit The Woodlands, the marketing arm of The Woodlands Township, the growing number of bloggers, brand ambassadors, content creators and social media influencers represents a new way to market the township to visitors near and far.

Our primary goal is to market The Woodlands as a great place to visit, said Amber George, a marketing specialist with Visit The Woodlands. Whether it is to leisure travel or convention groups.

Visit The Woodlands serves as the townships convention and visitors bureau  while Visit The Woodlands will maintain an advertising presence in legacy media, George said that the past two years have been more focused on their digital footprint.

This year, Visit The Woodlands brought in several travel bloggers and social media content creators from Chicago and Florida to promote the township individually to other markets around the country. The new approach means The Woodlands will be promoted as stand-alone destination, not as part of the Greater Houston region which the community had been viewed as before.

During major events in the community like the Waterway Arts Festival and the IRONMAN Triathlon, township officials reach out to bloggers and travel writers in an effort to get them to document their experience the community. The townships relationship with local content creators moves a bit more slowly, however, George said.

Theyre always welcome to reach out to us and see if we can have a partnership, she said of anyone who may be interested in promoting The Woodlands via social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or others site, like Flickr and Pinterest.

The Woodlands still has a ways to go in terms of building individual relationships with local bloggers, George admitted, but for content creators themselves, it might be difficult to measure success.

Khan said although many social influencers make thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars with each post, the determination of whether a blog is successful comes down to a subjective decision.

I think if youre influencing someone in a positive way, youre doing it right, Khan said.

mrincon@chron.com
The recent unprecedented election of 20 Democratic candidates to seats on the state courts of appeals in Austin, Dallas and Houston is going to have an almost immediate and substantive impact on business litigation in Texas, according to legal experts.

Appellate lawyers say that the blue wave that shifted control of those intermediary appeals courts from Republicans to Democrats means certain types of business disputes will be impacted because the new judges have different views on critical legal issues, such as enforcement of arbitration clauses, when cases should be dismissed before trial, and how much deference to trial judges and juries in large-dollar plaintiffs verdicts.

There are clearly ways we are different, Judge Ken Molberg, one of the eight Democratic candidates elected last week to the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas, told The Texas Lawbook. We will give a greater deference to jury verdicts and have a keener awareness and understanding of the actions of trial judges.

The effect on the legal profession is also clear: The practice of appellate law in Texas is about to get super hot, as corporate plaintiffs and defendants will need increased legal advice to navigate an unknown or possibly even a treacherous appellate landscape.

Businesses are going to need to get appellate counsel involved in their litigation matters much earlier in the process, said Christopher Kratovil, an appellate law partner at Dykema, which has offices in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. This change impacts the litigation strategy in numerous ways, including considerations regarding settlement.

For example, lawyers on the losing side of recent appellate court decisions in Austin, Dallas or Houston might wait until the new judges are sworn in to file their motions for a rehearing. The shifts at the three intermediary appellate courts also change the dynamics involving appeals from those courts to the Texas Supreme Court.

For two dozen years, Republican judges controlled the 1st, 5th and 14th courts of appeals in Houston and Dallas. Those judges were viewed as conservative, pro-business, pro-arbitration, anti-large jury verdict jurisdictions.

The shift in jurisprudence is comparable to the Republican takeover of the Texas Supreme Court in the late 1990s after decades of justices who were pro-plaintiff  only in reverse.

Certainly attorneys representing plaintiffs in employment, consumer and malpractice cases will be feeling more optimistic about their odds of prevailing on appeal on those types of cases, said Chad Baruch, an appellate law partner at Johnston Tobey Baruch in Dallas.

Jeff Nobles, an appellate partner at Smith Nobles, says the 10 new Democratic justices joining the 1st and 14th courts in Houston will clearly have an impact.

The differences in substantive areas will be incremental, not sweeping, Nobles said. But there is a human element to judging based on different experiences. So, we might expect to see a better outlook for the accused in some criminal cases, for plaintiffs in business and personal injury cases, and for the underdog in many areas.

Nina Cortell, a partner at Haynes and Boone, which has offices in Houston, Austin and Dallas, agreed that the new voices on the Texas courts of appeals will lead to differences of opinion.

No doubt, she says. But I would be hesitant to prejudge what those differences will look like. The new justices have all committed to apply the law to the facts presented by the cases before them.

For a longer version of this article, visit TexasLawbook.net.
Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohamed bin Salman (MbS) has kicked off an international tour despite global finger-pointing at him over ordering the killing of one of his top critics, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered in the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Oct.2.

MbS Thursday left the kingdom for a visit to four Arab countries and also to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the G20 summit, reported the Saudi Press agency SPA.

The Crown Prince has come under intense international pressure from a global outcry following Khashoggis death in the Saudi consulate.

Turkey indicated that the murder of the journalist, which was carried out by 15-man hit squad that flew from Riyadh, had received orders from the highest level of the Saudi top leadership.

Turkish media close to Ankara have also released tapes where MbS was allegedly speaking with Khashoggi asking him to return to the kingdom just before the killing.

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also established a connection between the Crown Prince and the murder after it listened to a tape provided by Turkish authorities.

Ankara has maintained pressure on Riyadh to collaborate in the investigations and shed light on the slaughter. It also asked for the extradition to Turkey of the members of the squad that had been detained in the kingdom.

MbS according to Ankara could meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the G20 gathering in South America.

We are looking at the schedule, there could be [a meeting], said Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kaln.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Tunisia are part of the Crown Princes Arab tour.
A federal audit found that Lone Star College improperly disbursed close to $14 million in grants and federal loans to ineligible students over a four-year period, the school system said this week.

A Department of Education program review discovered that from 2012 to 2016, the Houston-area career training college gave out $13.8 million in Pell, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants and federal loans to students who shouldnt have received them, according to a Lone Star College news release.

The audit found that the money went to students from ineligible high schools, and that the institution didnt prevent students with unsatisfactory academic progress from receiving aid, under certain regulations.

In all, the improperly distributed funds accounted for 2 percent of the $663 million awarded over the same time period, according to the news release.

Chancellor Stephen C. Head said the college, which enrolls 99,000 students per semester, is cooperating with the Department of Education.

"I'm obviously disappointed in the findings. We take great pride in our business practices and our obligations to the community, Head said in a news release. We take full responsibility for implementing the appropriate actions to ensure we adhere to best practices moving forward."

In response to the audits findings, Head has launched a full audit of the colleges financial aid practices, with assistance from outside specialists.

The Houston Chronicle has contacted the Department of Education and Lone Star College for comment. It's unclear how the audit's findings will affect the students who shouldn't have received the funds.

Lone Star College operates six college campuses, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online.
A new climate-change report by the U.S. government offers little doubt that Hurricane Harvey's catastrophic rainfall was worsened by rising global temperatures.

Citing Harvey and the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, the new report acknowledges that the severity of the storms that devastated Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida were "consistent with what might be expected as the planet warms."

Compiled with the help of 13 federal agencies and some 300 scientists, the Fourth National Climate Assessment notes that climate change intensified both the rainfall and rapid development of last year's major storms.

"...the ability of four hurricanes  Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria  to rapidly reach and maintain very high intensity was anomalous and, in one case, unprecedented," the report states. "This is consistent with the expectation of stronger storms in a warmer world."

The report goes on to touch upon the relationship between rising temperatures and Harvey's extreme rainfall, which reached an average of 51.88 inches before gauges broke and stopped recording rain amounts.

READ MORE: Government climate report warns of worsening US disasters

"Harvey's total rainfall was likely compounded by warmer surface water temperatures feeding the direct deep tropical trajectories historically associated with extreme precipitation in Texas," the report reads, "and these warmer temperatures are partly attributable to human-induced climate change."



One study cited by the climate change assessment estimates that heavy rainfall from storms and hurricanes increased an average of 6 to 7 percent in the past century.

Elsewhere in the report, authors point out that the warming planet isn't the only factor that made Harvey more deadly. The federal climate change assessment echoes the findings of a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation that predicted runaway land development would risk increased flooding.

"In the area affected by Hurricane Harvey, regional land management practices over the last several decades have reduced the area covered by wetlands, forests, and prairies, which historically absorbed stormwater runoff," the report states. "These natural environments have been increasingly replaced with impermeable surfaces, decreasing Houston's resilience to flooding."

Fernando Ramirez is a digital reporter for Chron.com and Houstonchronicle.com. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. Follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email him at Fernando.ramirez@chron.com.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said Wednesday that they intercepted a significant amount of narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $296,000.

The seizure occurred Tuesday at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2012 Mitsubishi LGT driven by a 28-year-old female U.S. citizen. The San Antonio resident was directed to secondary examination.
First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus A.Yeudachenka participates in the 164th session of the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions

24-11-2018

On November 22-23, 2018 the 164th session of the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions was held in Paris.

Belarusian delegation, headed by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Yeudachenka, took part in the session.

During the session, the reports of the organisation's commissions were presented, as well as the reports on the preparation of EXPO-2020 (Dubai), EXPO-2023 (Buenos Aires), horticultural exhibitions 2019 in Beijing, 2021 in Doha, 2022 in Amsterdam-Almere, as well as the Triennale 2019 in Milan.

The presentations of the cities-candidates for EXPO-2025 (Baku, Yekaterinburg, Osaka) were conducted in the course of the General Assembly. According to the results of the voting by the member countries of the BIE, EXPO-2025 will be held in Osaka (Japan).

   

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OAKWOOD VILLAGE, Ohio -- State Highway Patrol troopers arrested one person early Saturday after a carjacking suspect led Cleveland police on a chase for about 20 miles, police said.

The pursuit began about 2:50 a.m. in the area of West 65th Street and Clark Avenue, Cleveland police said.

The vehicle had been reported stolen in an aggravated robbery, police said.

The chase ended in the area of Interstates 480 west and 271 north, near the Broadway-Forbes exit, in Oakwood Village, according to Cleveland police. There were no injuries.

Troopers took the suspect, who has not been identified, into custody, police said.

To comment on this story, visit Saturdays crime and courts comment section.
SOLON, Ohio -- OVI, SR 43: At 12:15 a.m. Nov. 19, an officer, using radar, detected a car traveling 100 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. The car eventually stopped for the officer in the lot of Steak-N-Shake, 7020 Aurora Road.

The driver, an Indianapolis man, 22, told the officer that he was speeding because he was trying to get to Steak-N-Shake to get something to eat before they closed. The restaurant is open 24 hours per day. The man showed signs of impairment and went on to fail field sobriety tests.

His blood-alcohol content was found to be .128, above the state minimum for drunk driving of .08.

Police charged the man with OVI, prohibited BAC, speeding, reckless operation, and driving without an operator's license.

Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, Aurora Road: At 4:40 p.m. Nov. 14, the manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 32625 Aurora Road, reported that a car that was rented on July 28 and was due to be returned Oct. 19, had not been returned.

The business's attempts to contact the renter were not successful. Police spoke with the renter, a Cleveland man, 35, who agreed to return the $29,000 Toyota 4Runner, but then failed to do so.

Police listed the vehicle as stolen and issued an arrest warrant for the man.

Theft, Aurora Road: At 11:45 a.m. Nov. 15, an employee of Market District, 34310 Aurora Road, saw a customer carrying three beers into a restroom. The beer containers were concealed in a newspaper.

After the customer left the restroom, an empty can of beer was found inside the room. When confronted, the man threw $2 at the employee and left the store. The employee believed the man left with the other two cans.

Through video and transaction records, the customer was identified as a Streetsboro man, 48. He was served a misdemeanor citation for theft.

Protection order violation, Solon Road: At 5:10 p.m. Nov. 15, an officer stopped a car due to a license plate violation. The officer then discovered that the car's passenger was in violation of a protection order that sought to protect the woman driving the car.

The passenger was arrested and charged with violating a protection order.

OVI, US 422: At 1:30 a.m. Nov. 17, an officer stopped a car that was traveling 74 miles per hour in a 60-mile-per-hour zone. The officer noticed signs of impairment and the driver, a Garrettsville man, 55, went on to fail field sobriety tests.

The man was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .098.

Police charged the man with OVI, prohibited BAC, speeding, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

OVI, US 422: At 2:35 a.m. Nov. 18, police stopped a car driven by an Auburn Township woman, 43, after it was discovered traveling 47 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per-hour zone and weaving across lanes.

The driver, who was found to be impaired, failed field sobriety tests. The woman was unable to successfully provide a breath sample.

The woman was charged with OVI, a marked lanes violation, and having in her car an open container of alcohol.

OVI, SR 43: At 5:15 p.m. Nov. 18, an officer responded to a motorist's report of a truck being driven erratically. The officer located the truck and eventually conducted a traffic stop.

The driver, an Aurora man, 31, smelled of alcohol. The driver failed field sobriety tests, but refused to take a breath test.

Police charged the man with OVI, a marked lanes violation and with resisting arrest as the man fought with officers as they attempted to place him in the back seat of a cruiser. It is the man's third OVI arrest.

Theft, Aurora Road: At 7:55 p.m. Nov. 19, police were called to the AT&T store at 33631 Aurora Road, where a man took three iPhones worth a combined $2,250, and ran out of the store. Police were unable to locate the suspect. The detective bureau is investigating.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
When it comes to portraying Silicon Valley, pop culture rarely gets it right, says tech titan and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. "I can count the best stuff on one hand," he writes on his blog, including the 1984 book "Fire in the Valley" and Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography of Steve Jobs.

HBO's television series "Silicon Valley," which first aired in 2014, also makes the cut, Gates says.

The comedy series follows introverted computer programmer Richard and his small team of developers at Pied Piper as they attempt to take on tech giant Hooli and succeed in Silicon Valley.

"The show is a parody, so it exaggerates things, but, like all great parodies, it captures a lot of truths," says Gates. "Most of the different personality types you see in the show feel very familiar to me. The programmers are smart, super-competitive even with their friends, and a bit clueless when it comes to social cues."

The character most similar to Gates is the start-up founder Richard: The character is "a great programmer but has to learn some hard lessons about managing people," he says.

Indeed, Gates has always said that his biggest weakness is "dealing with the hiring issues, the management issues. I always have to get other people to come in and help ... build up the team."

Part of the reason the series accurately captures Silicon Valley is because the writers and producers have consulted experts like Gates. "Last year I was one of several people they met with to talk about the history of the industry and kick around some of their ideas for season five," he says, adding: "They didn't give me any spoilers, though."
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks with Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince and minister of defense, left, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.

DUBAI  Even in a region that specializes in nightmare scenarios, the "war game" below got my attention because it falls within the realm of the possible and the horrible.

What makes it even more explosive is the context. The toxic aftermath of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder has allies feuding, adversaries scheming, and competitors jockeying for influence among Muslims worldwide.

One possible outcome in the below scenario is the worst regional war the Middle East has seen. Another could be a historic rupture in U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia.

A Middle Eastern government analyst, when asked what risk keeps him awake at night, frames the scenario this way:

Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen break a fragile cease-fire with a missile launched at Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Unlike so many before it, this missile slips through Saudi air defenses and lands on a shopping mall in early evening, the busiest time of the day. The strike takes mass casualties and sets off panic. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, already rattled by U.S. and European backlash from the Khashoggi killing, blames Tehran for the attack, knows he must respond, but is unsure what allies he can count on. Advisors argue he must strike Iran itself, given the scale of the carnage, the pointlessness of striking targets in Yemen, and questions swirling about his leadership. However, he lacks the offensive and defensive wherewithal for a sustained war with Iran. He considers two options: a secure call to President Donald Trump to request he join his Saudi allies against their common foe. Or, alternatively, the Saudi Air Force strikes Iran, provoking a counterstrike that it hopes will bring American allies into the fighting. In either case, the U.S. president is left to decide: double-down on a tainted ally or stand aside and risk those consequences.

This is just one of many perilous scenarios that experts in the region are discussing as potential "aftershocks" from the Khashoggi killing.

What U.S. allies worry about most are the consequences of understandable U.S. and European reaction to the murder brutal, foolish and irresponsible as it was  that disregards the risk of weakening U.S. alliances, strengthening the already growing role of China and Russia, and fueling pan-Islamist momentum.

Most of all, they worry about a slowing or even a reversal of moves over the last two years by the Saudi crown prince to turn his kingdom against the support and financing of Islamist extremism that was in no small part a result of previous Saudi leadership.

The ongoing Saudi affair highlights a historic tension in U.S. foreign policy between American values and interests. Without its values as a guide, the United States loses its unique attraction as a global power. Yet values alone would have failed to win the Cold War against the Soviet Union  and will likely fail now in the Middle East as well.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board this week joined a chorus of criticism of Trump's statement this week that leaned toward all interests and no values. "Ronald Reagan," said the Wall Street Journal, "pursued a hard-line, often controversial foreign policy against Soviet Communism, but he did so with a balance of unblinkered realism and American idealism. Mr. Trump seems incapable of such balance."
Honduran caravan members look through through the fence at the US-Mexico border wall at Friendship park in San Ysidro, California on November 18, 2018.

Mexico's incoming interior minister, Olga Sanchez Cordero, said Saturday that a plan for Mexico to be a safe third country for asylum claimants in the U.S. were "ruled out," following reports in the Washington Post of a deal with the Trump administration.

Sanchez told Reuters ongoing talks with the United States on the situation of migrant caravans were "very delicate."

Citing Mexican officials and senior members of president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's transition team, the newspaper said the agreement would break with long-standing asylum rules and mount a new obstacle to Central American migrants attempting to reach the United States and escape poverty and violence.

Reached for comment by Reuters, incoming deputy interior minister Zoe Robledo said details of the "Remain in Mexico" scheme were still being worked out.

He confirmed the plan in essence foresaw migrants staying in Mexico while asylum claims are being processed, and said the incoming government wanted to find jobs for them in sectors that are short-staffed, such as maquila assembly plants.

"What we're aiming for is that people leaving their countries due to security issues or violence can find a place to stay in Mexico if that is their decision," Robledo said.

Lopez Obrador has vowed to try to eliminate the causes of migration by creating more jobs and improving living conditions in Mexico and Central America.

In exchange, he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump and the Canadian government will agree to help spur economic development in the region.

Outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto has also sought to stem the flow of migrants north by offering jobs to them, and has received backing from the private sector in his efforts.

Olga Sanchez Cordero, Mexico's incoming interior minister and the top domestic policy official for Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, told the Washington Post the plan, known as Remain in Mexico, was a "short-term solution."

"The medium- and long-term solution is that people don't migrate," Sanchez Cordero said. "Mexico has open arms and everything, but imagine, one caravan after another after another, that would also be a problem for us."

The paper said that according to the outlines of the plan, asylum applicants at the border will have to stay in Mexico while their cases are processed, potentially ending the system Trump decries as "catch and release" that has until now generally allowed those seeking refuge to wait on safer U.S. soil.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen waves to the supporters at the celebration of the 14th presidential inauguration on May 20, 2016 in Taipei, Taiwan.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Saturday she was resigning as chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party after mayoral election defeats.

Tsai also told a news conference that she had not accepted the resignation of her premier, William Lai, who had offered to quit earlier in the evening.
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Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
Ive been following the T-Mobile Sprint merger story for many years. If I were a betting man, I would say this merger will be approved, with conditions. Lets take a closer look at why and what we can expect going forward for T-Mobile, Sprint, their opponents and the larger wireless marketplace.

First, with or without a merger, the wireless industry will continue to grow rapidly and thrive in the new world of 5G. The merger will only impact T-Mobile and Sprint and their ability to be competitive in this new world.

Second, I have been reading so much push-back from the opposition. While there is plenty, this is really nothing new or different from any other M&A story. The arguments made by opponents seem to be serious, but they only tell part of the story. In my opinion they are not enough to block a merger.

Job loss plays a role in any merger. So, this is nothing new. We have seen so many mergers over time and they all have the same factors. However, in wireless, as the industry changes, the competitors must change as well in order to protect their own interests. That means protect all their workers and stay on the growth wave.

While job loss created by a merger can be painful to the workers who are cut, this has been happening with every merger over time. If T-Mobile and Sprint do not merge, we will still see job loss.

Where T-Mobile and Sprint are on the wireless industry growth wave

The only difference is whether the company stays on the growth side of the growth wave or moves to the falling side of that same wave.

As the industry continues to change, so does the needs of every company. Companies cant sit still. If they do, they miss the moving growth wave and get left behind. They must continue to grow and change and stay with the growth wave. If not, the industry-wide growth wave will move on without them, leaving them behind.

Think of the growth wave or growth curve. Companies and industries are either on the growth side, cresting or the falling side. In order for companies to continue growing and being healthy, they must stay on the growth side. If not, they are on the falling side and things start to fall apart.

Thats when real trouble enters the picture. When a company is on the falling side of the growth wave, jobs are lost. Earnings increases are cut. Stock value is lost. On the falling side, everything and everyone suffers. Its very difficult to recover from this move.

It might be perfect if only we could wave our magic wand and say both T-Mobile and Sprint would stay just like they are. But we cant. The marketplace continues to grow and to change. Weve seen this same issue impact every industry and every company over time.

Some companies handle the transformation well and win long term. Others dont and lose. Even go out of business. We have seen countless examples in each category over time.

So, we cannot expect them to stay put on the growth wave. Their choice is simple, either stick with the growth wave and move to 5G or move to the falling side of the wave and suffer the consequences.

Its really that simple.

Wireless industry growth wave is changing with 5G

Everything always changes. Its not like if we denied the merger things would stay the same as they are today. They wouldnt. As the wireless industry moves rapidly to 5G, both AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless are well positioned to evolve.

T-Mobile and Sprint are not in the same kind of shape. While they are competitors in 4G, as we move into the capital-intensive world of transitioning to 5G, both T-Mobile and Sprint are better together than apart.

Without a merger, if kept apart, there would be strain on T-Mobile. They need more spectrum. As for Sprint, I dont know whether they even have the ability to transform without a merger. They have spectrum but miss the magic ability to market well and grow.

Today, T-Mobile has the marketing and Sprint has the wireless data spectrum. Together they are a much stronger competitor as we move further into the new world of 5G. Separate they are two weaker competitors.

The choice whether to approve or deny T-Mobile Sprint merger seems simple

So, today regulators have a choice. Do we look forward or backward? Yesterday is the world of 4G and these companies can continue without merger. Tomorrow is the world of 5G and they will not be able to compete as successfully as they are today.

If T-Mobile and Sprint dont merge, we will have four competitors, two strong and two weak. If they do merge, we will have three strong competitors in 5G. Thats the choice.

I know wed rather have four competitors, but thats in a perfect world. That was in yesterdays marketplace. Thats if things stayed the same and no one lost their job or lost money in the stock.

However, we dont live in a perfect world. The marketplace is always changing and growing. 5G is coming on strong and in this world, T-Mobile needs more spectrum and Sprint needs marketing ability to win market share. They need this to be able to successfully compete with AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless.

The only answer is to let T-Mobile and Sprint merge

Thats why I think the only answer is to let T-Mobile and Sprint merge. There can always be conditions put on this merger if there are real and unique concerns.

Unfortunately, job loss is part of life, with or without a merger as we move into the new 5G world. Always has been and always will be. Things change. Industries change. That means there will be mergers and there will be job loss. Its not fair to the worker, but thats what keeps the companys strong and healthy and growing. Its just the way things are.

Bottom line, if we dont keep up with the change wave, it will move on ahead without us, leaving us behind in the dust. I dont know about you, but that does not sound like a good plan for anyone, workers, executives, investors or the industry as a whole.
May prepares curbs to migration in bid to sell deal

T

heresa May is preparing to unveil curbs on low-skilled migrants just days before a crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal in a bid to win round Eurosceptic Tory MPs, The Telegraph has learned. Leaked Cabinet papers reveal that the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas with restricted entitlements and rights while they are living in the UK. Ministers are also considering alternative plans to allow EU migrants aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for two years, with a strict cap on numbers. The Prime Minister will announce that the Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled workers after Brexit such as doctors and nurses entirely so the UK can attract the brightest and the best

T

Low-skilled EU immigrants to receive 11-month visas  The Sun

Prime Minister repeatedly refuses to rule out resigning  Daily Telegraph

May implores rebels to back her deal  Daily Express

and insists it cannot be rewritten by MPs  The Scotsman

Is the deal already sunk?  Daily Mail

he Telegraph understands that the Government is planning to publish the long-awaited migration white paper in the week starting December 3rd, with the Commons vote expected the following week. The Prime Minister will then seek to reframe the Brexit debate around migration by arguing that her deal will fulfil the key referendum pledge of taking back control of borders.  Daily Telegraph

More:

Government to enrage Brexiteers with new projections  The Times

Pro-Brexit adviser admits wed be better off staying in  The Guardian

Spain stands firm on Gibraltar ahead of summit  FT

EU to demand fishing access before agreeing trade deal  The Sun

Brussels sees its Brexit mission accomplished  FT

>Today: Nick Hargraves column: If we join the EEA, others might follow  thus creating a Europe-wide, non-federalist alternative to the EU

>Yesterday: Lord Ashcroft in Comment: My Brexit poll. Its good for Maybut bad for her deal

as DUP say its worse than Corbyn taking power

Theresa Mays Brexit deal is a worse outcome for Britain than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn, Arlene Foster says today. The head of the Democratic Unionist Party warns the prime minister that she cannot count on its ten MPs to save her from a vote of no confidence if the Commons rejects the deal. In an interview with The Times Mrs Foster makes clear that the Tories wavering allies will not be bullied into propping up Mrs May by the fear of a Labour election victory. Although the arrival of Mr Corbyn in No 10 is not a pleasant scenario, she says a divorce deal that in her view carves Northern Ireland from Britain is worse She points to Labour MPs whose views on Northern Ireland are opposed to those of Mr Corbyn and John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, and says that the DUP would look at the whole picture if it were faced with a choice between an early election or accepting a backstop that imposed a different set of regulations on Northern Ireland.  The Times

Hammond announces surprise cash boost for Northern Irish schools  The Sun

Robinson gives eve-of-conference warning on the Union  News Letter

Interview with Foster  The Times

Adams free to appeal 1970s convictions  The Guardian

More:

Raab says deal is worse than staying in the EU  The Sun

Stewart says defeat of deal could cause lasting toxicity  Daily Express

Comment:

DUPs electoral insulation could be a false comfort  Sam McBride, News Letter

The party is in as much trouble as May, and will stick with her  Alex Kane, The Guardian

>Today: ToryDiary: Its possible to trade across the Northern Irish border without simply swallowing EU regulation whole

>Yesterday: MPs Etc.: Yesterday in the Commons. More opponents than supporters of the Prime Ministers deal on the Conservative backbenchers.

Knighthood for Hayes derided as desperation

Theresa May last night awarded a knighthood to a veteran Eurosceptic MP, prompting accusations she was using the honours system to get her Brexit deal through parliament. John Hayes, a maverick former minister sacked by the prime minister in January, was given the honour in a one-off announcement, rather than as part of a large list as is typical. This deepened suspicion in Westminster that the decision was related to the thorny task facing the prime minister in getting her Brexit deal through the Commons. Sir John, who voted to leave the EU in 2016, has expressed concern about the backstop plan for the Irish border in the governments Brexit deal, and last night told: I still need a lot of persuading

to vote for this.

Chris Matheson, Labours shadow Cabinet Office minister, said that it was a spectacular act of desperation for Theresa May to be giving away knighthoods in a bid to win votes for her botched Brexit deal.  The Times

>Yesterday: MPs Etc.: Arise, Sir John!

Jeremy Hunt: The Commons and the country should rally behind the Prime Minister

If Parliament were to reject the Declaration and the proposed Withdrawal Agreement, this would open the door for those who wish to derail Brexit and overturn the result of the referendum. Already we hear demands for the British people to be made to rerun the debate and vote again. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyns Labour just play politics  standing both for and against a second referendum, saying one thing to Leave voters and quite another to Remainers. As it happens, I voted to stay in the EU, but I respect the outcome and I believe in the democratic imperative of honouring the decision of the British people. Today, the choice is not between this Declaration and a perfect agreement. The real choice is between the terms secured by the Prime Minister in the national interest or the danger of going back to square one and Brexit not happening at all. This would deal a profoundly damaging blow to British democracy. Now that the crucial hour is upon us, the country should get behind her.  Daily Telegraph

How Downing Street is trying to force this deal through  Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph

Remainers must reject Mays agreement  Matthew Parris, The Times

There is still a Norway-style alternative  Camilla Cavendish, FT

Will real Brexit become the Rights version of real socialism?  Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph

Mays blueprint is not going to pass the Commons  James Forsyth, The Sun

How the Prime Minister could survive the next few weeks  Peter Oborne, Daily Mail

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Keep your eyes fixed on the Withdrawal Agreement, which would be backed by law. Not on this Political Declaration. Which wouldnt.

Ministers 1) Rudd signals more support for single mothers

Ministers 2) Javid forced to abandon firearms curbs

Single Mums are set to get more help from Universal Credit, Amber Rudd has said. The new Work and Pensions boss says she would review the five-week wait, payments for housing, and repayment of loans in a sure sign that more changes are on the way. But she said she wanted to focus on the impacts on particularly single mothers. In an interview with Sky News she said: Im going to specifically look at how Universal Credit impacts women Im going to make sure that if we need to make changes to support them then we will. Research has shown that single mums and women generally are some of the hardest hit by the Universal Credit and welfare system. The flagship policy, which is set to roll six benefits into one, has been beset with issues, but the new DWP boss has vowed to fix them. She insisted that the system was a force for good but admitted there were real problems that needed to be dealt with. Millions more Brits are set to go onto the new system in the coming months, as ministers transfer people from the old to the new system.  The Sun

The government has abandoned plans to ban military-grade rifles after pressure from Conservative Brexiteers and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Sajid Javid, the home secretary, quietly dropped the proposal yesterday. Police forces had supported the idea of banning the weapons, which were designed by the military, amid fears that they would fall into the hands of terrorists. The National Crime Agency said that the rifles were too powerful to be used for sport and warned that they had the ability to immobilise a medium-sized lorry at a distance of just over a mile. Brexiteer MPs have said that a ban would be disproportionate and risked penalising law-abiding citizens. They said that only a tiny proportion of crimes were committed with legally held firearms. The row is the latest show of strength from Brexiteer Conservative MPs who oppose Theresa Mays proposed EU deal with Brussels. Labour said that the climbdown showed that the government was so weak that it could not pass laws designed to ban powerful rifles.  The Times

Khan spends 1.7 million on water fountains instead of police  Daily Telegraph

Mercer attacks unjust investigations into troops

News in Brief:

The DUP has clear red lines, but what does the party want from Brexit?  Owen Polley, CapX

If May wants to solve the backstop crisis, she needs to talk to tech  Andrew Bird, Brexit Central

Mays Brexit deal: the legal verdict  Martin Howe QC, The Spectator

Silver smoothies, hard nuts, and sensitive youngsters: the Tory Brexit tribes  Mark Fox, Reaction

How the Church lost its flock over Brexit  Giles Fraser, UnHerd

Military cops are still investigating over 140 alleged war crimes committed in Iraq by British troops  despite claims the probes would end this year. Last February then Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced the hated IHAT probe would close with the total remaining cases set to drop to around 20. And MoD officials bragged service cops would complete the remaining investigations as early as the end of this year  12 months ahead of schedule. But figures released by the MoD yesterday confirmed there are 51 ongoing investigations into 144 allegations of wrongdoing. Of that 27 are full investigations while 24 are lines of enquiry  not full-blown probes. Each investigation can contain multiple allegations. Insiders last night claimed the target of completing all work by the end of this year was an aspiration rather than a promise, but critics were dismayed by the lack of progress. Campaigning MP Johnny Mercer, a former Army officer, called the investigation of troops a fundamental injustice  saying action only gets taken when pressure is applied.  The Sun
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The Port of Cromarty Firth board today announced a new quayside expansion, costing 30 million.

The new 218-meter-log quayside and 9 acres of laydown area has been designed as a new energy and cruise hub and will be completed by 2020, the port said.

"It will not only be able to accommodate large scale renewable, decommissioning and oil and gas projects, it will also be able to berth the largest cruise ships currently being designed and built," the port said, in a press release.

This will be the second quayside and laydown area built by the port in three years.

Bob Buskie, Chief Executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth said: This is tremendous news for the Port and the Highlands and it represents a significant investment by the Board. As a Trust Port, all of our profits are reinvested in the Ports future development. We believe this investment will be help bring new work to the area for decades to come. This is already starting, with last weeks announcement of the Moray East Offshore Windfarm contract.

The team at the Port have been working for two years on this project and we couldn't have done it without the help of the Scottish Government, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Royal Bank of Scotland and, of course, our new partners Moray East. Everyone collaborated to make this happen for Scotland and the Highlands and I would like to thank everyone on behalf of the Ports Board for their hard work and commitment to the project."

Bob added: There is a substantial demand for the services in the Port and, even with the large new quayside and laydown area finished in 2016, we still experience capacity issues. This new Energy and Cruise Hub will help us resolve these problems and open up the Port to being able to accommodate large scale projects from across all sectors.

Fergus Ewing MSP for Inverness and Nairn commented This is excellent news and a result of hard work by the team at PoCF. I am delighted they have won this crucial contract and this will provide a real boost to the Port and the wider Highland economy.
A row between Spain and the U.K. over the British enclave of Gibraltar threatened to overshadow a European Union summit aimed at endorsing Theresa May's Brexit deal.

Spanish officials said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez might not attend the gathering in Brussels on Sunday unless he first sees a satisfactory, written declaration from the U.K. guaranteeing that the 2.6 square-mile territory of Gibraltar won't automatically be covered by any future U.K.-EU trade agreement. It's a last-minute obstacle for the EU, which wants all 27 EU leaders to give their assent to the Brexit accord this weekend.

The spat comes 18 months after the U.K. started negotiations with the EU over its withdrawal from the bloc. An agreement in principle was reached earlier this month and leaders have insisted there can be no outstanding issues going into the summit. The sign-off will pave the way for May to try to get support for the deal from the U.K. Parliament, which might prove the trickiest step yet.

After EU and Spanish officials spent Friday in Brussels trying to agree wording to sit alongside the draft Brexit treaty, a government spokesman in Madrid said Spain still doesn't consider it has sufficient guarantees from the U.K. side. Earlier, a junior EU affairs minister, Luis Marco Aguiriano, said the British government had promised commitments.

Before Brexit negotiations started, the U.K. agreed with the EU that any future trade agreement won't cover Gibraltar without the express consent of Spain. The Spanish government said wording in the deal agreed this month doesn't make that clear.

Spain lays claim to Gibraltar, situated off its southern coast, and questions the treaty that ceded it to Britain in 1713. The issue is also playing into regional elections in Andalusia, the Spanish region that neighbors Gibraltar, and that is a traditional stronghold for Sanchez's Socialist party.

May is scheduled to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Saturday night. The summit is due to start at 9.30 a.m. the following day. The EU is planning to release a communique on Gibraltar alongside the text of the Brexit deal.

In a statement, a U.K. government spokesperson said Britain will "negotiate future agreements on behalf of all territories for whose external relations we are responsible, including Gibraltar."
OXFORD  Friends and family are invited to say their goodbyes to Andrew J. Coy, Sr., on Thursday, Nov. 29 in Seymour.

Coy, of Oxford, was born in Derby on Dec. 26, 1977, an obituary said. He died Wednesday at Griffin Hospital at the age of 40.

Coy was a senior electrical installer for Sikorsky Aircraft, but he was most known for his dedication to the Quaker Farms Fire Company in Oxford, where he served as assistant fire chief from 2007 until his death. He was also very involved with the Oxford Ambulance Association.

Among many things, he enjoyed landscaping, camping with his family, especially his two sons, and will be remembered for his generosity for helping others at any time and for any reason, the obituary said.

Calling hours are on Nov. 29 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home at 161 West Church Street in Seymour. A memorial service will be held Friday, Nov. 30, at 10 a.m. in Christ Church at 470 Quaker Farms Road in Oxford.

Coy was married to his wife, Larissa (Penchuk) Coy, for 16 years. He is survived by her, his parents Douglass and Dorthea Coy, his 13-year-old son Andrew and 10-year-old son Dayne, his two brother and his in-laws. He was predeceased by his brother, Gordon Coy.

Memorial donations in Coys name can be made to the family through the funeral home.
BRIDGEPORT  Local activist Carolyn Vermont is a familiar sight at dinners and other gatherings around town.

I said to her one day shes at more social events than anybody Ive ever met, said state Senator Marilyn Moore.

And now Vermont can get paid for it. As previously reported, she has been hired by Mayor Joe Ganim to be his $70,000-a-year community liaison.

But is the position even needed? And is Vermont the most qualified choice or just a politically strategic one?

According to the job description, Vermont will be more than just a glorified social butterfly. She will represent the mayor at various functions and on public or private boards; be Ganims liaison with community groups, religious and private organizations; receive and resolve constituent complaints; and take on unspecified additional projects.

Ganim already has a fair number of politically appointed aides, including Alma Maya, whose responsibilities include working with Bridgeports various neighborhood revitalization groups. The mayors office also has two communications specialists.

It was the City Council that called for the additional liaison job in the budget passed last spring that, in exchange, defunded the vacant deputy chief-of-staff position.

Its something we did want for him to have, said Council President Aidee Nieves, likening the role to that of Lamond Daniels, who worked for Ganims predecessor, Bill Finch. He was the boots on the ground person.

Nieves said that Vermont will similarly be the face of the administration.

Councilwoman Maria Zambrano Viggiano, who chairs the budget committee, said, The mayors office needs to have someone in the community responding to concerns residents have. I know that role was something we prioritized. We want to make sure people feel theyre represented in City Hall and have a point of contact.

Given the funds for the liaisons job have been available since July 1, when the 2018/19 budget went into effect, the timing of filling the vacancy and the choice of Vermont took some, including Nieves and Viggiano, by surprise.

I would have liked to have known more about that process before a hire was made, Viggiano said.

Moore, who is considered a potential challenger to fellow Democrat Ganim as he seeks re-election in 2019, has criticized many of the mayors hires as unnecessary. But Moore praised Ganims choice of Vermont, saying, I dont think he could have picked a better person. Carolyn has great presentation skills and a million dollar smile. (And) I think this job is very much needed.

Fair and experienced

Councilman Ernie Newton said since Vermont is more of a professional than a politician; he was not certain she will last: Shell find out within the first two or three months if she likes it. Its a visible position and people are going to come to her to resolve their problems. (And) 90 percent of the people care about what have you done for me today, not what youve done in the past.

Some may know Vermont mainly for her publicized failures. Her tenure running Bridgeports NAACP branch ended with the state NAACP temporarily taking the local organization over to end ongoing infighting and help establish new leadership.

And earlier this year Vermont tried and failed to run for retiring state Senator Ed Gomes seat. She launched a petition drive to force a primary with Democratic nominee Dennis Bradley, but did not collect enough signatures.

Vermont received praise from heads of some of the prominent community organizations she has served.

Joe Carbone, president of The Workplace, a workforce development organization in Bridgeport, said that Vermont for several years voluntarily reviewed applications for federally funded grants The Workplace distributes.

She does an extremely thorough job. Shes very very fair. And shes got a great sense of the community  a memory of the track record of organizations weve funded, Carbone said. That comes with years of experience and interaction with people.

Jeremy Stein, executive director of CT Against Gun Violence, said Vermont did a great job as his paid, part-time urban outreach coordinator in Bridgeport: She connected us with the mayors office, the schools, community leaders, youth groups. Most recently she helped us facilitate a youth empowerment summit in New Haven.

Nieves said its going to be imperative for her success serving Ganim that Vermont connect not just with the higher profile groups, but with smaller, lesser-known community organizations and activists as well.

Asked if Vermont could simply be used by Ganim to promote himself during next years mayoral race, Nieves said, Of course shes got to say supportive things (about the administration).

But, Nieves emphasized, Vermont needs to do her job for the community: Shes gotta bring back what the residents want.

Newton saw another political motive behind Ganims hiring Vermont. While the administration has blacks and Hispanics in prominent positions in city government, one of the former, Chief Administrative Officer Kimberly Staley, is departing, and Ganim has been criticized for not having enough minorities working in his office.

The mayors staff is lily white, Newton said. A lot of people are very angry about that.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.and that means Black Friday follows, with the stress and frenzy of finding just the right gift for those on your gift list. Remember, Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights is early, with the first candle being lit on Dec. 2, so time is short for those on your Hanukkah list.

Each year, I look forward to helping you find the perfect kitchen gadget, food product and cookbooks for foodie friends and relatives, and perhaps yourself. I know these suggestions will fit the bill. Throughout the year, I attend food-related trade shows and events, returning with lots of ideas of what to include here. It is difficult to choose what to suggest.

Best wishes to you this holiday season and let the shopping begin. As in past years, to make it easy for one stop shopping, I have asked WAVE, 1046 Chapel St, New Haven 203-782-6212 www.wavenewhaven.com to carry some of these gifts.

Stay tuned for my cookbook recommendation column for those on your gift listyoure bound to find one you will want to add to your own shelf.

I have been using Butterie , for almost a year. I met Butteries inventor and company founder, Joelle Mertzel, at a trade show. She said, I learned a few years ago that butter does not need to be kept in the refrigerator; that butter can be stored on the kitchen counter for several weeks without spoiling. Having soft butter always available is such a pleasure, there is nothing more frustrating than ripping your toast while trying to use a cold, hard, stick of butter. Yet it amazes me that scores of products, from butter bells to butter graters, have been designed over the years to make butter easier to spread, when the answer was so simple: just keep your butter on the counter. Available in eight colors, it is dishwasher safe, shatterproof, holds two sticks of butter and includes a matching spreader. Once you use Butterie, you will wonder how you ever lived without it. It is available at Bed Bath & Beyond stores or online at www.ButterieDish.com

Booze Cubes are made with the recycled cores from production of the Stone Beverage Dispenser, a Funky Rock Design product I wrote about in a past gift column. Freeze for 3 hours, add 2 cubes to your glass and pour over your favorite spirits or soft drinks. Using these stones instead of traditional ice cubes wont dilute your beverage. They are handmade in Eliot, Maine, from Natural ocean and river stones and locally sourced granite. These cubes bring a little bit of nature indoors in a unique form of functional art. More at https://bit.ly/2ATFkn2 .

I had to try the RapidSlicer to believe it. It will be the recipients (or your) favorite kitchen gadget. It was invented when Cindy Fox had it with slicing tiny, roll-y cherry tomatoes one by one for a salad. So her husband Rob began tinkering to make his own kitchen slicer that did the job faster and easier. Rapid Slicer is the result of Cindys frustration and Robs ingenuity. The made in the USA tool lends a hand when youre slicing tricky foodslike grapes, cherry tomatoes, olives, and Brussels sprouts. It can even help with chicken breast and shrimp.

Non-slip feet give the base better grip, and the lid holds foods firmly in place so you can neatly slice through everything in one pass. Makes a great stocking stuffer. More at https://rapidslicer.com/ .

Another stocking stuffer for the cooks on your list and will be appreciated is the Odor STEELer . They rub their hands with this stainless steel soap and it will be like they never touched fish, onions or garlic. A new feature to a product that has been around for years is the bristled silicone sleeve that can be used to clean up with sudsy soap after use, or used to clean vegetables. More at https://bit.ly/2QvkHmG .

The Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is a workhorse in my kitchen. The full-size toaster oven additionally serves as an oven, convection oven, broiler and an air fryer. The latter function is a healthier way to prepare fried favorites like French fries, shrimp and wings..all without the messy cleanup and those extra calories. Many times, I dont need to light the regular oven. It does a great job baking cookies and small cakes. And for pizza lovers, there is an 11-inch pizza stone sold separately. Once this appliance is used they will wonder how they lived without it.

Cold brew coffee is the craze and can be costly in the coffee shops. Cuisinarts Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker will be a welcomed gift for cold brew fanatics. The coffeemaker saturates coffee grounds in cool water, never exposing them to the high temperatures that release oils, creating an acidic taste. Being sensitive to acidic coffee, I can attest to the difference in cold brews. Three flavor strength options allows the choice of flavor strength. Coffee can be refrigerated in the 7-cup carafe for up to two weeks.

Celebrate Connecticut (or any other state) with a Fish Kiss plate or platter. Anne Klein creates the state-centric scenes on platters. Made with ThermoSaf polymer. this durable material is microwave-safe and BPA and melamine-free. The print is also available on tea towels, perfect for kitchen or bathroom. Her whimsical illustrations have a quirky, retro vibe that sweetly capture a states highlights, like its birds and flag, tourist attractions and historical landmarks. Design is also available on prints, greeting cards, baby blanket, one-piece jumpsuit and hat. More at www.fish-kiss.com .

Selected as one of Oprahs Favorite Things, The Spice Labs Tequila Salt Shooters have an insert that keeps the tequila from getting too salty. Holding 1.5 ounces, these 3- inch shot glasses have the finely veined look of marble or rose quartz and actually are carved from the finest quality, food grade Himalayan pink salt. Salt is a long-lasting, naturally anti-bacterial mineral so these glasses require just a little care to become a favorite party starter for years to come. More at https://bit.ly/2zSHXUf .

The Spice Lab has created four Seasoning Collections featuring some of their most popular premium spice blends. Each set includes a themed selection of four seasonings in shaker jars packaged in a gift box. These careful-crafted seasonings are all natural, kosher and most are gluten-free. These Seasoning Collections are ideal gifts for your favorite foodie, make great hostess presents; and dont forget to treat yourself to add flavor and flair to your holiday cooking. One of my favorites from the Taste of America Collection is Everything+More; all the popular bagel toppings with pepper flakes for heat. The possibilities are endless with this toasty topping. Slather crackers, toast, or celery sticks with cream cheese and top with the blend. Or, sprinkle halved hard-boiled eggs or buttered popcorn or roasted vegetables. https://bit.ly/2PpBqv1

Who doesnt love delicious and unique treats for the holidays? River Street Sweets , a family owned and operated company in Savannah, GA for over 45 years is the world famous maker of Southern pralines and confections that have been shipped all over the world. I remember those pralines when I visited the shop several years ago. After savoring the confection, I knew why their pralines generate millions of dollars in annual sales and making them the leading supplier of pralines. The Sweet Treat Assortment contains some of River Street Sweets favorite goodies: their World Famous Pralines, Milk Chocolate Bear Claws, Glazed Pecans, Praline Pecans, and Carmel Corn. This delicious package comes in a beautiful red gift box. The Southern Cake Trio (praline cake, Bear Claws Cake and red velvet cake) offers a sweet taste of the South. Some of their items ship for free! www.riverstreetsweets.com 800-793-3876

Bear Paws are sturdy meat shredding claws that can turn the recipient or you into a culinary Edward Scissorhands. Made in the USA, the claws easily shred pulled pork, chicken, or other food you want to tear up. To do such a sensational job shredding, the Bear Paw prongs are super sharp. I find them useful for lifting roasts or turkeys, or to add stability while carving and slicing. The ergonomic shape contours to your grip. Another great stocking stuffer. More at https://bit.ly/2DBoPOW .

The recipient of Nest Lock Multi-Size Containers will thank you for helping them to be organized in their kitchen. The problem with most storage containers, (mine included), is that they take up precious cabinet space when not in use and usually require lids and bases to be stored separately, which make finding and pairing them a hassle. This is solved though with the stacking design of as the container bases nest neatly inside each other and lids clip together. The covers and bases are color-coded, making it easy to match lids with bases. I think you might be purchasing a set for yourself too. More at https://bit.ly/2wtqgcd .

Three health conscious brothers invented Pressa Bottle after they realized that fruit naturally doesnt want to release juice when you put a few slices in a water bottle. They found out it did the opposite, absorbing water with very little, if any fruit flavor in the water. They began to imagine how beneficial and satisfying it would be to press that flavor filled fruit and tap into it. They created a water bottle to flavor water naturally. Just add a couple pieces of your favorite fruit, twist the dial on top of the bottle and press real flavor into your water bottle. Bottle available in glass or plastic. More at https://bit.ly/2T97Vf3 :

Paella is growing in popularity on restaurant menus. The Carmencita Paella Kit , made in Spain takes the fear of making paella at home. The kit includes a paella pan, extra virgin olive oil, fish broth, rice and spices. You just need your favorite shellfish fish or chicken. Watch how easy it is to make. More at https://bit.ly/2z1yVVB https://bit.ly/2De8fE1 .

Fred & Friends are always coming up with whimsical gifts. Fill up Freds SOUP BONE with fresh herbs and whole spices and drop in your soup pot. It delivers flavor as well as laughs. For the children on your list, The Dinner Winner tray provides eat-as-you-go action winding them through an adventure. A special covered surprise awaits at the finish line so even fussy eaters will clean their plate. It is available in five styles: Dino Time, Supper Hero, Enchanted Forest, Pirate; Retro, and Original. www.genuinefred.com

What chef would you like me to interview? Which restaurant recipes or other recipes would you like to have? Which food products do you have difficulty finding? Do you have cooking questions? Send them to me: Stephen Fries, professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, at gw-stephen.fries@gwcc.commnet.edu or Dept. FC, Gateway Community College, 20 Church St., New Haven, 06510. Include your full name, address and phone number. (Due to volume, I might not be able to publish every request. For more, go to stephenfries.com.)
We are now more than two weeks into a new sanctions regime on Iran, and it will be a long time before it ends. The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has listed 12 conditions that Iran needs to meet before that happens. They include a permanent cessation of Iranian support for revolutionary groups abroad as well as a permanent halt to Iran's nuclear program. By its own definition, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a revolutionary regime dedicated to exporting its form of radical Islam; it's also a theocracy that relies on nationalist sentiment to maintain its support. In other words, these conditions are not going to be met anytime soon.

Instead of conceding, the Iranian leadership has buckled down and prepared itself for another hit to the already weak economy. Difficult times are indeed coming. Already, companies are shutting down. Unemployment is rising. Raw materials prices are rising. Some think the government is strong enough to survive, particularly since trade with China, India and Russia will continue. But some in the Trump administration don't really hide their hopes that the regime will fall apart.

They might be right. The anarchic, leaderless protests - women removing their headscarves, truckers going on strike - of the past six months could spread. Nearly a year ago, protests against high prices and corruption, and in favor of a secular state, erupted in dozens of cities. Iran has had a revolution before, and it could happen again. But then what?

No one is asking - and, as far as I can tell, no one is thinking about it at all. The United States now has a policy that promotes regime collapse in all but name; at the very least, it's clear that this administration wants the Islamic republic to fail. But although we have a lively debate about the merits of sanctions, nobody seems to do much thinking about the future of Iran itself.

Nor does this administration seem to be thinking too much about Iranians - which isn't surprising, because Americans never have. In 2009, the Obama administration could have put a human rights campaign at the heart of its Iran policy, promoting the people, ideas, education and media that could have helped change Iran from within. In 2019, the Trump administration could do the same. But the former didn't, and the latter won't.

At a similar stage in the deterioration of the Soviet empire, the United States, together with Western Europe, did have a policy toward what we used to call the "captive nations." We educated the Central European economists who later led their countries away from central planning. We ran successful and popular radio programs that reached into the farthest corners of the U.S.S.R. We thought hard not just about deterring Soviet aggression, but also about reaching ordinary Russians. None of it looked like much at the time, but when the regime finally did collapse, it turned out to matter.

In the case of Iran, anything even resembling a regime failure could have catastrophic consequences. Iran's economy is dominated by companies that are owned, openly or otherwise, by the radical Revolutionary Guard. Most banks are owned directly by the state. The judicial system is dominated by clerics. And the educational system has also been twisted by decades of radical religious ideology. At the same time, it is true that there are important pockets of liberalism and a vibrant human rights movement, both inside and outside the country. But the West - governments, charities, NGOs, media - does little to assist them, to speak to them, to help them to win their arguments. Most of the time, we forget they exist at all.

If we want that "other" Iran to succeed, an Iran with a different vision of its place in the world, we should be thinking about it, planning for it, preparing for it now. If our interest in Iran reaches only to the promotion of failure, then we deserve the chaos that could ensue if we get our wish.
Pa. election audit: Private company vows to protect voters' information

The company contracted by state Senate Republicans pledged to be fair and protect voters' sensitive information in its election, but didn't elaborate.
WEST CHESTER  Thursday, Dec. 13, promises to be an emotional day at the Chester County Justice Center.

That is the day that Common Pleas Court Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft has set for the sentencing hearing in the case of David Andrew Desper, the Delaware County man who shot and killed a Westtown teenager in a road-rage incident on a stretch of West Goshen highway.

Wheatcraft set the date in September, and gave the two sides until this Friday to submit victim impact statements and letters from Despers friends and family to the countys Adult Probation Office, which is responsible for compiling a pre-sentencing report in the case  setting forth not only Despers background but also the effect the murder has had on the family and friends of the victim, Bianca Nikol Roberson.

Wheatcraft gave the prosecution, led by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Miller and Deputy District Attorney Michelle Frei, and Despers defense attorney, Daniel McGarrigle of Media, the option of deciding on their own how many witnesses they would present for testimony, saying the only limitation on each side would be the amount of time they take. She said the sentencing hearing would begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or two hours for each side.

Traditionally, the prosecution is given the opportunity to present its side first, followed by the defense. Desper will be allowed to make whatever statement he wishes to both the judge and the victims family, both in writing and in open court. At times, judges will hear all the evidence presented and then take a break to mull over the information before emerging from chambers to announce the sentence.

The proceeding will likely be held in one of the courthouses two larger courtrooms to accommodate what is expected to be a overflow turnout of supporters on both sides and local newspaper and television media.

Desper, 36, of Trainer, Delaware County, pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree murder, a first-degree felony, and possession of instruments of crime, a first-degree misdemeanor, in September before a scheduled rial in the case that made national headlines for its random tragic nature.

Roberson, a recent Rustin High School graduate, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in June 2017 as she drove home from a day of pre-college shopping.

Desper, 36, did not address the court during that proceeding, other than to answer Wheatcrafts questions about the rights to a trial he gave up by entering the plea, which carries with it a maximum possible sentence of 20 to 40 years in state prison. Im a little nervous, he said at one point after interrupting one of Wheatcrafts queries.

The charges against Desper, who has no serious criminal record, carries with them a possible maximum sentence of 221/2 to 45 years in state prison, 20 to 40 years for the murder and two and a half to five years for the possession of an instrument of crime. It will be Wheatcrafts task to decide what length of time Desper will serve.

The plea represented a difficult compromise between the first-degree murder conviction the prosecution had been seeking, and any conviction on a lesser charge  including manslaughter  that the defense had hoped for.

Supporters of Robersons family, some of whom expressed displeasure at the plea on social media ahead of the proceeding, filled up every available seat in Wheatcrafts small courtroom during the plea hearing.

In a Facebook post, Michelle Roberson, the victims mother, wrote, We have no choice but to accept 3rd degree murder. She also suggested that the plea agreement had been communicated to the family only a day before the proceeding.

But in response to questions from Wheatcraft, Miller said that he and others had discussed the matter for some time with the family, as well as police from West Goshen, after he was approached by McGarrigle about his clients willingness to plead guilty to the third-degree murder charge.

Miller said his office ultimately did not believe they could prove a first-degree murder case against Desper to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He and Frei talked the matter over with District Attorney Tom Hogan, who met with Robersons family personally to discuss the case, he told the judge.

No one is happy with this situation, Miller said in court. No plea will ever bring Bianca Roberson back. And I will not put words in (Robersons familys) mouths that they are happy. But they have agreed to let this go forward. Never have a I met a family more dedicated to their daughter (than the Robersons.)

Wheatcraft, in a rare move, asked Robersons parents  Rodney S. Roberson Sr., and Michelle Roberson  to stand and speak with her about the plea to the lesser murder charge. Neither objected, but they gave no ringing endorsement.

Were they in agreement that the plea was the best resolution to the case, the judge asked? That is what was offered to us, said father Rodney Roberson, as Biancas mother stood at his side, visibly distraught.

I agree that it is a very good resolution, said Wheatcraft. Do you understand this is a good resolution? And you will have an opportunity to tell me about your loss. You will have the opportunity to tell me anything you want to (at sentencing). Does that satisfy you today?

Yes, maam, he answered.

At the plea hearing, McGarrigle told Wheatcraft that he had discussed the case with his client for more hours than he could count since his client turned himself in to West Goshen police the morning of July 2, ending a regional search for the driver in a red pickup truck that had been captured on video footage leaving the scene of Robersons death.

Roberson was 18 years old and had just graduated from West Chesters Bayard Rustin High School when she went shopping in Exton on June 28, 2017, and started to drive home on the Route 100 spur in West Goshen. There, she encountered Desper in his 2002 red Chevrolet Silverado around 5:30 p.m., and police say the two began jockeying for position as the two-lane highway merges into a single lane.

According to witnesses, the two cars battled for space along the highway, each trying to pass one another. At some point, however, Desper pulled a loaded .40-caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun from his drivers compartment, pointed it out his open passenger window, and fired it at Robersons 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, according to the plea information presented to Wheatcraft.

Bianca Roberson was in the right lane of travel and Desper was to her left. When approaching the merger of Routes 100 and 202, Despers lane of travel ended. At the time he shot Roberson, the defendant had no lawful justification or excuse and acted with malice, the prosecution maintained.

Roberson, fatally injured, veered off the highway and into a roadside ditch. Desper sped off as other drivers watched and the incident was partially captured on surveillance cameras.

The defendant did not stop or call for assistance and instead fled the area, Miller stated. He left his red pickup truck at a friends house and went to Delaware.

After several days, the defendant voluntarily surrendered to authorities at McGarrigles office on July 2, 2017, and has been held without bail in Chester County Prison since. A search of his residence, which McGarrigle pointed the investigators to, led police to recover the .40-caliber firearm used in the murder.
Nobody would have ever thought this could happen, President Donald Trump said while touring the Camp Fire devastation last weekend.

Thats not true. The Camp Fire was inevitable. It is the event that so many dreaded for so long.

People prepared. Fire prevention officials planned. They drilled. They worked with homeowners. They invented fire-safe councils and Fire on the Ridge and sent fire prevention officials to schools via a program called Fire Pals. They raised money to keep fire lookouts open when the state said it wouldnt.

Eventually, geography and topography proved to be the trap everyone thought it was.

Paradise and Magalia sit on top of a pine-studded ridge between several canyons. There are very few subdivisions. Instead, homes are built one at a time and tucked into trees. Fly over the area in a helicopter and those trees stand like matchsticks surrounding well-hidden homes.

Most cities have grass. Paradises predominant ground covering is pine needles  extremely flammable pine needles.

It wasnt a well-planned city, but rather a village that grew into a city. The grid pattern of Paradises roads is haphazard. There are few arterials. Instead, there are two-lane roads without much connectivity. When people tried to evacuate in a flash, those bottlenecks were pronounced. Several people died in their cars, trapped by gridlock.

The large roads leading out of town arent large. Only Skyway is two lanes in both directions. Two summers ago, the town decided to turn Skyway from four lanes to two in the downtown area to calm traffic and make things more quaint. That couldnt have helped the escape.

Clark, Pentz and Neal are rural roads, one lane in each direction. The town, in a lesson from the 2008 Humboldt Fire, learned that all lanes on Skyway, Clark and Pentz should be used for downhill traffic out of town in an evacuation. Thats what was done Nov. 8. It had to help, and still there was unprecedented loss of life.

The area around Paradise and Magalia burns every summer. Sometimes homes are destroyed. Usually, aggressive firefighting saves a disaster  and the town would again breathe a collective sigh of relief over escaping the big one.

People always warned it was coming. Thats why Congressman Wally Herger, Supervisor Kim Yamaguchi and others fought so hard early this century for the upper ridge escape route through Butte Meadows. The government purse strings were only loosened when enough politicians became convinced, after years of hammering by our local representatives that this was a disaster waiting to happen. The upper ridge escape route helped last week. Again, it wasnt enough.

There were overt signs. Larry Mitchell, a retired former Paradise Post and Enterprise-Record reporter, recalls when a new fire chief was hired in the 1980s with strong credentials. He was immediately concerned about the fire danger. He took Mitchell on a tour of places that he said were especially dangerous. He showed me places along the canyon edges where there were ravines full of brush and talked about how the fire could rush up them, like a chimney, Mitchell wrote to us this week.

The chief didnt last long. Mitchell said he got the impression one reason the man left was that he didnt want to be fire chief of a town that could explode in flames.

With hounding, some residents did an excellent job of creating what firefighters call defensive space around their homes. Others werent about to touch their pines. And they didnt like anyone else doing it either. When PG&E went into Paradise earlier this year to cut trees that were near power lines, people complained. Pines were the very reason many people move to Paradise. They accepted the danger, despite warnings from so many people.

There are countless stories in our archives like this headline from 2003: Firestorms not a matter of if, but when. Its not like our headline writer was prescient. Thats what everybody says up here, every year.

And it finally happened.

Now what? Paradise needs to decide how it will rebuild. The maze of streets doesnt look so charming. The citys forest doesnt seem so quaint. The two-lane Skyway downtown looks like a trap.

Paradise will come back, but it cant be what it once was. It shouldnt be.

 Chico Enterprise-Record, Digital First Media
Historian and TV presenter Simon Sebag Montefiore, 53, has lived in his west London home with his wife, Santa, for 12 years

1 TREE-MENDOUS

My office is my true sanctuary. It used to be a sunroom and Im surrounded by trees. My wife Santa  were pictured here at our wedding in 1998 at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London  is also a writer and her study is upstairs.

Weve lived here for 12 years with our children  Lily, 17, and Sasha, 15. I met Santa when she was working in a perfume shop in London. We started talking and that was it.

Its very special to both be writers, though rather stressful when deadlines loom! Often we dont see each other until the evening.

Simon is pictured here at his wedding in 1998 at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London. Santa is also a writer, and has an office upstairs

2 BUST UP

This Stalin bust was given to me by Georgian friends when I was writing about the civil war there in 1991. It was chaos trying to leave the war zone.

The only way I got onto the plane was by pushing and bumping into people with the bust, so his nose is chipped. On the windowsill is a Russian doll, with Putins face on it and all the smaller dolls inside it.

Power in Russia is similar  remove one leader and theres someone else waiting to take over.

3 BUNNY FUN

Santa and I had always wanted to write a childrens story. This drawing is from our book The Royal Rabbits Of London, about a secret order of rabbits living under Buckingham Palace.

Weve finished the fourth of the series and 20th Century Fox are turning the stories into a hybrid animated movie, like Paddington. Angelina Jolie is also making a film of my book, Catherine The Great And Potemkin.

4 DEAR FATHER

This is the medical plaque of my late father Stephen, a wonderfully wise and tolerant doctor and psychiatrist. He was a man of few words  not loquacious like me.

We lived above his surgery in London and I heard all the dramas. His patients included Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, who did a sketch about him called Perfectly Normal.

I miss him. My mother, April, a writer and actress, is very much alive at 91.

5 ARTICLES OF WAR

When the USSR collapsed I quit banking and worked as a war correspondent  five years of seeing history being made. This is me at the front, in 1991 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Simon treasures this drawing from The Royal Rabbits Of London, the children's book he co-wrote with his wife, Santa

Simon also keeps this photo from his days working as a war correspondent. In this picture, he is sat next to a local warlord during the Nagorno-Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1991

My face is blurry because its an old photo but Im sitting next to a local warlord. I wanted to see empires fall and revolutions made.

It was freedom after the constraints of boarding schools and investment banks. It inspired my books.

6 MACABRE GIFT

I went travelling in the Far East after university and I was in the Philippines when a coup started. During the fighting a Filipino officer gave me this machete with a monkeys skull  he said it would bring me luck and keep me alive.

Its deliciously macabre and so far its worked... sometimes those empty eye-sockets look at me and say, Stop wasting time daydreaming  get writing!

Written In History: Letters That Changed The World by Simon Sebag Montefiore is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and out now.
Kylie Jenner wowed fans when she debuted the front cover of her eye-popping 2019 calendar earlier this week.

And while her form-fitting gold dress was a hit, it was the 21-year-old's bold golden accessories that captured the attention of millions.

The stunning jewellery was the handiwork of 29-year-old VALERE Jewellery founder, Samantha Lowe, whose Donatella Earrings (AUD $289) and Donatella Necklace (AUD $350) sold out within minutes of Kylie sharing her cover on Instagram.

'We found out when the rest of Instagram did! We had no idea Kylie Jenner would be wearing them on the cover of her 2019 calendar,' Ms Lowe, from the Gold Coast, Queensland, told FEMAIL.

Kylie Jenner wowed fans when she debuted the front cover of her eye-popping 2019 calendar earlier this week

The stunning jewellery was the handiwork of 29-year-old VALERE Jewellery founder, Samantha Lowe (pictured), whose Donatella Earrings and Necklace sold out within minutes

'What I admire about Kylie Jenner is that there is always meaning, love and good intention behind everything she does. So for Kylie Jenner to choose to wear VALERE on the cover of something so personal and special to her  that says a lot about how special our jewellery is.'

This isn't the first time Ms Lowe has seen the Kardashian/Jenner effect first hand, with Kylie's half-sister Kourtney wearing the same earrings on a yacht in Cannes in 2017.

'As soon as Kourtney wore this style they sold out within minutes. The Donatella Earrings were on pre-order for six months after that, with our pre-order stock quantities in production even selling out,' Ms Lowe said.

'We were drastically trying to keep up with the demand. Since then the Donatella Earrings have been among our best sellers. We continue to restock these but with Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner both wearing them they continue to sell out faster than we can restock them.'

'We found out when the rest of Instagram did! We had no idea Kylie Jenner would be wearing them on the cover of her 2019 calendar,' Ms Lowe, from the Gold Coast, told FEMAIL

Ms Lowe now sells hundreds of pieces of jewellery every week and has noticed other celebrities - both in Australia and abroad - donning her designs as well.

Notable fans of the brand include Lindsay Lohan, Jasmine Sanders, Porsha Williams, Sophie Monk, Isabel Lucas, Anna Heinrich, Jesinta Campbell and Samantha Harris.

'I would love to see Beyonce and Oprah wearing VALERE. These women are both so incredibly inspirational in everything they do while always portraying style and grace,' she said.

Although Ms Lowe's brand has taken off over the past year, it didn't happen overnight and urges all aspiring entrepreneurs to take their time.

This isn't the first time Ms Lowe has seen the Kardashian/Jenner effect first hand, with Kylie's half-sister Kourtney wearing the same earrings on a yacht in Cannes in 2017 (pictured)

Notable fans of the brand include Lindsay Lohan, Jasmine Sanders, Porsha Williams, Sophie Monk, Isabel Lucas, Anna Heinrich (pictured), Jesinta Campbell and Samantha Harris

'It took approximately two years for VALERE to see growth as a brand. With every new collection as a brand we proved our authenticity with our unique and original design aesthetic,' she said.

'Our consistent design aesthetic allowed our consumers to build trust in the brand which in turn built growth. We are now a globally recognised brand with international stockists such as Bloomingdales and Harvey Nichols.'

Ms Lowe, who named her company after her grandmother Valerie, said she first launched the company to fulfil a personal desire to 'fill the world with something beautiful, raw and natural'.

'The jewellery is designed to bring beauty into the world by making women feel beautiful as they wear it. The literal meaning of the word VALERE is to be of worth which underpins the brand ethos - to create luxurious jewellery resulting in the highest quality, beautifully crafted, one of a kind jewellery that is of worth,' she said.

Ms Lowe, who named her company after her grandmother Valerie, said she first launched the company to fulfil a personal desire to 'fill the world with something beautiful, raw and natural'

'My company was built out of pure love, I inject my soul into every design. That is what makes us so authentic,' Ms Lowe said

'The style is romantic, daring and timeless. The woman is bold, unique, romantic and full of mischief. She has style, class and is full of charm. She likes to feel luxe and wears our jewellery to make a statement that she is beautiful.'

Ms Lowe encourages other aspiring designers to remain authentic and true to themselves as designers and business women/men.

'Ensure your purpose is always present and at the forefront of what you do. I created VALERE to make women feel something as they wore my jewellery, I wanted them to feel beautiful,' she said.

'My company was built out of pure love, I inject my soul into every design. That is what makes us so authentic.'
Thought of the week What keeps you going isnt some fine decision but just the road youre on, and the fact that you know how to drive. You keep your eyes open . . . and you ask yourself: What life can I live ? From Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver (American novelist, born 1955) Advertisement

Dear Bel,

My partner is an embarrassment because of one particular issue  his personal hygiene and appearance.

I am retired, am 67 years old and have been in a contented relationship with my 69-year-old partner for the past seven years. We have a great life with a holiday home abroad, we are financially sound and both enjoy good health.

However, hes totally oblivious to his own cleanliness and general appearance  to the point where I have considered leaving him. Im not just talking about him being scruffy.

Many women may sometimes wish their partners would smarten up. But in my case I have put up with him not washing, not cleaning teeth, filthy nails, body and mouth odour, greasy hair  the works!

I have tried every approach, explaining that this lack of personal care is putting me off. I run baths for him, buy him deodorant, shower gel, aftershave, even toothpaste, but hardly any is ever used. He has already lost his bottom teeth through lack of care.

He just gets dressed, never washing or brushing his hair etc. Our friends notice and have even told me that once they had to fumigate their car after giving him a lift!

I think it may just be laziness, but it is driving me to distraction. In all other respects he is an intelligent, kind, balanced individual. Passion was never a major part of our relationship and we are both content with that  so denying him my body would have no impact. Frankly, Im put off anyway.

He cares little for outward appearance and I can respect that to some extent, but he repulses me at times. So youd think I would leave, but everything else about our relationship and life together is really good. However I try to broach the subject, he refuses to respond and reacts as if I am just getting at him.

DOREEN

This week, Bel advises a 67-year-old woman whose long-term partner cares little for outward appearance and says his personal hygiene is 'driving her to distraction'

Oh dear, I read your email with mounting horror and even felt queasy by the end.

This problem would be a deal-breaker for me. I simply would not be seen in public with any man who looked scruffy  never mind dirty. I bet most people reading this will think it disgusting not to take care of yourself to the shocking extent you describe. Who wants to live with a dirty person?

You write: He cares little for outward appearance and I can respect that to some extent  but why should such contempt for the feelings of others be presented (as it sounds) as something virtuous?

What is he  some head-in-the-clouds philosopher trying to emulate St John the Baptist in the wilderness? Does he think himself better than those of us who clean our teeth?

Freud used the general appearance of his patients as a means of diagnosis: Every change in the customary attire, every little negligence such as an unfastened button . . . means to express something the wearer of the apparel does not wish to say directly; usually he is entirely unconscious of it.

Surely this means that the person who turns up at your Christmas party wearing a grubby old T-shirt is waving two fingers at all your careful preparations?

Those who think trainers and jeans appropriate for a beautiful theatre are saying they dont care about the splendour of the surroundings, or the conventions of dressing up to go out. Which in turn makes a silent, insufferably superior judgment on those who do care.

Thats their right, I suppose, but as the psychotherapist Rollo May said: Slovenliness of dress, the need of a haircut, broken shoelaces and so on tell us things the meaning of which no one can mistake . . . a habitual lack of care for ones appearance indicates a general lack of interest in other people.

Why should it be thought remotely respectful to stink out the car of somebody kind enough to give you a lift?

People with mental health or drug problems often neglect personal hygiene, and its sometimes hard for those with physical disabilities to maintain standards they would wish. Homeless people cant always keep clean, although I once interviewed a homeless ex-serviceman who visited public lavatories twice a day for a wash. But your partner has no excuse.

Your account of his neglect gives the lie to your description intelligent, kind, balanced.

How is it intelligent to lose your teeth? How is it kind to despise the wishes of your partner? How is it balanced to enjoy every privilege in life yet present an affront to civilised society?

Im afraid I cant understand  thats why Im failing to extend habitual fairness. Frankly, Id rather be alone than hang out with somebody like that and to hell with the holiday home. You have tried to make him change, youve spent your money to help him and been totally ignored. When you tell him what you think, he treats you as a nag. Its outrageous!

What conclusion can one draw but that he is totally indifferent to you  the person hes supposed to love?

You know it in your heart and have made excuses for too long. Todays second letter is about colossal, unforgiveable selfishness and Im afraid yours is, too.

Personal cleanliness and standards of dress are not about vanity, but an essential part of how we interact with the world around us.

To ignore them wilfully is to state that you dont give a damn about the people you meet or the ones who love you. Thats lazy and unpleasant.

Personally, Id give this man an ultimatum  wash or leave. And I would consign his horrible clothes, item by item, down to the grey underpants, to bin bags.

If you dont act now, you will hate him, and yourself, in ten years time, when he has been allowed (with your collusion) to isolate you because he reeks.

Our daughter's turned into a bad mum

Dear Bel,

I would very much like some advice. My thirty-something daughter has lived with us  with her two children  for the past three years. It would be fair to say she was a fantastic mother.

But around a year ago she met a man she puts before her two children who appear to be getting in the way of her fun. I made the mistake of encouraging her to stay out one whole weekend.

She now stays at his home from Friday to Monday morning, returning to take the children to school. She puts them to bed from Monday to Thursday and then goes to his house again, coming home early the following morning.

As I write, shes just left our home and is flying out to Mexico with him for two weeks.

My husband and I have been left with the children and have to take care of them (separate schools) for the next fortnight as well as work full time. What angers me more than anything is that she didnt consult us and we are now left to get on with it.

I havent informed my boss Ill be late every morning, as I have two children to take to school before work.

Honestly, we feel we have had enough but are conscious that there are two children age seven and ten in the middle of all this. I might add they dont like the boyfriend. Do you have any advice?

EMMA

After todays lead letter made me angry, reading yours finished me off. You have my sympathy  and most right-minded people will consider your daughters behaviour intolerably, unbelievably selfish.

Most grandparents are used (perhaps) to being taken a little for granted, although luckily Im not. My daughter and daughter-in-law are careful to ask about any childcare well in advance. But the situation you describe is something else.

One thing puzzles me. You write: She didnt consult us and we are now left to get on with it. But I dont understand why (since she lives in your house) you didnt realise she was packing a case for a two-week holiday.

If she did, indeed, depart on her jaunt with no notice at all, behind your back, that is a massive, unforgivable act of dishonesty and disrespect  and she cannot be allowed to get away with it.

At the moment you are the only stability in the lives of those poor children so youre quite right: its vital to tread carefully. Yet you have to ask yourself whether your daughters new passion will ultimately damage them.

It probably has already because a mother who suddenly absents herself for two weeks, leaving clearly stressed, tired grandparents (even though you may hide it well, children pick up on these things), must inflict a sense of abandonment on her young family.

What happens if one becomes ill and wakes in the night, crying for Mum?

If you are worried, especially as they have told you they dont like the boyfriend, then it is time to confront this self-centred, irresponsible daughter.

Normally I dislike the word confront, but I hate her behaviour more. Why not book some weekends away throughout the coming months and present her with a fait accompli, saying you are willing to do one weekend of childcare a month?

And (dare I ask?) do these poor children have a father? If so, why isnt he involved?

I realise you must be afraid she could walk out and take the children with her, but would the boyfriend want to take them on?

Surely thats a gamble you have to take in order to be honest with her?

If I were you, Id tell her youre going out with friends, so she has to stay in. Then double back when the kids are asleep and tell her enough is enough  this for the sake of the children, as well as the exploited grandparents.

And finally... in the end we all need fellowship

Last Saturday, in the Glasgow hotel where the Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity) 40th anniversary conference was taking place, I came face to face with Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

We smiled, then passed on. A second later I realised who she was  while she might have thought my face vaguely familiar. And I suddenly acknowledged with shame my latent hostility: All those awful Scots Nats who detest us, I used to think. A weekend in a beautiful Scottish city cured me of that.

Why do we pursue ancient prejudice and current division like hunters chasing a wild, fugitive creature?

That beautiful wild creature is glorious, multifaceted humanity. And currently it seems to be at bay. There is so much frighteningly unreasonable hostility swilling about Britain. In the words of Irish poet Yeats: More substance in our enmities / Than in our love.

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

Everybody thinks theyre right. Single-interest groups scream at each other. Self-centredness holds sway when, in truth, we all need to have each others backs.

Obsessive Remain and Leave voters are at each others throats and it feels as if they always will be, because inept, arrogant politicians and Eurocrats have mindlessly stoked mutual hatred.

Pah! Ive voted for all the main parties and had friends in all three, but now distrust politics. The only thing I hold allegiance to (apart from my country) is common humanity.

Our Sands conference was about grief. When a baby dies  or when a person suffers any grievous loss  you dont ask the politics of somebody who holds out a hand.

You dont ask if they voted for Brexit before you fall with relief into their compassionate hugs. Youre not bothered about their religion, race or sexuality  you just want them to care about your suffering, as you can identify with theirs.

That fellowship is what will save us in the end. Lets not forget that truth.
Shes best known for her Little Paris Kitchen series, but now Rachel Khoo lives in Sweden  and shes putting a Scandi twist on Christmas. . .

Rachel added sesame seeds and ground almonds to these treats that traditionally contain just coconut

Traditionally these treats are packed just with coconut, but upon burning half my coconut while toasting it I ended up improvising with sesame seeds and ground almonds, and discovered how delicious these additions are.

The berries lend tartness, which balances the sweetness from the chocolate.

Makes 20

100g (3oz) golden caster sugar

tsp fine sea salt

Zest of 1 lemon

120g (4oz) butter

200g (7oz) desiccated coconut

150g (5oz) sesame seeds

50g (1oz) ground almonds

3 medium eggs

350g (12oz) white chocolate

125g (4oz) lingonberries or redcurrants

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the sugar, salt, lemon zest and butter into a saucepan and melt over a medium heat. Set aside.

Pour the coconut on to a tray lined with baking paper and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until fairly well toasted. Keep a close watch, and stir occasionally to toast it evenly.

When the coconut is ready, take out of the oven and pour into a bowl with the sesame seeds and ground almonds. Mix, then pour in the melted butter and mix again.

RACHEL SAYS... White chocolate can be replaced with dark or totally omitted if you want to keep it simple. Advertisement

Add the eggs, then stir until everything is well combined. Leave to cool slightly.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Form the mixture into 20 small pyramids (about 4cm high and 5cm in diameter) and set on the lined tray.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden on the peaks and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack while melting the chocolate.

Break up the chocolate and put into a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesnt touch the water. Leave to melt, stirring occasionally.

Once the chocolate has melted, dip the cakes into it and top each one with a few berries of your choice.

The Little Swedish Kitchen by Rachel Khoo is published by Michael Joseph, 20. To order a copy for 16, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p free on orders over 15. Offer valid until 08/12/2018
Launched in 1909, Scottish Mortgage is the only investment trust on the FTSE 100

What does it do? The trust aims to invest savers money in strong global companies and grow their cash over the long term rather than focusing on income from dividends.

Launched in 1909, Scottish Mortgage is the only investment trust on the FTSE 100.

What does the manager invest in? Amazon and Netflix are both in the trusts top ten holdings, along with Chinese online shopping giant Alibaba and car makers Tesla and Ferrari.

Faangs account for around 17 per cent of its holdings.

What do the experts say? Darius McDermott of Chelsea Financial Services says: The trust is a big believer in not just the Faangs but the Chinese equivalents too.

What do the experts like? The trust is cheap in terms of its fees and has an ongoing charge of just 0.37 per cent.

Because of its heavy exposure to US tech stocks, its share price is down 14.5 per cent since October.

For anyone who really believes in the Faang companies, McDermott adds, this makes the fund look attractive.

Are there any downsides? It is very exposed to technology and the internet, McDermott concedes.

If the market starts favouring reliable companies which are producing steady dividends now, and risker high-growth companies which are promising a return for the future go out of favour, Scottish Mortgage could suffer.
Shock departure: Sacha Romanovitch, 41, said she was disappointed by comments from colleagues at Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton's ousted boss has lashed out at internal critics following her shock decision to quit.

Sacha Romanovitch, 41, said she was disappointed by comments from colleagues at the auditing business after being branded a socialist in a poison pen letter.

Romanovitch, who was the only female boss of a large British accountant, last month revealed she was stepping down just days after initially vowing to stay on.

She had been at the centre of a power struggle in the partnership, which saw colleagues leak her annual performance review.

She angered them with an effort to turn the firm into a shared enterprise in which all 4,500 staff had a stake.

An anonymous note sent to newspapers accused her of pursuing a 'socialist agenda' and 'having a high social purpose' ahead of the business's financial performance.

Speaking at an event in London, she said: 'I feel disappointed that a small group  well, one individual  behaved in the way that they did.'

But she added: 'Having said that, the world often moves in mysterious ways and I think I've been through enough of life that, actually, it sometimes just gives you a prompt to say, 'Right, where can I make the biggest difference now?'.'
Oil prices last night crashed below $60 a barrel for the first time in more than a year amid growing fears of a global economic slowdown.

Brent crude hit its lowest levels since October 2017, dropping 6 per cent to $58.80 in frantic trading across the world, and is headed for its worst month since 2014.

The value of a barrel of oil has fallen by about 20 per cent so far this month and has lost ground for seven straight weeks.

Brent crude hit its lowest levels since October 2017, dropping 6 per cent to $58.80 in frantic trading across the world, and is headed for its worst month since 2014

It peaked above $86 a barrel in early October, a four-year high.

The fall is good news for motorists, after supermarkets Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons all passed on the drop by cutting prices at the petrol pumps.

But it also reflects growing concerns about the world economy, and an increasingly heated trade war between the US and China.

Traders also fretted about a slump in the eurozone, after the closely monitored IHS Markit survey showed that business growth had been much weaker than expected this month, slowing to a four-year low.

Activity in Germany  Europes largest economy  and France also lagged.

A strong dollar is also weighing on oil prices as there are concerns investors will pull their money out of developing countries and put it in America, damaging growth.

The latest sell-off was partly triggered by a forecast from the Opec cartel of producers saying that the amount of oil supplied into the market will be higher than expected. At the same time, Opec said demand is likely to fall.

The organisation hiked its estimate of non-Opec supply growth by 90,000 barrels per day from its last report, to 2.3m barrels a day in 2018, and up by 120,000 barrels a day next year.

Opec has been trying to stabilise the market since November 2016, but these efforts have also come alongside a surge in production in non-member countries, namely the US, Russia and China, which risk flooding the market and damaging prices.

It was also thought that US sanctions on Iran could stop it exporting to major customers, holding back supply, but most of the countrys key clients have been allowed to maintain their access.

If suppliers produce more oil than is needed, they are forced to cut their costs.

Cailin Birch, global commodities analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said: Oil prices recent slide primarily reflects the weakening outlook for global oil demand.

The USs decision to issue waivers for major importers of Iranian oil has erased earlier fears that US sanctions would create a supply crunch. Against that backdrop, the slowing pace of Chinese growth, and therefore energy demand growth, is a concern.

Emerging economies in Asia, primarily China, will be responsible for much of the new oil consumption in the coming years, so oil prices will remain very sensitive to the regions economic performance, Birch said.

The weeks-long drop in oil comes after two years of rising prices  which led to a jump in the cost of fuel  has had knock-on effects for airlines and travellers.

Morgan Stanley commodities strategists, Martijn Rats and Amy Sergeant, said in a note to clients that they expect Opec to gain control of the market in 2019, meaning Brent crude would rise back above $70.

Analysts are now waiting to see if Opec will try to cut output when the organisation meets next month.

In the US, President Trump is strongly opposed to any production cuts. Earlier this week, he said in a tweet: Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big tax cut for America and the world. Lets go lower!

Trumps opposition to higher oil prices is particularly important because he has so far refused to take action against Saudi Arabia over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

It is thought the Saudis do not want to upset the President at such a sensitive time and are therefore less likely to support production cuts than usual.

Olivier Jakob, of analysis firm Petromatrix, said Trump has provided strong political support to Saudi Arabia, but against that he wants lower prices.

He added: The President is pushing to keep prices lower for longer, and now he has some political leverage against Saudi Arabia.
Debenhams boss Sergio Sergio Bucher said the department store is transforming its product range

DEBS VOW Sergio Bucher, the boss of Debenhams, has insisted his company is here to stay amid mounting concerns over its future.

Bucher, 55, said the department store is transforming its product range as it prepares to close a third of its 166 shops.

PUB PROFITS Profits at brewer Fullers plunged 12 per cent to 20.8million after a major renovation investment in its pubs. Revenues increased by 6 per cent to 222.1million in the 26 weeks to September 29.

CREDITORS HIT The administrator of newspaper group Johnston Press has warned creditors of a significant shortfall in cash needed to pay off money it owes.

Flying high London airport Gatwick has welcomed 46m passengers over the past year, which is a record high.

PENSION PLAN Outsourcer Capita has agreed a plan to plug its 185million pension black hole.

It will pay 176million into the pension scheme over the next four years. The outsourcing sector has come under pressure to prevent more failures after Carillion went bust in January.

STAKE SALE Israeli tech billionaire Teddy Sagi has completely sold his stake in Playtech, the gambling firm he founded in 1999, pocketing around 69million.

It comes on top of the 23million which the 47-year-old made last week, when he reduced his stake.

VOTER REVOLT More than a fifth of shareholders at miner Petra Diamonds voted against the re-election of the companys founder to his role as non-executive chairman yesterday.

Investor advisory group Pirc had recommended a vote against Adonis Pouroulis, saying he was not independent enough.

ITALY FEARS Credit rating agency Moodys has warned that escalating tensions between Italy and the EU are likely to increase risks to the countrys economy.
Troubled outsourcer Interserve was back in the doghouse after admitting debt for the year will be higher than expected, and earnings from its waste-to-energy business will be lower than hoped.

The firm, which works for the likes of the Metropolitan Police and Edinburgh Zoo, had previously said its debt pile would end the year somewhere between 575million and 600million.

But it has warned this will be more like 625million to 650million, reawakening worries in the City that Interserve will be unable to pay off the debt.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'It is encouraging to see management stick to its cost-reduction forecast for the year of 15million and continue to predict a strong increase in earnings.'

Interserve, which works for the likes of the Metropolitan Police and Edinburgh Zoo, has warned its debt pile will be 625m to 650m

There are a number of factors weighing on the support services sector in general.

These include complex company structures, a reliance on big contracts which can become very expensive if anything goes wrong, thin profit margins as contract prices are pushed lower, and high debt levels after long periods of pursuing growth.

Debbie White, an outsourcing veteran who was brought in to turn Interserve around last year, has already embarked on a plan to cut costs and sell parts of the business to pay off the debt burden.

She has said that the company will reveal a plan to further reduce the debt in 2019.

But Mould added: 'Some shareholders  and potential investors may be wondering why a new plan designed to reduce debt is only being unveiled in 2019, when the share price slide suggests the company's situation remains acute.'

Stock Watch - Amerisur Resources Investors in Amerisur Resources are hoping oil will soon be flowing at its sites in Colombia, as the South America-focused firm signed a deal with a major oil group to pay for the appraisal of its sites. Occidental Petroleum Corporation will acquire 50 per cent of Amerisur's sites, and in return will fund a 72.7million exploration and appraisal programme. This will include a seismic scan of the sites and a drilling programme of five exploration wells. Shares jumped 20 per cent, or 2p, to 12p.

One of the problems for Interserve has been delays in the waste-to-energy plant it is building in Derby for Renewi.

Because the project will not be finished on time, it has had to pay penalties to Renewi.

Interserve's shares dropped 5.6 per cent, or 1.96p, to 33.04p yesterday, meaning 100million has been wiped off its market value since the beginning of the year.

The FTSE 100 briefly fell below 6930, the level it was at the start of the century before the dotcom bubble burst.

But it clawed back some of the losses to end the day down 0.11 per cent, or 7.46 points, at 6952.86.

The index was weighed down by heavyweight oil companies, as concerns that supply is set to outstrip global demand caused a commodities sell-off.

On the FTSE 250, brick-maker Ibstock built up gains after announcing it would sell its US manufacturer Glen-Gery.

Brickworks Limited is buying the division for 86million, more than eight times its earnings in the 12 months to June.

Ibstock said it will use the money to pay down its debt, which should end 2018 at about 50million.

It has also sold off some spare land, bringing in another 3.7million. The firm is still worried about uncertainty surrounding Brexit, but building work will not stop. Shares climbed by 8.2 per cent, or 18p, to 236.8p.

Shares in media company Future, which owns titles such as Real Homes and the official Playstation magazine, climbed 6.4 per cent, or 31p, to 514p as revenue soared.

In its media division, which includes online adverts, shopping and events, revenue shot up 88 per cent to 64.2million.

Even its magazine revenues rose, up 20 per cent at 60.4million, though this was mainly driven by buying five titles from Haymarket for 14million earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Record  a business which helps pension funds and other major investors iron out foreign currency risks  climbed 2.5 per cent, or 0.75p, to 31p on the back of higher client demand.

Graphene producer Directa Plus jumped 7.4 per cent, or 3.5p, to 51p, as it clinched a 177,000 contract with oil services firm GSP Group.
The excitement levels in late November of 2000 were almost through the roof.

Six years of high school just completed, HSC exams done and dusted. A dozen blokes heading overseas to celebrate accordingly, the majority leaving Australian shores for the first time.

What could possibly go wrong?

One of the many schoolyard chats in the lead up was where to go for Schoolies.

In my inner-circle of friends, most didn't turn 18 until a few months after school.

Before we knew it, Gold Coast and Byron Bay were tossed aside as options. Bali was the destination, and it was going to be the time of our lives.

Finally the big day arrived, with everyone meeting at the Sydney International Airport for ten days of debauchery.

Daily Mail Australia reporter Andrew Prentice (pictured) in 2000 - at Schoolies over in Bali 18 years ago he was fortunate to avoid serious injury after alcohol inspired behaviour

Teenagers without helmets riding a bike in Bali during recent Schoolies celebrations (stock image)

School leavers mark Schoolies celebrations in Bali, which has become an increasingly popular destination for Australian teenagers (stock image)

We all promised our parents we would be on our best behaviour. No drugs, safe sex, no binge drinking.

Unfortunately, this budding journalist let the occasion get the better of him.

A mate purchased some Jim Beam Black duty free. Despite never touching the very potent bourbon previously, I decided to skoll a quarter of the bottle in one sitting before our first night on the town.

Teenage stupidity then saw me neck another quarter - on the rocks again - moments later. I'm sure you can guess the state I was in moments later.

Feeling invincible, we headed down to the bar at our hotel and proceeded to drink more.

Once the music started, you couldn't keep me away from the dance floor - despite being having two left feet at the best of times. Before I knew it, I was up on the bar carrying on like a kid without a care in the world.

Disaster then struck.

I asked a mate to catch me from up on the bar as I proceeded to play the fool, in a vain attempt to impress some girls, also on Schoolies. With everyone well on the way to teenage intoxication, what happened next was inevitable.

A man (pictured) urinates into a flower pot in Bali during Schoolies celebrations (stock image)

A group of teenagers stop by a stall off the main drag in Kuta, Bali during Schoolies celebrations (stock image)

What is Schoolies? Schoolies is a graduation festival celebrated by Year 12 school leavers after HSC exams and graduations in Mid November The festival sees thousands of teenagers flood places such as the Gold Coast in Australia and Bali in Indonesia for a week of parties and events While Schoolies is predominately for recent school graduates, there are no rules in place for 'Toolies', party-goers who have already graduated, to join in the festivities Advertisement

I slipped through my mate's hands like butter, thumping my head with real force on the tiled dancefloor.

The noise was sickening and the initial laughter was quickly replaced by genuine concern. Blood was pouring out the back of my head at an alarming rate, and I was heavily concussed.

An ambulance was called and I was carted off to the nearest hospital near Kuta. I then proceeded to have my stomach pumped by a doctor.

He suggested I stay overnight for observation, so there I was first night ever overseas, in a foreign hospital absolutely terrified.

Thankfully a clued up friend, who was good enough to join me in hospital with another mate, offered up close to $200, ensuring I had a private room - in the heart attack ward, no less.

Schoolies letting their hair down in Bali after recently finishing high school (stock image)

Destionations like the Kuta nightclubs in Bali are infamous for cheap alcohol and all night parties (stock image)

The number of Australians dying Overseas has skyrocketed The number of Australians dying in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand - the top three countries for overseas deaths - has skyrocketed. There were 238 Australians who died in Thailand in 2017-18, up 17 per cent on the previous year, while 153 died in the Philippines (up 21 per cent) and 117 in Indonesia (up nine per cent). A staggering total of 1,600 Australian travellers have died overseas in the past 12 months, while 2,500 others simply vanished. The figures equate to an Australian dying or being seriously injured overseas every two-and-a-half hours - an increase of 36 per cent over the past five years. Advertisement

After the nurses bandaged me up the next morning, I resembled a cancer patient - for the entire remainder of the trip.

Obviously the ladies didn't want a bar of me, which was fine - I had more pressing things on my mind - I knew the situation could easily have been catastrophic.

To this day I often think what could have been - I'm not a religious person, but someone was definitely looking out for me that night.

We were also in the Sari Club most nights on the trip - so the bombings in October of 2002 hit home for many.

My advice to Schoolies heading to Indonesia - look after yourselves and each other. Alcohol inspired decisions can have permanent consequences.

While I lived to tell the tale, others aren't always so lucky - so be safe, respect the local rules, say no to drugs, and like your parents will drum into you - know your limits.
Authorities say there has been one more fatality in the Camp wildfire, bringing the death toll from it to 84.

They also say the fire is 95 percent contained. The blaze that started Nov. 8 leveled Paradise, destroying more than 13,000 homes.

The Butte County Sheriff's Office says more than 560 names remain on the missing list.

Authorities stressed that many of the people on the list may be safe and unaware they have been reported missing.

Residences leveled by a wildfire line a neighborhood in Paradise, Calif. on Nov. 15, 2018

Smoke hangs over the scorched remains of Old Town Plaza following the wildfire in Paradise on Nov. 15, 2018

Flames burn inside a van as the Camp Fire tears through Paradise on Nov. 8, 2018

Paradise is about 140 miles north of San Francisco.

More rain is on the way for northern California, helping firefighters extinguish the last of the wildfires, but increasing the risk of landslides in the scorched Sierra Nevada foothills.

Between 1 to 3 inches of rain will fall between Friday and Sunday, adding to the 3 inches that already fell this week, the National Weather Service said.

At least 84 people died in the so-called Camp Fire which started more than two weeks ago, and as many as 560 are believed missing.

The fire was 95 percent contained across 154,000 acres, officials said early on Friday, in and around Paradise, a mountain town of nearly 27,000 people, some 175 miles northeast San Francisco.

Search and rescue personnel search a home for human remains in the aftermath of the Camp Fire on Nov. 16, 2018

Firefighters work to keep flames from spreading through the Shadowbrook apartment complex as a wildfire burns through Paradise on Nov. 9, 2018

A home burns as the Camp Fire rages through Paradise on Nov. 8, 2018

Hundreds of volunteers and police officers spent the Thanksgiving holiday combing through the wreckage, searching for the remains of victims killed in the blaze as the ongoing rains looked set to complicate their work.

'It's the vegetation that holds the soil in place,' Brian Hurley, a forecaster with the NWS's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said.

'Without that vegetation, all bets are off when the rain hits.'

More rain is on the way for northern California, helping firefighters extinguish the last of the wildfires

Between 1 to 3 inches of rain will fall between Friday and Sunday, adding to the 3 inches that already fell this week, the National Weather Service said

Hundreds of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico.

Celebrity chef Jose Andres was among the volunteers bringing some festive cheer by cooking Thanksgiving meals for evacuees.

The cause of the Camp Fire, which destroyed more than 13,500 homes, remains under investigation.

A separate California wildfire - the Woolsey Fire, which killed three people and threatened the wealthy beachfront enclave of Malibu near Los Angeles - was declared 100-percent contained on Wednesday.

Hundreds of frozen turkeys are unloaded on the campus of California State University, in Chico, Calif. on Nov. 21, 2018

Michael Reining, left, and Chelsea Meddings, right, chop mint in preparation for a community Thanksgiving meal for survivors of the deadly Camp Fire in Northern California, on the campus of California State University, in Chico, Calif. on Nov. 21, 2018

Mick Zalis oversees preparations for a Thanksgiving dinner to be served for people displaced by the Northern California Camp wildfire on the campus of California State University, in Chico on Nov. 21, 2018
A woman who was harassed by a predator accused of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl in a dance studio toilet has blasted the justice system and accused the parole system of 'protecting' the man.

Anthony Sampieri, who was on parole for raping a woman in 2012, was allegedly found with the young girl and his pants halfway down in Kogarah, Sydney's south, on November 15.

Mother-of-two Kristina C, who did not wish to share her last name, received vile sexual phone calls from Sampieri, 54, claiming to be 'Ron' before he violently raped a 60-year-old woman in the Illawarra region in 2012 and threatened her with a knife.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the 44-year-old mother accused authorities of ignoring the safety of women by 'protecting' the convicted sex offender.

Sampieri remains under guard in hospital while recovering from liver cancer and injuries sustained when two bystanders allegedly caught him in the cubicle.

No charges have been laid.

A woman has slammed the justice system for protecting the man accused of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl

Anthony Sampieri, who was on parole for raping a woman in 2012, was allegedly found with the young girl and his pants halfway down in a toilet cubicle (pictured)

Ms C and three of her colleagues in a Wollongong office, south of Sydney, had asked police to show them a picture of Sampieri after receiving the disturbing phone calls.

They were denied despite Sampieri knowing the names of the woman and having access to their photos.

'We were fearful for our safety because he knew what we looked like, he knew where we worked,' she told the Daily Telegraph.

'They were protecting him just as he has been protected now.'

A comprehensive review has begun to determine how the 2012 case was handled, amid revelations the rape of a 60-year-old woman occurred while police postponed charging him over the phone calls.

When a few victims expressed concern the phone calls could escalate, police told them they didn't believe Sampieri was a threat.

The victims were 'gutted' to learn someone had been hurt, claiming that the rape could have been avoided if police acted sooner.

Mother-of-two Kristina C, who did not wish to share her last name, received dirty calls from Sampieri, 54, before he violently raped a 60-year-old woman in the Illawarra region in 2012 and threatened her with a knife (pictured: women comforted at Kogarah dance studio)

NSW Corrective Services Minister David Elliott has called for an 'urgent' briefing on how the offender received early parole.

'I am deeply troubled by the events under investigation at the Kogarah dance studio,' he said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'This offender was on parole and was subject to a number of strict conditions.

'As community safety is paramount, I have asked for an urgent brief on all the circumstances which led to the offender being granted parole.'

Police will also launch their own investigation to determine why a leading senior constable did not charge Sampieri after he made a recent obscene phone call to a woman who notified Kogarah police station.

Had police notified the parole board of the phone call complaint, Sampieri's release could have been revoked and he would have been behind bars last Thursday, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller (right) said if police notified the parole board about the recent calls Sampieri made, he would have been locked up

Sampieri, 54, was convicted of aggravated sexual assault in July 2013 and ordered to serve at least four years behind bars, backdated to the day of the crime.

Wollongong District Court heard Sampieri was drunk and high on prescription drugs when he invited the 60-year-old woman into his home in Fairy Meadows in 2012.

The woman thought she was going to inspect two second-hand tables he had for sale, but was lured into his room after seeing the first one.

He pulled out a 25cm knife and told her 'now we're going to have some fun' before forcing her to strip and repeatedly raping her, the Illawarra Mercury reported in July 2013.
The claims made by the U.S. mission to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) about Tehran's alleged failure to provide full information on the production and supplies of chemical weapons are absolutely groundless, Spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Bahram Qassemi said on Friday.

"What is certain and clear is that the U.S. is the only OPCW member state which possesses an arsenal of chemical weapons and has not met its obligations to destroy them yet", the spokesman noted.

"The United States is also concerned that Iran is also pursuing central nervous system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes", Ward added.

While a number of commentators acknowledged the sheer lack of evidence to back the claims - something that's never stopped United States officials from making the charge whether it was Iraq, Libya, or Syria - Ward merely cited historical information from the 1980s alleging Iran had transferred banned chemical munitions to Gaddafi's Libya. They were found after the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

"They were clearly of Iranian origin as evidenced by the farsi writing on the boxes containing the artillery shells", he said.

The US accused Iran on Thursday of failing to declare a chemical weapons programme to the global watchdog in violation of worldwide agreements.

Iran had also failed to declare a "chemical weapons filling capability" despite the discovery of toxic shells and bombs in Libya and also in Iraq, he said.

Ward's allegations come amid growing pressure on Iran from President Donald Trump, who has withdrawn from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and introduced several rounds of unilateral USA sanctions.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi lashed out at Washington for failing to fulfill its own commitments under the convention. Iran did not retaliate to Iraqi chemical attacks using chemical weapons despite the legal right to do so under existing treaties.

"While I will be the first to say that Iran's chemical weapons experience in the war was horrific, the fact that Iran learned the lessons of deterrence the hard way is what made it so active in weapons of mass destruction and missiles after the war", he added.
Saudi Arabia has dismissed reports from human rights groups that detained activists, including women, faced sexual harassment and torture during interrogation.

In a statement, the kingdom said: 'These recent reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are baseless.

The government added that it 'strongly denies' the accusations that are 'simply wrong'.

Saudi Arabia denies reports by human rights groups that detained activists, including women, faced sexual harassment and torture during interrogation in prison

The activists, held since May in Dhahban prison on the western Red Sea coast, have faced repeated electrocution and flogging, leaving some of them unable to stand or walk, Amnesty International said on Tuesday, citing three separate testimonies.

At least one activist was made to hang from a ceiling, the campaign added.

In addition to the torture, at least three women activists also endured 'forcible kissing and hugging', Human Rights Watch said in a separate statement also on Tuesday.

Many of them were accused of undermining security and aiding enemies of the state.

The latest criticism comes after Saudi Arabia faced intense global scrutiny after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured)

Some were subsequently released.

The reports came as Saudi Arabia faces intense global criticism over the killing of insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate on October 2, which tipped the kingdom into one of its worst crises.

More than a dozen activists were arrested in May -- just before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on women drivers the following month.
A teenage girl described as having the 'biggest heart you could ever imagine' is being held on life support in a desperate bid to preserve her ability to donate organs.

An aspiring social worker with a drive to help others, 16-year-old Hollie Snell's life was cut short in a two-car crash in New Zealand's Okere Falls Sunday afternoon.

The driver of the other car died while Hollie was airlifted to Waikato Hospital with devastating head injuries she would not survive.

Now, with her family by her side and days dwindling, doctors are doing everything they can to preserve her organs for donation, a cause she was passionate about throughout her life.

Hollie Snell (pictured) is held on life support to preserve her ability to donate organs

The teenage girl is being remembered as having the 'biggest heart you could ever imagine' by her sister Larnie (pictured together)

Hollie and her family had frequently spoken about organ donation in the years leading up to the accident.

Her sister Larnie said donating an organ was like giving a 'miracle' to another family.

'In some ways it helps to know that we have provided peace and opportunity to someone else during our time of tragedy,' Larnie told Daily Mail Australia.

'Hollie would also be incredibly happy to see someone live on because of her decision to donate her organs that she no longer needs.

'She would say 'that's so cool' and more than words her smile would tell us how proud she is.'

An aspiring social worker, Hollie (pictured) was said to have always had a desire to help others

After the horrific head-on crash, Hollie was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma with brain swelling.

The family decided against surgery because of the risk of permanent brain damage.

Two days later, doctors and surgeons told Hollie's family they believed a portion of her brain had died.

But, because there was still blood flow to the brain, they had been able to keep Hollie on life support in a desperate attempt to allow her to donate her organs.

According to New Zealand's organ donor authority, there are more than 550 people waiting for an organ or tissue transplant, some of whom will die waiting.

The teenage girl was left with head injuries she would not survive after a horror two-car crash

Her sister Larnie says the family is staying by Hollie's bed and 'keeping her beautiful'

For now, the family remains by Hollie's bed, holding her hand, washing her hair and 'keeping her beautiful', her sister says.

'We have been snuggling her, holding her, praying with her, singing to her and covering her in a million billion kisses and just surrounding her with more love than imaginable.'

Hollie's community have flooded the family's social media pages with tributes and well-wishes, remembering the teenage girl as an 'angel'.

'You will always be like a little sister to me Hollie, I'm going to miss you more than you'd ever know,' a family friend wrote on Facebook.

A GiveALittle fundraiser for Hollie's family was started after the accident to help her parents, Dale and Davey, stay by their daughter's side.

More than $12,000 has been raised by 211 donors in less than a week.
A young man accused of beating up and then sexually assaulting a woman in a park was allegedly seen calmly changing his clothes moments after the attack.

CCTV footage captured the 21-year-old man wearing an hi-vis jumper with blue track pants at about midnight in Lighthorse Park, in Sydney's south-west, on November 11.

He is alleged to have stalked the 51-year-old woman before punching her several times in the face and then sexually assaulting her.

The 21-year-old fled the scene after a group of strangers heard the victim's scream and began chasing him.

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The 21-year-old man (pictured) was wearing a blue and orange hi vis jumper before changing into a light coloured shirt and shorts

The man has been accused of repeatedly punching a woman before police allege he had sexually assaulted her

The group lost sight of the alleged attacker after chasing him up a set of stairs and into a laneway on George Street.

He is alleged to have made his way back to the area shortly after wearing a different outfit, with a pile of clothes kept in a plastic bag.

'The attack itself was cowardly,' Detective Inspector Dean Johnstone told media last week.

A crime scene was established by police from Liverpool Police Area Command and it was examined by forensic specialists.

The victim suffered facial injuries including lacerations, bruising, and damage to her teeth and was taken to Liverpool Hospital for treatment.

The man was arrested at a Warwick Farm address on Friday where he was charged with aggravated sexual assault inflicting actual bodily harm.

He was refused bail and will front Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
Officials with a Wisconsin school district say free-speech rights would make it difficult to discipline students who appeared in a photograph that showed several high school boys giving what appears to be a Nazi salute.

Baraboo Superintendent Lori Mueller said in a letter to parents Wednesday that officials cannot know the 'intentions in the hearts' of those involved. She also said the district isn't in a position to punish the students because they are protected by the First Amendment.

'We must come together and, in a meaningful way, consider the travesties of the past that were fueled by hatred and embrace the celebration of diversity fueled by love and acceptance,' the letter stated, according to the Baraboo News Republic.

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Baraboo Superintendent Lori Mueller said in a letter to parents Wednesday that officials cannot know the 'intentions in the hearts' of those involved in the 2017 photo from May

At least one student in the front row was also pictured making the white power hand signal. The majority of those pictured laughed as they gave the salute

Mueller's letter also said part of the district's investigation is complete.

The photo of about 60 boys was taken outside the Sauk County Courthouse in Baraboo last spring in May. The parent who took the photograph said he simply asked the boys to wave goodbye to their parents before heading to prom.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Peter Gust insisted that the virtually all-white group of boys were merely waving goodbye to their parents, not making any political statement.

'I am very frustrated and find it reprehensible that people all over the world can snap to a judgment without knowing any facts and go ape  and it is coming from all over the world,' he said.

Parents voiced their concerns with the viral image at a Baraboo School Board meeting on November 12

'When I first saw the picture I didn't see a Nazi salute. it was not intended to be one,' he said at his home a five minute drive from the high school in Baraboo, a town of 12,000 people, 45 miles northwest of Madison.

'Now I look at it, I see it. Hell yeah, the optics of it are bad. But it never crossed my mind at the time.'

At least one student in the front row appears to be pictured making the white power hand signal.

The majority of the teenagers, who are believed to be the school's Class of 2019, can be seen laughing in the photo.

Jordan Blue, one of the students pictured who didn't salute, said in a statement that the photographer told them to raise their arms

One of the students pictured, who was only one of the few that didn't salute, told Young Turks reporter Jules Suzdaltsev that the photograpgher taking the picture told them to salute at their junior prom.

'I am the boy captured in the photo to the far right. I am clearly uncomfortable with what was happening,' the student, Jordan Blue, said in a statement.

'I couldn't leave the photo as it was taken within five seconds.

The photographer took the photos telling us to make the sign. I knew what my morals were and it was not to salute something I firmly didn't believe in.'

The student also indicated a culture of bulling at the school, saying those in the photo had bullied him since middle school.
But more than 9,000 parents in Kent have been fined for taking their children out of school during term over the last four years  one of the highest rates in Britain

Teachers are being given time off school to go Christmas shopping to help improve their wellbeing and mental health.

St Pauls Church of England primary in Swanley, Kent, says the gesture is meant as a thank-you to hard-working staff who go above and beyond to help pupils.

It added that all absences would be covered by colleagues and no child would miss out on teaching time.

Teachers are being given time off school to go Christmas shopping to help improve their wellbeing. The school is just seven miles away from Bluewater, one of Britains largest shopping centres [File photo]

And it seems other schools are adopting wellbeing days in December so teachers can hit the high streets without their children and reconnect with friends and family.

But the move has been criticised by traditionalists who say it is setting a bad example to children.

And they add it is hypocritical of teachers to have time off during term when parents face fines of 60 for taking children out of school.

The move came to light this week when James Johnson, a teacher of Years 1 and 2 at St Pauls, said on Twitter: Oh my goodness! Its happened again. I love this. Our head allows every member of staff to have a Christmas shopping day.

He covers that person for the day. Its so great to work for a school that values wellbeing.

The school is just seven miles away from Bluewater, one of Britains largest shopping centres.

A teacher at Langshott Primary School in Horley, Surrey, also said they get a half day for Christmas shopping  but later deleted the comment. St Pauls Church of England primary in Swanley, Kent, says the gesture is meant as a thank-you to hard-working staff [File photo]

Headmaster Ben Hulme said the move was aimed at tackling the issues regarding teacher recruitment and retention in education over recent years.

Staff mental health and well-being nationally is at an all-time low, he said. As a headteacher, I am keen to do all I can to support, nurture and retain the best staff I can for St Pauls.

This is a way for me to say thank you to staff for going above and beyond what is asked of them day in, day out, such as spending a weekend away on a residential trip or staying at school to help run a movie night for the children to enjoy.

He personally covers the teachers on their days off, with other non-teaching roles also covered internally within the school.

As a result, no teaching time is lost for any child and there is no disruption to the day-to-day running of the school, Mr Hulme said. The move has drawn support online from dozens of teachers, many of whom say other schools have adopted the policy.

Primary school teacher Stephanie Brown said: What a wonderful gesture. I know of a few schools who do this and the staff are so thankful for this day.

While another teacher Sarah Wilson said: We get a half day  its much appreciated. For all teachers and teaching assistants.

Teacher Naomi Takeda said: We have a wellbeing week in December which culminates in a day off on the Friday for all staff and students to reconnect with family and friends.

A teacher at Langshott Primary School in Horley, Surrey, also said they get a half day for Christmas shopping  but later deleted the comment.

However, Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, believes the initiative is an indulgence that schools cannot afford to do.

The measure was another example of staff setting a poor example at a time when were fining parents who take their children out during term time on holiday, the former head said.

More than 9,000 parents in Kent have been fined for taking their children out of school during term over the last four years  one of the highest rates in the country.

Mr McGovern added: It sets a terrible example to people and Im afraid it means that teachers are going to be de-professionalised and no one is going to take them seriously if this is what theyre doing. They should be putting the education of children first.

If teachers want to be respected, they need to set an example by turning up for the job and doing it well. Going Christmas shopping is a bit of a disgrace.
Each of the 400 phone calls to the cannabis dispensaries followed a script. Hi, said a female voice. Im eight weeks pregnant and feeling really nauseated. Are there any products recommended for morning sickness?

In two-thirds of cases, the reply was: Yes.

Around half of those callers whod received an affirmative answer were then advised to buy a specific cure in a form they could eat.

Just under 40 per cent were told to get it in a form that could be inhaled or smoked. Most of the remainder were offered tinctures or drinks.

The recommended cure in question? Marijuana. But far from being genuine requests for help from expectant mothers, the phone calls were part of a research project by the University of Colorado.

The researchers were pretending to be pregnant to see how cannabis  legal for medical reasons in the U.S. state of Colorado since 2000 and fully legal since 2014  was being dispensed. The answers they received offer a worrying insight into the booming medical marijuana industry.

When 400 phone calls were made to cannabis dispensaries from a supposedly pregnant woman, two thirds recommended cannabis products for morning sickness (stock image)

After eight weeks [of pregnancy], everything should be good with consuming alcohol and weed, one dispensary assistant replied.

When I was pregnant and started to feel nauseous, I did not smoke [cannabis] more than two times a day, recommended the proprietor of another clinic.

Edible [marijuana] would not hurt the child, reassured another, telling the woman, wrongly, that something going through your digestional tract will have no effect on an unborn child.

Of the 277 dispensaries that recommended cannabis as a cure for morning sickness, three-quarters then attempted to sell a version of the drug containing THC, the chemical that gives users a high.

Many also advised their pregnant patients to keep their consumption of this intoxicating drug secret from their doctor.

The doctor will probably just tell you that marijuana is bad for kids and try pushing pills on you, said one. I do not know if the baby doctors are chill or not, [so] do not go stoned when you talk to them, warned another.

Perhaps those doctors had good reason for their reservations about cannabis. For the Colorado research paper, published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology earlier this year, highlights cannabis as a matter of growing concern to medical practitioners across the world.

Increasingly, marijuana is being sold for medical reasons. Yet this medical marijuana is very far from being the safe, natural healthcare product its often-rapacious suppliers would have us believe.

After eight weeks [of pregnancy], everything should be good with consuming alcohol and weed, one dispensary assistant said (stock image)

In some circumstances, the product  which is becoming legal in growing numbers of countries, including Canada, the U.S. and most recently Britain in highly specific circumstances  can be dangerous and possibly fatal. Particularly when taken by pregnant women.

To blame is a simple fact: a multitude of studies over several years have shown all forms of cannabis to be teratogenic. Meaning that, like tobacco or excessive alcohol, they can harm a foetus.

The drug has been linked to a host of serious birth defects, including at least six life-threatening deformities.

They include two congenital heart problems; a neurological condition called anencephaly, in which a child is born with a large portion of the brain missing, often dying within hours; and the birth defect gastroschisis, where the intestines develop outside the body.

Babies exposed to marijuana in utero are at increased risk of admission to neonatal intensive care units, says Torri Metz, a University of Utah professor who was among the Colorado studys authors.

There are also concerns about possible long-term effects on the developing brain, impacting cognitive function and decreasing academic ability later in childhood.

Which brings us to the situation in Britain, where there is pressure on the Government from an increasingly powerful cannabis lobby to loosen the NHS guidelines on medical cannabis use.

In Britain, there is pressure on the Government from an increasingly powerful cannabis lobby to loosen the NHS guidelines on medical cannabis use (stock image, cannabis oil)

They were relaxed this year following two high-profile cases involving children who suffer from serious forms of epilepsy.

One, Alfie Dingley, found an unlicensed, technically illegal cannabis oil from Holland prevented his seizures. Another, Billy Caldwell, had medical marijuana from Canada confiscated at customs, causing him to be admitted to hospital with what his family described as life-threatening seizures.

In response to the public outcry over both cases, the Home Office relaxed the law to allow specialist doctors to prescribe unlicensed cannabis-based drugs to patients.

Their use is still limited to three distinct conditions: epilepsy, nausea associated with chemotherapy, and muscle stiffness associated with multiple sclerosis. Even then, patients must first have tried conventional medicines.

But the cannabis lobby is calling for it to be made more widely available, claiming six million Britons would eventually use the product for a variety of ailments, including pain and nausea relief. It would almost certainly mean dispensaries handing it out over the counter, just like in Colorado.

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) recently published an article arguing that the widespread use of medical cannabis could eventually lead to a public health crisis bearing comparison with the thalidomide disaster.

When I was pregnant and started to feel nauseous, I did not smoke [cannabis] more than two times a day, recommended the proprietor of another clinic (stock image)

That scandal, one of the most notorious in modern history, came after the drug thalidomide was given to large numbers of pregnant women from the late Fifties to the early Sixties, mostly to treat morning sickness.

It caused hundreds of thousands of miscarriages, and resulted in around 10,000 babies being severely deformed. Many died.

Thalidomide was marketed for anxiety, morning sickness and pain relief. Very similar claims are now being made about cannabis, and we are being told that millions of people should take it, says the author of the BMJ article, Dr Albert Reece, a professor of medicine at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia.

But as with thalidomide, no one is properly looking at the side-effects. They are frightening.

During foetal development, the presence of it increases the chances of a child developing heart and intestinal defects. In the womb, it can also not only interfere with brain development but basically amputate the forebrain.

Even for adults, there are serious side-effects, he adds: Cannabis is linked to serious psychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Plus stroke, heart attack and 12 kinds of cancer.

The cannabis doctors can now prescribe in Britain  albeit only to certain very sick patients  can have intoxicating levels of the chemical THC. Most British patients who will take it are expected to be given it in the form of capsules or a highly concentrated oil. However, chemically speaking, there will be very little to distinguish these medical products from what recreational cannabis users might smoke.

For example, Bedrocan, a Dutch-made brand which is one of the worlds most popular varieties of medical cannabis, contains 22 per cent THC according to its manufacturers website, making it more intoxicating even than the skunk (which ranges from around 14 per cent to 20 per cent THC for superskunk) that illegal dealers sell.

The difference, says the manufacturer, is that Bedrocan  which consists purely of dried cannabis flowers  is chemically standardised, so it is easier to regulate dosage, when taking the product.

Meanwhile, in California, where medical cannabis was first made available 20 years ago and has since been entirely legalised, a high-profile organisation called Cannamommy advertises a range of what it terms safe, organic natural products designed for mothers. One popular brand of medical marijuana is called Trainwreck, advertised as a cure for migraines, pain and arthritis.

In California, where medical cannabis was first made available 20 years ago and has since been entirely legalised, a high-profile organisation called Cannamommy advertises a range of what it terms safe, organic natural products designed for mothers (stock image)

According to the maker, the product, which is between 12 and 21 per cent THC and is sold in a dried form suitable for smoking, begins its hurtle through the mind with a surge of euphoria, awakening creativity and happiness.

Another Cannamommy product, Green Crack, which it recommends for housewives suffering fatigue, stress and depression, induces an invigorating mental buzz. A third, Guerilla Glue, will apparently deliver heavy-handed euphoria and relaxation, leaving you feeling glued to the couch.

To critics, this sales patter suggests many customers are as interested in enjoying a legal high as they are the medical benefits.

And when medical marijuana products are aimed at mothers, its a dangerous trend, they argue.

We are at ground zero of this new medical epidemic, which will lead to havoc, says one critic, Karen Randall, an emergency room physician in Colorado. The number of babies testing positive for THC has increased dramatically.

Randall says her local area contains 15 medical cannabis dispensaries. When a breast-feeding mother uses marijuana, it gets concentrated in the breast milk.

There are many studies that show memory is decreased with constant use, so I guess that in five to ten years, we are going to see a lot of kids with learning issues.

Someone who illustrates the potential hazards is Marie McKillop, 36, from the Australian city of Brisbane, who says smoking marijuana during pregnancy led to her daughters death.

This medical marijuana is very far from being the safe, natural healthcare product its often-rapacious suppliers would have us believe (stock image)

Her baby, named Crystal, weighed just 2lb 9oz at birth and was unable to breathe or feed unaided because of a serious congenital heart defect. She underwent three major heart surgeries, but died aged eight months.

Adding to her mothers trauma was the fact shed previously had four miscarriages. I felt totally broken, Marie says.

At the time the tragedy occurred, several years ago, McKillop was a troubled young woman battling substance abuse problems.

Though clinicians advised her to steer clear of the hardest illegal narcotics, they concluded that she should continue to take marijuana while pregnant. The fear was that if I stopped, it would give me withdrawal symptoms, which could make me miscarry, she recalls.

Later, in hospital reports, marijuana was described as a high contributing factor to Crystals subsequent health problems.

Thankfully, having weaned herself off drugs, Marie has since had three healthy children.

Others wont be so lucky.

Her doctor, Stuart Reece, believes the drug affects three key organs of an unborn child: the brain, the heart and the intestines.

He cites a study in the Toxicology Journal last year in which pregnant laboratory mice were exposed to cannabis, which found that smoking marijuana during pregnancy even at low doses can be embryotoxic and fetotoxic; and a University of Arkansas study also from 2017 which associated pre-natal cannabis exposure with lower birth weight, life-long smaller head circumference, reduced length of gestation, neonatal neurological disturbances, [and] reduced function in specific cognitive domains.

Two studies by the American Center for Disease Control have linked it to anencephaly, while the American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics believe it increases rates of ventricular septal defect and Ebsteins anomaly, two heart defects.

The drugs links to gastroschisis  when the intestines develop outside the body  are documented by, among others, a long-running Canadian study and a Hawaiian research project which has linked cannabis to no fewer than 21 birth defects.

Only once has a known teratogen like cannabis been marketed globally, Dr Reece says.

That was thalidomide. Its the reason we have the entire modern drug approval system, but the medical cannabis lobby is saying that system should be abandoned and the drug should be given to millions of people. Its incredibly dangerous.

Sharing this view are 166 of Britains most eminent pain relief doctors. Last month, they wrote to The Times, saying medical cannabis will provide little or no long-term benefit in improving pain and may be associated with significant long-term adverse cognitive and mental-health detriment.

Until this years relaxation in the law, drugs in Britain that are made from cannabis had an identical status to those derived from other illegal narcotics such as heroin (stock image)

They argued there is no medical evidence that, in this field, cannabis works. There are, however, serious psychological problems associated with its regular use.

The 166 doctors cited a report from the International Association for the Study of Pain, which took in the results of 104 studies.

The report concluded that 24 patients in pain would need to be treated for just one to experience any benefit.

Yet one in six would suffer some form of harm due to side-effects, including nausea, dizziness, insomnia and depression.

And the report concluded: It seems unlikely cannabinoids are highly effective medicines for chronic non-cancer pain.

As doctors, the first law is to do no harm, says author Dr Raj Munglani, a chronic pain expert who practises in Cambridge and London. We could end up damaging more people than we help. We fear new rules in the UK could cause a major public health crisis.

Until this years relaxation in the law, drugs in Britain that are made from cannabis had an identical status to those derived from other illegal narcotics such as heroin.

To be licensed for medical use, these products must undergo stringent testing to ensure that they are effective and safe.

Though the licensing process takes several years, its perfectly possible to negotiate it.

The UK firm GW Pharmaceuticals has done just that with marijuana, developing two licensed drugs: Sativex (with moderate levels of THC) which treats spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, and Epidolex, for epilepsy (interestingly, patient notes make clear that they must never be taken by pregnant women).

In theory, theres never been anything to stop other advocates of medical cannabis developing licensed products in this way to combat the myriad other conditions they say it can treat. But none have so far succeeded.

It seems its far easier to lobby politicians to relax the licensing laws. But the danger is that this could one day lead to a situation in Britain where, as in Colorado, cannabis is sold as a cure for morning sickness  with potentially terrifying consequences.
A yoga teacher, tech entrepreneur and university worker are among thousands of activists aiming to bring London to a standstill today.

The Left-wing mob, led by highly educated professional protesters with very middle-class upbringings, want to stage a mock funeral march through the city.

The eco-warriors have already sparked outrage by blocking major bridges and bottlenecks with noisy protests in the past week. The leading demonstrators oppose fracking and a third runway at Heathrow.

Bristol university student Robin Boardman-Pattison (left) and Joanna Bodimeade (right) sparked outrage by blocking bridges in London

They believe the country has reached a tipping point in which direct action is the only option left to save the planet. But critics claim the activists are creating even more pollution by causing tailbacks. Among the protesters hellbent on bringing chaos to our roads is Joanna Bodimeade, 30, a jet-setting yoga teacher who blogs about her exotic trips around the world.

A veteran of green protests, she has shut down the M4 and campaigned against a third runway at Heathrow.

She will be joined by Maximus Richardson, 32, a Staffordshire University film production graduate who travels from his parents 1.2million home near Heathrow to join the protests.

He is currently promoting a social network linked to a cryptocurrency.

Robin Boardman-Pattison, a Bristol University languages student, is at the centre of the London protests, threatening: We are not going to stop.

Originally from Beckenham on the London-Kent border, the 21-year-old spray paints buildings to further his green agenda.

Dr Larch Maxey, a Plymouth University visiting specialist, says he is never happier than when foraging near his flat in Totnes, Devon. The anti-fracking campaigner refuses to fly to overseas conferences, insisting on appearing by video link.

Nick Cooper, 34, a technician at the University of Northampton who has been arrested twice in a fortnight, will also be demonstrating. He was among 82 supporters of the Extinction Rebellion movement to be arrested amid 6,000-strong protests on five bridges across the Thames on Saturday last week.

Most arrests were made on Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge as police forced open routes to a major hospital.

Maximus Richardson, Nick Cooper and Dr Larch Maxey (left to right) were all present at the protests

Today, organisers plan to cause even more disruption. One said: We will do ten bridges, we are looking at 500-plus arrests.

Speaking at another protest this week  in breach of his bail conditions  Mr Cooper said: We have to be disruptive like this in order for those in power to take notice. On Wednesday protesters walked on to roads in Westminster, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle in south London and Earls Court to the west.

One woman, who was walking to work, said: This is not the right thing to do. They are causing more pollution with all this standing traffic.

The protesters have been told to gather outside Parliament at 10am before moving on to other locations. Organiser Ronan McNern said: This is about causing economic disruption by bringing things to a gridlock.

The Metropolitan Police said: If you do drive into London, please note attempting to drive through protesters in the road is very dangerous and illegal.
Had it not been for the joys of the internet, Georgie David might never have crossed paths with dashing Old Etonian James Reeve.

The pair met online in February 2017 after stumbling, virtually, across each other via mutual Facebook friends.

Georgie, 34, a legal aide from London, agreed to a date with James, 37, who owns a polo club on his familys Lincolnshire estate. After dinner at swanky Beaufort House in Chelsea, their relationship became sexual and, over the next six months, James became a regular visitor to Georgies nearby rented flat.

So far, so straightforward.

But, in the summer of 2017, Georgie discovered she was pregnant and relations between the couple soured when she said she was keeping the baby.

Ive been abandoned and now Im being treated like a fallen woman, she tells me at her tiny ground-floor studio flat just off the Kings Road in Chelsea.

I have never asked for any financial support for myself, only for our son.

While she says her ex-lover is refusing to contribute towards the upkeep of their eight-month-old son, Henry, James Reeve claims to be a victim of entrapment and says he wants nothing to do with Georgie or the baby.

Georgina David with her son Henry David-Reeve, 8 months. Miss David claims his father wanted her to have an abortion

Georgina says her ex-lover is refusing to contribute towards the upkeep of their eight-month-old son, Henry

Georgie, 34, a legal aide from London, began dating James, 37, who owns a polo club on his familys Lincolnshire estate

Despite being owner of Leadenham Polo Club and a schoolboy contemporary of Prince William, Reeve has been assessed as unable to pay child maintenance because of the modest income he receives from his family.

In a letter from a solicitor acting on his behalf, the Edinburgh University graduate, whose ancestor fought alongside the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo, accuses Georgie of going back on her promise to terminate the unexpected pregnancy and of lying about taking the contraceptive pill.

Georgie denies both claims, but the row has even caught the eye of senior Church of England clergy after it emerged that Jamess mother, Henrietta, who also wants no contact with her grandson, was appointed a lay canon at Lincoln Cathedral just a month before Henrys birth.

Divorcee Mrs Reeve, 62, became the subject of a church investigation after Georgies priest, the Rector at St Lukes in Chelsea, wrote to the Bishop of Lincoln saying she came under great pressure from the Reeve family  Mrs Reeve in particular  to have an abortion.

In a written response to that claim, the Bishop of Grantham said that while Miss David came under great pressure, there was no evidence that Mrs Reeve, who is also Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, was involved.

A morally muddled saga then, and one which raises questions about sex, relationships and responsibility in this modern age of dating.

Who, then, should be blamed for this sorry situation? And, above all, what does the future hold for the golden-haired, blue-eyed baby boy at the heart of it?

Henry James Frederick David-Reeve, who shares both his parents surnames is, somewhat ironically, the spitting image of the handsome father he has never met.

James Reeve accuses Georgie of going back on her promise to terminate the unexpected pregnancy and of lying about taking the contraceptive pill

Divorcee Henrietta Reeve, 62, became the subject of a church investigation after Georgies priest, the Rector at St Lukes in Chelsea, wrote to the Bishop of Lincoln saying she came under great pressure from the Reeve family  Mrs Reeve in particular  to have an abortion

Its for Henrys sake that Im speaking out about this, says Georgie, cradling her son.

He wasnt planned, but the fact is that we have a beautiful baby boy and he deserves to have the best chance in life. I am struggling to cope financially, and I just want James to accept some responsibility for his son.

James Reeve sees things rather differently. A letter sent to Georgie by his solicitor says: You entered a relationship with him which was meant to be entirely casual, with no commitment at all.

Meanwhile, Georgie has been receiving emotional support from a most unlikely quarter  Jamess elder brother, William, who is heir to the family estate. He has not only been to visit his nephew but also became his godfather when Henry was christened in September.

He hit the news himself this week after he collapsed in court as he launched a battle with his mother over the future of their familys 230-year-old country estate.

Old Etonian William, 38, says the future of the 18th-century Leadenham estate is at risk due to a bitter family row, not helped by the situation between James and Georgie.

Meanwhile, Georgie remains hurt and angry at the way she has been treated. While she doesnt deny the relationship was casual at first, she argues that she and James began to see each other regularly  at least every week  and their romance became more than just physical.

We used to take my dog for walks together and go out for long lunches and dinners. Or I cooked for us here. Sometimes we used to get a takeaway and a bottle of wine and just lie in front of the television. He brought flowers. We became close. It started to feel more serious. We opened up to each other about our lives.

And what different lives they are.

Georgie, the daughter of a Pakistani-born father and British mother, was raised in a terrace house in South-east London and attended an all-girls state school. She studied media at the University of Buckingham, but left before finishing her degree and worked as a VIP nightclub hostess at Chinawhite in Soho.

In her early 20s, she began work as a secretary at a barristers chambers in central London, moved to Chelsea and joined a ladies shooting club in West London.

James, meanwhile, is one of four children born to Peter and Henrietta Reeve, and grew up enjoying all the privileges that life in a family with a lineage stretching back to Edward III can offer  including 20-bedroom Grade II-listed Leadenham House on the familys 3,000-acre estate. He attended Eton and after university, returned to the estate to pursue his love of polo.

Despite living at Leadenham House James Reeve has been assessed as unable to make child maintenance payments

Mr Reeve (pictured), the son of Lincoln Cathedral's lay Canon who is accused of encouraging Miss David to have an abortion

Georgie insists she is no gold-digger and had no idea just how wealthy James was when she met him. Hes actually quite scruffy, she says. I bought him socks on two occasions because his had holes in.

Claims that she tricked him into getting her pregnant are rebutted.

The accusation that I lied about being on the Pill or that I deliberately didnt take it is ridiculous. The only person who can possibly know if I took it is me, and I know I took it.

Nevertheless, in June 2017 a home test revealed she was pregnant. At first, she says, James took the news calmly. He travelled from Lincolnshire and the pair attended an NHS clinic in North London offering pregnancy counselling and abortion services.

She admits that at this stage, she was ready to consider a termination. I was only five weeks pregnant and it seemed the sensible thing to do, she explains. But before they had the chance to discuss it, medical events swiftly overtook them.

This dramatically impacted her feelings about the pregnancy.

First, a scan suggested Georgie was suffering from an ectopic pregnancy  a potentially fatal condition. She was sent to A&E at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, where she was monitored until it became clear the pregnancy was not ectopic and she was suffering from a harmless cyst in her fallopian tube.

It was a very stressful situation because it could have impacted my future fertility, she says. James was wonderful, perfect in every way. He cuddled me and reassured me.

When she was discharged three days later, she returned home to find he had cleaned her flat and put fresh flowers in a vase.

Soon after, they returned to the pregnancy advice clinic, again planning to speak to a counsellor about the possibility of a termination, but after another scan, Georgie was told she had suffered a missed miscarriage  where an embryo dies but is not immediately expelled by the body. Medical advice for women suffering the condition in the first three months of pregnancy is to allow nature to take its course.

Given that both she and James believed the pregnancy was over, she says, there was no longer any need to discuss a termination. Instead, they went away for a weekend to help her get over the ordeal, staying at the Victoria Inn hotel in Holkham, Norfolk.

He was really lovely to me at that time, she says.

But at a check-up at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in August 2017, Georgie was given the jaw-dropping news that she hadnt miscarried at all. She was 13 weeks pregnant with a healthy baby.

It was the last thing I expected, she says. I could see a heartbeat. I was overwhelmed that after everything that had happened, here was a perfect little baby.

She phoned James to break the news. He was completely shocked, she says. I asked if he wanted to see the scan photos and he said that he didnt, that it was too much for him to take in. He said he needed to speak to his mother.

I understood that he was overwhelmed.

She claims she then had a call from Mrs Reeve. During the conversation, she said James wouldnt stand by me. She said that I should be aware that he wouldnt be inheriting anything. There was no reasoning with her. She upset me so much that I hung up.

After that, she says, she and James maintained contact by phone but relations between them were not the same as before. He wanted me to have an abortion but after everything that had happened and then seeing the scan, I felt very differently. I felt very pressurised by him and his family

The last time she saw James was at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Georgie says it became clear he still expected her to terminate the pregnancy.

He kept coming in and out of the room on his phone and then he just disappeared and didnt come back. That was the last time I saw him. It was such a brutal way to be left.

When Georgie wrote to James, telling him she had to decide whats best for our baby, she received an email from his solicitor telling her: He does not wish to have any contact with you now or in the future. However, he remains willing to support you financially with the previous plan to have a termination. Any financial payment would need to be through me.

Further strongly worded legal letters followed. One sent in October 2017 reads: Frankly, our client feels that he was entrapped by you . . . Our client has only ever wanted to have children in the context of a loving, stable and long-term relationship and clearly that was not the nature of the relationship he had with you. Our client has no intention of having any involvement with your child.

James Reeve has claimed he is a victim of 'entrapment' who is not paid enough to make child maintenance payments

Extraordinarily, a solicitors letter was even sent to Georgies widowed mother stating: Reports through third parties have led our client to be concerned for Georgies mental state.

It continued: He felt that it was necessary to put on record his own position so that you know how best to help her. Henry was born on March 5, 2018 and Georgie texted James to say he was welcome to visit at the hospital, but she received no response. Requests to meet via a legal mediation service were also rejected.

After she turned to the Governments Child Maintenance Service, James complied with instructions to pay her 407.71. According to his solicitor, a further review by the CMS showed he lacked a current salary and was only in receipt of a modest income from his family. The CMS does not consider assets, but the Department for Work and Pensions, which oversees the service, is monitoring the case.

And it is clear that Georgie is not going to go away quietly. When the Rector of St Lukes wrote to the Bishop of Lincoln in August, he asked for an investigation into the pastorally unacceptable situation which has clear safeguarding implications.

Writing back a month later, the Bishop of Grantham said an investigation had concluded this is not a safeguarding matter.

Georgina with her son at the Hurlingham Club. Miss David claims she was made pregnant by James Reeve - polo-playing Old Etonian son of Lincoln Cathedral's lay Canon

Miss David met Mr Reeve in 2017 and the pair quickly began dating but she fell pregnant

In the letter, copies of which were sent to both Georgie and Mrs Reeve, he added that: Mrs Reeve does not deny the existence of Henry, though she has no relationship with him and does not want one, and said discussions had been held with Mrs Reeve about how she might pray for Henry and perhaps in some future time be able to relate to him in some way that honours Mr Reeve and him.

Georgie says she would like the Reeve family to be involved in Henrys life. For now, the only member of the Reeve family to have met the baby is his uncle William.

Hes a really sweet chap and I worry about his future because this is absolutely no way to begin life, William told the Mail. Everyone needs to focus on putting this behind them.

Williams support for Georgie may have been influenced by a furious row within the Reeve family itself about the future of its estate. Leadenham has been passed down through generations since the 18th century, but was partitioned after Mrs Reeve divorced Peter in 2011.

If his uncle is successful, the future for baby Henry may yet prove to be rosy.

Georgie insists: I never expected  or wanted  James to marry me. She adds: I just want him to do the right thing by Henry. Whats happened has happened, and Im sure James would be amazing at fatherhood if he just gave it a chance.

Mrs Reeve and James both refused to comment.
A poster calling for information on Emanuela Orlandi, who disappeared aged 15 from a Rome street in 1983

The human bones discovered at a Vatican embassy last month do not belong to either of two Italian girls who went missing in the 1980s, it is believed, foiling hopes that a 35-year-old mystery was about to be solved.

Teenagers Emanuela Orlandi and Mirella Gregori went missing in the space of 40 days in Rome in 1983.

The skeleton discovered at the Vatican embassy in Rome on October 31 sparked fresh interest in the case of the missing 15-year-olds.

But early tests on the bones have revealed they belonged to a man, a judicial source said.

In addition carbon dating on the bones showed they were older than 1964 and could not belong to the missing girls.

An Italian bishop said the find had 'nothing to do' with the disappearance of the two girls, Crux Now reported.

The two girls' disappearance has sparked a range of theories over the years, especially surrounding Emanuela's case and its links to the Vatican.

Cold War politics, the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II, alleged Vatican links to the Italian criminal underworld and claims of satanic orgies by prelates have all been blamed for the girl's disappearance.

Emanuela, who was last seen on a street in Rome, disappeared after leaving her family's Vatican City apartment to go to a music lesson in Rome. Her father was a member of the Holy See police force.

One theory suggests she was kidnapped by hostage-takers trying to have Mehmet Ali Agca, who shot the Pope in St Peter's Square in 1981, freed from prison.

Shortly after she disappeared the police are claimed to have received anonymous calls, which said Emanuela would be freed if the Turkish gunman was released.

Rome's chief prosecutor was called in to investigate the latest find but Emanuela's brother played down hopes of finding her body, saying the family had suffered disappointments in the past.

He said earlier this month: 'I was amazed the Vatican police immediately came up with the idea that it could be the remains of Emanuela and Mirella Gregori. How did they make the connection?'

The skeleton and bone fragments were unearthed during work on an annex to the Holy See's embassy compound in Rome.

The Vatican did not mention the missing girls but Italian media immediately linked her unsolved disappearance to the discovery of the bones.

The Rome embassy is in the upscale residential neighborhood of Parioli, near the city's Villa Borghese museum.

The last major twist in the case came in 2012, when forensic police exhumed the body of a reputed mobster from the crypt of a Roman basilica in hopes of finding Emanuela's remains too.

However, that search turned up no link.

More recently, a leading Italian investigative journalist caused a sensation when he published a five-page document last year that had been stolen from a locked Vatican cabinet that suggested the Holy See had been involved in Orlandi's disappearance.

The Vatican immediately branded the document a fake, though it never explained what it was doing in the Vatican cabinet.

The document was purportedly written by a cardinal and listed supposed expenses used for Orlandi's upkeep after she disappeared.

The Vatican has repeatedly maintained that it has co-operated fully with police investigating the Orlandi case.
Andrea Carnevali, 46 and son Giovanni, six, are standing beside the busy A4 in Chiswick, west London, which is choked by traffic

A primary school situated three feet from a busy dual carriageway has had to cancel outside playtimes to stop pupils being poisoned by car pollution.

St Marys in Chiswick, west London, has halted playground activities in rush hour to protect children from nitrogen dioxide and other toxic emissions.

Children used to play outside before and after school, but now they are only allowed outside for ten minutes at morning break and half an hour at lunchtime.

The school imposed the measures after discovering it has one of the most polluted playgrounds in the country. It sits next to the six-lane A4 into London, which is used by 100,000 cars every day and is almost at a standstill for two hours every morning.

A single brick wall separates the playground from the road. The measures were imposed a year ago after a study by the Mayor of London found it is one of the 50 most polluted schools in London.

Parent Andrea Carnevali, 46, who has a six-year-old son Giovanni with his wife Manu, is leading a campaign for measures to reduce emissions in the playground.

He said: Pollution can harm the lungs of children. The repercussions for their lives are huge. Its not just the air pollution  its also the noise. Parents and children have to shout to be heard.

St Mary's Primary School is beside the busy six-lane highway which cuts through west London

Often that road is chock-a-block as the cars are all at a standstill. Sometimes you cannot help but cough.

Mr Carnevali, a documentary editor, has lived in London for 27 years after leaving his native Italy as a teenager.

He added: Im sure my child would love to play outside more, but he is only six so the current arrangement is all he knows. He knows to go straight to his classroom when he arrives instead of running around the playground. What kind of life is that for a child?

St Marys was on a list of 50 primaries which had readings of nitrogen dioxide above the legal limit.

William Hogarth School, which is next door, is also on the list and together the schools educate more than 500 children.

Joan Harte, executive head of St Marys, told ITV London News that classrooms are open early for children. She said: They come straight into school, there is no playtime before school begins. That is a sad reality.

Campaigners want their stretch of the A4 included in Sadiq Khans new Ultra Low Emission Zone in which all vehicles must meet green targets or face daily charges from April 2019.

In addition, they want air purifiers in every classroom and a five-foot-high living wall of plants between school and road, which could reduce pollutants by up to 38 per cent in the playground.

The school is seeking to raise funds and has been backed by celebrities including David Dimbleby, Jeremy Paxman, and Claudia Winkleman and Emma Thompson.

Evidence this year linked the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah to illegal levels of pollution around her home in Londons Lewisham.
The 12-metre-wide construction of the route in Cheorwon, near the mid-point of the DMZ, is one of several steps agreed at the Pyongyang summit between the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in September.

"We view them as important parallel processes, and that working group is created to make sure they continue to remain that way", Pompeo stated while talking about a US-South Korea working group in which the US is represented by Stephen Biegun, who is the special US envoy to North Korea.

Mattis did not provide details on what a scaled-back version of the exercise would entail.

Logan said that Mattis and his South Korean counterpart agreed during a meeting last month "that it was important for military activities, including exercises, to be conducted in a manner that complements diplomatic efforts to achieve North Korea's denuclearization while sustaining readiness of United States and ROK military forces". "We continue to look at multiple aspects of future exercises to include their size and scope.".

The US-South Korea military drills, which have been held for years, and involves rehearsals of beach landings, North Korean invasions, and strikes aimed at "decapitating" the North Korean regime.

In line with the views expressed by the Foreign Ministry, the South's presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday reaffirmed Seoul's chief nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon's remarks a day earlier, indicating that the U.S. had expressed its "strong support for the joint study of the inter-Korean railway project".

The two countries have been conducting some smaller scale training exercises.

The unification ministry said the opening of the route between the two Koreas would be within the framework of sanctions, but it won't allow South Korean air carriers to pay fees for using North Korean airspace, which is said to be estimated at about 800,000 won ($720).

The State Department's point man on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, met Tuesday in Washington with South Korea's special representative for peace and security on the peninsula, Lee Do-hoon, to "further strengthen our close coordination", Pompeo told reporters. It has also typically been held together with a computer-simulated exercise known as Key Resolve, which a year ago included about 12,200 Americans and 10,000 South Korean personnel.

Mattis has worked to reassure Pentagon staff and US officials concerned about the degradation of the combat readiness of the 28,500 USA service members in South Korea if the exercises continue to be canceled.

But since then negotiations have slowed over how and when North Korea would dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

Talks have been largely stalled since Trump and Kim agreed at their historic Singapore summit in June to work toward the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula".
Police are closing in on the killer of a 24-year-old dog walker who was found murdered on a secluded beach more than a month ago.

After weeks of scouring the sand dunes of far-north Queensland's Wanghetti Beach - where Toyah Cordingley's body was found - authorities now believe they have uncovered 'several items of interest'.

The focal area of the investigation has shifted from the beach to Lake Placid and Caravonica, about 30km south of the murder scene.

Police snipers were stationed at the head of crocodile-infested Moody Creek.

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Police believe they're closing in on the killer of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley (pictured)

Police - including snipers - have been stationed at crocodile-infested Moody Creek (pictured)

Their presence 'does directly relate to the (homicide) investigation', a spokesperson told Cairns Post.

Ms Cordingley, a dog walker, was reported missing by her boyfriend on October 21 and found dead the next morning

Lake Placid appears to be the priority for detectives, with Queensland Police issuing a call to the public for reports of anything out of the ordinary seen in the area on October 21, the day Ms Cordingley was reported missing.

In particular, police are cyclists who rode in the area late in the afternoon to reach out.

Despite the area of interest being shifted away from Wanghetti Beach, locals are still preparing searching parties.

Spearheaded by family friend Wayne 'Prong' Trimble, another search of the beach will go forward on Sunday morning.

Those with aerial drones or metal detectors are urged to join the group.

Detective Inspector Sonia Smith said police were heartened by the enormous show of continued community support.

More than 800 calls to Crimestoppers in relation to Toyah's murder had been made, with dozens providing dash cam and CCTV footage to detectives.

'We remain committed to finding answers for Toyah and her family,' Detective Inspector Smith said.

Hundreds of people have scoured Wanghetti Beach where Ms Cordingley was found

Her grieving parents Troy and Vanessa (pictured) shared the pain of losing their daughter

The focal shift comes days after Ms Cordingley's grieving parents publicly revealed the pain of losing their daughter.

'Life for us will never, ever be the same,' mother Vanessa Gardiner said.

Mrs Gardiner said her daughter had been full of life from the day she was born, and that the young girl had immediately become the centre of her world.

That world shattered on October 21, when Mrs Gardiner got word Ms Cordingley's boyfriend had reported her missing.

She, her son Jack, and Ms Cordingley's father, Troy, headed out to the beach, searching tirelessly with small torches until light finally broke about 5.30am, she said.

'Eventually, I found Toyah's dog Indi, and we kept searching until my phone battery started to go flat, and Jack walked me back to the car.'

Detective Inspector Sonia Smith has praised Ms Cordingley's community for banding together

Ms Cordingley's father Troy (pictured together) found her body in the dunes on October 22

When Mrs Gardiner and her son returned home with the dog, they were met by police and SES volunteers.

Jack took a uniformed officer back to where Indi had been found, but shortly after the pair arrived, tragedy struck.

'Troy had discovered Toyah not long after Jack arrived with the officer,' Mrs Gardiner said.

'It was a truly a heartbreaking moment... the days that followed did not feel real to us.'

The family began to make funeral arrangements, as friends poured in with kind wishes and meals to fill the fridge.

Mrs Gardiner said as the family struggled to come to terms with the great horror that had befallen them, and that they were even unable to eat.

'Our sleeps were short and we didn't eat much,' she said. 'At times, our emotions were numb, other times we were a mess.

'It was an emotional rollercoaster of grief, hate, anger, and nothingness, feeling hollow, guilt, not knowing how to feel.'
An unusual hairless creature that bore a striking resemblance to House-elf from Harry Potter was revealed to be a severely ill raccoon that passed away on Wednesday.

The Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orange County, Florida, shared several Facebook posts this week that showed the terrified animal after it was rescued Friday from underneath a car.

The wildlife rescue service said the raccoon was brought in for medical treatment on Saturday. The animal's health continued to decline from there, and it sadly died the day before Thanksgiving.

This unusual hairless creature found in Florida on Friday was revealed to be a severely ill raccoon that passed away on Wednesday

What a raccoon looks like with all of its hair. Experts said their raccoon likely had alopecia

Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orange County said she was likely battling alopecia or a genetic mutation she was born with

The rescue service said she was likely battling alopecia or a genetic mutation she was born with.

'We know you are all anxious to hear news about our sweet girl... and though we chose to remain hopeful and diligent with her care and condition, we sincerely regret to inform you that she passed away late last night, in her sleep,' the Facebook post said.

'We couldnt be more grateful for the chance to try to save her. And though we couldnt save her, we will choose not to look at her passing as a failure, but as a small success.

The animal's health continued to decline from there, and it sadly died the day before Thanksgiving

This tragic photo shows the hairless raccoon shortly before she passed away

'Her arrival to BTNs doorsteps allowed us the opportunity to share her beauty with you all.

'She brought so much awareness to not only her condition, but to her species (often looked as a nuisance), and to the refuge and our mission. For that, we are truly grateful.'

The rescue service further thanked their followers for their support.

'Thank you all so much for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, healing energy and support to the organization. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.'
One of the endless fascinations of politics is how two contradictory situations can exist at the same time.

A classic example currently concerns Theresa May. On the one hand, she is due in Brussels today to triumphantly sign off her Brexit deal with the 27 other EU nation leaders. But back home, there is febrile talk of her being out of Downing Street before Christmas.

It is no exaggeration to say that Britain faces its greatest political crisis since World War II. Unless Mrs May can carry off her Brexit deal, there is a strong likelihood that we will have a new prime minister by January.

But first, heres some rare good news for the embattled premier.

Despite opportunistic Spanish threats of a veto, most people are convinced that Mrs May will sign off her deal with the EU 27 this weekend.

Theresa May seems to have fought off a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs

Theresa May gives a statement outside Downing Street following news a deal with the EU had been reached

Getting it through the House of Commons, however, will be a very different matter.

The vote is scheduled to take place in less than three weeks time. Gulp!

At least 80 Tory MPs are openly hostile and could vote against the deal. So too could Ulsters Democratic Unionist Party MPs, who are supposedly in alliance with the Government to provide the Tories with a Commons majority.

In other words, the arithmetic looks dire. It seems almost certain that MPs will snub Mrs May, and her Brexit package will crash and burn.

What happens then?

Anyone who thinks they know is a fool. However, it is possible to set out some of the possible scenarios.

First, assuming that Mrs May loses the vote, she could risk all by resigning her government.

This would mean the Queen would ask Jeremy Corbyn, as leader of the Opposition, to try to form a government himself. If he failed to command a Commons majority  the most likely outcome  a General Election would have to be held.

True, Mrs May has rejected the idea of a third General Election in as many years  undoubtedly a wise move after her miscal-culation of going to country in June last year.

Alternatively, Mrs May could simply resign as Tory leader  and hang on forlornly as a lame duck Prime Minister while her party elects a replacement.

Contemptuously, hardline Brexiteers claim it doesnt matter either way whether Mrs May stays or goes. They say that if she loses next months Commons vote, then Britain would automatically leave the EU regardless, and without a deal, on March 29 next year.

The Prime Minister is not out of jail yet as she still needs to get the deal through parliament

Remainer MPs disagree. Optimistically, they believe that MPs from all the main parties will come together to prevent a no-deal exit from the EU.

Under this scenario, it would mean Downing Street  whether Mrs May is Prime Minister or not  losing control of events.

A swaggeringly self-confident Parliament would take over decision-making.

It is important to note that more than 70 per cent of MPs are believed to have voted Remain in the EU referendum and that, crucially, the Commons has a fervently pro-EU Speaker in the shape of John Bercow.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has made his thoughts on Theresa May's Brexit plan clear after he handed in a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister

Make no mistake: Bercow will try to manipulate events in a pro-European direction.

Meanwhile, as Westminster descended into chaos, it would be only a matter of time before political uncertainly translated into financial and economic chaos.

There would be a huge risk of a recession with the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

It should not be forgotten that while MPs are playing their political games, the livelihoods of the British people are at risk.

This sobering thought leads me to believe that Mrs Mays position is much stronger than it looks.

Most decent folk think she is doing her best in desperately difficult circumstances. They feel disgust at what they see  rightly or wrongly  as cynical manoeuvring by devious and calculating politicians only interested in furthering their own Westminster careers.

That is why Mrs May was surely right this week to appeal over the heads of Parliament to the British people in a series of TV appearances and radio interviews.

Thus far, this strategy is working, with polls showing that the PM is much more popular than any rivals for her job.

The fact is that Houdini May has survived numerous desperate scrapes.

Repeatedly, her enemies and even some colleagues have plotted to destroy her. Ill-informed commentators have forecast her downfall. Yet each time shes survived.

Up until now, I have been one of the few to predict her survival. But now, I cant confidently forecast that Mrs May and her deal will make it through the next few tempestuous weeks.

But, as a betting man, I do still believe shes favourite to make it.

Of course, her EU exit deal isnt perfect. But its the best available. No one has yet come up with a better idea  at any rate not one which would work.

Meanwhile, her allies are making it clear to hardcore Brexiteers, on one side, that the alternative to her strategy is Britain remaining in the EU.

On the other hand, to Europhiles, they claim the alternative is a no-deal Brexit and all the perils that would entail.

This is a clever two-pronged weapon and so far its worked.

Whats more, Mrs May has successfully employed a tactic of which, quite frankly, I had not considered her capable.

Shes split the Brexiteers.

There have been Cabinet resignations  by Boris Johnson, David Davis, Dominic Raab and Esther McVey  but their erstwhile Brexiteer colleagues including Andrea Leadsom, Michael Gove and Penny Mordaunt have stayed onboard.

Boris Johnson is one of the most high profile Cabinet ministers to have resigned over Brexit

The repercussions of what happens over the coming weeks are much more significant for Britain than those after the Suez Crisis of 1956, when prime minister Anthony Eden resigned. They are much, much more crucial.

At heart, the Suez Crisis was about Britain coming to terms with the loss of empire.

Brexit is about how we survive as an independent nation in a hostile world outside a powerful bloc of European countries.

The poet Hilaire Belloc warned a century ago in his Cautionary Verses For Children: Always keep a-hold of nurse  For fear of finding something worse!

As Theresa May leads us out of the EU, his advice is more vital than ever.

Tory blunder on our precious voting system

The Electoral Commission is an independent body whose duty it is to oversee elections and regulate political finance.

In view of this responsibility, it worries me that Tory peer Lord Gilbert has been appointed a board member.

In the past, I have highlighted Stephen Gilberts controversial role as a Tory party campaign chief at a time when disturbing evidence came to light that the Tories had disregarded electoral law by overspending, during a series of by-elections in 2014 when they feared losing to Ukip. Following a brilliant investigation by Channel 4s Michael Crick, there were even fears that officials compounded the offence by submitting at the very least misleading election returns to returning officers  a criminal offence punishable by jail.

I repeatedly tried to approach Lord Gilbert for an explanation of apparent discrepancies in Tory spending. He never came back to me. Eventually, there were no criminal charges and I am sure Lord Gilberts actions were totally above board.

Earlier this year, the Commission itself was heavily criticised after some senior members voiced opposition to Brexit.

There was concern that commissioners had infringed the bodys code of conduct, which requires them to act at all times to uphold its impartiality.

With this latest development, putting Lord Gilbert forward to work at the Commission, the Tory Party has sent out a most unfortunate message about its respect for a deeply sensitive role which goes right to the heart of the integrity of the British political process.

One minister keeps gallantly riding to the support of Mrs May.

Prisons minister Rory Stewart has been ever-present in TV studios, explaining with characteristic courtesy the benefits of the PMs deal with Brussels.

Mr Stewart is the opposite of those identikit politicians with scant knowledge of life outside Westminster. A former officer in the Black Watch, he walked across Afghanistan after the Taliban government collapsed.

He is due promotion to the Cabinet.
The Duchess of Sussexs Grenfell charity cookbook is well on its way to becoming a Christmas best-seller.

The 9.99 collection of recipes has sold 38,811 copies since it was published two months ago.

Sales of Together: Our Community Cookbook, which contains 50 kitchen favourites from women from the Grenfell community, total 372,374, according to figures obtained by data analyst Nielsen.

Meghan at The Hubb Community Kitchen earlier this week, where cooks cater for families made homeless by the Grenfell fire

It is Meghans first solo project since joining the Royal Family.

The duchess, 37, came up with the idea for a book in aid of those affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which killed 72 people, after secretly visiting the Al Manaar Muslim cultural heritage centre. She made a series of trips to meet survivors of the inferno joined by a protection officer and another aide, but without Prince Harry.

Her private missions echo those of Princess Diana, who would leave Kensington Palace at night to speak to the homeless and visit shelters.

Meghan met women from The Hubb Community Kitchen who were using recipes passed down through generations to cater for families made homeless by the fire. It was this which gave her the inspiration for the book.

Meghan, whose first baby with Prince Harry is due in the spring, holds her bump today as she talks to the chefs

She talked to a number of projects but is understood to have developed a particular bond with the women as she felt she could do something tangible to help.

Meghan got stuck in straight away, working at the community kitchen and helping create the book, which is supported by The Royal Foundation and published by Penguin Random House.

Of her first visit, she said: An apron was quickly wrapped around me, I pushed up my sleeves, and I found myself washing the rice for lunch. In the foreword to the book, she wrote: I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.

Sales of the cookbook, which reached number one on the Amazon chart within hours of its publication, have been so impressive that they have dwarfed television chef Gino DAcampos latest publication, Ginos Italian Adriatic Escape, which has shifted 6,235 copies since its release in October.

The money from the community cookbook has helped transform the facility, which is based in north Kensington, with a redesigned and refitted kitchen. It now opens seven days a week instead of only two as previously.

Meghan, who is expecting her first child with Prince Harry, has continued to visit the kitchen and earlier this week helped the women prepare fresh meals.

Pictures showed her chatting and laughing with the women, who now cook 200 meals a day to deliver to places such as homeless shelters and womens refuges.

They are also planning outreach projects from the kitchen.
The official fraud reporting hotline leaves callers waiting for up to an hour, it emerged yesterday.

It also charges 35p a minute and is closed over the weekend.

The Action Fraud line was set up to stop police being inundated by calls  with the pledge that its advisers would investigate. Few of the cases however are passed on to detectives.

MPs and campaigners said the service was not fit for purpose and should stop charging for calls.

In September Money Mail demanded better treatment for victims of push payment bank fraud, which cost around 145million in the first six months of the year. This is where customers are tricked into handing over money to scammers often posing as police or bank staff.

Most major banks now have dedicated fraud hotlines that victims can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But Action Fraud runs only from 8am to 8pm weekdays.

Fraud victims struggled to report the crimes committed against them when the official hotline kept them waiting up to an hour

For businesses, charities and other organisations, Action Frauds call centre is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deal with live cyber attacks. Individuals are restricted to weekdays but can report offences online at any time.

As of last month Action Frauds call centre, which is based in Scotland, employed 76 advisers. Calls typically cost 35p a minute, unless victims have free minutes with their network provider.

Baroness Altmann, a former pensions minister, said: Charging per minute is not on. This number should be free like 999. We should be encouraging people to report fraud not putting them off.

Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said the waiting times were unacceptable.

She added: We know that fraud is one of the fastest growing types of crime in the country. I dont think Action Fraud as it stands is fit for purpose. Some of the people who call this number have lost thousands of pounds.

Tapping a few paragraphs into an online form and pressing submit isnt always enough. Action Fraud should be a free service. Calling it should feel no different to calling up the police to report any other crime.

Action Fraud was set up by the Home Office in 2010 and became part of City of London Police in 2014. Of the 809,891 cases reported to the agency since 2015, more than half (450,660) were thrown out by a computer system.

An investigation by consumer group Which? in September found that just 25 per cent of Action Fraud crime reports had been sent to a local police force for investigation over the past four years.

And just four in 100 crimes that are reported to Action Fraud have a successful outcome, the research suggested.

Not every case was passed on to local police to investigate, research showed, as the number of phone fraud crimes increased over recent years

Peter ODoherty, a detective chief superintendent at City of London Police, said: Unlike many contact centres, Action Fraud deals with victims who are often emotionally stressed or vulnerable. Our call handlers stay on the phone for as long as necessary, dependent on the victims needs. This does mean that call waiting times are longer than in some other call centres.

A Home Office spokesman said: Through the joint fraud taskforce we are working with industry, law enforcement and regulators to reduce and support fraud victims.

This includes ensuring the most vulnerable victims are provided with additional support and advice on practical steps they can take to protect themselves.

Action Frauds funding is provided by the Home Office.

In the five years from 2015 to 2020 it is scheduled to receive 36million of investment. It does not receive any of the money from the call charges because this goes to the network providers.
When Cheryl Griffiths started dabbling in the world of miniature horses, things moved at a canter.

She quickly became firm friends with the head of the national group Ponies Association UK, Carol Cooper, and then hit the headlines as the owner of what was thought to be the worlds smallest donkey.

But things turned sour after Miss Griffiths sold a horse to Miss Cooper, then claimed she was not paid in time and had to seize the horse back.

Cheryl Griffiths, pictured with Contessa, claims she owns the horse because her former friend failed to pay her for the animal and was forced to seize it back

Carol Cooper pictured, accuses her former friend of trespass and theft after she took back the horse. The case will be heard at Coventry County Court on December 10

Miss Griffiths, 49, has now been accused of trespass and theft by her former friend and is being pursued in a civil court to return the pony, cover the 4,000 cost of buying a similar animal and pay 7,000 in legal costs.

In a final kick in the teeth, Miss Griffiths claims Miss Coopers influence has led to her being ostracised by the miniature horse community, with bullying comments posted online and bans from horse shows.

Miss Griffiths says her new lifestyle began to unravel when Miss Cooper, 47, became jealous of the coverage she received for her tiny donkey, Ottie, which was just 19in tall.

Their friendship allegedly hit another hurdle after Miss Cooper was upset by Miss Griffiths failure to persuade her new media contacts to get her cat, Winston, on television for his ability to climb Christmas trees.

Miss Griffiths said: Its horrendous. Ive had depression. Shes jealous. She wants to destroy me.

The sales consultant, from Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, began her hobby three years ago after a back injury stopped her riding.

She began to buy horses and entered them in shows, where she met Miss Cooper. But the relationship soured, she claims, last December when she failed to drum up interest in Winston from TV producers.

Miss Griffiths added: It seemed to upset her. Shes used to getting her own way. Soon after, they agreed on the 900 sale of her horse, Contessa.

But mother-of-one Miss Griffiths claims when she brought the seven-year-old rosette winner  and another horse to be stabled  to her friends home near Fillongley, near Coventry, she was told the initial payment of 500 in cash was not available. Instead, she was asked to invoice Miss Coopers boyfriend, Turkish businessman Tolga Falahat.

I told her if I didnt get the money by Sunday I would collect the horses, she said, adding that when no money was paid after several days, she went to the stables and took the horses.

She then received a letter from a solicitor acting for Mr Falahat, warning she would be taken to court if Contessa wasnt returned in a week. It stated: Carol was so distressed that these animals... had been taken she collapsed and began to vomit.

It claimed the sale was based on an oral contract with no dates of payment mentioned. Miss Griffiths refused to return Contessa and the case will be heard at Coventry County Court on December 10.

Mr Falahats solicitor said the accusations against Miss Cooper were categorically and wholly denied.
Thousands of passengers are still stranded at Sydney Airport as airlines struggle to clear the backlog of Friday's cancelled flights.

Winds of more than 80km/h lashed the city over Thursday and Friday, closing all but one runway and cancelling or delaying dozens of flights.

Flights were still being cancelled on Saturday morning despite airlines trying to use bigger planes and extra services to get everyone to their destination.

Thousands of angry passengers have been left stranded at Sydney Airport as strong winds have grounded flights

Many Victorians expressed concern on social media that they would not be able to vote in Saturday's state election as their flights were again called off.

'Is there a way to be excused from voting today under special circumstances? Trying to sort this out in middle of all this is not what I signed up for,' one wrote.

More than a dozen Saturday flights were cancelled and the airport cut the number of flights allowed to arrive and depart each hour.

All airlines were affected with Jetstar cancelling seven flights already and Qantas and Virgin passengers complaining theirs were also scrapped.

'I get that there is weather around but I was supposed to be on a flight at 5pm yesterday,' a Qantas passenger said.

'My flight for midday today has now been cancelled and they are trying to put me on a flight tomorrow. This is now getting ridiculous.'

The weather bureau expected winds to only be 35km/h on Saturday and ease over the day, making getting planes in the air more likely.

Only one runway is in use at the airport due to gusts which are affecting both domestic and international flights

Delays and cancellations on Friday caused pandemonium at Sydney Airport as thousands of irate passengers flooded terminals demanding answers.

Many were forced to sleep in the airport overnight or battle with many others to book hotels and crowds formed in front of airline desks.

About 50 flights leaving Sydney and 25 flights out of Melbourne were cancelled , and a Qantas flight from Los Angeles was forced to abort its landing in Sydney.

The plane circled Sydney for 10 minutes before it landed safely.

Travellers were advised to contact their airline for more information on cancellations.

Disgruntled travellers posted about the delays on social media.

'What the hell is going on with Virgin Australia at Sydney Airport? What a joke, there must be 1000 people queuing,' one person said.

Another passenger complained about the treatment her family, including four children returning from their grandmother's funeral, received from Rex.

'You can not control the weather nor the mechanical issues that this flight had, but you can control your compassion to people in this situation,' she said.

Both Qantas and Virgin Australia are warning passengers to expect delays in both Sydney and Melbourne

'Leaving people on a plane for nearly an hour as the plane could not take off but passengers were unable to leave the plane as all airport staff had gone.

'Then once off the plane telling passengers they need to leave the terminals and calling security over to a mother who had her one-year-old son and 12-year-old sisters.'

Other travellers said the queues were 'mental' and 'chaos'.

'Airline chaos at Sydney Airport yet no announcements, no staff, no information. Epic fail Virgin Australia,' one traveller said.

A woman said she had her birthday weekend ruined due to the disruptions.

'Chaos at Sydney Airport today. Missed my flight with Virgin Australia because the queues are huge, and the flight closing queue wouldn't let me through. So there goes my birthday weekend with my family,' she said.
Matthew Hedges devoted wife could hardly bear the terror in his voice as he sobbed down a crackly phone line.

It was the first time she had spoken to the young academic  her husband of barely two years  since he was marched from a court to start a life sentence in a hellhole Arab prison.

His crime? Being a British spy. Posing as a student to spy for and on behalf of a foreign state and jeopardising the military, economic and political security of the United Arab Emirates.

Crimes he vehemently denies, and crimes everyone who knows Mr Hedges agrees would be laughable if they werent so deadly serious.

There is no way he is a spy, says his wife, Daniela Tejada. He would be hopeless at it.

Standing by her man: Daniela Tejada, wife of jailed British PhD student Matthew Hedges

She was in court for the five-minute hearing, during which her good-natured husband had stood, shaking with fear, surrounded by armed guards. There were no hugs goodbye, no final words. She had to wait another 24 hours to talk to him. When they were connected, he began with an upbeat: Hello my love, but soon cracked.

He was absolutely terrified of the idea of spending his whole life behind bars for a crime he didnt commit, Miss Tejada said, speaking exclusively to the Mail yesterday.

I could hear the terror in his voice. His voice was breaking and he was just crying. The 31-year-old PhD student, found guilty of being an MI6 spy at a hearing in a secretive Abu Dhabi court on Wednesday, was in failing health and suffering panic attacks, she said, adding: I tried to reassure him.

I told him this thing had got a lot bigger than any of us could ever expect.

'We are each others rock: Daniela Tejada said 'I will fight and fight and fight till he comes home

For Mr Hedges, who spent six months in solitary confinement and signed a confession under duress, his wifes words are all he can cling to.

Miss Tejada  who says she and her husband are each others rock  vowed: He wont live life behind bars, because Im not going to allow it. I will fight and fight and fight till he comes home.

Miss Tejada, who is only 27, has certainly been doing that, and her fierce determination and measured words  in public at least  are almost certainly her husbands best hope of seeing an end to his nightmare.

Almost immediately after leaving the Abu Dhabi courtroom, she penned a letter to the Emirati rulers begging for clemency.

She said: It was from the whole family. We gave testament to Matts good character and explained how his family need him home.

I am just hopeful that the UAE rulers will see it in their hearts to grant Matt clemency. This is an innocent mans life, and also it is my life  and I couldnt be more innocent.

I just want to be able to dream about our future.

People always ask if my life is on hold while Matts in prison, and the answer is always no, because he is my life  and that goes for the good times as much as the bad times.

I wont rest until he is back. Matt deserves it.

Mr Hedges, a Durham University student, was arrested on May 5 at the end of a two-week trip to interview sources for his PhD thesis into military and security policies in the United Arab Emirates.

UAE looks at plea for clemency The United Arab Emirates was last night considering an appeal for presidential clemency from Matthew Hedges family. It also happens that Thursday is UAE National Day  when pardons are granted. Clemency may involve some admission of guilt from Mr Hedges  but this may be seen as being a price worth paying. UAE ambassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui said: We have an extremely close partnership with the UK. Because of the strength of that relationship we are hopeful that an amicable solution can be reached. Mr Hedges insists he was conducting research for his PhD thesis, but prosecutors said he confessed to spying charges. An expert on the region said the research did not threaten the UAE. Chris Davidson, a former reader in Middle East politics and a fellow at Durham University, who helped to supervise Mr Hedges research, said the facts in it were in the public domain. He added: The overall flavour was sympathetic to the UAE, absolutely of no use to an intelligence agency. There was nothing classified. Advertisement

Someone in the authoritarian regime clearly took exception to his academic work, and he was arrested as he tried to leave Dubai airport.

He was interrogated for six weeks, held in a wretched cell without a mattress, and not allowed access to a lawyer for more than five months. His wife was allowed to visit him only once, and found him in a trembling state of terror and paranoia.

Week after week she badgered the Foreign Office to intervene, but got nowhere until she went public last month. She said she had to fight for him because no one else had.

However, she is modest about her role, saying only: I dont think he needs to know what I did, its just that I love him, I want him back  he is my husband.

We have been married less than two years. It wasnt even about our marriage vows, I would have done it anyway, but I promised to love and support him for better or worse, and, well, this has been at the worst end of the spectrum.

Locked up for five months alone, without books, newspapers, TV or radio, and subjected to brutal interrogations, Mr Hedges became so traumatised he resorted to making himself vomit every day, as a form of control. Yet, startlingly, Miss Tejada said her husband  who grew up in the UAE and knows the country well  refused to resent the second home he loves and admires so much for what it was doing to him.

She said: Part of my admiration for him is that hes so good natured, and despite the mistreatment hes been subjected to, he still doesnt hold any resentment to the UAE.

He is just actually sad that he will now have such horrible memories to associate with it.

She pauses and begins to well up with tears, adding: When I think about Matt and begin to cry, I always just look up to the ceiling and take a deep breath, and then I can carry on.

Colombian-born Miss Tejada, a PR executive, met Mr Hedges at Exeter University eight years ago when she still a teenager.

Miss Tejada said: Part of my admiration for him is that hes so good natured, and despite the mistreatment hes been subjected to, he still doesnt hold any resentment to the UAE' (both pictured on holiday in Thailand)

She was a 19-year-old undergraduate from Bogota and he was a 23-year-old finishing his masters in Middle East international relations.

It wasnt really love at first sight, she confesses. We met in the summer. When we met I actually didnt think much of him. It took a couple of dates before I fell for him.

But he is probably the most noble man I have ever met.

He is incredibly good-natured, very smart and a really nice guy.

He has a lot of ambition and drive, and I really respect that he is a man of principle and thats something we share. Hes just a man of conviction.

Mr Hedges was born in Croydon, south London, and grew up with his mother and stepfather, who had a daughter when he was nine.

The family lived in Dubai for many of his teenage years and, after studying at Exeter, he returned to work there.

Colombian-born Miss Tejada, a PR executive, met Mr Hedges at Exeter University eight years ago when she still a teenager

Miss Tejada said: We dated for a month. Then he went back to the UAE, and we had a long-distance relationship for three years. Then I had to decide what to do, whether to go back to Colombia or what. And he said, Why dont you come to the UAE?  and so I did.

The couple married in January 2017 on Dartmoor in Devon. It was a winter wedding, she recalls. We met in Exeter and we both love Dartmoor. It was the perfect place. It wasnt very big, there were just 15 people, it was very intimate.

Ours is a relationship of commitment built on respect.

I have absolute trust in him, and I would never question the character of his work. Over the past few years, I have been his editor and research assistant, so I know almost every detail about his research work.

But was he naive to think the notoriously draconian Emirati regime  which routinely locks up drunken British expats  would not mind him investigating its secret services for his thesis?

She said: A lot of people on social media called him an idiot. Hes not an idiot. He knows exactly his field of research, and knows the country, and would not have done anything to offend his hosts.

The couple married in January 2017 on Dartmoor in Devon. It was a winter wedding, Miss Tejada recalls. We met in Exeter and we both love Dartmoor. It was the perfect place. It wasnt very big, there were just 15 people, it was very intimate'

It has been a terrible mistake. But nobody should have their security threatened just for producing academic work.

After returning to the UK on Thursday, Miss Tejada, met Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and later said she had been assured that British officials were doing everything in their power to bring her husband home.

However, a frank statement by Abdulla Al Naqbi, the head of the UAEs department of legal affairs at the ministry of foreign affairs and international co-operation, set out the countrys position.

Mr Al Naqbi said: The UAE respects the rule of law and is committed to upholding the highest judicial standards.

Like all countries with an independent judiciary, it is vital that the government does not attempt to interfere in court cases.

Two weeks before his sentencing, Mr Hedges was allowed out on bail and his wife was able to fly out to Dubai to stay with him, and help rebuild his strength.

Even after this weeks shocking setback, she still clings on to thoughts of his homecoming.

Miss Tejada said: Matt is a strong man, but is very weakened by this experience and he will need a lot of support.

I feel like we are each others rock. Im just prepared to look after him and protect him.

And what is she planning for a homecoming treat? We love cooking, she said.

Its funny you ask, because on the weekend he was due to arrive home, back in May, we were planning to have a barbecue.

It was a practice BBQ for the next weekend, which was the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan. He was really looking forward to it.

So last week I asked him what he was looking forward to when he finally came back, and he said, Having that barbecue!.

We dont care if its cold. We love winter barbecues.

He will also need a lot of sleeping and trying to recover from these months that have been hell on Earth.
A pensioner has accused Bet365 of burying its head in the sand over child gambling after it refused to accept that his autistic grandson used his account to place thousands of pounds of bets.

Richard Powell said Owen, 11, went on to his computer while he was out and played what he called granddads horse racing game, unknowingly losing 3,300 in the process.

The 72-year-old approached the company with evidence that he was out, as well as school and medical records showing his grandsons condition, but Bet365 said it did not prove that he did not make the bets.

Richard Powell, right, approached Bet365 which is headed by Denise Coates, left, to seek a refund after his 11-year-old grandson had placed bets on horse races worth 3,000

He has fought the firm for four years but says it has now told him it will only talk to him through lawyers, which he cannot afford.

Mr Powell, a retired insurance underwriter, said it was an example of using corporate muscle against a poor pensioner.

The company may also be in breach of its licence conditions, as laid down in the Gambling Act 2005, which say money staked by minors must be refunded. Mr Powell said: It horrifies me. Im telling them about a child betting and they are just putting their head in the sand about it.

Bet365 are encouraging children to bet and they are lying about not doing it.

On Thursday it was revealed that the firms billionaire boss Denise Coates had awarded herself a 265million pay packet this year. Gambling campaigners described the figure as obscene. It is 150 times what the company has pledged to gambling addiction charities, under what is known as the voluntary levy, and made Mrs Coates the countrys best-paid boss.

Mr Powell has sent more than a dozen letters directly to Mrs Coates and enlisted his local MP to speak to her, all to no avail. The pensioner, who lives with his disabled wife Eileen in Perth, Scotland, said: Bet365 have been totally unsympathetic. They told me to take the case to court in the knowledge that we have no funds to do this.

They quoted terms and conditions to justify their stance.

The fact is that the bets were placed by a legal minor so Bet365 are obliged to refund the stake money. This is the heart of the Gambling Act 2005. According to section 83 of the Act, all stakes bet by a legal minor have to be refunded to the account holder as soon as is reasonably practicable.

On Wednesday a major report said 450,000 children gamble regularly through fruit machines, bingo, betting shops or online. Around 30,000 had played on gambling websites or smartphone apps, with many using a parent or guardians account, the Gambling Commission report said. Mr Powell said his grandson, now 15, has a track record of misusing his mothers computer, once spending more 1,000 with Amazon, which the firm refunded.

He added Owen was a computer whizz but does not understand the value of money.

His wife was in the house but was not concerned when Owen went on the computer, because he was allowed to play games on it.

Brian Chappell, of Justice for Punters, which has been helping Mr Powell, said: Gambling companies like Bet365 just do what they want, so unless you have the money to take them to court they can fob you off with anything.

Bet365 said last night: This case has been thoroughly and respectfully reviewed on a number of occasions. Based on all the facts before us, weve been unable to find that the bets in question were placed by anyone other than Mr Powell or someone acting under his instruction.

We are comfortable that we have complied in full with all of our legal and regulatory obligations.
A community kitchen supported by Meghan Markle is based in a mosque with links to terror suspects, it was alleged last night.

The Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre is claimed to have links to 19 Islamic extremists including Jihadi John.

A report in the Telegraph said that one of the imams at the mosque near Grenfell Tower had suggested women who listened to music were at risk of becoming strippers.

The Duchess of Sussex has promoted a charity cookbook on the back of numerous visits to the Hubb Community Kitchen, based at the mosque.

A community kitchen supported by Meghan Markle, pictured preparing food there this week, is based in a mosque with links to terror suspects, it was alleged last night

Meghan cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

The imam in question, Samer Darwish, is reported to have suggested that women should not pray while they are on their periods.

He is also said to have claimed in the past that women should not cry when visiting graves.

Mr Darwish has since posted a statement on his Facebook page in which he denies many of the claims.

Attitudes such as this are at odds with what the Duchess has campaigned for in the past.

She made her feminist values clear from the offset and she and husband Harry have chosen to focus their efforts on charities that empower women.

What are the claims against the mosque? Samer Darwish, an Imam at the mosque, is claimed to have said women should not pray while on their periods.

He is also believed to have said women who listened to music were at risk of becoming strippers.

And that women should not cry when visiting graves.

The mosque is also believed to have links to three of the four 'Beatles' - who were involved in jihadist activity and became one of the Islamic State's most notorious terrorist silos.

One of the 'Beatles', Alexanda Kotey, is alleged to have stood outside the mosque and preached extremist views.

Another believed to have links to the mosque is Aine Davis, whose wife, Amal el-Wahabi, was in 2014 convicted of funding terrorism after she persuaded a friend to try and smuggle 16,000 in cash to him.

He was in 2017 found guilty of being a senior member of a terrorist organisation, and sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison. Advertisement

And her passion for women's rights is one that dates back long before she became royalty, when in 2015 she participated in a UN Women campaign encouraging more women to be leaders.

Other jihadists with alleged to have links to the mosque include three of the four 'Beatles'.

Choukri Ellekhlifi, Alexanda Kotey and Aine Davis, who are all from west London, are believed to have attended at on point.

The 'Beatles'  nicknamed after the British band because of their English accents - were involved in jihadist activity and became one of the Islamic State's most notorious terrorist silos.

They were led by the infamous Jihadi John  also English - whose real name was Mohammed Emwazi and was killed by a drone strike in Syria three years ago.

The terrorist group was behind the murder US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning and aid worker and Iraq war veteran Peter Kassig.

One of the terror cell, Kotey is alleged to have stood outside the mosque and preached extremist views and in 2008 became involved with a group believed responsible for the 7/7 bombings.

Kotey was captured in January earlier this year as he attempted to flee Syria, and was held by the US-backed Syrian Defence Force.

While Aine Davis, also believed to have links to the mosque, was in 2017 found guilty of being a senior member of a terrorist organisation, and sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

In 2014 his wife, Amal el-Wahabi, was convicted of funding terrorism after she persuaded a friend to try and smuggle 16,000 in cash to him.

Alexanda Kotey (left) and Aine Davis (right) are also said to have been in the ISIS 'Beatles'

Research apparently carried out by the Henry Jackson Society said the Duchess had been 'poorly advised' over her links to the mosque.

'This is not one or two isolated cases but 19 separate individuals,' a director of the anti-extremist group was quoted as saying.

A spokesman for the mosque told the newspaper that the Muslim centre was 'on the record rejecting and condemning extremism and terrorism'.

Abdulrahman Sayed described it as a 'vibrant and welcoming community hub' that encouraged a sense of belonging for Muslims.

Meghan has written the foreword to Together, a collection of global dishes by women from the Grenfell community and others, which aims to raise funds to expand their culinary work at the Al-Manaar mosque.

She returned to the mosque this week, putting on an apron and helping to prepare food.

Meghan helped prepare a large dish of rainbow roasted vegetables as she introduced chef Clare Smyth, a friend of hers, to the volunteers in the kitchen.

Choukri Ellekhlifi (pictured) is also among the jihadists allegedly linked to the London mosque

The Al Manaar mosque in west London, which hosts a community kitchen which the Duchess of Sussex has visited on numerous occasions

The book took the number one spot on Amazon within hours of being unveiled two months ago and has since sold nearly 40,000 copies in the UK alone, raising 210,000.

The kitchen, redesigned with the women's input to capture its spirit as a place for the community to come together over meals, now opens seven days a week, up from just two when it began last year.

The 37-year-old is understood to have made several private visits to the mosque in Westbourne Park.

Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, was killed in an airstrike in November 2015.

When contacted by The Telegraph, a spokesman for Kensington Palace said: 'The funds raised by the cookbook are supporting the Hubb Community Kitchen, which is an independent project that leases space from Al Manaar.

'The project is empowering the women and helping provide some hope and joy to a community that has gone through unspeakable tragedy.'
Theres another one! Tom would tell Maddie and me as we were driving down the interstate in Georgia this summer. By the time it registered we needed to look outside our car going some 70 miles per hour we missed seeing anything. Tom was keeping his eye out for armadillos and, actually, roa
The bedside clock was blinking an insulting 2am. Had I even been asleep at all? I remember putting the light out at the usual 11.30pm, so what was I doing here, wrenched into wide-eyed wakefulness, with my heart racing, at this ridiculous hour?

This wasnt the first night it had happened. The year was 2011, my age was 49. A definite pattern was setting in.

As someone whod always managed to sleep quite well, despite frequent interruptions from jet lag, young children and pressing work schedules, I now found sleep completely unfathomable and unyielding.

Theres not much you can do at 2am except worry or make lists, and I became accustomed to doing both. I could write shopping lists and arrange play dates for the children, while at the same time fretting about the situation in Syria. I could even fit in a lengthy fume about a witty put-down I should have delivered to some professional adversary 30 years ago.

If I was lucky, Id fall asleep again  only to wake a couple of hours later in the same agitated state, and start the cycle again.

What on earth was wrong with me?

When Mariella Frostrup (pictured) investigated menopause and what is on offer for women she found the 'lack of information and resources devoted to the subject is quite staggering'

With increasing fury, I tried all the tricks. I focused on my breathing, put lavender oil on my pillow, wore ear plugs, had relaxing baths before bed and even wore a beautiful silk eye mask from Liberty which my friend Penny Smith gave me.

Nothing made a jot of difference.

Fast-forward two years to 2013, and I was sitting exhausted and depressed in the London office of Sara Matthews, a gynaecologist who looked like a cross between Jessica Rabbit and a model from a Nineties Robert Palmer video.

She wore a black dress that looked like it had been poured over her curves and a pair of killer heels. With her mane of fabulous wavy hair, crimson lipstick and soft Northern Irish accent, I wanted her to sing me lullabies.

She sat down, put her hand on mine and asked how I was feeling. It was all I could do not to leap across her expansive desk and nestle, babylike, in her arms.

Im so tired, I replied. And stressed. I really dont feel like myself.

We cant have you feeling like that, said Sara reassuringly. Those words sparked the beginning of the end of my nightmare.

This conversation took place five years ago and was the culmination of two years of anxiety and insomnia which I was pathetically unaware were signalling the beginning of the menopause.

As Sara scribbled a prescription for HRT, testosterone, melatonin and the hormone DHEA, all of which would make life more bearable, I felt conflicting emotions; shame at ignorance of my own biology that had led to two years of suffering, and euphoria that my misery might come to an end.

It appeared that I had reached the menopause with barely a hot flush to offer the slightest hint of what was happening.

BBC documentary explores the latest medical research on menopause in The Truth About Menopause

FRANKLY, the lack of information and resources devoted to the subject is quite staggering. I honestly didnt have a clue, and I cannot be alone.

Thats why Im so thrilled that the BBC, on whose door Ive been beating for three years, finally commissioned an hour-long, peak-time programme on the subject.

I spent eight weeks touring the UK speaking to menopause specialists and sufferers to explore all the myths and taboos while looking at the various treatments available.

Even then, it took a woman  Charlotte Moore, the BBCs Director of Content  to do it, and she had to cut a decisive swathe through many levels of male concerns about losing viewers to get it made. Why is it that we know so little about this subject? And why are we  both men and women  still so queasy about discussing it?

There are two periods of significant hormonal activity during a womans life. And the second one, the menopause, with its end-of-life imagery, has more in common with a virulent disease than the mere resetting of our biological clock.

Mariella Frostrup with Her Husband Jason Mccue The Great Initiative Charity Dinner. Mrs Frostrup has created an hour-long programme on menopause for the BBC

Image-wise, menopause has a serious problem. There may be little to generate excitement about the end of fertility, but it might at least be seen as a new beginning rather than a shameful secret.

Menopause is perceived as a shutting down. A menopausal woman is a pointless specimen of humankind. And lots of women walk into it with eyes wide shut. I know I did.

The average age of menopause is 51, but it can occur any time from your 40s to mid-50s and certain conditions can bring it on even earlier.

Little girls nowadays are so in tune with their bodies, they are, quite rightly, fully versed in menstruation and what it means long before their first period. Words like the curse have been banished, as has that cruel, antiquated practice of not talking about it and leaving terrified young girls totally ignorant and unprepared.

So why are we abandoning older women to this fate, at the other end of the journey?

Is it really shame? Embarrassment? Prudishness? That a menopausal woman is in some way unmentionable?

Given that life expectancy for women is now almost 83 years, its astonishing that perception of successful females should still be tied up with our ability to procreate. People dont walk around saying, You cant have babies, youre finished, but its implicit.

What I didnt know, but do now, is that there is no uniform response to the drop in oestrogen that happens when ovaries stop releasing eggs each month. (The growing eggs release the oestrogen, so the fall is a result of less egg growth).

For many, there are irregular periods and hot flushes. Others suffer low libido, anxiety, sleeping problems and night sweats. Some have no symptoms at all. I had the Mirena contraceptive coil, which stops periods altogether, until the age of 49, after which my periods were irregular.

Mariella Frostrup: 'Image-wise, menopause has a serious problem. There may be little to generate excitement about the end of fertility, but it might at least be seen as a new beginning rather than a shameful secret'

During my research, I was shocked by the levels of ignorance and the amount of women who were so embarrassed they didnt go to their GP, even when their work and personal lives were significantly affected.

I now know that it can be entirely physiological as well as psychological; shifting hormone ratios  in particular oestrogen and progesterone, the other hormone that falls off a cliff in menopause and which promotes sleep.

The problem with not sleeping is that your ability to function on full power just isnt there. Everything is harder and takes longer. Suddenly the week just didnt seem to have enough days in it to get everything done.

I found my memory was affected. I always used to wonder why my mother had lists everywhere  now I had lists on WhatsApp and Post-Its scattered throughout the house. I still cant live without the white board on my fridge keeping me operational.

Hand in hand with insomnia came crushing and inexplicable anxiety  an irrational feeling which Id normally associate with being stressed, even though during lucid moments I knew I didnt have that much to be so agitated about.

Yet there was no respite, and it didnt have a filter; Id be as overwrought about internet shopping as I was about getting home from the USA in time to relieve the babysitter. Was I snappy with my husband? I was snappy with every single person I encountered.

I now realise Im one of millions suffering similar bewilderment, and that many of my contemporaries are enduring this  and worse  in shamed silence, unlike me.

My husband said that I needed to relax and try to get more sleep. Most helpful! But the hardest thing was not knowing why I wasnt sleeping in the first place. We were just moving from London to Somerset, and there was obviously associated stress, but I was excited rather than harassed.

The most recognisable symptom of menopause, apart from dwindling periods, is the hot flush, but Ive only ever had two. That was enough to understand how incredibly debilitating they must be for the many millions of women out there for whom they are a regular occurrence.

My symptoms were nothing compared to those I interviewed for The Truth About The Menopause  Anita Carter, a 60-year-old JobCentre manager from Warrington, suffered 30 hot flushes a day, for example. Her work and sleep were dramatically affected. But my meagre two hot flushes were a glimpse into their hell.

On both occasions I was lying in bed. The best way of describing a hot flush is someone blasting boiling hot air all the way from the soles of your feet through your body, with volcanic strength. Its quite unbelievable, and the extreme heat like a physical force.

As for libido. Well, of course I noticed, but anyone desperate for sex when theyre in a long-term relationship in their 50s has some other condition! I know plenty of men of the same age who arent as rampantly sexual as a decade earlier.

There are many aspects of the menopause which are, I suspect, common to both sexes, or simply side-effects of increasing age. For men, these are regarded as part of growing older; for women, theyre terrifying totems of obsoletion.

Eventually, after a year and a half, I went to see a private doctor who did three blood tests over the course of six months to check my hormone levels: the first test said that I was post-menopausal, the second said I was perimenopausal and third said that I wasnt menopausal at all.

Baffled, he recommended that I go and see the gynaecologist Sara Matthews.

There was just one obstacle  my private health insurance. I phoned up AXA PPP and said quite cheerfully that I was going to see Sara, and might I have an authorisation number for the upcoming claim.

The lady on the other end of the line sounded sympathetic and finally suggested that my symptoms might be menopausal. When I agreed it might, her tone changed and she said: If its anything to do with menopause we dont cover it.

So, a huge range of symptoms are all lumped together, called the menopause, and completely dismissed.

Im so incensed, Im seriously thinking of mounting a legal case.

If a man in his 50s suffers sleeplessness, anxiety, mood swings or depression, theyre regarded as individual symptoms and dealt with accordingly. But a raft of things a woman may experience as she journeys through middle age and beyond are all dismissed as side-effects of a condition that doesnt exist except as a name for the end of your monthly cycle!

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced new guidelines for diagnosing and dealing with menopause only three years ago, even though women have been coping since time immemorial.

There are clearly solutions, and now that attention and investment is beginning to be focused on it, medical breakthroughs are occurring.

During my research, I met doctors who can reverse the menopause and came across an amazing new drug being trialled that seems to halt hot flushes.

As for our amazing NHS, when it comes to menopause you may find yourself in a bit of a lottery, depending on how up-to-date and interested your GP is.

There simply is not enough resources and research being put into menopause - Mariella Frostrup found

Many of the preparations are decades old, and havent changed much since HRT was first introduced in the UK in 1965. A few new ones have come onto the market since: as well as tablets, there is the HRT patch, which I clearly remember my own mother wearing when she was going the menopause 30 years ago.

There are also gels, which are applied topically, meaning the hormones are absorbed through the skin.

These may be available across the country, but for many women HRT treatment can be a very blunt instrument.

When I went to see my gynaecologist Sara in 2013, she said immediately that everything Id described pointed to the menopause. She wrote out a prescription for HRT, testosterone, melatonin and the hormone DHEA, a mixture of tablets, creams and patches, all of which would make life more bearable.

The first patch I tried from Sara had to be replaced every three days. I felt like a branded cow, walking around with a plastic square stuck on me, which induced flashbacks of my mother doing the same all those years ago.

The second one was supposedly better but thicker. It used to fall off and didnt deliver the correct amount of hormone, so my oestrogen levels plummeted, sending me back to square one.

After a bit of trial and error, I settled on an oestrogen gel, which I apply to my inner arm in the morning, and I take a progesterone pill at night. Within a week I felt like myself again. Sleep patterns reset, vigour renewed and mood swings levelled out.

The biggest difference was that I got stressed in a normal way; about normal triggers like my children dropping wet towels on the floor, rather than 24 hours a day about nothing in particular.

I also learned coping mechanisms. Talking helped, as did learning to breathe

 if I cant sleep I do counted breathing, which works most of the time.

Once I knew what was happening, I was quite happy to talk about the subject, but found I was in the minority. What really shocked me was that in my own circle of friends, whom I consider to be forward-thinking and educated, there was an avoidance of the topic.

Id mention it to girlfriends and theyd shudder and say, Thank God I dont have it yet, as though it was a disease. If I joked about the menopause in front of men, there was just total silence.

I first mentioned it in a column back in 2015. In the days afterwards, total strangers, female naturally, came up to me in restaurant loos, on public transport and on street corners telling me how brave I was. It felt like Id started a secret society.

On one memorable occasion, at a swanky party in London where Michael Fassbender was the most exotic guest, a woman in her 30s elbowed past him to tell me that I was her heroine for not being embarrassed to use the M-word.

Now aged 56, I am firmly post-menopause. The bell finally tolled two years ago, though I suspect Ill be taking HRT till the day I die (although another area we cover in the programme is the risk of breast cancer).

For me, I feel its minimal enough that the benefits outweigh the risks. However, I spoke to Womans Hour matriarch Dame Jenni Murray, who took it and subsequently had a breast cancer diagnosis. She understandably stands firm on the other side of the debate.

Emerging from the menopause has given me an amazing sense of rebirth. I feel stronger, with renewed confidence. I am fitter than I was in my 40s and have a far healthier lifestyle  these days you pay heavily for any form of debauchery. Post-50, theres no such thing as just a hangover!

I desperately want to ensure that other women dont see the menopause as being a full stop, that we stop sweeping any discussion of it under the carpet.

And most importantly, that my daughters generation are better informed and utterly unashamed to talk about the menopause, which is not a time bomb, but just a necessary readjustment to our biological clocks.

n The Truth About The Menopause is on BBC1 on Monday, November 26, at 9pm.
Arlene Foster has said that Theresa Mays Brexit deal is a worse outcome for Britain than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Mrs Foster dismissed claims that the DUP is merely playing a game of brinkmanship and would cave in and support Mrs May if the alternative was a general election and a possible Labour government.

Asked if Mrs Mays Brexit is a greater threat than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn, Mrs Foster told the Times: I think it is, and the reason I say that is on day one of us leaving the European Union there would be no difference, we would be exactly the same as the rest of the UK but in year five or ten we would be different.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has criticised Theresa Mays Brexit deal, mounting even more pressure on the Prime Minister

If people [in Northern Ireland] are looking to Dublin for representation in Europe because were the subject of EU rules, that is so dangerous in terms of the Union.

All the things we build the Union on  the economic unit, the cultural, social, political and historical - start to diverge.

Theresa May is facing an 'impossible' battle to convince enough MPs to back her deal next month.

Mrs Foster's comments came as former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab piled pressure on the Prime Minister, claiming that her proposed deal was worse than remaining in the European Union.

Brexiteer Mr Raab resigned from Mrs May's cabinet last week, plunging the Government into crisis.

Mrs Foster said Mrs May's deal was a worse outcome for Britain than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn

Brexiteer Dominic Raab resigned from Mrs May's cabinet last week in protest over the deal

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, when asked what he would choose between the Prime Minister's deal and remaining in the Union, Mr Raab said: 'Well, Im not going to advocate staying in the EU but if you just presented me terms, this deal or EU membership  wed effectively be bound by the same rules without a control or voice over them  yes, I think this would be even worse than that.'

More than half of Conservative Party backbenchers have publicly said they will vote against the deal in a looming Commons showdown next month.

Unless large numbers of MPs change sides, the Prime Minister's deal could be defeated by well over a hundred votes when the crunch comes in the House.

Mrs May has insisted that as far as she was concerned the UK will leave the EU in March 2019 as planned.

'Personally there is no question of no Brexit because the Government needs to deliver on what people voted for in the referendum in 2016,' she said.

'As far as I am concerned the UK is leaving the European Union on March 29, 2019.'
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt believes the Brexit draft 'stands in the best traditions of British pragmatism and ambition'

One of Britains greatest strengths is our instinct for practical politics. Instead of pursuing visions of perfection, we value what works.

Extracting ourselves from the European Union while maintaining our friendship with its members amounts to one of the most complicated tasks imaginable.

I believe that the Declaration on our future relationship with the EU, agreed by the Government and the European Commission this week, stands in the best traditions of British pragmatism and ambition.

We have not got everything we wanted and nor have they: Countless hours of painstaking negotiation have inevitably produced compromises on both sides.

Yet if anyone still questions the resolve of this Government or this Prime Minister to honour the result of the Brexit referendum, then the Declaration should lay those doubts to rest.

In the words of paragraph 4, our new relationship with the EU after Brexit will be based on respecting the result of the 2016 referendum and the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. The British people voted to take back control of our borders, laws and money  and this Declaration fulfils those instructions, while also striking the balance that will protect jobs and the integrity of our United Kingdom.

The automatic right of any EU citizen to live and work in the UK will come to an end. We will be able to admit people with the skills to contribute to our economy, regardless of their national background.

There is no need to worry about holidays or routine trips. The Declaration preserves visa-free travel across the EU for short-term visits. And the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and of Britons residing in the EU are fully protected.

The Declaration will end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK. Our laws will be made in our Parliament and interpreted by our courts. Britain will stop making vast annual payments to the EU, allowing us to exercise full control over public-spending priorities. This Governments priority back home is the NHS. By 2023, we will be investing an extra 394million in the NHS every week. Having campaigned hard for this money, now we must ensure it is delivered.

We have agreed to create a free-trade area with the EU without tariffs, quotas or charges, and Britain will regain the ability to seek free-trade deals around the world, a power we have not had since we joined the Common Market in 1973. The Declaration recognises how the UK will now develop an independent trade policy.

In a BBC phone in today, Mrs May warned that EU is not 'going to give us a better deal' if MPs vote down her settlement

It also makes clear that in foreign policy and security, we will continue to combine efforts with the EU. But the reason why the course set by the Prime Minister is the best one for Britain does not just depend on the precise wording of the Declaration. It depends on our national duty, at this crucial moment, to keep our eyes on the main prize.

Just over two years ago, 17.4million people voted to leave the EU, more than for any other cause or party in British history.

If Parliament were to reject the Declaration and the proposed Withdrawal Agreement, this would open the door for those who wish to derail Brexit and overturn the result of the referendum.

The Prime Minister today mounted another staunch defence of the settlement she has thrashed out with Brussels, saying it is the 'right' one for the country

Already we hear demands for the British people to be made to rerun the debate and vote again. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyns Labour just play politics  standing both for and against a second referendum, saying one thing to Leave voters and quite another to Remainers.

As it happens, I voted to stay in the EU, but I respect the outcome and I believe in the democratic imperative of honouring the decision of the British people.

Today, the choice is not between this Declaration and a perfect agreement. The real choice is between the terms secured by the Prime Minister in the national interest or the danger of going back to square one and Brexit not happening at all. This would deal a profoundly damaging blow to British democracy.

Now that the crucial hour is upon us, the country should get behind her.
Anyone pulling up details about President Donald Trump Thursday may have been in for a surprise after hackers managed to change his Wikipedia headshot to a picture of a penis.

The pranksters successfully kept the R-rated image associated with the 72-year-old on the website throughout Thanksgiving Day.

The Verge reported that anyone asking Apple's Siri for details on the American leader could have been faced with genitals rather than Trump's usual grin.

Hackers substituted Donald Trump's face for this R-rated image on Wikipedia on Thursday

Anyone asking Apple's Siri for details on the American leader could have been faced with genitals rather than Trump's usual grin

Initially unclear whether it was being controlled by a glitch in the way Siri operates, it has since been discovered that trolls got in by editing the online encyclopaedia repeatedly as the website's editors desperately tried to revert each time.

In the page's history is clear how various edits are reverted back and forth over the course of Thursday evening.

Then in the early hours of Friday morning Coordinated Universal Time, the protection levels for Trump's profile were requested to be higher, quoting 'compromised accounts'.

Noting that they 'require administrator access' the editors also stated that there were 'multiple editors complaining that the tooltip is wrong' in reference to the message that appears when a cursor is hovered over an image.

Once extended confirmed access was put into play for the page, the issue was able to be fixed.

The rogue editors were finally blocked from their privileges to publish on the website.

President Donald Trump's Wikipedia account was hacked Thursday

In the page's history is clear how various edits are reverted back and forth over the course of Thursday evening

Once extended confirmed access was put into play for the page, the issue was able to be fixed and the rogue editors were finally blocked from their privileges to publish on the website

An editor told The Verge: 'They have now been blocked indefinitely.'

Recently Republicans were subject to trolling via Wikipedia when politicians Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch had their home addresses and phone numbers published.

It took place around the time Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's hearing.

But it's not just Republicans who have fallen victim to Wikipedia hackers.

Democrat Hillary Clinton's page was changed to include pornographic images in 2016.
General Mark Carleton-Smith (pictured), the new Chief of the General Staff, said Britain and its allies could not be 'complacent' about the Russian threat

Russia now poses a greater threat to Britain's security than Islamist extremist organisations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda, according to the new head of the Army.

General Mark Carleton-Smith, the new Chief of the General Staff, said Britain and its allies could not be 'complacent' about the Russian threat, especially following the Salisbury Novichok attack earlier this year.

He said Russia is seeking to exploit the West's vulnerabilities in more unconventional areas of warfare.

Speaking for the first time since his appointment, he told The Daily Telegraph: 'Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as al-Qaeda and Isil.

'Russia has demonstrated that it is prepared to use military force to secure and expand its own national interests. The Russians seek to exploit vulnerability and weakness wherever they detect it.'

Gen Carleton-Smith, 54, said Russia sought to exploit Western weaknesses using sophisticated battle tactics, such as cyber, space or undersea warfare.

'Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare,' he said.

'We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the Nato alliance.' He was speaking after visiting British troops based in Estonia tasked with deterring Russian aggression against the Baltic states.

Gen Carleton-Smith said that with the destruction of ISIS's territories in Iraq and Syria, and losses to Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, the threat to British security had evolved.

The new head of the Army warned of the Russian threat in a year which has seen an allegedly Kremlin-sponsored attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal (pictured) in Salisbury

He said: 'The physical manifestation of the Islamist threat has diminished with the complete destruction of the geography of the so-called Caliphate'.

The married father-of-two began his military career in 1982 with operational service in Northern Ireland and the first Gulf War before he saw active service with the elite Special Air Service (SAS) in Bosnia.

He was awarded an MBE for his service in Kosovo before becoming an SAS Commanding Officer in 2002.

He commanded a brigade in Afghanistan, and from 2012-2015 served as director special forces and deputy chief of the defence staff.
BBC newsreader and Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce, who has reportedly been offered the job of hosting Question Time

As the presenter of the Antiques Roadshow, Fiona Bruce should be able to differentiate between a priceless chalice and a poisoned one.

One of the most eloquent, intelligent and gracious faces on TV, she has been offered the job of presenting Question Time, taking over from David Dimbleby who has held the chair for nearly a quarter of a century.

My advice? Dont take it, Fiona!

Its not that shes not clever enough, she is. But replacing DD  an antique himself  is the most daunting prospect. As a long-time QT panellist, I have been a fierce critic of Dimbleby, yet I concede he has in his little finger more political knowledge than all of his guests combined.

Question Time is the only serious political programme that provides a platform for proper debate, pitting minister against shadow minister. Where panellists do battle with each other as well as the formidable and often baying audience.

It is a bear pit. Do Fionas virtues prepare her for that? Does she have the forensic political insight for the job? I suspect not, even though she cut her teeth on Panorama and Newsnight and was the first woman presenter on a BBC election broadcast.

Question Time is the only serious political programme that provides a platform for proper debate, pitting minister against shadow minister

In any case, would she really want to win the race when men were not included in the heats? Yes, Nick Robinson was a token male candidate but the achingly PC Beeb was never going to give the job to a man.

What joy is there in winning the top prize when 50 per cent of the candidates cant compete? Andrew Neil, Robert Peston, John Pienaar, to name but a few  all excluded because of their sex. And much as I adore Fiona, does she really match up to Laura Kuenssberg or Emily Maitlis?

Question Time is the toughest of gigs for the presenter. It doesnt require poise but cunning, political nous and a ferocity and command I suspect Fiona does not possess.

Replacing David Dimbleby, above, an antique himself  is the most daunting prospect. As a long-time QT panellist, I have been a fierce critic of Dimbleby, yet I concede he has in his little finger more political knowledge than all of his guests combined

The job is not so much herding cats, as being ringmaster to starving lions ready to bite each others heads off. Its not the Antiques Roadshow. This is politics in the raw, where everyone believes they know all the answers.

It is, and should be, forensic, fierce, formidable. Thats not Fiona Bruce. Shell be a butterfly broken on the unrelenting wheel of politics.

Or does the BBC have some dastardly plan to turn QT into a nice, friendly chat? In which case three million viewers will turn off.

As a QT regular, I still get calls from politicians asking for advice before they go on. Apart from being on top of your brief, the key thing is to breathe calmly and smile. Advice not taken by the first woman I counselled, a Shadow Education Minister, one Theresa May.

Nigella rises above

Nigella Lawson, above, who Amanda Platell calls a Domestic Goddess

In an article from the Noughties printed in yesterdays Mail  in celebration of Femails 50th anniversary  luscious Nigella Lawson was dismissed as a conwoman preaching a gospel of tokenism at a time when most women loathed baking.

Fast-forward a couple of decades and the Domestic Goddess is still standing and baking, despite having lost her mother, sister and husband to cancer, and despite a disastrous marriage which ended after her second husband appeared to strangle her in public. Like a double-baked cheese souffle, Nigella keeps on rising.

Cheryl has been accused of ripping off Paul Young's hit Love of the Common People

Cheryl out of love

How ludicrous that Cheryl has been accused of ripping off Paul Youngs Eighties hit Love Of The Common People for her new flop single Love Made Me Do It.

Even in her most deluded moments, the former golden girl of pop, now abandoned by her fans, must realise shes no longer living in the love of the common people.

Celeb Jungle dramas

Swoon moment was when Harry Redknapp (pictured) described how much he is missing his wife of 54 years, Sandra

So why did 11 million people tune in to the Im A Celebrity jungle? Perhaps because the new Declan Donnelly-Holly Willoughby combo is just irresistible. And those legs! She is a ray of sunshine, unlike her predecessor Ant, who looked as though he was constantly chewing on kangaroo testicles. Dec the halls with thighs of Holly!

Swoon moment was when Harry Redknapp (pictured) described how much he is missing his wife of 54 years, Sandra. All he ever wanted in life was to be with her, he said, adding that he was glad he didnt kill her when he accidentally ran over her in his car.

And I do worry about the safety of The Chase star Anne Hegerty.

She is so obese she cant take part in any of the Bush Tucker Trials that dont involve food.

Anne Hegerty pictured on I'm a Celebrity. She is also known as The Governess on quiz show The Chase

Diagnosed with Aspergers, she struggles with the most menial of tasks and they make jokes about getting her out of bed in the morning as she has to be rolled out of her hammock.

Its verging on cruelty. Time to Chase Her Out Of Here . . .

Westminster Wars

Gordon Brown wants to set up Peoples Parliaments all over the nation, where panels of experts discuss Brexit and we ordinary folk get to vote on their deliberations, a bit like The X Factor. An eye-watering thought, our former PM as a perma-tanned, medallioned Simon Cowell  white shirt opened to his navel.

On top of his 77,379 backbench salary, Boris has topped up his earnings last year by 244,000 with speeches and his bilious columns about the Brexit divorce deal. Ironic that most of the money will go on his own divorce deal after being serially unfaithful to his wife, Marina.

Gordon Brown, above, wants to set up Peoples Parliaments all over the nation, where panels of experts discuss Brexit

In an online quiz about Game Of Thrones, Michael Gove reveals he thinks hes most like Tyrion Lannister, the cunning dwarf. Too modest, Michael. Surely hes a reincarnation of the dastardly Petyr Baelish, whod smother his own mother for a seat on the throne.

The prehistoric natives of North Sentinel Island waving their bows and arrows before killing a missionary seemed only slightly less friendly than equally old-fashioned Jacob Rees-Mogg was to Theresa May when she brought back her Brexit deal.

My Christmas miracle

On Wednesday, my dad fell in the shower and broke his hip.

For me the heartbreaking incident was a reminder of how helpless those of us with elderly parents so often are because we cant be there when they need us most.

Last night, after a successful operation, he said he was determined to get back with Mum soon to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary early next year. Sometimes Christmas comes early.

Tell it to the boss

After shocking videos of a policewoman being kicked in the head, the police union called for the public to intervene. We all have a duty to protect officers, were told.

Tell that to the Mets Deputy Commissioner, Craig Mackey, who chose to lock himself in his car rather than assist a fellow officer who was being stabbed to death in the Westminster terror attack last year.

Eco warrior Prince Charles says we must end our throwaway culture. We need to re-make clothes not discard them, mend them as he has done all his life, still wearing classic suits that are decades old. A timely message, but especially for his new daughter-in-law Megs, who hasnt been seen twice in any of her couture creations.

City boss Helena Morrissey says she and Stella McCartney discuss normal womens stuff at the school gates  no doubt wrapped up in their 1,365 on-trend faux-fur leopard-print McCartney coats. As you do.

After meeting him on Facebook, mother-of-nine Heidi Hepworth, 45, is insisting on marrying her Gambian lover Mamadou Salieu Jallow, 31, in a mosque in The Gambia as she believes it is a more caring place than Britain.

Maybe so, but I bet Mr Jallow, a taxi driver, concludes that benefits-rich Britain is a more caring place to live out their blissful married life than his home country.

The BBC is minded to axe free TV licences for the over-75s. Perhaps this would be more palatable if it started axing over-75,000 salaries for its army of no-talent pen-pushers.

Animal rights group PETA has demanded a 1,000-year-old Dorset village change its name from Wool to Vegan Wool, claiming its cruel to sheep.

Wonder what PETA thinks of the Greater Manchester town of Ramsbottom?
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Labor looks set to earn another four years in government as Victorians line up to cast their votes in Saturday's state election.

Premier Daniel Andrews has a clear advantage in latest opinion poll released the morning of the election giving Labor a 53.5 per cent to 46.5 per cent lead on a two-party preferred basis.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was one of more than 1.6 million voters who cast their ballots early, but showed up at a polling station in Eltham as his parents Vera and Chris voted.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was one of more than 1.6 million voters who cast their ballots early, but showed up at a polling station in Eltham as his parents Vera and Chris voted

Mr Guy grabbed a traditional sausage sizzle from volunteers outside the booth - but in another ominous sign for his election bid he put the onions on top of his sausage

Mr Guy grabbed a traditional sausage sizzle from volunteers outside the booth - but in another ominous sign for his election bid he put the onions on top of his sausage.

Onion placement became a hot-button issue earlier this month when Bunnings advised charities and community groups running sausage sizzle fundraisers outside its stores to put them below the sausage.

The advice, which the hardware chain said was just a suggestion, was to prevent people slipping on spilled onions and injuring themselves. Bunnings settled at least one lawsuit arising from an onion injury.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, on the other hand, took Bunnings' advice to heart and put the onion on the bottom of his sausage sandwich when he cast his own vote.

Mr Guy was with his parents who were voting at Sherbourne Primary School for Mr Guy's childhood friend Nick McGowan, who is hoping to unseat Labor incumbent Vicki Ward for the seat of Eltham

Seeking to make amends for his widely-mocked sausage-eating at the 2016 Federal Election, Mr Shorten arrived at Moonee Ponds West Primary School in Melbourne on Saturday.

He was snapped taking a bite of the sausage sandwich, but it was only marginally less awkward than his previous attempt when he bit into the middle instead of the end.

Mr Shorten said at the time of the Bunnings kerfuffle that he didn't care if the onions were on top or the bottom of the sausage, he just liked onions.

The politicians weren't the only ones enjoying an election day snack - even voters as far away as Antarctica fired up the barbeque to celebrate their democratic rights.

Researchers at Casey Station, Antarctica, snapped a photo of themselves holding sausage sandwiches as they stood in the snow and ice of the rugged landscape.

The Victorian Electoral Commission also gave some practical advice about when to eat them, suggesting hitting the stand while waiting in line for the ballot box. Mid-afternoon was said to be the quietest time to vote.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, on the other hand, took Bunnings' advice to heart and put the onion on the bottom of his sausage sandwich when he cast his own vote

He was snapped taking a bite of the sausage sandwich, but it was only marginally less awkward than his previous attempt at the 2016 Federal Election when he was widely mocked for biting into the middle instead of the end

Seeking to make amends for his widely-mocked sausage-eating at the 2016 Federal Election, Mr Shorten arrived at Moonee Ponds West Primary School in Melbourne on Saturday

As Mr Guy visited Sherbourne Primary School he attempted to stay upbeat despite staring down the barrel of an election loss, and at least had the faith of his mother.

'As a mother of course I think he's going to win. He's worked very hard,' Ms Guy said at the ballot box.

The couple were voting for Mr Guy's childhood friend Nick McGowan, who is hoping to unseat Labor incumbent Vicki Ward for the seat of Eltham.

'We can win seats today. It is going to be a tough road. We know that. But nothing worthwhile is easy,' he told reporters on Saturday morning.

Mr Shorten said at the time of the Bunnings kerfuffle that he didn't care if the onions were on top or the bottom of the sausage, he just liked onions

Mr Shorten casts his vote, presumably for Labor, on Saturday, hoping his fortunes will be similar at next year's federal election to what the polls predict the result will be in Victoria

Mr Guy got a frosty reception at his old school, which he first attended in 1979 and took pleasure in giving the media a tour of, with some voters taunting him.

Some made jokes about lobsters, in reference to Mr Guy having a secret lobster dinner with alleged Mafia boss and longtime Liberal donor Tony Madafferi and three of his relatives last year.

The scandal that erupted after revelations of the dinner made headlines almost toppled Mr Guy from his post as opposition leader, but he was able to recover and lead the Coalition to the election.

Another voter shook his hand but told him he 'didn't have a hope in hell', but a smiling Mr Guy put on a positive face throughout his visit to the polls.

'We've done a lot of that, more than we ever have before, much more than our opponents and we hope that it bears fruit tonight,' he said.

Researchers at Casey Station, Antarctica, snapped a photo of themselves holding sausage sandwiches as they stood in the snow and ice of the rugged landscape on election day

The Victorian Electoral Commission also gave some practical advice about when to eat them, suggesting hitting the stand while waiting in line for the ballot box. Mid-afternoon was said to be the quietest time to vote

The coalition needs a uniform swing of around three per cent to pick up the extra seven seats it needs to form a majority government in the 88-seat parliament.

Labor holds 45 seats to the Coalition's 38 and the Greens' three, and wants to build on its one-seat majority, but would be in trouble if it were to lose just two of its seats.

The latest Newspoll indicated a two-party preferred Labor victory of 53.5 per cent, leaving the Liberal-Nationals with 46.5 per cent.

The poll, which was conducted on November 21 and 22, had 41 per cent of the primary vote going to Labor, 40 to the Liberal-Nationals and 11 to the Greens.

Other pre-election polls published in The Age and Herald Sun delivered similar results, predicting Labor as the winner.

Mr Andrews and Mr Guy were out on Saturday pitching their last-minute plea to the more than two million Victorians who were still to cast their votes when polls opened at 8am.

Premier Daniel Andrews (seen voting with his with Catherine) has a clear advantage in latest opinion poll released the morning of the election giving Labor a 53.5 per cent to 46.5 per cent lead on a two-party preferred basis

Mr Andrews (voting at Albany Rise Primary School in Mulgrave) is urging voters to mark their Labor candidate number one on the ballot paper to ensure stability for the next four years

Mr Andrews is urging voters to mark their Labor candidate number one on the ballot paper to ensure stability for the next four years.

He again ruled out any deals with the Greens if they fall short, describing the party's culture as toxic.

'We need a strong, stable majority Labor government in this state and I would urge for all Victorians to vote for their local Labor candidate so we can keep on investing in the road, rail, and school infrastructure we need,' he told 9 News on Saturday.

Despite a rough end to their election campaign with multiple candidates coming under fire for unethical behaviour, the Greens remain hopeful of forming a minority government with Labor.

The party hopes to hold on to its inner-city electorates of Melbourne, Prahran and Northcote, and to gain Richmond and Brunswick.

Counting starts at 6pm when booths close. The Victorian Electoral Commission will also be counting the pre-poll ballots on Saturday night.
Theresa May is set to announce limits on low-skilled immigration to Britain in a bid to get her Brexit deal through the Commons, it was claimed last night.

According to leaked Cabinet papers, the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas.

The new visas would reportedly offer 'restricted entitlements and rights' while they are living in the UK, the Telegraph reported.

The Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled 'tier 2' migrants entirely, the report said, with the plans set out in the week beginning December 3.

Theresa May (pictured) is set to announce limits on low-skilled immigration to Britain in a bid to get her Brexit deal through the Commons, it was claimed last night

That would be a week before the crunch vote on the Brexit agreement is expected in the Commons.

Immigration was a key theme in the referendum with Leave campaigners promising to end free movement between EU countries and Britain.

More than 80 Conservative MPs - from both the Leave and Remain sides - are threatening to vote against the agreement.

And if it did pass the Commons, the repercussions could bring down Mrs May's Government, with the DUP hinting at withdrawing the support of its MPs.

The DUP's 10 MPs have proved reluctant to vote with the Government since the terms of the Brexit deal became known and the termination of their Westminster arrangement would be a major blow to the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has threatened to 'veto' progress without further guarantees for Madrid over the status of Gibraltar.

The DUP's 10 MPs have proved reluctant to vote with the Government on the Brexit deal. Pictured: DUP leader Arlene Foster with Chancellor Philip Hammond

The tensions over Gibraltar concern Spain's demand that Gibraltar's future is considered a bilateral issue between London and Madrid rather than between the EU and UK.

Mr Sanchez has suggested that Sunday's summit could be scrapped unless there is a breakthrough.

Mrs May has insisted her deal is in the interests of "the whole UK family" including Gibraltar.

Despite the turmoil, the Prime Minister again insisted that as far as she was concerned, Brexit would go ahead next year as planned.

'Personally, there is no question of no Brexit, because the Government needs to deliver on what people voted for in the referendum in 2016,' she said.

'As far as I am concerned, the UK is leaving the European Union on March 29 2019.'
Eighty years after they first arrived in Britain having escaped atrocities in Germany  men and women retraced the tracks of the Kindertransport through the UK on Friday.

An astonishing black and white photograph showing a carriage full of smiling faces was revealed on the journey, of the Jewish children not fully comprehending the terror they so narrowly escaped, shortly before the outbreak of World War Two.

December 1, marks eight decades since the 196 Jewish children were rescued and brought to safety in Britain

Among them on the journey which took a day, was Leslie Baruch Brent, 93.

Mr Brent who boarded the train in Berlin and features in the photograph.

He told The Daily Mirror: 'We landed after a very stormy night, everyone except me was sick.

'We were all unslept, unkempt, unwashed and bewildered. We were in the same clothes, I had only eaten the sandwiches my mother gave me.

'I brought underclothes, carefully labelled with my name which my mother had stitched, a couple of extra shirts and an extra sweater, handkerchiefs, a book or two, and a tiny little teddy bear.'

'My mother was making sure I was smart. I arrived here in (a cravat).

'I've always preferred them.'

Professor Leslie Brent as a teenager leaving Germany just before WWII. He has no idea why he was selected for the journey which saved his life

At the time Leslie was 13-years-old, two years younger than his 15-year-old grandson Oscar who sat by his side on the Harwich to London Liverpool Street train.

On his original journey, Mr Brent travelled from Germany to the Hook of Holland, and then sailed across the Channel to Essex.

He then took a train to London and on to Bunce Court boarding school in Kent.

Until the outbreak of war in September 1939, 10,000 children were rescued.

The 93-year-old grandfather was born in Koslin, then in Germany but now Poland.

His beloved parents sent him to school in Berlin after anti-Semitic crimes began to rise. However, after Kristallnacht (the night of broken glass) in early November 1938 he was chosen for the Kindertransport.

Leslie had to leave behind his parents Charlotte and Arthur Baruch and an older sister Eva Susanne, aged 16. All three were transported to their deaths in 1942.

Aged just thirteen Leslie had no idea why he was selected for the transport scheme.

He told The Daily Mirror: 'The real heroes of the Kindertransport were the parents.

'They gave away their children without knowing where they would finish up.

'I can see them still. They tried to maintain a stiff upper lip and not cry.

'They waved handkerchiefs. I didn't cry. To an extent it was an adventure, not realising we'd never see our parents again.'

Despite the smiles, Mr Brent said the children were told they must behave in case the Nazis, who abused children in some carriages, turned them back around.

The image was taken in Holland, when they were close to leaving mainland Europe.

The black and white photo shows the children as they made it to Holland - despite having no idea what would await them in Britain - they smiled for the camera

Upon arrival some children were taken in by families and others were taken to holiday camp Dover Court and on to schools.

Leslie heard from his parents via Red Cross telegrams.

In September 1942 the last one from his father said: 'We are going on a journey.'

'I know now he had already been told to go to an assembly point two days later. At the time I didn't know what it meant,' Leslie added.

Leslie joined the British army in 1943, changing his name to Brent, hoping he would be helping his family.

Decades later he found out his parents were taken to Riga, Latvia, and shot in woodland. His sister Eva had the opportunity to remain and work in a hospital instead of being swept up by Nazis to the camp but Leslie's 'headstrong' sister refused to leave her parents.

Leslie has made it his mission to talk about them.

'When I die there will be no one left who knew them. But it keeps them alive when they are in people's memories,' Leslie added.
Some of Australia's top private schools have banned mobile phones in classrooms, claiming they affect the concentration and stress levels of students.

Increased fear of missing out, reduced memory and a skewed view of reality are among other reasons why schools have made the controversial ban.

The recent bans have coincided with the New South Wales government's review on the non-educational use of devices in schools, which include submissions saying mobile phones were useful for learning.

Australia's top private schools have banned mobile phone use in classrooms

Newington College in Sydney's inner-west introduced the mobile phone ban late last year after a failed attempt to encourage students to use the devices responsibly.

Students at the all-boys school could carry their phones as long as they weren't seen or heard using them, before the amendments were made in October.

Phones must now be left in lockers but messages can be checked briefly during recess and lunch, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

Parents of the school were notified to contact their sons through school reception.

Deniliquin High School's tweeted saying the students 'were busy talking to each other in the noisy yard' instead of playing on their phone on the first day the devices were banned in July.

Tara Anglican School for Girls say they've seen a number of positive effects after forcing students to leave their phones in their locker at the start of the year.

'The best part is the delight in the increase in morning tea and lunchtime conversation. Everyone is engaged with each other and not a screen now,' said principal Susan Middlebrook.

Newington College introduced the mobile phone ban in the beginning of term four after a failed attempt to encourage students to use the devices responsibly

Tara Anglican School of girls have seen a positive impact since the mobile phone ban in the beginning of the year

The New South Wales Teachers Federation said smart phones were needed in public schools as a useful took because they weren't given enough funding to supply enough computers.

The Federation of Parents and Citizens Assocation of New South Wales said educating parents and students about responsible mobile use was more effective than a ban.

Head of the review child psychologist Michael Car Gregg will release the report next year.

The recommendations act as as a guide but schools and aren't compulsory.
A doctor who was stabbed 14 times by a mental health patient has demanded better security in hospitals after a respected surgeon was fatally hit by an irate smoker.

On Wednesday, a jury found Joseph Esmaili guilty of killing cardiothoracic surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann outside Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne in May 2017.

Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann suffered head injuries after he was struck by Esmaili and neurosurgeon Dr Michael Wong is now calling for improved safety, 9News reported.

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Neurosurgeon Dr Michael Wong (pictured) has demanded better security in hospitals after respected surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann was fatally hit by an irate smoker

Dr Wong (pictured on the ground), who was stabbed 14 times by a mental health patient in a frenzied attack in 2014, said the terrifying ordeal has changed his perception of hospital safety

Dr Wong, who was stabbed 14 times by a mental health patient in a frenzied attack in 2014, said the terrifying ordeal has changed his perception of hospital safety.

The neurosurgeon said he was viciously stabbed in his chest, abdomen, arms, legs, head and hands, and after months of recovery, he fears he may never operate again.

While Dr Wong welcomed Esmaili's guilty verdict, he insisted hospitals need to take better care when it comes to preventing another tragedy from happening again.

Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, was knocked to the ground by Esmaili after he asked the 24-year-old and his friends to not smoke in the non-smoking section of the hospital.

Shocking CCTV footage shows the terrifying moment when the surgeon fell backwards and hit his head on the ground so forcefully it cracked the tiles.

Dr Wong said he always feared an attack would happen again to someone else, only they wouldn't be as lucky as he was - and he now admits that fear has come true.

The neurosurgeon said he was viciously stabbed in his chest, abdomen, arms, legs, head and hands (pictured in 2014), and after months of recovery, he fears he may never operate again

Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann (right) suffered head injuries after he was struck by Esmaili and neurosurgeon Dr Michael Wong (left) is now calling for improved safety

'This surgeon was about the same age as me, he had a young family with two children and just like me was attacked in the foyer of the hospital,' Dr Wong said.

'It's so sad and unnecessary; why aren't we doing something about this?'

Dr Wong asked how many more doctors and nurses need to be hurt, traumatised or killed before politicians wake up to the harsh reality of violence in hospital.

The neurosurgeon said violent outbursts have become a 'daily occurrence' in public hospitals, but like his own attack, Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann was attacked in a foyer.

He said foyers are typically unsupervised and could benfit from having security guards like emergency rooms, which could 'have a deterrent effect'.

'We shouldn't be working in warzones. We are not soldiers and shouldn't be put in situations like this,' he said.
Social media users are divided over a video of a man in a burqa and a woman in a motorcycle helmet walking into a Melbourne bank to make a point about political correctness.

Conservative activist Avi Yemini, who is running as an Australian Liberty Alliance candidate in the Victorian election, and the right-wing party's president Debbie Robinson entered an ANZ branch in the city on Friday afternoon.

Bank security guards raised no objection to Mr Yemini, a former Israeli soldier, wearing a black Islamic outfit as he carried a handbag during the lunch hour.

Mrs Robinson however was approached by security as she wore a black helmet over a blue suit jacket, moments after arriving at the bank on Collins Street.

Supporters of the video called it 'double standards' favouring those who wear burqas

But those opposed to the stunt said it was deliberately altered to evoke a bad reaction

Critics of the stunt slammed it as deliberately one-sided and a 'pure manipulation of perceptions', saying should Mrs Robinson have been dressed differently, she would not have been asked to remove the helmet.

Another claimed there were no recorded cases of anyone holding up a bank wearing a burqa, but there were incidences of helmet-wearing assailants, justifying the security guard's concerns.

However, supporters of the video asked the woman whether she would apologise should a burqa-clad bank robber hurt someone she knew.

Others in favour of the video wrote that it was 'discrimination at its finest' and demonstrated 'double standards and always in their favour'.

Supporting their argument, one person wrote there were no cases of armed robberies by women wearing a burqa

Supporters of Mr Yemini's Australian Liberty Alliance praised him for proving his point

In the video, Mrs Robinson asked why she had to remove her helmet while her party colleague, running as an upper house candidate for Southern Metro, could keep his burqa on.

'Well, how come that lady can wear a burqa?,' she said.

The bank employee struggled to answer her question.

Conservative activist Avi Yemini (pictured), who is running as an Australian Liberty Alliance candidate at tomorrow's Victorian election wore a burqa into a Melbourne city bank branch

The right-wing party's president Debbie Robinson (pictured) entered an ANZ bank in the city on Friday afternoon

'Yeah, I know but it's um,' he said.

Still wearing her motorcycle helmet, Mrs Robinson protested about being discriminated against.

'So I have to take this off and she doesn't have to take that off?,' she said.

The security guard still struggled to answer her.

'Yeah, I'm not going to get into that,' he said.

At that point, Mrs Robinson told him she thought the double standard was ridiculous.

Bank security guards raised no objection to Avi Yemini (pictured), a former Israeli soldier, wearing a black Islamic outfit as he carried a handbag

Mrs Robinson was approached by security as she wore a black helmet over a blue suit jacket, moments after arriving at the branch on Collins Street

'Why? What's the difference? I feel like that's kind of discriminating against me,' she said.

'I mean she's sitting there with that on. Why do I have to take this off?.'

Mrs Robinson then removed her helmet and made her point about political correctness as Mr Yemini walked by her in a burqa.

'I think it's really unfair I have to take this off and people can walk around with those on,' she said.

'I think that's terrible in this day in age. How come you can wear that? That's not fair.'

Mrs Robinson then removed her helmet and made her point about political correctness as Mr Yemini walked by her in a burqa

She protested that it was unfair she had to remove her motorcycle helmet as her political colleague was allowed to continue wearing a burqa

Mr Yemini then removed his facial covering.

The conservative Jewish activist, who campaigns against Islamist extremists, mocked the security guard for being politically correct.

'You're a good man for standing up for multiculturalism,' he said.

'Don't you feel safer?'

Like One Nation, the Australian Liberty Alliance is in favour of banning full facial coverings in public.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson last year wore a burqa into the Senate chamber to make this point.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted ANZ to clarify their policy on full facial coverings in bank branches.
A Mexican father who sought refuge from deportation in a North Carolina church for more than 11 months was detained Friday as he attended a scheduled appointment with immigration officials in order to stay in the US with his wife and son.

Samuel Oliver-Bruno, 47, was detained by plain clothes officers at a Raleigh-area immigration office, prompting dozens of supporters to block a law enforcement van with him inside and wind up under arrest themselves.

One of the people taken into custody was the church's own Pastor Cleve May and another was his 19-year-old son, Daniel Oliver-Perez.

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Samuel Oliver-Bruno was detained Friday after hiding out in a church for almost a year

Pastor Cleve May (left was arrested) and Oliver-Bruno's 19-year-old son, Daniel Oliver-Perez (right) faces charges of assaulting a government official

Immigrant leaves his sanctuary church WATCH LIVE VIDEO: Samuel Oliver-Bruno has lived in a church in Durham out of ICE's reach for almost a year. He left the church to attend an appointment with USCIS to give his fingerprints for his petition to delay his deportation order. He was arrested at US Customs and Immigration Services in Morrisville. Protesters surrounded the vehicle holding him following his arrest. Wake County sheriff's deputies and Morrisville police officers have arrived at the scene. WARNING: This is being recorded live and is unedited. You might witness acts of violence or profanity. More from Friday's events >> https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/article222024860.html Learn more about Samuel Oliver-Bruno >> https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article189645689.html Posted by The News & Observer on Friday, November 23, 2018

May from Citywell United Methodist Church said he was protesting 'because Samuel is my friend'.

'Because he's a father. Because he's a husband. He's my brother in Christ,' he said according to EffinghamDailyNews.com.

Oliver-Bruno's son, Oliver-Perez - a US Citizen - was arrested as part of the group trying to stop his father from being taken away, WTVD reported.

He faces charges of assaulting a government official.

Those arrested will go before a magistrate.

Advocacy group Alerta Migratoria NC said in a statement that Oliver-Bruno went to have fingerprints taken so he could apply to stay in North Carolina with his family who had recently received threats from Veracruz where drug cartels are active.

His situation was highly publicized in a press conference December 13, 2017 when he began living in CityWell United Methodist Church in Durham to avoid immigration officers.

They generally avoid making arrests at churches, schools and hospitals, allowing Oliver-Bruno to remain in the country longer after already spending two decades with out the required legal documents.

27 people were taken into custody Friday after supporting Oliver-Bruno, who sought refuge from deportation at the church for more than 11 months before leaving

Immigration officers took people into custody after they protested sending Oliver-Bruno back to Veracruz, Mexico where his family had recently received threats to their safety

Demonstrators surrounded a government vehicle after Oliver-Bruno, an undocumented Mexican national, was arrested after arriving at an appointment with immigration officials

ICE said Oliver-Bruno - who will go to a detention center - was arrested as part of a 'targeted enforcement action'. He moved to the US in 1994.

'Mr Oliver-Bruno is a convicted criminal who has received all appropriate legal process under federal law, has no outstanding appeals, and has no legal basis to remain in the US,' Bryan Cox, ICE director of communications for the southern region, told ABC News.

Oliver-Bruno pleaded guilty in 2014 to using false documents to try to re-enter the US in El Paso, Texas after a trip abroad, according to court documents. He was returning to be with his wife Julia, who entered the country on a work permit in 1996 and was to undergo open heart surgery.

In June 2016 he was released from ICE custody and a series of appeals began.

Several dozen protesters came to the federal immigration office in hopes of dissuading authorities from arresting Oliver-Bruno.

'They had tackled him like he was not a human being, just like used brute force to arrest him,' protester, Ismael Patino, said.

Dave Swanson added: 'He's an unbelievable human being that cares for his family.'

The Morrisville Police Department issued a statement saying it was called to the scene because the crowd, though peaceful, refused to allow immigration officers to drive away with Oliver-Bruno.

Samuel Oliver-Bruno appeared after a press conference held at CityWell United Methodist Church in Durham, North Carolina December 13, 2017 when he went into hiding

Oliver-Bruno left the church to go have his fingerprints recorded and knew he had to 'risk getting detained' according to Alerta Migratoria

Immigration officers generally avoid making arrests at churches

The department said it tried to de-escalate the situation, but demonstrators ignored two orders to disperse before arrests were made.

Online booking records show 27 demonstrators were arrested at the immigration office on charges including failure to disperse and resisting officers.

Alerta Migratoria said Oliver-Bruno had filed an application with US Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking to avoid deportation.

The group's statement said he was asked to come in for a biometric screening as part of the application, and he was aware he had to 'risk getting detained'.

He posted a video Wednesday via their Facebook page asking for the community's support as he prepare for his 8.45am appointment Friday.

Advocates said Oliver-Bruno's family had 'recently faced threats'.

'If deported, Samuel fears for his life,' Alerta Migratoria said in a statement. 'If deported, Samuel will be returned to the state of Veracruz, where his family has recently faced threats and which is a state that is constantly in threat of drug cartels. If deported, ICE will be delivering Samuel to danger and death. Furthermore, ICE is not allowing us to give Samuel his diabetic pills or insulin medication, which is further putting his life in danger.'

Alerta Migratoria NC provided these pictures of Samuel Oliver-Bruno, who was reportedly detained by ICE while showing up for a biometrics appointment at the immigration office in Morrisville. ABC11 WTVD  Posted by Gloria Rodriguez WTVD on Friday, November 23, 2018

'This is wrong. And, ICE knows it. And, our members of Congress know it,' activist Viridiana Martinez, added.

Congressman G.K. Butterfield and David Price said in a statement: 'Samuel's sudden and inappropriate arrest in the middle of the Thanksgiving season reflects the callous and cruel approach we've come to expect from the Trump administration.

'As Members of Congress representing the Durham community, we will continue to do everything in our power to keep the Oliver-Bruno family together. In a call with us this afternoon, ICE has committed to allow Mr Oliver-Bruno to remain in the US in detention while his case is adjudicated. While this means he will not be immediately deported, we remain committed to fighting for his release.'

USCIS spokesman Pamela Wilson said the agency generally can't discuss individual applications for deportation deferment.

Police detained 27 people Friday after they say they ignored warnings to disperse

Those arrested came in support of Oliver-Bruno after he appealed on Facebook
A man has been left in a serious condition after being bitten by a venomous snake.

The 40-year-old was bitten on his ankle after exiting the water of the Nerang River in the Gold Coast, Queensland.

The man made an emergency phone call to paramedics just after midday on Saturday.

A man was bitten in the ankle by a venomous snake after swimming in the Nerang River

The 40-year-old made an emergency call to paramedics and was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital

He was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital by critical care paramedics.

Staff at the hospital told Daily Mail Australia he is still in the process of receiving treatment and is being assessed in the emergency department.

The type of snake which bit the man has not yet been identified.
The brother of slain Sydney gangster John Marcis has been spotted leaving his luxury car in a no parking zone in one of Sydney's ritziest suburbs.

A casually dressed Alex Macris headed off to have coffee with a friend in Double Bay after parking his black $422,000 Bentley Continental GT on Saturday.

The fine for parking in a 'no parking zone' is $112, according to the Roads and Maritime Services.

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Alex Macris (pictured) was spotted meeting with friends in Sydney's Double Bay on Saturday

Alex Macris parked his black Bentley Continental GT (pictured) in a no parking zone

Alex and his family recently returned from Greece following the funeral service for John, who was executed outside his luxury villa 23km south of Athens on October 31.

John, a convicted drug dealer and former nightclub identity, fled to the Greek capital after a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2013.

He was well known in Athens and Mykonos, often rubbing shoulders with A-List celebrities and went by the nickname 'Australos,' which means the Australian in Greek.

Following a traditional Greek Orthodox funeral service in Athens, John's body was flown back to Australia earlier this month.

He was buried at a private service at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney's west next to his sister Vicki, who died of leukaemia more than 30 years ago.

John's widow, Ukrainian-born former Playboy playmate Viktoria Karida has applied for a temporary Australian visa and hopes to remain permanently in Australia.

Alex Macris was spotted out and about on Saturday, three weeks after his brother was assassinated in Greece

She plans to raise their two children at her in-laws' residence in Mosman, an affluent suburb on Sydney's lower north shore where her late husband was also raised.

'She's not going back to Greece, no way,' a source close to the family told the Daily Telegraph earlier this month.

'She saw John get gunned down that day, she's finished with Greece.'

Alex separated from his wife, billionaire chicken heiress Jessica Ingham in June, five years after they married in Australia's 'most lavish $500K wedding' on Bennelong Lawn near the Sydney Opera House.

John's widow, Ukrainian-born former Playboy playmate Viktoria Karida (pictured at his funeral in Greece) has fled to Australia, where she hopes to remain permanently

No expense was spared at the wedding with 45 crystal chandeliers, four-tiered chocolate butter cream wedding cake, New Year's Eve-style fireworks and a performance by The Voice star Steve Clisby as guests enjoyed champagne and a delectable buffet at the Great Gatsby-style reception in 2013.

At the time, PR maven and Ms Ingham's good friend Roxy Jacenko described the wedding 'as one of Sydney's best ever'.
Police have ruled out foul play in the tragic death of a pregnant woman whose body was found washed up on an isolated beach.

The body of Indian National Sonam Shelar was found at White Rock Beach, Wairarapa, New Zealand, on Wednesday, after her husband reported her missing last weekend.

Partner Sagar Shelar said his five-month pregnant wife had been upset following an ultrasound scan, according to the NZ Herald.

The body of Sonam Shelar (pictured) was found at White Rock Beach, Wairarapa, New Zealand on Wednesday, after her husband reported her missing on the weekend

Partner Sagar Shelar (pictured with Sonam) said his five-month pregnant wife had been upset following an ultrasound scan, according to the NZ Herald

He said she cried as soon as they got in their car because she was desperate for a boy and the sex of their baby was a girl.

Police confirmed on Saturday they were not treating Ms Shelar's death as suspicious and had passed the case on to the Coroner.

'After making further enquiries, Police are not treating the death of Wellington woman Sonam Shelar as suspicious,' Detective Senior Sergeant Warwick McKee, Wellington Police, said in a statement.

'The matter has been referred to the Coroner and welfare support has been put in place for Mrs Shelar's family at this tragic time.

'Police would like to thank the community for assisting with enquiries.'

Mr Shelar was the last person to see his wife on Saturday, November 17, before she disappeared from Cashmere Avenue in Khandallah. He reported her missing the next day.

Police launched a search for the 26-year-old on Monday and put a call out for residents around the area to hand in any CCTV footage they might have.

A handful of teenage surfers discovered her body at the beach in Wairarapa, with some parts of it only accessible from farm land.

The manager of nearby business White Rock Station, who did not wish to be named, said the surfers who had discovered the body came in to inform him of their grim find.

Police confirmed the body belonged to Ms Shelar. Her two phones, including a waterproof iPhone X, were also found at the secluded beach.

Police confirmed on Saturday they were not treating the death as suspicious and had passed the case on to the Coroner

A handful of teenage surfers discovered Ms Shelar's body at the beach in Wairarapa, with some parts of it only accessible from farm land

Police launched a search for the 26-year-old on Monday after she was reported missing

Ms Shelar's family and friends remain in shock from the tragic loss.

Family spokesman Harshal Patkar told the New Zealand Herald on the day of the scan Ms Shelar had called her family in India and sounded 'normal'.

Mr Shelar chose not to speak to media after police confirmed they were not treating his wife's death as suspicious.

His sister said he was coping as best he could and Mr Shelar's friends have supported their grieving friend.

Ms Shelar's family in India said they intended to send at least one family member to New Zealand.

Lifeline New Zealand: 0800 543 354

Life Australia: 13 11 14
A police manhunt is underway to track down the unknown whereabouts of a registered sex offender after he removed his GPS bracelet.

Victoria Police launched a public appeal on Saturday afternoon to locate Christopher Empey.

The 46-year-old is required to wear a GPS bracelet as part of his obligations under the Serious Offenders Act.

A police manhunt is underway to track down registered sex offender Christopher Empey (pictured) after he removed his GPS bracelet

Police said Empey has removed his tracking bracelet, which was found in the Victorian rural town of Baddiginnie.

Authorities believe Empey may be in the small town of Mansfield at the foot of the Victoria Alps, but have been unable to locate him.

'It's believed Empey may be riding a yellow 2005 Suzuki DR650 motorcycle registration GD531,' a police statement read.

Police released an picture of Empey and the vehicle in the hope someone will recognise him and can provide information about his whereabouts.

The Tasmanian business manager was 31 when he was convicted and jailed for 12 years for the violent rape of a woman he danced and drank with at a company awards night in Melbourne.

Empey pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one of intentionally causing serious injury.

His victim was admitted to hospital with facial fractures, a partly amputated right ear, brain damage and serious vaginal and anal injuries following the attack and rape in the stairwell of a Southbank apartment.

During sentencing, Justice Bernard Teague described Empey's actions as 'the acts of a monster' and 'seriously bad examples of very serious crimes', The Age reported at the time.

He was released on parole in 2015 and in July this year was put on the Sex Offenders Register, requiring him to wear a GPS tracking device.

He was due in court on Friday over an interim supervision order but did not show.

His last known location was Bonnie Doon about 5pm Thursday and was riding the yellow motorbike, Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson said.

Police believe Empey may be riding a yellow 2005 Suzuki DR650 motorcycle registration GD531 (pictured)

Subsequent investigations found he fled his Maindample property, near Mansfield, a day before.

Despite fleeing with his passport, Empey is not a flight risk because Border Force will prevent him from leaving the country.

Anyone who sees Empey is urged to contact Triple-0 immediately.
A two metre long shark has been spotted lurking inside a shark net at a popular family beach, forcing swimmers out of the water.

Swimmers at Middleton Beach in Albany, Western Australia spotted the shark - believed to be a bronze whaler - about 9am on Saturday.

'No-one could really believe it, that there was a shark inside. People were in disbelief,' Paddle-boarder Paul Hepworth told ABC News.

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A two metre long shark bronze whaler shark (pictured) has been spotted lurking inside a shark net at a popular beach for families

Swimmers were ordered to get out of the water by police.

Bronze whalers are known to attack humans unprovoked with the species placing tenth in the number of unprovoked attacks on people around the world.

The shark net, which was only just installed, cost the Western Australian Government $200,000 to fund and has The City of Albany scrambling to figure out how the animal managed to pass through the net.

Department of Fisheries staff were also called to the beach, which will remain closed until further notice.

Police arrived at about 9am to Middleton Beach (pictured) in Albany, on Western Australia's south coast after swimmers spotted the shark lurking inside the safety net

The shark net at Middleton Beach (pictured), which was only just installed, cost the Western Australian Government $200,000 to fund and has The City of Albany scrambling to figure out how the animal managed to pass through the net

The sighting in Western Australia comes as a monster shark was spotted dangerously close to swimmers at a popular eastern suburbs beach in Sydney.

Swimmers at Maroubra beach were forced to make a speedy exit after the shark was seen lurking in the water on Saturday morning.

The shark was seen 150 metres offshore, according to Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters, who dispatched a helicopter to the scene to scour the area.

Randwick Council lifeguards were quick to take action and initially closed the beach and Surf Life Saving NSW and an offshore rescue boat patrolled the waters.

Several passers-by took to social media to share the news of the shark sighting - albeit with a bit of humour.

Randwick Council lifeguards were quick to take action and initially closed the beach and Surf Life Saving NSW and an offshore rescue boat patrolled the waters

Swimmers at Maroubra beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs were forced to make a speedy exit after the shark was seen lurking in the water on Saturday morning

The shark was seen 150 metres offshore, according to Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters, who dispatched a helicopter to the scene to scour the area

After thoroughly searching the area, the air patrol service confirmed on Twitter that there had been no more sightings about 11am.

'Extensive air and water search has been completed,' the message stated.

'No further sightings of any marine life. Maroubra Beach has been reopened.'

News of the monster shark comes just days after another 4.6 metre great white was hauled in from the same beach.

On Monday, the shark was captured by Trapman Bermagui, also known as Jason, who shared the details of the find on social media.

'A 4.6m Great White Shark was caught in the beach shark net,' he posted on Facebook.

'The tail alone was 2m tall, with the pectoral fins of over 1m.

Mr Bermagui also posted several pictures of the shark, stressing that he was not the one who caught it, merely the one who found it.

Trapman Bermagui posted the finding on Facebook, telling his followers how big the shark was

The 4.6 metre shark (pictured) was captured by Trapman Bermagui, also known as Jason, at Maroubra beach on Monday

'The shark nets off Sydney are a state government run project,' he wrote.

Following the spate of shark attacks around the country, Dr Barbara Wueringer from Sharks and Rays Australia, has warned swimmers to remain vigilant as the summer season heats up.

'From the perspective of a biologist, it's really hard to tell what happened there but something must have brought these animals in,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'Sharks are really far roaming predators so you will find them anywhere in the ocean but there must be some reason why these animals are biting people in that area.'
A bush craft instructor is one of the three leaders behind the swarming environmental protests currently targeting London traffic hotspots with human roadblocks causing misery for motorists.

Former builder Simon Bramwell, 46, says he 'apologies for the inconvenience caused but the future of our planet is at stake.

Simon said he joined forces with Gail Bradbrook and Roger Callum to form Rising Up in a cafe two years ago - with their movement Extinction Rebellion now attracting thousands.

The leaders were inspired to take more direct action by the failure to stop the expansion of Heathrow Airport and by the bulldozing of Bristols Stapleton Road allotments, with particularly fertile land, for a bus station despite local protests.

He told Mail Online that he apologised for the inconvenience caused to motorists - but said that the future of the planet is at stake

Speaking to Mail Online, he says hearing less birds in our beautiful countryside - where he goes off the grid for up to 19 days at a time, sometimes in the most challenging of natural environments - convinced him that he had to help form a punchier environmental movement where they were all willing to be arrested to be heard instead of just playing it safe and failing to get their message across.

He said: Absolute apologies for the inconvenience weve caused to motorists - but the future of our planet is at stake.

When Im out enjoying what remains of our beautiful countryside, I hear less and less birds now. So three of us had a meeting in a cafe a couple of years ago where we decided that groups like Greenpeace were playing it safe and were failing to get their message across. Meanwhile were all sleepwalking into an abyss while all our politicians can talk about is Brexit.

Former builder Simon Bramwell, 46 (pictured), is a bush craft instructor and one of the leaders of environmental protests targeting London traffic hotspots

We decided that we were going to be punchier and shake things up. Now were willing to get arrested to get ourselves heard. Weve occupied the Greenpeace office, weve targeted Londons bridges and now weve protested on the busiest of Londons streets. Tomorrow were holding a funeral for the 200 species we lose every day thanks to humanity.

Suddenly people are listening. Around 6,000 people  from kids to grandparents  came along last Saturday. We dont even know how many are coming to our Parliament Square demonstration in London tomorrow, but if the last event is anything to go by it could be huge.

He told how hes woken up with a frozen beard, surviving in temperatures down to -20 degrees, hes been stranded in a pit of deadly snakes for three hours in a Ghana rainforest, hes eaten badger roadkill which he wouldnt recommend to anyone and hes had to limp seven miles to a North Wales bus stop with a broken ankle during spells in the wilds of Britain and some of the toughest of environments around the globe.

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'

His girlfriend of three years generally leaves him alone to go bush crafting  which is now just a hobby as he cares for his disabled mum Mo Bramwell, 79, in Stroud, Gloucestershire, but was once a career where hed take up to 20 children out living rough, generally for up to nine days at a time.

He continued: Ill take a phone, bedding, tarpaulin, a cooking pot and a knife with me, but I wont always have a signal so when I get into a scrape Ive got to get out of it myself. Ive been away for up to 19 days at a time sometimes, although generally its up to nine days.

Ive woken up with a frozen beard (Ive survived in temperatures which go down to -20 degrees), Ive been surrounded by venomous snakes so I cant move for three hours in the Ankasa rainforest and I once had to limp seven miles to a bus stop in North Wales after I broke my ankle. So Ive learned how to fend for myself in the toughest of situations.

As part of his career, hed take up to 20 children out living rough, generally for up to nine days at a time

He also revealed his own experiences of bush craft around the world in the harshest conditions

The worst thing Ive ever had to eat is badger roadkill. Its really tough and gamey, I wouldnt recommend it.

Ive bush crafted all over the world, from the sub-Saharan desert in Africa, to the wilds of Norway and in the Middle Eastern Negev Desert in the Sinai region. Ive looked so ill-prepared that the locals just laughed at me in the Ghana rainforest.

But what Ive seen from getting back to nature like I do is what a beautiful planet we have, and how vulnerable it is thanks to us. Id put my liberty on the line to save it. Not just for me but for future generations like my niece and nephew. Were killing our planet and its our children and grandchildren wholl ultimately pay the price.

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

Music teachers, civil servants and retired psychologists are among the protesters that have been trained by the direct action group to get themselves arrested

Thousands of activists have got involved with Simon's movement Extinction Rebellion, which is calling for the government to tell the truth about how deadly problems like climate change are.

They hope to push them to enact enforceable policies to combat our most pressing environmental issues and to launch a citizens assembly to provide the oversight the group feels is now urgently needed.

But their actions have sparked fury from motorists, after banner-carrying human blockades on Londons most gridlocked roads since Wednesday this week left police warning motorists to stay away from the capital until after the protests  which are repeated for up to seven minutes at a time at hotspots including Westminster, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle and Earls Court  which end tomorrow.

They come after 82 were arrested following demonstrations blocking five Thames bridges in London last Saturday.

Simon added: Ill take the wrath of motorists. Its worth it. Once people really know what were all doing to our world, they generally understand why were doing this.

Yoga teacher, tech entrepreneur and university worker are unveiled as eco-warriors behind climate change protest that aims to bring London to a standstill

A yoga teacher, tech entrepreneur and university worker are among thousands of activists aiming to bring London to a standstill today.

The Left-wing mob, led by highly educated professional protesters with very middle-class upbringings, want to stage a mock funeral march through the city.

The eco-warriors have already sparked outrage by blocking major bridges and bottlenecks with noisy protests in the past week. The leading demonstrators oppose fracking and a third runway at Heathrow.

Bristol university student Robin Boardman-Pattison (left) and Joanna Bodimeade (right) sparked outrage by blocking bridges in London

They believe the country has reached a tipping point in which direct action is the only option left to save the planet. But critics claim the activists are creating even more pollution by causing tailbacks. Among the protesters hellbent on bringing chaos to our roads is Joanna Bodimeade, 30, a jet-setting yoga teacher who blogs about her exotic trips around the world.

A veteran of green protests, she has shut down the M4 and campaigned against a third runway at Heathrow.

She will be joined by Maximus Richardson, 32, a Staffordshire University film production graduate who travels from his parents 1.2million home near Heathrow to join the protests.

He is currently promoting a social network linked to a cryptocurrency.

Robin Boardman-Pattison, a Bristol University languages student, is at the centre of the London protests, threatening: We are not going to stop.

Originally from Beckenham on the London-Kent border, the 21-year-old spray paints buildings to further his green agenda.

Maximus Richardson, Nick Cooper and Dr Larch Maxey (left to right) were all present at the protests

Dr Larch Maxey, a Plymouth University visiting specialist, says he is never happier than when foraging near his flat in Totnes, Devon. The anti-fracking campaigner refuses to fly to overseas conferences, insisting on appearing by video link.

Nick Cooper, 34, a technician at the University of Northampton who has been arrested twice in a fortnight, will also be demonstrating. He was among 82 supporters of the Extinction Rebellion movement to be arrested amid 6,000-strong protests on five bridges across the Thames on Saturday last week.

Most arrests were made on Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge as police forced open routes to a major hospital.

Today, organisers plan to cause even more disruption. One said: We will do ten bridges, we are looking at 500-plus arrests.

Speaking at another protest this week  in breach of his bail conditions  Mr Cooper said: We have to be disruptive like this in order for those in power to take notice. On Wednesday protesters walked on to roads in Westminster, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle in south London and Earls Court to the west.

One woman, who was walking to work, said: This is not the right thing to do. They are causing more pollution with all this standing traffic.

The protesters have been told to gather outside Parliament at 10am before moving on to other locations. Organiser Ronan McNern said: This is about causing economic disruption by bringing things to a gridlock.

The Metropolitan Police said: If you do drive into London, please note attempting to drive through protesters in the road is very dangerous and illegal.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States, instead of 'rolling out red carpets for criminals'.

Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran in May, after President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran under which they had been lifted.

'Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion ... and against the future generations of this region,' Rouhani told an international conference on Islamic unity in Tehran, in a speech broadcast live on state television.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says that Muslims around the world should unite against the US and not 'roll out the red carpet for criminals'

'We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran and our Islam,' Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states which have close ties to Washington.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are regional rivals and have supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen and different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon.

'We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression and the superpowers... and we don't ask for $450 billion to do it,' Rouhani said, referring to Saudi Arabia's contracts with the United States.
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The first week of Schoolies has drawn to a close but not before a large spate of arrests and some fancy dance moves from a female police officer.

Almost 20 teenagers were arrested on Queensland's Gold Coast while celebrating their final night of Schoolies, according to The Age.

Police arrested 18 male school leavers overnight on Friday and a further 18 non-schoolies.

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Almost 20 teenagers were arrested on the Gold Coast while celebrating their final night of Schoolies

Police arrested 18 male school leavers overnight on Friday and a further 18 non-schoolies

Sixty-nine charges were made throughout the week, three more than last year.

Drug offences, public nuisance, obstructing police and contravening a requirement were some of the misdemeanors.

Arrests aside, Gold Coast District Inspector Mat Rosevear told reporters he was pleased with the overall behavior.

'I'm going to give them an A, we won't give them an A+ because we did have a couple of stupidity acts,' Insp Rosevear said.

'One with the gentleman on the balcony and we had a few issues with our electric bikes, we had just two kids come off just over in the hub.'

Inspector Rosevear said the school leavers had been better behaved than their predecessors 10 years ago.

'I think the actual behaviour has become far better and it's also a result of all the volunteers and the safety response put through schoolies,' he said.

As the week of partying for more than 21,000 Queensland graduates comes to an end, it has only begun for thousands of New South Wales students.

There will be an increased police presence at the glitter strip over the next fortnight of celebrations, with a shifted focus on licensed venues.

Down in South Australia police were in full force in a different way.

A South Australian police officer was captured on camera performing a couple of dance moves at the state's annual Schoolies Festival at Warland Reserve, Victor Harbor

Rowdy teenagers were caught balancing precariously on apartment balconies and bashing each other over the head with glass among other senseless dares during Schoolies

The wild antics of school leavers along the Gold Coast were captured on video and uploaded to social media

The vision, which has been viewed more than 1.1million times, was posted to Facebook as thousands of school leavers descended on the Gold Coast

A South Australian police officer was captured on camera performing a few dance moves at the state's annual Schoolies Festival at Warland Reserve, Victor Harbor.

The uniformed officer is seen in the footage obtained by 7 News in a playful dance-off with Schoolies.

The pair mirror each other's upbeat footwork before the officer spins around and carries on the show by herself.

South Australia Police said the first day of the party weekend on Friday was a success.

Despite the praises from police about the success of Schoolies this year, the annual celebration around Australia has not been without its less than memorable moments.

The wild antics of Schoolies goers along the Gold Coast were captured on video and uploaded to social media.

Rowdy teenagers were caught balancing precariously on apartment balconies and bashing each other over the head with glass among other senseless dares.
Disgruntled UK shoppers have blasted Black Friday deals, despite coming out in full force for one of the biggest shopping events of the year.

Data suggest that Black Friday shoppers has been buying more items but had been spending less overall, according to Barclay Card.

The payment services provider, which processes half of all UK card payments said that by 3pm it had seen 10% more transactions from a year earlier, but that the value of spending was down 12% on last year.

Shoppers on Oxford Street in central London on Friday as Britons continued their spending spree into the evening. However footfall fell in some shopping centres with many customers choosing to find bargains online instead

Shoppers grouped outside of stores on Friday evening after claiming their purchases

Oxford Street was packed all day on Friday and the pavements were full of shoppers

Further data suggested a continuing trend for Black Friday bargain hunting to be done online rather than on the High Street.

It seems that some retailers across the UK had somewhat over prepared for the event, with some social media users having joked that there were more staff than customers in preparation for the event.

One user '@jokesUK' said: 'I went to buy a new laptop from Currys in the Black Friday sales and I couldn't believe how many assistants they had wandering around eager to help the dozens of customers... Two! '

Customers joked that there had been more staff than customers in stores across the UK

Some suggested that the UK hadn't been able to live up to other places which participate in the event

Social media users may have been poking fun at the retailers preparing for the event, however Amazon had taken the event seriously and had hired an extra 20,000 seasonal workers globally in order to prepare.

The firm's regional operations director for the UK Jonatan Gal, said on Friday that the company spends all year preparing for the event.

'The company prepares all year long to ensure operations run smoothly when the shopping season kicks off.

Other consumers said that a lot of the products being sold were just being 'offloaded' to shoppers'

'We know our customer wants to get the product faster and faster,' he told CNBC.

Elsewhere, dissapointed shoppers complained that the deals in the UK were nothing like the ones on offer in similar sales across the US and Canada, '@Coco' said: 'Seeing all the American Black Friday deals makes me sad. Some of the savings are WILD compared to the UK.'

This is while '@suzanne' said the deals being offered were 'rubbish'.

'Black Friday in the UK is so stupid, walk in tesco and it will be like 'was 200' 'Now 194.99' .

Some poked fun of the quality of deals which were being offered at various retailers

Another user 'YT Smile it's destiny', suggested that if UK retailers didn't step up to the mark, then they shouldn't do Black Friday at all.

'UK stores need to actually stop begging this Black Friday ting. Either do it with your chest or stick to your own national holidays.'

Others agreed and 'Ho hum' said: 'Here in UK we rarely see a bandwagon roll by that we don't try to jump on, but if you're going to do it, then get it right. A fifteen percent discount on 'most items' is not 'Black Friday', it's a 'trying-to-offload-last-year's-overpriced-s**** Friday'... and nobody's buying it.'

One user said that Black Friday in the UK was 'stupid' and that the deals were not really discounted

Other shoppers were more blatant with their complaints, with one simply saying that the UK's Black Friday was s***.

Data from PWC suggested that interest in Black Friday has waned, as some retailers chose not to participate at all, with three quarters of over 55s either not interested or avoiding the event altogether.

Northern Ireland is the top regional hotspot interested in Black Friday/Cyber Monday, closely followed by those in London. Those least interested live in the East of England - 61% there say they are not interested. Then its the residents of the South West at 60%.

Shoppers battle to find the best deals at the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham, which had a slow start to the day before business picked up later in the morning

The survey by PWC suggested that UK shoppers intended to spend 234 over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend - interestingly the same as last year.

The biggest spenders were expected to be men, who planned to spend 60 per head more than the average woman.

Meanwhile 25-34s are the biggest spending age group, with a 278 planned spend per head, up by 17% over the last year.

Some social media users said that shoppers would be purchasing items that they had no use for

This is while 18-24 year olds may be the most interested age group, despite their low budgets. The demographic has been the most squeezed this year, with their planned spend falling 20% to 181.

Almost three quarters of those planning to spend less this year say that its because theyre just being more cautious about their spending, with 44% also citing Brexit-driven concern.

During the event on Friday, websites including John Lewis crashed under the demand while Amazon reported that 100,000 toys and 60,000 beauty items had been sold by mid-morning.

Another user 'Coc' complained that the UK version of Black Friday made her 'sad'

Meanwhile Currys PC World said it had seen three orders per second, with best selling items including the Nintendo Switch games console.

In the shopping frenzy Barclaycard processed a record 1,087 transactions per second between 1pm and 2pm, breaking the previous record of 1,056 set the previous hour.

But while some shoppers braved near-freezing conditions on Friday morning and others sought discounts late in the evening in Oxford Street, footfall was down seven per cent compared to last year.

Some decided to brave the near-freezing conditions to get to the front of queues outside stores in a bid to beat others to the biggest discounts, before business picked up at shopping centres by the afternoon (shown, Oxford Street)

The drop came as a YouGov survey found almost one in five millennials admit to 'ghost buying' on Black Friday, whereby they visit shops to view a product before purchasing it online while still stood in the store.

Barclaycard reported a 16 per cent increase in the number of payment transactions compared to Black Friday last year, but a 21 per cent drop in the amount spent.

Spending on mobile s dominated the morning frenzy, with such devices accounting for 75 per cent of all traffic as commuters made their way into work.

Black Friday shoppers in Glasgow, Scotland, making the most of deals although many will shop online or on their mobile phones rather than visit the high street, forecasters said

Desktop spending peaked between 9am and 10am as people began browsing from their desks.

However many shoppers chose the comfort of shopping from their own homes or work desks, with online transactions up by nearly half compared to last year as of 1pm .

Footfall was down seven per cent at 1pm on Friday compared to last year, according to the editor of Retail Week. Shopping centres have taken the worst hit, with a drop of 9.1 per cent.

Shoppers in Birmingham browse the deals as a survey finds that almost one in five millennials admit to 'ghost buying' on Black Friday, whereby they visit shops in the city centre to view a product before purchasing it online

Following from the launch of its Black Friday deals , Currys PC World has seen three orders per second, with the Nintendo Switch and Samsung Galaxy Tab A its best-selling items.

The firm said it had seen a 623 per cent increase in computing sales on 2017's figures, and 61 per cent of their online purchases were made via mobile devices.

Carphone Warehouse said it received 14 orders per minute on its site, with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Apple iPhone XR being the most popular items.

Bargain-hungry Brits have ditched the high street (such as Manchester, pictured) for online shopping this morning as Black Friday deals saw customers splurge millions of pounds on the internet

John Lewis said it received the bulk of its traffic between 6am and 7am, with shoppers keen to get their hands on reduced goods such as the Apple Airpods and the Applewatch series 3.

This is while an investigation by consumer group Which? found nine out of 10 Black Friday deals they investigated could be purchased for the same, or a cheaper price, at different times of the year.

Committed bargain hunters flocked to the technology aisle of Tesco on Friday morning to snap up Xboxes - but had to battle because only six were left.

Crowds finally begin to pack out the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham this afternoon, following a slow start to proceedings as many shoppers decided to go online to find a deal

Shoppers queued up at 5am outside the store in Kingston Park, Newcastle, to get the best Black Friday deals.

Other offers throughout the store did not receive the same frenzied treatment and aisles filled with deals on items such as luggage were left largely empty.

Bargain hunters seemed to be able to browse and place items such as televisions in their trolleys with relative ease - a different scene from previous Black Fridays which have seen shoppers come to blows.

Shoppers (such as those pictured on Oxford Street, London) will splurge somewhere in the region of 2.5billion today, on what is the biggest day of the year for most retailers

One onlooker said: 'Almost all of the people bypassed the flagged up deals and headed straight for the Xbox section. There was some frantic grabbing for the Xbox deals.

'Overall though, everyone was quite polite, there was no scrapping and people were milling around looking at the other offers.'

Some of the best deals had already sold out before much of the UK had even woken up this morning, with retailers starting their offers overnight.

A couple cannot hide their glee after securing a 49 inch TV at a Tesco in Newcastle. Britons are predicted to spend 2.44billion in the Black Friday sales today, as shoppers battle it for cut-price TVs and electrical goods

However, consumer group Which? said its over-arching message to shoppers this year was to not feel pressured into spending after finding that nine in 10 Black Friday deals last year were the same price or even cheaper at other times of the year.

It has urged consumers to be careful not to buy on impulse and instead research products and prices before spending in the sale.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: 'While retailers are bombarding us with promises of great discounts and time-limited sales, it's clear that not all deals are as good as they might appear.

'To bag a bargain, do your research and don't get carried away by the hype when shopping in the upcoming sales.'

Early indications suggested that Black Friday spending would dip for the first time this year since its arrival in the UK.

Consumers will spend 2.4billion on deals in stores and online, down from last year's 2.6billion, according to the predictions from the Centre for Retail Research (CRR) and VoucherCodes.co.uk.

Shoppers are taking advantage of the annual Black Friday sales early this morning, with this couple pictured walking out of the Tesco Extra store in Gorton, Manchester

Analyst Springboard has also said footfall and spending activity over this year's Black Friday period is likely to be affected by economic pressures such as high debt levels and significant living costs, compounded by the event taking place a week earlier this year - before many consumers are paid for the month.

According to KPMG's study, the promotional period is favoured by younger consumers, with 75 per cent of shoppers aged 18 to 24 saying they will be taking advantage of deals compared to 36 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds, and just 24 per cent of over 55s.

Mr Martin added: 'Many shoppers are likely to recall how the slashed pricing in store resulted in stampedes, which is just not what mature consumers seek out.

Thousands braved the near-freezing conditions overnight to queue outside stores up and down the country, including Tesco in Newcastle, to beat other shoppers to the biggest discounts

'Since Black Friday was adopted by Britons back in 2013, retailers have increasingly moved offers online, and that coincidentally is where a higher proportion of younger consumers can be found.'

Meanwhile, an investigation by consumer group Which? found nine out of 10 Black Friday deals they investigated could be purchased for the same, or a cheaper price, at different times of the year.

Cyber security chiefs at GCHQ have also advised shoppers to be wary of risks and to take precautions when buying online, such as using the guest checkout and having a separate 'super-protected' password for your email account.

Eager bargain hunters wait in the near-freezing conditions in Gorton, Manchester for Tesco Extra to open ahead of a busy day of Black Friday madness

Despite the usual buzz around the shopping event, research also suggested shoppers' interest in Black Friday may be plateauing.

Almost two-thirds of the 2,000 UK adults polled by technology provider Aptos said they 'don't wait for deal days' to make purchases, with more than half saying they 'don't trust retailers' to provide the best deals.

Retailer group The New West End Company, which represents three key shopping streets in central London, predicted the same turnover as 2017, 150 million, across the 2018 Black Friday weekend.

WhatsApp scam tricks people looking for deals Despite warnings from cyber security officials in the run up to Black Friday, fraudsters have managed to target some bargain hungry Brits with a new scam on WhatsApp. Sacammers used the popular messaging app to spread fake links to vouchers for supermarkets and other retailers. Some messages even encouraged users to share the link with 10 people or more in order to receive the offer. But the deal is not real and the message is intended only to make sure the link gets shared around  and then trick people into clicking it, exposing people to malware and other attacks. Advertisement

Generally, internet shopping accounts for just under 20 per cent of retail spending, however it soars to more than 40 per cent for Black Friday and through the weekend to Cyber Monday

John Lewis is running its own deals across the store, as well as price matching reductions made by rivals, and eBay expects around 100million visits to its UK site over the next four days.

Gap is being particularly aggressive with a blanket reduction of 40 per cent plus a bonus saving of an extra 25 per cent off anything that is already in its sale.
This is the shocking moment a mob of police raced on foot to batter a car's windows with their batons at a traffic light.

The clip, filmed on a dashcam in Hendon, north London, captured a police car as it pulled up behind a queue of waiting traffic.

A black vehicle, ahead of the officers, had approached with its hazard lights on moments before.

The clip, filmed on a dashcam in Hendon, north London, captured a police car as it pulled up behind a queue of waiting traffic

As police left their vehicle, the car began to move forward in an apparent bid to move through the lights.

It then quickly reversed towards the police vehicle as more pursuing officers appeared on foot on the A406 North Circular.

At least ten officers then appeared to attempt to break the vehicle's windows.

Moments later, the black car dashed through the now-green traffic light, and officers ran back to their vehicles to follow.

An unmarked police car flashing blue lights rushed through the lights as they again turned red and a third vehicle followed moments later.

A black vehicle ahead of the officers, which had approached with its hazard lights on, had stopped moments before

At least ten police officers then appeared to attempt to break the vehicle's windows open

Motorists then pulled to the side of the road, exiting their cars to survey any potential damage to their vehicles.

A police officer appeared to limp down the centre of the road as the clip ended.

Dayan Yonnatan, a student who filmed the incident in August, said he believes the officer was injured in the pursuit.

The black car then dashed through the now-green traffic light, and officers ran back to their vehicles to follow

He said: 'As I approached the traffic light I saw the car halt to a stop with the hazard lights on.

'I thought it was a undercover police vehicle based on the speed the car came at but then I saw the driver panic as the police approach and attempt to smash the windows.

'Multiple officers approached with what I believe was batons and were all whacking at the windows.'

Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment.
Theresa May has cleared the latest hurdle in her Brexit negotiations as she arrived in Brussels last night with EU leaders set to approve her deal at a crunch summit today.

Spain has dropped its threat to veto the deal, saying Mrs May had caved in to Madrid's demands to have a say over the future of Gibraltar and take the Rock out of UK-EU trade talks.

But Mrs May insisted last night that the UK's position on Gibraltar had not changed, saying she would always 'stand by' its citizens, while the territory's chief minister denied that Spain had secured new guarantees.

European Council chief Donald Tusk said he would ask EU leaders to approve the deal at Sunday's summit.

The agreement means Mrs May will take the completed deal back to Westminster for a Commons vote, expected early next month.

With a battle looming to win over Brexiteer MPs, Boris Johnson yesterday fired up the DUP - which has propped up Mrs May's government but is set to vote against her - with a pot-stirring speech in which he savaged the PM's 'humiliating' deal.

Last night it was claimed that ministers are making 'Plan B' proposals for a new Brexit deal if Mrs May's agreement is rejected by Parliament.

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (right) kisses the hand of Theresa May in Brussels tonight, after Spain dropped its threat to veto the Brexit deal over the issue of Gibraltar

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker welcomes Theresa May in Brussels tonight ahead of Sunday's crunch summit on the Brexit deal

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, pictured at a news conference in Madrid today, withdrew his threat to boycott the EU summit on Sunday amid a row over Gibraltar

Ministers 'draw up secret Plan B' in case May's deal is rejected in Commons vote Ministers are making a secret 'Plan B' for Brexit if Mrs May's deal is rejected in the Commons, it was claimed last night. The PM faces an uphill task to win over Brexiteer MPs, many of whom are furious about the withdrawal agreement and in particular the Irish backstop. Her DUP allies are also poised to desert her in the showdown vote. The backup plan being formulated by ministers would be a 'Norway option' in which Britain stays in the European Economic Area, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Sources said the plan would give the UK a more definite exit procedure from EU rules. Such a mechanism would appease Brexiteer fears that the current deal would tie Britain to Brussels rules indefinitely. However, the Norway option would reportedly not allow an end to free movement of people. Advertisement

Mrs May met EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk at the summit, although diplomats say the agreement is ready for EU leaders to approve.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez earlier withdrew his threat to boycott the EU summit on Sunday and said Spain will vote in favour of Brexit after clinching a last-minute deal on Gibraltar.

The row over the British territory at the southern tip of Spain had threatened to derail the Brexit deal.

Madrid has insisted on keeping the issue under its control in bilateral talks with London rather than leaving Brussels to decide its future in a UK-EU trade deal.

Mr Sanchez announced that Brussels and the UK had 'accepted Spain's demands', providing Madrid with what was described in Spanish media as 'triple protection'.

The triple shield is said to consist of guarantees from EU bosses Juncker and Tusk; the 27 remaining member states; and the UK, according to The Local.

'I have just announced to the King that Spain has reached an agreement on Gibraltar,' Mr Sanchez told a news conference.

'The European Council will therefore be held tomorrow. Spain has lifted the veto and will vote in favour of Brexit.'

Madrid's foreign minister Josep Borrell went further, saying the agreement is 'highly positive for Spain' and 'the most important' since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 under which Gibraltar was ceded to the UK.

Britain has agreed that bilateral talks will continue with Spain on the future of Gibraltar.

But Mrs May and Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo cast doubt on Madrid's claim it had won new guarantees.

Speaking in Brussels Mrs May said: 'We have worked through the withdrawal issues for Gibraltar with Spain in a constructive and sensible way.

'We have ensured that Gibraltar is covered by the whole Withdrawal Agreement and by the implementation period and we will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar, and in the future relationship we will stand up for their interests.

'The UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change. I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar.'

Gibraltar is a British territory claimed by Spain and a bone of contention as London negotiates a new relationship with Brussels after Brexit on March 29

Mr Picardo said: 'What you have heard from the Spanish Prime Minister today was not a reflection of any new position, however much he tried to present it as such.

'Pedro Sanchez has achieved no guarantees whatsoever in respect of the future of Gibraltar.

'But I can guarantee Pedro Sanchez one thing in respect of the future of Gibraltar: It is an entirely British future that will suffer no dilution.

As Mr Sanchez was speaking, European Council president Mr Tusk issued a letter inviting leaders of EU member states to approve the deal at Sunday's summit.

'I will recommend that on Sunday we approve the outcome of the Brexit negotiations,' he said, saying the deal on the table reduces 'the risks and losses resulting from the United Kingdom's withdrawal.'

He said: 'Although no-one will have reasons to be happy on that day, there is one thing I would like to stress: at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity.'

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake claimed the Prime Minister had 'caved in' and 'appears to have cast the people of Gibraltar aside'.

After battling to an agreement with Brussels Mrs May now faces a fierce battle to steer her deal through the House of Commons.

She has so far survived an attempted coup from Tory backbenchers but a defeat in Parliament could trigger a no-confidence vote or general election.

The crucial EU summit (pictured is a staff member adjusting a flag today ahead of the meeting) will go ahead on Sunday with leaders expected to approve the Brexit deal

Boris Johnson blasts May's deal at DUP conference Boris Johnson today spoke at the DUP conference in Belfast to fire up the party faithful in a bid to scupper Theresa May's Brexit plans. The former foreign secretary warned that the PM was heading for an 'iceberg' and her package would leave Northern Ireland 'ruled by the EU'. He said Mrs May was giving away the 39billion divorce settlement too easily  suggesting half should be withheld until after a final trade agreement is sealed at the end of 2020. Mr Johnson said the country was 'on the the verge of making a historic mistake'. 'If we are not careful we are going to stay in the customs union, we are going to stay in the single market, we are going to be rules takers,' he said. 'Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us  a satellite state. But Mr Johnson again stopped short of calling for Mrs May to be ousted today, despite dozens of other Eurosceptics putting in no-confidence letters. Advertisement

The Sunday Telegraph reported that ministers are secretly preparing a backup 'Norway option' as an alternative if Mrs May's deal is voted down.

That deal would reportedly create a more definite exit mechanism from EU rules, but would not allow an end to free movement.

In a sign of the trouble she faces, her former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke at the DUP conference to demand the scrapping of the Irish backstop.

The DUP has propped up Mrs May's government since she lost her majority at last year's election but the alliance has come under strain over the Brexit deal and the party has suggested it will vote against the agreement.

Mr Johnson said yesterday: 'Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us - a satellite state.

He warned the draft Brexit deal is in danger of turning Northern Ireland into an 'economic semi-colony' of the EU.

The backstop proposal would see Northern Ireland adopt a different regulatory regime to Great Britain in the event a wider UK-EU trade deal fails to materialise in talks on the future relationship.

DUP leader Arlene Foster told delegates that while she believes Theresa May is 'genuine' in her desire to protect the Union, the draft deal fails to do that.

A Gibraltar housing minister also spoke at the DUP conference demanding that Spain be given no hope of taking away its sovereignty in Brexit talks.

Samantha Sacramento insisted that Gibraltar will not be 'bullied' by any bid from Madrid to undermine its sovereignty.

Samantha Sacramento (left), Minister for Housing and Equality in the Government of Gibraltar met with DUP Party Leader, Arlene Foster (right), today during the party's annual conference at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Belfast

Ms Sacramento gave a rousing address in which she said it was critical the United Kingdom ensures Spain does not make attempts to remove its sovereignty

Arlene Foster says May's deal is 'worse than Corbyn in charge' Arlene Foster has said that Theresa May's Brexit deal is a worse outcome for Britain than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn. Mrs Foster dismissed claims that the DUP is merely playing a game of brinkmanship and would cave in and support Mrs May if the alternative was a general election and a possible Labour government. Asked if Mrs May's Brexit is a greater threat than a government led by Jeremy Corbyn, Mrs Foster told the Times: 'I think it is. 'The reason I say that is on day one of us leaving the EU there would be no difference, we would be exactly the same as the rest of the UK but in year five or ten we would be different. 'If people [in Northern Ireland] are looking to Dublin for representation in Europe because we're the subject of EU rules, that is so dangerous in terms of the Union. 'All the things we build the Union on  the economic unit, the cultural, social, political and historical - start to diverge.' Advertisement

She was applauded as she told DUP conference delegates in the Crown Plaza Hotel: 'Gibraltar will not fold.

'The Union Jack, our precious Union Jack, is not a mere flag. To those of us who have endured hard times to secure the continuity of our British heritage, our British values and freedoms, the Union Jack encapsulates all we are as a people.'

Ms Sacramento said Gibraltar was committed to making Brexit work, despite the fact that 96 per cent of its citizens voted Remain.

'It is critical that the United Kingdom remains firm in the defence of our right to self-determination and that Spain is given no hope in its campaign to take our sovereignty from us,' she told the DUP faithful.

'Our borders and our history are very different but our solidarity in defence of our democratic right to preserve our British way of life is unshakeable.'

She concluded: 'Gibraltar greatly appreciates the support that the DUP has expressed in support of Gibraltar and its right to remain British and, as my chief minister so often says, we are red, white and blue, we are red, white and proud.'

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted the proposed EU withdrawal deal is in the interests of 'the whole UK family', including Gibraltar.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (pictured in Cuba) warned last night that he may not attend a crucial EU summit on Sunday should he not be granted more concessions over Gibraltar

The rock of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, is seen from the Spanish city of La Linea de la Concepcion, southern Spain, this morning. Last night Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ramped up pressure on Theresa May insisting he be given more concessions over the land

Today housing minister Samantha Sacramento insisted Gibraltar (a high street is pictured today) will not be 'bullied' by any bid from Madrid to undermine its sovereignty

So what happens next? If a vote in Parliament on Theresa May's deal is passed, Britain leaves the EU on those terms in March next year. But if the vote is defeated, there are four scenarios: Option 1. Labour tables a vote of no confidence in the Government. If passed, there is a general election 2. Tory MPs force a vote of no confidence in Mrs May. If passed, she would resign, triggering a leadership contest. A new leader could delay the UK's exit by up to a year, in order to negotiate a new deal 3. The Cabinet persuades Mrs May to seek more concessions from Brussels. If successful, she could try a second vote on the new deal 4. Mrs May forces a second Commons vote on her existing deal (or a new one), hoping market turmoil will persuade MPs to think again If a second vote is defeated there are five possibilities: Option 1. Labour tables a vote of no confidence in the Government, hoping to trigger a general election 2. Mrs May announces Britain will leave without a deal  which could trigger Cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence in her 3. Parliament votes to keep the UK in the customs union, compelling Mrs May to try to negotiate such a deal from Brussels 4. The Government extends Article 50 to delay the UK's exit by up to a year, allowing more time for negotiations and preparations 5. MPs vote to hold a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU Advertisement

The DUP's Nigel Dodds also savaged the deal, saying: 'The DUP wants a deal with the European Union, we understand that businesses, families and communities want certainty.

'But it is not this deal. It is not a deal at any price. The prime minister used to say that. We still say that.

'So Prime Minister, the message from this conference, from every section of this party is - bin the backstop.'

He added: 'In the coming weeks Parliament will be faced with a clear choice on the future of our country.

'To be a free independent trading nation leaving the EU as one United Kingdom or to be locked into an EU straitjacket, divided and diminished.

'The published Withdrawal Agreement portrays a pitiful and pathetic place for the United Kingdom.

'Hundreds of pages are devoted to a backstop which will bind the United Kingdom into taking the rules of the EU with no right to leave and no end date.'

On Thursday Mr Tusk sent a draft of the political declaration to the EU 27 countries.

The document sets out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

It has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level.

The Withdrawal Agreement is the 585-page legal text that sets out the terms of the UK's departure.

Among its contents are arrangements for the contentious Northern Ireland backstop and the 39 billion 'divorce bill'.

The declaration states how trade, security and other issues will work in broader terms.

In an interview with BBC's Emma Barnett on Friday Mrs refused to say if she would quit if she fails to win backing for her deal.

She said the deal would protect jobs and allow Britain to get on with Brexit in March.

But asked repeatedly whether she will resign if she loses in the Commons - as seems inevitable - Mrs May swerved the question to insist: 'No... I'm focusing on ensuring that we get this deal through Parliament.

'I believe this is absolutely the right deal for the UK. This is not about me.'

Theresa May met separately with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) and president of the European Council, Donald Tusk

Deputy Leader of the DUP Nigel Dodds told the party conference in Belfast today that it was 'not too late for the Prime Minister to change course'

Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster greets UK Chancellor Phillip Hammond as he arrives to speak at the DUP party conference yesterday. He defended the draft Brexit agreement as good for the country

Theresa May 'to announce curbs on low-skilled migrants' in last-ditch bid to get hardline Brexiteers to back her EU deal Theresa May is set to announce limits on low-skilled immigration to Britain in a bid to get her Brexit deal through the Commons, it was claimed last night. According to leaked Cabinet papers, the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas. Theresa May (pictured) is set to announce limits on low-skilled immigration to Britain in a bid to get her Brexit deal through the Commons, it was claimed last night The new visas would reportedly offer 'restricted entitlements and rights' while they are living in the UK, the Telegraph reported. The Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled 'tier 2' migrants entirely, the report said, with the plans set out in the week beginning December 3. That would be a week before the crunch vote on the Brexit agreement is expected in the Commons. Immigration was a key theme in the referendum with Leave campaigners promising to end free movement between EU countries and Britain. Advertisement

Also speaking today, Chancellor Philip Hammond claimed that Britain's draft deal to leave the European Union is the best available solution to safeguard the economy and start to reunite a divided country.

'This deal is a way of Britain leaving the European Union ... with minimum negative impact on our economy,' Hammond told the BBC.

'The only thing that is holding the economy back at the moment is uncertainty about our relationship with the European Union,' he added.

'If we were to leave the EU without a deal I have no doubt that the consequences for the economy would be very serious indeed, very disruptive and very negative for jobs, for prosperity in the future.' Hammond, who met DUP leader Arlene Foster on Friday, defended the agreement as good for a country where divisions have been exposed by the June 2016 EU referendum.

'Remaining in the EU after a clear referendum decision to leave EU would be utterly debilitating to our politics, it would completely undermine confidence in the political system and leave large numbers of people feeling betrayed,' he said.

'We also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together, because (...) countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries.'

The chancellor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he believed the deal on offer was better for the UK than remaining in the EU, stressing that it would help heal the divisions caused by Brexit.

'It's a way of leaving the European Union with minimum negative impact on our economy,' he said.

'Economics is not the only consideration - we also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together because countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries.

'If we want this country to be successful in the future, we have got to bring it back together after this process.'

He warned that a no-deal Brexit would unleash 'economic chaos', adding: 'If the meaningful vote is lost we are in uncharted territory. We will be faced with potential economic chaos; I am sure we would get a very negative reaction from the business community, from investors, from the markets.

He added 'we might end up with no deal, we might end up with no Brexit' if the Withdrawal Agreement is blocked by Parliament.
Annalisa Altariva posted the photographs online alongside jokes about her 'big boobs' in 2013

A maths teacher was suspended after secondary school pupils found raunchy pictures from five years ago on her Facebook page.

Annalisa Altariva posted the photographs online alongside jokes about her 'big boobs' before she joined Ninestiles School in Birmingham.

The images, from 2013, included one of her wearing a low-cut black dress and teacher's hat while holding a cane.

She also joked in posts from the same year that when she meets people 'the chances are I will inappropriately touch you,' the Sun reported.

Ms Altariva's Facebook profile revealed she was voted 'most likely to become a porn star' in her secondary school yearbook - a feat she described as her greatest accomplishment.

The posts, in which the teacher also confessed she thinks about sex 'too much', are believed to have been discovered and circulated by pupils at the academy.

Ms Altariva was then reportedly suspended from her position.

A mother whose son attends the school said: 'This is beyond a joke now. What sort of people am I having around my kids?'

Another parent said it was obvious Ms Altariva was now much older than when the photographs were taken.

But a third deemed her behaviour 'outrageous' and said the teacher is meant to be a role model for her children.

Ms Altariva was then suspended from her position - despite the fact the photographs and comments were posted online years before she joined Ninestiles School in Birmingham

It is believed Ms Altariva deleted her public Facebook profile after she was suspended from the school.

Pupils who found the photographs had shared them among each other before senior staff members confronted her about the situation.

A spokesman for Ninestiles School said: 'We are not able to make any comment at this particular time as we would be breaching our employment regulations.'

It comes after the school was criticised for banning pupils from speaking when walking to and from lessons.

It is believed Ms Altariva deleted her public Facebook profile after she was suspended from the school

The school, which educates 1,345 pupils aged 11-18 and is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted inspectors, wrote to parents about the change in October.

The letter said: 'All student movement including to and from assembly, at lesson changeover and towards communal areas at break and lunch will be carried out in silence.

'Students will leave school in silence following the conclusion of their last lesson.'
Residents in some of the country's wealthiest areas are paying for private 'bobbies on the beat' to escort them home in response to rising crime.

The service is offered by private company My Local Bobby (MLB) that offers a 'meet and greet' service that concerned citizens can pay for.

Residents in places such as London's Belgravia and Chigwell in Essex, where various The Only Way Is Essex Star's are based, have employed these services and similar security measures as the number of robberies continues to rise.

Officers work in areas such as London (pictured) and Chigwell in Essex

Officers patrol areas such as Chelsea (left) and have advertised their services in central London (right)

The 'My Local Bobby' website pictured their employees working across London

MLB's management director, David McKelvey, a retired Scotland Yard detective said that residents in Belgravia had requested their local bobby' to escort them home after a series of knife point robberies for high value items such as watches.

He said that people have become 'very very scared' as police numbers continue to be hit by austerity cuts.

Clients of the service are walked to their front doors after being dropped off by chauffeurs outside their homes. Such services have been requested after one resident in the area was robbed at knifepoint on the door step of his home.

This is while in Chigwell, Essex, residents have being paying the company for a similar service, wioth staff escorting children home from school or in some cases even meeting them en-route.

Speaking to The tie Mr McKelvey said: 'The bobbies have got nightly arrangements to meet the children because of concerns about their safety. There's a fear out there about crime happening and there's been a number of nasty knife robberies in a particular area of Chigwell.'

The company receives regular emails from around the country from concerned parents who wanted MLB to patrol parks because their children were being targeted by muggers.

Residents in areas such as Belgravia in London (above) have hired the company due to increased crime

Despite this, the scheme is primarily aimed at residential households who are provided with a security guard in uniform who patrols their area every day.

In these affluent areas, guards on patrol will confront people they do not recognize and residents can contact them raise alarm. If crime continues then they work with police to resolve it.

Mr Mckelvey added that one street in Chigwell had been plagued by burglaries, but said that there had been no crime since MLB had been recruited.

Residents of Chigwell (above) have been plagued by burglaries and have hired MLB for its services

'The biggest concern that people have is about burglaries and car crime. Most of the people that hire us are looking to protect their homes, their valuables and their cars. In recent times police have withdrawn from that whole area of business.'

But the service doesn't' come cheap, individual home owners in patrolled areas could pay fees between 100-200 for the service. Speaking to the MailOnline, a spokesperson said that the more homes on the beat, then the less it would cost a client.

'We also offer a range of deployments. Some beats only want 8 hours, some 12 and others 24 hours. Currently the average cost is 100 a month plus VAT. 3.28 a day.

'Clients range across the board. Usually we get approached following a series of robberies, burglaries or a crime increase where the police have not responded and residents want to feel safe and get a response.

'We have had a number of twin councils and authorities contact us for assistance. These talks are ongoing. We operate our detective services across the UK.'

The company's website doesn't disclose the fees, not does it state whether these charges would be for one day, or constant monitoring.

Koon Wai To, 53, one of the bobbies who works for MLB in Belgravia, said that local residents had welcomed the scheme: 'People come up to me in places like Sloane Square and say how nice it is to see me around, because they don't see anyone anymore, and they mean the police. I'm there, actually walking, interacting, just being a presence. It's a case of being on the ground listening to people and acting upon their concerns.'

Residents have become concerned for their safety as police numbers drop across the country

MLB is the only known company to offer a local bobby, despite increased numbers of private security patrols operating across the country in response to reduced police resources and falling officer numbers.

In the past three years a third of neighbourhood police officers, totally 7,000 have been taken off the streets in the past three years as forces divert funds to investigating more complex crimes such as fraud, sexual offences and violent crimes.

Across the rest of the country community groups have begun to patrol areas which lack police presence.

It has recently emerged that residents in Hartlepool, Co Durham, were carrying out nightly patrols to prevent criminal behaviour and to 'protect what's ours'.

Members of the Foggy Furze community watch group said they compiled a database of incidents such as break-ins and theft.
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Huge plumes of smoke were seen on one of France's most iconic streets today, as protesters burned large plywood sheets, chairs and other material in demonstrations against planned fuel hikes.

A water cannon and rounds of teargas were also used by riot police against thousands of French 'Yellow Vest' fuel protesters in Paris today as the Champs Elysee was reduced to a battlefield.

The grassroots movement is campaigning against a what is believes to be a general decline in living standards across the country, and the recent decision to raise fuel prices.

The worst violence took place on the most famous avenue in the city where a huge crowd called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign.

By 11am, clouds of tear gas covered the Champs Elysee, and especially the area close to the place de la Concorde.

Scroll down for video.

Violent clashes between police and protesters are ongoing in the French capital, with demonstrators angry about rising fuel taxes and President Emmanuel Macron's government. Protesters burned large plywood sheets and other material in the middle of several streets in central Paris, sending up large columns of smoke. Demonstrators also hurled rocks and other projectiles at police, who responded by firing tear gas and bursts from water cannons

A protester is seen next to a burning barricade during the protest in which there was violent clashes between demonstrators and police

Police vans are seen behind a burning barricade during a 'Yellow vest' protests against higher fuel prices, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris today

A 'yellow vests' protester throw rocks to riot police during a protest against rising oil prices on the Champs Elysees in Paris

A protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask takes a defiant pose during the protest with his arms outstretched

A yellow vest protestor looks on as a barricades set up to block streets in Paris burns

The riots over rising fuel costs plunged Paris into chaos as police struggle to maintain order. The picture shows a protester as the fire burns

Police officers armed with baton round guns and riot shields advance on protesters in central Paris as demonstrations turned violent and clashed with police

Protesters lit flares during the protests. The Yellow Vests  gilets jaunes in French  are named after the high visibility jackets that they wear, and are conducting a grassroots campaign against escalating petrol and diesel prices

A firefighter attempts to extinguish this burning vehicle. Several thousand demonstrators, wearing high-visibility yellow jackets, had gathered on the avenue as part of protests which began on November 17

A young demonstrator sits against a wall covered in blood as a someone sprays water from a bottle on his face to clean the wounds

A man throws a bike in a burning truck during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees

A demonstrator holds a flare on a barricade on the Champs-Elysees avenue during a demonstration against the rising of the fuel taxes

Demonstrators hold a banner reading 'Macron, destitution, government resignation, system, abolition' next to a burning barricade on the Champs-Elysees avenue

Police tried to push back the protesters, at times beating back demonstrators with baton strikes and dragging them away

Protesters stand in front of a fire of furniture during a protest of Yellow vests against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees

Protesters shout slogans as material burns during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris today

A demonstrator throws debris at a burning barricade while protesting with others against the rising of the fuel taxes on the famed Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris

Officers take their positions during clashes with demonstrators protesting with others against the rising of the fuel taxes, on the famed Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris

Plumes of smoke are seen the Champs-Elysees avenue decorated with the Christmas lightings during a protest against tax

Protesters are showered by a water cannon near the Place de la Concorde in Paris today as demonstrators clashed with police in central Paris

A man holds a bandage to his head as blood pours from a head wound following violent clashes between protesters and police in central Paris

Riot police stand in a cloud of tear gas as protesters light bonfires in central Paris today

Two motorbikes burn in the middle of a Paris backstreet after clashed between fuel protesters and police rage throughout Saturday up and down the country

By mid-afternoon, 106,000 protesters had been counted across France, compared with about 244,000 at the same time last week, figures from the interior ministry showed.

Around 8,000 took to the streets in Paris, with about 5,000 on the Champs-Elysees.

'They included hooded demonstrators who were determined to cause trouble,' said a police officer at the scene.

'We've been forced to deploy a water cannon and used tear gas to stop them getting to a secure zone.

'They're breaking up traffic obstacles to create missiles to throw at us. It's getting very violent.'

The zone included the Elysee Palace  Mr Macron's official home  and the Place de la Concorde, opposite the National Assembly, France's parliament.

The Yellow Vests  gilets jaunes in French  are named after the high visibility jackets that they wear, and are conducting a grassroots campaign against escalating petrol and diesel prices.

A hundred and thirty people were arrested, 42 of those in Paris, and 24 people were injured, five of them police officers including one who suffered burns to his groin, the city police department and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.

Elsewhere, protesters took over highway toll booths to let traffic pass for free, or held go-slow vehicle processions, underlining one of their core complaints of escalating taxes on car fuel, especially diesel.

Water cannon and rounds of teargas were also used by riot police against thousands of French 'Yellow Vest' fuel protesters in Paris today as the Champs Elysee was reduced to a battlefield

Clashes broke out between crowds and police on the Champs Elysees in the second weekend of demonstrations as police fired water cannons at the crowds

Protesters shout slogans at riot police near the Place de la Concorde in Paris against rising oil prices and living costs as police fired tear gas and water cannons

A shirtless protester confronts riot police as clashes broke out between crowds and police on the Champs Elysees in the second weekend of demonstrations

A riot police officer grapples with a demonstrator as they fall to the floor during ugly scenes on the streets of Paris today

A woman covers her mouth as clouds of tear gas engulf a crowd of protesters during demonstrations against higher fuel prices which descended into clashes with police on the Champs Elysee as part of a nationwide march in Paris

A demonstrator receives eye drops to treat the effects of tear gas as police and protesters clashed on the streets of Paris

A protester waves a French flag on the A6 motorway in Villefranche-sur-Saone as more than 100,000 demonstrates gathered across France

Grafitti 'Brigitte wife of a policeman' - which refers to the wife of the French president Emmanuel Macron - adorns a traffic barrier on the Champs Elysees in Paris

Passers-by walk by a board tagged with "Macron resign, take the arms" on the Champs-Elysees avenue in the aftermath of the protests

A week ago, two people died and over 750 people, including 136 police officers, were injured in sometimes violent demonstrations that have shone a light on frustrations in many rural areas and small towns of France.

The 'yellow vests' hail overwhelmingly from non-urban areas of France and feel they have been overlooked and penalised by policies they see as being pushed through by elitist politicians in Paris.

Former investment banker Macron was elected on a pledge to put more money in workers' pockets, but the effects of his pro-business reforms on unemployment and purchasing power have been limited so far.

Many of the often low-income 'yellow vest' protesters are particularly incensed at his decision to hike anti-pollution taxes on diesel, while scrapping a wealth tax on the rich.

Protester Catherine Marguier said at a pay booth on the A81 motorway near the village of La Gravelle in northwest France: 'I'm not just fighting against the price of fuel. It's about tax, what we pay.

'People can't handle it any more. We need to change the government, the people at the top', she said.

A masked yellow vest (Gilets jaunes) protestor poses on a scooter near The Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees

A demonstrator throws debris at a burning barricade while protesting with others against the rising of the fuel taxes on the famed Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris

Yellow vest protesters throw material onto a fire on the Champs-Elysees in Paris today as tensions in the French capital grew

The Yellow Vests  gilets jaunes in French  are named after the high visibility jackets that they wear, and are conducting a grassroots campaign against escalating petrol and diesel prices

Wood and debris was piled onto bonfires in the middle of the Champs Elysees in Paris today as 106,000 protesters across France demonstrated against rising fuel taxes

Officers take their positions during clashes with demonstrators protesting against the rising of the fuel taxes on the famed Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris

Yellow vests protesters wearing masks and waving French flags are seen during a protest against rising oil prices on the Champs Elysees

Some 3000 police were on the streets of central Paris today, where the protesters pledged to bring the city to a standstill

A woman is lying on the ground with a French flag during clashes with the police forces during a demonstration on the Champs Elysee as part of a nationwide protest in Paris today

A child covers his eyes to protect himself from tear gas. People wearing yellow vests as a symbol of French driver's and citizen's protest against higher fuel prices are affected by tear gas during clashes with the police

Demonstrators set up a burning barricade on the Champs-Elysees avenue during a demonstration against the rising of the fuel taxes

Senior French ministers have slammed the 'radicalisation' and 'anarchy' involved, claiming far-right and hard-left elements have hijacked the protests.

Two road deaths have been linked with them so far  both at illegal road blocks set up by the Yellow Vests.

At least 19 people, including four police officers, were slightly hurt and one person had more serious injuries in the day of unrest in Paris, according to police.

Macron responded in a strongly worded tweet: 'Shame on those who attacked [police]. Shame on those who were violent against other citizens ... No place for this violence in the Republic.'

Police said that dozens of protesters were detained for 'throwing projectiles,' among other acts. By nightfall the Champs-Elysees was smoldering and in the Place de la Madeleine, burned scooters lay on the sidewalk like blackened shells.

Benjamin Vrignaud, a 21-year-old protester from Chartres, said: 'It's going to trigger a civil war and me, like most other citizens, we're all ready.

'They take everything from us. They steal everything from us,' said 21-year-old Laura Cordonnier.

The famed avenue was speckled with plumes of smoke and neon - owing to the colour of the vests the self-styled 'yellow jacket' protesters don. French drivers are required to keep neon security vests in their vehicles.

Protesters hold french flags during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees

Thousands travelled from across France to show their anger at the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the government

Yellow vests (Gilet jaune) protesters shout slogans from a barricade as they clash with riot police near the Place de la Concorde in Paris

Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) protesters stand behind a burning barricade during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs as night falls on the Champs Elysees in Paris

Yellow vest (Gilet jaune) protesters are seen through a damaged hoarding as they throw material onto a fire on the Champs-Elysees in Paris and film they aftermath on their mobile phones

A protester holds a French flag during a 'Yellow vest' protests against higher fuel prices, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris

A demonstrator holds a flare on the Champs-Elysees avenue as central Paris descended into violence

A protester wearing a yellow vest, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, gestures during riots

Demonstrators throws stones at police forces past a burning barricade on the Champs-Elysees avenue during a demonstration against the rising of the fuel taxes

Thousands of police have been deployed nationwide to contain the demonstrations, including a tense protest at the foot of the Champs-Elysees where protesters upturned a large vehicle

There have also been 553 woundings, 17 of them serious. More than 95 police have been hurt in a variety of disturbances, including an attempt to storm the Elysee Palace last weekend.

Some 3000 police were on the streets of central Paris today, where the protesters pledged to bring the city to a standstill.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner blamed the unrest on far-right agitators who ignored a ban on demonstrations in the area and who threw projectiles at security forces.

The protest movement began a week ago when hundreds of thousands of protesters wearing high-visibility yellow vests blockaded roads in a largely spontaneous outpouring of anger about higher diesel taxes.

There was still potential for the enduring anger to snowball into a major stand-off between the government and opponents of Macron's pro-business agenda who are voicing a wider range of grievances.

However this time, while there was major disruption on roads across the country, turnout was lower than a week ago and a call from protest leaders to block the capital looked to have failed.

A demonstrator waves the French flag onto a burning barricade on the Champs-Elysees avenue with the Arc de Triomphe in background

Demonstrators invade the Champs-Elysees avenue during a demonstration against the rising of the fuel taxes

French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators in Paris Saturday, as thousands gathered in the capital and staged road blockades across the nation to vent anger against rising fuel taxes and Emmanuel Macron's presidency

Riot police stand in front of a fire near the place de la Concorde in Paris, where 'yellow vest' protesters were demanding the French president roll back tax hikes on motor fuel

Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) protesters stand behind a burning barricade during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs as night falls on the Champs Elysees

Protesters stand behind a burning barricade during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs as night falls on the Champs Elysees

There have also been 553 woundings, 17 of them serious. More than 95 police have been hurt in a variety of disturbances, including an attempt to storm the Elysee Palace last weekend. Despite this, protesters continued to gather in the city today (pictured)

The Champ de Mars - the field next to the Eiffel Tower  had been set aside by the Paris authorities for the demonstration, but it was ignored by the protesters

Protesters were seen climbing on traffic cones and running away from fires, in the protest which is against Macron's recent decision to hike fuel prices. Mr Macron has insisted that fuel prices have to rise in line with green initiatives made necessary by the Paris Climate Change agreement

The Champ de Mars - the field next to the Eiffel Tower  had been set aside by the Paris authorities for the demonstration, but it was ignored by the protesters

Running battles were taking place between mobile squads of CRS police, and the demonstrators, as objects were thrown between the two.

The Champ de Mars - the field next to the Eiffel Tower  had been set aside by the Paris authorities for the demonstration, but it was ignored by the protesters.

'We're not here to do what officials tell us,' said Max Lefevre, a 22-year-old student taking part in the demonstrations.

'We're here to oppose a government that is completely out of touch with the lives of ordinary people. This is a people's revolt.'

Several thousand had gathered by early Saturday on the famous Champs-Elysees where they clashed with police trying to prevent them moving down to the Place de la Concorde near the Louvre museum.

Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) protesters stand near burning material during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs as night falls near The Arc de Triomphe

A bulldozer levels the barricade in the aftermath of the protest against the rising of the fuel taxes

A yellow vests (Gilet jaune) protester throw rocks at riot police. At least eight people, including two police officers, were injured in the day of unrest across France, according to authorities

Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries. Citizens still pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP, and fuel-price protests are a common modern occurrence.

A smashed window of a shop is pictured at the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris in the aftermath of the violent protest

A water cannon and rounds of teargas were used by riot police against the thousands of French 'Yellow Vest' fuel protesters in Paris today

French police fired tear gas and water cannons at 'yellow vest' protesters in Paris

Last week a woman died and more than 400 people were hurt in a day and night of 'yellow vest' protests over rising fuel price hikes across France

A demonstrator stands by a fire on the Champs-Elysees avenue, during a protest against tax. French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Paris, as thousands gathered in the capital and beyond and staged road blockades

Protesters lay on the ground on the Champs Elysees, in Paris on November 24, 2018 during a national rally initiated by the Yellow vests

Police said the protesters had tried to break through a cordon several times but had been prevented from doing so, with tear gas used more than once.

'We have just demonstrated peacefully, and we were teargassed,' said Christophe, 49, who traveled from the Isere region in eastern France with his wife to protest in the capital. 'We see how we are welcomed in Paris.'

Police said Saturday's incidents were linked to the 'presence of members of the far-right who harassed the security forces.'

Tensions have been mounting around the grassroots movement that drew more than a quarter million people a week ago to protests across France, from Provence to Normandy and in between.

Mr Macron has insisted that fuel prices have to rise in line with green initiatives made necessary by the Paris Climate Change agreement.

He said there would be 'no possibility' of his government backing down in the face of disturbances.

A bulldozer clears away the debris strewn across the Parisian streets in the aftermath of the protest

Some protesters wore masks as they marched around Paris today, campaigning against a recent hike in fuel prices

Plumes of smoke are seen on the Champs-Elysees avenue as French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators today

Riot policemen walk next to a burnt truck during a protest of Yellow vests against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe where security forces in Paris fired tear gas and water cannon

Mr Macron has insisted that fuel prices have to rise in line with green initiatives made necessary by the Paris Climate Change agreement. But protesters continue to campaign against the price hikes

Macron has so far held strong and insisted the fuel tax rises are a necessary pain to reduce France's dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments - a cornerstone of his reforms of the nation.

He will defend fresh plans to make the 'energy transition' easier next week.

The 'yellow vests' hail overwhelmingly from non-urban areas of France. They are strident about feeling overlooked and penalised by policies they see as being pushed through by elitist politicians in Paris.

Former investment banker Macron was elected on a pledge to put more money in workers' pockets. But the effects of his pro-business reforms on unemployment and purchasing power have been limited so far.

Many of the often low-income 'yellow vest' protesters are particularly incensed at his decision to hike anti-pollution taxes on diesel, while scrapping a wealth tax on the rich.

'I'm not just fighting against the price of fuel. It's about tax, what we pay,' protester Catherine Marguier told AFP at a pay booth on the A81 motorway near the village of La Gravelle in northwest France.

'People can't handle it any more. We need to change the government, the people at the top,' she said.

Around her, hundreds of 'yellow vests' had commandeered the booth and were allowing motorists to pass through for free.

Policemen stand beside a burning trailer on the Champs-Elysees during a 'Yellow vest' protests against higher fuel prices in Paris

Protestors of the yellow vest movement lie on the ground while holding a placard that reads 'we won't leave at night without fighting' on the Champs Elysees

A demonstrator shows his yellow jacket as smoke billows in the background during a protest against the rising of the fuel taxes, on the Champs-Elysees avenue

Yellow vests (Gilet jaune) protesters shout slogans as they march with a banner which reads as 'elected officials you will be held accountable' on the Champs-Elysees

Some 3000 police were on the streets of central Paris today, where the protesters pledged to bring the city to a standstill. Two road deaths have been linked with the protests so far  both at illegal road blocks set up by the Yellow Vests

Protesters and police are seen clashing on the Champs Elysee as part of a nationwide protest in Paris against higher fuel prices. The Yellow Vests  gilets jaunes in French  are named after the high visibility jackets that they wear, and are conducting a grassroots campaign against escalating petrol and diesel prices

Protesters recorded the carnage as vehicles and furniture was set on fire in main roads and backstreets of central Paris today

'We're not there to be fleeced,' read the slogan on one banner.

Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries. Citizens still pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP, and fuel-price protests are a common modern occurrence.

Previous rounds pitting the government against drivers took place in 1995, 2000, 2004, and 2008, often when tax increases coincided with high oil prices - as they have this year.

For political analyst Jean-Yves Camus, the French tend to rise up against taxes in particular when they feel the country's revered public services are failing them.

'The acceptance of taxes is based on the notion of redistribution,' he said. 'It declines when public services recede, the safety nets dwindle, and the gap between rich and poor increases.'

Opposition parties on the hard left and right have cheered on the protesters.

A poll by the Odoxa research group for Le Figaro newspaper this week found that 77 percent of respondents described it as 'justified'.

A protester wearing yellow vest, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, fires a flare during clashes on the Champs-Elysees

A passer-by walks past a burning barricade set on fire by demonstrators in a adjacent street to the famed Champs Elysees avenue, during a protest against the rising of the fuel taxes

A policeman running during a 'Yellow vest' protests against higher fuel prices, on the Champs-Elysees today

Riot police run during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees

Riot police run during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris

Castaner blamed the clashes on the Champs-Elysees on far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The police were facing groups 'who notably had responded to the call of Marine Le Pen and want to attack the country's institutions just as they want to attack [government] lawmakers,' the minister said.

Le Pen rejected the remarks, saying she had never called for violence and claiming the government was trying to make her the scapegoat.

'We have just demonstrated peacefully, and we were teargassed,' said Christophe, 49, who travelled from the Isere region in eastern France with his wife to protest in the capital. 'We see how we are welcomed in Paris.'

Macron, who is under pressure to tackle pollution ahead of European Parliament elections next year in which the environment is expected to feature prominently, has refused to back down on taxing polluters.

But with his ratings languishing at record lows of under 30 percent, he has sought to present a more empathetic side.

'We have heard the message of citizens,' one of his aides said on Thursday.

Some protesters build barricades with objects found in nearby homes. Police responded with tear gas and water cannon. Several thousand demonstrators, wearing high-visibility yellow jackets, had gathered on the avenue as part of protests

Paving stones were uprooted during repeated clashes between protesters and French police, hurling rocks and building barricades across the road

Protesters take part in a demonstration on the A6 motorway in Villefranche-sur-Saone where demonstrators blocked French roads over the past week dressed in high-visibility jackets, were set to cause another day of disruption

A scooter left dumped in the middle of the Champs Elysees after a day of riots and violence in the French capital today

Security forces in Paris fired tear gas and water cannon on demonstrators with flares and bonfires lit across Paris

A yellow vest (Gilets jaunes) protestor stands on a hoist and waives a banner near The Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris

Participants walk with placards reading 'nous toutes', meaning 'we all', as they take part in a rally in Paris today

The French government cast blame for the unruly protests on the extreme right and 'seditionists' it claimed were egged on by far-right politician Marine Le Pen.

But Le Pen rejected that. And opposition parties on both the right and the left hit back that the government was trying to reduce the protests to just the sporadic scenes of violence, and turning a deaf ear to the demonstrators' grievances.

Although Castaner seized on the 'marked weakening' of the protest movement compared with a week earlier, the enduring anger of the repeat demonstrations carried the risk of snowballing into a major stand-off between the government and opponents of Macron's pro-business agenda.

Tense clashes on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday saw police face off with demonstrators who burned plywood, wielded placards reading 'Death to Taxes' and upturned a large vehicle.

At least eight people, including two police officers, were injured in the day of unrest across France, according to authorities. Police said that dozens of protesters were detained in Paris for 'throwing projectiles,' among other acts.

Revolts against taxes have been a feature of French public life for centuries. Citizens still pay some of the highest in Europe as a percentage of GDP, and fuel-price protests are a common modern occurrence.

Previous rounds pitting the government against drivers took place in 1995, 2000, 2004, and 2008, often when tax increases coincided with high oil prices - as they have this year.
The Catholic Church has hit out at plans to remove a baby's sex from birth certificates claiming it would cause confusion in a number of areas of life.

The Perth Archdiocese has called for a paper submitted by the Western Australia Law Reform Commission seeking to remove sex from birth certificates to be redrafted.

The church claims it discriminates against religion and parents who wish to have their child's sex on their birth certificate.

The Catholic Church has hit out at plans to remove a baby's sex from birth certificates claiming it would cause confusion in a number of areas of life (stock image)

The paper - Review of Western Australian legislation in relation to the recognition of a person's sex, change of sex or intersex status - sets out a number of reasons why the commission believes sex should be struck from birth certificates.

However Perth Archdiocese's Rev. Joseph Parkinson is leading calls to redraft the paper in a submission to the commission, Perth Now reported.

'From registration of children in appropriate classes, to sporting activities, to toileting and personal hygiene matters, schools need to know clearly whether a student is male or female so that it can provide for each student the duty of care appropriate to his/her needs,' the submission read.

The submission also said the individual rights of people and religions would be undermined by the move.

'For example, some religions prefer men and women to worship separately. This may prove difficult to guarantee under the proposed model,' the submission said.

The paper is broken down into seven chapters including the approach, reason for review, the context within Western Australia, national context and the potential model for reform.

The Perth Archdiocese has called for a paper submitted by the Western Australia Law Reform Commission calling for sex to be removed from birth certificates to be redrafted (stock image)

'Since the GR Act and the BDMR Act were introduced, there have been legal, medical and social developments relevant to understandings of sex and gender identity,' the paper read.

'The Commission recognises that sex and gender are different concepts. The Commission also acknowledges the diverse experiences of individuals within the respective intersex, trans and gender diverse communities.'

The paper goes into greater detail about the differences between sex and gender.

'Gender is a social concept that describes the way in which a person identifies or expresses their masculine or feminine traits and the way they are recognised within a community,' the paper read.

'A persons gender identity may not always be exclusively male or female and may not always correspond with their sex assigned at birth.'

The paper was submitted at the end of August and posted for the public on September 1.

The paper sets out a number of reasons why the commission believes sex should be struck from birth certificates (stock image)

The paper also states the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages would continue to archive the sex of a babies.

Prior to releasing the discussion paper the commission worked with stakeholders they felt would be most impacted.

'The Commission engaged with several stakeholders on a preliminary basis in an effort to identify potential issues, inconsistencies and recommendations,' the paper read.

'As a result of this engagement, the Commission met with a number of individuals and organisations, while others provided the Commission with a written response.'

The commission is still encouraging community feedback and submissions, like those from the Catholic Church, to help inform their discussion paper further.

'All submissions will be carefully considered,' the paper read.

'The Commission may also seek to directly engage with relevant stakeholders prior to the finalisation of its recommendations in the Final Report.'
Phillip Hufton, 52, from Cheadle Hume in Cheshire, lied about work trips abroad and swindled the NHS out of almost 350,000

A fraudster who lied on his CV and lived a 'lavish lifestyle' after swindling almost 350,000 from the NHS has been jailed.

Phillip Hufton, 52, from Cheadle Hume in Cheshire, enjoyed foreign holidays and racked up the cash for 17 months after lying to get a job where he faked expenses and went on imaginary business trips - all funded by the NHS.

He claimed he was a doctor with a wealth of qualifications and that he had a glittering career in the army.

But he actually had a nursing degree, had been in the Territorial Army and posed for photos with fake medals bought online.

The lies helped him land a job as a business development manager for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust based at Fulbourn Hospital near Cambridge.

His role was to promote the trust in the Middle East.

He was finally sacked in January 2016 after an internal investigation found several discrepancies in his work time and expenses.

One fake work trip saw him run up a 9,000 expenses bill when he was actually on holiday in the US.

He had claimed to be visiting refugees in Jordan at the time but GPS pinpointed him as being in the US and the Caribbean.

The brazen fraudster even used a fake email account to authorise 13,000 of expenses while on the bogus break.

The fake trip took place in October 2015 and Hufton told the trust he was working in Amman, Jordan visiting refugee camps.

He even emailed a photo of a refugee camp he had found on Google to a colleague, with the title 'off to the office'.

He also claimed to have been in the army where he saved 'countless lives in the UN', before showing off photos of himself wearing fake medals.

A court heard on Thursday that while he worked at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) he also pretended to have cancer and took time off for surgery which was never carried out.

Sergeant Andy Denzey of Cambridgeshire Police said: 'In interview with myself and other officers, Hufton initially stated all of this was a big misunderstanding.

'However, over the next hour and a half he eventually admitted that he lied about almost everything. His lies were almost beyond belief.

One trip saw him claim to be visiting refugees in Jordan - when he was actually on holiday in the US

'He admitted to claiming to be in Jordan whilst actually on holiday in America with his family. He admitted to lying about having cancer.

'Hufton caused a great inconvenience and a large amount of stress to all involved, turning his hand to criminality in order to fund his personal life.'

Cambridge Crown Court heard Hufton also claimed to hold membership of numerous professional bodies, such as the Royal Society of Medicine, but these were all found to have been false or had lapsed.

In December 2015, Hufton booked to stay at the Marriott Hotel in Cambridge and booked a flight to Doha for a four-day trip.

The unauthorised trip cost the trust 2,837 and at the time Hufton had been off work due to 'illness'.

Enquiries about Hufton's CV found the majority of his educational claims to be false.

He claimed to have a PhD, a master's degree and five other diplomas.

In reality, he only had a Bachelor of Nursing Degree but continued to call himself a doctor.

At a previous court hearing, Hufton pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation on the basis that the financial benefit to him was only 173,000 and not the full amount of 349,383.

During sentencing, Judge Jonathan Cooper told Hufton the offences had helped him fund a lavish lifestyle and he later took steps to make it harder for his employer to report his actions.

Hufton was jailed for five years.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust said: 'The actions of Philip Hufton were reprehensible. He had come to the Trust highly recommended and with good references.

'However, at a time when NHS finances are under severe pressure, he decided to defraud taxpayers' money for personal gain.

'He also sought to win the trust of staff with his series of lies.

'He may well have committed further crimes if hadn't been for the diligence of colleagues who raised initial concerns, and our internal investigators who then alerted Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

'We would like to thank police for their support and the painstaking investigation they undertook, and the sentence given to Philip Hufton is entirely appropriate.'
A man is dead and another in a critical condition after a horrific helicopter crash.

The helicopter crashed at a remote station about 125 kilometres north east of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory at 9am on Saturday.

One man was killed instantly and another person was airlifted to Alice Springs Hospital with serious injuries.

The helicopter crashed at a remote station in Central Australia, around 125 kilometres north east of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory at 9am on Saturday (stock image)

One man was killed and another person was airlifted to Alice Springs Hospital (pictured) with serious injuries

No other occupants were in the helicopter.

St John Ambulance spokesman Craig Garraway told the ABC he believed the person taken to hospital had suffered leg and chest injuries.

'I have no idea where that helicopter has come from,' Mr Garraway said.

'I assume it may have come from a station but at this point in time I don't have that information with me.'

A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesperson identified the helicopter as a Robinson R22.

The helicopter is typically used for cattle mustering.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will field two transport safety investigators from Canberra to the site of the accident

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will field two transport safety investigators from Canberra to the site of the accident.

They will compile a report of the incident after an investigation of the crash.

'Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties,' the ATSB said.

Northern Territory police are continuing to investigate the crash.
A barmaid who asked generous strangers to pay for her flight to Canada so she can surprise her mother who she hadn't seen for almost a year has already met her target.

Nicole Fennelly, 22, launched a GoFundMe page on Monday to raise 400 to pay for a return flight to visit her mother and two sisters in February - and she's already received 464.

Ms Fennelly and her family moved across the Atlantic from Liverpool in 2012, but she decided to move back home alone after the death of her grandmother in January.

Nicole Fennelly, 22, launched a GoFundMe page to raise 400 to pay for a return flight to visit her mother and two sisters in February

The 22-year-old has already surpassed her goal by 64 in just five days after generous strangers made donations

Ten months on, the 22-year-old said she misses her mother and wants to fly to Canada to spend two weeks with her family.

Ms Fennelly has been working overtime in an attempt to afford the trip, but said she was struggling to get the money together for the flight.

The barmaid has pledged to refund all the money if she doesn't manage to book a flight.

She said: 'I was really depressed in Canada and always wanted to come back to Liverpool.

'And in January when my nan died I just felt like I needed to be back in my hometown.

Ms Fennelly and her family moved across the Atlantic from Liverpool in 2012, but she decided to move back home alone after the death of her grandmother in January

'I did it all so fast, without thinking of the consequences, but I just really miss my mum and my two sisters and I want to see them for Christmas.'

Ms Fennelly hopes to travel across the Atlantic in February as she is unable to get time away from work in December.

She said her mother, who struggles with mental health issues, keeps asking her to 'come home for Christmas.'

'I am doing every night shift I can to save money but the prices go up this time of year so I want to try and book in the next few weeks,' Ms Fennelly said.

'I can't explain what it would mean to me to see her. Not seeing your mum for this long, is so difficult.'

Ms Fennelly said her mother cares for her younger sister who has a disability and 'deserves something nice to happen to her.'

She said: 'My mum is a hero. She doesn't know I am trying to get out there and she would literally sob if I managed to get over there.

'I think if it was to happen I would message my stepdad and get his help with it to keep it a surprise.

'I've been thinking about how I would do it. She has no idea I am thinking about going out there.'
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Campaigners are set to bring London to a standstill today as thousands of activists are set to stage a mock funeral march through the capital.

Protesters have arrived in Parliament Square as they continue to wreak havoc in London. Extinction Rebellion have boasted that up to 500 people could be detained by police in the culmination of a week of 'swarming demonstrations'.

Authorities have advised motorists to avoid travelling through central London as protesters take over the city.

The protestors have sparked gridlock throughout the week by blocking major bridges and bottlenecks in protests which have spread across the country.

Environmental activists carry a coffin with 'Our Future' written on it to the gates of Buckingham Palace in central London

An environmental activist is carried away by police officers outside Buckingham Palace during a demonstration by the Extinction Rebellion group

The demonstrators stood face to face with police officers as they line the Buckingham Palace gates. The group Extinction Rebellion already caused traffic carnage in the city this week by creating timed roadblocks

Demonstrators, including a grandmother who claims she is there for her grandson, are arrested for lying down in front of the entrance of Downing Street

The demonstrators hold up a sign stating 'Rebel For Life'. Extinction Rebellion demonstrations are part of a campaign of mass civil disobedience co-ordinated online among environmental groups

Police officers watch as demonstrators try to remove graffiti from a memorial commemorating women in the Second World War, in Whitehall, during the Extinction Rebellion protest

Demonstrators gathered outside the gates of Buckingham Palace this afternoon with banners and a blow up dinosaur dummy, left

Protesters in London's Parliament Square were pushed back by police as they chanted and held up signs

Environmental activists even built a shrine for Mother Earth outside the gates of Buckingham Palace. The group demonstrating, Extinction Rebellion, are believed to be protesting about climate change

The protesters gathered around the Earth shrine, with the coffin, left, buried in photographs and wreaths. The group boasted how 500 people could be detained by police at the end of this week

One demonstrator even stood on the Buckingham Palace Queen Victoria Memorial statue in protest, complete with a sign which reads 'Rebel For Life'

Police officers lined the gates of Buckingham Palace during the Extinction Rebellion demonstration. They stood opposite activists holding a 'funeral' coffin with 'Our Future' written on it

One young woman (left) holds up a sign which reads: 'The climate is changing why aren't our politicians'. While other demonstrators (right) dressed up with a model of the earth on their head

Protesters carried the mock coffin through the streets of Westminster this afternoon, in a so-called 'funeral march' to highlight the impact of climate change

Protesters (left) were held back by police as they marched in Parliament Square, while others wore outfits with the group's name 'Extinction Rebellion'

Protesters in London have already blocked access to roads (pictured) as part of an ongoing campaign of civil disobedience

Protesters, who range in professions from yoga teacher to tech entrepreneur are led by professional activists who are opposed to fracking, a third runway at Heathrow and commercial flights.

They believe the country has reached a 'tipping point' in which direct action is the only option left to change political course.

Organisers have pledged to continue even more disruption following protests throughout the week.

The Extinction Rebellion demonstrations are part of a campaign of mass civil disobedience co-ordinated online among environmental groups.

Some protesters even wore all black and carried flowers as they prepared to march to remember the life lost by climate change

The protesters attempted to bury a coffin outside of Parliament Square for the lives lost due to climate change

Protesters held signs with messages such as 'Act Now' and 'Rebel for life' as well as others which said 'let's give our children a future this christmas'

Demonstrators from the environment protest group were confronted by police during the Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square

One said: 'We will do ten bridges, we are looking at 500-plus arrests which will be the most from a political protest for a decade of two.'

University technician Nick Cooper, who has been arrested twice in a fortnight, said the aim of the protesters was to 'get the Government to the negotiating table.' Speaking as he attended another protest earlier this week in breach of his bail conditions, he added: 'I do a lot of peaceful protests like this one. We have to be disruptive like this in order for those in power to take notice.' T

Despite their enthusiasm, angry critics claim the militant activists are creating even more pollutions by creating long and unnecessary tailback.

Groups such as Christian Climate Action also joined the protests in Parliament Square in London on Saturday

Protesters have gathered in Parliament Square in London. One held a sign which read 'on behalf of life', as they march for life lost through climate change

82 Supporters of the Extinction Rebellions were arrested last week following protests involving up to 6,000 people on five bridges across the Thames.

The majority of arrests were made on Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge as police forced open routes to a major hospital.

Earlier this week protesters walked on to roads in Westminster, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle and Earl's Court to block.

People from across the country had attended the protest with one sign reading: 'Bristol declares climate emergency'

The protesters have been disrupting London this week and have pledged to continue to protests which have been going on all this week

There were angry confrontations with some motorists attempting to force their way through temporary barricades.

One woman, who was walking to work, said bringing hundreds of vehicle to a standstill was creating extra pollution.

'This is not the right thing to do,' she said. 'They are causing more pollution with all this standing traffic. I have got asthma and it's ridiculous.' Adam Khan, 21, from Enfield, who was caught up in Elephant and Castle on Wednesday, said: 'They are just wasting people's time.

Roads around the surrounding area of Westminster were blocked this morning as the protesters continued their tirade

There was a big police presence at the scene at Parliament Square in London, but officers seemed to be chatting to the people in attendance

Protesters were out in full force and held signs that read: 'We must stop this mass extinction' and 'change the politics not the climate'

'I need to get home to drop my car off and I'm so late, hundreds of people are now.

'If they want to protest they should do it outside number 10 Downing Street, not cause chaos for normal people like this. It's bad enough trying to drive in London without this.' Black cab driver Fokhul Miah, 35, said the protests made him late picking up his children from school in Essex.

He said: 'I just need to pick my kids up, they'll be crying and worried when I'm not there and there's nothing I can do.

One protester (left) carried a wreath and looked solemn while others (right) carried a blow up dinosaur

One of the demonstrators took the protest extremely seriously and had turned up in a full costume

The protesters looked in good spirits as they stopped traffic in Parliament Square early on Saturday

'I'd clocked off work to pick them up but I've been stuck here for ages. Protesting is fine but shouldn't be at the inconvenience of half of London like this.' The Extinction Rebellion protesters have been told to gather in Parliament Square at 10am before moving on to undisclosed locations.

Protest organiser Ronan McNern said: 'This is about causing economic disruption by slowing things down, bringing things to a gridlock.' Campaigner Clare Farrell said: 'The 24th will be another mass participation, public protest and we think there's a good chance there will be a bigger turnout.

'We have demonstrated to the public that it is possible to take radical direct action in a mass participatory way, while being peaceful and non-violent.' The Metropolitan Police tweeted: 'If you do drive into London, please note attempting to drive through protesters in the road is very dangerous and illegal.' Transport for London said the protests have caused serious disruption to buses and other traffic.
Police have launched a murder investigation after a man in his twenties was stabbed to death in east London.

Police were called to Kingsland Road, junction with Waterson Street in the trendy Hoxton area of Shoreditch at 6.30am following reports of a man injured.

Officers, London Air Ambulance and London Ambulance Service attended and found the man suffering with multiple stab injuries.

He was taken to a central London hospital in a critical condition where he died in a few hours later.

Forensic officers could be seen combing the scene of a killing that saw a man brutally stabbed to death

The killing has led to several road closures with Shoreditch High Street closed in both directions.

His next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

The Homicide and Major Crime Command will be investigating along with police in Hackney.

The man has yet to be identified and police are still looking into the circumstances of the murder.

A crime scene remains in place. As part of this scene, temporary road closures are also in effect and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

No arrests have been made.

The man's death is believed to be the 123rd murder in London this year.

As well as Shoreditch High Street being closed in both directions, Old Street and Hackney Road are also shut.

The Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, tweeted: 'Awful news to hear, the Council is working w/ @MPSHackney & @metpoliceuk to support the investigation. Would urge anyone who was in the area early this morning to come forward.

'At a very early stage, so don't have any further info, but thoughts with the the victim & their family.'

There has been renewed focus on the number of homicides in the capital this year, amid rising levels of violent crime in the UK.

Police and forensic officers could be seen on Kingsland Road following the stabbing, as they looked for evidence

With the lowest number of Metropolitan Police officers since 2001, there has also been a worsening of the violence on the capital's streets.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, who has dealt with violent crime for around a decade, said in June that weapons such as zombie knives, hunting knives and machetes were being used more often.

The latest toll means it will be the fourth year in a row that at least 100 homicides have been recorded in London.

Senior figures have blamed the drugs trade as one factor fuelling the violence, with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Justice Secretary David Gauke hitting out at middle-class cocaine users.

Between April and early September the Met's Violent Crime Taskforce also seized 1,500 knives, more than 180 guns, 600 other weapons and made 4,000 violent crime arrests.

Anyone with information is requested to call police on 101 quoting CAD 1802/24Nov or Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111 or online via https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously
The family of two teenagers who vanished after going out dancing have pleaded for answers 50 years after their disappearance.

Maureen Braddy, 16, and Allan Whyte, 17, were last seen leaving a YMCA in Bendigo, Victoria on November 23, 1968, with their families believing they were murdered.

Police believe someone out there knows what happened to the young couple, adding their devastated families deserve answers and a proper burial.

The disappearance of Maureen Braddy, 16, (right) and Allan Whyte, 17, (left) has baffled authorities and their families for over five decades

The teenagers were last seen leaving a YMCA dance on Mundy Street, California Gully (pictured) on November 23, 1968 and haven't been seen since

'You look at his picture every night and think, where is he, what happened,' Allan's brother Kevin Whyte told Nine News.

The sister of Maureen, Lyn Ireland, said she was desperate for closure so she could give her sibling a proper farewell.

'You can't even lay a flower down, you can't even go and talk to them,' she said.

In 2014, a coronal inquest ruled the teenagers were most likely killed on the night of dance but their families refuse to back down and have relentlessly searched for answers for five decades.

Gunshots were reportedly heard by neighbours at the Braddy home in Bendigo (pictured) and Maureen's family have long believed that she is buried in a well that is now covered by a room at the property

Lyn Ireland (pictured) said she needed to find out what had happened to her sister Maureen

The father of Allan, Kevin Whyte, (pictured) said that he still thinks about what happened to his son every night. 'I sit there and look at his photo nearly every night' he previously told Nine News

A witness had reportedly seen the teenagers board a tram after leaving the YMCA dance on Mundy Street, California Gully and gunshots were also heard by neighbours at the Braddy family home.

The family believe after being shot, Maureen's body was buried in a well at their Bendigo home, while Allan's may have been thrown down an abandoned mine shaft.

The bodies have never been found and no arrests have ever been made.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of their disappearance and along with a $1million reward, police have indicated all information given in relation to the alleged murders will be thoroughly investigated.

'Detectives believe someone in the community has information that would lead to those responsible being brought to justice and we appeal, as we have in the past, for them to come forward,' a police statement issued on Saturday said.

'Someone out there knows what happened to Maureen and Allan and their families deserve some answers, as do all families of missing people, and to be able to finally lay them to rest.'

Anyone with any information involving their disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The daughters of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have paid tribute to their father in a poignant farewell letter where they vow that 'his light will never fade'.

Noha Khashoggi and Razan Jamal Khashoggi said that their father loved Saudi Arabia and was not a dissident, adding that his legacy lived through them.

Khashoggi, a former Saudi royal insider who became a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul last month.

Khashoggi, former Saudi royal insider who became a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered after entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2

'Dad was no dissident,' Noha Khashoggi and Razan Jamal Khashoggi wrote in the Washington Post.

'If being a writer was ingrained in his identity, being a Saudi was part of that same grain.'

His death unleashed a global wave of criticism against the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who Saudi officials say had no role in the killing.

'This is no eulogy, for that would confer a state of closure,' the daughters wrote in a Post opinion piece published online Friday.

'Rather, this is a promise that his light will never fade, that his legacy will be preserved within us.'

The 59 year-old journalist was at the consulate in Istanbul seeking documents needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. Riyadh -- after weeks of denial -- said he was killed in a 'rogue' operation.

His death unleashed a global wave of criticism against the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured)

The daughters remember their father, affectionately referred to as 'Baba,' as a 'loving man with a big heart' who traveled widely and always returned bearing 'gifts and fascinating stories.'

'As bittersweet as it was, we knew from a young age ... that he was an important man whose words had an effect on people over a great distance.'

It was vital for him 'to speak up, to share his opinions, to have candid discussions,' the daughters recall.

Police CCTV video made available through Turkish Newspaper Sabah shows Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul

For him 'writing was not just a job; it was a compulsion. It was ingrained into the core of his identity, and it truly kept him alive.

'Now, his words keep his spirit with us, and we are grateful for that.'

Khashoggi had created a new life in the United States, but 'he grieved' for his native Saudi Arabia, never abandoning hope for his country.
Historical enemies are uniting to protest against the building of massive wind turbines near the site of the battle of Agincourt.

Parties from both sides of the channel have moved to condemn the idea of having the 500ft structures looming over the site of one of Britain's most indelible victories ever.

The turbines would stand as close as 800 yards away from the battlefield where England over came the odds to defeat French forces during the battle of Agincourt On St Crispin's Day in 1415.

Colorfully painted wood archers stand on the battlefield of Agincourt, a major English victory in the Hundred Years' War, and inspiration for William Shakespeare's "Henry V" play which features the famous St. Crispin's Day Speech

Preparations are already underway to build 16 wind turbines in the village now known as Azincourt.

Gary Ashley, a 62-year-old battlefield guide from Rotherham who is based near the site said there has to be a line drawn for where wind farms are built.

He told The Daily Telegraph: 'I'm not here just to defend a British battlefield. The field is soaked in french blood. You can't make this stuff up, it's Game of Thrones for real.'

The site of the Battle of Agincourt, a major English victory in the Hundred Years' War

Service roads and electric cabling have already been put up along with 200 ft masts.

The new developer has also signed up five surrounding villages, putting them at loggerheads with locals who are against the move, being backed by Brits including actor, Jeremy Irons.

The British interest was also voiced by the late Stephen Hawking's wife, Jane Hawking.

Ms Hawking, who bought a house in the area with her ex-husband in the late eighties, said: 'Let us go once more unto the breach at Agincourt, but this time in support of our French friends and an important part of our own heritage.'

A similar poetic message was delivered when similar issues arose in 2003, the cross-Channel protest was eloquently summed up by the actor, Robert Hardy who wrote a letter to the Telegraph saying a battlefield is 'a place to pursue historical truth.'

More recently, protests have taken on a more physical form. A medieval history enthusiast named Patrick Fenet held a longbow at the site this week, reminiscent of the Welsh archers who helped win the battle for the British.

Patrick Fenet (pictured) held a longbow-laden protest at the site of the famous battle this week

The 70-year-old said: 'These turbines will spoil the surrounding, all that the battlefield represents and the efforts of those trying to develop historical tourism.'

Despite Jeremy Irons saying although wind energy is 'wonderful' it has to be 'carefully placed' - one mayor from a nearby village denied that he was desecrating the historical significance of the site.

Daniel Boquet the 71-year-old mayor of Bealencourt said: 'Each of us is boss in our village. Personally, I don't think this will stop people coming.'

A drawing depicting the fighting between the English and French armies at the battle of Agincourt, France in 1415

He, and other pro wind farm mayors stand to benefit money-wise from the planned move.

Some nearby mayors claim to support both historical sites and renewable energy initiatives simultaneously.

'It's much easier to be against everything than for it, particularly in France. Everyone is for ecology but not in my backyard,' said Etienne Perin, mayor of Maisoncelle.

Azincourt recently pumped millions into making the battlefield more attractive to visitors including revamping the museum, so the turbine timing couldn't be worse according to the mayor of the village itself.

'I will not be the mayor who builds wind farms around the battlefield. We absolutely have to protect it from any visual pollution,' said Azincourt's mayor Nicolas Poclet.

He has a powerful supporter in Xavier Bertrand, head of the Hauts-de-France region, who angrily told the government 'give us a break over wind farms.'
Police in Ohio are searching for a man who they say punched a store clerk in the face after his card was declined.

Surveillance footage has been released showing the man approaching the woman who was talking to another customer at Tom's Drive-Thru store in North College Hill, near Cincinnati.

The incident happened on Tuesday just before 6 p.m.

It appears another woman is trying to calm the man down as he confronts the store clerk.

The man is seen to push the woman's arm away before appearing to launch at the clerk, striking and punching her in the face, police said.

The clerk falls to the floor and appears to be holding her face. After a few moments, she stands back up and walks past the man, who is shown on the video to follow her.

Police say the man punched the store clerk in the face after his card was declined

The woman lands on the ground and sits for a few moments before standing up. The man follows her




Michael Mann is seen above in a mugshot

A man with unique facial tattoos, including a dollar sign over his left eye, has been charged with kidnap in his 54th run-in with the law.

Michael Mann, a 35-year-old man from the Pine Hill neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been charged over the kidnapping of a woman in October of this year, WLWT reported.

'Police responded to a check cashing store where a woman said her sister was being held against her will until she returned with $100,' Dave Wood of the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office told the court. 'The defendant was the person holding her for ransom.'

Prior to this allegation, the well-inked suspect had been charged 53 times with a variety of criminal offenses including burglary, assault and drug possession, according to the prosecutor.

Michael Mann seen in court where he was charged for kidnapping and holding a woman for ransom

Mann was even arrested earlier this year on aggravated burglary and domestic violence charges.

He allegedly entered through an open window at the home of his child's mother where he choked and assaulted her, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

WLWT reported that in 2017 that Michael Mann was arrested on charges of burglarizing a home along with a partner.

Mann has a lengthy rap sheet recording 54 arrests including this latest one

In 2016, a then 32-year-old Mann, again with an accomplice, had a robbery attempt thwarted by a 76-year-old man with a cane, according to WCPO.

For this most recent criminal activity, the suspect is being held on a bond set by the judge at $200,000.
An urgent lead poisoning warning has been issued to Australians, with infants the most at risk from contaminated tap water.

The federal Government's Department of Health released a guidance statement in July warning about the risks of lead poisoning from plumbing fittings.

However, that warning was not widely publicised until The Sunday Telegraph started asked questions about it.

The risk of poisoning will vary 'depending on the amount of water consumed', but Australians are urged to run their taps for 30 seconds or more before drinking.

The report also warns babies who drink water prepared with lead-contaminated water are at a higher risk because of the large volume of water they consume compared to the size of their bodies.

Householders have been warned to run their tap water for 30 seconds in an extraordinary warning about the risks of lead poisoning (stock image)

Macquarie University Dr Paul Harvey told the publication that it's 'something that has been a problem for years' and said the public should have been better informed.

Tap water is considered lead-free by most Australians because health regulations require routine monitoring of lead levels in the water.

But the guidance statement says that lead is still used to manufacture plumbing products - including the the brass fittings used for taps, the statement reads.

'These products are widely used in drinking water systems in homes, buildings and associated water supply points, such as drinking water fountains.'

The risks were mostly with older homes because lead-based solder is no longer permitted to be used by licensed plumbers in Australia.

Lead dissolves into water from some brass plumbing fittings 'particularly where water has been sitting in contact with these brass plumbing products for long periods'.

'Hot water systems may result in more dissolved metals in water, including lead, compared with cold water systems,' the statement said.

'Rainwater systems may also dissolve more metals from plumbing products. The slight acidity of rainwater can make rainwater corrosive to plumbing.'

enHealth is supporting all efforts to reduce the risks of lead poisoning by encouraging the updating of plumbing products - which is being overseen by plumbing regulatory agencies, the statement said.

LEAD POISONING IN INFANTS Children younger than six years old are most at risk from developing lead poisoning, with the most extreme cases proving fatal. Mental and physical development can be stunted as a result of lead poisoning, with even small amounts of lead causing complications. While it can be difficult to spot the early signs of lead poisoning, parents should be aware of these symptoms: Developmental delay, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, hearing loss, seizures and eating things, such as paint chips, that aren't food Source: The Mayo Clinic Advertisement

Householders are warned lead dissolves into water from some brass plumbing fittings 'particularly where water has been sitting in contact with these brass plumbing products for long periods' (stock image)

Public drinking fountains also carry some risk according to the guidance statement because in some cases water could have been sitting in the piping stagnant for an extended time (stock image)

Public drinking fountains also carry some risk according to the guidance statement because in some cases water could have been sitting in the piping stagnant for an extended time and residents are advised to flush the water.

'It is therefore good practice to flush the public drinking water fountains and publicly accessible taps for about 30 seconds to draw fresh water to the outlet,' the statement said.

Property owners and building managers are also advised that they are responsible for knowing the condition of the plumbing in their properties.

'Best practice measures should be adopted to maintain the quality of water, including a regular flushing regime to remove stagnant water and the progressive replacement of lead-containing plumbing products,' the statement said.

There is no need for households to have their water tested for lead.
Gary Ridgway, 69, is serving a life sentence in the Washington State Penitentiary

A former FBI profiler who interviewed the Green River Killer has spoken out about her belief that there are many more victims who may never be found.

In a new episode of the Oxygen series Criminal Confessions airing on Saturday night, profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole reveals insights from her interviews with serial killer Gary Ridgway.

Ridgeway, 69, is currently serving a life sentence in Washington State Penitentiary for convictions of the murders of 49 women - the most confirmed kills of any U.S. serial killer.

The murders occurred in the 1980s and 90s, but Ridgway was not arrested until 2001, when DNA evidence linked him to several of the murders.

Ridgeway admitted to the 49 murders in a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, on the condition that he help investigators locate and identify the remains of his victims, who were often runaways or prostitutes.

A former FBI profiler believes that Ridgeway (left and right) killed far more victims than the official count of 49, but fears that the remains will never be found

But the serial killer has mentioned higher numbers of victims, and at one point even told investigators that he had lost count of his sick crimes.

Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole (above) interviewed Gary Ridgway

O'Toole says that Ridgway offered in 2012 to tell her about additional women he'd killed, but then clammed up when she arrived at the prison to to interview him. Likely, he feared the death penalty if he confessed to any murders outside of King County, Washington.

'The plea agreement was only applicable to the murders that occurred within King County, which is Seattle,' O'Toole explained in an interview with Fox News.

'So, the fact that he would only kill in one small county in the state of Washington, which is huge, just defies common sense,' she said.

'We know that there are other victims out there, but he could not talk about them because the plea agreement was only applicable to the women who were found within King County.

'If he were to talk about the other murders, he could be charged by their prosecutor and given the death penalty and he did not want that.'

Investigators search for the remains of one of Green River killer Gary Leon Ridgway victims at a unknown location. Ridgeway pleaded guilty to 49 murders to avoid the death penalty

The plea deal only applied to murders committed within King County, Washington (above)

O'Toole first interviewed Ridgway in 2003, when she used a trick to appeal to his vanity to get him to open up.

One of my first conversations was to tell Gary I was headed up to work on another serial murder case and that I might not have a lot of time to stay and talk with him,' she recalled.

'Because I know from prior experience that they compare themselves, and they want to be the best at being a serial killer.'

Virginia Graham, sister of Green River Killer victim Debra Estes, speaks in court during the sentencing of Gary Ridgway in 2003 in Seattle, Washington. Ridgway recieved a life sentence

The trick seemed to work, and O'Toole went on to interview Ridgway regularly over the course of six months, gathering information about where the victims were buried.

She says that there was 'nothing remarkable' about Ridgway that would give away the fact that he abducted, raped and murdered dozens of young women, and often returned to their bodies to commit necrophilia.

'Hes kind of a quiet guy,' said O'Toole. 'He comes across as being respectful. He could smile, he smiled.'

The full episode of Criminal Confessions airs on Oxygen at 6pm ET on Saturday.
A heroic nurse who rushed to the aid of a police officer who was repeatedly slammed into the ground after a crazed criminal reached for their gun helped to prevent a hospital massacre.

Senior Constable Leesa Richardson was forced to shoot dead wanted armed robber Tyson Jessen, 28, after he savagely attacked her at Ipswich Hospital in Queensland.

The Sunday Mail has now lifted the lid on the details surrounding the ordeal that could have seen a mass shooting at the hospital on November 10.

While Const. Richardson brought down Jessen with up to three bullets, the nurse on shift at the hospital also proved to play a vital role in the takedown.

Jessen had been transferred to the hospital under police guard after chest pain complaints.

Senior Constable Leesa Richardson (pictured) shot dead wanted armed robber Tyson Jessen, 28, after he savagely attacked her at Ipswich Hospital in Queensland on November 10

At the time he was in custody at Ipswich Watch House after he was finally caught for a string of robberies in Victoria.

He had been sentenced to five years in jail in 2009, to serve a minimum of three, after he and a group of men lit a disabled man on fire.

The group had thrown petrol over him before mercilessly setting him alight.

Victim Richard Plotkin, 60, pulled through an induced coma and multiple surgeries. His horrific scars tell the tale of the callous act.

Two officers were tasked with watching the heavily-tattooed and solidly built Jessen in ward 7D of the hospital at Ipswich.

When one went to visit the bathroom, Const. Richardson was left to guard the dangerous criminal.

Jessen seized on the opportunity and struck the officer multiple times in the face in a bid to steal her gun.

A woman in her 40s was looking over the ward at the time and ran to assist when she heard the commotion.

She was met with a punch to the face and flung across the room and into the hallway.

The unfazed nurse jumped back up into action and ran at Jessen.

Tyson Jessen, 28 (pictured), was transferred to hospital under police guard after chest pain complaints

By this time, Jessen had slammed Const. Richardson's head against the ground multiple times and threatened to kill her.

At one point it is understood he had even managed to unclip the holster of the gun.

The nurse managed to distract Jessen long enough for the officer to draw her weapon and bring down the culprit with up to three shots.

The Queensland Police Union are now pushing for both women to receive the Australian Bravery Cross of Valour.

'There is no doubt Sen Const. Richardson demonstrated extreme bravery in defending herself, hospital staff and patients from the prisoner,' QPU president Ian Leavers penned in a letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The Queensland Police Union are now pushing for both women to receive the Australian Bravery Cross of Valour for their combined act of courage at Ipswich Hospital in Queensland (pictured)

Const. Richardson is no stranger to one-on-one conflicts with 16 years of experience in the police force, most of which spent in rural towns.

Mr Leavers noted while Const. Richardson displayed great strength on the day, the nurse was an invaluable help.

'Despite being seriously assaulted herself and thrown from the room, (the nurse) demonstrated unbelievable courage to immediately attempt re-entry of the room to save Sen Const. Richardson.'

Mr Leavers said the pair had stopped a potential shootout in the hospital.

A spokesperson for Ms Palaszczuk said the premier supported the nominations that the Queensland Police Union had put forward.

'Of course the Premier supports the recognition of the courage shown in that hospital and the courage shown every day by every single person who pulls on a blue shirt and wears a badge and puts their lives in peril to keep the rest of us safe.'
A scientific study has prompted speculation that all modern humans could have descended from a solitary pair who lived 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.

Scientists surveyed the genetic 'bar codes' of five million animals - including humans - from 100,000 different species and the results have prompted speculation that we sprang from a single pair of adults after a catastrophic event almost wiped out the human race.

These bar codes, or snippets of DNA that reside outside the nuclei of living cells, suggest that it's not just people who could have come from a single pair of beings, but nine out of every 10 animal species, too

Stoeckle and Thaler, the scientists who headed the study, concluded that ninety percent of all animal species alive today come from parents that all began giving birth at roughly the same time, less than 250 thousand years ago - throwing into doubt the patterns of human evolution.

Scientists surveyed the genetic 'bar codes' of five million animals and 100,000 different species

'This conclusion is very surprising,' Thaler admitted, 'and I fought against it as hard as I could.'

The new report from experts at the Rockefeller University along with from the University of Basel published the extraordinary findings in Human Evolution.

The research was led by Senior Research Associate Mark Stoeckle and Research Associate David Thaler of the University of Basel, Switzerland.

They mined 'big data' insights from the world's fast-growing genetic databases and reviewed a large literature in evolutionary theory, including Darwin.

Dr Stoeckle said: 'At a time when humans place so much emphasis on individual and group differences, maybe we should spend more time on the ways in which we resemble one another and the rest of the animal kingdom.'

The conclusions throw up considerable mystery as to why the need for human life to start again was needed such a relatively short time ago, especially since the last known extinction we know of was during the time of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

This opens up the possibility of an inbuilt human evolutionary process wherein we break down and die out, leaving the need to start from scratch.

Mark Stoeckle (left) of Rockefeller University made findings with David Thaler of Basil Uni

The research prompted speculation that humans and animals sprang from single pair - as did animals

We're also surprisingly similar to not just every other human, but every other species.

'If a Martian landed on Earth and met a flock of pigeons and a crowd of humans, one would not seem more diverse than the other according to the basic measure of mitochondrial DNA,' said Jesse Ausubel, Director of the Program for the Human Environment at The Rockefeller University.

'Culture, life experience and other things can make people very different but in terms of basic biology, we're like the birds,' Dr Stoeckle added.

The 'mitochondrial DNA' examined in the research is that which mothers pass down from generation to generation and it showed the 'absence of human exceptionalism.'

'One might have thought that, due to their high population numbers and wide geographic distribution, humans might have led to greater genetic diversity than other animal species,' added Stoeckle.

'At least for mitochondrial DNA, humans turn out to be low to average in genetic diversity.'

The study has been misunderstood by some religious parties who thought it meant that we all came into being in some seminal Big Bang-typed event 100,000 ago, but this isn't what the findings actually suggest.

What Stoeckle and Thaler's findings point to is that our species has to revamp far more often than we thought, and we do so in unison with all animals.

Since publication of this article we have been contacted by Drs. Stoeckle and Thaler who have made the following statement:

'Our study is grounded in and strongly supports Darwinian evolution, including the understanding all life has evolved from a common biological origin over several billion years.

'Our study follows mainstream views of human evolution. We do not propose there was a single 'Adam' or 'Eve'. We do not propose any catastrophic events.'
U.S. Department of Defense officials say a 25-year-old soldier from Leavenworth, Washington, was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Army Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso died Saturday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer said Sunday that Jasso was wounded by small arms fire and was immediately treated and evacuated to the nearest medical treatment facility, where he died of his wounds.

The incident is under investigation.

Jasso was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

He was on his third deployment to Afghanistan after enlisting in the Army in 2012.

Army Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso, 25, was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan on Saturday. It was his third tour

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer said Sunday that Jasso (pictured in 2012) was wounded by small arms fire and was immediately treated and evacuated to the nearest medical treatment facility, where he died of his wounds.

'Sgt. Jasso was a humble professional who placed the mission first, lived the Ranger Creed and will be deeply missed,' said Lt. Col. Rob McChrystal, commander of 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, in a statement

Jasso is the 10th service member to die in Afghanistan in 2018 and the second to die this month.

On November 3, Major Brent Taylor, 39, a member of the U.S. Army National Guard and the mayor of North Ogden, Utah, died in an insider attack in Kabul.

Taylor, a father of seven, was on his fourth deployment and a second tour of Afghanistan.

Insider attacks have been a growing problem for the U.S. in Afghanistan.

Three insider attacks took place over three weeks in late October and early November.

In a separate incident two Afghan soldiers also died Saturday when their helicopter made an 'emergency landing' in the southern Kandahar province due to a technical problem, Defense Ministry spokesman Ghafor Ahmad Jawad said.

He said two other soldiers were wounded when the helicopter caught fire after landing. The Taliban claim to have shot the helicopter down.

The remains of Taylor arrive back in the U.S. following his death on November 3. Insider attacks have been a growing problem for the U.S. in Afghanistan

In the capital, Kabul, a senior religious scholar was shot and killed, said Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for the capital's police chief. No one immediately claimed the killing of Abdul Basir Haqqani, but police arrested a man with a pistol near the scene of the shooting, Mujahid said.

Also Saturday, the Islamic States group in statement posted on its Aamaq website claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on Friday inside an army base in eastern Khost province which killed at least 27 army soldiers.

'The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive vest among them (army soldiers),' the IS statement said, without mentioned that the attack occurred inside a mosque at the base.

On Thursday President Donald Trump hinted at a possible visit to troops in Afghanistan. The president is yet to visit military members in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in 2014, but still provide vital support to Afghan security forces, who have been struggling in recent years to combat a resurgent Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate. Some 15,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in Afghanistan.

International forces have also suffered from so-called insider attacks in recent months, in which Afghan soldiers or police have opened fire on them.
Witnesses say Shelley Rose, 48, caused a crash in Mississippi

A Mississippi woman who witnesses say caused a crash that killed herself and two others on Thanksgiving day had been arrested twice in the past week, once for a fourth suspected DUI and another time for alleged public drunkenness.

Shelley Rose, 48, was driving the wrong way on Interstate 59 in Pearl River County when her Dodge Caravan collided head-on with two other vehicles, killing Jada Bright, 23, from Slidell, Louisiana, and Evens Vincent, 45, from Albertville, Alabama, the Clarion Ledger reported.

Rose had an extensive history of convictions and arrests for alcohol-related incidents.

Rose was said to have been driving her Dodge Caravan south on I-59 on Thursday when her vehicle struck the Saturn Ion being driven by Jade Bright, 23 (right), head-on, as well as the Nissan Altima being driven by Evens Vincent, 45, (left)

Rose was said to have been driving her Dodge Caravan south on I-59 on Thursday when her vehicle struck the Saturn Ion being driven by Bright head-on, as well as the Nissan Altima being driven by Vincent.

A Honda CRV that was heading southbound on the interstate then struck the Saturn and rolled over into the line of trees along the edge of the interstate, authorities said.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is not investigating the incident.

Witnesses were said to have called 911 to report the van being driven the wrong way on the interstate, but were too late to prevent the fatal wreck.

Witnesses were said to have called 911 to report the van being driven the wrong way on the interstate, but were too late to prevent the fatal wreck; Bright is pictured

A Honda CRV that was heading southbound on the interstate then struck the Saturn and rolled over into the line of trees along the edge of the interstate, authorities said, leaving the driver and two passengers with minor injuries; Vincent, who was killed in the crash after Rose is said to have struck his Nissan Altima, is pictured

If Rose were to have lived to be convicted on the suspected fourth felony DUI, she would have faced a minimum prison sentence of two years, with a maximum of 10.

But unfortunately, law enforcement could not keep her off of the road.

'Part of the problem is getting these cases for the prosecution. There can be multiple counties and jurisdictions involved and it's not easy getting that information through the courts,' Lauderdale County Sheriff Billie Sollie said.

It's not uncommon for people awaiting trial to continue to offend, law enforcement officials said.

'I've seen people with seven or eight charges,' Lauderdale County Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said.

If Rose were to have lived to be convicted on the suspected fourth felony DUI, she would have faced a minimum prison sentence of two years, with a maximum of 10; Rose is pictured here in an earlier mugshot from an arrest by the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department

'It takes so long to make it through the court system. I guess people are going to do what they do. They're going to continue to drink and drive even if they have multiple convictions, at least until something stops them from doing so.'

Rose had been released from Lauderdale County Detention Cetner in Meridian, Mississippi on Tuesday, after being picked up on suspicion of her fourth felony DUI.

The department had received calls about a possibly intoxicated driver operating a a Dodge Caravan, with witnesses saying Rose drove off the roadway and sideswiped a concrete parking barrier before she was taken into custody, Calhoun said.

She paid a $10,000 bond and was released about eight hours later, only to be arrested again the next day.

She was picked up on Wednesday on suspicion of public drunkenness by members of the Ellisville Police Department, and released that night without bail, according to information posted on the Jones County Sheriff's Department website.
A mother who claims she was refused a second smear test has now been diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer.

Steph Nally, 29, from Wythenshawe, south Manchester, had been experiencing excruciating back pain on and off for four years when she asked her GP for a test.

However after receiving an all clear diagnoses from her first smear test the mother-of-two developed abnormal bleeding and requested a second test which was this time refused.

While it is not clear if the diagnoses was mistaken or disease progressed rapidly after the test, Ms Nally later received the news that she had stage four cancer only months after the initial all-clear result.

Steph Nally, 29, from Wythenshawe, south Manchester mother claims she was refused a second smear test

The young mother said that because of her all-clear results from a previous test, medical staff turned her down.

In an effort to help her battle with the disease her family are now trying to raise funds so that Ms Nally can receive alternative treatment abroad.

Ms Nally's mother Debra Nolan, told Manchester Evening News: 'She was given painkillers, they kept sending her home.

'No blood tests or smears took place. She asked for a smear.

'Her last smear was in 2017, the results were all clear. But since then she had abnormal bleeding. They refused it as they said she is not due one.'

The mother-of-two has now been diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer after doctors refused to give her a second smear test for the abnormal bleeding she was experiencing

It was four years ago that Ms Nally first began experiencing severe back pain after giving birth to her second baby, Blake.

When Blake was one, Ms Nally collapsed from the pain in her back and was rushed to A&E.

However she was told it was nothing other than a slipped disc.

As the pain in her back continued Ms Nally was left to attend numerous appointments but to no avail- each time being told it was the condition sciatica.

After being diagnosed with a cyst in her ovaries mother Debra asked her daughter to go back for antibiotics.

It was at this point doctors first noticed the swelling around her body and pursued further tests.

She claims that she was denied a second smear test after receiving an all-clear test a few months earlier. Pictured: Ms Nally with daughter Lola

Surgeons finally discovered the tumours, caused by the cervical cancer, inside Ms Nally's urethra tubes and she was was given her cancer diagnoses four weeks ago.

Ms Nally's family are now fundraising to send the mother-of-two for immunotherapy treatment abroad.

Famous faces have also added their voices to the appeal, with Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Coronation Streets Brooke Vincent issuing appeals for donations.

To make a donation visit: https://uk.gofundme.com/6d2x1sg

MailOnline has contacted Manchester Clinical Commissioning Group for a comment.
Firefighters were called to a a fire at a Houston, Texas, church but instead found a large gaming room.

A call from someone reporting they were trapped by an electronic door lock during a fire at the Word of Life Church brought emergency crews to the location on Friday night, reports KTRK in Houston.

It was then that the firefighters found the room that housed more than 100 machines.

The Word of Life Church in Houston, Texas, was the scene of an unusual discovery of more than 100 gambling machines. The church has only been at the current location since 2016

'A room containing gambling machines was discovered in the back,' the Harris County Sheriff's Office tweeted about the investigation.

Deputies also detained an unknown number of people who were detained, interviewed and released, except one who was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

While the investigation continues, the sheriff's office did not find actual money changing hands and that deputies had searched the Word of Life Church on a warrant only two weeks prior, according to KHOU 11.

An investigation into the incident is still underway.

The Word of Life Church has only been at the current location since April of 2016 according to the house of worship's website, and had only come into existence three years before that.

Under a the 'About Us' section, the church lays out that it is their 'vision to BUILD the Kingdom of God, while building the people of God spiritually, economically, socially and physically.'
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The mummy of a 3,000-year-old woman has been found almost perfectly preserved in a coffin in Egypt.

The sarcophagus was one of two found in an ancient tomb in El-Asasef, Luxor, on the bank of the River Nile near the Valley of the Kings.

The first one had been opened earlier and examined by Egyptian antiquities officials and contained a priest who oversaw the embalming of pharaohs.

"One sarcophagus was rishi-style, which dates back to the 17th dynasty, while the other sarcophagus was from the 18th dynasty," Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al Anani said. "The two tombs were present with their mummies inside."

The Eighteenth Dynasty dates back to the 13th century BC, a period noted for some of the most well known Pharaohs, including Tutankhamen and Ramses II.

It was the first known time that authorities had opened a previously unopened sarcophagus before international media.

Skeletons were found in the ancient tomb in El-Asasef, Luxor, on the bank of the River Nile near the Valley of the Kings

Egyptian archaeologists move the cover of an intact sarcophagus, inside Tomb TT33 in Luxor, containing the 'perfectly intact' 3,000-year-old woman

Earlier in the day, authorities also revealed in the same area the tomb of the overseer of the mummification shrine identified as Thaw-Irkhet-if.

The tomb contained five coloured masks and some 1,000 Ushabti statutes - the miniature figurine of servants to serve the dead in the afterlife.

Three-hundred meters of rubble were removed over five months to uncover the tomb, which contained coloured ceiling paintings depicting the owner and his family.

The tomb, which also contains mummies, skeletons and skulls, dates back to the middle-kingdom almost 4,000 years ago, but was reused during the late period.

Ancient Egyptians mummified humans to preserve their bodies for the afterlife, while animal mummies were used as religious offerings.

Egypt has revealed over a dozen ancient discoveries since the beginning of this year.

Egyptian archaeologists work on restoring a wall with painted murals inside the newly discovered tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis

A child mummy lies inside the newly discovered burial at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, Egypt November 24, 2018

A view inside the newly discovered tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, 700km south of Egypt's capital Cairo, 24 November 2018

Egypt's Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany (centre) and Mostafa Waziri (right), the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, inspect an intact sarcophagus during its opening at Al-Assasif necropolis

A skull is seen inside a newly discovered burial tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, Egypt November 24, 2018

An Egyptian archaeologist brushes the top of a carved black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets on November 24, 2018

An Egyptian archaeologist works on restoring sarcophagi inside a tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, 700km south of Cairo

Egypt's Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany (centre) and Mostafa Waziri (right), the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, inspect an intact sarcophagus

The tomb at Al-Assasif necropolis on the west bank of the Nile north of the southern Egyptian city of Luxor was discovered earlier this month by a French mission

Egyptian archaeologists work on restoring pottery including plates and vases outside the newly discovered tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany announced that the Egyptian archaeological mission uncovered a Ramesside tomb of Thaw-Rakht-If, the overseer of the mummification shrine at Mut temple

Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, speaks inside the tomb, which he said was discovered after removing 300 meters of debris

A close-up view of hieroglyphics carved on a black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets discovered by an Egyptian archaelogical mission at Al-Assasif necropolis on the west bank of the Nile

An archaeologist removes the cover of an intact sarcophagus inside the tomb TT33 in Luxor, Egypt

Archaeologists remove the cover of an intact sarcophagus inside the tomb TT33. El-Enany described the newly discovered intact sarcophagus inside the tomb as magnificent. It is carved in wood with eyes inlaid with golden sheets

French Professor Frederic Colin, head of the French mission in Tomb TT33 where the sarcophagus was found, said that the sarcophagus dates to the 18th dynasty and inside it a well-preserved mummy wrapped in linen was found

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany (centre), French Professor Frederic Colin (left) head of the French mission, and Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (2R), attend the unveiling of the cover of an intact sarcophagus, inside Tomb TT33 in Luxor

This picture taken on November 24, 2018 shows a carved black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets, which was , discovered by an Egyptian archaelogical mission at Al-Assasif necropolis on the west bank of the Nile north of the southern Egyptian city of Luxor

A carved black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets, dating to Egypt's Late period, which has been described as magnificent

The tomb of the overseer of the mummification shrine has been unearthed in Luxor with its funerary collection at al-Assassif Necropolis on Luxor's west bank, Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany announced

An Egyptian archaeologist works on restoring sarcophagi inside a tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, Egypt November 24

An archaeologist works on restoring an ancient artifact outside a newly discovered tomb at al-Assassif Necropolis on November 24

An Egyptian archaeologist brushes the top of a carved black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets, dating to Egypt's Late period

A skull from a child mummy lies inside the newly discovered burial at al-Assassif Necropolis, in Luxor, Egypt November 24, 2018
Al Gore has lashed out at the Trump administration accusing the president of seeking to 'bury' a government report on climate change by releasing it on Black Friday.

The former Vice President has become an outspoken advocate of the need to take steps to prevent global warming. Gore became a prominent spokesman on the climate debate with the 2006 documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth'.

'Unbelievably deadly and tragic wildfires rage in the west, hurricanes batter our coasts  and the Trump administration chooses the Friday after Thanksgiving to try and bury this critical U.S. assessment of the climate crisis,' Gore said in a statement on Friday.

'The President may try to hide the truth, but his own scientists and experts have made it as stark and clear as possible,' he added.

'Unbelievably deadly and tragic wildfires rage in the west ... and the Trump administration chooses the Friday after Thanksgiving to try and bury this critical U.S. assessment of the climate crisis,' Gore said

The report was long scheduled for release in December, according to CBS News but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on Wednesday that it would be released on Black Friday, widely regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It was unclear why the date was changed.

Releasing information on a Friday afternoon or during holidays is widely considered a way to lessen the amount of publicity or attention the 'news' might get.

Study co-author Andrew Light, an international policy expert at the World Resources Institute, told The Associated Press that releasing the report on Black Friday 'is a transparent attempt by the Trump Administration to bury this report and continue the campaign of not only denying but suppressing the best of climate science.'

Gore, the former Vice President of the United States has become an outspoken advocate of the need to take steps to stop climate change

The report clashes with the president's past statements and tweets on the legitimacy of climate change science

National Wildlife Federation President and CEO Collin O'Mara also waded in, criticizing the timing of the release.

'It's an absolute disgrace to bury the truth about climate impacts in a year that saw hundreds of Americans die during devastating climate-fueled megafires, hurricanes, floods, and algal blooms,' O'Mara said in a statement.

During a press conference Friday, officials behind the report declined to answer questions about the timing of its release and why it contradicts public statements from Trump. Report director David Reidmiller said questions about the timing were 'relevant,' but said what was in the report was more important.

The National Climate Assessment is mandated by law every few years and is based on more than 1,000 previous research studies and written by outside scientists and officials from 13 federal agencies.

It focuses on how global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of the United States and warns that hurricanes and wildfire disasters are worsening in the U.S. because of global warming.

During a press conference Friday, officials behind the report declined to answer questions about the timing of its release

Earlier this week Trump tweeted about the cold weather hitting the East coast, asking the question, 'Whatever happened to Global Warming?'

It says warming-charged extremes 'have already become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration.' The report also notes the last few years have smashed U.S. records for damaging weather, costing nearly $400 billion since 2015.

The report goes on to predict that climate change will be especially costly on the nation's coasts, with rising seas and severe storm surges, leading to lower property values.

Alaska and Louisiana are singled out with scientists predicating coastal flooding is likely to force some residents to relocate.

The report is the second volume of the Fourth National Climate Assessment. Volume I of the assessment, which concluded that it was 'extremely likely' that climate change has been caused by humans, was released last November.

It clashes with the president's past statements and tweets on the legitimacy of climate change science.

The National Climate Assessment warns that hurricanes and wildfire disasters are worsening in the U.S. because of global warming

Earlier this week Trump tweeted about the cold weather hitting the East coast, asking the question, 'Whatever happened to Global Warming?'

The 2018 National Climate Assessment addresses the change in temperatures globally, 'Over climate timescales of multiple decades ... global temperature continues to steadily increase.'

The president announced last year his intention to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris climate agreement. The agreement requires countries to establish ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gasses that cause global warming.
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The International Space Station (ISS) has celebrated its 20th anniversary by producing the longest continual time lapse from space.

Footage released by The European Space Agency celebrates the launch of the first International Space Station module on November 20, 1998.

The timelapse comprises 21,375 images and begins as the ISS passes over Tunisia before taking two trips around the world.

The International Space Station photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking

The interior of the International Space Station (pictured above), it is a is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth

Stunning images from the time lapse show the panels of the International Space Station as it orbits

The fascinating images were taken from the European-built Cupola observatory on 6 October 2018. At 28 800 km/h it takes just 90 minutes for the weightless laboratory to make a complete circuit of Earth.

The 15 minute video which can be viewed in full here, shows the world passing from day to night and back again twice.

The darker regions on the map shows where night is on Earth. As well as passing over Tunisia, other notable sightings are Australia and Beijing.

The space station flies into the night and is able to capture rays of sunlight when the orbital outpost shifts outside of the shadow of Earth.

NASA astronauts Andrew Feustel and Ricky Arnold and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev executed a fly around of the orbiting laboratory to take pictures of the station before returning home after spending 197 days in space

The view from space: Earth looks both mystical and beautiful as it is captured during the 15 minute time lapse

As the video plays we get to see Japan's cargo spacecraft HTV-7 that was docked with the International Space Station until November earlier this year.

Numerous flashes of light can be observed at night time from around 02:00. This is actually lightning from storms and is common on earth.

Stars can also be seen rising above the horizon through the faint glow of the atmosphere that is still illuminated by the Sun.

The US space agency, Nasa, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, a level of funding that is endorsed by the Trump administration and Congress

Shine bright like a diamond: part of the timelapse captured the beautiful stars rising in the night sky

The new timelapse boasts the record of the longest continual timelapse to ever have been created from space

At around 5:30 white panels become visible which show the International Space Stations radiators that pump ammonia to exchange heat and keep the facilities and astronauts inside at the right temperature.

At 06:55 the International Space Station flies over Europe starting with Portugal and Spain.

Each new orbit of Earth sees the Space Station fly slightly more to the west than the orbit before.
A paedophile who has been described as 'every parent's worse nightmare' escaped an open prison, walked to a school knocked on a class door and put his arm round a girl's neck and said: 'I'll just take this child', a court heard.

John Harris, 36, was jailed by a judge after he tried to kidnap the youngster. He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and sent back to a secure prison to serve his sentence.

He was also given an additional four years extended licence bringing the total sentence to 11 years six months.

Harris absconded from Leyhill Prison, Gloucheshire, in October this year and made his way to the playground of a primary school.

John Harris had been transferred to Leyhill Prison from Brixton Prison against the advice of psychiatrists

He knocked at the door of a classroom which contained a teaching assistant and two pupils, including the victim.

She went to open the door trying to be helpful and Harris asked the assistant 'Is this reception?', a court heard.

She said 'no' and as he turned to leave he put his arm around the little girl's arm and neck saying 'I'll just take this child.' The assistant then grabbed his arm telling him 'I don't think so'.

Another member of staff shepherded the two children to safety while the assistant escorted Harris to reception.

On the way he told her she should call police and she told him she would. The head teacher was informed and the school went into lock down, with doors locked, lights out.

Children were cowering under desks while Harris roamed the playground peering into windows and trying to open doors, it was said.

The police arrived at about 9.45am and Harris immediately admitted he had absconded from prison. After he was arrested and put in a police car he told officers 'I just wanted to take a child.'

Police informed staff at low-security Leyhill who didn't even know the paedophile was missing.

Harris, originally from London, pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody, kidnap, and breach of a sexual offences prevention order.

Judge Michael Cullum said Harris was 'truly frightening' and 'a dangerous man' with a significant risk of re-offending.

John Harris had escaped from Leyhill Prison (pictured) on October 16 and attempted to kidnap a schoolgirl

He added: 'You are every parent's nightmare. A man escaped from prison and tried to take her away.

'Her parents will never forget that, I only hope that she will. But I suspect at the age of eight it will always be known.'

Bristol Crown Court heard Harris had previously walked onto a ward at a children's hospital brandishing a knife telling staff 'I want to take a child'.

Harris was already serving an indefinite sentence when the parole board transferred him from Brixton Prison to HMP Leyhill against the advice of psychiatrists on May 1.

The court heard that there was little support at Leyhill and Harris was left to 'fend for himself' while his mental health deteriorated.

Harris has been twice arrested after going into a children's ward in a hospital and telling staff he wanted to take a child, the first time was in 2005.

Harris was transferred from Brixton Prison (pictured above) against the advice of psychiatrists

The court heard that Harris had gone into a children's ward in a hospital again in 2008, pulled out a knife and told staff 'I want a child' before pointing to a 12-year-old girl and saying, 'This one will do'.

Sarah Regan for the defence said that while there was no doubt Harris was a paedophile. She said on all three occasions he had tried to kidnap children in situations where he had no change on success - in sight of many adults.

She said Harris had told her his latest attempt was a 'cry for help' as he was having dark thoughts and had not got help after being transferred to Leyhill.

Harris was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court (pictured above)

Harris, dressed in a blue t-shirt spoke from the dock, apologising to the girl and her family, he said: 'I am not who I want to be.

'I am deeply disturbed, I have been my whole life. This is where I need to be. I am sorry.'

Ms Regan said Harris was getting bullied in high-security Horfield Prison in Bristol, where he was moved after the incident, and he had started self-harming.

The court heard a psychiatrist's report had concluded his mental health would continue to deteriorate in a prison setting and this would only exacerbate the risk he posed.

Rachel Drake, prosecuting, read from victim impact statements.

One from the girl's parents said she now had trouble sleeping and she was scared Harris might come back to get her whilst they now found it hard to leave her alone.

A statement from the school's head reported that parents were understandably fearful, saying: 'somewhere society's systems had let them down.'

In total, nine prisoners absconded from Leyhill last year.

In August, convicted rapists John-Paul Knowlson and Stuart O'Neill absconded before being caught by police.

The pair are believed to have exited the prison by forcing a door.

Convicted killer Keith Whitehouse absconded in February - but was arrested after being spotted by a member of the public.
Married couples argue less when they hit middle age and have fewer spats the closer they get to retirement, a survey has revealed.

Around 42 per cent of British couples row at least once a day - but this figure decreases once they turn 45.

Almost half of 18 to 24-year-olds get into arguments on a daily basis - rising to 59 per cent for those between 25 and 34.

Around 42 per cent of British couples row at least once a day - but this figure decreases once they turn 45 (file photo)

The figure for those aged 35 to 44 increases again to 60 per cent, the Daily Express reported.

But as soon as couples reach between 45 and 54, the rate of daily arguments decreases rapidly to 35 per cent.

Only 26 per cent of couples between 55 and 64 argue once a day - with just 25 per cent of the over 65s entering daily rows.

Ten per cent of couples surveyed argue more than once a day - and could become frustrated with their significant other more than 1000 times a year.

Almost half of 18 to 24-year-olds get into arguments on a daily basis - rising to 59 per cent for those between 25 and 34

A quarter of these couples put their rows down to general mess in the household, including washing the dishes and putting out the bins.

But 22 per cent insist money is the source of their problems.

How often do British couples argue? Age Percentage who argue daily 18 - 24 46 25 - 34 59 35 - 44 60 45 - 54 35 55 - 64

26 65+ 25

Rows also stem from redecorating for 21 per cent of couples, with another six per cent of disagreements being sparked by the central heating.

Childcare, including school runs and children's parties, account for three per cent.

The survey found Edinburgh and Belfast were the most argumentative cities, with Manchester and Norwich coming a close second.

But couples in Glasgow, Liverpool and Bristol don't appear to argue more than once a day.

The survey of 2,000 couples was commissioned by Direct Blinds.
A senior Saudi prince has slammed the CIA for claiming that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and also accused the agency of being unreliable.

Prince Turki al-Faisal said in Abu Dhabi on Saturday that the CIA's report on Iraqi chemical weapons in 2003 proved the agency could release 'glaring and inaccurate' information.

The prince, a former Saudi intelligence chief who has also served as ambassador to the United States, made the comments at an event hosted by the New York-based Beirut institute.

The CIA has concluded that Prince Mohammed ordered the operation to kill Khashoggi and briefed other parts of the US government on its findings.

Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal talks to the Associated Press in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday

Prince Turki al-Faisal said: 'The CIA is not necessarily the highest standard of veracity or accuracy in assessing situations. The examples of that are multitude.

'That [Iraq War] was the most glaring of inaccurate and wrong assessments, which led to a full-scale war with thousands being killed.

'I don't see why the CIA is not on trial in the United States. This is my answer to their assessment of who is guilty and who is not and who did what in the consulate in Istanbul.'

US President Donald Trump has disputed that the agency reached a conclusion on the murder, saying instead 'they have feelings certain ways.'

A Turkish newspaper also reported on Thursday that CIA director Gina Haspel signaled to Turkish officials that the agency had a recording of a call in which the crown prince gave instructions to 'silence' the journalist.

Prince Turki al-Faisal cast doubt on the CIA's report that Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 in an operation that Turkish authorities have said was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership, prompting the kingdom's biggest political crisis in a generation.

After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh said Khashoggi was killed and his body dismembered after negotiations to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed.

The kingdom's public prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in the murder, but has said Prince Mohammed had no prior knowledge of the operation.
A special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is facing trial over allegations that her romantic affair with a terror suspect damaged an FBI investigation.

Leatrice Malika De Bruhl-Daniels, 45, pleaded not guilty in October to attempting to obstruct, influence or impede justice over her relationship with 46-year-old Syrian businessman Nadal Diya.

Now, court documents reported by the Houston Chronicle reveal the steamy email Daniels traded with Diya - all while prosecutors say he was under investigation, and she had been warned not to get involved with him.

'I can't stop thinking aboutyou. I haven't slept for days,' one email read. 'I'm deeply attracted to you and I can't think about you like that. Don't worry, I will still fight for your visa situation as much as I can.'

Leatrice Malika De Bruhl-Daniels, 45, (above) pleaded not guilty in October to attempting to obstruct, influence or impede justice over her relationship with 46-year-old Nadal Diya

Daniels, a former FBI investigative specialist, joined NCIS eight years ago as a special agent. The agency investigates criminal activities involving the Navy and Marine Corps, and inspired the long-running CBS series.

Prosecutors say that Daniels met Diya in June 2016 while she was posted to the US consulate in Dubai, working on counter-terrorism investigations at the nearby port of Jebel Ali.

When Diya told her he was having trouble securing a U.S. visa, authorities say she used her security clearance to inquire about it and learned that he was suspected of involvement in an illegal shipment of oil equipment from the U.S. to Iran.

Officials warned Daniels in February 2017 and March 9, 2017 to break off contact with Diya, saying his entire family set off 'red flags', according to the documents.

Nevertheless, he allegedly paid for her lavish birthday party on March 29 in Dubai, hiring caterers, a DJ and special lighting. The party was attended by NCIS, State Department and Naval staff.

In May, Daniels tried to convince FBI investigators that Diya would make a good confidential informant - but they warned her to keep her distance from Diya and not to warn him he was under investigation, records show.

Daniels learned in June that Diya remained under investigation when FBI agents in Houston contacted her to ask for a full account of her relationship with him, prosecutors say. Soon after, perhaps even the same day, she allegedly warned him he was under investigation.

The NCIS agent and Diya then left on a nine-day holiday in Greece, where he gave her $1,400, she admitted.

Daniels told investigators of a transcript of text messages between herself and Diya that she had kept.

Included in the texts were a warning to Diya that it was possible 'ur phones are being monitored'.

'Whatever they hv on u is more than just suspicion so it's serious,' the transcript says, 'They know stuff and if u lie u may never see American soil!'

'I don't want to think u hv lied to me since I put my neck out there for u,' one message said.

Daniels is free on bond and awaiting trial at her mother's home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

She and her federal public defender have declined to comment about the case.

Diya is free on bond in Toronto. Prosecutors are seeking his extradition to the U.S. on charges that he used fraudulent Guatemalan and Argentinian passports in Texas and Louisiana

Trials for both are set for mid-December in Houston, but will likely be postponed.
This is the heartwarming moment a monkey who had both arms amputated after being electrocuted from a faulty power line plays in the trees.

Footage shows Jesse the Samango monkey jumping from branch to branch, taking a quick nap and eating his dinner in Haenertsburg, South Africa.

The plucky monkey also hangs upside down by his feet, runs along the ground and peers out at his surroundings.

Jesse the Samango monkey peers at his surroundings as he sits on a tree in Haenertsburg, South Africa

The monkey, who had his arms amputated after being electrocuted, happily runs around

Jesse was rescued by The Vervet Monkey Foundation in South Africa after being electrocuted and finding his way into an elderly woman's apartment.

Kyle Salazar, Magic Monkey CEO, said: 'Jesse, like so many others was an emergency call from the nearby town of Haenertsburg.

'It seemed that he had been electrocuted by a faulty power line up in the mountains and had found his way into an elderly lady's flat where he was stuck and confused.

The property owners called the Vervet Monkey Foundation, who rescue orphaned, injured, abused, ex-laboratory or unwanted pets. Their founder Dave and animal manager Torie went and caught him.

The Samango monkey jumping from branch to branch and hangs upside down

Mr Salazar said: 'After Jesse was rescued they took him to a local vet who assessed his injuries and decided the best course of action would be to amputate his arms.

'His right arm was completely removed, while his left was amputated just above the elbow.'

The Samango monkey is an Old World monkey found between Ethiopia and South Africa, including south and east Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kyle said: 'Obviously life is more difficult with no arms.

Jesse was rescued by The Vervet Monkey Foundation in South Africa after being electrocuted and finding his way into an elderly woman's apartment

Jesse climbs to the tops of the highest trees in his enclosure and happily plays

'But Jesse gets by incredibly well. Samango's are very versatile creatures and they acclimate very quickly to whatever injuries are thrown in their path.

'Jesse doesn't seem to be held back by his injuries, he eats well, runs around standing upright, he climbs to the tops of the highest trees in his enclosure and even plays with the juvenile Samango named Mango.

'The other monkeys don't care, and probably don't really notice. We have a lot of handicapped monkeys at the VMF, from amputees to blind monkeys to ones with mental traumas and they are all treated normal by the rest of the monkeys.

'As long as they can get by and hold their own they are readily accepted into troop life.'
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A disabled dog who lost the use of his hind legs has been given a second chance at life after being fitted with a special wheelchair instead of being put down.

Gilbert, a Hungarian Vizsla puppy, has not been able to use his hind legs since he was accidentally trodden on when he was five days old.

A vet advised owners Jane and Kevin Bircumshaw, from Bournemouth, to have Gilbert put down as his spinal injuries were so severe but they refused to give up on him.

Gilbert, a Hungarian Vizsla puppy, has not been able to use his hind legs since he was accidentally trodden on when he was five days old

A vet advised owners Jane and Kevin Bircumshaw, from Bournemouth, to have Gilbert put down as his spinal injuries were so severe but they refused to give up on him

They found a company that specialises in making 'wheelchairs' for dogs and one was built for Gilbert and the contraption is strapped to his back with the two wheels acting as his legs.

Gilbert can now enjoy walks like any normal dog and happily bounds around his local park playing ball.

Mr Bircumshaw, 61, a painter and decorator, said: 'Gilbert is definitely happiest when he's in his wheelchair, his tail wags and he loves running around. He can go really fast but every now and then he gets too excited and tips himself over.

Gilbert can now enjoy walks like any normal dog and happily bounds around his local park playing ball

The Bircumshaws found a company that specialises in making 'wheelchairs' for dogs and one was built for Gilbert

'I have a group of friends I walk with and all the dogs have accepted Gilbert, when we go out on walks he goes to play like a normal dog.

His injuries mean that no insurer will cover him so the Bircumshaws have had to fundraise 15,000 to cover the extensive vet bills and physiotherapy treatment he needs.

But through social media Gilbert has attracted a worldwide following on Facebook, with fans from all over the world donating and supporting him.

His injuries mean that no insurer will cover him so the Bircumshaws have had to fundraise 15,000 to cover the extensive vet bills and physiotherapy treatment he needs

The contraption is strapped to his back with the two wheels acting as his legs and he has most of the weight on his front legs

Mrs Bircumshaw massages Gilbert three times a day to stimulate the muscles in his lower back and hind legs, as well as massaging his front legs to keep them strong because they are bearing all his weight.

As well as the physio at home, Gilbert also has hydrotherapy sessions once a week.

His treatment costs about 1,000 a month and looking after him is like a full-time job for his owners.

Gilbert has already had two corrective operations and is now receiving steroid injections to build up the muscles in his back legs before he can have the next surgery.

Gilbert has already had two corrective operations and is now receiving steroid injections to build up the muscles in his back legs before he can have the next surgery

His treatment costs about 1,000 a month and looking after him is like a full-time job for his owners

The Bircumshaws hope he will be able to put weight on his back legs to allow him to stand and walk around the house without support.

But he will still need his wheelchair when out and about and because he is not fully grown, he will need a new 500 every six months.

Mr Bircumshaw said: 'When we first got Gilbert we paid for an MRI scan, because until then nobody really knew what was wrong with him.

'That showed he had a massive trauma to his spine. There was lots of fluid around his spine which was damaging the nerves to his back legs.

The Bircumshaws hope he will be able to put weight on his back legs to allow him to stand and walk around the house without support

'His right hip had been crushed to the extent that it had stopped growing.

'We were told that normally a dog with those severe injuries would be put down, but we couldn't have done that.'

Mrs Bircumshaw, 57, said: 'My friend was looking after the puppies and sent me a video. They all looked the same apart from Gilbert who was in the corner with his back legs splayed on the floor.

'I just fell in love with him.

Gilbert will still need his wheelchair when out and about and because he is not fully grown, he will need a new 500 every six months

'When they said we should put him down I asked if he was in any pain. They said no and I thought well he's got a happy life, I'm not going to put him down if he's not in pain.

'It is a lot of work, it's like having a newborn baby, especially with the nappy bit, but I wouldn't change it.

'He's a happy, lovely dog, it doesn't seem to affect him at all.

'He's very strong, I've never known such a determined dog.

'We received an award from the Hungarian Vizsla Association for showing people that disabled dogs can have a life.

'He's got fans all over the world who follow his journey, mostly other vizsla owners. They've been so supportive, they send him presents.'

People can follow Gilbert's progress through the Facebook page Gilbert's Journey, the journey of a less able Hungarian Vizsla puppy or donate towards his treatment at gofundme.com/gilberts-journey.
The former director of the CIA and the National Security Agency, General Michael Hayden, has suffered a stroke.

Hayden, 73, was hospitalized last week after having the stroke at home, his family said on Friday.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Hayden headed the CIA under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

He retired as CIA director in 2009.

General Micheal Hayden was hospitalized last week after having the stroke at home

Under both Bush and former President Bill Clinton he served as director of the National Security Agency.

Hayden is a visiting professor at George Mason and a national security analyst for CNN.

Hayden 'is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful,' his family said in a statement released by the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, associated with George Mason University.

'As General Hayden begins the healing process, the family requests that their privacy be respected. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters,' the statement continued.

Hayden headed the CIA under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama

There were immediate details about the stroke's severity.

Hayden has been a vocal critic of both the Obama and Trump administrations.

In 2014 he said President Barack Obama's reliance on airstrikes to combat ISIS showed a lack of commitment.

When President Trump announced in August that he had revoked former CIA director John Brennan's security clearance, Hayden said at the time, 'with regard to the implied threat today that I could lose my clearance, that will have no impact on what I think, say or write.'

On Twitter, Gina Haspel, director of the CIA said on behalf of the CIA she wanted to wish him 'a speedy recovery.'
Artis Grogprkevs, a former employee of Fir Tree Farm, Goxhill, pictured leaving Grimsby Magistrates Court after admitting animal cruelty

Two men admitted abusing pigs after a group of activists filmed them attacking the animals using hidden cameras at a farm.

Troy Wagstaff, 30, and Artis Grogprkevs, 31, both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to protected animals at Fir Tree Farm in Goxhill.

Wagstaff and Grogprkevs admitted the charges at Grimsby Magistrates Court after the case was brought by the RSPCA following an undercover investigation by animal rights group Animal Equality.

The group placed hidden cameras inside the farm and uncovered horrific footage of abuse - which shows a pig being kicked and prodded with pitchforks as it squeals it pain.

Grogprkevs, of East Marsh Road, Goxhill, admitted abusing the pigs between April 10 and April 27 by causing unnecessary suffering through the infliction of blunt force trauma, physical violence and the inappropriate use of a pitchfork, when knowing that the act was likely to have this effect.

Wagstaff, of Chantry Lane, Grimsby, pleaded guilty to abusing the animals between April 2 and April 27 by causing unnecessary suffering through the infliction of blunt force trauma and physical violence.

He denied a second charge of abusing the animals by spraying paint up its nose.

Gavin Hardy, 39, of Greengate Lane, South Killingholme, was also due to appear in court charged with causing unnecessary suffering to animals at the farm, but did not attend.

The case was adjourned at the request of the prosecution.

Troy Wagstaff, who admitted abusing the animals between April 2 and April 27, covers his face as he leaves court

Speaking outside court, Dr Toni Shephard, Director of Animal Equality UK, said: 'We are pleased that two pig farm workers have admitted their disgusting attacks on the vulnerable animals in their care, revealed by our investigation.

'We thank the RSPCA for prosecuting this case so swiftly.'

Cameras planted in Fir Tree Farm after suspicions that pigs were being ill-treated revealed Wagstaff and Grogprkevs subjecting the terrified animals to horrific abuse.

The pigs' squeals can be heard as they try to escape from the pair around the pens.

Prior to the hearing, a number of animal rights activists protested outside the court to raise awareness about animal abuse across the country.

The distressing footage shows a pig being kicked and prodded with pitchforks as it squeals it pain

Speaking outside court, Dr Toni Shephard, Director of Animal Equality UK, said: 'We are pleased that two pig farm workers have admitted their disgusting attacks on the vulnerable animals in their care, revealed by our investigation'

Steve Witts, of Grimsby Action for Animals said: 'We are vegans and we are fighting for the rights of animals.

'When we see animals being abused we always try to demonstrate against it.

'The footage that Animal Equality gathered from Fir Trees Farm was terrible and we need to highlight what is going on in farms.'

Animal rights activist Jane said: 'Animals are in a position of vulnerability and they need our protection.

'As vegans, we believe that no animal needs to suffer abuse, they are sentient beings.

'In our society there is no need for us to be eating meat, it may be different in a third world where you have no choice in order to survive, but not here.'
A grieving father claims the University of Maryland could have done more to help his recently deceased daughter after she succumbed to an adenovirus-related illness.

Ian Paregol, father of 18-year-old Olivia Paregol who died on November 18, contends that mold contamination in her dorm room in Elkton Hall may have contributed to her untimely death.

'It didn't help the illness. I think that's a really fair statement,' Ian told CBS News. 'We don't know that there's causation, yet, but it didn't help things.'

'I mean  apparently there were two kids sick when we came forward, right? That was the 13th,' Ian Paregol said in some frustration. 'I would've liked to have had that information. And now there's three more kids sick.'

Olivia Paregol, 18, died from an adenovirus-related respiratory illness

The University Health Center disputes the idea that the contaminant is related to the outbreak.

'The cases of adenovirus-associated illness on campus have been seen both in students living on and off campus and among students in residence halls affected by mold and not,' the health center wrote in an adenovirus FAQ.

'As such, it appears that there is no consistent connection between mold exposure and the incidents of adenovirus infection affecting UMD students.'

Serious illness is uncommon among those who contract an adenovirus, according to the CDC, but those with weakened immune systems are more susceptible.

Ian Paregol, father of the deceased, wonders if mold in the dorm rooms contributed to his daughter's death and if the University of Maryland did enough to protect her

Olivia's father told CBS that she had already been dealing with Crohn's disease and a compromised immune system before the illness.

Mold contamination in Elkton Hall had also been an issue going back several months when the Baltimore Sun reported that 500 mostly freshmen students had to be relocated to hotels until the health hazard could be addressed.

'You can't sleep at night because the pillow is right next to mold and you're up all night coughing,' Jessica Thompson, a student told CBS about when she discovered the problem in August.

'We got to go home on the weekends and we would be totally fine at home, and we would come back and would be sniffling and coughing and then have headaches.'

Aside from the issue of mold, Ian Paregol told the Baltimore Sun he was especially concerned about when exactly the health center knew about the outbreak especially in light of her daughter's other illness.

Elkton Hall, where Olivia Paregol stayed, has been the center of a mold problem at the University of Maryland, once forcing students to relocate while the building was cleared

Dr. David McBride of the University of Maryland released a letter the campus community to address questions about the adenovirus outbreak

'If they would have known a week earlier, I think there would have been a different result,' Paregol said. 'This should never have happened.'

'We learned of an isolated case of a student with Adenovirus on November 1,' Dr. David McBride, director of the University Health Center, wrote in a statement to the campus community.

'Since then, there have been reports of five additional cases of students with confirmed Adenovirus associated illness. On November 19, we learned that the testing of one specimen sent to the CDC revealed Adenovirus 7, a strain that may cause more severe illness.'

Olivia Paregol apparently suffered from Crohn's disease, which her father thinks also allowed her to be more susceptible to a serious bout with an adenovirus infection

Regarding the death of Olivia Paregol specifically, he offered 'condolences during this difficult time'.

Ian Paregol says he's encouraged the University Health Center urged students over the Thanksgiving break to see their own physicians, the Baltimore Sun reported. He plans on waiting some weeks before further discussing Olivia's death with the school.

'She was a typical freshman girl, enjoying the freedom that college presented while maintaining her grades,' he said of his daughter.
A female English teacher was brutally killed by her younger lover who had been a student at the school where she taught.

Anastasia Khrolenko, 27, was taken by headmaster's son Dmitry Rybalchenko, then 19, to a bridge in the Russian Far East where he put a noose through the open window of his car and strangled her.

He also struck her over the head with a stone.

Anastasia Khrolenko, 27, was murdered by her younger lover Dmitry Rybalchenko, 19, who strangled her before hitting her with a rock and eventually running her down with his car

Dmitry Rybalchenko, pictured, is the son of Ms Khrolenko's head teacher at the school where she worked before her brutal murder

Rybalchenko then ran over the mother-of-one's body with his car to make her death appear like a road accident, alleged prosecutors.

He dropped her corpse from the bridge into the Razdolnaya River.

Her body was only found six months later by a fisherman but a court found him guilty.

Rybalchenko was this week jailed for nine years 11 months for the horrific murder of the teacher at his old school - where his father was headteacher.

Rybalchenko had been Khrolenko's student and they became close after her marriage broke down in 2016. On the day she was murdered the couple had gone out on a date

Ms Khrolenko was married to Alexander , pictured, and they had a four-year-old daughter

A friend of Ms Khrolenko, said despite the age difference, she became her former pupil's lover

Rybalchenko was jailed for nine years and 11 months following the brutal murder

The couple had become close when her marriage broke up in 2016 soon after he had left the school, believe police.

On the day she died, Anastasia had left her daughter, four, with her ex-husband Alexander Khrolenko, 28, to go on a date with Rybalchenko.

When she didn't return or answer her phone he sounded the alarm.

A massive search failed to find her but Rybalchenko was detained and confessed to murdering the teacher.

After killing his victim, Rybalchenko dumped her body into a river where it took more than six months for police to recover her remains

She taught English at the school where his father was headteacher and her killer had been a student.

'Despite the age difference, they became lovers,' said a friend.

After his arrest, he showed police how he had strangled her and revealed he had set her mobile phone on fire.

He blamed 'personal animosity' for the killing without further explaining his motive.

Investigators said that he had borrowed money from his victim to buy a motorbike, and was struggling to make repayments.

She had pleaded with him to make repayments.
The body of Anthony Winter, 32, (pictured) was found in woodland in St Mellons, Wales

Five people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a 32-year-old father was found 'violently assaulted' in Welsh woodland.

Anthony Winter, 32, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, was found near Brookfield Drive, St Mellons, in the Welsh city on Thursday at around 7.15am.

South Wales Police said five people  a 16-year-old boy, two men aged 19 and 27, a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman  have been arrested on suspicion of his murder. They are all in police custody.

His devastated family have now urged the public to come forward with information after they say he was 'violently assaulted'.

In a statement his family said they are devastated by his death, and that his two-year-old daughter, who he adored, has lost her father.

They said: 'Anthony may not have been perfect but he was our kind of perfect.

'He was violently assaulted and left to die alone. He did not deserve to die that way.

Police cordoned off the area (pictured) on Thursday and five people have since been arrested

'Whether you were getting your children ready for school, preparing for work, enjoying a cuppa or out walking your dog, you might have seen or heard something and thought nothing of it at the time.

'Anthony will never have the chance to do any of those things, so if you have any information at all, no matter how insignificant you think it is, please come forward and help the police.

Algerian national Mohammed Megherbi (pictured) has been missing for a month and Kane Burns, 26, from Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, was charged with his murder on Friday

'We need justice for his daughter so that our brother can rest in peace.'

Detective Superintendent Richard Jones said they are not looking for any other suspects, but urged those with any information to contact police.

He said: 'I would like to reassure his family and the wider public that we are committed to tracing and bringing to justice all those involved in taking this young father's life.'

It comes as Algerian national, Mohammed Megherbi, has been missing for a month  with Kane Burns, 26, from Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, charged with his murder on Friday.

A police spokeswoman said they have no reason to believe either of the suspected murders are linked.

Despite extensive inquiries, Mr Megherbi, who has strong links to north-west London, has not been found, with a police statement saying they have found 'no proof of life'.

A property in Pennsylvania, Llanedeyrn, has been forensically examined by police as part of the ongoing investigation.
The human brain still functions after death, meaning you know you are dead, new research claims.

Scientists say they have discovered that for seconds after the heart stops, brain activity still functions.

Experts say this means a patient would be fully aware of what was happening to them as their consciousness keeps working.

For a short time after death the person would be 'trapped' inside their dead body with the brain still functioning, scientists suggest.

Survivors of heart attacks were aware of what was going on around them while they were clinically 'dead' before being 'brought back to life' and could describe what was happening around them after their hearts stopped beating, the new study revealed.

Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts stand over Kiefer Sutherland in the 1990 movie Flatliners where medical students carry out 'near death' experiments

Evidence to suggest the deceased may even be able to hear themselves being pronounced dead by doctors, researchers claim.

Dr Sam Parnia and his team from the Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York, examined consciousness after death by researching cardiac arrest cases in Europe and the US.

He said the study found people often change when they have had this 'after-death' experience and become more willing to help others.

But unlike the plot in the movie Flatliners, which saw medial students carry out experiments by resuscitating themselves after stopping their hearts, the person does not come back to life with memories and visions, Dr Parina added.

In the 1990 film starring Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon as well as a 2017 remake with Ellen Page, the trainee doctors are haunted by visions from their past.

Brought back to life: Ellen Page has her own 'near death' experience in the 2017 remake of Flatliners

But Dr Parnia said when a person is resuscitated they do not return with a 'magical enhancement' of their memories.

Dr Parnia told LiveScience: 'They'll describe watching doctors and nurses working, they'll describe having awareness of full conversations, of visual things that were going on, that would otherwise not be known to them.

'It [the time a patient is declared dead] is all based on the moment when the heart stops. Technically speaking, that's how you get the time of death.'

Doctors pronounce the time of death when the heart stops and when this happens, brain function halts 'almost instantly', Dr Parnia added.

But he claims that he brain's cerebral cortex, known as the 'thinking part', also slows down and flatlines, but the brain cells can still be active hours after the heart stopped.

Unlike plot of Flatliners movie, patients are not haunted by previous memories when they are resuscitated, researchers said. Pictured Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland

Performing CPR on someone whose heart has stopped will send around 50 per cent of what blood it needs to the brain, which Dr Parnia says is enough to kick-start its functions.

He added: 'If you manage to restart the heart, which is what CPR attempts to do, you'll gradually start to get the brain functioning again.

'The longer you're doing CPR, those brain cell death pathways are still happening  they're just happening at a slightly slower rate.

'What tends to happen is that people who've had these very profound experiences may come back positively transformed.

Dr Parnia said when a person is resuscitated they do not return with a 'magical enhancement' of their memories, as Ellen Page does in Flatliners

'They become more altruistic, more engaged with helping others.

'They find a new meaning to life having had an encounter with death. But there isn't like a sudden magical enhancement of their memories. That's just Hollywood jazz.'

His study is examining what happens to the brain after a person goes into cardiac arrest and whether consciousness continues after death and for how long.

The aim of the research is to improve the quality of resuscitation and prevent brain injuries while restarting the heart.
Two storms threaten to disrupt travel for millions in the Midwest and the Northeast on the busiest flying day of the year.

In the East, a mix of rain and ice hit the mid-Atlantic on Saturday and is moving toward the Northeast. In the West, a snow storm heading off the Rockies is expected to blanket the Great Lakes.

Sunday is projected to be the busiest flying day of the year, with an estimated 3.06 million passengers trying to get home, according to an airline trade group.

First storm: East Coast

Rain storms stretching from the Great Lakes to the mid-Atlantic were moving east on Saturday, with freezing rain spotted in parts of Pennsylvania.

On Sunday, airports in Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston may be affected.

A forecast map shows the storm activity on the East Coast for Saturday

Sunday's forecast map shows the storm activity on the East Coast for Sunday

A forecast map shows the storm activity on the East Coast for Monday

The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories for the potential of light icing from northern Virginia into upstate New York and Vermont.

There were also reports of icing on trees, downed trees and power lines across portions of western North Carolina, especially Burke and McDowell counties.

Slippery road conditions are possible and road closures were in effect.

The system also created coastal flooding in the Carolinas on Saturday, with water pushing inland in Wilmington, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina

Second storm: Plains and Great Lakes

A winter storm pushing east from the Rockies on Saturday is forecast to dump snow across the northern Plains and Great Lakes.

The Weather Channel has dubbed the storm Winter Storm Bruce.

Airports in Kansas City, Des Moines and Chicago are under winter storm watches and advisories for the storm.

The map above shows snowfall totals across the Plains and Great Lakes through Monday

Saturday's forecast map shows Winter Storm Bruce over the states of the Great Plains

Sunday's forecast map shows Winter Storm Bruce over the states of the Great Lakes

'Significant winter storm expected with dangerous travel conditions,' the NWS said in a flash bulletin.

'Road conditions will deteriorate rapidly tonight in the Plains, and on Sunday in locations further to the east. People unable to complete travel prior to the onset of snow should consider delaying their travel.'

Interstate 80 passes through the area under threat, which stretches from Wyoming to Michigan.

The storm system has already dumped 8.5 inches of snow near Missoula, Montana.
An 18-year-old from India who graduated high school with self-described 'average marks' went viral with a tweet schooling President Donald Trump on the difference between weather and climate.

Trump, 72, tweeted on Wednesday about record cold temperatures striking the US on a single day, followed by a phrase implying that such an occurrence disproves global warming.

Astha Sarmah from the city of Jorhat in the state of Assam responded throwing so much shade at the US Commander in Chief, that her tweet was liked almost 15,000 times and retweeted more than 3,000 times.

Experts also weighed in, with one climate scientist calling the president 'a dangerous clown' for his remarks.

Astha Sarmah (right), an 18-year-old from India who graduated high school with self-described 'average marks' went viral with a tweet schooling President Donald Trump (left) on the difference between weather and climate

Trump's tweet, which was liked nearly 110,000 times and retweeted close to 28,000 times, read:

'Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?'

When Sarmah read that, she fired back, writing:

'I am 54 years younger than you. I just finished high school with average marks. But even I can tell you that WEATHER IS NOT CLIMATE. If you want help understanding that, I can lend you my encyclopedia from when I was in 2nd grade. It has pictures and everything.'

Trump's tweet, which was liked nearly 110,000 times and retweeted close to 28,000 times, read: 'Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?'

Sarmah fired back, writing: 'I am 54 years younger than you. I just finished high school with average marks. But even I can tell you that WEATHER IS NOT CLIMATE. If you want help understanding that, I can lend you my encyclopedia from when I was in 2nd grade. It has pictures and everything'

Sarmah was pointing out to the president that the temperature on a single day cannot be compared to global warming, which is defined by Dictionary.com as, 'an increase in the Earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect.'

Climate, itself, is defined as, 'the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.'

NASA has helped break the interplay between these concepts down on an even more basic level.

'In most places, weather can change from minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate, however, is the average of weather over time and space,' the website for the federal agency reads.

'An easy way to remember the difference is that climate is what you expect, like a very hot summer, and weather is what you get, like a hot day with pop-up thunderstorms.'

Global warming, therefore, is just one indicator of climate change, which is defined by Dictionary.com as, 'a long-term change in the Earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature.'

There are many observable changes to the Earth's climate, resulting from globally increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, as illustrated in this chart from the US Global Change Research Program's Fourth National Climate Assessment , Volume II, published in 2018

High temperature extremes and heavy precipitation events are increasing,' the summary of the report reads, supported by data displayed in the above charts

There are many other observable changes to the Earth's climate, resulting from globally increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.

Those changes have been explained by the US Global Change Research Program's Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II, which was released ahead of schedule on Friday, as follows:

'High temperature extremes and heavy precipitation events are increasing. Glaciers and snow cover are shrinking, and sea ice is retreating. Seas are warming, rising, and becoming more acidic, and marine species are moving to new locations toward cooler waters. Flooding is becoming more frequent along the US coastline. Growing seasons are lengthening, and wildfires are increasing. These and many other changes are clear signs of a warming world.'

The report is mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990 to be delivered to Congress and the president every four years.

'Growing seasons are lengthening, and wildfires are increasing,' the report summary read

'Seas are warming, rising, and becoming more acidic, and marine species are moving to new locations toward cooler waters,' the summary of the report read

Former Vice President Al Gore also lashed out at the Trump administration accusing the president of seeking to 'bury' the report on climate change by releasing it on Black Friday.

Gore has become an outspoken advocate of the need to take steps to prevent global warming. Gore became a prominent spokesman on the climate debate with the 2006 documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.'

'Unbelievably deadly and tragic wildfires rage in the west, hurricanes batter our coasts  and the Trump administration chooses the Friday after Thanksgiving to try and bury this critical US assessment of the climate crisis,' Gore said in a statement on Friday.

'The President may try to hide the truth, but his own scientists and experts have made it as stark and clear as possible.'

'Unbelievably deadly and tragic wildfires rage in the west ... and the Trump administration chooses the Friday after Thanksgiving to try and bury this critical U.S. assessment of the climate crisis,' Former Vice President Al Gore said; Gore is pictured in New York City in 2015

Gore, the former Vice President of the United States has become an outspoken advocate of the need to take steps to stop climate change

Even in light of all of this evidence, there were still some who argued against the point raised by Sarmah, who had demonstrated a solid understanding of the relationship between weather and climate.

A Twitter user whose bio listed the name Tony Baggs wrote on Thursday:

'lol is there really 2100 ppl that don't realize this chick is completely wrong? A record setting cold blast would indeed be considered CLIMATE bc your (sic) considering the weather over a great passage of time.'

Sarmah didn't point out the grammatical error in the reply from the person who confused the use of 'your' in its possessive form and 'you're' as a contraction for the words 'you' and 'are.'

But she did respond by restating the point she made quite clearly in her first tweet, which was that one day of record-setting cold temperatures does not allow for the dismissal of aggregate data that shows average temperatures are rising in the world.

There were some, however, who argued against the point raised by Sarmah, who had demonstrated a solid understanding of the relationship between weather and climate; Sarmah responded by restating the point she made quite clearly in her first tweet, which was that one day of record-setting cold temperatures does not allow for the dismissal of aggregate data that shows average temperatures are rising in the world.

'I believe what Mr. President wished to imply is that this Arctic cold blast contradicts the theory of "global" warming,' she wrote.

'I think, just because there will be an Arctic cold blast, it doesn't mean that global warming is not a thing. I may be wrong, but I'm just voicing my opinion.'

Sarmah isn't wrong about global warming existing, but she is wrong about one thing. It's not her opinion. Global warming is an observable, scientific phenomenon.

Michael Mann, a scientist at Pennsylvania State University, told HuffPost:

'This demonstrates once again that Donald Trump is not an individual to be taken seriously on any topic, let alone matters as serious as climate change. He is a clown, a dangerous clown.'
Shocking failures in airport security that could allow terrorists to plant bombs and smuggle deadly weapons on board British passenger jets have been exposed by a Mail on Sunday investigation.

An undercover reporter gained a job as a baggage handler at Stansted Airport, giving him easy access to aircraft holds and high-security areas, with no criminal record or background checks being made.

Within days of applying for the job our investigator was issued with a temporary airside security pass that allowed him to be unsupervised in the hold of several Ryanair passenger jets.

Reporter Abul Taher is pictured in the hold of Ryanair flight FR2136 from London Stansted to Rzeszow, Poland, after having loaded all the suitcases

Even though strict rules say he should have been chaperoned at all times, our reporter was left unguarded while he loaded dozens of buggies transporting luggage to planes waiting to take off with hundreds of passengers on board  if he was a terrorist he could easily have hidden an explosive device in a suitcase with devastating results.

In contrast to Stansted, and most other airports, bosses at Heathrow view the so-called insider threat posed by the airside passes so seriously that they recently tightened the rules. At the UKs biggest airport, applicants for even a temporary pass must now first show proof of a clean criminal record, have a security interview and undergo a background check into their past 12 months.

As he reveals in his chilling account below, Abul Taher was able to roam freely around areas of the airport off-limits to passengers, even though his background had not been vetted. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched an investigation into our findings.

Taher wasnt even interviewed for the 8.80-an-hour job at Stansted  which is the UKs designated anti-hijacking centre, to where any hijacked aircraft is diverted.

Ten days after beginning working full- time at Stansted, Taher called the firm to check the progress of the criminal record check on him, to be told: We havent even started that yet.

The Mail on Sunday launched its investigation after being tipped off by an industry whistle-blower claiming that staff shortages at Britains major airports were, in some cases, leading to glaring security failings.

He said baggage handlers and other staff at airports other than Stansted, including Gatwick and Manchester, are being issued with temporary security passes without proper background checks being made  putting the public at grave risk.

There was no interview, my references were entirely fake and no one had checked my criminal record, yet there I was crouching inside the hold of a Ryanair passenger jet in the high-security zone of an airport.

The journalist was given unsupervised in the hold of several Ryanair passenger jets within days of applying for the job - without ever having a background check or an interview

If I had been a terrorist, intent on bringing down a plane, the airside security pass I was issued with  without any checks on my background  would have been a licence to kill on a catastrophic scale.

It would have been simple to plant a Lockerbie-style device inside the small mountain of luggage in the hold of flight FR2136 bound for Rzeszow, Poland, as it sat minutes from take-off at Stansted, packed with more than 100 passengers.

The alarming ease with which I was able to get a job in such a sensitive security area without proper vetting was all the more shocking because of the lack of supervision I was subject to once inside the airport. Strict Department for Transport rules, enforced by the CAA, state workers with a temporary 60-day pass like mine should always be supervised. But I was left alone several times  the perfect opportunity for a terrorist to strike in a secure area.

I was told I was late for my interview but instead of turning me away, they just skipped it and gave me the job anyway

I clambered into the holds of Ryanair flights bound for destinations all over the world, just a few feet from highly vulnerable parts of the aircraft, such as the fuel tanks and undercarriage, which minutes later would be passing over heavily populated areas of Essex and London. Three weeks earlier, when I applied for a job as a baggage handler at Stansted, which handles 20million passengers a year, I was assured I would be thoroughly vetted. The online advert posted by a recruitment firm stated there would be a criminal record check and a rigorous examination of five years of references  adding that explanations must be supplied for any gaps of a month or more in my employment history.

Applying under my real name, I created bogus websites for my past employers and used colleagues as fake referees.

But I neednt have bothered  no one checked anyway, apart from a solitary unanswered email a fortnight after I started to one of my referees.

The first signs of a slapdash approach became apparent when I arrived at the shabby first-floor office of 3B recruitment in Witham, Essex. I had been told I would be interviewed and have to fill out forms. I was assured a criminal records check by the Home Office-run Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) would be completed, and the references checked during two weeks of training.

But when I arrived, a woman member of staff told me I had arrived too late for the interview, and the office was closing for the day. Instead of turning me away, though, she took my passport and driving licence and her colleague handed me a stack of forms to complete and bring along to the start of training the following week. It suddenly dawned on me that I had already been given the job, without so much as an interview or any background check. But as the woman rifled through my passport, photocopying its pages, I was certain my cover would be blown.

Abul created bogus websites for his past employers and used colleagues as fake referees before being given access to planes filled with hundreds of passengers (file image)

On one page, I had a visa for Pakistan which stated in capital letters that I was a JOURNALIST. She photocopied it without apparently reading it. There were also at least ten stamps showing I visited Istanbul between 2014 and 2016, when Islamic State was at its height, and Turkey, the favourite staging post for British jihadis crossing the porous border to train as terrorists.

Nevertheless, just two working days later I found myself inside Stansteds Enterprise House  which also houses the airports police station  training as a baggage handler for global ground-handling firm Swissport, which has contracts with Ryanair, Emirates and other airlines. Crucially, I was issued with a temporary airside pass, allowing access to areas which are off-limits to ordinary travellers.

To confirm my identity I was asked to produce my driving licence and passport. Even when I said I had forgotten my passport, this didnt seem to matter and I was still issued with the white temporary pass.

My two weeks of training with 19 other trainees was a guided tour of the airports most sensitive areas  valuable intelligence for a would-be bomber. The recruits were told we must at all times be escorted by a staff member with a permanent blue pass, but I was regularly left unsupervised.

Unlike Stansted (pictured), and most other airports, bosses at Heathrow require show proof of a clean criminal record, a security interview and a background check into their past 12 months

We spent much of our time in the Undercroft, the massive baggage area of Stansteds main terminal, an underground chamber with no natural light, nicknamed the Belly of the Beast. We even clambered into the gigantic hold of an Emirates Boeing 777.

At the start of each shift, along with other workers, I had to pass through a metal detector and my belongings would be X-rayed. But aviation security expert Julian Bray explained these measures would not be enough to stop a determined terrorist cell  making the criminal records and references even more vital for anyone entering a secure area.

This is a serious breach. A criminal records check is very important, because it points to character, he said. This could be a group of people and its quite possible they could bring in the components of a bomb or a weapon piece by piece.

One has a lump of explosive, another the detonator, somebody else turns up with a battery, and another brings the triggering device, which could be a mobile phone. Then you pop into the toilet and you put it all together.

In only my second week in the Undercroft the rule that I should be escorted was broken when a supervisor took most of our trainees off for a cigarette break.

For 20 minutes, one other non-smoker and I were left free to wander and I was able to discreetly photograph luggage chutes and conveyor belts.

I could have secreted an explosive device inside a bag, hundreds of which were either falling down chutes or piled on dollies (trucks), waiting to be loaded on planes.

That lunchtime, I called agency 3B and asked one of the recruiters if they had received my DBS report as it was now ten days since I joined. Her answer stunned me: We thought wed wait until you finish your training before we apply. So well do it next week now.

Other workers said they, too, were still waiting for criminal records checks. One, who had been there several months, said he described his previous job as self-employed on his CV  then was amazed to be called by the agency asking him to provide a reference for himself.

One day, the eight people in my team were shown to a luggage chute by a supervisor and promptly abandoned. Team leaders with permanent passes, supposedly monitoring us, also soon disappeared.

So we were left alone for up to an hour, free to go where we pleased.

It is believed a Russian airliner blown from the sky in Egypt in 2015, killing all 224 on board, was brought down by an aircraft worker.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched an investigation on the back of the Mail On Sunday's findings (file image)

One Saturday I was left alone again, this time loading bags on to dollies that would take them to Ryanair flights. I saw no CCTV cameras and I had all the freedom to place a bomb in the hundreds of bags that fell down the chutes that morning.

On another day, while I loaded and unloaded planes, my team leader was out of sight on the ground, leaving me alone in the holds, stacking bags. For a terrorist it would have been the perfect moment to place a bomb inside a bag, or hidden within the mound of suitcases.

Last night, a Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said: We are aware of this allegation and the CAA will investigate whether there has been non-compliance with security regulations.

A spokesman for Stansted said: The issuing of all airside passes and implementation of security processes at Stansted is done in strict accordance with DfT regulations. All members of staff working in an airside location are subject to the full range of security checks.

A Swissport spokesman claimed I was appropriately supervised at all times. He said: A temporary pass holder must pass a full airport security check and remain in the line of sight of fully vetted staff at all times. This team member [Taher] passed all necessary security. During his shifts he was appropriately supervised at all times and was not able to access any secure areas unaccompanied.

A Ryanair spokesman said: All handling at Stansted is operated by Swissport. As recently announced, we will move to OmniServ as a new handler from February 2019.

A 3B Recruitment spokesman said: We carry out thorough security checks on all candidates in accordance with the requirements of Swissport.
Mother of two Sonia Bagga, 39, went into anaphylactic shock after eating an in-flight snack

British Airways has been plunged into a second allergy storm after a mother-of-two came within seconds of death after eating an in-flight snack.

Sonia Bagga, 39, went into anaphylactic shock and stopped breathing after just two bites of a chicken wrap that she didn't know contained sesame seeds.

Now Mrs Bagga is taking legal action, saying that the airline behaved negligently as the labelling on the wrap did not list the ingredients.

Mrs Bagga said: 'I thought I was going to die in front of my husband and two children.

'I couldn't breathe. It was like someone had tied a rope around my neck and was pulling it tighter. It was the most frightening experience of my life.'

She stopped breathing after just two bites of a chicken wrap that she didn't know contained sesame seeds. She was saved by the swift action of a young female doctor on board

She was saved by the swift action of a young female doctor on board who saw Mrs Bagga had stopped breathing.

She found Mrs Bagga's emergency EpiPen containing adrenaline in her handbag and injected her.

Mrs Bagga went to hospital for checks after the jet landed.

The terrifying episode took place in September, two weeks before an inquest heard how 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse collapsed on a BA flight and died of cardiac arrest following a severe allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette which had sesame seeds in it.

Like Natasha, Mrs Bagga's allergy began when she was a toddler. 'In 39 years I'd been on top of it,' she said.

Her flight home to Heathrow came after a 7,500 week-long holiday in Dubai with her husband Raj, 44, and their sons aged 14 and ten.

Before boarding, Mrs Bagga says she told check-in staff about her allergy. 'I said, 'Just to let you know, I'm allergic to sesame seeds.'

'They seemed to note it and I felt confident.'

The incident occurred just two weeks before the inquest of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse 15, died after she fell ill on a British Airways flight after eating a sandwich at Heathrow Airport two years ago

She had already eaten the main on-board meal and was feeling fine when, an hour before landing, she was offered the wrap.

'It had no label apart from saying chicken shawarma. I didn't ask staff what was in it as I thought that if it was something serious like nuts or sesame seeds, a label would say or staff would tell us.'

She pulled it apart and saw no sign of seeds but after the second bite something didn't seem right.

'My throat was feeling tighter and tighter and the tingling was coming on quicker,' she said.

'I found a stewardess and told her I was having a reaction and was finding it hard to breathe. I was begging for antihistamine.

'Then suddenly I felt my legs go to jelly and I just fell to the floor holding my throat, wheezing and gasping.

'I was panicking and thinking I didn't want to die. I was lucky there was a doctor on board.

'I've been told that had the injections not been given at the right time, I could have been brain-damaged or even died.'

She added: 'I can't understand why BA can't label their food. They have a duty of care.

'The wrap came in a plain package with no warnings about a potential allergic reaction or details of ingredients. That usually means they are plain and safe for people with allergies.'

A British Airways spokesman said: 'We were first informed of our customer's allergy when our cabin crew were notified that she had suffered a reaction from her meal.

'They immediately sought medical support on board, medication was administered and they arranged for paramedics to meet the aircraft.

'We urge anyone who suffers from a severe allergy to contact our passenger medical clearance unit before flying.'
A German Shepard is being hailed a hero after she woke her owner up in the middle of the night after smelling gas.

The Delaware News Journal reports that five-year-old Greta started barking in the early hours of November 13 and wouldn't stop.

Owner Ken Walsh, who's from the Long Neck area of Delaware, said he was confused why Greta, usually the quietest of the family's five dogs, wouldn't settle down and so got out of bed to investigate.

5-year-old Greta started barking in the early hours of November 13 after smelling propane gas and wouldn't stop.

Greta led Walsh to the family kitchen where he smelt propane gas leaking from the stove into the air.

It had filled several rooms putting Walsh, his wife and their 14-year-old son at risk.

A high concentration of propane gas can displace oxygen in the air causing suffocation.

Greta, a rescue dog, was taken in by the Walsh family after having behavioral issues.

Greta, who's a German Shepherd, was rescued by the Walsh family from Delaware after having behavioral problems

Greta was rewarded for her heroism with a meal of steak and sweet potatoes

'I rescued Greta knowing she was a great dog under her patchy past,' Walsh told The Delaware News Journal. 'She has come a long way. She's a hero.'

Walsh believes it was one of the family's other four dogs that accidentally turned the propane on while attempting to jump on the kitchen counter.

And Greta's reward for her bravery? Walsh cooked up her a slap up meal of steak and sweet potatoes.
They were the closest of brothers, with the loss of their mother only solidifying the fraternal bond between Prince William and Prince Harry as they grew up.

But, now, as married men with responsibilities, cracks appear to be showing in their relationship  and it could be their wives who are pulling them apart.

It emerged yesterday that Harry and his wife Meghan are to move out of Kensington Palace next month to set up home at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate.

News of the move comes after reports that the princes, who both have homes at the Palace, may be ready to set up separate courts.

The developments could reignite speculation of a rift between the Royal siblings  but a close friend of the Cambridges last night suggested any unease was between their wives.

Sisters-in-law: Kate and Meghan pictured on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping of the Colour in June

They were the closest of young brothers, with the loss of their mother only solidifying the fraternal bond as Prince William and Prince Harry grew up together

'Kate and Meghan are very different people,' the source said, adding: 'They don't really get on.'

Harry and mother-to-be Meghan have been given Frogmore Cottage by the Queen, and it will become their official residence.

She's not the first inhabitant to shake up Royals! To be transformed: Frogmore Cottage It was once home to Mohammed Abdul Karim, the controversial Indian attendant who caused friction at court during his 14 years' service for Queen Victoria. Now Frogmore Cottage will become home to Meghan Markle another foreigner shaking up the Royal household. The Grade II listed building, nestling in the picturesque grounds of the Windsor Estate, is on the site of Frogmore House, a 17th Century manor and a Royal residence since 1792. Currently divided into five units for Royal staff but uninhabited, it will be transformed for Harry and Meghan into a ten-bedroom family home with modern amenities. Victoria loved Frogmore's peaceful environment and it is said to have been her favourite retreat when she became a widow. She installed Karim there and gave him the title 'Munshi' or teacher, much to the chagrin of other members of her household who felt superior to him. The Mausoleum  where Victoria is buried with Prince Albert  is at Frogmore, as is the Royal Burial Ground, where Harry's great-great uncle, the abdicated King Edward VIII, is buried with his wife Wallis Simpson. Wallis preceded Meghan as the first American divorcee to marry into the Royal Family. Last year, the Queen described Frogmore as holding 'a special place in her family's affection'. Advertisement

On the face of it, there are good logistical reasons for the move.

Frogmore has ten bedrooms compared to just two at Nottingham Cottage, the Kensington Palace property where they currently reside.

It would also allow Meghan's mother Doria, who has just moved to the UK, to join them, and there would be room for a live-in nanny.

Grade II listed Frogmore is said to be undergoing a multi-million pound refit, paid for by the taxpayer, in preparation for the birth, which is expected next spring.

Palace sources said there was 'nothing available as an official residence in London'. One said: 'They are expecting a baby early next year and obviously need a bit more space. It is not like this has just come up.'

The couple chose Windsor because 'it means a huge amount to them  it is where they got married.'

Rumours of tensions between the Sussexes and Cambridges have been bubbling away for months.

In contrast to Meghan and Harry's cottage at Kensington Palace, Kate and William have a 22-room home recently refurbished at a cost of 4.5 million.

The Sussexes wanted to move into a Palace apartment currently used by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

But sources claimed the apartment 'needs to undergo considerable lengthy refurbishments' meaning that no one else could move in 'for the foreseeable future'.

In fact, they said, the Gloucesters were happy to downsize into a smaller property.

The pair will move to the Old Stables in a different part of the palace grounds in the new year.

Meghan has shaken up the Royal Family and earned a reputation among courtiers for a direct approach.

Earlier this month, there were even claims that the Queen had felt compelled to speak to Prince Harry about Meghan's attitude in the run-up to their wedding, following a disagreement over which tiara she would wear.

Earlier this year, it emerged that Harry and William were considering a formal division of their joint household at Kensington Palace.

It was reported that separate courts would 'better reflect their very different duties and needs' following Harry's marriage to Meghan.

In the past, Harry has said he expects the world's interest in him to fade as the Cambridges' children grow older. William, meanwhile, is set to see his workload increase as he prepares to one day become King.

Kensington Palace declined to comment last night.

Frogmore House (pictured) has ten bedrooms compared to just two at Nottingham Cottage, the Kensington Palace property where Harry and Meghan currently reside
Princess Beatrice's romance with her new boyfriend started at the wedding of her sister Eugenie, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

We can also disclose for the first time that multi-millionaire Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had been engaged for three-and-a-half years to his Chinese-American fiancee, and the couple continued to live together for weeks after he began a relationship with the Queen's granddaughter at the October 12 nuptials.

The news that the 35-year-old, known as Edo, was engaged and living with Dara Huang as he romanced Beatrice, 30, was revealed by a close friend of Edo's last night.

The friend said: 'Edo and Dara were engaged for three-and-a-half years. He met Beatrice years ago when they were children, but he met her again at the wedding of Eugenie. Even after the romance began he continued to live at the family home with Dara and their child.'

Multi-millionaire Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had been engaged for three-and-a-half years to his Chinese-American fiancee Dara Huang, pictured at her flat in Bayswater, London

Dara, 37, who has a two-year-old son Christopher 'Woolfie' Woolf with Edo, has refused to comment on her fiance's betrayal with Beatrice. The Princess is said to have proudly introduced him as 'my boyfriend' to her parents Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York.

Reports last week claimed that Edo and his fiancee split six months ago. 'That is simply not true,' the friend added.

Dara, a highly successful architect, only moved out of the family home in London at the end of last month. Reports claimed that she had been forced to sleep on friends' sofas  something the friend dismissed as 'totally false'.

The friend added: 'There have been many reports about Dara and Edoardo's relationship but they are wrong. Dara has not commented on anything and is refusing to speak to the press. She doesn't want to say anything publicly at this stage. Her only concern is for the welfare of their son.'

Asked if Edo had cheated on his fiancee, the friend said: 'The timing pretty much says it all.'

Dara, who has founded three companies and has 30 employees, spent last week's Thanksgiving in America with her son, her mother Lily, 69, and father Po-Tein, 80.

While Princess Beatrice is undoubtedly a catch  she and Edo's aristocratic family have moved in the same circles for years  Dara is equally impressive, albeit from far humbler roots. Her mother was born in China, while her father left Taiwan for the US and worked as a scientist for Nasa. Dara and her younger sister Erin were both born in the US.

She attended Harvard alongside Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, graduating with first-class Bachelors and Masters degrees in architecture.

She worked for British architect Lord Foster in London, helping to design the award-winning Tate Modern extension, before starting her own company Design Haus Liberty in 2013. It now has offices in London and Hong Kong.

Princess Beatrice waves from the steps of St George's Chapel with her mother Sarah Ferguson, during the wedding of her sister Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in Windsor last month

Dara  considered one of the most innovative architects of her generation  travels the globe speaking at prestigious events such as the Art Basel exhibition.

She has spoken about her hard-earned success, saying: 'I'm an immigrant, I'm a minority, I'm a businesswoman and a mother. I'm an entrepreneur and I'm self-made.'

She and Edo are believed to have met through mutual friends in London at around the start of 2015. She did not attend Princess Eugenie's wedding last month to Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle.

Dara's mother Lily claimed her daughter initially left their young son in Edo's London flat along with the family nanny.

She added that Dara 'now comes back early from her work and goes to see Wolfie so she can give him a bath before he goes to bed at seven or eight. It's a terrible situation.

Survivor Dara cheated death in Mumbai attack Friends of Dara Huang insist she is a survivor. Indeed she literally is: she survived a hail of bullets in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, something she dramatically recounted on her Facebook page, describing how she was caught in the crossfire while visiting the exclusive Taj Mahal Palace hotel. In a haunting post, she wrote: 'After finishing a tall glass of watermelon juice there was a huge boom that hit an aquarium in the back of the room. 'Everyone turned around and simply thought 'What was that?' but not expecting anything serious. The next thing I knew consecutive shots rang non-stop across the room. 'John [a friend] threw me to the floor screaming, 'GET DOWN!' My purse was on the seat next to me, but I didn't even think for a second about it. 'I was bent over trying to run out. John pushed me to the floor. I believed he saved my life. I still don't understand how I made it out when I later read there were two gunmen walking in with large guns. 'There was glass in my hands [and] the skin on my knees was rubbed off from hitting the floor  yet I couldn't feel the pain. My heart and adrenaline were so high. I was just thinking, 'This IS NOT really happening to me.' 'As I picked myself up off the glass shards on the floor, I bolted down the road, my left hand dripping in blood. My shoes fell off, but I didn't care, I just kept running.' Advertisement

'I love Edo. I love his family. Why has this happened? This has broken me to bits.

'Before this, my daughter was happy. But I am a Christian. I told my daughter: 'You have to bless people, you bless them, don't be mad. Wish them good luck.'

Edo's friend said that Dara is looking for a new home to lease in one of London's most upmarket areas while trying to maintain a civil relationship with her former fiance for the sake of their son.

The friend added: 'Dara is a strong and remarkable woman. She'll never talk about this but she is determined to remain friends with Edo for the sake of their son.' Last night, friends of Beatrice insisted that she would never break up a family.

A palace aide, who has known the princess all her life, said: 'She would never allow herself to break into another couple's happiness, especially if there was a small child involved.'

It is understood that Beatrice and Edo kept their relationship quiet until both were confident to 'come out' as a couple.

Yet her love life has been chequered to say the least.

In 2006 she became involved with her first serious boyfriend, Paolo Liuzzo, who caused scandalous headlines when it was revealed he faced assault and battery charges stemming from his involvement in the 2002 death of a man.

Liuzzo left her devastated when he 'told all' about their relationship when it ended a year later.

His embarrassing revelations included claims that the Duchess of York, Beatrice's mother, carried out a mock 'knighting' ceremony, mimicking the Queen as she tapped him on each shoulder and said: 'I name you Sir Fixit!' The Princess then spent ten years with Dave Clark, a long-time employee of Richard Branson, who is now an Uber executive. The pair abruptly split in 2016 after she allegedly demanded that he make a commitment to marry her  and he apparently refused.

Clark moved on quickly, falling for New York advertising executive Lynn Anderson, whom he wed four months ago.

Most recently Beatrice has been linked with Wilfred Frost, son of the late presenter Sir David Frost.

Edo  the son of Count Alex Mapelli-Mozzi, who skied for Britain at the 1972 Olympics and socialite Nikki Shale  has been a fixture on the royal scene for years.

Dara Huang, left, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, right, continued to live together for weeks after he began his romance with the Queen's granddaughter at the October 12 nuptials

Edo and his sister Natalia, 32, were just toddlers when their parents divorced and their mother married Christopher Shale, a close friend and constituency manager of former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Shale died aged just 56 after collapsing at the Glastonbury music festival in 2011. His family were forced to deny widespread gossip that drugs were involved after he was found slumped in a toilet.

An inquest later found he died of a heart attack brought on by an 'undiagnosed' heart defect.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson together with Beatrice and Eugenie attended Shale's memorial service in Oxfordshire.

Dara and Edo  who was educated at Radley School followed by Edinburgh University  are believed to have met in London through mutual friends in the beginning of 2015.

The pair's social media accounts reflect a glamorous life of international travel until their son was born in 2016. While confidantes describe Dara as 'the perfect fiancee and mother', her ex was involved in one headline-making scandal in 2014 when he allegedly became embroiled in an altercation at the wedding of Prince Harry's friend Charlie Gilkes.

Beatrice and Eugenie were among guests at the wedding, which resulted in Edo suffering 'facial lacerations'.

Edo is pictured with his and Dara's two-year-old son Woolfie. The Princess is said to have proudly introduced him as 'my boyfriend' to her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York

Alex Jevons, the boyfriend of newsreader Kirstie Allsopp's youngest sister Natasha, was pictured with a black eye.

Natasha posted the picture and captioned it: 'My man Alex Jevons, ya should see the other guy Edo Mapelli Mozzi. Sign of the best wedding ever. Now Jev has a lasting memory.'

Edo later said: 'I think it was a dance move, or he fell over.'

The millionaire runs a property consultancy firm Banda, which specialises in locating and developing homes for a super wealthy clientele. Banda means 'big shed' in Swahili, the main language in Kenya, where his family have a coastal estate on Lamu.

He appears to have given up his party lifestyle, with a close friend saying: 'For the past decade Edo's worked non-stop to build up and make a success of his business.'

At her parent's home last night Dara declined to comment.

One person, at least, is said to be delighted by Edo and Beatrice's relationship. Fergie is reported to be 'thrilled' her daughter is going out with a young man she has known all her life. 'How sweet it is that two families who have known each other for so many years can think that something permanent can come of this,' a friend is reported to have said.

But whatever happens, the revelation Edo was engaged for so long to the mother of his son and betrayed her will not easily go away.
The t-shirt read: Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?

Mrs Montague, above, kept her son at home on the day of the event. Parents were invited to join their children for a celebration of the rainbow things that make them and their families special

When devout Christian Izzy Montague made an appointment at her sons primary school to discuss its gay pride march, she expected her concerns to be heard with respect.

So she was stunned to be confronted by a member of staff wearing a T-shirt with the slogan: Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?

The meeting went ahead, but Mrs Montague became so angry at her treatment that she later wrote a letter of complaint to the school, moved her five-year-old son out  and is now threatening legal action claiming victimisation.

She said last night: Given the nature of my complaints it was obviously a deliberate act to wear the T-shirt. I believe it was intended to belittle my views and intimidate me into silence.

The school, Heavers Farm Primary in South-East London, denies her claims, saying the choice of T-shirt worn at the meeting by Attie Copeman-Papas, the schools deputy safeguarding manager, was entirely coincidental and no offence was intended.

Mrs Montague was stunned to be confronted by a member of staff wearing a t-shirt with the slogan: Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet? [File photo]

The dispute began in June when the school organised a Proud to be Me parade for its 750 pupils to coincide with gay pride month.

Parents were invited to join their children for a celebration of the rainbow things that make them and their families special.

Mrs Montague declined and asked that her son be excused as the event promoted gay lifestyles that conflicted with her Christian beliefs.

She says her request was refused. Mrs Montague said: I thought this was completely unreasonable.

Schools are supposed to be tolerant of different faiths as well as different sexualities. Within our faith we teach that a man and a woman together is what makes a family, but in my eyes the school were promoting a different type of lifestyle to the pupils.

Our children were being indoctrinated with values that they do not need to taught at such a young age.

Mrs Montague kept her son at home on the day of the event.

No sanctions were taken by the school, but Mrs Montague became increasingly angry by what she saw at a lack of effort being made to ensure parents felt at ease with teachings about gay issues.

The school, Heavers Farm Primary in South-East London, denies her claims, saying the choice of t-shirt worn at the meeting by Attie Copeman-Papas, the schools deputy safeguarding manager, was entirely coincidental and no offence was intended

She said: One parent told me about a book that the teachers were reading to the children about two male penguins who fall in love and no one consulted us about this, she said.

Mrs Montague requested a meeting with the schools headteacher, Susan Papas, in September. It was at this meeting, which was also attended by the deputy head, that Ms Copeman-Papas, who is the head teachers daughter, wore her controversial T-shirt.

In her letter complaining about the shirt, Mrs Montague wrote: It was highly unprofessional and surely does not adhere to the school policy dress code for staff.

She has also lodged an official complaint against Ms Copeman-Papas for failing to respect her religious beliefs.

Devout Christian Izzy Montague made an appointment at her sons primary school to discuss its gay pride march. The dispute began in June when the school organised a Proud to be Me parade for its 750 pupils to coincide with gay pride month [File photo]

In addition, she and other Christian parents are discussing a possible judicial review with Christian Concern, a group that campaigns for a more conservative Christian voice in law.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: A particular agenda is being forced on to children inside school gates and parents are being given no means to ensure that they are being taught in line with their religious and philosophical beliefs.

Another mother at the school, who asked not to be named, said there was no mention of the word gay during the parade and pupils were simply encouraged to celebrate their differences.

Mrs Montague has placed her son in a Catholic Church school.

Ms Papas said she was unable to comment on Mrs Montagues case due to the threat of legal action, but said the message on her daughters T-shirt was not in breach of the schools code of conduct.
A brutal cold snap off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts has led to a staggering number of sea turtles freezing to death in New England waters this year.

Approximately 190 turtles died as a 'once in a lifetime weather system' of powerful winds, freezing temperatures and a high tide worked to incapacitate the sea creatures in the past few days, the Massachusetts Audubon Society told NBC News.

The record-breaking blast of arctic air in the New England region brought single-digit temperatures overnight on Thursday in the Cape Cod area.

The Massachusetts Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary have been rescuing as many of the sea turtles incapacitated by the cold weather this week as possible

A turtle rescued off Martha's Vineyard on November 19

The Thanksgiving water temperatures were in the upper 40 degree range, Jenette Kerr of the Massachusetts Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary said to the Boston Globe.

Sea turtles become stunned and unable to navigate there way through the water once temperatures drop below 50 degrees.

'It was like they were flash-frozen, flippers in all weird positions like they were swimming,' said Robert Prescott, director of Massachusetts Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, said to the Cape Cod Times.

Of the 82 turtles found on Thanksgiving, only one survived. Most of them were juvenile Kemp's ridley, the most endangered, and smallest, species of tropical sea turtles, with some green and loggerhead turtles as well.

Climate change may be the culprit in the sheer number of sea turtles trapped by the rapid shift in weather.

A Kemp's ridley turtle under a pile of seaweed is rescued after over a dozen sea turtles were cold-stunned earlier this month

A nearly 300 pound loggerhead rescued from Great Island on November 21

'Sea turtles are moving further north along our coast, or south to the southern hemisphere, as waters are warming and they are expanding their ranges,' Wallace J. Nichols of the California Academy of Sciences, told NBC. 'So when we get these quick swings from warm to cooler, the turtles that haven't made it south definitely get into trouble.'

Robert Prescott would agree, telling the Cape Cod Times that warming trends in the Gulf of Maine are likely keeping sea turtles around longer, and with 500 turtles already rescued this year, already beyond the average, he expects 1,000 to need help by Christmas time.
American actress Angelina Jolie has spoken out against sexual violence in global war zones during a Government film event in London.

Held at the British Film Institute, 38 movies and documentaries are being shown as part of a festival enabling survivors to tell their stories.

The United Nations envoy spoke at the event, which aims to tackle rape and sexual violence in conflict zones.

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie spoke at an event at the British Film Institute about Fighting Stigma through Film about Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict

The Hollywood star, pictured, attended the event to help young film makers from warzones to learn the skills to effectively tell their stories as well as develop their networks

The United Nations envoy spoke at the event, which aims to tackle rape and sexual violence in conflict zones

Jolie welcomed the work of the festival, which was attended Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

She said: 'I want to thank the British Government for hosting this festival and for recognising the power of storytelling as a tool to enhance empathy and understanding.

'I welcome what it says, that the Foreign Office is supporting art and artists, putting the issue of sexual violence in conflict forward as an urgent international issue, allowing the voices of that set the agenda to be those of the survivors themselves.'

Angelina Jolie has spoken about sexual violence in her role as UN envoy. (Yui Mok/PA)

Art highlighting the horrors of sexual violence in conflicts across the world was displayed in addition to the screenings.

The event included the unveiling of a code to set the standard for evidence-gathering for investigating sexual violence in war zones and was backed by Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, who is the UK Government's special representative on such violence.



Jolie welcomed the work of the festival, which was attended Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt

Hunt tweeted about the event, writing: 'With @Refugees envoy Angelina Jolie at #PSVI film festival to discuss new Murad Code, named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate @NadiaMuradBasee.

'Code will set standard for gathering evidence of sexual violence in conflicts. There must be justice for survivors!'

The code is named after Nadia Murad, a Yazidi human rights activist who was kidnapped at the hands of Islamic State.
Criminals are capitalising on Black Friday by offering online deals of their own, with thousands of sets of stolen credit card details available at discounted prices.

Recent analysis of the dark web  a network of hidden websites and untraceable online activity  found more than 1,400 posts on underground marketplaces that mentioned Black Friday and the similar sales event that takes place tomorrow, Cyber Monday.

Cybercrime experts at GCHQ warned shoppers they were prime pickings for fraudsters.

Recent analysis of the dark web  a network of hidden websites and untraceable online activity  found more than 1,400 posts on underground marketplaces that mentioned Black Friday [File photo]

Research by internet security firm RepKnight found one crook offering card details on the dark web at a 25 per cent discount. Thousands of stolen sets of details were available for just a few hundred pounds.

Another fraudster was offering to transfer money obtained by using stolen credit cards to PayPal accounts for a special price of 4.

One crook called nabil999 even wrote a guide explaining how to take advantage of shoppers during the busy weekend of online shopping by luring them to websites that would then plunder their bank accounts.

Criminals are capitalising on Black Friday by offering online deals of their own, with thousands of sets of stolen credit card details available at discounted prices [File photo]

Patrick Martin, cybersecurity analyst at RepKnight, said hackers were taking advantage of the extra cover provided by the huge volumes of web traffic over the busy sales weekend.

He added: Retailers need to take precautions in order to minimise the risk of their corporate and customer data ending up for sale on the dark web as part of an unwanted Black Friday deal.

'Vigilance is very much the watchword.
Students at Somerville College say the British flag is a 'symbol of colonialism'

Students at an Oxford college has voted against flying the Union Flag on the Queen's birthday because it is a 'symbol of colonialism'.

The decision was made by 21 votes to six at a meeting of the Junior Common Room of Somerville College  whose alumni include Margaret Thatcher  last Sunday.

The motion that was rejected also called for the flag to be flown on Remembrance Sunday and on the birthdays of other senior Royals, and for the Home Nation flags to flown on patron saints' days.

An Oxford college has voted against flying the Union Flag on the Queen's birthday because it is a 'symbol of colonialism'

According to the JCR minutes, one objector said: 'The Union Jack is not a unifying flag as many soldiers were forced to go into the war and it is also a symbol of colonialism.'

A second added that 'St George's flag has been taken to be a symbol of the far-Right' and that it was also associated 'with violence against non-white people'.

Concern was also raised over the risk of students from Northern Ireland being offended.

The decision was made by 21 votes to six at a meeting of the Junior Common Room of Somerville College, above, last Sunday. The college alumni includes Margaret Thatcher

A Somerville student told The Mail on Sunday: 'It seems a shame that JCR members have spurned the opportunity to display their respect and gratitude for those who laid down their lives in defence of the freedoms we now enjoy and to join the nation in celebrating the Queen's birthday  both simple gestures which I would have thought people from all backgrounds could unite around, though sadly this is not the case.'

One objector added that 'St George's flag has been taken to be a symbol of the far-Right' and that it was also associated 'with violence against non-white people'

Motions at the same meeting to introduce a 'meat-free' day and provide funding for Chinese New Year celebrations passed easily.

The Somerville JCR Committee did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokesman for Somerville College said: 'While we will take the JCR's vote into account, this is a decision for the College and the wider college community, not just the JCR, which represents undergraduates.

'We fly the Union Flag at Somerville four times a year, on the Queen's accession day, her birthday, her official birthday and St George's Day. It is also flown when royalty visits the College. We will continue to do so.'
A woman who is engaged to a 91-year-old chandelier has had her arm tattooed with a picture of the partner of her dreams.

Amanda Liberty, 34, from Leeds, had her tattoo designed by star of Tattoo Fixers, Alice Perrin on the hit television show.

Identifying as objectum sexual Ms Liberty is currently engaged to the chandelier called Lumiere and said it was love at first sight after spotting the light on eBay.

The chandelier was originally born in Germany ninety-one years ago and is 28inches wide.

Amanda Liberty, 34, from Leeds, has had a picture of her fiancee, a chandelier called Lumiere, tattooed on her arm

Ms Liberty is in an open relationship with her chandelier collection, revealing that she is engaged to one named Lumiere (not pictured)

The tattoo took one and a half hours to complete and Ms Liberty said she felt 'nervous about the needle' before getting inked, reports the Mirror.

However Ms Liberty was pleased with the end result and said: 'Lumiere also thought it was brilliant, she gave me the energy telling me it was great.

'She tells me when she doesn't like things but she really likes the tattoo.'

Ms Liberty first fell in love with a drum kit at the age of fourteen and has since gone on to love the iconic Statue of Liberty, even changing her surname by deed poll to Liberty.

Amanda says that after seeing Lumiere (pictured) online it was love at first sight and she proposed to the light fitting on Valentine's Day

While she may be set to marry Lumiere Amanda goes to bed with another chandelier, Jewel, as she is portable

Amanda said: 'As soon as I saw Lumiere on eBay, I knew immediately that she was the one for me and it was love at first sight.

'She was based in Germany and although I knew it would be tricky to get her home, I knew I needed to find a way to make her mine.

'I couldn't stop thinking about her and how beautiful she was - she has such a beautiful shape, and I could feel really amazing energy coming from her.

'After buying the chandelier, I patiently waited for her to be imported into the UK and after six days of waiting, she was finally in my arms.

'She had been disassembled for her own safety, but once I put all her pieces together and she settled in to her new home, our relationship just went from strength to strength.

Amanda, who identifies as Objectum Sexual, says that her chandeliers are not jealous of one another

'A friend of mine actually named her Lumiere because of the film Beauty and The Beast, after the candlestick who comes alive.

'Last Valentine's Day I proposed to her, to signify our long lasting love.

'I hope at some point we will have a commitment ceremony - I haven't been engaged before so it's very new and exciting!'

In December 2017 Ms Liberty said she prefered to spend her nights cuddled up to Jewel, a portable chandelier that she happily tucks in to bed with her.

Lumiere and Jewel are part of a 25 strong chandelier collection that Amanda owns, and even though she is only engaged to Lumiere, she considers herself to be in an 'open relationship' with the others.

She identifies herself as Objectum Sexual, which means that she is attracted to objects.

Amanda first fell in love with a drum kit aged 14, before falling in love with the Statue of Liberty years after, whom she affectionately refers to as 'Libby'.

She first fell in love with a drum kit age 14 before moving on to the Statue of Liberty, but after dedicating her life and decor to the landmark, she says the relationship was too long distance

Amanda says that Jewel is more comfortable to sleep with and nice to cuddle in bed

Amanda, who changed her surname by Deed Poll in 2010 to Liberty, has travelled to the USA a total of six times to meet the real thing.

Her living room is adorned with memorabilia dedicated to the monument and despite insisting that she still loves Libby, the long distance between them left her lonely.

She now happily resides with her many chandeliers at home, many of whom she has restored to pristine condition.

Amanda said: 'None of my chandeliers are jealous of each other, they understand that I love them all for all of their different personalities.

'For example, I love kissing and cuddling Lumiere, but I sleep with Jewel every night, as she is portable and very nice to cuddle.

'I've always loved the look of chandeliers and when I saw my first chandelier, Luna, it was love at first sight.

Amanda insists that her feelings are completely natural, and she's happy with her companions

'You can't control who you fall in love with and things just went from there.

'I spend my spare time restoring old and broken chandeliers to their former glory, which I really enjoy as I can tell that they enjoy the attention that they receive.

'My dream job would be to work in public buildings such as Buckingham Palace, looking after the grand chandeliers that they have there.'

Despite her unique relationships, Amanda insists that her feelings are completely natural, and she's happy with her companions.

Amanda said: 'People often can't understand that this is just a natural orientation for me, that I can find the beauty in objects and can sense their energy.

'I want others to see how happy the chandeliers make me, and how much they've enriched my life.

'I'm not hurting anyone by entering in to a relationship with them, I am simply just following my heart.'
Asia Bibi, pictured, was given the death sentence in 2010 after she was accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammed

Theresa May has been accused of refusing asylum to a Christian mother who is being hunted by lynch mobs in Pakistan.

The fate of Asia Bibi has pitted Home Secretary Sajid Javid against the Prime Minister, with Mr Javid arguing passionately that she should be given refuge in the UK.

But sources say that his plan was thwarted after Ms May was persuaded that letting Bibi claim asylum here would stoke tensions among British Muslims.

As the political row rages, The Mail on Sunday today reveals the full extent of the ordeal endured by Ms Bibi, a Roman Catholic from the Punjab province who was given the death sentence in 2010 after she was accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammed.

Our investigation reveals that on the day she was seized by villagers and accused of blasphemy she was paraded through her village with a leather noose around her neck, beaten with sticks by a baying mob during a court hearing and told that her life would be spared only if she converted to Islam.

Bibis conviction was quashed last month following eight years in solitary confinement after Pakistans Supreme Court said the case was based on inconsistent evidence.

The acquittal prompted days of demonstrations by thousands of hardline Islamists who demanded she be hanged. Ms Bibi is now in hiding after Imran Khans government agreed to allow a petition against the courts decision as part of a deal to halt the protests.

So instead of being reunited with her five children she is being hunted across Pakistan, forced to scuttle under cover of darkness between safe houses.

Her supporters in the UK have lobbied the Government in vain to offer her asylum in Britain.

Theresa May, pictured last night in Brussels, blocked efforts to grant asylum to Mrs Bibi as she was afraid of antagonising British Muslims

It is understood that Mr Javid was backed in his battle by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, despite the fact his officials said allowing her to take sanctuary in the UK would endanger the security of British diplomats in Islamabad.

A senior Government source said: Sajid was very sceptical about the official advice, and pushed hard for her to be given asylum here. It eventually landed on the Prime Ministers desk, but she just followed the advice of the officials.

Last night it was reported that Ms Bibi had been offered asylum by Australia.

Qamar Rafiq, a human rights activist who had campaigned for MS Bibi to be given sanctuary in Britain, said: Not just me, lots of Christians are disappointed by the British Government not allowing her into the UK. A lot of our Muslim friends are also disappointed.

Joseph Nadim, a Christian activist and a friend of Ms Bibis in Pakistan, said Britain should give her and her family asylum, adding: If she stays here longer, she will be killed. I am disappointed they [the UK] have not offered her asylum.

Ms Bibi was harvesting berries in 2009 when her Muslim co-workers accused her of being unclean, prompting an argument and allegations Ms Bibi blasphemed against Islam, which she strongly denies.

This newspaper has pieced together the terrifying sequence of events which followed: she was taken to a makeshift sharia court and flung at the feet of an imam, who told her: You know what happens to people who insult the Prophet. You can redeem yourself by accepting Islam.

Asia declined as the crowd began jeering and spitting. She was then whipped with sticks and sandals, leaving her bleeding and semi-conscious. Her life was only saved when a teacher intervened, saying she should be handed over to police.

The Foreign Office said: The UKs primary concern is for the safety of Asia Bibi and her family. A number of countries are in discussions to provide a safe destination.

The Home Office declined to comment, while No 10 said: Bibis safety is the Prime Ministers only concern.

...yet UK was happy to give this lot a home Iraqi teen Ahmed Hassan, left, told immigration officers hed been trained to kill by ISIS but was given a home and went on to set off the Parsons Green bomb. Dejan Tolic, right, was one of Serbias White Eagles, a paramilitary group linked to the massacre of Bosnian Muslims, but was allowed to stay in Britain Reshad Ahmadi, left, was one of nine Afghans who hijacked a jet, forcing it to land at Stansted in 2000. After release from jail they were allowed to stay in the UK. Joseph Lissa, right, was branded a war criminal over his alleged involvement in killings and rape in Sierra Leones civil war but was allowed to stay in the UK. Abu Qatada, said to be a key Osama Bin Laden lieutenant was granted asylum in 1994 and only returned to Jordan after an eight-year legal battle Advertisement

Nightmare of the Christian mother that Britain refuses to give sanctuary to: Woman locked up in Pakistan for blasphemy was paraded through the streets with a noose around her neck and savagely beaten in court

SPECIAL REPORT FROM ABUL TAHER IN PAKISTAN

Asia Bibi may have escaped the hangman, but her freedom comes with a heavy price. Today, when she should be reunited with her five children, she is being hunted across Pakistan, forced to scuttle under cover of darkness from one safe house to another in fear of her life.

It is a desperate situation  and one not helped by Britain which refuses to offer the mother-of-five sanctuary.

Last month the Supreme Court in Pakistan decided that Asia, 52, who spent eight years on death row, had been falsely accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed. While most of the country erupted in fury at her release, nowhere did the anger burn more fiercely than in her home village of Ittan Wali, 40 miles south-east of Lahore, where her extraordinary ordeal began. Following news of her reprieve, women took to the streets to protest, a bus was torched and children ran riot.

Until now, beyond a few sketchy details, little about Asias persecution has been forthcoming. But last week The Mail on Sunday travelled to Ittan Wali and interviewed key witnesses, spoke to Asias trusted friends and unearthed court documents. What emerged was a story far more shocking than previously imagined.

Since her release from prison, Mrs Bibi has faced constant death threats from angry mobs

Our investigation can reveal that, on the day she was seized by villagers and accused of blasphemy:

Asias forefathers have lived in Ittan Wali since before the formation of Pakistan in 1947. For decades, they have been the only Christians among 300 Muslim families.

The village is wholly unremarkable  a collection of mud brick single-storey houses and dirt tracks skirted by open sewers  but it was home to Asia. And although she was frequently harassed and entreated to convert to Islam, she refused to budge.

She lived with her husband, Ashiq Masih, and two stepdaughters, one stepson, and two daughters of her own in a single room mud brick house.

Back in 2009, Asias husband was working as a labourer in a local brick kiln. But with four children to feed  the couples eldest daughter was married  Asia often worked as a farmhand to bring in extra money.

At dawn on June 14, Asia and 25 other women went to work picking falsa berries, similar to blackcurrants, in a field owned by the villages richest man Muhammad Idrees. She was paid 250 rupees (1.50) a day.

That morning was a Sunday, so her husband had no work. She left the house quietly, with Ashiq, now 62, and the four children fast asleep on the large bed they all shared.

At midday, when the baking Punjab heat reached 110F (43C), Asia went to a nearby hand pump and returned with a bucket of water to share with her colleagues and a tin cup. Two sisters, Asma Bibi and Mafia Bibi (who arent related to Asia), turned on her, saying: This cup was intended for Muslims, why did you take the water from it?

They said she had made the water impure, because she was chura, a derogatory term which means low-caste, used for Christians.

The two sisters then urged Asia to convert to Islam, so she wouldnt be chura any more  typical of the religious harassment she faced in Ittan Wali all her life.

For once, instead of remaining meekly silent, Asia stood her ground. She said she would not convert, and asked why she, not her co-workers, should change religion.

Her trouble started when she drew water from this hand pump near Ittan Wali village

It has been claimed that she disparaged the Prophet Mohammed during the heated discussion that followed. She emphatically denies this  and insists the allegations were invented to frame her.

If so, it is a scenario familiar to many of the nearly three million Christians in Pakistan, out of a total population of 165 million. The blasphemy laws, it is widely acknowledged, have long been used against them, not as a system of organised persecution, but simply as a way of settling petty disputes.

After the row, Asia ran back home crying and told Ashiq what had happened. He told her not to worry, and he seemed to be correct as there were no further incidents for the next five days.

But on Friday, the Muslim religious day, Asia returned to work in the falsa fields, unaware that a mile away, the village imam, Qari Muhammad Salaam, was stirring up the villagers by announcing on the mosque loudspeakers that she had committed blasphemy.

The first she was aware of any trouble was hearing a low rumble of voices, then the terrifying chant: Kill the Christian!

She realised the men were coming for her and soon they appeared on a ridge. She had nowhere to run. In a panic, she stumbled, dizzy with fear, and a minute or so later felt hands roughly grab her arms and shoulders while another man fitted a leather noose around her neck.

Hauled to her feet, she was paraded back to the village  led by the leather strap  and taken to a courtyard in the house of the village leader, where more than 100 people had gathered, including imams from neighbouring villages. It seemed that a makeshift sharia court was being convened.

The village imam was flanked by the two sisters and Asia was flung at his feet. He told her: Youve made derogatory remarks about our Prophet. You know what happens to people who insult the Prophet. You can redeem yourself by accepting Islam.

Asia protested her innocence and said she did not want to convert. At this, the crowd became increasingly hostile and began jeering and spitting. Asia was then whipped with sticks and sandals. Then, in a form of ritual humiliation, someone smeared her face with black dye while others held her down.

One of Asias daughters tried to intervene but was grabbed by her hair and her face smashed against a door. Another daughter, Isham, then nine, could only watch, terrified and powerless.

Mrs Bibi lived with her family in this house in Ittan Wali village in Pakistan's Punjab region

At one point Asia begged for water but the crowd shouted: No water for the Christian dog. Another voice added: Drink urine!

Then little Isham ran off to look for water and summon her father, who was out working.

By now Asia was badly bleeding and semi-conscious. But when her husband reached the village, he was held back by the mob. Fearing he would be killed, he ran away.

Witnesses said it was clear that villagers would have killed Asia but for the intervention of a teacher who argued that she should be handed to police.

Two officers arrived 45 minutes later and she was taken away and formally charged with blasphemy.

Two days later, Joseph Francis, of the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, a Christian group in Lahore, went to Ittan Wali to investigate.

Villagers told him that Asma and Mafia, previously friends of Asia, were told to argue with her as a way of forcing her to either flee her home or convert to Islam. When The Mail on Sunday visited Ittan Wali last week, we found her house was occupied by another family.

And from the moment of our arrival, our every move was shadowed. It later emerged that villagers had been instructed to tip off police about any Western visitors.

We headed to the imams house, next to the mosque. A group of men in their early twenties followed our reporters and stood close by, staring, as we waited for the imam to answer the door. Eventually, a middle-aged man, dressed in a blue shalwar kameez, appeared and walked us to the mosque.

Instructed to sit down on a mat in a courtyard, whose marble floors were caked with dirt, we waited for the imam to appear.

When he joined us he appeared friendly, offering tea and water, though his demeanour changed when Asias case was mentioned. He seemed angry at Asias reprieve and warned ominously: Everybody is prepared to sacrifice their lives for the respect of the Holy Prophet.

After Asia was charged with blasphemy, she was transferred to jail in the town of Sheikhupura, about 27 miles away.

In November 2010, she was sentenced to death by hanging in a 30-minute hearing at a court in the town, with no cross-examination of any witnesses. The court erupted with joy as she was sentenced.

The decision was upheld by Lahore High Court in 2014. In her written testimony, Asia insisted that the sisters and the imam conspired in a false, fabricated and fictitious case against me.

Mrs Bibi used to worship in this church near the village of Ittan Wali in Pakistan's Punjab

She added: I offered my oath to police on the Bible that I had never passed such derogatory and shameful remarks. I have great respect to [sic] the Holy Prophet as well as the Holy Koran.

Last month, the Supreme Court acquitted Asia after finding inconsistencies in the evidence of key witnesses, including Asma and Mafia Bibi, and the imam. The judgment said that there was a feast of falsehood in their claims.

Joseph Nadim, a friend and guardian of Asias family, said that Britain should accept Asia as an asylum seeker, as there is a real danger against her life.

Mr Nadim said: If she stays here longer, she will be killed. I am disappointed that they [the British Government] have not offered her asylum.

Such is their fear for their safety, Asias youngest two daughters wear a niqab veil when they go out so they are not recognised. Isham, 19, and Isha, 23, have previously had to flee a restaurant after being jeered at by other diners.

Because of safety concerns, none of her family were in court in Islamabad to see her freed last month, instead holing up in Lahore.

Mr Nadim recalled that, after the court hearing, he drove to be with them, but got stranded as rioters blockaded all the highways.

I had a cross hanging in my car, but I took it down and put it in my pocket. The family were constantly calling me to know if I was OK. I finally made it back.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, Asia was still not free to leave the country, as a petition by Qari Salaam was immediately filed against the judgment, demanding that it be reversed on the grounds it was erroneous.

Pakistan could now face more riots when the petition comes to court, which could be as early as this week. The issue has torn the country apart and two politicians who supported Asia have been assassinated. Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed by his own bodyguard in January 2011. Three months later, Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Minorities, himself a Christian, was killed by militants.

Choudhury Ranjeet Lal, chief of the village of Youngsonabad, five miles from Ittan Wali and where Asia used to go to church, warned : Asia should leave the country as soon as possible, because if they can kill politicians who defended her, they can easily kill her. The longer she stays, the more likely she will be killed.

Asia was even kept in solitary confinement on death row because fellow inmates wanted to kill her.

Mr Nadim said that Asia would tell him every Easter when he visited that she had forgiven her accusers. She would say whoever did her wrong, I must forgive them, and I will not say anything wrong for them ever. This is the teaching of Christ. 

While on death row, Asia was offered as much as 500,000 Pakistani rupees [almost 3,000], a huge sum for a farmhand, to convert from Catholicism to Islam with the promise that the charges against her would be dropped.

But she refused, said Mr Nadim, because of her unshakeable Christian faith.

He added: Her faith in God made her strong and stronger. Now she wants to celebrate Christmas with her family in the open air, with sunlight and fresh air. Her children celebrated Christmas with her in prison before, but they could not hug her or kiss her.
Christmas is just around the corner, and First Lady Melania Trump is making sure that the White House is prepared.

Trump on Saturday posted a tweet with photos of the decorations being hung at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

One image shows a volunteer attaching Christmas lights to trimming that is placed over a doorway.

Another photo shows a woman placing ornaments on a Christmas tree.

The First Lady on Saturday tweeted: 'Thank you to all the volunteers from across our great nation who are working hard to decorate the White House.

First Lady Melania Trump tweeted photos of White House volunteers preparing Christmas decorations. One image shows a volunteer attaching Christmas lights to trimming that is placed over a doorway

Another photo shows a woman placing ornaments on a Christmas tree

The First Lady on Saturday tweeted: 'Thank you to all the volunteers from across our great nation who are working hard to decorate the White House'

'Cant wait to view it all tomorrow night!'

She added the hashtag #ChristmasAtTheWhiteHouse.

Last Monday, as strains of 'O Christmas Tree' wafted through the cool air, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump accepted the official White House Christmas tree that will go on display in the Blue Room and anchor the holiday season at the executive mansion.

The 19-foot tall Fraser fir was cut from a farm owned by Larry Smith of Newland, North Carolina, and delivered to the front door of the White House on a green wagon hitched to a pair of horses.

A sign on the wagon said White House Christmas Tree 2018.

Holding each other's hand, the Trumps spent about a minute walking around the wagon and inspecting the tree, with the president nodding in apparent approval at one point and patting the rear end of one of the horses at another point.

The fir went up in the Blue Room, where every year it becomes the centerpiece of Christmas at the White House.

Christmas planning at the White House is a monthslong process. In July, Mrs. Trump tweeted a photo of herself and a designer in the White House Map Room as they looked over holiday concepts. The First Lady is seen above at the White House on Tuesday

A massive chandelier that hangs in the oval-shaped room is removed to accommodate the tree, which is trimmed slightly and anchored to the ceiling for stability.

The tree's arrival ushers in a month of holiday festivities at the White House and its environs.

On Tuesday, Trump participated in another seasonal rite: pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey.

A pair of birds named Peas and Carrots were the candidates for this year's act of presidential mercy.

Trump is also expected to help light the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse later this month.

After the pardons, the first family headed to Florida to keep their tradition of spending Thanksgiving at Trump's estate in Palm Beach.

While the family is away, the White House army of volunteer decorators, florists and others from across the country has been working throughout the holiday weekend to transform the 132-room mansion for Christmas.

White House kitchens will go into overdrive preparing the food and desserts that will be gobbled up at dozens of parties and receptions the Trumps will host in December before they head back to Florida to celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year.

Christmas planning at the White House is a monthslong process.

In July, Mrs. Trump tweeted a photo of herself and a designer in the White House Map Room as they looked over holiday concepts.

Planning is underway for this year's #Christmas at the @WhiteHouse! she wrote.

There is still a lot of work to be done, but I hope everyone will enjoy our final holiday vision for the People's House.
Asia Bibi may have escaped the hangman, but her freedom comes with a heavy price. Today, when she should be reunited with her five children, she is being hunted across Pakistan, forced to scuttle under cover of darkness from one safe house to another in fear of her life.

It is a desperate situation  and one not helped by Britain which refuses to offer the mother-of-five sanctuary.

Last month the Supreme Court in Pakistan decided that Asia, 52, who spent eight years on death row, had been falsely accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed. While most of the country erupted in fury at her release, nowhere did the anger burn more fiercely than in her home village of Ittan Wali, 40 miles south-east of Lahore, where her extraordinary ordeal began. Following news of her reprieve, women took to the streets to protest, a bus was torched and children ran riot.

Asia Bibi, pictured with two of her children, spent eight years on death row. She is now in hiding as she has received constant death threats since her release

Until now, beyond a few sketchy details, little about Asias persecution has been forthcoming. But last week The Mail on Sunday travelled to Ittan Wali and interviewed key witnesses, spoke to Asias trusted friends and unearthed court documents. What emerged was a story far more shocking than previously imagined.

Our investigation can reveal that, on the day she was seized by villagers and accused of blasphemy:

Asia was paraded through her village with a leather noose around her neck;

A baying mob beat her with sticks during a court hearing;

Villagers smeared her face with black ink to humiliate her;

She was promised her life would be spared only if she converted to Islam;

Her life was saved when a schoolteacher rescued her only minutes from death.

Asias forefathers have lived in Ittan Wali since before the formation of Pakistan in 1947. For decades, they have been the only Christians among 300 Muslim families.

The village is wholly unremarkable  a collection of mud brick single-storey houses and dirt tracks skirted by open sewers  but it was home to Asia. And although she was frequently harassed and entreated to convert to Islam, she refused to budge.

She lived with her husband, Ashiq Masih, and two stepdaughters, one stepson, and two daughters of her own in a single room mud brick house.

Back in 2009, Asias husband was working as a labourer in a local brick kiln. But with four children to feed  the couples eldest daughter was married  Asia often worked as a farmhand to bring in extra money.

At dawn on June 14, Asia and 25 other women went to work picking falsa berries, similar to blackcurrants, in a field owned by the villages richest man Muhammad Idrees. She was paid 250 rupees (1.50) a day.

Since her release from prison, Mrs Bibi has faced constant death threats from angry mobs

That morning was a Sunday, so her husband had no work. She left the house quietly, with Ashiq, now 62, and the four children fast asleep on the large bed they all shared.

At midday, when the baking Punjab heat reached 110F (43C), Asia went to a nearby hand pump and returned with a bucket of water to share with her colleagues and a tin cup. Two sisters, Asma Bibi and Mafia Bibi (who arent related to Asia), turned on her, saying: This cup was intended for Muslims, why did you take the water from it?

They said she had made the water impure, because she was chura, a derogatory term which means low-caste, used for Christians.

The two sisters then urged Asia to convert to Islam, so she wouldnt be chura any more  typical of the religious harassment she faced in Ittan Wali all her life.

For once, instead of remaining meekly silent, Asia stood her ground. She said she would not convert, and asked why she, not her co-workers, should change religion.

It has been claimed that she disparaged the Prophet Mohammed during the heated discussion that followed. She emphatically denies this  and insists the allegations were invented to frame her.

Her trouble started when she drew water from this hand pump near Ittan Wali village

If so, it is a scenario familiar to many of the nearly three million Christians in Pakistan, out of a total population of 165 million. The blasphemy laws, it is widely acknowledged, have long been used against them, not as a system of organised persecution, but simply as a way of settling petty disputes.

After the row, Asia ran back home crying and told Ashiq what had happened. He told her not to worry, and he seemed to be correct as there were no further incidents for the next five days.

But on Friday, the Muslim religious day, Asia returned to work in the falsa fields, unaware that a mile away, the village imam, Qari Muhammad Salaam, was stirring up the villagers by announcing on the mosque loudspeakers that she had committed blasphemy.

The first she was aware of any trouble was hearing a low rumble of voices, then the terrifying chant: Kill the Christian!

She realised the men were coming for her and soon they appeared on a ridge. She had nowhere to run. In a panic, she stumbled, dizzy with fear, and a minute or so later felt hands roughly grab her arms and shoulders while another man fitted a leather noose around her neck.

Mrs Bibi lived with her family in this house in Ittan Wali village in Pakistan's Punjab region

Hauled to her feet, she was paraded back to the village  led by the leather strap  and taken to a courtyard in the house of the village leader, where more than 100 people had gathered, including imams from neighbouring villages. It seemed that a makeshift sharia court was being convened.

The village imam was flanked by the two sisters and Asia was flung at his feet. He told her: Youve made derogatory remarks about our Prophet. You know what happens to people who insult the Prophet. You can redeem yourself by accepting Islam.

Asia protested her innocence and said she did not want to convert. At this, the crowd became increasingly hostile and began jeering and spitting. Asia was then whipped with sticks and sandals. Then, in a form of ritual humiliation, someone smeared her face with black dye while others held her down.

One of Asias daughters tried to intervene but was grabbed by her hair and her face smashed against a door. Another daughter, Isham, then nine, could only watch, terrified and powerless.

Mrs Bibi used to worship in this church near the village of Ittan Wali in Pakistan's Punjab

At one point Asia begged for water but the crowd shouted: No water for the Christian dog. Another voice added: Drink urine!

Then little Isham ran off to look for water and summon her father, who was out working.

By now Asia was badly bleeding and semi-conscious. But when her husband reached the village, he was held back by the mob. Fearing he would be killed, he ran away.

Witnesses said it was clear that villagers would have killed Asia but for the intervention of a teacher who argued that she should be handed to police.

Two officers arrived 45 minutes later and she was taken away and formally charged with blasphemy.

Two days later, Joseph Francis, of the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, a Christian group in Lahore, went to Ittan Wali to investigate.

Villagers told him that Asma and Mafia, previously friends of Asia, were told to argue with her as a way of forcing her to either flee her home or convert to Islam. When The Mail on Sunday visited Ittan Wali last week, we found her house was occupied by another family.

And from the moment of our arrival, our every move was shadowed. It later emerged that villagers had been instructed to tip off police about any Western visitors.

We headed to the imams house, next to the mosque. A group of men in their early twenties followed our reporters and stood close by, staring, as we waited for the imam to answer the door. Eventually, a middle-aged man, dressed in a blue shalwar kameez, appeared and walked us to the mosque.

Instructed to sit down on a mat in a courtyard, whose marble floors were caked with dirt, we waited for the imam to appear.

When he joined us he appeared friendly, offering tea and water, though his demeanour changed when Asias case was mentioned. He seemed angry at Asias reprieve and warned ominously: Everybody is prepared to sacrifice their lives for the respect of the Holy Prophet.

After Asia was charged with blasphemy, she was transferred to jail in the town of Sheikhupura, about 27 miles away.

In November 2010, she was sentenced to death by hanging in a 30-minute hearing at a court in the town, with no cross-examination of any witnesses. The court erupted with joy as she was sentenced.

The decision was upheld by Lahore High Court in 2014. In her written testimony, Asia insisted that the sisters and the imam conspired in a false, fabricated and fictitious case against me.

She added: I offered my oath to police on the Bible that I had never passed such derogatory and shameful remarks. I have great respect to [sic] the Holy Prophet as well as the Holy Koran.

Last month, the Supreme Court acquitted Asia after finding inconsistencies in the evidence of key witnesses, including Asma and Mafia Bibi, and the imam. The judgment said that there was a feast of falsehood in their claims.

Joseph Nadim, a friend and guardian of Asias family, said that Britain should accept Asia as an asylum seeker, as there is a real danger against her life.

Mr Nadim said: If she stays here longer, she will be killed. I am disappointed that they [the British Government] have not offered her asylum.

Such is their fear for their safety, Asias youngest two daughters wear a niqab veil when they go out so they are not recognised. Isham, 19, and Isha, 23, have previously had to flee a restaurant after being jeered at by other diners.

Because of safety concerns, none of her family were in court in Islamabad to see her freed last month, instead holing up in Lahore.

Mr Nadim recalled that, after the court hearing, he drove to be with them, but got stranded as rioters blockaded all the highways.

I had a cross hanging in my car, but I took it down and put it in my pocket. The family were constantly calling me to know if I was OK. I finally made it back.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, Asia was still not free to leave the country, as a petition by Qari Salaam was immediately filed against the judgment, demanding that it be reversed on the grounds it was erroneous.

Pakistan could now face more riots when the petition comes to court, which could be as early as this week. The issue has torn the country apart and two politicians who supported Asia have been assassinated. Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed by his own bodyguard in January 2011. Three months later, Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Minorities, himself a Christian, was killed by militants.

Choudhury Ranjeet Lal, chief of the village of Youngsonabad, five miles from Ittan Wali and where Asia used to go to church, warned : Asia should leave the country as soon as possible, because if they can kill politicians who defended her, they can easily kill her. The longer she stays, the more likely she will be killed.

Asia was even kept in solitary confinement on death row because fellow inmates wanted to kill her.

Mr Nadim said that Asia would tell him every Easter when he visited that she had forgiven her accusers. She would say whoever did her wrong, I must forgive them, and I will not say anything wrong for them ever. This is the teaching of Christ. 

While on death row, Asia was offered as much as 500,000 Pakistani rupees [almost 3,000], a huge sum for a farmhand, to convert from Catholicism to Islam with the promise that the charges against her would be dropped.

But she refused, said Mr Nadim, because of her unshakeable Christian faith.

He added: Her faith in God made her strong and stronger. Now she wants to celebrate Christmas with her family in the open air, with sunlight and fresh air. Her children celebrated Christmas with her in prison before, but they could not hug her or kiss her.
Three doctors who certified a woman as autistic so that she could die by euthanasia are set to go on trial in Belgium.

The sisters of Tine Nys told investigators that her suffering was caused instead by a broken heart after a failed relationship, and that she had falsely claimed to be autistic to two doctors and a psychiatrist.

She had told them her suffering was 'unbearable and incurable' so that she could qualify for euthanasia under Belgian law.

Ms Nys was given a lethal injection in April 2010, just two months after her diagnosis of autism, and died aged 38. Her sisters and her parents were at her bedside.

Campaigners in the UK say the case highlights the dangers of introducing euthanasia here.

Tine Nys (centre, with her sisters Lotte and Sophie) was given a lethal injection in April 2010, just two months after her diagnosis of autism, and died aged 38

Ms Nys's family claims that the law was broken because she was never treated for autism and so it had not been established that she was suffering unbearably and incurably  the key criteria for a mercy killing to go ahead.

The three doctors have been charged with failing to comply with the legal conditions for euthanasia and poisoning. If found guilty they are almost certain to face jail.

The criminal case in Ghent is the first since euthanasia was decriminalised in Belgium in 2002.

Ms Nys, from Sint-Niklaas in Flanders, had last undergone treatment for psychiatric problems 15 years before her death.

In a television interview, her sisters, Lotte and Sophie, said she had 'outgrown that' and was simply feeling rejected following the failure of a relationship.

Ghent prosecutors acted just days after a separate case in Holland. Dutch prosecutors pressed charges against a doctor in The Hague who slipped a sedative into the coffee of a 74-year-old woman suffering from dementia, then injected her with deadly drugs as her family pinned her down because she resisted.

Crossbench peer Lord Carlile (pictured), co-chairman of a UK group opposed to euthanasia, said the case indicated that the euthanasia experiment was flawed

There is deepening unease in both countries over liberal euthanasia laws that have seen rising numbers of doctor-assisted deaths. Alcoholics, sex-abuse victims, dementia sufferers and even children qualify for the right to die.

Crossbench peer Lord Carlile, co-chairman of Living And Dying Well, a UK parliamentary group opposed to euthanasia, said the actions of the Ghent authorities indicated that the euthanasia experiment was flawed.

He said: 'What happens in Belgium has been held up by some as an example of good practice.

'This case calls into question all of those claims.'

Dr Wim Distelmans, a doctor who campaigns for euthanasia and also chairs Belgium's regulatory commission, has since defended the three unnamed doctors facing trial.

He told Belgian public broadcaster VRT that one of the doctors might need to justify his actions, but added: 'The two others only gave advice that is not binding.'

Belgium's pioneering of euthanasia has prompted shock internationally, most recently by its admission that two children  aged nine and 11  have been killed by doctors in the past two years. They were the first to die by lethal injection since Belgium changed the law to allow child euthanasia in 2014.

Figures also reveal a 13 per cent rise in euthanasia deaths over the past year and the doubling of such deaths since 2011.

Crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool said any abuse of euthanasia law in Europe carried a strong message to politicians here.

He said: 'These are harbingers of what could come our way. This is why Parliament has repeatedly rejected a change in British law.'
Britain would run out of clean drinking water within days of a no-deal Brexit in a doomsday scenario that convinced Michael Gove to back Theresa Mays deal.

Whitehall disaster planners have warned Ministers that leaving the EU without a deal could spark a national crisis as crucial chemicals used in water purification are imported to the UK from Europe.

The deliveries risk getting caught in weeks of border chaos if Britain quits the EU next March without the Prime Ministers deal with Brussels being approved by MPs.

The vital chemicals are timed to arrive just in time and cannot be stockpiled as they are too volatile, meaning water plants would have to turn off the taps as soon as they ran out or risk poisoning millions.

Offices and schools would close and hospitals plunged into chaos.

The startling warning is contained in secret Whitehall contingency plans codenamed Operation Yellowhammer leaked to this newspaper.

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, was said to have back Mrs May's Brexit deal after being warned Britain could run out of clean drinking water

The scale of the devastation outlined by the Governments Civil Contingencies Secretariat is understood to be a key factor in convincing Cabinet Brexiteers led by the Environment Secretary that a deal must be sought at all costs.

Mr Gove has subsequently warned more junior ministerial colleagues that he has taken the no deal pill and seen how bad things will get and judged that it is not a viable exit route.

And friends of the Vote Leave champion said that, as one of the architects of Brexit, he does not want the legacy of the referendum campaign to be death and chaos.

The threat of water shortages in hospitals was also behind Health Secretary Matt Hancock telling the Cabinet that he could not guarantee that people would not die in the event of no deal.

Ministers were warned by 'disaster planners' that leaving the EU without a deal could spark a water crisis as crucial chemicals used in purification are imported from Europe to the UK

A Whitehall source told The Mail on Sunday: This is Project Fear on steroids but it has worked on the Cabinet.

In order to make water safe to drink, suppliers add chemicals, including fluorosilicic acid, aluminium sulphate, calcium hydroxide and sodium silicofluoride.

The Operation Yellowhammer contingency plans warn that if water plants run out of them they would probably need to stop the water supply to all their customers  potentially millions of people.

The doomsday vision would see householders immediately face a shortage of drinking water and inability to flush toilets, cook, wash clothes or keep themselves clean.

It adds: Millions of people would not be able to go to work because office buildings, schools and other workplaces would need to close.
With fish and chips and warm beer galore, modern Gibraltar looks for all the world like a little bit of Britain on the Med.

But perched on the very tip of the Iberian peninsula, its omnipresent Union Jacks and souvenir 'Her Majesty' mugs are seen as a daily affront by many of its Spanish neighbours.

For decades now, UK-Spanish relations have been dominated by the Rock and Madrid's repeated claims to sovereignty.

And more recently, it has come under fire for its low-tax regime and financial rules, with over 60,000 companies reportedly registered there  roughly two for each of its 30,000 or so residents.

For decades now, UK-Spanish relations have been dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar (pictured) and Madrid's repeated claims to sovereignty

With no large-scale agricultural or industrial activity, much of the Rock's income comes from customs duties, offshore finance, internet gambling and provisioning of ships.

It is also coveted by Royal Navy crews as the ultimate stop-off point after long voyages as a 'little piece of home'.

Gambling giant Bet365  whose UK boss Denise Coates last year earned 265 million  has based its international operations there since 2014.

Financial services, tourism, low-tax goods and online gambling are key sectors of the local economy.

This imposing limestone outcrop  home to those famous barbary macaque monkeys  with its strategic position on the western gateway to the Med, has been British for more than 300 years.

It was formally ceded in perpetuity to Britain in 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht which brought an end to the War of the Spanish Succession.

Named in Arabic 'Jabal Tariq', after the Muslim commander Tariq Ibn-Ziyad who turned the Rock into a fortress in 711, it has been an important naval base for more than 1,000 years.

That long maritime history explains its diverse population, with many residents of mixed Genoese, British, Spanish and Maltese descent.

Most Gibraltarians can speak both English and Spanish.

As a British overseas territory, it is home to a military garrison and has a naval base. But over the past few decades, the EU has sought to put pressure on London and Madrid to resolve its future status.

Gambling giant Bet365  whose UK boss Denise Coates (pictured) last year earned 265 million  has based its international operations on Gibraltar since 2014

Both sides have tried to arrive at an agreement.

However, Spain's insistence on eventually obtaining total sovereignty over the territory, allied to the UK's determination to keep full control of Gibraltar's military bases, have proved serious stumbling blocks. So too has the local population's determination to remain British.

The Rock's 2006 constitution stipulates that there can be no transfer of sovereignty to Spain against the wishes of its voters.

In a referendum in 2002, Gibraltarians resoundingly rejected the idea of joint sovereignty between the UK and Spain.

Free travel between Spain and Gibraltar was fully restored in 1985, but travellers continued to suffer delays at the border.

In late 2006, passenger flights between Spain and Gibraltar resumed for the first time in nearly 30 years, though seven years later there were renewed border checks by Spain in response to a Gibraltarian plan to build an artificial reef.

The 2006 air link was restored after Gibraltar, Spain and Britain signed agreements aimed at improving living conditions on the Rock.

In the 2016 EU referendum, the Rock voted overwhelmingly against Brexit.

And even though the UK overall did not, Gibraltar's leaders have made clear they prefer to follow the motherland out of the EU.

But for Madrid, Brexit represents a golden opportunity to overturn three centuries of history and stage their own bid to 'take back control'.
'A short while ago I spoke with the opposition leader Matthew Guy and he graciously conceded that Labor will form a strong stable majority government.

'On your behalf I thanked him for his gracious concession and I wished him and his wife Renae all the best for what the future may hold.

'The people of Victoria have today endorsed a positive and optimistic plan for our state. They have endorsed the removal of 75 level crossings and properly funding our hospitals and schools.

'They have endorsed more jobs and funding jobs properly  and they have endorsed the biggest infrastructure project in road and rail in this states history. They have in record numbers at the same time rejected the low road of fear and division and for that I am very, very proud.

'We are the most progressive government in the nation - we are the most progressive state in the nation. We live our values, we keep our promises and we get things done. We will govern for all Victorians.

'We will make sure that regardless of how you voted we will have better schools, better infrastructure and build the jobs we need that are so important.

'But most of all there is one final thank you  each of us are local members first and I am so proud of our local community  the people of Mulgrave have elected me for a fifth term.

'I thank them for their very consistent support  the next four years will be about delivering for all Victorians.'
Popular satirical program The Chaser won't be returning to the ABC in 2019, which also happens to be a federal election year.

The show's producers made the announcement via Twitter on Monday, writing: 'ABC in 2019: Another thing that's not coming back... a Chaser election show.

'First time since 2001 that the ABC has declined to fund it. Perhaps Sky News provides enough satire nowadays?'

'It's the first time since 2001 the ABC has declined to fund it': The Chaser has been AXED by the public broadcaster just in time for an election year. Pictured: The Chaser team

'Perhaps Sky News provides enough satire nowadays?' The show's producers made the announcement via Twitter on Monday, writing: 'ABC in 2019: Another thing that's not coming back... a Chaser election show'

The announcement angered fans of the show, with responses on Twitter including: 'No! Yours is the only election show worth watching!' and, 'Well that's a bit f***ked'.

The Chaser team responded to the feedback by tweeting: 'We intend to stand by and watch democracy burn to a cinder. Good luck. You're on your own now.'

The axe has been swinging wildly at the ABC in recent months.

Consumer affairs program The Checkout was cancelled in July after six seasons, and comedy show Tonightly was canned in August after just two seasons.

'You're on your own': Many fans expressed their disappointment on Twitter that there would not be a Chaser election show in 2019, prompting the team to respond: 'We intend to stand by and watch democracy burn to a cinder. Good luck. You're on your own now'

An Australian federal election is due to be held in 2019 - and it is expected to be a hotly contested one.

The Coalition government is facing a backlash from the voting public after yet another leadership spill, this time involving former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was replaced by Scott Morrison in August.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ABC for comment.

In a statement to the Daily Mail on Tuesday, the ABC said: 'The Chaser did not pitch an election special to the ABC and there have been no discussions about funding.'

Activists: The Chaser team made headlines in October after ridiculing the plan to promote the Everest horse race on the sails of the Sydney Opera House. The words, 'Advertise here. Call Alan', and a phone number were projected onto the exterior of the famous monument

The Chaser team recently made headlines after ridiculing the controversial plan to promote the Everest horse race on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

The words, 'Advertise here. Call Alan', and a phone number were projected onto the exterior of the Opera House and other iconic Sydney monuments last month.

The message was in reference to radio broadcaster Alan Jones, who had publicly called for the sacking of Opera House chief executive Louise Herron after she refused to turn the building into a billboard.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian then intervened within hours of the on-air tirade to allow the horse race's promotion but has denied she caved in to Jones.
He first graced the television screens on the controversial social experiment show, Married At First Sight.

And as he prepares for his second stint on reality TV, Nasser Sultan has claimed that he is still trapped in an iron-clad contract with Channel Nine.

In August, the lovable larrikin accidentally revealed that he'll be starring on the next season of Network Ten's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! - but he now admits his bind to Nine may hinder his appearance on the program.

'No work, no money': Nasser Sultan says he is 'trapped' in a Channel Nine contract after appearing on Married At First Sight and it could hinder his appearance on Network Ten's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Speaking to KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, the funnyman said: 'It's very hard for me in the moment, I'm in a bit of a pickle.'

'If the God's are good to me, Channel Nine will sort of agree and say okay [you are free from the contract],' he said.

Kyle Sandilands asked Nasser whether he's 'not allowed' to appear on the Network Ten show even though he is still contracted with Channel Nine.

'If the God's are good to me, Channel Nine will sort of agree and say okay [you are free from the contract],' he said during an interview on KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday

'They got us for a year, but the thing is mate they give us no work, no one answers the phone, no money, nothing,' Nasser explained.

'They just basically want you to disappear.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten and Channel Nine for comment.

'They got us for a year, but the thing is mate they give us no work, no one answers the phone, no money, nothing,' Nasser told radio host Kyle Sandilands

While Nasser is signed to Nine, the pint-sized groom has already appeared on Channel Ten's Trial By Kyle.

Nasser told radio hosts Kyle and Jackie 'O' Henderson that the chances he'll appear on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! are currently an eight and a half out of a scale of ten.

Other rumoured stars set for to appear on the series include Bachelor In Paradise star Tara Pavlovic and former Love Island Australia winner, Grant Crapp.
Karl Stefanovic is the picture of polished perfection when he appears on Channel Nine's Today show each morning.

But off camera it's a different story, with the TV journalist looking delightfully dishevelled while running errands in Sydney last week.

The 44-year-old sported a messy mane as he ran around town in a vintage Guns N' Roses T-shirt and baggy cotton shorts.

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Bad hair day! Karl Stefanovic stepped out looking a little dishevelled last week to run some errands in Sydney

The breakfast TV superstar had a youthful spring in his step as he headed to Service NSW to take care of some business.

Karl's bubbly demeanor may have something to do with his impending nuptials to fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough.

On Tuesday, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed that the ceremony will feature plenty of celebrities, including television stars, billionaires and fashionable socialites.

Rock star! The 44-year-old sported a messy mane as he ran around town in a vintage Guns N' Roses T-shirt and baggy cotton shorts

Been at the gym? The 44-year-old showed off his muscular legs as he raced across the road

What are the papers for, Karl? The Today host carried a stack of forms in his hand

Karl and Jasmine's guest list reportedly includes 60 people, ranging from family members to well-known public figures.

The groom's side of the aisle will likely include his longtime friend and casino magnate James Packer, as well as the businessman's girlfriend Kylie Lim.

His Today show colleague Richard Wilkins will also no doubt make an appearance, bringing along his new partner Virginia Burmeister.

Run, Karl, run! The husband-to-be raced across the street with a spring in his step

Feeling fine: The breakfast TV superstar had a youthful spring in his step as he headed to Service NSW to take care of some business

Man on a mission! Karl looked accomplished as he marched out of Service NSW

Good spirits: Karl's bubbly demeanor may have something to do with his impending nuptials to fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough

And, of course, Karl's manager Sharon Finnigan will be expected to attend.

Richard's son Christian Wilkins has also confirmed his attendance alongside boyfriend Andrew Kelly.

The aspiring model told Daily Mail Australia at the Melbourne Cup that he expects lots of 'tequila' at the Cabo San Lucas ceremony.

Who ya gonna call? Karl tapped away on his mobile phone while waiting to be served

Bored? At one point, Karl appeared to be restless and tired of the long wait

As for Karl's immediate family, it's believed that his younger brother Peter and sister-in-law Sylvia Jeffreys will be sitting front and centre.

However, it has previously been reported that Peter will not be the best man.

The Channel Nine star will also be flying his 13-year-old daughter Ava and 11-year-old son River to Mexico for the celebrations.

Hey there! The beloved breakfast host flashed a cheeky smile as he pointed his finger

Had enough? By the end of his trip to Service NSW, Karl was starting to appear a little tired

Meanwhile, Karl and Peter's younger brother Tom has also been invited alongside his wife Jenna Dinicola, who Jasmine recently described as being like a 'sister'.

Sitting on Jasmine's side of the aisle will likely be her father Bob, mother Cheryl, sister Jade and brother Joshua.

Her Mara & Mine business partner Tamara Ingham will also be in attendance, having recently participated in Jasmine's hen weekend festivities.
Yumi Stynes revealed her three-year-old son has an interesting albeit somewhat worrying obsession - knives.

Appearing on The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Wednesday, the 43-year-old cookbook author revealed she'd even been called into her son's daycare to discuss his obsession with sharp objects.

Her son - whose name she has never revealed - is apparently still obsessed with knives, despite the stern talk.

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Sharp objects: Yumi Stynes revealed her three-year-old son has an interesting albeit somewhat worrying obsession - knives

'I think maybe it's just him, it's his little mind. He really loves sharp objects, he love swords,' Yumi told radio hosts Kyle Sandilands, 47, and Jackie 'O' Henderson, 43.

The media personality admitted she couldn't really explain where his strange obsession came from, given she and her husband of six years, Martin Bendeler, police everything he watches.

Yumi said he's not allowed to watch anything violent, with his daycare teachers even asking if the little boy was a fan of Japanese Samurai movies.

She puts it all down to a particular scene in Frozen, where one of the characters pulls out a sword, saying her son loves to reenact that scene.

Concerning: The 43-year-old cookbook author revealed she'd even been called into her son's daycare to discuss his obsession with sharp objects

'I'll be chopping salad at home, and I turn around, and he's got a sword at my throat,' she revealed.

And Yumi said she often has to keep an eye on him after he's gone to bed, too.

'I go to check on [the kids] at night when they're asleep, and he's crept out of his bed, into his sister's bed, and he's got a pair of scissors in his hands, just lying next to her. Big, sharp ones!' she revealed.

Disturbing: 'I'll be chopping salad at home, and I turn around, and he's got a sword at my throat,' she revealed

Living his truth: 'Mid-winter Sydney with my four children including the one who seems to channel some sumo/samurai ancestor,' she captioned this photo

Yumi said he now appears to be shifting his focus across to shovels, so she's not too concerned about it.

But Kyle jokingly told her that shovels are usually what come after you've used the knives, prompting nervous laughter all round.

Yumi's even referenced her son's strange obsession on Instagram, sharing a photo from a day out with all of her children.

'Mid-winter Sydney with my four children including the one who seems to channel some sumo/samurai ancestor,' she captioned the photo.
A producer from The Bachelorette recently claimed that winner Taite Radley only joined the show to become 'famous'.

And on Wednesday, Ali Oetjen made a rather strange remark on Instagram about people 'not believing' her boyfriend.

The 32-year-old - apparently unaware she was being filmed - seemingly alluded to recent headlines surrounding their relationship in a video Taite posted to Instagram.

What did she say? The Bachelorette's Ali Oetjen made a strange comment about people 'not believing' her boyfriend Taite Radley - after a 'producer accused him of only looking for fame'

'The only time they'll believe you...' Ali said cryptically, before being interrupted by Taite.

After this moment was accidentally caught on camera, the couple quickly segued into the real purpose of the Instagram video: denying recent pregnancy rumours.

'So we've just addressed the baby rumours and Ali is...' Taite said, before trialing off.

'Not pregnant!' she replied, finishing off his sentence.

'The only time they'll believe you': Ali - apparently unaware she was being filmed - seemingly alluded to recent headlines surrounding their relationship in a video Taite posted to Instagram

While it is unclear what Ali meant by '[the] only time they'll believe you', it's possible she was referring to public's general distrust of Taite's intentions.

Rumours that the 28-year-old bank manager wasn't on the show right reasons intensified on Thursday, when a Bachelorette producer offered a rare glimpse into what he was like behind the scenes.

The source told Who magazine that Taite only applied to be a contestant because he wanted to be famous, adding that the couple will split 'in less than six months'.

It's a mystery! While it is unclear what Ali (pictured) meant by '[the] only time they'll believe you', it's possible she was referring to public's general distrust of Taite's intentions

Apparently, Taite's long-term plan was to place second in the competition, attract public sympathy and then become next year's Bachelor.

'Mark my words, [the split] will be framed in such a way that Ali ended it and that he is the one who is devastated so he can still try to win public support and get The Bachelor gig,' the source claimed.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 and Taite Radley for comment.
She announced her second pregnancy this week.

And Marni Little, 35, enjoyed a family day out with her husband David Robertshaw and four-year-old son Archie in Sydney earlier this month.

The film producer and co-founder of Little Fox Productions was the picture of happiness as she sipped coffee and relaxed in the sand with her young family.

Baby on board! Dan Ewing's pregnant ex-wife Marni Little wore a swimsuit and denim shorts at the beach with her new husband David Robertshaw and son Archie, four, earlier this month

She flaunted her figure in a yellow one-piece swimsuit, which she paired with denim cut-off shorts and black sandals.

Going makeup-free for the occasion, Marni styled her brunette hair swept up in a ponytail and concealed her gaze behind dark sunglasses.

Marni's husband-of-one-month, Dave, wore a grey T-shirt with boardshorts as he bonded with his stepson Archie.

Beach vibes: Marni flaunted her figure in a yellow one-piece swimsuit, which she paired with denim cut-off shorts and black sandals

Family fun! Marni and her boys had lunch at the beach as they enjoyed the warm weather

Cute! Archie, who Marni shares with ex-husband Dan, appeared in high spirits after his swim

Makeup-free: The Little Fox Productions co-founder basked in the Sydney sun while wearing a backless swimsuit

Marni shares son Archie with her ex-husband, former Home and Away star Dan Ewing, whom she split from in 2015.

On Monday, Marni said she was thrilled to be expecting her first child with youth worker Dave.

'We are incredibly fortunate to be adding to our family,' she told New Idea.

Bonding time: The young family were joined by another man as they relaxed on the sand

They're off! They eventually packed up and made their way home after a day of fun in the sun

'It is something that was in our mind, but we wanted to wait until our life and home were settled, especially for Archie,' she added.

Marni and Dave tied the knot in a 'quiet farm style wedding' in October.

Earlier this month, Dan Ewing was ordered by police to stay at least 500 metres away from Marni's home.

Casual: Marni's husband-of-one-month, Dave, wore a grey T-shirt, boardshorts and flip flops

Home time: Marni was seen loading their beach equipment into a black car

A friend of Marni's previously told Daily Mail Australia there had been numerous incidents in recent months that led police to order the 33-year-old actor not to 'stalk, harass or intimidate' his ex-wife.

It was the second AVO to be taken out against Dan, after he was first ordered to stay away from Marni's new husband.

Police issued the AVO after the actor allegedly assaulted Dave during a custody exchange of Archie on October 21.

Legal woes: Earlier this month, Home and Away star Dan (right) was ordered by police to stay at least 500 metres away from Marni's home. Marni and Dan are pictured in Sydney in 2013

While the AVO Marni had against her ex-husband has been dropped, Dave's AVO against Dan is still current and active and will be heard in court again next week.

'On behalf of my client Dan Ewing I can confirm that after court proceedings today, the AVO and all surrounding allegations brought against him by ex-wife Marni Little was withdrawn by Police,' a spokesperson for Dan told Daily Mail Australia last week,

'Mr Ewing was accused of poking Marni Little's partner David Robertshaw in the chest, I can confirm that no charges will be laid by police for the alleged assault.'
Trans Kids: It's Time to Talk

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The Contraceptive Pill: How Safe is it?

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Everybodys so brave on television. Tuneless contestants on The X Factor make brave song choices in tearful tribute to their grannies. Eccentric home chefs bravely combine pistachio and raspberry in triple-decker sponges on Bake Off.

Irish writer and therapist Stella OMalley showed real bravery on Trans Kids: Its Time To Talk (C4)  by daring to ask an obvious question that should be on everyones lips.

Is it right, she wanted to know, that 11-year-old children are being enabled and even encouraged to take powerful, puberty-blocking drugs?

By asking that aloud, even by merely thinking it, she risked the anger of a hate-mob that tends to howl down anyone who questions their methods and their motives.

Stella OMalley's show Trans Kids: It's Time to Talk discusses questions transitioning in youth raises

At a public meeting in Bristol, called to discuss feminist responses to transgender issues, she saw the mob in action. Youths in balaclavas and masks barricaded the entrance to the hall, trying to prevent women from going in.

When police cleared a path, the yobs hurled foul-mouthed insults and shouted down every attempt at dialogue with an all-purpose chant: Trans women are women!

It is this fulminating hatred that OMalley risks bringing down upon her head, simply by suggesting society should consider the health risks before prescribing life-changing drugs to adolescents.

She had every right to present the documentary because, growing up in Dublin during the Eighties, OMalley was convinced she was a boy. Today, shes married with three children  but at ten years old, she says, if someone had offered her drugs or surgery to change her sex, she would have seized it without hesitation.

That option didnt exist 30 years ago. Today, she believes, the question for children shouldnt be, Do you want to swap gender?, but, Are you prepared for a lifetime of medication and perhaps irreversible surgery?

These issues were raised, with a very different spin, by last months ITV drama Butterfly. That story, of an 11-year-old boy determined to be treated as female, depicted anyone who objected as a Neanderthal bigot, bully or wife-beater.

Its a pity this documentary didnt come sooner to counterbalance Butterfly. Its a shame, too, that it didnt include any calm debate between trans activists and dissenters: instead, we saw a series of one-sided arguments.

The Contraceptive Pill: How Safe Is It? gave an insight into the dangers of using the commonly used medication

Calm debate seems increasingly impossible when a vociferous minority are determined to scream it down. By the end of the hour, OMalley was shaken: Im way more freaked out than I was at the beginning of this, she said. She has opened the conversation  will television be brave enough to continue it?

GP Zoe Williams, presenting a Horizon medical documentary looking at a different type of drug for altering sexual hormones, was far more mealy-mouthed and equivocal. The Contraceptive Pill: How Safe Is It? (BBC2) examined possible side-effects of the Pill, from blood clots and breast cancer to mental health issues, and then told viewers not to worry.

The higher rate of breast cancer, for instance, was explained away in a flurry of statistics, with the added implication that we should not believe anything we read in newspaper headlines.

And one journalists personal account of depression triggered by the Pill was practically dismissed as unreliable, anecdotal evidence.

As usual with Horizon, the data was projected onto a whitewashed wall in a cellar, as though we were watching illegal porn in the Sixties. Does the Beeb really think this is edgy?
Supermodel and entrepreneur Miranda Kerr gave birth to her second son, Hart, in May this year.

And now, the stunning Australian-born beauty, 35, says women shouldn't feel any pressure to 'snap into shape after a baby.'

Speaking in the upcoming January issue of Marie Claire magazine, Miranda talked about the importance of women being positive about their bodies.

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'It might take 10 months or never': Supermodel Miranda Kerr (above) has said she's in no rush to be swimsuit ready after the birth of her son Hart in May earlier this year

'It's really important as women that we're gentle with ourselves and don't feel like we have to snap into shape after a baby,' Miranda told the publication.

She added: I took nine months - well, 10 months - to grow a beautiful child and it might take 10 months to feel good in a swimsuit again. Or longer. Or never.'

Glamorous Miranda added how much she adored motherhood - as well as being mother to Hart, the stunning brunette also has another son Flynn, 7.

'It might take 10 months to feel good in a swimsuit again. Or longer. Or never': The supermodel was candid in her remarks on her post-baby body

'I love being a mum. It's just the most rewarding thing,' she added.

Recently, Miranda has been focused on her skincare brand KORA Organics.

It was first founded in 2006 before being launched three years later.

In October, the brand was launched in Canada, Malaysia, The Philippines, Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria via 70 Sephora stores.

The glamorous beauty described it as a 'pinch me' moment after it launched in the American market last year.
Vampire Diaries star Claire Holt recently revealed she is expecting a son.

And the Australian actress has shared her gratitude for the past year for Thanksgiving.

The 30-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday to share a beautiful photo of herself and new husband Andrew Joblon on their wedding day, back in August.

'This year was filled with some incredibly challenging moments': Vampire Diaries star Claire Holt shares a heartwarming tribute to her 'amazing husband' and 'growing family' after devastating miscarriage. Clare is pictured with husband Andrew Joblon on their wedding day

In the caption, the Brisbane-born stunner wrote, 'This year was filled with some incredibly challenging moments, but many more beautiful ones.'

'Endlessly thankful for my amazing husband, who stood by my side through them all. Happy Thanksgiving from our (growing) family to yours!'

The past year has been a roller-coaster of joy and pain for the blonde beauty.

Beautiful: The 30-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday to share a beautiful photo of herself and new husband Andrew Joblon on their wedding day, back in August (pictured)

Beautiful bride: Claire and Matt tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in Beverly Hills, and the actress share stunning photos from her big day (pictured)

Grateful: The 30-year-old shared her gratitude for the ups and downs of the past year as part of her Thanksgiving post

She became engaged to real estate executive Andrew Joblin in December 2017, just months after splitting up with film producer husband Matt Kaplan.

In March 2018, Claire announced that she suffered a miscarriage writing in an Instagram post at the time, 'I've never felt more broken in my life.'

Five months later, she and Matt tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in Beverly Hills, and the actress share stunning photos from her big day.

Heartbreak: The past year has been a roller coaster of joy and pain for the blonde beauty. In March 2018, Claire announced that she suffered a miscarriage writing in an Instagram post at the time, 'I've never felt more broken in my life'

In October, the blonde beauty was delighted to announce that she is expecting her first child.

She confirmed the sex of her baby in a funny 'gender reveal' video, posted to Instagram last week.

In the caption the star explained that she and Andrew were so convinced a baby girl was on the way, they splurged on all things pink for their unborn child.

'My heart is bursting': In October, the actress announced that she is expecting her first child and confirmed the sex of her baby

Claire had even picked a name, only to learn that she and her new husband are in fact having a boy.

'Gender Reveal PSA: If you are absolutely, positively certain you're having a girl, perhaps don't buy a lot of pink things and choose a name before you confirm,' she captioned the video.

In the footage, Claire held a large black balloon and displayed a shocked expression on her face after Andrew pricked it to reveal blue confetti.
It has long been known that Karl Stefanovic, 44, is best pals with billionaire businessman, James Packer, 51.

And now, James will take a special place at his extravagant nuptials to Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, by serving as a groomsman.

On Friday, PS Sydney reported that James is tipped to stand alongside the Today Show presenter's two brothers Peter and Tom.

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He's in the wedding party! Karl Stefanovic's (right) billionaire best pal James Packer (left), 51, is set to be one of his groomsmen at his extravagant nuptials to Jasmine Yarbrough next month

The publication has reported billionaire James bought land in Mexico at Cabos San Lucas, which is nearby where Karl and Jasmine will tie the knot.

The Today Show host reportedly had a 'mild panic' after bride-to-be Jasmine said she wanted 'seven bridesmaids' and a big Queensland wedding.

Karl and James have known to be close, with snaps first emerging of the pair on the multi-billionaire's super yacht in Bora Bora last year.

Big day: It comes after Karl reportedly had a 'mild panic' when Jasmine (left) said she wanted to have seven bridesmaids at the couple's wedding

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Karl sat front row at James' wedding to Erica Baxter, 41, on the French Riviera in 2007.

When Karl moved out of his marital home in 2016, he reportedly stayed at James' beachfront 'bachelor pad' in Sydney's Bondi - a sign of how close the two men are.

Karl and Jasmine are set to tie the knot on December 8.

Best mates: Karl reportedly sat front row when James married model Erica Baxter (right) in 2007. Picture: The former couple in Sydney in 2008

The wedding will be a three-day affair, with the soon-to-be newlyweds sparing no expense.

They've booked two villas, one at US$8,500 (approximately AU$11,600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15,000) per night.

It comes after Karl revealed some candid details of what punters can expect from his upcoming Mexican nuptials.

Standing next to Peter: Peter Stefanvoic (left) will also serve as a groomsman for Karl. Peter is pictured with wife and Today Show presenter Sylvia Jeffreys

'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.

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.

Ready to celebrate: The wedding will be a three-day affair, with the soon-to-be newlyweds sparing no expense (pictured is another couple marrying at the chapel)

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'.

Karl and Jasmine's guest list reportedly includes 60 people, ranging from family members to well-known public figures.

His Today show colleague Richard Wilkins will also no doubt make an appearance, bringing along his new partner Virginia Burmeister.

Wedding location: Karl and his shoe designer partner are expected to tie the knot in a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort (pictured) where they'll also be staying

And, of course, Karl's manager Sharon Finnigan will be expected to attend.

Richard's son Christian Wilkins has also confirmed his attendance alongside boyfriend Andrew Kelly.

The aspiring model told Daily Mail Australia at the Melbourne Cup that he expects lots of 'tequila' at the Cabo San Lucas ceremony.
He's hardly known for being a wallflower, but Christian Wilkins definitely stood out from the pack when he attended the launch party for Swarovski's Follow the Light collection in Sydney on Friday.

Wearing a pair of wide-leg gold sequinned shorts, the 23-year-old model posed confidently for photos ahead of the event.

He also wore a long-sleeve cream-coloured shirt with a pussycat bow, and carried a cross-body bag.

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Making an entrance: Christian Wilkins (pictured) definitely stood out from the pack when he attended the launch party for Swarovski's Follow the Light collection in Sydney on Friday

Christian rounded out his look with a pair of lace-up black leather shoes and white socks.

The son of TV reporter Richard Wilkins was accompanied by his longtime boyfriend, Andrew Kelly.

Andrew opted for a similarly eclectic ensemble, stepping out in a mint green lace blouse, which he wore over a white tank top.

Date night: The son of TV reporter Richard Wilkins was accompanied by his longtime boyfriend, Andrew Kelly (right)

He also wore pale blue denim cut-off shorts, which he teamed with brown slide-on mules with fur trim, and brown Gucci logo-print socks.

He accessorised with a black porkie pie hat and black leather belt.

The couple have become a fixture on the Sydney social circuit in recent months, but Christian admits he wasn't always so comfortable being himself.

Shine on: Wearing a pair of wide-leg gold sequinned shorts, the 23-year-old model posed confidently for photos ahead of the event

Speaking to News.com.au in July, Christian said it took him a long time to accept his sexuality.

'There was a phase when I didnt like the fact that I was gay. It was very hard for me to articulate [problems] because I didn't really understand them completely,' he admitted.

'I think I am very confident but I think that confidence comes from having low self-esteem. I have come to a point now where I do really like myself but when I was younger I was a weird, arty gay kid that didnt really fit in.'

On the scene: The couple have become a fixture on the Sydney social circuit in recent months, but Christian admits he wasn't always so comfortable being himself

Despite his newfound confidence though, Christian said he's never officially come out, claiming his sexuality was never something he hid to begin with.

'I truly was never in, and I never felt the need to say "I am gay",' he added.
I'm A Celebrity star Nick Knowles did jam with Biffy Clyro on a roof in Soho, the hotels CEO has claimed.

The DIY:SOS presenter, 56, recently claimed his musical career was kick-started after he jammed at the top of the Karma Sanctum Soho alongside the Scottish band - with the rock groups drummer denying this had occurred.

Yet the establishment's owner, Mark Fuller, revealed to The Sun Online: They got the guitar out and jammed on the roof 'til the early hours. Nick is a really great friend of mine, and always up for a party.

It happened!I'm A Celebrity star Nick Knowles did jam with Biffy Clyro on a roof in Soho, the hotels CEO has claimed

A source added: No idea why Biffy Clyro are being so coy about it - they were up all night jamming with Nick.

Everyone was buying champagne and getting tipsy. It was such a good night!

Mailonline has contacted reps for Biffy Clyro and Nick for comment.

Nick's new single, Make You Feel My Love topped the iTunes' chart on Wednesday, with the tune beating the likes of Cheryl, Lady Gaga and P!nk.

The DIY:SOS presenter, 56, recently claimed his musical career was kick-started after he jammed at the top of the Karma Sanctum Soho alongside the Scottish band (pictured)

The TV presenter said his record deal came following his jamming session with the rock band when speaking to Emily Atack on I'm A Celeb on Tuesday night: 'Somebody heard me, I was playing on a rooftop bar in Soho with some other bands... it was Biffy Clyro.

'Somebody from a record company saw me doing it and I got a phone call saying, "I'm from Universal, want to do an album?"'

Yet Biffy Clyro drummer Ben Johnston has laughed off Nick's stories when calling into Greg James' Radio 1 Breakfast Show on Thursday morning to set the record straight.

Fast and loose: Biffy Clyro drummer Ben Johnston [R] has laughed off Nick's [L] stories

After @MrNickKnowles claimed on #ImACeleb that @BiffyClyro started his music career we thought we'd find out their side of the story @gregjames spoke to Ben from the band and it turns out not all is as it seems... pic.twitter.com/ve5bLBTEIc  BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) November 22, 2018

He told the radio host: 'I think he was being a bit fast and loose with the truth there. It wasnt quite the Kumbaya situation he made it out to be.'

He explained: 'We were at the same party in Soho after an awards ceremony and Nick bought a bottle of champagne. There might have a been a guitar there but I dont know.

'I wont say a bad word against him hes a nice guy but it wasnt quite like that.'

Star caller: Ben called into Greg James' Breakfast Show on Radio 1 on Thursday morning to set the record straight

Greg then suggested Nick support Ben's band on their next tour, which Ben agreed was a good idea.

'Yeah he could put up and take down the stage with his DIY skills,' he joked.

Biffy Clyro seemed to encourage the rumours before Ben's appearance on Radio 1.

After Holly Willoughby and Declan Donnelly suggested the nation get '#BiffyClyroNotEmbarrassedTheyJammedWithNickKnowles' trending, the band were quick to tweet with the hashtag.

His version: Ben [L] told Greg, 'I think he was being a bit fast and loose with the truth there. It wasnt quite the Kumbaya situation he made it out to be'

Number one: Nick's song topped the iTunes download charts on Wednesday

While one breakfast show was doing it's bit to sabotage Nick's music career, another was championing it.

Chris Moyles spearheaded a campaign on Radio X to get crooner Nick in the charts.

But not everyone's a fan. Last year, Noel Gallagher slammed Nick's singing skills in an interview with Alan Carr's Chatty Man which aired on Christmas day.

He said: 'My delivery is better than that. I don't sound like I'm having a stroke when I'm singing it.'

Kind: Nick's generosity in giving autistic campmate Anne Hegerty, 60, his pillow in the jungle, also won him an army of new fans

Joining in on the digs, boisterous Chatty Man host Alan, added: 'His delivery was less album, more audiobook.'

Of his move into singing, Nick told MailOnline last year: 'I used to be the guitarist at school in a band but it was never going to turn into a career.

'And then I started to do acting. That then led to TV work - mostly factual and news stuff. So I was busy trying to build a TV career.

'But with my TV work I went to Australia and Africa  and I took my guitar with me, to the ass-end of nowhere. I was always playing. It kept the wildlife awake.'

DIY make-up: Nick had an interesting look to promote his music back in 1996

Getting wiggy with it: A red hairpiece and backing dancers was all Nick needed back in the day

In his younger days, Nick also hosted gigs on Friday nights in one of the rooms of a local pub in London, when people leaving the West End shows would come and watch afterwards.

He continued: 'Music has always played a big part of my life,' he said. 'With DIY:SOS, we are always away on location. So I'd take my guitar and whoever's on location with me, I'll play for them. We have had some great nights.'

'I didn't seek this path, it found me really,' he said. 'Im a story teller. I write scripts too. I have written a movie that toured around the world. These are all creative areas.

'It's a very British thing to stay in lanes. I got a tweet from a teacher about why I'm moving into music, and I was like "are you going to teach your students to only ever do one thing with their lives".'

His new single, Make You Feel My Love, he thinks compliments his deep voice, and 'raised eyebrows' because he'd chosen to cover an Adele track.

'Actually it was written by Bob Dylan,' he said. 'So it was written for a male voice.'
They've had a famously tumultuous friendship, but according to Paris Hilton, everything is currently fine between herself and Kim Kardashian.

Speaking to Today on Saturday, the 37-year-old Hilton Hotels heiress claimed to have spoken to Kim, 38, just 'a couple of weeks ago'.

'Everything's great. We've known each other since we were little girls. I love her and I am so proud of her, she's such an amazing businesswoman,' she told the program.

'I spoke to her just a couple of weeks ago': Paris Hilton (pictured) opened up about her tumultuous relationship with 'frenemy' Kim Kardashian on Saturday

But it took Paris a little time to warm up to being asked about her highly successful friend.

The former Simple Life star couldn't help but take a subtle swipe at Kim when first asked about her and her lucrative career, with Paris instead calling herself a 'pioneer' and an 'inspiration'.

'I feel so proud. I feel like a pioneer, and I've really paved the way for so many people, and [I'm] an inspiration to men and women all around the world,' she said.

Speaking to Today on Saturday, the 37-year-old Hilton Hotels heiress (pictured at a perfume launch in Melbourne on Friday) claimed to have spoken to Kim, 38, just 'a couple of weeks ago'. 'Everything's great. We've known each other since we were little girls. I love her and I am so proud of her, she's such an amazing businesswoman,' she told the program

'It feels amazing to have created something that people are really following.'

Kim famously started her career as Paris' unofficial assistant in the early 2000s, before eventually eclipsing the fame of her on-off friend.

But Kim has denied she was ever an assistant to the star, despite carrying out assistant-related tasks.

The former Simple Life star couldn't help but take a subtle swipe at Kim when first asked about her and her lucrative career, with Paris instead calling herself a 'pioneer' and an 'inspiration'

'I would work with Paris, and I would love to organise and clean out their closets and... shop for her. That was my job,' Kim told Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in May 2017.

'But people will say "assistant". They always have it wrong.'

The pair once enjoyed a close friendship, but it was all-out war when Paris publicly declared she wouldn't want a bottom like Kim's famous derriere during an interview in 2008.

Close pals! 'Everything's great. We've known each other since we were little girls. I love her and I am so proud of her, she's such an amazing businesswoman,' Paris told the TV program

Helping hand: Kim famously started her career as Paris' unofficial assistant in the early 2000s, before eventually eclipsing the fame of her on-off friend

'I would not want [Kim's butt] - it's gross!' she told a US radio show as reported by Gawker at the time.

'It reminds me of cottage cheese inside a big trash bag.'

After years of taking subtle digs at each other, the pair apparently resolved their differences at the beginning of the year, with Kim sending Paris her latest fragrance.

'Love the amazing @KKWFragrance PR box! Thanks @KimKardashian!!' Paris tweeted in February.
She welcomed her first child five months ago.

And Eva Longoria looks to be embracing motherhood in stride as she was spotted pushing son Santiago in a stroller in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 43-year-old television star rocked an athletic outfit as she was joined by her husband Jose Baston and her mother Ella Mireles.

Family fun! Eva Longoria, 43, was psotted pushing her baby son Santiago as she was joined by her husband Jose Baston and her mother Ella Mireles in Los Angeles on Friday

The Desperate Housewives star looked every inch the small screens star even in her casual black ensemble with retro sunglasses.

The family outing comes after she shared an adorable shot of her five-month-old son Santiago.

'Lazy Sunday! #SundayFunday,' she captioned the Instagram photograph.

The newborn was seen laying down on his play mat have some playtime with some hanging toys.

Star power: The Desperate Housewives star looked every inch the small screens star even in her casual black ensemble with retro sunglasses

Eva and her husband Jose Antonio "Pepe" Baston Patino met via a mutual friend back in 2013.

'I was getting out of a bad relationship, and he was getting our of a relationship so there wasn't a connection,' she told People last year.

'So we had a pleasant conversation but there was no real connection.'

Baby Baston: Eva's family outing comes after she shared an adorable shot of her five-month-old son Santiago

Eva is the acting ambassador of the Global Gift Foundation- a charity that works to raise funds for foundations, charities and organisations that share its vision and aims.

Through events such as the various galas and fundraisers the charity funds several projects, including The Eva Longoria Foundation.

The charity, founded in 2012, aims to help Latinas build better futures through education and entrepreneurship, and confront the issue of poverty in their culture.
DJ David Guetta spent Thanksgiving day packing on the PDA with his much younger girlfriend Jessica Ledon on Miami Beach.

At 51, the divorced father-of-two is 27 years older than the Nu Talent actress, but age is nothing but a number to this couple.

As for the Cuban-born, Miami-raised stunner's so-called engagement ring, the French producer reportedly has zero plans to marry her.

Kisses by the sea: DJ David Guetta spent Thanksgiving day packing on the PDA with his much younger girlfriend Jessica Ledon on Miami Beach

Different generations: At 51, the divorced father-of-two is 27 years older than the Nu Talent actress, but age is nothing but a number to this couple

'It's a promise ring David gave Jessica last year - a promise to "love and commitment" - but not a promise to walk down the aisle,' a source told TMZ on Wednesday.

'Guetta straight-up doesn't believe in marriage anymore.'

Jessica showcased her six-pack abs and enviable curves in a maroon two-piece consisting of a supportive underwire top with a Brazilian-cut bikini.

Speaking of abs, the two-time Grammy winner showcased his fit 5ft9in form in simple black swim trunks while rocking an expensive-looking watch.

Diamond sparkler: As for the Cuban-born, Miami-raised stunner's so-called engagement ring, the French producer reportedly has zero plans to marry her

A source told TMZ on Wednesday: 'Guetta straight-up doesn't believe in marriage anymore'

The insider stressed: 'It's a promise ring David gave Jessica last year - a promise to "love and commitment" - but not a promise to walk down the aisle'

Bikini body: Jessica showcased her six-pack abs and enviable curves in a maroon two-piece consisting of a supportive underwire top with a Brazilian-cut bikini

Beach stroll: Speaking of abs, the two-time Grammy winner showcased his fit 5ft9in form in simple black swim trunks while rocking an expensive-looking watch

Joining the May-December duo for their fun day in the sun was their adorable French bulldog called Fellini.

Guetta and Ledon's fur-baby appears to be a new addition as they've only been posting pictures of the grey pup since April.

The jet-setting couple have reportedly began dating since mid-2015, and they went public a year later for a state dinner in honor of Cuban President Raul Castro at the Elysee Palace.

David and Jessica were also seen spooning on a sun lounger as little Fellini looked up at them expectantly.

Puppy love! Joining the May-December duo for their fun day in the sun was their adorable French bulldog called Fellini

Family portrait: Guetta and Ledon's fur-baby appears to be a new addition as they've only been posting pictures of the grey pup since April

Still going strong! The jet-setting couple have reportedly began dating since mid-2015, and they went public a year later for a Paris dinner in honor of Cuban President Raul Castro

'You are love and light in everyone's life, [especially] mine! Love you so so so much,' the Stella Adler-trained thespian gushed on Instagram November 7.

'My everything! I'm so lucky to share life with you, you inspire me every single day I know I don't say it enough but there's no denying that you're the BOSS baby!'

Before they got wet and wild, the former NuvoTV reality star was wearing a striped beige jumpsuit while the 'grandfather of EDM' stuck to a white undershirt and flip-flops.

Cuddle puddle: David and Jessica were also seen spooning on a sun lounger as little Fellini looked up at them expectantly

The Stella Adler-trained thespian gushed on Instagram November 7: 'You are love and light in everyone's life, [especially] mine! Love you so so so much'

She also wrote: 'My everything! I'm so lucky to share life with you, you inspire me every single day I know I don't say it enough but there's no denying that you're the BOSS baby!'

Sunscreen time: Before they got wet and wild, the former NuvoTV reality star was wearing a striped beige jumpsuit while the 'grandfather of EDM' stuck to a white undershirt and flip-flops

Surprise! Ledon teamed up with DJ Cedric Gervais to throw Guetta a surprise 51st birthday bash, and David shared a highlight reel from his party on Instagram November 16

Ledon teamed up with DJ Cedric Gervais to throw Guetta a surprise 51st birthday bash, and David shared a highlight reel from his party on Instagram November 16.

Jessica is the bearded musician's first public relationship since ending his 22-year marriage with club manager Cathy Lobe in 2014.

The French 51-year-old - who greatly contributed to Guetta's career - scored an eye-popping $15M in their divorce settlement, according to Page Six.

The ex-wife: Jessica is the bearded musician's first public relationship since ending his 22-year marriage with club manager Cathy Lobe in 2014 (R, pictured in 2012)

Divorcee: The French 51-year-old - who greatly contributed to Guetta's career - allegedly scored an eye-popping $15M in their divorce settlement (pictured Tuesday)

Still in school: The globetrotting Battle hitmaker's 14-year-old son Tim 'Elvis' Eric (L) and 11-year-old daughter Angie (R) both live in Paris with Cathy (pictured in 2017 and 2016)

The globetrotting Battle hitmaker's 14-year-old son Tim 'Elvis' Eric and 11-year-old daughter Angie both live in Paris with Cathy.

On Tuesday, Guetta dropped the Hannah Lux Davis-directed music video for his Say My Name collaboration with pop star Bebe Rexha and reggeaton sensation J. Balvin

David (born Pierre) will next man the decks at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball taking place December 2 at The 02 in London.

Already amassed 7.7M views! On Tuesday, Guetta dropped the Hannah Lux Davis-directed music video for his Say My Name collaboration with Bebe Rexha (M) and J. Balvin (R)
Her rise to fame included plenty of time out partying with famous pals at Los Angeles nightspots.

And American socialite and heiress Paris Hilton, 37, has said that she was the 'first person to ever get paid to party' - and it was actually her 'working' in her early years.

Speaking to Weekend Today on Saturday, Paris made the comments at the while promoting her new fragrance, Platinum Rush.

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'I was the first person to ever get paid to party': On Saturday, heiress Paris Hilton (pictured) said she started her worldwide empire by going out on the town

Explaining her wild reputation, the blonde beauty said she was the first celebrity who pioneered getting paid to party.

'That was a business I started in,' Paris told the show's hosts.

'I was the first person to ever get paid to party and it was a very lucrative business and I've turned it into a worldwide empire.'

'That was a business I started in,' Paris told the show's hosts. 'I was the first person to ever get paid to party and it was a very lucrative business and I've turned it into a worldwide empire.' Pictured here in 2003

She continued: 'So, I think when a lot of people would see me at these parties and events they didn't really realise I was actually there working.'

She finished: 'It was my job.'

The savvy businesswoman first rose to fame on the Fox hit, The Simple Life, with fellow heiress and fashionista, Nicole Richie, 37.

All business: The American heiress and socialite has said her days out at parties is what led to her worldwide empire. Paris has just released her latest fragrance, Platinum Rush

After first launching her eponymous perfume in 2004, Paris went on to launch a number of others including 'Can Can', 'Heiress' and 'Just Me'.

The fun-loving blonde went on to release star in the horror film House of Wax and release the self-titled Paris album which spawned hit, 'Stars Are Blind'.

Elsewhere in interview, Paris spoke about her often tumultuous friendship with global superstar, Kim Kardashian.

Still friends: 'We've known each other since we were little girls': Elsewhere in the interview, Paris spoke about her tumultuous relationship with Kim Kardashian (above in 2007)

The Hilton Hotels heiress claimed to have spoken to Kim, 38, just 'a couple of weeks ago'.

'Everything's great. We've known each other since we were little girls. I love her and I am so proud of her, she's such an amazing businesswoman,' she told the program.

But it took Paris a little time to warm up to being asked about her highly successful friend.

The former Simple Life star couldn't help but take a subtle swipe at Kim when first asked about her and her lucrative career.

'I feel so proud. I feel like a pioneer, and I've really paved the way for so many people, and [I'm] an inspiration to men and women all around the world,' she said.
She recently found her prefect match in Taite Radley on The Bachelorette, and it is clear that Ali Oetjen is still in the throes of new love.

The blonde bombshell, 32, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of herself in a black swimsuit while standing on the shore of a beach at Australia's picturesque Great Barrier Reef.

Ali, showing off her curvy figure in side profile, captioned the shot: 'Filling our lives with adventures, not things, and listening to the earth's soul inspiring, beautiful music that sets us free!'

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'Listening to the earth's soul sets us free!': Ali Oetjen (pictured) went New Age on a beach at the Great Barrier Reef on Saturday

Ali's followers praised the reality star for her positivity, with one writing: 'Focusing on the important things! These adventure will stay with you forever.'

Another follower, however, could not resist taking a potshot at her partner, Taite, writing: 'Ali you deserve better and Taite, he only reply for The Bacholertte because he only wanted to be famous and he thought it will be funny.'

Ali's fans rushed to the couple's defence, however, with one commenting: 'Why would you say that. Does anyone tell you who to date?'

Ali, showing off her curvy figure in side profile, captioned the shot: 'Filling our lives with adventures, not things, and listening to the earth's soul inspiring, beautiful music that sets us free!'

Are Ali and Taite Radley (right) the most shameless couple in Australia? Their first week together included 100 selfies, 25 branded posts and fake 'baby news' after Bachelorette finale (Pictured is an example of their branded uploads, with this loved-up snap endorsing a boutique resort, private sailing experience and tourism organisation)

Indeed, Ali and Taite have achieved more in their first week as a couple than most manage in a lifetime, after finally being able to go public with their romance.

Since The Bachelorette finale aired last Thursday, the lovers have shared more than 100 selfies online, tagged 25 companies and teased some non-existent 'baby news' to fans.

And as their oversharing sways more towards self-promotion than satisfying their followers, have they become Australia's most shameless couple in just one week?

Flying high: The majority of Ali and Taite's endless posts from their first week as a public couple have contained countless tags to various brands and organisations

In their first seven days as a couple that no longer have to hide their romance, Ali, 32, and Taite, 28, have captured every moment together and posted it on Instagram.

And as they continue their loved-up trip to Queensland, almost every post from the pair have tags of a company of some kind, suggesting aspects may be free.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the brands they have repeatedly promoted online this past week include two luxury boutique resorts and a tourism organisation.

So much to share: Their constant selfies totalled over 100

Their list of never-ending endorsements also includes seven clothing brands, a celeb stylist, makeup artist, hairdresser and both a brand of eyelash and hair extensions.

And the list of brands Ali and Taite have prompted in just one week, who may have provided their services for free, does not end there.

They have also shared exclusive content promoting a helicopter charter service, private sailing experience and a car rental service.

'Love is something you become,' Ali wrote alongside one selfie with Taite, which was both geotagged at their luxury hotel and linked to the company's direct profile

Promoting the hotels they've stayed at even further, Ali and Taite have also tagged themselves in shots showcasing activities on offer including couples yoga.

'Love is something you become,' Ali wrote alongside one selfie with Taite, which was both geotagged at their luxury hotel and linked to the company's direct profile.

In the midst of their trip, Ali also shared one post, with what appeared to be a throwback picture, dedicated to an organic superfood supplements company.

Meanwhile, the pair's constant selfies posted on their Instagram pages and stories, totalled over 100.
Malique Thompson-Dwyer broke down in tears when he received news about his baby daughter in a letter from home.

The Hollyoaks actor couldn't hold back the emotion when Rita Simons revealed in a note from his mum that his little girl shouts 'Dada' every time she sees him on the TV.

The 20-year-old, who became a father as a teenager, was even given a photo of the one-year-old, which he sweetly said he'd be hugging that night as he went to sleep.

Emotional: Malique Thompson-Dwyer broke down in tears when he received news about his baby daughter in a letter from home

Malique was one of eight campmates to receive a care package from home in Friday's episode - after just five days in the jungle.

EastEnders star Rita Simons had his letter, which read: 'Your daughter screams when she sees you on the screen shouting 'Dada!' '

Malique also received his favourite chocolate and a photo of his girl, whose name he has never revealed.

Discussing the emotional moment, the actor said: 'Seeing that picture is just making me miss her even more. I'll definitely sleep and hug that tonight.'

Proud dad: The Hollyoaks actor couldn't hold back the emotion when Rita Simons revealed in a note from his mum that his little girl shouts 'Dada' every time she sees him on the TV

Cute: The 20-year-old, who became a father as a teenager, was even given a photo of the one-year-old, which he sweetly said he'd be hugging that night as he went to sleep

Viewers flocked to Twitter to express their shock at the young actor being a father.

'Wait, what?! Malique has a kid?! Isn't he about 12?!' One baffled fan asked.

Another added: 'As if Malique has a daughter..he's an embryo! lets hope the mom is the brains of the operation eh!'

The actor welcomed his child - who he refers to only as his 'princess' on social media - in 2017. It is not known who is the girl's mother.

Overwhelmed: Discussing the emotional moment, the actor said: 'Seeing that picture is just making me miss her even more. I'll definitely sleep and hug that tonight'

Adorable: The actor welcomed his child - who he refers to only as his 'princess' on social media - in 2017 when he was 19. It is not known who is the girl's mother

He previously admitted his life completely changed as he adjusted to becoming a first time father at 19.

He told his Instagram followers that year: 'I'm not going to lie, 2017 broke me, matured me, whooped my ass, humbled me, blessed me, made me smarter and wiser.

'It showed me snakes are everywhere & family & friends are just titles if the love isn't real.'

Can't believe it: Viewers flocked to Twitter to express their shock at the young actor being a father

Meanwhile, elsewhere on I'm A Celebrity fans were also left unimpressed at the decision to give the campmates care packages after they'd spent less than a week in the jungle.

'Bit early for the care packages bit on #ImACeleb isn't it?' one user wrote.

'They've been in the jungle like five days why are they already getting letters from home ain't that like a last week thing #imaceleb,' another agreed.

Emily Atack got teary when Fleur East read out a letter from her sister and then opened her package to find her favourite crisps.

Too much: Eight out of the 11 celebrities received care packages from home - despite only having been in the jungle for five days

Can't handle it: James McVey read Ritas letter from her daughters

Anne was next and John read a letter from her family. The TV star was pleasantly surprised to find that they'd sent her favourite crisps.

Sair Khan started to cry before Rita even had chance to read her letter from her boyfriend Simon.

Meanwhile, John Barrowmans letter from his husband Scott. Emily read Fleurs letter from her sister and she also started to cry. Nick, James and Harry didnt have care packages.

Getting tearful: The Vamps guitarist comforted Rita when she started crying
Stella McCartney is unlikely to find favour with Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes, who remarked this week that it was not appropriate for anyone to be paid more than 1 million a year  whatever business they are in.

I can disclose that the fashion designers eponymous company rewarded her with 3.9 million last year. However, the sum represents little more than starvation wages for the 47-year-old compared with the 8.3 million she received the previous year, when the companys profits were 9.5 million  just 500,000 more than in the latest accounts.

Stella McCartney's eponymous company rewarded her with 3.9 million last year

Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz captivated fans with her post-baby figure just three months after giving birth to her first child with James Bond star Daniel Craig.

However, the 48-year-old actress, who was once engagingly frank with the media, has become notably more guarded about her personal life since taking up with cantankerous Craig, 50.

Rachel Weisz attends the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 10th annual Governors Award

And now the Cambridge graduate seems to be becoming more reserved in her screen roles, too. Her film Disobedience, out next week, is based on a Naomi Alderman novel that describes a steamy affair between two Orthodox Jewish women.

However, the film sees Weisz and her co-star, Rachel McAdams, 40, wearing clothes as they canoodle.

Weiszs spokesman declines to comment on a claim that she refused to appear in any nude shots. The actress had promised tantalisingly: The sex scene is massively important and beautiful.

Weisz and her co-star, Rachel McAdams, 40, wearing clothes as they canoodle

Spread-bet tycoon Stuart Wheeler is celebrating some good fortune in his family.

The former Tory donor has a new grandchild after his model daughter Jacquetta gave birth to a girl on Tuesday.

She and her hedge fund manager husband Jamie Allsopp, cousin of TVs Kirstie, have called her Edie.Mother and daughter are absolutely fine, says Stuart  whose wife, photographer Tessa Codrington, died in 2016. He tells me: Tessa would have been delighted. She is a very nice-looking baby and Ive suggested she should begin her modelling career about now.

Jacquetta Wheeler attends a drinks reception at the British Fashion Awards in 2015

Former Tory donor Stuart Wheeler is celebrating some good fortune in his family has he welcomed a new grandchild after his model daughter Jacquetta gave birth to a girl on Tuesday

Who says its all sex, drugs and rocknroll? Roxy Music founder member Andy Mackays latest project involves setting Psalms to music.

Mackay, 72, who worships at St Annes in Londons Soho and co-wrote Roxy hits including Love Is The Drug, tells the Church Times: There is a certain amount of militant atheism that is still quite fashionable . . . but reactions to the piece have been incredibly good.

Flame-haired crooner Mick Hucknall, who called his band Simply Red after his mane, is considering a name change. I should probably think about changing it to Simply Grey, admits Hucknall, 58.

The Mancunian, whose exes include Danish supermodel Helena Christensen, Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lady Victoria Hervey, has been quoted as saying he slept with more than 1,000 women a year.

Id never talk about that kind of thing, insists Hucknall, who has an 11-year-old daughter with his wife, Gabriella. What I actually said, reflecting on those early years, was that it felt like I was sleeping with three women a day.

The smart set seem to live their lives on social media these days, but is everything all it seems?

Society figure Immy Waterhouse  sister of model Suki  admits she faked a party scene on her Instagram account, which has 95,000 followers, after forgetting to fulfil her promise to the company that provided free booze.

We got so wasted that we forgot to take the picture, Immy confesses at the opening of fashion label Majes store in Regent Street.

So we recreated the night and pretended.

Well, Immy is an actress . . .
Their split was officially announced on Friday, two weeks after he was caught getting close to a bevy of women on a lads' holiday.

And Vicky Pattison showed off her toned bikini body in a sizzling snap, as her ex fiance John Noble partied with scantily-clad women on a night out in Durham on Friday.

The ex Geordie Shore star, 31, flaunted her ample assets and toned midriff in a scanty yellow string bikini, as she enjoyed a relaxing spa break with her mother at County Durham's Seaham Hall.

Good spirits: Vicky Pattison showed off her toned bikini body in a sizzling snap, as her ex fiance John Noble partied with scantily-clad women on a night out in Durham on Friday

Looking in good spirits in the midst of her heartbreak, the star's tresses were styled in loose waves while her pretty features were enhanced with a radiant dusting of make-up.

Just 13 miles away from his ex John partied up a storm with champagne and scantily-clad women at Players Bar in Durham.

Taking to his Instagram stories, he documented his wild night out as women in scanty outfits held flaming bottles of champagne.

Selfie: Just 13 miles away from his ex John partied up a storm with champagne and scantily-clad women at Players Bar in Durham

Party on: Taking to his Instagram stories, he documented his wild night out as women in scanty outfits held flaming bottles of champagne

Raucous: John was out on the town very close to ex Vicky

This comes as insiders exclusively revealed the news to MailOnline, as it was revealed that Vicky has decided to part ways with her beau after previously admitting she was 'heartbroken and humiliated'.

She is said to be 'concentrating on her busy work schedule' while trying to stay positive in the midst of the drama, which John has remained silent on, instead sharing a host of shirtless snaps on Instagram.

Sources revealed: 'Vicky and John are officially over. She is concentrating on her busy work schedule and surrounding herself with positivity, friends and family...

Heartache:This comes as insiders exclusively revealed the news to MailOnline, as it was revealed that Vicky has decided to part ways with her beau after previously admitting she was 'heartbroken and humiliated'

'Its been a difficult couple of weeks but she is moving on with her life and looking forward to the future.

Prior to the news coming out, Vicky took to Instagram to reveal she was suffering with anxiety on Thursday evening following a night out in London.

Vicky and John were first pictured together in the X Factor audience in October 2016, having already dated 10 years previously, when she was just 20.

Moving on: Insiders exclusively revealed the news to MailOnline, as it was revealed that the 31-year-old former Geordie Shore star has decided to part ways with her beau after previously admitting she was 'heartbroken and humiliated'

Shock: She is said to be 'concentrating on her busy work schedule' while trying to stay positive in the midst of the drama, which John has remained silent on, instead sharing a host of shirtless snaps on Instagram

Moving on: Vicky has maintained steely in the face of the controversy yet admitted she was feeling 'crippling' humiliation surrounding the scandal

After confirming their romance in November 2016, they went on to announce their engagement in July last year, when Vicky proudly flaunted her 3.6-carat marquise-cut diamond engagement ring before easing herself into wedding planning.

Vicky and John's ill-fated romance Around 2008: Vicky and John first enjoyed a brief romance October 2016: The couple were spotted together at The X Factor sparking romance rumours November 2016: After joining Vicky in Australia during her I'm A Celeb commitments, the couple confirmed their romance July 2017: The couple confirmed their engagement with a dramatic magazine spread where Vicky flashed her 3.6-carat marquise-cut engagement ring January 2018: Vicky revealed she had postponed their wedding 'by a year or two' as she 'wasn't ready to be a wife' despite having planned a lavish 175,000 ceremony this summer November 2018: Images surfaced of John getting close to a bevy of women during a trip to Dubai, before the official end to their relationship days later Advertisement

News of the split comes after it was revealed the couple had began filming a bridal show just days before John headed on his fateful trip.

Despite the fairy-tale aspects of their romance, sadly things came crashing down earlier this month when John was exposed for his love rat ways when a number of images and videos came to light showing her beau mingling with other revellers.

To add to her heartache, the betrayal will see the end of the wedding lead-up show however it has been revealed she will tackle the programme solo.

Insiders told MailOnline: 'Vicky and John had a wedding special confirmed and started filming just a few days before John went on the boys' trip to Dubai.

'Obviously it was devastating for Vicky to have all this come out just after they started shooting. Vicky has decided to carry on filming with the crew. She's a professional and didn't want to let anyone down.

'It goes without saying it won't be a wedding show, but will follow Vicky on the next chapter as she bounces back from John's betrayal. She was excited to be starting wedding planning and looking at venues, but life has changed now.'

History: The pair first dated 10 years ago and rekindled their relationship in recent years, with John proposing to Vicky in July last year

Defiant: Far from weighing in on the situation, John has been sharing a number of saucy selfies on social media - undoubtedly to Vicky's shock

Vicky also scooped a number of other wedding-themed projects.

Prior to John's Dubai trip, Vicky had launched her inaugural bridal column with The Sun, while she also launched an Instagram page to follow her body transformation ahead of the big day.

The page, Vicky's Bridal Bod has not been used since November 8, just two days before the imagery of John partying with other women was unearthed.

What heartache? Vicky put on a brave face as she hosted an I'm a Celebrity segment on This Morning on Friday

High spirits: The star giggled incessantly with hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford as she discussed the I'm a Celebrity stars' eventful first week

Onward and upwards: Vicky is seemingly throwing her self into work after confirming the split

Moving on: Prior to John's Dubai trip, Vicky had launched her inaugural bridal column with The Sun, while she also launched an Instagram page to follow her body transformation ahead of the big day

Happy days: Additionally, Vicky appeared on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress last year in a bid to find her perfect gown for the big day that never was

Put on hold: John's betrayal was not the first time the couple's romance was dragged to a halt as in January Vicky confessed she has postponed her wedding by up to two years

Additionally, Vicky appeared on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress last year in a bid to find her perfect gown for the big day that never was.

John's betrayal was not the first time the couple's romance was dragged to a halt as in January Vicky confessed she has postponed her wedding by up to two years because she doesn't feel 'ready to be a wife'.

She revealed her plans to tie the knot in a lavish 175,000 ceremony this summer, yet told OK! magazine she and John did not leave enough time to plan their perfect nuptials, and so have decided to delay the proceedings by 'a year or two'.
He's an award-winning actor with a slew of gongs to his name.

But Ben Mendelsohn has claimed he'll never be as good as the actresses he works with.

'Women are almost always better actors,' the Robin Hood star told the Weekend Australian on Saturday.

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'Women are better actors!' Ben Mendelsohn (pictured) claimed female thespians are more superior than male counterparts, on Saturday, because they 'have an easier time playing that scale of emotion'. Pictured in Los Angeles in October 2018

'They have an easier time playing scales of emotion, they're able to play them with greater ease than their male counterparts.'

He added: 'I see a lot more when I watch women!'

Best known for his his roles in blockbuster films, including The Dark Knight Rises and Star Wars: Rogue One, the Melbourne actor was once forced to work low-paying jobs to pay the bills just 10 years ago.

'They have an easier time playing scales of emotion, they're able to play them with greater ease than their male counterparts!' said Ben. The 49 year-old actor believes stars like Cate Blanchett (left) and Nicole Kidman (right) have a wider range than male actors

In a startling admission earlier this week, the star admitted he washed dishes at a restaurant in Sydney's Bondi and was also employed at a Brumby's Bakery during a career slump, according to the Herald Sun on Wednesday.

Reflecting on his incredible reversal of fortune since then, Ben said: 'It's been extraordinary. But that's what has been very sweet about it - you don't expect that in this business.'

He added: 'I still drive around and look back on a lot of years where things were leaner. I am still happily spun out by it.'

Struggles: He's known for his roles in blockbuster films, including The Dark Knight Rises and Star Wars: Rogue One, however things haven't always been easy for the Australian-born actor

Currently starring as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, it's the latest in a string of bad guy roles from Animal Kingdom to Spielberg's Ready Player One.

But in a recent interview with The Project, the 49-year-old said his penchant for playing bad guys has turned out 'alright' for him so far.

However, he said he's 'got a couple more feathers' in his cap and would like to play more diverse characters in the future.
Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Marie Jancan gushed on Thanksgiving that she was 'especially thankful for' her new castmate and rumored boyfriend, Adam Paul Spott.

'Thankful to have so many amazing and positive people in my life,' the 33-year-old Bravo-lebrity - who boasts 1.3M followers - captioned a desert piggyback snap.

'Especially this guy! @spottmeagram #thanksgiving #blessed!'

Desert piggyback ride: Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Marie Jancan gushed on Thanksgiving that she was 'especially thankful for' her new castmate and rumored beau, Adam Paul Spott

The 33-year-old Bravo-lebrity captioned the snap: 'Thankful to have so many amazing and positive people in my life ... especially this guy! @spottmeagram #thanksgiving #blessed'

But there was no sign of the 29-year-old bearded blond when the SUR server Insta-storied actual footage from her Thanksgiving festivities alongside mother Erika van Olphen.

Scheana confirmed to Vogue on November 15 that she and Adam have 'been on dates' and noted she was 'freezing her eggs this year.'

Since September, Jancan has referred to the 6ft2in Wilhelmina Model as her 'favorite person,' her 'plus one,' and her 'best friend for a year-and-a-half.'

'#thankful': But there was no sign of the 29-year-old bearded blond when the SUR server Insta-storied actual footage from her Thanksgiving festivities alongside mother Erika van Olphen

'Do the mash potato!' Scheana confirmed to Vogue on November 15 that she and Adam have 'been on dates' and noted she was 'freezing her eggs this year'

The real thing? Jancan has referred to the 6ft2in Wilhelmina Model as her 'favorite person,' her 'plus one,' and her 'best friend for a year-and-a-half' (pictured October 27)

The Azusa Pacific University grad's PDA post came less than a week after she was spotted getting 'cozy' with Tom Tom staffer Max Boyens at the Vanderpump Dogs Gala inside LA's Tagylan Cultural Complex.

'Scheana and Max were super adorable,' an eye witness told Us Weekly.

'He had his arm around her and was kissing her forehead.'

'He was kissing her forehead': The Azusa Pacific University grad's PDA post came less than a week after she was spotted getting 'cozy' with Tom Tom staffer Max Boyens (2-R) at the Vanderpump Dogs Gala (pictured August 6)

Her exes: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum previously dated nineties supermodel Amber Valletta's brother Robert (L) from 2016-2017, and she was married to Michael Shay (R) from 2014-2017 (pictured in 2017 and 2016)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum previously dated nineties supermodel Amber Valletta's brother Robert from 2016-2017, and she was married to Michael Shay from 2014-2017.

Scheana - who's also bedded John Mayer and Eddie Cibrian - currently hosts a weekly PodcastOne podcast called Scheananigans where she interviews guests like 'Blasian' comedian Michael Yo.

Catch more of Jancan and her active love life in the 24-episode seventh season of Vanderpump Rules, which premieres December 3 on Bravo.

Second gig: Scheana - who's also bedded John Mayer and Eddie Cibrian - currently hosts a weekly PodcastOne podcast called Scheananigans where she interviews guests like 'Blasian' comedian Michael Yo (L, pictured Tuesday)
Kathryn Dennis is not here for the haters.

The Southern Charm star clapped back at followers who suggested she may be pregnant after sharing a new snap on her Instagram account on Thursday.

The 27-year-old ginger beauty quickly fired back: 'No, I have just gained weight,' after a fan asked: 'Are you pregnant?'

No fool: Kathryn Dennis, 27, clapped back at followers who suggested she may be pregnant after sharing a new snap on her Instagram account on Thursday

She had shared a snap of herself standing on a set of stairs in a white shirt and a long black skirt with costar Austen Kroll with the caption: 'Happy Thanksgiving, yall. Christmas cards coming soon.'

And Austen came to Kathryn's defense as he wrote on her Instagram: 'Some* of these people are absurd. Thankful for you! Oh, and my stomach is still recovering!'

Meanwhile, Kathryn is going through a brutal custody battle with ex Thomas Ravenel who is standing trial for the alleged assault of his children's nanny.

And Thomas recently responded to Kathryn's filing seeking to modify their shared custody agreement.

New snap: The 27-year-old ginger beauty quickly fired back: 'No, I have just gained weight,' after a fan asked: 'Are you pregnant?'

Comparing: And Austen Kroll came to his Southern Charm co-star's defense as he wrote on her Instagram: 'Some* of these people are absurd. Thankful for you! Oh, and my stomach is still recovering!' (left pictured in 2017)

He filed a counterclaim, People reported, in which he accused Kathryn of acting 'for the purpose of garnering media attention, creating material for her storyline on Southern Charm and ensuring her marketability as a 'reality TV star.''

The former couple share two young children - daughter Kensie, four, and son Saint, two.

Kathryn spent two years proving she was drug free in order to regain joint custody of her children.

She filed for primary custody of the kids following Ravenel's arrest for assault claiming he had displayed 'periods of impulsive and uncontrollable bouts of anger' as well as 'extreme narcissism and anger management problems.'

Counter claim: Thomas accused Kathryn of acting 'for the purpose of .... creating material for her storyline on Southern Charm and ensuring her marketability as a 'reality TV star''

She also alleged he mixed alcohol and prescription drugs and was 'impaired' while in charge of the children.

Thomas, according to People, denies all her accusations and alleges in response in his court documents that Kathryn is acting 'in bad faith' and to progress 'her storyline as the 'rehabilitated mother who regains possession of her minor children.''

Thomas was arrested in September after his former nanny Dawn Ledwell claimed she was in his Charleston, South Carolina home in January 2015 when he allegedly took off her pants and fondled her.
She's enjoying a well deserved vacation in Tulum, Mexico with boyfriend Oliver Ripley.

And on Friday, Sara Sampaio, who posed poolside, showed off her sculpted body in a skimpy red bikini on Instagram.

'Love me some sun,' the 27-year-old model captioned the photo.

Red-hot! Sara Sampaio is on vacation in Tulum, Mexico. And on Friday, the 27-year-old model, who posed poolside, showed off her sculpted body in a skimpy red bikini on Instagram

Sara and Oliver, who have been dating since 2015, are bunked up at HABITASan exotic resort just steps away from the ocean.

'Finally some time off after living in airports and planes these past few weeks,' Sampaio wrote on Instagram.

In an interview with KTLA 5, the Portugal native admitted to often feeling lonely when traveling the world for work.

'There's a lot of planes, a lot of sleepless nights, and there's a lot of being alone,' she said. 'My boyfriend travels as much as I do. We meet whenever we can.'

'Love me some sun,' she wrote on social media

Quality time: Sara and boyfriend Oliver Ripley are bunked up at HABITASan exotic resort just steps away from the ocean. The longtime couple have been dating since 2015

Sampaio recently walked in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which airs on December 2.

The Vogue cover girl became an official VS Angel back in 2015.

'This show means more to me than anything you can imagine!' Sara wrote on Instagram after the show's taping on November 8.

'Last night was incredible, love being back in NY, the energy is just electrifying! Cant believe this is my 6th show already! Loved every moment of it!'
He shot to fame in comedy sketch Full Frontal before going on to star in the famed Australian film Chopper.

And now Eric Bana has revealed his fears about playing a sociopath conman in his upcoming Netflix series Dirty John.

'There is a lot of stuff about him that I don't want to know,' the father-of-two told Saturday's Telegraph.

'There is a lot of stuff about him that I don't want to know!' Eric Bana (left) talked about playing a sociopath conman in the new Netflix series Dirty John on Saturday. Eric is playing John Meehan (right, pictured with Debra Newell)

Based on the renowned podcast, the upcoming drama centres on the real-life love story between John Meehan and Debra Newell, played by actress Connie Britton.

The pair met on an over-50s dating website in 2014, and five weeks after their first date, they were living together in Newport, California, before tragedy struck.

And Eric went on to say that the appeal was not down to portraying the character, but rather delving into his sociopathic ways

Stranger than fiction: Based on the renowned podcast, the upcoming drama centres on the real life love story between John Meehan and Debra Newell, played by actress Connie Britton. Pictured: Eric with Connie

'There's a lot of scope to explore that behaviour,' he said.

'While there's a lot of factual information about John, sometimes it can be like quicksand.'

Eric became a household name in '90s comedy sketch series Full Frontal, before starring in comedy-drama The Castle and film Chopper in 2000.

In-depth: Eric (left) said the appeal was not down to portraying the character, but rather delving into his sociopathic ways. John Meehan is pictured on the right

The Troy actor has previously worked alongside Hollywood A-listers, including the likes of Brad Pitt and Jude Law, and starring in blockbusters such as Munich, The Time Traveller's Wife and Hulk.

To date, Dirty John is Eric's first US television series.

'I've looked at a lot of TV stuff over the past 10 years, and this was the one that got me,' he told the same publication earlier this year.

Eric lives in Melbourne with his wife Rebecca Gleeson, 47, and their two children, Klaus, 19, and Sophia, 16
She sparked controversy when she endorsed a skin-whitening cream on Thursday.

But by Friday, it was claimed that Blac Chyna has never even used the 'Whitenicious' Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream she's been promoting, according to TMZ's sources.

The 30-year-old former reality TV star 'never applied it to her own skin' says the gossip site.

Blac to White: Blac Chyna is flogging new skin lightening cream called 'Whitenicious' in Nigeria... at $250 per bottle

The Rob & Chyna star allegedly saw the partnership as nothing more than 'a business opportunity'

The former stripper was 'offered good money to promote the cream', say TMZ's sources.

In an Instagram post, the reality star invited her 14.9million followers to the official launch Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream, which she decided to host in Nigeria.

'Lagos Nigeria, join me at the first official launch of my face cream this Sunday November 25th at the Whitenicious store from 1-5PM,' she wrote. 'Everyone is invited.'

Hope you can make it: The reality star invited her 14.8million followers to the official launch Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream, which she decided to host in Nigeria

The product comes in a 'fabulous jar handcrafted with Real Swarovski crystals.

Just 100g of the cream costs $250.

According to the 'science' section of the website: 'This protective illuminating product helps restore radiance and moisture while providing UV protection.'

Chyna's reps told TMZ the star has been 'using Whitenicious dark spot corrector for a few years to deal with her hyperpigmentation.'

They told the site she 'felt this was a good deal for her because a lot of women of color suffer from skin issues.'

Discoloration: Chyna's reps told TMZ the star has been 'using Whitenicious dark spot corrector for a few years to deal with her hyperpigmentation'

In an interview with Vogue India last year, Priyanka Chopra admitted she regretted starring in an advertisement for skin-lightening cream.

'I was very conscious of the color of my skin,' Chopra said. '[In India] youre prettier if youre fairer.

'I did a commercial for a skin-lightening cream. I was playing that girl with insecurities, Chopra she recalled. 'And when I saw it, I was like, Oh sh*t. What did I do?

'I started talking about being proud of the way I looked. I actually like my skin tone.'
He's worth a reported $52million.

But Luke Bryan wasn't always doing so well, with the 42-year-old revealing his early career struggles in an interview on the Pickler & Ben show on Monday.

The country star said that wife Caroline Boyer 'was the one bringing in the dough' during the early days of his music career.

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Success story: Luke Bryan wasn't always doing so well, with the 42-year-old revealing his early career struggles in an interview on the Pickler & Ben show on Monday

The college sweethearts married in December 8, 2006, but weren't financially stable from the outset.

'When we got married, her career supported me when I was making about $10,000 a year,' the What Makes You Country hitmaker told hosts Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron.

'She was the one bringing in the dough.'

Doing it tough: The country star said that wife Caroline Boyer 'was the one bringing in the dough' during the early days of his music career

Proud parents: The pair have two sons together, Thomas Boyer Bryan, ten, and Tatum Christopher Bryan, eight. Seen here earlier this month

Tough times: The college sweethearts married in December 8, 2006, but weren't financially stable from the outset

The American Idol judge also spoke about the couple's turbulent relationship beginnings.

'Wed date a little in college, and then wed break up,' said Luke.

'And then I would be devastated. Wed get back together, break up. Then she would be devastated.'

Success story: The American Idol judge also spoke about the couple's turbulent relationship beginnings. Seen here this month

The country crooner continued: 'We finally decided we were not going to break up anymore. And then I graduate college, and she has two more years, and then we break up again. It was like the Dark Ages for both of us'

'And then we were apart for five-and-a-half years, which was kind of a blessing because I went off to Nashville, got all this going.'

'She finished college. She went and actually had a career.'

The pair have two sons together, Thomas Boyer Bryan, ten, and Tatum Christopher Bryan, eight.
Robert De Niro is set to make some serious dough as a pitchman for sliced bread.

The Hollywood A-lister, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper, will be paid a rumored six figure salary to star in a commercial for Warburtons bread.

The brand famous in the UK previously had Sylvester Stallone front its commercials.

Making dough: Robert De Niro is set to be paid a rumored six figure salary to star in a TV commercial for the British bread brand Warburtons, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper

Staple: Warburtons is a family-owned British company founded by Thomas Warburton in 1876. The brand, that's based in Bolton in the north of England, is the largest bakery brand in the UK

A source told The Sun: 'Warburtons absolutely love getting big names to front their adverts and they don't come much bigger than De Niro. They've set the bar higher than ever.'

It's reported that the actor, who's 75, will travel to the UK this weekend to film the commercial at a secret location.

Warburtons is a family-owned British company founded by Thomas Warburton in 1876.

The brand, that's based in Bolton in the north of England, is the largest bakery brand in the UK.

A-list bread: Warburtons previously had Sylvester Stallone front its commercials and with De Niro, the brand has 'set the bar higher than ever', a source told The Sun

It comes on the heels of news reports that De Niro and his wife of 21 years Grace Hightower, 63, have separated.

PageSix.com claimed on Tuesday that the Goodfellas and Raging Bull star and Hightower 'are no longer living together.'

The couple have two children together - son Elliot, 20, and daughter Helen, six.

It is not the first split for the pair, who were wed in 1997.

Two years after their marriage, De Niro filed for divorce two years but it was never finalized.

They later reconciled and went on to renew their vows in 2004.
She arrived in Melbourne, Australia earlier this week to promote her 24th fragrance, Platinum Rush.

And on Saturday, Paris Hilton took time out to support Challenge Cancer's annual Christmas party at Sandown Racecourse.

The 37-year-old was all smiles as she posed for photos with children and their families.

'My heart feels so full of love': Paris Hilton, 37, lent her profile to support Challenge Cancer's annual Christmas party in Melbourne on Saturday

Paris looked beautiful in a purple polka dot sheer blouse, which she teamed with indigo skinny-leg jeans.

Adding delicate stud earrings to the look, the entrepreneur held back her long blonde wavy locks with a satin blue headband.

Paris beamed for a series of photos at the charity event, drawing attention to an elegant makeup palette including a matte complexion, bold brows and false lashes.

Worthy cause: Paris, who sported a polka dot blouse and jeans at the event, took photos with children and their families

Annual event: Challenge Cancer is a not-for-profit organisation that provides daily support for children and families living with cancer

The beauty supported children and their families living with cancer at not-for-profit organisation Challenge Cancer's annual Christmas party.

Paris bonded with the children, and at one stage was pictured holding a cute rabbit.

The former Simple Life star took to Instagram after the event to reveal the impact the day had on her.

'Incredible day with Santa and all the children and their families at their annual Christmas party. My heart feels so full of love and pure happiness,' she wrote.

Nothing but smiles: Taking to Instagram after the event, the entrepreneur said that she 'feels so full of love and pure happiness' and that she had the most incredible day

Perfect shot: Paris, who accessorised her look with designer sunglasses and a blue satin headband, at one stage was seen picking up a cute rabbit

Just hours earlier on Friday, Paris mingled with fans at the launch of her 24th fragrance, Platinum Rush, at Melbourne's Highpoint Shopping Centre.

The Los Angeles-based star sported a glitzy silver beaded frock that highlighted her endlessly long and lean legs.

Paris added silver pointy-toe strappy heels and a statement headband, and enhanced her striking eyes with a set of false lashes.

Bonding: The former Simple Life star looked relaxed and at ease as she bonded with the children

Sweet: Paris was all smiles as she posed for photos inside the animal pen

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia ahead of the event, Paris said that she loves being an inspiration to others.

'I'm a woman on Twitter, I'm an inspiration all around the world. I work so hard and I love what I do. I love being an inspiration to men and women around the world.'

Paris, who attended the event on behalf of Chemist Warehouse, later admitted on stage that her business ventures are endless.

'I have [designed] handbags, makeup [lines], jewellery, lingerie, clothing, shoes, watches, baby clothes. Basically if there's a product, I make it,' she said.
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
She recently returned from her business trip to Beijing where she was carrying out her duties as an ambassador for Bulgari.

And Lady Kitty Spencer proved that she can party just as hard as she works, as she made a bleary-eyed from Annabel's Member's Club in Mayfair on Friday.

The 27-year-old model looked effortlessly glam in a form-fitting black turtleneck which she tucked into a pair of wide-legged velvet trousers.

Stepping out: Lady Kitty Spencer proved that she can party just as hard as she works, as she made a bleary-eyed from Annabel's Member's Club in Mayfair on Friday.

The niece of Princess Diana added touches of glitz to her look with a long gold necklace and an elegant bracelet.

Adding a pop of colour she slung a vibrant purple snake-print bag over her shoulder, no doubt full of all of her essentials for the evening.

Kitty added some height to her slender frame with a pair of towering black platform heels, which inched out from underneath her chic trousers.

She wore her blonde locks in tousled waves, while accentuating her pretty features with a bronze palette of make-up.

Wow: The 27-year-old model looked effortlessly glam in a form-fitting black turtleneck which she tucked into a pair of wide-legged velvet trousers

Kitty has been hopping around the London social scene of late, attending both the Walpole British Luxury Awards and Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Her most recent trip is another in a long line of plush breaks Kitty has enjoyed as part of her work with the luxury fashion house.

The Tatler cover girl has had a busy year, recently jetting back from Rome where she walked for Dolce & Gabbana, and is notching up the engagements after turning up at a never-ending reel of celebrity parties and society weddings.

Dapper: Joining Kitty at the night out was Boris Becker who stood out from the crowd in a fur-collared grey overcoat

Night on the town: He teamed his coat with a spotted navy shirt and a pair of smart trousers

Kitty boasts 459,000 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.

And she could be set to make up to 2million a year if she continues to secure lucrative contracts with fashion brands, a branding expert recently revealed.

She is on warm terms with William and Harry, and is an ambassador for homelessness charity Centrepoint -of which William is patron, but is not in their inner circle.

Date night: Leigh Francis and his Wife Jill Carter made a bold statement as they left the event

Cheeky chappy: Leigh - known best as his alter ego Keith Lemon - wore a brave red corduroy suit
She's the funny-woman who has defied in the odds in an image-conscious industry to become a certified A-lister.

But Melissa McCarthy thinks that plus size stars are the future of Hollywood as audiences are tired of 'shiny, bland' women on screen.

The 48-year-old told Stellar magazine: 'I think we've had quite enough years of the shiny, bland, perfectly dressed [and] coiffed woman. I don't know how to play those. I don't know any perfect women.'

'We've had enough of shiny, bland, perfectly dressed women': Melissa McCarthy discusses being plus size in Hollywood and the advice that helped her overcome her insecurities

The actress also revealed that while she was always 'comfortable with herself' she worried that a girl from a 'corn and soybean farm' would not make it in Hollywood.

However her parents had some priceless advice for the fledgling performer.

She tells the publication: 'My parents always said, "If you work hard, why not you?" I have to like me - I'm the only one I've got.'

The comedian recently told More Magazine that she is not joking around when it comes to America's culture of body shaming.

The 48-year-old told Stellar magazine: 'I think we've had quite enough years of the shiny, bland, perfectly dressed [and] coiffed woman. I don't know how to play those. I don't know any perfect women.' Pictured in Identify Thief

Famous face: The actress also revealed that while she was always 'comfortable with herself' she worried that a girl from a 'corn and soybean farm' would not make it in Hollywood. Pictured in Life of the Party

The Spy star said: 'People don't stop at size 12. I feel like there's a big thing missing where you can't dress to your mood above a certain number.

'[Malls] segregate plus-size [women].

'It's an odd thing that you can't go shopping with your friends because your store is upstairs hidden by the tire section. We'll put you gals over there because we don't want to see you and you probably don't want to be seen.'

She tells the publication: 'My parents always said, "If you work hard, why not you?" I have to like me - I'm the only one I've got.' Pictured in Can You Ever Forgive Me

Melissa rose to fame as Sookie St. James on the hit television drama Gilmore Girls. and went on to headline the sitcom Mike and Molly.

The mother-of-two received a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.

The star, who is married to Ben Falcone, whom she wed in 2005, and the pair have two young daughters.
Model Imogen Anthony led the celebrity arrivals at the Fashion + Aid charity beneficiary at the Westin Sydney Grand Ballroom on Saturday evening.

The girlfriend of KIIS FM radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands set tongues wagging in a racy cut-out ensemble as she posed alongside her equally scantily-clad musician friend, Jay Millionaires.

The 27-year-old showcased her flawless physique in the fashion-forward number while her male model pal rocked a barely-there black slip dress.

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Imogen Anthony (pictured) set tongues wagging in a racy cut-out ensemble as she attended Fashion + Aid event in Sydney

The high-neck garb featured a diamond cut-out shape on the midriff, which perfectly accentuated Imogen's taut waist.

She accessorised her tip-to-toe black look with a pair of smoldering knee-high strappy heels.

Imogen continued to make a statement at the luxe soiree as she opted for blonde and black hair extensions, which she swept up into a high ponytail.

Taut-al babe! The high-neck garb featured a diamond cut-out shape on the midriff, which perfectly accentuated Imogen's taut waist

Back in black! Imogen set tongues wagging in a racy cut-out ensemble as she posed alongside her equally scantily-clad musician friend, Jay Millionaires

Black to basics! The 27-year-old showcased her flawless physique in the fashion-forward number while her male model pal rocked a barely-there black slip dress

Jay perfectly complimented Imogen's tough-luxe look as he accessorised with a black felt hat, leather necklace and a pair of suede ankle boots.

Radio and TV personality, Mel Greig, 36, arrived at the event in a soft-pink plunging ensemble.

The blonde gave onlookers a generous glimpse of her extreme cleavage in the low-cut number as she posed on the red carpet.

Mel, who recently said she dropped 10kg through a strict 10-week body boot camp program also flashed her perfectly gym-honed pins through the garb's thigh-high split.

Pretty in pink! Radio and TV personality, Mel Greig, 36, arrived at the event in a soft-pink plunging ensemble

Cleavage-baring! The blonde gave onlookers a generous glimpse of her extreme cleavage in the low-cut number as she posed on the red carpet

Thigh's the limit! Mel, who recently said she dropped 10kg through a strict 10-week body boot camp program also flashed her perfectly gym-honed pins through the garb's thigh-high split

Bit of all white! Mel's fellow radio gal pal, Heather Maltman (pictured) attended the event in an ethereal white number

Sheer delight: The former reality TV star's dress consisted of a billowing lace skirt and a flower embellished semi-sheer top

Mel's fellow radio gal pal Heather Maltman attended the event in an ethereal white number consisting of a billowing lace skirt and a flower embellished semi-sheer top.

Real Housewives Of Sydney star Melissa Tkautz certainly didn't hold back hold back in the sartorial stakes as she arrived at the soiree in a flamboyant spotty number.

The blonde glamazon wowed onlookers as she posed up a storm in a white gown, embellished with a sheer polka-dot overlay.

She continued to ooze glamour in the hair and makeup department as she styled her hair into barrel curls and opted for a generous slick of foundation and black eyeliner.

Spot the stunner! Real Housewives Of Sydney star, Melissa Tkautz certainly didn't hold back hold back in the sartorial stakes as she arrived at the soiree in a flamboyant spotty number

White hot! The blonde glamazon wowed onlookers as she posed up a storm in a white gown, embellished with a sheer polka-dot overlay

Glamour: She continued to ooze glamour in the hair and makeup department as she styled her hair into barrel curls and opted for a generous slick of foundation and black eyeliner

Star-studded soiree: Melissa (left) was also seen rubbing shoulders with British television personality, Kris Smith (right) on the pink carpet

Melissa was also seen rubbing shoulders with British television personality, Kris Smith on the pink carpet.

Meanwhile, Kris looked every inch the male model as he worked his angles for photographers in a dapper suit.

The 40-year-old Movember ambassador sported a sweet mustache and a hint of designer stubble for the upscale event.

Male model: Meanwhile, Kris looked every inch the male model as he worked his angles for photographers in a dapper suit

Suits you! Kris opted for an all-black suit consisting of a crisp white shirt layered underneath a dinner jacket, tie and trousers

Mo-problem! The 40-year-old Movember ambassador sported a sweet mustache and a hint of designer stubble for the upscale event

The former Australian Idol contestant, Paulini Curuenavuli also attended the star-studded event.

The 36-year-old hit the right note in the her stylish ensemble consisting of a black off-shoulder body suit layered underneath a pair of burnt orange silk pants.

She accessorised with a Louis Vuitton coin pouch, pearl embellished silver jewellery and a pair of metallic heels.

Metallic: Australian Idol star Paulini Curuenavuli also attended the star-studded event

Details: She accessorised with a Louis Vuitton coin pouch, pearl embellished silver jewellery and a pair of metallic heels

Hit the right note! The 36-year-old hit the right note in the her stylish ensemble consisting of a black off-shoulder body suit layered underneath a pair of burnt orange silk pants

Stunning! The Biggest Loser host, Fiona Falkiner (pictured) showed off her slim curves as she arrived at the event in a sophisticated floor-sweeping number

Model behaviour: The luxe high neck gown highlighted the blonde star's toned arms and bronzed frame

Blonde ambition! Fiona looked simply stunning as she worked her angles for photographers

Flawless complexion: The model also drew attention to her flawless complexion, emphasized by dewy foundation, polished eyebrows and neutral-hued lipstick

The Biggest Loser host, Fiona Falkiner showed off her slim curves as she arrived at the event in a sophisticated floor-sweeping number.

The luxe high neck gown highlighted the blonde star's toned arms and bronzed frame.

The model also drew attention to her flawless complexion, emphasized by dewy foundation, polished eyebrows and neutral-hued lipstick.

Meanwhile, Married At First Sight star, Ryan Gallagher suited-up for the soiree in a steel grey ensemble consisting of a crisp white-and-blue pin-stripe shirt layered underneath a dinner jacket, a long tie and a pair of fitted trousers.

Reality TV arrivals: Meanwhile, Married At First Sight star, Ryan Gallagher suited-up for the soiree in a steel grey ensemble consisting of a crisp white-and-blue pin-stripe shirt layered underneath a dinner jacket, a long tie and a pair of fitted trousers

Single and ready to mingle! The occasional stand-up comedian, who recently confirmed he is single certainly looked ready to mingle as he beamed on the red carpet

Former beauty queen! Elsewhere, Laura Csortan, renowned for winning Miss Universe and Miss World Australia looked every inch the beauty queen as she revealed her svelte figure in the flesh-baring number

Lace: The dark-hued co-ord set, embellished with lace showcased her taut abs, toned arms and lithe legs

The occasional stand-up comedian, who recently confirmed he is single certainly looked ready to mingle as he beamed on the red carpet.

Last week, the tradesman told Daily Mail Australia that he had split with New Zealand model Ayla Browne after a whirlwind three month romance.

Elsewhere, Laura Csortan, renowned for winning Miss Universe and Miss World Australia looked every inch the beauty queen as she revealed her svelte figure in the flesh-baring number.

The dark-hued co-ord set, embellished with lace left little to the imagination as the number fully displayed her taut abs, toned arms and lithe legs.

Olive-you! The reality TV star opted for an olive-hued flirty number embellished with bronzed panels

Leggy display! Meanwhile, The Bachelor's Noni Janur put on a leggy display as she arrived at the soiree in a thigh-skimming number

Meanwhile, The Bachelor's Noni Janur put on a leggy display as she arrived at the soiree in a thigh-skimming number.

The reality TV star opted for an olive-hued flirty number embellished with bronzed panels.

She added height to her petite frame by slipping into a pair of sexy tie-up nude heels.

Killer heels: She added height to her petite frame by slipping into a pair of sexy tie-up nude heels

Celebrity arrivals: The Bachelor's Noni attended the Fashion + Aid charity beneficiary at the Westin Sydney Grand Ballroom on Saturday evening




She has jetted to the Maldives to celebrate her ten-year wedding anniversary with her husband Chris Hughes.

And Amanda Holden looked sensational as she took to Instagram on Saturday to give her fans an insight into her romantic getaway.

In the picture, the Britain's Got Talent judge, 47, showcased her incredible figure in a tiny yellow cut-out swimsuit as she smouldered with a pair of black sunglasses on.

Stunning: Amanda Holden looked sensational as she took to Instagram on Saturday to give her fans an insight into her romantic getaway

Amanda looked thoroughly relaxed as she gazed into the distance while sitting in a hammock tied to a tree in the middle of the idyllic ocean.

She captioned the picture with: '#heaven [champagne glass and heart emoji] #theplacetobemaldives.'

It comes after Amanda took to the social media platform once again on Friday to share a picture of her incredibly-toned figure in a green bikini.

Work it: It comes after Amanda took to the social media platform once again on Friday to share a picture of her incredibly-toned figure in a green bikini

Hot stuff: The television personality seductively posed as she modelled the tiny triangle bikini top, which highlighted her washboard abs while the string bottoms made the most of her lithe limbs

The television personality seductively posed as she modelled the tiny triangle bikini top, which highlighted her washboard abs while the string bottoms made the most of her lithe limbs.

She captioned the snap: 'And #breathe #theplacetobeMaldives #secondhoneymoon #love'.

Amanda and Chris tied the knot in December 2008 at Babington House in Somerset - two years after welcoming their first child together; daughter Alexa (Lexi), 12.

Sun-worshiper: The television personality regularly litters her Instagram with bikini snaps (posting this one during her time in Corsica earlier this year)

10 years on: Amanda and Chris tied the knot in December 2008 at Babington House in Somerset

They are also parents to daughter Hollie, six - who they welcomed a year after Amanda's tragic stillbirth after falling pregnant with son Theo.

Amanda has since candidly spoken of the heartbreak she endured losing her son, admitting it was 'one of the most surreal moments of my life.'

Speaking about her loss in an interview on Giovanna Fletchers Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast recently, Amanda recalled the moment her son's heart stopped: 'They scanned my tummy... and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life.

'I remember hearing this woman screaming and shouting and I was thinking, "Where is that coming from?" And it was coming from me and I didnt even know I was doing it.

Milestone: The Britain's Got Talent judge has jetted to the Maldives to celebrate her ten-year wedding anniversary with her husband Chris Hughes

'The obstetrician was trying to tell me that my baby's heart had stopped beating and was not alive anymore and I just was saying, "I dont know what Im going to tell Lexi," and this is the woman I could hear, screaming that. And I didnt know it was me. It was the oddest, most awful thing.'

Adding to the pain was the fact that Amanda then learned that she would have to give birth to her son, just moments after learning he'd passed away.

'The weirdest thing was, I forgot completely that I would have to give birth,' she recalled. 'Thats the other thing. You go, "Oh my god I have... get this baby out of me. And I absolutely cannot do that..." I don't how I did that.

'The hours that followed were awful. I refused to have a natural birth, because I just thought I cant do that, I need to have an operation and I need to get this baby out of me, and I was really cross and really heartbroken and all the things.

'You just cant imagine, I was absolutely scared to death and I kept saying to my midwives, "When he comes out, I dont know if I am going to be able to hold him..." You know, I was so cross, scared to death.'

She continued: 'I remember Jackie [Amandas midwife] saying, "We are really struggling to pull him out of you, he doesnt want to leave you," which was really sad.

'She held him in her arms and Chris left the room. He waited 'til right to the moment and said, "Mandy, I cant you know I need to leave the room."

'And I respected anything he wanted to do, was totally fine by me, and he left the room and Jackie just described him to me and I just said, "I just need him, Im still a mummy." Its the weirdest sensation. And I just held him and he was perfect.'
They're tying the knot in Mexico in less than two weeks.

And for their December eight nuptials, Karl Stefanovic, 44, and Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, are going to extraordinary lengths to keep their big day under wraps.

According to The Daily Telegraph, their wedding resort will be in 'lockdown' and anyone with a camera will be booted off the premises.

'Security have been briefed and anyone with a camera will be booted out': Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's Mexican wedding will be in 'lockdown'

'The resort will be in lockdown and if anyone who has reserved a room at the venue is seen with a camera in their hand, they will be booted out,' a source from 'Stefanovic's camp' told the publication.

'Mexican security guards have been briefed.'

A source told Daily Mail Australia: ' The resort will be off-limits to media due to the fact that its a family and friends only affair, for the comfort and privacy of guests at the resort.'

Daily Mail Australia understands that the couple have decided to share photos from the wedding free of charge with interested media.

'Mexican security guards briefed': The pair are trying their best to keep their big day private

How gorgeous! Karl and Jasmine are expected to 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 (pictured is the chapel)

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Karl and Jasmine's representatives for comment in relation to this story.

Karl and Jasmine are expected to 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.

Lavish: They've booked two villas, one at US$8,500 (approximately AU$11,600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15,000) per night

They've booked two villas, one at US$8,500 (approximately AU$11,600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15,000) per night.

The couple confirmed their engagement in February, with New Idea reporting Karl had popped the question to Jasmine during a holiday in Fiji.

Meanwhile, a source said on Saturday that the couple have already obtained the required marriage license before they officially tie the knot.

'Karl and Jasmine have secured their marriage licence ahead of their wedding in Mexico,' the source told Daily Mail Australia.

'It was done recently ... both are looking forward to celebrating with their family and friends in Mexico,' the source added.
She rose to fame as a pop sensation with a string of hits before trying her luck as a judge on both The X Factor and The Voice.

And Rita Ora added another string to her bow this week as she turned agony agent for a magazine segment of the The Guardian.

The songstress, 27, was quizzed by readers on a series of topics from Brexit to vibrators and offered her responses on their issues.

New job: Rita Ora added another string to her bow this week as she turned agony agent for a magazine segment of the The Guardian

One reader asked the star how they should deal with the fact that their partners' parents, who they are yet to meet, have opposing Brexit views.

In response, Rita told the worried Remainer that everyone is entitled to their own opinion when it comes to politics.

She goes on to explain the reason she signed an anti-Brexit open letter to Theresa May, which focused on the impact of the creative industry, was because she is passionate about the industry she works in.

Hot topics: The songstress, 27, was quizzed by readers on a series of topics from Bob Geldof's Brexit to Kanye West and offered her responses on their issues

Rita said she felt it was her 'duty' to get behind the movement, which was spearheaded by Bob Geldof, and 'respects' all of the other artists who got onboard.

Another reader asked her for money saving tips because she is living with her parents while trying to save money but can't stop spending.

The Girls hitmaker asked what she was spending money on and insisted that she needs to stop spending money on shopping, vaping and drinking.

Worried: One reader asked the star how they should deal with the fact that their partners' parents, who they are yet to meet, have opposing Brexit views

Rita gushed that she is 'pretty responsible' when it comes to money, and only really considers splurging when something is 'one in a million'.

An item that fell into this category recently for Rita was a hand-sized Cy Tywombly art piece which she said was definitely worth it.

One person was concerned that their allergy to PVC combined with their low threshold meant that they were unable to experiment with their girlfriend in the bedroom.

However she was quick to reassure that just because you don't like certain fetishes in during sex doesn't make you square.

Help! Another reader asked her for money saving tips because she is living with her parents while trying to save money but can't stop spending

She added that if his girlfriend was 'the one' then she would understand that she wasn't comfortable with those things.

Another sexually-charged question which was put to Rita was from a 66-year-old from Barrow-in-Furness.

The reader asked Rita whether the fact Sainsbury's now sells vibrators means the end for uptight British society.

Rita argued that she doesn't think Britain is uptight, and thinks it's great that you can buy sex toys in Sainsbury's.

A further topic that came up during the interview, was from a reader who felt unable to listen to Kanye West anymore and was wondering if it's possible to separate the political from the creative.

Rita said: 'Ooh, we're talking about Kanye. Look: people are able to believe what they want to believe. What Kanye believes in is his choice. You can't separate the two, but everyone is free to make their own choices and decisions in the world.'
She's never one to shy away from looking glamorous.

And Amber Heard proved she can rock the casual look just as well as she arrived in London on Saturday ahead of the premiere of her new movie Aquaman.

The actress, 32, went braless in a white vest top and baggy trousers and covered up with an over-sized blazer and leather boots.

Stepping out: Amber Heard went braless in a white vest top and baggy trousers as she landed in London on Saturday

She styled her blonde hair in plaits and covered her eyes in stylish cat-eye sunglasses while sporting many gold necklaces and earrings.

The star was spotted at the Chinese premiere of Aquaman in Beijing last week in a very revealing black dress.

Amber plays Princess Mera, the romantic interest of Jason's titular character, in the forthcoming Hollywood film, which also stars Nicole Kidman.

Style queen: She styled her blonde hair in plaits and covered her eyes in stylish cat-eye sunglasses while sporting many gold necklaces and earrings

The films storyline takes place in the wake of Justice League in which Arthur Curry/Aquaman, the half-human half-Atlantean ruler of Atlantis, reluctantly assumes the underwater kingdoms throne.

Ultimately, he must take sides in a brewing conflict between the surface dwelling populace that poses a serious risk to his people and the worlds oceans and the denizens of Atlantis, who urge him to take action and invade the Earths surface in order to ensure their survival.

The movie, which is directed by James Wan released in the UK on December 14.

Speaking out: Earlier this month Amber spoke to Shape magazine and admitted she credits her female colleagues for lifting her up after her relationship hardships

Earlier this month Amber spoke to Shape magazine and admitted she credits her female colleagues for lifting her up after her relationship hardships:

'Ive had support from strong women who were there for me when I wanted to give up and at moments when I thought I couldnt endure more abuse from the world.

'Sometimes you can feel as if youre standing up for something all alone  on behalf of your physical safety, against an institution that is inherently flawed, or because you dont believe that loving a certain person is wrong.'
They were spotted filming scenes in north Yorkshire earlier this week for Fast and Furious spin-off film, Hobbs And Shaw.

But Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Idris Elba returned to the bright lights of London on Saturday as they filmed a tense stand-off with their enemy.

The Rock, 46, cut a demeaning figure as he prowled the capital's streets as Agent Hobbs and took part in an exhilarating car chase with the aid of his co-stars.

Back to business: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Idris Elba returned to the bright lights of London on Saturday as they filmed a tense stand-off with their enemy for Fast and Furious

The men transformed into their super-macho characters, with Jason, 51, who plays Deckard Shaw, emerging from a flashy black McLaren, while Luther star Idris, 46, set pulses racing in leather biker gear as he stood arrived by motorbike as character Brixton.

The trio fought off danger from their rival gang, who were in a black Range Rover, with injured actress Vanessa Kirby spotted running barefoot along the street, trying to flee the gunfire.

Following the tense car chase, the trio appeared victorious after smashing their rivals' car windows and tearing the doors from its hinges.

Arriving in style: Luther star Idris, 46, set pulses racing in leather biker gear as he stood next to his motorbike

Impressive: The men transformed into their super-macho characters, with Jason, 51, who plays Deckard Shaw, emerging from a flashy black McLaren

Intimidating: The Rock, 46, cut a demeaning figure as he prowled the capital's streets as Agent Hobbs and took part in an exhilarating car chase

All guns blazing: The Rock pulled out his pistol at one point and took aim at the enemy

High-octane: The actor fell to the ground as he tried to miss shots from his rivals

Full steam ahead: Earlier this week, Eggborough power station, in Yorkshire, was transformed into Chernobyl, Ukraine to film scenes in the action-packed movie

Earlier this week, Eggborough power station, in Yorkshire, was transformed into Chernobyl, Ukraine, to film scenes in the action-packed movie.

The Fate of the Furious, or Fast 8, will be followed up with the spin-off movie depicting the relationship between Jason's character Deckard and Luke Hobbs.

Stars and stuntmen alike are busy keeping to tight filming schedules across the UK to ensure Hobbs and Shaw is ready to hit cinemas next July.

As many as 200 people descended on Glasgow to shoot scenes for the action-packed movie until October 29.

The full story: The Fate of the Furious, or Fast 8, will be followed up with the spin-off movie depicting the relationship between Jason's character Deckard and Luke Hobbs

Stars and stuntmen alike are busy keeping to tight filming schedules across the UK to ensure Hobbs and Shaw is ready to hit cinemas next July

Last-minute advice: Idris chatted away to a crew member in-between takes

Directors cut: The Rock watched as Idris and Jason filmed their own respective scenes

Hollywood heartthrob: Jason looked the picture of cool as he sat in his flashy car in a black suit

Getting stuck in: Idris will play Brixton in the upcoming film Hobbs and Shaw

The demand for the film pushed back the release of the ninth installment of the Fast and Furious series. The action film is set for release on August 2, 2019.

The Crown's Vanessa will also star alongside Statham, The Rock and Elba in the fast-paced action movie.

Statham promised his 18million followers there are 'big things to come' from the Hobbs and Shaw movie.

Running for her life: Actress Vanessa Kirby running barefoot along the street as she tried to flee the scene

Cool: The actor was clad in leather and had plenty of weaponry

Face-to-face: Dwayne was scene in a tense stand-off while Vanessa tried to intervene

Exciting: A whole crowd gathered to watch the stars of the film shot the scenes

The hunk revealed he was excited to be working with his co-star The Rock once again as he joked he would have to tear him away from the pancake stack.

He shared on Instagram: 'Day 1 on Hobbs & Shaw movie. Getting the instructions from an old pal and the Director of our film @davidmleitch. Massive respect to you Dave for the incredible vision and scope you have planned for this movie.

'There are big things to come! The other big thing to come will be arriving imminently, thats if he can peel himself away from his stack of pancakes.

'My partner in crime on this one, the colossal and world wide loved and respected @therock Just warming things up for you brother! See you on British soil soon. #HobbsAndShaw @universalpictures.'

Star-studded cast: The Crown's Vanessa will also star alongside Statham, The Rock and Elba in the fast-paced action movie

Dramatic: Following the tense car chase, their rivals' car doors hung from its hinges while, the car's front windows were smashed

Exciting: The demand for the film pushed back the release of the ninth installment of the Fast and Furious series. The action film is set for release on August 2, 2019

Meanwhile, Idris took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal that he is bulking up to compete with Dwayne on the show.

The Luther actor shared a selfie of himself flexing his biceps and jokingly captioned it: 'S**t... when you make a movie with @therock ... you gotta put some skin in the game...

'Granted I have to work out a little more but...Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! (Thats my game face sound).'

Work it: Idris Elba took to his Instagram on Thursday to reveal that he is bulking up to compete with Dwayne

Competitive: The Luther actor took to the social media platform earlier this month to reveal he would be starring alongside the former wrestler, 46, (pictured)

Busy: So far, the cast and movie have been shooting scenes around the UK, including North Yorkshire and Glasgow
It was recently claimed she had never actually used the skin-lightening cream she had been endorsing online.

But Blac Chyna was off to promote her new partnership with Whitenicious as she jetted to Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday.

The reality star, 30, took to her Instagram account to post a video of herself walking towards her private jet on a tarmac.

Showing her support: Blac Chyna has jetted off to Lagos, Nigeria in order to promote the skin-whitening cream she has endorsed online - but reportedly has never used herself

'Private,' she captioned the video, along with tagging the location as Lagos, Nigeria.

She also posted several photos of herself posing alongside a mechanical dog sculpture while wearing a sporty maroon shirt and leggings.

Chyna took to her Instagram stories to invite her 14.9 million followers to the official launch of 'Whitenicious' Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream.

'Lagos Nigeria, join me at the first official launch of my face cream this Sunday November 25th at the Whitenicious store from 1-5PM,' she wrote. 'Everyone is invited.'

Here she comes: The reality star, 30, took to her Instagram account to post a video of herself walking towards her private jet on a tarmac

Called 'Whitenicious X Blac Chyna Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream', the product comes in a 'fabulous jar handcrafted with Real Swarovski crystals.

Just 100g of the cream costs $250.

On Friday, sources told TMZ Chyna had never even used the 'Whitenicious' Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream she's been promoting.

Work of art: She also posted several photos of herself posing alongside an unusual, mechanic dog sculpture while wearing a sporty maroon shirt and leggings

The former reality TV star 'never applied it to her own skin' says the gossip site.

The Rob & Chyna star allegedly saw the partnership as nothing more than 'a business opportunity'

The former stripper was 'offered good money to promote the cream', say TMZ's sources.

Hope you can make it: The reality star invited her 14.8million followers to the official launch Diamond Illuminating & Lightening cream, which she decided to host in Nigeria

According to the 'science' section of the website: 'This protective illuminating product helps restore radiance and moisture while providing UV protection.'

Chyna's reps told TMZ the star has been 'using Whitenicious dark spot corrector for a few years to deal with her hyperpigmentation.'

They told the site she 'felt this was a good deal for her because a lot of women of color suffer from skin issues.'

Discoloration: Chyna's reps told TMZ the star has been 'using Whitenicious dark spot corrector for a few years to deal with her hyperpigmentation'

In an interview with Vogue India last year, Priyanka Chopra admitted she regretted starring in an advertisement for skin-lightening cream.

'I was very conscious of the color of my skin,' Chopra said. '[In India] youre prettier if youre fairer.

'I did a commercial for a skin-lightening cream. I was playing that girl with insecurities, Chopra she recalled. 'And when I saw it, I was like, Oh sh*t. What did I do?

'I started talking about being proud of the way I looked. I actually like my skin tone.'
Inmates at the prison facility Tekashi 6ix9ine is housed at are complaining the rapper is receiving special treatment, according to a new report.

According to TMZ, several inmates have been screaming their displeasure after observing how the facility had been treating Tekashi, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez.

Upon the rapper's arrival, the dormitory he was set to be staying out reportedly removed all inmates with gang affiliations.

Not happy: Inmates at the prison facility Tekashi 6ix9ine is housed at are complaining the rapper is receiving special treatment, according to a new report

The dormitory ordinarily houses high-profile inmates, dirty cops, and child predators, but now Tekashi, age 22, shares the room with 11 other inmates who have been described as 'docile', according to TMZ.

Tekashi was also reportedly 'clowned' by an inmate by his dorm, who sang a song about a child predator.

The rapper pleaded guilty to one felony count of using a child in a sexual performance in 2015.

Lance Lazzaro, Tekashi's lawyer, told the website he doubts the rapper has been receiving any special treatment.

Upon the rapper's arrival, the dormitory he was set to be staying out reportedly removed all inmates with gang affiliations

Tekashi is currently sitting with neutral inmates at a federal facility after being discharged from Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday.

Records show that Tekashi 6ix9ine was discharged from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, just days after a grand jury indicted him and five other members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods on racketeering charges.

There was no transfer facility listed however for Hernandez, as is standard when a prisoner is released from the MDC.

The FeFe rapper has not been cleared however in that racketeering case, and is still facing six counts and a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for his alleged involvement in multiple acts involving murder, robbery, extortion, and distribution of controlled substances.

Tekashi pictured at his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court in July 2018

Records show that Tekashi 6ix9ine was discharged from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, just days after a grand jury indicted him and five other members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods on racketeering charges

DailyMail.com reached out to Hernandez's lawyer Lance Lazzaro over the holiday, who did not respond to a request for comment.

There were conflicting reports as to where Hernandez had been moved at the time.

TMZ first broke the story on Thursday and reported that the rapper was being housed in a facility for individuals who agree to cooperate with authorities.

Soon after DJ Akademiks, who worked with Hernandez on his now-delayed album Dummy Boy, offered up his own theory.

He posted a lengthy diatribe on his YouTube channel in which he conjectured that Hernandez may have been used as a pawn to get the other five defendants indicted on RICO charges.

DailyMail.com reached out to Hernandez's lawyer Lance Lazzaro over the holiday, who did not respond to a request for comment

The producer cited the decision by law enforcement officials to quickly indict the group and pointed out that it all happened after Hernandez disbanded his team, a move that would have made it harder to show the connection between members of the group.

That would ultimately make it difficult to prosecute on racketeering charges, so his belief is that prosecutors are hopsing hernandez will flip and therefore put him in a ghang-free facility.

The indictment alleges that the violent episodes involving 6ix9ine included the July shooting of a bystander in Brooklyn and the gunpoint robbery of one of the gang's rivals last spring.

Hernandez was initially held without bail after an initial appearance before a Manhattan federal magistrate judge Monday.

Last week the rapper revealed in an Instagram clip that he had dismissed his entire staff, including his manager and booker

On Wednesday, defense attorney Lance Lazzaro said in a statement that his client was 'completely innocent of all charges.'

'An entertainer who portrays a "gangster image" to promote his music does not make him a member of an enterprise,' said Lazzaro.

'Mr. Hernandez became a victim of this enterprise and later took steps by firing employees and publicly denounced this enterprise through a morning show. Threats were then made against his life which resulted in this case being brought immediately.'

At Monday's hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Longyear pointed out that the rapper did not renounce his membership in the gang while appearing on a radio show last week.

He said Hernandez would have been arrested this week anyway, but the timetable was speeded up when authorities learned that he planned to go to a Connecticut casino where it would be harder to protect him from the threats.

Longyear said the threats were overheard on phone calls intercepted Saturday by investigators, including one in which an individual was heard saying that gang members wanted to 'super violate him.'

The prosecutor noted that violence seemed to surround the entertainer. He said 10 shots were fired into a Beverly Hills, California, home where he was filming a music video a week ago.

Hernandez had previously been kidnapped outside his Brooklyn residence as well in a bizarre incident this past July in which three men alleged robbed and beat him before making off with $750,000 worth of jewelry and $35,000 in cash.

His ex-manager Kifano Jordan, aka Shotti,Faheem Walter, aka Crippy, Jamel Jones, aka Mel Murda, Jensel Butler, aka Ish, and Fuguan Lovick, aka Fu Banga, were also indicted.

Prosecutors described Nine Trey as a 'criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn'.

'Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang's narcotics business,' the press release continues.

The group 'enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanly fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana.'

Nine Trey was established in the early 90s at Rikers and operates in other areas of the country, including California.

In 2015, Hernandez pleaded guilty to one felony count of using a child in a sexual performance.

Authorities said the rapper had sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl when he was 18 and distributed videos of the incident online.

Hernandez recently pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Brooklyn Criminal Court in connection with a May traffic stop.

Last week the rapper revealed in an Instagram clip that he had dismissed his entire staff, including his manager and booker.

'I fired everybody on my team,' the Gummo artist said in the clip, imploring his fans that he was not going to be performing live in the near future, even in cases where he might be advertised.

'I don't got no manager, I got no booking agent, no PR, no publicist, I don't got nobody on my team - it's just me.'
His ex-wife Heather Lockear has been placed on a 72-hour 5150 psychiatric hold.

And it's now been reported that Richie Sambora ensured he was there for their daughter Ava Sambora, 21, over the Thanksgiving weekend.

According to Us Weekly, the 59-year-old left the East Coast on Thursday at 2pm and directly made his way to his girl in Los Angeles for a private dinner.

Dotting dad: Richie Sambora (2014) 'dropped everything' and had a private Thanksgiving dinner with daughter Ava, 21, on Thursday following her mom Heather Locklear's 5150 psychiatric hold

'The pair enjoyed a quiet, private holiday with a personal cook making a meal for just the two of them,' they revealed according to a source.

The publication added that the guitarist was meant to spent Thanksgiving with his mother on the East Coast, but 'dropped everything when Locklear suffered another setback'.

The news comes as Ava's mother Heather was put on a 5150 hold following a fight she had with her boyfriend Chris Heisser last weekend.

He dropped everything: 'The pair enjoyed a quiet, private holiday with a personal cook making a meal for just the two of them,' they revealed according to a source (2010)

And now members of her inner circle have been speaking about their concerns for the Melrose Place actress, calling her 'unstable', according to People Magazine.

'Heather needs help. Everyone wants her to get better,' one source said.

They added: 'She is unstable and she's had a lot of issues, drug use, and alcohol over the years. No one wants to see her go through something like this.'

The former nineties icon had been getting professional help for months following a string of breakdowns and arrests.

'Heather had been in rehab for three months and got out in early October, the day before her daughter's 21st birthday,' a family friend told People.

They added: 'And for the last month, she has been living privately and low-key.'

Breakdown: DailyMail exclusively reported that over the weekend the star allegedly fought with her boyfriend and kicked him out of her home. She was later placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold

Troubled times: Heather Locklear's friends and family are scared for the star after her most recent psychiatric breakdown, calling her 'unstable,' according to People Magazine

That all came to a head on Sunday when a fight erupted between the blonde bombshell and her current boyfriend.

A source told DailyMail that Heather allegedly beat up her Heisser and threw him out of her home. The next day she was placed on the 5150.

The television star shares her 21-year-old daughter Ava with ex Richie Sambora.

'It's very hard on the family,' a source told People. 'Richie is a rock for Ava. She is holding up but always worried about her mother.'

The Bon Jovi guitarist previously told DailyMail.com exclusively that he was sticking by his ex-wife and daughter.

'I will of course always be there for Heather and especially Ava. I am very proud of my daughter for her composure and strength during this difficult time.'

'Heather needs help. Everyone wants her to get better:' a source close to the star said

Legal woes: Over the years the Spin City star has had numerous run ins with the law and has been arrested multiple times

2018 marked a year of low points for Locklear. The troubled actress was arrested most recently in June, after downing a bottle of tequila and crashing her car into a pylon on the grounds of her California home.

She then attacked the cops when they arrived to calm her down and was arrested and booked into Ventura County Jail on police battery charges.

Heather was released the following day but was rushed to hospital a little over six hours later after allegedly taking an overdose.

Locklear was then placed on a 5250 psychiatric hold, which lasts for up to 14 days and includes a five-day detox as well as mental evaluation.

Months later, the actress was sued by the EMT that responded to her home prior to her arrest for allegedly being verbally and physically abusive during the incident.

And, that arrest came exactly a week after Heather was cuffed and taken to hospital after choking her mother Diane, 85, and threatening to shoot herself.

In February, she was arrested for felony domestic violence and battery on a police officer after police were called to her home for a disturbance.

A source in the Ventura police department told DailyMail.com that Locklear 'was wasted' when she and Heisser 'got into a physical fight.'

When the police arrived, they attempted to arrest Heather after she'd clearly bitten her fiance.
They've been dating for several years.

But Sara Sampaio and her boyfriend Oliver Ripley looked as if they were still in the honeymoon stage as they put on a very loved-up display during a romantic getaway to Tulum, Mexico.

While soaking up the sun together on the beach, Sara, 27, climbed on top of her shirtless beau as he took a photograph of his beautiful girlfriend.

Love is in the air! Sara Sampaio and her boyfriend Oliver Ripley looked as if they were still in the honeymoon stage as they put on a very loved-up display during a romantic getaway to Tulum, Mexico

The Victoria's Secret model appeared to be giving her boyfriend a kiss as she laid on top of him while clad in a hot red bikini.

Sara put on a cheeky display as she enjoyed a moment of R&R amid her otherwise hectic modelling schedule.

The couple took a break from the PDA to make their way through the refreshing water together.

Sara couldn't stop smiling as she explored the picture perfect landscape with her handsome boyfriend by her side.

Making memories: While soaking up the sun together on the beach, Sampaio climbed on top of her shirtless beau as he took a photograph of his beautiful girlfriend

Sun-kissed: Relaxed and carefree, the model was the picture of vacation bliss as she made her way through the cool water

The star's brunette tresses were scooped up into a ponytail with a pretty hair tie, allowing her naturally radiant complexion to shine through.

Sara and Oliver, who have been dating since 2015, are bunked up at HABITASan exotic resort just steps away from the ocean.

While Sara recently admitted to feeling 'lonely' during her many trips abroad, that obviously hasn't been the case during her current getaway to Tulum.

It takes two: Sara recently admitted to feeling 'lonely' during her many trips abroad, but obviously that hasn't been the case during her getaway to Tulum

'There's a lot of planes, a lot of sleepless nights, and there's a lot of being alone,' she confessed during an interview with KTLA. 'My boyfriend travels as much as I do. We meet whenever we can.'

Sara recently walked in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which airs on December 2.

The Vogue cover girl became an official VS Angel back in 2015.

'This show means more to me than anything you can imagine!' Sara wrote on Instagram after the show's taping on November 8.

'Last night was incredible, love being back in NY, the energy is just electrifying! Cant believe this is my 6th show already! Loved every moment of it!'
Hollyoaks viewers have been offered a sneak peek at Ray Quinns dark character, Jonny.

The new comer will attempt to recruit Ste Hay (played by Kieron Richardson) into an anti-Islam extremist group, as he blames Misbah Maalik (Harvey Virdi) and her family for the death of his sister Tegan.

Former X Factor star Ray, 30, will arrive in the Chester village with a bang as the Channel 4 soap addresses the issue of radicalisation.

New arrival: Hollyoaks viewers have been offered a sneak peek at Ray Quinns dark character, Jonny

With Ste publicly outraged at the Maaliks, he quickly becomes a target for Jonny to take advantage of.

It was announced earlier this week that the Dancing On Ice champion - who won the skating contest in 2009 - would be joining the Hollyoaks crew.

Talking about joining Hollyoaks, Ray told Digital Spy: I'm thrilled to be joining the team at Hollyoaks. All of the cast I've been working with so far have been incredible, and it's great to be working with Kieron as well who is extremely talented.

Tough issue: The new comer will attempt to recruit Ste Hay (played by Kieron Richardson) into an anti-Islam extremist group

Secretive plans: Ste has had a vendetta against Misbah Maalik since she accidentally caused Tegan's death during the recent storm, and Jonny promises to help

'Different' kind of storyline: Former X Factor star Ray, 30, will arrive in the Chester village with a bang as the Channel 4 soap addresses the issue of radicalisation

Jonny is a complex character. There will definitely be challenging storylines but I'm excited.

Meanwhile actor Kieron told the Mirror that he was nervous and honoured about taking on the storyline.

He said: After many years of love stories and heartbreak, which has left the character feeling vulnerable and at times isolated, its very believable for Ste to be receptive to people who might not have his best interests at heart.

At first, hearing this story, I was unaware of what radicalisation was or meant and after a lot of eye opening research Im nervous and honoured but most of all excited for this very different soap story to be told by our gutsy amazing team and hugely talented new scene partner Ray Quinn.

Dramatic: Jonny vows to support Ste in his plot for revenge on Misbah (far left), after it was revealed by a coroner that an operation she performed led to the death of Tegan

New addition: It was announced earlier this week that the Dancing On Ice champion - who won the skating contest in 2009 - would be joining the Hollyoaks crew

Speaking in the preview trailer, Jonny promises to support Ste in his plot for revenge on Misbah, after it was revealed by a coroner that an operation she performed led to the death of Tegan.

The character said: I know you're angry, I've got your back.

Ste then replied: Those Maalik deserve everything they get, with Rays character adding: I'm on your side.

Hollyoaks' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said: From the research we carried out, we realised that in Ste Hay we had a character that was disenfranchised and vulnerable enough to be groomed into extreme views.

Hollyoaks airs weekdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4 and 7pm on E4.
Strictly Come Dancing viewers took to Twitter in their droves to comment on Karen Clifton's 'waspish stare' on Saturday night.

The incident happened when head judge Shirley Ballas, 58, confused the Venezuelan beauty, 36, for fellow pro Dianne Buswell, 29, when reading out the scores for the Lindy-hopathon.

The judges were left in disarray after a disastrous technical mishap blighted them from retrieving the marks from an iPad, leading Shirley to forget Karen all together, as she said; 'in fifth place is Charles and Dianne'.

Annoyed: Viewers took to Twitter in their droves to comment on Karen Clifton's 'waspish stare' on Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night.

For the challenge, all couples had to compete at the same time on the dancefloor, with the judges ranking them in order of ability.

But things soon turned into chaos when the judges' iPad failed, with Craig Revel Horwood scrambling to find the marks on a piece of paper.

Shirley started off by saying Ashley Roberts came in seventh place but had meant to say Lauren Steadman was the one who had scored the lowest marks in the dance.

Oops: The incident happened when head judge Shirley Ballas confused the Venezuelan beauty for fellow pro Dianne Buswell

Shambles: A disastrous technical mishap blighted the judges from retrieving the Lindy-hopathon marks from an iPad

Dance-off: For the challenge, all couples had to compete at the same time on the dancefloor, with the judges ranking them in order of ability

She then went on to announce in fifth place was 'Charles and Dianne,' which left Karen looking irked, with Tess Daly rushing to correct the misread mark.

And with Shirley making such a hash of the leaderboard, Bruno Tonioli was forced to takeover, reading out all the results again.

Ashley won the Lindy-hopathon, scoring the maximum seven points, while Lauren scored the lowest mark, retrieving just one point from the dance.

Confused: Shirley started off by saying Ashley Roberts came in seventh place, but had meant to say Lauren Steadman was the one who had scored the lowest marks in the dance

Entertained: Following the disaster, viewers took to Twitter to comment on Shirley's regal connection, blasting it as a 'complete shambles'

After the scores were totaled up with their individual dances of the evening, Faye Tozer came out top of the leaderboard with 45 points, with Stacey Dooley following closely behind with 44.

Following the disaster, viewers took to Twitter to comment on Shirley's regal connection, with dozens posting pictures of Prince Charles and the late Prince Diana, while others blasted it as a 'complete shambles'.

One wrote: 'Shirley Ballas is chuffin useless, while another added: '@bbcstrictly whats up with Karen Clifton? Looked like she swallowed a wasp...'

Chaos: With Shirley making such a hash of the leaderboard, Bruno Tonioli was forced to takeover, reading over all the results again

Another viewer typed: 'You had one job Shirley and you couldn't even get their names right let alone in the right order. Charles and Diane! Matron, Shirley needs an early night.'

'What was going through Shirleys mind when she awarded marks to Charles and Diane....#awkward ' a fifth fan chimed.

Strictly Come Dancing Week Ten: The Leaderboard 1. Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice's Waltz and Lindy-hop- 45 2. Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev's Samba and Lindy-hop - 44 3. Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton's Pasa Doble and Lindy-hop - 42 4. Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell's Street Dance and Lindy-hop- 40 4. Charles Venn and Karen Clifton's Viennese Tango and Lindy-hop - 33 5. Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse's Quickstep and Lindy-hop - 26 6. Lauren Steadman and AJ Pritchard's Salsa and Lindy-hop - 24 Advertisement
The colourful former girlfriend of Prince Andrew has threatened the makers of hit TV series The Crown with legal action  warning them against portraying her as a minx.

I can reveal that Koo Stark, who dated the Duke in the early 1980s, has become so worried about how she will be portrayed in future episodes that she has instructed lawyers to issue the programme-makers with a stern warning.

Koo originally wrote to the shows executive producer Andy Harries earlier this year but after receiving no reply, decided to consult lawyers. The third and fourth series are currently being filmed, and will soon address the years when Koo was involved with Andrew.

The colourful former girlfriend of Prince Andrew has threatened the makers of hit TV series The Crown with legal action  warning them against portraying her as a minx

I can reveal that Koo Stark, who dated the Duke in the early 1980s, has become so worried about how she will be portrayed in future episodes that she has instructed lawyers to issue the programme-makers with a stern warning

A source close to the former actress, who enjoyed a high profile relationship with Andrew prior to his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, tells me: Koo has spent years trying to rebuild her life after going out with Andrew. She has no wish for all of that to be dragged up again. She is a photographer and has moved on with her life.

The last thing she wants is an inaccurate picture of her being painted. She tried to contact the people making The Crown. All she wanted was an assurance that she would be consulted to make sure any historical inaccuracies were eradicated, but she didnt get a response.

Koo, now 62, dated Andrew for two years but their relationship ended in 1983 after it was revealed she had appeared in the erotic movie Emily, in 1976. Speaking in 1988 about their split, Koo said: The amount of attention and pressure on me became unbearable. It was a nightmare.

Confirming that she has taken on London-based legal firm Keystone, the source said: It has come to her attention that she is going to be depicted in a future series of The Crown and, after suffering decades of media fabrications, she would like to see some historical accuracy.

She would be delighted to assist and invited the producers to contact her for fact-checking, but was ignored.

A spokesman for The Crown confirmed they had received letters from Koo and said she wont be in the next series  but couldnt guarantee she wouldnt feature in any subsequent productions.
She always looks preened to perfection on Loose Women.

And Andrea McLean cemented her sartorial credentials on Saturday evening at the Dancing With Heroes ball in aid of the charities Soldiering On and Back On Track.

The Loose Women presenter, 49, looked dazzling in a cobalt navy gown as she attended the bash in London with glamorous actress Gillian Taylforth, 63, on Saturday.

Here come the girls: Andrea McLean, 49, dazzled in a cobalt gown as she joined a glamorous Gillian Taylforth, 63, at the Dancing With Heroes charity ball on Saturday

Andrea certainly took centre-stage in her navy gown, which featured a one-shoulder neckline and a semi-sheer pleated skirt.

The presenter styled her glossy raven tresses in tumbling waves and framed her features with smoky shadow and nude lipgloss.

Former EastEnders actress Gillian, meanwhile, stunned in a black and white gown with a plunging neckline.

Looking good: Andrea certainly took centre-stage in her navy gown, which featured a one-shoulder neckline and a semi-sheer pleated skirt

Cute couple: She was joined by her handsome husband Nick Feeney, who she married last year

Glam: The presenter styled her glossy raven tresses in tumbling waves and framed her features with smoky shadow and nude lipgloss

Andrea's outing comes after Loose Women was accused of 'stooping to a new low' when the panel conducted an interview with Mr Blobby and asked him about his views on Brexit.

When Mr Blobby came on the show, he fell over, as he always does, and Andrea McLean had to pick him up and put him back on his feet.

Panellist Jane Moore said: Do you think that if theres a no deal and we slash the 12,651 EU protectionist tariffs, will that result in a loss or a gain to the UK treasury?

Simply stunning: Former EastEnders actress Gillian, meanwhile, stunned in a black and white gown with a plunging neckline

Shine on: Beverley Knight channelled her inner disco diva in a shimmering silver gown and red platforms

Mr Blobby responded by saying his name over and over again for around ten seconds before she had to cut him short, saying: 'Mr Blobby says no.'

Viewers were not impressed. They wrote: 'Loose women scraped a new low with that ridiculous segment with Mr Blobby, bl**dy stupid. Mr Blobby actually terrifies me. What a stupid guest. Argh. #loosewomen.'

'Have always considered #LooseWomen dumbed down TV but having Mr Blobby on, it plumbs a new low.'

Mr Blobby was Noel Edmonds' hapless sidekick on Noel Edmonds' House Party during the nineties.

Making them green with envy: Presenter, Dr Zoe Williams rocked an emerald sequinned gown
Emily Ratajkowski, 27, was mercilessly trolled online for going braless underneath a white tank top during a protest against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in Washington DC last month.

Now, the glamour model-turned-activist has hit back at her detractors, insisting that she attended the march for political reasons rather than to make a fashion statement.

'I knew being there would be important and I knew some people would find it controversial, but I never expected anyone to talk about why I wasnt wearing a bra under my tank top,' the Maxim model told Stellar magazine this Sunday.

'I was there making a political point!' Emily Ratajkowski, 27, has defended her decision to go braless underneath a white top during a protest against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in Washington DC last month

Emily, who was arrested at the protest along with fellow star Amy Schumer, explained that she believed her outfit seemed 'completely normal' at the time, given the sweltering Autumnal temperature.

'And I was there making a political point. Why would people focus on what I was wearing?' the Gone Girl actress added.

Meanwhile, Amy Schumer recently took to Instagram to defend Emily's bra-free protest outfit, writing: 'People are trolling @emrata for not wearing a bra while she got arrested. Well for starters I wasnt wearing a bra either.'

'Completely normal': Emily, who was arrested at the protest along with fellow star Amy Schumer, explained that she believed her outfit seemed 'completely normal' at the time, given the sweltering Autumnal temperature

'Your comments are synonymous with saying what a woman wears insights bad behavior,' she continued.

The comedian added: 'Have you written three furious tweets to, I dont know maybe, someone who sexually assaulted someone? Im gonna guess no. You reserve your rage for the victims or a beautiful woman youre threatened by.'

Emily joined about 300 others to protest the nomination of Kavanaugh early last month, holding a sign that read: 'Respect female existence or expect our resistance'.

'Your comments are synonymous with saying what a woman wears insights bad behavior': Amy Schumer recently took to Instagram to defend Emily's bra-free protest outfit

She shared news of her arrest on Twitter, accompanied by a picture of herself at the rally.

'Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault,' Emily captioned the image.

'Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power,' she wrote.

Represent! Emily joined about 300 others to protest the nomination of Kavanaugh early last month, holding a sign that read: 'Respect female existence or expect our resistance'
An Adelaide teacher who admitted having a sexual relationship with one of her students has broken down while apologising to his parents in court.

Sonia Mackay faced the South Australian District Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the persistent sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old boy.

Reading a letter of apology, the 43-year-old said she was "deeply sorry" for her actions and knows what she did was wrong.

"I am deeply regretful of my actions," Mackay said.

"Through my indecent actions I have brought great distress to (the victim) and his family."

In a victim impact statement, the boy's mother told the court Mackay had called her and asked for his phone number under the guise of helping him with his school work.

She said she became worried when her son stopped coming home for days at a time.

"I had no idea where he was sleeping, who he was with, was he safe or worse," she said.

"When he attempted to come home she bought him expensive underwear and gifts so he had no excuse but to stay with her."

The boy's mother recounted one incident when he did come home and Mackay called him and threatened self harm.

"I saw my son terrified... he believed it was his fault for leaving her alone."

The case, before Judge Liesl Chapman, will return to court in December.
The senior NSW minister who lit the fuse on the sexual harassment scandal that brought down Labor leader Luke Foley says his delayed apology to the victim was an "error of judgement".

NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott used parliamentary privilege in October to accuse Mr Foley of harassing a female journalist at a press gallery Christmas party two years ago.

The ABC reporter had not wanted the incident to be made public and Mr Foley has denied the claims.

Mr Elliott issued a statement earlier this month saying he didn't mean to distress the journalist but stopped short of apologising. He apologised in a separate statement a day later.

"That was an error of judgment," Mr Elliott told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr Elliott said he had not spoken or apologised directly to Ashleigh Raper, other than the media statement he issued.

He said he had not considered resigning over the incident.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the time said she was "incredibly disappointed" with the minister's move to expose the claims without Ms Raper's consent.
Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has taken a shot at the party's former president Warren Mundine for weighing up contesting Liberal pre-selection.

The leading indigenous advocate and businessman is reportedly considering a tilt at the marginal NSW seat of Gilmore, which will not be recontested by Liberal Ann Sudmalis at the federal election.

"When he couldn't get a seat in the Labor Party, he's looking elsewhere. I guess that's his democratic right," Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney.

Mr Mundine was Labor's national president between 2006 and 2007 but has been a strident critic of the party in recent years.

Mr Shorten said Labor's candidate for Gilmore candidate Fiona Phillips would fight on local issues, rather than personalities.

"She doesn't want a seat in parliament because she thinks that's her right, that she's owed a seat," the opposition leader said.

Ms Sudmalis announced her decision to quit in September, launching an extraordinary spray at NSW state MP Gareth Ward for running a campaign against her, an accusation he denied.

"The Liberal Party is divided. Yet again, another Liberal woman is going to be sacrificed by the powerbrokers of the Liberal Party," Mr Shorten said.

Ms Sudmalis, who was first elected in 2013, holds the southern NSW with a margin of just 0.7 per cent and has faced a preselection challenge from local real estate agent Grant Schultz.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance angrily rejected suggestions from Labor strategist Bruce Hawker he was considering a switch to federal politics in Gilmore.

"Listen you old trout. Stop peddling your lies and spin. I'm running for Bega," Mr Constance tweeted on Tuesday.
Victoria's Liberal Party has launched a website called Daniel Andrews Sucks, featuring a video clip of the Labor leader wearing a jester hat as well as personal accounts from crime victims.

A series of short videos, authorised by the Liberal Party, appears alongside "top 10 lies" and "top 10 dodgy deals", criticising Labor initiatives including Melbourne's supervised injecting room trial.

"The site highlights the rorts, scandals and lies that have become the hallmark of the Daniel Andrews' Labor government," opposition MP Tim Smith said in a statement.

"No government in recent history has been so mired in scandal."

The website, authorised by Victorian Liberal Party state director Nick Demiris, refers to events spanning Labor's term, including the 'red-shirts' rort from last election, under investigation by police.

There's a photo of Mr Andrews wearing a superimposed jester's hat on a mocked up "joker" playing card.

An unnamed woman recounts her story as a victim of crime, and how she took her complaint to parliament.

"I've had very little support from the justice system," she said.

Liberal leader Matthew Guy hasn't been free from criticism during his campaign in the lead up to Saturday's election.

At one event, human-sized lobsters staged a protest against Mr Guy - a nod to his controversial and highly-publicised seafood dinner that was dubbed 'lobster with a mobster'.
The Commonwealth Bank's former chairman refused to return some of his hundreds of thousands in pay after a damning inquiry into Australia's biggest bank, his replacement says.

After years of only cutting executives' million-dollar bonuses after scandals became public, CBA's board itself took a 20 per cent cut in fees after APRA's scathing prudential inquiry.

The board asked former chairman David Turner to return 40 per cent of the fees he earned in his final year at CBA, the banking royal commission heard on Wednesday.

Current chairwoman Catherine Livingstone said the board thought it would be appropriate.

"The board felt that it was appropriate as chair that he also effectively participate in the reduction that we had all taken for effectively what was described in the APRA report," she said.

But Mr Turner did not agree to return any of his fees, she said.

"He communicated that, and I'm paraphrasing here because I obviously didn't have the direct conversation, that he didn't recognise in the APRA report the CBA board that he knew."

The banking regulator in May was scathing of CBA for being complacent and blinded to threats in its business as profits rolled in, while also criticising inadequate oversight and challenge by the board.

Mr Turner retired at the end of 2016.

He was paid $437,521 for the six months of the 2017 financial year that he worked, compared to $874,521 for the previous year.

The royal commission heard that for years CBA failed to cut executives' million-dollar bonuses despite a long list of scandals and problems.

CBA executives missed out on bonuses in 2016/17, on the back of AUSTRAC's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing case against the bank.

Ms Livingstone said some of the group executives immediately accepted the decision but others were upset.

"Some were angry and others felt that because it had affected the whole group, including people who hadn't been there for very long, that it wasn't fair.

"But the point of the board taking this view was to emphasise the importance of collective accountability."

CBA, which paid a $700 million civil penalty to settle the AUSTRAC action, has made changes to its remuneration practices.
Australian lamb exports will be defined in the same way as New Zealand's animals, ending a competitive advantage for farmers across the Tasman.

The federal government will amend Australia's export laws to change the definition so animals with two permanent incisor teeth are considered lamb.

As long as the teeth are new and have not started to wear, exports will be considered lamb, bringing Australia's definition into line with the NZ classification.

"After decades of discussion, the time for talk was over. This is a simple common-sense change," Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said.

He said the move would mean farmers could sell more lambs toward the end of the growing season, boosting export opportunities.

"It will be easy for growers to see when a lamb becomes a sheep - when there is visible wear on the incisors," Mr Littleproud said.

Lamb had previously been considered to have grown into the less lucrative hogget or mutton as soon as incisor teeth were visible.

Research by Meat and Livestock Australia found no difference in eating quality between lambs immediately before incisor teeth and immediately afterwards.
Victoria should be the first state to legalise recreational cannabis, says an outspoken minor party MP who has successfully backed other progressive laws.

Reason Party leader Fiona Patten, campaigning to retain her seat in the upper house, is vowing to spark legislation within 12 months of the new parliament to pave the way for Victoria to become the first Australian state to legalise the drug for adults.

"The time has come. Victoria, the most progressive state in the country, is ready for this change," Ms Patten, a former sex worker, said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Legalising cannabis makes sense - it's a no-brainer to most people.

"Across the world communities are making this change and it is time for Victoria to yet again lead the way in this historic reform."

The Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office expects the state would raise $204 million in increased revenues, taxes, policing and prosecution reductions in the move, she said.

Ms Patten has been a vocal advocate for other pieces of controversial legislation which have since become law, including safe zones around abortion clinics, Melbourne's supervised injecting centre and voluntary assisted dying.
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED?

- The Queensland government wants to broaden the definition of murder to take in killers who show a lack of concern for their victims, particularly those who are vulnerable, like children, elderly and disabled people.

HOW WILL IT CHANGE?

- A new element of fault will be added to existing laws to take in killers who show a callous disregard for the life of their victim, for example, a parent or carer who inflicts continuous abuse that leads to a child's death.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

- The Queensland government will work with legal experts to draft laws it will then introduce to parliament next year.

- It is unclear if those laws will be retrospective, but Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath says she wants police and prosecutors to have all the resources they need bring child killers to justice.

- It comes after widespread public outrage that killers being convicted of manslaughter are not facing harsh enough consequences.

WHO WILL IT AFFECT?

- Killers of children and adults, but particularly those behind crimes against victims who are young, disabled or elderly.

WHY IS IT BEING AMENDED?

- Research by the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council shows more needs to be done to deter parents from harming their children.

- Ms D'Ath wants to send a strong message that those who do not provide proper care and protection to their children will face punishment.
April, 2005:

* Lawrence and eight others are arrested at Bali airport and a local hotel over a plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into Australia

* Lawrence has more than 2kg of heroin strapped to her body

September, 2005:

* Indonesian prosecutors say all nine Australians will be charged with offences that carry the death penalty

February, 2006:

* Lawrence gets life in jail but prosecutors had argued for 20 years because she co-operated with police

* At her trial she claimed ringleader Andrew Chan threatened to kill her and her family unless she carried the drugs

* Chan and fellow ringleader Myuran Sukumaran are sentenced to death; the rest end up with life in jail

April, 2006:

* Lawrence and four others appeal their life sentences; They win and get 20 years instead

- Lawrence decides to not lodge further appeals

September:

* Others try their luck but some lose spectacularly, with some jail terms upgraded to the death penalty

* Ultimately, only the two ringleaders are executed

November, 2018

* After having years shaved off her sentence through remissions for good behaviour, Lawrence is released on November 21

* She could be the only member of the Bali Nine to ever taste freedom again, with the rest to die in jail unless their cases are reviewed.
WHO IS RENAE LAWRENCE?

Former Newcastle panel beater whose father Bob described her as "gullible, naive and bloody stupid. She's not a bad kid, she just got in with the wrong crowd."

She met ringleader Andrew Chan and fellow mules Martin Stephens and Matthew Norman while working for catering company Eurest in Sydney.

She was paid $10,000 after smuggling heroin into Australia in 2004 with Chan who she said threatened to kill her family if she told anyone.

WHAT DID SHE DO?

The following year, desperate for cash, she said she was again forced to strap heroin to her body and smuggle it to Australia for Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

But Lawrence, then 27, and the eight others were arrested at Bali airport and a local hotel over the plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin. Lawrence has more than 2kg of heroin strapped to her body.

WHAT HAPPENED AT HER TRIAL?

Lawrence told the 2006 trial Chan threatened to kill her and her family unless she carried the drugs.

She was sentenced to life in jail even though prosecutors had argued for 20 years because she co-operated with police.

Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death; the rest end up with life in jail.

WHAT HAPPENED WHILE SHE WAS IN JAIL?

Lawrence appeals her life sentence and gets 20 years instead.

In the first few months in Kerobokan prison, Lawrence's mood swung violently between depression and boiling rage, trying to kill herself several times and occasionally bashing prison guards.

But she mellowed, learnt Indonesian and had years shaved off her sentence through remissions for good behaviour. She was transferred to the more relaxed Bangli prison in 2014.

Chan and Sukumaran are executed in 2015.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

After her arrival home, Lawrence faces charges from NSW police relating to a high-speed chase in a stolen car on the Central Coast in March 2005. But NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says a deal with her lawyers was more likely than handcuffs on the tarmac.

She is likely to be the only Bali Nine member to taste freedom.

WHAT OF HER BALI NINE COLLEAGUES?

Chan, ringleader: executed.

Sukumaran, ringleader: executed.

Scott Rush, mule: life in jail.

Michael Czugaj, mule: life.

Martin Stephens, mule: life.

Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, runner: Sentenced to life, died from cancer in May this year.

Matthew Norman, runner: life.

Si Yi Chen, runner: life.
A raft of new laws are being pushed through the NSW parliament on the last sitting day before the 2019 election.

The government on Thursday was working to pass a handful of bills before parliament breaks for the last time ahead of the March poll.

Tougher penalties for perpetrators of online bullying and changes to the duration of apprehended domestic violence orders both cleared parliament during the morning.

The online bullying legislation, known as Dolly's Law, will allow the state to jail people found guilty of online bullying for up to five years.

The bill was named after Amy 'Dolly' Everett, who took her own life after sustained online bullying in January.

Controversial changes to the state's adoption laws are still being debated in the lower house after the government failed to pass them on Tuesday night.

Other laws to pass the parliament on the last sitting day of the year include an increase in penalties for people caught dumping asbestos, as well as reforms into the aged care sector.
A Melbourne neurosurgeon has called for stronger security in hospitals to prevent violence, after a man was convicted of killing heart surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann.

Joseph Esmaili, 24, on Wednesday was found guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, at Box Hill Hospital in May last year.

"An increased security presence in hospitals will deter violence, and may prevent tragedy like this from happening again," said Michael Wong, a Melbourne neurosurgeon and spinal surgeon who nearly died after being stabbed 14 times at the Western Hospital by a mentally ill patient in 2014.
Scott Morrison has urged a parliamentary committee to wind up its review of new laws allowing police to access encrypted messages.

The prime minister wants the legislation to pass parliament in the final sitting fortnight of the year after three men charged with plotting a terror attack in Melbourne were accused of using encrypted communications.

"Our police, our agencies need these powers now. I would insist on seeing them passed before the end of the next sitting fortnight." Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.
Adani's proposed coal mine in Queensland would not worsen Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, according to federal Labor leader Bill Shorten.

When asked when there would be enough damage from climate change - such as harm to the Great Barrier Reef - to prompt Labor to block the mine, Mr Shorten said he didn't accept the proposition.

"I believe that our policies on renewable energy will actually reduce our emissions. The actual decision about Adani is not going to affect Australian emissions," he said after a speech on Thursday.

"The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has made it clear that the way you take global action isn't through particular projects.

"So we are very committed to protecting the reef, we are very committed to taking action on climate change, and we've made it very clear that we won't put any taxpayer resources into the Adani mine."

His comments came as dozens of activists opposed to the Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin rallied outside the Sydney event.

Others formed queues on Thursday morning outside Mr Shorten's Melbourne office and the offices of senior Labor MP Anthony Albanese in Sydney and Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaczszuk.

Brisbane-based Stop Adani activist Anne Gardiner said Labor's energy policy lacks credibility if it allows the Adani mine to go ahead.

"With the impacts of climate accelerating, the world just can't afford to mine and burn more coal or allow unprecedented volumes of water to be extracted from inland rivers and precious water basins," she said in a statement.

Mr Shorten has previously said there is still plenty of scepticism that the controversial project will ever proceed.

Adani, an Indian mining giant, revealed earlier this month it had scaled back its plans for the mine as it tries to stitch up funding for the project.

The original $16.5 billion Carmichael coal mine planned to export 60 million tonnes of thermal coal each year, but capital costs have now been scaled back to less than $2 billion for the first stage.
A man convicted of murdering his ex-wife, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase in Perth's Swan River, has been sentenced to life behind bars with a minimum of 20 years.

The victim's daughter has also been sentenced to four years and 10 months in jail for attempting to cover up the crime.

Tiffany Yiting Wan, 27, and her father Ah Ping Ban, 69, stood trial in the West Australian Supreme Court accused of murdering 58-year-old Annabelle Chen at her Mosman Park home in 2016, but the jury only convicted Ban of the more serious crime.

The pair had blamed each other for Ms Chen's death.

Ban had claimed Ms Chen was already dead when he arrived in Perth from Singapore on June 30 and he only helped dispose of the body at the Fremantle Traffic Bridge.

But Wan testified she heard Ms Chen scream and a "loud metallic thud" sound, then her father later confessed to killing his former wife with a cast-iron paperweight.

Justice Joseph McGrath accepted Ban did not show up at his ex-wife's house with an intention to murder her, but during an argument he repeatedly struck her with a blunt object and had showed no remorse.

He rejected Wan's claim that her father drugged her, but accepted she acted out of misguided loyalty to her father when she helped cover up the crime.

Wan, who has been living in Melbourne, cried several times during the trial, including when the court was shown X-ray images of her mother's head injuries, and while she was giving evidence.

She admitted lying in her police statement, as well as sending Ms Chen messages after she knew her mother was dead.

Ms Chen's identity remained a mystery for two months until Wan reported her missing.

Wan must serve at least two years and 10 months in prison before she can be eligible for parole.
A Queensland woman accused of sparking a national food safety panic by inserting needles into strawberries allegedly mentioned the idea of doing so two years earlier.

My Ut Trinh, 50, has been granted bail after being charged with food contamination offences earlier this month. Police allege they identified her DNA on a needle found in a strawberry punnet in Victoria.

Prosecutors allege the former strawberry farm supervisor was seeking revenge over a workplace grievance when she contaminated the fruit.

She allegedly told a co-worker: "If I hate anyone, I would put the needle in the strawberry and make them go bankrupt", Brisbane Magistrates Court heard on Thursday.

The co-worker claimed she made the comments "one or two years ago".

Trinh's lawyer Nick Dore argued the evidence was circumstantial and statements against her were "littered with hearsay and innuendo".

"There is no motive. There has been no suggestion why this would occur," Mr Dore said.

"That's the strength of the case - a conversation that maybe occurred maybe one or two years ago.

"They say it's to create financial harm. In the statement by the complainant ... there's no threat, 'I'm going to do this'. There's not, 'if you don't pay me X, I will do Y'.

"Where's the disagreement? He (the complainant) in fact says there's no disagreement."

Trinh was working at Berrylicious in her hometown of Caboolture, north of Brisbane, between September 2 and 5 when she allegedly inserted needles into the fruit.

She was charged with seven counts of contamination of goods with intent to cause economic loss.

DNA found on one of the needles was "100 billion times likely" to be Trinh's, police prosecutor Cheryl Tesch told the court.

Growers like Trinh's boss suffered financial losses of about $160 million, according the prosecution, as they were forced to destroy crops.

"It's alleged the offences committed by the defendant had serious economic consequences ... not just for the complainant farmer in this case ... but for the Australian economy as a whole," Ms Tesch said.

The first needle was discovered on September 9 when a man bit into a contaminated strawberry he bought at a supermarket.

Trinh almost immediately became a person of interest to police, the court had previously heard.

As more needles were discovered around the country - with many believed to have been planted by copycats - strawberries were stripped from shelves.

Police have said 230 needle contamination incidents were ultimately reported nationwide, affecting 68 strawberry brands.

Trinh will relinquish her passport and has been barred from speaking to former farm worker colleagues as part of her bail conditions.

She faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted.
As the doors slid back at Brisbane airport's arrivals hall early on Thursday morning, Renae Lawrence paused.

For a moment she was frozen, clearly dreading the media storm that was about to her engulf her.

After wiping away a tear with the back of her hand she took one deep breath and summoned the courage to move again

Head down. Eyes red and teary. Resigned to the two minutes of craziness ahead.

She declined to comment as reporters threw a barrage of questions at her.

"Renae you look a little bit overwhelmed by being back home. How does it feel?"

"Are you fearful for your life now you're back in Australia, we know there's been lots of death threats."

"What do you plan on doing now?"

She muttered only a few words in Indonesian to thank the country's government for releasing her 13 years into a 20-year sentence.

Determinedly zigzagging her way through the media scrum, she found the relative privacy of the airport transit bus that would take her to the domestic terminal and her final flight home to Newcastle.

And there she sat, for almost three hours, in the public waiting lounge, quietly chatting to her mother Beverley Waterman and other supporters who'd made the long flight home from Bali with her.

At times she was using a mobile phone, possibly letting those closest to her know that she was back, after 13 years in Balinese prisons for acting as a drug mule for the infamous Bali Nine smuggling ring.

After she declined once more to comment, a much smaller media pack kept its distance.

At this point, she did not appear angry or resentful about the media attention, rather resigned.

"It's very overwhelming," her mother explained, in saying there would be no comment.

There was a small smile when one reporter discreetly approached and said she was happy that Lawrence was free.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has compared Australia to a popular spice mix as he joined India's president to unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the heart of Sydney's Indian community.

President Ram Nath Kovind gifted the bronze sculpture of his nation's founding father to the City of Parramatta, praising Australians for embracing Gandhi's values of "the great soul" including a deep respect for the "forests, rivers and habitat" of the natural environment.

"We're like a good garam masala," Mr Morrison told the crowd on Thursday, "you've got your cloves, cardamom, coriander... blend it all together and it's the best. On their own they don't taste so good."
Lord Mayor Clover Moore will join Santa in his sleigh to kick-off Christmas celebrations in Sydney's CBD, one month out from the festive season's big day.

Celebrations run from 6.30pm to 9.30pm on Saturday with pop-up stages along George and King Streets, Pitt Street Mall and Martin Place plus entertainers including Jimmy Giggle, Justine Clark and former Yellow Wiggle Sam Moran.

Ms Moore and Santa will ride from Circular Quay to Martin Place where the 25-metre tall Christmas tree - featuring 15,000 native flower decorations, 110,000 LED lights and glossy beach ball baubles - will be illuminated at 8.30pm with an accompanying fireworks display.
Speaking at the border Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen threatened to arrest or deport all caravan migrants who dare to cross into the US

A US federal judge temporarily blocked Donald Trump's administration from denying asylum to people who enter the country illegally, prompting the president to allege Tuesday that the court was biased against him.

Trump issued a proclamation earlier this month saying that only people who enter the US at official checkpoints -- as opposed to sneaking across the border -- can apply for asylum, as a caravan of thousands of Central American migrants made its way north through Mexico.

But US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump proclamation, thus granting a request from human rights groups that had sued shortly after the order was announced.

"It's a disgrace," Trump said, alleging judicial bias and appearing to refer to Tigar -- who was appointed by US president Barack Obama -- as an "Obama judge."

"We will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States," Trump said.

Chart showing illegal immigration apprehensions on the US-Mexico border since 1960

Tigar wrote that the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 states that any foreigner who arrives in the US, "whether or not at a designated port of arrival," may apply for asylum.

"The rule barring asylum for immigrants who enter the country outside a port of entry irreconcilably conflicts with the INA and the expressed intent of Congress," Tigar wrote.

"Whatever the scope of the president's authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden."

The judge's restraining order remains in effect until the court decides on the case.

Trump's administration has argued that he has the executive power to curb immigration in the name of national security -- a power he invoked right after taking office last year with a controversial ban on travelers from several mostly Muslim countries.

- 'Broken' asylum system -

The final version of the order was upheld by the US Supreme Court on June 26 after a protracted legal battle.

"Our asylum system is broken, and it is being abused by tens of thousands of meritless claims every year," a joint statement from the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security said after the asylum ruling.

In 2018, border patrols registered more than 400,000 illegal border crossers

"We look forward to continuing to defend the executive branch's legitimate and well-reasoned exercise of its authority to address the crisis at our southern border."

When the new policy was announced by the Department of Homeland Security on November 8, a senior administration official said it would address what he called the "historically unparalleled abuse of our immigration system" along the border with Mexico.

Administration officials say anyone who manages to get across can request asylum and subsequently often vanish while their case languishes in the court system.

"The vast majority of these applications eventually turn out to be non-meritorious," a senior administration official said, asking not to be identified.

Less than 10 percent of cases result in asylum being granted, the government says.

Human rights campaigners and other critics of the Trump crackdown say that by restricting asylum seekers to border crossing points -- which are already under enormous pressure -- the government is effectively shutting the door on people who may truly be fleeing for their lives.

"The government cannot abdicate its responsibility toward migrants fleeing harm," the New York Immigration Coalition advocacy group said.

The US administration says it is "trying to funnel credible fear claims, or asylum claims, through the ports of entry where we are better resourced"

But the administration official argued that "what we're attempting to do is trying to funnel credible fear claims, or asylum claims, through the ports of entry where we are better resourced."

That way, the official said, courts will "handle those claims in an expeditious and efficient manner, so that those who do actually require an asylum protection get those protections."

In 2018, border patrols registered more than 400,000 illegal border crossers, according to the Department of Homeland Security. And in the last five years, the number of those requesting asylum has increased by 2,000 percent, it said.

- 'Criminals' in caravan -

Speaking at the border in Imperial Beach, California, Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen doubled down, threatening to arrest or deport all caravan migrants who dare to cross into the United States.

"The crisis is real and it is just on the other side of this wall," she said.

"Make no mistake -- we are very serious. You will not get into our country illegally... If you try to enter our country without authorization, you have broken the law of the United States, you will be detained, prosecuted and repatriated."

She claimed that at least 500 of the caravan migrants have been identified as "criminals," without offering up proof or further details on the nature or origin of the claim.
Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz is worried about the military fencing that the US Army has installed in his bustling border town

Pete Saenz, the mayor of the southwestern Texan city of Laredo, looks at the military fencing that now hems his bustling border town and is uneasy with what he sees.

"It's a surprise to some of us, a shock frankly. We're not used to concertina wire," the mayor tells AFP.

Laredo, whose population of about 260,000 is more than 95 percent Latino, is one of the areas being "hardened" by the US military under orders from President Donald Trump.

As part of the contentious mission that has seen about 5,900 active-duty troops sent to the border, the Army has strung a shiny metal fence made of barbed and concertina wire along Laredo's grassy riverbanks.

Locals are starting to worry of economic consequences for a city that relies heavily on cross-border trade.

In an interview at his City Hall office this week, where the Mexican tricolor stands alongside the Texas flag, the black-mustached Saenz says he understands the federal government's desire to protect the border.

But he is concerned the military presence might cause a drop in legal foot traffic between Laredo and its sister city of Nuevo Laredo, across the Rio Grande River in Mexico.

"Aesthetically, it doesn't look good. Obviously, if we could have our way as a city, I think we would object to the concertina wire," Saenz says, noting the city has had some initial discussions about challenging the federal government's fence.

Mexican shoppers account for about 40-50 percent of Laredo's retail trade, much of which is centered on a vast "outlet mall" that provides better prices and selections than anything in Nuevo Laredo.

Mexican residents of Nuevo Laredo are allowed into Laredo to shop and work, provided they have special permits, and some 17,000 people shuffle daily back and forth across a busy bridge.

- Joined at the hip -

At the frontier between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico (R) and Laredo, Texas, concertina wire is installed all the way up to the edge of the US-Mexico border

Even a small drop in foot traffic could have a big impact on the local economy, and similar concerns are being echoed up and down the border.

In Nogales, Arizona, for instance, foot traffic from Mexico has slowed dramatically and retailers are feeling the pinch with several stores at risk.

"I don't see it (as) good that (Trump is) putting in the fences. The people from Mexico, they go in and shop around, they leave their money over there," says Sandra Chavez, an American woman speaking in Nuevo Laredo.

"They are not doing nothing wrong."

Worries are especially acute at this time of year, during the usually frenetic Thanksgiving and Christmas retail seasons.

Saenz says it is too soon to know if legal border crossings are slowing, but anecdotally at least some observers have noticed changes.

Compared to two years ago, "there seems to be more shops that have closed, it seems to be more of a ghost town," Laura Pole, a British tourist who has visited Laredo three times in recent years, says in the picturesque town center.

But away from the historic square, which is flanked by an ornate Catholic cathedral and hacienda-style buildings, workers in larger shops say they have not seen any changes so far.

Map of the US-Mexico border

Laredo is inextricably linked to Mexico, and Spanish is by far the dominant language. The city changed hands multiple times during the 19th century and was once part of Mexico.

"I usually say we're tied (at) the hip," Saenz says.

Foot traffic goes both ways, with US citizens heading into Mexico, often to search for cheaper pharmaceuticals and property.

Sometimes, families are split between the two sides of the border.

"The Army being deployed here is ridiculous," huffs Angela Torres, an American whose husband was deported and now lives in Nuevo Laredo, while she also keeps a home on the US side and crosses daily.

- Biggest land port -

Barbed and concertina wire can be seen installed at a public park in Laredo

Critics have decried Trump's order to toughen the border as a costly political stunt, coming as it did just before the November 6 midterm elections.

A Customs and Border Patrol agent not authorized to give his name welcomed the military assistance as each day, hundreds of migrants attempt to cross the approximately 30-mile (50-kilometer) stretch of border he patrols.

The entire border operation will cost an estimated $72 million, according to the Pentagon. The mission is supposed to run through December 15.

Retail dollars aside, Saenz says Laredo is the biggest land port for goods coming into the United States, rivaled in size only by the maritime port of Long Beach in California.

Some $214 billion of trade crosses annually through the port of Laredo, according to Saenz, and just outside the city center a non-stop stream of massive trucks hauls cargo both ways across a bridge.

"This is what drives our city -- trade, logistics, warehousing, distribution -- and so this is why our relationship with Mexico is so sensitive," Saenz says.

The mayor adds that, going forward, he hopes the federal and state governments pay greater attention to the needs of border communities.

"You know it's easy to govern from Washington or from (state capital) Austin sometimes without knowing the impact on the border itself," he says.

"We live it, we sense it, we feel it, we take it in. And economically we depend on it."
Plaintiff Dewayne Johnson looks on after hearing the verdict in his case against Monsanto; the cancer-stricken groundskeeper on October 31, 2018 accepted a slashed award in a landmark trial focused on weed-killer Roundup, setting the stage for an appeal by maker Monsanto

Monsanto on Tuesday said it is asking an appeals court to toss out a damning verdict in a landmark Roundup weed-killer cancer trial and grant it another try.

"By its appeal from the judgment and amended judgment, Monsanto also seeks appellate review of the trial courts order denying Monsantos motion for new trial," an attorney for the agrochemical colossus said in a filed notice-of-appeal.

The notice is the first step of the appeal process.

A cancer-stricken groundskeeper last month accepted a slashed award in the trial, which focused on weed-killer Roundup and a professional version of the herbicide called Ranger Pro.

Judge Suzanne Bolanos, who presided over the case in California state court, denied a Monsanto's request for a new trial but cut the $289 million damages award to $78 million to comply with the law regarding how punitive damages awards must be calculated.

Bolanos denied a request by Monsanto to toss out the jury's overall verdict against the company.

Jurors in August unanimously found that Monsanto acted with "malice" and that its weed killers Roundup and Ranger Pro contributed "substantially" to Dewayne "Lee" Johnson's terminal illness.

The jury ordered Monsanto to pay $250 million in punitive damages along with compensatory damages and other costs, bringing the total figure to nearly $290 million.

Johnson, a California groundskeeper diagnosed in 2014 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- a cancer that affects white blood cells -- says he repeatedly used Ranger Pro while working at a school in Benicia, California.

Monsanto-parent Bayer at the time called the reduced punitive damage award a "step in the right direction" but held firm in its argument that the jury's decision was not supported by evidence at trial.

- More to come? -

Johnson's lawsuit built on 2015 findings by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the UN World Health Organization, which classified Roundup's main ingredient glyphosate as a probable carcinogen, causing the state of California to follow suit.

Monsanto has defended the weed killer, arguing that it has a history of safe use that dates back more than 40 years.

The lawsuit is the first to accuse the product of causing cancer, but observers say a Monsanto defeat likely opens the door to thousands of other claims against the company, which was recently acquired by Germany's Bayer.

Roundup is Monsanto's leading product.

Founded in 1901 in St Louis, Missouri, Monsanto began producing agrochemicals in the 1940s. It was acquired by Bayer for more than $62 billion in June.

Monsanto launched Roundup in 1976 and soon thereafter began genetically modifying plants, making some resistant to Roundup.
Ghazi Saleh, 10, lies on a bed at Al-Mudhafar hospital in Taez on November 19, 2018

Skin and bones, 10-year-old Ghazi Saleh lies on a hospital bed in Yemen's government-held third city Taez barely breathing. He weighs just eight kilogrammes (less than 18 pounds).

Starving and too weak to move or even cry, Ghazi can only look down at his emaciated body as he struggles to keep his eyes open.

Some 14 million Yemenis are at risk of famine, more than four years into the country's war.

At Al-Mudhafar Hospital where Ghazi is being treated, medics go from one bed to another to check on malnourished children -- including infants.

Eman Ali, a nurse at the hospital, said that Ghazi suffers from acute malnutrition.

"He has not eaten properly for a while now, and he ultimately reached this situation," she told AFP.

While some doctors and nurses weighed children, others tried to feed the young patients through syringes as they have become too weak to swallow.

Cases of malnourished children have become a reflection of the health system in Yemen, where children bear the brunt of the war between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels.

- 'Entirely preventable' -

Aid organisation Save the Children said on Wednesday that as many as 85,000 infants under the age of five may have died from starvation or disease since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in March 2015.

"For every child killed by bombs and bullets, dozens are starving to death and it's entirely preventable," said Save the Children's Yemen director Tamer Kirolos.

"Children who die in this way suffer immensely as their vital organ functions slow down and eventually stop," he said.

A Yemeni mother holds her malnourished child as a nurse tries to feed the baby at Al-Mudhafar hospital in Taez on November 19, 2018

While the United Nations is hoping for peace talks to take place in Sweden by the end of this year, the situation on the ground remains dire with millions of children starving.

"We receive such cases every day, and some of them are very terrible," said Sona Othman, head of nutrition at Al-Mudhafar Hospital.

"Ghazi's case was extremely bad and it mirrors the deteriorating health situation of the country."

According to the UN children's agency (UNICEF), more than half of the 14 million people on the edge of famine are children.

Fatima Salman, whose infant son is malnourished, said that she feels more hopeless the longer the conflict rages.

"My husband had a job before the war, and he earned just enough money to feed us, but now there's nothing," she told AFP.

"We want this war to end but we only see it getting worse and worse."

- Children at great risk -

More than 22 million people -- three quarters of the population -- now depend on humanitarian assistance to survive.

Yemeni boy Ghazi Saleh, weighing just eight kilogrammes, is too weak to move or even cry

Yemenis struggling to survive such conditions are also confronted with a collapsed economy, leaving civil servants and teachers without pay for months.

UNICEF estimates that some 4.5 million children in Yemen risk losing access to state schools, as teachers have not been paid in nearly two years.

More than 2,500 schools have been damaged or destroyed, and others are now used as shelters for displaced people or as bases run by armed groups.

The war has left an estimated 10,000 people dead since 2015 and triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

However, human rights groups say the real death toll may be five times higher.

Yemen's war has put the country's children at particular risk.

More than 40 percent of Yemeni girls are married before the age of 15 and three-quarters wed by 18, according to UNICEF, while boys are at risk of being drawn directly into the conflict to fight as child soldiers.
Thierry Bollore has been appointed deputy CEO to ensure day-to-day management of Renault after the arrest of Carlos Ghosn

The man chosen to temporarily replace fallen auto star Carlos Ghosn at Renault is an industry insider with many years of experience working in Asia.

Thierry Bollore, a 55-year-old father of five, has been declared deputy CEO to ensure day-to-day management following Ghosn's stunning arrest in Tokyo on charges of under-reporting his pay at Nissan.

Before his temporary elevation to the top of Renault, Bollore was the French car giant's Chief Operating Officer, a position he was promoted to in February in a move widely seen at the time as Ghosn anointing his successor.

In many ways the two men began with similar career trajectories. Like Ghosn, Bollore was first spotted as a rising talent at Michelin before he switched to a car manufacturer and made his way into the top ranks.

But those who have worked with him paint a somewhat softer portrait than Ghosn, who built a reputation -- and enemies -- as a maverick turnaround specialist who blew a gale through a musty corporate world, especially in Asia.

"(He's) very rigorous, very serious, but at the same time warm. He has calm, analytical qualities and he's level-headed," a senior person in the auto sector who worked with Bollore told AFP.

"I think that his knowledge of Asia and his skills in relationships with the Japanese will give him an advantage in the succession," added the former colleague, who said he appreciated Bollore's "integrity and loyalty".

Business development in China is a major priority for Renault as well as the complex Franco-Japanese coalition between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Resentment has long been brewing in Japan over the structure of the alliance, which some say gives French carmaker Renault an undue share of the Japanese company's profits.

Renault currently owns 43 percent of Nissan, while Nissan only owns 15 percent of Renault.

A Financial Times report said Ghosn has been working on a merger of the two car makers that Nissan opposed because it could relegate the Japanese company to a secondary role.

Bollore has plenty of Asia experience to draw on.

With Michelin he held senior posts in the late 1990s in Japan and Thailand. He later joined auto-parts giant Faurecia, spending much time in China in the early 2000s, before moving to Europe and South Africa.

He joined Renault in 2012, first as Executive Vice President for Manufacturing and Supply Chain and then as Chief Competitive Officer until his elevation to Ghosn's de facto deputy in February.

A keen sailor, he was viewed at Renault as someone who upped the competitiveness of the company's factories as well as embracing digital transformations.

"He's someone who is open, poised, who listens but at the same time knows when to take a position," Franck Daout, a union leader who represents some Renault workers, said earlier this year.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, left, shakes hands with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a visit to Washington

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday gave US officials a list of 84 members of Fethullah Gulen's movement -- including the cleric himself -- whose extradition Ankara is requesting.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames Gulen -- whom he once regarded as an ally -- for the July 15, 2016 failed coup plot against him, but calls for his extradition have so far been unsuccessful.

Turkey's chief diplomat said he did not receive any "assurances" after meeting with his American counterpart Mike Pompeo and national security advisor John Bolton during a visit to Washington.

"But we have given this list of the people that we request the US to extradite," Cavusoglu said.

President Donald Trump "asked Erdogan to send that list and I gave that list to both Pompeo and ambassador Bolton," he said.

Trump said Saturday that he had no plans to extradite Gulen, who strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt.

"It's not under consideration," Trump told reporters, while also saying that Erdogan is "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 remains a central point of tension between the countries.

NBC News has reported that the White House was seeking ways to extradite Gulen in a bid to reduce Turkish pressure on Saudi Arabia over the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

Following his disappearance on October 2, Turkish officials kept up a steady stream of leaks on the gory details of Khashoggi's killing, even as Saudi Arabia denied involvement. The kingdom eventually branded the murder a "rogue" operation.
Carlos Ghosn was probably the best-known foreign CEO in Japan

The crisis at Nissan deepened Wednesday as it emerged the Japanese car giant could itself face charges over the alleged financial misconduct that led to the stunning arrest of its chairman Carlos Ghosn.

Monday's arrest of the millionaire auto tycoon, who is credited with turning around the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Motors alliance, sent shockwaves through the global car sector and corporate Japan.

The Asahi Shimbun daily said Wednesday that Tokyo prosecutors believe Nissan also has a case to answer in the under-reporting of Ghosn's package by about five billion yen ($44.5 million) over four years. Both Nissan and authorities declined to comment on the report.

Nissan's board will decide on Thursday whether to remove the 64-year-old tycoon as chairman, a staggering reversal of fortune for the Brazil-born businessman credited with creating the three-way alliance which together sells more cars worldwide than any other automaker.

Ghosn's fate appears all but sealed after his hand-picked replacement as CEO, Hiroto Saikawa, launched an astonishing broadside at his mentor, saying "too much authority" had been placed in his hands and lamenting the "dark side of the Ghosn era."

He pointedly refused to offer the deep "apology bow" that usually accompanies corporate scandals in Japan and played down the role Ghosn had personally played in reviving the firm's fortunes.

However, in France, Renault said it was sticking with the fallen manager as chief executive although it named chief operating officer Thierry Bollore as deputy CEO, handing him the "same powers" as the "temporarily incapacitated" Ghosn.

After an emergency board meeting, Renault urged its sister company Nissan to share "evidence seemingly gathered" against Ghosn from a months-long internal investigation, saying it was unable to comment on the charges without this information.

The crisis at Nissan appeared to be deepening day by day

Paris and Tokyo have been scrambling to contain the fall-out from the arrest, with the finance ministers of both countries declaring strong support for "one of the greatest symbols of Franco-Japanese industrial cooperation."

The scandal -- the latest in a string to affect Japan Inc. -- wiped millions off the stock value of all three companies but Nissan bounced back marginally in opening Tokyo trade, climbing more than half a percentage point in a falling market.

- 'Flamboyant glory-hogging ways' -

Ghosn was once the darling of corporate and even popular Japan -- even having a manga comic inspired by him -- and has been the glue holding the auto tie-up together since 1999.

"Ghosn is likely the most successful foreign chairman in Japan," said Kosuke Sato, a senior economist at the Japan Research Institute.

"What he did was unprecedented in Japanese corporate history."

Renault-Nissan

He had a reputation as a workaholic and won the nickname "Le Cost Cutter" in France for his slash-and-burn approach to corporate restructuring.

Under his stewardship, Nissan and Renault became deeply entwined.

Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan while in turn the Japanese firm has a 15-percent stake in Renault.

Nissan has become the alliance's key player however, posting sales of 12 trillion yen ($106 billion) last year compared with Renault's 59 billion euros ($67 billion).

According to the Financial Times, Ghosn was working on a merger of the two carmakers that Nissan opposed because it feared the Japanese company could be relegated to a secondary role.

Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University Japan, told AFP that Ghosn was "a victim of his own hubris and success."

"He trampled on Japanese cultural norms with his flamboyant glory-hogging ways, and his massive compensation incited jealousies and invited retaliation," he told AFP.

- 'Greedy' -

Local media reported that Nissan's representative director Greg Kelly, who was arrested along with Ghosn, ordered other executives to "hide salaries."

Some compensation due to other executives reportedly ended up going to Ghosn, although it is not clear how the scheme worked.

Public broadcaster NHK reported that Nissan had paid "huge sums" to provide Ghosn with luxury homes in Rio de Janeiro, Beirut, Paris and Amsterdam "without any legitimate business reason."

Even when his reputation was sky-high, he attracted criticism for a flashy lifestyle at odds with traditional Japanese corporate culture and his salary -- an estimated 13 million euros in total last year.

Media reports also spoke of a lavish Marie Antoinette-themed party in 2016 for Ghosn's second wedding, at the grandiose palace of Versailles.

Ghosn in happier days

The Yomiuri Shimbun on Tuesday quoted Nissan executives slamming Ghosn as "greedy".

"He says the right things, but in the end it's all about money," the daily quoted an unnamed senior employee as saying.

His arrest has also raised alarms among Renault's French workers about what lies ahead.

"What worries us is the alliance with Nissan," said Ghislaine, a production line worker at the Flins plant outside Paris -- where Nissan's popular Micra hatchback accounts for half its output.

"I hope our future isn't at risk."

burs-ric/sls
Traditional medicine makes up a quarter of China's pharmaceuticals market -- even as the country opens up to modern drugs

A crowd gathers at a Shanghai hospital, queuing for remedies made with plant mixtures and animal parts including scorpions and freeze-dried millipedes -- medicines that China hopes will find an audience overseas.

With a history going back 2,400 years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is deeply rooted in the country and remains popular despite access to Western pharmaceuticals. Now the authorities are hoping to modernise and export the remedies, but they face major obstacles.

A veritable forest of medicinal plants surrounds patients waiting at Yueyang Hospital's pharmacy. Some leave with boxes of pills, others take away plastic sachets filled with herbal extracts.

Lin Hongguo, a 76-year-old pensioner, has bought herbal remedies that he will boil to make a tea to treat his "slow beating heart".

"I prefer it to Western medicines. It's not about the cost, it's because it works well," he told AFP.

Another patient, pet fish seller Wang Deyun, 51, is also a believer.

"Two months ago my skin had an allergic reaction to a modern medicine for high blood pressure," she said from her hospital bed.

But after a treatment of face masks and plant infusions, she said she's almost fully healed.

- Painting vs photography -

Traditional medicine is subsidised in China and is cheaper than Western medicine.

It consistently makes up one quarter of the country's pharmaceuticals market -- even as China increasingly opens up to modern medicine.

The World Health Organisation will next year include a chapter on traditional medicine in its "International Classification of Diseases" -- a tome of reference for medical trends and global health statistics.

China hopes the WHO inclusion will spur global recognition of its traditional remedies as it seeks to export them.

But Beijing still faces significant hurdles, not least the fact that TCM focuses on tailoring treatment to each individual, which means different people with the same condition can be prescribed different medicines and dosages.

Wang Deyun says her skin infection, caused by a reaction to modern medicine for blood pressure, is clearing up after a course of face masks and plant infusions

"It's like a painting -- it's composed differently each time, while Western medicine is more similar to photography" with its standardised products, said Wang Zhenyi, a proctologist at Yueyang Hospital.

That is the crux of China's challenge in gaining overseas acceptance: its traditional medicine is largely incompatible with modern clinical trials which require an identical product to be tested on a large number of patients.

As these medicines typically contain dozens of ingredients, understanding how they work together and proving their effectiveness is a complex task.

Even within China there have been public skirmishes over the efficacy of TCM, pitting its proponents against doctors who advocate evidence-based, peer-reviewed medicine.

Conservationists also say growing demand for products like rhino horn and pangolin scales -- which are used by some practitioners even though they have no proven medical properties -- have decimated vulnerable species.

China partially lifted a ban on trading tiger bones and rhino horns last month despite warnings from conservationists, though state media later quoted an official saying the change had been "postponed".

Chinese experts say endangered animal parts are increasingly being replaced by synthetic versions, but TCM may still prove a tough sell abroad.

"I think the best potential is in the consumer market, such as nutritional supplements," said Tony Ren, a pharma analyst with Kim Eng Securities in Hong Kong.

- AI to the rescue -

Few Western pharmaceutical companies are keen to try to untangle these difficulties.

But French biotech company Pharnext has taken on the challenge, partnering last year with Tasly, one of China's biggest producers of traditional medicines.

Together, they are looking to transform the industry by streamlining "the procedures to have a more stable production of plants which have identical properties and understand why the mixture works", said Daniel Cohen, founder and CEO of Pharnext.

While China hopes inclusion in the WHO's 'International Classification of Diseases' will spur global recognition of traditional remedies, it still faces hurdles

The two companies are using artificial intelligence to understand how the medicines work as they look to standardise them, he added.

They face an uphill battle.

In the United States, Tasly has been trying for more than 20 years to get approval for Dantonic, an angina medicine based on sage and ginseng that was legalised in China in 1993.

Though the firm has completed medical trials, it has come up hard against US law, which does not allow treatments composed of different plants.

But Chinese medical professionals still feel the quest for acceptance abroad is worth the effort.

"Medicine is still a very young science, with many unknowns. You increase your ability to heal if you know both Western and Chinese medicine," said proctologist Wang of Yueyang hospital.

"It's the result that counts."
The low-lying Marshall Islands will drown beneath rising seas if global warming continues unabated

World leaders will participate in an innovative climate change summit on Thursday that will take place entirely online so it is carbon neutral.

The eco-friendly event stands in stark contrast to many other international political summits, which involve thousands of delegates jetting across the world to a venue where they stay in air-conditioned comfort.

The Virtual Climate Summit is the brainchild of Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, whose low-lying Pacific island nation will drown beneath rising seas if global warming continues unabated.

Heine said the event -- with participants including French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau -- will be the first global political meeting to be held online.

It will consist of a rolling, 24-hour livestream that will begin in the Marshalls' capital Majuro, then include addresses from leaders and panel discussions before delivering a declaration.

Heine said the cutting-edge setup was designed to show that even small nations such as the Marshalls could make a big difference on the world stage using creative, climate-friendly solutions.

"If we can act, so can any nation," she said in a statement ahead of the summit, which is being held by the 48-nation Climate Vulnerable Forum, headed by Heine.

The virtual summit's main aim is to encourage the international community to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

A UN report warned last month that threshold could be reached as early as 2030 unless there was unprecedented global action to rein in emissions.

The latest round of UN climate talks, COP24, will open in the southern Polish city of Katowice on December 2 with the aim of reinvigorating the Paris agreement reached three years ago.

Heine said the virtual summit was a chance for those on the front line of climate change to make their voices heard.

"We don't stand alone, people everywhere have awoken to climate perils," she said. "Everyone's way of life is under threat."

By contrast, organisers of the UN's COP21 climate talks in Paris in 2015 estimated it generated 43,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, although much of this was later offset through carbon-credit schemes.

The summit can be viewed at www.virtualclimatesummit.org from 8:00 am Thursday Marshall Islands time (2000 GMT Wednesday).
Australia's Muslim community leaders said they were 'concerned and disappointed' with PM Scott Morrison's comments on terror attacks

Australian Muslim leaders said Wednesday they would boycott a meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison after he said they needed to do more to halt terror attacks in the country.

Morrison singled out Muslim community leaders as having a "special responsibility" to counter "the radical and dangerous ideology of extremist Islam" following a terror attack in Melbourne earlier this month that left two dead.

"They must be proactive, they must be alert and they must call this out," Morrison said, adding that he would hold a roundtable meeting with Muslim leaders this week to discuss the problem.

But Australian Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed and a group of other senior Muslim figures rejected the invitation in an open letter to Morrison Wednesday.

The men said they were "deeply concerned and disappointed" with comments by Morrison and other ministers "which infer that the community is collectively culpable for the criminal actions of individuals and should be doing more to prevent such acts of violence".

"These statements have achieved nothing to address underlying issues, but rather, have alienated large segments of the Muslim community," they said in the letter, which was published by Australian media.

The letter prompted a tweetstorm from Morrison, who accused those behind the boycott of "continuing down a path of denial" and making their communities "less safe and more vulnerable".

"We all have responsibilities to make Australia safe, and that means making sure Muslim communities do not become infiltrated with this dangerous ideology," he tweeted.

In the November 9 attack in Melbourne, a Somali-born man who police said was inspired by the so-called Islamic State, stabbed and killed one man and wounded two others before being fatally shot by police.

And this week police arrested three more men in Melbourne for allegedly plotting another IS-inspired attack on the city -- the 15th terror attack authorities say they have thwarted since 2014.

The terror threat has fuelled calls from some conservatives for a further toughening of Australia's already tight immigration laws, raising concerns among the Muslim community.

In their letter the Islamic leaders, who head community groups in several Australian states, said they would attend a later meeting with Morrison if their "views and concerns will be genuinely respected".
The issue of women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops in WWII is a highly emotional one in South Korea

South Korea on Wednesday announced the formal shutdown of a controversial Japanese-funded foundation created to help former wartime sex slaves -- a move that will further sour ties between the neighbours.

It sparked a sharp reaction from Tokyo, which summoned the South Korean ambassador and urged Seoul to respect its "international promise".

The issue of the women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during the Second World War -- so-called "comfort women" -- is a highly emotional one that has marred the relationship between South Korea and its former colonial ruler Japan for decades.

Despite both being democracies, market economies and US allies which have to contend with the twin threats of an overbearing China and nuclear-armed North Korea, ties between Seoul and Tokyo are heavily coloured by disputes over history and territory.

The foundation was created as a result of a controversial 2015 bilateral deal, in which Tokyo transferred 1 billion yen ($8.8 million at current exchange rates) as compensation for the victims and Seoul agreed not to raise the issue again.

But the agreement -- finalised by former South Korean President Park Geun-hye as the US sought to repair its key Asian allies' relationship -- angered some victims who described it as falling short of holding Japan responsible for wartime abuses.

Park's successor and current president Moon Jae-in condemned the deal and his administration earlier this year vowed to return the money to Japan, while falling short of repudiating the pact.

"We... will take legal steps to formally dissolve the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation," said Seoul's gender equality ministry, which oversees the body.

"We have... decided to end the project based on the result of our reviews and current circumstances around the foundation," it said in a statement, adding it would seek to find a "reasonable way to handle" the remaining money sent by Japan.

Tokyo reacted strongly, demanding South Korea honour the pact or risk tarnishing its reputation.

"The Japan-South Korea agreement of three years ago was the final and irreversible resolution," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo.

"If an international promise is broken, it becomes impossible to keep ties between one country and another. I hope that South Korea, as a member of the international community, will take a responsible action," Abe said.

The foreign ministry in Tokyo summoned the South Korean ambassador to explain the move.

Dozens of victims or their families have claimed 4.4 billion won ($3.9 million) from the foundation since its inception in 2016. The South's government has since covered the expense with its own funding.

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea but also from other parts of Asia including China, were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers.

Many South Koreans harbour resentment over Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 occupation of the peninsula, and the two nations are embroiled in a territorial row as well over Seoul-controlled islets also claimed by Japan.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif mocked Trump over his Saudi comments, saying perhaps Tehran was also responsible for the California fires 'because we didn't help rake the forests'

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has issued a mocking response to President Donald Trump's announcement that he would stick by Saudi Arabia despite the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"Mr. Trump bizarrely devotes the FIRST paragraph of his shameful statement on Saudi atrocities to accuse IRAN of every sort of malfeasance he can think of," Zarif wrote on Twitter late Tuesday.

Trump's statement on Saudi Arabia did indeed open with a litany of complaints against Iran, which he used to justify his continued backing of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

"Perhaps we're also responsible for the California fires, because we didn't help rake the forests," Zarif added.

This was a reference to recent mockery of Trump for his claim that forest fires -- such as those that have hit northern California in recent days -- could be prevented with "more raking and cleaning and doing things".

Trump has resisted mounting evidence of Saudi government involvement in the Khashoggi killing -- including from his own intelligence services.

"It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event -- maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" he wrote.
A decision by New Zealand's largest gay pride parade to ban police officers in uniform from marching has sparked heated debate

A decision by New Zealand's largest gay pride parade to ban police officers in uniform from marching at the event has seen sponsors and participants withdraw in protest.

While uniformed police have taken part in previous years, Auckland Pride organisers said they were not welcome at the next parade in February 2019 because some members of the gay community felt unsafe around them.

The decision, announced this week, has sparked heated debate, with New Zealand Defence Force members withdrawing from the march in support of their police colleagues.

Corporate sponsors have also dumped the event, with Westpac bank, Vodafone and the Bank of New Zealand among the companies distancing themselves from the anti-police stance.

"It's simply the right thing to do to stand with the police in this instance, as we would with any excluded group, and insist on inclusion for all," Vodafone New Zealand said in a statement.

The decision has also caused deep divisions within the gay community, drawing condemnation from the Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust.

"(It) appears to be driven by a small and vociferous minority in the community, and is contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of the rainbow community," the trust said in a statement announcing it was withdrawing sponsorship.

New Zealand legalised gay marriage in 2013 and last year moved to quash historical convictions against homosexuals for engaging in gay sex.

Even British actor Rupert Everett, a long-time gay rights advocate, weighed into the police debate, saying "we can't just pretend" gay police officers don't exist.

"It feels to me that not making them wear their uniforms, is in denial," he told the stuff.co.nz news website.

"There's so much violence towards us brewing up in places that we need to be friends with police as much as we can."

The Auckland Pride Board would not back down, saying it was committed "to creating a space for our rainbow communities to feel safe celebrating their gender and sexual identity".

"If members from our community are highlighting concerns around discrimination by those institutions, we expect them to work to address them," chairwoman Cissy Rock said.

"That may include making compromises regarding their participation at the Pride parade."

The Pride board will reportedly face a vote of no confidence in early December.
Nissan said it had uncovered 'numerous significant acts of misconduct' including a sustained under-reporting of Carlos Ghosn's compensation package

Carlos Ghosn, one of the world's most influential executives, is under arrest in Tokyo, in a stunning fall from grace that raises questions about the future of his sprawling auto alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault.

Details are starting to emerge about the allegations of financial misconduct against the 64-year-old executive, who has not yet issued a statement on his fate.

Here is what we know so far about the unfolding scandal:

- What is Ghosn accused of? -

Nissan said it had uncovered "numerous significant acts of misconduct" including a sustained under-reporting of his compensation package.

After a months-long internal probe using information from whistleblowers, Nissan handed over its evidence to authorities.

Prosecutors accused Ghosn and representative director Greg Kelly of conspiring to understate the chairman's income five times between June 2011 and June 2015.

They said income was reported as 4.987 million yen ($44.5 million) instead of the actual 9.998 million yen in financial statements submitted to authorities.

Nissan also accused him of "personal use of company assets".

Public broadcaster NHK reported Nissan had paid "huge sums" to provide Ghosn with luxury homes in Rio de Janeiro, Beirut, Paris and Amsterdam "without any legitimate business reason".

- What has the reaction been? -

There has been a brutal reaction on the markets. Nissan shares plunged more than five percent after the news broke while sister company Mitsubishi Motors dropped nearly seven percent.

The news came out while European markets were still open, meaning that Renault was worst affected by the initial sell-off, falling more than 12 percent at one point in Paris.

Paris and Tokyo have scrambled to shore up the Franco-Japanese "alliance" of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, with finance ministers in both countries pledging "strong support".

President Emmanuel Macron said France would remain "vigilant" over the stability of Renault -- in which the French state holds a 15-percent stake -- as well as the alliance.

There has been no reaction from Ghosn or his representatives. The tycoon is being held at a detention centre in northern Tokyo.

- Is he still in a job? -

Nissan will hold a board meeting on Thursday to decide its chairman's fate. However, things are not looking good after the current CEO laid into him and his legacy at a news conference following his arrest.

Hiroto Saikawa said "too much authority" had been placed in his former mentor's hands and lamented the "dark side of the Ghosn era".

On the other hand, Renault declared after an emergency board meeting that it was sticking by its boss as it had not yet seen Nissan's evidence against him.

Nevertheless, it promoted chief operating officer Thierry Bollore to deputy CEO with the "same powers" as Ghosn, who was "temporarily incapacitated".

Mitsubishi Motors is expected to decide Ghosn's fate some time next week.

- What impact on his reputation? -

Overnight, the reputation of the once-loved tycoon is in tatters.

He had already sparked concern over his high pay packet and lavish lifestyle, including a reported Marie Antoinette-themed party at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris in 2016.

Now local media cite employees as calling him "greedy" and "all about the money".

In an astonishing news conference, Saikawa hauled Ghosn's reputation and legacy over the coals, even appearing to downplay his part in Nissan's revival.

- What happens next? -

Under Japanese law, Ghosn can be held for 48 hours after which prosecutors must decide whether to press formal charges, release him or prolong his detention.

Later Wednesday, a court ruled he could be detained for a further 10 days as authorities step up their investigation. At the end of this, prosecutors can call for a further 10 days.

Even at the end of this period, the whole process can begin again with a new charge.

If found guilty, the crime of deliberately hiding income is punishable by a fine of 10 million yen and/or 10 years behind bars.

However, he does not appear to be facing the music in France.

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said he had ordered an inquiry into Ghosn's tax affairs immediately after learning of his arrest in Japan but that it showed up "nothing in particular about his tax situation".

The allegations levelled against Ghosn in Japan do not include tax evasion in France.
Map of Kenya locating the county where an Italian volunteer was kidnapped by gunmen

An armed gang abducted an Italian volunteer from a village in southeast Kenya, shooting and wounding five residents in the raid, police said Wednesday.

"The attackers fired indiscriminately at residents" before kidnapping the 23-year-old charity worker during the attack after dark on Tuesday evening at Chakama, a small village in the coastal Kilifi county, police said in a statement.

Three children were among those injured, with one, a 10-year-old boy, shot in the eye, according to police.

"Neither the reasons for the attack nor the identity of the attackers have been established," police said.

The wounded have been taken to hospital and police "deployed to track down the criminals".

Kidnappings of foreigners are rare in Kenya, but have a damaging effect on the country's crucial tourist economy.

A spate of abductions on the coast in 2011 saw a British man shot dead and his wife kidnapped from a resort island, while weeks later a French woman was abducted from her home on the Lamu archipelago.

Soon afterwards jihadist gunmen from the Shabaab militant group abducted two Spanish aid workers from the Dadaab refugee camp close to the Somali border.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said an estimated 160,000 affiliated workers would join the walkout nationwide

Tens of thousands of workers launched a half-day strike across South Korea Wednesday, accusing the government of rolling back pro-labour policies in the face of deepening economic woes.

Some 40,000 of those who put down tools -- including some in the auto industry -- rallied in Seoul and 13 other cities, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a major labour umbrella group, said.

An AFP journalist in the capital said a crowd of around 10,000 workers gathered outside the country's parliament wearing red headbands, chanting slogans and waving banners, as hundreds of riot police took positions nearby.

The KCTU estimated 160,000 affiliated workers would join the walkout nationwide.

A government move to introduce greater flexibility to the country's maximum 52-hour work week has particularly angered workers

A government move to introduce greater flexibility to the country's maximum 52-hour work week -- to adjust to fluctuations in demand -- has particularly angered workers.

They are also calling for liberal president Moon Jae-in's government to deliver on election promises to raise the minimum wage from 7,530 won (US$6.66) to 10,000 won (US$8.85) by 2020.

Earlier this month, Moon sacked his top two economic officials, as the world's 11th-largest economy struggles with slowing growth, rising unemployment and persistent income gaps.

South Korea struggles with slowing growth, rising unemployment and persistent income gaps

These difficulties have hit the president's approval ratings, now at 52 percent -- a drop of 13 percentage points over five weeks, according to Gallup Korea.
Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being held in a detention centre in northern Tokyo in conditions far removed from his flashy lifestyle

On a rainy Monday night in Tokyo, Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn stepped off his private jet and into custody.

What happens next to the once-admired tycoon as he faces the complex Japanese legal system?

- What conditions is he held in? -

According to grainy images taken by an Asahi Shimbun journalist, authorities seemed to take Ghosn by complete surprise as they raided his private plane at Haneda Airport on Monday.

The images did not show Ghosn actually being led away -- the plane's window blinds were shut -- but he was taken into custody.

The titan of the car industry is being held in a detention centre in northern Tokyo in conditions far removed from his flashy lifestyle. "In principle, he will be all alone in a cell," lawyer Ayano Kanezuka told AFP.

"There is everything you need -- heating, a bed -- but conditions are spartan," said Kanezuka's colleague Lionel Vincent, who also said there would be an inner courtyard with bars at the centre of the building.

The French ambassador to Japan visited Ghosn on Tuesday as a consular service but no details were released on his state.

- How long can he be held for? -

Japanese prosecutors had 48 hours after Ghosn's arrest to decide whether to press formal charges, to release him without charge, or to extend his detention.

On Wednesday, a court gave permission for his custody to be extended by 10 days, which can then be extended for a further 10 days while the investigation is pursued.

During or after this period, Ghosn could be re-arrested on another charge. Japanese prosecutors often "hold back" charges to obtain more evidence and there are often several arrests.

Prosecutors can decide not to press charges even if there is clear evidence. This happens if prosecutors judge that charges are not necessary due to the suspect's age or the circumstances and seriousness of the crime.

For the moment, Ghosn stands accused of under-reporting his income but Nissan has said he is also guilty of "numerous significant acts of misconduct," suggesting more charges could be in the pipeline.

If the court bans him from receiving visitors, he would only be allowed to see his lawyers.

Suspects can be released on bail, under conditions like not being able to leave the country and action being taken to prevent the suspect destroying evidence.

- What punishment could he face? -

The lawyer Lionel Vincent said that "for not declaring all his income, he could get a fine of 10 million yen and 10 years in prison, but it is very often a suspended sentence at the most."

In Japan, 99 percent of people who appear in court are found guilty -- a rate slammed by human rights organisations who complain that the courts too often follow the demands of the prosecution.

The lawyer added that there could be "diplomatic pressure" from France, which owns a 15-percent stake in Renault.

- How long could the process last? -

It is difficult to say for certain but it could be a good while before Ghosn ever appears in court and years before a final decision is taken as appeals can be pursued all the way up to the Supreme Court.

As an example, in the case of three former executives of technology firm Olympus, which became embroiled in a scandal over covering up losses, the first decision came 17 months after they were first arrested in February 2012.

The case was only definitively closed last June.
The latest US accusations highlight tensions with China ahead of a planned meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi

The United States has accused China of failing to change its "unfair" trade practices, highlighting persistent tensions between the economic giants ahead of a planned meeting between their presidents.

The renewed accusations from President Donald Trump's administration come as markets grow pessimistic that the world's two largest economies can resolve their burgeoning trade war any time soon.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to discuss trade when they meet later this month during the Group of 20 summit in Argentina.

In an update to a report issued in March, the Office of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Tuesday that China had not remedied practices long criticized by the United States and other major economies.

"This update shows that China has not fundamentally altered its unfair, unreasonable, and market-distorting practices that were the subject of the March 2018 report on our Section 301 investigation," Lighthizer said.

American authorities accuse China of seeking global industrial dominance in cutting-edge sectors like robotics and renewable energies through a variety of illicit means.

Those include stealing American intellectual property by forcing or pressuring US companies present in China to surrender it or through state-sponsored corporate acquisitions, hacking and industrial espionage as well as massive state subsidies and dumping.

Beijing rejects the charges but Brussels and Tokyo have joined Washington in denouncing Chinese trade practices. The three economies issued a joint statement on the subject in September.

China was restrained in its response to the latest US accusations.

"The China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

"Economic and trade frictions are normal. The key is to conduct dialogue and consultation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and integrity," Geng said.

The report released Tuesday said China "indeed appears to have taken further unreasonable actions in recent months."

The report cited the conclusions of civilian cybersecurity firms, according to which Chinese hacking efforts had continued unabated, with state-sponsored entities targeting the "cloud computing, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, biomedicines, civilian space, alternative energy, robotics, rail, agricultural machinery, and high-end medical devices sectors."

In October, the Justice Department also announced charges against Chinese intelligence officers and agents accused of overseeing the cyber-theft of intellectual property and confidential information from aerospace and high-tech companies.

Trump has enacted punishing tariffs on more than $250 billion in imports from China, which has in turn put counter-tariffs on more than $100 billion in goods China buys from the United States.

The American president on Tuesday reiterated a threat to put tariffs on all Chinese imports if Beijing failed to satisfy his demands. US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 percent in January if no resolution is reached.

US stocks have fallen hard this week, pushed lower in part because of a standoff at the weekend's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that revived worries about the US-China trade rift. The meeting ended for the first time in APEC history without a group communique.
Renae Lawrence, the only female member of the "Bali Nine" heroin-trafficking gang, was initially handed a life term

The first member of the "Bali Nine" heroin-trafficking gang was released from prison Wednesday after serving 13 years, in a case that caused a huge diplomatic rift between Indonesia and Australia.

Renae Lawrence, 41, the only female member of the group, was arrested in 2005 when authorities caught her with 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin strapped to her body as she tried to fly out of the international airport on the holiday island of Bali.

She was initially handed a life term, but her sentence was later reduced to 20 years and then further cut due to good behaviour.

Surrounded by immigration officials and a swarm of media who jostled to get a picture of her, Lawrence left Bali's Bangli prison shortly after 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) and got into a waiting car.

Lawrence is set to fly to Brisbane on Wednesday evening, according to an intelligence source, who asked not to be named.

"We'll put her on a blacklist which bans her for life from ever coming back to Indonesia," said Agato Simamora, head of Bali's immigration department.

Earlier Wednesday, Bangli prison chief Made Suwendra told AFP that Lawrence was healthy and ready to leave prison.

"She seems to be happy, but also a bit nervous," Suwendra said.

- Firing squad -

The Australian Police Commissioner for the state of New South Wales, Mick Fuller, told The Australian newspaper there were two outstanding arrest warrants for Lawrence and that they will speak to her when she returns to the country.

Reports in Australian media said Lawrence could face arrest once she is back home over a high-speed chase involving a stolen vehicle dating back to just before she was arrested in Indonesia.

Of the nine in the original group, ringleaders Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were executed by firing squad in 2015, sparking a diplomatic row between Australia and Indonesia, which has some of the world's strictest drug laws including the death penalty.

Australian media said Lawrence (L), seen here in August 2010, could face arrest once she is back home over a high-speed chase involving a stolen vehicle

Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died in prison in June from stomach cancer, while the remaining five are currently serving life sentences.

Some critics have lashed out at the Australian police for tipping off their Indonesian counterparts about the gang and putting its members at risk of execution in Indonesia.

Dozens of foreigners are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drugs offences, with executions carried out by firing squad.

Among them are a cocaine-smuggling British grandmother, an American caught with crystal methamphetamine, and several west African inmates sentenced to death for drug crimes.

High-profile cases like that of Australian Schapelle Corby, who spent more than nine years behind bars for smuggling marijuana into Bali, have stoked concern that Indonesia is becoming a destination for trafficked drugs.

Corby was deported in 2017 after several years of parole.

Foreigners are routinely arrested for drug crimes in Indonesia, including a Frenchman busted in October with nearly four kilogrammes (8.8 pounds) of narcotics including cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines, while an Australian was arrested in August for allegedly dealing cocaine to Bali holidaymakers.

This summer, a Frenchman detained for 18 years after trying to smuggle hashish into Bali was allowed to leave Indonesia after serving several years of parole in the country.
Hun Many is widely believed to be the political heir to his father Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 33 years

Southeast Asian nations may soon have to "choose sides" between the US and China in their ongoing trade war, the political heir to Cambodia's strongman ruler Hun Sen warned Wednesday in rare public comments.

Impoverished Cambodia has become an unlikely staging ground for geopolitical influence in Asia.

In recent years it has turned into a key China ally, heading off criticism of the superpower over its claims to disputed seas in exchange for billions of dollars in investment and loans.

While China has cosied up to Cambodia, the United States and the European Union have admonished Hun Sen, the nation's ruler for 33 years, for his increasingly authoritarian rule.

In a rare speech outside of his country, his son, Hun Many warned the US-China trade spat may create lasting divisions in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Perhaps one day ASEAN would have to choose between US or China," Hun Many said in Bangkok.

"How would we see the trade war spill or expanded in other areas? Surely it will pressure individual members of ASEAN or ASEAN as a whole to choose sides."

The economic ripples of the trade spat between China and the US could destabilise global supply chain links in Southeast Asia, while a slump in Chinese spending would impact its trading partners.

Cambodia's strongman Hun Sen has welcomed Chinese investment to pump-prime his country's economy.

At the same time, he has accused the US of trying to foment revolution in Cambodia by supporting his critics.

Both the US and EU decried the July elections, which were held without a credible opposition and gave Hun Sen another term in power.

When asked which of the superpowers Cambodia would side with, the Australian-educated Hun Many demurred.

"At the end of the day, it depends on those who are involved to take a more responsible approach for their decisions that affects the entire world," he said.

Earlier this week, Hun Sen swatted away concerns that Beijing will construct a naval base off the southwest coast of Cambodia, which would provide ready access to the disputed South China Sea.

Beijing claims most of the flashpoint area, infuriating the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan who all have competing claims to its islands and potentially resource-rich waters.

Hun Many, who described himself as a "proud son", is widely believed to be in the running to one day replace his father.

His elder brother, Manit, is the head of a military intelligence unit while Manet, the oldest, was promoted in September to the chief of joint staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces as well as the commander of the infantry army headquarters.

But Many brushed aside the notion.

"It is way too soon to say that I am in the next generation of leaders," he said.
Islamist Hamas movement leader Yahya Sinwar (C) shouts slogans and flashes the victory gesture as he takes part in a tent city protest near the border with Israel east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza strip on March 30, 2018

A senior Israeli minister warned Wednesday that "time is limited" for Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip, days after a controversial truce ended a severe flare-up and triggered a coalition crisis.

"Yahya Sinwar's time is limited," said Housing Minister Yoav Gallant, a former general who once oversaw operations in the Gaza Strip.

"He won't finish his life in a retirement home."

Speaking at a conference organised by the Jerusalem Post newspaper, Gallant said Hamas's leaders must "recalculate their route" and decide whether to fight Israel or retain the relative quiet of recent days.

A ceasefire with Hamas last week ended the worst escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war.

But the deal led hawkish Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign in disagreement, sparking a coalition crisis that nearly forced early elections.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to avoid early polls when other key coalition members agreed to remain in the government.

Even if the coalition continues to hold, elections are due by November 2019 and politicians have been engaging in campaign-style rhetoric in a country where security issues are always at the forefront.

Speaking at the same conference, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said it was time for Israel to "move from defence to offence" in its battle with Hamas by "going back to targeted killings of the terrorist leaders of Hamas's military wing."

Erdan also said Israel should be "willing to capture and hold the Gaza Strip until we dismantle the terrorist infrastructure."

"Today we are closer than ever to doing this," he said.

Netanyahu has taken a more cautious approach to Gaza, saying he wants to avoid war if it is unnecessary.

He has allowed Qatar to provide the blockaded enclave with millions in aid and defended last week's ceasefire.

His backers say he and his security chiefs are in agreement on their approach to Gaza, while many analysts warn against starting another war without a clear strategy for how it will end.

Lieberman had in the past taken an especially aggressive tone toward Gaza, but backed off after becoming defence minister and said he was committed to "reasonable policy".

Prior to becoming minister, Lieberman had pledged to kill Hamas leader Ismail Haniya within 48 hours if he did not hand over two detained Israeli civilians and the bodies of soldiers killed in a 2014 war. Haniya was not killed.
The proposed bill has drawn widespread criticism

A Thai government official on Wednesday defended a sweeping cybersecurity bill which experts have decried for allowing the wholesale seizure of private computers and property, saying that "every country has a need" to protect itself.

The proposed bill has drawn widespread criticism for authorising a newly created committee to access and seize computers and hard drives of individuals and private companies without a court order in cases of "reasonable suspicion" and "emergency".

The bill would need to be sent to the National Assembly by the end of the year in order to fly through its rubber-stamp parliament before the term expires ahead of Thailand's long-anticipated elections early next year.

If passed under his watch, junta leader Prayuth Chan-O-Cha would lead the committee.

The bill is currently being "finalised", said Pichet Durongkaveroj, minister of digital economy and society, also on the committee, who defended it Wednesday.

"Every country has a need to set a legal system whereby we can protect our society... because every sector is now using some kind of computer," Pichet said.

"There is a certain risk each sector will face when there is a cyber attack."

He attempted to assuage fears of overreach by saying a court order would be needed to seize a private computer except in cases of emergency, adding that nonprofits, academics and foreign businesses have also been invited to voice their concerns.

In rare comments hitting out at the government, a senior judge at the Thai Appeals Court condemned the bill, calling it redundant.

"This law ignores the people's rights and freedom," said Sriamporn Saligupta.

"If the next government is not good and uses this as a tool, we will no longer have privacy rights."

International companies would also balk at the measures since their financial transactions and business data could be monitored by authorities, the judge added.

Since it came into power, the junta has stifled dissent online using the Computer Crimes Act while banning political activities.
Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked gives a statement at the Knesset in Jerusalem on November 19, 2018

A senior Israeli minister said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump's long-awaited plan for peace with the Palestinians was "a waste of time".

"I think that the gap between the Israelis and Palestinians is much too big to be bridged," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said at a conference organised by the Jerusalem Post newspaper.

"I think personally it's a waste of time," she said when asked what she thought about the peace initiative Trump is expected to unveil in the weeks or months ahead.

Shaked is part of the far-right Jewish Home party, a key member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.

She and other members of her party openly oppose a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians have already vowed to block Trump's peace plan and severed ties with his administration after his December decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and declare the city Israel's capital.

The Palestinians also see the city as the capital of their future state and international consensus has been that Jerusalem's status must be negotiated between the two sides.

Trump has also cut some $500 million in aid to the Palestinians, who accuse the White House of seeking to blackmail them into accepting a plan they view as blatantly biased in favour of Israel.

Trump aide Jason Greenblatt said recently in an interview with the Times of Israel news site that the plan would "be heavily focused on Israeli security needs" while remaining "fair to the Palestinians".

While expressing her pessimism on the chances for making peace with the Palestinians for now, Shaked however said she would keep an open mind on the US plan.

"Although I want peace like anyone else, I'm just more realistic, and I know that in the current future it is impossible," she said, speaking in English.

"But let's wait and see what they (the US) will offer."
The Marshall Islands, a low-lying Pacific archipelago, will drown beneath rising seas if global warming continues unabated

The world is not moving fast enough to curb global warming and needs immediate action to address the issue, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an online climate change conference Thursday.

Guterres issued the call to arms ahead of next month's COP24 climate talks in the southern Polish city of Katowice, which will attempt to revive a global climate deal reached in Paris in 2015.

Addressing the Virtual Climate Summit, Guterres urged world leaders to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

He praised the online summit, which has been organised by the Marshall Islands using online technology to remain carbon neutral, as an example of the innovative thinking needed to combat climate change.

"We need more such creativity to transform our economy and limit global warming to as close to 1.5C as possible," he said.

"Climate change is moving faster than we are and we cannot afford any more delays. The world counts on all nations to ensure that next month's climate conference in Poland is a success."

Former US vice president Al Gore said the way humanity was treating the planet was "unimaginable".

"We're still pouring 110 million tonnes of global warming pollution into the atmosphere around our planet like it's an open sewer," the Nobel laureate said.

"All of the extra energy trapped by man-made global warming pollution... is now equal to the amount of heat energy that would be released from 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding on Earth every single day."

UN General Assembly president Maria Fernanda Espinosa had her own bleak statistics, telling the online gathering that carbon dioxide levels were now the highest in 800,000 years.

She also pointed out that 17 of the 18 hottest years on record had occurred since 2001 and that the cost of climate-related disasters in 2017 topped $500 billion.

Yet Espinosa said it was not too late to act.

"When numbers such as these cause us to panic, there are other reasons to be encouraged," she said.

"My message today is not one of dismay but one of hope -- that we can come together as a global community and work as one to protect and heal our planet and preserve it for future generations."

The online summit consists of a rolling, 24-hour livestream that will hear addresses from world leaders including France's Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau of Canada before organisers issue a declaration early Friday.

It can be viewed at www.virtualclimatesummit.org.
Former president Ricardo Martinelli governed Panama from 2009 to 2014, and was extradited from the US back to his home country in June to face charges of graft and spying on his political foes

Two sons of former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli, who is accused of collecting bribes worth millions in the wide-ranging Odebrecht scandal, were arrested in the United States, officials said Wednesday.

"US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested unlawfully present Panamanian nationals Luis Martinelli-Linares and Ricardo Martinelli-Linares during a targeted enforcement operation in Coral Gables, Nov. 20," a statement issued to the media said.

"Both men lawfully entered the US; however, their visas were revoked in 2017, and they have been unlawfully present in the US since that time."

Martinelli governed Panama from 2009 to 2014, and was extradited from the US back to his home country in June to face charges of graft and spying on his political foes, as well as allegedly helping to embezzle $45 million from a government school lunch program.

Interpol Red Notices had been issued for both of his sons, requesting their arrests pending extradition.

Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, at the heart of a graft scandal which has ensnared officials across Latin America, agreed to pay Panama fines of $220 million and cooperate with authorities.

Andre Campos Rabello, Odebrecht's former chief in Panama, had told a court that both Martinelli sons took bribes amounting to $6 million between 2009 and 2010.

In return, they promised to facilitate the construction of infrastructure projects.

Odebrecht acknowledged having paid $59 million in bribes between 2010 and 2014 to win the award of public contracts in Panama.
Definers was hired in 2017 as part of an effort to diversify its advisors in Washington in the face of growing pressure by competitors and media companies for Facebook to be regulated by the government, the firm said

The outgoing head of Facebook's communications team on Wednesday took responsibility for the controversial hiring of a conservative consulting firm accused of using "black ops" style techniques, acknowledging critics including investor George Soros were targeted.

The announcement by Elliot Schrage, who said in June he was stepping down, came after Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has pledged a "thorough" review of its use of Definers to deflect criticism from the social networking giant.

She and Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg maintain they were surprised by a New York Times story last week that said the social network was using Definers to link social network critics to liberal financier Soros.

The Hungarian-born US financier and philanthropist is a favorite target of nationalists and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists.

Schrage taking the hit for the controversy was seen by some as convenient, since he has previously said he was leaving the social network after working there for more than a decade to start a new chapter in his life.

Definers was hired in 2017 as part of an effort to diversify its advisors in Washington, in the face of growing pressure by competitors and media companies for Facebook to be regulated by the government, Schrage said in a message to co-workers posted online.

But its role grew to include looking into Facebook competitors and doing research on Soros funded campaigns.

"Responsibility for these decisions rests with leadership of the Communications team," Schrage said. "That's me."

"I want to be clear that I oversee our Comms team and take full responsibility for their work and the PR firms who work with us," Sandberg said in comment shared along with Schrage's message.

Sandberg, who had previously stated that she had no recollection of working with Definers, also revealed that a check of what had crossed her desk showed that Definers was mentioned in some material and in a "small number" of emails she received.

- Soros research -

Sheryl Sandberg, who had previously stated that she had no recollection of working with Definers, also revealed that a check of what had crossed her desk showed that Definers was mentioned in some material and in a "small number" of emails she received

Definers began looking into Soros after the philanthropist labelled Facebook a "menace to society" in a speech at Davos early this year, according to Schrage.

"We had not heard such criticism from him before and wanted to determine if he had any financial motivation," Schrage said.

"Definers researched this using public information."

When a "Freedom from Facebook" campaign later began portrayed as a grassroots coalition, Definers determined that Soros was funding some coalition members and shared what they learned with the press, according to Schrage.

He contended that as pressure intensified on Facebook through this year, the communications team increasingly used Definers and the relationship was "less centrally managed."

But Schrage joined Zuckerberg and Sandberg in stressing that Definers was not hired to create or spread false stories to help Facebook. Zuckerberg said Facebook stopped using Definers the day the New York Times story was published.

- Zuckerberg stands firm -

The latest post came a day after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform

The post came a day after Zuckerberg said he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform.

"That's not the plan," Zuckerberg told CNN Business when asked if he would consider stepping down as chairman.

He also defended Sandberg, who has drawn criticism over her handling of the social media giant's recent crises.

"Sheryl is a really important part of this company and is leading a lot of the efforts for a lot of the biggest issues we have," said Zuckerberg.

Facebook has stumbled from one mess to another this year as it grappled with continuing fallout from Russia's use of the platform to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which user data was harnessed in a bid to help candidate Donald Trump, and a huge security breach involving millions of accounts.

Most recently, an investigative piece published last week by The New York Times said Facebook misled the public about what it knew about Russia's election meddling and used a PR firm to spread negative stories about other Silicon Valley companies and thus deflect anger away from itself.
US President Donald Trump has given Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a pass on Jamal Khashoggi's murder

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his partnership with Saudi Arabia, calling it an indispensable ally after a journalist's grisly murder, but critics say his position ignores Washington's enormous leverage over Riyadh.

Trump on Tuesday gave Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a pass on Jamal Khashoggi's murder, glossing over the Central Intelligence Agency's reported conclusion that the kingdom's de facto ruler had authorised the killing.

"Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" Trump said, implying Prince Mohammed's culpability in Khashoggi's killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 hardly matters.

What does, he asserted, was the Gulf kingdom's role as a bulwark against rival Iran, its multi-billion dollar investments in the US -- including several arms deals -- and its perceived stranglehold on global oil prices.

Trump was widely pilloried for what critics called his mercantile priorities that made him appear more like a lobbyist for the oil-rich kingdom, raising the prospect of strong congressional action against Saudi Arabia.

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But Trump's firm backing of the kingdom in the face of global outrage reinforced what officials in Riyadh often say: the US-Saudi relationship is too big to fail.

"Structural ties -- intelligence, counterterrorism cooperation and energy -- really are too big not only to fail but to place at risk," said Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

"But transactional aspects of the relationship -- weapons sales, investments that are valued by Trump -- shouldn't become an excuse to make a Faustian pact and turn a blind eye to justice."

- 'Substantial leverage' -

Trump's stance ignores what the Washington-based Center for International Policy says is America's "substantial leverage over Saudi behaviour".

"The Saudis need US weapons and equipment more than we need to sell them," former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller wrote for CNN's website.

"It would be very difficult and expensive for the Saudis to make good on their periodic threats to 'buy foreign' if they can't get what they want from the United States."

US President Donald Trump sees Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a key strategic partner in the Middle East

Experts say Riyadh is more susceptible to American pressure than Trump asserts, as its economy is intertwined with that of the US.

Seeking to diversify its oil-reliant economy, the kingdom's vast Public Investment Fund has multi-billion dollar stakes in a host of US firms -- from global ridesharing giant Uber to virtual reality start-up Magic Leap.

Largely lacking business expertise outside of its oil and petrochemical industries, Riyadh has poured millions of dollars into consultancy firms such as McKinsey and the Boston Consulting Group.

US fact-checking website PolitiFact disputes Trump's claim that Saudi Arabia has agreed to invest $450 billion -- including $110 billion worth of arms deals -- in the United States.

Many of the investments exist only on paper, it says.

And US arms sales to Saudi Arabia have accounted for fewer than 20,000 American jobs a year, a far cry from the hundreds of thousands of jobs claimed by Trump, according to the Center for International Policy.

- 'We can buy the world' -

Prince Mohammed is likely to weather the crisis over the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist critical of the de-facto ruler, and could rule Saudi Arabia for the next half century.

The kingdom appears emboldened by Trump's support.

"To the world: Saudi Arabia First," screamed a headline in the pro-government Okaz newspaper on Wednesday, echoing Trump's "America First" mantra.

The full-page article heaped praise on Trump for not "acting foolishly" against the kingdom.

A demonstrator dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) with blood on his hands protests outside the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2018

Dozens of what appeared to be Saudi bot accounts lionised Trump with messages of gratitude peppered with heart emojis.

"There's a feeling that we can buy anything, that we can buy the world," a Saudi analyst in Riyadh told AFP following Trump's statement.

Shrugging off the global pressure, Prince Mohammed is expected to attend the Group of 20 summit later this month, raising the electrifying prospect of face-to-face encounters with world leaders who have strongly condemned the murder.

"I think in some ways this typifies the crown prince's approach, which is... to say 'no, we're going to double down'," said Jon Alterman, from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"If you're going to deal with Saudi Arabia, you will be dealing with the crown prince."

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who claims the orders for the Khashoggi's killing came from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government, appears unlikely to follow Trump's lead.

Same for the CIA.

In leaking its assessment that Prince Mohammed authorised the murder, the CIA was sending the message that it was willing to "take on Trump", said James Dorsey, a fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

The move also suggested "the agency does not believe Prince Mohammed's survival as king-in-waiting is crucial to US national security or the stability of the kingdom," Dorsey added.
Hiroto Saikawa had been tipped to get to the top

Hiroto Saikawa, who will step down as Nissan CEO next week, was long considered one of "Ghosn's children", a loyalist to the powerful tycoon who owed him everything -- but then oversaw his downfall.

In the end, the mild-mannered 65-year-old bespectacled Nissan lifer could not escape the maelstrom at Nissan caused by Ghosn's ouster and is stepping down following allegations of impropriety over his own pay.

Saikawa was forced to apologise amid reports he improperly added 47 million yen ($440,000) to his salary by altering the terms of a bonus. He denied any wrongdoing, saying he had left that issue to someone else.

Ironically, it was an audit Saikawa set up himself to improve governance in the wake of the Ghosn scandal that revealed the alleged irregularities that led to his own fall.

Saikawa spent much of his career in Ghosn's larger-than-life shadow and surprised many with a passionate attack on his former mentor at an emotional news conference following the out-of-the-blue arrest.

Lashing out at the "dark side" of the Ghosn era, Saikawa appeared to be affected personally by the alleged corruption of a man who had overseen his career.

"It's way beyond being sorry. I feel, I don't know, big disappointment and frustration and despair. Indignation and resentment," said Saikawa.

A year older than Ghosn, Saikawa joined Nissan in 1977 directly from the prestigious University of Tokyo where he studied economics.

He took several brief postings in Europe but his big break came in 2000 when Ghosn officially took the helm of Nissan and embarked on his aggressive campaign to turn the company around.

Under Ghosn's wing, Saikawa rose steadily through the ranks as a procurement specialist, impressing other executives with his zeal to drive down parts and material costs.

- 'The time is right' -

Saikawa's career developed quickly as he held various senior positions, ranging from head of the management committee in the Americas and Europe to executive vice-president of purchasing.

As a key member of the auto alliance that combines Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, Saikawa also sat on the French firm's board of directors between 2006 and 2016.

In this role, he won praise from Ghosn for his dealings with French officials as he defended Nissan's autonomy from Renault, which holds a 43-percent stake in the Japanese brand.

A private man, little is known about his personal life, with Nissan insiders describing him as a serious businessman with an eye for detail.

"His way of thinking is more business-oriented than French people," the head of a parts maker told industry website Newswitch in 2016, in an apparent comparison to other Japanese business people who prize relationships over profits.

Outside Nissan, Saikawa has also served as chairman of the powerful industry body, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

Ghosn finally appointed his right-hand man as co-CEO in 2016 and a year later stepped aside to leave Saikawa in sole charge.

At that time, the two heaped praise on each other, with Ghosn saying "the time is right" for Saikawa to step out from his shadow.

But at his news conference following Ghosn's arrest, Saikawa vowed the company would learn from the mistake of placing too much power in the hands of one executive.

"Ghosn-dependent Nissan makes a clean break," said a headline in the Asahi Shimbun after Saikawa's comments.

Calls nonetheless mounted for Saikawa's own head, but he brushed them off for months, saying he wanted to launch a fresh start for the firm and would discuss the timing of his stepping down "at the appropriate time."

Nearly one year on from the arrest that turned the company upside down, Saikawa is now leaving the stage under a similar cloud to the man to whom he owes his career.
Australia PM Scott Morrison wants expanded powers for the government to withdraw citizenship from anyone found guilty of terrorist activity

Australia unveiled a radical plan Thursday to strip convicted terrorists of their citizenship even if they are native-born Australians.

Acting after a series of Jihadist-inspired plots and attacks in the country, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government needed expanded powers to withdraw citizenship from anyone found guilty of terrorist activity.

"People who commit acts of terrorism have rejected absolutely everything that this country stands for," Morrison told a hastily organised press conference.

"This is something that can't be tolerated, and for those who would engage in this sort of activity, and they have citizenship elsewhere, or we have reason to believe they do, they can go."

Australia's current Citizenship Act allows authorities to revoke citizenship from people jailed for six years or more for terrorist activities, but only if they are already dual nationals.

Morrison called these limits "unrealistic" and said the law should be broadened so that anyone convicted of a terrorist offence, even native-born Australians, could be expelled if they could "reasonably" be expected to gain citizenship in another country through their parents or grandparents.

The conservative government will submit legislation to amend the Citizenship Act to enshrine these new powers by the end of the year, he said.

The legislation will also seek the power to impose "temporary exclusion orders" on so-called "returned foreign fighters" -- Australian citizens who travel to conflict zones to fight alongside extremist groups.

Modelled on a British law, the provision would allow Australia to bar the return of a citizen for up to two years, and to impose strict conditions on their activities once they come home.

Morrison's action came two days after police in Melbourne arrested three Australian-born men of Turkish descent for allegedly plotting a mass shooting in the city.

Less than two weeks earlier, another man who was born in Somalia but came to Australia with his family as a child, went on a stabbing rampage in Melbourne, killing one man and wounding two others before being fatally shot by police.

Authorities said all four men were inspired by Jihadist propaganda from the so-called Islamic State group, even though none had any direct links to an extremist organisation.

- Controversial legislation -

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said there had been seven terror-related attacks in Australia while authorities had thwarted 15 other plots since 2014.

Nine convicted terrorists have already had their citizenship revoked under existing law, mainly for activities overseas, he added.

"We assess there are around 50 Australian dual citizens who may be eligible to lose citizenship under the current provisions, and even more with the changes we are announcing today," Dutton said.

Morrison and Dutton also said they would renew a push for controversial legislation which would allow authorities to break into encrypted messaging apps that police say are widely used by extremists and other criminals.

The law, which would force app developers and telecom companies to provide police with the ability to decrypt messages, has drawn strong criticism from civil liberties groups.

Morrison heads a minority coalition government that must call a national election before May 2019 but is trailing well behind the main opposition Labor Party in opinion polls.

As campaigning builds towards the election, Morrison and Dutton have led a tough law-and-order push around terrorism and immigration.

The government's proposed citizenship crackdown is meanwhile certain to worsen tensions with parts of Australia's large Muslim community.

Several Islamic leaders already boycotted a proposed meeting with Morrison this week after he said the community needed to do more to police extremists in their ranks.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Indian authorities said Thursday that it may take "some days" to recover the body of an American killed in a hail of arrows shot by a tribe untouched by modern civilisation.

John Allen Chau, 27, was attacked as he set foot last week on the remote North Sentinel Island, one of the Indian Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal that is off limits to visitors, according to police.

Dependra Pathak, the head of the region's police, told AFP that authorities sent a helicopter to the area and then a ship to identify where the incident took place.

"We maintained a distance from the island and have not yet been able to spot the body. It may take some more days and... (reconnaissance) of the area," Pathak added.

North Sentinel is home to the Sentinelese people, believed to number only around 150. To protect their way of life, foreigners and Indians are banned from going within five kilometres (three miles) of the island.

Police have roped in field experts including Indian anthropologists, and tribal welfare and forest officers to help them tackle the situation.

"We have to take care that we must not disturb them or their habitat by any means. It is a highly sensitive zone and it will take some time," Pathak said.

Indian police said a murder case had been registered against "unknown" tribespeople and that six fishermen and one other person who allegedly helped Chau get to the island were arrested.

Authorities said one of the objectives of the arrests was "demonstrative effect, so that (the) entire world and locals know that no one can go there."
On November 9, Trump issued a proclamation saying only those who enter the US at official checkpoints -- as opposed to sneaking across the border -- can apply for asylum

It's busy, as usual, at the Holding Institute migrant shelter in the southwestern Texan border city of Laredo. Young African kids tear around the courtyard as their exhausted parents look on.

The 34 people staying here have made it to the United States after journeys from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.

"It was very dangerous," one man tells AFP in halting French as he outlines his travels from Angola to Cuba, on to Brazil, then up through Central America and towards the US.

The journey took many weeks. "Very hard," he says.

This group says they are fleeing violence and political oppression at home -- but now face an uncertain future in the US where critics accuse the Trump administration of creating an increasingly hostile environment for refugees.

On November 9, Trump issued a proclamation saying only those who enter the US at official checkpoints -- as opposed to sneaking across the border -- can apply for asylum.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the order, but Trump has vowed to take the matter to the Supreme Court, even though US law states anyone arriving in America may seek asylum regardless of where they entered.

The president believes migrants are exploiting America's asylum laws and using them to emigrate to the US illegally.

He cited a "massive increase in fear-of-persecution or torture claims" among immigrants as leading to a backlog of asylum cases, which can take years to fully adjudicate.

"During that time, many released aliens fail to appear for hearings, do not comply with subsequent orders of removal, or are difficult to locate and remove," Trump said in his proclamation.

- 'Political gesture' -

Though the people at the Holding Institute all claimed asylum at the point of entry at Laredo, Mike Smith, a Methodist pastor who runs the shelter, said he frequently helps asylum seekers who have crossed illegally

Though the people at the Holding Institute all claimed asylum at the point of entry at Laredo, Mike Smith, a Methodist pastor who runs the shelter, said he frequently helps asylum seekers who have crossed illegally.

One of the justifications the Trump administration has used for putting up miles of barbed- and concertina-wire fences in places like Laredo is to corral migrants towards legal points of entry.

Hundreds of people try to cross into the area around Laredo each day, and Smith sees no let up in the numbers. If anything, they are increasing.

Trump's order is "purely a political gesture with no real teeth," he told AFP in an interview at the shelter this week.

The fence and Trump's asylum order won't make a difference to the numbers of migrants, Smith said.

They are "more of an emotional red flag to people who would want to cross legally or illegally, asylum seekers, refugees to show that this place is not welcoming."

Human rights campaigners and other critics of the Trump crackdown say that by restricting asylum seekers to border crossing points -- which are already under enormous pressure -- the government is effectively shutting the door on people who may truly be fleeing for their lives.

In 2018, border patrols registered more than 400,000 illegal border crossers, according to the Department of Homeland Security. And in the last five years, the number of those requesting asylum has increased by 2,000 percent, it said.

Less than 10 percent of cases result in asylum being granted, the government says.

- Donations -

For the asylum seekers from Africa, the Holding Institute offers a welcome resting place, safety, shelter and warmth as cold weather sets in.

The facility relies entirely on donations and, even though it is the only such shelter in the city providing housing, gets no money from the government.

It has three staff workers and six volunteers, with a total annual operating budget of $140,000.

One volunteer could be seen helping a young Angolan man look for a cheap bus fare to Portland, Maine, where he will head for his initial asylum hearing.

Smith says he relies on community support and is always looking for donations of diapers, hygiene products such as soap and shampoo and wipes.
Juan Antonio Hernandez stands accused of accepting bribes from the Los Cachiros cartel in exchange for assisting the traffickers

Juan Antonio Hernandez, the brother of the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, was arrested in the United States on Friday over suspected ties to drug trafficking, officials said Friday.

Honduran authorities released a statement saying the arrest in Miami was consistent with the president's declaration last month that "no one is above the law" and came after persistent rumors of Antonio Hernandez's involvement in narcotics.

The former head of the Los Cachiros cartel Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga had testified to a court in New York in 2017 that he had bribed the president's brother when he was a lawmaker, in exchange for his assistance to the traffickers.

Maradiaga had also testified against Fabio Lobo, son of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for collaborating with the Los Cachiros cartel.

In his testimony, he had explained how the Los Cachiros had set up an intermediary company which it used to conduct business with the government, and which served to launder its trafficking profits.

The Los Cachiros cartel was responsible for moving tons of cocaine in to the United States before being dismantled by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Antonio Hernandez was previously accused of being involved in the drug trade in 2016 by former Honduran soldier Santos Rodriguez.

Rodriguez also accused Antonio Hernandez of being an accomplice to a plot to kill the US ambassador to Honduras. He denied all charges.
Bahraini voters cast their ballots in a parliamentary election at a polling station in the Bahraini city of Al-Muharraq, north of Manama on November 24, 2018

Polls closed in Bahrain Saturday after a parliamentary election marred by boycott calls from dissolved opposition groups banned from taking part.

The country's two main opposition groups, the Shiite Al-Wefaq and secular Waad, were barred from fielding candidates.

Counting got underway after a day of voting in the tiny Gulf kingdom, with preliminary results expected Sunday.

King Hamad in September urged voters to take part in the vote, in which officials say 293 people -- including 41 women -- are running for parliament.

A municipal poll coincides with the parliamentary vote.

Justice Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ali al-Khalifa announced a preliminary voter turnout of 67 percent, saying it was "well above" the 53 percent turnout registered during the last elections in 2014.

But Al-Wefaq poured scorn on those figures, saying in a tweet that there was a "wide boycott" and accusing authorities of "forcing" people to vote.

Bahrain has been hit by ongoing unrest since 2011, when security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.

Bahraini voters cast their ballots in a parliamentary election at a polling station in the Bahraini city of Al-Muharraq, north of Manama on November 24, 2018

The authorities have repeatedly accused Shiite-dominated Iran of stoking unrest, allegations denied by Tehran.

Opposition parties shunned the last elections in 2014, the first since the 2011 crackdown, denouncing the vote as a "farce".

More than 350,000 Bahrainis were eligible to vote, the justice minister said, adding that there were 54 polling stations across the country.

On Saturday, the interior ministry alleged Iran was meddling in the ballot after people reportedly received text messages warning them not to go vote as they had been stricken from the electoral roll.

The ministry said Tehran was behind around 40,000 texts sent to Bahraini citizens that "aimed to negatively affect" the elections, adding that other messages came from people inside the kingdom.

- 'No substance' -

At least six people were detained and charged this month for "obstructing the electoral process", according to Bahrain's public prosecutor.

One of the six was Ali Rashed al-Asheeri, a former member of parliament with Al-Wefaq, according to the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

Asheeri had tweeted that he and his family would boycott the polls.

Al-Wefaq called for a boycott of this year's parliamentary election after a law issued in June barred "leaders and members of political associations dissolved for violating the kingdom's constitution or its laws" from fielding candidates.

Bahraini voters queue outside a polling station in the Bahraini city of Al-Muharraq, north of Manama on November 24, 2018, as they wait to cast their vote in the parliamentary election

Experts have questioned the value of a parliamentary election in which the opposition is not allowed to participate.

Neil Partrick, a specialist in Gulf Arab politics, said Bahrain's elections "have lost all practical and political meaning" since an earlier boycott by Al-Wefaq -- the main movement representing the country's Shiite population.

"The subsequent outlawing of Al-Wefaq, and of the relatively liberal, cross-sect, Waad trend, has merely underlined the meaninglessness of Bahraini elections," he said.

He said such polls had "no political or practical substance" regardless of boycott calls.

But the United Arab Emirates state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash disagreed, tweeting that that the election in Bahrain had been a "success".

"Bahrain's success is our success," he said.

Since 2011, authorities have imprisoned hundreds of dissidents -- including top Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, who headed Al-Wefaq -- and stripped many of their nationality.

Amnesty International said Friday it was "gravely concerned" by Bahrain's suppression of political opposition.

"Over the past two years, the crackdown in Bahrain has seen the political opposition detained, intimidated and silenced," said Devin Kenney, the rights group's Bahrain researcher.

"We call on the authorities to stop this ongoing and escalating repression and to allow free expression of dissenting voices, including those who oppose the monarchy."

Human rights groups have frequently said cases against activists in Bahrain -- men and women, religious and secular -- fail to meet the basic standards of fair trials.
Martin Griffiths (C), the UN special envoy for Yemen, descends from his plane upon his arrival at Sanaa international airport on November 21, 2018.

United Nations envoy Martin Griffiths met a Yemeni rebel leader in insurgent-held Sanaa Saturday and is to follow up by holding talks with Yemen's government in Riyadh, a UN source said.

The source said Griffiths will hold talks on Monday in the Saudi capital, where Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials have taken up residence.

On Saturday, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the Huthi rebels' Higher Revolutionary Committee, met in Sanaa with the UN envoy, an AFP photographer said.

"We hope that his (Griffiths's) visit to Riyadh ends with positive results," Huthi told reporters after their talks.

Griffiths arrived Wednesday in Yemen ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

In a possible breakthrough, the envoy said Friday that he discussed with Huthi rebel officials "how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace" in the key port city of Hodeida.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port," he told reporters on what was his first visit to Hodeida.

Griffiths urged Yemen's warring parties to "keep the peace" in the rebel-held Red Sea port city, which serves as the entry point of nearly all imports and humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.

According to UN figures, nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition joined the conflict in 2015 to bolster Hadi, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Rights groups fear the actual toll is far higher.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urges Muslim unity against the United States at a conference in Tehran attended by former Afghan president Hamid Karzai (C) and the deputy head of Lebanon's Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States and assured Saudis they were "brothers" who had nothing to fear from Tehran.

US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Tehran in May and has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions.

"What the United States wants of (the Middle East) today is enslavement," Rouhani told an Islamic unity conference in Tehran.

Instead of "rolling out the red carpet for criminals," Muslim governments should unite against the United States and "the region's cancerous tumour", Israel, he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a staunch Trump ally and a bitter critic of the 2015 deal, lashed out in a statement at "the murderous Iranian regime".

"Rouhani's slander, which calls for the destruction of Israel, proves yet again why the nations of the world need to join in the sanctions against the Iranian terrorist regime which threatens them," he said in an English-language statement.

Rouhani urged Shiite Iran's Sunni rival Saudi Arabia to end its dependence on "insulting" US military aid.

"We are ready to defend the Saudi people's interests against terrorism and superpowers with all our might," he said.

"We do no ask $450 billion for it and will not insult you."

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in January 2016 after protesters stormed its diplomatic missions in Iran following its execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

It accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest among Shiites in the Gulf Arab states and the two governments have supported opposing sides in devastating civil wars in Syria and Yemen.
Afghan security forces arrive after a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a packed mosque on an Afghan army base in Khost province

The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed a suicide attack inside a packed mosque on an Afghan army base that a senior government official said killed at least 27 soldiers.

At least 79 military personnel were wounded in the attack on the First Brigade of the 203 Army Corps in the eastern province of Khost during Friday prayers, according to casualty figures from public and private hospitals in the provincial capital.

In a statement posted on the IS news site Amaq, the group's Afghan franchise claimed 50 were killed and 110 wounded in the attack.

It warned "more devastating and bitter" assaults were ahead.

But a government official told AFP on Friday on the condition of anonymity that 27 soldiers had lost their lives and 44 had been wounded.

Provincial governor spokesman Taliban Mangal told AFP on Saturday that 13 soldiers had been killed and "about" 40 wounded.

Afghan government and military officials are often suspected of downplaying the casualty tolls in militant assaults.

The bombing follows a wave of deadly attacks across Afghanistan in recent weeks as militants step up violence amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts to end the 17-year conflict.

Presidential spokesman Mohammad Haroon Chakhansuri told reporters Saturday that the Khost attack was similar to the Taliban-claimed assault on a mosque and dining hall inside a military base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in April 2017 that killed at least 144 troops.

"We are seriously investigating it," Chakhansuri said.

"Those who have neglected their duties will be prosecuted."

It has been a bloody few days for Afghanistan.

A US soldier was killed on Saturday, NATO said, taking the number of American service personnel to die in the war-torn country this year to nine.

That came after at least 55 people were killed and 94 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the middle of a religious gathering in Kabul on Tuesday.

No militant group has claimed the explosion at the Uranus Wedding Palace, where hundreds of religious scholars had been marking the Prophet Mohammad's birthday.

Friday's explosion in Khost came as Afghan security forces suffer record casualties, which experts warn have reached unsustainable levels as the Taliban maintain the upper hand in the war.

Since the start of 2015, when local forces took over from US-led NATO combat troops to secure the country, nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police have been killed, President Ghani revealed this month -- a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed hopes in Kabul last Sunday that a peace deal to end the war could be struck before the Afghan presidential election, scheduled for April 20.

His comments underscore an apparent increasing sense of urgency in the White House and among American diplomats for a peace deal to be done quickly.
Benin's artefacts from the era of the Kingdom of Dahomey, including these royal statues, are among 70,000 African objects kept at the Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris -- but France says it plans to return 26 works plundered in 1892 "without delay"

The debate over the restitution of thousands of African cultural artefacts from France has become heated, but in West Africa conservators prefer to call it "collaboration" and are preparing for their return.

The French presidency announced on Friday night that it was restoring "without delay" 26 works plundered by the French army in 1892 and claimed by the authorities in Benin.

The recommendations come with the delivery of a non-binding report that proposes a change in legislation and urges the return of museum artefacts to Africa from France.

Alain Godonou, a Beninese conservator responsible for heritage at the new national agency for tourism promotion in Benin, has been working on this issue for more than 30 years and says now is the time for reflection.

The small West African country of Benin, formerly Dahomey, was home to the kingdom of Abomey (1600-1894) and priceless wealth.

But instead of sitting in the capital of Porto-Novo, the throne of King Glele from 1858 is one of the centrepieces of the 70,000 African objects kept at the Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris.

"To keep war booty in countries that are now friends and collaborate doesn't make sense," Godonou told AFP.

Several African countries including Benin, whose pictured funerary crown of the Kingdom of Dahomey is in Paris, are either planning new museums or looking to inaugurate venues already built to house their artistic heritage

"It's a relief but it's only the beginning. There is still so much to be done so that our youth can access this heritage that will make them proud."

- Sensitive question -

"We don't want them to have our objects just for the sake of it," Godonou continues.

"The cultural education of African youth is important and these objects will help to root them."

This includes a rehabilitation of museums. For years, Europeans have justified keeping the treasured artefacts by arguing that African countries didn't have the facilities to take care of their cultural heritage.

But in many countries -- including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Benin -- plans are underway new museums have been built and plans are underway for yet more.

Beninese President Patrice Talon, whose goal is to make tourism one of the pillars of the national economy, has approved the sites for five museums that will open in 2020 to honour the kings of Abomey and the Amazons, the all-female military regiment in Dahomey.

The country's minister of foreign affairs Aurelien Agbenonci told AFP on Saturday the government is "delighted" with the decision, which he said was "an invitation to get to work quickly."

Ousmane Aledji, in charge of heritage for the Benin presidency, welcomed the "new form of cultural exchange" with France.

"We're not for a violent claim, but we want to put in place measures for progressive restitution," he says.

His sentiment was echoed in Abidjan, where the director of the museum of civilisation of Ivory Coast Silvie Memel Kassi said "it's not a bad thing in itself that they were preserved and indexed in France."

- "Ancestral pieces" -

The national museum of Abidjan was renovated last year, but a larger museum is sill in the works.

French President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit to Burkina Faso last year, said "Africa's heritage cannot just be in European private collections and museums"

In this case, said Kassi, "we could start talking about a definitive restitution."

She added that "the important thing is to work together, we want to have access to these objects, we need this memory, these objects are a memory."

In Dakar, the museum of black civilisation, whose inauguration is scheduled for December 6, will be ready one day to house the objects, pledges Kassi.

"We have operational reserves that can accommodate such objects," said the Senegalese museum director Hamady Bocoum, stressing the works may not necessarily end up in museums and could go back to communities who may "decide to put them in the altars of the ancestors."

"These works came from our ancestors," said Taho Toubo, a traditional leader from Ivory Coast.

"I pray for the ancestors that their pieces are returned."
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump declared Tuesday he would not further punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of U.S.-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi - making clear in an exclamation-filled statement that the benefits of good relations with the kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered the killing.

The president condemned the brutal slaying of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul as a "horrible crime ... that our country does not condone." But he rejected calls by many in Congress, including members of his own party, for a tougher response, and also dismissed reports from U.S. intelligence agencies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must have at least known about such an audacious and intricate plot.

"It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event," the president said. "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!"

In many ways, the statement captured Trump's view of the world and foreign policy, grounded in economic necessity. It began with the words "America First!" followed by "The world is a very dangerous place!"

It came after weeks of debate over whether the president would or should come down hard on the Saudis and the crown prince in response to the killing of the Saudi columnist for The Washington Post who had criticized the royal family.

The U.S. earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the Oct. 2 killing, but members of Congress have called for harsher actions, including canceling arms sales.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before leaving the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, to travel to Florida, where he will spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump said "foolishly canceling these contracts" worth billions of dollars would only benefit Russia and China, which would be next in line to supply the weapons. Critics denounced Trump's statement saying he ignored human rights and granted Saudi Arabia a pass for economic reasons.

Asked by a reporter if he was saying that human rights are too expensive to fight for, he responded, "No, I'm not saying that at all." But then he switched the subject to the "terrorist nation" of Iran rather than any actions by Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. needs a "counterbalance" to Iran, "and Israel needs help, too," he said. "If we abandon Saudi Arabia, it would be a terrible mistake."

The mistake was Trump's, said Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, contending the administration has "blinders on" in comparing Iran and Saudi Arabia.

"It's a sign of weakness not to stand up to Saudi Arabia," Paul said in an interview. "Sometimes when you have two evils, maybe you don't support either side."

Republican Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator who is close to Trump, also disagreed with the president's statement, saying America must not lose its "moral voice" on the international stage.

"It is not in our national security interests to look the other way when it comes to the brutal murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi," Graham said.

Likewise, Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said that to suggest that U.S. silence can be bought with arms sales "undermines respect for the office of the presidency, the credibility of our intelligence community and America's standing as a champion of human rights."

Trump's statement, issued just before he pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey at the White House and left for the long holiday weekend in Florida, underscored his world view of putting U.S. interests - both financial and geopolitical - above all else.

He told reporters on the South Lawn that oil prices would "skyrocket" if the U.S. broke with the Saudis, and he was not going to "destroy" the world's economy by being "foolish with Saudi Arabia."

Asked about any personal financial involvement, he said: "Saudi Arabia has nothing to do with me. What does have to do with me is putting America first."

Trump said that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed both "vigorously deny" any knowledge of the planning or execution of the killing. He also said the CIA has not made a conclusive determination about whether the crown prince ordered it.

A U.S. official familiar with the case told The Associated Press last week that intelligence officials had concluded that the crown prince, the kingdom's de facto leader, did order the killing. Others familiar with the case, however, have cautioned that while it's likely the crown prince had a role there continue to be questions about the degree.

"We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi," Trump said. "In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran."

Saudi prosecutors say a 15-man team sent to Istanbul exceeded its authority when the lead negotiator in the team decided to kill Khashoggi for refusing orders to return. The Saudis say the agents dismembered his body, which has not been found.

Democrats on Capitol Hill called on the CIA and other top intelligence agencies to publicly report what it has learned about the killing.

The CIA had no comment on the president's statement. However, former Director John Brennan, a frequent Trump critic, tweeted: "Since Mr. Trump excels in dishonesty, it is now up to members of Congress to obtain & declassify the CIA findings on Jamal Khashoggi's death. No one in Saudi Arabia - most especially the Crown Prince -should escape accountability for such a heinous act."

Trump said he knew some members of Congress would disagree with his decision. He said he would listen to their ideas, but only if they were focused on U.S. national security.

Late last week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that calls for suspending weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, for sanctions on people who block humanitarian access in Yemen or support the Houthi rebels, and mandatory sanctions on those responsible for Khashoggi's death.

Democrats harshly criticized Trump's decision Tuesday and called on Congress to cut off arm sales to Saudi Arabia and end support for Saudi Arabia's war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen, which is facing a humanitarian crisis.

"Standing with Saudi Arabia is not 'America First!'" said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia where Khashoggi lived. "President Trump has sided with a murderous regime over patriotic American intelligence officials."

Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said Khashoggi was killed by agents of the Saudi government in a "premeditated murder, plain and simple," and she said she would introduce legislation requiring intelligence agencies to release an unclassified public assessment.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump's decision, saying, "We are determined to ensure that we continue to make sure that we take care of the American people in all of the strategic decisions we make about with whom we work with around the world."

The president opened his eight-paragraph statement chastising Iran for its proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, its activities in Iraq, its backing of the Syrian government of Bashar Assad and its support of militant groups, which Riyadh has pledged billions to fight.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before leaving the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, to travel to Florida, where he will spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2014, file photo, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks during a press conference in Manama, Bahrain. President Donald Trump says the U.S. will not levy additional punitive measures at this time against Saudi Arabia over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)
CHICAGO (AP) - Moments before her ex-fiance fatally shot her in the parking lot of the hospital where she worked, a Chicago doctor called 911 to report that she had spotted the man and feared for her life, police said Tuesday.

As investigators tried to piece together the events that ended with the deaths of the doctor, a police officer, a hospital employee and the gunman, they were able to fill in details about the attack Monday at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side.

Dr. Tamara O'Neal had recently called off her engagement to Juan Lopez so when she saw him, she called for help. She also told an acquaintance in the parking lot that she was afraid before that person retreated to the hospital to call 911 as well.

When Lopez confronted her, the former couple argued about O'Neal calling off the engagement, and Lopez demanded that she return the engagement ring. Then, police said, people inside and around the hospital heard gunfire.

O'Neal fell to the ground. Witness James Gray looked out of the hospital window to see where the gunshots had come from and watched as Lopez "stood over her and shot her three more times," he told reporters.

As a squad car pulled up, Lopez turned his Glock semi-automatic handgun on police, striking the vehicle multiple times before he ran into the hospital. Officers gave chase.

In this September 2017 photo provided by Monte Gerlach Photography Dr. Tamara O'Neal poses for a photo. O'Neal, an emergency room physician at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, was shot and killed by a gunman outside the hospital Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (Monte Gerlach Photography via AP)

Once inside the medical center, he kept firing at officers and at one point turned and fired at Dayna Less, a first-year resident in the hospital's pharmacy, when the doors of the elevator she was on opened.

Officer Samuel Jimenez was struck in the neck, just above the bulletproof vest he was wearing, and soon died. Jimenez had been delivering his station's mail to the post office when he turned and followed other squad cars racing to the hospital.

There were indications that Lopez wanted to shoot even more people, including an account from one witness, Jennifer Eldridge, who was hiding in the pharmacy, when she heard the gunfire and the sound of the gunman jiggling the handle of the locked door, an apparent effort to get in.

During the exchange of gunfire, Lopez was shot once in the abdomen. It was then that Lopez, who fired a total of more than 30 shots and had reloaded his weapon, put the gun to his head and killed himself, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

Investigators said they found nothing to indicate that Lopez had a criminal record. At the time of his death, he was an employee with the Chicago Housing Authority, and officials there said there had been no reports of any problems in his nine months on the job.

But there were other signs of trouble in recent years.

In 2014, Lopez was kicked out of the city's firefighting academy after threatening a female cadet. When the fire department learned of the threats, Lopez was told he would be disciplined. But instead of returning to the academy to meet with department officials, Lopez went AWOL and was fired, fire department spokesman Larry Merritt said Tuesday.

Records from that same year indicate that a girlfriend of Lopez sought an order of protection against him because he was incessantly texting her. When she reported the texts to police, officers told her to change her phone number and seek an order of protection. Records show that she sought the order but not whether she ultimately received one, Guglielmi said.

Lopez had a permit to possess a concealed firearm, and it was unclear if officials knew about the 2014 complaint when the permit was granted, said Guglielmi, who said Lopez had legally purchased four guns in the last five years. It was also unclear whether an order of protection, if granted, would have forbidden Lopez from owning weapons.

When it was over, the Chicago Police Department was grieving just days before Thanksgiving for the second officer in less than a year to be killed in the line of duty. Cmdr. Paul Bauer was fatally shot in February while pursuing a suspect in the Loop business district.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson wanted the city to know just how heroic Jimenez and the other officers who chased Lopez were.

"They saved a lot of lives because we just don't know how much damage he was prepared to do," Johnson said late Monday.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, speaking at the same news conference at the hospital, reminded the city of what had been lost.

The three victims were "all going about their day, all doing what they loved," he said. "This just tears at the soul of our city. It is the face and a consequence of evil."

___

Associated Press Writer Michael Tarm contributed to this report.

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For the latest developments in this story: https://bit.ly/2PGjfl3

This undated photo provided by the Chicago Police Department shows Chicago Police officer Samuel Jimenez, who was fatally shot Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side. Jimenez joined the department in February 2017 and had recently completed his probationary period. The shooter, Juan Lopez, also killed an emergency room doctor and a pharmacist. Lopez also died at the scene. (Lew Arceo/Chicago Police Department via AP)

This undated photo posted on his Facebook page shows Juan Lopez, who police say fatally shot his ex-fiancee and two other people at Chicago's Mercy Hospital on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Lopez, who repeatedly shot his ex-fiancee outside the hospital before killing two people inside the building, was the subject of a protection order request filed four years ago by another woman, yet he had legally purchased several guns in recent years, police said Tuesday. (Juan Lopez Facebook page via AP)

Glenda O'Neal, mother of of Dr. Tamara O'Neal, shows a photo of her family at their home in LaPorte, Ind., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. Dr. Tamara was one of the three people fatally shot Monday at Mercy Hospital, a Chicago hospital. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Photo from video of a worker hanging purple and black bunting outside Chicago Police District 2 Wentworth headquarters in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in memory of slain Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez. Jimenez was killed during Monday's shooting at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. (Annie Costabile/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Police salute as an ambulance arrives at the medical examiner's office carrying the body of Chicago Police Department Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed during a shooting at Mercy Hospital earlier in the day, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Ziff Sistrunk, left, and Donovan Price, place crosses at a memorial at Mercy Hospital, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in Chicago, the day after a shooting at the hospital. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on the fatal shootings at a Chicago hospital (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

Police say the man who killed three people at a Chicago hospital fired his handgun at least 30 times before he fatally shot himself after being shot by police.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says the gunman, Juan Lopez, spotted police and ran inside Mercy Hospital after he fatally shot his ex-fiancee, Dr. Tamara O'Neal, in the parking lot.

Once inside the hospital, Lopez shot pharmacy resident Dayna Less as she exited an elevator. Lopez then exchanged gunfire with police and killed Officer Samuel Jimenez.

Guglielmi says Lopez was shot in the chest, but then shot himself with the Glock semi-automatic handgun he was carrying.

Items are left at a memorial at Mercy Hospital, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in Chicago, the day after a shooting at the hospital. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Guglielmi says Lopez was carrying one gun that he'd reloaded to continue firing. Guglielmi says Lopez fired his gun at least 30 times.

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2:10 p.m.

Workers at the Chicago hospital where a gunman fatally shot his ex-fiancee and two others had gone through their first active-shooter drill only a few weeks ago.

Michael Davenport is the chief medical officer at Mercy Hospital. He says the drill almost certainly helped save lives Monday when the gunman opened fire inside the hospital .

Police say Dr. Tamara O'Neal was killed outside the hospital by her ex-fiance, who also fatally shot a responding police officer and a pharmacy resident inside the hospital. The gunman also was killed.

Davenport says trainers told hospital staff members to remember the mantra: "Run, hide, fight." They also were told to call 911 as soon as they could safely place a call.

Davenport says nothing compares to a real-world situation. But he says the training helped employees know what to do.

He says the hospital would analyze workers' responses to learn what worked well and what didn't.

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1:10 p.m.

Two funds are being established in honor of the emergency room physician who was fatally shot outside a Chicago hospital, including one focused on gun violence and domestic abuse.

Police say Dr. Tamara O'Neal was fatally shot Monday outside Mercy Hospital by her ex-fiance. The gunman also fatally shot a responding police officer and a pharmacy resident inside the hospital.

Organizers say a fund has been established to help pay for funeral expenses for O'Neal. The other will support research aimed at stopping gun violence and domestic violence.

Dr. Megan Ranney is chief research officer for the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine. She says the funds were set up after receiving permission from O'Neal's family.

Ranney is an emergency physician at Brown University. She says she and her colleagues are mourning O'Neal but taking action so "more people don't have to die as she did."

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11:50 a.m.

A man who fatally shot his ex-fiancee and two other people at a Chicago hospital had been kicked out of the city's fire department academy four years ago after threatening a female cadet.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said Tuesday that officials learned of the threats and told Juan Lopez he'd be disciplined. Lopez was fired after he went AWOL.

Police say Lopez fatally shot Dr. Tamara O'Neal outside Mercy Hospital on Monday. Police say O'Neal had recently called off their engagement and Lopez confronted her about returning the engagement ring.

Lopez also fatally shot a responding police officer and a pharmacy worker inside the hospital. Lopez also died in the shooting.

Merritt didn't have any details of the past threats. But they were made the same year a woman sought an order of protection against him because he was incessantly texting her. Police say they have not determined if the woman was granted an order of protection.

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11:25 a.m.

Colleagues say the emergency room physician who was fatally shot by her ex-fiance outside a Chicago hospital raised money for disadvantaged children and reserved Sundays for church.

Dr. Tamara O'Neal was killed Monday outside Mercy Hospital on Chicago's South Side. Investigators say she had recently broken off her engagement to the gunman, Juan Lopez, who also killed a police officer and pharmacy worker.

Dr. Patrick O'Connor is the director of the hospital's emergency department. He says the 38-year-old O'Neal led her church choir and was "dedicated to caring for her community."

O'Connor choked up and tried to compose himself as he spoke about O'Neal during a news conference following the shooting.

He says she the one thing she wanted was "to be able to go to church on Sunday." He added: "We'll make sure you go to church on Sunday."

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10:10 a.m.

Police say a woman sought a protection order four years ago against the man who fatally shot a doctor, a police officer and another worker at a Chicago hospital.

Investigators say the suspected gunman, 32-year-old Juan Lopez, also died following the shooting Monday at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side, but it's unclear if he shot himself or was fatally shot by police.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says a woman complained in 2014 that Lopez was incessantly texting her and refused to stop. Guglielmi says the woman sought an order of protection from a judge, but it's unclear whether she was granted such an order. Lopez was not criminally charged.

Guglielmi also says Lopez had a permit to possess a concealed firearm, but it's unclear if officials knew about the 2014 complaint when the permit was granted. He says Lopez had legally purchased four guns in the last five years.

Guglielmi says Lopez and the doctor he killed, Tamara O'Neal, had been in a relationship.

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7:25 a.m.

Chicago police have identified the gunman who killed three people at a hospital as 32-year-old Juan Lopez.

Lopez also died. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says it's unclear whether Lopez killed himself or was fatally shot by officers Monday at Mercy Hospital. He says it was a "disturbing crime scene."

The victims were Dr. Tamara O'Neal, pharmacy resident Dayna Less and Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez. The shooting is being investigated as a domestic dispute between Lopez and O'Neal, who knew each other.

Guglielmi says Jimenez didn't typically work in the hospital area, but that the officer responded when he heard that shots were fired. He says it "speaks volumes about his character."

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12:52 a.m.

An argument outside a Chicago hospital turned deadly when a man pulled out a gun and killed an emergency room doctor with whom he was having a domestic relationship, then ran into the hospital and fatally shot a pharmacy resident and a police officer.

Police say the attacker also died Monday but it was not clear if he took his own life or was killed by police at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side.

The victims were identified at 38-year-old emergency room physician Tamara O'Neal and 25-year-old pharmacy resident Dayna Less. Police say the slain officer was 28-year-old Samuel Jimenez, who was married with three children.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, left, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel speak Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, during a news conference at the University of Chicago Medical Center, in Chicago, after a gunman opened fire at Mercy Hospital, killing a police officer and two hospital employees. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Chicago police officers and firefighters form an honor guard as the body of Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez is brought to the coroner Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. A gunman opened fire Monday at a Chicago hospital, killing the police officer and at least a few hospital employees in an attack that began with a domestic dispute and exploded into a firefight with law enforcement inside the medical center. The suspect was also dead, authorities said. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Police and firefighters salute as an ambulance arrives at the medical examiner's office carrying the body of Chicago Police Department Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed during a shooting at Mercy Hospital earlier in the day, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Police salute as an ambulance arrives at the medical examiner's office carrying the body of Chicago Police Department Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed during a shooting at Mercy Hospital earlier in the day, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

CORRECTS IDENITY OF SUBJECTS PICTURED - Chicago police department employees embrace with pastor Donovan Price, right, at 2nd District Headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in Chicago, the day after Officer Samuel Jimenez was killed at Mercy Hospital. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, left, comforts Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, during a news conference at the University of Chicago Medical Center, in Chicago, after a gunman opened fire at Mercy Hospital, killing a police officer and two hospital employees. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Law enforcement officials work near Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. A shooting at the Chicago hospital has wounded multiple people, including a suspect and a police officer, authorities said. Shots were fired Monday, at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side, and officers were searching the facility. Police issued a statement on Twitter saying there were "reports of multiple victims." (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Law enforcement officers including Chicago SWAT work an entrance at Mercy Hospital Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. A shooting at a Chicago hospital has wounded multiple people, including a suspect and a police officer, authorities said. Shots were fired Monday, at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side, and officers were searching the facility. Police issued a statement on Twitter saying there were "reports of multiple victims." (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A suicide bomber targeted a gathering of hundreds of Islamic scholars in the Afghan capital on Tuesday, killing at least 50 people as Muslims marked the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

Another 83 people were wounded in the attack, with 20 of them in critical condition and the toll likely to rise, Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said.

The suicide bomber was able to sneak into a wedding hall in Kabul where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the holiday. No one immediately claimed the attack, but both the Taliban and a local Islamic State affiliate have targeted religious scholars aligned with the government in the past.

"The victims of the attack unfortunately are all religious scholars who gathered to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad," said Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief. He said police had not been asked to provide security for the event, and that the bomber had easily slipped into the hall. Most wedding halls have private security.

Mohammad Muzamil, a waiter at the wedding hall, said he had gone into the back to fetch water for the guests when he heard the explosion.

"Everything was covered with smoke and dust," he said. "There were dead bodies all around on the chairs, in large numbers."

Injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Police sealed off roads leading to the scene. Hundreds of family members and relatives gathered at hospitals, looking at lists of those killed and wounded that were posted outside.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the bombing, calling it "an attack on Islamic values and followers of the Prophet Muhammad," and declaring Wednesday a day of mourning.

"It is an attack on humanity," Ghani said.

The U.N. Security Council also condemned the attack and expressed sympathy to the families of the victims.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan also condemned the bombing and expressed condolences to the victims. Afghanistan and the United States have long accused Pakistan of harboring the Taliban, whose leadership is based there. Pakistan denies the allegations, and says it uses its limited influence over the group to encourage peace efforts.

The Islamic State group claimed a suicide bombing in June that killed at least seven people and wounded 20 at a meeting of top clerics in the capital. The body of religious leaders, known as the Afghan Ulema Council, had issued a decree against suicide attacks and called for peace talks. IS said it had targeted "tyrant clerics" who were siding with the U.S.-backed government.

The Taliban denied involvement in the June attack but they also denounced the gathering.

Both militant groups want to overthrow the U.S.-backed government and impose a harsh form of Islamic rule, but they are bitterly divided over leadership and ideology, and have clashed on a number of occasions.

Afghan security forces have struggled to combat the twin insurgencies since the U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission in 2014, shifting to a support and counterterrorism role. President Donald Trump's decision last year to send in additional U.S. forces has had little if any impact on the ground.

The Taliban carry out near-daily attacks targeting security forces and government officials across the country, while the IS affiliate has bombed gatherings of minority Shiites, killing hundreds of civilians.

Security forces block the roads at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

A man injured in a suicide bombing is brought into a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing at least tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An injured man receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An injured man receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A man injured in a suicide bombing is brought into a hospital for treatment, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing at least tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A man injured in a suicide bombing is brought into a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Security forces block the main road at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack, inside a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

An injured man receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack, inside a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack, happened inside a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Injured men receive treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An injured man receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack, happened inside a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2018. Afghan officials said the suicide bomber targeted a gathering of Muslim religious scholars in Kabul, killing tens of people. A Public Health Ministry spokesman said another 60 people were wounded in the attack, which took place as Muslims around the world marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on U.S. response to the murder of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have written to the president demanding that his administration "make a determination" about whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for the killing Jamal Khashoggi.

Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., wrote the letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, asking for an investigation under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The act requires the president to determine whether a foreign person is responsible for an extrajudicial killing, torture or other gross violation of internationally recognized human rights against an individual exercising freedom of expression.

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FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2018, file photo, candles, lit by activists, protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, are placed outside Saudi Arabia's consulate, in Istanbul, during a candlelight vigil. President Donald Trump is facing mounting pressure to sternly rebuke Saudi Arabia over the death of Khashoggi. So far, Trump is resisting calls to harshly reprimand the close U.S. ally. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)

5:25 p.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is close to President Donald Trump, is disagreeing with the president's decision not to further punish Saudi Arabia over the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The South Carolina Republican sided with Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, and Democratic colleagues in Congress in denouncing the president's decision, adding America should not lose its "moral voice" on the international stage.

Graham said it is not in U.S. national security interests to "look the other way when it comes to the brutal murder" of Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen who lived in the U.S. and wrote columns critical of the royal family.

Graham said he thinks there will be strong bipartisan support in Congress for serious sanctions against Saudi Arabia and members of the royal family.

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5:10 p.m.

The Washington Post is denouncing President Donald Trump's decision to refrain from further punishing Saudi Arabia for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi writer based in the U.S. who wrote columns for the newspaper critical of the royal family.

In a statement published on Twitter, Post Publisher Fred Ryan accused Trump of putting personal relationships and commercial interests above American values of respect for human rights to continue to "do business as usual" with the Saudi crown prince.

Ryan further stated that the CIA had "concluded with high confidence" that the crown prince directed the Oct. 2 killing. Ryan added that if there is reason to doubt these findings, Trump should immediately make that evidence public.

Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the CIA never made a "definitive" conclusion about who was responsible.

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5 p.m.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul says it's a "mistake" for President Donald Trump to continue supporting arms sales to Saudi Arabia after the death of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Paul tells The Associated Press "it's a sign of weakness not to stand up to Saudi Arabia."

The Kentucky senator has been trying to convince Trump to halt $100 billion in arms sales. Paul says the Trump's position signals that Saudi Arabia can "just behead anybody that protests against the kingdom."

Trump has praised Saudi Arabia as an important ally and said he's not convinced Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly responsible for Khashoggi's death.

Paul says selling arms is not a "jobs program," and the U.S. should not reward Saudi Arabia's "bad behavior." He says he has the votes in the Senate to block it.

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4 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the CIA never made a determination about who killed Saudi writer and critic Jamal Khashoggi (jah-MAHL' khahr-SHOHK'-jee). He says intelligence officials never had anything "definitive."

Trump was questioned at the White House about his decision not to further punish Saudi Arabia for the death of the U.S.-based columnist for The Washington Post, who had been critical of the kingdom.

He said oil prices would "skyrocket" if the U.S. made a "terrible mistake" to break with Saudi Arabia. Trump said he was not going to "destroy" the world's economy by being "foolish with Saudi Arabia," adding that the United States needs Riyadh as a counterbalance to Iran.

He says he's focused on "putting America first."

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1 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will not levy additional punitive measures at this time against Saudi Arabia over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi (jah-MAHL' khahr-SHOHK'-jee).

Trump said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. does not condone the killing of the U.S-based Saudi columnist, but that "foolishly" canceling $110 billion in arms sales - as some in Congress have suggested - would only mean that Saudi Arabia would go to other countries to acquire them.

Trump says the king and crown prince of Saudi Arabia "vigorously deny" any knowledge of the planning and execution of the Oct. 2 murder of The Washington Post columnist at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

He says "it could well be that the crown prince had knowledge."

Trump says "maybe he did and maybe he didn't."

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12:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump is facing pressure to take tougher measures against Saudi Arabia over the slaying of writer Jamal Khashoggi (jah-MAHL' khahr-SHOHK'-jee).

The president has resisted calls so far for a stronger response to the Oct. 2 killing of the U.S.-based writer by agents of the Saudi government inside their consulate in Istanbul.

Trump says that Saudi Arabia is a "spectacular ally" and that he's not convinced that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly responsible for Khashoggi's death.

The administration has imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis accused of participating in the killing. But lawmakers in Congress want tougher measures. European allies are stepping up their punitive measures against the kingdom, too.

It's unclear if the president will decide on a response before he leaves Tuesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

President Donald Trump takes a question from CNN reporter Jim Acosta, right, before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Palm Beach Fla. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
NEW YORK (AP) - Mexico's former top security chief and another law enforcement official who once worked under the country's new president-elect took millions of dollars in bribes from the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel in the mid-2000s, a witness testified Tuesday at the U.S. trial of kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Former cartel member Jesus Zambada made the allegations Tuesday while testifying about what he described as widespread corruption among authorities who were paid to keep their hands off the lucrative and violent drug operation.

During cross-examination, Zambada claimed he personally made at least $6 million in hidden payments to the former federal security chief, Genaro Garcia Luna, on behalf of his older brother, cartel boss Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. The cash was delivered during two meetings at a restaurant in Mexico between the start of 2005 and the end of 2007, he said.

Cartel leaders had agreed that they would pool up to $50 million to buy the protection of Garcia Luna, Jesus Zambada added when being asked about previous statements first made after he was flipped by U.S. authorities.

The witness also said a separate bribe of "a few million dollars" was made in 2005 to Gabriel Regino, who worked in the administration of current President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador when he was mayor of Mexico City.

In a letter published in Mexican media, Garcia Luna responded, "I repeat that it is false, defamatory and perjury to say that I have ever received any material goods from any person, police officer or criminal group."

In this 2008 photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, Jesus Zambada is shown. Once a top lieutenant in drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's cartel, Zambada is now a cooperating witness describing the Sinolao cartel's history of greed, cunning and violence as it built a cocaine-smuggling empire that made billions of dollars by flooding the market in large U.S. cities. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York via AP)

Regino, now a private lawyer and law professor, wrote on Twitter, "I categorically deny these accusations."

Jurors in federal court in Brooklyn also heard testimony on Tuesday from U.S. agents about how they intercepted cocaine-stashed jalapeno cans and more than $1 million in drug proceeds hidden in the paneling of a Ford Bronco used by Guzman's brother. The trial is off the rest of the week and is to resume Monday.

Guzman, perhaps best known for escaping from Mexican prisons, has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

His lawyers, saying he was either in prison or in hiding when prosecutors allege he oversaw a cartel that sent tons of cocaine into the U.S., have sought to portray Ismael Zambada as the actual boss. The elder Zambada remains on the loose in Mexico, they claim, because of bribes that "go up to the very top," including hundreds of millions of dollars paid to the current and former presidents of Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan admonished the defense for making that claim, saying there was no evidence. He also turned back efforts by the defense to question Zambada about it.

Garcia Luna was once seen as a powerful ally in the American effort to thwart Mexican cartels from flooding the U.S. market with cocaine and other illegal drugs. But he had also previously come under suspicion of taking bribes.

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows a diamond-encrusted pistol that a government witness said belonged to infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, at Guzman's trial in New York, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Jurors were shown a photo of the pistol decorated with Guzman's initials as witness Jesus Zambada told how Guzman relied on rampant bloodshed and bribery to protect his multibillion-dollar drug smuggling operation and the brutal way Guzman's Sinaloa cartel dealt with various violent threats and personal slights. (U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows a detail from a diamond-encrusted pistol that a government witness said belonged to infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, at Guzman's trial in New York, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Jurors were shown a photo of the pistol decorated with Guzman's initials as witness Jesus Zambada told how Guzman relied on rampant bloodshed and bribery to protect his multibillion-dollar drug smuggling operation and the brutal way Guzman's Sinaloa cartel dealt with various violent threats and personal slights. (U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on California's wildfires (all times local):

8 p.m.

A California sheriff says the list of names of those unaccounted for after a deadly wildfire has increased to 870.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says the additional 171 names came from a backlog of voicemails that detectives worked through Tuesday.

Authorities stressed that many of the people on the list may be safe and unaware they have been reported missing.

Honea says two more sets of human remains were found Tuesday, bringing the total number killed in a devastating California wildfire to 81.

File - In this Nov. 18, 2018 file photo, volunteer members of an El Dorado County search and rescue team search the ruins of a home, looking for human remains, in Paradise, Calif., following a wildfire. Authorities have deployed a powerful tool to aid in their race to identify the remains of 77 bodies burned in the deadly wildfire that ripped through Northern California: Rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours. But the technology that can match DNA to bone fragments in as little as two hours is only as effective as the numbers of people who show up to give a sample, and so far there are not nearly enough volunteers. (AP Photo/Sudhin Thanawala, File)

The blaze that started Nov. 8 leveled Paradise, destroying more than 13,000 homes.

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7 p.m.

A state report says two more sets of human remains were found Tuesday, bringing the total number killed in a devastating California wildfire to 81.

The so-called Camp Fire swept through the rural town of Paradise on Nov. 8. It has destroyed nearly 13,000 homes.

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2:45 p.m.

Dozens of people who lost their homes in a deadly Northern California wildfire remain at a makeshift camp next to a Walmart in the city of Chico days after they were asked to go to a shelter.

Dozens of tents could be seen in a photo posted Tuesday on Twitter by a Sacramento Bee reporter.

Evacuees camping on the sprawling parking lot were asked to leave before rain arrives in the area Wednesday.

But some said they preferred to stay in tents because shelters would not accept them with their pets.

A note posted at the makeshift shelter says a shuttle will be available Tuesday afternoon to transport people and their pets to the Gridley Fairgrounds Shelter.

The blaze that started Nov. 8 leveled Paradise, destroying 310 apartment buildings and more than 12,500 homes.

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1:30 p.m.

Authorities say bone fragments found within the Southern California wildfire burn area were there before the blaze broke out.

Los Angeles County sheriff's spokeswoman Nicole Nishida says Tuesday that a property owner discovered the human remains while surveying fire damage in the Malibu area.

Homicide detectives are investigating. The coroner's office says an autopsy is planned.

Three people died during the Woolsey fire, including two found in a car and one in the rubble of a charred home.

The 151-square-mile (391-square-kilometer) fire broke out Nov. 8 and destroyed at least 1,500 structures. Firefighters expect to have it fully surrounded this week.

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12:40 p.m.

Authorities are using a rapid DNA test that produces results in just two hours to help identify the scores of people killed by the Northern California wildfire.

The company ANDE is donating the technology. Relatives of missing people can provide DNA samples via cheek swabs. But not enough people have been coming forward - only about 60 at last count.

Company spokeswoman Annette Mattern says hundreds of samples are needed.

The death toll nearly two weeks after the inferno stands at 79, with about 700 people unaccounted for.

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12:30 p.m.

Victims of a destructive Southern California wildfire have sued Southern California Edison, alleging the utility was negligent in failing to shut off power before the blaze started.

Plaintiffs' attorneys say Tuesday that nearly 20 people are part of the class-action lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Edison says a statement it can't comment on litigation related to wildfires.

The court filing accuses Edison of contributing to the fire's destruction by ignoring warnings of extreme fire weather. The lawsuit says the utility only shut power off once the fire started.

The cause of the so-called Woolsey Fire remains under investigation.

Attorneys are seeking compensation for plaintiffs' damaged property, lost wages and attorney fees.

The fire has destroyed at least 1,500 structures since erupting Nov. 8. Full containment is expected this week.

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10:50 a.m.

A transmission line that utility Pacific Gas & Electric Company says malfunctioned minutes before Northern California's deadly wildfire was supported by steel towers that toppled over in a fierce 2012 storm.

The Mercury News of San Jose reported Tuesday that trouble on PG&E's 115,000-volt Caribou Palermo line date to December 2012, when five towers toppled.

PG&E proposed replacing six towers on the line by 2013 and finished the repairs in 2016.

In a regulatory filing after the devastating Nov. 8 fire, PG&E said it detected an outage on an electrical transmission line near the site of the blaze.

It said a subsequent aerial inspection showed damage to a tower on the line in the town of Pulga. Another transmission line in the nearby community of Concow also malfunctioned a short time later, possibly sparking a second fire.

PG&E has said it is cooperating with investigations into the fire.

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10:45 a.m.

A top Trump administration official is accusing "radical environmentalists" of blocking thinning and grazing in forests that he says could prevent wildfires.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reiterated the administration's blame of environmental policies in a call with reporters on Tuesday.

He cites "lawsuit after lawsuit" by "the radical environmental groups that would rather burn down the entire forest than cut a single tree."

He appeared to make a nod at the changing climate that scientists say is contributing to hotter, bigger, deadlier and more frequent wildfires.

Many wildfire experts and California's Democratic leaders counter the Trump administration's arguments, saying most of California's deadly recent fires are not in forests, and that thinning trees would not have affected those blazes.

Much of the California land that has burned recently is covered with brush and grass and few trees.

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10:30 a.m.

Newly released video shows the dramatic moment firefighters rescued three people and two dogs as thick smoke and flames fast approached in Southern California.

The Los Angeles Fire Department released video Tuesday of a helicopter crew rescuing the group from a mountain peak as a wildfire bore down.

The Nov. 9 video was taken as pilots David Nordquist and Joel Smith battled the Woolsey Fire, which was raging through the Santa Monica Mountains toward Malibu.

The crew was making a water drop when it was asked to rescue the group. The pilots headed that way despite dwindling fuel.

With smoke darkening the sky, they hunted for a landing spot among antenna towers, service buildings, cars and vegetation.

They finally found a tight spot and saved the people and their pets.

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9 a.m.

Fire officials say firefighters have gained ground against a Northern California wildfire that killed at least 79 people.

The California The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Tuesday that the fire is now 70 percent contained. That's up from 66 percent Monday morning. The blaze's size remained at 236 square miles (611 square kilometers).

The gains come ahead of rain forecast for the region starting Wednesday that is expected to last through the Thanksgiving weekend.

The National Weather Service has issue and flash flood watch for wildfire-scarred areas.

It says newly burned areas in and around Paradise are prone to downhill ash and debris flows.

Officials say they worry rain could complicate the efforts of the crews searching for human remains by washing away signs of the dead or turning the dusty debris into a thick paste.

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12 a.m.

With 79 people killed in the nation's deadliest wildfire in at least a century, there are still nearly 700 names on the list of those unaccounted for. While it's down from nearly 1,000 the day before, it is inexact, progress has been slow, and the many days of uncertainty are adding to the stress.

More than a dozen people are marked as "unknowns," without first or last names. In some cases, names are listed twice or more times under different spellings. Others are confirmed dead, and their names simply haven't been taken off yet.

Survivors and relatives of those caught in the fire in Northern California are using social media to get the word out. In some cases, they post that their loved ones were safe. In others, they plead for help.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has said he released the rough and incomplete list in hopes that people would contact authorities to say they are OK. He has called it raw data compiled from phone calls, emails and other reports.

In this photo taken November 16, 2018, Stephen Meer, chief information officer from ANDE, demonstrates in Chico, Calif., his company's Rapid DNA analysis system, which is being used to try to ID victims of the Northern California wildfire. Authorities have deployed a powerful tool to aid in their race to identify the remains of 77 bodies burned in the deadly wildfire that ripped through Northern California: Rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours. But the technology that can match DNA to bone fragments in as little as two hours is only as effective as the numbers of people who show up to give a sample, and so far there are not nearly enough volunteers. (Sudhin Thanawala)

In this photo taken November 16, 2018, Stephen Meer, chief information officer from ANDE, demonstrates in Chico, Calif., his company's Rapid DNA analysis system, which is being used to try to ID victims of the Northern California wildfire. Authorities have deployed a powerful tool to aid in their race to identify the remains of 77 bodies burned in the deadly wildfire that ripped through Northern California: Rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours. But the technology that can match DNA to bone fragments in as little as two hours is only as effective as the numbers of people who show up to give a sample, and so far there are not nearly enough volunteers. (Sudhin Thanawala)

File - In this Nov. 15, 2018 file photo, investigators recover human remains at a home burned in the Camp Fire in Magalia, Calif. Authorities have deployed a powerful tool to aid in their race to identify the remains of 77 bodies burned in the deadly wildfire that ripped through Northern California: Rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours. But the technology that can match DNA to bone fragments in as little as two hours is only as effective as the numbers of people who show up to give a sample, and so far there are not nearly enough volunteers. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump vastly inflated the value of planned Saudi investments in the U.S. on Tuesday, as he explained why he's "standing with Saudi Arabia" despite the conclusion of his intelligence officials that the kingdom's de facto leader ordered the murder of a U.S.-based journalist.

Trump cited a $110 billion arms package that he said is part of $450 billion in planned Saudi investments in the U.S. Actual orders under the arms deal are far smaller and neither country has announced or substantiated Trump's repeated assertion that the Saudis are poised to inject $450 billion overall into the U.S. economy.

Trump's economic argument was part of his case for deciding not to punish Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or cut arms sales to Saudi Arabia for the killing of columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate.

An official familiar with the U.S. intelligence assessment said bin Salman is considered responsible for ordering the murder; others familiar with the case believe the crown prince was involved in the killing but are not sure to what extent. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive intelligence findings publicly.

Although it's up to Trump whether to believe his officials' conclusions and whether to give primacy to the broad benefits of the U.S.-Saudi alliance, the economic pillar of his argument does not hold up. A look at his words:

TRUMP: "After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great U.S. defense contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries - and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business."

President Donald Trump greets supporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base and on to n route to Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

THE FACTS: There's less than meets the eye to the arms package. Partly negotiated under the Obama administration, it mixes old deals, some new business and prospective purchases that have not been worked out.

The Pentagon said last month that Saudi Arabia had signed "letters of offer and acceptance" for only $14.5 billion in military purchases and confirmed Tuesday that nothing further has reached that stage.

Those letters, issued after the U.S. government approves a proposed arms sale, specify its terms. Much of that $14.5 billion involves a missile defense system, a contract that appears to have advanced more than other significant investments but not been completed.

Moreover, the State Department estimated last year that if the full $110 billion in prospective business is fulfilled, it could end up "potentially supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in the United States." That's a far cry from the 500,000 to 600,000 jobs that Trump has said the arms deal is worth.

Details of the package have been sketchy, with no public breakdown of exactly what was being offered for sale and for how much.

The government's Congressional Research Service has described the package as a combination of sales that were proposed by President Barack Obama and discussed with Congress and new sales still being developed.

"Very little has changed hands," says Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution and former CIA and Defense Department official.

Meantime there has been no verification from either country that "the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States," as Trump put it in his statement. White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters did not respond to a request to explain the figure.

The U.S. exported only $16 billion in goods to Saudi Arabia last year, and imported even more. Saudi Arabia's entire annual economic production is valued at $684 billion. A $450 billion Saudi investment in the U.S. would amount to about 6 percent of its entire economy going to the U.S. if spread, for example, over 10 years.

During bin Salman's visit to the U.S. in March, he spoke vaguely of the possibility of Saudi investment opportunities in the U.S. that could be worth $400 billion, saying "A lot of things could be tackled in the close future," according to the Arabian Business website.

The U.S. earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in Khashoggi's death. Members of Congress want the U.S. to follow the lead of countries that have taken stronger action. Germany, for example, has banned new weapons exports to Saudi Arabia and halted previously approved arms exports.

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Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has provided the special counsel with written answers to questions about his knowledge of Russian interference in the 2016 election, his lawyers said Tuesday, avoiding at least for now a potentially risky sit-down with prosecutors. It's the first time he has directly cooperated with the long investigation.

The step is a milestone in the negotiations between Trump's attorneys and special counsel Robert Mueller's team over whether and when the president might sit for an interview.

The compromise outcome, nearly a year in the making, offers some benefit to both sides. Trump at least temporarily averts the threat of an in-person interview, which his lawyers have long resisted, while Mueller secures on-the-record statements whose accuracy the president will be expected to stand by for the duration of the investigation.

The responses may also help stave off a potential subpoena fight over Trump's testimony if Mueller deems them satisfactory. They represent the first time the president is known to have described to investigators his knowledge of key moments under scrutiny by prosecutors.

But investigators may still press for more information.

Mueller's team months ago presented Trump's legal team with dozens of questions they wanted to ask the president related to whether his campaign coordinated with the Kremlin to tip the 2016 election and whether he sought to obstruct the Russia probe by actions including the firing of former FBI Director James Comey. The investigators agreed to accept written responses to questions about potential Russian collusion and tabled, for the moment, obstruction-related inquiries.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before leaving the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, to travel to Florida, where he will spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Mueller left open the possibility that he would follow up with additional questions on obstruction, though Trump's lawyers - who had long resisted any face-to-face interview - have been especially adamant that the Constitution shields him from having to answer any questions about actions he took as president.

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow offered no details on the current Q&A, saying merely that "the written questions submitted by the special counsel's office ... dealt with issues regarding the Russia-related topics of the inquiry. The president responded in writing." He said the legal team would not release copies of the questions and answers or discuss any correspondence it has had with the special counsel's office.

Another of Trump's lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, said the lawyers continue to believe that "much of what has been asked raised serious constitutional issues and was beyond the scope of a legitimate inquiry." He said Mueller's office had received "unprecedented cooperation from the White House," including about 1.4 million pages of materials.

"It is time to bring this inquiry to a conclusion," Giuliani said.

The president told reporters last week that he had prepared the responses himself.

Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired Sunday that he was unlikely to answer questions about obstruction, saying, "I think we've wasted enough time on this witch hunt and the answer is, probably, we're finished."

Trump joins a list of recent presidents who have submitted to questioning as part of a criminal investigation.

In 2004, President George W. Bush was interviewed by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's office during an investigation into the leaked identity of a covert CIA officer. In 1998, President Bill Clinton testified before a federal grand jury in independent counsel Ken Starr's Whitewater investigation.

"It's very extraordinary if this were a regular case, but it's not every day that you have an investigation that touches upon the White House," Solomon Wisenberg, a Washington lawyer who was part of Starr's team and conducted the grand jury questioning of Clinton, said of a prosecutor accepting written answers.

Mueller could theoretically still try to subpoena the president if he feels the answers are not satisfactory.

But Justice Department leaders, including acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker - who now oversees the investigation and has spoken pejoratively of it in the past - would have to sign off on such a move, and it's far from clear that they would. It's also not clear that Mueller's team would prevail if a subpoena fight reached the Supreme Court.

"Mueller certainly could have forced the issue and issued a subpoena, but I think he wants to present a record of having bent over backwards to be fair," Wisenberg said.

The Supreme Court has never directly ruled on whether a president can be subpoenaed to testify in a criminal case. Clinton was subpoenaed to appear before the Whitewater grand jury, but investigators withdrew the subpoena after he agreed to appear voluntarily.

Other cases involving Presidents Richard Nixon and Clinton have presented similar issues for the justices that could be instructive now.

In 1974, for instance, the court ruled that Nixon could be ordered to turn over subpoenaed recordings, a decision that hastened his resignation. The court in 1997 said Clinton could be questioned under oath in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones.

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CHICAGO (AP) - An emergency room doctor devoted to her community. A pharmacy resident who helped children with a disorder similar to her own. A police officer and father who responded to a shooting without being called.

Chicago's mayor said the three people fatally shot at a local hospital on Monday were "doing what they loved" when they were attacked by the doctor's ex-fiance . Here is a look at their lives:

TAMARA O'NEAL

Dr. Tamara O'Neal was an emergency room physician who raised money for disadvantaged children and, with the blessing of her bosses, reserved Sundays for church.

The 38-year-old led her church choir and was "dedicated to caring for her community," said Dr. Patrick O'Connor, director of Mercy Hospital's emergency department, where O'Neal worked. Choking up and trying to compose himself just hours after the shooting, he said: "We'll make sure you go to church on Sunday."

Dr. John Purakal, who once saved lives alongside O'Neal, was among the doctors trying to save her life at the University of Chicago Medicine. He said she was warm and caring, and a charismatic and committed doctor.

In this September 2017 photo provided by Monte Gerlach Photography Dr. Tamara O'Neal poses for a photo. O'Neal, an emergency room physician at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, was shot and killed by a gunman outside the hospital Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (Monte Gerlach Photography via AP)

"Tamara was a very passionate person who wore her emotions on her sleeve," Purakal told The Associated Press. When caring for patients, he said, "she just wouldn't be denied things she thought were important."

Purakal met O'Neal in 2014, at the start of their residency program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He said she volunteered to teach CPR training and "would spend every free minute with her family in Indiana."

Purakal said it became clear where her strength and comfort came from when he prayed with her family after her death. They recalled singing and worshipping with her the day before in church.

"One of her family members said, 'We sang well yesterday.' One of their last memories was what she loved doing," Purakal said. "I think her singing in choir, being with family - that was her sanctuary."

Two funds were established in her honor, including one focused on research to curb gun violence and domestic abuse.

DAYNA LESS

Dayna Less excelled at her job because helping others became her mission after overcoming serious health problems.

Her father, Brian Less, released a statement saying his 25-year-old daughter was a first-year pharmacy resident at Chicago's Mercy Hospital. She said she suffered a headache disorder as a teenager and underwent a series of successful surgeries. He said she started a blog and helped hundreds of children with similar disorders.

Dayna Less joined Mercy Hospital in July after graduating in May from Purdue University's College of Pharmacy. Her father said she was planning to get married next June to her high-school sweetheart after dating for nearly a decade.

"She was forged in her own adversity which made her the strongest person I will ever know," her father said.

SAMUEL JIMENEZ

Officer Samuel Jimenez had not been ordered to respond to the hospital when 911 calls came in about the shooting. In fact, he didn't even hear calls about it on his radio.

The 28-year-old father and his partner were driving to a post office to deliver some mail from their police station when they saw police cars, with emergency lights flashing, and heard sirens. They turned their vehicle and headed in the direction where all the squad cars were going.

"They weren't assigned to that particular call but they went," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said. "They pulled up and heard the gunshots and ran toward the gunfire."

Jimenez, who was married with three children, was a longtime Chicagoan. He went to high school in the city and had recently completed his probationary period with Chicago police.

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Karoub reported from Detroit.

This undated photo provided by the Chicago Police Department shows Chicago Police officer Samuel Jimenez, who was fatally shot Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, at Mercy Hospital on the city's South Side. Jimenez joined the department in February 2017 and had recently completed his probationary period. The shooter, Juan Lopez, also killed an emergency room doctor and a pharmacist. Lopez also died at the scene. (Lew Arceo/Chicago Police Department via AP)

Items are left at a memorial at Mercy Hospital, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in Chicago, the day after a shooting at the hospital. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Police salute as an ambulance arrives at the medical examiner's office carrying the body of Chicago Police Department Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed during a shooting at Mercy Hospital earlier in the day, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, left, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel speak Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, during a news conference at the University of Chicago Medical Center, in Chicago, after a gunman opened fire at Mercy Hospital, killing a police officer and two hospital employees. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Police and firefighters salute as an ambulance arrives at the medical examiner's office carrying the body of Chicago Police Department Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed during a shooting at Mercy Hospital earlier in the day, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

This undated photo posted on his Facebook page shows Juan Lopez, who police say fatally shot his ex-fiancee and two other people at Chicago's Mercy Hospital on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Lopez, who repeatedly shot his ex-fiancee outside the hospital before killing two people inside the building, was the subject of a protection order request filed four years ago by another woman, yet he had legally purchased several guns in recent years, police said Tuesday. (Juan Lopez Facebook page via AP)
DALLAS (AP) - An openly gay former councilman in a small Southeast Texas town is suing after he was defeated in a recall election, an effort that surfaced when nude photos of him were anonymously sent to city hall.

Cross Coburn was ousted as a councilmember in Groves, Texas, which is 92 miles (148 kilometers) east of Houston, during a recall election earlier this month. The lawsuit filed Nov. 14 in a state court asks the court to declare the election invalid due to "deficiencies, fraud and forgery" in the recall petition. The petition came after Coburn's nude photos, which were sent in private communication on a gay dating app, were mailed to city hall by an anonymous source.

Coburn says the recall effort targeted him because of his sexuality.

"They thought this was a very surefire way to get me out of office," he said in an interview Tuesday.

Despite the loss, Coburn, who grew up in Groves and turned 20 years old on Tuesday, said he's confident he will get justice through the litigation.

The City of Groves and its city clerk, Kimbra Lowery, are listed as defendants.

Coburn's lawyer, Jill Swearingen Pierce, accused Mayor Brad Bailey and his allies on the city council of leaking the nude photos to media to stir up attention for the recall petition.

The mayor did not return a message seeking comment on Tuesday.

In September, Bailey said he was glad about the recall election going forward and said "I think you should be held to a higher position up here and his track record speaks for itself," according to a Texas Monthly article.

Pierce says three people have reported their petition signatures were forgeries and a forensic handwriting expert has questioned the authenticity of dozens of petition signatures. She said they are in the process of collecting signatures used in past public records to compare with the questionable signatures.

One of the three people said she did sign the recall petition for her and her husband, but reported that the signatures on a specific page of the petition were not signed by her.

The litigation argues there are other issues with the recall petition. Several residents have two signatures on the petition, according to the suit, and there are instances where one spouse signed for themselves and their significant other.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - An Army soldier has been arrested in the shooting death of another soldier in Colorado.

Twenty-year-old Pfc. Isaiah Towns of Batesville, Mississippi, was being held on suspicion of second-degree murder in the Saturday death of Spc. Shakir D. Cook-Troynel.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports Towns was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. Jail records didn't indicate whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Citing a court document, KRDO-TV reports Towns told police he found his wife and Cook-Troynel together in a bedroom. Towns told officers he and his wife struggled, and Towns' pistol discharged, striking Cook-Troynel.

The 23-year-old Cook-Troynel was from Homestead, Florida. The Army says he received several commendations including the Army Achievement Medal.

Cook-Troynel and Towns were assigned to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.

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Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - The Trump administration has again approved new rules for some of Kentucky's Medicaid population, requiring them to either get a job, volunteer in the community or go to school to keep their government-funded health coverage.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services announced the approval on Tuesday, nearly five months after a federal judge blocked the state's first attempt. State officials say the new rules can begin as soon as April 1 and will be phased in regionally over several months. They will require adults ages 19 to 64, with some exceptions, to complete at least 80 hours per month of "community engagement" to keep their health benefits. That includes getting a job, looking for a job, going to school, volunteering for community service or taking a job training course.

Kentucky is one of 37 states that has expanded its government-funded health insurance program to include low-income adults with no children and no disabilities. More than 400,000 people signed up for the program, dramatically dropping the state's uninsured rate and propping up some rural hospitals who depend on the revenue.

But Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has criticized the program, saying it is too expensive and does not make Kentucky's citizens healthier as the state is still behind most of the country in some key health indicators.

Bevin proposed requiring some Medicaid recipients to take action to keep their benefits. In January, Kentucky became the first state ever to win federal approval for such a plan. But in June, a federal judge blocked it, ruling the government did not adequately consider how the plan would impact people who receive coverage.

The judge's ruling re-started the application process, which was completed Tuesday. It's possible the program could wind up in court again.

The new rules will be in place for five years. The Bevin administration predicted the requirements would save taxpayers more than $2 billion during that time, including $300 million in state dollars. State officials estimated at least 95,000 people would lose coverage, either through not complying with the rules or by getting jobs and earning enough money to make them ineligible for the benefits.

Arkansas was the first state to implement work requirements for Medicaid. Last week, the state announced more than 12,000 people had lost coverage in the past three months for not complying with the new rules. The Arkansas Department of Human Services said another 6,000 people are at risk of losing coverage by December if they do not comply.

Bevin, in a statement posted to his official Twitter account, said the approval means the state can "continue to provide services for traditional Medicaid beneficiaries, while also offering a path toward improved health outcomes for all recipients." Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Adam Meier said in a news release the new rules will help people have "success through long-term independence."

Kentucky Voices for Health, an advocacy group, said they were "deeply disappointed" with the decision. Executive Director Emily Beauregard said during the public comment process, thousands of Kentuckians said access to health care was vital to their ability to be productive and successful.

"Reapproving a waiver that makes hardworking Kentuckians jump through hoops to keep their coverage will no doubt have the opposite effect," she said.

The new rules do not apply to pregnant women, full-time students, former foster care youth, survivors of domestic violence, and primary caregivers of children and the elderly, among other exemptions. It would also exempt the "medically frail," a broad term that includes people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction.

Some benefits, including dental and vision, are no longer included. But people can earn those benefits back through a rewards program.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Agribusiness giant Monsanto on Tuesday appealed a $78 million verdict in favor of a dying California man who said the company's widely used Roundup weed killer was a major factor in his cancer.

The company filed a notice of appeal in San Francisco Superior Court challenging a jury verdict in favor of DeWayne Johnson. In August, the jury unanimously found that Roundup caused Johnson's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and awarded him $289 million.

Last month, Judge Suzanne Bolanos slashed that award to $78 million. Monsanto had sought a new trial or judgment in its favor.

"We continue to believe that the liability verdict and reduced damage award are not supported by the evidence at trial or the law," Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in June, said in a statement.

Bayer said none of the science presented at trial supported the conclusion that Roundup was a substantial cause of Johnson's cancer.

An email to a spokeswoman for Johnson's attorneys was not immediately returned.

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2018 file photo, plaintiff DeWayne Johnson, a school groundskeeper who says Roundup weed-killer caused his cancer, leaves a courtroom in San Francisco. Agribusiness giant Monsanto is appealing a $78 million verdict in favor of a dying California man who said the company's widely used Roundup weed killer was a major factor in his cancer. The company filed a notice of appeal Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in San Francisco Superior Court challenging the August jury verdict in favor of Johnson. (AP Photo/Paul Elias, File)

Johnson, now 46, sprayed Roundup and a similar product at his job as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, according to his attorneys.

He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 at 42, and his doctor testified that he has less than three years to live.

Monsanto is facing thousands of similar lawsuits that claim glyphosate - the active ingredient in Roundup - causes cancer.

Many government regulators have rejected a link between glyphosate and cancer. Monsanto says hundreds of studies have established that glyphosate is safe.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - The Detroit Lions have signed free agent safety Don Carey and waived defensive end Eric Lee.

The Lions also announced Tuesday that they have released cornerback Horace Richardson from the practice squad.

Carey played in 84 games for the Lions from 2011-17. He signed with Jacksonville as a free agent this past offseason but has not played in a regular-season game this year for the Jaguars or anyone else.

Detroit hosts Chicago on Thursday.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump told his counsel's office last spring that he wanted to prosecute political adversaries Hillary Clinton and former FBI Director James Comey, an idea that prompted White House lawyers to prepare a memo warning of consequences ranging up to possible impeachment, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Then-counsel Don McGahn told the president he had no authority to order such a prosecution, and he had White House lawyers prepare the memo arguing against such a move, The Associated Press confirmed with a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the situation. McGahn said that Trump could request such a probe but that even asking could lead to accusations of abuse of power, the newspaper said.

Presidents typically go out of their way to avoid any appearance of exerting influence over Justice Department investigations.

Trump has continued to privately discuss the matter of prosecuting his longtime adversaries, including talk of a new special counsel to investigate both Clinton and Comey, the newspaper said, citing two people who had spoken to Trump about the matter.

Trump has repeatedly and publicly called on the Justice Department to investigate Clinton, and he has tweeted his dismay over what he saw as former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' reluctance to go after Clinton. Trump's former lawyer, John Dowd, urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in a memo last year to investigate Comey and his handling of the Clinton email investigation.

Sessions last year said he was directing senior federal prosecutors to look into matters raised by House Republicans related to the Clinton Foundation and a uranium mine transaction benefiting the foundation that was approved when Clinton was secretary of state. The FBI has been investigating that matter. Sessions, in March, told lawmakers that he was not prepared to appoint a special counsel to investigate the FBI and potential political bias there.

FILE - In this Thursday, June 8, 2017, file photo, former FBI director James Comey speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington. A published report says President Donald Trump told his counsel's office last spring he wanted to prosecute political adversaries Hillary Clinton and Comey. The New York Times says the idea prompted White House lawyers to prepare a memo warning of consequences ranging up to possible impeachment (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. McGahn's lawyer, William Burck, also did not respond to a request for comment.

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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Chad Day contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A member of a white supremacist group has pleaded guilty to a federal charge in connection with a political rally that turned violent in Southern California last year.

Tyler Laube entered a guilty plea Tuesday to one count to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal riots act.

The 22-year-old was ordered to remain jailed until his sentencing March 25. City News Service reports he could get up to three years in prison.

In a plea agreement, Laube admitted being associated with the militant Rise Above Movement and assaulting people at a "Make America Great Again" rally in Huntington Beach.

Laube is one of several members of the militant group indicted on charges of inciting violence at California rallies in 2017.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels.

The widely expected decision, if carried out, would effectively kill a controversial 2015 agreement to settle a decades-long impasse over the sexual slavery issue and threatens to aggravate a bitter diplomatic feud between the Asian U.S. allies over history. Many in South Korea believed the Seoul government settled for far too less in the sex slave deal and that Japan still hasn't acknowledged legal responsibility for atrocities during its colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono sharply criticized South Korea's decision to shut down the foundation, saying that Seoul would violate the "most basic rule to live in the international society" by walking back on the deal. Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba summoned South Korean Ambassador to Japan Lee Su-hoon to the ministry to lodge a protest.

"The announcement is problematic and unacceptable," said Kono, urging Seoul to stick with the agreement signed under its previous government. South Korea's Foreign Ministry couldn't immediately confirm Kono's comments that Ambassador Lee told Japanese officials Seoul doesn't plan to scrap or renegotiate the agreement.

Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it will take legal steps to dissolve the foundation, a process ministry officials said could take months. Lee Nam-hoon, an official from the gender equality ministry, said Seoul's Foreign Ministry plans to consult with Tokyo on what to do with the 1 billion yen ($8.8 million) Japan funded to the foundation that was formally launched in July 2016.

"After considering diverse opinions over the 'Reconciliation and Healing Foundation' based on victim-centric principles, we have decided to push for the dissolution of the foundation," Gender Equality Minister Jin Sun Mee said in a statement. She said the ministry will continue to push policies to "restore the honor and dignity" of the sexual slavery victims.

Participants tear papers reading "2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan" during a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

The decision was welcomed by hundreds of protesters gathered in Seoul for a weekly rally denouncing sexual slavery by Japan's wartime military. Organizers played a recorded message by a hospitalized 92-year-old victim, Kim Bok-dong, who said she was happy that the foundation was getting dissolved but also demanded a proper apology and compensation from Tokyo.

"We won, (but) it's just the start," said Yoon Meehyang, who heads an activist group representing South Korean sexual slavery victims. "In saying that we won, we mean that we turned back history to the day before Dec. 28, 2015. We will invest all our passion to write a new history of justice while the victims still have time and overcome past three years that were lost."

Historians say tens of thousands of women from around Asia, many of them Korean, were sent to front-line military brothels to provide sex to Japanese soldiers.

Liberal South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has been a harsh critic of the 2015 deal reached under his conservative predecessor, told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a meeting in September that the foundation was failing to function properly because of strong opposition by the victims and public. A South Korean government panel in December last year concluded the deal as seriously flawed because Seoul's previous conservative government failed to properly communicate with the victims before reaching the deal.

South Korea and Japan are already at odds over a ruling by Seoul's Supreme Court last month that a major Japanese steelmaker should compensate four South Koreans for forced labor during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II. Abe said Tokyo will respond "resolutely" to the ruling, which he described as a violation of a 1965 treaty between Seoul and Tokyo that restored diplomatic ties and was accompanied by more than $800 million in economic aid and loans from Tokyo to Seoul.

Seoul and Tokyo's bitter disputes over history have complicated Washington's efforts to strengthen trilateral cooperation to deal with North Korea's nuclear threat and China's growing influence in the region.

At the time of the sex slave deal, Seoul said there were 46 surviving South Korean victims. But 19 of them since died. Twelve victims who rejected payment from the foundation sued the Seoul government over the deal in August 2016, saying it didn't go far enough to establish Japan's responsibility.

Lee, the ministry official, said the foundation had used 4.4 billion won ($3.8 million) in cash payments to 34 victims who were alive at the time of the 2015 deal and to relatives of 58 victims who were dead by then. Only 27 of around 240 South Korean women who registered with the government as victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery are currently alive, Lee said.

Under the 2015 agreement, which was then described by both governments as "irreversible," Japan pledged to fund the foundation to help support the victims. However, Japan said it didn't consider the 1 billion yen it provided to the fund as compensation, saying such issues were settled in a 1965 treaty. South Korea, in exchange, vowed to refrain from criticizing Japan over the issue and will try to resolve a Japanese grievance over a statue of a girl representing victims of sexual slavery that sits in front of the Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul.

Participants tear papers reading "Reconciliation and Healing Foundation" and "2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan" during a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A statue of a girl representing thousands of Korean women enslaved for sex by Japan's imperial forces before and during World War II, is seen as participants hold signs reading "Reconciliation and Healing Foundation" during a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A participant stands near a statue of a girl representing thousands of Korean women enslaved for sex by Japan's imperial forces before and during World War II, before the start of a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

FILE - In this Dec. 28, 2017, file photo, a statue representing sex slaves is seen near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea says it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, it will take legal steps to dissolve the foundation. The letters read "Nullity". (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A white Republican U.S. senator from Mississippi said during a debate with her African-American Democratic opponent Tuesday night that she apologizes to people who were offended when she complimented a supporter by saying she would attend a "public hanging" if the supporter invited her.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's remark was caught on video that was released last week. It has brought widespread criticism both inside and outside Mississippi, a state with a history of racially motivated lynchings.

"For anyone that was offended by my comments, I certainly apologize. There was no ill will, no intent whatsoever in my statement," Hyde-Smith said Tuesday during a televised debate with Democrat Mike Espy.

The apology was a new approach for Hyde-Smith, who repeatedly refused to answer questions about the hanging comment at a news conference Nov. 12, the day after the publisher of a liberal-leaning news site posted the video on Facebook and Twitter.

The clip shows Hyde-Smith praising a cattle rancher 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." Shortly after the video's release, she said in a statement that the expression was an "exaggerated expression of regard" and said it is "ridiculous" to read any negative connotation into it.

"There has never been anything, not one thing, in my background to ever indicate I had ill will toward anyone," Hyde-Smith, a former state agriculture commissioner, said Tuesday night. "I've never been hurtful to anyone. I've always tried to help everyone. I also recognize that this comment was twisted and it was turned into a weapon to be used against me, a political weapon used for nothing but personal and political gain by my opponent. That's the type of politics Mississippians are sick and tired of."

Appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Democrat Mike Espy greet each other before their televised Mississippi U.S. Senate debate in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool)

Espy responded during the debate: "No one's twisted your comments because your comments were live, you know, it came out of your mouth. I don't know what's in your heart but I know what came out of your mouth. It went viral in the first three minutes around the world. And so it's caused our state harm. It's given our state another black eye that we don't need. It's just rejuvenated those stereotypes that we don't need anymore."

Hyde-Smith is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress. Espy is a former congressman and U.S. agriculture secretary, is seeking to become the state's first African-American senator since Reconstruction.

During the debate, Hyde-Smith questioned a $750,000 lobbying contract Espy had in 2011 with the Cocoa and Coffee Board of the Ivory Coast. She noted that the country's ex-president, Laurent Gbagbo, is being tried in the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, including, Hyde-Smith said, "murder, rape and unspeakable things against young girls."

"I don't know how many Mississippians can really relate to an income that can command a $750,000 check from one person for a lobbying job," said Hyde-Smith, who is a cattle rancher.

Espy, who is an attorney, said: "I found out later that this guy, the president, was a really bad guy. I resigned the contract."

Federal registration papers show Espy terminated the contract two weeks before its scheduled end.

Hours before Tuesday's debate, President Donald Trump defended Hyde-Smith's "public hanging" remark, saying at the White House that she loves the people of Mississippi and the U.S.

"It was just sort of said in jest," Trump said. "She's a tremendous woman and it's a shame that she has to go through this."

Walmart asked Hyde-Smith to return a $2,000 campaign contribution because of the hanging remark. Walmart spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins said Tuesday that the company donated to Hyde-Smith Nov. 8, three days before the release of the video with the "public hanging" remark.

"Sen. Hyde-Smith's recent comments clearly do not reflect the values of our company and associates," Jenkins said in a statement. "As a result, we are withdrawing our support and requesting a refund of all campaign donations."

Hyde-Smith's campaign did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about whether it would refund Walmart's contribution.

Senate races rarely gain national attention in Mississippi, a deeply conservative state. But this matchup - the last major race of the 2018 midterms - has drawn scrutiny after Hyde-Smith's remarks.

Trump is traveling to Mississippi for two Hyde-Smith rallies Monday on the eve of the election. Former Vice President Joe Biden has endorsed Espy.

Hyde-Smith was appointed to the Senate to temporarily succeed longtime Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired in April amid health concerns. She is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress.

Hyde-Smith and Espy each received about 41 percent of the vote when four candidates were on the ballot Nov. 6. If she wins the Nov. 27 runoff, Hyde-Smith would give Republicans a 53-47 majority in the Senate.

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Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed from Washington. For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics . Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus .

Appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., answers a question during a televised Mississippi U.S. Senate debate with Democrat Mike Espy in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool)

Democrat Mike Espy answers a question during a televised Mississippi U.S. Senate debate with his opponent appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool)

Appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., answers a question while Democrat Mike Espy, left, listens during their televised Mississippi U.S. Senate debate in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, Pool)

Democrat Mike Espy responds to a statement from his opponent, appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., during a televised Mississippi U.S. Senate debate in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, POOL)
NEW YORK (AP) - The trial of a man accused of killing a woman who was sexually attacked while running near her family's New York City home ended in a hung jury late Tuesday.

Judge Michael Aloise in Queens granted a mistrial after the jury sent him a note saying it was split after just a day and a half of deliberations.

"It doesn't seem like we can make progress. We feel that we have exhausted all of our options," the jury wrote.

Chanel Lewis, 22, was accused of killing 30-year-old Karina Vetrano as she ran on a park trail in Howard Beach, Queens, in August 2016. Prosecutors said Vetrano had been sexually abused and strangled. Her father discovered the body.

The closely watched case caused fear among women who run alone and baffled investigators, who for months were unable to find anyone who matched DNA that was found under the victim's fingernails as she fought back. The DNA also was found on her neck and phone.

Robert Boyce, New York Police Department chief of detectives, said the break came after police went back through 911 calls and found one reporting a suspicious person in the area near the attack. Lewis was tested and linked to DNA found at the scene and on the victim, Boyce said.

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2016 file photo, mourners carry the casket of Karina Vetrano from St. Helen's Church following her funeral in the Howard Beach section of the Queens borough of New York. The trial of a man accused of killing Vetrano, a New York City woman who was sexually attacked while jogging near her family's home, has ended in a hung jury. A judge late Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, granted a mistrial after the jury said it was split after just a day and a half of deliberations. (Steven Sunshine/Newsday via AP, File)

In his taped confession, Lewis told police that he was upset with a neighbor and that when he came across Vetrano on a secluded section of a marshland park, he "just lost it." He said he beat and strangled her but did not molest her.

"This girl jogging ... and you know, one thing led to another," he told detectives. "Hitting her and stuff like that."

His attorneys said the confession was wrongly obtained and should not have been admissible in the trial. They said he confessed only because he wanted to go home after waiting hours in an interrogation room.

Defense attorney Robert Moeller said the case was based on circumstantial evidence. He argued that the crime scene was corrupted and that DNA evidence was suspect.

"This case is far from conclusive, and the jury's deadlock proves this," the Legal Aid Society, which helped provide defense for Lewis, said in a statement. "The death of Karina Vetrano is tragic and our hearts go out to her family, but the rush to criminalize our client is not the answer nor is it justice."

Prosecutors said they'll move to retry Lewis, who is expected back in court on Jan. 20. He will be held in custody.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California's Legislature will be asked to protect utilities from possible bankruptcy by shielding them from billions of dollars in liability linked to this year's deadly swath of wildfires, it was reported Tuesday.

Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), plans to introduce a measure that could allow Pacific Gas & Electric and other utilities to pass onto customers some costs related to this year's fires, the San Jose Mercury News reported .

Holden chairs the state Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

"We want to send a signal to the financial markets that we are not going to leave the utilities flapping in the wind," Kellie Smith, chief consultant for the committee, told the paper.

"If a utility goes bankrupt, that will hurt ratepayers a lot more than this mechanism we are creating to make the utility pay until it hurts," Smith said.

It's unclear when the bill might be submitted. A message left for Holden spokesman Garo Manjikian was not immediately returned.

FILE - In this Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 file photo, Pacific Gas & Electric crews work to restore power lines in Paradise, Calif. A bill is being worked up to protect California utilities from possible bankruptcy over potentially billions in liability costs from the state's deadly wildfires. The San Jose Mercury News reports Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, that Assemblyman Chris Holden plans to introduce a measure allowing Pacific Gas & Electric and other utilities to pass onto customers some costs related to this year's wildfires. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

"There will be a time and a place for all of this, but right now, PG&E is solely focused on helping the first responders and helping our customers recover and rebuild," PG&E spokeswoman Andrea Menniti said Tuesday.

State officials have blamed fallen or sagging power lines and poles for sparking some of California's worst recent wildfires, and PG&E equipment specifically for 17 Northern California blazes last fall. PG&E already has told investors it expects to be on the hook for more than $2 billion in damages.

PG&E's stock plunged 60 percent and the investor-owned utility lost $15 billion in valuation in the week following the Nov. 8 Camp Fire in Northern California, which has killed at least 81 people and destroyed some 13,000 homes.

No cause has been determined, but speculation has centered on PG&E, which reported an outage around the time and place the fire ignited. Another transmission line also malfunctioned a short time later, possibly sparking a second fire.

Several victims have sued the company, blaming its equipment for the fire.

Meanwhile, victims of a destructive Southern California wildfire have sued Southern California Edison, alleging the utility was negligent in failing to shut off power before the blaze started. Three people were found dead in the ashes of the Woolsey Fire west of Los Angeles, which has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings.

Edison said in a statement that it can't comment on litigation related to wildfires.

This fall, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that would smooth the way for utilities to pass on costs of wildfires to customer via increased monthly power bills. The measure, SB 901, allows utilities to sell bonds to cover their liability costs and pay them off over time through higher rates.

The measure requires the PUC to determine how much a utility and its shareholders can handle without being forced into bankruptcy. It was inspired by last year's devastating fires and also applies to 2019 fires but doesn't cover potential costs for 2018 fires if utilities are found liable for them.

Holden's bill apparently would plug that hole but critics are calling it a bailout.

"What a happy Thanksgiving gift this is for PG&E shareholders, directors and executives to enjoy this holiday weekend, while over 12,000 residents of Butte County spend Thanksgiving in shelters, tents or their cars with some mourning their dead or distraught over loved ones who are missing," state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, a frequent critic of the utility, said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has provided the special counsel with written answers to questions about his knowledge of Russian interference in the 2016 election, his lawyers said Tuesday, avoiding at least for now a potentially risky sit-down with prosecutors. It's the first time he has directly cooperated with the long investigation.

The step is a milestone in the negotiations between Trump's attorneys and special counsel Robert Mueller's team over whether and when the president might sit for an interview.

The compromise outcome, nearly a year in the making, offers some benefit to both sides. Trump at least temporarily averts the threat of an in-person interview, which his lawyers have long resisted, while Mueller secures on-the-record statements whose accuracy the president will be expected to stand by for the duration of the investigation.

The responses may also help stave off a potential subpoena fight over Trump's testimony if Mueller deems them satisfactory. They represent the first time the president is known to have described to investigators his knowledge of key moments under scrutiny by prosecutors.

But investigators may still press for more information.

Mueller's team months ago presented Trump's legal team with dozens of questions they wanted to ask the president related to whether his campaign coordinated with the Kremlin to tip the 2016 election and whether he sought to obstruct the Russia probe by actions including the firing of former FBI Director James Comey. The investigators agreed to accept written responses to questions about potential Russian collusion and tabled, for the moment, obstruction-related inquiries.

President Donald Trump gestures as he walks to Marine One after speaking to media at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base en route to Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., and on to and onto Mar-a-Lago. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Mueller left open the possibility that he would follow up with additional questions on obstruction, though Trump's lawyers - who had long resisted any face-to-face interview - have been especially adamant that the Constitution shields him from having to answer any questions about actions he took as president.

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow offered no details on the current Q&A, saying merely that "the written questions submitted by the special counsel's office ... dealt with issues regarding the Russia-related topics of the inquiry. The president responded in writing." He said the legal team would not release copies of the questions and answers or discuss any correspondence it has had with the special counsel's office.

Another of Trump's lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, said the lawyers continue to believe that "much of what has been asked raised serious constitutional issues and was beyond the scope of a legitimate inquiry." He said Mueller's office had received "unprecedented cooperation from the White House," including about 1.4 million pages of materials.

"It is time to bring this inquiry to a conclusion," Giuliani said.

The president told reporters last week that he had prepared the responses himself.

Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired Sunday that he was unlikely to answer questions about obstruction, saying, "I think we've wasted enough time on this witch hunt and the answer is, probably, we're finished."

Trump joins a list of recent presidents who have submitted to questioning as part of a criminal investigation.

In 2004, President George W. Bush was interviewed by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's office during an investigation into the leaked identity of a covert CIA officer. In 1998, President Bill Clinton testified before a federal grand jury in independent counsel Ken Starr's Whitewater investigation.

"It's very extraordinary if this were a regular case, but it's not every day that you have an investigation that touches upon the White House," Solomon Wisenberg, a Washington lawyer who was part of Starr's team and conducted the grand jury questioning of Clinton, said of a prosecutor accepting written answers.

Mueller could theoretically still try to subpoena the president if he feels the answers are not satisfactory.

But Justice Department leaders, including acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker - who now oversees the investigation and has spoken pejoratively of it in the past - would have to sign off on such a move, and it's far from clear that they would. It's also not clear that Mueller's team would prevail if a subpoena fight reached the Supreme Court.

"Mueller certainly could have forced the issue and issued a subpoena, but I think he wants to present a record of having bent over backwards to be fair," Wisenberg said.

The Supreme Court has never directly ruled on whether a president can be subpoenaed to testify in a criminal case. Clinton was subpoenaed to appear before the Whitewater grand jury, but investigators withdrew the subpoena after he agreed to appear voluntarily.

Other cases involving Presidents Richard Nixon and Clinton have presented similar issues for the justices that could be instructive now.

In 1974, for instance, the court ruled that Nixon could be ordered to turn over subpoenaed recordings, a decision that hastened his resignation. The court in 1997 said Clinton could be questioned under oath in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones.

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HONG KONG (AP) - A U.S. aircraft carrier docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after a pair of American B-52 bombers flew over the disputed South China Sea.

The arrival of the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group in the Asian financial hub is being seen as a friendly gesture ahead of a planned meeting later this month between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. That will mark the first time they've sat down together since the start of a bitter trade war and amid tensions over the South China Sea.

China has demanded the U.S. cease military activity of all kind near its South China Sea island claims that it has been rapidly fortifying. The U.S. says it takes no stance on sovereignty claims, but will continue to sail and operate wherever international law permits.

In late September, a Chinese destroyer came close to the USS Decatur in the South China Sea in what the U.S. Navy called an "unsafe and unprofessional maneuver."

Asked to comment Wednesday on the incident, Rear Adm. Karl O. Thomas, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5, said the "vast majority of our interactions out there at sea are very professional."

"That was a rare, unusual occurrence," Thomas told reporters at a ship-board news conference. "In that particular case, the ship made some aggressive, continuing aggressive maneuvers and our ship warned them and had to maneuver to prevent a collision. It was unfortunate and I'd like to see that not happen again."

The U.S. Navy's USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is anchored In Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. The USS Reagan docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after a pair of American B-52 bombers flew over the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

The Navy said in a statement that during the Reagan's visit, interactions will take place with Hong Kong citizens through sports, community relations projects and tours of the carrier. More than 4,400 men and women are usually aboard the ship.

The Reagan's visit comes two months after China rejected a similar request by another U.S. Navy ship amid a spike in tensions between the countries' militaries.

And while the port call is seen as a positive for bilateral relations, other events this week point to the ongoing rivalry between the sides.

U.S. Pacific Air Forces said two B-52 bombers flew over the South China Sea on Monday, calling it a "routine training mission."

The B-52H Stratofortress bombers departed Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence operations that began in 2004, Pacific Air Forces said in a statement Wednesday.

"This recent mission is consistent with international law and United States' long-standing commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the statement said.

Also this week, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, reported that China had installed a new platform on Bombay Reef, a remote undeveloped feature in the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the reef.

The platform appears to be topped with a radome and solar panels, and its strategic location makes it likely it is intended to extend China's radar or signals intelligence collection in the area, the report said. Bombay Reef already has a lighthouse to serve as an aid to navigation.

Unlike China's large man-made islands created by piling sand on top of coral reefs, installing the modestly sized Bombay Reef platform did not require inflicting major environmental damage, CSIS said. However, that illustrates how easily China could expand its footprint to other features such as Scarborough Shoal, which it seized from the Philippines in 2012, it added.

Compared to dredging and reclamation, the installation of a modest platform would be "harder to prevent at the time and more difficult to rally international condemnation against after the fact," the report said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday at a daily news briefing in Beijing that he had no information about the details of the report, while reasserting China's claims to the island group it calls Xisha.

"The Paracel Islands are China's territory. This is indisputable. China's construction on its own territory is beyond reproach," Geng said.

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Bodeen reported from Beijing.

U.S. Rear Admiral Karl Thomas speaks on the deck of the U.S. Navy USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. The USS Reagan docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after a pair of American B-52 bombers flew over the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An American flag and Hong Kong flag are seen inside the U.S. Navy USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier In Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. The USS Reagan docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after a pair of American B-52 bombers flew over the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A China national flag is seen flying on the U.S. Navy USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. The USS Reagan docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after a pair of American B-52 bombers flew over the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump vastly inflated the value of planned Saudi investments in the U.S., as he explained why he's "standing with Saudi Arabia" despite the conclusion of his intelligence officials that the kingdom's de facto leader ordered the slaying of a U.S.-based journalist.

Trump on Tuesday cited a $110 billion arms package that he said is part of $450 billion in planned Saudi investments in the U.S. Actual orders under the arms deal are far smaller, and neither country has announced nor substantiated Trump's repeated assertion that the Saudis are poised to inject $450 billion overall into the U.S. economy.

Trump's economic argument was part of his case for deciding not to punish Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or cut arms sales to Saudi Arabia for the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate.

An official familiar with the U.S. intelligence assessment said the crown prince is considered responsible for ordering the murder; others familiar with the case believe the crown prince was involved in the killing but are not sure to what extent. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive intelligence findings publicly.

Although it's up to Trump whether to believe his officials' conclusions and whether to give primacy to the broad benefits of the U.S.-Saudi alliance, the economic pillar of his argument does not hold up.

A look at his words:

President Donald Trump greets supporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base and on to n route to Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

TRUMP: "After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great U.S. defense contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries - and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business."

THE FACTS: There's less than meets the eye to the arms package. Partly negotiated under the Obama administration, it mixes old deals, some new business and prospective purchases that have not been worked out.

The Pentagon said last month that Saudi Arabia had signed "letters of offer and acceptance" for only $14.5 billion in military purchases and confirmed Tuesday that nothing further has reached that stage.

Those letters, issued after the U.S. government approves a proposed arms sale, specify its terms. Much of that $14.5 billion involves a missile defense system, a contract that appears to have advanced more than other significant investments but not been completed.

Moreover, the State Department estimated last year that if the full $110 billion in prospective business is fulfilled, it could end up "potentially supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in the United States." That's a far cry from the 500,000 to 600,000 jobs that Trump has said the arms deal is worth.

Details of the package have been sketchy, with no public breakdown of exactly what was being offered for sale and for how much.

The government's Congressional Research Service has described the package as a combination of sales that were proposed by President Barack Obama and discussed with Congress and new sales still being developed.

"Very little has changed hands," says Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution and former CIA and Defense Department official.

Meanwhile, there has been no verification from either country that "the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States," as Trump put it in his statement. White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters did not respond to a request to explain the figure.

The U.S. exported only $16 billion in goods to Saudi Arabia last year and imported even more. Saudi Arabia's entire annual economic production is valued at $684 billion. A $450 billion Saudi investment in the U.S. would amount to about 6 percent of its entire economy going to the U.S. if spread, for example, over 10 years.

During the crown prince's visit to the U.S. in March, he spoke vaguely of the possibility of Saudi investment opportunities in the U.S. that could be worth $400 billion, saying, "A lot of things could be tackled in the close future," according to the Arabian Business website.

The U.S. earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in Khashoggi's death. Members of Congress want the U.S. to follow the lead of countries that have taken stronger action. Germany, for example, has banned new weapons exports to Saudi Arabia and halted previously approved arms exports.

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Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - She's cooked bean soup live and done laundry in public. She narrated much of what she calls "Congress camp" on Capitol Hill. We know what's in her bank account - less than $7,000 - and what she thinks of reviews of her clothing.

Such intimate details have kept Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's star on the rise since she upset Democratic veteran Joe Crowley in New York's June primary. By the time she takes her seat in the House on Jan. 3 as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, the 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez will have blazed a new, more public trail to Washington and literally shed light on the maze of Capitol Hill.

"Guys there are secret underground tunnels between all of these government buildings," she mock-whispers in one social media post.

The passageways are hardly secret, as she notes - everyone from tourists to reporters and lawmakers jostle through them. But they can be hard to follow, much like the twists and turns of congressional business. So Ocasio-Cortez is posting not just about mundane tasks at home, but also about her life as a congresswoman-elect. And even though her Instagram stories don't stay online for long, she intends to keep up the posts in an effort to "humanize our government."

"A lot of times we'll tune in to cable news or watch what's going on on TV and all we're reading about is bills and all we're reading about is legislation or the political dynamics," she said Monday night on MSNBC. "But I think it's really important that we actually show people that government is a real thing, that it's something that you can be a part of."

In her first week, Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist, did give a glimpse inside the power games of Congress when she appeared with protesters in the office of the woman fighting to become House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California. Pelosi, who had not yet won Ocasio-Cortez's support in the leadership fight, permitted the demonstration. Video of the event was posted to social media. Over the weekend, Ocasio-Cortez signaled she would vote for Pelosi for speaker.

FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2018, file photo, Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., talks with reporters following a photo opportunity on Capitol Hill in Washington, with the freshman class. Ocasio-Cortez seems to be everywhere. She's cooked soup, live on Instagram. She's done laundry in public. And she's clapped back at critics of her clothing and a misstatement. The New York Democrat, who at 29 is the youngest woman to be elected to Congress, says she's documenting her journey to Capitol Hill to lift some of the mystery of the place and make it, 'real.' (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

That episode and others offered clues to how Ocasio-Cortez and her social media practices fit into a national legislature that's slowly becoming younger, less male and more diverse. The approach Ocasio-Cortez is modeling - and the political world is studying - gives her a measure of control by communicating directly with constituents and responding to critics in close to real time.

"She knows how to navigate this space in a way that others don't," said Yvette Simpson, incoming CEO of Democracy for America, a progressive political action committee. Also, Simpson pointed out, "She's not accountable to that power structure" in Congress. "She's accountable to the group that put her there."

The Ocasio-Cortez approach carries risks. Every word she utters and writes will be scrutinized in the big arena of Congress and the 2020 re-election campaigns that have effectively already begun.

She's already gotten a taste of that scrutiny on policy, to which she is a newcomer compared to some in her class who were state legislators or staffers in previous administrations. Asked on PBS on July 13 about her views on capitalism considering the strong economy and the low unemployment rate, Ocasio-Cortez responded:

"We look at these figures and we say, oh, unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs."

Fact checkers pounced. Employed people are only counted once when the unemployment rate is determined - no matter how many jobs they hold. And the percentage of people working multiple jobs has fallen slightly since the mid-2000s, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There have been other tangles.

"People keep giving me directions to the spouse and intern events instead of the ones for members of Congress," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Nov. 14.

Questioned about that claim on Twitter, she reiterated that she'd been sent to an intern lunch and added: "Next time try believing women + people of color when they talk about their experiences being a woman or person of color."

Her high profile has come with criticism.

"If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside," she posted on Nov. 15, after a reporter posted just such a photo and questioned whether her clothing choice was that of a "girl who struggles." ''If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside."

Conservatives, too, questioned her claim that she can't pay rent in pricey Washington. A spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez said Tuesday that she has less than $7,000 in her bank account to get her through the first congressional payday in January. She and each rank-and-file member will make $174,000 a year.

Another spat ensued when Ocasio-Cortez misspoke and referred to "three chambers of government," rather than three branches. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican not immune to gaffes herself as John McCain's 2008 vice presidential running mate, tweeted that the congresswoman-elect had fumbled basic civics.

For now, Ocasio-Cortez posted that her appearance Monday night will be the last "before we go dark" to set up two congressional offices - one in New York and one in Washington. But even that announcement raised questions among her followers.

"Don't worry, I'll still be on insta, twitter, etc.," she reassured them.

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Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban have denied involvement in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital that killed at least 55 people.

Tuesday's attack, which targeted a gathering of hundreds of clerics at a wedding hall in Kabul, bore the hallmarks of a local Islamic State affiliate, which has carried out mass bombings targeting minority Shiites as well as perceived supporters of the U.S.-backed government.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said Wednesday that 55 people were killed and 94 others were wounded in the attack, updating a previous toll.

Both the Taliban and the IS affiliate want to overthrow the Afghan government and impose a harsh form of Islamic rule. But they are bitterly divided over leadership, ideology and tactics. The Taliban mainly target security forces and government officials, while IS specializes in sectarian attacks on civilians.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said late Tuesday his group condemns any attack on civilians or religious clerics.

The suicide bomber was able to sneak into a wedding hall where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

Inside of a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan, is seen Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, a day after a suicide attack. A suicide bomber was able to sneak into the wedding hall where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The Islamic State group claimed a suicide bombing in June that killed at least seven people and wounded 20 at a meeting of top clerics in the capital. The body of religious leaders, known as the Afghan Ulema Council, had issued a decree against suicide attacks and called for peace talks. IS said it had targeted "tyrant clerics" who were siding with the U.S.-backed government.

The Taliban denied involvement in the June attack but they also denounced the gathering.

Afghan security forces have struggled to combat the twin insurgencies since the U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission in 2014, shifting to a support and counterterrorism role. President Donald Trump's decision last year to send in additional U.S. forces has had little if any impact on the ground.

A wedding hall is seen in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, a day after a suicide attack. A suicide bomber was able to sneak into the wedding hall where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
CAIRO (AP) - Libyan authorities forcibly removed dozens of migrants who had barricaded themselves in a container ship in the port city of Misrata for the past 10 days after being picked up at sea.

The migrants had refused to disembark, saying Libya is too dangerous for them. They were attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe earlier this month when they were rescued at sea by a cargo ship, Nivin, that was already bound for Misrata.

Human Rights Watch said some migrants were taken to hospital late Tuesday while others were taken to a detention center in Misrata.

Libya's navy spokesman, Ayoub Jassem, said security forces boarded the ship after negotiations with the migrants failed to convince them to disembark voluntarily.

"Only 14 of at least 94 migrants agreed to leave the ship," he told The Associated Press. "Only six migrants were wounded in the operation and they were taken to a nearby hospital."

Libya was plunged into chaos after the 2011 uprising that toppled Moammar Gadhafi, and has since emerged as a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and seeking a better life in Europe. Rights groups say migrants face exploitation and abuse in Libya at the hands of smugglers and local militias.

FILE - In this fike photo provided Nov. 14, 2018, migrants on board the container ship Nivin are refusing to disembark in Misrata, Libya. Libyan authorities have forcibly removed dozens of migrants who had barricaded themselves in a container ship in the port city of Misrata for the past 10 days after being picked up at sea.(AP Photo, File)

In recent years, European countries have provided training and funds to Libyan authorities to reduce the hazardous sea crossings, which have claimed thousands of lives. But critics say those efforts leave the migrants trapped in Libya.

"This is the worst possible conclusion to the desperate plea of the people on board the Nivin to avoid inhuman detention in Libya," said Judith Sunderland, of HRW.

"The situation is the result of efforts by Italy and the European Union to obstruct rescue operations by non-governmental organizations and empower the Libyan coast guard even when Europe knows that Libya is not a safe place."

Human Rights Watch has urged Libyan authorities to "immediately allow United Nations and non-governmental personnel to visit the people removed from the cargo ship, find alternatives to their detention, and investigate the possible use of unlawful force."

The U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Libya, Maria Ribeiro, said in a statement Tuesday that the "humanitarian community is saddened by the turn of events."

"Their reluctance to leave the relative safety of the ship that rescued them from peril at sea is an understandable human reaction. ... It is regrettable that mediation efforts undertaken did not lead to a peaceful resolution," Ribeiro said.

The migrants had been in the Misrata port since earlier this month, with the captain and crew of the ship taking refuge on the upper decks.

With just one rescue ship patrolling the Mediterranean, and European ports refusing to take in rescued migrants, commercial ships have become increasingly leery of rescuing people at sea. Repeatedly in recent months, they have found themselves caught in the middle between governments hostile to new migrants and an obligation under international maritime law to save.

The United Nations migration agency says more than 850 migrants have died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean since the start of 2018, down from some 2,100 deaths during the same period in 2017. The agency estimates that more than 40,000 have reached Europe since January, compared to around 80,000 over the same period in 2017.
DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) - An American woman allegedly threw her 2-month-old daughter from a moving car on the tourist island of Bali and then tried to kill herself by jumping from the vehicle, Indonesian police said Wednesday.

South Denpasar police chief Nyoman Wiarajaya told a news conference that officers haven't been able to question Nicole Stasio because she is hospitalized in a severe state of depression.

A driver and guide who were with 32-year-old Stasio told police she jumped out of the car without warning Tuesday evening at an intersection in Denpasar and they were initially unaware of what had happened to the baby.

Villagers found the infant with severe injuries about a kilometer (less than a mile) from where Stasio leapt out of the vehicle. The baby died about seven hours later at the same hospital, Bali Mandara, where Stasio is being treated.

Wiarajaya said the woman, who was born in California, traveled to Bali with her parents in July. The parents stayed in Bali for about 10 days and Stasio gave birth on the island in September after her parents had left Indonesia.

"She refused to answer when they (the parents) asked about her baby's father," Wiarajaya said, quoting information from the driver and tour guide who accompanied the family since they arrived.

"But she gave the impression that she was unmarried and her family preferred that she give birth to a child abroad, like wanting to avoid something," he said.

The driver, Wayan Siaja, and the guide, Made Arimbawa, told police they had taken Stasio and her daughter to Bali's international airport on Tuesday evening but Stasio changed her mind about returning to the U.S. and told them to take her back to Ubud, a town popular with tourists for its traditional crafts and culture.

They said she sat silently in the car before the tragic events unfolded, according to Wiarajaya.
BERLIN (AP) - German police have conducted a large-scale anti-terror drill at Cologne-Bonn airport, in the west of the country, amid ongoing concerns about the threat posed by Islamic extremists.

Some 1,000 officers took part in the exercise early Wednesday, which took into account insight from attacks in neighboring Belgium and France to be as realistic as possible.

The scenario involved a group of extremists with military training seeking to cause as many civilian casualties as possible.

German news agency dpa reported that that drill involved a mix of regular police officers and special operations units, as well as 300 actors representing members of the public.

Two years ago, a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, an attack that claimed 12 lives.

In this Nov. 20, 2018 photo a man acting as a terrorist shoots a mock victim during an anti-terror exercise at the Cologne-Bonn-airport in Cologne, western Germany. About 1 000 police and rescue staff trained how to react on a terror attack in the so far biggest exercise on a German airport. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

In this Nov. 20, 2018 photo a police officer holds a training gun during an anti-terror exercise at the Cologne-Bonn-airport in Cologne, western Germany. About 1 000 police and rescue staff trained how to react on a terror attack in the so far biggest exercise on a German airport. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
BEIJING (AP) - A U.S. government report ahead of a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping accuses China of stepping up hacking aimed at stealing American technology as a tariff dispute escalated.

Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's report reflects U.S. skepticism and a possible source of new acrimony ahead of the meeting in Buenos Aires aimed at defusing the dispute companies worry will chill global economic growth.

The two sides have raised import duties on billions of dollars of each other's goods in the fight over U.S. complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology.

Chinese hacking efforts aimed at stealing American technology and trade secrets have "increased in frequency and sophistication" this year, said Lighthizer's report, issued Tuesday in Washington.

Asked about the report, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said U.S.-Chinese trade relations were "mutually beneficial" and it was "natural to have trade frictions."

"The key is to engage in dialogue and consultation on the issue based on mutual respect, equality and good faith," Geng said at a regular briefing.

FILE - In this Thursday, July 12, 2018, file photo, the container ship Maersk Emerald is unloaded at the Port of Oakland, Calif. A U.S. government report ahead of a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping accuses China of stepping up hacking aimed at stealing American technology as a tariff dispute escalated. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

Trump is pressing Beijing to roll back industry plans its trading partners say violate its market-opening obligations that Chinese leaders see as a path to prosperity and global influence.

Those include "Made in China 2025," which calls for state-led creation of Chinese champions in robotics and other fields.

American and Chinese officials have been talking in preparation for the Trump-Xi meeting and news reports say Bejiing has sent written proposals but no details have been released.

Beijing has tried without success to recruit France, Germany, Japan and other governments as allies against Trump. They dislike his tactics but echo U.S. complaints.

The European Union filed a challenge in the World Trade Organization in June to Chinese policies it said improperly limit the ability of foreign companies to control and profit from their technology.

"China fundamentally has not altered" its technology policy "and indeed appears to have taken further unreasonable actions," Lighthizer's report said.

Attacks by possible "Chinese state-sponsored entities" against companies in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other technologies increased since mid-2017, according to Lighthizer.

That include a "sharp rise" in hacking against manufacturers in the three months up to September - "a type of attack that has been frequently tied to Chinese economic espionage," Lighthizer said.

China is, along with the United States and Russia, regarded as a leading power in military cyber spying.

Xi agreed with Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, during a visit to the United States in 2015 to refrain from using military resources to steal commercial secrets. American officials have accused China of reneging on that agreement.

An indictment unsealed last month charges a Chinese intelligence officer with trying to steal technology from U.S. and European aerospace companies.

Lighthizer said China also has pressed ahead with improperly trying to acquire U.S. technology by covertly purchasing companies and other tactics.

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U.S. Trade Representative: ustr.gov
JERUSALEM (AP) - A senior Israeli Cabinet minister on Wednesday threatened to kill the leader of the militant Hamas movement ruling Gaza, vowing that another "large campaign" looms in which Israel will hit the militants hard.

Housing Minister Yoav Gallant, a former military general who commanded the Gaza region, said Hamas leader Yehiyeh Sinwar should "recalculate his route" before the next engagement.

"Yehiyeh Sinwar's time is limited. He will not end his life in an old folks' home," he said, at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference. "He has to behave himself."

Israel and Hamas recently stepped back from the brink of their fourth war in a decade thanks to an Egyptian cease-fire.

Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mortar shells into Israel last week in 24 hours, in response to a botched Israeli raid that left seven Palestinian militants and a senior Israeli officer dead. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes. Seven Palestinians, including five militants, were killed, while a Palestinian laborer working in Israel was killed by a Gaza rocket. It was the heaviest fighting since the 2014 Gaza war.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the time was not right for a wider confrontation in Gaza, but he has come under heavy criticism for agreeing to a cease-fire. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned in protest, accusing Netanyahu of being soft on terrorism, and another hard-line minister threatened to do the same - which would have sparked early elections - before backing down.

FILE - In this May 10, 2018 file photo, Yehiyeh Sinwar, the Hamas militant group's leader in the Gaza Strip, speaks to foreign correspondents, in his office in Gaza City. On Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, Yoav Gallant, a senior Israeli Cabinet minister threatened to kill Sinwar. Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference, Gallant said Wednesday that "Yehiyeh Sinwar's time is limited" and "he will not end his life in an old folks' home." He vowed there would be another Israeli campaign in Gaza and said Sinwar better "recalculate his route." (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

In the wake of the political crisis, and with early elections still a distinct possibility, ministers have begun talking tough about the next round of fighting.

"We are now close to a no-choice war against Hamas in Gaza. We must strike hard to restore deterrence," Intelligence Minister Israel Katz told the conference. "Any attack on Israeli soil must be met with a tough response ... if Sinwar or (Hamas political chief Ismail) Haniyeh were to fire a bullet or a rocket at a soldier or Israeli citizens they will pay with their heads."

Israel assassinated Hamas leaders Ahmad Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in 2004, and tried to kill another leader, Khaled Mashaal, in 1997. The killing of senior members of the group has had no discernable impact on its operations or ideology.

Hamas has staged near-weekly border protests since March in an effort to lift the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed after the Islamic militant group seized control of the coastal strip in 2007. The blockade has ravaged Gaza's economy, and Israel refuses to lift it unless Hamas disarms, a demand rejected by militant group, which is pledged to Israel's destruction.

Demonstrators each week have approach the border fence, throwing firebombs, grenades and burning tires at Israeli troops. Israeli snipers have killed about 170 people, most of them unarmed. Israel says it is defending its border against attackers, but it has come under heavy international criticism for shooting unarmed people.

"Nobody wants war in Gaza now. It will be very damaging for everyone," said Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. "I hope we can step back from this terrible cycle where every Friday we are wondering if we will go to war or not."
PARIS (AP) - France's rugby players will wear rainbow laces on their boots for Saturday's match against Fiji in support of former Wales captain Gareth Thomas, who was the victim of an anti-gay assault last weekend.

Serge Simon, the vice president of the French Rugby Federation, wrote on Twitter that "all of French rugby is with you regarding the homophobic molestation you've been victim of."

The 44-year-old Thomas, who announced in 2009 that he is gay, played for French club for Toulouse from 2004-07 and helped the team become European champion in 2005.

Police in Cardiff said a 16-year-old boy has admitted to assaulting Thomas on Saturday. Thomas spoke about the incident in a video he recorded and had bruises on his face.

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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
BOSILEGRAD, Serbia (AP) - As a little girl in a wheelchair in Iran, Mahana Jami used to watch children playing on a slide and wonder why she couldn't do the same. She made a promise to herself - to always dream big and never let her disability stand in the way.

Many years later, as a 34-year-old woman, Jami is now pursuing a dream of life in a free country somewhere in the West where her disability is recognized and accommodated - and the chance to scale the world's tallest towers using only her arms.

Jami's journey started when she left Iran, first to go to Turkey and then to Serbia, in hopes of eventually moving to a democratic and prosperous Western nation where she believes disabled women enjoy more rights and opportunities than in her native country.

She has since joined thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Africa or Asia who are stuck in the Balkans as they try to reach the wealthy member states of the European Union.

Most migrants are in camps or sleeping in the open throughout the region, with concerns mounting over the situation as the tough Balkan winter approaches. Serbia's EU neighbors Hungary and Croatia have been turning migrants back - Hungary has erected two rows of barbed-wire fence along its southern border while Croatian police routinely face accusations of violence against migrants, which they have denied.

Jami is currently staying in a small, government-run center in Bosilegrad, a remote mountain town in southeastern Serbia, on the border with Bulgaria. Jami's husband and adopted son are also there.

In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, Mahana Jami, 34, center, talks on the phone while inside a government run camp for refugees and migrants in Bosilegrad, some 250 kilometers southeast of Belgrade, Serbia. As a little girl in a wheelchair in Iran, Jami used to watch other children play on a slide and wondered why she couldn't do the same. She then made a promise to herself to always dream big and never let her disability stand in the way. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

Motivated rather than limited by her disability - her legs were paralyzed by polio - Jami has always been a fighter. She has earned a master's degree in chemistry; tested her boundaries with swimming and weight-lifting; and broken records by climbing nearly 2,000 steps of Tehran's landmark Milad Tower in 2013, pulling her body up by her arms.

Her decision to try to seek more freedom and opportunities in the West reflects hopes harbored by many migrants who are ready to endure hardship and wait for months, sometimes years, for a chance to fulfil their dreams.

"I always wanted to be a girl who walks down the red carpet and is capable of making her dreams come true," Jami told the Associated Press in an interview. "A girl who can turn her dreams into memories, in every sense of the word."

Full of hope and anticipation, Jami smiled broadly while showing the visitors her many certificates of excellence from Iran. Carefully made up and elegantly dressed, Jami appealed to world governments and organizations to help her receive the medical care she needs and raise her above the limitations she said Iran has imposed on her.

"I am not a war refugee. I am not a Syrian or Iraqi. But the war I had to fight in Iran to make myself recognized was harder than any (other) war," she said. "I want to go from here to a country where I am understood and my legal rights can be granted to me."

Jami came to Serbia in a surge of arrivals from Iran after the two countries introduced visa-free travel for each other's citizens last year. Serbia recently abolished the deal under pressure from the EU.

Migration remains a source of division within the EU, although the numbers of people moving to the West have dropped dramatically since the mass influx in 2015 when about 1 million migrants entered Europe. Anti-migrant sentiments have been on the rise and countries like Austria and Hungary have announced they will not support next month a U.N.-backed global pact for orderly and safe migration.

Jami, though, is undeterred by narrowing options for migrants, and seems certain she will eventually succeed. She speaks with enthusiasm about her plans to conquer seven of the world's best-known tall buildings, including the Empire State Building in New York and Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

"When I was a child, it was my dream to climb up the steps of a slide and I never could do that," she recalled. "The question 'Why can't I?' was a driving force for me."

Now, Jami said, "the world's tallest towers fill my dreams every night and I hand-walk their stairs in my sleep."

Jami's eyes filled with tears as she spread out a T-shirt with a drawing on one side depicting her as a girl looking at a children's slide from a wheelchair and the seven towers on the other.

"Every morning when I wake up I wait for someone to have faith in me and help me along the path of realizing my dreams," she said. "I am sure this will happen."

In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, Mahana Jami, 34, center, talks to friends inside a government run camp for refugees and migrants in Bosilegrad, some 250 kilometers southeast of Belgrade, Serbia. As a little girl in a wheelchair in Iran, Jami used to watch other children play on a slide and wondered why she couldn't do the same. She then made a promise to herself to always dream big and never let her disability stand in the way. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, Mahana Jami, 34, gets help to get up the steps inside a government run camp for refugees and migrants in Bosilegrad, some 250 kilometers southeast of Belgrade, Serbia. As a little girl in a wheelchair in Iran, Jami used to watch other children play on a slide and wondered why she couldn't do the same. She then made a promise to herself to always dream big and never let her disability stand in the way. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, Mahana Jami, 34, inside a government run camp for refugees and migrants in Bosilegrad, some 250 kilometers southeast of Belgrade, Serbia. As a little girl in a wheelchair in Iran, Jami used to watch other children play on a slide and wondered why she couldn't do the same. She then made a promise to herself to always dream big and never let her disability stand in the way. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
TOKYO (AP) - The Latest on the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, the Nissan chairman and Renault CEO (all times local):

7:10 p.m.

France's finance minister says Renault's new temporary leadership will ensure the carmaker functions efficiently after the arrest in Japan of its CEO, Carlos Ghosn, for alleged misuse of assets at Nissan, where is also chairman.

Speaking Wednesday, Bruno Le Maire said: "this governance is strong and this governance guarantees the good functioning of the Renault company, which is a flagship we are deeply attached to."

Le Maire noted Philippe Lagayette took over the administrative council presidency and Thierry Bollore is the new deputy CEO.

Le Maire said he asked Nissan to provide "all the elements" involved in the case against Ghosn, and that currently France doesn't have "any evidence justifying the charges."

In this Friday, April 20, 2018, photo, Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn speaks during an interview in Hong Kong. Ghosn, who became one of the auto industry's most powerful executives by engineering a turnaround at the Japanese manufacturer, was arrested Monday and will be fired for allegedly underreporting his income and misusing company funds, the automaker said. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Le Maire added he would receive Japanese Economy Minister Hiroshige Seko Thursday.

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1:00 p.m.

France's Renault says it has decided to keep its CEO Carlos Ghosn on despite his arrest in Japan on allegations that he misused assets of partner Nissan Motor Co. and misreported his income.

Renault's board of directors announced late Tuesday that the No. 2 at the company, Thierry Bollore, would temporarily fill in for Ghosn.

The French automaker said it would further consolidate its alliance with Nissan. The two automakers have a partnership, also, with smaller automaker Mitsubishi Motor Corp.

There was no update Wednesday in Tokyo from prosecutors on Ghosn's case, and no public word from Ghosn himself. It was unclear where he was being held.

The Japanese and French governments have confirmed their support for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, the industry leader with 10.6 million vehicles sold in 2017.

FILE - In this Feb.16, 2018 file photo, French car maker Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn, right, and his new deputy Thierry Bollore pose for photographers after the presentation of the company 2017 at the headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, outside Paris. Renault's board of directors says that Ghosn will remain as chairman and CEO of the carmaker even though he is detained in Japan for alleged misuse of Nissan assets. The board on Tuesday Nov.20, 2018, however, tapped the carmaker's No. 2, Thierry Bollore, to fill in for Ghosn while he's "temporarily incapacitated."(AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

A woman walks near the residential building which is believed to house the residence of Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. Ghosn will remain chairman and CEO of Renault despite being detained in Japan on allegations he misused assets of partner Nissan Motor Co. and under-reported millions of dollars in income. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian police said Wednesday that four tourists from Finland have been arrested for distributing Christian materials at public places on a resort island.

The police chief of Langkawi island, Mohamad Iqbal Ibrahim, said the two women and two men were detained Tuesday at their hotel after police received complaints about them. He said police seized 47 pens with Bible verses and 336 notebooks containing texts from the Bible.

Police obtained a court order Wednesday to hold the four, including a married couple, for seven days while they are investigated.

Mohamad Iqbal said the Finns, aged between 27 and 60, arrived in Langkawi on Sunday and planned to leave Thursday. He said they are being investigated for allegedly causing disharmony and violating their visa status.

Proselytizing of Muslims by members of other religions is forbidden in Malaysia, although the reverse is allowed. Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 31 million people, are also not legally permitted to change religion.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry confirmed that four of its nationals have been detained in Malaysia, but declined to give details.

Finnish news agency STT reported that one of those detained belongs to Joosua Missio, a Finnish Christian youth group known for promoting healthy lifestyles and touring the Nordic country's music festivals with their own "Finland to Jesus" bus.

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Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this story.
PARIS (AP) - A second person has died in France amid nationwide protests against fuel tax hikes that saw hundreds injured and key roads paralyzed by demonstrations.

The French Interior Ministry sent its "sincere condolences" in a Wednesday statement to the family and friends of a motorcyclist killed in an accident near a dam Monday in the southeastern Drome region. The ministry did not give details about how he was killed.

A protester was killed in a road accident Saturday as more than a quarter million French drivers blocked roads.

Scattered protests continued into their fifth day Wednesday on roads across France by drivers dubbed "yellow jackets" for the neon vests they sport.

The Interior Ministry condemned the violence that has led to 552 wounded protesters and 95 wounded police officers.

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Protesters called the "yellow Jackets" face riot police officers as they block a crossroads to protest against the rising of the fuel and oil prices, in Fos-sur-Mer, southern France, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. The protests reflect broader frustration at President Emmanuel Macron, whose government is sticking to the fuel tax rise as part of efforts to clean up the environment. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) - Cameroon's military has freed nine children and their teacher who had been kidnapped by gunmen Tuesday from a school in Kumba, in the country's restive English-speaking South West region, a military official said Wednesday.

Armed gunmen abducted the students from Lords Bilingual School Tuesday morning, according to Nto'ou Ndong Chamberlin, senior divisional officer for the Meme Division where Kumba is located.

"Two of the terrorists were killed yesterday and two others early today," Chamberlin said, adding that the military destroyed their camp. When the military came in, the kidnappers fled, abandoning the children, he said. Others are on the run and wounded.

The military found three of the children in the bush late Tuesday and six others with their teacher Wednesday. The teacher was wounded in crossfire shooting between the military and the gunmen, Chamberlin said. She is now being treated in the hospital in Kumba.

As for the children, Chamberlin said "All of them are strong and healthy and have been handed over to their families."

The kidnapping comes more than two weeks after 79 students and three staff were kidnapped from their school in the neighboring North West region. They were ultimately released.

A parent, Mosima Brenda, questioned if her child should continue going to school in the troubled region.

"I am still thinking if my child should again go to school in the crisis-prone town or not. I think it is high time we sent him to a more secured town in the French-speaking region," she said.

The latest unrest in Cameroon's North West and South West regions began in 2016, when English-speaking teachers and lawyers staged demonstrations calling for reforms, criticizing what they called the marginalization of the Anglophone population, which accounts for about one-fifth of Cameroon's 25 million people.

Violence increased after factions of separatists armed themselves following a government clampdown on protests in 2017. Armed separatists have vowed to destabilize the regions and hundreds of civilians have been killed and dozens of schools have been burned and teachers threatened. They are demanding the formation of an independent state they call Ambazonia.
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister accused senior Muslim community leaders on Wednesday of "continuing down a path of denial" after they refused an invitation to a meeting to discuss the threat posed by Islamic extremists.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's tweeted response to the Islamic leaders' request for a postponement of Thursday's meeting adds to friction with the Muslim world sparked by his proposal last month to move the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Morrison has denied a widely held view that the Jerusalem proposal was aimed at domestic political gain amid a debate over levels of Muslim immigration.

"The meeting is going ahead with those who want to deal with this issue seriously rather than look the other way," Morrison said.

"Some have chosen to publicly boycott this meeting. Continuing down a path of denial only lets their communities down," he added.

It was not clear who would attend the meeting representing Muslims, who account for 3 percent of the Australian population, which is majority Christian.

Morrison called the meeting after a Muslim extremist fatally stabbed a man and injured two others in downtown Melbourne on Nov. 9 before police shot the assailant dead.

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2017, file photo, Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison speaks during a press conference in Beijing, China. Morrison has accused senior Muslim community leaders of "continuing down a path of denial" after they refused an invitation to a meeting to discuss the threat posed by Islamic extremists. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Some Australian Muslims were critical when Morrison later said that "radical, violent, extremist Islam" posed the greatest threat to Australia's national security.

They felt the wider Muslim community had been blamed when Morrison said Islamic leaders "must be proactive, they must be alert and they must call this out."

Muslims Australia, a national umbrella group, said on Wednesday that Islamic state councils had called for the meeting to be postponed because it had been called in haste, no agenda had been provided and Morrison had failed to respond to concerns they raised in a Nov. 12 letter.

Grand Mufti Mohamed Abdalla, Australia's most senior Muslim cleric, was among the religious leaders who signed a statement accusing government ministers of inferring that the Muslim community "is collectively culpable for the criminal actions of individuals" in comments that have "alienated large segments of the Muslim community."

The statement was also signed by Ghaith Krayem, chief executive of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, who told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Wednesday that "I would encourage the prime minister not to engage on serious matters on twitter."

"We are genuinely committed to be engaged with government, but it has to be a genuine process," Krayem said. "The causes of terrorism is a complex issue."

On Tuesday, three men were charged with planning an Islamic State group-inspired mass-casualty attack in Melbourne which would likely have happened over the busy Christmas period. Police said the plot had been thwarted with the arrests.
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. TRUMP DEFIANT OVER SAUDI NON-ACTION

In not punishing Riyadh over a journalist's killing, the president makes clear that good relations with the kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered the killing and sparks heavy bipartisan criticism in Congress.

2. TRUMP DIRECTLY COOPERATES FOR 1ST TIME IN MUELLER PROBE

The president provides the special counsel's office with written answers to questions about his knowledge of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

3. WHO INTERPOL ELECTED AS PRESIDENT

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before leaving the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, to travel to Florida, where he will spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

South Korea's Kim Jong Yang edges out a longtime veteran of Russia's security services strongly opposed by the U.S., Britain and other European nations.

4. MALNUTRITION LEADS TO STAGGERING DEATH TOLL IN YEMEN

An international aid group says an estimated 85,000 children under age 5 may have died of hunger and disease since the outbreak of civil war in 2015.

5. CHINA'S VISION FOR ETHNIC UNITY SHOWS CRACKS

There are no mosques in sight for Uighur Muslims in a village in China's Xinjiang region and Han Chinese and Uighur residents do not mix socially, AP finds.

6. FEDS SCRUTINIZE STUDENT LOAN PROVIDER

Navient may have driven tens of thousands of borrowers struggling with their debts into high-cost repayment plans, a government audit finds.

7. NISSAN CHAIRMAN TO REMAIN HELD

Carlos Ghosn will be detained for another 10 days following his arrest on suspicion of falsifying income reports by millions of dollars and misusing company assets for personal gain, reports say.

8. WHAT COULD HELP, HAMPER WILDFIRES FIGHT

Rain in the forecast could aid crews battling California's deadly blazes while raising the risk of flash floods and complicating efforts to recover remains of those killed.

9. WHERE INVESTORS ARE PUTTING THEIR MONEY

Since stocks began tumbling two months ago, investors have been buying shares in utilities, everyday products and other stocks less volatile than the rest of the exchange.

10. 'MAYBE I WILL GO'

Trump hints that he might attend next year's White House Correspondents Dinner now that the event is no longer featuring a comedian.

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2018, file, photo, a severely malnourished boy rests on a hospital bed at the Aslam Health Center, Hajjah, Yemen. An estimated 85,000 children under age 5 may have died of hunger and disease since the outbreak of Yemen's civil war in 2015, an international aid group said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed, File)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea's decision to dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels has thrown fuel on the diplomatic fire between the countries, who have a bitter wartime history.

The announcement Wednesday was expected as many South Koreans believe that Seoul's previous conservative government settled for far too less in the 2015 deal, and that Japan still hasn't acknowledged legal responsibility for atrocities during its colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Japan, meanwhile, is angry that South Korea is effectively walking back on an internationally recognized agreement.

A look at the intensifying dispute between South Korea and Japan:

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THE WOMEN

A statue of a girl representing thousands of Korean women enslaved for sex by Japan's imperial forces before and during World War II, is seen as participants hold signs reading "Reconciliation and Healing Foundation" during a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

The women forced to work in the brothels were mainly from Japan and Korea, but also from the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Indonesia and elsewhere in Asia. They were sent to hundreds of front-line brothels called "comfort stations" to provide sex for the Japanese army that invaded and occupied Asian countries from the early 1930s through the end of World War II.

Wartime documents show that Japan's military supervised the brothels, and set the tariffs, service hours and hygiene standards. Government documents say the purpose was to keep soldiers from raping women and triggering anti-Japan sentiment, as well as preventing venereal disease and Chinese espionage.

Initially, some were professionals or from poor Japanese families, historians say. In South Korea, they were often deceived by local agents who recruited them promising factory work. Later in the war, many minors in the Philippines were kidnapped, raped or tricked into working in the brothels, some victims said.

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JAPAN'S STANCE

Japan's government has repeatedly denied there was any coercion, and more recently has refused to use the term "sex slave" for the women in English media and U.N. documents.

Japan has intensified its stance in recent years, especially under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nationalist government, which says there is no official record showing the wartime government's systematic use of coercion. Some ultra-right-wing lawmakers say the South Korean women forced to work in the brothels were all prostitutes, and there is increasing bashing of supporters of the survivors, as well as journalists for writing stories about them.

The issue flared in 2014 after a former reporter from Japan's left-leaning Asahi newspaper was accused of fabricating his report on the first South Korean survivor who came forward, leading to defamation lawsuits still pending in Japan.

Statues honoring the victims erected in the U.S. and elsewhere by South Korean groups have also upset the Japanese government.

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THE WOMEN'S DEMANDS

The former victims have demanded compensation and an apology from Japan's government. Japan in 1995 set up the semi-government Asian Women's Fund, a scheme to finance compensatory projects for victims from across Asia, including South Koreans.

In all, the fund paid nearly 5 billion yen ($44.2 million) for medical and welfare projects for all the recognized women from across Asia, including 61 South Koreans. But many others in South Korea rejected the fund because of pressure from their support group's policy to keep demanding official compensation.

Estimates by historians for the total number of victims range from 20,000 to 200,000. In South Korea, about 240 women came forward and registered with the government as victims, and only 27 of them are still alive.

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THE 2015 DEAL

Under the agreement reached in December 2015, Japan pledged to fund a Seoul-based foundation to help support the victims. However, Japan said it didn't consider the 1 billion yen it provided to the fund as compensation, insisting that all wartime compensation issues were settled in a 1965 treaty that restored diplomatic ties between the countries and was accompanied by more than $800 million in economic aid and loans from Tokyo to Seoul.

South Korea, in exchange, vowed to refrain from criticizing Japan over the issue and will try to resolve a Japanese grievance over a statue of a girl representing victims of sexual slavery that sits in front of the Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul.

The deal initially described by Seoul and Tokyo as "final and irreversible" turned out to be anything but. Many victims refused payment. Anti-Japan activists rallied furiously, accusing the government of former conservative President Park Geun-hye of "selling away" the honor and dignity of the aging victims. College students began camping out in the street across the embassy to protect the statue from potential attempts to remove it. A 64-year-old Buddhist monk died after setting himself on fire to protest the deal in January 2017.

Japan expressed anger that South Korea didn't taken specific steps to remove the statue and similar monuments in other places in the country, insisting there has been a clear understanding to do so.

Liberal South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who won office in May last year following Park's removal from office over a corruption scandal, said in December 2017 that the 2015 agreement was seriously flawed because Park's government failed to properly communicate with the victims before reaching the deal.

___

HISTORICAL ISSUES

The legacy of sexual slavery is hardly the only issue of contention between South Korea and Japan.

The countries are at odds over a ruling by Seoul's Supreme Court last month that a major Japanese steelmaker should compensate four South Koreans for forced labor during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II.

Seoul has also expressed resentment about Tokyo's territorial claims over the disputed eastern islands occupied by South Korea. Japan last month refused to send a warship to an international fleet review hosted by South Korea after Seoul requested the removal of the Japanese navy's "rising sun" flag, which many South Koreans see as a symbol of Japan's wartime aggression.

Seoul and Tokyo's bitter disputes over history have complicated Washington's efforts to strengthen trilateral cooperation to deal with North Korea's nuclear threat and China's growing influence in the region. Japan has also expressed wariness over South Korea's outreach to rival North Korea in past months, stressing the need to maintain pressure until the North takes concrete steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons and missiles.

"The Moon government is trying to maintain a two-track approach - cooperating with Tokyo on security and economic issues, but firmly responding to issues surrounding history and territorial claims," said Bong Young-shik, an analyst at Seoul's Yonsei University.

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Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.

Participants tear papers reading "Reconciliation and Healing Foundation" and "2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan" during a weekly rally against Japanese government near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. South Korea said Wednesday it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

FILE - In this Dec. 28, 2017, file photo, a statue representing sex slaves is seen near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea says it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, it will take legal steps to dissolve the foundation. The letters read "Nullity". (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2015 file photo, college students hold portraits of the deceased former South Korean sex slaves who were forced to serve for the Japanese military in World War II, and lit candles during a rally against Japanese government in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea says it will dissolve a foundation funded by Japan to compensate South Korean women who were forced to work in Japan's World War II military brothels. Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, it will take legal steps to dissolve the foundation. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)
ROME (AP) - Italian authorities have arrested an Egyptian man accused of supporting the Islamic State and planning go to fight himself, saying he used social media chats to spread jihadist propaganda.

Police said Wednesday that another Egyptian was ordered expelled from Italy, the latest in the more than 300 suspected jihadist sympathizers kicked out as national security threats since 2015. A third Egyptian was being sought.

Police said the suspect arrested Wednesday was 22-year-old Issam Elsayed Elsayed Abouelayem Shalabi, identified as the group's leader. He was accused of association with the aim of international terrorism and instigation of terrorist acts. Police said Shalabi, a onetime McDonald's cleaner, used the Telegram app to share IS videos and a claim of responsibility for a July IS attack in Tajikistan that killed four western cyclists.
Yorgos Lanthimos' "The Favourite," a wicked blast of nasty fun, gleefully dispenses with the usual decorum of the period drama to free its powerhouse trio of actresses - Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz - in a deliciously performed romp through the wigs and corsets of 18th century British aristocracy.

That the acting - and that includes the spectacular supporting player Nicolas Hoult, too, as Tory leader Robert Harley - should be such a feast in Lanthimos' latest is a surprise. His earlier films ("The Lobster," ''The Killing of a Sacred Deer," ''Dogtooth") were intentionally performed in a flat, emotionless manner that seldom rose above an awkward monotone.

But the brisker "The Favourite" is, to a degree, a departure for Lanthimos who this time is working from a script by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara instead of his usual collaborator, Efthimis Filippou. "The Favourite" is no less vicious or pitiless than their previous films, nor does Lanthimos (surprise, surprise) find the customs of early 1700s English royals any less grotesque than the contemporary norms he's so savagely satirized before.

Yet "The Favourite," a kind of "All About Eve" translated into a triangular power struggle in Queen Anne's court, is indeed a riot, albeit a frigid and disquieting one. And it's not just because Lanthimos favors anachronism over historical accuracy. (Both modern-day slang and dance moves make cameos.) It's the pleasure of seeing three of the finest actresses weave between one another in ever more absurd acts of seduction and betrayal.

In a rickety and crowded carriage, we arrive in Queen Anne's court with Abigail (Stone), a distant relative of the queen who, having been lost by her father in a game of cards, has slipped out of the nobility. She's desperate to restore her standing with a position in the royal household, and after initially being sent to scrub floors, the Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Weisz), takes her on a chambermaid.

Our glimpses of Abigail's so-called "diminished circumstances" (including more than one face-first pushes into the mud) are vivid enough to earn our sympathies and warrant her increasingly cold-blooded tactics for elevation. In one of many such transactional exchanges, Abigail allows a more high-born man into her chamber at night and asks if he's there to rape her or seduce her. "I'm a gentleman," he defensively protests. "Rape then," she matter-of-factly replies.

This image released by Fox Searchlight Films shows Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, right, in a scene from the film "The Favourite." (Atsushi Nishijima/Fox Searchlight Films via AP)

Through cunning, blackmail and flattery, Abigail soon has the ear of Queen Anne (Colman), not to mention her bed, a newfound status at odds with the queen's previous confidante and lover, Sarah. Weisz's duchess is using her position with the queen to extend the war with France, and her methods of manipulation are far more aggressively controlling. But they are also more straightforward than Abigail's hollow appeasements. In one scene, Sarah deters Anne from a meeting with the prime minister by holding up a mirror to her make-up-caked face: "You look like a badger." As Abigail emerges as a rival, Sarah, icy and formidable, doesn't shy away from the fight. "I have a thing for the weak," she says.

Through wide-angled and fish-eye lenses Lanthimos tracks the three-sided drama, pulling it toward its most primal expressions. These characters may live in lavish opulence but beneath their powdered faces they are primitive and power hungry. So Lanthimos lingers on a surreal slow-motion duck race down a palace hall and the agony of Anne's gout, scored with an eerie single piano note and a scratchy violin.

Much of "The Favourite" is caustically clever but it's Colman who elevates it to something magnificent. Her Anne is a glorious and sad ruin of a queen, a woman wrecked by time and heartache. (She keeps 18 bunnies, one for each child that didn't live.) Her interest in keeping up with her royal duties has comically disintegrated. In her flowing gowns, she's like a puddle. Weepy and lonely, she's torn between her suitors.

With its spurts of violence, splashes of blood and cynical sexual encounters, "The Favourite" is, oddly enough, about love. In their opposite ways, Sarah and Abigail offer a melancholy dichotomy: Love is either flattery and false, or honest and abusive.

In other words, the only true love is telling someone they look like a badger.

"The Favourite," a Fox Searchlight release, is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language. Running time: 120 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

___

MPAA Definition of PG: Restricted. Children under 17 require accompanying parent or adult guardian

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released by Fox Searchlight Films shows Olivia Colman in a scene from the film "The Favourite." (Atsushi Nishijima/Fox Searchlight Films via AP)

This image released by Fox Searchlight shows Emma Stone, left, and Rachel Weisz in a scene from "The Favourite." (Yorgos Lanthimos/Fox Searchlight via AP)

This image released by Fox Searchlight shows Rachel Weisz in a scene from "The Favourite." (Yorgos Lanthimos/Fox Searchlight via AP)
HONOLULU (AP) - Honolulu police arrested mixed martial arts fighter Arnold Berdon on charges of attempted murder after he allegedly punched his wife and fellow fighter in the head, face and ribs, fracturing her eye socket.

His wife, Rachael Ostovich Berdon, filed a request for a temporary restraining order alleging he punched her on Sunday after a night out with family. She said she fell to the ground, gasped for air and escaped through a balcony. The 27-year-old said she coughed up blood and threw up several times.

Her representative, Brian Butler-Au, posted on social media that Ostovich Berdon won't compete in a UFC bout against Paige VanZant scheduled for Jan. 19 because of her injuries.

Berdon, 27, was in custody Wednesday after turning himself in the day before. Police declined to make him available for comment. His attorney's name was not immediately available.

Ostovich Berdon's petition said he also hit her in May, when he repeatedly punched her thighs and left her with bruises.

A judge granted the restraining order that prohibits Berdon from approaching both Ostovich Berdon and the couple's daughter, who is about 5 years old.

A photo provided by the Honolulu Police Department shows Arnold Berdon III. Honolulu police arrested Berdon, a mixed martial arts fighter, on charges of attempted murder Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018 after he allegedly punched his wife and fellow fighter, Rachael Ostovich-Berdon, in the head, face and ribs, fracturing her eye socket. (Honolulu Police Department via AP)

Butler-Au said Ostovich Berdon was home from the hospital and will be returning for checkups on the fracture to her orbital bone. He said the family is asking for privacy while they "sort through" what's happened.

Butler-Au said some people have accused Ostovich Berdon's team of downplaying the incident, but he said that's not the case. He said they're trying to be sensitive to the daughter's situation.

"The daughter wasn't there, but obviously the daughter has a father. And that's Arnold. And now Arnold has got to own up to, pay the consequences for, what he did," he said by telephone from China, where he's visiting for a UFC event.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Canada's federal government said Wednesday it is stepping in to help the struggling Canadian media industry with new tax credits and incentives.

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said that the package is worth nearly $600 million Canadian (US$453 million) over the next five years. Details of the program won't be available until the next federal budget.

Most of the expense will be for a new tax credit for media organizations to support the labor costs of producing original news content. A temporary tax credit will also be created for subscribers to digital news media sites.

Non-profit media organizations will also be allowed to apply for charitable status. That will enable them to issue tax receipts for donations.

"To protect the vital role that independent news media play in our democracy and in our communities, we will be introducing measures to help support journalism in Canada," Morneau said in Parliament.

John Honderich, chair of Torstar Corp., which owns the Toronto Star and a number of other newspapers as well as a share of The Canadian Press, said he is encouraged by the proposals.

"They should significantly help the media sector as it transforms to a sustainable digital future," he said in a statement.

More than 250 news outlets in Canada have closed in the last 10 years and newspaper revenues alone are down as much as 40 percent since 2012.

Opposition Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre said his party would never endorse assistance for journalism. The Conservatives believe government help for journalists interferes with press freedom and Poilievre said the government is choosing who gets to sit on a panel that will ultimately decide which news organizations survive and which don't.
BOSTON (AP) - When Sara Watson's partner got pregnant with their son through in vitro fertilization, they were overjoyed. Then the fear came.

They weren't married, so Watson had no legal rights as Eli's parent even though her eggs were used to conceive him with donor sperm. If the worst happened, Watson wondered, would she even be able to bring their baby home from the hospital?

"There was this possibility that if something were to happen to Anna, my son could end up in foster care and I hadn't done anything wrong," Watson said from their home in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Three years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide , a patchwork of outdated state laws governing who can be a legal parent presents obstacles for many LGBTQ couples who start a family, lawyers say.

But things are beginning to change. A simple hospital form that has long been off limits to same-sex couples because it only had room for the "mother" and "father" are now gender-neutral in some states. That means same-sex partners in Massachusetts, Vermont and Nevada - and soon in California and Washington state - can quickly and easily secure their parental rights with the form rather than having to spend thousands of dollars in court to get an adoption.

"Kids need to be secured to their parents and we're not getting the job done right now," said Patience Crozier, an attorney with GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. "Some states are and that's incredibly powerful and we need to keep moving in that direction," Crozier said.

In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, photo, Anna Ford, left, and her partner, Sara Watson, play with their son Eli at home in the village of Saunderstown, in Narragansett, R.I. Three years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, a patchwork of outdated state laws governing who can be a legal parent presents obstacles for many LGBTQ couples who start a family, lawyers say. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Since the 2015 gay marriage ruling, same-sex couples have won some big legal victories in the arena of parental rights, like when the high court ordered Arkansas to list both same-sex spouses on their children's birth certificates last year.

But differing state laws still means same-sex partners who didn't give birth can be a legal parent at home but a legal stranger to their child if they move or go on a trip, lawyers say. And the situation is even more complicated for unmarried LGBTQ couples who have children.

To guarantee their parental rights are protected across the country, many advocates encourage same-sex partners to go through with second-parent adoptions, even if they're married and both their names are on the birth certificate. Without an adoption, the partner who didn't give birth to the child can find themselves in a lengthy and costly custody dispute if the couple breaks up or something happens to the biological mother, lawyers say.

Adoptions, however, can cost thousands of dollars and take months. And many couples choose not to because they view it as invasive and offensive that they would have to adopt their own child, said Cathy Sakimura, deputy director and family law director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

"For a lot of couples that are less well-off, they just don't bother to do it and if there is a break up or a dispute or whatever, the non-biological partner can wind up completely out of luck," said Washington state Sen. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat who pushed the bill to overhaul the state's parenting laws.

Now advocates hope that will be a thing of the past for many same-sex couples, thanks to the hospital form that has long been used by unmarried heterosexual couples to establish who the legal father is. When an unmarried woman gives birth, the man signs a "voluntary acknowledgement of paternity" form at the hospital and files it with the state to get on the child's birth certificate and obtain the equivalent of a court order declaring him the dad.

Now that the form will be gender-neutral in several states, same-sex partners can also establish their parental rights in certain cases, like if were the intended parent of a child born through assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF. In Massachusetts, only unmarried couples can use the form, while married couples can in other states.

"Everybody who gives birth can sign it for free. It should have the force of a court order in every state. That is going to have a huge impact on the recognition of parents in the future," Sakimura said.

In Rhode Island, which hasn't updated its laws, Watson and her partner, Anna Ford, were told they couldn't sign the form when Ford gave birth in 2016 because Watson wasn't a man.

So until Watson's adoption of Eli was finalized eight months later, she had no legal link to him, creating logistical complications and fear, they said. Watson couldn't add him to her life insurance policy and needed written permission from Ford just to pick him up from day care, she said.

"It can't be emphasized how degrading this process has been," Ford said. "In Psych 101, they teach you how important it is for your kid to feel safe and secure and we were walking around feeling the opposite of that and yet trying to emanate this sense of security for our son," she said.

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Follow Alanna Durkin Richer on Twitter at http://twitter.com/aedurkinricher

___

This story has been corrected to show Anna Ford's last name is Ford, not Borman.

In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, photo, Anna Ford hugs her son Eli as he arrives home from nursery school with Ford's partner, Sara Watson, background, in the village of Saunderstown, in Narragansett, R.I. Three years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, a patchwork of outdated state laws governing who can be a legal parent presents obstacles for many LGBTQ couples who start a family, lawyers say. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, photo, Anna Ford, left, and her partner, Sara Watson, pose with their son Eli, in the village of Saunderstown, in Narragansett, R.I. Three years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, a patchwork of outdated state laws governing who can be a legal parent presents obstacles for many LGBTQ couples who start a family, lawyers say. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, photo, Anna Ford, left, and her partner, Sara Watson, play with their son Eli at home in the village of Saunderstown, in Narragansett, R.I. Three years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that gave same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, a patchwork of outdated state laws governing who can be a legal parent presents obstacles for many LGBTQ couples who start a family, lawyers say. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Officials in Ecuador say it will cost the small South American nation $550 million to respond to the influx of Venezuelan migrants.

Vice Minister Santiago Chavez said Friday the price of health, education and other services migrants require is quickly adding up.

Chavez made the remarks as leaders from throughout Latin America gathered in Ecuador's capital to discuss a joint response to the exodus. The United Nations says more than 3 million Venezuelans have fled their country's economic and humanitarian crisis in recent years, putting a strain on governments throughout the region.

The World Bank recently estimated it will cost Colombia upward of $1 billion over the next year to tend to the surge of migrants.
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - High school students could skip classes to attend political protests under a proposal up for debate in a Maryland public school district.

The Washington Post reports that Montgomery County's school board is expected to approve the proposal as early as January. The proposal is considered to be one of very few in the country that would allow students to take up to three excused absences per year to participate in protests or other forms of civic engagement during the school day.

The board is accepting public comments on the proposal until Dec. 16.

School board member Patricia O'Neill says the policy is designed to help prepare students to become "the next generation of leaders."
Comments and links to reports on science, and its applications.
President Donald Trump has said the US will not punish Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the time being nor cut arms sales to Saudi Arabia for the killing of US-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Mr Trump called the killing of Mr Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a horrible crime that the US does not condone, but said Saudi Arabia is a great ally and cancelling billions in arms sales would only benefit China and Russia, which would be glad to step in and make the sales.

His decision, announced in a statement released just before he left for the long Thanksgiving weekend in Florida, will disappoint and anger critics who have called for a much firmer rebuke to the kingdom and especially Mr bin Salman.

US intelligence officials have concluded that Mr bin Salman, the kingdoms de factor leader, ordered the October 2 killing, according to a US official familiar with the assessment.

Others familiar with the case caution that while it is likely that the crown prince had a role in the death, there continue to be questions about the degree to which he was involved.

The US earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the killing, but members of Congress have called for harsher actions.

Mr Trump said in his statement on Tuesday that the king of Saudi Arabia and the crown prince vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr Khashoggi.

Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event  maybe he did and maybe he didnt! Trump said.

That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran.

Writer Jamal Khashoggi was killed last month in the Saudi Arabia consulate, in Istanbul (Emrah Gurel/AP)

He said the US intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of the country. America First! he wrote.

The president said oil prices would skyrocket if the US made a terrible mistake to break with Saudi Arabia. Mr Trump said he was not going to destroy the worlds economy by being foolish with Saudi Arabia, adding that the US needs Riyadh as a counterbalance to Iran.

Mr Trump said he knows some members of Congress will disagree with his decision. He said he would listen to their ideas, but only if they are focused on US national security.

Late last week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that calls for suspending weapons sales to Saudi Arabia; sanctions on people who block humanitarian access in Yemen or support the Houthi rebels, and mandatory sanctions on those responsible for Mr Khashoggis death.

Some foreign policy experts have not only recommended tougher punitive measures against Saudi Arabia, but have advocated for a complete reset on relations with Riyadh.

The Washington Post denounced Mr Trumps decision to refrain from further punishing Saudi Arabia for the death of Mr Khashoggi, who wrote columns for the newspaper critical of the royal family.

In a statement published on Twitter, Post publisher Fred Ryan accused Mr Trump of putting personal relationships and commercial interests above American values of respect for human rights to continue to do business as usual with the Saudi crown prince.

Mr Ryan further stated that the CIA had concluded with high confidence that the crown prince directed the October 2 killing. He added that if there is reason to doubt these findings, Mr Trump should immediately make that evidence public.
Theresa May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to meet the European Unions top official under pressure from Tory Brexiteers to secure further concessions.

The Prime Minister will meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker for talks ahead of the special EU Brexit summit on Sunday.

She is under pressure to make changes to the Northern Irish backstop contained in the Brexit divorce agreement, making it clear how the UK can exit the controversial arrangement.

The trip to Brussels, and another potentially tricky session of Prime Ministers Questions, come amid mounting evidence of tensions between Mrs May and the Democratic Unionist Party over the Brexit deal.

The Government caved in to a series of opposition amendments to its Budget-enacting Finance Bill in the latest sign that the DUPs MPs would not support Mrs Mays minority administration.

Time for the PM to work for a better deal'



With the rejection of the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement on all sides of the House and across all parties, it is increasingly clear this deal does not have support necessary to pass the meaningful vote in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/ZgNEw84N1r  Nigel Dodds (@NigelDoddsDUP) November 20, 2018

Mrs Mays talks with Mr Juncker follow confirmation from Number 10 that the Government will look at potential technological solutions to keep the Irish border open.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman confirmed that references in last weeks draft agreement to alternative arrangements for the border could involve technical measures of the kind previously promoted as the maximum facilitation solution, or Max Fac.

Brexiteer ministers want her to press for clarity on how the UK can avoid or end the use of the backstop, which would require the whole UK to be in a single customs territory with the EU and force Northern Ireland to align with many of Brussels single market rules after 2020 unless an alternative is found.

A Brexit-backing minister said that the negotiation process was not over until its over and it was now a case of who blinks first as Brussels did not want either the backstop to be implemented or the prospect of the UK crashing out without a deal.

Brussels has indicated that the withdrawal agreement, setting out the terms of the UKs divorce from the bloc, will not be rewritten  although work is ongoing to flesh out the political declaration on the future UK-EU relationship.

Irelands deputy premier Simon Coveney told parliament in Dublin: This is a text that has been agreed between the negotiations teams, it has been agreed by the British government.

So to that extent, it is not a draft text, its now the text, and it is not going to be reopened.

(PA Graphics)

The Brexit deal has angered the DUP and jeopardised the confidence and supply deal which props up Mrs Mays minority government.

After a DUP revolt in the Commons on Monday, the Government accepted a series of amendments on Tuesday without votes to avoid a repeat.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds: We have kept to our word in relation to the confidence and supply agreement, but even Cabinet members have found themselves having to resign because this deal does not represent those shared objectives in relation to the Union.

The Government will require DUP support to deliver its domestic agenda. We will continue to use our influence for the good of everyone across the United Kingdom.

Leading Tory Brexiteer Boris Johnson  a prominent critic of Mrs Mays approach  is expected to address the DUPs conference at the weekend.

In a sign that the Government is seeking to keep its arrangement with the DUP alive, Chancellor Philip Hammond is also expected to attend the gathering in Belfast, according to Co Fermanagh newspaper the Impartial Reporter.

Absolutely staggering. The Government has just accepted all Labour amendments to the Finance Bill because they couldnt rely upon DUP to support them. Tories in office not in power. A government falling apart in front of us.  John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) November 20, 2018

But Labour claimed the DUPs approach meant the Government was on the brink of collapse.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: Its absolutely staggering that the Government has accepted all Labour amendments to the Finance Bill because it couldnt rely upon the DUPs support.

The Tories are in office but not in power. Were watching a government falling apart in front of us.

The DUP may have given the Prime Minister a political headache, but she appears to have averted an immediate challenge to her position from Tory critics.

The attempt to force a vote of no confidence in her leadership spearheaded by Jacob Rees-Mogg has so far failed to win enough support to force a showdown.

Jacob Rees-Moggs efforts to oust the Prime Minister appear to have stalled (John Stillwell/PA)

Last week, senior figures from the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of Tories were confidently predicting they would get the 48 letters of no confidence from MPs needed to trigger a vote in Mrs Mays leadership.

But ERG chairman Mr Rees-Mogg acknowledged they were struggling to get the support they needed and warned Tory MPs that unless they acted now, Mrs May would lead the party into the next general election despite a lack of enthusiasm for that prospect within the Conservative ranks.

You find MPs privately who will say to you they think that is a really good idea in any number and I would be quite surprised, he said.
The Duchess of York has launched a fundraising campaign for her charity Street Child, urging the public to donate to give a child an education.

The Count Me In appeal will use the funds to buy school uniforms, train teachers and build classrooms for disadvantaged youngsters in 10 countries from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan.

Speaking to the Press Association the duchess said: There are 121 million children who dont go to school.

They not only dont go to school but they dont have the opportunity to go to school  and that statistic has to change.

The duchess says an education should not be a luxury. David Mirzoeff/PA

Sarah spoke about her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who are global ambassadors for Street Child: My work has saved my life. Kept me grateful, kept my feet on the ground.

Kept me realising how lucky that my children  Eugenie, as you now know, is disabled with 12in metal rods down her back, Beatrice is dyslexic with special needs at school  and yet they had an education, so why isnt any other child allowed that same luxury.

And why is it a luxury?

Count Me In is a pretty big mountain to climb but if we can do it we will do it.

Give before 21 February 2019 and public donations to Street Childs Count Me In campaign will be matched by the UK Government.

Sarah pictured with children during her recent visit to Nepal. Street Child

The charity said 15 would pay a childs school fees, while 300 enables it to train a teacher. All money from the Government will be used just for the charitys work in Sierra Leone.

Street Child was formed by a merger of an organisation of the same name founded by Tom Dannatt, son of Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, and Sarahs Children in Crisis organisation.

Sarah recently travelled to Nepal where Street Child works to learn about the challenges children face in the country.

The duchess, Street Childs founder patron, said: What I saw was in fact massive hope from the children because someone was listening and yet they had nothing.

She described how she met a young girl called Ruby who wanted a school for her community so she could be educated and one day become a teacher.

Sarah added: If we dont build a school for Ruby in two years time she will have to get married at the age of 12 in order to sustain herself in the local area because of tribe rules.

If we can get a school so she can get her dream to be a teacher, imagine that story.

Those children were fantastic, all they wanted was a chance and surely Street Child can give them that chance.
A variety of stories lead Wednesdays papers  although Brexit continues to feature prominently.

The Daily Telegraph leads with a significant move by Spain to drop its long-held opposition to Scotland joining the EU as an independent country, which could increase the likelihood of the nation breaking away from the UK.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'Scotland will be free to rejoin EU, says Spain' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/72jbC6tAcz  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 20, 2018

Meanwhile a plot by Tory Brexiteer backbenchers to oust Theresa May has stalled  leading them to be compared to characters from Dads Army, the Metro reports.

METRO: Who do you think you are kidding? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/9qwTncfGHP  Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 20, 2018

The Daily Express carries the Prime Ministers commitment to take the UK out of the customs union as she prepares to meet with EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

Wednesdays @Daily_Express front page



- EXCLUSIVE: I wont let UK be trapped in customs union @theresa_may



- Make me king of the jungle and Ill quite TV for good #imaceleb2018



-3m facing mortgage misery in retirement#frontpages #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/PXWUyyVcmL  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) November 20, 2018

A Government-backed report has found the number of children who are problem gamblers has quadrupled in two years to 55,000, the Daily Mail says.

An analysis by The Guardian has found support for populist parties  mostly on the far right  in Europe has risen threefold in the last two decades.

What the papers say - November 21

The Guardian front page, Wednesday 21 November 2018: Revealed | One in four Europeans

vote populist pic.twitter.com/4rGHuEZFzw  The Guardian (@guardian) November 20, 2018

The Times leads with efforts by the UK and the US to block the appointment of a veteran Russian state official as the next head of Interpol.

The Financial Times leads with developments following the arrest of Nissan boss Carlos Ghosun, who is reported to have planned a merger between the Japanese carmaker and Renault.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Wednesday November 21 https://t.co/nOKNqoYNnK pic.twitter.com/G1vRxjrJXs  Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) November 20, 2018

The Sun has spoken to a terminally-ill man who survived an attempted murder plot by his cheating wife, her lover and the lovers daughter, who shot him in the face.

Tomorrow's front page: 'My cheating wife and lover got his daughter to shoot me in the face  but I still love my bride' https://t.co/FLq8anKzol pic.twitter.com/ZEqgx1093u  The Sun (@TheSun) November 20, 2018

An appeal to save a 13-month-old boy in need of a heart transplant leads the Daily Mirror.

The i leads with a study that suggests being exposed to cigarette smoke could lower the risk of developing Parkinsons disease  although any benefit is vastly outweighed by other negative health effects.

Wednesday's front page: Smokers less likely to develop Parkinson's, major study finds #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/yS5clbEB73  i newspaper (@theipaper) November 20, 2018

And The Independent reports on claims by hundreds of terror attack victims that they are not receiving support for psychological trauma.
The Scottish Parliament is expected to ban mechanical harvesting of kelp during a vote later.

The proposal is part of the Scottish Crown Estate Bill, which is likely to become law following a final debate at Holyrood on Wednesday afternoon.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham announced on Tuesday the Scottish Government would back a prohibition of kelp dredging.

The ban was first proposed by the Scottish Greens after more than 10,000 people signed a petition calling for the practice to be outlawed.

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee voted in favour of an amendment to the Bill from the partys environment spokesman Mark Ruskell last month.

Ms Cunningham told MSPs: We recognise that kelp is an important part of our marine biodiversity and, having considered amendments to the Crown Estate Bill, we intend to support Mark Ruskells amendment, although there are some clarifications and qualifications that require to be made.

Holyrood is set to ban mechanical harvesting of kelp in Scottish waters (Andy Jackson/Subsea TV/PA)

It is our view that commercial use should not extend to power stations or commercial ports or other, similar public infrastructure being prevented from removing kelp species for maintenance or for other public interest reasons and nor should it prevent appropriate research and development.

Removals shouldnt be prevented where the activity is hand-cutting, which SNH have advised is sustainable, and I can say that I will consider the need for guidance or directions to managers on these issues.

She said she would be announcing a review of the regulations underpinning kelp harvesting, including farming of the seaweed.

Some very happy young conservationists here hearing the news of the support to ban mechanical kelp dredging in Scottish waters. A HUGE thanks to @savekelp @AilsaMcL USS & all others who worked hard for this. A wee minding for us that we need to appreciate all sea life more.  pic.twitter.com/XQeIWFHPgm  Sunnyside Primary (@SunnysidePri) November 20, 2018

Mr Ruskell said kelp forests are hugely important to Scotlands marine environment and he is delighted to have secured the governments backing.

He said: They dampen waves, protecting coastal communities from flooding and erosion, act as a habitat for hundreds of species, and store more carbon dioxide than the rainforest.

Industry bosses earlier this week warned legislation banning the practice in Scotlands waters could hit the economy by as much as 300 million.

Tom Shields, chairman of industry body Chemical Sciences Scotland, said the country risked no longer being seen as a competitive place for science-based businesses.
Senators have written to President Donald Trump demanding that his administration make a determination about whether the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for the killing of US-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Senators Bob Corker and Bob Menendez wrote a letter to Mr Trump on Tuesday, asking for an investigation under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The act requires the president to determine whether a foreign person is responsible for an extrajudicial killing, torture or other gross violation of internationally recognised human rights against an individual exercising freedom of expression.

On Tuesday, the president condemned the killing of Mr Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul as a horrible crime  that our country does not condone.

Under the law, the president is now required to determine whether MbS is responsible and report to our committee with a determination and a decision on the imposition of sanctions. Read our letter: pic.twitter.com/G9xFGyw4TH  Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) November 21, 2018

But he rejected calls by many in Congress, including members of his own party, for a tougher response, and he dismissed reports from US intelligence agencies that the crown prince must have at least known about such an audacious and intricate plot.

It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event, the president said. Maybe he did and maybe he didnt!

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi died inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month (Hasan Jamali/AP)

It came after weeks of debate over whether the president would or should come down hard on the Saudis and the crown prince in response to the killing of the Saudi columnist for The Washington Post who had criticised the royal family.

The US earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the October 2 killing, but members of Congress have called for harsher actions, including cancelling arms sales.

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. @SenBobCorker & I are triggering Magnitsky Act AGAIN to defend human rights & free press. Now Pres. Trump must SPECIFICALLY determine if Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman himself is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi pic.twitter.com/b1MbAJhA6O  Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) November 20, 2018

Mr Trump said foolishly cancelling these contracts worth billions of dollars would only benefit Russia and China, which would be next in line to supply the weapons.

Asked by a reporter if he was saying that human rights are too expensive to fight for, he responded, No, Im not saying that at all.

He then switched the subject to the terrorist nation of Iran rather than any actions by Saudi Arabia.

The US needs a counterbalance to Iran, and Israel needs help, too, he said. If we abandon Saudi Arabia, it would be a terrible mistake.

But Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky contended the administration has blinders on in comparing Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Its a sign of weakness not to stand up to Saudi Arabia, Mr Paul said in an interview. Sometimes when you have two evils, maybe you dont support either side.

Republican Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator who is close to Mr Trump, also disagreed with the presidents statement, saying America must not lose its moral voice on the international stage.

It is not in our national security interests to look the other way when it comes to the brutal murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi, Mr Graham said.

I fully realize we have to deal with bad actors and imperfect situations on the international stage.



However, when we lose our moral voice, we lose our strongest asset.  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 20, 2018

Likewise, Representative Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said that to suggest that US silence can be bought with arms sales undermines respect for the office of the presidency, the credibility of our intelligence community and Americas standing as a champion of human rights.

Mr Trump told reporters on the South Lawn that oil prices would skyrocket if the US broke with the Saudis, and he was not going to destroy the worlds economy by being foolish with Saudi Arabia.

Asked about any personal financial involvement, he said: Saudi Arabia has nothing to do with me. What does have to do with me is putting America first.

Mr Trump said that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed both vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the killing.

He also said the CIA has not made a conclusive determination about whether the crown prince ordered it.

We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi, Mr Trump said.

In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran.

Saudi prosecutors say a 15-man team sent to Istanbul exceeded its authority when the lead negotiator in the team decided to kill Mr Khashoggi for refusing orders to return. The Saudis say the agents dismembered his body, which has not been found.
Jeremy Corbyn has led well-wishers after it emerged the Second World War veteran and political activist Harry Leslie Smith is seriously ill in hospital.

The 95-year-old was not in a good way and had been taken into A&E, his son, John, said.

The Daily Mirror said Mr Smith was understood to have fallen ill in Canada, where he was visiting his son.

It is after midnight here but I think he will see the morning and then we will go from there.  John Smith (son of Harry Leslie Smith) (@Harryslaststand) November 21, 2018

I have to thank all of Harry's followers, who have shown so much love for him tonight, I know it has helped his health. It also has made these hours less barren for me. Now, I am going to sleep for a bit and be back soon. If anything changes I will let you know. #IStandWithHarry  John Smith (son of Harry Leslie Smith) (@Harryslaststand) November 21, 2018

Born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Mr Smith served with the RAF in Germany and in recent years campaigned on behalf of the NHS.

On Wednesday morning, #IStandWithHarry was trending on Twitter as messages of support flooded in.

Mr Corbyn said: Very sorry to hear this. Please pass on my best to Harry. We need him to get well soon as the National Health Service, and our movement, needs him.

Jeremy Corbyn sent his support to Harry Leslie Smith (Peter Byrne/PA)

Shadow transport minister Karl Turner added: Very much hope Harry makes a full recovery. We need him.

A tweet posted on @Harryslaststand on Wednesday morning said: It is after midnight here but I think he will see the morning and then we will go from there.
Rain in the forecast could aid crews fighting Californias deadly wildfires while raising the risk of flash floods and complicating efforts to recover remains of those killed.

Residents in communities charred by the Los Angeles-area fire stacked sandbags as they prepared for possible downpours that threatened to unleash runoff from hillsides left barren by flames.

In Northern California, teams continued sifting through ash and debris as they searched for bodies in and around the decimated town of Paradise.

The task is arduous, said Rick Crawford with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. And the possibility exists that some people may never be found.

With the death toll at 81 in the states most destructive wildfire, there are still nearly 870 people still unaccounted for.

Authorities trying to identify the scores of people killed are using rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours.

The system can analyse DNA from bone fragments or other remains, then match it to genetic material provided by relatives of the missing.

But the technology depends on people coming forward to give a DNA sample via a cheek swab, and so far, there are not nearly as many volunteers as authorities had hoped for.

Volunteers search the ruins of a home in Paradise, California (Sudhin Thanawala/AP)

As of Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the inferno, only about 60 people had provided samples to pop-up labs, said Annette Mattern, a spokeswoman for ANDE, the Longmont, Colorado, company that is donating the technology.

We need hundreds, Ms Mattern said. We need a big enough sample for us to make a positive ID on these and to also give a better idea of how many losses there actually are.

The burned area surrounding Paradise, which is about 140 miles northwest of San Francisco, will see rain starting on Wednesday.

The precipitation could help knock out the flames, but it could also hinder the search by washing away fragmentary remains and turning ash into a thick paste.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for Paradise and nearby communities and for those areas charred by wildfires earlier this year in Lake, Shasta, Trinity and Mendocino counties.

A search and rescue dog at the Camp Fire, in Paradise (John Locher/AP)

The Camp Fire, which has burned an area about the size of the city of Chicago  nearly 238 square miles  and destroyed around 13,000 homes, was 75% contained on Tuesday.

In Southern California, people who worried days earlier that their homes might be consumed by flames were now taking action to guard against possible debris flows caused by the Pacific storm set to come ashore the day before Thanksgiving.

Residents filling sandbags at Malibus famous Zuma Beach were mindful of the disaster that struck less than a year ago when a downpour on a fresh burn scar up the coast sent home-smashing debris flows through Montecito, killing 21 people and leaving two missing.

The 151-square-mile Woolsey Fire was almost entirely contained, with 1,500 buildings destroyed and 341 damaged.

The major remaining closed area was centred in the rugged Santa Monica Mountains that rise high above the Malibu coast.
South Koreas Kim Jong Yang has been elected as Interpols next president, edging out a veteran of Russias security services who was strongly opposed by the US, Britain and other European nations.

The White House and its European partners had lobbied against Alexander Prokopchuks attempts to be named the next president of the policing organisation, saying his election would lead to further Russian abuses of Interpols red notice system to go after political opponents.

Mr Prokopchuk is a general in the Russian Interior Ministry and serves as an Interpol vice president.

Mr Kims win means he secured at least two-thirds of votes cast at Interpols general assembly in Dubai on Wednesday.

#BREAKING: Kim Jong Yang of the Republic of #Korea has been elected President of INTERPOL (2-yr term). #INTERPOLGA pic.twitter.com/6I9HIyUWrf  INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) November 21, 2018

He will serve until 2020, completing the four-year mandate of his predecessor Meng Hongwei, who was detained in China.

Mr Kim, a police official in South Korea, was serving as interim president after Mr Meng was held in a wide anti-corruption sweep in China.

Most of Interpols 194 member countries attended the annual assembly this year, which was held in an opulent Dubai hotel along the Persian Gulf coast.

Based in the French city of Lyon, Interpol is best known for issuing red notices that identify a suspect pursued by another country, effectively putting them on the worlds most-wanted list.

Human rights groups raised the alarm two years ago when Interpols general assembly approved Mr Meng as president. Amnesty International criticised Chinas long-standing practice of trying to use Interpol to arrest dissidents and refugees abroad.

Alexander Prokopchuk (Russian Interior Ministry/AP)

Two prominent Kremlin critics warned on Tuesday that electing Mr Prokopchuk  who has ties to President Vladimir Putin  would have undermined the international law enforcement agency and politicised police co-operation across borders.

Moscow accused critics of running a campaign to discredit Mr Prokopchuk, calling him a respected professional.

The White House came out on Tuesday against Mr Prokopchuk, with National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis saying: The Russian government abuses Interpols processes to harass its political opponents. He said the US strongly endorses Mr Kim.
Renault says it has decided to retain chief executive Carlos Ghosn despite his arrest in Japan on allegations that he misused assets of partner Nissan and misreported his income.

Renaults board of directors announced that the number two at the company, chief operating officer Thierry Bollore, would temporarily fill in for Ghosn.

Mr Ghosn, temporarily incapacitated, remains chairman and chief executive officer, a statement from Renaults board said. While Ghosn deals with his legal issues in Japan, Mr Bollore will have the same authority to run the company as the CEO, it added.

Renaults board said its decision was made with an eye towards keeping the company on a steady course to preserve the interests of the group and the continuity of its operations.

Thierry Bollore (Michel Euler/AP)

Ghosn runs Renault, Nissan and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance that he helped turn into the worlds biggest car-seller last year, and France and Japan want to keep it intact.

Renaults move to appoint a temporary leader was in line with a demand by the French government, which owns a 15% stake in the firm. Finance minister Bruno Le Maire had said earlier that Ghosn was not in position to lead the Renault Group while fighting the accusations in Japan.

The French car maker said after an emergency meeting of its board of directors in Paris that it would further consolidate its alliance with Nissan. The two firms have a partnership with smaller car maker Mitsubishi.

Asked about reports that Nissan and Renault had been on the verge of merging, Nissans chief executive Hiroto Saikawa told reporters he had not heard of such a plan.

Nissan said on Wednesday that Ghosn will be held in custody for another 10 days, according to Japanese media reports.

The Kyodo News service also reported that another Nissan executive, representative director Greg Kelly, will also be detained for another 10 days. Kelly was arrested on suspicion of collaborating in the wrongdoing.

Earlier this year, Ghosn signed a contract that would have run until 2022.

Renaults board said it is requesting that Nissan pass along details of its investigation into Ghosns alleged wrongdoing. Mr Le Maire said authorities have examined Ghosns tax situation in France but have found no wrongdoing.

Japanese prosecutors said they were holding Ghosn, 64, for allegedly collaborating to falsify securities statements and underreporting 44.6 million dollars in income from 2011 to 2015.
Kathmandu, Nepal The office of the President has been in the news after government initiate process to buy a set of expensive luxury cars amounting to Rs 180 million for the president Bidya Devi Bhandari.





As the government forwarded the process to buy bullet proof luxury cars after the Ministry of Finance has recently allocated a budget of Rs 180 billion for President Bhandari at the cost of tax payers money, people from various walks of life have vented ire through various social Medias.





Not only the issue of spending millions of rupees to buy luxurious car for the president but also the issue about the plan to remove Nepal Police Academy (NPA) from its current location to expand the presidents office has also been lambasted from the general public.

As the iconic building Shital Niwas, where presidents office has been housed, was donated to the government back in 1950s by Krishna Shumsher Rana, son of Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, to use it as the state guesthouse.





The general public has suggested the government particularly the president Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to learn lesion from the history of generosity instead of trying to turn into a lavishing life from the proletariat communist backgrounds.





The government is criticized for not only becoming sensitive toward the wishes of the generous donor but for dragging the president into controversy on the name of buying luxurious cars.





As the NPA was planned to shift elsewhere location in the name of building helipad and other facilities to the president, the general public have even alleged the president of kipping hidden ambitions of ceremonial president.





The widely raised question is that why does the government have to pour in billions rupees to purchase luxury cars while plenty of luxury cars, including those used by former kings Gyanendra Shah are gathering dusts in various garages.





Some leaders and cadres of the ruling head Nepal Communist Party have also criticized for the plan to spend millions rupees on luxury cars and constructing helipad for the president while some have argued that the office of the president should be equipped with all the reasonable facilities.




Telecoms group TalkTalk has confirmed plans to shift its headquarters from London to Salford in a move impacting hundreds of staff.

The firm said it would shift several hundred employees from its existing HQ to the new office in Manchester next year, while also creating new posts, including graduate and apprentice positions.

Around 500 staff work in the London HQ and all will be given the opportunity to relocate, although TalkTalk will be retaining a small satellite office in London with fewer than 100 staff.

It comes after TalkTalk opened a large, state-of-the-art office in Salford in 2017 to house its technology and business teams, which had previously been based in Warrington and Irlam.

Chief executive Tristia Harrison said: Weve always had a base in the North West, but we want to build on that heritage and create a world-class campus for the whole business.

As with any change, we are committed to supporting all of our colleagues during this transition period.

Telecoms group TalkTalk has confirmed plans to shift its headquarters from London to Manchester in a move impacting hundreds of staff (PA)

In half-year results also announced on Wednesday, TalkTalk reported pre-tax losses narrowing to 4 million in the six months to September 30 from 95 million a year earlier.

Interim underlying earnings rose to 101 million from 75 million a year ago.

It saw a slowdown in growth in broadband customers, with its overall broadband base increasing by 24,000 in the second quarter against 80,000 in the previous three months.

But it said it saw fibre customer additions on a net basis  those joining less those leaving  rise to 125,000 in the second quarter, up from 67,000 in the previous three months.

Its rate of so-called churn  customers quitting the group  fell to its lowest ever level of 1.1% in the second quarter as it continues to move on from the major cyber attack in 2015, which saw the personal data of nearly 160,000 people accessed by hackers.

It has since been restructuring and saving costs across the group.

On the HQ move, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: Salford is already home to the second largest cluster of digital businesses outside London and the city is working hard to grow the digital skills and talent for the future.

TalkTalk relocating their headquarters and executive team here and creating hundreds of new, high quality, technical, digital jobs speaks volumes for the success of our investment in a digital future.
The grieving mother of a teenager fatally stabbed on a night out has hit out at critics who try and tie the hands of the police in their ability to fight crime.

Sharon Kendall suggested campaigners resisting an increase in officers being able to use stop-and-search powers should look at all the murdered teenagers faces.

Her son Jason Isaacs was attacked in a residential street in Northolt, west London, on the evening of November 18 last year and died in hospital three days later.

Jason Isaacs, 18, died three days after being stabbed in Northolt a year ago (Met Police/PA)

The 18-year-old apprentice carpenter was described as amazing and wonderful by Ms Kendall, who said his murder had plunged her into every mothers nightmare.

In an impassioned statement released by the Metropolitan Police, she said: I am not going to remain silent, nor will we become a statistic.

There are too many families suffering at the hands of others. The second you decide to carry a knife, there is a very strong possibility that you will ruin a familys life, and your own.

We need to get knife crime under control. For those who try and tie the hands of the police in making their job more difficult, I ask you to stop and look at all the murdered teenagers faces.

If we collectively gave a little more support to the police using stop-and-search and enforcement, things would change.

Ms Kendall said the loudest voice in the debate must be the parents who have lost a loved one to knife crime.

Mr Isaacss family will release balloons when they return to the scene of his murder on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of his death.

The tragic commemoration comes as London counts the grim cost of its struggle with violent crime that has seen 120 homicides so far this year.

The figure has already surpassed the total for 2017, when there were 118 in London, excluding the 13 victims of the terrorist attacks at Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Finsbury Park.

Home Office figures released in October showed that in the first three months of 2018, police conducted 282,248 stop and searches  a fall of 7% on the previous 12 months and the lowest number since current data collection started in the year to March 2002.

While use of the tactic had fallen, the proportion of stop and searches leading to an arrest, 17%, was the highest since the statistical series started.

The causes of crime are complex, and years in the making.



Our new Violence Reduction Unit brings together experts from councils, charities & community groups across London to build on our public health approach to tackling serious violence. pic.twitter.com/R7RdmhvnRw  Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 18, 2018

However separate analysis by the Stopwatch coalition showed that while police use of stop-and-search powers has fallen significantly, there has been an increase in racial disparities in the policing and prosecution of drug offences.

It said forces that cannot use stop-and-search fairly and effectively should have the powers taken away from them until they can show that they can be trusted to use these powers appropriately.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has said he will make sure police have the right powers, including stop-and-search.

I want officers to feel confident, trusted and supported in using stop-and-search, and I will be looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency in the use of this power, he said in October.

On Monday, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced 13 million of funding to tackle serious youth violence in the capital.

With many knife crime victims of school age, Ms Kendall also called on parents to ensure their children are not getting caught up in potentially-catastrophic criminality.

She said: It goes well beyond the police. Parents have a good idea of what their kids are up to and if you dont, I would urge you to be proactive. Know who their friends are, go through their phones. You have a chance to intervene when the issue is a dripping tap. Your parenting may save a life.

Two men have been charged with Mr Isaacss murder, although detectives believe two more suspects are still at large and a 20,000 reward remains on offer for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

Ms Kendall said: Whilst we cannot bring Jason back, you can make a difference by helping the police identify who the two outstanding males are.

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 0208 785 8099, or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has condemned a suicide bombing which targeted a gathering of hundreds of Islamic scholars in the capital Kabul, calling it an attack on humanity.

At least 50 people were killed when a bomber sneaked into a wedding hall where hundreds of people were marking the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on Tuesday.

Another 83 people were injured, and 20 are said to be in a critical condition.

The attack bore the hallmarks of a local Islamic State affiliate, which has carried out mass bombings targeting minority Shiites as well as perceived supporters of the government.

Debris at the scene of the attack in Kabul (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Both the Taliban and the IS affiliate want to overthrow the Afghan government and impose a harsh form of Islamic rule. But they are bitterly divided over leadership, ideology and tactics, with the Taliban mainly targeting security forces and government officials.

The Taliban has denied involvement in the bombing, with spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying late on Tuesday that his group condemns any attack on civilians or religious clerics.

Mr Ghani declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the victims, as he described the bombing as an attack on Islamic values and followers of the Prophet Muhammad.

The UN Security Council also condemned the attack and expressed sympathy to the families of the victims.

Mohammad Muzamil, a waiter at the wedding hall, said he had gone into the back to fetch water for the guests when he heard the explosion.

Everything was covered with smoke and dust, he said. There were dead bodies all around on the chairs, in large numbers.

Inside the wedding hall where dozens of people were killed (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Police sealed off roads leading to the scene. Hundreds of family members and relatives gathered at hospitals, looking at lists of those killed and injured that were posted outside.

The Islamic State group claimed a suicide bombing in June that killed at least seven people and wounded 20 at a meeting of top clerics in the capital. The body of religious leaders, known as the Afghan Ulema Council, had issued a decree against suicide attacks and called for peace talks. IS said it had targeted tyrant clerics who were siding with the government.

Afghan security forces have struggled to combat the twin Taliban and IS insurgencies since the US and Nato formally ended their combat mission in 2014, shifting to a support and counter-terrorism role.

The Taliban carry out near-daily attacks targeting security forces and government officials across the country, while the IS affiliate has bombed gatherings of minority Shiites, killing hundreds of civilians.
Israel says it will slap high taxes on holiday rental company Airbnb and encourage legal steps against the site over its decision to ban listings from West Bank settlements.

The threats of sanctions ramp up Israels fight against a global movement advocating for boycotts over the countrys treatment of the Palestinians.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign  known as BDS  has claimed a number of successes in recent years, leading Israel to identify it as a major threat.

Israeli tourism minister Yariv Levin called on Airbnb to reverse what he called a discriminatory decision and disgraceful surrender to the boycott movement, vowing that Israel would retaliate.

If you have a policy of discrimination against Israelis you cannot earn money in Israel, he said.

He also said the government would encourage hosts in West Bank settlements to sue the company to make it pay for its decision.

Moshe Gordon sits outside his guest house in the West Bank (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov, File)

Mr Levin added that Israel would impose other restrictions on Airbnbs operations in the country.

Airbnb announced on Monday that it would delist 200 properties in coming days and cease its operations in Israeli settlements that are at the core of the dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians. The company declined to comment on the Israeli threats.

.@Airbnb says it'll no longer profit from illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land. Leading Palestinian BDS advocate Omar Barghouti said the decision is "an important step," but called for all tourism companies to stop profiting from illegal Israeli settlements. pic.twitter.com/Fs7OB2vmQl  BDS movement (@BDSmovement) November 20, 2018

Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. Today more than 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, in addition to 200,000 Israelis in east Jerusalem.

Most of the international community considers settlements illegal and an impediment to the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Israel sees the territory as disputed and says the fate of the settlements must be resolved in peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

The boycott movement, which calls for sanctions against settlement products and companies doing business in the West Bank, has made inroads in recent years, helping to tarnish Israels international image and prompting it to take retaliatory measures.

Israel has enacted a law banning any foreigner who knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel from entering the country. It has identified activist groups from around the world whose members can be denied entry upon arrival.

BDS supporters say that in urging businesses, artists and universities to sever ties with Israel, they are using non-violent means to resist unjust policies towards Palestinians. Israel says the movement masks its motives to delegitimise or destroy the Jewish state.

The Palestinian-led movement claims responsibility for pressuring some large companies to stop or alter operations in Israel or the West Bank, including carbonated drink maker SodaStream, French construction company Veolia and international mobile phone giant Orange.

Airbnbs decision coincided with the publication of a Human Rights Watch report investigating tourist rental listings in settlements by Airbnb and Booking.com.

Entitled Bed-and-Breakfast on Stolen Land, the report said Israeli settlements discrimination against Palestinians uniquely violates humanitarian law and Airbnbs non-discrimination policy.

Most Palestinians must obtain a permit to enter the settlements or Israel proper and typically do so as labourers.

Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watchs Israel-Palestine director, said that with its threatened sanctions, Israel was prioritising its support for settlements over a thriving tourism industry in Israel proper that relies on services like Airbnb.

If applied, the sanctions could affect lodging costs for thousands of tourists expected to arrive in Tel Aviv next year for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Quote of the Day, on property rentals in illegal settlements off-limits to Palestinians. @Airbnb just stopped listing there, will other travel sites like @bookingcom follow suit? pic.twitter.com/D8T6GZp0jE  Human Rights Watch (@hrw) November 20, 2018

Mr Shakir said the governments response reflects the degree to which the government is willing to go, putting the whole countrys interests at stake over its illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Human Rights Watch, along with Palestinian officials and other rights groups, have for years pressured Airbnb to pull out of Israeli-occupied territory.

Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat called Airbnbs decision an initial positive step, and urged the company to extend its decision to Israeli listings in east Jerusalem. The BDS movement echoed that sentiment in a statement on its website.
Foo Fighters are to play at a festival in Scotland next year.

The band are the second headliners to be unveiled for Glasgow Summer Sessions 2019.

They join The Cure, who are making a return to Scotland after 27 years.

Geoff Ellis, chief executive of organisers DF Concerts, said: To welcome Foo Fighters to Bellahouston Park for the first time is so exciting for music fans all over Scotland, as they are, to this day, one of the best festival headliners in the world.

With their outstanding back catalogue, this is bound to be an unmissable show.

This announcement, as well as the previous reveal that legendary band The Cure will make their return to Scottish soil after 27 years on Friday August 16, truly cements Glasgow Summer Sessions as an integral part of the Scottish live music calendar for 2019.

Foo Fighters will return to Scotland after a four-year hiatus (Ben Birchall/PA)

With more to come, fans should stay tuned for the full line-up.

Foo Fighters will be ending a four-year absence from Scotlands live scene when they take to the festivals stage on Saturday August 17.

Glasgow Summer Sessions, now in its seventh year, is part of the Summer Sessions series which this year added the new Edinburgh Summer Sessions festival.

It saw artists including Sir Tom Jones, Kasabian, Paloma Faith and more perform against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

Tickets go on sale on Friday.
A white Republican senator from Mississippi has apologised to people who were offended when she complimented a supporter by saying she would attend a public hanging if the supporter invited her.

Cindy Hyde-Smiths original remark, caught on video which was released last week, brought widespread criticism from inside and outside Mississippi, a state with a history of racially motivated lynchings.

For anyone that was offended by my comments, I certainly apologise. There was no ill will, no intent whatsoever in my statement, Ms Hyde-Smith said during a televised debate with her African-American Democratic opponent Mike Espy.

The apology was a new approach for Ms Hyde-Smith, who repeatedly refused to answer questions about the hanging comment at a news conference on November 12, the day after the publisher of a liberal-leaning news site posted the video on Facebook and Twitter.

The clip shows Ms Hyde-Smith praising a cattle rancher at a November 2 campaign event in Tupelo by saying: If he invited me to a public hanging, Id be on the front row.

Shortly after the videos release, she said in a statement that the expression was an exaggerated expression of regard and said it was ridiculous to read any negative connotation into it.

There has never been anything, not one thing, in my background to ever indicate I had ill will toward anyone, Mr Hyde-Smith, a former state agriculture commissioner, said on Tuesday night.

Cindy Hyde-Smith and Mike Espy shake hands following their televised debate (Rogelio V Solis/PA)

Ive never been hurtful to anyone. Ive always tried to help everyone. I also recognise that this comment was twisted and it was turned into a weapon to be used against me, a political weapon used for nothing but personal and political gain by my opponent. Thats the type of politics Mississippians are sick and tired of.

Mr Espy responded during the debate: No ones twisted your comments because your comments were live, you know, it came out of your mouth. I dont know whats in your heart but I know what came out of your mouth.

It went viral in the first three minutes around the world. And so its caused our state harm. Its given our state another black eye that we dont need. Its just rejuvenated those stereotypes that we dont need any more.

Ms Hyde-Smith is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress. Mr Espy, a former congressman and US agriculture secretary, is seeking to become the states first African-American senator since Reconstruction.

Hours before the debate, President Donald Trump defended Ms Hyde-Smiths public hanging remark, saying at the White House that she loves the people of Mississippi and the US.

It was just sort of said in jest, Mr Trump said. Shes a tremendous woman and its a shame that she has to go through this.

Walmart asked her to return a 2,000 dollar campaign contribution because of the hanging remark. Walmart spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins said the company donated on November 8, three days before the release of the video.

Ms Hyde-Smith and Mr Espy each won about 41% of the vote when four candidates were on the ballot on November 6. If she wins a November 27 runoff, Ms Hyde-Smith would give Republicans a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
France will wear rainbow laces in Saturdays match against Fiji in Paris as a show of support for Gareth Thomas.

Former Wales captain Thomas was the victim of a homophobic assault in Cardiff last week.

A message of support for the 44-year-old, who played in France for Toulouse from 2004 to 2007, was posted on Twitter by Serge Simon, the vice-president of the French Rugby Federation.

Dear @gareththomas14,

All of French Rugby is with you regarding the homophobic molestation youve been victim of.

To show our support, the French rugby players will wear a rainbow shoe lace during the France  Fidji game on Saturday night.

Were all in with you in this matter.  Serge Simon (@DrSergeSIMON) November 20, 2018

All of French Rugby is with you regarding the homophobic molestation youve been victim of, Simon said.

To show our support, the French rugby players will wear a rainbow shoe lace during the France  Fiji game on Saturday night.

Were all in with you in this matter.

French Rugby Federation chiefs have pledged their support for Gareth Thomas by revealing France players will wear rainbow laces in the match against Fiji (Anna Gowthorpe/PA Images).

On Sunday Thomas, who came out as gay in 2009, posted a video to Twitter in which he thanked the police and the people of Cardiff for their support following the attack.

He also said he had opted to deal with his attacker, a 16-year-old boy, using restorative justice, when a victim talks to the perpetrator about the harm they have caused, because I thought they could learn more that way than any other way.

Thomas added: There are a lot of people out there who want to hurt us, but unfortunately for them there are a lot more who want to help us heal, so this I hope will be a positive message.
Indonesia said an Australian woman freed after serving nearly 14 years in prison for smuggling heroin to the tourist island of Bali will be deported and banned from the country for life.

Renae Lawrence was the only woman among nine Australians who were arrested in 2005 for smuggling 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Australia to Bali.

Lawrence, 41, wearing black sunglasses and a black t-shirt, was escorted through a crowd of reporters outside Bangli prison on Bali into a waiting car.

FREE. Renae Lawrence rushed out of Bangli Prison, more than 13 years after being jailed for her role in the Bali Nine drug scandal. She made no comment. Amazing pic by @a_mibali @smh @theage pic.twitter.com/7iYQQaZlMX  James Massola (@jamesmassola) November 21, 2018

Maryoto Sumadi, head of Balis justice and human rights office, said Lawrence will be deported to Australia within hours and is banned from re-entering Indonesia.

She may be the only member of the group dubbed the Bali Nine by Australian media to walk free from prison.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the ringleaders, were executed by a firing squad in 2015, causing a diplomatic furore between Indonesia and Australia.

Renae Lawrence, centre, is escorted as she leaves Bangli prison in Bali (AP Photo/Dana Pradana)

Five others had their sentences increased to life on appeal and another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died from cancer in May.

Lawrence, who customs caught with 2.2 kilograms of heroin strapped to her body, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined 1 billion rupiah (53,000).

She did not appeal and almost every year her sentence was reduced during holiday remissions that are customary in Indonesia for inmates with good behaviour, except those on death row or sentenced to life.

Lawrences sentence was completed in May but was extended by six months because she could not afford to pay the fine, said Bangli prison chief Made Suwendra.

Another convicted Australian drug smuggler, Schapelle Corby returned home last year.

Corby was arrested in 2004 at the age of 27 with more than 4 kilograms of marijuana inside a bag, sparking a media frenzy in Australia.

Corbys insistence that the drugs were planted by baggage handlers was dismissed as a lie by Balinese prosecutors. A court sentenced her to 20 years in prison, though that was later reduced.
The DUP has warned the Government it faces a rude awakening over its draft EU withdrawal deal.

Prime Minister Theresa May is on Thursday expected to meet business leaders from Northern Ireland who back the proposed accord.

But her Government faces calls from her erstwhile Democratic Unionist allies to take into account contrary opinions in the region.

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley fielded stiff criticism from DUP members of her scrutiny committee at Westminster on Wednesday.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon told her: If you dont cast your net wider and seek opinions of other people and stop seeking the one blinkered opinion, which it is clear to me that some people are pursuing, then you are going to get a very rude awakening.

The withdrawal deal was agreed in principle by Mrs May and the EU last week.

It includes a 39 billion divorce bill and the customs backstop which keeps the UK in the EU customs union to prevent the return of a hard Irish border with checkpoints on the frontier.

The draft withdrawal deal includes a customs backstop to prevent the return of a hard Irish border (Niall Carson/PA)

Ms Bradley acknowledged a difference of opinion with Mr Shannon but said government is about taking decisions and providing leadership.

She said: The safeguards put in place, the reassurances given, the way that the EU dislike the backstop, means as a legal construct, not as a person or country, there is no way that there will be a situation where we can be bound into the backstop indefinitely.

The right thing to do is to accept the deal and to get the future relationship and make sure we never go into the backstop in any way.
Investment of 1 billion has been announced by the Scottish Government to help rebuild and refurbish schools in Scotland.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney made the announcement at the Education Buildings Scotland conference in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

The funding will apply from 2021 when the current school building programme ends.

A total of 1.8 billion has been invested in the school estate since 2009 through the Schools for the Future programme, with 1.13 billion of Scottish Government funding and 665 million from councils.

The fund will aim to deliver digitally enabled, low-carbon schools and campuses providing benefits to pupils and the local economy.

New investment models to support the scheme will be developed in partnership with Cosla and councils, with decisions on which schools will benefit focused on those in the poorest condition.

The funding will apply from 2021 (Ben Birchall/PA)

It is expected that partnership design and development work will begin next year.

Mr Swinney said: Every pupil should have the best support throughout their education, which includes access to high-quality, up-to-date facilities that parents, staff and children can be proud of.

This further 1 billion investment will build on the progress already made by the existing Schools for the Future Programme and drive further improvements in the learning estate from 2021.

We have worked closely with local authorities since 2009 and will deliver 117 new school projects benefitting 60,000 pupils by March 2020.

We will keep up the momentum of improvements in education facilities throughout Scotland.

Coslas Children and Young People Spokesman, Councillor Stephen McCabe, said: I am pleased that this investment will be developed in partnership with COSLA. It is vitally important that we get this right and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to ensure that we do.

All of our children and young people deserve to be taught in the best possible facilities to enhance the learning and teaching experience and it is vital that we work together to make this opportunity work for every pupil in every community.
The Duchess of Sussex has made a return visit to a community kitchen which inspired her collaborative work on a Grenfell charity cookbook.

Meghan arrived at the Hubb Community Kitchen, not far from the site of the deadly tower block blaze in west London, to see first hand the progress made since the Together cookbook went on sale in September.

The mother-to-be was greeted by kitchen co-ordinator Zaheera Sufyaan and Abdurahman Sayed, chief executive of the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Centre in North Kensington.

Today, The Duchess of Sussex is visiting the Hubb Community Kitchen to see how the proceeds from Together: Our Community Cookbook are already making a difference locally. #CookTogether pic.twitter.com/YbFgXwNezP  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 21, 2018

Wearing a burgundy dress and coat by Club Monaco, Meghan, who had been making private visits to the kitchen since January, soon put on an apron, rolled up her sleeves and got stuck into helping prepare food.

Bumper sales of the cookbook, which features more than 50 recipes from women whose community was affected by the fire, have allowed a total makeover of the kitchen as well as longer opening hours.

Meghan, who suggested the idea of a fundraising cookbook when she first met the women, has previously described it as a tremendous labour of love.

The book took the number one spot on Amazon within hours of being unveiled two months ago and has since sold nearly 40,000 copies in the UK alone, raising 210,000.

The kitchen, redesigned with the womens input to capture its spirit as a place for the community to come together over meals, now opens seven days a week, up from just two when it began last year.

She was greeted by Hubb Kitchen coordinator Zaheera Sufyaan (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Those involved have also been able to obtain food hygiene qualifications and been empowered to start their own projects for the benefit of the wider community.

Projects, supported by the social entrepreneur foundation UnLtd, include a group for women affected by domestic violence, a scheme to deliver freshly cooked meals for women on maternity wards, and a project to produce healthy treats for children.

The Duchess has made regular private visits to the kitchen since January, which was set up by women from the community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Through the power of cooking, the women have been able to connect, heal and look forward. #CookTogether pic.twitter.com/l1BKghndB1  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 21, 2018

On Wednesday 200 meals being prepared in the kitchen were destined for local groups, including elderly peoples homes, homeless shelters and womens refuges.

 The inclusive ethos of Together has resonated all over the world, and inspired people not just to buy the book, but to cook, eat and gather in their own communities. #CookTogether pic.twitter.com/vmgH6q9XGU  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 21, 2018

The dishes include Egyptian lamb fattah, Persian chicken and barberry rice.

Meghan helped prepare a large dish of rainbow roasted vegetables as she introduced chef Clare Smyth, a friend of hers, to the volunteers in the kitchen.
The Taliban have denied involvement in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital that killed scores of people.

The attack on Tuesday, which targeted a gathering of hundreds of clerics at a wedding hall in Kabul, bore the hallmarks of a local Islamic State affiliate, which has carried out mass bombings targeting minority Shiites as well as perceived supporters of the US-backed government.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said 55 people were killed and 94 others were wounded in the attack.

Debris at the scene of the attack in Kabul (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Both the Taliban and the IS affiliate want to overthrow the Afghan government and impose a harsh form of Islamic rule. But they are bitterly divided over leadership, ideology and tactics.

The Taliban mainly target security forces and government officials, while IS specialises in sectarian attacks on civilians.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group condemns any attack on civilians or religious clerics.

The suicide bomber was able to sneak into a wedding hall where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

Inside the wedding hall where dozens of people were killed (Rahmat Gul/AP)

The Islamic State group claimed a suicide bombing in June that killed at least seven people and wounded 20 at a meeting of top clerics in the capital. The body of religious leaders, known as the Afghan Ulema Council, had issued a decree against suicide attacks and called for peace talks. IS said it had targeted tyrant clerics who were siding with the US-backed government.

The Taliban denied involvement in the June attack but they also denounced the gathering.

Afghan security forces have struggled to combat the twin insurgencies since the US and Nato formally ended their combat mission in 2014, shifting to a support and counter-terrorism role.

US President Donald Trumps decision last year to send in additional US forces has had little if any impact on the ground.
Parliament will not accept a no-deal Brexit, Cabinet minister Amber Rudd has said.

And Ms Rudd warned that Brexit may not go ahead if MPs reject Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement in a House of Commons vote expected next month.

The Work and Pensions Secretary was speaking as Mrs May came under pressure from Tory Brexiteers to secure further concessions from the EU in a top-level Brussels meeting on Wednesday evening

The Prime Minister will meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker for talks ahead of the special EU Brexit summit on Sunday at which the remaining 27 member states are expected to approve her plan.

In the Commons, Mrs May warned that rejecting her deal could mean there would be no Brexit at all.

If you look at the alternative to having that deal with the European Union, it will either be more uncertainty, more division, or it could risk no Brexit at all, she told MPs at Prime Ministers Questions.

She is under pressure to make changes to the Northern Irish backstop contained in the Brexit divorce agreement, making it clear how the UK can exit the controversial arrangement.

With large numbers of Conservatives, as well as the 10 DUP MPs who prop up Mrs Mays administration in the Commons, threatening to vote down her deal, the Prime Minister has repeatedly warned that the alternative is a damaging no-deal Brexit.

But Ms Rudd told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: It is my view that the House of Commons will stop no-deal.

There isnt a majority in the House of Commons to allow that to take place.

The minister, a former Remain campaigner who replaced Leave-backing Esther McVey in the Cabinet following her resignation last week, added: If it doesnt get through, anything could happen.

The Brexiteers may lose their Brexit.

Brexiteer ministers want her to press for clarity on how the UK can avoid or end the use of the backstop, which would require the whole UK to be in a single customs territory with the EU and force Northern Ireland to align with many of Brussels single market rules after 2020, unless an alternative is found.

A Brexit-backing minister said that the negotiation process was not over until its over and it was now a case of who blinks first as Brussels did not want either the backstop to be implemented or the prospect of the UK crashing out without a deal.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel set her face against any change to the deal to give the UK the independent right to end the backstop.

Mrs Merkel told the German Parliament: We have placed value, and I think this is right, on the fact that Britain cannot decide unilaterally when it ends the state of the customs union, but that Britain must decide this together with the EU.

Mrs Merkel said that Germany will back the proposed withdrawal agreement at Sundays summit, and hoped that objections raised by Spain to the treatment of Gibraltar would be solved by this time.

Influential Conservative backbencher Damian Collins, the chairman of the Commons Culture Committee, said that he could not back Mrs Mays deal as it stands and suggested there should be an election or second referendum if the country is facing a no-deal Brexit.

If we couldnt get an agreement and we were stuck in a situation where it was a deal we dont want, or the cliff edge I dont think as Parliament we could just stand back and watch the country fall off the edge of a cliff without asking the people whether that was the step they wanted to take, Mr Collins told Today.

Brussels has indicated that the withdrawal agreement, setting out the terms of the UKs divorce from the bloc, will not be rewritten  although work is ongoing to flesh out the political declaration on the future UK-EU relationship.
A fraudster who claimed more than 100,000 meant for Grenfell Tower victims has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Sharife Elouahabi falsely said he was staying with relatives in a flat on the 21st floor of the block, where a family of five are known to have died.

Sentencing, Judge Robin Johnson said: In the aftermath of a tragedy you sought and received profit and attempted to obtain a permanent property advantage over others.

The facts of the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy are well known. The effect on those who died, their families and friends, cannot be imagined by those who were not directly affected.

The fact that the unscrupulous sought to enrich themselves with accommodation, services and money is all the more shocking in the light of the outpouring of grief and sympathy that followed the disaster.

Sharife Elouahabi (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Elouahabi said in a statement through his counsel that he was sincerely sorry.

He appeared by video link from Wandsworth Prison when he was handed the sentence at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that Elouahabi made fraudulent claims for around 103,000 of financial assistance and accommodation between June 23 last year and June 25 this year.

The 38-year-old claimed he had been out breaking his fast for Ramadan on the night of the blaze, returning to find his uncle and cousins dead and his possessions destroyed.

Faouzia and Abdulaziz El-Wahabi, 42 and 52, died alongside their children, Yasin, 20, Huda, 16, and Mehdi, eight.

The El-Wahabi family (Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA)

Details including their names, flat number and floor were soon reported in the media.

Judge Robinson read part of Mr El-Wahabis sisters statement to the court during the sentencing, which the judge said was poignant, understated and entirely understandable.

The statement said: In committing this fraud the defendant has taken from the community, public funds and resources meant for genuine victims.

He has added to the strain of the council, to police resources and on all the support services.

We have had enough on our plate as it was.

Judge Robinson said the fraud was perpetrated with a considerable amount of planning and persistence, as Elouahabi was allocated two support workers.

He said: You were manipulative and clearly convincing for a number of months.

You feigned all the symptoms that one might expect of a genuine survivor.

The fact you lived locally and were part of the community that was so affected by the fire makes your conduct the more unattractive.

Elouahabi, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to fraud on November 5, the first day of his trial.

He admitted making a false representation to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, namely that he had been living in Grenfell Tower and was therefore entitled to housing and financial assistance.

During his trial, the court heard that he had 28 previous convictions for 54 offences including burglary and common assault.

Seventy-two people died in the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London on June 14 last year.
President Donald Trump has declared he will not further punish Saudi Arabia for the killing of US-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Mr Trump made it clear in an exclamation-filled statement that the benefits of good relations with the kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered the killing.

The president condemned the killing of Mr Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul as a horrible crime  that our country does not condone.

But he rejected calls by many in Congress, including members of his own party, for a tougher response, and dismissed reports from US intelligence agencies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must have at least known about the plot.

It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event, the president said. Maybe he did and maybe he didnt.

The statement began with the words America First! followed by The world is a very dangerous place!

It came after weeks of debate over whether the president would or should come down hard on the Saudis and the crown prince in response to the killing of the Saudi columnist for The Washington Post who had criticised the royal family.

The US earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being responsible for or complicit in the October 2 killing, but members of Congress have called for harsher actions, including cancelling arms sales.

While Saudi Arabia is a strategic ally, the behavior of the Crown Prince  in multiple ways  has shown disrespect for the relationship and made him, in my view, beyond toxic.  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 20, 2018

Mr Trump said foolishly cancelling these contracts worth billions of dollars would only benefit Russia and China, which would be next in line to supply the weapons.

Critics denounced Mr Trumps statement saying he ignored human rights and granted Saudi Arabia a pass for economic reasons.

Trump on the fallout over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi: "It's a shame, but it is what it is." (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/4bkzq2of0Y  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 20, 2018

Asked by a reporter if he was saying that human rights are too expensive to fight for, he responded: No, Im not saying that at all.

But then he switched the subject to the terrorist nation of Iran rather than any actions by Saudi Arabia.

The US needs a counterbalance to Iran, and Israel needs help, too, he said. If we abandon Saudi Arabia, it would be a terrible mistake.

Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi embassy in Istanbul (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)

Republican senator Rand Paul said Mr Trump was making a mistake, contending the administration has blinders on in comparing Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Its a sign of weakness not to stand up to Saudi Arabia, Mr Paul said in an interview. Sometimes when you have two evils, maybe you dont support either side.

Trump appears to have lied for weeks about what he knew about the Khashoggi murder. Now he essentially says he doesnt care about it. House must investigate what he knew and when he knew it, and why he is so beholden to MBS.  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 20, 2018

Republican Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator who is close to Mr Trump, also disagreed with the presidents statement, saying America must not lose its moral voice on the international stage.

It is not in our national security interests to look the other way when it comes to the brutal murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi, Mr Graham said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department has released nerve-wracking footage of firefighters rescuing terrified dogs and their owners from the California wildfires by helicopter.

The death-defying video, taken from the helmet camera of one pilot on November 9, shows the helicopter venture into an enormous cloud of smoke, lit red and orange by flames in the Santa Monica mountains.

This is rapidly becoming very ugly, said pilot David Nordquist as they approach the rescue site on top of a ridge, a cluster of buildings and radio towers just visible through the smog and ash.

Yeah, this isnt looking good, agreed co-pilot Joel Smith, as they try to figure out how to land amid the bushes, cars, and buildings.

Executing an inch-perfect landing by balancing on the peak of the ridge, Smith runs to fetch the people as the flames draw nearer and Nordquist holds the chopper in place.

The civilians eventually emerge with their two large dogs, terrified by the fire and the roar of the helicopter blades.

The LAFD helicopter balanced on the ridge as civilians ran to escape the flames (Credit: David Norquist LAFD/PA)

While the first hops aboard with relative ease, the second, an English mastiff, cowers in the bushes, refusing to budge.

Hes a little apprehensive but were getting him on board, says Nordquist as the dogs owner pleads with his pet.

After a little coaxing and a lot of heavy lifting everyone is back aboard the helicopter which Nordquist lifts into the sky, revealing just how close the fire below had come to tragedy.

That was close, says Smith as they fly away.

One YouTube user wrote: Just watched the whole thing; amazing video; a perspective that the general public never gets to see. VERY difficult landing, but they pulled it off.

Two cool cucumbers  calm and focused. Amazing job! said another.

Their professionalism, technical expertise and complete dedication to their mission was directly responsible for saving the lives of three people and two dogs, said LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
More than 8 million in salaries has been paid to members of Stormonts suspended devolved Assembly, the Northern Ireland Secretary said.

Karen Bradley has cut the pay of legislators significantly after an independent report recommended the measure.

Public representatives received a full-time salary from January 2017 to October this year even though the Assembly was not sitting and members were not passing legislation.

North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said: We have taken evidence recently in this committee about education budgets being so over-stretched that there have been donations of toilet rolls to primary schools.

It is absolutely shameful.

The 8.5 million pay bill was disclosed by Northern Ireland Office officials during evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster.

Ms Bradley reminded the committee that she cut Assembly members pay earlier this autumn.

It will happen in two stages. The first cut, of 7,425, will be followed by a further reduction of 6,187 in three months time.

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley giving evidence to MPs (PA)

Northern Ireland has been without a ministerial Executive since January 2017 after former powersharing partners the DUP and Sinn Fein fell out over the handling of a botched green energy scheme.

The pay cut was suggested last December. Former Assembly chief executive Trevor Reaney recommended the reduction until an Executive is resurrected.

Allowances for staff were not reduced.

Assembly members continue to provide a constituency service and lobby civil servants on a range of issues.

Repeated rounds of negotiations have failed to persuade Sinn Fein and the DUP to patch up their differences over powersharing.

Tensions between Northern Irelands two largest parties over Brexit have exacerbated divisions.

Among suggestions to kick-start progress is the appointment of an independent international mediator.

Talks led by the Northern Ireland Office failed amid trenchant criticism from Sinn Fein of the Government.
A British academic accused of spying in the United Arab Emirates has been sentenced to life imprisonment, his family spokeswoman said.

Matthew Hedges, 31, was sentenced when he appeared in court in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, a representative for Mr Hedges family said.

The Middle Eastern studies specialist from Durham University visited the country to research his PhD thesis and was arrested in Dubai Airport on May 5.

Matthew Hedges with his wife Daniela Tejada (Family handout)

At the last hearing, on October 24, a court-appointed lawyer maintained Mr Hedges innocence, arguing that the evidence brought forward  Mr Hedges notes from his PhD research  did not contain anything confidential, meaning the court should review it before passing judgment.

The court agreed and postponed the hearing until November 21.

Mr Hedges was released from detention on October 29 and had since been staying in Dubai, with an ankle bracelet monitoring his movements.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and Minister of State for the Middle East Alistair Burt, have both previously travelled to the UAE to make representations on Mr Hedges behalf.
South Koreas Kim Jong Yang has been elected as Interpols president ahead of the controversial Russian candidate.

Mr Kim edged out Alexander Prokopchuk, a long-time veteran of Russias security services who was strongly opposed by the US, UK and other European nations.

The surprise election result was seen as a victory for the White House and its European partners, who had lobbied up until the final hours before the vote against Mr Prokopchuks attempts to be named the next president of the policing organisation.

Very strong letter from 12 US Senators including @SenatorDurbin @SenatorCardin @SenFeinstein @SenWhitehouse @SenBlumenthal and others arguing against Russia taking over Interpol and using their persecution of me as the example. pic.twitter.com/Rum6a6TpEh  Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) November 21, 2018

The US and others expressed concern that if Russias candidate had been elected, that would have led to further Kremlin abuses of Interpols red notice system to go after political opponents and fugitive dissidents.

Russia accused its critics of running a campaign to discredit its candidate, calling Mr Prokopchuk a respected professional.

Alexander Prokopchuk was the favourite to win (Russian Interior Ministry/AP)

Groups campaigning to clean up Interpol celebrated the win, as did South Korea. South Koreas police and Foreign Ministry issued a joint statement saying Mr Kims election is a national triumph that could elevate South Koreas international standing.

Mr Kims win means he secured at least two-thirds of votes cast at Interpols general assembly in Dubai. He will serve until 2020, completing the four-year mandate of his predecessor, Meng Hongwei, who was detained in China as part of a wide anti-corruption sweep there.

Mr Kim, a police official in South Korea, was serving as interim president after Mengs departure from the post and was senior vice president at Interpol.

Kim Jong Yang, INTERPOL President: Our world is now facing unprecedented changes which present huge challenges to public security and safety. To overcome them, we need a clear vision: we need to build a bridge to the future.#INTERPOLGA pic.twitter.com/D4n7m61fy9  INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) November 21, 2018

Russias Interior Ministry said after the vote that Mr Prokopchuk, who is one of three vice presidents at Interpol, will remain in that position.

Spokeswoman Irina Volk told the Interfax news agency that Mr Prokopchuk will focus on advancing the stature of Interpol in the international police community and making its work more effective.

Most of Interpols 194 member countries attended the organisations annual assembly this year, which was held in an opulent Dubai hotel along the Persian Gulf coast.

Interpol was facing a pivotal moment in its history as delegates decided whether to hand its presidency to Mr Prokopchuk or Mr Kim, who were the only two candidates vying for the post.

Based in the French city of Lyon, the 95-year-old policing body is best known for issuing red notices that identify suspects pursued by other countries, effectively putting them on the worlds most-wanted list.

Critics say countries like Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and China have used the system to try to round up political opponents, journalists or activists, even though its rules prohibit the use of police notices for political reasons.
Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale has given her support to the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland.

She was among more than 60 female celebrities to write an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.

Northern Ireland has some of the tightest restrictions on the procedure and the issue is due to be raised in Parliament on Friday as part of a campaign for change.

The letter supported by stars from the worlds of acting, television and fashion was also signed by Doctor Whos Jodie Whittaker and Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman.

It said: This Friday, women across the UK will be waiting with anxiety and fear as their reproductive rights are debated in Parliament. Were counting on you (Theresa May) and your government to stand with women and decriminalise abortion.

Give us choice and control over our own bodies. Show women from Northern Ireland that you wont stand for them being governed by one of the harshest and cruellest abortion laws in the world.

Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale has backed decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland (Ian West/PA)

Show us that you value and champion the rights of all women, no matter which part of the UK theyre from.

Great meeting w/ Health Min @SimonHarrisTD very much welcome his commitment to ensuring women in North can access abortion services in South. Big thanks to @loreillysf @mfearonsf & @JOBrien_SF for organising and ongoing support to ensure #nowomanleftbehind #ItsTime #trustwomen pic.twitter.com/siz9AwZuul  Grainne Teggart (@GTeggart) November 15, 2018

A termination is only permitted in Northern Ireland if a womans life is at risk or if there is a risk of permanent and serious damage to her mental or physical health.

The 1967 Abortion Act which governs the rest of the UK was not extended to Northern Ireland.

A Private Members Bill which would decriminalise terminations in the region is due to be debated at Westminster on Friday.

Among others who signed the open letter are Dame Emma Thompson, Claire Foy, who played the Queen in the Netflix hit drama The Crown and her successor in the role, Olivia Colman.

Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood also joined a call for reform supported by Amnesty International.

Almost 50,000 others have signed a petition calling for the decriminalisation of abortion.

Northern Irelands biggest political party, the DUP, which holds strong Christian values, supports restrictions on terminations and has prevented change in the past.

Labour MP Diana Johnson, who has brought forward the decriminalisation Bill, said: The situation in Northern Ireland is grave and urgent.

My decriminalisation Bill has support from almost every UK political party and will be in Parliament on Friday. The Government must give it the time it needs to progress.

Women need this change. Abortion is a healthcare and human rights issue. Its time it was treated as such.

OPEN LETTER: Kate Beckinsale, Claire Foy, Jodie Whittaker and Olivia Colman call on Theresa May to change cruel Northern Ireland abortion lawhttps://t.co/j2LLu2WSaA  News From Amnesty (@NewsFromAmnesty) November 21, 2018

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International UKs Northern Ireland campaign manager, said: Women in Northern Ireland are being failed by a lack of Government action, forced to live with the cruel reality of Northern Irelands strict near total abortion ban every day.

The UK Government must give time for the Bill to go through Parliament so that MPs have the opportunity to stop the criminalisation of healthcare services and support the rights of women  including those in Northern Ireland.
A teenager has been arrested over an assault on two police officers at a house in Dalkeith.

The officers were called to the property in Elmfield Park at around 2.10pm on Tuesday to help paramedics.

Chemicals and other items of concern were found in the property and a 19-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Police said he has since been arrested over a breach of the peace and the assault of two officers, adding he is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Items discovered in the house are still being investigated and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and explosive ordnance disposal team have also been working at the scene.

Chief Inspector Kenny Simpson said: I appreciate the disruption and concern that the significant emergency service activity may have caused to local residents.

Police Scotland are continuing to investigate chemicals and other items found at the house (Andrew Milligan/PA)

However, following specialist examination, I want to reassure people that there is not believed to be any immediate risk to the public.

Be assured that we continue to work with colleagues in specialist areas and outwith Police Scotland as we establish the nature of these items and their purpose.

Anyone who has concerns or information which may be relevant can speak to an officers in the area or contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1853 of 20th November.
A new 1 million visitor centre telling the story of the cultural icon Tennents Lager has opened in Glasgow.

Actor and Tennents fan Martin Compston was first in line to be shown round the Wellpark Brewery site in the east end of Glasgow.

Brewery bosses believe the new centre will become a popular destination for beer lovers and tourism leaders hope it will help Glasgow meet its goal of attracting one million extra visitors a year by 2023.

The centre features tasting, new and old artwork as well as Tennents artefacts including a 150-year-old bottle of stout brewed in Wellpark and discovered in a shipwreck off Australia.

Line of Duty star Compston took a break from filming the fifth season of the police drama to attend the launch of the Tennents Visitor Centre.

The actor visited the centre during a break from filming Line of Duty (Paul Chappells/PA)

He said: Im massively impressed; the place looks amazing.

Obviously, I know my way around a pint of Tennents very well, but I was blown away by the history of the whole thing  the connections to Robert Burns and Bonnie Prince Charlie and some incredible photos going back through the years.

Its going to be a great attraction for the east end of Glasgow, but something like Tennents, its more than a beer; its part of our culture and our heritage.

It deserves something at this sort of scale and it was an honour to be invited to be the first person to check it out.

Alan McGarrie, group brand director for Tennents Lager, added: It was a privilege to have Martin into Wellpark to be the first person to experience the new visitor centre. We know he enjoys a Tennents and we were excited to showcase it to a real fan of the brand.

It has been an incredible transformation, watching the space develop into a truly immersive experience that showcases the brewery, the beer and the brand.

The Tennents Story is going to take people behind the scenes like never before, and we cant wait to open the doors to fans from today.
Hollywood star Gerard Butler has shared a meal with pupils in Haiti who are being helped by school feeding charity Marys Meals.

The Scottish actor travelled to the Caribbean with Marys Meals founder and global chief executive, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, to see the charitys work first hand.

Marys Meals feeds 1,361,586 children every school day in 17 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean.

Mr Butler joined pupils at Ecole Communautaire Saint Michel de Morne Mouton in the town of Mirebalais in Haitis Central Plateau to try Marys Meals food for himself and see the impact the project makes.

Gerard Butler met children who receive Marys Meals on his visit to Haiti (Marys Meals/PA)

He said: Marys Meals is such a simple idea. Im inspired by the genius behind it, and how it promotes responsibility in everybody.

Its a very efficient way to essentially enhance the lives of so many in poor countries and it can be developed and extended so cheaply.

Ive been cheered up no end by these beautiful souls who, despite living in a country that has gone through so much hardship, have nothing but love to give.

Communities are transformed by what Marys Meals does to feed children in a place of education. Ive seen it in action in Liberia and now Haiti.

In Haiti, local volunteers prepare a nutritious school meal of rice and beans with a tasty sauce made from vegetables and fish for 41,831 pupils every school day.

The charity began feeding 200 children in Malawi in 2002 and has since expanded around the world, beginning school feeding in Haiti in 2006.

Following the recent visit Mr MacFarlane-Barrow said: Its been a very moving few days meeting the children of Haiti whose lives are being changed by Marys Meals.

It costs 13.90 to feed a child with Marys Meals for a whole school year and more information can be found at marysmeals.org.uk.
Ministers are being urged to scrap the current school leaving age of 16 and instead bring in a requirement that young people stay in learning, in either the classroom or the workplace, until they are 18.

The IPPR Scotland think tank made the call as it published a new report on the impact automation and ageing could have on the country.

Director Russell Gunson said: Aside from Brexit, preparing for automation and ageing should be the top priority for Scotland.

The additional investment in skills and training needed to prepare for automation could reach 250 million a year by 2025  which it said should be split between the public and private sectors.

Almost half (46%) of all jobs in Scotland have the potential to be changed in the coming years as a result of automation  which has been dubbed the fourth industrial revolution.

At the same time, the increasing number of elderly people means there will need to be significant increases in productivity from the working population, the think tank added.

As part of what it termed a revolution in lifelong learning, IPPR Scotland called for the existing school leaving age to be replaced with a new skills participation age of 18.

In addition, it recommended everyone under the age of 21 should be involved in learning new skills in some way by 2025, and the Scottish Government introduce a new target of having 100,000 workers over the age of 25 involved in the skills system by then.

Meanwhile, it suggested up to 30,000 workers a year could benefit from an enhanced individual training account, providing them with 1,000 a year for training and skills.

IPPR Scotland said: These recommendations would ensure Scotland was among the most-prepared countries in the world in getting ready to take the opportunities brought by automation, ageing and the economic change we face over the coming years.

These changes could bring significant reform to the skills system in Scotland, aiding Scotlands ability to prepare for automation and ageing, the report added.

In turn, this would help the country transition from the economy of now to what we will need in the future.

The IPPR Scotland report said currently too many young people leave the skills system too soon, never to return, going on to enter low-paid and insecure work that for too many become low-paid and insecure careers.

In Scotland, 14.9% of workers aged 16 to 24 are in insecure employment  which includes temporary jobs and zero hours contracts  as are 9% of those aged over 25.

The report called for those working to boost workers skills to do more to help employees in the middle of their careers.

The think tank also wants a committee on the future economy to be set up in Scotland, based on the one established in Singapore in 2016.

IPPR Scotland director Russell Gunson (IPPR/PA)

Mr Gunson said: If the last 30 years have been, rightly, about expanding higher education to help Scotland to transition to a knowledge-led economy, then the next 30 years need to be about expanding lifelong learning to take the opportunities of automation and ageing.

From our research, we believe that investment in education and training, and lifelong learning in particular, will be the single most important way to get Scotland ready to take the advantages coming our way through technological change.

Scotlands education and training system has some great strengths but it has a long way to go before its ready.

There is no doubt that preparing for this scale of change will be expensive and wont come cheap. However, the costs of not investing could be far more significant than doing so.

The Scottish Government said it will consider the recommendations fully.

A spokesman said: Ensuring Scotland has a skilled and productive workforce, both now and in future, is central to our ambitions for our labour market and economy.

The IPPRs report underlines the importance of Scotlands skills system meeting our future skills needs, given the importance of issues such as changing workforce demographics, the potential impact of technological change and the great uncertainty brought about by Brexit.

The report recognises that Scotlands skills system is both on the right track and has strong foundations to build on.
The head of Russian military intelligence, which stands accused of being responsible for the Salisbury Novichok attack, has died, it has been reported.

General Colonel Igor Korobov is said to have died on Wednesday after suffering a serious illness.

The 63-year-old was head of the GRU, two officers of which are accused of travelling to the UK and attempting to assassinate Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in the agency.

The Kremlin-backed news wire Tass said it had been told of his death by a source in the Russian Defence Ministry.

(PA)

Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Deputy Chief of General Staff Igor Korobov died on November 21 from a serious illness, the source told Tass.

Gen Korobov had worked in military intelligence since 1985 and in 2016 president Vladimir Putin made him head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces  also known as the GRU.

The same year he was made the subject of US sanctions for acts for or on behalf of the GRU.
The Duchess of Sussex is celebrating her first Thanksgiving as a member of the royal family.

American former actress Meghan, who on Wednesday made a return visit to the Hubb Community kitchen which inspired her collaborative work on a Grenfell charity cookbook, is expected to mark the much-loved US holiday with the Duke of Sussex.

Meghan and Harry on their recent tour of New Zealand (Phil Noble/PA)

Meghan and Harry have no official engagements confirmed for November 22, leaving them free to enjoy the occasion together for the first time as a married couple.

They are expecting their first child in the spring.

With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis living next door to the couples Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, the Cambridges might be invited round for a Thanksgiving meal.

Or Harry and Meghan could head to the sanctuary of their Cotswolds retreat instead.

It is not known whether the duchess has invited her mother, Doria Ragland, to spend the day with her.

Doria, Meghan and Harry (Ben Stansall/PA)

In 2016, Meghan, who was still starring in the legal drama Suits at the time, posted a picture of herself on Instagram with a large cooked turkey, adding: Oh, that time I roasted a pretty perfect Thanksgiving turkey! The question is, can I do it again? The pressure is on!

Harry was away on a Caribbean tour on board a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker ship, so the couple spent that Thanksgiving apart  with Harry having no internet or mobile phone signal, and only the ships radio available for essential communications.

The duchess has previously described how her parents, who came from little, taught her to care about others, and led by example during her childhood, buying turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving.

On Wednesday, the duchess put on an apron and a pair of gloves and began mixing vegetables with her hands when she visited the Hubb Community Kitchen in west London.

Meghan helped to prepare some rainbow veg while she was there and sipped ginger tea as she listened to the womens plans for the future pic.twitter.com/XhGiSV2Ocq  Aine Fox (@aine_fox) November 21, 2018

Chef Clare Smyth, the duchesss friend who was introduced to the volunteers, said Meghan had spoken with passion about the kitchen.

Shes really into food, shes a real foodie, she added.

Harry proposed to Meghan over a roast chicken dinner in 2017, and later revealed how all the stars were aligned when he first fell for her after they met on a blind date.

Traditional Thanksgiving dinners include a roast turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie for dessert.

American presidents are required to pardon a turkey ahead of the holiday.

Today, President Trump participated in a classic White House tradition: the pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey.



Americans voted online for our two very qualified candidates. Find out which was crowned National Thanksgiving Turkey in 1600 Daily: https://t.co/xb9E3Be3a3 pic.twitter.com/5yyNXYqv98  The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) November 21, 2018

Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1621 when Europeans, known as Pilgrims, invited the local Native Americans to a harvest feast after they experienced a successful season of produce growth.

Kensington Palace has yet to comment.
A terminally ill motor neurone disease sufferer who wants to die a peaceful and dignified death will go to the UKs highest court in a bid to change the law on assisted dying.

Noel Conway vowed to continue his legal fight after losing a Court of Appeal challenge in June and a panel of three justices will decide on Thursday whether he can appeal to the Supreme Court.

The 68-year-old retired lecturer from Shrewsbury says that being forced to choose between unacceptable options to end his life is barbaric.

He wants help to die  which the law prevents  when he has less than six months left to live, still has the mental capacity to make the decision and has made a voluntary, clear, settled and informed decision.

On Thursday, Noel Conway will apply to take his fight for assisted dying to the Supreme Court.



Its going to be a crucial day in a long legal battle. so lets show Noel that thousands of people are behind him.#ImWithNoelhttps://t.co/00h60EISMs  Dignity in Dying (@dignityindying) November 20, 2018

During a hearing in May he proposed that he could only receive assistance to die if a High Court judge determined that he met all three of those criteria.

Challenging an earlier High Court rejection of his case, his lawyers argued the blanket ban on assisted dying was an unjustified interference with his human rights.

Noel Conway has vowed to continue his fight (Aaron Chown/PA)

But his appeal was rejected by three senior judges.

Announcing the decision, Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton said the court concluded it is not as well placed as Parliament to determine the necessity and proportionality of a blanket ban.

In a statement after the ruling, he said: I am naturally disappointed by todays judgment, though it was not unexpected.

I fully intend to appeal it with the support of my legal team.

He added: I will keep fighting for myself and all terminally ill people who want the right to die peacefully, with dignity and on our own terms.

I want to thank my family, friends and members of the public who have shown such overwhelming support and who continue to spur me on in this fight.

He cites his current options as to effectively suffocate by choosing to remove his ventilator or spend thousands travelling to Switzerland to end his life and have his family risk prosecution.

Lady Hale, Lord Reed and Lord Kerr will decide whether Mr Conway should be given permission for an appeal to the Supreme Court.

A statement on the courts website said it is aware of the urgency of the matter.

If Mr Conway is granted permission, a date will be set for a full hearing, but if he is refused an appeal his case will come to an end.

Mr Conway, who is supported by the campaign group Dignity in Dying, is too unwell to travel to London for the Supreme Court hearing.

He is now dependent on a ventilator for up to 23 hours a day and only has movement in his right hand, head and neck.
The jailing of a British academic for life in the UAE over spying allegations, Theresa Mays Brexit efforts and a fluffy puppy detained under dangerous dogs laws make headlines on Thursday.

The case of Matthew Hedges, a Durham University PhD student, leads the Daily Mail, which carries comments by his wife, Daniela Tejada, who said she is in complete shock.

She has also described Foreign Office officials handling of his case as appalling, The Times reports.

The story is also on the front of the Metro, which highlights how the hearing on Wednesday lasted only five minutes.

METRO: Brit spy student is jailed for life #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Ugy1ctxqlO  Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 21, 2018

Onto Brexit, and the Daily Telegraph reports that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned the Prime Minister her deal could see the UK fall into a Turkey trap, in reference to the long negotiations the country has faced over its status with the EU.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'Deal is a Turkey trap, Hunt warns PM' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/YnI6tl7Vdj  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 21, 2018

The Daily Express leads with warnings that the rising tide of obesity has led to thousands of youngsters having Type 2 diabetes.

What the papers say - November 22

Thursdays @Daily_Express front page



- EXCLUSIVE: Shocking rise in child diabetes



- DOUBLE DUCHESS: Kate and Meghans copycat fashions



- #ImACeleb Jungle John snaps up perfect ten stars



- Betting boss hits 265m payday jackpot#frontpages #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/w2BVr9tOys  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) November 21, 2018

A fluffy puppy was detained under the Dangerous Dogs Act after it gave an officer a minor nip, the The Sun reports.

Tomorrow's front page: Police were blasted for caging a fluffy puppy under the Dangerous Dogs Act after it gave a cop a minor nip https://t.co/tLnDHjqz6I pic.twitter.com/gzvgrelGB4  The Sun (@TheSun) November 21, 2018

Attempts by Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump, to help right-wing populists campaign for the 2019 European parliamentary elections are in disarray, The Guardian reports.

The Guardian front page, Thursday 22 November 2018: Bannon plan for far right in Europe

in disarray pic.twitter.com/VRwVdWko4s  The Guardian (@guardian) November 21, 2018

The Daily Mirror leads with praise for the Duke of Cambridge from a mother whose son died as the royal helicopter pilot took part in a rescue mission.

Goldman Sachs has been accused of bribery over the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, the Financial Times reports.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Thursday 22 November https://t.co/ryIdKqX3Pt pic.twitter.com/IT4hbo1L8G  Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) November 21, 2018

The i says Education Secretary Damian Hinds is encouraging teachers to allow children to take part in character building exercises like climbing trees.

And The Independent leads with a charitys warning that there has been a concerning rise in the number of homeless people.
The Government is facing calls to take immediate action against the United Arab Emirates after a British academic accused of spying with absolutely no evidence was jailed for life.

The Foreign Office has been accused of handling the case of PhD student Matthew Hedges appallingly after the 31-year-old was handed the life term during a five-minute hearing on Wednesday.

Jeremy Hunt is due to meet with the Durham University students wife, Daniela Tejada, on Thursday and the Foreign Secretary has threatened the UAE with serious diplomatic consequences if Mr Hedges is not freed.

Ms Tejada, who was at the Abu Dhabi court, has demanded the British Government take a stand now.

Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them, she told The Times.

This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning, with no-one taking Matthews case seriously. The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens.

They say that the UAE is an ally but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matts case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price.

This is ridiculous. Our Defence assistance, mentoring and intelligence relationships alone with this country should preclude absurd things like this happening. From a friend and partner, simply unacceptable. Consequences must be immediate until he is released. Resilience required pic.twitter.com/ouvxfjJIBH  Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) November 21, 2018

Ms Tejadas call for immediate action was echoed by Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who condemned the academics jailing and called for the Government to be resilient.

He wrote on Twitter: This is ridiculous. Our Defence assistance, mentoring and intelligence relationships alone with this country should preclude absurd things like this happening. From a friend and partner, simply unacceptable.

Consequences must be immediate until he is released.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned of diplomatic consequences (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Hunt said the UK will do everything we can to get him home.

We see absolutely no evidence for any of the charges laid against him. Were very concerned for his welfare, he told Sky News.

The UAE is supposed to be a friend and ally of Britains. Weve given them repeated assurances about Matthew. If we cant resolve this there are going to be serious diplomatic consequences, because this is totally unacceptable.

The Middle Eastern studies specialist was arrested at Dubai Airport on May 5.

The Government should state that the British academic accused of spying in the United Arab Emirates is innocent of the charges, his wife has said (Daniela Tejada/PA)

A family representative said he had since been held in solitary confinement for over five-and-a-half months, during which his mental and physical health seriously deteriorated.

Lawyer and human rights campaigner David Haigh said he was encouraged by Mr Hunts public stance, but warned securing Mr Hedges release quickly was important.

He told the BBCs World Tonight: Its urgent. I know what he will be going through. Hell be in some form of national security jail and its horrific there.

Mr Haigh, a former managing director of Leeds United, says he was tortured and raped while he was held in a Dubai jail over a fraud conviction that was later overturned.

Former Leeds United director David Haigh has said the UAE was not safe to go as a tourist (Martin Rickett/PA)

He warned that Mr Hedges ordeal and other similar cases showed the UAE isnt a safe country to go to as a tourist.

Nothings changed. Its getting worse and worse and worse, and why is it getting worse? Because no-one is doing anything about it. The governments are ignoring it, Mr Haigh said.

Theresa May said she was deeply disappointed and concerned by Mr Hedges jailing and told MPs the UK will continue to press this matter at the highest level with the Emiratis.

Mr Hunt was urgently seeking a call with Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, the Prime Minister added.

At Prime Ministers Questions, Tory MP Crispin Blunt told Mrs May she should make clear to the UAE that if he is not released, I dont see why we should be committed to their defence.

Professor Stuart Corbridge, vice-chancellor of Durham University, said he was devastated by the sentence.

He said: There has been no information given on what basis Matt was handed this sentence and no reason to believe that Matt was conducting anything other than legitimate academic research.

A Foreign Office spokesman did not say what form any possible diplomatic consequences could take, but said a number of options are available.
American actress Angelina Jolie has spoken out against sexual violence in global war zones during a Government film event in London.

Held at the British Film Institute, 38 movies and documentaries are being shown as part of a festival enabling survivors to tell their stories.

The United Nations envoy spoke at the event, which aims to tackle rape and sexual violence in conflict zones.

Jolie welcomed the work of the festival, which was attended Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

She said: I want to thank the British Government for hosting this festival and for recognising the power of storytelling as a tool to enhance empathy and understanding.

I welcome that the Foreign Office is supporting art and artists, putting the issue of sexual violence in conflict forward as an urgent international issue.@Refugees Envoy Angelina Jolie opens film festival to raise awareness of sexual violence in conflict#TimeToAct pic.twitter.com/jaP6PQdJ2o  Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) November 23, 2018

I welcome what it says, that the Foreign Office is supporting art and artists, putting the issue of sexual violence in conflict forward as an urgent international issue, allowing the voices of that set the agenda to be those of the survivors themselves.

Angelina Jolie has spoken about sexual violence in her role as UN envoy. (Yui Mok/PA)

Art highlighting the horrors of sexual violence in conflicts across the world was displayed in addition to the screenings.

The event included the unveiling of a code to set the standard for evidence-gathering for investigating sexual violence in war zones and was backed by Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, who is the UK Governments special representative on such violence.

With @Refugees envoy Angelina Jolie at #PSVI film festival to discuss new Murad Code, named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate @NadiaMuradBasee. Code will set standard for gathering evidence of sexual violence in conflicts. There must be justice for survivors! @end_svc #TimeToAct pic.twitter.com/E33R4VxskX  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) November 23, 2018

Hunt tweeted about the event, writing: With @Refugees envoy Angelina Jolie at #PSVI film festival to discuss new Murad Code, named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate @NadiaMuradBasee.

Code will set standard for gathering evidence of sexual violence in conflicts. There must be justice for survivors!

The code is named after Nadia Murad, a Yazidi human rights activist who was kidnapped at the hands of Islamic State.
The draft EU withdrawal agreement contains arrangements that are not in Northern Irelands long-term interests, Arlene Foster will tell her party conference later.

The country would inevitably begin to diverge from its largest market, the rest of the UK, if it remained part of the EUs customs code under the backstop arrangement, the DUP leader will declare before massed crowds of supporters in Belfast.

The backstop is a fallback designed to avoid a hard Irish border which would see Northern Ireland continue to follow some EU rules around trade if no better solution can be found.

Mrs Foster is expected to say: We cannot wish away the fact that the draft withdrawal agreement contains arrangements that are not in Northern Irelands long-term economic or strategic interests.

Northern Ireland would remain part of the European Unions customs code and as things stand we would be sowing the seeds of inevitable economic divergence from our largest market.

Tory Brexiteer Boris Johnson is also expected to address the DUP conference on Saturday.

The draft agreement contains arrangements that are not in Northern Irelands long-term interests, Arlene Foster will tell her party conference (Niall Carson/PA)

Mrs Foster acknowledged the frustration of many in Northern Irelands business community with the pace of negotiations.

Her party has prided itself on its relationship with firms, but relations have been strained by their support for the draft UK-EU deal.

Mrs Foster has said the DUP may revisit its deal to support the Conservatives in key votes at Westminster.

She will tell her annual conference: I acknowledge the hard work and determined efforts of the Prime Minister to secure an agreement.

She is genuine when she says she wants to see an outcome that does no harm to the Union and the internal market of the United Kingdom.

However, this draft agreement fails her own key commitments.

The Prime Minister has not been able to guarantee an outcome that eliminates the risk of the introduction of the so-called backstop arrangements.

Mrs Foster is expected to urge negotiators to seek a better outcome.

The position of Gibraltar had been one of the issues facing EU states attempting to agree a common position on UK withdrawal.

Spain is pressing for a guarantee over its say on the future of Gibraltar.

A delegation from the British overseas territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula travelled to take part in the DUP conference.

The DUP leader is expected to pledge: We stand with the people and the government of Gibraltar at this time.

Nigel Dodds, the DUPs leader at Westminster, is expected to tell the conference that without his partys support the Government would have been defeated in almost half of all votes on the EU Withdrawal Act.

The Governments commitments under it are clear including on Brexit. Commitments freely entered into must be delivered and if they are not, then clearly, as we have shown, there are consequences.

But it is in the interests of the country and of Northern Ireland that our parties continue to work together in the national interest.

Our agreement is of course with the Conservative Party.

It is incumbent therefore on all Conservatives in Parliament who recognise the importance of continuing stability and who wish to see the Government deliver its agenda to ensure it is honoured in full.
Theresa May heads to Brussels on Saturday with her Brexit deal under threat at home and abroad.

The Prime Minister will hold talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk before a summit of EU leaders on Sunday which is expected to endorse the deal thrashed out between negotiators from the two sides.

But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has threatened to veto progress without further guarantees for Madrid over the status of Gibraltar.

Mrs May also faced domestic difficulties, with her relationship with the Democratic Unionist Party looking increasingly strained as Arlene Fosters party prepared for its conference in Belfast.

DUP leader Arlene Foster warned that the confidence and supply deal propping up Mrs Mays minority administration would have to be revisited if her Brexit deal gets through Parliament.

The DUP has strongly opposed the deal and the guest star at its conference will be Boris Johnson, a prominent critic of the Prime Ministers approach and a potential rival for the Tory leadership.

DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds have strongly opposed Theresa Mays deal (Brian Lawless/PA)

The tensions over Gibraltar concern Spains demand that Gibraltars future is considered a bilateral issue between London and Madrid rather than between the EU and UK.

Mr Sanchez has suggested that Sundays summit could be scrapped unless there is a breakthrough.

After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away. My Government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit.  Pedro Sanchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 22, 2018

Mrs May has insisted her deal is in the interests of the whole UK family including Gibraltar.

The last-minute diplomatic spat comes as Mrs Mays critics laid bare the scale of their opposition to the Brexit plan.

More than 80 Conservative MPs  from both the Leave and Remain sides  are threatening to vote against the agreement.

And if it did pass the Commons, the repercussions could bring down Mrs Mays Government, with the DUP hinting at withdrawing the support of its MPs.

The DUPs 10 MPs have proved reluctant to vote with the Government since the terms of the Brexit deal became known and the termination of their Westminster arrangement would be a major blow to the Prime Minister.

In her conference speech, Mrs Foster will say: The choice is not between this deal and no deal despite what the Government spin machine may say.

The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome.

The DUPs Westminster leader Nigel Dodds will use his conference speech to stress that the confidence and supply arrangement is with the Conservative Party  rather than Mrs May herself  and urge Tory Eurosceptics to revolt against the Brexit deal.

The confidence and supply deal is a two-way street. The Governments commitments under it are clear including on Brexit.

Commitments freely entered into must be delivered and if they are not, then clearly, as we have shown, there are consequences.

In a message aimed at Tory Brexiteers he will say: Our agreement is of course with the Conservative Party. It is incumbent therefore on all Conservatives in Parliament who recognise the importance of continuing stability and who wish to see the Government deliver its agenda to ensure it is honoured in full.

But Mrs May, who launched an effort to sell the Brexit deal directly to the public, insisted that there would be no changes to appease critics at this late stage.

Our position on Gibraltar and its sovereignty has not changed, and will not change.



Prime Minister Theresa May tells caller Laura-Beth the UK is working with the governments of Gibraltar and Spain in this phase of the negotiations.#BBCAskThis | @EmmaBarnett | @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/TVKshjhowz  BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) November 23, 2018

In a BBC phone-in she said: If we were to go back to the European Union and say People didnt like that deal can we have another one?, I dont think they are going to come to us and say We will give you a better deal.

This is the deal that I think works for the UK.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the next stage of her Brexit sales pitch will be on the immigration controls believed to have been a key factor in the Leave vote.

According to leaked Cabinet papers, the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas with restricted entitlements and rights while they are living in the UK.

Alternative plans could allow EU migrants aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for two years, with a strict cap on numbers.

The Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled tier 2 migrants entirely, the report said, with the plans set out in the week beginning December 3  a week before the crunch Brexit vote is expected in the Commons.

Dominic Raab has claimed the UK will be worse off under Mrs Mays deal than if it stayed in the EU (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Despite the turmoil, the Prime Minister again insisted that as far as she was concerned, Brexit would go ahead next year as planned.

Personally, there is no question of no Brexit, because the Government needs to deliver on what people voted for in the referendum in 2016, she said.

As far as I am concerned, the UK is leaving the European Union on March 29 2019.
Mairia Cahill is to call for more support for sex crime victims during court cases when she addresses a rally in Belfast.

Hundreds of women are expected to take part in the city centre march against gender-based violence.

Retired appeal court judge Sir John Gillen has made a range of preliminary recommendations about trials involving serious sexual wrongdoing following the acquittal of two Irish rugby internationals in a recent high-profile rape case.

It's time to take to the streets to make your voice heard against street harassment and gender based violence! Meeting at Buoy Park at 7pm, Saturday 24th November. #rtnbelfast #16days #BelfastHour #Lovelyloaf @BelfastHourNI pic.twitter.com/DfN0tOMPN2  Reclaim The Night Belfast (@RTNBelfast) November 22, 2018

Ms Cahill, in unrelated proceedings, has accused a senior IRA man of repeatedly sexually abusing her as a teenager. The suspect has always denied the allegations and was acquitted.

The campaigner and politician said: I contributed to the Gillen Review and I will be calling for more support services for victims going through the court process.

I was happy to contribute to it and would urge people to engage with the consultation review.

Mairia Cahill will call for more support for sex crime victims in court (Liam McBurney/PA)

Saturdays march marks the beginning of 16 days of action addressing violence against women.

This is the fifth Reclaim the Night event to be held in Belfast.

The demonstration will begin at Buoy Park beside the Art College at 7pm and end at the Albert Clock.

Ms Cahill added: I commend the organisers of this Reclaim the Night march, anything that raises awareness of abuse and supports people to help them report abuse is welcome.

One of the march organisers, Elaine Crory, said: We are calling for an end to the constant targeting of women and members of the LGBT community.

We want to remind people that these issues arent going away and that as well as every high-profile trial or sensational incident, harassment is an everyday reality for women and for LGBT people

Over the last number of years I have consistently worked to try to improve things for sexual abuse victims, and some of the changes that have come as a result of my own case collapsing include the creation of the PSNI public protection branch and 15 changes to the Public Prosecution Service in relation to streamlining services for rape victims.

Other speakers at Saturdays event will include Laila Daya from Queens University African & Caribbean Society; Alexa Moore, director of Transgender NI; Catriona OBrien from Sex Workers Alliance Ireland; and Rachel Watters, NUS-USI womens officer.

One of the march organisers, Elaine Crory, said: We are calling for an end to the constant targeting of women and members of the LGBT community.

We want to remind people that these issues arent going away and that as well as every high-profile trial or sensational incident, harassment is an everyday reality for women and for LGBT people.

While that continues to be true we will continue to march.
Zimbabwes former president Robert Mugabe is no longer able to walk as his health declines, his successor has said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa told ruling party supporters at a rally on Saturday that the 94-year-old has been in hospital in Singapore for the past two months.

He can no longer walk but we will continue to take care of him, said Mr Mnangagwa, who took over from his former mentor a year ago after Mr Mugabe stepped down under military pressure.

Mr Mnangagwa said Mr Mugabe was supposed to return to Zimbabwe on October 15 but was not feeling well. He did not give further details about Mr Mugabes condition.

The former president is now expected to return to Zimbabwe on November 30.

Mr Mugabe was the worlds oldest head of state before his dramatic exit.
The clash between religion and reason is an old story. Centuries have witnessed the two parallel forces influencing the society most. The Management Theory explains this as the race for supremacy to gain control over the society. While religion was the first source of authority as humanity acquired civility, the development of human intellect through scientific pursuits led to the emergence of rational-legal authority as a means of social control. As things stand, and as the bygone ages testify none is emerging as the winner. More so in India where religion has always been an important source of authority to acquire social control. Against this back drop, there is a need to revisit the religion versus reason conflict. Particularly, as the recent times are witnessing a tug-of-war between the institutions that represent the religious authority and those representing the rational-legal sources of authority. We need not go very far behind in the history. From Shah Bano to Sabarimala, cases galore point out at this conflict. The problem is to be reformulated if we need to come to an amicable answer. There is need for a philosophical approach blending religion and reason, rather than looking at it from a religion versus reason issue. We must understand that religion is more a matter of faith whereas reason is based on rational analysis. Naturally, the two concepts have their own standpoints based on very strong convictions. Faith is something guided by a belief system that is a result of centuries of cultural conditioning and hence rationality may not be able to change the belief that has such strong and deep roots. How far can the institutions of rational-legal authority, especially elected Governments and courts of law, go in interpreting and demystifying religious beliefs through rationality? It is a big question that may not be easy to answer. But it is important to realise that both religion and reason have their roles in effective development of the society. While one must admit that many issues of philosophy of religion have broad relevance to human concerns, they are also quite complex in their ramifications. Obviously, explaining or interpreting them on the touchstone of rationality alone may not be a prudent approach. They do need to be rethought in each age in the light of broader scientific knowledge and deepening ethical and religious experience. But a summary interpretation may not be the right approach. Best would be to follow an eclectic approach taking the best of both the views. The rationalist may have a major limitation in that for them the only truth capable of being asserted is based on analytical and hence tautological reasoning only. But that may not be enough in the cases of religious beliefs which arise out of faith. It is better if faith and reason join hands to reinvent religion and bring out prescriptions for right living. Yes, rationality is important to discriminate between belief and superstition. But the matter of faith is a crucial issue in religious beliefs and legal interpretations may not go very far in changing the belief system. Religion is not something that can be inferred by law. Hence, there is need to hasten slowly. Albert Einstein had very rightly suggested that religion begins where science ends. Social movements have been successful in changing many archaic beliefs in the past like Sati or human sacrifice. But it was more a process of attitudinal change and opinion creation rather than being just mandated by law.

Pathak is a professor of management, writer, and an acclaimed public speaker. He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 21st round of border talks in China's southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday, officials said.

Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, would also review the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and China. The talks were expected to be concluded later Saturday.

This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, "We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability".

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year.

Since the first-ever "informal summit" between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance India's exports to China to address the over USD 51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing India's export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said.

Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.

Senior defence officials of India and China held the 9th India-China Annual Defence and Security Dialogue in Beijing on November 13 after a one-year gap due to the Doklam standoff. During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges and interactions.
Citizens may have to shell out a maximum fine of Rs 1 lakh for littering in public places, as the West Bengal Assembly passed a Bill to enhance the penalty for offenders.

The penalty has been raised through an amendment to section 338 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (second amendment) Act which was passed in the Assembly on Thursday.

The move comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure after finding out the newly inaugurated Dakshineswar skywalk was stained with betel juice.

The Bill proposed to impose a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 and a maximum penalty of Rs 1 lakh fine on litterbugs.

The earlier law stipulated that minimum penalty for dumping garbage was Rs 50 and the maximum fine was Rs 5,000.

It also came on a day, state Urban Development Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim was elected the new mayor of Kolkata after the exit of Sovan Chatterjee, on the directions of Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee had formed a 11-member committee on Wednesday to check spitting and littering in public places.

Hakim said, he will take up a major awareness drive to keep the city clean.

A senior citizen, who did not wish to be named, said "The city had earlier failed to impose a fine of Rs 50 for littering, I am not sure how effective it will be this time."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hoped the Kartarpur corridor would act as a bridge between the people of India and Pakistan that might lead to a better future as he referred to the fall of the Berlin Wall to underline the importance of people-to-people contact.

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of first Sikh Guru Nanak Dev, the Prime Minister referred to the Partition and said, "What has happened in 1947 has happened."

He said the issues between the governments and the armies would continue and only time will show the way out.

Underlining the strength of people-to-people contact, the Prime Minister said,"Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. May be with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries." Modi was speaking at a function to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at the residence of Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal here. He was felicitated with a 'saropa' and turban by Shiromani Aklai Dal president and former deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal and president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh GK at the function.

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas. In a significant decision, the Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the Intl Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan.
Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid will arrive here on Saturday on a four-day visit, with an aim to repair the bilateral ties which came under severe strain during the previous Government in the island nation.

Officials said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold extensive talks with Shahid on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on November 17 in Male.

During their meeting, Modi and Solih vowed to renew close ties and friendship between the two countries and agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean region.

Solih, as the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the presidential election held on September 23.
In the wake of the Dharma Sabha, Ayodhya  the birth place of Ram  was transformed into a fortress and over 70,000 security personnel, including PAC and RAF personnel, were deployed for the VHP function and visit of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thakeray. Section 144 has already been clamped.

Two senior officers  ADG (technical) Ashutosh Pandey and DIG (Jhansi Range) Subhash Singh Baghel were rushed to Ayodhya to ensure security. While Pandey would be supervising blue and yellow zone of disputed area, Baghel would look after the red zone.

Besides, five SP rank officers were deputed at Ayodhya along with 15 ASPs and 19 DSPs. The temple town has been divided into eight zones and 16 sectors which would be headed by a magistrate and an ASP and Deputy SP rank police officers.

To avert any untoward incident, all roads leading to the residence of Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case litigant Iqbal Ansari were sealed.

Last week, the authorities had enhanced the security of Ansari after he perceived threat to the lives of minorities in the wake of Vishwa Hindu Parishad-sponsored Dharma Sabha at Ayodhya starting November 25. Ansari was provided with a sub-inspector and four constables for security, which will remain in place till further orders.

Ansari had earlier expressed apprehension that the large turnout for the November 25 function at Ayodhya could attack minorities living in Ayodhya and urged the Government to ensure their security.

A UP Police spokesman confirmed in Lucknow on Saturday that Ayodhya district authorities had sealed all roads leading to Ansaris home and pressed Rapid Action Force (RAF) to ensure that no untoward incident took place. Besdies, the administration deployed a heavy police force around Ansaris residence.

PRO of DGP said that security was particularly strengthened in the wake of the presence of Shiv Sainiks in the district. He added that on Saturday, a total of 17680 pilgrims had a darshan of Ram Janmabhomi till evening. He added that the programme of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thakeray concluded without any untoward incident on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, Ansari said that he was satisfied with the security arrangements in Ayodhya ahead of the Dharma Sabha but cast aspersions on the intention of leaders in bringing a large number of people to the town and posing problems for the locals.

Ansari said, The Yogi government has done what was needed with tight security arrangements in place in Ayodhya. We are satisfied with the steps taken by the government.

Speaking to media persons, the main litigant opined, If anyone has any issue on the matter of temple-mosque, he/she should go to Delhi and Lucknow to express their views. They can gherao the Vidhan Sabha or Parliament but leave the people of Ayodhya in peace.

Committed to enforcing Supreme Court guidelines in maintaining security in disputed area and maintain law and order, senior officials metin Lucknow to assess the situation.
A Private War

*ing: Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Tom Hollander, Stanley Tucci

Rated: 7/10

The beauty of this film is Rosamund Pike and the way she completely blends into the life and turmoil of American Journalist Marie Catherine Colvin, the foreign affairs correspondent of the British newspaper The Sunday Times. She died in a bomb attack in Holms while covering the siege of Syria.

The film, excellently stitched up by Matthew Heineman, shows up his documentary making skills which has been his core job for most of his career.

Such is the obsession of Colvin for war zone journalism that she almost makes you feel angry that she threw all caution to the wind and jumped into a deadly situation against all advice.

She lost an eye in Sri Lanka while covering the Tamil Tigers fighting for independence, she has nightmares of an Afghan girl lying all dressed and dead in her bed, she smokes like a chimney, has a zero zilch personal life and is emotionally beseeched by the rigours of war killings and losing colleagues an yet she lives to return to conflict like a woman possessed.

The film just as beautifully portrays Colvins conflict within herself as it does the helplessness of populations against war in general, the personal cost of warring Governments, coups, rapes, graves and what not.

A journalist will definitely find it a feather in the cap of, well, journalism!
The campaign  Horn Not Ok is making impact in Shimla and Manali as fewer people are blowing horns now, Himachal Additional Chief Secretary Environment, Science & Technology RD Dhiman said on Saturday.

Presiding over the review meeting of Horn Not Ok campaign here, he said that blowing horn is not only causing unnecessary noise pollution but it is also harmful for our health. He said that in the first phase this campaign has been launched in two towns of the State, Shimla and Manali on pilot basis.

The official said both these towns are major tourist attractions and motivating the drivers not to use horns in these towns is a commendable initiative.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched Horn Not OK awareness campaign and Shoor Nahin Mobile App in August this year.

Dhiman said that noise pollution is a serious problem in urban areas where thousands of vehicles ply daily and honking causes serious health hazards. He said that 80 percent persons blow horns out of habit which is unnecessary, adding that horn is a symbol of uncivilised in western countries.

He said the mobile App Shoor Nahin is also a good initiative to check noise pollution in the State. This App has been developed for the convenience of the general public to report any noise pollution occupancy to the authorities for corrective measures. It is an initiative of the Department of Environment Science and Technology in association with the NIC Himachal Pradesh.

This App allows two types of users that are general public and officers, both are authenticated using the OTP. He said that all such complaints would be immediately made available through the App to the concerned DC, SP, SDM and SDPO who can add the action taken report on the app itself. The App would help authorities to locate the occurrence of the incidences using GPS which can be easily used to trace the path using Google maps.

Dhiman said students of schools and colleges should be involved in this campaign as apart from making older people aware about noise pollution caused by honking they will be groomed as civic persons. He directed to put signages in silence zones i.e. schools, colleges, hospitals and courts etc about not blowing horns in 100 metre radius and enforcement of No Horn between 10 pm to 6 am in the State.

He directed the police officers to strictly enforce it and issue challans for violation.

He said taxi unions, truck unions and drivers of GAD, other Government offices and HRTC should be sensitised about Horn Not OK campaign, asking the bank representatives to put up more signages at the entry points of both towns and at prominent locations of Shimla and Manali.

Director Environment, Science & Technology DC Rana said that he visited Katmandu in Nepal and seen that there is no honking in the city. He said that when a country like Nepal which has lower literacy rate as compare to India and has a chaotic traffic can successfully implement this campaign then why we cannot.

President Hotel Shimla Association Harnam Kukreja said that signages of Horn Not Ok would be displayed at parkings and reception of all Shimla based hotels.
Valley of Words, the grand international festival of literature and arts which was specially named after the valley of Doon, has now established itself firmly as one of the most important literary and cultural events of the mountain state of Uttarakhand. It is also becoming one of the leading events of its kind in the country. Yet in its second edition, it has progressed extremely rapidly in being recognised as a landmark event where writers, artistes, scholars, economists, army personnel and experts from various fields intermingle and enrich themselves with knowledge and intellectual activity the kind of which this valley had not seen in years.

No wonder then that the people of the Doon valley as well as surrounding cities of Mussoorie, Haridwar and Rishikesh are crowding the three day festival which began on Friday and concludes on November 25. What better way could there be to spend ones weekend than meet authors , listen to them talking about their works and also signing books ? Authors of the Doon valley are prominent in their participation in this festival that is in no way less popular now than the Jaipur Literature Festival. More than two hundred arbiters are in the valley to be part of this literary extravaganza. Just taking a round of the event, one can run into many a celebrated writer or publisher. This was something many had been waiting for in the city but could have not even dreamt of it actually coming true.

Be it English fiction, Hindi poetry, Urdu verse, childrens writing, travelogues, political writing or autobiographies , you name it and you can get to attend wonderfully curated sessions at VoW. This fest works across genres, languages and styles, across all the states of the country. It has such a wide perspective that there has to be something here for every person in the audience. The inaugural session was an in-depth affair with eminent persons as Gen Cardozo, Robin Gupta and Lakshmi Shankar Bajpai addressed the audience. The keynote address on Universal Learnings from Sanskrit Classics was delivered by Bibek Debroy. Sanskrit skits were also presented by students of DPS, Haridwar.

On Saturday morning, an extremely gripping session was held on the biograohy of PN Haksar written by renowned economist and MP, Jairam Ramesh .The book is titled Intertwined Lives :PN Haksar & Indira Gandhi. The panel for the session consisted of the author Jairam Ramesh, Mark Tully and Sekhar Raha. It was, in a way, the most interesting session of the fest so far as it threw light on the countrys history in the 1960s and 1970s, especially in the political arena. A vibrant discussion on the book covered many an importat historical event of those decades. Ramesh said that he had written not a judgemental but a narrative biography of Haksar. The strong influence Haksar had on Indira Gandhi was discussed and Ramesh described it as not just a relationship between a PM and her adviser but as a personal relationship where Gandhi saw Haksar as her ideological beacon. He said that she had implicit, blind faith in his judgement and in his loyalty to her. The author also said that Haksar had not been sacked by her but had made a voluntary exit from the sanctum sanctorum when he realised that things had changed now due to Sanjay Gandhi.

Mark Tully observed that Haksar had been arrogant and disliked by civil servants the ICS officers . Jairam Ramesh agreed that he was and had a disdainful attitude towards politicians and also the judges.

Doon writer Pradeep Singhs book Sals of the Valley featured in a session today which had Sargam Mehra in the chair. In this book one meets incorrigible ramblers of the forests; a party of farm hands launching a desperate night search; a daunting wilderness that does nothing to restrain boisterous revel late into the night; and a worried landowner searching far and wide with time running out. These stories are rooted in reality and re-visit idyllic hamlets and villages along the Suswa River and recreate the atmosphere of a hundred or more years ago. Time and terrain unify these stories in a single narrative of evocative prose synonymous with Pradeep Singh. This is largely a reflection of his passion for recreating for the readers, the vanishing rural vistas of the valley while retaining enough dramatic elements. These stories build up to a climax taking you closer to the blazing fires on winter nights in the open.

A session on Doon author Lokesh Ohris Been there, Doon That was also held on Saturday. Sundays sessions include a special session on Hindi poetry, literature is schools, voices from the hills, Buddhism in Uttarakhand and Hindi in media. The valedictory address will be delivered by Tarun Vijay.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Saturday criticised the stand of various Hindu outfits over the Ayodhya dispute and said that when power became the law, law was reduced to nothing. He said that a barrage of statements by leaders of the Sangh Parivar over the issue made a mockery of the law.

Commenting on VHP-sponsored Dharma Sabha at Ayodhya on Sunday and a resolution passed at a congregation of saints in Delhi in October, Khan said: When a sant sammelan was organised in Delhi, they proclaimed that they would not wait any more and were ready for a fight. On this, we said that we were nowhere in the fight. Even on December 6, 1992, we were not a part of the struggle and called for obeying the law. But then, no law could help, so what law will obstruct construction of temple now. This is what leads to dictatorship.

Reacting to Shivpal Yadavs recently floated party, Khan said: There is only one Samajwadi Party and it has only one national president Akhilesh Yadav. Whatever other party is formed is entirely a different thing.

Replying to a question about various Muslims supporting Ram temple construction at Ayodhya, the SP leader said: The issue of temple construction is pending in the Supreme Court and we have faith in the court. But if someone wants to bring a solution before the court decision that is also fine.

On being asked about the law and order situation under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Khan said: The government is good. If someone is destined to die, Yogi cannot do anything. He has already told them to get better treatment. Yogi worships God for as much as 23 hours 45 minutes in a day. He should not be blamed.
Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vijay Kumar Dev has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the national Capital, an official order said. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued the order on Thursday, appointing the 1987-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre.

Dev will succeed Anshu Prakash following his transfer to the department of telecommunications in the Central Government. Prakash, who was allegedly assaulted at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence in February, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Telecom department.

The outgoing chief secretary had claimed that some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmakers, in the presence of Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, had thrashed him leading to a standoff between the Delhi Chief Minister and the bureaucrats.

Dev will hold the post of chief secretary superseding 1986-batch IAS officer Manoj Parida who is currently serving as additional Chief Secretary (Home) and principal secretary in the Public Works Department (PWD).

With the approval of the competent authority, it has been decided to appoint Vijay Kumar Dev, IAS (AGMUT:1987) as Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi with effect from the date of joining till further orders, the Ministry said in its order.

Vijay Kumar Dev has also served as Chandigarh Adviser and is currently posted as CEO of Delhi, his second stint as the top official in the poll body.
A group of the Delhi University teachers on Friday submitted a letter to the Yogesh Tyagi, Vice-Chancellor (VC) to implement the

law to grant maternity leave to the adhoc female teachers of the university.

The Academics for Action and Development (AAD) submitted a memorandum to the VC after receiving a letter from the Aditi Mahavidyalaya for Women college, whose governing body in July this year had decided that maternity leave may be granted to the female staff in consonance with the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.

Thousands of adhoc teachers have been suffering on account of no-maternity-policy for non-permanent female employees. Many careers have been jeopardised because of this policy. In many cases, women employees had to report to work very next day of child-birth, said Rajesh Jha, member of Executive Council (EC), DU.

The varsity in the recently held Academic Council (AC) meeting decided to extended the quota of maximum maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for ad-hoc teachers but reportedly the adhoc teachers (women) of the varsity do not enjoy the benefit because of improper implementation of order by the varsity.

Since the colleges are entitled to keep an adhoc teacher for a maximum of four months  a contract which is almost always extended  perpetuating the temporary nature of job permanently  the adhoc employees are granted only three-four casual leave during their stay.

The matter also came up in the Academic Council meeting of the university last month, which could not arrive at any decision. There are about 2,500-3,000 adhoc women teachers in the Delhi University, who will be eligible for maternity leave if the decision is implemented, added the officials.
Accusing the Centre of grossly neglecting SC and ST students, the States ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan here on Saturday protesting the modification in the funding pattern for post-Matric scholarship by the Centre.

It shows the anti-development attitude of the Centre. The move to modify the post Matric scholarship norms would push the future of nearly 2 lakh tribal students in the State into darkness. Due to such modification, Odisha is bearing an additional financial burden of around Rs 500 crore, alleged Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera.

The ruling party alleged that the Centre has reduced the post-Matric scholarship funds for Schedule Caste (SC) students. Until 2016-17, the Centre was providing 90 percent of funds while the State was bearing the remaining10 percent.

However, the Centre has revised the liability of the State Government during 2017-18, wherein the State had to bear the 80 per cent of the total expenditure.

Earlier, expressing displeasure, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a letter had urged Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot to restore the previous funding pattern of 90:10 for smooth implementation of the programme.
Police have arrested a 30-year-old man in Kolkata in a sexual assault case of a city-based 14-year-old girl. The accused has been brought on transit remand from Barasat Court in Kolkata from his house.

The arrested man, Nitu Bhakta who is a resident of Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas in Bengal had trapped a 14-year-old girl by selecting her for performing in Boogie Woogie, a local dance club at Madhyagram in July this year.

The victim, who is a resident of Bistupur had appeared in the contest in response to a newspaper advertisement that the accused had given during a fair at Harina village under Potka police station area on the outskirts of the steel city.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (composite control room) Sudhir Kumar said that Bhakta used to run a dance club titled Boogie Woogie and would trap girls in the name of promoting talents.

"As per our investigation Bhatka would target the fairs held in rural pockets and accordingly he would place advertisement in newspapers. He advertised seeking talent in the field of dance prior to Harina Mela in Potka and during a selection session, he selected the minor in July first week," said the DSP.

According to the police officer, after selecting the girl, the accused took her to Bundu near Ranchi where he kept her two-three days and subsequently he took her to her house in Madhyam Gram.

"Bhakta despite being married established physical relation with the minor forcibly at home after sending his own wife to her parents house.

As the girl was being repeatedly exploited for a week, she fled the accused's house getting an opportunity and returned back to her residence in Bistupur," the DSP said.

The minor had narrated everything to her parents who lodged an FIR with the Bistupur police station on July 16, leading a team of police to go to North 24 Pragana district.

"During investigation we traced the whereabouts of the accused by putting his mobile number on surveillance and subsequently rushed Madhyam Gram to arrest him.

After arresting him we produced him before a local court for the transit remand and we ultimately brought him to the steel city this morning," Kumar said.
Founder Chanakya IAS Academy, AK Mishra has said that every student who can develop ones capacities can get success in the civil services examination. During a career building seminar organized at Chanakya IAS Academy, Burdwan Compound here on Friday he interacted with the civil services aspirants and guided them about the course. He spoke on various aspects related to success in civil service examinations.

Speaking on the occasion Mishra said, Students have immense talent. Every student has different quality than the other. By strengthening ones capability every student can get success in the examination. A student should be very smart for civil services examination.

Sharing his vast experience with students he said, For cracking the civil services, the students should start preparation with right direction and proper time. Coordination is very important for the civil cervices. No one can stop a student, who prepares with good time management.

Vice President of Chanakya IAS Academy Prashant Mishra, Managing Director Rina Mishara also encouraged the students to start their preparation for the examinations. Chanakya IAS Academy is running as many as twenty-two centres across the country and in Jharkhand three centres are running in Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Dhanbad.
Decks have been cleared for revision of salaries of National Mineral Development Corportaion (NMDC) workmen and a Bipartite Agreement between NMDC Management and Unions and Federation have been signed, a company press release informed.

Revision in the salaries of thousands of workmen working in Bailadila and Donimalai mines and other units of NMDC is cleared.

Agreement on wage revision 2017 was signed at the Bipartite meeting of NMDC management and Federation of Unions organised on Thursday at Kolkata.

N Baijendra Kumar, IAS, CMD and other functional Directors represented NMDC management.

Gurudas Das Gupta, President, S Q Zama, General Secretary, RDCP Rao, Vice-president of NMDC Workers Federation along with Presidents and Secretaries of all NMDC's recognised unions represented the All India NMDC Workers Federation.

This has paved way for increase in salary of NMDC workmen. The Unions and its members were delighted, the press release informed.
The Tea Masters Cup International sees the participation of top sommeliers in tea service representing 15 countries with tea traditions, including Republic of Korea, Poland and Ukraine.



According to the organisers, the sommeliers were selected from domestic competitions to represent their nations at this global challenge, which requires skills in not only brewing tea but also the decoration of an aesthetic tea set.



The sommeliers will compete in four categories to win the cup: tea brewing, serving tea with snacks, tea mixology and tea tasting.



In tea brewing, the competitors have to show off their skill in brewing a type of tea chosen by them and another type given by the judges.



In the competitions of snack service and tea mixology, the sommeliers prepare two sets of tea and snacks and two types of drinks that mix tea with another beverage.



Traditionally, tea is served on its own. But later on in history, honey, milk and other beverages were added to create different flavours.



The sommeliers will also taste different types of tea to show off their capacity in recognising the tea varieties grown in several countries around the world.



Besides, tea specialists will sit down in a seminar to have a closer look at the royal tea and food tradition once popular in the former imperial city of Hue.



The host city will take the participants to villages that are involved with the tea industry as a sideline activity.



This will be the fourth Tea Masters Cup International. The earlier editions were held in Turkey in 2015, the Republic of Korea in 2016 and China in 2017. The Vietnam Tea Association, local Department of Tourism and Tea Masters Cup Vietnam are the organisers.



Vietnam is the seventh top tea producer in the world, and the fifth biggest exporter of the product, with popular export trademarks of Thai Nguyen, Tay Bac in the northwest region and Bao Loc in the Central Highlands.



The tea served for the kings under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) in Hue was as diverse and complicated as those served in Japan, Republic of Korea and Chinas feudal time. Today, the quintessence of tea service is preserved in cities with long histories like Hanoi and Hue.

Vietnamplus
A dump of bio medical waste right inside Palamu tiger reserve Garu East range at Haratu triggered feverish search and action both in PTR and health and administrative officials of Latehar administration.

A consignment of used syringes, needles, blister packs, vials etc were found dumped at Haratu in PTRs Garu East range on Friday.

Alarmed by this throw away of bio medical waste in tiger reserve the deputy director South division of PTR M K Mahaling pressed in his ranger and forest guards to find out as to who did this dumping putting wild life of PTR at risk.

As the dump was of medical waste the first suspicion grew towards hospitals of Latehar and Garu. Civil Surgeon of Latehar S P Sharma denied to have any knowledge of this dump of bio medical waste in PTR saying Nagar Panchayat of Latehar would be the right institution to explain this. Sharma further said dumping of waste is done under order of SDO.

On the other hand SDO Latehar J P Jha made a logical point when he said this issue is related to Garu and Garu is not in the territorial jurisdiction of sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Latehar.

Jha said this officer should have the basic knowledge of Latehar and Garu which is too far from each other nearly 40 Kms and should any SDO order for dumping at such a far off place when there is Nagar Panchayat in Latehar?

Taking a serious umbrage of what Sharma said Jha said, A man holding the post of civil surgeon is expected to make responsible reference instead of indulging in such mindless observation.

Mahuadarn SDO, Sudhir Das as Garu comes under his territorial jurisdiction and got an identical reply from Das what Jha had said earlier when Das said, I have no information about this dump. Let me check it with my BDO.

Mahendra Ravidas BDO Garu when quizzed about this too expressed his inability to say anything on this dump as he said, I have no such news with me.

It was the PTR team that took the lid off from this dump issue. The bio medical waste was of a village doctor Pradeep Sao of Haratu village said M K Mahaling quoting his ranger Garu Ashok K Singh.

Mahaling said, Sao had these waste thrown in PTR. Among the waste were some bills also where was printed the name of a medical store in Daltonganj.

Garu ranger Ashok K Singh said, Village doctor Sao has admitted his folly. He has admitted to have thrown these wastes in PTR. He has in writing apologized for it with an assurance that there will be no repeat of it again.

Mahaling and Singh both said, As this was the first blunder of this village doctor he has been given a reprieve this time otherwise invocation of sections under environmental protection act will be most inevitable in such matter as none has any right to jeopardize the wild life.

Mahaling further said, We keep on collecting polythene bags in PTR thrown by people most unmindfully and here dump of bio medical waste can never be tolerated and offenders in future will e most severely dealt with under suitable provisions of act of environment protection which states that users are to ensure safe disposal of bio medical waste and if a user does do not do this is liable for penal action.
South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) has commenced the process for setting up a 5 MTPA Coal Washery at Baroud in Raigarh district.

The Washery would be set up on Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Concept, officials informed.

In order to meet the rising demand, Coal India Ltd has been setting up 15 new washeries with a total capacity of 112.6 million tonnes per annum. Out of these washeries, six are Coking Coal washeries with total capacity of 18.6 million tonnes per annum and nine Non-Coking washeries of 94.0 million tonnes per annum. Apart from these, 3 washeries of 11.6 million tonnes per annum are under construction, officials stated.

Notably, Coal India Ltd (CIL) has decided to set up washeries in its various subsidiaries to reduce the quantity of ash and other not useful component from coal so as to make it competitive in comparison to imported coal across the country.

Notably, SECL is targetting total coal production of 250 million tonnes (MT) from its underground and open cast mines by 2019-20, officials stated.

Coal India Ltd is targetting production of 1 billion tonnes of coal by 2020. Wagon availability will be a key factor for achieving this target , officials stated.

Notably, the Central government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding each with the states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation of coal, officials informed.

SECL has put its underground (UG) coal production target projections at 22 million tonnes (MT) by 2019-20.

The company compared to its underground coal excavation target by the aforesaid period has set a significantly higher coal production target projections from its open cast (OC) mines at 228 MT, officials stated.
Ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-sponsored Dharma Sabha to push for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that if required Army personnel be deployed in the town.

Thousands of people started gathering at Ayodhya ahead of the VHP programme. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray also reached there for a separate programme on Saturday morning.

Speaking to media persons, the SP chief said: "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and call the Army, if required, as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent."

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed Yadav's claims, saying that his remarks simply exposed his frustration as it was a Dharma Sabha and the Army was not needed for it. When reminded that a large section of Muslims was feeling apprehensive about the event, Maurya tried to allay the fears.

"This is a Dharma Sabha and no one needs to fear (anything) as there is peace in the state. The government has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he said.

Referring to the firing on unarmed kar sewaks in 1990, the Deputy CM said: "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, he should rest assured that would not happen under the Yogi government. We will provide security to all and take necessary action."

Lashing out at the SP chief, the ruling BJP on Saturday said that the latest statement by Yadav was indicative of his distorted mentality. State BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan said that advocating the deployment of Army by the SP chief, who is suspected of causing disturbance in Ramnagari, suggested that he considered Ram devotees as enemies and criminals, which backfired on Akhilesh during the 2017 Assembly elections.

"The public will not tolerate insults of Ram devotees. Earlier, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who preserves the ideology of criminals, had ordered firing on 'Ram bhakts'. The point to note is that Akhilesh never aired anti-Pakistan statements, but always raised his finger on strong actions taken by Indian Army against Pakistan. For him, Pakistan is a friend and Ram devotees are enemies," the BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, breaking ranks with the BJP, its ally Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party chief and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar demanded on Saturday that Army be deployed at Ayodhya to control the situation there.

Expressing concern over the congregation of Shiv Sainiks, VHP cadres and RSS workers at Ayodhya for Dharma Sabha on Sunday and the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Rajbhar said that he endorsed the views of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the Supreme Court should issue order for Army deployment at Ayodhya.

The SBSP chief also inquired how hundreds and thousands of people were entering Ayodhya even as Section 144 of CrPC was clamped in the temple town.

"The police and the district administration seem to have failed in upholding law and I feel time has come for the Army deployment," said Rajbhar.
Mahatma Gandhis teachings outlived him. His followers couldnt save him from death, but they can still save him in essence. Bapu could still live through his countrymen if only they truly follow him, writes Madan Lall Manchanda

Mahatma Gandhi belongs to the whole world, not just India. Albert Einstein, the celebrated German-born theoretical physicist, once said about Gandhi, Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth. Last month, people across the world celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Bapu or Father of the Indian Nation. His journey was as incredible as it was inspiring.

It was in the year 1915 that Gandhi had returned from Africa to India. Campaigns of Champaran and Kheda had acquainted him with the conditions of Indias peasantry. And by the middle of 1920s, Gandhi was pre-occupied with the Constructive Program. It entailed doing what one can to imaginatively and positively create justice within ones own community.

In 1927, he wrote in Young India In spite of my being a staunch Hindu, I find room in my faith for Christian and Islamic, and Zoroastrian teachings many Buddhists in Ceylon, as if by instinct, claimed me as their own. Undoubtedly, if the Buddhists of Ceylon, and Burma, China and Japan, claimed me as their own, I should appreciate that honour readily because I know Buddhism is to Hinduism what Protestantism is to Roman Catholicism, only in a much stronger light, much greater degree

Gandhis efforts towards abolishing untouchability made for another glorious chapter in history. A Tamil Dalit once wrote to Mahatma Gandhi about the sad situation that faced the Indian society: Even today a pariah dare not walk into a street inhibited by Brahmins nor will he even draw his drinking water from a well used by the Brahmins. Gandhi was interested in showing people how religion and society should essentially be all embracing and non violent. He had once arranged for the stay of a Dalit family at Sevagram. Ramchandra Guha, a noted historian, has talked about how Gandhi was opposed to child marriage and condemned the prohibition of widow re-marriage. Gandhis Ram was in his heart. He did not need a big temple. He never entered a temple except once when the Madurai Meenakshi Temple was opened to Dalits. In regard to his concept of communal unity, he appreciated Prophet Muhammads idea of austere living.

In 1930, he launched a new phase of the Non-violent Resistance Movement with the Salt Satyagraha. Gandhi made his way to London for the Round Table Conference to negotiate the terms of Indias future. He put forward three conditions:

I will not speak

I will not take anything

I will come clad in dhoti (loin cloth)

In British society, showing up in front of the emperor with uncovered knees was considered to be disrespectful. But Gandhi had his own principles and got the informal title of the naked fakir.

In mid-1930, Gandhi started living in Sevagram Ashram in Central India. Here, the visitors found him spinning the charkha or the hand-cranked wheel. In 1942, Bapu launched the final phase of the freedom struggle with the call for the British to Quit India. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the rebel President of Congress, did not believe in non-violence. Its believed that he escaped from India during World War II, formed the INA (Indian National Army) and fought for the emancipation of India. In his Radio broadcast from far East, he lamented Bapuji, had I known that you would one day give a call of Quit India, then why would have I left India?

I recall a sunny day in December, 1944. The writer, then a spirited boy in his teens, opted to follow a dusty track on a bicycle, It was from Wardha to Sevagram and helped one avoid a ride in a bullock cart, the only public transport available then.

I moved in hurry to be back in time to catch the night train. I was filled with rare enthusiasm to see the revolutionary saint who occupied the centre stage in Indias struggle for Independence. His heartbeat epitomised the rise and fall of nations pulse.

Indeed, it was Mahatmas magic spell that Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) became a follower of non-violence. Also, amazingly under the Pathan leadership, the fierce tribals, whose credo was Blood for Blood, abjured violence and red shirts. Gandhi was a tower of strength for the unarmed teeming millions of his country . He stood against the barbarism let loose in Jallianwala Bagh.

With all these thoughts in my my head, at midday I reached Sevagram. Crossing a series of huts, I reached a mud-covered platform with two raised walls. Here, Pyarelalji with his team of assistant secretaries were at work. My request for an audience was regretfully turned down by him because Mahatma Gandhi was observing maun vrat on that day. Soon, an understanding Mr Sinha, who was the Assistant Private Secretary, made me sit beside him on the mat at the mud platform and whispered in my ear Approach Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari). Rajaji emerged from Mahatma Gandhis hut. As I advanced towards him, I found he had already stretched out his hand. The moment our hands met, he asked, Who are you? Apologising for my lapse, I introduced myself, Sir, I am a student touring the princely states. I have just come back from Hyderabad. Quickly, I prayed for Mahatma Gandhis darshan. Rajaji consented. My request having been accepted, I said, I want to tell him But Rajaji promptly said, No telling please. My encounter with the forceful personality of Rajaji left me a bit shook up. Hardly did I then realise that I was face to face with the would-be first Governor General of Free India.

Granting my first request, he said, Go through the side door leading to an enclosed open space. On your left, there will be another open door and you will find Mahatma Gandhi sitting there. Have his darshan and come back through the same side door.

A fleeting moment gave me glimpse of Gandhi, sitting on the floor mat in a hut with mud walls barely two feet high and a hay roof top. His face was resplendent as a radiant sun. I stood respectfully with folded hands. He responded with folded hands and a smile on his gracious face. Not content, I moved ahead a few paces, and soon retraced my steps and offered a respectful namaskar for the second time. Likewise, he responded the second time. The kind gesture of the noble man gave me immense joy. My mission was achieved.

On my way back, I was thinking of Bapus favourite song:

Vaishnava Jana To, Tene Kahiye Je, Peed Paraayi Jaane Re

(A good soul is one that feels the pain of others)

This vibrated in many countries. Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore despite differences had great regard for each other. He called Gandhi Mahatma and Gandhi regarded him Gurudev. In a letter to Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi, a great music lover, suggested to give both Hindustani as well as Western music and Bengali music due place in Shantiniketan. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore were greatly influenced by Leo Tolstoy, a celebrated Russian writer whose novel War and Peace is still widely read. To earn a meal, Tolstoy worked in his farm for eight hours everyday. Likewise, Mahatma Gandhi engaged in physical activity and did his own chores. Once, a representative of The Washington Post came to interview him. Gandhi made him wait as his goat was thirsty and that was more important Self-help was to be practised by all inmates of the Ashram. One has to manage ones own waste, big or small.

Gandhi was against the Partition. Pakistan would be raised only on my graveyard, he had once said. But he had to give in due to bloodshed of his countrymen. Mahatma Gandhi had travelled through ravaged Hindu and Muslim settlements in Bihar and Bengal with Manu and Abha who were called his walking sticks. Gandhi was of the view that India does not belong to Hindus alone nor does Pakistan belong to Muslims alone. India is the home of Muslims no less than Hindus. He not only helped in establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia, but also sent one of his sons to study there.

On one of these eventful days, demonstrators who championed the cause of refugees from Pakistan, reached Birla House, Delhi where Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Azad were present. Demonstrators said Let Gandhi die. Nehru came out and shouted, How dare you say that? Come and kill me first! At this, the demonstrators dispersed. As danger stared him in the face, it was incumbent that due care was taken to protect him. Even though Gandhi was opposed to any such protection for himself. It may be pertinent to point out that once Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan invited Gandhi to his house near Mardan (NWFP). He was extra vigilant to ensure Gandhis safety and to foil any plot or any possible attempt on his life. So, he made arrangements on the rooftop of his room and kept Pathan Gunmen ready with loaded guns behind hay stacks to guard Gandhi without even a whiff of it to his guest. Later on, at the time of departure when it was revealed to Gandhi, he was annoyed as it was against his creed of non-violence.

Gandhi was also upset with the Government decision to withhold from Pakistan the share of sterling balance owned by British. It was because of Pakistans invasion of Kashmir that the Indian Government had delayed payment. But in Gandhis view of the world, financial debts to another person or entity whether friend or enemy had to be taken care of immediately.

To kill a saint who was not even a part of the Government was rather tragic. It is indeed worse that the man who preached nonviolence met a violent end. But Gandhi could still live through his countrymen if they only truly follow him. Sahir Ludhianvi once burst out:

Ham Tere Hi Qatil hain

Tere Hi Pujjari Hain

(Ironically, we his killers arehis worshippers.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress Saturday, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother.

Addressing a rally here, Modi, in an apparent dig at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said 125 crore people of the country were the "high-command" of his government, which was "not remote-controlled by a madam".

Hitting out at the Congress on Babbar's remarks, he said, "When one doesn't have issues to talk about, he resorts to abusing somebody else's mother."

The Congress leader had kicked up a row in Indore Thursday when he compared the falling value of rupee against US dollar with the age of the prime minister's mother.

Attacking Gandhi, Modi alleged that "coffers of banks were emptied for the rich during the madam's government". "However, our government opened doors of banks for the needy youth," Modi said.

The prime minister asked why the Congress was worried about Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being called "mama".

"They are worried Shivraj is called mama...Why, don't you remember (Ottavio) Quattrocchi mama and Warren Anderson (then chairman of the Union Carbide) mama," he said, referring to the Bofors scandal and the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

He said the Congress was voted out of power in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago because it indulged in the politics of divisiveness.
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The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Beechcraft Service Company UK Limited, Bell Helicopter GK, Bell Helicopter KK, Bell Textron Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron Miami Inc, Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc, Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS, Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA, Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Chongqing) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Guangzhou) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Shanghai) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Wuhan) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex Corporation, Kautex Craiova srl, Kautex Germany Holding GmbH, Kautex Inc., Kautex Japan KK, Kautex Shanghai GmbH, Kautex Textron (UK) Limited, Kautex Textron Benelux BVBA, Kautex Textron Bohemia spol sro, Kautex Textron CVS Limited, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Italia Srl, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal  Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems Ltd., PEINER Umformtechnik, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. Ltd., Textron Aviation Canada Ltd., Textron Aviation Defense LLC, Textron Aviation Finance Corporation, Textron Aviation Inc., Textron Aviation Prague Service Center sro, Textron Aviation Rhode Island Inc., Textron Aviation Services de Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Capital BV, Textron Communications Inc., Textron Far East Pte. Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited, Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, Wuxi Textron Specialized Vehicles Co. Ltd., and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited.
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At the meeting, the city leader emphasized that the waste treatment is considered as a great concern for Ho Chi Minh City sharing that about 9,000 tons of solid garbage and around 200 tons of industrial waste have been discharged into the environment every day in the city.Of which, 70 percent of the waste has been disposed by landfill.Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan suggested the Urbaser Group to continue cooperating with related departments of the city to find out potential cooperation opportunities.Leader of Urbaser Group Cao De Biao affirmed that Urbaser expected to cooperate with Ho Chi Minh City in field of waste treatment and build a waste processing plant with a standard of advanced technologies in the city.Besides that, the group is ready to assist the city in training human resources for waste treatment.

BY DO VAN  Translated by Huyen Huong
Ensign Energy Services Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company offers shallow, intermediate, and deep well drilling, as well as specialized drilling services, including horizontal, underbalanced, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications; and equipment and other services. It also provides coring and oil sands drilling services to the mining, and oil and natural gas industries; directional drilling and related services for conventional and horizontal drilling applications; shallow to deep well services, such as completions, abandonments, production, workovers, and bottom hole pump changes for oil and natural gas producers; and interactive pressure drilling services with self-contained systems comprising nitrogen generation and compression equipment, and surface control systems. In addition, the company rents drill strings, loaders, tanks, pumps, rig mattings, blow-out preventers, waste bins, and wastewater treatment equipment for the drilling and completions segments of the oilfield industry. Further, the company offers transportation services. As of December 31, 2020, it operated a fleet of 271 land drilling rigs, 21 specialty coring rigs, and 99 well servicing rigs. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Fielmann Aktiengesellschaft engages in the investment in and operation of optical and hearing aid businesses. The company manufactures and sells visual aids and other optical products, including glasses, frames, lenses, sunglasses, contact lenses and accessories, and various merchandise, as well as hearing aids and accessories. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 870 stores, including 605 in Germany, 43 in Switzerland, 38 Austria, 3 in Luxembourg, 33 in Italy, 25 in Poland, 80 in Spain, 28 in Slovenia, and 15 in the rest of Europe. The company also 79 smaller locations in Eastern Europe. Fielmann Aktiengesellschaft also offers its products through online stores. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. Fielmann Aktiengesellschaft is a subsidiary of Korva SE.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Kellogg: 545 LLC, AQFTM Inc., Afical - Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Afical Holding LLC, Alimentos Gollek S.A., Alimentos Kellogg S.A., Alimentos Kellogg de Panama SRL, Argkel Inc., Austin Quality Foods Inc., BDH Inc., Bear Naked Inc., Bisco Misr, CC Real Estate Holdings LLC, Canada Holding LLC, Cary Land Corporation, Eighteen94 Capital LLC, Favorite Food Products Limited, Gardenburger LLC, Gollek Argentina S.R.L., Gollek B.V., Gollek Inc., Gollek Interamericas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gollek Servicios S.C., Gollek UK Limited, Illinois Baking Corporation, Instituto De Nutricion y Salud Kellogg A.C., Insurgent Brands LLC, K (China) Limited, K Europe Holding Company Limited, K India Private Limited, K-One Inc., K-Two Inc., KBAR SRL, KECL LLC, KELF Limited, KJAL Limited, KPAR Limited, KT International Finance SRL, KTRY Limited, Kashi Company, Kashi Company Pty Ltd, Kashi Sales L.L.C., Keebler Company, Keebler Foods Company, Keebler Holding Corp., Keebler USA Inc., Kelarg Inc., Kelcone Limited, Kelcorn Limited, Kellman S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Kellogg (Deutschland) GmbH, Kellogg (Japan) G.K., Kellogg (Osterreich) Gesellschaft GmbH, Kellogg (Schweiz) GmbH, Kellogg (Thailand) Limited, Kellogg Activation Services Company, Kellogg Argentina S.R.L., Kellogg Asia Inc., Kellogg Asia Marketing Inc., Kellogg Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Kellogg Asia Products Sdn.. Bhd., Kellogg Asia Sdn. Bhd., Kellogg Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Belgium Services Company BVBA, Kellogg Brasil Inc., Kellogg Brasil Ltda., Kellogg Business Services Company, Kellogg Canada Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Services Company Inc., Kellogg Chile Inc., Kellogg Company East Africa Limited, Kellogg Company Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg Company Subsidiaries, Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited, Kellogg Company of Ireland Limited, Kellogg Company of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Kellogg Costa Rica S. de R.L., Kellogg Ecuador C. LTDA., Kellogg El Salvador Ltda. de C.V., Kellogg Espana S.L., Kellogg Europe Company Limited, Kellogg Europe Finance Limited, Kellogg Europe Services Limited, Kellogg Europe Trading Limited, Kellogg Europe Treasury Services Limited, Kellogg European Logistics Services Company Limited, Kellogg European Support Services SRL, Kellogg Fearn Inc., Kellogg Funding Company LLC, Kellogg Group LLC, Kellogg Group Limited, Kellogg Group S.a.r.l., Kellogg Hellas Single Member Limited Liability Company, Kellogg Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Holding LLC, Kellogg Hong Kong Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Hong Kong Private Limited, Kellogg India Private Limited, Kellogg International Holding Company, Kellogg Irish Holding Limited, Kellogg Italia S.p.A., Kellogg Kayco, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (One) Limited, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (Two) Limited, Kellogg Latvia Inc., Kellogg Lux I S.ar.l., Kellogg Lux III S. ar L., Kellogg Lux V S.a.r.l., Kellogg Lux VI S.ar.l., Kellogg Management Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Manchester Limited, Kellogg Manufacturing Espana S.L., Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, Kellogg Med Gida Ticaret Limited SirketiI, Kellogg Netherlands Holding B.V., Kellogg North America Company, Kellogg Northern Europe GmbH, Kellogg Pakistan (Private) Limted, Kellogg Rus LLC, Kellogg Sales Company, Kellogg Services GmbH, Kellogg Servicios S.C., Kellogg Snacks Financing Limited, Kellogg Snacks Holding Company Europe Limited, Kellogg Superannuation Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Supply Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Talbot LLC, Kellogg Transition MA&P L.L.C., Kellogg Treasury Services Company, Kellogg U.K. Holding Company Limited, Kellogg UK Minor Limited, Kellogg USA LLC, Kellogg de Centro America S.A., Kellogg de Colombia S.A., Kellogg de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg de Peru S.R.L., Kellogg's Produits Alimentaires S.A.S., Kelmill Limited, Kelpac Limited, Klux A Sarl, Klux B Sarl, Mass Food, Mass Food International SAE, Mass Food SAE, Mass Trade for Trade and Distribution SAE, McCamly Plaza Hotel Inc., Multipro Consumer Products Limited*, Multipro Private Limited*, Multipro Singapore Pte. Ltd*, Nhong Shim Kellogg Co. Ltd.*, Nikko Industries*, Nordisk Kellogg's ApS, PRUX S.a r.l., Padua Ltda, Parati Group, Parati Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Portable Foods Manufacturing Company Limited, Prime Bond Cyprus Holding Company Limited, Prime Bond Holdings Limited, Pringles, Pringles (Shanghai) Food Co. Ltd., Pringles Australia Pty Ltd, Pringles Hong Kong Limited, Pringles International Operations Sarl, Pringles Japan G.K., Pringles LLC, Pringles Manufacturing Company, Pringles Overseas Holdings Sarl, Pringles S.a r.l., Pronumex S de R.L. de C.V., RX Bar UK Limited, RXBRANDS Canada ULC, Ritmo Investimentos, Rondo Food Manufacturing S.A.E., RxBar, Saragusa Frozen Foods Limited, Servicios Argkel S.C., Shaffer Clarke & Co. Inc., Specialty Cereals Pty Limited, Specialty Foods L.L.C., Stretch Fibres*, Stretch Island Fruit Sales L.L.C., Sunshine Biscuits L.L.C., The Eggo Company, The Healthy Snack People Pty Limited, Trafford Park Insurance Limited, Uma Investments sp. z o.o., Vita+ Naturprodukte GmbH*, Wimble Manufacturing Belgium BVBA, Wimble Services Belgium BVBA, and Worthington Foods Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc..
iShares S&P 500 ETF's stock was trading at $275.41 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IVV shares have increased by 70.9% and is now trading at $470.70.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

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This information was released on Thursday by the Singapore Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran at IMDAs second SG:Digital Industry Day, which aimed to support the infocomm media (ICM) sector in capturing exciting opportunities in the future of the services ecosystem as part of its Framework for Action to develop Singapores digital economy.



The minister announced innitiatives for the digital future of Singapore at the event, which was attended by more than 1,500 participants from the ICM industry and over 40 exhibits showed off their advanced technologies.

He introduced the Service and Digital Economy Technology Roadmap (SDE Tech Roadmap), which is the culmination of months of consultation with industry and government agencies.

It outlines our response to help Singapore capture opportunities created by emerging technological trends, said the minister.

Our industries have embarked on their digitalisation journeys and are making the transition to the new normal of operating in a digital world. Its important to develop a refreshed technology roadmap that identifies technological engines that will be key to Singapores development over the next three to five years.

The service sector is a key enabler of Singapores economy, contributing nearly 72 per cent of the countrys GDP and up to 74 per cent of the total workforce. It encompasses a broad spectrum of enterprises, including startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

A report from the Singapore Department of Statistics shows that the country has 220,100 businesses, 99 per cent of which, or 217,899, are SMEs. About 85 per cent of SMEs are local businesses, while 15 per cent are foreign.

Service providers have evolved from providing manual services (Service 1.0) to efficient services enabled by automation and the internet (Service 2.0), and to more productive self-service models enabled by mobile, wireless and cloud technologies (Service 3.0).

Iswaran said the next generation of service providers must be able to anticipate and empathise with the customer and take proactive, automated actions to allow the customer to seamlessly fulfill their needs on one platform.

These are the defining features of Service 4.0  our vision for the next generation of Singapores services sector that is end-to-end, seamless, empathic and anticipatory of customer needs, he said. The next generation of services involves emerging technologies that enable companies to innovate and better meet the changing needs of their customers.

As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and advanced interfaces become more accessible, services will be designed around customer needs, allowing customers to enjoy a predictive and seamless service experience.

This will also allow business to innovate and create new value quickly. Service 4.0 is a vision that puts people at the centre  harnessing technology for workers to have more fulfilling work, enabling businesses to innovate nimbly to capture opportunities in a digital marketplace and delivering a superior experience to customers.

According to IMDAs Chief Executive Tan Kiat How, leading business-to-consumers enterprises have already started their Service 4.0 journey.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from the technology shifts, and IMDAs programmes will provide support to help every business become a digital business, said Tan.

To support companies participation in the Service 4.0 ecosystem, IMDA has initiated several projects including GoCloud for ICT SMEs, which enable them to unlock the benefits of cloud computing and rapid software delivery, create services that are more flexible, scalable and adaptable and significantly reduce their time to market.

Another programme, Pixel, will help ICM companies combine digital technologies, engaging content and human-centred design to build great experiences for their customers. Digital Services Laboratory brings together research communities, ICM players and end-users to engineer solutions across multiple domains from the early stages to deployment, addressing digitalisation challenges and national strategic interest areas which could benefit from faster intermediation.

Cloud Native Architecture is seen as a way to build and run apps on the cloud with flexible modular components, allowing companies to amend their apps quickly and to scale up or down as required.

Smaller enterprises, such as SMEs, can also enjoy higher revenue and cost savings by deploying solutions more quickly and readily tapping on emerging technologies.

According to a representative of tessaract.io, Cloud Native Architecture is the core of the infocomm media ecosystem and tessaract.io has pledged its support by joining the pioneer batch of the DG:Digital Cloud Community in order to promote the adoption of Cloud Native Architecture.

Cloud Native Architecture helps the company reduce its time to market and cut costs. The company has saved almost 80 per cent in costs by not having to deal with the ongoing cost of hardware setup and maintenance, allowing it to focus on its core business of software development. Substantial cost savings are then passed on to clients.

The solution has also enabled global business opportunities as users with internet can access tessaract.ios solution from any part of the world.

IMDA leads Singapores digital transformation in infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional ICM ecosystem  by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities and enhancing Singapores ICM infrastructure.  VNS
The following companies are subsidiares of Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. Ventures LLC, DMM Financial LLC, Deerwood Exploration LLC, Downtown Plaza II, Elk Hills Field, FLAG Development LLC, FP Westport Commodities Limited, FP Westport GmbH, FP Westport LLC, FP Westport Limited, FP Westport Services LLC, FP Westport Trading LLC, Fosters Mill Exploration LLC, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Globrep Representaciones S.A., Grand Bassa Tankers Inc., Grupo OxyChem de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Headwater II LLC, Houndstooth Resources LLC, INDSPEC Chemical B.V., INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Export Sales LLC, INDSPEC Holding Corporation, Ingleside Cogeneration GP LLC, Ingleside Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Interore Trading Ltd., Joslyn Partnership, KERR-McGEE TT E&P LTD., KM BM-C-Seven Ltd., KM International Insurance Ltd., Kerr-McGee Corporation, Kerr-McGee Natural Gas Company Inc., Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP, Kerr-McGee Shared Services Company LLC, Kerr-McGee Stored Power Corporation, Kerr-McGee U.K. Energy Corporation, Kerr-McGee Worldwide Corporation, Kerr-McGee do Brasil Ltda., Kerr-McGee of Canada Northwest Ltd., Laguna Petroleum Corp., Laguna Petroleum LLC, Liwa Oil & Gas Ltd., MC2 Technologies LLC, Mariana Properties Inc., Marico Exploration Inc., Miller Springs Remediation Management Inc., Moncrief Minerals Partnership L.P., NGL Ventures LLC, Natural Gas Odorizing Inc., New OPL LLC, OEVC Energy LLC, OEVC Midstream Projects LLC, OIH LLC, OLCV CE Holdings ULC, OLCV CE US Holdings Inc., OLCV Net Power LLC, OLCV Services LLC, OOG Partner LLC, OOOI Chem Holdings LLC, OOOI Chem Sub LLC, OOOI Chemical International LLC, OOOI Chile Holder LLC, OOOI Ecuador Management LLC, OOOI Oil and Gas Sub LLC, OOOI South America Management LLC, OPM GP Inc., OPM Holdco LLC, OTCF LLC, OTH LLC, OXY CV Pipeline LLC, OXY Campus LLC, OXY Inc., OXY LPG LLC, OXY Libya E&P Area 103 BR4 B.V., OXY Libya E&P Area 35 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P Concession 103 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 102 B.V., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1981 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1985 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P NC 143 144 145 150 B.V., OXY Libya Exploration SPC, OXY Libya LLC, OXY Little Knife LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings I LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings II LLC, OXY Middle East Holdings Ltd., OXY Oil Partners Inc., OXY PBLP Manager LLC, OXY Support Services LLC, OXY Tulsa Inc., OXY USA Inc., OXY USA WTP LP, OXY VPP Investments LLC, OXY West LLC, OXY of Saudi Arabia Ltd., OXYCHEM (CANADA) INC., OXYMAR, Oakwood Exploration LLC, Occidental (Bermuda) Ltd., Occidental (East Shabwa) LLC, Occidental Advance Sale Finance Inc., Occidental Al Hosn LLC, Occidental Angola Holdings Ltd., Occidental CIS Services Inc., Occidental Canada Holdings Ltd., Occidental Chemical Asia Limited, Occidental Chemical Belgium B.V.B.A., Occidental Chemical Chile Limitada, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Occidental Chemical Export Sales LLC, Occidental Chemical Far East Limited, Occidental Chemical Holding Corporation, Occidental Chemical International LLC, Occidental Chemical Investment (Canada) 1 Inc., Occidental Chemical Receivables LLC, Occidental Chemical de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Occidental Chile Investments LLC, Occidental Chile Minority Holder LLC, Occidental Colombia (Series G) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series J) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series K) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series L) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series M) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series N) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series O) Ltd., Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (Canada), Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (International), Occidental Dolphin Holdings Ltd., Occidental Energy Marketing Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures LLC, Occidental Exploradora del Peru Ltd., Occidental Exploration and Production Company, Occidental Hafar LLC, Occidental International (Libya) Inc., Occidental International Corporation, Occidental International Exploration and Production Company, Occidental International Holdings Ltd., Occidental International Oil and Gas Ltd., Occidental International Services Inc., Occidental Joslyn GP 2 Co., Occidental LNG (Malaysia) Ltd., Occidental Latin America Holdings LLC, Occidental Libya Oil & Gas B.V., Occidental MENA Manager Ltd., Occidental Middle East Development Company, Occidental Midland Basin LLC, Occidental Mukhaizna LLC, Occidental Oil Asia Pte. Ltd., Occidental Oil Shale Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas (Oman) Ltd., Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Occidental Oil and Gas International Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas International LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas Pakistan LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas of Peru LLC, Occidental Oman (Block 27) Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 65 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 65 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 72 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 72 LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Company LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman North Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oriente Exploration and Production Ltd., Occidental Overseas Holdings B.V., Occidental PVC LLC, Occidental Peninsula II Inc., Occidental Peninsula LLC, Occidental Permian Ltd., Occidental Permian Manager LLC, Occidental Permian Services Inc., Occidental Peruana Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 101) Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 103) Inc., Occidental Petroleum (Pakistan) Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation Political Action Committee, Occidental Petroleum de Venezuela S.A., Occidental Petroleum of Nigeria, Occidental Petroleum of Oman Ltd., Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., Occidental Power Marketing L.P., Occidental Power Services Inc., Occidental Qatar Energy Company LLC, Occidental Red Sea Development LLC, Occidental Research Corporation, Occidental Resource Recovery Systems Inc., Occidental Resources Company, Occidental Shah Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental South America Finance LLC, Occidental Specialty Marketing Inc., Occidental Tower Corporation, Occidental Transportation Holding Corporation, Occidental West Texas Overthrust Inc., Occidental Yemen Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., Occidental del Ecuador Inc., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Bab) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Shah) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi LLC, Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd., Occidental of Bahrain Ltd., Occidental of Bangladesh Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Chipiron) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Cosecha) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Medina) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Putumayo) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia (Teca) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia PUT-36 LLC, Occidental of Dubai Inc., Occidental of Iraq Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Iraq LLC, Occidental of Oman Inc., Occidental of Russia Ltd., Occidental of South Africa (Offshore) Inc., Occidental of Yemen (Block 75) LLC, Oceanic Marine Transport Ltd., Opcal Insurance Inc., Oryx Crude Trading & Transportation Inc., Oxy BridgeTex Limited Partnership, Oxy C & I Bulk Sales LLC, Oxy Canada Sales Inc., Oxy Carbon Solutions LLC, Oxy Carbon Storage LLC, Oxy Climate Ventures Inc., Oxy Cogeneration Holding Company LLC, Oxy Colombia Holdings LLC, Oxy Colombia TopCo Ltd., Oxy Delaware Basin LLC, Oxy Delaware Basin Plant LLC, Oxy Dolphin E&P LLC, Oxy Dolphin Pipeline LLC, Oxy Energy Canada Inc., Oxy Energy Services LLC, Oxy Expatriate Services Inc., Oxy FFT Holdings Inc., Oxy Holding Company (Pipeline) Inc., Oxy International Ventures Ltd., Oxy LPG Terminal LLC, Oxy Levelland Pipeline Company LLC, Oxy Levelland Terminal Company LLC, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, Oxy Midstream Strategic Development LLC, Oxy Oleoducto SOP LLC, Oxy Overseas Services Ltd., Oxy Permian Gathering LLC, Oxy Permian Plaza LLC, Oxy Petroleum de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Oxy Renewable Energy LLC, Oxy Salt Creek Pipeline LLC, Oxy TL LLC, Oxy Taft Hub LLC, Oxy Technology Ventures Inc., Oxy Transport I Company LLC, Oxy Vinyls Canada Co., Oxy Vinyls Export Sales LLC, Oxy Vinyls LP, Oxy Westwood Corporation, Oxy Y-1 Company, OxyChem Ingleside Ethylene Holdings Inc., OxyChem do Brasil Ltda., OxyChile Investments LLC, Oxychem Shipping Ltd., Permian Basin JV Tax Matters Member LLC, Permian Basin Limited Partnership, Permian VPP Holder LP, Permian VPP Manager LLC, Phibro, Placid Oil LLC, Ramlat Oxy Ltd., Rio de Viento Inc., Rodeo Midland Basin LLC, San Patricio Pipeline LLC, Scanports Shipping LLC, SequestCo LLC, Stetson Exploration LLC, Sun Offshore Gathering Company, Swiflite Aircraft Corporation, Transok Properties LLC, Troy Potter Inc., Turavent Oil GmbH [in liquidation], Tuscaloosa Holdings Inc., UP Petroleo III Ltd., Upland Industries Corporation, Venezuela US SRL, Vintage Gas Inc., Vintage Petroleum, Vintage Petroleum Argentina Ltd., Vintage Petroleum Boliviana Ltd., Vintage Petroleum International Finance B.V., Vintage Petroleum International Holdings LLC, Vintage Petroleum International LLC, Vintage Petroleum International Ventures Inc., Vintage Petroleum Italy Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America Holdings Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America LLC, Vintage Petroleum Turkey Inc., WGR Asset Holding Company LLC, WGR Canada Inc., Wardner Ranch Inc., Western Gas Resources Inc., Western Gas Resources-Westana Inc., Western Midstream Holdings LLC, Woodlands International Insurance Ltd., and YT Ranch LLC.
8 hours ago

Medtronic or Intuitive Surgical: Which is the Better Buy After Earnings?

The future cant arrive soon enough for these two medical device giants Ive been bullish on both Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) at different points this year.

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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..
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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At the meeting with the newly-appointed ambassador, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Belgium has blossomed as well as harvested good multifaceted achievements in previous time.Two-way trade turnover between the two nations hit US$ 2.3 billion in the first ten months of the year; however, the figure remains modest and not to adequate compared to great potentials of both countries.The Vietnamese leader suggested the ambassador would affirm his role as a bridge to boost and raise two- way trade turnover up US$ 3 billion in upcoming time.He also added that Viet Nam had been well-prepared for the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and hoped that the partner would play an important role to push EU to soon sign and ratify the agreement.Ambassador Paul Jansen also said that Belgian businesses desired to receive favorable conditions to not only expand investment but also seek new business opportunities in the Vietnamese market; and he suggested the Vietnamese Government to open exemption of entry visa for Belgian citizen contributing to promote tourism and cultural exchange.

BY LAM NGUYEN- Translated by Huyen Huong
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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..
Usagi is forecasting to be centered from Khanh Hoa to Ba Ria- Vung Tau provinces

At 6pm yesterday, Usagi was located at around 300 kilometers of Phu Quy Island, 290 kilometers of Nha Trang city, 340 kilometers of Phan Thiet city and 440 kilometers of Vung Tau city with its gain wind of 90- 100 kilometers an hour.



Within next 24- 48 hours, it will move the westward at 10- 15 kilometers an hour, and enter the mainland of south- central coastal and southeastern provinces and cities before turning into a tropical low pressure system.



In next 48- 60 hours, the tropical depression is expected to move the west- northwest with its speed of 10 kilometers and a gusty wind of under 40 kilometers an hour.



The south- central and southeastern regions are affirmed as the dangerous zone that Usagi is expected to sweep through.



Because of typhoon circulation in combination with cool air, provinces from Thua Thien- Hue to Binh Thuan, Central Highlands and southern regions will get caught in a high rainfall of 100- 500 mm.



The great concern is that the ninth typhoon will make landfall in the southeastern region including Ho Chi Minh City at the same time of high tide in the areas.

Downpour and high tide resulted in outbreaks of flooding in downstream rivers of Cuu Long, Dong Nai and Sai Gon.

Actively dealing with natural disaster

Amid capable damages of causing high tide, downpour and flash flood, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has established two working groups in the affected localities.



Yesterday morning, the Peoples Committee of Khanh Hoa province moved around 280,000 local people, 41,000 fish farms and 9,400 vessels out of dangerous areas.



In Binh Thuan province, the authorities in coordination with relevant agencies and local people have readily prepared for possible upcoming typhoon number 9.



The local Departments of Education and Training announced the closure of schools and will reopen after November 24.



Before of arrival of the hurricane Usagi, the Peoples Committee of Ba Ria- Vung Tau province had a meeting with relevant departments and agencies to implement measures against the natural disaster.



As plan, the province will evacuate 158, 534 residents from low-lying places to safe areas.

Currently, the local asks 3,847 vessels to travel near shore to avoid storm.



The forced authorities have also evacuated 1,900 tourists from Con Dao Island and popular destinations to safe places before the arrival of typhoon Usagi.



The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has released an emergency text to relevant departments and agencies, districts to ask necessary measures dealing with the typhoon number 9.



Yesterday evening, local schools in Can Gio district were closed due to the bad weather condition; and more than 4,000 residents were evacuated from dangerous zones being threatened by landslide and flooding downpour.



Earlier, the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control requested provinces and cities of Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Ba Ria- Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City, relevant ministries and departments to keep eye on the current weather condition of flooding downpour and landslide, evacuate flood- hit people to safe places in order to minimize damages on people and the property.





By staff writers- Translated by Huyen Huong
The following companies are subsidiares of WESCO International: 1502218 Alberta Ltd., ALLNET Technologies Pty. Ltd., AXE Distribution Solutions Trinidad Ltd., Accu-Tech Corporation, Anixter (Barbados) SRL, Anixter (CIS) LLC, Anixter (Switzerland) Sarl, Anixter (U.K.) Limited, Anixter Argentina S.A., Anixter Asia Holdings Limited, Anixter Australia Pty. Ltd., Anixter Austria GmbH, Anixter Bahamas Limited, Anixter Belgium B.V.B.A., Anixter Cables y Manufacturas S.A. de C.V., Anixter Canada Inc., Anixter Canadian Holdings ULC, Anixter Chile S.A., Anixter Colombia S.A.S., Anixter Communications (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Anixter Communications (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Anixter Costa Rica S.A., Anixter Czech a.s., Anixter Danmark A/S, Anixter Deutschland GmbH, Anixter Distribuidor de Soluciones Empresariales e Industriales S.A., Anixter Distribution Ireland Limited, Anixter Dominicana SRL, Anixter Egypt LLC, Anixter Espana S.L., Anixter Eurotwo Holdings B.V., Anixter Fasteners Deutschland GmbH, Anixter Financial Inc., Anixter France SARL, Anixter Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Anixter Holdings Inc., Anixter Holdings Mexico LLC, Anixter Hong Kong Limited, Anixter Iletisim Sistemleri Pazarlama ve Ticaret A.S., Anixter Inc., Anixter India Private Limited, Anixter Information Systems LLC, Anixter International, Anixter Italia S.r.l., Anixter Jamaica Limited, Anixter Japan KK, Anixter Jorvex S.A.C., Anixter Limited, Anixter Logistica do Brasil LTDA, Anixter Logistica y Servicios S.A. de C.V., Anixter Magyarorszag Elektronikus Halozati Rendszer Kereskedelmi es Szolgaltato Kft, Anixter Mid Holdings B.V., Anixter Middle East FZE, Anixter Morocco SARL AU, Anixter Nederland B.V., Anixter New Zealand Limited, Anixter Norge A.N.S., Anixter Operaciones y Logistica s De RL De CV, Anixter Panama S.A., Anixter Pension Scheme Trustees Limited, Anixter Pension Trustees Limited, Anixter Peru S.A.C., Anixter Philippines Inc., Anixter Poland Sp.z.o.o., Anixter Portugal S.A., Anixter Power Solutions Canada Inc., Anixter Power Solutions Inc., Anixter Procurement Corporation, Anixter Puerto Rico Inc., Anixter Real-Estate LLC, Anixter Receivables Corporation, Anixter Saudi Arabia Limited, Anixter Singapore Pte. Ltd., Anixter Slovakia s.r.o., Anixter Sub Holdings B.V, Anixter Sverige AB, Anixter Thailand Inc., Anixter U.S. LLC, Anixter Venezuela Inc., Anixter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Anixter do Brasil Ltda, Atlanta Electrical Distributors, Atlanta Electrical Distributors LLC, Atlas Gentech (NZ) Limited, Avon Electrical Supplies, B.E.L. Corporation, Brews Supply, Brown Wholesale Electric, Bruckner Supply, CBC LP Holdings LLC, CDW Holdco LLC, Calvert Wire & Cable Corporation, Carlton-Bates Company, Carlton-Bates Company (CBC), Carlton-Bates Company de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Carlton-Bates Company of Texas GP Inc, Central Security Distribution Pty. Ltd, Communication Cables LLC, Communications Supply Corporation, Conney Investment Holdings LLC, Conney Safety Products, Conney Safety Products LLC, Distribuidora Materiales Electricos E-Supply Limitada, EECOL Electric, EECOL Electric Bolivia Ltda, EECOL Electric Corp., EECOL Electric Peru S.A.C, EECOL Industrial Electric (SudAmerica) Limitada, EECOL Industrial Electric Ecuador Limitada, EECOL Industrial Electric Limitada, EECOL Power S.A., EECOL Properties Corp, Eurinvest B.V., Eurinvest Cooperatief U.A., Fastec Industrial, HMH Pension Trustees Limited, Hazmasters, Hazmasters Inc., Herning Underground Supply, Hi-Line Utility Supply, Hi-Line Utility Supply Company LLC, Hill Country Electric Supply, Hill Country Electric Supply L.P., ICV GP Inc., Infast Group Limited, Inner Range Pty. Ltd, Itel Container Ventures Inc., Itel Corporation, Itel Rail Holdings Corporation, J-Mark Inc., LaPrairie, Liberty Wire & Cable Inc., Monti Electric Supply, Needham Electric Supply, Needham Electric Supply LLC, Obras Y Servicios Sunpark S.A.C., PT Anixter Indonesia, Potelcom Supply, Pro Canadian Holdings I ULC, RECO LLC, RS Electronics, Reily Electrical Supply, SASK Alta Holdings S.A., Services Voice Video and Data Distribution de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios Anixter S.A. de C.V., Signal Capital Corporation, Signal Capital Projects Inc., Stone Eagle Electrical Supply GP Inc., Stone Eagle Electrical Supply Limited Partnership, TVC Communications, TVC Communications L.L.C., TVC Espana Distribucion y Venta De Equipos S.L., TVC International Holding L.L.C., TVC UK Holdings Limited, Tri-Ed Puerto Rico Ltd. Inc., Trydor Industries, Voice Video and Data Distribution de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., WDC Holding Inc., WDCH LP, WDCH US LP, WDI USVI LLC, WDI-Angola LDA, WDINESCO B.V., WDINESCO II B.V., WDINESCO III B.V., WEAS Company S. de R.L., WESCO (Suzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., WESCO Australia Pty Ltd, WESCO Canada GP Inc., WESCO Canada I LP, WESCO DC Holding I LP, WESCO DC Holding II LP, WESCO DC Holding III LP, WESCO DC Holding IV LP, WESCO Distribution Canada Co., WESCO Distribution Canada LP, WESCO Distribution HK Limited, WESCO Distribution II ULC, WESCO Distribution III ULC, WESCO Distribution IV Inc., WESCO Distribution Inc., WESCO Distribution Ireland Limited, WESCO Distribution NL B.V., WESCO Distribution Pte. Ltd., WESCO Distribution de Mexico S. de R.L., WESCO Distribution-International Limited, WESCO Enterprises Inc., WESCO Equity Corporation, WESCO Holdings LLC, WESCO Integrated Supply Inc., WESCO Integrated Supply Polska Spolka z o.o., WESCO Netherlands B.V., WESCO Nevada Ltd., WESCO Nigeria Inc., WESCO Procurement Canada ULC, WESCO Real Estate I LLC, WESCO Real Estate II LLC, WESCO Real Estate III LLC, WESCO Real Estate IV LLC, WESCO Receivables Corp., WESCO Services LLC, WESCO TLD Holdings Co. Ltd., WND Nigeria Limited, WireXpress Ltd., Xpress Connect Supply Hong Kong Limited, XpressConnect Holdings B.V., XpressConnect International B.V., XpressConnect Supply B.V.B.A., XpressConnect Supply Colombia S.A.S., XpressConnect Supply Inc., XpressConnect Supply Mexico S.A. de C.V., and XpressConnect Supply do Brasil Ltda.
Brookfield Business Partners LP engages in owning and operating business services and industrial operations. It operates though the following segments: Business Services, Infrastructure Services, Industrial Operations, and Corporate and Other. The Business Services segment includes services such as residential mortgage insurance, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, real estate and construction, entertainment, financing, and other businesses. The Infrastructure Services segment consists of services to the nuclear power generation industry and offshore oil production industry: and access, forming, and shoring solutions and specialized services. The Industrial Operations segment deals with automotive batteries, graphite electrode, and other manufacturing; water and wastewater services: natural gas production and well servicing; and a variety of other industrial operations. The Corporate and Other segment comprises cash and liquidity management, and activities related to the management of the partnership's relationship with Brookfield. The company was founded on October 1, 2015 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
The following companies are subsidiares of Colgate-Palmolive: 887357 Ontario Inc., COLGALIVE S.A., CP GABA GmbH, CP International Holding C.V., CP West East Investment Limited, Cleaning Dimensions Inc., Colgate (BVI) Limited, Colgate (Guangzhou) Company Limited, Colgate (U.K.) Limited, Colgate Business Services of the Americas S.C., Colgate Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Colgate Global Business Services Private Limited, Colgate Holdings, Colgate Inc., Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Inc., Colgate Palmolive Ghana Limited, Colgate Palmolive Holding S.Com.P.A., Colgate Palmolive Nouvelle Caledonie Sarl, Colgate Palmolive Tanzania Limited, Colgate Sanxiao Company Limited, Colgate Venture Company Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Asia) Pte Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Blantyre) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Brunei) Sdn Bhn, Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc. y Compania Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (China) Co. Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Costa Rica) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominica) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (East Africa) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Eastern) Pte. Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Egypt) S.A.E., Colgate-Palmolive (Far East) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Fiji) Pte Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Gabon) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Guyana) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (H.K.) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Hellas) S.A. I.C., Colgate-Palmolive (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Kazakhstan) L.L.P., Colgate-Palmolive (Latvia) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Middle East Exports) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (New York) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive (Proprietary) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Research & Development) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Romania) SRL, Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Uganda) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Vietnam) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Zambia) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Zimbabwe) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive A.B., Colgate-Palmolive A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Adria Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Treasury Services Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Belgium S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Bolivia Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Caricom Service Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Central European Management Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Chile S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cia., Colgate-Palmolive Comercial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Commercial (Hellas) SP LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Commerciale S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive Commericale S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive Compania Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive Company Distr. LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Cote dIvoire S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cyprus Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Development Corp., Colgate-Palmolive East West Africa Region (Pty) Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Enterprises Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Espana S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Europe (Holdings) Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Europe Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Finance (UK) plc, Colgate-Palmolive Global Trading Company, Colgate-Palmolive Holding Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Holding Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Hungary Kft Limited Liability Company, Colgate-Palmolive IHQ Services (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Industrial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Industriel S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive International Holding LLC, Colgate-Palmolive International LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Investment Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (BVI) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (PNG) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Investments Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Israel Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Italia S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive JSC, Colgate-Palmolive Lanka (Private) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Latin America Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Manufacturing (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive Maroc S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Mocambique Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive NJ Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Nederland B.V., Colgate-Palmolive Norge A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Participacoes e Investimentos Imobiliarios Lda., Colgate-Palmolive Peru S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Retirement Trustee Limited, Colgate-Palmolive S.A. de C.V., Colgate-Palmolive S.p.A., Colgate-Palmolive Senegal S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Services (Hellas) LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Services CEW GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Services S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Slovensko s.r.o., Colgate-Palmolive Support Services, Colgate-Palmolive Temizlik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticart S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Transnational Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Ukraine LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Unipessoal Lda, Colgate-Palmolive de Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive de Puerto Rico Inc., Colgate-Palmolive del Ecuador S.A.I.C., Colgate-Palmolive del Peru (Delaware) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Eeska republika spol. s r.o., Colpal CBS S de R. L. de C. V., Consumer Viewpoint Center Inc., Cotelle S.A., Dimac Development Corp., Dominica Coconut Products Limited, EKIB Inc., ELM Company Limited, Elta MD Holdings Inc., Elta MD Inc., EltaMD, Filorga Americas Inc., Filorga Asia Limited, Filorga Benelux SA, Filorga Cosmetiques Polska, Filorga Middle East DMCC, Filorga Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Filorga RU Limited Liability Company, GABA Europe Holding GmbH, GABA International, GABA International Holding LLC, GABA Schweiz AG, GABA Therwil GmbH, Gamma Development Co. Ltd., Global Trading and Supply LLC, Hamol Ltd., Hello Products, Hello Products LLC, Hills Funding Company, Hills Pet Nutrition (NZ) Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Asia Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Denmark ApS, Hills Pet Nutrition Espana S.L., Hills Pet Nutrition GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Holding B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Indiana Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Italia S.r.l., Hills Pet Nutrition Korea Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing s.r.o, Hills Pet Nutrition Norway AS, Hills Pet Nutrition OOO, Hills Pet Nutrition Pty. Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition S.p.A., Hills Pet Nutrition SNC, Hills Pet Nutrition Sales Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition South Africa Proprietary Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition Sweden AB, Hills Pet Nutrition Switzerland GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Taiwan Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition Trading (GZ) Co. Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hills Pet Nutrition de Puerto Rico Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition s.r.o., Hills Pet Products (Benelux) S.A., Hills Pet Products Inc., Hills Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Hills-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Hopro Liquidating Corp., Hygiene Systemes et Services SA, IES Enterprises Inc., Inmobiliaria Colpal S. de R.L. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Hills S.A. de C.V., Innovacion Creativa S.A. de C.V., Kolynos Corporation, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Espana S.L.U., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Italia S.R.L., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques S.A., Laser Brand Toothpaste, Lournay Sales Inc., Mennen Company, Mennen Interamerica Ltd., Mennen Limited, Mennen South Africa Ltd., Mennen de Chile Ltd., Mennen de Nicargua S.A., Mission Hills Property Corporation, Mission Hills S.A. de C.V., Norwood International Incorporated, Olive Music Publishing Corporation, PCA SKIN, Paramount Research Inc., Penny LLC, Pet Chemicals Inc., Physicians Care Alliance LLC, Productos Halogenados Copalven C.A., Purity Holding Company, Purity Music Publishing Corporation, Refresh Company Limited, Samuel Taylor Holdings B.V., Sanex, Sanxiao Company Limited, Services Development Co. Ltd., Societe Generale de Negoce et de Services (GENESE) S.A., The GDN - The Global Distributive Network SAS, The Lournay Company Inc., The MPDP - The Medical and Pharmaceutic Distributive Platform SAS, The Murphy-Phoenix Company, Tom's of Maine, Toms of Maine Holdings Inc., Toms of Maine Inc., Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Vipont Pharmaceutical Inc., and XEB Inc..
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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Racing participants hosted a fundraiser on Nov. 19 at The Raceway at Western Fair District along with Woodbine, Mohawk Park in support of Kristy Dustin, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Organizers Shannon Henry and Natasha Day are pleased to announce that over $15,000 was raised in the forms of cash, personal cheque e-transfers and gift vouchers.

We didnt have any expectations going into this fundraiser, trainer Shannon Henry said. We just wanted to help our friend in the industry. We would have never guessed that we could do what we did and we are so grateful to everyone who supported Kristy. There is no doubt how strong of an industry we have.

Kristy Dustin, 33, was on-hand in Race 4 on Monday evening at The Raceway and was greeted by many trainers and drivers along with family and friends.

Racing participants at Woodbine Mohawk Park also took the time for a group photo in honor of Dustin.

Following the completion of the fundraiser, Dustin wanted to acknowledge her thank you to the industry.

During the past few months, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, I have been faced with challenges, fears and emotions that one never expects to experience. But with each step, something profound always appears that takes my breath away  right in the midst of all the chaos. Some blessings or occurrences I might have otherwise missed. The benefit night on November 19th was most certainly one of those blessings and an amazing act of kindness to help my family and I get through this time a little easier.

Words dont seem adequate when it comes to the gratitude that my family and I have for the support, both emotionally and financially, that has been shown to us. We are in awe of the fundraising efforts that took place at The Raceway in London, at Woodbine Mohawk Park and on social media reaching even as far as Florida. We are so grateful to everyone that helped make it possible and organized all the efforts, especially Natasha Day and Shannon Henry.

Getting to see so many friendly faces that night, whether it be in person or over the simulcast, it has lifted my spirits and reminded me of how privileged I am to have grown up in and be a part of such a loving industry and community of horsemen and women. If I could have been in two places at once, I would have in an instant, if only to thank and hug every driver, trainer, owner, groom or staff member that showed their support for me. Even the simple act of those who wore a pink ribbon is truly heartwarming and something I will never forget.

So, if going through breast cancer is one of the toughest challenges that I have to go through in my life, all of you have made it that much easier to continue the road ahead to being cancer-free.

Sincerely,

Kristy Dustin & Family

If anyone is looking for more information about the fundraiser or interested in donating, please contact organizers Shannon Henry (519-831-6921) or Natasha Day (519-498-3203).

(Western Fair Raceway)
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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Best Buy Co., Inc. engages in the provision of consumer technology products and services. It operates through two business segments: Domestic and International. The Domestic segment comprises of the operations in all states, districts, and territories of the U.S., operating under various brand names, including Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, and Pacific Sales. The International segment includes all operations outside the U.S. and its territories, which includes Canada, Europe, China, Mexico, and Turkey. It also markets its products under the brand names: Best Buy, bestbuy.com, Best Buy Direct, Best Buy Express, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, GreatCall, Magnolia and Pacific Kitchen and Home. The company was founded by Richard M. Schulze in 1966 and is headquartered in Richfield, MN.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Kroger: 84.51 HQ Building Company LLC, 84.51 LLC, Alpha Beta Company, Ansonborough Square Investors I LLC, Ansonborough Square Retail LLC, Ardrey Kell Investments LLC, Bay Area Warehouse Stores Inc., Beech Tree Holdings LLC, Bell Markets Inc., Bleecker Ventures LLC, Bluefield Beverage Company, Box Cutter Inc., Brier Creek Arbors Drive Retail LLC, CB&S Advertising Agency Inc., Cala Co., Cala Foods Inc., Cheeses of All Nations Inc., Country Oven Inc., Crawford Stores Inc., Creedmoor Retail LLC, Dillon Companies LLC, Dillon Real Estate Co. Inc., Dillons, Distribution Trucking Company, Dotto Inc., Edgewood Plaza Holdings LLC, Embassy International Inc., FM Inc., FMJ Inc., Farmacia Doral Inc., Food 4 Less GM Inc., Food 4 Less Holdings Inc., Food 4 Less Merchandising Inc., Food 4 Less of California Inc., Food 4 Less of Southern California Inc., Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer Inc., Fred Meyer Jewelers Inc., Fred Meyer Stores Inc., Glasswing Labs LLC, Glendale/Goodwin Realty I LLC, Grubstake Investments LLC, HT Fuel DE LLC, HT Fuel NC LLC, HT Fuel SC LLC, HT Fuel VA LLC, HTGBD LLC, HTP Bluffton LLC, HTP Plaza LLC, HTP Relo LLC, HTPS LLC, HTTAH LLC, Harris Teeter, Harris Teeter LLC, Henpil Inc., Home Chef, Hood-Clayton Logistics LLC, Hughes Markets Inc., Hughes Realty Inc., I.T.A. Inc., IRP LLC, ITAC 119 LLC, ITAC 265 LLC, Inter-American Foods Inc., Inter-American Products Inc., J.V. Distributing Inc., Jondex Corp., Jubilee Carolina LLC, KCDE  2012 LLC, KCDE  2013 LLC, KCDE-2 LLC, KCDE-3 LLC, KCDE-4 LLC, KCDE-5 LLC, KGO LLC, KPF LLC, KPS LLC, KRGP LLC, KRLP Inc., KV Anderson LLC, Kee Trans Inc., Kessel FP, Kiosk Medicine Kentucky LLC, Kirkpatrick West Retail LLC, Kroger Community Development Entity LLC, Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co., Kroger Fulfillment Network LLC, Kroger G.O. LLC, Kroger LM Real Estate Holdings LLC, Kroger Limited Partnership I, Kroger Limited Partnership II, Kroger MC Holdings LLC, Kroger MTL Management LLC, Kroger Management Co., Kroger Management  Corryville LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Athens I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Champaign I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Champaign II LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Cincinnati I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Dallas I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Danville I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Logansport I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Missouri I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Oak Ridge I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Olney I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Omaha I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Portsmouth I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Starkville I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Topeka I LLC, Kroger Management  NMTC Warrenton I LLC, Kroger NMTC Fremont I LLC, Kroger OZ1 Inc., Kroger OZ1 LLC, Kroger OZ2 Inc., Kroger OZ2 LLC, Kroger OZ3 Inc., Kroger OZ3 LLC, Kroger Opportunity Fund I Inc., Kroger Prescription Plans Inc., Kroger Specialty Infusion AL LLC, Kroger Specialty Infusion CA LLC, Kroger Specialty Infusion Holdings Inc., Kroger Specialty Infusion TX LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy FL 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 2 Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 3 Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings I Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy LA LLC, Kroger Texas L.P., LCGP3 Home Cooking Inc., Latta Village LLC, Local Mkt LLC, Main & Vine LLC, Matthews Property 1 LLC, Mega Marts LLC, Michigan Dairy L.L.C., ModernHealth LTC, Murrays Cheese LLC, Murrays LIC LLC, Murrays Table LLC, Pace Dairy Foods Company, Paramount Logistics LLC, Pay Less Super Markets Inc., Peyton's-Southeastern Inc., Plum Labs LLC, Pontiac Foods Inc., Queen City Assurance Inc., RBF LLC, RGC Southeast Properties LLC, Ralphs Grocery Company, Relish Labs LLC, Rocket Newco Inc., Roundy's, Roundys Acquisition Corp., Roundys Illinois LLC, Roundys Inc., Roundys Supermarkets Inc., Second Story Inc., Shop-Rite LLC, Smiths Beverage of Wyoming Inc., Smiths Food & Drug Centers Inc., Southern Ice Cream Specialties Inc., Stallings Investors I LLC, Sunrise R&D Holdings LLC, Sunrise Technology LLC, TLC Corporate Services LLC, TLC Immunization Clinic LLC, TLC of Georgia LLC, The Kroger Co. of Michigan, The Little Clinic LLC, The Little Clinic Management Services LLC, The Little Clinic of Arizona LLC, The Little Clinic of Colorado LLC, The Little Clinic of IN LLC, The Little Clinic of Kansas LLC, The Little Clinic of Mississippi LLC, The Little Clinic of Ohio LLC, The Little Clinic of TX LLC, The Little Clinic of Tennessee LLC, The Little Clinic of VA LLC, Topvalco Inc., Ultimate Mart LLC, Ultra Mart Foods LLC, Vine Court Assurance Incorporated, Vitacost, Vitacost.com Inc., Woodmont Holdings LLC, and YOU Technology.
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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iShares S&P SmallCap 600 ETF's stock was trading at $62.31 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IJR shares have increased by 88.5% and is now trading at $117.47.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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.
Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alermac Inversiones S.A. de C.V., Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, Brown Brothers Distribution Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Flint Soluciones Seguras Para Trafico, Ennis Highway Traffic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Ennis Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Ennis Paint Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis Paint Boya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Germany GmbH, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis  Flint Mexico, Ennis  Flint New Zealand, Ennis  Flint New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Africa (Pty) Ltd, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Manchester Thermoplastics LLC, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Canada Limited, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holding Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG AP Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l., PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Manufacturing SARL, PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hellas S.A., PPG Hemmelrath Coatings Inc., PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Czech Republic s.r.o., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Kft., PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., Prismo Road Markings Limited, ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 007 857 392, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, SigmaKalon Middle East B.V., Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, United International Business NV, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, Worwag Coatings, and Zaganite Industries Pty Ltd.
Domtar Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Pulp and Paper, and Personal Care. The company provides business papers, including copy and electronic imaging papers used in inkjet and laser printers, photocopiers, and plain-paper fax machines, as well as computer papers, preprinted forms, and digital papers for office and home use. It also offers commercial printing and publishing papers, such as offset papers and opaques used in sheet and roll fed offset presses; publishing papers, which include tradebook and lightweight uncoated papers for publishing textbooks, dictionaries, catalogs, magazines, hard cover novels, and financial documents; and converting papers for envelopes, tablets, business forms, and data processing/computer forms. In addition, the company provides papers for thermal printing, flexible packaging, food packaging, medical packaging, medical gowns and drapes, sandpaper backing, carbonless printing, labels and other coating, and laminating applications; and papers for industrial and specialty applications, such as carrier papers, treated papers, security papers, and specialized printing and converting applications. Further, it offers absorbent hygiene products, including absorbent briefs, protective underwear, underpads, pads, washcloths, and body patches under the Attends, Indasec, IndasSlip, and Reassure brands; and baby diapers, training and youth pants, and bed mats under the Comfees, Chelino, Nene, and Bambino brand names. The company serves merchants, retail outlets, stationers, printers, publishers, converters, and end-users. Domtar Corporation was founded in 1848 and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

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NETGEAR showcased its most admired flagship product, the Nighthawk Pro Gaming Wi-Fi router (XR500) at IGX Mumbai. The event witnessed a huge footfall of gamers where they got a chance to try out on the latest and most popular games and software.

The groundbreaking NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming WiFi Router (XR500) leverages advanced cutting-edge software to optimize network connections by stabilizing ping, reducing lag spikes, and keeps you always on with reliable wired and wireless connectivity for advanced online gameplay. The Gaming Dashboard, Geo Filter, Quality of Service (QoS) and Network Monitoring capabilities enable customization and gaming performance unmatched in the router space. NETGEAR Nighthawk includes best-in-class hardware features such as a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, Quad-stream Wave 2 WiFi with MU-MIMO, and four external high-power antennas wrapped up in an aggressive and formidable enclosure.

Whether youre gaming online, hosting a LAN party, or streaming high-definition content, the new NETGEAR Pro Gaming product will take your network to a whole new level of speed, performance, personalization and control. Gamers tend to look for every advantage to maximize their ability to thrive in their online game of choice. Regardless of whether one is a serious or casual gamer on either a console or PC, the Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router XR500 and will give you greater command over who you play with and prevent unwanted interruptions giving you the ability to level up your gameplay.

Mr. Marthesh Nagendra, Country Manager  India & SAARC, NETGEAR, said, We are extremely pleased to be a part of the IGX 2018 to show our exceptional gaming product range. At NETGEAR we have worked tirelessly to deliver best-in-class performance, customization and ease-of use for the ultimate gaming experience. We will continue to participate in such strategic events which give us an opportunity to set new standards in the gaming segment.

With the new Nighthawk Pro Gaming WiFi Router, one can enjoy lag-free online and network gaming. Its MU-MIMO WiFi streams simultaneously to multiple devices on the same network so you and your pals can smoothly game online at the same time without affecting each others performance.

NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming Router Key Features

Gaming Dashboard  on a single screen, views real-time bandwidth utilization by the device, ping delays, and many other parameters.

 on a single screen, views real-time bandwidth utilization by the device, ping delays, and many other parameters. Geo Filter  Fix your gaming lag by limiting distance to servers or other players, get a guaranteed local connection, and create black/white lists of your preferred servers.

 Fix your gaming lag by limiting distance to servers or other players, get a guaranteed local connection, and create black/white lists of your preferred servers. Quality of Service (QoS)  Prioritize gaming devices and allocate bandwidth by the device to eliminate lag due to queuing at the ISP network.

 Prioritize gaming devices and allocate bandwidth by the device to eliminate lag due to queuing at the ISP network. Gaming VPN  Protect your network identity, prevent DDoS attack, and use the VPN client to connect to the VPN server.

 Protect your network identity, prevent DDoS attack, and use the VPN client to connect to the VPN server. Network Monitor  Check on bandwidth-hogging devices and identify the applications which could be causing lag.

 Check on bandwidth-hogging devices and identify the applications which could be causing lag. Gigabit Ethernet Ports  Maximize speed with four (4) GbE LAN ports for wired connections, ideal for fast-paced gaming and high-quality streaming.

 Maximize speed with four (4) GbE LAN ports for wired connections, ideal for fast-paced gaming and high-quality streaming. 802.11ac WiFi  Enjoy Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) for simultaneous streaming, Quad-Stream and 160MHz for faster speeds.

 Enjoy Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) for simultaneous streaming, Quad-Stream and 160MHz for faster speeds. Dual-Core 1.7GHz Processor  Support more devices for better 4K streaming, VR gaming, surfing, and more with this powerful, faster processor.

 Support more devices for better 4K streaming, VR gaming, surfing, and more with this powerful, faster processor. AC2600 WiFi  Take advantage of up to 800+1733 Mbps wireless speed, and double the available bandwidth with simultaneous dual-band WiFi.

 Take advantage of up to 800+1733 Mbps wireless speed, and double the available bandwidth with simultaneous dual-band WiFi. High-Performance Antennas  Get better WiFi coverage and faster speeds with four (4) external antennas.

 Get better WiFi coverage and faster speeds with four (4) external antennas. Memory  Enjoy plenty of headroom with 256 MB flash and 512 MB RAM.

 Enjoy plenty of headroom with 256 MB flash and 512 MB RAM. Beam forming+  Enjoy more reliable connections for fewer drops, providing jitter-free network performance.

@Technuter.com News Service
Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe, South America, and the Mediterranean Basin. The company operates through Domestic, Brazil, and Other Operations segments. It offers fixed and mobile voice and Internet, and public telephony services, as well as products managed and developed for individuals and families; and voice, data, and Internet services and products, and information and communications technology solutions for small and medium-size enterprises, small offices/home offices, the public sector, large accounts, and enterprises in the fixed and mobile telecommunications markets. The company also manages and develops a portfolio of regulated and unregulated wholesale services for fixed and mobile telecommunications operators; provision of infrastructure for housing radio transmission equipment of mobile telephone networks; and development, engineering, building, and operation of network infrastructures, information technology (IT), real estate properties, and plant engineering. In addition, it engages in customer care, operating credit support, loyalty, and retention activities; and staff functions and other support activities. Further, the company offers office products and services for IT sector. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Franklin Resources: AdvisorEngine, AdvisorEngine Inc., Alumcreek Holdings LLC, Athena Capital Advisors, Balanced Equity Management, Balanced Equity Management Pty. Limited, Benefit Street Partners, Bissett & Associates Investment Management, Brandywine Global Investment Management Europe Limited, CCPF GP Holdco No.2 Limited, CCPF No.2 (GP) Limited, CCPF No.2 LP, CP Industrial Management LLC, CP Intermediate Holdco Inc., CRM Software LLC, Clarion Gramercy (Deutschland) GmbH, Clarion Gramercy (UK) Limited, Clarion Gramercy Limited, Clarion Partners Europe Ltd., Clarion Partners Holdings LLC, Clarion Partners LLC, Clarion Partners Securities LLC, Clarion REIM South America Holdings LLC, Clarion REIM South America Invsetimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure (North America) Pty Limited, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure International Pty Limited, Darby - Hana Infrastructure Fund Management Co. Ltd., Edinburgh Partners, FT FinTech Holdings LLC, FT Opportunistic Distressed Fund Ltd., FTC Investor Services Inc., FTCI (Cayman) Ltd., FTPE Advisers LLC, Fiduciary International Holding Inc., Fiduciary Investment Management International Inc., Fiduciary Trust (International) Sarl, Fiduciary Trust Company International, Fiduciary Trust Company International of Pennsylvania, Fiduciary Trust Company of Canada, Fiduciary Trust International LLC, Fiduciary Trust International of California, Fiduciary Trust International of Delaware, Fiduciary Trust International of the South, Franklin Advisers GP LLC, Franklin Advisers Inc., Franklin Advisory Services LLC, Franklin Marketplace Loan GP LLC, Franklin Mutual Advisers LLC, Franklin SystematiQ Advisers LLC, Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Asset Management Mexico S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, Franklin Templeton Austria GmbH, Franklin Templeton Capital Holdings Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Chile SpA. V., Franklin Templeton Companies LLC, Franklin Templeton Digital Advisory Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited, Franklin Templeton GSC Asset Management Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Global Investors Limited, Franklin Templeton Holding Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Investment Management (Shanghai) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Investment Services Mexico S. de R.L., Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Co. Ltd., Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments (ME) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Investments Japan Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Poland sp. z o.o., Franklin Templeton Investments South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Franklin Templeton Investor Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Investimentos (Brasil) Ltda., Franklin Templeton Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Magyarorszag Kft., Franklin Templeton Management Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. 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.
Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance. It firm operates through the following segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, Wealth & Investment Management, and Other. The Community Banking segment offers complete line of diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses including checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and automobile, student, and small business lending. The Wholesale Banking segment provides financial solutions to businesses across the United States and globally. The Wealth and Investment Management segment includes personalized wealth management, investment and retirement products and services to clients across U.S. based businesses. The Other segment refers to the products of WIM customers served through community banking distribution channels. The company was founded by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo on March 18, 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

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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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MAXIMUS, Inc. engages in the operation of government and human services programs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Services; U.S. Federal Services; and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers a variety of business process services, and appeals and assessments for state, provincial and national government programs. The U.S. Federal Services segment includes process solutions, program management, as well as system and software development, and maintenance services for various United States federal civilian programs. The Outside the U.S segment comprises of national, state, and county human services agencies with a variety of business process services, and related consulting services for welfare-to-work, child support, higher education institutions, and other human services programs. The company was founded by David V. Mastran in 1975 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.

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Actor Simbu's earlier initiative spread love and call for unity among Kannadigas and Tamils over the Cauvery water issue was initially mocked at and he was subjected to trolls. Eventually, STR was to receive good response from Karnataka. The Chekka Chivantha Vaanam star has once again come forward with an innovative idea to help the Cyclone Gaja-hit Cauvery Delta areas may prove fruitful.

The actor, through a viral video #SaveDelta, suggested the public could donate money to social causes by using their mobile phones to donate, in a manner similar to how they would recharge their phones or pay for ringtones. He requested all network providers in Tamil Nadu to come together and provide a common number so that citizens who dont have internet banking facilities could contribute their mite, ranging from a low of Rs 10 to Rs 100 through their phones to the victims of Cyclone Gaja. If they get the approval from the government, everyone will accept it, Simbu added.

Sources close to STR confirm that the mobile network provider Airtel is working on a plan to implement his suggestion. If all goes well with the government, an official announcement is expected from them. Way to go Simbu!

Last April, Simbu had requested the people in Karnataka to give a glass of water to Tamilians in the state between 3 pm and 6 pm on a particular day and post their videos on social media. His campaign #UniteForHumanity received a tremendous response from people of different age groups and classes who were seen sharing glasses of water with their friends, colleagues, neighbours and even strangers.

The teaser of Simbus Vandha Raajavaathan Varuven, a remake of Tollywood hit Attarintiki Daredi in Sundar Cs direction, will be unveiled on November 29. Incidentally, Lyca Productions, which is bankrolling the film, made the announcement that they are releasing their magnum opus Superstar Rajinis 2.O in a massive way on 10,000 screens worldwide on the same day.
After Tamil films, now Telugu producers are looking to dub a Malayalam film in Telugu. Malayalam Superstar Mohan Lals upcoming film Odiyan is a fantasy thriller and it will release in Telugu at the same time as it releases in Malayalam.

New producers Daggubati Sampath and Abhiram have acquired the films Telugu theatrical rights for a good price. Its a fantasy thriller and the film has been made with high quality graphics and one can see a younger Mohan Lal in this film, says producer Sampath. The film is directed by Shrikumar Menon and features a leaner, trimmer Mohan Lal.

Malayalam Superstar Mohan Lal

The producers reveal, Though many people were trying to acquire the Telugu rights, we finally got it and we are releasing the film at the same time as the Malyalam version.

The films story revolves around the Odiyan clan of Kerala and it is shot at different locations, like Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Palakkad and Kochi. The makers have created a period village set for the film and shot most of it there.
Nagarjuna has a lot on his mind these days. While the actors own career is going great, his two sons arent faring too well on the work front. As the senior actor now explores opportunities in Hindi and Tamil cinema as well, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil are still searching for a big break. Naga Chaitanyas last two films didnt do well at the box-office and Akhil is yet to score a hit after his debut. Nagarjuna is now a bit concerned about his two sons and has advised them to choose better scripts, says a source.

Several young actors are experimenting with novel scripts and subsequently earning box-office success, like the recent hit Taxiwala. But the Akkineni brothers are still making formula films and the script seems to be going wrong. So Nagarjuna has asked them to pick their scripts with care and not hurry to release a film until the final product is perfect, says the source.

Akhil Akkineni is presently working with Venky Atluri for Majnu, which is the directors second film, while Chaitanya is being directed by debutant Shiva Nirvana. These two films are going to be crucial for the brothers, given the stiff competition in the industry, a fact that was pointed out by Nagarjuna himself in an earlier interview. The makers of Naga Chaitanyas upcoming Majili released the films first look on the occasion of his birthday on Friday.
Young actor Sharwanand has found success, even before the release of his upcoming film Padi Padi Leche Manasu. Slated for a December 21 opening, the film has already recovered more than half its budget through its digital and satellite rights. The films satellite rights, Hindi dubbing and digital rights have fetched Rs 12 crore, which is a career best for Sharwanand.

The film has been directed by Hanu Raghavapudi and stars Sai Pallavi as its female lead. Its recently released song and teaser have also garnered a good response. The film has shaped up well and the actor is confident that this film is going to be the best of his career, says a source. As the story is set in Kolkata, most of the movie was shot there. Sai Pallavi, who made her debut with the Telugu film Fidaa, has a sizable Telugu fan following which will also prove advantageous to the film.
Then they lit a matchstick and Gagarin came out from his office screaming for help. In the meanwhile, the culprits managed to escape from the place and the onlookers shifted Gagarin, who was severely injured, to Andhra Hospital.

VIJAYAWADA: Two persons allegedly tried to burn a financier alive by pouring petrol on him in broad daylight in Vijayawada on Friday. According to the police, Devarapalli Gagarin, 50, alias Ravi Teja has been doing financial transactions and his office was situated in Moon Moon Plaza at Chiluku Durgaiah Street, near Besant Road.

The two culprits came to his office while he was there and suddenly poured petrol on him. Then they lit a matchstick and Gagarin came out from his office screaming for help. In the meanwhile, the culprits managed to escape from the place and the onlookers shifted Gagarin, who was severely injured, to Andhra Hospital.

According to the police, Gagarin is a financier by and runs Ravi Teja Finance. On Friday afternoon, two youth barged into his office and set him ablaze.

Though Gagarin tried to catch them, the accused fled the scene.

ACP- South zone Ramana Murthy said that by seeing Gagarin up in flames, his neighbours poured water on him, to douse the flames.

Doctors at Andhra Hospital declared that Gagarin suffered 80 per cent burns and that his condition is serious as his chest and stomach are severely injured.

His family members said that financial disputes between Gagarin and the accused led to the murder attempt. They said that Gagarin purchased a property near Sikhamani Centre, a few months ago, from one Madala Narayana Rao.

After the death of Narayana Rao, his two sons - Madala Suresh and Madala Sudhakar, raised objection to the transaction and threatened to approach the court, after bringing a stay order.

The family members alleged that Suresh and Narayana threatened them several times earlier and warned them of dire consequences if they did not leave their property.

ACP Ramana Murthy said that the police took the statement from Gagarin.
The State Human Rights Commission directed the then inspector in Coimbatore district to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to an engineer for harassing and assaulting him 16 years ago.

Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission directed the then inspector in Coimbatore district to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to an engineer for harassing and assaulting him 16 years ago.

In the complaint, engineer T.Venkateswaran of Erode, submitted that he had pledged some pure gold ornaments belonging to his family to Rengasamy, proprietor of Lakshmi Gold Bankers, Coimbatore. After repayment of the entire loan amount and interest, he requested Rengasamy to return gold ornaments to him who failed to return them.

On February 28, 2002 Muthuraj, Inspector, Selvapuram police Station, Coimbatore attacked him and abused him for no reason. Later, he came to know that Muthuraj had attacked him based on instigation by Rengasamy and

others. On his complaint a case was registered against Muthuraj under Section 409, 420, 323 and 109 IPC. The petitioner said the Inspector violated his human rights and sought of the Commission appropriate action against him.

In his reply, Muthuraj stated that the complaint was false, frivolous and vexatious one. Venkateswaran lodged a false complaint against him in order to harass him and defame him. The complaint was liable to be dismissed.

SHRC Judge, D Jayachandran said Venkateswaran suffered humiliation at the hands of Muthuraj, which amounted to violation of his rights, personal, liberty and dignity. Hence, he is entitled to get compensation for causing him mental agony. The judge directed Muthuraj to pay him a compensation of Rs 50,000.
The bricks brought over from all over India for constructing the Ram temple (Photo | PTI)

Ayodhya: Uttar Pradeshs Ayodhya is headed for a tense weekend with two major events to push for the construction of Ram temple slated for Sunday.

Faizabad district administration has imposed prohibitory orders (Section 144) in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Majid premises, a senior officer said.

The first event will be by the Shiv Sena, whose chief Uddhav Thackrey will be in Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. The Sena chief will offer prayers at the Ram janmabhoomi, participate in the aarti and will speak to saints and people there. Thackrey is also carrying a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed to over the priest at the janmabhoomi.

The other and bigger event will be a dharna sansad organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday. The VHP claims that it will be the biggest congregation of saints and supporters of the Ram temple since 1992 when the Babri Masjid was razed. The agenda is to discuss the way forward for the construction of the Ram temple, the right-wing organisation said. The VHP has been mobilising support for its big event through bike rallies and processions across UP in the last few days.

Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/cD0PPn0GHI  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018

From top to several mid-level police officers, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos and drone cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya. There is a CRPF ring around the disputed site, the government has assured.
Bengaluru: Not receiving payments for over nine months against the investments made in the fraudulent city-based investment company Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd, the investors have now resorted to the legal route hoping to get back their hard-earned money.

Several investors have approached advocate Ismail Maitri after Ambidant's owners Syed Fareed Ahmed and his son Syed Afaq Ahmed, who had earlier promised to return the money, have maintained a dead silence after the Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested them for cheating over 11,000 customers.

While the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which raided Ambidant in January this year, claimed the transactions to be over Rs 900 crore, Fareed claimed before the CCB that the liability on his company is just over Rs106 crore.

Advocate Maitri told Deccan Chronicle that several investors have approached him along with their documents to take up their case, but many think that the legal route would take a long time. The CCB team, investigating the Ambidant scam, is making efforts to recover the money from the owners, but is keeping mum on the investigation status. A source privy to the investigation, however, said that a few businessmen who had taken money from Fareed have promised to return it. Investors feel that the investigation will take long time and believe that Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy's intervention may bring them relief. Junaid, an investor, said that the chief minister, in the interest of poor investors  mostly belonging to the minority community, should constitute special teams to investigate the case and set up a special court to try the case. Meanwhile, several investors are coming forward to lodge complaints against the company.
Mayawati is of the view that the BJP should solve the Ayodhya land dispute only through the legal route and the Supreme Court. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday attacked Bharatiya Janata Party by saying that its leaders are orchestrating the present action on Ram Temple in Ayodhya through its allies (Shiv Sena) and affiliates (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in order to divert people's attention from failure in governance ahead of the Assembly and general elections.

She added that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are well aware of the fact that they are losing elections in States and Centre which is why they are resorting to Mandir issue through 'proxies and allies like Shiv Sena, RSS and VHP' as a strategy.

"Out of the promises that the Bharatiya Janata Party, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made to the people of this country during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, I personally feel not even 50 per cent of that have been fulfilled. In fact, 50 per cent is also too much to say. Both BJP and Prime Minister Modi are fully well aware of this. They are also aware of the fact that they will not come back to power in the five states, where elections are currently being held. They are forcefully making Ram Temple a burning issue. If their mindset was correct, then they could have done its few years back also. This their political plan," Mayawati said.

Mayawati's statement comes ahead of mass gatherings organised by Shiv Sena, VHP and some Hindu groups in Ayodhya over the weekend. While the VHP is terming its gathering as Dharm Sansad, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is going to participate in an aarti at the Saryu River, offer prayers at Ram Janambhoomi.

Thackeray is also carrying soil from Shiveri Fort in Pune, the birth place of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, that he will hand over to the priest of Ram Janambhoomi.

"In context with the Assembly elections in five states, I have done rallies in two states --Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh -- to support my party candidates. After conducting rallies in both these states I have learnt that Bharatiya Janata Party does not stand any chance to come back to power in both these states," Mayawati told ANI here on Saturday.

"This party (BJP) will also not come back in power in Centre too due to its failures. The BJP, RSS and their alliances, especially Shiv Sena, are very well aware of this fact. This is the reason why this party as part of its well-designed conspiracy is trying to hide its failures by claiming that Ram Temple will be constructed in Ayodhya by putting in front saints, RSS and Shiv Sena," she added.

Mayawati is of the view that the BJP should solve the Ayodhya land dispute only through the legal route and the Supreme Court.

A mass gathering has been organised in Ayodhya to build pressure on the Central Government for the construction of Ram Temple at the site of the razed Babri mosque. The mega show will coincide with a two-day visit of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya.

This comes after the Supreme Court on October 29 adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019 to fix the next hearing date in the matter, challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling of 2010. The Allahabad High Court in its 2010 verdict had suggested a division of the disputed land in Ayodhya -- one for each of the parties the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla.

Babri Masjid, known to have been constructed by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was allegedly demolished by right wing groups on December 6, 1992, who claimed that the mosque was built after demolishing the Ram Temple to the ground.
Bengaluru: Even as the sugarcane growers' issue continues to be on the boil, BJP state chief B.S. Yeddyurappa on Friday accused CM H.D. Kumaraswamy of being responsible for the suicide of farmers in Mandya and Kalaburgi.

Claiming the Chief Minister was ignoring farmers, he charged that those committing suicide were holding him responsible for their death. Ever since he assumed office, Mr Kumaraswamy has been spending most of his time visiting temples and passing time in posh hotels while only issuing statements on the problems of the farmers. He claims that he is a son of the soil, but I want to ask him why he then orders officials to arrest farmers and put them in Hindalga jail, Mr. Yeddyurappa demanded, alleging that almost all co-operative societies had either become sick or defunct as the money promised under the loan waiver scheme had not been released.

The CM has called his government a baby born out of circumstances and if one goes by experience such babies can neither have direction nor a goal to achieve," he contended, also deploring that the government was neglecting the scheduled castes and tribes by failing to release funds for schemes for their welfare, he said.
Chennai: Financial aid and relief material for the cyclone Gaja-hit families continued to pour in from several quarters. On Friday, the DMK dispatched trucks loaded with relief material worth over Rs 50 lakh while VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan presented a cheque for Rs 10 lakh to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

AIADMK coordinator and joint coordinator O. Panneerselvam and Mr. Palaniswami, respectively, have appealed to their party members to generously contribute to the affected families in the 12 districts. The party members should clearly demarcate the relief material meant for each district before the dispatch, they urged.

Film actor Vivek and representatives from Ramco Group and the Velammal Educational Trust too called on Mr. Palaniswami and handed over contributions for the relief work. Velammal group contributed Rs 1 crore.

While MNM founder Kamal Haasan who visited the cyclone-affected areas, initiated the distribution of relief material worth Rs 1.2 crores, veteran actor Rajinikanth has provided Rs 50 lakh towards the relief activities.

Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), the social arm of TVS Motor Company is also engaged in providing relief to Gaja-affected people in Nagapattinam district. It is distributing relief worth Rs 1 crore, including sleeping mats, bedsheets, tarpaulin sheets, lungis, and sarees. The TVS Motor Company has already contributed Rs 2 crore to the Chief Minister Relief Fund. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director of the Company called on Chief Minister Edapadi K. Palaniswamy at his residence here on November 20 and handed over a cheque for Rs 2 crore towards relief and restoration works in the Gaja -hit areas of Nagapattinam district.

Meanwhile, SRM Group of Institutions on Friday contributed Rs 1 crore to cyclone Gaja relief works. SRM Group founder T. R. Paarivendhar handed over a cheque to Mr. Palaniswami at the State Secretariat. All the teaching faculty and staff of SRM contributed one day's salary towards cyclone relief works. Also a 40-member student team of SRM went to the delta region to rescue people affected by the calamity and assist in relief works. The group has also offered Rs 60 lakh for providing basic amenities for the affected people.
Thiruvananthapuram: The national leadership of Janata Dal (Secular) on Friday replaced water resources minister Mathew T. Thomas with Chittur MLA K. Krishnankutty.

Mr Thomas said he will submit resignation letter to chief minister according to latter's convenience and availability in capital. I dont intend to send resignation letter through a messenger,'' he said.

The chief minister will be in Kozhikode on Saturday and in Kannur on Sunday. He is expected to return on Monday.

The decision came soon after JD(S) state leaders including Mr Krishnankutty and Mr C. K. Nanu, MLA, held a meeting with party's national secretary general Kunwar Danish Ali in Bengaluru on Friday. The meeting was chaired by former Prime Minister and national president of the party H. D. Deve Gowda. Despite instructions from the leadership to attend the meeting, Mr Thomas stayed away.

Mr Thomas who arrived in Thiurvananthapuram on Friday evening said Mr Ali called him over phone and conveyed the decision.

As a loyal party worker and someone who believes in organisational principles, I am bound to abide by the decision. The party has asked me to step down.
Kozhikode: The son and the son-in-law of Mr P.T. A. Rahim, MLA of Kunnamangalam, were arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with hawala racketeering a few days ago, according to sources.

T.P. Shabeer, son, and Shabeer Vayoli, son-in-law, of Mr Rahim, Left Independent, were arrested by Saudi police from Dammam on the basis of the information given by another person who was held in connection with the hawala network, it is learnt. Both of them are businessmen in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League submitted a complaint to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding an investigation into the alleged hawala deals and money sources of Mr Rahim.

He, however, denied any official communication about the arrest. We are trying to contact both of them through our relatives, he said and added that moves were on to release them.

Mr Rahim had faced allegations of gold smuggling earlier. He used to travel in a car owned by an accused in the gold smuggling case, according to his political foes. The party was embarrassed when CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan travelled in a luxury car owned by Karat Faizal, an accused of a gold smuggling case, during the Jana Jagratha Yatra organised by the CPM. Many had pointed out that Mr Rahim had links with hawala racketeers.

In the 2016 Assembly elections, Mr Rahim had defeated Congress leader T. Siddique by a margin of 11, 205 votes.

Mr Rahim had served as the secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League, Kozhikode district committee, and was also president of Koduvally grama panchayath.

He left the Muslim League in early 2000s and formed Muslim League(R). He defeated Mr K. Muraleedharan, UDF, in Koduvally in the 2006 elections. In early 2011 with the support of LDF, he formed a new party, National Secular Conference (NSC).
Bengaluru: Hours before the arrival of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in Mandya for the launch of a few schemes on Friday, a farmer committed suicide in the district allegedly depressed over his ill-health and mounting debts, adding to the woes of the coalition government, already grappling with the crisis following a standoff between sugarcane farmers and factory owners.

The farmer, Jayakumar (43) of Kannahatti village in Mandya taluk was reportedly suffering from throat cancer and did not have the money he needed for his treatment. Before he killed himself by consuming poison in his fields, he reportedly wrote a suicide note to the CM to pay compensation for his death. There were unconfirmed reports that another farmer, Biliyaiah, 60, of Taggahalli village in Mandya had committed suicide on Friday.

Close friends of Jayakumar, who grew sugarcane and vegetables on his 35 guntas of land, said that he had taken a loan of Rs 2.8 lakh for his farming and his troubles increased after he was recently diagnosed with throat cancer as he did not have the Rs 3 lakh he needed for treatment.

Jayakumar was dejected with life, but never discussed his personal problems with anyone. He suffered silently and when he realised he had cancer, he took the extreme decision to end his life to claim the compensation from the government for the future of his family, added his friends.

As news of the farmers suicide spread there was tension in Kannahatti village with the people demanding that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy personally visit the village to pay his last respects to him.

Although Mandya district-in-charge Minister C.S. Puttaraju rushed to the village on hearing the news, the people refused to allow the police to shift the farmers body to the Mandya district hospital for the postmortem till the arrival of the Chief Minister himself.

It was only after Mr Puttaraju announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the district administration and another Rs 5 lakh from his personal fund for farmer Jayakumars family and promised to take care of the education of his children, that the people of the village allowed the body to be taken for postmortem.
The Prime Minister offered 'ardaas' (prayers) to Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs and sat to listen to gurbani during his visit. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while participating in the Gurpurab celebrations on Friday, said that Kartarpur Corridor could be a reason to connect people, adding that the incidents of 1947 should be left behind.

He further said that if the Berlin Wall, which restricted the relationship between the people of East and West Germany could be pulled down, then the Kartarpur Corridor between India and Pakistan can also promote people to people contact.

The Prime Minister who attended Gurpurab Kirtan Darbar at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal's residence in the national capital said, "When I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I ordered to re-construct the sacred place where Guru Nanak's "padukaon" kept had got damaged due to earthquake in the State. Today, it has become a site of "World Heritage". With the blessing of Guru Nanak Dev ji, Kartarpur Corridor is not only a corridor, it also could be a reason to connect people."

The Prime Minister offered 'ardaas' (prayers) to Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs and sat to listen to gurbani during his visit.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister greeted the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti and recalled teachings of the Sikh Guru.

In a landmark decision, on the eve of Guru Nanak Gurpurab, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved building and development of Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to India-Pakistan International Border.

Following which the Pakistan government on Friday decided to open the Kartarpur corridor next year on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while briefing the National Assembly today, said that the government decided to open the Kartarpur corridor in 2019, an official statement said.

The development of the corridor will facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi River, in Pakistan, where Shri Guru Nanak Devji spent eighteen years. With this infrastructure development, pilgrims would be able to visit the holy shrine throughout the year.
Those involved in poaching and smuggling of pangolins will face imprisonment not less than three years which can be extended up to a maximum period of seven years under Section 5 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Rajahmundry: Foresters face a tough challenge in curbing poaching and smuggling of pangolins which are a highly endangered species similar to tigers and placed in Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Recently, the forest authorities received information about the capture and illegal possession of a pangolin by two tribal men and by the time they managed to reach them posing as customers to purchase it, it was too late and the mammal died within a few minutes of being taken into custody. The forest authorities learnt that the mammal had been kept in captivity by the tribals for nearly a week without food and it died due to starvation.

The authorities booked the duo under the provisions of section 5 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, arrested them and produced them in local court which sent to judicial remand at Jangareddygudem in West Godavari.

This may just be the tip of the iceberg as the pangolin is a highly trafficked mammal with demand in China, Vietnam and other south east Asian countries. The pangolin survives on insects, ants and termites and lives mainly in the red soil areas as it can get good food. It is poached and smuggled for its keratin scales which are used to make traditional medicine in China, in addition to using them for preparation of soup like delicacies.

Based on the confession from the poachers, sources say that as the pangolin coils itself into a ball when any attempt is made to capture it, the captured mammal is placed alive in boiling water so that the scales get separated from the body easily. Its meat is also consumed. The forest authorities managed to get a clue of poaching and smuggling of the docile animal through a social media platform called Rice Puller Forum on WhatsApp group.

Its members use code language about possession of captured endangered species or their parts like skins and horns in case of tigers or rhinos respectively, so that the interested parties can contact them and take their possession by paying hefty amount of money.

The authorities set up camera traps at strategic locations in the Papikonda National Park to capture the presence of such mammals. Middlemen who engage local tribals to capture the pangolins alive and offer a meagre amount ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 each, in AP and TS.

As it is very difficult to secure a huge amount of insects and termites to feed the captured mammals, they die due to starvation by the time the middlemen reach them and procure them without being caught by forest or police personnel.

Rajahmundry divisional forest officer (Wildlife) Anant Sankar said, Though the presence of pangolins is not so high in our forests, we are keeping a close vigil to curb their poaching and smuggling by local tribals engaged by middlemen.


Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti. (Photo: File)

Hyderabad: Acting tough, the Congress Saturday expelled 19 party workers for six years for contesting against official candidates and nominees of its allies in the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana.

The orders will come into force with immediate effect, according to a statement from M Kodanda Reddy, Chairman of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's (TPCC) Disciplinary Action Committee.

Separately, the disciplinary action committee expelled five rebels from the party for a period of six years for working against the party's official candidate in Narayanpet Assembly constituency of Mahabubnagar district. Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti.
According to unconfirmed reports, though 89 per cent of them were covered under NRDW, still 23 per cent were far away from water .

TIRUPATI: Seven years after the implementation of Right to Education Act, there are still more than 1,49,389 schools and anganwadis in the country, run by the government, local bodies, government-aided and private managements, that have no drinking water facility, according to the latest reports tabled at the website of National Rural Drinking Water Programme under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Out of the total 10,40,009 schools and anganwadis listed in the report, about 11 per cent of them has no drinking water facilities and the unconfirmed reports says, though 89 per cent of them were covered under the NRDW, nearly 23 per cent of them were far away from the quality drinking water supply.

The data provided at the website revealed that in Madhya Pradesh, out of 1,16,437 schools and anganwadis, nearly 20,387 including 13,979 schools and 6,408 anganwadis lack drinking water facilities, followed by Karnataka where 19,563 including 9,276 schools and 10,287 anganwadis out of 82,874 lack this facility.

In AP, out of the 45,383 schools listed, in which a total of 3,113 schools including 12 private, 1,202 local bodies, 37 government-aided and 1,862 government schools have been facing a similar crisis with the non-supply of drinking water. Similarly, out of 7,083 anganwadis listed, about 2859 centres are also facing this crisis.

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education For All) framework for elementary education specifies that provision for drinking water in every school is a must. The Department of Drinking Water Supply in the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India has a provision under the NRDW Programme to provide drinking water facility in rural schools.

NRDW was mainly created to provide every rural area including habitations, schools and other centres with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a sustainable basis, with a minimum water quality standard.

An official from the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, said, in a statement released by the ministry, that in the 12th Five Year Plan period, under the NRDWP, the Ministry had awarded special emphasis on piped water supply in rural habitations including schools and anganwadis. It also stated that states are being asked to plan for coverage of habitations with piped water supply through stand posts or household connections.

"The main reason for not fully achieving the targets of coverage of habitations included high capital costs of large multi-village schemes to bring water from distant safe sources, time taken for planning, designing and sanctioning, procuring and execution. The existing systems are also working at low-rated capacities because of poor operation and management of systems. The increase in population is also one reason for non-implementation", he explained.

Meanwhile, in terms of providing safe drinking water to schools and anganwadis, the State of Maharashtra is on the top. Out of 1,37,304 listed centres in Maharashtra, only 478 schools and anganwadis are yet to be covered by the scheme.
This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit. (Photo:@uddhavthackeray/Twitter)

Ayodhya: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived here Saturday afternoon along with his family for his two-day visit at the temple town.

The Sena chief, who arrived with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya amidst slogans of "Jai Shri Ram", will offer prayers on the banks of the Saryu river in the evening.

The Sena, which has demanded to expedite the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya by promulgating an ordinance to the effect, is believed to have sent some 3,000 Shiv Sena supporters by two trains from Maharashtra.

The cadres who have already arrived here first took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena sources said.

Also Read: Ayodhya gears up for unrest, VHP, Shiv Sena to take up Ram temple issue

The Shiv Sena chief is reported to have brought a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the priest at the Ram janmabhoomi when he meets him later.

This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied, interact with the media and later with the public, party sources said.

The temple town will also witness another major congregation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists Sunday who will be taking part in a Dharam Sabha. Security has been tightened at the disputed site with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a watch over the sensitive place.

On the security arrangements in Ayodhya, Additional Director General law and order, Anand Kumar said the Supreme Court guidelines will be maintained in and around the disputed site.

Ayodhya has been divided in 16 sectors and a security scheme is under force, Kumar said, adding that additional force has been deployed for maintaining law and order and efforts are on to ensure that the events pass off peacefully.

Barriers have been erected to regulate the surging crowd in the temple town and magistrates have been posted there. If some people want to have darshans of the Ram Lalla they can do it as per the traditions and guidelines.

Everyone will have to adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines, he said adding, that necessary steps have been taken to deal with all circumstances.
Hyderabad: The Sujana Group of Companies, headed by its chairman, former Union minister Y. Satyanarayana Chowdary, has allegedly defrauded banks to the tune of Rs 5,700 crore, the Enforcement Directorate has found.

An ED official said they were namesake directors and had no idea of how the funds of BCEPL were utilised. The transactions of the group were known only to the key persons, he quoted the company officials as saying.

In the last 24 hours, searches were conducted at eight locations  seven in Hyderabad and one in Delhi  on the Sujana group which yielded documents that revealed that the banks had been defrauded by the group companies to the tune of more than Rs 5,700 crore.

In another premises, documents recovered revealed that there were Fema/ DRI/ CBI cases against the group companies. Documents related to forex transactions were also seized.

The documents indicated that there were over 120 companies and most of them are non-operating or companies on paper without genuine business activities.

Preliminary indications were that certain loans to group companies were sanctioned against the personal guarantee of Mr Chowdary. At his residential premises, the six high-end cars were found registered in the name of dummy companies.

These vehicles have been seized under the provisions of PMLA. Mr Chowdary has been asked to join further investigation by issuing summons for his appearance on November 27.

Responding to the ED raids, Sujana Group of Companies, denied rumors of lookout notices against the chairman Mr Sujana Chowdhary.

Sujana Group has provided all the information as required by the ED. While these are the facts, there is a widespread rumour that lookout notices are issued against the directors of Sujana Group, which is a false. Sujana Group condemns this rumours, an officials release said. They also denied the rumours that officials misbehaved with media personnel (during the searches).

Y. Sujana Chowdary quit as a Union minister in March after the fallout of TD with the NDA-led government.
New Delh: The Union home ministry is likely recommend to the Election Commission that elections for the recently dissolved Jammu & Kashmir Assembly be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.

The ministry feels since there would be largescale mobilisation of security forces during that period, it would be easier to re-locate para-military forces from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to J&K once Lok Sabha elections are over in these states.

Since there would be largescale movement and deployment of security forces during the Lok Sabha elections, it would be easier for us to shift them to J&K from other states in North India, especially Punjab and Himachal Pradesh once voting during general elections there is completed. So from logistics point of view, it is best if J&K elections coincide with those of Lok Sabha. Else we will have to make special arrangement which would be more time consuming and involve more financial cost also, a senior ministry official said.

The home ministry and the election commission officials will hold a series of meetings in the coming months to finalise deployment of forces for J&K elections since security in the state remains a top concern.J&K governor Satya Pal Malik had dissolved the state Assembly on Wednesday paving the way for state elections.
Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the murder of senior journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, has in its additional chargesheet officially named Sanathan Sanstha for its involvement in the assassination that took place last September.

After the SIT filed its additional chargesheet before a court on Friday, there is now a debate within the government on banning the organisation, as all the 18 arrested in Gauri's murder have links with one or other Hindutva outfits linked to the Sanstha.

The alleged killers are also directly or indirectly linked to the murders of M.M. Kalburgi, Narendra Dhabolkar and Govind Pansare.

SIT officials said they had planned the murder of Gauri five years ago.

A day after SIT submitted the 9,235-page chargesheet before the principal city civil and sessions court Judge Shivashankar B Amarannavar, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar said the state government would soon take a call on banning organisations involved in the killing of Gauri.

"No discussions have taken place regarding the organisations involved in the crime, but shortly we will take a decision," Dr Parameshwar told reporters.

Sanathan Sanstha's name had appeared even during the beginning of the investigation, but the SIT had not named it officially until Friday.

In its first chargesheet the SIT had named Hindu Yuva Sene chief K.T. Naveen Kumar and another Hindutva outfit member Praveen alias Suchit Kumar.

In the additional chargesheet, the SIT named 18 people, including Naveen Kumar and Suchit, and made Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar and Amit Degwekar as the masterminds of the murder, which was allegedly executed by Parashuram Waghmore and Ganesh Miskin.

The SIT had in June recovered a diary from the accused, which contained a list of targets. It included film and theatre personality Girish Karnad, Kannada writer Prof K.S. Bhagawan, former minister and litterateur B.T. Lalitha Naik, rationalist C.S. Dwarakanath and pontiff Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamy of Nidumamidi Mutt.

The latest arrest in connection with Gauri's murder was of Vasudev Suryavamshi. He was first arrested by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the Nalasopara explosive case in October.

Suryavamshi allegedly provided the bike to Gauris killers, which they used to recce the area and later carry out assassination outside her residence in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year.

Suryavamshi is also suspected to be involved the murder of rationalist Narendra Dhabolkar.

A file photo of Gauri Lankeshs home after the assassination.

Sanstha founded in 2010

According to SIT, the investigation so far has revealed that all the 18 accused are active members of an organised crime syndicate, which was formed in 2010-11 under the leadership of Dr Virendra Tawade, alias Bade Bhaisaab. One former editor of Sanatan Prabhat provided financial support to this syndicate. The members of this organisation targeted people, who they felt were inimical to their belief and ideology. These members strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in Kshatra Dharma Sadhana, a book published by Sanatan Sanstha. After the arrest of Dr Virendra Tawade in 2016 by the CBI for his involvement in the murder of Dr Narendra Dhabolkar, the leadership was taken over by Amol Kale. Other important members include Amit Degvekar, Vikas Patil, alias Dada and Rushikesh Deodikar , alias Murali. Vikas Patil had recruited Sujith Kumar, alias Praveen and Manohar Edave, alias Manoj, in order to carry out recruitment in Karnataka. Sujith eventually recruited Parshuram Waghmore, the shooter, K.T. Naveen Kumar and several others. Manohar recruited Ganesh Miskin and Amit Baddi. While recruiting the syndicate emphasis used to look for those with a history of aggression and violence, and those with a criminal background. The members of the organized crime syndicate met, conspired and trained at various places in Karnataka and Maharashtra. They were in constant touch with each another and took measures to hide their identities. They always used nick-names/assumed names and separate phones (other than their personal mobile phones) for syndicate activities. They were indoctrinated and underwent arms training, shooting practice and in the manufacture and use of bombs.

Gauri was Durjan

In August 2016, in a meeting of the Syndicate, the main members identified Gauri Lankesh as a Durjan as told in the Kshatra Dharma Sadhana, based on her speeches and writings, and hatched a conspiracy to murder her. Amol Kale instructed Nihal to obtain the office and residence addresses Gauri. In October 2016, Kale instructed Vasudev Suryavamshi to steal a bike for this purpose. Vasudev with the help of Sujith Kumar stole a black coloured bike from Davangere and handed it over to Kale.

In January 2017 Nihal then tasked H.L. Suresh with finding out the address. Suresh found the address of Gauris office is Basavangudi, and reported it to Nihal who gave it to Kale.

In March/April 2017 Kale instructed Amit Baddi and Ganesh Miskin to locate Gauris office and keep a watch on her movements.

Baddi and Miskin came to Bengaluru several times in those two months. They followed Gauri to her residence and stalked her movements to ascertain her daily habits.

They reported back to Kale with their findings.

In May 2017, Kale tasked Edave to do a recce of the locality of Gauris house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar to specifically find out the locations of CCTV in that locality. He did so and reported back.

In June 2017, Kale, Amit Degvekar and Nihal did a review of the recce done so far Baddi, Miskin and Edave and finalised the routes to be taken by the assassination team. In the same month several members of the syndicate were trained by Rajesh Bangera at the farmhouse of Bharat Kurne near Chikale village in Belagavi. In the first week of August 2017, Kale, Baddi, Miskin, Waghmore and Bharat Kurne met at Sureshs house in Seegehali, Bengaluru. Baddi, Miskin, Waghmore and Kurne comprised the assassination team.

The specific tasks (as mentioned before) to be carried out by each member were individually allocated. Miskin and Baddi were made to practice several times and memorize the routes they would take while executing the plan. Few days later, Mohan Nayak took a house on rent near Tagachu-guppe in Kumbalgodu located along the routes practised by the assassination team, under the pretext of running an acupuncture clinic.

In the third week of August 2017, Kale, Baddi, Miskin, Waghmore, Kurne, Sharad Kalaskar, Shrikanth Pangarkar and Sudhanva Gondalekar met in the house rented by Kurne in Belagavi to make final preparations and planning. Kurne then took Miskin, Waghmore and Kalaskar to an isolated hilly region near Kinaye in Belagavi, where Waghmore and Miskin underwent shooting practice using country made pistols, under guidance from Kalaskar.

In the beginning of September 2017, Kale and Nihal brought and kept the bike, pistols, clothes, food articles etc at the Kumbalgodu house rented by Nayak. Suresh vacated his house from September 2 to 6, for the use of Kale and others. As per Kale and Nihals instructions the assassination team landed in Bengaluru the next day and stayed at the house taken on rent near Kumbalgodu.

On September 4, after arming themselves, Miskin rode the bike and took Waghmore to Gauris residence. However that night they were unsuccessful. Later on September 5, another attempt was made. Miskin and Wagmore left a little earlier and waited near Gauris residence. Between 8 and 8:10 pm, when Gauri returned home, stopped her car and got out to open the gate, Waghmore shot her four times and killed her.

The duo then escaped on the bike to the place where Baddi was waiting and handed over their pistols, rounds (ammunition), clothes, helmets etc and went to the Kumbalgodu house.

Kurne was waiting for them and dropped them off near Nelamangala toll gate and they escaped individually. Meanwhile, Baddi took the articles in a Maruti Omni van and kept them at the designated spot inside the home of Suresh in Seegehalli and escaped.

Ten days later, as per the directions of Kale, Sudhanva Gondalekar and Baddi came to Bengaluru and took back the bag containing the pistols and rounds and the bike used for committing the crime.

Both were handed over to Kalaskar in Belagavi separately.

Investigation regarding the absconding accused and other objects used to commit the office is still continuing.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray and Rashmi Thackeray offer prayers at Laxman Qila ahead of the Ram Temple event to be held tomorrow, in Ayodhya, Saturday. (PTI)

Lucknow: Arriving here ahead of Sundays VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction.

The Shiv Sena has made it amply clear that it is all set to hijack the Ram temple issue and put the BJP in the dock for the delay in temple construction.

Mr Thackeray on Saturday asked the BJP to set a date for temple construction. We have been hearing slogan Mandir wahin banayenge, par tarikh nahin batayenge. Today we want a date for temple construction. I have come here to awaken the Kumbhkaranthis Kumbhkaran has been sleeping for the past four and a half years, he said in his brief speech at Laxman Qila in Ayodhya.

He further said that he did not wish to take the credit for temple construction. My father always said that Hindutva was in our blood. I want to know how long we will have to wait for the temple, he asked.

He said that if the Modi government brought legislation for temple construction, the Shiv Sena would support it.

The Shiv Sena, which does not even have a toe-hold in Uttar Pradesh politics, is now striving to find a place in the Hindi heartland, using the Ram temple issue.
Lucknow: The Sena apparently hopes to also win over north-Indians in Maharashtra where Assembly elections are due next year.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has already said that it was Sena that had demolished the Babri mosque in 17 minutes and then wondered why it was taking so long to bring legislation for construction of Ram temple  a clear attempt to take the credit for Babri demolition, even if it comes 26 years too late. On Saturday as chants of Har Hindu ki yahi pukar, pehle mandir, phir sarkar touched a crescendo, a chartered plane carrying Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray landed in Ayodhya.

On his first visit to the temple town, Mr Thackeray was accompanied by wife Rashmi Thackeray and son Aditya. He was greeted by Shiv Sainiks who had reached Ayodhya prior to his arrival. Ayodhya was plastered with Shiv Sena posters and flags that screamed its slogan  Pehle mandir, phir sarkar, chants of which even drowned the usual slogans of Jai Shri Ram.

The Sena has been sharply critical of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their failure to construct the Ram temple despite being in power for over four-and-a-half years.

Mr Uddhav Thackeray went to Laxman Qila where he met saints and seers and discussed the temple issue and participated in the Aashirwad Samaroh.

Later in the evening, Mr Thackeray and his family attended the Saryu aarti on the banks of the Saryu.

In a significant move, the Shiv Sena chief asked Shiv Sainiks to return to Mumbai on Saturday night itself, leaving the field clear for VHP supporters on Sunday. Sources said that Mr Thackeray, on Sunday morning, will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram temple.
Hyderabad: The Sujana Group of Companies, headed by its chairman, former Union minister Y. Satyanarayana Chowdary, has allegedly defrauded banks to the tune of Rs 5,700 crore, the Enforcement Directorate has found.

The money was found to have been pumped into 120 shell companies that had ghost address and no business activities. Mr Chowdary is a confidant of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

An eight-member ED-Chennai team that raided the residence and office of Mr Chowdary seized six luxury cars including a Ferrari, a Range Rover and a Mercedes Benz and crucial business documents.

The alleged fraud was detected when the Central Bureau of Investigations banking security and fraud cell at Bengaluru registered three FIRs based on complaints from three banks stating that the total loss caused to the consortium of banks was Rs 364 crore by M/s Best & Crompton Engineering Projects Ltd, Chennai (BCEPL).

The company had obtained loans from these banks by falsification of accounts and submission of false statements. The sum included Rs 133 crore of the Central Bank of India, Rs 71 crore of Andhra Bank and Rs 159 crore of Corporation Bank.

Based on these FIRs, investigations under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were initiated by ED-Chennai. As part of these investigations, the ED on October 8 had conducted searches on Mr Chowdarys residence and the offices of key officials of BCEPL at Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

During the searches, certain incriminating documents were seized for further investigation. Searches resulted in the recovery and seizure of 126 rubber stamps of shell companies from the business premises at Plot No.18, Nagarjuna Hills, Punjagutta. It was identified that the same premises accommodated many companies of the Sujana Group.

An ED official told this newspaper: Verification conducted with the seized documents indicated that BCEPL along with other companies of the Sujana Group were functioning under the chairmanship of Y.S. Chowdary alias Y. Satyanrayana Chowdary alias Sujana Chowdary. Investigations revealed that all directors of the Sujana group companies act under the instructions of Y.S. Chowdary, which is evidenced by the email correspondences and communications recovered from the business and residential premises of directors of BCEPL.

Further, in their voluntary statements tendered under Section 50 of PMLA, directors of BCEPL had inter alia stated that Mr Chowdary was the person responsible for the activities of the Sujana group and that they had affixed their signatures on the insistence of Mr Chowdary, either directly or through the chief financial officer and company secretary of the group, the official said.
KHAMMAM: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. N Chandrababu Naidu is keen on the election campaign of Khammam where TD politburo member Mr. Nama Nageswara Rao is contesting. Mr. Naidus TDP workers are enquiring about the mood of the people and campaign module with the local leaders and some of the media persons.

The winning of Nama Nageswara Rao is crucial to the Telugu Desam and the presence of MLAs from the Kamma community in the next assembly is very much essential for the party. Mr. Rao is loyal to the party and there is no chance of him shifting his loyalties elsewhere. AP CM and top bosses of TD are predicting the win of Prajakutami in the elections. TD wants to play a major role in the State.

In case of Mahakutami coming to power, TD has a chance to ask for the Deputy Chief Ministers post as its share. Mr. Nama Rao is one of the persons to safeguard the interests of TD in Telangana. As per the report that was tabled of Mr. Naidu in Amaravathi, the first three days campaign was not so impressive and the organisers are not working well. According to the report, there is no effort taken to involve the Congresss second rung leaders in the campaign. The organisers are not careful in spending funds for the campaign either.

It is learnt that Purchuru MLA Mr. Sambasiva Rao was asked to monitor the Khammam election. Likewise, AP Minister for Irrigation Mr. Devineni Umamaheswara Rao was asked to look after the election of Sattupalli where Ms. Sandra Venkata Veeraiah was contesting. Mr. Devineni has visited Tiruvuru and enquired about the election campaign there. TD leaders of AP thought of sending Chintalapudi MLA Mr. C H Prabhakar to supervise elections of Aswaraopet. But some of the leaders brought the friendship between Tummala Nageswara Rao and Prabhakar to the notice of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu. Both leaders had land in Dammapet and Chintalapudi. With this, TD is considering sending another MLA for Aswaraopet.
Hyderabad: Caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao canvassed for support among Seemandhra voters in the city, and used the occasion to launched a bitter attack on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her speech in Medchal critical of the TRS government.

Mr Rama Rao said Mrs Gandhi was a good woman but evil Congress leaders had misled her and gave her a fake script which she read at the public meeting. I appeal to the people of Telangana not to misunderstand her, Mr Rama Rao said.

Elsewhere, ministers T. Harish Rao and Talasani Srinivas Yadav and party MPs K. Kavitha and Vinod Kumar among others criticised Mrs Gandhi for targeting the TRS government and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Mr Harish Rao said Mrs Gandhi had acted according to AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidus script. He demanded that Mrs Gandhi include irrigation projects in the common minimum programme by convincing Mr Naidu

He asked: Will Chandrababu take back his letters from the Centre which were opposing lift irrigation projects in Tumilla and Palamuru? I do not know why the UPA chief is crying on Telangana and expressing concern for AP. He said that Mrs Gandhi was breaking down as she had foreseen the Congress defeat.

Mr Srinivas Yadav said that Mrs Gandhi should have verified facts before the speech. He said she had no right to criticise the government over farmer loan waiver, when it was not implemented in Congress-ruled states.

He asked if Mrs Gandhi could not see the progress in irrigation projects which was acknowledged globally. He said that the TRS government had taken loans to develop the state. Did the Congress under Sonia Gandhi rule the country without loans, he asked.

TRS MP K. Kavitha at a press conference said that Mrs Gandhi says something in Delhi and spoke something else in Hyderabad. She said she was surprised that Mrs Gandhi spoke about neighboring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and AP which was a non-issue in Telangana state.
Hyderabad: Caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday slammed TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy for announcing Rs 50,000 as a one-time grant for applicants of 2BHK houses.

Addressing a gathering of AP-origin voters at Kukatpally, Mr Rama Rao said that if the Congress was voted to power, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy would wash utensils, repair sofas and stitch their covers and would look for a bride or bridegroom for the unmarried.

Making a scathing attack on Congress leaders, Mr Rama Rao said Telangana state had achieved everything during TRS rule. Telangana state is an example for introducing welfare schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and for providing 24/7 electricity and safe drinking water. Telangana has achieved everything. Farmer deaths have reduced, corruption has gone down and if anything has been lost, yes it is the power of the Congress, he said.

Mr Rama Rao said Chief caretaker Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had developed TS 10 times better than his AP counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu, who claimed to be in politics for 40 years.

He said that Mr Naidu had betrayed former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao twice, once by stealing power and then by allying with the Congress. He slammed Mr Naidu for indulging in cheap politics and trying to politicise everything that came his way. When I expressed solidarity with YSRC president YS. .Jagan Mohan Reddy after the attack in Visakhapatnam airport, Mr rather than expressing concern over the unfortunate incident, stooped to a low level by alleging that TRS, BJP and Jana Sena were in a nexus, he said.

Mr Rama Rao said Mr Naidu's son Nara Lokesh was the first one to express solidarity with the YSRC chief after the attack. Is Lokesh also in a nexus with the same group? He said Mr Naidu had even tried to politicise the death of TD leader N. Harikrishna in a road accident by making similar allegations.

Reacting to Mr Chand-rababu Naidus claims of developing Hyderabad, KTR said that if the TD president can develop a city in nine years why cant he do the same in Amravati in four years. While caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandra-sekhar Rao was focussing on developing Telangana and Chandrababu Naidu was focussing on graphical development, he said.

Mr Rama Rao said that people in Kukatpally had voted in favour of TD in 2014 not out of love but out of fear for TRS.

However, he said, the TRS had never politicised any issue in the name of region, religion or caste and was, in fact, taking development directly to the people. He said the TRS had never differentiated the citys people as those from Andhra Pradesh and had treated everyone at par with those from Telangana.

Hyderabad is everyones city, with all being equal irrespective of region, caste or religion, he said. He appealed to Seemandhra voters to teach Congress, TDP, CPI and Kodandaram a lesson by making Kukatpally TRS party candidate Madhavaram Krishna Rao victorious in the election. He said that leaders who have been campaigning on behalf of the Grand Alliance in the constituency lack sanctity and faith.
Hyderabad: TD president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidus surprise fielding of his niece Nandamuri Suhasini from the Kukatpally Assembly seat appears to be part of a plan to politically settle the Nandamuri and Nara families.

According to party sources, Mr Naidu, who utilises every opportunity to push his political strategy, intends to let the Nandamuri family lead the Telugu Desam in Telangana state and keep Andhra Pradesh with the Nara family.

With this, Mr Naidu wants to make way for his son, minister Nara Lokesh, as his political successor in AP without any hurdles from the Nandamuri family.

The late Nandamuri Harikrishna, Ms Suhasinis father, was not on good terms with Mr Naidu. Harikrishnas sons Jr NTR and Nandamuri Kalyan Ram are following in the footsteps of their father. After the death of Harikrishna, Mr Naidu tried to give the impression that the Nandamuri family was with him.

Social media platforms saw several posts that Jr NTR and Kalyan Ram were not interested in Ms Suhasini entering politics. Officially both greeted their sister after she filed her nomination papers. If Jr NTR campaigns for his sister at Kukatpally, Mr Naidu will claim that the actor is not against to him.

There is speculation in political circles that the Nandamuri family is not happy with Mr Naidu promoting Mr Lokesh. After Mr Naidu shifted to Amaravati, he stopped concentrating on the TS Telugu Desam and confined himself to AP. The TD was stronger in Telangana than in Seemandhra during the undivided Andhra Pradesh days.

TS Telugu Desam leaders said they have destroyed the party with their own hands. They requested Mr Naidu several times to appoint Jr NTR or Ms Nara Brahmini, the wife of Mr Lokesh, to lead the party unit. But Mr Naidu has rejected their request every time. TS TD leaders said the party still has strong cadre in some districts. If there is a strong leader to lead the party, it will pick up.

Mr Naidu wants to give the impression that he is not ignoring the Nandamuri family with the selection of Ms Suhasini. He wants to give the impression to the public that the Nandamuri family is backing him.

In some quarters, there is a demand that the Telugu Desam leadership be handed over to the Nandamuri family. Against this background, Mr Naidu wants to hand over the responsibility of Telangana TD to the Nandamuri family. With this it is expected that the Nandamuri family will confine itself to Telangana and the Nara family can lead the party in AP.

TD sources said that if the Prajakutami comes to power Ms Suhasini may be inducted into the Cabinet to balance Mr Lokesh who is in the AP Cabinet.
Rajahmundry: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan held Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu responsible for brutal killing of Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and ex-MLA Siveri Soma by the Maoists at Livitiput village of Visakha agency recently.

Addressing a large gathering of people at a public meeting held at Rampachodavaram Agency in East Godavari on Saturday, the actor-turned-politician alleged that though he asked the Chief Minister Naidu not to allow mining operation in Visakha Agency areas to safeguard the interests of tribals, the CM paid no heed to him and allowed mining operations to continue and said that it resulted in killing of the legislator and also the former legislator by the Maoists. He said that had Mr Naidu listened to his words and stopped mining operation in the Agency, Araku MLA and former MLA would have been alive today.

Being critical on Mr Naidu for grooming his son and minister N. Lokesh to become CM for AP, the Jana Sena chief alleged that Mr Lokesh was not having the knowledge of even a tribal teacher and wondered how he could become CM of the state.

He equally flayed YSRC chief and the leader of the Opposition in the state legislative Assembly Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for idling away his time by taking up a series of tour be it Odarpu Yatra or the present Jana Sankalpa Yatra without questing either state or the BJP-led NDA government in the Centre on a series of lapses and also the failure of the Centre to implement provisions incorporated in AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and other benefits.

He alleged that as Mr Jagan was involved in several cases related to possession of disproportionate assets, he was remaining calm by not provoking the Centre to avoid the trouble of pursuing the cases further. He said that his party was committed to safeguard the tribal customs, traditions and their culture and assured to make efforts to enhance facility to help their children pursue education and find employment if his was party elected to power in the ensuing polls.

Earlier, Mr Kalyan travelled in an ordinary RTC bus called Palle Velugu from Rajahmundry to Rampachodavaram covering nearly 60 km distance in about four hours as the party hired the bus for the purpose. He interacted with the affected people from Polavaram, Musurumilli, Bhupatipalem projects while travelling in the bus.
Hyderabad: Caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao canvassed for support among Seemandhra voters in the city, and used the occasion to launched a bitter attack on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her speech in Medchal which was critical of the TRS government.

He said the Telangana Congress leaders had forced Mrs Gandhi to speak blatant lies at the public meeting.

Stating that Mrs Gandhi had just read from a script provided by TS leaders, he said that Ms Gandhi who was ill had kept away from politics for quite some time and was unaware of the development in the state.

He said Mrs Gandhi, who claimed to be mother of Telangana, was not worried about people of the state, rather it was for giving birth to a child like Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

He said that any mother would be worried if his son did not win a municipality in his own constituency (Amethi).
Kaffi piya abh koffee pi

Is what my darling says to me

Nashe keykhathir peetha hoon

Iss dastanmey aur kya karoon?

From Porus the Parsi by Bachchoo

November is the cruellest month for May  thats Theresa May, Prime Minister of the sceptered isle who opportunistically grabbed a job to fulfill a national destiny which she had previously opposed.

Come back Shakespeare, we need the likes of you to chronicle the complications, contradictions, complexities and chaos of present British politics. Or perhaps for the chaos one ought to call on Kafka to return and chronicle it, or Oscar Wilde to write a delicious parody.

This was a week, gentle reader, when marinewallas found a whale washed up dead having swallowed hundreds of plastic bags, floating bottles and the other flotsam we careless humans throw into the sea. Though Im not really an environmental enthusiast, I was inclined to rail and rant against the unfortunate but predictable death of this whale this week as I saw photographs of the creature and they moved me as nothing visual has since the film Doctor Zhivago.

This column would have been a confession of uncaring scepticism about environmental pollution and global warming (my son treats me like a Holocaust denier when we talk about these), but the political dinosaur has invaded the room and the column has to acknowledge it. Else it would be like writing gossipy novels full of senseless sensibilities or pride and prejudice when the Napoleonic wars were slaughtering Europeans.

Commentators are calling the political decision, process and disputes over Britain leaving the European Union as the most important event in its history since the Second World War. Theyre blinkered. Its the most important event since Britain legislated the independence of India. Other colonies in Africa and the West Indies followed. Blacks and browns were free of the whites and Britain itself changed character.

It was no longer the empire on which the sun never set. (The old joke is that it didnt set because God didnt trust the Brits in the dark!). The country on the fringe of Europe retained pretensions to be the head of some Commonwealth of nations on which it had bestowed the gift of the American language. These countries would soon, as the burgeoning capitalism of India is witness, go their own way.

There are no statistics on the Internet to tell us how long or how many generations it takes for an imperial countrys population to relinquish its assumptions of dominance or superiority.

When did Rome assimilate the fact that Gaul, Iberia and Britain had broken away? And how many generations after the savage Alexander raped Persia did the Persians come to terms with being a subservient and not an imperial nation? Google doesnt even understand the question!

Britains vote in 1972 to join the European Union was an act of accommodation to the reality of the world as it was. Its decision through the referendum in 2016, by a vote of 51 to 49 per cent of the population (approximately) to leave the European Union was an indication of its crisis of identity and its crass ignorance about the economic realities and structures of the contemporary world. Not to mention some hard residual racism.

Britain today does more than 40 per cent of its trade with these countries which lie across narrow strips of water. Its vote to leave puts this trade, and consequently investment in and employment within Britain, at risk. There are hundreds of other risks, but the persuasions to leave won the vote and Theresa May, who herself voted to remain in the EU, sought and assumed the leadership of a government pledged to leave it.

She is now up a very polluted waterway without an oar, or some such Brit saying. She called a mid-term election last year which reduced her parliamentary majority to a minority and forced her to make a humiliating deal with the 10 MPs of the Northern Ireland Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to sustain any moves she made in Parliament.

Poor old Theresa came back in the last two weeks with a 585-page document outlining the deal she and her civil-servant-negotiators had agreed with the European Union. She told the British nation, her Cabinet and Parliament that this was the final deal.

The hard Brexiteers in Parliament not only said they rejected the deal as it would not take Britain out of the EU but keep it for all economic and political purposes tied to it, but also started an internal party process to topple Theresa May as leader.

The DUP has now indicated it will not support the deal she has negotiated, leaving her without a majority in Parliament.

The 27 countries of the European Union are yet to approve the deal Theresa the Pooh has struck. Already Spain is saying it wont yield on some specifics about the status of Gibraltar and the French are reluctant to give up their right to fish in British waters. On Sunday other objections from other countries are bound to emerge.

Theresas proposal will, if it passes the EUs scrutiny, be put to Parliament and on any calculation will be defeated. Many in her party and significant numbers in the Opposition are demanding a second referendum which would offer the British the chance to rethink and to vote to stay in the European Union.

Theresa cant grant the country such a referendum. The rejection of her deal by the British Parliament and by the EU countries  both not just very likely but on the cards  would leave her with no options.

Will she resign in the next week? Her office says she has no such intention and that the impasse will inevitably lead to a general election in which the Labour Party, with the terrifyingly socialist Jeremy Corbyn as leader, might win. So the Tories will stay with Theresa.

Better the cavil than the Socialist devil.
Google will further publish an EU-specific Election Ads Transparency Report that will show a list of advertisers and their spends.

Tightening its grip to contain the spread of misinformation and influence of voters through its portals, Google has announced that it will require advertisers to undergo verification before they can buy political ads.

Ahead of the European Parliament elections which begin next year, advertisers will have to submit an application for verification. Google will also require all ads that mention political parties, candidates and current officeholders to know exactly who is paying for them, Engadget reported.

Google will further publish an EU-specific Election Ads Transparency Report that will show a list of advertisers and their spends. This report will be accessible to the public and they can look up for the most spender, or who is putting up the ads, and whom they are targeting.

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Firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who is the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party, was detained ahead of a scheduled rally on Saturday in Islamabad. (Photo:

Islamabad: Pakistani police late Friday detained a hardline cleric whose party recently paralysed the country with violent protests over the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.

Firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who is the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party, was detained ahead of a scheduled rally on Saturday in Islamabad, the country's information minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house," Chaudhry tweeted, adding that the move was not linked to the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was on death row for eight years before the Supreme Court overturned her blasphemy conviction last month.

"It's to safeguard public life, property and order and has to do nothing with (the) Asia Bibi case," Chaudhry tweeted.

"Law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals," he added.

The court's decision sparked furious demonstrations led by the hardline TLP, with protesters calling for Bibi's execution as they blocked major roads, leaving large swathes of the country paralysed.

In response, the government made a deal with the Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, who was released from jail earlier this month as she awaits the outcome of a final review of her case.

The TLP has vowed to return to the streets if she is allowed to leave the country.

In a video message released on Friday, another TLP leader Pir Afzal Qadri called for fresh protests, saying police had arrested dozens of party workers in the port city of Karachi and in parts of central Punjab province including Lahore.

Blasphemy is a massively inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders.

Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields.

Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted.

A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed.

Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.
China strongly condemned the attack and asked Pakistan to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country, as well as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) mega-project. (Photo: AFP/Representational)

Islamabad: Pakistani investigators believe the mastermind of the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi on Friday was being treated in a New Delhi hospital.

Officials said the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi was planned by banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) commander Aslam alias Achhu.

The alleged mastermind is currently under treatment at Max Hospital in New Delhi, after being injured in an operation by Pakistani security forces near Sibi, officials said.

Achhu is one of the key commanders of BLA, one investigator said and added he was said to be involved in several incidents of terrorism and targeted killings in Quetta.

According to initial report, the attackers were identified as Abdur Razzaq, Azal Khan Marri alias Sangat Dada and Raees Baloch. Abdur Razzaq was a government Balochistan employee and a resident of district Kharaan.

The law-enforcement agencies prepared the initial report and presented it to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Earlier, four people were killed when gunmen armed with hand grenades and a suicide vest stormed the Chinese consulate in Karachi.

Security forces had secured the area after the attack, the latest assault on Chinese nationals in the country, where Beijing has poured billions of dollars into one of the largest projects in its massive Belt and Road programme.

China strongly condemned the attack and asked Pakistan to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country, as well as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) mega-project.

Three gunmen tried to enter the consulate in the southern port city, but were intercepted by guards at a checkpoint.

A case was registered on Saturday against the attack on Chinese consulate. Police have nominated at least 16 suspects including Achhu in the case.

Two alleged facilitators of the Chinese consulate attack have been arrested by police from Karachi and Shehdadpur. They were shifted to undisclosed location for interrogation. Police has also taken the alleged owner of vehicle used by the terrorists. The police have hinted at a breakthrough in the case soon.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at Chief Ministers House in Karachi Saturday to discuss the case.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that Chinese are our brothers and their security is very much important for us.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said the state government would soon take a call on banning the organisations involved in the killing of noted journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said, "No discussions have taken place regarding the organisations involved in the crime, but we will take a decision on that shortly."

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of Gauri Lankesh has named Sanatan Sanstha behind the killing in its additional charge sheet submitted to the court on Friday.

Four policemen carried a metal trunk containing the 9,235-page charge sheet to court on Friday evening and submitted it before principal city civil and sessions court Judge Shivashankar B Amarannavar. The SIT had filed the first charge sheet in the case in May.

Special Public Prosecutor in the case S Balan told DH that a crime syndicate under the Sanatan Sanstha was behind the murder and all the accused arrested in the case were members of this organisation.

Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in front of her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5, 2017.

He said the probe revealed that the accused were planning to eliminate Gauri Lankesh for five years.

They held meetings in different places and conducted a recce of different locations to kill Gauri. Even though K T Naveen Kumar was the first to be arrested in the case, the investigation revealed that Amol Kale was the mastermind as he assigned different roles to all the accused and monitored the killing. Kale has been named as first accused in the additional charge sheet, he added.

It is mentioned in the charge sheet that the accused had planned to kill The Wire (web publication) editor Siddharth Varadarajan, journalist Antara Dev Sen, Chaman Lal, a professor in Hindi translation at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Punjabi playwright Atamjit Singh and 26 people from different states, apart from eight people in Karnataka.

Deputy Commissioner of Police M N Anucheth, who is also the chief investigation officer SIT, said that permission had been sought to investigate the case further.

The accused have been booked under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act, Arms Act and Section 302 of IPC. The trial in the case is likely to start in January 2019.
A storm is raging in Ireland after a 17-year-old rape victims innerwear (a lacy thong she was wearing during the incident) was displayed in court by defence lawyer Elizabeth OConnell. She claimed it suggested consent.

The action led some women to come out on the streets to protest against victim blaming.

Metrolife spoke to experts to get their view on the protest, which many see as bold and provocative, and understand if a guerilla protest like this would work in India.

Kavitha Garla, founding member of NGO World of Women (WOW), says, Drastic measures should be taken for any change. And in this case, the protest is all about women fed up of being taken for granted and held guilty for something that is not their fault. Irrespective of the type of clothes, background and education. Imagine having to justify the kind of underwear you choose to wear that too in public! It is appaling and regressive.

She finds the rise in the number of children being targeted to be disturbing. Womens rights and security, she says, never become election issues. She believes that having an open dialogue with the lawmakers of the country is the way forward.

As long as the society (men and women) refuse to believe that sexual misconduct and violence are serious problems that plague our country, bringing about a change seems like a far-off reality, she told Metrolife.

India is still a conservative society, and Kavitha doesnt see this protest working out here at all. These protests may have shock value and grab the attention of the world, but they dont necessarily bring out a permanent solution to the problem, she adds.

Franklin Joseph, founder, Power to Women Safety and Empowerment Workshops, believes these protests are a clash of two attitudes modern and old, and to an extent, a clash between men and women.

Educating people about the concept of men and women mindsets is the need of the hour. There are men who dont have any idea about consent. For women, a bra or a thong is just a piece of clothing, and not a material to seduce men. But for men, it is entirely different, which to a large extent is fuelled by movies and commercials. Even today, men take the phrase hansi toh phansi literally, he says.

Franklin recalls the watermelon protest in Kerela where women took to social media and posted pictures of watermelons covering their bare-breasts as a sign of protest after a professors remark that girls display their chest like watermelons.

He adds, These protests are ways in which women can showcase their point of view. Having said that, just protesting doesnt always serve the purpose; proper education is important too. If the protest comes to India, most men and some women will definitely take it negatively. They might also blame Western culture and finally, the purpose of the protest will be lost.

For a campaign or protest to be a success, understanding the context and its expression is crucial, he sums up.
Taking out a roadshow in Muslim localities to seek votes for BJPs lone Muslim candidate, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh reached out on Thursday but by and large the minority community seems to have fallen out of the political discourse in Madhya Pradesh.

The only time that Muslims were discussed with gusto during the election campaign was when a two-month-old video of Congress state chief Kamal Nath went viral, in which he exhorted for ensuring 90 % voting by Muslims in Muslim booths.

Otherwise, the party would suffer hugely, he said. BJP went to the Election Commission accusing Nath of communal and divisive politics and dividing even booths in the name of religion.

There are 38 lakh Muslim voters in the state but just four candidates have been fielded from Congress and BJP. Currently, there is only one Muslim MLA in the 230-member state assembly - Arif Aqueel of Congress -even though a dozen seats consist 30 to 50 % of Muslim electorate.

In 2013 Assembly polls, Congress had fielded five Muslim candidates and the BJP one - Arif Beg, who lost to Congress Arif Aqueel in Bhopal North, the lone winner among Muslim candidates.

This time also BJP has fielded just one Muslim candidate - Fatima Rasool Sidiqui from Bhopal North against lone Muslim MLA Aqueel.

Congress has fielded three Muslim candidates  two of them in Muslim dominated constituencies of Bhopal.

Appealing to vote for Fatima, Chouhan told the Muslim electorate that he has never differentiated between Hindus and Muslims and cited the Re 1 rice scheme, which he said benefited both Hindu and Muslim poor.

He also reminded that when his government gave donations to temples, it also got a Haj House constructed.

When questioned by media why BJP fielded only one Muslim candidate, Chouhan maintained that his party does not decide candidates on the basis of religion but by who can deliver better.

Muslims out

The 6.6 % Muslim population of the state has been out of the political discourse for quite some time now. When asked who will win Madhya Pradesh, Yunus Khan, a voter from Bhopal North, gives a terse reply - One who has the money will win the polls.

Muslims in the city show a general disinclination to discuss politics. They also seem to have resigned to Congress soft Hindutva pitch. Muslims have no problem with Rahul Gandhi going to temples and projecting himself as a Shiv Bhakta. What option do they have, asks Imran, an auto drive in Bhopal.

This has happened in a state where there were leaders like Arjun Singh, whose strident stand against then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao after the demolition of Babri mosque at Ayodhya and his tilt towards minority welfare has earned him more popularity among the Muslims than any of their community leaders. Its a different matter that Singhs pro-Muslim image also invited charges from Congress detractors of Muslim appeasement.

Years after A K Antony Committee that went into the reasons for Congress shock 44 result in 2014 Lok Sabha polls pointed out the perception that Congress was taking care of only Muslims, the Opposition party has taken a soft Hindutva line projecting Rahul Gandhi from janeu-dhaari Hindu to Shiv Bhakta, and there is a general diffidence to talk about Muslim issues.

This is also visible in MP elections even as Muslim voters are silently and solidly backing the party. Digvijay Singh, who had been raising Muslim issues, even at times courting controversies, has gone silent. In a backroom boy role, the former MP Chief Ministers job is coordination, which he is doing.
Our genes tell the real ethnic tale. Those little inheritance markers assert that we, the people of India, had a vast and varied ancestry, in spite of what some blinkered people would like us to believe. In fact, it has been a two-way flow. Many Malaysians believe that an Indian laid the foundations of their nation in a beautiful town called Melaka. The founder was a PIO.

Impressive beginnings

This Prince of Indian Origin, named Parameshwara, had been ousted from his beleaguered kingdom in Sumatra. Landing here, he, his followers and their ferocious hunting dogs, had camped under a Melaka tree. At that time, so the legend says, a little mouse deer appeared, snapped at the hounds and frightened them so much that they turned tail and fled. Parameshwara was impressed. There must be something magical about this land, he said to himself. If I make my kingdom here, my forces will also be able to repel the most fearsome invaders.

From that small beginning, Melaka grew, mentored by Chinese, Indians, Portuguese, Dutch, British; and the father of free Malaysia: Tunku Abdul Rahman. All of them fell in love with Melaka, and left their indelible marks on this beautiful World Heritage town.

In the tourist-alive heart of Melaka, the superbly recreated Sultans Palace looked like a replica of the Zamorins Court in Calicut. Even the wooden glare-diffusing louvres shading the interiors of the palace were typical of Kerala architecture. More obvious Indian connections have been established in other parts of Melaka.

Maritime Museum

We drove to the teeming Jalan Hang Jebat, more popularly called Jonker Street. There, on a parallel road, we visited Malaysias oldest temple. A bare-chested pujari informed us that the Sri Poyyatha Vinayar Temple was the property of the Chetty Malaka Community. A government pamphlet claimed that: Chittys are Straits-born Indians and offsprings (sic) of Indian Traders from Panai.

No one, not even the pujari, could tell us where exactly in India Panai was. Later, however, we visited the Kampung Budaya Chitty in the suburbs and met a Chitty named Raja, and his family. He said that they had migrated from the Coromandel Coast when the Portuguese were the dominant colonial power, and settled here. He distinguished his community from the Nattukotai Chettairs who returned to their mansions in India and were here only for trade: they did not settle here. Raja had collected the traditional artefacts of Chitty culture in this home-museum. Their Muthu Mariamman Temple at the end of the street affirmed their Indian origins.

Indian and Chinese traders have been traditional rivals in Southeast Asia for centuries. Back in the Jonker area, on the street on which the earlier Chitty temple stood, was the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia. The resplendent Cheng Hoon Teng is revered by Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians alike. It was busy with worshippers wafting blue clouds of fragrant incense: young women in jeans, men in business suits and old men with wispy white beards who could have stepped out of Chinese engravings. Chinese and Malayans, together, created the prosperous community of the Peranakans, also known as the Baba Nonyas, with their own dress, customs and cuisine.

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A treasure trove

We crossed a bridge into a labyrinth of ancient streets and lanes. Here we were conducted through the Baba Nyonya Museum. This mansion, in particular, was a treasure trove of their eclectic Sino-Malayan heritage. Interestingly, not far from here, and near the Indian and Chinese temples was the Kampung Kling Mosque sequestered by a high wall. We were told that its multi-tiered roof, the absence of a dome, and its strange, pagoda-like minaret indicated that it had been built by Muslims from Sumatra.

Jonker Street and its environs reminded us of Delhis Chandni Chowk in a Malaysian setting. Tourists and locals shopped for food, fabrics, trinkets, even glimpses into the future: there were fortune tellers, paper replicas of gifts for those who had passed on, and singing birds in beautiful cages. In our walkthrough Jonker, we had a rich, multi-sensory experience of traditional Malaya before the Europeans began to plunder Asia.

Then we drove to Melakas carefully-preserved colonial heritage. Very astutely, Malaysians have realised that European tourists will pay to relive their imperial past. Destroying such monuments might give brief moments of retributive satisfaction, but they will not reverse history. The best way to do that is to restore and, if necessary, even reconstruct that heritage and then make the descendants of those former conquerors pay to revel in their bitter-sweet nostalgia for a time that will never return!

Melaka has tapped into this yearning excellently. From India, in the 16th century, the Portuguese had come to Melaka where they erected their town-dominating fort, A Famosa. The British demolished much of it when they occupied the town but the stone entrance, Porta de Santiago, was saved. Also standing, accessed by a flight of railed steps, are the ruins of the forts church, where St Francis Xaviers body was interred before it was taken to Portuguese Goa. In St Peters Church, near Melakas historic central square, there is a stained glass window of the saint who then became the patron of Portugals Goan possession.

Also informally referred to as the Red Square, it stands assertive and stolid with terracotta-red buildings dating back to the age of the Netherlanders who, as in India, had replaced the Iberians. In the 259-year-old Christ Church, the pastor was once hoisted up in his chair to spout Reformist fire and brimstone from high above his trembling parishioners. Today, trishaws, festive with paper flowers, perambulate tourists in front of the church, around the square, past a reconstructed windmill to evoke a Dutch ambience, and the Stadthuys, once the administrative centre of Dutch rule since 1645, now The History and Ethnography Museum. A plaque on the wall recalls that after the East India Company ousted the Dutch, Malaysia became part of Queen Victorias Indian Empire.

Freedom at no price

Malaysia didnt have to fight for its independence. After we became independent, Tunku Abdul Rahman brought back Britains promise of independence to Malaya, announcing it at the end of a triumphal procession in Melaka in 1956. Theres a picture of that cavalcade in the Proclamation of Independence Memorial, formerly a starchy British Colonial Club, not far from the Sultans Palace.

Its a reflection of the self-confidence of Malaysians that they have made a full-scale replica of the Portuguese ship, Flor de la Mar, and installed it in their Muzium Samudera or Maritime Museum. Clearly, they do not suffer from a denial of their history.

In the heart of Melaka rises a 130-foot-high tower with a doughnut-shaped, glass-sided observation pavillion on it. We took a ride to the top. It was exhilarating. We saw how the town had grown outwards from the river, becoming more crowded, rising higher as it expanded. There, beneath us, was the reconstructed Portuguese ship, a huge replica of the original wooden water-wheel, and the historic fortified hill of the Portuguese fidalgos.

Casa del Rio

Sadly, we had no time to take the amphibious Quacker Duck Tour, and drive-cruise from Melaka into the waters of the Straits and back. But theres always another time to recreate some of Parameshwaras voyage and the multi-ethnic history of Malaysia.

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DENVER  Jim Wallis is one of America's most prominent progressive Christians. But as a teenager, he wanted to leave the church for good.

Wallis grew up in Detroit in the 1950s and 1960s, gradually becoming aware of the city's complicated racial politics. His white church didn't acknowledge the struggles of the city's black residents, and he wanted to know why.

"An elder in my home church took me aside and said, 'Son, you have to understand. Christianity has nothing to do with racism. That's political and our faith is personal,'" Wallis recalled during his keynote address at the American Academy of Religion's annual conference on Nov. 18.

Wallis wasn't satisfied with that answer, so he separated from his childhood faith. As a young adult, he fought for causes in secular ways, protesting against racism, poverty and war.

Gradually, this activism drew Wallis back to Christianity, which he said nourishes and strengthens his social justice work. It also helped him find what he'd been searching for since that conversation with the church elder.

"I didn't have words for that elder back then, but I do now. God is personal, but never private," he told the crowd of theologians, religious studies scholars and writers gathered at the conference in Denver. God should inspire Christians to build a better world.

Today, Wallis, who is an ordained evangelical Christian pastor, serves as president of Sojourners, a social justice-oriented magazine and news website that covers faith, politics and culture. He's also published 12 books, including "America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America."

Before his speech at the American Academy of Religion conference, Wallis spoke with the Deseret News about his commitment to social justice and the complex relationship between religion and politics.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Deseret News: What guides your activism? How do you decide which social or political issues to focus on?

Jim Wallis: I always go back to Matthew 25, which is what I call the 'It was me' text. It talks about the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the immigrant, the refugee, the sick, the imprisoned. Jesus says, 'As you've done to the least of these, you've done to me.'

The (Bible's) prophets and Jesus all say the final test of discipleship is how we treat those who are poor and vulnerable. And that should be the test of a nation's leaders, instead of our gross national product, our unemployment rate or our military firepower.

Right now, we're dealing with tremendous moral issues, like how to treat refugees or immigrants. We've got a president who ran on claims about the danger of migrants coming to seek asylum.

The faith response should be clear. Jesus said, 'I know how you love me by how you welcome the stranger.' What's happening to our poor and vulnerable is what I'm paying attention to.

DN: But Christians don't agree on how to welcome the stranger. You're outraged by President Donald Trump's approach, while other support him. What's your message to Christians who disagree with you?

JW: In our faith communities, the guiding question should be 'What does the Bible say?' And its not. It's 'What do politicians say?'

If we just believe what we believe because we're white, we're middle class and we're nationalist Americans, then we're being sociologically predictable, not faithful. Our theology is supposed to trump our sociology, not the other way around.

If we say we should welcome the stranger and that diversity is a gift, we can reduce fear and serve the common good. If we don't, we're just letting identity politics take over. Identity politics is contrary to the politics of Jesus.

When the operative word in the phrase 'white Christian' is white, then we have a serious problem.

If we say we should welcome the stranger and that diversity is a gift, we can reduce fear and serve the common good.  Jim Wallis

DN: When you were a teenager, adults in your church pushed back against your desire to focus on social justice issues. Does this resistance still exist?

JW: I think perhaps American white Christianitys deepest heresy is the privatizing of faith. We only want a relationship with God, instead of relationships with our neighbors, brothers, sisters, enemies and the world.

White Christians are looking at what's wrong in the world and saying they have no responsibility for it.

I want Christians to do the right thing and be in the right places and welcome people and commit their resources to serving others.

DN: Is it possible for faith groups to devote too much attention to social justice? What if you become more of a political group than a church?

JW: I've done this work for a long time. You can't work and live and fight for justice without sustenance, without a foundation. You need something to get you through hard times.

At a time like now, when we're really up against political strategies based on fear and distrust and even violence, we have to go deeper into our faith and deeper into what sustains us.

Strategies to prevent violence or defend those who are targeted aren't enough. Our faith is what gets us through hard times and it's what will sustain us for the struggles ahead.

We have to bring our faith into our public activism and it has to be a real and deep and authentic faith. Otherwise, it won't matter. It won't change anything.

DN: What role should religion to play in the 2020 presidential election?

JW: There's a Religious Right, but I've never wanted to become the Religious Left. That's a politicizing of faith, and it's not helpful.

We need to look at the questions Jesus asked, like 'Who is my neighbor?' or 'Who is the greatest?' Those questions go to the heart of our crises today. They could bring us to something better.

We need to look at the questions Jesus asked, like 'Who is my neighbor?' or 'Who is the greatest?' Those questions go to the heart of our crises today. They could bring us to something better.

We dont need Christians to be chaplains for political parties or presidencies as we see now in Washington, D.C. Dr. (Martin Luther) King Jr. said it well: The church should not be the servant of the state or the master of the state. It should be the conscience of the state.

So how can we be a voice of conscience in these next two years for whats important and whos important? Whats at stake now is nothing less than the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith.
SALT LAKE CITY  Dr. John Rolston is in the middle of conducting a delicate, life-changing brain surgery, but there is no inflection of anxiousness in his voice, no sign of tension in his demeanor.

In fact, to the uninitiated eye, it might appear that Rolston, a neurosurgeon for University of Utah Health, is merely sitting at a computer, looking at highly detailed brain scans.

But in fact, he and his surgical team are working to land a tiny electrode onto a precise region deep inside 71-year-old Art Eichbauer's brain called the subthalamic nucleus, or STN for short.

The electrode, no more than the width of angel hair pasta, is intended to provide an electrical current that is able to cancel out a faulty pulse from Eichbauer's brain that causes his right hand to shake and his right foot to sag.

If the placement is successful, the procedure could extinguish both of those symptoms of Parkinson's disease that plague his day-to-day life.

"When (the pulse) doesn't send out those bad signals, the brain  resorts back normally," Rolston says.

Using real-time MRI imaging, Rolston looks closely at the current trajectory of the tube delivering the electrode, to ensure it is on target.

In order for the procedure to work properly, the device must be positioned within microns of its intended destination. If it isn't, "you'll end up in the wrong place, with the wrong effects from the electrode," he said. "That's why the accuracy is so important."

Rolston instructs the computer program he is using to simulate directional adjustments  left, right, pitch or roll  of the small tube carrying the electron. When he is satisfied with those, he walks to the next room over, and at the operating table, adjusts small knobs extending from the inserted tube, completing the exact amount of turns advised by the software to guide the electron's trajectory.

"We do it on the software and then re-create it in real life," Rolston explains. "It's kind of like playing Battleship."

The approximately three-hour procedure is the leading edge of a series of advancing surgeries known as deep brain stimulation that are designed to restore steadiness and strength of movement in Parkinson's patients by neutralizing their tremors.

The latest version of deep brain stimulation, according to Rolston, is an especially big breakthrough because it uses an electrode that "allows us to steer electrical current into different parts of the brain, reducing side effects and better helping the patients."

It also wasn't until recently that the surgery used advanced enough MRI technology to anesthesize patients and rely on the imaging rather than their feedback, he said.

"We also used to do all these surgeries with the patients awake, but we can now do it in an MRI scanner, and watch the electrode safely get to its target," Rolston explained.

The Deseret News was invited for an inside look at Eichbauer's surgery, conducted July 31 at the University of Utah's Clinical Neurosciences Center, to learn more about the medical field's latest endeavor to reliably restore day-to-day functioning for patients living with Parkinson's.

2 weeks before

Art Eichbauer has never been content sitting on the sidelines when it comes to treating his Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with eight years ago. Armed with his own personal research into the medical industry's improvements in deep brain stimulation surgery, he has sought it tirelessly, pushing his doctors to try it on him.

"I've been after them to do this for three or four years," Eichbauer says.

It is July 17, and Eichbauer is preparing himself to go under the knife, but in reality most of the mental reps are already well behind him. Though he has been warned that the procedure carries a small risk for bleeding inside his brain, infection and more, and that the results on symptoms can vary, he has committed himself to his choice and is stubbornly confident in the result.

"I know sometimes it doesn't work, but I feel like the odds are sufficient to merit doing it," Eichbauer told the Deseret News. "I'm kind of an optimist. I've always had a positive outlook on life.  I don't have any hesitation at all."

Eichbauer, a semiretired school psychologist for Canyons School District living in Sandy, says he has had no choice but to carefully nurture his positivity while living with Parkinson's.

"It affects constantly  throughout the day, constantly  what you're able to do and how you're able to do it," he said. "If you let that get you down, you're going to be down. And I don't expect to be down."

About half a million Americans suffer with Parkinson's disease, a disorder that occurs when certain neurons in the brain responsible for movement begin to weaken or die, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Its numerous symptoms include weakened balance, tremors, difficulty walking, affected memory, stiffness, and complications in swallowing and speaking.

Parkinson's disease can be relentless in depriving a person of daily joys. Eichbauer's shaking right hand makes it "frustrating sometimes when you're trying to get a button undone," he says, and because of that tremor and a sagging right foot, "I've given up riding a bike."

Working on the computer, and eating a meal, seemingly automatic activities, also present obstacles.

"It's difficult for me to cut meat," Eichbauer explains matter-of-factly. "I move my glass from the right side of the plate, where it's traditionally placed, to the left side to help me to remember to use my left hand to drink, so I don't spill things."

Eichbauer likes to think about what possibilities will be opened to him after surgery, but is trying not to get ahead of himself.

"I don't expect it to cure everything," he says. "But I think it will have some real powerful positive effects and allow me to continue what I'm doing more efficiently than what I've been able to the last two or three years."

Eichbauer's Parkinson's disease has, fortunately for him, exhibited mostly mild symptoms over eight years. "It limits my ability to function, but it hasn't affected me cognitively," he says.

His work, and traveling frequently, keep him sharp, he says, but preserving his ability to do both those things in the first place is what the surgery is all about.

"There are some risks involved, but I'm 71  I'm 72 in a month  and quality of life is important to me."

July 31: Surgery day

On the morning of the big day, Eichbauer sits in his hospital room at the U.'s Clinical Neurosciences Center, chuckling serenely at the good-natured jokes his son and daughter are cracking to ease the tension. It seems their efforts are working. He appears calm, even relaxed.

Rolston briefly reviews with Eichbauer what the patient can expect, warmly but bluntly describing the risks inherent in surgery, such as infection. It is clear none of this is news to Eichbauer, who takes it in stride. Eichbaeuer is cautioned to avoid heavy lifting after surgery, and told he can generally expect to leave the hospital after one or two nights.

"But if not, that's fine, we're not going to kick you out," Rolston kindly reassures.

Shortly before Eichbauer is taken away to be put under anesthesia, he continues to refuse to give room for doubt  perhaps even more resolutely than two weeks earlier. Asked how confident he is the procedure will be successful, he offers dispassionately: "I'm certain."

A brief time later, a sedated Eichbauer is under the brilliantly bright lights stationed above his operating table, obscured behind myriad tubes, medical devices and protective bedding.

Inside the spacious operating room, a surgery team numbering about eight bustles around the room at a brisk, though not urgent pace, like an intricately choreographed ensemble.

There are no hands on hips, and no hesitation, waiting around, or drawn out proclamation that the surgery has commenced  just earnest focus on individual tasks, punctuated by even-keeled instructions and repeated back responses that adhere to a safety technique frequently used in surgery called closed loop communication.

Rolston bustles back and forth a few times between the operating room and his computer station on the other side of the wall. He guides the all-important electron's path, first in hypothetical terms on his computer screen, and then in reality, at Eichbauer's side.

The doctor is firmly enough in control of the situation that he can wax conversational about the surgery's benefits, all while carrying it out. The software, he affirms, will "eventually put us on a perfect trajectory."

Before surgeons had sophisticated enough MRI imaging software to place the electrode in its exact right place, Rolston says, they essentially relied on real-time "pscyhophysical experiments" in which patients gave feedback about how the electrode's placement was affecting their body's movement  including side effects and describing both intended changes and unintended side effects that they were noticing.

"There's some patients who have had so much anxiety, they just couldn't do it," he says.

It is not as though this latest deep brain stimulation advancement can avoid the invasive nature of brain surgery altogether  an entry point in the skull about the size of a dime is required  bringing the weightiness of the procedure into clear focus for all in the room as Rolston uses his surgical tools to open a pathway for the electrode to be inserted.

Still, using software to place the electrode is more precise in its effects on patients compared to prior options, according to Rolston, which is in large part why he was eager to first introduce the new procedure to Utah in the spring.

Since then, Rolston has operated on about a dozen patients with the same procedure with encouraging results, he said.

The latest iteration of deep brain stimulation also uses what is called a directional lead, connected to the implanted electrode, which meticulously steers "current toward desired structural areas, helping maximize patient outcomes and reduce side effects." That is according to Abbott Laboratories, the medical technology company that makes the equipment, called the Infinity DBS System.

"It doesn't shoot all the electricity in every direction equally, it shoots it off into one direction preferentially, based upon the neurologist's choice," Rolston said. "So if we find that to the left of the electrode is one of these areas that, when you stimulate, causes a motor side effect, you can stimulate in the opposite direction and not have that side effect, but still get a good benefit from the electrode."

Such side effects that can now be better avoided are "things like muscle contraction, or weird sensations like tingling, that can be really distressing to some patients."

Sept. 12 appointment

With the new procedure, the electrode's directional leads make it possible for the effects of the electrode to be finely tuned using an implanted device called a pulse generator, very similar to a pacemaker for the heart, according to Rolston.

After a follow-up procedure to implant the small device in their chest, patients meet with a medical provider who turns it on for the first time, and together they test out how to program the current generated by the electrode in order to precisely restore functionality and avoid side effects such as unwanted muscle contractions.

While the actual deep brain stimulation surgery has the highest stakes, it is the programming appointments where the benefits actually come to life for patients.

Eichbauer's first appointment  his moment of truth  comes Sept. 12 on his 72nd birthday.

The implanted device activates, the electrode implanted deep inside his brain begins signaling  and in a moment, his life changes.

"It's the best birthday present I've had," Eichbauer says, with a touch of emotion. "(It's a) noticeable difference, and I'm really excited about it."

Eichbauer says he can already tell how the new device will restore his day-to-day functioning.

"It appears I will be able to meet all the goals I set for myself. Those were to be able to continue working, and to type, and improve my gait," he says. "I'm extremely pleased."

What comes next is fine-tuning the device's settings so that even minor side effects are avoided and Eichbauer's foot and hand are kept as strong and steady as possible, explains Meghan Zorn, the physician assistant who oversaw the programming appointment.

"What we're looking for are both benefit and side effect and seeing what the best parameters might be for him," Zorn said.

Recovery continues

Eichbauer says "it's never bothered me, people looking at the tremor" in his right hand. "That's never been an issue to me."

Even so, he has to chuckle at how much attention he is getting now that the tremor is gone.

"People can't see a tremor. The people at work just shake their head. They can't believe it. My family's that way, too," he says.

It is Oct. 25, and Eichbauer has just left his programming appointment. His next checkup isn't for another three months. With an increased ability to go about day-to-day tasks without a second thought, Eichbaueur has a new lease on life.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to have it," he said.

After some attempts to further adjust his pulse generator, he and Zorn have decided it was just perfect the first time. Turning up the current any further, he said, "made me seem a little bit funny in the stomach."

Avoiding that kind of side effect, while keeping the benefits, is exactly what the new deep brain stimulation aims to do, according to Rolston.

"It really makes our job easier and it's better for the patients," he said.

Rolston called Eichbauer's response to the device's programming "textbook perfect."

"He got the perfect response from everything," Rolston said. "We're very happy with how he looked afterward."

Eichbauer describes his progress since the first programming appointment as mostly smooth sailing. But like expected, it hasn't been a cure-all to every symptom of Parkinson's disease, despite neutralizing his tremor and sagging foot as intended.

"It hasn't done anything for my sense of smell  or taste," he said, but "I knew it wouldn't."

Eichbauer also can't afford to completely forget about the things his deep brain stimulation fixed. To keep his foot strong, he says, he plans to see a physical therapist to keep him from falling into the "habit" he had developed of dragging it.

And Eichbauer still must take some of the medication that helps keep his tremor at bay. But now, he says, taking a smaller dose keeps it completely unnoticeable. Before the surgery, he had to take so much medicine for his tremor that the side effects caused him to sway, while only making marginal improvements to his hand.

"The major thing is my ability to  touch type again," he said. "Still a little error in my right hand, but before it got so bad that I couldn't eat, I couldn't operate a mouse in my right hand, it was shaking so much."

Rolston said deep brain stimulation can dramatically benefit some Parkinson's patients "for many years in the future." But medical professionals do not consider everyone a viable candidate for such a procedure, he said. For now, it is mostly limited to those who are "in otherwise pretty good health."

"If they have something like very bad dementia or a lot of history of strokes, they probably aren't a good candidate for the surgery," Rolston said. "Then we look for people who respond well to medications for Parkinson's, and this just helps us know that's truly Parkinson's, (in part) because there are some diseases that mimic Parkinson's, but don't respond to the brain stimulation."

As he reflects on what the surgery has done for him, Eichbauer says he would like to see more Parkinson's patients become eligible for deep brain stimulation, and at earlier stages of the disease. He implores others with Parkinson's to be assertive in pursuing it as a treatment option as they review with their doctors what is best for them.

"What I tell people is push  push to get it soon," he said, with genuine urgency in his voice. "If they make that diagnosis of Parkinson's, start in right then."
SALT LAKE CITY  University of Utah Health researchers will use $2.6 million from the National Institutes of Health to study new substances to see if they can be effective in treating pain without the addictive side effects of opioids.

The funds, announced late last month, are to be used over the course of the year by University of Utah Health's College of Pharmacy, which will oversee the testing of "blinded samples of small compounds, natural products and biologics" sent out for testing by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the university said in a release.

Those substances will be screened as "potential, nonaddictive treatments to alleviate pain for future clinical trials," explained University of Utah Health science writer Stacy Kish.

"It's a really important problem from a public health perspective," said Karen Wilcox, chairwoman of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the U.'s College of Pharmacy. "The opioid crisis certainly has affected people I've known. It certainly affects many, many people in the state and the country.

"So we're just really glad that we're being given this opportunity to help out, and help develop a screening program that might yield some real good products at the end of it  some real good outcomes."

The National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke "solicits compounds from drug companies, medicinal chemists, (and) biotechnology companies," Wilcox said, "and sends them to us."

U. researchers are interested in drugs that do not rely on pain relief pathways that run through the receptors in the opioid system of the brain, Wilcox explained. She said "the opioid drugs work so well because they (target) that system," but also create dependence.

Other nervous system circuitry may also be able to suppress pain in a different, less-dangerous way if a different class of drugs is found to be effective, she said.

"That's a challenge, because you want to find novel targets, and we're really still finding out about the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. "There's still lots for us to understand. So the hunt is on for new molecular targets," Wilcox told the Deseret News.

Any substances that researchers identify as potent, but are deemed to still carry a risk of addiction similar to that of opioids, "won't go any further in the program," according to Wilcox.

"We don't want to even develop those drugs. We've been there, we've done that with the opioid crisis, so we want to be looking for something different.  We're going to kind of root out any of those things right away, so that they don't go further into the program and waste a lot of time and effort and development," Wilcox said.

She said University of Utah Health has a strong relationship with the National Institutes of Health, having received funds from that organization for 43 years to similarly screen various epilepsy therapies, including anti-seizure medications that have eventually gone to market.

Researchers there have "helped identify many potential therapies for epilepsy over the years," said Amir Tamiz, director of the Division of Translational Research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and likewise "the scientific community will (also) be able to take advantage of this resource to identify and characterize nonaddictive pain therapies.

The funds given to University of Utah Health stem from the National Institutes of Health's HEAL Initiative, a wide-ranging federal effort launched this year designed to accelerate research efforts that could help curb opioid addiction across the country.

According to federal estimates, Kish said, more than 100 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. In 2017, 237 Utahns fatally overdosed on prescription opioids, and 159 overdose deaths in Utah were linked to heroin, an illicit opioid, state leaders said last month. Data spanning 2013 to 2015 indicates Utah has the seventh-highest drug overdose death rate nationwide, the State Department of Health says.
PROVO  In his job, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon gives a lot of his time helping others.

But his commitment to service doesn't end when his shift does. When he learned his friend needed a kidney, he immediately offered up one of his own.

"I said, 'Well, I'll give you a kidney, Ed,'" Cannon said. "I hadnt even thought about it. I just said it, but I meant it."

That was during a conversation earlier this year when Cannon, 58, learned his former neighbor Ed Cameron, who suffered a heart attack 11 years ago because of failing kidneys, needed help.

On Tuesday, both men underwent surgery. The Deseret News spoke to them as they recovered at University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.

"I've known Ed for 18 years," Cannon said. "He's always been a really strong guy."

Cameron, 54, a father of nine, has been on dialysis for the last six months. He said his health was deteriorating to the point where he could barely stand up.

"When your kidneys decline that bad it's horrific," Cameron said.

With his kidneys only functioning at 2 percent, Cameron feared he could die before finding an organ donor.

"There was always a worry that I wouldn't find a match," he said.

Cannon was the first to offer Cameron a kidney.

"I really didn't think about what I was doing," Cannon said, adding that he later cleared the decision with his wife.

After loads of paperwork and a series of tests by a team of doctors, Cannon was given the green light to donate. Immediately after the surgery on Tuesday, it was clear the donated kidney was already benefiting Cameron.

"It feels really good," Cameron said from his hospital bed. "One-hundred percent better."

Cameron said he's been given a new beginning on life and is forever indebted to his friend.

"I'm speechless and I'm alive because he's my hero," Cameron said. "He's the type of person who is teaching us all how to serve, how to be selfless, and kind and Christlike."

Cannon said he's received more than he gave.

"Ed is going to have a much better quality of life than what he has had," Cannon said. "And if I can give that to him or anybody else by giving up a kidney, that's the way it's going to be."

Doctors hope Cannon's generosity inspires others to consider living organ donation.

"We have patients die on the organ wait list," said Jeffrey Campsen, surgical director of kidney transplantation at the University of Utah. "We have patients die while waiting for an organ on dialysis."

Campsen said this type of surgery allows for the kidney to be transplanted as quickly as possible. In fact, the kidney Cannon donated was only outside of a body for about 45 minutes.

"Live donation is the best way to do a transplant," Campsen said. "If you're able to get a live donor you can drop your wait for an organ anywhere between three to eight years."
SALT LAKE CITY  Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Rob Bishop have joined the Utah Republican Party's court battle to overturn the state's controversial law for nominating candidates for public office.

Lee and Bishop filed an amicus, or friend-of-the-court, brief backing the state GOP's petition before the U.S Supreme Court. The party asked the high court last month to hear its appeal of a lower court ruling upholding the law passed as SB54 nearly five years ago.

"The Utah statute strips core party activists of their ability to select nominees who are loyal to the party platform," according to the brief. "It is a transparent effort by the state to control the types of candidates selected by the party."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador, both Republicans, were also part of the brief urging the Supreme Court to reverse the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision, "which disregards the long tradition in America of party autonomy regarding nomination processes."

SB54 allows candidates to choose to gather voter signatures for a place on the primary election ballot, allowing them to bypass the traditional caucus and convention system used by political parties to select nominees.

The law has caused considerable contention within the Republican Party, with some leaders pushing to end the court fight while others in the GOP turned to a private donor to help pay the legal bills.

The Alliance for a Better Utah, a progressive public policy advocacy group, called it "extremely disappointing" that Lee and Bishop have sided with a small group of "extreme" party delegates trying to control the political process in Utah.

"It is especially ironic that Lee, an aggressive advocate of the 10th Amendment, is now asking the Supreme Court to dictate how a state can run its elections," according to a statement.

Utahns have repeatedly expressed strong support for the dual-pathway system, Better Utah said, noting candidates who win at convention lose to candidates who gathered signatures.

Lee and Bishop weren't the only Utah politicians to weigh in on the court case.

Thirteen state legislators and six former legislators argue the Supreme Court is the "ideal" vehicle to "vindicate" the First Amendment rights of Utah political parties.

"The issue of whether a government may constitutionally impose on a political party the kind of substantive intrusion that SB54 represents has divided the party and the state and will not be resolved absent the court's examination of the issue, since the governor has promised to veto all SB54 repeal measures," according to the brief.

The writ filed with the Supreme Court follows a failed attempt by backers of the Count My Vote initiative petition intended to strengthen SB54 to qualify for the ballot in the past election.

Count My Vote sparked in 2014 by circulating an initiative that would have eliminated the ability of political parties to advance candidates to a primary ballot.

SB54 was the result of a compromise between Count My Vote and the Republican-controlled Legislature.
SALT LAKE CITY  Utah's System of Higher Education is moving ahead with expansion of the Utah College Advising Corps, even before asking the Utah Legislature for a dime for the initiative.

The program helps high school students make successful transitions to higher education under the guidance of "near peer" college access advisers who work in their high schools.

Commissioner of Higher Education Dave Buhler said $1 million of the projected $7 million ongoing cost of placing a college access adviser in every public high school in Utah will come from a reallocation of existing funds in the Utah System of Higher Education's budget for access and outreach activities.

"If its as good of an idea as we all seem to feel it is, why not get started?" said Buhler, addressing the Utah State Board of Regents last week.

Education officials will ask the Utah Legislature for $6 million in ongoing funding in the upcoming session. The goal of the plan is to scale the advising program statewide by the 2021-22 school year.

Presently, there are 12 college access advisers in Utah: 11 in Salt Lake County and one in St. George. The program is headquartered at the University of Utah and the advisers are U. employees. Eventually, the corps would become a systemwide responsibility.

The $1 million in funding would be used to hire at least 20 additional advisers, although higher education officials are still determining at which high schools they would be placed.

"Near peer" advisers are recent college graduates who help students register for and complete college entrance exams, submit college applications, apply for scholarships and financial aid.

Once high schoolers are admitted to a college or university, the advisers connect them to first-year experience programs to help ensure successful transitions to college.

Students in the 12 schools with college access advisers enrolled in college at a rate of 58 percent, well above the statewide rate of 45 percent, according to Utah System of Higher Education data.

For every meeting with a college access adviser, students are 13 percent more likely to enroll in college, according to agency statistics.
SALT LAKE CITY  Authorities in Oregon are investigating the killings of two Salt Lake men.

Just after 3 a.m. Friday, officers with the Oregon Department of Public Safety in Grants Pass received a 911 call reporting a "disturbance" and that "there was a firearm involved," according to a statement from the department. Officers arrived at the scene to discover two men who were dead.

Officers detained a third man who was "involved," according to the statement.

Later, the department announced that Trevor A. Gilmore, 44, of Grants Pass, had been arrested for investigation of two counts of aggravated murder and unlawful use of a firearm.

"Details of this incident are not clear at this time," police said.

The deceased men were identified as Justin Scott Severnak, 38, and Christopner Wayne Lyon, 42.

According to a GoFundMe link set up for the men, both were from Utah.

"We lost two of our best family members and we need to fly them home to Salt Lake City, Utah from Oregon as well as our entire household," the fundraising link states.

Tributes and messages of condolences filled social media and the GoFundMe page Friday.

"I can't believe the news I got this morning. I wish it wasnt true. Two more people in my life that I cared for (were) taken from me and from their families," one man wrote on Facebook. "We lost two good men last night."

"Everyone is in shock, its so unbelievable," another wrote on GoFundMe while making a donation. "We love you guys so much and your children and families are in our hearts."

"Rest In peace homie Justin Severnak!!! I pray for his babies as they try to make sense of why (their daddy's) gone! Heart breaks for him and his loved ones!!!! Fly with the angels Stacks," stated another message on Facebook.

The Josephine County District Attorney's Office and Oregon State Police assisted with the investigation.
SOUTH SALT LAKE  Still smarting from a critical state audit that found widespread drug use and lax rule enforcement within its homeless shelters, some worry the Road Home's reputation is casting shadows on its future within the state's new homeless system.

State leaders and the owners of the future homeless centers currently under construction are confident the Road Home will get a fresh start and manage the 300-bed men's shelter well when the downtown shelter shuts down next summer.

But some South Salt Lake leaders aren't so sure.

South Salt Lake City Council Chairman Ben Pender said he and other council members were "disappointed" when they learned last week that the Road Home had been selected to manage the future homeless center chosen for their city. Two other agencies were selected to manage the others.

"The audit is troubling, and so is their record with Salt Lake City," Pender told the Deseret News this week. "Look what happened to Salt Lake City. Clearly, they were running the shelter up there and allowed it to get to that point."

"In some ways," Pender added, "It's troubling that we reward bad management and give them the biggest shelter in the state again."

But, Pender acknowledged, the issues around the downtown homeless shelter likely weren't just the Road Home's fault, but rather a combination of factors and a lack of attention from all partners before hitting crisis levels.

For more than three decades, the Road Home has functioned as one of the only homeless service providers in the state, and for years it strained under growing pressure.

Last year, the issues in Salt Lake City's Rio Grande neighborhood reached boiling point. Before state leaders stepped and launched Operation Rio Grande, the streets around Road Home's downtown shelter were a hotbed for open air-drug dealing, drug use and violence.

Before he selected the South Salt Lake site for the third homeless shelter meant to replace the Road Home's downtown shelter, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams secretly spent a night in the shelter to better understand challenges. The mayor said he experienced "shocking" conditions, including blatant drug use inside the men's dorms.

But since then, there's been an unmistakable shift in the Rio Grande area. Homeless camps are no longer concentrated on the streets, though they have scattered on a smaller scale to other parts of the city. Police have reported decreases in crime and violence in the area.

And in response to the state audit, the Road Home also overhauled its policies and procedures and implemented new security measures, including metal detectors, bag checks and increased security staffing.

Since last summer, the Road Home also changed policies to prevent daily queuing outside its doors, and its occupancy has declined with new requirements that families with children must go to the Midvale family shelter.

To Pender, the fear is South Salt Lake will have the same challenges Salt Lake City saw. But throughout the yearslong overhaul of the Utah homeless system, county, city and state leaders have repeatedly said the new model  with three new, smaller homeless resource centers at scattered sites  will be completely different, and much more manageable than the more than 1,000 beds once filled at the downtown shelter.

To Pender, that's the hope. Though he said South Salt Lake has been "stuck" with the shelter, he hopes city leaders can work with the Road Home, its owner Shelter the Homeless, and state leaders to address any future concerns.

"I'm hoping as those problems arise that we can address them quickly so it doesn't become big issues like they became in Salt Lake City," Pender said.

South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood  who sits on Shelter the Homeless' board  said she expressed concerns about the Road Home being selected for the South Salt Lake City and it was her "responsibility to ask hard questions and demand suitable answers."

"I think I've been very vocal regarding my concerns, but now is the time to work closely with the Shelter the Homeless board and the Road Home to ensure the operations model meets the needs of not only its residents, but also our neighbors," Wood said.

Wood also credited the Road Home for making changes to its policies and procedures, as well as its security plan in addressing concerns in the audit.

"I think my concerns are along the lines of a new model that really hasn't been tested," Wood said, noting that she's also hopeful any lingering concerns with the Road Home will be addressed in the second part of the city's conditional use permit slated to come before city leaders in coming weeks.

Matt Minkevitch, executive director of the Road Home, said Wednesday he was confident the Road Home had addressed concerns outlined in the state audit and that his agency was the right choice to manage the 300-bed men's shelter.

"We have confidence that we will manage it properly," Minkevitch said. "But most importantly, I look forward to working directly with South Salt Lake. We look forward to having an ongoing dialogue with South Salt Lake, listening to the residents and leaders of South Salt Lake. And the genesis of that dialogue is underway.

"We have a long way to go, but we're looking forward to it," Minkevitch said.

During last week's news conference, Minkevitch said the problems that faced the downtown facility were symptoms of larger societal issues that now have more resources committed from state, city and county levels to address.

"The sheer numbers of people turning to one location created security and safety issues with which we were very concerned," Minkevitch said last week. "The new model provides us greater dispersion, distribution and a better environmental advantage for each person turning to shelter."

"Collaboration is always a key ingredient to community improvement," Minkevitch added Wednesday, crediting state partners with providing the Road Home resources it needed to improve, along with many other agencies working at unprecedented levels to address issues ranging from housing, to mental illness, to addiction.

In fact, even one of the Road Home's past top critics is vouching for the nonprofit in its new role.

Former state Sen. Scott Howell, member of the Pioneer Park Coalition that formed to lobby for improved conditions in the Rio Grande area, said this week the selection of the Road Home to operate one of the new shelters was "not unexpected" since the nonprofit has such a long history of providing homeless services in Utah.

"Rightfully so, (South Salt Lake leaders) should have concerns if you look at the old model of the Road Home," Howell said, "but with the new model, I think they can feel confident."

Howell said he believes the Road Home will be a good neighbor to South Salt Lake because "they took the audit seriously," and also have new resources from the state to be successful.

"Reputations take a long time to heal and clean up and change, but everybody can change," Howell said. "I'm very confident with the leadership (of the Road Home) and Shelter the Homeless to set the data metrics that will absolutely change the face of how we deal with homelessness."

Preston Cochrane, executive director of Shelter the Homeless, said it's understandable there are "lots of opinions" floating around about the new homeless model since homelessness is a "complex" issue. But above all, "it's going to take all of us working together to come up with solutions."

Cochrane said comparing the Road Home's past with its future is like trying to compare "two completely different universes."

"We need to focus more on how the system is operating versus who," Cochrane said, "and not get stuck on a particular name or past. Let's move forward. Out with the old, in with the new."
Editor's note: Deseret News reporter Tad Walch is in England chronicling the historic meeting between Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and British Prime Minister Theresa May, as well as speaking engagements in Oxford.

OXFORD, England  A Latter-day Saint apostle, a former archbishop of Canterbury and other religious leaders invited Christians Friday to use service to confront "toxic loneliness" and honor human interdependence during a panel discussion at the University of Oxford's Pembroke College.

Lord Rowan Williams, the 104th archbishop of Canterbury, joined Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and two others for "Inspiring Service."

They said humans are fundamentally interdependent and service is the lifeblood of not only those human connections but Christianity, democracies, communities, families and marriages. They also named many of their heroes of service and addressed the issue of would-be volunteers feeling overwhelmed by the world's needs and challenges.

"Toxic loneliness is replacing family and community cohesion," said Lord David Alton, a Catholic who has served in the British Parliament for 40 years, "and too many feel like losers even when thought to be winners in purely material terms. Without shared values and rules, stable relationships, a sense of duty and willingness to serve others, we too easily shrink into merely atomized individuals, invariably unhappy, unfulfilled and often alone."

The other panelist, the Methodist Rev. Frances Young, has a son with severe disabilities, an experience that has taught her to open herself up to people she described as utterly different from her.

"You give people dignity by receiving from them," said the emeritus professor of theology at the University of Birmingham.

Elder Holland sat between Alton and Williams, an Anglican Welshman who stepped down as archbishop in 2012 and now is master of Magdalene College at Cambridge University and a member of the House of Lords.

Williams argued that "a particularly unintelligent reading of Charles Darwin" has led to a widely accepted notion that humans are rivals and can thrive separately. Instead, he said, the story of evolution is that "the more complex carbon-based forms of life become, the more it seems they are interdependent, the more they need one another, the more cooperation, mutual assurance, nourishment and protection actually come to matter."

He said the world needs a more robust account of how "advanced life forms" are interdependent, giving the example of a choir or orchestra or a rowing crew.

He said it is an increasingly popular, toxic fiction that "there is some way of literally or metaphorically fencing off what is good for me so that it's completely irrelevant to what's good for you  'I can keep myself safe, and your security and your well-being are of no interest to me.'"

Williams said human children are born dependent and become what they are because of what they receive. To become truly themselves, givers, he said, "we must fulfill our role within a complex, interdependent form of life."

"The characteristic, distinctive, radical thing about human life is that we are the most complicatedly, sophisticatedly interdependent life form that there is," he said. "To be human is to be inserted into that pattern of giving and receiving, wherever we are and whoever we are."

Alton raised the specter of persecution against Christians around the world, including Christians burned to death or beheaded by ISIS and other terrorist groups. Closer to home, he said, strengthening democracies requires shared values, including the value of service.

"We identify too little with good character and too much with good things," he said. "The concept that we should place ourselves at the service of others and the service of the common good and the service of the weakest, the poorest, the most vulnerable, gives form and expression to the desire of the virtuous citizen to generously and altruistically use their privileges and their talent in the inspired service of others."

Elder Holland said Christ left no room "to doubt the seriousness with which we must embrace this sacred instruction to inspire service and to serve inspiringly."

The world's immense needs can overwhelm those who would serve, he said, but he said Jesus Christ provided a recipe for coping with that feeling when Judas Iscariot complained that Mary was wasteful when she anointed his head with expensive burial ointment.

"She has done what she can," Christ said.

"She has done what she can," Elder Holland repeated. "What a succinct formula."

Mother Theresa did what she could, he said. Pressed by a journalist who pointed out that statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing, she responded that her work was not about statistics but love.

"Faced with a staggering number beyond her reach," Elder Holland said, "she could keep the commandment by serving those in her reach, with what resources she had."

He said inspiring service is a "great honor."

"We need God, but he also needs us," he added. "It's an inspiring thought to think that not only humankind but divinity itself needs our heart and needs our helping hand. Surely that must be one way that we're heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ."

Elder Holland joked that he was the token Yank on the panel, but he told the crowd of 170 people, who outnumbered the seats in the Pichette Auditorium, that he also represented a unique faith, the only American one to survive an extermination order. It did so because of the service, compassion and charity of others.

"While that was a century and a half ago, we have not forgotten that," he said, "and we have been very grateful to those who were willing, kind, compassionate enough, interested enough and responsible enough to have helped us. We've spent that century and a half trying to do our best to help others since."

The Rev. Andrew Teal of Pembroke College hosted the panel discussion and called it extraordinary.

"I couldn't have hoped for anything more encouraging," he said. "It just sort of emerged that we are called not only to be fulfilled, but we are only fulfilled in emptying ourselves, because then we follow the pattern of who God is.

"There was a real united invitation to take seriously the dignity of who we are as human beings," he added. "There was a real sense of offering."

Rev. Teal said a publication is planned that will include Elder Holland's theology address from Thursday, his subsequent question-and-answer session with Rev. Teal, Friday's panel discussion and Elder Holland's upcoming address here on Sunday.
SALT LAKE CITY  For some Utah families, this year's Christmas will only come through the charitable giving of others.

Matt and Marisol (names have been changed) have four young boys. One was born with a type of congenital lung malformation and requires constant care and supervision. Matt lost his job because he was often at his son's hospital bedside monitoring a breathing machine. Matt is looking for another job but his son will likely remain in the hospital until age 3. The family survives thanks to Marisol's 30-hours-a-week income from a job at a bakery. Their biggest need this year is a dining room table and chairs.

Misty has legal guardianship of her best friend's children while the mother deals with a divorce after years of physical and mental abuse. Their father has never allowed them to have Christmas. Meanwhile, Misty has her own problems. She had to stop working after she was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, a brain condition with symptoms similar to a tumor. She also has diabetes and needs knee surgery. Medical bills and loss of income have left finances tight.

Melissa and Allen have six children and she's s now pregnant with twins. She's considered high risk and can't work. Allen works full time on a commission basis, but their budget is stressed due to a variety of problems. The ceiling caved in in one of their children's bedrooms. Another child appears to have symptoms of Bell's palsy. With mounting medical costs and urgent home repairs, the family could use a helping hand during this holiday season.

Fortunately, there's a way you can help these and other Utah families to have some relief and joy at Christmas.

As in previous years, the Salvation Army and the Deseret News are working together to sponsor two programs and generate support for Utah families in need.

The first program is called "Adopt-a-Family" and allows people to sponsor gifts for each family member, including the parents, and provide food for Christmas dinner. For more information on this program, click here.

The second program is called "Children's Christmas." Sponsors provide gifts for siblings in a family and the parents are optional. Patrons are asked to consider special needs such as a coat or shoes. For more details, click here.

The deadline to register is Wednesday, Dec. 5. Gifts are due by Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m.

To "Adopt-a-Family" or give a "Children's Christmas," visit www.deseretnews.com/subforsanta.
SALT LAKE CITY  Senator-elect Mitt Romney already has plans to hold a fundraiser in next week for his newly formed political action committee.

The Utah Republican is hosting the event Tuesday night in Washington for his new Believe in America PAC, according to Politico. The fundraiser would be the PACs first.

Attendees are reportedly being asked to donate $5,000.

Michael McCollum Adams and Lauren Hamel, both of whom served as top fundraisers for outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., are organizing the event, according to Politico. Ryan was Romney's' running mate in the 2012 presidential election.

Believe in America PAC and Team Mitt, a Romney-backed joint fundraising committee, were created a day after the Nov. 6 midterm election, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Both can be used to send contributions to GOP candidates.

Romney, who will replace retiring seven-term Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, campaigned for Republicans inside and outside Utah during the last election.

Brad Crate, the chief financial officer for Romney's two presidential campaigns, is listed as treasurer for both the Believe in America PAC and Team Mitt. He headed Romney Victory, Romney's joint fundraising committee in 2012, administering accounts that spent an estimated $1 billion.

Crate, founder and president of Red Curve Solutions in Massachusetts, also set up two joint fundraising committees for President Donald Trump  Trump Victory and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee in 2016.

Romney raised about $5 million in his Senate race, which he easily won. He spent last week in orientation meetings in Washington as he prepares to take office in January. He tabbed Matt Waldrip, a longtime aide who managed his Senate campaign, as chief of staff.
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On October 21 2018, after a short illness, Kathleen Hamill passed away, surrounded by her close friends in New Jersey, USA.

Kathleen has joined her parents, John and Annie, her brother Sean and her sister Maureen in their heavenly home.

Kathleen attended Saint Malachys Primary School, Saint Vincents Secondary School and Sion Hill College of Home Economics.

She taught in Saint Vincents for a number of years and is still fondly remembered by many of her pupils. After going to America, and having obtained a Masters in Childrens Literacy, she continued to work in education.

In later years, she gained a Masters in Psychology and worked in a therapeutic setting until her retirement.

During all these years, she continued to visit Ireland regularly and maintain close links. Her five sisters, three brothers and a large circle of extended family and friends, both in Ireland and America, are all deeply saddened by Kathleens death.

On Sunday, November 25 2018, in the Church of the Holy Family, Kathleen will be remembered in a Months Mind Mass at 11.00 a.m.

Kathleen, you travelled by many streams and trails of the ancient world. May we be enthused by your inspirational life.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
'Ottoman was the last power ensuring peace in the Middle East'

An analysis published in Israeli Haaretz newspaper said that since the time Ottoman Empire has collapsed, no peace was able to be established in the area.

Haaretz, one of the most important newspapers of Israel, published an article praises Ottoman Empire.

It was mentioned that the national minorities who remained imprisoned in hostile nation-states were shown tolerance, especially in the Ottoman Empire.

"OTTOMAN EMPIRE SUCCEEDED ENSURING PEACE"

Only the empires facilitated national minoritiesexistence, it said. The attempt to create ethnically homogeneous states gave rise to some of the greatest disasters in the last century. The cultural diversity that existed in the imperial metropolises was erased and has never been restored. The national conflicts did not end after World War II. The disintegration of the multinational empires kicked off an endless series of wars, among them those in the Middle East.

But multinational empires, including that of the Ottomans, have lots of positive aspects. Ottoman Empire was the last power that succeeded in ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East.
The CBIs credibility depends on its personnels ability to remain committed to good governing principles.

The end is nigh for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). What was once touted as the premier investigative agency in India finds itself torn apart from within and without. The bubbling of discontent within, largely as a result of the rivalry between Director Alok Verma and Special Director R K Asthana, has spilled over into an ugly, no-holds-barred contest of allegations and counter-allegations. It has drawn in the Supreme Court, the Prime Ministers Office, members of the union cabinet and the national security adviser. It has revealed, once and for all, the rotten core of a little loved (but sometimes necessary) institution.

The CBIs present disarray, however, is not only due to Vermas and Asthanas intrigues, or even the machinations of the Narendra Modi government. Its very origin is hidden in murky bureaucratic obscurity (as the Gauhati High Court pointed out in Navendra Kumar v Union of India in 2013) and it has been governed by a skeletal framework law dating back to 1946. Any reform to its functioning happened only because courts repeatedly poked, prodded, and pushed governments into doing it. Even so, reforms have been half-hearted and sometimes couched in bad faith. The multiple attempts to shield high-level bureaucrats from CBI enquiry through the insertion of a provision mandating sanction from the government even before an enquiry is begun are witness to this.
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The email from a federal agent in Dubai about her jet-set affair with a suspected Middle Eastern terrorist could have been torn from a supermarket paperback.

I cant stop thinking aboutyou. I havent slept for days, Leatrice Malika De Bruhl-Daniels wrote, according to federal court documents. Im deeply attracted to you and I cant think about you like that. Dont worry, I will still fight for your visa situation as much as I can.

As U.S. officials continued to investigate the Syrian businessman whod thrown the federal agent a lavish birthday bash and helped treat her to a Greek vacation, she reportedly texted him, I dont want to think u hv lied to me since I put my neck out there for u.

De Bruhl-Daniels, 45, a career federal law enforcement officer from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., is now facing federal charges in Houston of hampering the FBIs counterterrorism investigation of 46-year-old Nadal Diya, and Diya has been charged with using fake travel documents. Both face a mid-December trial date that is likely to be postponed.

Its a rare case that falls into a unique category  criminal reckonings for federal law enforcement officials accused of abusing their access to top-secret information. Cases involving misconduct prompted by romantic attachments are even more unusual.

I can probably count on the fingers of one hand how many times thats happened, said Mervyn M. Mosbacker, Jr., a former U.S. attorney who has defended several federal agents. You dont go into a job like that unless you are really committed to the goals of the agency.

Agent denies guilt

De Bruhl-Daniels, who is free on bond and awaiting trial at her mothers home in Charlottesville, Va., appeared briefly before a Houston magistrate in late October where she pleaded not guilty to attempting to obstruct, influence or impede justice. She and her federal public defender have declined to comment about the case.

Jeff Houston, a spokesman for the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS, said De Bruhl-Daniels has been on indefinite suspension since May without access to secure material. He declined to comment further.

Prosecutors are seeking extradition of Diya, who is free on bond in Toronto, on charges that he used fraudulent Guatemalan and Argentinian passports in Texas and Louisiana. Three other co-defendants, in Houston and Montgomery County, also face prosecution for passport and tax fraud.

De Bruhl-Daniels met Nadal Diya while she was stationed in the United Arab Emirates as a special agent with the NCIS. During their affair, she provided him warnings that he was being investigated as a possible terrorist and could be arrested, according to court documents.

Prior to her indictment, NCIS officials clearly considered De Bruhl-Daniels to be an exemplary employee.

She invested a good portion of her life in federal service, working at the FBI as an investigative specialist and then for eight years as a special agent with NCIS, a federal agency charged with protecting Navy and Marine Corps secrets that inspired a popular CBS procedural drama. The agency handles criminal, terrorism and intelligence investigations in ports around the world.

While De Bruhl-Daniels was based at the agencys office in Norfolk, she was NCIS spokesperson for a crime reduction program aimed at reducing sexual assault in the Department of the Navy. She is quoted in a 2012 Defense Department press release explaining, Drugs and alcohol will impair a persons judgment and may increase sexual desire. She is also quoted advising fellow employees to do what is right morally.

Met the businessman in Dubai

In 2015, De Bruhl-Daniels was dispatched to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai as a liaison on criminal, counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations at the booming commercial port of Jebel Ali.

It was there she met Diya in June 2016 through a friend at the consulate, according to documents. Diya mentioned he did not know why the State Department had refused to renew his U.S. visa, and De Bruhl-Daniels used her top-security clearance to ask officials what was holding up the process.

She learned that Homeland Security investigators thought Diya might be connected to an illegal shipment of oil equipment from the U.S. to Iran. In February 2017, she made further inquiries with the State Department and Homeland Security Investigations or HSI about his visa, documents show. A State Department staffer wrote back saying Diyas entire family had set off red flags for counterterrorism officials.

On a secure video call on March 9, 2017, an HSI agent and a Commerce Department agent in Houston warned De Bruhl-Daniels once again to avoid contact with Diya. However, De Bruhl-Daniels did not tell them that by then she had a personal relationship with him, according to their account.

Court filings indicate that this was when romance began to blossom between the agent and the suspect.

On March 29, Diya hosted a catered birthday bash for De Bruhl-Daniels at his Dubai residence that was attended by NCIS, State Department and Naval staff. He hired a D.J. and paid for special lighting. Witnesses told investigators the whole event likely cost tens of thousands of dollars.

In May, records show De Bruhl-Daniels approached investigators again, suggesting to the FBI that Diya would make a good confidential source. This time a legal attache told her to keep her distance and warned her not to tell him about the investigation.

In late June, De Bruhl-Daniels sent herself an email with the subject line Thoughts to ND, musing that the smell of his cologne made her forgetful, so she wanted to write down her thoughts. Im deeply attracted to you and I cant think about you like that. Its not right, she wrote, according to court records.

The NCIS agent promised to work on fixing her boyfriends visa situation and noted she was looking forward to Greece where they would have the best time ever, according to documents.

In mid-July, an FBI agent in Houston informed De Bruhl-Daniels that both Diya and another suspect were still under scrutiny. The FBI agent asked for a full accounting of her encounters with Diya, and De Bruhl-Daniels said she would consult with her supervisor about it, according to court documents.

Prosecutors contend that shortly after that call, possibly on the same day, the federal agent disclosed to Diya that he and another suspect were the target of an FBI probe, court records allege.

She warned him if he traveled to the U.S. he would probably be arrested. The couple then left for a nine-day holiday in Greece, paid for in part by Diya, who, she later told authorities, gave her $1,400.

Following the trip, De Bruhl-Daniels saved a transcript of texts between the two of them on her iPad. The document included the statement, (Its) poss ur phones are being monitored, according to evidence. The iPad log also included a message that if agents suspected her of acting as some sort of dbl agent, he should tell them they were just friends.

Whatever they hv on u is more than just suspicion so its serious, the transcript says, They know stuff and if u lie u may never see American soil! De Bruhl-Daniels alerted prosecutors of the existence of this transcript, records indicate.

When federal agents interviewed her in December 2017, she did not mention that she had been romantically involved with Diya, that hed given her gifts or that shed warned him not to enter the U.S., documents show.

De Bruhl-Daniels also failed to mention that her 23-year-old son had taken a paid job with Diya, according to allegations.

In the meantime, Diya is now charged with attempting to use fake foreign passports in Houston, Conroe and Lake Charles, Louisiana.

A few federal agents have been charged in similar cases

Others agents who have become entangled in similar situations over the years include James J. Smith, a special agent with the FBIs Los Angeles bureau who was convicted in 2004 after admitting a 20-year affair with a double agent for the Chinese government. Theres also the case of Richard Miller, another FBI agent in Los Angeles, who was sentenced to prison for espionage and bribery after becoming involved with a KGB spy.

An FBI agent in Manhattan was convicted in 2011 of lying about an affair with a confidential source in an identity theft investigation. And in 2009 an FBI agent in Phoenix admitted he attempted to influence a criminal case in which hed become romantically involved with the wife of a suspected gang leader.

But Mosbacker, a defense attorney and who was U.S. Attorney based in Houston during the Clinton Administration, said such liaisons are rare.

By and large, federal agents are really good at what they do and they do things by the rules, he said.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Theres no drill or ceremony, but the men and women who appear in Felony Veterans Treatment Court stand before the judges and maintain a military bearing  a form of respect rarely shown by civilian defendants.

One of Bexar Countys newest specialty courts, the court formed last year around Veterans Day and began hearing cases in January. It is for former servicemen and women who suffer from drug or alcohol abuse, mental health issues or post traumatic stress disorder, and have specified felony offenses pending. There is a companion court on the misdemeanor side that has operated for years.

Treatment court for veterans is logical here because of the large military footprint in Bexar County; there are about 60,000 active-duty personnel and some 211,000 veterans living here, with the militarys overall economic impact estimated at $28.8 billion a year.

Our goal is to give somebody the best resources and treatment so they have the tools to go back into the community, said Judge Lori I. Valenzuela, one of the judges involved in the program. We dont want them to return to the criminal justice system.

Requirements DD214 form proving military discharge eligible felony offense pending U.S. citizen or legal resident Live in Bexar or surrounding county Get VA mental health assessment SOURCE: Bexar County Felony Veterans Treatment Court See More Collapse

As the daughter of a U.S. Army veteran, she said, the program has a special place in her heart. It is also a passion for Judge Jefferson Moore, a former judge advocate general who retired after 20 years serving in the U.S. Army Reserves and active duty in the National Guard. Though he has never seen combat, Moore said, he has spoken to many who have, and when they return, things arent easy.

Read also: Bexar County unveils its new military and veterans services center

Docket call for veterans is conducted each week on Thursday afternoons in Valenzuelas 437th state District Court, and in Moores 186th state District Court  which are right across from each other on the third floor of the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center.

We need to take care of these (vets), said Moore. Some of these guys seem to have issues caused by the service we ordered them to do, which is causing them to get arrested.

The proceedings in FVTC run differently  the weekly meetings begin with everyone reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and each participant has a one-on-one conversation at the bench with their assigned judge, who will ask them about their week, challenges faced and lessons learned.

Valenzuela said the court should not be mistaken for a revolving door just because you are a vet, she said, but a treatment court that will provide participants with the tools they need to get them back on their feet.

John Herman, case manager for both courts, said the program is very intense for participants, who must report to court and work with a team of 11 people, up to four times a week in the beginning. He said each case and participants criminal history is carefully reviewed

We will take a look on a case-by-case basis, but it is up to the District Attorneys Office regarding the charges, Herman said.

He said a team of 11 review felony offenses such as drug, alcohol and assault charges, but anyone with a more serious accusation such as rape, murder, aggravated assaults that incurred serious bodily injury, or assault with a deadly weapon, arent considered for the special court.

The key requirement for each participant is a link between their military service and their criminal history, he said.

There needs to be a nexus with the military, mental health, substance abuse and criminal history, said Herman. There has to be a connection.

For consideration, veterans must write a letter to the team, which consists of a case manager, a probation officer, a Veterans Affairs coordinator, two Bexar County prosecutors, two defense attorneys, both judges and two mentors.

The main focus is to reduce arrests, promote self-sufficiency to keep participants sober and help them achieve education and employment to become responsible members of the community.

They have to do treatment, drug tests, community service hours, Moore said.

The time commitment is intense, but he said: In as short as four weeks, I can see them improving. Its stark.

The new court currently has 18 participants who meet weekly with a team, which consists of a probation officer, a Veterans Affairs coordinator, two Bexar County prosecutors, two defense attorneys, two mentors, and Moore and Valenzuela. The program will take from 18 months to two years to complete, Herman said, and then the participant enters after-care.

Although the charges would stay the same, once someone successfully completes the courts program, Herman said, there would be pre-trial and other diversion programs and alternatives that the team would discuss with the DAs office, which has the final say on disposition of the case.

Herman said once a participant is done with the program, that doesnt mean contact ends there.

We will stay with them and continue to work with them 100 percent, he said. Once they are with us, were family.

Elizabeth Zavala is a courts and crime reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
AUSTIN  Outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus said the State Preservation Board should act quickly to remove a 1959 Confederate plaque from the Capitol, after a recent attorney general opinion permitted the move.

Attorney General (Ken) Paxton has issued a well-reasoned opinion affirming that the State Preservation Board has the authority to remove plaques from the Capitol, the San Antonio Republican said in a statement. I agree with the Attorney Generals determination and, as a member of the State Preservation Board, I remain ready to remove the blatantly inaccurate Children of the Confederacy Creed plaque. Theres no need to delay this.

The plaque reads, in part, We, therefore pledge ourselves ... to study and teach the truths of history (one of the most important of which is, that the war between the states was not a rebellion, nor was its underlying cause to sustain slavery). The parentheses are part of the plaques inscription.

At its secession convention in 1861, however, Texas specifically listed slavery as a cause for seceding from the United States.

Calls to remove the plaque from the Capitols first floor intensified last year following the fatal racial clashes in Charlottesville, Va.

Paxtons opinion stated that, in addition to the State Preservation Board, the Texas Historical Commission and the state Legislature, which authorized the plaques installation, have the authority to to remove or relocate monuments or memorials such as the plaque.

Read also: Energy Secretary Rick Perry flies wife around the world with Texas campaign cash

State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, has been calling for the plaques removal since last year and renewed the call after the attorney generals opinion was issued this week.

We could get out the screwdrivers today, he told the Associated Press.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who chairs the six-member State Preservation Board, has previously said lawmakers should make the decision.

Its the Texas Legislature with the responsibility to take it down, he said in a gubernatorial debate this fall. Should they take it down because of factual inaccuracy? Absolutely. And I will be working with the Legislature on that issue this next session.

The plaque is one of roughly a dozen Confederate symbols on the state Capitol complex, including a statue of Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate flag etched into the pillar of a memorial.

Walter Buenger, chief historian at the Texas State Historical Association, has noted that there was a surge of new Confederate memorials in the 1950s as a protest against the civil rights movement and school desegregation.

They would have everything to do with the politics and the culture of that time, and relatively little to do with the Civil War, Buenger said.

In an opinion published in the Express-News in August, Straus noted that the Children of the Confederacy is an auxiliary group to the Daughters of the Confederacy, which has removed the phrase nor was its underlying cause to sustain slavery from its creed.

If this group no longer includes this language in its own creed, why should it be displayed in the Capitol? Straus questioned.

Straus said the point isnt to erase the past  We should not try to hide the fact that the Confederacy is a part of our history, he said  but, he added, plain falsehoods do history no favors.

If Abbott doesnt call a meeting of the preservation board before the year is over, Straus, who didnt run for re-election, will no longer have a say.

Instead, Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, who is expected to replace Straus as House speaker, would have a seat on the board. Bonnens office didnt respond to a request for comment.

amorris@express-news.net
At a 1919 convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, with women on the verge of securing the long-sought right to vote, association members debated what they should do next.

Some wanted to disband the organization, but Carrie Chapman Catt, the associations president, had a different idea.

Catt called for a living memorial dedicated to the memory of our departed leaders and the sacrifices they made for our cause.

The idea was that there would be 20 million potential new voters in the United States in 1920 and it might be nice to have an organization that could provide some guidance to those voters.

Nearly 100 years later, the League of Women Voters is still consumed with that mission.

You wont find a better example of the Leagues missionary zeal for the voting process than with Madhu Sridhar, 68, a San Antonian who emigrated from New Delhi, India to the United States in 1974.

Sridhar spent the next four decades living in Massachusetts, where she became consumed by the power of political involvement to create social change.

As a parent frustrated by the conditions at the public schools in Andover, Massachusetts, she successfully organized a campaign in 1994 for a $40.5-million debt-exclusion override to renovate three Andover schools.

When Sridhar moved to San Antonio three years ago, she was struck by the low level of voter engagement here.

In Massachusetts, people are very engaged, she said. They talk about politics all the time, on subways and everything else. Here, its completely different.

The League usually focuses a lot on voter registration. But I felt that there are many organizations that are doing voter registration. What we need to do is the next step, which is getting the voters to go out and vote.

Under the leadership of Sridhar, who is the president of the Leagues San Antonio chapter, the League committed itself to providing literature that will encourage people to get to the polls and educate them about their ballot choices.

The San Antonio chapter put together a 15-point Texas Voters Bill of Rights, signed by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen. It was modeled after a similar document that Sridhar helped to create in Massachusetts.

In 2006, Sridhar crafted a bill  passed by Massachusetts legislators and signed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney  which required the secretary of the commonwealth to provide a Voters Bill of Rights at every polling site, expanded the pool of election officers and prevented election officers from taking a role in any campaign other than their own.

This year, the Leagues San Antonio chapter wanted to get the word out to underrepresented communities, so it circulated the document to groups such as the NAACP, LULAC, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and MALDEF.

We were giving them this information because what was surprising to me was people didnt know that if they cant speak English, they can take someone to the polling booth with them, Sridhar said.

A lot of people were saying, Oh well, I didnt go to vote because I dont have a babysitter. And the answer is, You can take your children. Its a great civics lesson.

The League also created an ambitious voters guide and a couple of brochures, including one called Vote, Its In Your Best Interest. The brochure made the case that voting is not an abstract exercise, its a way of assuming control over your own life.

When people talk about pre-existing conditions for health-care benefits, they are talking about YOUR health care, Sridhar said. They are not talking about somebody elses health care.

When they talk about public-school education, they are talking about YOUR schools.

Turnout in Bexar County during this years midterm elections was 81 percent higher than for the 2014 midterms, a jump that was twice the national turnout spike and slightly above the state increase. The League played a role in making that happen.

Because the League has a separate lobbying arm that researches and advocates for public-policy change, its easy to forget that most of what this all-volunteer organization does is simply work to make voters better informed and more involved.

In 1976, the League launched a petition drive pushing for televised presidential debates between incumbent Gerald Ford and challenger Jimmy Carter.

Up to that point, the only televised presidential debates in the United States had occurred in 1960, and an incumbent president had never agreed to debates. The League not only made it happen, they were unanimously selected by the Federal Election Commission to arrange and sponsor those debates.

The focus, Sridhar said, is to remove the barriers from voting.

You get the feeling that the Leagues San Antonio chapter is just getting started.

@gilgamesh470

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
During the recent midterm election cycle, a lot was said about young people not turning out to vote.

Many of them feel it doesnt matter. Many think the process is too clunky and inconvenient. Many dont care about elections because they dont think the candidates reflect them and therefore, couldnt possibly represent them.

All of that might be true, but it isnt that hard to figure out: The young people who dont vote choose not to make themselves heard for the same reason that they dont dedicate much time to cholesterol readings; they believe time is on their side.

Thing is, things werent the same 50 years ago. In 1968, life in America was different than it is today. Americans were leaving home to fight a war in Vietnam and to march for civil rights here at home. And here in San Antonio, advocacy groups were forming in a part of the country that saw young Mexican-Americans denied the right to a solid education and punished for speaking Spanish at school.

Because San Antonio was the birthplace of a lot of Mexican-American social advocacy, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a six-day hearing at Our Lady of the Lake University in early December of 68. The commission, a group that came to be because of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, focused on challenges facing Mexican-Americans back then, such as educational equity, equal protection under the law, fair employment practices and economic indicators that measured home ownership and income parity. The commission was the first government entity that took a real look at how these indicators affected the lives of Mexican-Americans in a move that was, at the time, described as holding up a mirror so the community could see how it was being represented.

Because of gatherings such as this, changes were made across the nation.

Last weekend, some of the people who were at that hearing half a century ago  along with many of those whose experience was changed because of hearings such as that  gathered at the OLLU campus on San Antonios West Side for 50 years later: Holding up a mirror, a conference to reflect on what has changed and to see what still needs to be done.

Former San Antonio Mayors and HUD Secretaries Henry Cisneros and Julian Castro were part of a conversation Nov. 16 that addressed what still needs to be done. Cisneros talked about working locally and how San Antonio specifically can change things by addressing problems such as the lack of affordable housing and all of the things that are currently happening in Washington that shouldnt be tolerated. But it was Castro, who has long advocated education as the key to a brighter future for the San Antonio community and who is working to create, who suggested that young people need to take a page from young people of 50 years ago.

Those young people, the 20-somethings who helped push for change in the late 60s, are todays 70-somethings. To put that into perspective, the youngest of those 20-somethings were contemporaries of Donald Trump, 72, and Henry Cisneros, 71.

By contrast, someone who turns 20 this December has never lived in a world without eBay, which might be one reason our system of voting seems so tedious and old-fashioned. That 20-something doesnt really have a sense of an America where it was legal to rap someone on the knuckles for speaking Spanish in school.

So when conferences like the at Our Lady of the Lake force all young people of every stripe to take a good, long look at the way things are as opposed to the way things used to be  and how much of the job is still left  one can only hope that those young voters come away with a sense of why they need to keep things going.

Mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com
President Donald Trump did defy history in the 2018 midterm elections. While his predecessor, Barack Obama, lost 63 House seats and six Senate seats in his first midterms, Trump held the GOPs House losses to just over half of that and bolstered the GOP majority in the Senate. The combination of a Senate map that heavily favored Republicans, and Trumps success in turning out his 2016 base, produced a red wall that held up pretty well against the blue wave.

But there are also warning signs in the results that Trump should not ignore. While the working-class voters Trump won in 2016 turned out in droves on Election Day, Republicans were decimated in higher-income suburban Republican districts  including many that voted solidly for Mitt Romney in 2012.

These losses are self-inflicted wounds. The economy is booming: Under Trumps leadership, economic growth in the second quarter was 4.2 percent, and the unemployment rate has reached 3.7 percent  a nearly 50-year low. Yet Trumps approval rating on the eve of the 2018 election was 39 percent, the worst for any president since before Dwight Eisenhower. By contrast, Obama had 46 percent approval before his first midterms, at a time when unemployment was soaring at almost 10 percent.

The problem is that Trump has failed to do what every successful two-term president has done before him: expand his base of support. Instead of trying to win over persuadable Americans and bring them into his coalition, the president has sought to energize his base in ways that drive those persuadable voters  particularly suburban women  away.

If he wants to win re-election, Trump needs to bring suburban Republican voters back into the GOP fold. In 2016 he won the suburbs by five points. This gave him the margin of victory in key swing states: In Pennsylvania, he took the overwhelming majority of the states rural areas and small towns, while Hillary Clinton won the urban areas around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. But, as a Washington Post analysis explained, What made the difference in the end was a Republican shift across much of the states suburbs which was large enough to carry Trump to a statewide victory of less than one percentage point. It was a similar story in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida. If Trump wants a second term, he needs to win those suburban GOP voters back.

There is no need for Trump to choose between energizing his base and expanding it. He can do both by using the presidential bully pulpit to reach out to those who disagree with him. For example, suburban voters constantly hear from the left that Trump is a racist, and no one wants to vote for a bigot. But during the 2016 campaign, Trump reached out to African-American voters, visiting a black church in Detroit and delivering a major speech in Charlotte in which he promised black Americans, Whether you vote for me or not, I will be your greatest champion.

Hes delivering on that promise. African-American unemployment reached its lowest rate on record. Trumps tax reform included Opportunity Zones to revitalize struggling low-income communities. Hes fighting for school choice and recently announced his support for bipartisan criminal-justice reform.

So why doesnt Trump visit a black church and say: I promised to fight for you whether you voted for me or not, and that is exactly what I am doing? His African American support has increased from about 8 percent of voters in 2016 to about 14 percent in a poll earlier this year. There is no reason it shouldnt go higher. And millions of persuadable suburban voters would be watching his outreach and would be more likely to support to a president who fights for everyone, including those who dont support him.

Such outreach would be a start toward a broader change in tone. The best policies in the world wont gain traction with suburban voters unless the presidents tenor become less bombastic and his administration less chaotic. Trump can win back voters who fled the GOP coalition in 2018 if he chooses to, and doing so does not have to come at the expense of tending to his blue-collar base. But time is running short. The longer he waits, the more impressions of the president harden, the less persuadable these voters become  and the more likely it is that Trump will end up a one-term president.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen.
Retired Adm. William McRaven has served this country with honor and integrity.

His decorated military career, which spanned nearly four decades, includes the killing of Osama bin Laden and the capture of Saddam Hussein. He served under former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. That is, a Democrat and a Republican.

After military service, he served as chancellor of the University of Texas at Austin, but he left that post in May, citing health concerns.

In short, McRaven, a San Antonio native, reflects the best of America. He rose to the top of the U.S. Navy, leading some of the most important missions of the past 20 years. He put the country first and demonstrated excellence in leadership.

He has also spoken with candidness about what he views as President Donald Trumps failures as a leader, saying Trump has embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.

These comments, and others, have not gone unnoticed by the president, who derided McRaven during a recent interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday.

During that interview, Trump referred to McRaven as a Hillary Clinton fan and suggested he should have caught bin Laden faster.

Of course, McRavens forces were not tasked with finding bin Laden. That task fell to the CIA. McRavens forces were tasked with catching bin Laden, and they did just that, killing the terrorist in 2011 during a breathtaking and harrowing raid. The capture of bin Laden, at any point in time, is a moment to be celebrated, not to be disparaged.

As for the Clinton backer comment, its inaccurate and meaningless. McRaven has said in a statement that he did not back Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, but even if he did, who cares? Its beside the point. McRaven hasnt been criticizing Trump because he is a Republican. Hes been criticizing the president because he clearly believes the president has been acting unpresidential.

I admire all presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the nation together in challenging times, McRaven said.

If Trump dislikes such criticism, he should give his critics less fodder. He has disparaged judges, political opponents and the Federal Reserve, undermining faith in key institutions. He has been slow to dismiss white nationalism. He has strained relationships with key allies in Europe, Canada and Mexico.

And most recently, the president has stepped in it in regard to his treatment of the military. His rhetorical attacks on McRaven are reminiscent of his rhetorical attacks on John McCain, the late Arizona senator and war hero (I like people who werent captured, Trump said).

They also were made on the heels of Trumps failure to attend a World War I ceremony in France because of concern about rain, a failure to visit Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day due to travel considerations, and a decision to not hold any public events on the Monday holiday for Veterans Day.

These actions matter. Its important for presidents to honor veterans for their past, present and future sacrifices. It all ties back to that quaint notion about the dignity of the office. Trumps rhetorical attacks on McRaven again showed that lack of dignity. They were regrettable remarks that reflect poorly on the president.
As mass shootings become an almost daily occurrence, pretty soon the number of people touched by gun violence will outnumber those unaffected and the question of gun control will resolve itself.

At the rate these tragedies are happening, it wont be long before that critical mass point is reached and sensible gun control legislation should follow.

Judy Hummel

It is my job

Re: Not doctors job, Your Turn, Tuesday:

Gun ownership is a personal choice and thus not at issue during an office visit. How weapons are stored, who has access and whether there is adequate supervision is my business.

As a safety advocate, reminding parents about the importance of secure gun storage is just as important as discussing car seat use, water safety and poison control. A conversation about guns is not an attack on the Second Amendment but an opportunity to prevent accidental injury and death in my patients home, which is inclusive of law-abiding gun owners.

Linda F. Howelton, M.D.

Things change

America was built on many things, among them the practice of slavery. Yet I think everyone can agree that we certainly dont want to go back in that direction. So to assume that America should forever freely allow illegal immigrants to enter into the country is ridiculous. There has to be restrictions and limitations for several reasons.

For one, were not living in the early 1900s when there was a need for infrastructure. That time has come and passed.

Second, millions of U.S citizens are living in poverty, and as a country we need to take care of them before we take on other countries citizens.

Third, at some point we as a country have to realize that there are only so many jobs available even for the millions of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. What happens when there are more people than jobs?

And, finally, we have to come to the realization that we live in a terrorist world. Gone are the days of our soldiers fighting their soldiers. These extremist groups will attack anyone, anywhere, at anytime. They dont care if women or children or innocent men get in the way.

Alberto Gamboa

Just what it says

Re: The 14th meant  Your Turn, Nov. 11, and What 14th means, Your Turn, Nov. 18:

William Montjoye wrote that this amendment was never intended to protect the human rights of children born to a woman who entered the country without permission. Another letter a week later expressed similar sentiments.

Reading the thoughts of long dead people is an iffy prospect at best. The 14th amendment was ratified in 1868, but the first law restricting immigration, the Chinese Exclusion Act, was passed in 1882. If the creators of the 14th amendment had had a concept of illegal immigration, a dubious assumption, they could have written it into the text.

To eliminate birthright citizenship, a bill would first have to be passed by Congress, unlikely in the foreseeable future. The bill would be challenged in federal court as unconstitutional and work its way up to the Supreme Court. Many of the conservative justices, like the late Justice Scalia, believe in interpreting the Constitution as it is written, so I expect they would overturn it.

The eminent Donald Trump knows less about the Constitution that I do, a scary thought since my last class in American government was in ninth grade. The president, Congress and the federal judiciary all have power over each other to prevent any one of the three from gaining too much power. Our Founding Fathers made a system that thwarts abuses such as dictatorial powers. Trump raging at judges who make rulings that dont please him shows that he does not understand this concept.

Lastly, if a few thousand half-starved people on foot constitute an invasion, God help us if somebody attacks with bombs and missiles.

Thomas L. Arnow, Ph.D.

The risk is real

Re: Terror movie weather feared, front page, Tuesday:

Thank you for boldly choosing to put news of the most recent report from Nature Climate Change on the front page. It deserves urgent attention, but it has, so far, not received that among any powerful and public decision-makers.

Polls show that the majority of voters believe climate change is real, but they are not asked about the urgency of the problem. This article helps explain that. Undoubtedly, expect to receive hate mail in response because, unfortunately, many who know little of the science also know little of the impacts well face. Obviously, the fact that we dont know the future and cant predict exactly when and where is no excuse for ignoring the risks. Unfortunately, the same is done with the national debt.

On the other side of the issue, many environmentalists, by doing the same as they have since the 1970s, turn off so many moderates by blaming industry for a doom-and-gloom scenario. This often ignores how corporations work.

Indeed, its like mixing saltwater and freshwater systems. When they meet, they do not mix well. Fact is, there are indeed startup solutions, such as the carbon dividends plan from the Climate Leadership Council or from Citizens Climate Lobby. At this point, its either more regulations or more cost for fossil fuels. The latter is the best method, according to economists, and therefore has the best chance of success. After all, it leaves solutions up to the efficiencies of the market.

Like our debt, meaningful conversations of the dilemma turn emotional, and solutions, therefore, get ignored.

Bill Hurley, member, Citizens Climate Lobby of SA

Not disenfranchised

Re: Counting every vote the priority, Editorial, Monday:

How can a person who casts a provisional ballot be considered disenfranchised for failing to cure the ballot? Your editorial states that now that the provisional ballot list is public record it needs to be scrutinized .to determine if prohibiting the delayed release  disenfranchised any voter.

A person casting a provisional ballot was told verbally and in writing exactly what needed to be accomplished and the time frame to do it. If a voter fails to properly follow up, how can that be considered disenfranchising?

Don Ripley, Floresville
When Jannine Cody gave birth to her daughter more than three decades ago, the doctors could not tell her how the child would develop or what her quality of life would be like.

Elizabeth was born with a bilateral cleft palate and lip and her feet were turned inward. She was diagnosed with a chromosome 18 abnormality, caused by a random genetic mutation. Cody was told Elizabeth might remain in a vegetative state for her entire life, but little else.

When she was born, we were given a page out of a book with a list of all these terrible things, Cody said. And when I wanted to know what applied to her, because some obviously did not, it was kind of wait and see.

That, Cody would soon decide, was simply not good enough.

Determined to learn more about her daughters condition, Cody returned to school, earning a doctorate in human genetics from UT Health San Antonio. She wanted to connect with other families affected by the rare genetic condition, and in April 1990 formed the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society, a group to offer support and a sense of community.

A few months later, building on her research of Elizabeths condition, Cody formed the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center, a lab housed in the pediatric department at UT Health San Antonio. It remains the worlds only research initiative dedicated to understanding the complexity of chromosome 18 abnormalities, making it the place for research on the condition, the organizations leaders say.

Were the worldwide resource, right here in San Antonio, said Cody, now 63.

Today, the research center and the nonprofit registry remain affiliated, both led by Cody. The research centers current work is fully funded by the fundraising efforts of the registry, which is in contact with about 4,000 families across the country, including more than 650 who are enrolled in research efforts.

The organizations website is chromosome18.org and its phone is 210-657-4968. Money raised goes toward treatment-focused development and research to improve the lives of children and families affected by Chromosome 18 conditions.

Every person has 23 pairs of chromosomes inherited from their parents, structures that carry the genetic material of cells. Irregularities in chromosomes can have wide-ranging effects on a persons growth and development.

Unlike mutations with chromosome 21, which result in 200,000 cases of Down syndrome a year, anomalies with chromosome 18 are far more rare and unpredictable. Chromosome 18 can mutate in five main ways, all of which involve specific and unique deletions or copies of the chromosome.

The most common chromosome 18 abnormality, Trisomy 18, happens in one out of every 6,000 to 8,000 live births. Babies with Trisomy 18 have three copies of the chromosome, resulting in severe physical problems that frequently cause them to die before birth, or soon afterward.

An even more rare abnormality, Ring 18, occurs in one of 300,000 live births and involves the deletion of DNA from both ends of chromosome 18. It causes developmental delays and can result in growth hormone deficiencies, intellectual deficits and symptoms on the autism spectrum.

Because of the variability of chromosome 18 mutations, people who have them do not share physical characteristics or even the same symptoms. Its broad nature is on display at the research center, where four bulletin boards are crowded with photographs of the people participating in the research.

At the centers lab, research associate Patricia Heard runs tests on blood samples obtained from the participants. Those tests, along with surveys and information gleaned from medical records, improve the understanding of what genes are involved in the chromosomes various iterations of copies and deletions.

More than 50 academic papers by the centers researchers have been published in the last three decades.

In addition, Chromosome 18 helps bring together families living with the condition. Every year the registry organizes events and a national conference that draws from 400 to 500 people, some of whom travel internationally to attend. The registrys executive director, Neale Parker, said the event is educational but also amounts to a family reunion on steroids.

With it being a rare disease, that network of being able to talk to other people that are going through the same thing is so important, he said.

Although Elizabeths prognosis was initially uncertain, she has far exceeded early expectations. She has a growth hormone deficiency and is hearing and speech impaired, but that has not stopped her from being involved with her mothers lifelong work.

Now 33, having undergone close to 30 surgeries, Elizabeth works as an administrative assistant for the registry and volunteers weekly at University Hospital. She previously assisted with experiments on mice at UT Health San Antonio.

Last year, when she gave an interview to Special Books by Special Kids, a channel that interviews children with disabilities, the video went viral, racking up almost 2 million views on Facebook.

I want people to know that Im a normal person, she said in the video.

Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba
The San Antonio Fire Museum, housed in the historic Central Fire Headquarters building near the Alamo, offers a glimpse for some 14,000 visitors annually into an era when volunteers used hand-operated water pumpers and heavy leather hoses to battle fires in early San Antonio.

Officials of the five-year-old museum at 801 E. Houston St. fund a $225,000 operating budget with donations, museum store sales and admission fees of $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3-12. But the museum could do more to advance its mission of preserving San Antonios firefighting heritage and educating children and adults about fire prevention and safety.

We want to share our history with everybody, said Jim Wueste, president of the Fire Museum Society.

If somebody came in and their great-grandfather was a firefighter, Id love to be able to have a kiosk they could come up to and type in that name, and wed have all that information, Wueste said.

The dream of a place to honor the thousands of men and women who have toiled and sacrificed to protect lives and property in the Alamo City dates to 1997, when a group of fire personnel sought to find a way to organize and display the many photographs, mementos and documents that were in storage.

San Antonio Fire Museum Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday though Saturday Admission: $5 adults; $3 seniors 60 and over; $2 children 3-12 Group tours: $2 each for groups of 10-25; free for members, children under 3 and uniformed SAFD and military personnel Phone: 210-390-7236 Website: sanantoniofiremuseum.org Needs: Donations, museum admissions, museum store sales See More Collapse

The society, a registered nonprofit, opened the museum in 2013 at the old fire headquarters, which it leases on a yearly basis. The building, also once known as Station No. 1, a 1938 structure of the Works Progress Administration, housed three firefighting units and held personnel records, with an adjoining structure where equipment was serviced, supplies delivered and furniture built for other fire stations.

This was like a little city. It just never closed, Wueste said.

Joe Garza, a docent and retired battalion chief, said volunteers scraped and painted the station during a renovation that also included electrical rewiring and installation of air-conditioning in the stations main bays.

I was assigned to a ladder truck that used to park here. And I can tell you the station never looked this nice, Garza told a group on a recent tour.

San Antonios first volunteer fire department was organized in 1854. According to a narrative written for a 1952 convention, it began as only a bucket brigade with a lot of vim and vigor that was determined to do something about protecting life and property against the demon fire.

The company acquired a two-wheeled hook and ladder truck in 1856, and in 1858 purchased the first hand-operated fire engine used in San Antonio, storing it in a one-story adobe structure, part of a 1700s presidio in Military Plaza.

Water for firefighting was drawn from the river or other body of water through a suction pipe, then carried through 50-foot sections of leather hose. A bound history of the Fire Department printed in 2000 by Turner Publishing Co. describes an 1874 blaze at the Alamo as one of the famous fires in Old San Antonio. The Alamo Fire occurred on a Sunday afternoon at Honore Grenets store, whose facade had been built around the mission-era Long Barrack. Firemen used water from a nearby acequia to battle the blaze, saving the store.

In 1891, the local volunteer companies were disbanded and reorganized as the citys paid fire department, with 45 men and six fire houses.

Another famous, early-morning fire in 1912 killed five nuns and three boys at a Catholic orphanage where CHRISTUS Santa Rosa health system now stands downtown. According to witness accounts, the nuns died trying to save infants and children.

Perhaps the showpiece of the museum collection, on loan from the Witte Museum, is a coal-fired 1892 Ahrens Steamer drawn by three horses, then later pulled by a tractor by the late 1920s. It was one of three steamers bought by the city, and the only one not donated for scrap metal during World War I, Wueste said.

Next door, the annex building that once was a shop for the Fire Department has an EMS unit and other displays primarily for children. Fire safety puppet shows are presented to children, who also can try on kid-size firefighting gear.

The museums antique fire trucks include a 1951 Mack Truck and American LaFrance emergency vehicles from 1927 and 1981 that are used in parades, fundraisers and firefighter funerals. There also is a tribute to 28 fire/EMS personnel who have died in service since 1896, including Scott Deem, who was killed in a 2017 fire at a Northwest Side gym.

Wueste said he and his 12-member nonprofit board would like to improve and expand the museum, with digitization of archives; modern interactive displays; more exhibits on special topics, such as 9/11 and San Antonios early black firefighters; renovation of upstairs and basement space for education and archival storage; and installation of an elevator for disability access. The museum society, an independent nonprofit, hopes to negotiate a long-term lease or conveyance with the city for both buildings.

The museum has more than 50 core volunteers, mostly retired firefighters and spouses, and about 400 members, with memberships available for $60 annually.

It receives donations through bequests and firefighter pension and United Way payroll deductions, and will participate in The Big Give next March 28. It also relies on income from sales of coffee mugs, T-shirts and other items in its store. The museum began charging admission in early 2017, but wants to remain affordable.

Hopefully, these younger firefighters will follow us and carry on this mission, Wueste said. But its tough with a completely volunteer model.

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
Rhonda Harmon lives in a 950-square-foot house built in the 1960s with, at last count, six dogs and five cats.

For the past seven years, Harmons been a foster parent to dogs sent to her by Tracys Dogs, a San Antonio-based organization that rescues dogs from South Texas shelters and finds them homes in other states.

She champions the homeless animal and the virtues of fostering, a somber subject that she attacks with cold logic and self-deprecating humor.

My husband put a two-dog limit on me, she said, referring to her permanent resident dogs.

She prefers to take in sickly or traumatized foster dogs, a trait that earned her the nickname Mange Mama. Feeding medicine by syringe to a feeble dog with distemper or some other deadly disease has become routine for her.

Its emotionally wrenching work. People tell her they couldnt foster pets because they would get too attached. But fostering pets buys them precious time.

Can you forgo your feelings for just a little bit? If you dont, they die.

To make room in her modest house, Harmon knocked down walls. There are now three rooms  a master bedroom, a living room-kitchen and a kennel room. She needs a new fence, the backyard perimeter is a patchwork of repair jobs that never end.

Related: Child's generosity inspires Jaxon's FROG Foundation to comfort kids with cancer

Her devotion to rescues began with a Tracys Dogs call on Facebook for foster parents. She answered.

When the time came for her to let go of that first dog, a shih tzu bound for Minnesota, Harmon made a video for herself.

That was my closure, she said.

Then she put it on YouTube. She did the same with the next rescue dog, and every one after that. Theyve become a favorite feature on TracysDogs.com.

Tracys Dogs, founded by Tracy Voss-Whyatt and Scott Whyatt, is a great example of the power of the internet. The nationwide organization wouldnt be possible without YouTube and pet-oriented websites.

In 2010, Voss  not yet married to Whyatt, a New York transplant  was laid off from a job in pharmaceutical sales.

I was not happy, Voss-Whyatt said.

In an effort to climb out of her funk, the lifelong animal lover went to the citys Animal Care Services main office to get special permission to video-record dogs at the Brooks City Base auxiliary facility, to which there was no general public access. Dogs taken to there are just being held for euthanasia.

Voss-Whyatts cellphone videos posted to online animal boards and YouTube were their last chance.

What was very surprising to me, Voss-Whyatt said, people were calling from all over the country and rescuing the dogs. I thought that was pretty cool!

Related: Genetic mutation is focus of group and research lab in San Antonio

Soon after, she was rehired to do animal health pharmaceutical sales. Buoyed by a steady job, she kept making videos, and it just went kaboom from there.

A San Antonian who relocated to Colorado contacted Voss-Whyatt about transporting several dogs. The seed was planted for what became the organizations operations model.

Most dogs come from shelters along the Rio Grande Valley, a region with a poor history for humane pet care  80 percent havent been spayed/neutered and the rescue rate is barely 30 percent, Voss-Whyatt said. In San Antonio, eight of 10 shelter dogs are rescued.

Applications are screened by volunteer adoption managers based in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin and Georgia. The team targets regions with higher income levels and neighborhoods known for humane treatment.

Dogs brought to San Antonio arrive at an old farmhouse north of Stone Oak on Borgfeld Road. They start in quarantine to be spayed, neutered and/or treated for illnesses. Once medically cleared, they are scheduled for transport out of state.

The program revolves around two monthly events  Gotcha Day and Go Get-em Day. When Whyatt and his adult daughter leave Texas with one truck-trailer to deliver 60 dogs to their adopters, Voss-Whyatt goes south with a second truck-trailer to pick up shelter dogs.

The operation has outgrown the Borgfeld farmhouse. Tracys Dogs bought a 22-acre ranch north of Hondo with plans to move all its animal care services to the new site.

Construction of a medical clinic is expected to be complete next year. Several other buildings are planned.

The organization keeps growing in complexity because Voss-Whyatt wants to save every dog in every shelter, a goal she admits is impossible.

It rules my life. I never imagined this, Voss-Whyatt said.

But its successes keep the team going strong. Thousands of animals have been adopted across a dozen states. Facebook Live streams of Gotcha Days draw hundreds of on-site visitors and thousands of online viewers.

Related: Use your head, not just heart, when giving to charity

While the core mission of Tracys Dogs is to rescue dogs from regional shelters and transport them to good homes out of state, South Texas residents can help by their giving through the website, www.TracysDogs.com or by applying to be a Pet Parent (foster parent for dogs on a transport waiting list), or by applying to adopt.

For adoptions, do not fill the online application since that is for scheduled out-of-state Gotcha Day deliveries. Instead, send your email inquiry to info@tracysdogs.com or send a letter to 11765 West Ave., San Antonio, TX 78216.

The mission, with all its trials, is its own reward for Harmon. Two rescue animals now are permanent residents and her best helpers  Kinker, a 17-year-old cat, and Rebel, a Pomeranian that loves to play with everyone.

One day, Voss-Whyatt handed off a near impossible case, a catatonic dog that just stared blankly into space. In three days, Kinker and Rebel had accomplished a 180. Harmon called Voss-Whyatt.

George was in love with the cat. Tracy couldnt believe it, she said. I love to see the happy endings.

Harmon is 63. She retired early to do this. She has a message for people who are reluctant to volunteer, especially for those staying in a job they dont find rewarding.

Find your passion. It doesnt have to be this. Find it and get out and do it.
Every Monday, the fellowship hall at the San Pedro Presbyterian Church becomes a healing sanctuary for military veterans left damaged and distressed from their service.

The vets come with chronic pain, anxieties, insomnia and other ills. Under dimmed light and with gentle music playing, they receive therapies that include massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and Asian energy balancing.

Often nervous on arrival, they are greeted by other veterans, such as Timothy Burnette, 60, who have walked in their shoes.

I see people come in on crutches, in wheelchairs or with canes, and after going through the process, Ive seen them walk out of here, said Burnette, an Army vet who once took multiple pills daily for back pain. He is now pill free.

Im not a believer. Im a living example. I went through six sessions. Thats why I volunteer here, he added.

Now in its seventh year, the Veterans Team Recovery Integrative Immersion Process or Vet Triip, treats about 180 veterans and family members a month in five locations in San Antonio, New Braunfels and Houston. All of the free sessions are held in church facilities.

Most of the clients come from informal referrals from the VA, military hospitals and veterans centers. Each vet may receive up to six immersion treatments. Theres a three-to five-month waiting list.

We started once a month and it snowballed. By the third year, we got a ($75,000) grant from the Texas Veterans Commission, and we went from 100 sessions a month to 200 sessions a month, said Robert Deschner, 64, a chemical engineer by training.

Deschner and his wife Dottie Goodsun, a retired schoolteacher, created the unusual treatment regimen with considerable input from military clinics that treat combat post-traumatic stress disorder, including those at Fort Bliss and Fort Hood.

Our motto is, everything improves with relaxation, comfort and better sleep. You dont need a clinical study to believe that, Deschner said

About 200 people, including chiropractors, massage therapists, energy workers and acupuncturists, work with the veterans, and most donate all or part of their time, Deschner said.

We take the worst of the worst. We give them special attention. Well have two or three people work on them and also talk to them individually, he said.

Goodsun said the program can be broken down into three basic stages, with the first involving clothes-on massage, chiropractic, acupressure, acupuncture and related therapies.

Stage two is more experiential, where we teach them self-directing techniques for handling pain and stress, and in stage three, we offer yoga and creative arts, she said.

In 2017, outside medical professionals evaluated the program by reviewing data based the written reports made by 1,561 veterans about their condition before and after treatment.

According to the analysis, almost all of the vets reported significant reduction in pain and stress after receiving treatment.

I collaborated with them with regards to the data. Basically it was a measure of whether the program is effective, and it is effective. Im very impressed, said Maria Danet Bluhm, a registered nurse with expertise in stress and trauma.

Bluhm is currently an assistant professor at the school of nursing at UT Health San Antonio.

Another outsider, Mark Shapiro, 68, a physicians assistant formerly in charge of the polytrauma clinic at the VA, is a member of Vet Triips board.

We prescribe so many meds to young veterans at the VA in general. When they come to Vet Triip, some are still on five to 10 drugs, he said.

And while Vet Triip does not tell veterans to stop taking medications, he said, it attempts to offer alternative treatments.

Every day is always the best day weve ever had there. Its just amazing, he said of the Vet Triip results.

Karen Brandt, 56, a massage therapist who has volunteered her services for the past four years, also took the treatment to help her deal with a personal crisis.

Its very rewarding for me. Interesting enough, after my husband died about a year ago, coming here was a big part of my recovery, she said.

Its like a whole cloud lifts off of you. For a moment, you are suspended in this peaceful realm; and as you leave, the peace follows you. Thats what I see happening, she added.

Deschner said the demand for Vet Triip services far outweighs what they can provide, and funding remains a constant need. Most comes from grants and from private donations.

There are 211,000 veterans and active-duty servicemen and -women in Bexar County and the contiguous counties. We have people who drive from Kerrville, Killeen and Karnes City, he said.

When the Texas Veterans Commission gave us $75,000, we doubled our capacity. Right now, $150,000 would allow us to double it again, and we will not run out of veterans, he said.

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct Danet Bluhms position at UT Health.

jmaccormack@express-news.net
TRIP REPORT



Submitted by Alexander Stare



After 3 weeks of vacation in Japan, we took the evening flight QR813 to Doha which departs right after midnight. There is several ways to get from Downtown to Tokyo Haneda Airport: commuter train, Monorail, Airport Limousine Bus from Tokyo Station, Taxis or private shuttle. I chose the Airport Limousine Bus which took me from Tokyo Station in about 35 minutes to Haneda. Despite being in the largest city in the world, we were the only two passengers on board. After 3 weeks of vacation in Japan, we took the evening flight QR813 to Doha which departs right after midnight. There is several ways to get from Downtown to Tokyo Haneda Airport: commuter train, Monorail, Airport Limousine Bus from Tokyo Station, Taxis or private shuttle. I chose the Airport Limousine Bus which took me from Tokyo Station in about 35 minutes to Haneda. Despite being in the largest city in the world, we were the only two passengers on board.





Meanwhile, Haneda is the fourth largest in the world by passenger numbers. I liked the large observation terrace and there are plenty of stores and restaurants where you could spend your time and money.





Check-in was efficient and friendly, security check priority lane was just for frequent flyers Gold or Platinum members. We were through the check within five minutes.









The JAL Sakura Lounge is a two-floor lounge with a smoking room, good food available and very clean as there is not much to clean. Japanese people are very thoughtful and would not leave their trays on the table.









QR813 was on time, boarding went smoothly and once you board Qatar Airways Business Class you are in paradise. These guys still know how to gift and host their guests. There are several welcome drinks available, I took the lemon-mint drink, which tastes fantastic and is a Qatar Airways distinctive mark.





Typical of Qatar Airways is that the CSD Cabin Service Director visits each passenger, greets them by name and presents themselves as the CSD (they also apologise in person in case of delay).





The flight journey from Tokyo to Doha takes 11h 20min and you are offered an a la carte menu where you can eat any time you want, and chose from either the a la carte menu or the Japanese kaiseki menu. A la carte consists of a soup, two appetizers, three mains, cheese plate and three desserts.









Wine choice consists of two white and three red wines. The value of these wines, if they were to be purchased on the internet range from around 08-44 EUR per bottle. The French Bordeaux was 44 EUR (still a nice change to the US and European Carriers where max prizes range at 08-22 EUR).









IFE screens are 17 inches, A350 Business has 1-2-1 configuration, 3 lavatories, 36 seats and seat dimensions 30x80 inches. IFE had a big selection of movies, not just Hollywood Blockbusters, there were plenty of languages available too. Only in German there were about 30 movies. It was one of the better IFEs I've encountered on my business trips. Over at the middle seats there are no overhead bins, so the cabin is wide and roomy.





We headed down South over Osaka, turned right heading towards Seoul, flew over Beijing and later on Mongolia, Iran to Qatar.





Seats are fine, but the largest part in the front seat seemed to be a bit narrow. Still I enjoyed a 7.5 hour sleep and I woke up somewhere over Iran, about 1 hour prior to landing in Doha.





Breakfast choice is Continental, Japanese or a Light Option with some Nigiri and Suhi rolls. Flight QR813 was full in business class.









At Doha Airport, many of the flights park at a remote stand. Pick-up for Business Class passengers is by a Business Class-seat configured bus and of course fully air-conditioned. The Qatar Lounge in Doha is huge, the largest I ever visited and the best I have seen on all my trips so far. It amounts to 10.000 m2 and besides that lounge, there is another Business Class Lounge and a First Class Lounge.













Again you encounter award winning Arabian hospitality where, for example, toilets get cleaned after each person uses it. A level of service which has not existed in Europe for a long time. There is a great choice of excellent dishes which looked very tasty.





Our flight to Zurich was delayed by 2.5 hours, which did not really affect me as I enjoyed their beautiful lounge with a shower and chatted to their employees.





QR95 was again at a remote stand (actually it was the same aircraft which flew me from Haneda to Doha. Also one typical Qatar Airways feature: the cabin was perfectly cooled down and on the side where the sun was shining inside the cabin, the window shades were down.









On the flight to Zurich, the cabin load factor was about 33%. Again, a large option of a la carte food available or five light option choices. The flight took us over Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria to Zurich. The CSD was a Serbian lady with a fantastic service-minded attitude. We talked a lot about Qatar Airways and their high level of service. She also said to me that cabin members are checking F/C restrooms every 5-10 minutes and if they pass the cabin and see a passenger leaving the toilet, they will do a spot check immediately to check whether the toilet was left clean.









After another six hours we landed in Zurich where I felt relaxed and got my bags in no time.









Qatar Airways business class is the best product I have flown on. And after my Melbourne trip a couple years ago, I can confirm, Qatar Airways is and remains my best business class experience and is a welcoming difference to, for example my BA A380 business class trip to Vancouver a couple weeks ago.





Regardless of the discussion if Gulf carriers receive state aid, Qatar Airways gets points with little details such as the lemon-mint drink while boarding, the CSD welcoming each passenger by name and apologising if a delay occurred, walking through the cabin even during night flights every 5-10 minutes, cleaning lavatories every 05-10 minutes, window slides down on one side while boarding or the real roses which you find in the entrance area of the aircraft. These are features which dont cost millions of USD, its just proof that Al Baker and his team take hospitality seriously and the business class customer is still a king.





Flying with Qatar Airways in business class is definitely still like what you see it in airline commercials. Absolutely worth paying the extra bucks!
FAIRFIELD  Despite an extremely cold morning, more than 4,000 runners ran for charity Thursday at the Pequot Runners 41st annual Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Fairfield.

This is by far the coldest its ever been on a Thanksgiving Day in my 29 years of directing this race, said Pequot Runners President Jeff Palmer.
The following companies are subsidiares of Archer-Daniels-Midland: ADM (Shanghai) Management Co. LTD, ADM (Thailand) Ltd, ADM Ag Holdings Ltd, ADM Agri-Industries Company, ADM Agriculture Limited, ADM Agro Iberica S. L. U., ADM Agro Indust Latur and Vizag Pvt Ltd, ADM Agro Industries India Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries KOTA and AKOLA Pvt. Ltd., ADM Agro SRL, ADM Agroinvestimentos LTDA, ADM Alliance Nutrition of Puerto Rico LLC, ADM Americas S de RL, ADM Andina Peru SRL, ADM Antwerp NV, ADM Arkady Ireland Limited, ADM Asia-Pacific Trading Pte. Ltd., ADM Australia Holdings I PTY Limited, ADM Bio Science And Technology (Tianjin) Co Ltd, ADM Bioproductos SA DE CV, ADM CZERNIN SA, ADM Caribbean Inc, ADM Chile Comercial LTDA, ADM Clinton Bioprocessing Inc, ADM DO Brasil LTDA, ADM Direct Polska SP. ZO.O, ADM Dominican Holdings Inc., ADM Dominicana SA, ADM Edible Bean Specialties Inc, ADM Europe HoldCo SL, ADM European Holdings LLC, ADM European Management Holding GMBH, ADM Export Co, ADM Food Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ADM France, ADM Germany GmbH, ADM Grain River System Inc., ADM Hamburg Aktiengesesllschaft, ADM Holding (Thailand) LTD, ADM Holdings LLC, ADM Hungary Agro Trading LLC, ADM Industries Centers Ltd, ADM International Holdings Inc, ADM International SARL, ADM Interoceanic LTD, ADM Investments LTD, ADM Investor Services Inc, ADM Investor Services International LTD, ADM Ireland Receivables Company Limited, ADM Israel, ADM Japan Ltd, ADM MALBORK SA, ADM Mainz GMBH, ADM Medsofts Sarl, ADM Mexico Inc, ADM Mexico SA DE CV, ADM Milling Co, ADM Milling LTD, ADM New Zealand Limited, ADM Olomouc S.R.O., ADM Paraguay SRL, ADM Protexin Limited, ADM Pura Limited, ADM Receivables LLC, ADM Rice Inc, ADM Ringaskiddy Unlimited Company, ADM Romania Logistics SRL, ADM Romania Trading SRL, ADM Specialty Ingredients - Europe BV, ADM Spyck GMBH, ADM Szamotuly SP Z O.O, ADM Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., ADM Trading Co, ADM Transportation Company, ADM Trucking Inc, ADM Vietnam CO. LTD, ADM WILD Europe GmbH and Co. KG, ADM WILD Ingredients GmbH, ADM WILD Nauen GmbH, ADM WILD Valencia S.A., ADM Wild Netherlands BV, ADM Worldwide Holdings LP, ADMIS Holding Co Inc., ADMIS Hong Kong LTD, ADMIS Singapore Pte Limited, AOR, AT Holdings II Company, Agri Port Services Investments Ltd., Agri Port Services LLC, Agricolas Madagascar SARLU, Agrinational Insurance Co, Agriserve, Agrograin LTD, Alfrebro LLC, Alfred C Toepfer International Netherlands BV, Alimenta USA, American River Transportation Company LLC, Ameriseed, Amylum Bulgaria EAD, Amylum Nisasta Sanayi Ve Ticarek Anonim Sirketi, Archer Daniels Midland (UK) Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Asia Pacific Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Erith LTD, Archer Daniels Midland Europe BV, Archer Daniels Midland Europoort BV, Archer Daniels Midland Nederland BV, Archer Daniels Midland Singapore PTE LTD, Arinos Unlimited, Aston Foods & Food Ingredients, Balanceados Nova SA Balnova, Barbados Mills Limited, Bela Vista Bio Etanol Participacoes LTDA, Bern Aqua, BioPolis SL, Biopolis, Campa Sued GmbH & Co KG, Cattleman's Choice Loomix LLC, Chamtor, Ci ADM Colombia Ltda., Controladora ADM Sa De Cv, Crosswind Petfoods Inc., Daavision BV, Eaststarch, Eatem Corporation, Eatem Foods, Elstar Oils, English River Pellets Inc., Epicore Bionetworks INC, Epicore Networks (USA) INC, Erich Ziegler GmbH, Evialis France, Fasco Mills Co., Filozoo SRL, Florida Chemical, Florida Chemical Company LLC, GP Blanching Inc., Global Cocoa Holdings LTD, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Golden Peanut and Tree Nut Seed SA (PTY) LTD, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts SA, Group Lysac, Guyomarc'h - VCN Company Limited, Guyomarc'h Vietnam CO LTD, HFR Shipping Company Ltd, HRA Shipping Company Ltd, HTI Shipping Company Ltd, Harvest Innovations, Hilltop Grain and Feed, Holding P and A Asia Company Limited, Hubei Meiweiyuan Biotechnology, Ilitchevskiy Maslo Extractionniy Zavod (IMEZ), Invivo NSA Asia PTE LTD, Invivo NSA Philippines Inc, Jamaica Flour Mills Limited, Julius Meijer-Alpharma BV, LLC ADM Ukraine, Liquid Feed Commodities, Malta Industries SA de CV, Malta-Texo De Mexico SA de CV, Master Mix of Trinidad LTD, Medsofts Investment Co, Medsofts L.L.C., Medsofts Trading Co, Mepla Comercio e Navegacao Ltda, NRG Inc, Naviera Chaco SRL, Neovia, Neovia Latina SL, Neovia Nutricao E Saude Animal LTDA, North Star Shipping S.R.L., P and A Marketing SA, PJSC ADM Illichivsk, PT Wirifa Sakti, Pancosma (Shanghai) Feed Additives CO LTD, Pancosma France SAS, Pancosma SA, Premiere Agri Technologies of Mexico Inc, Pura Foods LTD, Rodelle Inc., Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann, Sermix, Setna Nutricion SA, Societe Industrielle Des Oleagineux, Southern Cellulose Products Inc, Soy Investors LLC, Specialty Commodities, Specialty Commodities LLC, Sul Mineira Alimentos LTDA, SzSzV Kft, Toepfer International, Toepfer International Trading (Shanghai) Co. LTD., Vantage Corn Processors LLC, WILD Amazon Flavors Ltda, WILD Flavors, Wild Flavors Inc., Wild Flavors International GmbH, Wild Flavors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Wild Intermare GmbH, Wild Russia LLC, and Wisium SA (PTY) LTD.
Shares of iShares Gold Trust reverse split 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.
The following companies are subsidiares of DaVita: Aberdeen Dialysis LLC, Accountable Kidney Care LLC, Adair Dialysis LLC, American Fork Dialysis LLC, American Medical Insurance Inc., Animas Dialysis LLC, Arcadia Gardens Dialysis LLC, Ashdow Dialysis LLC, Atlantic Dialysis LLC, Austin Dialysis Centers L.P., Barnell Dialysis LLC, Barrons Dialysis LLC, Barton Dialysis LLC, Bastrop Dialysis LLC, Beachside Dialysis LLC, Beck Dialysis LLC, Bellevue Dialysis LLC, Bemity Dialysis LLC, Beverly Hills Dialysis Partnership, Birch Dialysis LLC, Bladon Dialysis LLC, Bliss Dialysis LLC, Bohama Dialysis LLC, Bowan Dialysis LLC, Braddock Dialysis LLC, Bridges Dialysis LLC, Brimfield Dialysis LLC, Brook Dialysis LLC, Brownsville Kidney Center Ltd., Brownwood Dialysis LLC, Bruno Dialysis LLC, Buckhorn Dialysis LLC, Buford Dialysis LLC, Bullards Dialysis LLC, Bullock Dialysis LLC, Calante Dialysis LLC, Campton Dialysis LLC, Canyon Springs Dialysis LLC, Capes Dialysis LLC, Capital Dialysis Partnership, Capron Dialysis LLC, Carlton Dialysis LLC, Carroll County Dialysis Facility Inc., Carroll County Dialysis Facility Limited Partnership, Cascades Dialysis LLC, Caverns Dialysis LLC, Cedar Dialysis LLC, Centennial LV LLC, Central Carolina Dialysis Centers LLC, Central Georgia Dialysis LLC, Central Iowa Dialysis Partners LLC, Central Kentucky Dialysis Centers LLC, Channel Dialysis LLC, Cheraw Dialysis LLC, Chicago Heights Dialysis LLC, Chipeta Dialysis LLC, Churchill Dialysis LLC, Cinco Rios Dialysis LLC, Clark Dialysis LLC, Clayton Dialysis LLC, Cleburne Dialysis LLC, Clinica Central do Bonfim S.A., Clinton Township Dialysis LLC, Clyfee Dialysis LLC, Columbus-RNA-DaVita LLC, Conconully Dialysis LLC, Continental Dialysis Center Inc., Couer Dialysis LLC, Court Dialysis LLC, Cowell Dialysis LLC, Cowesett Dialysis LLC, Crossings Dialysis LLC, Crystals Dialysis LLC, Cuivre Dialysis LLC, Culbert Dialysis LLC, DC Healthcare International Inc., DNP Management Company LLC, DPS CKD LLC, DV Care Netherlands B.V., DV Care Netherlands C.V., DVA Healthcare - Southwest Ohio LLC, DVA Healthcare Renal Care Inc., DVA Healthcare of Maryland LLC, DVA Healthcare of Massachusetts Inc., DVA Healthcare of New London LLC, DVA Healthcare of Norwich LLC, DVA Healthcare of Pennsylvania LLC, DVA Healthcare of Tuscaloosa LLC, DVA Holdings Pte. Ltd., DVA Laboratory Services Inc., DVA Renal Healthcare Inc., DVA of New York Inc., DaVita - Riverside II LLC, DaVita - Riverside LLC, DaVita - West LLC, DaVita APAC Holding B.V., DaVita Brasil Participacoes e Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Care (Saudi Arabia), DaVita Dakota Dialysis Center LLC, DaVita Deutschland AG, DaVita Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DaVita El Paso East L.P., DaVita Germany GmbH, DaVita HK Holdings Limited, DaVita HealthCare Brasil Servicos Medicos Ltda., DaVita International Limited, DaVita Nefromed Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Nephron Care Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Rien Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita S.A.S., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Asa Sul Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Distrito Federal Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Guarulhos Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Jardim das Imbuias Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Taubate Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia de Araraquara Ltda., DaVita Sp. z o.o., DaVita Sud-Niedersachsen GmbH, DaVita Transrim Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita UTR Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita VillageHealth Inc., DaVita of New York Inc., Dallas-Fort Worth Nephrology L.P., Damon Dialysis LLC, Dialysis Holdings Inc., Dialysis of Des Moines LLC, Dialysis of Northern Illinois LLC, Dierks Dialysis LLC, Dolores Dialysis LLC, Dome Dialysis LLC, Doves Dialysis LLC, Downriver Centers Inc., EURODIAL - Centro de Nefrologia e Dialise de Leiria S.A., East End Dialysis Center Inc., East Ft. Lauderdale LLC, Ebrea Dialysis LLC, Edisto Dialysis LLC, Eldrist Dialysis LLC, Elgin Dialysis LLC, Elk Grove Dialysis Center LLC, Empire State DC Inc., Etowah Dialysis LLC, Ettleton Dialysis LLC, Eufaula Dialysis LLC, Falcon LLC, Family Health Care of Central Florida, Fanthorp Dialysis LLC, Federal Way Assurance Inc., Fields Dialysis LLC, Five Star Dialysis LLC, Fjords Dialysis LLC, Flagler Dialysis LLC, Flamingo Park Kidney Center Inc., Forester Dialysis LLC, Freehold Artificial Kidney Center L.L.C., Fremont Dialysis LLC, Frontier Dialysis LLC, Fullerton Dialysis Center LLC, GDC International LLC, Gambro Healthcare, Ganois Dialysis LLC, Garner Dialysis LLC, Garrett Dialysis LLC, Gaviota Dialysis LLC, Gebhard Dialysis LLC, Genesis KC Development LLC, GiveLife Dialysis LLC, Glassland Dialysis LLC, Glosser Dialysis LLC, Goliad Dialysis LLC, Grand Home Dialysis LLC, Greater Las Vegas Dialysis LLC, Greater Los Angeles Dialysis Centers LLC, Green Country Dialysis LLC, Green Desert Dialysis LLC, Griffin Dialysis LLC, Groten Dialysis LLC, Harmony Dialysis LLC, Hart Dialysis LLC, Hawn Dialysis LLC, Healthcare Partners, Helmer Dialysis LLC, Hennepin Dialysis LLC, Hewett Dialysis LLC, Hilgards Dialysis LLC, Hochatown Dialysis LLC, Home Kidney Care LLC, Honeyman Dialysis LLC, Houston Kidney Center/Total Renal Care Integrated Service Network Limited Partnership, Hummer Dialysis LLC, Hunter Dialysis LLC, Huntington Artificial Kidney Center Ltd., Hyde Dialysis LLC, IDC -International Dialysis Centers Lda, ISD Bartlett LLC, ISD Corpus Christi LLC, ISD I Holding Company Inc., ISD II Holding Company Inc., ISD Las Vegas LLC, ISD Lees Summit LLC, ISD Renal Inc., ISD Schaumburg LLC, ISD Spring Valley LLC, ISD Summit Renal Care LLC, Iroquois Dialysis LLC, Jacinto Dialysis LLC, Jenness Dialysis LLC, Kamiah Dialysis LLC, Kanika Dialysis LLC, Kavett Dialysis LLC, Kenai Dialysis LLC, Kershaw Dialysis LLC, Kidney Home Center LLC, Kimball Dialysis LLC, Kingston Dialysis LLC, Kinnick Dialysis LLC, Kinter Dialysis LLC, Kiowa Dialysis LLC, Knickerbocker Dialysis Inc., Lakeshore Dialysis LLC, Landing Dialysis LLC, Landor Dialysis LLC, Lassen Dialysis LLC, Leasburg Dialysis LLC, Leawood Dialysis LLC, Lees Dialysis LLC, Legare Development LLC, Liberty RC Inc., Lifeline Pensacola LLC, Lifeline Vascular Center-Albany LLC, Lincoln Park Dialysis Services Inc., Livingston Dialysis LLC, Llano Dialysis LLC, Lofield Dialysis LLC, Logoley Dialysis LLC, Lone Dialysis LLC, Long Beach Dialysis Center LLC, Lord Baltimore Dialysis LLC, Lory Dialysis LLC, Lourdes Dialysis LLC, Lyndale Dialysis LLC, MVZ DaVita Alzey GmbH, MVZ DaVita Aurich GmbH, MVZ DaVita Bad Aibling GmbH, MVZ DaVita Bad Duben GmbH, MVZ DaVita Cardio Centrum Dusseldorf GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dillenburg GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dinkelsbuhl GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dormagen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Duisburg GmbH, MVZ DaVita Elsterland GmbH, MVZ DaVita Emden GmbH, MVZ DaVita Falkensee GmbH, MVZ DaVita Geilenkirchen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Gera GmbH, MVZ DaVita Iserlohn GmbH, MVZ DaVita Monchengladbach GmbH, MVZ DaVita Neuss GmbH, MVZ DaVita Niederrhein GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Aachen Alsdorf GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Berlin-Britz GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Hamm-Ahlen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Prenzlau-Pasewalk GmbH, MVZ DaVita Rhein-Ahr GmbH, MVZ DaVita Rhein-Ruhr GmbH, MVZ DaVita Schwalm-Eder GmbH, MVZ DaVita Viersen GmbH, Madigan Dialysis LLC, Magney Dialysis LLC, Magoffin Dialysis LLC, Makonee Dialysis LLC, Marlton Dialysis Center LLC, Marseille Dialysis LLC, Mason-Dixon Dialysis Facilities Inc., Mazonia Dialysis LLC, Mellen Dialysis LLC, Melnea Dialysis LLC, Memorial Dialysis Center L.P., Meridian Dialysis LLC, Mermet Dialysis LLC, Milltown Dialysis LLC, Minam Dialysis LLC, Minneopa Dialysis LLC, Mountain West Dialysis Services LLC, Mulgee Dialysis LLC, Nansen Dialysis LLC, Natomas Dialysis LLC, Nauvue Dialysis LLC, Navarro Dialysis LLC, Nephrology Medical Associates of Georgia LLC, Nephrology Practice Solutions LLC, New Bay Dialysis LLC, Nicona Dialysis LLC, Norbert Dialysis LLC, Norte Dialysis LLC, North Austin Dialysis LLC, Northwest Physicians Network, Oasis Dialysis LLC, Ohio River Dialysis LLC, Okanogan Dialysis LLC, Olive Dialysis LLC, Ordust Dialysis LLC, Owyhee Dialysis LLC, Palo Dialysis LLC, Palomar Dialysis LLC, Panther Dialysis LLC, Parkside Dialysis LLC, Pattison Dialysis LLC, Patuk Dialysis LLC, Pearl Dialysis LLC, Pendster Dialysis LLC, Percha Dialysis LLC, Pershing Dialysis LLC, Pfeiffer Dialysis LLC, Philadelphia-Camden Integrated Kidney Care LLC, Physicians Choice Dialysis LLC, Physicians Choice Dialysis Of Alabama LLC, Physicians Dialysis Acquisitions Inc., Physicians Dialysis Ventures LLC, Physicians Dialysis of Lancaster LLC, Physicians Management LLC, Pible Dialysis LLC, Pinson Dialysis LLC, Pittsburgh Dialysis Partners LLC, Piute Dialysis LLC, Plaine Dialysis LLC, Platte Dialysis LLC, Pluribus Dialise - Benfica S.A., Pluribus Dialise - Cascais S.A., Pluribus Dialise S.A., Prairie Dialysis LLC, Prineville Dialysis LLC, Purity Dialysis, RMS Lifeline Inc., RNA - DaVita Dialysis LLC, RV Academy LLC, Ramsey Dialysis LLC, Rayburn Dialysis LLC, Red Willow Dialysis LLC, Redcliff Dialysis LLC, Refuge Dialysis LLC, Renal Center of Beaumont LLC, Renal Center of Fort Dodge LLC, Renal Center of Lewisville LLC, Renal Center of Morristown LLC, Renal Center of Newton LLC, Renal Center of Port Arthur LLC, Renal Center of Tyler L.P.L.L.L.P., Renal Center of West Beaumont LLC, Renal Center of the Hills LLC, Renal Life Link Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - California Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Illinois Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Mid-Atlantic Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Northeast Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Southeast LP, Renal Treatment Centers - West Inc., Renal Treatment Centers Inc., Renal Ventures Management LLC, RenalServ LLC, Riddle Dialysis LLC, River Valley Dialysis LLC, Rocky Mountain Dialysis Services LLC, Rollins Dialysis LLC, Roose Dialysis LLC, Rophets Dialysis LLC, Roushe Dialysis LLC, Routt Dialysis LLC, Royale Dialysis LLC, Rusk Dialysis LLC, Rutland Dialysis LLC, SAKDC-DaVita Dialysis Partners L.P., Saddleback Dialysis LLC, Sahara Dialysis LLC, San Marcos Dialysis LLC, Santiam Dialysis LLC, Sapelo Dialysis LLC, Saunders Dialysis LLC, Seabay Dialysis LLC, Secour Dialysis LLC, Sensiba Dialysis LLC, Shadow Dialysis LLC, Shayano Dialysis LLC, Shelling Dialysis LLC, Sherman Dialysis LLC, Shetek Dialysis LLC, Shining Star Dialysis Inc., Siena Dialysis Center LLC, Simeon Dialysis LLC, Skagit Dialysis LLC, Soledad Dialysis Center LLC, Somerville Dialysis Center LLC, South Central Florida Dialysis Partners LLC, South Fork Dialysis LLC, Southern Hills Dialysis Center LLC, Southlake Dialysis LLC, Southwest Atlanta Dialysis Centers LLC, Sprague Dialysis LLC, Springpond Dialysis LLC, Star Dialysis LLC, Stevenson Dialysis LLC, Stewart Dialysis LLC, Stines Dialysis LLC, Storrie Dialysis LLC, Sugarloaf Dialysis LLC, Sun City Dialysis Center L.L.C., Sunapee Dialysis LLC, Sunset Dialysis LLC, TRC - Indiana LLC, TRC El Paso Limited Partnership, TRC West Inc., TRC of New York Inc., TRC-Georgetown Regional Dialysis LLC, Talimena Dialysis LLC, Terre Dialysis LLC, The Woodlands Dialysis Center LP, Tortugas Dialysis LLC, Total Renal Care Inc., Total Renal Care Texas Limited Partnership, Total Renal Care of North Carolina LLC, Total Renal Laboratories Inc., Total Renal Research Inc., Toulouse Dialysis LLC, Transmountain Dialysis L.P., Tross Dialysis LLC, Tugman Dialysis LLC, Tunnel Dialysis LLC, Turlock Dialysis Center LLC, Tustin Dialysis Center LLC, Twain Dialysis LLC, Tyler Dialysis LLC, USC-DaVita Dialysis Center LLC, Unicoi Dialysis LLC, University Dialysis Center LLC, Upper Valley Dialysis L.P., Valley Springs Dialysis LLC, Victory Dialysis LLC, VillageHealth DM LLC, Villanueva Dialysis LLC, Vively Health LLC, Vogel Dialysis LLC, Volo Dialysis LLC, Waddell Dialysis LLC, Wakoni Dialysis LLC, Walker Dialysis LLC, Walton Dialysis LLC, Watkins Dialysis LLC, Weldon Dialysis LLC, West Elk Grove Dialysis LLC, West Sacramento Dialysis LLC, Weston Dialysis Center LLC, Whitney Dialysis LLC, Willowbrook Dialysis Center L.P., Winds Dialysis LLC, Wood Dialysis LLC, Woodford Dialysis LLC, Wyandotte Central Dialysis LLC, Yards Dialysis LLC, Ybor City Dialysis LLC, Yucaipa Dialysis LLC, and Zephyrhills Dialysis Center LLC.
Hochschild Mining plc, a precious metals company, engages in the exploration, mining, processing, and sale of gold and silver in the Americas. The company holds a 100% interests in the Inmaculada gold/silver underground operation and Pallancata silver/gold property, which are located in the Department of Ayacucho in southern Peru; and Arcata, an underground operation located in the Department of Arequipa in southern Peru, as well as a 51% interest in the San Jose silver/gold mine is located in Argentina. In addition, the company has a portfolio of projects in various stages of development located in Peru, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, and Chile. Further, it is involved in power transmission business. The company was founded in 1911 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

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iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWU shares have increased by 29.2% and is now trading at $33.07.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[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.

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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.
iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWL shares have increased by 38.9% and is now trading at $49.52.

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Piraeus Bank is the only bank in Greece with an ISO 9001:2015 certification on the management of community farm support to producers

Piraeus Bank won an international tender for the management and financing of the Agricultural Products Guarantee Special Account of the Agricultural Development and Food ministry, according to ANA.

In an announcement, the bank cited this strategic agreement that confirmed Piraeus Bank's active support to the primary sector of the economy and the farm community of the country. The project is related with financing worth up to 2.5 billion euros annually by 2022 and its goal is the timely payment of agricultural support envisaged in the Common Agricultural Policy.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: Accelerated Production Systems, Acme Elevator, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o, Advansor Germany GmbH, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International, Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Auto Glanz Solutions LLC, Automatik Grundstucksverwaltungs GmbH & Co. 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Ltd., DESTACO UK Limited, DFH Corporation, DFS Netherlands B.V., DSR BZ Holdings LLC, Datamax International Corp, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. 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Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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CEMEX SAB de CV engages in the production, distribution, marketing, and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates. It operates though the following geographical segments: Mexico; United States; Europe; South, Central America and the Caribbean (SCA&C); Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA); and Others. The Europe segment covers United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia, as well as trading activities in Scandinavia, and Finland. The SCA&C segment includes Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Caribbean TCL, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Jamaica, the Caribbean, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The EMEA segment comprises of Egypt, Israel, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. The Others segment refers to the cement trade maritime operations, information technology solutions business, and other corporate entities as well as other minor subsidiaries with different lines of business. The company was founded by Lorenzo Zambrano Gutierrez in 1906 and is headquartered in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico.

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Imperial Oil Limited explores for, produces, and sells crude oil and natural gas in Canada. It operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2020, this segment had 138 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, as well as blending, distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals and polyethylene, such as benzene, aromatic, and aliphatic solvents; plasticizer intermediates; and polyethylene resins. The company was incorporation in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

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Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Massachusetts, United States. The fund primarily invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments which are exempt from regular federal and Massachusetts income taxes. It seeks to invest in investment grade securities that are rated Baa/BBB or above by S&P, Moody's, or Fitch. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a focus on bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Standard & Poor's (S&P) Massachusetts Municipal Bond Index and Standard & Poor's (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index. The fund was formerly known as Nuveen Massachusetts Premium Income Municipal Fund. Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund was formed on January 12, 1993 and is domiciled in the United States.

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Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is set to open its new gynaecology and fertility centre within the premises of Latifa Hospital for Women and Children by the middle of 2020.

The new building, which will come up over a 7,500-sq-m area, contains 155 parking spots for visitors and employees.

With a ground floor and a first floor, the facility boasts six specialised outpatient clinics and support services including three radiology rooms, consultation rooms, a modern pharmacy and a phlebotomy lab.

It will introduce new services such as ovarian tissue freezing, oocyte invitro maturation, micro TESE (testicular epididymal sperm exploration) and fertility-related research activities.

DHA said it has already signed a deal with Emirates Islamic Bank to secure funding for the project.

The centre is a notable addition to the health facilities providing world-class health services in Dubai. In addition to providing health services the centre will contribute greatly to fertility related-research, stated Humaid Al Qutami, the director general of the DHA after signing the deal with Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, the chairman of Emirates Islamic.

"It will also include two highly specialised surgery rooms for invitro fertilization (IVF) procedures such as oocyte retrieval and embryo transfers as well as a specialised embryology lab and a research lab that supports fertility related studies will also part of the new structure," he stated.

To ensure customers privacy, the centre will have luxurious rooms for short stay that are highly equipped with state of the art technology and services that guarantee patient comfort and high quality treatment, added Al Qutami.

On the finance deal, Al Qassim said: "Community support is the cornerstone of Islamic banking, and as one of the leading Islamic banks in the UAE, Emirates Islamic has always played an active role in extending support to various initiatives that promote the general well-being of the nations residents."

"Through the Emirates Islamic Charity Fund, we are pleased to support the Dubai Gynaecology & Fertility Centre in their efforts to provide treatment to couples and help them experience the joy of starting a family," he added.

CEO Salah Mohammed Amin said Emirates Islamic was delighted to contribute to Dubai Gynaecology & Fertility Centre, as it offers comprehensive and innovative treatment solutions to couples in the UAE, and across the globe.

"This contribution will allow the centre to enhance their facilities and equipment and help to increase happiness and well-being in the overall community," he added.

The Director of the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre Hana Tahwara said that relocating to the new building will allow the centre to expand its scope of services to provide new treatments that were not provided before.-TradeArabia News Service
The following companies are subsidiares of Teledyne Technologies: Alia Corporation Inc, Bolt Technology Corp, Bowtech Products, CARIS, CDL do Brasil Equipamentos e Servicos Submarinos Sociedade Empresaria Ltda., CETAC Technologies, DALSA, Demo Systems, Detcon Holdco Inc., Ensambles de Precision S.A. de C.V., Falcon Analytical, Frontline Test Equipment, GMI Group Holdings Limited, Hafmynd ehf, Hanson Research Corp, IST Oldham Instruments India Private Limited, Industrial Control Machines, Intelek, Intelek Limited, Intelek Pension Trustees Limited, Intelek Properties Limited, LeCroy (Beijing) Trading Co. Ltd., LeCroy Corporation, Lidar Aviation Services Inc., Maple Imaging LLC, Micralyne Inc, Ocean Design Ltda., Oldham Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Oldham Simtronics SAS, Oldham-Winter GmbH, PDM Neptec, Reynolds Industries Limited, Rhombi Canada LP, Rhombi Holdings Limited, Rhombi Netherlands B.V., Rockwell Scientific Company, Simtronics AS, TDY Jersey Limited, Teledyne Advanced Pollution Instrumentation, Teledyne Australia Pty Ltd, Teledyne BlueView, Teledyne Bogatin Enterprises LLC, Teledyne Bowtech Limited, Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Teledyne C.M.L. Group Limited, Teledyne CARIS B.V., Teledyne CARIS Inc., Teledyne CARIS UK Ltd., Teledyne CARIS USA Inc., Teledyne CDL Inc., Teledyne CDL Limited, Teledyne Catalyst Enterprises Inc., Teledyne Computer Access Technology Corporation, Teledyne Controls LLC, Teledyne Cougar, Teledyne Czech s.r.o., Teledyne DALSA (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Teledyne DALSA Asia-Pacific Ltd., Teledyne DALSA B.V., Teledyne DALSA GmbH, Teledyne DALSA Inc., Teledyne DALSA Industrial Products Inc., Teledyne DALSA K.K., Teledyne DALSA Semiconductor Inc., Teledyne Dalsa, Teledyne Defense Electronics LLC, Teledyne Denmark A/S, Teledyne Detcon Inc., Teledyne Digital Imaging Inc., Teledyne Digital Imaging US Inc., Teledyne Energy Systems Inc., Teledyne Europe Holdings C.V., Teledyne France, Teledyne France SAS, Teledyne Gas Measurement Instruments Limited, Teledyne Gavia ehf., Teledyne Germany GmbH, Teledyne Hanson Research Inc., Teledyne ICM SA, Teledyne ICM SPRL, Teledyne Innovaciones Microelectronics S.L.U., Teledyne Instruments Inc., Teledyne Instruments Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Teledyne Japan Corporation, Teledyne Korea Ltd., Teledyne Labtech Limited, Teledyne LeCroy AB, Teledyne LeCroy Delaware LLC, Teledyne LeCroy GmbH, Teledyne LeCroy Inc., Teledyne LeCroy India Trading Private Ltd., Teledyne LeCroy Japan Corporation, Teledyne LeCroy Korea Ltd., Teledyne LeCroy OakGate Inc., Teledyne LeCroy S.A.R.L., Teledyne LeCroy S.R.L., Teledyne LeCroy SA, Teledyne LeCroy Singapore Pte. Ltd., Teledyne Limited, Teledyne Micralyne Inc., Teledyne Monitor Labs, Teledyne Monitor Labs P.R. Inc., Teledyne Netherlands B.V., Teledyne ODI, Teledyne Optech Inc., Teledyne Paradise Datacom Limited, Teledyne RD Instruments, Teledyne RD Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Teledyne RESON, Teledyne RESON A/S, Teledyne RESON B.V., Teledyne RESON GmbH, Teledyne RESON Holding B.V., Teledyne RESON Inc., Teledyne RESON Pte. Ltd., Teledyne RESON UK Limited, Teledyne RISI Inc., Teledyne Rad-icon Imaging Corp., Teledyne Redlake MASD LLC, Teledyne Reynolds Inc., Teledyne SG Brown Limited, Teledyne Scientific & Imaging LLC, Teledyne Scientific Imaging GmbH, Teledyne Scientific Imaging Limited, Teledyne Signal Processing Devices Sweden AB, Teledyne Singapore Private Limited, Teledyne TSS Limited, Teledyne Taiwan Company, Teledyne Technologies (Bermuda) Limited, Teledyne Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Teledyne Technologies International Corp., Teledyne Technologies Israel Ltd., Teledyne Tekmar Company, Teledyne UK Limited, Teledyne VariSystems, Teledyne VariSystems Inc., Teledyne Wireless LLC, Teledyne e2v, Teledyne e2v (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Teledyne e2v (Overseas) Holdings Limited, Teledyne e2v Asia Pacific Limited, Teledyne e2v Limited, Teledyne e2v Semiconductors SAS, and The Oceanscience Group Ltd..
Tembo Gold Corp., a junior mineral development company, acquires, explores, and develops mineral properties in Tanzania. The company primarily explores for gold deposits. Its flagship project is the Tembo gold property located in the Lake Victoria goldfield district in northwest Tanzania. The company was formerly known as Lakota Resources Inc. and changed its name to Tembo Gold Corp. in September 2011. Tembo Gold Corp. was incorporated in 1937 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

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Casio Middle East has launched its recently improved AT-3 and brand-new CT-X series keyboards specifically designed for the Arab market, marking its formal entry to the growing Arab electronic musical instrument industry.

The formal unveiling of the two products took place at the Music Chamber, the one-stop music experience showroom and academy, at The Mall, Jumeirah in Dubai.

In conjunction with the launch was the rolling out of Casio Middle Easts Arabic YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3X54vbHnuNvMGZ7hXuiEEw to serve as its official platform in the hugely popular video-sharing website.

The channel will broadcast footage of its latest top-of-the-line musical instruments and their features, as well as easy-to-follow tutorial videos for beginners and professionals alike in keeping with the companys commitment to help nurture music geniuses in the region.

The CT-X series features a right mix of unique Western, Oriental and Gulf sources capable of playing different styles of music such as R&B, Rock, Jazz, Saidi, Maksoum and Katakofti, while the upgraded version of the competitively priced AT-3 series offers a new set of Oriental rhythms with a professional arranger to support new beginners and a veteran musician performing a one-man show.

Both strong Oriental keyboard products are integrated with pre-set Arab music and oriental rhythms to appeal to local and regional artists.

Koji Naka, the managing director, Casio Middle East, said: "The two new products launched is a boost to our initiative to highlight the role of music, a universal language, in bringing people together regardless of their nationalities and cultural backgrounds."

"In the Middle East, we aim to attract Arab musicians, listeners, and fans by offering them a product that fits their needs. On the business side, the unveiling provided us with an opportunity to show our strong interest and desire to capture a large portion of the Arab market amid the rising opportunities in the electronic musical instrument industry here," he stated.

Live performances by Mohammad Salah (Keyboard), Michael (Digital Piano), Rami (Oud), Valerie (Piano), Beshoy (Nay) and Hani (Violin) dominated the launch event attended by key Casio and Music Chamber executives.

Salah, a professional Iraqi keyboardist, said the improved AT-3 is the best keyboard in today's musical instruments market for learning or playing Oriental music.

It is loaded with advanced features and options allowing users to create their very own music, rhythms and tones, coupled with high quality materials and one of a kind output quality that makes it unique among its competitors, he explained.

The enthusiastic audience also tried their hand on the new keyboards and other Casio musical instruments during the launch, giving them an opportunity to experience the power of the high-quality and exceptionally made instruments.-TradeArabia News Service
by Gary VanDyke | Buccaneers Correspondent | Fri, Nov 23rd 7:50pm EST

After earlier reports coming out that he would not play this weekend versus San Fransico, Tampa Bay safety Jordan Whitehead (concussion) has been upgraded to questionable. (pewterreport.com)

Fantasy Impact:

It could be huge news for his IDP owners looking for a strong defensive back play in Week 12 with Justin Evans (toe) being ruled out. The situation should be monitored. If Whitehead plays he could again tip the IDP production scale like Week 11 versus the New York Giants with the state of the defense in front of him. San Francisco has allowed high volume points to the safety position all season long.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.  To comply with nutrient-reduction goals in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Pennsylvania may want to consider the establishment of animal agriculture operations in the western part of the state, according to a team of Penn State researchers.

While animal agriculture in the Susquehanna River basin poses significant challenges in meeting water-quality limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the region of Pennsylvania drained by the Ohio River system is a different story. It provides for additional opportunities for new animal agriculture facilities and related manure-management activities, according to a report prepared by engineers, economists and sociologists in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.

The research is seen as a first step in exploring opportunities and challenges to developing animal agriculture in western Pennsylvania in a way that is both economically and environmentally sustainable, noted lead researcher Cibin Raj, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering.

Raj believes, ultimately, the region could be home to many more livestock.

County-level focus

Researchers focused their analysis on three western Pennsylvania counties, Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland. Their estimates indicate the three counties together could support about 78,000 dairy cattle or about 100,000 beef cattle, if all the highly and moderately suitable areas, from an environmental perspective, were cultivated with corn and fertilized by manure nitrogen.

According to the 2012 ag census, these three counties combined have about 53,300 cattle and calves.

Researchers used geospatial analysis to quantify suitable land availability for manure use and conducted economic analysis examining what would be required to create and sustain a larger, economically viable livestock industry in western Pennsylvania.

They also met with farmers and agricultural business owners to identify opportunities and challenges facing animal agriculture in the region.

Lots of land

Existing agricultural croplands, grasslands and unused land areas were considered as potential areas for manure utilization.

The analysis shows that the three counties combined have about 323,000 acres of potential areas available for manure utilization. However, not all potential areas are suitable for additional utilization.

Researchers conducted a comprehensive land-suitability analysis that considered proximity to streams, floodplains and bodies of water, shallow soils, geology, steep slopes, soil-leaching potential, and runoff potential.

Caveats

But expanding animal agriculture in western Pennsylvania will not be easy, warned research team member David Abler, professor of agricultural, environmental/regional economics and demographics.

The studys economic feasibility analysis suggests expanding animal agriculture in the region will be a challenging proposition, he said, and four main economic obstacles will need to be considered.

First, western Pennsylvania lacks livestock-processing capacity. There are very few processors in the three counties studied, and most are small scale.

Second, the region lacks access to livestock production input suppliers, particularly those with an in-person service component, such as farm support and veterinary services.

Only Westmoreland County has a large enough base of college-educated labor to support an expansion of service providers from its own human resources, Abler said. For Armstrong and Indiana counties, most of the college-educated labor needed to expand farm support and veterinary services would have to come from elsewhere.

Third, the researchers point out that the existing transportation infrastructure in western Pennsylvania is not sufficient to support a large-scale livestock industry.

The livestock industry relies on efficient transportation systems to supply inputs and move products to retail markets, making it important for livestock farms, input suppliers and livestock processors to be closely linked to the local transportation infrastructure.

Fourth, the existing livestock industry in western Pennsylvania lacks agglomeration economies  the benefits in terms of proximity to suppliers, workers and customers that businesses obtain by locating close to each other  to build on.

Water-quality limits for the Chesapeake Bay watershed set by EPA could lead to a downsizing of the livestock industry in the watershed, Abler explained.

However, it does not automatically follow that any reductions in livestock production in the Chesapeake Bay watershed would be offset by increases in production in western Pennsylvania.

For livestock products that are highly perishable and have high distribution costs, such as fluid milk and ice cream, proximity to East Coast markets may favor western Pennsylvania over other substitute locations, Abler said.

For other livestock products, such as meat, cheese and butter, if production facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed were forced to close because of water quality constraints, they might not relocate in western Pennsylvania, but instead might move out of state.

Need strong partners

The studys findings also suggest that addressing the challenges and opportunities of expanding animal agriculture in western Pennsylvania will require robust partnerships among local stakeholders, said research team member Walt Whitmer, senior extension educator.

Bringing together producers, processors, state and local agencies, local governments, economic development and non-profit organizations, and technical assistance and education providers, will all be critical to making the most of these opportunities.

Findings from the community engagement components of the study  which involved an advisory team, a random-sample producers survey, leadership interviews and community strategy meetings  indicate several important steps that should be considered by state and local governments and private sector partners.

Recommendations include improving communications and coordination among public and private sector interests; expanding infrastructure capacity; increasing marketing, education and training opportunities; enhancing manure-management assistance and technical support; improving local government support for agriculture, and increasing state and federal support and incentives for animal agriculture in the region.
The forthcoming EU ban on insecticides will leave crops "vulnerable" to an attack from disease spreading aphids, experts have warned.

Within two years a virus outbreak will likely hit European crop yields, leading to a hike in food prices across the continent.

This is the message from more than 100 delegates from the UKs governmental, scientific, industrial and farming sectors.

They gathered at research centre Rothamsted in Hertfordshire to discuss how an EU insecticide ban will leave crops open to attack from aphids that spread Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, or BYDV.

Existing analyses suggest UK wheat yields would decrease by the equivalent of 4 million loaves of bread a day because of the ban.

Lower yields could become a regular feature, as a disease-resistant wheat variety could be more than a decade away, says Dr Kim Hammond-Kosack, conference organiser and a senior plant pathologist at Rothamsted Research.

Our scientists predict that in February and March 2020 farmers, will be looking out on virus infected, yellowing fields of winter wheat, and consequently later that year consumers will be buying and eating more expensive food stuffs made using wheat imports from Canada, America, and the Ukraine, Dr Hammond-Kosack says.

With few options to control these aphids, next year could be the last good year for European wheat harvests for some considerable time.

Aphids are small sap-sucking insects. About 5,000 species of aphid have been described, all included in the family Aphididae. Around 400 of these are found on food and fibre crops, and many are serious pests of agriculture and forestry.

Dr Hammond-Kosack adds: Currently no one has tested the UKs recommended wheat varieties for their resistance to BYDV. Resistance to the virus has not been a breeding target for years because of the availability of effective insecticides.

Given it takes seven or eight years to breed a new crop variety, and then two or three years of official testing before a variety can make it on the recommended list, you can see time is against us.

'True scale of the problem'

Dr Gia Aradottir, an insect specialist at Rothamsted, said until the responses of recommended wheat varieties to the virus are correctly determined, the wheat breeding industry will not know the true scale of the problem facing them.

The threat of disease has arisen because of a EU-wide ban on the neonicotinoid insecticide currently used to control the aphids that spread BYDV.

The insects can still be controlled by a different class of insecticides called pyrethroids, but there is already a resistance mutation present in one of the species, the grain aphid, to these chemicals.

Analogous to antibiotic resistance that arises in many human diseases, insect populations can also develop a resistance to insecticides if they are over used.

With the ban on the neonicotinoids, there is likely to be an increased use of pyrethroids which could hasten the development of this resistance, and could also select for insecticide resistance in the bird-cherry aphid, the other aphid species that spreads BYDV, says Dr Aradottir.

If we have another autumn of high aphid numbers next year, followed by a mild winter, then the outlook for wheat harvests in 2020 could be very bleak indeed.

GM crops and neonics

Wheat is arguably the worlds most important crop, providing a fifth of an average person's calories.

Its genome  which is five times bigger than a human - was finally decoded earlier this year by an international consortium of scientists.

In the absence of a disease resistant wheat variety arising from classical crop breeding methods, gene modified or gene edited crops might produce an answer  but the growing of such crops is also currently banned in the EU.

Another route might be the development of a new insecticide, or a reversal on the current neonicitinoid ban.

Neonics, as they are commonly known, have been outlawed in the EU because of growing concerns over their impact on bee populations.

Loss of pesticide control

At this week's Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) conference, a panel of experts will address this loss of pesticide control, and scientists are already urgently working on solutions.

They have already planted various wheat varieties without applying the insecticide to determine the likely impact of the ban on 2020s harvests.

The Institute also has a study population of aphids infected with BYDV to test for resistance in common, old and wild wheat varieties.

And they have also recently developed a more sensitive diagnostic test to determine whether any commercial wheat varieties possess even a small amount of resistance that could be exploited by plant breeders.

We already have a good breadth of expertise within the Institute to tackle this problem from all the important angles, including monitoring, diagnostics, aphid resistance, insecticide resistance and modelling, says Dr Hammond-Kosack.
Dairy farmers have been encouraged to engage with a Government consultation on dairy contracts to speak up for a more effective supply chain, with fairer terms.

The industry says that dairy farmers have shouldered too much of the risk in the market and in many cases have been subject to unfair contract terms and trading practices.

The four UK farming unions, NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers' Union, have now urged farmers to speak up for fair contract terms in a forthcoming consultation.

The organisations have reiterated their support for regulated contract terms for farmers and will be consulting with their members when the consultation is issued, in an effort to re-balance where the risk currently sits within the dairy supply chain.

In a joint statement, the dairy farmer representatives of the four UK farming unions said: As outlined in the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA) review published in February, there is clearly an imbalance of power within the dairy supply chain.

As we await the Governments consultation on dairy contracts to be issued, in order for us to understand the proposals in full, we are using this time to consult with our members extensively.

We want to understand their views on dairy contracts and our final responses to that consultation will reflect our members views. We are all keen to constructively engage with industry and Government to deliver the improvements we all want to see.

'Flexible and innovative'

The four unions said they want to see a flexible and innovative regulation that delivers fair terms for farmers and an equitable balancing of risk between farmers and buyers.

The statement added: We have been exploring a range of legal mechanisms to achieve this, including looking at Common Market Organisation (CMO) legislation as well as other legal powers that the government might use to achieve effective regulation.

As we leave the EU, the UK dairy market needs to be fit for purpose; commercially focused, innovative and competitive. It is vital that we have a properly operating dairy market where risk is shared across the supply chain.

Dairy farmers need to be in a strong position to develop professional and sustainable relationships with their buyers, while operating to fair trading terms, the statement said.

The Government response to the consultation into the remit of the GCA, published in February 2018, included the proposed measure of introducing compulsory milk contracts between producers and purchasers to help protect dairy farmers by setting out clear terms, including the price for the delivery of milk, the timing of deliveries, the duration of the contract, details of payment procedures, and arrangements for collecting and delivering raw milk.

The situation regarding milk contracts in Northern Ireland is not the same as in England, Wales and Scotland and the UFU are currently undertaking internal discussion with the relevant authorities.

However, the UFU are in broad agreement with the sentiments of its counterparts in Britain.
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Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh Reception: Inside Photos of reception goes VIRAL | FilmiBeat

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's love story began on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ramleela. After being in a relationship for almost six years, the lovebirds exchange nuptial vows in a two-day ceremony at a 800 year old villa at the picturesque Lake Como in Italy. The couple tied the knot as per Konkani and Sindhi rituals.

Later when the newlyweds took to social media to share pictures from their wedding album, people just couldn't get over their love-soaked poses which dropped some major relationship goals and made everyone go all the way 'awww' over their pictures.

And now folks, we have an unseen picture from their Konkani wedding going viral on the internet. In the frame, Ranveer and Deepika are seen striking a pose with the team of their Konkani wedding caterers and we must say the picture speak volumes about the happiness on everyone's faces.

Talking about Ranveer-Deepika's Konkani wedding, the guests were treated with authentic Konkani Mangalorean cuisine like Pooran Poli, Rasam and the likes on a banana leaf.

Ranveer and Deepika tied the knot in a four-hour Konkani wedding where Deepika led a bridal walk from the top of the villa to the wedding venue as per Konkani traditions. The couple shared a hug after the rituals and seeked blessings from their parents. After the wedding, the newlyweds enjoyed a luncheon with their family and close friends.

After returning from Italy, Ranveer and Deepika hosted a wedding reception on 21st November at The Leela Palace in Bengaluru. Recently, they flew back to Mumbai. Now, they will be throwing two more receptions- one on 28th November for their social circle and few members of the media and on 1st December for their pals from the film industry.
Priyanka Hires A Chopper

According to Bombay Times, Priyanka Chopra has hired a private chopper to ensure that she doesn't get clicked by the paparazzi while reaching the Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur.

Priyanka To Land At Umaid Bhawan By Helicopter

A representative from the Mewar Helicopter services confirmed the news to the leading daily and he was quoted as saying, "Only one helicopter has been booked for November 29 and December 3.

Priyanka will be boarding the helicopter from Udaipur and the helicopter will directly land at Umaid Bhawan Palace on November 29."

Nick To Join PeeCee As Well

"She will be returning to Udaipur on December 3 by boarding the helicopter from the wedding venue itself. We are yet to receive the names of the people boarding the helicopter from Udaipur. Nick Jonas might join her as well."

The Helicopter Will Take A Few Rounds To Ferry Guests

"The same helicopter has also been booked to ferry guests from Jodhpur airport to the Umaid Bhawan Palace. The helicopter will take five to six rounds to ferry guests.

Two Reception For PriNick

As per a report in Mumbai Mirror, the couple is going to host two receptions post their wedding. The first wedding reception will be in a 5-star hotel in Delhi, while the second one in Mumbai for PeeCee's industry friends.
Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has signed up as cultural partner for the Artfive0 competition launched by ICD Brookfield Place at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).

The emirates dedicated entity for culture, arts, heritage and literature, Dubai Culture said Artfive0 is a newly launched public mural competition in the UAE that encourages creativity and welcomes all artists living, working and/or studying in the GCC countries to enter, said the organisers.

The winner will receive a Dh50,000 ($13,611) award plus installation expenses to be used for a large-scale outdoor painted wall.

This award seeks to discover, cultivate and promote emerging artistic talent in the UAE and Gulf region, they added.

Shaima Al Suwaidi, the director of marketing and corporate communication and acting director of projects and events at Dubai Culture, said: "We are delighted to announce that we have entered into a cultural partnership with Artfive0 as part of our efforts at Dubai Culture to empower the arts sector and promote happiness among all segments of the community."

"We strive to achieve the objectives of Dubai Plan 2021 to develop a multicultural and sustainable society and promote its creative industries, and these strategic partnerships with various parties in the creative industry in Dubai will contribute to spreading our message among citizens, residents, and visitors,"she noted.

"It also supports the Arts Everywhere strategy that aims to highlight the unique visual designs of the creative community in the region by presenting them in new and innovative ways," said Al Suwaidi.

The winner will be announced in January and the painting will be completed by April 3. The mural will be 11 m high and 53 m wide and will be located prominently along the Happiness Street outside the ICD Brookfield Place, opposite the entrance to the main gate of the DIFC.-TradeArabia News Service
The young and charming Neha Saxena is quite a popular name in the South cinema. The talented lady is perhaps best known for playing a key role in Kasaba. She was seen opposite Megastar Mammootty in the controversial Mollyywood film. And, as expected, she made an impact. She has worked with Kannada cinema's 'Action King' in the 2016 release Game and this added to her popularity. Now, Neha is in the limelight for a shocking reason.

As it so happens, Neha recently took to the social media and revealed that she recently received an indecent proposal from a guy in Dubai. She went on to add that that through her post, she wanted to expose such predators.

"Friends from #UAE help me to get this guy traced #ASAP ...

"Because of these kind of men entire male population gets triggered and framed being wrong all the time. Such loser should get punished. If u all really have little respect towards females. Do teach this #DOG a #lesson.. He sent this message to my PR Manager look at his Audacity    

I am Sending this to all #media now. Let him learn a #tough lesson now... And let his family also know what mindset he carries for other females .. #Shame   

I am not at all #scared to #Raise voice against #wrong things. I stand for myself and my self respect and #self respect for all other #women. Not being "FEMINIST"here but #being Right here and fighting for the "#Right Thing "I will make sure such dogs get punished .. more than an actress I am a woman .. and today If I don't raise voice being a celeb then what example I will set for every other ordinary gal out there.(sic)" she post

As expected, her hard-hitting post has gone viral and received praise from all quarters.

Interestingly this incident has happened at a time when the #MeToo moment is at its peak. As part of the campaign, women are naming and shaming sexual predators. We hope that these events put an end to the menace of sexual harassment.

#MeToo Kollywood: Arjun To Vairamuthu: Prominent Personalities Accused Of Misconduct
A quiet Make in India revolution has been going on here paying rich dividends for the traditional craft, the rich Paithani silks and importantly, providing steady jobs in the comfort of homes of the weavers.

Probably stories of agrarian distress will start traversing from one corner of the brain to another when one travels through a nearly deserted farmland navigating the many tiny lanes to meet Paithani saree weavers in Yeola, 83 kms from Nashik. Only that this story is not about distress, but progress. Though Paithan village in Aurangabad is believed to be the centre for Paithani sarees, Yeola is believed to have got its prominence in the Peshwa period in the late 19th century. Today, the weavers in Yeola outnumber those in Paithan with a little over 2,200 looms. Almost every house has a loom for weaving the saree, which every Maharashtrian girl wants for her trousseau. With a few startups besides traditional stores selling the rich traditional saree online, its popularity and reach has now crossed pan-India.

At the end of a dry stretch of land after crossing a narrow bylane stands a tiled house which stands out among the thatched roof houses in the area. It is where one meets with 31-year-old Santosh S Satalkar, who lives here with his mother, wife and two children. Satalkar has 10 looms in his house where he has employed 8 men and boys from the village. His wife and he himself work on the looms daily.

He does not come from a family of weavers, a clan that form the large majority of people in this village in Yeola. Giving up his studies after failing Class X, Satalkar made a conscious decision to learn weaving from the weavers in the village. He says he did not have any dreams of going to the city or to any other place in search of a job for a better livelihood. Do I look unhappy to you? he asks on being asked why he chose not to study or go to the city in search of a job. After having lived here in Yeola all my life I have no regrets about not leaving my village in search of a job. The weather, the fields and my family has sustained and nourished me. Yes, by city standards, I may appear to have far less in terms of money but I am happy, he says slashing the air with his arms for added emphasis. I have also provided jobs to people and stopped migration to the cities, he says.

After learning the ropes of Paithani weaving for over two years, Satalkar saved enough to be able to buy a loom and get independent himself. "It meant I could deal with the traders, work at my free will," he said.

Paithani saree weavers work for one or two wholesale saree traders who give them the order. Weaving a Paithani is time-consuming. The simplest variety of the saree -- with minimum design and the famous Paithani border costs Rs 5,000 and above. Weaving a Paithani saree in this price tag takes around three months. As the design gets intricate, threads get more fine and sophisticated, the time spent on weaving can stretch to a year and more. Of course, for that long work and craft involved, the saree comes at a hefty price of Rs 1 lakh or more.

Bringing together the raw materials for the saree involves many people. Mulberry silk is used to make the sarees which come from Bangalore while zari used in the sarees is largely procured from Surat in Gujarat. Earlier, gold threads were used. The design for the saree is made by a designer, hired by the weaver. The design has to be approved by the trader/dealer before it can be woven into a saree. The most sought-after motifs are peacock, parrot, vines and flowers, and the lotus.

After the yarn is dyed, it is fixed to the loom by a group of people whose job is to string the yarn through the loom which is placed in a three by four deep pit. The weaver sits on the bench and works on it by moving the shuttle back and forth while at the same time pedaling the lower frame.

Satalkar earned enough to increase the number of looms to 10 over the years and ensured in his own way to pass on the ancient craft to a number of people, some of whom also have their own independent looms in their homes. The weaver is given one saree to work on and the minimum wages are Rs 1,800 a week. The weaver can choose to work at whatever hours he wants to but has to adhere to the deadline set by the owner/weaver for whom he works.

There are families in Yeola who are into the Paithani saree weaving trade for generations but Firstpost met up with first generation weavers who learnt the art through apprenticeship, and then started their own small saree weaving factories employing others like them. Intensely focussed on the border pattern, 28-year-old Dagu Kale works two shifts. He works at Satalkar's house and also has a few looms at his home where he and his family work. "I like to work here not just for the extra money I earn but I get to spend time with other men and boys of the village." Like Satalkar, he says that he and a few like him are entrepreneurs who have never lost focus of their village and its art in traditional weaving.

We want to make more people and especially the youth learn this art so that they dont have to go to the cities in search of a job, he said, adding that the common sight of youngsters gambling or drinking and creating issues for the family and the village is not a phenomenon here. "Everyone is busy working at their looms," he says.

The weavers do not sell sarees as they are weaving it based on orders. But they rue the fact that their handiwork gets paid four times the price at which they are sold. "We do not have the money to rent a shop. But we do have work throughout the year," says Kale.

The youngest weaver at Satalkars was 16-year-old Mayur Teke who learnt the ropes by hanging in the neighbourhood where people worked at looms. A weaver let him sit and watch him work and before he knew it, he could weave and whats more, is quicker than many with his nimble fingers. The shy, smiling boy says he is very happy to be able to give money to my parents. They are farmers and the farm has not been doing well for some now. But should he be not studying? "I am attending class. I will finish school soon and then I will do this full time," he says.

The town square

A little further off from the village lies Yeola city where the rich woven Paithanis are sold in shops. The area is a sharp contrast to the village with wide streets bustling with activity and taxis and cars crisscrossing ferrying people and dropping them off at the many stores in the town square. Stepping into the oldest store in the area, the 160-year-old shop called Soni, one is surprised by the heap of shoes and slippers in the verandah almost akin to those left outside by devotees at a temple.

At Sonis, the shop is choc-a-bloc with customers and families travelling from distant Pune, Mumbai, Aurangabad and other cities to buy Paithani sarees for the wedding trousseau. The Dixits from Mumbai were here to buy a saree for their prospective daughter-in-law. We travel to Yeola whenever we want to buy a Paithani. We know we won't be cheated and the price is far less than what we would pay in Mumbai, says Amita Dixit, the homemaker from Kurla.

Soni sells sarees ranging from 15,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh. What makes the Paithani exclusive are the designs which are usually not seen on another saree. For those who cannot afford to buy the traditional silk Paithanis, there are semi-silks sarees too that sell between 1,000 and Rs 5,000.

At the nearby Vaibhav Paithani store, the proprietor Chhaya Nagpure is the lady in charge. Her late father had a family business of furniture which was passed on to her brother. "As I chose not to marry, I asked my father to give me a store to retail Paithanis. The Paithani is the pride of Yeola and I love the silks, she says. The indulgent father gave her a shop 30 years ago which now has her brothers children helping her out as well. Yogini, her niece, navigating her way through the crowd of customers sitting cross-legged on the floor shopping for sarees in Yeola talks about the unceasing charm of the traditional Paithani.

"Look at how many young women are here at the shop wanting to buy a Paithani. This is the marriage season and we have many customers who throng the shop from across the state and some come from other parts of India," she says. Though the traditional dark colors are still in vogue, Yogini says some youngsters come asking for pastel shades and geometric shapes as designs. We are happy to note this as then we can ask our weavers to make the sarees for these customers, she says.

The Nagpures have a factory where weavers work exclusively for them. We are happy that more and more youth in the area want to work in the weaving unit or work independently at Yeola village. This alone makes us believe that the tradition of Paithani will flourish for many years like it has been since the past to now, Yogini said.

A quiet Make in India revolution has been going on here paying rich dividends for the traditional craft, the rich silks and importantly, providing steady jobs in the comfort of homes of the weavers.

(The article is part of OneWorld-Dream Media Fellowships on Life Skills-2018)
By Christopher Johnson LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell to its lowest level in more than a year on Friday on continued concerns about a rising global surplus, even as producers considered cutting output to curb supply. Prices were on course for their biggest one-month decline since late 2014.

By Christopher Johnson

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell to its lowest level in more than a year on Friday on continued concerns about a rising global surplus, even as producers considered cutting output to curb supply.

Prices were on course for their biggest one-month decline since late 2014.

Oil supply, led by U.S. producers, is growing more quickly than demand and to prevent a build-up of unused fuel such as the one that emerged in 2015, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to start trimming output after a meeting on Dec. 6.

But this has done little so far to prop up prices, which have dropped more than 20 percent so far in November, in a seven-week streak of losses.

Brent crude oil fell $3.34 a barrel, or 5.3 percent, to $59.26, its lowest since October 2017. By 1430 GMT, Brent was trading around $59.75, down $2.85.

U.S. light crude lost $4.03, or 7.4 percent, to touch a low of $50.60 a barrel, also the weakest since October 2017.

"Oil bears have re-asserted their authority," said Tamas Varga, analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil. "The weakness is the continuation of the prevailing bearish sentiment aided a little bit by the stronger dollar."

Volatility, a measure of investor demand for options, has spiked to its highest since late 2016, above 60 percent, as investors have rushed to buy protection against further steep price declines.

Oil production has surged this year. The International Energy Agency expects non-OPEC output alone to rise by 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) this year. Oil demand next year, meanwhile, is expected to grow by 1.3 million bpd.

Adjusting to lower demand, top crude exporter Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that it may reduce supply as it pushes OPEC to agree to a joint output cut of 1.4 million bpd.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he doesn't want oil prices to rise and many analysts think Saudi Arabia is coming under U.S. pressure to resist calls from other OPEC members for lower crude output.

If OPEC decides to cut production at its meeting next month, oil prices could recover sharply, analysts say.

"We expect that OPEC will manage the market in 2019 and assess the probability of an agreement to reduce production at around 2-in-3. In that scenario, Brent prices likely recover back into the $70s," Morgan Stanley commodities strategists Martijn Rats and Amy Sergeant wrote in a note to clients.

But if OPEC does not trim production, prices could head much lower, argues Lukman Otunuga, Research Analyst at FXTM:

"(U.S.) oil has scope to depreciate towards $50 a barrel in the near term."

(Reporting by Christopher Johnson and Amanda Cooper in London, and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mark Potter)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Jessica Resnick-Ault BOSTON (Reuters) - Oil prices slumped more than 6 percent on Friday, with Brent set for a 12-percent plunge this week, as fears that supply would overpower demand intensified, even as major producers considered cutting output. Oil supply, led by U.S. producers, is growing faster than demand and to prevent a build-up of unused fuel such as the one that emerged in 2015, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to start trimming output after a meeting on Dec.

By Jessica Resnick-Ault

BOSTON (Reuters) - Oil prices slumped more than 6 percent on Friday, with Brent set for a 12-percent plunge this week, as fears that supply would overpower demand intensified, even as major producers considered cutting output.

Oil supply, led by U.S. producers, is growing faster than demand and to prevent a build-up of unused fuel such as the one that emerged in 2015, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to start trimming output after a meeting on Dec. 6.

But this has done little so far to prop up prices, which have dropped more than 20 percent so far in November, in a seven-week streak of losses. Deep trade disputes between the world's two biggest economies and oil consumers, the United States and China, have weighed upon the market.

"The market is pricing in an economic slowdown - they are anticipating that the Chinese trade talks are not going to go well," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. "The market doesn't believe that OPEC is going to be able to act swiftly enough to offset the coming slowdown in demand."

Brent crude oil fell $3.81, or 6.1 percent, to $58.79 a barrel by 10:50 a.m. EST (1550 GMT), after earlier touching $58.57, its lowest since October 2017.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) lost $3.75, or 6.8 percent, to trade at $50.88, to touch a low of $50.60, also the weakest since October 2017.

For the week, Brent was on track for a 11.9 percent loss and WTI a 9.7 percent decline.

Prices were on course for their biggest one-month decline since late 2014.

Market fears over weak demand intensified after China reported its lowest gasoline exports in more than a year amid a glut of the fuel in Asia and globally.

Stockpiles of gasoline have surged across Asia, with inventories in Singapore, the regional refining hub, rising to a three-month high while Japanese stockpiles also climbed last week. Inventories in the United States are about 7 percent higher than a year ago.

Crude production has soared as well this year. The International Energy Agency expects non-OPEC output alone to rise by 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) this year. Oil demand next year, meanwhile, is expected to grow by 1.3 million bpd.

Adjusting to lower demand, top crude exporter Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that it may reduce supply as it pushes OPEC to agree to a joint output cut of 1.4 million bpd.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he does not want oil prices to rise and many analysts think Saudi Arabia is coming under U.S. pressure to resist calls from other OPEC members for lower crude output.

If OPEC decides to cut production at its meeting next month, oil prices could recover sharply, analysts say.

"We expect that OPEC will manage the market in 2019 and assess the probability of an agreement to reduce production at around 2-in-3. In that scenario, Brent prices likely recover back into the $70s," Morgan Stanley commodities strategists Martijn Rats and Amy Sergeant wrote in a note to clients.

But if OPEC does not trim production, prices could head much lower, argues Lukman Otunuga, Research Analyst at FXTM:

"(U.S.) oil has scope to depreciate towards $50 a barrel in the near term."

VOLATILITY SPIKES TO 2-YEAR HIGH

By the middle of November, commodity trading advisory funds tracked by Credit Suisse prime services had dropped 1.5 percent on the month, owing to the losses in energy futures and the increased volatility.

Mark Connors, global head of portfolio and risk advisory at Credit Suisse, told Reuters this week that the action among macro and CTA funds reflects a risk-aversion trade, as net long positions have dropped from near five-year highs to roughly even exposure between longs and shorts.

Volatility, a measure of investor demand for options, has spiked to its highest since late 2016, above 60 percent, as investors have rushed to buy protection against further steep price declines.

(additional reporting by Christopher Johnson and Amanda Cooper in London, and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Marguerita Choy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, reviewed the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Beijing: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held the 21st round of border talks in China's southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday, officials said. Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, reviewed the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and China. The talks were expected to be concluded later Saturday. This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on 21 November, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, "We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability".

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year. Since the first-ever "informal summit" between Modi and Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance India's exports to China to address the over $51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing India's export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said. Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute. The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doka La over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states. The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks. Senior defence officials of India and China held the 9th India-China Annual Defence and Security Dialogue in Beijing on 13 November after a one-year gap due to the Doklam standoff. During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges and interactions.
jihadists in Kashmir Valley have began filming executions and sharing them on social media like Islamic State, to terrorise civilians and put down stirrings of rebellion against militancy

A bright-pink blanket was wrapped over Huzaif Kutays head, binding it to the neck from which it had almost been severed by his killers knife. His executioners had recorded the last moment of the teenagers life in their cellphones, in a style the world was introduced to by the Islamic State: masked men standing over the teenage boy, announcing judgement in Gods name for being an army informer.

He had begged for forgiveness. "They said they would give me Rs 10,000 (for every militant). I thought it will help me waive off some of my loan," Kutay told his interrogators.

"This time we are leaving his head so that it serves as a lesson," a killer announced in the video.

"Next time, whoever is caught, their head will be thrown in the river," he added.

Few of the thousands of people who live in the village of Mazngam in south Kashmirs Kulgam district, came to his funeral. Their absence helps understand why jihadists have turned to this pornography of violence, and why it is succeeding.

More than 200 militants have been killed in the Kashmir Valley this year  thirty-six between 20 October and 17 November, the day Kutay was murdered. The jihadists simply cant sustain that level of attrition, nor launch enough operations to deter the offensive. Thus, terrorising the civilians into breaking ranks with security forces has become a key strategy, and social media has become a platform for their project.

"There is an increasing pressure on the militants," a senior police officer in Srinagar said. "Their area has been squeezed and their logistic networks challenged. Besides, recruitment has also been brought under control," the officer informs.

Lacking strong links to their organisations headquarters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and compelled to raise both finances and weapons locally, fear has become a key weapon for the new generation of jihadists who began to emerge in 2014. Like narcotic gangs in other countries, many jihadists now operate in and around their native villages, and are dependent on terror to both deter informers, and ensure the deference of the established village elite.

In April this year, a father-son duo were again kidnapped. While the father managed to escape. The next month, 38 year old Mohammad Yaqoob Wagays throat was slit in front of his family, including his seven-year-old son.

Hajin is the stronghold of the Pakistan-based jihadist outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). However, the LeT, denied its involvement.

In August, a woman was shot dead at point-blank range in Pulwama district's Drubgam village  the native village as well as the site of the gunfight in April which claimed the life of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Sameer Bhat, also known by the alias Tiger.

A WhatsApp group run from a Pakistani number, identifying itself with the Hizbul Mujahideen, circulated a message shortly after her death, charged her with having betrayed the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander.

"This lady Shameema Akhtar had contacts with all the police officers and army officials. She had blood of our brothers on her hands, the message read.

Killings like these have been a part of Kashmirs grim landscape for over two decades: executions, often involving beheading and mutilation, have occurred with depressing regularity. The difference now is that they are being advertised. In the past, killings of civilians were attributed to mysterious unidentified gunmen, but now, jihadists do not shy away from taking responsibility.

In a widely-circulated recording of a phone conversation between Riyaz Naikoo, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen s chief in Kashmir, and the outfits Shopian head, the latter agrees with Naikoos instruction to throw acid in their (informers) eyes and cut their legs so they become handicapped and a burden on their families.

Though the killings have attracted condemnation from figures like former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in jihadists funerals across Kashmir, slogans attacking collaborators have become enmeshed with slogans like "Mukhbiran byoul, khodayen goel (may god obliterate informers)".

Political leaders in south Kashmir say that the killings, in fact, enjoy a degree of social sanction. However, other activists claim that the killings are intended to put down stirrings of rebellion against militancy.

One of Kutay's sister said, "If they claim that 90 percent of Kashmir is with them, it would be counterproductive. For now, the militants' actions have reached their short term goal of spreading fear but resentment is becoming visible. They say they are doing jihad but they are only killing civilians. Why dont they fight the army?

"If this is jihad, we do not want it. If this is their idea of Islam, that is not acceptable to us, she added.
Khattar said there is no scope for an ordinance on building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, while asserting that the temple should be constructed at the birthplace of Lord Ram and efforts are to build consensus on the issue.

New Delhi: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar Friday said there is no scope for an ordinance on building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, while asserting that the temple should be constructed at the birthplace of Lord Ram and efforts are to build consensus on the issue.

Addressing a press conference at the Red Fort to announce the 17-day-long Gita Jubilee Festival in Kurukshetra from 7 December, he said a number of dignitaries, including BJP president Amit Shah, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and former president Pranab Mukherjee attend the event.

"The Haryana government's efforts to promote the teachings of holy book at the global level has started yielding results as for the first time the festival will be organised in Mauritius in February next year. Mauritius will be the partner country in the celebrations of upcoming International Gita Mahotsav," Khattar said.

To a question on building Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said, "The temple should be built at the birthplace of Lord Ram. Efforts are being made to build consensus on this issue to ensure that the temple is built at the birthplace of Lord Ram."

"There is no scope for an ordinance on it," he said.

Sharing the details of the Gita Jubilee Festival, Khattar said the main event would be organised from 13 to 18 December, which would be attended by Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain, Tripura Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and others.

Shi Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Ramdev, Shankracharya, various foreign dignitaries, including the Art and Culture Minister of Mauritius and diplomats of 15 countries would attend the event, he said.

The Haryana chief minister also informed reporters that 'Gita Sansad' would be held in more than 30 colleges of the state for the first time, in which discussion would be held on the scripture to effectively disseminate the message of the Gita among students.

The International Gita Mahotsav is organised every year by the state government in collaboration with the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) at Kurukshetra.
In Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, there is presently an atmosphere of fear, as agitations are taking place seeking the construction of a Ram Temple.

Editors note: Since the BJP assumed power in 2014, calls to build a temple for Ram in Ayodhya have become more strident; they have been amplified following the installation of Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. A large collection of Hindutva groups will assemble in Ayodhya on 25 November to intensify the campaign further. Firstpost will run a series of ground reports to document this movement.

***

In Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, there is presently an atmosphere of fear. On 25 November, about 2.5 lakh volunteers, kar sevaks and workers from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Shiv Sena and several other organisations will assemble in the temple town for a "Dharam Sabha to seek the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

While the matter is pending in the Supreme Court, the groups which have organised the protest, and some of the parties to the case, have expressed their impatience and indicated that they may not wait for the apex court's verdict.

In an interview to this reporter, Mahant Nrityagopal Das, Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas chief and one of the parties to the case in the Supreme Court, initially denied any knowledge of the ongoing agitation in Ayodhya. However, he subsequently said that the media is not portraying the correct picture on the issue.

Who says that there is any ongoing movement? I dont agree with this. I see devotees coming to pay their respects to Lord Ram, said Das. He further said, You say that there is fear in Ayodhya. I dont agree with this. Those who are asking for security (a reference to Iqbal Ansari, a litigant in the case) are just putting on a show."

He further said, Hindus must see how Ram Lalla is living inside a tent. They should come forward to build a temple.

Das also remarked, The state and central governments should do their jobs, and so should the Supreme Court. They should not interfere in religious matters. We are saints and religious leaders; it is our job to lead people on religious matters.

With Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya, an attempt is being made to bring Hindutva forces under one umbrella. While the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has accorded state guest status to Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief has been taking on the BJP on the Ram Temple issue in the past couple of weeks.

Thackeray said to the media, The issue of the Ram Temple is raked up before every election. I will seek an answer as to for how many more elections will the people be fooled with the slogan 'mandir wahin banayenge'.

"SC must not test our patience"

Strange as it may sound, VHP functionary Triloki Nath Pandey has been appearing in court as the "next friend" of the Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Pandey said that the ongoing agitation in Ayodhya is crucial for the construction of a Ram Temple, and stressed on the need to create awareness among Hindus on the issue.

The Supreme Court must not test our patience, he said, and added, "There is a need to change the Constitution so that it ensures the interests of the Hindu population.

Pandey further said that he believes Modi will take steps for the construction of the Ram Temple, and asserted, "We are ready to start building the temple at any moment, and are ready to do whatever it takes. We are not followers of Gandhi, but of Golwalkar and Godse.

On 17 October, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had said in the Banaras Hindu University that one Ram Temple can always be built on the non-disputed land  which is next to the disputed onein Ayodhya. According to sources, the central government may announce the construction of the temple on the same land in December, after the results of the Vidhan Sabha elections in five states.

A few months ago, a media report said that a large number of stones for the construction of the temple were coming in to Ayodhya from Rajasthan. The number of trucks coming into Ayodhya was reported to have increased several fold in the span of a few weeks. On this, a VHP functionary said on the condition of anonymity, "The number of stones which have been coming in to Ayodhya has always been roughly the same. This leads to the question as to why then such a report came out."

The functionary subsequently gave the answer  "At various points, the VHP tries to bring its Ram Mandir movement into the news by various measures. This report was one such example."

Moderate voices

For the past few years, Mahant Gyan Das, the mahant at Hanumangarhi, has been trying to organise talks for Hindu-Muslim peace at Ayodhya. He has also been helping to renovate an old mosque in Ayodhya, and holds an iftar event every year during the month of Ramzan. His approach has been questioned and condemned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Gyan Das wants a Ram Temple at the disputed site, and says, It was never a mosque, it was always a temple. Anything other than the Ram Temple cannot be built at the site. The place belongs to Ram Lalla only.

However, he adds, But a temple is a place of peace; it should not be seen as a place of victory. And such a place of peace can only be built with the willingness of both the communities."

Gyan Das also thinks that the ongoing agitation has been launched only for political gains.
Youth in Ayodhya divided on the Ram temple issue

Notwithstanding a growing chorus for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya ahead of next year's general elections, many youth in the holy city say they don't want to be drawn into the "political melee" while asserting that their future "won't hinge" on the fate of the proposed temple.

Another section of youth, however, are anxious to have the temple constructed but "not at the cost of communal harmony".

Aman Kumar, a stone craftsman in his late 30s who runs a statuary shop named Shri Ram Murti in the heart of the city, says, "Ayodhya is the land of Lord Ram. I was born here and more than three generations of my family have been living here. We are a family of Ram worshippers, and it pains us to see Ram Lalla inside a tent."

A precious idol of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram), along with those of Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan, is currently kept inside the tent at the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site, which many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.  PTI
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday will reach Ayodhya, where his party has already jumped into the fray to whip up passions on the Ram temple.

Ayodhya, a quaint city not more than 140 kilometres from Lucknow, resembled a fortress on Saturday as lakhs of right-wing workers descended on the temple town amid chants of "mandir vahi banaenge, mandir jaldi bananenge."

As Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is set to arrive in the city, where his party has already jumped into the fray to whip up passions on the Ram temple, over 30,000 Shiv Sainiks congregated into the city. That apart, right-wing organistaion Vishwa Hindu Parishad is also in the midst of preparing for a mega rally, Dharma Sabha, which it claims would be "the last before the war bugle is sounded".

Government sources said local intelligence units have been "alerted" and extra security deployment has been made ahead of the Shiv Sena chief's visit and VHP's massive rally. The local administration has imposed restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC at the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Majid disputed site, amid reports that the minority community has started leaving the city fearing violence, News18 reported.

Approximately 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos and drone cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya, reported NDTV.

Thackeray, who will arrive in the city late afternoon, will attend several events in the temple town over the weekend, and is likely to put pressure on the BJP-led government for early construction of the grand Ram temple.

"Uddhav will perform aarti at 5.15 pm on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya on 24 November. All Sena shakhas across Maharashtra and party units across the country have been asked to perform aarti at the same time," a Sena leader told The Indian Express. A report from CNN News18 added that a thousand diyas or earthen lamps will illuminate the banks of the Sarayu river in Ayodhya to mark Thackeray's arrival.

Thousands of Shiv Sainiks across Maharashtra will simultaneously hold poojas to accompany the party chief. Thackeray was accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya, IANS reported.

Uddhav is also expected to pray at the famous Ram Lala shrine, currently nestled closed to the disputed site. He will later meet the saints and seers and seek their blessings. There was no clarity on whether or not the Sena chief will hold deliberations with Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, as the seer had reportedly expressed some reservations in meeting the head of a political outfit.

Subsequently, on what is now being called the "Super Sunday", Thackeray and VHP will hold separate events in the city. Police sources said that there would be over two lakh people converging in Ayodhya. Several trains, buses, tractor trolleys, taxis have been booked by the organisers to ferry people from across the state to be part of the congregation, which the VHP has announced

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will hold a Dharma Sabha on Sunday to press for early construction of the Ram Temple, even as the title dispute lay sub judice in the apex court.

The Sena, meanwhile, has coined a new slogan inspired from what the BJP popularised in the 1990's: It has turned around the mandir vahi banaenge slogan to pehle mandir fir sarkar, in a comeback at its ally.

Political Reactions: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut causes stir, Akhilesh Yadav says army should be deployed

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was in the town twice in the past fortnight and had discussions with local seers. Raut on Friday created a flutter in Ayodhya by saying when Babri Masjid could be demolished in 17 minutes, why it was taking so long for a law to build a temple there.

"We demolished the Babri Masjid in 17 minutes but for paperwork why it is taking so much time...for drafting a law or ordinance," he told reporters in comments seen as provoking the BJP. Over the last few months, relations between the two allies have soured.

The Shiv Sena leader, camping in the temple town for the last couple of days along with other party leaders and hundreds of Sena supporters who arrived here in two special trains, said: "From Rashtrapati Bhavan to Uttar Pradesh, there is BJP government. In Rajya Sabha, there are a lot of members who support Ram temple."

Raut also demanded that the government enact a law for "quick construction of a grand Ram temple" in Ayodhya.

His comments met with a stiff comeback from BJP leader Vinaya Katiyar said that Raut was not even present in the state at the time of Babari Masjid demolition. He announced the Bajrang Dal cadre too will be arriving in the city on 25 November.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav even urged the Supreme Court to send the army, if necessary, to keep the situation under control.

"The BJP doesn't believe in either the Supreme Court or the constitution. The party can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in UP, especially in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court should take notice of it and send the Army if necessary," Yadav was quoted as saying by Times Now.

BJP parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj also raised tensions on Friday when he urged for a Babari-like demolition of Delhi's Jama Masjid, "because it has been constructed on the remains of a Hindu temple."

"The first the first statement I made after entering politics, and I stand by it even today. If you don't find Hindu idols beneath Jama Masjid's staircase, you are welcome to hang me," NDTV quoted him as saying at a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

The BJP leader also claimed that the Mughals had demolished temples across India, and constructed over 3,000 mosques in their place. "They did this to crush the spirit of Hindus," he said

Rising tensions

There is growing anxiety among locals on what this maiden visit to the Maratha satrap would mean for the Ram temple. Local traders have already threatened to down shutters on Sunday and show black flags to Thackeray to protest attacks on North Indians in Mumbai, fomented by his party.

What is worrying the security agencies, insiders say, is the fact that many VHP and even the ruling BJP lawmakers have openly threatened a "repeat of 1992" on Sunday. Beria (Barabanki district) legislator Surendra Singh has publicly said that if things do not move fast towards an early announcement of the Ram temple, "they will not hesitate in taking law in their hands".

Sources said that the state BJP government is working the wires with the Shiv Sena top brass to ensure that there is no untoward incident in and around the disputed site.

The Yogi Adityanath government is treading with caution. On the one hand, the government has said that "Ram bhakts" can gather in Ayodhya and perform rituals, on the other, it has asked the police and the district administration to be extra vigilant.

On Friday the temple town turned into a fortress with the police dividing Ayodhya into eight zones and 16 sectors. State chief secretary Pradesh Anoop Chandra Pandey, principal secretary (home) Arvind Kumar and Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh reviewed the town's security through video-conferencing.

The state government has also increased the number of provincial armed constabulary (PAC) from 20 to 48. "There is nothing to fear. We are vigilant and the law and order will be maintained," said the DGP on Friday.

Iqbal Ansari, the lone Muslim litigant in the decades-old title suit of the Babri mosque-Ram Janmabhoomi case had recently said they were feeling insecure as the "atmosphere in Ayodhya was akin to 1992".

RSS's Bhaiyyaji Joshi had recently visited Ayodhya and expressed the hope that "his next visit to the temple town would be when the Ram deity sits under a grand temple".

RSS has pumped in its might to make the Sunday event a success and has divided the 200-kilometre area around Ayodhya into 1,000 sections wherein processions, door-to-door campaigns, bike rallies and processions are being held to mobilise the Hindus.

The Ayodhya case is before the Supreme Court and is scheduled for hearing in January next year.

With inputs from IANS
By Abu Asim

It may not be wrong to say that many of us are victims of promises made by politicians. They pull wool over our eyes with their tempting promises for their political gains and later leave us high and dry.

Whenever elections approach, there opens a sluice gate of promises from the leaders mouth. Though it doesnt make any positive change in our lives, our drains get choked because of the unseasonal rains and make our lives more miserable. They dry up as soon as the elections are over leaving us in the lurch.

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And, this has become our habit that when we are disappointed with one political party, we chase another one counting on the promises made by it and pull on our with our lives for some more years.

Take the example of the previous government at the Centre. The ruling party leaders had made countless promises to the Muslim voters. Hearing them talk thus we, Muslims started began believing that we would also live a fearless life. Our youth would also climb the ladders of development with their compatriots and lead a healthy life.

The government had promised reservations for Muslims given reservations in education and government jobs. But we were kept waiting but the time of honouring their promises never came.

When we got tired of waiting, we decided to meet our Supreme Leader to ask him about the fate of the promises made to us.

When we went to his office, he seemed to be happy to see us like a like a lover waiting to see his beloved. We too smiled with happiness but the spell of happiness was short lived. As our supreme leader began talking it was like cold water being poured on us. Today is a big day in my life, said the Supreme Leader. India has become a big economic power in the world. Sensex has crossed the 25,000 mark. We thought, this is the problem with us. India is developing and we Muslims are still backward.

When we told him the reason for our visit, he addressed us as if he was delivering a speech to a crowd of not less than 5 lakh people. Our government is working for the welfare of each and every section of society. As he was delivering his speech, his secretaries were piling up files of lies on the table.

He continued his speech behind the mount of files: We are committed to delivering the fruits of development to everybody. Thats why we have widened the roads and opened expressways and also running so many superfast trains and metro trains. Still, if the fruits of development are not reaching them we will not hesitate to develop more airports so that the fruits of development could be delivered on the roofs of their houses.

When we interrupted and asked him about the promises he had made to the Muslims, he said from behind the files: We are looking into the matter and will certainly find a solution for the problems of Muslims.

We returned home thinking when the Supreme Leader has promised he would certainly keep his words.

When many months had elapsed, we visited his office again to enquire about the progress. He said, the government is conducting a survey to ascertain the extent of social and educational problems faced by minorities. After the completion of the survey, the government will take action.

We thought that the government should be given some time. When it has not done anything in the past sixty years and is determined to take action now it will take some time.

When we got the news that the survey has been done and the report was submitted to the government, we met him again.

This time our Supreme Leader informed us that the government wanted to conduct a survey of Army and Police to ascertain the strength of Muslims in the armed forces. We were very glad. We thought, the presence of Muslims in Army and Police is very important. If they are recruited in the armed forces they will also get the chance to defend the community We thanked the Supreme Leader.

When we were informed through our source that the survey regarding Army and Police had also been done, we asked him, Sir, the time has come. Give Muslims the legitimate reservation.

Why the Muslim students fail in the subjects of Science and Maths in exams? A survey should also be conducted on this issue also. When this survey is done we will fulfill all the demands made to the Muslim, he said with a meaningful smile. This time we were very angry but we controlled our emotions and returned home.

Little by little, the weeks rolled into months and months into years. But the dawn that we had been waiting for never came and the clouds bearing droplets of prosperity showered everywhere except our roofs and we remained in the same condition as we had been earlier.

In the meantime, the government at the Centre took refuge into the pages of history, to be remembered only by political pundits and scholars.

Meanwhile, in our State, a regional party launched a campaign for the creation of a new State on the ground that the people of the larger part had exploited those from the smaller part of the State. Muslims also joined in this struggle as the leader of the new state to be, promised Muslims a share in the growth and development of the new state.

After a prolonged struggle the new State came into being. Celebrations were everywhere.

With the creation of a new State, new avenues were opened for the people. And as the people left for the other state vacant posts in various government departments were filled. But again unfortunately, we were sidelined and forgotten in the new State.

And again after a year, we met our Leader-in-Chief to remind about the promises he had made to Muslims. There was a festive mood at the Leader-in-Chiefs residence. To our surprise, there were many Muslims also enjoying tea, coffee and samosas and cakes served freely to everyone.

An army of camera-toting journalists and other scribes was swarming the sprawling lawn of the house. There we met one of our friend journalists who informed us that the Leader-in-Chief was going to make a statement about the Muslim reservation.

Lo and behold! The leader was wearing a skullcap.

Assalaam Alaikum, he greeted the gathering. We were blown away. We were happy that he recognised us, his Muslim voters.

The Leader-in-Chief waved everybody to be silent and a pin drop silence prevailed. We were all ears.

Friends! After a long battle finally we got Independence from the oppressive people last year, he said. And now our state, the youngest State is on the path of becoming not only a developed but a world class State. (His speech was punctuated by slogan shouting from his supporters including us. Long live Leader! Opposition down, down!).

Our State is home to several castes and communities, he continued. But the Muslims of the State are in pathetic condition. Since we got independence from the British, several governments came and went but they never cared about the Muslim minorities though they captured power promising their welfare.

But in this new State, this kind of injustice wont be done. Therefore, to end years of injustice, our government has decided to give them 30 per cent reservation in education and government jobs so that they can perform to the best of their abilities in their respective fields and play a role in the growth of the State. (Again we all shouted Long live Leader! Opposition down, down!).

While he was speaking, a minister standing beside him protested, Sir, their population in the State is only 15 per cent. How can you give them a quota more than their population?

I know, I know. I know more than you about this fact, pat came the answer from the Leader-in-Chief. He said, If we do not find Muslim men and women filling the positions in government offices and seats in colleges, we will import the people of the community from other States.

We were on cloud nine. We thought the hard work of years was bearing fruit now. We congratulated each other and also thanked the Leader-in-Chief for his courage and big-hearted announcement.

After this event, no action pertaining to this announcement was taken. Whenever we approached officials, they would only say, no order in this regard has come, when we receive the order we will tell you.

On the other hand, the State governments recruitment process continued unabated. While applying for jobs we quoted the Leader-in-Chiefs announcement with date and venue and paper clippings attached, officials would give a roar of laughter, and say, Go and ask him. We do not know about it.

Gradually, all positions were filled and again we were given a raw deal. As in the past, we were cheated again.

Days flew by and our new State grew in leaps and bounds and it led all States in the country in development from villages to urban areas and we watched all these happening standing at the margins.

Unfortunately, the facilities that we had in the past were also lost in the new regime. The expectations we had from the new State and the government turned sour. Our cup of patience was brimming with anger and gloom.

Our condition was like that of a person, who though deserted by the beloved still approaches the same person with a hope of being accepted even after knowing that the answer will be negative.

Once again we decided to question our Leader for giving us false hopes and playing with our emotions.

There was a huge crowd of people who had gathered to express their gratitude to their beloved leader for fulfilling their aspirations.

There were farmers, fishermen, milkmen, dairy farmers, and aged people, among many, many others. We were surprised to see our barber there. He told us that the State government reduced the barber shop electricity tariff from Rs 5 per unit to Rs 2 and also gave loans on a very nominal interest. Also, there were Imams of mosques who were given Rs 1,000 and Rs. 200 worth clothes during the month of Ramzan and a promise of monthly emoluments, and there were many other people who had benefitted from the schemes of the State government.

In such a crowd of well-wishers, we were the only odd men out. All were laughing and savoring the moment and enjoying the goodies served there. We were glum and dejected.

Soon the Leader-in-Chief emerged amid sloganeering by his followers and visitors. He was simply at home as if all were his friends. He was overwhelmed by the response of people.

Meanwhile, some old women started worshiping him and sang hymns in praise of him, while others tried to do palabhishekam (bath with milk) as he had raised their old-age pensions, extended financial help to pregnant women etc.

We also waved our hands and tried shake hands with him but his supporters, who had sensed our anger, pushed us to the corner of the lawn. When we tried to move a little forward to be close to him, the policemen on duty grabbed us by the scruff of our neck and pushed us aside warning, dont budge an inch otherwise we will beat you.

Soon, a series of speeches were made by the representatives in praise of the Leader. They all sang hosannas of the Leader for giving them what no previous governments had provided in Independent India. Even the Imams of mosques thanked the Leader and asked the Muslims to vote for the Leaders party.

Friends!, the Leader started speaking. I am overwhelmed by your support and love. (His speech was interrupted by slogan shouting from people. Long live Leader in Chief! Opposition down, down!). He made many promises for future if he was voted to power again.

The Leader-in-Chief spoke for more than half-an-hour but there was no mention of Muslim reservation in his speech this time. He spoke about farm loans, pensions and many other things but not what we wanted to hear. All of us were extremely dejected.

Some of us lost control and started shouting incoherently only to be thrown out by the Leaders supporters. Amid sloganeering, the Leader announced the dissolution of the State Assembly and thus slamming the door on us for any hope.

At last, disappointed and dejected we turned to go back when from the crowd emerged a senior man with grey hair but sharp eyes. His personality was speaking volumes about his sagacity and rich experiences. He said, O Muslims! Go home. You are seeking something that you can never get. Giving reservation means giving a share in power. And nobody wants to share power with you.

(The author is a journalist based in Hyderabad; works as a Senior Sub-Editor with The Hans India newspaper and can be contacted at [email protected])
The problem is that the BJP has invested heavily in the temple issue because it thinks it can win the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections and the Lok Sabha elections next year by exploiting it.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishads (VHPs) Dharma Sabha, scheduled for Sunday, is an unconcealed show of strength. At first sight, it appears to be a challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre to pass an ordinance for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the very spot where Rama was most fancifully presumed to have been born and where the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished, bypassing the judicial verdict that is awaited.

As we shall see, however, there can be another equally compelling construal of what is supposed to happen at Ayodhya. What has been planned, according to reports, is the descent of 2 lakh people in the temple town: half of them are to be mobilised by the VHP and the other half by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It has also been reported, in practically the same breath, that the VHP is preparing 3 lakh food packets for the Hindutva activists who are going to assemble there.

This arithmetical discrepancy of 1 lakh provides the initial clue about the alternative construal. It is pretty much a cinch that the other members of the egregious Sangh Parivar will also get into the act. Thus, it would not be unreasonable to expect the BJP, the Bajrang Dal, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and others to chip in with their own cadres. From outside the family, the Shiv Sena will send volunteers. Other freebooters and freelance Hindutva peddlers can be expected to be there as well. So, the organisers are counting on a 3-lakh-strong contingent. India is, of course, not wanting when it comes to boots on the ground, so the prospect of 3 lakh people landing up in Ayodhya is not a big stretch.

The point is what the government is going to do. The Centre does not have much of a say when the Dharma Sabha is held on Sunday. But the state government, also run by the BJP, does. It has been reported that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has already been clamped in the area around the disputed site, with lakhs already encamped in the town, including 30,000 Shiv Sainiks. This section allows the relevant authorities, inter alia, to limit the number of people who can assemble in a particular place.

It has also been reported that a huge number of security personnel have been deployed in Ayodhya, including personnel from the regular police force, the Provincial Armed Constabulary, the Rapid Action Force and the Anti-Terrorism Squad. Intelligence agencies have also been alerted amid reports that Muslims, fearing violence, are leaving the area.

What all this will add up to will become evident soon. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to offer prayers by the banks of the Saryu river on Saturday and then, on Sunday, at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine, which is perilously close to the disputed site. The VHP and RSS have planned daylong events in Ayodhya. It is not yet clear what kind of events will be conducted, but given that RSS workers dressed as Shiva, brandishing tridents, plan to parade through the town, one can hazard a fairly accurate guess about the character of the events that have been planned.

Will the Uttar Pradesh government, headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a Hindutva hardliner and a certified monk, no less, prohibit incendiary activities, including public oratory? Will it take the stand that the Supreme Court will soon be pronouncing a verdict on the matter, technically a property dispute, so any act amounting to force majeure will not be allowed? We will know soon, obviously, but given the available track record, the chances that this huge congregation will run amok are significant.

The Dharma Sabha will be music to the ears of the BJP and the governments it runs. Since it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will rule before the Lok Sabha elections due around six months from now, it can now start preparing for an extra-judicial solution. Those who have been clamouring for an ordinance or a law have obviously not thought the matter through. What will an ordinance or a law achieve? The Centre cannot legislate by merely stating its intention of building a temple at the disputed site. What either the central or state government can do in practical terms is acquire the land, under the principle of eminent domain perhaps, and build a temple.

But that route is not really open because the title of the land is contested and the matter can only be resolved by the Supreme Court. Until this happens, the property cannot be acquired because neither the Centre nor state government can acquire it from someone, the legitimate owner of the disputed land. This is a bind that the legal cell of the BJP must puzzle over before it can proceed.

The problem is that the BJP has invested heavily in the temple issue because it thinks it can win the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections and the Lok Sabha elections next year by exploiting it. Faced with doubtful electoral prospects, especially given the spectre of a united Opposition for the latter, the BJP has already committed itself to a campaign prominently featuring the temple issue, even though there are some indications that it does not have the kind of traction it did at the turn of the century.

The party may well figure that moving hastily to build a temple, or, at the very least, ratcheting up the rhetoric, will yield the kind of dividends it is seeking. It is complicit, to put it mildly, in Sundays planned programmes. But can legally and constitutionally-elected governments actually go ahead and build the temple by main force, thus rendering the Supreme Court proceedings infructuous? One would like to think it cant or shouldnt.

We have seen time and again over the past four-and-a-half years, however, that the incumbent government at the Centre does not much care for the substance of constitutionality, or even appearances, but it could well find that another flagrant violation of due process will boomerang.
Ayodhya has turned into a fortress ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit, Maldivian FM will come to india on 4-day-visist; today's top stories

Ayodhya turns into fortress ahead of Uddhav Thackeray's visit

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will reach Ayodhya today amid his partys push for early construction of a Ram Mandir. The Sena chief will be descending on the temple town with his full might. He will be accompanied by around 3,000 Shiv Saininks who left for Ayodhya in two special trains from Thane and Nashik on Thursday. Moreover, apart from arriving in Mumbai, several thousand of party activists are expected to join Thackeray from the rest of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and other parts of India. Police sources said there would be over two lakh people converging on Ayodhya. In view of this, the temple town turned into a fortress with the police dividing Ayodhya into eight zones and 16 sectors. State Chief Secretary Pradesh Anoop Chandra Pandey, principal secretary (home) Arvind Kumar and Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh have reviewed the town's security through video-conferencing. The state government has also increased the number of provincial armed constabulary (PAC) from 20 to 48.

Kartarpur Corridor politics

Soon after the Government of India announced that it was willing to develop the Kartarpur Corridor, a road route being developed for Sikh pilgrims to visit Nankana Sahib shrine that now lies in Pakistan, the pilgrimage has turned into a political issue. Even as Pakistan announced that it will work with India to open the corridor before next year, its security forces stopped an Indian Consular team for the consecutive third time on Friday at Nankana Sahib citing 'security concerns'.

On the other hand, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has invited Punjab tourism minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for the foundation laying ceremony of Kartarpur corridor. Some reports stated that Sidhu has accepted the invite, but there was no clarity on his stand yet. Meanwhile, there were also media reports showing footage of pro-Khalistani posters and processions with Khalistan flags at the Nankana Sahib.

Maldivian Foreign Minister arrives in India on four-day visit

Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid is set to arrive in New Delhi today on a four-day visit with an aim to repair the bilateral ties which came under severe strain during the previous government in the island nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 17 November in Male. During their meeting, Modi and Solih vowed to renew close ties and friendship between the two countries and agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under former president Abdulla 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 5 February this year.

English Premier League 2018-19

The English Premier League is back on Saturday as fourth-placed Tottenham hope to prove their mettle with victory against Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea. In another match, Liverpool's Premier League ambitions are up for a tough test when they travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford. The Manchester clubs are also in action on Saturday as United take on Crystal Palace at home while Pep Guardiola's City are up against West Ham.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took offence Friday at what she described as the 'sarcastic tone' of a reporter's question about the 2016 surgical strikes carried out by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC.

Bhopal: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took offence Friday at what she described as the "sarcastic tone" of a reporter's question about the 2016 surgical strikes carried out by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC.

During a press conference in Bhopal, a reporter asked her as to why the NDA government was "tom-tomming" the operation two years later.

"I got hurt by the way...in a very sarcastic tone you asked the question," an upset Sitharaman said. "The word you used....'bin bajaye (tom-tomming)...I understand Hindi...."

During the ongoing campaign for Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah have repeatedly referred to the surgical strikes of September 2016 in which the Indian Army destroyed terrorist launch pads by crossing the Line of Control.

The reporter had asked her whether it was desirable to go public about the operation and if it was in the soldiers' interest, and whether the Congress governments had never carried out such operations.

"Every citizen should glorify it. Should we be ashamed of attacking an enemy? They attacked our jawans with the help of terrorists. We targeted their (terrorists') camp," Sitharaman said.

"We should be proud of the soldiers who laid down their lives for our motherland. We should be proud of them. Should we be ashamed of it?" she asked.

"I got hurt by the way.. in a very sarcastic tone you asked the question....He may not have meant it," she said after other reporters tried to mollify her.

If Congress governments of the past had ever carried out surgical strikes, the party should have glorified them as it is a matter of pride for the country, the minister said.
India and China on Saturday resolved to 'intensify' their efforts to achieve a 'fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable' solution to the vexed boundary question

Beijing: In a significant step, India and China on Saturday resolved to "intensify" their efforts to achieve a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the vexed boundary question at an early date as the special representatives of the two countries held "constructive and forward-looking" talks over the issue.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met at Dujiangyan near Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives' (SR) talks.

Official statements issued by both sides spoke of advancing the process to find a solution to the border issue.

A statement issued by the Indian Embassy after the talks said "recalling the strategic guidance and support to their work provided by the leaders at the Wuhan Summit (between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping), the SRs resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an early date."

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of China said that under the political guidance of the leadership of the two countries, both sides would continue to advance the negotiation process of the special representatives' mechanism; strive for an early settlement of the boundary question that is fair, reasonable and acceptable to both sides.

The statements by the two sides are being seen as a step forward from last year's boundary talks held in New Delhi.

Last year, both sides "agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries".

The Indian statement said while an early solution would serve the fundamental interests of both the countries, the two designated SRs for the border talks said pending the final solution, the two countries should maintain peace and tranquillity at the borders, ensuring that the dispute does not affect the overall development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese statement too said "before the final settlement of the border issue, we will jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas between the two countries".

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

This was the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Doval and Wang also "underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the strategic perspective of India-China relations and agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries," the Indian statement said.

"They noted the mature handling of issues relating to the India-China border areas since the Wuhan Summit," it said.

Acknowledging the importance of predictability in border management and underscoring the importance of maintaining strategic communication at all levels, the SRs held discussions on various confidence building measures to promote exchanges and communication between their border personnel.

They directed that the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination for Border Affairs  which periodically meets to deal with issues arising due to aggressive patrols by the two militaries along the LAC  to work out further details over it.

The Chinese statement said both sides had in-depth communication on further strengthening confidence-building measures in border areas, properly managing disputes and resolving boundary issues. They reached important consensus and each proposed a series of positive and constructive suggestions.

Doval and Wang also reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations following the Wuhan Summit and subsequent meetings between Modi and Xi in Qingdao in June 2018 and in Johannesburg in July 2018.

The two SRs has underlined the importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions given by their leaders with a view to further strengthening the Closer Developmental Partnership between India and China to mutual benefit and with due respect for each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations, the statement said.

The talks were constructive and forward looking, and focussed on taking forward the India-China Closer Developmental Partnership in pursuance of the guidance provided by Modi and Xi at Wuhan, the statement said.

"The SRs undertook a comprehensive review of earlier rounds of talks under the SR mechanism," it said.

The Chinese statement said both sides have agreed to gradually expand border trade and personnel exchanges, promoting the public opinion about friendly cooperation between the two countries in the border areas, and create a good atmosphere for border negotiations and the development of bilateral relations.

The two sides agreed to authorise the China-India consultation and coordination mechanism for border affairs and initiate early-stage consultations to achieve concrete results as soon as possible, the Chinese statement said.

The Chinese statement quoted Doval as saying that "a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue will send a positive signal to the outside world that the two ancient civilisations of India and China have the wisdom and capability to peacefully resolve problems through dialogue and consultation".
Relatives of the deceased, Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie, are blaming soldiers of a Rashtriya Rifles camp at Chattergam for his death.

The mysterious death of a civilian allegedly at the hands of the Indian Army last night in central Kashmirs Budgam district has only increased tension in the Valley. After protests broke out in Budgam, authorities snapped internet services to prevent further law and order problems. Relatives of the deceased, Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie, are blaming soldiers of a Rashtriya Rifles camp at Chattergam for his death. Soldiers of this camp have been accused of 'targeting civilians'  this is the third such incident in the past seven years  and in one case, even its own men.

Ishfaq, a resident of Budgam's Magraypora, was shot in the head and left leg a few hundred meters from the camp. He was taken to a local hospital in Chattergam, but was referred to Srinagar's SMHS Hospital critical condition. Doctors put him on advanced life support. He had bullet wounds in the head and leg. He succumbed this morning, a doctor said. Ishfaq's cousin Muzaffar said his kin was a carpenter and the incident occurred when he was heading home. He was neither a militant nor an informer. The army killed him for no reason, Muzaffar alleged. Is it possible for militants to kill a civilian 300 metres from an army camp with the forces having no knowledge of the incident?

The army's Srinagar-based spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia denied the accusation, and said Ishfaq was shot by terrorists, 500 to 600 metres away from the camp. The army said a Quick Reaction Team reached the spot and found Ishfaq in a pool of blood. The army also clarified that reports of an individual lobbing a grenade on army camp and retaliation are completely baseless. However, after protests and widespread condemnation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police started its own investigation. Budgam senior superintendent of police Tejinder Singh said the army informed the police about the incident and the investigation is on.

This is the third time such an incident has occurred near the Rashtriya Rifles' Chattergam camp. The first occurred in October 2012, after soldiers fired at a Tata Sumo vehicle, killing one of its own jawans. The soldiers, according to investigation carried out by the army, thought the people sitting in the car were militants. That incident left Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh, a Kashmiri soldier of 35 Rashtriya Rifles dead and two others injured. The occupants were returning to the camp to resume their duties.

The second incident occurred on 3 November, 2014, when soldiers of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles fired, reportedly without provocation, at a Maruti car at Chattergam, killing teenagers Faisal Yusuf and Mehraj-u-din Dar and injuring two others. The teens died on the spot and the incident sparked protests and shutdown across the Valley. The army said it asked the teenagers to stop the car, but they refused, which led to the encounter. The Narendra Modi government termed the incident "highly regrettable", said a fair inquiry will be held and action will be taken against those found guilty. "The Budgam incident in the Kashmir valley is highly regrettable. A fair inquiry will be held and action taken against those found guilty," Defence Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted.

Later, an Indian Army inquiry indicted nine soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer of 53 Rashtriya Rifles, for killing the youth in cold blood. The army retracted its initial statement and apologised for the incident. The court of inquiry found gross violation of rules of engagement by the soldiers. They have been indicted. There has been a total failure of the command by the officer in-charge of the army column, the army said after the inquiry. It is not clear if Northern Command later gave soldiers legal immunity or if they were dismissed.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Muskan Jan, who was allegedly injured in cross-fire when militants attacked an army camp in Sher-e-Kashmir Agriculture Universitys (SKAUST) campus at Khudwani last Thursday, also died on Saturday morning. She slipped into a coma after suffering a gunshot injury to the skull. She was undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital where she breathed her last this morning, a doctor said. Thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of the girl, who was laid to rest at her ancestral village in Kulgam.

This year, at least a hundred civilians have been killed in Kashmir. Local insurgency has increased after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016. Three civilians, including a 14-year-old girl, have been killed in last three days. These unabated civilian killings are a cause of concern for every right-thinking person in the state and the country. The killing are highly condemnable and they should stop immediately, Mohammad Yusuf Taragami, the CPM leader and former MLA from Kulgam, said.

In Kashmir, killings of teenagers are commonplace. The reasons for these murders is often nothing more than the sadism of the one or other party involved in the conflict. It is heart-rending to learn about civilian killings, which have become norm of the day. How can the government claim normalcy when such cold-blooded murders are taking place? he asked. Former chief minister Mehbboba Mufti asked the governor to ensure security agencies avoid collateral damage and are held accountable.
The only conclusion that emerges from the Kartarpur outreach is this: political expediency runs supreme to every other consideration, including Indias strategic interests.

India has taken a big gamble on the Kartarpur corridor. Beyond immediate political expediency, the long-term benefit of this move is questionable at best, but it provides Pakistan with a vital leverage against India that is aligned to religious sentiments. It is very rosy to think of India-Pakistan cooperation over Kartarpur as the dawn of a "new thaw" in bilateral ties, but grander outreaches in the past have fallen prey to Pakistans betrayals.

One wonders if the Union Cabinet thought this through before taking the bait. It would be a shame if domestic political considerations lead to a permanent strategic vulnerability. It may seem strange at this point to raise these fears when hype over it has reached a crescendo, politicians in both nations are scrambling to claim credit and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has compared the development to the fall of the Berlin Wall to stress on the magnitude of the decision. Yet, given Pakistans history of perfidy, duplicitous behaviour and incurable fantasies of getting even with India, only the most die-hard optimist will rule out Rawalpindis use of the proposed visa-free corridor as the means of achieving geopolitical ends.

The shrine at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan, roughly 3 kilometres from the International Border, is among the holiest of holy sites for followers of Sikhism who believe it to be the final resting place for Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion.

On Thursday, the Union Cabinet approved the developing of a visa-free corridor from Dera Baba Nanak village in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the Indian side of the international border and urged Pakistan to reciprocate.

Govt of India will develop a Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, Punjab to the international border to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit the holy Gurudwara Darbaar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of Rabi river in Pakistan where Guru Nanak Devji spend 18 years  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) November 22, 2018

India also requested Pakistan to make available all necessary facilities for Sikh pilgrims all through the year.

The Kartarpur corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib throughout the year. Government of Pakistan will be urged to reciprocate and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory.    (@rajnathsingh) November 22, 2018

A statement released on Thursday by the Ministry of External Affairs stated that in keeping with the resolution adopted by the Cabinet today to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji in 2019, we have approached and urged the Pakistan government to recognize the sentiments of Sikh community and build a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory to facilitate easy and smooth visits of pilgrims from India to Kartarpur Sahib throughout the year. Government of India has already decided to build the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to the International Border with all modern amenities on our side.

Within hours of Indias announcement, the Imran Khan government responded that it will open the corridor  allowing Indian pilgrims to visit the shrine that lies on the banks of river Ravi and went to Pakistan after the Partition. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Pakistani foreign minister, reportedly claimed that Islamabads decision has been conveyed to India, and that Khan would perform the ground-breaking ceremony on 28 November. The call for a visa-free Kartarpur Sahib corridor is an old, strong, persistent demand from the Sikh community. The move was mooted first during Atal Bihari Vajpayees bus ride to Lahore in 1999. India claims that the two-decade old request has since been lying pending with Pakistan.

The Kartarpur corridor is a sensitive issue among the Sikh community. It is easy to see why the political class sees it as a low-hanging fruit ahead of general elections. For the ruling party at the Centre, the corridor has the added lure of introducing a modicum of stability in bilateral ties. A relatively peaceful border will be one less distraction for Modi.

The problem with this leap of faith, however, is that India has once again mixed up its signals and is committing the same mistake of trusting Pakistans words when intentions speak otherwise. It reveals volumes about Indias Pakistan policy  or the lack of it  that we remain trapped within the same "outreach-outrage" cycle and cannot go beyond impulsive and episodic gestures. Indias inconsistency on Pakistan not only damages bilateral ties, but also diminishes New Delhis credibility as a key actor in the Indo-Pacific region.

The recent somersault over talking to Pakistan on the sidelines of UN General Assembly notwithstanding, if state-sponsored terrorism is the stated reason behind Indias policy of not talking to Pakistan and putting ties in cold storage, has there been any recent reason to reverse the decision?

If anything, this is the worst time for the Kartarpur gesture, given the strong indications that have emerged of Pakistan trying to reopen Indias Khalistani wound and targeting Punjab as the next front for undermining Indias sovereignty after Kashmir.

Bikramjit Singh, one of the alleged bike-borne terrorists in the Amritsar grenade attack, has reportedly revealed how he and his partner carried out the blast at the Nirankari Bhawan Complex under instructions by Pakistans ISI-backed Khalistani forces.

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has declared in a news conference that the grenade used for Sundays attack in Amritsar that killed three people was made in Pakistan. He called it a pure case of terrorism carried out by the ISI.

Will the Modi government be able to explain whether these terror attacks provide the right atmosphere for a thaw in bilateral ties? If not, what was the hurry behind the Kartarpur outreach?

Ironically, the Union Cabinet decision on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor came on the same day that the MEA issued a strongly-worded release against Pakistans move to harass Indian diplomats and deny them consular access to Indian Sikh pilgrims who are visiting the holy shrines in Pakistan.

The release stated: India has today (Thursday) lodged a strong protest with the Government of Pakistan that despite having been granted prior travel permission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the Consular officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were harassed and denied access on 21 November and 22 November 2018 at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Sacha Sauda to the Indian pilgrims visiting Pakistan under the Bilateral Protocol. As a result of such harassment they were compelled to return to Islamabad without performing their diplomatic and consular duties vis-a-vis Indian pilgrims.

The release also expressed Indias grave concern at Pakistan provoking Khalistani separatism by greeting the Sikh pilgrims with secessionist posters and insignia. India called it an attempt to incite communal disharmony and intolerance and promote secessionist tendencies with the objective of undermining Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity and called upon Islamabad to take all measures to not allow its territory to be used for any hostile propaganda and support for secessionist tendencies against India in keeping with the commitments made under the Simla Agreement, 1972 and endorsed in the Lahore Declaration, 1999.

Finally, in an act of stupendous insensitivity, President Ram Nath Kovind and Captain Amarinder Singh are slated to lay the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, on 26 November on the Indian side. Either the decision-makers have not noticed the coincidence with the anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, or worse, they dont care.

But beyond these symbolisms, the Kartarpur corridor may also become a strategic vulnerability that Pakistan may use to its advantage knowing well that India cannot take a step back from it in the event of yet another major terror attack without hurting Sikh sentiments. As an editorial in The Times of India correctly states, Pakistan could, for example, ratchet up terror attacks in India while holding the Kartarpur corridor hostage to its definition of Indian good behaviour.

The only inevitable conclusion that emerges from the Kartarpur outreach is this: political expediency runs supreme to every other consideration, including Indias strategic interests. Not a good advertisement for a "nationalist government".
The bus fell into VC canal of the Cauvery river after the driver lost control. Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is also in Mandya, is likely to visit the spot.

At least 25 people, comprising mostly school students, were killed in Karnataka's Mandya town on Saturday after a bus they were travelling in fell into VC canal of the Cauvery river. Mandya is approximately 105 kilometres away from state capital Bengaluru.

Karnataka: At least 15 people died after the bus they were in, fell into VC canal near Mandya earlier today. The death toll is likely to rise. pic.twitter.com/1fFs4z7tOI  ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

A boy who jumped out of the bus is the only survivor The Times of India reported. Police sources told the newspaper that he is the only person who can provide more details, but he is still in shock.

As per a report from News18, senior police officers and personnel from the fire department as well as emergency services officials have rushed to the spot. Citing a local report, the news agency reported that Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is also in Mandya, is likely to visit the accident spot soon.

The chief minister has, meanwhile, asked the district commissioner and district in-charge minister CS Puttaraju to look into rescue operations, the report said.

The bus fell into the canal after the driver lost control, police sources told NDTV. Many passengers could not escape from the bus as it fell on its side and began sinking, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal.

Farmers working in nearby fields started rescue work immediately and used rope to try and save passengers. More details awaited.
A former special police officer (SPO) was killed by suspected militants on Friday after they kidnapped him in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Srinagar: A former special police officer (SPO) was killed by suspected militants on Friday after they kidnapped him in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The bullet-riddled body of former SPO Basharat Ahmad Wagay was recovered, hours after he was kidnapped, a police official said.

Besides the former SPO, two other persons were also kidnapped by unidentified gunmen. The police official said that the two other kidnapped persons  Zahid Ahmad Wagay and Reyaz Ahmad Wagay  were released by the suspected militants.

Militants killed two persons  one shot dead and another terminated in Islamic State-style execution  in south Kashmir last week on the charge of being informers of security forces.
Observing the influx of Shiv Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad members in Ayodhya to raise pitch for Ram Mandir, local Muslims have been struck by fear of a repetition of 1992 when the Babri mosque was demolished

Ayodhya: A sense of uneasiness has settled amongst the Muslim community in Ayodhya, two weeks before the demolition anniversary of Babri mosque, as a large number of Shiv Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members have reached town to attend a Dharm Sabha, scheduled on 25 November.

Observing the influx of right-wing workers in Ayodhya, local residents have been struck by fear of a repetition of 1992 when the Babri mosque was demolished by Karsevaks and Shiv Sena workers. The ensuing riots took lives of scores of Muslims. Several families have already moved out of the town towards safer spaces, while others have sent their children and women away out of fear of violence.

"We do not have any problem with Hindus or with the construction of Ram Temple here, but we are afraid that there may be a repetition of 1992 when many of our brothers were killed by the Karsevaks in the violence that broke out post the Babri demolition, says Mohammad Aziz, a 46-year-old tailor from the Alam Ganj Katra mohalla, an area close to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, a trust which was formed to promote and oversee the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

At least 18 Muslims were killed, their houses and shops torched and 23 local mosques were destroyed after the demolition of Babri Mosque on the evening of 6 December, 1992, but no cases have been registered as yet.

Aziz says that the families who have moved to safer places would return to town only when the situation settles down. He also added that the district administration should assure social security to Muslims living in Ayodhya. The situation is like what happened in 1992. The crowd gathered in a similar fashion and no one knows who is coming with what intention. They demolished the mosque then, killed our people. They can do anything now. I will also leave for my relatives home in Gorakhpur along with my family, and there is no sense in staying here and risking our lives, said Aziz.

Iqbal Ansari, 52, one of the main petitioners of the demolished Babri case says that Muslims in Ayodhya have developed a fear that violence may break out if a crowd gathers in the city. The district administration says that people are coming here only to visit their God, but who knows what is on their mind and why, suddenly, are they coming to Ayodhya close to the anniversary (of the demolition), he asks.

Ansari added that his attempts to prevent the Muslim community from fleeing town proved futile. A reporter told me that Shiv Sena members have come to Ayodhya in two trains, which reached (Ayodhya) at 11 pm, and it is very obvious that Muslims will be in fear due to such a large number of Shiv Sainiks coming here, he said.

Mahboob Mohammad, a 44-year-old fodder trader from Alam Ganj Katra area, says, While some say nothing is expected to happen, the remaining say that anything could happen. We are terrorised. We do not want to live here. In 1992, they charred many people to death and indulged in vandalism across Ayodhya. The police was helpless at that time. We had to run to save our lives then and I am very sure that all Muslims will leave Ayodhya.

Mohammad added that the Muslims in Ayodhya do not fear the local Hindu community, but the outsiders who are "capable of anything".

However, Mahant Paramhans Das of Tapasviji ki Chhavni, who recently sat on a hunger strike demanding speedy construction of the Ram Mandir, terms Muslims are fleeing Ayodhya just to garner media attention, and that they have nothing to fear.

"I know a few of them have left and my people have told me about it, but let me make it clear that this is just a stunt to get media attention and nothing else. If they are fearful and something unexpected happens, then I will save them and welcome them with open arms. They can come and live at my place till the time they want to. I am repeating it again that everything in Ayodhya is very normal, said Das. The Tapasviji ki Chhavni is situated close to the disputed site.

Sharad Sharma, communications in-charge of VHP stated that Muslims need not leave the town as there is nothing to fear. "All our people are coming to participate in the Vishal Dharma Sabha and nothing else. If anyone is scared, then our akharas and temples are open for them. The Vishal Dharma Sabha has been organised to discuss community issues with saints and seers and this time the topic of discussion is the construction of Ram Mandir.

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray who reached Ayodhya earlier today, is expected to visit the Ram Lala temple. He will also meet saints and seers for blessings in the evening. The district administration has denied permission to the Shiv Sena for holding any kind of public meeting, however, VHP has been given the permission to host the Dharma Sabha. But despite that thousands of Shiv Sainiks have already reached the temple town.

Meanwhile, security personnel in Ayodhya remain divided in their understanding of the situation.

Following news reports of Muslims fleeing Ayodhya, District Magistrate Anil Kumar visited various families and their representatives to assure them of security. "I personally met about 100 Muslims and told them not to fear. There is no fear in them and everything is normal. The VHP has obtained prior permissions. They have ensured that the programmes will only be conducted based on conditions given to them, he said.

According to Kumar, one ADGP, one DGP, three SSPs, 10 ASPs, 21 DSPs, 160 Inspectors, 700 Constables, 42 Companies of PAC, five Companies of RAF, ATS Commandos and drone cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya for maintaining law and order.

Ayodhya police told 101Reporters.com that adequate security measures have been taken to tackle any kind of situation and nothing untoward is expected to happen. Pradyumn Singh, station house officer at Ram Janma Bhoomi police station says that the police has yet not received any complaint of Muslims feeling the area, but confirms that around seven to eight families out of the 30-40 in the area, have left town.

There is no tension in the area and I am in regular touch with people of both communities. I do not know the exact number of Muslim families in my area, but Hindus are in majority here. The cases highlighted by the media are from the Alam Ganj Karta area, which is a Muslim-dominated area. We have talked to families and assured them of security. So far the situation is peaceful and will remain peaceful as adequate security measures have been taken by the police, he said.

When asked about the sudden increase in number of visitors to Ayodhya, he said it is due to the festive season and the annual Kartik Mela.

However, Ayodhya SSP Joginder Kumar termed the reports of Muslims fleeing the area as fake and baseless.

According to Raunak Agrahari, a receptionist at the AP Palace, Ayodhya, all the rooms at his hotel were booked a week in advance by the Shiv Sena, and that the situation is similar in most hotels in the region.

The rooms have been booked by Shiv Sena and our partner hotels in other parts of this town are also booked. It would be better to stay in Basti or Gorakhpur city, he said. Five other hotels in Ayodhya town gave a similar response.

According to 2011 census the Ayodhya Nagar Palika Parishad has a population of 55,890 people, out of which Muslims comprise 6.19 percent of the population.

The authors are freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters

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National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi met at Dujiangyan near Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives' (SR) talks.

Beijing: In a significant step, India and China on Saturday resolved to "intensify" their efforts to achieve a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the vexed boundary question at an early date as the special representatives of the two countries held "constructive and forward-looking" talks over the issue. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi met at Dujiangyan near Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives' (SR) talks. Official statements issued by both sides spoke of advancing the process to find a solution to the border issue.

A statement issued by the Indian Embassy after the talks said "recalling the strategic guidance and support to their work provided by the leaders at the Wuhan Summit (between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping), the SRs resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an early date." A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of China said that under the political guidance of the leadership of the two countries, both sides would continue to advance the negotiation process of the special representatives' mechanism; strive for an early settlement of the boundary question that is fair, reasonable and acceptable to both sides. The statements by the two sides are being seen as a step forward from last year's boundary talks held in New Delhi.

Last year, both sides "agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries". The Indian statement said while an early solution would serve the fundamental interests of both the countries, the two designated SRs for the border talks said pending the final solution, the two countries should maintain peace and tranquillity at the borders, ensuring that the dispute does not affect the overall development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese statement too said "before the final settlement of the border issue, we will jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas between the two countries". The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet. This was the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy. Doval and Wang also "underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the strategic perspective of India-China relations and agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries," the Indian statement said.

"They noted the mature handling of issues relating to the India-China border areas since the Wuhan Summit," it said. Acknowledging the importance of predictability in border management and underscoring the importance of maintaining strategic communication at all levels, the SRs held discussions on various confidence building measures to promote exchanges and communication between their border personnel. They directed that the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination for Border Affairs  which periodically meets to deal with issues arising due to aggressive patrols by the two militaries along the LAC  to work out further details over it. The Chinese statement said both sides had in-depth communication on further strengthening confidence-building measures in border areas, properly managing disputes and resolving boundary issues.

They reached important consensus and each proposed a series of positive and constructive suggestions. Doval and Wang also reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations following the Wuhan Summit and subsequent meetings between Modi and Xi in Qingdao in June 2018 and in Johannesburg in July 2018. The two SRs has underlined the importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions given by their leaders with a view to further strengthening the Closer Developmental Partnership between India and China to mutual benefit and with due respect for each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations, the statement said.

The talks were constructive and forward looking, and focussed on taking forward the India-China Closer Developmental Partnership in pursuance of the guidance provided by Modi and Xi at Wuhan, the statement said. "The SRs undertook a comprehensive review of earlier rounds of talks under the SR mechanism," it said. The Chinese statement said both sides have agreed to gradually expand border trade and personnel exchanges, promoting the public opinion about friendly cooperation between the two countries in the border areas, and create a good atmosphere for border negotiations and the development of bilateral relations.

The two sides agreed to authorise the China-India consultation and coordination mechanism for border affairs and initiate early-stage consultations to achieve concrete results as soon as possible, the Chinese statement said. The Chinese statement quoted Doval as saying that "a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue will send a positive signal to the outside world that the two ancient civilisations of India and China have the wisdom and capability to peacefully resolve problems through dialogue and consultation".
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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given the green signal for 16% reservation in education and employment to the Marathas causing unrest among the Muslims who have also been hoping for some reservations considering their backwardness.

The Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra called for protests all over the state to organize a dharna and demand for their rights.

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A protest was organsied in Malegaon city district Nashik yesterday, 23rd November, at Shaheedo Ki Yadgar, Qidwai Road between 2.30 to 5.30. Jamiat Ulma Malegaon, Kul Jamiti Janjeem, Muslim Personal Law Board, Muslim Kranti Morcha, Muslim Reservation Federation, Association of Muslim Professional and other organizations joined the protest.

Aziz Ejaz, President of Muslim Kranti Morcha said it is an injustice to the Muslim community by Maharashtra government. The 16% reservation for Marathas is welcome but 5% reservation must also be given for the minorities. If the government will not take any action then this protest will transform into a movement.

It is important to recall that recommendations for reservations for Muslims by Dr. Mahmoodur Rahman committee, Ranganath Commission and Sachar Committee have been deliberately side lined.

The Maharashtra Muslims have demanded for 5% reservations in education and employment and immediate implementation of the above mentioned committees in the interests of Muslims, reservation in government jobs, punishment to the persons who have been lynching Muslims in the name of gau raksha and measures to ensure safety of Muslims.

(with inputs from Sajid Naeem Ehsanur Raheem, Urdu City)
Mumbai's Nariman House, housing the Chabad House, was one of the main targets of 10 Pakistani terrorists who sneaked in through the Arabian Sea route and disembarked at a Colaba fishing jetty, barely a stone's throw.

Mumbai: Mumbai's Chabad House in the Nariman House Colaba, one of the bloody targets of the 26/11 terror strikes, will be renamed as 'Nariman Light House' on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and 10 months after Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, official sources said on Friday.

The present rabbi, Israel Kozlovsky, said the rechristening ceremony will be organized on behalf of the Chabad of India Trust on Sunday afternoon, the eve of 26/11 attacks, at the main Jewish social-cultural-religious hub in Colaba, south Mumbai.

The event will mark the unveiling of a memorial on the Nariman House terrace, making it the only place in Mumbai to honour all the 166 victims of the terror strikes. Plans to reconstruct the heavily damaged fourth-fifth floors will be announced by Rabbi Kozlovsky and other officials.

The Nariman House, housing the Chabad House, was one of the main targets of 10 Pakistani terrorists who sneaked in through the Arabian Sea route and disembarked at a Colaba fishing jetty, barely a stone's throw.

Among the victims brutally killed in the indiscriminate firing and grenade attacks were the then Nariman House Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivka, and two other Israelis, an American and a Mexican, all Jews, besides Indian security officials.

However, their two-year-old old toddler son, Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels, and a few days later they were flown off to Israel.

On 18 January this year, Moshe, now a shy, bespectacled 12-year-old boy, joined Netanyahu and other dignitaries at the Chabad House, along with his grandfather, Shimon Rosenberg and grandmother.

It was the first-ever visit by any high-ranking Israeli dignitary to Chabad House, which reopened in 2014, and is now considered a 'Living Memorial' to the November 26, 2008 carnage.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while briefing the National Assembly said that Pakistan has decided to open the Kartarpur Corridor for the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019.

Islamabad: Pakistan said on Friday that the decision to open the Kartarpur Sahib corridor could be a step forward in the right direction from conflict to cooperation, animosity to peace and enmity to friendship.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while briefing the National Assembly said that Pakistan has decided to open the Kartarpur Corridor for the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019.

"The Pakistani proposal to initiate the corridor has also been concurred by India, he said.

He said the initiative will further facilitate Sikhs, especially from India. "Pakistan's Kartarpur Spirit can be a step forward in the right direction from conflict to cooperation, animosity to peace and enmity to friendship," he said.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on 28 November.

Kartarpur is a small town in Pakistan's Narowal, four kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, where the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life.

Subsequently, Gurdwara Darbar Sahab was built at the site on the Pakistan side and Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in India, which are visited by thousands of Sikhs every year.

The statement said that the opening the corridor will allow Sikh Yatrees ease of access for their most reverential place of worship which has been their longstanding demand. "This is also reflective of the importance and primacy that Pakistan gives to all minorities," the foreign office said.
Last month, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) disrupted daily life across Pakistan by staging widespread protests following Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case by the apex court.

Lahore: Pakistani police have arrested over 100 members of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, including the radical Islamist party's chief who had called for a protest on Sunday against the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi.

Last month, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) disrupted daily life across Pakistan by staging widespread protests following Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case by the apex court.

"We have taken into custody more than 100 TLP leaders and activists including its chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi from Lahore and other parts of the Punjab province," a senior police officer told PTI on Saturday.

He said a team comprising government officials and clerics tried to persuade Rizvi in Lahore late on Friday night to defer its 25 November protest, but he refused to budge. "On this, police arrested him and other leaders," the officer said.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police from Lahore. The action was prompted by TLP's refusal to withdraw its call for protest on 25 November. It is to safeguard public life, property and order," Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

The minister, however, clarified that the "arrest has nothing to do with Asia Bibi case".

"The TLP has become a continuous threat to the life and properties of the citizens and is doing politics under the guise of religion... the situation is fully under control, people should remain peaceful and fully cooperate with authorities," Chaudhry said.

He said the government did its best to convince the party against staging the protest, but they refused every offer and started to incite violence.

There were reports of TLP workers clashing with police in Lahore following Rizvi's arrest. Three policemen and seven workers are reported to have been injured.

The apex court, in a three-member bench led by chief justice Saqib Nisar, issued the landmark verdict last month. Following the verdict, the TLP had termed the chief justice and other judges in the bench "liable to be killed" and had called Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa a non-Muslim and urged Muslim generals to revolt against him.

Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement.

She has been released from the jail and the government says is in a 'safe' house. The government says she cannot leave the country until a decision is made on the review petition against her acquittal. Chief Justice Nisar has ordered full protection to Bibi.

TLP is an Islamist political party with Islamic ideology. It is known for widespread street power and massive protests in opposition to any change to Pakistan's blasphemy law.
Pranab Mukherjee on Friday expressed concern over rising intolerance and violation of human rights, coupled with a widening gulf between the rich and poor.

New Delhi: Former president Pranab Mukherjee on Friday expressed concern over rising intolerance and violation of human rights, coupled with a widening gulf between the rich and poor with top one percent rich pocketing the lion's share of country's wealth.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national conference on "Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation", organised by Pranab Mukherjee Foundation along with the Centre for Research for Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID).

"The land which gave the world the concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and the civilisational ethos of tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness, is now in the news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights," Mukherjee said.

"Peace and harmony prevails when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy and aggression from our everyday lives," he said.

He said, "Happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitants basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured."

"Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace," Mukherjee said.

Referring to the statistics, he said: "If these statistics are anything to go by, we appear to be caught in a 'rising economy, receding happiness' syndrome. Our growth paradigm calls for an urgent look."

Paying tributes to Guru Nanak Dev on his 549th birth anniversary, Mukherjee said given the times we are living in, it is important to recall his message of "peace and oneness".

He also recalled what Chanakya said that "In the happiness of the people lies the happiness of the king" and the Rig Veda saying that we must live in one assembly, speak in one voice, with our minds in accord.

In a poser he asked whether the state was functioning in conformity with the preamble of the Constitution guaranteeing socio-economic and political justice, liberty of expression and thought and the equality of status and of opportunity, Mukherjee said that on the ranking of the happiness of common man, India ranks at 113, on the index of hunger, India is at 119. Similar is the situation on the rating of malnutrition, suicides, inequality and economic freedom.

Mukherjee said, "We need a State that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us. We need the media and citizens, who even as they claim their rights, are equally committed to their responsibilities."

Referring to the Parliament, executive and the judiciary, Mukherjee said in the recent past, these institutions have come under "severe stress" and their credibility is being questioned.

He said "There is a widespread cynicism and disillusionment with the governance and the functioning of these institutions."

However, former president said that to "save democracy", it was incumbent upon these institutions to "win back the trust of the people, without any delay."

Former Union minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi in his valedictory address described as "disturbing" the merging scenarios where the "techno-economic system adopted to produce a democratic egalitarian world order has resulted in an exploitative, extremely unequal and fragmented world".

"Mankind today is, therefore, unhappy, more turbulent, more violent, more fundamentalist and more alienated than ever before", Joshi said.

The root cause of this "out of balance world" needs to be investigated, the veteran leader said.
Social activist Preetha GP believes civil society may be maintaining its distance as they consider it as a religious issue rather than one of gender discrimination.

Women in Kerala have been shocked by the silence maintained by civil society over the growing attacks on young women trying to visit Sabarimala temple or those assisting them in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict lifting the ban on menstruating women. Women activists have started raising concern following the attack on the home of a 39-year-old activist who offered support to women below the age of 50 to undertake the pilgrimage. Stones were pelted at the home of Aparna Shivakami three days after she arranged a press meet at Kochi for three women who prepared to visit the temple by observing the 41-day vrutham (penance).

The three women had no intention of undertaking the pilgrimage provoking those opposing the entry of young women in the temple. They told the media that they were ready to wait till they are allowed to visit the shrine peacefully. Yet, protesters were not ready to listen, first attacking them and later vandalising their homes. I did not anticipate a personal attack as protesters had targetted only those who tried to go to the temple, says Shivakami, a teacher and cancer survivor. I made it very clear at the outset that I had no plan to undertake the pilgrimage. The attack on my home shows protesters wont spare even those who are supporting the case of women.

She said those opposing the apex court verdict were trying to terrorise women so that none would dare to go to Sabarimala, saying protesters felt emboldened after driving away gender activist Trupti Desai from the Kochi airport. Trupti, the first woman below 50 years to attempt the pilgrimage after the commencement of the Mandalakala Makaravilakku festival season, was forced to turn back as protesters besieged her at the airport for nearly 13 hours on 16 November.

Half a dozen other women were similarly waylaid in various parts of the state and forced to abandon their plans to go to Sabarimala. Since then, no women in the restricted age group, including those among the nearly 800 young women who registered for darshan in the Kerala Police-run Digital Crowd Control Management System, have made any attempt to enter the temple. The showdown saw not only women but also many male pilgrims keeping away from Sabarimala, leading to a steep decline in footfalls.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Sangh Parivar, who have been leading the protests, termed the 'decision' of women below the age of 50 not to exercise the right granted to them by the apex court as a clear sign of their abiding belief in the customs and traditions of the temple. However, a number of social activists said women in the restricted age group were not coming forward due to the war-like situation created by the Sangh at the hill shrine. Dr AK Jayasree, a community health specialist and social activist, said hundreds of young women will make the trek if the Sangh and the BJP withdraw their cadre.

The faith of Kerala women remains unshakable, but plenty of them strike a balance between faith and human rights. The State has achieved a new social order through relentless struggle against all barriers of caste, religion and gender. Modern women are educated, employed and accomplished in various ways. It is foolhardy to believe that they will sacrifice their hard-earned rights for the sake of faith, said Jayashree.

She added that a large number of women remained suppressed due to the economic order that subsumes traditional values in marriage and family life. Women have no other option but to accept this for the sake of their existence. Right-wing outfits are trying to exploit this predicament for their narrow gains, she further stated. Jayashree feels that that the Right has been unleashing its vigilantes as there has been no pushback from progressive sections of society. Jayashreesaid she was surprised by the silence maintained by civil society, especially cultural leaders, who were, at one time, extremely vocal when it came to human rights violations.

The social activist warned that people will lose freedom and security if the right-wing is allowed a free run. She urged all democratic-minded people to resist efforts to target and isolate women who showed the gumption to make the trek for the Ayyappa darshan. Human rights lawyer Sandhya Raju said cultural leaders who play a major role in moulding public opinion, had a social responsibility to fight regressive forces that could 'take the State back to the Stone Age. She said many have started realising the danger but their voices risk being drowned out by vigilante groups.

Political analyst BRP Bhaskar said the movement to allow women access to Sabarimala has not been gaining traction as political parties have decided to compromise with regressive elements of society to hold on to power. Apart from a few progressive women who have come out against the resistance to the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict, it has not yet developed into a movement. This is mainly because women have accepted the patriarchal system and are unable to see the principles of equality in the issue, said Bhaskar.

Social activist Preetha GP believes civil society may be maintaining its distance as they consider it as a religious issue rather than one of gender discrimination. Right-wing outfits are using the custom allowing women outside the 10 to 50 age group to enter the temple to try to go after the claim of gender discrimination. Scholar and activist Swami Agnivesh said the imbroglio is the result of propaganda by the BJP-RSS combine to "devastate Keralas social and spiritual landscape". He urged Keralites to ask themselves whether if they are being misled and their trust is being abused by an unscrupulous political formation that thrives by selling gods, hijacking temples and corrupting popular religiosity.

The Sangh knows Kerala is the strongest bastion against communal and caste-driven politics, the social activist said in a statement. They believe that the only way to make inroads is to use religion as a Trojan Horse. This is not the time to count petty gains or caste equations. The State is facing an unprecedented danger. If not handled wisely, this could inflict permanent wounds on its psyche. He added that the RSS-BJP strategy was erected on a presumption of the gullibility of Keralites with respect to religion. Now is the time for Keralites to prove that the people are wiser than the politicians, Agnivesh added.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber.

Ayodhya: Arriving in Ayodhya ahead of Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction.

He urged the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying his party will support it.

Day, months, years and generations have passed, he said on Saturday on what he described as his first visit to the town.

Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said.

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

Thackeray  and scores of Sena supporters  arrived in Ayodhya just a day ahead of the Dharam Sabha being organised separately by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site.

There is a massive deployment of police in the city as seers and other people arrive for the VHP event.

The VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend its event. Thackeray came with his family for a two-day visit, which he said was to get a darshan' of Lord Ram.

He attacked the government over the delay in the construction of the Ram temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

"There should be a temple of Lord Ram at the Shri Ramjanmabhoomi, he said.

I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said.

He said there is a BJP government at the Centre and also in the state. Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,' he said.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, he said.

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple construction, and others were free to do so. "But how many years should we wait for the temple?

"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.

Thackeray recalled former Prime Minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."

"There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed.

The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

After his remarks at Lakshman Kila, he went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers.

The Sena is believed to have sent in about 3,000 party supporters from Maharashtra by two trains.

The supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.

Thackeray is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivneri fort in Pune to be handed over to the priest at the Ram Lalla's temple when he meets him later.
'It is liberating to hear a Dalit writer take pride in her work. It is even more liberating to hear her laugh at detractors,' writes Vijeta Kumar in her profile of Sujatha Gidla. Gidla recently won the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize for Ants Among Elephants.

I met writer Sujatha Gidla in February 2018, at the Times Litfest in Bengaluru. We were to be interviewed together for digital feminist magazine The Ladies Finger. I saw her from a distance and wondered how to greet her; she stood up, smiled, and I half-sprinted, half-jumped towards her. We hugged. I was drawn to her instantly, just as Id been to her book, Ants Among Elephants.

Wed exchanged emails earlier, but never met, and here I was, acting like wed grown up together and were seeing each other after aeons!

Before our interview, she told me about the panel shed been part of, with noted writer Perumal Murugan, Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar (author of The Adivasi Will Not Dance) and Kannan Sundaram (founder of Kalachuvadu Pathippagam), moderated by Rohini Nilekani.

Gidla told me that at the very start of the session, she asked why Rohini was moderating a panel about Writing under threat  considering her husband (Nandan Nilekani) was the man behind Aadhaar.

I gaped at her, and Gidla continued talking as if she had not just dropped a bomb.

***

Months later, I am interviewing her over email. Im overjoyed at the opportunity; Ive already begun writing the piece out in my mind. I know what I want to ask her, but something came back to me strongly from that February meeting:

At lunch, shed eaten very little as Gidla and her friend Alan were recovering from a bout of food poisoning. You shouldnt be eating this Alan, she told him, pointing to the channa on his plate, before popping some in her mouth.

I havent eaten well since I left, she then said.

Really? Didnt you eat at the party last night? How was it? I asked.

The party was strange. I dont think they know who I am or why Im here. So I left in five minutes, Gidla said, referring to a dinner party where all the invited writers had dined together at the hotel.

***

Later, during The Ladies Finger interview, Gidla recalled Rohini Nilekani saying at the panel discussion that there is less freedom in the US.

What planet is she from? Gidla asked, straight into the camera.

That evening, I watched the video of the interview and laughed as I kept rewinding to this point. It probably wasnt very funny, but I was amused by Gidlas expressive face  from genuinely wanting to know which planet Rohini Nilekani was from to the look of utter seriousness before she moved on to the next question. She wouldnt let even my giggling fit distract her.

About the panel itself, Gidla said: There were all these people wearing fancy sunglasses and sitting there. I really didnt think Id get any applause, which made me wonder, if there would have been applause if the person asking this perfectly reasonable question was someone not Dalit.

Even so, wasnt she apprehensive of asking the question she did?

I did not know who was going to moderate the session at the Times Litfest until the night before, says Gidla. And then I did not know who Rohini was, perhaps because I dont live in India. I Googled the name and was flabbergasted. We have a saying in Telugu (which in current times is politically unacceptable), like devils reciting the Vedas. The topic was Writing under threat; this persons husband is involved in the development of Aadhaar  a huge threat to peoples rights to free speech and freedom of association. At first I thought of not attending. Then a friend encouraged me to go, and question Rohini. If I did not, I would lose face with my family and the few friends I have.

***

Among the most memorable scenes in Ants among Elephants is when Gidlas mother Manjula runs after a train that has her certificates and belongings. She is filling up her water bottle when the train suddenly starts to move. Manjula, still clutching her water bottle, runs after the train with the fierceness of an athlete. Its a similar fierceness that I get to watch when Gidla declares of her experience at the Jaipur Literature Festival, They didnt give a shit about me even though I wrote a great book before breaking out into loud laughter.

It is liberating to hear a Dalit writer take pride in her work. It is even more liberating to hear her laugh at detractors.

Do Dalit women need to be equipped with a lot more than other writers in order to deal with attacks on what we write and how we write?

All Dalits, whether men or women, face tremendous discrimination in every field  including writing. I dont think it is a question of how well-equipped you are. You would still be attacked, says Gidla. I usually dont count attacks by right-wingers because they will attack no matter what. But you should expect attacks from people who call themselves progressive. If you write something mediocre, they will like it because it gives them a chance to pat your back for giving it a try, and then to say encouraging words to you. But if you write something awesome then brace yourself. They do not like it. Sometimes their attacks take the form of totally ignoring your work and keeping complete silence.

And in order to respond to their attacks, yes, you need to be well-equipped to respond. That means you should know what you are doing, she adds.

***

There is a strange schizophrenia within the world of urban Dalit women. It is like the feeling of being in a cage, even if you are outside the cage  because there is a larger albeit invisible cage that encompasses this smaller cage.

Living online is like that cage where Dalit women often have to confront the occasional big mercies. Sometimes these big mercies come like pats on your head after someone throws a biscuit at you Like having Savarna academicians smirking at your work for not being Avarna enough and then adding you to lists on Twitter that they have very thoughtfully called DBA voices.

The other side to this is living in a matrix where you dont know when to stop feeling grateful  for having a comfortable life, for knowing English, for living in the city, for having a job etc. And slowly this gratitude eats into your self-esteem until it begins to taste like metal in your mouth. Thats the point when gratitude becomes guilt.

What is the problem with this?

It doesnt allow us to shut our minds when we work. Its what causes our eyes to look at your surnames when you win awards and accolades  whether its that blue tick next to your Twitter handle, or your Ivy League university degree. Its what makes our eyes thirsty to have one of our own people up there  in those lists and awards.

So you can imagine my joy when Gidla won the Shakti Bhatt Prize. I have often read the Paris Reviews interviews with writers who talk about the process of writing, and I have always been curious to read an interview with a Dalit woman who is speaking of her writing process and what she does when her work is attacked.

I ask Gidla: When you were writing Ants among Elephants, were there moments when you just wanted to give up? What did you tell yourself to keep going?

Never. The reason was, I wrote only when I felt inspired. Then writing was ecstatic. When I did not feel like it, I did not force myself. I would let months pass until I felt inspired again. This accounts partly for the inordinate amount of time I took to finish the book. Discipline and deadlines are deadly to creativity  in my case, she says.

But there was a time I felt very frustrated. It was after signing the contract with FSG, the editor left to pursue further studies, and a second editor moved to the UK, and a third editor took over and he too left New York. That was very frustrating. Finally the fourth editor finished the book.

I ask her a few more questions in this vein:

Me: Will we get to read more about you in the sequel to Ants among Elephants?

Gidla: A few people tell me that a book about my generation would be a big hit. But I dont agree. My mothers and her brothers lives intersected with Indias life more directly and that was what made Ants among Elephants interesting. Secondly, how to write it? If I use first person that would sound a bit  how should I say...sombre. If I use third person well I saw how pompous it would be to refer to yourself in third person when I bought Salman Rushdies autobiography. I think it is called Joseph Anton: A Memoir. That was his name while he was in hiding. You see my dilemma?

Towards the beginning of Ants among Elephants, Gidla writes that years ago at a bar in Atlanta, she told a guy she was an untouchable and he said, Oh, but youre so touchable.

Its a very innocent yet strange thing to encounter. But come to India and the encounters plus questions posed to an English-speaking Dalit woman get weirder.

Me: What was the most absurd question youve been asked about your life after Ants among Elephants was published?

Gidla: Luckily there werent any absurd questions, as far as I can recall. But one woman that has some programme on a TV channel contacts me every now and then. The programme is about something like rags-to-riches which is absurd because, one, it is far from the truth. Secondly, neither I am nor is the book about rags-to-riches.

Have you made more enemies after the success of Ants among Elephants? Do they seem incensed by your Shakti Bhatt Prize win?

Of course. Since the book came out in July 2017, it is has been one aggravation after another to these people. First it was the New York Times review by Michiko Kakutani, then it was the Jaipur Litfest (for some reason people seem to think this is the ultimate literary festival and so a cause for jealousy), and now the Shakti Bhatt Prize. I am concerned for their health.

Has your relationship with caste and identity changed in any way through the years spent writing the book?

My relationship to caste changed when I left India, and that was what enabled me to write. While writing the book, I used to think the downside to succeeding in getting it published would be all those people who did not know I am an untouchable until now, would now know the truth. What if they feel I betrayed them? That makes me cringe a little bit even now.

***

When Id messaged Gidla for this interview, she said that she was on the train back to New York and shed get back to me later. Gidla works as a conductor on the New York City Subway. The first time I Googled her, I found this picture of her, in a uniform. Since then, I have been curious to know more about her work and life in America.

Me: What is your regular day like? What do you do over the weekends? Do you think about writing when you are at work?

Gidla: Right now it is pretty boring. Work, then book-related events or preparation for those events  reading and writing. But I have now stopped accepting interview requests and invitations so that I can start living like a normal person who did not write a book. Who would like to go to the movies, hear live music, go to the beach, and other fun stuff."

Tell me what you love about living in New York. If I come there to see you, where would you take me?

"There are many places in America where you dont see any non-white people. To me that is scary. New York, on the other hand, is a city of blacks, Jews, immigrants, and gays. Literally and figuratively  very colourful. People of many different ethnicities. And their food. The second big attraction is mass transit. That is, us  the people who run it. We are very awesome, the way we work with seriousness and the way we stride purposefully. Also in New York subway trains you see these young black kids who do acrobatic feats inside the moving trains. I love that a lot. And then, the independent movie theatres."

***

When you read the next question, imagine yourself as one of those small children in films who are made to give love letters to the heroine. And after they do, they turn around and run away with great speed.

Me: Are you a romantic person? What is Sujatha Gidla like when she is in love?

Gidla: Well, I can say I am pretty passionate about things. You can see it in Ants among Elephants. That is about all I would like to say about romance.

***

The other thing I remembered from our February meeting was the last thing she said to me before leaving. We were in a cab on the way to her hotel. I was telling her about my family and the circus theyve been through to forget our caste. I told her about my grandmother, who will not tell me any more stories about our caste because she is afraid that I will write about them.

I dont know what to do, I had said. I want to write about my family but I am afraid.

Gidla smiled. The cab stopped at the hotel. Before getting out and hugging me, she said, This Adivasi may not dance, but you will write.
Through pictures of jewelry and rare portraits, Treasures of the Deccan  Jewels of the Nizams sheds light on the gems and jewelry worn by royalty in Hyderabad

The fabulous wealth of the Nizams of Hyderabad is well documented, thanks to their lavish lifestyles, opulent palaces and an astounding array of jewels. Long the subject of much mystery and intrigue, the exquisite jewellery collection of the Nizam, which was hidden in the royal treasury for centuries, is now scattered all over the world.

A new book, Treasures of the Deccan  Jewels of the Nizams, co-authored by Usha Balakrishnan and Deepthi Sasidharan gives a glimpse into these jewels which were once accessed only by a handful of people. Featuring rare portraits from the archives of the Chowmahalla Palace and a handpicked selection of the Nizams jewels  one of the most outstanding collections of gemstones and jewellery in the world, and never-seen-before items from private collections  the book captures the history, romance, wealth and majestic lives of the Asaf Jahs of Hyderabad. Accompanying these pictures is the history behind those pieces, which gives insight into the craftsmanship and context of the jewels.

Both the authors have been known names in the world of art and culture. Usha Balakrishnan is a cultural capital consultant based in Mumbai and has previously written Jewels of the Nizams and coauthored Dance of the Peacock: Jewelry Traditions of India. Deepthi Sasidharan is a Fulbright scholar who has curated several Indian exhibitions for private and government collections, including those at the Chowmhalla Palace and Salar Jung Museum.

Usha says that her tryst with the Nizam jewels started when she was invited by the Government of India in 2001 to undertake a detailed study, document and publish the collection that had been acquired from the Nizams Trusts. The spectacular historical collection with royal provenance made headlines around the world. My book Jewels of the Nizams featured all the jewels (375 pieces), with photographs of the Nizams to show the jewels in their historical context. Thereafter, I began identifying Hyderabad jewels from the Asaf Jahi court scattered in collections around the world, she explains.

Over the years, she compiled an extensive database of these jewels whenever she came across a piece attributed to the Nizam or stylistically appeared to be from Hyderabad. She adds, At the time of my documentation, the Chowmahalla Palace restoration had not been undertaken and the fabulous photographs featured in the present book had not yet been discovered. Upon their discovery and exhibition, I noticed that a lot of the jewels that I had catalogued were actually seen in the photographs. This was so exciting that I wanted to bring the jewels and photographs together.

Thus began an arduous journey of eight years (primarily because such projects have close to zero funding in India), and Deepthi, who was working as part of the team commissioned by Princess Esra and Shri Martand Singh that restored the Chowmahalla Palace, says that her work led to several exhibitions and one on vintage photography that required a study of the palace photographs. She adds, The work also led to a curatorial assignment on the exhibition of the Nizam's jewels at the Salar Jung Museum. While on this assignment, I noticed that a lot of the jewels (now with the Government of India) were photographed in the late 19th, early 20th century and worn by the Nizams and members of their family. Usha had already published the catalogue that we were using as our guide and I reached out to her with the new material that had come to light. This was in 2006 and she decided that a new publication could possibly combine the new information.

While the Nizam jewels acquired by the Government of India amount to 175 pieces, the duo says that there are more than 100 items in private collections and museums around the world. They looked at almost 1000 vintage photographs and then narrowed down the selection for the book. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, the authors talk about their labour of love and the many discoveries they made during the making of this book.

What was the extent of research that went into the book?

The concept of the book was to show the jewels in the context of the men, women and children who wore them, how they were worn, the nature and style of adornment in the Nizams court. Accordingly, we started with the jewels that had already published (by Usha in Jewels of the Nizams) and knew belonged to the family. We then traced them through the photographs and archival evidence where available. The search then extended to Nizam jewels in other collections. For example, we knew of a fabulous carved emerald bazuband (armband) in the Al Sabah collection, Kuwait but not its Nizam provenance. We then discovered a photograph of Mir Osman Ali Khans wife actually wearing the jewel. In the book, the jewel and photograph are shown together  uniting the piece with the person it once belonged to.

Princess Esra Jah was generous in providing access to the palace archives and many gave us valuable time in explaining jewellery techniques and the etiquette of wearing these pieces. A lot of it was primary information from first-hand sources like royal family members, jewelers, historians and palace staff.

Have you written about unearthing the Princie diamond? Any other jewels you have discovered, which were hitherto unknown?

The oval cushion-cut 34 carat Princie diamond is a beautiful pink diamond that first made its appearance in the world of jewellery at a Sothebys auction in London in February 1960. The newspapers of the time reported that the gem belonged to the Nizam of Hyderabad. The diamond sold for the princely sum of GBP 46,000 and was purchased by Van Cleef & Arpels.

I always look at photographs with a magnifying glass in my hand, and during the perusal of a photograph featuring the young boy Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan, I noticed a sparkling ring on his finger. Thereafter, I undertook a detailed study comparing the shape and size of the stone in the ring to the Princie diamond. It is my belief that the stone in the Nizams ring is most probably the pink Princie. I have made several such discoveries, including identifying Oscar Massin, the famous French jeweller as the maker of the fabulous belt set with golden-colored diamonds.

Many of the pieces of jewellery are missing or lost today, but can they be traced? Do you think Indians and Indian governments should try and locate them, just like the Chinese are going about retrieving pieces that belong to their century of humiliation?

Ironically in India, the humiliation is from within. Restricting ourselves to gems and jewels, there are fabulous collections languishing all around India which are undocumented, not catalogued and completely neglected. A systematic effort to document the artistic heritage of jewellery is long overdue.

Without bemoaning what is lost, we should concentrate on what remains, showcase it to the world, and preserve it for future generations.

An effort like this has to be driven by the government and a systematic listing of the jewellery and gems held in government museums, the Archaeological Survey of India, temples, mutts, and other collections should be opened up for academic access and study. An academic exercise like this should form the precursor to any effort to locate jewels here or elsewhere.

The Al Thani collection, currently travelling around the world showcasing Indian jewellery, heritage, craftsmanship, design, aesthetics, and Indias legendary wealth was put together only over the last five to six years. These fabulous jewels are being showcased to an awestruck world, and travelling from country to country and museum to museum. Sadly, our collections are hidden away in the storerooms of museums, in district treasuries, and in temple vaults.

We do not have a single qualified curator in any of our museums to care for the jewels.

What is the relevance of these jewels in modern-day Hyderabad?

These jewels are part of the history of the city and representative of its artistic and technical achievements. They are also chronicles of a way of life and a rich culture of adornment that existed in the city. Any Hyderabadi would only feel proud to see the beauty of the Deccani enameling, the expertise of the gem setter, the skill of the pearl piercing, and so on. The jewels are also benchmarks in jewellery design and elegance and a source of endless inspiration to artists, designers, historians and people alike. In fact, ever since the publication of my first book, there has been an immense revival of jewellery manufacturing in Hyderabad and renewed interest in Deccani traditions.

Have the unique pieces of Deccani jewellery like tora paon (unique anklets), champakali (a necklace made in the form of champaka flowers) and taveek choti (braid amulet) lost their prominence in the modern day? Is it possible to see their revival in modern-day jewellery collections?

Like fashion, jewellery almost always comes back into vogue. Some of the top designers in the country take age-old classic heirlooms of jewellery and pair it with contrasting modern, high-end fashion. Conversely, revivalist traditions change the form of the jewel but still rely on the traditional time-tested methods of setting jewellery or even wearing them and present them to the world. Whichever way you look at it, making this history available is important. To quote an old maxim, If you dont know your past, you dont know your future. This is relevant as these pieces become reference points for all sorts of design endeavors.

The Asaf Jahis and their fabulous collection of jewels are legendary. How did the collection come about?

The Asaf Jahi collection of jewels was assembled over time. Kautiliya in the Arthashastra declared that the kosha or treasury is an essential constituent of the State for the power of the government comes from the treasury. Accordingly, royals around the India accumulated gems and jewels for their treasury.

The Asaf Jahs were representatives of the Mughals in the Deccan. The first ruler, Nizam ul Mulk, came to consolidate a then turbulent Deccan and was given the highest ranking title of Asaf Jah in 1724. Over the two centuries, successive generations of the Asaf Jahs ruled one of the largest areas in the subcontinent and were the premier princely state. Large revenue streams ensured a plentiful treasury. The Nizam received fabulous gifts of jewels from the Mughal emperor and from other neighboring rulers and nobles as expressions of admiration and loyalty.

The historic Golconda diamond mines that produced some of the most beautiful diamonds in history lay in the territory of the Nizam. And many found their way into the treasury. The Nizams also purchased fabulous jewels. Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam, was a connoisseur and acquired fabulous jewels.

What were the distinctions between the styles of the jewellery crafted for the Nizams and the women of their zenana? Also, were certain stones reserved exclusively for the use of the ruler?

Not just in Hyderabad, but across India, princely kingdoms have had separate and distinct pieces for men and women. Through history, the largest and best gemstones were the prerogative of the king/emperor/maharaja.

The Nizam was the premier Princely ruler and his jewels were distinct  besides the regional style (say of a Har murassa specific to Hyderabad) the Nizam also wore the biggest gems and stones that could be procured. The jewellery for the women however, although splendid, were made in multiple sets for his various wives. The jewels for the important women in the zenana were significantly larger.

You have seen and touched the Nizams jewellery which is currently with the government of India. Most people say thats a fraction of the original collection, is that an accurate estimate? Also, what are your views on whether they should have a permanent exhibition, like the crown jewels of the United Kingdom?

The jewels with the government of India are indeed a fraction of the original collection. Jewels were liquidated for much-needed cash in the turbulent aftermath of the abolition of princely states and loss of revenue from land and other sources. This was the situation with royals around India.

India was the gem-capital of the world for thousands of years and has a jewellery tradition that spans more than five thousand years.

A gem and jewellery museum is desperately needed.

If the Crown Jewels of England can be on permanent exhibition, and has travelled on special exhibitions, why not the jewels of India? Furthermore, the Nizams jewels acquired with public money have only been exhibited twice since acquisitions. A collection so important deserves a place of permanent display.

The stories of the jewels of Indian royalty are legendary. Like the diamond serpech of Maharaja Duleep Singh or the Patiala necklace of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. Isnt it a tragedy that most of them are now in private collections, lost forever to the nation?

Why arent we making an effort toward bringing these jewels to India for a special exhibition, where they can be showcased for everyone to view and admire? Instead of debating that they are lost forever to the nation, why dont we provide sovereign guarantees, set up exchange exhibitions, and be part of the exhibition circuit as they tour the world? Today, they freely travel to every part of the world, except India  their home country. This is very sad.

Our country does not have a 'National Museum' of jewellery and gems. The National Museum of India does have some spectacular representative pieces, but they are by no means a reflection of the incredible variety, history and heritage of the legendary jewels that we have in our country. In the absence of a national agency, how can one lament the loss of historic pieces to private collections? The consideration to put the Nizams jewels on permanent display is certainly a good idea to make a start.
At a time when several thousand nonprofit initiatives in India are engaged in the education sector, what sets police constable Arup Mukherjee apart is that with very limited finances, he was able to turn a mere piece of land into a gurukul  a place where he provides food, education, and shelter to Dalit children in the Purulia district of West Bengal. Three hundred and ten kilometres away from Kolkata, his Puncha Nabadisha Model School situated at Purulia's Puncha block, has established a space of its own, since it is run only for children from the Sabar tribe.

A journey of about eight to nine hours took us to Puncha. Upon getting off a government bus, a gentleman recognised me at once and approached me. As he extended his hand and said 'Nomoshkar' (a Bengali greeting), I realised that this was Arup, with whom I had been communicating for the past few days. We rode his two-wheeler, and on our way to the school, I was told about the Sabar tribe's history in brief.

The Sabars are a Dalit tribe who were branded criminals by the British under the Criminal Tribes Act 1871. They are a community who are found mainly in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and in a few parts of Odisha and West Bengal. They are a forest-dwelling tribe, and even in present times, they are only allowed to live within the forest department's area. It is also said that the Sabars were considerably involved in the Naxalite Andolan in India.

As we approached the school, I could see a small one-storied building with a playground adjacent to it, as well as many boys and girls. As soon as they saw Arup, at least 50 of them came running towards the motorbike.

'Baba, where is my face cream? Baba, where are my shoes?' Arup was mobbed by them, and they were making these demands in their young, earnest voices. At once I knew that this story was not about the misery of this tribe, or about how noble the initiative is; it is also about how a 43-year-old man had turned into a messiah-figure for several villages and become the children's 'Police Baba'.

While I took in the surroundings and was lost in thought, Arup came and tapped on my shoulder. "That these kids call me 'father' is the biggest reward. I just want the Sabar tribe to live respectful lives. They should be able to earn a living. And this is the only school for the Sabars in Purulia."

There's a reason why Arup chose to set up a school. "I have grown up living in the village of Puncha. The idea of establishing a school has a lot to do with my childhood. Whenever any sort of criminal activity would take place in this area, I would hear my grandfather saying 'The Sabars have done it.' As a child, I would not pay attention to this, but one day, I asked him why he always accused the Sabars. He said they indulge in criminal activity because of two reasons: One, they have no money, and two, they have no education. This is what led people to believe that they can't really tell right from wrong. That day, I decided that if I ever am able to do anything for these people, I would provide them with food and education."

Arup joined the Kolkata Police as a south traffic guard's constable in the year 1991 and established the school in the year 2010. "I had saved some money from my salary and borrowed loans from banks. A kind man named Khirad Shashi donated the land for the school, the panchayat also helped a great deal. I started with 15 students. Initially, I would visit each home and request them to send the kids to school. It took me five years to gain their trust, and the number of students went up to 115. I take pride in saying that as a result, in the last four years, there has not been a single incident of theft or dacoit by the Sabars in Purulia," Arup said. Arup's passion clearly reflects in the school building, the teachers' body language and in the students' dedication. Against the backdrop of the Ayodhya hills and Kangsabati river, 'Nabadisha' is like heaven for the Sabar children.

Arup travels 112 kilometres each day whenever he is in Purulia. He visits all the Sabar villages across the district to make sure that all the enrolled children are present in school. He also takes care of the daily requirements of these families.

When I requested, Arup took me on a tour around a village where the Sabars live. It is a very dry region with identical houses. Each Sabar village in Purulia is home to five to ten families. There are more than a 100 Sabar villages across Purulia.

Certain aspects of these villages are too prominent to be ignored. For example, each village has only one well. And irrespective of what the weather conditions and water levels are, the Sabars are not allowed to enter the villages of the upper castes and fetch water. There is also the problem of widespread hunger; most of the villagers, especially the children, suffer from various nutritional deficiency diseases. "The Sabars here don't get the 100-day job contract from the central government. Our chief minister Mamata Banerjee also announced that funds would be allotted, but those funds never reached them. Doctors refuse to perform ligation surgeries for these women. As a result, each family has five to seven children on an average. How will they sustain such large families? I had once appeared in a reality show, which helped me to collect some liquid cash. A few kind men and women send some money every month, and I use up my whole salary to get these children food twice a day. I am still unable to provide them with proper nutrition."

One of the people I was introduced to was Santi Sabar's mother. Santi is one of the few students who has passed their Class 10 exams in the village, but does not foresee any future for herself. "When Santi pursued her education, we were all very happy. We had high expectations, but now that so many years have passed and no job opportunity has come her way, the whole village is demoralised and disappointed," said Santi's mother.

Arup echoed the sentiment: If the government could provide a basic job to a few from the community, the Sabars would be more motivated to pursue education and live better lives. Purulia, which shared borders with the states of Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand, is under severe political turmoil. The district has seen some of the cruelest political assaults in the past few months. Unsurprisingly, the heat can be felt across villages where people have right-wing inclinations. "My school was inaugurated by a Sabar child, but I never allowed any political party to interfere in its running. I know politics would harm the cause," said Arup. "Those who understand my effort support me, but there are people who belong to the upper castes who don't want these kids to get an education. That gives them the upper hand to exploit them, of course... There is no point making this a political or caste battleground," he added.

When Arup tried to communicate with the commissioner to seek help and ask for funds on behalf of the Kolkata Police, but all talks were ceased mid-way. "I am not doing this for the money or fame; I just want the Sabars to be able to survive in this society, to provide them with the basic necessities. I wish the higher authorities would give them job opportunities. To them, I'd like to say: 'Don't let these people die of hunger,'" he urged.  All photographs by Satwik Paul
Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla will be contesting from Serchhip seat and the remote Champhai South. Belonging to Congress, the 79-year-old will be fighting to retain control over the state after being in office for 10 years.

The exit polls for Mizoram on 7 December have predicted major gains for the Mizo National Front (MNF) with the Congress losing its remaining stronghold in the northeast bastion.

The 40-seat Assembly has a majority mark of 21. Times Now-CNX has predicted 16 seats for the ruling Congress, 18 for MNF and allies, and six for other parties. Similarly, the Republic-CVoter survey has predicted 14-18 seats for the Congress, 16 to 20 seats for the MNF and three to seven seats for the Zoram People's Movement.

The Christian-majority state has always had Congress in power since it became a full-fledged state in 1987, except for a 10 year gap: 1998 to 2008.

Out of the 209 candidates in fray, the key ones who contested the election are:

Lal Thanhawla

The chief minister will be contesting from Serchhip seat and the remote Champhai South. Belonging to Congress, the 79-year-old will be fighting to retain control over the state after being in office for 10 years.

Thanhawla has served as the chief minister five times, and is among the prominent names in the states political circles.

Zoramthanga

The Mizo National Front president filed his nomination from the Aizawl East I constituency. He served as the Mizoram chief minister for two consecutive terms till 2008, when the Congress government took over. In the 28 November election, the 74-year-old is vying for a comeback. His confidence stems from the anti-incumbency wave and the fact that no government in the state has completed more than two consecutive terms.

Vanlalzawma

MNF leader Vanlalzawma is the Leader of Opposition in the Mizoram Assembly. The party treasurer and former Lok Sabha member will contest from Aizawl West-III seat again.

R Lalzirliana

Lalzirliana was the first of five leaders who quit Congress during the past two months and resigned from the House. Before his exit, Lalzirliana was serving as the home minister in the Thanhawla cabinet. He stepped down as a minister on 14 September in protest of the government's refusal to create a separate Saitual district comprising his home turf Tawi. He will contest again on an MNF ticket from Tawi constituency.

Lalrinliana Sailo

The former health minister, who recently switched over to MNF, resigned from the state Assembly on 3 October and also stepped down as the member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), general secretary of the Mizoram Congress committee and primary member of the ruling party on the same day. He will be contesting from the Chalfilh seat.

Buddha Dhan Chakma

The prominent Chakma leader, who resigned as a Congress legislator in October, will be contesting from his home turf Tuchawng on a BJP ticket.

He served as the fisheries minister in the Thanhawla cabinet until August, 2017, when he resigned from the council of ministers over the alleged discrimination faced by some students from the Chakma community while seeking admissions to medical colleges.

He is being seen as one of BJPs prominent candidates as the saffron party defied the diktat of the NGO Coordination Committee, which had asked parties to not field any Chakma candidates. (The Mizos consider the Chakma outsiders.)

Tawnluia

The MNF senior vice-president is the former chief of the erstwhile underground Mizo National Army (MNA) and former home minister in the Zoramthanga government from 1998 to 2003 and 2003 to 2008. He will contest from Tuichang seat in Myanmar border Champhai district.

With inputs from agencies
Congress is battling the tide of history. Ever since Mizoram became a full-fledged state in 1987, the grand old party and the Mizo National Front, have taken turns ruling it.

The Mizo National Front (MNF) emerged victorious in the Mizoram Assembly elections on Tuesday, bagging 26 seats out of the 40-member assembly, according to the figures by the Election Commission of India.

The Congress party has won five seats, while the BJP secured one. The Independents have won eight seats.

The Congress party, which has been in power in Mizoram since 2008, was eyeing a third consecutive term. However, incumbent Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who contested from Serchhip and Champhai South, lost both the seats.

MNF, the regional political party, formed the government twice in past, first in 1986 and then in 1998. However, it lost the 2008 elections and won only three seats.

Currently, it's a part of the North-East Regional Political Front, which supports the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Pu Zoramthanga is the president of the MNF.

The state, which went to polls on 28 November, saw a voter turnout of about 80 percent. As many as 7,70,395 lakh voters were eligible to cast their vote in the state including 3.75 lakh males and 3.95 lakh females.

From anti-incumbency to alcohol, a variety of factors made the Congress' quest to retain its hold on power difficult.

Anti-incumbency

The Congress dominated the 2013 Vidhan Sabha polls, winning 34 seats and nabbing an impressive 45 percent vote share. The Mizo National Front (MNF) won five seats and the Mizoram People's Conference won one seat. The BJP failed to open its account in the previous election. However, Congress is battling the tide of history. Ever since Mizoram became a full-fledged state in 1987, the Congress and the MNF (an influential regional party), have taken turns ruling it. While the grand old party increased its tally in the 40-member Vidhan Sabha from 32 to 34 in the 2013 elections, neither it nor the MNF, has ever ruled for more than two consecutive terms.

MNF factor

According to this Firstpost piece by Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha, the anti-incumbency facing the Congress creates a favourable scenario for the BJP to win more seats in the state Vidhan Sabha, unless the MNF plays spoiler. Former chief minister and MNF chief Zoramthanga said his party MNF shied away from aligning with the BJP in the polls as the party intended to disturb peace in the Christian-majority Mizoram.

However, according to a report in the Economic Times, the MNF is hampered by the Opposition describing it as a BJP "proxy" (the MNF is both part of the NDA and Northeast Democratic Alliance - a conglomeration of BJP's small allies in the North East). For his part, Zoramthanga is playing it safe and making sure not to get on the bad side of the voters, telling ET Magazine, "Congress is our political opponent since the beginning. Since we can't be with the Congress, we are with the BJP, at the Centre. But in Mizoram, no one will tolerate the BJP  they are anti-Christian."

Drugs and alcohol

According to a report in The Times of India, drugs and alcohol are a potent poll issue: enough to sweep political parties in and out of power. From 2013 to 2018, 232 people died of drug abuse in Mizoram and 1,460 people, including 163 women, died of drug abuse since 1984. As per the Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department website, deaths due to liquor consumption have been on the rise: From 9 in 2015 to 22 in 2016 and to 59 in 2017.

The Congress' partial lifting of the liquor ban in 2015 went directly against the inclination of the church. Mizoram comprises 87 percent Christians and the Church has always had a say in all matters of the state and the society, which may cost the party dearly at the voting booth.

While the Congress has stated it will not tamper with the status quo on liquor if it returns to power, the MNF and Zoram People's Movement have promised to implement a blanket ban. "It (liquor) is an epidemic, a big plague in Mizoram. We are going to solve the drug and alcohol problem by a total prohibition of liquor. We will fight totally against the drugs," MNF president and former chief minister Zoramthanga told PTI in an interview. The BJP has promised to promote only local brews. The strong pro-prohibition sentiment in the state may give the edge to the MNF over the Congress, student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) leader Ricky Lalbiakmawia told The Times of India.

Refugees

Illegal immigration from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal is a hot button issue for voters. Reports have pegged the number of illegal migrantswhich has increased drasticallyat 10,000. In December, a number of civil society groups and student associations urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that all illegal immigrants, especially Chakmas from Bangladesh, are deported.

According to this Firstpost piece, while the Chakmas have been in Mizoram for a long time, what is suddenly worrying the Mizos, with elections just around the corner, is the rapid spurt in Chakma population in the areas that fall under the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC). The Mizos have claimed this increase is due to illegal immigration from Bangladesh. NGOs across the state have now raised the demand for scrapping of the CADC.

However, their demand that Chakma candidates be denied tickets by the Congress and the BJP has largely been ignored. The mainstream parties, even as they try to steer clear of voicing support for the minorities for fear of a Mizo backlash, realise that the Chakmas are a strong vote bank, given that they form nearly 10 percent of the total state population of around 11 lakh. They are the second-largest minority group in Mizoram after the Brus.

The Bru refugee issue also continues to haunt the government. Its decision to undertake the physical repatriation of over 32,000 Brus lodged in six relief camps in North Tripura district from the second week of February could not take off due to legal reasons. The Brus have been lodged in the camps since 1997 following exodus from Mizoram due to communal tension triggered by the murder of a forest official by Bru militants.

Infrastructure

In February, a bailey bridge over the Tuirini river between Sesawng and Khawruhlian collapsed, killing one person and injuring others. The MNF has targeted the Congress over the state's infrastructure, with its general secretary Lalruatkima telling reporters the Congress regime never took moral responsibility for the bad road conditions in the state, the scarcity of essential commodities or the collapse of a bridge.

The MLA blamed the Congress government, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and his younger brother Lal Thanzara, who had been looking after the Public Works portfolio for ten years, for the extremely bad road conditions. 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 nexus between Lal Thanhawla, Lal Thanzara and the non-tribal contractors, Lalruatkima alleged.

Unemployment

Unemployment is one of the state's biggest problems. That, coupled with the second highest literacy rate in the country (91 percent), could be a great source of frustration for the public, especially the youth. According to Indiaspend, the rapid development is not creating enough jobs and livelihood. Poverty is also an issue, with 20.40 percent of the population living below the poverty line in 2011-12. The two main reasons for poverty in the state are under-developed agriculture and unskilled labour. Tribals practice traditional and unscientific jhum or slash-and-burn method of cultivation, in which land is cleared and vegetation burned to make way for new cultivable land.

A total of 209 candidates are contesting the Mizoram Vidhan Sabha elections which are slated to be held in a single phase on 28 November. The ruling Congress has fielded 40 candidates while the BJP and MNF are contesting in 39 and 40 assembly seats, respectively.

With inputs from agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress Saturday, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother.

Chhatarpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress Saturday, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother.

Addressing a rally in Chhatarpur, Modi, in an apparent dig at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said 125 crore people of the country were the "high-command" of his government, which was "not remote-controlled by a madam".

Hitting out at the Congress on Babbar's remarks, he said, "When one doesn't have issues to talk about, he resorts to abusing somebody else's mother."

The Congress leader had kicked up a row in Indore Thursday when he compared the falling value of rupee against US dollar with the age of the prime minister's mother.

Attacking Gandhi, Modi alleged that "coffers of banks were emptied for the rich during the madam's government". "However, our government opened doors of banks for the needy youth," Modi said.

The prime minister asked why the Congress was worried about Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being called "mama".

"They are worried Shivraj is called mama...Why, don't you remember (Ottavio) Quattrocchi mama and Warren Anderson (then chairman of the Union Carbide) mama," he said, referring to the Bofors scandal and the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

He said the Congress was voted out of power in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago because it indulged in the politics of divisiveness.
Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have both set their hearts on the chief ministers chair. Also in the ring is leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Rameshwar Dudi.

Jaipur: The Congress has set tongues wagging in poll-bound Rajasthan. As if the much-touted tug-of-war between old horse Ashok Gehlot and young turk Sachin Pilot wasnt enough, the partys state unit is now facing a problem of plenty when it comes to chief ministerial aspirants.

If recent statements of Congress leaders are anything to go by, seasoned former chief minister Gehlot and Rajasthan Congress chief Pilot have both set their hearts on the chief ministers chair. Also in the ring is leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Rameshwar Dudi.

While Gehlot is popular with the public and party members, Pilot is seen as a youthful, dynamic leader and Dudi has considerable support among the Jats. But the party strategists have refused to set the record straight and declare the chief ministerial face at the outset  a move that many believe may just cost the Congress dear in the elections that are weeks away. As of now, the Congress is favoured to win Rajasthan, where the BJP's Vasundhara Raje is facing anti-incumbency.

The BJP, on the other hand, was quick to declare the unrelenting Raje as its chief ministerial face as many as five months ahead of the 7 December election.

What the Congress leaders said  and did not say

Two-term chief minister Gehlot, while speaking to the media and addressing poll rallies, has maintained that there is no need to project anyone as the chief ministerial face, as the Congress central leadership would decide on it once the election results are declared.

Pilot, too, has been quoted as saying that after the results are out, the partys central leadership would decide who to place at the helm of government.

Dudi, on his part, has insisted that only an elected MLA would head the government if the Congress emerges victorious and that the chief minister would be decided by none other than party president Rahul Gandhi. Congress insiders have hinted at Dudis chief ministerial aspirations, but he brushed aside the issue by simply saying that it would be premature to reveal any such desire.

While Dudi has not engaged in open hostilities, Gehlot and Pilot  both of whom declared a few days ago that they would contest the Assembly polls  have been shooting darts at each other.

Gehlot has frequently announced that where the Rajasthan Congress leadership was concerned, he is the only state unit chief who rose to become chief minister in 1998. This June, while addressing the media in Sikar, he took a jibe at Pilot by saying that whenever a new state Congress chief is appointed in Rajasthan, a group of 5-7 reporters form a coterie to project him as chief minister material and spin feel good factor reports.

In his remarks, Gehlot further indirectly advised Pilot, a two-term MP and former Union minister, to stay away from such feel good media people.

Pilot sought to even the score by announcing that within a week of taking charge as Rajasthan party chief, he had identified sycophants from the media and assured Gehlot that he wasnt playing into the hands of any such journalist.

The former chief ministers clearest statement to Pilot was, however, at a state-level Congress meet in Jaipur this August, when he suggested that the younger leader should abandon his dream of becoming the chief minister.

"The Congress has not declared the chief ministerial candidate yet. But if we talk about who is more influential, the one who has been the chief minister twice and has been in the dominating position for ten years, who can be more influential than that? Gehlot reportedly told Pilot.

At another press conference following that, he questioned the need for the Congress to look for another chief ministerial candidate, since he had held the post on two occasions.

Pilot exhibited political maturity by not responding to his words.

Advantage BJP?

While the tension between Gehlot and Pilot simmered, BJP chief Amit Shah announced at a party meeting in July that the poll campaign in Rajasthan would be led by Raje, who would also remain chief minister if the party won.

Speaking to this reporter, BJPs state unit chief Madan Lal Saini wondered why the electorate would vote for the Congress when there is uncertainty over who is leading the partys campaign and who the chief ministerial candidate is.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, convener of BJPs poll management committee, insisted that the state Congress was a divided house, and that this was evident from the partys indecisiveness on the chief ministerial candidate. He claimed there were not three but at least four Congress leaders angling for the chair.

The state has witnessed unprecedented development under the leadership of Raje. Thats why the party is projecting her as its face again, he said, asking: What good can the Congress do for the people when it cant even decide who its leader is in the state?"

Satish Punia, BJPs state spokesperson and co-convener of the election management committee, alleged that the Congress was suffering from a leadership crisis.

Clearing the air

State Congress chief Pilot has tried to dispel the rumours which have gained currency.

Our party is in the electoral battle as one composite unit. Once our party secures majority, Rahul Gandhi will take a call on who would be chief minister. The person would be decided through consensus by the central high command, he said recently.

Insisting that he wasnt in the race for the top post, Pilot did point out that in the past few years he had rebuilt and strengthened the Congress in Rajasthan, and victory in the previous three by-elections was proof of his work.

As Pilot attempted to settle the matter diplomatically, Gehlot fired another salvo last week  by mentioning several names which, according to him, were in the fray for chief ministership.

At a public contact campaign, he pointed out that besides him there were five other contenders in the Congress, such as Pilot, Dudi, CP Joshi, Girija Vyas and BD Kalla. Observers have taken his announcement with a pinch of salt.

(Author is a freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com
Congress leaders competed with one another to say why Telangana could never have been born without her. The reference, of course, was to the fact that the state was formed in 2014 by the UPA-II government.

In William Shakespeare's The Winters Tale, the ill-tempered king Leontes of Sicily orders his daughter Perdita to be abandoned in a faraway place when she is born. A shepherd brings her up, and the king sees her in dramatic circumstances when she is a grown-up. European audiences who watched this play were elated by this reunion of father and daughter. Some apparently sobbed with joy and fainted.

The Telangana thalli or the mother of Telangana, as Congress leaders described Sonia Gandhi  claimed her child at an election rally near Hyderabad on Friday night. But the audience didnt faint with joy. They might even start asking questions. The most important question is: Why didnt Sonia come to see the child even once during the four-and-a-half years after Telangana was born?

But the claptrap of election rallies is not meant to be dissected like an animal in the laboratory. So Congress and Sonia did their emotional best  or worst as some might see it  to sell the mother-child yarn to voters. Congress leaders competed with one another to say why Telangana could never have been born without her. The reference, of course, was to the fact that the state was formed in 2014 by the UPA-II government.

For her part, Sonia spoke of Telangana being a new baby that has been neglected. The UPA chairperson said: All mothers know what its like denying nutrition and good upbringing to children. Every mother wishes her children to grow up well. I feel sadness when I see Telangana.

Watched by the leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI, which are part of the Mahakutami alliance along with Congress, party chief Rahul Gandhi continued the theme, saying: Sonia stood by your side when you fought for Telangana.

If the mother hadnt come calling to Telangana for close to five years, it was, in fact, because Congress had abandoned the child. It was a case of goofing up in haste and repenting in leisure. In an unseemly hurry, Congress divided Andhra Pradesh in 2014, carving Telangana out of it. With the juggernaut of Narendra Modi marching through India and sensing a rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the party broke the state with the hope of winning both parts of it.

Congress dreamed that the people of Telangana, once they got a separate state, would be grateful enough to stand by the party. They didnt. It hoped that the promise of special status would prompt what remained of Andhra Pradesh to toe its line. It didnt. With TDP and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) winning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana respectively in 2014 and seemingly ensconced in the two states, Congress lost hope of getting them back anytime soon.

Cong smells power in Telangana

Like a hound on the scent of a fox, Congress is now smelling power in Telangana. This had been evident for some time now, but it was doubly confirmed at the Friday night rally. Apart from the mother-son tale that Congress was peddling to reclaim power in Telangana, two other things couldnt be missed at the rally at Medchal, 30 kilometres north of Hyderabad.

One was that DK Shivakumar, Karnatakas ace trouble-shooter, was prominent on the dais. Just in case you are wondering what the Congress leader from a neighbouring state was doing there, you must remember that Shivakumar is Karnatakas richest politician. Officially, we were informed that Shivakumars services had been commissioned to talk to rebel Congress candidates in Telangana. The number of rebels Congress has in the field is always in direction proportion to the chances of the partys victory. Congress had as many as 20 rebels in Telangana in this election.

There were other senior leaders as well to persuade rebels to withdraw from contest, but Shivakumars presence was most overpowering. Possession of wealth and skills of persuasion go famously hand in hand. With a victory in Telangana a distinct possibility  as Congress sees it  the party didnt take a chance and did everything it could to ensure that the rebels didnt make this election a slip between the cup and the lip.

The second thing that confirmed how seriously Congress is viewing the Telangana Assembly election is the fact that Sonia chose to campaign there despite poor health. She hasnt addressed a single rally, so far, in any of the other four states going to polls: Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram. The party apparently thought her presence was essential for playing the Telangana-thalli card, which, in turn, was key to winning the state.

Sonia sets campaign theme

Though evident even earlier, the partys campaign theme from now till the 7 December polling will be crystallised on the lines of Sonias speech. By projecting her as the fairy godmother who created the new state, Congress will pander to Telangana sub-nationalism, which was what TRS leader and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR, as he is better known) did in 2014. Thus claiming credit for Telanganas creation, Congress will also promise all the good things that KCR assured people but hasnt delivered.

At the same time, Sonia walked the political tightrope at the rally  and the party leaders will continue to do that during the campaign  by promising special status to Andhra Pradesh. This was a condition on which TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu agreed to be an ally of Congress. This is aimed at pleasing the 60 lakh people of Andhra Pradesh origin in Telangana as well as the voters in Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

At the root of Congress optimism is the fact that though Rao won Telangana in 2014, Congress didnt do too badly. While TRS won with a vote share of 34 percent and 63 seats of 119, Congress polled 25 percent votes and 21 seats. What makes Congress a formidable opponent this time around is that TDP, its ally now, had a vote share of 14.5 percent and 15 seats. What also makes Congress hope for a win is the possible negative vote against KCR. The problem with the KCR government is not that it hasnt done any good work. Its simply that the chief minister made the mistake of promising too much.

During the long agitation for a separate state, the people of Telangana had been told ad nauseam that the sole reason for almost all their problems was that they remained part of Andhra Pradesh, which allegedly stole their resources and jobs. But even four-and-a-half years after Telangana became a separate state, they find little perceptible improvement in their lives, despite the flurry of populist schemes that target almost every section of the society.

The TRS leader may have lost the battle of perception about the work he has done, but two weeks before polling day, its yet too early to rule out his victory. The one thing that KCR can take comfort from is the fact that despite hyping up its campaign, Congress hasnt projected a chief ministerial candidate, and the available choice for the top job in that party doesnt exactly fill people with too much enthusiasm. Whether the story of Congress in Telangana will end on a happy note like Shakespeares tale of King Leontes will be known on 11 December, the day of counting of votes.

In the middle of all this hoo-ha about motherhood and statehood, one question begs to be answered: Where does BJP figure in Telangana? Answer: Like the clown in the Leontes story, BJP stays on the sidelines with little support in the state.
tech2 News Staff

Google pays tribute to a popular philanthropic educator in 18th century France, Charles-Michel de l'Epee, also called the Father of the Deaf on his 306th birth anniversary in todays Google Doodle.

Dispelling what was a popular misconception that people with impaired hearing were not capable of learning, Michel devoted much of his life developing the first sign language for the deaf. He is remembered and credited with putting together a systematic method to teach the hearing-impaired.

Still used in Europe as a tool in schools for the deaf, the Instructional Method of Signs used gestures and hand signs designed with an underlying philosophy: "the education of deaf mutes must teach them through the eye of what other people acquire through the ear."

Michel used his own inheritance to found the worlds first free school for hearing-impaired, Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets a Paris, that was open to all regardless of their ability to pay.

What made Michel different from educators of the hearing-impaired before him  and ensured his place in history  is that he passed on his methods and learnings freely and openly to the public and other educators. His methods would become so influential over time that their mark is still apparent in deaf education today.

Michel also established teacher-training programs for foreigner tutors who would take his methods back to their countries and set up deaf schools in different parts of the world.

The French National Assembly recognized him as a "Benefactor of Humanity" and asserted the rights of deaf people under France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. His school even went on to receive government funding and remains open today, although now called the Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris.

Happy Birthday, Charles-Michel de l'Epee!
tech2 News Staff

The new Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma starer Zero releases on 21 December and that's close to a month away but the internet is already going gaga about the first music video from the movie.

When we say the internet, we don't just mean fans of Shah Rukh and Anushka fanboying over a chemistry reminiscent of 'Rab Ne Bana De Jodi', but people across the world!

Within a day of the official music video being uploaded on YouTube by T-Series, the song already has close to six and a half million views, at the time of writing this report. Not impressed yet? Well, the video is among the top trending videos on YouTube in countries like South Korea, Hong Kong and even Pakistan.

Here's what Twitterati has to say

I'm already addicted to #MeraNaam from Zero. In my opinion the song is undoubtedly the love anthem of the year  Instant chartbuster thanks to the wonderful team of the film: @aanandlrai, @AjayAtulOnline, @AbhayJodhpurkar, @iamsrk, @AnushkaSharma and @Irshad_Kamil! On loop pic.twitter.com/PHe5GIzSll  Iyan Amjad (@IyanAmjad) November 23, 2018

As you might have noticed, Twitter has a special emoji of Baua Singh (character played by Shah Rukh in the movie) which shows up every time you use the #Teranaam or #Zero hashtag.

Trailer created the buzz, this song will escalate it further... A love song for all ages... Something that would stay in your playlist for years to come... The visuals justify the melody with @iamsrk at his charismatic best! #MeraNaamhttps://t.co/UgdnDpxAic  Himesh (@himeshmankad) November 23, 2018

This is absolutely WINSOME... The emotions [the mainstay of Aanand L Rais movies], orchestration [Ajay-Atul] and of course, SRK and Anushka... Dil khush ho gaya... Heres the first song from #Zero - #MereNaamTu: https://t.co/PtslA9SYDS  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) November 23, 2018

That's certainly not all. Some ardent musicians have already gone ahead and made unplugged covers of the song, which you can find here. They may not be the best renditions you'll hear over time but it certainly shows how much people love the song.

How to stream the song for free

We aren't here to talk about Shah Rukh or what we think about the music video, we're here to tell you how and where you can stream the song you just can't get enough of.

The song may be the first of an album from the movie, but T-Series thankfully hasn't signed an exclusive deal with any music streaming service for the song.

But what does that mean for you? Well beginning with JioMusic and Gaana, the song is also available on Saavn, Hungama, Google Play Music, Idea Music, Wynk and even Apple Music.

Based on which streaming service you're subscribed to, you can also download 'Mere Naam Tu' offline on each of the streaming services to play it on loop even when you're suffocating in a Mumbai local. Of course, some of these services won't let you download the song if you're on a free subscription in that case you will have to pay for one or switch over to a service that does let you download offline for free.

We have the song but what about the lyrics?

We've got you covered! Head over here or if you prefer Reddit then you can also find it here.

How to set the song as your caller tune

Listening to the song is one thing but the first thing you want to do once you've heard it, is letting others know about it and what better way to do it than setting it as your caller tune.

To set 'Mere Naam Tu' as your caller tune, you can simply head here and enter your credentials. Alternately, you can also SMS 'ZERO1' to 54646 to get the job done.
Agence France-Presse

On November 1, AFP joined news outlets around the world in covering the release of a major academic paper warning that our oceans were warming dramatically quicker than previously thought.

The study was undertaken by some of the world's most pre-eminent climate scientists, using state-of-the-art modelling systems reviewed by their peers, and appeared in one of the most prestigious academic journals.

There was just one problem: it was wrong.

Published in Nature, the paper by researchers from the University of California San Diego and Princeton found that ocean temperatures had warmed 60 percent more than current estimates.

They concluded, with no small sense of alarm, that even the most ambitious emissions cuts laid out in the global plan to prevent climate disaster would need to be slashed again by another 25 percent.

Soon after publication, an independent climate scientist  one who has repeatedly voiced scepticism of the consensus that human behaviour is causing global warming  spotted an error in the Nature paper's maths.

"After correction, the... results do not suggest a larger increase in ocean heat content than previously thought," Nicolas Lewis wrote on his Climate Science blog.

"Just a few hours of analysis and calculations was sufficient to uncover apparently serious (but surely inadvertent) errors in the underlying calculations.

"It is very important that the media outlets that unquestioningly trumpeted the paper's findings now correct the record too. But perhaps that is too much to hope for," he added.

With the rectified calculation, the authors quickly realised they had made a mistake.

The new results had a far larger range of possibilities in ocean temperature increases  between 10 and 70 percent: still warmer, but rendering the study vague even for the sometimes unknowable science of climate modelling.

"We quickly realised that our calculations incorrectly treated systematic errors in the O2 measurements as if they were random errors in the error propagation," author Ralph Keeling wrote on climatehome.org.

"We really muffed the error margins," he told the San Diego Tribune.

Climate hoax

The correction prompted some climate deniers to wheel out the conspiracy theory that manmade global warming is made up.

Some Twitter users suggested the study was funded by the Democrats, that human-induced planetary warming was invented by former presidential hopeful Al Gore so he could buy a house, and that decades of evidence-based research into the phenomenon constituted "pseudoscience".

But scientists rallied round the authors, pointing out that the process surrounding the Nature paper's publication and correction was, really, how scientific research is supposed to work.

"Science is a human endeavour and it's therefore imperfect. What's important is that results are scrutinised and replicated by others so that we can assess what is robust and what isn't," Gavin A. Schmidt, director at the Goddard Institute for Space Sciences at NASA, told AFP.

"Current climate change has been looked at by thousands of scientists (and other interested people) and our understanding of it is pretty solid," he said.

AFP has since corrected its coverage of the study so its updated findings are on the record for future stories on warming oceans.

Peter Frumhoff, chief climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the ocean study correction was "a beautiful thing".

"The rapid, transparent acknowledgement and correction of inadvertent errors in scientific papers... is at the heart of what separates science from dogma," he told AFP.

"It underscores our confidence in the robustness of consensus scientific findings, based on thousands of independent studies, regarding human-caused climate change."
One week after taking power, the new government of the Maldives says it has no idea how much it owes China, which has led a construction spree in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, but fears the debts run up in the past five years could be unsustainable.

Male: One week after taking power, the new government of the Maldives says it has no idea how much it owes China, which has led a construction spree in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, but fears the debts run up in the past five years could be unsustainable.

Mohamed Nasheed, a former president now serving as advisor to new President Mohamed Ibrahim Solih, said that the Chinese ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong, handed the government an invoice for $3.2 billion - equivalent to around $8,000 for every inhabitant of the archipelago. China denies that, however, and says the number is closer to $1.5 billion.

It was an invoice. It just had a figure, $3.2 billion. It was shocking, said Nasheed. It wasnt just a conversation, it was a written note handed over, it was clear, you owe us this much.

Nasheed said Zhang gave Solih the note at a meeting on 6 October, days after his stunning election victory over former President Abdulla Yameen. He did not give further details of exactly how the note was worded.

Asked about Nasheeds comments, Chinas Foreign Ministry said that its ambassador in the Maldives had rejected this untruth in statements to local media, referring to an interview with news website Avas in which Zhang was quoted as saying reports of debt of around $3 billion were deeply exaggerated.

China has underwritten millions of dollars in loans for infrastructure in the Maldives, located along its busy shipping route to the Middle East.

But the unprecedented building boom in the island chain of around 400,000 people - known for its white sand beaches and luminous cyan water - stoked fears it was loading up on debt and prompted a strident opposition campaign that helped Solih defeat Yameen in an election in September.

Conflicting Figures

After taking office at the weekend, Solihs administration has said the countrys finances are in worse shape than expected, and that it will take weeks or months to untangle details of all the deals struck with Chinese firms.

We are at a loss to understand how much we really owe to China, said Nasheed.

Direct debt, or direct bilateral government-to-government debt is one thing, but there is on top of that sovereign guarantees for the private sector. And there is also on top of that our state owned enterprises who have gone into debt.

Yameen could not be reached for comment. But he said during the campaign that more work had occurred over the last few years than at any point in the past, and for that he had taken on debt.

Years of development have come during a short period of four or five years. But if we didnt take on debt as I said, and waited to do it with the income the Maldives earns this wouldnt have been possible, he said.

In the Avas interview, Zhang said the Maldives debt to China was $600 million to construct a sea bridge linking the capital Male with the airport, expand the airport, and build residential tower blocks on land reclaimed from the sea. Another $900 million had been earmarked as commercial loans to some state owned companies to fund projects from power to housing, the ambassador said, but much of that had not yet been issued.

That was broadly supported by the governor of the Maldives central bank in testimony before the parliaments public finance committee on Wednesday, in which he estimated the countrys liabilities to China at $1.5 billion.

Maldives Monetary Authority Governor Ahmed Naseer, who was appointed by the previous government, said he believed total of government-to-government debt from China amounted to $600 million. The remaining $900 million was an estimate of loans financed by Chinese banks with sovereign guarantees from the Maldives government, he said.

Nasheed said the Chinese ambassadors public statements were at variance with what the Chinese side had conveyed to Solih. The ambassador had since requested a meeting with him, he said.

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid said on Thursday he planned to visit China soon to discuss bilateral issues.

Sovereign Guarantee

An official who was in Solihs transition team and who joined the government this week said he too had been told about the Chinese note submitted last month, and that the figure may have swelled because of sovereign guarantees that were given.

We are trying to unravel this. It looks like lots of IOUs were issued, pieces of paper. We are trying to find out, how many and to whom, the official said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

With annual revenues of $1.5 billion and an annual gross domestic product of around $3.9 billion, it would be hard for the Maldives to service such a high debt, another incoming official, who is reviewing the liabilities of state-run enterprises, said.

We cannot go into default. We will face a default situation if we agree the debt to be what the sovereign guarantees are saying, the official said, asking not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to reporters.

Signs of the infrastructure boom are everywhere in Male, from where tourists are whisked off in high speed boats to luxury resorts built on atolls.

Yameen also leased Chinese developers an unspecified number of islands to build resorts for tourists, a fifth of whom are Chinese, in a dramatic expansion of ties since Beijing opened its embassy in the Maldives eight years ago.

We would like to reiterate, mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Maldives takes place on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and has already achieved results that are plain for all to see, and has been welcomed by the people of the Maldives, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters.

We believe that under the leadership of the new Maldives government, China-Maldives friendly cooperation will continue to advance, and will keep making new achievements.
An improvised explosive device was planted in a bike that was used for transporting vegetables to the popular bazaar in Pakistan's Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

Peshawar: At least 32 people, including three Pakistani-Sikhs, were killed and more than 40 others were injured on Friday when a suicide bomber triggered a powerful bomb blast at a busy market outside a religious seminary in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said.

According to the initial investigation, an improvised explosive device was planted in a bike that was used for transporting vegetables to the popular Friday Market (Juma Bazar) near an imambargah, a Shia religious place, in Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

"This is a Friday bazaar, where hundreds of people had gathered for groceries," Deputy Commissioner Khalid Iqbal said. "The ground is then used for Friday prayers as well," he added.

At least 32 people were killed while more than 40 others injured, Dawn news quoted district administration officials as saying.

"Three Sikh traders and three children were also among the dead in the Orakzai blast," Iqbal told PTI.

The minority Sikh community in the area was previously displaced by the Taliban that controlled the region prior to the military operation in 2010, Samaa TV reported.

Officials said that most of the victims were minority Shia Muslims, who in the past were also targeted in the area. "Three children were among those killed. The remote-controlled bomb was attached to a motorcycle," officials said.

"I was buying vegetables at a distance from the bomb site," Karam Khan, who accompanied an injured person to the hospital in Kohat, said. "There was a huge explosion and I woke up with blood splashed all over the place and there were body parts everywhere," he said about the gory scene.

The area has been cordoned off and an investigation into the incident is underway. An emergency has been declared in the region's hospitals to handle the situation.

The explosion in lower Orakzai is the second terror attack in Pakistan on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, an attack targeting the Chinese consulate in Karachi's Clifton area was foiled by security forces. Four people, including two security personnel and two civilians, were killed in the attack. Three terrorists were also gunned down.

Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Orakzai tribal area and said: "My prayers go to the victims & their families".

"Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind that we will crush the terrorists, whatever it takes," he said in a tweet.

Human rights minister Shireen Mazari blamed the US failure in Afghanistan for the attack and warned Pakistan to be prepared for more such incidents. She condemned the horrific terror attack. "As the US fails in Afghanistan, Pakistan should be prepared for fallout and we must ensure greater security for our tribal areas especially protection of our people," she tweeted.

The attack was claimed by a separatist militant group from Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, which is at the centre of a major Chinese investment project in the country. "We have carried out this attack and our action is continuing," the spokesman for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Geand Baloch, told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location. The BLA is just one of the militant groups operating in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and poorest province, which is rife with ethnic, sectarian and separatist insurgencies.

"Our enemies are not happy with peace in the province," provincial Chief Minister Mehmood Khan said while condemning the attack.

In 2011, 30 people including 10 cops, were killed and over 50 injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden van into the building of the Communication and Works Department.

Orakzai, a terror hotbed, is one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal regions of Pakistan which has a porus border with Afghanistan.

With inputs from agencies
By Dave Sherwood SANTIAGO (Reuters) - President Sebastian Pinera said on Friday that justice would be served following a controversial police raid that last week ended in the shooting death of an indigenous Mapuche man in the restive Araucania region of south-central Chile. Pinera told reporters on a visit to the region that the unresolved shooting would not stall a previously announced $24 billion plan to bring an end to a long-running conflict between the Mapuche and the Chilean state

By Dave Sherwood

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - President Sebastian Pinera said on Friday that justice would be served following a controversial police raid that last week ended in the shooting death of an indigenous Mapuche man in the restive Araucania region of south-central Chile.

Pinera told reporters on a visit to the region that the unresolved shooting would not stall a previously announced $24 billion plan to bring an end to a long-running conflict between the Mapuche and the Chilean state.

The region's Mapuche indigenous residents accuse the state and private companies of taking their ancestral land, draining its natural resources and using undue violence against them. Their communities are among the poorest in Chile.

"We can't fall in the trap of going to extremes here. We need dialogue, collaboration, and agreements, but only with those who are seeking... peace," Pinera said.

The president's schedule was largely kept secret amid security concerns in the hilly, heavily forested region, which has seen several protests, assaults and arson incidents this week.

Pinera said he had met with a group of schoolteachers who had been assaulted immediately prior to the police raid, as well as the local bishop and several Mapuche indigenous leaders.

"Those that want to impose their will with force and violence, without respect for anything or anybody, we will pursue them with the full force of the law," he said.

The president's visit to the Araucania comes one week after Camilo Catrillanca, the grandson of a local indigenous leader, was shot in the head during a police operation in a rural community near the town of Ercilla, 480 miles south of Santiago.

The incident sparked fury among opposition parties and human rights activists, triggering widespread protests throughout Chile.

Chilean police initially said it was unclear who shot Catrillanca because none of the members of the special forces unit that handled the raid had worn body cameras.

But one of the policemen involved was later spotted in media footage wearing a camera. The policeman told investigators he had destroyed the camera's memory card.

Local prosecutors launched an investigation earlier this week at the behest of the Pinera administration to determine who shot Catrillanca, and why.

"We don't want the death of Camilo Catrillanca to be in vane," Pinera said. "We want it to permit us to understand the importance of coming to agreement... in the recovery of peace and public order."

(Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Dan Grebler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Congolese presidential candidate Vital Kamerhe endorsed rival Felix Tshisekedi on Friday, creating a second opposition bloc that will contest the Dec. 23 election against President Joseph Kabila's preferred successor. Tshisekedi, 55, the president of Congo's largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, will stand against opposition leader and businessman Martin Fayulu and former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is backed by Kabila

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Congolese presidential candidate Vital Kamerhe endorsed rival Felix Tshisekedi on Friday, creating a second opposition bloc that will contest the Dec. 23 election against President Joseph Kabila's preferred successor.

Tshisekedi, 55, the president of Congo's largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, will stand against opposition leader and businessman Martin Fayulu and former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is backed by Kabila.

"I decide today to support Mr. Tshisekedi as the president of Congo," Kamerhe said at a joint news conference with Tshisekedi in Nairobi to cheers from supporters. "This is the winning ticket."

Tshisekedi and Kamerhe had agreed on Nov. 11 to support Fayulu in a rare moment of unity for Democratic Republic of Congo's splintered opposition, whose infighting in recent years has often played into the hands of Kabila.

That deal ended the next day after scores of Congolese opposition supporters demonstrated in the capital Kinshasa against the choice of former Exxon Mobil manager Fayulu.

An opinion poll in October showed opposition leaders were favoured by about 70 percent of voters but Fayulu trailed his rivals on eight percent.

Tshisekedi led with 36 percent ahead of Kamerhe (17 percent) and Shadary (16 percent).

Western governments and investors regard the election, which could lead to the Central African country's first ever democratic transfer of power, as crucial toward ending political instability that is impeding investment in Congo. The country of 80 million people is rich in natural resources but mired in humanitarian crises.

Kabila has ruled since his father was assassinated in 2001 with elections meant to have happened before his mandate expired in 2016.

The delays have left many doubting it would ever take place. Questions remain over how it will be conducted.

Congo's influential conference of Catholic bishops warned this week that an Ebola epidemic and clashes with rebel militia in eastern Congo could threaten the validity of the vote.

"We must do everything to avoid a parody of an election whose results would not be accepted and which would, moreover, plunge our country into violence," the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said in a statement.

Presidential elections in 2006 and 2011 were marred by accusations of fraud and violence after the results were announced.

CENCO also questioned the use of a new electronic voting system, which the opposition says is more vulnerable to vote-rigging than paper and ink and could be compromised by the unreliability of Congo's power supply.

To ensure the electoral results stand up to scrutiny, the electoral commission must make sure ballots are counted manually after they are printed by the machines, CENCO said.

(Reporting by Jackson Njehia. Writing by Alessandra Prentice. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Jan Strupczewski and Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A last-minute deal to meet Spanish demands for a say on the future of Gibraltar after Britain leaves the EU salvaged a summit which will go ahead as planned on Sunday to deliver a Brexit accord to British Prime Minister Theresa May. May met EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker and summit chair Donald Tusk on Saturday evening to receive final assurances that all will go smoothly as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez lifted his threat of an effective veto after Britain and EU officials provided written guarantees to Madrid

By Jan Strupczewski and Alastair Macdonald

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A last-minute deal to meet Spanish demands for a say on the future of Gibraltar after Britain leaves the EU salvaged a summit which will go ahead as planned on Sunday to deliver a Brexit accord to British Prime Minister Theresa May.

May met EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker and summit chair Donald Tusk on Saturday evening to receive final assurances that all will go smoothly as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez lifted his threat of an effective veto after Britain and EU officials provided written guarantees to Madrid.

"We have received sufficient guarantees to be able to reach a solution to a conflict that has lasted more than 300 years between the United Kingdom and Spain," Sanchez told reporters in Madrid after talks dragged on through the night in Brussels.

Juncker's spokesman said the negotiated deal was "fair for the UK, fair for the EU", while Tusk quoted the British rock band Queen as a motto for the Sunday summit in saying: "Friends will be friends right till the end."

The British government wrote to Tusk to say that it would not interpret its withdrawal treaty, due to be endorsed on Sunday, as meaning that a future EU-UK trade treaty would automatically apply to Gibraltar - though London's envoy to the EU said it would seek the best deal for its territory.

May said in Brussels on Saturday evening: "We will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar ... We have worked through the withdrawal issues for Gibraltar in a constructive and sensible way."

At the summit on Sunday morning, the 27 EU leaders will be asked to approve a declaration specifically excluding Gibraltar from future EU-UK treaties - while leaving open the possibility that London could negotiate with Madrid on deals for Gibraltar.

Saturday's agreements may comfort Spain's hopes that the EU will, once Britain is no longer a member, swing behind its 300-year-old claim to recover sovereignty over "The Rock", home to a British naval base and 30,000 people.

Sanchez's brinkmanship, however, left some in Brussels uneasy at how he jeopardised the Sunday summit for what many saw as domestic political purposes. Sanchez's party faces a regional election next weekend in Andalusia, the province abutting the Gibraltar peninsula.

AFTER SUMMIT, PARLIAMENTARY BATTLE

After a little more than an hour of talks among themselves, the 27 EU leaders will meet at around 11 a.m. on Sunday to share with May two key documents -- a treaty setting terms for an orderly British withdrawal on March 29 and an outline of how Britain can keep close to its biggest market by following some EU rules after a status-quo transition period ends in two to four years.

May will, however, face an uphill struggle to have the agreement accepted by her own party and the British parliament.

"We were all looking for a good and fair agreement. Tusk said in a letter on Saturday to the 27 other national leaders confirming that the summit will go ahead. "And I believe that we have finally found the best possible compromise."

That is also how May is trying to present her deal. But, keeping up pressure within her own Conservative party, her Brexit-supporting rival and former foreign minister, Boris Johnson, called on Saturday for the accord to be renegotiated.

The deputy leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which May's minority government relies on for support in parliament, also criticised the withdrawal agreement. Nigel Dodds said it would leave Britain in a "pitiful and pathetic place ... locked into an EU straitjacket".

The DUP, along with many of May's Conservatives and the Labour opposition, all threaten to vote down the deal.

EU officials are unclear what might happen if parliament rejects May's package and, like London, are making arrangements to manage the disruption caused by Britain crashing out without a deal.

The Gibraltar agreement with Spain provided a reminder of the complexities that Britons have found since voting narrowly in a 2016 referendum to unravel 45 years of membership in what is now the world's largest free trade bloc.

As with the challenge of pulling Northern Ireland out of the EU without creating a disruptive customs border with EU member Ireland, the Gibraltar dispute reflected problems with its European neighbours dating back to Britain's imperial past.

(Additional reporting by Sam Edwards in Madrid and Gabriela Baczynska and Elizabeth Piper in Brussels; writing by Alastair Macdonald; editing by Keith Weir and Jason Neely)

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By Thu Thu Aung YANGON (Reuters) - Groups representing journalists and lawyers in Myanmar handed a letter to the country's president on Friday outlining their concerns over the jailing of two Reuters reporters convicted of breaking state secrets laws. The letter, given to President Win Myint at the inauguration of the semi-official Myanmar Press Council (MPC), pointed out contradictions in the case against Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who were sentenced to seven years in jail in September. Their convictions have raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy and sparked an outcry from human rights advocates

By Thu Thu Aung

YANGON (Reuters) - Groups representing journalists and lawyers in Myanmar handed a letter to the country's president on Friday outlining their concerns over the jailing of two Reuters reporters convicted of breaking state secrets laws.

The letter, given to President Win Myint at the inauguration of the semi-official Myanmar Press Council (MPC), pointed out contradictions in the case against Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who were sentenced to seven years in jail in September.

Their convictions have raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy and sparked an outcry from human rights advocates.

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in September that the case had nothing to do with freedom of expression. She has also urged people to read the judgment in the case and "point out where there has been a miscarriage of justice".

The letter, signed by the Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN) and several other groups, including two countrywide lawyers' associations, said that because Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were employed as professional journalists their case should have been dealt with under the country's media law, not the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

"The Official Secret Act was prescribed in order to prevent espionage. In modern times, that act is no longer appropriate and needs to be reviewed," the letter said. "A sentence of seven years to each of the reporters is forbidding the media and denies the public's right to access information."

Government spokesman Zaw Htay said at his twice-monthly news conference on Friday that the government could not interfere in the case as Myanmar's courts were independent. He confirmed that the president had received the letters from MPC members, but did not discuss them further.

The letter also said Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had followed the facts on the ground to report stories of high public interest, had shown professional balance in seeking comment from police officers in order to tell both sides of the story and did not violate Myanmar's media law.

Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar during an army crackdown that began in August last year. The operation sent more than 720,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

During the ceremony in the capital Naypyitaw, one of the newly-appointed MPC members, Thar Lun Zaung Htet, also handed over letters from the wives of the journalists and called on the president to review the case.

In response to the letters, Win Myint said he "had to act on this case in accordance with the law and he will review this case in accordance with legal procedures", according to Thar Lun Zaung Htet.

Defence lawyers this month appealed to the High Court against the conviction.

(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Saturday the United Kingdom would 'always stand by Gibraltar' after Spain got enough assurances over the peninsula to unblock the European Union's Brexit deal with London. 'We will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar,' May said on arriving for talks in Brussels with Donald Tusk, the chairman of EU leaders' summit that is due to approve the Brexit deal on Sunday.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Saturday the United Kingdom would "always stand by Gibraltar" after Spain got enough assurances over the peninsula to unblock the European Union's Brexit deal with London.

"We will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar," May said on arriving for talks in Brussels with Donald Tusk, the chairman of EU leaders' summit that is due to approve the Brexit deal on Sunday.

"We have worked through the withdrawal issues for Gibraltar in a constructive and sensible way," she said.

"We have ensured that Gibraltar is covered by the whole agreement and by the implementation period."

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Elisabeth O'Leary, Elizabeth Piper)

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By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Spanish reservations over Gibraltar on Friday prevented the European Union clearing the last hurdle before a summit that is due to endorse the bloc's Brexit deal with Britain on Sunday. British Prime Minister Theresa May will pick up the baton on Saturday evening when she holds talks in Brussels with Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the EU's executive Commission.

By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Spanish reservations over Gibraltar on Friday prevented the European Union clearing the last hurdle before a summit that is due to endorse the bloc's Brexit deal with Britain on Sunday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will pick up the baton on Saturday evening when she holds talks in Brussels with Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the EU's executive Commission.

National negotiators of the 27 EU states staying on together after Brexit reached no agreement on Gibraltar on Friday.

With four months left until Britain leaves the EU, the legal divorce treaty and an accompanying political declaration are due to be rubber-stamped in Brussels by May and the other 27 EU leaders so that they can then go to the respective parliaments.

Spain has asked for changes to both the draft withdrawal treaty and the accompanying declaration on future ties to spell out that any decisions about Gibraltar, a rocky, peninsular British overseas territory that Spain claims as its own, would only be taken together with Madrid.

Spain says Britain had given it corresponding assurances before publishing its latest draft.

At Sunday's summit, the EU leaders would expect to endorse the treaty and approve the declaration by consensus, which means Spain in effect has the power to hold up the process.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Thursday: "After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away," adding: "If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit."

May's spokeswoman said May would work with the Spanish government on Gibraltar.

PRESSURE

In Germany, a government spokesman was confident a solution would be found in time for Sunday's summit.

Berlin had earlier said there could be no more technical negotiations at the summit, and that Chancellor Angela Merkel could skip it if all the texts are not ready in advance.

If everything goes according to the plan and the Brexit package is approved on Sunday, the EU will also commit to try to secure prompt ratification by the European Parliament "to provide for an orderly withdrawal", according to a draft statement seen by Reuters.

However, the biggest obstacle to the Brexit accord is the vehement opposition in the British parliament. Without its approval, Britain could leave the bloc on March 29 without an agreement to mitigate economic and legal disruption.

Former Brexit minister Dominic Raab on Friday said he expected the House of Commons to vote the deal it down.

May responded that Britain would not get a better deal with the EU if it did not take this one.

THE ROCK AND FISHERIES

Determined not to allow any redrafting to risk derailing the fragile process, EU states want to address Spain's concerns in a separate statement by the 27 leaders on Sunday that would not be part of negotiations with Britain.

It could refer back to the EU's 2017 Brexit mandate, which said that, after Brexit, "no agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between ... Spain and the United Kingdom".

It would clarify that the EU's reading of the corresponding paragraphs in the divorce treaty and the declaration on future ties is exactly that.

Other clauses in this separate statement say, according to a draft seen by Reuters, that the bloc would want to get a new deal on fisheries with Britain as a priority in talks on the broader trade relationship, to be agreed "well before" the end of Britain's status-quo transition period after Brexit.

It adds that any such deal would build on the existing access of EU vessels to Britain's rich fishing waters, something London wants to be firmly in control of.

It further highlights EU demands that Britain does not undercut labour, environmental or labour standards. It stresses the needs to safeguard expatriates' rights, as well as the Paris climate accord.

EU diplomats hoped a text would be agreed late on Friday, but feared Sanchez would still want to discuss it at the top level on Sunday to demonstrate his determination at home ahead of a December regional election.

"It will only be done by the leaders," said one diplomat.

The Brexit deal covers financial settlement, citizens' rights and the Irish border, as well as setting a blueprint for future trade and security ties.

(Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Belen Carreno in Madrid, Alistair Smout, Elizabeth Piper and William James in London, Thomas Escritt in Berlin; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A U.S.

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge has dismissed nationwide litigation over the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in which victims' families sought to hold the carrier, its insurer Allianz SE and Boeing Co liable for the still-unexplained disaster.

U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in Washington ruled on Wednesday night that the wrongful death and product liability litigation, encompassing 40 lawsuits, did not belong in the United States.

She said the case belonged in Malaysia, which has an "overwhelming interest" in and "substantial nexus" to the March 8, 2014 disappearance of Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 heading to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board.

"At its core, this case is about the unexplained disappearance of a passenger plane operated by Malaysia Airlines as part of its national air carrier fleet following its departure from a Malaysian airport," Jackson wrote.

"Litigation in the United States related to the Flight MH370 disaster is inconvenient," she added.

The 61-page decision is a setback for plaintiffs from the United States, Australia, China, India and Malaysia who represented more than 100 Flight MH370 passengers, including from Japan.

The plane is believed to have crashed in the south Indian Ocean after veering far off course, but no remains or large pieces of wreckage have been found.

Flight MH370's disappearance remains one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

A 495-page report from Malaysian investigators in July offered no clear answers about what happened.

The plaintiffs sued under the Montreal Convention, an international treaty governing air transportation incidents, and various U.S. state laws.

Mary Schiavo, a lawyer for some of the plaintiffs, said in an email on Friday her clients were preparing for a June 2019 trial in Kuala Lumpur over the plane.

Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, their respective lawyers, and lawyers for other plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The carrier was insured by Allianz's Global Corporate & Specialty SE unit, according to Wednesday's decision. Hugo Kidston, a spokesman for the unit, declined to comment.

The case is In re: Air Crash Over the Southern Indian Ocean, on March 8, 2014, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 16-mc-01184.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Bob Goodlatte, has issued subpoenas for former FBI Director James Comey and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch to give depositions in a probe of their handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Bob Goodlatte, has issued subpoenas for former FBI Director James Comey and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch to give depositions in a probe of their handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.

A committee statement released on Friday said the two former top law enforcement officials have been repeatedly asked to meet with the Judiciary and Oversight committees "as part of the Committees joint investigation into decisions made by the Department of Justice in 2016" but "have yet to voluntarily appear," driving the need to issue subpoenas.

According to the statement, Comey would be deposed on Dec. 3 and Lynch on Dec. 4.

With Democrats taking control of the House in January, Republicans are in a race against time to finish their probe into how the FBI handled revelations that former Secretary of State Clinton, the Democrats' candidate in the 2016 presidential contest, had used a private email server during her four years in office.

Even though he won that election, Republican President Donald Trump has pressed Congress to look into the decision by Comey, who headed the agency at the time, to publicly discuss the Clinton investigation. Trump also fired Comey a few months after moving into the White House.

Comey said on Twitter on Thursday he had received a subpoena and he was happy "to sit in the light and answer all questions."

"But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see," he said, repeating his frequent call for a public hearing.

A representative for Lynch could not be reached, but earlier this month a spokeswoman declined to comment on the congressional plans to issue subpoenas.

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Tom Brown)

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(Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday will issue a new report detailing the threat climate change poses to the economy, in what is expected to be a dire warning at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil fuels agenda. The congressionally mandated report, written with the help of more than a dozen U.S.

(Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday will issue a new report detailing the threat climate change poses to the economy, in what is expected to be a dire warning at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil fuels agenda.

The congressionally mandated report, written with the help of more than a dozen U.S. government agencies and departments, will supplement a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming, and warned of potentially catastrophic effects to the planet.

"It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century," according to that report. "There is no convincing alternative explanation ...

This year's report is expected to detail costs of climate change and provide scientific assessments of the risks and the extent to which people can adapt to it.

The report is expected clash with policy under President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back environmental and climate protections to maximize production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the U.S. economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit. Under the Paris pact's rules, however, Trump can not officially withdraw from the agreement until after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The U.S. government still sends delegations to U.N. climate negotiations.

Trump and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, saying the causes are not yet settled.

That is despite the fact an overwhelming majority of climate scientists around the globe agree that the burning of fossil fuels drives global warming, and is leading to rising seas, flooding, droughts, and more frequent powerful storms.

Previous research, including from U.S. government scientists, has concluded that climate change could have severe economic consequences, including damage to infrastructure, water supplies and agriculture.

Severe weather and other impacts also increase the risk of disease transmission, decrease air quality, and can increase mental health problems, among other effects, according to U.S. and international studies.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report.

(Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

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Update: Logitech in a statement said that it had engaged in discussions with Plantronics regarding a potential transaction, however, those discussions were terminated.

According to a new report, Logitech International SA is said to be in discussions to acquire Plantronics Inc, a U.S. maker of Bluetooth earpieces and gaming headsets. This deal, when happens would be by far Logitechs largest acquisition and would be a push in the right direction for the companys goal to diversify its business.

This would also help both the companies to keep down the manufacturing costs following the introduction of tariffs on imports from China into the United States. Logitech said to have offered more than $2.2 billion to acquire Plantronics, sources say. As of the end of trading on Friday, Plantronics had a market capitalization of about $2 billion. If negotiations are successful, a deal between Logitech and Plantronics could come as early as next week. It is also possible that no agreement would be reached.

Plantronics declined to comment, while Logitech did not respond to a request for comment. Logitechs and Plantronics businesses have been under a lot of pressure, thanks to various offerings from brands like Microsoft Inc and Google. Back in 2017, Logitech acquired ASTRO Gaming for $85 million to expand the sector. Since nothing is official yet, we should know more details in the coming week.

Source
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.
China has been the driving force of the steel industry for decades. It simultaneously produces and consumes about half of the world's steel according to the most recent figures from the World Steel Association. So whenever any change occurs in the way China manufactures steel, it is going to have a big impact on the market.

One profound change that is happening right now in the Chinese steel market is in the type of raw materials it uses to make steel. That change in raw material selection could mean drastic changes to mining stocks. According to Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:CLF), it could benefit the company profoundly in the coming years. Here's what management is saying about the changes and what kind of impact they can have on the American iron ore miner.

Not all iron ore is created equal

To most of us, the term "iron ore" is a pretty universal thing. To steel producers, though, "iron ore" can mean a lot of things. The primary variations on iron ore are known as fines, sinter feed, and pellets. Fines are the most common steel input, but they have the lowest iron content of the group and tend to be incredibly pollutive when used to make steel. On the opposite side of the coin is pellets, which are upgraded and partially processed iron ore beads that tend to be less pollutive and require much less energy to convert to steel.

For years, Chinese mills have used fines with lower iron ore content because they were the cheapest option. However, recent efforts to curb pollution have led to many steel mills electing to use pellets. On Cleveland-Cliffs' quarterly conference call, CEO Lourenco Goncalves noted that demand for iron ore pellets in China is having a profound impact on the price of these higher-grade inputs. He also pointed out that manufacturing pellets takes a lot of time and money.

China is now very hungry for high iron content iron units, particularly pellets, and that is happening in a world where pellets are scarce. The difficult expense, lengths of time and proper conditions needed to bring pellets capacity online gives us the confidence that this is not a short-term phenomenon. You need a certain type of iron ore, a substantial amount of freshwater, like we have here in the Great Lakes, a lot of funding, time and technical knowledge. This is not de-bottlenecking logistics to bring another 20 million or 30 million tons of commercial quality ore to the market. A brand-new pellet plant needs billions of dollars over several years to add just 5 million or 6 million tons of pellets to the market. And on top of that, no major realistic project has even been announced yet, let alone developed. With this as a backdrop, the Chinese paid almost $90 per metric ton for the pellet premium during the third quarter. The Atlantic basin pellet premium, the index that our contract's linked to, has held steady since the beginning of the year at $58 per metric ton as the European contracts are typically negotiated on an annual basis.

This trend isn't something that has happened overnight, either. According to Bloomberg, Indian iron ore pellet producers have increased their exports to China by 13-fold from 2015/2016 to 2017/2018, and pellet prices in China are now more than $150 per ton even though the current price for standard 62%-iron-content fines is $75 per ton.

Perhaps it was a data point that analysts missed, because Goncalves stole the spotlight with some less-than-complimentary comments about short-sellers and analysts, but high global pellet prices can mean a lot of money to Cleveland-Cliffs' bottom line because of the way it structures its contracts with buyers. The contracts it typically signs with customers are for prices linked to the Atlantic Basin pellet premium, which is the price most steel mills in the U.S. and Europe pay for pellets. With global iron ore prices rising so fast, management expects that the next round of contract negotiations will result in a much higher premium for pellets, and Cliffs seems to think it will lead to a large uptick in profitability in 2019. Here's Goncalves again:

At this time, it is abundantly clear that the major pellet players in Europe will not accept $58 for next year. They will certainly push that number higher, maybe much higher. As far as Cliffs is concerned, even an increase to just $70 for next year in the pellet premium would equate to more than $100 million in additional EBITDA for us, all things equal.

Just for reference, Cleveland-Cliffs has generated $676 million in EBITDA over the past 12 months, so a $100 million boost is a big needle move for the company.

It's not just about tariffs and trade

Much of investor sentiment for steel in the United States centers around U.S.-China trade relations and tariffs on steel. While it is certainly playing its part in boosting steel prices and demand for both steel and Cleveland-Cliffs' iron ore, it isn't the sole factor that investors should consider when looking at this mining stock. The way steel is produced globally is moving toward using higher-quality and upgraded raw materials, and that benefits Cleveland-Cliffs immensely when it comes to pricing of its product.

Even though there are some clear tailwinds for the company, it has done a spectacular job of turning around its finances in a relatively short amount of time, and it has reinstated a dividend; its stock trades for a ridiculously low price-to-earnings ratio of 3.7 (no, that's not a typo). Investors looking for a great stock trading for an incredibly compelling valuation should look hard at Cleveland-Cliffs today.
At around 4%, ExxonMobil Corporation's (NYSE:XOM) dividend yield is near a 25-year high. Investors clearly have some concerns about the integrated oil and natural gas company's business. But long-term investors with an income focus shouldn't get too caught up in the current negative sentiment here. Here's why Exxon's 4% dividend yield is safe.

1. Production is falling, but a turn is coming

One of the big knocks against Exxon is that production has been falling for a couple of years. In 2016 and 2017 output fell 1% and 1.7%, respectively. Declines continued through the first three quarters of 2018 as well. Declining production is clearly not a great sign for long-term dividend continuity. However, production grew sequentially between the second and third quarters as Exxon ramped up its onshore U.S. drilling activity. And that's just one of the company's big growth projects that stretch out to 2025, suggesting that the downtrend could soon reverse. Exxon appears well on its way to fixing this issue.

2. Management is not going to waste money

The company's efforts on the production side are noteworthy for two reasons: Not only are they starting to show results, but the plans stretch out through the middle of the next decade. In fact, Exxon has specifically stated that it isn't interested in low-return projects that would improve production numbers today at the expense of long-term financial performance. It will only invest in high-return projects that it believes can add long-term value. That's the type of mentality you want to see from a dividend-paying company, and it speaks volumes about management's conservative approach.

3. The company is financed conservatively

Exxon isn't just conservative on the investment front -- it also has one of the strongest balance sheets in the energy industry. Long-term debt makes up a little under 10% of the capital structure, lower than its major peers. In fact, that's low for any company in any industry. Low leverage provides a solid financial foundation, particularly for an industry that is reliant on highly volatile commodities for its top and bottom lines. The upshot here is that leverage isn't likely to force Exxon's hand on the dividend.

4. Exxon's willing to use its balance sheet strength when necessary

That said, Exxon isn't afraid to use its financial strength to support growth -- and its dividend. For example, during the oil downturn that started in mid-2014, Exxon increased its long-term debt from roughly $6.5 billion to $27.7 billion. At the peak, however, long-term debt still only made up about 15% of its capital structure -- hardly a troubling figure. The added debt, meanwhile, was used to support long-term capital investment plans and the company's growing dividend. Having a strong balance sheet and the willingness to use it are complementary facts. Together, they should give investors some confidence that dividends are a priority for Exxon's management team.

5. The oil giant has a 36-year record of dividend proof

All of that said, there's probably no greater proof of Exxon's commitment to its dividend then the 36 consecutive annual dividend increases it has made. That's doubly impressive when you consider that the energy industry is highly cyclical and prone to swift and dramatic ups and downs. The 2014 downturn wasn't an unusual event, and clearly Exxon's hiking the dividend despite the headwind wasn't strange either. It's worth noting here that many of Exxon's peers either paused their dividend hikes or cut their dividends during that downturn. Exxon stands out on the dividend front.

6. Its growth plans can withstand weak oil prices

Although Exxon is financially strong and clearly committed to the dividend, what if its growth plans don't coincide with high oil prices? After all, there's a long time between 2018 and 2025 for oil prices to decline -- the recent 20% drop was a stark reminder of oil's volatile nature. While Exxon has been hyping the potential for doubling earnings, or more, by 2025, it also provided a lower-end estimate of earnings growing 35% if oil were to fall to $40 per barrel (oil has been in the $60- to $70-a-barrel range lately). Put another way, relatively low oil prices won't derail the company's growth plans, just slow them down a little. That, in turn, means that low oil prices aren't a big risk for the dividend.

7. Exxon's payout ratio has been solid over time

With all of this as a backdrop, it's worth highlighting that Exxon's payout ratio over the last 12 months has been around 60%. So Exxon is covering the dividend reasonably well, a fact that wasn't true at all a few years ago; the payout ratio in 2016 was a disastrous 138%. Over the last decade, it has been as low as 18%.

As points one through six show, Exxon has built its business to weather the ups and downs of the industry, which means investors need to take the payout ratio in stride. It is important to monitor, but one year's payout ratio isn't an indicator of the company's long-term dividend-paying ability. You need to get into the business model to really understand what's going on.

Exxon is built to pay you

As one of the most conservative oil companies in the energy industry, Exxon has proven it takes a growing dividend very seriously. Its actions during the deep 2014 oil downturn were clear evidence of that fact. Moreover, the oil giant's conservative growth plans, complete with downside estimates, shows management intends to keep its 36-year history of dividend hikes growing for years to come.

Exxon's play-it-safe approach has been a little out of step lately following the oil recovery after the 2014 downturn. But that's the flip side of having a dividend that can withstand oil downturns. If you are looking for a safe dividend, Exxon has you covered.




Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai ; Originally appeared at his blog Written by

The policy of the US establishment towards Lebanon is evidently changing and unstable, with a President who lacks general knowledge about the Middle East and above all of Hezbollahs role in the region. It seems President Donald Trump is willing to reduce military support to the Lebanese Army and to impose further sanctions on Lebanon, unaware that he is thereby strengthening the Axis of Resistance and throwing the country of the Cedars into the arms of Russia and Iran. While the US is imposing further sanctions on Hezbollah, in the last few months its European partners have held secret meetings with that Organisations leaders during the visits of their official delegations to Beirut.

The US is gradually losing its hegemony in the Middle East. In Iraq, the Islamic State (ISIS) grew under the watchful and complaisant eyes of the US establishment in the first months of its occupation of Mosul in June 2014. Washington considered ISIS a strategic asset, oblivious to how this unscrupulous policy would backfire against its interests in the Middle East. The policy alienated Europe but above all the people of the Middle East, especially those minorities who suffered grievously under ISIS tyranny. This ruthless US policy triggered the creation of Hashd al-Shaabi (the Popular Mobilisation Forces). This force has now become an essential member of the Axis of the Resistance which rejects US hegemony and espouses an ideology of independence with objectives similar to those of Iran and Hezbollah. These national forces are generally unfriendly towards Israel and the presence of US forces in Mesopotamia.

Furthermore, the new Iraqi leaders (Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, Speaker Mohamad al-Halbusi and President Barham Salih) have been chosen in perfect harmony with the will of Iran. If it becomes necessary to choose between Tehran and Washington, Iraq will not stand for sanctions against the Iranian people, regardless of the consequences. And if the US forces Iraqs hand on Iran sanctions, it will lose Mesopotamia to the advantage of Iran and Russia. Indeed, Moscow is sitting today, along with high ranking Iraqi, Syrian and Iranian military advisors, in one single operational room in Baghdad,waiting to pick up the slack if the US moves away from or slows down military support to Iraq, but also to ensure that ISIS doesnt return to occupy any city in Mesopotamia.

In Syria, the US  and its European and Arab partners  aimed for regime change and became identified with a policy of deliberate destruction of the Levant, with the goal of removing President Bashar Assad from power. Qatar alone is said to have invested over 130 billion dollars for this failed objective. Today, the lowest estimate of reconstruction costs for Syria ranges between 250 and 350 billion dollars. The war imposed on Syria has resulted in the formation of many Syrian groups trained by Iran and Hezbollah who have naturally shared their warfare experience with their ally. These groups, if Assad so wills, will form a strong alliance with the Axis of Resistance that has grown up in Iraq, and which has existed in Lebanon for decades.

In Palestine, Hamas joined the regime-change campaign against Syria at the beginning of the war in 2011. The political leadership declared its animosity to Assad and many of its fighters joined al-Qaeda and others joined ISIS, particularly in the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, south of Damascus. These Palestinian fighters shared with Syrian and other foreign fighters their guerrilla experience learned from Iran and from Hezbollah training camps. A few of these carried out suicide attacks against Iraqi security forces and civilians in Mesopotamia and against the Syrian army and its allies, including Hezbollah, in the Levant.

But the US establishment decided to distance itself from the Palestinian cause and embraced unconditionally the Israeli apartheid policy towards Palestine: the US supports Israel blindly. It has recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, suspended financial aid to UN institutions supporting Palestinian refugees (schools, medical care, homes), and rejected the right of return of Palestinians. All this has pushed various Palestinian groups, including the Palestinian Authority, to acknowledge that any negotiation with Israel is useless and that also the US can no longer be considered a reliable partner. Moreover, the failed regime-change in Syria and the humiliating conditions place on Arab financial support were in a way the last straws that convinced Hamas to change its position, giving up on the Oslo agreement and joining the Axis of the Resistance.

The 48 hours battle in Gaza with Israel November 12-13 showed unprecedented unity between Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and many other Palestinian groups (13 groups in total have united in one single military operational room for the first time ever), and their closeness to Iran and Hezbollah, indicating, once again, the failure of US policy in the Middle East.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah has gathered unique and mind-boggling war experience during the last five years of war against the extremist groups of al-Qaeda and ISIS, fighting alongside two classical armies on multiple fronts: the Syrian Army and the Russian superpower Army. The US now seems willing to increase pressure on the Lebanon to further cripple its economy. These sanctions will likely affect Lebanon more than Hezbollah itself.

The US put on its terrorist list the owners of currency exchange offices in Lebanon known to have exchanged Euros received from Iran for dollars. It has arrested a well-known businessman who benefits from Hezbollah sympathy and who offers a discount to Hezbollah militants and their families when selling his flats.

Also, with the collaboration of the ex-prime minister Haidar Abadi, the US got Baghdad to freeze over 90 million dollars due to a Lebanese constructor who has fulfilled contracts in various Iraqi cities, but who is accused by the Americans of being close to Hezbollah.

Moreover, the US Treasury Department is forcing the Lebanese Central bank to provide an impressive amount of information and databases on civilians  under the heading of fighting terrorism  and managed to freeze the accounts of many Shia, including those who have nothing whatsoever to do with the organisation.

And finally, the US administration put on its list of terrorists the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, his deputy, and various top leaders. These men will thus never be able to visit Disneyland or enjoy the wildlife in Las Vegas!

The US seems unaware that both Iran and Russia are eager to see the US lift their conditional support to the Lebanese Army and government. In coordination with the Lebanese government, Iran can build many factories in Lebanon, benefitting from its experience in various fields, mainly in the pharmaceutical domain, car production, domestic utilities and military industry. In parallel, Russia is already actively establishing connections with Lebanese officials, inviting them to Moscow, which will increase its presence and foothold in the Lebanon.

There is nothing the US can do to reduce Hezbollahs military power today. Sayyed Nasrallah is said to be ready to unleash his precision missiles against Israel to show his strength and, above all, to prove how weak Israel will be in any future war. There is no doubt that Israel has an impressive military machine with a great capacity for destruction. Nevertheless, since 1949 Israel has never been subjected to precision missiles with hundreds of explosives on each of their warheads, capable of covering the entire Israeli territory and of reaching any target.

If Israels Iron Dome can intercept 80% of Hezbollahs missiles, the consequences of 2000 missiles (out of 10,000, of which 8000 were intercepted) hitting their targets with 400-500 kg of explosives each are inconceivable for Israel. That means an equivalent of 1.000.000 kgs of explosive if Hezbollah were to limit its use to 10,000 missiles and no more than that (Israel claim Hezbollah has 150,000 rockets and missiles).

Hezbollah represents a sizeable chunk of the Lebanese population. It is not a conventional organisation, but one that has become part of the hearts and minds of the populationan old strategy that Hezbollah adopted so as to integrate with the population and the society it is living in.

Hezbollah did use force domestically on one occasion, in the May 7, 2008 episode when the group took the Lebanese capital by firing only a few bullets-much less time than it took Israel to occupy Beirut in 1982. Hezbollah doesnt need to use military power to control Lebanon. But the Lebanese Shia are no longer alone in the Axis of Resistance. This axis wont hesitate to turn tables on the US if pushed to take control of the country: which may happen if the US continues efforts to submit Lebanon to its hegemony.

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Samsung planning to launch at least five flagships in 2019: report News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Samsung is betting big on its smartphones for next year.

As we move towards a new year, it will soon be time when Samsung unveils its Galaxy S flagship. The company hasn't witnessed a great sales number for quite some time now. But, if the new Wall Street Journal report is to be believed, the company is planning to launch a slew of new top-end smartphones and let the consumers decide.

The report claims that the upcoming Galaxy S10 will see the light of day sometime in February, and will come in three variants. The report says that the series will have "displays that range in size from 5.8 inches to 6.4 inches." After a similar form factor for past two generations, the Galaxy S10 is said to see a design overhaul.

The report also suggests that the company is also making a fourth variant with 5G connectivity and an even bigger screen. Codenamed 'Beyond X' is said to sport a 6.7-inch display and six cameras: two on the front, while four on the rear panel.

Samsung recently launched a four camera smartphone - the Galaxy A9, so there's a possibility that the Galaxy S10 will also have the same layout. The bigger 5G variant is said to be launched in late spring, according to the report. The company is in talks with carriers to rope in the telco for the 5G network.

The first wave of 4G smartphones was power hungry due to the first-gen 4G modems that existed as a separate chip, instead of the SoC-integrated modems. This might be the case with 5G as well. There are also chances that the companies might make even bigger screens just to fit a bigger battery for the 5G use.

The fifth variant from Samsung is the foldable smartphone, which the company recently showcased. A report from South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said the device will be sold for $1,770 under the "Galaxy F" branding. But, Wall Street Journal claims that "Samsung executives are debating the foldable phone's name," and one from "Samsung Flex" and "Galaxy Flex" is likely to be finalized.

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TAIPA: Telecom Infrastructure industry invests Rs 10,000 crore annually in towers News oi-Priyanka Dua Further tower and pre-fabricated shelters also qualify as inputs' as well as capital goods as applicable, used for providing output service to telecom operators.

Telecom Infrastructure industry makes a direct contribution of more than Rs. 5,000 crores annually in corporate income tax and service tax and invests more than Rs. 10,000 crores annually in towers as per Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA).

TAIPA that represents Bharti Infratel and Reliance Infratel said telecom Infrastructure industry makes a direct contribution of more than Rs. 5,000 crores annually in corporate income tax and service tax and invests more than Rs. 10,000 crores annually in equipment like towers, shelters, batteries, air-conditioners, DG sets and power management systems etc. supporting the 'Make in India' and Digital India vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister.

TAIPA also appreciated the judgment of Hon'ble High Court of Delhi for allowing CENVAT credit on Telecom towers and parts thereof and pre-fabricated shelters, etc.

According to Delhi based group, the revenue authorities disputed the availability of the input tax credit mechanism on the ground that the telecom towers and shelters were 'immovable' in nature and consequently did not qualify for input tax credit, as defined under the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004 (CCR).

However, the telecom industry contested that the telecom towers and shelters are 'movable' in nature. The Hon'ble High Court of Delhi passed a favorable order vide order dated 31st Oct 2018 in favor of TowerCo and strongly observed that the equipment is fastened to the civil foundation for a 'wobble-free operation' and to provide greater stability. The tower/shelter may be unbolted and reassembled without any damage to any other location.

Further tower and pre-fabricated shelters also qualify as 'inputs' as well as 'capital goods 'as applicable, used for providing output service to telecom operators.

Tilak Raj Dua, Director General, TAIPA " We appreciate and honor the judgment of Delhi high court for allowing CENVAT credit on Telecom towers and related shelters, accessories etc. which was available before GST regime. The availability of Input tax credit (CENVAT credit) mechanism will reduce overall billing by IP-1s to TSPs."

For streamlining the issue, TAIPA had made several submissions to various departments and ministries like Ministry of Finance, Revenue secretary, GST Council, Centre Board of excise custom, TRAI, Depart of Telecom and Ministry of Telecom etc.

Telecommunication in India has emerged as a key driver of economic and social development in an increasingly knowledge-intensive global scenario.

The Indian telecommunication sector has undergone a revolutionary transition in the last two decades to become the World's second largest telecommunication market with more than 1.1 billion subscribers connected through 5 lakh towers mounted with over 20 lakh BTSs. As per the government report, the mobile sector's contribution to GDP which is presently 6.5 percent and will increase to 8.2 percent by 2020.

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GRU Chief Dies After 'Serious And Long Illness'

By RFE/RL November 22, 2018

The chief of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, Igor Korobov, has died after "a serious and long illness," Russian media reported on November 21, quoting the Defense Ministry.

The ministry did not disclose further details about his death.

The ministry called the 62-year-old Korobov, who ran the spy agency since 2016, "a wonderful person, a faithful son of Russia, and a patriot of his homeland."

Korobov was appointed following the death of his predecessor, 58-year-old Igor Sergun.

The West has blamed the GRU for a string of brazen attacks.

Britain has accused it of attempting to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with a nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury.

The Netherlands believes the agency has tried to hack a global chemical weapons watchdog, and U.S. intelligence agencies said the GRU was behind attempts to hack the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Russia denies all those allegations.

Korobov, along with other GRU officers, was sanctioned by the United States for activities that "undermine cybersecurity on behalf of the Russian government."

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the GRU on its 100th anniversary.

"I am confident of your professionalism, of your personal daring and decisiveness, and that each of you will do all that is required by Russia and our people," Putin said on November 2.

The GRU was founded in 1918 after the Bolshevik Revolution and is one of Russia's three main intelligence agencies, alongside the domestic Federal Security Service and the SVR Foreign Intelligence Service.

Putin criticized a recent change in the agency's name to the Main Directorate (GU) from the GRU, or Main Intelligence Directorate.

"It's not clear where the word Intelligence went.... This should be reinstated," he said.

With reporting by TASS and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia gru-korobov-/29614245.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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Oops! Germany Spying Agency Accidentally Reveals Identity of Covert Informant

Sputnik News

19:40 22.11.2018(updated 19:41 22.11.2018)

In a catastrophically careless oversight, German intelligence services have accidentally exposed the identity of one of their 'v-men' - an undercover informant - spying on activist groups. It's far from the first embarrassing blunder in the country's espionage history.

Gerrit Greimann, a 24-year-old resident of the city of Gottingen, Lower Saxony, renowned for its University and impassioned student politics, was identified after activist group Democratic Left requested the release of information held on them by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsens Verfassungsschutz).

The Office sought a blocking notice on the information from the Hanover Administrative Court, arguing the information should be considered classified on the basis publication would reveal the identity of a covert informant.

"VPs [informants] thoroughly research and often reconstruct events such as demonstrations they attended. Given this informantion they provide may be linked to a certain person, or people, identification of the VP cannot be ruled outdisclosure is therefore not possible because of the risk to the VP," the NV argued.

However, in doing so, it inadvertently placed documents naming Greimann as the VP in question in the public domain.

Covert Informant Gerrit Greimann

Named and Shamed

The student joined the grassroots campus group in 2016, and quickly became involved in protest and counter-protest activity  most notably at the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg  attending supraregional meetings and becoming involved in planning events and other administrative tasks.

In his intelligence gathering activities around the G20, he may well have provided authorities with information leading to highly controversial police raids in the months following the event. Many Gottingen-based activists attended the heavily protested summit  as part of resulting official investigations into the hubub, local police arrested many individuals, injuring some in the process, and raided private homes and campaign group headquarters.

Meinhart Ramaswamy, representative of the German Pirate Party on the Gottingen county council was among the arrestees.

"We were brutally disturbed during breakfast and feared they would damage the doors. The police came in with 25 officers. They even wanted to take job-related documents. No press were allowed in," he said.

Nonetheless, in the article outing him on IndyMedia, his former activist associates suggest he was less committed than many other members, and relatively poorly networked in the group, having not cultivated deeper social relationships with many peers.

In a statement, Lena Rademacher, spokesperson for Democratic Left, said the news "shocked us a lot".

"Greimann spent two years snooping in our most private and personal areas, allowing the [NV] to meticulously collect information on our behavior, as part of a plan to criminalize our activities in due course. We demand the immediate dissolution of the [NV]!" she said.

The IndyMedia article provides extensive biographical information on Greimann, including his home address and bank account details  one below-the-line commenter suggested it would "great" if someone "hits him" one day, "while shopping or on the train", raising the prospect of the exposed informant needing to enter a witness protection program under a new identity, or at the very least relocate to an entirely new city.

The issue has already been debated in Lower Saxony's state parliament, with the Greens demanding comment from the state Interior Minister, but no official statement was forthcoming. Nonetheless, Stefan Birkner, FDP parliamentary chair, asked whether the NV "can guarantee sources can act safely", and suggested if other German and foreign intelligence services learn about the fiasco, "they may not be willing to send their information to Hanover". He went on to demand the dismissal of NV President Maren Brandenburger.

Infiltration Too Far

German intelligence agency infiltration has typically been focused on the country's right-wing parties and groups, and has also frequently been disastrous. For instance, in January 2001, the federal government, Bundestag, and Bundesrat all asked the Federal Constitutional Court to determine whether the National Democrats (NPD), was unconstitutional, in an attempt to ban the party outright.

An investigation of the party was launched by officials, but the joint petition was eventually rejected in 2003, after it was determined a vast number of NPD members and grandees  including at least 30 of its leading figures  were undercover agents or informants of the Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz (BfV). Moreover, much of the government's case against the NPD's constitutionality was in fact based on statements made and texts published by party figures on the agency's payroll, with one undercover operative having authored an anti-Semitic pamphlet that figured prominently in the evidence provided to the Court by the government.

As a result, the court ruled it was impossible to ascertain which statements, publications and actions attributed to the party were partially or wholly directed and/or influenced by the BfV  a task made all the more difficult by the agency refusing to fully disclose operatives' identities and activities  and even suggested the party's more incendiary activities were deliberately directed in an attempt to ban the party.

 Sputnik

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British Police Release More Video Of Skripal Poisoning Suspects

November 23, 2018

Police in Britain have released more video of the two suspects they believe poisoned former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in March.

Two men -- know by the aliases Aleksandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov -- were charged in absentia for the attack in September.

Investigative website Bellingcat has named them as Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, both of whom work for Russia's GRU intelligence service.

On November 22, police released footage appearing to show the two arriving and walking around Salisbury on March 4, the day the Skripals were found unconscious on a park bench in the English city.

A man and a woman were poisoned in the nearby town of Amesbury on June 30 after police believe they handled a perfume bottle that contained Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union used in the Skripal poisoning. The woman, Dawn Sturgess, died.

Police said they were appealing for more information from anybody who may have seen the two men in Britain between March 2-4 or had seen the counterfeit Nina Ricci perfume box or bottle.

The poisoning has added tension to already severely strained ties between Russia and the West, leading to additional U.S. and European Union sanctions on Moscow and to diplomatic expulsions of Russian and Western officials.

Based on reporting by TASS and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/britain-skripal- poisoning-/29616365.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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Bellingcat Names Second GRU Agent In Failed Montenegrin Coup

By RFE/RL November 23, 2018

The investigative group Bellingcat and Russian website The Insider say they have identified a second Russian GRU military intelligence officer allegedly involved in a 2016 coup attempt in Montenegro.

Authorities in Montenegro have accused two Russian GRU officers of organizing the failed coup plot to prevent the small Balkan country from joining NATO.

Moscow, which opposed Montenegro's bid to join the military alliance, denied the allegations. Montenegro joined NATO in June.

Bellingcat and The Insider had previously named the first GRU suspect as Eduard Shishmakov.

On November 22, Bellingcat and The Insider said they had determined the name of the second suspect, naming him as Vladimir Moiseyev.

He had been known to Montenegro prosecutors under his cover identity, Vladimir Popov.

According to Bellingcat and The Insider, Moiseyev was recruited by the GRU sometime after studying in the mid-2000s at an academy in Tyumen, Siberia that is known for producing military engineers specializing in anything from radio-signal encryption to remote bomb detonation.

Later, he is believed to have served in a GRU airborne Spetsnaz unit that took part in operations during the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

While operating under the cover identity of "Vladimir Popov" from 2012 to 2016, Moiseyev reportedly traveled around Europe posing as a "photo correspondent" and "journalist" working for a publication focused on the insurance industry.

Montenegro last year became the 29th member of NATO, a step that was bitterly criticized by Russia and opposed by some Montenegrins who advocate closer ties with Moscow.

Authorities in Montenegro say Serbian and Russian nationalists plotted to occupy parliament during October 2016 parliamentary elections, assassinate then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, and install a pro-Russian leadership to halt Montenegro's bid to join NATO.

With reporting by AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/montenegro- bellingcat-coup-/29616265.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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US Pushing Allies to Drop Huawei Over Trade War With China - Reports

Sputnik News

16:05 23.11.2018

This comes amid Washington's suspicions that the world's largest telecom equipment maker could be using its equipment for cyber espionage as part of cooperation with Chinese intelligence agencies.

The Trump administration has been attempting to convince allied countries to shun the use of technology from Chinese telecom giant Huawei amid concerns that it could pose a threat to cybersecurity, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Washington has reportedly expressed its concerns to governments as well as internet and wireless providers in several allied countries that widely use Huawei equipment, such as Germany, Italy, and Japan. The United States is also considering increasing financial assistance for telecom development to those nations that would abandon Huawei products in the public and commercial sectors.

The White House is said to believe that Beijing could be conducting cyberattacks and espionage using telecom equipment from Chinese firms, including Huawei. Washington officials also think that China could use this technology to hack or damage the networks where it is installed.

According to WSJ, Washington is especially concerned about the use of Huawei technologies in the countries that host American military bases.

The Chinese telecom giant said that it was unhappy with the US government's purported move. "Huawei is surprised by the behaviours of the US government detailed in the article," Huawei said in a statement on Friday. "If a government's behaviour extends beyond its jurisdiction, such activity should not be encouraged."

Huawei has come under scrutiny in the United States during Donald Trump's presidency, when relations between Washington and Beijing deteriorated over trade and technology disputes.

In mid-August, US President Donald Trump signed a bill banning the government use of gear from Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese companies. This came after retail stores at US military bases were prohibited from selling Huawei and ZTE mobile phones over concerns that they "pose an unacceptable risk to the department's personnel, information, and mission."

Just a week after Trump's move, Australia banned Huawei and ZTE from supplying 5G technology to the country's networks, sparking a backlash from two of the world's biggest telecom equipment suppliers. Huawei slammed the ban as "politically motivated" as it came on the heels of Canberra's allegations of Chinese interference in its politics.

 Sputnik

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Saudi mercenaries killed in Yemeni army offensives

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA -- Yemeni forces prevented advancement of Saudi mercenaries in western coast of Yemen, killing and injuring dozens of them.

According to Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, a military source said that the country's army and popular committees managed to ward off the aggressors' attempts to infiltrate into west of Al-Tahita, killing and injuring a number of them.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing back the government of 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.

8072**2050

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Secretary General visits NATO Command in Naples

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

23 Nov. 2018

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the Allied Joint Force Command in Naples on Friday (23 November 2018). He was welcomed by Admiral James Foggo, Commander of JFC Naples, and met other senior officers. The Secretary General took part in a medal ceremony before visiting NATO's Regional Hub for the South, based at the Joint Force Command.

Mr. Stoltenberg was given a briefing about the work of the Hub and met staff in the facility. At the Brussels Summit in July, NATO leaders declared our Hub for the South fully operational. It helps the Alliance to improve its awareness and understanding of challenges from the South, and to work with NATO partners to counter those challenges through information sharing and assessments of potential threats. The Hub cooperates with different groups, including non-governmental organisations and academic institutions.

During his visit to JFC Naples the Secretary General was also given an update by NATO commanders about the Western Balkans and NATO's new training mission in Iraq.

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Ansarullah to discuss giving UN 'leading role' in Hudaydah port: UN envoy

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 05:09PM

Yemen's popular Houthi Ansarullah movement has agreed to negotiate handing the United Nations a "leading UN role" in managing the vital Hudaydah port-city, according to UN envoy Martin Griffiths.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly," said Griffiths on Friday.

The announcement came after Griffiths met managers of the Ansarullah-held port to address ways to protect the humanitarian "lifeline to the people in Yemen" from "potential destruction," amid a Saudi onslaught on the city.

A day earlier, the UN envoy had also met Ansarullah movement leader Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi and other high-level officials in the capital of Sana'a to discuss the group's attendance in talks planned to be held in Sweden, next month.

Speaking to Griffiths, Badreddin al-Houthi stressed the importance of truthful intention within the Saudi-led military alliance to push for a political solution, avoiding fallacies used during the previous round of negotiations.

The Ansarullah leader further praised positive steps taken by the UN to ensure a political solution to the Yemeni conflict.

Last week, Griffiths had announced that warring sides in Yemen were close to reaching a prisoner exchange deal as a confidence-building measure ahead of the upcoming negotiations.

Ansarullah followed suit on Monday, declaring a decision to halt drone and missile counter-strikes against warring countries as a gesture of goodwill to speed up the peace process.

The Saudi regime and its allies launched a deadly campaign against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the country's former Riyadh-allied regime and crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The Western-backed imposed war, which has so far failed to achieve its stated goals, has, however, constrained humanitarian deliveries of food and medicine to the import-dependent state, leading to a mass cholera outbreak and starvation from famine.

On Friday, World Health Organisation spokesman Christian Lindmeier announced that almost half of Yemen's children are chronically malnourished and face potentially crippling damage to their growth.

Furthermore, the international non-governmental organization Save the Children released a report on Thursday, claiming that an estimated 85,000 children under five may have starved to death in Yemen since 2015.

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Bahraini opposition groups urge boycott of elections

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 11:37AM

Bahrain's dissolved opposition groups and religious scholars have boycotted Saturday's general elections in the country amid reports that the island kingdom is inching closer towards Israel.

Al-Wafaq and al-Haq made the call on Friday, asking the people to take up the measure until the elections were over on Saturday. They described the ballot as mock elections.

Bahrain's religious scholars also boycotted the polls, calling the move "legitimate and logical," Bahrain's Arabic-language Lualua television network reported.

The decision, they said, came as Manama continued to trample on the public freedom, saying participation in the elections under such circumstances would do the people disservice rather than benefiting them.

They further voiced regret that Manama's violence, repression of freedoms, and ostracism of the people had worsened.

"The Parliament has turned into a tool for the implementation of oppressive policies, and ignorance of the people's demands as well as political and civil rights," the scholars added in their statement.

They said they would only attend the elections if the regime took "honest" steps towards forming a legislature based on the national will as well as the respect for and trust in the people.

The ruling monarchy has been leading a deadly crackdown against peaceful popular protests since 2011, killing scores of people, jailing hundreds of others, and annulling the country's opposition groupings.

Separately, a television report said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to travel to the island kingdom in the near future.

Hani Marzuq, spokesman for the Israeli television channel MAKAN 33, made the remarks at Knesset (Israeli Parliament), the channel reported on Friday.

He alleged that the trip would be a "great step in a new [evolving] Middle East, and a starting point for fresh relations aimed at correction of the course of the history."

Leaks obtained by WikiLeaks have shown that senior officials from Israel and Bahrain have spoken in recent years. They cited a 2007 meeting between then Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni and her Bahraini counterpart Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in New York.

Last December, The Times of Israel reported that a Bahraini delegation had arrived in Israel with "a message of peace to the whole world" from the country's king.

Four months before, Israeli media said Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah had called at an event hosted by pro-Israeli group Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles for an end to the Arab boycott of Israel, and the establishment of diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu's office, however, issued a statement, rejecting that such a trip was to take place.

'Expansive future ties'

Israel, Marzuq said, was seeking to establish "expansive" scientific and academic relations with the Arab world.

He reminded that many Israeli ministers had visited regional Arab countries, alongside prominent Israeli economic figures and students.

Back-to-back official remarks and media reports have shown that Israel and Arab states, at the head of them Saudi Arabia, have been increasingly gravitating towards one another over the past many years. This is while those were the very states that previously depicted themselves as Tel Aviv's enemies and supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Also last year, Netanyahu admitted that his regime had ties with the Arab world, and that their relations were improving, while Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz acknowledged in historical comments that Tel Aviv had had covert contacts with Saudi Arabia.

The news about the potential visit as the latest instance of the expanding relations came amid increasing pressure on both Israel and the Arab states to rectify their human rights records.

Also on Friday, MAKAN 33 said the Israeli Supreme Court had issued eviction orders for as many as 700 Palestinian residents from the predominantly-Palestinian Silwan neighborhood east of the occupied holy city of Jerusalem al-Quds.

Three days earlier, the court had thrown out appeals against the evictions by 104 of the Palestinians.

The decree has transferred the ownership of the Palestinians' properties to the Israeli Zionist organization of Ateret Cohanim. The organization which tries to increase the Israeli population in the Old City of al-Quds and among the Arab neighborhoods of East al-Quds is now allowed to force the Palestinians from their homes.

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UN: Israel has escalated violations of Lebanon airspace

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 08:52AM

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon says Israel has sharply increased its almost daily aerial violations in Lebanese airspace, urging the regime to halt them.

UN chief Antonio Guterres cited a report by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which the Security Council debated behind closed doors on Thursday.

The Israeli military increased the breaches by 35 percent from July to October 24, carrying out "550 air violations, totaling 2,057 overflight hours," the report said.

"Unmanned aerial vehicles accounted for 481 of these violations (87%), with the remaining violations involving fighter jets or unidentified aircraft," it said, urging "their immediate cessation."

Israeli aircraft have been intruding into Lebanon's skies on an almost daily basis since 2006, when the regime withdrew from the country's south after staging a devastating war against it.

The overflights contravene Security Council Resolution 1701 that set out a ceasefire ending the war.

Tel Aviv has increased the incursions since 2011, when Syria found itself engulfed in overwhelming militancy and terrorism, supported by international and regional players, including Israel.

The air raids have been targeting Syria's defenses as well as arms supplies intended for the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah, which has been helping Damascus contain the violence.

The Syrian Army shot down an Israeli jet in February in one of the most serious incidents resulting from Israel's misuse of Lebanon's airspace to attack Syria.

In another incident in September, an Ilyushin Il-20 with 15 servicemen crashed after Israeli warplanes hid behind it causing the Syrian defenses to mistakenly shoot down the Russian plane.

Guterres, meanwhile, said the UN could not "independently substantiate allegations of illegal arms transfers to non-state armed groups in Lebanon."

He was referring to the Lebanese movement which has defended Lebanon against Israeli wars and the regime's recurrent accusation that it is sent arms from abroad.

The UN report also said it was unable to verify another Israeli claim that Hezbollah possessed three missile sites near Beirut International Airport.

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Dozens Killed, Wounded In Suicide Attack On Afghan Mosque

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan November 23, 2018

A powerful blast has torn through a packed mosque inside an Afghan army base in the eastern Khost Province as Friday Prayers were drawing to a close, killing at least 12 people, a local official said.

Talib Mangal, a Khost governor spokesman told RFE/RL on November 23 that "according to initial estimates" another 33 people were wounded in the explosion.

Some news agencies put the deaths toll at 26, citing Afghan officials who said more than 50 others were wounded in the attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the assault that targeted soldiers offering prayers.

"There were soldiers lying everywhere and the smoke was so thick, it was difficult to see," Abdullah, a spokesman at the base, told the Associated Press news agency.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, calling it "anti-Islamic and inhumane."

In a statement, Ghani urged a swift investigation into the bombing and said he wanted to know how security at the army base was breached, calling for those responsible to be punished.

The attack comes just days after a suicide bomber targeted a gathering of religious scholars in the capital, Kabul, killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 80 others.

In another development in Afghanistan on November 23, hundreds of protesters blocked a key highway, denouncing the deaths of three local residents, including a child, in an operation against militants.

Parwan police chief Muhammad Mahfuz Walizada told RFE/RL that the operation overnight by Afghan and international forces in Jebul Siraj district targeted a local warlord, but killed the other people by mistake.

Carrying the bodies of the dead, the protesters blocked the Kabul-Salang highway for several hours.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/at-least-26-killed-in -blast-at-afghan-army-base/29617072.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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US Aircraft Carrier Suspected of Wreaking Electronic Chaos in Hong Kong

Sputnik News

22:06 23.11.2018

A US Navy aircraft carrier making a port call in Hong Kong has mysteriously caused massive problems for people in the area trying to use their cellphones and other electronics, according to local reports.

The USS Ronald Reagan arrived at Hong Kong on Wednesday around noon. Immediately after dropping its anchor, people in the surrounding area found themselves unable to open their cars remotely and cell phones users complained of disruptions in service, according to a report published by Asia Times.

The Communications Authority for Hong Kong has confirmed it received inquiries and calls concerning irregular wireless service, the report said. A spokesperson for the US Consulate-General there said he had no knowledge of the carrier interfering with civilian vehicles.

Impacted vehicles were primarily Japanese-made, according to a radio communications expert in the area. The remote lock systems on these cars generally operate on a frequency of 315 MHz. The Asia Times suggests that this frequency is close to the frequency used by electromagnetic equipment aboard the USS Reagan.

An observer told the Asia Times that the USS Reagan's crew may have activated anti-radio interference and anti-espionage measures as the huge ship sailed within a few kilometers of the People Liberation Army's garrison in Hong Kong. Further, the Reagan may have activated these measures to pre-empt Chinese espionage efforts originating at a PLA naval base on Stonecutter's Island, which was only a "stone's throw" from the US carrier, according to the Asia Times.

The Reagan has been a frequent visitor to Hong Kong since 2003, frequently stopping for supplies. Electronic interference issues have not been reported by civilians during previous port calls, however, the report notes.

In September, Beijing denied a US request for the USS Wasp to drop its anchor at the former British colony. Beijing and Washington have engaged in an economic war after US President Donald Trump fired the first salvo with tariffs on Chinese goods, which led to China responding with tariffs on American goods.

Ahead of a G20 summit next week in Buenos Aires, which both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump will attend, the two countries have taken steps to ease tensions brought on by the trade war. PLA Hong Kong garrison chief of staff He Qimao and Chinese officers were invited aboard the USS Reagan during the visit. Two US Navy officers, He, and US Consul-General Kurt Tong were photographed cutting a huge cake with a sword, the South China Morning Post reported Friday. The cake was modeled after the aircraft carrier itself, with the words "HONG KONG" featured prominently on the carrier's flight deck.

 Sputnik

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Houthis Agree to Pursue Talks on UN Role in Yemen's Hodeidah - Special Envoy

Sputnik News

19:58 23.11.2018

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Yemen's Houthi rebels have agreed to hold discussions aimed at providing to the United Nations the main role in the country's port of Hodeidah, UN Special Envoy for Yemen said on Friday.

"I had the privilege of the meeting yesterday in Sana'a with the Ansar Allah leadership," UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said in a statement, adding that among other things, the issue how the United Nations could contribute to keeping the peace in Hodeidah has been addressed.

He further noted that the sides have agreed that "the United Nations should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the Port and more broadly."

Griffiths explained that providing the United Nations such a role will save the vital humanitarian channel for Yemen that starts in the port of Hodeidah.

"We hope that it will also contribute to international efforts to increase the capacity and effectiveness of port operations," the special envoy said.

On Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that Hodeidah must be turned over to a neutral party in order to accelerate the distribution of aid in Yemen and prevent the port from being used to smuggle weapons and contraband.

Also on Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis told reporters that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have ceased offensive operations around Hodeidah. Mattis also said that peace talks aimed at resolving Yemen's crisis are expected to take place in Sweden in early December.

The United Nations has been trying to revive peace talks between the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. A UN plan to organize talks in Geneva in September was abandoned after the Houthis said they were prevented from leaving the country.

Yemen has been gripped by a civil war between the government and the Shiite Houthi movement since 2015. The government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes that target areas controlled by the Houthis since March 2015.

 Sputnik

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Explosion Rocks Mosque in Afghanistan: 27 Dead, 79 Wounded - Reports

Sputnik News

13:17 23.11.2018(updated 19:36 23.11.2018)

The explosion took place during Friday prayers in a mosque in the province of Khost in eastern Afghanistan. The victims are members of the Afghan National Army.

The number of soldiers killed in a blast that ripped through an army mosque on Friday in Afghanistan's Khost province has climbed to 27, the Pajhwok news agency reported, adding that at least 79 were injured. The incident occurred in Mandozai district of the province.

Earlier, a local governor stated that at least 12 Afghan servicemen were killed and 33 others were injured in an explosion that rocked an army mosque in southeastern Khost province on Friday.

Shortly after the attack, Captain Abdullah, an army spokesman in Khost, specified that the explosion was a suicide bombing which left at least 10 dead and 15 wounded.

As he revealed, the victims were soldiers from the 2nd Regiment of the Afghan National Army, which were participating in Friday prayers when the attack occurred, at around 1:30 p.m. of local time.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the suspected suicide bombing and ordered an investigation into the attack.

No terrorist group has claimed responsibility; however, Daesh* has carried out similar attacks in the past.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

 Sputnik

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Such a Deal: South Korean Companies Probed for Ripping Off US Military

Sputnik News

22:49 22.11.2018(updated 22:55 22.11.2018)

A nation with a war budget greater than that of the next seven countries combined, the US is unsurprisingly being ripped off by foreign contractors, and now the Justice Department is cracking down.

As the US investigates three South Korean firms accused of a conspiracy to vastly overcharge the Pentagon for hundreds of millions of dollars of fuel-supply expenses, the US is widening its crackdown on bid-rigging schemes and the abuse of American military contracts overseas, according to reports.

South Korean firms Hyundai Oilbank, S-Oil Corp and Jier Shin Korea are accused by US prosecutors of participating in a bid-rigging scheme to bilk over $100 million out of the US military, by quietly overcharging for goods and services, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Quoting two unnamed sources said to be intimately connected to the ongoing investigation, SCMP noted in its report that six companies have been charged in filings at a US federal court in the state of Ohio. Reports describe the actions that brought about the charges as a 'conspiracy,' indicating that the South Korean oil firms may have colluded to overcharge the Pentagon for fuel supplies.

Filed by the US Justice Department after earlier settling for some $236 million in criminal fines and civil damages against GS Caltex (a firm 50-percent owned by Chevron), SK Energy and Hanjin Transportation, the new court papers seek to address a reported bid-rigging scheme that occurred between 2005-2016.

As detailed by US government procurement website GovTribe, the US military's major fuel suppliers for its South Korean airbases between 2008-2013 were GS Caltex, S-Oil, Jier Shin Korea, Hanjin, SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank, according to SCMP.

Contacted by media, S-Oil Corp  partly owned by Saudi state oil company Aramco  claimed that it was "unaware of any investigation."

While acknowledging that it was under investigation by the US Justice Department, Hyundai Oilbank declined to provide further information, as other fuel supply companies named by SCMP sources refused to comment.

A large proportion of the estimated current 2018 $700 billion Pentagon budget is liberally applied to South Korea, a nation that has had a far-reaching American military presence since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Over 28,000 US troops are currently stationed in South Korea, even as Camp Humphreys remains the largest US overseas base on the planet, with an estimated deployment of 20,000 US personnel.





 Sputnik

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ICRC Started Foreign Staff Redeployment to Yemen - Aden Mission Head

Sputnik News

21:05 22.11.2018

GENEVA (Sputnik) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has begun the redeployment of the foreign personnel to Yemen, but still relies primarily on the local contingent, Carlos Batallas, the head of the ICRC mission to Aden, told Sputnik on Thursday.

"The situation is getting worse, and humanitarian aid is even more needed We are now bit by bit bringing back people to Yemen since last 2-3 months to various specific positions. It is not back to normal, because I do not think that we will be able to go back to normal in few months, if not years," Batallas said.

According to Batallas, a total of 557 ICRC employees are currently working in Yemen, with 516 accounting for local specialists.

"The good thing is that we work a lot with our local staff, with our colleagues from Yemen. And they have quite a good level of professionalism," Batallas stated, adding that local staff were enough to carry out humanitarian operations.

Prior to that, in June, the ICRC withdrew 71 foreign personnel from Yemen over security concerns.

Yemen has been gripped by a civil war between the government and the Shiite Houthi movement since 2015. The government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, has been carrying out airstrikes that target areas controlled by the Houthis since March 2015. The almost four-year war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with half of the Yemeni population assessed by the UN as being on the brink of starvation.

 Sputnik

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In Yemen, Special Envoy sees UN role in preserving 'essential' aid pipeline at country's major port

23 November 2018 - The United Nations should "actively and urgently" pursue negotiations for a leading role in aiding the humanitarian crisis in Yemen's port city of Hudaydah, the top UN envoy for the war-torn country urged Friday.

"The attention of the world is on Hudaydah," the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths said in a statement during his visit to the city, which hosts the major port of entry for most of the county's food and humanitarian aid.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly," he said, adding that such a role "will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline" that serves the country.

He welcomed the latest call for a ceasefire by Britain, in a draft resolution for immediate truce, after violence flared up between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels on Monday despite UN calls for ceasefire.

"This is an essential step if we are to protect the lives of civilians and build confidence among the parties," Mr. Griffiths said.

Conflict in Yemen has escalated over the last three years, following a Saudi-led military intervention against the Houthi rebel insurgency, at the request of Yemeni leadership.

The stark humanitarian situation has been further exacerbated by blocks to supplies, fuel and commercial goods delivered through Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis.

Mr. Griffiths underscored the conflict as a priority for the United Nations.

"I have come here today...to learn first-hand how we can help to keep that international pledge to protect the people of Hudaydah from further devastation."

"As you know I plan and hope to bring the parties together in Sweden very soon for political consultations," he said, referring to possible initiation of peace talks between Houthi rebels and the Government.

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Deadly Attack Targets Friday Prayers in Afghanistan

By Ayesha Tanzeem November 23, 2018

A suicide attack inside on a mosque at a military base in Khost province in Afghanistan killed at least 26 people and wounded 50 others, the military said.

Captain Abdullah, a spokesman for the Afghan National Army, said the explosion happened during Friday prayers when attendance is higher than usual.

The Afghan news channel Tolo said those killed were all from the 2nd Regiment of Afghan National Army in Mandozai district.

Investigations continued to determine the type of explosion.

The attack happened two days after a suicide blast killed dozens in Kabul during a religious ceremony.

Security in Afghanistan has steadily deteriorated, with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recording the highest number of civilians killed and wounded, almost 1700, between January and June this year. This month, President Ashraf Ghani revealed that nearly 30,000 Afghan security personnel have been killed since the beginning of 2015, when Afghans took over the responsibility of securing the country from NATO.

The United States is trying to jump-start negotiations with the Taliban to help find a road map to peace. U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in the region for more than a week this month. He met Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, as well as various factions of Afghan society.

Talking to media, Khalilzad said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the chances of progress.

"I think there is an opportunity for reconciliation and peace," he said.

President Donald Trump said that his administration was involved in "very strong" peace negotiations in Afghanistan. However, he did not indicate whether he was hopeful of their success.

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US Government Asks High Court to Hear Transgender Military Case

By VOA News November 23, 2018

The Trump administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to issue an unusually quick ruling into the military's policy of restricting military service by transgender people.

The administration Friday asked the Supreme Court to review lower court rulings blocking the military's policy, seeking to bypass a federal appeals court currently considering the issue.

Except in rare cases, the Supreme Court usually waits to get involved in cases until both a trial and appeals court have ruled on the matter.

The Trump administration argued Friday that the Supreme Court should get involved in this case early because it "involves an issue of imperative public importance: the authority of the U.S. military to determine who may serve in the nation's armed forces."

Administration officials say they want to ensure that the Supreme Court would be able to review the dispute before its term ends in June 2019.

Pentagon policy

The Pentagon changed its policy regarding transgender people in 2016, under then-President Barack Obama, allowing them serve openly in the military. But when President Donald Trump was elected, his administration reversed the policy and reinstated a ban on transgender troops.

Several courts ruled against that ban, leading the Trump administration to modify its policy, which now states that most transgender troops are banned from serving in the military except under limited circumstances.

Ruled unconstitutional twice

Lower courts have since ruled that the new administration policy is essentially the same as the original ban and is unconstitutional.

One of the lawsuits against the Pentagon policy has made its way to an appeals court, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court is a frequent target of criticism by Trump who tweeted just this week "the 9th Circuit is a complete & total disaster. It is out of control, has a horrible reputation, is overturned more than any Circuit in the Country, 79%, & is used to get an almost guaranteed result."

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France Says Extremist Leader May Have Been Killed in Mali

By VOA News November 23, 2018

A leader of an al-Qaida-linked extremist group in central Mali may have been among the 30 militants killed by French soldiers in an overnight attack, France's ministry of armed forces said Friday.

Minister Florence Parly said in a tweet that Hamadoun Kouffa might have been killed in the operation, which started Thursday in the Mopti region and included airstrikes, helicopter assaults and French soldiers on the ground.

Kouffa, a radical cleric, is head of the Katibat Macina, which is part of a larger group of al-Qaida-linked militants known by the acronym JNIM.

"At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action," the army said in its statement. Kouffa, as well as other top militants, were likely among the dead, the statement said.

France has more than 3,000 troops conducting a counterterrorism effort called Operation Barkhane against Islamist militants in the Sahel region, which includes Mali.

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Senior Cleric, US Soldier Killed in Separate Incidents in Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul November 24, 2018

Authorities in Afghanistan say unknown gunmen assassinated a top Islamic cleric Saturday in Kabul, while anti-insurgency operations elsewhere in the volatile country killed an American service member and two Afghan soldiers.

A city police spokesman told VOA they found the body of Mawlawi Abdul Basir Haqqani, the deputy head of Kabul's religious council, in Chehelsutun area of the capital.

Basir Mujahid said that police have arrested a man for his suspected role in the incident and an investigation was underway to determine the motive. No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Haqqani's assassination comes after Tuesday's suicide blast in Kabul that ripped through a big gathering of religious scholars and clerics, killing around 50 people. There were no claims of responsibility for that attack.

Separately, NATO's Resolute Support mission said a U.S. soldier was killed in action in Afghanistan Saturday. The brief announcement promised to more details later about the incident, including the identity of the slain service member.

The U.S. military has lost eight personnel in action this year in the country. There are around 14,000 American soldiers fighting terrorist groups and advising and training Afghan forces battling the Taliban insurgency.

Meanwhile, two Afghan soldiers were killed and six others wounded when a military helicopter transporting reinforcements made an emergency landing Saturday in the troubled Maruf district in southern Kandahar province.

While officials cited "a technical fault" for causing the incident, Taliban insurgents claimed they shot down the army helicopter in Maruf, which is located close to the border with Pakistan.

Afghan security forces continue to suffer heavy casualties while battling the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

A suicide bomber on Friday blew himself up in a mosque inside an Afghan army base in southeastern Khost province, killing more than 27 soldiers and wounding over 50 others. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the bombing on Saturday.

In a rare disclosure last week, President Ashraf Ghani revealed that Afghan security forces have lost nearly 29,000 personnel since 2015 when NATO transferred national security responsibilities to Kabul.

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Information and cyber operations modeled by Maryland Army Guard

By Maj. Kurt Rauschenberg November 23, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- As the unit celebrates its upcoming 10th anniversary, the 110th Information Operations Battalion showcased their unique capabilities commonly integrated into today's operational environments, now referred to as a multi-domain battlefield at the Annapolis Readiness Center Nov 18.

Dozens of interested military and civilians attended this year's information and cyber operations symposium to gaze upon the riveting presentations led by unit members and guest speakers.

Opportunities for Maryland experts serving in these technical fields were optimal for sharing information and building relationships.

Lt. Col. Kristine L. Henry, 110th Bn commander, voiced the importance of how much the Maryland Guard plays a significant role in information and cyber operations.

Members of the 110th educated various audiences on the integration and synchronization of these capabilities into combatant command campaigns and in support of the homeland.

"This unit is on the cusp of [adapting to] the U.S. Army's movement to a new information warfare strategy concept, said Henry. We are hosting this event at a time when our adversaries attack us within the information domain every day."

Henry specifically emphasized the need for sustained collaboration with enduring Maryland military and civilian partners and organizations external to the state as critical to the success in the warfight against adversaries throughout the information domain.

Following the opening comments, Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas B. Beyard, Maryland Guard Senior Enlisted Leader, addressed the audience with first-hand knowledge of the invaluable capabilities the unit brings to the U.S. Army.

"There's no [Maryland Guard] unit that's deployed more times, more places than the 110th, Beyard said. We do a lot of things to support the warfighter all over the world, but sometimes we have to use those same capabilities to support the state of Maryland and our homeland as well."

The topics presented throughout the day included experiences acquired through dynamic exercises involving the application of IO and cyber support; both domestically and abroad.

One presenter, Maj. John Rodriguez, an experienced IO officer, touched on the unification of information-related capabilities in a multi-domain battlefield environment demonstrated in an exercise known as Cyber Blitz 2018.

He described how the exercise provided U.S. Army Cyber the opportunity to test new concepts, capabilities and techniques in offensive and defensive cyberspace operations, to electronic warfare and IO.

"Be an advocate to breakdown stovepipes and fully integrating the various capabilities related to communication," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez recently returned from a nine-month deployment leading the information operations directorate, known as the J39, in the Horn of Africa supporting U.S. Africa Command operations to set conditions for continued partnerships while helping African partner nations build needed capacity to secure the region.

"Conducting IO in one part of the world is very different than how you would apply it in other parts of the world, he said."

Another presenter and fellow IO officer, Capt. Lesley Dowdle, spoke on her experience serving as a member of the J39 in Maryland's Vigilant Guard 2018 exercise in May.

This exercise, designed as a response to a hypothetical catastrophic hurricane landfall in the Mid-Atlantic region, allowed the Maryland Military Department, along with 42 federal, state, and local agencies, the opportunity to collaborate and test interoperability as part of a national-level operation.

Joint Task Force - Cyber, new to the VG exercise design, was the main element Dowdle would participate with a responsibility to support IO capabilities.

"We got to integrate with the [Maryland Air Guard] 175th Cyber Operations Group and learned how to collectively apply both cyber and IO capabilities simultaneously, said Dowdle. It took understanding joint doctrine and knowing what resources the Air Guard cyber could provide as well."

Dowdle said usually the impression from the general public in terms of domestic operations is seeing National Guard members work with emergency managers conducting rescues, but their expertise in IO was used differently as they worked with public affairs officers to help support the overall emergency situation.

"IO and cyber, along with PAO, were applied while conducting key leader engagements as a means to effectively use our direct capabilities involving communications," said Dowdle.

After the morning presentations concluded, guest speakers came from the Maryland Guard's 169th Cyber Protection Team, Maryland Defense Force cyber unit, and 1st IO Command to discuss IO and cyber from a multi-agency perspective.

Providing closing remarks, Col. Julie M. Minde, 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade commander, emphasized the need to continue building the IO and cyber capabilities through strong-enduring partnerships in-and-out of the state of Maryland.

"I'm proud of this organization, its extensive experiences, and its people, Minde said. I know we will move forward with great professionalism to make this battalion the role model unit for IO and cyber capabilities in the future."

The 110th is subordinate to the 58th EMIB within the state of Maryland and the Washington Guard's 56th Theater Information Operations Group during federal missions at home and abroad.

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Trump's Military Border Control Order Met Opposition in the White House  Report

Sputnik News

01:52 24.11.2018

The two officials who opposed the order are believed to be abandoning their offices soon, according to media reports, following a heated confrontation earlier this week.

US President Donald Trump's Monday order, which authorizes military personnel on the US-Mexico border to use lethal force, sparked a tense discussion within the Oval Office, according to a report by The Hill.

White House chief of staff John Kelly and US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen objected to the order, saying it was beyond Trump's constitutional powers to do so.

They were confronted by senior policy adviser Stephen Miller; Chris Crane, president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council; and Brandon Judd, president of the border patrol union. All of them were adamant that the president was acting within the scope of his constitutional powers.

Also present was Vice President Mike Pence, who did not take a stand on the issue, according to Politico.

Nielsen and Kelly reportedly eventually conceded, with Kelly subsequently signing a cabinet order Wednesday allowing some troops to engage in law enforcement activities and use the lethal force, if needed.

"While a range of issues were discussed on a Monday call, the cabinet memo was not one of those topics. In reality, I have been clear: our agents and officers must have the ability to protect themselves, and to be protected by others, if they face critical situations on the border," Nielsen told Politico in a statement.

With the order in force, the troops may "perform those military protective activities that the Secretary of Defense determines are reasonably necessary," with "protective activities" including "a show or use of force (including lethal force, where necessary), crowd control, temporary detention, and cursory search."

On Thursday, Trump confirmed that he authorized the use of deadly force.

"If they have to, they're going to use lethal force. I've given the okay. If they have to. I hope they don't have to," he said.

Kelly and Nielsen are believed to be hanging on a thin rope, according to the Hill report. They are expected to be removed from from office in an upcoming administration staff overhaul, the report says, citing Trump's repetitive vocal disappointment with these two.

 Sputnik

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President Xi Jinping meets Kazakh PM

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 07:14, November 23, 2018

BEIJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev in Beijing, and suggested that both sides focus on policy synergizing and well implement the alignment of China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) economic program.

Xi asked Sagintayev to give his cordial greetings to Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan.

With contact, Xi said his important consensus with Nazarbayev on many issues had guided the development of bilateral ties.

"The consensus is being implemented by solid steps with the two sides' concerted efforts," he said.

"As a friendly neighbour and comprehensive strategic partner, China places high importance on developing ties with Kazakhstan."

He voiced his appreciation of Kazakhstan's people-centric development principle, and stressed that China firmly supported the Kazakh people in following a development path suited to national conditions.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

"Over the past five years, cooperation under the initiative has delivered tangible benefits to the people along the route, and injected new impetus to the world economy," Xi said.

"China appreciates Kazakhstan's firm support and active participation in the Belt and Road cooperation. The two countries enjoy a solid basis and promising prospect for jointly building the Belt and Road."

Looking into future cooperation, Xi called on both sides to step up policy coordination, further synergize the Silk Road Economic Belt construction with Kazakhstan's Bright Path economic policy, and map out exchanges in various fields.

Sagintayev conveyed Nazarbayev's cordial greetings to Xi.

Calling China a friendly neighbor, friend and strategic partner of Kazakhstan, Sagintayev said his country highly valued the Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative proposed by Xi in Kazakhstan five years ago.

"The initiative is of great significance to strengthening regional connectivity, combating global challenges, maintaining world security and stability, and promoting common growth and prosperity," he said.

The Kazakh prime minister recalled Xi's keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo earlier this month, when he compared the Chinese economy to the ocean.

"Kazakhstan hopes the ship of Kazakhstan-China cooperation will keep sailing in the ocean of China's economy," Sagintayev said.

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Iran's IAEA envoy blasts US violation of JCPOA

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Vienna, Nov 23, IRNA -- Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday that the US has not only persistently violated the JCPOA, but also is threatening them by either to comply with its unlawful unilateral policies against my country, or will be faced with its coercive punitive measures.

Addressing the IAEA Board of Governors on November 22 on "Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in Light of United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 (2015)", he said that the unlawful actions by the US have rendered many essential provisions of the JCPOA void of any effect and destroyed the delicate balance of commitments between two sides, he said.

The irresponsible conduct of the United States necessitates a collective response by the international community in order to uphold the rule of law, to prevent undermining diplomacy and to protect multilateralism, he added.

Full text of his statements reads as follows:

"In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Madam Chairperson,

Mr. Director General,

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for giving me the floor; and, since this is the first time I am taking the floor after your election to preside over the work of the Board, let me congratulate you on this election and assure you of the full cooperation of my delegation during your tenure. Let me also express our delightfulness that the Director General Amano is back to Vienna with a full recovery and we are looking forward to continue our work with him.

Since the focus of this Agenda Item is about Iran, please allow me to indulge myself a bit more with respect to the length of my statement.

Allow me to begin by expressing my delegation's appreciation to the Director General and his team in the Secretariat for their efforts with regard to the verification measures related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is, indeed, heartening to see such an overwhelming support for the continuation of the implementation of the JCPOA by all sides, despite the unilateral withdrawal of a party to the deal, who is despotically and arrogantly exerting pressure on others to follow suit and back down on their commitments under the UNSC Resolution, not to name under the very DEAL; therefore, I would like to seize the opportunity and appreciate them for their invaluable continued support.

Madam Chairperson,

The recent Director General Report (GOV/2018/47, dated 12 November 2018) on the verification of the implementation of the JCPOA in the Islamic Republic of Iran, reads (and I quote) "Since 16 January 2016 (JCPOA Implementation Day), the Agency has verified and monitored Iran's implementation of its nuclear-related commitments in accordance with the modalities set out in the JCPOA, consistent with the Agency's standard safeguards practices, and in an impartial and objective manner." (Unquote)

This is the Thirteenth quarterly report of the Director General since then, which confirms Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. It also confirms that (and I quote) "the Agency has continued to evaluate Iran's declarations under the Additional Protocol, and has conducted complementary accesses under the Additional Protocol to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit" (Unquote).

It further reaffirms, time and again, that timely and proactive cooperation by Iran in providing such access, is facilitating implementation of the Additional Protocol and enhances confidence.

These are clear indications of utmost transparency in Iran's nuclear program.

Needless to say that, the report of the Director General presented to us in this meeting, and of course other 12 previous meetings, is entitled "Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in Light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)". The Security Council in this resolution, that was adopted unanimously, called upon all Member States, regional organizations and international organizations to support the implementation of the JCPOA and to refrain from actions that undermine it.

Also, much has been said that the JCPOA is multilateral in terms of participation and bilateral in terms of commitments, and its scope, provisions and timeframes are based on a delicate, negotiated and multilaterally-accepted balance.

However, in humiliation to all international community, the United States' most recent illegal and unilateral acts and sanctions brazenly and boldly disregard the Security Council resolution 2231(2015).

The world is witnessing a very unique phenomenon, Madam Chair, the United States not only blatantly defies the Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), but also audaciously and preposterously coerces other States to follow suit. These sanctions as well as their previous reckless acts are specifically designed "to directly and adversely affect economic relations with Iran" by intimidating third parties and pressuring other States to abide by their political aspirations.

Those sanctions and pressures are illegal and run counter to the well-established principles as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and as accepted by the community of nations such as the sovereign equality of States, non-intervention and non-interference in internal affairs of Member States and freedom of international trade and navigation.

The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the principles of prohibition of threat or use of force in the international relations of States and peaceful settlement of disputes should constitute the cornerstone of the multilateralism. No State or group of States has the authority to deprive other States of their legal rights for political considerations.

Madam Chairperson,

It should also be recalled that the United States' unilateral coercive measures are also contrary to the provisional measures that were ordered unanimously by the International Court of Justice, including the judge with American nationality, on 3 October 2018 (S/2018/899). The implementation of recent set of sanctions by the United States on 5 November 2018 would certainly lay in the scope of prohibited acts with an aggravating effect and would be categorized as illegal wrongful acts contrary to the Court's dictum. It shall be recalled that the United States, as the party imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran, is under a mandatory obligation to refrain from any action that might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court. Feeling free to break its commitments and to disavow its actions while preaching and policing the others, is not unique in the US behavior.

Undoubtedly, sanctions always hurt ordinary people, but sanctions seldom change policy, and that has been the problem with US sanctions all the time. They do not take people back to the negotiating table. In fact, they strengthen the resolve of great Iranian Nation to resist. We will not only survive, as we have sustained in the past 7000 years  we will thrive too.

Madam Chairperson,

The unlawful actions by the US have rendered many essential provisions of the JCPOA void of any effect and destroyed the delicate balance of commitments between two sides. It has not only persistently violated the terms of this agreement, but also, inter alia, by sending delegations to different States and even foreign companies, threat them by either to comply with its unlawful unilateral policies against my country, or will be faced with its coercive punitive measures. The irresponsible conduct of the United States necessitates a collective response by the international community in order to uphold the rule of law, to prevent undermining diplomacy and to protect multilateralism.

While Iran appreciates the strong support to the deal expressed by the overwhelming majority of Member States, it should be noted that if JCPOA is to survive, appropriate practical measures should be implemented to ensure that the JCPOA is a win-win solution. That is to say that, Iran acknowledges the EU/EU3 positions on the JCOPA, but firmly believes that the time is of the essence and concrete measures should be done swiftly to ensure the economic benefits of Iran as stipulated in the JCPOA. It should be stressed that in case of any failure to remedy the situation, Iran has its own options under the terms of the JCPOA and will make the appropriate decisions on the basis of its national interests.

As President Dr. Rouhani said in this year's United Nations General Assembly "In our current talks with the remaining JCPOA participants, we have emphasized that safeguarding the long-term interests of the Iranian people is paramount to us. If these interests can still be secured despite the United States' exit from the accord, we will remain in the deal; otherwise, we will pursue a different course of action. Our logic is simple and straightforward: Either all parties to the deal will benefit, or none will. Silence in the face of open U.S. bullying of other countries to cut economic and trade relations with Iran, in blatant contravention of the established rules of international law, is simply not acceptable, and not an option for us".

To conclude, I would like to reiterate that the nuclear deal is the outcome of years of intensive bilateral and multilateral negotiations overwhelmingly applauded by the international community and endorsed by the Security Council as a part of Resolution 2231. It will be a great shame if the achievement of 12 years of multilateral diplomacy would be shattered by irresponsible behavior and unilateral action of one State.

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China to resume oil imports from Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA -- Asia's largest buyer of Iranian oil is said to have resumed purchases from the Persian Gulf state following a one-month hiatus, a move that will help allay fears that US sanctions on the OPEC producer will constrain global supplies.

China will start loading the crude again in November after it halted purchases in October, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The Asian nation was one of a handful that won exemptions from the US to keep importing Iranian oil without falling foul of sanctions, with a waiver allowing 360,000 barrels a day for six months starting November, media reports said.

Global benchmark Brent crude surged more than 20 percent after President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran stoked fears of a supply deficit. Prices have since collapsed to their lowest level this year as those concerns eased after the issuance of waivers to eight nations including China, South Korea and India.

The Chinese government had previously told at least two state-owned companies to avoid buying Iranian oil in the lead-up to the Nov. 4 sanctions review deadline. The nation's decision to restart purchases precedes an upcoming meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the Group of 20 Summit next week and coincides with flaring trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

Although Chinese purchases are set to resume shortly, payments to Iran will only be settled at a later date, say the people, as both parties strive to work out a smooth process. India, one of Iran's top Asian customers, is set to purchase 1.25 million metric tons in November while Korean refiners are likely to be held back by payment and insurance complications until February or later.

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FM: Iran not to surrender to force

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Rome, Nov 23, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that his country would not give in to force.

Addressing the annual International Mediterranean Dialogues Conference (IMED) late on Thursday, Foreign Minister Zarif said, "Iran has endured not for 40 years but for 7,000 years. History of the Iranian and Italian emperors is older than certain claimant countries and that's for the same reason we will not surrender to force, as we know no power is permanent."

Why should Iran change its regional policies? Did we support Saddam? Did we support Daesh, Taliban and Al-Nusra Front? Did we create September 11? Did we impose blockade on Qatar? Did we bomb Yemen people? Did we commit mistakes or others? That's them who have to change their regional policies and behaviors, Zarif said.

"We held talks with the US alongside other countries and achieved good results," he said, noting that now the EU and others should spend for global security.

"All know me as advocate of interaction and dialogue. But if I am left with Iran's independence and interaction, I will surely opt for Iran's independence," he said.

Zarif arrived in Rome late Wednesday to take part in the annual International Mediterranean Dialogues Conference (IMED).

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China to resume imports of oil from Iran soon

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 04:41PM

China is said to be preparing to resume imports of crude oil from Iran in what analysts say could allay fears that US sanctions on the major producer would constrain global supplies.

Bloomberg quoted informed people as saying that China would start loading as much as 360,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude oil again before the end of November after a hiatus of a month caused by the newly imposed US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Asia's largest buyer of Iranian oil was one of a handful of countries that was exempted by Washington from Iran sanctions for a period of six months starting this month. Other major buyers that have been given similar exemptions are South Korea and India.

The administration of US President Donald Trump launched the second wave of sanctions against Iran from November 5 in which a universal ban on the country's oil exports is a primary objective.

US officials have already said the sanctions would be meant to bring down Iran's oil exports to zero. However, Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected the feasibility of this, stressing that international consumers cannot afford to lose Iranian supplies.

The Chinese government had previously told at least two state-owned companies to avoid buying Iranian oil in the lead-up to Washington's move to restore sanctions against Iran on November 5..

The nation's decision to restart purchases precedes an upcoming meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at the Group of 20 summit next week and coincides with flaring trade tensions between the world's two largest economies, Bloomberg added.

Although Chinese purchases are set to resume shortly, payments to Iran will only be settled at a later date, the report added, quoting unidentified people familiar with the matter.

India, one of Iran's top Asian customers, is set to purchase 1.25 million metric tons in November while Korean refiners are likely to be held back by payment and insurance complications until February or later, Bloomberg further added.

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US bullying will harm international system: Iran FM

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 02:12PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says US bullying will cause problems for the international system.

In a meeting with President of Italian Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico in Rome on Friday, Zarif added that the US unilateral and illegal moves to withdraw from a multilateral nuclear agreement and exert pressure on other countries are instances of bullying which would have short-term and long-term negative outcomes in the international system.

He emphasized that Iran would successfully handle the ongoing situation.

In May, US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Tehran agreed to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions, and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced the re-imposition of the "toughest" sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

A first round of American sanctions took effect in August, targeting Iran's access to the US dollar, metals trading, coal, industrial software, and auto sector.

The US administration had been hoping to get the other parties to the deal with Iran to likewise scrap the deal. Instead, they have stressed that not only will they stick to the agreement, but they will also work to sustain it in the face of increased US pressure.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Monday that European countries collaborating with the United States' policies are accomplices in crimes committed by the US, the Israeli regime and reactionary states in the region.

"Any collaboration of some European countries with policies of [US President Donald] Trump's administration will have negative impacts on long-term relations with our country," Shamkhani said in a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in Tehran.

Europeans firm to keep JCPOA in place: Fico

The Italian parliamentarian, for his part, said the US pullout from the landmark nuclear deal has caused problems but European countries, including Italy, would make their utmost efforts to preserve the outcomes of the JCPOA.

Fico also pointed to the good relations between Tehran and Rome and said Iran is a leading regional and international player.

Iran, Malta FMs discuss bilateral, regional issues

Also on Friday, Zarif met with Malta's Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela in Rome.

The top Iranian and Maltese diplomats discussed the latest developments about the JCPOA, mutual relations and regional issues, particularly the Yemeni and Syrian crises.

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Iran rejects 'baseless' US chemical warfare accusations

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:18AM

Iran has categorically dismissed US accusations that it has failed to declare "a toxic arms program" to the global chemical warfare watchdog in breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi lashed out at Washington for failing to fulfill its own commitments under the convention.

Tehran, he said, strongly rejects the "groundless" accusations leveled by the US mission to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) during the Fourth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in The Hague.

Qassemi referred to the US as the only OPCW member state with chemical weapons arsenals which he said had so far failed to fulfill its commitment to destroy them.

He said the US has leveled such "false accusations" against Iran while it is siding with the Israeli regime's chemical weapons program.

Qassemi said Washington has raised such allegations out of its hostility toward the Iranian nation. The White House, he said, is trying to raise such accusations to divert the world's attention away from its own violation of commitments and continued support for the Israeli chemical arsenals and terrorist groups.

The US accused Iran on Thursday of failing to declare what it called "a toxic arms program" to the OPCW in breach of international agreements.

US envoy Kenneth Ward told the OPCW conference that Tehran was seeking deadly nerve agents for "offensive purposes".

Ward claimed that Iran had failed to declare the transfer of chemical-filled shells sent to Libya in the 1980s despite an appeal by the OPCW to identify their origin. They were found after the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

"They were clearly of Iranian origin as evidenced by the Farsi writing on the boxes containing the artillery shells," he claimed.

Iran had also failed to declare a "chemical weapons filling capability" despite the discovery of toxic shells and bombs in Libya and also in Iraq, he said.

Finally, Iran had failed to declare riot control agents despite having marketed them at defense expos, the US envoy claimed.

Many Iranians are still suffering from the effects of chemical weapons used by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was backed by the US and Europe during his eight-year war on Iran in the 1980s.

At the time, repeated uses of chemical weapons by Saddam against Iranian troops and civilians were met with the deafening silence of the West.

Iran never retaliated against Iraq's chemical weapons attacks on troops and civilians, which killed 20,000 Iranians and severely injured 100,000 more.

In 2014, the wartime chief of the Iranian ministry responsible for military procurement Mohsen Rafighdoost confirmed that a fatwa (religious decree) issued by the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini prohibited the use of chemical weapons.

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US chemical accusations against Iran 'obscene and dangerous': FM Zarif

Iran Press TV

Sat Nov 24, 2018 06:47AM

Iran has strongly denounced US claims of developing chemical weapons, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warning that the allegations are not just "obscene" but "dangerous."

The accusation, made by US Ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Kenneth Ward Thursday, came amid Washington ratcheting up pressure on Iran which is refusing to submit to American demands.

Ward did not say Iran has used chemical weapons but rather that it has allegedly maintained facilities and equipment which can be used for their production.

Zarif dismissed the allegations late Friday, saying the US "wants to resort to international conventions to make allegations against Iran when it's made a policy of violating them itself."

Such allegations "by a country that supported Iraq's use of CW [chemical weapons] against Iran, then invaded Iraq to allegedly rid it of them is not just obscene, it's dangerous," he said in a tweet.

Many Iranians are still suffering from the effects of chemical weapons used by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was backed by the US and Europe during his eight-year war on Iran in the 1980s.

At the time, repeated use of chemical weapons by Saddam against Iranian troops and civilians was met with the deafening silence of the West.

The Saddam regime reportedly acquired the technology and material to develop chemical weapons from the US and a number of Western countries, including the Netherlands and Germany.

Classified documents revealed in recent years have showed that the CIA knew about Iraq's use of chemical weapons as early as 1983, but took no action and even failed to alert the UN.

Iran never retaliated against Iraq's chemical weapons attacks on troops and civilians, which killed 20,000 Iranians and severely injured 100,000 more.

At The Hague on Thursday, Ward said Washington "is also concerned that Iran is pursuing central nervous system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes."

"The United States has had longstanding concerns that Iran maintains a chemical-weapons program that it failed to declare to the OPCW," he said.

Ward cited the discovery of chemical-filled artillery projectiles, mortars, and aerial bombs in Libya of what he claimed Iranian origin as proof that Tehran did not fully disclose its capabilities.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it "strongly rejects the groundless" accusations. "The United States...has made, as is its habit, baseless accusations against the Islamic republic which we strongly reject," it said in a statement.

Iran's former ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency Reza Najafi said Tehran is not surprised by the "baseless" US accusations.

"We should not forget that the US is the only signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention that possesses [chemical] arms and has not yet completed the annihilation of its stockpile of chemical weapons," he said.

"The loyal ally of the US in the Middle East, namely the Israeli regime, has also developed its chemical weapons with Washington's help; that is another example of America's non-compliance," he added.

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Iraqi lawmakers call for end to US military presence

Iran Press TV

Sat Nov 24, 2018 07:21AM

Iraqi lawmakers have called for the withdrawal of US troops, saying they see no justification for the presence of foreign troops about a year after the defeat of the Daesh terrorist group in Iraq.

The American presence "is, in my opinion, a violation of the Iraqi sovereignty," Amer al-Shebli, a lawmaker, told Press TV on Friday. "After ending terrorism, the previous Parliament should have taken a serious action to force all foreign forces to leave Iraq," the MP added.

"Sovereignty is the most valuable asset in any nation. The sacrifices of the Iraqi people in their fight against Daesh show how important their country's sovereignty is for them. Today, no country will allow foreign military bases on its land," said another legislator Kadhim al-Sayadi.

Some lawmakers said the presence of US forces in Iraq had to be based on a legal framework.

"The presence of any foreign forces inside Iraq can only be done through agreements with the Iraqi government, and these agreements cannot be passed without the approval of the Parliament," said Diar Barawri, an MP with the Kurdish Democratic Party.

Another lawmaker expressed concern over the ever-increasing number of US forces in the country.

"The presence of US forces in Iraq is illegal. As a member of the Parliament's Security Committee, we voice our concern over the presence of the US military and the constant increase in the number of the soldiers," said Adnan al-Assadi.

"They have thousands of soldiers here. Yet, the government says they are advisors," he added.

"Lawmakers who are part of Hashd al-Sha'bi's campaign to liberate territories held by Daesh terror group believe it is time for the country to once and for all be free of any foreign military presence," said Press TV correspondent Ali Musawi.

The volunteer paramilitary militias, also known as the Popular Mobilization Units, played a significant role during Iraq's uphill battle against the terrorists. The efficiency of their involvement prompted Baghdad to incorporate them into the country's national defense forces.

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, an allegation later proven wrong.

In 2014, it led scores of its allies in a so-called mission to defeat Daesh without a UN mandate.

Iraq and its allies forced the group out of Mosul, its headquarters in the country's north, late last year. The US-led coalition, however, still retains its presence in Iraq after Mosul operations.

Last week, Arabic-language Arabi21 online newspaper cited MP Ahmad al-Assadi, the leader of the Iraqi Construction Alliance, as saying that the legislature would discuss withdrawal of the US forces amid rising unease at Washington's meddling in Baghdad's internal affairs.

He said the lawmakers would step up their demand that the Iraqi government force the foreign troops to leave.

The official said calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops had begun during the last legislature, but lawmakers were now seeking a "clear timetable" for a pullout.

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Blast kills 31, injures 50 in NW Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Nov 23, IRNA -- At least 31 people were killed and 50 sustained injuries in an explosion in Pakistan's north western Orakzai region on Friday.

The explosion, according to officials was caused by an improvised explosive device, hidden in a carton of vegetables. It took place near an Imambargah in Kalaya Bazaar.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has also strongly condemned the terrorist attack in lower Orakzai of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

The prime minister labelled the attack 'a planned campaign to create unrest in the country by those who do not want Pakistan to prosper'.

The injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment, local authorities said. The area has been completely sealed off and investigation into the incident is under way.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion in lower Orakzai is the second terrorism activity in the country today. Earlier this morning, a terror attack targeting the Chinese Consulate situated in Karachi's Clifton area was foiled by security forces.

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Armed men attack Chinese consulate in Pakistan's Karachi

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 06:50AM

Three assailants strapped with explosives have attacked the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, leaving two policemen dead.

The city's police chief said the attackers were killed before entering the building early Friday.

An exchange of fire erupted between the guards and the gunmen, which also resulted in the "killing two of our constables and critically wounding another," said senior local police official Javaid Alam Odho.

The separatist Pakistani group, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), claimed the attack. "They stormed the Chinese embassy in Karachi. China is exploiting our resources," the group's spokesman Jiand Baloch said.

Pakistani media showed smoke rising from the building and shots ringing out at the scene.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement that all 21 Chinese staff inside the consulate are safe.

China, which neighbors Pakistan, is a close ally and the country's main benefactor. It launched a project on the Pakistani port under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) back in 2015 to connect the port of Gwadar on Pakistan's south coast to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.

Beijing has also promised to support Pakistan's economy when Prime Minister Imran Khan described in a "very difficult" situation in a visit to China earlier this month.

Khan said that his government has "inherited a very difficult economic situation," since assuming office in August.

On Friday, the prime minister ordered an inquiry into the attack which he said was part of a conspiracy aimed at undermining economic and strategic cooperation between the two nations.

"The Prime Minister has ordered a complete inquiry into the incident and has desired that elements behind this incident must be unearthed," Khan's office said in a statement.

"Such incidents will never be able to undermine Pak-China relationship," the statement added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "China strongly condemns any violent attacks against diplomatic agencies and requests that Pakistan takes practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country."

China is is ploughing billions of dollars in loans and infrastructure investments into the South Asian nation as part of Beijing's vast Belt and Road initiative.

India also condemned the consulate attack, saying there was no justification for such violence.

"The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously," the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Blast at crowded market in northwest

Elsewhere in Pakistan's northwestern region of Orakzai, a bomber drove his motorcycle into a festival at a crowded market, killing at least 25 people and injuring 35 others on Friday.

"It was a blast at the festival that is held every Friday," said Abbas Khan, the assistant commissioner of the district.

Among the victims were three members of the minority Sikh community and two security officials.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The region, formerly a semi-autonomous part of Pakistan's ethnic Pashtun tribal area, has for decades been a refuge for militants fighting in Afghanistan, and more recently against the Pakistani government.

Islamabad has stepped up military operations along the border since 2009 and has managed to clear some areas of militants.

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Pakistan Arrests Cleric Whose Supporters Held Violent Rallies Over Blasphemy Law

November 23, 2018

Pakistani authorities have arrested a radical Islamic cleric whose followers held violent rallies against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.

Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the hard-line Tehrik-e Labaik party was arrested late on November 23 in the eastern city of Lahore, the party said in a statement.

Police said that Rizvi's supporters clashed with police soon after he was taken away, with at least five people wounded.

Scores of the cleric's supporters were detained by police, the party statement said.

Earlier this month, Rizvi led three days of violent protests in several cities over the Supreme Court's acquittal and release of Asia Bibi on October 31.

Asia Bibi had spent eight years on death row on a blasphemy conviction.

The protesters blocked roads and threatened the judges who acquitted Asia Bibi.

Rizvi ended the protests after the authorities said Asia Bibi would not leave the country until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.

Rizvi's detention appeared to set up a new confrontation, with the cleric urging his supporters earlier in the day to take to the streets if he was arrested.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-arrests-cleric-whose-supporters -held-violent-rallies-over-blasphemy-law/29617707.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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Pakistan Foils Suicide Attack On Karachi Chinese Consulate, Dozens Dead In Separate Attack In Northwest

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal November 23, 2018

Pakistani police have killed three suspected suicide bombers who attacked the Chinese Consulate in Karachi before they were able to enter the facility, an incident which Pakistan's government has called a "conspiracy" against the strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing.

Separately, at least 35 people were killed and more than 50 wounded in a bomb attack on a crowded market in a town in Pakistan's northwest.

In the Karachi attack, which was claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) insurgent group, two police officers and two Pakistani visa applicants were also killed.

"The situation is under control now, there were three attackers and all three have been killed.... They could not even get in the compound. They tried to get into the visa section," police chief Amir Shaikh told reporters.

The consulate building that is located in Clifton, a heavily guarded part of the city.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered an inquiry into the attack, calling it a "conspiracy" against the strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing in Beijing, "China strongly condemns any violent attacks against diplomatic agencies and requests that Pakistan takes practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country."

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said all 21 Chinese staff inside the consulate were safe.

A BLA spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack.

"There were three suicide attackers," Jiand Baloch told Reuters by telephone. "They stormed the Chinese Embassy in Karachi. China is exploiting our resources."

A different spokesman, Geand Baloch, told AFP by telephone, "We have carried out this attack and our action is continuing."

China, a close ally of Pakistan, has invested billions of dollars into the South Asian country in recent years as part of a massive infrastructure project, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), that seeks to connect its western province Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest and poorest province, and it is confronted with ethnic, sectarian, and separatist insurgencies.

Participating in the CPEC presents an enormous challenge for Pakistan, a country plagued by weak institutions, endemic corruption, and insurgencies in the regions that would host the corridor.

The future distribution of economic dividends from CPEC is extremely sensitive, particularly in resource-rich Balochistan, and various militant groups have repeatedly attacked construction sites and targeted Chinese workers.

Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and financial center, has been marred for a long time by political, sectarian, and ethnic militancy.

Meanwhile, at least 35 people were killed and more than 50 wounded when a bomb hidden in a carton of vegetables ripped through a crowded marketplace in Pakistan's northwest.

Local police official Tahir Ali said the attack took place in the town of Klaya, in the Orakzai region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan. He said most of the victims were minority Shi'ite Muslims.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but Orakzai has been the scene of militant attacks in recent years, mostly claimed by Pakistani Sunni militants.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan- karachi-attack-/29616405.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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34 Dead in Separate Attacks on Chinese Consulate, Crowd in Pakistan

By Ayesha Tanzeem, Ayaz Gul November 23, 2018

Separate attacks by armed insurgents in Pakistan killed at least 34 people and wounded dozens of others.

Authorities in the southern port city of Karachi say at least four people were killed when a group of three armed men carrying suicide vests attacked the Chinese consulate.

A spokesman for the paramilitary force, known as Rangers, told reporters the early morning attack began with one of the assailants blowing himself up near the entrance to the visa section of the diplomatic mission to try to make way for his other partners.

The blast and ensuing hourlong firefight with Pakistani forces guarding the facility killed the other two assailants, said Colonel Faisal. He refuted earlier reports that the attackers had managed to enter the Chinese consulate.

Police officials and doctors confirmed two policemen and two Pakistani visa seekers were among those killed.

The Baluch Liberation Army, a separatist group based in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, claimed responsibility it plotted the attack and released photos of the three bombers.

Pakistani authorities said the attackers parked their car at a distance and marched toward the Chinese consulate before security forces intercepted them. Police later found explosive materials and weapons inside the car as well.

Market attack

Within few hours of the Karachi attack, a powerful bomb ripped through a crowd of people in the northwestern Orakzai region, killing at least 30 people and wounding more than 40 others. Local officials and witnesses anticipated the casualty toll to rise.

Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned both the attacks in separate statements. He ordered a complete inquiry into the violence against the Chinese consulate, saying the attack was "part of (a) conspiracy" against Pakistan's "economic and strategic cooperation" with China.

The Chinese embassy denounced the "terrorist" attack on its consulate-general in Karachi, saying no Chinese citizens were killed or injured in it.

"We appreciate the Pakistani army and police for their timely and proper action against the attack. We extend our deep condolences to the two Pakistani policemen martyred in the attack. Any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan relationship is doomed to fail," vowed the mission in a statement.

Khan praised the Pakistani security forces for swiftly neutralizing the attackers and preventing harm to Chinese diplomats.

China investing billions

China is Pakistan's neighbor and a strong ally. Beijing is investing tens of billions of dollars in the country in what is known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC. It is part of China's global Belt and Road initiative.

The corridor is a collection of roads, railway lines and infrastructure projects designed to connect Western China to Pakistan's port city Gwadar, significantly cutting transport times for Chinese goods shipped to Middle East or Europe.

Pakistan accuses rival India of funding BLA and other militant groups in its bid to undermine CPEC-related Chinese investment in the country, charges New Delhi denies.

Interior Minister Shahryar Afridi repeated those allegations on Thursday, saying India plots subversive acts against his country in war-ravaged Afghanistan, which shares more than 2,600-kilometer largely porous border with Pakistan.

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Pakistan Cracks Down On Hard-Liners After Cleric Detained

By RFE/RL November 24, 2018

Pakistani authorities have launched a crackdown against supporters of a detained radical Islamic cleric whose party had held violent rallies against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.

Police said on November 24 that they detained more than 300 supporters of Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) in Punjab Province in an effort to "maintain public order" following the detention of the party's leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the action was prompted by TLP's refusals to withdraw its call for protests.

"Police has been deployed in all major cities of [Punjab Province] to deal with any untoward incident. There is a complete ban on all type of political gatherings in the province," Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul-Hassan Chohan said.

Rizvi led three days of violent rallies across Pakistan earlier this month after the Supreme Court on October 31 acquitted Asia Bibi, who had spent eight years on death row on a blasphemy conviction.

The protests mostly ended after the authorities said Bibi would not leave the country until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.

Bibi has denied the charges against her, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians, and religious figures.

Rizvi was taken into custody in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, late on November 23 after calling on party supporters to rally in Islamabad.

Security forces arrested scores of Rizvi's supporters as they took to streets to protest his overnight arrest.

Chaudhry tweeted that Rizvi was "taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house" to "safeguard public life, property, and order."

The cleric will be detained for 30 days, according to a notification issued by the Punjab government, which said there was "credible" information that he would create a law and order situation.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-cracks-down-on-hard-liners- after-cleric-detained/29618688.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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Pakistan Crackdown Arrests Islamic Cleric, Hundreds of Followers

By Ayaz Gul November 24, 2018

A nationwide massive police crackdown in Pakistan has detained hundreds of leaders and activists of an Islamist party, which recently staged crippling street protests against the Supreme Court's acquittal of a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy.

Authorities said Saturday that a majority of the arrests took place in the country's most populous province of Punjab, the power base of the ultra-right Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party.

The crackdown began late Friday and TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, was among the first detainees, along with many of deputies. Rizvi's arrest sparked violent clashes with police in some areas. Police and hospital officials said several people were injured.

The religious party had organized three days of crippling protests countrywide earlier this month to denounce the top Pakistani court for acquitting Asia Bibi, a member of the minority Christian community who had spent eight years on death row for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet Mohammad.

TLP spokespeople insisted the police crackdown against the party and its leadership was aimed at deterring them from protesting the acquittal.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, however, dismissed those allegations and explained Rizvi had been placed under "protective custody" because he refused to withdraw a call for fresh street protests on Sunday and turned down offers to organize the rally at a place proposed by the government.

"It's to safeguard public life, property and order and has to do nothing with Asia Bibi case," Chaudhry noted. The minister went on to call for the public to remain "peaceful and calm", vowing the "law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals."

In speeches during the recent protests TLP leaders had threatened the Supreme Court judges who freed Bibi and urged the judges' cooks and servants to kill them. They also condemned Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistani army chief for siding with the court and the Christian woman.

The woman along with her family is in hiding after her release. Pakistani officials say she is located in a safe place in the country and dismiss reports Bibi has fled Pakistan.

Bibi's lawyer fled Pakistan shortly after the landmark court ruling, saying his life was in danger.

Rizvi's party has petitioned the Supreme Court to review last month's decision. Some Western countries have offered Bibi and her family asylum. The Pakistan government maintains that once the judicial process is concluded Bibi can go to any country like any free Pakistani citizen.

Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where mere allegations have led to mob lynching of people. A provincial governor and a federal minister were assassinated by extremists because they had called for reforms in the blasphemy law that gives the death penalty to those found guilty of insulting Islam or its Prophet.

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Russia Undermines Freedom Of Expression 'Both Domestically And Abroad,' U.S. Says

By RFE/RL November 23, 2018

Russia is working to subvert free speech both at home and abroad, and is stepping up pressure on its independent media, the United States has warned at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Washington also called for the release of both Russian and foreign journalists detained in Russia and in the area controlled by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and voiced deep concern over reports of intimidation and threats against the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

"Both domestically and abroad, the Russian Federation seeks to undermine freedom of expression, and independent journalism is increasingly under pressure in Russia," U.S. Charge d'Affaires Harry Kamian told the Permanent Council meeting of the OSCE in Vienna on November 22.

Kamian called for the release of Ukrainian National News Agency journalist Roman Sushchenko and Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, "just two of the more than 70 Ukrainians unjustly imprisoned in occupied Crimea and Russia," the U.S. mission to the OSCE said in a statement.

On June 4, the Moscow City Court found Sushchenko guilty of espionage and sentenced him to 12 years in a strict-regime prison. Sushchenko maintains his innocence, saying the case against him is politically motivated.

Sentsov, a Crimean native who opposed Russia's 2014 takeover of the Ukrainian peninsula, is serving a 20-year prison term after being convicted of terrorism in a trial that he, rights groups, and Western governments contend was politically motivated. He ended a nearly five-month hunger strike in a Russian prison in early October.

"We also call on the Russian Federation to secure the release of Stanislav Aseyev, a journalist for Radio Liberty, who has been held captive in the so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' since June 2017," the U.S. statement said.

Aseyev, who has reported for various Ukrainian media outlets, also contributes to RFE/RL's Ukraine Service and writes under the name Stanislav Vasin.

He disappeared in Donetsk on June 2, 2017, and weeks later, Amnesty International said it had received information that Aseyev was being held by the self-styled security agents of the separatists.

The statement said that the United States was "also troubled" by the November 7 court decision to keep Zhalaudi Geriyev, an independent journalist from the Chechnya region, behind bars on "baseless drug charges."

Geriyev was sentenced to three years in prison in 2016 for illegal drug possession, a charge he has denied from the very beginning.

The Moscow-based human rights center Memorial has recognized Geriyev as a political prisoner and New York-based Human Rights Watch has said he was being "punished" for his work as a journalist.

The United States also expressed "deep concern by the reports of intimidation and death threats directed at Novaya Gazeta journalists, who have recently received, among other menacing messages, a funeral wreath and a severed goat's head."

Nine live sheep were left outside the independent newspaper's Moscow offices on October 29, after it published allegations that Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with Kremlin ties, was involved in attacks on his opponents, including at least one killing.

Earlier in October, unknown people left a basket containing a severed ram's head and red carnations at the newspaper's office, followed days later by a funeral wreath sent to the home of one of its journalists, with a note calling him "a traitor to his country."

Novaya Gazeta has had five of its reporters killed since 2000 for their work.

Washington also shares the OSCE's "concerns over the high fines imposed on [the independent] The New Times [online news outlet] for its alleged 'violations' of Russia's so-called Foreign Agents law," the statement said.

On October 22, a Moscow court imposed fines of 22,250,000 rubles ($339,000) against The New Times and 30,000 rubles ($457) against the website's editor, Yevgenia Albats, for allegedly failing to comply with financial-reporting obligations under Russia's controversial "foreign agents" law.

The U.S. mission to the OSCE delivered the statement in response to a report by the OSCE representative on media freedom, Harlem Desir

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-voices-deep-concern -over-russia-s-detainment-of-ukrainian-chechen-journalists- death-threats-against-novaya-gazeta/29617117.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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Russia Plans To Tighten Data Protection

November 23, 2018

Russia has drawn up a bill aimed at preventing leaks of personal information from state agencies, a move that follows publication of details of Russians allegedly involved in covert intelligence operations abroad.

The draft legislation, generated by Russia's Communications Ministry, forbids the creation and publishing of databases of personal data drawn from official sources by unauthorized persons.

The bill, which provides for fines for anyone violating its provisions, was published late on November 22. It says it was put together in response to an order from President Vladimir Putin last year and makes no mention of the recent leaks.

The measure also requires that state agencies setting up systems for handling personal data consult with the Federal Security Service, Russia's main domestic intelligence agency.

The legislation, consisting of two draft laws and a draft government resolution, will be submitted to parliament and the government for approval after a 30-day period of public consultation.

Moscow has been left red-faced by leaks about two men Britain alleges were Russian intelligence operatives who used a nerve toxin to poison former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Russia denies involvement.

Although publishing personal data is already illegal under existing legislation, Russia has a flourishing black market in illegal databases containing confidential information stolen from state-run records, many openly available on the Internet.

It includes passport details, addresses, car registrations, flight manifests, and even tax returns.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia -plans-to-tighten-data- protection/29616988.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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Russia warns West, Europe over Azov Sea issue

Iran Press TV

Sat Nov 24, 2018 09:33AM

Russia has warned the West against escalating tensions in the Sea of Azov that borders Russia and Ukraine through imposing new sanctions on Moscow.

The Sea of Azov is a strategic ocean route linked to the Black Sea by the narrow Strait of Kerch where Russia has built a bridge to link the Crimean Peninsula with the mainland.

Tensions escalated earlier this year after Ukraine detained two Russian ships for port calls on Crimea, which rejoined Russia in a 2014 referendum.

Moscow described the move as "maritime terrorism" and increased patrols off its Azov coast to guarantee free navigation by Russian ships.

On Friday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended the move as well as Russian inspections of ships.

Speaking during a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart Enzo Moavero Milanesi in Rome, Lavrov said Western countries are seeking to use the situation around the Sea of Azov as another pretext to sanction Russia.

"Our European colleagues who are now worried about a somewhat fabricated issue didn't voice any concerns when the Ukrainian side acted illegally by seizing Russian vessels, keeping their crews under arrest and planning to auction off those vessels," he said.

"That's why I see no explanations other than an attempt to invent yet another pretext for putting pressure on the Russian Federation," Lavrov said.

The top Russian diplomat stressed that Moscow was forced to expand its military presence in the Kerch Strait due to threats coming from Ukraine to blow up the Crimean Bridge.

Russia not to 'beg' West to lift sanctions

Lavrov said the Kremlin was not going to "beg" European countries to lift sanctions on Moscow and that his country considered the sanctions "a completely politicized decision."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said the controversy around the Sea of Azov had been "deliberately" created by Kiev and its Western backers to exert pressure on Moscow.

"This was expected as the Crimea issue is no longer perceived as a hot topic and an instrument of applying pressure on Russia; so they simply need to find brilliant fresh topics," Karasin told Russia's Kommersant newspaper.

"In fact, the situation in this region is not particularly interesting for our so-called Western partners. What's really important for them is to find a new pretext for attacking Russia and for tightening anti-Russian sanctions," he added.

Karasin also denounced "blatant lies" about detentions of foreign vessels by Russia in the Sea of Azov, allegedly lasting for multiple days.

Russian general warns of 'big war'

Retired Ukrainian lieutenant-general Igor Romanenko said the alleged blocking of ships in the Sea of Azov could prompt the West to impose further sanctions on Russia and lead to devastating consequences.

He said a "large-scale war" was possible if Moscow continued to "aggravate the situation" in the Sea of Azov by conducting what he called invasive inspections and seizing fishing ships.

Romanenko said Ukraine would not "sit idle" and would "defend their positions" if necessary.

The general, however, said Kiev should be wary about resorting to military action because Russia has a superior army and "we will not be able to answer."

The tense situation in the Sea of Azov comes amid the backdrop of a long-running armed conflict between Kiev troops and pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine.

The armed conflict erupted following the overthrow of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, and intensified after people in Crimea voted for reunification with the Russian Federation in a referendum in March 2014.

The West brands the reunification as annexation of the territory by Russia but Moscow denies any involvement in the conflict.

Armed confrontation between the pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian military has killed more than 10,000 people, according to the United Nations.

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British Army Chief Says Russia Poses 'Far Greater Threat' Than IS

By RFE/RL November 24, 2018

Russia is a "far greater threat" to Britain's national security than Islamic terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS), the new head of the British Army has warned.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph published on November 23, General Mark Carleton-Smith said Britain and its allies "cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses."

The Russian Embassy in London responded to the comments with a tweet on November 24, saying "Army chief doesn't care about [IS]? Great global strategic vision!"

Carleton-Smith made the comments at a time of heightened tensions between the West and Russia over issues including Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, its alleged election meddling in the United States and Europe, massive international cyberattacks, and the poisoning of a Russian double agent and his daughter in Britain.

"Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats" such as Al-Qaeda and IS, Carleton-Smith said in his first interview since becoming chief of Britain's General Staff in June.

The 54-year-old former SAS commander said Moscow had "embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the nontraditional areas of cyber-, space, undersea warfare."

With the threat from Islamist groups in the Middle East now reduced, the focus needs to shift to Russia, the British general also said, warning, "We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested."

During a visit to Lisbon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also poked fun at the remarks, saying, "We cannot influence the British government's decisions as to whom they trust to head its armed forces," according to the Interfax news agency.

"I hope they check the appropriateness of such decisions," Lavrov added.

In October, U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson accused Russia of acting like a "pariah state," whose "reckless and indiscriminate" attacks had left it isolated in the international community.

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the accusations as "fantasy."

Britain and most of the West has blamed Russia for a nerve-agent attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the English city of Salisbury in March. Moscow denies any involvement.

The Skripals survived the poisoning, which used a Soviet-made military nerve agent known as Novichok.

Two other British citizens were exposed to the nerve agent in June, apparently by accident; one of them, Dawn Sturgess, died.

With reporting by the Daily Telegraph, the BBC, Press Association, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/british-army-chief-says-russia-poses-far- greater-threat-than-is/29618623.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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Turkey's Erdogan will not meet with bin Salman at G20 summit: Report

Iran Press TV

Thu Nov 22, 2018 03:17PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will not meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during an upcoming summit of the G20 in Argentina, a Turkish media report says, nearly two months after dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Arab kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

According to a report by A Haber, a nationwide television channel in Turkey, on Thursday, the Turkish leader does not intend to meet with the Saudi crown prince and the kingdom's de facto ruler during the 13th meeting of Group of Twenty, which is to be held in Buenos Aires from November 30 to December 1.

The report came a few hours after the state-owned Anadolu news agency quoted Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin as saying that the meeting between the two "could happen."

Khashoggi, 59, a one-time royal insider who had been critical of the crown prince recently, was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Following weeks of denial of any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance, the Saudi regime eventually acknowledged the "premeditated" murder, but has sought to distance the heir to the Saudi throne from the assassination.

A Saudi prosecutor later said Khashoggi's body had been dismembered, removed from the diplomatic mission and handed to an unidentified "local cooperator."

Furthermore, a recent report by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said that the spy agency had concluded that bin Salman had been behind the gruesome crime.

However, in a lengthy statement issued on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump, who had not endorsed the CIA assessment, expressed his support for Saudi Arabia amid international condemnations of the murder, which Ankara says has been ordered by the highest ranks of authorities in the kingdom.

Trump claimed there was "nothing definitive" linking the crown prince to the murder despite the CIA assessment.

Turkish paper: CIA's Khashoggi recording incriminates bin Salman

Meanwhile, Turkey's English-language Hurriyet Daily News newspaper quoted CIA Director Gina Haspel that the agency had a recording of a phone call, in which the crown prince gave instructions to his brother Khaled bin Salman to "silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible."

The brothers are reportedly heard talking about the "discomfort" caused by the Washington Post columnist's criticism of the kingdom's administration.

Additionally on Thursday, the European Union's top diplomat Federica Mogherini said during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara that all those "really responsible" for the "terrible" murder of ill-fated Khashoggi had to be held accountable, calling for a "completely transparent and credible investigation."

France slaps sanctions on 18 Saudis over Khashoggi case

In a relevant development, the French Foreign Ministry released a statement, saying that Paris would impose sanctions against 18 Saudi citizens over the killing of Khashoggi.

"These measures ... aim to prohibit these individuals from entering national territory and the entire Schengen area" of Europe, the statement said, adding, "They are conservative measures, subject to review or extension based on the findings of the investigation under way."

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Denmark halts weapons exports to Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi, Yemen bombing

Iran Press TV

Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:37AM

Denmark has stopped selling weapons to Riyadh in response to the assassination of prominent Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the regime's bombing campaign in Yemen.

"With the continued deterioration of the already terrible situation in Yemen and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, we are now in a new situation," Denmark's Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said in a statement on Thursday.

Samuelsen said the decision was taken following a series of meetings with EU counterparts earlier this week.

"Denmark already has a very restrictive policy in this area, but I hope that the Danish decision will generate further momentum and induce more EU member states to support a tougher sets of EU rules on this," said Samuelsen.

The suspension also includes some dual-use technologies, a reference to materials that might have military applications.

The European Parliament (EP) said last week that the European Union's arms exports to Saudi Arabia are stoking the deadly war on Yemen, calling for sanctions on the countries that refuse to respect the EU's rules on weapons sales.

Calls for a suspension of arms sales to Riyadh and its allies have increased, especially after the killing of Khashoggi in Turkey last month, which is blamed on the highest levels of the kingdom.

Since Khashoggi's murder, the EU parliament has passed two resolutions urging limits on arms sales and strengthening checks. The calls are non-binding.

According to the EU's annual report on weapons exports, the bloc is the second largest arms supplier in the world after the United States, exporting over a quarter of all global arm.

According to figures compiled by leading online news outlet Middle East Eye, European countries have approved arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE worth more than $86.7 billion since 2015.

Many governments have promised to stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia, but only Germany has suspended its sales until clear explanations are made about the murder. The UK, France and Spain have all signaled that they will continue business as usual.

According to figures compiled by leading online news outlet Middle East Eye, European countries have approved arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE worth more than $86.7 billion since 2015.

Many governments have promised to stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia, but only Germany has suspended its sales until clear explanations are made about the murder. The UK, France and Spain have all signaled that they will continue business as usual.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday that Paris would decide very soon to impose sanctions on individuals linked to the murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

Saudi Arabia launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power.

The aggression initially consisted of a bombing campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground forces to Yemen.

According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi war has claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis so far.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories.

More than three and a half years into that war, Saudi Arabia has achieved neither of its objectives. This is while it had declared at the start of the invasion that the war would take no more than a couple of weeks.

Since the onset of that war, Riyadh has been accused of using banned chemical weapons against the Yemeni soldiers defending their country against the Saudi-led aggression, with reports of using US-supplied white phosphorus munitions that can maim and kill by burning to the bone.

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Saudi FM rejects 'ridiculous' allegations of royals' plot to depose bin Salman

Iran Press TV

Thu Nov 22, 2018 03:41AM

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has dismissed as "ridiculous" a report by Reuters that members of the Saudi royal family want to overthrow Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying that the kingdom is united around its leadership.

Reuters on Monday reported that some members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family are agitating to prevent bin Salman from becoming king.

Asked by CNBC about the report, Jubeir said on Wednesday, "These are outrageous comments that are being made and are totally unacceptable."

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is unified on this issue, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to its leadership, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to the vision that our leaders have put forth for us in terms of Vision 2030 and in terms of moving along the path of reform," Jubeir said.

Reuters had quoted three sources close to the royal court as saying that dozens of princes and cousins from powerful branches of the Al Saud family want to see a change in the line of succession but would not act while King Salman is still alive.

The sources said the princes recognize that the king is unlikely to turn against his favorite son. Rather, they are discussing the possibility with other family members that after the king's death, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, 76, a younger full brother of King Salman and uncle of the crown prince, could take the throne.

The alleged plot to overthrow bin Salman came against the backdrop of reports that the young crown prince had ordered the killing of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was assassinated in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

"We have made it very clear that Saudi Arabia's government is not involved in this (Khashoggi's murder) and the crown prince is not involved in this, at all," Jubeir told CNBC on Wednesday.

Earlier on Monday, King Salman had also thrown his weight behind his son in his first public remarks since the killing of Khashoggi.

The king also praised bin Salman's ambitious economic reform program, whose fate is not clear anymore amid allegations of the crown prince's direct role in the assassination.

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EU Says All Responsible For Khashoggi Murder Must Be Held 'Accountable'

November 22, 2018

All those "really responsible" for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi must be held accountable, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on November 22.

Khashoggi, a U.S.-based Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Arabia's establishment, was killed after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Saudi officials have blamed the killing on rogue agents and denied claims that Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman had knowledge of the operation.

Riyadh has taken 21 people in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

Turkey has repeatedly called for those who ordered the murder to be held accountable but has stopped short of directly blaming Prince Muhammad.

"Those responsible, really responsible for this terrible murder have to be accountable," Mogherini told a joint press conference in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"We've always been against, for instance, any application of [the] death penalty but we expect in line with our principles, values, practices on judicial systems, [a] full investigation -- transparent and fair -- to take place," Mogeherini said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish website Hurriyet Daily News reported on November 22 that the CIA has a recording of a phone call in which Prince Muhammad gave instructions to "silence Jamal Kashoggi as soon as possible."

It cited a prominent Turkish columnist as saying CIA Director Gina Haspel had "signaled" the existence of the recording during a visit to Ankara last month.

A Turkish official contacted by Reuters said he had no information about such a recording.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-says-all- responsible-for-khashoggi-murder-must-be- held-accountable-/29615053.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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France Imposes Travel Bans on 18 Saudis Over Khashoggi Killing

Sputnik News

19:02 22.11.2018(updated 19:45 22.11.2018)

Germany imposed similar sanctions earlier this week, as German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany had banned 18 Saudi citizens, suspected of being involved in the murder of Khashoggi, from entering the country, with Berlin also exerting pressure on arms exporters to make them halt weapon deliveries to Riyadh.

Paris has announced that it imposed imposed sanctions, including travel bans, on 18 Saudi citizens allegedly linked to Khashoggi murder, and that further punitive measures may be enacted in the future, depending on results of the ongoing investigation.

"The murder of Mr Khashoggi is a crime of extreme gravity, which moreover goes against freedom of the press and the most fundamental rights," French foreign ministry said in a statement. "France asks that all light be shed on the manner in which such an act may have been committed. It expects from the Saudi authorities a transparent, detailed and exhaustive response."

While the identities of the sanctioned individuals are not revealed, the Saudi authorities previously announced that 18 suspects had been arrested as part of the ongoing probe, with Turkey conducting a separate investigation, alleging that Khashoggi was killed by a 15-member hit squad sent from Saudi Arabia the day before he went missing.

Earlier this week, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany had banned 18 Saudi citizens, suspected of being involved in the murder of Khashoggi, from entering the country. The German Ministry of Economy and Energy, in turn, said that Berlin was exerting pressure on arms exporters to make them halt arms deliveries to the kingdom, which has already resulted in the end of the weapons exports to Riyadh.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that anonymous sources close to the royal court some members of the Saudi Royal Family have been campaigning against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman becoming the next king.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir however called reports about a possible coup in a bid to change the royal line of succession "ridiculous" and "way out of line."

 Sputnik

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CIA Holds 'Smoking Gun' Phone Call of Saudi Crown Prince on Khashoggi - Reports

Sputnik News

12:37 22.11.2018(updated 13:37 22.11.2018)

Riyadh has vehemently denied that the royal family, including Crown Prince bin Salman, has been involved in Khashoggi's murder. A total of 21 people have been detained on suspicion of ordering and carrying out the murder; five of them face the death penalty.

The CIA has obtained a phone call recording of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordering his brother to 'silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible', Hurriyet Daily News reported on Thursday.

According to a Hurriyet columnist, CIA Director Gina Haspel indicated during a trip to Ankara in October that the purported recording features a conversation between MBS and his brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States. The brothers were allegedly discussing the 'discomfort' stemming from Khashoggi's public criticism of Riyadh's policies.

While Turkish media leaked the information about the alleged tape, the CIA reportedly concluded that it was Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who ordered Khashoggi's killing. The CIA's findings prompted John Brennan, the agency's former director, to call for the US Congress to declassify the intelligence.

On Wednesday, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said that Donald Trump was 'happy to consider' proposals regarding sanctions against Riyadh. The US President himself said Tuesday that the CIA did not have any definitive answer on whether the crown prince had been aware of the prepared killing of the journalist.

The scandal surrounding Khashoggi's murder, which has drawn plenty of criticism from the international community, has reportedly prompted the royal family to seek replacing bin Salman, who is currently first in the line of succession. Riyadh rushed to dispel the rumours, however, with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir calling the reports 'outrageous' and 'totally unacceptable'.

Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor, was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The Saudi Prosecutor's Office said that he was dismembered after being restrained and heavily drugged. Riyadh insists that Khashoggi's murder was a "rogue operation" and announced that it had arrested 21 suspects, including senior military officials, and charged 11 of them. Five suspects are facing the death penalty if they are found guilty.

 Sputnik

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Turkey blasts Trump for turning blind eye' to Saudi murder of Khashoggi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA -- Turkish foreign minister lashed out at US President Donald Trump for turning a "blind eye" to the Saudi murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the mishap.

"In one sense, Trump is saying 'I will turn a blind eye' no matter what happens," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with CNN Turk broadcaster on Friday, Almanar reported.

Cavusoglu slammed Trump's continued support for Saudi Arabia, including billions of dollars worth of US weapons contracts. "This is not the right approach. Money doesn't mean everything," he said.

The Turkish foreign minister's comments came after Trump stated that the murder of Khashoggi would not affect Washington's ties with Riyadh despite the fact that the murder had been ordered at highest levels of the Saudi government.

Trump on Tuesday glossed over the Central Intelligence Agency's reported conclusion that the crown prince had authorized the killing.

"Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" Trump said, implying bin Salman's culpability in Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi mission in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

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Turkey blasts Trump for turning 'blind eye' to Saudi murder of Khashoggi

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 11:48AM

Turkish foreign minister has lashed out at US President Donald Trump for turning a "blind eye" to the Saudi murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, blamed on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"In one sense, Trump is saying 'I will turn a blind eye' no matter what happens," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with CNN Turk broadcaster on Friday.

Cavusoglu slammed Trump's continued support for Saudi Arabia, including billions of dollars worth of US weapons contracts. "This is not the right approach. Money doesn't mean everything," he said.

The Turkish foreign minister's comments came after Trump stated that the murder of Khashoggi would not affect Washington's ties with Riyadh despite the fact that the murder had been ordered at highest levels of the Saudi government.

Trump on Tuesday glossed over the Central Intelligence Agency's reported conclusion that the crown prince had authorized the killing.

"Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" Trump said, implying bin Salman's culpability in Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi mission in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

Trump has widely been pilloried for what critics called his mercantile priorities that made him appear more like a lobbyist for Riyadh. The killing and Riyadh's explanations have angered its Western partners.

Germany, Denmark, and Finland all halted their arms exports to Saudi Arabia following the assassination scandal. However, France, the UK, Spain and Italy are not going to stop supplying weapons to the criminal regime.

Cavusoglu on Friday strongly criticized the Europeans' reaction, saying that "artificial measures" would not help solve the crisis.

"They (Europe) say they don't want to upset ties with Saudi Arabia. We do not want to upset our relations either," he said, stressing that Ankara would do anything to shed light on the murder.

Turkey insists the murder was premeditated, sharing evidence with Riyadh as well as with the US and Western allies but stops short of pointing the finger of blame at the prince.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order came from "the highest levels" but not from King Salman.

Ankara has not ruled out the possibility of a meeting between Erdogan and Prince Mohammed on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Argentina next week.

"We don't see any obstacle to a meeting with the crown prince," Cavusoglu said. "If there is a request, there could be a meeting but our president will decide."

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Finland joins Denmark, Germany in halting arms exports to Saudi over Yemen

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 08:00AM

Finland has joined Germany and Denmark in halting exports of military equipment to Saudi Arabia over the devastating war in Yemen, in the latest fallout from the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Finnish government announced on Thursday it will also stop exporting arms to the United Arab Emirates, a member of a Saudi-led coalition which has waged a deadly war on the innocent people of Yemen since 2015.

In a statement, the Nordic country cited 'the alarming humanitarian situation in Yemen' as the reason for halting arms exports to both Arab countries.

The country said it was "complying with the European Union's arms export criteria, which take particular account of human rights and the protection of regional peace, security and stability."

Earlier in the day, Denmark announced it had stopped selling weapons to Riyadh in response to the assassination of Khashoggi and the regime's bombing campaign in Yemen.

"With the continued deterioration of the already terrible situation in Yemen and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, we are now in a new situation," Denmark's Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said in a statement.

Samuelsen said the decision was taken following a series of meetings with EU counterparts earlier this week.

"Denmark already has a very restrictive policy in this area, but I hope that the Danish decision will generate further momentum and induce more EU member states to support a tougher sets of EU rules on this," said Samuelsen.

The European Parliament (EP) said last week that the European Union's arms exports to Saudi Arabia are stoking the deadly war on Yemen, calling for sanctions on the countries that refuse to respect the EU's rules on weapons sales.

Calls for a suspension of arms sales to Riyadh and its allies have increased, especially after the killing of Khashoggi in Turkey last month, which is blamed on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Many governments have promised to stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia, but only Germany has suspended its sales until clear explanations are made about the murder. The UK, France and Spain have all signaled that they will continue business as usual.

According to figures compiled by the Middle East Eye, European countries have approved arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE worth more than $86.7 billion since 2015.

Saudi crown prince gets warm welcome in UAE

In his first foreign trip after issuing the order to kill Khashoggi, bin Salman on Thursday arrived in the UAE as part of a "tour of a number of brotherly Arab countries", which will later take him to Bahrain, Egypt, and Tunisia, according to media reports.

Upon arrival in the UAE, he was warmly welcomed by his close ally Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.

"We're proud of our deep-rooted ties. Close cooperation and a fruitful partnership lies in store for our countries. The UAE will always be a loving and supportive home for our brothers in Saudi Arabia," bin Zayed said in a tweet.

The two officials discussed "regional and international" developments and the "challenges and threats facing the Middle East region", AFP reported, citing the UAE's state-run news outlet, WAM.

Bin Salman and bin Zayed are both under fire by the international community for the ongoing bloodshed in Yemen.

A rights group based in France recently filed a lawsuit against bin Zayed during his visit to Paris over his complicity in war crimes committed in Yemen.

The complaint filed by the International Alliance for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms (AIDL) on Wednesday accused Prince Mohammed - the deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces - of war crimes, complicity in torture and inhumane treatment in Yemen.

The complaint cited a report by UN experts that said airstrikes conducted by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen may amount to war crimes and that torture was carried out in two centers run by Emirati troops.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah movement.

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CIA has recording of MBS phone call to silence Khashoggi: Report

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 02:08AM

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is in possession of a tape that proves Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave instructions to "silence" dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a new report has revealed.

Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported Thursday that CIA Director Gina Haspel had signaled the existence of the recording to Turkish officials last month.

MBS is under growing pressure to come clean about Khashoggi's murder inside the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul about six weeks ago.

While Riyadh has repeatedly denied the young prince's involvement, there have been reports of several audio recordings that confirm bin Salman ordered a hit job on longtime friend Khashoggi, after he turned on him and started to criticize his policies.

"There is talk of another recording," Hurriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote, claiming that the alleged call took place between MBS and his brother Khaled, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US.

"It is being said the crown prince gave orders to 'silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible'," in a call which was monitored by the CIA, he claimed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Khashoggi's murder was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership.

Saudis first claimed that the ill-fated journalist had left the consulate on October 2, the same day he entered the building for some paperwork.

After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh finally admitted last week that Khashoggi was killed when he refused to return to Saudi Arabia.

Trump refers questions to CIA, defends MBS

US President Donald Trump refused to say whether the tape was real and referred reporters to the CIA for answers.

"I don't want to talk about it. You'll have to ask them," he said during a teleconference with military members from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Asked about bin Salman's possible involvement he said the Saudi prince "regretted the death more than I do."

"Whether he did or whether he didn't, he denies it vehemently. His father denies, the king, vehemently. The CIA doesn't say they did it. They do point out certain things, and in pointing out those things, you can conclude that maybe he did or maybe he didn't," Trump added.

The American president said he would stand by Saudi Arabia's leadership on the issue because he needed Riyadh's help to drive down oil prices.

"We want low oil prices and Saudi Arabia has really done a good job in that respect," Trump said.

"I hate the crime. I hate what's done. I hate the cover up. And I tell you what: the crown print hates it more than I do," Trump said, without providing further detail.

Trump's hypocrisy

When Khashoggi, a US green card holder, first went missing, Trump's argument to not give Riyadh a hard time was because "it's in Turkey, and it's not a citizen."

However, as he was saying that and kept siding with MBS, an American citizen was left behind bars in the bowels of the Saudi prison system.

Walid Fitaihi, a Harvard-trained doctor, hospital owner, television host and motivational speaker, has been detained without trial for more than a year now, according to The New York Times.

A dual citizen, Fitaihi is one of many businessmen, princes, clerics, scholars and activists that Saudi security forces have arrested as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's push to consolidate his power.

Trump's reaction to the Khashoggi case, and his rather lack of reaction on Fitaihi, shows how human rights come second to other American interests, including Saudi military contracts and oil prices.

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US House to probe Trump ties to Saudi over response to Khashoggi murder

Iran Press TV

Sat Nov 24, 2018 12:10AM

The US House of Representatives is set to take a "deep dive" into US President Donald Trump's ties to Saudi Arabia, following his response to the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The House intelligence committee will launch the investigation once the new Democratic-dominated House assembles in January, California Representative Adam Schiff, who is in line to become head of the committee, told the Washington Post in an interview published Friday.

Trump has refused to pressure Saudi Arabia to be accountable over the killing of Khashoggi, arguing that doing so would hurt political and financial relations with the traditional Middle East ally.

A US green card holder and a columnist for the Post, Khashoggi was murdered after entering the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh eventually admitted that the journalist was indeed murdered. However, it denied evidence that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had anything to do with the apparent hit job.

Even after it was reported that the CIA was in possession of recordings that incriminated MBS, Trump stood by the young prince and referred further question to the spying agency.

"Certainly we will be delving further into the murder of Khashoggi," Schiff told the Post. "We will certainly want to examine what the intelligence community knows about the murder."

In addition to examining the CIA's findings, the lawmakers would also see whether Trump's private financial dealings with Riyadh influenced his response as president.

"There are a whole set of potential financial conflicts of interest and emoluments problems that Congress will need to get to the bottom of," Schiff said. "If foreign investment in the Trump businesses is guiding US policy in a way that's antithetical to the country's interests, we need to find out."

Trump, who still owns his business despite relinquishing day-to-day control to his children, told a rally during the campaign days that he had made "hundreds of millions" of dollars from Saudi purchases.

The president argues that going after Saudi Arabia for issues like Khashoggi and the Riyadh regime's war on Yemen hurts his $110bn arms deal with the Saudis and pushes them towards Russia.

Trump has regularly attacked Schiff, calling him "little Adam Schitt" in a tweet earlier this month.

Schiff told the Post that the "deep dive on Saudi Arabia" would also look at "the war in Yemen," at "how stable is the House of Saud" is and how "the kingdom is treating its critics or members of the press generally."

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'Negative Impact': Ankara Warns US not to Install Observation Points in Syria

Sputnik News

18:11 24.11.2018

Earlier this week, Defence Secretary James Mattis said that the United States is establishing several observation posts in northern Syria near the Turkish border in order to share military intelligence on terrorists' movements into Turkey.

Ankara is concerned about US plans to set up observation posts in Syria along parts of its border with Turkey, according to Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar.

He said that during a recent visit to Canada, he told US Chief of Staff Joseph Dunford that setting up the posts would have "a very negative impact" on perception of the United States in Turkey.

"During our talks with both political and civilian interlocutors we repeatedly expressed our unease in various ways. I think actions like this will make the complicated situation in the region even more complicated," Akar pointed out.

He added that during the course of the discussions, the Turkish side noted that "it seems as if the US military is somehow protecting terrorists from the Kurdish self-defence units (YPG) and covering them".

"We expect our US allies to immediately cut their ties with the terrorist YPG, who are not in the slightest bit different from the PKK [The Kurdistan Workers' Party]," Akar said, pledging that Ankara will take "the necessary steps against all kinds of risks and threats from across its borders".

He remarks came after US Defence Secretary James Mattis said that the US military is setting up several observation posts in Syria beside the border with Turkey.

He said that the goal is to provide Ankara with "military intelligence of any terrorist elements moving into Turkey from Syria.

Mattis added that Washington would not deploy additional servicemen to the area for the mission because it would be operated by the troops already stationed in the area.

Washington disagrees with Ankara over US support for the Kurdish-led opposition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara considers to be linked with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has blacklisted as a terror group.

According to the White House, the mission's purpose is to support the US commitments to its NATO ally Turkey.

 Sputnik

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Millions of Taiwanese vote in key midterm local elections

Iran Press TV

Sat Nov 24, 2018 07:02AM

Millions of Taiwanese have begun casting their ballots in midterm local elections, seen as a referendum on the administration of pro-US President Tsai Ing-wen.

President Tsai, who is seeking to strengthen relations with the United States in defiance of Beijing's "One China" stance, cast her vote on Saturday. The local elections are the largest ever on the island of 23 million, with about 19 million eligible to vote.

Millions of people went to the poll to choose 22 mayors and county magistrates along with thousands of local officials. Results are due by the end of Saturday.

The opposition Nationalists, known also as the KMT, who lost power two years ago are now hoping to regain the territory from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party by leaning on their pro-business image and a more accommodating line toward China.

The elections this year are being held alongside ten referendums on divisive issues, including whether the island should join the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as Taiwan, rather than "Chinese Taipei."

Currently, Taiwan's athletes must compete in Olympic and other international competitions under the banner "Chinese Taipei" under a 1979 resolution by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In a letter to the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, the IOC warned that if the territory pushed ahead with a name change, it could threaten Taiwan's participation in future Olympic Games.

Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan, calling the self-ruled island as "an inalienable" part of its territory. Almost all countries recognize that sovereignty under a policy known as "One China." The US, too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island, but it has long courted Taipei in an attempt to counter China.

Taipei's relations have been deteriorating with Beijing since two years ago, when Tsai was elected as president and began challenging Beijing's "One China" principle through seeking close ties with Washington.

US President Donald Trump, however, went far by signing the so-called Taiwan Travel Act this year, which encourages high-level visits between the two sides, despite Beijing's strong opposition.

His administration also approved $1.4 billion in arms sales to Taiwan last year and is now opening a new de facto embassy in a suburb of Taipei.

Despite Beijing's constant warnings against any kind of relations between Washington and Taipei, Tsai said she will boost "national security" in the face of what she described as Chinese pressure to assert sovereignty over Taiwan.

She also accused China of "seriously challenging" peace and stability in the region through "intimidation and diplomatic pressure" which she claimed "not only hurts relations between both sides, but seriously challenges the peaceful stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Tsai also pledged to continue enhancing Taiwan's naval capabilities to maintain what she called "solid defense and multi-layered deterrence" to guard the island.

China, meanwhile, has bolstered its military presence near Taiwan, sailing its only operating aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait in January and March and holding extensive "encirclement" exercises nearby in recent months.

Beijing has even warned Taiwan that it will take necessary military actions, "at any cost," to thwart potential attempts to separate the island from mainland China.

It has pursued reunification ever since Taiwan broke away from mainland China during a civil war in 1949.

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Beijing Ramps Up Pressure After Taiwan Pro-Independence Party Sees Heavy Losses

Sputnik News

22:49 24.11.2018

On Saturday, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after election defeats in key midterm polls.

"As chairperson of the ruling party, I will take complete responsibility for the outcome of today's local elections," Tsai, the first woman to be elected president of Taiwan, told reporters Saturday, Channel News Asia reported.

"I resign as DPP chairperson. Our efforts weren't enough and we let down all our supporters who fought with us. I want to express our most sincere apologies," Tsai added.

In the Saturday elections, the DPP lost seven of its 13 cities and counties to main opposition Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT). The next presidential election will take place in January 2020.

Tsai has faced domestic backlash over her rhetoric regarding uniting against Beijing's expansionism.

In addition, China is deeply suspicious of Tsai. Since taking office in 2016, Beijing has ramped up military drills near Taiwan's coast, sparking fears that it might use its military to bar Taiwan from declaring full independence. China-Taiwan relations have been patchy since the two sides split in 1949 during the Chinese Civil War.

Beijing considers self-governing Taipei  lying just 100 miles or so off the Chinese mainland  to be part of its territory and claims sovereignty over the island. Taiwan, however, still bears the name of the pre-Communist-era government, the Republic of China, whose territorial control was confined to the island at the conclusion of the civil war in 1949, when the People's Republic of China was established in Beijing on the mainland.

"The results indicate the public are strongly dissatisfied with the performance of Tsai and used their ballots to teach her a lesson," Wang Kung-yi, a political-science professor at Chinese Culture University in Taipei, told the South China Morning Post (SCMP) Saturday.

Sun Da-chien, a former KMT legislator, told the SCMP that "the KMT should not entertain the thought that it is the actual winner of the election."

"Rather it won because voters were disappointed with the DPP and Tsai's performance," he said.

Yu Keli, a former director of the Taiwan research center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that the election results will affect future Taiwan-China relationships.

"The DPP is at a crossroads, we will see whether there will be a more rational voice in the party to reflect its policy on relations with mainland China, but we shouldn't build our hopes up too much."

"It reflects Taiwan's hopes for peaceful relations across the strait, and it is going to have a positive and profound impact on cross-strait relations."

 Sputnik

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Turkey charges Gulen, 27 others for killing of Russian ambassador

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 04:34PM

Turkey has charged 28 people, including US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, for their alleged involvement in the killing of the Russian ambassador to Ankara back in 2016.

The Russian ambassador, Andrei Karlov, was killed on December 19, 2016 during the opening of a photo exhibition at a gallery in the Turkish capital Ankara. The assassin, off-duty policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas was later gunned down in an exchange of fire with security personnel at the scene.

The 28 suspects are charged with "violating the constitutional order", "being a member of a terror organization", "premeditated murder with the intention of causing terror", and "seeking to create terror or panic", the state-owned Anadolu news agency said Friday.

After carrying out the murder, Altintas went on a rant caught on camera, which saw him bawling "Don't forget Aleppo, don't forget Syria!"

The assassination, condemned by the Turkish and Russian leaders as an attempt to sour Ankara-Moscow ties, came amid cooperation between the countries over the Syrian crisis.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Gulen was behind the assassination. The elderly cleric, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, however, has flatly denied the allegation as he has strongly rejected the charge of having a role in the July 2016 attempted coup and condemned the putsch.

Last April, Turkish judicial authorities ordered the arrest of Gulen and seven others within the context of the investigation of the 2016 assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara.

Relations between Moscow and Ankara had improved in mid-2016 after bilateral ties became strained after Turkey shot down a Russian plane in November 2015 over the Turkey-Syria border.

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Spain warns of no EU summit on Brexit without deal on Gibraltar

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 23, 2018 11:10PM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned on Friday there would "very probably" be no European Council summit to approve Britain's exit from the EU on Sunday if the issue of Gibraltar is not first resolved.

If there's no agreement over Gibraltar, "there very probably won't be a European Council summit," Sanchez said at a press conference in Cuba.

Earlier in the day, Spanish officials in Brussels said PM Sanchez might not attend the summit if London fails to put into writing a promise that no future agreement between Britain and the EU that applies to Gibraltar can be signed without first being negotiated on a bilateral basis with Madrid.

Spain is seeking a guaranteed veto on post-Brexit relations between the EU and Gibraltar, the British enclave on Spain's southern tip, and has threatened to scupper the draft Brexit deal if it doesn't get its way.

That would effectively give Madrid the power of veto over any future relations between the EU and the disputed enclave.

Current "guarantees are not enough and so Spain maintains its veto on the Brexit deal," Sanchez said.

An original clause in the deal Britain has drawn up with the EU gave Spain the guarantees it seeks, but that has since disappeared from the final draft.

Although the EU Council's legal service has tried to reassure Spain that the current text does not preclude this, Madrid wants that veto power clearly spelled out.

The issue is very important to the Spanish PM as his tough stance on Gibraltar is seen by EU diplomats as a chance to win votes in upcoming regional elections in Spain.

Even though no single state, including Spain, can effectively block an EU majority approved Brexit, EU leaders have struggled to achieve a unified stance due to the matter's high political sensitivity.

The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar is a strategic enclave located on Spain's south coast and it has voiced interest in gaining control of Gibraltar.

Madrid and London have been engaged in a sovereignty dispute over the territory for centuries.

Gibraltar has been under British rule for three centuries.

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Spain Stands Firm on Gibraltar Status as Brexit Vote Nears

By Martin Arostegui November 23, 2018

A centuries old quarrel between Britain and Spain over the British colony Gibraltar threatens to throw a wrench into the works of the much-anticipated Brexit deal with the European Union that will be voted on at a meeting of the European Commission Sunday.

Spain's prime minister and his top diplomats denounced the final Brexit draft agreement for ignoring Madrid's role in deciding the territory's status.

Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, announced on the BBC network that a settlement had been reached on Friday when he rushed to Madrid for talks with Spanish officials.

But Spain's foreign ministry said that Picardo was referring to technical negotiations on tax and border issues and that central disagreements were far from resolved.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday from Cuba where he was on an official visit, that positions with London remained "distant" and that he would use Spain's vote in the EU commission to veto any Brexit deal that did not specifically recognize Spain as Britain's main interlocutor in any negotiations on Gibraltar's future.

Senior Spanish diplomat, LuIs Aguiriano, accused the EU on Spanish national television of going behind Spain's back to "nocturnally" insert a clause in the Brexit draft agreement stipulating that Gibraltar's affairs would be handled between Britain and the EU as a last-minute concession to London.

Aguiriano described a midnight telephone call that Sanchez placed to British Prime Minister Teresa May, insisting that Britain modify the Brexit agreement's contentious article 184 that treated Gibraltar in same the context as Britain's other land border with the EU in Northern Ireland.

Former Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Maragallo accused chief EU negotiator Paul Gautier of "failing to represent the interests of EU members," saying EU officials had given Spain assurances over Gibraltar when Brexit negotiations started.

But British Prime Minister May gave her answer to Sanchez by going before parliament on Thursday to affirm that that she had made it "absolutely clear that British sovereignty over Gibraltar would be protected."

To some it brought back memories of the 1981 Falklands war when then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher whipped up patriotic fervor for her embattled conservative government by standing up to Argentina's invasion of another British colony.

Few expect Britain and Spain to go to war. But it's hardly the first time that tensions simmered to the boiling point since former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco closed the narrow land border connecting the massive rock peninsula with Spain's mainland in the 1940s.

It was reopened when Spain joined the EU and NATO under democratic governments that succeeded Franco following his death in 1975. But quarrels over fishing rights, smuggling, tax evasion and other frontier issues have led to repeated episodes in which Spain has flexed its muscles by tightening border controls.

This has threatened Gibraltar's vulnerable economy which is largely dependent on cross-border tourism.

Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht which ended the War of the Spanish Succession when both nations were imperial powers. The British turned it into a strategic naval base controlling the Atlantic entrance to the Mediterranean and populated the barren rock with migrant labor from other nearby possessions, including Malta, Cyprus, as well as some north Africans and southern Spanish Andalusians.

Gibraltar's 32,000 inhabitants voted to remain British by a majority of 99% in a 2002 referendum. But they also voted against Brexit by 95%, for fear of the possible consequences of a hard border, according to Jonathan Sacramento, news director at Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, Gibraltar's public service broadcaster.

A Spanish official who managed relations with Gibraltar told VOA that hard border provisions imposed by Brexit would enhance Spain's leverage on the Gibraltarians.

But Gibraltar also has powerful economic cards to play. Over 10,000 Spanish workers cross the border each day for well-paying jobs in the British colony and a closed border could prove economically disastrous to the region of Andalusia, which suffers chronically high unemployment.

Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Spain's hard-left United We Can party, which provides key support to Sanchez's minority government, said on Friday that his concern was for the job security of workers who could be affected in a new conflict over the British territory and not "patriotic posturing."

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Spain Lifts Threats, Clearing Way For EU Summit To Approve Brexit Deal

By RFE/RL November 24, 2018

A last-minute deal to meet Madrid's demands on possible talks about the future of Gibraltar has been reached between the U.K. and Spanish governments, clearing the way for a European Union summit on a proposed Brexit deal to go forward on November 25.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on November 24 stepped back from his threat of an effective veto on the deal after Britain and EU officials provided written guarantees on the issue of possible Gibraltar talks in the future.

"We have received sufficient guarantees to be able to reach a solution to a conflict that has lasted more than 300 years between the United Kingdom and Spain," Sanchez told reporters after talks on the issued dragged through the night in Brussels.

The breakthrough came after the British government wrote to the European Council to confirm that it would not interpret its withdrawal treaty as meaning that a future EU-U.K. trade treaty would automatically apply to Gibraltar.

British Prime Minister Theresa May met later on November 24 with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk and received assurances that the withdrawal treaty is likely to be endorsed by all EU leaders at the November 25 summit in Brussels.

Juncker's spokesman, Margaritis Schinas, tweeted after that meeting, "We are on track for tomorrow."

The developments clear the way for EU member states early on November 25 to approve a declaration specifically excluding Gibraltar from future EU-U.K. treaties and leaving open the possibility that Britain could negotiate with Madrid in the future on deals for Gibraltar.

The EU leaders would then go into a formal summit meeting to vote on the negotiated treaty that sets terms for an orderly British withdrawal from the EU on March 29, 2019.

Britain captured Gibraltar, a 6.7-square-kilometer area at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, during a war with Spain more than 300 years ago.

Now considered a British overseas territory, Gibraltar is home to a historically strategic British naval base and about 30,000 residents.

But Spain asserts an irredentist claim to Gibraltar and wants a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom over its sovereignty.

Britain has said it "will never enter an agreement" on Gibraltar's sovereignty unless the government and the people of Gibraltar itself also agree. No political party or pressure group in Gibraltar supports union with Spain.

On November 25, after just more than an hour of talks among themselves, EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to gather at about 11 a.m. to share two key documents with the British prime minister.

One is a negotiated treaty setting terms for an orderly British withdrawal from the EU on March 29.

The other is an outline of how Britain can keep close to its biggest market by following some EU rules after a status-quo transition period set out in the treaty ends in two to four years.

Even if all 27 other EU countries agree on the Brexit deal that Brussels has negotiated with the British government, May still has to win approval for the deal in the British Parliament.

Passage by Parliament remains uncertain amid threats to vote down the deal by some of May's own Conservative Party allies, by members of the opposition Labour Party, and by the Northern Irish political party that May's minority government relies on for support in parliament.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/assurances -to-spain-clear-way-for-eu-summit-on- brexit-deal/29618875.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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US Navy Develops Underwater-Launched Hypersonic Missile and Tactical Nukes

Sputnik News

00:31 24.11.2018

All this to catch up with rapidly developing Russian advanced missile capabilities.

The US Navy is developing a hypersonic weapon able to launch from underwater to be used in a Prompt Global Strike program, according to US Navy Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe.

The weapon is being developed within US Navy's Strategic Systems Program (SSP), which is normally tasked with developing nuclear weapons.

Speaking at the annual Naval Submarine League symposium earlier this month, Wolfe explained that the US seeks the goal of being able to hit any target around the globe at any given moment within a time span of one hour. To do so, they need a hypersonic weapon with a booster that can be launched from any platform.

And by "any" they mean they don't really know where they would launch it from. Possible variants of the weapon include types launched from surface ships and submarines. Therefore, the development team uses the most stringent requirement: underwater launch from a submarine.

"From a Navy perspective, we're developing the booster that our hypersonic glide body will go on, and we're doing it though in such a way that we're taking the most stringent requirement  which is underwater launch  and so as we develop it we will do it in such a way that as the bigger Navy comes through what platform or platforms they actually want to deploy this on, the launcher and the glide body will be able to survive any of those environments," Wolfe said.

According to the admiral, the future missile will not only be used by the Navy, but by all other branches of the military, too.

"It will be for all the services as they figure out what platform they want to go deploy a capability like this on," Wolfe said.

Wolfe also announced that SSP has received an order to develop tactical nuclear weapons in order to catch up with Russia's recently announced advanced missile systems.

The "low-yield" nuclear weapons "will be a direct counter to what Russia believes they've got to date that we do not have," Wolfe said. "We will have that capability in direct response to Russia."

According to the admiral, SSP will simply reuse its old W76 nuclear warhead program from the 1970s. The reason why Washington decided to blow off the dust from such an old invention is that the US is banned from testing new nuclear weapons, and most components for the W76 were already tested prior to the international ban.

"We just about tested everything that we need to test at one point or another for that program (W76), which is what gives us the confidence that when we go to do these, the system will work," Wolfe said. "We don't need to go do a test with this; we've got all the right models from all the years of operating the 76 and the 76-1, which we're deploying now."

"We are 100 percent confident that when we put those out there, they're going to work as designed," he added.

However, the problem the US military is having isn't the warhead, it's the carrier missile. The old Trident D5 missiles are no longer being produced, and since the US continues to periodically test D5s to check if they are still reliable, they will sooner or later run out of the missiles, Wolfe acknowledged.

To tackle this situation, SSP will have to develop a new missile, dubbed the Trident D5 LE2, which must be shoehorned into the old size parameters. As a result, the engines will have to remain the same as the old ones. What little the engineers would be able to change is mostly electronics.

"The motors, like I showed you, they're going to stay the same because if you think about it, tube diameter's the same, the height's the same, and there's other requirement for me to go to. So that's going to stay the same. But then all of the front-end stuff, the equipment section, the electronics, that will all be new," Wolfe told reporters after his speech.

 Sputnik

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China rejected fresh U.S. accusations of perpetuating unfair trade practices and urged Washington on Thursday to stop making provocations, showing little sign of backing down days ahead a high-stakes meeting between leaders from both countries. As Reuters writes in an article "China says U.S. accusations of unfair trade practices 'groundless'", President Xi Jinping is due to hold talks with U.S President Donald Trump during a G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month, with the rest of the world hoping they can find a way to de-escalate a trade war that is threatening the global economy.

Chinas commerce ministry said it is deeply concerned by a report issued by the U.S. administration this week, which said China had failed to alter its unfair practices. The U.S side made new groundless accusations against the Chinese side, and China finds it totally unacceptable, Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.

The findings were issued in an update of the U.S. Trade Representatives Section 301 investigation, which looks into Chinas intellectual property and technology transfer policies and has sparked U.S. tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that later ballooned to $250 billion.

Gao said the report reflects U.S. unilateralism in violation of World Trade Organization rules. We hope the United States will drop the words and behaviors that damage bilateral economic and trade relations and adopt a constructive attitude, Gao said.

The ministry is also evaluating the potential impact from a separate U.S. proposal this week to increase control over technology exports, and said it would take the necessary steps to uphold Chinese firms legitimate interests.

Citing security concerns, the U.S. government on Monday proposed stepping up scrutiny over technology exports in 14 key high-tech areas including artificial intelligence and microprocessor technology, a move that many analysts view as directly targeting China.

A 30-day public consultation period on the proposal to include those sectors in its broader export control regime is underway and will end on Dec. 19, according to a document published on the U.S. governments Federal Register on Monday.

We are evaluating the measures that the United States may take, Gao said, stressing that Washingtons generalization of the concept on national security would only result in unnecessary barriers and damage trade. China will pay close attention to the relevant U.S. legislation and take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises as appropriate, he said.

Washington is demanding Beijing to improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. companies, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions.

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.
Albemarle Corporation, a leader in the global specialty chemicals industry, signed an Exclusivity Agreement (Agreement) with Mineral Resources Limited in relation to the potential creation of a 50/50 joint venture (JV) to own and operate the Wodgina hard rock lithium mine and ultimately develop an integrated lithium hydroxide operation at the resource site.

Wodgina, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, is a world-class hard rock lithium deposit, with an estimated mine life of more than 30 years.

The proposed JV, which remains subject to negotiation of definitive documents, would combine Albemarles lithium production and marketing expertise with Mineral Resources Limiteds (MRL) leading regional presence and mining capabilities. Under the terms of the Agreement, Albemarle would manage the marketing and sales of lithium hydroxide produced by the JV via Albemarles long-term agreement strategy.

The purchase price for Albemarles 50% interest in the JV would be US$1.15 billion, which Albemarle expects to fund with available cash and new credit facilities. It is expected that the transaction will be accretive to Albemarles earnings.

The agreement includes the following key provisions and commercial terms: Albemarle would acquire a 50% interest in all mineral rights within the Wodgina tenements, other than iron ore (which will be retained exclusively by MRL) and tantalum (which remain held by a third party), all fixed infrastructure and utility assets, the spodumene concentration plant and the mobile mining equipment.

The parties would jointly manage the JV, through a company to be owned in equal shares by the parties.

After construction and ramp-up of the spodumene concentration plant, the JV is expected to produce up to 750 ktpa of 6% spodumene concentrate from Wodgina which is planned to be used as feedstock to the future lithium hydroxide plant. The parties would jointly fund, design, build and operate the lithium hydroxide plant in stages at Wodgina utilizing Albemarles core design.

The first stage, once fully commissioned, is expected to produce at least 50 ktpa of battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Construction would commence as soon as the necessary licenses and approvals are in place.

The second stage is expected to convert the remaining volume of spodumene concentrate to battery-grade lithium hydroxide (subject to prevailing lithium market conditions at the time supporting this development), at which point the plant is expected to be producing at least 100 ktpa of lithium hydroxide.

The exclusivity period extends to 14 December 2018 (or such later period as the parties mutually agree) for the parties to agree upon and execute binding definitive documents.

While the above terms have been commercially agreed and the agreement is binding in respect to the exclusivity period, the parties will only become legally bound to enter into the proposed joint venture upon execution of definitive documents and board approval by the parties. Completion of the transaction will be subject to satisfaction of conditions of an administrative nature, any regulatory approvals and any third party consents.
On Monday, Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took part in the ceremony of completing the construction of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, after which the observers again talked about the development of the bilateral relations in many areas. As Daily Sabah writes in the article Political, economic cooperation between Turkey, Russia continue to deepen, experts and officials from Turkey and Russia have highlighted developing bilateral relations across a multidimensional spectrum by drawing attention to political and economic cooperation and collaboration in Syria. Speaking at an event organized in Ankara yesterday on Turkish-Russian relations, Russian Ambassador to Ankara Alexei Erkhov said bilateral ties have reached a top level, citing the six meetings between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin so far this year.

He added that the two countries' trade volume has increased nearly 40 percent every year and that the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey is expected to hit 5.5 million this year. Turkey welcomes millions of Russian tourists each year; yet, Ankara argues that visa liberalization would significantly boost the number of Turkish tourists in Russia. Some 4.7 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in 2017, marking a significant comeback from 866,000 in 2016 at the height of the diplomatic spat. The highest number in Turkish tourists in Russia was achieved in 2013, when the number of tourists increased from 197,000 in 2010 to 385,000 in 2013. This number was 180,000 in 2017, marking a sharp drop after the reintroduction of visas for Turks.

Stressing that the two countries have strategic projects such as the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Erkhov said interaction between Turkey and Russia on Syria is an indication of the serious progress in bilateral ties.

While Ankara and Moscow initiated the Idlib agreement to prevent a new conflict between the Bashar Assad regime and Syrian opposition in the northwestern part of the country, they also have focused on economic projects such as Akkuyu. The construction of the plant was launched on April 3 through a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Erdogan and Putin via a video conference, and the plant's date for the first reactor to be operational has been set for 2023.

Speaking on developing relations, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kaln, who was also a speaker at the event, said Ankara's positive relations with Russia do not preclude it from having good ties with the European Union and the United States. Kaln also said that despite Turkey carrying out talks with its Western allies, none of them was eager to sell a defense systems to it, which prompted Ankara to order Russian S-400s.

"The Russian side made the best offer [for a defense system], and the first batch of S-400s will be delivered by the end of next year. Also, joint production will start afterwards, which is crucial for us," Kaln said. In December 2017, Ankara agreed to buy two Russian-made S-400s in a deal worth over $2 billion. Turkish officials have repeatedly said the purchase of the S-400 systems was made to fulfill the country's security needs. Ankara has been disappointed with its NATO allies for their lack of cooperation in meeting its defense needs.

Salih Ylmaz, chairman of the Russian Research Institute at Yldrm Beyazt University, said at the event that both countries need to grasp the necessity of developing bilateral ties and should work together to solve political disputes, including Nagorno-Karabakh, Crimea and Cyprus.

Following Turkey's shooting down of a Russian military jet over the Turkey-Syria border in November 2015, Russia imposed a range of unilateral sanctions on Turkey, including a ban on food imports and an end to visa-free travel. After a quick recovery in bilateral relations, the two countries rapidly increased military, political and economic cooperation.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze does not rule out that the opposition staged falsification of ID cards, InterPressNews reported.

According to him, the main thing is each such fact to be strictly responded and investigated in order to ensure that both Georgian and international communities have feeling that such violations are not taking place in Georgia.

The PM said if anybody commits such a thing, it will be very strictly responded.

As for the ID cards, I have already said and I am repeating that we want to build a legal state. Therefore, this means that each citizen or organization which has information about any violations should inform relevant agencies of it. This is obligation of all of us. What we are seeing now is that these organizations did not presumably provide full information. In addition, given their past actions, I do not rule out that staged all this, the PM said.
3 1 of 3 Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3





STAMFORD  Stamford police seized an unregistered AK-47 assault rifle, 23 grams of cocaine, and stacks of cash from the home of a 61-year-old Stamford man on Wednesday, Nov. 21.

James Gianokos, of Glenbrook Road, was charged with running a drug factory from his home, after police arrested a man coming out his house at about 6 p.m. with two Ziploc bags of cocaine, police said. Gary Thomas Pellini, 53, of Frisbie Street in Stamford, was charged with possession of narcotics. He was released on written promise to appear in court.
Huawei is all set to launch a new budget smartphone called Huawei P Smart (2019) right before the end of this year. It's going to be based on the company's recently launched Honor 10 Lite in China with very minor differences.

The P Smart (2019) will sport an in-house Kirin 710 SoC powering up a 6.2-inch LCD with 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution. Screen ratio is exceptionally tall - 19.9:9 with a minimalist cutout on the top for the usual sensors and the front-facing camera. Memory should be at least 4GB depending on the variant and the internal storage can go up to 64GB.

Unfortunately, the camera setup is still unconfirmed but it will probably be largely similar to the Honor 10 Lite. As in, 13MP main shooter with 2MP depth sensor and a 24MP front-facing camera.

The battery capacity is 3,400 mAh and will charge over a microUSB connector. At least it will run Android 9.0 Pie out of the box with EMUI 9 on top.

The available colors would be Midnight Black and Aurora Blue and will probably launch "in the next few weeks".

Source




Haiti - Demonstrations : A police officer shot and thrown on tires on fire





After the assassination on November 19th, at the street Dessalines of Durosier Jurond, a police officer of the CIMO shot by individuals then cremated https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26167-icihaiti-insecurity-a-cimo-agent-shot-dead.html , it was another police officer, Jocelyn Charles (30) who was victim of protesters, which shot him with several bullets before throwing his body on burning tires, when he was already dead.



The incident occurred Wednesday on the national road #2, while Jocelyn Charles went to the capital when he was blocked by a barricade and unbridled protesters in the locality of Savanne West in the commune of Miragoane. It was by wanting to force the barricade that he was fatally hit by several bullets.



This incident was confirmed by Divisional Commissioner Frantz Lerebourg, Nippes Police Department Director, who announced the opening of an investigation to find the perpetrators of this heinous odious and bring them to justice.



TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Demonstrations : Numerous clashes between the police and the protesters





Friday, responding to the call of the "People's Democratic Movement" grouping about twenty parties of the radical opposition, several hundred protesters left the neighborhoods, took the concrete in the capital, joined by other groups during of the day to demand the departure of the Head of State and ask the private sector to dissociate itself from President Moise, multiplying the clashes with the police who had set up an imposing security device.



At midday the demonstration was blocked at Delmas 60 by a roadblock erected by the police to prevent the motorcade from going to the Petion-ville commercial center, provoking the anger of the demonstrators who throwing stones at the police. Supported by 2 trucks equipped with water cannon and replicating with tear gas grenades, the police dispersed the demonstration.



Along the route of the demonstration highly motivated individuals tried in vain to burn several service stations that were protected by an imposing police device. Vehicles have been vandalized and several arrests have been reported while waiting for an official report of this day.



Also throughout the afternoon, several clashes between the PNH and small groups of demonstrators were reported in Petion-ville, clashes quickly mastered by the police.



In a note Marjory Michel, Schiler Louidor (Famni Lavalas) and Me Andre Michel protest "The Democratic and Popular Sector condemns the provocative behavior of the PNH who dispersed the demonstration of the opposition at the level of Delmas 60 while the course of the demonstration had been previously defined with the authorities of the PNH [...] The Democratic and Popular Sector has learned that the order to disperse the demonstration came directly from the head of the CSPN, Jean Henry Ceant.



[...] It simply means that the PM is exclusively in the service of the oligarchy. We condemn the anti-democratic behavior of the Prime Minister, Jean Henry Ceant who, from today, becomes an irritant in the cyclical dimension of the crisis."



The Fanmi Lavalas Party by the voice of Joel Edouard Vorbe of the Directorate of the Party, disapproved the presence in this demonstration of Dr. Shiller Louidor (high executive of the party Lavalas) "He does not represent us, otherwise it would have had a mandate and the public would be informed."



SL/ TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Economy : The European Union confirms budget support of nearly 3 billion





Thursday at his official residence in Musseau, Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant accompanied by several Ministers, held a working session with Stefano Manservisi, the Director General of International Cooperation and Development of the European Union.



This session was an opportunity to review the joint efforts of the Government of Haiti and the European Union for the institutional strengthening of the Haitian State. In particular, there was talk of additional budget support and the confirmation of 35 million (nearly 3 billion Gourdes) to be disbursed in 2019.



Recall that out of the 100 million euros promised https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24816-haiti-economy-2-3-billion-gourdes-budget-support-of-the-european-union.html , 30 million were already granted last July, 35 million will be disbursed in 2019 and 35 million in 2020.



Due to the current socio-economic problems, the Government in this working session negotiated a 50 million reorientation towards the financing of the food security program for the most vulnerable segments of the population.



Ceant underlined that "[...] this budgetary support from our European partners is an expression of their relative confidence in our ability to implement structural reforms in order to face the current problems, continue the fight against corruption, tax evasion and smuggling and, on the other hand, allow a better distribution of available resources and a reallocation of resources to the social sectors [...]"



"We also looked at how the consolidation of the State, intended by the program of President Jovenel Moise and carried out by the Prime Minister, is implemented in terms of macroeconomic framework. We have obviously observed with great interest the budget that will be submitted for approval [...] In concrete terms, we have confirmed our commitment to fully implement the 100 million budget support. We are currently studying, and we have studied together how we can increase it especially in the direction of social spending, especially in the education sector [...]" said Stefano Manservisi.



See also : B>

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24816-haiti-economy-2-3-billion-gourdes-budget-support-of-the-european-union.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24251-haiti-economy-the-country-hopes-more-than-6-billion-gdes-of-budget-support-from-the-international.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23944-haiti-politic-towards-a-budget-support-of-the-european-union-of-148-million-dollars.html



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Social : 2nd Voluntary Return Flight from Chile, 170 Haitians expected





Monday, November 26, as part of the Humanitarian Plan for an orderly return launched by the Chilean Government on October 17 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25877-haiti-flash-chile-launches-its-free-voluntary-return-plan-to-haiti.html for the voluntary return of Haitians living today in Chile, a second flight of 170 Haitians will leave Chile to Port-au-Prince.



Remember that this program is aimed at compatriots, who have failed to settle in Chile, because they can not master the language, get used to the harsh climate or find a job, who came to Chile, encouraged by false promises of unscrupulous individuals who have made false promises against large sums of money and who no longer have the economic means to return to Haiti.



Among these voluntary returnees, there are 56 Haitians who could not fly on November 7 because they were not on the lists of convocation following a mess of the Chilean administration. Since this date this group is installed in the parish of Santa Cruz in expectation of the new flight.



Rodrigo Ubilla, Undersecretary of the Interior, stressed that to prevent this situation from happening again, e-mails and personalized messages were sent to warn everyone involved. Recalling "It has always been said that the first flight would be a pilot experience and that there would be an apprenticeship".



"There are currently 1,618 people enrolled in the program and 600 files reviewed," said Undersecretary Ubilla, who reminds all beneficiaries of this program "[...] we ask Haitians to realize that the Chilean State has taken the decision to help them, but all the rules must be respected."



Recall that Haitians in Chile, who wish to return to Haiti, can register since October 17 on the website of the Department of Immigration: https://tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl/etapas/ejecutar/2984



To qualify for this program, Haitians must not have a legal situation in progress and they must sign a notarized declaration in which they undertake not to return to Chile in the next 9 years. If migrants have a spouse, partner or children, they must complete the process jointly and travel in groups.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26101-haiti-chile-exasperated-haitians-demonstrate-in-front-of-the-embassy-of-haiti-in-santiago.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26085-haiti-social-return-from-chile-difficult-for-176-compatriots.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-26026-haiti-flash-176-haitiens-rapatries-du-chili-attendus-cette-semaine.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-25877-haiti-flash-le-chili-lance-son-plan-de-retour-en-haiti-volontaire-et-gratuit.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-23276-haiti-flash-pres-de-105-000-haitiens-sont-arrives-au-chili-en-2017.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-25474-haiti-flash-retour-volontaire-des-haitiens-du-chili-par-avion-presidentiel.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-25395-haiti-flash-le-chili-annonce-un-plan-de-retour-volontaire-pour-les-haitiens.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-25381-haiti-flash-reunification-familiale-au-chili-l-oim-ouvre-son-premier-centre-de-services-de-visa-en-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-24839-haiti-flash-visa-disponible-pour-le-regroupement-familial-au-chili.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-24657-haiti-politique-le-sort-des-130-000-haitiens-illegaux-au-chili-a-l-agenda-du-ministre-de-l-interieur.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-24387-haiti-social-le-nombre-de-migrants-haitiens-vers-le-chili-chute-de-62.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-24055-haiti-flash-le-chili-exige-un-visa-pour-les-haitiens.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





2 days of general strike announced

The Democratic and Popular movement of the radical opposition which gathers about twenty parties, announces a general strike on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 November.



No more fuel in Cap-Haitien

The Town Hall of Cap-Haitien regrets to announce to the population Capoise that it will not be able to continue with the activities of cleaning of the city this weekend for lack of availability of fuels on the market to supply the equipments. The Cap-Haitien City Council hopes that this situation will be settled soon and thanks the population for its understanding.



Senate condemns acts of violence

In a statement, the Senate vigorously condemns acts of violence that have resulted in material damage and deaths of men, up to the ranks of the police and sends its sympathies to the victims of the damage, the parents and friends of the victims. The Senate calls on all actors and sectors of claim to moderation. It also urges the Executive to continue and expand the social and political dialogue. It said he took into account the demands of the political opposition demanding in the long term the resignation of the President-elect, as well as the grievances of the people who demand an improvement of their living conditions.



Words of Sympathies of the Government

Eddy J. Alexis, the Secretary of State for Communication, expresses on behalf of the President of the Republic, all the sympathies of his Administration towards the victims recorded these days, including the police and civilians at Boulevard La Saline affirming "Instructions have been passed to the PNH in order to secure the population and to crack down on anyone who is intent on attacking citizens' lives and property."



Patronal Feast of St. Andre

The inhabitants of Rifie and Ti Savanne in Petit-Goave, prepare to celebrate the "Saint-Andre" on Sunday, November 25th.



Residence permit in Brazil

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, since the beginning of the year, Brazil has so far granted 6,242 humanitarian residence permits to Haitian citizens



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Korean Movie | 2011

 Action  Drama

Directed by Yoo Ha ()

Written by Yoo Ha ()

114min | Release date in South Korea: 2012/02/16

Links

An action drama, where the truth of a wolfdog related to the case reveals itself to Sang-gil, a veteran crime squad detective who is investigating a series of murders through natural combustion, and newly appointed female detective Eun-young (Lee Na-young).
Published on 2018/11/24 | Source

Actress Lee Na-young has ended her six-year hiatus from the big screen with the film "Beautiful Days - 2017", which was released on Wednesday. Since her last film in 2012, "Howling", she had lived outside the public eye, getting married to fellow actor Won Bin and having a child in 2015.

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Lee surprised many by choosing to return in the low-budget "Beautiful Days - 2017", director Jero Yun's first feature film. She was mesmerized by the story after reading the script and even volunteered to work for free.

The overarching theme of the film is the inescapable nature of fate. A teen boy comes to Seoul from China at the request of his very ill father to search for his North Korean mother, played by Lee, who abandoned them to defect to South Korea 14 years earlier. The boy finally finds his mother, who is working as a bar hostess, only to return to China with a broken heart. When he finds his mother's diary, which she has secretly placed in one of his bags, he begins to discover the truth about his family.

The film is nothing more than a story of the suffering and pain the heroine has to go through. She is tricked into marriage by a Chinese broker, later working as a bar hostess and getting involved in drug smuggling. "She manages to survive no matter what the circumstances, and she does what it takes to survive, like a wild animal. She's overcome so many obstacles and hardships that nothing shocks her. She doesn't shed a single tear, even when meeting her son for the first time in 14 years", Lee said.

Lee's character remains mostly calm in the film, except for a few scenes in which her emotions overcome her. "I tried to look countrified and unsophisticated, so I got my team to find appropriate clothing and I only partially dyed my hair", she said. "I watched many documentaries about escaping from North Korea, and learned the North Korean accent from a North Korean actor".

"I think being a mother helped me to become immersed in this role. I was able to feel more empathy with other women in their 30s and 40s. I hope many North Korean defectors and Korean-Chinese people watch this film and take a message of hope from it", Lee said. "The film has a lot of eating scenes. Many North Korean defectors have been separated from their families, and the film tries to show the happiness that is to be found in ordinary things and ordinary moments, such as having a meal. We wanted to show the beauty of the trivial things in our daily lives despite all the misfortunes and sorrows".
By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/11/23

"Big Issue", which has been courting actor Joo Jin-mo for a while, has now added Han Ye-seul into its courship, as the series has offered the actress a starring role. Following her falsely reported confirmation, Han Ye-seul's agency clarified that she is only considering the work, and that nothing has been confirmed.

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"Big Issue" is a story exploring paparazzi media. It's about a man who lost his job and family due to one photo, and about a notorious paparazzi editor-in-chief. Han Ye-seul is up for Ji Soo-hyeon, the editor-in-chief of Sunday Dispatch known for her great connections, and a solid ability to gather intel. Soo-hyeon once dreamed of becoming someone who would report the truth, but has instead yielded to the realities of power.

I was already feeling iffy about this series due to writer Jang Hyeok-rin of "Yongpal" and "The K2" infamy, but now that Joo Jin-mo might be up for the lead, my lack of personal interest in this has solidified. That being said, if he and Han Ye-seul accept, I hope they do well individually and together. "Big Issue" will follow "The Last Empress" in February.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1) (2) (3)
A man allegedly involved in a 90,000 tiger kidnapping four years ago was identified by two detectives who had previously arrested him, a court has heard.

Paschal Kelly (52) of Cootehill, Co Cavan, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass and false imprisonment.

It is alleged that he falsely imprisoned postmistress Susan Lawlor, her daughter Emma Carter and Italian student Gabriella Saisa at Seabury Drive, Malahide, Dublin, on September 25, 2014.

Mr Kelly has also pleaded not guilty to robbing Ms Lawlor of cash at Bayside Post Office, Sutton, Dublin, and threatening to kill her, Ms Carter and Ms Saisa at an unknown location in the State. He has also denied unlawful possession of a vehicle, all on the same date.

Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard told Martin O'Rourke SC, defending, that two gardai had identified Mr Kelly as the driver of the car used in the tiger kidnapping after viewing CCTV footage.

He said that he had not been aware at that time that the two detectives had participated in an arrest of Mr Kelly three weeks prior to this discussion and that they had viewed images of Mr Kelly before the operation.

Mr O'Rourke put it to Det Chief Supt Howard that there was no reference anywhere in the evidence to the detectives participating in the arrest as it had been the intention of gardai to bury this fact.

Parade

Det Chief Supt Howard told the court that he rejected this idea in the strongest terms.

The witness also said that holding an identity parade for Mr Kelly was discussed but no such parade took place.

He agreed that a number of witnesses said they would be able to identify the man involved in the tiger kidnapping if they saw him again.

The trial will continue with more witnesses before the jury and Judge Karen O'Connor on Monday.
Gerry McDonagh has been involved in 10 road traffic accidents, as well as being injured on a water slide

An accident-prone Limerick man has told a court "my body is destroyed from people driving into me".

"I don't go around claiming off people for nothing. If you get hurted, you get hurted," Gerry McDonagh said at Ennis Circuit Court.

Mr McDonagh was giving evidence concerning his latest compensation claim, for alleged injuries in a 2012 road traffic accident against a then 19-year-old driver.

The claim was dismissed by Judge Gerald Keys.

Judge Keys found that the threshold had not been reached to prove the driver of the other car, Niamh Kitson, was in any way negligent in causing the accident, at the entrance to a petrol station on Lahinch Road, Ennis, on August 10, 2012.

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The court heard evidence that the August 2012 crash was one of 10 road traffic accidents Mr McDonagh had been involved in - including six since 2012.

In relation to four separate successful compensation claims, Mr McDonagh, of Fanningstown, Fedamore, Co Limerick, has received combined compensation awards of 40,700 concerning two of the road traffic accidents, one trip and fall in 2008 and another where he fell down the stairs of his local authority house in Limerick 25 years ago.

Counsel for Ms Kitson, Siobhan Gallagher BL, told the court that the August 2012 crash in Ennis followed Mr McDonagh being involved in a road traffic accident in July 2012 and another crash in May 2012.

Ms Gallagher said that Mr McDonagh had also been involved in further road traffic accidents in October 2015, November 2016 and June 2017.

She said Mr McDonagh had also been involved in a number of falls - he fell 6ft off a ladder in May 2013 and had another fall in August 2013.

"There was an incident with a gentleman on a water slide, who fell down on top of you and you sustained injuries," Ms Gallagher said.

Mr McDonagh replied: "I didn't put in claims."

He said that his first accident was in a corporation house in Limerick and he received 14,000 for that.

Mr McDonagh said that 35 years ago he was knocked off his motorbike.

"I never got any money out of that - my mother did. I never got anything," he added.

In 2001, Mr McDonagh received 5,000 from a road traffic accident and a further 11,000 from Limerick County Council as a result of back injuries sustained after a trip and fall in 2007.

Ms Gallagher said that Mr McDonagh received a further 10,700 from a road traffic accident in 2008.

Pressed by Ms Gallagher as to whether there were any other accidents between 2008 and 2012, Mr McDonagh said: "It's like being in school with a teacher giving out to me."

Ms Gallagher said that Mr McDonagh did not make a compensation claim from the May 2012 crash but other members of his family did.

"I have had back pain for years from the accidents I have had," Mr McDonagh said.

"The back pain will never go away. I will be on Lyrica for the rest of my life and I will be on tablets for the rest of my life.

"I was never ever charged with dangerous driving or anything like that. I always travel with insurance and tax on my car."

Mr McDonagh told the court that he aggravated the back pain he sustained as a result of his July 2012 crash in the August 2012 incident.

Minor

In evidence, Ms Kitson said that Mr McDonagh crashed into her stationary car at the exit of the petrol station, contradicting Mr McDonagh's claim that Ms Kitson drove into his car.

Asked to describe the impact, Ms Kitson said: "It was like a crosswind on a motorway. I could barely feel it."

The estimated cost of the damage to Ms Kitson's car was 579 and the estimated cost of damage to Mr McDonagh's was 1,166. An expert told the court that both cars sustained "light impact" from the accident.

Ms Kitson told the court that the damage was so minor to her car she never carried out any repairs on it.

In evidence, Mr McDonagh said: "I never said it was a massive accident.

"The injuries I got in the car accident with that lady [Ms Kitson] were nothing compared to the injuries I got from other accidents. It aggravates my pain a little bit but I wouldn't put it down as major".
Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, who is on a visit to Ukraine, condemned Russia for actions in the Sea of Azov and called for the increased international attention to this region, the Estonian Foreign Ministry reports.

According to him, the situation needs close international attention.

Mikser added that the European Union still has a unified position on this issue. As an example, he cited the introduction of additional sanctions and the condemnation of the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait, RIA Novosti reports.
A Dublin man was yesterday found guilty of murdering his cousin and dumping his body on a roadside.

Andrew Guerrine (37) was found with 20 stab wounds on Steelstown Lane in Rathcoole, 10km from where he was last seen in Tallaght, the Central Criminal Court was told.

Yesterday, his cousin, Stephen Tynan (41), of Deerpark Lodge, Kiltipper, Tallaght, and Raymond Fitzgerald (37), of Knockmore Grove, Killinarden, also Tallaght, were convicted of murdering Mr Guerrine at an unknown place between May 22 and May 23, 2015.

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The two accused men had denied murder.

Their trial heard Mr Guerrine's wounds included two that penetrated his skull and spine.

An associate of the deceased said that Mr Guerrine had arrived at Knockmore some time after 11.30pm on the night he went missing in order to sell diazepam tablets to an unnamed person.

A Knockmore man, Darren Finnegan, told the trial that Tynan and another man arrived at his door some time before midnight on May 22, wanting to buy his Peugeot car, which was for sale.

He said he eventually took some cash and threw the other man his keys, with Tynan telling him he'd get the rest the following day.

The car was found on fire in a Tallaght field by a salvage operator.

He returned with his truck and moved the Peugeot to his yard before taking it with other cars to be scrapped.

However, the engine had fallen out and he was able to pass this on to gardai when they arrived to speak to him.

The engine number matched that of the Peugeot that Mr Finnegan had sold to Tynan and his associate.

Through examination of CCTV footage, detectives traced the Peugeot's movements from shortly after its purchase.

Its defective lights made it easier to recognise travelling up and down Steelstown Lane about 45 minutes later.

It was daylight by 5.20am on May 23 when the two accused were captured pushing the vehicle into a petrol station on Fortunestown Road in Tallaght.

Fitzgerald could clearly be seen holding his sleeves down over his hands and wiping the car door.

His barrister conceded his action was shifty and guilty- looking.

Both killers had got new phones by the time they made their statements to gardai.

However, detectives secured the records for their old mobile phones.

These showed Tynan's phone had not operated from when Mr Guerrine was last seen alive.

Gruesome

Describing the killing as pre-planned, prosecutor Brendan Grehan said that although there was no DNA evidence, murder weapon or eyewitness testimony, the circumstantial evidence proved the guilt of the two men involved.

Tynan's barrister, Seamus Clarke SC, said his client was "hardly the typical candidate" for the "gruesome attack" on his own cousin, but might have stupidly got involved in the aftermath.

The jury found both men guilty by a majority of 10 to two.

Neither of the accused gave any reaction when the verdicts were read out, but a number of their supporters sobbed quietly.

The men will be sentenced on December 19.
A man yesterday pleaded guilty to helping the IRA murder a dissident republican gunned down in front of terrified school students.

Michael McDermott (59) had been on trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court since early October after pleading not guilty to the murder of Peter Butterly (35).

Mr Butterly was chased and shot outside the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, in view of students waiting for their school bus on the afternoon of March 6, 2013.

Unlawful

Yesterday, Paul O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, told the court that McDermott was to be recharged on a scheduled offence under Section 49 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.

McDermott, of Riverdale House, Garrymore, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, admitted to knowingly rendering assistance to an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, directly or indirectly, in the performance or furtherance of the murder of Peter Butterly.

The defendant had also denied possession of a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol with intent to commit murder, and possession of seven rounds of 9mm ammunition on March 5, 2013, at Blackthorn Apartments, Brackenwood Avenue, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

Mr O'Higgins asked that a "nolle prosequi" be entered on the murder and gun and ammo charges, meaning the State will not proceed with them.

Padraig Dwyer SC, defending McDermott, told the judges that there was now a "fresh charge" and his client had obviously entered an early guilty plea.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey, presiding, remanded McDermott in custody until January 28, when he will be sentenced.

McDermott was on trial alongside Frank Murphy (58) and Kevin Braney (43), who deny the same three original charges.

Hugh Hartnett SC, defending Mr Murphy, of McDonough Caravan Park, Bettystown, Co Meath, told the court his client, who was taken ill on Thursday, had been released from hospital but would not attend court on Monday. The prosecution said the trial will go on against Mr Braney, formerly of Tallaght.

Bernard Condon SC, for Mr Braney, said he will be making an application for the court to discharge themselves as well as seeking an adjournment for the trial in light of what had happened with regard to McDermott.

The trial continues.
There was tight security at the courthouse throughout the case, with the Garda Armed Response Unit on patrol. (Stock picture)

Three men have been charged with false imprisonment and assault causing harm in relation to an incident at a house in the Moneymore estate in Drogheda.

Josh Boylan, Dean Thornton and John James McGahon appeared before Judge John Coughlan at Drogheda District Court yesterday.

There was tight security at the courthouse throughout the case, with the garda Armed Response Unit on patrol.

The three men had been detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against The State Act after being arrested on Thursday morning.

Silent

First before the judge was Mr Boylan (23), with an address in the Moneymore estate in Drogheda. Garda Evan Connolly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution, telling the judge that Mr Boylan made no reply when the two charges were put to him.

He was remanded in custody at Cloverhill Prison in Dublin, to appear in court again next Tuesday. There was no application for bail.

Garda Karl Mannion gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Mr Thornton (21), also with an address at the Moneymore estate.

He said that Mr Thornton "remained silent" when charged.

Mr Thornton was also remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison to appear in court next Tuesday. Again, there was no application for bail.

Garda Gerry Nixon then gave evidence in relation to Mr McGahon (18), of Hawthorn Close, Laurence's Park, Drogheda. He said Mr McGahon made no reply when cautioned.

No application was made for bail and Mr McGahon was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison to appear again on Tuesday.

All three accused were told that if they wished to apply for bail they had to give 48 hours' notice to gardai.

None of the accused spoke during the hearing, and they sat in a holding area for custody cases, chatting to each other prior to their cases being called.

A fourth man who was arrested on Thursday in the same garda operation was still being detained at Dundalk Garda Station yesterday evening. He can be held up to 72 hours.

Thursday's arrests happened as six searches which were conducted at various locations in Drogheda, including the Moneymore housing estate, by the Garda Armed Support Unit, the Emergency Response Unit, local gardai and the Criminal Assets Bureau.
Patrick Nevin was found guilty of sexually assaulting a Brazilian student, but still denies the crime

Serial Tinder sex attacker Patrick Nevin continues to deny the sexual assault of a Brazilian student on the grounds of University College Dublin (UCD) despite a jury finding him guilty, a court heard yesterday.

The victim bravely described how the attack by a sex offender she met on the dating app destroyed her dream of learning English here.

Patrick Nevin (37) was convicted last December of sexually assaulting the Brazilian student, whom he had met for a first date after they contacted each other via Tinder in July 2014.

His lawyers told the court yesterday morning that Nevin continues to deny the charge.

Secluded

Last June, Nevin pleaded guilty to raping a second woman and sexually assaulting a third victim.

These attacks also took place in July 2014 and also involved Nevin meeting the women on Tinder and then picking them up at their home in his car.

Nevin, with former addresses at Mounttown, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and Castlebellingham, Co Louth, then drove the women to secluded locations and attacked them.

After a trial in late 2017, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of sexually assaulting the Brazilian woman on UCD campus, South Dublin, on July 23, 2014.

The woman told the court that it had been very hard for her to travel back here for the trial last year and to see her attacker.

Becoming tearful at times and flanked by the investigating garda, the woman said when the jury returned a guilty verdict, she felt a freedom she had not felt for a long time.

She said that the attack forced her to change her plans to learn English here and she was only able to find work as a cleaner. She said she was working alone most of the time, so the only words she learned were related to cleaning.

She said she still dreams of returning to Ireland to live here.

Patrick McGrath SC, defending, told the court that his client does not accept the verdict of the jury.

Judge Cormac Quinn adjourned sentencing to next Tuesday. Nevin is due to be sentenced in another court in December for the rape offence and the other assault.

The woman told the trial that she thought he was taking her for a coffee when he picked her up in his car. She said he drove her to a secluded field on UCD campus, his demeanour changed completely and he became like a "monster".

She said he attacked her and she was in fear of her life.

After deliberating for around 90 minutes, the jury of six men and six women returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the single count.

After the jury left the courtroom, Nevin told his lawyers: "I don't accept that verdict."

The woman said she was using Tinder as a way of meeting people and practising speaking English.

After some weeks of communicating with the accused on Tinder and on WhatsApp, she arranged to meet him.

She said she believed they were going for a coffee, but Nevin later told gardai that he saw the date as a "hook-up" for sex.

He picked her up in his car, a blue BMW, and drove her to a secluded field on UCD campus. The woman said that he then "changed completely", becoming aggressive and sexually assaulting her.

After his arrest, Nevin told gardai that while in the car he leaned in to kiss the woman but she pushed him away and he moved away.

Angry

He said she then became hysterical and "freaked out" before jumping out. He then drove off.

Investigating gardai put it to him that no one would react like that over a kiss.

They asked him if he had "lost it" and got angry because she had knocked him back.

Paul Burns SC, prosecuting, said the complainant was not looking for sex and at no stage did she show an interest in meeting the man for sex.

"Everyone has the right to say no to sexual advances. No one is entitled to force themselves on another, to kiss or force themselves on another," he said.

He said there was no reason for the woman to lie and it was highly unlikely that a woman would travel here, three years after the events in question, to mislead or make false allegations.

Mr Burns added that despite a lengthy and gruelling cross-examination, her core testimony had not been shaken by the defence.
Moscow does not accept Kievs protests over President Vladimir Putins trip to Crimea, Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, TASS reported.

"We dont accept this protest," he told TASS commenting on the Ukrainian foreign ministrys statement.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims around the world to unite against the United States, Reuters reports, citing Iranian media.

Rouhani commented the situation in Tehran at the international conference on Islamic unity.

"We have a choice - to lay a red carpet for criminals or resolutely oppose injustice," the Iranian president said.
The solemn ceremony dedicated to the 85th birth anniversary of the National Artist of Azerbaijan, actor Rasim Ojagov took place in the Azerbaijani city of Sheki.

As part of the event, flowers were laid at the bas-relief of Rasim Ojagov in the territory of the city ring Guyumlyar. The event was attended by city leaders, family members, friends and colleagues of the master, guests invited to the anniversary event, as well as famous figures of culture and art.

After that, the opening of the Sheki Center for Children and Youth Creativity named after Rasim Ojagov took place. The main objective of the children's photo studio, which will operate at the center, is to increase children's interest in this type of art. The building also has offices for practicing music, painting, folk arts and crafts, dance and exhibition halls.
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The first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation, Vyacheslav Lysakov, supported President Vladimir Putins bill on the termination of criminal cases after the damages are payed.

The parliamentarian noted that the bill is aimed at liberalization of the criminal legislation.

He also drew attention to the fact that Putins initiative corresponds to the current trend of liberalization of legislation. Recently, a number of criminal offenses have been transferred to the category of administrative offenses.
In 2019, the Stavropol Territory will allocate 12.7 billion rubles for the implementation of national projects, head of the region Vladimir Vladimirov said after a meeting of the State Council of Russia under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin.

He said that the projects in the field of health, education, demographic policy, transport infrastructure are of a high priority, as well as creating a comfortable urban environment and income growth in the region.

Vladimirov noted that the Stavropol region is a region with a high potential.
With themes like gender stereotypes, womens empowerment and social justice, childrens theatre is not just about childs play any more.

The realisation that children, regardless of their age, are also opinion makers is being mirrored in stages big and small, say theatre veterans.

At the ground level, in small towns and cities, almost all schools do at least one production every year as part of their annual functions. Apart from established theatre groups taking up childrens projects, there are groups that are devotedly working for and with children, Abdul Latif Khatana, chief of Theatre in Education (TIE) Company at the National School of Drama (NSD), told PTI.

Despite a short history of 30-35 years, childrens theatre has grown rapidly with serious work happening at the grassroots level, he said.

In its early years, childrens theatre was all about enacting fairy tales and dressing children up but now the subjects have matured to issues like womens empowerment, gender stereotypes and cases of social justice, he said.

Children are now considered capable of making and projecting their own opinions, a message going out through the medium of theatre. The earlier tradition of childrens theatre met with this strong and exactly opposite version of it. We started realising that childrens lives are not entirely different from grown ups. They have their own issues, troubles and points of views. They are capable of making opinions too. They are complete individuals, Khatana said.

One evidence of the changing scenario is the ongoing JashneBachpan international theatre festival here with over 500 artistes, young and adults, taking part in 23 theatrical productions in various languages, including Hindi, English, Assamese, Malayalam and Bengali.

One of the plays staged at the nine-day festival, which ends on Sunday, was Puberty, a non-verbal play from Sri Lankas Red Apple International Theatre Gathering, which discussed the growing up years of a girl child.

Then there was She Stood Up, from Chandigarhs Wings Theatre Academy and Vivek High School, which centred around womens empowerment and gender stereotypes.

The womens movement has been gaining momentum in our country in the last decade, but we are still dealing with the horrors of Nirbhaya and Kathua, said director Zubin Mehta, referring to the rape and murder of a physiotherapy intern in Delhi and an eight-year-old in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir.

Real empowerment should happen at a young age. It is the young girls that we need to empower to make a significant difference, the She Stood Up director added. The dramatis personae of this changing scenario are youngsters like 10-year-old Yuvraj Mavi, who speaks about his aspirations and reasons for taking up theatre it all begins to come together. I like how you get to practice on your expressions and voice projection through theatre. I have been training since I was five and want to continue doing it in the future as well, the youngster said. But cinema is not for him, he said with the wisdom of one much older. He added that he doesnt want his work to be edited and prefers performing live in front of an audience.

Jitesh Sharma, slightly older at 16 is also passionate about theatre. His journey started from a love for dance and an incidental workshop at the Hindi Akademi. And now theatre has become more of a stubborn need than just passion, he said.

My parents tell me to focus on my studies and do theatre after I have finished school. But now all I want to do is theatre, and then maybe move to films. I love to be involved in the entire production process, Sharma said.

Though there are increasing number of different types of productions - theatre for children and theatre by children - there are still some gaps. Rajesh Bakshi of Theatre Actors Studio said there is urgent need to create more theatre that can connect directly with the main audience, which is children.

Despite a lot of work happening for children, we still lack works that can communicate with their psychology. We are working with children but we want them to work according to adult perspectives.

Yes, they have their own issues but they are different from those of an adult. They are not worried about their salaries or politics or the country. They are worried because their best friend isnt talking to them, or that they didnt finish the homework, Bakshi said.

Apart from the change in mindset of theatre directors, the genre has also grown by involving audiences -- participatory theatre.

Its a great combination of theatre and education, he added.

So what can be done to make childrens theatre more mainstream and accepted by the society? This country is so large, so many schools and even more children, one institution or organisation cannot bring a significant change. We, as a society, need to bring policy changes, which then need to be enforced by the states, make drama and theatre a part of school curriculum, Khatana suggested.

A long way travelled and some more to go for childrens theatre, but children like Mavi are happy to be playing their parts. The pride in his voice was as visible as the smile on his face when he said, My father told me he will come and see my play if it is at NSD. I told him, dad, I am already at NSD.
The weekend usually bring little rest and a lot more work for Bollywood stars. While one would enjoy an easy Saturday on the couch, celebs are usually spotted all decked up to attend yet another award function or a promotional event for their movie.

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan flew to Delhi with Kartik Aaryan to attend an award function. She was seen in a white saree at the event where she was honoured with an award by vice president, Venkaiah Naidu. Actors Ayushmann Khurrana, Zaira Wasim and Taapsee Pannu also received awards.

Kareena Kapoor Khan honoured at an awards function by vice president Venkaiah Naidu. (Viral Bhayani)

Taapsee Pannu honoured at an awards function by vice president Venkaiah Naidu. (Viral Bhayani)

Kareena Kapoor and Kartik Aaryan at an awards function. (Viral Bhayani)

Aayushmann Khurrana at an awards function. (Viral Bhayani)

Meanwhile, Kareenas son Taimur Ali Khan enjoyed day out with his aunt Soha Ali Khan and cousin Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Taimur was seen in a Ramones tracksuit and Inaaya wore a dress. He was also earlier spotted at his home and on his favourite swing.

Taimur Ali Khan at his home in Mumbai. (Viral Bhayani)

Taimur Ali Khan on a playdate with his cousin Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. (Viral Bhayani)

Soha Ali Khan with her daughter Inaaya. (Viral Bhayani)

Television stars and newlyweds Yuvika Choudhary and Prince Narula were also seen leaving Mumbai to celebrate his 28th birthday with a vacation. Yuvika was seen in a black T-shirt and peach pants while Prince was seen in a formal shirt. Shahid Kapoors wife Mira Rajput was seen with their kids, Misha and Zain at the Mumbai airport. She is now in her home town, Delhi.

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175pp, Rs 599; Aleph

Most Indians are culturally wired to solve problems. The impoverished majority seems to have an inbuilt cognitive ability for jugaad, the quick-fix frugal innovation that can meet any challenge. It reflects a self-reliant optimism, one that has led to the creation of multiple variants of the scarecrow to protect mature crops, and affordable mechanical improvisations like the buttermilk-churning washing machine and the motorcycle-cum- tractor. Next to impossible is only possible could well have been the national motto.

The search for a cheaper air conditioner first led journalist Dean Nelson, who spent a few years in Delhi reporting for the Londons Sunday Times, on his jugaad journey. This book is as much a celebration of the inspiring resourcefulness of the poor as it is a criticism of the absence of a formal system to optimize such talent. Not only did Nelson discover the low-cost work-in-progress Snowbreezer, a device that cools by passing air over an ice brick, but he also learnt that it was this jugaad mentality that helped the country propel its Mangalyaan spacecraft at less than the cost of the Oscar-winning Hollywood space thriller Gravity. Incidentally, neither of these innovations is a product of an economy that values and advances the jugaad mentality. This has not dampened the spirits of a people who continue to solve problems despite the challenges of material poverty and inspirational tales of optimism amid scarcity abound. Perhaps this scarcity is a blessing in disguise, one that has spurred creative improvisation for the development of products and designing processes that are flexible. During his jugaad journey, Nelson discovered that the unending quest for frugal invention has led people to bend the rules and beat the system. As an awareness of scarcity is deeply ingrained, most Indians instinctively start looking for ways to bypass the problem rather than question the system that led to the creation of that scarcity. This is manifested as much in the Indian penchant for jumping queues and offering bribes as it is in our ability to creatively manage obstacles by adopting quick-fix solutions. If there are pluses in pursuing jugaad as an innovative approach, the flipside has its moments of shame too.

Author Dean Nelson (Courtesy Aleph)

Should the jugaad mentality be allowed to circumvent the system? As long as Indian society struggles with overwhelming economic disparity, the relentless pursuit of jugaad will continue to be the best way for people to survive in a challenging ecosystem. Since the existing system cannot accommodate all innovations and transform their creators into entrepreneurs, a large number will need to pursue the survival options at their disposal. It may, therefore, be risky to paint the world of jugaad with a single brush.

Read more: How Indias talent for jugaad is finally finding a platform

An absorbing, revealing, and reflective journey on the resilience and resourcefulness of a people, Jugaad Yatra, which takes in both the dusty village roads of Yamunanagar and the swanky corporate arcades of Mumbai, indicts the government for its failure to properly nurture those very qualities. This tour of the enriching world of Indian improvisation suggests that jugaad ought to feature in the countrys list of prescriptions to tackle challenges in the decades ahead.

Like the English traveler who, during the Mughal period, recorded that the natives are so full of ingenuity that they make any new thing by pattern how hard so ever it seems to be done, Nelson states that people in India seem to have an inbuilt ability to turn things around. This can be fully realized by institutionalizing good jugaad and providing a platform for bottom-up innovations to address our many social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Sudhirendar Sharma is an independent writer, researcher and academic.
Two Bangladeshi robbers were injured in a shootout with police in south Delhis Taimoor Nagar past Friday midnight.

DCP (crime branch) Ram Gopal Naik said the police received inputs that a Bangladeshi gang was planning robbery in New Friends Colony. They learnt that the gang members would assemble at Taimoor Nagar.

At around 1 am on Saturday, a 10-member police team reached Taimoor Nagar and rounded the suspects and asked them to surrender, but the gang members opened fire at the cops, forcing them to retaliate, Naik said.

Two of the Bangladeshi robbers were injured in the shootout and they were arrested along with three others after the gunfight.

The injured men were taken to a hospital and given treatment. Their condition is said to be out of danger, he said.

One constable was hit by a bullet on his bulletproof vest.

Three pistols, some live cartridges and implements for house break in were seized.
A 24-year-old man was killed and his cousin injured when the bike they were on skidded on the recently-opened Signature Bridge in north Delhi on Saturday, in the second accident in two days.

Shankar, a resident of Ghaziabad, was riding the bike and his distant cousin Deepak, a resident of Shalimar Bagh, was on the pillion riding from Nangloi to north-east district when the accident happened at around 8.20 am the Signature bridge, police said..

Both were rushed to a hospital where Shankar was declared dead.

Deepak suffered injuries on his knees. He said both of them were wearing helmets, but Shankars helmet fell away after the bike skidded on the bridge, and his head hit a divider.

Satyavijay Shankaram, a junior doctor at the North Delhi Municipal Corporation Medical College and the Hindu Rao Hospital, and his friend Chander Shekhar Sharma, a second-year medical student, were killed in an accident on Friday at the Signature bridge, the first since it opened three weeks ago.
A fire broke out at a shop in Delhis Bhajanpura Market on Saturday, the Delhi Fire Service said.

A call about the fire was received at 3.29 pm, new agency PTI reported.

Twenty-two fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the fire.
Located about eight kilometres from Aksa beach on Mumbais northern fringe is a crumbling bungalow. Local people say the building has been haunted for decades by spirits that waft away from the crematorium and cemetery located across the road, known popularly as the haunted lane of Gorai. Every evening, the roads empty out as soon as the sun goes down, courtesy a band of particularly unruly addicts who gather at the cemetery.

This bungalow is a crucial cog in Indias counter-terrorism wheel; it houses Mumbai Sagari II, part of a network of three coastal police stations that are supposed to be the last line of defence in the event of another 26/11-like attack. But from the outside, it looks like anything but.

Mumbai Sagari II was set up in December 2015 but still operates out of a rented bungalow. When HT visited the premises on a Sunday, two policemen were sunning themselves outside the station. One of them, who refused to be named, pointed at a vehicle parked nearby.

We were given this car recently but it has already travelled about two lakh kilometres. How are we to reach the coast on time with an overused car? he asked. Another policeman pointed to an older patrol van parked next to it and said passersby sometimes alert policemen of parts of vehicles that have fallen off the chassis or are dangling dangerously from the vehicle.

The need for coastal police stations was felt urgently after the 26/11 attacks when the terrorists took the sea route to reach Mumbai and were able to dock at Badhwar Park without being intercepted. The coastal police stations were envisaged as the last line of defence, after the navy and the coast guard, and they were mandated to intercept any suspicious boat within a range of 12 nautical miles from the coast.

But top state police officials say on condition of anonymity that the three-tier security system is not feasible under current capacities and that the force is neither trained nor meant to patrol the seas, and should focus on law and order.

The coastal police stations are important to keep an eye on the coastal area as Mumbai is surrounded by sea. In the last 10 years, the government has taken its best efforts to strengthen the coastal area with the establishing of the coastal police stations. Also, it is necessary to have fishery monitoring, control and surveillance, said SPS Basra, retired additional director general, Indian Coast Guard.

Also read: Life took 360 degree turn: Survivors relive 2008 Mumbai terror attacks

As of 2018, there are 50 police stations along the coast of Maharashtra and 70-odd boats of various types, including patrol boats and interceptors. There are over 60 landing points where CCTVs have been installed in the past two years, which are being monitored by the Mumbai police, said Pravin Padwal, additional commissioner of police (port).

In Mumbai, the coastal police have three major police stations: Yellow Gate Mumbai, Sagari 1 (Mahim), and Sagari 2 (Gorai). The force has 12 speedboats to patrol the length of Mumbais 114-kilometre-long coastline.

But there are chinks in the armour. The Sagari I police station, for example, operates out of eight cramped rooms on the ground floor of the Mahim police lines, where it has been since its inception in 2007. The construction of a permanent police station is underway at Reti-Bunder in Mahim but work stalled in 2015 after a petition alleged coastal zone regulation violation.

We have recently started a beat chowki in Mahim area near the landing point, but it does not yet have a water supply. We were hoping the police station will be operational by December end but it seems it will take yet another year, said a Sagari I policeman, requesting not to be named.

In the compact cabin of the police station in-charge, a television that is more a relic of the 90s sits on the desk. A CCTV camera in the cabin faces downwards, limp. Of the three police vans available with this station, only two are used regularly, owing to a lack of staff. The station faces not the sea but a thick swamp of mangroves.

In Sagari I, the staff strength is currently 50 though the sanctioned strength is 750. Sagari II has a sanctioned strength of 300, an actual strength of 120 and at any given time, only 55 personnel are on duty.

Currently, the Sagari I policemen patrol areas stretching from Bandra to Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai. The remaining stretch  Bandra till Uttan in Bhayandar -- is patrolled by Sagari II personnel. Neither police station has executive powers and, therefore, sticks to patrolling.With three boats at each police station, policemen patrol for eight hours at a stretch and then change shifts.

But what these stations may lack in equipment, they appear to more than make up in spirit. Talking about the 26/11 attacks, a middle-aged policemen outside Sagari II station says, We were not prepared then. But now we have rigorously trained and one man of ours will take hundreds of Kasabs.
In the last 10 years they have never celebrated Diwali or any other festival. My bond with papa was too strong and after his death I feel like I am alone, said Vaishali, daughter of policeman Tukaram Omble, who was killed while trying to overpower terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

It has been a decade of heartbreak but Vaishali and her family still like to believe that Omble will return, Even now we feel like the door will open any second and papa will be back home although we know that it is not possible, said Vaishali, the eldest daughter of the Mumbai terror attacks hero, whose bust has been constructed at Girgaum Chowpatty at the very spot where he attempted to arrest Kasab.

The family has kept Ombles belongings as they were. We miss him every day. My sisters daughter who was born after his death also asks us about him and when he will be returning. All we say is that he is on duty and will come home someday, added Vaishali.

Omble, an assistant sub-inspector, was killed by Kasabs bullets in the early hours of November 27, 2008. When Omble and his team reached Chowpatty and saw a Skoda car approaching, they intercepted the car and an unarmed Omble pounced on Kasab to overpower him. It was only because of his efforts that the lone 26/11 terrorist was captured and hanged, added Vaishali.

Kasab and another accomplice had already sprayed bullets at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus that night. After moving towards Cama Hospital where they killed three senior police officers, including Hemant Karkare, the duo carjacked a Skoda which Omble intercepted.

Vaishali stays at the Worli Police Camp with her mother Tara and sister Bharti, who is an officer in the state GST department. Vaishali Omble conducts tuition for students from Class 8 to junior college, which keeps her busy. The Mumbai Police has stood by the family and is always, only a phone call away

Even now when we see terrorist attacks happening around the globe, we feel the pain of the victims and family who lost their loved ones. Attempts should be made to stop them. It is not only the responsibility of the authorities but common people also should contribute to make the world terrorism-free, said Vaishali.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jayant Patil took over as Maharashtra home minister after his predecessor and party colleague RR Patil resigned following the 26/11 attacks. Patil was in the chair for 11 months when his department faced public ire for failing to prevent the attacks. In an interview, he says the toughest challenge was to regain the confidence of the people.

What were the challenges before you?

After serving as finance minister for nine years, my party told me to take over as home minister immediately after the attack. The morale of the police force was low. Fingers were being pointed at the capability and doubts were raised over the bravery of the force.

The arms, ammunition and technology they were dealing with were generations old. They had no bulletproof jackets or other safety gear to fight such attacks. I had two tasks on priority, first to boost the morale of the police and build confidence among the people and, two, modernise the force.

I held brainstorming sessions with top police officers and formed a high-level committee on procurement. The process was fast-tracked and we insisted on transparency. We purchased speedboats, armoured vehicles, modern equipment and adopted state-of-the-art technology.

We formed Force One, an elite commando force on the lines of the National Security Guard, to combat terrorist attacks at the state level. We appointed a batch of 165 dedicated officers with special training in the state intelligence department . People wanted changes visible on an urgent basis and this was a way to gain their confidence back.

Protecting Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker, was another task for the police

Yes. We had received specific intelligence inputs about a possible aerial attack by Pakistani terror groups on Arthur Road jail where Kasab was lodged. Besides the deployment of the Indo-Tibetan Border Force outside the jail, we constructed a special cell for him inside . It was a specially designed cell to withstand any type of attack, including a strike by rocket launchers.

Kasabs survival was crucial for us as he was the only proof of the involvement of Pakistani agencies in the attacks. Kasabs confession, his testimony and the trial helped the country prove Pakistans hand. The trial played a crucial role in supporting our argument that Pakistan is a terrorist state. Our investigating officers and public prosecutors played an important role in uncovering Pakistans involvement.

What were the other precautions taken?

Kasab had to be treated for various illnesses, including depression during his stay in the jail. It would be very difficult to believe now, but Kasab was admitted for treatment at JJ Hospital for 4-5 days on many occasions and the police could maintain complete secrecy about this. Any leak related to his whereabouts could have proved dangerous. To ensure his protection, we had to set up a special court inside the Arthur Road jail.

You had once met Kasab in Arthur Road jail. What did you say to him?

It would not be appropriate to disclose all the details of our meeting that lasted for about 1.5 hours. I met him in jail to take first-hand information about the attacks and ensure the briefing given by our investigating team, led by (IPS officer) Rakesh Maria, was factual. I had to present a complete picture of the attacks and the plot behind it on the floor of the assembly and hence I wanted to be factually correct.

The year after the attacks was full of the fear of repeats, criticism and lost morale

The year following the attack was full of intelligence inputs, rumours and the fear of repetition of such an attack in important cities. No agency was ready to take any chances on intelligence inputs they received. The inputs were immediately passed on to the authorities concerned.

We would take weekly meetings of top officials for discussion of the inputs related to terrorist activities and intelligence information. The agencies were on their toes and were putting in the effort to give a befitting reply in case of any attack.

What was the brief from your political bosses and the Centre after the attacks?

Then Union home minister P Chidambaram had clear instructions on Naxals, whose activities were on rise at that time and wanted Kasab to be hanged at the earliest. We had a meeting at a hotel near the Mumbai airport with Chidambaramji, who had specially flown down to discuss issues related to terror attacks with us. He wanted Kasab to be hanged immediately by expediting the trial and wanted to know the deadline.

We were trying to convince him about the time required to take the case to its logical end. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had a subsequent meeting with him in Delhi. We could finally convince him about the time period required to complete the trial. He was very determined about containing the Maoist movement too. In a meeting in Delhi with home ministers of Maoist-infested states, he had given us a specific action plan with 12 names and had told us - either you do it, or we will do it.

What went wrong during 26/11 attacks? Why could our force not combat it strongly?

Our police force never thought of this type of attack. The force thought only defence forces are trained for such types of terrorist attacks. Until then, policing was only about patrolling, traffic management and VIP bandobast. It is true that the force was baffled for an hour of the attack, but later faced it courageously.
Police in Tamil Nadus Tirunelveli district arrested five juveniles, including three school students, on Saturday and said they are on a lookout for two of their minor friends in connection with the murder of an employee of a cooperative bank in a suspected case of honour killing.

Thirty-two-year-old Shankar, a resident of Vellanguli village near Ambasamudram town, was hacked to death on Tuesday near the Tamiraparani River where he had gone to take a bath, police said.

Shankar, who belonged to the Konar or Yadav community, was in love with 25-year-old Sathyabama from the Thevar community, another backward caste. The college student was Shankars neighbour.

The womans family had agreed to their marriage after initially objecting to it. But the womans 16-year-old brother was opposed to it as he was reportedly teased by his friends for the impending inter-caste marriage in the family.

The girls brother, the prime accused, conspired with his four of his classmates and a senior in 11th class besides two masons to carry out the murder, a police officer said on Saturday.

The official said Shankar tried to escape but the gang hacked him to death and returned home. And the five students even attended school and the other two, who are masons, went to work as if nothing had happened, he said.

The police initially suspected that the murder was due to a property dispute between Shankar and his cousins. They picked up Sathyabama for questioning on Tuesday. And she was found hanging at her home on Wednesday morning.

On further investigation, the girls brother was picked up for questioning and he confessed to the crime, Tirunelvelis superintendent of police Arun Sakthikumar said.

Shankar was killed after an inter-caste couple in the states Hosur was killed for marrying out of caste earlier this month.

Shankars murder has striking similarities with a recent film produced by Kaala director Pa Ranjit. In the film Pariyerum Perumal, acclaimed as an authentic Dalit movie, the brothers of the female lead, a non-Dalit, conspire to kill the Dalit protagonist. However, they do not succeed in murdering the hero in the movie set in Tirunelveli district.

A spate of honour killings in the state has shocked everyone but this is the first time that juveniles are involved in such a crime. Such murders to protect caste honour, are frequent in the western and southern regions of Tamil Nadu, which prides itself as a pioneer of social justice.

Activists blame the laxity of the state government in constituting Vigilance Monitoring Committees (VMCs) as per the Prevention of Atrocities (SC/ST) Amendment Act, 2015, at local levels to monitor crimes against Dalits and tribals.

Responses to petitions through the right to information act have revealed that in many places they are either not constituted or remain dysfunctional.

The vigilance panels have to be set up at the state, district and sub-divisional levels, headed by the chief minister and district collectors respectively. And they have to meet once in three months, but there is gross negligence in this, S Karuppaiah, general secretary of Dalit Liberation Movement, said.

We have sourced information from 15 revenue sub-divisions in southern Tamil Nadu besides a few in the western region. Some have not even responded to the RTI queries. In none of the places, the vigilance panels are functional, Karuppaiah said.

The rise in the cases of honour killings has renewed the demand for a separate statute to tackle the issue, as directed by the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court. Tamil Nadu is yet to comply with it.

More than 350 women have been killed in so-called honour killings in India since 2014, according to government data, which are often carried out by family members who believe the relationship has brought shame on their community. Activists, however, say the crime is vastly under-reported and that many such killings are covered up to look like a suicide.

The latest data from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows 356 cases of honour killings were reported in the country between 2014-16. There were 28 in the country in 2014, 251 in 2015 and 77 cases in 2016. These include cases registered under section 302 (murder) and section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Muslims in Ayodhya are apprehensive about their safety and security after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) claimed it would mobilise over 200,000 people to attend the Dharma Sabha it is organising in the city on Sunday for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site .

In Muslim neighbourhoods of Ayodhya, the only topic of discussion on Friday was the Dharma Sabha and its repercussions, if any, for the holy city.

The government has assured us security. A large number of paramilitary personnel, along with local police, have been deployed. But we are still worried about our safety, said Arshad Alam, 32, of Alamganj Katra, a Muslim locality. He is hoping the event will be peaceful.

The VHP is at the forefront of the campaign for a Ram temple to be built on the site of the 16th century Babri masjid that was destroyed by mobs in December 1992. The organisation says the site marks the birthplace of the Hindu warrior-god.

Iqbal Ansari, one of the petitioners in the case relating to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, recently expressed concern over the security of his family members and the rest of the Muslim community in Ayodhya because of the congregation of a large number of people for the VHPs event. The Muslim community in Ayodhya is worried about its safety and security. We hope that any untoward incident does not take place in Ayodhya, said Ansari. The state government and the local administration has also assured us full security. I hope everything passes off peacefully, he said.

Abdul Khalid, 48, of Mughalpura Colony, said: I hope that the situation does not spiral out on control on Sunday, said Khalid.

The Shiv Senas Ashirwad Sammelan on Saturday, in which party chief Uddhav Thackeray will take part, has also added to the anxiety of the Muslims, who are preparing to stay indoors for the next two days.
Shivraj Singh brought MP to the developed category: Amit Shah

During Congress rule Madhya Pradesh was among the BIMARU states, and when Shivraj Singh Chouhans BJP government took over, he pulled the state to the developed category, said Amit Shah in Madhya Pradeshs Morena.

Congress has become an ATM of lies: Amit Shah

While addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Morena, BJP chief Amit Shah said, Congress has become an ATM of lies.

Amit Shah addresses public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Morena

Its the nature of the people of Morena to fight against injustice, said Amit Shah in Madhya Pradeshs Morena.

This generation of farmers suffering due to Congs wrong doings: PM

This generation of farmers are suffering due to the wrong doings and wrong policies of the Congress. Even our govts are facing bad names for those things, said PM Modi.

This generation of farmers are suffering due to the the wrong doings and wrong policies of the Congress. Even our govts are facing bad names for those things. Aaj jab unki nitiya ulti pad rahi hai woh aage aake zyada se zyada cheekh rahe hain: PM Modi in Mandsaur pic.twitter.com/6koYyeB4Ji  ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

Cong losing all polls ever since Narendra Modi became PM: Amit Shah

Ever since 2014 when Narendra Modi became the PM, Congress has been losing all elections, says BJP chief Amit Shah in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh.

Congress left farmers in debt, BJP has empowered them: PM Modi

Congress left farmers helpless and in debt, and we have worked to empower the farmers, said PM Modi in MP.

Congress couldnt eliminate poverty: PM Modi

Congress manufactures and spreads lies. Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji gave the slogan of Garibi Hatao but were they able to eliminate poverty? They nationalised banks and said the poor would benefit from it, but what happened? So many people did not even have accounts, said PM Modi in Mandsaur.

PM put an end to black marketing of urea: PM Modi

Modi put an end to black marketing of urea and to lathi-charge on farmers for taking urea, said PM Modi in MP.

MP saw rapid growth in agriculture sector under BJP rule: PM Modi

BJP is committed to farmer welfare. In the last 15 years, under Shivraj Chouhan Jis leadership, Madhya Pradesh has seen rapid strides in agriculture sector, says PM Modi.

Had Sardar Patel been the 1st PM, farmers condition would have been better: PM Modi

Had Sardar Patel been the first prime minister of the country, farmers condition under the Congress rule wouldnt have been this bad, said PM Modi.

Sardar Patel was a true leader of farmers: PM Modi

Sardar Patel was a true leader of the farmers. He worked for farmers welfare and empowered them, said PM Modi in Mandsaur.

PM Modi invites people of Mandsaur to visit the Statue of Unity

I invite the people of Mandsaur to visit the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Statue of Unity, whenever they get a chance, said PM Modi.

PM Modi addresses public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Mandsaur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Mandsaur, appeals people to bless BJP as it will work their aspirations.

Under BJP rule, our army carried out surgical strike and took revenge for the murder of our soldiers: Shah

Under the BJP rule, the Indian Army carried out surgical strike and took revenge for the murder of our soldiers. Thats what we have done, said Amit Shah.

We have secured the borders of this country: Shah

Rahul and company is asking us what have we done. The main work we have done is secure the borders of the country, said Amit Shah.

Bless us again and we will transform MP from a developed to a prosperous state

The BJP has transformed the BIMARU state to a developed state. Bless us again and we will transform MP from developed to a prosperous state, said Amit Shah.

Congress remembers farmers only during the elections: Shah

Congress remembers farmers only during the elections , said BJP national president Amit Shah.

Amit Shah addresses public meeting in MPs Shivpuri

BJP national president is addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Shivpuri.

A day will come when a Chinese youth will eat chips from Made in MP chips packet: Rahul Gandhi

A day will come, when a youth in China will eat chips from a packet, marked Made in Madhya Pradesh, said Rahul Gandhi

If Cong comes to power, will make MP the food factory for the whole country

If the Congress comes to power, Madhya Pradesh will feed the whole country in just 5 years. We will set up food processing factories close to every farmland -- ketchup factories near tomato farm, potato chips factory near potato farm

If you cant waive crop loans, dont waive loans of industrialists as well: Rahul Gandhi

If you cant waive the crop loans of farmers, dont waive the loans of big industrialists as well, said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi launches sharp attack on MP CM during a public meeting in Damoh

I made a mistake, I said Shivraj Chouhans sons name has emerged in Panama papers. I got confused, it wasnt his son. He sued me for defamation. But, I speak about Vyapam everyday. Why doesnt he say that he will sue me, now? questions Congress president Rahul Gandhi

Vyapam has stolen the future of youth: Rahul Gandhi

Vyapam has stolen the future of the youth of this state. Honest youth cannot be selected if he/she does not have money, said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public gathering in MPs Damoh.

People of this country doesnt trust BJP anymore: Rahul Gandhi

I asked the PM, Modi ji you should help the farmers. He looked at me but didnt say anything. You give your money to the government and then we get to know that a poor mans money is going in the pockets of industrialists. Obviously, the trust will break. The people of this country doesnt trust the BJP anymore, said Rahul Gandhi

Even Shivraj Chouhan knows that he is fighting the elections to lose: Rahul Gandhi

Even Shivraj Chouhan knows that he is fighting the elections to lose. But, he doesnt have ill-will in his heart. Then, there is that person who knows that he is going to lose 2019, so he is spewing hate. I ask the youth of MP to listen to Mr. Modis speeches. He doesnt talk about employment & farmers anymore. His speeches are filled with hatred and anger. And this is because he knows he has lost peoples faith in him, said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi addresses public gathering in MPs Damoh

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is addressing a public gathering in MPs Damoh.

Farmers pay insurance money and all the benefit goes to insurance companies: Rahul Gandhi

In Mandsaur, BJP govt shot at farmers. Farmers pay insurance money and all the benefit goes to insurance companies, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi

Amit Shah hold roadshow in Madhya Pradeshs Ashokanagar

BJP national president Amit Shah is holdijng a roadshow in Madhya Pradeshs Ashokanagar

BJP President Amit Shah holds road show in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/oKeA3z1glT  ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

Every CM in BJP-ruled states is involved in scams: Rahul Gandhi

Every CM in a BJP ruled state is involved in scams, where public money is stolen, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Sagar.

Education to children, irrigation to farmers, employment to youth - this is our motto: PM

Education to children, irrigation to farmers, employment to youth - this is our motto, said PM Modi in Madhya Pradeshs Chhatarpur.

Madhya Pradesh has made up its mind to remove Shivraj Chouhan govt: Rahul Gandhi

People of Madhya Pradesh have made up their minds to remove the Shivraj Chouhan govt. And in a few months, Mr. 56 inchs govt will also be removed, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi

We made the law to get back black money stacked abroad: PM

No one is going to be spared. We made the law to get back the black money stacked abroad. Their shell companies are involved, obviously they will have problems with me, said PM Modi.

Corruption is Congress lifestyle: PM

Launching a sharp attack on Congress, PM Modi said corruption is Congress civility, its style, its lifestyle, said PM Modi.

The benefits of tourism is trickling down to everyone

The benefits of tourism filters down to everyone right from from guest house owners, taxi drivers, confectionary sellers, and to even a tea seller, said PM Modi.

PM Modi responds to Raj Babbars comment on his mother

The Congress does not have the courage to confront Modi and now they are abusing Modis mother, they are dragging her into the muck, said PM Modi while responding to Congress leader Raj Babbars remark on his mother.

Babbar had compared the rupees falling value against the US dollar with her age, sparking demands by the BJP on Friday for an apology from him and also his party chief Rahul Gandhi.

(Before becoming the prime minister) Modi used to say that compared to the (US) dollar, the value of the rupee has fallen to a level where it is almost the same as the age of the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh), Babbar, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, said.

Mr Prime Minister, at that time, you had not taken his (Manmohan Singh) name out of respect. Although our tradition does not allow this, we wish to say that now the value of the rupee has fallen to the age of your respected mother, he added.

Its their four decades vs four years of my governance: PM

The Congress is not ready to tell what it did when it ruled the country for four decades, its not ready to discuss what it did during its rule in MP. Its their four decades vs my four years of governance, said PM Modi.

The people of India are our high command: PM

The people of India are our high command. We are committed to serve them and fulfill all their aspirations. This is not a remote-controlled government. This government is run by its people, its youth. I serve the youth of this country, people of this country, said PM Modi.

Efforts being made to ensure farmers of this region get water: PM Modi

Numerous efforts are being made towards water conservation and ensuring farmers of this region get water, said PM Modi.

I urge to reject the negative politics of Congress: PM Modi

If we go back 15 years, when Congress was in power, everyone knows about the condition of Madhya Pradesh. That is why I urge the people of this state to reject the negative politics of Congress. Do not let them to come to power again, said PM Modi

Bundelkhand has seen development under MP CMs leadership

Bundelkhand has seen development, and this has not been done by any raja or maharaj, but by CM Shivraj Chouhan, said PM Modi.

BJP is happy in the last stage of elections, but Cong is not: PM

We are in the final stage of elections, BJP is happy but Congress is tensed, said PM Modi

This region has seen rapid development under MP CMs leadership: PM Modi

This region of Bundelkhand has seen rapid development in the last 15 years under Shivraj Chouhan jis leadership, said PM Modi.

PM Modi addresses a public meeting in MPs Chhatarpur

PM Modi is addressing a public meeting in MPs Chhatarpur
Bihars Aurangabad district and local divisional jail authorities have landed in trouble for releasing a 27-year-old criminal convicted under the Arms Act, accused in four more , and facing charges of extortion and assault, during the ritualistic release of prisoners on Gandhi Jayanti, after he went on to kill two persons and returned to the same prison within a month-and-a-half.

Pawan Kumar Singh, resident of Aurangabads Nabinagar police station area, soon after his release, found his wife having an illicit relationship with a man identified as Mohammad Shaifq, who was his co-prisoner in Sasaram jail a few months back.

He looked for an opportune moment to eliminate Shafiq.

On November 4, he accosted Shafiq and his cousin, Mohammed Gaddi, moving together in a village. He gunned down Shafiq on the spot, then dragged Gaddi to a nearby pond and drowned him, according to police accounts of the twin murders.

Police initially had no clue about the twin murders. However, after scanning Shafiqs cell phone, they reached Pawans wife and eventually discovered the cause of the murders.

On November 18, Pawan was arrested again and sent back to the same jail from where he was released for exhibiting good character and showing signs of reform. Preliminary investigations by the Bihar jail authorities have revealed that rules were violated by the local district and jail authorities while setting the him free. As per the rules, ideally, elderly convicts who have served a substantial period of their jail term, have exhibited good conduct during their tenure behind the bars and do not have other cases pending in any court, are awarded clemency and released during Gandhi Jayanthi every year.

This year, the Bihar government released in all 34 prisoners serving life imprisonment or had completed 20 years in jail. The Bihar government is now trying to find out how Pawan, who is only 27, was convicted in an Arms Act case and awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment, besides having other cases pending in the courts, was granted clemency and released.
Buoyed by some opinion polls that it may give Odishas ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) a run for its money in 2019 assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to be going all out to challenge Naveen Patnaiks political hegemony in the eastern state.

Although it has no local leader who can match the charisma and popularity of the chief minister in Odisha, the BJP is seeking to build its own political base of retired civil servants and former police officers in the state to match the BJDs.

One candidate it has zeroed in on is former joint secretary in the rural development ministry  Aparajita Sarangi, who was relieved from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) a few days ago following her request for voluntary retirement.

BJP leaders said Sarangi would join the party at a function on November 27 and would be an important part of the partys Mission East programme.

She will be an asset to the party due to her image of being an honest and efficient officer, said Prithviraj Harichandan, general secretary of the BJP in Odisha.

Sarangi said she would announce her electoral debut soon. First let me get inducted into the party, she said.

Sarangi may not be the only all-India service officer the BJP fields in the elections. BJP functionaries said on condition of anonymity that former Odisha director general of police and ex-Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) director general Prakash Mishra is likely to be fielded from either the Puri or Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency. Mishra told Hindustan Times that he was not aware of any such development.

Mishra was denied the post of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director in 2016 because of a vigilance case he had been slapped with. The case was dismissed by both the Orissa high court and later the Supreme Court, with stinging rebuke to the state government.

Political analyst and former political science professor at Sambalpur University, Satya Prakash Dash said Sarangi and Mishras joining BJP was a good sign for the party.

Compared to the existing BJP leaders, Mishra and Sarangi are well-known in Odisha for their probity. Besides, as bureaucrats they have better connect with people than many of the present-day politicians, said Dash.

BJPs national secretary Suresh Pujari said one cant categorically say whether bureaucrats joining politics would add value to the party. It would differ from person to person. But Sarangi and Mishra are good officers known for their competence, he said.

The BJD has had a headstart in inducting former bureaucrats and police officers into its fold. In April this year, former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik joined the BJD followed by Amar Patnaik, a former accountant general of Odisha and Kerala.

Soon after he joined BJD, Arup Patnaik, a 1979 batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, was put in charge of the Biju Yuva Vahini, a volunteer programme under which the state government plans to spend Rs 450 crore by appointing over 8,000 grassroots level youth workers.

Patnaik is tipped to be the BJD candidate from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency. The former police officer has no advantage over regular politicians. One has to be patient in politics unlike bureaucracy where ones commands are obeyed instantly, he said.

Amar Patnaik took voluntary retirement early this year to join the BJD in August. Entrusted with the responsibility of the BJDs social media and information technology cell, Patnaik is likely to contest the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, party functionaries said on condition of anonymity.

There is also intense speculation of public works secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan joining the BJD before the polls to contest Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat.

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya said bureaucrats joining politics was a good thing, but they should not think of it as some sort of a retirement benefit.

Sensible and intelligent people should join politics. Instead of criticising from a distance, it is better to plunge into politics and serve the people, said Acharya.

Congress leaders said they would stay out of the race to induct former bureaucrats into the party fold. There seems to be a competition between the two parties to induct bureaucrats. Congress is a party for the common man, said Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday expressed concern over rising intolerance and violation of human rights, coupled with a widening gulf between the rich and poor with top one per cent rich pocketing the lions share of countrys wealth.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national conference on Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation, organised by Pranab Mukherjee Foundation along with the Centre for Research for Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID).

The land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the civilisational ethos of tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness, is now in news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights, Mukherjee said.

Peace and harmony prevails when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy and aggression from our everyday lives, he said.

He said happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitants basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured.

Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace, Mukherjee said.

Referring to the statistics, he said, If these statistics are anything to go by, we appear to be caught in a rising economy, receding happiness syndrome. Our growth paradigm calls for an urgent look.

Paying tributes to Guru Nanak Dev on his 549th birth anniversary, Mukherjee said given the times we are living in, it is important to recall his message of peace and oneness.

He also recalled what Chanakya said that In the happiness of the people lies the happiness of the king and the Rig Veda saying that we must live in one assembly, speak in one voice, with our minds in accord.

In a poser he asked whether the state was functioning in conformity with the preamble of the Constitution guaranteeing socio-economic and political justice, liberty of expression and thought and the equality of status and of opportunity, Mukherjee said that on the ranking of the happiness of common man, India ranks at 113, on the index of hunger, India is at 119. Similar is the situation on the rating of malnutrition, suicides, inequality and economic freedom.

Mukherjee said, We need a State that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us. We need the media and citizens, who even as they claim their rights, are equally committed to their responsibilities.

Referring to the Parliament, Executive and the Judiciary, Mukherjee said in recent past these institutions have come under severe stress and their credibility is being questioned.

He said There is a widespread cynicism and disillusionment with the governance and the functioning of these institutions.

However, former President said that to save democracy, it was incumbent upon these institutions to win back the trust of the people, without any delay.

Former Union Minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi in his valedictory address described as disturbing the merging scenarios where the techno-economic system adopted to produce a democratic egalitarian world order has resulted in an exploitative, extremely unequal and fragmented world.

Mankind today is, therefore, unhappy, more turbulent, more violent, more fundamentalist and more alienated than ever before, Joshi said.

The root cause of this out of balance world needs to be investigated, the veteran leader said.
Officials of the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at the residence and offices of former Union minister and Telugu Desam Party legislator YS Chowdary in Hyderabad and Delhi on Friday and Saturday to probe into allegations of money laundering and other financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 5,700 crore.

The agency, which investigates financial crimes, said in a release that the searches were conducted at eight locations, seven in Hyderabad and one in Delhi, belonging to the Sujana Group owned by the legislator. The searches have revealed that the group companies had defrauded banks to the tune of more than Rs 5,700 crore.

It said documents recovered in another premise revealed that various cases were pending against the group under Foreign Exchange Management Act, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Central Bureau of Investigation. The cases were existing against the group companies.

The agency had also seized documents related to forex transactions, which indicated that the group was controlling over 120 companies and most of them were non-operating or companies on paper only without any genuine business activities.

Preliminary statements indicate that certain loans to group companies were sanctioned against the personal guarantee of Chowdary. At his residential premises, six high-end cars, including those of Ferrari, Range Rover, Mercedes Benz, were found which were registered in the name of dummy companies. These vehicles have been seized under the provisions of PMLA, the release said.

Authorities summoned Chowdary to appear before them on November 27 for further investigation.

The directorate pointed out CBI had registered three cases based on complaints from three banks stating that one company, Chennai-based Best & Crompton Engineering Projects Ltd, had obtained loans from them by falsifying accounts and submitting false statements, causing them a cumulative loss of Rs 364 crore. It included a loss of Rs 133 crore to Central Bank of India, Rs 71 crore to Andhra Bank and Rs 159 crore to Corporation Bank.

Based on these FIRs, investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were initiated by the Directorate of Enforcement, Chennai. As part of investigations, searches were conducted on October 8 at the residential and office premises of the key officials of BCEPL in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

During the search proceedings, certain incriminating documents and records were recovered and seized for further investigation. Searches also resulted in the recovery and seizure of 126 rubber stamps of various shell companies from the business premises at Plot No18, Nagarjuna Hills in Hyderabad, which belongs to Sujana Group.

Investigations revealed that all the directors of these companies belonged to various Sujana Group companies, which was evident from the email correspondences and communications recovered from the business/residential premises of these companies, the ED release said.

All of them had admitted in their voluntary statements that they were just namesake directors and had no idea of the entire operations and transactions of Sujana Group, it added.

A spokesperson of the Sujana Group condemned the malicious campaign against Chowdary and other associated companies. The group strongly objected to the attempts being made by some people to tarnish the image of the company by spreading false propaganda, he said.

The ED authorities from Chennai came to the Sujana Group offices to collect some information with regard to the investigation into a 10-year-old case. The group officials provided all the relevant information sought by the ED authorities, he said.

Chowdary, popularly known as Sujana Chowdary as he owns Sujana Group of companies, was a minister of state in the Narendra Modi cabinet holding science and technology portfolio till March last when the TDP pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance demanding the special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
PM Narendra Modi on Friday hoped the Kartarpur corridor would act as a bridge between India and Pakistan, a day after the Union cabinet cleared a proposal to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the International Border. Referring to the fall of the Berlin Wall, PM Modi hoped that the corridor might lead to a better future between the two countries,

Underlining the strength of people-to-people contact, the prime minister said,Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. May be with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries.

Also Read: Govt clears Kartarpur corridor till Pakistan border to help pilgrims

While speaking at a function to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at the residence of Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal in New Delhi, PM Modi referred to the Partition and said, What has happened in 1947 has happened. He said the issues between the governments and the armies would continue and only time will show the way out.

Kartarpur Sahib is located across Ravi river in Pakistan and is about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. The demand to build a corridor linking Indias border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan has been a long-pending demand of the Sikh community.The corridor, once built, will give Indian pilgrims easy access to the shrine in Kartarpur.

Also Read: Decision on Kartarpur corridor step in right direction: Pak on relations with India

Hours after India cleared the proposal to develop the corridor, Pakistan welcomed the move and conveyed its decision to open the Kartarpur corridor.

It is a step in the right direction and we hope such steps will encourage voice of reason and tranquility on both sides of the border, Pakistan information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

(With PTI Inputs)
Thousands of farmers from across the country are expected to assemble at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday next week (November 29) and march to Parliament street the next day to demand a special three-week joint session of Parliament to discuss the agrarian crisis.

Organised under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), an umbrella body of about 200 farmer organisations from across the country, the two-day Kisan Mukti March is being billed as a reminiscent of a similar protest march from Nashik to Mumbai by over 35,000 farmers from across Maharashtra in March this year.

Farmers from across the country, except the poll-bound states and some states in northeast, are eexpected to join the march, said Vijoo Krishnan, joint secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha, one of the AIKSCC-affiliated bodies.

The organisers said that the farmers will start entering the National Capital after 5pm on November 29 from corners like Anand Vihar, Nizamuddin, Brijwasan, Majnu Ka Tila and Kishangarh, to march towards Ramlila Maidan. The evening will see dinner for the farmers and a cultural programme at Ramlila Maidan followed by a march next morning on November 30 towards Parliament street for a rally.

First half of the day, November 30, will be a rally in which we are expecting over one lakh people. For the second half, we have invited representatives from all political parties who support our demands, said Yogendra Yadav, national president of political Swaraj Abhiyan and one of the working group members of AIKSCC.

The march is expected to be second major farmers protest in the national capital in two months. On October 2, atleast 20 people  including police personnel  were injured in a clash between protesters and security personnel at the Delhi-UP gate border on NH-24 when the Delhi Police denied entry to ?? farmers from entering the capital.

A Delhi Police official said they had received an application. We are reviewing it and will discuss it and prepare accordingly, said the official.

The main demand, Yogendra Yadav said, is to pass two farmer bills  seeking freedom from indebtedness and the right to guaranteed remunerative minimum support price (MSP) introduced in Lok Sabha in August this year.

Already 21 political parties have extended their support to the bills. We want a special 21-day session to clear them. This is probably the last chance to pass them in this Lok Sabha, Yadav said.

Also, a solidarity group  Nation for Farmers  has been mobilising people in Delhi, particularly students, to join the march through a volunteer-run website DilliChalo.in and other social media platforms.

We have had veteran journalist P Sainath, addressing students in four public-funded universities. We expect at least 4,000-5,000 students to be part of the rally, said Janhavi Mittal, a volunteer with Nation for Farmers.
Saffron flags and posters have appeared overnight, hotels and dharmashalas are brimming and hundreds of cops are on alert. Ayodhya is buzzing with activity ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Dharam Sansad to push for the construction of a Ram temple and a two-day visit beginning today by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Narrow lanes and bylanes have come alive with people from across the state and adjoining states pouring into the temple town situated on the banks of river Saryu.

A lakh of people (two lakhs by VHP estimates) are expected to attend the Dharam Sabha or the religious meeting at the Bade Bhakt Mahal ground on Sunday afternoon.

The VHP is seeking to exert pressure on the Centre to introduce a legislation that will clear the way for the construction of a Ram temple on a site disputed by Hindus and Muslims.

Around 5000 plus Shiv Saniks have already arrived in Ayodhya, ahead of their leaders visit, by two special trains, one arrived last night and another on Saturday morning. Sena has been demanding an ordinance for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

And the level of anticipation can be measured from the remark of Abha Devi, 71, who has come with her grandson all the way from Siwan district of Bihar for a holy dip in river Saryu.

I will be staying back for the VHPs Dharma Sabha. Who knows construction of Ram Mandir might start from tomorrow itself, said Devi.

Dismissing all apprehensions of any tension Sunil Das, head of the Hanuman Bagh Sewa Sansthan said. Ayodhya is calm and quiet. All apprehension about tension in Ayodhya has been created by the media. I am getting lot of phone calls from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and many districts of the Uttar Pradesh.

I have told them that Ayodhya is normal and please do not spread rumours, added Das.

But not all are excited about the meetings and the politics around them.

We all want Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. But this (Dharam Sabha) disturbs our daily life. It gets difficult even to carry out routine activities, said Angad Prasad, 51, who stays near Naya Ghat.
A three-time lawmaker and former BJP leader Kharavela Swain was assaulted by a man in Odishas Rayagada district for criticising chief minister Naveen Patnaik during a meeting of his party, in the third such attack on him in a month, prompting the state government to order a probe into the incidents.

Utkal Bharat president Swain was addressing the meeting in Kashipur block on Saturday afternoon and had criticised chief minister Patnaik alleging the lack of development when some people interrupted the event.

Who are you to hold a meeting here and without seeking our permission how can you organise a meeting here? they asked Swain.

A 30-year-old man Sumant Nayak started abusing Swain a few minutes later and whacked him on his face with a rolled-up newspaper. A shaken-up Swain later said he had sought police protection for the meeting, but no one came.

Some people came and started asking why I was speaking against the BJD (Biju Janata Dal). Since I am speaking against the Rs 1/kg rice scheme of the state government, BJD leaders are angry with me, Swain, who shared the video of the assault on his Facebook page, said.

 todays attack was not carried out by people who are benefitting from the rice scheme but by those who have been misled by liquor. They were surely from the BJD because they warned me not to utter a single word against the BJD. They asked me whether our party belongs to BJD or BJP or Congress, he said.

Swain, who has been addressing roadside meetings in the state for over a month, said chief minister Patnaik was feeling scared ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year and thats why he engineered attacks on his political opponents.

Deputy inspector general of police (south-western range) Ashish Singh said Nayak has been arrested. Initial investigations showed that he was with the Congress earlier. We will interrogate him further to know the reason behind the assault, said Singh.

The further probe will be carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Additional DG into the attacks on Swain, the government announced late on Saturday.

The Congress state chief Niranjan Patnaik condemned the attack on Swain and said violence has no place in a thriving democracy. Sadly, the BJD and its Naveen Gunda Vahini dont understand it, he said.

State BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty said the incident proved the double standards of the chief minister who preaches non-violence on one hand and while on the other such violent attacks are being perpetrated.

BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra, however, denied the allegation, saying the attack on Swain was highly condemnable.

Swain had alleged last month that he was attacked twice by the BJD workers in Kendrapara and Balasore districts of the state.

On October 24, Swain was reportedly abused and dragged by his collar in Aul area of Kendrapara district for criticising the chief minister. He was allegedly manhandled by a BJD panchayat samiti member and the son of a BJD ward member again on October 31 when he was addressing a meeting in a village in Balasore district.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Saturday welcomed the building of the Kartarpur corridor, linking Indias border district of Gurdaspur with the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments that the corridor will act as a bridge between the people of the two countries, Singh, however, cautioned that there were many hurdles to cross before it could be achieved.

There are many hurdles and one should not underestimate those hurdles. But any beginning is a good beginning, I hope it is successful, he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference titled Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation, organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

Singh, however, did not say what he thought the hurdles were.

On first Sikh guru Guru Nanak Devs birth anniversary Friday, Modi had said, Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall? Maybe, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries.

Earlier, in a significant decision, the Union Cabinet had cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Pakistans information minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the neighbouring country to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor.
The BJP-led governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh are in majority and must give a date by which the construction for the Ram Temple will begin in Ayodhya town, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday as he reiterated his partys demand for the shrine at the disputed site.

You have to tell us the date, the rest can follow. I want the date today, Thackeray said while addressing a gathering at Laxman Quila.

How many years will we have to wait? Generations have gone by  During Atal Bihari Vajpayees time, it might have been little difficult (to build the temple) but todays government is powerful If you want to bring in an ordinance bring it or if you want to make a law, do it, he said in Hindi.

Thackerays visit is a part of Senas campaign for the building of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Hindus believe the 16th-century mosque, Babri Masjid, was built over a temple dedicated to Hindu god Ram, whose birthplace is also considered to be at the site. The mosque was demolished by a mob of thousands in 1992, triggering a cycle of violence and riots across India.

It is not important to have a big chest. But you should have a heart in your chest, Thackeray said in a comment directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Sena chief asserted he had to come to Ayodhya to wake up Kumbhakarna, who he said, has been sleeping for the past four years.

The Kumbhakarna slept for six months. But this Kumbhakarna (the Modi government) is sleeping for the past four years, Thackeray said referring to the mythological character in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

I have not come here to fight with anyone or take credit for construction of the Ram Mandir. You (BJP) construct the temple and take credit, Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena chief said the Modi government has not sought a courts permission to bring demonetisation, asking, Now, for Ram Mandir why you are waiting for courts order?

Hindu groups, including the Bharatiya Janata Partys ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have called for a law or an ordinance to facilitate the building of a temple at the disputed site. The RSS has also threatened a 1992-like campaign for its construction.

Talk of the government considering an ordinance or a bill to construct a temple in Ayodhya in the remainder of Parliaments term has gained momentum after the RSS demand.

The dispute  among Indias most sensitive and divisive political issue - has slowly returned to the political centre stage over the past few months. The Supreme Court has turned down the Uttar Pradesh governments request to expedite hearing the land title dispute case and pushed the hearing to January next year.

The Shiv Sena, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but has had strained ties with ally BJP, has also demanded an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of the Ram temple. It has claimed it has the support of more than 400 members of Parliament cutting across party lines for the ordinance.

And on Friday, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut pushed it a little further.

The Babri mosque was demolished in 17 minutes ... How long does it take to prepare papers... to bring ordinance... from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to Uttar Pradesh assembly... They are all BJP governments, Raut said.

Grand rituals, tight security

Thackeray arrived in Ayodhya earlier in the day with his son Aditya and wife Rashmi amid heavy security to take part in grand rituals. They participated in the Ashirwaad Sammelan at Laxman Quila to seek blessings of the seers.

Thackeray is carrying an urn containing the earth from the Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of Maratha warrior king Shivaji in Pune district of Maharashtra, in his first ever visit to the temple town. His father and founder of the Shiv Sena, the late Bal Thackeray, had travelled to Uttar Pradesh on a couple of occasions.

He performed puja of saints with full Vedic rituals at the Lakshman Quila ground to seek blessings of saints. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas who also attended the event, was welcomed by the Thackeray family with Vedic rituals.

All residents of Ayodhya welcome the family members of Bal Thackeray. We hope that the Shiv Sena plays an important role in the construction of Ram Mandir, Das said.

Thackeray presented a silver brick to Das for the temple amid slogans of Jai Sri Ram and Jai Bhavani-Jai Shivaji raised by Shiv Sainiks.

The Thackeray family also took part in the Saryu aarti on the banks of the Saryu River. He will visit the disputed site of Ram Temple on Sunday.

Around 4,000 Shiv Sainiks reached the town before him and chanted slogans of Har Hindu ki yahi pukar, pehle mandir fir sarkar (this is every Hindus call  first temple, then government) or Jai Shri Ram, welcoming them.

Party leaders including Raut, state ministers Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare, Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and others have been camping in Ayodhya since the past few days to prepare for Thackerays visit.

The Sena has planned aartis at 25 places across Mumbai to coincide with Thackerays visit to Ayodhya. Rallies on motorcycles will also be taken out by the Sena workers across the city. The Sena leaders have been asked to perform aartis in Ram and Hanuman temples in Maharashtras capital.

Uttar Pradesh police have sounded a statewide alert amid apprehension of trouble, a day ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishads (VHPs) Dharam Sabha on Sunday, where over one lakh people are expected to attend a rally.

Restrictions have been imposed on the entry of devotees at the site of the makeshift temple, with devotees being sent in small batches.

A large contingent of police force, including the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF), has been deployed in the temple town along with 70 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and 4,000 personnel of civil police to maintain law and order.

Authorities apprehend a repeat of December 1992 incident, when the Babri Mosque was razed by kar sevaks. Muslims living in the town say there are worried about their safety.

A senior police officer said the Ayodhya (formerly Faizabad) district administration had imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the acquired area of the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid premises.
Tens of thousands of Hindu religious figures and their followers were descending on Ayodhya on Saturday to crusade for the construction of a Ram temple on the ruins of a disputed 16th century mosque, as the authorities threw a tight security ring around the tense but calm holy city to deter troublemakers.

Slogan-chanting supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is spearheading the Ram temple campaign and organising the Dharma Sabha (religious assembly) on Sunday, charged into the city on motorbikes, in buses and SUVs.

Activists of the Shiv Sena also poured into Ayodhya for the Aashirwad Utsav organised by the party where Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was in attendance.

Ayodhya was drenched in saffron -- the colour of both the VHP and the Shiv Sena -- as groups of their supporters took to the streets chanting Jai Shri Ram, Pahle Mandir, Phir Sarkar (temple first, government later).

Some intellectuals sitting in New Delhi think that Ram temple movement has lost relevance. We will show a mirror to them, VHP vice-president Champat Rai said,

On Saturday, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, in Ayodhya for the first time, let go of the first, blistering salvo -- and it was directed against the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thackeray, whose party is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the centre and in Maharashtra, likened the Modi government to Kumbhkaran, a character in the epic Ramayana.

The real Kumbhkaran slept for six months. But this Kumbhkaran is sleeping for the past over four years, he said of the BJP-led government, which took office in May 2014 and which, critics allege, has put the Ram temple issue on the back burner. Mocking the Prime Minister, who once said he had a 56-inch chest, Thackeray said: It is not important to have a big chest. But you should have a heart in your chest.

He urged the BJP-led government to introduce an ordinance for the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. Thackeray later performed a puja with full Vedic rituals at the Lakshman Quila ground to seek the blessings of Hindu religious figures. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, also attended the event, where the Thackeray family presented him a silver brick for the temple amid slogans of Jai Sri Ram and Jai Bhavani-Jai Shivaji.

Immediately after the arrival of Thackeray in the afternoon, the district administration sealed Ayodhya, where 20,000 police and paramilitary troops were deployed and drones used to monitor the movement of crowds. Security personnel were making videos of the crowds that milled into the city, and kept a high profile in Muslim areas.

A special vigil was maintained around the disputed religious complex, which is about two kilometres from the venue of the Shiv Senas Aashirwad Utsav and the Dharma Sabha.

Hindu groups have been campaigning since the 1980s for a Ram temple on the site of the Babri mosque, which they say was built on the birthplace of the warrior-god. On December 6, 1992, the mosque was demolished by Hindu mobs, triggering communal riots that left about 2,000 people dead across India.. The Ram temple campaign has again gained resonance as the 2019 general elections approach.

The VHP held out an assurance that the Dharma Sabha will be peaceful. More than 200,000 people will attend, said Surendra Jain, all India joint general secretary of theVHP. We assure everyone, though we dont need to, that not even a twig will be disturbed, he added.

Religious figures associated with the VHP are reaching Ayodhya from across the country for the event.Uttar Pradesh chief minister and his cabinet colleagues will stay away from the event. When the disputed mosque was demolished in 1992, several senior BJP leaders were in attendance.

Despite the heavy security, unease was evident in the Muslim-dominated areas of Ayodhya and adjoining districts. Muslims are afraid. We saw such a huge crowd in 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished and a large number of people were killed in violence in different parts of the country, said Mohammad Yusuf, a local resident. Some people of our community have shifted their families while others are keeping fingers crossed. Iqbal Ansari, a party to the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case in the Supreme Court, said Muslims had been gripped by fears of a repeat of the 1992 communal violence. Fearing trouble, several Muslims settled in the Alambagh Katra locality of the temple town shifted their women and children to safer places.

Mahanth Dharamdas, a party from the Hindu side to the title dispute case, said the town was in the grip of rumours as large groups of Shiv Sena and VHP supporters were arriving. An uneasy calm is prevailing in the town, he said.

Some Ayodhya residents said the issue was being raised now in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Some members of the BJP have called for a law to be passed to enable the temples construction after the Supreme Court put off hearings on the title dispute case to January 2019.

They (politicians and religious organisations) are also aware that nothing can be done now. The Supreme Court will take up the issue only in January 2019. If they want to hold any such convention, they should do so in New Delhi to put pressure on the Narendra Modi government to bring an ordinance, said Dhiman, a rickshaw-puller.

Terming the mobilisation of people for the Ram temple a planned strategy, BSP president Mayawati said the issue was in the Supreme Court and the matter should be disposed of by the court only. The BJP is headed for reverses in the current round of state assembly elections as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and to divert the attention of the people from its failures, the BJP and RSS had rekindled the Ram temple movement, Mayawati said in Lucknow .
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The Kurla police arrested a 32-year-old man on Thursday for allegedly harassing his 19-year-old wife by forcing her to get Rs 9 lakh from her family. The man had raped the woman when she was a 13-year-old Class 6 student and later married her in 2017 when she turned 18. The girl had agreed to drop the case under the condition that he would marry her.

Within two months of their marriage, the husband and his mother started harassing the victim.

The victims mother-in-law started demanding Rs 9 lakh from her family, claiming the money was spent to defend her son in the rape case. She even poured kerosene on the victim to torture here, another police officer said.

Frustrated with this, the victim left her husband in January 2018 and started living with her parents. The accused, however, kept harassing her and stalked the woman for a few days at Govandi station in September. He even abused her several times over the phone and also threatened to throw acid on her. In September, when the woman had posted her photo on a social networking website, the accused posted vulgar and defamatory comments on her photo. Scared and disturbed, the woman then lodged a complaint against her husband with the Kurla police.

On Thursday, the woman learnt her husband was going to go to Kurla railway station. She alerted the police, after which the police arrested him. The accused has been charged with sections 509, 506 of the IPC and 67A (publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form) of Information Technology Act. Were trying to collect more evidence in the case, said M Patil, inspector at Kurla police station.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has invited Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for the foundation-laying ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor in Pakistan.

Confirming the development, Sidhu said: I received invitation from Pakistan PM Imran Khan and the Pakistan high commission in India has also contacted me to know my itinerary.

The minister said he would seek permission from chief minister Amarinder Singh and the government of India to visit the neighbouring country.

Imran Khan will lay the foundation stone for the corridor on the Pakistani side on November 28, while on November 26, President Ram Nath Kovind and Amarinder Singh will do the groundbreaking ceremony on the Indian side.

The move comes a day after India and Pakistan agreed to construct the corridors on their respective sides so that Sikh devotees could pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, which is located across Ravi river in Pakistan and is about 4km from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur.

Earlier this year, Sidhu landed in a controversy after his Islamabad visit on a personal invitation to attend Imrans swearing-in as Prime Minister on August 18 when he hugged Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Bajwa.

Later, justifying his visit to Pakistan, Sidhu said he went there as a messenger of peace and hugged the Pakistani army chief in an emotional response to the information provided by him that their country is working on a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib.
Journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned down at her house last year, was killed by an organised crime syndicate, the special investigation team said on Saturday in its first statement on the investigation.

The statement, issued late on Saturday, comes a day after the SIT filed an additional charge sheet in the case in which it has accused 18 people, two of whom are still missing, of being involved in the conspiracy, either directly or indirectly. The accused have been charged under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act.

The SIT had formed six teams to look at the various angles involved in the case and deployed two of these to parse through closed-circuit television or CCTV camera footage taken from Lankeshs house, which had recorded the crime taking place. Eventually, the police interviewed around 2,500 people in connection with the case.

The first breakthrough in the case happened when the material objects recovered from the scene of the crime were analysed at the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Bangalore. The forensic ballistic analysis established that the pistol used to murder Lankesh was the same pistol used to murder MM Kalburgi in Dharwad, Karnataka and Govind Pansare in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, the SIT said.

And this, the SIT said, led it to the syndicate that was allegedly carrying out these murders. The syndicate was formed in 2010-11 by Virendra Tawade, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of Narendra Dabholkar.

One former editor of Sanatan Prabhat provided financial support to this Syndicate, the SIT said, referring to a publication brought out by the Sanatan Sanstha, a radical Hindu organisation.

However, the SIT has not directly named the organisation, except to say that the members of this alleged syndicate strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in Kshatra Dharma Sadhana, a book published by Sanatan Sanstha.

According to the SIT, the important members of the syndicate are Amol Kale, who allegedly took over the organisation after Tawades arrest, Amit Degvekar, Vikas Patil and Rushikesh Deodikar. These four, the SIT said, recruited all the other accused and were the masterminds behind the murder.

The members of the organized crime syndicate met, conspired and trained at various places in Karnataka and Maharashtra. They were in constant touch with each another and took active measures to hide their identities, the SIT said.

They underwent arms training and used assumed names and different phone numbers while carrying out the syndicates work.

They were indoctrinated and actively underwent arms training, shooting practice and were trained in the manufacture and use of bombs with the intention of promoting insurgency and creating fear in the society, the SIT said.

According to the investigative team, the conspiracy to murder Lankesh was hatched in August 2016. In October of that year, the SIT said, Kale instructed one Vasudev Suryavamshi to steal a bike for this purpose.

From March 2017, Lankeshs movements were allegedly tracked by Amit Baddi and Ganesh Miskin, two other accused. And the duo made several trips to the state capital to follow Lankesh to ascertain her daily habits.

In May, Kale tasked Manohar Edave to do a recce of the locality Lankesh lived in and identify the CCTV cameras there. In June, Amol Degvekar and Nihal did a review of the place and finalised the routes to be taken by the assassination team.

That same month several members of the syndicate were allegedly trained by one Rajesh Bangera at a farmhouse in Belagavi, which belonged to another accused, Bharat Kurne.

In August, Kale, Baddi, Miskin, Kurne and Parshuram Waghmore, believed to be the person who pulled the trigger, met once again on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

In the third week of August, Kale, Baddi, Miskin, Waghmore, Kurne, met Sharad Kalaskar, Shrikanth Pangarkar and Sudhanva Gondalekar, who are believed to have been involved in the murder of Dabholkar, in Belagavi.

Days before the murder, the SIT said, Kale and Nihal brought the bike, pistols, and other articles used in the assassination at a house on the outskirts of the city.

On September 4, Miskin and Waghmore reached Lankesh residence but were unsuccessful. They returned the next day and between 8 and 8.10pm when Lankesh returned home and got out of her car to open the gate Wagmore allegedly shot her four times with his pistol.
India on Saturday said ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri would represent the country at the Pakistans groundbreaking ceremony for a corridor to Kartapur Gurdwara, the first major contact between the two sides after months of strained ties.

The announcement, made by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter, came hours after Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited her, also through a tweet, to the ceremony on November 28. In a set of tweets, Swaraj thanked Qureshi and said we welcome this proposal and we are sending two ministers.

Swaraj said she would be unable to travel to Kartarpur and India would be represented by food processing minister Badal and minister of state for housing and urban affairs Puri.

People familiar with developments said Swaraj would be unable to travel to Pakistan on the day because of prior commitments, including her involvement in the election campaign in Telangana. They said the decision to send the ministers had been made in view of the importance of facilitating smooth access to the Kartarpur shrine for Sikh pilgrims.

Qureshi had also invited Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and state minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony but it was not immediately clear whether they too would be part of the Indian delegation.

Swaraj also tweeted that India hoped Pakistan would expedite construction of the corridor on its side so that Indian pilgrims could use it as soon as possible.

On Thursday, India and Pakistan announced separately they would create corridors on their sides of the border to facilitate visa-free visits by Indian pilgrims to Kartarpur Gurdwara, located 120 km from Lahore on the banks of the Ravi river.

The gurdwara, built at the site where Guru Nanak died, is about four kilometres from Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India. The move came ahead of the celebration of Guru Nanaks 550th birth anniversary in 2019.

The demand to build a corridor linking Indias border district of Gurdaspur with the historic gurdwara has been a long-standing one from the Sikh community. It returned to focus when Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa told Sidhu on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan in August that Islamabad planned to open a corridor for Indian pilgrims.

This will be the first high-level contact between the two sides since India called off a planned meeting of the foreign ministers on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September because of terror-related concerns.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invoked the fall of the Berlin Wall to talk about the potential ramifications of the Kartarpur corridor. Who thought the Berlin Wall would fall? May be, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur Corridor will not only be a corridor but can be a reason to bring people together, he said at a function to mark Guru Nanaks birth anniversary at the New Delhi home of minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Qureshi, while briefing the National Assembly the same day, said Prime Minister Khan would inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony on November 28. He said the move reflected the importance Pakistan gives to all minorities.

Pakistans Kartarpur Spirit can be a step forward in the right direction from conflict to cooperation, animosity to peace and enmity to friendship, he added.
The 50th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modis popular radio show, Mann ki Baat, will air on All India Radio on Sunday.

The programme that was started in October 2014, months after the Modi government assumed office, is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month and has covered a gamut of issues from drug abuse to the governments ambitious Swachhta programme.

The radio broadcast, which is translated into various Indian languages and is also adapted for television viewing, went on air for the first time with PM Modi urging citizens to use at least one khaadi product. He explained how buying khaadi products helps poor weavers.

The impact of this idea was seen when sales of khaadi products jumped by 125% within a week and this success was shared in the episode in November 2014, said an official aware of the matter on condition of anonymity.

The official said the government is currently collating data on the impact the programme has had and will, at a later stage, share the success stories and testimonials from beneficiaries.

Citing an instance, the official said after the PM advocated the use of khaadi products, the railway ministry, police department, Indian Navy, postal department of Uttarakhand and many such government organisations took initiatives to promote the use of home-spun cotton.

The Prime Minister has also used the radio broadcast to address social concerns such as drug abuse.

Taking the cue from the idea shared by Abhishek Pareekh in November 2014, PM Modi dedicated the entire Mann Ki Baat episode in December 2014 to tackling the problem. He requested all those active on social media to create a continuous online movement by joining the drugs-free India hashtag, the official said.

A special joint address with then US President Barack Obama was the highlight of January 2015, while February saw him encourage students preparing to take examinations.

In this episode, the PM discussed how exams should be celebrated as a festival.

Later the theme of the show Exam Warriors went on to become the title of the PMs book on dealing with examinations as well as a community-driven initiative to make exams fun.

Recently, Modi invited citizens to the Fit India challenge and nominate celebrities to join.
Over 47,000 well-heeled people, enjoying the benefits of subsidised ration meant for poor, surrendered about 11,000 ration cards after a series of drives launched by the Ranchi administration.

The administration convinced non-eligible persons, under national food security act (NFSA), to withdraw their names from food rights of poor people and surrender their ration cards through various campaigns, in last three months.

Thousands of well-off people, including advocates, teachers and government employees, were caught availing subsidised ration during the campaigns. In Ranchi, as many as 19.87 lakh people are entitled to 5 kg rice every month at a subsidised rate of Re 1 under NFSA, launched in October 1, 2015.

Despite meeting the entitlement target, several eligible persons made rounds of block and district offices for subsidised food. Several slums were also found in Ranchi where people did not have ration cards. Then, we thought of launching a special drive, which started on August 15, to identify non-eligible persons availing subsidised ration, said Narendra Gupta, district supply officer (DSO), Ranchi .

The administration sought self-declaration from beneficiaries, in which they had to certify that they are eligible for subsidised ration. This step had a greater impact and over 8,000 non-eligible persons surrendered their ration cards, Gupta said.

Thereafter, the administration started identification of non-eligible people and sent legal notices to them. The last major step was imposing fine on non-eligible persons availing subsidised rations. On Thursday, three persons were slapped a fine for Rs 1.11 lakh and a ration dealer was also showcaused for allegedly hiding details of these beneficiaries.

So far, 16 notices of fine have been slapped. Five ration dealers were also suspended for not disclosing names of non-eligible persons, Gupta said, adding, the drive is still on.

The drive helped creating over 11,000 ration card vacancies. The district supply office has so far received over 6,000 fresh applications from eligible persons under NDSA seeking ration cards.

First such case, where a government employee was availing benefit of subsidised food was reported from Palamu in June. Thereafter, we issued a notice asking people, who are not eligible under NFSA, to surrender ration cards, said FPD secretary Amitabh Kaushal, adding, a reminder notice would again be published in a day or two. All districts have been asked to launch such drives, he said.
American citizen John Allen Chau, who was killed by a primitive tribe in the Andamans, carried an abdominal pad, a chest shield, vitamins and a drug to quickly help clot blood, according to officials who disclosed more details into what are likely to have been his final moments.

The 26-year-old from the United States also carried fishing hooks, towels and rubber tubes as gifts, according to notes he left behind.

Chau was attacked with arrows and died in his second attempt to reach the North Sentinel Island on November 16. The previous day he had tried to enter the island, which is out of bounds for visitors, but retreated when a young boy attacked him an arrow.

The arrow, he wrote, hit a Bible he was carrying. Why did a little kid have to shoot me today? he wrote in his notes, which he left with the fishermen before swimming back the next morning. His high-pitched voice still lingers in my head.

Fishermen who helped Chau reach the island on November 16 told police they saw the tribesmen drag Chaus body and bury him in the sand. The authorities have not been able to retrieve his body yet.

Andaman officials on Friday said restrictions on entry of foreigners, tourists and research officials were still in place near North Sentinel Island though a home ministry notification had exempted foreigners from a restricted area permit (RAP) in June this year.

Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation (1956) is the principal law that protects aboriginal tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

This law restricts any kind of visit to North Sentinel Island and similar islands unless the trip is cleared by the highest authority, said C Raghu, head of the regional office of the Anthropological Survey of India in Port Blair. Dependra Pathak, director general of police of the union territory, said there were additional restrictions under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, that provides for imprisonment for entering a forest area without requisite permission.

The tourism industry, tour guides and tourists of Indian and foreign origin have to follow rules and restrictions under Andaman & Nicobar Islands Tourism Trade Regulation, 2017. These laws cover all islands in the region.

Foreign nationals require a RAP to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is available from the immigration department on arrival at Port Blair and at Indian foreign offices in several countries. The permit is valid for 30 days and can be extended by 15 days. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan are required to seek permission from the Union home ministry to visit the Andamans.

Another police official requesting anonymity said Chau knew about the restrictions and, therefore, bribed fishermen to take him to the island.
The special investigation team (SIT), probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has named Hindu right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

The SIT submitted the 9,235-page charge sheet in the Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday.

The charge sheet stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.

It also said the planning to kill Lankesh took place for almost five years.

The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation, Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.

The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.

Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.

So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.

The gang is suspected to be involved in the killing of three other rationalists M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
A court in Uttarakhands Almora has sentenced a 50-year-old man to life in prison for raping his minor niece, sent to his protection after her parents death, for over a year.

Judge Gyanendra Kumar Sharma, special court for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) ruled that the convict shall have the last breath in jail, ordering the jail authorities against giving any benefit to the convict, such as those provided for good conduct. The convict will die in Jail, the judge said in his order.

The court also ordered the Almora district magistrate to pay Rs 7 lakh compensation to the girl within 30 days in compliance with the POCSO Rules, 2012.

The accused was charged under IPC section 376 (2) (raping a woman under the custody or when she is pregnant) and under POCSO Acts section 5 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault).

The judges 43-page order was issued on November 20 but its copy was made available on Friday.

The convict, who is not being identified in order to protect the identity of the minor girl, was convicted by the court for repeatedly raping the daughter of his wifes sister from the age of 14 until she had turned 16. The matter came to light after the girl became pregnant and delivered a stillborn foetus on July 18, which she had kept in a polythene bag. An FIR was lodged on the complaint of her brother on July 27.

The girl had gone to live with her aunt and uncle after the death of her parents.

This case is an example that girls are not safe even within the family domain. The victim was sexually exploited by her uncle, under whose guardianship and protection she was living, the order said.

Her brother, in his complaint filed at the local police station, had said that after the death of his parents, he moved out of the state for a private job. On July 20, he came to his village (in Almora) and learnt about his sister. His sister then informed that mausa ji (uncle) was sexually exploiting her for the past one and a half years. For over 2-3 days, there was excessive bleeding to her, the courts noted in its order.

According to documents submitted before the court, when the convict had started sexually assaulting the minor, the victim was 14 years old, adding The material on record proves that the victim was sexually exploited before fifteen days of the delivery of fetus...

Minor girls statement before court in camera proceedings

I was living with my uncle (Mausa). My mother died before 8 years. I dont remember when my father died.... On July 18, 2018, I experienced extreme stomachache. I went to my house. I closed the room. The blood discharged from my genetic organs. A blood clotted types material came out, which I kept in a polythene... My uncle (mausa) raped me 10-12 times. He started this act before 1-1/2 years from the date of delivery...When I kept the fetus in polythene, my aunt (chachi) came in the room. My aunt asked me whose is the fetus? I informed him that fetus is of uncle (mausa)..

Court statement of victims aunt

On 18th of July this year, the victim was crying in her room...I went inside the room and saw a piece of clotted blood material kept in a polythene. I could not recognized that. The blood poured all around. The victim informed me that it is the child of (accused)..... I went to (accused)... and called him to the room. I informed ... (accused).... that victim is telling that fetus is yours. Without stating anything, the accused took away the fetus kept in polythene and thrown it somewhere else. ...Thereafter, I massaged the head of victim by oil. Victim became unconscious.
Two people, including a minor girl, wounded in two separate incidents of firing in Jammu and Kashmir since Thursday, died on Saturday, police said.

Ishfaq Ahmed Ganie, who was injured in a mysterious shooting incident near a camp of the Indian Army in central Kashmirs Budgam district on Friday evening, succumbed to his injuries at the Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar in the morning.

While local reports blamed army personnel for the firing, the force said the man was shot at by militants. Army spokesperson Rajesh Kalia had said in a statement that Ganie was shot at by terrorists 500-600 metres away from the armys camp at Chhatargam.

Kalia also said that Ganie was taken by soldiers to the Chhatargam hospital, from where doctors shifted him to Srinagar.

We are ascertaining the circumstances how the man was injured, Budgams superintendent of police Tejinder Singh said as he confirmed Ganies death.

Locals said 14-year-old Jan was critically injured during an exchange of fire by the army triggered after militants fired several shots at an army camp in Khudwani area of south Kashmirs Kulgam district on Thursday morning. She too died at a hospital.

Officials at Kulgams police control room said militants had opened fire on a Rashtriya Rifles camp, which was retaliated by the army personnel.

The girl was rushed to a local hospital in Qaimoh where from she was referred to a hospital in Srinagar.

Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the killings.

With the succumbing of 2 more civilians Ishfaq Ahmed & Muskaan Jan to Indian forces bullets the number of Kashmiris killed up to now this year has crossed 400!We make a fervent appeal to international community to help stop the massacre of Kashmiris unleashed by Indian forces! (sic) Mirwaiz tweeted.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah asked the administration to come clean about the circumstances surrounding Ganie death.

Conflicting reports of the circumstances surrounding Ishfaq Ahmeds shooting. Its imperative that the administration establish the factual position to the satisfaction of the people, especially Ishfaqs family. May Ishfaq find his place in Jannat (sic), Abdullah posted on Twitter.

Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, a body keeping track of human rights violations in the state, states that from January 1 to November 24, 2018, at least 520 people have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, which include 144 civilians, 234 militants and 142 members of armed forces and police.
The protected North Sentinelese aborigines of the Andaman & Nicobar islands, in the news after they killed American citizen John Allen Chau recently, were first captured on film in March 1974 while shooting arrows at a Films Division (FD) crew.

That dramatic episode of the aborigines shooting arrows and injuring FD filmmaker (late) Prem Vaidya is part of the 22-minute award-winning documentary, Man in Search of Man, produced by FD, a body under the information and broadcasting ministry. As recounted by Vaidya in his memoir, Memorable Assignments on Moving Images, published by National Film Archive of India, Pune, the three-member FD crew, along with some experts, left Port Blair and sailed towards North Sentinel island on March 28, 1974, reaching it the next day.

In a small boat, the crew first surveyed the 47 km island from one end to the other after which they selected a spot on the shore to keep gifts such as gunny bags with coconuts, bottles of honey, clothes, a live pig and plastic buckets. The crew then withdrew and kept vigil in a boat away from the shore. After a patient wait, they spotted three naked tribesmen, with bark-strips on their chest and carrying bows and arrows on the shore.

More tribesmen joined them and they started shooting arrows. One hit the boat making a dent, and another hit Vaidya in the thigh. Vaidya was taken to the ship for first-aid.

The doctor on the ship kept a close watch on Vaidyas wound for signs of poisoning. The pig gifted to the Sentinelese was killed and buried on the shore, as seen in the documentary. Vaidyas account quotes TN Pandit of the Anthropological Survey of India as saying that the Sentinelese were defiantly hostile and did not want anyone to land on their island. Nor did it seem that they had any knowledge of poison.

This extraordinary incident involving the Sentinelese was conveyed by the chief commissioner, Andaman and Nicobar islands, to the home ministry and described as the first sighting of the Sentinels.

(The writer is the son of the late Prem Vaidya, the documentary filmmaker)
Apprehending a repeat of 1992 in Ayodhya as the VHP gears up to hold Dharma Sabha on Sunday, convener of the Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jilani on Friday reposed faith in the states administrative machinery to ensure compliance of courts order on the disputed site saying the states political leadership could not be trusted for the same.

The states political leadership may collude with the organisers. It is up to you to ensure compliance of the Supreme Courts order on Ayodhya, provide security to Muslims of Faizabad and Ayodhya, he said in a letter addressed to UP chief secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey. A copy of the four-page letter citing various Allahabad High Court and SC rulings on maintaining status quo on the 67-acre disputed site has also been sent to principal secretary, Home, Arvind Kumar and DGP OP Singh.

There is fear and apprehension among the Muslims of Faizabad and Ayodhya, who are extremely disturbed over the law and order situation in view of the events being organized by Shiv Sena and VHP, jilani said adding that a fax had also been sent to commissioner of Ayodhya Division and district magistrate.

The chief secretary and the DGP has been urged to take appropriate security measures to maintain peace and security on these occasions. I have asked the officials to deploy central and para military forces, he said.

The motive is political and there is no doubt about it. The ground is being prepared for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said Jilani, who is also the secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli, another AIMPLB member, also linked the VHP event to elections. There is a deliberate attempt to polarise religious sentiments to spoil the communal harmony in the country to reap benefits at the time when assembly elections are being held in some states, and the Lok Sabha elections are due early next year, he said.

Jilani said as it was now certain that the Ayodhya verdict would not be delivered before the Lok Sabha polls, attempts were being made to keep intact the vote of the people who participated in the last elections hoping for a Ram temple.
Dressed in a purple sari, Bala Vaishwara sits in a red plastic chair in Lahiya colony, a mixed class neighbourhood of Indore city. Its 3pm and women have gathered to hear her speak. In the absence of a festooned stage, this is how independent candidate Bala didi  as the 28-year-old transgender woman standing from Indore-2 is called  is conducting her door-to-door campaign. I dont have a family. For people like me, the public is my family, she tells them.

As she leaves, Rani Thakur, a 36-year-old housewife, says, She said the right thing. For her, the public is the only family she has. Kinnars must be given a chance to come forward. Kinnar is one of the many socio-cultural communities of transwomen in the subcontinent. Wherever Vaishwara goes, people seek her blessing, as a kinnars good wishes are considered auspicious. Politicians touch peoples feet during elections, but people here are touching mine, she says.

Indias first transgender politician was from Madhya Pradesh  in 1998, Shabnam Mausi Bano was elected MLA from Sohagpur constituency. Two transgender women were elected mayors in 1999 and 2009, but the courts declared their win void, as they had won from seats reserved for women. After a 2014 judgment by the Supreme Court, which granted legal recognition to the third gender and held that transpersons have the right to self-identify their gender, this round of elections has seen an upswing in the number of transwomen candidates. In Telangana, which goes to the polls on December 7, Muvvala Chandramukhi will contest from Gosha Mahal. In Chhattisgarh, four transwomen have contested as independent candidates.

A Bharatiya Janata Party stronghold since 1993, Indore-2 saw incumbent Ramesh Mendola win by a record margin in 2013. The Congress candidate is Mohan Singh Sengar.

You first have to get people to stop thinking only in terms of two parties to vote for, says 40-year-old Radha Hariyale, a resident of Raghunandan Bagh, tells Vaishwara. Youve tried both parties. Youve tried men and women, now try me, she replies.

Vaishwaras support comes from Shram Andolan, a group of unions of handcart pullers, domestic workers and auto rickshaw drivers. Anil Yadav, a member of the auto rickshaw drivers union, said he supported her because he thinks she will bring the change the area needs.

Yadav handles her social media and her chela Akanksha hands out pamphlets with Bala didis campaign promises, which include Fight for the outstanding dues of mill workers; Establish a hawker zone and ensure that thelawalas can freely work for their money; Electricity, water, health facilities for poor neighbourhoods. The pamphlet does not mention the kinnar community. Her election plank is poverty. I, like you, know what it is like to be poor, Vaishwara says. Im not saying dont vote for a man or a woman. Im saying, vote for a good candidate.
In the late 1980s, as various outfits in the Sangh Parivar started campaigning for the construction of a Ram temple in place of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was quick to sense the changing public mood and hop on to the Hindutva bandwagon. He adopted the hard-line Hindu agenda more aggressively than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), forcing the latter to align with the Shiv Sena. Thackerays party gained more from the hard-line Hindutva than the BJP. Within a few years, the Sena-BJP alliance was in power with Sena playing the role of the big brother.

Now, almost three decades later, Thackerays son and current Sena chief, Uddhav, is doing the same. As Hindu right-wing outfits have started raising the pitch for a Ram temple, Uddhav has not spent much time to pick up the issue. His Ayodhya visit is aimed at the same.

However, 2018 is not 1989; the Ram temple issue has not become that big, though some outfits are planning to take it across India. So why is the Sena doing this now?

The popular theory in Maharashtras political circles is that the Hindu hard-line agenda will give Uddhav an excuse to realign with the BJP after his bitter criticism of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for the last four years. Several leaders from both parties are privately admitting that the alliance will be inevitable if they have to counter the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party led coalition in Maharashtra in the coming elections.

According to Sena insiders, this is not entirely wrong but there is more behind Uddhavs move. It is a fact that Hindutva could be the common ground for us to align with the BJP. For the past four years, we have been criticising the Modi-Shah regime in the BJP. If we forge an alliance with the BJP, it would be for Hindutva and not for Modi. We cant go to the people and seek votes in the name of Prime Minister Modi after criticising him, said a key Sena leader, who did not wish to be named.

Further, it seems the BJP will also take the help of the Hindutva agenda since the situation in the country today is not similar to 2014 when it swept the elections. In that case, we will have leverage as they know that the voters responding to the Hindutva agenda would be divided between them and us, he added.

And what if the two parties contest separately?

There is one more reason why the Sena leadership wants to adopt a hard-line agenda: It will help the party reach out to non-Marathi voters in the Mumbai-Thane-Pune belt, especially Mumbai.

The Senas leadership is aware that votes of the Marathi-speaking population will not be enough to win assembly elections or even the Mumbai civic body polls, which is crucial for the party. The Senas top brass realised this when the BJP won more assembly seats than the Sena in Mumbai in 2014 and came close to it in the 2016 civic polls. If the Sena has to reach out to non-Marathi voters, it will need the wider appeal of Hindutva. It can click with north Indian and Gujarati voters who are the largest groups after Maharashtrians in the Mumbai-Thane belt.
The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) is likely to construct the proposed link between Noidas sector 71 and Greater Noida West, officials said on Friday.

Greater Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer Narendra Bhooshan said there have been discussion in this regard and that a final decision will be taken soon.

If approved, it will be NMRCs first project. While the NMRC was formed to build the 29.7-km long Noida-Greater Noida Metro Link, also known as the Aqua Line, but it did not have the required expertise then.

Now the agency says it has recruited around 650 staff, including technical experts and administrative professionals trained by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The metro agency will soon recruit more professionals to anage the entire Aqua Line, which is expected to be opened to the public by the end of this year.

We had to rope in DMRC to construct the Aqua line because we didnt have the required expertise. Now the situation is different because we have adequate experience and required staff to construct the project on our own. If the Noida and Greater Noida authorties ask us, then we will construct this (Noida-Greater Noida west) project. But the decision has to be taken by the two authorities, said P D Upadhyay executive director of the NMRC.

The Metro project was stalled in 2017 on the ground that the route was not economically viable considering the low population in the areas located along the proposed route. With Greater Noida becoming a hub of housing complexes, the Authority decided to revisit the project.

People have started shifting into their respective housing societies. Therefore, we need to provide them public transport system. We will discuss the details related with this Metro link in our upcoming board meeting scheduled on December 3, said Bhooshan.

The Greater Noida Authority and Noida Authority CEOs are likely to decide on the funding pattern of the proposed link.

Since this is a new project aimed at connecting Noidas sector 71 with Greater Noida Wests Kisan Chowk area there is a need to conduct a survey and then decide the route length which will be in Noida and Greater Noida. The two authorities can share project cost on the basis of the length that falls into two cities. But the final decision can be taken in the board meeting only, said a Noida authority official.

The further progress of this project will take place once it is approved in the board meeting and subsequently by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Around 50,000 families who have shifted into more than a dozen housing complexes in Greater Noida West demand that the work on this project should be fast tracked.

The public transport system in Greater Noida West is in pathetic state. The government needs to provide a safe and reliable public transport system to people here. We hope the government will work on it on priority basis, said Vivek Raman a businessman and a resident of Gaur City, Greater Noida West.
Gujarat polices Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Friday arrested a hardcore Maoist of Bihar, who was the Bihar police assumed had died a year back in qan encounter, from Vapi in Valsad district of South Gujarat.

The arrested Maoist identified as Rajesh Ravidas alias Gopalji Prasad alias Uttam Ji, 33, was working as a labourer in a factory by hiding his identity. He is resident of village Bahorama under Nimchakbathani of Gaya district in Bihar.

Wanted in several cases of subversive acts including killing of 10 CRPF jawan in a landmine blast in the Aurangabad district, Bihar police had assumed that he had died during a fierce encounter between the CoBRA 205 battalion and the rebels at Nawada on April 8, 2017.

The operation in Thamkola village, forces then had claimed, had also left four Maoists dead while they assumed that Ravidas, who had fled with several bullet injuries, also died later.

According to Bihar police, Ravidas is the main associate of Bihar-Jharkhand (Magadh) special area committee in charge of CPI-Maosit, Pradyuman Sharma who is involved in more than 50 incidences of murders and extortion and who also carries a reward of Rs 50, 000 on his head.

ATS, SP, Himanshu Shukla said that the zonal commander of proscribed Maoist outfit was nabbed on a tip off. He was working as security guard in Daman under the fake name, Gopal Prasad, Shukla said, We would hand him over to Bihar police, who were on way to take him back.

After the fierce gun battle in which Ravidas was presumed killed, security forces had recovered one AK-47, one SLR and two Insas rifles from the four slain Maoists, whose bodies were recovered.

In 2018, Ravidas reached Daman where he working as security guard, later shifted to Vapi. He had joined Maoists group in 2002 as area commander of Magadh eastern zone and was allegedly involved in the IED blast of 2016 in Aurangabad in which 10 CRPF jawans were killed.

He is wanted in over 12 cases lodged with Koderma (Jharkahnd), Nawada, Gaya and Aurangabad districts.

BLURB

Wanted in many cases, including killing of 10 CRPF jawans in landmine blast in Aurangabad district, police had assumed he died during a fierce encounter between CoBRA battalion and the rebels on April 8, 2017

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Patna: A Bihar police constable is among three men arrested in the state for their alleged involvement in smuggling of AK-47 assault rifles.

An AK-47 rifle, smuggled from the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) in Jabalpur four years ago has also been recovered along with 80 live and five empty cartridges from Taufir Diara in Muffasil police station area of Bihars Munger district on Friday.

Police officials said constable Dharmaveer Kumar, a resident of Khagaria district, was picked up from New Police Lines in Patna on Tuesday for interrogation. Kumar was detained after his name cropped up during interrogation of alleged arms smuggler, Mohammad Rizwan, arrested earlier, the officials said.

Kumar, who had unsuccessfully contested the Bihar Police Mens Association election, told police that his cousin Bhadohi Yadav wanted to purchase an assault rifle for his personal purpose. He said Bhadohi, a contractor, requested one Gulo Yadav to contact someone in Mungers Bardah village for arranging an AK-47 rifle.

Munger superintendent of police (SP) Babu Ram said Kumar also revealed that Gulo contacted Narad Yadav and Vedanand Yadav (both from Taufir), who facilitated his meeting with Rizwan. Later, Rizwan took them to Mohammad Shamsher and a deal was finalised for Rs 4.5 lakh. Narad and Ved assured Rizwan Rs 50,000 as commission, Ram said.

The SP said constable Kumar, Gulo, Narad and Vedanand were present at the house of Shamsher when the AK-47 rifle was purchased.

Narad and Vedanand had been arrested and raids were on to nab Bhadohi and Gulo, the SP added.

Twentyone AK-47 assault rifles and 500 spare parts of such weapons have been seized from different localities of Munger since August 29. Of them, 12 were recovered from a well at Mirzapur-Bardha village in Muffasil police station area of Munger. The police have registered six separate cases, one of which has been taken up for the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in view of its sensitivity and wider ramifications.

The central investigating agency has obtained a detailed list of some high profile people who have purchased illegal weapons from arms smugglers of Jabalpur and Munger.

Munger, of late, has emerged as the hub for trading of sophisticated weapons, mostly AK-47 assault rifles, smuggled from arms depots and locally manufactured. The Munger police had busted one such racket involving officers of Jabalpurs Central Ordnance Depot with the local arms dealers. In all 20 persons have been arrested so far while hunt is on for some white collared people who have been allegedly patronising the illegal trade.
The Bombay high court on Thursday extended till December 14, the interim protection from arrest to activists Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde and Stan Swamy, in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case.

A bench of justices BP Dharamadhikari and Sarang Kotwal also directed the Pune police to file an affidavit by December 5 this year on its probe in the case.

The benchs direction came after the states counsel, additional government pleader Aruna Pai opposed a plea filed by Navlakha seeking that the FIR in the case against him be quashed.

Pai told the bench that while the police had enough material evidence against Navlakha, it could not yet make the same information public.

She added that at the present stage, Swamy and Teltumbde were merely suspects in the case and that the polices probe against the two, and the other activists was still ongoing.

The bench, however, took a strong exception to Pais statement and said that the prosecution was bound to place on record all the relevant information in the case.

File an affidavit putting on record whatever stage your investigation is right now. Since you are saying you cant make the details public, or known to the other party, place the reasons behind your inability to make it known, also in the affidavit. All that is necessary and relevant to the case must be brought on record, the bench said.

The bench also directed the three petitioners to file their counter-affidavits within a week from the date that the police files its affidavit.

Navlakha has challenged before the Bombay HC, an FIR registered against him and some other activists on January 1 this year in connection with the Elgar Parishad event held on December 31, 2017.

According to police, the Elgar Parishad event was funded and supported by Maoists. At the event, held a day before the January 1 clashes at Bhima Koregaon near Pune, the activists allegedly made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that contributed to the Bhima Koregaon violence, the police said.

Several activists were named in the FIR.

Some of them, including Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj, P Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha, were initially put under house arrest on the directions of the Supreme Court.

However, all of them, except Navlakha, were recently re-arrested and taken into custody by the police.

In October this year, another FIR was registered by the Pune Police on the same issue, naming eight more activists, including Teltumbde and Swamy.

Teltumbde and Swamy are yet to be arrested in the case.
European Assyrians Condemn Illegal Occupation of Assyrian Homes in Iraq

(AINA) -- The Assyrian Confederation of Europe strongly condemns the illegal occupation of hundreds of homes across Iraq. In particular, the Confederation would like to call urgent attention to the homes seized in the Nineveh Plain, which is Assyrian homeland in Iraq.

Iraqi television network al Sumaria has reported that some 350 homes that were left unoccupied by Assyrian Christians fleeing from Daesh (ISIS) have since been illegally sold to other owners through the creation of false legal documents. Hundreds of thousands of families have fled from the terror group since its arrival in 2014. Assyrians have been terrorized since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and never more so than by Daesh.

According to al Sumaria, this trend seems to be continuing, as Assyrian homes have been targeted substantially more than the property of any other group. Some appear to have been illegally sold by fraudsters and criminals, while others were seized by corrupt officials. The false papers used to sell these homes will make restitution much more difficult for their rightful owners in the future.

Some steps have already been taken to prevent future property theft through increased controls and oversight. The illegal sales of some 50 homes across the country have been cancelled.

Nevertheless, the Assyrian Confederation of Europe calls on Iraqi authorities to enforce stricter rules and more careful checks to end this despicable and corrupt practice. It is deplorable that poor and desperate people are taken advantage of in this targeted, ruthless manner. The government needs to fulfil its obligations to the people of Iraq and prevent such violations in the future.
Blac Chyna caused an uproar with her endorsement of a skin lightening cream. While many have called out the social media star for her perpetuation of colorism, which is propelled by this type of product, Chyna continues to promote her new business endeavor with pride. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkiVpjgaVU



The promotion of her collaboration with Whitenicious goes as far as calling the venture "philanthropic," despite the concept of skin bleaching being deemed an international epidemic by many critics.

"@lashedcosmetics is pleased to announce our newest global partnership with @whitenicious . Dencia and I have combined over 10 years experience in the cosmetics industry and partnering With a reputable skin care line to cater to all skin types. @lashedcosmetics and @whitenicious were a perfect match to market our products in unison to reach a wider worldwide demographics. Both companies have a significant amount of international customers and the vision that they mutually share. Our philanthropic collaboration is to encourage and empower women. Thank you and stay tuned for all of our endeavors. "

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkiDLwg32k



She is so unbothered by the criticism she earned by this product, taking time to flaunt her mode of transportation to Nigeria. The cosmetics entrepreneur is set to launch the controversial cream in Lagos this weekend.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkEor2gfKr


It's one thing to be a "Queen," but another to be a woman of integrity. Yesterday, Nicki Minaj exhibited qualities of both. The legendary rapper returned to her hometown of Queens, where she proceeded to hand out 500 Thanksgiving Turkeys to fans and families in need. Yesterday, we reported on the event, which found Nicki working alongside NYPD's 113th Precinct in the rare functional alliance between rappers and the police.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1065395303942107136



While Nicki has yet to speak on her experience beyond a few Twitter words, she took to Instagram to upload a montage of the event, backed by the soundtrack of her Queen single "Chun-Li." In the clip, Nicki can be seen exiting her car to an uproarious chorus from her legions of fans. The beaming Nicki Minaj takes time to sign autographs, hand out turkeys, pose for pictures, and interact with the people. It's a good look for the rapper, who likely made many-a-day through her generosity. It's always nice to see rappers giving back to their community, especially during the Holidays. Much respect to the Queen of Queens!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiZ_BJHFpv


2018 might be the year we witness the rise and fall of Tekashi 6ix9ine. The GUMMO rapper has dominated the rap game with his music and his trolling antics alike. Earlier this week, 6ix9ine made headlines after he and four others, including his former manager Shotti, were arrested on racketeering and firearms charges. The rapper is now facing a life sentence for his connection to the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in New York, who have been accused of committing acts of murder, robbery, drug trafficking and more.

Typically, it would be easier to gain clarity from a legal situation once more information is released, but with 6ix9ines case, it seems like things have gotten a bit more complicated. Weve created a timeline of the moments leading up the rappers arrest and his current legal situation.

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Tekashi 6ix9ine Fires His Whole Team Ahead Of American Tour And DUMMY BOY Release.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has been preparing for the release of his album, DUMMY BOY for the past few weeks, as well as a tour that was expected to launch a week before the album dropped. However, days before kicking off his first-ever American tour, he announced that he fired his whole team and canceled the tour, all while suggesting that people from his team have been taking money from him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqNrGLCnaDK



6ix9ine Appears On The Breakfast Club

During his recent appearance on the Breakfast Club, 6ix9ine went into detail about why he fired his team, including his former manager Shotti. The rapper went into detail about how MTA Bookings (who have since threatened the rapper with legal action) were forced to put more money into hiring security and local police over fears that his presence would entice violence. He went on to explain how people from his team, without saying names, were taking money from him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQM-bkgGK0



During the interview, 6ix9ine revealed that a team member ended up stealing $2.5M from him; after the promoter directly contacted 6ix9ine, he found out that someone pocketed some of his profits. It was recently revealed that his ex-manager, Shotti, was the culprit behind the missing cash.

6ix9ine Arrested On RICO Charges

6ix9ine, Shotti, and three other men were arrested on racketeering and firearms charges days after the rapper announced the mass firing. Assistant U.S. district attorney revealed that the rappers life was on the line after his interview with the Power 106 radio show, claiming his enemies wanted to super violate him and ultimately prompting his arrest. Law enforcement offered to protect 6ix9ine on Saturday, which he declined. They picked him up on Sunday after they learned he was heading to a casino where he ex-associates were located, fearing a random shooting could put innocent bystanders in harms way.

Possible Life Sentence

Tekashi 6ix9ine was indicted on six counts including:

Racketeering conspiracy.

Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was discharged.

Two counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering stemming from an incident in April.

Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was brandished

One count of violent crime in aid of racketeering stemming from an incident in July.

According to reports, the Feds have been watching the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods as far back as 2013. The rappers charges stem from a few incidents that occurred throughout the year, including the Barclays Center shooting and his alleged role in a robbery that occurred in April 2018. The police used his social media and surveillance footage as evidence. Law enforcement also used photos of himself with Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods as evidence confirming his gang affiliation. The rapper is facing a max sentence of life in prison for the firearms charges.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd8p898g0J8



Denied Bail, Placed In Gen. Pop Of Brutal Brooklyn Prison

Even after offering to hand over his passport and the rest of his bank account ($1.7M), the rapper was denied bail. According to the judge, Tekashi 6ix9ine is still a threat to the community even if placed on house arrest, which his lawyer initially tried to offer. Due to 6ix9ines alleged membership to the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, they judge claimed that he would still be able to direct acts of violence by telephone, a claim that was seemingly proven when footage of the rapper allegedly calling a hit on Tadoe surfaced earlier today.

6ix9ine was placed in the general population section of Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn which has been described as brutal. While many have been worried about the rappers place in the prison facility; through his lawyer, Tekashi confirmed that hes doing fine, though deeply concerned about his family.

DUMMY BOY Pushed Back

Through an exclusive statement from 6ix9ines BFF Akademiks, it was revealed that 6ix9ines album DUMMY BOY -- featuring Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Lil Baby & more -- was pushed back. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have postponed the release of Tekashi 6ix9ines DUMMY BOY until further notice, reads a statement from his team via Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdGnuqH9kR



6ix9ines Lawyer Denies Gang Affiliation

The prosecutors are convinced of 6ix9ines role in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, but his lawyer, Lance Lazarro, claims that its simply an act. Lazzaro said that 6ix9ine is an entertainer who portrays a gangster image to promote his music which "does not make him a member of an enterprise." In fact, Lazarro tried to paint 6ix9ine as the victim in this scenario. Mr. Hernandez became victim of this enterprise and later took steps by firing employees and publicly denounced this enterprise through a morning show, he said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BihAgUNhDvE



6ix9ine Transferred To New Prison for Security Reasons

The rappers placement in gen. pop found him roaming the prison grounds among Crips and Bloods without protection, but he has since managed to get transferred to another prison. Reports initially indicated that he was released from federal prison, but he was simply sent to another facility. 6ix9ine is currently in a unit with neutral inmates, which essentially means that no gang members are roaming around, which was exactly what he asked for. His lawyer stated that the was the transfer was due to security reasons as 6ix9ine was receiving threats from gang members.

Whats interesting about the new facility is that its used to house witnesses who cut deals: a.k.a snitches. There hasnt been any confirmation that hes been working with the police, but many seemed to be convinced that he is.
In his poem Gulf Music, former poet laureate Robert Pinsky writes, The past is not decent or orderly. It is made up and devious. The man was correct when he said its not even past.

While Pinsky was writing in part about the 1900 hurricane that leveled Galveston, he was writing about New Orleans, too.

Its entirely appropriate, then, that Jason Berry should quote Pinksy  and pay indirect homage to William Faulkner  at the outset of his fascinating, expertly researched and masterfully written history of the city that care forgot.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when some pundits made bold to suggest there was no point to rebuilding the town because of climate change, no doubt many New Orleans natives thought there were far too many people who had forgotten to care about their city at all. Berry, who has been living in and writing about the people, music and politics of the Crescent City for much of his adult life, was by no means among those naysayers. Through his research and reporting, he already knew its pivotal importance as a crucible for the evolution of American culture.

He distinguished himself with his 1986 history of New Orleans music, Up From the Cradle of Jazz, as well as through his groundbreaking 1992 book, Lead Us Not Into Temptation, which uncovered a pattern of sexual abuse of minors in rural Louisiana. His 2011 book, Render Unto Rome, won the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award.

City of a Million Dreams By Jason Berry University of North Carolina Press 424 pages; $35 See More Collapse

With City of a Million Dreams, Berry has turned his considerable reporting prowess toward profiling the city he loves like no other with an abundantly evident, ardent passion.

He begins this extraordinary book with an emotionally moving recounting of famed New Orleans songwriter and performer Allen Toussaints funeral on Nov. 20, 2015, when 1,600 people packed the Orpheum Theatre. Numerous musicians and civic leaders saluted Toussaint and his music before the Preservation Hall Jazz Band marched everyone out to the street to send his casket off in a white hearse for what, Berry notes, Jelly Roll Morton once called the end of a perfect death.

Poetry, death and transformation, music, dancing and marching are very much at the heart of Berrys City of a Million Dreams, which takes its title, fittingly, from the jazz song by Johnny Wiggs and Raymond Burke.

The result of over a quarter century of Berrys indefatigable research, this 332-page, extensively footnoted and annotated work captures the readers attention with a cavalcade of astoundingly detailed accounts of the exploits and adventures of a cornucopia of outstanding people who have left an enduring mark on New Orleans and the conflicts that have forged its distinctive urban culture.

To Berry, all of New Orleans colorful people and their culture have roots in a place once known as Congo Square, named, ironically, for the executioner.

As he puts it, There was a time, deep in the citys past, when the reach of African memory cradled a large field that lay behind the rampart of the town. Today, a wedge of that space occupies a corner of Louis Armstrong Park within the Rampart Street wall. The evolution of that land and its African rituals carried a quaking drama of memory and resistance. A culture of spectacle pushed against the city of laws like tectonic plates beneath the earth.

Perhaps Berrys greatest achievement in writing this book is to create a seamless, holographic tapestry out of the many disparate threads in New Orleans history, tying together stories from its Spanish, French, American, Confederate, Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction periods, during which it reinvented itself in line with the mythology of what 19th-century white supremacists called the Lost Cause  through the civil rights movement and desegregation all the way to Katrina and the citys rebirth.

Berry pulls no punches in describing the New Orleans of the past as a place where vice was long plentiful and profitable, where police were easily bribed, where political gangs of Irish and Italians clashed with upper-class whites, where city government was a vassal to the governor and state legislature and where school desegregation in the 1960s was fought by many locals, tooth and nail.

At the same time, though, Berry twists his literary kaleidoscope little by little as the book progresses to help the reader see how the culture of jazz, elaborate funeral parades and second lines with their brass bands, indigenous Afrian-American spirituality and the gloriously surreal pageantry of Carnival, with its exotic krewes and their parades, all evolved from the very slave dances through which the people who built the early city expressed their hope for a better future  in this world, and the next.

But Berry also sees New Orleans as a city redeemed by its own art, culture and spirituality. As he puts it, Music and dancing coursed across the racial divide like a current of electricity charging both cultures.

He sees that current moving now to inspire its leaders to fully confront the legacy of racism and white supremacy. He eloquently recounts how former mayor Mitch Landrieu and the city council removed the statues of Robert E. Lee and other Confederate heroes from places of glory, at considerable personal risk.

City of a Million Dreams is an inspiring response to those who would have left New Orleans to decay away in the wake of Katrina, a tale of resilience and progress in the face of great odds.

Toward the end of the book, Berry describes the colorful 2014 funeral of Black Indian Big Chief Larry Bannock of the Golden Starhunters, where his fellow Indians paraded in their beaded and feathered finery. A man watching the parade yelled, as the hearse rolled by, Big Chief dont never bow down!

Berry convincingly makes the case that, thanks to the collective energy, over three centuries, of all the people whom he has chronicled and celebrated, and many more, neither will New Orleans.

Ed Conroy is a writer in San Antonio.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to issue an unusually quick ruling on the Pentagons policy of restricting military service by transgender people. Its the fourth time in recent months the administration has sought to bypass lower courts that have blocked some of its more controversial proposals and push the high court, with a conservative majority, to weigh in quickly on a divisive issue.

Earlier this month, the administration asked the high court to fast-track cases on the presidents decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields young immigrants from deportation. Administration officials also recently asked the high court to intervene to stop a trial in a climate change lawsuit and in a lawsuit over the administrations decision to add a question on citizenship to the 2020 census.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, a frequent target of criticism by President Trump, is involved in three of the cases. Trumps recent salvo against the Obama judge who ruled against his asylum policy  not one of the issues currently before the Supreme Court  prompted Chief Justice John Roberts to fire back at the president for the first time for feeding perceptions of a biased judiciary.

Joshua Matz, publisher of the liberal Take Care blog, said the timing of the administrations effort to get the Supreme Court involved in the issues at an early stage could hardly be worse for Roberts and other justices who have sought to dispel perceptions that the court is merely a political institution, especially since the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. At an especially sensitive moment for the Supreme Court, the Trump administration is forcing it into a minefield that many justices would almost surely prefer to avoid, Matz said.

The Supreme Court almost always waits to get involved in a case until both a trial and appeals court have ruled in it. Often, the justices wait until courts in different areas of the country have weighed in and come to different conclusions about the same legal question.

So its rare for the justices to intervene early as the Trump administration has been pressing them to do. One famous past example is when the Nixon administration went to court to try to prohibit the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the secret history of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

In the immigration case, the administration told the high court that it should step in and decide the fate of DACA ahead of an appeals courts ruling because the policy otherwise could be in place until the middle of 2020 before the justices might otherwise rule. The appeals court has since ruled, but the administrations request that the court hear the case stands.

In the military case, the administration argued that the Supreme Court should step in before an appeals court rules because the case involves an issue of imperative public importance: the authority of the U.S. military to determine who may serve in the Nations armed forces.

In a statement, Peter Renn, an attorney for Lambda Legal, which brought one of the challenges to the transgender military policy, called the Trump administrations action Friday a highly unusual step that is wildly premature and inappropriate.

The Pentagon initially lifted its ban on transgender troops serving openly in the military in 2016, under President Barack Obamas administration. But the Trump administration revisited that policy, with Trump ultimately issuing an order banning most transgender troops from serving in the military except under limited circumstances. Several lawsuits were filed over the administrations policy change, with lower courts all ruling against the Trump administration.

Still ongoing in lower courts are the census and climate change cases. The Supreme Court for now has refused to block the climate change trial. In the census question case, the court has agreed to decide what kind of evidence a trial judge can consider and indefinitely put off questioning of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. But it rejected an administration request to delay the trial and allowed other depositions to take place.

The court will hear arguments in the census question case in February. Its unclear when it will act on the administrations other requests.

Jessica Gresko and Mark Sherman are Associated Press writers.
This time of year, President Trump should be thankful for the immigration debate.

It is a distraction that steals the publics attention away from administration flubs, GOP election losses and policy failures. Its a tool to fire up his base, especially those folks who say they care about the rule of law but really worry that America is becoming too brownish. And its a way to oversimplify a complicated issue that revolves around supply and demand as well as a need to balance workforce demands with legitimate concerns about whether foreigners are properly assimilating.

If youre a president who doesnt mind breaking apart society and dividing the American people for your own benefit, the immigration debate can be incredibly useful. But it must be handled with care.

The issue often slips away from Trump. Promises get broken. Lies get told. Initiatives are reversed. There is backtracking and doubletalk. The White House will get everyone all worked up, and then say: Oh, never mind.

Indeed, if all the policy discussions were attractions in an amusement park, immigration would be Mr. Trumps Wild Ride.

Here are some recent twists and turns:

Trump promised a big beautiful wall on the U.S.-Mexico border that would keep out illegal immigrants and illegal drugs. But he misled his supporters into thinking that Mexico would pay for it. When Mexico took a hard pass, the wall got downsized to barbed wire and fence repairs. Last week, during a visit to the border near San Diego, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen  who youd think would have empathy for people looking for work since, according to media reports, she could soon be without a job herself  proudly surveyed the metal structures and declared her mission accomplished.

Trump said early in his presidential campaign that any wall that his administration built would have a wide door to let immigrants come in legally. And, in recent weeks, he has repeatedly made the case that America welcomes legal immigration as a way to fill vacant jobs. Yet, by any measure, this administration has been extremely hostile to legal immigration. It pursues policies that would whittle it down to dangerously low levels, and punishes legal immigrants who have been forced to rely on public-assistance programs that they paid for with their taxes.

Trump tried to gin up votes for Republicans in the midterm elections by making a big spectacle of dispatching 5,800 U.S. troops to the border. Supposedly, they were going to repel an approaching caravan of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 migrants and refugees. The stunt didnt work. Voters chose health care as their top issue over immigration. And, as soon as the election was over, Army Lt. Jeffrey Buchanan told Politico that the troops would be heading home in time for Christmas. As they leave, the troops can wave at the caravan, which has now started arriving in Tijuana.

Finally, remember when Trump got the nativist right wing all worked up over a promise to scrap the 14th Amendment and end so-called birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants? Well, forget it. That was never a serious idea. That was just a cruel tease intended to manipulate the hardliners. According to The Washington Post, now that the midterms are done, White House officials are freely admitting that Trump has no plans at the moment to follow through with an executive order that would end birthright citizenship.

Are we having fun yet? Trump still seems to be having a blast with his favorite chew toy: the immigration issue.

Im not having fun. Its surreal to watch someone who got so many breaks in life due to his fathers money and connections talk about the importance of only letting in immigrants with merit. Its absurd to see someone who has, throughout his business career, cut corners and violated regulations suddenly emphasizing the importance of following the rules. And its ridiculous to have someone who has  at various points in his life  paid little or no taxes, taking full advantage of existing loopholes and creating new ones, accusing others of gaming the system.

Nonetheless, lets give Trump credit for knowing his audience. He has a Ph.D. in human nature. He figured out that Americans  whether in politics, media or the town square  just love to talk about immigration.

Imagine how much better off this country would be if they, and the president whom so many of them support, actually knew what they were talking about.

Navarrettes email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com. His daily podcast, Navarrette Nation, is available through every podcast app.




iciHaiti - Environment : Haiti participates in COP 14 in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt)





The Government of Haiti takes part in the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14) taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from 17th to 29th of November 2018. UN Environment Haiti country office, upon request from the government, is providing technical support to the participation of the Haitian delegation to this crucial event which informs negotiations to define common strategies for worldwide biodiversity.



The Haitian delegation is represented by the Director of the Biodiversity Direction which is also the focal point for the Rio Convention and by UN Environment Haiti environmental governance specialist. Particular focus is made on themes considered as strategic during the consultation workshop with stakeholders for the definition of national priorities. Thus the delegation is following closely discussions related to:



marine biodiversity



invasive exotic species



responsibility and reparation



guarantees in funding mechanisms for biodiversity



fight against climate change effects on biodiversity



integration of biodiversity in sector-specific public policies



elaboration of the post-2020 strategy for biodiversity



On the sideline of the negotiations, Haiti participated in a parallele event organized by the French-speaking Institute for Sustainable Development (IFDD) and moderated by the European Union, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), Madagascar and Haiti. The Haitian delegation presented its experience in creating marine protected areas as a strategy for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and integrated regional development (taking into account the work done in the south of the country).



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Crisis : PM meeting with ambassadors from OAS member countries





Friday, November 23 at his official residence, Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant, was visited by several ambassadors from member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS).



Anxious to scrupulously respect the rules of the democratic game and the constitutional order, the diplomats wanted to express their support to the Government in the difficult situation that the country is currently going through. The opportunity to take stock of the political and socio-economic situation and more specifically to discuss how to implement an inclusive dialogue to try to resolve the crisis in Haiti.



At the end of the visit, the diplomats reiterated their desire to strengthen the technical and financial cooperation ties with Haiti.



PI/ iciHaiti


















Imperial Valley News Center

Protecting Our Southern Border and Working With Mexico to Address Caravans

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "I have been in close contact with Mexican Foreign Secretary Videgaray and it has been one week since Secretary Nielsen and I had a constructive meeting with Mexican Foreign Secretary-designate Marcelo Ebrard to discuss the migrant caravans. We have affirmed our shared commitment to addressing the current challenge. The caravans will not be permitted to enter the United States. There are real dangers to the safety and human rights of migrants from those who would prey on them.

"I look forward to working with the incoming Mexican government on all aspects of our relationship, including exploring opportunities to spur job creation in the region, including in Southern Mexico, to benefit the government and people of Mexico."
Imperial Valley News Center

Seniors are targets for telescammers

Washington, DC - Americans receive tens of billions of robocalls each year-- thats billions with a B. And, you can make book on the fact that too many of them are not from telemarketers but from telescammers targeting senior citizens, says the Association of Mature American Citizens.

Technology is making it easier to place automated phone calls and while many legitimate companies use them to sell products and services, criminals are having a lucrative field day using computer generated calls to swindle innocent citizens, according to AMAC president Dan Weber.

The Federal Communications Commission [FCC] says that the number one consumer complaint it consistently receives is for unwanted automated calls. In fact, during the first half of 2018, the number of robocalls increased by at least 50%.

Ethan Garr, an executive at TelTech, a company that makes one of the many call blocker apps on the market, says that robocalls are cheap. He says it costs just a penny a minute. And, the technology news Web site, Futurism reports that some phone carriers actually kick back micropayments to telemarketers, and scammer.

Although such payments amount to just a fraction of a penny a call, it adds up considering the fact that the callers are making billions of calls a month. The Robocall Index, which keeps track of automated call frequency, says that more than 5 billion such calls were made in the U.S. just last month, more than double the number of calls made in the same period in 2017.

As for the scam calls, just last month police in Pennsylvania arrested a man in connection with a telescam leveled at senior citizens. He was charged with swindling elderly in various parts of the country out of some $400,000. What he allegedly did was to call seniors and tell them that a grandson was in trouble and needed cash immediately.

And then there was the Publishers Clearing House scammer who called a 90-year-old woman in New York earlier this month and conned her out of $20,000 by claiming she had won a PCH prize.

Both of these scams are fairly common, says Weber. But, oftentimes the crooks get creative. For example, the IRS says some of them have found ways to alter their caller IDs to make it look as though the Internal Revenue Service is on the line. Theyll then threaten stiff penalties if the victims fail to pay money that they allegedly owe.

The problem has gotten so bad that the Federal Trade Commission has created a scam alert that can help consumers avoid fraud, including telephone fraud. I also provides what some might call a hit parade of the latest cons.

Automated telephone calls may be annoying, but the statistics show that most them are legitimate sales calls. However, NBC News recently reported that as many as 40% of robocalls in the U.S. are from scammers. That means telescammers are targeting more than 10 billion potential victims a year.

It doesnt mean that all robocalling is bad. Such calls can serve useful purposes such as when they alert you to a life-threatening storm that may be approaching. Or when they alert you to potentially fraudulent use of a credit card, remind you of an upcoming appointment with your doctor or let you know that your prescription is ready for pick up at your local pharmacy, says Weber.
Imperial Valley News Center

Marking the 85th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Holodomor

Washington, DC - This month we join Ukrainians around the world in marking the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, when millions of innocent Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death by the regime of Josef Stalin. The Soviet Unions barbaric seizure of Ukrainian land and crops was undertaken with the deliberate political goal of subjugating the Ukrainian people and nation. This catastrophic man-made famine was one of the most atrocious acts of the twentieth century and a brutal reminder of the crimes of communism.

Today, Ukrainians are once again dying as a result of Russia attempts to destroy the identity and Western aspirations of the people of Ukraine. Russias ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine has resulted in more than 10,000 deaths. However, Russia will not vanquish the resilient Ukrainian spirit, nor dampen Ukrainians desire for a better future.

As we remember the Holodomors millions of innocent victims, we reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraines national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the Ukrainian peoples right to chart their own course.
Imperial Valley News Center

Chunwei, Inc. Recalls Meat and Poultry Products

Washington, DC - Chunwei, Inc., a Huntington Park, California establishment, is recalling approximately 65,023 pounds of various ready-to-eat and raw meat and poultry products because the products are misbranded and may contain soy, wheat, dairy, egg, and sesame, known allergens, as well as monosodium glutamate (MSG), which are not declared on the finished product label, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products were produced on various dates from November 16, 2017 through November 19, 2018. The following products are subject to recall and can be found here:

The products subject to recall bear establishment number EST. P-8110 or EST. 8110 inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a distributor and to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered by FSIS Inspection Program Personnel while conducting a routine label verification task.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be consumers refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Yibin Huang, Owner of Chunwei, Inc., at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at (626) 278-8199.
Attacks in Orakzai and Karachi, Pakistan

Washington, DC - The United States condemns in the strongest terms todays terrorist attacks in Orakzai and Karachi, Pakistan, which killed over 30 people and injured dozens more. We send our deepest condolences to the victims families and wish for the speedy recovery of those injured.

We also commend the Pakistani security forces quick and brave response to the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi that prevented further loss of life. The United States stands with the Pakistani people in the face of these terrorist acts, and will continue to seek opportunities to cooperate with the Pakistani government to combat these threats in the region.
The trailer for Disney's remake of The Lion King has roared onto the Internet, setting social media alight.

Fans of the animation quickly noticed the striking similarity, with the minute-long clip being almost shot-for-shot re-imagination of the original.

Already, side-by-side comparisons have been produced, showing just how accurately director Jon Favreu has made the film. Watch below.

The cast also includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce as the lioness Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumba, Billy Eichner as Timon, Alfre Woodard as Sarari and John Oliver as Zazu.

James Earl Jones returns as Mufasa, while Eric Andre, Florence Kasumba and Keegan-Michael Key voice Scar's three spotted hyena henchmen.

The best films of 2018 (so far) Show all 17 1 /17 The best films of 2018 (so far) The best films of 2018 (so far) The Guardians From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama. Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean De Florette or Manon Des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters. The best films of 2018 (so far) Dark River Dark River offers little such consolation. It has some lyrical and delicate moments but the mood is generally overwhelmingly bleak and lugubrious. Incest and abuse dont leave much space for any comic interludes. This is a powerful film with a grinding intensity about it. Light relief it isnt but Dark River still has quite an impact. Alamy The best films of 2018 (so far) Zama Late on in Argentinean director Lucrecia Martels startling, highly original new feature, Zama, a character who has just had both his arms cut off, is advised to shove your stumps in the sand  if you dont bleed out, youll survive. Its a grisly, darkly humorous moment in a film that continually surprises us with both its brutality and its lyricism. The Match Factory The best films of 2018 (so far) The Breadwinner The most dispiriting aspect of this otherwise enrapturing Oscar-nominated animated feature is that its storyline still seems so current. The film depicts an Afghan society in which women dont have a face. It is set during the Taliban rule, which lasted from the mid-1990s until late 2001, but this doesnt feel like a period piece. Seventeen years after the Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan following the US invasion, the plight of women in the country appears hardly to have improved. GKIDS The best films of 2018 (so far) BlacKkKlansman Spike Lees work sometimes risks sensory overload. He fires off so many different ideas and storytelling styles that audiences can become bamboozled by his scattergun approach. BlacKkKlansman is one of his very best films because the digressions are as entertaining as ever but dont get in the way of the main story. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Early Man Much of the pleasure in Aardman films has always lain in their gently ironic, Alan Bennett-like humour. They take very exotic characters and subject matter but then deal with them in a matter-of-fact fashion. They make a virtue out of their own relative modesty. Early Man isnt the flashiest animated feature that youll see this year but it is certainly the most likeable. The best films of 2018 (so far) Isle of Dogs Like all of Wes Andersons work, Isle Of Dogs is very stylised, very offbeat and characterised by its extremely dry and often ironic humour. This Japanese-set stop-motion fable is also gorgeous to look at  packed full of intricate visual detail. It deals with some weighty themes (ethnic cleansing, fascism and corruption) but does so in an idiosyncratic fashion. The best films of 2018 (so far) Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri Writer-director Martin McDonagh has a host of award-winning plays behind him but his movies havent always lived up to his stage work. This one certainly does. It shares some of the dark and nihilistic humour found in McDonaghs previous film, Seven Psychopaths. The best films of 2018 (so far) A Quiet Place In an era of wearisome poltergeist movies, haunted house stories and torture porn, A Quiet Place is a refreshingly pared-down and very original affair. Director John Krasinski relies on editing, sound effects and off-screen action to crank up the tension. We do see the creatures from time to time, sometimes even in extreme closeup. They are very grotesque, bigger versions of the polyp-like succubus which exploded out of John Hurts stomach in Alien. However, the most terrifying moments here come when the humans are waiting for them to appear, desperately hoping that they wont. Paramount Pictures The best films of 2018 (so far) Lady Bird Lady Bird is one of the best American coming-of-age films since Barry Levinsons Diner. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, it offers an utterly winning mix of humour, poignancy and sharp-eyed social observation. Gerwig approaches her subject matter with the same tenderness and affectionate irony with which the adolescent Lady Bird regards Sacramento. Gerwig also shows Lady Birds heroism as the young heroine strives against the odds to become the very best version of herself she can be. A24 The best films of 2018 (so far) Phantom Thread If Phantom Thread is indeed Daniel Day-Lewiss final film as an actor, he is going out on a wondrously bizarre note. This must be the oddest film in his career, one in which he gives a typically commanding but very idiosyncratic performance. Almost everything here is jarring  but generally in a very positive way. The best films of 2018 (so far) First Reformed It is not so long ago that Paul Schrader seemed to be giving up on cinema. The American writer-director (whose credits include Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Affliction) had taken to making movies like the sour Hollywood satire The Canyons with Lindsay Lohan and the cartoonishly violent Dog Eat Dog, shot cheaply, aimed at a VOD audience. The former had a montage of closed-down movie theatres. In interviews, Schrader struck a gloomy note about the future of the industry. This is why First Reformed is so refreshing. This is not just Schraders best film in a very long while. It is also a re-affirmation of the directors belief in the medium. Rex The best films of 2018 (so far) The Happy Prince Oscar Wilde goes to ruin in Rupert Everetts debut feature as director. Everett also wrote and stars in the film, giving a grandstanding performance as the Irish writer at the end of his life, after his release from prison, where he has been doing hard labour for gross indecency. This is a moving and surprising biopic that squeezes out every last drop of pathos from its subject matter. BBC Films The best films of 2018 (so far) Black Panther Black Panther is not only one of the most entertaining recent superhero films but has an intelligence and a political dimension that such inchoate offerings as Suicide Squad and Justice League completely lacked. It is an action movie which touches on Pan-Africanism and which owes as much to Malcolm X as it does to Batman or Captain America. Marvel Studios/Disney The best films of 2018 (so far) Sicilian Ghost Story Sicilian Ghost Story is a genre-bending affair that combines elements of teen romance, gothic psycho-drama and political thriller. It is loosely based on a true story of a boy called Giuseppe Di Matteo whose father, an ex-member of the Sicilian Mafia, turned grass against his erstwhile associates. The Mafia responded by kidnapping Giuseppe and keeping him in captivity for nearly 800 days. Altitude The best films of 2018 (so far) First Man First Man is all about understated heroism. Its affecting precisely because Armstrong (played with quiet intensity by Ryan Gosling) doesnt feel the continual need to boast about his mission. The film is a tearjerker but a very subtle one. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Dogman Dogman is one of the best Italian films of recent times, a modern day neo realist fable that bears comparison with the great work of Fellini, Rossellini, De Sica et al. Its main character, the dog groomer Marcello (Marcello Fonte), is a wonderful creation: loveable, vulnerable, seedy and comic all at the same time. Curzon Artificial Eye

The film will follow in the line of successful live-action remakes, including Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book, the latter of which was also directed by Favreau.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are moving out of Kensington Palace to set up a new home in the grounds of Windsor Castle in preparation for the birth of their first child, who is due in spring 2019.

The royal couple have lived in Nottingham Cottage since their engagement last year and will be moving to Frogmore Cottage in early 2019.

The 10-bedroom cottage overlooks Frogmore House, which is where the Duke and Duchess had their evening wedding reception in May.

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Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses, reads an official statement released by Kensington Palace, and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate.

The Duke and Duchesss office will continue to be based at Kensington Palace.

The couples new home is a Grade II-listed, two-storey countryside manor which is half a mile from Windsor Castle.

The couple's new home is close to where they had their wedding reception (PA)

It was previously being used as staff accommodation and is set to undergo significant refurbishments ahead of the couple moving in.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will maintain their official residence with their three children at Kensington Palace, though their private home, Sandringham Estate, is also outside of London and is based in Norfolk.
The founders of Italian fashion label Dolce & Gabbana have apologised to fans in a video posted on Twitter after adverts released by the brand featuring an Asian model eating Italian food with chopsticks were labelled racist by critics.

The DG Loves China campaign was described as offensive and pandering to false stereotypes, which led to the cancellation of the brands upcoming fashion show in Shanghai and calls for a boycott.

Now, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have followed up an apologetic statement, which was published on Instagram on Thursday, with a short clip, in which the design duo have reiterated their remorse.

Our families have always taught us to respect the various cultures of the world, and for this, we want to apologise if we have made mistakes in interpreting your culture, said Dolce, speaking in Italian.

We have always loved China; we have visited many cities ... and certainly we still have much to learn.

In the subtitled video, Gabbana adds: We offer our sincerest apologies to Chinese people worldwide.

 Dolce & Gabbana's new advert shows a Chinese woman struggling to eat a pizza with chopsticks

The designers explained that they have taken the backlash very seriously and reassured fans that nothing like this would ever happen again.

The controversies surrounding the ad campaign deepened when a number of screenshots began circulating online appearing to show Gabbana making further derogatory comments about Chinese people.

But the designer denied ever writing such comments, claiming that his account had been hacked, adding that his legal team was looking into resolving the issue.

Chinese retailers have reportedly responded to the controversies by removing D&G products from their websites.

The apology has garnered a mixed response on Twitter, with some fans expressing gratitude for their comments while others clearly remain unconvinced, citing past examples when the designers have made offensive remarks.

I will never buy D&G again, wrote one person. Too much choice out there. Why wear a brand that is racist, rude and attacks young women online by demeaning their looks. Remember Stefano saying Selena Gomez was ugly  D&G can go bust for all I care. Only ugly I see is coming from their mouths.

Another added, Its too late, youve literally put yourself in a position where youve lost face and this the the worst thing you could do.

I think 1.4 billion people will never buy anything from you again. Go to a different market- youve lost this one @dolcegabbana.
In the grand library of the Auckland War Memorial Museum on a Saturday morning in August, a small group of new and slightly nervous Wikipedia editors gather for a day of training that will arm them to tackle New Zealands lacklustre representation on the crowdsourced online encyclopedia.

Leading the so-called Wikiblitz is New Zealands official Wikipedian-at-Large, Mike Dickison, 49, who has in some senses been preparing his entire life for this job. As a collector of things and knowledge, he has pursued a string of enthusiasms, beginning with insects, shells and feathers (he put together his own museum as a boy), then giant flightless birds (a PhD on those), then ended up, appropriately enough, with a job as the natural history curator at a museum. He once taught a class in knitting as therapy for stressed-out men after a major earthquake.

For the moment, he is involved in something a little less fascinating, guiding the group through the process of adding photos from the museums collection to pages on Wikipedia. The new editors  curious members of the public, many of whom had created their accounts the evening before  were mostly women, a fact Dickison was pleased to note. Wikipedia records its editors as 90 per cent male.

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Be bold! Dont be stymied by worry, Dickison tells the group, assuring them that early in his Wikipedia career, he accidentally blanked more than one entire page by mistake  leaving it completely empty of information.

As the countrys roving Wikipedian-at-Large, he is spending a year coaxing New Zealanders to take up volunteer editing on what is the worlds fifth most visited website. His salary and travel are funded by a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia, as part of its investment in encyclopaedic contributions from emerging communities, including New Zealand.

As a boy, Mike Dickison would display his collected items in a homebuilt museum (Ken Downie/Bauer Media)

The South Pacific country is underrepresented on Wikipedia, and Dickison describes the state of many of the countrys pages as dire.

His skills are self-taught, but Dickisons affinity with Wikipedias gathering of community knowledge follows on from his lifelong obsession with collecting. Growing up in Christchurch, on the South Island of New Zealand, the son of an apprentice boilermaker father  who later ran a sporting goods store  and a homemaker mother, Dickison feels he was destined for a museum curators job.

What started as a typical childhood infatuation with dinosaurs developed into a fascination with the moa, a giant flightless bird native to New Zealand, which is now extinct. Dickisons father, who had left school at 15, encouraged his sons enthusiasm for curating. He built the glass cases for his son to display his treasures in his museum.

Even then, Dickison was irked by the lack of information about New Zealands native fauna.

A skeleton of a giant moa found in New Zealand (York Museums Trust)

I was mad on insects, and in 1983 you had one book on New Zealand insects, which was written in the Seventies, with just a few colour plates, he says, adding that he is now writing his own childrens book on New Zealands natural history.

His preoccupation with the moa led Dickison to complete a PhD on the subject of giant flightless birds at Duke University in North Carolina decades later.

I had no idea where North Carolina was or any fact about it whatsoever, Dickison says. The only Duke I knew was The Dukes of Hazzard.

The appeal of giant flightless birds, to Dickison at least, seems simple: Theyre just enormous. Theyre really big. I mean, why do kids like dinosaurs? Because theyre huge.

He dreams of travelling back 1,000 years in time to see the moa in its natural New Zealand habitat before it was wiped out by Polynesian settlers 500 years ago. He has even investigated the taxonomic origins of the Sesame Street character Big Bird (his conclusion: a giant flightless crane).

Dickison made some of his first contributions to pages about Jaffas, a New Zealand sweet, mandolins, and the film This Is Spinal Tap

His enthusiasm for the smallest pieces of knowledge  Dickisons own website includes a map of everywhere in the world he has received a haircut  led to a day job as natural history curator at Whanganui Regional Museum, on the North Island.

But by night, he was beginning to rack up hours as a volunteer editor on Wikipedia, and he ran workshops training other new editors at a local library.

His edit history, which began in 2009, is not quite as lettered as his museum pedigree: Dickison made some of his first contributions to pages about Jaffas, a type of New Zealand sweet, mandolins and the film This Is Spinal Tap.

How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Show all 7 1 /7 How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Coders build websites at the headquarters of Gaza Sky Geeks in Gaza City Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Gaza Sky Geeks headquarters is home to Gaza's first coding academy Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Students from the Gaza Sky Geeks six-month coding course brush up their skills Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Graffiti along the walls of the coding academy's headquarters Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures The coding academy is into its fifth round of students in Gaza Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures The coding academy hopes to open a branch in the West Bank Bel Trew/The Independent How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures How young Gazans are using tech to take control of futures Bel Trew/The Independent

He said he realised towards the end of his tenure as a natural history curator that the work he did on Wikipedia in his free time had much more impact.

After successfully applying to be Wikipedian-at-Large, Dickison left his job then filled my four-wheel-drive with plastic bins of worldly possessions and launched off around the country on an adventure.

Dickison is no stranger to connecting unlikely groups of people. Upon his return to New Zealand from Duke, the sometime ukulele player was frustrated by the lack of sheet music for New Zealand standards. So he wrote a book of local songs for ukulele and travelled the North Island, teaching and performing them.

Christchurch Cathedral after an earthquake in 2011 (Getty)

After a deadly earthquake struck his home city of Christchurch in 2011, killing 185 people and flattening much of the central city, Dickison ran the knitting-as-therapy class, having taught himself first as a way of coping with the devastation.

In the 1990s, he hosted sessions in internet cafes to help newcomers explore the World Wide Web.

I dont understand why I do these things, he says. Im supposed to be an introvert. But if I find something Im passionate about, I need to share it and get other people involved too.

The fate of Christchurch was a cautionary tale about the need for societies to preserve their information, Dickison says. When the 2011 earthquake struck, every formative place from his childhood was destroyed, including his family home and former schools.

Google Street View was still running images of prequake Christchurch for a while after the earthquake, and there was a huge worry that they would take those down and replace them with up-to-date views, he says, adding that images of the city before the disaster had now been archived and preserved.

I feel like weve been a bit cavalier about looking after knowledge in New Zealand, Dickison says. Too often, it just slips away.

As Wikipedian-at-Large, he is charged with recruiting others to help preserve that knowledge online, with a particular emphasis on women and minorities, who are underrepresented in New Zealands small editing community. He plans more meetups and training sessions like the one at Auckland Museum, and he will be resident around the country at locations including a government department and a bird sanctuary.

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Dickison also hopes to entice reticent public and private institutions to crack open their vaults of knowledge and expertise, making them more accessible for Wikipedia editors to use.

I often have experts tell me they read a Wikipedia article that they know something about and it was full of inaccuracies, he says.

I always say, Well, did you fix them? And if you didnt fix them, why are you complaining to me? Its like walking outside and complaining that its raining and not putting up an umbrella. Of course youre wet!

 New York Times
The majority of women living in Europe are being put at risk by laws that fail to recognise sex without consent as rape, a study by Amnesty International has revealed.

Three-quarters of EU member states only legally recognise rape when physical violence, threats or coercion is involved, according to analysis published ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Saturday.

The charity said the findings highlight how flawed and outdated legislation is perpetuating a dangerous culture of victim blaming across the continent, allowing rape cases to fall through the gaps in legal systems, despite the momentum of the #MeToo movement.

Womens fear of not being believed is confirmed time and time again, as we see courageous survivors who do seek justice frequently failed by outdated and harmful definitions of rape in law and treated appallingly by justice officials, said the studys author, Anna Bus.

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Only seven out of 28 EU member states, including the UK, Ireland, Germany and Cyprus, have laws under which rape is defined by consent.

Across Europe, attitudes towards consent vary. In 2016, the EU Commission revealed that more than a quarter of citizens believed that sexual intercourse without consent was justifiable, if the victim was drunk, wore revealing clothes or flirted beforehand.

However, in some central and eastern European countries this number was higher, with half of Romanian respondents believing non-consensual sex could sometimes be justified.

Ms Bus argued that the law plays a large role in shaping and enabling such views, with the power to enable justice and influence attitudes.

Sex without consent is rape, full stop. Until governments bring their legislations in line with this simple fact, the perpetrators of rape will continue to get away with their crimes, she said.

This year has seen several EU countries move towards consent-based legislation.

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Following protests over the La manada (wolf pack) case, where rape charges against five men accused of raping a girl during the Pamplona bull-run were dropped over issues of consent, Spain followed Swedens example and announced a new yes means yes based law.

The matter has also been raised in countries such as Italy, Portugal and Denmark.

However, legislation is only the first step, said Ms Blus.

Katie Russell, a spokeswoman for Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: The legislation on its own cant affect real change because were talking about deeply engrained social attitudes and that kind of cultural shift cant happen overnight.

It must be accompanied with real investment in specialist training, education around consent for children and adults at the earliest possible age.

Although Ms Bus believes that Britains rape legislation is largely effective, she told The Independent: In the UK, because the law has been around for so long, raising awareness and having those conversations is really important, on a societal level but also among legal professionals because the awareness is not always there.

Ms Russell said that investment and funding is desperately needed in specialist support services and within the criminal justice system.

While figures from the Crown Prosecution Service show the police recorded a record 54,000 rape offences in the year to September 2018, the number of people charged fell by almost a quarter.

The CPS only takes cases forward to prosecutors where it finds sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

Police have said they dont have the resources to deal with increased demand of victims coming forward.

Ms Russell highlighted the importance of education and raising awareness in Britain: Consent is not a grey area. Its not just about yes means yes and no means no.

Its about understanding with a level of human empathy, decency and logic that consent is straightforward, but we need to collectively take responsibility for raising real awareness and understanding.
Boris Johnson has urged the Democratic Unionist Party not to walk out on its confidence-and-supply agreement with Theresa May, citing the risk it would usher in a government led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Senior DUP figures have referred to the arrangement that props up the prime minister in the past tense since the details of her Brexit deal emerged, such is their hostility to it, and leader Arlene Foster has indicated she thinks a Labour government would be preferable.

However, speaking at the DUP's conference, Mr Johnson said: I hope that you agree that it is absolutely vital that we keep this partnership going and that we are not so complacent as to abandon the government of this country to a man whose avowed policy is to break up this country.

He still managed to take the opportunity to savage Ms Mays proposed deal with the European Union, telling delegates the country was on the verge of making a historic mistake".

If we are not careful, we are going to stay in the customs union, we are going to stay in the single market, we are going to be rule-takers," he said.

Ms May has made clear there is no scope for her deal to be renegotiated. So if the DUP continue to support the Conservatives, the only way it could be changed, at least by the Conservatives, would be under a new leader.

So far, efforts to bring about a confidence vote in Ms Mays leadership of the Conservative party, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, have not been successful.

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"

Mr Johnson said the confidence-and-supply arrangement with the DUP had been crucial in preventing Mr Corbyn becoming Prime Minister. He also attacked shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

He is a man who has not only campaigned for a united Ireland but who has still  to the best of my knowledge  failed to condemn the terrorist atrocities of the IRA, the former foreign secretary added.

If the DUP vote against Ms Mays withdrawal agreement, as seems likely, but do not end their formal confidence-and-supply arrangement with her, it will heighten the prospect of the UK leaving the EU with no deal at all  something the Bank of England says will cause a significant economic shock.
EU leaders will meet tomorrow to endorse the Brexit deal after 11-hour diplomatic haggling to bring Spain on board.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez had been threatening to scupper the summit over concerns on Gibraltar but he has agreed to attend after securing written assurances from UK diplomats and speaking to senior European figures.

On the eve of the summit the UK ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, wrote to reassure Madrid that Gibraltar would not necessarily be covered by future trade arrangements after Brexit, leading Mr Sanchez to claim that Britain would be forced to open talks on joint sovereignty with Spain.

Arriving for the summit in Brussels, Ms May said Gibraltar was covered by the whole withdrawal agreement, and that she would always stand by its citizens.

European Council president Donald Tusk announced the summit would go ahead on Twitter, saying: I will recommend that we approve on Sunday the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

No one has reasons to be happy. But at least at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity.

Negotiators were at work throughout the night to broker a deal to reassure Spain over Gibraltar without reopening the withdrawal text, which both London and Brussels consider to be agreed.

Mr Sanchez confirmed that a deal had been reached, allowing invitations to be sent to the remaining EU leaders for the special summit, where Theresa May is hoping to get her Brexit blueprint approved.

The row centres on Spains claims that the future relationship to be negotiated between the EU and UK should not apply to Gibraltar and that it should only be decided between itself and Britain.

But Ms May said the plan must apply to the whole United Kingdom family, which appears to include Gibraltar, which has been a British overseas territory since the 18th century.

British diplomats have broken the impasse by confirming the governments position that a future trade deal will not automatically cover Gibraltar.

A UK government spokesman said: For the withdrawal negotiations, given there are some circumstances which are specific to Gibraltar, we held talks with Spain which directly involved the government of Gibraltar.

These were constructive and we look forward to taking the same approach to the future relationship.

Mr Sanchez said this is going to allow us to have direct negotiations with the UK regarding Gibraltar. He added: Once the UK has left the EU, Gibraltars political, legal and even geographic relationship with the EU will go through Spain.

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"

The prime minister was due to head to Brussels on Saturday for last-minute talks on selling her deal with Mr Tusk and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

However, she still faces major opposition at home, with both Boris Johnson and her DUP allies urging her to bin the deal.

Fabian Picardo, Gibraltars chief minister, later said that Ms Mays government had been completely firm in its resolve and in our support, and that the sovereignty of Gibraltar is and will remain entirely British.
Theresa May has been forced to make an 11th-hour deal over Gibraltar to head off a diplomatic row, clearing the way for a key summit to approve her Brexit blueprint.

The prime minister was accused of caving in to Spains demands over the future of the British overseas territory, after Madrid threatened to veto the progress of the Brexit deal due to be agreed by the EU on Sunday.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez claimed the UK and EU had conceded to its call for guarantees over Gibraltars status in future negotiations, so any future UK-EU trade deals would not automatically apply.

His foreign minister Josep Borrell went further, saying it was highly positive for Spain and the most important development since Gibraltar was ceded to the UK in the 18th century.

Ms May insisted that the UKs position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar had not changed, as she arrived for last-minute talks in Brussels on Saturday.

The UKs position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change, she said.

I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar.

Gibraltars chief minister Fabian Picardo also used a TV address to reject Mr Sanchezs claims, saying: What you have heard from the Spanish prime minister today was not a reflection of any new position, however much he tried to present it as such.

But the row is likely to heap further pressure on the prime minister as she faces the almost impossible task of getting her deal through parliament in the face of widespread opposition.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake was among the MPs to speak out, saying the prime minister had caved in and appears to have cast the people of Gibraltar aside.

The diplomatic spat comes after a dramatic day at home when Ms May faced renewed antipathy from her Democratic Unionist Party allies, who demanded she bin the deal and threatened to torpedo the confidence-and-supply agreement, which props up her government.

Potential leadership rival Boris Johnson also savaged her deal, describing it as a historic mistake and urging her to junk the backstop, a key plank of the agreement.

Tory rebels on both the Remain and Leave wings of the party are expected to join with the DUP and Labour to vote down her deal in parliament despite warnings of potential economic chaos from the chancellor, Philip Hammond.

Amid anger from all sides, Ms May travelled to Brussels on Saturday to meet Donald Tusk, the European Council leader, and Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president.

The crunch summit was thrown into doubt by Mr Sanchezs concerns over Gibraltar but Spain was brought back on board after an 11th-hour diplomatic push from Britain and senior EU figures.

 Theresa May insists UK position on Gibraltar hasn't changed amid Brexit negotiations

Negotiators worked throughout the night to broker a deal to reassure Spain without reopening the withdrawal text, which both London and Brussels consider to be agreed.

The UK ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, wrote to reassure Madrid that Gibraltar would not necessarily be covered by future trade arrangements  one of Spains key concerns.

Announcing the breakthrough, Mr Tusk also offered a boost to the prime minister by recommending European leaders back the Brexit deal on Sunday.

He said: I will recommend that we approve on Sunday the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

No one has reasons to be happy. But at least at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity.

EU leaders will be asked to agree the Brexit deal and the political declaration on Britains future relationship with the EU on Sunday, which have been drafted after more than 18 months of wrangling.

If they give it the green light, Ms May will return to Westminster where she faces the arduous task of convincing MPs to back the plan.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds delivered a brutal assessment of her plans in a speech to party faithful in Belfast, where he said the DUP would defy the prime minister if she did not change course.

It comes despite a charm offensive from Mr Hammond, who flew to Northern Ireland on Friday to woo senior party figures and business leaders over Ms Mays draft agreement.

In interviews ahead of the conference, DUP leader Arlene Foster claimed Ms Mays deal would be a worse outcome for the UK than a Jeremy Corbyn-led government  despite their longstanding differences.

She warned that her party would revisit its confidence-and-supply deal to support the Conservatives at Westminster if the Brexit agreement is voted through parliament.

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Mr Johnson urged the DUP not to walk out on its confidence-and-supply agreement in a packed speech to the partys conference in Belfast.

Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us  a satellite state, said the Tory MP.

He warned the draft Brexit deal was in danger of turning Northern Ireland into an economic semi-colony of the EU.

On the eve of the summit, Ms May made a direct appeal to the nation, saying her deal would deliver for our whole country and all of our people, whether you voted Leave or Remain and promising a moment of reconciliation when Britain leaves the EU.

In an open letter to the British public, Ms May said the deal will honour the result of the referendum, taking back control of UK borders, money and laws, and taking the country out of EU programmes that do not work in our interest.

She also made a plea for unity and said Brexit day next year will be a moment of renewal and reconciliation for our whole country ... when we put aside the labels of Leave and Remain for good and we come together again as one people.
Theresa May is travelling to Brussels today to attend a special Brexit summit with other EU leaders. She will meet Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday, and then head to the full meeting at around 9am on Sunday. The whole thing should be wrapped up by lunchtime  if it goes to plan (and things often do not). Heres all you need to know about it:

What is the summit about?

Theresa May is hoping that EU leaders from the 27 remaining countries will sign off the withdrawal agreements she has negotiated with Brussels.

The UK government is happy with the current agreement, as is the European Commission  which has been directly negotiating with Britain. Now the 27 leaders will have to formally approve it.

Could they reject the agreement?

If they show up at the summit, they almost certainly wont be rejecting the agreement. This is because some national leaders, including Angela Merkel, have said they wont attend unless there is a deal ready for them to sign. The summit is essentially for show to cap the whole thing off.

The heads of state and government want to avoid all-nighters like the ones they experienced during the Greek debt crisis, and think negotiations are best delegated to officials.

Is this the first time member states have seen the Brexit deal?

No, their officials and ambassadors in Brussels have been arguing about it for days and trying to make changes. It currently seems likely that there will be a number of side-declarations next to the deal clarifying aspects of it that the member states wanted to change.

Do any real sticking points remain?

A lot of member states  Denmark, France and the Netherlands especially  are annoyed that the Commission has not guaranteed their fishing fleets access to UK waters as part of the deal. They think this is important because the Northern Ireland backstop essentially gives the UK the benefits of the EU customs union, which was supposed to be a bargaining chip. It's possible this issue could be solved by a so-called "side-declaration" where leaders make clear how they think the agreement should be interpreted.

Spain is also angry because it does not want the agreement to apply to Gibraltar and says it will vote against the plan. It can't stop it on its own, though if the fishing nations aren't satisfied, there could be trouble.

Who will we hear from at the summit?

Leaders will give their views on the deal on the way in, on the doorstep of the summit. Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Council president Donald Tusk will give a press conference after everything is signed off. Theresa May might also give a press conference of her own, though this has not been confirmed. There'll also be a presentation by European Parliament president Antoni Tajani.

Does this mean Brexit negotiations are over?

Far from it. Once the withdrawal agreement is approved there will need to be negotiations about what the trade relationship will be. These will start next March, if everything goes to plan, and they will take years.

But even if EU leaders agree to the withdrawal agreement it could still get rejected by the UK parliament, with MPs from all parties threatening to derail it when it comes to the House of Commons.
The High Court will rule as early as Christmas whether Brexit should be declared void, in a legal case given a turbo-boost by the criminal investigation into Leave funder Arron Banks.

Judges are poised to fast track the potentially explosive challenge, after Theresa Mays refusal to act on the growing evidence of illegality in the 2016 referendum campaign, The Independent can reveal.

Lawyers describe that failure as absolutely extraordinary  given the National Crime Agencys (NCA) probe into suspicions of multiple criminal offences committed by Mr Banks and the Leave.EU campaign.

Now The Independent understands the case is likely to move to a full hearing and a ruling within weeks of opening on 7 December, with the clock ticking on the UKs departure from the EU next March.

Both its lawyers and a leading academic believe its chances of success have been given a big boost by the unfolding scandal and the governments refusal to recognise the gravity of what is being exposed.

The government is expected to deploy Sir James Eadie QC  the star barrister who led the unsuccessful battle for the government to trigger Article 50 without parliaments consent  in a sign of the cases importance.

Ewan McGaughey, a senior law lecturer at Kings College London, has written: The order by the prime minister to trigger Article 50 and negotiate to leave the EU could be declared void.

Now, its a big thing to litigate the very validity of Brexit. But if Russian athletes win Olympic medals when they are taking drugs, their victories are not valid. The same is true of a corrupt vote.

One senior Tory told The Independent: If Arron Banks were to be charged and found guilty after the police investigation, he could go to prison. The man who played a big role in securing Brexit could yet help to destroy it.

A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA

And Ben Bradshaw, a Labour MP who has pressed for a full investigation into Mr Banks activities, said: This case should be explored given the allegations and the very serious crimes we know were committed by the Leave campaign.

Sue Wilson, who has lived in Spain with her husband for 11 years and helped bring the case, said: We have heard far too often that Brexit is the will of the people.

On the evidence now available, it cannot be said with any degree of certainty that the result would have remained the same had the law not been broken.

The case will argue that Brexit must be declared void and the notification of Article 50 quashed, because various criminal offences may have been committed.

Mr Banks could be given a two-year prison sentence if he is found to have knowingly concealed that an Isle of Man company was the source of up to 8m for Leave.EU  which would have been outlawed as a foreign donation. He denies the charges.

Meanwhile, spending by both Leave.EU and the main Vote Leave campaign, fronted by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, was found by the Electoral Commission to have broken the law.

But Downing Street has fought off calls for a Mueller-style inquiry, on the scale of the US probe into alleged collusion with Russia by Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Instead, Ms May has repeatedly downplayed the commissions findings  even though they were to a criminal standard of proof  and has hailed the referendum as a great exercise in democracy.

Croft Solicitors wrote on 6 November, urging the prime minister to reconsider her refusal to take any action, following the announcement of the NCA investigation.

It urged her to order an independent and speedy investigation into whether the referendum campaign was lawfully conducted and consider how best to conduct another referendum.

The government was urged to reply by 14 November, but has yet to do so  with the provisional hearing less than two weeks away.

It had been expected that any ruling would await the conclusions of the NCA probe, but it is now thought it will be fast tracked  with just four months until Brexit day.

Rupert Croft, who will represent the British expats in other EU countries, said: My clients think that its absolutely extraordinary that the prime minister refuses to take any action whatsoever in relation to the information uncovered about the conduct of the EU referendum that casts doubt upon its legitimacy.

That will be one of the factors they will be relying on at the hearing.

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The Independent has asked Downing Street if it intends to respond to the letter from Croft Solicitors and why there has been no wider inquiry into illegality during the campaign.

In the Commons last Wednesday, the prime minister defended the campaign, saying: We saw numbers of people voting that we had not seen before.

It was a great exercise in democracy in this country, and I believe it gave this parliament an instruction. We should ensure that we leave the European Union, as the people voted.
Theresa May has been urged to bin her Brexit deal and stop wasting time presenting false choices ahead of a crunch EU summit.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds delivered a brutal assessment of her plans in a speech to party faithful in Belfast, where he said the DUP would defy the prime minister if she did not change course.

It comes despite a charm offensive from Philip Hammond, who flew to Northern Ireland on Friday to woo senior party figures and business leaders over Ms Mays draft agreement.

Recommended Philip Hammond seeks to win over DUP rebels as May heads to EU summit

The prime minister is facing opposition both at home and abroad over her Brexit blueprint, with Spain threatening to derail a special EU summit on Sunday over its concerns on Gibraltar.

Mr Dodds, one of the 10 DUP MPs who prop up the government, said her plans would see the UK assume a "pitiful and pathetic place" and insisted the union was "non-negotiable".

He said: "Prime Minister, the message from this conference, from every section of this party is - bin the backstop.

"Rather than waste any more time putting forward false choices, we need the government to get on with securing a better deal."

Mr Dodds, who spoke ahead of speeches from party leader Arlene Foster and ex foreign secretary Boris Johnson, attacked the backstop plan which keeps Northern Ireland under different regulatory rules to Great Britain until a trade deal materialises.

"The DUP wants a deal with the European Union, we understand that businesses, families and communities want certainty," he told delegates.

"But it is not this deal. It is not a deal at any price. The prime minister used to say that. We still say that."

Amid fierce domestic pressure, Ms May is due to travel to Brussels for last-minute talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk before EU leaders endorse her agreement on Sunday.

However the timing of the summit has been called into question after Spain threatened to derail the talks over concerns about Gibraltar.

Mr Tusk's spokesman said on Twitter: "After the phone call between President Tusk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez a few minutes ago, we are closer to tomorrow's European Council summit."

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"

Earlier, Mr Hammond, the chancellor, defended Ms May's plan and appealed to MPs to support the deal, which he said was better than remaining in the European Union.

He warned that a no-deal Brexit would unleash "economic chaos", adding: "If the meaningful vote is lost we are in uncharted territory.

"We will be faced with potential economic chaos, I am sure we would get a very negative reaction from the business community, from investors, from the markets.
Deforestation in Brazil has risen to its highest level in a decade, with 7,900 sq km of the Amazon rainforest felled just in the last 12 months.

New figures released on Friday by Brazils government show deforestation has risen by 13.7 per cent since the same time last year.

Environmental experts have blamed the rise on illegal logging and on agriculture creeping into land previously dominated by the jungle.

Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A wildcat gold miner, or garimpeiro, works at a mine in a deforested area of Amazon rainforest near Crepurizao Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Workers carry a diesel engine towards a river Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Miners use high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A miner surveys the situation at one of the gold digging sites Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A miner watches his colleague at work Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Workers rub mercury that has coagulated into tiny particles of gold in a basin Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A miner down the bottom of a garimpo Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Working at one of the mines Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures Miners carrying a diesel container Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A garimpeiro works on a sluice box where the heavier gold is caught after sucking up mud Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A wildcat gold miner holds up gold before selling it in a nearby village Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A worker rests in a hammock after a long day Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures The owner of a pharmacy poses inside her shop in a miners' village Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures A garimpeiro smokes by the bar after a day at the mines Reuters/Nacho Doce Illegal Amazon gold mines: In pictures The son of a wildcat gold miner wears his father's shoes and helmet, inside the village bar Reuters/Nacho Doce

Deforestation is a key cause of global warming and accounts for around 15 per cent of annual emissions of heat-trapping gases, such as carbon dioxide.

Its impact on emissions is similar to that of the transport industry.

The practice is particularly devastating in the Amazon, as scientists consider the forest to be a key carbon sink, meaning it is one of the few places in the world which absorbs large amounts of the gases responsible for global warming.

The jungle is also rich in biodiversity, containing billions of species yet to be studied.

Deforested land in Amazonas, Brazil (Reuters)

Edson Duarte, Brazils environment minister, said in a statement that illegal logging was the main reason for the spike in deforestation levels.

He called on the government to increase its policing of the Amazon rainforest.

The states of Para and Mato Grosso have been particularly affected by deforestation, according to the report.

Most of the countrys grains are produced in Mato Grosso, which is at the heart of Brazils booming soybean industry.

Fallen trees in northern Brazil (Reuters)

Brazils Climate Observatory said in a statement that the increase was not a surprise.

The network of non-governmental organisations said Brazils growing commodities sector was also contributing to the issue, with forests being destroyed as farmers expand their territory.

Marcio Astrini, from Greenpeace Brazil, said the countrys government had not done enough to combat deforestation.

He blamed recent policy moves, which reduced the area of forest under federal protection, for fuelling the environmental destruction.

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Both Greenpeace Brazil and the Climate Observatory said they were worried deforestation would increase after Jair Bolsonaro, Brazils president-elect, takes office in January.

The far-right politician has previously attacked Brazils environmental protection agency and is a strong supporter of the countrys agriculture industry.

Despite the worrying data, current levels of deforestation remain well below figures recorded in the early 2000s, before the Brazilian government began combatting the practice.

In 2004 for example, over 27,000 sq km of forest were cleared, an area approximately the size of Haiti.

Additional reporting by agencies
Set against a White House that has become known for tweets, leaks and tell-all books from former staff, Robert Muellers Russia probe has been an oasis of calm and quiet.

The investigation has been virtually leak-proof, even with it representing the shadow which has followed Donald Trump through the entire 18 months of his presidency.

Weeks of public silence about the probe  imposed due to not wanting to undermine the midterm elections which took place earlier in November  look like they are coming to an end and a sense of urgency is returning.

First, a reminder of the scope of special counsel Muellers FBI investigation. The brief has been to look into Russian interference in the 2016 US election, and any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump.

So far, that has led to 32 indictments or guilty pleas involving around two dozen Russian nationals, three Russian companies and four former Trump campaign officials.

Of those four officials, former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI, as did Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

Not directly related to the investigation into election meddling, former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates eventually accepted plea deals having been charged with financial crimes over political lobbying activities in Ukraine. Rick Gates was first, while Manafort was convicted of a number of counts at a trial in Virginia, with a mistrial declared on other counts. Manafort then accepted a plea deal to avoid a second trial in Washington DC.

The Manafort plea is the most interesting of those, as he offered cooperation with the Mueller probe as part of the deal back in September and could possibly be rolled out as a star witness in any future attempts at trials.

As for the president himself, this week he finally submitted written answers to Muellers team  who are also looking into the possibility of the president having obstructed the investigation. Mueller and Trumps legal team have been negotiating for months about a sit-down interview with the president, but Trump has said that is probably off the table.

However, Rudy Giuliani  the presidents lead lawyer dealing with the Russia probe, has not ruled out more questions from Mueller. Well consider them and answer them if necessary, relevant and legal, Giuliani said this week. If it was something that would be helpful, relevant  not a law school exam.

The answers to Muellers questions from the president relate to the 2016 presidential campaign and the time before Trump was sworn into office, however it is unclear how much the answers go into what happened during the presidents transition into the White House.

Trumps lawyers have also made clear they would push back against any questions involving the time in office  which includes firing the former head of the investigation then-FBI director James Comey  by citing executive privilege. Trumps feelings on the investigation have always been clear; there was no collusion and it is a witch hunt against him and his administration.

 President Trump responds to Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker's past statement on the Mueller investigation

While Mueller could return to Trump once his answers have been assessed, it has not stopped his team from nibbling around the edges of Trumps world. Conservative commentator Jerome Corsi is the latest to say that he is in plea negotiations with Muellers team.

Corsi is an associate of long-time Trump ally and confidante Roger Stone, with questions likely to be surrounding Wikileaks and the release of thousands of Democrat emails in the last weeks of the 2016 election. It could bring Muellers team closer to determining whether Trump or his advisers were linked to the release of the emails.

During the 2016 campaign, Stone publicly bragged about having backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and on several occasions appeared to predict the WikiLeaks releases.

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The questions Corsi has likely faced in his hours of interviews with investigators relate to any possibility he acted as an intermediary for Stone.

In the two years since the election, Stone has walked back his claims and Wikileaks have also denied coordination. Stone denies that he ever told Trump about WikiLeaks dumps before they became public. He also denies colluding with Russia.

However, it seems clear that Muellers team seem certain that talking to Stones associates, and maybe eventually Stone himself, could open up new avenues of inquiry.

Beyond the minutiae of the investigation, there have been growing fears in Congress about the threat of interference with Muellers probe as he enters the beginning of the end of the investigation. Those worries have been exasperated by Trump using the end of the midterms as an excuse to force out the attorney general Jeff Sessions and replace him with the acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker.

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Sessions had recused himself from the Russia probe last year, with deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein overseeing the investigation. However, Whitaker  who has previously expressed doubts over the scope of Muellers activities and suggested cutting funding is a way to limit them  is now in charge.

A number of attempts have been made to challenge Whitakers appointment in the courts, while legislation protecting Mueller has been suggested in the Senate, but knocked back by Republican Party leadership.

Amid it all, Mueller and his team have silently been going about the business of gathering potential evidence. Mueller is the only one that knows how far away he is from finishing, and the probe could stretch into next year given how close we are to Christmas. But do not bet against the type of surprise indictments, or even the full report, that Mueller and his team have so far been able to keep veiled from the prying eyes in Washington DC.
With up to 100,000 Hindu nationalists set to descend on the Indian city of Ayodhya on Sunday, some Muslim families are preparing to skip town rather than risk the potential for communal violence.

Muslim leaders say they fear a repeat of the scenes of 1992, when a violent Hindu mob tore down a centuries-old mosque in Ayodhya that they claim was built at the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of Hinduisms most revered figures.

More than 2,000 Muslims were killed across India in the riots that followed the destruction of the Babri Masjid mosque almost 26 years ago. In Ayodhya itself, the mob of around 150,000 spread out from the site and attacked Muslim-owned property, razing shops and killing 18 people.

Sundays protests, led by two hardline Hindu nationalist groups, represent the largest gathering of this kind since the events of December 1992. The groups, both closely tied to Narendra Modis ruling BJP party, are calling for the creation of a temple to Ram on the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.

People in Ayodhya are worried, said Zafaryab Jilani, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. They are apprehensive, and they feel threatened.

Mr Jilani told The Independent he was aware of plans for Muslim families to temporarily leave town ahead of the Hindu gathering. I dont have any definite [numbers], but some people have informed me that they will go, he said.

The government has a responsibility to protect law and order and the constitution. If they do that, then minorities stand protected. We have written to the home secretary and the [federal] police, asking them to take preventive measures, so that the demonstrators may not do anything.

Authorities have made efforts to reassure the community. More than 900 extra police and a large number of military units will be deployed during Sundays event, supported by drones.

The government will ensure that the event passes off peacefully and the local administration has put in place an elaborate security apparatus, said Anil Pathak, district chief of the wider district of Faizabad. No one will be allowed to disturb peace and order in the city.

Few in Ayodhya can forget the events of 1992, however, when police lines around the Babri Masjid melted away in the face of an overwhelming number of protesters, and officers pushed past their subordinates to be the first to get out of the way.

Although the administration is vigilant, the planned meeting does bring back memories of 1992 when violence broke out after the demolition of the mosque, Haji Mahboob Ahmad, a 65-year-old Muslim community leader in the city, told Reuters.

Sundays protest reflects a growing movement for the creation of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, an idea which has support from Hindus across the country.

The leaders of the movement say there is evidence that a Hindu temple stood on the site before the construction of the Babri Masjid in 1528.

And while Prime Minister Modi himself has been near silent on the issue, it has been taken up by some of the most powerful figures in the BJP, not least its president, Amit Shah. The BJP included a pledge in its 2014 manifesto to explore all possibilities within the framework of the constitution to build a Ram temple at the site.

Ayodhya is located in Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state, and one where a strong showing for the BJP is seen as essential if it is to succeed in a general election in spring 2019 and hand Mr Modi a second term.

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The states chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, is himself a hardline Hindu monk and one of the leading voices calling for the construction of a Ram temple.

The protests on Sunday are the work of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the regional Shiv Sena, which share the objective of making India a Hindu state.

Demonstrators will stage a dharma sabha a short distance from the Babri Masjid site itself, which is under court control until the dispute over its future is resolved and permanently guarded by walls, watchtowers and military checkpoints.

Surendra Jain, general secretary of the VHP, said more than 200,000 people will attend, though others generally estimated an attendance of half or even a quarter of that number. We assure everyone, though we dont need to, that not even a twig will be disturbed, he said.

Both Muslim leaders and the government have said they will wait for the Supreme Court to decide on the sites fate. But the rhetoric coming from groups like the VHP and Shiv Sena, as well as their criticism of the BJP for failing to get the temple built, has become increasingly divisive.

Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena, arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday and demanded the government provide the date for the construction of the Ram temple today. Tell us, when will you construct the temple, he said, addressing an audience.

And on Friday, a senior Shiv Sena politician stoked the controversy further by boasting about how quickly the Hindu mob was able to destroy the Babri Masjid mosque in 1992.

We demolished the Babri Masjid in 17 minutes, how much time does it take to draw up papers? he said. Demanding the BJP produce an executive order speeding up the process of building the temple, he said the party controlled every level of government from the presidents house to Uttar Pradesh. What else do you want?

Nationalist leaders plan to hold two further pro-temple demonstrations, both in the capital Delhi, on 6 December  the anniversary of the Babri Masjids demolition  and 18 December. They claim the largest of the two will attract as many as half a million people, building pressure ahead of the next Supreme Court hearing on the matter in early January.
Big investors call for crackdown on executive bonuses, declared the Financial Times.

Watch out. The next thing you know, people will be predicting widespread investor rebellions, or a stormy AGM season. They might even hark back to the so-called shareholder spring. The media ludicrously likened a couple of fund managers who cast an advisory vote or two against a handful of corporate remuneration reports to the very real revolutions then taking place in the Middle East in which people actually died.

Besides, weve heard talk of restive institutional investors before and it never seems to amount to much.

Is the next AGM season really going to be any different to the current inaction, which essentially allows corporate looting by a gilded circle of wealthy CEOs and their chums?

The Investment Association, a trade body, reportedly sent a letter to the chairs of Britains 350 biggest companies, wagging a stern finger at them. It contained a list of demands, including that companies require bosses to hold the free shares they get handed for at least two years after they leave their posts, and increase the companies power to claw back bonuses from CEOs who later muck things up. Which happens quite frequently.

The letter also warned of a growing reputational risk to companies from excessive payments like the 100m (later reduced to 75m) share-based bonus gifted to Jeff Fairburn, the former boss of Persimmon.

Strong(ish) stuff. But this is hardly the first such warning to have been issued by big City of London investors to corporate Britain. The trouble is that theyve never really been prepared to back up their words with their votes where it counts.

Anyone who invests money is repeatedly reminded that past history is no guide to future performance. But its still worth considering the how the Investment Associations members, and others, reacted to the largesse showered on Fairburn.

The optics of it were obviously terrible, particularly given that Persimmon specialises in building homes for first-time buyers. You know, the people who scrimp and save for the sky-high deposits required to purchase bricks and mortar in Britains overheated property market.

PIRC, which advises shareholders on voting decisions, highlighted the problems with the bonus scheme back in 2017, long before Fairburn became corporate public enemy number one.

Yet at the AGM in April of that year, 90 per cent of those who bothered to vote (and a lot didnt) still backed the companys remuneration report.

This year, after Persimmons name had become inextricably linked to corporate looting in the public mind, and the chairman and the chair of the remuneration committee had fallen on their swords, 51 per cent of its shareholders went ahead and waved it through.

It makes you wonder what it would take for big City fund managers to say no.

My friends at Share Action, the movement for responsible investment, found just one example of a defeat of a companys remuneration policy in the last year. Ironically it was at Centamin, a gold miner.

Votes on pay policy are only held every three years and they actually count by forcing directors to go back to the drawing board.

When it comes to the advisory votes on remuneration reports that are held annually there were five defeats: at Royal Mail, Playtech, Petropavlovsk, Immarsat, and Northgate. But votes like that are the equivalent of getting a mild ticking off, together with a place on the governments corporate naughty step.

But votes like that are the equivalent of getting a mild ticking off, together with a place on the governments corporate naughty step, that was set up to publicise businesses that fall afoul of shareholders.

In fact any vote against any company resolution of 20 per cent or more gets you a place on the step. There were 14 of those on remuneration policies, and 42 on remuneration reports.

Trouble is, boards have a nasty habit of ignoring such dissent. They will continue to do so for as long as meaningful defeats are vanishingly rare and the appalling behaviour at the likes of Persimmon is given a pass.

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Its been said time and time again: there is no real evidence that bumper pay packets for CEOs do anything towards improving companies economic or financial performance. There is no real evidence to justify any of the other excuses tabled for them either. They include the alleged international market for CEO-calibre people, or that theyre all stupefyingly awesome, or that they just wont get out of bed without a million or two to motivate them.

As Share Action points out, there is evidence to show that paying workers lower down the food chain the currently voluntary Living Wage, which is set by the Living Wage Foundation, can have a very meaningful impact on corporate performance. It reduces absenteeism, results in higher quality work and improves staff retention.

In failing to address either the former or the latter, institutional investors are shooting themselves in the foot. Theyre also harming those of us who have money with them, via pensions or ISAs for example.

Perhaps its time we took a rather closer look at the sort of salaries the Citys money managers, who control the votes, are on. Perhaps thats something for politicians and regulators to think about and address.
The Democratic Unionist Party was handed a historic opportunity by accident of arithmetic in last years general election. The party lived up to its reputation for hard bargaining by securing significant extra spending on public services in Northern Ireland even though there seemed no prospect that it might switch its support to the opposition Labour Party.

Now, as the prime minister faces the daunting task of trying to get her Brexit deal through parliament, the DUP might be approaching its moment of maximum leverage. All eyes, therefore, were on Arlene Foster, who has led the party for three years, as she addressed its annual conference in Belfast today.

It was a speech, however, that demonstrated the limits of the DUPs power as well as its strengths. Ms Foster devoted a long section of her speech to an apology for the ash for cash scandal from her time before the leadership as minister for enterprise in the Northern Ireland executive. The overhang of this affair threatened her leadership until it was rescued by the unexpected hung parliament after the 2017 election.

Then, when it came to the momentous question of Brexit, she said rather less than she had said in interviews before her speech. She said that Theresa Mays deal failed the prime ministers own key commitments and explained why the DUP did not think it was in the national interest. But Ms Foster was muted in her opposition, saying at one point the DUP has never been afraid to say yes, and that she wanted to work in the time ahead to secure an improved outcome.

In an interview yesterday, she said that she did not have a preference between a closer or a more distant post-Brexit relationship with the European Union, as long as Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK were treated the same  something the current deal does not do.

But this is where the DUP may be approaching the limits of its influence. The EU is unlikely to want to reopen Brexit negotiations. Ms May has unexpectedly thrown down the gauntlet to the DUP and has dared its 10 MPs to vote against the deal.

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Ms Foster still has one weapon in her armoury. Her MPs could join with the opposition in bringing down Ms Mays government and either installing Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister or, after a 14-day period as required by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, forcing another general election.

We can see why the DUP would not want a new election, because it would be unlikely to throw up another result that would give them the balance of power. But, in her interview with The Times yesterday, Ms Foster accepted that Ms Mays Brexit deal was a greater threat than Mr Corbyn as prime minister. And in her speech she drew attention to her common ground with Mr Corbyn in opposing a regulatory border in the Irish Sea.

It would be an extraordinary turn of events for the DUP to contemplate putting Mr Corbyn in No 10, but the next few weeks will see history being made, one way or the other.
Spanish threats to derail the Brexit deal at the last minute were subsiding last night.

The EU looks set to agree a "statement of clarification" which will acknowledge Spain should have a say in the future of Gibraltar once the UK leaves the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will be back in Brussels today for further meetings with head of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.

It is now expected their conversation will clear the way for a special summit of EU leaders, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, tomorrow at which the draft Withdrawal Agreement will be approved.

Spain had sought last-minute changes to the deal and the accompanying declaration on the future relationship.

They wanted a clear statement that any decisions about Gibraltar, a rocky, peninsular British overseas territory that Spain claims as its own, would only be taken together with Madrid.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was threatening to veto the Brexit deal unless his demands were met.

There is a view in Spain their concerns were side-lined as every effort was put into resolving the Irish question.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said yesterday that the Government became familiar with the "Spanish concerns" at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.

However, he said there was a "strong consensus in the room from other countries that while we want to see the Spanish concerns resolved before Sunday, that shouldn't involve changing the text of the Withdrawal Treaty".

"Once that text changes, well then lots of people will look for changes to the text. So I don't think you'll see change to the Withdrawal Agreement text."

Instead, Mr Coveney backed the idea of a "statement of clarification" which, while not legally binding, may be enough to appease the Spanish government.

And Spain's junior minister for the European Union, Luis Marco Aguiriano, indicated last night British authorities were prepared to give Madrid prior approval on matters relating to Gibraltar.

He told a Spanish news agency: "We have a promise, a commitment, from the British government saying they are ready to guarantee that they will go along with the clarification we have requested."

However, the minister stopped short of removing the veto threat as he hadn't seen the written version of the British promise.

Spain doesn't have a veto as the deal can be approved by a super-majority of 20 member states.

In Germany, a government spokesman was confident a solution would be found in time for Sunday's summit.

Meanwhile, Mrs May is continuing to try to sell the deal to the British public.

She said it could not be rewritten, despite the claims of Brexiteers.

In a BBC phone-in, Mrs May insisted there was no mood on the EU side for fresh concessions.

"If we were to go back to the European Union and say 'people didn't like that deal, can we have another one?', I don't think they are going to come to us and say 'We will give you a better deal'.

"This is the deal that I think works for the UK," she said.
British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker arrive to discuss draft agreements on Brexit, at the EC headquarters in Brussels, Belgium November 24, 2018. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

Theresa May said the UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed following claims she caved in to Spanish demands for concessions over the future of the territory.

European Union leaders will give their seal of approval to the Prime Minister's Brexit deal at a summit on Sunday which had been threatened by the diplomatic row with Madrid.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed the UK and European Union had agreed to its demands for guarantees over the status of Gibraltar in future negotiations.

Madrid's foreign minister Josep Borrell went further, saying the agreement is "highly positive for Spain" and "the most important" since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 under which Gibraltar was ceded to the UK.

But Mrs May told reporters in Brussels: "The UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change.

"I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar."

The diplomatic spat which threatened to derail the Brexit process was resolved after a clarification about the legal position and emergency talks involving Mr Sanchez, European Council president Donald Tusk and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

A letter from the UK's ambassador to the EU Sir Tim Barrow confirmed the Withdrawal Agreement imposes no obligations regarding the "territorial scope" of future agreements - Spain wants to make sure it has a say over how any UK-EU trade deal applies to the Rock.

But the UK has also made clear it will negotiate future agreements on behalf of all territories for whose external relations it is responsible - including Gibraltar.

Mrs May said: "We have ensured that Gibraltar is covered by the whole Withdrawal Agreement and by the implementation period and we will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar, and in the future relationship we will stand up for their interests."

But Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake claimed the Prime Minister had "caved in" and "appears to have cast the people of Gibraltar aside".

Following the resolution of the row, Mr Tusk sent out formal invitation letters to EU leaders for the summit, saying the Brexit deal reached by negotiators from the UK and Brussels "found the best possible compromise" and he would recommend that they approve it.

Mrs May also faced domestic difficulties as the Democratic Unionist Party held its conference in Belfast - with Boris Johnson making a guest appearance.

Chancellor Philip Hammond sought to reassure the DUP over its "understandable concerns" about the Northern Ireland backstop provisions aimed at preventing a hard border with Ireland.

But he warned there could be "economic chaos" if MPs reject the deal struck between the Government and Brussels.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he believes the deal on offer is better for the UK than remaining in the EU, stressing it will help heal the divisions caused by Brexit.

"It's a way of leaving the European Union with minimum negative impact on our economy," he said.

"Economics is not the only consideration - we also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together because countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries."

With MPs including the DUP and scores of Tories from both the Remain and Leave wings of the party set to oppose the Brexit package, Mr Hammond issued a stark warning about the impact of rejecting it.

"If the meaningful vote is lost we are in uncharted territory," he said.

"We will be faced with potential economic chaos. I am sure we would get a very negative reaction from the business community, from investors, from the markets."

In her conference speech, DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer, then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome."

Mr Johnson, viewed as a potential leadership rival to Mrs May, was given a rousing reception at the conference.

He said the UK is on the verge of "making a historic mistake", adding: "Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us - a satellite state."

He set out a series of demands, including a commitment in the Withdrawal Agreement for a "super Canada" trade deal, a provision to withhold "at least half" the 39 billion divorce bill until trade talks are concluded, and a dedicated Cabinet minister for no-deal planning.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reported the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas "with restricted entitlements and rights" while they are living in the UK as part of the post-Brexit immigration system.

Alternative plans could allow EU migrants aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for two years, with a strict cap on numbers.

The Government will abolish the cap on highly skilled "tier 2" migrants entirely, the report said, with the plans set out in the week beginning December 3 - a week before the crunch Brexit vote is expected in the Commons.
Trevor Fleming from Castlemartyr, Co. Cork ploughing with his 1948 Mc Cormick tractor at Ballyfeard Ploughing Match, Co. Cork. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

With the winter sowing season now well and truly behind us, thoughts at this time of year move to more long-term issues.

Perhaps one of the biggest issues is the upcoming change to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In the early 1990s when the CAP moved from market-based supports to directly supporting farmers, the big fear was that direct support of producers was a doomed concept.

The citizens of the then EEC would baulk at the idea of paying a sector of society for essentially carrying out their work. Twenty-five years on and broadly speaking, this has not materialised.

Citizens of the EU view the investment they make in agricultural supports as being value for money. In the medium term at least, payments from the CAP are secure.

In many ways that's the bad news. The reason for this is that the move to direct producer supports has had more insidious unintentional effects that will have to be faced down at some stage.

Far too many of the problems that agriculture faces are rooted in the area-based payment system. Issues such as land abandonment, scrub encroachment, declining soil fertility, blocked drainage systems, and the proliferation of rushes, are obvious results of the move to minimum agricultural activity.

The low viability of suckler cow enterprises, the huge numbers of people in their 70s, 80s and 90s still calling themselves farmers, and the low level of young people taking up farming as a career, all demonstrate a system that is based on a 'what we have we hold' approach.

Dig a little further and farm safety and farmer wellbeing are also casualties of a system that has fossilised farm structures that are unable to invest or to manoeuvre themselves to face the needs of a more modern society.

A lot of the comments surrounding the basic payment system would lead one to believe that they are the only income source generated from farming.

This is not and should not be the case. Any farm operating at any level of efficiency should generate a gross income of which the basic payment should make up 15-20pc at most.

True, the basic payment makes up a much higher proportion of on-farm net incomes.

The basic idea is that the production costs are covered from sales of produce with a bit left over, and the basic payment is the guaranteed income for the farmer.

Issues arise, however, when significant investment is required on a farm; liming, drainage, shed repair etc.

People can be get wary of large investments that won't immediately generate higher income. So the farm deteriorates, productivity drops, the little bit left over from production diminishes and less money is available for investment. Yet the basic payment keeps rolling in, oblivious to the state of the land from which its being generated. This becomes the sole focus.

The problem is this system has become normalised. People expect not to make money from beef production, yet they continue with beef.

People forget that vast tracts of land in the north-west Midlands that are now clogged up with rushes and flaggers was excellent grazing land a generation ago. People expect that if a development is worthwhile or would be of benefit to a farm, a grant should be made available for it.

Number 1 issue

Provision of food to feed a population is the number one issue that faces every leader or governing body, from the leader of the small group of hunter-gatherers 20,000 years ago to the head of the largest modern country today. The people have to be fed every day.

The problem is that when we generate 2pc too much food, the price collapses and puts food producers out of business; 2pc too little food and there is rioting in the streets. All modern societies get over this problem by supporting food producers' incomes, so that they endeavour to produce too much food rather than too little, but they remain in business. This was one of the fundamental reasons why the EEC was set up in the first place.

If we are to have a vibrant, safe and productive agricultural industry, the CAP has to be fundamentally changed. Averaging out payments made a generation ago and compelling minimal agricultural activity to draw down these payments has gone past its sell-by date.

Entitlements as a concept have to go. Some other mechanism to reward farmers for producing food at below the full cost of production has to be found.

The transition may be painful, but in the end the prize on offer will be well worth it.

Richard Hackett is an agronomist based in north Co Dublin and is a member of the ITCA and ACA
Four internal AIB candidates have been interviewed for the bank's chief executive role in the past week, the Irish Independent has learned.

A separate assessment of external candidates is understood to also be underway, but is less advanced.

The bank is understood to have tapped executive search agency Korn Ferry to help with the succession process.

Korn Ferry last month separately won a contract to help prepare a report for Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe on the 500,000-a-year cap on bankers' pay. Mr Donohoe will ultimately also have to sign off on the AIB appointment, as the bank's main shareholder.

AIB chairman Richard Pym has been a vocal advocate of loosening the pay cap - blaming it for the loss of senior executives to rivals.

At AIB the four internal candidates are understood to be chief operating officer Tomas O'Midheach; Colin Hunt, head of wholesale and institutional banking; Robert Mulhall, head of retail and commercial banking; and Jim O'Keefe, head of AIB's financial solutions group.

AIB kicked off the search for a new CEO after Bernard Byrne's surprise announcement last month that he's leaving the bank for stockbrokers Davy. Despite lobbying, largely State-owned AIB remains subject to the Government-imposed 500,000-a-year pay cap. A review of the cap is expected to be ready for the minister in the New Year, but it's doubtful it will change before the AIB selection process concludes.

Bank of Ireland last year hired Korn Ferry, which is part of the Hay group, for the search that identified Francesca McDonagh to replace Richie Boucher.
(ANSA) - Rome, November 23 - Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio on Friday cancelled a planned trip to Corleone after a mayoral candidate from his party there said he wanted to "open a dialogue with the relatives of mafiosi".

Di Maio said "the State must be careful not to ever get close to, not even in its image, those people." The leader ofthe anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S9, who is also labour and industry minister, took the decision after seeing a photo of the candidate, Maurizio Pascucci, with a nephew of late boss Bernardo Provenzano.

Di Maio's visit was set up to support Pascucci's bid for office.

Corleone was Provenzano's home, as it was of another late boss of bosses, Toto Riina.

Parliamentary anti-mafia commission chair Nicola Morra, of the M5S, said "I can only fully support Luigi Di Maio's decision.

"His words show how the Movement has as its priority the fight against the mafias and the support for the innocent victims of them, victims who are sadly very many.

"We cannot accept any let-up or ambiguity...I repeat with Luigi Di Maio that we absolutely do not want the votes of mafiosi".


Embattled: Aryzta CEO Kevin Toland has been attempting to revitalise the companys fortunes

Swiss-Irish baked goods firm Aryzta, that owns the Cuisine de France brand, has launched a counterclaim against former US customer McKee Foods in a bruising legal fight that is likely to end up in front of a Tennessee jury.

The bust-up between the pair has its roots in a labour crackdown undertaken by the US immigration authorities that last year saw almost 800 workers at two manufacturing facilities - collectively known as Cloverhill - then owned by Aryzta, being forced out the door because they did not have proper worker authorisations.

The staff, most of whom had worked at the facilities for years, had been supplied by a third-party employment agency and Aryzta had been unaware of their deficient employment credentials.

The loss of the workers created a major challenge for the Aryzta facilities.

Family-owned McKee, based in Tennessee, is one of biggest cake snack makers in the United States, with annual sales of about $1.5bn.

Cloverhill had been manufacturing McKee products since 2010. The plants were acquired by Aryzta in 2014 and the company was engaged to continue making McKee products at the sites.

But McKee claimed that soon after Aryzta warned it of its own labour problems, the Swiss-Irish firm began having difficulties filling McKee's orders. It alleged that the problem later intensified.

McKee terminated its agreement with Aryzta in August last year.

It then sued Aryzta, claiming that it will lose millions of dollars in profits because the firm couldn't fill orders. But Aryzta, whose CEO is Kevin Toland, has denied it breached the agreement between the two firms.

Aryzta has also denied that McKee will lose profits and customer goodwill due to the alleged breaches.

In court documents, Aryzta has said that none of the alleged breaches committed by it "qualify as a breach that was immediately terminable" and that McKee should have given 90 days' notice.

Aryzta's insists that the alleged breach of the manufacturing agreement by McKee has resulted in Aryzta suffering "substantial damages", which continue today and which would be proven at trial.
Today FM and Newstalk owner Communicorp Media is expecting a restructuring begun in 2017 to deliver cost savings of up to 10pc, building on savings already booked last year.

Accounts just filed for the Denis O'Brien-owned business show revenues rose 2pc last year to 47.4m, while direct and operating expenses fell 1pc as a result of restructuring including the consolidation of its Dublin-based stations in a single location at Marconi House.

Overall, the accounts record an operating loss of 500,000 for 2017 compared to a loss in 2016 of 2.1m.

Two subsidiaries, Communicorp's UK operations and Appliances Delivered, were moved outside the group at the end of 2017, accounts show, and the filing also records the sale of its Bulgarian radio business in June this year, to local management.

That leaves Communicorp Media as an Irish-focused radio business.

The chairperson of Communicorp Media, Lucy Gaffney, said the Irish radio business is outperforming in a "challenging environment". The group has also been developing new digital revenues to mitigate the risks posed by shifting advertising trends, she said.

"The radio sector remains a cornerstone of Irish society with over 88pc of people tuning in every week. However, the industry shift towards digital continues to put pressure on traditional media.

"To mitigate this risk, in 2018 Communicorp Media launched "audioXi", a sales house for digital audio, which represents Communicorp's own digital content plus a number of premium third-party publishers throughout Ireland," she said.

The group has also launched five streaming online stations - including Today FM 80's - to help capture a more significant share of consumer's time, and the digital revenue market, she added.
Google has announced record revenues of 32.2bn for 2017 in its Irish accounts, a rise of 5.9bn due to the scale at which it is cornering the advertising market.

However, it paid 171m in tax here based on its profit in Ireland which was 1.16bn out of the 32.2bn in sales.

Corporation tax is charged on profits, although there is a big push in Europe to levy an additional tax on the sales of big technology companies because the gap between sales and profits can be so big.

The slim profit is a result of Google ascribing 21.9bn to 'administrative expenses', including ordinary business costs and money paid to related companies offshore.

The figures show that Google and Facebook are now obliterating all other online rivals for advertising, including media companies.

Google says that it now "supports" 8,000 employees in Ireland, divided between permanent staff and contractors.

Country manager and vice president Fionnuala Meehan, said 2018 has been its most successful hiring year here.

"Last year we saw an 8pc increase in employment here in Dublin with over 258 new direct jobs created across all our operations including sales and marketing, engineering and administration," she said.

"The success of Google in Dublin has seen us grow, including the establishment of a new Google Cloud team; in 2017, we acquired the lease on the Velasco building on Dublin's Grand Canal which gave us an additional 51,000 sq ft of office space for this division."

Google's cost of sales increased to 9bn, an increase of 2.1bn on 2016. This was made up "primarily of traffic acquisition costs", said the company, "which consist of both the amounts paid to distribution partners who make Google search available as well as amounts based on revenue-share arrangements under which the company pays its Google Network Members and other partners a portion of the fees it receives from advertisers".

"Building on the foundations of our growth in 2017, we have continued our investment programme in 2018," said Ms Meehan. "As we celebrate 15 years in Ireland this year, we are continuing to invest in our operations and in our local community. We want our city to share in our success and we recently launched our biggest-ever initiative to support local communities throughout Dublin. The Google.org Dublin Impact Challenge is a new 1m fund to support non-profit innovators and social entrepreneurs whose innovative ideas for change are making an impact locally."

Google has faced increasing antitrust pressure in recent years, and was fined 4.3bn by the European Commission in July. It has a virtual monopoly on search within the EU.
Its 15 years since Richard Curtiss Love Actually hit cinema screens. We understand if you need a moment to take this in. A wildly ambitious offering, in which eight separate love stories intertwine in the weeks leading up to Christmas (yes, we think thats the best way of describing it), Curtiss cherished rom-com has, over the years, become a bona-fide Christmas classic.

Yes, it is an odd, odd film. Yes, it is deeply problematic, when you really stop to think about it (especially that scene with Andrew Lincoln and his giant cue cards - yikes). No, it hasnt aged all that well.

And, yet, well never stop watching it. It will always have a special place in our hearts. It is, easily, one of the weirdest romantic comedies ever made, and Christmas  or, life, for that matter  wouldnt be the same without it. To celebrate its anniversary, weve decided to round up our favourite Love Actually facts, figures and anecdotes. Youre welcome. Now, good luck getting THAT song out of your head

1. Curtis had a deadline

And a particularly troublesome one at that. The story goes that Richard Curtis  the acclaimed British writer behind Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, who made his directorial debut on Love Actually  was under pressure to have the finished film ready in time for a 2003 Christmas release. The only nightmare scenario that Ive been caught in was Love Actually, said Curtis, which worked at the read-through, and when we finished the film and I watched it edited it wasa catastrophe. Apparently, finding the right order for each story was something akin to playing three-dimensional chess. Well, now, Mr Curtis, that explains an awful lot about the finished product

2. Hugh Grant's Prime Minister inspired real-life politicians

Right, do you remember the scene where David (Hugh Grant), the British Prime Minister, stands up to Billy Bob Thorntons sleazy US President at a press conference? He gives a speech to remind everyone of how great, erm, Great Britain is. Its a powerful moment in cinematic history, for sure - and, back in 2013, it inspired one David Cameron, when responding to a comment by a senior Russian official at the G20 Summit in St Petersburg, that Britain was a small island no-one listens to. Ouch. Camerons response got a lot of attention - and you know why. Watch and cringe, folks

3. That Emma Thompson sequence is a knockout

You know the one - it gets us every time. And, it probably deserves a better film. Basically, Harry (the late, great Alan Rickman) starts an affair with his secretary, Mia (Heike Makatsch). He secretly purchases her a necklace for Christmas  a necklace which his wife, Karen (Emma Thompson), finds before he has a chance to hide it. She thinks its for her and, well, lets just say that things get complicated on Christmas Eve. Oh, and Joni Mitchell is involved.

As it turns out, Thompson dug deep for the scene, remembering what it was like to have her heart broken by former husband, Kenneth Branagh, who famously left Thompson, after starting an affair with Helena Bonham Carter. That scene where my character is standing by the bed crying is so well known because its something everyones been through, said Thompson. I had my heart very badly broken by Ken. So, I knew what it was like to find the necklace that wasnt meant for me. Well, it wasnt exactly that, but weve all been through it.

4. There were more stories in there

Yes, originally there was an awful lot more to Love Actually (14 stories in total, apparently). Hell, the finished film clocks in at an arse-numbing 136 minutes. Indeed, Curtis was forced to make some cuts, and were sorry we never got to see more of Anne Reids headmistress, whose scenes involving a terminally ill partner (Frances de la Tour), fell off the cart during the editing process. See for yourself here, as Richard Curtis explains what happened

Video of the Day

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5. We actually got a sequel!

Its called Red Nose Day Actually, it was broadcast on BBC One last year, its only 15 minutes long, and it features almost everyone you loved from the original. Hey, it raised a few quid for charity, and they even got Rowan Atkinson to come back and do his shop assistant skit again (more of him in a bit)

6. Christmas really is all around us

In 1994, the lads from Wet Wet Wet were asked to record a cover for Richard Curtiss new romantic comedy, Four Weddings and a Funeral. You know what happened next. Love is All Around spent 15 weeks at number one, folks. Even the bands front man, Marti Pellow, admitted that the tune eventually did everyones heads in. Curtis must have known this, too  and, in 2003, for Love Actually, guess how he decided to kick off the film? Yep, with a Christmas-themed cover of Love is All Around (Christmas is All Around), recorded by Bill Nighy (as fictional rock god, Billy Mack). Thats right: Curtis somehow found a way to simultaneously poke fun at himself whilst making the song even more annoying than it is. Thats quite an achievement.

7. The Ant or Dec line

Its the best line in the whole film, and it deserves some sort of award. No, really.

8. That crazy Keira Knightley fact

Were talking about the fact that Keira Knightley (who played Juliet) was just 18 when she starred in Love Actually. And, guess how old Thomas Brodie-Sangster (who played Sam) was when he made the film? He was 13, lads. Yes, you can go and lie down if you need to

9. Love Actually brought back the ensemble rom-com

Yes, we have decided to blame Love Actually on every other romantic comedy where loads of seemingly unrelated, love duvey things happen to people who are far too good looking for us to really care about. These include Valentines Day (2010), New Years Eve (2011) and Mothers Day (2016), all of which would never have found their place in the world were it not for Curtiss film  and all of which were directed by the late Garry Marshall. Love Actually also inspired a 2013 Japanese reimagining of sorts, entitled It All Began When I Met You. No, really.

10. The Bill Nighy storyline isnt connected to anyone else

Its more of a festive back-drop, really, and  after a gazillion watches  its something weve only just realised now. Sorry. Well move on

11. Love Actually made a bleedin fortune at the box-office

A whopping $246.9 million, in fact (against a $40m budget). We do hope Richard Curtis celebrated with a dance or two. Speaking of which

12. Hugh Grant didnt like the dancing bit

And, he didnt want to do the 10 Downing Street Shuffle (thats what were calling it, anyway). Apparently, he thought it too unrealistic (hes right) and worried it would be stupid (it was). "Well, I could see that it might work," Grant told an interviewer earlier this year. Although I never understood it, technically. I kept saying to Richard, 'Okay, look. I've got the radio in my room. My bedroom. And I'm dancing, fine. But then I started dancing through the whole of 10 Downing Street, where's the music coming from? How does it cut off at the end?'"

Curtiss response? Oh, dont worry about all of that. It's film world. Good point, Richard.

13. Apparently, Rowan Atkinsons character had a secret

Broadcaster, writer and Love Actually script editor, Emma Freud (who is also Curtiss wife) revealed a few years back, via Twitter, something rather startling about Rowan Atkinsons character in Love Actually. Are you ready for this?

Originally Rowan's character over-wrapped the gift on purpose to stop Alan Rickman being able to buy the necklace. Because he was an angel, she tweeted. And now we need to go and lie down.

14. Oh, and the Mia/Harry affair actually happened

What we mean is that it happened in the film  in film world (but we didnt get to see it). The aforementioned Freud also revealed this delightful fact via Twitter a few years back. This is all getting very upsetting. Lets finish with something a little more upbeat, shall we?

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15. Andrew Lincolns Mark is a horrible, horrible person

And all the cue cards in the world will never, ever change that. Now, we kinda feel better, actually. Enjoy your next viewing!

Watch more:
The Rock of Gibraltar viewed from the departure lounge of Gibraltar Airport (Yui Mok/PA)

What is the relationship between Gibraltar, Britain and Spain?

Gibraltar, or 'The Rock' as it is commonly known, has been a British territory since 1713. Its sovereignty is a bone of contention in Spain but in 2002 residents voted overwhelming to remain a British territory. However, in the wake of the Brexit vote, Spain saw an opportunity to regain some influence over Gibraltar. It has around 30,000 inhabitants, 96pc of whom voted Remain.

Why has Gibraltar suddenly become an issue in the Brexit talks?

The Spanish government feels the future of Gibraltar was ignored in the final Withdrawal Agreement while all the focus was placed on resolving the Irish question. The EU guidelines for the negotiations said no agreement with the UK "may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the UK". However, the draft text makes no mention of Gibraltar or the need for Spanish approval.

Is this a threat to the deal?

It's not ideal, but is unlikely to derail tomorrow's EU summit. Tanaiste Simon Coveney has suggested a letter of clarification outlining the terms of engagement between the UK and Spain on Gibraltar could be issued.

Could Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threaten to veto the deal?

In reality, he doesn't have a veto. While the EU would like all 27 members to sign up to the deal, it only needs 20.
The husband and son of a woman who died at the National Maternity Hospital hours after undergoing an emergency caesarean section to deliver her baby have settled for 650,000 in their action for nervous shock.

Nora Hyland (31), a Malaysian woman who was living at Charlotte Quay in Dublin 4 at the time, died on the operating table at the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Holles Street, on February 13, 2012, within three hours of undergoing an emergency caesarean section to deliver her son Frederick.

An inquest later returned a verdict of medical misadventure in the case of the first-time mother, who had to wait almost 40 minutes for a blood transfusion after she suffered severe bleeding following an emergency birth.

Dublin coroner Dr Brian Farrell found the cause of death was a cardiac arrest as a result of severe post-partum haemorrhage. However, he said he was not able to say the delay in Mrs Hyland receiving blood was a "definite" risk factor in her death.

The inquest previously heard that a labelling error in the laboratory contributed to a 37-minute delay in Mrs Hyland receiving a blood transfusion.

No emergency supply units of O-negative, the universal blood type, were kept in NMH operating theatres at the time.

In the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the 650,000 settlement on behalf of Nora's husband Stephen Hyland and their son Frederick.

The Hylands' counsel Sasha Louise Gayer SC told the court the settlement was without admission of liability. She said the Hylands were satisfied with the settlement but too upset to attend court.

Frederick had been delivered successfully but Ms Hyland began to lose a lot of blood. Steps were taken in theatre and a request for blood was made just after midnight and a blood transfusion took place at 12.45 am, Ms Gayer said.

At the inquest, counsel said the hospital had indicated new protocols were put in place regarding blood supply stock.

Mr Hyland (42), of Station Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin, claimed he suffered severe and profound nervous shock, upset and mental distress as a result of what happened. The claims were denied.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross sympathised with the Hyland family on their loss.

At the inquest in 2014, Mr Hyland paid tribute to his late wife, whom he met while travelling in Malaysia. They were together for eight years and married for three-and-a-half years before her death.

"Nora was the most gentle, kindest, warm-hearted, beautiful little lady that I ever met. I fell in love with her the very first time that I saw her," he said.

Frederick was "full of health, full of life". "Every time I see him, I see Nora," he said.
'If you get hurted, you get hurted': Gerry McDonagh has received 40,700 in compensation payments over the years

An accident-prone Limerick man has told a court: "My body is destroyed from people driving into me."

At Ennis Circuit Court in Co Clare, Gerry McDonagh said: "I don't go around claiming off people for nothing. If you get hurted, you get hurted."

Mr McDonagh was giving evidence concerning his latest claim for alleged injuries, in a road traffic accident in 2012 against a then 19-year-old woman driver, that was dismissed by Judge Gerald Keys.

Judge Keys dismissed Mr McDonagh's claim after finding the threshold has not been reached that the driver of the other car, Niamh Kitson, was in any way negligent in causing the accident at the entrance to a petrol station on Ennis's Lahinch Road on August 10, 2012.

The court heard evidence the crash was one of 10 road traffic accidents Mr McDonagh has been involved in - including six since 2012.

In relation to four separate successful compensation claims, Mr McDonagh, of Fanningstown, Fedamore, Co Limerick, has received combined compensation awards of 40,700 concerning two of the road traffic accidents; one trip and fall in 2008 and another where he fell down the stairs of his local authority house in Limerick 25 years ago.

Counsel for Ms Kitson, Siobhan Gallagher BL, told the court the August 2012 crash in Ennis followed Mr McDonagh being involved in a road traffic accident in July 2012, and a third crash in May 2012.

Ms Gallagher said that Mr McDonagh has also been involved in further road traffic accidents in October 2015, November 2016 and June 2017.

Ms Gallagher said Mr McDonagh had also been involved in a number of falls - she said he had fallen six feet off a ladder in May 2013 and had another fall in August 2013.

"There was an incident with a gentlemen on a water-slide who fell down on top of you and you sustained injuries."

Mr McDonagh replied: "I didn't put in claims."

He said his first accident was in a corporation house in Limerick and told Ms Gallagher he received 14,000.

Mr McDonagh said that 35 years ago, he had been knocked off his motorbike. "I never got any money out of that - my mother did. I never got anything," he said.

In 2001, Mr McDonagh received 5,000 from a road traffic accident and a further 11,000 from Limerick County Council as a result of back injuries sustained after a trip and fall in 2007.

Ms Gallagher said that Mr McDonagh received a further 10,700 from a road traffic accident in 2008.

Pressed by Ms Gallagher as to whether there were any other accidents between 2008 and 2012, Mr McDonagh said: "It's like being in school with a teacher giving out to me."

In her evidence, Ms Kitson said Mr McDonagh drove into her stationary car. She added that damage to her car was minimal and she did not carry out repairs.

Dismissing the claim, Judge Keys granted costs against Mr McDonagh but put a stay on the costs in the event of an appeal.
Horror: The scene of the violent attack in Dun Laoghaire

A Dublin schoolboy who tried to kill a young woman in a pre-planned attack was preparing to carry out a murder when he was arrested.

The 16-year-old yesterday pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of the woman in Dun Laoghaire on December 23 last year.

He met the 25-year-old victim on social media before luring her to a secluded seaside pathway and repeatedly stabbing her in the neck.

The woman, who is of Irish-Asian descent, was "almost decapitated" from the frenzied attack before the teenager fled the scene.

Disturbingly, the juvenile watched from a distance as emergency services arrived at the scene to treat the seriously injured woman, but he did nothing to help.

The Irish Independent can reveal that the Dublin schoolboy was ready to carry out a murder when detectives swooped on his home on Christmas morning.

The raid on the boy's south Dublin home was carried out as a priority as gardai had grave concerns that he was planning to murder.

When the house was searched, a shocking kill diary was discovered which sources have said depicted graphic images and descriptions of violent acts.

"The recovery of evidence such as this diary, it was clear that this individual was making efforts to carry out another attack," a source told the Irish Independent.

"He had already made attempts to contact another victim, and it was clear that the intent was murder."

It is understood that he wanted to target different people "of certain profiles", with the first target a person of Asian descent.

When gardai raided the boy's home where he lived with his parents, they discovered the attempted murder suspect playing the piano.

"Just two days earlier, he carried out a particularly violent attack which almost resulted in a loss of life, and there he was playing the piano without a care in the world. Gardai knew they were dealing with a very dangerous individual," a senior source explained.

"There could have been more victims in this case."

The teenager, who was just 15 when he carried out the violent attack on the woman, cannot be named because he is a juvenile.

The extensive investigation by detectives at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station led to more than 100 witnesses being interviewed and hundreds of hours of CCTV footage being examined. The teenager was captured on CCTV close to the scene of the crime as he watched the paramedics treat the woman as she fought for her life.

Gardai initially charged the schoolboy with assault causing serious harm, but the charge was later upgraded following direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of the woman on December 23, 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire.

Dressed in a navy jumper and blue jeans, he stood and pleaded guilty to the offence.

His barrister, Patrick Gageby, told the court that the boy was currently detained in Oberstown, and asked for a lengthy period for preparation of a probation report.

Mr Justice Michael White directed the preparation of a Probation Services report.

"For your own benefit, you should cooperate with them. Do you understand?" he asked the accused, to which the youth replied: "Yes".

The judge also directed preparation of a victim impact statement and that the woman be advised of her right to come to court and give evidence.

He set a sentence date of February 25 next year.

When he was initially charged, Det Garda Treacy told a bail hearing that he believed the boy would be "likely to commit murder if released".
Clear message: A mural has appeared next to the Bernard Shaw, Dublin, in support of the teenager whose thong was discussed. Photo: Damien Eagers

It was around 2am as the 17-year-old girl made her way home on foot through her home town.

She had been at a party with teenage female friends, but after the festivities ended she decided to head home on her own. The route was familiar to her and would usually be considered a safe one.

But as she reached a street just outside the town centre she happened upon a man 10 years her senior.

What happened next would become the subject of considerable dispute in what has become known as the Cork rape trial.

The girl claimed he dragged her up a laneway and raped her on a muddy patch of ground. A witness would later say the man had his hand around her throat.

But the man would deny this, claiming the witness misread the situation. He insisted the girl and he felt attracted to each other, began kissing and then had consensual sex.

On first glance, the circumstances of the incident do not appear to set it apart to any great degree from the dozens of other deeply distressing rape cases the Central Criminal Court deals with on an annual basis.

However, the subsequent rape trial, which ended in the man's acquittal, would make international headlines and spark protests in towns and cities across the country.

The reason for this was that the complainant's choice of underwear was put under the spotlight by a female defence barrister. The lawyer's remarks, in which a jury was urged to consider the fact the young woman was wearing a thong with a lace front, have been widely condemned.

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger very much caught the public mood when she held up a thong in the Dail and called for an end to what she described as "routine victim blaming" in the courts.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, who is a solicitor, said he didn't feel there were any circumstances under which references to the clothing an alleged victim would be acceptable.

"Clothes don't rape women. Rapists rape women," he said.

While much of the fall-out from the trial has focussed on barrister Elizabeth O'Connell's comments to the jury, relatively little has been reported about the circumstances surrounding the case or the reaction of the girl.

Now a young woman aged 20, she was said to be "heartbroken" by the verdict and the subsequent controversy the case sparked. "She is very upset. Her main concern is that she fears she wasn't believed," a Garda source familiar with the case told the Irish Independent.

"But she is also very emotional about the impact the case had on her family and the way in which the clothing she wore on the night has become an issue, particularly in the media. It has been very, very tough on her."

The ordeal has been compounded by the previously unreported fact that the 10-day trial before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, which ended on November 6, was in fact a retrial.

The first trial in Dublin last year was halted amid legal argument over medical testimony. It would be another 16 months before the case could be tried again.

The Irish Independent has also learned the defendant in the case, a married father with several children, had problems with alcohol and was well-known to gardai.

However, the rape charge was by far the most serious offence he had ever faced.

The events at the centre of the case unfolded in the early hours of a July morning in 2015 in a busy town in Co Cork.

Both the defendant and complainant are from the locality.

But such was the efficiency and sensitivity with which gardai handled the case, few in the community were aware the trial related to the area.

Under Irish law there is a prohibition on identifying rape complainants, while the identity of a rape accused can only be disclosed if they are convicted.

Even then, this can only occur where their identification would not in turn identify the victim, unless they waive their right to anonymity.

The family of the then 17-year-old girl became concerned when she did not return home from the party and went searching for her. Relatives were shocked to discover her in a distressed state.

Gardai were called and, as is normal in cases where rape is suspected, the girl was taken to the nearest sexual assault treatment unit, in this case at the South Infirmary in Cork city.

A full-scale investigation swung into action. The scene was cordoned off for a forensic and technical examination.

CCTV was sought from nearby premises and people who had been in the area around the time of the incident were interviewed.

A female garda from the local station was the investigating officer.

It did not take long for a suspect to be identified.

He was someone many gardai in the locality were well familiar with.

A few years earlier, he had been convicted of assault causing harm, but was spared a prison sentence when the jail term was suspended. Violent disorder charges would follow after another incident, but he was found not guilty.

Other cases against him involved charges for intoxication, criminal damage, motoring and public order offences.

During one hearing, a judge heard the man had a problem with alcohol.

A week and a half after the incident, the then 27-year-old man was arrested for questioning and it is understood he strenuously denied raping the girl during interviews.

He was released without charge and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

It would be November of that year before word came back that he was to be charged.

Gardai brought him to the nearest district court, where he was charged and granted legal aid. Within weeks the case was sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court.

The trial was fixed for the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin and got under way in front of Mr Justice Paul Coffey in June of last year.

However, the case would get bogged down in legal argument over the presentation of medical evidence and the jury was discharged following an application from the defence.

A retrial was later fixed for the new criminal courts complex at Anglesea Street in Cork city and got under way on October 24.

Again, there were periods of legal argument, but the same technical problems over medical evidence did not arise during the retrial and the jury would get to decide the outcome.

As the case progressed, it became clear the central issue was that of consent.

As reported by the 'Irish Examiner', prosecution counsel Tom Creed SC would tell the jury: "You have heard her say she did not consent. You have heard him say she did consent.

"The major issue you have to deal with is whether she consented to sexual intercourse. It is one way or the other. Either she did or did not. If you are satisfied she did not consent and that he knew she did not consent then you convict."

During the trial, the jury heard the young woman, who had never had sex before, was "quite clear" she did not consent and was dragged over 30 metres to the spot where the alleged rape occurred.

The man gave evidence in his own defence, denying he dragged anyone anywhere.

He would tell the court they went up a lane and lay down in a muddy area. Quizzed in detail about what happened, he claimed he could not get fully erect.

While it was possible his penis entered her vagina, he did not think it did.

The man, who is now aged 30, insisted they had been kissing, but no witness was put forward to corroborate this.

One witness had approached and asked if everything was alright, but the man said he told the witness to mind their own business. He said the girl was worried about getting mud on her dress, but insisted she did not cry out.

The man also denied placing his hand on the girl's throat.

He said the girl started "getting funny" as if "she snapped out of a buzz". They were going to have sex, but she said "stop" and he did, he said.

The jury heard that afterwards the girl told the accused: "You just raped me."

But he told the teenager: "No, we just had sex."

The comments which would end up causing so much controversy came during the closing address to the jury by defence counsel Elizabeth O'Connell SC, an experienced barrister mainly working in he south of the country.

"Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone," Ms O'Connell asked.

"You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front."

Contrary to some reports internationally, the barrister did not show any underwear to the jury.

After hearing the closing arguments, the jurors, eight men and four women, took just 90 minutes to reach an unanimous verdict of not guilty.

The man wept loudly after the verdict was given.

It is understood his wife has stood by him throughout the case.

Following the verdict, the distraught young woman was ushered from the court to be comforted by her family.
The young woman whose choice of underwear was raised by the defence in the Cork rape trial is said to be "heartbroken" by the verdict and fears she wasn't believed by the jury.

This month, a 30-year-old married man was acquitted of raping the then 17-year-old student in 2015.

The defendant in the case was well-known to gardai prior to the incident, and has a violent criminal record, including convictions for assault causing harm and criminal damage.

The Irish Independent has learned this was the second time the young woman had to endure the ordeal of a trial. The initial trial at the Central Criminal Court collapsed last year following legal argument over the presentation of medical evidence.

The retrial hit headlines around the world and sparked protests after a defence barrister urged jurors to consider the way the woman was dressed, pointing out she was wearing a thong with a lace front.

It has now emerged the young woman was "very upset" by the outcome of the case and how her clothing became the focus of attention.

"Her main concern is that she fears she wasn't believed," a Garda source familiar with the case said.

"But she is also very emotional about the impact the case had on her family and the way in which the clothing she wore on the night has become an issue, particularly in the media. It has been very, very tough on her."
Monster: Patrick Nevin was guilty of three attacks on women after meeting them on the Tinder dating app. Photo: Collins

A Brazilian student has described how an attack by a serial sex offender she met on dating app Tinder destroyed her dream of learning English here.

Patrick Nevin (37) was convicted last December of sexually assaulting the Brazilian student, whom he had met for a first date after they contacted each other via Tinder in July 2014.

Last June, Nevin pleaded guilty to raping a second woman and sexually assaulting a third victim. These attacks also took place in July 2014 and involved Nevin meeting the women on Tinder and then picking them up at their home in his car.

Nevin, with former addresses at Mounttown, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and Castlebellingham, Co Louth, then drove the women to secluded locations and attacked them.

After a trial in late 2017 a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of sexually assaulting the Brazilian woman on the UCD campus in south Dublin on July 23, 2014. His lawyers told the court yesterday morning, that Nevin continues to deny the charge.

Tearful

The Brazilian woman (36) told the court it had been very hard for her to travel back to Ireland for the trial last year and to see her attacker.

Becoming tearful at times and flanked by the investigating garda, the woman said when the jury returned a guilty verdict, she felt a freedom she hadn't felt for a long time.

She said the attack forced her to change her plans to learn English here and she was only able to find work as a cleaner. She worked alone most of the time so the only words she learned were related to cleaning.

She said she still dreamt of returning to Ireland to live.

Patrick McGrath SC, defending, told the court his client did not accept the verdict of the jury.

Judge Cormac Quinn adjourned sentence to next Tuesday. Nevin is due to be sentenced in another court next December for the rape offence and the other assault.

The woman told the trial she thought he was taking her for a coffee when he picked her up in his car. She said he drove her to a secluded field on the UCD campus and his demeanour changed completely and he became like a "monster".

She said he attacked her and she was in fear of her life.

After deliberating for around 90 minutes, the jury of six men and six women returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the single count.

After the jury left the court room, Nevin told his lawyers: "I don't accept that verdict."

The woman said she had come to Ireland to learn English and had arrived the previous month. She said she was using Tinder as a way of meeting people and practising speaking English.

After some weeks of communicating with the accused on the Tinder and on Whatsapp, she arranged to meet him.
The group of anti-abortion GPs who organised a petition to hold a meeting of doctors to discuss objections to referring a woman for a termination of pregnancy said the decision not to hear motions at the gathering was farcical and untenable. Stock image

The group of anti-abortion GPs who organised a petition to hold a meeting of doctors to discuss objections to referring a woman for a termination of pregnancy said the decision not to hear motions at the gathering was "farcical and untenable".

The group of 640 doctors secured the meeting after sending a petition to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), their professional and training body, which is involved in drawing up guidelines on how the proposed extension of abortion law will operate from next year.

A spokesman for the group said they were angry that the meeting to be held early next month will only hear topics for discussion instead.

Dr Andrew O'Regan, one of the GPs, said that in January there will be a roll-out of abortion facilities in general practice, even though doctors on the ground have never once been consulted by the Government or the ICGP board.

He said that GPs "will face the full rigours of the law in January if they conscientiously object to being involved in abortion".

The original motions submitted for the extraordinary general meeting centred on general practice being an "entirely unsuitable setting" in which to deliver an abortion service. They also centred on securing proper freedom of conscience protections for doctors, including not being obliged to facilitate abortion through referral.

In response, a spokeswoman for the ICGP said the meeting will hear concerns of member doctors. The college has consulted with its members on the provision of termination of pregnancy services via online consultation and regional meetings.

"The college's position has been clear from the beginning, that it favours an opt-in service for GPs who wish to provide the service, with the provision of a 24-7 helpline that patients can access directly as an essential requirement.

"In other words, no GP who does not wish to provide a termination of pregnancy service should be required to do so," she said.
Qualio, a life sciences quality management software firm, is to open an office in Dublin. Photo: Stock Image

Nearly 200 women are waiting to be tested for a gene which leaves them at higher risk of cancer, it emerged yesterday.

Some who are in the "routine" category have been waiting up to 15 months to be tested for the BRCA genes at the genetics centre in Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. Urgent tests take three months.

It emerged earlier this week that a woman who had the test at the centre in 2009 was positive for the BRCA1 gene but was told she was negative.

She is now seriously ill after developing ovarian cancer recently.

The hospital blamed a transcription error saying the test was read correctly by a UK laboratory but communicated incorrectly by the Dublin centre.

A hospital spokeswoman said yesterday a precautionary review had been carried this week on the records of other patients who previously had a test for the BRCA gene at the centre and got a positive result from the testing laboratory.

The review examined if the result was passed on correctly to the woman's doctor.

She said: "This review is now complete. No further discrepancy was identified in communicating the correct result to a patient's referring consultant.

"This precautionary review has been supervised by two senior experienced consultants to provide clinical oversight of the process.

"We want to offer reassurance to all patients who have undergone genetic consultation at the hospital that there is no concern regarding the accuracy in communicating the correct result of their positive diagnostic genetic BRCA test. There is no concern regarding the accuracy of the BRCA test itself, regrettably the error occurred in communicating the test result.

"The next phase is to audit the accuracy of correspondence to patients who had a negative diagnostic genetic BRCA test result."

A dedicated genetics helpline operates at (01) 409 6219 Monday-Friday, 9am-5.30pm.

The woman's solicitor, Caoimhe Haughey, said yesterday she would like a timeline for the completion of the second phase of the review.
The brother of Celine Cawley, who was brutally killed in her own home, says there are major shortcomings in how the justice system treats victims.

Ms Cawley was just 46 when she was bludgeoned to death by her husband, Eamonn Lillis.

Chris Cawley said during trials insidious and unhelpful remarks are made try to mitigate what was allegedly perpetrated.

He was critical of the incident in the controversial Cork rape trial where the complainants underwear was brought up by the defendants defence.

The statistics give a strong evidential base to say there is a serious issue around violence towards women, he said.

It is really important to bring awareness to the enormity of how women are particularly vulnerable.

A narrative that is primarily focused on the defence case, and, of course, there has got to be strong defence, but a defence case in an adversarial legal system is what gets the narrative.

Therefore, very insidious and unhelpful things emerge from these that create the perpetrator as trying to mitigate what the perpetrator did.

Weve had the horrendous recent example of underwear being used in that regard and its attempt to mitigate, he said.

Ms Cawleys death was high-profile at home and abroad as she was a former model, who appeared in James Bond movie, and ran a successful film production company.

Mr Lillis beat her over the head with a brick during a row at the family home in Howth, Co Dublin, in 2008.

Celine was a wonderful, successful, greatly loved, unique individual, Mr Cawley said.

Tragically, what happened to Celine, as well as being an individual criminal event, also sits as part of a health issue and much more particularly a systemic cultural issue, he said.

It really distressed me at the time but what we were hearing was a defence case and that is the legal system, he said.

The family of Ms Cawley was attending the Womens Aid Femicide Conference.

A report by the organisation has revealed 225 women have died at the hands of men since 1996.

Also at the conference, a brave Dublin woman told of the years of vicious abuse she faced at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.

Jessica Bowes said: "He fractured my skull, my eye sockets. He broke my nose, shattered my cheek bone. He continued to kick and punch me."

She said: He showed up at my house. He blocked my car in the drive. He followed me around in traffic. He followed me to the school. He came to my job. He was absolutely relentless. He was everywhere.

At a gathering of domestic abuse victims and their supporters, Ms Bowes laid bare the physical and emotional scars of over five years of assaults. Notably, she opened her testimony with a plea to newly appointed Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, calling for reform in how An Garda Siochana treated domestic violence.

When he was appointed to Garda Commissioner, I googled him to see what kind of a leader he was, she said.

He once said crime is not like rain, it does not fall evenly on us all, crime is particularly hard and particularly prevalent on those who are vulnerable on our society.

But shortly afterwards she told of her experience with local gardai who responded to her calls, yet failed to arrest her attacker despite a barring order in place.

Within 24 hours, he breached the order by breaking into the house. I called the guards. They refused to arrest him.

I rang the sergeant. I was absolutely furious I couldnt believe they werent going to arrest him. The sergeant from my local garda station arrived and still there was no arrest made. He was laughing at me in front of them.

By the end of her emotional speech, Jessica was still looking for answers as to why gardai never took her seriously.

My experience of the guards was that they didnt always respond to my calls in a time that was acceptable given the threat that I was under.

They didnt always record my calls on the Pulse system. There were no door-to-door enquiries following my assault. They didnt check the area for CCTV, although a number of my neighbours did have cameras.
DUP Leader Arlene Foster and Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds talk to the media at a news conference at Stormont in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Boris Johnson has called for the Irish border backstop to be "junked" as he warned that the draft Brexit deal was in danger of turning Northern Ireland into an "economic semi-colony" of the EU.

The arch Brexiteer and former foreign secretary received a warm welcome at the DUP conference in Belfast as he demanded the scrapping of the contentious proposal that could see Northern Ireland aligned with EU regulatory rules post-Brexit.

After a week that saw the DUP refuse to support the Government in Commons votes to signal their anger at the draft withdrawal text, Mr Johnson stressed the need to maintain the Conservatives' "crucial" confidence and supply deal going forward, warning of ruinous consequences for the UK if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came to power.

"And so to our allies in the DUP, I hope that you agree that it is absolutely vital that we keep this partnership going and that we are not so complacent as to abandon the government of this country to a man whose avowed policy is to break up this country," he said.

"And we should work together to ensure that the whole UK - Northern Ireland included - can seize the opportunities of Brexit."

Mr Johnson said the UK was on the verge of "making a historic mistake".

"If we are not careful, we are going to stay in the customs union, we are going to stay in the single market, we are going to be rules takers," he said.

"Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us - a satellite state.

"We will continue to accept the terms under which they have a surplus in trade in goods with us of 95 billion. But with no power, no British influence on those terms. We won't be able to do free trade deals of any value or significance."

Mr Johnson said the EU had achieved a "very clever trick" by making Northern Ireland an "indispensable bargaining chip" in future negotiations, noting the reference to the potential need to label goods from Northern Ireland UK (NI) under the backstop proposal.

"Indeed if you read the Withdrawal Agreement you can see that we are witnessing the birth of a new country called Ukni," he said.

"Ukni is no longer exclusively ruled by London or Stormont. Ukni is in large part to be ruled by Brussels.

"And Ukni will have to accept large swathes of EU regulations now and in the future.

"On lawnmower noise, on the labelling of sardines, on the use of coins and tokens that may be deemed to resemble a Euro.

"And on the use of personal recreational watercraft. And nowhere has a more illustrious history than Northern Ireland when it comes to the creation of recreational watercraft.

"The Titanic springs to mind, and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead."

Mr Johnson said the deal will would leave the UK facing a "Hobson's choice" of unthinkable options.

"If we wanted to do free trade deals, if we wanted to cut tariffs or vary our regulation, then we would have to leave Northern Ireland behind as an economic semi-colony of the EU and we would be damaging the fabric of the union," he said.

"With regulatory checks and even customs controls between GB and NI on top of those extra regulatory checks down the Irish sea that are already envisaged in the Withdrawal Agreement.

"No British Conservative government could or should sign up to anything of the kind, and so our answer at the moment is rather desperately to make sure the whole UK stays in the backstop with the EU having the power to decide whether or not we can ever leave and why should they?"

Mr Johnson said the EU would have no incentive to let the UK leave the backstop arrangement, noting that the multibillion-pound divorce bill would have already been paid.

"This deal risks yet further economic and political humiliation," he added.

"We are locking ourselves in by treaty and making it impossible to negotiate our way out in the second half of the talks.

"This is not what people of the United Kingdom voted for. It is self-evidently not taking back control of our laws."

Mr Johnson called for a "sensible agreement", but added: "We need to junk the backstop and agree that neither side will introduce a hard border in northern Ireland.

"Both governments have already been clear that they have no such intention, as Michel Barnier has said himself the technical solutions do exist, and the whole subject should be remitted to the discussion of the future economic partnership where it properly belongs."

He again argued for a "super Canada" style trade deal with the EU, and urged a rethink on the timeframe for paying the divorce bill, arguing that half should be withheld until 2020.

"I have never known a major EU negotiation not to conclude with the financial settlement, and we need to restore the proper order and incentives," he explained.

Mr Johnson said there was a need for a dedicated Government secretary of state with responsibility for planning for a potential no deal, which would see the UK operate under World Trade Organisation trading terms.

He added: "We need urgently to recover our confidence and our self-belief, and to stop treating Brexit as if it were a plague of frogs, or a murrain on our cattle, or some adverse weather event that had to be managed."

The former foreign secretary also used his speech to again call for a bridge linking Northern Ireland and Scotland.

"It is a far shorter distance than that covered by some bridges these days - look at Shanghai to Ningbo," he said.

"The problem is not the undersea Beaufort's dyke or lack of funds.

"The problem is an absence of political will."

Meanwhile, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has told the Prime Minister it is not too late to bin her Brexit deal.

Mr Dodds used his speech to the DUP conference to urge Theresa May to change course, warning that the proposed Withdrawal Agreement would see the UK assume a "pitiful and pathetic place".

Mr Dodds insisted the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was "non negotiable".

"It is still not too late for the Prime Minister to change course," he said.
The story of this Cork rape trial made international headlines and sparked protests in towns and cities across the country.

During the trial, a female defence barrister urged the jury to consider the fact the 17 year old complainant was wearing a thong with a lace front.

The fact that what a women was wearing was raised in the context of a defence in a rape trial has been widely condemned.

TD Ruth Coppinger reacted by holding up a thong up in the Dail while arguing that the Government needs to take action to stop rape myths being used in court cases; an action which also hit international media.

The Solidarity TD showed the Taoiseach the piece of black underwear in a bid to convince him to introduce massive legal changes.

Ms Coppinger claimed the Dail  hasnt taken sexual assault and harassment any way serious enough.

She acknowledged that she could not comment on the verdict in the case  but the lessons of the trial must be learned.

The Dublin West TD said "eight months ago thousands of people demonstrated in the streets after the so-called Belfast rugby rape trial... we protested the treatment of the young woman involved at her clothing being passed around."

She said proceedings like the Cork rape trial had a chilling effect which prevented victims coming forward.

The 17-year-old was put in the dock for her choice of underwear, she said. The TD added that the barrister was inferring she was asking for it.

The women of this country are getting a little weary at the routine victim-blaming that is going in Irish courts, and the failure of law-makers in this House to do anything about it, Ms Coppinger added.

The Solidarity TD then held up the item of underwear. She said it may seem incongruous to do that in the Dail  but she wanted to highlight the incongruity of it being in a court room.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar accepted that some tactics used in court should not happen. But he noted that the current Dail has taken a number of steps to improve the supports in place for victims of gender violence which included new legislation against domestic violence.

Its never the victims fault, the Taoiseach insisted  irrespective of the setting or other factors such as alcohol intake, or clothing being worn.
The absence of a dedicated insurance fraud unit within the Garda is a "scandal" and there needs to be more prosecutions, former High Court President Nicholas Kearns has said.

Mr Justice Kearns said there were major incentives to commit insurance fraud, and that we "don't have any deterrents" in Ireland.

"We pay the highest level of awards anywhere in Europe for whiplash soft tissue injuries. The risk of getting caught is comparatively low; the risk of being prosecuted is zero," Judge Kearns said at the annual conference of representative group Insurance Ireland.

"We've had one prosecution, I think, in the last five years, and that was a case I'd actually handled myself about the cage fighter who said after a rear-ending that he couldn't move, he couldn't walk, he couldn't do anything and fortunately was filmed a couple of weeks later in a highly vigorous workout."

Judge Kearns chaired the Personal Injuries Commission, which in September issued a report recommending that guidelines for judges be put in place to try and reduce the level of awards. The guidelines would be underpinned by the Judicial Council Bill, which has not yet been passed.

Last month, junior finance minister Michael D'Arcy said that if judges did not reduce the amounts being awarded, the Government was prepared to hold a referendum to give the Oireachtas the power to set the parameters for awards.

Judge Kearns said yesterday that he was "very hopeful" that if judges embrace the guidelines, there will be more consistency, as well as a recalibration of award levels.

He said this would avoid the need for a referendum.

"But make no mistake about it. If reforms can't happen, well then, more drastic steps will undoubtedly have to be considered," Judge Kearns added, without explicitly backing a referendum.

Mr D'Arcy also addressed the conference and said that he would meet new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to discuss establishing a dedicated fraud unit.

One of the issues that has emerged relates to whether the unit would be funded by the insurance industry or from the public purse.

Mr D'Arcy said the funding issue would ultimately be a matter for Commissioner Harris to decide.

"I understand that, at this stage, the commissioner has yet to form a view on the recommendation and that no proposal or recommendation has yet been submitted to the Minister for Justice and Equality," Mr D'Arcy said.
A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Irish charity worker John Curran at his South Africa apartment earlier this month.

Western Cape Police said a 24-year-old man was arrested last night and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

A police spokeswoman confirmed to Independent.ie the suspect arrested is the same man who appeared in CCTV images previously circulated by the South African Police Service.

Mr Curran (60) was found with multiple stab wounds at his apartment in Buitengracht Street, Cape Town on November 7.

Expand Close A memorial service in memory of John Curran takes place in Trinity College. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / INM / Facebook

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Whatsapp A memorial service in memory of John Curran takes place in Trinity College. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / INM

On Friday night, a memorial service was held for the charity worker at Trinity College Dublin.

He was described as a loving father and grandfather who would do anything for his kids.

Mr Curran previously lived in Churchtown, south Dublin, where he worked as a principal, before moving to South Africa to work with the Mellon Educate charity.

Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula thanks investigators for their dedication "to bring the perpetrators to justice".

The suspect will appear in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Monday, November 26 where he is facing a charge of murder.
A man, believed to be in his 60s, has died today following an accident at Dublin Airport.

It is understood that the man, who was a Swissport employee, was taken to hospital following his accident, which occurred at around 10.30am this morning.

The man was taken to Beaumont Hospital with serious injuries and was later pronounced dead.

A garda spokesman said gardai, the Health and Safety Authority and Dublin Airport authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

In a statement, Swissport says it is deeply saddened.

We are sorry to confirm that there was a fatality at Dublin Airport this morning. The next of kin has been informed, and we are deeply saddened by the death of a member of our team. Our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time.

Health and safety is our number one operational priority and we take such matters very seriously. We are working with the appropriate authorities with their investigations and were unable to comment further at this stage.
There is more money around and the recovery has reached rural Ireland. The improvements in terms of income are here at last, but in smaller increments than in the cities.

That is the good news, but the downside is our drug problem has reached epidemic proportions. There isn't a city, town or village that has not been overrun. The post offices are closing and the drug dealerships are opening up.

Yet nobody seems to know. There is hardly a mention of the epidemic in the media. The politicians are quite rightly concerned with the problem of homelessness.

The drug crisis dwarfs the homelessness crisis in terms of scale and the numbers affected. In fact, the drug epidemic feeds numbers in to the homelessness crisis. Brexit and the results thereof will affect Ireland forever, but right now the most pressing problem is drugs and our politicians on every side are downgrading the effects of the worst scourge since the Famine.

This may seem like hyperbole but I swear to you that I speak the truth. I also swear to you that I am absolutely sure of my facts. Please believe me, I beg of you, before it is too late.

I have spoken to addiction counsellors, gardai, students and even a drug dealer.

But the most telling evidence comes from those who are using drugs on a regular basis.

The students I spoke to in UCD last weekend estimated that about 60pc of their friends are on drugs. The story in the other third-level institutions is equally depressing. The vast majority of young people are on drugs. If your son or daughter is under 30, the likelihood is he or she is taking drugs.

And I'm not talking about students here who are sitting around in their pyjamas smoking a rite-of-passage joint while watching 'Home and Away' on a wet afternoon.

The young are on hard drugs. There are heroin addicts in every town. I spoke to the chairperson of a GAA club who told me two of their best players, who could well have gone on to play for the county, are now registered heroin addicts.

I know of decent boys and girls who were targeted and duped. Their lives have been destroyed by the new breed of Black and Tans who are ruining our country. The ironic part of all this is the Irish Tans wrap themselves in the Tricolour and pretend to be republicans. They are criminals and traitors.

The effect of the drugs changes and ruins lives.

The experts are still not sure of the effects of some of the newer drugs being sold by the dealers. What we do know is the problems caused by drug use will have catastrophic consequences, not just now but for decades to come.

Show this piece to any young person and they will be in total agreement. I am that confident of the facts.

Gardai I spoke to in seven different counties are overwhelmed.

They are in agreement with the 60pc figure.

One garda told me of a stag party and 23 out of the 27 on the stag were doing cocaine. They all had "good jobs" and came from "respectable families".

The Maurice McCabe case has seriously undermined public confidence in the Garda, even though only a small number were out to destroy Maurice.

One of the saddest parts of Katie Hannon's incredibly moving documentary was Maurice McCabe telling how proud he was when he first wore the Garda uniform, only to have his life destroyed by his colleagues.

One garda told me "the proudest day for any garda is when we throw our caps in the air in Templemore. My friend turned to me and said we're gardai now and we shed a tear".

His friend was beaten up just a few months ago while he was trying to stop a drug-fuelled fight outside a night club.

The vast, vast majority of our gardai joined because they wanted to make a difference; they cared and they were patriots in the service of the State.

They continue to put their safety on the line every time they go out to a crime scene. There isn't a garda in the country who hasn't been in a near-death situation. Not one.

There isn't a garda on the street who will disagree with a single word written here. Yet they feel they cannot speak out.

One garda said to me: "The people might think we are after overtime or on the make in some way."

Gardai are under-manned, undermined, under-resourced and overwhelmed.

They just cannot keep up with the huge increase in drug use. There was always drugs, but in the course of a year the problem has become a crisis of epidemic proportions.

I have been reading the provincial papers a lot over the past five or six weeks.

The court cases in the newspapers are a telling reminder of just how low we have sunk as a nation.

The 'Tipperary Star', 'Waterford News and Star', 'Connacht Tribune', 'Donegal Democrat', 'Clare Champion', 'Laois Nationalist', 'Clonmel Nationalist', 'Dundalk Democrat' and 'The Kerryman', among many others, feature numerous court reports of drug offences or crimes committed because of drug use.

But the relatively recent rapid increase in drug sales has not yet been reported in any forensic or scientific manner for the very valid reason that it takes time to collect, collate and asses the data.

But if you want to know the up-to-date state of toxic play, just ask any student or any garda.

To parents, I would say if your son or daughter is studying in any of our third-level colleges, there is more than a 50pc chance he or she is on drugs.

And the young lad or girl who went off to college full of hopes and dreams in September may have already suffered irreparable damage to their mental and physical well-being.
Spare a thought for the hard-pressed people of Gibraltar, a place which shares a huge chunk of history with Ireland. This final Brexit strop over the Mediterranean rock's status is stuffed with irony.

In terms of EU scale, the whole population of that rock equates to a full double-decker bus, but while there are 34,000 Gibraltarians to the EU's total of 500 million people, hold on to a few key facts. They voted 96pc Remain in that Brexit referendum on June 23, 2016 - vastly more than the 56pc to 44pc in favour of Remain in the North. It even dwarfs the 62pc to 38pc Remain majority in Scotland. We all well know that the final 52-48 Leave vote was driven by the bigger population in England.

Now Gibraltar finds it is the "rock" in that hoary old drama, which leaves the EU wedged between it and the proverbial "hard place".

Just four months before the UK formally leaves the EU, the divorce treaty and an accompanying political declaration on future ties are due to be rubber-stamped by British Prime Minister Theresa May and the other leaders of the 27 countries remaining in the EU, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

It is all still programmed to happen tomorrow in Brussels - despite the threatened opposition of Spain.

In strictly legal terms, Spanish opposition is not enough to block this Brexit clearance by EU leaders, but in reality the EU wants to preserve the remarkable unity they have shown over Brexit during the past two and a half years.

Like Ireland through all of this, Gibraltar is also the meat in the sandwich, this time between Spain and Britain in a 300-year-old dispute.

The other irony is that, for all its modernity and promotion of post-World War II consensus, there are times when old Europe's colonial legacy just will not go away.

Gibraltar's shared history with Ireland in summary looks like this. Spain was obliged to cede the strategic point overlooking the Mediterranean to England by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. On the throne in London at the time was Queen Anne, who had succeeded William III, also known in these parts as King Billy.

The Spaniards remember all that. Sound familiar?

Why can I instantly tell you that the Plantation of Ulster was in 1608, in the reign of James I, and that it started a chain of events in the North of Ireland?

I will not labour the historical fact that the aforesaid King Billy broke the Treaty of Limerick signed in my old hometown in October 1691.

It is time to fast-forward 300-plus years to a late November weekend in Brussels.

There we find that Ireland, and specifically the North of Ireland, appeared to be the final obstacle to a draft EU-UK Brexit treaty.

Suddenly, the EU governments appear ready to patch up a deal on Ireland and get ready to move to the next tortuous and uncertain phase. Then enter the Rock of Gibraltar and the Spaniards threatening to rain on the parade tomorrow morning.

Well, like the ongoing Brexit rows about Ireland, we need to step back a little here.

We need to acknowledge that Gibraltar remains an irritant to the proud people of Spain and has done across more than three centuries.

We must also note that there are regional elections in Andalusia - that region of Spain which borders Gibraltar - tomorrow week, December 2.

The socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, hopes a good result here could springboard him to a win in upcoming national elections.

So Spain wants changes to the UK's legal withdrawal treaty and the accompanying political declaration.

They want it made clear that any future decisions about Gibraltar would only be taken in partnership with Madrid.

Spain wants that commitment from the UK in writing before the summit. Brussels officials hope it can be sorted.
Dignity: Maurice McCabe and wife Lorraine endured a harrowing 12 years that Mr Justice Peter Charleton helped bring to an end with his report

Glowing tributes have been paid to Maurice McCabe following his vindication by Mr Justice Peter Charleton. We've heard much praise for his courage in speaking out about Garda wrongdoing and the dignity shown by him and his wife during their 12-year ordeal, so chillingly recounted in Katie Hannon's recent documentary on RTE.

To mitigate the suffering and to comfort him, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and others commended Mr McCabe for the "great service" he had performed for the Garda and for the people of Ireland.

While this sentiment is well intended, regrettably it is far too early to say whether any good will come of the McCabes' sacrifice or whether their harrowing experience will all have been in vain.

If history is anything to go by, the odds are against this scandalous story becoming a defining moment in the transformation of the Garda and the wider justice system.

A decade after Mr Justice Frederick Morris reported on the horrendous treatment of the McBreartys and Frank Shortt in Donegal, Justice Charleton concluded that former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan was smearing a conscientious garda with allegations of child sexual abuse, a crime that arguably elicits greater opprobrium than murder. Little had changed in 10 years.

After these devastating findings, what then are the chances that 'this time it will be different'?

Political equivocation has been the root cause of the endless cycle of scandal, followed by public outrage, a costly inquiry, a shocking report, hand-wringing expressions of regret, and then foot-dragging and weak-kneed solutions which do nothing to change Garda behaviour.

If the current Government is going to be the one that finally breaks this malignant cycle, then how it decides on some issues facing it right now will help to determine whether we will be able to look back on the 'McCabe affair' as a turning point in the history of An Garda Siochana.

Firstly, new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris must be given the full freedom and resources to build an extended senior management team with the necessary policing and technocratic skills and genuine commitment to the Garda Code of Ethics. Those who cling to a different code of ethics simply have to go.

The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recently published a majority recommendation on Garda governance structures, an opinion disputed by two commission members, Dr Vicky Conway of DCU and myself.

It advocates an "internal" board, modelled on the boards of "State bodies", such as Bord Bia or Enterprise Ireland, that would report to the Department of Justice.

It also recommends emasculation of the Policing Authority which, operating externally and independently, had begun to extract the truth from An Garda Siochana about widespread malpractice, such as country-wide cancellation of penalty points and bogus breathalyser numbers.

We consider the majority view to be a backward step in ensuring effective oversight, transparency and accountability.

Whatever decision the Government comes to in regard to this vital matter of governance will have a greater bearing on the future of An Garda Siochana than any other decision it will ever make.

A second defining item on Mr Flanagan's desk concerns the infamous case of the death in a hit-and-run accident of 23-year-old Shane O'Farrell in 2011. Between August 28, 2009, and August 2, 2011, when the fatal accident occurred, the driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, had committed more than 20 offences while on bail yet no attempt was made to enforce these bail breaches or activate his suspended sentence.

Further, no Garda inquiries were made when he left the jurisdiction and failed to sign on as ordered at a special court sitting on August 4, 2011.

Shane's mother, Lucia O'Farrell, has built up a comprehensive dossier that alleges Garda malpractice.

She has been campaigning tirelessly for a proper inquiry into the case and, such has been the compelling quality of her 'book of evidence', she has persuaded two-thirds of TDs in Dail Eireann to vote in favour of an independent inquiry.

The Justice Minister and his Fine Gael colleagues have refused an effective inquiry on questionable grounds.

Recently, both the minister and Garda Commissioner responded with commendable alacrity to revelations that gardai had failed to enforce bail conditions on a man who then went on to rape a Spanish student. An assistant commissioner has been assigned to investigate.

But the O'Farrell case is much more serious, with potential ramifications for the wider justice system.

The ordeal of the McCabe family will have been in vain unless the Government adequately resources and empowers the Garda Commissioner, and strengthens his hand with effective structures of external accountability.

Until there is demonstrable change in An Garda Siochana, then decent gardai will heed the salutary words of Maurice McCabe: "If I had known then what I was facing, I would never have done it. Never."

Katie Hannon's programme ends on an optimistic note, with Mr McCabe expressing confidence that the new commissioner can transform An Garda Siochana.

But he cannot do it alone and he cannot do it without a sea-change in the Government's relationship with the force.
The Ros Tapestry which is a unique project ongoing in the South East since 1998

Dundalk is to get its own unique tapestry thanks to an innovative community project launched by Creative Spark.

The idea came from director Sarah Daly who was inspired by similar projects around the country. 'I was aware of projects like this such as the Great Tapestry of Scotland, the Ros Tapestry in Wexford and, of course, the most famous Bayeux Tapestry in France,' explains Sarah. 'So when the opportunity came to make a proposal for Create Ireland funding for Louth, we thought it would make a very nice community project.'

The Ros Tapestry, for example, is a unique project ongoing in the South East since 1998, involving over 150 stitchers working on 15 giant tapestries panels, depicting scenes from Norman history linking. It is s one of the largest series of embroidered tapestries in Europe, with the first panel completed in 2002.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland was likewise a huge project involving communities around the country. The finished panels toured different regions of Scotland and will go on permanent display in a specially constructed venue from 2020.

Now, it's hoped to embark on a similar project for Louth, with Sarah explaining: 'We hope to develop a beautiful and timeless artefact made by the community, for the community and for future generations in the county.' The initial stage of the project sees people coming together in Creative Spark this Tuesday evening from 7pm to 9pm and Thursday morning from 11am to 1pm to share stories about their community.

Story facilitator Ali Warner and illustrator and graphic designer Geraldine Martin of Realign Design will be on hand to record the stories and prepare a design for a panel of the tapestry which will be completed before the end of the year as a pilot project.

Sarah says that while a lot of women have expressed interest in getting involved in the project, men have been slower to come forward. She points out that men can get involved by contributing to the story telling element and won't be forced to do embroidery!

An embroidery stitching training workshop taking place on Saturday is booked out but people can still take part in the stitching sessions which take place daily in Creative Spark from December 10th to 21st.

Local artist Una Curley, who specialises in textiles, will be on hand each day from 10am to 12pm, to help out with the stitching of the first large panel to be completed this year.

This promises to be a lovely way to escape the Christmas rush, enjoy a chat and a cup of coffee and contribute to a project which will become part of our heritage.

Following this pilot stage of the project, it's hoped to expand the project to other areas of the county next year so that all communities can tell their story in the panels which will then make up a large tapestry.

For further information on how to get involved contact Creative Spark at hello@creativespark.ie
On Friday night I headed for Byrnes in Hill Street where a rather special 40th birthday party was taking place for well known musician James Mackin from Castlebellingham and there to make sure he had an excellent night were parents Paddy and Kate, sisters Eimear and Niave, brother Laurence and girlfriend Aimee Woods along with a huge collection of family and friends.

I wasn't too long in the door when I caught up with James who was in great form and told me he is a regular in Byrnes, he plays there on the first Sunday of every month with a collection of the best musicians the country has to offer and if you want to hear the best jazz, this is the place to be.

The place was packed with party revellers and I then got a quick word with niece Cathy Bell from Kilsaran who was with Megan Lynch from Castlebellingham who were looking exceptionally well and said they were definitely going to have a mad night.

After this I got a quick word with aunt and cousin Phyllis and Debbie Woods from Avenue Road who assured me it was going to be a wild night for sure.

Next I met a couple who were going to make the best of the night were Shauna McKeown from Garrybawn and nephew Padraig Bell from Castlebellingham who told me he'd be taking it easy because of the dreaded 'work in the morning'.

Making my way through the crowds I then got talking to Alan Halpenny from Kilsaran and Ciara Muckian from Castlebellingham who were joined by Kevin McGeough originally from Togo but now from Castlebellingham who was with Cathy Kealy from Castlebellingham who all wanted to wish James all the best on his big night.

Not too far away I met up with three lads Peter Pritchard and David Whyte both from Castlebellingham and Faolan Morgan from Kilcurryish who told me they were old school mates of James and Peter had also lived with him for 7 years. Needless to say, the lads were there to make sure he had an epic night.

Seated up near the bar I got talking to Colin and Josephine Dullaghan form Blackrock who told me that he and James were in the band Tern all those years ago and he has been friends with him for around 25 years so they certainly weren't going to miss the party.

Next I headed over for a word with Eilish McCarthy from Muirhevna and Elizabeth Redmond originally from Texas but now in Castlebellingham with Bernard Kelledy and they wanted to wish James a very happy 40th.

One lady who was making sure the night got off to the start it deserved and that was 'Cocktail Queen' Teresa Mackin from Point Road who was making sure everyone got something tropical in them before they got the night going.

I then caught up with Bernard Kelledy who was there with brother Geoff who told me that Bernard and James were best mates since primary school and Geoff mentioned something about them playing with Star Wars figures, but there's no need to go into that now!

After this I headed over for a chat with Nicola and Jamie Murphy from Castlebellingham who were looking well and ready to make the night a massive with their friend James.

Not too long later I met up with Alannah Molloy from Kilsaran and Mark Kearney from Castlebellingham who were with Lee Hack from Castlebellingham and Billie Fagan from Feede who assured me they weren't just there for the goujons and wanted to wish James all the best on his big night.

I then caught up with musicians Niall Cloak from Bray and Martin Shields from Drogheda who said he was a vague acquaintance of James but was there for the party anyway.

Not to far away was James' dad Paddy from Annagassan who told me he wanted a big shout out for his cousin Mara Waring from Bachelors Walk and husband Paul who were flying home from Prague specially for the party.

Waiting for his turn to get up with the band was guitarist Paddy Goodwin from Drogheda who was going to make sure that James had an epic night.

Making my way through the crowds I met up with Rosie and Brendan Crean from Drogheda who were enjoying the night with Kate Pat and Doreen Mackin from Mount Avenue and couldn't wait to hear Brendan and James in action later on.

Finally, before I departed, I got a word with Anthony Lynch originally from Bothar An Chaislain but now hanging his hat in Willow Grove who told me he just loves James' music and was delighted to be there for the session.
The Irish Health and Safety Authority defines work-related stress as 'stress caused or made worse by work'.

Employers that value and care for staff naturally want to minimize unhealthy stress. There is also a strong business case to do so. 82% of employees face increased stress (Mercer 2015) which is leading to reduced concentration, job satisfaction and productivity. It is estimated that up to 11 million work days are lost through absenteeism every year at a cost of 1.5bn to the Irish economy. ESRI research indicates that stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) and musculo-skeletal disorders (MSD) together account for 68 percent of work-related illnesses.

Other research shows that engaged and healthy employees are, on average, up to 30 days more productive. Further, 6 out of 10 employees are more likely to give greater company loyalty to employers who demonstrate an interest in their wellbeing.

Staff can be stressed at work for many reasons - some of which will have nothing to do with work - a family bereavement, finances, ill-health of a loved one, relationship problems or simply because they don't know how to manage it effectively manage it. The list goes on.

'Work-induced or related stress' is naturally more significant from an employers' viewpoint but it all matters as it all affects health, performance and general wellbeing.

Common work place stresses include, workload, feelings of isolation, bullying, feelings of being overwhelmed by your job, deadlines, high expectations, lack of cooperation and support from management and colleagues, pressures related to promotion and unhealthy competition with colleagues.

Stress is part of growth and part of life. A bit of pressure is good as it drives us to be and do better. What pushes us into the unhealthy stress area is subjective and depends on each person. And if there is no recovery time or if staff have 'a lot going on outside of work ', they can be more easily overwhelmed.

With over 2 million people employed in Ireland, employers have a key role and opportunity to support healthy, happy, employees, families and communities. They also have a duty to protect their staff from potential injury and provide a safe environment in which to work. Part of this is to ensure each staff person has the necessary skills to do the job and is not under undue pressure. There is delegation and abdication.

With Ireland now in the top 10 countries worldwide for the percentage of the population affected by anxiety disorders (6.3%), according to the latest research from the World Health Organization (2017), the need for employers to help employees has never been greater.

Stress has bigger consequences than lost days at work. It sets a costly cycle in motion. When employees are stressed, they are less productive, less creative, less able to solve problems and more inclined to have difficulties in relationships. They will be totally unproductive if absent. Stressed staff are more likely to resign pushing up recruitment costs and putting more pressure on other staff to take on additional workload during a transition period and orient new people. Stressed staff also more likely to have accidents and get involved in litigation.

Unhealthy stress is contagious and is costing all of us. There are many ways in which we can learn to manage it more effectively and help others do the same. The costs of doing this are small compared to the benefits we all will reap and huge price we will pay if we don't in the short, medium and long-term in terms of health, wellbeing, happiness and output.
In its November package of infringement decisions, the European Commission is pursuing legal action against Ireland for failing to comply with obligations to protect wildlife.

First, some background. Where the European Commission detects a failure by a Member State to comply with Community law, the Commission may initiate infringement procedures.

In the first stage of the process, the Commission sends the Member State 'a letter of formal notice' inviting it to submit its observations on its alleged failures within two months. The ensuing exchange of correspondence between the Commission and the Member State is not normally publicised, so interested parties are not privy to what is happening.

Where the observations submitted by the Member State in response to a letter of formal notice fail to satisfy the Commission, it may proceed to stage two and issue 'a reasoned opinion'. In that case, the public is informed.

In its November package of infringement decisions, the European Commission informs us that it is pursuing legal action against Ireland for failing to comply with obligations to protect wildlife.

The reasoned opinion calls on Ireland to finalise the designation of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). European law required that the designation of SACs needed to be carried out within a six-year period that expired on 12 December 2014. Almost four years after the expiry date, 255 candidate SACs out of a total of 423 in Ireland have not yet been designated.

Since, in itself, a paper designation does nothing to protect nature on the ground, there is also a need to establish, for these SACs, conservation priorities, objectives and measures to maintain or restore the species and habitats present in these areas to a favourable condition.

Site-specific conservation objectives have not been established for 198 SACs and conservation measures have not been established for any site. In particular, the necessary conservation measures have not been established for the priority habitat types coastal lagoons at 25 sites and blanket bog at 50 sites, and the critically endangered Freshwater Pearl Mussel at 19 sites.

The Irish authorities have now two months to reply to the concerns raised by the Commission. If the outcome isn't satisfactory, the Commission may decide to refer Ireland to the Court of Justice of the EU, possibly resulting in censure and fines for being a laggard in protecting the shared natural heritage of members of the European Union.

Whatever happens, the outcome should result in benefits for nature conservation and the common good.
Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein and Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

Family trees bear poisonous fruit and their roots run deeper than any ardent fan of the wizard world of JK Rowling might have dared to dream in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald.

Written for the screen by the best-selling author, David Yates's frequently thrilling sequel continues to expand and enrich mythologies beyond the wonder years of Harry Potter and his Hogwarts alumni.

Not by accident, the impassioned pureblood rhetoric spouted by dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) dances to the same divisive drums as US president Donald Trump's controversial nationalism.

'Regret is my constant companion. Do not let it be yours,' Grindelwald whispers to one acolyte as he galvanises an angry uprising against non-magical folk, who are thought to be worth less because they are different.

Depp dials down the pantomime villainy, opting for slow-burning insidiousness that unsettles rather than flatly chills.

The aching depth of a childhood bond with Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) is implicit in lustrous flashbacks.

'We were closer than brothers,' sadly recalls the future headmaster of Hogwarts, who has never recovered from the lingering poison of desire.

In an exhilarating opening set-piece, which allows director Yates to flex his muscles, Grindelwald stages a breathless escape from the custody of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) led by president Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo).

The dark wizard sets in motion his convoluted scheme, which focuses on emotionally disturbed outcast Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), who is a prisoner of Circus Arcanus along with shape-shifting companion Nagini (Claudia Kim).

In London, Torquil Travers (Derek Riddell), Head of Magical Law Enforcement, implores magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to join the fight against Grindelwald and serve the Ministry of Magic alongside his older brother, Theseus (Callum Turner).

'The time is coming when we all have to pick a side,' Theseus warns his sibling.

'I don't do sides,' naively counters Newt.

Instead, the magizoologist secretly answers a call from Dumbledore, professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, who refuses to publicly oppose Grindelwald.

Newt's covert mission exposes a tangled web, which ensnares MACUSA agent Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), her mind-reading sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) and non-magical beau Jacob (Dan Fogler), and Newt's former sweetheart Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz).

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald builds robustly and stylishly on the first film to test the frayed resolves of flawed characters, some of whom have already lost so much.

As she proved in the two-part stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Rowling knows how to satisfy fans without shamelessly pandering to them.

The script skilfully acknowledges her magical canon - scenes at Hogwarts briefly reveal a young and flinty Minerva McGonagall (Fiona Glascott) - as she drops narrative bombshells with laser-targeted precision to satisfying, loud gasps.

Redmayne endears us even more to his socially awkward loner as he brandishes a wand in the name of creatures great and monstrous.

Production design and costumes are a heaving banquet for the eyes, garnished throughout with special effects conjured by an unseen army of digital wizards.

Yates's prelude to all-out-war is spellbinding.
The Louth CarePlus carer of the year is Jenny Campbell who has been awarded for her Trojan work caring for her daughter Aimee

Jenny Campbell from Tullyallen has been named as the 2018 Louth CarePlus Carer of the Year.

Each year Family Carers Ireland recognise Carers for the extraordinary hard work and dedication involved in caring for their loved ones every day, through these national awards.

Jenny cares for her daughter Aimee who has been battling a serious illness, Guilian Barre syndrome. Aimee went from being an active young woman with a passion for Irish dancing to being paralysed from the neck down in the space of 24 hours. She is thankfully making an excellent recovery and nominated her mother for the award, she says "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the help and care of my mother."

The national CarePlus 'Carer of the Year' awards will take place on November 23rd in the Westin Hotel in Dublin. They will be hosted by broadcasters, and patrons of the charity, Mary Kennedy and Marty Whelan.

According to CSO Irish Health Survey there are approximately 9,714 family carers in Louth providing on average 45 hours of care per week in their homes. Family Carers across Ireland save the state a staggering  10 billion each year. Today 1 in 10 people provide care for a loved one in the home - by 2030, demographic changes predict that one in five people will take on a caring role.

"We are delighted to recognise and celebrate Carers in every county of Ireland for their trojan work as Family Carers. A huge congratulations to Jenny who is now the Louth Careplus Carer of the Year 2018. Family Carers across Ireland make extraordinary sacrifices and work very hard, sometimes 24 hours a day, to provide care for their loved ones, safely, in their own homes. With limited access to services and particularly respite, Carers in Louth are over stretched and receive little acknowledgement for their unpaid work with three quarters receiving no payment from the State" Said Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Carer Engagement with Family Carers Ireland.

Niamh Lynch, Commercial Director of CarePlus Pharmacy commented "CarePlus Pharmacy is honoured to sponsor the Family Carer of the Year awards and recognise the tireless efforts of thousands of people across the country. Carers are the heart of every community and our pharmacy owners and staff meet them every day. We are enjoying working closely with Family Carers Ireland and supporting the awards throughout our sixty community pharmacies nationwide."

This is the second year CarePlus Pharmacy have sponsored this event.
The world famous Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland (CBOI) is launching two new education programme for young musicians - and the good news is that they are free, thanks to generous funding from Louth Leader.

COUNT Us In is a programme of free music lessons for teenagers while Dynamics is an innovative music education programme targeted at primary schools in Louth.

The CBOI has been involved in music education for almost 25 years, and is in a unique position in that musicians trained under 'Count Us In' can go on to become members of the Orchestra.

This programme is for teenagers aged between 11 and 16 years who enjoy music and would love the opportunity to learn an instrument for free with other young people. Music lessons will be given in violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba, French horn and percussion. The programme is suitable for beginners but may also be of interest to young people who have a foundation in piano. Participants will be provided with an instrument on loan and free weekly group lessons. Lessons will be two hours long, and will take place in Dundalk, at weekends commencing in January 2019.

Anybody interested in these free music lessons should apply online at www.cboi.ie by Friday December 21st. Places are limited. For further information please email info@cboi.ie

The 'Dynamics' project, managed and monitored by CBOI, will be taught in two primary schools, ideally DEIS schools, or schools in rural isolated regions with little access to the arts or music education. The programme is free for selected schools. Under the scheme, instrumental tuition will be given in violin. Children will be provided with a violin on loan and children will have daily group violin lessons during term time, taught by highly qualified and experienced tutors. The programme is ideally suited to small class groups aged 6 to 7 years.

Schools are now invited to register their interest in the 'Dynamics' programme. Schools registering their interest should ensure that they have the full support of the school principal, staff and Board of Management. They should also ensure that they have a suitable space where tuition can take place and adequate storage space for the instruments.

For further information or to register interest in participating in Dynamics email info@cboi.ie by Friday December 7th.

Both programmes are modelled on the Venezuelan system of music education which is regarded as the best in the world. It is based on group tuition as research shows that young people are more receptive to learning and more motivated in a group situation especially when they are part of a committed team who strive together to achieve excellence.
What the campus of DkIT looked like when first opened in the 1970s as Dundalk Regional Technical College

The title says it all. 'The Jewel of the North East - documenting the story of DkIT' traces the history of Dundalk Institute of Technology from its humble origins as one of five Regional Technical Colleges opened around the country in the early 1970s to its present status as a leading centre of education with students from 25 countries around the world.

The book, which is due to be launched on Tuesday November 27, was a labour of love for former lecturers Dr Deirdre McArdle Clinton and her husband Pat Clinton.

The idea came from a comment by then DkIT President Denis Cummins to Deirdre that she should follow up on her book 'The Consumer Experience of Higher Education' by writing the history of the college.

Deirdre, with the help of husband Pat, then embarked on researching the history of DkIT, little knowing that it would grow into a massive project which saw them interviewing former staff and students as well as trawling through minutes of meetings going back to the 1930s.

The result is a book which not only documents the history of the college but also reflects the social history of Dundalk.

The Regional Technical Colleges were founded at a time of immense change in Irish society with free education and free school transport opening the doors of learning to more people than ever before.

With Ireland joining the European Common Market came the realisation that our young people needed training in technical subjects which weren't covered in the universities.

'The first mention of the college was in 1963,' says Deirdre, who was given access to the minutes of the Co Louth Vocational and Educational Committee meetings.

Planning for the college began in the early 'sixties, with eleven different sites being considered at one time, one of which included the former Louth Infirmary.

Luckily, the Dublin Road site was chosen as it allowed for the college to expand over the years, including the purchase of the iconic PJ Carroll factory building and the construction of new buildings to house departments and schools for subjects never dreamt off in the early days.

Dundalk Regional Technical College opened its doors in September 1969 although the official opening didn't come until 1971.

Through interviews with former staff and students, Deirdre and Pat have stitched together a fascinating account which captures the idealism and zeal of those pioneers of education.

'It seems that the early years of the college have been forgotten,' says Pat, adding that they felt it was important to record that era for future generations.

They spoke with the first principal Dr Sean McDonagh who was adamant that Dundalk RTC would be a centre of excellence, providing a different type of third level education to what was available at the time.

'He had a great interest in the arts and organised a Music, Arts and Drama Festival in the college for a number of years,' recalls Deirdre.

Frank Carney remembered builders letting teachers and students into the classrooms before the college was completed - something which wouldn't happen in these days of Health and Safety legislation.

'They had a real missionary spirit about what they were doing,' says Deirdre.

The authors also found that The Troubles in Northern Ireland cast a shadow over Dundalk.

'There was a real problem in recruiting staff at the college, as people didn't want to move their families so close to the border, so there was a very high turnover of staff,' says Deirdre.

As part of the Vocational Education system, students were able to sit the Leaving Certificate examination in the college as the VEC schools only offered education up to the Group or Inter cert examination.

With the changing economic climate and jobs market, the range of courses on offer has expanded over the years, with students now able to do Masters and Doctorates across a range of subjects. The RTCs split from the VEC system in 1993 with the establishment of the Institutes of Technology with their own governing bodies and Boards of Management.

With over 600 academic staff and a student population of 5,000 across a number of schools on the 90 acre campus on the Dublin Road, DkIT makes a major contribution to the local economy in Dundalk. With its distinctive wind turbine, the first on a college campus in Ireland, it is an impressive landmark on the town's skyline and a symbol of innovation and technology.

In interviewing former students, Deirdre and Pat found that the majority had 'the fondest memories of their time spent in Dundalk.'
When RTE presenter Claire Byrne met BBC's Stephen Nolan against the spectacular view of Carlingford Lough last week, they couldn't have imagined the dramatic events that were beginning to unfold.

Filmed as they crossed the currently seamless border to host the television special NolanByrne Live, the well known personalities swapped places for the live show.

With Claire Byrne in Belfast and the Stephen Nolan at RTE studios in Dublin, the scene was set for what looked to be the first truly transparent cross border debate on Brexit.

But within 24 hours of the show airing, reports emerged that a deal had been reached between the UK and the EU.

Two years and five months after the shock vote, it was the first major breakthrough, and a welcome one for the border area, with specific caveats for the north which were essential to preventing the return of a border to this area.

Among the first to welcome the news was the lobby group, Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) who have campaigned tirelessly against the return of a hard border.

Spokesman Declan Fearon said: 'Developments on the progress of the negotiations between the British Government and the EU are welcome.

It is our understanding that the Backstop for Ireland will be set in place alongside the UK remaining in the Custom Union and Parts of the Single Market to allow further detailed trade negotiations to take place.

This would allow Certainty for everyone living in Border Communities and further across this Island. It also provides economic assurance for the thousands of business who face a very difficult future and the tens of thousands of jobs put at risk by a Brexit crash.

We will all have to wait and see what developments take place in Westminster in the coming weeks.'

The European Union's Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who laid out the work being done to avoid the return of a border in this area during a visit to Dundalk earlier this year, said that a 'solution to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland has been found.'

He explained that Northern Ireland would stay in the same customs territory as the rest of the United Kingdom, but that the region would remain aligned to some EU regulations to avoid a hard border.

The draft agreement was, he added, a 'key step towards concluding the Brexit talks.'

He insisted that the backstop 'is designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland post-Brexit.'

Meanwhile Louth TD, Declan Breathnach, has urged the publication of a key Brexit report, which details the areas of North-South cooperation under the Good Friday Agreement, that are at risk due to Brexit.

Deputy Breathnach, who is also vice-chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, was commenting following the call from EU Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly to publish the document given that it is in the public interest.

Deputy Breathnach said: 'I believe this document, which sets out how dependent North-South cooperation is on EU membership by both Ireland and the UK, needs to be published without any further delay.'

'The 1998 Good Friday Agreement makes explicit reference to 'areas for co-operation' many of which are directly or indirectly underpinned by EU law. We cannot countenance any threat to these areas of cooperation and must ensure their continuation long into the future.'

He added: 'I appreciate and understand the complexity of the past number of weeks when negotiations were ongoing.

However, I think it is timely that the document is now published, and the full extent of the risk is made known. We know that Brexit will have negative consequences on this island and it is in everyone's interest that we mitigate against this, we need to be informed to do so,' concluded Deputy Breathnach.

Louth TD Gerry Adams also weighed in on the current crisis arising from Brexit withdrawal agreement saying: 'Brexit is a deadly serious issue. It poses a significant threat to the economy of County Louth, to jobs and infrastructure. It threatens the two economies on this island, will undermine social cohesion, and directly attacks the Good Friday Agreement.'

He said that the crisis within the British government, along with ' the chaos within Westminster, and the fallout between the DUP and the Tory leader Theresa May highlights the stupidity, insanity, absurdity and ludicrousness of Brexit.'

'In the referendum in 2016 the clear majority of voters in the North voted to remain within the EU. The DUP and the British government continue to disrespect that democratic vote.'

'We have consistently campaigned for the North to be designated a special status within the EU in order to ensure there is no hard border and that communities and businesses, especially along the border corridor, are protected. Our MEPS led this effort in the European Parliament. In Ireland, North and South and in Westminster we consistently pressed this proposal.'

He said the the draft withdrawal agreement, and in particular the backstop arrangement, if implemented would go some way to achieving this objective.'

The Louth TD added: 'However we should not lose sight of the fact that the current draft withdrawal agreement will not stop Brexit.

The reality is that the agreement reached between the EU and the British can only moderate some of the worst aspects of Brexit.'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government is not contemplating a hard border on the island of Ireland in the event of a rejection of the draft Brexit withdrawal deal.

He said the focus remained on getting the deal ratified, but he added that a difficult conversation with the EU would have to take place if the UK parliament votes it down.
Gardai have appealed for eyewitnesses following an attack on a tall ship docked at the south pier in Carlingford over the weekend.

The shocking incident is reported to have occurred on Saturday evening, when the ship's owner had left the vessel.

The attempted arson attack by vandals who illegally boarded the 'La Malouine' saw efforts to set fires in a number of locations on board.

The theft of a sum of money was reported, and the vandals are said to have urinated and defecated on the vessel.

They also set off fire extinguishers, burned the ship's log book, and then vandalised the ship owner's car which had been parked along the pier, as well as a small fishing boat which was moored close by.

Ship owner, 85 year old Roy Kerr, who uses the boat to provide training for young people, said that this was the first time that anything like this had ever happened to him.

He explained that he had gone into the village with another crew member on Saturday evening and returned to find an attempt had been made to burn his ship.

'I can't get my head around why they would want to do that,' he said.

The ship, which was built in Poland, had arrived in Carlingford, having sailed from Scotland.

Roy, who lives on the ship, says he uses it to provide training for young people and was having it inspected in advance of it being used for a cross-border training programme.

He thanked all those who came to help clean the ship when they learned of the vandalism.

Gardai are appealing to the public for any information about the incident. Anyone who can assist is asked to contact gardai on 042 93 88400, or the confidential telephone line on 1800 666 111.
Former members of the Defence Forces lined up outside 30 Clanbrassil Street for The Knights of Hibernia John Boyle OReilly Society unveiling of a Commemorates Plaque to men who left the the societys premises to fight for Irish freedom on Easter Sunday 1916. Picture Ciaran Dunbar/Newspics

Gerry Woods (left), President Of The Knights Of Hibernia, Marcus Howard, Author and Film Maker, Noel Agnew and Padraig Agnew at the unveiling of a Commemorative Plaque to men who left the societys premises to fight for Irish freedom on Easter Sunday 1916. Picture Ciaran Dunbar/Newspics

A commemorative plaque remembering the men who left the Knights of Hibernia premises at Clanbrassil Street to make their way to Dublin to fight in the 1916 Easter Rising was unveiled on Sunday.

Around 200 people, including a number of relatives and friends of the 1916 Louth Volunteers, attended the ceremony which took place in bright sunshine.

The new plaque, which has been placed below the original one erected in 1956, was unveiled by Gerry Woods, President of the Knights of Hibernia.

Author and film maker Marcus Howard spoke of the importance of remembering the history contained within our town and its buildings.

He recalled the important role which the hall played in the lead up to the Easter Rising as it was the meeting place for the local Volunteers.

The volunteers from Dundalk were one of only a few large units to mobilise nationwide in spite of Eoin Mac Neill's countermanding order, calling off the insurrection planned for Easter Sunday.

About eighty Irish Volunteers marched out from Dundalk with the intention of meeting the Meath Volunteers at the Hill of Tara. The group was made up of units from Dundalk, Ardee, Cooley, Grangebellew and Dunleer.

They commandeered cars as they made their way to Dublin and were involved in an incident in Castlebellingham where an RIC man was shot. Many of the Irish Volunteers made it as far as Tyrellstown. They were the last unit of Irish Volunteers to disband after eventually getting confirmation of surrender.

Many of those who left Dundalk that morning were arrested and some were jailed and send overseas to prison while others went on the run.
Emma OBrien (who plays Swan), Tara Nixon ONeill (who plays the Queen) and Ciaran Coogan (who plays Robin).

Magic and mischief will fill the air this Christmas as Dry Rain Theatre Company returns to the Whale Theatre, with their enchanting tale of The Queen who Cancelled Christmas.

Written and directed by local playwright David O'Brien The Queen who Cancelled Christmas promises to be a visually beautiful and entertaining performance that will take the audience on a mystical journey.

The story follows feathered friends, Robin (played by Ciaran Coogan) and Swan (played by Emma O'Brien) as they embark on a daring adventure through the snowy forest to try and stop the kingdom's naughty Queen (played by Tara Nixon O'Neill) from cancelling Christmas... but will they succeed?

With original music by Irish composer Donal Rafferty, a host of colourful characters and lots of fun, this glorious production is the perfect Christmas treat for families with children aged 3years and older.

Dry Rain Theatre Company is renowned for its innovative approach to theatre and the Whale expressed their delight at having their first ever Christmas show produced by Dry Rain.

'We are delighted to have a Christmas show at the Whale Theatre this year, Dry Rain have always produced very interesting theatre and this promises to be an extremely colourful family show that I immensely look forward to seeing,' said Whale founder Ross McParland.

'The Queen who Cancelled Christmas will appeal to the child in all of us,' said playwright David O'Brien, 'as it contains a perfect mix of fun, suspense and Christmas magic.'

The show runs from Friday, December 28, to Sunday, December 30, with performances at 1 p.m. and 3 3p.m. each day.

To get tickets online, go to whaletheatre.ie.
Fr Stanislaus 'Stan' Connolly passed away recently having dedicated his life to the St Patrick's Missionary Society.

Fr Stan's funeral took place in St Patrick's Chapel, Kiltegan, followed by his burial in the society cemetery. At the time of his death, he was being looked after in the care unit at St Patrick's.

Fr Stan was born in Summerhill, County Meath, in 1930 and was ordained in 1956 while in his twenties. He was first appointed to the Diocese of Calabar in Nigeria following his graduation. In the early 1960s, he was appointed Rector of the Society's House of Philosophy in Cork.

After that he spent a number of years working in the USA after being appointed to promotion work. He remained in the States until he was elected as Vicar General of the Society at the 1972 Chapter. This resulted in a return to Kiltegan.

At the end of his term on the Central Leadership Team, he was appointed to Nigeria where he ministered at Amukoko for eight years. In the late 1980s he was appointed to Kenya where he ministered at Londiani.

He returned to Ireland in 2000.

After helping at St Mary's Parish, Drogheda, he was appointed chaplain at St Francis' Hospital, Mullingar. He retired to Kiltegan in 2011. Fr Stan wrote over 100 articles for Africa Magazine, writing first in 1959 and his last article was in the December 2017.

Fr Stan is predeceased by his brothers Fintan, Michael, Joe, Tom and Fr. Julian; and sadly missed by his sister-in-law Mary (Summerhill), by his nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, his relatives and friends and by his society family.
Eibhlin McCleary, Dr Barry McCleary, Karl OBroin, Sue Miller, Oisin Gillbride and Frank Corr at the presentation by Bray Lions Club to Dr Barry McCleary.

Dr Barry McCleary, founder and CEO of Bray technology company Megazyme was honoured by Bray Lions Club at its annual dinner on Saturday,November 10, when he was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship for Distinguished Humanitarian Service.

He was presented with the award by Frank O'Donoghue, District Governor of Lions Clubs Ireland and Karl O'Broin, president of Bray Lions Club.

Named after the founder of Lionism, the Melvin Jones Fellowship is the highest accolade awarded by the Lions Clubs International Foundation and recognizes 'Dedicated Humanitarian Services'.

Born in Australia, Barry received his PhD and Doctor of Science degrees from the University of Sydney, at which he is an Adjunct Professor.

He founded Megazyme in 1988 in a garage off the side of his home in suburban Sydney.

With his family, he relocated to Bray, Ireland in 1996.

Megazyme is very much a local employer, based in the IDA Business Park on the Southern Cross Road in Bray. It employs 53 staff, 30 of whom are scientists, and most are local residents. The company develops test kits to measure the quality of food, wine, beer and dairy products and 99% of its sales are exported to 90 countries worldwide.

10 years ago Barry, his wife Eibhlin and Megazyme staff decided that Megazyme would become a socially aware company and instigate a justice program where it would support worthwhile projects, both financially and with personal time input. The company initially committed 1 per cent of its turnover to supporting projects both in Ireland and worldwide. Over the past few years, this has grown to 3 per cent of turnover.

Megazyme has been a generous supporter of Bray Lions Club and it also supports small and large projects including Wicklow Hospice and Lakers. Last year Professor McCleary and Megazyme have been honored with many local and international awards. Most recently Barry represented Ireland at the European Business Awards. In 2013, Megazyme was named Irish Small Business of the Year and in 2014, Prof McCleary won the University of Sydney Alumni Award for International Achievement for his contributions to food safety globally. In addition he has received awards and medals from top scientific associations in USA, Europe and Australia for contributions to analytical methodology.

The company's major financial support went to the O'Cualann Affordable Housing Project run by Hugh Brennan, a project in which Barry's wife Eibhlin has invested much time and commitment.

Megazyme also supports missionary priests and sisters working in some of the most deprived areas of Africa.

Professor McCleary and Megazyme have been honoured with many local and international awards. Most recently Barry represented Ireland at the European Business Awards. In 2013, Megazyme was named Irish Small Business of the Year and in 2014, Prof McCleary won the University of Sydney Alumni Award for International Achievement for his contributions to food safety globally. In addition he has received awards and medals from top Scientific Associations in USA, Europe and Australia for contributions to analytical methodology.
Staff and parents from North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School will be demonstrating outside the Dail tomorrow (Thursday, November 22).

The protest is being held to highlight their looming eviction from their temporary home on Putland Road, and what they say is 'the appalling lack of action' by the Department of Education in processing the building of their new school.

'The Board of North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School notes that, once again, members of the Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board felt that they did not have enough information to make a decision on the co-location of our school with Bray Institute of Further Education,' said the school principal Jonathan Browner in a statement.

'We have repeatedly asked all parties including BIFE, the KWETB and the Department of Education and Skills to work together to develop a shared vision for education in North Wicklow.'

He said that the Novara Road campus could easily accommodate their own school and all of BIFE's ambitions for expansion and development.

'We have been stonewalled,' he said. 'The Department of Education has known that this issue was inevitable for the last two-and-a-half years so it should come as no surprise to them that a voluntary secondary school now finds itself in a property which is for sale and which is subject to vacant possession on May 1, 2019.

'The ongoing delay is affecting students, staff and parents in what is the school's first exam year.'

They are calling on Minister for Education Joe McHugh to intervene immediately.
At the presentation of the Patrick OKeeffe Traditional Music Festival Dedication to the Music of Sliabh Luachra Award trophy to Timmy OConnor in Scullys Bar in Newmarket were, seated from left: Cormac OMahony, festival chairman; Timmy OConnor, award recipient; Raymond OSullivan, Newmarket and Billy OKeeffe, Rathmore. Back from left: Denis OCallaghan, Rockchapel; Lisa and Siobhan Cronin, Newmarket; Leanora OCallaghan, Rockchapel; Mary Cashman, Kilbrin; Eoin Stan OSullivan, Newmarket and Sean Angland, Ballydesmond. Photoby John Reidy

The recipient of the 2018 Patrick O'Keeffe Traditional Music Festival 2018 award for his 'Dedication to the Music of Sliabh Luachra' is Timmy O'Connor of Newmarket.

The award was conferred on Timmy at the concert in Castleisland by just-retired RTE presenter and musician, Peter Browne. However, there's many a slip between glass and lip, and the trophy which was to be presented with the award remained irretrievably locked in its shop of origin in uptown Castleisland.

The fact didn't knock a stir out of Timmy. The organisers promised to make amends at the first possible opportunity or as soon as they could drive legally again. That opportunity arose on Monday night of last week, and four members of the committee made a geographical and ideological border incursion between Castleisland to Newmarket.

But didn't Con Houlihan himself say that Sliabh Luachra was borderless now and threatening to consume the whole country. Timmy's trophy was triple wrapped in a cardboard box in festival president Pats Broderick's car in the care of committee chairman Cormac O'Mahony and members Charlie Nelligan and John Reidy.

Scully's Bar, deep on the Cork side of the borderless Sliabh Luachra, was our destination with musical enjoyment and the presentation of the trophy our mission.

The back room of Scully's was almost fully occupied with musicians, with Timmy O'Connor and Raymond O'Sullivan at the helm. There was also a fine complement of listeners - many of whom were drinking water. In his recently elected role as Sliabh Luachra Musician in Residence for the county councils of Cork, Kerry and Limerick, Raymond's son, Eoin 'Stan', welcomed the Kerry contingent.

During a break in the tunes, Eoin explained the reason for the presence of the visitors from Kerry and, in fairness to him, there wasn't a mention of drink giving rise to the occasion.

"As a young boy, Timmy O'Connor loved to listen to music, at the roadside dances, on his aunt's gramophone and at the dances at his neighbours' houses.

"When an accordion was left behind after one of those house dances, Timmy discovered that he could also play music," according to the award citation by Eoin Stan and Raymond O'Sullivan.

"As a fledgling musician his enthusiasm was so infectious that many retired players from the around dusted off their instruments to share their tunes with him. Timmy in turn shared those tunes with anyone he played with.

"Through his friendship with musicians like Jackie Daly, music that may otherwise have been lost has made its way into the repertoires of players all over the world.

"He is the well-deserved recipient of this year's 'Dedication to the Music of Sliabh Luachra Award' in Castleisland.

"For almost 70 years he has kept the musical flag flying along the eastern frontier of Sliabh Luachra. He has also seen service in Britain, mainland Europe and the USA.

"In his time he has played with all the 'greats', and he is a living link with a golden era in Sliabh Luachra music.

"A humble and gramhar gentleman, Timmy seems as happy playing music with children as with the 'stars', and over his long career he has helped many young aspiring musicians and dancers. "He has an amazing repertoire which he is always willing to share freely.

"Some of his tunes stretch back to Tom Billy, whose music he picked up from his friend and neighbour, Johnny Mickey Barry.

"In recent years he has turned his hand to composing and regularly surprises us with a new 'jewel'. Moladh go deo thu, Timmy, agus go maire tu an cead!"
Each year, for many years, the Central Bank of Ireland has been producing a range of silver and gold coins commemorating many key events and figures relating to Ireland's history and heritage, past examples include Michael Collins, James Joyce and even more recent household names such as Rory Gallagher.

The Commemorative Coin Programme for 2020 is now being developed and suggestions for themes are now invited from the general public by the Central Bank of Ireland. 1920 was a year of remarkable note in Cork with regards to aspects relating to the War of Independence and it would be most fitting if a number of suggestions were to be made from the County of Cork such that the Coin Programme could reflect the Centenary of 1920 and the key role that Cork played.

For more information or indeed to make a submission send an email to coindesign@centralbank.ie - submissions must be received by 5pm on Friday 21st December 2018.

Heritage in Ireland is going from strength to strength and proposals for Ireland's new National Heritage Plan have just been announced. The public consultation phase for this Heritage Plan (titled Heritage Ireland 2030) has just been launched by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, who noted "I am delighted to announce the launch of the public consultation on Heritage Ireland 2030 - an ambitious new national heritage plan for Ireland.

"The natural and built heritage around us enriches our lives, inspires our achievements and gives life to our communities. It underpins our culture, our economy and our society. Our vision for heritage is a simple one - that heritage is valued and protected. Heritage Ireland 2030 will be built around that vision: that the way in which we identify and protect our heritage is the best it can be."

Heritage Ireland 2030 - which will be based around three themes of national leadership; supporting stronger heritage partnerships; and building community and local involvement in heritage - will guide the Government's heritage priorities and investment over the next decade and beyond, including the 285m commitment to heritage in the Department's 10 year investment plan Investing in Our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018 - 2027, which was launched in April 2018.

At the launch event in the Irish Architectural Archive in Merrion Square, Minister Madigan urged all to have their say in shaping heritage priorities for the decade to come: "Our heritage is a shared responsibility and a shared treasure. We need to work together at national, local and community level to care for it and to unlock its future potential. So I invite you to play your part in shaping the future of our heritage and have your say during this consultation period".

For more information visit www.chg.gov.ie.

Biodiversity is part of our national heritage

Biodiversity is a huge part of our national heritage and 2019 will see a large two-day conference take place in respect of same titled 'New Horizons for Nature'. The conference is being organised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.npws.ie) and the Irish Forum on Natural Capital (www.naturalcapitalireland.com) and will be held at Dublin Castle on 20 and 21 February 2019.

Speaking of the upcoming conference Minister Madigan noted: "This important two-day event will see artists, businesses, economists, musicians and farmers join conservationists and scientists to seek answers to the question of how best we can work together to conserve biodiversity. G

"lobally, we are losing biodiversity at a rate unprecedented in human history. In Ireland, over 90% of our protected habitats are in poor condition, and 14% of species assessed are deemed to be endangered. The number of plants, insects, mammals and birds that are threatened or endangered is growing year on year."

Echoing President Macron, Minister Madigan added, "There is no Planet B. The biodiversity of this planet is the greatest resource we have and it is up to this generation to move beyond rhetoric and on to action. That action is not for the prescient few. It is an obligation on us all, and we will use this conference to broaden that dialogue."

The conference organisers want to energise implementation of Ireland's 3rd National Biodiversity Action Plan, 'Actions for Biodiversity 2017-2021', which was launched in October 2017.

Through talks, debates, workshops and creative elements, this event aims to raise awareness of the Plan and explore some of its key aspects, including: How to better engage with communities across Ireland to conserve biodiversity; Planning for biodiversity in a changing world, and, Investing in nature. Information about the conference is available at www.biodiversityconference.ie.

There is certainly plenty happening from a heritage perspective in County Cork over the coming weeks and not least the upcoming publication by Cork County Council regarding Cork's place in Europe - titled 'Europe and the County of Cork: A Heritage Perspective'.

There will be more on this and many further events next week.
North Cork Fine Gael Councillor John Paul O'Shea has welcomed the awarding of a LEADER Programme grant by the North Cork Local Action Group (LAG) through its implementing partner Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG to Kilshannig Community Centre.

More than 22,000 in LEADER Programme funding has been allocated for the works by the North Cork LAG, which is a committee of Cork County Council. The grant is to fund interior and exterior works at the community centre, namely the laying of tarmacadam and kerbing in the car park, the fitting of gullies and piping, lining the car park, and sanding, relining and varnishing the floor in the main hall. The grant is only a percentage of the full costs of the work and resources from the Kilshannig Community Centre Development Association will also be spent to complete the works.

Kilshannig Community Centre was officially reopened in March 2015 following major refurbishments. The new centre consists of a reception area, large community hall and stage area, meeting rooms, kitchen, and toilets.

Cllr O'Shea said he was pleased that the North Cork LAG on the recommendation of Valerie Murphy, CEO of Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, and her dedicated board of directors and staff had approved the funding request by Kilshannig Community Centre Development Association.

"This funding allocation is important for a number of reasons. It will improve health and safety for peoples using the community centre as the current car park surface is not adequate. Improvements to the floor of the main hall will increase its use and allow new groups to utilise it," he said.

"The community in Kilshannig deserve great credit for bringing the community hall up to the state-of-the-art level it's currently at. The centre underwent a huge transformation in 2015 and these new works, thanks to the funding from North Cork LAG and input from Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, will compliment that upgrade and make the centre even more attractive to the local and wider community," Cllr O'Shea said.

Micheal Casey, chairperson of the Kilshannig Community Development Association, thanked everyone involved for the provision of more than 22,000 in funding, especially Dave Foley of Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG. "We greatly appreciate this funding which will help us carry out much-needed upgrades to the centre, particularly in the car park and main hall," he said.

"Our committee has done terrific work and much credit is due to my fellow officers Noeleen Buckley and Michelle Savage, and everyone else involved for their continued voluntary support at the community centre."
The winner of the 2018 Sean Moylan Scholarship, Ballydesmond student Karina Cronin with Pat OBrien (chair) and Maurice ORiordan (secretary) of the trustees committee and her proud mother Mairead

A student from Ballydesmond has been unveiled as the winner of the prestigious 2018 Sean Moylan postgraduate scholarship.

Katrina Cronin from Tureen was presented with the award, worth 2,500, recently by members of the trustee committee in front of her proud mother, Mairead.

The 24-year-old, a final year Professional Masters in Education student at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick where she initially graduated from.

Karina, a former pupil of Ballydesmond National School and Scoil Pobail Sliabh Luachra in Rathmore, told The Corkman she was thrilled to have won the scholarship.

"This will make a big difference to my life. This money will be of huge use for college fess and for my upcoming work placement. This will definitely make my life that little bit easier," she said.

Karina was among dozens of third-level students who applied for the scholarship, which is open to students from colleges across the island of Ireland. It is tenable for one year at a university approved by the board of trustees that oversee the initiative.

Each application goes through a rigorous selection process, with the winner being judged on a number of specific criteria. Karina is no stranger to winning accolades having won the Kanturk District Garda Youth Awards while fifth-year secondary school student in 2011. She also served as the chairperson of the Rathmore Social Action Group (SAG).

"The fact that I am gaeilgeoir will not have done my application any harm," said Karina whose ultimate goal is to pursue a career in national school teaching.

"There is no doubt but that this money will open up certain avenues and I am grateful to the judging panel for the faith they have shown in me," he added.

The scholarship is named in memory of the late Sean Moylan from Kiskeam who served as a commandant in the IRA during the War of Independence and on the Republican side during the Civil War.

Elected to Dail Eireann in 1921 as a Sinn Fein deputy, Moylan joined the Fianna Fail party in 1926 and was elected TD for Cork North in 1932. He served on the cabinet under Eamon De Valera on four occasions, holding various Ministries including Education, Lands and Agriculture.

The scholarship was set up three years after his death in 1960 from money invested in a trust fund by his family.

Managed and maintained by a board of voluntary trustees, the scholarship was initially established to assist graduates pursing studies in the areas of education and agriculture.

Over the years its remit has changed and over the years it has been awarded to students studying in other fields.
New Mallow station officer Jonathan Madden thanking Tony Douglas for his three decades of service with the Mallow Fire Service

Family and colleagues of former Mallow fire service station officer Tony Douglas gathered last Friday night to pay tribute to his almost three decades of service to the local community.

Originally from Charleville, Mr Douglas joined the Mallow Fire Service in February 1990 and worked his last shift at its helm from 1999 to last July.

New station officer Jonathan Madden led the tributes to Mr Douglas during the gathering in the local fire station, speaking in glowing terms of his former colleague's dedication to the job and professionalism.

"During 28 years with the Mallow Fire Service Tony has been a pivotal figure, overseeing the response to numerous minor and major incidents across the Mallow area, including the blazes at the Patrician Academy and the Annabella Roundabout Pub," said Mr Madden.

He said that Mr Douglas' influence was also felt much farther afield, most notably through the training courses he oversaw with fire fighters from across Cork and other counties.

"Over the course of his career Tony ensured that he kept up to date with all of the latest techniques across all aspects of the job. He was in much demand as an instructor and his expertise and deep knowledge of the job will be sorely missed," said Mr Madden.

"Above all, Tony was a magnificent station officer who ran the Mallow station 24/7 with his crew of 12 officers in a highly professional manner, working closely with his colleagues in the neighbouring stations of Kanturk, Charleville, Millstreet. Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Cork City," he added.

During the gathering other colleagues also paid their own tributes to Mr Douglas, thanking him for the help and encouragement he had given to them over the years. They also presented him with a statue and a gift to mark the occasion of his retirement.

"That so many people wanted to thank Tony personally was a great testament to the man, his professionalism and the high regard in which he will always be held by the many people who have been fortunate to work alongside him over the years," said Mr Madden.

"I know that I speak for all of his colleagues in wishing him all of the very best in his retirement and that he will be greatly missed by all of his friends here in Mallow Fire and Rescue," he added.

Speaking to The Corkman, Mr Douglas said he was touched that so many former colleagues and members from other fire stations across Cork had turned up for the gathering.

"It was great to see so many familiar faces. While I will miss many aspects of the job, in particular the camaraderie with my colleagues and the other emergency services, I felt that it was the right time for me to step down and I have no regrets about retiring," said Mr Douglas.

"It is with a sense of great pride that I can also say that no fire fighter from Mallow was seriously injured under my watch," he added.
A local Cork county councillor has vowed to fight 'tooth and nail' the plan to build a crematorium on the site of the former Duhallow Park Hotel at Drumcommer Beg, Kanturk.

In late September The Corkman revealed that the owners of the empty seven-acre site, Whitegate-based Classic Lodges (Ireland) Ltd, has lodged an application with local authority planners for the facility.

As had been anticipated, the application raised much debate locally, with more than 60 submissions lodged with planners against the facility citing a number reasons why it should not go ahead, including emissions, traffic congestion, environmental concerns and non-compliance with the county development plan.

Council planners initially shot down the proposal, ruling it invalid as only one site notice had been erected when there should have been two.

Earlier this month it emerged that Classic Lodges had lodged a second application for the crematorium on the site and that all of the people who had objected to the initial application would have until Wednesday, December 5 to resubmit their observations. The authority is set deliver a ruling on the application by January 2 next year.

In the meantime, Cllr Timmy Collins (Ind) has urged council planners to give serious consideration to the plan saying it was his belief that "under no circumstances should a crematorium go on that site".

"I would support the stance of many locals who believed this is not a suitable site for many different reasons. I my opinion, the site is not large enough for a crematorium. Having spoken to local undertakers and canvassed the views of locals it is also clear that there is no demand in the area for this facility," said Cllr Collins.

He said of perhaps greater concern was the issue of traffic congestion along the N72 in the vicinity of the site of the proposed crematorium.

"We all know that a hearse is a slow moving vehicle and would have the potential to dangerously slow down traffic on what is a very busy stretch of road. In addition, when the new roundabout comes into play at Ballymacquirke Cross, it will release fast moving traffic that would have the potential to cause a serious accident should it meet with a slow moving funeral cortege," said Cllr Collins.

He said that should the proposal be given the green light by council planners he would be prepared to take to join any public demonstration against the development.

"Under no circumstances do I want to see this go ahead and I will fight tooth and nail alongside the local community to see that it doesn't," vowed Cllr Collins.

"Should the council grant permission it will be appealed to An Bord Pleanala and I will march with the people outside that site and do what I can to ensure this site is not used for a crematorium," he pledged.
It has emerged that Irish Water has launched an investigation to find out who is responsible for the unlicensed pumping of what are believed to be significant amounts of industrial effluent into Mitchelstown's sewerage system.

Speaking at the November meeting of the county council's northern area meeting, county engineer Kevin Morey said that when Irish Water officials had compared the population served with the influx into the system they had noticed what he said was a "strong discrepancy" between the two.

He said the indication was that there was a lot of unlicensed input into the scheme that was putting immense pressure on the local treatment plants ability to cope with demand.

"Any scheme will have some unknowns. However, in Mitchelstown there seems to be cause for further investigation. Irish Water currently have a team on site looking into this," he said.

"If addressed, this would probably have a significant impact on the plant in terms of improving its capacity," said Mr Morey.

Cllr June Murphy asked if councillors would be able to see the findings of the Irish Water investigation.

"This is quite a serious matter. Have we any idea if it is industries, households or both involved? Will we see the results of the investigation and can we expect court proceedings as a result," she enquired.

Mr Moray said that while he was "a little bit cautious" about mentioning specifics it was his understanding that Irish Water was investigating discharges into the system of an industrial nature.

He said that while there was potential for Irish Water to take legal action their normal mode of operations was to identify those responsible and reach an agreement to put changes in place without having to pursue the matter through the courts system.

"I am certainly not aware of Irish Water having made any prosecutions for this kind of thing," he said.

Local councillors said the matter needed to be addressed urgently as the existing treatment plant had been struggling to meet increased demand for some time.

Cllr Deirdre O'Brien (FF) said that as a result a number of 'shovel ready' projects had been put on hold.

Cllr Kay Dawson (FG) said that regardless of the outcome of the Irish Water investigation Mitchelstown badly needed a new treatment plant, while Cllr Frank O'Flynn (FF) said the future financial viability of the town depended on it.

Mr Morey said that Irish Water was conscious of new local developments in the pipeline and that a project to upgrade the Mitchelstown system had been bundled with five others around the county.

He said that site investigations works in Mitchelstown had been mostly completed, the compulsory purchase order process for land was being undertaken and a detailed design for the project was being drawn up.
A man convicted of the rape and manslaughter of a young beautician when he was just a teenager was jailed for robbing an off licence armed with a knife.

Ian Horgan (34) was jailed for four years after he pleaded guilty before Cork Circuit Criminal Court to charges arising from a robbery last year.

Horgan of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, Limerick but who is originally from Ballincollig, admitted stealing 1,395 in cash from a Mallow off-licence and with threatening a female staff member during the robbery with a knife.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain was told the robbery was carried out on September 18, 2017 at the Carry Out off licence in Ballydahin, Mallow.

Det Garda Patrick O'Connell said a female staff member found herself confronted with a knife-wielding man who entered the off licence shortly after 8pm that evening and demanded cash. "A lone male brandishing a large knife came into the off-licence premises and put the knife against the staff member's chest," he said.

"He (Horgan) then fled from the scene with 1,395."

Det Garda O'Connell said the female staff member was not injured in the incident but was left deeply shocked her ordeal.

The woman was so upset she did not return to her employment for a number of months.

"She feels she cannot work in the off-licence anymore and is now employed in the delicatessen section of a neighbouring store," he said.

Judge O Donnabhain was told the defendant had a number of previous convictions, several of which were very serious.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the infamous rape and manslaughter of young beautician Rachel Kiely (22) in the People's Park in Ballincollig in October 2000.

She was walking near her home when she was attacked, raped and killed. The manslaughter was committed while Horgan was just a teen.

Horgan was released from serving that sentence in 2013 but was convicted of robbery in Limerick in 2013 and received a four-year sentence.

A further four year sentence was imposed for another robbery in Cork.

Horgan also received a prison sentence for heroin dealing.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard last June that Horgan was now battling a very serious heroin addiction. Defence counsel Donal O'Sullivan BL said his client was attempting to address his addiction issues.

He said the robbery was conducted at a time when Horgan was in the throes of heroin addiction and was desperate for money. "He now realises that drugs are taking him down," Mr O'Sullivan said.

Counsel asked the court to support Horgan in his attempts to deal with his addiction problems.

Judge O Donnabhain said it was a very serious matter which required a custodial sentence.

However, he noted the defendant's early plea and the attempts he was making to tackle his chronic drug problems.

"He (Horgan) threatened this lady with a knife at her place of work. Undoubtedly, it was a very traumatic experience for her," he said.

Judge O Donnabhain imposed a six year prison term but agreed to suspend the final two years.
Ronan Buckley, a former Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk student, has achieved the top overall mark in Ireland in this year's Leaving Certificate Higher Level Technology.

Ronan, who is from Banteer, is delighted with his achievement. He is currently attending University College Cork where he is studying for a degree in Data Science and Analytics.

As the top 'Tech' student in Ireland, Ronan will receive a number of awards. The first will take place on November 24 in The Mullingar Park Hotel as part of The Engineering and Technology Teachers National Annual Conference.

A second award will be presented to Ronan during the Techno Teachers Association Conference in spring of 2019.

Mr Gerald Crotty, Ronan's Technology teacher at Scoil Mhuire said "Ronan always had a flair for the subject and from the time he started his second level education in Scoil Mhuire he excelled in the subject.

"He had a unique and a very creative way of tackling design issues. He is a very innovative student and was always a pleasure to teach and I am sure he will continue his excellent work in Third Level Education and beyond," Gerald added.

As part of his Leaving Certificate Technology examination, Ronan had to design and manufacture a food related project supported by a design portfolio. Ronan's project was based on an intelligent and automated sushi bar.

The project was designed on a computer aided drawing software package called Solidworks and this allowed parts of the project to be manufactured using 3D Printing and Laser Cutting Technologies.

The project is controlled using a programmable circuit board which was programmed by Ronan using Genie Design Studio programming software.

The project displays different Sushi dishes and when a customer selects a dish from the rotating display unit it is automatically weighed, which will then show the customer the price of the chosen dish. Ms Miriam Downey, Principal at Scoil Mhuire, said that Ronan's achievement is a great honour for himself, for his teacher, Mr Crotty, and for Scoil Mhuire.

"We in the school community are very proud of Ronan and we wish him well in his future studies," she said.
Guest of honour Lisa Chambers TD and Sheila O'Keeffe laid the Wreath at Sean Moylan's Graveside during the annual commemoration in Kiskeam on Sunday.

Chambers, the Fianna Fail spokesperson on Brexit, also gave the oration at the annual commemoration for Moylan, an IRA revolutionary and later a government minister.

"There are three areas worth reflecting on that challenge us at this particular moment in time," Chambers told the gathering. "Firstly, our place in the world in light of Brexit. Secondly the ongoing work for equality between men and women and thirdly the need to a renewal of patriotism to help our island meet the challenges of the future."

She paid particular tribute to the Cumann na mBan movement, saying "Standing firm shoulder to shoulder with the Men of the south were the Women of the south, the inexhaustible work of Cumann na mBan sustained the foundations of the revolution. The British campaign of terror did not spare hardship on the basis of gender.

"This year marks a century on from Women's suffrage. Constance Markievicz's election in December 1918 marked a glass ceiling shattering moment. The progress made in living up to the republicans ideals of 'Irish men and Irishwomen' that rang out from the steps of the GPO still has a long way to go" she said.

"Only 23% of representatives in Dail Eireann are women, on average, women are paid 14% less than men, the 'Me Too' movement has exposed an ingrained sexism at the highest levels" she said. "Going forward we have to promote women in politics starting at the local level, we need to tackle exorbitant childcare costs and we have to stamp out sexism in our workplaces and public life" she added.
A once trusted employee admitted the theft of more than 400,000 from a North Cork credit union and to spending the cash just to impress others.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain told Moira Coughlan (55) the breach of trust she committed was "phenomenal" as she pleaded guilty to withdrawing funds from the accounts of deceased credit union members in an elaborate scheme over seven years.

The mother of one appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to a total of 592 charges in respect of Synergy/Fermoy Credit Union in North Cork. The charges involved theft, unlawful use of a computer and false accounting.

Judge O Donnabhain warned that, irrespective of the compensation to be raised, he could not deal with the case on a non-custodial basis. "I will not deal with this matter on a fully suspended sentence basis," he said. "This was a phenomenal breach of trust. The level of culpability, the level of fraud involved in this case is on the phenomenally high (level)."

Defence counsel Patrick O'Riordan BL asked for sentencing to be adjourned to allow his client to raise a substantial compensation package for the credit union. He said she hopes to be able to offer up to 200,000 through an inheritance, a pension and other means.

However, he said this will take time to achieve.

Judge O'Donnabhain remanded Coughlan in custody until February 8 next when he said he wants to see concrete progress on the compensation package.

Mr O'Riordan BL told the court his client had suffered greatly as a consequence of her actions. "There was a robbing Peter to pay Paul element. All the money is dissipated," he said. "She wanted the money to fund lifestyle expenses.

"She was spending the money to get positive attention from others."

"There were others willing to benefit from her largesse."

Det Garda James O'Shea told the court a Synergy Credit Union official became concerned about a transaction made by the defendant in 2016.

Auditors Grant Thornton were notified and an internal probe was launched of the credit union. That uncovered a large number of unauthorised withdrawals from the accounts of deceased credit union members.

Synergy official Martina Cotter made a formal complaint to Gardai in 2017.

Det Garda O'Shea said that the defendant worked as an insurance officer for the credit union, a senior and very trusted position within the financial organisation. This allowed her access to the accounts of credit union members who had died, pending the accounts clearing probate.

Over the seven year period she withdrew a total of 407,441.94 in unauthorised transactions. The lowest total annual withdrawal from such accounts was 6,000 in 2009 and the biggest was 107,350 in 2016.

"She would make a transaction from (one) deceased (member) account to pay off a (deceased member) account when it finished probate," he said.

Det Garda O'Shea said it was unclear where all the money had gone.

The defendant told Gardai she used the cash for day-to-day living and to pay several loans which she had taken out.

Some withdrawals were used to plug gaps in her personal finances.

"There were none of the trappings of wealth," the Garda acknowledged.

He said the defendant had co-operated fully with both the credit union probe and the subsequent Garda investigation. The investigation involved her computer and mobile phone being seized.

Judge O Donnabhain was told the loss to the credit union was covered by insurance.

Synergy had since refunded all unauthorised withdrawals to all accounts involved. "No member of the credit union was left out of pocket," Det Garda O'Shea said.

The court heard that Coughlan, the mother of an adult child, is now separated and has moved out of her native Mitchelstown. She has also suffered from psychiatric problems and had self-harmed.

The charges were first levelled before Fermoy District Court last May but the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ruled that the matter be dealt with on indictment by judge and jury before Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The defendant went forward to the circuit court on a signed plea of guilty to all 592 charges.

The defendant of The Stables, Mineville, Knocknahorgan, Sallybrook, Glanmire, appeared in court with her arm in a sling and did not speak during the sentencing hearing, sitting with her head bowed.
Two members of local Fit Kids/Fit Teens dance school, Abo Obhakhan (13) and Daphney Ndjatang have been chosen as the dancers for Ireland's Junior Eurovision 2018 entry.

The delighted young girls will travel to Minsk, Belarus for eight days of rehearsals, touring, red carpet events and of course the all important final on Saturday 25th November in front of an arena audience of 20,000 not to mention millions of TV viewers worldwide.

Abo and Daphney will be supporting Taylor Hynes (14) who co-wrote the 'as Gaelige' catchy song 'IOU' with Niall Mooney and Jonas Gladnikoff.

A record twenty countries will participate and Taylor has already made history by being the first male to represent his country.

Unlike most competitions the public can vote for their own country so Taylor, Abo and Daphney are hoping all of Ireland will get behind them.

The public can vote for three to five of their favourite songs after the final rehearsal on Friday 23rd November and again during the live final performance shown n TG4 on Sunday 25th November. Fit Kids/Fit Teens director Jacinta Cassidy is confident that Ireland's entry will definitely light up the stage!
If you are under 50 and living with arthritis in Co Louth, a conference addressing employment, parenting and mental health needs will be of interest to you.

The event organised by Arthritis Ireland event, which will be held in Maynooth on Saturday 24th November. Even though frequently thought of as an old person's disease, 150,000 people with the disease in this country are under the age of 50. Given that arthritis is the single biggest cause of disability, this presents significant challenges in terms of careers, raising a family or being involved in the community.

"Young and middle-aged people with arthritis are often invisible in society," said Allison Paisley, chair of the Young Arthritis Network. "There's a perception that arthritis is just an old person's disease; but it can affect anyone. Arthritis can have an enormous impact on people's lives that extends far beyond the chronic pain of the condition. For every person living with the disease, it also impacts their family, their community, their employer.

The purpose of this conference is to provide information, advice and support to people to help them live better with arthritis. In addition to expert speakers, the event is also an opportunity for people to come together in a social setting and connect with others who are going through similar experiences," Ms Paisley said.

Employment is a key theme of the conference, reflecting the impact of arthritis on people's careers. Miriam Tighe from EmployAbility will look at relevant employment issues, while Jackie Gleeson from the Citizens Information Centre will provide information on entitlements.

A 2017 study of people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) revealed that 50% of respondents had a job change, including 17% who had retired from work and 13% who quit due to their condition.

The Under 50 and Living with Arthritis conference is organised by the Young Arthritis Network and the Kildare branch of Arthritis Ireland. It will take place in the Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth on Saturday 24 November from 9am-4pm. Tickets cost 20 (excluding booking fee) and can be ordered via the Arthritis Ireland website, www.arthritisireland.ie.
Oisin McGann spent his childhood in Dublin and then Drogheda, where he studied at St.Olivers Community College. Refresh Boyne and The Mill are delighted to have him back in Drogheda for the upcoming talk at 7pm on Wednesday, 28 November.

He studied at Ballyfermot Senior College and Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design, and went on to work in illustration, design and film animation. He now lives back in Ireland and works full time as an author and illustrator.

He has written and illustrated numerous books for all ages of reader, including the Mad Grandad series, The Forbidden Files series, and eleven novels, including The Gods And Their Machines, Small-Minded Giants, and his steampunk trilogy, The Wildenstern Saga.

In 2014 Oisin won the European Science Fiction Society Award, given to a writer in recognition of recent works. His books have been sold in the US, Canada (in French), France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Denmark, Slovenia, Romania, Portugal, Turkey, Brazil and Japan.

Refresh Boyne is a community of designers and developers working to refresh the creative, technical, and professional culture of the New Media industry in the Boyne region. Refresh Boyne hold events that promote design, technology, usability and standards and is part of, and inspired, by the Refreshing Cities movement.

Oisin will speak on issues such as how his career has developed over the past 15 years and Technical / Digital publishing & creativity . Visit http://themilldrogheda.ie/events to book your ticket. Entry is free and refreshments will be provided to all, kindly sponsored by Amphenol TCS.
There was great excitement at le Cheile ETNS last week following a phone call from the school's inspector (on behalf of the office of the Taoiseach) inviting them to take part in the Presidential Inauguration on Sunday last at Dublin Castle. An amazing privilege.

Ten children from 5th and 6th class and two teachers along with Principal, Fiona Rock attended. Names were taken from the hat to pick the lucky few.

And the event did not disappoint. The children assembled in a room, with five other schools to watch the swearing in ceremony on a big screen and then their big moment arrived. They formed a guard of honour at the red carpet as the President, Michael D. Higgins, exited the swearing in ceremony while waving presidential flags. The President greeted them and stopped to shake hands and speak to among others, Principal, Fiona Rock and Aidan Mcloughlin, teacher. His wife, Sabina, was given flowers by a young girl from one of the other schools. An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar followed and shook hands and spoke to Fiona O'Connell when passing. By his side was An Tanaiste, Simon Coveney who also spoke with a number of those present, including Fiona Rock.

When the president exited the building and entered the adjacent court yard there was a large group of soldiers assembled and a gun salute was made. The children followed and re-formed their guard of honour at the entrance to the highly impressive courtyard. The president inspected the army and then they paraded around the entire courtyard, accompanied by army band music. On completion of that, a large group of soldiers drove in on motorbikes followed by the presidential car which stopped to take the president and his wife away. He waved goodbye to all present and the children shook their flags and returned his greeting with great enthusiasm.

It was a wonderful memory in the making for all present. We wish our new president every success in his role

The Garda Band raise the roof in Donacarney

The pupils in Realt Na Mara Girls' School had a very special treat to end their half term when the Garda Band visited the school and played the children's favourite songs for them. They were overwhelmed with excitement and joy when conductor, John Duffy lead the musicians with Baby Shark and indeed he had his audience, both staff and children in the palm of his hand from that moment on. The children joined in to Ed Sheerin, Disney Songs, Ghostbusters, Frozen and many more. The atmosphere was electric! Some members of the band did solos to demonstrate their particular instrument. Wonderful to see our Garda Siochana bringing such positive energy to the community they serve. We can't wait to have them back!

Teachers attend FEILTE

Almost 800 teachers and members of the public celebrated innovation in teaching and learning at FEILTE 2018 (the Festival of Education in Learning and Teaching Excellence) which took place over two days at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Hosted by the Teaching Council, FEILTE, which is now in its sixth year, is the largest gathering of teachers in Ireland.

The event was opened by President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, who also spent time meeting with teachers who showcased their work during the festival. Senator Lynn Ruane and Wexford Hurling Manager Davy Fitzgerald delivered keynote speeches.
While Drogheda might be suffering some negative headlines nationally, those who work hard to make the town a success have doubled their efforts to promote the positive.

Scores of people, the majority rate payers in the town, packed into the Westcourt Hotel on Monday night, for a public meeting outlining details of a Business Improvement District (BID) proposal to be put to Louth County Council.

A BID is a defined area where businesses are required to pay an additional rate levy in order to fund projects within that area.

The additional charge or levy is ring fenced and used to finance shared common projects. For existing BID companies elsewhere in Ireland, the BID levy ranges from 1.5% to 5% of additional rates.

Christmas lights, foot fall counters, WiFi hot spots, town watch and town signage were just some of the topics discussed in the meeting.

The proposal is being put together by local business people determined to make Drogheda an attractive place to shop and trade, including Niall Kierans, Joe Stafford, Brian Browning, Declan Kierans and Jackie Jolliffe.

The BID is operated through a company with an elected board comprising of rate payers along with two co-opted board members - a county councillor and an executive from Louth County Council.

Jackie Jolliffe of The Crafty Fox; Drogheda's Fabric Crafts and Haberdashery store in Laurence Street says: 'Christmas lights will be first priority - our town looks like a downtrodden poor relation to most other towns in Ireland when it comes to festive lights in my opinion.

'This is not just from a retailer's perspective but from a pride in my town perspective! We also need to make more use of our river, with the Boyneside Trail, river taxi, tourist routes to Oldbridge and tap into local legends such as the Salmon of Knowledge.'

If a majority of rate payers vote in favour, the BID for Drogheda will then be enacted.

The Drogheda BID working group's next workshop is at the Westcourt Hotel on Wednesday 28th November at 6:15pm. All Drogheda rate payers and public representatives are welcome.
The recent escalating violence and tension in Drogheda has not only turned the gaze of the nation's media to the town but has also been the subject of Dail debate.

Following letters and representations from local politicians, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan stated he "understands the concerns being expressed by the people of Drogheda and this type of criminal behaviour will not be tolerated".

'In relation to the specific incidents referred to by the Deputies, I am advised that An Garda Siochana are conducting full investigations into each case and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment while these investigations are ongoing,' he said.

'However, I have been informed by An Garda Siochana that Gardai have put in place a policing operation to prevent, detect and mitigate against any further escalation of violence. In addition to cancelling all Garda leave in the Louth Division for the next two weeks, the operation will entail high visibility patrols, supplemented by personnel from the Regional Armed Support Unit; Community Policing Units; District Detective and Drug Units and Divisional Roads Policing Unit.'

Chairperson of the Drogheda Joint Policing Committee, Sinn Fein Councillor Kenneth Flood also unreservedly condemned the perpetrators of the multiple acts of violence and intimidation in recent weeks.

'There have been arson, petrol bombs, pipe-bombs and a car with gas cylinders on board set alight in the last few days. This level of violence is unprecedented in Drogheda and the Garda level of response must be just as unprecedented to end it. There are laws available to the Gardai to target people 'directing the activities of a criminal organisation' or 'participating in or contributing to certain activities of a criminal organisation'. These must be enforced immediately. As Chairperson of the Drogheda Joint Policing Committee I will be making the point to Chief Superintendent Mangan and Superintendent Watters for the need for additional resources to tackle these criminals in an intelligence led manner and for communication with the residents of Drogheda to be improved.
Appeals by the gardai and a local councillor to reduce a number of speed limits in the Ardee area have been turned down by the national roads authority.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) refused the local representations, saying some of them were not 'compliant with guidelines'.

One of the areas was the stretch of road on the N2 from St Mary's GFC to Hunterstown (pictured). Cllr Jim Tenanty had sought to have the limit reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h but was unsuccessful.

He also applied for the Cappocksgreen area to be reduced from 50km/h to 35km/h and the same reduction at Stoneylane, between Sliabh Breagh and Rockfield, but again the TII went against the proposals.

The gardai had also sought to retain the 50km/h on the N2, on the southside of Ardee, but again it was not approved.

They also wanted to keep a 50km/h zone from the centre of Ardee on the N52 to the entrance of St Brigid's Hospital, but that was also not approved.

Speeding in estates was also a concern for the gardai and they had forwarded applications to reduce the 50km/h limit in the housing estate in Ballapousta and at Seaview in Annagassan to 30km/h. They were informed that the speed limit review was to be advertised.
A New Ross woman who killed her fiance in Sydney told a judge she did not leave the 'controlling and fairly unpleasant' man as she loved him dearly.

Cathrina (Tina) Cahill is due to be sentenced on December 12 for the manslaughter of David 'Motcha' Walsh, a father-of-four who died aged 29 following a stab wound inflicted by Ms Cahill at their Padstow, Sydney home in the early hours of February 18, 2017.

'I honestly thought he was going to change,' Ms Cahill said at her sentence hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday, before adding 'He was someone I did love and adore.'

The 27-year-old has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Her plea was based on substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind.

At the time, she was on a good behaviour bond and the subject of an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) issued to protect Mr Walsh, after she was convicted of recklessly wounding him with a glass candle holder in 2015.

Cahill previously gave evidence about his repeated violence, including punching strangers and biting her all over her body, his accusations of her sleeping with other men and his deleting texts from her phone. Prosecutor Nanette Williams noted Cahill told police, after an AVO was issued against Mr Walsh to protect her, that she held no fears against him. 'I was in fear of getting in more trouble from David if I told the truth,' she said, saying she also wanted to protect him.

She had packed her bags many times to leave him, but Mr Walsh would tell her everything was going to be different. 'He would be making me dinner, buying me flowers, buying me a teddy bear but after two to three weeks it would go back to the way it was.'

She agreed with Justice Peter Johnson that her evidence revealed a 'pretty stormy relationship' and that Mr Walsh might be seen to be a 'controlling and fairly unpleasant person'. But she said she stayed with him as 'I loved him very dearly'.

The fatal attack occurred when an intoxicated Mr Walsh launched an unprovoked attack on a man invited into the home by Cahill and the two other female house-mates. Cahill, who also had been drinking, was punched by her fiance when trying to stop the attack, before she took out a 'large, very sharp, bladed knife' from the cutlery drawer and stabbed him.

Ms Williams submitted it was 'an attack of extreme violence' upon a relatively young man who was being activity restrained by a third person at the time. The cases of violence from Mr Walsh to Cahill, on the agreed facts, were limited while her attacks on him had involved a candle and a knife in an incident prior to the fatal attack.

Two ex-boyfriends of Cahill said she was never violent towards them. Statements from two Irish men who previously dated Cahill were submitted to the Sydney court on Tuesday with one of her exes saying they would still be together if she hadn't moved to Australia. Her other ex described her as 'a bright, bubbly girl who was always good to be around'.

James, who dated Ms Cahill for two years from 2008, said he was introduced to Tina by a co-worker at Tesco supermarket in New Ross. He said the couple were in a relationship for two years. He said: 'Our relationship ended when Tina moved to Australia in 2010. During our relationship, I never experienced any violence or aggression by Tina towards me or received a threat of violence from Tina. Nor did I experience Tina being violent or aggressive to another person or threatening any other person, likewise in respect of animals.'

Cahill's barrister James Trevallion said there was no evidence his client had ever struck Mr Walsh without any provocation and noted she was smaller than him.

He submitted she had no intention to kill, the stabbing had involved a single jab and Mr Walsh was the one who initiated the violence. Justice Johnson said the case involved 'unusual features' such as a 'type of two-way domestic violence'.
Both defendants and victims of crime have the right to a fair and robust court system and irresponsible sharing of information via social media can potentially damage this

New regulations are to be introduced to allow only 'bona fide' journalists and lawyers to text or use social media from within courtrooms.

The Chief Justice Frank Clarke outlined that the new practice has already been agreed and will come into effect this month.

The reasoning is, that better regulation will protect the court process and ensure that defendants have a fair trial, rather than risking a jury being influenced by unverified social media posts.

A major problem we face today, is that everyone with a smart phone believes they are a journalist and that 'freedom of speech' is a defence for posting whatever they wish, regardless of whether it is within reporting guidelines or not. Anyone who says that this move will muzzle free speech or feed into corruption within the legal system is completely ill-informed.

With the exception of a few types of cases such as juvenile matters or abuse cases where the victim has the right to anonymity, criminal court cases are heard in a public forum for anyone who wishes to sit in the public gallery.

The problem that these new guidelines seek to address is that of members of the public circulating information rather than trained professionals, often who may do so in a reckless manner.

These regulations aren't being introduced to stop people from discussing cases or sharing their opinions, but rather to ensure that the system is not compromised.

Both defendants and victims have the right to a fair and robust system and irresponsible sharing of information could potentially damage this.

We only have to look at what happened in the Belfast rape trial when the complainant's identity was put into the public domain through social media.

This action completely compromised the woman's right to anonymity and was later the subject of a separate criminal case.

Really, members of the public should not be discussing ongoing court proceedings from within the courtroom, whether through text messages or on social media.

It is up to the court to decide the outcome and the process is in place for a reason.

After it has ruled, then there is nothing stopping anyone from sharing their opinion, without fear of jeopardising any fair hearing.
Noel Franklin (left), from Bree, and Steve Dolan, Operations Manager at the Irish Workhouse Centre with Noel's model of the Enniscorthy workshouse

The craftsmanship of an Enniscorthy man has been recognised in the West of Ireland after a model he created was handed over the Irish Workhouse Centre in Co Galway.

Noel Franklin, from Bree, created a model of the Enniscorthy workhouse and it is to go on view in Galway in the New Year.

Mr Franklin's model is intricately detailed and was described as amazing by the management of the centre in the West.

The workhouse in Enniscorthy opened in 1842 and had a capacity of 600. That figure was temporarily extended to 800 during the Great Hunger of 1845 to 1852.

However, the reality of the situation was that the workhouse always operated well over capacity during a most difficult period in Ireland and was home to tens of thousands of inmates throughout its history.

Mr Franklin's model of the building is part of the St John's Community Hospital complex.

It him two years to complete and he used 85,000 matchsticks in its construction.

The model, which is also expertly lit by Mr Franklin using LED lighting, is a remarkable piece of work.

The Head of Operations at the Irish Workhouse Centre in Galway, Steve Dolan, described the piece as 'deeply impressive'.

In accepting the model he praised Mr Franklin's accuracy, attention to detail and his knowledge of the subject.

The Irish Workhouse Centre is located in Portumna and is the only centre in Ireland dedicated to telling the story of the Irish workhouse system.

The centre is also the reigning Heritage Council Champion for its activities during Heritage Week.
Bliain na Gaeilge in Fingal was celebrated with a wonderful evening of Craic agus Ceol in County Hall Swords, recently.

The tunes were provided by Antaine O Farachain and Nollaig Mac Carthaigh and among the enthusiastic crowd in attendance was Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Anthony Lavin, Cllr Daire Ni Laoi and other members of the Coiste Gaeilge and the Fingal Irish language community.

The event formed part of a day of celebration including the hugely successful Blas Baile Bhlainseir day in Blanchardstown Library.

Nollaig MacCarthaigh played great tunes on the pipes and Antaine O Farachain kept the audience entertained with his stories as well as playing fiddle and singing some wonderful songs from the ancient Sean Nos tradition. There was plenty of audience interaction with questions about the instruments and the music and a few people joined in with songs of their own leaving everyone wishing that the evening wouldn't end.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Anthony Lavin began by welcoming everyone and complimenting the musicians and continued: 'I know many of you are involved in promoting Irish within the county, including a very active group in Seomra Tae in Malahide where I live. These activities as well as being enjoyable for those involved are important in preserving this very important aspect of our culture.'

Continuing this theme Bernie Kelly, Fingal Irish Officer, praised Councillor Daire Ni Laoi and the work of the Coiste Gaeilge and also all the promotion done by the enthusiasts present from groups across

Fingal such as Swords, Malahide, Howth, Skerries and Baldoyle as well as her native Balbriggan.

She continued: 'I am delighted to hear our native language spoken so enthusiastically in the Atrium in County Hall at the third Irish Language event here this year following Seachtain na Gaeilge and the Fingal Fleadh.'

Speaking about the event Naomi Weir, Creative Ireland Coordinator, Fingal County Council said: 'The Council is committed to supporting the promotion of the Irish Language which is one of the core values of our Fingal Culture and Creativity Strategy 2018-2022. Events such as this, provide an excellent way for our community to celebrate the Irish language and its intertwined cultural aspects of song and dance.'
Adam Kelly, a 5th year student from Skerries Community College, was named the overall winner of SciFest 2018, for his project which looked for an open source solution to stimulating quantum computing.

SciFest is funded primarily by Science Foundation Ireland, Intel Ireland and Boston Scientific.

SciFest is an all-island STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) initiative which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second level students. The final, held in Marino Conference Centre in Dublin on Friday, was attended by Richard Bruton T.D., Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Adam's project focused on quantum computing. Large scale quantum computers are not yet widely available, this means the development of quantum computers and algorithms requires fast, accurate stimulations.

Adam developed just that, an open source solution to quantum computing which was up to 15 times faster than conventional stimulators. His solution can be used by anyone in their own experiments with ease.

This software has direct applications in the verification of quantum devices, quantum algorithm design and investigations of quantum supremacy.

Adam will now go on to represent Ireland at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona next year. He secured his place at the National Final after his victory at the SciFest regional final at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.

SciFest continues to grow year on year with over 10,000 students participating in local and regional SciFest STEM fairs across the country this year. Since its inception in 2008, over 60,000 students have participated in the competition.

Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO, said: 'It is fantastic to see the level of talent, enthusiasm and determination on display today from the students. SciFest gives students of all abilities and backgrounds the opportunity to develop their research, problem solving, critical thinking and presentation skills.

'We take pride in creating the biggest, most inclusive student science event possible. This year we are excited to introduce the Broadcom MASTERS Award for junior cycle students where the winner will have the opportunity to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.'
The award-winning staff of the Crescent Academy creche in Rush.

A Rush creche's commitment to the health and well-being of the children in its care has been recognised with a national award.

The Crescent Academy creche in Rush was in celebration mode recently when it took home the coveted Smart Start Healthy Ireland Award for excellence in preschool services.

The Smart Start programme promotes and supports the well-being of pre-school children, under six modules that are incorporated into the montessori curriculum.

A delighted Caroline Dunne, Manager of The Crescent Academy was eager to spread the news:

'It was absolutely brilliant winning the award because the girls put in so much hard work.

'They worked really really hard to change all the routines to bring the creche to an even higher standard.

'We're very happy at the moment at how things are going, and it gave everyone a boost.'

Caroline said the staff were all trained in bringing all of the modules into the creche, and there was also involvement from parents.

She said: 'The award was given by the National Childhood Network.

'An inspector comes into the creche for the day, she has a look around to make sure everything's up to standard, then takes away the paperwork for validation. '

Caroline concluded: 'We're delighted to have received the award and the hard work has really paid off.'

Congratulations goes to all the staff of the Rush creche and this latest award will also delight the parents who entrust the care of their children to the Crescent Academy, every day.

Caroline is rightly proud of the creche's fantastic achievement.
A Swords hero who fought alongside volunteers during Easter Week of 1916 will be commemorated with a ceremony in the town in early December.

The Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society held their annual Convention in Naul Village Community Hall, earlier this month.

Among those in attendance were local Councillors Grainne Maguire and Cathal Boland as was former Council Members May McKeon of Balbriggan and David O'Connor from Ballyboughal.

Secretary Paul O'Brien gave an overview of the activities in which the Society had participated over the past twelve months.

The Chair spoke of the need to actively seek new members.

May McKeon, the niece of an Active service member from the War of Independence, remarked that it was a pity that so few of the family members turned out to the commemorations.

May continued to note how wonderful it was when they did turn up, and you could see the medals which were hard-won, proudly worn by succeeding generations.

The Society will hold a special commemoration in conjunction with Fingal County Council on Sunday, December 2 to mark the 100th Anniversary of the death of Richard Coleman.

Richard was the Captain of the Swords Company and led a company Fingal Volunteers to relief the Dublin Garrison during Easter Week.

Richard went on to play a significant part in the establishment of the New Ireland Assurance Society.

He died in Usk Prison in 1918.

His body was returned to Dublin where he was buried beside his former colleague Thomas Ashe.

The Commemoration will take place on Sunday, December 2 at Midday.

It will commence with a short parade to the former home of the Coleman family on Swords Main Street where a wreath will be laid. The parade will then proceed to the County Hall for an informal reception.

The Council will also host an exhibition of memorabilia relating to Richard Coleman.

The Society will present a talk on Richard Coleman and his times.
Susan McGee (right) with her children, Melissa Barry and Johnnie McGee on the day of Melissas wedding.

A Rush mum has finally got some closure after a Dublin hospital admitted failures in the care of her 52-year-old mother, who died from sepsis following minor elective surgery five years ago.

Mother of two Susan McGee, of Skerries Road, Rush contracted a rare infection after a hernia operation in The Hermitage Clinic in July 2013. Ms McGee died in hospital on July 24 2013, just eleven days after the operation.

A verdict of medical misadventure was returned at the inquest into the death.

An apology on behalf of The Hermitage Clinic relating to the level of care afforded Ms McGee was read out at The High Court last week, some five years after her death, as part of the settlement of the case.

Here, Susan's daughter Melissa Barry explains what happened, and talks of her 'bitter-sweet' feelings following the High Court apology: 'My mam was going for elective surgery, and had lost eight stone in weight in preparation.

'It was a simple hernia operation, and it should have been straightforward.

She said that the operation went well, but there was a tear to the the bowel during the procedure. This was described in court as a 'non-negligent act' and she was treated with extra antibiotics because of that.

'She had the surgery on the Saturday and she was discharged on the Tuesday as planned.

'She came home, had her dinner as normal, then said she didn't feel great and went to bed. She texted me at six o'clock the next morning to say she really wasn't well, and that she was in serious pain.

'We had her readmitted to the Hermitage by 10am, so she was only 20 hours out of hospital at that stage.'

Within a couple of hours, Susan was back in her original ward, where she was told she had a blockage in the bowel.

She was monitored by her consultant that Thursday and Friday, but the complaint was expected to rectify itself over time.

Susan's doctor left as planned, on the Friday evening, and handed her care over to two other doctors, a consultant and a registrar.

However, the registrar was rostered to be on duty in another hospital, and while the consultant was to be informed of any deterioration, the hospital failed to notify him of Susan's condition.

Melissa says: 'I was in with mam every morning. I showered and dressed her every morning and I looked after her every day.

'On the Saturday morning I had to have her moved, because of a smell in the room, and I now know that that smell was sepsis.

'I didn't know what was going on. On the Sunday morning, I was back in again, I showered her and called the nurse because she collapsed on me in the shower.

'I had to try and carry her, and this was when I was six months pregnant.

'I called the nurse in and she had to help me get her back to bed. I went out and said to the nurse look, I'm not one bit happy, my mam is deteriorating.' However, the nurse thought she was doing better that day.

Next morning, on the Monday, the consultant came to see Susan, as he had been under instruction that she may be discharged, but knew when he saw her there was a serious problem.

He told Melissa that her mam's organs were failing, that she'd be moved to the high dependency unit and would go into surgery to remove the blockage as soon as theatre was available.

Susan went in for emergency surgery at nine o'clock that evening, but never regained consciousness.

According to Melissa, the cause of death wasn't stated until she went to an inquest to get answers, and there was 'absolutely' no admission of liability until five years later, on July 9 this year.

Melissa's only recourse was to take legal action: 'We filed the case against the hospital twenty three months after my mam's death.

'Once we had the inquest over, we realised that they had severely failed in her care and filed the case then.

'The initial response from the hospital was denial. They changed their stance because the family were so persistent.

'Eventually they came to us and offered a settlement figure and we turned it down.

'We had indicated through the family solicitor at the very beginning that it was never going to be about money.

'I wanted someone to hold their hands up, and I wanted someone to take the blame for what they did to mam.

'We knew from our own medical reports and from our own solicitor that we had a very strong case, we knew there were failures in her care, and we knew ultimately that they would find it very difficult to defend their case.

'We had a solid case against them.'

In July of this year, solicitors acting on behalf of the Hermitage contacted Melissa's solicitor to say the hospital was willing to talk with them, and that an admission of responsibility and an apology may form part of a settlement.

Melissa went into mediation, and eventually got the wording she and her family had been looking for: 'It was bitter-sweet really. The admission and the apology was what we ultimately wanted.

'But it was bitter in two ways, because it was never going to bring mam back and unfortunately, it took a five year battle to get it.

'They weren't willing to come across with an apology until they were put under pressure. It feels like some form of closure, but still it took far too long to come across.'

Poignantly, Melissa says that part of her feels that maybe if she had 'shouted louder' at the time, that things may have turned out differently.

While it is perhaps only natural to feel that way, without question, the duty of care lay solely on medical staff, which included listening to the concerns of family members.

She says: 'It's had a catastrophic effect on the family. I was six months pregnant when mam died.

'My brother was still living at home with her when she died, and that had a massive effect on him.

'It held the family in limbo the past five years.

'We'd no closure and there was a lot of anger that they wouldn't admit what they had done.

'The fact that they wouldn't acknowledge or accept liability prevented everyone from grieving, it prevented everyone from moving on, and the family has never been the same.

'She was the centre of the family, she was bubbly, outgoing and she was always out socialising.

'She was the glue that held the whole family together.'

After five years seeking justice through the courts and finally getting an apology, how does Melissa feel now?

'I woke up after the court proceedings and my headache was gone. It feels like we have closure

'There's still a bit of anger there that we had to push them so hard for it, that it took them so long to come across with it, but we got what we wanted.

'It didn't bring mam back, but in these circumstances, we got the admission of responsibility and the apology that we always wanted.

'In time, maybe it will help us close off and move on, and try and put our lives back together.'

The apology read in the High Court by the hospital said that the Hermitage Medical Clinic, together with Prof Hill and Mr Power extend their 'sincerest condolences and apologies' to Ms McGee's family arising out of her death and apologised 'for the failures in her care'.

The statement from the hospital added, 'We have put in place additional measures to address the lessons learned from our review of her care.'

Melissa read out a statement in court and referred to her mum, saying: 'We hope she can now rest in peace, while we can begin to rebuild our lives.'
Fingal-based Fianna Fail Senator and Seanad Spokesperson for Justice, Lorraine Clifford-Lee has called for measures to be put in place to bring an immediate end to the gender pay gap which is leaving Irish men receiving pay on average 14% higher than women.

Senator Clifford-Lee, Chair of the Oireachtas Cross Party Group on Workplace Equality, hosted a briefing in Leinster House, last week on the need for legislative action to address the gender pay gap in Ireland.

She said: 'It's a disservice to women to the women of Ireland to simply acknowledge that a gap exists and that there are in fact obstacles to achieving gender balance at all levels in organisations.

'Those who deny this issue now are burying their heads in the sand. Instead, they should look to jurisdictions such as Australia and the UK to see how positive legislative changes have been implemented there, and the way in which workplaces have proactively responded.

'Similar measures are required here to transform poor workplace culture and practices for the countless Irish women that remain affected.

'It's time that the clear commitment to reduce the gender pay gap as outlined in the Programme for Government gets underway.'

Senator Clifford-Lee concluded after the briefing: 'There is a responsibility on us all to make sure employers, policymakers and the general public are aware of the impact that the complexity of the gender pay gap is having .'on our society.'
A local TD and councillor are due to hold a public meeting on crime in Malahide, following a spate of attacks from a gang of youths in the Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy area.

Darragh O' Brien TD and Cllr Eoghan O'Brien will hold the meeting in St Sylvester's Parish Centre on Nov 27 to discuss garda resources in the area and the ongoing problem of crime in the towns.

Incidents of assault and muggings of local youth have been reported to Malahide Garda Station in recent weeks, with a gang of youths terrorising neighbourhoods, targeting mobile phones and cash.

A seven-month-pregnant woman in Portmarnock who tried to intervene in an attack of two young boys was also threatened by a member of the gang.

Darragh O'Brien, speaking ahead of the meeting, said: 'This is the first of a series of meetings we're having on crime and policing, with this meeting focusing on the Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy area.

'The garda station in Malahide closes at nine o'clock at night, which is absolutely ridiculous, and we're campaigning to have that changed to 24/7. People feel that they don't have the necessary garda resources, and the same thing can be said about every station in north Dublin, including Swords.'

Deputy O'Brien said the meeting wasn't just as a response to the recent spate of attacks. He said the area had lost 'one in five' gardai in the last six years, leaving it seriously under-resourced.

He said: 'We're being short-changed by Government with regard to garda resources in this area, and people have had enough of it. Myself and Eoghan O'Brien are co-hosting the meeting, and we'll have senior members of An Garda Siochana there, as well as members of the local taskforce.'

Deputy O'Brien said that local residents were 'very concerned' about the recent attacks, and that the area needed garda visibility to act as a deterrent to some of these 'thugs'.

'We had 15 people robbed and some assaulted in six separate incidents over the Halloween week, and these people feel they can just get away with it, so we're going to put an end to it', he said.

Meanwhile, Cathal Boland the Independent Councillor based in Oldtown has called for changes to the Divisional management Structure under which the Gardai operate to better serve the rural population of the county.

Boland said that there was a need for responsive policing of throughout the area that the problem of lawlessness was not confined to urban areas.

He pointed out that rural areas such as Lispopple were within the Garda Division of Coo lock while the adjoining parish of Oldtown was within the Balbriggan Division.

He said that this leads to 'confusion and frustration'.

Cllr Boland said: 'The citizen needs to know the Gardai who is charged with their protection.'

Boland spoke of the recent IFA meeting which called for improvements in rural policing after Lispopple farmer, Patrick Walsh was attacked and seriously beaten up at his farm.

Cllr Boland said: 'At that meeting it was clear that the policing expertise was not readily available.'

While he acknowledged that the Superintendents from both Divisions undertook to have their members fully versed in addressing the issues facing the rural community Boland says that a better solution would be to create a rural Division which specialises in policing the rural area. Speaking in Lusk on the issue, Cllr Boland said: 'Both Urban and Rural Areas are under attack we saw over the weekend further dangerous anti social behaviour here in the village just as Malahide is also witnessing, we need a responsive force well equipped and resourced to deal with the particular problems of anti social behaviour and criminality which is associated with particular areas.'
Joanne Pollard, Malahide Castle and Gardens; John Horgan, GPO Witness History; Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin; and Siobhan McManamy, Tourism Irelands Director of Markets, at World Travel Market in London.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin TD joined Tourism Ireland and some 70 Irish tourism businesses - including City North Hotel, Malahide Castle, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Glasnevin Cemetery Museum, Talbot Hotel Stillorgan and GPO Witness History - at World Travel Market (WTM) in London recently.

WTM heralds the beginning of Ireland's international promotional drive for the 2019 season.

During the three-day travel fair, the Irish companies have been engaging in thousands of meetings with British and international tour operators - to negotiate and exchange vital contracts for 2019. Organisers estimate that 3.1 billion's (about 3.5 billion's) worth of business was done at last year's WTM. Ireland's strong presence at World Travel Market is particularly important this year, in the context of Brexit and its implications for Irish tourism, in 2019 and beyond.

With around 182 countries and regions all vying for business at WTM, Tourism Ireland aims to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of the global media and travel professionals in attendance.

Minister Griffin said: 'I am delighted to be able to attend World Travel Market, which provides an excellent platform for Tourism Ireland, and the participating tourism enterprises, to highlight Ireland's world-class tourism experience to international tour operators.

'It's great to see so many tourism enterprises from all parts of Ireland conducting hundreds of business meetings and doing a great job of selling tourism to the global travel trade.

' While there are challenges for Irish tourism as a consequence of Brexit, I am confident that the tourism industry can adapt quickly to enable continued growth from international markets. Great Britain is, and will remain, a very important market for tourism to Ireland.

'The Irish Government is committed to maintaining the strong business and cultural links that have existed between our two countries for centuries.

'I must commend Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and all our tourism partners for their concerted efforts to address the implications of Brexit and to keep the island of Ireland high on international travel wish lists.'

Latest CSO figures indicate that this will be another record year for Irish tourism, with more than 8.2 million people arriving during the January to September period - an increase of +7%, or about 542,000 extra overseas visitors, when compared to 2017.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: 'The large representation of Irish tourism companies at World Travel Market once again this year is extremely welcome.'
Dublin Airport welcomes the launch of Ryanair's two new winter routes to Frankfurt and Luxembourg.

The airline will operate a three times weekly service to Luxembourg and a 12 times weekly service to Frankfurt.

The new services are part of Ryanair's seven new destinations from Dublin Airport this winter season.

Other new services already launched by the airline out of Dublin Airport include Athens in Greece, Bari in Italy, Marrakesh in Morocco, Santander in northern Spain and Paphos in Cyprus.

Welcoming Ryanair's new routes Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said: 'The addition of these new services further enhances Dublin Airport's route network and provides greater choice and flexibility for customers.

'We will work closely with Ryanair to help promote these new routes.'

Dublin Airport Aviation Business Development Manager, Brian Gallagher posed with Ryanair Marketing Executive, Eimear Ryan and Dublin Airport B2B Marketing Executive, Edel Redmond to celebrate Ryanair's new routes to Frankfurt and Luxembourg.

It is further good news in what promises to be a record-breaking year for Dublin Airport which is increasing passenger numbers and increasing the destination and route choices for those passengers, month after month.

Dublin Airport has welcomed almost 27 million passengers in the first 10 months of the year, a 6% increase over the same period in 2017.

More than 1.6 million extra passengers have travelled through the airport between January and October.

Dublin Airport has flights to almost 190 destinations in 43 countries, operated by 56 airlines.
Ann Marie Pierce, Orla Funge, Dympna Funge and AnnLeahy at the opening of the exhibition of limited edition prints by Paul Funge at the Gaslamp Gallery

Ballycanew - Santa Visit: Ballycanew Lights Committee would like to announce the arrival of Santa on Sunday, December 9, at 6 p.m. for the big switch on of our new Christmas Tree.

Christmas Bazaar

A Christmas craft fair/bazaar will be held in Ballycanew National School on Sunday, December 9, from three 5 p.m. Tea or coffee and mince pies. Craft stalls. There will be activities for the children to do. The Ballycanew Parents Assocaition would love you to come and join them in an evening of festive fun for all the family.

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.

Split-the-pot

Congratulations to the Saturday, November 10, winner, Charlie Murphy - the jackpot was 209. Congratulations and thanks for all the support.

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 11, 13, 20 and 24; three match-three numbers each receive 70: Teresa Guinan, Mossey and Conor, Phil 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. Let's continue to make our community a safer place.

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

There was no jackpot winner in the Ballygarrett Realt na Mara GAA Club blotto draw on November 12. The numbers picked were 3, 6, 28 and 30. The 20 lucky-dip winners were Jim Butler PP, Ballygarrett; PJ Naughter; Patricia Glynn, Ballinamona; Brendan Hederman, Back Road; Murt and Una. Five Free Tickets Winner: Tony Byrne. This week's jackpot rose to 18,600. Next draw in Pegs on November 19.

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 12 - first: Dolores Rapple and Noreen O'Donnell. Second: Peter Buttle and June Coogan. Results for Thursday, November 15 - first: Gloria and Allen Proby. second: Mary Brennan and Stella Walsh.

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

Christmas Market

Colaiste an Atha's annual Christmas Market will take place on Friday, November 30, from six - 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by the TY and LCA students. The students will be selling their own enterprise projects on the night. Colaiste an Atha looks forward to welcoming the local community to our school Gym to browse an array of stalls and games. Get into the festive spirit and enjoy our choir, start your Christmas early and pick from crafts, gifts, confectionery and jewellery sold by our students and local vendors. There's something for everyone.

Christmas Concert

The annual Christmas Concert takes place in the KMH, Kilmuckridge Friday, November 30, at 8 p.m. Admission Adults 10 Children 5. Line-up to date includes the Gorey Choral Society, Kelli-Ann Masterson, Colaiste An Atha Choir, Mary Farrell, Paul Murphy, Yvonne O'Sullivan, Kathleen Byrne and Christine Black, Philip O'Byrne and Maria Cole, Jill Cox, Kilmuckridge Cool Hand Yukes. MC: Ger Teehan, Sound: Rob Weldon, Lights: Billy McCreary, Accompanist: Eithne Corrigan. For tickets phone 053 9130393 or call in to Kilmuckridge Family Resource Centre.

Active Retirement

Kilmuckridge Active Retirement Group meets in the Upton Court Hotel every second Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. 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.

Drama Festival

The all-Ireland One Act Drama finals will run from Friday, December 7, to Sunday, December 9, inclusive, in the KMH the Drama Festival committee are very proud to be hosting such an event and the audiences and groups alike will benefit from its greatly enhanced, warm and comfortable facilities with improved theatre specifications.

Environment Awards

Many congratulations to Kilmuckridge Tidy Towns, who scooped first place for their project 'Songs of Kilmuckridge and Beyond' - under the category 'Best Heritage Preservation and Conservation Project'. They were also placed joint second in the category 'Best Community Management Initiative' for their beach project. The environment awards Keep Wexford Beautiful were hosted by Wexford County Council and they celebrate 16 years of this glittering ceremony.

The ceremony was held in the Ferrycarrig Hotel Wexford, and it brings together individuals, community groups and schools who have all contributed to protecting and preserving Wexford's environment. Protecting one's environment has become a huge collective responsibility one that can only be achieved if everyone gets involved.

Mr Tom Enright chief executive Wexford Co Co addressed the large crowd and spoke of his pride to be part of an evening that recognises and rewards all those involved in helping Wexford County Council achieve their objective of keeping Wexford beautiful. The master of ceremonies for the evening was Alan McGuire and in attendance were members of Wexford County Council and local councillors.

400 Club Draw

Results of 400 Club Draw - first Jim Hughes Curratubbin 150. Second Phil O'lliffee, Ferns 50 third Fr Larkin Monamolin 50. Fourth Eamie Fortune Cullentra 25 fifth Peg Pendergast, Ballyshane. 25

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 What's App 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.

Collection

Laura Lynn 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. KMH 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, November 19. 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.

Charity Bingo

Charity Bingo night in the Crosses Kilmuckridge every Thursday at 8.30 p.m.

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.

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 12 - first: Dolores Rapple and Noreen O'Donnell. Second: Peter Buttle and June Coogan. Results for Thursday, November 15 - first: Gloria and Allen Proby. second: Mary Brennan and Stella Walsh.

Monamolin

Death

Sincere sympathy is extended to the Byrne family of Ballinstraw, on the death of Christina's cousin Helena O'Rouke, Leitrim, who passed away during the week, may she RIP.

Irish Dancing

Irish Dancing Classes takes place every Thursday in Harney's Ballyedmond, Beginners Class 5-30 to 6.30 p.m. ,For more details contact Deirdre at 087 6487684.

Death

Sympathy is extend to the Kirwan family of Kilpatrick on the death of their father, Ronnie, who died during the week, Burial took place to Ferns Cemetery on Wednesday, November 14. May he RIP.

Drama festival

Kilmuckridge Drama Festival Committee will host this year's's One Act all-Ireland Drama Festival on Fri, Sat and Sunday, December 7, 8, nine in the KMH Anyone wishing to place an advertisement in the souvenir programme please contact Liam at 087 2496724 or Annette at 086 3290967.

Meals on wheels

Could you spare an hour or two of your time to deliver meals on wheels once a month. The areas we deliver to are Ballygarrett, Monamolin, Kilmuckridge, Blackwater, and the Ballagh.
It has been a long time coming but three years since building work was completed, the M11 Service Station at Ballyellen - which has been lying idle at a cost of 20,000 per month - will finally open for business within the next few weeks.

Circle K Ireland is currently recruiting staff for their Gorey store, stating in the job application they will open 'in late 2018'.

A spokesperson from Circle K said a date is yet to be confirmed and 'will confirm a specific date in the next couple of weeks'.

A contract was signed in July of this year between Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Topaz-Circle K with regard to the M11 service station following a lengthy court battle last year.

Building work was finished on site in May 2015 and Topaz, now Circle K, submitted the preferred tender to run it. In August that year, the SuperStop 2 Consortium, involving Applegreen and Tedcastles Oil Products, launched a challenge in the Commercial Court to the awarding of the Gorey tender, and two others at Kilcullen, Co Kildare, and Moate, Co Westmeath which have yet to be built.

Under the reached agreement, Circle K will operate the facility at Ballyellen.

The news of its opening will be most welcomed in north Wexford following the announcement earlier this year that TII have been spending 20,000 per month since 2015 on making the Gorey site secure while issues relating to the tender were addressed.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne who has been working on the matter for almost 10 years said it is very welcome news and the end of a long saga.

'Most importantly for motorists, it will be somewhere that they can pull in for a break while driving,' said Cllr Byrne.

'It should be remembered that from next Spring, for those travelling north from Wexford town on the M11, it will be the first service station, unless the driver pulls off the motorway and into one of the bypassed towns or villages.'
Guest speaker, Rev Billy Davison with Rev Katherine Kehoe at the Remembrance Songs of Praise' at Gorey Methodist Church

President of Methodist Church Rev Billy Davidson from county Antrim was given a warm welcome to town for the 'Remembrance Songs of Praise' at Gorey Methodist Church last Monday evening.

President Rev Davidson was invited as guest speaker to Gorey to mark the centenary of the ending of the Great War, where he spoke about his family connections in World War One.

Minister of Gorey and Arklow Methodist Church, Rev Katherine Kehoe, said he told the large congregation of his great-uncle who died in battle.

'His great uncle's name was Andrew Davidson, and his middle name is also Andrew,' said Rev Kehoe. 'Ho told us how he regrets not asking his late mother why he was called Andrew.'

Afterwards, the congregation was invited for some tea and coffee and to chat with Rev Davidson and Rev Kehoe if they wished.

Rev Kehoe said they were delighted to have Rev Davidson as their guest speaker at the Remembrance Songs of Praise and are very thankful for travelling to Wexford.
IT Tralee's numerous students from overseas had a chance to share the many and varied aspects of their cultures last week as the college hosted its annual International Day.

International Day in the ITT is an annual event where students can express and display their culture, norms and traditions to all students and staff in the IT.

The college is home to students from Kuwait, Nigeria, Finland, Czech Republic, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, China, India, Korea, Oman, Ireland, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

On the day students from all of those nations ran information stands with slide shows and providing samples of their country's cuisine. There was also plenty of music and dancing as the international students experienced each others unique national traditions.

"The IT International students are keen to share information about their homelands and many of the students were also dressed in their traditional costumes," said and Institute of Technology spokesperson.

The largest cohort of international students are currently the group from the Middle East who are on a one year Medical Pathway Programme to their undergraduate programme in the Royal College of Surgeons Dublin, National University of Ireland, Galway and the University of Limerick.

At present there are around 200 students from the Middle East studying in Tralee with the group providing a valuable and vital contribution to the local economy.
It's been a long and fruitful journey from Tralee to Seoul for Damien MacNamara, who is living his dream right now as a male model. The 30-year-old from Oakview Village has spent the last few years donning the glad rags and modelling the latest in male fashion from Galway to LA, and Germany to South Korea. It's a passion of his for sure. But by the same token it's not a job he ever imagined doing when starting out in Tralee all those years ago.

Damien explains that modelling is the kind of career where opportunities must be grasped with both hands, if and when they arise, that is. Thankfully, Damien practises what he preaches as today he finds himself part of the hustle and bustle of life in Seoul working for the MDI Model Agency. Seoul is a city Damien describes as 'forward thinking' and one that is 'bang in trend' in terms of fashion.

A past pupil of Tralee CBS Primary School and Mounthawk Secondary School, Damien is the son of Michael and Marie who are extremely proud of their son's ability to chase down his dream and work hard for what he wants. Not everyone in life can be a model. But for those who are it's a journey few people on the outside can understand.

"It's not the kind of career that lasts a lifetime so my frame of mind is that I'm lucky enough to be in this business. I decided to make the most of it by working hard and see where it takes me," he said.

The origins of Damien's career owe a lot to a combination of happenstance and influence. His girlfriend is Erin Le Gros from Ballinprior in Ardfert, a designer for Puma at their head office in Nuremberg, Germany. It was Erin that noticed Damien's potential and kept encouraging him to take up modelling.

In 2016 he entered The Kerryman's 'Search for a Model' competition and won it. Following this he was given a job with a model agency. His ship had finally sailed.

"When I saw The Kerryman model competition I just said to myself 'what have I to lose?' so I entered it. After that I got involved with an agency in Ireland and it just took off from there. Modelling wasn't necessarily something I wanted to do growing up. But a few people had said to me 'why not give it a go?' I'd never thought about it much. Erin's influence in fashion also started to rub off on me and it spiralled from there. I started taking more interest in it and here I am in South Korea today, modelling."

Damien started his career in Galway for a year and a half and built up a strong portfolio. He was also travelling between Galway and Germany, where Erin worked, when another opportunity presented itself.

"This is how the agency in Germany saw my portfolio and expressed an interest in me. I signed with them. Germany was also a better market, which allowed me to step up by doing modelling for Puma and Adidas. This was a great experience. But I wanted to take it to the next level. South Korea is a fashion hotspot and is really trending right now. It's a very forward thinking country."

So what does a day in the life of Damien's job consist of?

"You start early in the morning and it is standard procedure to get hair and make-up done. Fittings are hugely important as the clothes must be styled to fit properly. Each day is different and it really depends on what kind of outfit you're showing. It could be clothes one day, or bags and shoes the next. It's all about working within a team to get the look they want. People have this perception that it's all about the glamorous side. But there are long days involved and it's a very competitive job."

Damien is enjoying life in South Korea. Seoul is a city he fell in love with instantly because of its blend of modernity and loyalty to its culture and tradition. But is Seoul a city leaning ever more towards the west given the shadow of its more hostile neighbour to the north?

"Yes and no is the answer to that. It did surprise me when I first got here just how touristy it had become. You do have some parts that are heavily westernised. But you also see parts of the country where native traditions are strong. English is quite a universal language here. I learn some of the basics in the native language out of common courtesy. People have this idea that people in the south are constantly looking over their shoulder at the north. I think much of this perception is a bit of a myth in the west. I've been here over four months and it's not something people wake up thinking about every day."

He continued: "Before I came here I didn't really have a perception of what it was going to be like. But it's definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone. The people here are extremely welcoming and they've a great culture. It's been a highlight of my life being here."

It's obvious that Damien's job is one predicated on image and appearance. Social media is a handy tool for promoting his work and Damien is currently documenting his time in Seoul through Instagram (damienmaca). Damien believes social media is a great way of connecting with people from outside the fashion world, allowing them an insight into the job and the daily requirements it entails. However, Damien is also cautious of social media and accepts that it can have negative consequences.

"I guess it plays both ways in my case. People on social media like to give the best side of themselves and it looks like their life is better than what it is. People can get hung up on how many Likes they get. In my case I'm probably lucky that I'm at an age where it's not as important. I do get images from the job and upload them online. But that's more to do with the career I have than any personal obsession to post photos of myself. As for my friends, it's actually been quite nice as people at home seem genuinely interested in what I do and want to know more about this line of work. I must say the reaction from home has been positive from day one."

Damien will head to Milan in the New Year where he has another agency lined up for work. He is excited at the thoughts of working in one of the major fashion capitals of the world. He knows modelling is a tough business as the opportunities are far fewer than the numbers seeking them. It's a journey that has so far been kind to him. He tells me he has nothing to lose, plus it's the memories and stand-out moments that keep driving him forward.

"In Germany I did a European campaign for Puma and to see your image in shop windows in the high street is a bit of a surreal experience. My work in Seoul has also appeared in shop windows. It's a feeling I can't really describe. Even though it's a short-lived career I plan to make the most of it and work as hard as I can."

He concluded: "After Christmas I'll be heading to Milan and like any job it too will have its pros and its cons. Obviously, there are parts of home I still miss. I've been travelling constantly now for the last eight or nine years. When you have that bug it's a kind of distraction in itself. I definitely get days where I have to remind myself that I'm just an ordinary guy from Tralee. When I put the last few years into perspective, yes I am quite proud of everything I've done. It's been exciting."
Santa will return to his cottage in Old Market Lane, Killarney, in the run up to Christmas.

One can meet him there; check out the elves' beds and the North Pole Orb, and much more.

He will be in December on the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd from 1pm to 5.45pm.

Christmas In Killarney Chairperson Kate O'Leary said "Its just wonderful that the children of Killarney will get the opportunity to meet him in Santa's Cottage.

St Brendan's trio scoops big SciFest victory

Darragh Fleming, Ethan O'Neill and Colm Looney, third year students from St Brendan's College in Killarney, competed among Ireland's youngest whizz kids at the SciFest 2018 National Final and were awarded the SciFest STEM Outreach Award on November 9.

Their project looked to reduce collisions between deer and vehicles.

SciFest is an all-island STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) initiative among second-level students, and the final in Marino Conference Centre in Dublin was attended by high-profile figures such as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton.

With their project, Darragh, Ethan and Colm identified locations where collisions between deer and vehicles are highest.

They then investigated patterns in road crossing amongst deer living in the Killarney National Park.

They created signage and a technological alarm system to ward off the deer and stop them from going out onto the roads.

They also used other deterrents such as human hair and CDs to refract car lights into the deer's field of vision.

SciFest founder and CEO Sheila Porter presented their prize, which followed their success at the SciFest regional final in Institute of Technology, Tralee.

SciFest continues to grow year on year with over 10,000 students participating in local and regional SciFest STEM fairs across the country this year.

Since its inception in 2008, over 60,000 students have participated in the competition, and the St Brendan's trio of Darragh, Ethan and Colm were three of 63 students who went on to exhibit 37 STEM projects at the national finals in Dublin this month.

Drama Circle tells the stories of two Ethiopian communities in the 70s

Members of Killarney Drama Circle presented 'The Other War' by Alemseged Tesfai recently, to much acclaim from all who saw it.

The play tells the story of two communities in Ethiopia in the '70s.

Based in Eritrea, fighting for its independence against the Amharic military army, the production was held in the Hall of the Living Rock Church, Rock Road, Killarney and was directed by Rayla Tadjimatova.

Rayle also works with refugees and asylum seekers.

The local actors included, Mary Doherty, Gerardina Harnett, Madeline Walsh, Elias Andachew Kuma, Mantho Sibanda, Agahta Ostruszka.

Also present at the showcase were musicians Thomas O'Sullivan, Genene Gorfy and Insaf Yalcinkaya.

The Production was supported by Kerry County Council Arts Department and Creative Ireland Kerry Office

Its an early Christmas in Killarney

Magic is in the air in Killarney with the first of its Magic Parades kicking off this year on Saturday, November 24, at 6pm.

The streets of the town will be filled with festive lights, music, colour, snow and a whopping 11 floats this year, with Santa confirmed as part of the billing.

Alongside old St Nick, many of his friends will join him, including Minnie and Mickey Mouse, as well as Frozen stars Anna, Elsa and Olaf.

In addition to a host of famous Disney celebrities, the parade will also be joined by children from local schools, all sure to enjoy Killarney's unique celebration of the most wonderful time of the year..

Leading the parade, as is always the case. will be the Mayor of Killarney, Cllr John Sheehan, and he will be joined by his fellow councillors from the Killarney Municipal District.

And all of the participants will be on good view as the parade takes in Beech Road, Mission Road, East Avenue Road, College Street, Plunkett Street, Main Street and finally New Street.

There will also be Mini Magic Christmas parades throught December, on the 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd. All of these will commence at 6pm.

Also, recommended family-viewing areas allow for a better view for small children and easier buggy access.

Families can watch in relative comfort along College Street or at the end of the parade along New Street as the parade makes its way home.

Organisers have acknowledged the support of all their sponsors and, of course, the support of Kerry County Council and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce.

Further information on this or other Christmas In Killarney events is at www.christmasinkillarney.com, or on social media.
Five Kerry men who were arrested on foot of Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) raids in Killarney and Dublin in the past week have been released without charge.

The raids are part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of a Killarney-based organised crime gang.

The first raid took place last Thursday morning at around 6.30am, when officers from CAB - with support from local Gardai - carried out a large -scale operation in Killarney. Three men - all aged in their 30s - were arrested as part of the operation which involved 35 Gardai and CAB officers.

The three men were detained on suspicion of money laundering and held for several hours under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act. Two were detained at Killarney Garda Station, while the third was held in Tralee. The trio were released without charge on Thursday night.

On Monday - in an operation directly linked to last week's raid in Killarney - two men, both from Killarney and aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested at Clondalkin in Dublin.

Both were questioned for several hours at Clondalkin Garda Station and were subsequently released without charge.

The Killarney and Dublin raids were both part of Operation Tarmac, a joint initiative by CAB and the Kerry Garda Division aimed at specific individuals believed to be involved in organised criminality.

A garda spokesperson said files on the five men - who are all known to each other - are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and investigations are ongoing.

Last week's arrests follow a major operation last year.

In November 2017, in one of the largest operations of its kind seen in Kerry, CAB and gardai launched a major crackdown on the Killarney-based organised-crime gang in the early hours of the morning.

In that operation, 11 houses were raided, several of them in the Ballyspillane estate. Nine luxury cars and jeeps; over 100,000 in Euro and Sterling cash and a large amount of jewellery including Rolex and Cartier Watches were seized.
John Drummey of Tralee Chamber Alliance and Mayor of Tralee Graham Spring had a little help from some young reindeer as they launched Tralees exciting Christmas programme

The Rose of Tralee, Kirsten Mate Maher, and the Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Graham Spring, will switch on the Christmas Lights in The Square, Tralee at 5pm this Saturday November 24 heralding the start of five weeks of Festive fun in Kerry's Shopping Capital.

The lighting up ceremony will take place after the annual CH Santa Parade through the town centre which begins at 2pm.

There will be live music under the Marquee in The Mall throughout Christmas in Tralee, and the New Year's Eve Fireworks Display on Denny Street from 7pm on Monday December 31 will give families an opportunity to ring in 2019 in style.

Free parking has long been a key aspect of the Christmas season to encourage shoppers to come into the town centre and once again, Tralee Municipal District are offering FREE on-street parking and in council carparks from 1pm daily from Monday December 3 to Sunday January 6.

he Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Graham Spring, said: "There isn't a retailer, hotelier, restaurateur, publican, or attraction provider in Tralee who won't go the extra mile to ensure that the Christmas experience for locals and visitors is the most memorable ever. The Councillors in Tralee Municipal District fully support Tralee Chamber Alliance who are proud to promote Tralee as Kerry's Shopping Capital all year round," said Mayor of Tralee Cllr Graham Spring

President of Tralee Chamber Alliance Aidan Kelly also paid tribute to all the businesses who have supported Tralee's Christmas festivities.

"With the recent launch of the Tralee Voucher, a line-up of great music and events in Tralee, and free parking throughout the festive season, there are loads of great reasons to do your shopping locally throughout the town."

"Our team have launched a major advertising campaign for our members, promoting shopping in Tralee, and are inviting more businesses in Tralee to join Tralee Chamber Alliance now or in January 2019," said Mr Kelly.
The Maharees team who received a special award at the Pride of Place Awards Cermony in Cork

The Blackwater Womens Group who also received a special award. Photos by Mary ONeill

The team behind K-Fest who were runners-up in the Creative Place category at the all-Ireland Pride of Place Awards. Photo by Mary ONeill

Kerry has proven once again that they do things better than most having scooped three accolades at this year's Pride of Place Awards.

Both Blackwater Women's Group and Maharees Coastal Area were given a special award for their work, with K-Fest coming runner up in the Creative Place Initiative category.

The judges paid huge tribute to the Kerry communities. They described the Blackwater Women's Group as a "vibrant community group making a real difference in peoples' lives as they have succeeded in combating loneliness through the extraordinary actions of a number of dedicated people".

They were equally impressed with the Maharees stating it is "notable not just as an area of great natural beauty, but distinguished by a dedicated local group working to ensure a sustainable approach to conservation that is exemplary and a model for others to follow".

Described as the Oscars of the community sector, the IPB Pride of Place Awards, organised by Co-operation Ireland, pay tribute to community groups across the country who thrive to improve their local area.

The Kerry groups chosen to represent their county were selected by Kerry County Council from the finalists in Kerry Community Awards co-founded by The Kerryman. Mayor of Kerry, Cllr Norma Foley, congratulated the groups on their win.

"They have done Kerry proud."
Kerry county councillors are examining the law following a row with Council management over the release of a full list of lands owned by the local authority which costs the taxpayer millions a year in interest.

Several councillors want a full breakdown of all lands owned by the council and exactly what management at the local authority intend to do with them.

Currently, a full list is not available though its housing landbank is listed on the Rebuilding Ireland website. Council management has resisted a number of councillors' efforts to have the information on the publicly owned lands revealed and discussed at their monthly meetings.

The councillors have subsequently claimed that council management is trying to block the public from finding out what lands they own. A major row broke out at the November monthly meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday, when council management refused to discuss its landbank.

Management disputed a claim by the councillors that this had previously been agreed and argued that the council's Corporate Policy Group - a body which acts as a link between the full council and its sub committees - had ruled that a discussion about the landbank cannot take place in public, and could only occur at an in-camera meeting.

The CPG committee includes five local councillors and members of council management.

The dispute comes after the Killorglin based councillor John Francis Flynn called for a full list of all Kerry County Councils lands to be released at the September and October meetings.

Cllr Flynn said that a unanimous vote was taken at the October meeting backing his call to have the council landbank discussed at Mondays meeting. However, council management this week disputed his claim and said his request had only referred to its housing landbank.

This decision by the CPG committee has caused anger among some councillors who claim that council management is effectively trying to stop the public receiving this information. CEO Moira Murrell has strongly refuted this claim. This is information, Cllr Flynn says, that the public is entitled to.

We are the voice of the people. The information on what lands the council owns and what they intend to do with them is a matter of public interest and we are not being allowed access to this information. The CPG has no right to stop this, he said.

There is a problem here. There needs to be transparency and this is not happening.

He also claimed that councillors are frequently being asked by management to withdraw or change the motions they plan to table at meetings.

This was also raised by other councillors during fractious exchanges between management and councillors at Mondays meeting.

The CPG has said that an in-camera meeting could take place on the landbank holdings at the Christmas meeting but some councillors are opposed to this, believing it to be an attempt to prevent the information reaching the public domain. They claim that the CPG has overstepped its role under local Government legislation.

Cllr Toireasa Ferris, who has also been trying to get access to the full list of lands  to see if proposals can be drawn up for the use of this land  said that the decision by the CPG is symbolic of the continuous efforts by council management and some councillors to hold difficult conversations in private.

We are allowing management to dictate policy when it is the role of the elected members. According to the Local Government Act the CPG has no authority to overrule a decision by the councillors to discuss the landbanks.
Some 140 people attended a public meeting in Ionad na Dromoda on Monday to make it clear they will not accept losing the post office in Mastergeehy.

It comes as An Post confimed that Social Welfare and Address Pal Services in closing Gneeveguilla Post Office will be transferred will move to Rathmore from February 1, 2019. In Knocknagoshel, these services will move to Abbeyfeale from the same date.

The meeting was organised by a five-member working group which includes Councillor Norma Moriarty. The other members are Eimear Ni Mhurchu, Fiona de Buis, Cait Ni Chonaill, and Caitlin Breathnach.

Mastergeehy's post office was one of more than 150 billed for closure by An Post last August as part of a restructuring plan running into early 2019. Ms Breathnach and Cllr Moriarty explained that a local business, the Inny Tavern, is willing to accommodate the service, as is community development group Forbairt na Dromoda.

It's one of a number of parallels with the case of Ballinskelligs post office, which received a massive boost last month with An Post's decision to advertise a new contract despite previously been set for closure.

That proposal would have seen the service move from a Gaeltacht area to a non-Gaeltacht area, a key point in the change of plan. Mastergeehy is also located in a Gaeltacht area.

Cllr Moriarty is hoping for another positive outcome.

"We were thrilled with the turnout and that the Inny Tavern and Forbairt na Dromoda expressed their interest," she said. "We have a commitment from the locality to support the post office with renewed vigour. It is central to the locality and maintaining local industry, as well as providing a service through Irish."

Caitlin Breathnach said, "Aside from Cllr Moriarty, we had the two Healy-Raes and Martin Ferris present, and TDs John Brassil and Brendan Griffin were unable to attend but sent their apologies. We also had councillors Johnny Healy-Rae, Dan McCarthy, and Patrick O'Connor-Scarteen.

"The TDs will work together; Brendan Griffin will raise the matter in the Dail. We are going to put a submission together to make our case to An Post.

"Dessy Cronin from Ballinskelligs outlined his area's story on the night, as did Mary O'Sullivan from Glencar, which is remaining open, while Anne Boland took us through the impact of Caherdaniel post office's closure."

The nearest post office is in Waterville, she explained, some eight miles away.

"It's very busy and in a busy area," she said. "For elderly people in particular, it's tough. They may be able to get a son or daughter to help them, but even that would take a certain amount of their independence.

"Local Link Kerry is very good at providing buses around here, but it goes to Cahersiveen before Waterville.

"The local comhcoiste has prepared a language plan, and we can't be losing another opportunity to use Irish. The nearest Gaeltacht post office [in Ballinskelligs] is 15 miles away.

"We're now calling on members of the locality to make submissions to the GPO, and another member will start a Facebook page to keep the locals in the know."
The lowest rent in Killarney is now 1,300 per month, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae told the Dail. Speaking during a debate on housing, he said people cannot find that type of money.

"It should also be realised that the Government is taking 50 per cent of what most of the landlords are getting in rent per month," he said. "They are paying 50 per cent tax and something must be done about that if we want rents to decrease."

With regard to social housing, he said the Department is holding matters up. "There are four stages of approval," he said. "Private developers are finding it very hard to gain access to funding. There are so many levies and obstacles to be overcome. I am aware of one developer who is trying to start building houses for a voluntary housing group.

"The process has been going on since the summer with one thing after another. If it is not Irish Water requiring matters to be dealt with, there is duplication between the local authority and all the other agencies. There are so many problems."

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said there was nothing criminal about a landlord owning property. "There is nothing wrong with it," he said. "In many instances, those people are really struggling themselves to try to keep on top of bank repayments, rent out a property, keep it in good condition and pay their taxes. Every Minister knows that if those people were not in the market and taking a chance, there would be total chaos in this country."

Deputy Healy-Rae said there were Members in the Dail denigrating landlords, calling them this and that, and asking about this and that, "as if landlords were pariahs or doing something wrong. They are respectable people who are just earning a living. They are doing it by the book. That is a difficult job."

Concern over Aughinish Alumina

A call for the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney to come to the Seanad at the earliest opportunity to discuss the situation in Aughinish Alumina on the Shannon Estuary was made by Fianna Fail Senator Ned O'Sullivan.

"This is a significant employer, providing 480 jobs and is probably underpinning more than 2,000 support jobs," he said. "The main owner of the consortium that runs this project is a Russian oligarch, Mr Oleg Deripaska. He is one of 24 people who was listed by the US as having interfered with their elections and is therefore blacklisted.

"There is a very serious threat hanging over imports of the products from Aughinish Alumina as long as he is a board member. Negotiations have been ongoing. The chairman of that group, Lord Barker of Battle, announced that the group was in serious negotiations for Mr Deripaska to reduce his holding."

Senator O'Sullivan said it looked as if it would be okay, but the US Treasury Secretary recently announced that he is not prepared to look at the issue until January 2019. "That is a sword of Damocles hanging over a significant project. I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to intervene and come to this Chamber as soon as possible."

In reply, the Leader of the House, Senator Jerry Buttimer, said he would be happy to try to have the Minister come to the House to discuss the matter. "It is an important industry which provides employment in a significant part of the country," he added.

Concern at changes to Fair Deal scheme

The 14,000 homes currently vacant because their owners are in nursing homes availing of the Fair Deal scheme was raised in the Dail by Fianna Fail Deputy John Brassil.

He said the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jim Daly, gave an undertaking that he would review this with a view to trying to get some percentage of those properties into circulation to help deal with the housing and homeless crisis. "Has he made any progress in that regard?" he asked.

Independent Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said farmers have concerns that proposed changes to the Fair Deal scheme will not help them much because 100 per cent of the value of their farms will still be assessed, which means 22.5 per cent of the value of the family home can be used to pay for the person's care.

In response, Minister of State Jim Daly said he hoped to publish the heads of the Bill before year end. "On the Deputy's point that it will not help farmers, I argue it will if it is capped at 22.5 per cent," he said. "The present situation is up to 100 per cent of the farm can be taken under the fair deal scheme. This would apply a cap at 22.5 per cent, so it would be far superior to the current arrangement."

He told Deputy Brassil the review of the scheme is still continuing. "I hope by year end to have some progress on it. I note the Deputy's interest and I will keep him updated."
A District Court judge convicted a woman of assault after hearing that she had slapped a young teenage boy in the face after he had kicked a ball at her door.

The court heard the slap was sufficiently hard to have 'reddened' the boy about the ear.

Dace Reboka, 61 Lartigue Village, Listowel, pleaded guilty to assault - which occurred on October 15 of 2017 - before Judge David Waters at Listowel District Court on Friday.

Sergeant Kieran O'Connell informed Judge Waters that gardai were called to the scene on the day, explaining that the injured party, a teenager, had accidentally kicked a ball against the defendant's door.

The accused came out from her house, she was very angry and slapped the young lad across the face," adding that the force of the blow was enough to have 'reddened his ear'.

A victim impact statement was furnished to Judge Waters. The court heard that Ms Reboka had no previous convictions.

"While there is some dispute about the level of force applied to the minor's face...nonetheless she accepts there was some force and that she should not have done this," Ms Reboka's solicitor Ann Keane said.

She described her client as an ordinarily very 'gentle' person: "She is a very gentle and mild-mannered woman who never came to garda attention before and is highly unlikely to come to garda attention in the future."

Ms Keane described Ms Reboka, as a very peaceful and hard-working mother who enjoys a good relationship with neighbours. "Ms Reboka is at present working in the family home but hopes that when her family is older to gain employment," Ms Keane explained, saying her client has a background in hospitality - the sector her husband works in - and would seek to find work in that area in future.

Ms Keane said the State would accept the assault was not a very 'serious' one. Judge Waters said he could not accept the solicitor's contention.

"She can't slap someone else's child," the Judge said.

Ms Keane also alluded to a 'background to the case', asking the Judge to apply the Probation Act and not to convict.

"A conviction would be very damaging for her employment options in the future," she argued.

The Judge heard there was no apology or offer of compensation to the victim; which he said 'might have helped with the result of this assault on the individual, which I won't go into in open court'. The Judge said he would not leave her without a conviction in those circumstances, convicting and fining Ms Reboka 250.
Tom King from Bodern celebrating his 70th birthday in the Slainte Bar, Ramsgrange with family and friends. Photo: Mary Browne

A large crowd composed of family members, friends and well-wishers gathered in the Slainte Bar, Ramsgrange, last week to celebrate the 70th birthday of one of the local area's most well-known residents.

Tom King, from Boderan, Campile, is renowned on the local music scene and is fondly regarded as the 'King of the drummers' throughout the community and also by his many friends in the music business.

The high regard in which he is held was underlined by the large gathering of people who joined him for his milestone birthday.

Donning Elton John styled glasses, Tom was full of chat throughout the night and thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with old friends and acquaintances,

Some of those in attendance travelled long distances to join in the fun with some party-goers arriving from Waterford, Dublin and the UK.

On this occasion Tom didn't sit in behind the drum kit, however, but did take the mic in hand to sing a couple of numbers - which went down a storm with the crowd.

Speaking to this newspaper he said it was a great night that he really enjoyed.

He thanked everyone for making it a very special birthday for him and his family and he particularly thanked those who made the effort of travelling a long way to help him celebrate which he said was much appreciated.

James Clooney provided the music on the night which was also very fitting as he and Tom often shared stages together down through the years.

It was a great night of celebration and fun acknowledging one of the most popular musicians in the county.
Two cousins on a bike were going from Delhi's Nangloi when their motorcycle skidded on the bridge at 8:20 am.

Shankar, 24, a resident of Ghaziabad, was riding the bike with his cousin Deepak, who was riding pillion. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: A 24-year-old was killed and his cousin injured after their motorcycle skidded off the Signature Bridge on Saturday, a day after two medical students were killed in an accident there, police said.

The deceased, identified as Shankar, was riding motorcycle and his cousin Deepak (17) was pillion rider, a senior police officer said. They were coming from Nangloi and heading towards Northeast district. Timarpur police station was informed about the accident at 8.20 am, he said.

Police said the victims where rushed to a nearby hospital, where Shankar was declared brought dead while his cousin Deepak sustained knee injuries, they said. Shankar, a resident of Gaziabad, worked as a salesman and was unmarried, the officer said. Deepak, a resident of Shalimar Bagh told police they were wearing helmets but Shankar's helmet fell off after skidding and his head hit the divider, he said.

With two accidents in two days, the newly-constructed Signature Bridge has become a death trap. Some people have been seen taking selfies by climbing onto the boundary of the bridge.

This is the second such accident on the Signature Bridge since its inauguration by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 4.

On Friday morning, two medical students were killed after they fell off the Signature Bridge here after their sports bike rammed into a divider.

Read: 2 youth killed after bike rams into divider on Delhis Signature Bridge
The bursary recipients with staff members Katie Egan, Sarah Logan, Anne St Ledger and Stella OBrien and board member John Dreelan

New Ross Credit Union has presented its latest round of students bursaries.

Sarah Logan presented the cheques at a ceremony in the credit union building and in total 10,000 was handed out.

The bursaries are aimed at helping secondary school students from within the credit union's general catchment area further their studies through third level college.

The bursary scheme is usually one of the things mentioned and praised at the organisation's Annual General Meeting as being one of the most beneficial and positive initiatives supported by the organisation's members.

The students who received this year's bursaries thanked the credit union for its generosity and they agreed it will help them with their future studies and careers.

The students who received the awards came from schools all around the catchment including: Grennan College, Thomastown; FCJ Bunclody; CBS, New Ross; Ramsgrange Community School; Good Counsel College, New Ross; and Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School, New Ross.
Nalia Wilczynska, New Ross; Klaudia Wilczynska, Ballyhack; Caroline Gilchrist, New Ross, Breda Murphy, New Ross and Beada Wilczynska, New Ross

Breda Finn from Saltmills celebrating her 80th birthday during the coffee morning in Byrnes Ballyhack

Trish King (centre) who is running for president of Ballyhack, with campaign managers Esther Meyl and Siobhan Walsh

Despite having an organising window of just under three weeks a group of enterprising people in the Ballyhack, Arthurstown, Campile and Duncannon areas managed to raise 15,000 for the Irish Cancer Society.

A number of events took place and as one of the organisers, Jenny King, pointed out to this newspaper they tried to ensure that all members of the community had the opportunity to support the fundraising.

A coffee morning event took place in Byrne's of Ballyhack and another event was held in the King's Bay Inn, in Arthurstown.

The five-person committee behind the campaign was composed of Ms King along with Esther Myler, Evelyn Byrne (Byrne's Pub), Mary Lawlor (King's Bay Inn) and Trish King.

Fundraising for the society has taken place locally in the Ballyhack area for the last five years and is ordinarily organised by Breda Flood, from Flood's Centra in Ramsgrange.

However, this year Ms Flood asked locals if they would like to organise something and that resulted in the committee being formed.

Flood's Centra did contribute to the overall fund by organising its own raffle and a sponsored walk in the park which took place on Saturday, October 20.

Last year 6,000 was raised for the society and the fact that this year's events raised over twice that amount delighted the committee.

'There isn't anyone who hasn't been affected by cancer in some way,' said Ms King.

'Everyone was very supportive of it and the campaign received a lot an enthusiastic response locally, not just in Ballyhack and Arthurstown, but in Ramsgrange and Fethard as well,' said Ms King.

A head and beard shave event took place on Saturday, November 10, in the King's Bay Inn, and another, similar event took place the following night in Byrne's Pub in Ballyhack.

Those two events alone raised 2,500 and a raffle organised by the committee raised a further 1,500.

There were some fun aspects to the fundraising too with the principal event being the 'Presidential' election that saw Michael Walsh, from Ballyhack - but representing Arthurstown - going up against Trish King, from Passage East.

They arrived at Byrne's Pub on Sunday evening in a rickshaw which caused a lot of amusement among locals.

It was a close run election and despite great canvassing on the part of Ms King and her team it ended up with Mr Walsh winning the right to be called Mr President.

There is great community spirit between Ballyhack and Arthurstown and that was underlined by the manner with which the local people got fully behind the fundraising, however, there was also friendly rivalry in the election campaign which added to the overall banter of the weekend.

The success of the election initiative was such that it alone raised 6,500 for the fund.

'We got started on the fundraising around three weeks ago and everything culminated in the events last weekend,' said Ms King.

'The thing about the Irish Cancer Society is that most people can relate to what it does because if they themselves haven't been affected by cancer they know someone who has,' said Ms King.

There was an added bonus to the coffee morning in Byrne's Pub as it coincided with local woman, Breda Finn, from Saltmills, celebrating her 80th birthday.

The coffee morning also gave people who might not ordinarily frequent pubs the opportunity to lend their support to the fundraising campaign and they were appreciative of being given the chance to do so.

The committee was delighted with the success of this year's fundraising and they thanked everyone who helped. A particular word of thanks was conveyed to the people of the local community for giving their full support to the different events.
The name for Ireland's longest bridge over the river Barrow just outside New Ross was officially confirmed as Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, despite protestations from Cllr Michael Sheehan.

Director of Services for Roads Eamonn Hore said in line with an agreed process, which saw the Kennedy name approved by both New Ross and Piltown municipal district bodies, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy name was chosen to go forward to the county council for ratification.

Cllr John Fleming proposed the name, which was seconded by Cllr Larry O'Brien.

Cllr Sheehan said he was opposing the name confirmation on the grounds that the public submissions process was not adequate.

'It's my intention to write to the Minister for Local Government to review the process to find out if it's in breach of local government and SIPO.'

Cllr Fleming said: 'Either you're voting for your town or county, or you're not,' referring to his fellow Fianna Fail councillor's decision to side with south Kilkenny councillors by choosing to support the Pink Rock name at a joint meeting of New Ross and Piltown municipal councils in October.

'Call it the Brendan Howlin bridge and be done with it,' Cllr Robbie Ireton opined.

Mr Hore said there was nothing wrong with the process, which was unanimously approved by both councils.

'It follows the process of other infrastructural naming processes,' Mr Hore said, with Cllr Willie Fitzharris adding that Cllr Sheehan previously voted in favour of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy name.
Following the announcement of 28 social houses for Rosbercon, councillors were informed plans are progressing at pace to build a new estate in Hewittsland, but concerns were raised that sites in New Ross are not being used.

Senior Housing Officer Padraig O'Gorman said Wexford County Council has exceeded its target to build social houses by around 50 per cent, with a new 12 home estate in Danescastle built, along with two houses in Castlemoyle, New Ross. '18 houses in Taghmon are out for tender. A scheme for 28 houses in Rosbercon has been developed on land we bought last year to develop the greenway to Waterford. Consultants will be appointed in the next month.'

Aggregated lands are being developed, he said, with a housing body expressing strong interest in building in Hewittsland. 'I would expect that there would be some application there. I can almost say with certainty that there will be something on site in Hewittsland,' he said.

A large parcel of land behind Woodview Drive in Adamstown is also ideal for development for social housing, Mr O'Gorman said, before qualifying his remark by saying there are no services for an estate. There are also plans for nine accommodation units in Ballyhack.

Mr O'Gorman said 30 houses have been leased and repaired across the county, adding that many houses are not suitable to be made habitable. 'We have had 150 inspections across the county and many are not suitable either because they are too far gone or we can't track down the owners. There are a lot of vacant properties but it's not just as easy as turning them into social housing overnight. About one in five won't get there.'

Acknowledging that there have been staff changes in the housing department, Mr O'Gorman assured councillors that a housing officer is about to be appointed to New Ross. 'We have had a temporary issue in New Ross around the housing officer. I have spoken to our head of personnel this week and I hope to get an additional housing office sorted in the next couple of days.'

Cllr Willie Fitzharris said the county is in the grip of a housing crisis. 'I don't accept that we don't have any sewerage for houses. Can any pressure be brought to bear on Irish Water.'

'It's a good point, Mr O'Gorman said. 'There's no point in us acquiring any lands unless there are services. In Adamstown we have a state-of-the-art vocational school crying out for additional numbers. We have a demand in that area for a 16 to 20 housing scheme which would be very sustainable but unfortunately, with the lack of services, there is no point in progressing anything.'

Cllr Larry O'Brien said villages are dying because of a lack of investment. He said, along with councillors Pip Breen, Oliver Walsh and council officials, they managed to include a request for funding into the 2040 National Development Plan.

District director Eamonn Hore said the council has highlighted the problem of a lack of sewerage to villages to Irish Water. 'We know what the capacities are in our villages but there is very little in any of our rural schemes. Duncannon, Arthurstown, Ballyhack are going through the Irish Water process, which is very slow. They are due to come on stream in 2021. We are heaping as much pressure as we can on Irish Water. The problem is the funding from them and every council is having a similar problem so it's difficult, but we are doing our absolute best.'

Cllr Sheehan said there are issues with filling vacant ongoing properties in New Ross.

'I don't see a lot of people moving into the apartments at Rivergate and there are still 16 places in the Mercy Convent. It appears housing bodies have done nothing with old stock and seem to be intent on building new houses.'

Calling for a walk in appointments system in the housing section in New Ross, Cllr Sheehan said it is unacceptable that New Ross is the only district office where tenants can't walk in off the street and be seen. 'I don't think it's fair. In fact, it's damn wrong. We are getting temps coming in and going out and best of luck getting a social worker. I think we are being let down by the executive.'

Cllr Michael Whelan suggested removing Adamstown from the list of villages likely to get social housing. 'It's so far down the road we shouldn't even mention it,' which Mr O'Gorman agreed with. Cllr Whelan said there will be no more developments in Ballyhack, Duncannon or Arthurstown due to the lack of sewerage.

Senior Executive Water services engineer Dan McCartan said he would raise the need for sewerage in Adamstown at a meeting with Irish Water officials at County Hall. Cllr Anthony Connick also called for a housing officer to be based in New Ross. 'We have to have someone permanent during the day and someone who will work with us. Some of us have to work during the day. We need attention and we're being ignored. I am getting it in the neck every day and I can only take so much of it.'

He said four houses were due to be built on a site in New Ross town centre in the Bullawn, but only one was built. 'I spoke to the Director of Housing about it. It (the site) is an environmental hazard as there is nothing only rubbish, which has been throw over a 4ft fence.'

Mr O'Gorman said a new appointments based system for all offices across the county is being rolled out. He said additional staffing resources will be provided to New Ross in the coming weeks if there is a backlog. 'An appointments system is coming in with the new customer service system.'

He said the council aim to maximise land use, referring to the site in the Bullawn. Cllr Sheehan said it is unacceptable that New Ross tenants have to contend with the system.

Cllr Connick said: 'The ground was prepared for the four houses. It's crazy to thin that we don't have sites in the town. We have space for four houses we should put in four houses for four families.'

Mr O'Gorman said he will look at the site.

He said two refugee families and four families from Kilkenny and from County Wexford will be housed in Castlehyde estate in Millands, Rosbercon.

Cllr Larry O'Brien welcomed news of the appointment of a housing officer.
A new book called 'Famous Wexford People in History' which was researched and written by graphic designer Des Kiely, will be officially launched in Wexford Book Centre on Thursday, November 22 at 6.30 p.m.

The book which is illustrated with old photographs contains brief accounts of the lives of many famous people who were born in County Wexford down through the centuries from swashbuckling William Lamport aka Zorro to Beatle George Harrison's maternal grandfather, the world-renowned architect Eileen Gray and the mothers of Oscar Wilde and Marconi.

Des spent two years researching the book, travelling around the county and recorded his visits by taking photographs, many of which appear in the publication. Some of the stories connect with each other, especially those of the leaders of the 1798 Rebellion.

Des has been interested in local history since he was a young man in his twenties when he lived five metres below sea level in the Netherlands. He was fascinated by the dykes and the local pumping station that drains the polders, similar to the pumping stations in the North and South Slobs in Wexford.

When he moved with his family to McClure Meadows in Wexford town, he began to investigate Robert McClure, who discovered the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. His father Captain Robert McClure from Derry, was a member of the notorious 89th Foot Ulster Regiment that hunted down Irish rebels during the 1798 Rebellion.

While stationed in Wexford, he married Jane Elgee, the daughter of Reverend John Elgee who was rector of St. Iberius Church. Her brother Charles was the father of Jane Wilde, mother of Oscar Wilde and that story prompted Des to write another on Wilde's mother.

Des began posting stories about famous Wexford people on a Facebook page of the same name and several of his readers including the local historian Nicky Rossiter suggested he should write a book.

Nicky Rossiter wrote the foreword in which he described Des as 'a blow-in' and said this is what makes the book both important and impressive. 'Des can look objectively at our history and give us a clear view' Nicky said, adding 'This book should be required reading in our schools to imbue children with a love of social history that would enhance their understanding of people, places, professions and the wider world'.

Researching the book was a labour of love, according to the author, especially the story of George Harrison's maternal grandfather John Ffrench. Des came across a reference in a 1990's newspaper article to the Ffrench ancestral home being located in Ballycarney outside Enniscorthy.

'After driving the back roads around the village on a couple of occasions and making several enquiries in the area I eventually found it', he recalled. 'Had this been in Liverpool I expect I would have only needed to hop on a Beatles tour bus! The house lies in an idyllic area in the nearby townland of Corah and is still lived in by Jim Muphy, a descendant of the Ffrench family.'

'Famous Wexford People in History' covers the whole county and features 38 famous people who made their mark on history. They include Annie Jameson of the whiskey family who was born in Fairfield, Enniscorthy and was the mother of the inventor Guglielmo Marconi; Prince Michael Neale from Ballymitty, a colourful character whose boyhood dream came true when he purchased the Great Saltee Island; Anastasia Codd, the mother of bard and poet Thomas Moore, who lived in Cornmarket, Wexford; the movie and television actor Dan O'Herlihy who was born in Spawell Road in 1919 and is buried in Crosstown Cemetery; the hurling legend Nickey Rackard from Killanne whose family home and public house in the village was once the home of the famous 1798 rebel leader John kelly of 'Kelly the Boy from Killanne' song fame, and John Kelly himself who was only 22 years old when he was hanged on Wexford Bridge.

Also featured are the architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray from Brownswood, Enniscorthy who was a pioneer of Modernism and Art Deco and one of whose armchairs sold at auction for 21.9 in 2009, setting a world record for 20th century decorative art; William Kehoe, the 19th century industrialist born in Mounthoward, who sailed from Wexford Harbour with his family at the age of eight, bound for Savannah, Georgia and went on to become one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the city , opening the Kehoe Iron Works which prospered until the Great Depression of the 1930s; Patrick J. Kennedy, the great-grandfather of President Kennedy, born in Dunganstown, New Ross and William Lamport (later characterized by Hollywood as 'Zorro'), who was born in Wexford town and was burned at the stake in Mexico by the Spanish Inquisition in 1659.

Among the political figures included are Richard Corish, Min Ryan, John Redmond and Sarah Jordan from Inch, the mother of Liam Mellows.

Some of the stories in the book will be brought to life at the launch on Thursday evening by the presence of people connected with them, including Eileen Cloney who was the six-year old girl at the centre of the Fethard-on-Sea boycott scandal of 1957 and is also a descendant of the 1799 rebel leader General Thomas Cloney who is also featured in the publication.

Eileen's father Sean, a Catholic and her mother Sheila, a woman of strong Protestant faith came under pressure from the Catholic church to send their children to the local Catholic school but Sheila was determined to raise her family in both religious traditions and fled the village, prompting Fr. William Stafford to call on local Catholics to boycott Protestant businesses until she returned.

Also attending will be Jim Murphy, a distant relative of John Ffrench, grandfather of George Harrison, who still lives in the ancestral home near Ballycarney and Frances Ffrench from Rosslare Strand, wife of the late Adrian Ffrench who was a third cousin of the Beatle.

'Famous Wexford People in History' is available in local bookshops throughout the county and can also be ordered online from Amazon.

Des Kiely can trace his own family history back to the village of Stradbally in County Waterford and to the house where his great-great-great grandfather John Kiely was born in 1778.

The family moved to Derry and later to Dublin and then Wicklow.

Des is a graphic designer by profession and when not researching and writing history, he enjoys painting, music and photography.
A request for funding to improve technology at water treatment plants across the district has been made to Irish Water.

Senior Executive Engineer in the water services department, Daniel McCartan said the ESB supply to Castlemoyle has had significant issues.

'We are liaising with Irish Water on their review to assist us with three cases,' he said.

Mr McCartan said electricity supply power outs cause huge problems at water treatment plants to water flow and equipment.

'We need to future proof this going forward as it's a huge risk to water supply.'

He said there is a pinch-point at the Taylorstown plant.

The cost of works at the plant is estimated at 1m.

Mr McCartan said installation work is substantially complete and work is ongoing commissioning and validating the automated system.

Watermain rehabilitation work is proposed in Charlton Hill and Ard na Greine in New Ross. This includes the installation of new watermain service connections.

In Ballycullane tenders have been awarded for the installation of a wastewater rising main from Somers Way to St Martin's Park. This includes civil and decommissioning works at the existing wastewater treatment plant in Somers Way.

Meanwhile an initial inspection of the sea defences for the Kilmannock Arterial Drainage Scheme has been completed. Immediate proposals are as follows: works to repair existing sea defences that form an integral part of the scheme.

Mr McCartan said he has requested a review of the whole network with a view to reducing the number of booster pumps on the network.

'If we get a supply problem they are the first things that go down and knock out the area.'

Cllr Michael Sheehan said he has received many complaints about a stench in Irishtown.

'The stench is overwhelming. A lot of people have to leave their homes for a couple of hours during dry periods.'

Mr McCartan said he would look into the problem, urging people to report the stench as soon as it arises to give council staff the best possible hope of resolving the issue.

He said the problem may lie in the pump station in the Maudlins, while there have been reports of an abominable stench in New Ross town centre also, at times, the meeting heard.

Mr McCartan said the problem often concerns blocked drains. 'We are trying to assist any area that we can.'

Cllr Larry O'Brien called for Ramsgrange to be included with Arthurstown, Ballyhack and Duncannon in the new treatment plant bundle. 'It's only one and a half miles to bring a pipe to the sewerage system which is going to be in Lord Donegal's field. It has to happen whether we make a contribution to it, or not. We have schools and facilities in Ramsgrange.'

Cllr O'Brien said councillors have been hearing about village bundles for years. He said without sewerage facilities a developer based in Campile cannot proceed with plans to build a 54 house estate. Environmental officer Gerry Forde said the sewerage plant is needed on a number of fronts. Mr Forde said there are two schools in Ramsgrange, along with South West Wexford Resource Centre.

Cllr Willie Fitzharris said: 'Ramsgrange has the only post office and shop in the area so I think it would be absolutely crazy not to include Ramsgrange. At one stage it's going to reach crisis levels and we will be told we didn't do enough.'

Housing officer Padraig O'Gorman said: 'We are coming to that stage where we need to have light at the end of the tunnel. We are in the largest acquisition programme we've had in some time. We built nine houses last year, are building 21 this year, with 65 houses planned to be built next year and 100 the year after across the county.

'Last year we bought 123 houses, many of which are in rural areas, which was the second highest nationally. Over the last two years we've been looking at lands we owned. We bought the Rosbercon site and we are actively looking at where we can acquire lands in future but Irish Water are part of the jigsaw and it does need to move forward as there is no point in us acquiring land if we can't build on it for five to seven years.'

Denying there is a crisis, Mr O'Gorman said the housing list has fallen by around 3,000 to 2,100.

'The indicators are fine and our homeless numbers are falling.'

Cllr Whelan said there are two houses in an estate in Ballycullane which require funding. Mr O'Gorman said one of the houses will be occupied shortly.

Mr McCartan said he raised the need for more services for Ballycullane with Irish Water earlier this year once again.
Seven barley growers from Co Wexford have been recognised at the annual Malting Barley Excellence Awards which acknowledge exemplary standards in malting barley production throughout the country.

Among the winners was Padraig Kehoe who took the overall top prize at the ceremony.

The awards were organised by Boortmalt, one of the largest producers of malt in the world, and hosted by Diageo, the largest purchaser of malting barley in Ireland.

Among the Wexford winners were: Mark McCaughley, Dunbrody, Campile; Liam Ryan, Clonmines, Wellingtonbridge; Padraig Kehoe, Garrymile, The Ballagh; John P Somers, Monroe, Glenbrien; Alan Mooney, Gurrawn, Rathnure and Coolattin Farms Ltd.,and John G Murphy Coolattin, Bunclody.

In addition to Padraig Kehoe taking home the overall top prize his namesake, Francis Kehoe, from Lacken, New Ross, took home the first prize in the seed growing category.

The keynote speaker at the event was Deputy Pat Deering who also presented the overall prize - the Guinness Perpetual Cup for Malting Barley Excellence - to Mr Kehoe who expressed delight and honour at bringing the overall winner's cup back to Wexford.

'I am looking forward to bringing the Guinness Perpetual Cup to Wexford,' he said.

'My winning formula for quality malting barley is to sow early if the conditions are right, and if not, be patient,' he added.

Mr McCaughley said adapting to new technology and developing new ways of working are also very important while Mr Ryan expressed the view that if you look after the land it will look after you.

Mr Somers highlighted the importance of looking after the crop and ensuring that it's tended to in the correct way: 'If you feed the crop, the crop will feed you.'

The overall ethos of the Wexford growers was summed up by Alan Mooney who commented that 'well sown is half grown'.

The malting barley growing season is quite short and that fact was highlighted by John Murphy who said timing is crucial to the overall success of the crop.

Francis Kehoe said that sowing malting barley at the correct time, and in the right conditions, is the key to maximising yield and quality.

Boortmalt is the malting barley division of the Axereal group which is Europe's largest grain cooperative. The group's Chief Executive Officer, Yvan Shaepman said the awards presented an opportunity to acknowledge 'excellence in the supply chain' and he complimented Mr Kehoe on his overall victory.

Diageo uses more than 130,000 tonnes of barley each year at St James's Gate with 300 tonnes used every day to brew Guinness.

The Operations Director of Diageo's St James's Gate Brewery, Aidan Crowe, said the company's success is based on rich heritage.

'From the founding of the Guinness brewery in 1759 to the creation of Baileys four decades ago, our brands are made with the finest ingredients and represent the best Ireland has to offer,' he said.

'Every year we purchase more than 275 million in goods and services from Irish companies because we can be assured that they are supplying an excellent, responsibly-grown product,' he added.
It's going to be a white Christmas thanks to the Wexford Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre which is holding a major fundraising drive during the month of December and needs volunteers help out with a bucket collection in Wexford, Gorey and New Ross on December 21.

It's the second year of the White Christmas Appeal in aid of the centre which provides counselling services in the county's four main towns for adult and adolescent victims of sexual violence, both male and female.

Last year, members of An Garda Siochana, the Men's Shed and the Order of Malta generously provided assistance with the bucket collections along with members of the public and local community groups.

Centre manager Clare Williams is hoping for a good turn-out of volunteers for this year's collections taking place on the streets of Wexford , Gorey and New Ross throughout the day on Friday, December 21. Anyone who can help out in one of the towns even for an hour or two, is asked to contact fundraising@wexfordrapecrisis.com.

Organisations including offices, factories, clubs and schools are also encouraged to get into the spirit of the festive season by holding fundraisers for the centre on their premises during December, wearing something white to mark the occasion, and posting photos and videos on social media if they wish.

The Christmas fundraiser is being organised in conjunction with South East Radio. To register your involvement, email whitechristmas@southeastradio.ie. To donate money to the Wexford Rape Crisis Credit Union Account, use the following number 43659/E,BIC:WECUIE21, IBAN: IEI8WECU99214445043659 in any bank or credit union branch.

White Christmas aims to raise awareness of the Rape Crisis Centre while raising money for the service which has been experiencing a record demand for counselling during the past five years. Over 100 people have contacted the centre for counselling this year alone.

The Rape Crisis Centre provides counselling by qualified and accredited practitioners for the survivors of sexual violence, rape, childhood sexual abuse and sexual harassment in a private, safe, sensitive and non-judgemental environment. Services are available in Wexford, Enniscorthy, Gorey and New Ross.

It offers one to one counselling for women, men and adolescents who have been affected by any type of sexual violence (verbal or physical).

Counselling is also provided for people who are supporting survivors of sexual violence, e.g. a mother, sister or partner. Other services include court accompaniment, Garda accompaniment and assistance with victim impact statements. The Wexford Rape Crisis Centre is a registered charity and support and information is available by calling the free phone number 1800 330033.
Maharaj, who is known for making controversial remarks, even cornered the Supreme Court for delaying the verdict on the Ram temple issue.

Maharaj's statement comes at a time when scores of political leaders are seeking a government ordinance for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. (Photo :ANI)

Unnao: In what could stoke a fresh controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sakshi Maharaj has called for the demolition of Delhi's Jama Masjid while asking the people to hang him if idols of Hindu deities are not found beneath the staircase of the mosque.

Addressing a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao on Friday, the BJP parliamentarian said, "After entering politics, the first statement I made in Mathura was: Leave Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi and demolish Delhi's Jama Masjid. If you do not find Hindu idols beneath its staircase, you are welcome to hang me."

Maharaj, who is known for making controversial remarks, even cornered the Supreme Court for delaying the verdict on the Ram temple issue.

"I condemn the attitude of the Supreme Court. They delivered verdicts on a number of cases of less significance, but they are deferring the Ayodhya matter. I expect Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to pass a law in Lok Sabha for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. I expect the construction of the temple will start before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls," he asserted.

Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India built by Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656.

Maharaj's statement comes at a time when scores of political leaders are seeking a government ordinance for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

On Friday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut even questioned as to why the Centre is taking so long to bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya when Ram bhakts (devotees) had demolished the Babri Masjid in just 17 minutes.

The Ayodhya dispute has been a talking point of late, a mass gathering by organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and some Hindu activists and saints will be held in Ayodhya on Saturday and Sunday. The mega show will coincide with a two-day visit of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to the city.
Scottish artist Hugh Bryden who will give a talk at the symposium

Hundreds of artists' books will be on display when the Artists' Books Symposium makes a welcome return to Wexford for a weekend of talks and workshops at the Stella Maris Hall in Kilmore Quay from Friday, November 30 to Sunday, December 2.

The Symposium puts the Artists Book- and perhaps more importantly the Artists Book maker - centre stage. The keynote speaker on Saturday will be Sarah Bodman, a Senior Research Fellow for Artists' Books at the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) at the University of West England.

Other visiting artists will include Radoslaw Nowakowski from Poland and Hugh Bryden from Scotland's Roncadora Press.

Artists from Ireland will include Sioban Piercy, Vanessa Dawes, Jim Butler, Judy Kravis of Road Books, Andy Parsons and Glenn Holman of Floating World Books, and Katie Blackwood, Librarian at the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) at NCAD.

This project will appeal to everyone in the artists' book world but also art students, designers and anyone interested in general art appreciation.

During the Symposium over 500 artists books will be on view, including the Wexford Artists Book Collection, as well as works by Elephants Tail Press, Road Books, Sun moon and Stars press, Red Fox Press, Roncadora press, Floating World books. T

here will be a show and tell table for visiting participants to bring their latest works on an outing too. A workshop is planned for Sunday afternoon and all are welcome to attend.

The event is funded through the Wexford County Council Arts Office and admission is open to the public on a pay what you can basis. No booking is required to attend talks.
Everyone is invited to a South Kilkenny Historical Society lecture called Influenza, War and Revolution in Ireland, 1918-19, being held on Thursday, November 29, at 8 p.m. in Mullinavat Parish Hall (opposite the church).

Guest speaker Ida Milne will outline the terrible impact the 1918 influenza worldwide pandemic had. Speaking a century on, she will describe how it swept the world and wreaked havoc in its path. Also known as 'The Spanish Flu', it is estimated that at least 50 million died as after becoming infected with this virus. In the United States, life expectancy fell by approximately 12 years and it was unusual by the fact that it typically hit previously healthy people between 20 and 40 years old. It came in three phases or waves and didn't spare well known figures on The lecture, by Ferns woman Ida Milne, is based on her recent publication 'Stacking the Coffins - Influenza, War and Revolution in Ireland 1918-19. Ida is currently lecturer in European History at Carlow College. She has worked in the newspaper industry and as a travel journalist before returning to education in 2000.

She was awarded the prestigious Irish Research Council Marie Sklowodska Curie Actions Elevate fellowship in 2014-18, for a project exploring the impact of infectious diseases of childhood on Irish society over the course of the 20th century. Ida is vice-chair of the Oral History Network of Ireland, and a committee member of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine Ireland Network. Admission is 5 (society members go free).
Two Sligo men found in a car with a mortar round inside a "Spiderman" themed backpack have gone on trial at the Special Criminal Court accused of IRA membership.

Julian Flohr (37) with an address at Rusheen Ard, Caltragh and Damhan McFadden (29), of Kilmacowen, Ballysadare, both in County Sligo, are charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on August 14, 2016.

Flohr remained seated when arraigned before the three-judge court and made no reply when the registrar put the membership charge to him.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the court takes silence as a not guilty plea and it would answer on Mr Flohr's behalf.

McFadden stood up when arraigned before the non-jury court and pleaded not guilty when the charge was put to him.

Opening the prosecution case today, Fiona Murphy SC told the court that Chief Superintendent Thomas Maguire will give evidence in the trial that he believes the accused men were members of the IRA on the date in question.

Ms Murphy said two gardai were patrolling the Dromahair area on the evening of August 14 when they came across the accused men travelling in a car and stopped it.

A decision was made to search the two men under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977.

There will be evidence, the court heard, that Garda Eamonn McDonnell found a small "Spiderman" themed backpack behind the driver's seat in the car, containing a black package which appeared to have soil on it.

The two men were cautioned and taken to a nearby garda station.

The barrister said the court would hear that when Gda McDonnell looked inside the backpack again he formed the suspicion that it could be an explosive device.

However, Ms Murphy said it was later established that the device was a mortar round but there was no primary cartridge present in it.

Gardai formed a suspicion from this incident as well as other knowledge relating to the two men that they were members of the IRA and had been engaging in IRA activity, she indicated.

Another part of the State's case will be interviews connected with the two men under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act.

The section allows a court to draw inferences from a suspected person's failure or refusal to answer questions regarding alleged IRA membership.

Counsel said the court will hear that searches were carried out in the homes of the accused men where items with Republican links were found.

Ms Murphy told the three judges that they will also hear some association evidence.

Giving evidence last Thursday, Gda Eamonn McDonnell told the court that he was attached to the Sligo/Leitrim Divisional Drugs Unit in August 2016.

The witness said he was a passenger in an unmarked patrol car which was on duty in the Dromahair area around 10.30pm on August 14.

Gda Ciaran Staid was driving the car and they were heading towards Manorhamilton when they observed a black Saab car, said Gda McDonnell.

The witness testified that he was aware that McFadden from Sligo town owned this car and he found it unusual that he would be in this area at the time.

The patrol car caught up with the black Saab, activated its blue lights but it took an "unusual amount of time" for McFadden's car to slow down.

Gda McDonnell testified that he got out of the patrol car and spoke to McFadden who was in the driver's seat.

The witness said he could tell McFadden was nervous and he became suspicious when he observed Flohr put his mobile phone under his leg so he decided to search the car under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Both men were searched but nothing was found on their person.

However, Gda McDonnell said he found a children's "Spiderman" themed backpack behind the driver's seat of the car and when he picked it up he noticed a "large amount of unexpected weight" in it.

"I could see black-wrapping on it. I thought it was a bar of cannabis or cocaine" he said, adding that he used his flash-lamp to observe the inside of the backpack before placing it in the back seat of the car.

Both men denied knowledge of the backpack, they were cautioned and conveyed to Manorhamilton Garda Station.

Gda McDonnell said he drove the black Saab car to Manorhamilton Garda Station where he later "touched" the package and realised it was not drugs.

"I could see the shape of it, I got concerned and placed it back. I thought it may have been a bomb," he said.

The witness said he phoned his superior officer and informed him of what he thought he had found, adding that he thought the army may need to be called.

Gda McDonnell was told that the army would be organised to come to Manorhamilton Garda Station and the station would be evacuated.

"At this stage I realised this wasn't a drugs run. I believed it was a run on the obligations of being in the IRA and bringing a device from one location to another," said Gda O'Donnell.

The witness said he arrested Flohr at 11.30pm under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act for possession of an explosive device and for being a member of an unlawful organisation.

Both men were conveyed to Sligo Garda Station.

Patrick McGrath SC (defending Flohr) asked Gda McDonnell why he did not look more closely at the black package when he first came across it on the side of the road.

"I like to leave things in the location until I'm in a better position to examine it," he replied.

Gda McDonnell agreed with Mark Mulholland (defending McFadden) that there is no evidence that his client would have any involvement in the drugs trade.

The witness told Mr Mulholland that the first time the metal object was unravelled from its black duct tape was by the army. He agreed with the barrister that if he had lifted the conical shaped device initially at the side of the road he would have immediately realised it wasn't drugs.

Gda Ciaran Staid testified that when he observed the backpack at the side of the road that night he also thought it was a quantity of drugs.

He said he arrested McFadden under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act for possession of an explosive device and for being a member of an unlawful organisation before he was brought to Sligo Garda Station.

The trial continues on Monday in front of Mr Justice Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge Cormac Dunne. It is expected to last three weeks.
Irish and British Suffragette movement leaders Emmeline and Sylvia Pankhurst and Hanna Sheehy Skeffington would urge political leaders to do more to help women enter politics.

That's according to their two granddaughters, who spoke about their legacy and women's political representation 100 years on at a special seminar in the Model on Monday.

The seminar focused on 100 years of women's votes and was organised by the regional branch of the national campaign for equal political representation, 50:50 Northwest.

"In terms of the Irish situation here, the message for me was the parallels with how difficult it is, how slow it is, in numerical considerations the figures are lower in Ireland but if you forget issues of numbers and start talking about numbers and norms and ideas, it's the same story globally of so much that needs to be done.

"It's the spirit of needing to come together, to campaign together about looking at the practical and economical considerations for women, the constraints around the social norms, the needing to take care of family and kids, food, all the practical constraints that stop women from coming to those positions and staying in them."

What would her grandmother Sylvia be staying today?

"She'd be saying 'Come on, we can do better than this," said Dr Pankhurst, who will take part in #AskHerToStand Day in Westminister this Wednesday 21st November to mark the centenary of the Qualification of Women Act which enabled women to stand for Parliament, for the first time.

"It's the hierarchical system, that suits men and the climate of support for women is not there," said Micheline Sheehy Skeffington to The Sligo Champion.

"We had somebody here today who said their party's priority was to get seats. That was said today by a man. You're battling against it," said Dr Sheehy Skeffington.

She said her grandmother would be a "bit surprised" at the current state of women in politics 100 years on.

"She'd say 'Go for it'. We need more women in politics. There's a lot more that can do it," she said.
The nation's first air disaster has been remembered in a new book penned by Sligo author Gavin Walsh.

All 20 passengers and three crew members died on Thursday evening 10th January 1952, when the St Kevin Aer Lingus 'Dakota' plane crashed into a mountain top in Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

It was bound for Dublin from London and hit a winter storm of gale force winds, violent turbulence and freezing temperatures.

Captain James Richard Keohane piloted the plane - he was brother of J.M. Keohane, newsagent on Castle Street, Sligo.

One of the only intact items recovered from the wreckage included a child's doll.

Among the rescue party were two Irishmen - Senior Aircraftsman Willie Redmond of Cabra, Dublin and Senior Aircraftsman Christopher McCrann, of Garavogue Villas, Sligo, who were both in the RAF.

McCrann was only unpacking his bags after returning from Ireland when he was called to the scene in Caernarvonshire from Valley Airfield Wales.

At 10pm that Thursday night he and 17 other members of the Mountain Rescue Squad were on the mountain.

"It was an awful sight - and worse than anything we had expected," he told The Sligo Champion in January 1952.

It was early Saturday before all the remains were recovered from the "Graveyard of the Air" as it's known locally because of the 30 planes crashed there in the '40's and '50's.

"I'd rather run up and down Benbulben than have to go through that job again. But it had to be done. It gets very personal when you know that there are some of your own people involved," he said.

Another victim was Ms Evelyn Belton from Longford, a second cousin of local Scooter's Creche and Montessori proprietor Catriona Belton.

The book was launched in the Crozon Inn by Gavin Walsh and relatives of the victims.
Poppies adorned the pews of Calry Church on The Mall as students and guests of Sligo Grammar School took their seats for the Act of Remembrance and Reconciliation last Wednesday which was attended by Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and the German Ambassador to Ireland.

Commemorating the centenary of Armistice Day, service men, politicians and dignitries laid wreaths in memory of the fallen.

Over 600 Sligo men lost their lives in WWI, with some having attended the school, those past pupils were named and remembered during the poignant service.

A chilling rendition of Adagio for Strings by the school's choir was performed while images of WWI, graves, and war memorials were projected onto screens.

Following this, Headmaster Michael Hall highlighted the importance of remembering all who lost their lives, regardless of political or religious leanings.

"It is a time to remember when young men and women from all faiths, and none, stood side by side."

Mr Hall outlined that between 15 and 19 million people lost their lives during the war which took place from 1914 to 1918.

The headmaster talked of reconciliation and a 'shared future' going forward.

He said the commemorative event was also important to recognise those within the Defence Forces, past pupils of the school and members of An Garda Siochana who lost their lives in the course of duty.

A wreath was laid by Chairman of the Boards, Revd. Canon Noel Regan on behalf of Sligo Grammar past pupils who fell in WWI. German Ambassador to Ireland, Frau Deike Potzel also laid a wreath, along with leader of Sinn Fein, Mary Lou McDonald, among others.

Speaking to The Sligo Champion following the wreath laying, the Sinn Fein leader said it was important to remember what she described as 'a catastrophe'.

"It's a century on from a catastrophe where a whole generation was laid low and we all have different persepectives on that war, to me it was not a great war it was an imperial blood letting."

Describing the war as a 'gash in the memory', McDonald said regardless of differing political perspectives, respectfully remembering those who lost their lives is important, along with reconciliation going forward.

"It's so important that we create a space for reconciliation.

"It's important for me as the leader of Sinn Fein, as an Irish republican, to be here and stand with others who come from a different view in respectful remembrance, that matters to me a great deal."

Asked how important it is for these commemoration events to take place cross border, the leader said 'extremely imortant'.

"We're moving into, in many ways, unchartered territory in terms of Irish history, in terms of, in my view, the ending of partition and the beginning of a new Ireland.

"And I have always said I want an inclusive, respectful conversation, and this is part of that."

Attending alonside the Sinn Fein President, Cllr Chris McManus described the event as 'poignant and inclusive'.

"Having been involved in peace and reconciliation work for over fifteen years, I know much of the effort involved requires, at times, difficult conversations and having to step out of our comfort zones," said Cllr McManus.

Head Girl at Sligo Grammar School, Juno Ellison said the event was a chance to commemorate past students.

"They gave us the peace that we have now. It's important to remember that it's not too far detached from what we know today, it was people my age that had to go off and give their lives to afford us this peace," said the student.

Following the event at Calry Church, a tree planting ceremony took place on the grounds of the school.
A man has been jailed for four months for glassing a visiting American student in the face, punching and spitting at him, and then saying "welcome to Ireland."

21-year-old Calvin McCormack of Gaelic Park, Bundoran, pleaded guilty at Sligo District Court to assaulting Mr William Craig in the Chasing Bull bar on Main Street, Bundoran on 20th October last.

Taking the witness stand, the victim told Judge Kevin Kilrane that he was in the smoking area of the Chasing Bull when a friend of his asked for a cigarette.

"Someone got mad and had my friend by the throat. I tried to calm the situation and the next thing I knew I had a glass smashed in my face," the victim said.

He said a "big circle formed" and two people spat at him and they said "Welcome to Ireland."

"I'm quite sure the person who spat at me was the person who smashed the glass in my face," said Mr Craig.

He told the judge he was here on a Gap year three month placement from the USA.

"I have a scar on my left cheek. It seems as if it's staying at the moment. I'm in Ireland for another two weeks," he said.

Judge Kilrane asked the witness if he was hit by a pint glass or a shot glass, at which point Mr John Anderson, solicitor for the defence, interjected and said he had seen from CCTV footage that it was a pint glass used in the assault.

Mr Craig said the side of the glass was used on his face and it "broke on impact" causing him to bleed "badly."

Judge Kilrane asked the victim if anyone came to his assistance.

"I left the bar and was walking home and someone saw me on the street bleeding," said Mr Craig.

The court heard from Garda witnesses that the defendant was seen on CCTV smashing the glass in the victim's face, giving him another two punches and then spat in his face twice.

Mr Anderson told the court that the defendant stated his "utmost apology" to his victim and had no previous convictions.

He said McCormack had had some interaction with the Americans - "banter" and "regrettably he had the glass in his hand, hit his face and had reactions beyond that."

A letter from his former school principal was handed up to the judge.

"It was totally out of character" said Mr Anderson, adding that McCormack was currently on a TUS course, after he left an engineering course at Letterkenny IT.

"He would come with compensation but he just doesn't have it," he said.

He said his client would say the Americans were looking for "cigarettes and other substances" off people in the smoking area which annoyed his client but did not justify the "disgraceful" assault.

Judge Kilrane said if someone were genuinely remorseful on seeing the bleeding after the attack would not go on to punch, spit at and then utter "Welcome to Ireland" which was "shocking."

He said Community Service was not appropriate and sentenced McCormack to four months in prison for the assault.
Country music's golden boy Derek Ryan will perform an unplugged acoustic set in the Tramway Theatre, Blessington, on Saturday, November 24, as he continues his national tour.

From the age of twelve, Derek had showbiz aspirations. From his first foray into the music scene performing regularly at socials with his brother Adrian as the Ryan Brothers, right through to a pop career with an international band, he has now become one of today's biggest Irish country artists.

The Carlow man has won a string of accolades, including Entertainer Of The Year, Album Of The Year and Best Live Performer. But he is perhaps proudest of the award winning recognition for his song writing abilities at the Sunday World and Irish Country Music Awards.

Having grown up in Garyhill near Carlow town, Derek was bred into loving Irish traditional music by his family, attending fleadh ceoils on a regular basis with his father. It was not long before Derek was himself a winner, picking up two all-Ireland titles in both bodhran and ceili drumming.

Tickets for Saturday's concert cost 25 and are available in Hennessey's Next Door, The Office Shop and on EventBrite.ie
An Enniskerry woman's rare poster is among the interesting objects featured in 'National Treasures', a book based on the RTE programme of the same name which aired earlier this year.

The programme featured people from all over the country who brought along items to a series of roadshows that spoke to Ireland's history and heritage. The aim was to gather objects, passed down through generations or relatively recently acquired, which revealed an aspect of Ireland's history, culture and experience.

Among those featured in the book is Jackie Cronin from Enniskerry, who brought a U2 poster from the late 1970s along to a National Treasures Roadshow in Dublin. Jackie got the poster from Bono before he was famous. She worked in a local shop in Grafton Court and he used to come in and stick up posters for his gigs. She even gave him the sellotape to stick the poster up and she has held onto this item for nearly 40 years now.

'It's been a real treat to spend the past year meeting the people of Ireland and discovering so many amazing objects and the stories behind them,' said Ciaran Deeney and David Clarke, the men behind both the project and the book.

'We're forever grateful to all the people that participated and we feel that this book illustrates perfectly how the National Treasures project was a powerful insight into the fabric of a nation.'

With a foreword by RTE's John Creedon, the book reveals a selection of 200 diverse and fascinating objects that were unearthed by the project and presents them alongside the personal stories attached. From a pair of Sonia O'Sullivan's Olympic running shoes to a War of Independence grenade, the stories are profound, entertaining, heart-warming and tragic.

The National Treasures project was produced by EZ Films for RTE in association with the National Museum of Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is available in all good book shops and online at www.nationaltreasures.ie/shop
'Day, months, years and generations have passed,' he said Saturday on what he described as his first visit to the town.

Thackeray came with his family for a two-day visit, which he said was to get a darshan' of Lord Ram. (Photo: PTI)

Ayodhya: Arriving here ahead of Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction. He urged the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying his party will support it.

Day, months, years and generations have passed, he said Saturday on what he described as his first visit to the town. Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said.

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. Thackeray  and scores of Sena supporters  arrived here just a day ahead of the Dharam Sabha being organised separately by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site.

There is a massive deployment of police in the city as seers and other people arrive for the VHP event. The VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend its event.

Thackeray came with his family for a two-day visit, which he said was to get a darshan' of Lord Ram. He attacked the government over the delay in the construction of the Ram temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

"There should be a temple of Lord Ram at the Shri Ramjanmabhoomi, he said. I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said. He said there is a BJP government at the Centre and also in the state. Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,' he said.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, he said.

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple? "Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January. Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."

"There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed. The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

After his remarks at Lakshman Kila, he went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers. The Sena is believed to have sent in about 3,000 party supporters from Maharashtra by two trains.

The supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said. Thackeray is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivneri fort in Pune to be handed over to the priest at the Ram Lalla's temple when he meets him later.
Emma OBrien (who plays Swan), Tara Nixon ONeill (who plays the Queen) and Ciaran Coogan (who plays Robin)

Magic and mischief will fill the air this Christmas as Dry Rain Theatre Company returns to the Whale Theatre, with their enchanting tale of The Queen Who Cancelled Christmas.

Written and directed by local playwright David O'Brien The Queen who Cancelled Christmas promises to be a visually beautiful and entertaining performance that will take the audience on a mystical journey.

The story follows feathered friends, Robin (played by Ciaran Coogan) and Swan (played by Emma O'Brien) as they embark on a daring adventure through the snowy forest to try and stop the kingdom's naughty Queen (played by Tara Nixon O'Neill) from cancelling Christmas... but will they succeed?

With original music by Irish composer Donal Rafferty, a host of colourful characters and lots of fun, this glorious production is the perfect Christmas treat for families with children aged 3years and older.

Dry Rain Theatre Company is renowned for its innovative approach to theatre and the Whale expressed their delight at having their first ever Christmas show produced by Dry Rain.

'We are delighted to have a Christmas show at the Whale Theatre this year, Dry Rain have always produced very interesting theatre and this promises to be an extremely colourful family show that I immensely look forward to seeing,' said Whale founder Ross McParland.

'The Queen who Cancelled Christmas will appeal to the child in all of us,' said playwright David O'Brien, 'as it contains a perfect mix of fun, suspense and Christmas magic.'

The show runs from Friday, December 28, to Sunday, December 30, with performances at 1 p.m. and 3 3p.m. each day.

To get tickets online, go to whaletheatre.ie.
Barry Kinane was the main performer at a special cabaret night held in aid of the annual senior citizens Christmas party.

The night featured tasty-food combined with some wonderful music.

Each year a fundraising cabaret is held in the Glendalough Hotel to help finance the Roundwood Senior Citizens Christmas party. Last year's event featured music by Little Apples.

Barry Kinane proved a popular draw and played a wide-selection from his music portfolio. Based in Ballyknockan, Barry used to be a member of the rock band Glyder and toured all over Europe opening for international acts such as Metallica and Thin Lizzy. A turn in musical direction saw Kinane winning the prestigious Sean McCarthy Ballad writing competition in Listowel, County Kerry in 2014. This was followed up with release of 'The Hills above the Valley' in 2015, a collection of musical stories of his home village Ballyknockan, which was acclaimed in Irish music magazine.

This year he released 'The Old Grey Cobblestone' album which is themed around Dublin history and folklore. Kinane's father's family lived and worked in that area of Dublin city while Kinane worked there as a tour guide there for two years.
Close to 200 people joined a protest against direct provision which was held outside County Buildings in Whitegates on Thursday evening.

The protest was organised to coincide with a meeting taking place between councillors, TDs, council officials and senior Department of Justice figures.

The meeting - and protest -was initially due to take place at the Town Hall but was changed to the county buildings.

The main organiser of the protest, Anna Doyle, had been at pains to stress that the demonstration was against the direct provision model rather than the 100 asylum seekers who will be accommodated in the Grand Hotel.

'There was a good sized crowd who behaved very respectfully. Sometimes you can't predict how people react but things went very well,' said Ms Doyle. 'Thankfully there weren't any people expressing racist views. The idea was to protest against direct provision. It's failed system that lets down the most vulnerable in society. The asylum seekers will have no dignity or privacy. They can't cook for themselves. Where would you even hang out your washing?

'There is documented evidence of the mental health issues from those already living in hotel rooms. There is no place in the Grand Hotel for people to play. I have heard people saying they could use the Abbey Grounds but that simply isn't suitable. You have to cross a busy road for starters'.

Last week, The Department of Justice and Equality confirmed that the Grand Hotel, the only hotel in Wicklow town, will be turned into a centre for direct provision to accommodate 100 asylum seekers. The contract between the Department and Firebreak Hospitality is for twelve months, though either side can pull out after twelve weeks notice.

Thursday's protest started at 6 p.m. with a sizeable crowd of 200-plus protesters. There was still a crowd of 20 or so demonstrators left when two Department of Justice officials were departing from their meeting with local representatives.

Ms Doyle is aghast at the lack of consultation that took place in advance of the decision.

'I would have thought some kind of team would have been set up to help ease the asylum seekers into their new surroundings. No one seems to have gone to the schools to see how they will cope. Do they have the capacity for extra pupils or students? Will they need extra resources? Also you have a lot of 'fake news' out there, especially on the internet, so there are plenty of people who don't know anything about other cultures. People may have genuine concerns that could easily be addressed but it hasn't happened,' she said.
Jack celebrates with members of with his teenage fan club from Manor Kilbride

The community of Manor Kilbride extended a warm and sincere welcome home to X Factor star and local lad Jack Tisdall following a stellar performance on the hit UK television talent show.

Son of Paul and Charlotte Tisdall, Jack took part in the contest with the boy band United Vibe and made it all the way to the live shows.

The parish hall in Manor Kilbride was packed to capacity at the weekend as Jack returned to his home village to a hero's welcome.

He was thrilled to see such a great turnout and to have the opportunity to thank his friends and neighbours for all their support.

'Everybody came out to welcome Jack and he was overwhelmed by it. He was really happy to chat to everyone and to thank them for cheering him on. It was lovely for him to have the chance to catch up,' his mum Charlotte said.

His new fan base was also in for a treat as Jack took to the stage for an exclusive live performance.

Jack's visit home was short and sweet however as he is due to soon return to the UK to complete his X Factor obligations.

'It's very exciting and there is loads in the pipeline,' Charlotte said.
Wicklow Uplands Council has secured 1.95 million in funding for the Sustainable Uplands Agriculture-environment Scheme (SUAS) pilot project, designed to assist both commonage groups and individual farmers

An official launch night was held in the Glendalough Hotel on Monday, featuring presentations from Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle and Chief Executive of The Heritage Council, Michael Starrett.

The project is the first of its type in Ireland, and was successful in securing funding under the first round of European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture, Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI) initiative. The key objective of the five-year pilot is to develop practical and innovative solutions that will address the complex agricultural, environmental and socio-economic challenges associated with the land management of commonages and hill farms in the Wicklow/Dublin uplands.

Speaking at the launch, Pat Dunne, the Project Lead for the SUAS Project, said: 'Wicklow Uplands Council are very grateful that the EIP process and for the substantial funding that the project has received. It has created an enormous opportunity to make a positive and lasting change to secure the sustainable future management of the Wicklow and Dublin uplands'.

The project has evolved following several years of extensive study which identified the poor-to-bad conservation status of the habitat found in the Wicklow/Dublin uplands. The study also found a decline in the use of the uplands for livestock grazing and the need for specific support for upland farmers.

According to Declan Byrne, Project Manager of the SUAS project: 'The SUAS project has the potential to change the way agri-environmental schemes operate on the commonages across the country and once completed, will offer a framework built around a collective and formalised structure for other groups to adapt'.

Participants will work closely with Faith Wilson, an ecologist who will monitor and advise on the improvement of the ecology and water found on the selected sites over the duration of the project. SUAS will also be organising training courses and necessary support required by participating farmers.
A Wicklow woman who stole over 30,000 from the hospital where she worked as an administrator is to be sentenced in a year's time.

Laura Byrne (40) from Ardglass, Baltinglass, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last Thursday on 92 signed guilty pleas from the District Court.

She affirmed her guilty pleas to eight sample counts of theft and two counts of deception by the use of a false instrument, namely false HSE receipts, between April 16, 2015 and October 21, 2016.

Byrne admitted stealing a total of 30,413 during the period outlined from two wards at Clonskeagh Hospital which provides care and post-surgery rehabilitation to elderly outpatients.

The court heard that patients pay 5 a day to attend these day care units, covering the cost of a meal and transport. The money stolen was an accumulation of these 5 payments.

Garda Ray Lyons told Grainne O'Neill BL, prosecuting, that each day care ward had its own cash book secured by an administration staff member.

During 2015 and 2016, the money from patients was typically collected by Byrne, who was expected to lodge receipts to the HSE and also to keep an electronic record.

Concerns were raised when the cashbooks were found to contain some unofficial receipts signed by Byrne, and a number of weeks where no receipts had been filed at all.

Clonskeagh Hospital analysed its files and reported 30,413 as being stolen from Cairde Padraig Ward and Willows Ward.

Gardai arrived at Byrne's home where she claimed to be surprised, but subsequently attended at a garda station by arrangement for interview. She produced a pre-prepared statement admitting to the theft, apologising and explaining her circumstances.

Byrne said in the statement that her husband had suffered a serious accident at work and had been out of his job for two years, mostly without pay.

She said her husband had only been back at work a short while when he suffered a heart attack, leaving her to manage the household finances and deal with debt and bills.

'My back was against the wall,' she wrote in her statement, adding that she knew it was wrong but was under extreme stress and pressure at the time and was suffering from anxiety and panic attacks.

'It was always and still is my full intention to repay every cent,' she said, emphasising how sorry she was and that she had a full record of all the payments.

Byrne has no previous convictions.

Garda Lyons agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that Byrne was 'extremely distressed' and affected by her difficulties.

The garda also agreed that were it not for the misfortunes she had experienced, one would not expect to see someone like Byrne in court.

Mr Rea said his client had made the 'fatal mistake' of thinking she might solve her financial problems on a temporary basis and was planning to repay the money when a High Court claim being made by her husband came through.

Byrne bought 3,000 to court to begin her repayment and her counsel said she wanted to clear the balance owed as soon as her husband's claim is processed.

Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the matter for 12 months to allow time for a probation report to be prepared and for Byrne to continue to make restitution for the monies stolen.

She's due to be sentenced on November 18 next year.
(L-R front row) Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a ceremony to present a new Queen's Colour to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Buckingham Palace in London on July 10, 2018 to mark its centenary

In this handout image provided by Clarence House, HRH Prince Charles Prince of Wales poses for an official portrait to mark his 70th Birthday in the gardens of Clarence House, with Their Royal Highnesses Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Willliam Duke of Cambridge, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, on September 5, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson / Clarence House via Getty Images)

Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2L), Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex react during the wedding ceremony of Britain's Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on October 12, 2018. (Photo by Owen Humphreys / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty Images)

(L-R) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a service marking the centenary of WW1 armistice at Westminster Abbey on November 11, 2018 in London, England

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are moving out from their Kensington Palace apartment as reported "tensions" are growing between Harry and his older brother Prince William.

On the outside, it's business as usual for the British royals, but behind the scenes is a flurry of activity as their father Prince Charles is taking a more central role preparing for his future as monarch, while William is being primed as second in line to the throne.

This leaves Harry, who has long been William and wife Kate Middleton's right hand man, in the position of finding his own way as he drops lower down the line of ascension. Since his wedding to Meghan Markle in May, it has been full steam ahead for the new royal power couple, who have already embarked on two state visits and are preparing for the arrival of their first child next spring.

Expand Close (L-R front row) Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a ceremony to present a new Queen's Colour to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Buckingham Palace in London on July 10, 2018 to mark its centenary / Facebook

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Whatsapp (L-R front row) Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a ceremony to present a new Queen's Colour to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Buckingham Palace in London on July 10, 2018 to mark its centenary

It's also reported that they will be splitting their courts when the baby comes instead of the 'Fab Four' operating under the same Kensington Palace umbrella as they have for the last number of years.

Now it's reported that the couple are planning a move from their two-bedroom cottage at the palace in favour of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, near where they exchanged vows earlier this year. It was decided they needed more space as their family expands but real estate within KP is at a premium - and long-standing residents like the Duke of Gloucester have no interest in moving after living there comfortably for so many years.

Another element is that they are said to want some physical distance between William and Kate and are considering having an entirely independent London space, which is in keeping with the general opinion that the pair want to raise their child as normal as possible.

"The initial plan was for Harry and Meghan to move out of their cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace and into one of the main apartments," an insider told The Sun.

"But there has been a bit of tension between the brothers. Now Harry and Meghan dont want to live next to William and Kate and want to strike out on their own."

Similarly, the Daily Mail reported earlier this week that they "dont want to live next door to William and Catherine."

Expand Close Meghan Markle at the womens singles final at Wimbledon in London on Saturday. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville / Facebook

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"They will soon have separate offices and separate lives, so it would make sense for them to live further afield," a source told the paper.

"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."

Kensington Palace press office confirmed the news on Friday, albeit minus the juicy gossip, in a statement saying: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will move to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate early next year as they prepare for the arrival of their first child.

"The couple have lived at Nottingham Cottage since their engagement last year."

Frogmore, a 10-bedroom estate, was a gift from Queen Elizabeth as real estate remains her preferred choice of present for royal newlyweds. It is undergoing extensive - and costly - renovations, which will be completed in time for the move.

"Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate," the statement added.

"The Duke and Duchesss office will continue to be based at Kensington Palace."
Backlash: Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, depicted on a pair of their designer shoes, have said sorry to the Chinese for an ad and an apparent insult. Photo: AFP/Getty

The duo behind Italian designer brand Dolce & Gabbana have apologised to Chinese people to try to stall a backlash against the label after a social media campaign soured and leaked comments were deemed racist.

In a video released yesterday, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana expressed their love and respect for Chinese culture.

"Our families have always taught us to respect the various cultures of the world. We want to apologise if we have made mistakes in interpreting your culture," said Mr Dolce. "We have always loved China; we have visited many cities, and we still have much to learn."

Mr Gabbana added: "We offer our sincerest apologies to Chinese people worldwide."

The video, which ended with Mr Dolce and Mr Gabbana saying, "Apologies," in Mandarin, is the second apology issued in recent days after the brand came under fire this week.

It was criticised for three videos in an online ad campaign, featuring a Chinese model in D&G's latest designs struggling to eat Italian dishes - pizza, cannoli and spaghetti - with a pair of chopsticks. Critics said it stereotyped Chinese culture and women.

Then, leaked comments online appeared to show Mr Gabbana describing China as a "country of s***".

The brand said Mr Gabbana's individual social media accounts, and D&G's official ones, had been hacked, leading to the release of unauthorised comments.

D&G removed the videos on its Chinese social media account, but they remained on its Instagram site.

The backlash led D&G to cancel a fashion show in Shanghai next Wednesday. Retailers in China have pulled the brand's products from their shelves and websites.

Some Chinese celebrities and brand ambassadors axed their contracts with D&G. Protesters were also spotted at the brand's flagship shop in Milan.
YSRC said supporters of their outfit would not support Reddy as Cong has allied with TDP, in Andhra, and their votes would go to TRS.

Hyderabad: Voters who backed the YSR Congress and Telugu Desam party in the 2014 elections are likely to be the deciding factor in Huzurnagar constituency, from where Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy is seeking re-election.

YSRC, which has chosen not to contest the December 7 Telangana Assembly election, and TDP candidates polled more than 25,000 votes each in this segment in the previous poll.

The TDP of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is a partner in the Congress-led alliance along with CPI and TJS, named "Praja Kutami" (People's Front), for the upcoming Telangana election giving a boost to Reddy's electoral prospects.

But, at the same time, YSRC leaders said the supporters of their outfit would not support Reddy as the Congress has allied with TDP, its arch-rival in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and their votes would go to the TRS.

Reddy, a former pilot in Indian Air Force, is betting on the "anti-incumbency factor" and the support of the alliance partners while his opponent Saidi Reddy (TRS), an NRI and IT professional, is counting on beneficiaries of various government schemes in the constituency.

Uttam Kumar Reddy won the Huzurnagar seat by a margin of 23,924 votes over his nearest TRS rival Kasoju Sankaramma in the previous election in which YSRC contestant G Srikanth Reddy polled 29,657 votes, and Telugu Desam Party candidate Swamy Goud Vangala 25,353 votes.

"Our cadre and YSRC sympathisers would never vote for Congress as it tied up with TDP which is our arch-rival in Andhra Pradesh.

So we would vote for the TRS candidate.

And as such voters of this constituency lost faith in sitting MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy as many housing projects which were initiated when he was the Housing Minister (in undivided Andhra Pradesh) either did not take off or bills have not been paid for beneficiaries," Srikanth Reddy told PTI.

The Congress is also wooing Shankaramma who was denied ticket this time by TRS by expressing sympathy that she was neglected by her party.

Her son Srikantha Chary self-immolated during the agitation for separate statehood for Telangana.

"Entire Telangana remembered the treatment (by denying ticket this time) meted out to Sankaramma by TRS leadership. Congress party would suitably accommodate her in future. As a candidate of People's Front, I am going win with 60,000 to 70000 majority from this constituency. We hope people of Huzurnagar will bless us with the highest majority. As we do not have children, me and my wife always treat the people of this constituency as our family members and children," the TPCC chief had said at the time of filing his nomination.

Reddy is seeking re-election for the fifth time. In 1999 and 2004 he contested from Kodad while in 2009 and 2014 he was elected from Huzurnagar.

His wife Pamdavathi who represented Kodad in 2014 is contesting again.

Independent political analyst Telakapalli Ravi said majority of the "committed" TDP voters may vote for Uttam Kumar Reddy as they are strongly opposed to TRS.

"The very idea of Congress and the TDP sailing together, leaving the decades-old difference, is to defeat the TRS.

There is a chunk of committed voters of TDP in Telangana.

They may vote for Congress candidates," Ravi says.

Saidi Reddy said there are over 90,000 beneficiaries under various government programmes such as pension scheme and 'Rythu Bandhu.'

"They (the beneficiaries) would certainly vote for me. Also people see Congress as an opportunist as it is going along with TDP which is considered as a party with anti-Telangana stance. There is notion in the voters of this constituency that Uttam Kumar Reddy is not accessible to common people," Saidi Reddy said.

Saidi Reddy worked in Jamaica and Canada over the last decade and returned in 2015.

Since then, he has been nurturing Huzurnagar constituency.
Known as les gilets jaunes (the yellow vests), they are the latest domestic headache for France's beleaguered president. Named after the high visibility vests motorists in France are required by law to carry in their vehicles in case of breakdown, the gilets jaunes is a protest movement that mobilised nationwide demonstrations last weekend and threatens to do the same today.

The movement was sparked by Emmanuel Macron's hiking of fuel taxes due to come into force next year, but most agree this is about much more than an increase in levies. Within the space of a week, the gilets jaunes have managed to tap into wider discontent with Macron's presidency and policies, gaining opposition support and momentum as a result.

These are not the usual protests or strikes co-ordinated by political parties or unions in France.

With no official organisation, no identified leader and no political affiliation, the gilets jaunes phenomenon has been almost completely co-ordinated on social media where it declares "[This] comes about only from the French people".

A key figure has been a grandmother in Brittany named Jacline Mouraud whose video diatribe attacking Macron's proposed fuel taxes and other policies went viral on Facebook. Some commentators have even gone as far as comparing the apparently spontaneous and unstructured movement - which has drawn in protesters from across the political spectrum - to what preceded the 1789 revolution. Key opposition parties have latched on to the gilets jaunes, with the centre right Republicains, the far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and the far-right's Marine Le Pen - Macron's main challenger for the presidency last year - backing their cause. This has led to speculation over how much the movement will be - or already has been - hijacked by political agendas, and some question the role of far-right populists within it.

But one thing is certain: their actions have chimed with the public. This despite chaos across France last weekend with roads blocked by protesters at some 2,000 locations. Two people were killed - one when a driver panicked and accidentally accelerated their car into the crowd - in the protests and hundreds reported injured.

Nevertheless, a number of polls have shown that almost three-quarters of French voters approve of the demonstrations, one survey found that more than half of those who voted for Macron support them.

The planned tax increases - the price of diesel is due to go up another 6.5 cents per litre and petrol by 2.9 cents - are to come into force in January. They follow a 23pc rise in the cost of diesel and 15pc in petrol in the past year. Internationally, Macron has made much of his commitment to battling climate change and these hikes are part of his domestic policies on that front. His ministers have also argued that the higher price of crude globally also necessitates a rise but protesters complain that fuel taxes have been increasing steadily over the past four years.

One survey this week found that 82pc believe Macron should drop the plans. It also showed that particular demographics - the self-employed and business leaders, plus pensioners and low-income households - were most supportive of the gilets jaunes. The episode also highlights the rift between France's urban elite and those in its poor rural peripheries. Workers who rely on their cars to get to their jobs in the countryside are particularly aggrieved by the planned tax increases. Among such voters, Macron had already been battling a growing perception that he is "the president of the rich" because of the way he has introduced tax breaks for business while pushing through unpopular changes to France's labour laws.

Damningly for Macron, his former environment minister Nicolas Hulot, one of the most popular members of his cabinet before he resigned in August, chose this week to speak out for the first time since he quit, saying the gilets jaunes protests were inevitable.

"I fought hard, particularly during the weeks leading up to my departure, for the government to drastically change its method in the way to ensure the energy transition is socially fair (...). I was never heard," he said.

Macron's government, while sticking to its guns on the tax increases, has scrambled over the past week to ease the public mood. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Wednesday detailed a 500m plan to assist lowest income motorists. And Macron is expected to announce new measures next week to make the energy transition plans more "acceptable" to the wider population, arguing that it is part of a long-term "ecological transition".

Whether that will be enough to mollify a public increasingly frustrated with Macron after having such high expectations for him remains to be seen.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at an annual Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran (Iranian Presidency Office/AP)

Irans President Hassan Rouhani has called Israel a cancerous tumour established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East.

Irans leaders frequently condemn Israel and predict its demise, but Mr Rouhani, a relative moderate, rarely employs such rhetoric.

Addressing the annual Islamic Unity Conference in the capital, Tehran, on Saturday, Mr Rouhani said one of the ominous results of World War II was the formation of a cancerous tumour in the region.

Expand Close Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, centre, at the annual Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran (Iranian Presidency Office/AP) / Facebook

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He went on to refer to Israel as a fake regime set up by Western countries.

Iran supports militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas that are pledged to Israels destruction.

Iran has never threatened to attack Israel, but has vowed to retaliate if it is attacked. Israel views Iran as an existential threat.

Mr Rouhani said the United States cultivates close ties with regional Muslim nations to protect Israel, an apparent reference to Irans regional rival Saudi Arabia and the kingdoms Sunni Arab allies. He said bowing to American pressure amounts to treason.

He added, however, that Iran was prepared to defend Saudi Arabia from terrorism and superpowers.

We do consider you as a brother, he said.

We do consider the people of Mecca and Medina our brothers, he added, referring to Islams two holiest cities, in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran nearly three years ago after Iranian protesters stormed its diplomatic posts in Iran in response the kingdoms execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. The two countries support opposite sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen.
Authorities respond after reports of shots fired at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover (AP)

A 21-year-old shot dead by police investigating an earlier shooting at a US shopping centre likely did not fire the rounds which injured a teenager.

Officers were called to a fight and shooting on Thanksgiving night at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, outside Birmingham, Alabama.

An 18-year-old was shot twice and a 12-year-old bystander was shot in the back.

An officer responding to the scene then shot and killed 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr. of Hueytown who police said was fleeing the scene and brandishing a weapon.

Police initially told reporters they thought Bradford had shot the teen after a fight but retracted that statement Friday night.

He likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim

New evidence now suggests that while Mr Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim, Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector said.

Police said they regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate.

Mr Rector said investigators now believe that more than two people were involved in the initial fight ahead of the shooting, and this information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at-large, who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old male and 12-year-old female.

Expand Close Police responded to a fight inside the Riverchase Galleria mall (Carol Robinson/AP) / Facebook

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Video posted on social media by shoppers showed chaotic scenes as shoppers fled the mall, which closed for the remainder of Thursday night.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has taken the lead role in the investigation since it is an officer-involved shooting.

A witness, Lexi Joiner, told Al.com she was shopping with her mother when the gunfire started.

Ms Joiner said she heard six or seven shots and was ordered, along with some other shoppers, into a supply closet for cover.

It was terrifying, she said.

The officer who shot the gunman was placed on administrative leave while the authorities investigate the shooting.
Hillary Clinton has said Europe must tackle the issue of immigration to help stem the rise of right-wing populists across the continent.

The US Democrat former presidential candidate said it was the issue that "lit the flame" behind such figures.

Though she commended German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the country's efforts to take in Syrian refugees in particular, Ms Clinton urged Europe's leaders to show they are "not going to be able to continue [to] provide refuge and support" for refugees.

She said the continent must "send a very clear message because if we don't deal with the migration issue, it will continue to roil the body politic."

At least one million people seeking refuge from conflict have made their way to Europe since 2015, with a spate of politicians running on populist, anti-immigrant platforms in Italy, Greece, Austria, and the UK appearing since that time.

Numbers of refugees and migrants have been dropping, however, as the EU has revised its asylum policies and countries have used their coast guards and military to police sea channels.

Ms Clinton cautioned Europe's leaders to take into account issues of race and identity and blamed her stunning 2016 presidential bid loss on the fact she did not.

She also accused President Donald Trump of exploiting those issues for his gain in 2016 and now in office.

She said "the use of immigrants as a political device and as a symbol of government gone wrong, of attacks on one's heritage, one's identity, one's national unity has been very much exploited by the current administration here".

Mr Trump has repeatedly characterised a caravan of migrants moving towards the US-Mexico border as "criminals" and "gangs with unknown Middle Easterners" in their midst.

He said the military would use force against those attempting to enter the country illegally, despite US law requiring entry in order to apply for asylum.

Many of the estimated 7,000 migrants making their way from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador through Mexico are fleeing rampant gang violence in their countries and may apply for the protected status once they reach the US.

Ms Clinton also said Brexit was "largely about immigration" and noted the rise of right-wing populists has been occurring to meet "a psychological as much as political yearning to be told what to do and have their press basically stifled and so be given one version of reality".

"I don't know why at this moment that is so attractive to people, but it's a serious threat to our freedom and our democratic institutions. We've got to do a better job of shining a light on it and trying to combat it," she said.
A 13-year-old Milwaukee girl who won an award for an essay deploring gun violence in the city has been killed by a stray bullet while inside her home.

Sandra Parks received a third-place plaque for an entry she wrote in 2016 for a Milwaukee writing competition, in which she lamented that "little children are victims of senseless gun violence" in the Midwest US city, and that she witnessed "chaos almost every day".

Local television station Fox6 Now said Sandra was killed in her bedroom on Monday after a man outside shot at "an unknown target" using an assault-style rifle.

"She didn't cry. She wasn't hollering. She was just so peaceful," her mother, Bernice Parks, told Fox6 Now. "She didn't deserve to leave the world like that." Police said a 26-year-old man, Isaac Barnes, was arrested in connection with the girl's death.
Senseless slaughter: Schoolgirl Sandra Parks (13), who died after being shot in the chest as she sat in her home

Sandra Parks knew too much about death, even at a young age.

"We are in a state of chaos. In a city in which I live, I hear and see examples of chaos almost everyday.

"Little children are victims of senseless gun violence," Sandra wrote two years ago about gun violence in her Milwaukee neighbourhood.

Sandra called her essay 'Our Truth' - a sobering reminder that, as she said, people's poor choices and hatred have led to so much violence.

She wrote about trying to escape from the chaos, from the "black on black crime" that depressed her. Sometimes she would put on her headphones, she wrote, and let the music take her away.

But she couldn't escape from it.

Expand Close Isaac Barnes has been charged with homicide while Untrell Oden has been charged with possession of a firearm / Facebook

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Whatsapp Isaac Barnes has been charged with homicide while Untrell Oden has been charged with possession of a firearm

Days before Thanksgiving this year, Sandra (13) was in her bedroom when a bullet - fired from a gun outside, aimed at no one in particular - pierced a hole through her home and landed in her chest, officials said.

"Momma, I'm shot," she told her mother.

Sandra, the girl who called for peace and empathy, died on Monday night.

"Tragically, her death was caused by someone who just decided they were going to shoot bullets into her house, and she's dead.

"A 13-year-old, on Thanksgiving week, on a school night, in her bedroom, and she died," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Investigators have not said why gunshots were fired at the home, a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee. Perhaps the gunman wanted to "settle a score, express anger, try to scare someone," Mr Barrett said.

"All we know," he said, "is that a 13-year-old died last night in her bedroom."

Bernice Parks, Sandra's mother, told police she was awakened by gunshots shortly before 8pm, according to a criminal complaint cited by the 'Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'. She saw her daughter bleeding on the floor.

"She said, 'Momma, I'm shot. Call the police'," Ms Parks told broadcaster WITI, her voice breaking as she sobbed.

"I looked at her. She didn't cry. She wasn't hollering. She was just so peaceful... She didn't deserve to leave this world like that."

Police have arrested Isaac Barnes (26) and Untrell Oden (27). They were walking home from a store when Barnes began to fire at no-one in particular, Oden told detectives, the 'Journal Sentinel' reported.

Authorities said Barnes's ex-girlfriend told a police officer that she suspected he was involved in the shooting.

She was parked on a street near Sandra's home earlier that night when Barnes, masked and armed with a rifle, approached her, the 'Journal Sentinel' reported.

"You lucky the kids are in the car. I was going to fan you down," Barnes said, the woman told police.

Officers searched the neighbourhood and found Barnes and Oden hiding in a house a few blocks away.

An AK-47 rifle was in a bedroom, and an AK-47 handgun had been found, thrown into a kitchen trash can. Four shell casings found outside Sandra's home were fired from the handgun, the 'Sentinel' reported.

Barnes is charged with first-degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon and endangering safety. He and Oden, who have previous convictions, are also charged with illegal possession of a gun.

In 2016, Milwaukee Public Schools held an essay contest about Martin Luther King Jr.

Sandra, then a sixth-grader, won third place.

She chose to write about gun violence because the world had failed to live up to the civil rights leader's dream, she said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

"The world that we have become now is, like, that all you hear about is somebody dying and somebody getting shot, and people do not just think about whose father, son or granddaughter or grandson that was that you just killed," Sandra said.

The teenager, who was in eighth grade (second year) when she died, had hoped to go to college to be a writer, her mother wrote in a GoFundMe page set up to help the family pay for memorial services. It had raised more than $10,000 by Thursday morning.

"I never felt so lost," Ms Parks wrote on Facebook. "My chest feels like a [boulder] is smashing down on my heart. I need peace. I lost my love."

Speaking to reporters this week, the mother of three could barely catch her breath as she sobbed and buried her face into a relative's chest.

"She was everything this world was not... She went through a lot, and every time she was down, my baby picked herself up... She always picked herself up... She was my angel from the time she was in my womb to the time she came out. She's still going to be my angel," Ms Parks said.

On Tuesday, neighbours, friends and relatives gathered for a vigil for Sandra.

Bernice Parks stood in front of reporters, wrapped in a light-pink blanket, with a picture of her daughter's face pinned to her jacket.

A man carried the plaque Sandra won for her essay two years ago. ( Washington Post)

SANDRA Parks knew too much about death, even at a young age.

"We are in a state of chaos. In a city in which I live, I hear and see examples of chaos almost everyday.

"Little children are victims of senseless gun violence," Sandra wrote two years ago about gun violence in her Milwaukee neighbourhood.

Sandra called her essay 'Our Truth' - a sobering reminder that, as she said, people's poor choices and hatred have led to so much violence.

She wrote about trying to escape from the chaos, from the "black on black crime" that depressed her. Sometimes she would put on her headphones, she wrote, and let the music take her away.

But she couldn't escape from it.

Days before Thanksgiving this year, Sandra (13) was in her bedroom when a bullet - fired from a gun outside, aimed at no one in particular - pierced a hole through her home and landed in her chest, officials said.

"Momma, I'm shot," she told her mother.

Sandra, the girl who called for peace and empathy, died on Monday night.

"Tragically, her death was caused by someone who just decided they were going to shoot bullets into her house, and she's dead.

"A 13-year-old, on Thanksgiving week, on a school night, in her bedroom, and she died," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Investigators have not said why gunshots were fired at the home, a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee. Perhaps the gunman wanted to "settle a score, express anger, try to scare someone," Mr Barrett said.

"All we know," he said, "is that a 13-year-old died last night in her bedroom."

Bernice Parks, Sandra's mother, told police she was awakened by gunshots shortly before 8pm, according to a criminal complaint cited by the 'Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'. She saw her daughter bleeding on the floor.

"She said, 'Momma, I'm shot. Call the police'," Ms Parks told broadcaster WITI, her voice breaking as she sobbed.

"I looked at her. She didn't cry. She wasn't hollering. She was just so peaceful... She didn't deserve to leave this world like that."

Police have arrested Isaac Barnes (26) and Untrell Oden (27). They were walking home from a store when Barnes began to fire at no-one in particular, Oden told detectives, the 'Journal Sentinel' reported.

Authorities said Barnes's ex-girlfriend told a police officer that she suspected he was involved in the shooting.

She was parked on a street near Sandra's home earlier that night when Barnes, masked and armed with a rifle, approached her, the 'Journal Sentinel' reported.

"You lucky the kids are in the car. I was going to fan you down," Barnes said, the woman told police.

Officers searched the neighbourhood and found Barnes and Oden hiding in a house a few blocks away.

An AK-47 rifle was in a bedroom, and an AK-47 handgun had been found, thrown into a kitchen trash can. Four shell casings found outside Sandra's home were fired from the handgun, the 'Sentinel' reported.

Barnes is charged with first-degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon and endangering safety. He and Oden, who have previous convictions, are also charged with illegal possession of a gun.

In 2016, Milwaukee Public Schools held an essay contest about Martin Luther King Jr.

Sandra, then a sixth-grader, won third place.

She chose to write about gun violence because the world had failed to live up to the civil rights leader's dream, she said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

"The world that we have become now is, like, that all you hear about is somebody dying and somebody getting shot, and people do not just think about whose father, son or granddaughter or grandson that was that you just killed," Sandra said.

The teenager, who was in eighth grade (second year) when she died, had hoped to go to college to be a writer, her mother wrote in a GoFundMe page set up to help the family pay for memorial services. It had raised more than $10,000 by Thursday morning.

"I never felt so lost," Ms Parks wrote on Facebook. "My chest feels like a [boulder] is smashing down on my heart. I need peace. I lost my love."

Speaking to reporters this week, the mother of three could barely catch her breath as she sobbed and buried her face into a relative's chest.

"She was everything this world was not... She went through a lot, and every time she was down, my baby picked herself up... She always picked herself up... She was my angel from the time she was in my womb to the time she came out. She's still going to be my angel," Ms Parks said.

On Tuesday, neighbours, friends and relatives gathered for a vigil for Sandra.

Bernice Parks stood in front of reporters, wrapped in a light-pink blanket, with a picture of her daughter's face pinned to her jacket.

A man carried the plaque Sandra won for her essay two years ago. ( Washington Post)
People walk outside the Riverchase Galleria shopping centre after gunfire on Thursday night (Carol Robinson/Press-Register/AL.com via AP)

Protesters have marched through an Alabama shopping centre where police killed a black man they later acknowledged was not the gunman in a shooting that wounded two people.

An officer shot and killed 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr of Hueytown while responding to the shooting on Thursday. Police said Bradford was fleeing the scene with a weapon.

Hoover Police initially told reporters Mr Bradford had shot a teenager at the shopping centre, but later retracted the statement.

We knew that was false, said stepmother Cynthia Bradford when she heard police were blaming him for the shooting.

She described her stepson, who went by the name EJ, as a respectful young man who is the son of a Birmingham police department officer.

Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector said investigators now believe that more than two people were involved in the initial fight ahead of the shooting, and that at least one gunman is still at large who could be responsible.

Rector said police regret that their initial statement about Mr Bradford was not accurate.

More than 200 demonstrators, including several relatives, chanted EJ and no justice, no peace as they marched past Christmas shoppers at the shopping centre. They held a moment of silence at the spot outside a shoe store where Bradford was killed.

They should never have killed him, Emani Smith, seven, Mr Bradfords half-sister said, while other family members cried.

Family members described their horror of finding out from social media that Mr Bradford was dead. Video circulated on social media of Bradford lying in a pool of blood on the shopping centre floor.

Expand Close Police responded to a fight inside the Riverchase Galleria mall (Carol Robinson/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police responded to a fight inside the Riverchase Galleria mall (Carol Robinson/AP)

The incident began with a fight and shooting in suburban Birmingham at the Riverchase Galleria, a shopping centre crowded with Black Friday bargain hunters. An 18-year-old was shot twice and a 12-year-old bystander was shot in the back.

Police said while Mr Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the incident since it is an officer-involved shooting. The Hoover Police Department is conducting its own internal investigation.

The officer who shot Mr Bradford was placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate the shooting. The officers name was not released publicly. The officers were not hurt.

Mr Bradford is shown in photos on Facebook in an Army uniform and he described himself as a combat engineer. A spokesman for the US army, however, told The Washington Post that he never completed advanced individual training, and so did not serve.

Video posted on social media by shoppers showed a chaotic scene as shoppers fled the shopping centre, which closed for the remainder of Thursday night.
A train bearing the words Peace train and DMZ train at Imjingang station in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP)

The United Nations Security Council has granted an exemption to sanctions which will allow surveys on inter-Korean railway lines.

North and South Korea plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony by the end of the year on an ambitious project to connect their railways and roads as agreed by their leaders.

The surveys would require the South to bring to the North fuel and a variety of goods, including possibly cars to test on northern tracks.

But beyond surveys and tape-cuttings, they cannot move much further along without the lifting of US-led sanctions against North Korea, which is not likely before Pyongyang takes firmer steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons and missiles.

The plan to modernise North Koreas outdated railways and roads and reconnect them with the South was among many agreements reached between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in, who met three times this year amid a diplomatic push that eased tensions over the Norths nuclear programme.

Expand Close A South Korean soldier stands near a sign showing the distance to North Koreas capital Pyongyang and to South Koreas capital Seoul from Imjingang station in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A South Korean soldier stands near a sign showing the distance to North Koreas capital Pyongyang and to South Koreas capital Seoul from Imjingang station in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Mr Kim also met US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, when they issued a statement about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur.

North Korea insists that sanctions should be removed first before any progress in nuclear negotiations.

There is also unease between the United States and South Korea over the pace of inter-Korean engagement, which Washington says should move in tandem with US-led efforts to denuclearise the North.

South Korea initially said that the joint surveys of North Korean railways would not violate UN sanctions and had hoped to start them in October.

Seoul later said that Washington had different views and the two sides had discussed the matter in a newly launched working group.

Even if the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearisation and gains sanctions relief, experts say updating North Korean rail networks and trains, which creak slowly along rails that were first built in the early 20th century, would require a massive effort that could take decades and tens of billions of dollars.

Expand Close Visitors look at a map of the railway and roads between Munsan in South Korea and Kaesong in the North, at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Visitors look at a map of the railway and roads between Munsan in South Korea and Kaesong in the North, at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea (Lee Jin-man/AP)

UN sanctions against North Korea have strengthened significantly since 2016 as Pyongyang stepped up its weapons tests.

The measures now include trade bans on dual-use technology that could potentially be used for weapons development, transport vehicles and machinery and import caps on fuel.

Washingtons own sanctions against Pyongyang restrict an even broader range of economic activities and target a larger list of companies and individuals.
27th January  On this Day in History  1980 Robert Mugabe, leader of the ZANU wing of the Patriotic Front, returns from exile to Rhodesia (which is soon to be renamed Zimbabwe)

Zimbabwes former president Robert Mugabe is no longer able to walk as his health declines, his successor has said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa told ruling party supporters at a rally on Saturday that the 94-year-old has been in hospital in Singapore for the past two months.

He can no longer walk but we will continue to take care of him, said Mr Mnangagwa, who took over from his former mentor a year ago after Mr Mugabe stepped down under military pressure.

Mr Mnangagwa said Mr Mugabe was supposed to return to Zimbabwe on October 15 but was not feeling well. He did not give further details about Mr Mugabes condition.

The former president is now expected to return to Zimbabwe on November 30.

Mr Mugabe was the worlds oldest head of state before his dramatic exit.
Thackeray, who was initially planning to hold a rally in the holy town on Sunday, was denied permission by the authorities.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Lakshman Qila in Ayodhya on Saturday, ahead of the VHPs Ram temple event. (Photo: PTI)

Ayodhya (UP): Amid heightened security, Ayodhyas tense weekend began on Saturday with the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the eve of a VHP rally here for the construction of a Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.

Mr Thackeray, whose party is a discontented and bickering ally of the BJP, is in the temple town to extend his support to the rising chorus of right-wing Hindu outfits for an ordinance to build the temple. But also to, simultaneously, grab the politically volatile Ram temple issue for himself while chiding the Modi government for promising a temple but doing nothing about it.

Soon after alighting from a private jet, Mr Thackery launched a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, in his brief speech at Laxman Qila, dared the BJP government to clarify its stand before the Lok Sabha elections.

The Shiv Sena president said that he had come to Ayodhya to awaken the Kumbhakarana... who has been sleeping for four years to declare the date for Ram temples construction.

Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge Day, months, years and generations have passed, said Mr Thackeray, whose two-day visit coincides with the gathering of thousands in the town ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishads Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya on Sunday to push for the construction of Ram temple.

The Sena chief, who was accompanied by his son Aditya and wife Rashmi, is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivajis Shivneri fort in Pune that he will hand over to the priest at the Ram Lalla temple on Sunday.

On Saturday, Mr Thackeray and his party supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.

Mr Thackeray, who was initially planning to hold a rally in the holy town on Sunday, was denied permission by the authorities.

Ahead of his visit Section 144, restricting the assembly of more than four people, was imposed in Ayodhya as a precautionary measure. The town was virtually turned into fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones to keep an eye on possible mischief-mongers.

Describing his first visit to Ayodhya as purely apolitical, Mr Thackeray, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case before the Supreme Court, said, Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict.

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said adding that bringing a law on the temples construction may have been difficult during Atal Behari Vajpayees term as it was a coalition government but there is no such constraint on the Modi government.

Invoking his late father and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, My father always said that Hindutva was in our blood. I want to know how long we will have to wait for the temple?

The town donned a saffron hue with Shiv Sena posters and flags lining the streets and party supporters shouting, Pehle mandir, phir sarkar.

In a conciliatory move, Mr Thackeray asked the 3,000 Shiv Sainiks to return to Mumbai on Saturday night itself, leaving the field clear for VHP on Sunday.

The Shiv Sena, which does not have any presence in Uttar Pradesh, is trying to find a foot-hold in the Hindi heartland with the Ram temple issue. The Sena also hopes to win over north-Indians in Maharashtra where Assembly elections are due next year.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said earlier that it was the Sena that had demolished the Babri mosque in 17 minutes and then wondered why it was taking the BJP so long to bring a legislation for the construction of Ram temple.

On Sunday, the VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend what some leaders claim is the final Dharam Sabha for the construction of Ram temple.

After this, no more Dharam Sabhas will be held and the construction of the temple will commence, VHPs Bholendra said.

Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay said that adequate security arrangements have been made by the police and district administration in Ayodhya, located 120 km from state capital, Lucknow.

A UP police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of provincial armed constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force, commandos and drones have been deployed.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed concern over tension in Ayodhya and said if required the Army should be deployed in the town.

Talking to reporters on Friday, Mr Yadav had said, The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the Army, if required... As the BJP and its allies can go to any extent.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying they are raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to divert attention from their failures.

Had their intentions been good they neednt have waited for five years. Its their political tactic, nothing else, she said in a statement.
It's safe to assume that Taimur Ali Khan's popularity meter ranks way higher than his parents Saif Ali Khan and Kareena's put together. His parents might be popular public figures but everyday our social media timelines are only full of pictures from Taimur's everyday schedule.

Instagram/Taimur

From pictures of him going to his playschool to him, playing in his balcony, everything and anything that Taimur does as a kid of his age suddenly become a news, thanks to the paps who go to any extent to get these pictorial updates from Taimur's life.

While we gush over his cuteness, this in totality has become extremely worrisome for his parents. In a recent interview with Film Companion, Kareena expressed how she feels as Taimur's mother with all the spotlight that is constantly on him. She said,

Agencies

Taimur cant run away from his popularity and neither can his parents. When I saw the doll, I wondered what was I supposed to say. But Saif pointed out that it is because people love him so much and such things are a blessing for him. There is so much genuine warmth for our son that its bad to stop people from clicking his pictures or making his dolls. But, they should understand that he is a two-year-old child and needs a normal life. Both Saif and I are struggling to give him that and will continue to do so without telling the media to back off, no matter how annoying it gets after a point. Its tough on him as its on Saif and me.

Kareena spoke about Saif's idea of sending Taimur to a British boarding school. She was quoted as saying,

Viral Bhayani

They are leaving us with no choice. But of course, as a mother, it would kill me to send him away. And I think it'd be unfair and I tell Saif that it'd be like running away from reality because this is the reality.

A few days ago, even Saif had echoed similar thoughts as Bebo. He too was open to the idea of sending him to a boarding school. He said,

Viral Bhayani

Maybe Ill send him to a boarding school when he is 13. I dont know, growing up as a star kid, going to the schools of Bandra and Juhu. He needs to see the world.

In other news, internet's favorite kid and the apple of Kareena and Saif's eyes Taimur is going to turn two.
There is magic in mystery but not when you are dying to catch a glimpse of your favorite celebrity all decked up as a bride for her own wedding.

After DeepVeer, PC and Nick Jonas too are trying to keep their wedding a private affair, owing to which the couple will fly from Udaipur to Jodhpur in a Chopper. Ditching a flight where paps would stand and hound her and Nick for pics, she has decided to opt for a charter plane.

Agencies

According to a report in Times of India, Priyanka has decided to avoid paps and the media spotlight, when she's en route Jodhpur Rajasthan. After flying from Mumbai to Udaipur, she will make a special detour in a charter plane to Umaid Bhawan.

A source has been quoted in the report as saying,

Only one helicopter has been booked for November 29 and December 3. Priyanka will be boarding the helicopter from Udaipur and the helicopter will directly land at Umaid Bhawan Palace on November 29. We are yet to receive the names of the people boarding the helicopter from Udaipur. Nick Jonas might join her as well. The same helicopter has also been booked to ferry guests from Jodhpur airport to Umaid Bhavan Palace."

PC and Nick's wedding celebrations will kick start from November 29, 2018, with a Mehendi ceremony followed by a sangeet ceremony at Mehrangarh Fort. Later, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas will host a cocktail party for close friends and family and post the cocktail party, a haldi function will take place.

Agencies

The couple will exchange their vows on December 2, 2018.

Instagram

After tying the knot, PC and Nick will host two receptions, one in Delhi and one in Mumbai.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has finished probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and has named Hindu right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

A 9,235-page charge sheet was submitted by the SIT in Principal Civil and Sessions court in Bengaluru.

Also Read: One Year After The Murder Of Gauri Lankesh And 14 Arrests, Karnataka Police Yet To Crack The Case

SIT said that the killers had been planning to carry out the attack for almost five years.

afp

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.

The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.

Also Read: CBI Investigation Reveals Same Pistol Was Used In Both Narendra Dabholkar & Gauri Lankesh Murders

Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

twitter

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.

So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.

The gang is suspected to be involved in the killing of three other rationalists MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
Scientists at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai have developed worlds first low temperature thermal desalination plant, which could address drinking water problems in Indias ocean island territories and even offshore urban centres along the coastline.

Low temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) is one process that uses the availability of a temperature gradient between two water bodies or flows to evaporate the warmer seawater at low pressures and condense the resultant vapour with the colder seawater to obtain fresh water.

The 12-13oC cold water available at about 400m depth within 600m from the island is used along with the surface water at about 28oC to produce potable water in the Lakshadweep Islands, Dr Ramana Murthy, Scientist at NIOT told Indian Science Journal.

NIOT

The simplicity of the LTTD process also enables to control the quality of product water in order to provide potable drinking water.

While the cost of desalinated water would depend on the technology used and cost of electricity, which varies from place to place, according to cost estimates made by an independent agency for LTTD technology, it works out to 61 paise per litre for Island based plants.

The technology is environment friendly, completely indigenous with low operational and maintenance issues and with long-term sustainability.

The remote Lakshadweep islands have been facing drinking water scarcity with increasing population and higher tourists inflow. The plants set up by NIOT in Karavatti, Minicoy and Agatti cater to the requirements of the local population.

NIOT is setting up more plants in the union territory in the islands of Androth, Amini, Kadamat, Kiltan, Kalpeni and Chetlat with a capacity of 1.5 Lakh liter each per day for which the work has already been initiated. The completion of these 6 plants will resolve the water problem in Lakshadweep islands and drinking water is provided all inhabited islands.

Dr Atmanand, Director said NIOT is currently scouting for public-private partnership for further development of the technology to upscale the capacity to the tune of 10 million litres a day (MLD) for offshore requirements.

One of the advantages of the process is that it can be implemented even with a low temperature gradient of about 8-10oC between two water bodies, with no additional requirement of heating/cooling, Dr Atmanand said.

Even though flash distillation is a commonly used desalination process worldwide and especially in Middle East, none of the established plants work with the temperature gradient as low as 8oC as is possible in the LTTD process.

Installation of LTTD projects is not without any technical challenges. Site-specific design and installation of 950 m long pipeline to draw cold water from 350 metre depth and marine structure to draw cold/warm water and to support the pipeline is a major challenge.

NIOT

As the seabed topography and environment are different in each island, the design of marine structures and the cold water pipe was prepared considering site-specific conditions of respective island.

The marine structures consist of three major structural components - intake sump to draw cold/warm water; approach trestle carrying cold/warm water from the sump to plant building and also providing access from shore to the sump; and, plant building to house process equipment.

The intake sump has to be provided at 5m water depth contour, and length of the bridge depends on the distance of this depth contour from the shore and NIOT has specialised in design and implementation of the marine structure, deep sea cold water pipe, and process equipment, Dr. Murthy said.

These plants can be easily be established in Maldives, Mauritius and some of the Pacific islands and found be best technology for remote islands, as there is no maintenance .

Dr Atmanand said, LTTD technology was also demonstrated using waste heat generated from the North Chennai Power Plant to produce fresh water. The demonstration plant has a capacity of one lakh litres per day. NIOT has also commissioned a barge-mounted plant of 1 million litres per day off Chennai, which once scaled up can address drinking water shortage in the southern metropolis.

This article was originally published by Indian Science Journal (ISJ), a niche digital publication devoted exclusively on news based on research in Science, Technology, Healthcare, and Agriculture.
A 34-year-old police sub-inspector is on the run after being booked for blackmailing and raping a rape survivor whose case he was investigating since last year. Rohan Ganjari is posted with the Kongaon police station here. He was handling the case of a 26-year-old woman, who claims her boyfriend's name was added in the rape FIR against her wishes and when she sought that it be removed, Ganjari blackmailed and raped her.

The woman had met Satish, 28, who runs a cellphone shop in Bhiwandi, while on a vacation in her aunt's house in 2015. Soon they became close and Satish established physical relations after promising marriage.

toi

After some time, an earlier girlfriend of Satish, Rabiya, learned about the relationship and threatened her. In her complaint, she said one day Rabiya called her to her house for discussions.

There, she was served juice laced with sedatives and was raped by a friend of Rabiya while Rabiya recorded the act. Rabiya then began blackmailing her and demanded Rs 50,000.

The survivor said she approached the Kongaon police last year and sought to register an FIR against Rabiya and her friend. But the cops added Satish's name too, and Ganjari arrested him and put him behind bars. Ganjari then demanded sexual favours to remove Satish's name.

representational image

On August 8, Ganjari took the woman to a Kalyan lodge and raped her. Before that, he made sure he had her signature on a statement saying she had a physical relationship with him by her own consent. Ganjari began demanding sexual favours regularly, and fed up, she approached the Kongaon police against Ganjari on Thursday.

A Kongaon police official said Ganjari fled from the city a few days before she filed her complaint. Even his family is not aware of where he has gone.
In a video widely circulated in social media, an IPS is seen arguing with a union minister near Sabarimala temple telling them that law is above all. The 2011 batch IPS officer Yathish Chandra become famous when he stopped Pon Radhakrishnan, the junior finance minister at the centre which he reached the Nilakkal base camp near the temple with a group of BJP workers on Wednesday.

The face-off has been widely circulated and the minister is seen asking Chandra for the reason why the private vehicles arent allowed. Chandra, the Thrissur district SP, says, Ill explain it to you, due to recent floods

Facebook/IPS Yathish Chandra

The minister tried to cut him short. I know that. But Chandra corrected him, Can you please listen to me? he asked the minister and HT quoted. The officer further explained to the minister that there is a parking issue near the temple as the grounds near the temple were washed away due to the floods. But why are the private vehicle not allowed to enter when government buses are? the minister retorts.

Chandra listened to the minister and put a condition before him. Are you willing to take responsibility? Obviously, the minister refused to take responsibility. That is the thing here, no one wants to take responsibility, Chandra said with a smug smile.

Soon, the ministers associates lost their calm and one of them yelled at Chandra for addressing the minister in tough words. The verbal exchanges continued for while before the BJP leaders understood that hes not going to allow them.

Some time back, Chandra had arrested BJP general secretary K Surendran and Hindu Aikya Vedi chief KP Sasikala, who is believed to have supported the protest over the entry of women. They were trying to enter the shrine.

Chandra also cleared that he doesnt have any agenda.

We are only doing our duty, without favouring or hurting any political party. Our aim is to make Sabarimala a peaceful space, a safe place for all devotees. We do not have any agenda, he told Livemint over the phone.
The terror attack on Mumbai that took place on 26th November, 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days the city, killed 164 people.

Monday will mark the tenth anniversary of the deadly attacks.

On the eve of 26/11 terrorist attacks, Mumbai's Chabad House in the Nariman House Colaba, one of the bloody targets of the 26/11 terror strikes, will be renamed as 'Nariman Light House'.

The present rabbi, Israel Kozlovsky, said the rechristening ceremony will be organized on behalf of the Chabad of India Trust on Sunday afternoon, the eve of 26/11 attacks, at the main Jewish social-cultural-religious hub in Colaba, south Mumbai.

AFP

The event will mark the unveiling of a memorial on the Nariman House terrace, making it the only place in Mumbai to honour all the 166 victims of the terror strikes. Plans to reconstruct the heavily damaged fourth-fifth floors will be announced by Rabbi Kozlovsky and other officials.

The Nariman House, housing the Chabad House, was one of the main targets of 10 Pakistani terrorists who sneaked in through the Arabian Sea route and disembarked at a Colaba fishing jetty, barely a stone's throw.

Among the victims brutally killed in the indiscriminate firing and grenade attacks were the then Nariman House Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivka, and two other Israelis, an American and a Mexican, all Jews, besides Indian security officials.

However, their two-year-old old toddler son, Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels, and a few days later they were flown off to Israel.

On January 18 this year, Moshe, now a shy, bespectacled 12-year-old boy, joined Netanyahu and other dignitaries at the Chabad House, along with his grandfather, Shimon Rosenberg and grandmother.

It was the first-ever visit by any high-ranking Israeli dignitary to Chabad House, which reopened in 2014, and is now considered a 'Living Memorial' to the November 26, 2008 carnage.
Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has invited Navjot Singh Sidhu, a close friend and Congress MLA from Punjab, for the foundation ceremony of the foundation-laying ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in Pakistan.

Confirming the report, Sidhu said: I received invitation from Pakistan PM Imran Khan and the Pakistan high commission in India has also contacted me to know my itinerary.

Also Read: India To Develop Kartarpur Corridor For Pilgrims To Reach Gurdwara Darbar Sahib In Pakistan

Sidhu, however, said that he would seek chief minister Amrinder Singhs and government of Indias permission to visit the neighbouring country.

The foundation stone of the corridor will be laid on November 28 by Imran Khan, while on November 26, President Ram Nath Kovind and Amarinder Singh will do the pioneering ceremony on the Indian side.

The corridor will give Sikh pilgrims from India easy access to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Kartarpur Corridor project, with all modern amenities and facilities, will be implemented with Central Government funding to provide smooth and easy passage to the pilgrims.
A senior Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative and an accused in the murder of journalist and former editor of Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari has been killed in a pre-dawn operation Friday by a joint team of Army, paramilitary and J&K Police in south Kashmirs Anantnag district. Azas Ahmed Malik was among six militants killed in the encounter.

Both police and Army said the operation was a major success for the armed forces and a setback for militant organizations, as the slain militants included three district commanders of terror outfits LeT and HM.

In one of the most successful operations of this year so far six Lashkar militants killed.Operation was launched last night on a hideout in foothills of Waghama Sutkipora of Bijbeihara Anantnag. Six dead bodies of militants and six rifles recovered.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) November 23, 2018

Malik a native of Arwani Bijbehara, is said to have been LeT's district commander for Anantnag.

Bukhari was shot dead outside his office in Srinagar in June this year while he was leaving office.

According to Police, the senior journalist was killed by three men on a motorcycle.

One of them was said to be Naveed Jatt, a Pakistani national, who managed to flee from custody in January this year. The two others being, Malik and Muzaffar Ahmad alias Talha.
Modi was addressing an election meeting in Chhattarpur under Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the Congress for dragging his pious mother, who has absolutely nothing to do with politics, into political debate, saying it reflected frustration of the party.

Taking strong exception to Congress leader Raj Babbars comparison of sliding value of rupee to the age of Mr Modis mother, the PM said, My mother spends her days worshipping the god. She does not know what politics is. The Congress has started abusing her since the party learnt that it could not take on me.

Mr Modi was addressing an election meeting in Chhattarpur under Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh.

The PM also took potshots at the Congress for poking fun at chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling him mamaji, as he is known among the children in Madhya Pradesh.

Why is the Congress not recalling Quattrocchi Mama(Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi accused in Bofors scandal)? Why does the Congress not speak of Anderson Mama, who was made to flee from India to America by Rajiv Gandhi without being prosecuted for causing the Bhopal gas tragedy that led to the death of thousands of people? Mr Modi quipped.

Reminding Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia that they were currently out on bail in the National Herald land grabbing case, Mr Modi said his note ban decision was aimed at exposing such corruption in public life.

Apparently referring to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, he said 125 crore people of the country are the high command of his government, which is not remote-controlled by madam.

Coffers of the banks were emptied for the rich during the madams government. But, our government opened the doors of the banks for the needy youth, he said.
To avoid being killed mercilessly killed by hunters for tusks, elephants are now evolving to not grow tusks. Hunters have wiped out nearly 90 per cent of elephants in Mozambiques Gorongosa National Park.

Tuskless elephants have become a common sight. African elephants in were slaughtered for their ivory to finance weapons in the country's civil war.

But around a third of females - the generation born after the war ended in 1992 - have not developed tusks, recent figures suggest.

Getty Images

Joyce Poole, scientific director of a nonprofit called ElephantVoices, told the National Geographic: 'Over time, with the older age population, you start to get this really higher proportion of tuskless females.'

Other countries have also a seen a decline in a number of elephants growing tusks.

In southern Kenya, poaching has caused the size of tusk to go down in some heavily hunted areas.

Scientists say that elephants with this handicap may also be altering how they behave.

Tusks are used for digging water or getting bark of trees for food, which now means elephants will face a hard time finding food.

Tusks are used to dig for food and water, to dig up trees and branches and move them around, for self-defence and for sexual display," the BBC reported.

Conservationists say an elephant without tusks is a crippled elephant."
For the uninitiated, Nagaland features among worlds top ten best birding destinations. Every year during November Amur Falcons arrive along the Doyang reservoir.

The Amur falcon is protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and they are seen as harbingers of a good harvest. The falcons are known to feed on insects, thus protecting crops.

According to a Hindu report, the species is recognised as friends of the tribals. However, there have been reports massacre of hundreds of thousands of falcons which has started a massive conservation campaign.

Our forefathers never killed these avian friends. However, the younger generation started decimating them by the thousands using nets, slingshots and guns, the Hindu quoted a tribal member as saying.

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Crops need water, correct weather, fertilisers, and daily care - this is a fact everybody knows. But Goa government has a different take on how to improve crop yield. They are reportedly asking farmers to chant Vedic mantra in farms to improve crop yield.



Read More: 151 Districts Are Reeling Under Climate Change In India And It's Going To Affect Farming Badly

They're advising farmers to adopt 'cosmic farming' in which the farmers need to chant Vedic mantra for 20 days on the farm for better quality and quantity of their crops, an official from the agriculture department said.

Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai and Agriculture Director Nelson Figueiredo recently visited Guru Shivanand in Gurgaon in Haryana, the promoter of Shiv Yog Krishi, to see how 'cosmic farming' can benefit farmers in Goa, he said.

"The agriculture department wants to tread the path of organic and eco-friendly farming. It has been holding talks with propagators of cosmic farming and other believers of similar activities, which can increase the farm yield in an organic way," Figueiredo said.

AFP

"As part of this, a farmer needs to spend at least 20 minutes a day chanting the 'Vedic mantra' for 20 days on his farm. The believers of cosmic farming claim that mantra draws the energy of universe into the field and helps the seeds to sprout better and gives quality yield," he said.

AFP

The state government is also in touch with a Sustainable Yogic Farming project of the rural development wing of the Brahmakumaris, he said. The farmers are also educated on how sustainable yogic farming can result in lower costs and reduce the pressures on the environment.

"Cosmic farming will give you safe food without any chemicals or fertilisers. Under this type of farming, no chemical is put on paddy and it will be grown with organic manure only," he had said.

Read More: More Than 2,100 Farm Fires Are Burning Right Now, And That Has Turned Delhi's Air Really Toxic!

How many of you think the farmers will get organic and improved crop yield after chanting mantras on the fields rather than taking care of the crop?

(With Inputs From PTI)
Imagine buying a bag and when you come home, you open the bag to find lots of money! In what could be a big surprise for anyone, this man from California found $7.5 million that equals approximately Rs 53 crore inside a storage unit which he bought for $500 (Rs 35,337).

Read More: Pakistans Penniless Billionaires Expose: How A Rickshaw-Puller Received & Lost Rs 3 Billion

This man bought the storage unit from Storage Wars' Dan Dotson and his wife Laura. The couple runs an auction house named American Auctioneers and the two have appeared on the show 'Storage Wars' since 2010 now. They disclosed the incident on Twitter with a video in which Dan narrated the incident.

Facebook/DanDotson

He also posted a Facebook video in which he said This lady came to me and she says I want to tell you this story," he began. "She said, 'my husband works for this guy and he bought a unit from you and it had a safe in it.

"Inside the safe normally they're empty, but this time it wasn't empty," he continued. "It had $7.5 million dollars inside."

Dan Dotson- Twitter

But soon after the money was discovered, the original owners contacted the new owner via a lawyer and made a final offer of $1.2 million so the money could be returned to them. The origins of the money and why it was stacked away in a storage unit is anyone's best guess. Speaking of the deal, the man who had bought storage unit owner walked away with a sweet $1.2 million.

But why did this happen in the first place? Because the original owners hadn't paid the storage unit's rent.




A controversial advertisement showing a woman tied up on the train tracks has created quite a stir in France for obvious reasons. What only enraged people more was when a court in Montpellier ruled that the advertisement did not show violence against women.

But the court did find the humour "doubtful" and "provocative."



The ad was created by the Southern town of Beziers in December 2017 to celebrate the arrival of TGV trains in their area. The caption of the ad read, With the TGV, she would have suffered less.

Twitter

Read More: Woman's #HimToo Campaign Slamming 'Radical Feminists' Gets Her Roasted & How!

The poster did hurt the sentiments of French Equality Minister and several feminist groups, who questioned how and why anyone would find this funny?

Many people who spoke up, noticed an uncanny resemblance between the ad and the recent murder of a 34-year-old woman who was killed by her husband after he tied her to the TGV tracks. This ad came after just four months of the murder.

The towns mayor, Robert Menard defended the ad, taking it to Twitter he wrote, Should we ban thousands of examples of feminicide in cinema, cartoons and music clips?

But Netizens were not going to let this slide. Here's how they reacted online:

1.

THE CAPTION IS LITERALLY 'with the TGV, she would have suffered less'. A woman DIED this way, four months earlier in a murder-suicide by her estranged husband! I hope her spirit haunts the creators, promoters & defenders of this ad to the point of insanity and beyond. https://t.co/miCKyXrqbE  Missy Deyo (@MissyDeyo) November 23, 2018

2.

Jesus. I mean, if it was an ad for something completely unrelated that happened to use that hoary old movie cliche imagery, you could almost understand it (while being incredibly misjudged). But no, the premise of the ad is literally "woman getting hit by the TGV". Awful. https://t.co/jnUhAy7M01  Seb Patrick (@sebpatrick) November 22, 2018

3.

"Beziers train poster: Fr court clears controversial ad"

Sickening. Just sickening..

Launched 4 mos after 34yo mother of 4 Emilie Hallouin was tied to tracks by her husband, killed by train "she wld've suffered less if it'd been a TGV."#BoycottBeziershttps://t.co/1dfpUJh6dm pic.twitter.com/5GrrdLy7xH  Gina InTheBurg (@GinaInTheBurg) November 21, 2018

Read more: After Massive Outrage, China 'Postpones' Lifting 25-YO Ban On Use Of Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn

4.

I don't see humour in this ad. I see a suffering human being. It is painful to watch. I don't understand why someone would want to associate their brand with this.  Nancy Akullo (@nancy_akullo) November 21, 2018

5.

Going to court to advocate ban of this ad is waste of time.

But surely I will think twice before taking any TGV train because of their sick mentality. Their feelings & human values certainly questionable.  Santanu (@Santanus2015) November 23, 2018

6.
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Geraldine Viswanathan, seen at the premiere of Universal Pictures Blockers at Regency Village Theatre April 3, 2018 in Westwood, Calif., is among Hollywoods most promising young actors, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Indian Sikh pilgrims pose on a train bound for Pakistan at the railway station at Attari, some 35kms from Amritsar on Nov. 21, as they prepare to leave on a Pakistani train bound for Lahore to mark the 549th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism and the first of ten Sikh Gurus. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced the nation will open a new cross-border corridor for the pilgrims to visit the temple. (Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images)
Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver who has been booked, officials said.

Visuals from the site of the accident showed locals using roped to try and pull the bus out from the water body in the middle of what appears to be a field. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Bengaluru: At least 30 passengers, including nine school children and 13 women, were killed when a speeding private bus in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Karnatakas Mandya district on Saturday, officials said.

The bus, which was moving on a road along the VC canal at Kanaganamaradi, 105 km south of Bengaluru, swerved and toppled into it, completely submerging in water and killing the victims instantaneously, officials said.

Wails of grief-stricken kin of the victims rent the air as rescue teams fished out the bodies one after the other. Thirty bodies have been recovered, the police said, adding that the fate of the driver and conductor was not known. Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver who has been booked, officials said.

Girish, a carpenter who was rescued, said he survived as he was sitting next to a window and could swim safety. Im not sure what caused the accident, but it looks like it was the drivers fault. Fifteen people from my village and some of my relatives died, he said. Girish reportedly helped a school boy, Rohit, escape from the submerged bus.

Local residents said most of those killed were from nearby Vadesamudra village and the children among the victims were returning home after half-day at school.

Chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who rushed to the accident spot, cancelling all his official engagements, announced a compensation of `5 lakh each to the kin of those killed.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and state Opposition leader B.S. Yeddyurappa expressed grief over the loss of lives.

Deeply pained by the bus accident in Karnatakas Mandya. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. May God give them strength in this hour of sadness: PM @narendramodi, the Prime Ministers Office said in a tweet.

Congress president, in a tweet, said, Im sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka, in which over 30 people are feared dead & many others injured. I extend my deepestcondolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Shootin' the Bull Swift Trading Company - 23 minutes ago The index rising suggests cattle feeders are increasing bids to attract inventory.

Corn Futures Off Highs at Midday Barchart - Wed Nov 24, 11:22AM CST Wednesdays session ahead of the holiday has corn fading for midday. Futures were up by +9 cents earlier, but are trading 2 1/2 to 3 cents red for midday. December options expire on Friday. EIA data... ZCZ21 : 579-6s (unch) ZCPAUS.CM : 5.6550 (-0.14%) ZCH22 : 585-4s (-0.47%) ZCZ21 : 579-6s (unch) ZCPZ21US.CM : 5.6944 (-0.17%)

Soy Complex Mixed for Midday Barchart - Wed Nov 24, 11:22AM CST Wednesdays soy trading has beans fading from early session gains, with mixed action in the products. Soybeans are 6 3/4 to 8 1/2 cents in the red so far. Soymeal futures are giving back 1.6% to 1.8%... ZSF22 : 1266-4s (-0.51%) ZSPAUS.CM : 12.2980 (-0.52%) ZSH22 : 1277-2s (-0.56%) ZSX21 : 1234-0s (+1.79%) ZSPX21US.CM : 12.2980 (-0.52%)

Midday Firmness for Cotton Barchart - Wed Nov 24, 11:22AM CST Wednesdays cotton futures market is trading 19 to 35 points in the black. Yesterday, the 2022 futures faded while December 2021 bounced by +200 points. At the high for the day, December futures were... CTK21 : 89.48s (+3.77%) CTH22 : 115.78s (+0.10%) CTZ21 : 120.38s (+0.02%)

Waking Up the Giants Monica Kingsley - Wed Nov 24, 11:20AM CST S&P 500 recovered from session lows, and is likely to keep chopping around in a tight range today. Tech found solid footing in spite of sharply rising yields, which value (finally) embraced with open arms....
Top Ten Countries by Nominal GDP at Current U.S. Dollar Exchange Rates Country Nominal GDP (in trillions) PPP Adjusted GDP (in trillions) Annual Growth (%) GDP Per Capita (in thousands) United States $21.43 $21.43 2.2% $65,298 China $14.34 $23.52 6.1% $10,262 Japan $5.08 $5.46 0.7% $40,247 Germany $3.86 $4.68 0.6% $46,445 India $2.87 $9.56 4.2% $2,100 United Kingdom $2.83 $3.25 1.5% $42,330 France $2.72 $3.32 1.5% $40,493.9 Italy $2.00 $2.67 0.3% $33,228.2 Brazil $1.84 $3.23 1.1% $8,717 Canada $1.74 $1.93 1.7% $46,195



1. United States

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $21.43 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $21.43 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.2%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $65,298  

The United States' economy is the largest in the world as measured by nominal GDP. The biggest contributor to that GDP is the economy's service sector, which includes finance, real estate, insurance, professional and business services, and healthcare.

The U.S. has a relatively open economy, facilitating flexible business investment and foreign direct investment in the country. It is the world's dominant geopolitical power and is able to maintain a large external national debt as the producer of the world's primary reserve currency. The U.S. economy is at the forefront of technology in many industries, but it faces rising threats in the form of economic inequality, rising healthcare and social safety net costs, and deteriorating infrastructure.

2. China

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $14.34 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $23.52 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 6.1%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $10,262  

China has the worlds second largest nominal GDP in current dollars and the largest in terms of PPP. With annual growth that consistently outpaces the U.S., China may be on track to become the largest economy in the world by nominal GDP in the years to come.

As China has progressively opened its economy over the past four decades, economic development and living standards have greatly improved. As the government has gradually phased out collectivized agriculture and industry, allowed greater flexibility for market prices, and increased the autonomy of businesses, foreign and domestic trade and investment have taken off. Coupled with an industrial policy that encourages domestic manufacturing, this has made China the worlds number one exporter. Despite these advantages, China faces some significant challenges, such as a rapidly aging population and severe environmental degradation.

3. Japan

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $5.08 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $5.49 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.7%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $40,247  

Japan is the third largest economy in the world. Its GDP crossed the $5 trillion mark in 2019. Strong co-operation between government and industry and advanced technological know-how have built Japans manufacturing and export-oriented economy. Many major Japanese businesses are organized as networks of interlinked companies known as Keiretsu. After the Lost Decade of the 1990s and the impact of the global Great Recession, Japan has seen an uptick in growth in recent years under the policies of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. However, Japan is poor in natural resources and dependent on energy imports, especially after the general shutdown of its nuclear power industry following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Japan has also struggled with a rapidly aging population.

4. Germany

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $3.86 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $4.68 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.6%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $46,445  

Fourth among world economies is Germany, with a 2019 GDP of $3.86 trillion. Germany is also Europes largest economy. Germany is a top exporter of vehicles, machinery, chemicals, and other manufactured goods and has a highly skilled workforce. Germany, however, faces some demographic challenges to its economic growth. Its low fertility rate makes replacing its aging workforce more difficult, and its high levels of net immigration strain its social welfare system.

5. India

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $2.87 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $9.56 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 4.2%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $2,100  

India is the fifth largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $2.87 trillion in 2019, more than 4% higher than in 2018. Because of its large population, India has the lowest per-capita GDP on our list. Indias economy is a mixture of traditional village farming and handicrafts alongside booming modern industry and mechanized agriculture. India is a major exporter of technology services and business outsourcing, and the service sector makes up a large share of its economic output. Liberalization of Indias economy since the 1990s has boosted economic growth, but inflexible business regulation, widespread corruption, and persistent poverty pose challenges to ongoing expansion.

6. United Kingdom

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $2.83 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $3.25 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.5%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $42,330  

The United Kingdom has the sixth largest economy in the world. It had a GDP of $2.83 trillion in 2019, up 1.4% from the prior year. The U.K. economy is driven by its large service sector, particularly in finance, insurance, and business services. The nations extensive trading relationship with continental Europe has been greatly complicated by the resolution of Brexit subsequent to the 2016 vote to leave the European Union. As of Jan. 31, 2020, the U.K. is officially not a member of the E.U., but contentious negotiations over trade relations between the two are ongoing.

7. France

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $2.72 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $3.32 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.5%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $40,494  

France had a GDP of $2.72 trillion in 2019, ranking seventh in the world. Tourism is an important industry, and France receives the most visitors of any country each year. France is a mixed economy that has many private and semiprivate businesses across a diverse range of industries. However, there is still heavy government involvement in certain key sectors, such as defense and electrical power generation. The French governments commitment to economic intervention in favor of social equality also creates some challenges for the economy, such as a rigid labor market with high unemployment and a large public debt relative to other advanced economies.

8. Italy

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $2.00 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $2.67 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.3%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $33,228  

The worlds eighth largest GDP belongs to Italy at an even $2.00 trillion in 2019, up 0.3% from 2018. The eurozones third largest economy, Italys economy and level of development vary notably by region, with a more developed, industrial economy in the north and underdeveloped southern regions. Italy faces persistently sluggish economic growth due to a very high public debt, an inefficient court system, a weak banking sector, an inefficient labor market with chronically high youth unemployment, and a large underground economy.

9. Brazil

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.84 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $3.23 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.1%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $8,717  

Brazil is the ninth largest economy in the world and the largest in South America, with a 2019 GDP of $1.84 trillion. Brazil's diversified economy runs the gamut from heavy industries, such as aircraft and automotive production, to mineral and energy resource extraction. It also has a large agricultural sector that makes it a major exporter of coffee and soy beans. Brazil emerged from a severe recession in 2017 and suffered a series of high-level corruption scandals along the way. In the wake of these events, Brazil instituted a series of major economic reforms intended to rein in public spending and debt, invest in energy infrastructure, lower barriers to foreign investment, and improve labor market conditions.

10. Canada

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.74 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.93 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.7%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $46,195  

Canada had $1.74 trillion in GDP in 2019, rounding out the top 10 economies in the world by GDP. Canada has a well-developed energy extraction sector, with the worlds third largest proven oil reserves. Canada also has impressive manufacturing and service sectors, based mostly in urban areas near the U.S. border. Canada's free trade relationship with the U.S. means that three-quarters of Canadian exports head to the U.S. market each year. Canada's close ties to the U.S. mean that it has developed largely in parallel to the worlds largest economy.

11. Russia

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.70 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $4.28 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.3%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $11,585  

Russia is the worlds 11th largest economy, with a GDP of $1.70 trillion as of 2019, 1.3% higher than in 2018. Russia has moved toward a more market-based economy over the 30 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, but government ownership of and intervention in business is still common. As a leading exporter of oil and gas, as well as other minerals and metals, Russia's economy is highly sensitive to swings in world commodity prices.

12. South Korea

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.65 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $2.23 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.0%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $31,846  

South Korea, with a GDP of $1.65 trillion in 2019, is the 12th largest world economy. South Koreas economy is a 20th century success story that is today firmly established as an advanced, industrial economy. Known for its strategy of export-led growth and the dominance of its chaebols (large business conglomerates), South Korea in recent decades has built a network of free trade agreements covering 58 countries that account for over three-quarters of the worlds GDP. It is a major producer and exporter of electronics, telecommunications equipment, and motor vehicles. With this progress, however, South Korea also now faces some of the same challenges that many other advanced economies are dealing with, including slower growth and an aging workforce.

13. Australia

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S.: $1.40 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.36 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.2%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $55,060  

Australia is the 13th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $1.40 trillion in 2019. Australia combines a relatively open domestic economy with an extensive network of free trade arrangements with trading partners all around the Asia-Pacific Rim. This works to the advantages of Australias abundant natural resource and agricultural export industries. However, it has also left Australia vulnerable to swings in world commodity demand and prices in energy (coal and natural gas), metals (iron ore and gold), and agricultural products (beef and sheep products).

14. Spain

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.39 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.99 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.0%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $29,600  

Spain had a GDP of $1.39 trillion in 2019, making it the 14th largest economy in the world by GDP. Spains economy suffered severely during the Great Recession, with unemployment soaring above 25% and a rising national debt despite attempts at fiscal austerity. It has recovered in recent years as moderating inflation and labor costs have encouraged foreign investment and increased the competitiveness of Spains exports, including manufactured machinery and foodstuffs. However, political instability has hindered the governments ability to sustain further economic reforms.

15. Mexico

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.27 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $2.63 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.1%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $9,846  

Mexico's GDP was $1.27 trillion in 2019, making it the 15th largest economy in the world. Over the past three decades, Mexico has emerged as a manufacturing economy under a series of free trade arrangements with the U.S., Canada, and 44 other countries. Many major U.S. manufacturers have integrated supply chains with counterparts or operations in Mexico. Mexico supports a variety of exports, including consumer electronics, vehicles, and auto parts, and well as petroleum and agricultural products. The international drug trade constitutes an ongoing challenge to Mexicos development, which has directly contributed to violence and corruption in the country. Weak legal institutions have made it difficult to regulate and integrate the large informal economy that employs over half of Mexicos workforce.

16. Indonesia

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $1.12 trillion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $3.34 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 5.0%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $4,136  

Indonesia is the worlds 16th largest economy, with a GDP of $1.12 trillion as of 2019. Indonesias economy is the largest economy in Southeast Asia and is based largely on commodity export industries. Major exports include coal and petroleum products, as well as agricultural commodities suitable for industrial use, such as rubber and palm oil. Indonesia has an institutional cap on its national budget deficit, at 3% of GDP, which has led to its relatively low debt burden and investment-grade credit rating. However, regional inequality, lack of infrastructure, and governmental corruption remain problems for Indonesias rising economy.

17. Netherlands

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $907.05 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.03 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.7%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $52,331  

The Netherlands stands as the 17th largest economy in the world, with a 2019 GDP of $907.05 billion. The Netherlands is a major commercial transportation hub, with some industrial manufacturing as well as petroleum extraction and processing. It has a highly developed agricultural sector and is the second largest agricultural exporter in the world. The Netherlands has a large financial services sector, with assets four times the size of Dutch GDP.

18. Saudi Arabia

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $792.97 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.68 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.3%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $23,140  

Saudi Arabia had a GDP of $792.97 billion in 2019, the 18th largest in the world. The Saudi economy is heavily based on oil and is the worlds largest oil exporter. The Saudi government owns and operates much of the countrys major industry through its oil company, Aramco. However, with global environmental concerns driving increasing interest in developing non-fossil fuel energy sources, the Saudis are looking to diversify their economy by encouraging more private investment in healthcare and other service industries. The Saudi government has also begun to at least partially privatize Aramco, launching an IPO for the company in late 2019.

19. Turkey

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $761.43 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $2.35 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.9%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $9,127  

Turkey is the 19th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $761.43 billion in 2019. Turkey has a largely open economy, with large industrial and service sectors. Major industries include electronics, petrochemicals, and automotive production. Political turmoil and involvement in regional armed conflicts have led to some financial and currency market instability and uncertainty about Turkeys economic future in recent years.

20. Switzerland

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $703.08 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $608.72 billion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 0.9%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $81,994  

The Alpine nation of Switzerland had a GDP of $703.08 billion in 2019, making it the 20th largest economy in the world. Switzerland has a large service sector, including financial services, and a high-tech manufacturing sector served by a highly skilled labor force. High-quality legal, political, and economic institutions and solid physical infrastructure set the stage for a productive economy with one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world.

21. Poland

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $595.86 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.31 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 4.5%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $15,693  

Poland is the 21st largest economy in the world, with a 2019 GDP of $595.86 billion. Heavy industry, including iron and steel production, machinery manufacturing, shipbuilding, and coal mining, is an important part of Polands economy. Polands business-friendly climate and sound macroeconomic policies allowed it to be the only E.U. country to avoid recession in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. However, inefficient legal and regulatory structures and an aging population are challenges for Polands ongoing growth in the future.

22. Thailand

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $543.55 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.34 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.4%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $7,807  

Thailand is the 22nd largest economy in the world, with a $543.55 billion GDP in 2019. The Thai economy enjoys relatively high-quality infrastructure, as well as pro-free-enterprise and pro-investment policies. Thailand is highly dependent on exports, which account for about two-thirds of its GDP. Its main exports include electronics, agricultural products, motor vehicles and parts, and food products. Thailand also has a substantial international tourism industry. Its agricultural sector makes up about 10% of its economy but employs about 30% of its workers.

23. Sweden

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $530.88 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $574.13 billion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.3%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $51,615  

Sweden, with a 2019 GDP of $530.88 billion, is the 23rd largest economy in the world. Sweden is a competitive economy, with a high standard of living and a mix of free enterprise alongside a generous social welfare state. Swedens manufacturing economy relies heavily on foreign exports, including machinery, motor vehicles, and telecommunications. Sweden has taken in a large number of new immigrants and thus faces a short- to medium-term challenge with integrating them into Swedish society and its labor market.

24. Belgium

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $533.10 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $630.53 billion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 1.7%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $46,421  

Belgium's 2019 GDP was $533.10 billion, making it the 24th largest world economy. Belgium is a trade and transport hub that has a diversified economy with a mix of services, manufacturing, and high-tech industry. Because of its deep integration with the rest of the European economy, Belgium is highly sensitive to swings in the overall economic performance of its neighbors. Belgium faces a high public debt burden relative to its GDP, which can constitute an obstacle to growth.

25. Nigeria

2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $448.12 billion  

 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $1.08 trillion  

 2019 GDP Growth: 2.2%  

 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $2,230  

One of the largest economies in Africa, Nigeria's economy relies heavily on the oil industry. Nigeria is the largest oil exporter on the continent and also has Africas largest reserves of natural gas. Other resource extraction industries, such as coal, tin, and other metal mining, are also important to the Nigerian economy. While oil dominates in terms of contribution to GDP and exports, between a fifth and half of Nigerians work in agriculture, mostly small-scale subsistence agriculture. Nigeria's economy has grown rapidly in past decades, but the nation also faces significant challenges such as desertification, lack of infrastructure, and government corruption.
A landmark church with links to The Liberator, Daniel OConnell, is being allowed to breathe for several months as part of an ambitious 1m repair and restoration project.

Engineers and architects overseeing the complex work on St Marys Catholic Church and associated buildings on Popes Quay in Cork city plan to install two special vents in the church roof after extensive dry rot was found in its walls.

A spiral staircase to the roof will also be installed to help identify leaks and to repair and replace tiles and flashing to prevent further ingress of water and to aid ongoing maintenance.

A protected structure, the church is recognised by Cork City Council as one of the most significant and historic buildings in the city and as one of the countrys classical Catholic churches.

A campaign is now underway to raise the money to help save and secure the home of Dominican Friars in Cork since the 1830s  an order which can trace its roots in the city back to the 1200s.

Fr Maurice Colgan, the Prior of St Marys, said that, despite the massive costs, they want to restore the church. The dry rot is like something out of a horror movie, but a bit of dry rot isnt going to stop us.

We want to see St Marys restored. We are committed to Cork and to St Marys. We are here for the long haul.

Cork is home to our Novitiate house. It takes pride of place in the Dominican Order. Its where we all start our journey with the order and it holds a special place in all our hearts.

The building holds a special place in the hearts of Cork people too. It has many historic connections. Daniel OConnell attended the consecration of St Marys and we still have the chair he sat on, he said.

The moulds that decorate the church were all carved by Irish craftsmen and were baked in the ovens of local people.

Fundraising for restoration began in 2015 when leaks in the sacristy, the Priory, and St Martins Chapel were the only issue.

But as the work advanced, a confessional in the main church and an adjoining shrine wall collapsed, before structural issues compromised the safety of a second confessional. A detailed inspection revealed the full extent of the dry rot, with experts estimating that water could have been seeping into the building for at least a decade.

That triggered the larger and more expensive restoration project, which is being overseen by architect Shane de Blacam of de Blacam and Meagher Architects, and being delivered by Cumnor Construction.

St Marys Choir, under the musical direction of organist Sean Lehane, now hope to raise the church roof in a key fundraiser early next month.

They will host the annual Advent concert of carols, readings, and choral music, alongside the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of internationally renowned and critically acclaimed musician and conductor Keith Pascoe at 7.30pm on Sunday, December 9.

Tickets priced 10 are available at the Dominican Centre (021 450 3188) or from Pro Musica on Oliver Plunkett St (021 427 1659).

The Dominicans trace their roots in Cork to 1229, when they built a church on an island in the south channel of the River Lee, just outside the city walls.

By 1729, the friars were living off Shandon St, where they built a chapel known as Sand Quay Chapel, where Nano Nagle worshipped.

In 1784, the Dominicans built a priory and church on the site on which the historic Shandon Castle stood. It would be their home for the next half a century until they moved to the current location on Popes Quay.

The foundation stone of the present-day church, designed by architect Kearns Deane, who provided his services free of charge, was laid in 1832. The church opened in 1839, while its portico and 10m-high fluted Ionic columns atop a flight of 10 steps were erected in 1891.

A copy of the magnificent James Mahony painting, The Consecration of the Roman Catholic Church of St Marys, Popes Quay, Cork, c.1842, which shows Daniel OConnell at the ceremony, has been presented to the church.
British prime minister Theresa May has refused to say if she will resign if her Brexit deal is shot down by Westminster next month despite growing UK demands for her to return to the negotiating table.

Ms May ignored questions on her future in advance of the EU summit to ratify the deal, as ex-Brexit secretary Dominic Raab claimed the agreement was worse for Brexiteers than staying in the EU.

Ive always been clear that getting the right Brexit deal means getting a deal that is right for the whole of the United Kingdom  and that includes Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/8WcGprETb7  Theresa May (@theresa_may) November 23, 2018

Answering public questions on BBC Radio 5 Live as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted the complex British political situation poses a Brexit difficulty, Ms May avoided clarifying if she will quit if opponents block the deal on December 10.

Asked specifically about her future in the event of a parliament rejection, even if the deal is ratified by the EU this weekend, Ms May said she is focussed on ensuring we get this deal through.

However, pressed twice more by callers, she added: As Im sitting here, Im not thinking about me. Im thinking about getting a deal through that delivers. Thats what drives me and that is what is at the forefront of my mind.

And when I say Im going to be focused over the next few weeks until the meaningful vote in parliament at getting that vote through, yes I will, she told listeners.

Its not just about the MPs in Westminster looking at the deal, its about people across the country understanding what the deal is about. So, thats my focus, she said.

In the event of ratification, it is still far from clear if the prime minister has enough parliamentary support to ensure it is backed by Westminster.

Pressure on her was further increased when the DUP and Brexiteers said the price for support was removing the Irish border backstop from the deal, a demand likely to be underlined by Tory MP Boris Johnson who will attend the DUPs annual conference today.

The DUP's Arlene Foster says time is being wasted by the promotion of the current Brexit deal. She says a new deal that everyone can sign up to is needed pic.twitter.com/9O2evcccJN  RTE News (@rtenews) November 23, 2018

Ms May will meet with European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker in Brussels today to finalise aspects of the non-binding, political future relationship agreement  which is separate to the initial withdrawal deal  before tomorrows EU summit.

However, while the progress of the past fortnight has led to hope a way through the Brexit crisis can be found, the ongoing British political difficulties are continuing to cause concern among Irish and EU officials.

Asked about the brewing Westminster stand-off yesterday, Mr Varadkar admitted the situation is a difficulty.

However, calling on hardline Brexiteers to put forward coherent alternatives if they genuinely oppose the deal, he said: Lots of people may be criticising this, but I dont see anyone putting anything better on the table.

In a separate interview in London, Mr Raab said the existing deal is worse than remaining in the EU.

Key dates

The beginning of the end of Brexit, or just the end of the beginning? The double-edged question will be on EU leaders minds, if not their lips, at the EU summit to ratify the Brexit withdrawal deal. Tomorrows meeting will mark the latest key scene. To suggest it is the end of the crisis is far from accurate, with other hurdles still facing those involved over the coming months:

Todays May-Barnier meeting: British PM Theresa May will meet European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker in Brussels to finalise issues after coming under pressure in Britain over the deal. Meanwhile, Brexiteer Boris Johnson has a summit of his own by pointedly attending the DUP annual conference.

Tomorrows EU summit: Should the meeting go to plan, the deal will be ratified by the EU27 and Ms May. The meeting is likely to be dominated by last-minute Spanish concerns over the standing of Gibraltar in the Brexit deal.

December 10, Westminster showdown: Ms May will spend the next fortnight trying to cobble together enough Westminster support to ensure the deal passes a parliamentary vote, expected on December 10, with the DUP, Brexiteers, and key Remainers opposed.

Deal or no deal: If Westminster passes the deal, it will be sent for a January European Parliament vote and written into British law before the March 29 UK-EU divorce date. However, if rejected, which is likely, the next EU summit on December 13-14 may have to determine whether to re-open talks or allow Britain to crash out.

Gibraltar standoff threatens deal

The crucial Brexit withdrawal deal is still at risk of being derailed by the Gibraltar stand-off after the Spanish government last night insisted the issue must be addressed in the agreement and not in any separate official statement.

The last-minute political crisis was set to dominate talks between British prime minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker today before the crucial EU summit to ratify the Brexit deal tomorrow.

The future identity of Gibraltar is unclear under the current deal, with little clarity on whether it will be part of the EU or Britain in a post-Brexit world outlined in the 585-page document.

As a result, the Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has made it clear his government will veto and vote against the deal tomorrow if no changes are made.

EU sources yesterday put forward plans to outline a resolution in an annexe to the separate non-binding political declaration in order to buy time on the issue.

However, Madrid last night repeated that it wants the question answered in the withdrawal deal itself, creating a problem for officials as any changes risk unravelling the carefully concocted agreement.

The stand-off is expected to dominate large parts of Ms May and Mr Junckers meeting in Brussels today before the crunch EU summit tomorrow.

Asked about the situation at a Brexit business preparedness event in Thomond Park, Limerick, yesterday, Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney stressed that there is a very strong consensus among EU members to have the Spanish concerns resolved by Sunday.

However, he added that shouldnt involve changing the text of the withdrawal treaty due to the knock-on effect risk of any last-minute alterations.
The head of a specialist therapeutic service for children has said Garda figures showing a rise in sexual offences involving juveniles totally tallies with their experiences  and repeated calls for urgent action.

CARI chief executive Mary Flaherty said they had seen a rise in calls to their helpline in relation to under 12s engaging in harmful sexual behaviour and said it was at least in part due to exposure to pornography online.

The 2017 annual report of the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme Monitoring Committee found a 20% jump in reported sexual offences committed by a juvenile, increasing from 334 in 2016 to 400 in 2017.

It included a 37% increase in sexual assaults (non-aggravated), from 163 to 224, and a 181% jump in child pornography (as described in the report), from 21 to 59.

Nine involved consensual peer-to-peer sharing of images, 20 were consensual peer-to-peer sharing of personal images then shared online without consent and nine cases involved the taking of images without consent and sharing online.

The report said: They were actions taken by children not aware that their actions constitute offences contrary to the Child and Pornography Act 1998. Where the sharing of images was not consensual, it occurred with the motivation of carrying out a prank or cyberbullying.

It said the increase highlights the need for appropriate modernised legislation and educating children about their behaviour and safety online.

This included increasing awareness that the sharing of images of themselves or their peers under 18 years of age is a criminal offence under current legislation.

It said 47 of 355 sexual offences involved defilement (sex with a child under the age of 15 or 17). In 30 of the 47 cases, the offender and injured party were in a relationship and had made the mutual decision to engage in sexual behaviour.

It said: In many cases, both parties were not aware that by engaging in such behaviour, the male was committing a criminal offence.

Commending the analysis, Ms Flaherty said: These are alarm bells we have been ringing for years.

We are seeing the impact of online pornography on under 12s. Whether they are looking at adult or child pornography, the people they are acting out on are other children. If the behaviour starts in at that age, when they go on into their teens it is more serious.

She said more needed to be done on education: We are constantly saying people dont treat online as real. You dont go around with naked pictures in your pocket and hand it out. Images taken and uploaded is often in the context of bullying or spite in a broken relationship.

We urgently need to look at the legislation  the consequences on young people, particularly young males, where there is a consensual relationship is very, very, serious.

Ms Flaherty called on Oireachtas committees to act on the Garda report.

cari.ie: 1890 924 567.
A woman who was sexually abused as a child by her own father saved him from death when she found him trying to take his own life.

Patrick McCarthy, aged 66, from Corbally North, Ballincurrig, Co Cork, was jailed for a total of three years by Judge Sean O Donnabhain at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his two daughters and another girl.

Phil McCarthy said: I hear the whispers of people talking about me and our family. If all that wasnt bad enough he thought he would take the easy way out and try and kill himself when allegations came to light

I have nightmares most nights and will never get the sound or sight of him gasping for air out of my mind. I sat in the resuscitation waiting room that night and honestly, I didnt know if I wanted him to live or die.

After all that I have to say that I am the luckiest girl in the world to have an amazing fiance by my side. She is what makes me want to get up in the morning and have a truly happy life together. She has shown me that I am stronger than I ever thought possible. I am not a victim. I am a survivor.

Earlier in her victim impact statement, she recalled her childhood.

I absolutely idolised my father, we were so alike in so many ways. I can still remember how I used to run out the door to greet him when he came home from work and swinging off him as he ate his dinner, picking from his plate even though I had already eaten my own. As a tomboy, I was always stuck in every job he was doing inside or outside the house. One day this invincible superman that was my father sexually abused me.

Her sister Jacqui McCarthy referred to suppressing the fact that he had sexually assaulted her as a child. She decided to make a complaint after the third injured party, Olivia Landers, who was not a member of the family, came forward to say that Patrick McCarthy had sexually abused her.

Jacqui McCarthy said: I am sure you see an old man sitting before you, who is apologetic and talks of how his health is compromised, but this same man tried to get away with what he had done.

He had the audacity to call me to apologise for bringing shame on the family for something he had done to someone else. I was in complete shock. I was in sheer disbelief.

Was he actually apologising to me for something he had done to someone else when he had done the same thing to me? I can now see that this was his way of checking did I remember. I wish I didnt. In that moment, I had a choice to make, to continue with the charade or confront him. I chose the latter.

Both daughters waived their anonymity, as did Ms Landers, who testified through tears: You had no right to do what you did to me. You had no right to take what you took from me. You took my first kiss from me  a grown man. No matter how many times I bathed I could not get that dirty feeling to go away.

Ray Boland, defending, said the accused accepted responsibility for the impact he had on their lives.

Judge O Donnabhain said the offences against the injured parties occurred from 1987 to 2000.

It is an aggravating factor that he abused two of his own children and a girl he knew through them.
The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

New Delhi/Islamabad: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has turned down Pakistans invitation to attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims but two of her Cabinet colleagues, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri, will attend the November 28 ritual to be performed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, her office said on Saturday.

She had been invited by her counterpart Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi earlier in the day.

Ms Swaraj said she would not be able to attend the ceremony due to her prior commitments, which include an election rally in the poll-bound state of Telangana.

Ms Swarajs polite rejection of the invitation shows that India is perhaps not yet ready to engage with Pakistan at the foreign ministers level after several months of tension with Islamabad on the issue of terrorism perpetrated against India from Pakistani soil.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016.

India called off a meeting between Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, citing the brutal killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Apart from Ms Swaraj, Mr Qureshi also invited Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony.

On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpura on Nov 28, 2018, Mr Qureshi tweeted.

Official sources said that proper invitation letters were also dispatched to them.

In her reply to Mr Qureshi, Ms Swaraj wrote, Thank you for your invitation... Due to my prior commitments, including election campaign scheduled in the state of Telangana on that day, I would not be able to travel to Kartarpur Sahib. However, being mindful of the sentiments of our Sikh citizens ... we will be sending minister for food processing industries Harsmirat Kaur Badal and minister of state for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri as Government of Indias representatives ....

Ms Swaraj also said that India hoped Pakistan would expedite construction of the corridor to Kartarpur Sahib.

In a major breakthrough two days ago, both India and Pakistan had decided to create a corridor in their respective territories for Indian Sikh pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak (in Gurdaspur district of Indian Punjab) to the famous Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara (close to the international border in Pakistani Punjab) so that the pilgrims could visit the shrine for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak in November next year.

Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara is situated at a site where the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak had spent the last years of his life in the first half of the 16th century.
The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) has warned the HSE that it intends to complain to the Data Protection Commission (DPC) after it released details of the doctors who earn most under its Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS).

The highest earning doctor is the associations chairman, Andrew Jordan, Dublin South West, who received in excess of 1.1m gross last year, which includes practice support. Jordan employs 26 staff and treats 10,000 GMS (General Medical Services) patients.

Fianna Fail senator Keith Swanick, from Co Mayo, is also among the top 100 earners, receiving almost 490,000.

The HSE defended its decision to release the data, saying it did so on foot of an FOI request: Clearly the HSE has a legal obligation [pursuant to the FOI Act 2014] to release records/information as requested and as appropriate.

The HSE is satisfied that data protection legislation allows for the release of this information under FOI.

The payments relate to fees for medical card patients and GP visit cards and practice support. The overall figure for 2017 was 551m.

Padraig McGarry, chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) GP Committee, said the figures provided by the HSE implied that GPs were receiving much more income than was actually the case.

The figures are gross figures which take no account of the substantial costs incurred by GPs in providing services including cost of premises, staff, technology, insurance and every other business cost that they are liable for, he said.

Dr McGarry said GPs engage in more than 25m clinical consultations a year and more than 160m has been taken out of GP services since the financial crisis.

The IMO is currently in negotiation with the HSE and Department of Health on GP funding and unless significant investment is forthcoming, general practice will fail, Dr McGarry said.

NAGP chief executive Chris Goodey said GPs receive on average, 9 per month for each medical card patient irrespective of whether they attend once or 10 times over that month.

The reality is that these payments do not cover the cost of that care, he said.
A Garda investigation has been launched into allegations surrounding the Irish Prison Service.

In a statement this evening, Gardai confirmed they are "examining matters."

It comes after claims of surveillance on prison officers by the organisation were reported in the Irish Examiner.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has ordered the Inspector of Prisons to conduct the preliminary investigation into those claims.

The Irish Examiner's, Michael Clifford reported that tracking devices have been placed on prison officers cars and conversations between solicitors and prisoners have been monitored during covert surveillance on the countrys prisons.

Allegations have also been made today surrounding the handling of deaths in prisons.

In a sworn affidavit sent to the justice minister, the whistleblower who made explosive claims about covert surveillance said protocols or procedures for the preservation of scenes where deaths occurred were not followed.

Digital Desk
Police in South Africa have confirmed that a man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Irish charity worker John Curran.

Mr Curran was found dead at his apartment in Cape Town earlier this month, after suffering multiple stab wounds.
The concerns of a prison whistleblower, revealed this week in the Irish Examiner, were not the first words of caution about the handling of inmates deaths.

Earlier this year, this newspaper published our analysis of reports compiled by the office of the Inspector of Prisons and found that more than two-thirds of investigations into the deaths of vulnerable prisoners since 2012 have raised concerns.

The Prisons Inspectors found that there had been cases of misleading or inaccurate record-keeping by prison staff, and questioned the care afforded to inmates who have suicidal ideation and mental health problems.

A reading of the reports shows repeated examples of the records kept on the date of a prisoners death in custody being incomplete or inaccurate.

In some cases, log books stating that special observation, or special obs, inmates were checked every 15 minutes, as per protocols, were proven to be not true, when the inspector reviewed CCTV footage of the time in question.

The Prison Inspector has been tasked with preparing individual reports on prisoner deaths since 2012, and, in that year, the inspectors office made its first finding of incorrect record-keeping, in the death of a prisoner in Mountjoy.

Since then, 89 such files have been published and, of those, the reports into 12 deaths have raised concerns about deficiencies in the record-keeping and the checking of prisoners.

These deaths occurred in prisons across the country: Cork, Limerick, Portlaoise, Cloverhill, and Wheatfield.

Eleven of the 12 cases involved a vulnerable prisoner who was on special observation at the time of their death.

In total, the Prison Inspector has published reports into the deaths of 15 special observation prisoners since 2012.

The Prison Inspectors Office has repeatedly raised the issue over the last five years, in both its annual reports and in individual reports into the deaths of prisoners in custody.

In his 2013/2014 annual report, the late Judge Michael Reilly noted how one prison officer said that, during training, staff are told that when it comes to report-writing, they are to keep it short and cover your arse.

One example of worrying record-keeping arose earlier this year, when the then-Prisons Inspector, Helen Casey, published a report on the death of Prisoner A on January 3, 2017, in Cork Prison.

Her review of CCTV footage found that on the night he died, the prisoner  a 52-year-old married father, serving a six-month term  was left unchecked for more than the standard 15 minutes on six occasions, including one period that lasted one hour and 42 minutes.

The records, however, stated that he had been checked every 15 minutes.

She noted that the records provided by Cork Prison are misleading in content and she would have accepted staff had complied with protocols, but for the CCTV footage viewed.

Incomplete and inaccurate record-keeping regularly feature as a finding in reports from this office, said Ms Casey.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner in August, Deirdre Malone, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, said there is a need to establish whether the issue is due to a lack of staffing in Irish prisons and whether or not there is a culture or practice of obfuscating the truth.

The outcomes of these cases are the most serious of the most serious type, she said. These are deaths in custody; people have lost their lives in custody.

There is no option when youre on special obs. There is no other option to contact a family member, there is no option to ring an ambulance yourself, there is no option to ring a friend.

You are entirely dependent on other people, namely officers, to look after you and when they dont do that or when they dont do their checks, the consequences can be of the most serious type, which they were in these cases.

At the time, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he pays careful attention to reports from the Inspector of Prisons in relation to all deaths in custody and, where deficiencies have been addressed by the Inspector of Prisons, the minister has received proposals to remedy these deficiencies from the director of the Irish Prison Service.

However, the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service refused to reveal what, if any, disciplinary action has been taken against prison staff who filed misleading reports on the deaths of vulnerable inmates.
A number of suspected fraudulent insurance claims have been withdrawn before going to court after a crackdown by gardai.

Two-thirds of people who were informed by gardai that their insurance claim was being investigated for being potentially fraudulent ended up withdrawing it, according to Michael DArcy, the minister of state at the Department of Finance.

Mr DArcy, who has responsibility for financial services and insurance within the department, said gardai were calling to peoples homes when fraud was suspected.

Insurance Irelands fraud group flagged cases that they thought might be fake. After garda officers called to the home of each claimant, the majority of claims were dropped.

The minister said he had written to recently appointed Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to discuss insurance reform  including the proposed establishment of a dedicated unit looking into fraudulent claims  but had not yet received a response.

However, he added that Detective Chief Superintendent Pat Lordan, head of the gardas national economic crime bureau, had told him the force was taking a more proactive approach.

Two-thirds of the claims that they have chased up, that they have followed up, have been withdrawn, said Mr DArcy. So thats something that I think is a very positive development.

The minister is to meet with Mr Harris next month to discuss the prospect of setting up a fraud unit within the force. The unit was recommended almost two years ago by the Personal Injuries Commission as one way to bring down the cost of premiums.

Mr DArcy supports a garda fraud unit but does not think its 1m annual cost should be funded by the industry, as suggested by insurance groups.

He said: I dont believe its appropriate that private industry funds any portion of An Garda Siochana.

It would be a precedent... it hasnt happened before. But its a matter Im satisfied we can get around.

He added that investigations into claims shouldnt be left to the courts and efforts should be made to deal with them earlier.

We shouldnt be trying to figure these out in the courts, at the last stage, said Mr DArcy. We should be trying to deal with them earlier.

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, who is the chairman of the Personal Injuries Commission, says that a dedicated policing unit works well in the UK, where the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) is funded by insurance companies.

He said: There have been no suggestions the IFED in the UK have operated in anything other than a fully professional and fully independent manner.

A dedicated garda fraud unit is also supported by Brokers Ireland, the lobby group that represents 1,250 brokers nationwide.

The establishment of a fraud investigation bureau along the lines of the insurance fraud enforcement department in the UK needs to be done without further delay, said Cathie Shannon, director general of insurance at Brokers Ireland, in advance of the associations annual conference.

Genuine claimants are being made to feel like they are engaging in fraudulent activity by claiming what is rightfully theirs, because of continuing fraud within the market.
As I write this the weather has turned remarkably mild so Ive abandoned my original topic of winter warming wines in favour of good value wines suitable for parties  parties can happen in good and bad weather after all. Christmas seems to start earlier and get more expensive every year so in the coming weeks Ill try to keep value as much in mind as much as quality.

In choosing wines for a party  whether dinner party or dance party  I recommend going for flavour. No bland Pinot Grigio, boring Merlots or weedy Sauvignons that people will gulp down not casting a thought for your generosity or food offering. In addition I find that light simple wines often encourage people to drink more than they should which is not good for them or for your bank balance.

Grape growing has become more of a science than an art and while this means you can find lots of inexpensive wines in the supermarkets it seems to be much harder to find individuality  Sauvignon Blancs under a tenner are all starting to taste the same thanks to the use of specific yeasts, Merlots at this price point just seem to get blander and softer.

All the recommendations below are from France but do consider regional wines from Spain and Portugal which offer both flavour and value. The Alentejo and Lisboa regions in particular offer fruity reds and crisp fresh whites  watch for the Portuga brand which is in many small independent off-licences at between 8.99 and 9.99. Whites from Arinto, Antao Vaz and Roupeira and reds from Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet.

From Spain meanwhile look to Castilla Y Leon for fruity Garnacha, Carinena and Tempranillo, to Alicante and Valencia for densely fruited Monastrell (Mourvedre) and to Catalonian regions such as Tarragona, Monsant, and to Aragons Carinena and Calatayud. Other value regions I recommend include Romania (e.g. Recas wines), Southern Italy (Primitivo, Nero dAvola, Fiano, Cattarato).

Fizz of course is a must for any party and Ive recommended Aldis Champagne below which I use to make cocktails. One famous cocktail that I think is due for a revival is the Black Velvet  1 part Stout to two parts Champagne served in a flute. I like to use Dungarvans Black Rock Stout or West Kerry Brewerys Carraig Dubh but if you are using Guinness make sure you get the bottle-conditioned Guinness pint and not the nitro cans.

BEST VALUE UNDER 15

Baron de Baussac Carignan, Gascogne, France - 8.50

Stockist: Dunnes Stores

Carignan is definitely having a moment with excellent old vine versions available now from Chile, Spain and the Languedoc. This is however from South West France and is packed with bright red fruit aromas, berry fruits on the front palate with textured darker fruits coming through later. Remarkably juicy and drinkable for the price. A party wine if ever I saw one.

Levalet Marsanne Viognier, Languedoc, France - 9.50

Stockist: Dunnes Stores

This and its sister wine Levalet Malbec both won best wine under 10 at the supermarket focused Quality Drinks awards a few weeks ago. This is the better of the two I think, honeyed peach and melon aromas, soft white fruits with good texture and citrus freshness on the finish  a good mix of ripe fruits and decent concentration for the price.

Domaine Duffour Cotes de Gascogne, France - 9.95

Stockist: OBriens Wines nationwide www.wine.ie

Ive always had a gra for the crisp fresh whites of Gascony, wines that were once quite simple and mainly distilled into Armagnac but now have a firm fan following in their own right. A blend of Colombard, Gros Manseng and Ugni Blanc this has lots of floral fruity aromas  lilies and limes and a hint of peach but with sprightly acidity and freshness.

BEST VALUE OVER 15

Chateau de Fleurie, Beaujolais, France - 15.95

Stockist: OBriens off-licences nationwide

Fleurie is easily the best known Beaujolais Cru and at this stage a brand in its own right so do need to be careful in which one you choose. This is fairly benchmark with exuberant fruits, textured and concentrated on the palate but somehow also with Fleuries classic floral notes and beguiling lightness of touch. Normally around 20.

Chateau de Pennautier, Cabardes, France  16.99

Stockists: JJ ODriscolls Ballinlough, 1601 Kinsale, World Wide Wines Waterford

This has Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot at 25-30% and smaller quantities of Cab Franc, Grenache and Cot (Malbec). Rich black fruit aromas with blackberries, blackcurrants and spice plus a hint of smoke  perfect for grilled lamb if you can brave the barbecue.

Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut, France - 19.99

Stockist: Aldi

I tasted this again recently and at under 20 it is difficult to beat. On its own It has classic light biscuity citrus flavours and some length, but is cheap enough for you to use it guilt-free in Champagne cocktails  add a dash of Creme de Cassis, Grand Marnier or Creme de Peche or try a Hemmingway (Death in the Afternoon)  1 part absinthe to 4 parts champagne.

Contact Leslie Williams at wine@examiner.ie
By Aileen Lee

Interview with Amada Hilton: Co-founder of Irish Girl in Brooklyn.

Whats your background?

Im from Limerick but I left Ireland in the 1980s for New York. I did the jobs you do in your 20s: Assistant jobs, receptionist jobs, things like that. Then I met my husband and with his support, I started working in real estate in TriBeCa and SoHo. I worked in real estate for over 20 years. I started to think about moving out of New York, and it wasnt necessarily to move back to Ireland, but it became Limerick in the end, because I wanted to be near my mother and family again. We made the move back a year ago. When I was in New York, my clients loved my taste and when I came back to Ireland, I felt it was an opportunity to bring back something that was maybe a little bit of a different take on things. I wanted to bring something new to the market. We got our website up and running in August and opened our studio and showroom in September.

Bootsie with a mid-century style chair and handcut silk cushion.

Whats a typical workday like for you?

We are a lifestyle business  we do everything from flowers to furniture to all these things that give a certain look to a room  so a lot of what were doing on a day-to-day basis is about how we get that message to an Irish customer, who hasnt really been exposed to that concept before. A lot of our work is planning how to showcase the business because a lot of our products are just that little bit different.

Tell us about a recent/favourite project or design you have worked on?

I did my friends apartment in Brooklyn. It was a very bohemian apartment from the 1920s, with lots of big rooms but it had been dilapidated for a long time. Our style was not to update it to perfection but to leave it looking old. We stripped back all the popcorn finish they had put on the walls, to reveal the plaster itself and we left it like that and its fabulous. It feels like this old 1920s movie with the old subway tiles halfway up the wall and dilapidated plaster. Its very cool.

Silk velvet cushions.

Whats your design style?

My style would be minimal but not modern. I like anything in my home to feel like it has a soul or it has roots. I find it hard to buy new things.

What/who inspires your work?

What really makes me happy is that we could maybe have an impact on how people shop and show people a different way of doing certain things when it comes to their homes.

Whats your favourite trend at the moment (if any)?

I think we are going to start seeing people going back to brown furniture, that is the dark woods. We think of brown furniture as something old and dead and gone but its not. Ive seen it coming in in the States and they are often ahead of us there, because they experience trends faster than we do.

Mid-century carved stone topped wooden sideboard with moulded doors, with mid-century metal floral light, available from Irish Girl in Brooklyn.

Whats your most treasured possession?

My mother is my most treasured possession  she consciously gave us something as her children and that was that you can do anything you want in this world. She gave me the courage to go to New York and do the things I did.

Who is your favourite designer or style inspiration?

Axel Vervoordt in Belgium  he is phenomenal.

What would be a dream project for you to work on?

A hotel interiors project. I would also love to write a book on interiors, and, at some point, have a product line of Irish Girl products, in collaboration with others.

A gift box containing vintage corkscrews.

Any design tips for us?

I asked an interior designer to do the floor plan for my apartment in New York and it was the best money I ever spent. She came up with suggestions for furniture that I wasnt interested in, but she told me the exact size sofa I should buy, she told me the exact size coffee table I should buy, and I followed her floor plan and the proportions were correct.

The dining room space in Amandas Brooklyn apartment. The table is by Jasper Morrison for Capellini and the light fixture is by David Weeks. Painted french bistro chairs.

- irishgirlinbrooklyn.com

- facebook.com/

- irishgirlinbrooklyn

- Instagram: @irishgirlbrooklyn
[rating]4[/rating]

Florence Welch is counting down to her tenth anniversary as a pop star. A great deal has changed in the interim (she is no longer routinely compared to a Pre-Raphaelite painting, for one thing). What has endured is Florences fluorescent charisma. It blazed brightly at 3Arena as the 32-year-old Londoner bounced on the spot, shook shoulder-length hair and gesticulated wildly.

This was a powerful call to arms from an artist whose personality was big enough to fill the 13,000 capacity venue. Welch has done well moving past the baroque indie of her 2009 debut Lungs and, on recent fourth album, High As Hope, reflected wistfully but with some bemusement, on her tearaway youth.

Both modes  indie hippy and pirouetting stateswoman  were a good fit. She chanted her way through a dark and stormy Only If For A Night and couldnt stop smiling during the cheeky, sentimental South London Forever a paean to her days as a teenage party animal.

Less successful was her hug-a-stranger patter, which felt as if had been cribbed from a self-help audiobook. Fans were requested/ordered to put their phones away the better to have an experience. And cringe factor 10 was achieved as the audience was asked to reach out to the individual sitting alongside and to then announce that they loved them.

On the UK leg of the tour punters were no doubt squirming in the aisles. On a rainy night in Dublin, however, it was a call back to the hand-shaking bit from mass  so that Florences attempt to convey an uplifting message was trumped by the muscle memory of mumbling pleasant nothings to the person adjacent.

The art-deco backdrop underwhelmed too. It had seemingly been carved from wonky balsa wood, with enormous sheets fluttering from the roof, like washing left on the line too long.

Disappointing aesthetics were compensated for by a gale-force performance. Welch spun and wailed through the epic Ship To Wreck, and was a picture of operatic virtuosity on melodramatic early hits Dog Days and Cosmic Love. Whatever about embracing a stranger, by the end you wanted to reach out and give Florence the mother of high-fives.
By Tommy Barker

THERES a blunt honesty in the naming of one of the most exclusive addresses in East Corks Carrigtwohill: its called the Bog Road.

And, yes, while it doesnt sound exactly posh, locals and the cognoscenti further afield know it as being home to some of the areas best homes (none of which are sinking into a bog, by the way.)

Its within a few minutes walk of Main Street, Carrigtwohill, via Station Road, and closer too is that key piece of the regions infrastructure, the commuter rail station linking to Midleton in one direction, and to Cork city to the west: the stations set at the start of the leafy Ashbrook/Bog Road, and the rail line runs just to the north, parallel to the Bog Road.

Its pretty much all detached homes, on big, landscaped sites at the various Ashbrook, Ashdale, and Ashgrove. Last week it was all autumnal last-leaf splendour, with beech trees, rather than ash, more in evidence in the last short leg of access road to Ashgrove Lodge (below).

Here, locals Geaney Property Developments are just finishing the second of two similar L-shaped, contemporary designed houses, out of sight of the Bog Road, ups a private avenue.

Crisply finished, in white-painted render with slate roofs and floor-to-ceiling glazing, theyre on large sites too, of c half an acre, and ones just gone sale agreed with Midleton-based agent James Colbert (whos shortly set to open a second Colbert & Co office in much-expanded Carrigtwohill), No 2 Ashgrove Lodge, to a relocating buyer, from overseas.

Mr Colbert prices the remaining No 2, on the larger of the two very private sites, at 625,000. It too stretches to 3,000 sq ft, with an enormous, main open-plan living/kitchen/dining room, over 35 by 15, and bright as they come thanks to a triple aspect and those deep, feature windows and opes.

Whats notable, in fact, is the relatively small number of rooms, but theyre large, so this Edge Architecture-designed duo come with the aforementioned open-plan space, plus another triple-aspect Great Room, over in the far wing.

The central core/entry point is a lofty, double-height entry hall and landing, with feature glass partition overhead, theres a right heft to the concrete stairs and the first floor is home to a main bathroom (with attic access from here via a Stira,) and four double bedrooms, two of which are en-suite. The master has a walk-in dressing room/robe.

Downstairs are a cloakroom/plant room for all the tech such as underfloor-delivered, air-to-water sourced heat, all under concrete floors at both ground- and first-floor levels (mech/elec are from Driver Renewables, and electrician George Morris). Windows and doors are all triple-glazed.

Theres also a ground-floor bathroom, a utility, and a back hall/boot room, making for about six indoor/outdoor access points in all, including two via slender double doors to a private courtyard off the kitchen/diner.

That courtyard space has walls finished in quality limestone, and the surface is all-weather Astroturf, in contrast to the lawns elsewhere on this dead-level site.

Separately, theres a large, airy double garage, and the houses face south, with glimpses only of older homes on the Bog Road in front, as this double site is off-road, up a private avenue lined with decades-old trees, and back by the rail line.

Estate agent James Colbert describes these builds as functional yet utterly contemporary, built to the highest standard of finish. At 625k, for the remaining one with a painted, builders finish, would-be buyers will have to factor in the extra costs of flooring, kitchens, appliances, built-ins, and bathrooms/sanitary ware/tiling: the agent says this means the light filled space offers a blank canvas to a purchaser wanting to create a truly individual home.

A Price Register search on Bog Road brings up one listing in Nad in north Cork, under the Boggeragh Mountains, while nothing comes up under Ashgrove, Carrigtwohill.

A few Carrigtwohill sales turn up in the 400k+ league, at Ashdale in 2016 and 2014. And, a mile or away at Fahydorgan, a five-bed detached home on acres of land with stables made 675,000 last year.

VERDICT: Top quality, big, bright, new A2-BER builds that should run for half nothing.

Carrigtwohill, Cork

625,000

Size: 284 sq m (3,000 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 4

BER: A2
There is a profound misconception of the role of the people and their surrogate the media in the making of foreign policy.

Lal Krishna Advanis humiliating dismissal by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from the presidentship of its political wing the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2005 obscured an important aspect of his visit to Pakistan the same year. He was sacked for the measured praise which he wrote in the visitors book in Mohammad Ali Jinnahs mausoleum at Karachi on June 4, 2005.

What he said in Lahore on June 2 is of great and painful relevance today. I can say that, in the case of the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan, both the governments have responded to the call of the people. Indeed, when I met your President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf... he described the phenomenon in a rather dramatic manner. The people have taken over the peace process. He meant that it is no longer the governments, or political parties, that are driving the peace process, but primarily the people of both India and Pakistan.

Advani added, In respect of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, any eventual solution has to be acceptable to both India and Pakistan, as to all sections of the diverse communities in (J&K). He said: fiza zaroor badli hai (the atmosphere has definitely changed).

A decade later, the Narendra Modi government ended the dialogue process.

There is a profound misconception of the role of the people and their surrogate the media in the making of foreign policy. No government should ignore it or be enslaved by it if the popular clamour is misinformed. But no government has the right to crush or stifle expression of the peoples voice either.

The early months of Independence brought India and Pakistan to the verge of war. Yet, visas were not required for travel. On July 14, 1948, India announced imposition of a permit system, confined to the western frontier. The minutes of a conference held in Lahore in July 1948 record: India explained their reasons for introducing a system of permits but were prepared to consider its withdrawal if the two dominions could evolve some system of regulating two-way, as opposed to one-way, traffic.

The minutes add: Pakistan was not satisfied that there was a case for introducing a permit system nor for any form of traffic regulation in either direction, and stated that in deference to public opinion they would be obliged to introduce a similar permit system in West Pakistan.

Pakistans Cabinet decided to adopt the permit system too. The temporary became permanent.

Sure, both countries can profit hugely by interaction between their writers, intellectuals and scientists. We have so much in common. Reading Ishrat Husains brilliant work Governing the Ungovernable, I was struck by the relevance of his analyses and advice.

It is a shame that one of South Asias most distinguished writers Kamila Shamsie could spend very little time in India. Visa is a major issue, and then all the police reporting and everything take a lot of time. In my life, I have spent may be not more than three weeks in India.

Police reporting for Kamila Shamsie? Who has lost by it but Indias literary community.

Remember the easing of curbs after the Musharraf-Vajpayee summit in 2004? There was a flood of visitors from both countries with each side returning with stories of warm hospitality in the other country.

The people yearn for peace and deeply desire free movement across the international borders as well as the Line of Control. The time is come to tackle the problem at its roots  the visa power. Every state has a right to deny entry to aliens. But this ancient right has frayed at the edges and must be qualified.

Absent any consideration of security, surely no state is entitled to deny visas to writers, scholars, artists, scientists and the like if their presence is desired by the states own citizens  in exercise of their right to know.

In 2009, the US court of appeals for the second circuit found that the First Amendment rights of Americans are at stake when foreign scholars, artists, politicians and others are excluded. It relied on a 1972 Supreme Court ruling in the Mandel case that citizens have the right to hear, speak and debate with visa applicant. It was a split decision.

The majority upheld the governments case but rejected their arguments that since Ernest Mandels writings were available, he need not come. This argument overlooks what may be particular qualities inherent in sustained face-to-face debate, discussions and questioning. The 1972 ruling, at the height of the Cold War, is unlikely to stand in 2018. The minoritys view that refusal of visa to Mandel was open to challenge will now be upheld  as, indeed, it should be.

Fundamentally, both governments seek to insulate their peoples from external inputs lest the clamour for peace renders their policies ineffective. On this, the honours between India and Pakistan are evenly divided.

By arrangement with Dawn
Thanks to genetically engineered pigs, the shortage of organs for transplantation could soon be a thing of the past, writes Tom Clynes

ANCHORING a row of family photos in Joseph Tectors office is a framed, autographed one of Baby Fae, the California newborn who made headlines in 1984, when she received a baboons heart to replace her own, which was malfunctioning.

The photos inscribed To Joe, by Leonard L Bailey, her surgeon.

Bailey snapped the picture about five days after the operation, while Stephanie Fae Beauclair was sleeping. A strip of surgical tape runs down the centre of her chest, from neck to diaper, marking the incision line where her rib cage was pulled apart. Baby Fae would die less than three weeks later.

Its an unsettling image to see while glancing over snapshots of someones dutifully smiling children. But to Tector, who was 19 at the time of Baby Faes surgery, the cross-species organ transplant was inspiring.

I remember where I was when the news broke, he says.

At that moment, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life.

What he wanted to do with his life, though he may not have articulated it precisely, was to become a surgeon-scientist trying to crack the problem of xenotransplantation  the placing of animal organs into human bodies.

Should you ever find yourself in need of a replacement for a vital organ (at any one time, 500 Irish people are waiting for a kidney donation, 50 for a heart and lung transplant, 30-40 people for a liver transplant, and 15 for a pancreas transplant), your ability to receive one will depend on factors that have nothing to do with how badly you need that heart or lung or pancreas.

Your age and blood type will figure, as will your ability to afford the immunosuppressant drugs and lifelong care needed to keep the organ functioning. If your lucky day ever comes, it will only be because someone else has had an extremely unlucky day: A healthy and immune-compatible donor will have died in a way that leaves a healthy target organ unscathed.

But there is a chance that your lucky day will never come. Indeed, forces that improve health threaten to make the shortage of transplant organs more acute: Safer vehicles cut into supply; longer life spans exacerbate demand.

Even as the number of adults registered as donors grows, demand still outpaces supply and likely always will.

While Tector worked his way through medical school, his hero, Bailey, continued his pioneering research in cross-species organ transplants, conducting dozens of transplants in and among baboons, sheep, and goats.

Large primates, such as apes and chimpanzees, however closely matched they may be to us genetically, turned out to be a poor option for a sustainable organ-donation solution; they breed slowly and are endangered.

But there is one abundant and quick-breeding species that has an uncomfortable resemblance to humans: Sus scrofa domesticus, the common pig.

Pigs gestate in less than four months, reach sexual maturity in five or six months, and produce large litters. A 150lb (70kg) pig is uncannily human-like in organ size and function. Alas, in terms of our immune systems, pigs and humans are very different. A surgeon cant just sew a pig organ into a human and expect it to work, because of molecular incompatibilities that have developed since our ancestry diverged about 90m years ago.

Scientists have spent the decades since Baby Faes baboon-heart transplant working to comprehend the mechanisms that guide the human immune system in distinguishing friend from foe, and to persuade it to regard the pig as friend.

Tector did turn himself into one of those scientists: He is the director of the University of Alabama at Birminghams xenotransplant programme.

And today, 34 years after Baby Faes death, he and others on the xenotransplantation frontier believe they are on the cusp of delivering on Baileys promise of creating a future in which designer swine, raised in pathogen-free, indoor farms, will serve as spare-parts factories for our ailing, aging bodies.

The joke about xenotransplantation is that its always just around the corner, and it always will be, says Parsia Vagefi, the chief of surgical transplantation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in Dallas.

But recent progress has been so remarkable that, for first time, it feels like were on the verge of a definitive solution to the organ crisis.

One consequence of xenotransplantation being always just around the corner is that pigs have been quietly insinuating their way into our bodies for some time now. Their pancreas glands have been used to make some types of insulin, and their intestinal tissue has been used to make heparin, a blood thinner.

Cardiac surgeons reach for pig heart valves to replace leaky and hardened human plumbing, and eye surgeons have affixed pig corneas to damaged human eyes. But a major organ  something that beats or filters or secretes just as well as it did for its donor  presents far greater challenges.

Unless the recipients immune system is deceived or suppressed, the incoming organ is destined for a fleeting second act.

Since the 1980s, the immunologist David Sachs, then with Harvard University and now with Columbia University Medical Center, has been exploring ways to overcome the immune-system incompatibility at the heart of the xenotransplantation challenge.

At some point deep in our evolutionary past, humans and other Old World primates switched off genes that produce the alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase (alpha-gal) enzyme, which is still functional in most other species that have immune systems.

Because the alpha-gal antigen is common in the environment, we produce antibodies against alpha-gal when we encounter it in our guts as babies.

Five cloned piglets  named Noel, Angel, Star, Joy and Mary  the first of their kind in the world, in 2002. Picture: PPL Therapeutics via BWP Media/Getty Images

These anti-gal antibodies are a big part of the reason we reject ordinary pig tissue after transplantation. Sachs figured that if he could eliminate alpha-gal from the pig genome, problem solved.

The 1996 birth of Dolly the sheep gave Sachs an opening. Using a similar cloning method, he was able to slip a mutation that eliminated this enzyme into a line of specially inbred miniature swine.

The new gal knockout (GalT-KO) pigs boosted the survival of pig organs in primates from minutes to weeks, a huge breakthrough. But weeks is not life; the alpha-gal problem solved turned out not to fully solve the immune-rejection problem.

At around this time, the Swiss biotechnology giant Novartis, the maker of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine, began pouring funding into promising xenotransplantation research at university and private labs.

We were in the transplant wards, so we understood how devastating it is to have patients withering away, waiting for an organ that never became available, says Geoff MacKay, who was on the executive team responsible for Novartiss transplant immunology programmes at the time. According to MacKay, Novartis put north of $1bn into xenotransplantation research.

But in 1998, a research team at Massachusetts General Hospital detected porcine endogenous retroviruses (known by the memorable acronym, PERVs) scattered throughout the pig genome.

IN the age of mad cow disease and on the heels of the Aids epidemic, there was, Sachs says, a lot of anxiety about the possibility that we might be introducing a new pandemic, another Aids virus or something. Funding dried up.

In 2013, a 27-year-old Harvard graduate student named Luhan Yang co-authored a study that demonstrated how the genome-editing tool, known as Crispr-Cas9, could slice through mammalian genes and edit sequences to remove some characteristics and alter others.

Yang had been a science superstar in her native China; as a high school senior, she brought home a gold medal from the International Biology Olympiad.

In my home country, she says, millions of people need organ transplants, and most of them will die before they can get one. According to Buddhism, its good to die with a full body, so theres very little donation culture.

This, Yang decided, would be the challenge to which she would turn Crisprs newly demonstrated power.

Yang assembled a team and co-founded the biotech company eGenesis, with the renowned bioengineer George Church, her mentor at Harvard; they quickly raised $38m in seed capital.

But it soon became evident that it would take more than a handful of gene edits to knock the endogenous viruses out of the pig genome.

The initial data was very discouraging, Yang says.

The cells either died or only had very low targeting efficiency.

In 2015, Yangs team finally snipped out all 62 copies of the PERV gene in pig-kidney cells growing in lab dishes  the record for the most single-cell modifications.

It worked in a petri dish, but it was unclear whether a viable pig could be produced after such extensive editing. Working with collaborators in Denmark and China, Yangs team developed a technique to edit genetically normal cells from a living pig, then embed the DNA-containing nuclei of these modified cells into egg cells taken from the ovaries of a normal pig.

A few months later, the team witnessed the birth of the first pig born without the endogenous viruses. They named it Laika, after the first dog in space.

With the PERV gene knocked out of their pigs, Yang and her team are experimenting with knocking in dozens of human genes to make the organs more human-like: Some would buffer the pig tissue from assault by the human immune system; others would tweak its coagulation system to diminish the risk of clotting.

The ability to manipulate so many genes in one interaction has opened up myriad possibilities for researchers and quickened the pace of innovation. But Crispr gene editing can be imprecise: It can sometimes clip DNA in the wrong spot, potentially wiping out tumour-suppression genes in pig donors or, worse, human recipients.

Tectors strategy is to use as few gene edits as he can  he has settled on a triple-knockout pig  to minimise, but not eliminate, the rejection risk, then employ available immunosuppressive drugs to bridge the smaller compatibility gaps.

Joseph Tector, a surgeon-scientist who specialises in transplanting animal organs into humans.

There are so many unknowns about genetic engineering that regulators are going to want to go into this in a stepwise fashion, he says. The simpler we can make it, the better. Catalysed by Crispr, what had looked like a moonshot half a decade ago is starting to look more like a methodical gold rush.

Pharmaceutical upstart United Therapeutics, founded by the satellite-radio entrepreneur, Martine Rothblatt, has helped rejuvenate the field, sinking millions into promising programmes. Rothblatt has said she anticipates delivering hundreds of organs a day.

Pigs from a subsidiary of the company, Revivicor, were used by a team in Maryland to keep a pig heart beating in a baboon for 945 days.

After years of setbacks, the past two years have seen a cascade of record-breaking xenotransplants using primate models, and researchers are working with regulators to prepare for clinical trials with humans.

The first pig-to-human skin graft using live cells is set to take place this month in Boston. At the same time, Tector is readying a clinical trial in which he will install his triple-knockout pigs kidneys in dialysis patients who are unlikely to be considered for human-donor organs.

If that experiment fails, the recipients can return to dialysis. If it succeeds, it will, like most approaches on the horizon, be in no small part from the influence of a heavy regimen of immunosuppressant drugs whose substantial side-effects are tolerated by transplant patients as part of the trade-off required to stay alive.

Immunosuppressant drugs have advanced tremendously over the past few years, but many eminent xenotransplantation scientists regard the brute-force immunotherapy approach as stopgap, until researchers perfect a more elegant approach, called tolerance induction  essentially, a re-education campaign for the immune system that convinces it to perceive the incoming organ as self.

The farm looks, at first glance, like any other on a hilltop in central Massachusetts. Only when you get out of the car do you notice the peculiarities: the cinder-block barns bricked-in windows, the security fencing, the monster-breath sound of industrial fans pulling air through super-fine HEPA filters.

This is a designated, pathogen-free pig facility, and its where David Sachs, the Columbia University immunologist who created the GalT-KO pig back in the late 1990s, maintains a herd of about 100 pigs specially inbred to be optimised for tolerance-induction research.

The buildings are biosealed and pressurised to protect their porcine inhabitants from environmental pathogens such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Inside are animal pens, a meticulous laboratory, and an operating room.

To keep the animals pathogen-free, selected pigs are born inside the facility via caesarean section and then maintained as a closed herd. Subsequent generations will be bred from the progenitor animals inside the facility, a little more than an hours drive from Massachusetts General Hospitals Transplant Center.

Sachs sought out his original pigs from herds whose ancestors had escaped from European settlers in the southern Rocky Mountains and the Andes. Domestic swine can grow to 1,000lb (450kg), but centuries in the harsher climate had selected out the smaller pigs, who proved better able to survive the mountain winters.

Their miniaturised bodies, and the organs inside, are about the same size as a humans. After more than 20 generations in captivity, each newborn pig here will be genetically very similar to the others in its generation.

These pigs, Sachs says, are very likely the most inbred large animals on Earth.

THAT genetic uniformity, as well as the absence of pathogens, makes his pigs ideal for an impending study in which researchers will try to induce tolerance by adding part of the recipients immune system to that of the donor, via bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants, before the transplant operation.

The mixed chimera experiment is modelled on a human-to-human experiment, in which seven out of 10 patients were able to be taken off immunosuppressants permanently.

Weve shown that its possible between humans, Sachs says. Theres a high likelihood of it being good for xenotransplants, too.

When I visited the facility, the newest member of Sachss herd had been born just eight days earlier. As I watched this perky, roly-poly creature nose a ball around its small enclosure, I was suddenly struck by the recognition of what I was looking at: a Sus scrofa domesticus that might someday become, in a strange and partial way, a Homo sapiens.

The organs inside this little pig  or perhaps, more realistically, those of its progeny  could someday find their way inside me or you, or one of our descendants. If so, we will be much the better off for it, even if we cannot say the same for the pig.
The overwhelming majority of the incarcerated come from disadvantaged areas of the State, writes Michael Clifford

DAYS before his unexpected death, Michael Reilly gave an interview about his work. Reilly, a district judge, served as Inspector of Prisons from 2007 until he died in November 2016.

He was an independent figure. He called it as he saw it, irrespective of how embarrassing or uncomfortable that might have been for elements within the prison service, the service itself, or the government.

In the interview he gave to the website thedetail.tv, he laid out a few truths that often go unacknowledged in wider society:

Prisoners only forfeit their right to freedom. They dont forfeit all of the rest of the rights that you and I have as members of society. These rights are human rights, which have been guaranteed by the international community.

Most people couldnt give a fig about prisoners or what goes on in prisons. Its a common view that anybody incarcerated deserves whats coming to them. If anything, there is a trend to call for more and longer prison sentences. Much of this is as a result of some politicians and elements of the media hyping crime and fear for their own ends.

Another general view is that prison is full of violent criminals, who lack any moral anchor or capacity for human empathy. Lock em up and as far as what goes on in there is concerned, let em at it.

But the overwhelming majority of the incarcerated come from disadvantaged areas of the State. According to the Irish Penal Reform Trust, the majority of prisoners never sat a State exam and more than half left school by the age of 15.

Four in 10 children (under 16) in the juvenile system have a learning disability. And in the adult population, 428 prisoners, as of October 2017, are locked up at least 19 hours a day. Most of these prisoners are under this regime for their own safety.

There is also a cohort that is violent, dangerous and against whom society must be protected. This cohort presents particular and extremely serious problems for those charged with guarding them.

Perhaps these circumstances ensure that prisons are regarded as beyond the reach of what is considered normal society, a world apart that moves to its own rhythms and mores.

As a result, there is precious little scrutiny of what actually does go on in prisons. This applies not just to prisoners, but to prison guards, whose job is often dangerous and stressful.

We now know that where there is no scrutiny, standards slip, focus is blurred, and the first instinct when something goes wrong is to circle wagons.

Picture: Charles ORear/CORBIS

We now know, from all that has emerged from An Garda Siochana, that the Department of Justice, which nominally oversees the prison service, tends to view its role as keeping a lid on things. For instance, does anybody, at this stage, believe that the Department was rigorous in its oversight of the gardai? Is there any reason to believe a different approach has ever been adopted towards the prisons?

Michael Reilly attempted to step into one corner of the vacuum that exists in oversight of the prisons.

His brief was largely concerned with the welfare of prisoners. He had a particular interest in how deaths in custody occurred and how they were investigated.

Within a week or 10 days of each death, I contact the next of kin and ask can I come to meet them in their home, or some convenient place, and to ask them have they any concerns, he told thedetail.tv.

His reports frequently made criticisms of how deaths were investigated. Both he and his successor, Helen Casey, referenced occasions when reports they were provided with ended up being contradicted by CCTV. Reilly also referenced the poor quality, and misleading nature, of statements he was provided with.

Most deaths in prisons occur through suicide or drug overdoses. Both of those types of death present the possibility of embarrassment for prison authorities, in that they may have been preventable.

The focus, thereafter, appears often to be to ensure that nothing controversial emerges, nothing that might give rise to questions of how the facility was run, nor of how well or otherwise staff did their job. That is, nothing that might interfere with the age-old reaction in matters like this: There is nothing to see here folks, now please move along.

The claims of a prison officer, published in this newspaper over the last three days, give a flavour of life inside the prisons. He has alleged that the law has been flouted, and the rights of some staff and prisoners infringed, through covert surveillance. He has alleged that a private detective agency was retained to install surveillance devices. This agency, according to the claims, kept surveillance material at its own base. That, of itself, could have implications for the security of prison officers, who are frequently under threat from criminals.

This whistleblower has also alleged that deaths in prison are treated in a shabby, unprofessional manner that has scant regard for the deceased, their families, or any concept of justice. In that alone, his claims chime with some of those expressed by Michael Reilly down through the years.

Separately, this columnist has been given an insight into prison life through various investigations in the last two years.

A picture emerges of frequent bullying at different levels within the service, back-office politics, an overriding concern to avoid all scandals, and a disregard for basic standards.

Many, if not most, in the service do their best. But there is no escaping from the culture in which a standard hierarchy of priorities is turned on its head. In many ways, it mirrors the negative aspects of the culture in An Garda Siochana that has emerged in recent scandals.

The big difference is that, these days, the police force is scrutinised with some rigour. The same cannot be said of the prison service.

In the grand tradition in this country of constrained oversight, the office of the Inspector of Prisons has a narrow remit. One thing it is not is an inspector of prisons in the true meaning of that term. The office can investigate incidents and deaths, make recommendations, comment on standards, but it lacks real teeth.

As long as the service moves to its own rhythm, unencumbered by proper oversight, it is difficult to see how the culture that pertains will ever really change. Thats not a good result for prisoners, prison staff, or a society that purports to fully respect all human rights.
The tragedy is that successive governments in Pakistan have been in complete denial about 26/11.

November 26, 2018 would be the 10th anniversary of the terror attack in Mumbai that left over 166 people dead and 293 injured. The sheer perversity of the attack that targeted multiple locations, including the railway station, five star hotels, a trendy cafe and a Jewish synagogue, was simply staggering. What still is not clear is the intent of the Pakistani deep state the ISI-military combine in orchestrating and executing that outrage despite their repeated denials.

The reason why I say this is because if there were ever a stable five years in the India-Pakistan relationship it was from November 26, 2003 when the ceasefire between the two countries came into effect. This period ended on November 26, 2008 with the Mumbai attack.

The November 2003 ceasefire set the stage for former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayees visit to Islamabad in 2004. After Vajpayee lost power his successor Manmohan Singh picked up the threads of the engagement. He instituted a series of confidence-building measures, including putting in place a back channel with the Pakistani leadership that yielded the Manmohan-Musharraf formula that essentially was predicated upon making borders irrelevant in Kashmir. It is another matter that the formula never came to fruition because President Pervez Musharraf lost legitimacy because of the lawyers strike by January 2007. Is it a coincidence that the Mumbai attack took place within three months of Gen. Musharraf quitting office and three days after he left for exile in London on November 23, 2008? Of course by the time Mr Musharraf left Pakistan for the UK the 10 terrorists were well on their way to India by sea.

The 26/11 attacks are seared into the collective psyche of an entire generation of Indians. It has altered the dynamics of India-Pakistan relationship forever. In Track One and a Half and Track Two dialogues Pakistanis are unable to countenance why cant India move on? They argue that there have been other terror attacks in India in the past that have been equally horrendous that India blames on Pakistan  and according to me very rightly so. The Pakistanis point to the Mumbai train bombings of 2006 in which 209 people died and 714 odd were injured to belabour the point as to what makes 26/11 so different for the Indians.

What makes it different is the fact that for three full days and nights 900 million people in India  that is the reach of cable and satellite television and millions of others around the world  saw the horror play itself out as 10 Satans went about their macabre dance of death killing people in a cool, clinical, deliberate and detached manner till they were neutralised one by one. That is what distinguishes 26/11 from all the previous depredations.

The current foreign minister of Pakistan was then too foreign minister of Pakistan and he was visiting India. It was obvious that there are a lot of things that the civilian dispensation in Pakistan is unaware of otherwise he would have been daft to show up when this most pernicious outrage was playing itself out. However, he too remains etched in the collective Indian psyche as the face of this perfidy.

The tragedy is that successive governments in Pakistan have been in complete denial about 26/11. Rather than moving on the trial of the handlers of 26/11 the Pakistani establishment has given them a free run of the country. Ten years later it perhaps remains the single biggest impediment in any improvement in Indias relationship with its western neighbour.

That brings me to the second question why is the deep state in Pakistan unwilling to give up on its terror proxies despite the fact that influential Pakistani diplomats, politicians and even retired military officers would tell you privately that terrorism and radicalisation has wrecked their country. The latest manifestation of that is the renewed support to Khalistani separatists both in India and abroad. The grenade attack in Amritsar on a Nirankari congregation is but the latest manifestation of this reactivation of the Khalistan brief by the ISI. Earlier the renewed international activity around the Sikh Referendum 2020 also had more than the tacit backing of Pakistani deep state.

The reasons are complex, layered and convoluted. First and foremost, whatever the Pakistani Army may say and do they still have not got over with the humiliation of Bangladesh. Second, there is a deeply held belief within large sections of the Pakistani establishment that they must persevere with the strategy of bleeding India with a thousand cuts. Third, they believe that given the growing gap economically between the two countries and Indias desire to stretch its wings in the quest of a larger role beyond just South Asia, this low cost option can hold India down. Fifth, there may be a growing congruence between Pakistan and some other regional powers to confine India to South Asia.

However, therein lies the rub. Pakistan cannot grow till it gets over its obsession for India. Perhaps that is why Vajpayee sought to allay those apprehensions when he went to the Minar-e-Pakistan way back in 1998  two decades ago  to symbolically send a message that India recognises the existence of Pakistan. However, the message still has not sunk in. The Pakistani paranoia has got only worse rather than getting better.

It is an exercise in futility to give unsolicited and unwarranted advise but the new government in Pakistan led by Prime Minister Imran Khan would perhaps be better off if they forget about India and their Kashmir obsession for a bit and focus upon putting their own house in order.

It is not only India that now flags the role of Pakistan in fermenting terror in South Asia. It is also Afghanistan and most crucially it is none other than President of the United States Donald Trump. Pakistan has swung like a pendulum between the United States and China. If they were just to rest their oars of terror life would become much better for them.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon can seat three astronauts.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be the first two astronauts to test the commercial spaceflight.

NASA is all geared up to send humans for the first time in eight years through SpaceX Crew Dragon. As part of the preparation, the space agency will first shoot out a test flight on January 7.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon can seat three astronauts, but will be unpiloted for its first test flight which will be launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida. It will undergo an in-flight abort test sometime before its first crewed flight in June, Cnet reported.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be the first two astronauts to test the commercial spaceflight.

The flight aims to provide NASA with performance data from the SpaceX spacecraft and also help the agency certify if transportation system is ready for taking astronauts between Earth and the International Space Station.
The development threatens, however, to open up a new front in Downing Streets battle with the critics of Mays deal.

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May has given way to Madrids demands over the future of Gibraltar after the Spanish prime minister threatened to veto the Brexit deal due to be signed off by EU leaders on Sunday.

On the eve of Sundays special Brexit summit, the British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, wrote to concede that Gibraltar would not necessarily be covered by a future trade deal with the EU.

The move appears to have solved the final issue in the Brexit negotiations. The Spanish leader, Pedro Sanchez, had demanded a written assurance as the price for his support for the withdrawal agreement and accompanying political declaration on the future relationship.

Spain does not have a formal veto over the 585-page withdrawal agreement and the 26-page joint declaration by the leaders but the EU would have been unlikely to go ahead with the summit without Madrids support.

The development threatens, however, to open up a new front in Downing Streets battle with the critics of Mays deal.

The PM had promised in the House of Commons and on the steps of Downing Street that she would work for the entire UK family, including the Rock, a disputed territory.

Spain has always insisted that Gibraltar could only be covered by any agreements struck between the EU and the UK with Madrids consent.

A bilateral agreement on tax evasion, police cooperation and tobacco smuggling had persuaded Spain that Gibraltar could be covered by the 21-month transition period after Brexit, during which the UK would stay in the single market and customs union without representation in EU decision-making institutions.

Spain was furious, however, when an article in the withdrawal agreement appeared to suggest that any future trade deal would cover Gibraltar. Downing Street was accused of acting under the cover of darkness in inserting the clause.

The letter from the UK ambassador to the Euro-pean council has, however, laid down Downing Streets understanding that article 184 in the withdrawal agreement does not widen the territorial scope of any future deal so that includes Gibraltar.
SACRAMENTO, CA -- The Diocese of Sacramento in California is offering free tuition to its private catholic schools for students displaced by the Camp Fire.

All education costs associated with the private school will be at no expense through the remainder of the school year.

This includes tuition, which usually costs between five to six-thousand dollars. Displaced students will also receive uniforms, school materials, hot lunches and all other expenses.

Lincoln Snyder the Catholic Schools Superintendent says "We have open seats in some of our schools here across the dices, and we know that over thirty thousand people have been displaced by this fire, including a number of children. When we heard that the Butte County Schools were going to need a little bit more time to reopen and knowing that families have been scattered across the north and the Sacramento area, we just thought it would be good to open those desks to kids to get them back into school."

The offer also applies to 9th through 12th grade students for Mercy High School in Red Bluff. Displaced families interested in this offer should contact the Sacramento Diocese.
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In 1976 I graduated from medical school and proudly joined the medical profession. Thirty-seven years later, I retired as an employee of the biggest business in the country. In 2016 the medical industry was responsible for 3.3 trillion dollars of expenditure, comprising 18 percent of the United States GDP. For perspective, there are only four countries with a GDP more than the amount spent on health care in the United States.

Health care in the U.S. is characterized by the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and the highest-quality physicians in the world. However, the enormous expense of medical care severely limits access to and the scope of care available to millions, thereby, adversely impacting the countrys population health. Despite spending 25 percent more per capita than any other nation, the U.S. ranks 42rd for life expectancy, 46th for maternal mortality, 55th for infant mortality and 10th for diseases of the circulatory system. A 2014 study placed U.S. health care last in overall quality and efficiency among 11 industrialized nations.

While there is no single cause for the expense of health care, it is the metamorphosis from profession to business that emerges as a fundamental contributor. Sound business practices should and generally do improve health care quality and efficiency, however, the primary goal of business is to generate profit. In addition, business culture insidiously migrates the health care mission from being patient-centered to revenue driven. This brings with it enlarging administrative structures, excessive leadership compensation, and growth driven as much by marketing as a by-product.

Competition in industry can promote operational enhancement. In the health care arena, it often results in inefficient duplication of services and failure to optimize utilization of local resources. In my community with a single NCI designated cancer center, another health system has chosen to partner with a cancer center a thousand miles away rather than collaborate locally. Another hospital promotes its affiliation with a medical specialty system in another state rather than work with or rely on experts of equal regard nearby.

The business of medicine fosters the creation of health systems that swallow up individual hospitals and physician practices. The motivation is to create consortia that can compete more effectively for payor contracts and assure a steady flow of complex patients with better compensation to tertiary care facilities within the systems. Relationships between physician groups and health systems facilitate funds flowing from the hospital to physician practices. While this can provide salary support and relieve physicians of onerous operational concerns it also renders the physician to employee status and reduces their input into the care delivery model.

Hospitals and large health systems are managed by an increasing number of generously compensated administrators led by CEOs with salaries averaging about $1 million with some taking home between $4 and $15 million . Additional expense comes from the millions spent on print, billboard and media advertising designed to attract patients with glitz rather than outcomes.

Health systems strategize to attract patients with complex diseases associated with more favorable payment margins. Patients with common maladies are categorized as commodity medicine. Commodity  a term traditionally used to categorize precious metals, soybeans, and corn  is being used to characterize large swathes of the patient population.

The business of medicine encompasses the entire range of products and services. Big pharma invests tens of billions in the development of life-altering drugs and treatments that clearly improve the human condition, however, it spends even more on the promotion of these agents. Slick television ads flood daily television programming luring patients with unrealistic imagery to high-priced agents rather than relying on physician knowledge and judgment. The U.S. is one of only two countries allowing direct to consumer medication advertising.

Private insurers offer products that can protect patients from financial ruin consequent to severe illness but also consumes 12 percent to 19 percent of each premium dollar for administrative cost and profit  compare that to Medicare with an overhead of two percent. Add to the insurers expenses the cost of hospital and physician billing. This process has become increasingly byzantine requiring providers to spend countless hours on documentation and coding and revenue collection experts to decant records to meet payor requirements. This overhead component alone can consume 10 percent of each dollar collected.

CEOs of big pharma and large insurers earn salaries in the tens of millions. One insurance chief executive received just shy of $1 billion dollars in compensation in his last year of employment. One of the nations largest insurers had net profits of about $9 billion in 2017 with a payout of about $3 billion in dividends to its stockholders.

Attempts by at least one major insurer to deny payment for some emergency department visits can be hazardous to patients and reflects a profound lack of understanding of disease presentation and the diagnostic process.

While, on average, physicians and nurses are well compensated, it is often those in administrative roles and furthest from the patients bedside receiving the highest salaries.

Personal injury and product liability attorneys have been mining medicine for decades. The considerable expense associated with patient awards and litigation defense is eclipsed by costly changes in medical practices not developed out of sound care principles but deployed attempting to immunize against lawsuits.

The crushing cost of health care has been an issue for decades and continues unabated. Most efforts to orchestrate change have been dominated by politicians, economists and special interest groups. They tend to vilify a single component of the cost equation or lobby lawmakers for fiscal advantage. These efforts are ineffective and often distract from the pursuit of the more challenging comprehensive solutions.

The entire health care delivery system needs review and adjustment. The effort should be led by those that face the patient and patients themselves. Excising the grand profits and perversions of Big Business while preserving sound operational business practice can generate dramatic savings. This will allow for a comprehensive, high quality, inclusive and sustainable health care system. Perhaps as a by-product, medicine will regain some characteristics of the profession I joined 40 years ago.

David A. Guss is an emergency physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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It was the 24th hour of my call shift, and I was running on fumes. Despite my weariness, I could see the first rays of morning sunlight coming through the window in my patients room. It was then I knew I could make it to hour 30 (quitting time). It was grueling to keep going, but hitting the 30-hour mark only required me to keep my head down and do my job. As the finish line arrived early that afternoon, there was a sense of tired euphoria and accomplishment. Id survived another call. Driving home was a chore, but it didnt matter, because getting home was an afterthought. I didnt have to be back at work for 18 hours, and I didnt have to work 30 straight hours again for four whole days.

That was 2005 and an average call night as a medical resident. Most physicians have war stories from times in training when they were pushed to their physical, mental and emotional limits. Resident physician work hours have changed a little bit since then. But not much.

Resident physician work hours have been a hot topic for as long as I can remember. On one side, you have those that think the requirements of medical training are akin to punishment. Doctors should be treated like pilots! Theyre too tired to work safely! And on the other side, there are those that think any restriction on work hours is ludicrous. Doctors will never learn to competently care for patients! Theyre lazy! There are good points, and a bit of hysteria, on both sides of the argument.

Lets look at resident work hours and learn what happened to finally change things.

Prior to the 1980s, there were no restrictions on resident physician work hours. Doctors in training were in the hospital as long as it took to get the job done. In fact, the term resident was originally coined because physicians in training literally resided at the hospital.

Then, the Libby Zion case shook the medical landscape.

In 1984, a young female named Libby Zion presented to New York Hospital with a fever and jerking movements. What transpired next has been tirelessly debated, but suffice to say she was admitted to the hospital under the care of a senior physician, and two physicians in training. The intern physician charged with monitoring her condition overnight was also busy dealing with 40 other patients. Unfortunately, at 6:30 the next morning, Libbys fever was 107 degrees and, despite resuscitative efforts, she died.

Libbys father, Sidney Zion, was a prominent journalist at the time and investigated the circumstances of his daughters death. What he discovered shocked and infuriated him. He came to find out that a potentially fatal drug interaction was missed by the medical team. In addition, Libby was given sedatives and restrained due to her worsening agitation.

Her father was quoted in the New York Times as saying, You dont need kindergarten to know that a resident working a 36-hour shift is in no condition to make any kind of judgment call  forget about life-and-death. In addition to the intern having to cover an excessively large number of patients, the supervising resident was never awakened, and the supervising staff physician wasnt called when Libby deteriorated.

Not good.

This case, and the strong media campaign that accompanied it, led to the formation of a commission in the state of New York that recommended an 80-hour work week for resident doctors. In 1990, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the governing body overseeing all residency training programs in the United States, set an 80-hour workweek, limited overnight duties to once every three nights, and mandated at least one 24-hour period off every seven days.

Any guesses on the response?

The proposal was ignored! Residency training programs continued to do their own thing and nothing really changed. It was mostly for show. Nine more years pass.

In 1999, another seminal event shook the national healthcare landscape. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report called To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. This shocking report stated that 44,000 people, and as many as 98,000, die in hospitals each year due to preventable medical errors. The public outcry was understandably strong, and the ACGME again targeted resident work hours and staff physician oversight.

However, two years later, in 2001, the U.S. Congress had grown impatient and introduced legislation that would limit resident physician work hours, with enforcement provided by the federal government. In my opinion, it was at this point the ACGME realized they were about to lose their oversight power  so in 2003, an 80-hour resident workweek was enacted for all specialties. In addition, it was required that residents average a day off for every seven days worked, and shifts were capped at 30 hours.

Can you guess what happened this time?

Well, once again, programs were slow to acquiesce, so the ACGME placed the high-profile program of Johns Hopkins on probation. This was eventually lifted, but it helped set the tone that this time the duty hour restrictions were serious and here to stay. No federal legislation was ever passed by Congress.

In 2011, the ACGME further tightened work hours by also restricting interns to 16-hour shifts.

But has limiting resident physician work hours helped? The truth is, no one truly knows.

Doctors in training do report feeling better and more rested. But was that the primary intent of limiting hours? Lots of medical training programs still worry their trainees arent getting enough experience. Similarly, medical trainees often wonder if their education and competence is somehow being short-changed by these work restrictions. And what about patient safety? Well, the jury is still mostly out on this point too.

Your guess is as good as mine, but I suspect we will continue to see further evolution of resident work hours.

Kevin Tolliver is an internal medicine physician who blogs at My Medical Musings.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
One of the key speakers at the event was Pat Doherty, Head of Housing and Development with ALONE. ALONE is an organisation which aims to protect older people by encouraging community engagement. The charity, endorsed by Mrs. Browns Boys star Brendan OCarroll, work with older people who are socially isolated, homeless, living in poverty or crisis and provide them with the necessary supports to age at home.

Doherty highlighted the dire need for the senior forums in Kilkenny, by sharing shocking statistics. According to ALONEs studies, 1 in 10 older people in Ireland suffer from chronic loneliness, which can have the same health implications as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Doherty argued that there was a huge need for more funding in Irelands Loneliness Taskforce, who requested 3 million in state funding this year. The UK even have a Minister just to deal with loneliness he observed.

Meanwhile, a quarter (25%) of over 65s in Ireland who live alone have frailty issues. There has also been a 10% drop in home ownership amongst this age category between 2002 and 2011. These facts, Doherty claimed, prove that organisations like the Age Friendly Alliance have never been needed more in Ireland.

On a more hopeful note, ALONE also unveiled plans for some groundbreaking assistive technology at the event. BConnect technology includes an easy-to-use mobile app which can prompt older people with scheduled reminders of when to take their medications, and allows them to record and keep track of their carer visits. It also keeps toll of how much time the older person has spent outdoors and inside, to avoid them becoming isolated in their homes.

The overall aim of this new technology is to connect organisations and individuals with the knowledge, training and technology they need to support people to live independently at home. BConnect was trialled by ALONEs members across Dublin, where it was received very successfully. Doherty is now hopeful that this technology will assist older people across Kilkenny.
There was a huge turn out at this years conference for the Kilkenny Age Friendly Seniors Forum. Over 180 people attended the annual event in the Ormonde Hotel. This is the third year the conference has gathered to promote objectives that make Kilkenny a prime destination to grow old in.

Chairman of the Seniors Forum, John Coonan, welcomed a wide range of guest speakers throughout the day. These included John Paul Phelan, Collette Byrne, Pat Doherty of ALONE, Danielle Reddy of St Lukes, Michael Delahunty, Marion Acreman, Mayor Peter Cleere, Dominic Hayes and Jennifer Glansford and Billy OKeeffe of Age Action Ireland. There were also a number of information stands set up at the conference to display the products and services Kilkenny businesses can offer to senior citizens.

This years conference tackled the Kilkenny Access for All Strategy for 2018-2021. This saw many promising future initiatives laid out for Kilkenny, including a new age-friendly county bus service. Collette Byrne, Chair of the Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance, announced that physical works for the bus service will begin in early 2019, while the service is expected to be in full operation by the second quarter of 2019.

The conference also heard Kilkenny County Councils plans for an open libraries scheme, which would involve extended opening hours in all Kilkenny libraries, to increase availability to its services for older people.

The many achievements of the Kilkenny Seniors Forum thus far were also highlighted, particularly the huge work that is being done to transform Thomastown into an age-friendly town.

A walkability audit of the town in 2017 and the subsequent report outlined a range of actions - short, medium and long-term - that could be undertaken to make Thomastown more comfortable for its elderly residents.

Kilkenny has been groundbreaking with its policy making for senior citizens, since the countys Older Peoples Forum was first established in 2010. MacDonagh Junction, Kilkennys own age friendly shopping centre, is also the first of its kind in Ireland.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Women's rights advocates said they were shocked when a federal judge in Michigan ruled this week that a law protecting girls from genital mutilation was unconstitutional. They called his decision a serious blow to girls' rights. Legal experts said the judge made clear that U.S. states have authority to ban the practice, though only about half do.

Here is a look at the ruling, which dismissed several charges against a doctor accused of cutting nine girls in three states as part of a religious custom, and what could happen next.

THE RULING, SIMPLIFIED

Dr. Jumana Nagarwala was among eight people charged in federal court in Michigan in connection with the genital mutilation of nine girls from Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois between 2015 and 2017. Authorities alleged that mothers brought their girls to Nagarwala when they were roughly 7 years old for the procedure.

Nagarwala has denied any crime was committed and said she performed a religious custom on girls from her Muslim sect, the India-based Dawoodi Bohra.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman threw out mutilation and conspiracy charges against all the defendants. He ruled that a 1996 federal law that bans female genital mutilation was unconstitutional because Congress didn't have the power to regulate the behavior in the first place.

Heidi Kitrosser, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, explained that Congress doesn't have unlimited authority to legislate and can only make laws that fall within powers explicitly outlined in the Constitution.

In this case, Friedman found that Congress lacked authority to regulate the practice under the Commerce Clause because the procedure is not a commercial activity. He also said Congress' treaty powers don't give it authority, because there was no rational relationship between treaty obligations that call for equal rights and a law banning genital mutilation.

But the judge clearly stated that the power to regulate female genital mutilation lies with state governments, which have primary authority in defining and enforcing criminal law.

"The court really could not have been clearer in suggesting this is something that states can do," Kitrosser said.

HUMAN RIGHTS FEARS

The AHA Foundation works to protect women from genital mutilation, honor violence and forced marriages. The group said the ruling was outrageous and set a precedent that cutting girls' genitals was not a concern at the national level.

While 27 states have laws against female genital mutilation, including Minnesota and Illinois, the 23 states that don't could become destinations for the procedure, said Amanda Parker, the foundation's senior director. Michigan lawmakers banned the procedure after Nagarwala's arrest.

"This is exactly how we got here. The defendants in this case had the victims shipped from Minnesota to Michigan, and the only way of holding them accountable for FGM was the federal statute," Parker said in a statement. She said the court ruling "sends the message that the authorities are not serious about protecting girls, especially those in immigrant communities, from this form of abuse."

Friedman said in his ruling that states without laws specifically banning female genital mutilation can still prosecute the practice under laws that criminalize sexual battery and abuse.

"No state offers refuge to those who harm children," he wrote.

But those abuse laws often don't take the specific issues surrounding female genital mutilation into account, said George Zarubin, AHA's executive director.

"This is such an underground, secretive, barbaric practice," Zarubin said. "I think the judge made a major mistake."

IS THIS COMMON?

Genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or cutting, has been condemned by the United Nations. The World Health Organization says there is no health benefit to the procedure, and it can cause numerous health problems. The practice is common in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East and is generally performed as a way of controlling a girl's sexuality.

It's difficult to gauge how often genital cutting occurs in the U.S . because the practice is largely underground. A 2012 study from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention estimated that more than 513,000 girls in the U.S. had been subjected to or were at risk of undergoing genital cutting.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Federal prosecutors have the option of appealing Friedman's ruling, but it's unclear if they will. The U.S. Attorney's Office has not returned messages from The Associated Press his week seeking comment.

Molly Blythe, an attorney for Nagarwala, said Friedman's decision was warranted under the law and it is "exactly what our justice system is designed to do."

Although the bulk of the case is now dismissed, Nagarwala and three others still face federal obstruction charges, and Nagarwala faces an additional count of conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

Blythe said Nagarwala will continue to fight the remaining charges.

If Friedman's decision stands, the AHA Foundation will work with Congress to try to pass a new federal law to ban the procedure nationwide, said Zarubin. The foundation will also continue work to ban the practice in all 50 states.

"I think a lot of us in the community that are working to try to ban female genital mutilation in this country are beside ourselves" with this decision, he said.
US Military Cancels 300 Million USD Financial Aid to Pakistan. (Photo Credit: ANI)

Bamako (Mali), Nov 24 (AP) France's ministry for the armed forces says its anti-terrorism forces in Mali have killed at least 30 al-Qaida-linked extremists in central Mali.

Florence Parly said in a Twitter statement Friday that a chief jihadi leader, Hamadoun Kouffa, may be among the dead in the operation overnight Thursday into Friday.

Kouffa is the head of Katibat Macina, a predominantly Fulani jihadi group that is a member of al-Qaida-linked militants, known by the acronym JNIM.

The ministry of armed forces says the attack combined airstrikes, helicopter assaults and ground engagement by French soldiers.

Operation Barkhane is France's largest overseas military deployment with 3,000 French troops in the Sahel region.

This comes weeks after the killing of another jihadist head in the Gourma region between Timbuktu and Mopti. (AP) MRJ

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beirut, Nov 24 (AFP) The Islamic State group has killed 24 US-backed fighters in two days in an attack launched from its embattled holdout in eastern Syria, a war monitor said Saturday.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Kurdish-led alliance backed by the US-led coalition is battling to expel the jihadists from a pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on the Iraqi border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the jihadists broke out of that pocket on Friday to attack a nearby village where SDF fighters and coalition advisers are based.

"IS launched a broad attack on the village of Al-Bahra next to its holdout, taking advantage of the fog," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Abdel Rahman said 24 SDF fighters were killed in the attack, and violent clashes continued to rage on Saturday as coalition air planes carried out air strikes in the area.

Twenty-seven IS jihadists were killed in clashes and air strikes in the same period, according to the Observatory, which says it relies on sources inside Syria for its information.

The monitor said coalition raids has also killed 17 civilians, including five children, in the IS-held pocket since Friday.

Coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said he had not received any reports of civilian casualties, and insisted its air strikes had been "very limited due to the weather".

The anti-IS alliance has repeatedly denied previous reports of civilians killed in its air strikes, and said it does its utmost to avoid targeting non-combatants.

Deir Ezzor activist Omar Abu Leila said the attack on Al-Bahra was "very scary" and that IS fighters were able to move quickly "taking advantage of the fog".

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled but has lost most of it to offensives by multiple forces in both countries.

In Syria, the jihadists are largely confined to the pocket in Deir Ezzor, but they also have a presence in vast Badia desert that stretches across the country to the Iraqi border.

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 much higher.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since its started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. (AFP) KUN

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Brussels, Nov 23 (AFP) Three doctors will face a criminal trial in Belgium accused of failing to comply with the legal conditions for euthanasia, the first such case since it was decriminalised in 2002.

"This is the first time that there has been a decision to refer such a case to a court of law," lawyer Jacqueline Herremans told AFP on Friday, confirming information from Belgian media.

"There have already been legal cases involving doctors, but they have always resulted in dismissals before going to court," added Herremans, who chairs the Belgian Association for the Right to Die with Dignity.

The case follows the announcement that Dutch authorities are prosecuting a doctor for euthanising an elderly woman with dementia in the first case of its kind in neighbouring the Netherlands.

Belgium and the Netherlands became the first countries in the world to legalise so-called mercy killing, but it can only be carried out by doctors and under very strict conditions.

The decision in Belgium, taken on Thursday by the Court of Appeal in Ghent, stems from a civil action brought by a sister of an autistic woman, Tine Nys, who was euthanised in 2010 at the age of 38.

The sister accused the doctors of not having properly prepared the case and of taking a rushed decision when the woman had not been treated for mental issues for years.

The diagnosis of autism had only been made two months before her death, according to the Belgian media.

In Belgium, euthanasia has been allowed since 2002 for patients suffering from an incurable disease who have made their request "voluntarily, thoughtfully and repeatedly".

This right for adults was extended in 2014 to minors, within an equally strict legal framework. AFP

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ahead of the scheduled Dharma Sabha on Sunday, organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya town turned into a fortress, with the state government asking local police and administration to be extra vigilant. According to the police, over two lakh people are expected to arrive in the temple town on Sunday.

A high alert was issued in Punjab after six suspected terrorists sighted in army uniform in Pathankot on Friday, reported News 18. Punjab police has started a search operation in the area. The suspected terrorists were spotted in the city, just days after the blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsars Rajasansi Village which claimed the lives of three people. The police arrested one of the attackers.

As the assembly elections are drawing closer in Telangana, the political atmosphere in the state is heating up. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi during her maiden visit to the state launched a scathing attack on the Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS). While addressing the rally in Medchal, Gandhi asked the people of the state to teach a fitting lesson to the TRS. The former Congress president said, Mothers know how important it is to look after a newborn baby. It is unfortunate that after the birth of Telangana, your responsibility fell into the hands of those who cared for themselves, but not for you.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressing his gratitude to the Narendra Modi government for taking an initiative to open Kartarpur Corridor. Sidhu in his letter expressed hope that the Indian government's move would improve relations between the two countries. Sidhu wrote, This enterprise will yield undeniable and implicit change and thaw in the relations. He also added, It will build bridges, burn animosity and will act like a soothing balm for two neighbouring countries.

Stay tuned here for the live breaking news and updates from India and across the world.
New Delhi, November 24: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Saturday claimed that some anti-Dalit elements allegedly conspired to kill her last year during the "heart-wrenching" Shabbirpur violence in Uttar Pradesh.

"We have got to know that some fraud outfits like Bhim Army and 'Bahujan Youth for Mission 2019 -Next PM Behan ji', which are against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), are going to our Dalit supporters and collecting funds for their interests and asking them to take part in rallies in order to make me the next Prime Minister," Mayawati told ANI.

"They are even spreading hatred in the minds of Dalit people against the upper castes by speaking against the upper caste people in front of them. They are doing so to stop the upper caste people from joining the BSP," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added. Mayawati Calls BJP's Ram Mandir Pitch a Political Tactic, Says Shiv Sena & VHP Co-Conspirators.

"As part of this, anti-Dalit elements had even conspired to kill me. Their plan was not fulfilled due to our resourcefulness. I was forced to resign from my Rajya Sabha post as I was not allowed to raise this issue in the Parliament," she added.

"I want to urge the Dalit community to not get influenced by any such political organizations and waste their vote for their candidates. Our people know that just because of these organizations last year heart-wrenching Shabbirpur violence took place in Uttar Pradesh against Dalits," she said.

In the 2017 Saharanpur caste violence, one person was killed and 16 others were injured, including a Head Constable of Uttar Pradesh Police during clashes, which took place on May 5, 2017.
Bhopal, November 23: Swami Namdev Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, who had been appointed as a minister of state (MoS) by the BJP government, has decided to back the Congress party in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Computer Baba decided to support the Congress at Narmade Sansad, where like-minded religious leaders from various states gathered to decide which party they should support in the polls.

"The saints will support the Congress," Computer Baba said at the gathering. "When we can give fifteen years to them (the Bharatiya Janata Party), then we can surely give five years to Congress," he added. "If Congress upholds dharma, we will go with them in future or else we will withdraw the support," he clarified. He was earlier accorded the status of Minister of State along with five others by the BJP government.

Computer Baba had resigned on October 1 while accusing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of not fulfilling promises, including cleaning the Narmada river. The godman also accused the state government of doing nothing for the protection of cows and destroying Hindu shrines, temples and dwellings of seers in the state. The BJP government did little to stop illegal mining in the river, he alleged.

Computer Baba also raised a demand for setting up a special ministry dedicated to Narmada river. "River Narmada is not in good condition, a ministry is required for this, too. Several other ministries will have to be set up. If one wants facilities for cows, then, there should be one for the Narmada as well. The Chief Minister will do what he thinks is necessary," he told ANI.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2018 09:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Ayodhya, November 24: Ahead of the Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya Sunday to push for the construction of a Ram temple, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said if required the Army should be deployed in the town. Thousands of people have started gathering in the town ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishad event.

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also arrived here Saturday for a separate programme. Talking to reporters Friday, Yadav had said, "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the Army, if required... as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent," Yadav told reporters.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed Yadav's claims, saying his remarks simply showed his frustration as it was a Dharam Sabha and the Army was not needed for it. Ayodhya Turns into Fortress Ahead of Uddhav Thackerays Visit, Vishva Hindu Parishads Dharam Sabha.

When asked that a significant section of the Muslim community was feeling apprehensive about the event, he tried to allay the fears. "No one needs to fear (anything) as there is peace in Uttar Pradesh. The government has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he told PTI.

Referring to the firing on unarmed karsewaks in 1990, Maurya said, "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, then this will not happen under the government headed by Yogi Adityanath. We will provide adequate security to all and take all necessary action."

"This is a Dharam Sabha, and there is no need to deploy the Army, and Akhilesh Yadav must understand this," the UP deputy Chief Minister said. On the eve of the VHP's Dharam Sabha, the temple town was virtually turned into a fortress will multiple layers of security and deployment of drones.

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of PAC, five companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drones were deployed here.

The Dharam Sabha is being touted as one of the largest congregations of Lord Ram devotees after December 6, 1992, when the Babri Masjid was demolished, but some Muslim leaders view it as a move to polarise the voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Some members of the community had recently said they felt insecure as they remembered the attacks on Muslims in 1992 after the demolition on Babri Masjid.

Mohammad Umar a plaintiff in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, said, "Ayodhya is our birthplace, we have been here from many generations, but we still remember how the VHP and Shiv Sena activists attacked Muslims after the demolition of the mosque on December 6."

Another plaintiff, Haji Mahboob, had said, "It is a fact that the Muslim population here is in a grip of fear over a possible attack by activists. They are feeling quite insecure."

Ayodhya Municipal Corporation Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay said there was not fear or apprehension among the Muslims. "Some vested interests, who seeing that all their plans may fail to reap political dividends, have started spreading rumours," he said.

The mayor said the environment in Ayodhya was peaceful and harmonious and the people were going about their daily routine. "Dharam Sabha and Dhara Sansad had been held here earlier as well. There are a handful of self-proclaimed leaders, who were trying to take this as an opportunity to realise their political interests but, their plans did not materialise," he said.

Elaborating on the security arrangements, Upadhyay said adequate arrangements were made by the police and district administration. "As many as 13 parking slots were provided for the event. Shiv Sena leaders took part in aarti and met seers in the temple town. No permission was given to them by the government to hold a rally," the Ayodhya mayor said.

The co-convenor (organisation) of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, which is the affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), dismissed the reports of fear among the Muslims as false.

"A large number of Muslims have pledged to construct a Ram temple in Ayodhya. As many as 500 programmes will be held across the country from November 20 to December 2 to spread this message," the co-convenor Moraridas said.

He said a campaign had also been started that "we (Muslims) are not minorities, we are the 'maalik' of Hindustan". Moraridas stressed on the importance of Ayodhya, saying. "If there cannot be a second Vatican City, a second Golden Temple, and if there cannot be a second Mecca and Medina, then there cannot be a second Ram Janmabhoomi."
New Delhi, November 24: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati at a press conference on Saturday criticised the BJP government and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not fulfilling the promises made to the people of India. Mayawati said that it is going to be five years of the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Centre, but they still haven't fulfilled the promises made in 2014. "They feel that they won't be back in power," remarked Mayawati. Ram Mandir Row: Ayodhya Tense as VHP, Shiv Sena Mobilise Cadre For Massive Show of Strength on Sunday.

Mayawati, speaking about the Bhim Army and Bahujan Youth for Mission 2019 said that these organisations "are playing in the hands of Opposition from behind curtain." The BSP supremo called the Bhim Army an anti-BSP organisation and said that these outfits were misleading the dalits claiming that they will make Mayawati the next Prime Minister of India. Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray to Visit Ayodhya with Family Today to Raise Ram Mandir Issue.

Talking on the Ram Mandir issue, Mayawati claimed that it is a ploy by the parties to "divert attention from their failures." She said that had their (BJP, Shiv Sena) intentions been good, they need not have waited for five years. Mayawati called Shiv Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad "as part of the conspiracy" accusing them of helping the BJP in polarising the masses before crucial elections.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2018 01:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Hyderabad, November 24: Ahead of the assembly elections in Telangana, the Congress on Saturday expelled 19 rebel party workers from the primary membership for six years. The leaders were expelled for contesting against the official party candidates in the upcoming assembly elections. The orders will come into force with immediate effect, according to a statement from M Kodanda Reddy, Chairman of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's (TPCC) Disciplinary Action Committee. The disciplinary action committee of the party has expelled five other rebels for a period of six years for working against the party's official candidate in Narayanpet Assembly constituency of Mahabubnagar district. Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018: BJP Expels 11 Rebels From Party For Six Years,

The grand old party is contesting the upcoming assembly polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jan Samithi and Communist Party of India (CPI). The Congress will contest on 94 seats, while the TDP has fielded its candidates on 14 seats. The TJS and the CPI will contest on eight and three seats respectively. The Congress had 22 MLAs in the previous legislative assembly. Telangana Assembly Elections 2018: Asaduddin Owaisi Says Congress Offered Him 'Rs 25 Lakh Bribe' to Cancel Poll Rally,

On September 6, Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan had dissolved the state assembly following the recommendation from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao-led cabinet. The Governor, however, asked Rao to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until the new government was formed. On October 6, the Election Commission announced the date for polls in the state. Telangana will go to polls on December 7 along with Rajasthan, while counting of votes will take place on December 11.

(With inputs from PTI)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2018 10:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Jaipur, November 23: The Rajasthan BJP has suspended 11 rebel leaders, including four ministers, for six years over their decision to contest elections against party candidates, a party spokesperson said Friday. Four ministers, Surendra Goyal (Jaitaran), Hem Singh Bhadana (Thanagaji), Rajkumar Rinwa (Ratangarh) and Dhan Singh Rawat (Banswara), who are contesting as independent candidates, are among those who were suspended on Thursday night after they did not withdraw nomination papers.

The party termed the action "expulsion" for six years. Thursday was the last day for withdrawal of nomination papers for the Rajasthan assembly polls. The other suspended leaders include sitting MLAs Anita Katara (Sagwara) and Kishnaram Nai (Sri Dungargarh) and former MLAs Radheshyam Ganganagar and Laxminarayan, among others. "They have been expelled from the party for contesting against the party's official candidates," the BJP spokesperson said here. The rebels were dismissive of the party action. Rajasthan BJP MLA Habibur Rahman From Nagaur Joins Congress.

"I am a five-time MLA and have a good hold on voters in my constituency. Despite that the party dropped me this time and gave the ticket to a candidate who had lost the election of ward panch. I had resigned as a party member and as minister soon after I was dropped by the party and therefore the party's action against me does not hold any value," Goyal said. Goyal had won from the Jaitaran seat with a margin of 34,874 votes in the 2013 assembly elections.

He said he was banking on the work he did in his constituency and expressed confidence that he will win this year too. Rawat, who is contesting from Banswara constituency, said the party's decision meant "nothing" to him. "Why would I care about the party's action? I do not care, I am contesting the elections and will win," he said. Union minister and senior BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal said the disciplinary action against the rebel candidates was routine. The Rajasthan BJP managed to convince some of the rebel candidates, including sitting MLAs Gyan Dev Ahuja (Ramgarh) and Bhawani Singh Rajawat (Ladpura), to withdraw their nomination papers on Thursday.

Ahuja, a Hindu hardliner, and Rajwat had filed their nomination papers as independent candidates from Sanganer and Ladpura constituencies. The party has fielded former Congress MP Ijyaraj Singh's wife Kalpna Devi from Ladpura this year. Apart from the BJP, the Congress is also facing a challenge from the rebels on several seats. Former Union minister Mahadev Singh Khandela (Khandela), former Rajasthan minister Babulal Nagar (Dudu), former MLA Nathuram Sinodia (Kishangarh), among others, turned rebel after being denied tickets and will be contesting the polls as independent candidates. A total of 2,294 candidates, including 189 female candidates, are in the fray for the December 7 polls for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly.
Tehran, November 24: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States and assured Saudis they were "brothers" who had nothing to fear from Tehran.

US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Tehran in May and has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanaction.

"What the United States wants of (the Middle East) today is enslavement," Rouhani told an Islamic unity conference in Tehran. Instead of "rolling out the red carpet for criminals," Muslim governments should unite against the United States and "the region's cancerous tumour", Israel, he said. Iran President Hassan Rouhani Blasts US-led Sanctions as 'Economic Terrorism'.

Rouhani urged Shiite Iran's Sunni rival Saudi Arabia to end its dependence on "insulting" US military aid. "We are ready to defend the Saudi people's interests against terrorism and superpowers with all our might," he said.

"We do no ask $450 billion for it and will not insult you." Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in January 2016 after protesters stormed its diplomatic missions in Iran following its execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

It accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest among Shiites in the Gulf Arab states and the two governments have supported opposing sides in devastating civil wars in Syria and Yemen.
- Senator Akume has spoken after President Buhari had a meeting with him and other prominent APC members from Benue state

- The senator said that the delegation was in the villa to show solidarity to the president and restate their commitment to his re-election

- Akume also accused the Benue state government of spreading fake news against the Buhari administration to achieve cheap political gains

- He further claimed that the state government was responsible for the farmers/herdsmen crisis in the state

Senator George Akume on Friday, November 23, in Abuja, said the people of Benue were tired of misinformation about President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

Akume, who represents Northwest Senatorial zone of Benue, expressed the view when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He accused the Benue state government of spreading fake news against the Buhari administration to achieve cheap political gains.

The senator condemned the activities of the Benue State Livestock Guards and alleged that they had been responsible for the farmers/herders clashes in the state.

President Buhari with Senator Akume and other APC leaders from Benue state. Credit: Facebook/Femi Adesina

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Dont vote for 2 particular politicians in Nigeria in 2019 - Sani warns Nigerians

When you talk about herdsmen and farmers clash, its a story going good-bye. Have you heard of farmers/herders clashes in Benue again? No. We know those who were behind that, government was behind that.

I am talking about the state government through the Livestock Guards, they knew what was going on. So it is now a thing of the past.

And as for (Gov. Samuel Ortom), certainly he knows that there is fraud on the payroll. I have been in government before, everything that is going there is fraudulent in Benue state and the people are simply tired on this misinformation that they have been receiving, the narrative has changed.

It is not question of herdsmen; we are not talking about religious and ethnic bigotry. We are talking about performance of government.

If you cannot pay salaries, if you cannot pay pensions, if you cannot pay gratuity, what are you doing there? If you cannot provide infrastructure what are you doing there, what is the basic purpose of government? It is the welfare of the people, security for the people.

If you say your slogan is my people first and we are telling you `no my people last because you are chopping their money. So, it is not my people first, it is my pocket first in Benue state.

Senator Akume said that the delegation was in the villa to show solidarity to the president and restate their commitment to his re-election. Credit: Facebook/Femi Adesina

Source: Facebook

Akume said he led a very special delegation of leaders and stakeholders of the APC Benue state to the president.

He explained that the delegation was in the villa to show solidarity to the president and to renew their total sense of involvement and commitment to his re-election.

According to him, Buhari has worked so tirelessly to turn around the fortunes of the country and deserves to be supported by all well-meaning Nigerians.

He said: This has nothing to do with politics.

I am from the APC family but the truth is that, within three and a half years, what has been achieved under this government is monumental.

You cannot compare this with what we witnessed in the last administration which we always refer to as the Lancia regime.

Those of you who speak French will know the implication of referring to a government as Lancia regime.

Be it in the area of infrastructure you can see what is going on, in the rail transportation, yesterday (Thursday, November 22), we were in Keffi to flag off the Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi axis of dualisation of that road.

This is something that has been on the drawing board since 1999 when the PDP came to power. If you look at the performance of this government against the backdrop of what happened in the area of power, again you will give kudos to this administration.

I recall that in 2005 contracts were awarded for the purpose of increasing the power generation in the country. We were told and we believed because we all supplied money  the local governments, states and federal, pooled resources to ensure the increase in the power output in this country.

And by the calculation of government of the day, by the end of 2007, 6,000 megawatts of power would have been added to the national grid. My God, by the end of May 2015, we were still hovering between 3,000 and 5,000 megawatts. But today, the story is now different.

The senator also observed that the Buhari administration had done well in the on-going crusade against Boko Haram insurgency.

He said the government had initiated many programmes in various sectors of the economy meant to uplift the quality of lives of all citizens.

Look at agriculture, so many initiatives in that area. So when you look at this cumulatively, you will know that this government is working, three and a half years and the results are spectacular compared to what we witnessed in the past 16 years of the PDP administration and they are coming back again, they want to take over.

Lets be honest, they have no message. If people could share 2.5 billion dollars meant to buy arms and ammunition, then of course those people do not deserve to see this place again, he added.

The governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Emmanuel Jime, who was part of the delegation, pledged to address the challenges facing Benue, particularly insecurity in the state, if elected in 2019.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a youth group under the aegis of Benue Youth Forum had raised an alarm over fresh alleged plot to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom.

In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Thursday, November 22, the forum's president, Comrade Terrence Kuanum, expressed shock over media reports alleging that the presidency and its agents in Benue state had hatched a fresh plot to impeach Governor Ortom.

The forum condemned the said plot and warned those behind the plan to shelve it, stressing that it will not succeed.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State | Legit TV

Source: Legit
- Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria's problem is finding upright men in position of authority

- Osinbajo says widely held belief that the problem with the country is ethnic and tribal-based is wrong and misplaced

- The vice president made his position known on Friday, November 23, in Enugu state

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the problem with Nigeria is finding upright men in positions of authority.

Osibanjo said this in Enugu on Friday, November 23, during a book presentation by former governor of Enugu state, Sullivan Chime, NAN reports.

Legit.ng gathers that the vice president said that the widely held belief that the problem with the country was ethnic and tribal-based was wrong and misplaced.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

He said that those who wanted to privatise the resources of the country and build human capital were the major cause of friction in the country.

Osinbajo said that such leaders instigated the division of the country along ethnic and tribal lines in order to sustain their empire.

The vice president said: The problem of our country is finding forthright men in positions of authority."

Osibanjo described Chime as a man with strong values who made the desired change in the state during his time as governor.

He called on political office holders to discharge their responsibilities with good conscience and responsibility.

Osibanjo said that the country would be a better place if politicians think of what the future would hold for their people rather than how to win their next election.

He said: At the end of the day, integrity pays and I congratulate Chime for the successes he recorded during his time as governor."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed that some religious and political leaders often plead with him not to sack corrupt public officials.

Osinbajo made the statement in Abuja on Monday, October 22, when speaking at the 24 Nigerian economic summit plenary on corruption and rule of law.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Top Nigeria Corruption Scandals: Joshua Dariye, Olisa Metuh and Sambo Dasuki | Legit TV

Source: Legit
- Nigerian Army has confirmed the attack on its soldiers in Metele, Benue state

- The Army gave reasons why it took some time to confirm the incident, adding that it has laid down procedures for reporting such incidents

- It also stated that some of the videos being circulated concerning the attack are old and inaccurate Boko Haram propaganda videos

The Nigerian Army has finally broken its silence on the deadly attack on soldiers on the 157 task force battalion stationed in Metele, Borno state by the Boko Haram terrorists which left scores of the soldiers dead and some still missing.

While some reports estimates put the casualty figure at over 100, the Army in its statement on Friday, November 23, failed to reveal the death toll.

The Armys statement read: The attention of the NA has been drawn to several social media, print, electronic and online publications about the recent attack on 157 Task Force Battalion at Metele. Whilst it is true that there was an attack on the location on 18 November 2018, it has, however, become necessary to correct several misinformation being circulated with regards to this unfortunate event.

READ ALSO: Benue govt spreading fake news against Buhari administration to achieve cheap political gains - Akume

It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action. Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, it suffices to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate BHT propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

"Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not. So far, the situation is that the location is under control as reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists and stabilize the situation.

The NA sincerely wishes to thank the various arms of government, MDAs and sister security agencies that have stood with her in these trying times; by commiserating with the families of the fallen heroes who have paid the supreme price for the defence of our dearly beloved country. The necessary support being given the NA by the federal government and the goodwill of the Nigerian populace will undoubtedly continue to spur the NA towards the ultimate defeat of the highly degraded BHTs.

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Legit.ng reports that following the latest attack, President Muhammadu Buhari dispatched Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, for an emergency meeting with Chadian President Idris Deby.

Dan-Ali had on Thursday, November 22, briefed President Buhari on security development across the country.

He also briefed him about the recent killings of some Nigerian soldiers by the Islamic West Africa Province, a breakaway Boko Haram sect, operating along Nigeria-Chad border.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Nigerian Air Force Operations Against Boko Haram | Legit TV

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Suspected Boko Haram gunmen reportedly kidnapped 15 girls overnight in a village near Toumour, southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday, November 24, Daily Trust is reporting.

The newspaper reports that Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of the town in Nigers Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about nine kilometres from the town centre.

On Thursday, November 22, suspected Boko Haram terrorists allegedly killed eight people working at French drilling company Foracos water well site in Toumour.

READ ALSO: 2019: Obasanjos son leads pro-Buhari youth group

Boko Haram has been waging an insurrection since 2009. It has launched repeated attacks into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The violence has killed thousands of civilians and forced millions to flee their homes in the large Lake Chad basin region.

Kidnapping of schoolgirls has been a Boko Haram horror mark, since its fighters in 2014 kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno state, in Nigeria.

It also staged this year, 2018, another major kidnap of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state.

In Mali, French forces said they put out of action some 30 Islamist militants, possibly including veteran Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, during a raid in the central Mali region of Mopti.

The French army, which has about 4,500 troops in West Africa battling Islamist militants, did not specify whether the jihadists had all been killed or taken prisoner. The operation took place with air support on Thursday night, it said.

At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action, the army said in its statement on Friday, November 23, adding that Koufa and other prominent militants were probably among them.

Koufa, a radical preacher, inspired the Massina Liberation Front (MLF), a group blamed for a wave of attacks that has shifted Malis six-year-old Islamist insurgency from the remote desert north ever closer to its populous south.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari summoned Service Chiefs to an emergency security meeting over the reported killing of some Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram sect along the Nigeria-Chad border on Sunday, November 18.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reliably gathered that the urgent meeting was necessitated by the latest security developments across the battlefields in the northeast region of the country.

A reliable source, who preferred not to be named, confirmed this development to NAN in Abuja on Friday, November 23.

NAN learnt that the federal government pronouncement on the latest victims of Boko Haram insurgency was being delayed because families of the victims were being identified and contacted.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Nigerian Air Force Operations Against Boko Haram | Legit TV

Source: Legit
A 17-year-old girl was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after being by a car that continued on without stopping in Wilson Borough, according to police.

Borough police said Friday they responded at 9:23 p.m. Tuesday to the pedestrian crash in the 1900 block of Washington Street.

A resident told police he was outside his home on a balcony and heard a loud thud, and looked down to see a dark-colored car speeding east down the 1900 block of Filbert Street without stopping, police Detective Jason Hillis said in a news release.

He then saw a body lying in the road, according to police.

Police arrived to find the juvenile victim had been struck by a vehicle and suffered an injury to her forehead and was bleeding from her elbow, according to the release. She was taken to an area hospital.

Police were continuing to investigate the crash and had no further information to release on the perpetrator or the fleeing vehicle.

Investigators asked anyone with information on the incident to call the Northampton County 911 Center non-emergency line at 610-759-2200 or to contact Detective Jason Hillis at jhillis@wilsonpd.org or 610-258-8542.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Nazareth Area School District has agreed to pay $63,000 as part of a legal settlement concerning a student with special needs.

The settlement approved Oct. 22 by the school board was obtained by lehighvalleylive.com through a right-to-know request.

The settlement redacts the name of the student, the student's parents' names, their address and information about the student's needs.

It says the parties agreed that the school district will set up a $55,300 fund to cover the student's educational needs. It says attorney Angela Uliana-Murphy will get $8,000 from the school district to cover her fees.

The educational fund will be available to the family through the 2020-21 school year or until the student graduates, whichever comes first.

It's unclear from the settlement how far along the student is with his or her education, but the settlement says the student will be eligible to graduate after completing 10 academic credits.

The student will be permitted to complete Honors English at home this fall and will complete chemistry at Northampton Community College, also this fall.

The student can earn additional credits through online classes via the school district or through Northampton Community College, the settlement says. The student can satisfy the physical education requirement through independent study, the settlement says.

By signing the agreement, Nazareth Area School District officials don't admit they failed to provide an appropriate education to the student at the center of the dispute. The settlement includes a confidentiality agreement by which both parties agree not to discuss it.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
The Conservation Fund is making efforts to preserve more land in Northampton and Monroe counties.

The fund has preserved 1,731 acres for the Cherry Valley Wildlife Refuge, so far, and it plans to preserve 2,700 acres next year.

The land, which runs along the Blue Mountain's Kittatinny Ridge, is being acquired from Pennsylvania American Water and will eventually be turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for public use.

Funding for the 2019 transfer is in place, according to Kyle Shenk, the state director of conservation acquisition for The Conservation Fund.

The water company will keep a portion of its land in the area, according to Shenk.

"American Water will retain facilities that are critical to water quality operations," Shenk said.

The refuge was created in 2008 to protect the federally threatened bog turtle and secure wetlands for migrating birds, amphibians and other wildlife.

Upper Mount Bethel Township recently approved 117 acres of water company property to be subdivided, so it can become part of the refuge.

In December, supervisors in Washington Township, Northampton County, are scheduled to rule on a subdivision of 280 more acres of water company land for the refuge.

Funding comes from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Middle Delaware Mitigation Fund, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart's Acres for America Program, the Open Space Institute's Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund through funding from the William Penn Foundation and its Resilient Landscapes Fund through funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and Northampton County.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
TROPHIES

Kudos to all the nonprofit groups, religious organizations and individuals who helped make Thanksgiving a warm and fulfilling occasion for those in need. Many volunteers provided meals in a welcoming place on one of the coldest Thanksgiving days in recent memory, in some cases giving up part of the day they normally spend with their families.

Melissa Fillman of Macungie and her 7-year-old daughter Emma have launched a fund drive to end "lunch shaming" -- the stigma that follows children who can't buy school lunches because of accumulated debt for meals. The state of Pennsylvania has tried to deal with this problem by banning "shaming," preventing districts from revealing that a student has no money. But the remedy prevents those students from receiving an alternate meal, such as a peanut butter and jelly or cheese sandwich. Fillman, after hearing that her daughter had been paying for a classmate's milk, founded Kindness is Magic Inc., a nonprofit that seeks to help area schools pay off student lunch debt. Money is being raised by collecting used shoes, which can be sold for 40 cents a pound for reuse in Third World countries. Used shoes can be dropped off in several locations. For information, go to Kindness is Magic's website or its Facebook page.

TURKEYS

Nazareth police have cautioned residents that valuables left in cars are being targeted by thieves. Borough police say a recent rash of break-ins could be the work of a theft ring called the Felony Lane Gang, whose members grab purses or wallets left in vehicles parked at gyms, preschools, youth sporting events and parks. The gang then gets prostitutes and drug addicts to conduct fraudulent financial transactions, using the victims' checks or credit cards, according to police.

Colonial Regional police are seeking the public's help to solve thefts of truck tailgates last weekend at several dealers. Police released a photo of a pickup truck leaving one of the dealerships Sunday evening. Tailgates were reported stolen at Koch 33, Star Buick GMC, Young VW, Nazareth Ford and Brown Daub Chevrolet. Anyone with information is asked to contact Colonial Detective Gary Hammer at 610-861-4820. Tipsters may remain remain anonymous, police said.

Two Bethlehem residents, Angela Guzman and Narciso Burgos-Nunez, were charged with trying to extort $5,000 from a person in Alabama, using a familiar ruse -- telling the intended victim his grandson had been arrested in Lehigh County and needed bail money. After being informed of the suspicious calls, the Lehigh County District Attorney's office set up a sting. The man in Alabama sent a dummy package to an address he had been given in Fountain Hill; when the package arrived, detectives were waiting for the delivery and arrested the suspects.
THE All-Ireland winning Limerick hurlers sowed a seed in the mind of Mike Cleary, of the Wild Oats, to write a song.

The band produced Keep Your Green Flags Flying High and they will launch the CD this Saturday night.

It takes place in The Teach, Cloverfield at 8.30pm. It will be part of the traditional Irish fireside night featuring music, set dancing and sean nos. All proceeds will go to the Limerick branch of the Parkinsons Association.

Mike thanked Teresa ODea and all the organisers for the invite to launch their song.

Mike, who is from Dromin-Athlacc but lives in Bruff, said the Wild Oats is made of musicians all in their seventies.

I was fooling around with the song Wrap the Green Flag Around me Boys. It is an old Fenian song sang by the rebels of old. I was working on it to record it with the lads

Then coming up to the All-Ireland final I said if they win this I would turn it around and do a Limerick song. I didnt go to the All-Ireland, I watched it in Moloneys Pub in Knockainey. I went home that night and wrote Keep Your Green Flags Flying High, said Mike.

The chorus goes, So keep you green flags flying high, to wave in the wind, this is only the beginning boys, who knows where it will end.

Over 800 CDs have been sold even before the official launch. Mike was also inspired by the late Dolores ORiordan.

After they beat Cork in the semi-final Linger was played in Croke Park and after the All-Ireland final they played Dreams. I was fascinated with the way the tragically early passing of Dolores and the sadness of that, and then the euphoria of the All-Ireland complemented each other in a tragic sense, said Mike, who wrote the moving words, So we lingered just to make the moment last with Dolores singing in our ears, twas the coming true of all our dreams to celebrate for years.

All are welcome to the launch on Saturday night in The Teach, Cloverfield at 8.30pm.
OVER 20 years after the investigation into animal and human health problems in the Askeaton area, questions are again to be raised in the Dail about the loss of samples given by the Geoghegan family during that investigation.

Independent TD for Clare and GP, Dr Michael Harty is to table the questions as a result of a dossier compiled and given to him by West Limerick couple, Pat and Nuala Geoghegan and which he has passed on to Health Minister Simon Harris.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader this week, Deputy Harty said he had asked Minister Harris, in the light of the new information to have the situation assessed with a view to setting up a public enquiry.

He had met the Geoghegans, he said, and was impressed by what they told him.

I was struck by the fact they were not getting answers to what happened to them, what happened to the samples, he said.

However, Deputy Harty, who is chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health said the committee had decided it would not be conducting an investigation into the matter. The committee didnt feel they were the appropriate body to investigate an historic issue like this, he said. The Health Committee has no investigative powers.

In the 1990s the Geoghegans were one of a number of farm families included in the investigation, led by the Environmental Protection Agency, into animal and human health problems in the area. They gave samples of blood, hair etc in 1997/97 but were told in 1999 that the samples had been lost and demanded that this be investigated.

In 2001, following a year long internal review carried out by the then Mid-Western Health Board, the review concluded the loss of the samples was entirely the result of human error and flatly ruled out the possibility of a conspiracy.

But, as Pat Geoghegan explained to the Leader, they were very unhappy with the results of this internal review, arguing that it was neither independent nor transparent. A key argument and conclusion of the review was that the samples were not germane to the wider investigation.

However, the Geoghegans now believe that a letter, obtained by them through Freedom of Information, shows two things: that the samples were indeed part of the investigation and also that some results were obtained, results which they were never told about and never got.

A fortnight ago, the couple protested outside the Department of Health in Dublin in a bid to highlight their case.

They are now demanding that the wider investigation or public enquiry denied to them almost 20 years ago should go ahead as they are convinced there has been a cover-up to protect high-ranking officials.
THE head of the Shannon Group has admitted he is scared stiff about the future of Britain, as Brexit day approaches.

Matthew Thomas, the chief executive of the Shannon Group, which scooped the overall award at the 2018 Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards, said he looks on at Irelands closest neighbours with dismay and confusion.

And, the British national admitted Shannon Airport will have to look to other hub airports, saying: We are looking at pretty flat growth in the UK over the next five years.

The Mid-West needs hub activity. Whether it is Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt, there is a real collective effort required from the councils, from ourselves, and our key stakeholders, but also from government. We talk a lot about Ireland 2040 which says 75% growth is going to be outside Dublin by 2040  but without that connectivity into our biggest partners, he said.

As well as winning the overall company of the year, the Shannon Group, which employs 650 people, won the title for best contribution to the region.

Along with Shannon Airport, the Shannon Group operates Shannon Commercial Properties, the International Aviation Services Centre, and tourism body Shannon Heritage.

More than 400 business and political leaders were at the Strand Hotel for the Limerick Chamber regional business award, which saw seven other awards handed out. Also in the winners enclosure last Friday night were Raheen firm Optel Group, which took the prize for best corporate social responsibility, while Masterchefs took the title for best retail and hospitality.

Best not-for-profit title went to Novas Ireland for its work on dealing with homelessness.

And the high-profile title of best employer was given to telecommunications giant Three Ireland.

Electricity Exchange, Plassey, was named best emerging business while Rathkeale firm Design Pro won the title of best emerging business.

A special award was presented by Chamber president, the UL academic Dr Mary Shire to Dr Kieran Curran, of Gencell biosystems, which was acquired by BD.

Dr Shire described the businessman as someone who personifies the Limerick of the future.

Addressing the audience, Dr Curran said the best piece of advice he could give to companies was to have a positive culture.

Make company culture your priority. By way of an example, the best companies which appeal to me work on problems which are going to change the world dramatically. They imbue excitement among their staff. They are also able to communicate  an attitude of we are in this together, and we are going to work together, he said, Its important not to lose the human touch.

In her keynote address, Dr Shire said it is important confidence is kept high in Limerick.

We should not underestimate the importance of confidence in creating a success oriented culture. I know what its like to lack confidence in Limerick. When I was younger, I recall being asked where I was from, and rather sheepishly, I would response Im from Limerick. But I always added the caveat Limerick county, as I felt it was the lesser of two evils. I think my story resonates with lots of people of my generation, and many other generations. But thankfully all that has changed, there is a renewed confidence in Limerick and its self-perpetuating, she said.

She also warned against putting too many offices in the city centre, saying it needs a cultural heartbeat.

Dr Shire used her keynote address at the Limerick Chamber business awards to also call for more house building in the city centre  but she acknowledged this could only happen if the margins become more attractive to investors.

Saying house prices in Limerick remain below the national average, she added: Its great to have low house prices, we do have a housing shortage, particularly in the city centre, and low prices dont make the margins attractive for investors. The city centre is still lacking the vibrancy we need and Limerick 2030 will help, but we need to make sure we have more than just buildings  but also a cultural heartbeat.
LIMERICK students missed out by a whisker on a trip to America at a major technology event held in Shannon Airport.

The Irish Technology Leadership Groups young innovators event drew 1,000 students to Limericks local airport last week.

There, they were asked to imagine life more than 30 years on from today and come up with products which would meet challenges in the future.

While a team from Gort, Co Galway went away with the overall prize of a trip to the Silicon Valley, and the chance to meet representatives of some of the world's top tech firms, Limerick students were not far behind.

Students from Ard Scoil Mhuire in Corbally came second in the contest with their pitch for a product called Flashband.

This is a wearable tech product for children and teenagers and their parents or guardians.

Parents are not always keen on their young children having a phone but there are a number of key activities that both the parent and child or young teenager currently try to do and certainly in the future will need to get done.

It is designed to help youngsters stay in touch with their parents  they can use it as a bus pass, a personal alarm system, all with their parents monitoring them if necessary.

The team also thought about how some parents might pay for what might prove an expensive piece of kit  with a suggestion the medical card could be used as a means to discount the device, given the role it could play in youngsters lives.

For their part, Gort's students developed 'Plastic Penneys, an incentive scheme to reduce single-use plastics.

Speaking at the ITLG Young Innovators event, Corbally man, John Hartnett, who heads the group, said: Stimulating entrepreneurship and sustainability is key to what ITLG Young Innovators is all about, and the winners of todays challenge represent those vital attributes for business today.

Dr Vincent Cunnane, the president of the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) added: Were very proud to have driven Young Innovators since the beginning.

This event reflects much what LIT is about  excitement, passion, innovation, the intersection between academia and real-world expertise.

Gort Community College were worthy winners, addressing a key challenge in our world today and creating a win-win solution which is the key to every successful business. Its great to see students and teachers practice innovation skills and opening doors to the possibilities of the future, Dr Cunnane added.

The chairman of the Shannon Group, Rose Hynes, explained: This event represents a huge opportunity for our young people, to share their ideas with successful global entrepreneurs and to understand that they can unlock their own potential and succeed on a global scale by being creative and innovative. We are delighted to be partners in the ITLG Young Innovators event.

Taking place during Science Week 2018, the ITLG Young Innovators event is backed by a number of local blue-chip companies like Dell EMC, Modular Automation, Johnson & Johnson, Kemp, WP Engine, and Jaguar Land Rover.

A number of smaller firms including Carambola Kids, Innovate Limerick, the Limerick Chamber and Shannon Chamber have also lent their support to the event, alongside the University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College, Foroige and CoderDojo.
SIX Limerick students have been awarded financial support for the duration of their third level studies as part of an All Ireland scholarship, backed by JP McManus.

Sponsored by the billionaire philanthropist, 125 Leaving Cert and A-Level graduates, including six Limerick students, have been awarded scholarships worth 6,750 per annum.

To our successful scholars I offer heartiest congratulations, Mr McManus said.

Their hard work and commitment has been awarded and they will no doubt build on their success and continue to strive for excellence in their ongoing studies and future careers.

Our 125 incredible #AIScholarships2018 recipients! A hugely proud day for them, their families, teachers and friends. pic.twitter.com/0kvH3DfR5H  All Ireland Scholarships (@AIScholarships) November 24, 2018

Joseph Foley from Castletroy, Eoin Corcoran from Mayorstone, Aoife Murphy from Kilfinny, Ellen Scanlon from Abbeyfeale, Jack Moore from Patrickswell and Clara Terren-Hogan were among the new recipients scholarship for 2018.

Winners were commended for their achievements by guest of honour, Limerick Senior Hurling manager John Kiely.

It is a great honour for me as a former student and graduate of the University of Limerick to return to this stage 22 years since I graduated, Mr Kiely said.

As the school principal of Abbey CBS in Thurles, Mr Kiely has watched four of his students receive the scholarship, he added.

"I have been that Principal who has been thrilled for All Ireland Scholarship winning students, and their parents." @LimerickCLG Hurling Manager and @abbeytipp Principal, John Kiely. #AIScholarships2018 pic.twitter.com/2JDnjk7WHx  All Ireland Scholarships (@AIScholarships) November 24, 2018

I have witnessed first hand the excitement, pride and joy the scholarships bring to recipients.

"Today is an acknowledgment of their hard work, and the hard work of their teachers in achieving excellence," he added.

Now in its eleventh year, 1,371 students have now been awarded the scholarship, valued at 6,750 per year, which is awarded to a minimum of two high achieving students from each of the 32 counties.

Congrats to @ArdscoilRisLimk past pupil Eoin Corcoran who received his All Ireland Scholarship Award 2018 this morning in @UL Eoin was one of 9 of the 125 recipients that got the maximum 625 point in his Leaving Cert - he also made time for some media duties with @Live95fmNews pic.twitter.com/XF2WTQuJ8G  Ardscoil Ris Limk (@ArdscoilRisLimk) November 24, 2018

The 125 recipients of the All Ireland Scholarship deserve our heartiest congratulations, Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell OConnor said, speaking at the awards ceremony.

They are a credit to themselves, their school, their teachers and of course, their families.

Their path to success through third level has been made smoother and they can face the challenges that await them with confidence.
Firefighters doused hot spots and smoldering flames Friday as a third day of rain allowed them to close in on fully containing the 2-week-old Camp Fire.

The fire north of Sacramento has burned 153,336 acres since igniting on Nov. 8 and is 95 contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The death toll in the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the states history stands at 84.

This week, some residents were allowed to return to their homes  or what was left of them  in parts of Magalia, which is home to about 11,310 people. The town of Paradise, destroyed in the fire, remained under mandatory evacuation.

Pat Bronson, who lives in upper Magalia, went back to her home just before Thanksgiving. The 66-year-old moved to Magalia from Santa Cruz County nearly two years ago for a slower pace of life, she said.

The flames were a quarter mile from her home, but Bronsons house was unscathed by the fire.

My heart just breaks for our community and the devastation and everybodys losses, Bronson said. Its just so hard to see. I know so many people that have lost everything.

Over the past two weeks, Bronson has stayed with friends in Chico and said she plans to remain in Chico until more residents return and Skyway, the main thoroughfare leading into Paradise and Magalia, reopens.

It seems like a ghost town, she said. Its an eerie feeling, its just not right.

As the days have gone by this week, Bronson said shes noticed more and more cars parked in the neighborhoods leading toward herhome.

Still, residents futures are uncertain.

Its never going to be the same as before. Everyone has to start a new normal, Bronson said.

Residents returning to their homes are advised against living on destroyed properties until they are cleared of waste, Butte County public health officials said.

The debris and ash are still toxic, and properties may contain high levels of heavy metals, arsenic and other carcinogens, they said.

A storm, the first of several expected throughout the region in the next few weeks, helped firefighters extinguish hot spots, and containment lines steadily held the flames from spreading, Cal Fire said.

Crews continued working Friday in the devastated areas of Paradise, Magalia and Concow to clear debris and repair power lines. The Butte County Sheriffs Office said 475 people remain missing, and search-and-recovery teams are continuing to scour the areas for victims. The storm hampered efforts to find and recover bodies.

A major focus Friday was taking down trees that threatened the burn scar areas, said Brigitte Foster, a fire prevention officer with the Lassen National Forest.

There are still many trees within the fire area ... that have partially burned and need to be mitigated, she said. Crews are also looking for hazard trees that may have been missed days ago and trying to get rid of them.

Heavy rain poses the threat of debris- and mudslides, according to the National Weather Service. So far, though, there have been no reports of mudslides.

Its been hit or miss here with the rain, Foster said. We have some little dry spells and then a dusting of rain, and sometimes it will rain a little hard. Its not a consistent rain that we have been having.

The rainfall earlier this week threatened the area with flooding, slick roads and falling trees. In preparation for the storm, crews in Paradise, Concow and Magalia used trucks to vacuum soggy debris off the ground to prevent or reduce damage from slides. Workers also set up hay bales and sandbags to prevent the chance of floods.

So far, 18,733 structures have been reported destroyed in the blaze, including 13,672 single-family homes. More than 52,000 people remain displaced.

By Friday night, 1,606 fire personnel were battling the blaze, along with 106 fire engines, five water tenders, five helicopters, 21 hand crews and 3 bulldozers.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
Global warming is intensifying and will result in more disastrous fires, like the ones that have ravaged California, and other weather catastrophes unless governments act now to reduce carbon emissions, according to a stark new assessment of the impact of climate change released Friday.

The fourth National Climate Assessment, put together over 2 years by 300 federal and independent scientists, predicts more hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, water shortages, heat waves and drought across the globe unless governments take action to stop the release of greenhouse gases and halt the relentless heating of Earth.

The report, prepared by 13 federal agencies, mandated by Congress and made public by the White House, used Californias catastrophic fires, including the deadly Carr Fire near Redding this year and the Wine Country fires last year, to help make the point.

In 2015, 10.1 million acres burned across the U.S., the most acreage since record keeping began in 1960, the report said, but the recent California fires were the costliest, destroying well over $1 billion worth of property.

The assessment was apparently completed before the Camp Fire in Butte County became the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history, but the report made clear that fire and other environmental horrors will be more common and more frequent across the country in the future if fossil fuels, which make up 85 percent of U.S. emissions, arent reduced.

The 1,656-page analysis was unambiguous that climate change is here and getting worse. It said warming temperatures, melting ice, rising sea levels and fire are likely to take a terrible toll on the U.S. economy, reducing it by as much as 10 percent by centurys end.

That would mean annual losses of hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century from heat-related deaths, sea level rise and infrastructure damage.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt in communities across the country, said the report. Besides damaged infrastructure, it said, the impacts include more disease-carrying pests such as mosquitoes and ticks, increases in instances of human allergies, including asthma, and decreases in crop productivity and livestock health.

There is clear and compelling evidence that global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilization has experienced, said David Easterling, a director at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, during a news conference Friday. This warming trend can only be explained by human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Average temperatures have increased globally by about 1.8 degrees since 1901, according to the report. Efforts to reduce emissions have not yet approached the levels necessary, Easterling said.

The analysis is remarkable in how it so resolutely contradicts President Trump, who has referred to human-caused global warming as a hoax and has taken steps to prevent and dismantle environmental regulations, including limits on tailpipe and power plant emissions, exactly the opposite of what the report urges.

Trump also announced U.S. withdrawal by November 2020 from the Paris Agreement, a pledge by nearly all the nations of the world to cut carbon emissions. He has also blamed California wildfires on the lack of forest management and suggested in a tweet Wednesday that the cold snap in the Northeast shows that global warming doesnt exist.

The National Climate Assessment is supposed to be issued every four years but has come out only four times since passage of the 1990 law calling for the analysis. The last one came out in 2014. Then, in August 2017, the Trump administration disbanded the federal advisory panel for the National Climate Assessment, a group that was supposed to help policymakers and private-sector officials incorporate the analysis into long-term planning.

The scientists who were made available Friday for a news conference would not comment on Trumps position on climate change or whether his administration had anything to do with the timing of the release the day after Thanksgiving, when most of the public is preoccupied with family.

The White House did not comment on the report, which is the second volume of the assessment. The first volume was issued by the White House last year.

It follows an alarming report released last month by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which predicted an economic and humanitarian crisis by 2040 at the current rate.

The Bay Area could be hit particularly hard, according to a report released in June by the Union of Concerned Scientists. It said 4,100 homes in San Mateo County and nearly 4,400 in Marin County could be underwater by 2045 because of climate-driven sea level rise.

Orange County, Santa Clara County and Los Angeles County could also see significant losses.

Across California, 20,472 residential properties, worth $15 billion, will be at risk over the next 30 years, the report said.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @pfimrite
Looking to get lost in EDM this weekend? You're in luck: this weekend's concert lineup offers EDM fans plenty to enjoy.

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Praia @ Night Featuring Yousef

Praia @ Night is a series that hosts EDM artist. This time around, it will feature Yousef, alongside Praia resident artists.

Yousef, a native of Liverpool, UK, has been a driving force in the underground dance music scene for nearly 20 years, playing some of the best clubs in the world.

When: Friday, November 23, 8 p.m.- Saturday, November 24, 2 a.m.

Where: The Dive, 809 Pierce St.

Admission: $15 (General Admission); $20 (Door Price)

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

HEROBUST WTF Tour w/ Bailo

Herobust is the performing name of Hayden Kramer, an American record producer and musician from Atlanta. Known for his hip-hop flavored bass music, he has two EPs, "I'm Aloud" (2016) and "Vertebreaken" (2017).

When: Friday, November 23, 10 p.m.- Saturday, November 24, 2 a.m.

Where: Stereo Live Houston, 6400 Richmond Ave.

Admission: $20 (General Admission)

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Cedric Gervais

Cedric Gervais is a French DJ and house music producer that works in genres like dance, progressive house, electro house, tech house and big room house. His discography includes two studio albums, "Experiment" (2006) and "Miamication" (2011). He also has one EP, "The Experiment EP" (2005). He won a Grammy for his 2013 remix of Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness."

When: Saturday, November 24, 10 p.m.- Sunday, November 25, 2 a.m.

Where: Stereo Live Houston, 6400 Richmond Ave.

Admission: $11 (General Admission)

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets
Xem them

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Tin bai cuoi cung

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In the spirit of the holiday, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) continued its tradition of turkey, thankfulness, and togetherness during its fifth annual Thanksgiving Day Meal Celebration.

SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook was one of the featured turkey carvers during the luncheon held Tuesday, Nov. 20 in the Multipurpose Room at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus.

More than 100 students walked into the festively decorated Multipurpose Room to the cheers and applause from enthusiastic supporters that included Pembrook, Denise Cobb, PhD, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs; Gina Jeffries, CHS director; Willis Young, CHS assistant director; Alison Reeves, PhD, CHS Board of Directors president and associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership; Kim Durr, CHS board member and SIUE chief of staff; and Edith Laktzian and Pam Saffore, celebration coordinators.

This is my first dinner. I didnt think it would be this nice, said TeAunta Neal, a CHS junior who transferred from Metro-East Lutheran High School.

I think its awesome, said James Young, who was sitting next to Neal. Its relaxing. Its cool for kids to bond outside of the classroom, and its good to see another side of school.

This dinner is the result of an idea that Willis Young had five years ago, and each year it gets better and better and better. Jeffries told the room of banqueters. When I think of what Im thankful for, at the top of the list is coming here and working with Charter High School students.

This is nice. Free food. You cant complain, and I like having the teachers serve you, said junior Ryan Luster.

The meal was catered by Sunday Dinner Catering, owned by SIUE alumna and former staff member Terri Montgomery. Montgomery was the associate director of admissions and worked at SIUE for 25 years. She graduated in 1983 with a bachelors in education from SIUE.

At each place setting were note cards with inscriptions that came from CHS students and staff. Some of the sentiments included:

Im thankful for the Lord staying by my side, for helping me through thick and thin.

Im thankful for my mom because she helps me through school when Im doing badly.

Im thankful for the love from my family and friends shown to me every day.

Im thankful for my family living under a roof, my loving parents, also my school and teachers.

This is an amazing event, and Im thankful to be a part of it, said Pembrook. Thanks to each of you for all you do at the SIUE East St. Louis Center all year.

I am always glad to see the students from the East St. Louis Charter High School and am grateful to have a chance to interact with them, said Timothy Staples, EdD, SIUE East St. Louis Center interim executive director.

I want to encourage everyone to keep up the good work, have a great break and come back ready for finals, Staples continued. If everyone gets As, Ill buy the ham next year.

The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP)  The newest member of a South Texas zoo is an endangered white rhino that goes by the name Bebop.

The 5-year-old Southern white rhino has joined other endangered white rhinos on display at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. The new rhino arrived at the zoo in March from the Center for Conservation of Tropical Ungulates in Punta Gorda, Florida, but underwent quarantine before being introduced to the exhibit, The Brownsville Herald reported.

Patrick Burchfield, the zoo's executive director, said zoo staff is excited to have breeding-age rhinos on site.

"Historically, we have produced two baby white rhinos here at the zoo in the past," Burchfield said. "We are part of what's called a species survival program for the white rhino, and we needed to get a breeding male in here in order to breed white rhinos."

RELATED: Photos: San Antonio Zoo offered bright opening to annual holiday tradition

Zookeepers have placed Bebop in enclosures close to the zoo's other female white rhinos, Abby and Julie.

Zoo staff members hope Bebop will successfully breed with the females, Burchfield said. Baby rhinos are usually 140 to 150 pounds and the birthing process can take up to 18 months, he said.

White rhinos are listed by the IUCN List of Endangered Species as near threatened, mostly from habitat loss and poaching.

Rhinos are hunted for their horns and keratin, according to Burchfield.

"When the Gladys Porter Zoo began, the Southern white rhino was one of the more critically endangered rhinos and that's why we got into the white rhino business in the first place, but thanks to excellent conservation efforts in South Africa, their numbers are back to where they are the most numerous rhinos now, but they're still threatened," he said.

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Information from: The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com
Warriors guard Stephen Curry emerged unhurt after his car was struck by two vehicles Friday morning.

A Lexus sedan lost control and crossed two lanes before colliding with Currys Porsche on Highway 24 just west of the Caldecott Tunnel, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Curry pulled over in the center median to wait for assistance, and about 10 minutes later, a Honda Civic veered into the concrete wall and then his vehicle, the CHP said.

More for you Warriors Draymond Green, Alfonzo McKinnie ruled out for Blazers game

Thankfully, everyone walked away uninjured due to everyone wearing their seat belts, a statement on CHP Oaklands Facebook page said. We would like to remind everyone to slow it during inclement weather.

Officer Herman Baza, a public information officer with the CHPs Oakland office, said the crash could have been disastrous if the drivers involved, including Curry, were not wearing seat belts.

These first days of rain are hazardous, and drivers are more prone to hydroplane when the roadways are slick, Baza said. The rain definitely played a role in these crashes, but luckily there were no injuries.

No impairment was detected for any of the drivers and no arrests were made, police said. The incident, which occurred around 9 a.m., did not block traffic, and Curry made it to practice.

He later tweeted: Dont need any reminders but All the Time God is Great and God is Great all the time! Appreciate all the texts.

Baza said CHP officers responded to 35 crashes Friday in the Oakland area.

Thats just today, and theyve varied from crashes involving minor injuries to crashes where people are sent to hospitals with complaints of pain, Baza said. We sound like broken records, but keeping your eyes and ears open and focusing on whats ahead of you while driving can save lives.

Curry received unrelated treatment at the team facility for a groin injury that has kept him out of seven games. He was ruled out of games against Portland on Friday and Sacramento on Saturday, when the team is expected to update his status.

Hes fine. He was a little shaken up like anybody would be getting into a car accident, said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. But thankfully, nobody was hurt and Stephs doing fine. I think he has another car he can drive, so hes going to be OK.

Chronicle staff writers

Connor Letourneau and

Lauren Hernandez

contributed to this report.

Jon Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle assistant sports editor. Email: jon.schultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JonSchultzSF
Theres a path to higher education for everyone no matter what their background. Thats according to UCD Access and Lifelong Learning ahead of their University for All Week which takes place from 26th to 29th November.

Speaking today, Dr Anna Kelly, Director, UCD Access & Lifelong Learning, said: We believe that students entering higher education should reflect the diversity of the population. Each year, our Access and Lifelong Learning Centre welcome students from every county in Ireland, including Longford.

We know that for a lot of people, they feel university or higher education simply isnt an option for them. For any Longford people who may not have had a chance to enrol in college following school, for whatever reason, or for those who are considering returning to education, our University for All week is highlighting the various paths to higher education and the supports our UCD Access and Lifelong Learning Centre provides.

Yet access isnt just about getting students in the door to the University, its about ensuring they have the same opportunities to succeed when they get here. Thats why access and inclusion need to be at the heart of the University. Our goal is for every student  no matter what their background  is that they feel welcomed, that they belong, and that they are valued.

With 70 years experience improving access and participation, UCD is leading the way in moving inclusion from the margins to the mainstream. Participation rates for undergraduate students from non-traditional backgrounds is nearly 30 per cent with aim to increase this to 33% by 2020.

University for All Week

The first annual University for All Week is a four-day programme bringing together students, educators, and policy makers to reflect on inclusive practices across the higher education sector.

As well as the publication of the Toolkit, highlights from University for All Week include:

The publication of a new Toolkit for Inclusive Higher Education Institution.

The launch of student support video created by a group of mature students.

An address by former access student Dr Paula Williams. Dr Williams is currently a process engineer at Intel and will share her experience of higher education.

The launch of the inaugural UCD See One Be One Awards.

An exhibition showcasing the range of research, teaching, engagement happening throughout the University.

An address by Simon OConnor, Director, Museum of Literature Ireland on widening access to cultural institutions.



The full programme is available at www.ucd.ie/all/about/ ucduniversityforallweek.
Social Innovation Ireland (SIFI), in partnership with Longford County Council and all 31 Local Authorities across Ireland officially launched the second year of the 1.6m Social Enterprise Development Fund.

The Fund is financed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, from the Dormant Accounts Fund and IPB Insurance. The fund will continue to provide critical support to the most innovative and impactful social enterprises in Ireland so that they can sustain and scale their impact across the country.

This year, social enterprises will have a chance to win cash grant amounts ranging from 10,000 up to 50,000. Sixteen successful applicants will each win a cash investment and a place on Irelands only National Accelerator Programme for social enterprises. The Accelerator Programme provides training from best-in-class experts across the private, non-profit and public sectors and is designed to equip social enterprises to expand their business skills and deepen their impact within their communities and across the country. This year, the Accelerator Programme will include an Accelerator Fund, whereby each participant will have an opportunity to pitch for a share of an additional 100,000 in funding on completion of the 6-month programme.

Deirdre Mortell, CEO, Social Innovation Fund Ireland said: To date, we have supported 22 social enterprises through the Social Enterprise Development Fund and it was been so rewarding to watch each organisation develop their business skills and grow their impact across the country. We were very pleased with the quality of applications we received last year and we now have proof that there is a national pipeline of innovative and impactful social enterprises in Ireland. Following on from last years success, we are really pleased to call for applicants for the second year of the fund.

The fund is now open for applications from social enterprises in Longford. Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive of Longford County Council, said: The Social Enterprise Development Fund presents a great opportunity for social enterprises to achieve their goals and ultimately create measurable social impact in their communities and across Ireland. We hope to see all of Longfords innovative social enterprise projects apply to be part of this excellent funding initiative in 2019.

George Jones, Chairman of IPB Insurance said: We are delighted to support our local authority members working in partnership with the Social Innovation Fund Ireland for a second year. Last year, the fund received over 100 applications from almost every county and provided critical supports to 22 very impressive social enterprises. The national reach and local knowledge provided by the county and city councils, combined with Social Innovation Fund Irelands expertise has helped ensure each social enterprise is making a real and lasting impact which can be scaled across the country.

The fund is now open for applications from social enterprises until 25th January 2019. Further details are available on www.socialinnovation.ie
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NORTHAMPTON -- Owner Robert Burdick says he'll close Harlow Leather & Luggage, which he believes to be the oldest continuously operated retailer in downtown Northampton, at the end of this year if he can't find a suitable buyer.

But don't despair, he said to fans and longtime customers. He's gotten some "nibbles" from prospective buyers recently. And after all, he and his wife Jessica were, in his words, "11th-hour" buyers back in 2004 when they saved the store from closing then.

And business has been good, Burdick said, having rebounded from the 2008 Great Recession.

"It would be a real nice shop for someone who is interested in leather goods and travel goods," he said.

Burdick, 68, of North Adams, said he is ready for retirement. A former banker in northern Berkshire County, he bought the shop after being told he'd be a natural at retail.

He's not disclosing the asking price and the sale doesn't include the real estate. Burdick said landlord Peter Seterdahl is amenable to working out a lease with a new owner, however. Harlow is located at 196 Main St. Interested parties should contact Burdick at the shop, he said.

Harlow opened as W.L. Chilson in 1875. It took on the Harlow name when a Chilson daughter married a Harlow and the son-in-law came into the business. The shop changed hands a few more times over the decades.

As for the claim of being the oldest retailer on the city's bustling Main Street, Burdick said, "Well, I can't think of anyplace that's older."

In recent years he's added jewelry and other items to the luggage, handbags, belts, wallets and other leather goods the store sells. Wares include gloves and mittens, hats, toiletry cases and travel accessories like electrical adapters, eye masks, sleep pillows and TSA-approved bottles so folks can bring liquids in their carry-on baggage.

"Gee whiz, you name it," Burdick said.

A big seller is a line of luggage, Briggs & Riley, known for its warranty.

And most of the products sold at Harlow can't be found cheaper on the internet.

"And if something goes wrong, you want to be dealing with someone local," he said.

Harlow would be the latest in a stream of longtime Northampton businesses to close in recent years as owners retired, such as Don Gleason's Camping Supply on Pearl Street and the F.J. Rogers bicycle and sporting goods shop in the Florence section of the city.

Other longtime businesses have been sold and reinvigorated, like Faces novelty shop in 2015.
A 16-year-old New Hampshire resident was arrested late Friday in connection with an investigation into threatening phone calls made to two Boston gay bars.

Authorities said Hampton resident was arrested by police from Seabrook.

The alleged phone calls were made earlier this month to dbar in Dorchester and The Alley in downtown Boston. The calls came days after a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California.

"At the time of his arrest, the suspect was wanted on outstanding warrants sought out of Suffolk County Juvenile Court for Threats with Serious Public Alarm and Civil Rights Violations in connection to that investigation as well as additional warrants stemming from other charges from outside jurisdictions," the Boston Police Department said in a statement.

The teenager is being held as a "fugitive from justice" and he is expected to return to Boston for arraignment.

Additional details weren't provided Saturday afternoon.

According to WHDH, the owner of dbar said his manager called 911 after the call.

At the Alley, the manager said the caller threatened to "come shoot the place up," WHDH reported.
New Hampshire State Police said an 18-year-old Quincy man is dead and a passenger in his car was seriously injured when the vehicle they were occupying ran off I-93 in New Hampton, NH and crashed 40 feet down an embankment Friday morning.

WMUR-TV reported that New Hampshire State Police said Lucien Theberge was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6:30 a.m. crash.

A 16-year-old passenger in the vehicle was airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover with serious injuries.

According to investigators, the SUV Theberge was driving northbound on the highway apparently made an "abrupt turn to the left" on the highway, then steered right, struck a guardrail becoming airborne and crashed into trees 40 feet below.

The entire northbound lane of I-93 was closed for a few minutes to allow a medical helicopter to land on the highway to remove the injured passenger.

Investigators say they have not determined the exact cause of the crash but excessive speed appears to be a factor.
Warmer winters and a shorter ski season as temperatures climb. Increased emergency room visits and deaths. Higher risk of tick-related Lyme disease and mosquito-transmitted West Nile virus.

Those are some of the likely economic impacts and health effects of climate change in the Northeast region, according to a new US government report, which adds that humans caused most of the warming.

Due to the Northeast's high population density, historic areas like Rhode Island's Newport, and old housing and infrastructure, the region and its urban centers are "particularly vulnerable to climate shifts and extreme weather," the report adds.

"The changing climate of the Northeast threatens the health and well-being of residents through environmental changes that lead to health-related impacts and costs, including additional deaths, emergency room visits and hospitalizations, higher risk of infectious diseases, lower quality of life, and increased costs associated with healthcare utilization," the report says.

While northeastern cities and states are strategizing to combat some of the likely climate effects, changes to people's way of life in the region are unavoidable, according to the federally mandated report.

Winters are warming "three times faster" than summers, the report says, and around 2050, there'll be a fewer cold extremes and a "longer transition out of winter."

Pointing to the region's winter recreational industry, which now sees up to $2.7 billion in annual revenue, the report says climate change is likely to cause a delay in the ski season in the southern part of the region, and in one potential scenario, the industry will become "economically viable in only far northern parts of the region by end of century."

Historic districts in cities and towns with low elevations, like Newport and Maryland's Annapolis, are threatened by rising sea levels.

"Historical settlement patterns and ongoing development combine to increase the regional vulnerability of coastal communities to sea level rise, coastal storms, and increased inundation during high tides and minor storms," the government report says. "For example, estimates of coastal property losses and protective investments through 2100 due to sea level rise and storm surge vary from less than $15 billion for southeastern Massachusetts to in excess of $30 billion for coastal New Jersey and Delaware."

Health impacts will vary depending on people's locations and ages, but the report expresses high confidence that "extreme weather, warmer temperatures, degradation of air and water quality, and sea level rise threaten the health and well-being of people in the Northeast."

The climate changes will lead to "additional adverse health-related impacts and costs, including premature deaths, more emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and lower quality of life," the report adds.

The warmer climate will affect the timeline for diseases and viruses transmitted by ticks and mosquitos, according to the report. Under one scenario, the second half of the century will see a "period of elevated risk" of Lyme disease in the Northeast that will start weeks earlier than usual, and hundreds of additional cases of West Nile virus.

US Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, criticized the Trump administration for releasing the government report on Black Friday, when many people are traveling or shopping after the Thanksgiving holiday.

"The Trump administration may want to bury this report so that it doesn't get attention, but we can't bury our heads in the sand to the threat of climate change," Markey, chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, said in a statement. "We need to take action now to reduce carbon pollution and implement the clean energy solutions that will help save our planet."

Markey noted the report's worst-case scenario of sea levels in the Northeast possibly rising by more than 11 feet by the end of the century.

He also pointed to the more-recent warming ocean's effect on fisheries in 2012, where a temperature rise caused a glut in the lobster supply and led to a price collapse.

"Climate change remains the most critical challenge that human civilization faces, and today's report affirms that conclusion," Markey said. "In this National Climate Assessment, our best scientists are sending up an emergency flare - we need to take action now to mitigate carbon emissions or ignore the risks posed by climate change at our peril."
WEST SPRINGFIELD -- How much time do you spend in front of the mirror before you head to work each day? Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? Thirty minutes?

If you are a miniature poodle or a miniature wire-haired dachshund getting ready for the Thanksgiving Classic Cluster Dog Shows, it can be as long as four or five hours.

Trainers and handlers armed with combs, brushes, clippers, pH-balanced shampoo, dog toothpaste, nail clippers and hair dryers worked tirelessly Friday on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition to prepare their dogs for the canine competition. Some of them looked, well, dog-tired by the end of the day.

Heather Rife of Guilford, Connecticut, brought Leena, an Australian terrier, to Classic Cluster competition. "This is her first show so it's important she have a good show," she said.

The shows continue Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Better Living Center, the Young Building and Mallary North on the grounds of The Big E. And it's free. More than 2,000 dogs compete each day in breed, agility and obedience trials.

The all-breed shows are sponsored by the Holyoke, South Windsor, Springfield and Windham County kennel clubs. There are small dogs and large dogs, short-haired dogs and long-haired dogs as well as breeds not commonly know in the U.S.

Kelly Amsaldo of Northampton brought her Danish-Swedish farm dog. And, yes, there is such a breed.

"Her mom came here pregnant from Sweden. There are not very many of them here in the U.S.," Amsaldo said Friday. "It's an up and coming breed."

The American Kennel Club describes the dog as energetic, trainable and attentive, and as a companion dog that loves to work and enjoys a challenge.

The public is encouraged to attend the shows and watch the dogs compete with their handlers.
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Office party

Seems like an oxymoron, doesn't it? A party is supposed to be a fun place to be and usually, the office is the opposite of such a place.

 Deedle-Dee Productions/ NBC/ Universal Television

Also, the thing more taxing than going to an office party is deciding what to wear for it.

You can't go all out in party mode because after all, it has the word office in it, but you also don't necessarily have to put on your boring business suit because it's supposed to be a "party''.

So, what can you wear to such an event?

Ah, if only you had a fairy godmother who would just Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" your dressing woes away.

The office today isn't what our parents used to go to. The crowd is younger, trendier and more updated about their fashion sense. Also, unlike the claustrophobic environment of the old days, there is room for letting your hair down.

 Weiner Bros./Silvercup Studios/Lionsgate Television/ AMC

With the advent of globalization and modernization, the definition of an office and its connotations have drastically changed (for the better); there are parties, events, meetings where one needs to put their best foot forward, and that too impeccably dressed!

 Hypnotic Films & Television/ Universal Cable Productions/ USA Network

The dress code has also changed; no longer are you required to wear stiff formal clothes, there's a new term on the block; business casual.

Though it may sound easy, breezy it isn't as easy as it sounds. Business casual does let go of the traditional formal wear, but it still has its clutches on the way you dress (Yes, you still can't wear your favourite ganji to the office).

An office party is a crucial event where you can show your personality without going wild and can push the envelope without going overboard.

 Weiner Bros./Silvercup Studios/Lionsgate Television/ AMC

It is also an opportunity to socialize and network with other people from work and gives you a way to see the buoyant, merry side of your colleagues (sometimes too merry a side! :P).

 Weiner Bros./Silvercup Studios/Lionsgate Television/ AMC

In fact, office parties can be a great way to meet new people and indulge in a conversation other than deadlines and projects. Though, you might also have to put on a fake smile when meeting your exasperating co-workers (Don't lie, we all have at least one! Loudmouth Lokesh from Finance, perhaps?)

Also, you can finally talk to the person on whom you have been crushing hard and even flirt nonchalantly while looking your best.

 Weiner Bros./Silvercup Studios/Lionsgate Television/ AMC

The party theme can range from one end of the spectrum to another: black-tie formal to cocktail chic to casual soiree.

Yet again, it is a time to show your sartorial prowess and have fun while dressing up.

 CBS/ Bays and Thomas Productions/ 20th Century Fox Television

Whatever you do, follow the theme and dress code of the party; wearing a sherwani at a black-tie dinner party is not the way to go! (Sorry, Justin Trudeau! :P)

Feeling apprehensive about your choices? Worry not, we got you!

Here, are some of the essentials which you need in your wardrobe for such an occasion:

1. A Great Pair Of Cufflinks:

Yes, those things in a dress shirt which secure the cuffs!

A cufflink is a great accessory; it shows that you take your appearance seriously and they have a quintessential charm to them. (Nope, they aren't pretentious!)

Now, cufflinks can be both formal and casual; it depends on the type of party that the office is throwing.

Formal/tuxedo cufflinks; these are prevalent for evening wear and show a classier version of you.

Remember to only use them if it is a dressy event, i.e., a black-tie office party or a fancy dinner party where you need to whip out your tux. Go for the solid coloured ones; in hues of grey, silver or onyx.

You can wear cufflinks to a casual party as well; it's a nice way to stand out. Wear a striped shirt with smaller cufflinks or silk cufflinks and team it up with a sport coat and it's casual without being tardy.

Cufflinks today come with a plethora of options: various sizes, fabrics and styles. Semi-precious stones, metal, silk, you say it, you get it!

 Unsplash

Keep in mind to choose a good motif; something which isn't very conspicuous or obnoxious and stays away from the tacky, loud, heavily embellished ones. Just because Ranveer Singh can get away with the most outlandish of clothes and accessories doesn't mean you can! :P

Also, think about the color of your shirt and choose the cufflink wisely; they shouldn't completely merge into each other.

A solid, monochrome, metallic one without OTT detailing is always a safe option.

Cufflinks are expensive, but they are worth the investment.

2. Turtlenecks:

A great piece of clothing if you use it well and makes you nail that elusive smart casual look.

A turtleneck with a blazer/jacket goes a long way in making an impression; it looks fabulous without being too formal.

The best thing about a turtleneck is that is in that grey space between formal and casual, which makes it your safest bet for a party!

Another good thing is that you can pair it up with most types of pants; chinos, trousers, jeans.

Go for darker colours; black, aubergine, brown, dark green are the best options. It makes for a sleeker silhouette and gives you a sharp frame. Stay away from flashy colours. You can also go for neutral colours to push the envelope.

Make sure that it fits you correctly; not too snug or too loose, it should hug your frame without appearing shabby or weird.

Layering is always a good option; throw on a bomber jacket or a wool blazer to increase the appeal of the turtleneck; it makes you look dapper in an understated way.

Another sartorial inspiration would be to ditch the shirt and wear it with your suit!

With the onset of winters, it is the perfect way to keep warm while looking suave.

Whatever you do, please, never tuck in your turtleneck.

3. Bomber Jacket:

No, this isn't a typo, you read it right.

Regarded mostly as a casual jacket, a bomber jacket can transform into a credible business casual/office party piece, provided you pick out a good one.

Go monochrome; black, white, brown, grey without any kind of embellishments or over the top detailing (this is your office, remember!).

Remember that it should fit you well, akin to a blazer; your shoulders should fit snugly into it without being too tight on the rest of the body.

Another great thing about this jacket? It makes you look taller; make sure the jacket's length doesn't exceed farther than your belt. It provides an illusion of a taller and slimmer frame.

If you can, ditch the zipper fastening in favour of a snap one; it looks more presentable. Pick a suede or leather bomber jacket so that you can use it any time of the year.

Pair a black leather one up with a formal shirt, a pair of chinos or ankle-length trousers and Italian loafers to complete the look. Voila, you are ready to rock your office party.

4. Nehru Jacket:

India has countless festivals and you are bound to celebrate these festivals in your office.

The most widely celebrated of these festivals would be Diwali and most offices nowadays have a Diwali party to commemorate the occasion.

The dress code will probably be traditional. Here is where you can shine!

Ditch the only kurta way and embrace the Nehru Jacket and Kurta combo. It makes more a more vibrant and complete look. Go for a contrasting colour for the jacket, for example, if you plan to wear a white kurta, go for a black, embroidered Nehru jacket to make your look pop out!

Pair it up with some black mojaris or oxfords and you are good to go! To kick things up a notch, add a pocket square which complements your kurta.

You know what, they also look great with full-sleeved shirts and can help you ace a wedding reception look. Talk about shooting two birds with one arrow!

5. Brogues:

These are mostly classified as formal shoes (but not as formal as their cousin, the Oxford shoe) but over the years they have broken free of the shackles of formal wear and filtered into the casual zone.

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Their characteristic sign is the perforations which make up a beautiful design, i.e., broguing, mostly at the tip of the shoe or all throughout the sides of the shoes.

They are beautifully crafted and go exceedingly well with evening wear. If it is a formal party, you can easily pair it up with your suit and the whole look becomes a statement. In fact, they also gel well with traditional wear.

For a casual party, brogues paired with chinos and a classic shirt spell elegant chic with a fun side.

Funny how these shoes, once considered country shoes and not formal, have taken over not only the business arena but the casual space as well. A pair of brogues is now an icon of high-end fashion.

If you are not the fan of the detailing, go for oxford brogues (remember Colin Firth from Kingsman) which do not have the indentations (or less) which a brogue does.

6. Perfume:

The elegant (read way classier) version of deodorants; perfumes make you feel confident about yourself.

A cliche in nearly every post you read about grooming, a perfume is the best way to smell better.

Their fragrance is different and more intense; no, the girls won't be fawning all over you if you use a perfume, they sure will be fainting in your wake if you don't though.

Invest in good quality perfumes and be sure to try it out on yourself. What smells good on someone or in its pack might not smell the same on you.

 Unsplash

Wait a while when trying out perfumes, so that you can judge how it smells once it mingles with your natural scent.

No one likes a Smelly Solomon; you wouldn't want your office colleagues to talk of you as the guy who smells!

But remember, you need just a few sprays on the correct parts of your body (chest, wrists, back of the ear, inner bicep), don't drench yourself in the perfume; you'll end up making everyone breathless in the wrong way: with a sneezing fit.

With Christmas and New Year around the corner, you must surely have a few office parties to look forward to; indulge yourself in these fashion essentials and become the debonair gentleman who is the toast of the party.

Best of Luck! Thank us later. :D
JOURNALIST: I would like to return to Hyatt, the hotel where the work of the 4th Ministerial Meeting between Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and FYROM has started, in order to meet the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Katrougalos.

Lets greet him. Good morning, Minister.

G. KATROUGALOS Good morning to you and your viewers.



JOURNALIST: Could you give us a brief outline of this meeting, and the contacts which are scheduled to take place on a bilateral level between the Ministers, Mr Minister.

G. KATROUGALOS Thessaloniki is becoming an important centre of diplomacy. As you may remember, a few days ago, we had here the summit meeting which was attended by our Prime Minister, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, and many other important stakeholders.

Todays meeting is the 4th. Another three meetings took place before, here again in Thessaloniki, because, as we said, we want our 'co-capital' to become a centre for the exercise of our policy in the Balkans. The three previous meetings focused mainly on issues of cooperation between the Interior and Citizen Protection Ministers, such as migration, the tackling of crime, infrastructure, energy, and connectivity, or more precisely, the roadways and energy resources we would like to connect.

Today, we chose to put emphasis on economic issues, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania. Obviously, we discussed our cooperation on issues of common political interest, and Stergios Pitsiorlas along with his counterparts from the Ministries of Economy of the three other countries were also with us to discuss economic issues.

The main point I would like to make is that we all agree on the notion that in the interest of all countries the Balkans should be approached as a single economic area. Under the circumstances, our country has a leading role to play, as the oldest country of the European Union in this region. Our companies have an important economic presence in all these countries. It is, therefore, in our interest to promote economic cooperation. And as early as the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003, we have, of course, been in favour of the accession of the countries of our region to the European Union, with the self-evident precondition that they will respect the European acquis, the principle of good neighbourly relations and whatever else a country should posses in order to be productive within our Union.



JOURNALIST: Before mentioning the individual and the bilateral meetings, I would like you to tell me how much time do you have available, because you have already missed many contacts and work for us. This way, I will try to handle the remaining time better and raise as many questions as possible within these limits, and be consistent towards you.



G. KATROUGALOS I will try to give you the time you think you need. But no more than 10 minutes in total.



JOURNALIST: Let us now turn to the crucial bilateral contacts. I do not know if it is the first meeting, at least with the coverage we will get of you meeting your fYROM counterpart, and shaking hands with him, since the departure of Mr Kotzias from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? What does this mean? What phase are we in at the moment, now that we are also awaiting the important decisions of the Parliament of the neighbouring country, and given the present climate in Greece?



G. KATROUGALOS I already had a meeting with Nikola Dimitrov yesterday. We had a first informal conversation. In a little while, we will have a more organized bilateral meeting. The two countries have decided to solve a major dispute that could have been solved since the 1990s. It is indeed a remarkable fact that we do not have presently differences to divide us, apart from having to tackle the issue of the name. I think this was done in the best way with the Prespa Agreement. It was, of course, a compromise, like all agreements between states that are not reached after the end of a war and do not entail loss and defeat on one side. Our policy has to continue, even after the resignation of Nikos Kotzias from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in my opinion was deeply regrettable. The policy we are implementing has not changed and my colleague from the neighbouring country has assured me that they are equally committed. When the process of their own constitutional review is completed, by faithfully implementing whatever has been agreed, then following upon our own ratification, we shall see what happens, or how we can better promote the cooperation issues between our two countries and our two peoples.



JOURNALIST: You seem confident that the issue will pass the fYROM Parliament in Skopje. I wonder if this optimism derives from an assessment given to you by your counterpart, or is linked to the fact that things are now better since Gruevski's escape and Hungarys decision to accede his request for political asylum.



G. KATROUGALOS I do not want to comment on the internal affairs of our neighbouring country. Given the fact that the necessary constitutional majority has been gathered in order to start the constitutional revision, we can be reasonably optimistic that this revision will also be completed in a positive way. As for us, we are watching and discussing with the other side, in order to ensure that what is reflected in the constitutional revision echoes exactly the spirit of the Prespa Agreement.



JOURNALIST: And what makes you optimistic that there will be eventually a successful outcome and denouement on the Greek side too if the necessary correlations are established. You may think that the climate is a little quieter than it was for example in February or March last year. That said, there is a general involvement and mobilization. I would say that even minors, including under-age pupils, are taking part in these mobilizations. I do not know if you are aware of this internet calling for abstentions and student rallies with spearhead the Macedonian issue. Mainly in schools of Northern Greece, Mr Minister.



G. KATROUGALOS Personally, I have no doubt that the Prespes Agreement will also be ratified by our Parliament. As I told you, it is a mutually beneficial agreement that will solve a long 10-year dispute. It will also be of benefit to our country. As for the reactions coming from the public, I respect every opposing opinion, every different view, so long as it is not based on irredentist views. The only people I do not respect, let me be clear, are those who say "to arms, to arms to take over Skopje," because obviously anyone who demands respect of ones borders from others, must also respect the borders and the general need for peaceful coexistence of other peoples in the region. My personal interpretation is that many of the reactions are not about this deal per se. Instead, they are the echo of eight years of darkness caused by the memoranda, which have wounded the national and personal pride of many people. I think that this opposition to the Prespa Agreement from many of our compatriots is mostly an emotional reaction. I understand why there is this reaction and I am convinced that as time passes, as they study what the agreement really is about, and how it will be implemented, support for it will become wider.



JOURNALIST: Let's move on to the other bilateral meeting you will have with your counterpart from Albania. Again, I think this is the first common appearance, at least it is this picture we Greeks will remember, since the murder of our national in Albania. I wonder Minister, whether this handshake also signals something else, perhaps an apology publicly made, or at least officially made, from the Albanian side towards the Greek side.



G. KATROUGALOS As we did with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, our goal with Albania is to discuss and resolve any bone of contention remaining between our countries and also promote common interests, such as the demarcation of our maritime zones. Of course, Katsifas' deplorable death has created tensions in our relations with Albania, although we were not responsible for them. We, from the outset, had made it clear that our priorities were to shed abundant light on the case, ensure respect for the rights of our minority in Albania and, of course, on the reciprocal condition of the satisfaction of the first two, to maintain the very good level we had attained in our bilateral relations.

So what is happening today is an attempt to go towards this direction, to bring our bilateral relations back to the very good level they had attained thanks to the common efforts of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Let me remind you that, on 28 October, when Katsifas was killed, a reconciliation event between the two peoples had been planned. With the village of Bularat being full of Greek flags, while we were paying tribute to the dead soldiers of the Albanian front, after an agreement for their burial, which actually sought to confirm the good climate, and the decision of both States to bring our bilateral relations to a good level.

We expect to do the same from now on.
Our neighbor went to the State final competition for Cross Country, and her whole family went. Theres something about people you know and love being there for you that makes you want to keep going. Thats exactly what I want to share about today, a week after our return from a trip to Israel: Family-style accountability.

Meet Margaret and her four daughters, ranging in age from 15 to 24. They move around the fitness center tribe-like suggesting to each other what they should do next, evaluating each others technique while they wait to use the same machine, and offering bits of advice.

But its getting to the workout facility thats the most critical to their successful routine. Because they live 25 minutes from the gym, trips need to be planned out. Mom usually inquires with her eldest first, Gretta, who has the most commitments to work around.

All the daughters plus mom dont make it with every trip, but more than half come most of the time. The small group prefers to come in the morning, before the demands of the day steal their free time.

Once they have their plan, Mom recruits the other young ladies, some of whom try to come up with excuses.

I like to think that Im a good role model for long term good health, and try to be full of encouragement so my girls can develop life-long habits to stay strong and in shape, she reflects.

Of course, the young ladies interpret those words and actions differently, and like a good Jewish mom, Margaret applies a good dose of guilt to ensure the gals make a wholesome choice and not delay in practicing good health habits.

FIfteen-year-old Mercy claims, She makes me feel guilty, and after a pause adds, but in a good way.

Next in line, Iva, 18, repeats her sentiments on moms strategy but confesses, Yeah, even though I dont like it, it gets me going.

Maggie explains that she doesnt attend the gym much, but because of the influence of her other family members, she makes sure she gets active.

Maggie, 20, prefers to work at home doing a seven-minute workout, which includes squats, lunges, planks, push ups, jumping jacks, and more.

Such is the way of families, here in the USA or over in Israel. Sometimes its guilt. Sometimes its bribery. Sometimes its payback. But whatever works for you and yours, use it for your benefit ... get there and stay active!

Sheri Lynn Essian, of Bad Axe, is a NETA certified personal trainer, and an '83 MSU physical educator.
DERBY  A claim that a Derby police detective made a racist comment during a July encounter with a group of teens was found to be substantiated in part, according to a copy of the an internal affairs investigation obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

This was one of several claims in a complaint filed by Jessica Matthews against four Derby police officers. Matthews said her 16-year-old son and a group of primarily African American friends were harassed and racially profiled after the July 3 Derby-Shelton fireworks.

The complaint alleged and the internal affairs investigation confirmed that Detective Benjamin Bartone said, white boy wants to be like them, to Matthews son, who is white.

Yes, I did say white boy wants to be like them, Bartone said in a statement to Lt. Stanko, who led the internal affairs investigation and has been Bartones supervisor for 11 years, according to the report.

Bartones statement goes on to add, I meant that he wanted to act like the rest of the crowd which was disobeying the officers. He started to act like them, being loud, unruly and walking in the street and not listening to officers commands ...

Stankos report said the claim that Bartone made derogatory/racist comments is sustained in part.

Stanko recommended a written warning for Bartone. Instead, the detective got a half-day suspension without pay after the investigation, according to a letter from Chief Gerald Narowski, who did not respond to request for comment Friday.

Stanko said that while the context of the statement, certainly connotes racial and discriminatory intent (e.g. the white boy wants to act black) ... I do not feel that it was motivated by race, bias, or discrimination.

Matthews did not respond to request for comment Friday. Bartone could not be reached for comment.

Stanko said claims against the other officers involved were unsubstantiated.

The only profiling that occurred was that of targeting groups of people, albeit juveniles, who were congregating in the streets, blocking traffic and disobeying commands, Stanko said in his conclusion. Race was not a factor in any of those actions.

Bartone has been with the department for 15 years and has never had complaints filed by or against him related to racial discrimination/bias, the report said.

But Stanko said, the use of white boy in this context was unprofessional and not within the expected standards of how a Derby Police Officer should address members of the public.

On the night in question, police were flagged down by a group of mothers and their children near Fifth and Elizabeth streets who claimed a group of juveniles were threatening to shoot them, the report said.

The report indicated the officers repeatedly asked the juveniles  some of whom the officers recognized as having criminal histories  to clear the area, adding that they were blocking the sidewalk and spilling over onto the roadways, which had been reopened to traffic after the fireworks display.

Though initially the officers were dealing with a small group of youths, at some point they joined another larger group, making it around 30 to 40 people, according to the report.

It was very hectic and stressful. No one was listening to our commands, Bartone said in a statement provided in the report.

Several teens recorded their interactions with the officers on cellphone videos that were reviewed by Stanko for the internal affairs investigation. In one video, Bartone said he didnt have to give his badge number, the report said. Stanko said that was a violation of the departments policy.

In a statement to Stanko included in the report, Bartone said, I felt that being a police officer in uniform, with my name tag on the front of my uniform, was enough to identify who I am.

Stanko recommended in his report that Bartone  and the rest of the department  get additional training on the requirements of officers to identify themselves when asked, tactics in crowd control, de-escalation techniques and peacefully dealing with demonstrations.
NEW HAVEN  Get ready for another music venue downtown.

The parent of the College Street Music Hall was chosen to proceed with its plans to fill the empty former club space at the Crown Street Garage with a new venture they are calling District Ballroom.

The New Haven Parking Authority board picked the proposal Tuesday over a consortium of the Shubert Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre and Albertus Magnus College mainly because the music plan could get up and running more quickly, it did not have to fundraise for the $2 million in renovations and it was not asking for any subsidies.

The consortium, however, still could be a neighbor in the area, with Shubert Executive Director John Fisher indicating an interest in looking at other Parking Authority space at the Temple Street Garage and elsewhere  as a home for its partnership with Long Wharf and Albertus.

After the vote, Fisher congratulated his competitors. We wish them well, he said.

Attorney Steven Mednick, who represents the winning plan, said they were looking forward to getting into the space to draw up more specific plans. He didnt expect contract negotiations to take long.

The next step for the Parking Authority is to negotiate a contract with the New Haven Center for the Performing Arts, the nonprofit that runs the popular College Street Music Hall. Keith Mahler, president of Premier Facilities LLC, is manager of the current 2,000-seat music hall.

In the end, four members of the authoritys board voted for the music venue, which will be a smaller version of its original facility as it prepares to fit out the 10,000- to 11,000-square-foot former home to such clubs as Boppers.

Member Donna Curren recused herself as she is on the board for the New Haven Festival of Arts & Ideas, which strongly supported the consortium plan, and she felt that was a conflict.

Douglas Hausladen, acting executive director of the Parking Authority, also did not vote in the event he has to negotiate with the consortium at a later point.

In favor of the District Ballroom were members Larry Stewart, Andrew Orefice, Pedro Rivera and the chairman, Norman Forrester.

A separate selection committee already had made a recommendation to the board. Four members of that group, appointed to vet the two proposals, gave equal weight to each, while three voted solely for the NHCPA plan, with a final vote of 7 for the music club and four for the theater plan.

I personally like the diversity that they (the consortium) brought from a venue perspective, Orefice said, given that other music venues are located downtown.

But, from a fiduciary standpoint, District Ballroom seemed stronger financially as it could pay the rent and bring dollars and people into the city, Orefice said.

His biggest reservation with the NHCPA was it operates as a not-for-profit, although it seems to be a strong, independent, well-funded entity. He would like to see it become a for-profit in its arrangment with the authority.

Others thought having District Balllroom offer more community involvement could be among the items to be discussed as contract terms are worked out.

Part of the terms in the Request for Proposals, which the authority put out in summer as it looked for bidders for the space, was a payment in lieu of taxes which would be equal to what the city would assess the real property for.

That is different than personal property, which will change, Joseph Rini, attorney for the Parking Authority, said. He said the board could not waive the payment in lieu of taxes .

The consortium, which estimated it would have to invest $5.7 million as opposed to the $2 million estimated by the NHCPA plan, had asked that the $60,000 signing fee be waived, as well as the PILOT. It also asked that the $6 per square foot rent be forgiven for the first five years, given the investment it was willing to make.

The consortium estimated it would being 51,000 new patrons downtown, with attendance up to 56,464 by the third year.

Premier Facilities estimated it would serve 2,500 ticket-holders weekly for more than 100,000 visits over a year. The consortium said it could bring $1.4 million in new business downtown; the District Ballroom estimate was more than double at $3.1 million.

mary.oleary@

hearstmediact.com; 204-641-2577
Cynthia Esparza, For the Express-News / For the San Antonio Express-News

MIDDLETOWN  The Connecticut Food Bank reports that one in eight adults and one in six children living in Connecticut struggle with hunger: a sobering statistic, especially during Thanksgiving week.

To offset this hardship, the 15th annual Liberty Bank/Rotary Club Thanksgiving Drive raised a record-breaking $426,607 to supply holiday dinners and fill shelves at local food pantries, according to a press release. Of that total, $53,068 was raised by five Rotary Clubs and one Lions Club in Middlesex County, and will go to benefit agencies there which provide the community food for Thanksgiving.

This year, 40 Rotary Clubs and the East Haddam Community Lions Club teamed up with the 55 Liberty Bank offices to raise funds. The Liberty Bank Foundation provided matching funds of 25 cents for each dollar raised by the Rotaries and Liberty offices, the release said.

Since the drive began in 2004, it has raised almost $2.5 million, including the Liberty Bank Foundation match. All donations are used to provide food in the communities where they were given.

The Middletown Rotary Club partnered with the Middletown Community Thanksgiving Project, and, along with Liberty Bank branches in the city and surrounding towns, raised $7,550, according to the bank. They received matching funds of $1,888, as well as a $100 incentive prize, for a total of $9,538.

The funds will be divided among MCTP, St. Vincent de Paul Middletown, and food banks in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield and Portland. In addition, Middletown Rotarians delivered 99 of the 1,000 Thanksgiving baskets provided by MCTP, the release said.

East Hampton Rotary Club ranked three in fundraising among the 41 clubs participating in the drive, largely due to its annual Turkey Plunge in Lake Pocotapaug. Working in partnership with Libertys branches in East Hampton and Marlborough, the club raised $27,677 and received matching funds of $6,919 for a total of $34,596. Funds were donated to the food banks in East Hampton and Marlborough, according to the bank.

Chester Rotary Club raised $2,356 and received matching funds of $589 for a total of $2,945, which was donated to the Chester Community Fund.

The Rotary Club of Essex and Libertys Essex branch raised $1,737 and received matching funds of $434, plus a $100 incentive prize, for a total of $2,271. Funds were donated to Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries.

The Deep River Rotary Club partnered with Liberty Banks Deep River office to raise $2,513, and received matching funds of $628 for a total of $3,141, which was donated to the Deep River Food Bank.

The East Haddam Community Lions and Libertys Moodus office raised $461 and received matching funds of $115 for a total of $576, which was donated to the East Haddam Food Bank.

Liberty Banks Haddam offices raised a total of $352, which was donated to the Haddam Food Bank.

Every town in Connecticut has working families who simply do not earn enough to cover basic expenses, Sue Murphy, executive director of the Liberty Bank Foundation and a member of the Middletown Rotary Club, said in a prepared statement. Many times, this means skimping on food to pay for such things as rent or health care. We are grateful that our partnership with area rotaries is helping make a notable difference.

The following Rotary clubs participated in the drive:

Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Branford, Bristol, Cheshire, Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, Derby/Shelton, East Hampton, Essex, Groton/Ledyard, Hamden, Kensington/Berlin, Madison, Meriden, Middletown, Montville, Mystic, Naugatuck, New Britain/Berlin, New Haven, New London, Newington, Niantic, North Branford, North Haven, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Plainville, Seymour/Oxford, Southington, Stoningtons, Wallingford, Waterbury, Waterford, West Hartford, Wethersfield/Rocky Hill, and Willimantic. The East Haddam Community Lions Club also participated.
China's Sub Force Is Growing More Powerful. This Is What the US Navy Needs to Do to Stay Ahead
American and Russian forces have clashed a dozen times in Syria -- sometimes with exchanges of fire -- a U.S. envoy told Russian journalists in a wide-ranging interview this week.

Ambassador James Jeffrey, U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement, offered no specifics about the incidents, speaking to the Russian newspaper Kommersant and state-owned news agency RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

Jeffrey had been asked to clarify casualty numbers and details of a February firefight in which U.S. forces reportedly killed up to 200 pro-Syrian regime forces, including Russian mercenaries, who had mounted a failed attack on a base held by the U.S. and its mostly Kurdish local allies near the town of Deir al-Zour. None of the Americans at the outpost -- reportedly about 40 -- had been killed or injured.

Jeffrey declined to offer specifics on that incident, but said it was not the only such confrontation between Americans and Russians.

"U.S. forces are legitimately in Syria, supporting local forces in the fight against Da'esh and as appropriate -- and this has occurred about a dozen times in one or another place in Syria -- they exercise the right of self-defense when they feel threatened," Jeffrey said, using an Arabic term for the Islamic State group. "That's all we say on that."

Asked to clarify, he said only that some of the clashes had involved shooting and some had not.

"There have been various engagements, some involving exchange of fire, some not," he told the journalists in remarks confirmed on the U.S. Embassy in Moscow website. "Again, we are continuing our mission there and we are continuing to exercise our right of self-defense."

Both Russia and Iran back the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war, now in its eighth year. The U.S., which Jeffrey said regards Assad as a "disgrace to mankind," has deployed hundreds of troops and equipment to eastern Syria as part of the coalition to defeat the Islamic State.

Since 2015, Washington and Moscow have broadly maintained a "deconfliction line" to communicate the locations of U.S. and Russian air and ground forces in the country.

Pentagon officials had no immediate comment on the ambassador's statement.

Jeffrey also criticized the Russians supplying Syria surface-to-air missile systems in Damascus, which he called a "dangerous escalation," noting that it had already led to tragedy -- the downing of a Russian spy plane and its crew of 15 -- and could lead to more mistakes in the future.

Earlier this week, the U.S. announced sanctions intended to curb Russian and Iranian oil shipments to Syria. Jeffrey said the U.S. had also sought Russia's help to urge the withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces from the country.

"We need to see a de-escalation of the fighting in Syria," Jeffrey said. "This has been a terrible conflict that has pulled in many outside powers, including Russia and the United States."

___

Stars and Stripes reporter Corey Dickstein contributed to this report.
BENSALEM >> The African American Museum of Bucks County (AAMBC) is partnering with Parx Casino to present the Building Our Dream cocktail reception fundraiser on Thursday, December 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.. The fundraiser will be held at the spacious Parx Casino East Banquet Room, 3001 Street Road, Bensalem. All proceeds will be dedicated to the reparation of the...
Runners know that it is not a question of whether you have pain or injury, but when that pain or injury will occur.
Formation of new JIT to open doors of justice on the oppressed: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri inaugurated the newly constructed Mosque on November 22 in the Minhaj University. The Mosque depicts rich Islamic culture and heritage. Punjab Minister for Public Prosecution Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din Khan attended the inaugural ceremony on a special invitation.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the construction of the Mosque is merely a beginning, adding that a research centre of spiritualism is also being built up adjacent to it. He said that spiritualism is the spirit of Islam and highlights the excellence of morality of the Holy Prophets (pbuh) sira. He congratulated Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri and others on the wonderful construction of the Mosque. Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Dr Aslam Ghauri, Dr Shahid Soriya, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Brig. (r ) Muhammad Iqbal, Noorullah Siddiqui were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din said that the educational institutions set up by Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri are fulfilling the responsibility of imparting moral and spiritual training to the students in addition to the provision of the quality education. He said that the work of Dr Qadri will benefit the future generations. He said that the patience, courage and steadfastness with which Dr Qadri has been waging the struggle for Model Town tragedy, his esteem in the eyes of the people has increased manifold. He said that no one stands up for the rights of the poor and it is Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri who has been supporting them and pleading their cause with conviction. He said that he was, is and will continue to stand by Dr Qadri in his struggle to seek justice for the oppressed and the poor.

Talking to media on the occasion, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that we continue to stand where we were four years ago with reference to our struggle for getting justice for the martyrs of Model Town. He said that the doors of justice will open on the oppressed with the establishment of the new JIT to investigate the carnage. He said that he is satisfied on the Chief Justices announcement of establishing a larger bench to hear the petition. He said that he is hopeful for justice, stating that he is also satisfied with the governments cooperation so far. He however added in the same breath that it depends on the attitude of the government as to how far it goes in extending its support to ensure provision of justice. He said had it been anyone else, the incidents such as Model Town tragedy would have been erased from the memory of the people, stating that blood is sold and bought here but no one succeeded in intimidating or scaring the families of the martyrs. He said that we are as much resolute for getting justice as we were in the evening of June 17, 2014.

In reply to a question, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the money received through off-shore companies like those located in Panama is not just illegal, those who sit on the files of public and demand money from the people to do what is their core responsibility also earn illegal money. He said that light on the face and contentment of heart is related to the nature of the means of ones living. He said that we should increase the beauty of Mosques and make them really attractive, stating that the beautiful atmosphere leaves very good impact on us. He said that cleanliness makes us get purification.

Dr Qadri said that he has asked the students of Minhaj University that getting education with sincerity is also a form of education. He said that the students should be regular in offering their prayers five times a day in addition to focus on their studies, adopt good company because bad companies has disastrous results. He said that when healthy people will sit in the company of an infected person, they will receive its ill effects. He also instructed the students to offer their prayers in the Mosque.
As usual, Thanksgiving weekend brings a lull in the transactional market. Weve yet to see a ton of movement at the top of the free agent class, so there isnt much to digest on that front. But there has been one quite notable trade: four days ago, the Yankees landed James Paxton from the Mariners, as we wrote up in full at the time. That swap was significant enough to warrant further assessment from the MLBTR readership. After all, it sets the stage for both clubs for the rest of the winter.

For the Yankees, getting Paxton means saving some immediate salary as against a generally commensurate free agent arm. Hes an excellent hurler, albeit one with health questions. Notably, the organization added a high-quality piece at an area of need without adding any ink to the long-term balance sheet. Thats important whether or not the team has designs on any massive free agent outlays, as it will help maintain long-term flexibility.

Of course, the expectation remains that the Bronx Bombers will add another notable rotation piece while also exploring other intriguing assets on the open market. If the organization was operating under any financial limitations, whether via hard limits or soft ones, then itll now presumably be able more comfortably to absorb salary as it chases Patrick Corbin or another starter, Zach Britton or some other reliever, or perhaps top-of-the-market stars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.

Nabbing Paxton obviously didnt come free, though. The Yankees parted with two hurlers who couldve contributed to the MLB staff now and for years to come in Justus Sheffield and Erik Swanson. Also heading out the door was an increasingly interesting, though not very widely hyped, outfield prospect named Dom Thmpson-Williams.

On the Mariners side, picking up those new pieces helps set the organization up for what it hopes will be a fairly brief reloading period. Sheffield has long been graded a top prospect, though many have come to doubt his upside (and his ability to stick in the rotation at all). Clearly, the Ms like his ability and think he can make good on his promise. While Swanson is not nearly as well-known, he seems to have a legitimate shot at turning into a productive MLB piece in Seattle.

Prioritizing near-term talent may have been a reflection, at least in part, of the sorts of offers that Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto received. But it likely represents a part of his stated strategy to target the opening of a new contention period in 2020 or 2021. Theres no reason to doubt that both of the hurlers will reach the majors at some point in the coming years, so theyll each have a shot at carving out a role in what the front office hopes will be a cost-effective and capable pitching staff.

So, how do you grade this deal for both clubs?

In New York  (link for app users):

And on the Seattle side  (link for app users):
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- In 2017, 3.6 million Americans reported missing scheduled medical appointments due solely to a lack of transportation, according to Health Facilities Management Magazine.

In an effort to remove transportation as a barrier to healthcare, the medical ride-sharing startup Kaizen Health Inc. is bringing its platform -- connecting healthcare providers and existing ride-sharing services -- to Grand Rapids.

The company is the recipient of $100,000 after winning the Ford City of Tomorrow Challenge in Grand Rapids. The challenge sought ideas to improve the future of mobility in the city.

"This proposal stems directly from the experiences of Grand Rapids residents and the obstacles they face on a daily basis," said John Kwant, vice president of Ford City Solutions, in a statement.

"Listening to the community, collaborating with residents and bringing them into the design process is a new and novel approach to developing mobility solutions, and it's exactly the kind of local engagement we wanted to foster with the City of Tomorrow Challenge."

Kaizen Health's platform connects existing ride-sharing services -- Lyft, GO!Bus, The Rapid and Innova EV -- with healthcare providers to schedule rides to and from appointments for patients who don't have easy access to transportation.

With the proposed platform, when a patient comes to their clinic or local emergency department looking for care, clinical staff would conduct an initial screening to determine if a patient is eligible for Kaizen Health's service.

Eligible patients could then have rides to and from future appointments set up by clinical staff. Rides could be helpful for hospital discharges and recurring appointments like dialysis, cancer treatment and physical therapy.

Patients would get a reminder text or call of their appointment. A three-step verification process would confirm the patient's acceptance of the ride of the day of the appointment, and let medical staff know if the patient will be at their appointment.

The vehicle that picks up the patient would be chosen based on their needs -- ride-share sedan, wheelchair vehicle, small bus, etc. -- and would transport the patient to their healthcare provider 15 minutes before their appointment starts.

And the bill for the ride would typically be footed by the healthcare provider or insurance company, not the patient, according to Mindi Knebel, the company's founder and CEO.

"Our clients are finding that covering the cost of transportation provides a greater financial benefit as opposed to a patient missing their appointment or being treated in-patient longer than necessary due solely to lack of transportation," according to a statement from Kaizen Health.

"On a longer-time horizon, we would hope to show improved cost experience and health outcomes for eligible populations."

Goals of the platform are to have an increase in appropriate out-patient services, medication adherence and patient satisfaction, and a decrease in emergency-room visits and missed appointments.

By winning Grand Rapids' Ford City of Tomorrow Challenge, Kaizen Health was awarded $100,000 to establish a pilot program in Grand Rapids like the one it has serving 20 hospitals in the Chicago area.

In Chicago, Kaizen Health's clients using the platform saw a decrease in no-shows, and an increase in attendance at follow-up appointments from 17 percent to 65 percent.

According to the company, a recent customer survey determined that 88 percent of patients said they would not have made it to their appointment without the provided transportation service.

Success of the platform will be evaluated by reductions in missed appointments, late arrivals and emergency-department presentations, as well as number of patients engaged and the self-reported satisfaction of patients who use the service.

The City of Tomorrow Challenge launched in Grand Rapids in June, following suit of the challenges first two cities: Pittsburgh and Miami.

The Grand Rapids City Commission approved spending of $125,000 from MobileGR's funds in June, and PlanetM matched the city's contribution, to help cover costs associated with the challenge, including community engagement efforts, administrative costs, and the top prize.

More than 100 ideas were proposed during the challenge, and more than 200 residents and community stakeholders weighed-in throughout the process, according to city staff.

A panel made up of representatives from Mobile GR, Microsoft, Dell, AT&T, The Right Place, Planet M, and several tech and advocacy groups around Grand Rapids helped evaluate and select 12 finalists last month. The winning proposal was announced Tuesday, Nov. 20, and is expected to begin its pilot program in December.

Ford's transit improvement challenge is a partnership with Dell Technologies, AT&T, Microsoft, PlanetM and The Right Place.

"Dynamic mobility solutions are the foundation for our future cities," said Amanda Roraff, operations manager of PlanetM, a mobility-focused brand and business development program at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

"The practical solution unveiled today will have an immediate, positive impact on real transportation challenges facing city residents. This pilot project puts Grand Rapids at the forefront of the mobility revolution, and we're excited to welcome this solution to Michigan's mobility ecosystem."
LANSING, MI - Michigan lawmakers are on track to meet for 82 days in the Senate and 83 days in the House this year, continuing a tradition of keeping session light during election years.

The combined 165 session days the House and Senate plan to complete this year is lower than the combined average of 200 days per year between 2002 and 2017. But the lower-than-average number of session days falls into a trend: the legislature tends to hold fewer session days when it's an election year, which happens every other year.

In 2016, when the House was up for election, the House and Senate met for a combined 163 days. That was the least since 2002, when both chambers were up for election.

In 2018, both chambers were up for election.

Amber McCann, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, said the legislature meets less often during election years because legislators spend time telling voters why they should be re-elected.

"Part of being an elected official is campaigning to tell citizens why you would be a good choice as their representative," McCann said.

She cautioned against viewing going to session as the only time lawmakers are working.

"Session is one of the very last steps in the legislative process to vote to send a bill to the house or governor," McCann said.

"To claim session days are the extent of a senator's work is false and disingenuous. Senators and staff work many hours outside of session helping constituents, holding committees, meeting in their districts and more."

Bill Ballenger, a former Republican lawmaker, attributes the lower number of session days during election years in equal parts to lawmakers wanting to campaign and lawmakers not wanting to do anything controversial that may turn voters against them.

"They like to avoid having unpleasant memories of things they've done in the voters' minds when they go to vote," Ballenger said.

This year's session is so light it's on par with what some proponents of a part-time legislature have proposed.

Norman Kammeraad is with Part Time MI, the group that tried to get a ballot proposal for a part-time legislature in 2016 and then teamed up with the 2018 effort originally led by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley to get it on the ballot again. Both attempts failed, but Kammeraad said the second one gave proponents a blue print for how to win. They will try again in 2019.

The latest iteration would have let lawmakers meet from the second Wednesday of January in a given year through, at the latest, April 15. It would give lawmakers around 90 days in which they could choose to hold session, on par the number of days they're meeting for now.

"They're a part-time, persay, now," said Kammeraad in response to this year's session days. "But the problem is that it's not consecutive."

His group proposes both sticking to that January through April timeline and lowering the salaries of lawmakers.

The idea of going part-time has been around a while and has yet to get on the ballot, Ballenger said.

But the short session being proposed reflects how the state legislature used to operate, he said. Up until the mid-1960s lawmakers would pretty much pass a budget, adjourn and go home, he said. But around that time the legislature, in response to a national movement to strengthen legislative branches of government, started sticking around.

"There was an effort to professionalize the legislature and part of that was don't adjourn sine die, meaning for good... until the last day of the calendar year, just don't do it," Ballenger said.

Doing so gave the legislature more control over their schedules and meant they could spread their meeting dates throughout the year.

Legislators in Michigan make $71,685 per year. During typical session weeks they meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Mondays and Fridays -- along with breaks in the Spring, Summer and Fall -- are reserved for in-district work.

"They've got busy calendars," Ballenger said.

When they're not in Lansing holding session they're meeting with veterans and activist groups, talking with individuals in the district and showing up at everything from city council to school board meetings when they're not in Lansing, Ballenger said.

And especially during an election year, that's going to look a lot like campaigning.

"It's a very tough line to draw. I mean you literally cannot do it, in my view. Because somebody who's an effective legislator is in effect out there meeting with various groups and constituents all the time," Ballenger said.

Michigan lawmakers return to Lansing and resume holding session next week.
Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 4:31AM

If youve been looking for a less clunky way to access Google Assistant on your iPhone, the newest update to the app might help you out a bit. The latest version of Google Assistant gets support for Apples Shortcuts app. This app lets you program a list of tasks to perform based on a programmed vocal phrase on Siri or via a shortcut on your homescreen. Now, you can use the Shortcuts app to open Google Assistant app with a phrase. You can, for example, program it to open Google Assistant with the phrase, Hey Google. So, the next time you say, Hey Siri, Hey Google, itll open the app for you. And then you can speak your voice commands to Google. While not the most elegant solution, as GSMArena points out, it does take out the middle man of sorts. Its definitely better than saying, Hey Siri, open Google Assistant and then having to go say, Hey Google all over again.
KALAMAZOO, MI - The removal of dozens of trees on Western Michigan University's campus has begun, despite student protest from last week.

The removal and relocation of 58 trees that stand in the construction footprint of planned development for the university's South Neighbohood started this week, beginning with the relocation of over 12 trees on Monday.

Trees in the construction zone were cut down Friday, Nov. 23, less than ten days after over 60 students marched through campus Wednesday, Nov. 14 in protest of the removal of the trees for construction.

The project is on schedule, university spokesperson Paula Davis said. Site preparation that included the relocation of over 12 trees began Monday, Nov. 19. Fencing was put up around the site on Tuesday and Wednesday. Because of Thanksgiving, the next phase continued Friday with the removal of trees.

"I don't know what the protesters or the groups in opposition heard from anybody, but it was pretty clear the project was to start on Monday," Davis said.

The university will remove 36 trees but will plant 75 replacement trees both on location and in other areas of campus as part of a university policy that requires planting two new trees for every one tree that is taken down.

Western Michigan University student Abbie Bristol and Biology professor Tod Barkman stood behind the fence around the development site as trees fell Friday.

Bristol, a senior biology and environmental science and sustainability major, said she and three fellow students met with members of the university administration Tuesday as part of a group of students against the removal of trees on campus.

Bristol said she was told the removal of the trees would not start until Monday, Nov. 25.

"Now its happening when all of the students are gone? It's an insult to us," Bristol said.

Barkman said he is part of the university's Faculty senate. The campus planning and finance council of the Faculty Senate met Tuesday hoping to have a chance to give input on the project, Barkman said.

"I was told that, although the fencing's going up Nov. 19, not much will happen until the first of the year (2019)," Barkman said. "We had our meeting on the 20th and it was clear by the 20th it was a done deal."
Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 3:52AM

If you find yourself in Taiwan anytime soon, Samsung just unveiled a new variant of the Galaxy Note 9. Its now available in season-appropriate First Snow White. Aside from coming in white, the new version is identical to the other Note 9 models. Itll be available with 128GB storage and will be coming to Samsung stores in Taiwan for NTD 30,990, which is approximately CAD $1,325.

Source: Yugatech
Photo: Contributed

As many as 1.4 million elderly Canadians report feeling lonely.

But you can brighten the holiday season for some through the Be a Santa to a Senior program.

Home Instead Senior Care, which serves Kelowna, West Kelowna and Penticton, invites the community to bring cheer to seniors who may be isolated.

Be a Santa to a Senior helps bring comfort and a smile to many local seniors. It shows that society cares about them, and sees them as an important part of the community, said spokesperson Janine Karlsen. Social isolation is a concern among seniors, and the holidays often intensify feelings of distance and loneliness. When we deliver gifts and spend time with them, it makes a big difference.

Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at London Drugs in the three cities.

Each tree is decorated with ornaments featuring seniors first names and their desired gifts. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it to the store with the ornament attached. Theres no need to worry about wrapping  volunteers will wrap and deliver the gifts in time for Christmas.

Each year, we are delighted to assist with bringing the joy of the holidays into area senior homes through our gift tag program at all of our stores in the Okanagan, said Jim Larsen, Spall Plaza London Drugs manager.
This week banking consumers received a warning that 50 percent of existing ATMs in the country were set to shut down next year.

These brought back demonetisation jitters among many, with the fear of a likely cash crunch if the reason for closure was not addressed.

ATMs, or automated teller machines, are one of the most used digital banking channels in the country.

On November 21, the Confederation of ATM industry (CATMi) warned that nearly half of the 2.38 lakh machines run the risk of closing down due to regulatory compliance changes making the business unviable due to rising costs and dipping or stagnant revenues.

Some fear this could lead to more visits to bank branches or hoarding of cash at home as ATMs are frequently used by depositors. Not all depositors are savvy and comfortable with internet and mobile banking as they are with ATMs.

The industry body said recent regulatory changes mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to make hardware and software upgrades, coupled with complying with cash management standards and the cassette swap method of loading cash, will make ATM operations unviable, resulting in their closure.

It is estimated that new cash logistics and cassette swap method will alone result in costs of Rs 3,000 crore for the industry.

Also Read: ATM shutdown fears trigger operational cost vs consumer convenience debate

Over the last two years, there has also been a reduction in the number of new ATMs installations this year.

In April, the central bank had asked banks and ATM operators to tighten regulations to prevent rising fraudulent activity apart from its larger goal to contain bad loans. However, neither banks nor ATM operators are happy with RBI's mandate.

"There is a need for the banks, managed service providers and the regulators to discuss and resolve the issues, just like we had done during demonetisation, said Navroz Dastur, Managing Director, NCR, told PTI.

Dastur warned that cash is back in the system and cash worth over 26 percent of GDP is routed through the ATM network at present. "We cannot afford any disruption in ATMs," he said.

As per RBI data, cash withdrawals from ATMs grew 8 percent to Rs 2.75 lakh crore in August, up from Rs 2.54 lakh crore in October 2016.

According to data from the RBI, the amount of currency in circulation rose to Rs 19.6 lakh crore as on October 26, a 9.5 percent growth from two years back.

CATMi said the 50 percent shutdown of ATMs could affect many jobs and beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana for those who withdraw subsidies in the form of cash through ATMs.

The Indian Banks Association (IBA) had also requested the RBI to relax norms or extend the deadline for cash management, but the central bank has remained adamant so far.

As the industry has raised the debate by instilling ATM closure fears, an intervention from the regulator, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI, which manages the interchange fee), or the Finance Ministry may be the need of the hour.
The Centre is drafting rules to simplify the Companies Act such that minor violations can be adjusted through time-bound adjudication, The Times of India reported. It is also trying to reduce the possible harassment of executives.

Only a few weeks back, the government had amended the Act and shifted to an in-house disposal of minor offences instead of passing them on to the judicial system.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is expected to release the new adjudication of penalty rules within a week. The ministry will prescribe a 60-day time limit for the process and the appeal will be disposed of in a 90-day period. Sources told the paper that this move will help solve cases in a timely manner.

The government is trying to digitise the process of adjudication, where electronic notices will be served to parties concerned, who will have to send online responses.

"Physical presence of executives will be an exception and the official seeking it will have to record the reason. The same will also have to be assigned in the order by the officer," a source told the paper.

This move is inspired by the Income Tax Department, which is enjoying the benefits of transferring many of its important processes to electronic mode.

In case of Companies Act violations, the government will send electronic notices to the mobile numbers and e-mail IDs of directors submitted in the recent KYC process.

It has been common practice that officers would levy penalties that were not as per law. If a Rs 50,000 daily penalty was required for an offence, cases have been registered where the Registrar of Companies imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per day. The government wants to make sure that penalties are not lower than the amount prescribed by law.

Tougher penalties will be levied for repeat defaulters, the report said.

The government recently put into effect an ordinance to amend the Companies Act, which led to re-categorisation of compoundable offences to an in-house adjudication structure.
Photo: Contributed

The RCMP Emergency Response Team was called to a rural property in the North Okanagan this week in response to a domestic disturbance.

Vernon RCMP Const. Kelly Brett said trained RCMP negotiators also attended to help deal with a man who was allegedly armed, making threats and causing damage to the property.

Brett said on Tuesday Nov. 20 just after 6 p.m., Vernon North Okanagan RCMP members responded to a domestic disturbance on a rural property located on Riverside Road, near Mara, north of Enderby.

Once on scene, RCMP officers quickly established a perimeter around the residence and attempted to make contact with the distraught male, however, were unsuccessful. The RCMP South East District Emergency Response Team (SED ERT), police dog services and specially trained negotiators, were called to the scene to assist and continue their efforts to make contact and negotiate with the male, said Brett.

After approximately three hours of trying to establish contact with the male, a dynamic entry into the home was made by the SED Emergency Response Team and police service dog where one male was taken into custody.

During the arrest, the unidentified man sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the nearest medical facility for treatment.

Every officer deployed to this call did exactly what they are trained to do in these types of high-risk situations. They successfully apprehended an armed suspect who was not only a danger to himself, the police and the community, said Brett.

The 42-year-old man from Mara, remains in police custody and is facing possible charges of assault, uttering threats and careless use of firearms.
9 | Chennai | Average annual growth: 8.17% (Image: Reuters)

The Madras High Court on November 22 reserved orders on petitions challenging a Tamil Nadu government order transferring the probe into idol theft cases to CBI as it orally observed that the decision amounted to contempt of court since a court-appointed team was investigating the matter.

A special division bench comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice PD Audikesavalu, dealing with idol theft cases, reserved the order after state Advocate General Vijay Narayan stoutly defended the August 1 G.O transferring the cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The court had on August 8 stayed the G.O in its interim orders on the petitions filed by advocate Elephant Rajendran and social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, seeking to quash the order transferring the case.

Taking a serious view of the theft of antique idols, the court had in July last year directed the transfer of all pending cases in the state to a court in Kumbakonam, in Thanjavur district, from where a number of idols had been stolen, for effective and speedy disposal on day-to-day basis.

It had also quashed the transfer order of Inspector General of Police Pon Manickavel from the Idol Wing and directed him to constitute a team and continue investigation of the cases.

Meanwhile, the government on August 1 issued an order transferring the probe to the CBI, saying it was a policy decision.

When the matter came up for hearing Thursday, the bench took a serious view and observed that as the high court had entrusted the investigation to the state Idol Wing CID, the government should not have transferred the cases to the CBI.

Narayan, however, contended that there were enough and sufficient grounds for transferring the investigation.

He said in some cases, there were international and interstate ramifications and the investigation needed the cooperation of the central government agencies such as the Customs, embassies and foreign governments. And in some, the accused might need to be extradited from foreign nations.

The AG further submitted that the government was well within its powers in issuing the order and it was not for the court to decide the manner and agency to probe a case.

Wondering how many idol theft cases out of 113 needed the Centre's co-operation, the bench observed that the state should have consulted the Idol Wing CID and prepared a list of the cases that needed such assistance.

The state government was not justified in transferring all such cases to CBI, it said.

The Union government was supposed to inform the court on Friday of its decision on the CBI probe ordered by the state government.

However, its standing counsel said it needed more time to discuss the matter with the officials of CBI to arrive at a conclusion.

Refusing to give any more time, the bench reserved the order, granting liberty to the state to inform the court about the Centre's decision any time before the order was passed.
Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid will arrive here on November 24 on a four-day visit, with an aim to repair the bilateral ties which came under severe strain during the previous government in the island nation. Officials said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold extensive talks with Shahid on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on November 17 in Male.

During their meeting, Modi and Solih vowed to renew close ties and friendship between the two countries and agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean region.

Solih, as the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the presidential election held on September 23.

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.
President Ram Nath Kovind's just concluded visit to Australia, the first by an Indian head of state, has added momentum to the bilateral ties and enhanced the strategic cooperation, officials said on November 24.

Kovind arrived in Sydney on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation trip after concluding his trip to Vietnam.

During his four-day visit, the President engaged with the leadership of Australia at federal and provincial levels, business community, students and academics and Indian diaspora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"The first Presidential visit from India to Australia has added momentum to the ongoing growth in our bilateral engagements which in recent years has not only increased in regularity but has also intensified in all areas of our strategic cooperation," it said.

The Australian leadership expressed exceptional warmth and highly appreciated the growing ties and engagement with India, the MEA said.

India-Australia bilateral relations have been on an upswing and the economic ties grew during the past decades, after liberalisation of the Indian economy in the early 1990s.

According to the Indian High Commission in Canberra, bilateral trade in goods and services has grown from Australian dollar 6.54 billion in 2003-04 to Australian dollar 19.29 billion in 2015-16.

Kovind became the first-ever President of India to pay a state visit to Australia.

The President held talks with Prime minister Scott Morrison on November 22 to step-up bilateral strategic ties as the two countries signed five agreements to boost investments and enhance cooperation.

The agreements were exchanged in key areas like agricultural research, education, disability, trade and investments, scientific collaboration and innovation.

Prime Minister Morrison also released Australia's response to the India Economic Strategy, a blueprint to transform the economic engagement to increase the Australian investment from current 10 billion dollars to 100 billion dollars by 2035.

Australia also pinpointed the initial implementation plan with key actions for next one year which will include agreements forged between Austrade and Invest India, the establishment of an Australia-India Food Partnership, opening up new opportunities for agri-tech and service companies and Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grants of up to Australian dollar 500,000.

The fund is designed to help researchers solve challenges shared by both nations, including energy storage, marine science and plant genomics.

Kovind, who was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by Governor General Peter Cosgrove in Sydney, also visited Melbourne on November 23 addressed university students.

Welcoming the creation of the Australian Space Agency, President suggested that the two countries can cooperate in space technology especially considering India's long standing experience in space sector, the MEA said.
Representative Image

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said his party is pushing for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya because it was promised by the BJP ahead of elections.

Speaking to a news channel on-board a flight to Uttar Pradesh, he said people of the country were promised that a Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya once the BJP comes to power at the Centre.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya amid a clamour among Hindu outfits for bringing an ordinance to build Ram Temple.

The Sena, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but has had strained ties with ally BJP, has demanded the Centre come out with an ordinance and declare a date for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"We have promised to the people of the country that once we come to power Ram mandir will be constructed at Ayodhya," Sawant said.

"We are forgetting that promise. Therefore, Uddhav ji has taken this initiative. We have given the slogan 'Har Hindu ki yahi pukaar, pehle mandir phir sarkar'," he added.

Meanwhile, 12 Vibhag Pramukhs/Vibhag Sanghataks (office-bearers) of the party have been tasked with organising "maha aartis" (grand prayers) simultaneously at 6 pm Saturday at several temples in Mumbai to coincide with Thackeray's Ayodhya visit.

A Sena functionary, requesting anonymity, said the district administration in Ayodhya has denied permission to Thackeray to hold a rally on November 25 in the holy town of Uttar Pradesh.

"Uddhav ji will perform an evening maha aarti on the banks of river Sarayu on November 24 and the next day will visit the site of Ram temple in Ayodhya," he said.

The local administration has imposed CrPC section 144 in Ayodhya, restricting assembly of people, he said.

Meanwhile, former Sena MLC Ghanshyam Dube said before expanding its base in North India, the Sena should make Hindi- speaking people living in Mumbai feel safe.

Speaking to reporters in Vidhan Bhavan Thursday, he disclosed Sena founder Bal Thackeray had confided in him that he wanted to expand Sena's support base in North India.

"However, after that, the Sena leadership, for some strange reasons, did not trust me to do the job. Before the Ayodhya visit, the Sena should have first tried to make the North Indian community feel at home whose generations have lived here," Dube said.

According to a senior BJP minister in Maharashtra, the Sena is waiting for the results of assembly polls in three BJP -ruled states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh before taking a decision on continuing in the NDA.

The results will be announced on December 11.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed the people, claiming that he had not fulfilled promises of providing two crore jobs every year and "depositing" Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

Gandhi addressed election rallies at Sagar, Damoh and Tikamgarh in the Bundelkhand region of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on November 24. The state goes to polls on November 28 and results will be declared on December 11.

"Modiji has betrayed the people on the issue of providing jobs to two crore people every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh cash into their accounts by bringing (back) black money stashed abroad," Gandhi said in Sagar.

Modi, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, had prominently highlighted the issue of black money and had promised to bring it back.

The fear of losing the 2019 general elections has created "hatred" in Prime Minister Modi's mind against the Congress, Gandhi said addressing another rally at Damoh later.

The Congress chief said while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks with decency, Modi lacks it whenever he attacks the Congress and his family members.

"When you hear Modi's speech, he uses wrong words and speaks with hatred... and also speaks lies. The faith reposed by the people and youths in them has broken. Now, when Modi comes, people say he will speak lies," Gandhi said.

"He (Modi) speaks with hatred about me and my family, but Shivraj uses decent language. Modi doesn't know how to speak decently, but Rahul Gandhi will always maintain decency while speaking. Though Chouhan has indulged in corruption, whenever he says anything against us, he speaks with decency," he said.

Chouhan knows that he is contesting this election only to lose. He is going to be defeated. But there is no hatred in his words, the Congress chief said.

"There is another person (Modi), who is afraid. The people have lost their faith (in Modi)," Gandhi said while addressing a gathering at Damoh.

"He (Modi) knows that he is going to be defeated in 2019. This has caused hatred in his heart. Wherever he is going, he is talking with hatred and anger. People know that this man is weak. This fear is converting into hatred. The entire country is watching," he said.

Referring to the Vyapam scam, Gandhi said the youth in Madhya Pradesh were deprived of jobs as they did not have money to pay people involved in the scam.

Those involved in the scam, included people from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Chouhan's family, he alleged.

However, state BJP spokesperson Sarvesh Tiwari said, " Rahul's statement on Vyapam is ridiculous. The matter came up in 2013, and even after that, the BJP won convincingly. It shows that the (Rahul's) allegations have no substance and made out for political purposes."

"The CBI and various courts have also given clean chit in the case," he said.

Speaking at a rally in Tikamgarh, Gandhi said the slogans of the Modi government had changed after four years in power.

"Four years go, when Modi used to ask people 'achche din', (good days), they used to reply "aayenge" (will come). Now when we ask the people "chowkidar" (watchman), they reply 'chor hai' (is a thief)," he said.

Continuing his attack on Modi, Gandhi said, "Modi said he would become the 'chowkidar' (of people) but he did not tell the people whose 'chowkidar' he would be? He became the chowkidar of Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya."

He also accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of corruption in implementing the Bundelkhand package.

On November 19, 2009, the Centre had approved a special package of Rs 7,266 crore for implementation of drought mitigation strategies in Bundelkhand region which falls in Madhya Pradesh as well as Uttar Pradesh.

Under this package, Uttar Pradesh was allocated Rs 3,506 crore while Madhya Pradesh was to receive Rs 3,760 crore over a period of three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Narrating how a Congress worker had told him that a village woman has said that a 'tawa' (frying pan) stops working properly after 10 years, Gandhi asked the crowd to ensure the state government is unseated (in the polls).

Chouhan has been chief minister since 2005 while the BJP has been in power in the state since 2003.

He reiterated his allegations in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets, something that the Centre has continually refuted.
Voters who backed the YSR Congress and Telugu Desam party in the 2014 elections are likely to be the deciding factor in Huzurnagar constituency, from where Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy is seeking re-election.

YSRC, which has chosen not to contest the December seven Telangana Assembly election, and TDP candidates polled more than 25,000 votes each in this segment in the previous poll.

The TDP of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is a partner in the Congress-led alliance along with CPI and TJS, named "Praja Kutami" (People's Front), for the upcoming Telangana election giving a boost to Reddy's electoral prospects.

But, at the same time, YSRC leaders said the supporters of their outfit would not support Reddy as the Congress has allied with TDP, its arch-rival in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and their votes would go to the TRS.

Reddy, a former pilot in Indian Air Force, is betting on the "anti-incumbency factor" and the support of the alliance partners while his opponent Saidi Reddy (TRS), an NRI and IT professional, is counting on beneficiaries of various government schemes in the constituency.

Uttam Kumar Reddy won the Huzurnagar seat by a margin of 23,924 votes over his nearest TRS rival Kasoju Sankaramma in the previous election in which YSRC contestant G Srikanth Reddy polled 29,657 votes, and Telugu Desam Party candidate Swamy Goud Vangala 25,353 votes.

"Our cadre and YSRC sympathisers would never vote for Congress as it tied up with TDP which is our arch-rival in Andhra Pradesh. So we would vote for the TRS candidate.And as such voters of this constituency lost faith in sitting MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy as many housing projects which were initiated when he was the Housing Minister (in undivided Andhra Pradesh) either did not take off or bills have not been paid for beneficiaries," Srikanth Reddy told PTI.

The Congress is also wooing Shankaramma who was denied ticket this time by TRS by expressing sympathy that she was neglected by her party. Her son Srikantha Chary self-immolated during the agitation for separate statehood for Telangana.

"Entire Telangana remembered the treatment (by denying ticket this time) meted out to Sankaramma by TRS leadership. Congress party would suitably accommodate her in future. As a candidate of People's Front, I am going win with 60,000 to 70000 majority from this constituency. We hope people of Huzurnagar will bless us with the highest majority. As we do not have children, me and my wife always treat the people of this constituency as our family members and children," the TPCC chief had said at the time of filing his nomination.

Reddy is seeking re-election for the fifth time. In 1999 and 2004 he contested from Kodad while in 2009 and 2014 he was elected from Huzurnagar. His wife Pamdavathi who represented Kodad in 2014 is contesting again.

Independent political analyst Telakapalli Ravi said majority of the "committed" TDP voters may vote for Uttam Kumar Reddy as they are strongly opposed to TRS.

"The very idea of Congress and the TDP sailing together, leaving the decades-old difference, is to defeat the TRS. There is a chunk of committed voters of TDP in Telangana. They may vote for Congress candidates," Ravi says.

Saidi Reddy said there are over 90,000 beneficiaries under various government programmes such as pension scheme and 'Rythu Bandhu.'

"They (the beneficiaries) would certainly vote for me. Also people see Congress as an opportunist as it is going along with TDP which is considered as a party with anti-Telangana stance. There is notion in the voters of this constituency that Uttam Kumar Reddy is not accessible to common people," Saidi Reddy said.

Saidi Reddy worked in Jamaica and Canada over the last decade and returned in 2015.Since then, he has been nurturing Huzurnagar constituency.
Rajiv Bajaj (REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee)

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The automotive world was shocked to learn of the arrest and sacking of Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Nissan, following cases of financial irregularities. While this story dominated headlines across the globe, back in India, new launches and partnerships made news. Here is a comprehensive list of all the main stories from the world of auto that made the headlines this week.

Nissan board votes to oust Carlos Ghosn as Chairman

Nissan board members voted unanimously to sack Carlos Ghosn as chairman on Thursday, a spectacular fall from grace for the once-revered boss whose arrest for financial misconduct stunned the car industry and the business world.

Ghosn stands accused of under-reporting his income by millions of dollars and a host of other financial irregularities, alleged after a protracted internal probe conducted by Nissan, following a whistleblower report.

Hero, Yamaha, Mitsui join hands for electric cycles

Hero Cycles, Yamaha Motor Company and Mitsui & Co have entered into a strategic partnership for technology, manufacturing and marketing of Hero electric bicycles powered by Yamaha's electric drive unit.

The first product for India to roll out from this alliance will be a high-end E-MTB bicycle, which is the same segment that has seen the fastest growth in Europe in the last year.

Maruti Suzuki launches new Ertiga

Six years after its debut, Ertiga has undergone its first major upgrade. Maruti Suzuki has launched the new Ertiga at a starting price (petrol) of Rs 7.44 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The latest Maruti Suzuki Ertiga gets an all-new platform and a new petrol engine.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga will be available in 10 variants, with the diesel and petrol models selling at Rs 8.84 lakh and Rs 9.18 lakh respectively. The latter comes with an automatic transmission.

Hyundai may temporarily halt bookings of Santro

India's second largest car maker Hyundai is thinking of temporarily halting new bookings for the Santro as the waiting period for the car has extended to over three months.

The 'tall-boy' hatchback has seen cumulative bookings swell to 32,000 units since its launch on October 10. Hyundai is looking to increase production of the Santro to meet demand, but is restricted by limited room at its plant in Chennai.

Car and bike sales lower during festive days

Cars sales ended 14 percent lower this year during the six-week festive period hit by high fuel costs, tighter credit lending terms and weak consumer sentiment.

With the festive period normally accounting for 30 percent of the full year volumes, the industry is staring at muted growth for the rest of the year with a revised volume guidance

Bajajs Discover fiasco

Just as the Indian promoters of Hero Honda (now Hero Motocorp) were planning to set Hero free from Japanese diktats, Pune-based Bajaj Auto was closing in on the market leader. Powering ahead for Bajaj was a more powerful option to the then market leader Hero Honda Splendor, Heros longest running flagship bestseller.

This option was the Bajaj Discover 125, a commuter motorcycle that was priced higher than the Splendor, but offered more power, better styling and on par mileage.

Confident of the brand Discover and egged on by the marketing department, Bajaj proceeded to launch the 100cc variant of the bike to compete more effectively and play an aggressive pricing game with the Splendor.

Bajaj did not stop there. Multiple variants and models with different engine sizes debuted under brand Discover. These included 100M, 110, 125, 125ST, 125M, 135, 150, 150F, 150S, all promising to deliver more bang for the buck.

This kind of carpet bombing did more damage than good for Bajaj, creating confusion in the minds of the consumer. Where brand Pulsar promised denoted power and performance, the Discover diluted the brand's aspirational value.

Senior Bajaj Auto official admitted that the series of launches under Discover left the consumers clueless of what the Discover actually stands for. Bajaj killed a promising brand that stood worthy of taking the battle to the doorstep of Hero Splendor.

Despite attempts by the company later on to revive the brand, demand has remained muted, forcing Bajaj to give up hope on the Discover brand.

All this while Hero refrained from tinkering too much with Splendor. Hero only moved Splendor to 125cc from 100cc, while also offering multiple variants that sported new colours and graphics, keeping the loyal consumer excited with the brand.

Hero tried to go offbeat too when it added a Classic look to the Splendor lineup. The model had few takers and the company was forced to phase it out.

At an industry forum this week Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj described the launch of the 100-cc variant of the commuter bike Discover as the "biggest blunder" of his career as it stunted the company at the No 2 position.

Another customer favourite that has retained a loyal following over the years in the Honda Active. The humble gearless scooter was introduced by the Japanese manufacturer in the early 2000s, but it has resisted the churn of time. Despite fierce competition in subsequent years, the Activa has thrived on the back of a few facelifts and its strong brand equity.

Honda too moved the Activa to 125cc from 100cc as a natural progression. The design of the Activa has also largely remained the same, with some striking new styling cues added in recent years.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting at Pakhanjur on November 9 (Image: Twitter/@INCChhattisgarh)

A number of farmers in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh have stopped repaying loans after Congress President Rahul Gandhi's promise to waive loans up to Rs 2 lakh if the Congress government comes to power, The Times of India reported.

According to the report, farm loan repayments have dropped by over 10 percent across the state. "Yes, there has been a 10 percent decline in loan recoveries over the past six months. Whether it is due to the Congress poll promise to waive loan, I won't say..." Mahendra Dixit, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for banking operations at MP State Cooperative Bank told the newspaper.

Dixit admitted that the decline is 'abnormal' since the crops have been good, there has been excessive procurement and farmers received money under the Bhavantar scheme as well. "In such a situation, a 10 percent drop is obviously because of some other reason," Dixit said.

A DGM-rank official at a nationalised bank said they are not sure of the reasons behind this decline. "At the time of election, you cant be tough with them either. Let's wait for the election outcome," he said.

Gandhi has been consistent in his rallies on Congress' commitment to waive off farmer loans within 10 days of the party's government coming to power. The Grand Old Party has also stated the same in its manifesto.

As per the report, farmer leaders across party lines admitted that farmers who have been repaying loans regularly have stopped doing so after Gandhi's announcement.

Providing the Punjab example, which Gandhi has repeated often during his rallies, rebel Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) leader Shiv Kumar Sharma said that while the BJP government had promised a loan waiver three times, the party never carried it out. "The Congress, during the UPA government's tenure, had waived loans to the tune of Rs 74,000 crore. They are doing it in Punjab as well. Naturally, a section of farmers have discontinued repayment of loans, preferring to wait," Sharma said.

"Loan waiver seldom do any good to honest farmers who want to pay off loans. It always benefits defaulters," former BKS District President Mishrilal Rajput told the newspaper. "Helping someone in distress is one thing but there should also be incentives for hardworking farmers. If the government could also ensure remunerative prices for our products, loan waivers would not be required at all," he added.

The President of MP Kisan Congress, Dinesh Gurjar, said farmers' reaction is 'not unnatural'. "Farmers have full faith in Rahul Gandhi and they know their loans will be waived once Congress comes to power," Gurjar said.

The farming community makes up about 70 percent of Madhya Pradesh's electorate and both the Congress and the BJP have been trying to woo them over to their side.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shah addressing a public meeting on November 20 in Patan, Durg district. (Image: PTI)

The Congress in Rajasthan Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP president Amit Shah alleging that he had provoked his party's workers against leaders of the opposition party during his recent visit to Bikaner. It also filed complaints with the poll panel against Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Srichand Kriplani and BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav.

The Congress alleged that BJP chief Shah, the minister and the legislator had violated the model code of conduct in the state, where elections are due on December 7.

"Shah during his recent visit to Bikaner had provoked his party workers against Congress leaders.

"Minister and BJP candidate from Nimbahera (Kriplani) had invoked sentiments of the public by telling people that he will commit suicide if they did not vote him to power," Rajasthan Congress spokesperson Sushil Sharma said here.

In an apparent reference to the illegal sand mining in Rajasthan, he said BJP MLA Ramhet Singh Yadav, that party's candidate from Alwar's Kishangarh Bas, made a remark which was in contempt of a Supreme Court order.

In a video, Yadav was seen purportedly seeking votes by telling people that "it is Ramhet Yadav's Sarkar, therefore loaded tractors are plying".

Sharma also said a complaint has been lodged with the EC against Rajasthan Administrative Service officer Rajesh Chauhan.

Rajesh's wife Shobha Chauhan is contesting the elections as a BJP candidate from Sojat and he is violating service rules and also the model code of conduct by working like a BJP worker, he alleged.

We have lodged a complaint with the election commission against them for violation code of conduct, Sharma said.
The objective this time is to follow the East Asian model to make India into a hard state, a state than can ensure that its policies are enforced.

India and China on November 24 resolved to "intensify" their efforts to achieve a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the vexed boundary question at an early date as the special representatives of the two countries held "constructive and forward-looking" talks over the issue. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives' talks.

While an early solution would serve the fundamental interests of both the countries, the two designated Special Representatives for the border talks also said pending the final solution, the two countries should maintain peace and tranquillity at the borders, ensuring that the dispute does not affect the overall development of bilateral ties.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

This was the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

"Recalling the strategic guidance and support to their work provided by the leaders at the Wuhan Summit, the Special Representatives resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an early date," according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Beijing after the border talks said.

They were referring to the outcome of the first ever informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April this year in Wuhan.

Doval and Wang "underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the strategic perspective of India-China relations and agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries," the statement said.

Special Representatives have agreed that pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and to ensure that the boundary question does not affect the overall development of the bilateral relationship, the statement said.

"In this context, they noted the mature handling of issues relating to the India-China border areas since the Wuhan Summit," it said.

Acknowledging the importance of predictability in border management and underscoring the importance of maintaining strategic communication at all levels, the Special Representatives held discussions on various confidence building measures to promote exchanges and communication between their border personnel.

They directed that the bilateral Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination for Border Affairs -- which periodically meets to deal with issues arising due to aggressive patrols by the two militaries along the LAC -- to work out further details over it.

Doval and Wang also reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations following the Wuhan Summit and subsequent meetings between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Qingdao in June 2018 and in Johannesburg in July 2018.

"The two Special Representatives underlined the importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions given by their leaders with a view to further strengthening the Closer Developmental Partnership between India and China to mutual benefit and with due respect for each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations," the statement said.

They shared the view that stable and balanced development of bilateral relations is a positive factor for peace and prosperity in the region and the whole world, it said.

The Special Representatives also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest and agreed to maintain close consultations on such issues, it said.

The talks were constructive and forward looking, and focussed on taking forward the India-China Closer Developmental Partnership in pursuance of the guidance provided by Modi and Xi at Wuhan, the statement said.

"The Special Representatives undertook a comprehensive review of earlier rounds of talks under the SR mechanism," it said.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.
I agree with Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlicks recent comments that it would appear our North Okanagan Regional District has likely not received its fair share of provincial and federal grants in recent decades.

I firmly believe we need to strategize a strong proposal so that we may acquire the full $15 million needed to move ahead with the construction of our proposed cultural centre, sooner than later.

It is always impressive to me to see other communities that have been successful in moving ahead key strategic facilities with senior government funding, presumably by making a strong and rational case.

Part of the strategy necessary to be successful is to involve our local First Nations in the planning, programming and operations of the new facility.

Who among us has more museum-worthy history in this region? Who does not love the art, craft and societal culture of our First Nations partners?

In my travels, I am seeing more and more well-funded and well-designed First Nations cultural facilities, and they are so interesting and stimulating.

I can envision Ottawa and Victoria both being much more open to our grant requests if this approach is taken.

I also see an outcome of enhanced relationships among our rainbow of citizenry.

The fact that our regional and municipal governments are fully supportive of using public input into developing a truly great facility in downtown Vernon is encouraging. Now, let us move to get the local bands and councils on board and get this project done with maximum impact and success.

We have collectively made a monumental step by voting Yes to step up and pay for the majority of the facility. However, we now need to come together with a stellar proposal to solicit the remaining funds from our two senior governments.

I will volunteer to assist in some capacity to help pull together a winning grant application.

Jeff Moore, Vernon
Representative Image

Western Rajasthan's Pokhran assembly constituency is set for a close fight on December 7 between a Hindu religious leader fielded by the BJP and son of Muslim 'peer' pitted against him by the Congress. The BJP candidate, Pratap Puri, is the head of the Taratara 'math'. The Congress' Shale Mohammad is the son of Muslim religious leader Gazi Fakir, who has a large number of followers both within India and across the border in Pakistan.

Both Puri and Fakir hold considerable sway among their communities, making the Pokhran constituency in Jaisalmer district one of the state's most hotly contested seats.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath and Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address rallies in support of Puri and Mohammad, respectively, on Monday, setting the tone for the rest of the campaign in the region better known for the nuclear tests in 1998.

Puri expressed confidence that the BJP will win the Pokhran seat and blamed the Congress for making the contest "communal" by fielding a Muslim candidate against him.

Protection of Hindus and cows has always been an important issue, he said.

"Hindutva is in my veins and the party is going to win the election which has been made communal by the Congress by fielding a Muslim candidate against me," the BJP candidate said.

Religious leaders should be in politics for its purification, Puri (51), who hails from the influential Rajput community, said.

"The people are with the BJP because they have faith in the party's policies and in leaders like Narendra Modi," he said.

His Barmer-based 'math', which holds considerable influence in the entire Jodhpur division, is pulling out all stops to win over the electorate, conducting social and religious activities.

"We hold drug de-addiction camps, provide education to poor children and work for cow conservation, besides conducting several other social activities," Puri said.

The Congress candidate, Mohammad, said his focus was core issues like drinking water and other basic amenities for people in Pokhran, which has a total electorate of 1.94 lakh.

"People here face difficulties in getting drinking water and fodder for cattle. The constituency lacks healthcare facilities and I am focusing on that," he said.

Mohammad (41) had lost the 2013 assembly elections from the same seat to BJP's Shaitan Singh with a margin of 34,444 votes.

Mohammad's father, an octogenarian, boasts of a strong following in the Sindhi Muslim community and has several criminal cases against him.

There are an estimated 55,000 Muslim voters, 45,000-48,000 and Rajput voters in Pokhran. It also has around 35,000 Dalit voters, according to the candidates.

Pokhran is one of the two assembly constituencies of the desert district of Jaisalmer.

The second constituency, Jaisalmer, will also see a direct contest between BJP candidate Sang Singh Bhati and Congress' Roopa Ram.

The BJP chose Sang Singh Bhati over its sitting MLA Chotu Singh Bhati, while the Congress has fielded Ram for the second time after 2013.

A total of 11 and 18 candidates are in the fray in Pokhran and Jaisalmer respectively.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on November 24 called Israel a "cancerous tumor" established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East.

Iran's leaders frequently condemn Israel and predict its demise, but Rouhani, a relative moderate, rarely employs such rhetoric. Addressing an annual Islamic Unity Conference on November 24, Rouhani said "one of the ominous results of World War II was the formation of a cancerous tumor in the region."

He went on to refer to Israel as a "fake regime" set up by Western countries. Iran supports militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas that are pledged to Israel's destruction. Iran has never threatened to attack Israel, but has vowed to retaliate if it is attacked.

Israel views Iran as an existential threat. Rouhani said the United States cultivates close ties with "regional Muslim nations" to protect Israel, an apparent reference to Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's Sunni Arab allies. He said bowing to American pressure amounts to "treason."

He added, however, that Iran was prepared to defend Saudi Arabia from "terrorism and superpowers." "We do consider you as a brother," he said. "We do consider the people of Mecca and Medina our brothers," he added, referring to Islam's two holiest cities, in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran nearly three years ago after Iranian protesters stormed its diplomatic posts in Iran in response the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

The two countries support opposite sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen.
Ajit Doval

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 21st round of border talks in China's southwestern Sichuan province on November 24, officials said.

Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, would also review the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and China. The talks were expected to be concluded later on November 24.

This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, "We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability".

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year.

Since the first-ever "informal summit" between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance India's exports to China to address the over USD 51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing India's export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said.

Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.
April 21, 2018

The Media War On Truthful Reporting And Legitimate Opinions - A Documentary

Early in life I have noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper, but in Spain, for the first time, I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts, not even the relationship which is implied in an ordinary lie. I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting, and complete silence where hundreds of men had been killed. I saw troops who had fought bravely denounced as cowards and traitors, and others who had never seen a shot fired hailed as the heroes of imaginary victories; and I saw newspapers in London retailing these lies and eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened. I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various party lines.

George Orwell, Looking back on the Spanish War, Chapter 4

Last week saw an extreme intensifying of the warmongers' campaign against individuals who publicly hold and defend a different view than the powers-that-be want to promote. The campaign has a longer history but recently turned personal. It now endangers the life and livelihood of real people.





In fall 2016 a smear campaign was launched against 200 websites which did not confirm to NATO propaganda. Prominent sites like Naked Capitalism were among them as well as this site:

While the ProPornOT campaign was against websites the next and larger attack was a general defaming of specific content.





The neoconservative Alliance For Securing Democracy declared that any doubt of the veracity of U.S. propaganda stories discussed on Twitter was part of a "Russian influence campaign". Their 'dashboard' shows the most prominent hashtags and themes tweeted and retweeted by some 600 hand-selected but undisclosed accounts. (I have reason to believe that @MoonofA is among them.) The dashboard gave rise to an endless line of main-stream stories faking concern over alleged "Russian influence". The New York Times published several such stories including this recent one:

Russia did not respond militarily to the Friday strike, but American officials noted a sharp spike in Russian online activity around the time it was launched. A snapshot on Friday night recorded a 2,000 percent increase in Russian troll activity overall, according to Tyler Q. Houlton, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. One known Russian bot, #SyriaStrikes, had a 4,443 percent increase in activity while another, #Damsucs, saw a 2,800 percent jump, Mr. Houlton said.

A person on Twitter, or a bot, is tagged by a chosen name led with an @-sign. Anything led with a #-sign is a 'hashtag', a categorizing attribute of a place, text or tweet. Hashtags have nothing to do with any "troll activity". The use of the attribute or hashtag #syriastrike increased dramatically when a U.S. strike on Syria happened. Duh. A lot of people remarked on the strikes and used the hashtag #syriastrike to categorize their remarks. It made it easier for others to find information about the incident.

The hashtag #Damsucs does not exit. How could it have a 2,800% increase? It is obviously a mistyping of #Damascus or someone may have used as a joke. In June 2013 an Associated Press story famously carried the dateline "Damsucs". The city was then under artillery attack from various Takfiri groups. The author likely felt that the situation sucked.

The spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security Tyler Q. Holton, to which the Times attributes the "bot" nonsense, has a Twitter account under his name and also tweets as @SpoxDHS. Peter Baker, the NYT author, has some 150,000 followers on Twitter and tweets several times per day. Holton and Tyler surely know what @accounts and #hashtags are.

One suspects that Holton used the bizzare statistic of the infamous 'Dashboard' created by the neoconservative, anti-Russian lobby. The dashboard creators asserted that the use of certain hashtags is a sign of 'Russian bots'. On December 25 the dashboard showed that Russian trolls and bots made extensive use of the hashtag #MerryChristmas to undermine America's moral.

One of the creators of the dashboard, Clint Watts, has since confessed that it is mere bullshit:

Im not convinced on this bot thing, said Watts, the cofounder of a project that is widely cited as the main, if not only, source of information on Russian bots. He also called the narrative overdone.

As government spokesperson Holton is supposed to spout propaganda that supports the government's policies. But propaganda is ineffective when it does not adhere to basic realities. Holton is bad at his job. Baker, the NYT author, did even worse. He repeated the government's propaganda bullshit without pointing out and explaining that it obviously did not make any sense. He used it to further his own opinionated, false narrative. It took a day for the Times to issue a paritial correction of the fact free tale.





With the situation in Syria developing in favor of the Syrian people, with dubious government claims around the Skripal affair in Salisbury and the recent faked 'chemical attack' in Douma the campaign against dissenting reports and opinions became more and more personal.

Last December the Guardian commissioned a hatchet job against Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett. Beeley and Bartlett extensively reported (vid) from the ground in Syria on the British propaganda racket "White Helmets". The Guardian piece defended the 'heros' of the White Helmets and insinuated that both journalists were Russian paid stooges.

In March the self proclaimed whistle-blower and blowhard Sibel Edmonds of Newsbud launched a lunatic broadside smear attack (vid) against Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett. The Corbett Report debunked (vid) the nonsense. (The debunking received 59,000 views. Edmonds public wanking was seen by less than 23,000 people.)





Some time ago the CIA propaganda outlets Voice of America and Radio Free Europe started a 'fact-checking' website and named it Polygraph.info. (Some satirist or a clueless intern must have come up with that name. No country but the U.S. believes that the unscientific results of polygraph tests have any relation to truthfulness. To any educated non-U.S. citizen the first association with the term 'polygraph' is the term 'fake'.)

On April 4 the Polygraph wrote a smear piece about the Twitter account Ian56 (@Ian56789). Its headline: Disinfo News: Doing the Kremlins Work: A Fake Twitter Troll Pushes Many Opinions:

Ben Nimmo, the Senior Fellow for Information Defense at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab, studies the exploits of Ian56 and similar accounts on Twitter. His recent article in the online publication Medium profiles such fake pro-Kremlin accounts and demonstrates how they operate.

...

Nimmo, and several other dimwits quoted in the piece, came to the conclusion that Ian56 is a Kremlin paid troll, not a real person. Next to Ian56 Nimmo 'identified' other 'Russian troll' accounts:

Ben Nimmo @benimmo - 10:50 UTC - 24 Mar 2018 One particularly influential retweeter (judging by the number of accounts which then retweeted it) was @ValLisitsa, which posts in English and Russian. Last year, this account joined the troll-factory #StopMorganLie campaign.

Nimmo's employer, the Atlantic Council, is a lobby of companies who profit from war.

Had Nimmo, a former NATO spokesperson, had some decent education he would have know that @ValLisitsa, aka Valentina Lisitsa, is a famous American-Ukrainian pianist. Yes, she sometimes tweets in Russian language to her many fans in Russia and the Ukraine. Is that now a crime? The videos of her world wide performances on Youtube have more than 170 million views. It is absurd to claim that she is a 'Russian troll' and to insinuate that she is taking Kremlin money to push 'Russian troll' opinions.





Earlier this month Newsweek also targeted the journalists Beeley and Bartlett and smeared a group of people who had traveled to Syria as 'Assad's pawns'.





On April 14 Murdoch's London Times took personal aim at the members of a group of British academics who assembled to scientificly investigate dubious claims against Syria. Their first investigation report though, was about the Skripal incident in Salisbury. The London Times also targeted Bartlett and Beeley. The piece was leading on page one with the headline: "Apologists for Assad working in universities". A page two splash and an editorial complemented the full fledged attack on the livelihood of the scientists.

Tim Hayward, who initiated the academic group, published a (too) mild response.





On April 18 the NPR station Wabenews smeared the black activists Anoa Changa and Eugene Puryear for appearing on a Russian TV station. It was the begin of an ongoing, well concerted campaign launched with at least seven prominent smear pieces issued on a single day against the opposition to a wider war on Syria.

On April 19 the BBC took aim at Sarah Abdallah, a Twitter account with over 130,000 followers that takes a generally pro Syrian government stand. The piece also attacked Vanessa Beeley and defended the 'White Helmets':

In addition to pictures of herself, Sarah Abdallah tweets constant pro-Russia and pro-Assad messages, with a dollop of retweeting mostly aimed at attacking Barack Obama, other US Democrats and Saudi Arabia.

...

The Sarah Abdallah account is, according to a recent study by the online research firm Graphika, one of the most influential social media accounts in the online conversation about Syria, and specifically in pushing misinformation about a 2017 chemical weapons attack and the Syria Civil Defence, whose rescue workers are widely known as the "White Helmets".

...

Graphika was commissioned to prepare a report on online chatter by The Syria Campaign, a UK-based advocacy group organisation which campaigns for a democratic future for Syria and supports the White Helmets.

The Syria Campaign Ltd. is a for profit 'regime change' lobby which, like the White Helmets it promotes, is sponsored with millions of British and U.S. taxpayer money.

Brian Whitaker, a former Middle East editor for the Guardian, alleged that Sarah Abdullah has a 'Hizbullah connection'. He assumes that from two terms she used which point to a southern Lebanese heritage. But south Lebanon is by far not solely Hizbullah and Sarah Abdallah certainly does not dress herself like a pious Shia. She is more likely a Maronite or secular whatever. Exposing here as 'Hizbullah' can easily endanger her life. Replying to Whitaker the British politician George Galloway asked:

George Galloway @georgegalloway - 14:50 UTC - Replying to @Brian_Whit Will you be content when shes dead Brian?

...

Will you be content Brian when ISIS cut off her head and eat her heart? You are beneath contempt. Even for a former Guardian man

Whitaker's smear piece was not even researched by himself. He plagiarized it, without naming his source, from Joumana Gebara, a CentCom approved Social Media Advisor to parts of the Syrian 'opposition'. Whitaker is prone to fall for scams like the 'White Helmets'. Back in mid 2011 he promoted the "Gay Girl in Damascus", a scam by a 40 year old U.S. man with dubious financial sources who pretended to be a progressive Syrian woman.





Also on April 19 the Guardian stenographed a British government smear against two other prominent Twitter accounts:

Russia used trolls and bots to unleash disinformation on to social media in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning, according to fresh Whitehall analysis. Government sources said experts had uncovered an increase of up to 4,000% in the spread of propaganda from Russia-based accounts since the attack,  many of which were identifiable as automated bots.

Notice that this idiotic % increase claim, without giving a base number, is similar to the one made in the New York Times piece quoted above. It is likely also based on the lunatic 'dashboard'.

[C]ivil servants identified a sharp increase in the flow of fake news after the Salisbury poisoning, which continued in the runup to the airstrikes on Syria. One bot, @Ian56789, was sending 100 posts a day during a 12-day period from 7 April, and reached 23 million users, before the account was suspended. It focused on claims that the chemical weapons attack on Douma had been falsified, using the hashtag #falseflag. Another, @Partisangirl, reached 61 million users with 2,300 posts over the same 12-day period. The prime minister discussed the matter at a security briefing with fellow Commonwealth leaders Malcolm Turnbull, Jacinda Ardern and Justin Trudeau earlier this week. They were briefed by experts from GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre about the security situation in the aftermath of the Syrian airstrikes.

The political editor of the Guardian, Heather Steward, admitted that her 'reporting' was a mere copy of government claims:

Heather Stewart @GuardianHeather - 10:38 UTC - 20 Apr 2018 It's not my analysis - as the piece makes quite clear - it's the government's.

The government claim was also picked up by other British outlets like Sky News (vid).

A day earlier Ian56/@Ian56789 account with 35,000 followers had suddenly been blocked by Twitter. Ben Nimmo was extremely happy about this success. But after many users protested to the Twitter censors the account was revived.

Neither Ian, nor Partisangirl, are 'bots' or have anything to do with Russia. Partisangirl, aka Syria Girl, is the twitter moniker of Maram Susli, a Syrian-Australian scientist specialized in quantum chemistry. She was already interviewed on Australian TV (vid) four years ago and has been back since. She has published videos of herself talking about Syria on Youtube and on Twitter and held presentations on Syria at several international conferences. Her account is marked as 'verified' by Twitter. Any cursory search would have shown that she is a real person.

The claim of bots and the numbers of their tweets the government gave to the Guardian and Sky News are evidently false. With just a few clicks the Guardian and Sky News 'journalists' could have debunked the British government claims. But these stenograhers do not even try and just run with whatever nonsense the government claims. Sky News even manipulated the picture of Partisangirl's Twitter homepage in the video and screenshot above. The original shows Maram Susli speaking about Syrian refugees at a conference in Germany. The picture provides that she is evidently a living person and not a 'bot'. But Sky News did not dare to show that. It would have debunked the government's claim.

After some negative feed back on social media Sky News contacted the 'Russian bot' Ian and invited him to a live interview (vid). Ian Shilling, a wakeful British pensioner, managed to deliver a few zingers against the government and Sky News. He also published a written response:

I have been campaigning against the Neocons and the Neocon Wars since January 2002, when I first realised Dick Cheney and the PNAC crowd were going to use 9/11 as the pretext to launch a disastrous invasion of Iraq. This has nothing to do with Russia. It has EVERYTHING to do with the massive lies constantly told by the UK & US governments about their illegal Wars of Aggression.

...

Brian Whitaker could not hold back. Within the 156,000 tweets Ian wrote over seven years Whitaker found one(!) with a murky theory (not a denial) about the Holocaust. He alleged that Ian believes in 'conspiracy theories'. Whitaker then linked to and discussed one Conspirador Norteno who peddles 'Russian bots' conspiracy theories. Presumably Whitaker did not get the consp-irony of doing such.





On the same day as the other reports the British version of the Huffington Post joined the Times in its earlier smear against British academics, accusing Professor Hayward and Professor Piers Robinson of "whitewashing war crimes". They have done no such thing. Vanessa Beeley was additionally attacked.





Also on the 19th the London Times aimed at another target. Citizen Halo, a well known Finnish grandma, was declared to be a 'Russian troll' based on Ben Nimmo's pseudo-scientific trash, for not believing in the Skripal tale and the faked 'chemical attack' in Syria. The Times doubted her nationality and existence by using quotes around her as a "Finnish activist".

Meanwhile the defense editor of the Times, Deborah Haynes, is stalking Valentina Lisitsa on Twitter. A fresh smear-piece against the pianist is surely in the works.





The obviously organized campaign against critical thinking in Britain extended beyond the Atlantic. While the BBC, Guardian, HuffPo, Times and Sky News published smear pieces depicting dissenting people as 'Russian bots', the Intercept pushed a piece by Mehdi Hasan bashing an amorphous 'left' for rejecting a U.S. war on Syria: Dear Bashar al-Assad Apologists: Your Hero Is a War Criminal Even If He Didnt Gas Syrians.

Mehdi Hasan is of course eminently qualified to write such a piece. Until recently he worked for Al Jazeerah, the media outlet of the Wahhabi dictatorship of Qatar which supports the Qatari sponsored al-Qaeda in its war against Syria. The Mehdi Hasan's piece repeats every false and debunked claim that has been raised against the Syrian government as evidence for the Syrian president's viciousness. Naturally many of the links he provides point back to Al Jazeerah's propaganda. A few years ago Mehdi Hasan tried to get a job with the conservative British tabloid Daily Mail. The Mail did not want him. During a later TV discussion Hasan slammed the Daily Mail for its reporting and conservative editorial position. The paper responded by publishing his old job application. In it Mehdi Hasan emphasized his own conservative believes:

I am also attracted by the Mail's social conservatism on issues like marriage, the family, abortion and teenage pregnancies.

A conservative war-on-Syria promoter is bashing an anonymous 'left' which he falsely accuses of supporting Assad when it takes a stand against imperial wars. Is that a 'progressive' Muslim Brotherhood position? (Added: Stephen Gowans and Kurt Nimmo respond to Hasan's screed.)





On the same day Sonali Kolhatkar at Truthdig, as pseudo-progressive as the Intercept, published a quite similar piece: Why Are Some on the Left Falling for Fake News on Syria?. She bashes the 'left' - without citing any example - for not falling for the recent scam of the 'chemical attack' in Douma and for distrusting the U.S./UK government paid White Helmets. The comments against the piece are lively.





Those working in the media are up in arms over alleged fake news and they lament the loss of paying readership. But they have only themselves to blame. They are the biggest creators of fake news and provider of government falsehood. Their attacks on critical readers and commentators are despicable.

Until two years ago Hala Jabar was foreign correspondent in the Middle East for the Sunday Times. After fourteen years with the paper and winning six awards for her work she was 'made redundant' for her objective reporting on Syria. She remarks on the recent media push against truth about Syria and the very personal attacks against non-conformist opinions:

Hala Jaber @HalaJaber - 18:36 UTC - 19 Apr 2018 In my entire career, spanning more than three decades of professional journalism, I have never seen MSM resolve to such ugly smear campaigns & hit pieces against those questioning mainstream narratives, with a different view point, as I have seen on Syria, recently. .2/ This is a dangerous manoeuvre , a witch hunt in fact, aimed not only at character assassination, but at attempting to silence those who think differently or even sway from mainstream & state narrative. .3/ It would have been more productive, to actually question the reason why more & more people are indeed turning to alternative voices for information & news, than to dish out ad hominem smears aimed at intimidating by labelling alternative voices as conspirators or apologists. .4/ The journalists, activists, professors & citizens under attack are presenting an alternative view point. Surely, people are entitled to hear those and are intelligent enough to make their own judgments. .5/ Or is there an assumption, (patronizing, if so), that the tens of thousands of people collectively following these alternative voices are too dumb & unintelligent to reach their own conclusions by sifting through the mass information being dished at them daily from all sides? .6/ Like it or hate it, agree or disagree with them, the bottom line is that the people under attack do present an alternative view point. Least we forget, no one has a monopoly on truth. Are all those currently launching this witch hunt suggesting they do?

The governments and media would like to handle the war on Syria like they handled the war in Spain. They want reports without "any relation to the facts". The media want to "retail the lies" and eager propagandists want to "build emotional superstructures over events that never happened."

The new communication networks allow everyone to follow the war on Syria as diligently as George Orwell followed the war in Spain in which he took part. We no longer have to travel to see the differences of what really happens and what gets reported in the main stream press. We can debunk false government claims with freely available knowledge.

The governments, media and their stenographers would love to go back to the old times when they were not plagued by reports and tweets from Eva, Vanessa, Ian, Maram and Sarah or by blogposts like this one. The vicious campaign against any dissenting report or opinion is a sorry attempt to go back in time and to again gain the monopoly on 'truth'.

It is on us to not let them succeed.

Posted by b on April 21, 2018 at 23:02 UTC | Permalink

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November 24, 2018

British Government Runs Secret Anti-Russian Smear Campaigns

In 2015 the government of Britain launched a secret operation to insert anti-Russia propaganda into the western media stream.

We have already seen many consequences of this and similar programs which are designed to smear anyone who does not follow the anti-Russian government lines. The 'Russian collusion' smear campaign against Donald Trump based on the Steele dossier was also a largely British operation but seems to be part of a different project.

The 'Integrity Initiative' builds 'cluster' or contact groups of trusted journalists, military personal, academics and lobbyists within foreign countries. These people get alerts via social media to take action when the British center perceives a need.

On June 7 it took the the Spanish cluster only a few hours to derail the appointment of Perto Banos as the Director of the National Security Department in Spain. The cluster determined that he had a too positive view of Russia and launched a coordinated social media smear campaign (pdf) against him.

The Initiative and its operations were unveiled when someone liberated some of its documents, including its budget applications to the British Foreign Office, and posted them under the 'Anonymous' label at cyberguerrilla.org.

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Update - The Integrity Initiative confirms the release of its documents. - End Update

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The Initiative is nominally run under the (government financed) non-government-organisation The Institute For Statecraft. Its internal handbook (pdf) describes its purpose:

The Integrity Initiative was set up in autumn 2015 by The Institute for Statecraft in cooperation with the Free University of Brussels (VUB) to bring to the attention of politicians, policy-makers, opinion leaders and other interested parties the threat posed by Russia to democratic institutions in the United Kingdom, across Europe and North America.

It lists Bellingcat and the Atlantic Council as "partner organisations" and promises that:

Cluster members will be sent to educational sessions abroad to improve the technical competence of the cluster to deal with disinformation and strengthen bonds in the cluster community. [...] (Events with DFR Digital Sherlocks, Bellingcat, EuVsDisinfo, Buzzfeed, Irex, Detector Media, Stopfake, LT MOD Stratcom  add more names and propose cluster participants as you desire).

The Initiatives Orwellian slogan is 'Defending Democracy Against Disinformation'. It covers European countries, the UK, the U.S. and Canada and seems to want to expand to the Middle East.

On its About page it claims:

We are not a government body but we do work with government departments and agencies who share our aims.

The now published budget plans show that more than 95% of the Initiative's funding is coming directly from the British government, NATO and the U.S. State Department. All the 'contact persons' for creating 'clusters' in foreign countries are British embassy officers. It amounts to a foreign influence campaign by the British government that hides behind a 'civil society' pseudo-NGO.

The organization is led by one Chris N. Donnelly who receives (pdf) 8,100 per month for creating the smear campaign network.



Chris Donnelly - Pic via Euromaidanpress

From its 2017/18 budget application (pdf) we learn how the Initiative works:

To counter Russian disinformation and malign influence in Europe by: expanding the knowledge base; harnessing existing expertise, and; establishing a network of networks of experts, opinion formers and policy makers, to educate national audiences in the threat and to help build national capacities to counter it.

The Initiative has a black and white view that is based on a "we are the good ones" delusion. When "we" 'educate' foreign national audiences through a secretive government operations it is a legitimate operation. When others do similar, it its disinformation. That is of course not the reality. The Initiative's existence itself, created to secretly manipulate the public, is proof that such a view is wrong. If its work were as legit as it wants to be seen, why would the Foreign Office run it from behind the curtain as an NGO?

The Initiative is not the only such operation. It's applications seek funding from a larger "Russian Language Strategic Communication Programme" run by the Foreign Office. What else is financed through that program's budget?

The 2017/18 budget application sought FCO funding of 480,635. It received 102,000 in co-funding from NATO and the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense. The 2018/19 budget application shows a planned spending (pdf) of 1,961,000.00. The co-sponsors this year are again NATO and the Lithuanian MoD, but also include (pdf) the U.S. State Department with 250,000 and Facebook with 100,000. The budget lays out a strong cooperation with the local military of each country. It notes that NATO is also generous in financing the local clusters.

One of the liberated papers of the Initiative is a talking points memo labeled Top 3 Deliverable for FCO (pdf):

Developing and proving the cluster concept and methodology, setting up clusters in a range of countries with different circumstances

Making people (in Government, think tanks, military, journalists) see the big picture, making people acknowledge that we are under concerted, deliberate hybrid attack by Russia

Increasing the speed of response, mobilising the network to activism in pursuit of the golden minute

Under top 1, setting up clusters, a subitem reads:

- Connects media with academia with policy makers with practitioners in a country to impact on policy and society: (Jelena Milic silencing pro-kremlin voices on Serbian TV)

Defending Democracy by silencing certain voices on public TV seems to be a self-contradicting concept.

Another subitem notes how the Initiative secretly influences foreign governments:

We engage only very discreetly with governments, based entirely on trusted personal contacts, specifically to ensure that they do not come to see our work as a problem, and to try to influence them gently, as befits an independent NGO operation like ours, viz;

- Germany, via the Zentrum Liberale Moderne to the Chancellors Office and MOD

- Netherlands, via the HCSS to the MOD

- Poland and Romania, at desk level into their MFAs via their NATO Reps

- Spain, via special advisers, into the MOD and PMs office (NB this may change very soon with the new Government)

- Norway, via personal contacts into the MOD

- HQ NATO, via the Policy Planning Unit into the Sec Gens office.

We have latent contacts into other governments which we will activate as needs be as the clusters develop.

A look at the 'clusters' set up in U.S. and UK shows some prominent names.

Members of the Atlantic Council, which has a contract to censor Facebook posts, appear on several cluster lists. The UK core cluster also includes some prominent names like tax fraudster William Browder, the daft Atlantic Council shill Ben Nimmo and the neo-conservative Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum. One person of interest is Andrew Wood who handed the Steele 'dirty dossier' to Senator John McCain to smear Donald Trump over alleged relations with Russia. A separate subcluster of so-called journalists names Deborah Haynes, David Aaronovitch of the London Times, Neil Buckley from the FT and Jonathan Marcus of the BBC.

A 'Cluster Roundup' (pdf) from July 2018 details its activities in at least 35 countries. Another file reveals (pdf) the local partnering institutions and individuals involved in the programs.

The Initiatives Guide to Countering Russian Information (pdf) is a rather funny read. It lists the downing of flight MH 17 by a Ukrainian BUK missile, the fake chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun and the Skripal Affair as examples for "Russian disinformation". But at least two of these events, Khan Sheikun via the UK run White Helmets and the Skripal affair, are evidently products of British intelligence disinformation operations.

The probably most interesting papers of the whole stash is the 'Project Plan' laid out at pages 7-40 of the 2018 budget application v2 (pdf). Under 'Sustainability' it notes:

The programme is proposed to run until at least March 2019, to ensure that the clusters established in each country have sufficient time to take root, find funding, and demonstrate their effectiveness. FCO funding for Phase 2 will enable the activities to be expanded in scale, reach and scope. As clusters have established themselves, they have begun to access local sources of funding. But this is a slow process and harder in some countries than others. HQ NATO PDD [Public Diplomacy Division] has proved a reliable source of funding for national clusters. The ATA [Atlantic Treaty Association] promises to be the same, giving access to other pots of money within NATO and member nations. Funding from institutional and national governmental sources in the US has been delayed by internal disputes within the US government, but w.e.f. March 2018 that deadlock seems to have been resolved and funding should now flow. The programme has begun to create a critical mass of individuals from a cross society (think tanks, academia, politics, the media, government and the military) whose work is proving to be mutually reinforcing. Creating the network of networks has given each national group local coherence, credibility and reach, as well as good international access. Together, these conditions, plus the growing awareness within governments of the need for this work, should guarantee the continuity of the work under various auspices and in various forms.

The third part of the budget application (pdf) list the various activities, their output and outcome. The budget plan includes a section that describes 'Risks' to the initiative. These include hacking of the Initiatives IT as well as:

Adverse publicity generated by Russia or by supporters of Russia in target countries, or by political and interest groups affected by the work of the programme, aimed at discrediting the programme or its participants, or to create political embarrassment.

We hope that this piece contributes to such embarrassment.

Posted by b on November 24, 2018 at 16:24 UTC | Permalink

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Photo: Josh Winquist Police have closed Mission Road, but no details are available at this time.

UPDATE: 4:40 p.m.

Mission Road will be detoured at 15th Avenue and closed at the DND Park entrance.

Commonage Road will be detoured at Bench Row Road and closed at Allan Brooks Way.

Large trucks are to use Highway 97 to access Vernon.

It is expected that the detour will be in effect until tomorrow.

UPDATE: 3:07 p.m.

Vernon RCMP say a live mortar has been located between the army camp and Allan Brooks way on Mission Road

The road will remain closed for safety reasons and the Department of National Defence (DND) will attend to dismantle the device safely and appropriately.

ORIGINAL

Vernon RCMP are asking the public to stay clear of Mission Road south of the the army camp to the Allan Brooks Nature Centre due to a police incident.

Police have closed the road, but no details are available at this time.

Castanet will have more information as soon as it becomes available.
Photo: UBC

The University of British Columbia is creating a new professorship to study the potential role of marijuana to treat opioid addiction, a move that faculty members say will begin to fill a cannabis research gap.

Epidemiologist and research scientist M-J Milloy has been appointed as the Canopy Growth professor of cannabis science at the university.

"Dr. M-J Milloy will be Western Canada's first cannabis science professor at the University of British Columbia and the first professor in Canada focused on researching the role cannabis can play in the overdose crisis," Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy said at the announcement Friday.

Between January and September, more than 1,100 people died from suspected opioid overdoses, according to the ministry.

Milloy will lead clinical trials to explore how cannabis can help people with opioid use disorders stay on their treatment plans, the ministry said.

Milloy's research has already shown that daily cannabis use has been linked to an increased likelihood that people will maintain treatment and to a lower risk of street-involved youth starting to inject drugs.

As a first step in the new position, Milloy said he wants to build on a preliminary study of 2,500 drug users in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. That study showed that individuals who were starting methadone or suboxone, which are the first-line therapies for opioid use disorder, were more than 20 per cent more likely to still be on treatment at the six month mark if they were using cannabis daily, he said.

"What we would like to do as a next step is test that association in a clinical trial," Milloy said.

Milloy has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed articles on how policy can affect health outcomes for people who use drugs.

Marijuana company Canopy Growth is contributing $2.5 million, while the province is paying $500,000 to UBC and the BC Centre on Substance Use for the position.

Dr. Dermot Kelleher, dean of UBC's faculty of medicine, said the university has established protocols to prevent conflicts of interest related to corporate-funded research.

Mark Ware, Canopy Growth's chief medical officer, said cannabis research has been limited by prohibition, which made it difficult to gather accurate information like prevalence and patterns of use because it was an illegal substance.

Stigma around the drug has also bled into the academic realm and limited people from taking the science of cannabis seriously, said Ware, who is also former executive director of the non-profit Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids and taught at McGill University's faculty of family medicine.

"For many reasons, it's been a challenging drug and will probably continue to be. This isn't ending overnight. We continue to face issues around the interpretation and importance of cannabis research, so I think we're at a turning point but we still have a long way to go," Ware said.
Photo: Twitter

Aimia Inc. has announced the departure of its president and chief strategy officer less than three months after he took the job.

In late August, the Montreal-based company hired Nathaniel Felsher from Deutsche Bank in New York, where he co-headed the firms aviation corporate and investment banking group.

"The company wishes to acknowledge Mr. Felsher's contributions during this pivotal period and wishes him well in his future endeavours," Aimia said in a two-sentence release Thursday.

Felsher, who has experience with loyalty programs, reported directly to Aimia chief executive Jeremy Rabe over the past 12 weeks.

Having worked with him in the past, I believe his knowledge of the global loyalty and aviation space, strong relationships and corporate finance skills will be a huge asset to our business going forward, Rabe said in a statement on Aug. 27.

An Aimia spokesperson declined to comment.

"It is a short tenure for sure," said Karl Moore, an associate professor at McGill Universitys business school.

"I've heard he was very helpful in terms of getting them to the place they needed to be with Air Canada and Aeroplan, but clearly he did not fit with where they were going in the future."

Aimia is in transition mode, as it works to complete the sale of its flagship Aeroplan rewards program to an Air Canada-led consortium for $450 million.

The company, which has seen its shares struggle in recent years, launched a review of its strategic direction earlier this month, with Rabe suggesting more asset sales on the horizon.

Shares have hovered at around $4 since the Aeroplan deal was announced on Aug. 21, less than half its stock price from before May 2017. The analytics firm has seen shares decline from a peak of around $20 in the first half of 2014 and net losses totalling more than $400 million over the past five years.

Aimias global reach has sometimes come at a cost. In February, the company announced it had sold Nectar, a U.K. loyalty program, to British retailer Sainsbury for $105 million, 11 years after Aimia bought it for $755 million.
'E-levy is retrogressive, can't be used ...
Shoppers come and go Wednesday at Pick n Save, 1300 Pabst Farms Circle, Oconomowoc. Credit: Mark Hoffman

By of the

Competition in southeast Wisconsin's already fiercely contested grocery market promises to intensify after Kroger Co. decided to enter the fray with its acquisition of Milwaukee-based Roundy's Inc.  parent of Pick 'n Save, the region's market-share leader  in an $800 million deal announced Wednesday.

Roundy's stockholders are to receive $3.60 per share, a 65% premium over Tuesday's closing price. Cincinnati-based Kroger also will take on Roundy's $646 million in debt.

Kroger executives say they plan to invest in Roundy's existing stores in metro Milwaukee and intend to grow their sales in a grocery market considered by many to be among the most competitive in the United States. Pick 'n Save's market share has been slipping, but at 39% it still leads Milwaukee-area grocery retailers. Walmart is next at 18%, and no other single brand has more than 7%.

"The thing that we will be able to do over time is obviously we have more financial resources than Roundy's had, so we'll be able to invest in the market more aggressively, and over time the customer will see that," Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and chief executive officer, said in an interview.

Roundy's headquarters will remain in Milwaukee and the business will continue to be run by "key members" of the senior management team, including Roundy's CEO Robert Mariano.

Kroger executives said they have no plans to close stores. As far as the possibility of dropping the Pick 'n Save brand name, "We would never make a decision that important on day one," McMullen said. Kroger has grown over the years with significant acquisitions of grocers and kept those brand names, McMullen said.

Roundy's successful Mariano's chain in the Chicago area is included in the deal. Roundy's also has a commissary in Kenosha and warehouse operations in Oconomowoc, which are expected to be part of the new company.

McMullen made it clear that Kroger intends to revitalize the Pick 'n Save brand, which has come under withering competition from local, regional and national players.

"There are a lot of great competitors in the markets we operate in," McMullen said. "When you look at Walmart and Meijer, we obviously compete against them in a lot of markets. In Wisconsin, you have Woodman's that does a fantastic job, and Sendik's is a very nice operator as well."

Kroger intends to vigorously compete in the market.

"We look at markets that we think are going to grow in total, and we always find that we are able to get our share of the growth," McMullen said. "We see lots of opportunity in Milwaukee. We really like the locations of the Pick 'n Save stores. We like the market share they have, and we see a lot of opportunity to continue to grow the business, and when you grow your business you are able to create a number of additional jobs."

Kroger as a company added 25,000 jobs last year and 20,000 jobs in the year before that, McMullen said.

Founded in Milwaukee in 1872, Roundy's employs more than 22,000 people and operates 151 supermarkets in Wisconsin and Illinois under the Pick 'n Save, Metro Market, Copps and Mariano's brands. The company posted 2014 sales of nearly $4 billion.

Founded in Cincinnati in 1883, Kroger is far larger, and with the acquisition will operate more than 2,700 supermarkets and employ more than 422,000 people in 35 states. Kroger reported sales of $108.5 billion in 2014.

Mike Schlotman, Kroger chief financial officer, said during a conference call with financial analysts that the company expects the agreement to close by the end of the year. Kroger and Roundy's have no overlapping territories in Wisconsin.

"We see significant potential for growth in Wisconsin and Illinois," Schlotman said during the call.

Kroger has no plans to reduce staff, a spokesman said. It has not cut any staff as a result of its acquisition last year of Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc., operator of stores in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, the spokesman said.

"The only change we made on Harris Teeter was lowering prices," McMullen said.

Kroger typically generates savings through measures such as the application of its purchasing power, executives and market analysts said. It will be able to invest in store locations, pricing and people, among other things, where Roundy's could not because of the level of debt it carried.

"That would be an accurate assessment," Mariano, the Roundy's CEO, said in an interview.

"It gives us the opportunity to reassert our position in Wisconsin," Mariano said, adding that it will also allow the company to continue to grow its Mariano's banner in Chicago.

Kroger's acquisition of Roundy's is good news for Wisconsin, given Roundy's financial position, said Burt Flickinger, managing director of Strategic Resource Group, a New York retail consultancy.

"This is the best early Christmas present that the vendors who depend on the company and the team members who work in the company could have," Flickinger said. "Kroger is the best-led retailer of any kind in the U.S. It can compete effectively in the range from Walmart to Whole Foods to Costco."

Roundy's said Wednesday that it lost $8.6 million during the third quarter while same-store sales  a key measure of retail performance  fell 3.4% compared with the same period a year ago. The same-store sales decline continues a pattern in which Roundy's market share erodes as competitors open across the region.

By contrast, Kroger reported a same-store sales increase of 5.3% in its second-quarter earnings report, the most recent the company has issued.

Look for Kroger's entry into the market to result in lower prices for consumers, said David Livingston, a grocery consultant based in Waukesha, who is forecasting prices could drop at Pick 'n Save stores by as much as 4% to 5%.

Livingston also said he believes Kroger will eventually close some Pick 'n Save stores.

"There's no way Kroger is going to continue to operate low-volume, redundant stores," he said. "They don't do that anywhere."

That notion was echoed by at least one competitor.

"Kroger is a formidable competitor," said Pat Fox, owner of the Fox Brothers chain of Piggly Wiggly supermarkets in southern Wisconsin. "They are very good at what they do."

That said, even a perfect grocery retailer would be challenged in the region's market as it now stands, Fox said.

"They still face the same challenges we all face," he said. "We're in an over-stored market. You have way too much retail square footage chasing way too few retail dollars."

Kroger said it expects to realize $40 million in cost savings, over time, as part of the Roundy's acquisition, and it plans to reinvest the money to grow the business.

The acquisition fits into Kroger's growth strategy, McMullen said.

"When you put it on a map, it looks like a company that should have already been together," he said. "That's the thing that's so exciting. It fills in a great area of the country with geography that we weren't in before."

Breann Schossow of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Kroger Co.

Operates 2,623 retail grocery stores in 34 states under nearly two dozen banners and formats that include supermarkets, price-impact warehouse stores and multidepartment stores, which are similar to supercenters.

Operates 781 convenience storesunder six banners in 19 states.

Owns 327 fine jewlery storesunder names including Fred Meyer Jewelers and Littman Jewelers.

Operates 37 food-processingand manufacturing facilities that produce private-label products.
Ron Stearn's bench outside of Sonora City Hall View Photos

Sonora, CA  Ron Stearn served 52 years on the Sonora City Council and five times as Mayor, garnering the nickname Mr. Sonora.

He passed away in February at the age of 89. This week members of the Sonora Rotary Club dedicated a bench in honor of Stearn outside of Sonora City Hall. A plaque reads, Ronald E. Stearn, Mr. Sonora, July 22, 1928  February 6, 2018, Longest Serving City Council Member & Mayor.

Members of Stearns family were on hand for the dedication.

Stearn is remembered as a very likable straight shooter who always had a story to tell, loved the city, and was a go-to-source for any questions about its history. He was sworn into office in April of 1964 and he retired in 2016.
Columbia College Manzanita Building View Photos

Columbia, CA  Yosemite Community College District officials will meet with the Yosemite Faculty Association in closed session on Monday.

As reported earlier, YFA is planning a strike November 27-28, and it would impact both Columbia College and Modesto Junior College. The YCCD board of trustees has called for a special meeting this coming Monday at 11am at the district office in Modesto. The board will immediately go into closed session for a conference with labor negotiators regarding recent contract disputes.

The YCCD Board has argued that YFAs demands would represent a salary increase of around 22-percent and would leave the district financially unstable.

The YFA Executive Board is arguing that the final offer given by YCCD demands an unsustainable class size increase of up to 45 students per room. The board also argues that YCCD employees are vastly underpaid when compared to similar districts. You can find the full response here.

It is unclear if a compromise can be reached the day before Tuesdays planned strike.
Photo: The Canadian Press British Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in the House of Commons about the Brexit split from Europe, in London Thursday Nov. 22, 2018. Addressing the House of Commons after publication of a draft political declaration on post-Brexit relations with the EU, May faced wide-ranging criticism from skeptical lawmakers Thursday.

The European Union removed the last major obstacle to sealing an agreement on Brexit after Spain said it had reached a deal Saturday with Britain over Gibraltar on the eve of an EU summit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will then have the momentous task to sell the deal to her recalcitrant Parliament and a nation still fundamentally split whether the U.K. should leave the EU on March 29 and under what conditions.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday that Madrid would support the Brexit divorce deal after the U.K. and the EU agreed to give Spain a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation.

Spain wants the future of the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral issue between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU.

"Europe and the United Kingdom have accepted the conditions imposed by Spain. Therefore, as a consequence of this, Spain will lift its veto and tomorrow will vote in favour of Brexit," Sanchez said.

The move should allow EU leaders to sign off on the Brexit agreement between Britain and the EU at Sunday morning's summit.

Sanchez said the agreement reached would give Spain "absolute guarantees to resolve the conflict that has lasted for more than 300 years before Spain and the U.K."

May was on her way to Brussels when the deal came through and hopes to leave EU headquarters on Sunday with a firm agreement on the withdrawal terms for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, as well as a comprehensive negotiating text on how future relations should look like once both sides agree on a trade agreement.

May was to meet with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council President Donald Tusk on Saturday evening.

Winning warm greetings from her 27 fellow leaders on Sunday might be much easier for May these days than getting such treatment from her colleagues in government once she returns.

The leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, on which May relies to get her government majority, on Saturday rejected her planned Brexit deal, arguing it would drive a wedge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Arlene Foster said in Belfast that the deal agreed by May is unacceptable and must be improved upon in the weeks ahead.

She said that the draft agreement raises constitutional questions and instead insisted on "an outcome that does not leave Northern Ireland open to the perils of increased divergence away from the rest of the United Kingdom."
If youre done shopping, its time for another post-Thanksgiving tradition in San Antonio: the Christmas tree lighting and holiday river parade.

Click through the slideshow for details on those events and more:
After dozens of people fled a Thanksgiving-evening shooting inside an Alabama shopping mall - stampeding through the food court and hiding inside stores - one woman told reporters she said a prayer as she ran: "Give the police wisdom and accuracy of shots."

At first it seemed the prayer was answered. Police in Hoover, Alabama, soon announced that they had secured the Riverchase Galleria and killed the gunman, who allegedly wounded two people during a dispute and then brandished a pistol at a uniformed officer.

Hoover's mayor called the police heroes that night. "Thank God we had our officers very close," Police Chief Nick Derzis told AL.com. "They heard the gunfire, they engaged the subject, and they took out the threat."

By the next morning, the body of 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. was at the medical examiner; an 18-year-old man and a 12-year-old bystander were being treated for bullet wounds at a hospital; and Alabama's largest shopping mall was back open for business for Black Friday crowds.

And then a reporter from television station WBRC, a Fox affiliate from Birmingham, posted a photo of a pistol on the floor of the Santa's Village display - one of several things police apparently missed that night, including the actual shooter.

"New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim," police said in a statement Friday night as they announced that the state would be taking over the investigation.

What police at first described as a fight between Bradford and the teenager that escalated to gunfire, during which a girl standing nearby was also shot, now appears to be something else.

More than two people were involved in the dispute, police say. They left unclear what role, if any, Bradford had in the incident, but police maintain that he threatened an officer with a handgun while fleeing.

"We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate, but new evidence indicates that it was not," police wrote. "This information indicates that here is at least one gunman still at-large."

Neither a police spokesman nor officials with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency responded Saturday to questions about the search and investigation. Bradford's family could not be reached, though some details of his life and final minutes have emerged online.

Bradford had photos of himself in Army uniform posted on Facebook, and he described himself as a combat engineer. A spokesman for the Army, however, told The Washington Post that he "never completed advanced individual training" and so did not serve. A lawyer from Bradford's family said he had been honorably discharged from the Army.

He lived just outside Birmingham, a few miles from the mall where he was shot.

"He was a super sweet, funny, kind and good-hearted young man who never had a bad word to say to anyone," his former Catholic high school teacher, Carl Dean, told the Hoover Sun.

About an hour before the shooting, Bradford posted a photo of himself on Facebook, showing him posing in a doorway in the shredded jeans and T-shirt in which he would die. Digital scribbles on the photo obscure his left hand, in which he appears to be holding something.

Gunshots rang out on the second floor of the mall shortly before 10 p.m., according to police and witness accounts. Cellphone videos show people fleeing through the food court, knocking over a cash register and cowering in employee backrooms.

An unidentified 18-year-old was shot and was last reported to be in serious condition at a hospital. A 12-year-old girl standing nearby was apparently struck by a stray bullet, her mother later wrote on Facebook. A military medic used a shirt from a rack at a nearby store to stop her bleeding. She is expected to recover.

In this chaos, AL.com reported, "several shoppers were seen with their guns drawn."

It is unclear where Bradford was during the shooting. Two uniformed police officers working as security guards intercepted him in front of a shoe store on the second level, where a graphic photo spreading online shows him lying on the tile, blood pooled around his head.

"While moving toward the shooting scene, one of the officers encountered a suspect brandishing a pistol and shot him," police wrote in their first public statement, immediately after the shooting. In their revised statement the following evening, they said Bradford was shot and killed while "fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun."

In two graphic videos taken outside the shoe store, shoppers watch in astonishment.

"That boy didn't shoot at nobody. He's dead!" a man down the corridor says, as officers stand over Bradford and pin someone else to the ground. "They just killed that black boy for no reason. . . . He probably got a gun license and everything."

Bradford did have a license to carry a concealed gun, according to the civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was hired by the family this weekend after previously representing black shooting victims such as Stephon Clark and Trayvon Martin.

Bradford is one of more than 850 people who have been shot and killed by police in the United States this year, according to a Washington Post database, and the latest of many black men whose deaths have led to accusations of systemic racism in the U.S. law enforcement system.

"The systems in America are dangerous for and to Black people," Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote as Bradford's killing spread virally on Twitter.

On Saturday, a group of protesters marched around and through the mall, followed by Hoover police officers and joined by several of Bradford's family members.

As seen in ABC 33/40s live feed, these relatives described Bradford as the youngest member of a military family - the son of a U.S. marine who, as his great aunt put it, "chose country first, not a bullet."

"They shot the wrong man!" another woman said, consoling the aunt.
A motorcyclist died early Saturday morning when he struck a concrete barrier on the elevated Interstate 45 freeway entrance at Pease Street and toppled over the edge, police said.

The man fell nearly 20 feet from the entrance ramp and died at the scene, Houston police Sgt. David Rodriguez said. Investigators did not believe other vehicles were involved in the accident.
Two days before Thanksgiving, tech CEO Keith Caneiro was found dead on his front lawn with a gunshot wound to the head. The remains of his wife and two young children were discovered inside their Colts Neck, New Jersey, mansion, which had been set ablaze, local prosecutors said Wednesday.

Paul Caneiro, Keith's brother, was arrested and charged with aggravated arson Wednesday - not for setting his brother's home on fire, but for allegedly burning his own house, hours before the apparent quadruple homicide. Paul Caneiro's wife and two daughters were also inside at the time, though none were hurt.
In a shocking incident, a case of harassment as registered against a 39-year-old doctor in Mumbai's Thane district following a complaint by his wife, police said on Saturday. The complainant is also a doctor, they said. The doctor belonged to a minority community, who allegedly harassed his wife over poor cooking.

In her complaint lodged at Kapurbawdi police station on Friday, the 37-year-old victim alleged that her husband harassed her for money and other issues, and also married another woman.

"While working together at a clinic in Mumbai the complainant and the accused fell in love. The victim, who was a Hindu, got converted to Islam and married him in November 2005," police said.

"However, immediately after their marriage, her husband and in-laws started harassing her. They made her contest civic elections although she was pregnant. But she lost the polls," they said.

Her husband constantly criticised her saying she could not cook well. The accused then married another woman and forced the victim to live together along with her two children, police added.

The accused was booked under sections 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 494 (marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife) and others, police said adding that no arrest was made in the case so far.

Also read: Delhi: A shop catches fire in Bhajanpura market, seven fire tenders rushed to the spot
This summer, Arkansas became the first state to require poor people to prove theyre employed to receive Medicaid.

Critics say the state is trying to save money on the backs of the poor. Thats nonsense, Arkansas officials reply. They want to help the poor. Backed by the Trump administration, they are inspiring slackers and moochers to climb the economic ladder.

Thirteen other states are pursuing similar policies. Theyd do well to pause their plans. For many low-income families, the Arkansas experiment has already proved disastrous. More than 12,000 have been purged from the state Medicaid rolls since September  and not necessarily because theyre failing to work 80 hours a month, as the state requires.

Consider Adrian McGonigal, who is challenging the policy in federal court.

McGonigal, like most nondisabled, nonelderly Medicaid recipients, had a job. Full time, too, at a chicken plant. The plants chemicals sometimes aggravated his COPD, a chronic lung disease, but his employer accommodated the condition by moving him from processing to shipping.

More important, McGonigals prescription medication  funded by the states Medicaid expansion, since his job didnt come with health insurance  kept his symptoms in check.

McGonigal was unclear about what he needed to do to report his work hours, or if he had to report at all. The new policy applies only to Medicaid expansion enrollees, but even most people in that group dont have to frequently check in with the state (because of age, disability, state already has work information on file, etc.). Like many I spoke with, McGonigal says he got confusing and sometimes conflicting information from the states Department of Human Services, which told him to report online. He doesnt have a cellphone or computer, so he borrowed his sister-in-laws smartphone.

I thought that everything was good, he told me in an interview for the Washington Post and PBS NewsHour. I thought it was just a one-time deal that you reported it, and then that was it.

It wasnt.

The state wanted him to report monthly. He learned this only when his pharmacy told him his insurance had been canceled. After that, he couldnt afford his medication. His COPD flared up and he landed in the emergency room. And he missed lots of work.

Ultimately, reluctantly, his supervisor let him go. In other words: A policy intended to help people get jobs instead cost McGonigal his.

This was predictable. A Hamilton Project report found that the preponderance of evidence suggests Medicaid has little or no positive effects on labor-force supply. For many families, safety-net services support work, rather than discourage it.

There are other reasons programs such as Arkansas are unlikely to improve work outcomes.

The lives of low-income Americans can be precarious. They may change addresses and phone numbers often  which explains why other Arkansans I interviewed, including at a Little Rock homeless shelter, said they learned about the work reporting system only after their insurance was already at risk.

Arkansass overall unemployment rate is low. But in rural areas, jobs still can be few and far between. Many workers dont have control over their hours, either.

The state made reporting online-only to avoid hiring more staff. Officials did this even though Arkansas has the lowest level of household internet access in the country, and the online portal doesnt work well on smartphones. Once, when I tried it, I got an error message saying my phones browser was not compatible. The next day, it was mysteriously compatible again.

Most indefensibly, the website shuts down every single night between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. for scheduled maintenance. No wonder 80 percent of those required to report work hours or exemptions each month are reporting nothing at all.

I asked Cindy Gillespie, director of the states DHS, how confident she was that all  or even most  of the thousands of people kicked off Medicaid were not working and were insufficiently motivated to work. She said shes confident anyone improperly removed from the rolls could easily get their situation reversed.

McGonigals experience suggests otherwise.

Last month, his legal-aid lawyers persuaded DHS to grant him a good cause exemption and a chance to re-enroll in Medicaid. But because of additional red tape, he still hasnt gotten any of his medication. Its been six weeks.

Meanwhile, the chicken plant says hes welcome back. But only, McGonigal says, when  and if  hes healthy enough to work.

crampell@washpost.com
A new Federal Emergency Management Agency report is shocking: 71 percent of Texas homes in high-risk flood zones are not covered by flood insurance. Another report reveals 31 percent of Texas properties should be listed in high-risk zones  but are not.

Congress continued failure to reform an increasingly expensive National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, coupled with Houstons record-setting floods last year and now Hurricane Florence, has created an urgent need to improve the availability and affordability of flood insurance.

The Texas Legislature, and those in other states, can help address this dangerous situation by encouraging a larger private flood insurance market.

There are only two private insurance companies writing primary flood insurance in Texas, defined as up to $250,000 in coverage. Although 738,000 Texans have NFIP coverage, the FEMA report An Affordability Framework for the National Flood Insurance Program found that only residents with higher incomes are buying it, leaving an ever-growing majority of others unprotected. While FEMA studies this, the private market is moving ahead and delivering more affordable flood insurance where it can.

New catastrophe models are allowing insurance companies to better understand risk and thus accurately price flood premiums  down to the individual property  providing greater consumer choice and alternatives to the federal NFIP. When state government encourages it, a vibrant, competitive environment emerges, as it has in Florida where, in just three years, almost 30 companies are offering better coverage at a cheaper price. In Miami-Dade County, ground zero for Hurricane Andrew in 1992, one private insurers average premium is $677 compared to the NFIPs $980 average.

The use of catastrophe models in setting rates isnt new. But its usually used with claims data, something the NFIP hasnt been willing to share, citing privacy concerns. Also, greater consistency is needed among individual state insurance departments on how catastrophe models may be used in submitting rates.

The National Conference of Insurance Legislators, or NCOIL, has begun reviewing a simple two-page proposed draft law, based on Floridas, whose concept is if you build it, they will come. One Texas legislator is participating in these NCOIL discussions. The draft law permits companies, as an example, to test market rates in order to promote competition and choice, with the regulator approving policy language if a state requires that review (some do not) to ensure policies meet or exceed NFIP coverage.

The model law also ensures that insurance agents educate consumers about the dangers of going without coverage, and that insurance commissioners certify that policies are adequate to meet mortgage banking requirements. The safeguards in this simple model law will absolutely reduce the reliance on federal flood insurance.

Some in the insurance industry are concerned that this proposed regulation is overreaching or unnecessary. It is nonetheless designed to provide suggestions to regulators and those regulated on how to work together to launch or grow a successful market. What isnt in dispute is private flood coverages cost savings, improved benefits and greater consumer choice.

NFIP premiums are rising an average of 8 percent this year, but in some areas the increase is 18 percent  the maximum annual increase allowed under law. So it just makes sense for state legislators and regulators to begin the conversation to fast-track the growth of a private market, which also spreads the risk to private insurers and away from U.S. taxpayers.

Too many Texans are unprotected from the hazards of floodwaters. Theres an urgent need to improve the availability and affordability of flood insurance so more homeowners are able to buy protection for their property and families.

Communities that are fully insured rebuild more quickly and with greater resiliency. While congressional paralysis stymies needed NFIP reforms, we must work toward model private flood insurance legislation to let Washington know we got this.

Lisa Miller, a former Florida deputy insurance commissioner, served as an adviser on Floridas key laws encouraging a private flood insurance market. She is CEO of Lisa Miller & Associates, a Tallahassee, Fla.-based consulting firm.

@LisaMillerAssoc
San Antonio voters spoke loudly and clearly on Nov. 6, according to Mayor Ron Nirenberg, regarding two out of the three propositions appearing on the recent ballot. I previously wrote in support of the passage of all three. In particular, Proposition B passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote, potentially moving San Antonio one step closer to a mayor-council system of government.

The adoption of Proposition B limits the tenure of San Antonios future city managers to eight years in office, as well as circumscribing compensation for the job to approximately $300,000 per annum.

Technically, this proposition does not affect current City Manager Sheryl Sculley, yet passage of Proposition B is an implicit denouncement of her reign and tacit demand for her dismissal. San Antonio voters expect her to leave soon and will hold Nirenberg and the City Council accountable if she does not.

In the eyes of the business community, Nirenberg demonstrated weakness and bad economic judgment by failing to even consider a bid for the2020 Republican National Convention. The convention would have resulted in an estimated $200 million in economic impact for San Antonio.

Whether or not you agree with that decision, in doing so, he alienated many key figures in the business community whose support he needs if he hopes to continue in his current office.

Then Nirenberg unsuccessfully became the figurehead and lightning rod for the Go Vote No campaign.

While the business community contributed millions of dollars to back the opposition campaign, many of those same business figures likely voted in favor of Proposition B. Such a large margin of votes in favor would not have been possible otherwise.

Its logical that some of them would vote yes while contributing money to Go Vote No in an effort to hedge their bets against a mayor and city manager to whom they are ambivalent.

However, Mayor Nirenbergs job as the principal elected figure in San Antonio is to lead this city and all of its residents.

Nevertheless, Nirenberg has thus far been a mere follower, a lapdog for the city manager, in order to plot his aspirational career in politics.

The problem with Nirenberg playing it safe now is that hes already been weakened by these two fatal flaws (i.e., no bid on the RNC and leader of the failed Go Vote No campaign).

If he doesnt follow the lead and the message of the voters, Nirenberg will lose his re- election bid. Hes lost the luxury of playing it safe if he wants to secure his next term. Nirenberg must make a bold move. The decision he ought to make is leading the effort to remove Sculley, following the expiration of her contract at the end of 2018.

While the mayor and council can choose to keep Sculley on, doing so would be at their collective political peril. Instead, they ought to use her ouster as an opportunity to move toward a mayor-council system of government.

The council-manager system of government with a powerful city manager was necessary when we didnt compensate council members more than a few dollars per session. That payless, antiquated vestige of past eras reserved elected positions for only those who could already afford to occupy them. The council-manager system (without pay for mayor and council) relegated council and the mayor to positions analogous to unpaid board members of a company, vesting executive authority in the city manager herself.

In a mayor-council system, the mayor and council, who now receive salaries, could then exercise their inherent executive authority, and the position of city manager, if needed, becomes more ministerial and administrative. Under this latter system, we would certainly find the requisite talent to fulfill the city manager position, and that person would then truly work at the direction of the mayor and council. Even those who opposed Proposition B agree we now are unable to obtain the best talent for the city in a council-manager system.

In conclusion, Nirenberg has a choice: He can do nothing like he has been doing, play it safe politically, and procrastinate on the inevitable departure of Sculley. Meanwhile, the business community remains suspicious of his abilities, and voters await her ouster. Or he can be bold, cut his umbilical cord to Sculley on Dec. 31 when her contract expires and lead the effort for governmental reform in the city charter for our future: a mayor-council system of government.

What will the mayor choose to do, and how will the remainder of City Council react?

Blayne Tucker is a lawyer and small-business owner. He is the founder and president of the North St. Marys Business Owners Association, a board member of the Tobin Hill Community Association, and a former Tricentennial commissioner, appointed by then-Councilman Ron Nirenberg.
Joe Biden is a gaffe-prone 75-year-old Washington veteran  who is exactly what Democrats need.

The suburbs have turned against Republicans, but Donald Trumps working-class base is still with him in a geographic and demographic standoff that will  absent a game-changer  define the 2020 election.

The play for Democrats should be obvious: Make a serious appeal to Trumps voters, take back the blue wall states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and win the presidency. In other words, go with Biden or someone like him with a Midwestern or working-class sensibility (newly re-elected Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota come to mind).

Biden still talks of himself as a scrappy kid from Scranton, even though he became a U.S. senator soon after Beto ORourke was born. No one calls him Middle Class Joe, as he likes to refer to himself. Yet he has roots in the Democratic Party of yore that had a solid base among working-class whites.

His gruff manner, Catholic faith, Irish ethnic background, union-friendly politics and upbringing in Delaware via Pennsylvania make him as close as the contemporary national Democratic Party gets to a working-class match for the Great Lakes states that Trump stole from it in 2016.

From this juncture, those states again look absolutely crucial. If the rest of the electoral map stays the same, Democrats need to win Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania to take back the White House. Even if they pick off 2016 red states Arizona and Georgia, they still need Michigan or Pennsylvania to get over 270.

Conversely, its hard to see where Trump goes and wins new territory to make up for the loss of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Trump didnt win those three states by much, about 80,000 votes collectively. More than anything, he depended on running against a Democratic candidate who was unacceptable to working-class whites. Right now, it looks like he needs a repeat performance by the Democrats, and he may well get one.

This is the great advantage of Uncle Joe. No matter how pompous and self-parodic he can be, he would almost certainly be impossible to render hateful or threatening to the working-class voters who sensed the Clinton campaigns disdain for them.

The problem for Biden is getting from here to there. He didnt cover himself in glory in his prior two runs (the first one 30 years ago).

The Democrats dont usually do old and familiar, at least not when they win. The last three Democratic presidents, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, were fresh-faced newcomers on the national scene.

And then there are the partys new obsessions. Class has been trumped by race and gender, and as a white male Biden is 0-2. Inequality is now less of a motivator than intersectionality, economic privilege less of a concern than white privilege. This was a stumbling block for the class-obsessed Bernie Sanders last time, and would surely hamper Biden and Sherrod Brown in todays even more fevered context.

The Democrats are not set up to go with, in the derisive phrase, stale, pale and male. Perhaps they can find another Barack Obama-type candidate who lights up the base while having just enough draw for working-class whites. There is also more than one way to win back the blue wall  higher black turnout could make the difference.

But theres a good chance that Democrats will get consumed by the hot-house dynamic of their nominating process, and select someone who, like those defeated progressive darlings of the midterms  Beto ORourke, Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum  is better suited to going down in a blaze of glory rather than winning over an increment of Trump voters.

If so, Joe Biden will be one of the few people in American history who could have won two straight presidential elections  in theory.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.com
A White House in open warfare with the press. A president insulting a reporter to his face. Journalists denied access to press room. The White House the past few weeks? Actually, its the White House for at least 100 years.

The relationship between a president and the press that covers him has been rocky for well over a century, with few ups and a whole lot of downs.

Take Grover Cleveland. The only president to marry in office, he was so furious with news coverage of his honeymoon that he refused to attend the Gridiron Clubs dinner, the only president until Barack Obama in 2009 to skip the annual gala since its creation in 1885.

In 1962, Look magazine carried an article by Fletcher Knebel called Kennedy vs. the Press that was subtitled Never have so few bawled out so many so often for so little, as the Kennedys battle reporters. The Obama administration publicly referred to Fox News as not a news network and blocked it from interviews with administration officials.

And, of course, journalists were prominently included in the Nixon White Houses infamous enemies list.

Yet some of the nastiest moments in presidential treatment  or mistreatment  of the press came from a man famous for politically seducing reporters: Franklin D. Roosevelt.

FDR generally received glowing news coverage. But whenever he felt specific reporters were treating him unfairly, things turned ugly. And he wasnt above engaging in knockdown, drag-out brawls with them.

Like Donald Trump, Roosevelt was a rich New Yorker who enjoyed being the center of attention. He knew how to make news, and he was a pro at it, which helped him enjoy an extended honeymoon with the press when he moved into the White House.

But his legendary charm was wearing thin by 1934. In 1935, things deteriorated into open warfare with the press. In Roosevelts eyes, if a reporter wasnt for him, that meant he was against him. Tough questions about his cherished New Deal were interpreted as personal attacks. And they sometimes drew savage responses that morphed into long-term grudges.

Just how savage were they? How about this: At a 1937 White House news conference, the New York Times Bob Post innocently asked about reports circulating around Washington that FDR planned to seek a third term in 1940. That had never happened before, and it clearly irked FDR, who became visibly upset by the question.

Oh, my God, FDR barked. He handed Post an invisible dunce cup and snapped, Go into corner over there, put on the dunce cap, and stand with your back to the crowd.

Many reporters laughed, although they privately said Roosevelt had gone too far. Post was deeply, and understandably, humiliated.

Things sank to a new low at the Dec. 18, 1942, news conference. That was when the president stunned reporters by producing an Iron Cross medal, symbol of Germanys Third Reich, passed it to a New York Daily News reporter and told him to forward it on to John ODonnell at the paper. ODonnell columns, Roosevelt said, had earned the hated Nazi symbol by giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Yet the presidents personal feud with ODonnell didnt end there.

ODonnell went on to cover the fighting in Europe. When he returned stateside in 1945, he and another reporter had their White House credentials canceled because of their isolationist, anti-British, anti-Russian writing. A heated argument resulted, eventually becoming public when the Philadelphia Record reported on it.

Things grew so nasty it eventually took a resignation threat from Roosevelts press secretary to get the mens credentials returned. Even then, FDR did it grudgingly.

What makes the current press vs. president conflict unusual is the willingness of White House reporters to engage in partisan debate with the officeholder himself. President Trumps behavior may be a more extreme expression of previous presidential frustrations, but America has never seen a press corps so openly at combat with the commander in chief.

J. Mark Powell is a historical novelist and former broadcast journalist. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Re: GOP may face last chance to fulfill Trumps promise, front page, Nov. 12:

This headline caught my attention. It was in reference to Congress funding the wall. All I have to say is, FAKE NEWS!

I distinctly heard Donald Trump state that Mexico was going to pay for the wall. Anyone else remember that? Unless Trump lied, which I doubt he would, I suggest we wait until Mexico ponies up.

If anything, GOP leaders need to call Mexicos president, request payment in full and not waste any more time or money on this issue.

Ed Bakunas

Setting the tone

I think all reporters should be polite, especially White House reporters. I also think the president sets the tone by example.

Perhaps President Donald Trump has not accepted that he is a public servant. I realize this phrase is anathema to such an entitled human, but the fact still remains.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders or Kellyanne Conway, please explain both the term public servant and the word fact to him. It will undoubtedly take several attempts for any of you to get it.

Valerie Overstreet

Judges too powerful

Technically speaking, we have three coequal branches of government. However, it appears the judicial branch is a little more equal than the legislative and executive branches.

Seemingly every time President Donald Trump issues an executive order, some liberal judge issues a stay, based on opinions, that is overturned when said ruling is appealed.

However, the issue remains that the judicial branch has the authority to bring the executive, and the legislative branch for that matter, to a screeching halt based often not on law but rather on self-righteousness and personal opinion.

It would be far more equal for the affected parties to tell the judiciary to take a hike, let the legal process play itself out through the appellate process, and then let the chips fall where they may.

The judiciary is filled with liberal wannabes seeking their 15 minutes of fame while the country is held hostage to their self-aggrandizement.

Legislature and executive branches, tell the judiciary to go jump in the lake!

David Saenz, Fredericksburg

Polling flaw

Doesnt anyone see the 800-pound gorilla in the room here? As Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen seemingly stated in court, she cannot force the precincts to inventory and count the provisional ballots prior to them being counted at the central office.

Hypothetically, if I were a poll worker and I place 10,000 provisional ballots in a bag to be delivered and counted at a central location, I would insist that two independent reviewers  in this case a Democrat and Republican polling official  verify the number of ballots placed in the bag, along with an officially signed affidavit by both election officials attesting that 10,0000 ballots were, in fact, placed in the bag to be securely delivered to the central office for verification.

When the ballots arrive at the elections office, a clerk counts the ballots and ensures that the amount in the affidavit matches the number of provisional ballots in the delivery bag. In the security world, this procedure is known as the chain of custody.

Historically and presently, Texas ranks as one of the lowest in voter participation. According to a 2016 survey, conducted by Northern Illinois University and titled Cost of Voting in the American States, Texas ranks fourth most difficult when it comes to voting convenance. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 included Texas as one of the Deep South states that fell under this law due to historically egregious voting discrimination. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a portion of the Voting Rights Act, claiming that voter suppression no longer exists. Changes to voting laws and procedures in Texas no longer required preclearance by federal officials.

Fast-forward to the 2018 Congressional District 23 seat held by Republican Will Hurd, and challenged by Gina Ortiz Jones, and its lack of checks and balances. Callanen testified to state District Judge Stephani Walsh that she often does not receive a list of provisional voters from all precincts. This is a quintessential failure of voting security, which has the capability of malfeasance if not properly monitored. Not only is this an issue for my 23rd Congressional District, but other districts as well.

Can someone say, Houston, weve got a problem!

Rogelio Jimenez Jr., Van Ormy

Did the right thing

Following up on my commentary (Board has a weapon to fight opioid crisis  approve it, Another View, Oct. 22), Texas is moving in the right direction in helping people struggling with opioid addiction.

The states Medicaid Drug Utilization Review Board should be commended for recommending that three medication-assisted treatments to fight opioid dependency  Zubsolv, Bunavail and Vivitrol  receive preferred status in the Medicaid program.

This decision will give Medicaid recipients access to medications that effectively and safely reduce opioid cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms. Most patients with private health insurance already have this access.

The states overall goal should be open access to medication-assisted treatments. The Legislature can further expand and codify that access next year by passing a law that ensures Texans have access to the treatments they need, when and where they need them.

Dr. Thomas R. Kosten, professor, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
On the auspicious Kartika Purnima (full moon day) people of Odisha celebrate 'Bali Jatra' (A voyage to Bali). As the name suggests, this ceremony has an age-old connection with Bali, Indonesia! On this day both men and women congregate near the Mahanadi river, one of the major rivers of East Central India to offer prayers for the safety of the sailors who started a voyage on this day. Though there aren't any sailors, people make small boats out of paper, banana stems and cork and place diyas (small lamps) on them and float them in the river.

This age-old tradition has an interesting connection with Bali as mentioned earlier, but a lot of people won't be knowing how the festival is linked to Indonesia.

By the end of the second century BC, a lot of Indian sailors, who were aware of the monsoon winds and ocean currents started taking the southern route through the Indian Ocean to reach Indonesia. This voyage started from the brackish water lagoon Chilika Lake in Kalinga (present day Odisha). This voyage was done to obtain spices, pearls, gems, silk, camphor, beeswax and sandalwood from Bali for trading. It took months to complete this trip.

As the sailors started their journey on the auspicious Kartik Purnima day, it was a tradition that women gathered near the river banks to offer prayers for the safe journey of their husbands and other family members.

There is a mention of this tradition in the book, "The Ocean of churn", written by Sanjeev Sanyal. By the end of the second century BC, Indian mariners appear to have learned enough about the monsoon winds and ocean currents to attempt a more southern route across the Indian Ocean to the islands of Indonesia. Odishas Lake Chilika was an important starting point for this voyage, his narration says.

The trade relations between the Kalinga (now Odisha) and Indonesia were so strong that it is believed that two islands of Indonesia, Java and Bali, got their names from Odia kings!

As the port city of Bali was an important trading point for Odisha this festival is known as Bali yatra (or Bali Jatra), which means, 'a voyage to Bali'. Till , even though the sailing days are over, the voyage is being celebrated with grandeur in the form of a festival with cultural events on the banks of the river Mahanadi to commemorate yesteryears prayerful farewell for the sailors from the land.

Also Read:Pushkar Fair 2018: Big Show, Big Fun, More Money, Pain for Animals
THE Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has said prevailing challenges are a passing phase and the situation will normalise.

Speaking during the Ordinance and Transport Training School combined logistics courses graduation ceremony at Lookout Masuku Barracks on Thursday, ZNA Colonel Quartermaster Staff Colonel Hasha Mhlanga told soldiers to be resilient in the face of challenges.

Having said this let me acknowledge the challenges you face during the course of your studies. Army Headquarters is aware of the problems. This is a passing phase and it will soon dawn and things will be back to normal, he said.

Col Mhlanga hailed the army personnel for maintaining peace and stability in the country. He said even though a lot of activities are happening on the political front, the army must remain focused in order to carry out its duties professionally as it has a Constitution to defend and the land to jealously guard.

One hundred and eighty students drawn from the ZNA, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) and the Ministry of Defence graduated in eight courses including cookery, food and beverages management and equipment management and transport administration during yesterdays graduation ceremony.

Meanwhile, 52 soldiers also graduated at the Lookout Masuku Barracks Military School of Music (MSM) on Wednesday after completing three music courses which prepared them for higher responsibilities in the music industry.

During the graduation ceremony, Col Mhlanga said the Military School of Music is directed by the army headquarters training branch to train the organisations bandsmen basic musical skills in line with the military bands requirements.

He commended those who were graduating saying he was aware that their courses were run under adverse challenges but they managed to persevere to the end.

I am informed that the courses were run under a fair share of challenges, the school has a critical shortage of personnel which greatly affected you during your practicals. I am also informed that you had a draw back on band instruments, said Col Mhlanga.

You also had a critical shortage of lecture rooms and urgently required new structures. Lastly, I have been also informed of such challenges like shortages of water and that you have gone without electricity for more than two months to date, efforts are being made to redress this anomaly.

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The government has identified eight strategic sectors of the economy that will benefit from a duty free regime on imported raw materials with effect from next year.

The dairy industry, baking industry, poultry companies, motor assembly plants, wine manufacturing firms, fertiliser producing companies, furniture producers and pharmaceutical companies are the beneficiaries of the relaxed duty structures on imported raw materials.

Tax expert Mr Eliphas Moyo says the relaxation of the duty free structures on imported raw materials will also facilitate their revival, create jobs, facilitate expansion and solve shortages of essential commodities.

There is need to ensure that the strategic sectors of the economy can benefit, said Mr Moyo.

Another tax expert Mr Marvellous Tapera noted while the government has extended the structures to productive sectors, focus should be on the beneficiaries ability to expand.

It is just about what can be done to unlock production and necessitate the need to boost output, Mr Tapera said.

Zimbabwe has been facing challenges in terms of milk production, while bakeries have not been spared from high import costs, with the poultry sector still importing fertilised eggs to restore production after output took a heavy knock due to avian flu.

Furthermore, the fertiliser producing firms have not been spared from the huge costs of importing raw materials.

Manufacturers of drugs have also decried the expensive imported components as contributing to the shortages of medicine.

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By Axel Dreher, Professor of International and Development Politics, Heidelberg University, Valentin Lang,Post-Doctoral Researcher in Political Economy, University of Zurich, B. Peter Rosendorff, Professor of Politics, New York University and James Vreeland, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University. Originally published at VoxEU

Countries that vote with the US when serving on the UN Security Council also receive more financial assistance. This column uses voting records in the Council to show that when these countries were US allies, they received more in US aid, but when the countries were not natural allies, they received more financial assistance from US-dominated international institutions instead.

On 18 December 2017, the US vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that had called for the withdrawal of US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The resolution was supported by all remaining 14 members of the Council. Two days after the vote, Trump threatened to cut foreign aid to countries that voted against the US at the UN. These nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council  Were watching those votes. Let them vote against us, well save a lot, he said.

The Trump administration is not the first to pay attention to these votes. When Hillary Clinton, at that time the US Secretary of State, paid a visit to Togo in 2012, the press questioned her choice of destination. Clinton explained that, [n]o secretary of state had ever been to Togo before. Togo happens to be on the UN Security Council. Going there, making the personal investment, has a real strategic purpose  When you look at  the voting dynamics in key international institutions, you start to understand the value of paying attention to these places.

Several years earlier, the first Bush administration famously pressured governments to vote in favour of the Security Council resolution approving Operation Desert Storm. When Yemen voted no, James Baker, the Secretary of State, reportedly told colleagues, [t]hats the most expensive vote they ever cast. The US subsequently cut $70 million in foreign aid.

These anecdotes reflect a systematic pattern. In previous research, we and others have found that countries that serve on the UN Security Council get financial favours. They receive more US aid and more loans from international institutions in which the US commands a powerful voice, including the IMF, the World Bank, and UN aid agencies. Countries also receive softer IMF conditionality during their two years of temporary membership (Kuziemko and Werker 2006, Vreeland and Dreher 2014, Dreher et al. 2015).

Linking Voting Behaviour to Favours

In recent research (Dreher et al. 2018) we asked whether these favours are linked to voting behaviour in the Security Council, what the rewards might be for voting with the US, and the method by which the US could buy agreement, given that it would be frowned upon if done openly. To answer the questions, we used an original dataset that comprehensively records Security Council voting data.

We estimate that countries that voted with the US in the Security Council also got an increase in US aid of about 40%. Those members that voted against the US, on the other hand, got no more aid while serving on the Council than countries outside the Council.

Figure 1 UN Security Council decisions over time

Source: Dreher et al. (2018).

This pattern of increased aid is only observable for US allies (see Figure 2). While the US government would not be criticised for giving aid to allies, it might be politically costly to an administration to openly reward non-allies in ways that the US Congress and public could see.

Figure 2 UN Security Council voting and US aid allocation

Source: Dreher et al. (2018).

Notes: The figure shows the marginal effect of serving on the UN Security Council while voting all the time with the US on bilateral US aid flows for different levels of political proximity to the US (in concert with the 90% confidence interval). The histogram shows the distribution of political proximity to the US among aid-eligible countries, measured as voting alignment in the UN General Assembly.

These payments may be seen as improper. Also, an increase in foreign aid following a vote at the Security Council might damage the legitimacy of the UN, when this legitimacy a key reason for governments to seek Security Council support in the first place. The US public might also frown upon providing aid to a country not viewed as a friend of the US.

An historical example suggests that these risks do not entirely prevent the US from buying support from countries of this type. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US attempted to influence political developments in Russia with billions in bilateral aid in the early 1990s. In the mid-1990s, these aid packages came under increasing popular pressure in the US because of concerns over the budget deficit, and an unpromising outcome (for US interests) in Russian parliamentary elections.

This led to large reductions in US aid in the late 1990s. But when the US turned away from using direct bilateral aid, it started using obfuscated sources of funding. In 1995, the IMF approved a $6 billion loan program. It increased it to more than $10 billion the next year, and to the extraordinary figure of $18 billion in 1998. It is now clear that the US put pressure on the IMF behind the scenes. Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President at the time, said that to get the IMF to commit to these loans [w]e had to involve [Bill] Clinton, Jacques Chirac, Helmut Kohl, and [John] Major (Gordon 1996). Apparently, the US exploited its influence on the IMF to provide multilateral financial support when it had become difficult and politically costly to give bilateral aid.

We find systematic evidence that this pattern held when looking at UN Security Council voting data. While allies received increased bilateral aid from the US when they voted for the US position, governments not allied with the US did not. Instead, when these governments voted with the US, there were increases in loans to them from the IMF. Our results suggest that these countries received an increase in IMF loans of about 50%.

Figure 3 UN Security Council voting and IMF loan allocation

Source: Dreher et al. (2018).

Notes: The figure shows the marginal effect of serving on the UN Security Council while voting all the time with the US on IMF loan size for different levels of political proximity to the US (in concert with the 90% confidence interval). The histogram shows the distribution of political proximity to the US among aid-eligible countries, measured as voting alignment in the UN General Assembly.

It may be no surprise to find that powerful countries would be willing to buy influence. Realpolitikhowever, has required different channels for different countries. We see that the practice of buying influence around the world, while perhaps crude, has been nuanced and finessed by obscuring the funding sources. The US may have openly funded its allies, but it hid similar favours to less friendly states. Ironically, the international institutions that the US used for this obfuscation are the same institutions that the Trump administration is currently weakening in its attempt to put American interests first.

See original post for references
Iron Wolf 2018, a Lithuanian-led multinational exercise, wrapped up in Pabrade on Monday (19 November 2018), with a live-fire demonstration. The exercise, which began on 4 November, mobilised around 3,500 troops from 13 NATO Allies and partner nation Ukraine. It provided an opportunity for forces to enhance their readiness, and train with one of four NATO battlegroups in the region.

The exercise was designed to test the battlegroups readiness to plan and conduct defensive operations, together with a battalion of the Lithuanian Iron Wolf Brigade. The battlegroup also tested its military mobility en route to the exercise. In less than 24 hours, 10 convoys with around 350 vehicles deployed from their garrison to the exercise. Around 1,400 soldiers from six nations were involved. This was the largest single movement of military vehicles Lithuania has seen for years.

"We conduct exercise Iron Wolf to train and evaluate the ability of our units to quickly redeploy forces to any place in Lithuania and to carry out multinational defensive operations. This is the biggest exercise this semester together with our allies. We will train mobility, the ability to quickly reach any area to defend it against any enemy in the territory in Lithuania," said Colonel Mindaugas Steponavicius, Commander of the Lithuanian Mechanized Infantry Iron Wolf Brigade.

Meeting with Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis in Brussels today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Lithuania for hosting the exercise. Such exercises are part of the Alliances strengthened defence and deterrence, he said.
(Natural News) It used to be that the controversial Broadway show The Vagina Monologues was considered to be a provocatively feminist take on what it means to be a woman. But in 2018, its now looked at as puritanical, at least in the eyes of students attending Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where the so-called Womens Resource Center (WRC) decided to cancel the production because it excludes biological men who think theyre women.

The absence of transgenders in the original script for The Vagina Monologues apparently triggered a number of snowflakes at EMU, who demanded that it be scrapped in order to empower minorities, a.k.a. individuals suffering from gender dysphoria on campus. These snowflakes further claimed that the crudely dubbed play is outdated, and needs to be either recreated to include transgenders, or eliminated entirely in order to keep up with the changing times.

We feel that making this decision is in line with the WRC mission of recognizing and celebrating the diverse representations of women on campus along with the overall mission of the Department of Diversity and Community Involvement, in which the WRC is housed, of supporting and empowering minoritized (sic) students and challenging systems and structures that perpetuate inequities, a statement from the WRC reads.

We truly believe that it is important to center our minoritized (sic) students and this decision is in line with this mission driven value, it adds further.

Women without vaginas arent represented in The Vagina Monologues, so it has to be banned, claim Leftists

Keep in mind that The Vagina Monologues in its original form is already an extremely vulgar and narcissistic celebration, to quote The Gateway Pundit, of far-left feminism. But were talking about far-left feminism as it existed in 1996 when the play first debuted  and as many of our readers well know, things have gone completely off the rails in the years since.

In 2018, not all women have vaginas, were now told. And some men do, were also told. Whatever genitalia you were actually born with is now completely irrelevant in the eyes of todays lunatic Left  because its all up to you to decide what gender you are, and how you prefer to be represented in society.

So to the deranged transgender male who self-identifies as a woman, its perfectly normal in 2018 to insist upon having some kind of role in The Vagina Monologues, even though hes never had a vagina, and never will. And if he doesnt get a role as desired, this same transgender male can simply demand that The Vagina Monologues be relegated to the dustbin of history  and poof, wish granted.

This is precisely what happened at the all-female Mount Holyoke College, which like EMU also decided to cancel the production, claiming that it offers a narrow perspective on what it means to be a woman. Erin Murphy, a spokesperson for the school, added in a statement that, in her view, The Vagina Monologues fails the trans community in a lot of ways.

At American University in Washington, D.C., the so-called Women Initiative went ahead and just changed the name of the play from The Vagina Monologues to Breaking Ground Monologues in order to broaden the focus from specifically male genitalia to multiple identities and bodies.

All of this is just the festering, metastasizing nature of the cancer that is feminism, which currently seems to be turning over into its fourth (or fifth?) wave  and this apparently means abandoning everything thats truly female while pandering exclusively to people who refuse to accept biological reality.

In other words, feminism in 2018 means embracing and institutionalizing the mental illness known as transgenderism, and at the expense of actual biological women. Todays feminism has nothing to do with honoring true femininity, it turns out, but instead seeks to normalize utter insanity. And this is the point to which weve currently progressed.

For more related news, check out CampusInsanity.com and Gender.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The survival instinct is inherent in us all, as is evidenced by a recent study by researchers from New Zealand. The team of University of Otago scientists discovered that the hormone prolactin, best known for its role in milk production, also helps solidify the nurturing bond between mother and child, reported Science Daily.

They came to this conclusion after knocking out the prolactin receptors in the brains of adult female mice. These mice were able to get pregnant and bear babies normally. However, they abandoned their pups 24 hours after giving birth. By contrast, mice who had been subjected to subtle changes to their prolactin capacity only showed modest changes to their displays of maternal care.

Our data establish a critical role for prolactin-induced behavioral responses in the maternal brain, ensuring survival of mammalian offspring, the researchers wrote in their study.

Our findings establish a critical role for prolactin for more than simply milk production, said study co-author Dr. Rosie Brown. This work is the first to show this hormone is a literal life saver in that it establishes and maintains the normal parental care that ensures offspring survival.

Brown further noted that the absence or deficiency of prolactin in some animal species may partly explain why mothers of these species desert their young. Any disruptions in the communication between the brain and prolactin could sever the link between mothers and their babies before it has time to even materialize.

Natural and nurturing: Why breastfeeding is essential to survival

Breastfeeding, much like prolactin itself, is absolutely necessary for a mother and her baby. Lactation happens for a reason  several good ones, actually:

Breastfeeding is good for the baby  Every nutrient that a growing babys body needs can be found in their mothers milk, which is easily absorbed and digested by the baby. And unlike formulas, the milk being produced by a mother will undergo subtle changes in its constitution and nutritional content to match the babys ever-changing needs. Colostrum, the milk crucial for newborns, is one such example. It contains the antibodies that protect newborns against disease, and it administers its nutrients in a low-volume yet concentrated form that helps newborns pass waste products with ease.

 Every nutrient that a growing babys body needs can be found in their mothers milk, which is easily absorbed and digested by the baby. And unlike formulas, the milk being produced by a mother will undergo subtle changes in its constitution and nutritional content to match the babys ever-changing needs. Colostrum, the milk crucial for newborns, is one such example. It contains the antibodies that protect newborns against disease, and it administers its nutrients in a low-volume yet concentrated form that helps newborns pass waste products with ease. Breastfeeding is good for the mother  Lactation follows pregnancy and childbirth, and is therefore the natural next step in female development. As such, breastfeeding causes women to experience fewer instances of bleeding, a quicker return to the pre-pregnancy body shape, and can even give a mothers body more time to heal by delaying the onset of fertility. Moreover, a mothers body is able to better absorb calcium while shes breastfeeding, which in turn means the decreased risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis. (Related: Breastfeeding Is Good For Mothers, Not Just Babies, Studies Says.)

As you can see, lactation occurs to ensure the survival of children and their mothers, and breastfeeding is necessary just for that. This natural cycle is but one of many that the body undergoes to help itself get through this day and the next.

To read up on more news relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing, simply go to MindBodyScience.news today.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

PNAS.org

HealthyWomen.org
The Diocese of Oakland has postponed plans to release names of clergy "credibly accused" of sex abuse until after the first of the year.

In October, Oakland diocese Bishop Michael Barber had announced plans to publish a list of names in 45 days.

The diocese, however, said this week that the publication would be delayed until after Jan. 1.

On its website, diocese officials said they needed more time to contact survivors before a public announcement and also to verify information on accused priests.

"It's the right thing to do," said Barber said in an Oct. 2 letter to parishioners. "We have nothing to hide."

In the letter, Barber said a former FBI official, Kathleen McChesney, would conduct a review of the list of accused clergy to ensure it is as accurate as possible.

A full text of Barber's Oct. 2 letter is available at OaklandDiocese.org.
Thanksgiving has come and gone and it's already feeling a lot like Christmas, especially in San Jose.

The annual holiday tradition of Christmas in the Park kicked off with a lighting ceremony of over 550 trees decorated by local schools and groups from the community at Plaza de Cesar Chavez.

This year, the Community Giving Tree is not your regular Christmas tree. Instead of the regular lights, the tree has 100 strands of programmable lights synced to a musical light show - a special treat sponsored by Southwest Airlines.

[BAY] Christmas in the Park's Dazzling Lights and Trees Brighten up Downtown San Jose

The tree-lighting ceremony also brought some holiday cheer to a family affected by the recent Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Kitty and Mike Smith along with nine members of their family will take part in lighting the Community Giving Tree.

"Everyone has some connection to the tragedy and the Smith family is ours," Christmas in the Park Executive Directory Jason Minsky said.

The family lost their home and belongings in the Camp Fire and earlier this year they lost their 40-year-old daughter, Crystal Smith, and her fiancee, John Lowe, by an alleged drunk driver in Butte County near Paradise.

To help victims of the Camp Fire, 100 percent of all contributions made to Christmas in the Park from Friday to Sunday will be donated to Caring Choices and 25 percent of those contributions will be given to the Smith family.

Hundreds of people gathered at San Joses Christmas in the Park on opening night.

Christmas in the Park will be open daily through Dec. 25 at Plaza de Cesar Chavez with several events like an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Party," "Breakfast with Santa" and "Grinch Night."

Check Christmas in the Park for more information.
For a guy surrounded by technology, Nick Wright lives in the past.

His address is in Silicon Valley  but he spends much of his time in 1850s San Francisco  diving into the citys past through the pictures of photographers like Eadweard Muybridge and William Henry Jackson. Yet Wright has figured out how to bridge his technological vantage point with the history he loves so much.

Using Photoshop, the amateur historian discovered he could virtually assemble together vintage pictures of streets or views taken at different times but from the same vantage point during San Franciscos infancy. Stitched together, the results create stunning panoramas showing city vistas that havent been seen with the human eye for 150 years.

Thats why I tell people Ive got pictures youve never seen before, Wright said. Because they never existed before.

Perched between two large computer monitors in his San Jose home, Wright, a technology worker by day, pulled up a large panorama showing San Francisco in the late 1850s. As he zoomed in, you could faintly make out the ghostly outline of someone standing in a doorway. Wright scrolled through the picture pointing out horse-drawn wagons, church steeples and a large sand dune that once occupied Van Ness Avenue even after the city had developed around it.

The early photographers shot their pictures using large format cameras that created equally large glass negatives known as mammoth glass plate negatives. Wright said the glass plates contained incredible detail revealing the minutiae of life in the growing city.

When you zoom in you can see peoples laundry on the line, Wright said. You can see people delivering goods down the streets.

Wright said early photographers like Muybridge sometimes captured multiple side-by-side pictures of a single view with the intention of putting them together to create a panoramic image. But often photographers lacked the tools to seamlessly connect the pictures into a single perspective. Using technology, Wright has been able to take those pictures and weave them together, erasing seams and connecting them to look as if they were captured in a single frame.

Its a great sense of accomplishment, Wright said, to be able to finish the work that the photographer started that he didnt have the tools to finish.

Wright pulled up an 1878 photo by Muybridge taken from the Hopkins Hotel, originally shot across seven glass plate negatives. Wright not only combined the photos into a single picture, but identified every building in the picture. He clicked on the photo and blue labels appeared for each structure; the hill that would eventually become the crooked portion of Lombard Street  the observation tower that originally sat atop Telegraph Hill.

As San Francisco bloomed from a gold rush town into a major metropolis, it drew large numbers of photographers to capture its unique topography and boisterous life, resulting in a trove of photography.

Theres just a wealth of pictures that had never really been explored or assembled, Wright said, even from the great masters.

Though he was born in England, Wright is immersed in San Francisco history, founding two popular Facebook groups San Francisco Remembered and SF History. His brother Jason Wright recently made news by purchasing and restoring a film by the Miles Brothers, shot from a streetcar rolling down Market Street weeks after the 1906 earthquake and fire.

Nick Wright shares his brothers affinity for images of the great disaster. He pulled up a photo of several bank guards sitting amidst a pile of rubble in post-earthquake San Francisco. In researching the picture Wright came across several other images of roughly the same area. He assembled them together in Photoshop, erasing lines, smoothing transitions and creating a vast panorama of the disastrous scene.

Its a photographic jigsaw puzzle, Wright said. Its putting together pieces through time.

Wright has created hundreds of panoramas between 1850 and 1920 which for now live on his computer. Hed like to eventually have an exhibition or put them in a museum. The pictures open a window of time, revealing vast views of the old city  a birds eye glimpse of San Francisco in a time of hope and promise  before the 1906 disaster.

You get involved in peoples lives, and actually get quite emotional, Wright said. You see the struggle and the success and the loss. You actually start to feel  you can see how things transition over time.
California billionaire Tom Steyer made another move this week toward launching a potential 2020 presidential bid with an announcement that he's planning to return to early-voting South Carolina next month for an event in Charleston.

In a news release Tuesday, the wealthy investor said that he plans to talk about the importance of equal voting. That's one of what he calls the five fundamental rights for which Democrats should advocate ahead of the next presidential election and that "should be at the core" of the party's platform.

On Tuesday, Steyer said he would place a full-page ad in USA Today and Gannett newspapers across the country to outline his proposed five rights, which also include clean air and water, health, the right to learn and a living wage.

"These rights are fundamental to our shared belief in the promise of America, a promise of the freedom and power to pursue our dreams and earn a fair share of this country's vast wealth," Steyer said. "A hostile takeover of our democracy by large corporations and their enablers in politics has eroded that promise, and we must act to reclaim that power and put it back in the hands of the American people."

Steyer has already made several trips to South Carolina, home to the first-in-the-South primary, and has said he's considering jumping into the 2020 race, adding Democrats need someone who can explain to voters "not just how stupid and misguided what's going on right now is," but who can also find a way to put the nation on better footing.

The Charleston event is the first of a planned series of discussions on the five issues Steyer has set forth.

Steyer is the founder of NextGen America, a liberal advocacy group, and the main source of cash for a super PAC called the NextGen Climate Action Committee, which spent more than $90 million in the 2016 election cycle.

In 2018, Steyer spent roughly $120 million more on mobilizing young voters to help Democrats, registering more than 257,000 young voters on over 400 campuses across the country in 11 states. He has also advocated for President Donald Trump's impeachment, producing a nationwide advertising campaign to that effect.
What to Know Notorious Irish mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger was found dead in his West Virginia cell on Tuesday.

Bulger was recently moved to the high-security prison in West Virginia from Oklahoma.

Inmates at the West Virginia prison have previously warned officials that the facility has been overcrowded.

Long before notorious Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger was killed at a federal prison in West Virginia, lawmakers, advocates and even prison guards had been sounding the alarm about dangerous conditions there. But there has been no public indication that federal prison officials have taken action to address the safety concerns, even as Bulger's killing marks the third at the facility in the last six months.

An independent government commission found that United States Penitentiary Hazelton has been overcrowded for years. Inmates have repeatedly expressed concerns about their safety at the high-security prison, which houses 1,270 male inmates. A 2016 report from the District of Columbia's Corrections Information Council said that prisoners warned officials, "Inmates can lose their lives quickly here."

In April, 48-year-old Ian Thorne was killed during an altercation with a fellow prisoner, and in September, Demario Porter was also killed in another fight with a fellow inmate.

Court records, oversight reports and news articles detail numerous violent incidents in recent years. In 2016, an inmate was charged with murder after prosecutors said he strangled another prisoner to death during a fight. In February 2015, an inmate stabbed a fellow prisoner with a hand-crafted weapon during a fight, according to court documents. Another inmate received an extended sentence in May for assaulting a fellow prisoner and possessing a deadly weapon.

"There are a multitude of federal prisons that don't have a homicide rate like that," said Cameron Lindsay, a former federal prison warden who now works as a jail security consultant.

The federal Bureau of Prisons has not responded to requests for comment about safety concerns at USP Hazelton. It announced Thursday that visitation has been suspended until further notice.

Last week, five members of Congress wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions about what they called "dangerous continual understaffing" at federal prisons in West Virginia and Pennsylvania and stated their alarm about the deaths at USP Hazelton.

Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said DOJ was "aware of the concerns raised in the letter" and would respond to the members of Congress.

In a separate letter this month, the District of Columbia's House delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, asked the Justice Department's inspector general to launch an investigation into the conditions at USP Hazelton, citing Thorne and Porter's deaths. Holmes Norton said she had also heard about the "brutal treatment" of inmates at the prison and was concerned that the incidents "may be indicative of larger, ongoing problems at the facility."

In a statement Tuesday, Norton said Bulger's death "underscores reports of a culture of violence at Hazelton."

Norton's office said she had not received a response to her earlier letter, and John Lavinsky, a spokesman for the inspector general, declined to comment.

The 89-year-old Bulger, who benefited from a corrupt relationship with the FBI before spending 16 years as one of America's most wanted men, was found unresponsive Tuesday morning, just hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton. He was declared dead shortly afterward. Authorities have not released a cause of death, but prosecutors said it was being investigated as a homicide. A Mafia hit man, Fotios "Freddy" Geas, who is said to hate "rats," and at least one other inmate are believed to have been involved in Bulger's killing, an ex-investigator briefed on the case said Wednesday. The longtime investigator was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Bulger led a largely Irish mob that ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets. He also was an FBI informant who ratted on the New England mob, his gang's main rival, in an era when bringing down the Mafia was a top priority for the FBI.

It's not clear why he was transferred.

"What I don't understand is why the Federal Bureau of Prisons would transfer a super high-publicity inmate, who is a known snitch, to general population of a high-security prison. You've got to be smarter than that," Lindsay, the former warden, said.

Union officials say the prison is operating at about 75 percent of its staffing level and has dozens of vacant positions. They have also decried a practice known as augmentation, which taps health care workers, teachers, secretaries and prison cooks to fill correction officer positions because of officer shortages and overtime limits.

Justin Tarovisky, executive vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 420, which represents Hazelton prison guards, said Bulger's death "outlines how dangerous this prison is." The union voiced its concerns about staffing in a picket outside the prison as far back as 2015.

The letter sent to Sessions last week by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; and Bob Casey, D-Pa.; and Rep. Bill Schuster, R-Pa., said Congress had provided additional funding to ensure there would be at least two corrections officers on duty in each housing unit for each shift and that the policy was "not being enforced as intended." The legislators said they were concerned that the Bureau of Prisons hasn't followed Congress' direction to curtail "its overreliance on augmentation, particularly in housing units."

A hiring freeze imposed by the Trump administration has left the agency short-staffed and some already overloaded federal prisons have been housing immigration detainees in recent months as well.

President Donald Trump's son-in-law and top adviser, Jared Kushner, has pushed prison reform as a key priority, though others in the Trump administration --including Sessions-- support the toughest possible sentences for drug and other convictions. Kushner has had an interest in prison reform since his own father, Charles Kushner, was incarcerated for 14 months after being convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering.
Pea, a 1 1/2-year-old peacock, has gone missing.

According to Rene Johnson, Pea's owner in Springfield, Vermont, the peacock recently ran off with a flock of turkeys.

Johnson, who has owned Pea since he was two months old, said that Pea recently lost his fellow peacock friend, Lemon, who died in September -- and that may have caused him to take off. He usually hangs with other chickens, Johnson said, but Pea has been on the run for six weeks.

Johnson said she has seen Pea, as have other neighbors and hunters, but no one has been able to capture Pea and return him home.

Johnson set up a tent and is hoping the feed will be able to lure Pea back. She's owned other peacocks in the past, but Pea is different. Whereas the other peacocks would let you hold them, Pea is a "sassy teen," Johnson said.
A conservative writer and associate of Trump confidant Roger Stone said he is in plea talks with special counsel Robert Mueller's team.

Jerome Corsi told The Associated Press on Friday that he has been negotiating a potential plea but declined to comment further. He said on a YouTube show earlier this month that he expected to be charged with lying to federal investigators, though he said at the time that he was innocent of wrongdoing.

Mueller's team questioned Corsi as part of an investigation into Stone's connections with WikiLeaks. American intelligence agencies have assessed that Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election that damaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. Mueller's office is trying to determine whether Stone and other associates of President Donald Trump had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks' plans.

The confirmation of plea talks  first reported by The Washington Post  comes as Mueller's team has just received fresh information from Trump personally and as federal prosecutors in Virginia recently inadvertently disclosed the existence of sealed charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

It's unclear if the charges against Assange are related to Mueller's investigation, but WikiLeaks was singled out in an indictment last summer against a group of Russian intelligence officers accused of carrying out the wide-ranging hack of Clinton's campaign and other Democratic organizations.

It's also not known if any plea by Corsi signals a new raft of charges by the special counsel or just that investigators are aggressively pursuing cases against people they believe made false statements to investigators. Mueller has brought such cases against four others, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

In a brief phone call with the AP, Corsi declined to elaborate on the details of any plea deal or say if a court hearing had been set.

Corsi, the former Washington bureau chief of the conspiracy theory outlet InfoWars, has said he cooperated with the probe for about two months after he received a subpoena in August. As part of that cooperation, he turned over two computers and a cell phone and provided the FBI access to his email accounts and tweets.

But he said earlier this month that talks with investigators recently had "blown up."

"I fully anticipate that in the next few days, I will be indicted by Mueller," he said.

The spokesman for the special counsel, Peter Carr, declined comment on Friday.

Shortly after his YouTube show appearance, Corsi broke off a scheduled interview with NBC News and declined any other media interviews. His comments Friday were the first since then.

Stone has denied being a conduit for WikiLeaks, which published thousands of emails stolen from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in the weeks before the election.

Stone, who also has said he is prepared to be indicted, said earlier this month that he "had no advanced notice of the source or content or the exact timing of the release of the WikiLeaks disclosures."

He told AP in a separate statement Friday: "It is clear from his recent videos and his recent interviews that my friend Dr. Corsi has been under a tremendous amount of pressure and it is beginning to affect him profoundly. He has stated publicly that he is being asked over and over to say things he simply does not believe occurred."
What to Know A June Supreme Court ruling gave states the go-ahead to require more companies to collect sales tax on online purchases

Amazon collects sales tax when customers purchase goods, but third-party retailers on Amazon make their own tax decisions

Whether shoppers get charged sales tax on their online purchases comes down to where they live and where they're shopping

Shoppers heading online to purchase holiday gifts will find they're being charged sales tax at some websites where they weren't before. The reason: the Supreme Court.

A June ruling gave states the go-ahead to require more companies to collect sales tax on online purchases. Now, more than two dozen have moved to take advantage of the ruling, many ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.

"Will your shopping bill look any different? ... The answer right now is it depends," said Jason Brewer, a spokesman for the Retail Industry Leaders Association, which represents more than 70 major retailers.

Whether shoppers get charged sales tax on their online purchases comes down to where they live and where they're shopping.

Before the Supreme Court's recent decision, the rule was that businesses selling online had to collect sales tax only in states where they had stores, warehouses or another physical presence. That meant that major retailers such as Apple, Best Buy, Macy's and Target, which have brick-and-mortar stores nationwide, were generally collecting sales tax from online customers. But that wasn't the case for businesses with a big online presence but few physical locations.

Now, states can force out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax if they're doing a fair amount of business in the state. That means retailers such as Overstock.com, home goods company Wayfair and electronics retailer Newegg can be required to collect tax in more states. Those companies were involved in the case before the Supreme Court, but a wide range of businesses from jewelry website Blue Nile to clothing and outdoor company L.L. Bean and electronics retailer B&H Photo-Video are also affected.

Before the Supreme Court's decision, Overstock was collecting sales tax in eight states. Now, it's collecting sales tax nationwide. Jonathan Johnson, a member of Overstock's board of directors, said a small number of customers reached out to ask about the change when it happened but the company now hasn't had a question about it in months. Wayfair, for its part, was collecting sales tax in 25 states before the decision. Now it's collecting sales tax in 36 of the 45 states with a sales tax.

Where online shoppers live also can affect whether they're being charged sales tax.

States had a strong interest in taking advantage of the Supreme Court's decision by passing laws or publishing regulations prior to this holiday shopping season if at all possible, said Richard Cram of the Multistate Tax Commission, which works with states on tax issues. Those that did have generally been following the lead of South Dakota, which brought the issue to the Supreme Court. South Dakota requires sellers who don't have a physical presence in the state to collect sales tax on online purchases if they do more than $100,000 in business in South Dakota or more than 200 transactions annually with state residents.

A host of states  Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin  began enforcing their own requirements starting Oct. 1. And about another half a dozen states will start in the next two months.

But a number of big states, including California, Texas, New York and Florida, do not yet have similar collection requirements in place. As a result, consumers shopping online from those states and others that have yet to act may not be charged sales tax on some websites for a little longer. Online shoppers in those states  particularly those making expensive holiday purchases like televisions, computers and luxury goods  may be motivated to try to purchase from a website that isn't charging them sales tax. While that may look like a sweet tax savings, shoppers are generally supposed to pay the tax to the state themselves, but few do.

Still, it's getting harder to find sellers that aren't collecting sales tax online, said lawyer Eric Citron, who was involved in the Supreme Court case. And Citron said it will become even harder in 2019, with more states putting in place expanded sales tax collection requirements. States also have websites such as eBay, Etsy and Amazon in their sights.

Amazon collects sales tax when customers purchase goods it sells, but third-party retailers selling products on Amazon make their own sales tax collection decisions. Sellers on eBay and Etsy also make their own decisions. Now states are working to require those large marketplaces to collect taxes on behalf of sellers using their platform.

"States tend to use the powers that the Supreme Court gives them, especially when it comes to collecting taxes," Citron said.
Three people were killed and 14 others wounded across the Chicago area in shootings over the Thanksgiving weekend--including a teenage boy who was fatally shot by an off-duty officer during an armed robbery early Thanksgiving Day.

About 2:20 a.m., the officer was sitting in his personal vehicle in the 5800 block of North Talman when two teenagers approached, Chicago Police Deputy Chief Al Nagode told reporters at the scene. After the 16-year-old pointed a handgun at the officer, the officer handed over his belongings.

The second boy, 17, reached into the car and patted the officer down, finding a second wallet that contained the officers CPD star, Nagode said. The 16-year-old then pointed his gun at the officer and told him not to move.

The officer shot the 16-year-old, and the other boy ran away with the officers belongings.

The 16-year-old was brought to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. He was identified as Sarge Junior, with a last known address in West Rogers Park, according to the Cook County Medical Examiners office.

The other teen was arrested shortly later and charged with a felony count of armed robbery with a firearm and two misdemeanor counts of theft, police said. He was expected to appear in juvenile court on Friday.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability was investigating the use of force by police and the officer involved will be placed on administrative duties for 30 days, police said.

The stepfather of Junior had reported him missing  along with the stepfathers weapon  Wednesday night, Nagode said. A weapon recovered at the scene matched the description his stepfather provided.

The latest deadly shooting this weekend killed one man and wounded another in a Friday drive-by attack in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

The two men were sitting in a vehicle at 10:08 a.m. in the 900 block of West 50th Street when a white Porsche SUV drove by and a passenger shot at them, police said. Thaddeus Flanagan, 29, was shot in the upper left side of his chest and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:40 a.m., police and the medical examiners office said. He lived in the West Pullman neighborhood.

The other man, 23, was shot in the lower abdomen, police said. He was taken to the same hospital, where his condition was stabilized. After the shooting, the Porsche drove off eastbound on 50th and northbound on Halsted.

Another man died Thanksgiving morning from a shooting in the Longwood Manor neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

Jatoine Jackson, 20, was found lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds after witnesses heard gunfire at 11:46 a.m. in the 1200 block of West 96th Street, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The most recent nonlethal shooting left a 14-year-old boy critically wounded Friday night in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

The boy was standing on a sidewalk just before 9 p.m. in the 2300 block of South Sacramento Avenue when someone approached him and fired shots, police said. He was shot in his chest and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital.

During the final minutes of Thanksgiving Day, two teenage boys were shot in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side.

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At 11:56 p.m., the two 17-year-olds were walking in the 100 block of North Kildare when they were struck by bullets from a shooter inside a passing dark sedan, police said. One was shot in the foot, and the other was hit in the leg. Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.

Another Thanksgiving evening shooting left officers searching for someone in a black mask who fired into a group in the Brighton Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

At 11:16 p.m., the 45-year-old woman and her family members were standing outside in the 3000 block of West 41st Street, police said. A masked male got out of a red sedan nearby and shot at the group, striking the woman in her upper body.

The 45-year-old wasnt believed to be his intended target, according to a police source. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.

Thursdays first reported gun violence came from an unknown shooter who seriously wounded a man in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side.

At 12:28 a.m. Thursday, the 36-year-old was walking in the 4400 block of West Jackson Boulevard when he was shot by a person inside a passing silver Chevy Traverse, police said. The man was struck in the back and taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.

A Wednesday evening shooting left a teenage boy discovered in critical condition in the Albany Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

The 17-year-old was found shot at 8:46 p.m. inside an alley in the 3700 block of West Montrose, police said. Witnesses heard gunshots, but no one saw the shooting occur. The boy, who was unable to speak due to the bullet wound in his back, was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.

During the Thanksgiving weekends first shooting, a man was wounded Wednesday night in the Homan Square neighborhood on the West Side.

The 29-year-old was walking in an alley when two males walked up to him, showed a handgun and fired shots about 6:40 p.m. in the 1100 block of South Central Park Avenue, police said. He was shot in his right thigh and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was in good condition.

Other shootings this weekend were reported:

at 7:28 p.m. Friday in the Jefferson Park neighborhoods 4600 block of North Milwaukee;

at 5:47 a.m. Friday in the Gresham neighborhoods 900 block of West 86th Street;

at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Boulevard neighborhoods 500 block of East 48th Street.

at 3:48 p.m. Thursday in the Burnside neighborhoods 1200 block of East 95th Street;

at 3:50 a.m. Thursday in the Humboldt Park neighborhoods 2500 block of West Division; and

at 1 a.m. Thursday in the Back of the Yards neighborhoods 5200 block of South May.

In total, one person died and four others were wounded from Friday shootings. Thanksgiving Day saw 10 people shot  two fatally. And two people were killed and three others were wounded on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving weekend began 5 p.m. Wednesday and will conclude 5 a.m. Monday.

Last year, seven men were killed and at least 36 other people were wounded in shootings across Chicago during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Friends and family attended funeral services Saturday for a security guard who was fatally shot by a suburban Chicago police officer outside the bar where he worked.

Jemel Roberson was killed on Nov. 11 while holding at gunpoint a man who'd been involved in an earlier shooting at the bar in Robbins, just south of Chicago.

Investigators said that Roberson, who was black, was not wearing any clothing that identified him as a guard. But some witnesses claimed Roberson was wearing a hat emblazoned with the word "Security" when he was shot by a white officer from nearby Midlothian who was responding to the initial shooting.

Some mourners who attended Saturday's funeral at the House of Hope in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood wore shirts reading "Security" and "#JusticeforJemel," while others wore security uniforms.

Community activists in the southwest suburbs used this Black Friday to send a message, demanding justice in the shooting death of Jemel Roberson. NBC 5s Ash-har Quraishi has more.

Friends said that Roberson, 26, was a father, had another child on the way and that he wanted to become a Chicago police officer.

Since his death, Roberson's family has filed a lawsuit against the Midlothian Police Department and there have been protests calling for the firing of the officer, whose name has not been publicly released. A group of clergy and activists also called for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting.

"We deserve to know the name of the police officer," said Rev. Marshall Hatch of The Leaders Network. "We don't necessarily trust the police to police the police, and therefore, an investigation on the part of the Illinois State Police is not going to clear the air."
Firefighters have battled a blaze at a Connecticut industrial facility that involved hazardous chemicals.

North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski says the fire happened Saturday morning at the Parker-Hannifin Corporation factory.

Firefighters from North Haven, Wallingford and Hamden responded to the 32,000 sq. ft. manufacturing at around 3 a.m. and found flames shooting out of the roof and rear of the building.

Firefighters took about two hours to control the blaze, which seriously damaged about 10 percent of the facility, which produces aircraft parts.

Januszewski says the fire was declared a hazardous materials incident because a "large quantity" of acids and other chemicals spilled during the blaze.

"This was a challenging fire, with a large facility, bitterly cold conditions and the added element of unknown and potentially dangerous chemicals present at the scene," Januszewski said.

The North Haven Fire Department is providing decontamination for workers, which fire officials said is standard procedure with these types of incidents.

State environmental officials and a private contracting company will clean the chemicals before officials investigate the fire, including why the building's fire alarm system wasn't triggered. Fire officials said the fire alarm system had been inspected in the past calendar year.

Remodeling and construction work was taking place at the facility. Officials will investigate if that played a role in the failure of the fire alarm or the cause of the fire, according to Januszewski.

No injuries were reported.
What started as a credit card promotion has become another post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping tradition.

On Saturday, Mom and Pop shops across the state are taking part in Small Business Saturday.

In downtown New Haven, shop local is the name of the game on this Small Business Saturday.

"It brings people out of the malls, off their computers," said Deb Marquis, of Wave Gallery in New Haven.

Kim McIntyre avoided the madness at the malls on Black Friday, but she already did some window shopping on Chapel Street before returning this morning.

Whats on the shopping list?" "Some earrings and I dont know what else, but I did see some earrings that I wanted and maybe a hat, she said.

She's shopping for herself, but says she may leave with gifts for her loved ones.

"I don't know yet, maybe something will jump out at me," she added.

Saturday is Small Business Saturday and were looking at the local effort to support our businesses.

New Haven's downtown shopping district features some stores, like Enson's Menswear, that have been in business for decades.

"Small Business Saturday is very important to us, it gets us a chance to show that we're a specialty store, that we're not a big box store, that we care about our customers, said Jim Civitello.

Arla Rosmarin from Milford came early to purchase a gift for the youngest member of her family.

"I'm going to get my great granddaughter a hat that they have in one of these stores. Shes ten months old and the hat says 'Im having a bad hair day' and I thought it would just be hysterical, she said.

In the age of Amazon and Cyber Monday deals, she prefers to do her holiday shopping the old fashion way.

"You can see everything and you can touch it actually and feel if the fabric is soft and they have unique things," she added.

Now through Christmas Eve, the Shops at Yale are offering four free hours of parking if you spend at least $30 at one of their stores.

Mom and Pop shops in Hartford are also offering special deals for Small Business Saturday.

Mom and Pop shops in Hartford also offer special deals for Small Business Saturday.

For owners, the sales aren't as important as the service.

"Painting for us is secondary, fun is primary. If you don't leave here having enjoyed yourself, then we didn't do our job. So when you get here, you can expect to have a lot of fun. It's what makes us different than any other paint bar," said Stephen Richmond, the owner of Painting With A Twist.

"Painting With A Twist" was one of the many shops in Hartford participating in Small Business Saturday. If you're interested, check them out on Pratt Street.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Bill Shine has received millions of dollars in severance from Fox News Channel's parent company and is owed millions more, a new financial disclosure report shows.

The report released Friday shows that Shine received $8.4 million in severance pay from 21st Century Fox after he left in May 2017. He'll also receive bonus and options payments in 2018 and 2019 amounting to $7 million for the two years combined. The agreement is set to expire May 1, 2019.

Shine joined the Trump administration earlier this year after resigning from Fox amid questions over his handling of sexual harassment and discrimination allegations that led to the departures of CEO Roger Ailes and Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly.

He has worked behind the scenes to improve the production quality of events at the White House, such as Trump's announcement of his second Supreme Court nominee.

Trump and Fox News have had a symbiotic relationship since Trump first announced his candidacy, with the cable news channel providing often fawning coverage of the president, and the president appearing frequently on Fox shows, including his favorites "Fox & Friends" and "Hannity."

Trump's administration has also hired numerous former Fox personalities, including State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert and national security adviser John Bolton. Trump's former communications chief, Hope Hicks, was hired as communications director at the newly revamped Fox company after she left the administration.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the disclosure form.
What to Know The brother of one of the four homicide victims found at a burning New Jersey mansion is due in court Wednesday

Monmouth County prosecutors say Paul Caneiro set his Ocean Township home on fire while his family was inside

The fire at Caneiro's home occurred a few hours before the blaze at the Colts Neck home of his brother Keith was reported

The brother of one of the four homicide victims found at a burning New Jersey mansion is due in court on allegations he set fire to his own house.

A detention hearing for Paul Caneiro is scheduled for Wednesday. He's charged with aggravated arson.

Monmouth County prosecutors say Caneiro set his Ocean Township home on fire while his family was inside. All safely escaped. Prosecutors will seek to have him held until his trial.

Caneiro's attorney has said Caneiro is innocent.

The fire at Caneiro's home occurred a few hours before the blaze at the Colts Neck home of his brother Keith was reported. Keith Caneiro and his family were found dead. Officials say all were slain before the fire.

Authorities won't say if Paul Caneiro is a suspect in the slayings.
A worker at a Long Island diner used a machete to fend off a gun-toting robber on Wednesday.

Anna Guervara has been credited with stopping the robber in his tracks at the Deli Pupuseria in Huntington on Wednesday afternoon.

The only thing I was thinking of was my children, she said. I said God, help me take care of my children because it was so scary.

Surveillance footage shows Guervara pulling out the blade as the robber comes toward the register with a gun drawn.

Guervara said that when her husband said the gun was a fake, the robber then took off running without stealing anything. He got into a waiting getaway car and disappeared.

Police later arrested 35-year-old Carlos Garcia in the case; hes also been linked to robberies at four other businesses, including two others owned by Guervaras in-laws.

Angela Reilly, 53, was also arrested in the case. Police say she is thought to have been the driver in at least three of the robberies.

Guervara said that she isnt sure why her business was targeted, but said she would have done anything to protect her business.

I was working so hard that day and somebody comes here to steal it thats not right, she said. I know its dangerous because I can get killed.
What to Know A Husky that disappeared from his home in New York was taken in by a teen in Florida 18 months later

The Husky, named Sinatra, once belonged to a 16-year-old who died in a gun accident in Brooklyn

He'll be reunited with her family in Baltimore on Sunday

Eighteen months after Sinatra the brown and white Husky disappeared from his home in Brooklyn, he ended up wandering in a Florida neighborhood where 13-year-old Rose Verrill took him in.

Turns out, Sinatra once belonged to 16-year-old Zion Willis, who died in a gun accident in the Bronx in 2015. He'll be reunited with her family in Baltimore on Sunday.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that while the dog has been found, no one knows how it traveled 1,200 miles from New York to Seffner, which is near Tampa.

But this much is known. Sinatra was a 14th birthday gift for Zion, who was an avid dancer and an animal lover. The blue-eyed dog loved to chase raccoons and squirrels, the teen's father told the newspaper. One day, a year-and-a-half after Zion's death, the dog never came home. It was a tragic loss for Zion's grieving parents.

Some 18 months passed before the Florida teen found Sinatra near her home.

"He's been such a wonderful guest and such a sweet dog," said Rose's mother, Denise Verrill. "I can see why they love him so much."

The Verrills and family friend Jeanne Baldi started trying to find Sinatra's owners. They took him to a veterinarian who was not able to retrieve much from an identification chip. They turned to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, which came up with a possible name - Willis Les - and a phone number that was off by one digit.

That's when Baldi took to social media. She reached out to Lesmore Willis with the information she had.

"I never would have thought he was from Brooklyn," Baldi said. "I messaged Lesmore over Facebook and didn't think it would lead to anything when I saw where he was from."

A few days later, Willis messaged back. As they compared notes, they both spoke of a dog that had a problem with its right foot.

Baldi sent along a photo and Willis confirmed it was Sinatra.

"I told him that he was safe and well taken care of with Denise," Baldi said.

Willis spoke of his daughter's love for the dog. "That was her dog and their bond was strong," he said. "She loved to take him on her walks to the store. The love was obvious. When he was gone, it was like losing a part of her."

After Sinatra disappeared, they put up flyers and spent months searching.

Now, they'll be reunited. A friend of Verrill's is taking Sinatra to Baltimore for the Thanksgiving weekend reunion.
A state lawmaker is proposing a change to New York's gun laws to allow authorities to search social media for potential red flags before approving a handgun license.

State Senator Kevin Parker's bill would mandate that applicants provide investigators with their Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram passwords and access to their Google, Yahoo and Bing searches.

The Brooklyn Democrat wants investigators to look at the last three years of an applicant's social media postings and a year of their search histories for "any good cause for the denial of a license," such as racial slurs, threats of violence and terrorism-related posts.

The bill, submitted on Nov. 14, appeared to come in response to recent mass shootings whose suspects had posted threats or ranted about potential targets.

No vote is scheduled.
Its a tradition that goes back generations for many families: heading to the tree farm a few weeks before Christmas to find the holiday centerpiece.

Some look for a tall tree. Some look for a fat tree. Some want sharp needles. Others want soft ones. All are looking for some QT with the fam.

But that annual custom is now facing an uncertain future, according to some farm owners in the region: In New Jersey, some farmers are seeing disease hit Douglas firs particularly hard and in Pennsylvania, an invasive insect is raising some concern.

Were getting to the point now where we have three to four years left of selling these trees, Ryan Olson, owner of Indian Acres Farm in Medford, New Jersey said, of Douglas firs.

It takes 10 to 15 years to grow a Christmas tree, so a disease wiping out some of the stock could have lasting implications, he said.

Across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, the Spotted Lanternfly could impact trees across the state, though some experts say the bug typically stays away from trees typically used for Christmas. The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association also said farmers are prepared to combat those insects.

For some families like Marianella Olivero's, who brought her family to Indian Acres Farm on Friday, chopping down a tree is a new experience they hope doesn't end anytime soon.

The Oliveros came to the United States from Puerto Rico, and this is the first time they are picking out a tree at a farm.

Its a wonderful new experience," she said. "We only see it in movies.
Florida's acrimonious U.S. Senate contest is headed 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 contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over Thursday, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race.

Gillum, who conceded 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 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.

Counties were ordered this past weekend to conduct 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's statement said.

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 at a hearing Thursday.

Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had the equipment to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he couldn't extend the recount deadline because he didn't know when Palm Beach County would finish its work.

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.

Six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee, and at least one in state court.

Walker also ordered voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they haven't 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 refused the request as "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.

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.

Associated Press writers Tamara Lush and Kelli Kennedy contributed to this report.
An undocumented migrant mother was injured at the U.S.-Mexico border in south San Diego Friday night when she tried to illegally enter the United States by climbing a barbed wire fence with her two small children.

The incident happened just before 8:30 p.m. at East San Ysidro Boulevard and Rail Court, an area east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

U.S. Border Patrol agent Tekae Michael told NBC 7 the 26-year-old mother fell from the primary border wall onto pieces of rebar on the ground. The rebar pierced the woman's side. Tekae said the rebar is part of a primary replacement wall being built at the border.

The children  ages 3 and 5  had also attempted to climb the fence with their mother but were not hurt, Michael said.

Border Patrol agents helped the woman after her fall and called paramedics. The mother was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Tekae said the children were also taken to a hospital for medical evaluation to make sure they hadn't suffered any potential fall trauma. The children were then turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Michael said the family is from Guatemala but the Border Patrol agent said they were not part of the migrant caravan currently heading to the nations southern border.

Michael said the mother would be treated, processed by Border Patrol and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She is expected to make a full recovery.

The agency said climbing the border fence should never be attempted.

"Entering our country illegally, particularly over our walls is not only dangerous, but also very foolish," San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott said Saturday. "This woman placed her own life and her childrens lives in peril. She could have easily died if not for the quick response by our agents and EMS."

The fence at the U.S.-Mexico border has been reinforced for the past few weeks to keep migrants from illegally climbing into the U.S. as a caravan of thousands of migrants from Central America makes its way to the border.

The migrant caravan has made its way by foot and bus from Central America to the southern border of Mexico and from there to Tijuana, where thousands are now living in overcrowded shelters until they can seek asylum from the U.S.

In response to this potential influx of migrants, the Department of Defense sent approximately 5,800 active duty, reserve and National Guard troops  including 1,100 Camp Pendleton-based U.S. Marines  to span the border to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the hardening of the border. Concertina wiring was added to the border fence, too.

Last week, when DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen toured the fence she told reporters that those border fortification efforts would continue with the help of the military.

This is a border wall with row upon row of concertina wire, said Nielsen. Make no mistake  we are very serious. You will not get into our country illegally.

Nielsen called the migrant caravan a crisis that could mean serious trouble for the U.S. She said traveling with the caravan does not give migrants a special right to enter this country and that those migrants would have to get in line when it comes to the asylum-seeking process.
How well do you know Maryland?

We're talking Ocean City, Old Bay and the Orioles.

State Del. David Moon's Maryland cred was challenged this week after he dared to speak ill of Old Bay. He said he was only joking, but a number of people weren't convinced.

Test your essential Maryland knowledge by taking our quiz. And tell us on Twitter or Facebook which questions we missed.

Want to keep testing your DMV knowledge? Go here to see how D.C. you are.
What to Know Tom Marmet, an aspiring social worker, was on his way home from the nonprofit So Others Might Eat when he was struck by a stray bullet.

This weekend, a section of Roofers Union wall is filled with the names and faces of all D.C.s 2018 homicide victims.

This weekend's profits and Friday night's $10 cover charge are going to anti-gun violence groups.

A popular casual restaurant in Northwest Washington is donating all of its profits this weekend to anti-gun violence efforts after the owner's son was killed by a stray bullet last month.

Tom Marmet, an aspiring social worker, was on his way home from the nonprofit So Others Might Eat when someone started shooting a gun in an alley. The 22-year-old was stopped at a traffic light on 17th Street NE when he was struck. His death remains unsolved.

His father Roger Marmets Adams Morgan restaurant Roofers Union is trying to bring about real change in his sons name.

Our friends and people who weve met through this horrible, tragic experience have all expressed a willingness to do anything to step up, share their connections, give us their resources and their time, Roger Marmet said.

This weekend, a section of the bars wall is filled with the names and faces of all D.C.s 2018 homicide victims. A table is full of candles representing each one of them.

Friday nights $10 cover charge also will go to anti-gun violence groups.

Right now were trying to buy gifts for kids that are affected by gun violence so that they have a nice Christmas, said Laura Morris of Moms Demand Action. So this will all help tremendously.
A 2-alarm fire at a Laurel apartment building Saturday morning left displaced 32 people from their homes.

The fire was reported about 12:45 a.m. and burned through part of the roof of the 3-story building on Kay Court. Prince George's County fire officials say the fire originated near a utility room in the attic.

Six children were displaced along with 26 adults, Prince George's Fire officials say.

The cause is under investigation. No one was reported injured.

The fire caused $75,000 in damage.
Maryland's two biggest counties are suing two major banks over alleged predatory and discriminatory mortgage practices.

The Daily Record reports that Montgomery and Prince George's counties accused Wells Fargo and Bank of America in a recently filed federal lawsuit of exploiting minority borrowers.

The counties said the banks have for several years been pushing minorities toward expensive and riskier types of mortgages.

The counties said the banks' approach has contributed to higher foreclosure rates among minorities and is hurting the counties' finances.

The two banks and subsidiaries doled out more than 153,000 predatory or discriminatory loans, the counties' suit alleges.

The banks said the allegations are meritless.
High school students could skip classes to attend political protests under a proposal up for debate in a Maryland public school district.

The Washington Post reports Montgomery County's school board is expected to approve the proposal as early as January. The proposal is considered to be one of very few in the country that would allow students to take up to three excused absences per year to participate in protests or other forms of civic engagement during the school day.

The board is accepting public comments on the proposal until Dec. 16.

School board member Patricia O'Neill said the policy is designed to help prepare students to become "the next generation of leaders."
Protesters on Saturday marched through an Alabama shopping mall where police killed a black man they later acknowledged was not the triggerman in a Thanksgiving night shooting that wounded two people.

An officer shot and killed 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr. of Hueytown while responding to the Thursday mall shooting. Police said Bradford was fleeing the scene with a handgun.

Hoover police initially told reporters Bradford had shot a teen at the mall, but later retracted the statement.

"We knew that was false," said stepmother Cynthia Bradford when she heard police were blaming him for the shooting. She described her stepson, who went by E.J., as a respectful young man whose father worked at a jail for the Birmingham Police Department.

Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector said investigators now believe that more than two people were involved in the initial fight ahead of the shooting, and that "at least one gunman" is still at large who could be responsible. Police said while Bradford "may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim." Rector said police regret that their initial statement about Bradford was not accurate.

The shooting remains under investigation, including whether Bradford played any role in the initial disturbance,

The unanswered questions stirred emotions in the suburb outside the majority-black city of Birmingham.

More than 200 demonstrators, including several relatives, chanted "E.J" and "no justice, no peace" as they marched past Christmas shoppers at the mall. They held a moment of silence at the spot outside a shoe store where Bradford was killed.

Family members described their horror of finding out from social media that Bradford was dead. Video circulated on social media of Bradford lying in a pool of blood on the mall floor.

Speaking to The Associated Press on Saturday night from his family's home, Bradford's father Emantic Bradford Sr. called his son, "a good kid, a very good kid."

Bradford Sr. said his son had a permit to carry a weapon for self-defense. He said he doesn't know exactly what happened at the mall, but said it was hurtful that police portrayed his son as the shooter.

"They were so quick to rush to judgment. ... I knew my son didn't do that. People rushed to judgment. They shouldn't have done that," Bradford Sr. said.

Family members said they plan to ask to see body camera footage from officers. Hoover police have not confirmed to the AP whether such footage exists.

Carlos Chaverst, an activist in Birmingham who organized the protest, said that when authorities acknowledged that the person killed was not the actual shooter, "that sent us in an uproar." More protests will be held in the future to hold officials accountable, he added.

"When we found out about this incident, there were questions from the jump. People were upset because a man was shot and killed by police in our own backyard," he said.

The incident began Thanksgiving night with a fight and shooting in suburban Birmingham at the Riverchase Galleria, a mall crowded with Black Friday bargain hunters. An 18-year-old man was shot twice and a 12-year-old bystander was shot in the back. Hoover police said Friday morning that the girl was in stable condition.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the incident since it is an officer-involved shooting. The Hoover Police Department is conducting its own internal investigation.

The officer who shot Bradford was placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate the shooting. The officer's name was not released publicly. The officers were not hurt.

Video posted on social media by shoppers showed a chaotic scene as shoppers fled.

A witness, Lexi Joiner, told Al.com she was shopping with her mother when the gunfire started. Joiner said she heard six or seven shots and was ordered, along with some other shoppers, into a supply closet for cover.

"It was terrifying," Joiner said.

Associated Press writer Chevel Johnson contributed to this report.

___

CORRECTION (Nov. 23, 2018, 8:21 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this story gave the incorrect age for the man who died. He was 21.
A Lynn, Massachusetts family is picking up the pieces after a fire tore through their triple decker home on Thanksgiving.

Frigid temperatures and wind made battling the flames tough, according to fire officials. It was so cold Thursday night that everything firefighters hosed down turned to ice.

The family that owns the Grover Street home has lived there for more than 20 years, but as they were finishing their Thanksgiving dinner around 8:30 p.m., they had to watch from the street as a fire burned through it all.

We lived there so long so I dont know what to do right now, Sonny Prum said.

Eric To says as they were enjoying each others company on the holiday, smoke began to billow out, sending the entire family into the street.

The Lynn Fire Department determined the fire was caused by an electrical issue that began in the basement and quickly spread, destroying the apartments that 17 family members all share.

The family is now dealing with the aftermath. While the inside of the house will have to be gutted, they are hoping to save the outside.

While they had no time on Thanksgiving to grab anything as they rushed out, theyre just grateful everyone could get out together.

We are all together, we are all safe, thats all that matters, To said.

The 17 family members stayed with friends and relatives Thanksgiving night but theyre not yet sure where they will all spend the next few weeks and months.

There are more in-home fires during the holiday season than at any other time of the year, according to data from the National Fire Protection Association.

Two other fires were reported Thanksgiving evening in Massachusetts. One fire was in Medford, while another fire in Lowell started at one home, then quickly spread to two other homes.
Firefighters battled a massive fire Friday at a junkyard in Pepperell, Massachusetts.

Crews from several communities in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire were called in shortly after noon to help battle the 8-alarm fire at R H Auto Repair.

One worker was treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation but has since been released.

The fire's remote location near the New Hampshire border caused major water issues for the crews.

Fire Chief Toby Taylor says the closest fire hydrant is a mile away, so they had to bring in water.

Town administrator Andrew MacLean says the building is a total loss. A woman who owns the shop with her family told NBC10 Boston that they will rebuild.

MacLean says a worker was cutting or welding something off or onto a vehicle when fuel caught fire and spread very quickly.

Prescott and North streets were closed due to the blaze, and citizens were encouraged to avoid the area if possible.
An SUV crashed into the front of a home Friday night in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

A woman who lives at the 9 West Main Street home called 911 around 4:30 p.m. to report that a vehicle had crashed into the front of her home. She and her brother were both inside the home at the time of the crash but neither was injured.

Phil Grass, whose dad and aunt were the ones inside the home, says luckily everyone is OK.

"Could've been a bad accident," Grass said.

The Chevy Equinox driver, a 37 year-old from Millville, was taken to Milford Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Neighbors like Rodrigo Martinez and his wife heard the crash.

We came outside. She was actually getting ready for work, so she just went outside and saw the police officers and she came back inside and said, 'hey what happened?' So we came out and we saw the car just sitting in front of the door.

The Hopkinton Fire Department removed the Equinox from the home, and the front door and window are now gone. Crews boarded up the home so no one can break in.

Emergency contractors just boarded it up for the night. Were fixing the plumbing to get the heat back on for the night so no pipes freeze," Grass said. "Were going to lock it up and get out until we hear from the insurance company tomorrow.

Hopkinton police and fire are investigating how this all went down, but Grass is just thankful things didnt end worse.

No one was hurt. Its just property. It can be fixed, he said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
the Two men was the great interest of the ball visitors. The a stands for the previous, successful SPD and was in a chatty mood. The other embodies for many the future of the CDU - in-law.

former German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, appeared friendly and relaxed, when he visited on Friday night with his new wife, Soyeon Kim the Federal press ball. The Minister of health, Jens Spahn, one of the three candidates for the presidency of the CDU, parried all questions.

After all, posed Spahn briefly with his man on the red carpet in the Hotel "Adlon" at the Brandenburg gate. His two competitors, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and Friedrich Merz, were among the more than 2000 guests from the media, the economy and politics in the first place to look.

the beating of the visitors and organisers, more political tones, as in the case of some balls. Bundestag Vice President Claudia Roth (Green party), unlike in previous colorful times, this time in Black, spoke about attacked and persecuted journalists, and called the Ball a "for the freedom of the press". And added: "And then I look forward to strong women." Because the just a lot of wind to get in Brazil and the USA.

at Least for this 67. Federal press ball with the Motto of "kaleidoscope" was not lacking in strong women. Shortly after Roth, the party Chairman Anna Lena Baerbock (Green) and Katja Kipping (Left party) marched through the entrance of the "Adlons". Sealing Katharina Thalbach, let cool a question as to your lack of evening dress off followed by the no less present actress. "I think the Dressode absolutely, I have a really classic Tux." And the right wife you have, said she, with a glance to Nellie Thalbach at your side. "No one can be more beautiful than my granddaughter."

Something thoughtful host Gregor Mayntz, Chairman of the Federal press conference, the Association of capital Youwin journalists. The German democracy was "a very special product," he said at the opening. "Not only the Federal President cares a lot about what we consider as a matter of course, without keeping us here is, that she has not come alone, and alone will remain." Without quality journalism, it will have this complex product democracy "damn hard".

Political allusions, the slightly simpler nature could not resist the organisers in the music. Last year, shortly after Jamaica had failed, was the name of the opening waltz "Que sera - what will be". This year, the Band played: "Munich stories".

Otherwise, it was all about partying and Dancing. The Federal Minister Hubertus Heil (work) and Gerd Muller (development) strolled through the crowd, Hesse Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) was looking forward to a night out with his wife. Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife were confessions to elicit from former students ' parties. "Some say that I went rather one of the later was," said Steinmeier and grinned. Also his wife, laughing also had to Black: "Yes, we've always been quite late."

Steinmeier's old boss, Gerhard Schroder, presented the photographers are proud to present the new wife, with whom he had just celebrated six weeks ago in the "Adlon" the wedding. Addressed to his Ex-wife, Doris Schroder-Kopf, which had been announced for the Ball, he said laconically: "I wish her a nice evening." Otherwise, he had a bet with the CDU on his old "friend and enemy" Friedrich Merz. "Maybe he should be the one or the other topic to think about."

A fashionable Demonstration of the special kind of showed the integration Commissioner Annette Widmann-Mauz. She wore a black dress with black Jasmine flowers, designed by a runaway Syrian Designer and tailored. The white flowers were black from the war and red from spilt blood, she said. A stand for hope, the other for the memory.

Updated Date: 24 November 2018, 08:02

dpa
A British researcher studying the effects of the Arab Spring on security policies gets life in prison for espionage". Foreign academics, intellectuals and scholars have been expelled owing to their critical views. For RsF, the UAE "is a master of online surveillance of journalists.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews)  The recent conviction of 31-year-old British researcher Matthew Hedges, who was sentenced to life in prison for espionage, shows how the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are putting more and more pressure on foreign universities and institutes.

Local sources note increasing monitoring of academic work at the local branches of prestigious Western universities, like the Sorbonne of Paris and New York University.

Hedges, a doctoral student at Durham University in north-eastern England, was sentenced to life in prison by a federal court in Abu Dhabi last Wednesday, a ruling that triggered an angry British reaction with the Foreign Office citing possible repercussions" against the small Gulf emirate.

The researcher was studying the effects of the Arab Spring on the countrys security policies and law enforcement. According to the prosecution, he provided "confidential" information to British intelligence (M16) and was arrested as a result on 5 May.

Mr Hedges was formally indicted on 10 October and convicted two days ago. The verdict is not final and Hedges' family and lawyers can still appeal to the federal Supreme Court, hoping for an acquittal on all charges, especially since the trial was reached in five minutes and no defence lawyer was present in the courtroom.

Speaking to French newspaper La Croix, a representative for the Middle East Studies Association, a learned society dedicated to the study of the region, said that the case of the British PhD student is further confirmation of the growing repression in the Emirates.

For some time now, the authorities have been closely monitoring academic work and research activities and expulsions of foreign scholars, academics and intellectuals expressing critical opinions are not rare.

Last March, economist and human rights advocate Nasser bin Ghaith was sentenced to ten years in prison for criticising government officials on social media. Activist Ahmed Mansoor and journalist Tayseer al Najjar were also arrested for slamming the authorities.

In addition, The United Arab Emirates is a master of online surveillance of journalists who often fall victim to its 2012 cyber-crime law, writes Reporters without Borders (RsF) on their website.

Citizen-journalists and bloggers are usually targeted for criticizing the regime, and are accused of defamation, insulting the state, or posting false information with the aim of damaging the countrys reputation.
the Horn or Horn? The Swiss Bauer Armin Capaul has forced more than 100,000 signatures for a referendum: He is fighting for farmers, young calves and goats with a hot combustion, the horn wand to burn away plants, even if under anesthesia and with pain meds. On Sunday, the Swiss will vote on his Hornkuh Initiative.

The 67-year-old Capaul could be got out of the hat with his beard, plaid shirt and knit straight for a Heidi movie. He is a Swiss mountain farmer with a farm in the Canton of Bern. "I've heard many a calf, the pain screaming," he says.

agriculture Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann disagrees: "I've seen Enthornungen as a Boy with my own eyes, and never under the impression had, that you suffer."

security concerns

the importance of the horns for the mental balance of the cows is in a fight for years. "The Horn, the animals, Serenity, inner peace and security," says Christian Vdcasino Muller from the research Institute of organic agriculture. Farmers and country women's Association of fear, however, for the safety of the farmers and their families. Adult cows with sharp horns could be a deadly danger.

Horned cows on a pasture

in addition, horn cows need larger stables. "We fear that adoption of the Initiative, more cows are tethered in the stable. This would not serve the animals well," says Patrizia Andina of the society of physicians of the Swiss Veterinary and animal doctors.

subsidies for farmed animals with horns

In Switzerland, only wear ten percent of the approximately 1.5 million head of cattle horns. In some breeds they were bred out of these completely.

In Germany, live well, twelve million head of cattle. How many of them have horns, don't, know one says Bjorn borger man from the dairy industry Association. "Cattle are not stuffed animals, but large animals with a lot of strength from home," he says. "It is therefore for the pet owner, regardless of the type of farming is quite an increased hazard potential in the work with horned animals."

Capaul calls for a ban, because he saw no Chance in the voting urn. Rather, he calls for new subsidies for farmers, the goats, your animals in addition to cows, the horns - so for farmers like him. The government rejected the proposal due to financial reasons.

jme/dpa

Updated Date: 24 November 2018, 20:00
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Who is in Chile through the supermarket, sees in the truest sense of the word black. They are octagonal in shape and to overlook: The black warning icons on unhealthy foods. You emblazoned on the front of several packages and warn of high amounts of sugar, salt, calories or saturated fat.

"to Me, the symbols make a bad Conscience," says Camila Gajardo. If she goes shopping, looks for the 24-Year-old according to the products without Labels, she says. However, not all Chileans: the new health campaign to impress. "For me, the warning signs are completely not matter", says Miguel Toledo. The 31-year-old man from Santiago makes his Obesity, no secret. He was already as a little Boy dick, just like his parents and siblings.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, nearly 60 percent of the population is obese. Economic growth, increasing urbanization and higher average income are some of the reasons for this. Leaders are the Bahamas (69 percent), Mexico (64 percent) and Chile (63 percent), such as a report of the pan-American occupied niches health organization. Also in front of the youth, the Trend does not Stop. 44.5 per cent of all children in Chile according to the OECD, overweight. To the South exceeds that of American country even the long-time leader USA (39.9 percent). In Mexico, 35 percent.

obesity can make you sick

It is a development with serious consequences. Obesity and Overweight increase the risk for Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Childhood obesity can cause both physical and psycho-social damage. Eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem are potential consequences. Obesity is also a cost factor. The Mexican Ministry of health estimates that in 2017 the costs incurred by a result of disease to the equivalent of 10.4 billion Euro.

danger in the bacon belly is the reason why fat people get ill more likely to cancer

The reactions to the alarming Figures are different. There is hardly a country, however, reacted as radical as Chile. The Ministry of health had concluded in June 2016, the emergency brake, and far-reaching reforms initiated. The black Symbols on unhealthy foods are a result. They act like stop signs, especially on children, says Ex-health Minister Carmen Castillo. She had been involved in their term of office under the socialist President Michelle Bachelet significantly to the enforcement.

in addition to the labelling, advertising and sale bans have been adopted. The selected products may no longer be on Chilean school yards sold. During the day advertising for these foods is banned in television, Radio and cinema. In addition, packaging and advertising may Casino Siteleri not be aimed specifically at children under the age of 14.

the new regulations, a number of manufacturers were affected. Companies like Kellogg's had to remove boxes of cartoon characters of their Cereal, the children-kinder Surprise banned completely from the shelves. Even McDonald's had to adapt his famous Happy Meal in stores in Chile. Many companies and food associations criticized the course of Chile, Ferrero moved even before the court - but without success.

of Each of the second Mexican child threatens to succumb to Diabetes

Mexico is located of such measures. Although the Ministry of health, Obesity and Diabetes in 2016, explain to the epidemiological emergency. Each of the second Mexican child runs the risk of developing Diabetes. Nevertheless, the small stalls gather with the shiny, colorful packaging, preferably directly in front of the school gates. Lollipops, chocolate bars and chip packs are being marketed here in addition to toys and collecting images directly to the young target group.

people disease Obesity Less fat, sugar, salt: citizens to eat healthier, dpa,

, According to the Mexican non-governmental organization for consumer protection, "El Poder del Consumidor" there was a lack of mandatory measures, especially in school Lunches. There, well-intentioned policies, which are not or only insufficiently be implemented in practice but either. From the point of view of the organization, the guidelines need to be mandatory at last.

as of 2016, as in Mexico, a ten percent tax on sugary drinks was proposed. As a result, the consumption of soft drinks fell by 6.3 per cent, at the same time, water consumption increased by almost 13 percent, nutrition scientists declared last year in the journal "The Journal of Nutrition".

sugar tax? Not in Germany

In Germany, you want to know of such a tax on Sugar and 13.7 percent of the girls and 17.6 per cent of boys engage, though, according to a study by the Robert Koch Institute from the beginning of this year, one to three Times a day to sugar-containing soft drinks. The Federal food Minister, Julia Klockner (CDU) relies rather on a voluntary basis.

Instead of a sugar tax Klockner presented in mid-October an agreement in principle with business associations. The food industry is obliged to reduce from 2019, the content of sugar, fat and salt in ready meals. The world health organization (WHO), as well as the professional Association of child and youth doctors warn since years that the commitments are too little.

In Chile have shown the new laws already in effect. Already before the entry into force of the act, 20 per cent of the manufacturers would have reduced the amount of salt, sugar, fat and calories, says Ex-health Minister Castillo. "A fantastic reaction." Have not removed the Chileans, however. "It is very difficult to implement healthy habits," says Castillo. It would be premature to draw after such a short period of time a balance sheet. Nevertheless, Chile has become a model for other countries.

Updated Date: 23 November 2018, 20:01

Katharina Meyer / Antonia March houses / ikr / DPA
New Delhi:

As the crucial Madhya Pradesh elections 2018 is just a few days away, political parties are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to outdo each other with prominent leaders holding roadshows, fielding key candidates, poaching heavyweights and forging alliances to prove the electoral juggernaut. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah blew the poll bugle in Mandsaur and Morena, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has also addressed a series of rallies at Sagar, Damoh and Tikamgarh in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for growing up employment in Madhya Pradesh, the Gandhi scion said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed the youth of the country and had not fulfilled promises of providing over two crore jobs and "depositing" Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

"Modi ji has betrayed the people on the issue of providing jobs to two crore people every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh cash into their accounts by bringing (back) black money stashed abroad," Gandhi was quoted as saying in Sagar.

Accusing Modi of spreading "hatred" across India, the Congress chief said the fear of losing 2019 Lok Sabha elections has created hatred in the prime minister's mind and he uses wrong words whenever addresses an election rally anywhere in the country.

Read | Uddhav Thackeray slams Narendra Modi government, wants date for Ram Temple construction

"The faith reposed by the people and youths in them has broken. Now, when Modi comes, people say he will speak lies," Gandhi added.

The Congress president has also spoke about Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's decency during his speeches, saying Chouhan knows that he is going to be defeated but there is no hatred in his words.

"There is another person (Modi), who is afraid. The people have lost their faith (in Modi)," Gandhi said while addressing a gathering at Damoh.

"He (Modi) knows that he is going to be defeated in 2019. This has caused hatred in his heart. Wherever he is going, he is talking with hatred and anger. People know that this man is weak. This fear is converting into hatred. The entire country is watching," he added.

Continuing his attack on the BJP government, Gandhi accused the Centre of corruption by implementing the Bundelkhand package in Madhya Pradesh.

On November 19, 2009, the Centre had approved a special package of Rs 7,266 crore for implementation of drought mitigation strategies in Bundelkhand region which falls in Madhya Pradesh as well as Uttar Pradesh. Under this package, Uttar Pradesh was allocated Rs 3,506 crore while Madhya Pradesh was to receive Rs 3,760 crore over a period of three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Read | Pakistan invites Sushma Swaraj, Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu for Kartarpur Corridor opening

Elections to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will take place on 28 November to elect members of the 230 constituencies across the state. It is believed to be a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 11, 2018.

Chouhan has been ruling Madhya Pradesh since 2005 while the Saffron party has been in power in the state since 2003.
New Delhi:

A motorcyclist was killed and another injured on Delhi's newly inaugurated Signature Bridge on Saturday morning. "One man died another injured after the motorcycle they were on, skidded and fell at Delhi's newly-inaugurated Signature Bridge, this morning. Two people had died yesterday in an accident at the bridge," according to news agency ANI.

One man died another injured after the motorcycle they were on, skidded and fell at Delhi's newly-inaugurated Signature Bridge, this morning. Two people had died yesterday in an accident at the bridge.  ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

ALSO READ | Signature Bridge: 2 medical students killed as bike rams into divider

The deceased has been identified as Shankar, 24, a resident of Ghaziabad. Shankar was driving with his cousin Deepak, 17.



Shankar, who worked as a salesman, died while he was being taken to the hospital, the police said. Deepak said the motorcycle skidded before hitting a road divider.



Two cousins on a bike were going from north Delhi's Nangloi towards north-east Delhi when their motorcycle skidded on the bridge, the police said.



Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote "Deeply concerned about accidents taking place on Signature Bridge. I appeal to everyone, especially the youth, to be extra vigilant while taking selfies on the bridge and to not drive faster than the speed limit. Your life is very precious."

On Friday, two bike-borne medical students were killed when their motorcycle rammed into a divider. However, the exact sequence of the event is yet to be ascertained by the police. The deceased have been identified as Satya Vijay Shankaran (23) and Chandra Shekhar, they added.

Shankaran, who hailed from Ranchi, was interning with the Hindu Rao Hospital and Shekhar, a resident of Khanpur in south Delhi, was a second-year MBBS student of Hindu Rao Medical College, according to police.



The accident occurred on the left turn loop of the Signature Bridge after the two motorcycle riders, apparently driving at high speed, hit the divider following which the two fell down the bridge, a senior police officer said. Both the injured were rushed to a hospital where they were declared brought dead by doctors, a police official said.



The Signature Bridge was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 4. Built over river Yamuna, Signature Bridge is said to reduce the travel time between north and northeast Delhi, also sharing the traffic burden of the Wazirabad bridge. It offers a panoramic view of the city and has designated selfie spots. This is the first such accident on the Signature Bridge since its inauguration.






New Delhi:

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonass upcoming wedding will have glamour as one of its attendees! Not just Hollywood biggies and Bollywoods whos who, PM Narendra Modi might also be one of an attendee at this star-studded big fat wedding!

Bollywood weddings are rolling the hay-roll of glitz and allure along their nuptial journey and this news has got us all excited!

The buzz is that the new it couple met Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting him for their wedding in Jodhpur on December 1.

According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, a source in the know said, We are not sure if she was actually able to meet the PM with her fiance. But the invitation with a special request to put in an appearance has been conveyed to the PM.He is said to be considering the invitation. When a pal of Priyanka got to know of the super-august presence expected at her wedding in Jodhpur he laughed, Trust PeeCee to pull an ace from her sleeve. She will take you by surprise every time, the wedding being no exception.

When a pal of Priyanka got to know of the august presence expected at her wedding he laughed, Trust PeeCee to pull an ace from her sleeve. She will take you by surprise every time. The wedding being no exception.

Reports suggest that PeeCee and Nick Jonas are sharing a fair-trade in their wedding with both a Hindu pre-wedding that includes the mehendi and the Sangeet to be followed up by a Christian ceremony. The couple is believed to have two grand receptions, one in Delhi and other in Mumbai.

The celebrity couple will be tying the knot on December 1 at Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur with around 200 guests present for the celebrations. While the pre-wedding festivities are expected to kick-start by November end, we hear Sangeet and Mehendi festivities will be a week-long affair.

The 36-year-old actress has been busy filming Shonali Boses The Sky Is Pink with Farhan Akhtar while her mom, Madhu Chopra is overseeing all the wedding arrangements.

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New Delhi:

Former Congress MLA and former union minister Ambareesh, 66, passed away at Bengaluru's Vikram hospital on Saturday. The actor-turned-politician was rushed to the hospital following progressive breathlessness this evening. According to reports, Ambareesh was suffering from a kidney ailment. Previously, Ambareesh was being treated for lung infection. The hospital authorities have cited cardic arrest for Ambaressh's death.

Meanwhile, mourning the demise of former Karnataka minister, the Congress took to its official Twitter handle and wrote, "We are shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely passing of former union minister, veteran actor and Congress leader Dr Ambareesh. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family".

We are shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely passing of former union minister, veteran actor and Congress leader Dr. Ambareesh. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. pic.twitter.com/avwM2rwqiv  Congress (@INCIndia) November 24, 2018

Soon after the report of his demise broke on the internet, security has been tightened outside the hospital. The police have placed barricades at the entrance with scores of Ambareesh's followers continue to throng the hospital.

Read | Union Minister Ananth Kumar passes away; lost a valuable colleague, says PM Modi

Social media has been flooded with condolence messages ever since the news came to light. While actor-turned-politician Rajanikanth mourned the loss of his dear friend, former Karnataka chief minister Sadananda Gowda expressed sadness over the leader's death.

Taking to Twitter, Rajinikanth wrote, "A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish".

A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish  Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) November 24, 2018

"Yet another shocking news , Gentleman actor , Loved by all human , Former Union State Minister Sri Amabarish is no more . He had enlightened so many lives with his generosity," Gowda tweeted along with a picture of Ambareesh.

Yet another shocking news , Gentleman actor , Loved by all human , Former Union State Minister Sri Amabarish is no more . He had enlightened so many lives with his generosity . pic.twitter.com/518WzIEykN  Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) November 24, 2018

Read | DMK chief Karunanidhi passes away; leaves behind rich legacy

Talking about his political career, Ambareesh had opted out of the Assembly elections after being given a Congress ticket from Mandya constituency. He was elected to the Lok Sabha three times from Mandya. In 1998, he was elected from the Janata Dal. In 1999 and 2004, he reached the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket.

MH Amaranath popularly known as Ambareesh stepped into Kannada Film Industry with his debut in Puttanna Kanagal's Nagara Haavu in 1972. Since then he has appeared in about 208 films, including some other popular ventures of Kanagal such as Paduvaaralli Pandavaru, Shubhamangala, Masanada Hoovu and Ranganayaki.

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New Delhi:

Right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha planned for almost five years to kill journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, the special investigation team (SIT) had told a local Bengaluru court. In its 9,235-page charge sheet filed before the Principal Civil and Sessions court on Friday, the SIT stated that Lankesh was targetted by the Sanatan Sanstha for no personal reasons but for her ideology. The SIT charge sheet also stated that the right-wing Hindu outfit planned the killing for almost five years.

Also Read | Won't touch my father's books and Gauri's biopic: Indrajit Lankesh

The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation, PTI quoted Special Public Prosecutor S Balan as saying.

The probe team also sought the court's permission to carry out further investigation in the case. This was the additional charge sheet. The first charge sheet in the case was filed in May this year.

The 55-year-old journalist-activist was shot dead outside her house in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. The murder of the noted scribe, known for her fearless writing and left-leaning ideology, triggered a massive nationwide outrage, which led to the then Siddaramaiah-led government to order the SIT probe into the case.

Also Read | Dabholkar murder case accused disposed of firearms in creek: CBI to court

According to news agency PTI, citing SIT sources, 18 people, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, have been accused in the crime so far.

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New Delhi:

A former special police officer (SPO) Basharat Ahmad Wagay was killed on Friday after he was kidnapped by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district. His bullet-riddled body was recovered, hours after he was kidnapped, a police official said.

Besides the former SPO, two other persons were also kidnapped by unidentified gunmen.

Terrorists in a brutal act of terror killed an individual in Shopian after he was kidnapped from Reban area of Shopian earlier. 3 young men kidnapped forcibly by terrorists were identified as Reyaz Ahmad, Zahid Ahmad and Basharat Ahmad. The two of them were set free: J&K Police  ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2018

ALSO READ | J-K: Let PDP go to court, I will prove my numbers, Sajjad Lone

A police statement issued late Friday night said that three civilians  including Basharat  were abducted forcibly by terrorists from Reban area of Shopian earlier in the day. Two of them were set free. However, police retrieved the body of Basharat Ahmad from village Nikloora in Pulwama. His body was handed over to his family after completion of medico-legal formalities, said the statement.

Basharat and the two others  Reyaz Ahmad and Zahid Ahmad  were all residents of Reban.



12 people have been abducted in Shopian district since November 15.



On Friday, security forces gunned down six Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, including one, who was accused of killing Rising Kashmir editor-in-chief Shujaat Bukhari, in a gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.



The accused has been identified as Azad Malik and was eliminated in Sekipora area of Bijbhera at the wee hours of Friday. The operation was jointly conducted by Indian Army's 3 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 166 battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the police force of the state Jammu and Kashmir.



ALSO READ | BJP played no role in J-K Assembly dissolution, says Rajnath Singh



The other terrorists killed in the ensuing encounter were Unais Shafi, Shahid Bashir, Basit Ishtiyaq, Aqib Najar and Firdous Najar. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation following specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in the wopods of Sekipora. The operation turned into a gun battle after terrorists opened fire on the forces.

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New Delhi:

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed an overall turnout of more than 75 per cent on Saturday in the third phase of the panchayat elections, with Kashmir recording 55.70 per cent voting, while Jammu region saw an impressive 83 per cent turnout. The polling also witnessed some violence in which a retired army captain was killed in a clash between rival groups at a polling station.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra said the state recorded over 75 per cent of polling as 3.20 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the third phase.

Despite threats from militant groups and boycott by the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, the voters turned up in big numbers, which is seen as major development. The turnout in rural areas was higher in Kashmir Valley unlike during the recent urban local bodies elections where only four per cent of the electorate voted.

Honorary army captain killed

Honorary captain (retd) Mohd Hafiz, 60, lost his life and several others were injured after a heated argument between two groups turned violent at a polling station in Joura panchayat of Block Kahara in Doda district. The police said of the injured people, two were critical and have been shifted to a local hospital in Kahara.

District-wise turnout

The polling began at 8 am in 2,773 polling stations, including 918 in Kashmir division and 1,855 in Jammu division, and ended at 2 pm.

Poonch: 87.8 per cent

Kupwara: 59.7 per cent

Bandipora: 51 per cent

Baramulla: 30.8 per cent

Ganderbal: 12 per cent

Budgam: 41 per cent

Kargil: 75.6 per cent

Leh: 64.1 per cent,

Kishtwar: 85 per cent

Doda: 77.4 per cent

Ramban: 85.7 per cent

Udhampur: 83.8 per cent

Kathua: 83.2 per cent

Rajouri: 80.3 per cent

Poonch: 87.8 per cent

Ganderbal: 12 per cent

Kathua: 62.5 per cent

Ramban: 62.2 per cent

Rajouri: 61 per cent

Doda: 52.3 per cent

Kishtwar: 51.1 per cent

Bandipora: 40.3 per cent

Badgam: 33.1 per cent

In the first phase, the state witnessed a turnout of 74.1 per cent polling on November 17, while 71.1 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of November 20. The election will be held in six more phases.

According to officials, 727 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive, including 493 in Kashmir division and 234 in Jammu division, for the third phase of the polls.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the proposed Kartarpur corridor between India and Pakistan could connect people of the two nations. The Prime Minister was speaking at a function on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti organised by Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal in the national capital.



The incidents of 1947 should be left behind, news agency ANI quoted PM Modi as saying.



ALSO READ | Ayodhya turns into fortress ahead of Uddhav Thackeray's visit, VHP's 'Dharma Sabha'



PM Modi compared the Kartarpur corridor with the Berlin Wall that divided East and West Germany before it was pulled down in 1989. "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. May be with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries," PM Modi said.



Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was also present on the occasion.



On Thursday, the Cabinet approved the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the International Border (IB) with Pakistan. The corridor will facilitate Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi in Narowal District of Punjab in Pakistan. The project with all modern amenities and facilities will be implemented with the central government funding.



ALSO READ | Telangana Elections: Sonia Gandhi addresses maiden rally, accuses KCR of running 'family rule'

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also agreed to India's decision to open the Kartarpur corridor on Thursday and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would break ground to develop a passage between Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur and the shrine on November 28.

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New Delhi:

Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackerayas visit and Vishwa Hindu Parishadas (VHP) "Dharma Sansad" to push for the construction of Ram Temple, Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya turned into a fortress with massive security around disputed land. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing organisation and the ideological patriarch of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is also scheduled to organise a aHunkara rally in Ayodhya on Sunday. As many as 42 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) along with extended police force have been deployed in the city to tackle any untoward incident. A day before Thackerayas visit, Sena leader Sanjay Raut raised the temperature in the politically sensitive Ayodhya with his remark that it took just 17 minutes to demolish Babri Mosque but an ordinance paving the way for construction of Ram temple is taking too long.

Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya Highlights:

17:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In For country's sake, Muslims all over India should leave their claims regarding the mosque in Ayodhya, says Salman Nadvi, former member of the AIMPL Board.

16:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shiv Sena chief asks Narendra Modi government to bring law on Ram Temple.

16:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shri Nritya Gopal Das , the president of Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, arrived at Laxman Ground. The process of Saint Poojan is going to start shortly.

16:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The process of Vedi Pooja has been completed successfully. Uddhav Thackeray will take part in 'maha aarti' programme by Sarayu River.

15:51 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Laxman Fort Ground with his family. The Vedi Puja programme with 108 Acharyo will start anytime soon.

15:42 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrives in Ayodhya to participate in 'maha aarti' by Sarayu River. Section 144 imposed as a precautionary motion.

11:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves Matoshree for Ayodhya along with family.



Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves from his residence. He will reach Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/tPFewtVLVN

 ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018



10:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Section 144 imposed: Ahead of Thackeray's visit today and VHP's 'Dharma Sansad' tomorrow, the local administration has imposed Section 144 in Ayodhya restricting gathering of people.

10:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of Ram Temple.



Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/cD0PPn0GHI

 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018



10:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Massive security around the disputed site: One ADGP, one DIG, three SSP, 10 ASsP, 21 DSsPs, 160 Inspectors, 700 Constables, 42 Companies of PAC, 5 Companies of RAF, ATS Commandos and Drone Cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya for maintaining law & order: UP Police

10:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In No environment of fear, says Ayodhya DM: Ahead of the Shiv Sena chief's visit and VHP's event, Ayodhya DM Anil Kumar assured that there is no environment of fear in Ayodhya. He also confirmed that both Shiv Sena and the VHP has taken prior permission for their respective events.



We are in constant touch with the locals, there is no environment of fear. Both the programmes (Shiv Sena & VHP) have obtained prior permissions. They have ensured that the programmes will only be conducted on the conditions that were given to them: Ayodhya DM Anil Kumar pic.twitter.com/P4BzaP6yU2

 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 23, 2018



10:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Akhilesh Yadav wants Supreme Court intervention in Ayodhya: Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to take note of the situation in Ayodhya and call the Army, if needed, to keep it under control.

"The BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution. The BJP can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court should take notice of it and bring Army, if necessary," the SP chief said.

10:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi and participate in the Maha Aarti by the Sarayu River. The Sena chief will speak to saints and people there. The visit is seen as Senas effort to present itself as the only party that actually cares for the cause of Hindus. He is carrying a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the priest at the Janmabhoomi.



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New Delhi:

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday said that Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the country to attend the ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor, according to a media report on Friday. Pakistan Prime Minster Imran Khan is likely to inaugurate the historic ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on November 28.



ALSO READ | Ayodhya turns into fortress ahead of Uddhav Thackeray's visit, VHP's 'Dharma Sabha'

I have gladly accepted the invitation for the November 28 event, Sidhu told Roznama Express. He said the PM Imran was his friend and he will visit the country whenever he is invited by him.

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas.



On Thursday, the Cabinet approved the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the International Border (IB) with Pakistan. The corridor will facilitate Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi in Narowal District of Punjab in Pakistan. The project with all modern amenities and facilities will be implemented with the central government funding.



The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also agreed to India's decision to open the Kartarpur corridor.



ALSO READ | Jammu and Kashmir: Abducted former SPO killed by terrorists in Shopian village

The former cricketer courted controversy by embracing General Qamar Javed Bajwa on his visit for Imran Khans oath-taking as the countrys premier. After his return, Sidhu said that Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had told him that Pakistan may open a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib.













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New Delhi:

A day after former Uttar Pradesh chief minister urged the Supreme Court to take note of the growing developments in Ayodhya and call in the Army to keep the situation under control, OP Rajbhar of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which an ally of the NDA in the state, on Saturday described the mass gathering of right-wing organisations in the area as a "failure of the government".

"The chief minister is interested in election campaigning at a time when Section 144 has been imposed in Faizabad (Ayodhya). This means that the administration has failed, and the Army should be brought in," Rajbhar, who has often been critical of the BJP government in the state, said.

Security has been tightened at the disputed site with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a watch over the sensitive place. On the security arrangements in Ayodhya, Additional Director General law and order, Anand Kumar said the Supreme Court guidelines will be maintained in and around the disputed site.

"The BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution. The BJP can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in UP, especially in Ayodhya, the SC should take notice of it and bring in the Army, if necessary," said Akhilesh Yadav.

On Saturday, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived in Ayodhya along with his family for his two-day visit at the temple town. The Sena chief, who arrived with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya amidst slogans of "Jai Shri Ram", offered prayers on the banks of the Saryu river in the evening.

Recently, Rajbhar, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, mocked the BJP over its renaming spree and suggested it to change the names of its three prominent Muslim leaders.

"The BJP says that the cities were named after Mughals. In the BJP, there is Shahnawaz Hussain, who is the national spokesperson; Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who is a Union Cabinet minister; and, in UP, there is Mohsin Raza, who is minister of state in the Yogi Adityanath government. First, the names of these three persons should be changed," Rajbhar purportedly said in a video, which had gone viral on social media.

Hitting him back, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey said Rajbhar was a "necessary evil" and comments made by him "should not be taken seriously".

"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.

(With PTI inputs)

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There are about 500 Dunkin Donuts stores in Connecticut  basically about three each for the 169 towns in the state.

Some towns may be without even one. Cities seem to have one of every corner, the better to serve the chocolate-glazed-and-vanilla-bean Coolata-loving public.

Dunkin Donuts knows human behaviors, said Tracy Rittenhouse, an associate professor of natural resources and the environment at the University of Connecticut.

Rittenhouse was speaking to a packed house at the annual Haskins Lecture, presented by the Aspetuck Land Trust at the Unitarian Church in Westport earlier this month.

She was talking about black bears, not crullers and coffee.

But her research shows this: inadvertently, weve set up feeding stations, like Dunkin Donut shops, for bears in our spaciously-zoned, well-wooded towns. Instead of Munchkins, theyre chowing down on bird seed and garbage.

But the state black bears are doing a Goldilocks routine. Too crowded, and theyll stay away  they generally avoid people. But too empty and theyll look for more promising digs.

Whats just right is the exurbs  posh suburban towns that have lots of open space between houses. The homes give them access to extra food. The woods give them places to den in winter, nuts to eat in fall, and open space to beat a quick retreat when humans approach.

And they have no predators in the state. Their numbers are increasing mightily.

We might have 700 bears in the state, but I think thats a conservative number, said Jason Hawley, a wildlife biologist with state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It could be high as 1,000.

And when people see them, they call their first selectman.

Oh yes, said New Fairfield First Selectman Pat Del Monoco. Its pretty frequent. Its been pretty constant from the spring until the last couple of weeks.

Bridgewater First Selectman Curtis Read said his town, bordered on the south by both Lake Lillinonah and the Shepaug River, may be a sort of bear trap. They travel south, he said, until they hit water. Then, they decide to stay.

Weve got bears with tags, bears with babies, Read said. Weve got all types. Theyre becoming a nuisance.

The DEEPs Hawley said there were about 30 bear break-ins at houses this year  mostly in bear-heavy Farmington River Valley towns.

His guess, is that only a few bears were responsible for all these kitchen cupboard raids.

One time we had 15 break-ins in the town of Norfolk, Hawley said. Only one or two bears were doing it.

But the fear is that because black bears live close to people, and have voracious appetites, theyll find human food stored inside houses too tempting to resist.

I think were going to see it more and more, Hawley said.

Although black bears are native to Connecticut, deforestation in the 19th century and unrestricted hunting made them disappear for a century.

But once the state grew back to mature, nut-producing forests, black bears had a place to live. Slowly, an existing bear population in Massachusetts began moving back into Connecticut in the 1980s.

Rittenhouse and grad student Michael Evans spent four years, from 2010 to 2014, studying the states black bear population. They placed food baits inside barbed wire enclosures, then did a DNA analysis of the hair snagged on the wire.

She expected to find that, as in other states, black bears would prefer to live in the least-populated towns in the study areas.

Instead she found that, in Connecticut, bears can tolerate people and choose to live in some proximity to them.

This the first study that provided solid evidence of that, she said. I was shocked.

Rittenhouse is now working with the DEEP to study bobcat behavior. Preliminary evidence shows that they are choosing to co-exist with humans as well.

There are also coyotes, which after arriving here from the West in the 1950s are now an established part of the states ecosystems. They handle being near people with aplomb.

And, of course, there are white-tailed deer pacing through the suburban shrubbery.

Rittenhouse said she considers herself lucky to be a wildlife biologist in a small, un-wild place and study the interplay of people and animals. If big things like black bears are doing well, small things  most bats, many birds and salamanders  are in trouble.

We have 3.5 million people living on 5,500 square miles of land, she said. Its a wonderful place to work.
WASHINGTON - The chief justice of the United States and the president of the United States engaged in an extraordinary war of words Wednesday over the independence of the federal judiciary, with Chief Justice John Roberts issuing a rare rebuke of President Donald Trump's criticism of an "Obama judge" who ruled against the administration.

"We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," Roberts said in a statement released by the court's public information office. "What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them."

Roberts' Thanksgiving eve statement ended: "That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for."

The president responded quickly from his vacation home in Florida, via Twitter:

"Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have 'Obama judges,' and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country. It would be great if the 9th Circuit was indeed an 'independent judiciary' . . ."

Trump was referring to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which covers much of the West Coast - although the ruling he was criticizing came from a district judge in California, not the circuit court. Trump feels aggrieved by decisions of the appeals court, which he tweeted Wednesday has become "a terrible, costly and dangerous disgrace."

Trump regularly says the 9th Circuit is the one most overruled by the Supreme Court, but that depends on the time period under consideration. Studies show that over the past five years, three others have a higher percentage of decisions overturned.

The rebuke-and-retort between the heads of two branches of the federal government astounded those who carefully watch the Supreme Court. Justices, and the chief justice in particular, hardly ever issue statements on news events.

But it appeared Roberts, when asked to comment by The Associated Press, was eager to counter Trump's criticism Tuesday of District Judge John Tigar. The Roberts statement did not mention the president by name.

The chief justice is an aggressive defender of the judiciary and has frequently expressed concern about attacks on its impartiality, whether they come from the left or the right. In 2010, he called the timing of President Barack Obama's criticism of the court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC during the president's State of the Union speech "very troubling."

Roberts made it clear last month that he is particularly sensitive about the image of the courts because of the recent partisan battle over the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Supreme Court justices bristle at the suggestion they are not independent, despite Trump's apparent confidence Tuesday that the setback in lower courts just means "we end up having to go to the Supreme Court, like the travel ban, and we won."

At an event at the University of Minnesota just after Kavanaugh's confirmation, Roberts said the court served "one nation" and not "one party or one interest."

"Our role is very clear: We are to interpret the Constitution and laws of the United States, and to ensure that the political branches act within them," he said. "That job obviously requires independence from the political branches. The story of the Supreme Court would be very different without that sort of independence."

Wednesday's statement from Roberts was the first time the chief justice has responded to criticism from the president, which at times has gotten personal.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump frequently disparaged Roberts, who was nominated by President George W. Bush. Roberts has a solidly conservative voting record in his 13 years on the Supreme Court, but Trump labeled him an "absolute disaster" because of one vote: Roberts' decision to join liberals in 2012 to uphold the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

In a tweet after the decision, Trump said Justice Anthony Kennedy "should be proud of himself for sticking to his principles, in light of Justice Roberts' bull----!"

Trump on Tuesday had told reporters outside the White House that he had a "major complaint" about Tigar's decision, in which the judge temporarily blocked the administration from denying asylum to migrants who illegally cross the southern border.

Tigar, of the Northern District of California, ruled late Monday that federal law clearly states that migrants can seek asylum anywhere on U.S. soil.

"Whatever the scope of the President's authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden," the judge, who was appointed by Obama, wrote in a 37-page ruling.

Trump erupted about the decision. "This was an Obama judge. And I'll tell you what, it's not going to happen like this anymore," the president said. "Everybody that wants to sue the United States, they file their case in - almost - they file their case in the 9th Circuit. And it means an automatic loss no matter what you do, no matter how good your case is."

Trump added: "We will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States."

In his Twitter response to Roberts on Wednesday, Trump again attacked the 9th Circuit, saying "a vast number" of its rulings on border and security issues are overturned. "We need protection and security - these rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!" he tweeted.

Both Roberts and Trump have supporting evidence for their arguments. Although Roberts - as well as Trump's two nominees to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch and Kavanaugh - decry any attempt to label judges as partisan, studies show there are clear ideological differences between judges nominated by presidents of different parties. That is why there are so many partisan battles over judicial nominations, and why the Trump administration has made filling the courts with conservative judges such a priority.

But Trump is fixated on the adverse rulings that come from the 9th Circuit, which is considered the nation's most liberal regional appeals court. It is also the largest, covering nine states, and in his tweet, Trump again called for breaking it up, a proposal that has been debated for decades without resolution.

And Trump's losing streak in lower courts is nationwide, with district judges and appeals courts across the country ruling against the administration's policies on issues as diverse as immigration, abortion policy for teenage undocumented immigrants and how to judge the Commerce Department's actions on the U.S. census. Judges nominated by presidents of both parties have been part of those decisions.

Last week, the Trump administration was thwarted in its efforts to revoke CNN reporter Jim Acosta's White House press credentials by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly - a Trump appointee.

Because of the losses, the administration has pursued an aggressive agenda of trying to get the Supreme Court to take up the lower-court decisions before they have made a thorough but time-consuming journey through the appeals process.

Trump will need Roberts in those efforts, since the court now has five committed conservatives and four consistent liberals.

Roberts delivered the administration its biggest win at the Supreme Court at the end of the last term, when the court on a 5-to-4 vote upheld the president's "travel ban" on people from certain Muslim-majority countries.

In ruling that the president had not exceeded his powers, the chief justice put aside comments that Trump had made about Muslims.

"The issue before us is not whether to denounce the statements," Roberts wrote. "It is instead the significance of those statements in reviewing a Presidential directive, neutral on its face, addressing a matter within the core of executive responsibility. In doing so, we must consider not only the statements of a particular President, but also the authority of the Presidency itself."

He added: "We express no view on the soundness of the policy."

- - -

Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.

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Video: When asked about his asylum ban being blocked, President Trump said Nov. 20 that the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a "disgrace." (The Washington Post)

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Video: When asked about his aslyum ban being blocked, President Trump said Nov. 20 that the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a 'disgrace.'(The Washington Post)

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China has new anti-stealth radar using high-efficiency air-cooling systems for upgraded JF-17 and FTC-2000G export fighter jets.

Various countries including Algeria, Argentina, Myanmar, Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Uruguay have shown interest in the JF-17.

Pakistan is buying about sixteen JF-17 jets every year. The older JF-17 jets cost $25 million each. Newer jets with AESA radar and other improvements will cost $32 million each.

Nigeria has ordered three JF-17 and Myanmar has ordered sixteen.

This will mean that the US Air Force cannot afford to be careless while operating in the middle east and Asia. Every third-rate military will have a chance to detect and get a lucky shot to take down a careless pilot in an F-35.

AESA Radar can Detect Stealth Planes Over 100 Miles Away

The radar uses a 3GHz bandwidth at the X-band, provides detection of fighter-sized targets at 170 km, tracks up to 15 targets simultaneously and engages four with air/air missiles. The radar also supports air/ground modes, with one-meter SAR resolution and terrain mapping at 300 km. Searching targets at sea, the radar can detect large targets from 200 km. The planar AESA array measures 6060 cm and weighs 69 kg. The processor and power module weigh another less than 35 kg. The array consumes 3,200 VA of power.



FTC-2000G

JF-17 Block 3 will have avionics advancements such as helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, a new single panel multi-functional display (MFD), an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar paired with an infrared search and track (IRST) system, and a cockpit with a flight-control stick on the side an NRIET KLJ-7A AESA radar. It will have more use of composites, a new engine, and a two-seater cockpit option, with a top speed of 2.0+ Mach.

Pakistani Air Force officials have described it as a fourth generation plus fighter jet. According to unconfirmed media reports the induction is expected to start around 2019. The PAF (Pakistan Air Force) is expected to place an order for 50 JF-17 Block-III fighter jets in the first half of 2017.

The FTC-2000G is a less expensive multi-role fighter.
From 2005 to 2015, China cut indoor air pollution in half. This was mostly from the adoption of cleaner burning charcoal.

This saved 400,000 lives per year from lower exposure to 2.5-micron air pollution. Fine-particle pollution causes premature death in people with lung or heart disease and increases sickness. China will continue to reduce exposure to fine particulate matter by 63 percent. This will prevent an additional 510,000 premature deaths.

Most of the household particulate pollution reduction seen in China was a result of a cookstove technology shift. Cleaner heating helped but heating is not used every day while people cook every day.

China has a goal is to increase the fraction of clean heating in northern China to 70 percent by 2021.

The people who have upgraded their cookstoves and heating appliances to cleaner-burning fuels have done so in areas where the switch was relatively easy to make. Rural and low-income urban areas will need government infrastructure to switch to cleaner cooking and cleaner heating. China will build natural-gas pipeline networks and an upgrade of terminal power grid.

Cleaner burning charcoal and stoves can reduce indoor air pollution by 90-95%.

Africa Shifting to Cleaner Charcoal Cooking

Charcoal is made from wood. Standard wood is burned in a low oxygen environment. The burning process removes water, methane, hydrogen, and tar from the wood. The result is small chunks of char that are almost pure carbon.

Charcoal consumption is a massive threat to the environment and human health. Deforestation is a huge problem across Africa. Areas in South Africa could fully exhaust their fuelwood reserves by 2020. Kenya loses 10.3 million tons of wood from its forests every year. Kenya has an 0.3% annual deforestation rate.

Diseases caused by smoke from open fires and stoves claim 4.3 million lives every year. This is more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Wood and charcoal cooking wastes time. It takes 0.81.3 hours to cook and 0.30.4 hours to clean each day per urban households and 4+ hours for rural wood collectors.

Africas demand for charcoal is likely to double or triple by 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Program.

Clean Briquette Companies

Lumbrick is a social enterprise which leverages innovative technology developed at McGill University to transform organic waste into clean cooking fuel.

Eco-Charcoal

Eco-Charcoal makes safe, clean, healthy briquettes from pruned branches which are dried, carbonized and mixed with a natural binder. This ensures a quick regrowth of the pruned trees and helps with climate change mitigation. These briquettes have low-carbon emissions. The company is selling in Nairobi its 5kg bags for 700 Kenyan shillings (~7$).

Burn Cookstove

Burn is a cookstove manufacturer that produces the market leading Jikokoa stove. Burn targets the upper segment of the cookstove market. The stoves are priced at $4050, which is about ten times higher than a regular stove. It costs a lot less to operate a Burn stove. Its technology reduces fuel consumption and cooking time by almost 50%. Burn enables its customers to inhale less smoke.

Toyola Energy

Toyola Energy is a small stove business in Ghana. They have sold over 150,000 charcoal stoves that are cooking meals for around 1 million low-income people in the country.

It applies simple and readily available materials like scrap metal and clay to produce traditional charcoal stoves that use 30 percent less charcoal than ordinary stoves,
The DPP lost the Kaohsiung mayoral election. DPP had held that city for 20 years. The KMT won the central city of Taichung and in New Taipei.

Close Taipei Election Will Have Suit to Invalidate

Only a few hundred votes separate the incumbent independent mayor of Taipei Ko Wen-je and KMTs Ting Shou-chung. 1750 votes with 98% of the votes counted [564877 to 563051]

Ko wins Taipei with 580,820 votes to Ting Shou-chungs 577,566 votes, a margin of 0.23%. Thats low enough for Ting to ask for a recount (recounts are not automatic). Ting Shou-chungs wants to file suit to invalidate the election. Ting said there were many irregularities during the entire election process and on election day. He alleged that by announcing election results starting at 4 p.m. while voters cast ballots until 7:46 p.m., the Central Election Commission may have encouraged voters inclined to vote for the DPPs Yao Wen-chih to vote for Ko instead after seeing that DPP Yao was trailing far behind. The CEC will come under heavy criticism in the coming days for the long lines and waits voters had to deal with on Saturday.

The release of election results hours before voters waiting in line cast their votes was irregular. However, even if the election is invalidated and new Taipei election is held, how would KMT Ting Shou-chung win? Now all the DPP voters know Yao has no chance and only got 18% of the vote. DPP voters will switch to Independent Ko.

China Interference was Less Important than Economic Issues

DPP pushed the China card in the in the final two weeks of the election, accusing it of interfering with the election through fake news and social media posts, as well as funneling money to candidates through Taiwanese businesses in China, it did not strike a chord with voters, even in pro-DPP strongholds in southern Taiwan.

That does not mean most Taiwanese are open to unification or close political ties with China.

Its just that the DPP appeals may have fallen on deaf ears because voters were more focused on local issues or generally dissatisfied with the DPPs performance running the central government.

Taiwan 2018 Election Results

The DPP has lost seven of 13 cities and counties.

The KMT had a terrible 2016 election where they lost the Presidency.

China cut relations after the 2016 election.

The KMT is in favor of closer relations with China and has pro-business policies.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen has resigned as chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party after suffering a humiliating electoral defeat. Some cabinet members will resign as well.



Taipei could go to the KMT as well. The independent incumbent candidate had a lead but the KMT candidate has a narrow lead as the last 6% of the votes are being counted.
BRANFORD  Branfords Valerie Petrillo always brings her own bags to the supermarket.

For her, its a habit.

Leighton Davis doesnt. He never thinks twice about using single-use plastic bags. Likewise for, Michele Malerba, who reuses her plastic bags on walks with Romeo, her mixed breed dog.

Enter BYO Branford, a hearty band of 12 thats seeking to promote a shift in their fellow citizens toward the use of reusable bags.

The group, whose name is an acronym for Bring Your Own  but in this case reusable bags  recently met with merchants at Willoughby Wallace Library to gather feedback and field questions on its proposed ordinance to limit single-use plastic bags used at checkout in local stores. It plans to bring the draft ordinance before the Representative Town Meeting in the near future, together with a petition of more than 800 names supporting the measure.

From other towns that have passed the ordinance, we know its not going to harm retailers or be detrimental to them, said BYO Branford member Meg Kilgore. Thats what we want to get across.

The group, she said, is here to educate and motivate citizens and assist merchants toward becoming plastic-bag free.

For Kilgore, limiting the use of plastic bags is crucial not only for Branford but also goes to the well-being of the planet.

The largest contributor of plastic pollution in oceans is single-use plastic bags, she said. Sixty-thousand bags are used every five seconds. On average, people use a bag for 12 minutes and it takes hundreds of years to decompose. Only 1 to 3 percent of those are recycled.

The impact te bags make is profound, according to Kilgore, and not just in oceans.

They clog storm drains and litter the landscape, she said. They get tangled in trees. If nothing else, theyre an eyesore in our beautiful town.

Further, Long Island Soundkeeper Bill Lucey said, they end up in the Sound, where theyre a death sentence for birds, sea turtles, and fish that get ensnared in them, or mistake them for jellyfish, ingest them, and die from intestinal blockage.

Once theyre out there, he added, it wreaks havoc. It degrades into smaller and smaller pieces and becomes toxic. We find this stuff in the water. Its in the fish we eat. Its on our beaches.

Westport and Greenwich, as well as 80 cities and towns in Massachusetts, the states of California and Hawaii, and 32 countries, have banned single-use plastic bags. Guilford, Stamford, Norwalk, Newtown, Waterford and Mansfield are working toward encouraging their towns to consider a ban.

Its just a habit, said Diana Staley, owner of West Main Streets Reverie Kitchen, which uses 100 percent recyclable materials for its take-out orders. It takes the same effort to purchase less recycled materials than fully recycled materials.

Some larger retailers also are making an effort to change the habits of their customers. For example, signs in the Big Y parking lot and emblazoned on its single-use plastic bags encourage shoppers to join Big Y in our effort to eliminate single use and paper bags and Go Green, and the reusable bags available to purchase for $1 at every register.

As a possible result, more and more shoppers are bringing their own bags, said one cashier who asked not to be named.

But BYO Branford members said thats not enough. Studies show that education alone does not alter behavior on bag use. More than that, the numbers of plastic bag use is staggering. Last month, the Hartford Courant reported consumer in the state used a billion plastic shopping bags last year.

As members of a community, we accept regulations imposed on us every day, said BYO Branford member Kate Galambos. Were not allowed to litter. We have to wear a seatbelt. When we hear that 100,000 single-use plastic bags are ending up in Long Island Sound each year, it means voluntary compliance hasnt achieved the desired result.

For those who maintain that single-use plastic bags are convenient, BYO Branford member Marge Schneider was sympathetic. For a long time, she said, they seemed like the perfect product to keeping our food fresh. And there are exceptions to the ban, she added, such as butcher meat bags, for health and safety reasons, as well as dry cleaner bags and newspaper bags.

Still, now we know that the plastics never go away and kill fish and marine life and are a terrible environmental hazard, she said, citing a draft ordinance on single-use plastic bags by Stephen Latham, director of the Yale University Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics.

Yes, some, like Malerba, may contend that they reuse the plastic bags from the supermarket for an essential daily purpose. The harmful polluting effects remain the same, said Lucey.

Davis said that if Branford were to adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags, he would comply.

Itll just be a matter of learning to live without them, he said. I can do that.

For more information about BYO Branford, visit BYO Branford on Facebook or email byobranford@gmail.com.
This years holiday selling season for Connecticut retailers started off with a roar Friday as shoppers flocked to southern Connecticuts malls and shopping centers as well as to smaller, independent retailers.

The Thanksgiving weekend remains highly anticipated for shoppers and retailers alike. The National Retail Federation estimated that 116.4 million people were planning on going shopping on Black Friday this year.

Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets was one of the New Haven areas hottest destinations.

By mid-afternoon, Clinton police officers directing traffic in the area around the retailer had their hands full. Traffic for the outlet center was so heavy that it jammed a stretch of Route 81 in front of Clinton Crossing, with additional cars clogging the exit ramp for Interstate 95 north and lining up in the highways breakdown lane, waiting to get to the outlet center.

Use both lanes to enter the outlet center, an officer using a bullhorn repeatedly told drivers.

Farther north on I-95, the parking lots at the Westbrook Outlets were filled by mid-morning, said Kelly Colonghi, the outlet centers office administrator.

The centers Old Navy store was a popular destination, with lines of customers snaking through the stores aisles waiting to pay for merchandise.

Jay Coughland of Glastonbury waited near the Old Navy entrance as family members shopped elsewhere in the retail center.

Its our family tradition, he said when asked why he traveled so far to shop. Every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, we go to Clinton Crossing and the Westbrook outlets.

Other shoppers said their decision to shop on what normally is one of the busiest shopping days of the year was driven by tradition.

Three sisters from northern Connecticut were decked out with red, foam antlers on their heads as they lugged their purchases back to their car in the Westbrook Outlets parking lot. And noted on the faux-antlers was a list of every year they had made the annual yearly shopping excursion.

We start out at Brass Mill Center and then we come here, said Anita Lavado of Prospect, who was with her sisters Maria Turrisi of Newington and Leonor Nascimento of Bristol.

To promote a festive atmosphere, Westbrook Outlets had seven food trucks take over part of the retail centers parking lot near the south entrance.

Individual retailers looking to compete with the one-stop shopping outlet centers offered deep discounts.

Saybrook Home has been in the furnishings business for 41 years, but with a different name. The former Saybrook Country Barn hasnt offered Black Friday discounts in the past, but Keith Bolles, who is managing partner in the family business, said he figured it was worth doing something different this year.

Were offering tiered discounts where the more you spend, the more you save, Bolles said.

The final three months of the year are important to Saybrook Homes bottom line. Bolles said that between 30 percent and 35 percent of Saybrook Homes annual sales come during the period.

People start focusing on what the inside of their home needs after Labor Day, he said.

The financial difficulties of Sears drew some Connecticut shoppers to malls around the state.

The Sears at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford is one of dozens the retailer is closing as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and large crowds flocked to the location in search of deep discounts.

One of the other big draws for shoppers at the Connecticut Post Mall was the newly opened Boscovs. Though its only been in the city for two months, the department store, which filled a space formerly occupied by J.C. Penney, was a big draw for the mall.

Boscovs is awesome, said Gabe Blonze, who had been shopping with his wife and daughter since the mall opened at 6 a.m.

Consumers in search of bargains at one Connecticut mall only had to go online to get the latest information on sales.

The Danbury Fair mall created a page on its website listing the best offers that each of its retailers had to offer, said Melissa Eigen, head of marketing for the Macerich-owned property, which is anchored by Macys, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Sears and Primark.

Retailers did not disappoint with sales up to 50 percent off, Eigen said in an email response to a Hearst Connecticut Media query.

Paul Schott, Jordan Grice and Alexander Soule contributed to this story.

luther.turmelle@hearst mediact.com
NEW HAVEN  Two undocumented immigrant families, two very different results.

Salma Sikandar, a Bangladeshi native who got the OK in August from Immigration and Customs officials to remain in the U.S. while the courts reviewed her case, got more good news just before Thanksgiving.

The Board of Immigration Appeals agreed to reopen her case in conjunction with her husband, Anwar Mahmud, both of which will be heard in June.

We have an additional safety net now, Samir Mahmud, her 18-year-old son, said Friday.

Nelson Pinos, who will have been in sanctuary at First and Summerfield United Methodist Church for a year on Nov. 30, was denied a stay of deportation by the Boston office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement which affirmed the ruling by the Hartford ICE office.

There have been numerous rallies in New Haven and in Hartford on behalf of the family to encourage ICE to let Pinos stay with his family while his appeal is heard and a final ruling is issued. Pinos attorney has submitted documentation of the stress on the family, particularly his three children, Kelley, 16; Arlly, 13; and Brandon, 6.

The most recent action was an overnight prayer session outside ICEs Hartford office. The rallies have been attended by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Gov. Dannel Malloy and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, among others.

Pinos, 44, arrived in the U.S. illegally in 1992 and had been working in a factory until he was picked up by ICE, which acted on a deportation order. He sought sanctuary rather than take a one-way flight back to Ecuador , a country he had not seen in 25 years.

We are outraged and appalled at ICEs refusal to provide relief for a family man who has lived in our community for decades, Vanessa Suarez of Unidad Latina en Accion said in a statement. This affirms our demand that ICE stay out of Connecticut so it can stop destroying immigrant families.

A total of eight undocumented immigrants have taken sanctuary in Connecticut churches, but ultimately six of them were allowed to rejoin their families while they awaited court rulings.

Sujitno Sajuti has been staying at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Meriden. He hit the one-year mark in sanctuary on Oct. 17.

The Rev. Vicki Flippin, pastor of First and Summerfield, continues to welcome Pinos to remain in the church for as long as he needs it.

This loving family whose future is agonizingly uncertain is going through such a very personal crisis in a very public way, and they are exhausted, Flippin said in a statement.

Several advocacy organizations, including the Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance, Unidad Latina en Accion, CT Shoreline Indivisible, Center for Community Change, New Sanctuary CT and Action Together CT, have pledged to continue to fight for Pinos release.

The day before Sikandar was scheduled to take a plane back to Bangldesh after 18 years here, the provisional officer at ICE granted her a stay for a year.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com;203-641-2577
WALLINGFORD  Officer Joseph Smith was suspended for two weeks in October for excessive use of force, Wallingford police confirmed Saturday.

The suspension was related to Smiths actions during a disorderly conduct and breach of peace incident on June 14, police said.
U.S. Rep.-elect Jahana Hayes won election in Connecticuts 5th District on a platform that included a call for Medicare for all  a government-run system of health care that she argued would provide comprehensive care at affordable cost.

We should not have to choose between the health of our family members and paying the rent, said Hayes, who rose to prominence as Connecticuts Teacher of the Year in 2016 while teaching high school social studies in Waterbury. Seniors should not choose between their prescription drugs and their groceries for the week. We can do better.

With Democrats taking control of the House for the first time in eight years, Medicare for all will get a thorough workout by a party frustrated over the Affordable Care Act Obamacare  not being fully able to deliver on its promise of affordable health care within the nations private-insurance system.

However, even if it passes the Democratic-controlled House, Medicare for all would face a dim future in the GOP-controlled Senate and almost-certain veto by President Trump.

In the Congress concluding now, there were eight separate proposals to open Medicare up to all or some below the retirement age. Two plans would create Medicare for all, a single-payer system similar to Canada or England that virtually eliminates private health insurance. The remaining proposals were variations on what is known as the public option  a Medicare buy-in as a choice on a laundry list of health-care options offered through the Affordable Health Care Act.

GOP pushback

Trump and Republican leaders in Congress have derided all such proposals as amounting to government-run health care.

Most voters do not agree with single-payer insurance or government insurance, because they realize it would not be affordable unless our taxes were dramatically higher, said former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos, the Republican candidate defeated by Hayes.

At a minimum, there are very real questions about the need for a single-payer system in a state like Connecticut, where above 90 percent have health insurance through employers, Medicaid, Medicare, or the states Obamacare exchange Access Health CT.

The states percentage of uninsured dropped from about 9 percent before the Affordable Care Act to 5.5. percent last year, lower than the national average of 8.7 percent.

Among Connecticut House Democrats on Capitol Hill from the western part of the state, Hayes is alone in her support for Medicare for all. Rep. Jim Himes, by contrast, supports bolstering the Affordable Care Act, which has taken several hits in the Republican-controlled Congress since Trump took office.

But, Himes added, Congress should explore the public option for cost, feasibility and competitiveness.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a stalwart left-of-center progressive on most issues, declined to back Medicare for all last year. Her resistance led to a picket line at her New Haven office.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal supports Medicare for all, while his fellow Connecticut Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy, favors a public option.

The Affordable Care Act has succeeded in bringing down the nationwide rate of uninsured. Republicans undercut it through reductions of payments to insurance companies providing subsidized care, as well as putting an end to Obamacares universal mandate requiring all to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.

Nevertheless, the Affordable Care Act stayed afloat and managed to turn into a positive for Democrats this year. During the campaign, Democrats in Connecticut and elsewhere charged that Republican proposals would take insurance guarantees away from those with pre-existing conditions.

But health experts agree that Obamacare has left a portion of those in need of health insurance out in the cold.

Access Health CT signed up 114,134 this year for private health insurance coverage, a 2.3 percent increase over last year. In addition, some 216,00 have signed up through the ACAs provision expanding Medicaid to those just above the poverty level.

The system in Connecticut works best for those at the lower end of the income scale who qualify either for Medicaid expansion or subsidies to buy insurance on Access Health CT. But for those who earn too much for any subsidies, health insurance often comes with costly premiums and high deductibles.

There is definitely a problem for those people not receiving subsidies, said Ellen Andrews, director of the non-partisan Connecticut Health Policy Project. They feel like theyre paying premiums for nothing.

Taxes vs. premiums

Before the Affordable Care Act, rates of those without insurance in Connecticut were higher in the income brackets just over the poverty level who earned too much for Medicaid. Higher income people had lower rates of no insurance.

But now those ratios have been reversed, said Andrews. The percentage of uninsured among those making $100,000 or more went up between 2015 and 2017 while the comparable percentage for those in the $25,000-$50,000 bracket went down.

Whether a Medicare for all single-payer system would rectify these imbalances remains uncertain. Health experts say it largely depends on the details. And the Congressional Budget Office, the governments referee on cost impact, has not studied what the monetary trade-offs would be.

Most experts and advocates agree that under Medicare for all, taxes would go up sharply. But premiums would fall or be eliminated altogether. And some experts say the overall cost of health care would drop because doctors and hospitals no longer would have to maintain complicated billing systems and the network of employees necessary to support them.

Opponents of Medicare for all see it as a precursor of health care rationing and long waits for medical appointments and procedures. But experts say the Medicare system as it stands now is fully functional, with seniors for the most part getting the treatment they need on a timely basis.

Every doctor and hospital takes Medicare, so you wouldnt be getting a surprise bill from an anesthesiologist who is not in network, said Karen Pollitz, a health policy expert at the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Its not a problem for anyone now on Medicare. Hospitals are not turning away Medicare patients in the parking lot.

dan@hearstdc.com
You won't find this gorgeous Spanish Revival home in Los Angeles on many lists of Marilyn Monroe's known residences.

However, those who've lived in the neighborhood for decades have tales to tell of America's most glamorous movie star and her second husband, New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio. The celebrity couple were seen in the home before and during their brief marriage in 1954.

The scoop comes from listing agent Neal Baddin of Coldwell Banker, who's been selling real estate for decades in the Outpost Estates area, which is known for old Hollywood glamour.

According to Baddin, one neighbor says she remembers the star couple living in the home, which is now on the market for $2.7 million.

Confirming these stories is an authenticated check, written by Monroe herself, for a $237.82 rental payment on the property. That check was auctioned off for $1,000 in 2015 with the following description:

"Marilyn Monroe signed this check in blue ballpoint pen. The check pertained to her lease at 2393 Castilian Drive, a home she shared with Joe DiMaggio. Marilyn moved into the house on December 15, 1952, when she was seeing Joe DiMaggio and he was still married. He became a permanent feature there inviting friends over for meals while Marilyn was beginning to learn to cook, trying to show Joe how she was settling down."

Monroe and DiMaggio married in 1954, but rumors of relationship problems plagued them before they finished their honeymoon in Japan. They divorced in October of that same year, just 274 days after tying the knot.

The kitchen has been remodeled a number of times since Monroe learned to cook there, but the room's stunning views the couple enjoyed still remain.

"You feel like you're living in the Italian Riviera, with vistas of the canyons and hills that are reminiscent of the beautiful Amalfi Coast," says Baddin.

Original features include the vaulted wood-beam ceilings, a tile roof, plaster walls with arched doorways, tile floors, and balconies and terraces. All of those elements contribute to the Mediterranean aesthetic, according to the agent.

The house measures 3,335 square feet and has four bedrooms and 4.5 baths. It sits on almost an acre of land, which is quite sizable for this historic neighborhood in the hills north of Hollywood Boulevard.

Baddin says in the 1970s a grotto-style pool and spa were added out back, positioned to appear wedged into the cliff side , another detail reminiscent of the hills of Italy.

"You won't find a better value for a home in this neighborhood," says Baddin. The sellers, who bought the home in July for $2.2 million, were planning a major renovation, but changed their minds.

"It's quite an enchanting home," says Baddin, who adds that many of the same features that attracted Monroe and DiMaggio in the '50s can still be appreciated by a buyer today.

The post Storied Love Nest of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio Is Listed for $2.7M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
New Orleans police say a woman was the victim of an aggravated rape Friday (Nov. 23) at around 4:30 p.m. in the 1100 block of Decatur Street. The woman knew her attacker, police said.

In a separate incident, police said another woman was the victim of an aggravated rape on Friday at around 12:30 p.m. near South Miro and Gravier Streets. This attack was committed by a stranger, police said.

No additional details were provided by the New Orleans Police Department.

Woman's body found in burned New Orleans house
A Westwego man faces 20 years in prison after a federal grand jury on Nov. 9 indicted him on nine charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the United States Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

According to court documents, 42-year-old Khanh Bui fraudulently obtained credit cards and eight false California drivers licenses in order to obtain money and property from home improvement stores. Buis scheme began in January 2017 and continued into July 2018 in collaboration with others known and unknown to the grand jury, court documents stated.

To accomplish this, court documents state Bui placed fraudulent mail holds on victims mail after applying for credit cards in their names. On April 25, Bui had the credit cards mailed to addresses under his control, used the cards at home improvement stores, and obtained false drivers licenses in the names of others to make his scheme easier, court documents stated.

In cases of fertility fraud, donor-conceived people are pushing for justice

If convicted, Bui faces two decades in prison and a $250,000 fine for mail fraud. Court documents also stated Bui would have to return all of the products purchased fraudulently. He also faces a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence in addition to any sentence for mail fraud if hes convicted of aggravated identity theft.

U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service in a released statement Friday (Nov. 23). The U.S. Attorneys office stated the prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Supervisor of the General Crimes Unit.
Edgar P. Harney Spirit of Excellence Academys principal said she was fired last week in a meeting that may have violated Louisianas Open Meetings Law, according to a report by The Lens.

The Lens reported Harneys charter board went into a closed-door executive session on Nov. 16 to discuss Ashonta Wyatts job even though Wyatt asked for the session to be held in public. State law and Louisianas Education Department allow the subjects of an executive session to decide if the meeting should occur behind closer doors.

Harney board attorney Kenya Rounds told The Lens Wyatt didnt ask for the meeting to be opened until midway through the executive session. He stressed to The Lens that the board opened the meeting when Wyatt requested it.

Wyatt was the fifth principal to serve at Harney over the last two years. Wyatts firing follows the Harney boards decision to suspend her on Nov. 2 pending an investigation into her actions. On Nov. 2, an attorney for Wyatt told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that Wyatt was suspended with pay because she questioned the boards use of school funds to pay the boards secretary. Wyatt has also been accused of defamation in a dispute with local attorney Juan LaFonta.

Harney is a D-rated school in Central City that has received more warnings in a short period of time for non-compliance issues than any other school citywide. The Orleans Parish School Board has slammed Harney for disobeying charter school policies and alleged financial mismanagement. Harney has also been blocked from enrolling new students, as the OPSB has begun proceedings to revoke its charter in order to directly manage it in 2019.

Read the original story from The Lens.

Citing unacceptable pattern of problems at charter school, superintendent recommends closing Harney

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.
Dr. Gerald S. Berenson, who became world-renowned for establishing the project that showed that risk factors for heart disease can show up in childhood, died Thursday (Nov. 22) in his sleep in Houston. He was 96.

Dr. Berenson, who lived in New Orleans, had been visiting his daughter Ann Goldfarb, said Laurie Maas, Dr. Berensons other daughter.

The findings about heart disease, which are designed to draw attention to the importance of early intervention, are based on research investigators conducted in the Bogalusa Heart Study, which Dr. Berenson established in 1973 in his hometown.

Since then, residents have been examined annually, and their health data, such as weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, have been noted to see how they change.

Based on such information, the studys researchers have reached a long list of conclusions about cardiovascular health, including these findings:

-- High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and other warning signs of heart problems can show up in infancy. -- Overweight children are more likely to have heart problems in adulthood.

-- Children can experience hardening of the arteries when they are as young as 3.

-- Warning signs of adult-onset diabetes can be found in childhood.

More than 16,000 people have participated in the study, said Leslie Capo, a spokeswoman for LSU Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Berenson received more than $55 million in federal grants for the study, which resulted in about 1,000 publications in peer-reviewed journals and four research books, said Charles Fishkin, who worked with Dr. Berenson.

In addition to tracking heart health, Dr. Berenson used the studys findings to publish Health Ahead/Heart Smart, a comprehensive health education program for children that was launched in 1987. It addresses topics such as nutrition, exercise, violence, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases.

Dr. Berenson launched the study at LSU Medical Center (now LSU Health Sciences Center) in 1973 and returned there in 2015 after 24 years at Tulane University.

After he left Tulane, Dr. Berenson sued the university because, he said, the university was denying him access to data the study had amassed.

He was seeking to gain access to his data to continue his work in the Bogalusa Heart Study, said Michael Riess, Dr. Berensons attorney.

He was granted access in a settlement reached two months ago, Riess said.

Despite his age, Dr. Berenson never considered retiring, Maas said.

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We always marveled at his acumen and his recall, Riess said. That mind was just like clockwork, still working extremely efficiently, extremely well. His brain was working on all cylinders.

Dr. Berenson had an enormous and lasting impact on health," said Dr. Larry Hollier, chancellor of LSU Health Sciences Center. What he learned from Bogalusa school children influenced the well-being of people the world over.

He also had a lasting influence on his students, said his wife, Joan Berenson.

No matter where we traveled  Europe, Asia, anyplace  it was rare that one of his past medical students didnt come over and say, You were really tough on me, but I can say you made a huge difference on the way that I practiced and the kind of person that I am. she said.

Gerald Sanders Berenson was born on Sept. 19, 1922. He earned undergraduate and medical degrees at Tulane and served in the Navy from 1945 through 1948.

He joined the faculty of Tulanes Department of Medicine in 1948 and had a two-year fellowship in pediatrics at the University of Chicago, starting in 1952. When he returned to New Orleans in 1954, Dr. Berenson joined LSUs medical faculty.

As a result of his achievements, Dr. Berenson was named a Boyd professor, LSUs highest professorial rank.

The American Heart Association named him one of 13 Distinguished Scientists in 1998, and the organization also gave him its Population Research Prize.

Dr. Berenson and his wife received the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League of New Orleans.

In addition to Dr. Berensons medical pursuits, he owned Windy Hills Farm, a cattle farm in Poplarville, Mississippi, which his father, Meyer Berenson, had started, Maas said.

He went there every Tuesday to visit that farm  first to the heart-study office in Bogalusa and then to the farm, she said.

Survivors include his wife, Joan Berenson; two sons, Leslie and Robert Berenson, both of Seattle; two daughters, Ann Goldfarb of Houston and Laurie Maas of Baton Rouge; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 25) at Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation, 3737 W. Esplanade Ave., in Metairie. Visitation will begin at noon.

Burial will be private.

Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Together for a picture are the Rev. Jeff Bumgardner, right, First Baptist Church of North Augusta's worship pastor; and fellow composer Cliff Duren, who is holding a Dove Award that the two won Oct. 16 at the Gospel Music Association's top annual awards event, in Nashville, Tennessee. This particular Dove is for "Choral Collection of the Year."
Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.
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WASHINGTON  Global warming is now affecting the United States more than ever, and the risks of future disasters  from flooding along the coasts to crop failures in the Midwest  could pose a profound threat to Americans well-being.

Thats the gist of Volume Two of the latest National Climate Assessment, a 1,656-page report issued on Friday that explores both the current and future impacts of climate change. The scientific report, which comes out every four years as mandated by Congress, was produced by 13 federal agencies and released by the Trump administration.

This years report contains many of the same findings cited in the previous National Climate Assessment, published in 2014. Temperatures are still going up, and the odds of dangers such as wildfires in the West continue to increase. But reflecting some of the impacts that have been felt across the country in the past four years, some of the reports emphasis has changed.

Predicted impacts have materialized

More and more of the predicted impacts of global warming are now becoming a reality.

For instance, the 2014 assessment forecast that coastal cities would see more flooding in the coming years as sea levels rose. Thats no longer theoretical: Scientists have now documented a record number of nuisance flooding events during high tides in cities like Miami and Charleston, S.C.
At War is a newsletter about the experiences and costs of war with stories from Times reporters and outside voices.

Part of my job at At War is to keep an eye on developments and trends in the arms industry that may influence how wars are fought not long from now. Some of the weapons I track are the ones I first encountered as an explosive-ordnance-disposal technician on active duty. While deployed to Iraq in 2007, I had to deal with the aftermath of cluster-munition strikes and improvised-explosive-device attacks. I have never forgotten the feeling of walking in places where both had been used, knowing what could lie beneath the surface of each step.

I didnt know until a few years ago that victim-operated I.E.D.s, like the ones I worried about in Iraq, meet the definition of antipersonnel land mines under international law. What had seemed like a relatively new threat to me was in fact something that had killed scores of American troops in earlier wars. Since then, Ive spent a lot of time researching the history of explosive booby traps and cluster weapons, because each poses a fatal threat to combatants and civilians alike long after the wars they were used in have ended.
DAYTON, Ohio  Election Day was tough for me, as it was for many Ohio Democrats. While our party saw a wave of victories in races across the nation, the results closer to home were disappointing, to put it lightly.

The backlash to these losses was quick. The media, pundits and out-of-state Democratic operatives were quick to declare that Ohio, no longer purple, was lost to Democrats forever.

But as I see it, thats just not true.

Democrats lost some hard-fought races this year, and we should take this moment to be honest about what went wrong and figure out how to move forward. But the results of this years election dont support the argument that Ohio is firmly in the Republican Partys column. Instead, they suggest how Democrats can still win statewide with a reorientation of our resources and our message.

Those who see 2018 as a blood bath for Ohio Democrats are forgetting that Senator Sherrod Brown won by 6.4 percentage points. This was a larger margin of victory than he had in 2012  when he shared the top of the ticket with President Barack Obama, who also carried the state.
We compromise in an Eeyorish, grumpy, vaguely stoical way. And we complain, constantly. But only to each other. We rarely address our complaints to anyone who might be in a position to resolve them. Thats kind of what I was expecting with Brexit.

KATE FOX, a social anthropologist, on the British Parliament moving toward accepting the prime ministers plan to leave the European Union.
The Supreme Courts rules say that it will review a federal trial courts ruling before an appeals court has spoken only upon a showing that the case is of such imperative public importance as to justify deviation from normal appellate practice and to require immediate determination in this court.

In a brief filed Friday, Mr. Francisco said, This case satisfies that standard.

It involves, he wrote, an issue of imperative public importance: the authority of the U.S. military to determine who may serve in the nations armed forces.

Trial judges have ruled that there is no evidence that service by transgender people threatens military cohesion or readiness.

There is absolutely no support for the claim that the ongoing service of transgender people would have any negative effective on the military at all, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, of the Federal District Court in Washington, wrote last year. In fact, there is considerable evidence that it is the discharge and banning of such individuals that would have such effects.

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is set to hear an appeal of her ruling next month. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, has heard arguments in a separate appeal but has yet to issue a ruling. The Ninth Circuit has been the subject of scathing attacks from President Trump in recent days.
Like all agricultural exhibitions, the Agribition has a wide array of activities for city dwellers like me, including a rodeo, horse shows and cattle judging. But what started as a regional exhibition 48 years ago has grown into a global event. Cattle ranchers, many from distant parts of North America, parade their livestock to buyers from around the world looking to improve their herds.

When I asked breeders where their customers come from these days, many of them said China.

[Want the Canada Letter in your inbox every week? Sign up here.]
The laws and legal decisions around the use of drug dogs are something of a patchwork, leaving states grappling with what to do.

Some departments in states that have legalized marijuana have decided to keep their current dogs and take their chances in court, said David Ferland, the executive director of the United States Police Canine Association, a training and certification organization. Others have shifted their dogs duties, using them only in places where marijuana remains off limits, like jails and schools.

Many departments are trying to future-proof themselves by dropping marijuana from their training programs. Almost every state is trying to get ahead of this, Mr. Ferland said. Nearly every one is having some newly trained teams not introduce marijuana odors to their dogs.

But some are holding out. In Kansas, which shares a border with Colorado, cannabis is still part of the curriculum for canine trainees.

The issue is on our radar, and we watch and research what states are doing as legalization crawls across the United States, but as of today all of our dogs are still imprinted on marijuana odor, said Chad McCluskey, the master trainer for the Kansas Police Dog Association. We are not considering a change to that approach.

Michigan, which this month became the 10th state to legalize marijuana for recreational use, is trying to figure out what to do with the 50 dogs used by its state police.

Were still reviewing the laws impact on our operations and determining next steps, said Lori Dougovito, a state police spokeswoman.
Naomi Wolf and Brian William O'Shea were married Nov. 23 at the Boylston Rooms, a converted industrial space in Easthampton, Mass. Rabbi Judith Goleman, the maternal aunt of the bride, officiated.

Dr. Wolf, 56, is the chief executive of DailyClout, a technology company in New York that makes digital tools to help people understand, change and pass legislation. She is also a journalist and author who has written columns for George Magazine, New York Magazine, The Sunday Times of London and The Guardian, as well as seven New York Times nonfiction best sellers, including The Beauty Myth, Promiscuities and Vagina. Her next book, Outrages: Sex, Censorship and the Criminalization of Love, is to be published by Houghton Mifflin (May 2019).

She graduated magna cum laude from Yale, and was a Rhodes scholar who received a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Oxford.

She is a daughter of Deborah Goleman Wolf and Leonard L. Wolf of Corvallis, Ore. The brides father is an emeritus professor of English literature at San Francisco State University. Her mother is a psychotherapist in Corvallis.
By treating rural Americans as fellow Americans, rather than as adversaries, Mr. Krugman might come to convince them of the wisdom of his political perspective.

Leonard Breslow

Chevy Chase, Md.

To the Editor:

What Paul Krugman implies but does not say is that we need to repair the wildly unrepresentative and antidemocratic structure of the Senate through a constitutional amendment. It is good for the nation that the states have their sovereignty, allowing state-level law to be enacted according to local culture, and serving as laboratories for law and policy. But in the 21st century, the United States is not a federation of separate states, as it was in 1776 or 1787. It is a radically integrated nation in a radically integrated world. In such times, the national government should be a government of the people, not of the states.

Ron Meyers

New York

To the Editor:

The 2018 midterm elections have once again pointed to the underrepresentation of the majority of voters and their opinions. The House of Representatives is gerrymandered. Two presidents defeated by the popular vote have been elected in the last 20 years, courtesy of the Electoral College. The federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, is appointed by a Senate majority elected by a minority of total votes cast for senators in the last two elections .

The crisis of legitimacy that Mr. Krugman cites can be addressed by expansion of the Senate with the addition of six senators elected nationwide. Every two years the nation would vote for two senators elected to six-year terms who would represent the nation at large. These senators would provide a counterweight to the president and to the Senates demographic bias.

Thomas Piatt

Milton, Mass.

To the Editor:

I have read a few pieces in The Times since the election that speak of the Senate as representing a minority and being undemocratic. I think they overlook that the Senate was created to give all states equal representation regardless of population and thus to protect minorities, while the House was designed to be based on population. In other words, the way things are now isnt a crisis; its government working the way the founding fathers and the Constitution intended.

I live in Iowa (in Steve Kings district) but I am a Democrat. I would be extremely happy to have a Senate that reflected the majority opinion of the country, rather than one that protects rural, conservative views. I think, though, that the country was designed as a system of checks and balances that for over 200 years has worked well.

We may decide to change the design, but we should do so only after long, hard thought, not because we dont like current outcomes.
Some people might think that because they mostly share photos of their cats on Facebook, such concerns do not apply to them. But this is not so, for three reasons. First, even if one does not contribute directly to the dissemination of fake news or hang out in echo chambers, simply being on Facebook encourages ones friends to stay on Facebook, and some of those friends might engage in such activities. This influence on others is known as a (positive) network effect, where increased numbers of people improve the value of a product.

Second, by being on Facebook one serves as a data point for Facebooks social media experiment, even if one encounters none of Facebooks experimental manipulations. In doing so, one could be helping Facebook to refine its algorithms so that it can better single out specific individuals for certain purposes, some of which could be as nefarious as those of Cambridge Analytica.

Consider an analogy. When testing the safety and efficacy of new drugs, subjects are randomly assigned either to an experimental group or a control group, and only subjects in the experimental group receive the new drug. Nevertheless, the subjects in the control group are essential to the experiment.

Third, using Facebook is not just an individual action but also a collective one that may be akin to failing to pay taxes. A few people failing to pay taxes might not make much of a difference to a governments budget, but such an action may nevertheless be wrong because it is a failure to participate in a collective action that achieves a certain good end. In a similar vein, choosing to remain on Facebook might not directly undermine democratic values. But such an action could also be wrong because we might be failing to participate in a collective action (that is, leaving Facebook) that would prevent the deterioration of democracy.

So do we have an obligation to leave Facebook for others sake? The answer is a resounding yes for those who are intentionally spreading hate speech and fake news on Facebook. For those of us who do not engage in such objectionable behavior, it is helpful to consider whether Facebook has crossed certain moral red lines, entering the realm of outright wickedness.
In the summer of 2012, in the small town of San Zeno di Montagna in northern Italy, my grandfather welcomed a new addition to the family: One of his donkeys gave birth to a female foal, which he kept as a pet. Much to our amusement, he decided to call it Angela Spread. Angela, of course, was Angela Merkel, whose rigid approach to Europes fiscal crisis had become particularly infamous over the previous year. Spread referred to a somewhat obscure term in bond finance: the difference between the yields of Italian and German government bonds.

When asked about the little donkeys peculiar name, he answered that it would help us all to laugh a little about Italys troubled economy and years of instability. Lo spread had become shorthand for everything that was wrong. The yield on a bond reflects how much interest a borrower  in this case, the government  has to pay to borrow money. Germany, with its booming economy, is considered an excellent credit risk. So its bond yields are very low. Italy, by comparison, is seen as an overspender, so its yields are much higher.

The difference is, in effect, encapsulated by that one number, lo spread, an object of respect and fear that tells us a lot about the messy state of European politics.

Silvio Berlusconi, Italys former prime minister, was the first supposed victim of lo spread. In 2011, the European Central Bank pressured him to reduce Italys deficit, but he refused to rein in spending. In November, the spread reached a high of 574 points, indicating that Italian bonds yielded 5.74 percentage points more than German bonds. The same month, Mr. Berlusconi resigned, making way for a technocratic government led by Mario Monti, an economist.
But to anyone who lived through the Merrick Garland and Brett Kavanaugh nominations, the idea that this norm would be resilient absent Trumps Twitter provocations seems laughable. What was once a conservative assumption dismissed as extremism by the bien-pensants  that the Supreme Court is a highly ideological institution defined by partisan bias and anti-democratic overreach  is now a commonplace liberal belief as well. And when non-Trump politicians hail about the courts independence, its usually just an exercise in tribalism with no consistency behind it.

In this sense the really telling tweet last week came from Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, who weighed in with the following praise  or praise, perhaps  for the chief justice:

I dont agree very often with Chief Justice Roberts, especially his partisan decisions which seem highly political on Citizens United, Janus, and Shelby. But I am thankful today that he  almost alone among Republicans  stood up to President Trump and for an independent judiciary.

Read these sentences over a few times, and relish their internal contradictions. John Roberts is to be commended for standing up for an independent judiciary, Schumer suggests, so long as he is attacking President Trump. But when he is issuing rulings with which Schumer disagrees, he is a partisan and highly political and a Republican.

Save for the pious tone there is little practical difference between this intervention and Trumps rants about Obama judges. Which in turn suggests that in the case of Trump v. Roberts, our president is mostly just exposing a degradation that already exists, acknowledging a truth of our constitutional order thats badly disguised by official-D.C. politesse.

That truth reflects an old problem joined to several new ones. The old problem is that the Supreme Courts legal supremacy over the White House depends upon the presidencys willingness to accept the courts rulings. From Andrew Jacksons conflict with John Marshall over Cherokee removal to Abraham Lincolns suspension of habeas corpus to Franklin Roosevelts attempts to force the court to accept the New Deal, there have always been tensions in the American republic between judicial authority and presidential power.
He might fear that I might be mercenary.

I keep thinking of that line, spoken by Morris Townsend in the movie The Heiress, based on Henry Jamess Washington Square. In the story, Catherine Sloper is a woman with no charm, no grace. Her manner of dress runs toward the tacky and the shiny, and she has that haunted look of a person who has been told love will find her, and when it doesnt, rather than sitting and calmly waiting for that day, she frantically runs from place to place, asking every man she comes across, Are you the one who has come to save me?

What she does have is $30,000 a year, a sizable inheritance. Morris Townsend has no career, nor any real inclination to work, but he does have a taste for the finer things in life, and in the film, Montgomery Clifts face. He knows it looks bad, the penniless suitor chasing after an heiress. He doesnt help his case by anticipating the fathers suspicions, and vocalizing them: He might fear that I might be mercenary.

Well, how could people not, with the gangly girl whom he professes to ardently adore standing before them. But she has no hesitation, not even a moment of doubt. This is the love she was promised, and she will cling to it like the life raft that it so clearly is, no matter what her father tries to do to break them apart.

James does two things . The first is that he allows Morriss intentions to be ambiguous. He is neither rogue nor saint. Catherine, despite all of her failings, has a sharp wit and a kind heart. It is not her fault that women are not generally pursued for their sharp wit and kind hearts, but he allows the reader to love her and hope that Morris has an unconventional taste in women.

But the other thing James does is suggest that maybe it doesnt matter whether Morris loves her or not, as long as he takes care of her. Is it a tragedy to make love a transaction? To say I will stand by your side as long as I get tailored suits from Paris and sherry imported from Spain and cigars from Cuba? Or health insurance for my chronic illness? Or a residency visa?

I, too, have around $30,000 a year, although a hundred years after James wrote his book, that is not the prize it once was. And also like Catherine, I have all the grace of an elephant in high heels, my knees decorated with an ever shifting display of bruises from my stumbling into things, and my manner of dress also runs toward the tacky and the shiny. I have my assets, an intelligence and an accomplished body of work, but women in our culture are not pursued for intelligence and accomplished bodies of work, certainly not by considerably younger men.

As such, my lover resembles Morris, in his effortless charm, his handsome face and his desire for something I could easily provide. Unlike Catherine, I am aware of my failings and how on paper this match seems so unlikely. I am also attuned to the doubt that runs through our social circle, with my friends making cracks about our green-card marriage, and the confusion that comes into his friends faces when they are introduced to me.
The 22 year old comes from the Diocese of Dinajpur, from a Hindu family. Sr. Annamaria Panza, of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception, says she was "fascinated by Jesus: the way in which he is with people, how he loves, how he serves".

Dinajpur (AsiaNews) - Falling in love with Christ in Bangladesh is possible: This is the story of Anjoli, a 22-year-old girl from the Diocese of Dinajpur, who has converted from Hinduism. Sr. Annamaria Panza, provincial councilor of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (PIME women's congregation), shared her story with AsiaNews.

Anjoli's journey was not "easy. She became a Christian after several years of waiting. But it could not be otherwise because she fell in love with Jesus. Considering her Hindu religion, she understood that it did not attract her as much as Jesus: the way he is with people, how he loves , how he serves".

Sr. Annamaria says that the girl attended the schools in the village of origin until the eighth grade. Then in high school she moved to the Missionary hostel in Dinajpur. "Living in the hostel - she continues - she expressed the desire to become a Christian". But it was not so much the example of the nuns that pushed the girl to embrace Christianity, she underlined, "as much as the life of Christ".

All the young people who study in the hostels run by the congregation "learn to pray, come to Mass. Parents know this and agree. Learning to pray, Anjoli immediately expressed the will to convert, but we told her to wait to consciously mature in her choice. Then at 17 she moved from the nuns to Dhaka and here again she asked to be baptized, but we told her to wait again ".

Despite the caution of the nuns, Anjoli continued to attend the church and in the meantime moved to an apartment with her sister, a Hindu, who had joined her from the village. She continued her studies and led a normal life. Now she works and lives alone. Amid her daily commitments, she never forgets herlove for Christ. "Every Friday and Sunday she goes to Mass in a parish near her house, and that's where she undertook the catechumenate and finally received baptism".

According to Sr. Annamaria, Anjoli's choice was courageous, "because she did not allow herself to be influenced by the traditions of her community and tribal group". Here the nun is specifically referring to the custom of marriage: "In Bangladesh we get married within the community and the ethnic group. Only rarely do marriages occur among believers of other religions, because this creates problems in the family and also for the subsequent marriage of the children. The children of converts - for example, Hindus - are not considered as 'pure Hindus'. " This kind of speech is also valid "for religious holidays: at Christmas, Anjoli will not return home, because the family of origin does not celebrate the birth of Jesus".

The elements highlighted by the nun might seem trivial, but take on a much greater significance when considering the Bangladeshi context: despite the influence of Western models of independence and individual autonomy, the sense of belonging remains strong - to the family, to the religious group, to the tribal community. "The sense of real freedom is still missing. Families integrate with difficulty, the groups remain divided along ethnic, ritual or traditional lines but even by whatthey eat". However, faced with the girl's firm belief, she concludes, "her family could not help but accept. They did not object, on the contrary, the parents said they were happy because the Christians are good people ".
Trans-Atlantic Fashion Week will be held July 28 to August 4, and will feature talks by Stephen Jones, a British hat-maker; Stuart Weitzman, an American shoe designer; the fashion historian and journalist Colin McDowell; and Pat Cleveland, one of the original supermodels.

The Queen Mary 2 sailing from Southampton, England to New York City recently held a genealogy-themed trip featuring biotech experts and ancestry specialists, and its Jan. 3, 2019, trans-Atlantic crossing will feature a screening of the TV series Instinct, followed by a Q & A with the actor Alan Cumming.

Crystal Cruises shipboard enrichment program, Creative Learning Institute, offers lessons on topics from ballroom dancing to maritime history. Depending on the sailing, you may also find classes in floral design, wellness seminars hosted by experts from the Cleveland Clinic, and a series focused in digital filmmaking that includes lessons on shooting and editing.

Enjoy a college course, on vacation

Beginning in 2019, Lindblad Expeditions will add onboard lectures from college professors on topics like science and history on select itineraries. The new series is the result of a partnership with One Day University, which organizes public lectures by college teachers across the country.

In 2019, four Lindblad cruises, including trips to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, Alaskas Inside Passage and Patagonia, will each carry a pair of professors from Harvard, Columbia and Yale, among other universities, who will lecture and socialize with guests during the trip.

The lecturers were chosen, according to the company, not for their expertise in the destinations, but for their ability to deliver engaging talks on topics including the life of Abraham Lincoln, the human brain and immigration in America.

But for all its newfound depth, vacationers need not worry  shipboard intellectual fodder is still balanced by diversion.

Were giving people something to do thats not sitting by the pool and is mentally engaging, said Doug Jones, owner of Sixth Star, an agency that programs enrichment courses for cruise lines. He looks for engaging speakers who can present a topic in 45 minutes and then make themselves available for follow up throughout the cruise. Its not like a college lecture.
We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate, but new evidence indicates that it was not, the police said, adding that the conclusion was based on interviews with witnesses and critical evidentiary items.

[A lawyer for Mr. Bradfords family described him as a good guy with a gun.]

In their initial statement on Friday, the police said uniformed officers who were providing security at the mall encountered a suspect brandishing a pistol and shot him. It was not clear whether the officers believed Mr. Bradford fired or intended to fire before he was killed.

Mr. Bradfords mother, April Pipkins, said in an interview on Saturday that Mr. Bradford was living with her near Birmingham where he had been raised. Mr. Bradford, who was better known as E.J., would not have been involved in the shooting, and might have been trying to protect other people in the mall, she said.

That was not his character at all, she said. He loved life, and he loved people.

He was licensed to carry a firearm, she said. Alabama generally does not prohibit people from carrying firearms in public, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

At an emotional news conference held by Mr. Bradfords relatives on Sunday  one collapsed in tears partway through  his family members said they were not notified of his death by the Hoover Police Department, but instead learned of it through social media.
The parent who took the photo, Peter Gust, posted the image on his website, Wheel Memories, where it was visible until Nov. 12, when it was deleted. It can still be seen via the Wayback Machine, an internet archive.

A statement on Mr. Gusts website said the page with the prom photos had been modified because of malevolent behavior on the part of some in society.

To anyone that was hurt I sincerely apologize, the statement said.

Not all of the students in the photograph were gesturing. Jordan Blue, a student wearing a red bow tie, could be seen standing in the upper right corner with his hands at his sides.

In a statement to Jules Suzdaltsev, a journalist, Mr. Blue said that the photographer had instructed the boys to make the sign and that Mr. Blue did not have time to leave because the picture was taken within five seconds.

He did not raise his arm because I knew what my morals were and it was not to salute something I didnt firmly believe in, he said.

Brock Turkington, who also appeared in the photograph, told the television station WISC that it was not supposed to be a hateful gesture.

As we were about to take that photo, the photographer instructed the boys to give a high-sign, Mr. Turkington said in a statement to the station. The photographer instructed us to extend our arms out, no one knew what a high-sign was. I asked another student next to me What are we doing? He responded, Stick your arm out.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration has labored zealously to cut federal regulations, but its latest move has still astonished some experts on health care: It has asked for recommendations to relax rules that prohibit kickbacks and other payments intended to influence care for people on Medicare or Medicaid.

The goal is to open pathways for doctors and hospitals to work together to improve care and save money. The challenge will be to accomplish that without also increasing the risk of fraud.

With its request for advice, the administration has touched off a lobbying frenzy. Health care providers of all types are urging officials to waive or roll back the requirements of federal fraud and abuse laws so they can join forces and coordinate care, sharing cost reductions and profits in ways that would not otherwise be allowed.

From hundreds of letters sent to the government by health care executives and lobbyists in the last few weeks, some themes emerge: Federal laws prevent insurers from rewarding Medicare patients who lose weight or take medicines as prescribed. And they create legal risks for any arrangement in which a hospital pays a bonus to doctors for cutting costs or achieving clinical goals.
NIAMEY, Niger  Armed men kidnapped 15 girls overnight in southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday.

Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of Toumour in the Diffa Region of Niger near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men had seized the girls in a village about six miles from the town center.

There was no claim of responsibility, but Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group, has used mass kidnappings of students as a tactic to terrorize the population.

In Cameroon earlier this month, dozens of students kidnapped from a boarding school were freed after being held hostage for about two days, according to local and military officials.
MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina  An Argentine submarine found deep on the ocean floor a year after it vanished with 44 people on board may rest there despite pleas from family members of the crew, who hope for a salvage operation that experts say would be costly and unlikely to yield new information.

Experts say the salvage operation appears to be feasible. But the financially struggling administration of President Mauricio Macri is not eager to pay for it despite pressure from families who want to recover the bodies of their loved ones.

For now, the only official in a position to order the vessel to be lifted quickly does not seem in a hurry to do so.

Marta Yanez, the federal judge who is in charge of the investigation into the sinking of the submarine, the San Juan, is working with experts to review 67,000 photographs and videos of the submarine and its surroundings to determine what exactly happened to the vessel.
When Indian police officers in a small boat pulled within sight of the remote island, they saw something strange. A group of islanders were huddled on the beach. Carrying bows, arrows and spears, they appeared to be guarding something.

Police officials said it could have been the body of John Allen Chau. The 26-year-old American missionary was killed last week as he tried to spread Christianity to North Sentinel, a forbidden island in the Andaman Sea with a long history of repelling outsiders.

The crew turned off the boats motor. They peered at the islanders through binoculars, making sure to stay several hundred yards off shore, out of bow-and-arrow range.

The Sentinelese were watchful, Dependra Pathak, the areas police chief, said on Saturday. They were patrolling the beach, at the same spot John was killed, with weapons.
SEOUL, South Korea  The United Nations Security Council has approved a plan by North and South Korea to conduct a joint field study on connecting their railways, exempting the project from the extensive sanctions the U.N. has imposed on the North over its nuclear weapons program, officials said on Saturday.

During his three summit meetings this year with the Norths leader, Kim Jong-un, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea has offered to help renovate North Koreas decrepit railway system and link it with the Souths, dangling the project as one of the biggest economic benefits the North could expect should it denuclearize.

To whet the Norths appetite, South Korea offered to send a train and engineers across the border to conduct a joint field study on the conditions of the North Korean rail system. North Korea quickly accepted.

But plans to conduct the study were thwarted in August, and again last month, because of American concerns that it might violate United Nations sanctions, which include severe limits on shipments of fuel and other goods to the North. South Korea would have to bring fuel and equipment into the North to conduct the study.
PARIS  Shouts of Macron resign! and Macron get lost! punctuated the booms from tear gas and water cannons on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday, as the French police forced protesters from the Yellow Jackets movement away from the presidential offices in the Elysee Palace.

French protest movements come and go, but this one, organized on the internet, is different. Welling up rapidly from rural and forgotten France, this broad-based, citizen-driven movement is among the most serious challenges yet to President Emmanuel Macrons pro-business government, say analysts, political opponents and even many of Mr. Macrons supporters.

On Saturday, thousands of so-called Yellow Jackets, named for the fluorescent road-safety vests that all French drivers must carry in their vehicles, converged on Paris for a second weekend to protest a rise in fuel taxes and to express general discontent with the fiscal burden in one of the most highly taxed states in Europe, where taxes represent over 45 percent of G.D.P.

[Protests in France began last weekend, with hundreds of thousands demonstrating against fuel tax hikes.]
BUDAPEST  Hungarys leading news website, Origo, had a juicy scoop: A top aide to the far-right prime minister, Viktor Orban, had used state money to pay for sizable but unexplained expenses during secret foreign trips. The story embarrassed Mr. Orban and was a reminder that his country still had an independent press.

But that was in 2014. Today, Origo is one of the prime ministers most dutiful media boosters, parroting his attacks on migrants and on George Soros, the Hungarian-American philanthropist demonized by the far right on both sides of the Atlantic.

And if Origo once dug into Mr. Orbans government, it now pounces on his political opponents.

Lets look at the affairs of Laszlo Botka! a headline blared this month in a salacious take on the only mayor of a major Hungarian city not aligned with Mr. Orbans party, Fidesz. Serious scandals, mysteries surround the socialist mayor of Szeged.

If little known outside Hungary, Origo is now a cautionary tale for an age in which democratic norms and freedom of expression are being challenged globally  and President Trump and other leaders have intensified attacks on the free press.
DUBLIN  Ireland, which seems intent on bucking the illiberal tide in the West, is at it again: As other countries move to tighten restrictions on immigration, the Irish public is overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal to reinstate birthright citizenship.

A proposed law on the subject passed a preliminary vote in the Irish Senate on Wednesday, three days after an opinion poll for the Irish edition of The Sunday Times of London showed that 71 percent of respondents favor birthright citizenship. Nineteen percent were opposed and 10 percent undecided.

Should it be enacted, the proposed law would grant the right to citizenship to any person who is born in Ireland and subsequently lives in the country for three years, regardless of the parents citizenship or residency status. It would largely reverse the effect of 2004 referendum in which 79 percent of voters supported the removal of a constitutional provision granting citizenship to anyone born in Ireland.

This remarkable swing in public opinion, at a time when President Trump has called for ending birthright citizenship in the United States, follows a high-profile case in which Eric Zhi Ying Xue, a 9-year-old boy who was born in Ireland, was threatened last month with deportation along with his Chinese mother.
KIEV, Ukraine  His frail hand covering his heart, Mykhailo Matvienko, 92, peered at the yellow flame of a candle on his kitchen table on Saturday and recounted his childhood during the Great Famine.

A searing event seen as one of the great atrocities of 20th-century Europe, the Ukrainian famine of 1933 killed more than three million people, by most estimates, and has become a touchstone in post-Soviet Ukrainian society.

It is very important to remember the famine, Mr. Matvienko said. He lit his first candle in the morning, and kept them burning through the day.

On Saturday, Ukrainians lit candles on their tables or windowsills to commemorate the famine, called the Holodomor, which means death by hunger in Ukrainian. The atrocity is marked annually on the fourth Saturday of November.
Utica, N.Y.  Mohawk Valley Community Colleges Center for Corporate and Community Education, which provides lifelong learning and professional training to 7,900 people in the surrounding region every year, received several awards from the Continuing Education Association of New York (CEANY) at its annual conference in early November.

MVCC President Randall J. VanWagoner won the award for Outstanding Continuing Educator. This award recognizes an individual who has made exemplary contributions to the general field of continuing education on a state, national, or international level. The focus of this recognition is on contributions of a general nature that extend beyond CEANY activities.

Having the support of our president has been instrumental in increasing the impact of our work in this region, said Franca Armstrong, associate vice president of Workforce Development and dean of the Rome Campus at MVCC. Weve been able to greatly expand our offerings to the community through leisure learning, camps for kids and teens, and professional development training in large part to his dedication to our commitment to being this communitys college.

The CCED team as a whole won the Exemplary Marketing Program Award for their work in using data analytics to better market their programs to local consumers. Over the past few years, CCED has looked at data to increase enrollment. The award recognizes innovative and effective programming and marketing activities that contribute to the field of adult and continuing education. Each award winner reflects three themes: Innovation, Quality and Effectiveness, and Contribution to Adult or Continuing Education.

Michelle Truett, who has taught classes as part of MVCCs Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) program since 2012, won the Outstanding Continuing Education Instructor award for making exemplary contributions in support of teaching continuing education students and programs.

MVCC student Tonya Smith won the Region East Charles Burns Outstanding Adult Student Award for achieving excellence by demonstrating persistence, drive, and success in overcoming obstacles to achieve her educational goals. Regional winners also receive a $1,000 scholarship. Smith is a veteran and is the only female in MVCCs Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems degree program.

Tonya has shown enormous growth since the day she enrolled, never letting obstacles derail her from completing her degree, said Rosemarie Pastorella, student veteran specialist in MVCCs Veterans Education Services. Her determination to thrive in a non-traditional occupation is to be commended.
MORRISVILLE, N.Y.  Embracing change was a common theme among presenters during the inaugural Agricultural Summit held at Morrisville State.

The event, which drew innovators and leaders from throughout the agriculture industry, focused on future goals and needs in agricultural education, as well as workforce development with both an academic and industry focus.

Dont just tolerate change or learn to live with it, but actually embrace change, said Richard Ball, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, in remarks opening the summit. It might be a new piece of equipment. It might be a new way of doing business. It might be a different customer. Think outside of the box. Unless you change something, you will end up in the same place.

It is important to have an open mind and to be able to solve problems in many different ways, not just how it has always been done, said Taylor McNamara, a second-year student in Morrisvilles agricultural business program, who participated in a student success panel discussion. McNamara plans a future in educating young students about agriculture and advocating for sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

Keynote speaker Zaid Kurideh, owner of Norwich Meadows Farm LLC, a certified organic farm in Norwich, also shared Balls and McNamaras sentiment.

Agriculture is not going to die. It is going to change and you have to embrace it, he said. You have to know people with tremendous skills. We need trained people. Agriculture is going to need people with skills.

Morrisville State is taking another step forward in training agricultural leaders, announcing pursuit of its first Master of Science degree in agribusiness during the summit.

The online program, still in development, will prepare graduates to make agribusiness decisions that improve society by refining agricultural efficiency and increasing agricultural productivity throughout the food chain.

Also in the works is a four-year brewing science & technology degree, which will benefit the brewing industry by providing craft brewers to the growing field in New York.

We are trying to train brewers in the practical applications of all elements of production, said Micheal Coons, Morrisville States head brewer.

The college plans to add more brewing courses to those already in place, and eventually offer a craft beer & brewing minor in the fall of 2019.

Overall, the summit shed a bright light on the future of agriculture.

I think we are at the edge of a renaissance in agriculture in New York State, Ball said addressing a room of more than 80 participants, including students, faculty and staff. I think I am more excited today about your opportunities than I have ever been in agriculture. We are doing a better job in agriculture than we have ever done and we need you to work hard to take this even further.

Students are preparing to make that happen. During a panel discussion, seven students shared success stories about opportunities and doors that have opened for them, which are preparing them for their future careers.

Hard skills come from activities and extracurricular experiences, said Grace Book of Bliss, a senior in the agricultural business development bachelors degree program. Morrisville gave me so much passion and so many different skills.

Some of them came from internships, which panelists hailed as a highlight of their academic programs.

Through her summer internship at Morrisville State, McNamara was involved with planning and harvesting industrial hemp and learned a lot of different farming techniques.

I did soil sampling and had the opportunity to work with industry leaders. I also learned a lot about collecting and gathering data, she said.

Natalie Strub, a dairy management student from North Collins, took every opportunity to expand her experience between semesters through three internships. She has a fourth lined up in Ireland next semester.

Students lauded the many different courses and electives Morrisville State offers, which have broadened their skill sets and experiences.

I specifically chose Morrisville based on the diversity of its programs, McNamara said. I had the opportunity to take courses like dairy and soil science.

You have a lot of opportunities to learn and to see real-world stuff, said Jacob Wafler, an agriculture business development bachelors degree student from Wolcott, who plans to co-run his familys commercial apple farm, Wafler Farms Inc., in Wolcott, with his brother Kyle Wafler 17.

I learned how to show a cow and got involved in the Livestock Club, added Wafler, who also took elective courses in horticulture and agricultural engineering. These were all experiences that added to my education.

Morrisville really opened my mind to what I could do, said Collin Sullivan, a renewable resources bachelors degree student from Springville. I have used every class here in some way or form.

Following a luncheon that served Morrisville and locally produced vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy, the summit ended with tours of the colleges facilities that offer experiential learning opportunities in diverse settings.

For more information about Morrisville State, visit www.morrisville.edu.
Trial drags:

Till date the trial drags on with no result in sight.

India had in March 2017 sought the re-investigation of the case in Pakistan. Pakistan, however, rejected India's request, saying it was 'not possible as it (the trial) is at an advanced stage.

26/11 anniversary: Did David Headley survive the brutal attack on him?

India also wanted Hafiz Saeed to be put to trial as he had masterminded the attack. Indian officials say that there is every attempt being made to delay the trial. The last India heard from Pakistan was when it wanted witnesses to be sent there. India termed the demand as an excuse to delay the trial further.

Never serious:

Pakistan was never serious about the trial. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi too is off the hook. In the run up to the trial a judge even recused himself from the case as he was too scared to hear the case. Pakistan has done little to try any of the accused in the case. In fact it has not even brought Saeed to trial. India insisted that all proof relating to the attack had been sent to Pakistan, but there was no concrete evidence to suggest that the country was serious about probing this case.

Is 26/11 plotter Sajid Mir a myth? No, he is now spearheading the Karchi Project at Muridke

Mockery of justice:

The manner in which the case has been heard suggests that absolute mockery has been made of the justice system in Pakistan. In 10 years, 9 judges have changed. The anti-terrorism court (ATC) conducting the trial of seven Pakistani suspects charged with involvement in the attack had recently been changed taking the number to 9.

ATC Judge Sohail Akram who had been conducting the 26/11 case for the last two years was transferred to the Punjab judicial services in March. The Mumbai case is now being heard by Kausar Abbas Zaidi.

Besides Akram, the other judges who have been associated with the case that began in 2009 are Attiquer Rehman, Shahid Rafique, Malik Muhammad Akram Awan and Pervez Ali Shah.

26/11: How Pakistan's Musa company trains its maritime terrorists

Lakhvi gets away:

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi - the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind- was granted bail in December 2014. Zaidi was the judge in the case at that time.

Zaidi had cited "weak evidence, the registration of the FIR invoking irrelevant sections and hearsay evidence against Lakhvi" in his bail order.

There has been no hearing in the Mumbai case in the Pakistani ATC after Islamabad told New Delhi to send its 24 witnesses to record their statements if the case was to be decided soon.

Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are facing charges of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the attack that killed 166 people.

While Lakhvi has been living in an undisclosed location after getting bail, the other six suspects are lodged in Adiala and Rawalpindi.

On every anniversary, there has to be some filing about the status of the case in Pakistan. It is 10 years since the attack and the case is still the same. Will it be any different on the 11th anniversary? Not a chance.
No protection, no hearing until we know where you are, SC tells Param Bir Singh

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26/11 10th anniversary: Chabad House to be renamed Nariman light house

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Nov 24: Mumbai's Chabad House in the Nariman House Colaba, one of the bloody targets of the 26/11 terror strikes, will be renamed as 'Nariman Light House' on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and 10 months after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, official sources said on Friday.

The present rabbi, Israel Kozlovsky, said the rechristening ceremony will be organised on behalf of the Chabad of India Trust on Sunday afternoon, the eve of 26/11 attacks, at the main Jewish social-cultural-religious hub in the fashionable Colaba, south Mumbai.

26/11 plotter David Headley battling for life after attack in US prison: Reports

The event will mark the unveiling of a memorial on the Nariman House terrace, making it the only place in Mumbai to honour all the 166 victims of the terror strikes, besides plans to reconstruct the heavily damaged fourth-fifth floors will be announced by Rabbi Kozlovsky and other officials.

The Nariman House, housing the Chabad House, was one of the main targets of 10 Pakistani terrorists who sneaked in through the Arabian Sea route and disembarked at a Colaba fishing jetty, barely a stone's throw.

Among the victims brutally killed in the indiscriminate firing and grenade attacks were the then Nariman House Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivka, and two other Israelis, an American and a Mexican, all Jews, besides Indian security officials.

However, their two-year-old old toddler son, Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels, and a few days later they were flown off to Israel.

Terror funding: Court gives nod to quiz businessman

On January 18 this year, Moshe, now a shy, bespectacled 12-year-old boy, joined Netanyahu and other dignitaries at the Chabad House, along with his grandfather, Shimon Rosenberg and grandmother.

It was the first-ever visit by any high-ranking Israeli dignitary to Chabad House, which reopened in 2014, and is now considered a 'Living Memorial' to the November 26, 2008 carnage.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 9:50 [IST]
No protection, no hearing until we know where you are, SC tells Param Bir Singh

26/11 10th anniversary: Something fishy at Machimarnagar

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mumbai, Nov 26: There was something unusual at Machimarnagar, Mumbai on November 25 2008. Some activity was on, but none in their wildest of dreams imagined what was about to strike in the next 24 hours.

The ten terrorists from Pakistan including the Lashkar-e-Tayiba's Ajmal Kasab landed via sea at Machimarnagar. A lady, suspected to be part of a diesel racket is said to have helped the ten terrorists.

26/11 attack: Despite a bare it all confession, why Headley is still a mystery

From here, the terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba launched one of the biggest attacks in the history of India. It was the Mumbai 26/11 attack that took place ten years back.

What transpired in the next 48 hours is a well known fact. The CST, Taj, Trident and Nariman House were attack and over 150 people were killed. Kasab was the lone terrorist to be captured alive, while the rest were gunned down by the NSG Commandos.

Almost everyone wondered, how these terrorists were so well versed with the logistics.

Sample this, for a long the security forces at Taj were unaware how the terrorists were moving between floors. It was only later did they realise that there was another staircase inside the hotel, which not many were aware of. Investigations showed that this staircase was discovered by David Headley, who was launched into Mumbai by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba to carry out a reconnaissance of the possible targets. And boy, did he do a thorough job of it.

To probe into the lapses by the Mumbai police, the government had set up the Ram Pradhan Committee of which former officer with the Research and Analysis Wing, V Balachandran was a part of.

26/11 anniversary: Did David Headley survive the brutal attack on him?

The brief was to probe into the lapses by the police, but the committee during its hearing was handed out a complaint about a local lady being part of the team that helped the ten terrorists.

Balachandran tells OneIndia that there was a strong rumour that the terrorists had reached Mumbai days before the attack. The police however disputed this version and said that the terrorists had landed hours before they struck Mumbai.

It was said that a hut at the fishermen's colony at Colaba, which is used by the underworld is where the terrorists are believed to have stayed. We were given to understand that a lady, who is part of the diesel scam had provided shelter to the ten terrorists. The committee discussed these aspects, but then the brief did not permit them to go into this further.

These questions keep coming back even ten years later. The manner in which the terrorists navigated the routes made each one wonder, how ten men from Pakistan had landed in Mumbai overnight and went about their business with such ease.

Take for instance the attack on Chabad House. It is located on a narrow lane connected to the Colaba Causeway. Not many had even heard about its existence, until the attack took place. Balachandran himself says that he did not hear about this place despite living in this area for a very long time.

Is 26/11 plotter Sajid Mir a myth? No, he is now spearheading the Karchi Project at Muridke

It has been ten years since the attack took place. Since the start, there have been demands to probe into the local link. Who was that lady and how was she connected to the terrorists? The mystery will linger on forever.
26/11 anniversary: Did David Headley survive the brutal attack on him?

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mumbai, Nov 26: One of the key players in the Mumbai 26/11 attack was David Coleman Headley. He was the one who conducted the reconnaissance of Mumbai, prepared videos, maps and handed it over to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, which used it to target the city on the night of November 26 2008.

Headley has been a mystery all through his life. The mystery about Headley continues even today, with none sure about his whereabouts. The last we heard about him was that he was in an extremely critical condition.

26/11 10th anniversary: Chabad House to be renamed Nariman light house

In July, Headley was assaulted by two inmates as he had been working as a double agent with the ISI. Reports also stated that the assault was because of his Islamist terror links. He was admitted to the critical care unit and was kept under supervision. The two men who are said to have attacked Headley are brothers, who were doing time for several assault cases on police personnel.

Indian officials when asked for a comment on this incident said that there was no proper confirmation of the same. We are not even sure, if he made it after the attack, an official also informed.

His lawyer, John Theis however said that the fact that Headley had been assaulted was news to him. I cannot disclose where he is, but can tell you that I have no information that he was attacked.

There is absolutely no information about where Headley has been lodged in the United States. His location has always been kept a secret. The inmate locator on the website of the Federal Bureau of Prisons draws a blank when one searches for Daood Gilani, his original name. A search with the name David Headley throws up a result, but it is a person aged 53, who was released on May 3 1992.

26/11 plotter David Headley battling for life after attack in US prison: Reports

Headily was tasked by the ISI and Lashkar-e-Tayiba to conduct a reconnaissance in Mumbai. During his stay he gathered details and prepared maps of the targets which were attacked by ten terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. In February 2016, he had deposed through video conferencing before a Mumbai court. He was however not deported to India from the United States as he had entered into a plea bargain deal with the FBI.
What the US never told us:

A source in the Intelligence Bureau once told this correspondent, that he had a strong and lurking suspicion that the United States was aware of what Headley was upto. They never told us anything, for reasons best to known to them, the officer also said.

He was their agent in Afghanistan and later fell out of favour after he turned rogue, the officer also informed.

The US has always been secretive about David Headley. He made several trips to India on the pretext of opening an immigration office. He changed his name from Daood Gilani to David Headily so as to project himself as an American who was neither Muslim nor Hindu.

He had made five trips to Mumbai in September 2006, February and September 2007 and April and July 2008.

The maps drawn out by him were used by the ten Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26/11. After the attacks, the probe was conducted by the Mumbai police in detail. They were however unable to find the man who had provided all this information.

The police ended up arresting Sabahuddin Ahmed and Fahim Ansari on the allegation that they had conducted the reconnaissance. However the case against both were thrown out of the court stating it was frivolous in nature.

The US opens up:

For a good one and half years into the probe into the attack, not one officer was even aware of the existence of this man. The one fine day, news broke out from the US that the agencies out there had arrested a man called David Headley. This was news to all including the agencies in India.

The US too manipulated the issue well. India was not made aware of the arrest immediately. He was arrested, following which he entered into a plea bargain in the US, which barred him from being extradited to India. The plea bargain also stated that he shall not be sentenced to death.

As a result of this, the Indian investigations on Headley led by the National Investigation Agency only got information, which was already out there in public domain thanks to his confession before the FBI.

What is the US hiding:

The question is what was the US guarding so desperately. It was later learnt that Headley was a double agent. He was sent on an assignment to Pakistan and Afghanistan by the CIA to track down the drug cartel. He is said to have turned rogue and then came in contact with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Al-Qaeda. The association that the US had with him after that is not clear, but the manner in which he was guarded by the United States was fishy and till date continues to be the same.

Is 26/11 plotter Sajid Mir a myth? No, he is now spearheading the Karchi Project at Muridke

Question him under our watch:

The NIA has managed to question him just once. A second request continues to remain pending. Headley was however allowed to appear through video conferencing before a Mumbai court a few years back.

The team of the NIA which was allowed to question Headley, did not have it easy in the US. Despite landing on the stipulated date, the appointment with Headley was granted almost ten days later. The questioning of Headley did not yield much result either. The questioning was conducted under the watch of the FBI and Headley.

Prior to this he had made a confessional statement to the FBI as part of his plea bargain deal. He did not say a word more than what he had already said. The NIA officer says that it appeared as though the FBI was present there to ensure that he did not say more than what was already on record.

The NIA also had no luck in getting in touch with Tawwahur Rana, an accomplice of Headley. Rana, according to investigations had played a vital role and was the one who facilitated the fake documents for Headley through his travel firm. Several attempts to question Rana went in vain, NIA officials also point out.
Fighting terror on the seas

It is the Musa company, which is the special services group of the Pakistan Army that handles the naval wings of the terror groups.

The naval wing of these terrorist groups is not often used by terror groups. It is part of the surprise element, the reports state. Since 2004, it had become mandatory for every Lashkar-e-Tayiba recruit to undergo a certain amount of maritime training. This apart, the terrorists also take part in classes on elementary flying.

As part of the training programme, the first class is held in Thakot and then at Murdike. The training programme comes to a close at Karachi and each of these sessions is conducted by officers of the Musa company.

Sea routes a favourite

In the days to come the sea route would be the most preferred for terrorists. It is impossible to man the entire sea and hence in this regard, intelligence and coordination becomes the key. In addition to this there is also a dire need to introduce hi-tech technology to aid the Intelligence Bureau.

Is 26/11 plotter Sajid Mir a myth? No, he is now spearheading the Karchi Project at Muridke

The reason why Intelligence, technology and coordination becomes crucial is because 90 per cent of the world trade is sea based and it is impossible to man each and every vessel on the sea. The smaller ones in particular pose the maximum danger.

In a bid to boost up the maritime capabilities, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the al-Shahbab came together in 2011. The coming together of these two outfits was specifically to spruce up their maritime capabilities.

Sponsoring the pirates:

Investigations conducted have revealed that the pirates from Somalia who are dominant on Indian waters were sponsored by the al-Shahbab group which is linked to the al-Qaeda. It was the ISI that had suggested that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the al-Shahbab come together and carry out strikes.

The idea was to send out the terrorists along with some of the pirates in a bid to carry out strikes. Since manning all vessels is an impossible task for India alone, it became necessary to seek the cooperation of other nations such as Africa. The Lashkar-e-Tayiba on the other hand entered into several alliances in a bid to spruce up its maritime capabilities.

Coordinating with the al-Shahbab:

An operative by the name Abu Yakub was tasked with coordinating with the al-Shahbab. A plan hatched back in 2011 indicated that these groups would send out several pirates into the sea in a bid to keep the Indian Navy busy. On the other hand they would take advantage of the situation and then get their terrorists to launch an attack on the Navy. Post the 26/11 attack, maritime security had been increased. There are over 400 warships which are on guard. In addition to this several more coastal police stations were set up and the fishermen were roped in to provide human intelligence.
From stardom to politics: What will Ambareesh be remembered for

A rebel loved by all: Condolences pour in for Ambareesh

India

oi-Deepika S

Bengaluru, Nov 25: Condolences from various leaders poured in as soon as the news of Film star-turned-politician MHAmbareesh's demise spread. Ambareesh died at a private hospital here on Saturday, according to official sources and Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He was 66.

The former Union minister has acted in over 200 films and served as the Karnataka minister of housing in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet.

Condoling the death of the actor and veteran Congress leader, Kumaraswamy called him a rebel who was loved by all.

"Deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely death of my beloved friend Ambareesh. In his death, an era of love and affection in the Kannada film industry has ended," he said. Kumaraswamy said he enjoyed his friendship with Ambareesh, which went beyond political affiliations and films.

Kannada actor and former union minister Ambareesh passes away

"He was a rebel who was loved by all. He has carved a unique place (for himself) in both politics and films," he added. Ambareesh left behind a legacy that would be cherished by his family, friends, fans and followers, Kumaraswamy said.

#Ambareesh was a rebel who was loved by all. He carved a unique place in both politics and films. He leaves back a legacy that will be cherished by his family, friends, fans and followers.



May his soul rest in peace and his family and friends get the strength to bear this loss.  CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 24, 2018

"May his soul rest in peace and his family and friends get the strength to bear this loss," he said. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, too, condoled the death of Ambareesh, calling him his "best friend".

"A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish," he said in a tweet. Ambareesh has acted in over 200 films and served as the Karnataka housing minister in the previous Siddaramaiah-led cabinet.

A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish  Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) November 24, 2018

Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Dr G Parameshwara said Ambareesh would truly be missed for his "energy, charm and wit". "Truly shocking to hear about the demise of party colleague, former minister & senior actor Rebel Star Ambareesh. His energy, charm and wit were infectious. The love & popularity he enjoyed among the people was admirable. Kannada cinema and Karnataka have become very poor today," Parameshwara tweeted.

Truly shocking to hear about the demise of party colleague, former minister & senior actor Rebel Star #Ambareesh. His energy, charm and wit were infectious. The love & popularity he enjoyed among the people was admirable. Kannada cinema and Karnataka have become very poor today. pic.twitter.com/74iipIVoHM  Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) November 24, 2018

Congress leader from Mandya and the party's Social Media Communications chief Divya Spandana too expressed her sadness, remembering him as "Ambareesh uncle".

The Congress party too condoled Ambareesh's death, stating that his demise was an unbearable loss for Karnataka.

Extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Ambareesh uncle. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to his family. Will always remember him fondly.  Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) November 24, 2018

"A straightforward and eloquent actor, former minister Ambareesh's death is deeply saddening. His demise will be a great loss for Karnataka. May god give his soul peace. Our condolences go out to his family and friends," the party's official twitter handle said in a tweet.

"Karnataka is poorer for losing actor and politician Ambareesh. I am deeply saddened by his demise. He was a good friend. May god bless his soul," BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa tweeted.

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Story first published: Sunday, November 25, 2018, 2:11 [IST]
Aircel-Maxis case: CBI allegations false, baseless, Chidambaram tells court

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Nov 24: Congress leader P. Chidambaram has termed as "false" and "baseless" the allegations of the CBI before a court here that he as finance minister had unlawfully granted FIPB approval to a Mauritius-based company in the Aircel-Maxis case.

The submissions were made by the politician in his rejoinder filed in response to the reply of the probe agency.

The CBI, in its reply to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, had alleged that he was not cooperating in the investigations.

The averments (by the CBI) that the applicant ( Chidambaram) had usurped the power of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, unlawfully granted the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval to Global Communication Services Ltd., Mauritius, and had chosen not to disclose facts which are in his exclusive knowledge are denied as being false, baseless and untenable, the politician said.

The rejoinder submissions were filed before Special Judge O.P. Saini through advocates P.K. Dubey and Arshdeep Singh.

It is submitted that the FIPB was chaired by the secretary, economic affairs, and included four other secretaries (industry, commerce, external affairs and overseas Indian affairs), and the secretary of the administrative ministry concerned.

"Five of them were among the senior most IAS officers and sixth was a senior IFS officer of the ministry of external affairs. Each one of them had a long and distinguished record of service," the rejoinder said.

It said as per the normal procedure, the recommendations of the FIPB are submitted to the Ministry of Finance where they are once again examined by junior officers and then by the additional secretary and secretary before the file is put up to the competent authority (Finance Minister).

It is the FIPB that decides who is the competent authority in the given case, the rejoinder said.

"Once the CBI itself chose not to either arrest Chidambaram during investigation, i.e., from the date of registration of the FIR in 2011 until grant of interim protection by this court vide it's order dated July 23, or even issue any summons directing him to appear for questioning after December 6, 2015, the CBI cannot at this stage, that too after filing of the charge sheet on July 19, oppose the grant of bail to the applicant of the ground of alleged gravity of offence, according to the rejoinder.

Chidambaram, a former finance minister, claimed that the allegations made by the CBI were "unsubstantiated" and there was no need of his custodial interrogation, as sought by the agency.

He claimed that all the evidence were documentary and already in the CBI's possession.

No evidence has been submitted by the CBI in support of its unfounded allegation that the applicant (Mr. Chidambaram) may tamper with the witnesses or evidence, the document said.

The court has extended till November 26 the protection from arrest to Chidambaram in the case.

In its reply, the CBI maintained that Chidambaram's custodial interrogation was necessary as he was evasive and non-cooperative in the probe.

Chidambaram filed his anticipatory bail application in May. His protection from arrest has been extended from time to time.

Investigating agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have sought custodial interrogation the Congress leader, saying he has not been cooperating and, therefore, making it difficult to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner as directed by the Supreme Court.

Chidambaram has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving 305 crore.

In its charge sheet filed earlier in the case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others, the CBI alleged that Chidambaram granted Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis.

The Maran brothers and the other accused named in the CBI charge sheet were discharged by the special court, which said the agency had failed to produce any material against them to proceed with the trial.

The ED is also probing a separate money-laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis matter, in which Chidambaram has been questioned by the agency and currently their anticipatory bail is pending.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 18:38 [IST]
Aiyar's 'neech' remark cost Congress Gujarat, but no lessons learned

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Nov 24: With elections being held in five states, political attacks, criticism, allegations and counter-allegations have become the order of the day. But, when political discourse deteriorates to such low levels that the Prime Minister of a country is called 'Manhoos' (inauspicious) and remarks are made on his caste, it makes one ponder whether dignity is still left in politics?

Attacking the Modi-led government on political issues is fine, but Congress must know that a personal attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi will only dent their chances of bouncing back in elections. Modi continues to reamin the most popular leader in India. People may have a loads of complaints with the the BJP government at the Centre, but people have faith in Modi.

Only Brahmins understand meaning of Hinduism, says Congress leader C P Joshi

Senior Congress leader from Rajasthan C P Joshi on Friday apologised for his casteist remarks after party chief Rahul Gandhi disapproved his comments and asked him to express regret. Joshi had reportedly said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP MP Uma Bharti and Hindu activist Sadhvi Ritambhara are from "lower castes" and know nothing of Hinduism. He had said it is the Brahmins who are learned and know of Hinduism.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, Raj Babbar, reportedly called PM Modi 'manhoos' (ominous) over the issue of rising fuel prices. Furthermore, Babbar compared the devalued rate of the Indian rupee to the PM's nonagenarian mother, who is around 97 years old.

Congress must recall what happened during the Gujarat elections last year. There was over 15 years of anti-incumbency in Gujarat when the state went to polls and the Congress had made right moves during the campaign to seize on this. But, days before the elections, Mani Shankar Aiyar dropped a bomb by calling PM Modi 'Neech', and this, many say, cost them Gujarat.

"Congress would have won Gujarat elections. Rahul Gandhi's soft Hindutva and temple visits had struck a chord among voters. Moreover, there was no leader in the Gujarat BJP who had Modi-like appeal. But, Aiyar's Neech remark totally changed it. You can see that BJP's victory victory margin was far less than compared to previous wons in Gujarat when Modi was at helm," a political observer told OneIndia.

Days following 'Neech' remark, BJP cadres left no stone unturned to magnify it out of proportions and build an effective counter narrative which eventually resulted in Congress losing Gujarat polls. Modi himself spoke on the issue and turned the table against Congress. Modi projected it as an attack on 'Gujarati asmita' and openly said that Congress dislikes him because he comes from a poor and humble background.

Raj Babbar compares rupee's falling value with age of Modi's mother

Madhya Pradesh, which will poll on November 28, and Rajasthan, which will vote on December 7, are big states where caste equations make a lot difference. CP Joshi's remark reeks of

'Brahiminic supremacy' which is something that the dalits thoroughly hate. How much damage has Joshi's remark done to the Congress is something that we ought to wait and watch?

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 11:54 [IST]
The evening begins with an Irish cocktail comprising Jameson Irish Whiskey, absinthe, Cointreau, Luxardo Maraschino cherries and Angostura bitters. The first course features aged Irish cheddar, pickled carrots, Irish soda bread and white pudding served with a Blarney Stone cocktail made with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, ginger beer, lemon, Angostura bitters and lime zest. For the second course, a Copywriter cocktail with Powers Irish Whiskey, Carpano Antica vermouth, housemade honey syrup and seltzer is paired with cockles and mussels that are steamed with Irish ale and served with shallots and potatoes in curry. The third course is a slow roasted coffee-rubbed bison prime rib served with horseradish cream, parsnip potato cakes, pickled mustard seed and grilled asparagus. The bison is paired with a Buena Vista Fizz featuring Michael Collins Irish Whiskey, house infused chicory rye whiskey, housemade coffee syrup, fresh lemon and orange, egg white, seltzer and nutmeg. Dessert is Guinness floats with malt cream served with a Brotherhood cocktail featuring Bushmills blended Irish whiskey, Grand Marnier and Benedictine liqueur with lime and lemon zest.
Ambareesh no more: Govt to arrange buses to ferry fans from Mandya to Bengaluru

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Nov 25: Karnataka government announced bus service from Mandya to Bengaluru to ferry fans and supporters of matinee idol Ambareesh who passed away on Saturday.

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, speaking to reporters after meeting the family of the actor said: " Special buses will be arranged to ferry fans from Mandya to Bengaluru for their convenience."

With a heavy heart visited the hospital and met the grieving family members of my dear friend rebel star #Ambareesh. In consultation with the family, I have instructed to make arrangements for the public and fans to pay last respects to the departed leader at Kanteerava Stadium. pic.twitter.com/NrvyR4pDc0  CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 24, 2018

Also, Chief Minister requested all to maintain peace, prevent any untoward incidents over the grief, and pay homage to the departed soul peacefully.

Ambareesh was an MLA with the Congress party, winning the assembly election of the Mandya constituency, by a margin of 42,937 votes. He served as Minister of Housing, Karnataka Government in the Cabinet of Cheif Minister Siddaramaiah from May 2013 to June 2016.

He represented the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency for three terms. He was the minister of state for Information and Broadcasting in the 14th Lok Sabha, but resigned over his dissatisfaction with the Cauvery Dispute Tribunal award, though the resignation was not formally accepted. He was defeated in the May 2009 General Elections.
Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Lucknow, Nov 24: At least 2 lakh workers of the RSS and VHP are set to descend upon Ayodhya on Sunday for the Vishwa Hindu Dharm Sabha.

The organisers say that they are preparing three lakh food packets for the event. This would be a massive show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. It is also aimed at pushing the BJP government at the Centre to move fast on the Ram Temple issue.

Sena's communal provocation: 'Demolished babri in 17 mins', says Sanjay Raut

In a bid to push the cause further slogans by both the Shiv Sena and VHP have been tweaked. The Shiv Sena slogan goes, ' peel mandir pair sarkar. On the other hand the VHP has moved from mandir wahin banega to mandir jaldi banaenge.

Ahead of the event, Section 144 has been clamped in Ayodhya. Officials have been conducting rounds in Muslim dominated areas to assure the community of their safety.

Now, Congress leader Raj Babbar bats for Ram Temple, says even Muslims want it

The Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray and his son would reach Faizabad at 2 pm on Saturday. They will meet with seers and also perform Saryu aarti in the evening. On Sunday after a visit to Ramjanmabhoomi, they will leave for Mumbai.

The Dharm Sabha will start at around 2 pm on Sunday.
Akhilesh may even convert to get Muslim votes: UP minister

BJP stands for Jandhan, Aadhaar and Mobile but SP is for Jinnah, Azam and Mukhtar: Amit Shah

BJP ally backs Akhilesh Yadav's call to bring Army into Ayodhya

India

oi-Deepika S

Lucknow, Nov 24: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), the BJP ally in Uttar Pradesh has come out in support of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's statement on Ayodhya.

"I welcome Akhilesh's statement. Section 144 is imposed in Ayodhya, yet the administration is letting people gather there, it means they have failed. The army should be brought," said Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President OP Rajbhar on Saturday.

"Chief Minister (Yogi Adiyanath) is interested in election campaigning when Section 144 is imposed in Faizabad (Ayodhya). The kind of crowd that has gathered there... its responsibility will lie with the Chief Minister," he added.

Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

SBSP is a BJP ally in Uttar Pradesh while Rajbhar is the state Minister of the Department of Backward Classes Welfare and the Department of Disabled People.

Rajbhar, who has often been critical of the BJP government in the state, was especially concerned about the widespread flouting of restrictions in the city.

"The Chief Minister is interested in election campaigning at a time when Section 144 has been imposed in Faizabad (Ayodhya). This means that the administration has failed, and the Army should be brought in," the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader said, adding that he welcomes Yadav's statement.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches Ayodhya

Earlier this month, he had declared that the Ram temple agitation is nothing but a "drama" that plays out every time the elections approach. A few days on, he asked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to rename Muslim leaders in the BJP before changing the names of towns and cities.

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey subsequently termed Rajbhar as a "necessary evil who shouldn't be taken seriously".

Ahead of the Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya on Sunday to push for the construction of a Ram temple, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said if required the Army should be deployed in the town.

Talking to reporters Friday, Yadav had said, "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the Army, if required... as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent," Yadav told reporters.

The Dharam Sabha is being touted as one of the largest congregations of Lord Ram devotees after December 6, 1992, when the Babri Masjid was demolished, but some Muslim leaders view it as a move to polarise the voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 17:40 [IST]
Ram temple in Ayodhya to be ready by 2025, open for 'darshan' to devotees by 2023 end

Bring law on Ram Temple soon, communal harmony is at stake: Baba Ramdev

India

oi-Vikas SV

Lucknow, Nov 24: With the Ram Temple issue taking the centrestage in the national politics, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday urged the BJP-led Union Government to bring in a law to facilitate the construction of shrine at the disputed site soon. He said that if a law is not brought soon then people may take law in their own hands.

"People have lost patience. Bring a law for Ram Mandir or else people will start building it on their own. If people do that, communal harmony could be disturbed. I believe there is no opposition to Ram in country, all Hindus, Muslims and Christians are his descendants," Ramdev told media today.

Whatever BJP's associates are doing in Ayodhya is part of a conspiracy: Mayawati

There is heavy security in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya ahead of a Dharam Sabha or religious meeting called on Sunday by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple and a two-day visit beginning today by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Hundreds of policemen have been deployed at the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Majid site and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed. Devotees are being allowed darshan at the makeshift temple there in small batches, a senior officer said.

Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

The Uttar Pradesh Police has sounded a statewide alert, fearing disruption to law and order during the VHP's Dharam Sabha on Sunday, when more than one lakh people are expected to converge in the town. This is expected to be the largest gathering in the town since 1992, when thousands of Kar Sevaks had uprooted barricades and razed the 16th century Babri Masjid on December 6 that year.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 15:53 [IST]
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

Brutal: Terrorists kill another civilian in J&K

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Srinagar, Nov 24: In yet another act of brutality, terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir abducted a citizen and killed him. The incident took place in District Shopian.

Three persons were abducted by terrorists from the Reban area of Shopian. They have been identified as Reyaz Ahmad, Zahid Ahmad and Basharat Ahmad, all residents of Reban Shopian.

Will deliberate upon J&K elections next week: CEC

The two of them were set free however, Police retrieved the dead body of one Basharat Ahmad from village Nikloora in Pulwama. His body was handed over to his family after completion of medico-legal formalities.

A case under under relevant sections of law has been registered for this terror crime in the concerned Police Station and investigation has been initiated in the matter.

One of six terrorists killed in J&K was involved in Shujaat Bukhari murder

On November 16, terrorists had killed a civilian in the Pulwama area. He was identified as Nadeem Manzoor. The terrorists from the Hizbul Mujahideen said that they killed the civilian as he was an informer.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 6:41 [IST]
No one will be able to destroy Congress, leaders joining TMC 'drama', says Venugopal

Congress, BJP election speeches reach a new low

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Nov 24: Thanks to our politicians, the tone and language of the political speech have sunk below standard in the elections. Might be slip of tongue or deliberate calling of names sounds entertaining to the voters, but a speech without ethical undertone doesn't deserve respect.

We all remember then Congress President Sonia Gandhi's infamous 'Mauth Ka Saudaagar' jibe against Narendra Modi during the 2007 Gujarat Assembly election and its consequence. But politicians hardly learn from each other's mistake and rather they are taking political morality to a new low.

Aiyar's 'neech' remark cost Congress Gujarat, but no lessons learned

Speeches during the upcoming assembly elections are less discussed the better. Unfortunately, these remarks are bereft of minimum decency and respect for each others position and stature in public life.

Falling rupee compared to the age of Narendra Modi's mother

Congress leader Raj Babbar referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother during his campaign in Madhya Pradesh to describe the free fall of rupee. Modi's mother Heeraben Modi is 98. The rupee has seen a continued fall against the robust US dollar this year. BJP's spokesperson Sambit Patra said the use of unparliamentary language or to drag any person's mother into politics was unacceptable.

The man who demands an apology from the Congress used even more offending words against the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Whatever BJP's associates are doing in Ayodhya is part of a conspiracy: Mayawati

Sambit Patra called Neharu-Gandhi family 'Thugs of Hindustan'

Hindi news channel Aaj Tak too organised an audience-based show in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. Participating in the show were Rajiv Tyagi of the Congress and Sambit Patra from the BJP. This was after both Patra and Tyagi used derogatory terms for the Nehru-Gandhi family and Narendra Modi respectively. The show turned into a battlefield with supporters of both the parties clashing with each other.

Congratulations, we have become a laughing stock for whole world!!! pic.twitter.com/yFqzdleiek  Irony Of India (@IronyOfIndia_) November 20, 2018

Kamal Nath called as 'Commission Nath':

Once again, BJP's Sambit of Patra used a derogatory remark against the Congress leader. In a press conference, Patra called the Congress leader, 'Commission Nath' due to his alleged connection with the sensational 2G spectrum scam. Patra said, " Today, from this stage, we are coining a new name for Kamal Nath ji. He is not Kamal Nath, he is 'Commission Nath'. Madhya Pradesh ki janta ko Commission Nath nahi chahiye, yahan kamal hi khilega."

CP Joshi's casteist remarks:

Joshi, a former Union Minister and once a contender for Rajasthan's Chief Minister post, is seen asking what is the caste of Uma Bharti, Sadhvi, PM Narendra Modi. He goes on to claim that despite being non-Brahmins, these individuals go on to talk about Hinduism.
Modi's response to Babbar's highly irresponsible remark

"My mother doesn't know anything about politics but the Congress is dragging her into it. Congress cannot take me on," Modi said today at a rally in Chhattarpur in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

"Jab mudde nahi hote, kusanskar bhare hote hain, ahankar saatven aasmaan par hota hai, tab jaakar kisi ki maa ko gaali dene ki himmat aati hai...Azadi ke baad jisne itne saal raaj kiya, us party ke jimmewar log Modi ke saath bhidne ke bajaye, Modi ki maa ko gaali de rahe hain (When there are no issues, they resoirt to these kind of tactics. Only when there is arrogance can someone think about insulting somebody else's mother. The leaders of the party which ruled for many years after the independence cannot take on Modi, so they are insulting Modi's mother," he said. (Image - ANI/Twitter)

Aiyar's 'neech' remark cost Congress Gujarat, but no lessons learned

What had Raj Babbar said

Babbar's remark comparing the rupee's falling value against the US dollar with the age of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother kicked up a controversy on Friday, with the BJP demanding an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Babbar made the controversial remark while addressing a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh's Indore city on Thursday.

(Before becoming the prime minister) Modi used to say that compared to the (US) dollar, the value of the rupee has fallen to a level where it is almost the same as the age of the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh)," Babbar, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, had said.

"Mr Prime Minister, at that time, you had not taken his (Manmohan Singh) name out of respect. Although our tradition does not allow this, we wish to say that now the value of the rupee has fallen to the age of your respected mother," he added.

BJP condemned Babbar's remark

The BJP condemned Babbar's remark. The party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra said it was not proper to use unparliamentary words or drag any person's mother into politics. "But the Congress' attitude against the Prime Minister's mother has been improper from the beginning and such language was used even against the Prime Minister," Patra claimed. "Rahul Gandhi should apologise and he should clarify whether he endorses such controversial statements," he said.

Raj Babbar compares rupee's falling value with age of Modi's mother

What Congress should be wary of

Attacking the Modi-led government on political issues is fine, but Congress must know that a personal attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi will only dent their chances of bouncing back in elections. Modi continues to remain the most popular leader in India. People may have a loads of complaints with the the BJP government at the Centre, but people have faith in Modi.

Congress must recall what happened during the Gujarat elections last year. There was over 15 years of anti-incumbency in Gujarat when the state went to polls and the Congress had made right moves during the campaign to seize on this. But, days before the elections, Mani Shankar Aiyar dropped a bomb by calling PM Modi 'Neech', and this, many say, cost them Gujarat.
Dalit groups misleading people in the name of Behenji: Mayawati

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Mumbai, Nov 24: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati ruled out any political connection with 'Bhim Army and Bahujan Youth for Mission 2019-Next PM Bahan ji'. Mayawati cautioned the party supporters not to fall prey to campaigns run by these organisations.

Mayawati said, " BSP has come to know that organisations like Bhim Army and Bahujan Youth for Mission 2019-Next PM Bahan ji are playing in hands of our opposition from behind curtain. Those running these anti-BSP organisation are telling innocent people of our party in Dalit colonies they'll make Behenji PM."

Ten important Assembly seats in Rajasthan where important leaders fielded against each other

She alleged that these organizations raising funds in her name and party. "People running these organizations are telling this to people to run their business and gather people at their events. Not only this, they also tell people that their organizations are working to strengthen only BSP and Behen ji. They're playing with people's sentiments and collecting funds using it, " she said.

The BSP chief asserted that these two organizations are spreading hatred. "These organisations do this not only for their and opposition's selfish needs but also provoke our innocent people against people of the upper caste and spread hatred, she said.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 12:04 [IST]
Alcohol could swing political fortunes in Mizoram

India

oi-Deepika S

Aizawl, Nov 24: In Christian-majority Mizoram, the issue of liquor prohibition could form the basis of a swing vote against the incumbent Congress in Mizoram. All political parties have liquor on their manifestos, be it to abstain or to indulge mildly or just go ahead with it. While the Congress is for selective prohibition, the MNF has made an absolute ban on the sale and consumption of liquor its pet electoral issue.

The state has a total population of about 10 lakh people only, but elections here are being seen as very important for the Congress and and Mizoram National Party (MNF), who have ruled Mizoram ever since it it became a full-fledged state in 1987, as also for the BJP that sees it as the 'final frontier' in the North-East.

Assembly elections: How Mizoram voted in 2013

While the ruling Congress is against total prohibition, the main opposition MNF wants a complete ban. The BJP has taken a middle path by proposing to ban the liquor coming from outside the state and encourage only locally produced ones.

When the state Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was in office for his third term, he introduced the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act banning sale and consumption of alcohol effective from February 20, 1997.

In 2007, the Act was amended during the MNF chief minister Zoramthanga's rule to allow wine to be made from guavas and grapes, but with restrictions on the alcohol content and the volume possessed.

During Thanhawla's fifth term, Mizoram repealed prohibition on July 10, 2014.

The powerful Presbyterian Church had organised mass prayers in all member churches across the state twice that year against repeal of the prohibition.

The MLPC Act came into force from January 15, 2015, while the first wine shop under the new law was opened on March 16, 2015.

According to the Mizoram Excise & Narcotics Department website, deaths due to liquor consumption have been on a rise from 9 in 2015 to 22 in 2016 and to 59 in 2017.

Favouring control than prohibition, PRISM leader said people need to be made aware about ill affects of liquor and some changes can be made in the MLPC Act.

Zoramthanga, Hluna and Vanlalruata also pitched for home-made rice beer or locally produced liquor.

Except Mamit district, rest all seven districts -- Kolasib, Aizawl, Champhai, Serchhip, Lunglei, Lawngtlai and Siaha -- have higher number of female voters.

The Congress has been in power in Mizoram since 2008 and is eyeing the third consecutive term. In 2013 Assembly elections, the Congress won 34 seats, while the MNF had five and Mizoram People's Conference bagged one.

Mizoram will vote on November to decide who will form the next government in this highly-literate and Christian-majority state.While Congress and MNF are contesting in all the 40 constituencies this time, BJP is fighting in 39 seats and PRISM has put up candidates in 15 seats.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 18:57 [IST]
Why Muridke is strategic

Muridke is an extremely strategic location for Mir. His home is the near the Ganda Nala lane in Lahore Pakistan which is very close to Murdike which also happens to be one of the main base camps of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the outfit he works for.

He is a key player for the Lashkar and today his importance for them is immense as they prepare to launch the Karachi Project which they have been working for some time now.

From the Muridke camp, the Lashkar plans and launches all its operations and Mir is very much out there coordinating with the Lashkar's international contacts to help launch the Karachi attack. Incidentally he is the one who even identified and handled David Headley who again has the brand of an international terrorist.

Lying low:

After the 26/11 attack he was told to lie low for a long time. He was in fact in Lahore all the time at his home. The fact that Pakistan even denies the existence of such a man and terms the allegations by India as a myth helped their cause even further.

No amount of surveillance done by the Indian agencies was able to track this man down.

However it was the Mossad agents who had provided India with ample information and his movement and it was found that he had moved into the Muridke camp of the Lashkar. Going by what the Israelis have filed before the Eastern District Court of New York in the month of October 2014 it becomes all the more clear that he is located in Murdike.

After the attacks of 26/11, the ISI had told him to lie low. Ideally the ISI moves its operatives to the Gulf when the heat is too high on their operatives. However in the case of Mir they did not do so. The arrests of Abu Jundal the Hindi tutor of the ten terrorists from the Gulf made the ISI think twice before sending its operatives there.

Moreover in the case of Jundal even the Pakistanis had staked a claim on him, but the Indians managed to win that battle and extradite him.

This is a clear indication that he was never moved out of Pakistan even once. The ISI does not mind if operatives of such importance take a salary from them for not doing work for years together. They tend to activate such terrorists for specific jobs once in five to ten years and this time he is active in connection with the Karachi project.

26/11 anniversary: Did David Headley survive the brutal attack on him?

The Karachi Project:

According to the testimony of Headley the Karachi Project was planned to launch operations in India using the home grown terrorists. This was the brain child of the ISI.

However the ISI realised that that the world had got wind of the project that they were planning. They decided to make a strategic move in which they moved their main officer Major Hashim officially into the Lashkar. This move meant that during the planning and execution stages the ISI would not be under the radar of the international agencies.

While the ISI backs the Karachi Project completely, it is today headed by Major Hashim and Sajid Mir. In addition to this they also have the support of Abu Yakoob who is the head of the naval wing of the Lashkar.

Mir has been handed out a major responsibility in this project. He recruits youth from Indian states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra and brings them into Pakistan before sending them back to India. The intent is to train these youth and keep them ready when they decided to execute the Karachi Project in full.

Why is Mir important

Mir is the one who gave the Lashkar a new dimension. In fact he always told Hafiz Saeed that for the Lashkar to grow it should grown out of the Kashmir obsession and focus on the other parts of India as well.

He was a passionate Jihadi who had worked for several years in Saudi Arabia and after making his money he returned to Paksitan.

Born and brought up in a middle class Punjabi home in Lahore, he returned to Pakistan and set up a textile business. He later married the daughter of a retired army officer in Pakistan and has two sons today.

His major international assignment before David Headley was with French operative Willie Brigitte. Mir had roped him in and trained him in Pakistan to undertake combat.

David Headley as we all know had come to India to carry out a reconnaissance ahead of the 26/11attack. The audacity with which Headley operated can be seen in the manner that he decided to come back to India even after the attack.

Officers of the NIA who had probed Headley who continue to share and gather information with several other agencies say that after the 26/11 attack, the ISI had already started chalking out the Karachi Project.

They realised that they needed to get a new team ready and also get more information on potential targets in India.

Headley seemed to be the obvious choice and none had any information on him at least in India. The agencies say that he has made over 6 visits to India and there was just one after the attack in which he surveyed targets for the Karachi Project.
Before the recent salmonella outbreak that led to the recall of a half-billion eggs, a factory south of Chicago was one of two plants cranking out 5 million pasteurized eggs a week. Ninety percent of the eggs from National Pasteurized Eggs went to food service companies. But when news of the recall hit, grocery stores sold out of pasteurized. With retail demand skyrocketing, the company turned out 9 million eggs in the first week after the recall, said NPE President Gregory West.



Which made us wonder: How do pasteurized eggs measure up, both in taste and use?



"We're killing the bacteria that cause flavors to degrade, so they taste more like farm fresh eggs," said Jay Berglind, vice president of business development for NPE.



We decided to test that claim. But first, a little background:



NPE buys eggs from regional USDA-approved farms, which deliver them within 72 hours of when they were laid, said Berglind. All but about 10 percent of the eggs are from conventional farms; the rest are cage-free.



At the Lansing, Ill., plant, the eggs ride a conveyor belt into a hot, humid room that smells like a chicken barn. Workers load the egg trays onto an industrial dumbwaiter that gently lowers the eggs into what Berglind likes to call "the Jacuzzi." The eggs spend an hour moving through a tank of hot, bubbly water, which slowly raises the temperature of the eggs to kill bacteria, Berglind said. The water churns to prevent the eggs from cooking as they're heated.



After the bath, an egg cracked into a bare hand feels about as hot as a warm mug of coffee. The eggs are considered safe to eat, even if they don't reach 160 degrees  the temperature at which an egg is considered fully cooked. The yolk is as smooth and buoyant as any raw egg, and the whites are viscous and sticky.



But it turns out those whites aren't quite the same after pasteurization. The heat causes proteins to link together, Berglind said  a side effect that makes it more difficult to whip pasteurized egg whites into peaks.



After beating pasteurized whites for 15 minutes with an electric whisk, we still had wimpy peaks. Berglind said eggnog lovers have called with the same problem. Adding cream of tartar is essential to making stiffer peaks with pasteurized eggs, he said, but even then it would probably take 30 to 50 percent longer than with regular eggs.



"It won't get you peaks that you can walk across," he said. "They're just not going to get super stiff."



But what about taste? It was time for a fried egg face-off.



We woke early to buy eggs from three farmers markets, which were selling out faster than usual because of the egg recall. C&D Family Farms sold 80 dozen eggs at the Andersonville market alone, up from 50 to 55 dozen, said owner Crystal Nells.



Back at home, we fried three rounds of eggs from C&D Family Farms of Knox, Ind.; Mint Creek Farm of Stelle, Ill.; Kinnikinnick Farm of Caledonia, Ill.; and NPE. Mint Creek and Kinnikinnick's eggs are free-range and organic; C&D uses organic feed, but the land on which the chickens roam hasn't been certified organic. In the interest of full disclosure, we were prejudiced to favor the farm eggs.



"Chickens that are free-range might get some bugs or some weeds in the yard," said Marie Simmons, author of "The Good Egg." "It affects the color of their yolk  it's much richer and darker. A lot of people who are used to supermarket eggs don't like them because they're too 'eggy.'"



Mint Creek eggs were the epitome of eggy with rich, custardy yolks, while Kinnikinnick eggs had an herbal edge. C&D's eggs were hit or miss: In two of the three rounds, we liked NPE's flavor better.



But the differences in taste were not so pronounced as to make any one of them the overwhelming favorite.



They all would make for a fine breakfast. Because of the coagulated proteins in NPE's egg whites, they cooked up smaller but fluffier. We liked that texture for soaking up the bright, creamy yolks.



Deciding which eggs to buy comes down to priorities and cost. C&D and Mint Creek charge $5 per dozen, while Kinnikinnick eggs are $6 per dozen. NPE sells its eggs under the Davidson's Safest Choice label for $3.79 at Jewel-Osco.



Rudy Speckamp, a certified master chef at the Culinary Institute of America, said he prefers pasteurized eggs when the recipe calls for undercooking them.



"It depends on the preparation," he said. "If it's still soft and runny, there's a possibility you could taste the difference. But once you cook the product more, I don't think it matters much."







What are pasteurized eggs?







Pasteurized eggs are rapidly heated to minimum required temperature (usually 130 to 140 degrees) for a specified time, according to the USDA and Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking." This destroys salmonella but does not cook the eggs.



For more on how to buy, store, handle and cook eggs, go to http://www.fda.gov.
Kannada actor and former union minister Ambareesh passes away

India

oi-Deepika S

Bengaluru, Nov 24: Kannada actor and former union minister Ambareesh passed away at the age of 66 on Saturday. He breathed his last at a private hospital in Bengaluru after suffering a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Sumalatha and son Abhishek Gowda.

The Kannada superstar was, reportedly, suffering from a kidney ailment and he was taken to the hospital after his health condition deteriorated. He collapsed at his residence at 5 pm on Saturday evening and was taken to Vikram hospital. At around 10.50 pm, he was declared dead.

Reportedly, few hours before his death, Ambareesh had expressed his shock to the bus accident which claimed the lives of 30 people.

From stardom to politics: What will Ambareesh be remembered for

Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy condoled the veteran actor's death announced the body of veteran Kannada actor and Congress leader M H Ambareesh will be kept at the near Dr Rajkumar Smaraka Sree Kanteerava Studio, Bengaluru, with state honours on Monday(26-11-2018). Special buses has been arranged from all taluks of Mandya district to facilitate the public travel to pay homage to the leader.

Public will be allowed to pay tribute to their beloved actor and leader Ambareesh on Sunday (25-11-2018) 8am onwards at Kanteerava Stadium.

As a mark of respect to the departed leader government has declared an official mourning of three days.

The chief minister has requested all to maintain peace, prevent any untoward incidents over the grief, and pay homage to the departed soul peacefully.

Security has been intensified at different places across the district following his death.

Ambareesh life and achievements

Born and raised in Doddarasinakere Village of Maddur Talluk in Mandya District of Karnataka, he is fondly referred to as Mandayada Gandu. Following his debut in Puttanna Kanagal's National Award winning film Naagarahaavu, his acting career commenced with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic and supporting characters in Kannada films.

After establishing himself as a lead rebellion actor in a number of commercially successful films, he became synonymous with the term "rebel star" and has since continued to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of Karnataka.He is widely revered as "Karunada Karna for his numerous charity works.

'A rebel loved by all': Condolences pour in for Ambareesh

Ambareesh has acted in over 200 movies. He was last seen in Ambi Ning Vayassaytho which released earlier this year.

Ambareesh has been an MP on three occasions from 1998-99, 1999-2004 and 2004-2009. He was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, from 2006 to 2008. He entered politics in the year 1995.

Awards and Recognition

Karnataka State Special Award for Best Actor for Antha in 1982.

Karnataka State Award for "Best Supporting Actor"(1985-86) in the film Masanada Hoovu, directed by Puttanna Kanagal

Filmfare Award for Best Actor in the film "Olavina Udugore" directed by Rajendra Babu.

Received NTR National Award for the year 2005.

Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award - South 2009.

Andhra Government honoured Nandhi Award 2009.

Puttanna Kanagal award in 90s but rejected{later went to actor T.N.Bala krishna}

TV9 Sandalwood Star Awards - 2012, Lifetime Achievement Award.

Karnataka Government Dr. Vishnuvardhan Award in the year 2011.

Honorary Doctorate from the Karnataka University, Dharwad in the year 2013.

SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award 2012.
Manmohan Singh welcomes govt decision to develop Kartarpur corridor

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Nov 24: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday welcomed the building of the Kartarpur corridor, linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments that the corridor will act as a bridge between the people of the two countries, Singh, however, cautioned that there were many hurdles to cross before it could be achieved.

"There are many hurdles and one should not underestimate those hurdles. But any beginning is a good beginning, I hope it is successful," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference titled "Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation", organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

Singh, however, did not say what he thought the hurdles were.

On first Sikh guru Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary Friday, Modi had said, "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall? Maybe, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries."

Earlier, in a significant decision, the Union Cabinet had cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the neighbouring country to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor.

PTI

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 20:29 [IST]
'I will not go to Centre, will live and die in Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Third 'son' of Indira Gandhi, 9-time MP Kamal Nath is the new CM of Madhya Pradesh

MP Elections: Its advantage Congress as saints unite against BJP govt

India

oi-Deepika S

Bhopal, Nov 24: New equations are taking shape in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh as the state heads for elections on November 28. A group of religious figures led by godman Computer Baba declared support to the Congress, which is seen as a shot in the arm just ahead of the elections.

Upset with the state government's "exploitation" of the Narmada River and its cold shoulder to 'gau raksha', the seers performed a 'parivartan yagna' in Jabalpur on Thursday, led by 'Computer Baba'. They not only announced that they would give five years to the Congress but also criticised Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for backtracking on his promises.

'Congress can't take me on, so insulting my mother': Modi

It marks a radical change in the political stand of Swami seers, who had been anointed as a minister of state by the Bharatiya Janata Party government.

"When we can give 15 years to them (the BJP), then we can surely give five years to Congress. If Congress upholds dharma, we will go with them in future or else we will withdraw the support," he said.

Accusing the Shivraj Chouhan government of not fulfilling the promise of building gaushalas, the seers said the state used the SC/ST Act to create a rift in society. "We preach the concept of global village while the government is dividing us on caste lines," they alleged.

Aiyar's 'neech' remark cost Congress Gujarat, but no lessons learned

While the political ramifications of the protest is yet to be seen, there is no denying that with the Madhya Pradesh polls slated for November 28, the last-minute rebellion from seers does not augur well for the ruling BJP.

In April, the BJP government in the state accorded him the status of Minister of State along with five others by appointing him on a committee for conservation of the river Narmada.

Before that, he had announced a 'yatra' (procession) to expose illegal sand mining in the Narmada.

He resigned in October, accusing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of being a hypocrite and not fulfilling the promises made to him.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 19:54 [IST]
Multi layered air defence: How S-400 fits into India's scheme of things

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Nov 24: The peace at the border is to a large extent dependent on how well a country is prepared to retaliate attacks. It may seem like irony, but strategic assets like nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles, which can wreak havoc if used, are developed to serve as deterrents.

If the ability of a country to strike back is key in the current geopolitical situation, then the capability to defend against the incoming aerial attacks is equally important. The purchase of S-400 air defence systems from Russia would not only help India to thwart incoming aerial threats like cruise missiles, UAVs, helicopters etc, but it will allow India to combine it with existing defence mechanism and come up with a multi-layered air defence system.

India is already working on two-tier Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Program and has Aakash Missiles to take on aerial attacks. The S-400 Triumph missile defense system is a significant strategic upgrade in India's military hardware. In fact India badly needed such a system given the hostile surroundings and growing capabilities of China and Pakistan.

[10 things to know about S-400 missiles that India will purchase from Russia]

Defence and strategic matters expert Major General PK Sehgal told OneIndia that India's air defence capabilities badly needed an upgrade. He said S-400 deal was the need of the hour given the growing threats from China and Pakistan.

"Given its (S-400 Triumf) powerful radars which can pick up any movement in the air upto a distance of 600 kms. Any aircraft taking off from its (Pakistan's) airfields can be picked up by us and we can knock it down before it comes anywhere near the border. This is one system which can track more than 300 aerial objects concurrently and can destroy upto 30 of them. It can prioritise which is more threatening and take appropriate action. It also gives you the capability of overlapping air defence systems," he said.

[Akash, PAD, AAD and now S-400 triumf air defence missile system]

"We did not have anything (in terms of air defence) between 400 kms and 25 kms. This is a system which can take on the enemy from 30 kms to 400m kms. Then you are also buying Israeli Barack 8 systems which has a range of 70 kms extendable upto 100 kms. So, you will have a layered air defence to take take on threats from China and Pakistan," said Major General PK Sehgal.

The system if deployed along Pakistan border will provide India an edge of 600kms radar coverage with option of shooting down incoming aircraft from 400kms from its territory. The system has a multi-function radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers besides a command and control centre.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 5:00 [IST]
Now, VHP will have six similar and simultaneous rallies across the country

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Nov 24: More than double the number what the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had expected are gathering in Ayodhya for Dharm Sansad or rally called by the organisation. Over two lakh people are reaching Ayodhya along with around 5000 Muslims too will be part of the gathering. VHP will have five simultaneous meetings of same magnitude at other places of the country.

On being asked about getting December 6 like situation repeated, VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal told Oneindia, "See people have started coming to Ayodhya.

Saints will be on the dais and their instruction will be followed by all the people present there. It is difficult to tell the exact number of people coming to Ayodhya but the way people seems to be motivated no one can predict or guess the number.

Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

Please don't call them crowd, they are Ram Bhakt and people calling them crowd, looking mania into them, calling it an issue of law and order and causing apprehension about getting this gathering berserk is absolutely incorrect. Such people forget that this is a Dharm Sansad. Venerable saints will be there."

Bansal said, "Ram Bhakta are gathering there. They are coming to Ayodhya for the construction of Ram temple not for destruction of anything. So it is important to understand this. Moreover, this is not just happening in Ayodhya but also in Mangaluru, Bangluru, Nagpur, Jamshedpur and Tata Nagar too will have such meetings.

'When will Ram Mandir be constructed? I want date,' asks Sena chief

Similar big gathering is planned there and people in lakhs will gather there and they will be guided by saints. Besides all the Lok Sabha constituencies will have small gatherings."

Muslims under the banner of Muslim Rashtriya Manch are also reaching Ayodhya to attend Dharm Sanasad. Workers of MRM are reaching there with women workers also being represented in it.

Around 5000 such workers are expected there and some of them have already reached. Similar number of Shiv Sena workers are also reaching Ayodhya to attend the programme as Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey has already reached the city.

Shiv Sena has already erected 150 small and big hoardings with slogans that first temple than the government. The administration is well prepared looking at the slogans at hoardings.

The VHP is making all the arrangements from parking to vehicle, to security to food to lodging of the people.

But they were little apprehensive about their arrangement falling short as the number of people coming to Ayodhya is way beyond their expectation. But the success of this rally or Dharm Sansad will make the way easier for December 9 rally at Ramlila Maidsn in Delhi for which the VHP is also getting ready.

VHP vice president Champat Rai is in Ayodhya looking after the arrangement and preparation. He is also meeting and interacting with sadhu, saints and sages of Ayodhya.

"Actually people are running out of patience with the court not considering it a matter of priority which has been the real reason of built up and believe it, the gathering is more spontaneous than persuasion driven. People want temple in Ayodhya to be built as soon as possible," said a VHP worker.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 20:15 [IST]
Centre renames 2 prominent institutes after Sushma Swaraj on the eve of her birth anniversary

The joy of our lives: Sushma Swaraj's husband warm birthday wishes for late leader

Remembering Sushma Swaraj on her death anniversary: Facts about Iron Lady of India

Sushma Swaraj turns down Pakistan's invite for Sikh pilgrim corridor event

India

oi-PTI

Islamabad, Nov 24: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will not visit Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims, her office said.

She had been invited by her counterpart Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi today.

Thanking Qureshi, Swaraj said Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Puri will travel to Pakistan instead.

I thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Foreign Minister of Pakistan for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the Pakistan side of the International boundary on 28 November 2018. /1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan is set to be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that they would develop the stretch.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities at on the Pakistan side on November 28.

Apart from Swaraj, Qureshi also invited Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony.

"On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj , Capt Amarinder Singh @capt_amarinder & Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at #Kartarpura on 28 Nov, 2018," Qureshi tweeted.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016.

India called off a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.
'Peace creates Unity', monk's reason for Buddha statue in Gujarat

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Nov 24: People of India have just witnessed the inauguration of Sardar Patel statue in Gujarat. The BJP ruled state is gearing up for another statue- 80 feet statue of Gautam Buddha on the banks of Sabarmati river.

Bhante Prashil Ratna Gautam, the founder of Sanghakaya Foundation, is in charge of the forthcoming Buddha statue. OneIndia spoke to Bhante Prashil Ratna about the necessity and impact of Buddha statue.

Bhante Prashil Ratna

Asked about the timing of proposed statue in the nation gripped in statue fever, Bhante Prashil Ratna said, "It is not a new project, but old one launching now. The idea was proposed in 2011 and then we were struggling to get land. Now the government is ready to give land on the banks of Sabarmati river, Gandhinagar. The file has been moved further."

"As soon as the land is sanctioned we have the plan to call Dalai Lamaji for two-three days in Ahmedabad for bhoomi pooja."

The height of the planned statue is not decided randomly but there is a reason behind this. "At the age of 35 Buddha attained enlightenment and propagated 'Dhamma' for the next 45 years (these numbers add ups to 80) therefore the 80 feet statue will be built," said Bhante Prashil. However, the Sanghakaya Foundation has not fought financial support for the statue from the government.

Buddha idol found in Gujarat

Buddhists from India and across the world are contributing for the cause. Bhanteji is traveling and he has received a positive response. "We haven't asked funds for the statue but they (government) spent on Sardar Patel statue, they may support this cause also, " hoped Bhante Prashil.

Relics recovered during excavation

Not only Bihar, but Gujarat does also have a history of the Buddhist tradition. Interestingly, the statue will be a replica of Buddha's relic recovered during an excavation in Vadnagar. Speaking about the necessity of the statue at this juncture, the monk justified the idea saying, "We need the statue of Buddha as a symbol of peace. Nowadays, peace is more important than everything. When the mind is peaceful people are united. Peace creates unity, unity may not create peace."

Dalai Lama

Narendra Modi attended the International Buddhist conference in Baroda during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Then, Dalai Lama had proposed a Buddha statue and monastery in the state. Then, the government has sanctioned the land and a monument will be built at the cost of Rs 1,200 crore at Dev Ni Mori.

Bhante Prashil Ratna exuded confidence that the Buddha statue will help revive Buddhist culture. "Buddhism has many philosophical and practical aspects. Art and architecture is another aspect, " he said.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 10:25 [IST]
Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight

Rafale: Now French NGO files complaint, seeks clarification on deal

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Nov 24: Amidst all the controversy, a French NGO has filed a complaint with France's Prosecutor Office seeking a clarification on the condition under which the deal for 36 Rafale fighters were signed with India.

The NGO has also questioned the choice of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as offset partner by Dassault Aviation, the makers of the jet.

Manmohan Singh says Modi Govt not ready for probe into Rafale deal

The NGO Sherpa in a press release said that it expects the National Public Prosecutor's Office to promptly probe the seriousness of the facts and presumptions on the reported

offences: potential corruption, grant of undue advantages, trading in influence, complicity of these offences, concealment of corruption and laundering of these offences.

Recently the Supreme Court had reserved its order on a batch of petitions that challenged the deal. After hearing arguments of all sides, the court reserved the verdict. The Rafale Deal has become a major issue, with the opposition alleging that Dassault chose Reliance Defence as offset partner despite its inexperience.

Rafale issue: 'Modi government lies again', tweets Rahul Gandhi

Further the BJP led government has also been accused of intentionally scraping a deal signed by the UPA government. The UPA had signed a deal with Dassault for 126 Rafale jets under which 18 jets were to be supplied in a fly away condition. The remaining 108 jets were to be manufactured in India along with the state run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 6:45 [IST]
Bengaluru Apartment Fire Accident Today: Fire breaks out at building in Electronic City, no causality reported

Did Mysuru MP Pratap Simha met with accident? Here's what BJP leader says

Sanathan Sanstha members killed Gauri Lankesh for her ideology, murder planned for 5 Years: SIT

India

oi-PTI

Bengaluru, Nov 24: The special investigation team (SIT), probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has named Hindu right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

The SIT submitted the 9,235-page charge sheet in the Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday.

The charge sheet stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.

It also said the planning to kill Lankesh took place for almost five years.

Mysore engineers furious over proposed Cauvery tower, Disneyland

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further. The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.

Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.

So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.

The gang is suspected to be involved in the killing of three other rationalists M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.

(With PTI inputs)

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 13:08 [IST]
Didnt think twice before getting into bed with Shiv Sena: Captain hits out at Congress

Sena targets NCB: Officers trying to extort money by framing youngsters must be arrested

'When will Ram Mandir be constructed? I want date,' asks Sena chief

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Ayodhya, Nov 24: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reached Ayodhya for a two-day visit. Sena will hold an event in the city tomorrow over the matter of Ram Temple.

Thackeray in his first reaction to media after reaching Ayodhya said,"We want the exact date when the construction of Ram Temple will begin?." (Humein aaj mandir banne ki tareekh chahiye. Pehle mandir kab banaoge wo batao, baaki baatein to baad me hoti rahengi. Aaj mujhe tareekh chahiye)

Uddhav Thackeray will offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi, participate in the aarti by the Sarayu river and speak to seers, saints and locals. He is carrying a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the mahant or priest at the Janmabhoomi.

Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

According to reports, from top to several mid-level police officers, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), five companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos and drone cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya. There is a CRPF ring around the disputed site, the government has assured.

Both Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of RamTemple.

Preparations for Dharm Sabh Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international vice president Champat Rai (R) and Ram Vilas Vedanti inspect the preparations for 25 November Dharm Sabha in Ayodhya, Friday, Nov 23, 2018. (PTI Photo) BJP leader Vinay Katiyar BJP leader Vinay Katiyar in a meeting with sadhus at Rambhalabha Kunj Mandir in Ayodhya, Friday, Nov 23, 2018. (PTI Photo) VHP procession Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists participate in a procession rally to make a call for their November 25 Vishal Dharm Sabha at Ayodhya, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (PTI Photo) Shiv Sena activists Shiv Sena activists boarding a train for Ayodhya to attend Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharma Sabha on Nov 25, at Thane Railway Station, Thursday, Nov 22, 2018. (PTI Photo)

Visuals of security in Ayodhya. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of #RamTemple. pic.twitter.com/cD0PPn0GHI  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 24, 2018
Grant G. Moy, M.D., has a scar on his thumb from peeling water chestnuts at Won Kow. It has faded with time: He's 94 and retired from his practice as a surgeon in San Francisco. But from about 1934 to 1940, Moy worked as a busboy and waiter at Won Kow  the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Chicago's Chinatown, according to the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago.

From high school through his first year of medical school at the University of Illinois, Moy worked 30-hour weekends at the restaurant. He says he'd work from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays and come back eight hours later to work until midnight. He'd earn as much as $30 per weekend  which was good money then.

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"That was a restaurant that was very, very popular with the Jewish community. Every Wednesday night, Jewish people from the North Side and the South Side would come in," Moy says, noting a cultural phenomenon that has been documented by both academics and comedians: Many American Jews adopted Chinese food as a second culinary tradition.. "Won Kow served very, very good food."

Won Kow was built in 1928 by a restaurateur also named Moy (a common name in Chinatown), says Anita Luk, executive director of the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago.

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Compare the Won Kow building as it exists now to a Chicago Daily News photograph snapped in 1928, and not much has changed. Guardian lions, also known as fu dogs, are carved into the building's facade. But nowadays, a dragon perched atop a nearby lamppost looks as if it's taunting them with a red ball.

The restaurant has changed hands twice, says proprietor David Hoy, whose family took it over in 1991. Longtime customers come by to order from the extensive, numbered menu that still features chow mein and chop suey along with newer options, such as dim sum and seafood out of a tank near the restaurant entrance.

They sip Singapore slings and mai tais while Tom Jones croons in the background. Sometimes they splurge on a volcano: a drink three times the normal size served in a ceramic bowl decorated with hula girls and set afire.

It's the kind of place you take for granted, a part of the Chinatown furniture.

On a recent afternoon, a dozen girls on the cusp of adolescence celebrated a birthday. From the wall behind them, carved warriors on horseback peered from shadowboxes. The Lazy Susan at the center of the large, round table was a novelty, periodically eliciting cries of "Wait, stop!"

It was a birthday party several years ago that brought Moy back to Won Kow. He was celebrating one of his sister's landmark birthdays  she's nearly 100 now  and he wound up telling Hoy about peeling water chestnuts. These days, the water chestnuts come canned, Hoy says.

When Moy worked at Won Kow, he took orders from a manager who sat at the front of the restaurant near the cashier. Moy says he doesn't remember the manager's name, only that everyone called him "Uncle"  a common way to show respect for elders.

"He wasn't the most pleasant individual, let's put it that way," Moy says when reached by phone at his son's house in Bethesda, Md. "He never smiled or cracked a joke. He was very businesslike."

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Chinese restaurants have played a critical role in the development of the Chinese-American community, says John Russick, director of curatorial affairs for the Chicago History Museum. Beyond feeding people, they've provided generations of Chinese-Americans with the opportunity to become business owners, who, in turn, employed new immigrants and younger members of the community. Peter Huey, Hoy's uncle, worked at the restaurant as a waiter not long after he came to the United States in 1950.

He later opened another Chinatown restaurant before coming full circle as a Won Kow owner in 1991.

Hoy is the face of Won Kow's new generation, but he enjoys collecting stories from earlier days. Legend has it that Al Capone liked to sit at a table in the restaurant's far northwest corner, he says.

When Moy worked as a waiter, he says, he remembers a cook who would pretend to mix up orders. He'd make too many dishes for a table and then let Moy eat the extra food. Moy's favorite was subgum chow mein, a popular Cantonese dish that he remembers as including shrimp, tomatoes, peppers and almonds. According to a menu from the 1930s, it sold for $1.35.

"I did not lose one day of work," Moy says of his years spent working and going to school. "I had a driving desire to become a doctor, and more than that, I wanted to be a surgeon."

And so he peeled water chestnuts.

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Won Kow

2237 S. Wentworth Ave., 312-842-7500

Open:

9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

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Oldest restaurant in Chinatown, flaming volcano cocktails, generous dim sum

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Whatever BJP's associates are doing in Ayodhya is part of a conspiracy: Mayawati

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Nov 24: BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday lambasted the BJP for raking up the Ram Temple months before the General Elections and said it was being done to "divert attention from their failures" since assuming power.

On the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) holding a meeting in Ayodhya and Shiv Sena making communal remarks over the contentious Ram Temple issue, Mayawati said it was all part of BJP's conspiracy.

Ayodhya tense as 2 lakh RSS, VHP workers set to hold dharm sabha

"It is almost going to be five years of BJP govt at the centre. General elections will be held in a few months. BJP, especially Narendra Modi, has not fulfilled even 50% of its promises made in 2014. BJP and the PM know this. They feel that they won't be back in power," news agency ANI quoted Mayawati as saying.

"To divert attention from their failures, they raised Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for 5 yrs. It's their political tacticshing else. Whatever their associates like Shiv Sena and VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy," she further said.

There is heavy security in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya ahead of a Dharam Sabha or religious meeting called on Sunday by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple and a two-day visit beginning today by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Hundreds of policemen have been deployed at the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Majid site and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed. Devotees are being allowed darshan at the makeshift temple there in small batches, a senior officer said.

Ram Temple ordinance could be hindered by these three SC verdicts

The Uttar Pradesh Police has sounded a statewide alert, fearing disruption to law and order during the VHP's Dharam Sabha on Sunday, when more than one lakh people are expected to converge in the town. This is expected to be the largest gathering in the town since 1992, when thousands of Kar Sevaks had uprooted barricades and razed the 16th century Babri Masjid on December 6 that year.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 13:06 [IST]
As Russia fails to win Interpol chiefs post, West rejoices another Cold War victory

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Dubai, Nov 24: It was yet another 'Cold War' moment over the election of the new president of the Interpol, the international police agency, and the West had the last laugh over Russia as South Korea's Kim Jong Yang won the contest at a meeting here on Wednesday.

Kim's election dashed Russia's hopes of playing a key role in the Interpol. Alexander Prokopchuk, a former official of Russia's interior ministry, was expected to become the president of the body but his nomination was opposed as critics accused Moscow of eyeing to use the Interpol to target its political enemies.

PNB scam: If Choksi wants case details, let him return to India, ED tells Interpol

According to a CNN report, a bipartisan group of US senators released a letter on Monday, November 19, saying the election of Prokopchuk was akin to putting a fox in charge of a henhouse.

Though the president of the Interpol doesn't look after the organisation's day-to-day functioning, yet the collective decision to bar a Russian from becoming the holder of the post was seen in the West as a victory to curb the Kremlin's growing international influence.

The US, despite its current president's warm relation with his Russian counterpart, backed Kim. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, considered close to US President Donald Trump, said: "We encourage all nations and organizations that are part of Interpol and that respect the rule of law to choose a leader with credibility and integrity that reflects one of the world's most critical law enforcement bodies."

Interpol chief's wife received knife emoji before his disappearance

The Interpol is an international venue for national police forces to share information to resolve crimes and track down fugitives. The West, including the US, alleged that Russia used Interpol's procedures to settle political scores and harass its critics.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 24, 2018, 13:15 [IST]
The first meeting occurred in March. By then, work on the statue that began in 2013 had been stalled for two years, after a disagreement arose between the conservator and engineers over how much of the statue should be replaced. Then state funding that had been promised failed to materialize.
In Malaysia, race and religion are official bureaucratic terms on the national identity papers of all citizens over the age of 12. Each ethnic groups rights and duties are laid out in the Constitution on the basis of a pre-independence "social contract" between ethnic Malays (60 per cent), Chinese (23 per cent) and Indians (7 per cent).

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The Malaysian government will not ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the Prime Ministers Office announced today.

The government will continue to defend the Federal Constitution in which is enshrined the social contract that was agreed upon by the representatives of all the races during the formation of the country, the statement read.

The "social contract" was a pact made by the leaders of its Malay majority and minority Chinese and Indian groups regarding their rights and privileges as citizens, prior to independence from Britain in 1957.

Over time, the government adopted an affirmative action policy to benefit the Malays, who form 60 per cent of a population of about 32 million, after deadly race riots in the late 1960s.

Ethnic Chinese are estimated at 23 per cent and ethnic Indians comprise about 7 per cent, government data shows.

In Malaysia, race and religion are official bureaucratic terms included in the national identity papers of all citizens over the age of 12.

The concepts of Malay supremacy and Muslim supremacy (Ketuanan Melayu and Ketuanan Islam) are closely linked, since ethnic Malay are legally required to be Muslims.

Last Sunday, Prime Minister Mahathir said that it would be almost impossible for the government to ratify the ICERD since changes to the Federal Constitution require a two-third majority in parliament.

However, in early September, Mahathir had told the UN General Assembly that Malaysia would ratify each of the six human rights conventions still not adopted, including the one on racial discrimination.

The proposed ratification sparked criticism and protests in the government and opposition, as well as among non-governmental organisations.

Many feared that its implementation could undermine the privileges status for Malays in the Constitution.

The Islamist Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), both opposition parties, had planned a protest on 8 December.

Yesterday, some NGOs claimed that the approval of the Convention was part of the Democratic Action Partys (DAP) secret agenda to abolish the special privileges of the Malay Muslim community.

DAP secretary-general and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, an ethnic Chinese, responded to the allegations by insisting that the party had never raised the issue. He also urged the coalition to apologise and withdraw the statements and allegations against him or face legal action.
This is a textbook case of denial, said Jay Smith, a farmer, musician and amateur naturalist from Industry, a tiny town about 235 miles southwest of Chicago. Smith, who started seeing the large, multicolored canids about seven years ago on farmland his wifes family owns and has spotted them on trail cameras hes set up, submitted several carcasses of the animals to the Field Museum early this year.
The witness also complained that Lopez appeared to make insensitive comments to at least one female trainee in reference to an earlier lawsuit filed by other female candidates. For example, when a representative from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission spoke to the recruits on their third day of class, the witness alleged that Lopez raised his hand and asked, What do I have to do to sue the City of Chicago and how fast can I get paid?
Angel Ramos, 20, was driving with Alvin Vazquez-Cruz, 24, in the 800 block of North Lake Shore Drive around 11:43 p.m. Thursday when he failed to stop at an intersection. After striking two vehicles, the men fled the accident scene in a 1997 green Honda Accord, police said.
I think theres a myth that the provider is going to tell the kid its OK to have sex or drink, and thats not what were saying to them at all. We actually discuss how much sleep theyre getting versus what they may need at any given age, texting and driving and how it is never OK, how many hours they spend in front of a screen, what to do if they forget to wear their bike helmet, or are being bullied or cyberbullied, she said.
Danny Solis deserves the thanks and congratulations of our entire city after a lifetime of public service, and I will be the first in line, the mayor said in the statement. As a leader in the City Council for more than 20 years and as a leader in his community for even longer, Danny has been a champion for immigrants, for school students and for families. His efforts have paid dividends in our classrooms, in the halls of new libraries and in parks that will delight for generations. Danny has transformed his ward, and along with it Chicago. I will forever look fondly on the eight years Danny and I served this great city together and while the simple view may be that he was an ally on City Council, the reality is much more. Danny is a friend.
HOOVER, ALA.  Protesters on Saturday marched through an Alabama shopping mall where police killed a black man they later acknowledged was not the triggerman in a Thanksgiving night shooting that wounded two people.



An officer shot and killed 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr. of Hueytown while responding to the Thursday mall shooting. Police said Bradford was fleeing the scene with a handgun.



Hoover police initially told reporters Bradford had shot a teen at the mall, but later retracted the statement.



"We knew that was false," said stepmother Cynthia Bradford when she heard police were blaming him for the shooting. She described her stepson, who went by E.J., as a respectful young man whose father worked at a jail for the Birmingham Police Department.



Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector said investigators now believe that more than two people were involved in the initial fight ahead of the shooting, and that "at least one gunman" is still at large who could be responsible. Police said while Bradford "may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim." Rector said police regret that their initial statement about Bradford was not accurate.



The shooting remains under investigation, including whether Bradford played any role in the initial disturbance,



The unanswered questions stirred emotions in the suburb outside the majority-black city of Birmingham.



More than 200 demonstrators, including several relatives, chanted "E.J" and "no justice, no peace" as they marched past Christmas shoppers at the mall. They held a moment of silence at the spot outside a shoe store where Bradford was killed.



"They should have never have killed him," Emani Smith, Bradford's 7-year-old half-sister said, while other family members cried.



Family members described their horror of finding out from social media that Bradford was dead. Video circulated on social media of Bradford lying in a pool of blood on the mall floor.



Carlos Chaverst, an activist in Birmingham who organized the protest, said that when authorities acknowledged that the person killed was not the actual shooter, "that sent us in an uproar." He said they want justice for the family and he called for police to release body camera and surveillance footage. More protests will be held in the future to hold officials accountable, he added.
Global Gunshot Detection System Market will register a 20.9% CAGR in terms of revenue, reach US$ 2460 million by 2018-2023

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The Gunshot Detection System Market was dominated by the homeland segment in 2016 and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. Gunshot detection systems for homeland security were first used in the U.S. These systems are primarily used by law enforcement agencies. They are installed at the height of more than 30 feet above the ground at specific locations of the coverage area. These include walls, poles, streetlights, and buildings, among others. Furthermore, increase in mass shootings incidents at educational institutions is a prime concern.The Complete Report Spreads across 138 Pages.Request for Sample of Global Gunshot Detection System Market 2018 Research Report:Leaders Of The Industry :- Raytheon Company, Thales Group , Battelle Memorial Institute , Rafael, SST, Saffron Electronics & Defense, Rheinmetal AG , ELTA Systems Ltd, Akeem Group , Data buoy Corporation , CILAS, QinetiQ North America , Micro flown Visa B.V. , Shooter Detection Systems LLC, Safety Dynamics Inc, Information System Technologies, V5 Systems Inc and so on.Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013, 2016Base year 2017Forecast period 2018 to 2023A gunfire locator or gunshot detection system is a system that detects and conveys the location of gunfire or other weapon fire using acoustic, optical, or potentially other types of sensors, as well as a combination of such sensors. These systems are used by law enforcement, security, military and businesses to identify the source and, in some cases, the direction of gunfire and/or the type of weapon fired.Grab Guaranteed Discount:Segmentation by product type:Fixed SystemVehicle Mounted SystemSegmentation by application:HomelandDefenseWe can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions:AmericasUnited StatesCanadaMexicoBrazilAPACChinaJapanKoreaSoutheast AsiaIndiaAustraliaEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalyRussiaSpainMiddle East & AfricaEgyptSouth AfricaIsraelTurkeyGCC CountriesWe Also Can Offer Customized Report To Fulfill Special Requirements Of Our Clients.Purchase this Premium Report at:-Table of Contents2018-2023 Global Gunshot Detection System 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 Summary2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Gunshot Detection System Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Gunshot Detection System Segment by Type2.2.1 Electrical Polisher2.2.2 Pneumatic Polisher2.3 Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Type2.3.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Gunshot Detection System Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)2.4 Gunshot Detection System Segment by Application2.4.1 Automotive Repair Shop2.4.2 Automotive Care Shop2.4.3 Others2.5 Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Application2.5.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Consumption Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Value and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.3 Global Gunshot Detection System Sale Price by Application (2013-2018)3 Global Gunshot Detection System by Players3.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Gunshot Detection System Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Gunshot Detection System Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Gunshot Detection System 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 Gunshot Detection System by Regions4.1 Gunshot Detection System by Regions4.1.1 Global Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Gunshot Detection System Value by Regions4.2 Americas Gunshot Detection System Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Gunshot Detection System Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Gunshot Detection System Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Gunshot Detection System Consumption Growth5 Americas5.1 Americas Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Gunshot Detection System Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Gunshot Detection System Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Gunshot Detection System 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. 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IoT Platform Market: CAGR of 31% | Identify New opportunity and Potential Threats of Future- Alcatel-Lucent, Amazon Web Services, AT&T

IoT Platform Market

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Global IoT Platform Market 2017-2021 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market status, highlighting opportunities, risk analysis, and leveraged with strategic decision-making support. The market Study is putting a lot of emphasis on regulatory issues, macro-economic influencing factors, key market trends and growth drivers that are changing the market dynamics of Global IoT Platform market.Get Access to Sample PDF @:If you are involved in the IoT Platform industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. Its vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications/End-users, Types/Services and major players and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.IoT is a network of physical devices, machines, and sensors integrated into everyday objects connected to the Internet for effective data communications. It creates smart communication environments such as shopping, smart homes, transportation, and healthcare. IoT enhances operational efficiency by increasing the speed of communications over the existing infrastructure and, in turn, improves business productivity in any industrial setup. We expect IoT to have a positive impact on industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, energy and utility, transportation and logistics, and information and communications technology (ICT).Analyst forecast the global IoT Platform market to grow at a CAGR of 31.79% during the period 2017-2021.Key Players included in the research study are Alcatel-Lucent (Nokia), Amazon Web Services (AWS), AT&T, Cisco Systems, Microsoft Corporation, Axiros, Accenture, Apple, Atos, Bosch (Bosch Software Innovations), Echelon, Oracle.Buy this research report @Research methodology is based on extensive primary and secondary research. Primary research includes in-depth interviews with industry experts, vendors, resellers and customers. Secondary research includes HTF Platform, industry publications, company reports, news articles, analyst reports, trade associations and the data published by Government agencies. The Global IoT Platform Market research study is highlighting value drivers that may provides a competitive advantage to the business, providing an upper hand in the industry. What differentiation strategist should bring in product or services or what application/end-user needs to be targeted.What this Research Study Offers:Global IoT Platform Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersInfluential factors that are thriving demand and constraints in the market.What is the market concentration? Is it fragmented or highly concentrated?Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)What trends, challenges and barriers will impact the development and sizing of IoT Platform market?SWOT Analysis of each key players mentioned along with its company profile with the help of Porters five forces tool mechanism to compliment the same.What growth momentum or acceleration market carries during the forecast period?Which region is going to tap highest market share in future?What Application/end-user category or Product Type may see incremental growth prospects?What would be the market share of key countries like United States, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Japan, China or Brazil etc.?Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional marketsMake inquiry before purchase @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global IoT Platform market.Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of IoT Platform market, Applications, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze objective of the study.Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques.Chapter 4 and 5 , to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics;Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition;Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation, comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain AnalysisChapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencers, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers;Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behavior, Marketing Channels and demand & supply.Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning)Chapter 15, deals with Global IoT Platform Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :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
Digital Door Lock Systems Market Exploring Future Growth 2018-2025 and Key Players - Godrej & Boyce, Assa Abloy Group, Honeywell International, Vivint, Inc, United Technologies Corporation, etc.

Digital Door Lock Systems Market

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Overview of Digital Door Lock Systems MarketThe report covers the present and past market scenarios, market development patterns, and is likely to proceed with a continuing development over the forecast period. The Global Digital Door Lock Systems Market research report offers an in-depth analysis of the global market, providing relevant information for the new market entrants or well-established players. Some of the key strategies employed by leading key players operating in the market and their impact analysis have been included in this research report.Check out For Download Sample Report Here:Top Key Players in the Digital Door Lock Systems Market: -Godrej & Boyce, Assa Abloy Group, Honeywell International, Vivint, Inc, United Technologies Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Weiser Lock, Hitachi, Stone Lock, Adel Lock, Kwikset, Schlage, Guangzhou Digi Intelligent System Manufacturing, Westinghouse,Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and classifications. Then, the report explores the international and regional major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and regional total market of Digital Door Lock Systems industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and import/export details.The scope of Digital Door Lock Systems Market:This report focuses on the Digital Door Lock Systems in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Major Types of Digital Door Lock Systems Market covered are:Magnetic Stripe LocksElectromechanical Door LocksElectric Strike LocksBiometrics LocksMajor Applications of Digital Door Lock Systems Market covered are:GovernmentIndustrialResidentialCommercialGo for Interesting Discount Here:Regional market size, production data and Trade:Asia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaTable of Content1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.5 Market by Application1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Digital Door Lock Systems Market Size2.2 Digital Door Lock Systems Growth Trends by Regions2.3 Industry Trends3 Market Share by Key Players3.1 Digital Door Lock Systems Market Size by Manufacturers3.2 Digital Door Lock Systems Key Players Head office and Area Served3.3 Key Players Digital Door Lock Systems Product/Solution/Service3.4 Date of Enter into Digital Door Lock Systems Market3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans4 Breakdown Data by Product4.1 Global Digital Door Lock Systems Sales by Product4.2 Global Digital Door Lock Systems Revenue by Product4.3 Digital Door Lock Systems Price by Product5 Breakdown Data by End User5.1 Overview5.2 Global Digital Door Lock Systems Breakdown Data by End UserGet More Details @Lastly, this report covers the market scene and its development prospects over the coming years, the Report likewise short manages the item life cycle, contrasting it with the significant items from crosswise over ventures that had just been popularized points of interest the potential for different applications, examining about late item advancements and gives a diagram on potential territorial pieces of the pie.About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.com
E-reader Market Key Drivers Impacted To Growth During Forecast Period 2018-2025: Samsung, Kobo, Sony, Apple, Asus, Google, Google, etc

E-reader Market

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E-reader Market report provides an in-depth insight of Industry covering all important parameters including development trends, challenges, opportunities, key manufacturers and competitive analysis. Thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry validated market data has been covered in this report. In addition, the report discusses policies, news, and costs involved in the production of which includes labor cost, depreciation cost, raw material cost and other costs.E-reader Market: By Company:Samsung, Kobo, Sony, Apple, Asus, Google, Google.Download Sample of E-reader Market report @The research report focuses on the leading competitors of the E-reader Market and provides information such as the company overview, product portfolio, key developments, price, cost, value, volume, revenue, capacity, production, and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis have also been carried out in this report. The report also analyses the current development trends and patterns, as well as the distribution and marketing channel. In the last section of this report, the feasibility of the new investment projects is evaluated and overall research conclusions are offered.Market Segment as follows:E-reader Market: By Type: Monochrome EInk Screens, LDC Screen.E-reader Market: By End-User / Application: Desktops, Tablets, Mobile Devices, Others.Get discount on Purchase report:Table of Contents:1 Global Market Overview2 Regional Market3 Key Manufacturers3.1 Samsung3.1.2 Company Information3.1.2 Product Specifications3.1.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)3.2 Kobo3.2.1 Company Information3.2.2 Product Specifications3.2.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)3.3 Sony3.3.1 Company Information3.3.2 Product Specifications3.3.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)4 Major Application5 Market by Type6 ConclusionKnow more about report:About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of Market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact UsPhone : +1-646-491-9876E-Mail : sales@reportsweb.com
Global Auto Body Parts Market price, cost, revenue by ADM Pressings, Aleris, AN-TAI Motor Industrial, Asteer, Benteler Deutschland, Dura Automotive Systems

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The Auto Body Parts Market report focuses on global major leading Auto Body Parts Industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out.Download Sample Report Of Auto Body Parts Market @Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013, 2016Base year 2017Forecast period 2018 to 2023The report also presents the market competition landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major vendor/manufacturers in the market. The key manufacturers covered in this report:ConstelliumADM PressingsAlerisAN-TAI Motor IndustrialAsteerBenteler DeutschlandDura Automotive SystemsEBP i Olofstrom ABFlex-N-GateFutaba IndustrialGestamp Automocion S.A.Gordon Auto Body PartsG-TEKTHisadaMagna InternationalPress KogyoTopreTower InternationalTOYOTA BOSHOKUUACJUNIPRESGrab Guaranteed Discount:Research objectivesTo study and analyze the global Auto Body Parts consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, product type and application, history data from 2013 to 2017, and forecast to 2023.To understand the structure of Auto Body Parts market by identifying its various subsegments.Focuses on the key global Auto Body Parts manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.To analyze the Auto Body Parts with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).To project the consumption of Auto Body Parts submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries).To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.This report also splits the market by region: Breakdown data in Chapter 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.AmericasUnited StatesCanadaMexicoBrazilAPACChinaJapanKoreaSoutheast AsiaIndiaAustraliaEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalyRussiaSpainMiddle East & AfricaEgyptSouth AfricaIsraelTurkeyGCC CountriesWe 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 Auto Body Parts 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 Summary2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Auto Body Parts Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Auto Body Parts Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Auto Body Parts Segment by Type2.2.1 Electrical Polisher2.2.2 Pneumatic Polisher2.3 Auto Body Parts Consumption by Type2.3.1 Global Auto Body Parts Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Auto Body Parts Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Auto Body Parts Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)2.4 Auto Body Parts Segment by Application2.4.1 Automotive Repair Shop2.4.2 Automotive Care Shop2.4.3 Others2.5 Auto Body Parts Consumption by Application2.5.1 Global Auto Body Parts Consumption Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.2 Global Auto Body Parts Value and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.3 Global Auto Body Parts Sale Price by Application (2013-2018)3 Global Auto Body Parts by Players3.1 Global Auto Body Parts Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Auto Body Parts Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Auto Body Parts Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Auto Body Parts Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Auto Body Parts Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Auto Body Parts Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Auto Body Parts Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Auto Body Parts Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Auto Body Parts Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Auto Body Parts 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 Auto Body Parts by Regions4.1 Auto Body Parts by Regions4.1.1 Global Auto Body Parts Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Auto Body Parts Value by Regions4.2 Americas Auto Body Parts Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Auto Body Parts Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Auto Body Parts Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Auto Body Parts Consumption Growth5 Americas5.1 Americas Auto Body Parts Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Auto Body Parts Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Auto Body Parts Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Auto Body Parts Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Auto Body Parts 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 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
The high temperature of 51 observed at O'Hare International Airport on Friday was the city's mildest reading since Nov. 5, and our first above-normal high since Halloween. The influx of warmer air came courtesy of south winds that gusted over 30 mph. Rain and clouds are to exit the area early Saturday, leaving skies partly sunny. The air arriving in the wake of the departing weather system is of Pacific origin. Temperatures in the 50s over the Plains on Friday are due to arrive in Chicago Saturday. Low pressure is then forecast to organize over southwest Missouri by early Sunday. This system is expected to track to our south, allowing strong northeast winds to develop, drawing colder air into the region, and changing rain to snow by Sunday evening. Subfreezing high temperatures are expected to follow through early next week.
New Research on Global Aiphone market Growth and Analysis forecast Research Profiling top Players - Aiphone, Chamberlain, CyberData, Intrasonic Technology, Legrand, NuTone, OPTEX, Swann etc.

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The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Aiphone market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions' development status.The report firstly introduced Aiphone basic information including Aiphone definition, classification, application and industry chain overview; Aiphone industry policy and plan, Aiphone product specification, manufacturing process, cost structure etc. Then we deeply analyzed the world's main region market conditions that including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc.In the end, the report introduced Aiphone new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis and Global Twin-screw Extruder indus.For Sample Copy of this Report@:Some of the Key Players of this Market are Aiphone, Chamberlain, CyberData, Intrasonic Technology, Legrand, NuTone, OPTEX, Swann etc.The key opportunistic regions in the market and the top trends impacting the development of the global Aiphone market have been presented through this report. The recent growth and development patterns of this market have also been encapsulated in this study. The report also covers the key players and throws light on the strategies being adopted by them for better penetration into the market.The global Aiphone market is gaining pace and industry have started understanding the benefits of analytics in the present day highly dynamic environment. The market has witnessed several important developments over the past few years, with mounting volumes of data and the shift from traditional analysis platforms to self-service analytics being some of the most prominent ones.To Avail the Discount on this Report@:Vendors, stakeholders, consumers, dealers etc. in the global Aiphone market are increasingly introducing a solution that allows this market to work with data collected from a number of diverse sources. The confidence, reliability of data-driven decisions undertaken by solutions in real-time, self-service analytics solutions which will gain more prominence in the global market in the next coming years has been mentioned in this study.Of the key modes of deployment, applications, trends, types, are thoroughly observed in this report for consumers understanding. Based on geography, the report examines the market for Aiphone market across regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America. The dominant regional market and the fastest growing regional market is also mentioned clearly for the better of the readers.To know more about Report Visit @:After studying key companies, the report focuses on the startups contributing towards the growth of the market. Possible mergers and acquisitions among the startups and key organizations are identified by the reports authors in the study. Most companies in the Aiphone market are currently engaged in adopting new technologies, strategies, product developments, expansions, and long-term contracts to maintain their dominance in the global market.Table of ContentsAiphone market Research ReportChapter 1 Aiphone market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Market ForecastAbout usResearch N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact:Sunny DenisResearch N Reports10916, Gold Point Dr,Houston, TX, Pin  77064,+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com
Correction appended

Three meth users caused a Walmart in Vancouver to lockdown briefly on Black Friday after one of them flew off the handle and took his two friends hostage, according to reports.

The trio was getting high inside a stolen car in the parking lot of the Northeast Highway 99 store when driver Justin Eugene Short, 28, grew paranoid and claimed he was missing drugs and money, the Clark County Sheriff's Office said.

Enraged, Short decided to take his two passengers, a man and a woman, hostage, the sheriff's office said. After a while, the three occupants discovered that the battery of their car was dead, according to KATU News.

So Short sent the male captive into Walmart to steal a pair of jumper cables. The friend instead told store employees to call 911 because there was a hostage situation in the parking lot, authorities said.

Sheriff's deputies arrived around 11:15 a.m. in an armored vehicle, which spooked Short and the woman, according to KATU. The two bolted from the stolen car and Short rushed into the Walmart, prompting the lockdown.

Short later ran out of the store, scaled a freeway fence along Interstate 5 and eventually ended up hiding behind an RV parked on the 900 block of 86th Street, the sheriff's office said. He was taken into custody a short time later.

Deputies also detained the woman, authorities said. She claimed not to know her name at the time of her arrest, according to reports.

Authorities recovered two firearms from the stolen vehicle, the sheriff's office said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story, citing the Clark County Sheriff's Office, reported the name of the suspect as Justin Eugene Godsy and included several booking photos of the man from prior arrests in Oregon. The sheriff's office later said the suspect was, in fact, Justin Eugene Short, who has used Godsy's name as an alias in the past.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh
By Judith Graham

When Liz Tidymans elderly parents moved across the country to be closer to their children and grandchildren years ago, they carried their medical records with them in a couple of brown cardboard folders tied with string.

Two days after their arrival, Tidymans father fell, which hadnt happened before, and went to a hospital for an evaluation.

In the waiting room, Tidyman opened the folder. Very soon I saw that there were pages and pages of notes that referred to a different person with the same name  a person whose medical conditions were much more complicated and numerous than my fathers, she said.

Tidyman pulled out sheets with mistaken information and made a mental note to always check records in the future. That was a wake-up call, she said.

Older adults have cause to be careful about what's in their medical records. Although definitive data aren't available, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology estimates that nearly 1 in 10 people who access records online end up requesting that they be corrected for a variety of reasons.

In the worst-case scenario, an incorrect diagnosis, scan or lab result may have been inserted into a record, raising the possibility of inappropriate medical evaluation or treatment. This, too, is something that Tidymans father encountered soon after moving from Massachusetts to Washington. (Her parents have since passed away.)

When both his new primary care physician and cardiologist asked about kidney cancer  a condition he didnt have  Tidyman reviewed materials from her fathers emergency room visit. There, she saw that renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) was listed instead of basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer)  an illness her father had mentioned while describing his medical history.

It was a transcription error; something we clearly had to fix, Tidyman said.

Omissions from medical records  allergies that arent noted, lab results that arent recorded, medications that arent listed  can be equally devastating.

Susan Sheridan discovered this nearly 20 years ago after her husband, Pat, had surgery to remove a mass in his neck. A hospital pathology report identified synovial cell sarcoma, a type of cancer, but somehow the report didnt reach his neurosurgeon. Instead, the surgeon reassured the couple that the tumor was benign.

Six months later, when Pat returned to the hospital in distress, this error of omission was discovered. By then, Pats untreated cancer had metastasized to his spinal canal. He died 2 years later.

I tell people, Collect all your medical records, no matter what so you can ask all kinds of questions and be on the alert for errors, said Sheridan, director of patient engagement with the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine.

In less dire scenarios, a patients name, address, phone number or personal contacts may be incorrect, making it difficult to reach someone in the event of an emergency or causing a bill to be sent to the wrong location. Or, your family history may not be conveyed accurately. Or, you may not have received a service recorded in your record  for instance, a stress test  and want to contest the bill.

Dave deBronkart, a 68-year-old cancer survivor and patient activist, recounts mistakes he and his family have experienced. Once, he checked a radiology report through a Boston hospitals patient portal. It had his name on it but identified him as a 53-year-old woman.

In another instance, the records that accompanied deBronkarts mother to a rehabilitation center after a hip replacement incorrectly identified her as having an underactive thyroid when in fact she had an overactive thyroid. DeBronkarts sisters, who asked to look at their mothers chart, discovered the mistake and had it fixed on the spot, so she wouldnt get potentially harmful medications.

"It's important for people to realize how easy it is for mistakes to get into the system and for nobody to know it. And that can cause downstream harm," deBronkart said.The law that guarantees your right to review your medical record, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, offers some recourse: If you think you've discovered an error in your medical record, you have the right to ask for a correction. (For more information about how to obtain your record, see my earlier column here.)

Start by asking your doctor or hospital if they have a form (either a paper or electronic version) you should use to submit a suggested change.

A simple error such as a wrong phone number can be corrected by drawing a thin line through the material and writing a suggested change in the margins or making an electronic note. A more complicated error such as incorrect description of your symptoms or a diagnosis that youre contesting may require a brief statement from you explaining what material in the record is wrong, why and how it should be altered.

Physicians and hospitals are required to respond in writing within 60 days, with the possibility of a 30-day extension. (Some states set shorter deadlines.) But medical providers are not obligated to accept your request. If you receive a rejection, you have the right to add another statement contesting this decision to your medical record. You can also file a complaint with the government office that oversees HIPAA or a state agency that licenses physicians.

Devin OBrien, senior counsel with The Doctors Company, the largest physician-owned medical malpractice firm in the U.S., notes that rejections can be warranted when facts or medical judgments are in question. An example might be a patient who wants a doctors notes about potentially excessive opioid use eliminated from the record. The patient may say I dont have a problem, I dont know what youre talking about, but the physician may think the patient has an issue, OBrien said.

Another example might be a patient who wants a diagnosis eliminated from a medical record, because it might compromise her ability to get insurance coverage. That wouldnt be an acceptable reason for making a change, experts said.

For more information about correcting errors in medical records, see this guide to getting and using your medical record from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, this explainer from patient advocate Trisha Torrey, and these descriptions of your HIPAA rights from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and the Center for Democracy & Technology.

We're eager to hear from readers about questions you'd like answered, problems you've been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn.org/columnists to submit your requests or tips.

KHN's coverage related to aging and improving care of older adults is supported in part by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
Portland State University has released the name of the four officers on duty the night a homeless man died after being taken into custody near Southwest Sixth Avenue and Mill Street on Thanksgiving.

Campus police officer David Troppe and public safety officers Michael Anderson, Danae Murphy and Nichola Higbee are on paid administrative leave as officials investigate the death of Richard A. Barry, 52.

The Portland State officers responded to calls about Barry around 8:19 p.m. and found him near the universitys urban plaza. The officers called Portland police for backup after a struggle with Barry. One Portland State officer was injured in the altercation, police said.

Officers at the scene called for an ambulance for Barry based on his behavior, officials said. Records show his most recent listed address was a homeless shelter.

Homicide detectives and the Portland Police Bureaus professional standards division are investigating the incident. The two city police officers on duty that night are also on administrative leave.

The Multnomah County District Attorney will review the case and an internal review will also be presented to the Police Review Board.

The Oregon State Medical Examiners Office began an autopsy on Friday, police said. They do not know when the investigation will be complete.
An Oregon couple looking to dupe a hapless meth buyer wound up behind bars when their scheduled drug deal turned out be an undercover bust, authorities say.

Brandon Belcher, 28, and Gina Bonatti, 31, had arranged to sell 2  ounces of methamphetamine to an acquaintance in a Shari's Cafe & Pies parking lot in Roseburg on Tuesday, Douglas County court records show.

But the pair showed up to the restaurant on Northwest Aviation Drive with sugar instead of speed, hoping to "rip off" somebody and steal their money, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Their sweet scheme unraveled quickly, however, because the drug buyer was actually a police informant tasked with setting up Belcher and Bonatti, records show. Members of the Douglas County Interagency Narcotics Team swept in and arrested the pair.

Authorities found 2  ounces of sugar in one of Belcher's socks, which he called "fake" meth, according to court documents. He had nearly seven grams of actual meth in his other sock, but told police it wasn't part of the drug deal, the documents show.

Police also found a small amount of heroin on Bonatti, according to authorities.

Both were booked in the Douglas County Jail. Belcher faces charges unlawful possession of methamphetamine, unlawful delivery of methamphetamine and unlawful delivery of an imitation controlled substance.

Bonatti faces charges of unlawful possession of heroin and unlawful delivery of an imitation controlled substance, records show.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh
Tommy Oliver never imagined he'd be a single parent at age 50. But when his daughter died in 2016, there he was, on his own, raising three granddaughters ages 4 and younger.

"It was like starting all over," he said. "My youngest is 20, and the stuff (the grandkids) are doing, I've forgotten all about. It opens your mind back up to a lot of potential."

Or lost potential, given some of the troubling literacy statistics in testing of local children. Librarians and educators in Multnomah County say they're confronting a literacy crisis that will constrain the futures of thousands of children in the Portland area. Consider: More than half of local third-graders cannot meet grade-level reading standards, according to the Oregon Department of Education.

Kids who have trouble learning to read, experts say, have a tough time transitioning to "reading to learn." And children who are not proficient readers are less likely to graduate from high school - Oregon ranks 48th nationwide in high school graduation rates - and face worse career prospects.

For Oliver, that's where the Library Foundation comes in. The privately funded nonprofit underwrites the Every Child a Reader program at Albina Head Start, the early learning program that two of his three granddaughters have attended. Each week, they've come home toting a bag of four new books, a font of fresh conversations and excitement. In a family in search of structure, the reading routine they've established has become a daily anchor. It has opened new bonds between them, and is giving the girls confidence in school, and Oliver in his new role.

"It helps us a tremendous amount," Oliver said. "The structure, the consistency. It keeps me motivated too. Now it's always, 'Pawpaw, Pawpaw, can we read now?'"

The foundation is one of 10 agencies selected for The Oregonian/OregonLive's 2018 Season of Sharing holiday fundraising campaign; this year's campaign focuses on education and literacy.

The Multnomah County Library system is already one of the busiest in the country, with one of the highest circulation rates in the country. The mission of the Library Foundation, established in 1995, is to expand that reach further. The nonprofit has five full-time and two part-time employees and spent approximately $2.5 million last year, two-thirds of which came from donations by individuals and small family foundations. The foundation's particular focus is programs that support early literacy and outreach to at-risk kids, a priority it established in 2003.

The Every Child A Reader program circulates more than 32,000 books in 17 languages through a weekly book exchange, for example. The books go out through Head Start sites, teen parent and immigrant programs, drug and alcohol rehab centers and home health professionals. This year, the foundation is experimenting with a jail program, teaching incarcerated parents the importance of reading to their children. It also supports events where librarians provide early literacy training, teaching simple strategies any parent can use.

"These professionals already have existing relationships. We come in and provide the books and the training," said Merris Sumrall, chief executive of the organization. "We help them take the library's programs much further with a relatively small amount of money."

Indeed, the foundation's $2.2 million in support for the Multnomah County Library is equivalent to about 2 percent of the library's budget in the year ended June 30, but programs it funded reached some 210,000 people. Rather than day-to-day library operations, it funds special programs and services.

The foundation helps fund the library's summer reading program, which reached 98 percent of elementary students in the county this year. It sends librarians and others into classrooms for "book talks" that inspire more reading, and helps fund workshops, author appearances and cultural programs like Everybody Reads.

Lucy Iraola, a bilingual youth librarian who coordinates the Every Child A Reader program, said the foundation's sponsorship of events is critical in establishing a connection to the library among immigrant families, who may never have had access to such a resource before. That goes beyond books to include computer and internet access, periodicals, movies, CDs, English classes - and the connection outlasts their kids' participation in early reading programs.

Iraola provides early literacy training to parents at foundation-sponsored events, and she says it's crucial to provide families with books in their native languages. That makes it easier for families to establish a reading routine, and debunks the notion that parents should avoid reading to their kids if they're not proficient in English. Providing kids with a solid basis in the language they speak at home makes it easier to acquire English, she said.

"We try to provide good-quality multicultural books. Sometimes those books are hard to find and chances are they're going to be more expensive," she said. "These families wouldn't be able to afford these books, and if it weren't for the foundation support, we wouldn't be able to provide them."

Angeles Becerril, who moved to the United States when she was 10, said her family speaks Spanish at home, and her son, Daniel, is now learning in both languages, expanding his vocabulary, learning his letters.

She said the Every Child A Reader program has delivered another benefit: calm. As a toddler, Daniel was always moving and anxious, she said. Putting him in front of a movie or TV didn't work - he couldn't seem to concentrate.

Reading did. "He's paying attention. He's more stable and talkative."

"It's every day, after dinner at 5:30 or 6," she said. "I do one or two books. It's helping me to develop my own reading skills."

"Mom," she said, mimicking him. "Don't forget my book."

What your donation can do:

$25: Provides a librarian-led bilingual storytime at outreach sites serving low-income families throughout the county

$35: Provides Every Child A Reader to one family for the year

$100: Purchases 17 books, one in each of the languages/cultures of children served by the year-round reading program

How to donate

Send checks to:

Season of Sharing

Oregonians Credit Union

336 N.E. 20th Ave.

Portland, OR 97232
Elgin Knit Works co-owner Betsy Kuhn appreciated the city of Elgin and Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgins efforts to market Small Business Saturday. There is a lot more foot traffic since she opened her shop seven years ago, she said. Downtown business owners also support each other, she said.
After months of study, discussion and debate, the Midland Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to close five of the system's 12 elementary schools at the end of the current school year.

"We're now in a perfect storm of all this stuff hitting us at one time," Board Secretary Jerry Wasserman said at Monday night's meeting. "There is no responsible way to justify not moving now.  Let's get on with it and do it very well."

The schools that will close are Chippewassee, Longview, Parkdale, Mills and Cook. A "four-closure" scenario rejected by the board would have closed Chippewassee, Longview, Parkdale and Woodcrest.

Some Mills parents wept openly after the vote, but didn't want to comment for publication.

An emotional Ken Mault, board vice president, said the district would eventually get beyond the pain of the decision.

"This is going to send ripples through the entire district," he said. "But I see greatness, I see opportunity.  We still can provide a quality education."

Like other board members, Mault said each of the 12 schools has unique qualities.

"I don't see a building that doesn't have special qualities and special attributes," he said, adding that there will be a grieving process.

"It's a loss, but we'll heal."

Board President Lee Rouse said the choice was "the lesser of evils."

"I can support it but I'm struggling with it," she said.

Trustee Rick Ohle said he was "optimistic about our school communities pulling together," and he urged the remaining schools to "open their doors and their arms" to the students coming in from schools that are closing.

The board was told by administrators that some "tweaking" to the scenarios approved by the Community Committee for Building Closures means that total elementary student displacement for the coming school year will be closer to 33 percent than the 45-50 percent predicted earlier, and student bodies of four of the five closed schools will move en masse to different buildings.

Under the plan approved by the board, the Mills student body will move to Siebert, Cook will move to Woodcrest, Longview will move to Eastlawn and Chippewassee will move to Carpenter. The student body of Parkdale will be split three ways: the northern section will go to Adams, the southern section east of Swede Avenue will go to Chestnut Hill and the southern section west of Swede will go to Plymouth. Also, Woodcrest students who live north of Letts Road will go to Siebert.

Moving the Cook student body en masse will lead to 112 percent capacity at Woodcrest, but the board was reassured that modular classrooms could be moved to the school to provide more room.

The tweaking done to the closure committee's scenarios included more detail on the School of Choice program, with MPS Manager of Information Systems Jerry Taylor stating that most of the current SOC students could be accommodated. But board members agreed that more restrictions may need to be placed on the SOC program.

"We might have to set some limitations on that," said Board Trustee Suzii LaCross, while Rouse called the current situation a "free-for-all."

MPS Superintendent Carl Ellinger said the program has been fairly wide open "because we've so underutilized our elementary school square footage," and said the program's openness is "unusual" among Michigan school districts.

Also Monday, the board deferred a decision on closing a middle school, agreeing with Ellinger that it would strain administrative resources to close the elementary schools and a middle school at the same time.

"I would defy you to find many districts  that are closing five or six schools (at the same time)," he said. "Just the coordination of that is incredible."

He also said capacity would be "very, very tight" next fall if one of the middle schools is closed, and that transportation costs would likely rise significantly.

However, the superintendent said the administration is committed to improving educational opportunities for the middle schools, particularly Central.

"Give us some time to see how creative we can get," he said.

As part of its decision to close five elementary schools, the board urged continued study of the middle school issue, with a goal of making a change for the 2010-11 school year.

During the public comment period of the meeting, only a few of the nine speakers addressed the school closure issue. Diane Pnacek of Midland proposed that MPS sell the school buildings it closes as well as various parcels of property it owns in the city and county. She estimated that those moves could raise at least $1 million.
To the editor:

Yes, Proposal 1 passed and it will change things in our state. It is up to us how we react to this change. Is it better for us to not allow dispensaries within our city? I do not believe that is our best course of action.

Dispensaries could allow local resources a place to connect with those in need of help with addiction or help find a place to live within their budget. This new law could allow our officials to find ways to be preventive along with the dispensaries being a part of this new process instead of turning a blind eye to the problems.

Unlike liquor stores or bars which do nothing or little to prevent drunk driving, alcohol addiction and abusive behavior related to alcohol, we could use this law to help connect with new owners of dispensaries to address crime and other issues related to marijuana use in our community. This could be a great opportunity for our city and its citizens to find new ways to include a business on the front lines to combat crime. It's up to us to find those chances to change the status quo and to face things head on within our city.

In the end, not allowing marijuana dispensaries within our city limits, is just pushing this responsibility to other communities and has us playing catch up on the crime that may come with people openly using pot.

A worried citizen who doesn't want it swept under the rug anymore,

TERRA SPENCER

Midland
Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana will partner with NWI Clean Air, T&H Timing, Aqua Indiana, Calumet Region Striders and the City of Portage for the 5K Arctic Dash and Little Igloo Youth Fun Run Saturday at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana  Portage Club, 5895 Evergreen. The Aqua Indiana Little Igloo Youth Fun Run will begin at 8:30 a.m. Entry fee is $5. The 5K Arctic Dash will begin at 9 a.m. Entry fee is $25 per runner with a $1 discount for Gold Cup runners. Registration for both races begins at 8 a.m. Awards will go to first-, second-, and third-place finishers in various age categories, with awards presented to overall female and male runners and male and female masters. In addition, the elementary school with the most students running will receive a traveling trophy to house at their school, and a $500 scholarship to use on a healthy lifestyle initiative. Registration is at bgcgreaternwi.org/5k. More information is with Stephanie Hamilton at 219-464-7282, Ext. 235, or at shamilton@bgcgreaternwi.org.
Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes runs from Nov. 23-25, with remaining performances at noon and 4 p.m. today and Sunday.

The show features some of Marvels most popular characters -- Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Panther and Iron Man, among many others -- as they battle against the evil Loki and his plans to use the mystical Wand of Watoomb to conquer Earth.

PennLive reporter Sean Adams provided a guide to seeing this superhero-ladened show.
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration released a dire scientific report Friday calling human activity the dominant driver of global warming, a conclusion at odds with White House decisions to withdraw from a key international climate accord, champion fossil fuels and reverse Obama-era climate policies.

To the surprise of some scientists, the White House did not seek to prevent the release of the government's National Climate Assessment, which is mandated by law. The report affirms that climate change is driven almost entirely by human action, warns of a worst-case scenario where seas could rise as high as eight feet by the year 2100, and details climate-related damage across the United States that is already unfolding as a result of an average global temperature increase of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900.

"It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century," the document reports. "For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence."

The report's release underscores the extent to which the machinery of the federal scientific establishment, operating in multiple agencies across the government, continues to grind on even as top administration officials have minimized or disparaged its findings. Federal scientists have continued to author papers and issue reports on climate change, for example, even as political appointees have altered the wording of news releases or blocked civil servants from speaking about their conclusions in public forums. The climate assessment process is dictated by a 1990 law that Democratic and Republican administrations have followed.

The White House on Friday sought to play down the significance of the study and its findings.

"The climate has changed and is always changing. As the Climate Science Special Report states, the magnitude of future climate change depends significantly on 'remaining uncertainty in the sensitivity of Earth's climate to [greenhouse gas] emissions,' " White House spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement.

Shah added that the Trump administration will continue to "promote access to the affordable and reliable energy needed to grow economically" and to back advancements that improve infrastructure and ultimately reduce emissions.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and President Donald Trump have all questioned the extent of humans' contribution to climate change. The EPA's website posted scientific conclusions similar to those in the new report until earlier this year, when Pruitt's deputies ordered the pages removed.

The report comes as Trump and members of his Cabinet are working to promote U.S. fossil-fuel production and repeal several federal rules aimed at curbing the nation's carbon output, including ones limiting greenhouse-gas emissions from existing power plants, oil and gas operations on federal land, and carbon emissions from cars and trucks. Trump has also announced he will exit the Paris climate agreement, under which the United States has pledged to cut its overall greenhouse-gas emissions between 26 percent and 28 percent compared with 2005 levels by 2025.

The report could have considerable legal and policy significance, providing new and stronger support for the EPA's greenhouse-gas "endangerment finding" under the Clean Air Act, which lays the foundation for regulations on emissions.

"This is a federal government report whose contents completely undercut their policies, completely undercut the statements made by senior members of the administration," said Phil Duffy, director of the Woods Hole Research Center.

The government is required to produce the national assessment every four years. This time, the report is split into two documents, one that lays out the fundamental science of climate change and the other that shows how the United States is being affected on a regional basis. Combined, the two documents total more than 2,000 pages.

The first document, called the Climate Science Special Report, is a finalized report, having been peer-reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences and vetted by experts across government agencies.

"I think this report is basically the most comprehensive climate science report in the world right now," said Robert Kopp, a climate scientist at Rutgers who is an expert on sea-level rise and served as one of the report's lead authors.

It affirms that the United States is already experiencing more extreme heat and rainfall events and more large wildfires in the West, that more than 25 coastal U.S. cities are already experiencing more flooding, and that seas could rise by between one and four feet by the year 2100. When it comes to rapidly escalating levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the report states, "there is no climate analog for this century at any time in at least the last 50 million years."

Some members of the scientific community had speculated that the administration might refuse to publish the report or might alter its conclusions. During the George W. Bush administration, a senior official at the White House Council on Environmental Quality edited aspects of some government science reports.

Yet multiple experts, as well as some administration officials and federal scientists, said Trump political appointees did not change the special report's scientific conclusions.

"I'm quite confident to say there has been no political interference in the scientific messages from this report," David Fahey, an atmospheric scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a lead author of the study, told reporters on Friday. "Whatever fears we had weren't realized. . . . This report says what the scientists want it to say."

Perhaps no agency under Trump has tried to play down and undermine climate science more than the EPA. Political appointees recently instructed two agency scientists and one contractor not to speak as planned at a scientific conference. Pruitt has advocated for the creation of a government-wide "red team/blue team" exercise, in which a group of outside critics would challenge the validity of mainstream scientific conclusions around climate change.

The climate science report is already coming under fire from some of the administration's allies.

The day before it was published, Steven Koonin, a New York University physicist who has met with Pruitt, preemptively criticized the document in the Wall Street Journal, writing that the report "ominously notes that while global sea level rose an average 0.05 inch a year during most of the 20th century, it has risen at about twice that rate since 1993. But it fails to mention that the rate fluctuated by comparable amounts several times during the 20th century."

But one of the report's authors suggested Koonin is creating a straw man. "The report does not state that the rate since 1993 is the fastest than during any comparable period since 1900 (though in my informal assessment it likely is), which is the non-statement Steve seems to be objecting to," Kopp countered by email.

Still, the line of criticism could be amplified by conservatives in the coming days.

Joseph Bast, the chief executive of the Heartland Institute, a think tank that has long challenged many aspects of the science of global warming, also strongly critiqued the report in a statement to The Post on Friday.

"This is typical Obama-era political science," Bast said. "It's all been debunked so many times it's not worth debating anymore. Why are we still wasting taxpayer dollars on green propaganda?"

The administration also released, in draft form, the second volume of the National Climate Assessment, which looks at regional impacts across the United States. This document is available for public comment and will begin a peer review process, with final publication expected in late 2018.

Already, however, it is possible to discern some of what it will conclude. A peer-reviewed EPA technical document released to inform the assessment finds climate change could exact a steep cost on the United States. That document, the Climate Change Impacts and Risk Analysis, finds that high temperatures could mean the nation may lose "almost 1.9 billion labor hours across the national workforce" by 2090, or $160 billion in annual lost income.

With high levels of warming, coastal property damage in 2090 could total $120 billion annually, and deaths from temperature extremes could reach 9,300 per year, or in monetized terms, $140 billion annually in damage. Additional tens of billions annually could occur in the form of damage to roads, rail lines and electrical infrastructure, the report finds.

This could all be lessened considerably, the report notes, if warming is held to lower levels.
WILLIAMSPORT - A woman who claims she fled Lithuania in 2009 because that country is hostile to the gay community has won a skirmish in her battle to remain in America.

U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brannon on Wednesday ordered an immigration judge to hold a bond hearing within 21 days for Daiva Kleinauskaite, who has been detained since May 2017.

The judge adopted the recommendation of Magistrate Judge Susan Schwab, who wrote: "At a certain point, detention without a bond hearing violates due process. And that point has been reached in this case."

At the bond hearing, Kleinauskaite will have the opportunity to argue for release from custody while she continues to fight deportation. It is similar to a bail hearing in a criminal case. A judge could deny release or free her on conditions.

It is the position of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials that an immigration judge has no authority to conduct a bond hearing for those admitted under the Visa Waiver Program.

Kleinauskaite entered the United States in 2009 under that program, which allows an individual to remain in the country for no more than 90 days.

She stayed well beyond that period of time and on April 26, 2017, she married Lauren Michele Meriano of Upper Darby, a U.S. citizen who she met in 2015.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials notified Kleinauskaite it would seek deportation after she was arrested May 17, 2017, in Montgomery County for driving under the influence.

Her attempts to prevent removal and to be granted asylum have been unsuccessful.

An immigration judge on Aug. 30, 2017, denied her request for asylum because she had not filed it within a year of her arrival in the United States.

That judge also rejected claims that her circumstances had changed due to her marriage and that her mother in Lithuania had received threatening notes after wedding pictures were posted on Facebook.

Her application to prevent removal from the U.S. was denied because the judge found Kleinauskaite failed to show that she would likely face persecution if deported to Lithuania.

Meriano filed a petition seeking to change Kleinauskaite's status to legal permanent resident, but that has been held in abeyance pending the outcome of the asylum proceedings.

Meriano also claims if her wife was removed from the United States she would have no place to go.

With the exception of time Kleinauskaite spent in Montgomery County on the DUI charge, she has been in the York County Prison.

Granting her bail would not affect her immigration status but make it possible for her to be released from prison as she continues to fight removal.
State police in Adams County have made an arrest in connection with the homicide of an 87-year-old woman.

Chris Gartrell, 48, was taken into custody by troopers at 10:38 p.m. Friday in Straban Township, Adams County, according to a news release from state police.

Gartrell is charged with criminal homicide and other related charges, according to the release. A criminal docket for Gartrell was not immediately available.

State police in Gettysburg say 87-year-old Virginia Barbour was found dead Wednesday in a home on the 100 block of Peach Glen Idaville Road in Huntington Township, Adams County.

Troopers were called to the home to conduct a welfare check, and when they arrived, they found Barbour dead inside, police said. Troopers then conducted an investigation and determined that unknown actors entered the home and then fled the scene.

State police announced Friday that Barbours death was the result of a criminal homicide.

State police also said at least six long guns, a .44 caliber pistol, $1,600 in statehood rolled quarters, and a silver 2012 Chevrolet Impala with Pennsylvania registration HYJ-4804 were also taken from the residence.
According to the public servant in Quickly, half the country is a sycophantic apologist for the, let's just call him the president instead of a bunch of kiddie names like the little boy likes to do. That must make the public servant somebody really special, or a gutless coward who hides behind a silly little column where he can vent his frustrations with no restrictions. What a man!
Master Classics of Poker Amsterdam: De Jonge Leads, Ruijs Close Behind

November 24, 2018 Milko van Winden

Day 1A of the 4,300 Main Event at the Master Classics of Poker in Holland Casino Amsterdam is in the books. For the first time in the 27 years of existence, they played the tournament with a big blind ante.

The first of two starting flights attracted a total of 75 entries. Just 31 players managed to bag chips at the end of the day. The next starting flight, Day 1B, will be on Tuesday, November 27.

Sebastiaan de Jonge stands at the top of the leaderboard after nine 60-minute levels. De Jonge managed to end up with 176,400 in his bag after they all started with 30,000. Hes closely followed by Joris Ruijs (159,300) (lead photo) and Firoz Mangroe (158,700).

Master Classics of Poker Top 5 Chip Counts After Day 1A

Position Player Country Chip Count 1 Sebastiaan de Jonge Netherlands 176,400 2 Joris Ruijs Netherlands 159,300 3 Firoz Mangroe Netherlands 158,700 4 Max Lehmanski Germany 152,500 5 Alberto Stegeman Netherlands 115,200

Other notable players that managed to find a bag are Max Lehmanski (152,500), Tobias Peters (99,900), defending champion Claas Segebrecht (94,500), Ioannis Angelou Konstas (82,500), Juha Helppi (48,900), 2012 MCOP Main Event winner Ole Schemion (28,500), and Steven van Zadelhoff (28,000).

Per Munksgaard also managed to find a bag at the end of the day. Munksgaard probably saw one of the sickest flops in his life when he was playing queen-jack of clubs. The flop came down ace-king-ten, all clubs, as he flopped a royal flush. He managed to get all the chips of Bill Asafiati who was playing ace-ten. Munksgaard ended the day with 78,600; just above the average stack of 72,581.

Ole Schemion

Dutch TV host Alberto Stegeman is also still in the running. Stegeman ended the day with 115,200 which earns him the fifth place on the leaderboard. He managed to finish in eighteenth place in last years Master Classics of Poker Main Event. He's looking to improve on the 12,189 score with a bigger cash this year.

Players that were less fortunate today were Timur Margolin, Daniyar Aubakirov, Jan Bendik, and Rob Hollink. Bart Spijkers and Rens Feenstra both fired two bullets, as one reentry is allowed per flight, but they both didnt bag any chips.

Another player that didnt find a bag is Uri Reichenstein, despite his stellar start in the tournament. Reichenstein managed to double up after only eight minutes. He played a huge 600 big blind pot against Andrea Ricci where Ricci was playing pocket aces, holding an overpair to the board, but Reichenstein had the nut flush. Ricci went for the reentry and managed to bag 104,100. Reichenstein can still try his luck on Day 1B of the tournament, or he can enter the tournament before the start of Day 2.

Day 1B of the tournament will take place on Tuesday, November 27, at 2 p.m. local time and the field will combine on Day 2 on Wednesday, November 28. They will play down to a final table on Thursday, November 29, and the winner of the 4,300 Master Classics of Poker Main Event will be crowned on Friday, November 30.

While the Main Event is on hiatus till Tuesday, there's still enough follow along with in Amsterdam. The 25,500 Super High Roller starts on Saturday. PokerNews will be on the ground to cover that event from start to finish, so keep your eyes out for updates from that event this weekend.
Click to enlarge:

By Lizbeth Diaz and Delphine Schrank

TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters)  Mexican residents of a poor Tijuana slum in the shadow of eight prototypes of U.S. President Donald Trumps planned border wall called the project a waste of money and laughed at the idea the monolithic slabs will stop desperate immigrants.

Several locals called Trump loco for thinking that spending billions of dollars on barriers would stop people determined to escape poverty and violence in Mexico and Central America. Trump made his first visit to California as president on Tuesday. His stop in San Diego to visit the prototypes was greeted by demonstrators on both sides of the border.

In the scrappy Rancho Escondido neighborhood on the Mexican side, protesters shouted over the line we wont pay for your wall, in reference to Trumps insistence that the structure should be financed by Mexico.

U.S. soldiers, some with binoculars, focused back across the border, standing atop trailers placed ahead of the visit that blocked the view of Trump from the south for both protesters and local residents.

The size of these walls is not going to matter, said Rogelio Perez, 48, who lives in the trash-strewn sprawl of cinderblock homes and makeshift huts grouped around a lot for abandoned cars, in sight of the 30-foot (9 meter)-high concrete and steel models.

I even think theyll try to cross with those pole vaults that they use in the Olympics, he said as he awaited Trumps visit.

The prototypes, designed by six U.S.-based companies and unveiled last October, stand a few feet apart on the eastern edge of San Diego, several hundred feet from the rusty, stunted existing fence, part of a patchwork barrier that winds along the 1,954-mile frontier between the United States and Mexico.

Trump has sought $18 billion in funding to build the wall over the next two years. Magda Palacios, 56, joked that investing that money south of the border would be more effective at stopping the flow of people into the United States.

It would be better, instead of putting up fences, to send us the checks, she said, flinging scrap metal into buckets in the yard of a house she made from salvaged junk.

Beyond the jokes, there was an undertone of sadness and anger among some locals, who said Central American and Mexican immigrants offered more to the United States than they take. They expressed dismay that Trump viewed them as a danger.

I dont understand how in this day and age they are doing this, said Perez. The Berlin Wall came down, and here it seems that they are building it again.

Others in the neighborhood, a popular crossing point for border jumpers, examined the prototypes for weaknesses in designs that include an underground foundation to make tunneling harder.

One eight-year old girl pointed without hesitation to a steel-like structure capped in a narrow brown cylinder, saying Trump should pick that model, because it would be the least likely to stop an immigrant.

The coffee-colored one, she said. Its the easiest to throw an anchor up and pull yourself over.

Her mother, Salome Pacheco, said migrants would find ways to tunnel through, or resort to sea crossings to get into the United States.

The wall is just a waste of money. People will continue to cross, here, there, and everywhere.

(Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and David Gregorio)
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Former vice president Al Gore called out Donald Trump for trying to bury a US report on the climate change crisis by releasing it the day after Thanksgiving.

Gore tweeted a statement:

My statement on the National Climate Assessment released today: https://t.co/fltD5DOmoy pic.twitter.com/PLpGCnaUc0  Al Gore (@algore) November 23, 2018

The report paints a dire picture of what climate change will do to the US economy, With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the centurymore than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many U.S. states.

It is estimated that an additional 9,300 people will die in major cities each year due to climate change, Across these cities, the change in mortality is projected to be an additional 9,300 deaths each year under a higher scenario (RCP8.5) and 3,900 deaths each year under a lower scenario (RCP4.5). Assuming a future in which the human health response to extreme temperatures in all 49 cities was equal to that of Dallas today (for example, as a result of availability of air conditioning or physiological adaptation) results in an approximate 50% reduction in these mortality estimates. For example, in Atlanta, an additional 349 people are projected to die from extreme temperatures each year by the end of century under RCP8.5. Assuming residents of Atlanta in 2090 have the adaptive capacity of Dallas residents today, this number is reduced to 128 additional deaths per year. Cities without circles should not be interpreted as having no extreme temperature impact.

The report was supposed to come out in December, but the Trump administration released it early over a holiday weekend

CNN reported, The federally mandated study was supposed to come out in December but was released by the Trump administration on Friday, at a time when many Americans are on a long holiday weekend, distracted by family and shopping.

Al Gore was right. Trump tried to bury the report, and he did so because he doesnt want to believe the science about climate changes. Of all of the damage that Trump has done as president, the one aspect that is not revisable is the time lost in the fight against our changing climate.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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Jerome Corsi is trying to cut a plea deal with Robert Mueller because he expects to spend the remainder of his life in prison for his role in Trumps Russia scandal.

The Washington Post reported:

In a webcast and a series of interviews, Corsi said he had spoken to prosecutors for 40 hours and feared that he could spend much of the remainder of his life in prison.

After two months of interviews, Corsi, 72, said he felt his brain was mush.

Trying to explain yourself to these people is impossible . . . I guess I couldnt tell the special prosecutor what he wanted to hear, he added.

MSNBC reported that Corsi lied to Mueller:

Jerome Corsi thinks that he is going to spend the rest of his life in prison, so he is trying to cut a deal with Mueller. pic.twitter.com/BRX0CEPpKu  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) November 23, 2018

What Jerome Corsi Knows Will Bring Mueller Closer To Trump

The interesting point about Corsi is that he was not a member of Trumps presidential campaign. Trumps old talking point that the investigation is about his campaign and not himself has been blown to bits by Corsi trying to cut a deal. The investigation includes Trump associates who have personal connections to the president.

Trump is freaking out over Mueller because the investigation is centered on his own wrongdoing. Trump intermingled his campaign, his business, and his personal life, and all those threads are wrapped around Russia.

Jerome Corsi is an important link between Wikileaks, Roger Stone, and Trump. A plea deal for Corsi will bring Mueller closer to Trump. People in Trumps life are dropping like flies, as Mueller is working his way toward the Oval Office.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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(Reuters)  Climate change will cost the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, damaging everything from human health to infrastructure and agricultural production, according to a government report issued on Friday.

The Congressionally-mandated report, written with the help of more than a dozen U.S. government agencies and departments, outlined the projected impacts of global warming in every corner of American society, in a dire warning at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil fuels agenda.

With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century  more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many U.S. states, according to the report.

It said global warming would disproportionately hurt the poor, broadly undermine human health, damage infrastructure, limit the availability of water, alter coastlines, and boost costs in industries from farming to energy production.

While it said that many of the impacts of climate change  including more frequent and more powerful storms, droughts and flooding  are already underway, the projections of further damage could change if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply curbed: Future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today, it said.

The report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II, supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming, and which warned of potentially catastrophic effects to the planet.

The studies clash with policy under President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximize production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world, above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the U.S. economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit. Trump and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, arguing the causes and impacts are not yet settled.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Environmental groups said the report reinforced their calls for the United States to take action on climate change.

This report makes it clear that climate change is not some problem in the distant future. Its happening right now in every part of the country, said Brenda Ekwurzel, the director of climate science at the Union of Concerned Scientists and one of the reports authors.

Previous research, including from U.S. government scientists, has also concluded that climate change could have severe economic consequences, including damage to infrastructure, water supplies and agriculture.

Severe weather and other impacts also increase the risk of disease transmission, decrease air quality, and can increase mental health problems, among other effects.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report.

The entire report can be viewed at http://www.globalchange.gov

(Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Rosalba OBrien)
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Last week Robert Mueller won a big court victory. The court decision was widely reported, but its significance may not have been fully seen at the time. Because of this court victory it is likely now that Mueller will be able to prove that criminal collusion took place between Russia and the 2016 Trump presidential campaign.

As we reported at the time:

A federal judge has refused a request by a Russian company accused of funding a propaganda operation to sway the 2016 presidential election in Donald Trumps favor to dismiss the criminal charges brought against it by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The ruling by Judge Dabney Friedrich in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia comes after lawyers for the firm Concord Management and Consulting LLC had tried to argue that the indictment fails to properly allege a crime.

Heres the importance of this ruling: It takes away the most common defense of Donald Trump and his campaign team that collusion is not a crime.

Trump and his team have said many times that even if Robert Mueller can prove that collusion took place its no big deal. This has been a favorite claim of Trump, other Republicans, Fox News and Rudy Giuliani.

But now, thanks to Judge Friedrich, they can no longer say that. There is a now a federal court case which holds that collusion is indeed a crime.

Mueller has never used the word collusion in his dozens of indictments, convictions, and plea agreements with U.S. and Russian Trump associates. Instead, they have used the word conspiracy which is clearly a crime.

The meaning of the word collusion in this context is this: it means that people worked together for the common purpose of influencing a U.S. election.

Mueller can easily prove that Americans and Russians worked together. And thus according to Judge Friedrich, he can prove that they committed the crime of working together to commit crimes, which is in itself a crime  the crime of collusion.

In the original indictments, Mueller charged Concord, and Russian individuals with violating the criminal statute 18 U.S.C.  371, conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The indictment said that by secretly funding and promoting targeted messages to influence the election outside of any proper channel, the defendants conspired to stop the Federal Election Commission from enforcing campaign finance law, the Justice Department from registering them as foreign agents, and the State Department because they lied on visa applications to travel to the United States.

The indictment did not charge any of the Russian companies or individuals with the underlying violations of any laws.

Therefore Concords lawyers argued to Friedrich that the conspiracy charge could not stand on its own, because there is no such crime as interfering with an election.

But Friedrich did not agree. She denied Concords request to dismiss the charges. She said that established law does not require prosecutors to prove any underlying crime to bring a charge of conspiracy to commit a crime.

In other words, she held that a conspiracy to attempt to interfere with U.S. elections can itself be a crime  and thus she gave Mueller a way to prosecute the Russians for their collusion with the Trump campaign.

This means that:

Trump and his lawyers cannot argue that collusion is not a crime, and If the Russians committed a crime by colluding with the Trump campaign, then Trump campaign members also committed a crime by colluding with the Russians.

We know that Mueller has mounds of evidence proving involvement between Russia and the Trump campaign. We know that Mueller has enough evidence to bring indictments. He has done so against the Russians but not against Donald Trump (or his children).

Judge Friedrichs decision has opened the door for Bob Mueller to bring more indictments for criminal conspiracy and collusion against Donald Trump and members of his inner circle, including members of his family.

As Jason Easley wrote last week:

Robert Mueller is making consistent progress in his pursuit of the truth. Any ruling that leads to Russians being accountable for what they did in 2016 to support Trump is a problem for the White House and the Republican Party. Trump installed Matthew Whitaker as attorney general, but this ruling is a reminder that Robert Mueller is relentlessly grinding toward justice.
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday said that Muslims all over the world should unite in opposition to the United States. Rouhani made his remarks as his country is facing another round of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.

Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion  and against the future generations of this region, Rouhani said in a speech to an international conference on Islamic unity in Tehran. The speech was broadcast live on Iranian state television.

We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran and our Islam, he added.

Earlier this month, Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran that affect the countrys shipping, financial and energy sectors. The action on sanctions came several months after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration in May.

Officials in the United States have repeatedly said that the sanctions will prevent Iran from supporting militant or terrorist groups. They also believe the sanctions will stop Iran from developing long-range ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons that could be used against neighbors such as Israel.

In his speech Rouhani also criticized Israel, calling it a cancerous tumor established by Western nations to advance their interests in the Middle East.

Through the years Iran has pledged its support to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas that have always been devoted to the destruction of Israel.

Rouhani earlier this month called the decision to reimpose sanctions wrong and incorrect and vowed that Americans will definitely be defeated in this path.

Saudi Arabia is Irans primary regional rival, supporting different sides of the conflict in Yemen and Syria.

We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression and the superpowers and we dont ask for $450 billion to do it, Rouhani said during Saturdays speech, in reference to the alleged arms deal between Americans and Saudis.
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Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, designers and founders of Italian luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana, made an apology in a short video posted on its official Sina Weibo account regarding recent outrage over a racist ad and subsequent remarks.

The duo expressed hope that China could forgive them for their poor understanding of culture. The apology was made in Italian, and the pair said "sorry" in Chinese, duibuqi, together at the end.

Here is the full transcript:

Dolce: Over the past few days we have thought long and hard with great sadness about everything that has happened and what we have caused in your country and we are very sorry. Our families have always taught us to respect the various cultures in all the world and this is why we want to ask for your forgiveness if we have made mistakes in interpreting yours.

Gabbana: We also want to apologize to all of the many Chinese people throughout the world. We take this apology very seriously as well as this message.

Dolce: We have always been in love with China. We've visited it and seen many of its cities. We love your culture and we certainly have much to learn. That is why we are sorry if we made mistakes in the way we expressed ourselves.

Gabbana: We will never forget this experience and it will certainly never happen again. In fact we will work to do things better. We will respect the Chinese culture in every way possible. From the bottom of our hearts, we ask for forgiveness.

Together: Duibuqi (Sorry).
Jerrel Floyd is an Alabama raised reporter who covers Summerville and Dorchester County for The Post and Courier.
Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine.
Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category.
The juncture of South Aviation Avenue and International Boulevard in North Charleston last year. If the half-cent sales tax is approved, the area around Charleston International Airport and the Boeing campus would involve three road projects. File/Leroy Burnell/Staff
Plans are underway to widen Glenn McConnell Parkway, a move that will relieve congestion on the busy avenue connecting Bees Ferry Road and Interstate 526.

But before Charleston County breaks ground on this project, residents are encouraged to share their thoughts at a public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at West Ashley High School.

The meeting will be an open house format where residents can meet one on one with the project's representatives. Residents can leave comments at the meeting or fill out a form on the project's website.

Attendees are asked to park in the student and event parking lot and follow signs toward the school's cafeteria.

In an interview with The Post and Courier, project manager Sunshine Trakas answered some questions about the Glenn McConnell road project.

What is the project?

The Glenn McConnell Parkway is a busy 2.5-mile highway in West Ashley. It connects the area's suburbs to Interstate 526, as well as S.C. Highway 61 via Paul Cantrell Boulevard. Voters agreed the widening of this road was a high-priority project worthy of using funds from the half-cent sales tax.

There are two options to widen the road from four to six lanes. The county can either widen the existing grassy median and add a safety barrier, or the county can to widen the inside median as well as the outside shoulder.

There will be no right of way or eminent domain used during this project, Trakas said.

Why go to the public meeting?

Regardless of which design concept the county pursues, the road will change visually, Trakas said. One option would preserve more green space than the other.

By coming to the meeting and giving their input, residents can have a say in how they want their road to look.

"This road is for the people who use it," she said.

What is the cost?

The $25 million project is funded entirely from revenue obtained through the half-cent sales tax approved in 2016.

What is the timeline?

At this point, the county has completed field and topographic surveys. Following the Dec. 3 public meeting, the county will post updates on a project website located at roads.charlestoncounty.org.

The county hopes to have the design completed by late 2020. Trakas anticipates construction will be completed by the end of 2022.

The most time-consuming part of the project, she added, is the acquisition of permits from various agencies and the city of Charleston.
People hold up images of Julian Assange to show support for his double nationality, as they counter protest others demanding the government remove his Ecuadorean citizenship outside the government palace in Quito, Ecuador, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. Ecuador's government has provided the Australian hacker refuge for six years at their London embassy, but their relations have grown increasingly prickly as the years have dragged on with no solution in sight. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
You are here: Business

China's national securities regulator has approved the initial public offering (IPO) applications of two companies.

Auto parts producer Shanghai Sinotech Co., Ltd. and medical equipment manufacturer Jiangsu Apon Medical Technology Co., Ltd. will be listed on the A-share market, said the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) in a statement, without specifying the total amount of funds to be raised.

Both companies and their underwriters will confirm IPO dates and publish their prospectuses following discussions with the stock exchanges.

Under the current IPO system, new shares are subject to approval from the CSRC. China is gradually switching from an approval-based IPO system to one based on registration.


PLAINVIEW  The pubic is invited to the annual Country Christmas luncheon at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Christian Life Center.

Lunch will be served from m 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Morning and afternoon coffee also will be served from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Immanuel Lutheran Church and Christian Life Center is at 45 West Broadway in Plainview.

Messiah concert scheduled for Dec. 2

HAYFIELD  Trinity Lutheran Churchwill host its ninth annual "Messiah" concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2.

The performance will feature the community choir, string quartet and the Hosanna Quartet.

Refreshment will be served. A free-will offering will be received for the Dodge County Food Shelf.

Trinity Lutheran Church is at 104 First St. SE in Hayfield.

South Troy youth to hold pizza fundraiser

South Troy Wesleyan Church youth group will be holding a fundraiser during the communitys "Christmas in Zumbro Falls" event on Dec. 7-8.

South Troy youth is partnering with The Local Pizzeria and selling pizza by the slice from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Resurrection Catholic Church to hold holiday bazaar

Resurrection Catholic Church will hold its 46th annual holiday bazaar from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9.

The bazaar features a pulled pork lunch, silent auction, cash raffle, bake sale, bingo, crafts, cake walk, kids games, live music and more.

Admission is free and the location is handicapped accessible. Resurrection Catholic Church is at 1600 11th Ave. SW in Rochester.

South Troy Wesleyan to celebrate open house

ZUMBRO FALLS  South Troy Wesleyan Church will dedicate its new wing at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9.

The public is invited to celebration the opening of the expansion and the Zumbro Valley Food Shelf.

South Troy Wesleyan Church is located at 56817 U.S. Highway 63 in Zumbro Falls.

Christmas services set at Old Lenora Church

CANTON  Advent and Christmas services are scheduled at the old Lenora United Methodist Church in rural Fillmore County.

Services are scheduled 3 p.m, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 16 and 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 23.

The historic church, founded in 1856, features a reed pump organ and has original wooden pews are still in place. Youre invited to bring non-perishable food for local food shelves. A free-will offering will be received for the ministry and care of the historic church.

The Old Lenora Church is near Canton off of Fillmore County Road 23. For more information, email faitheyota@embarqmail.com.
I recently went to the funeral of a decorated and talented Air Force veteran. Let me rephrase that, or, as contemporary politicians like to say, "Let me walk that statement back."

I recently tried to go to the funeral of a decorated and talented Air Force veteran. In truth, I missed the entire ceremony and only arrived in time to be the last in line for the post-burial luncheon of ham sandwiches and scalloped potatoes. Unfortunately, the near-complete flooding of the roads around the rural church in southwestern Wisconsin kept me from arriving in time.

Because of the lack of cell phone connection in this hilly area, I was reduced to using a paper map and asking locals for directions  or even suggestions. Most of the men reading this will understand the challenge of asking for those directions. Still, as a pastor, I am often called on to "go the extra mile."

At least three of the Wisconsin natives I spoke to asked me if "getting to the funeral was important." I am sure they were thinking of the danger of the flooded roads. However, their repeated question made me ask myself, "Why we do make the effort to attend funerals?" After all, the person we are paying our respects to has already died.

Three reasons for funeral services came to my mind on the long, wet trip home.

First, we want to honor our loved one who has died and their family. In my case, I did not actually know Captain Keeling, a pilot who flew the F-86 Sabre and T-33 Shooting Star. Instead, his daughter is one of my co-workers and a close personal friend of my wife and me. I attempted to get to the funeral to honor our friend and to pay respects to the family in their loss.

In a world which has become less and less personal, reaching out in these incredibly intimate moments becomes more and more important.

Second, we have funerals to comfort the broken hearted. We find comfort in remembering how a loved one has touched our lives. We receive comfort when we are reminded that death is not the end. Of course, our greatest comfort is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He promised through the author of Hebrews, "I will never leave you ... nor forsake you." It is through a relationship with Christ that we are able to say as the Psalmist, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

Third, we go to funerals because they help prepare us for life. In reality none of us are given a choice about whether to meet death, or even when to meet death, only how to meet death. When we understand we will all die, it helps us get serious about living in the present tense.

In Psalm 90:12 we read, "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom." This is not a macabre order to mark each of our allotted days off on a calendar. Instead, it is a prayer that God will help us to live purposeful lives, which is the path of true wisdom. To do this, we must ask ourselves, "How do we make each day count for God?"

Getting lost on Wisconsins backroads is a bit humiliating, especially when you are trying to get to something as important as a funeral. Still, losing our way in life is even worse. As a Muslim author wrote, "Sometimes the best way to find your road is to get lost. Sometimes the only way to find a way is to get lost."
"Legendary" is a hard-won adjective. But by the time she was killed six years ago in Homs, Syria, by President Bashar Assads forces, Marie Colvin had earned it. At 56, she had already long been revered among fellow journalists for her bravery and determination to tell the story, at virtually any cost.

The New York native who wrote for Britains Sunday Times was also known for some other things: For her trademark black eye patch, adopted after she lost sight in one eye in a Sri Lanka grenade attack. For her taste in vodka martinis and pearls. For her famous parties. And for being a notoriously prickly person to work with, especially for photographers, whom she cycled through as quickly as the cigarettes she was constantly smoking.

But Colvin found her professional soul mate, and her final journalistic partner, in Paul Conroy, a freelance photographer and former British soldier who was with her when she died in Homs, and badly wounded himself. Conroy has never stopped telling Colvins story, and now hes telling it in a searing new documentary, "Under the Wire," an account of their last, tragic assignment.

In a striking coincidence, "Under the Wire," directed by Chris Martin and based on Conroys own book, is one of three major projects about Colvin released within a few weeks. They include the feature film "A Private War," offering a take-no-prisoners performance by Rosamund Pike, and a new book, "In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin," by her friend Lindsey Hilsum.

What would Colvin think of all the sudden attention? Conroy, who also served as a consultant to "A Private War," chuckles to think of it, saying that outwardly shed brush it off, but inwardly shed likely be proud  and happy that the attention is bringing the plight of the Syrian people back into the spotlight.

"Its the best lifetime achievement award we could give Marie," he said in a recent interview from his home in Devon, England, adding: "Its very hard to describe your friend as a legend, but you have to with Marie. She was a complete and utter one-off."

While "A Private War" is justifiably drawing Oscar buzz for Pike, "Under the Wire" has Colvin herself. Director Martin spent years assembling archive footage, including Conroys own, and everything else he could find. The result is a stunningly immediate account of the tragedy, including audio from the moment the missiles hit.

It begins with Colvin and Conroys decision to sneak into Syria in February 2012. To protests of her friends that it was just too risky, Colvin replied, according to Hilsum: "Its what we do."

The duo traveled over land from Lebanon into Syria, then made a terrifying journey to Homs through an underground water tunnel. Their destination: the working-class neighborhood of Baba Amr, where starving civilians were being bombarded by constant shelling.

Colvin and Conroy documented the suffering, including a Feb. 19 piece on the "widows basement," a cellar where mostly women and children crowded in misery, sheltering from the bombs. It was, says her editor, Sean Ryan, her very best work.

The pair left Homs at one point but Colvin insisted they go back; there was more reporting to be done. Back in the tunnel, Conroy says he stopped and told her: "Marie, I have a bad feeling." She told him she was going back, regardless. He joined her. "I went in with my eyes open," he says now.

Despite the unimaginable risks, Martin takes pains to note that Colvin wasnt foolhardy.

"The cliche is that she was a fearless war reporter," the director said in an interview. "But what I got very clearly from talking to people was that she wasnt fearless. She was frightened all the time. Her achievement was that she overcame it."

The film also makes a point of showing her fiercely competitive nature. When a group of French journalists arrive, just as Colvins own editor is begging her to leave, Colvin digs in her heels. "It was her story and she wanted it," Martin says simply.

The most heartbreaking scene  in both the dramatic film and the documentary, actually  takes place in a makeshift medical clinic in Baba Amr. A badly wounded baby boy arrives; doctors cannot save him. By terrible coincidence, his own grandmother is working in the clinic and begins to wail as she recognizes the baby.

After witnessing the horrifying death, Colvin decides to go for broke. She broadcasts from Homs, describing watching the baby die in interviews on the BBC and CNN. "She was going to take the story and go for it, whatever the cost," Conroy says.

Only hours later, missiles rained down on the makeshift media center in which Colvin was filing. She and French war photographer Remy Ochlik were killed instantly. Conroy and French reporter Edith Bouvier were wounded. There is shocking footage here of the wounded journalists, including of Conroys mangled leg. "I need a tourniquet!" he screams.

The film goes on to document Conroys harrowing escape from Homs, literally clawing his way out through mud. "I got out of the tunnel, and four minutes later the government fired rockets," he says now. "The guys who carried me were all killed."

Both Conroy and Martin say they could never have known how relevant their film would be, six years after Homs. Thats because they didnt know journalism itself would come under fire.

"In this day and age, journalism as a profession is under such attack from the whole fake news thing," Conroy says. "So to stand there and say, This is someone who lived to bear witness  that was Marie. She died living that work."

Or, as Colvin herself is shown saying in the film, being a war correspondent was not about which tank was used or which type of weaponry. She didnt care a whit about that stuff.

"Being a war correspondent is about people, and what theyre going through," she says.

Conroy says he will tell the story of Colvin, and of the Syrian people, until their suffering is over.

"To this day I carry this weight and responsibility," he says. "Im not going to stop."
COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Only half of those who choose the winners of next years Nobel Prize in literature will be members of the scandal-rocked Swedish Academy that has always previously awarded the prize, the prestigious body said Monday.

Two authors, two critics and one translator  all Swedish  will join five members of the academy in picking the winners next year  including the 2019 and the delayed 2018 literature prizes  and in 2020.

The decision to build "a new Nobel committee" was taken "in consultation with the Nobel Foundation," Anders Olsson, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said in a statement.

"What I understand is we run through (the names of) the prize nominees and discuss it. But I do not know exactly how it will go. Well see," Rebecka Karde, a literary critic and one of those selected, told Swedish broadcaster SVT before the announcement.

The Nobel Foundation earlier had warned the academy that if it doesnt resolve its tarnished image, it could be decided that another group would be a better host.

A year ago, 18 women came forward in a Swedish newspaper with abuse accusations against Jean-Claude Arnault, the husband of a then-member of the academy.

Arnault has since been convicted of rape, and the academy in April found that "unacceptable behavior in the form of unwanted intimacy" had taken place within the ranks of the prestigious institution.

A fierce internal debate over how to face up to the academys flaws in responding to both sexual and financial crimes allegations divided its 18 members  who are appointed for life  into hostile camps, which has led to accusations of patriarchal leanings among some academy members.

So far, eight members have either left or disassociated themselves from the secretive academy.

Arnault also has been suspected of violating century-old Nobel rules by leaking the names of award winners  allegedly seven times, starting in 1996. It remains unclear to whom the names were leaked and its not known whether that has been investigated.
You are here: China

Chinese police have spotted and handled over 5,000 cases of drunk driving and about 25,000 cases of driving under the influence (DUI) in the last 10 days, the Ministry of Public Security said Friday.

Over the same period, the number of traffic accidents caused by drunk driving or DUIs dropped significantly, according to the ministry.

Launched on Nov. 14, the campaign mobilized traffic police units across the country to check for drivers under the influence.

Drunk driving is a crime under Chinese law, while less severe DUI offenders may face administrative punishment including short-term detention.


This is going to be the second year that we gather around the Thanksgiving table with the COVID-19 cloud hovering over us. Read more




The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Friday held a symposium to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Liu Shaoqi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed carrying on the great cause Liu and other members of the older generation of revolutionaries had dedicated their life to, during his speech at the symposium.

The life-long firm conviction in realizing Communism has inspired generations of Communists to move ahead, rain or shine, Xi said.

The symposium was also attended by Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, and Han Zheng, all of whom are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Li Zhanshu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the symposium.

"We are gathered here with deep respect to commemorate the 120th birth anniversary of Comrade Liu Shaoqi... and to remember his tireless endeavors to pursue national independence and liberation of the people, a stronger and more prosperous country, and the people's happiness," Xi said.

Calling Liu a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, a great statesman, and a great theorist, Xi said Liu was one of the major Party and state leaders, one of the founders of the People's Republic of China and an integral member of the first-generation central leadership of the CPC.

Liu worked tirelessly for the country's revolutionary undertakings and its development, and was held in high esteem among the whole Party, the entire military and people of all ethnic groups, Xi said.

Liu, with noble character, has been and will always be a role model for the CPC members and the Chinese people, Xi noted.

Praising Liu's loyalty to the Party, Xi urged the CPC members to follow his example in keeping to the Communist faith and ideals and devoting their lives to Communism.

Xi also called on them to always stand up for truth and face up to their mistakes and fix them.

Only by doing so could the Party be built into a Marxist ruling party that earns people's sincere support, has the courage to reform itself, and withstands all challenges, Xi said.

"Following the example of Liu, we should put the Party's principles, its cause, and the people's interests first," Xi said.

Every Party member must unwaveringly implement the Party's lines, principles and policies with a strong sense of fulfilling their duties, Xi said.

Xi called on building a learning Party and a learning country by taking Liu as a role model.

Xi underlined adhering to the people-centered approach and putting the people first, urging CPC members to firmly remember that their power is entrusted by the Party and the people, and should be exercised in the interests of the Party and the people.

Seeking privilege and pursuing private gains through power are not allowed at any time, Xi said, asking all Party members to be loyal to the Party, have moral integrity, and demonstrate a keen sense of responsibility.

At the symposium, Li Zhanshu urged efforts to attentively study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech and strive for the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.




In a close election everything matters. Serving as treasurer for Rudy Boschwitzs 1996 Senate campaign against Paul Wellstone I was treated to a presentation on the Minnesota electorate by the late campaign consultant Arthur Finkelstein. In the course his presentation he mentioned that he had also served as a consultant to former Florida Senator Connie Mack III. Finkelstein attributed Macks narrow victory over Buddy McKay in the 1988 election for the Senate seat vacated by Lawton Chiles to the voters who mistakenly preferred Mack to McKay because she is a woman or something like that. It served as a sardonic reflection on ill-informed voters.

William Mattox makes an observation that may serve a contrary point in the Wall Street Journal column School-choice moms tipped the Florida governors race. Coincidentally, it also derives from a statewide Florida election. Mattox attributes the victory of Ron DeSantis over Andrew Gillum to well-informed black female voters who opted for DeSantis because of his support of Floridas Step Up For Students school-choice program. He writes:

Believe it or not, Republican Ron DeSantis owes his victory in the Florida gubernatorial election to about 100,000 African-American women who unexpectedly chose him over the black Democratic candidate, Andrew Gillum. Of the roughly 650,000 black women who voted in Florida, 18% chose Mr. DeSantis, according to CNNs exit poll of 3,108 voters. This exceeded their support for GOP U.S. Senate candidate Rick Scott (9%), Mr. DeSantiss performance among black men (8%) and the GOPs national average among black women (7%). To be sure, 18% of the black female vote in Florida is equal to less than 2% of the total electorate. But in an election decided by fewer than 40,000 votes, these 100,000 black women proved decisive. Their apparent ticket splitting helps to explain why the Florida governors race wasnt as close as the Florida Senate race, though Mr. Gillum was widely expected to carry Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson to victory on his coattails. What explains Mr. DeSantis surprising support from African-American women? Two words: school choice.

Mattox hopes Republicans will take encouragement for the future in his findings: The unexpected outcome of the Florida governors race should encourage Republicans nationwide to pitch their education agenda to minority voters. I find encouragement now in the state of knowledge among the voters Mattox focuses on. Read the whole thing here.
The so-called migrant caravan, or some part thereof  an opportunistic figment of President Trumps imagination, according to the talking heads among the mainstream media  has arrived in Tijuana. Hard news has nevertheless kept coming to such an extent that it has been difficult to keep up. I take it that we have here a test of wills between President Trump and the caravan supporters.

In reverse chronological order, without further comment, this is a selection of recent items of interest in which the headlines convey a good sense of the story. Dont miss the items toward the bottom that you may have missed if you get your news from the New York Times and its ilk:

 Julie Watson, AP (November 24): Tijuana declares humanitarian crisis, seeks UN help (lagging the Arizona Republic story below).

 AFP (November 23): Migrants defy Trump at Mexico border as US forces flex muscle.

 Edmund DeMarche, Fox News (November 23): Small group breaks from caravan, within 500 feet of US border, report says.

 Rafael Carranza, Arizona Republic (November 22/23): Tijuana declares humanitarian crisis.

 Wendy Fry, San Diego Tribune (November 22): Small group breaks from caravan to press within 500 feet of U.S. border in Tijuana.

 Greg Norman Fox News (November 20): Migrant caravan at US border is harboring more than 500 criminals, Homeland Security claims.

 Michael Burke, The Hill (November 20): Trump administration paying undercover informants in migrant caravan: report.

 Rafael Carranza, Arizona Republic (November 19): Conditions worsen at shelter as more migrants approach Tijuana.

 James Frederick, NPR (November 19): Shouting Mexico First, Hundreds In Tijuana March Against Migrant Caravan.

 Sarah Kinosian, Guardian (November 19): Tijuana first!: protests grow against migrant caravan in Mexico.
Some conservatives are criticizing Chief Justice Roberts for responding to President Trumps attack on Obama judges. They note that Roberts did not respond when President Obama criticized the Supreme Courts decision in Citizens United during a state of the union address.

But theres an obvious difference between the two situations. Obama was saying that the Supreme Court got one case wrong. Trump was attacking a large number of federal judges as biased partisans. His criticism, in effect, attacked the integrity of the judiciary, not one courts wisdom in a single decision.

I believe there is considerable truth in Trumps critique. But its understandable that the Chief Justice, who disagrees with Trump and wants to maintain public faith in the branch of government he sits at the top of, rallied to the defense of the federal judiciary.

Its also understandable that he did not publicly argue the merits of Citizens United with Obama. Supreme Court Justices should defend the results they reach via their judicial opinions, not in public debates with critics. But when a large chunk of the judiciary is attacked, its not wrong forthe Chief Justice to respond if he thinks the attack is unfair.
Sanwo-Eko!literally translated as Pay Lagos Moneyis the new lingo on peoples lips in political Lagos. It is the campaign catchphrase of the new kid on the bloc, Babajide Sanwo-olu. There are other party members and followers who make it a little funkier, raising the bar of Lagos street-smartness: Sanwo-e!Pay His Moneyyou would hear them say. Amusing stuff.

Lagos is important to Nigerias politico-economic status and its politics remains fascinating to every follower of socio-political trends. In this republic, the state has been governed by folks regarded as performers, people whom SATIRE SATURDAY admits might not be terrible performers but earned their exaggerated sense of importance largely as a result of smart distortion of public perception by way of judicious utilization of the machinery of the media.

Even if there have been a few laudable initiatives here and there, contrary to the rave reviews the state and its managers enjoyed in the media, the space is still largely a sophisticated slum. Within the about 20-year period, however, it has been managed by a particular section of the ruling elite controlled by a former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu himself emerged as Lagos governor in the wake of the departure of the military in 1999. Despite the controversies surrounding his academic credential, to be fair, he fixed a number of concerns around public infrastructure in his eight-year reigneven while dealing with a vindictive centre, headed by former president Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2007, he would hand over the affairs to a then relatively unknown Babatunde Fashola who, for all his elitist policies, brought novel thinking to governance of the state. Fashola handed over to incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode, a man whose colourless reign has been subjected to less criticism because of the sustained culture of media control peculiar to Lagos administrators since 1999. Ambode, ceteris paribus, will hand over to Sanwo-Olu.

In all of these years, Lagos was dubbed all manner of patronizing names and its largely regarded as the state of example among its peers. Away from the rave reviews, its affairs remain eternally opaque and its administrators ensure that talks about government finances take the form of conversations among cult members.

SATIRE SATURDAY spent the most of 2017 pursuing the government on the need to maintain open contracting system. It never did. Of course, in the middle of these, both external and internal debts keep rising to a dizzying height, while procurement information remain publicly unknown.

It is against this background that Ambodes dramatic fall becomes fascinating: he was ousted not because of his admittedly colourless performance, but because of his failure to oil the machinery of state politicking. He has since been replaced with Sanwo-Olu, who has openly promised to Sanwo-Eko!pay Lagos moneyto a known yet unknown entity.

And thats where the tragedy of the Lagos condition lies.

For one, SATIRE SATURDAY has deliberately refused to conceive the coming guber poll in the state as a contest, largely because it is not one in the real sense of it. Sanwo-Olu, at whose beck and call are state rigging machinery, the media, a strong party structure, and all whatnot, has been literally jumping around as though he is the underdog.

To put it matter-of-factly, as things stand today in the state, there are two serving governors: Akinwunmi Ambode, the incumbent governor who will not be returning to Lagos House and Babajide Sanwo-olu, the new governor who has only not been officially declared so. Of course, if service is about visibility, then the above thesismischief-laden as it appearsremains valid. There are several reasons to be amused by the recent public actions of the duo, birthing concerns around questions like whom the incumbent governor indeed is, even, given the energy both individuals have committed to public appearance and politicking in recent time.

On the one hand is Ambode, who bit the bullet largely because of his alleged aloofness in the party and neglect of party chieftains. He is now without doubt the ruling All Progressives Congress most loyal and visible party member, dramatically jumping from one party occasion to another, however mundane the issue being discussed is. In Yoruba didactic phraseology, he represents the fellow who declined upon being advised to simply do t-o-o-o but has now resorted to doing t-o-o-o, t-o-o-o, t-o-o-o! after meeting his comeuppance.

On the other hand, however, his Sanwo-olu, the favourite candidate of the Lagos cabal who saw to the humblingsome would say, and rightly so, disgraceof Ambode, ostensibly on the order of the well-known Lagos landlord and his powerful disciples. Sanwo-Olu has been acting gubernatorial since he got the party ticket, literally competing for visibility and attention with the incumbent. The disturbing messages such moves send to the public might not be relevant when the conversation revolves round politicking, frankly. Good for him; good for the party.

In sharp contrast, Sanwo-Olus closest rival, Jimi Agbaje, has literally been snoring. His Peoples Democratic Party, still smarting from its humiliation in the last poll, is bereft of tact, strategy and, as SATIRE SATURDAY understands, funds. His urbane mien notwithstanding, Agbaje himself comes across as a perennial joker: he lurks around quietly every four years, unconcerned about issues in the polity within the period, then jumps into the fray on the eve of every guber election day.

It is logical to say his ambition isnt necessarily to win Lagos guber seat but to go down in history with records of appearing on the ballot box the most among his peers. And that explains why, for years, those who grandstand as owners of Lagos get away with the kind of impunity that would have sent folks to political retirement in other climes  it is partly due to the (in)actions of jokers like Agbaje. A new twist was even added to the plot recently when oil magnate Femi Otedola, rumoured to be sympathetic to the PDP cause, endorsed the APC candidate.

So as things stand thus far, the next election in Lagos would not be a contest; its a coronation.

But SATIRE SATURDAY isnt impressed a bit about the soon-to-be-crowned mans potential. Not yet. And thats even without considering the damning allegations put against him by Ambode before the party primaries, which have not received convincing explanations.

Last Monday, he gave an insight into the philosophy his government would operate with at a parley in Lagos when he said he knew not about Lagos governments opaque dealings and how it keeps its finances away from the public. To be sure, here is a man who has been at the top echelon of governance in Lagos state in the last decade, serving prominently as cabinet member. Thats being clever by half, Sanwo-Olu.

Interestingly at the same event, his deputy, Hamzat, came close to spilling the beans, perhaps inadvertently, when he said those attempting to look into Lagos governments books are being meddlesome.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need no further directive on how the incoming government would be run: its an extension of the status quoA-looter continua!

Finally, given the circumstances of his emergence and the role played by owners of Lagos in the entire game, to whom Sanwo-Olu prepares to Pay Lagos Money! is a no-brainer. Like they say on Cyber Nigeria, if you know, you know. And thats sad!
The Ondo state legislature is now on exile. Impunity is walking on all fours with brazen illegality at its hallowed chambers where nine lawmakers have constitutional powers to sack 17 other house members, take decisions, sack committees and reconstitute them and even pass a reordered 2018 appropriation law.

This is happening apparently with the full backing of the legal luminary and governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu,( Senior Advocate of Nigeria) who appears to be the eventual beneficiary of the hoopla that greeted the house of assembly of the state on Friday, November 9.

Political watchers have linked the current turmoil within the legislature to the frustrations emanating from the misfortunes of the All Progressives Congress primaries whereby many of the lawmakers and other aspirants lost their bids to contest the coming elections. Also wounded in the race for tickets, is the governor himself, whose powers to determine the candidates were cut short by the leadership of the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

The hitherto quiet house, which seldom opened its doors for legislative business, suddenly erupted in a rowdy session which featured a fight between a former speaker of the house, Jumoke Akindele, and the impeached speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun. The female lawmaker had been appointed as interim speaker to preside over the impeachment process, but Mr Oleyelogun would not watch his own funeral. He pounced on her and made efforts to thwart the process. He failed to do so and he was eventually impeached.

Reasons adduced for the action include corruption, incompetence and highhandedness. Olamide George was elected speaker, while Abimbola Fajolu was elected deputy speaker.

The publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Alex Kalejaye, hinted that the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, made efforts to pacify the lawmakers not to carry out the impeachment, but his advice was rejected, as he was told that the chambers was not an extension of the partys secretariat.

PREMIUM TIMES also gathered that Mr Akeredolu had received information that the lawmakers were plotting to change their leadership and had made efforts to prevail on them to shelve the plan, but did so without success. The lawmakers, led by Mr George, were bent on the change.

Shortly after the process of impeachment was concluded, thugs poured in from different directions with dangerous weapons and the rest of the lawmakers saw hell. They received bruises and had to run for their lives as the hoodlums chased them out of the complex and damaged their vehicles. Journalists and some operatives of the State Security Services at the complex also got a piece of the dished mayhem.

The manner in which the police stood around watching the fiends do the damage and desecrated the legislature had the trappings of a state managed attack and an assured immunity for the perpetrators.

Although calm appeared to have returned to the scene of conflict, the lawmakers who dared to carry out the impeachment were completely displaced, and had no courage to draw near the assembly complex. They fled to Ibadan where they addressed the media on threats to their lives.

Meanwhile, Mr Oleyelogun retook the assembly with eight other members of the house, claiming the attempt to impeach him was inconclusive as his traducers lacked the required two-thirds majority to remove him. I remain the authentic speaker of the house, he asserted as he resumed his place on November 12.

Two of the members whose names had appeared on the signed impeachment notice published in the media the day before, Sunday Olajide and Olusola Oluyede, claimed that their signatures were forged by the impeachment movers saying they were neither informed nor briefed on the impeachment.

The implication by these confessions suggested that the number required to form the needed two thirds, which is 18 out of the 26 members, was not in effect, attained by the change proponents. They had also asked the police to investigate and establish a case of forgery against the Olamide George faction, who forged their signatures in order to push their objectives through.

The resumed sitting had a sizable number of policemen present to give the needed security and protection to the loyal members of the house while the session lasted.

Mr Kalehaye had submitted that information which reached him was that the thugs who were doubtless supporters of Mr Akeredolu, stormed the assembly complex having been informed that the lawmakers were trying to impeach the governor. The impression was that the lawmakers would not be allowed to carry out any impeachment against the governor, regardless of whether he had committed any impeachable offence or not, without facing the wrath of the hoodlums.

Mr George, who led 16 other lawmakers to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, claimed before journalists that their lives were no longer safe after they were attacked by thugs masterminded by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in the state under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju.

They also claimed to have received death threats, as well as their families and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and save them from being killed.

Besides accusing the police commissioner of complicity in the attack, the lawmakers also called on the Inspector General of Police to redeploy him from the state.

In a petition to the Inspector General of Police, signed by the on the run Speaker, Mr George, his deputy, Abimbola Fajolu, and the Majority Leader of the House, Olugbenga Araoyinbo, the lawmakers alleged threat to their lives, assault, abuse of authority by the Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju, the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as well as the state chairman of APC, Ade Adetimehin.

They also alleged that while thugs suspected to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers invaded the house and attacked lawmakers, workers of the assembly and journalists alike, the commissioner of police only stood aloof without ordering his armed men to repel the attack.

We sat in the House of Assembly of Ondo State on Friday, 9th November, 2018 for the purposes of conducting House businesses among which was the removal of Rt. Hon. Oleyeloogun Bamidele and Iroju Ogundeji, erstwhile Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, the petition, which was also copied to the presidency, read.

After Speaker and Deputy Speaker had emerged, the former Speaker stormed the Chamber along with thugs and proceeded to disrupt the proceedings by physically assaulting Hon. Mrs Jumoke Akindele whom he had apparently learnt was the Protem Speaker as well as some other members.

We suddenly saw the Chairman of APC in the state, Ade Adetimehin who came threatening that he has the authority of the Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to deal with anyone who would not heed his plea to return the erstwhile Speaker, Hon. Oleyeloogun to office.

Following closely after this was the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Mr Gbenga Adeyanju who stated clearly that he had express instructions of Governor Akeredolu to evacuate and flush out every member from the House by all means possible.

Mr. Adeyanju came in with not less than fifty battle ready, fatigue wearing men of the police to physically assault honourable members by slapping, pushing and hitting them. This to us is embarrassing as men of the police force are meant to enforcers of the law and not lawbreakers.

The Chairman of the APC, the former Speaker and the CP had a 60seconds discussion at the Speakers Conference room, as subsequent event would show they have invited and summoned via telephone calls the chairman of the Ondo State Chapter of the NURTW, Mr Jacob Adebo, A.K.A Idajo who came into the House of Assembly with not less than two hundred thugs who came with different sizes of gun, axes, machetes, charms, cudgels, broken bottles and other dangerous weapons and immediately started shooting uncontrollably, sporadically inside the assembly complex attacking everybody violently.

They destroyed several vehicles and even structures worth millions of Naira, beat up mercilessly hundreds of people, as we speak honourable members, staff and visitors to the assembly complex are hospitalized in different locations across the state receiving treatment as they battle for survival.

It is instructive that in spite of heavy presence of the police officers, the CP who had showed his disaffection and unsatisfactory conduct stood arms akimbo supervising the thugs as the violent acts were playing out without lifting a finger to stop or even attempt to control them.

All the police men and officers simply looked on. Those we turned to informed us that they had instructions from the CP who in turn had instructions from the Governor not to intervene as the NURTW thugs had a field day.

In the petition, the estranged lawmakers are calling on the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, to protect them from further assault and guarantee their safety. They have also called for the arrest of Idajo for illegally assessing the hallowed chambers and along with his union members assaulted the lawmakers.

The police had denied any wrongdoing saying it actually went to calm frayed nerves and bring warring lawmakers to the path of peace. This was the submission of the spokesman of the Ondo State Police Command, Femi Joseph. He said the police could not have watched the hoodlums assaulting the lawmakers without intervening, arguing that the hoodlums actually took to their heels on sighting the men of the police force.

You know when politicians begin their game, and when they can no longer handle their situation, they take police as the scapegoat, Mr Joseph said.

Our reaction to the incident that day was spontaneous. The Commissioner of Police was in his office when information reached him that the the House of Assembly was literally on fire because the members were fighting one another, exchanging fisticuff and destroying everything in sight, so much so that the tension was a threat to peace.

The commissioner of police rushed down there with some of his men and there was already a fracas ongoing, it was immediately we got there that the commissioner and his men were able to douse the tension.

If not for the intervention of the commissioner and his men, it is not what we are saying now, we will be saying. Because I am shock at the way people will come and instead of appreciating the commissioner of police and his men, they will come round and put all the blame on us.

It is very unfortunate, I am disappointed and I want to tell you that nothing of such happened. The fracas was already on, and immediately moved in with his men, we saw the thugs scampering for safety.

How can the police commissioner see thugs or people fighting and he would look away? It is unthinkable. I want to tell you that that allegation is a lie from the pit of hell.

Similarly, the Commission for Information in the state, Yemi Olowolabi, said the governor was not in any way involved in the crisis, but admitted that efforts were made to pacify the aggrieved lawmakers against making the impeachment move.

He told PREMIUM TIMES that the government believes that the impeachment was unconstitutional since it did not fulfil the requirement of two thirds majority required by law to oust the speaker and his deputy.

What the governor does is to invite the warring parties and try to find amicable solutions to the crisis, he said. And that is what the governor has been doing and will do.

This is not the first time the assembly will be making attempts to remove its leadership. Shortly after the assumption of office of the governor in 2017, loyal members, who also did not have the required majority, made violent efforts to change the leadership of Mrs Akindele, who was the presiding house speaker. The action partitioned the house and created no mean animosity until she voluntarily resigned her position to give way for peace.

The latest move sure had the flavour of anti-Akeredolu, and its success, is believed by party loyalists, as a spell of doom for the Akeredolu administration. To them, the decision to quash and crush the uprising was expedient and timely, especially as the battle between the Abuja APC led by Robert Ajayi Boroffice and the Ondo home-based APC has further been embittered by the outcome of the primaries. There are also uncertainties as to how this will affect the outcome of the elections proper.

Whatever the current position of each side of the divide, the assembly is for now, maimed and unable to function properly. Mr Akeredolu and the Adetimehin led APC state working committee have made their first move of survival. Unfortunately, they had sought the help of thuggery which is now a salient facet in the countrys politics.

The November 9 episode sowed a seed of violence in the Ondo political environment, albeit, now in the hollow chambers of the state legislature, which ominously foretells expected scenarios of the 2019 elections.
The UN has denounced the dangers faced by migrants and asylum seekers in Libya, calling for an end to their detention.

UN agencies also advised those intercepting or rescuing migrants and asylum seekers at sea against returning them to a country where they face squalid conditions.

The Chief of Mission of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Libya, Roberto Mignone said: Refugees in Libya are faced with a nightmarish scenario.

They have fled their homes in search of safety and protection only to end up incarcerated, languishing indefinitely in squalid conditions.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), large numbers of refugees and migrants continue to attempt the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Europe.

The UN migration agency added that many of them were being intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard, brought back to shore, and placed in detention upon arrival.

These interceptions or rescue operations, have led to the placement of large numbers migrants in official detention centres, nearly doubling between 2017 and 2018, from 5,500 to 9,300, IOM said.

Mignone stressed that it is reprehensible that they are detained instead of protected.

This is despite the fact that viable alternatives to detention within Libya can be found, including through a Gathering and Departure Facility that we have been waiting to open since July, which could offer immediate protection and safety for those most vulnerable.

When opened, the facility proposed by UNHCR would be the first of its kind in the country, sheltering vulnerable asylum seekers until a solution could be found to get them out of Libya.

While the facility has been built and is ready for use, the UN agency said it was facing delays from the Libyan authorities and continued to advocate for it to be opened.

In the meantime, in light of the dangers for refugees and migrants in Libya, UNHCR said it did not consider it to be a safe place for disembarkation and had advised against returns to Libya following search and rescues at sea.

In addition, IOM and UNHCR have been working to evacuate these migrants from Libya to other countries.

In the past year, UNHCR has evacuated almost 2,500 vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers  including over 300 unaccompanied children held in detention in Libya, Niger, Italy and Romania, where they are hosted in UNHCR transit centres while longer term solutions in third countries are being sought for them.

Simultaneously, in 2018, IOM said it had safely returned more than 11,000 of the most vulnerable to their countries of origin.

However, the agency reported in August that its voluntary repatriation programme in Libya was unable to keep pace with the alarmingly high number of migrants in Government detention centers wishing to go home.

Given the difficult circumstances facing refugees and asylum seekers trapped in Libya, the UN has continued to advocate for alternatives to detention and for more support for evacuations, which remain a crucial lifeline for the most vulnerable.

As many refugees remain in Libya and in need of urgent evacuation, UNHCR urged more countries to come forward with additional possibilities of places for their safe resettlement. (NAN)
Nigerian lawmakers convicted of corruption can still retain their seats because of a constitutional lacuna, lawyers have explained.

The lawyers in separate interviews on Thursday and Friday said there was need for a constitutional amendment to appropriately address the fate of public office holders convicted of fraud.

Their reactions follow a controversial ruling by a High Court in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital on Thursday.

Lawali Dogonkade, a lawmaker representing Kauran-Namoda Local Government Area of the state, was convicted for receiving a bribe of N4.5 million in a contract involving the sum of N31.2 million.

He was sentenced to four years in prison.

Interestingly, he was given an option of fine: N120,000 to be left off the hook.

Reactions have continued to trail the verdict.

Jiti Ogunye, a lawyer, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the constitution is silent on the fate of sitting public office holders, regarding continuity in office, upon conviction.

After paying the fine, it has made him an ex-convict. Also, being an ex-convict only affects the eligibility to contest for an office.

The constitution is silent on a sitting public office holder, on his continuity in that office. That rule only affects somebody who is aspiring for an office, not somebody who is already occupying a seat in a political office, Mr Ogunye said.

He added that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), however, has the power to remove a convicted legislator.

If that legislator had been charged before and tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the tribunal has the jurisdiction and the power to remove him from public office.

Under the criminal law, every offence is designed by law. The punishment for that offence is also provided by that law. Usually in our criminal jurisprudence in Nigeria, which is meant for offenders, there is custodial and noncustodial punishment. For the custodial punishment, it is imprisonment, for the non-custodial, it is fine.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has the power to bar somebody from holding public office. That is one of the specific punishments it could impose. If that legislator had been charged before the CCT, he could be removed from holding that public office for violating that code of conduct.

So this person (legislator) was not charged under the Code of Conduct Tribunal, it was just the ordinary court of law, it does not have the enumerated statutory power to impose such a punishment.

Mr Ogunye added the only other alternative is a recall by the lawmakers constituency.

Only if his constituency wants him recalled, then they can do that and unless they do that, he is still a member of the house. And his cc-members cannot declare his seat vacant. He has not crossed to any political party to warrant his party to declare his seat vacant. We cannot imagine what the law does not provide for.

Mr Ogunye also spoke on the Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye also convicted of fraud.

As for Senator Dariye, yes he is in prison, but the constitution does not say he can be recalled. So, in the eyes of the law, he is still a member of the Senate. His senatorial seat was not the subject matter of his criminal trial and conviction.

FILE PHOTO: Former Governor of Plateau State, Sen. Joshua Dariye

Mr Ogunye also gave instances of other lawmakers who have faced trials and still retained their legislative positions.

The former governor of Osun, (Iyiola) Omisore was in detention when he was elected as a Senator. This is an area where the constitution does not provide for. Only when we seek a constitutional amendment, he added.

Liborous Oshoma, also a legal practitioner, said Mr Dogonkade can no longer contest for another election.

The law is silent on if he would retain his seat as a member of the Zamfara State house of assembly. The conviction does not affect the election that he stood for.

The law is silent whether his conviction should make him vacate his seat as a legislator, but in the law, he can no longer stand for another election being an ex-convict, he said.

Eluma Asogwa, another lawyer, said the only difference between the former Plateau State governors case and the Zamfara State lawmaker is that one of them was sent to prison, without an option of fine.

The dichotomy between Dariyes case and the Zamfara lawmaker was that the Dariye was jailed and when he was jailed he was an incumbent. What the Senate president said was since his seat had not been declared vacant by INEC, he (Dariye) would keep drawing his salaries.

The issue of Mr Dogonkade, he is allowed to go back to his seat, that is the lacuna. The truth is that our laws only make provision when people are vying for elections.

If you have been convicted you do not have eligibility to stand for election. The lacuna there is if in the middle you have been elected and you get convicted, the law did not make specific provisions for that.

And because his own conviction ended with a payment of fine, he is not serving a prison sentence. If he was serving a prison sentence, the Speaker of the state house of assembly would have declared his seat vacant. Our laws need comprehensive amendments, Mr Asogwa said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned Service Chiefs to an emergency security meeting over the reported killing of some Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram sect along the Nigeria-Chad border on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reliably gathered that the urgent meeting was necessitated by the latest security developments across the battle fields in the North-east region of the country.

A reliable source, who preferred not to be named, confirmed this development to NAN in Abuja on Friday.

NAN learnt that federal government pronouncement on the latest victims of Boko Haram insurgency was being delayed because families of the victims were being identified and contacted.

The president has called an urgent meeting with the Service Chiefs.

And the families of the latest victims of the Boko Haram are being identified and contacts made before a government pronouncement on the tragic attacks.

This, it is understood is the reason for the silence of the government over the incident, the source added.

According to some reports, no fewer than 44 soldiers were killed during the attacks, which occurred at Metele, a remote village bordering Nigeria and Chad. The village is located in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Nigerian Army also broke its silence on the attack on Friday night.

Though it confirmed the attack, which it described as an unfortunate event, it decried the misinformation being circulated about the attack.

It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action. Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs(Next of Kins) are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, it suffices to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate BHT propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not. So far, the situation is that the location is under control as reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists and stabilise the situation.

The NA sincerely, wishes to thank the various arms of government, MDAs and sister security agencies that have stood with her in these trying times; by commiserating with the families of the fallen heroes who have paid the supreme price for the defence of our dearly beloved country. The necessary support being given the NA by the Federal Government and the goodwill of the Nigerian populace will undoubtedly continue to spur the NA towards the ultimate defeat of the highly degraded BHTs.

President Buhari had earlier dispatched the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, to Chad for an emergency meeting with the Chadian President, Idris Deby, on the deterioration of security at the Nigeria-Chad border.

Mr Dan-Ali had on Thursday briefed President Buhari on security development across the country including the recent killings of some Nigerian soldiers by the Islamic West Africa Province, a breakaway Boko Haram sect, operating along Nigeria-Chad border.

According to military sources, the Minister of Defence would also be meeting his Chadian counterpart during his mission to Chad, to identify what had led to the recent increase in Boko Haram terrorism in the area.

The sources, who preferred not to be named, said: Nigeria has a Chad problem in the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which was put together to secure the Lake Chad Basin area and repeal the Boko Haram terrorism attacks against all the countries neighbouring the lake.

According to the sources, Chad is believed to have its own internal security challenges and this has reportedly led to their pulling away the troops manning their own border around Lake Chad.

That lacuna is being exploited by the Boko Haram terrorists, who go in and out of Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon to launch terrorist acts.

This is a clear illustration of the fact that terrorism is beyond national borders, the sources added.

When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said he was aware that the Defence Minister would be going to Chad, adding Im unaware of his mission there.

(NAN)
New details obtained by PREMIUM TIMES have revealed that at least 113 soldiers were killed in the pre-dusk attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Borno State on November 18.

This newspaper can also confirm based on the accounts of top military officers that 153 soldiers are still missing in action as of November 24, nearly a week after the attack.

Those killed included the commander of the battalion, whom PREMIUM TIMES identified on November 20 as a lieutenant colonel.

It has now been learnt that the second-in-command to the commander, the intelligence officer of the battalion and two other officers were amongst those killed by Boko Haram in the attack, which occurred at about 6:00 p.m. last Sunday.

When PREMIUM TIMES broke the story of the attack on November 20, military sources were only able to confirm the killing of the commander and dozens of other soldiers.

It was not immediately clear how many soldiers were manning the base during the attack, which was linked to Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA).

On November 22, a soldier who escaped the attack and witnessed how his colleagues were killed by insurgents told PREMIUM TIMES 70 bodies had been confirmed.

Some media reports, including one by London-based newswire Reuters, cited sources as giving up to 100 soldiers killed by the insurgents in the attacks.

But PREMIUM TIMES has now learnt from top officers that the casualty had risen significantly to 118 soldiers, comprising 113 soldiers and five officers.

Our sources also confirmed 153 soldiers are still missing in action, and wounded troops have been evacuated to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, for treatment.

The latest casualty number provided by military chiefs appeared to confirm Boko Harams claim in a video released Thursday. French newswire AFP said it saw a video in which Boko Haram claimed killing 118 soldiers in attacks last week.

Why weve been quiet  Nigerian Army

Despite widespread condemnation and mourning that greeted the killings, the military rejected demands for an explanation on what led to the loss of such a high number of troops in one attack.

The Nigerian Army, Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Air Force all failed to return PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments about the attack throughout the week.

It was only on Friday night after the news of the high casualty figures gained heavy traction amongst Nigerians online that the military was compelled to issue a statement.

But rather than provide specific details of the incident to Nigerians, and what was being done to curtail further sacking of Nigerian military bases in the volatile North-East, the Nigerian Army devoted a large part of its statement to bashing the media.

Whilst it is true that there was an attack on the Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion on November 18, 2018, it has become necessary to correct several misinformation being circulated with regards to this unfortunate event, the Army said in a statement on its Twitter handle Friday night.

Several reports said the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) a faction of Boko Haram known to target military asset has claimed responsibility and published a video on the attack on Thursday. The video was circulated as having been shot during the attack in Metele on Sunday, but the Army said that claim was untrue.

The Army said, several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate Boko Haram propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not, it said.

The statement said normalcy had since returned to the battalion and Metele general area because reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists.

The Army blamed its failure to speak on the attack for nearly a week on the need to respect the families of the fallen soldiers and the anguish they were living through.

It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action.

Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources, it said.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian Army did not immediately return requests for comments on our fresh finding Saturday morning. It could not be learnt the efforts being made to find the missing troops.

months of heavy losses of both personnel and equipment which the insurgents have been inflicting on Nigerian military since resuming their latest campaign in July. The latest attack in Metele followedwhich the insurgents have been inflicting on Nigerian military since resuming their latest campaign in July.

threatening errant personnel with a tough prosecution. Worried about the rising cases of missing soldiers in Boko Haram attack, the chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, issued a warning to troops on the battlefront against fleeing from insurgents in August,

The Defence Headquarters announced last week it had taken new delivery of military equipment, boasting of a tough time ahead for insurgents.

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly summoned service chiefs over the attack. He also dispatched Nigerias defence minister Mansur Dan Ali to the Chad Republic, a neighbouring country on whose borders the Boko Haram seemed to have waxed stronger in recent months.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep shock over the killing of military personnel in Metele village of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists, assuring at the same time that immediate measures are being taken to ensure that the loopholes which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.

The presidents reaction, coming about a week after the unfortunate incident, was conveyed via a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Saturday night by a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.

Mr Shehu said, Reacting to the tragic incident, the President said that his administration remains ever committed and focused on the security of military personnel and other citizens.

According to President Buhari, No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens. Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat. In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.

The President noted that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

President Buhari reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.

He, however, advised Nigerians against making a political capital out of national tragedy, stressing that members of the armed forces are one family who are commonly committed to the security and safety of all Nigerians.

At least 118 soldiers and officers were killed when the terrorist Boko Haram sect attacked Nigerias 157 Task Force Battalion in Borno State on November 18.

Military insiders also told PREMIUM TIMES that 153 soldiers remained missing in action as of Saturday morning, nearly a week after the incident.

Those killed in the attack included the commander of the battalion, whom PREMIUM TIMES identified on November 20 as a lieutenant colonel.

The second-in-command to the commander, the intelligence officer of the battalion and two other officers also died in the attack, which occurred at about 6:00 p.m. last Sunday.

Despite widespread condemnation and mourning that greeted the killings, the military has so far failed to explain what led to the loss of such a high number of troops in one attack.

Rather than explain details of the incident, and what it is doing to curtail further attacks, the Nigerian Army devoted a large part of its statement to bashing the media.

Whilst it is true that there was an attack on the Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion on November 18, 2018, it has become necessary to correct several misinformation being circulated with regards to this unfortunate event, the Army said in a statement on its Twitter handle Friday night.

The Army said, several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate Boko Haram propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not, it said.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, on Saturday urged Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari to his promise on the conduct of a free, fair and credible general elections in 2019.

Mr Abubakar made the statement at the 2018 second general meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), youths wings summit.

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to ensure violence free campaign and free, fair and credible 2019 elections. So we will hold him to his words, he said.

He said that Nigerians should take a stand and not to be used by politicians to cause violence especially during the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Abubakar said the second summit came at a time Nigeria had been politicised by the political class and that there was the need to sit as a family irrespective of their various religious.

He advised Nigerians to be united, adding that the summit was aimed at contributing to peaceful participation of inter religious groups on the 2019 election.

The sultan called on the youth not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to instigate violence of any kind.

In his remarks, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle, said that Nigerian youth should work together irrespective of their differences in their doctrines.

We should use our different religions to move the country forward, he said.

He advised the youth to emulate the partnership between the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and CAN in the spirit of love between the leaders.

In his remarks, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, represented by Emmanuel Ndagi said: peaceful dialogue is the path way to peaceful coexistence.

Mr Monguno said that security was a collective responsibility, adding that Nigerians should stay peaceful.

He urged the youth to ensure that Nigeria records peaceful elections and that the president was working to ensure free fair peaceful and credible elections in 2019.

He, however, added that the Federal Government, religious leaders, politicians as well as youths have critical roles in preventing the used of social media to propagate fake news, hate speech and any act capable of instigating violence.

The United States of America Ambassador, represented by David Young, Deputy Chief of Mission of embassy in Nigeria, said the U.S. was committed to supporting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to achieve credible elections in Nigeria.

Mr Young commended the role of NIREC in mobilising Nigerias youth towards peaceful 2019 general elections.

He urged Nigerian youth to practice their faith and put it into action by loving God and their neighbors with all their hearts, for faith without works is dead .

Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said the government is working seriously for the success of the forthcoming 2019 general election.

Mr Idris who was represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police Raheed Akintunde vowed that both vote buyers and sellers would be dealt with without fear or favour.

He urged the youth not to allow themselves be used as political thugs. (NAN)
The Nigerian Senate on Friday asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, to explain why he advised President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent to some of 17 bills.

Mr Onnoghen appeared before a technical committee mandated by the Senate to revive the 17 Bills on Thursday, a report by This Day indicates.

The committee was particularly interested in knowing what the CJN relied upon to decline assent to Constitution (4th Alteration) Act. No. 22, which seeks to strengthen the judiciary for speedy dispensation of Justice.

Chairman of the Committee, David Umoru, in his opening remarks, said the invitation was important as President Buhari cited advice of the CJN in his decline response.

Your Lordship, this committee on behalf of the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly wants to hear from you directly on why you advised the president to refuse assent to the bill.

We believe that information made available to us via his letter of refusal of assent on account of advice given by your lordship is also available to you, he said.

The lawmakers thereafter went into a closed door session.

At the end of the session, attempts made to get clarifications from the CJN by journalists on what transpired at the closed door session were unsuccessful as he refused to speak with reporters.

Although the committee chairman said President Buhari directed Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to interface with the CJN to remedy the defects in the bill to strengthen the judiciary, neither Malami nor his representative was at the meeting.

Also, representatives of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and Postmaster General of the Federation had closed door session with the committee on how rejected Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018 can be redrafted and forwarded to the president for assent .

President Buhari had in his letter of refusal of assent to the bill forwarded to both chambers of the National Assembly said the bills proposals for the imposition of stamp duties on savings accounts and electronic transactions may impair the implementation of the federal governments Financial Inclusion Strategy, e-payment programmes and cashless banking policies.

Mr Umoru said the committee will meet with heads of other government establishments and the Attorney General of the Federation next week to fashion out how to rectify the remaining 15 bills refused assents by the president.
The Nigerian Army said on Friday there was a devastating attack on a military base in Borno State by Boko Haram on November 18, one week after the incident occurred following days of relentless media reports of the high casualty toll amongst Nigerian soldiers.

PREMIUM TIMES broke the story on Tuesday detailing how rampaging Boko Haram insurgents overran a Nigerian Army battalion in Borno State on Sunday, killing the units commander and dozens of soldiers.

Military sources told PREMIUM TIMES that a large cache of arms, ammunition, and military equipment were carted away by Boko Haram fighters during the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Guzamala Local Government Area, at about 6:00 p.m.

Security analysts described the attack as a huge setback for government forces trying to push terrorists further out of Nigerias North-eastern flank.

On Thursday PREMIUM TIMES reported the account one of the soldiers who escaped the attack after witnessing how his colleagues were murdered by Boko Haram.

The soldier said at least 70 of his colleagues were killed. He also confirmed earlier accounts contained in PREMIUM TIMES publication of October 20 that military hardware, arms and ammunition were carted away.

Some media reports, including one by London-based newswire Reuters, cited sources as saying up to 100 soldiers were killed by the insurgents in the attacks.

The Nigerian Army, the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Air Force all failed to return PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments about the attack throughout the week.

It was only on Friday night after the news of the high casualty figures gained heavy traction amongst Nigerians online that the military was compelled to issue a statement.

But rather than provide specific details of the incident to Nigerians, and what was being done to curtail further sacking of Nigerian military bases in the volatile North-east, the Nigerian Army devoted a large part of its statement to bashing the media.

Whilst it is true that there was an attack on the Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion on November 18, 2018, it has become necessary to correct several misinformation being circulated with regards to this unfortunate event, the Army said in a statement on its Twitter handle Friday night.

Several reports said the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) a faction of Boko Haram known to target military asset has claimed responsibility and published a video on the attack on Thursday.

The video was circulated as having been shot during the attack in Metele on Sunday, but the Army said that claim was untrue.

The Army said: several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate Boko Haram propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not, it said.

The statement said normalcy had since returned to the battalion and Metele general area because reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists.

The Army blamed its failure to speak on the attack for nearly a week on the need to respect the families of the fallen soldiers and the anguish they were living through.

It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action.

Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs (next of kin) are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources, it said.

Worrisome Military Losses

The latest attack in Metele followed months of heavy losses of both personnel and equipment which the insurgents have been inflicting on Nigerian military since resuming their latest campaign in July.

Worried about the rising cases of missing soldiers in Boko Haram attack, the chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, issued a warning to troops on the battlefront against fleeing from insurgents in August, threatening errant personnel with a tough prosecution.

The Defence Headquarters announced last week it had taken new delivery of military equipment, boasting of a tough time ahead for insurgents.

Anger, Condolences

The military has said it recorded tremendous gains in its counterinsurgency operations over the past three years, especially after managing to confine the insurgents to the fringes of Nigerian territories.

This was against the previous years when the terrorists held vast Nigerian lands across its North-east stronghold, occasionally spilling into North-west and North-central geopolitical zones.

But Nigerians, including critics of the Buhari administration, are increasingly skeptical about the claim that military was winning the counter-insurgency war.

The Nigerian Senate adjourned session on Thursday in honour of the fallen heroes, most of whose loved ones have not been notified by the military.

President Muhammadu Buhari has not spoken about the attack as of Saturday morning, even though the gain its administration claimed Nigeria has made against Boko Haram is one of the major talking points in his reelection campaign.

The presidents main challenger Atiku Abubakar issued statements on the attack on Wednesday and Thursday, saying he was devastated and proposing ways to assuage the families of the fallen heroes, including personal scholarships for selected children.

Some Nigerians were also online to give the military a tough time over its response in the wake of the deadly carnage wrought by the terrorists, especially on the claim that the casualty reports by the media were untrue.

A Twitter user, @woman_being, said: All I read here is the armys concern about the media and the spread of the news not the concern for lost of our troops. Jesus take the wheel #HonourOurFallenTroops.

Another user wondered if Sambo Dasuki is still diverting the funds meant to get arms for the troop.

Please @HQNigerianArmy is #Dasuki still diverting the funds meant for arms for our gallant soldiers?

Take a clue from the Iraqis, match BH ideology with the same brutality, your propaganda should be more than theirs. Change strategy, @234crux tweeted.

@Codenamacus said Clearly the army is more concerned with their social media image than the matter at hand.

@aimlegend_ said: All the Army HQ is showing is concern about what the media is saying and misrepresentation of figures. Why not give Nigerians the exact figures? Why allow speculation? This is very unfortunate.

Peace Naija on Facebook, while responding to the Armys statement said his brother who witnessed the attack on soldiers said no weapons were given to the soldiers.

Please this is not the issue of false information, this bothers both the Nigerian army and members of the public, my younger brother was there he told me everything even so many voluntary retirements of first badge is out, please stop playing with the life of NIGERIANS, no weapons given to them no salaries for over two months.

Also, Ideobi Albert said: Why would you not refuse to make a definite statement on the casualty figures when the service chiefs are unawarely attending campaign meetings and flagoffs?
Former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar has urged Nigerian youth to stop criticising the failures of government and misrule of bad leaders but rise up and vote out incompetent governments.

The retired general also urged Nigerian parents to dissuade their children and wards from being used for violence in the upcoming general elections in 2019.

According to a report by PUNCH, Mr Abubakar stated this on Friday at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, where he delivered a speech at an annual lecture on Election and Security in Nigeria: Policy Options and Strategies ahead of the Graduation Ceremony of the Senior Executive Course (SEC)

You should not allow your children to be used for violence, Mr Abubakar reportedly said.

Let me try to conclude by saying that every citizen must do their duty; you must not sell your vote, you must register to vote, and stop criticising the failures of government if you will not go and vote them out if they are not doing their job, he added.

Mr Abubakar identified some hindrances in the political process as non-credible election umpires, militarisation of elections by security agents, crowded political parties, poor electoral laws, and delay in the judicial system.

He noted that security agencies should not be seen taking sides during elections and on election day.

They must not be seen to be taking a side as observed in Ekiti State with the result now being contested in court. Heavy policing and militarisation of election as observed in Ekiti was enough to scare voters from coming out to exercise their franchise.

Mr Abubakar, who handed over to President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, also described vote-buying, as bad, that must be urgently addressed before the 2019 elections.

He said Boko Haram was certainly a threat to the 2019 elections in the North-east, adding that IPOB, the MEND and others were also threats.

Many of the so-called political parties do not have ideological orientation. They are ethnic-regional in character, with low party discipline; there is hardly anything like party supremacy. Those that fund them hijack and commercialise them.

He also blamed Nigerias ordeal on colonial historical baggage.

Nigerias amalgamation was not scripted to benefit the nation, coupled with the divide and rule practice by the British in Nigeria, and the inordinate greed and ambition of our political elites.

Absence of check and balances and culture of winner takes it all in Nigeria have made politicians become desperate to get it by hook-or-crook.

Other attendees at the lecture were former chairman, board of governors of NIPSS, Paul Omu; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba, and deputy governor of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, who represented Governor Simon Lalong.
No fewer than 154 ex-Boko Haram fighters that have been rehabilitated under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme are now set to be reintegrated into the society.

Bamidele Shafa, major general and coordinator of Operations Safe Corridor, disclosed this at the end of a rehabilitation programme for the repentant boko haram members in Gombe on Saturday.

He said this was the second batch of the programme.

The first batch of 95 clients who were discharged in February have been successfully reintegrated, he said.

By the grace of God, a total of 155 clients will also be discharged and handed over to their state authorities for reintegration and resettlement, he said.

He said, prior to the event, a stakeholders meeting was held on October 4, at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff to work out modalities for the reintegration.

As part of the decisions reached at the meeting, visits were conducted in Partnership with the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative and the Centre for Democracy and Development to Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to sensitize the state authorities, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders on the need to reconcile, resettle and reintegrate the clients back into their communities, he said.

I wish to state that, the reception of the various stakeholders in the Tree states were warm, encouraging and assuring that these repentant youths would be accepted wholeheartedly on return.

Also speaking, Beyidi Martins, a colonel and camp commandant, also said they were working closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

He said the organisation has supported the DRR Programme using funding from the U.S. Government and other European Countries.

According to him, outgoing former fighters were fully trained on various skills during the rehabilitation.

Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State commended President Muhammad Buhari for initiating the programme and appreciated the effort of camp officials.

Mr Dankwambo who was represented by his agriculture commissioner, Abba Buba-Biri, promised to support all programmes toward attaining lasting peace in the North East and Nigeria at large.

In his remarks, the Emir of Fika, Muhammad Abali, commended the Nigerian Army for its contribution towards finding lasting peace in the North-East. (NAN)
Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, have protested a new hostel levy for new intakes and the postponement of the Students Union Government elections.

PREMIUM TIMES witnessed a protest staged by the students on Thursday, a day initially set aside for the manifesto day preceding the election day- Friday.

This newspaper gathered that the management did not permit the conduct of the elections in the previous session.

In a meeting held on Thursday, the school management again announced the postponement of the process indefinitely.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, a student, Israel Ayobami, disclosed that he was not happy about what happened on Thursday.

The school management is working based on its personal interest which is wrong. Also, the postponement of the election is seriously going to affect the students.

A new intake also condemned the exploitative move of the polytechnic authorities over the new hostel fee.

I was to pay N15,000 as the hostel fee, later, I found out that it has been increased to N25,000, which is bad. The management has also mandated it on the students to pay the hostel fee without any consideration, he said.

A student, Aanuolwapo Tofunmi, narrated how protesters stormed a conference hall where academic activities were ongoing to protest.

On Thursday evening, the management reversed its decision.

This was contained in an internal memorandum signed by the Dean of Directorate of Students Affairs, Aleminu Gbenga.

School Management at its emergency meeting has resolved to lift the ban on compulsory payment of hostel fee by new intakes on compassionate grounds.

All students are enjoined to continue to attend the lectures and at the same time continue to exhibit exemplary behaviours that will portray the good image of the school, the statement said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the school authorities on the SUG elections were unsuccessful as the spokesperson, Iroye Olayinka, did not respond to several telephone calls and text messages put across to him by PREMIUM TIMES, Friday.
The traditional ruler kidnapped in Plateau State on Monday night has been released by his abductors, the police said.

The police on November 19 announced the abduction of David Isah, a second class chief of Dorok chiefdom in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State, by unknown gunmen in his residence.

Police spokesperson in the state, Tyopev Terna, on Saturday morning confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the abducted traditional ruler had regained his freedom on Saturday.

Mr Terna said Isah was released unconditionally by the kidnappers.

The Plateau State Police Command wish to inform the general public that HRH Engr. David Isah Dongbam, the Second Class Chief of the Dorock Kingdom of Shandam Local Government Area of Plateau State has Unconditionally been Released by his kidnappers.

The Paramount Ruler who was Kidnapped on the 19/11/2018 regained his freedom today being Saturday 24/11/2018 at about 0010hrs.

He has since been examined by some medical doctors and given a clean bill of health (he is in perfect health condition).

His unconditional release became necessary when his Kidnappers noticed that our men (Police Personnel) were closing in on them and the only option left for them was to release their victim.

The Plateau State Police Command wish to thank the good people of Plateau State for their patience and to single out the Dorock Kingdom for their understanding and confidence in the Police by allowing us carry out our Search and Rescue Operation without interference,  the spokesperson added.
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Cyber Monday, reportedly the busiest online shopping day of the year, all products for sale online at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com will be 10 percent off between 12:00 AM and 11:59 PM Monday, Nov. 26.

FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com offers customers the convenience of delivery directly to their homes, businesses, or to Fine Wine & Good Spirits store locations of their choice. The site offers one flat delivery fee for up to three bottles  $7 for delivery to a store and $14 for delivery to a non-store address in Pennsylvania.

The 10 percent discount is applied before tax and shipping charges and excludes Special Order items, Limited-Release Lottery items, Wine Club subscriptions, and licensee purchases. Offer applies to items currently in e-commerce inventory, while supplies last. All other terms and conditions for purchases made on FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com apply.

The FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com fulfillment center recently moved from a 4,000 square foot facility in the Lehigh Valley to a nearly 30,000 square foot facility in Montgomery County. The larger warehouse allowed the PLCB to expand its online offerings to include about 5,300 items, including its most popular items found in stores across Pennsylvania, as well as hundreds of luxury and Chairman's Selection items.

The relocation of the e-commerce fulfillment center precedes a major redesign of FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com expected to be introduced in 2019. The new and improved website will be mobile-friendly and include streamlined navigation and other functionality to greatly improve the customer experience online.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide and licenses more than 20,000 beverage alcohol producers and retailers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups and licensees. Taxes and store profits  totaling $16.5 billion since the agency's inception  are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Related Links

https://www.lcb.pa.gov


CAYCE, S.C., Nov. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Plaintiffs Richard Lightsey, LeBrian Cleckley, and Phillip Cooper have reached an agreement with SCANA Corporation and South Carolina Electric & Gas Company to settle a lawsuit filed in the state Court of Common Pleas in Hampton County on behalf of themselves and current and former SCE&G electric customers. The settlement addresses these customers' claims and the Attorney General's arguments related to the Base Load Review Act ("BLRA"). SCANA and SCE&G deny the allegations made in the lawsuit, but have agreed to resolve this matter.

SCANA and SCE&G have agreed to a Common Benefit Fund comprised of the following amounts, to be distributed to the class members:

1) A credit of up to $2,000,000,000.00 in future electric rate relief will inure to the benefit of the Common Benefit Fund in favor of class members over a period of time established in the proceeding pending before the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (the PSC); and

2) A cash payment of $115,000,000.00, which will include the full value of the SCANA rabbi trust funded in January 2018 that was created in whole or in part for executive change-in-control payments; and

3) Transfer of SCE&G owned real estate or sales proceeds from the sale of real properties, including among others, the Ramsey Grove Plantation; the original Charleston Gas & Light Building at 141 Meeting Street in Charleston; and certain Otarre properties in Cayce.

Distribution of any settlement funds is subject to court approval, as well as a final order by the PSC approving a merger between SCANA Corporation and Dominion Energy, and a closing of the proposed merger between the parties.

Affected current and former SCE&G customers will receive information regarding their rights under the settlement. Eligible settlement class members will receive compensation in the form of a bill credit or a payment of an amount to be distributed by a court-approved class action administrator. Upon the approval of the settlement announced today, the lawsuit will be dismissed by agreement and the claims of SCE&G ratepayers will be resolved.

Former United States Attorney, and lead counsel for the certified class, J. Preston Strom, Jr., had the following to say about the terms of this settlement: "In reaching this agreement, we have been able to secure more than $ 2 billion in relief and accountability for the people of South Carolina. We thank the Attorney General's office for their hard work throughout this case and particularly in securing the return of funds set aside for executive bonus payments to the ratepayers."

Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following statement: "The settlement reached today is the result of countless hours of work by our office seeking to make SCE&G customers whole for the abandonment of the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project. I am proud of the hard work of my entire team in bringing about this result, starting with the aggressive posture of Solicitor General Bob Cook regarding constitutional issues related to the Base Load Review Act, and continuing through tough settlement negotiations to bring resolution to civil matters related to these issues."

"At all times, our goal has been to look out for the ratepayer and see that justice is done. We believe that this settlement, which encompasses over $2 billion in benefits, is the largest of its kind in the history of South Carolina. The settlement resolves the injury that SCE&G customers suffered under the Base Load Review Act by refunding revised rates previously collected. We also required that the entirety of the SCANA rabbi trust, which had a number of financial benefits for senior managers of SCE&G, be made available for the payment of obligations of the company."

"This milestone ends our pursuit for restitution to ratepayers, but does not end our inquiry into the individual actors that may have contributed to the project's failure. We want to acknowledge the hard work of the private lawyers who zealously fought for the interests of ratepayers as well through various lawsuits filed on the behalf of SCE&G ratepayers."

"Additionally, we want to thank Dominion Energy for its willingness to provide the financial resources necessary to make this restitution. It is important to note that Dominion Energy was not involved in the creation of this situation, and we appreciate its role in finding a resolution that serves the best interests of SCE&G ratepayers."

Jim Stuckey, SCANA's Senior Vice President and General Counsel, issued the following statement: "We are pleased that we were able to achieve a mutually acceptable resolution of this matter so that we can keep our focus on moving forward with the merger with Dominion Energy."

The State of South Carolina was represented in this matter by Attorney General Alan Wilson. Class Counsel are J. Preston Strom, Jr.; John R. Alphin, Jessica L. Fickling, Mario A. Pacella; and Bakari T. Sellers, of Strom Law Firm, LLC; Terry Richardson, Edward Westbrook, and Daniel S. Haltiwanger, of Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC in Barnwell; Dan Speights and A.G. Solomons, III of Speights and Solomons in Hampton; J. Edward Bell of the Bell Legal Group, LLC in Georgetown; James L. Ward, Jr., and Whitney B. Harrison of McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC; Vincent Sheheen of Savage, Royall, & Sheheen, L.LP.; and Gregory Galvin of the Galvin Law Group. SCE&G and SCANA are represented by David Balser and Jon Chally of King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta, GA; Leah B. Moody of the Moody Law Firm in Rock Hill, SC; and Jamie Becker and Bob Knowlton of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd in Columbia, SC.

PROFILE

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London, Nov 24 : Adverts for foods and drinks that make people fat are going to be banned on public transport in London.

The ban on so-called "junk" food adverts comes early next year and covers London's buses, tube trains, rail network and trams, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Junk" food adverts will also be banned at bus stops and tube and some train stations, under plans announced Friday by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

The ban will come into effect next February, and follows public consultation by Khan this May which saw 82 per cent support among the public for a ban on "junk" food adverts.

"Junk" food adverts targeted by the ban include food and non-alcoholic drinks considered to be high in fat, sugar and salt including sugary drinks, cheeseburgers, chocolate bars and salted nuts.

Khan aims to use the ban as part of a campaign to tackle rising levels of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity levels in London are worse than those in other parts of the country.

A report by the official health body Public Health England in May this year found that 44 per cent of children under the age of 11 in the London Borough of Brent were obese.
Paris, Nov 24 : The French Army, in a raid on a terrorist organisation in Mali, has neutralised at least 30 terrorists, including Hamadoun Kouffa, a prominent jihadist leader, officials said.

"At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action, among whom are probably the head of the Katiba Massina, Hamadoun Kouffa, and its main cadres," Chief of the Defence Staff of France, General Francois Lecointre, said in the statement on Friday.

The raid took place in the Malian region of Mopti, and combined the action of many air assets: Mirage 2000, Tiger and Gazelle helicopters backed by Reaper drones, C135 tanker and maneuver helicopters, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the general.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly has hailed the "courageous and effective" action of the soldiers involved in this operation.

"This new success of the French military engagement in the Sahel illustrates our desire to fight relentlessly against terrorism, and it also demonstrates our determination to help Malian authorities in their daily fight to stabilise and pacify their country," she said.
Srinagar, Nov 24 : A former Special Police Officer (SPO) has been killed by the militants after they kidnapped him in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said on Saturday.

Police said the body of former SPO, Basharat Ahmad, who was abducted by the gunmen in Shopian district on Friday, was found in Pulwama district.

Two other persons abducted by the militants have been released unharmed.

This is the third killing of abducted persons by gunmen during the last fortnight. Two persons abducted from Shopian district were earlier killed by gunmen.
London, Nov 24 : Actress Claire Foy felt "an amount of judgment" playing the role of hacker Lisbeth Salander in movie "The Girl In The Spider's Web", after becoming the third actress to take on the famous literary role.

The 34-year-old actress told the i newspaper that there was a pressure on her to wow with her performance as Lisbeth. And so she chose to bulk up with a muscular physique as she thought such a character would "project that image", reports dailymail.co.uk.

"At a certain point... I had to realise I'm taking this job on. I'm taking this on; this amount of expectation, this amount of judgment, this amount of criticism.

"I either surrender to it or I try to change it. And I can't change it so I might as well go, 'Ah well!' You have to be sanguine about it. What am I going to do?," she said.

Foy said she wanted to spread a positive body message to her fans through her role.

"It was very physical. I had to get muscles that I never had before in order to look right. I don't want to project that image - I don't think she has to be emaciated. I don't know why she would have to be."

"The Girl In The Spider's Web" is is the second American film adaptation of the "Millennium Series" saga, which is based on the characters created by the late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson and this edition is the fourth instalment written by David Lagercrantz after Larsson's death, just like those Jason Bourne books that weren't written by Robert Ludlum.
Washington, Nov 24 : US President Donald Trump's administration has asked the Supreme Court to hear a challenge to Trump's policy that bars most transgender individuals from military service.

The policy, first announced by the President in July 2017 via Twitter and later officially released by Secretary of Defence James Mattis, blocks individuals who suffer from a condition known as gender dysphoria from serving with limited exceptions, CNN reported.

It also specifies that individuals without the condition can serve but only if they do so according to the sex they were assigned at birth.

District courts across the country have so far blocked the policy from going into effect.

On Friday, Solicitor General Noel Francisco filed petitions asking the justices to take up the issue in three separate cases that were still in lower courts so it could be decided definitively this term.

Francisco argued that lower court rulings imposing nationwide injunctions were wrong and warrant immediate review.

He said that because of the injunctions, "the military has been forced to maintain that prior policy for nearly a year" despite a determination by Mattis and a panel of experts that the "prior policy, adopted by (Defence Secretary Ash Carter), posed too great a risk to military effectiveness and lethality".

Earlier in the month, the Department of Justice warned the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that it planned to ask for emergency relief to lift the nationwide injunction.

The filing comes after Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump got into a public dispute about the independence of the judiciary this week.

Roberts issued a statement on Wednesday criticizing the President for calling one lower court judge who ruled against him an "Obama judge".

The President responded via Twitter criticizing Roberts and accusing the American judiciary of undermining national security.
Srinagar, Nov 24 : A 14-year-old girl who was injured in a firing incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district earlier this week, died on Saturday in a hospital here, police said.

Muskaan Jan succumbed to critical injuries at the S.M.H.S. Hospital.

"She was uinjured during cross-firing when militants attacked an army camp in Khudwani area on Thursday," the police said.
Srinagar, Nov 24 : A civilian injured in firing near an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district, died on Saturday at a hospital here.

Doctors at the super specialty Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) said Ishfaq Ahmad Ganai who was admitted on Friday with critical injuries succumbed earlier in the day.

Ganai was injured the firing that took place in Chattergam area.

The army has refuted allegations that he was shot by soldiers posted in the camp.

They said he was shot by militants some 500 metres away from the camp.
New Delhi, Nov 24 : A day after two medical students were killed in an accident on the newly-constructed Signature Bridge here, a man died on Saturday after his bike skid and he hit the divider head-on, police said.

The deceased was identified as Shankar, 24, a resident of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

"Shankar with his cousin Deepak, 17, were riding on a motorcycle. They were coming from Nangloi and going towards northeast Delhi," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) A.K. Thakur said, adding that both of them were wearing helmets.

"Shankar's helmet fell away after the bike skidded and he hit the divider head-on," said the DCP.

Both were rushed to a hospital, Shankar was declared dead on arrival.

Deepak suffered knee injuries.

On Friday, the two students on a motorcycle were killed after their bike rammed into a divider on the bridge and fell into the Yamuna river.
New Delhi, Nov 24 : When long queues waited at ATMs following demonetisation in 2016, publisher Ananth Padmanabhan called author Ravi Subramanian, whose stories are set in the financial services industry, and asked: "Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Knowing full well that Padmanabhan never missed a publishing opportunity, Subramanian smiled and said: "Demonetisation it is."

That set in motion an exercise that has now culminated in the publication of "Don't Tell The Governor" -- and the novel has fast climbed the bestseller charts.

But Subramanian calls it more than just a coincidence as the book he was then writing - "In The Name of God" (Penguin) -- was set in the Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. And here he was getting a call from a HarperCollins publisher who shared the exact name. That was "divine intervention" as far as he was concerned, and he knew right away the novel had to be written.

"Around that time, there was quite a bit of noise around the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governor not endorsing demonetisation. That made me consider making the RBI governor a protagonist of the novel. And then one thing followed the other. The RBI governor and demonetisation led me to the PM's speech where he talked about terrorism and fake currency. He talked about black money and money laundering.

"There was lot of hullabaloo about laundering through the jewellery trade. And then suddenly there was so much to include in a thriller. So many plot lines would mean a fast-paced, intriguing thriller jumping from one plot to the other at a feverish pace. And that's what 'Don't Tell The Governor' finally turned out to be," Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM-Bangalore, told IANS in an interview.

Subramanian said that he borrows heavily from real-life instances. However, he maintained, instances that happen in the life of one character in his book don't necessarily trail the happenings in the life of a real-life person.

"And yes, the RBI-government conflict is a theme that runs throughout the book. It is just coincidence that the two decided to clash in real life, just around the time 'Don't Tell The Governor' came out. Trust me, I have no role in that," Subramanian, himself a banker by profession, joked.

But this is not the first time that events in his book bear an uncanny similarity to real-life events. In "In The Name of God", for instance, one of his characters was a jeweller named Nirav Choksi, who happened to be a fraud.

"Many people went ballistic because the book came some six months before Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi were identified as perpetrators in what came to be known as the PNB scam. I think this happens because as a writer one often thinks beyond the realms of what is obvious. It becomes second nature to look at people suspiciously. I guess criminals are getting creative by the day and writers are creative human beings. Somewhere their Venn diagrams intersect. And that leads to a wow moment in my books lending an acute relevance to reality," he said.

Subramanian emphasised that his novel is a work of fiction and urged his readers to enjoy it as what could be, rather than as a depiction of what is. He said that any event which is shocking and which captures the attention of the public at large is a great event for a thriller, and demonetisation was one such.

"When it took place on November 8, 2016, no one expected it. It was like that twist in a thriller which stuns the reader out of slumber. The twist which stays with him long after the book is done and dusted. The reverberations of demonetisation are felt even two years after the incident. As a fiction writer, that too a writer of thrillers set in the world of financial services, what could be a better backdrop," he asked.

The only challenge of writing a thriller set round demonetisation, he said, was that, while in real life demonetisation in itself was a twist, in fiction, it would cease to be one, as people knew what happened.

"So your twist has to be something around Demonetisation, but not demonetisation itself. That's one twist which Modi wrote. I aggressively and proactively look for such events in the financial services industry. Be it the world of bitcoins, be it money laundering to Naxalites through credit cards, I always look out for black swan moments in the world of financial services to base my story in."

Priced at Rs 299, "Don't Tell The Governor" is available both online and at bookstores.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in )
Islamabad, Nov 24 : The Pakistan government on Saturday announced that the hardline Islamist leader who had led protests against the acquittal of blasphemy charged death row convict Asia Bibi, has been arrested.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house," PInformation and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

The Minister said that Rizvi's Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party had insisted on holding a protest in Rawalpindi and rejected alternative arrangements offered by the government, reports Efe news.

"(The arrest is) to safeguard public life, property and order and has to do nothing with Asia Bibi," Chaudhry added.

Party leader Afzal Qadri said that the police had detained members of his party across the country, and called for fresh protests, local media said.

TLP protests almost paralysed the country in October and the beginning of November after the Supreme Court annulled Bibi's death sentence - first imposed in 2010 and upheld four years later by the Lahore High Court - and ordered her release.

The protests continued until the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan reached an agreement with the TLP in which it allowed them to file a petition with the Supreme Court against the acquittal and ban Bibi from leaving the country until the verdict was heard.

Bibi was released from prison on November 7 and transferred to a "safe" location, according the government. Her lawyer fled the country in fear for his life.

The TLP was founded in 2016 after the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, who was found guilty of killing former Punjab province governor Salman Tasir in 2011 for publicly defending Bibi.

The party secured two seats in the provincial assembly of Sindh in the general elections held on June 25.

Pakistan's anti-blasphemy law was established during British colonial rule to avoid religious clashes, but several changes to the law in the 1980s promoted by the then-military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, led to its abuse.
New Delhi : There has been an element of unseemly haste and even recklessness in some of the recent acts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Such hurried initiatives have been seen in its impetuous bid to start the construction of the Ram temple as soon as possible and now in the peremptory dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

What is more, the motives for these rash steps are so palpable that it does little credit to the party's capacity for hiding its tracks.

In the case of the temple, for instance, it is obvious that the rush for starting work is related to the BJP's and the Sangh parivar's belief that the only way to bolster the party's seemingly dwindling electoral fortunes is to lay the foundation stone for the temple.

In Kashmir, the swiftness of Governor Satyapal Malik's step to dissolve the assembly can be easily ascribed to the possibility of the BJP's opponents in the state being able to form a government by cobbling together a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

It appears that the BJP did not foresee the likelihood of the three constituents of the alliance -- the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference (NC) and the Congress -- coming together to form a government, presumably because the PDP and the NC are not the best of friends.

Since their combined strength of 55 members, comprising the PDP's 28, the NC's 15 and the Congress's 12, gives them a comfortable majority in the 87-member legislature, dissolving the House was the only option left to the Governor and the BJP to stop them even if it does not meet a judicial challenge.

One of the explanations which Malik has given for his hasty act was to prevent "horse-trading", an euphemism for the crossing over of the MLAs of one party to another.

But the three claimants to the seat of power had no need for horse-trading since the numbers were on their side. If any horse-trading was indeed taking place, it was probably at the BJP's behest as it tried to wean away MLAs from its erstwhile ally, the PDP, and even the NC in order to form a government with the willing assistance of Sajjad Lone of the People's Conference.

It is possible that the PDP and the NC decided to pre-empt the defections from their parties by coming together despite their long-standing mutual animosity. To strengthen their position, they also roped in the Congress even as the latter displayed its habitual caginess by saying that the unity move was only a proposal.

How upset the BJP was at the likelihood of Kashmir suddenly slipping out of its grasp was evident from the normally level-headed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pointsman in the BJP, Ram Madhav, seeing Pakistan's hand behind the gathbandhan.

Although he later backtracked on being challenged by the NC's Omar Abdullah to prove his allegation, the insalubrious episode again showed how eager the saffronites are to brand their opponents as anti-nationals.

In Kashmir, the anger of the Hindutva brigade may have been all the greater because they were on the verge of being outmanoeuvred by the "anti-nationals", thereby frustrating all of the BJP's efforts to maintain its grip on the state which started with the appointment of Malik, a former member of the party, as the governor in place of the neutral bureaucrat, N.N. Vohra, who could not be expected to play a partisan game.

Malik, on the other hand, was apparently posted in Srinagar to oversee a transition of power to a BJP-friendly government when the unthinkable happened with "enemies" becoming friends as Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah joined hands.

If the current understanding between these two former adversaries survives till the assembly polls and beyond, then the idea of a mahagathbandhan may strike roots in the state and even exert a favourable impact on similar endeavours elsewhere in the country.

Prima facie, a PDP-NC-Congress alliance should have little difficulty in winning in Kashmir, thereby beginning a new and unexpected chapter in the state's politics which can go some distance in dealing with the threat of terrorism and lessening the alienation of large sections of the youth from the political system in the Valley.

The coalition will also have to bring the pro-BJP "Hindu" Jammu closer to the "Muslim" valley, a divide which has become wider ever since the BJP's politically successful (though socially divisive) entry into the state.

For the present, all eyes will be on seeing whether the two young leaders, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, are able to let bygones be bygones and chart a new path together for their parties and the state.

They cannot deny that the BJP's presence and its use of the Governor's office a-la the Congress of yore helped them to come together. There is nothing like a formidable and cynical adversary to concentrate the mind.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com )
Mumbai, Nov 24 : Actor Vicky Kaushal, who is on a roll with the success of "Manmarziyaan" and "Raazi", urged people to avoid having backup plans in their career.

According to Vicky, one should focus on one plan at a time and give 100 per cent to it.

"Being an engineer, I tore my job letter to give my entire attention to acting. Your backup can be your weakness, and thus to give those 2-3 per cent extra, I dropped my backup.

"Today everybody is giving 100 per cent to everything, but with backup, you will lose the motivation to put in those extra efforts," he said on the show "Sapne Sach Hote Hain" on Tata Sky Acting Adda.

The 30-year-old also asked people to overcome their fear.

Vicky said: "I was an introvert, I used to hate limelight. But you need to face your inhibitions. Face your inferiority complex. Over the years get control over your fear because fear keeps you alive and pushes you to do better."

After wooing the audience with his versatile roles, Vicky will now feature in upcoming films like "Uri" - based on the Uri attack of September 2016, and filmmaker Karan Johar's period drama "Takht".
London, Nov 24 : General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of the British army, has said that Russia was now a "far greater threat" to the UK's national security than the Islamic State (IS) terror group, the media reported on Saturday.

In his first interview since being appointed Chief of the General Staff in June, Gen Carleton-Smith said Russia was "indisputably" a bigger threat than Islamic terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and IS, the BBC reported.

"Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare," he said.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested."

The 54-year-old former SAS commander led the search for slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and was at the forefront of Britain's role in the campaign to combat the IS in Iraq and Syria.

The UK has blamed Russia for the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury earlier this year.

In October, the British government accused Russia's GRU military intelligence service of being behind four high-profile cyber-attacks on targets including the US Democratic Party and a small TV network in Britain.

Russia denies any involvement in the spy poisoning and has described the cyber-attack accusations as a "rich fantasy".
Patna, Nov 24 : Bihar Minister Khurshid Ahmad on Saturday said the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ram temple case is final and everyone should accept it.

The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader said construction of any religious place, either a temple or a mosque, should not be done by force. "Using force or a violent path to construct a temple or a mosque is wrong and illegal."

Ahmad also questioned the holding of a 'Dharam Sansad' by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's mobilisation in Ayodhya for the construction of the Ram temple ahead of the court verdict.

"Case is still pending in the court and its verdict will be final and should be acceptable to all. Why are some people in a hurry to go ahead? All have to wait for the court verdict," he said.

The JD-U, a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar, has repeatedly made it clear that the party was not with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue.

Earlier, Chief Minister and JD-U chief Nitish Kumar said the construction of the Ram temple is not on the party's agenda.

The JD-U had said it would accept the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya title suit for which the hearing will commence in January 2019.
Ayodhya, Nov 24 : Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, arrived here on Saturday.

Upon his arrival, he was greeted by senior Shiv Sena cadres and other officials to the slogans of "Jai Sri Ram".

He left for the Laxmi Fort from the air strip in a heavily guarded cavalcade of cars.

Earlier in the day, two trains full of Shiv Sena cadres had arrived in the temple town.

The cadres first took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanumagrhi.

Section 144 has been clamped in the town which prohibits the gathering of four or more persons at any public place.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied by local party leaders, sants and sadhus, interact with the media and later with the public, though plans for a public rally were not finalised yet.

For the Ayodhya visit, Thackeray is carrying an urn containing the earth from the Shivneri Fort - the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Over 4,000 Shiv Sainiks from Maharashtra, besides more from other parts of the country have preceded him to Ayodhya since the past couple of days, a party spokesperson said.

Party leaders including Sanjay Raut, Ministers Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and others have been camping in Ayodhya since the past few days to prepare for Thackeray's visit.

This will be the Thackerays' first-ever visit to the holy city, though in the past his father and founder of the Shiv Sena, the late Bal Thackeray had travelled to Uttar Pradesh on a couple of occasions.

The party's prime demand is to expedite the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya by promulgating an Ordinance to the effect.
Kolkata, Nov 24 : In a bid to optimally utilise its land parcels for commercial and urbanisation purposes, the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is in the process of appointing a consultant to get a complete perspective on its land resources.

"We are in the process of appointing a consultant who will do the entire survey, mapping and planning. They will identify land parcels that are suitable for logistic parks, industrial use, tourism and setting up of jetties. Hopefully, the consultant will be appointed and in another 5-6 months, we will get a full perspective of our land resources," said KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar.

The KoPT will proceed on the matter in coordination with the West Bengal government, he said, adding that the authority has about 2,000 acres of land in operational and non operational areas, Kumar said.

West Bengal Finance and Industry Minister Amit Mitra said that state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim were aware of the development and the state was hopeful to take the matter forward.
Washington, Nov 24 : A new US government report has delivered a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impact, saying that the economy could lose hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century.

The federally mandated study "Fourth National Climate Assessment", was supposed to come out in December but was released by President Donald Trump's administration on Friday, reports CNN.

David Easterling, Director of the Technical Support Unit at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said: "The global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilisation has experienced, and this warming trend can only be explained by human activities."

Coming from the US Global Change Research Programme, a team of 13 federal agencies, the report was put together with the help of 1,000 people, including 300 leading scientists.

It's the second of two volumes. The first, released in November 2017, concluded that there was "no convincing alternative explanation" for the changing climate other than "human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases".

The costs of climate change could reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually, according to the report.

The Southeast alone will probably lose over half a billion labour hours by 2100 due to extreme heat.

Farmers will face extremely tough times. The quality and quantity of their crops will decline across the US due to higher temperatures, drought and flooding.

Heat stress could cause average dairy production to fall between 0.60 and 1.35 per cent over the next 12 years -- having already cost the industry $1.2 billion from heat stress in 2010.

When it comes to shellfish there will be a $230 million loss by the end of the century due to ocean acidification, which is already killing off shellfish and corals, CNN quoted the report as saying.

Higher temperatures will also kill more people, it added.

The Midwest alone, which is predicted to have the largest increase in extreme temperature, will see an additional 2,000 premature deaths per year by 2090.

There will be more mosquito- and tickborne diseases like zika, dengue and chikungunya. West Nile cases were expected to more than double by 2050 due to increasing temperatures.

Wildfire seasons -- already longer and more destructive than before -- could burn up to six times more forest area annually by 2050 in parts of the US. Burned areas in Southwestern California alone could double by 2050.

"The message is loud, clear and undeniable: climate impacts are here and growing, World Resources Institute US Director Dan Lashof told IANS.

The tragic Camp Fire in California serves as a stark illustration of how climate change is loading the dice for more extreme events that devastate people, homes and the economy.

"We should trust what we're seeing with our own eyes: more intense wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and heat waves. This is what climate change looks like and it will become far worse unless we rapidly shift to a low-carbon economy," Lashof said.

The report blames human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, as the primary cause of rising temperatures.

For adaptation and mitigation, it says transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will reduce the impact of climate change.

Visiting Senior Research Scientist with Columbia University Earth Institute Richard Moss said: "The Trump administration should take its own carefully prepared National Climate Assessment report seriously. If it does so, the logical response is for the administration to lead a bipartisan effort to slash climate pollution and work to reduce the loss of life and financial damage occurring from climate change intensified disasters."
Bengaluru, Nov 24 : Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the 25 people who lost their lives when a bus plunged into a river canal in Mandya district.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh would be paid to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic accident," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

The mishap took place around noon at Kanaganamaradi village near Pandavapura town in the district.

The accident spot is about 120 km from Bengaluru on the state highway towards Mysuru after Mandya town.

Kumaraswamy and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the accident site and expressed their condolences to the families of the victims. Rescue operations were still underway to search for the remaining victims.

"This was an extremely tragic incident. I pray for peace to the souls of the deceased and strength to their families to bear the loss," Kumaraswamy said.
Shillong, Nov 24 : A senior leader of the ruling National People's Party in Meghalaya has been accused of involvement in the murderous attack on frontline women's rights activist Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma, fighting against illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state, an official said on Saturday.

The opposition Congress said the Conrad Sangma-led government should institute an "independent probe" since a high-profile member of the ruling party has been accused of leading the attacks on the two activists.

In a letter to Director General of Police R Chandranathan, Amita Sangma has accused Nidamon Chullet, the working president of NPP East Jaintia Hills district, and others, who assaulted and attempted to murder her and Kharshiing, including their driver E Kurbah, on November 8 at Tuber Sohshrieh area in East Jaintia Hills district.

Amita also demanded immediate arrest of Chullet, who is also the president of Jaintia Hills Truck Owners Association, and his aides.

"I appeal to your office to take swift action as it is learnt that Chullet and others who led the attacks belong to the ruling party in the state," she noted.

When IANS contacted NPP Meghalaya State President Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi for his reaction on the allegation, he refused to comment and said that "Home Minister (James Sangma) will speak on the matter."

However, neither the state Home Minister nor the police chief was available on the phone.

"The opposition has been cautioning the government about illegal mining and transportation of coal, besides the alleged nexus among political leaders, police and the coal mafia. But the Chief Minister is in a denial mode," Congress spokesperson Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang told IANS.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said he will consult his cabinet colleagues whether the murder attempt on Kharshiing warrants a judicial or a CBI probe.

On Friday, Meghalaya police arrested Showmewell B. Kyndait, one of the prime accused in the murder attempt from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Assam.

Seven people, including a 44-year-old woman Skhemlang Dkhar on Wednesday from Jowai, the district headquarters of West Jaintia Hills have been arrested.

Kharshiing along with Amita were brutally assaulted by a group of people after the activist lodged a complaint on illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district.
Mumbai, Nov 24 : A global equities sell-off, and domestic political uncertainty hurt investor confidence, triggering a decline in Indian equities during the week ended November 23.

Also, investors were left disappointed over the lack of any extraordinary liquidity-inducing measures by the Reserve Bank of India's board.

The only concession that central bank gave on November 19 was by way of extending by a year the timeline for the full implementation of Basel 3 guidelines.

Further, profit booking and outflow of foreign funds halted the three week-long gaining streak of the key equity indices -- S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 -- during the truncated trading period.

Accordingly, the market breadth was negative in three out of the four trading sessions during the week.

India's financial markets were shut on Friday on account of Guru Nanak Jayanti.

However, a continuous decline in global crude oil prices and subsequent appreciation in the Indian rupee arrested the steep fall.

During the week, the Sensex lost 476 points, or 1.34 per cent, to close at 34,981.02 and the 50-share Nifty gave up 155.45 points, or 1.45 per cent, to settle at 10,526.75.

"The market ended this week on weak a note despite a decline in oil prices, and strengthening of the rupee," said Vinod Nair, Head Of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

The week gone by saw the declining trend in the Brent crude oil price. This helped the equities avert a steeper fall during the week.

The Brent crude last traded at $58.80 per barrel.

After touching an $86-a-barrel mark in early October, the Brent crude oil has slipped below $59 following US decision to exempt eight countries, including India and China, to continue buying oil for six months from Iran despite sanctions.

The decline in crude oil prices, which have crashed over 30 per cent since early October, comes amid expectations of slowing demand and rising US inventories.

The rupee closed over 5 per cent higher at 70.67 per dollar on Thursday from its lifetime low of 74.47, which it hit in early October. It gained Rs 1.24 from its previous week's close of Rs 71.92.

A broad sell-off in the US markets reverberated through Europe and Asia, as global growth is seen buffeted by trade tensions between the United States and China.

D.K. Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of SMC Investments and Advisors, said: "Domestic market traded weak in tandem with global markets. Sentiment also took a hit after India's crude oil imports in October rose to its highest level in at least more than seven years."

"In its first meeting after the rift between the central bank and the government became public, the RBI has said that its board would support small businesses and has extended the timeline for banks to set aside an additional 0.625 per cent as capital conservation buffer by one year to March 31, 2020 to help them to lend more."

Nevertheless, global credit ratings agency Moody's Investors Service termed the RBI board's decision to extend the timeline for the full implementation of Basel 3 guidelines by a year as a credit-negative for state-run banks.

Besides, uncertainty due to the ongoing state elections was another reason for the decline.

Elections to constitute assemblies in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram are scheduled for this month and the next.

A win for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan would bolster Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of re-election next year.

The provisional figures from the stock exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors sold scrips worth Rs 856.61 crore in the week ended November 23. The domestic institutional investors bought Rs 302.09 crore worth of stocks in the past week.

On an yearly basis, the outflow according to the National Securities Depository Limited has touched Rs 42,148 crore in the equity segment.

"Markets witnessed profit booking this week after three weeks of gains. The Nifty ended with a week-on-week loss of 1.46 per cent," Deepak Jasani, Retail Research Head, HDFC Securities, said.

"The top sectoral gainers were the Reality and FMCG indices. The top sectoral losers were the infrastructure, IT, metals and finance indices." said Jasani.

The top weekly Sensex gainers were Bharti Airtel, up 7.95 per cent at Rs 327.95; Adani Ports, up 6.33 per cent at Rs 367.15; ITC, up 2.19 per cent at Rs 280.45; Sun Pharma, up 2.11 per cent at Rs 525.80; and Tata Motors, up 1.28 per cent at Rs 182.25 per share.

The major losers were Tata Steel, down 8.27 per cent at Rs 539.95; Wipro, down 5.09 per cent at Rs 307.45; Yes Bank, down 5.07 per cent at Rs 195.55; NTPC, down 5.07 per cent at Rs 146.10; and ICICI Bank, down 4.78 per cent at Rs 351.95 per share.

(Ravi Dutta Mishra can be reached at ravidutta.m@ians.in and Rohit Vaid at rohit.v@ians.in)
Chandigarh, Nov 24 : The Punjab Police claimed on Saturday that the main accused in the grenade attack on the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan in Amritsar district has been arrested.

Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora told media that the main accused, Avtar Singh, has been arrested. He said that weapons and ammunition have been recovered from the accused.

Avtar was the man who allegedly threw the Pakistan-made hand grenade on the followers of the Nirankari sect when they had assembled for a prayer meeting at the Satsang Bhawan complex in Adliwal village in Rajasansi area of Amritsar district on Sunday (Nov 18).

The DGP said that Avtar had links with a person called Javed in Pakistan and a Khalistan sympathizer Paramjit Singh Baba in Italy.

The attack, described by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh as a "terrorist act", left three people dead and 15 others injured.

Avtar's accomplice in the attack, Bikramjit Singh, was arrested by the Punjab Police on Wednesday. He was later remanded for five days in police custody by a court in Ajnala town, around 30 km from Amritsar.

Bikramjit had reportedly stood at the gate of the Nirankari Bhawan, holding the gate attendants at gun-point. The Chief Minister had blamed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan-based masterminds of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for the terror attack.

The Chief Minister said the grenade used in the blast was Pakistan-made. Amarinder said it was a "terror incident" and there was no religious link to it. The family of Bikramjit Singh have disputed the police claim of his being involved in terrorist activities.
Thiruvananthapuram, November 24 : Minister for industries in the CPI(M)-led LDF government E P Jayarajan has come down on union minister of state for finance and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, taking strong exception to the latters conduct at Sabarimala the other day.

The ministers behaviour was inappropriate and not behoving a politician, Jayarajan told reporters on Saturday.

We are not opposed to any union minister coming to Sabarimala but they should not make any attempts to disturb peace in the state, he added.

Minister for public works G Sudhakaran also ripped into the union minister, saying that no union minister had the right to question the maintenance of law and order in the state.

Union ministers should stick to discharging the responsibilities assigned to them, he said, charging that they (union ministers) were trying to interfere in the affairs of the state for cheap publicity.

Finance minister Thomas Isaac had the other day accused Pon Radhakrishnan of trying to vitiate the law and order situation at Sabarimala.

In a facebook post, Mr. Isaac had charged the union minister with leading the efforts to disturb the law and order situation at Sabarimala by taking part in the namajapa protests at the hill shrine.

Union minister Pon Radhakrishnans visit to the Nilackal base camp the other day had triggered a controversy with the minister engaging in a heated exchange with Nilackal special officer Yathish Chandra.

When the minister took exception to private vehicles not being allowed to proceed past the Nilackal base camp, Mr. Chandra reportedly said that private vehicles could be allowed to proceed if the union minister was willing to take responsibility for any issues that may arise as a result. This enraged the union minister, who accused the IPS officer of being disrespectful to him.
New Delhi, Nov 24 : Domestic fuel prices continued to decline on Saturday in line with the downward trend in Brent crude oil price, which fell below the $60 per-barrel- mark.

In the national capital, petrol was sold at Rs 75.25 per litre, 32 paise lower from Friday, according to data on the Indian Oil Corp's website.

In other key cities of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, the fuel was priced at Rs 77.22, Rs 80.79 and Rs 78.12 per litre, respectively, against the previous levels of Rs 77.53, Rs 81.10 and Rs 78.46 per litre, respectively.

Fuel costs in India are impacted by global crude oil prices, as the country is a net importer of oil. Price determination is done on a daily basis under the dynamic pricing system.

As per the country's pricing mechanism, the domestic fuel prices depend upon the international fuel prices on a 15-day average and the value of the rupee.

The UK Brent crude is currently priced around $59 per barrel, down from the four-year high of $86.07 recorded on October 4.

The cost of other key transportation fuel -- diesel -- too fell in tandem with petrol prices across the four metros.

The fuel-type was priced at Rs 70.16 in Delhi, 40 paise lower than the Friday's level of Rs 70.56 per litre.

In the country's financial capital, Mumbai, diesel was sold at Rs 73.48, against Rs 73.91 on Friday. In Kolkata and Chennai, it was priced at Rs 72.01 and Rs 74.13 repectively, compared to the previous levels of Rs 72.41 and Rs 74.55 per litre.
Kolkata, Nov 24 : Seeking suggestions from prospective investors to make its newly-announced logistics policy more investor-friendly, West Bengal Finance and Industry Minister Amit Mitra on Saturday said the state, according to a report, could attract about Rs 5000 investment in the logistics hub by 2020.

"A report suggested that the state could attract investment of Rs 5,000 crore by 2020 in logistics hubs and this would provide huge employment opportunities," he said on the sidelines of the Logistics Colloquium 2018, organised by CII.

The state had recently rolled out 'Logistics Park Development and Promotion Policy of West Bengal 2018'.

The report 'Positioning West Bengal as a key Logistics Hub'-- prepared by KPMG -- suggested that the state has a huge potential to emerge as the logistics hub of the entire eastern and north-eastern region of the country.

The Indian logistics sector is likely to grow from $160 billion in 2017 to $215 billion by 2020. This attractive growth is expected to be a consequence of the introduction of GST, growth in manufacturing, emergence of new industrial growth centres and increase in government investments in key infrastructure, among others, said the report which was released on Saturday.

"According to estimates, the market size of the West Bengal Logistics sector will reach US$ 20 billion by 2020," it said.

Five potential sites in West Bengal offer the opportunity to develop end-to-end logistics parks with multi-modal capabilities. Cumulatively, these five locations - Dankuni, Durgapur, Tajpur, Malda city and Siliguri - have the potential to mobilise investments worth US$1.5 billion and generate as many as 30,000 direct jobs and up to nearly one lakh indirect jobs, the report said.

West Bengal is looking forward to attract investments in modern multi-modal logistics parks with features such as automated storage systems, multi-tiered warehouses and solar-powered technologies.

Mitra emphasised that the logistics geography is "skipping forward" and the waterways have a huge scope in the state with "295 rivers" and it is one of the top states of the country in terms of density, reach and mix.

He urged the industry to look at the Andal airport as a cargo hub with its zero Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) tax.
Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh), Nov 24 : Attacking Congress Chief Ministerial aspirant Kamal Nath over the leaked video in which he is seeking heavy voting by Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked people to save the state from "this politics of appeasement".

He also made a veiled attack on Kamal Nath linking him to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

"Congress party is showing its true colours. It knows it is hard to save its people. Its scams are being uncovered. Kamal Nath video is out in the market. Whose votes is he seeking in that video.

"This is democracy we need everyone's votes, whether he is HIndu or Muslim, rich or poor. Every Indian who is a voter... but they (Congress) don't... they say don't rely on tribal votes. Is this not disrespect to democracy. Do these people have a right to contest election, brothers and sisters wipe out Congress," he said.

Modi said "don't be mistaken by what Kamal Nath is saying. What he is saying are his own words. He's been a courtier of this family (Gandhi family) for decades. He is doing the bidding of 'naamdaar'. I urge you to save Madhya Pradesh from this politics of appeasement."

Referring to Kamal Nath's reported remarks that the "mills of Congress grind slow but fine", the Prime Minister said with a tinge of sarcasm, "Shrimaan Kamal Nath ji, everyone knows how fine you grind.. everyone knows about 84 riots. We can't let the future of Madhya Pradesh be ruined by trusting these people."

In an apparent reference to the agrarian distress, one of the main issues in Madhya Pradesh, Modi said: "Had Patel been the first Prime Minister, farmers would not have been in such distress as they have seen during these 55-60 years.... what Congress did, its detrimental effects are being borne by today's farmers. "

"I want to ask Congress-- what did you do for the people for Madhya Pradesh in 55 years and what BJP did. Do the comparison so that farmer doesn't have to bow down to anyone. We are making policies for that. We need some time to undo the wrong. And I will do it even if I get half the time they got. "

Modi accused the Congress of making false promises like waiving farm loans. "Nowadays Congress is making false promises to get votes but remember each of their promises. They got four generations to run the nation but never left any chance to fool the country. India Gandhi, you tell me, did she or did she not give the slogan of 'Gareebi Hatao"? Tell me honestly did gareebi (poverty) go? Did she not make a fool of you."

He said the Congress nationalised the banks saying that there was a monopoly of rich people on it and that they wanted banks to serve in the interest of the poor.

"Was this for helping the poor.. was it a fraud or not? The promise that Indira Gandhi could not fulfil, Modi did with Jan Dhan Yojana. Those who could not fulfil their promises for 40 years, would you believe them now"

"And in 2008 also, they had made the same promise of loan waiver. No one will tell you this thing but it is important to know the truth. Madam Sonia's remote-control government had made the decision. Manmohan Singh was also there. To win the election they made the promise. of loan waiver.. Then the loans of farmers amounted to Rs six lakh crore . How much did they waive.. only Rs 60,000 crore."

"Even then, 35 lakh of whose loans were waived were not even eligible for it. Who were these people, what was their relationship with Congress. And today again they have begun lying."

"Now tell me, all these people who were doing this swindling, would they like Modi? Who will protect you from these people, who will protect public money, That's why I need your blessing. "

Modi attacked Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi saying "Look at their shamelessness, people who did fraud worth crores of rupees, are out on bail.. Mother and Son both are out on bail, and they are asking me questions, why did I ban notes. I locked down 3 lakh companies which were engaged in such frauds"

He said his government has so far given 6 crore gas connections. The aim is for 8.5 crore.

"You do the math in this country from independence to 2014 before I became Prime Minister. In nearly 60 years many governments came and went and they all could give only 13 crore gas connections and Modi in four years gave 12 crore new connections."

"How work is done, how society is changed. It would have taken them four more generations to do this. That is why I have come to urge you. Our only agenda is the development of Madhya Pradesh and of the country," he said.
Lucknow, Nov 24 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday slammed former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for demanding the army be deployed in Ayodhya ahead of the 'Dharma Sabha' organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), labelling him "anti-Ram".

State BJP Spokesman Chandramohan said that the demand showed that the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief was not only against Hindus but also of "perverted mentality".

He added that Akhilesh was, in fact, carrying forward the legacy of his father and former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had ordered bullets fired on 'Kar Sevaks' in Ayodhya.

Chandramohan said that Hindu devotees were gathering at Ayodhya for a peaceful programme on Sunday.

Before demanding the army be deployed in Ayodhya, the SP President should remember that on several occasions, like the Muzaffarnagar riots that happened under his watch, the army had to be called in to restore peace in a sign that his government had failed, he said.

"You and your party have suffered setbacks in successive elections and the people will not tolerate the humiliation of Ram Bhakts," the BJP spokesman said.
Jaipur, Nov 24 : The Rajasthan Congress on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah accusing him of flouting the model code of conduct by "provoking voters against the opposition party" in the poll-bound state during his recent Bikaner rally.

The Congress also filed a complaint against State Minister Srichand Kriplani and BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav.

State Congress Committee spokesperson Sushil Sharma said that Shah during his Bikaner rally asked the people to "hold opposition leaders by their collar" when they visit their place seeking votes.

"They should not be allowed to enter your villages," Sharma quoted Shah as saying (vipakshi party ke neta aye to unka collar pakad lena; unko gaon men ghusne nahi dena)".

"Such statements are an assault on democracy and violate the model code of conduct," said Sharma, adding such remarks raise possibility of disturbing peace during elections.

Another complaint was made against state Minister Kriplani, a BJP candidate from Nimbahera.

"He threatened people to commit suicide if they fail to vote him," Sharma said.

"As he is trying to seek votes by threatening people, it is yet again a violation of the model code of conduct. A complaint has been filed against Kriplani," said Sharma.

The Rajasthan Congress also filed complaint against BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav, the party's candidate from Alwar's Kishangarh Bas, for making a statement in contempt of a Supreme Court order.

Yadav in a video was seen seeking votes by telling people that "it is Ramhet Yadav's 'sarkar' due to which loaded tractors are plying otherwise these vehicles are not allowed on roads."

IANS

arc/prs
Bengaluru, Nov 24 : About 30 people, including 15 women and 8 minors, drowned to death on Saturday when a private bus they were travelling in plunged into a river canal in Karnataka's Mandya district, police said.

"The mishap occurred around noon at Kanaganamaradi village near Pandavapura town, as the bus skidded off the bridge and fell into the Cauvery river canal," a Mandya police control room official told IANS on phone.

Divers of the district fire brigade retrieved bodies of 30 passengers -- 15 women, 7 men and 8 minors -- from the 40-seater bus before it was lifted by a crane out of the Visveswaraya canal.

The accident spot is about 120 km from Bengaluru on the state highway towards Mysuru after Mandya town.

According to a witness, the speeding bus was on way to Mandya from Pandavapura when the driver apparently lost control of the wheel, resulting in the bus veering off the bridge and falling into the 20-feet deep canal, which does not have a retaining wall.

Vehicular traffic on the state highway was disrupted and rescue work affected, as hundreds of people from the surrounding areas thronged the mishap spot to see the bus plunged into the canal.

Another witness said about 10 passengers of the bus, however, survived the mishap by emerging out of the plunged bus and swam to the canal bank.

A few students were among the victims as they were returning home from schools and colleges which had half-day classes as it was Saturday.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who visited the mishap spot to condole the deaths, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the 30 victims.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh would be paid to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic accident," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

"This is a tragic incident. I pray for peace to the souls of the deceased and strength to their families to bear the loss," Kumaraswamy said in the statement.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, state Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna and district in-charge Minister C.S. Puttarajau also visited the accident spot with district Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushri and Superintendent of Police S.P. Devaraj to console the bereaved families and supervise the rescue operation.

District police have registered a case against the bus driver and its operator for the deaths.

"We have booked a case of negligence and rash driving against the driver and bus owner to investigate the case. The bus operator has been summoned for the inquiry," Devaraj told reporters later at Mandya.

A 20-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and specialist divers joined the rescue operation to retrieve the bodies and lift the ill-fated bus from the canal.

"We have directed the river authority to stop the water flow to speed up the rescue work and lift the bus from the canal," said Puttaraju.

The man-made canal was built to supply the river water to agricultural fields in the district.
New Delhi, Nov 24 : BJP Natiobnal Secretary Mahesh Girri on Saturday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of negative politics in the national capital and criticized him for not fulfilling his poll promise of installing CCTV cameras.

"The whole Delhi remembers Kejriwal's promise to install CCTV (close circuit television) across the city. But there is a huge difference in what he preaches and what he practises," the East Delhi MP said.

He said Kejriwal was not concerned about "security, safety and convenience" of people of the city.

Girri's remarks came soon after he inaugurated second phase of CCTV cameras installed from his MPLADS funds in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar area.

Girri said earlier he got high definition CCTV cameras installed at Delhi-UP Border area by giving Rs 1.57 crore from his MPLADS funds, while in second phase, CCTV cameras have been installed in six km area of Mayur Vihar using Rs 2.5 crore from his MPLADS funds.

Girri said so far he has provided Rs 8.91 crore from his MPLADS funds for installation of CCTV cameras in east Delhi.
New Delhi, Nov 24 : Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday welcomed the Modi government's decision to build a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjabs Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan.

He, however, cautioned that there could be many hurdles to cross.

"It's a good initiative to open the Kartarpur Sahib corridor," he said, on the sidelines of the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation event.

When asked about the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that it would act as a bridge between people of India and Pakistan, he replied, "Any initiative is good, but do not underestimate the hurdles. I hope it is successful."

On November 22, the Union Cabinet decided to build the Kartarpur road Corridor up to the International border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project.

The shrine is located on the banks of the Ravi at Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan Punjab, 3 km from the border.

Guru Nanak Devji had assembled the Sikh community at Kartarpur and lived there for 18 years till 1539. The Gurudwara Darbar Sahib is built where Guru Nanak Devji took his final journey.
Kolkata, Nov 24 : During the change of duty on Saturday, "accidental firing" took place at the state Secretariat, 'Nabanna' without hurting anyone, police said.

As per the investigation, the incident took place in a bunker near the north gate of the highly secured Secretariat when a shot went off from the service rifle of a constable posted with the Armed Police around 12.25 pm.

However, no one was injured in the incident as the bullet hit the wall of the bunker, police said.

An inquiry has been initiated to find out more details about the incident and the CCTV footages are being checked, the official added.
Puae, Nov 24 : Riding on a terrific raiding performance by Rohit Kumar, Bengaluru Bulls beat Tamil Thalaivas 36-22 in a Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) match here on Saturday.

Kumar scored 11 raid points and got able support from Pawan Sehrawat, who scored 6 points.

Ajay Thakur top scored for Tamil Thalaivas with 6 points in what was an subdued performance by the team.

Bengaluru Bulls remain top of the table in Zone B whereas Tamil Thaliavas remain bottom of the table.

Bengaluru Bulls made a strong start to lead 5-1 after three minutes as Kashiling Adake and Pawan Sehrawat got in a couple of raid points.

In the 7th minute Rohit Kumar got another raid point to give Bengaluru Bulls 6-2.

Bengaluru Bulls inflicted an all out in the next minute to lead 10-3. Jasvir Singh got a couple of raid points for Tamil Thalaivas as they trailed 5-11 after nine minutes.

Tamil Thalaivas rallied back into the first half to get a couple of points on board as they ended first half strongly. Tamil Thalaivas went into the break trailing by five points.

Rohit Kumar was having a great game and made a two-point raid in the 25th minute to give Bengaluru Bulls 22-14 lead. Tamil Thalaivas forced a super tackle in the 28thminute as they trailed 18-24.

All hopes of a Tamil Thalaivas comeback were officially laid to rest when they suffered an all out in the 36thminute.

The all out meant that Bengaluru had opened upa 12-point unassailable lead. A couple of tackle and raid points in the last few minutes meant that Tamil Thalaivas had no answer to Bengaluru's dominance.
Law Offices of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against Paul Blanco's call (800) 568-8020 to speak to Attorney Nicholas De Blouw.

The San Francisco Labor law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against Paul Blanco's Good Car Company Oakkland and Paul Blanco's Good Car Company Auto Group (Paul Blanco's), alleging that the company failed to lawfully provide meal and rest periods and pay minimum wages to their California employees working for the company. The class action lawsuit against Paul Blanco's is currently pending in the Alameda County Superior Court, Case No. RG18928257. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

The lawsuit filed against Paul Blanco's alleges the DEFENDANTS meal period policies and practices were unlawful because PLAINTIFFS and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members were far too over-booked and overworked to take a timely off-duty thirty (30) minute meal period. The lawsuit further alleges that the failure of Paul Blanco's to provide the legally required meal and rest period is evidenced by the company's business records.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges PLAINTIFFS and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members as a business expense, were required by DEFENDANT to use their own personal cellular phones as a result of and in furtherance of their job duties as employees for DEFENDANT but were not reimbursed or indemnified by DEFENDANT for the cost associated with the use of their personal cellular phones for DEFENDANTs benefit.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Paul Blanco's call (800) 568-8020 to speak to Attorney Nicholas De Blouw.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw, LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages,overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

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CMR Naviscan Corporation, a company developing technology solutions for high resolution diagnostic imaging, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the Mayo Clinic for a group of technologies invented by a team of Mayo physicians and scientists led by Michael OConnor, Ph.D. The licensed Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) intellectual property are used in the CMR Molecular Imaging LumaGEM Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) System, manufactured and distributed by CMR Naviscan.

The LumaGEM MBI system, with dual-head digital direct conversion gamma imaging, provides high resolution images with less than 2 mm resolution, using a low dose of Tc99 Sestamibi radiotracer. With over 90 percent sensitivity and specificity, LumaGEM MBI has been shown to significantly improve cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue with fewer false positives relative to anatomical imaging technologies, such as MRI and whole breast ultrasound.

It has been proven that early cancer detection significantly increases the probability of curing the disease, and Molecular Breast Imaging is an important tool providing highly accurate information that enables early detection. CMR Naviscan is proud to be a partner with Mayo Clinic in making this MBI available through our global distribution channels and for the continued development of the technology," said Tonatiuh Monroy, CMR Naviscans President.

Researchers have found and published data demonstrating that in women with dense breast tissue, MBI detects an additional 10 cancers per 1000 women screened and provides an incremental cancer detection rate of 250% over mammography (Rhodes et al. Radiology 2011; Rhodes et al. AJR 2016; https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/rhodes-deborah-j-m-d/bio-00027482).

This collaboration is important because it means that MBI technology, pioneered here at Mayo Clinic, will be available to more and more women. We anticipate new improvements in the technology to further reduce radiation dose associated with MBI, while maintaining the high incremental detection rate of MBI over both mammography and tomosynthesis," said Dr. Michael OConnor, Professor of Radiologic Physics at Mayo.

About CMR Naviscan Corporation: CMR Naviscan is a leader in organ-specific molecular imaging and part of the Compania Mexicana de Radiologia CGR, S.A. de C.V. (CMR), a global developer and manufacturer of high quality diagnostic imaging equipment and healthcare information systems, including DICOM-compliant imaging software. CMR Naviscan, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, develops and manufactures molecular imaging systems, including the Solo II High Resolution Breast PET Imaging (BPI)scanner, which detects breast cancers as small as 1.6 mm, the Stereo Navigator PET-guided biopsy accessory, and the LumaGEM Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) system. CMR Naviscan is US FDA registered and ISO 13485:2012 certified. For more information visit http://www.cmr-naviscan.com/.

Mayo Clinic and Dr. Michael OConnor have a financial interest in the technology referenced in this news release. Mayo Clinic will use any revenue it receives to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education and research.
Christie named official projector partner at Cineasia 2018 All major product presentations and screenings will be illuminated by Christie projection technology in Theatre One over the duration of CineAsia, and we are confident that attendees will be delighted by the cinematic excellence shown by Christie, to the benefit of this huge marketplace.

Christie, a leader in creating and delivering the worlds best visual and audio experiences, is proud to have been chosen as the official projector partner for CineAsia 2018, taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from December 10 to 13, 2018.

Christie has been a regular participant in CineAsia over the years, as it is the only Pan-Asian convention dedicated to the cinema exhibition and distribution communities in the region. It brings together professionals from across the film industry, including cinema owners, suppliers, film buyers and distributors. As the official projection provider, Christie will make available the latest cinema technologies and industry-leading solutions in the support of this prestigious event, including a CP4325-RGB cinema projector for Theatre One at the show.

We are delighted to partner with Christie, an industry giant, at CineAsia, said Andrew Sunshine, President of The Film Expo Group, the premier organizer of events in the motion picture industry. All major product presentations and screenings will be illuminated by Christie projection technology in Theatre One over the duration of CineAsia, and we are confident that attendees will be delighted by the cinematic excellence shown by Christie, to the benefit of this huge marketplace.

Lin Yu, Vice President, Cinema Sales for Asia, Christie, commented, Its a great pleasure to deepen our support of CineAsia as its exclusive cinema projection provider. With more than half a century of experience in cinema, Christies unique wealth of knowledge and expertise places us in good stead to meet the changing requirements of filmmakers, production houses and exhibitors, as well as audience demands for epic cinematic experiences. We are committed to deliver the best possible image on screen with our cinema solutions featuring RealLaser illumination, ensuring that all audiences will enjoy an immersive and highly satisfying cinema experience.

In addition, Christie will also be presented with a Special Recognition Award during the four-day event to recognize the continued outstanding support of Christie Technical Services.

Christies cinema heritage and history of innovation makes it the preferred vendor among Asian and global exhibitors, based on its strong technology leadership and significant achievements made in areas such as RGB pure laser projection and cinema audio. The company has also consistently served as the projection partner for other conferences and renowned film festivals around the world, including the Cannes Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Christie RealLaser cinema projector to power major screenings and presentations

All major screenings and product presentations at CineAsia will be powered by a Christie CP4325-RGB cinema projector, which delivers a premium movie-going experience to mainstream theatres. Featuring CineLife electronics and RealLaser illumination, this compact, all-in-one DCI-compliant projector excels in image quality and operational lifetime, while providing a low cost of ownership.

Using discrete, dedicated red, green and blue laser, Christie RealLaser offers solid state illumination for cinema exhibition with a much increased color palette, approaching Rec. 2020 and over 30,000 hours of theatre operation without lamp changes. It is the only laser technology to offer brightness levels above DCI standards throughout its natural life. Its first model, the CP4325-RGB, was launched in December 2017. Christie will also officially launch 2K versions of its RealLaser family of cinema projectors  the CP2315-RGB and CP2320-RGB  during CineAsia 2018 (details to be announced at the show).

About CineAsia

CineAsia will take place from 10-13 December 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Hong Kong. The CineAsia trade show is where cinema exhibition and distribution professional come to do business and network. The convention will also feature product presentations and screenings of major upcoming films, exclusive sponsored events, and seminars relating to current and future trends happening across the industry.

About Film Expo Group

The Film Expo Group is the premier organizer of events in the motion picture industry. The Film Expo Group produces CineEurope, held in Barcelona; ShowEast, held in Miami; and CineAsia, held in Hong Kong. Additionally, the group publishes Film Journal International, a trade magazine and website covering the motion picture industry, with a special emphasis on theatrical exhibition. Additional information on CineAsia can be found at http://www.cineasia.com

About Christie

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the worlds most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit http://www.christiedigital.com.
It doesnt take much to say thank you for your hard work and good job. So why arent more managers doing it? The only thing worse than undervaluing the importance of appreciation is underestimating the consequences of a lack of it.

There are a number of factors which can lead to the perfect storm that is burnout: An overwhelming workload, an emotionally draining job, a lack of job control and autonomy, or underdeveloped coping skills. However, there is one crucial yet avoidable component of burnout managers must heed: A lack of appreciation. Research from PsychTests reveals that dismissing the importance of verbal praise and gratitude for a job well done can have a significant and damaging impact on employee well-being.

Analyzing data from 7,050 people who took their Burnout Test, PsychTests researchers focused their analysis on two distinct groups: Employees who feel appreciated at work and those who dont. Here is how they compared in terms of their risk for burnout:



73% of unappreciated employees indicated there is too much weight on their shoulders at work compared to 40% of those who feel appreciated by their manager).

59% of unappreciated employees felt they work far too much (compared to 28% of appreciated workers).

54% of unappreciated employees felt the amount of stress they deal with at work is more than they can handle (compared to 13% of appreciated workers).

49% of unappreciated employees felt they could no longer handle the tasks their job entails (compared to 17% of appreciated workers).

48% of unappreciated employees said they no longer care about doing their work well (compared to 16% of appreciated workers).

63% of unappreciated employees indicated, their boss and/or colleagues expect too much of them (compared to 18% of appreciated workers).

60% of unappreciated employees felt alienated from their colleagues and their job in general (compared to 15% of appreciated workers).

61% of unappreciated employees said they take very little, if any, time to relax (compared to 36% of appreciated workers).

81% of unappreciated employees felt trapped in their job (compared to 20% of appreciated workers).

58% of unappreciated employees said the thought of going to work actually makes them feel physically ill (compared to 18% of appreciated workers).

23% of unappreciated employees have taken time off (minimum one week) to deal with a stress-related issue (compared 18% of appreciated workers).

47% of unappreciated employees have consulted, or are thinking about consulting a professional about a stress-related problem (compared 30% of appreciated workers).

75% of unappreciated employees said they would quit their job if they could (compared 27% of appreciated workers).

The only thing worse than undervaluing the importance of appreciation is underestimating the consequences of a lack of it, explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests. In our study, unappreciated employees were less satisfied with their job, and more likely to be suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion, two major symptoms of burnout. Moreover, 64% of them said they feel helpless, and this is a statistic managers should be particularly concerned about. When your staff has reached the point where they feel their efforts, their time, and their hard work no longer make a difference, things are already critical. This is when things will spiral (or snowball), with absenteeism, sick leave, and turnover.

Part of this vulnerability to burnout could be associated with a lack of effective coping skills; 61% of the unappreciated employees said they take very little, if any time to relax, and 72% of them tend to keep their problems to themselves. So without an outlet to release the tension and without social support, employees increase their susceptibility to stress-related problems. However, management may be able to play a major role in offsetting the effects of stress. Showing employees that the company cares, that their hard work is appreciated, and offering praise and gratitude could lessen the psychological burden of a stressful job environment. If we know that symptoms of burnout are more likely to be found in people who feel unappreciated at work, then it stands to reason showing genuine appreciation could have a positive impact on staff morale. Genuine words of appreciation can be a powerful healing balm.

Want to assess your risk for burnout? Check out https://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/2079 if youre in a service field and https://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/2080 if youre in a non-service field.

Professional users of BSS - NSF - R2 (Burnout Symptom Screener - For Non-Service Fields - 2nd Revision) or BSS - SF - R2 (Burnout Symptom Screener - For Service Fields - 2nd Revision) can request a free demo for these or any other assessments from ARCH Profiles extensive battery: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1

To learn more about psychological testing, download this free eBook: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/personality-tests-in-h r

To have these press releases delivered directly to your inbox, send us an email and we will add you to our mailing list: pressreleases(at)psychtests.com

About PsychTests AIM Inc.

PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com). The companys research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.
CEO of the healthcare technology company Prizm Media Inc., Zeeshan Hayat, was recognized by Business in Vancouver magazine with a 2018 BC CEO Award on November 15, 2018. Though this is the second award for Zeeshan from the publication  he was previously named one of BCs Top 40 Under Forty in 2014  he is the first Pakistani-Canadian to be awarded the honor. At the event, Zeeshan paid homage to his grandfather Aslam Hayat, for his support and advice. My grandfather left his home, his career, his entire life behind in Pakistan so I could have the support of family and a better future. He bought me my first computer which sparked my interest in technology and entrepreneurship. But most of all his kind and selfless actions created the passion I have to do the same for others, says Hayat.

Zeeshan is not only a great strategist, who thrives in challenging situations, but he is driven by a philosophy of creating a positive impact not only in business, but in the community at large, says Nikhil Mathew, COO of Prizm Media Inc. Mathew noted that Hayats unwavering focus and purpose driven approach is what has led the company to create a high achieving and family culture that feels like home.

Hayat co-founded Prizm Media with his partner and wife Karina Hayat - the companys President - 17 years ago while still in college. He notes the journey couldnt have taken place without her contribution, effort and values that they share. We challenge each other daily, to do our best and be our best in the service of others. Be it the patients we connect to our clients. The clients we serve. Or our local community and team.

In the enclosing statement of his acceptance speech, Hayat expressed how success could only be attributed to three things. The community you impact, gratitude and sharing. Appreciate every handshake, every phone call and every mistake you make. Nothing is accidental. Everything happens because were meant to learn something, and to grow because of it. Share your time, your knowledge, and the wealth that God has entrusted you with. Because whatever you put out into this world you will get back tenfold.

In 2017, Prizm Media overcame a significant downturn by innovating. The team worked together to focus on its patient care technology that helps pharmacies simplify the patient on boarding experience, reducing costs through automation, while helping their businesses scale quickly and compete.

For more information on Prizm Media Inc., read the companys website http://www.prizmmedia.com. More information on the 2018 BC CEO Award is available on Business in Vancouvers website https://biv.com/CEO.

Media Contact

David Ninh

Social Media & PR Specialist @Prizm Media Inc.

david.ninh@prizmmedia.com

604.326.0096 ext: 217
QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner and Control Unit with QTviewer This work speaks to the tremendous potential of this technology to accurately and quantitatively assess the volume of masses which, in the breast, can change over time, with implications in improving our estimation of tumor growth and furthering our understanding of tumor response to treatment.

QT Ultrasound will be among the companies to address the audience at RSNA 2018. The 104th Scientific Assembly of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), a conference billed as Tomorrows Radiology Today, is one of the most important and well attended events by industry leaders, visionaries and game changers in medical imaging. Over 50,000 meeting attendees will get hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and dive into the latest research, including QT Ultrasounds quantitative transmission ultrasound.

QT Ultrasounds Chief Medical Officer, Rajni Natesan, MD, MBA, will be delivering an oral presentation on the Accuracy of Volumetric Measurements in the Breast: A Study Comparing Ultrasound Tomography and Hand-Held Ultrasound, demonstrating the benefits of automated true 3D transmission ultrasound technology. This work speaks to the tremendous potential of this technology to accurately and quantitatively assess the volume of masses which, in the breast, can change over time, with implications in improving our estimation of tumor growth and furthering our understanding of tumor response to treatment.

QT Ultrasounds Principal Scientist, Bilal Malik, Ph.D, will be leading a poster discussion on the Detection of Calcification in the Breast Using Ultrasound Tomography: A Feasibility Study, showing that certain calcifications can be effectively detected using the QT Utrasound platform.

Quantitative transmission ultrasound is an emerging trend and the only true 3D, transmission ultrasound technology that uses biomarkers for early detection of breast masses. Transmission ultrasound together with reflection ultrasound provide highly complementary and synergistic information about breast tissue. With images that show clear information about breast tissue, QT Ultrasounds goal is to identify what is benign and what is problematic. The FDA-cleared QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner can image through dense breasts, with no radiation and no compression.

Conference attendees are encouraged to participate in this valuable learning opportunity.

Rajni Natesan, MD, MBA

Title: Accuracy of Volumetric Measurements in the Breast: A Study Comparing Ultrasound Tomography and Hand-Held Ultrasound

Section: Physics (Ultrasound in Imaging and Radiation Therapy)

Time: Sunday 11/25/2018, 11:15-11:25 AM

Bilal Malik, Ph.D

Title: Detection of Calcification in the Breast Using Ultrasound Tomography: A Feasibility Study

Section: Physics Poster Discussions

Time: Sunday 11/25/2018, 12:30-1:00 PM

About QT Ultrasound

QT Ultrasound is a privately held company engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of an innovative automated breast imaging system producing high-resolution transmission ultrasound images. The company has received FDA clearance for its QTscan, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded over $15 million in funding to continue QT Ultrasound research. The companys clinical trials have been conducted at prestigious institutions in the US and Europe and include ongoing trials at the Marin Breast Health Trial Center in Novato, California. QTscans are now available commercially through the breast imaging centers of QTbreasthealth.

The QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner is for use as an ultrasonic imaging system to provide reflection-mode and transmission-mode images of a patients breast. The device is not intended to be used as a replacement for screening mammography.

For more information about QT Ultrasound, visit qtultrasound.com
Weve completely underestimated what violence does to ones sense of self and ones sense of place in the world, says Alex Kotlowitz, author of An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago (Doubleday, Mar.). You witness one or two acts of violence and you find yourself on the defensive.

For decades, Kotlowitz, who is 63, has been studying violence in Chicago (mainly on the citys South Side and West Side), where roughly 14,000 people were killed in shootings between 1990 and 2010more than the number of Americans killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. In spite of this, Chicago isnt ranked among Americas top 10 most violent cities by the FBI (according to a 2017 report, which looked at murder along with other serious crimes).

It is a sunny afternoon in October, and we are sitting at Kotlowitzs kitchen table in his home in Oak Park, a neighborhood near Chicagos West Side. He is dressed in jeans and a light canvas-colored jacket as he explains how his latest book came together.

The better part of Kotlowitzs career has been spent documenting violence in Chicago, mainly through intimate portrayals of those affected by it. For There Are No Children Here, his 1992 bestseller, Kotlowitz embedded himself in a public housing project on the West Side, homing in on the experiences of two boys in particular. In reporting There Are No Children, it was the violence that unmoored me, he writes.

Kotlowitzs latest book takes a broader view, studying Chicago violence to examine its collective toll on the human psyche. An American Summer is composed of a series of vignettesdetailed snapshots of the lives of mothers, fathers, young men, girlfriends, and children on the South Side and West Side. In the wake of trauma, all hell can break loose in your heart, he writes. Love and fury and sadness get so stirred together it can be hard to figure out how youre really feeling, hard to figure out who you really are.

The 14 stories in An American Summer are about pain, love, fear, and resiliency, and reveal the broad, lasting effects of perpetual violence on individuals, families, and communities.

Kotlowitz is by turns an author, documentary filmmaker (The Interrupters), radio producer (This American Life), contributor to the New Yorker, and lecturer at Northwestern University, where he will soon begin teaching a course titled, The Journalism of Empathy.

Empathy, it must be acknowledged, is at the heart of Kotlowitzs workboth in the subjects he reports on and in the relationships he cultivates. He is a master of creating an atmosphere of trust among his subjects. Keeping an emotional boundary between his subjects, he says, is virtually impossiblenor, he argues, should it be the goal. When you know all of these people, your life becomes so much richer, he adds.

In An American Summer, Kotlowitz explores a range of issues that upend what we think we know about the effects of violence. He identifies the way that many of the mothers whose children were killed live richly in mourning; the concept of compassionate reliefwhen someone feels a burden lifted after a loved one is killed, since the anticipation of death was so enormous and painful; and the idea of complex losshow PTSD isnt a sufficient categorization for communities that are perpetually living with trauma. And he examines the way the media will sum up a life through the lens of one single incident and asks why some young men feel more comfortable out on the streets than they do in their own homes, and why hurting someone else can be a tool for relieving pain.

Kotlowitz also explores the complex forces that draw many young men in Chicago toward a life of crime. Membership in a gang, he explains, can happen almost by defaulta lot of it is based on the neighborhood, or even street, where someone grows up. But he says he wants to be careful when describing motivations behind violence, noting, There are choices people can make. Still, he adds, Those choices arent clear-cut, and theyre more difficult than people might imagine. Theres a lot of pressure.

Though the 14 stories in An American Summer contain similar elements (gangs, shootings, jail time), Kotlowitz tells me it was his aim to find stories that knocked me off balance.

Take Ramaines story: Theres this really good family, and they get out of Cabrini-Green, a public housing project, after its been torn down, Kotlowitz says. Theyre living what seems to be a reasonably good life.

When Ramaine is accidentally shot, he does the absolute right thinghe goes and identifies the shooter, instead of seeking revenge. The shooters lawyer, who was usually turned away by victims of a crime, is surprised when Ramaine shares information with him, Kotlowitz reports.

But the story doesnt end well. Ramaine begins receiving threats. He becomes perpetually terrified, slinking through the city in a black hoodie that masks nearly all of his face.

And then hes literally assassinated, Kotlowitz says. Not only assassinated: hes assassinated in broad daylight in a park thats in a pretty gentrified neighborhood. In this instance, however, no one present came forward.

That was a story that really made me realize how we underestimate the fear that exists, Kotlowitz says. And thats an example of where an analogy to war doesnt really quite holdbecause theyre still right in the thick of it.

After Ramaine first outed the shooter, no one came forward to protect him, Kotlowitz says. But he doesnt lay the blame on the police. Police, he notes, are there after the crime takes placenot before, to help prevent it. Theres an incredibly complicated relationship between the police and black men, he says. Ramaines shooting reflects two truths about crime that Kotlowitz writes about: most of it happens in public, and most of it19 out of 20 shootings, according to recent datagoes unsolved.

Kotlowitz has spent years highlighting stories like Ramaines. Its tough work, and Kotlowitz says this book was difficult for him personally. There was a period of time during the reporting when he just didnt think he could handle attending another funeral. On top of this, he realized that he was speaking to many people about some of the most traumatic experiences in their livesand telling those stories dredged up a lot of repressed pain. He jokes that a project he worked on for the New Yorker Radio Hour last year, to help prisoners tell their stories, felt like a break from his other work.

Despite decades of reporting and forming close relationships with many living in the heart of violence, Kotlowitz claims that neither he nor others can ever become desensitized. This is the mistake we all make, he writes, thinking that somehow one can get accustomed to it. And, he stresses, we arent any closer to the answers.

After a shooting massacre, many Americans begin to ask the right questions, Kotlowitz says. But in Chicago, he adds, no one is asking the questionsand we are still a long way from understanding the psychological toll of violence.

Hope Reese is a journalist in Louisville, Ky., who contributes to JSTOR Daily, Longreads, Undark, Vice, Vox, and other publications.
As elevator pitches go, Lithuanian teenager starving to death in Stalin-era Siberia would not necessarily attract much interest from Hollywood movie producers. But next January, a story that could be summed up that way will make its debut in theaters, capping the extraordinary journey of a little novel that could: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (Philomel, 2011). Based on family history, Sepetyss debut novel details the harrowing life in a Soviet labor camp, told through the eyes of a 15-year-old girl, Lina Vilkas.

The author, who saw the film in September at the Los Angeles Film Festival, is thrilled by the adaptation directed by Marius Markevicius, who is also of Lithuanian descent. Its better than the book, Sepetys says. Even my father said, I love you. I love your book. But the film is better. 

The films producers changed the title to Ashes in the Snow to avoid possible confusion with another film featuring the words shades and grey, something Sepetys concedes was probably necessary.

The first line of my book is, They took me in my nightgown, so people would read that and think, This is it, and it went right into their carts, she said, referring to the erotic bestseller, Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, which was also released in 2011. I had adults who came to my events wondering, Why are there seventh graders here? and parents who were outraged at the school for inviting the Shades of Gray author. Maybe changing the title will actually be a good thing.

Many more school visits are in Sepetyss immediate future, in part because the film attracted the attention of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation when it was screened in April on Capitol Hill to coincide with Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaites visit to the U.S. for the Baltic summit. Even on a small screen with limited sound, the movie was incredibly powerful, says Murray Bessette, the foundations director of academic programs. The incredible thing about Rutas book and Mariuss adaptation is that they both ring true. The experiences of the characters feel authentic and will provide readers and students who view the film with that surrogate experience only the best literature can give you.

The foundation will partner with Penguin Random House to sponsor an educational tour that will include screenings of the film and free reader guides for educators who want to incorporate the material into their curricula. (For more information about the tour, visit victimsofcommunism.org.) Anticipating new demand for the book, the publisher has created a movie tie-in edition under the films title. The original book has already outperformed expectations, with rights sold in more than 50 territories and a total of 1.3 million copies in print across all formats worldwide. In addition to screening the film in Washington, D.C., Sepetys also presented the film to the European Parliament in Brussels in September and gave a presentation to NATO on the power of historical fiction to create pathways for global dialogue.

Its a small film, but I think the potential for impact is incredible, Sepetys says. It is an untold story and gives voice to a part of history that would have otherwise been forgotten.

A Fateful Trip

Sepetys was already running a successful artist management agency, representing musicians and songwriters from offices in Nashville, when she decided what she really wanted to do was write. The idea for Between Shades of Gray came when she was visiting relatives in Lithuania in 2005 and learned more about the Soviets forced deportation of thousands of people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Her fathers family had fled to Germany to avoid deportation but spent nearly a decade in a refugee camp before they could emigrate to the United States. They were the lucky ones. Many of the thousands who had been herded into unheated railroad cars and shipped off to work in Siberia never returned. Sepetys knew this was a forgotten page of history that needed to be told.

Then an editor expressed interest in a humorous middle grade mystery she had written, and Sepetys scrambled to find an agent. She queried Steven Malk of Writers House and included the middle grade mystery and a few pages of the manuscript that would become Between Shades of Gray, which she had written as an exercise for a conference.

Bad news: Malk wasnt interested in the middle grade mystery. Good news: he wanted more about Lithuanians in Siberia.

Steve told me that, if I wanted to pursue a career in writing, he felt my authentic voice was in the few pages of YA historical fiction that I had sent, Sepetys recalls. Even though I had interest from an editor in the middle grade book, I tossed it aside.

Still, Sepetys says, the manuscript was not an easy sell. Everyone passed on this book. I have a stack of rejection letters that is quite thick. Ultimately, it was acquired by Michael Green at Philomel, which subsequently published two more of Sepetyss historical fiction novels, Out of the Easy (2013) and Salt to the Sea (2016), which won the U.K.s Carnegie Medal.

Sepetyss greatest challenge now is finding time to write. The screenplay was written by Ben York Jones, but Sepetys was an active collaborator in making the film adaptation of Between Shades of Gray, serving as executive producer and traveling to Lithuania, where the film was shot and where it had its world premiere in October.

Giving Voice to Witnesses

Though Sepetys notes that some marquee names auditioned for the lead roles, she says director Markevicius decided to cast the film entirely with European actors. Marius didnt want American actors, because he thought they would pull viewers out of the period and out of the culture, she adds. British actress Bel Powley, who has appeared in the feature films White Boy Rick and Diary of a Teenage Girl, stars as Lina.

Although the lead roles in the film are played by actors from several countries, the supporting roles are played by Lithuanians who were themselves deported or who had family members exiled or killed by the Soviet regime.

There are a lot of elderly survivors on screen, Markevicius says. Some of the faces you see are the true witnesses. When we were shooting the brutal deportation scenes, there were people in their 80s and 90s packed into the airless train cars and being pushed and shoved to the ground. I stopped the filming, because I was concerned for their emotional and physical well-being, but the survivors insisted that we continue, that it was crucial to share the untold story with the world.

Survivors interviewed by Sepetys while she was doing research for the book attended the premiere, which led to a moment that the author says took her breath away. One of the characters in the Siberian labor camp where Lina and her family are sent is identified only by a tic: he is constantly winding his watch. Even nearly 30 years after Lithuania regained its independence from the Soviet Union, some of the survivors she spoke with did not want their names used, out of fear they would be rearrested and sent back to Siberia. In the book, for instance, there is the bald man and the grouchy lady. At the films world premiere in Vilnius, however, one of the survivors she had interviewed stood proudly and announced, I am the man who winds his watch.

To see these people claim their own story was so moving, Sepetys says. Im almost embarrassed at how I underestimated the power of story. I wanted to be an author. I wanted to write historical fiction. I didnt realize how powerful it would be to give voice to someone who had a story but felt the world has forgotten us. 
Deal of the Week: Freys Season Unfolds at Ballantine In a North American rights deal, Ballantines Susanna Porter bought Sarah Freys memoir, The Growing Season, at auction. The book, which Mollie Glick at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) sold, chronicles the authors unusual journey from farmers daughter to agrarian entrepreneur. At 15, angered by her parents inability to keep their Southern Illinois farm in the black, Frey started her own farm stand. Frey Farms is now, per the publisher, a billion-dollar business and one of the countrys top produce retailers. The book, Ballantine said, is the story of Sarahs courageous rise from humble beginnings, on her own terms, without ever leaving the land she loved. Frey is writing the book with journalist Ada Calhoun.

Trump Ex-aide Sells Tell-All

Cliff Sims, former special assistant to President Trump, sold a memoir detailing his time in the Trump administration to St. Martins Press. Matt Latimer and Keith Urbahn at Javelin sold world rights to Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the White House to Thomas Dunne, with Stephen S. Power editing. The book, SMP said, tells Simss tale of power and palace intrigue, backstabbing and bold victories, as well as painful compromises, occasionally with himself. Vipers is set for January 2019.

Blanchard on the Move

Alice Blanchard (A Breath After Drowning) has moved to Minotaur, signing a two-book deal with Alexandra Sehulster. (Blanchard was previously published by Titan Books.) Jill Marr at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, who handled the world English rights agreement, said Blanchard is penning the first two titles in a new series featuring rookie detective Natalie Lockhart. Book one, Trace of Evil, is set for December 2019. Blanchard has won a number of literary honors, including a PEN Award.

Senator Harris Does One for the Kids

California senator Kamala Harris sold world English rights to Superheroes Are Everywhere to Philomels Jill Santopolo. Mechal Renee Roe is illustrating the picture book, which, Philomel said, features stories about public figures who inspired Harris throughout her life. David Larabell and Mollie Glick at CAA represented Harris; James Burns at the Bright Agency represented Roe. Superheroes is scheduled for January 2019.

Behind the Deal

La Hija de la Espanola (The Spanish Womans Daughter), the Spanish-language debut novel by Karina Sainz Borgo, who is Venezuelan and lives in Madrid, has been lighting up the foreign rights market since it exploded onto the publishing scene at last months Frankfurt Book Fair. Originally bought by Spanish house Lumen, the novel has sold in 21 countries to date. (In the U.S., the title was acquired, for six figures, by Judith Currs new, still-to-be-named international fiction imprint at HarperCollins.) Sandra Pareja at Casanovas & Lynch Literary Agency, who is handling foreign sales, said the book, which is the firms biggest literary bet this season, is a uniquely accessible tale that confronts the crisis in Venezuela with confident, courageous, universal storytelling. (The economic crisis in Venezuela has, among other things, led to mass malnutrition and a significant exodus.) In pitching The Spanish Womans Daughter, the agency said it immerses [the reader] into the real-life apocalypse that is Venezuela today... and marks the discovery of a raw, distinct literary voice, as well as a new path for Latin-American literature where the political is something very personal. HC will release the book in the U.S. in fall 2019.

For more childrens and YA book deals, see our latest Rights Report.
In September, the New England Independent Booksellers Association held a panel at its fall trade show that addressed bookseller activism in todays political climate. In the intervening weeks, the midterm elections seem to have done little to dampen the current divisiveness in the U.S. Some of that anger has spilled over into bookstores, with some customers complaining about the books they carry (or dont).

As panel moderator Dave Grogan, director of the American Booksellers for Free Expression, Advocacy, and Public Policy at the American Booksellers Association, noted at NEIBA, Obviously, the First Amendment doesnt require booksellers to sell any book, and you can sell any book you want. But that fact hasnt diminished the scrutiny that bookstores get from the right and left alike. Over the summer, BookPeople in Austin, Tex., which stocks books from both sides of the political aisle, was targeted by the far right for its Radical Reads for the Revolution! display. It was the subject of an Infowars video, which claimed the store was promoting communism.

PW talked with indies from different parts of the country to find out how they balance politics and business, including a few booksellers who have taken active roles in their communities by running for office and the owner of one store that served as headquarters for a political candidate.

Holding the Center

You cant be neutral on a moving train, wrote historian Howard Zinn, who used that line as the title of his autobiography. But that hasnt stopped some bookstore owners from aiming for the center and attempting to satisfy as many political perspectives as possible.

Chris Morrow, co-owner of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., and Saratoga Springs, N.Y,. wants to make sure all viewpoints are represented at his stores, even if it means rankling some readers. We try to make the store for everyone, and when something conservative comes in, we stack it up like other titles, Morrow said. I have consistently reinforced that being in the book business is different from selling clothes or hardware. We are a cultural institution. We have to be able to be comfortable with discomfort.

In August, Morrows decision to sell books at an off-site event in Saratoga Springs for Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary under President Trump, became a flash point for activists in the community and a source of division among store staff. This level of polarization is new, Morrow said. What has changed is the publics lack of tolerance for opposing views.

Becky Anderson, co-owner of Andersons Books in Naperville, Downers Grove, and LaGrange, Ill., agrees. We tell our staff to never talk about their own politics on the floor, which is really hard in the climate right now, she said. But we do want to make sure to respect everyone who comes in.

Anderson, a city councilwoman in Naperville who made an unsuccessful Democratic primary bid for a U.S. House of Representatives seat earlier this year, has learned from past mistakesparticularly those of the stores founder. My great-grandfather ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1948, and he would talk politics in the store all the time, because he was passionate about the New Deal, she said. But he lost customers as a result, and so thats something we have sworn not to do.

Instead, to try to bring together people with differing points of view, the Downers Grove store hosts a monthly book club called the Whole Story. Anderson described it as a kind of salon with discussions of community topics coupled with advocacy activities such as postcard writing or calling representatives.

In January, Anderson will take part in the launch of the Open Discussion Project of the National Coalition Against Censorship, in collaboration with the ABA. The goal is to promote civil discourse on political topics through books, much like the Bridging the Divide reading group begun last year by Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, N.C., which alternates selecting conservative and liberal titles each month.

Taking a Stand

By contrast, Nancy Braus, who founded Everyones Books in Brattleboro, Vt., in 1984 with her husband, Rich Geidel, broadcasts the stores sensibilities through its tagline, For Social Justice and the Earth. The store carries progressive titles for adults, as well as a large inventory of childrens books related to emotional and social development. Sidelines include a large collection of progressive bumper stickers. Its not a store to visit in search of books by ultraconservative, misogynist, or racist authors, but customers are welcome to special order those or other titles.

Everyones Books is very much an activist bookstore; its owners and staff both attend political demonstrations. As of this writing, Braus is awaiting trial after being arrested at a demonstration in Williston, Vt., where ICE has its Law Enforcement Support Center. Some of the stores activism is centered on matters much closer to home: the stockroom served as campaign headquarters for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders when he was starting out in politics in the late 1980s.

Casey Coonerty Protti took over management of Bookshop Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, Calif., in 2006 after her father, Neil Coonerty, became a city councilman. He went on to become mayor of Santa Cruz and later served on the County Board of Supervisors. But Protti has no aspirations to follow in his footsteps. What we saw more than ever [after the 2016 presidential election] is people who need escapism but also people who need activism and a basic understanding of democracy, she said.

As a result, Bookshop Santa Cruz added a shelf of books in its politics section on tactical forms of political engagement. Over the past few years, the store has sold hundreds of copies of the U.S. Constitution, and Protti expects that Jill Lepores new tome, These Truths: A History of the United States, will be one of the stores bestselling nonfiction hardcovers of the year.

After the 2016 election, Protti and her staff launched an events series called Words to Act On, in partnership with three nonprofits: Community Action Board Immigration Project, Ecology Action, and Planned Parenthood. Every three months, the store highlights one organization by focusing on democratic ideals that they feel are under attack and outlines steps that individuals can take to help. A literary fund-raiser for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte included a performance from The Handmaids Tale, a community read of Willie Parkers Life Work: A Moral Argument for Choice, and a literary refreshment lounge with drinks served by authors.

Some booksellers approach their inventory and events from different perspectives. Shane Gottwalswho founded 11-year-old Gottwals Books, based in Warner Robins, Ga., with his wife, Abbey Gottwalsviews his four stores and 11 Walls of Books franchises as Christian bookstores in all but name. I have an English degree, he said. I studied at Oxford. We have every romance novel, every thriller. But when I see something thats too far, we dont carry it. That applies to the Gottwals stores; the franchise stores can carry anything but erotica.

Gottwals said that, like a number of his bookselling colleagues, he is considering a run for public officemost likely on the state or federal level, where he thinks that he can have the biggest impact on abortion and gay marriage, both of which he opposes. While acknowledging that theres a fine line between free expression and inappropriateness, he noted that his stores tend to reflect the politics of the Bible Belt. He wont carry teen booksparticularly lifestyle titleswith what he regards as inappropriate touching on the cover or religious content from a non-Christian perspective. And although Gottwals stocks Glimmer of Hope by the Parkland students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and books by politicians such as Hillary Clinton, he does not actively promote them.

Politicizing Kids Books

Gibran Graham, who has been transforming the Briar Patch in Bangor, Maine, from a childrens bookstore into a general bookstore since he bought it in April 2017, is in his second term as a city councilman. He said his goal in office is much the same as his goal as a bookstore owner: I wanted to give back to the city. Part of my mission on the council has been to make all voices heard.

In the store, that means stocking a large selection of LGBTQ books, multicultural titles, and both girl and boy power titles. Graham actively seeks out diversity on the covers of the books he stocks, so that kids can literally see themselves reflected in the books. He also has a display of the adult board book Trumps ABCs by the register as a conversation starter.

The Briar Patch flies the rainbow flag every June in support of LGBTQ rights. Earlier this year, after calls for teachers to be armed in the wake of the Parkland shooting, Briar Patch posted a photo project on its Facebook page called We Are Already Armed. It features images of a dozen educators posing with their preferred weapons: books, pens, and pencils. It engendered a lot of debate about schools and safety.

Like Northshire, Quail Ridge has faced angry customers on both the left and the right for its book selection. We have gotten some flak from customers from both sides; they think were taking a position, said childrens department manager Carol Moyer, who noted that the stores selections are made very carefully. We do not want to be a business that tells customers how to think. We want to provide a wide range of views so that customers can be informed and make their own decisions.

Moyer said she has found that, at least for now, some books for teens are immune to political divisions. She has been able to hand-sell books such as The Hate U Give, about police violence, and Harbor Me, about the effects of social and political issues on kids, to a wide range of readers.

Moyer also noted that she has seen a recent uptick in sales of biographical picture books with political connections. I see teachers and librarians wanting the new Sonia Sotomayor picture book, Turning Pages, she said. Theres been a huge burst of production of those kinds of books, biographies of women and the underrepresented.
The Ghanaian musician surprised his new lover with a black car said to be an Audi 8 after her cars were snatched from her by her ex lover.

Rumours spread that the ex lover was angry about the fact that the actress started an unexpected relationship with Medikal even while they were dating and was rubbing it in his face.

People have been speculating that the car gift from Medikal is "second hand" but Medikal will not let the speculation pass with a comment.

In a new tweet, he cheekily promised to buy Fella Makafui a "second hand" private jet.
READ MORE: Billionaire denies granting interview that claims she kneels to greet husband

The women who feign blindness and use rented kids to beg for alms, were arrested Friday by a taskforce team of Anambra Ministry of Women Affairs, Social welfare and Children Development.

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One of the suspects revealed that one Edith, who hails from Ebonyi state and is currently at large, brings the kids to them every morning for them to rent at N1,000 per day (13 Cedis).

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During interrogation, the Commissioner in-charge of the Ministry was able to discover that the kids don't even know where their real parents are.

It is being speculated that they are victims of kidnapping or trafficking.

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READ MORE: Female students being robbed of panties and urine at gunpoint
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Saudi Arabia Friday denied allegations of torturing detained Saudi activists.

The recent reports by the Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch about torturing detained activists in the kingdom were "baseless," said the Ministry of Information in a statement issued by Saudi Press Agency.

The ministry described the allegations as "strange" and were based on anonymous statements or sources, saying that they are simply "fabricated and incorrect."

Amnesty International published a report on Nov. 20 entitled "Saudi Arabia: Reports of torture and sexual harassment of detained activists."

T he report stated that "several Saudi Arabian activists, including a number of women, who have been arbitrarily detained without charge since May 2018 in Saudi Arabia's Dhahban Prison, have reportedly faced sexual harassment, torture and other forms of ill-treatment during interrogation."




The report further said the owner of upscale furniture company, The Chair Centre Group, said she will not have problem kneeling before Abiodun Awosika, even in the presence of 10 million people, just to show submission to him.

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But in a series of tweets, the businesswoman revealed that the interview was all cooked up because she granted no such interview.

"My attention has been drawn to an interview that was supposedly held with me by a reporter from one of the local dailies in Nigeria. I can confirm to you authoritatively that I did not grant any such interview.

"The whole interview was cooked up. Its unimaginable that someone will engage in such unethical practices by cooking up questions and answers as if they actually had an interview with me.
George Papadopoulos, the former foreign-policy aide to President Donald Trump's campaign who pleaded guilty in the Russia investigation last year, took to Twitter on Saturday to call for the former FBI director, James Comey, to testify publicly about the FBI's purported mishandling of the Russia probe.

"If Jim Comey wants to testify in public and tell America who/why in Trumps advisory board was under FISA; who Joseph Mifsud is; if the FBI had any role in my dealings with Charles Tawil; and explain the UK and Australias surveillance role," he tweeted, "that would be good for the country."

But Comey has been asking to testify publicly from the start.

Earlier this week, House Republicans  who will be a minority in the lower chamber of Congress come January  made a last-minute push to subpoena Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch.

Comey acknowledged the news Thursday, tweeting, "Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. I'm still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because I've seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let's have a hearing and invite everyone to see."

Democrats have also called for an open hearing, though Republicans are pushing for a closed-door session as they continue their investigation into whether the FBI allowed anti-Trump bias to affect its handling of the ongoing Russia investigation.

BusinessInsider

Papadopoulos, meanwhile, reportedly wanted immunity in exchange for testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Legal experts said the request indicated the former Trump aide may be worried his testimony could implicate him in a crime.

But Papadopoulos backed away from his request Saturday.

"If Jim Comey agrees to answer the below questions in a public testimony, I will agree to testify to the senate without immunity," Papadopoulos tweeted. "Its a win-win for the country. America first."

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI last year and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. At his sentencing hearing in September, he expressed remorse for his actions, saying

But the former Trump aide soon adopted a very different tone.

After his sentencing hearing, Papadopoulos tweeted that the FBI's investigation was "the biggest case of entrapment!" The next day, Papadopoulos said he was considering withdrawing his guilty plea because he believed he was framed.

Several days later, he tweeted that he had been sentenced "while having exculpatory evidence hidden from me."

He added that if he had known that at the time, he never would have pleaded guilty. And on November 9, Papadopoulos tweeted that his "biggest regret" was pleading guilty.

He has since deleted those tweets.

BusinessInsider

Papadopoulos hired new lawyers in September as he and his wife entrapped by the FBI

Earlier this month, Papadopoulos' former defense lawyers filed a motion pulling out from representing him.
Singing a song titled, Miracle worker, your name is Yahweh, the vice president said the new church auditorium was a manifestation of Gods glory on the country.

The church must continue to pray for the nation to be able to move from grace to grace and from strength to strength, he said.

Also speaking at the occasion, former president Goodluck Jonathan, said:  the nation was not in its best state, urging the Church constantly standing in the place of prayer for Nigeria.

Let me use this opportunity to thank Christians especially Dunamis for constantly standing in the place of prayer for the nation.

The situation of Nigeria today is not the best but with your prayers, Nigeria will be great again.

Earlier in his sermon, Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church, urged the Senior Pastor of Dunamis, Dr Paul Enenche to see the building and completion of the sanctuary as a fulfilment of prophesy.

Oyedepo, who described the occasion as a celebration of great work and great worker (Jesus Christ), said the building was a product of divine visitation.

He congratulated the Church for the grace of God to embark on such project and delivered it in good time.

Oyedepo however charged Enenche to jealously guard the mandate of God upon his life to be able to retain the grace of God upon his life by remaining humble to the grace of God.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), those in attendance are the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A Adeboye, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo of the Kingsway International Christian Centre.

Others include Bishop David Abioye of the Living Faith Church, President if Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Olasupo Ayokunle among others.

Among the notable political leaders are the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representatives and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim.
In his remark, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Jonathan Obuebite, said that Bayelsa was the first state in Nigeria to introduce the initiative of checking primary school leaving certificate online.

Now parents can access their childrens results online without their knowledge, to know if they passed or failed, children and wards can no longer lie about their results.

The scratch card can be used as many times as the candidate wants to use it.

The only difference here is that you cannot access another candidates result but only that of your ward can be accessed, he said.

The commissioner, commended the Bayelsa Government for collaborating with the ministry for the actualisation of the innovation in the education sector.

In his speech, the Bayelsa Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, commended the education commissioner, for the initiative.

He lauded Gov. Seriake Dicksons administration for taking the education sector to the next level, as the Bayelsa was one of the states doing well in education in the country.
Premium Times reports that a source in the Nigerian Army said that 153 others are yet to be accounted for.

On Monday, November 19, 2018, the terrorists invaded a military base in Metele village, Guzamala local government area of Borno State.

According to Premium Times, soldiers who were wounded during the attack have also been evacuated to Borno for treatment.

Army responds

While responding to reports in the media, the Nigerian Army issued a statement saying that the number of casualties published on social media is false.

It also described the videos being shared online as old and inaccurate, adding that they are propaganda materials put out by Boko haram.

An excerpt of the statement reads:  It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action. Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs(Next of Kins) are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, it suffices to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate BHT propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not. So far, the situation is that the location is under control as reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists and stabilise the situation.

ALSO READ:Boko Haram reportedly kidnaps 15 girls in Niger

The recent killing of soldiers by Boko Haram has been condemned by several Nigerians on social media.

Most of them also called out the Federal Government for keeping quiet about the issue.
Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Shafa, Coordinator Operations Safe Corridor (OSC) disclosed this at the end of a rehabilitation programme for the repentant Boko Haram members in Gombe on Saturday.

He said this was the second batch of the programme.

The first batch of 95 clients who were discharged in February, have been successfully reintegrated .

By the grace of God, a total of 155 clients will also be discharged and handed over to their state authorities for reintegration and resettlement, he said.

He said, prior to the event, a stakeholders meeting was held on Oct. 4, at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff to work out modalities for the reintegration.

As part of the decisions reached at the meeting, visits were conducted in Partnership with the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative and the Centre for Democracy and Development to Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to sensitize the state authorities, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders on the need to reconcile, resettle and reintegrate the clients back into their communities.

I wish to state that, the reception of the various stakeholders in the Tree states were warm, encouraging and assuring that these repentant youths would be accepted wholeheartedly on return, he said.

Also speaking, Col. Beyidi Martins, the Camp Commandant also said they were working closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

He said the organisation has supported the DRR Programme using funding from the U.S. Government and other European Countries.

According to him, outgoing client had been fully trained on various skills during the rehabilitation.

Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State comment President Muhammad Buhari for initiating the programme and appreciated the effort of camp officials.

Dankwambo who was represented by his agriculture commissioner, Alhaji Abba Buba-Biri, promised to support all programmes toward attaining lasting peace in the North East and Nigeria at large.
According to Vanguard, the incident was confirmed by the mayor of the town, Boukar Mani Orthe.

Orthe said "about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about nine kilometres from the town centre."

Buhari dispatches Defence Minister to Chad

Following the recent killing of soldiers by Boko Haram, President Buhari has sent the Minister of Defence, retired Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, to Chad for an emergency meeting with the Chadian President, Idris Deby, on the deterioration of security at the Nigeria  Chad border.

The terror group attacked a military base in Metele village, Guzamala local government area of Borno State on Monday, November 19, 2018, killing 100 soldiers.

A soldier who survived the attack, said that he and his colleagues had to run for their lives because the terrorists had superior fire power.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to Spain, Argentina, Panama and Portugal from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, and attend the 13th Group of 20 (G20) summit from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The trip is expected to deepen comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the European Union (EU), consolidate China-LatAm comprehensive cooperative partnership and promote global economic governance.

With increasing instability and uncertainty on the global horizon, Xi will reaffirm China's commitment to opening-up, cooperation and common development with all partners.

STRENGTHENING COOPERATION WITH EUROPE

China established frequent trade contacts with Spain and Portugal along the maritime Silk Road centuries ago. Now they are friends and partners of China in Europe.

China's cooperation with the two countries has withstood the European debt crisis and is now strengthened by the joint construction of the Belt and Road (B&R) and the defense of multilateralism together.

Spain is among the first EU countries to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. It is presently China's sixth largest EU trade partner and China is its largest non-EU trade partner.

Spain looks forward to Xi's visit and hopes it can be an opportunity to further explore the potential of bilateral cooperation, said Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell.

China-Portugal cooperation has been enriched since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005. Investment of Chinese companies in the southwestern European country grew rapidly in recent years, making Portugal a major EU destination for Chinese capital.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said Portugal keenly awaits Xi's visit and hopes that it will elevate the current level of bilateral relations to a new height.

Promoting collaboration with southern European countries like Spain and Portugal can assist China in fostering a more comprehensive and dynamic cooperation with Europe, said Cui Hongjian, head of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.

OPENING NEW CHAPTER OF CHINA-LATAM RELATIONS

Chilean cherries, Peruvian avocados, Mexico beer and Argentinean beef ... those delicacies have traveled across the ocean and appeared at Chinese people's dining tables. What used to be "rarities" for Chinese customers is now an epitome of the growing win-win cooperation between China and Latin American countries in recent years.

Since establishing diplomatic relations 46 years ago, China and Argentina have achieved fruitful results in bilateral cooperation. Currently, China is Argentina's second-biggest trade partner and important source of foreign investment.

Argentina welcomes Xi's visit and "everything is possible in the cooperation with China," said Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Faurie.

China and Panama established diplomatic ties in June 2017. Since then, the two sides have seen great improvement in bilateral relations including signing a memorandum of understanding to promote the B&R Initiative, beginning negotiations on a free trade agreement and launching a direct flight between Panama City and Beijing.

Xi's visit is of epoch-making significance and China's international status is very important, said Oyden Ortega, president of the Panamanian Association of Friendship with China.

It will be the fourth time for Xi to visit Latin America. "The rapid development of bilateral relations has a great deal to do with the leaders. I believe Xi's visit this time will ignite a 'China fever' and lift China-Latin America relations to a new level," said Wu Hongying, director of the LatAm office of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

INJECTING ENERGY INTO GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

With economic globalization suffering setbacks and multilateralism and free trade under assault, this year's G20 summit under the theme of "Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development" attracts worldwide attention.

The summit will focus on issues like global economy, trade and investment, sustainable development, infrastructure and climate change. Argentine President Mauricio Macri said previously that while holding the G20 presidency, Argentina will continue the consensus and results achieved at the 2016 G20 Summit held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

In the just concluded 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, the strong messages Xi sent out resonated among APEC leaders and were widely believed to have infused a dose of confidence and certainty into international relations and global development.

In the upcoming G20 summit, China will reaffirm its commitment to opening-up and multilateralism, and continue to build broader international consensus on promoting win-win cooperation and common development.

Xi is scheduled to meet other G20 leaders during the summit, including his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. The meeting between the heads of state of the world's two largest economies is of great significance.

Healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations not only benefits the two countries, but is of the utmost importance for global peace and prosperity.

Xi and Trump agreed during their telephone conversation on Nov. 1 to meet with each other during the upcoming G20 summit. Since then, the two sides have seen frequent interactions and sent a positive message of increasing mutual understanding and cooperation in the second China-U.S. Diplomatic and Security Dialogue in Washington earlier this month.

Tao Wenzhao, a senior research fellow of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the planned meeting will send a positive signal that both China and the United States have the willingness to cooperate despite the current frictions.

"They should bring the positive energy of the two sides into full play, while keeping the negative elements in control," he said.
Members of the terror group attacked a military base in Metele village, Guzamala local government area of Borno State, and kion Monday, November 19, 2018.

According to a statement issued on Twitter on Saturday, November 24, 2018, the President also assured Nigerians that the loopholes which led to the attacks will be blocked.

The statement quotes Buhari as saying No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens.

Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat.

In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.

Need for intl collaboration

The President noted that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

Buhari reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and also, of his efforts to sustain the momentum gained from the previous successes recorded against the terror group.

The President also advised against making political capital out of national tragedy, stressing that members of the armed forces are one family who are commonly committed to the security and safety of all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Premium Times reports that an Army source has revealed that 153 soldiers are missing while the death toll has risen to 118.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reliably gathered that the urgent meeting was necessitated by the latest security developments across the battle fields in the North East region of the country.

A reliable source, who preferred not to be named, confirmed this development to NAN in Abuja on Friday.

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NAN learnt that Federal Government pronouncement on the latest victims of Boko Haram insurgency was being delayed because families of the victims were being identified and contacted.

The President has called an urgent meeting with the Service Chiefs.

And the families of the latest victims of the Boko Haram are being identified and contacts made before a government pronouncement on the tragic attacks.
Obasa, disclosed this in a release by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Musbau Rasak, at the ongoing consultative meeting on the Review and Harmonisation of the Standing Orders and Rules of Business of the State Houses of Assembly in the South-West Region holding in Abeokuta.

While the oneness of Nigeria is non-negotiable, one thing we will need to speedily work on is the issue of devolution of power vis-a-vis fiscal federalism.

Nigeria is made up of diverse ethnic groups, which have similar goals of moving Nigeria to the next level but at times have different ideas on how to achieve it.

No doubt, centralisation of power at the Federal level as it exists currently in Nigeria is not the most ideal approach to accomplish genuinely necessary rapid development.

Devolution of power from Federal Government to state and local governments is the way to go, Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was quoted as saying.

According to him, there is need for the Federal Government to address the issue of Devolution of Powers as a matter of urgency.

Obasa said that the distance between Federal Government and the people at the grassroots is way too far to bring about a holistic development to every nook and cranny of the country.

He added: It is obvious to all and sundry that the Federal Government is simply too far away from the masses and cannot cover the whole country in an effective manner.

There is an in-built limitation on what a government so far away from the people can achieve. People in each locale know their area far much better than a Federal minister or President located in Abuja.

The only panacea to some of our present economic challenges as a nation is through restructuring, where every state will look inward to generate revenue to take care of their individual needs.

For instance, if individual states are constitutionally empowered to generate and distribute power, it will aid massive industrialisation, which is a catalyst for technological advancement and economic development.

Obasa, representing Agege Constituency I at the Lagos Assembly, also advocated for state police in the country.

The present Nigeria Police system is inadequate to address our enormous security challenges in the country.
He said that human, vehicular and environmental factors were causes of road accidents, insisting that human factors were the highest causes of crashes across the country.

While calling for efforts to reduce the burden of crashes, Ibrahim urged motorists to visit the Computerised Vehicle Inspection centres within their location to check and know the status of their vehicles to ensure safety on the highway.

He noted that the centres were located at Gwagwalada, Lugbe, Maitama, Kugbo which covered Nyanya-Maraba axis, Gudu and Mabushi areas of the FCT.

On the number of vehicles impounded by VIO so far in the ember season, the commander said if you talk about ember months, it is not the real time for impounding vehicles.

The irony of saying vehicles are impounded during the ember months is because of the yuletide season and community meetings.

People love to go home toward the end of the year. What we do is not to add to peoples problems but to solve them, he said.

He explained that what the agency did at such season was to educate and enlighten the public of any latest development with regards to vehicles, and encourage owners to go for inspection.

When one is arrested at this period, you are going to be asked to repair, replace and put your car in order and advise you the kind of load you should carry in your vehicle.

He noted that currently, operations were ongoing by officers of the agency to clamp down on offenders.

Ibrahim said as at August which ushered in ember months, there were no arrests of offenders instead, warning and corrective measures were carried out.
In a video sent to journalists in Maiduguri, the soldiers accused the military authorities of providing them with obsolete weapons, which they said are grossly inadequate to effectively confront the insurgents in the ongoing counter insurgency campaign in the Northeast and save them from further avoidable deaths.

In the amateur video footage, the soldiers also levelled allegations against the military authorities accusing them of negligence which resulted into the death of scores of their colleagues in a series of attacks coordinated by the Albarnawi faction of Boko Haram at Metele in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno.

Foreign wire agencies reported that dozens of soldiers were killed when the insurgents attacked Metele military base on November 18.

In the video, two soldiers, who claimed to be among the survivors of the attack, narrated the precarious condition of the troops and obsolete equipment which made it difficult for them to repel the insurgents attack.

The video footage showed the level of destruction of military equipment and makeshift shelters, while soldiers were seen packing their luggages, apparently preparing to leave the camp.

In the video, the soldiers appealed to President Buharithey repeatedly appealed to him to intervene to save the situation from deteriorating.

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See what the Nigerian Army has been doing to us, they brought us here. See how they killed our fellow soldiers, they burn them inside the tanks, a narrator in the video said.

They are using us to make money; why? Are we not human beings? They can kill soldiers inside a tank; if Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) can penetrate M-RAG vehicle, what of a fellow human being?

This is the location called Metele, This is a place they (the insurgents) took over 40 barrel and these people want to use us, and within one week they killed over 200 soldiers and we are now 147, they want to waste us here. It is a lie, our blood is not here.

This is a Third World vehicle, a tank manufactured in 1972; and Albarnawi broke all of it. They want to use us and we are not getting anything from them. We want to tell the government of our condition.

Please; the Federal Government should intervene before the insurgents come and kill us. They mocked us and said we are zombies; animals, we do not know our rights, any order given to us we will follow.

We are millennium soldiers, most of us are graduates.

Look at what they did to this T12 tank; it is obsolete. It was a 1983 Czechoslovakian tank procured during Shagari's regime. Is this the money the Federal Government provided to procure weapons?

All the equipment are not working. When it fired two shots it stopped. All the weapons are obsolete and bought during Shagari(1979-1983).

We know about the money the Federal Government gave to them but the Nigerian Army had turned us into a business.

All the money federal government gave them to buy weapons Nigerian Army is buying INNOSON. All these are obsolete Oyinbo came here and said they are obsolete. All these weapons were bought during the Shagari regime in 1983 They have turned us to business. Federal Government you will hear about it.

All these weapons are not genuineif you fire two times you have stoppages. This is 1983 when Shagari was head of state Federal Government give them money, they go and buy INNOSON, Nigerian made Federal Government please help us. Help us.

The Nigeria Army on Friday, confirmed on its Twitter handle the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion at Metele, on November 18 by Boko Haram insurgents.

However, the military authorities response, which came five days after, was short on details and the extent of casualties.

The army said that it has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who become casualties in action, as a form of respect to the families of the gallant troops.

It noted that the families were first to be notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating their grief were they to discover it from unofficial sources.

It is suffice to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate Boko Haram terrorists propaganda videos, and alluding it to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

While; it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists, misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not?

So far, the situation in the location is under control as reinforcing units had been able to repel the terrorists and stabilize the situation.

In his reaction, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed deep shock over the killing of military personnel in Metele village by Boko Haram terrorists.

He gave an assurance that immediate measures are being taken to ensure that the loopholes which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.

Reacting to the tragic incident, the President said that his administration remains ever committed and focused on the security of military personnel and other citizens.

According to President Buhari, No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens.

Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat.

In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.

The President noted that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

President Buhari reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, in Abuja in a statement, said that following the report of an outbreak of fever of unknown origin in four Local Government Areas, public health team commenced investigation on Nov. 21 and nine cases tested positive for yellow fever.

He added that the Edo epidemiology team would be working with the NCDC and other relevant agencies to carry out detailed investigation and response to the already confirmed cases.

According to him, the NCDC has deployed a rapid response team to support the state with contact tracing, risk communications and management of cases.

There are ongoing plans to begin vaccination campaign in the state in response to the cluster of cases.

Yellow fever virus is spread through bites by an infected mosquito. It is a completely vaccine preventable disease and a single shot provides immunity for a lifetime.

The yellow fever vaccine is freely available in all primary health care centres in Nigeria, he said.

Ihekweazu therefore advised the public to keep their environments clean and free of stagnant water to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes and use insecticide treated mosquito nets, screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquito bites.

Since September 2017, Nigeria has recorded suspected cases of yellow fever in all states in the country.

As at Nov. 11, 140 cases have been laboratory confirmed in Nigeria. A multi-agency yellow fever Emergency Operations Centre has been established at NCDC to coordinate the response.

The symptoms of yellow fever include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain. If you have these symptoms or notice someone in your community displaying them, please contact your nearest health centre.

This week, our sister agency NPHCDA flagged off a large yellow fever vaccination campaign, targeting 26 million children and adults (aged nine months to 44 years) in Niger, Plateau, Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi and the FCT.

Ihekweazu added that one dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides for life-long protection against the disease.

We urge all Nigerians to get vaccinated and encourage their families, and neighbours to do the same, he said.
Though it confirmed the attack, which it described as an unfortunate event, it decried the misinformation being circulated about the attack.

 It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action. Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs(Next of Kins) are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, it suffices to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate BHT propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion.

Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not. So far, the situation is that the location is under control as reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists and stabilise the situation.

The NA sincerely, wishes to thank the various arms of government, MDAs and sister security agencies that have stood with her in these trying times; by commiserating with the families of the fallen heroes who have paid the supreme price for the defence of our dearly beloved country. The necessary support being given the NA by the Federal Government and the goodwill of the Nigerian populace will undoubtedly continue to spur the NA towards the ultimate defeat of the highly degraded BHTs.

ece-auto-gen

President Buhari had earlier dispatched the Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, to Chad for an emergency meeting with the Chadian President, Idris Deby, on the deterioration of security at the Nigeria-Chad border.

Dan-Ali had on Thursday briefed President Buhari on security development across the country including the recent killings of some Nigerian soldiers by the Islamic West Africa Province, a breakaway Boko Haram sect, operating along Nigeria-Chad border.

According to military sources, the Minister of Defence would also be meeting his Chadian counterpart during his mission to Chad, to identify what had led to the recent increase in Boko Haram terrorism in the area.

The sources, who preferred not to be named, said: Nigeria has a Chad problem in the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which was put together to secure the Lake Chad Basin area and repeal the Boko Haram terrorism attacks against all the countries neighbouring the lake.

According to the sources, Chad is believed to have its own internal security challenges and this has reportedly led to their pulling away the troops manning their own border around Lake Chad.

That lacuna is being exploited by the Boko Haram terrorists, who go in and out of Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon to launch terrorist acts.

This is a clear illustration of the fact that terrorism is beyond national borders, the sources added.
Brig-Gen. John Agim, the Acting Director Defence Information (DDI), made this known on Saturday in Lokoja, while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Clearance Operation which was launched on Oct. 8, to combat criminal activities across the country.

Agim said the forces also recovered some illegal arms and ammunition across

The recovered arms included: seven locally fabricated guns, one AK47 Rifle, two Magazines, 45 Rounds of Assorted ammunition.

During the period under review, 20 notorious criminals were arrested, which included Mr Eleme Salihu, the kidnapper kingpin at Itobe in Ofu LGA of Kogi.

The troops also foiled several kidnapping attempts and intensified continuous confidence building through patrols, show of force, blocking operations, as well as cordon and search.

This strategy has yielded positive results with arrest-of high profile suspects and recovering of weapons.

There are eight-operation sectors within the operation and each sector covers two to three local government areas and each sector has established Sector Headquarters and two sub- sectors for administrative expediency.

For effective coordination of this exercise, all sectors were collapsed and a Battalion established in each of the senatorial zones, while a Brigade HQs is located at Central zone which oversees the Battalions.

91 Brigade located at Irepene. 911 Battalion at Odo Ape and 912 Battalion at Oku Obayin, while 913 Battalion is at Bassa, Agim said.

He said that the relative peace and security being witnessed was made possible through joint operations and synergy of efforts by the security agencies and cooperative posture of the State Government, locals and other well meaning citizens.

Through the renewed vigor and determination of the troops in this special operation, relative peace have been restored, troops dominating the environment, creating safe and conducive atmosphere for socio economic activities to thrive, he added.

Agim, therefore, reassured the general public of their determination to protect the lives and property of law abiding citizens.

He enjoined the public to be security conscious and desist from any act that could breach peace and security, while commending the media for their cooperation and support.

He urged people to always give timely information to security agencies for prompt action, adding, Our troops will continue to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

In his remarks, Capt. Nick Ejeh, the Intelligence Officer, Headquarters, Army Records, told newsmen that the three kidnapped expartrates of a Contruction Company at Itakpe on the Okene-Lokoja road, had been freed.
Dr Khairy Al-Jamal, who led the World Bank team on the 3rd Urban National Water Sector Reform Project to the state, said this in Ado-Ekiti after a meeting with Gov. Kayode Fayemi.

He said the water project was expected to help the state address its water challenges as well as curb open defecation.

The World Bank official expressed regrets that the project ought to have started in 2014 shortly before Fayemi left office during his first term.

He stressed the need for a feasibility study which would help the bank to forge ahead with its assistance on the rehabilitation of the treatment plant at the dam.

Al-Jamal said the bank would also be able to assist in supplying transmission pipes to channel the water from Ero Dam through Ifaki Ekiti and Iworoko Ekiti to Ado Ekiti and other communities.

Al-Jamal emphasised that the World Bank was ready to expedite action on the dam to meet the completion date of June 2020.

He congratulated the governor for his re-election, saying that Ekiti people believe that he has the capacity to deliver on his people-oriented programmes.

In his response, Fayemi urged the bank to expedite action on the rehabilitation of the dam.

He gave an assurance that the state government would provide necessary support to the bank to ensure that the 18-month deadline for the projects completion was met.

The governor, who noted that water was a major concern in the state, said the dam had underperformed in spite of having the capacity to supply water to majority of the citizens.
According to Punch, the former Head of State said Nigerians will have more confidence in the electoral body if it is transparent in all its activities.

Abubakar said this while speaking at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos-Plateau state.

Stop complaining

The former Army General also called on Nigerians to stop complaining about the situation of the country, urging them to vote out any leader they think is incompetent.

Every citizen has a duty. You must not sell your vote. You must register to vote.

Stop criticising the failures of government, go and vote them out if you think those voted are not doing their job.

We must all try to work on our nationhood through constitutional and policy framework. It is only in this way that we can ignite responsible leadership for the country.

It is through this approach that we can truly build national institutions that will enthrone justice and equity, he added.

Abubakar, who describe the registration of 91 political parties by INEC as an unwholesome development, said the agency is not helping Nigerias democracy.

ALSO READ: Abdulsalami thanks Jonathan for conceding defeat in 2015

He argued that most of the newly elected political parties are still lack ideologies and are still regional in character, according to Punch.
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held an urgent telephone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the latter's invitation.

During the conversation, Qureshi briefed Wang about Friday's attack against the Chinese Consulate-General in Karachi in south Pakistan and the preliminary investigation conducted by Pakistan, saying the Pakistani government and all sectors of the society strongly condemned the terrorist attack, and that the Pakistani government and its people will firmly stand together with their Chinese friends.



The Pakistani side will carry out a thorough investigation and guarantee that all necessary measures be taken and the best efforts be made to eliminate terrorist forces, said Qureshi.

The Pakistan-China friendship is precious and unique and the country will protect the safety of its Chinese friends like protecting its own citizens, Qureshi said.

Qureshi's urgent briefing is a manifestation of the unshakeable China-Pakistan friendship, Wang said, adding that China is shocked by the attack, and strongly condemns the atrocity against the diplomatic institution.

The Chinese side appreciated the Pakistani police's prompt and decisive action to ensure the safety of all Chinese nationals in the diplomatic compound, and expressed condolence to the Pakistani policemen killed during the attack, Wang said.

Wang requested the Pakistani side to attach great importance to and conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, so as to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Wang emphasized that any effort intended to harm the China-Pakistan friendship is doomed to fail, and Pakistan is definitely capable to maintain its domestic safety and stability.




We as a government also wish to reiterate our commitment to ensuring that the elections are free, fair and credible as part of measures to deepen our democracy,

As we prepare for the forthcoming elections in 2019, Nigerians are once again enjoined to exercise their civic obligation as stakeholders in our development project, he said.

The president who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Brig.- Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) said that his administration was committed to good governance.

Buhari stated that he inherited circumstances put them under extreme difficulty, particularly when measured against the expectations of Nigerians who voted for them expecting a better governance.

He pointed out that the Federal Government developed and implemented some policies that would quickly get the country out of the unsavoury situation.

We will not allow few evil forces in our midst whose only agenda to attain political power by inciting hate and intolerance among the citizens.

They exploit and manipulate the fault lines in the society to destroy our collective peace, mutual coexistence and social harmony.

They think that they will change the narrative; and the people would not ask them to account for what they looted from the common wealth he added.

He said that outputs from training programmes and research activities by NIPSS have contributed over the years in formulating, refining and implementing policy in various aspects of our national development.

According to him, the Institute has produced vibrant alumni who have occupied strategic positions or are still in key positions contributing their quota in national development.

The President assured that as a government would continue to provide the Institute with the necessary support to enable it play greater role in developing policies as well as providing direction for good governance in the nation.

Mr Jonathan Juma, NIPSS Acting Director General said that the theme of the course as approved by the president was Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria: Models, Policy Options and Strategies was apt.

Juma said that course was composed of 66 participants with 18 from armed forces, 13 from the federal civil service and 10 from the state civil service.

According to him, eight were from the paramilitary, six from Nigeria Police Force, five from the presidency, 4 from organised private sector and two from tertiary institutions.

Also speaking, Mr Jonah Ambisa, a permanent secretary from Kaduna State and one of the graduand said that he was better equipped contribute for the development of the nation.

Ambisa said that as a strategic leader much was expected from them to steer the ship of a better society.
According to Vanguard, he said this while reacting to an accusation by APCs legal adviser, Babatunde Ogala.

Ogala said that Oshiomhole does not consult him on issues that his office handles.

In his response, the APC chairman said every member of the National Working Committee (NWC) must take orders from him, Daily Post reports.

We have a constitution. Its very clear that nobody is an island to himself or herself. Yes, we have 21 elected members of the NWC. We constitute an organ. It is not 21 NWCs, its one, and the duties and responsibilities of the chairman are well-stated. Among others, it provides that the chairman is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the party. He is also the chief accounting officer.

The word CEO has the same meaning everywhere in the world. The fact that you are the head of a department or a division, or a unit, does not isolate you from taking a directive from the CEO. So, if there is anyone, including a legal adviser, who thinks that he is running a different system that is not accountable to the internal structures and power and control within the party, the challenge may be his.

But again, those are all part of the distractions. What happens in government and some organisations is that if you dont pay attention to some minute areas, they become the entry point for opponents to infiltrate and create maximum damage. What are the issues? The right to nominate who represents us, the right to be consulted.

If I am taken to court as national chairman, and my name is mentioned, or they just write national chairman and write All Progressives Congress, common sense should ask, should I have the right to be informed and to approve who represents the party in a lawsuit? Why would anybody want to monopolise that? For me its straightforward. I have seen ridiculous situations in which people who took our party to court come to me to say, Allow me to nominate the person wholl represent the APC so that they are guaranteed of the outcome of the case.

I cannot oblige such a request, and if insisting that the right thing is done leads to internal memos that some choose to publish, my eye is on the ball, to protect the corporate interest of the APC," he added.

Oshiomhole's issue with DSS

Adams Oshiomhole was recently accused of receiving money from aspirants in the APC to manipulate the partys primary elections in their favour.
Vaping in restaurants and bars will soon be a thing of the past in New Zealand with new regulations proposed for next year.

The Government announced on Friday that vaping and smokeless tobacco products will banned inside public places like bars, restaurants and workplaces, with amendments planned to be made official in 2019.

Early childhood centres and schools have also been proposed to be included in the vaping ban.

Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa told RadioLIVE that with the current (lack of) regulation of vaping products, the Ministry of Health simply doesnt know what is going into them.

At the moment there is no regulation that ensures we know what goes in to those vaping products, Ms Salesa said.

She says the proposed regulations will give smokers confidence in the quality of vaping products, while protecting young people from potential risks.

The proposed amendments will:

clarify where people can and cannot vape, and ban vaping at schools and indoors at bars, restaurants and workplaces

change to the way vaping products are displayed in retail stores

enable the creation of product safety requirements for vaping and smokeless tobacco products

implement a product notification system to support action when concerns arise with a product

allow vaping in specialist R18 outlets.

Listen to the full interview with Jenny Salesa above.

Drive with Ryan Bridge , 3pm - 6pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone.

RadioLIVE.
A high country farmer showcases New Zealands finest landscapes and sights on a farm tour with a twist.



Ian Hayman hosts Quirky Farm Tours from Tasman Downs Station, where he shows tourists scenery from The Hobbit Films.

But hes no ordinary Kiwi bloke  but rather one with a shoe ferris wheel and a mannequin named Robert who helps him on farm.

He joins Rural Exchange to discuss his tours.

If you know a 'Character of the Country', nominate them by emailing Rural Exchange here.

Listen to the full interview with Ian Hayman above.

Rural Exchange with Hamish McKay, Sarah Perriam and Richard Loe, 5-7am Saturday and Sunday on RadioLIVE with Carters Tyre Service. Click here for all the ways to watch and listen.

RadioLIVE.
Rene Archer, founder of Rene's Kombucha, discusses why the beverage is good for you and why you should consume it.
Australia: Rail Projects Victoria has appointed the Aurecon Jacobs Mott MacDonald JV as technical adviser for the Victorian Rail Infrastructure Programme, which includes the Melbourne airport rail link and electrification.
All the campaigning, political ads and election-related articles from The Red & Black will near its end come Nov. 6  hopefully. To celebrate the long midterm season, here are the details for election night watch parties you can attend.
For debt-laden Jet Airways, bitter foe Tata may turn into timely saviour.

Surajeet Das Gupta reports.

It has always been an acrimonious relationship.

While the Tatas have never publicly named him, most industry watchers say that it is an open secret that Naresh Goyal, founder-CEO of Jet Airways, lobbied hard to scupper the Tata group's aviation ambitions several times -- an allegation Goyal has always denied.

Hence, for Goyal it is something of a twist of fate that none other than Tata and its joint venture partner Singapore Airlines may together take over the troubled Jet Airways.

The problems between Goyal and the Tata Group is ancient.

Back in the early 1990s, when P V Narasimha Rao was prime minister, he met his Singaporean counterpart, Goh Chok Tong, and the idea of Singapore Airlines setting up a joint venture airline in India was floated.

Rao was told that SIA would be comfortable partnering with big boys like the Tatas.

Amar Nath Verma -- the prime minister's principal secretary -- took the proposal to Ratan Tata and received a positive response.

By 1995 the modalities of the proposed airline had been worked out. It was decided that the airline would have a fleet of 16 aircraft, the Tatas would be the minority partner with a 40 per cent stake, and the rest would be with SIA.

A crack team of senior executives led by S Ramakrishna, then in Tata Industries, and senior Singapore Airlines executives, was set up to facilitate the process.

The two partners did not anticipate any roadblocks. After all, the government had already allowed joint ventures in airlines -- Kuwait Airlines and Gulf Air held a combined stake of 40 per cent in Jet Airways.

However, it turned out that the proposal was vigorously opposed by the country's fledging private airlines, especially by Jet.

These airlines, including Damania and East-West, had been allowed in 1994 to operate scheduled airlines in the private sector for the first time.

Goyal and the others figured that a Tata-SIA airline with financial muscle and a big fleet would be tough to compete with. Those in the know say that it is here that Goyal showed his lobbying mettle. Fortunately for him, in 1996 there was a change in the political establishment.

The United Front government under H D Deva Gowda came into power at the Centre and the new civil aviation minister C M Ibrahim decided that no foreign investment would be allowed in aviation.

The Tatas made desperate moves to save the day by offering to dilute SIA's stake in the joint venture airline to 50 per cent and then to 40 per cent. But it was to no avail.

The government was unmoved and the Tata group's dream to set up an airline was killed by a hastily drawn-up policy which, most analysts agree, was aimed at protecting domestic carriers, especially Jet Airways.

Of course, this was not the only time that Jet tried to put a spanner in the works for the Tatas.

In 2001, when the National Democratic Alliance government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee decided to divest a 40 per cent stake in Air India, it was keen that the Tatas should participate.

The group was more than willing and partnered with Singapore Airlines in its bid to pick up a stake in Air India.

But there was huge opposition to this plan. Many analysts say Jet played an important role in drumming up support against the divestment plan by lobbying with politicians like Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel who were reportedly close to him.

According to insiders, as many as 40 members of Parliament wrote letters opposing the Air India divestment and senior leaders across party lines, as well as a parliamentary standing committee, questioned the government's decision.

Some senior politicians even wrote to the prime minister as to why Jet Airways was not being allowed to also bid (The reason, of course, was that if it also had Air India, it would lead to cartelisation.)

Matters came to a head when a letter, purportedly written by a top government official in the prime minister's office opposing the sale, began doing the rounds.

The consequence was that the only other bidder for the airline in the fray, the Hindujas, decided to withdraw. And Singapore Airlines pulled out of the partnership and so did the Tatas.

It was not until 2014 that the Tata group finally had its way.

The launch of a joint venture low cost carrier with Air Asia was followed up in 2015 by the launch of Vistara with its traditional partner, SIA.

While questions were still raised on the interpretations of the FDI policy which now allowed up to a 49 per cent stake for foreign carriers, the two deals did go through. Thanks to its financial worries, Jet itself was scouting for foreign investment which came with Etihad picking up a 24 per cent stake in the airline.

Today, the industry scenario has changed. IndiGo has replaced Jet as the new king of the Indian skies.

The Tatas again got into a slugfest with rival carriers on the 5/20 rule under which a carrier could not fly abroad until it had 20 aircraft and flew for 5 years in the domestic skies.

The Modi government was looking to scrap this rule altogether, but rival domestic carriers through their body Federation of Indian Airlines Association opposed the move.

And while Jet was part of the association, it was SpiceJet boss Ajay Singh who took on the Tatas.

The government gave in, and while the five-year clause was removed, the 20-plane condition was retained.

This time, an already beleaguered Goyal refrained from leading the charge.
With humorous memes, videos and short stories, Brand Mother Dairy has been steadily inserting itself into almost every trending conversation on social media, writes Viveat Susan Pinto.

Photograph: Kind courtesy motherdairy.com

For anyone with a phone and an Instagram account, the dairy major Mother Dairy's trademark blue and white logo is a familiar sight.

Over the last few years, as the National Dairy Development Board-owned brand has sought to differentiate itself from rivals such as Amul, Nestle and local and hyperlocal labels, it has turned its lens more sharply on to younger consumers and actively pursued the digital medium as a branding platform.

With humorous memes, videos and short stories, Brand Mother Dairy has been steadily inserting itself into almost every trending conversation on social media.

Be it festivals, political events or taking on trolls, Mother Dairy is a ubiquitous member of social media chatter today.

This is a fallout of the growing influence of digital media which, as experts point out, is encouraging brands such as Mother Dairy to change the course of their advertising narrative.

Brands are shedding their inhibitions and mastering the art of presenting their best face forward on digital, as they reach out to a new generation of consumers.

The Mother Dairy advertising has adopted a chic but simple design ethic, making the ads easily relatable and downloadable.

The messaging is usually in the form of one-liners with the image doing most of the talking.

Photograph: Kind courtesy motherdairy.com

For instance, one of its ads on Instagram has a near empty glass of milk in a large picture frame.

An arrow pointing to the bottom of the glass says: "Forget me not".

The ad plays with the image and the words to insert the brand into a message every mother repeats to her child, "Finish the glass of milk".

The brand is also present in every celebratory occasion.

Consider this example:

A visual of a large glass of milk with a red tikka that simply says: #HappyBhaiDoodh got the brand a big thumbs up on social media during the festival of Bhai-dooj.

(Bhai-dooj is the festival where sisters pray for their brothers' health and happiness).

Rajiv Dingra, founder and CEO, WATConsult, part of the Denstu Aegis Network, which has the social media mandate of Mother Dairy, says marketers are slowly but steadily seeing merit in speaking to digital natives via media such as Instagram.

"Digital is where maximum video consumption is happening today. And brands that were traditionally television-heavy see sense in speaking to that audience via Instagram. It is also not as expensive a medium as TV is. Plus, it is a place where you get feedback instantly, allowing brands to understand whether the communication has worked or not," he says.

For players such as Mother Dairy, say experts, speaking to a younger audience is also linked in part to its own portfolio transformation.

In the last few years, Mother Dairy has introduced a number of products that appeal to the youth; from yoghurts to ice-creams, milk shakes to cheese slices and it is pushing these items aggressively to its target audience.

Dingra says that the use of Instagram by Mother Dairy has happened in the last couple of years as the portfolio transformation within the firm gathers pace.

A digital-first, Instagram-led mandate, say experts, is also a counter to the way brands such as Amul, a key rival of Mother Dairy, navigate the landscape.

Amul is more active in its use of hoardings to attract the attention of viewers, even though it too has adopted a humorous edge to all its communication.

Amul uses these hoardings on its Instagram account as well.

Photograph: Kind courtesy motherdairy.com

Battleground Instagram

In June, Facebook, which owns Instagram said the latter was the fastest-growing social media network in the world, with one billion monthly users.

Half of these users -- 500 million -- were added in the last two years, with India being a key contributor.

India, in fact, now ranks among the top markets for Instagram, thanks to the impetus given by falling data tariffs as well as smartphone penetration in the country, sector experts said.

"There are also a number of features," explains Shrenik Gandhi, co-founder and CEO, White Rivers Media, "Which has helped improve the app-stickiness of Instagram. This has led to its growth quickly in India," he says.

Among the features that click with platforms such as Instagram, Gandhi says, are good camera filters, a space which is less cluttered with ads and its tilt towards images than words.

"If Twitter is text-heavy, Facebook is text plus image. While Instagram is image-heavy," Gandhi says.

"As individuals, we'd be happy to consume more visual content, whether images or videos, as opposed to text-heavy content. This is a key feature of Instagram, which is driving traffic towards it. And brands always go where consumers are. Hence this push by marketers to mark their presence aggressively on Instagram," he adds.

Photograph: Kind courtesy motherdairy.com

Instagram has also borrowed a few features from some rivals including Snapchat, say experts, allowing viewers to upload candid images of themselves, which are automatically deleted in 24 hours.

Called Instagram stories, the feature has helped push up traffic among millennial audiences, they say, goading brands to reach out to their target audience using the medium.

Youth-centric brands today prefer Instagram to most other platforms, with many even hiring influencers to push their message.

While Mother Dairy has no such social media influencer, what it does have is a sharp finger on the pulse of its audience.
Old-timers say Jet boss Naresh Goyal, although still razor sharp, doesn't have the same energy he once did and this reflects in his 'baby', says Anjuli Bhargava.

IMAGE: Naresh Goyal, Jet Airways's founder and chairman. Photograph: Victor Fraile/Reuters

It's fair to say that there are two or three players in the Indian aviation space who remain quite a mystery to everyone in the sector.

To cite a few instances: What exactly does Go Air stand for and where is it headed? What is Air Asia India attempting to do?

Old-timers will remember the same question being asked about Sahara Airlines. It was never quite clear what it stood for.

Jet Airways -- which took to the skies in 1993 -- was the country's premier private airline.

Jet redefined service standards and showed people that flying could indeed be a pleasurable experience.

It came like a breath of fresh air for a country tired of the stodgy Indian Airlines and its public sector look and feel.

Jet added frequencies, smart aircraft and cabin crew, giving a new lease of life to aviation in India.

But today, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Jet Airways is floundering.

Old-timers say they find it hard to understand where the airline is headed, if at all it is headed anywhere.

It has lost its dominant position in the domestic skies.

The market share of Jet Airways and JetLite together has slipped from 21.7 per cent at the end of December 2014 to 17.8 per cent at the end of December 2017.

Yet, it cannot be described as having a clear and strong presence in the international movements in and out of India.

The airline looks tired and the service has lost its sheen.

On-time performance has taken a severe beating, falling below Air India's, which usually is at the bottom of the heap.

Jet's frequent flier programme -- which once read as the who's who of Indian industry -- is long forgotten by most, and finding a Jet frequent flier is now a challenge.

Pilots and cabin crew are often locked in battles with the management.

"Jet seems to be suffering from an identity crisis," says Shakti Lumba, an industry expert and former commander of Indian Airlines. Many in the aviation sector agree.

By all accounts, Jet's present state looks less than happy.

The last two to three years have been relatively calm for the industry, with the sharp drop in oil prices helping airlines world over make good money.

Jet, too, managed to turn the corner after years of making losses.

Yet its financial situation remains precarious. In March this year, the airline delayed payment of salaries.

"One would expect a listed company of Jet's size to have some back-up and a handle on finances for at least a three-month window," said an airline industry expert.

Company officials say that the airline is perpetually on a cost-cutting drive and yet the 'good days' never seem to arrive.

The airline responded by saying it did not wish to comment on why salaries were delayed and that the troubles were behind them.

Through 2017, Jet led the pack of laggards on on-time performance for eight months out of 12, with a third of its departures being late.

With its hub in Mumbai, Jet does take a larger proportion of the disruption caused by Mumbai's severe capacity constraints, but even taking that into account, the drop in on-time performance has been quite sharp.

In response, a spokesperson for the airline said they had taken "several measures to improve its performance at its hubs -- such as optimising aircraft rotations and streamlining internal processes, besides provisioning spare aircraft at Delhi and Mumbai, to overcome last minute challenges."

If flights are late, passengers say the airline has a tired look and feel about itself.

A senior aviation industry professional who was with Jet Airways in 1996 says that Naresh Goyal, the founder chairman of the airline, left no stone unturned in bringing the absolute best in the market.

"When everyone else had B737-200, Jet brought in 737-400s, the reservation system, the crew, the food, the livery -- everything was top notch."

Goyal, he says, tried to model the airline after Singapore Airlines and he succeeded.

There was a time when people used influence to get a seat on Jet's business class -- often a spot for heads of companies to meet others and even strike deals.

"That edge that Jet had in terms of a smart service seems to have gone," adds Lumba.

A second reason why frequent fliers are 'not so frequent' is that the airline is missing on many key routes.

The Delhi-Hyderabad route, for example, is underserved with only one flight a day.

"Even SpiceJet flies thrice a day and IndiGo has 11 flights a day, and I don't need to remind you who came into the market earlier," says a former Jet employee.

Jet is also absent from other routes like Kolkata-Bengaluru and Kolkata-Chennai.

Observers and commanders cannot understand the reason for what they see as Jet's withdrawal from many domestic sectors.

The airline, however, says it deploys its assets "wherever they yield a higher return on investment" and in a manner that enables it to synergise operations between its three domestic hubs and four global gateways to ensure seamless travel for its guests across the network.

Of late, the airline has been making a concerted effort to step up aircraft utilisation and that has led to its own set of problems.

Last year, the airline managed to upset its junior pilots by offering them a work-life option that sought to reduce the amount they were paid by reducing the number of hours flown.

Now, senior commanders and pilots say the airline's 'pairing optimiser', a new software to pair crew with aircraft, is creating mayhem with rosters and schedules, a charge the airline denies.

If the present is not so happy, the future too looks uncertain.

The relationship with Etihad Airways that bought a stake in the airline in 2013 has been through its own share of ups and downs, and the market buzz is that Etihad is looking to divest its stake in the carrier.

But perhaps the more serious question mark has arisen over the airline's future leadership.

The last four years have seen six CEOs come and go, with the current chief, Vinay Dube, taking charge in August last year.

Old timers argue that Goyal, 68, although still razor sharp, doesn't have the same energy he once did and this reflects in his 'baby'.

With the relationship with Etihad now on the brink, it is unclear who will steer the Jet ship forward.
In an era when the misguided youth of today are trying to build political careers by subscribing to divisive ideologies, they need to look to independent thinking icons such as Acharya Kripalani, says Mohammad Sajjad.

IMAGE: Acharya J B Kripalani, left, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Photograph: Kind courtesy Margaret Bourke-White/wikimedia.org

The current generation of India's students and youth are perhaps not as fortunate as their counterparts in the decades of the not so distant past. During the 1920s they had Bhagat Singh; during the 1930-1940s they had Nehru and Bose; and after Independence, during the 1960s and 1970s, they had Ram Manohar Lohia (1910-1967) and Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-1979).

JP and Jiwantram Bhagwandas Kripalani fought against Indira Gandhi's dictatorial behaviour, and against her infamous Emergency which she imposed on June 26, 1975. Many tend to look at the current dispensation as worse than that because sections of the media now are seen to be hand-in-glove with the anti-poor and anti-minority regime today.

This muzzling of dissent assumes alarming proportions with a spurt in fake news, spread not only through social media but even some television channels are indulging in spreading hate and prejudice.

Faced with huge unemployment, growing economic recession, and deepening social inequalities, sections of the youth are resorting to lynch gangs and subscribing to muscular exclusionary nationalism.

The latest instance of such lynching and majoritarian violence came from the town of Sitamarhi in north Bihar where an old, poor, Muslim, Zainul Haq Ansari, was lynched and burnt to death by a mob going to immerse the Durga idol on October 20, 2018. This happened in the police presence.

Some writings about Kripalani on some news portals, in recent years, have not subjected Kripalani to a holistic evaluation. And hence this column.

It may seem ironical that Sitamarhi, having become infamous as one of the most riot-prone regions of Bihar, was one of the first Lok Sabha seats to elect a non-Congress member.

It was none other than the grand Gandhian-Socialist, J B Kripalani. He was elected in 1957 as a nominee of the Praja Socialist Party. Nehru, in order to ensure his victory, did not field a Congress nominee against him.

In 1962, he contested against the then defence minister, V K Krishna Menon, from North Bombay and lost. In 1963, Acharya Kripalani won against Hafiz Ibrahim of the Congress from Sambhal in a bye-election which came about after the death of Hifzur Rahman Seohaarwi (1901-1962), who had subjected the Muslim League's communal separatism to the severest criticism in his Urdu columns and which were later compiled as Tehreek-e-Pakistan Par Ek Nazar.

Sitamarhi was also one of the first seats to have elected an OBC candidate, Nagendra Yadav, in 1962 (who was re-elected in 1967 and 1971). Notwithstanding its educational backwardness, Sitamarhi thrice elected academic parliamentarians -- in 1957, 1977 and 1984 -- namely, Professor Kripalani, Professor Mahanth Shyam Sundar Das (son-in-law of the famous Hindi writer and Socialist, Rambriksha Benipuri), and Professor Ramshreshtha Khirhar, respectively.

The life of Kripalani, a Congressman, Gandhian, Socialist, parliamentarian, and writer, spanned almost a century. As a young man he saw the rise of Mahatma Gandhi to centrestage in Indian politics; and in old age, the fall of the Janata Party government from power.

A social and political activist for some 70 years, at no point did he ever compromise his views or principles to suit those who were in power, or to curry favour with them, recalls T N Chaturvedi in his foreword to Kripalani's thick autobiography, My Times: An Autobiography, published posthumously in 2004.

From 1912 to 1917 he served as a professor of English and history at the college in Muzaffarpur, later named after Langat Singh (1850-1912). It was there that Kripalani played host to Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 when the latter was en route to Champaran for the famous satyagraha against European planters. Because of this association, Kripalani was jailed.

Subsequently, he taught at BHU (1919-1920), and was principal, Gujarat Vidyapeeth between 1920 and 1927. During 1934 and 1945 he was general secretary of the Congress, and in 1946, he became president of the Congress.

In 1950, despite Nehru's support, he was defeated by Patel's candidate Purushottam Das Tandon for the post of Congress president. After this, he left the Congress and was among the founders of the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party. It eventually merged with the Socialist Party and became the Praja Socialist Party.

He left the Congress on a principled position. Nehru maintained that the president of the party (Congress) should not interfere in the everyday affairs of the government.

His wife Sucheta (1908-1974), however continued with the Congress, served as Union minister in various portfolios, and became the first lady chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (1963-1967).

JB's 1,000 page memoir testifies his critical engagement and encounters with Gandhi. His engagement with Nehru too was critical. Kripalani's memoir also scrutinises Maulana Azad's account about Partition in his India Wins Freedom (pages 183-184), where Azad sort of blamed Nehru, Patel and even Gandhi.

Kripalani has devoted a whole chapter, Setting the Record Straight wherein he asks (page 691), 'why Maulana himself was silent about it in the Working Committee. Why did he not raise his voice of protest there as Ghaffar Khan did? If he had, and the two had been joined by Dr Syed Mahmud and Asaf Ali, in opposing Partition, they would have been four and they would have had the powerful backing of Gandhiji'.

From 1967 to 1977, he kept working for an anti-Congress united coalition. During Emergency he openly criticised Indira, led public demonstrations, and in 1977 wrote that ousting a dictatorial regime indicated growing political consciousness, and that 'those who said that freedom is required only by intellectuals and the cultured few have been proved wrong. It was required by the many, the poor, and the despised in India'.

In 1950, Kripalani also launched a weekly, Vigil. Its main objectives were to 'educate the people to insist that the authorities should adhere to the broad policies and programmes of Gandhiji and to raise their voice against corruption in the administration and the rampant black-marketing and tax-evasion in commerce', which was disliked by Sardar Patel, who tried to prevent its reproduction by other newspapers (pages 735-737). It ran for a decade.

Kripalani was the first ever member of independent India's Parliament to move a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, in August 1963, immediately after the war with China.

With the above quick and synoptic recounting of Kripalani's engagement with almost every social, economic, and political issues, one is surprised that his memoir is almost completely silent about communal violence.

His silence is even more surprising because, one of the most heinous incidents of communal violence took place in Sitamarhi in 1959, when he was representing this seat in the Lok Sabha.

Of all the north Bihar districts, Sitamarhi-Sheohar, part of the then Muzaffarpur district, has historically been most prone to communal violence.

On April 17, 1959, a riot broke out in Sitamarhi town, killing as many as 50 people, mostly Muslims. A false rumour had spread in a cattle fair that a cow had been slaughtered, whereas the cow was subsequently recovered from Janki Asthan.

Nehru, having visited Bihar and having addressed several meetings, wrote, 'The rumour (of cow slaughter) could not be correct because it is hardly conceivable that any Muslim would do such a thing in the middle of a huge Hindu fair. Probably, some mischief makers started this rumour.../

On October 13, 1967, a riot took place in Sursand that claimed 50 lives and led to the burning down of 400 houses.

Four years after Kripalani's death in Ahmedabad, there was yet another incident of communal violence in Sitamarhi and Riga in October 1992.

To the best of my knowledge, there has not been adequate research on Kripalani. It needs to be explored if he really made any significant intervention (inside Parliament or outside) on communal violence post-1947, particularly in Sitamarhi (which he represented between 1957 and 1962).

Or did he just forget the people who elected him? Did he share Patel's views on the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha? In his memoir, Kripalani is silent about the RSS and is almost sympathetic to the Hindu Mahasabha (page 154).

In an era when many Socialists and crypto-Socialists tend to switch over to hate-mongering ideologies, and the misguided youth of today are trying to build their quick political career by subscribing to divisive ideologies, they need to be persuaded to look upon rationally 'rebellious' and independent-thinking icons such as Kripalani, as much as the icons should be evaluated critically in academic as well as popular domains.

Professor Mohammad Sajjad, who is at the Centre of Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University, is the author of Muslim Politics in Bihar: Changing Contours and Contesting Colonialism and Separatism: Muslims of Muzaffarpur since 1857.
Drone cameras will monitor the crowds in real time.

Virendra Singh Rawat reports.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena members seen before they boarded a train to Ayodhya to attend the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharma Sabha at the Thane railway station, November 22, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

Following the mass mobilisation events announced by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Shiv Sena on Sunday, November 25, in Ayodhya, the temple town has been turned into a virtual fortress to thwart any untoward situation, which could escalate and pose a threat to the law and order situation for the Uttar Pradesh government.

Almost 70,000 security personnel have been deployed under a multiple-tiered security arrangement in Ayodhya.

The state government has been mandated to ensure security in Ayodhya according to Supreme Court guidelines. The UP government has deployed anti-terror squads, special police and paramilitary personnel, including Rapid Action Force and drone cameras to monitor the crowd in real time.

While security is always on high alert in Ayodhya, especially around the disputed site, the security apparatus has further been strengthened in view of a large number of people who are expected to arrive for the two separate programmes.

The VHP has announced a Dharam Sansad (religious parliament) seeking a law to facilitate an early construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It claims to have invited thousands of its members to arrive in Ayodhya to display its support for the temple cause.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to arrive in Ayodhya on Saturday for Sunday's programme. The Sena has already booked two special trains to ferry its activists from Maharashtra to show solidarity for the demand.

Thackeray will meet Hindu seers, perform Saryu Aarti and visit the makeshift Ram Lala temple during his two-day stay in Ayodhya.

A high-level meeting was held in Lucknow on Thursday night to review the security arrangements in Ayodhya.

Two senior Indian Police Service officers -- Additional Director General of Police Ashutosh Pandey and Deputy Inspector General of Police Subhash Singh Baghel -- will supervise security arrangements in Ayodhya.

While Pandey is tasked with the charge of the blue and yellow zone of the disputed site, Baghel has been given the task of ensuring the security of the red zone.

Pandey will also officiate as the security in-charge during the Shiv Sena programme and would manage the security for the VHP's event.

According to sources, 48 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary have been sent to Ayodhya apart from RAF companies.

Around 10 companies of the PAC and other security agencies are permanently posted for year-round security at the disputed site, trifurcated into blue, yellow and red zones.

UP Director General of Police O P Singh had ordered deployment of five superintendent of police rank officers in Ayodhya along with 15 additional SPs and 19 deputy SPs. Ayodhya has been divided into eight zones and 16 sectors headed by a magistrate and an ASP and DSP rank police officers.
India and China on Saturday resolved to "intensify" their efforts to achieve a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the vexed boundary question at an early date as the special representatives of the two countries held "constructive and forward-looking" talks over the issue.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives' talks.

While an early solution would serve the fundamental interests of both the countries, the two designated Special Representatives for the border talks also said pending the final solution, the two countries should maintain peace and tranquillity at the borders, ensuring that the dispute does not affect the overall development of bilateral ties.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

This was the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year.

Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

"Recalling the strategic guidance and support to their work provided by the leaders at the Wuhan Summit, the Special Representatives resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an early date," according to a statement issued by the Indian embassy in Beijing after the border talks said.

They were referring to the outcome of the first ever informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April this year in Wuhan.

Doval and Wang "underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the strategic perspective of India-China relations and agreed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries," the statement said.

Special Representatives have agreed that pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and to ensure that the boundary question does not affect the overall development of the bilateral relationship, the statement said.

"In this context, they noted the mature handling of issues relating to the India-China border areas since the Wuhan Summit," it said.

Acknowledging the importance of predictability in border management and underscoring the importance of maintaining strategic communication at all levels, the Special Representatives held discussions on various confidence building measures to promote exchanges and communication between their border personnel.

They directed that the bilateral Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination for Border Affairs -- which periodically meets to deal with issues arising due to aggressive patrols by the two militaries along the LAC -- to work out further details over it.

Doval and Wang also reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations following the Wuhan Summit and subsequent meetings between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Qingdao in June 2018 and in Johannesburg in July 2018.

"The two Special Representatives underlined the importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions given by their leaders with a view to further strengthening the Closer Developmental Partnership between India and China to mutual benefit and with due respect for each other's sensitivities, concerns and aspirations," the statement said.

They shared the view that stable and balanced development of bilateral relations is a positive factor for peace and prosperity in the region and the whole world, it said.

The Special Representatives also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest and agreed to maintain close consultations on such issues, it said.

The talks were constructive and forward looking, and focussed on taking forward the India-China Closer Developmental Partnership in pursuance of the guidance provided by Modi and Xi at Wuhan, the statement said.

"The Special Representatives undertook a comprehensive review of earlier rounds of talks under the SR mechanism," it said.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that the "arrogant" Congress was "abusing" his nonagenarian mother as it was bereft of issues and "lacked strength" to take him on after suffering "defeat" at his hands over the last 18 years.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally ahead of Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, in Chhatarpur. Photograph: PTI Photo

The prime minister hit back after Congress leader Raj Babbar compared the falling value of Indian rupee with the age of Modi's mother Hiraben during campaigning for the Madhya Pradesh elections .

Addressing a rally Madhya Pradesh's Chhattarpur ahead of November 28 assembly polls, Modi also attacked United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, saying his government is "not remote-controlled by a madam sitting inside her home" but had 125 crore countrymen as its "high command".

He alleged the "coffers of banks" were emptied out for the rich during the "madam's government".

"The people in the Congress, you do not have the strength to fight Modi. In the last 17-18 years, I have challenged you at every instance and defeated you. And you are dragging my mother into politics? Does this behove the Congress and its leaders?" Modi asked.

The prime minister also targeted the Congress over the controversial purchase of Bofors guns in 1980s and 90s and the Bhopal gas tragedy (1984).

"When you do not have issues, when there is a bankruptcy of issues and arrogance is sky-high, only then one dares to abuse someone else's mother.

"I am saying this with pain, the people in the party (the Congress) which has ruled for many years, instead of taking on Modi..after all their weapons to target Modi failed.. they are now hurling abuse at Modi's mother, they are defaming Modi's mother," Modi said.

Likening the Congress' comments to the ones made during "petty quarrels in bylanes", Modi said his mother "who does not understand even R of 'rajniti' (politics)" was being targeted by the opposition party.

Babbar had kicked up a row with his comments on falling value of rupee at a rally in Indore on Thursday.

"(Before becoming the PM) Modi used to say that compared to the (US) dollar, the value of the rupee has fallen to a level where it is almost the same as the age of the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh)," Babbar had said.

"Mr Prime Minister, at that time, you had not taken his (Singh's) name out of respect. Although our tradition does not allow this, we wish to say that now the value of the rupee has fallen to the age of your respected mother," he said.

Modi on Saturday alleged that the previous Congress-led governments would "call up banks" to give loans to the rich, whereas his dispensation is empowering the youth.

The Congress has been levelling allegations of cronyism against the Modi government.

"Madam's government had opened the doors of the bank for big industrialists, but we opened banks for the people and sanctioned loans to 14.50 crore under the PM Mudra Yojna," Modi said, adding "corruption is the courtesy and culture of Congress' four generations".

"Between 2006 and 2014, during Madam's government, the banks dispensed money to the rich, equal to what they had distributed 50 years prior to that. They emptied the coffers, they sunk banks," Modi said.

On the demonetisation decision taken in 2016, Modi said three lakh (shell) companies got locked because they were operating under fictitious names.

He again ridiculed the Congress' central and state leadership, asking why "a 'naamdar' (dynast), a 'raja' (king) and a 'maharaja' (emperor)" were "worried" because Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is called 'mama' (maternal uncle). The Prime Minister has been using these terms to attack Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party is seeking a fourth straight term in the central state under Chouhan.

"Why does not the Congress remember Quattrochhi for whom its governments had kept doors open and the second mama Anderson, the criminal of the Bhopal gas tragedy?

"It was the government of Naamdar's father then. He (Anderson) was taken to America in a special plane," Modi alleged, apparently referring to the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The role Italian businessmen Ottavio Quattrocchi had come under scanner in the Bofors deal for which the then PM Rajiv Gandhi had been targeted by the Opposition in 1990s.

Warren Anderson was the CEO of the US company Union Carbide which ran a chemical plant in Bhopal where a gas leak in 1984 killed thousands of people in what is known as the world's worst industrial disaster.

Modi alleged that the Congress indulged in politics of divisiveness. "Because of its caste-based and discriminatory politics, the people voted the party out of power in Madhya Pradesh". The PM said MP has taken a "big leap" under the BJP since 2013, and appealed to the people to "not make the mistake of voting for those who had ruled for 55 years".

"Fourteen schemes were pending in Madhya Pradesh for years which we identified in 2014 and completed 10 of these schemes to increase irrigation facility."

Modi said the Centre created three lakh common service centres after 2014 which have generated employment for 10 lakh youths. The PM said only 70,000 such centres were generated under the Congress.

Modi said Bundelkhand has an immense tourism potential as it has world famous Khajuraho temple and Panna National Park.

"It (the region) will also generate employment for many youths including 'chaiwalas'. We have framed scheme worth Rs 10,000 crore," he said.

Modi has often referred to how he use to sell tea as a youngster.

IMAGE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses a public meeting at Kajlivan Ground, in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Photograph: Kind courtesy @INCIndia/Twitter

'Modi betrayed people on promises of jobs, depositing Rs 15 lakh in accounts'

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Modi has betrayed the people, claiming that he had not fulfilled promises of providing two crore jobs every year and "depositing" Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

The Congress chief was addressing a rally at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls will be held on November 28.

"Modiji has betrayed the people on the issue of providing jobs to two crore people every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh cash into their accounts by bringing (back) black money stashed abroad," Gandhi said.

Modi, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, had prominently highlighted the issue of black money and had promised to bring it back.

The fear of losing the 2019 general elections has created "hatred" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind against the Congress, Gandhi said addressing another rally at Damoh later.

The Congress chief said while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks with decency, Modi lacks it whenever he attacks the Congress and his family members.

"When you hear Modi's speech, he uses wrong words and speaks with hatred... and also speaks lies. The faith reposed by the people and youths in them has broken. Now, when Modi comes, people say he will speak lies," Gandhi said.

"He (Modi) speaks with hatred about me and my family, but Shivraj uses decent language. Modi doesn't know how to speak decently, but Rahul Gandhi will always maintain decency while speaking," he said.

"Though Chouhan has indulged in corruption, whenever he says anything against us, he speaks with decency," Gandhi added.
Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."

IMAGE: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray and Rashmi Thackeray offer prayers during Saryu aarti at a ghat in Ayodhya. Photograph: PTI Photo

Arriving in Ayodhya ahead of Sunday's Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction.

He urged the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying his party will support it.

Day, months, years and generations have passed, he said Saturday on what he described as his first visit to the town.

Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date), he said.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses supporters in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shiv Sena/Twitter

First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later, he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

Thackeray and scores of Sena supporters arrived in Ayodhya just a day ahead of the Dharam Sabha being organised separately by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site.

There is a massive deployment of police in the city as seers and other people arrive for the VHP event.

The VHP has claimed that tens of thousands of people will attend its event. Thackeray came with his family for a two-day visit, which he said was to get a darshan' of Lord Ram.

He attacked the government over the delay in the construction of the Ram temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena activist wave a flag as they arrive to attend the Ram Temple event at Lakshman Kila. Photograph: PTI Photo

"There should be a temple of Lord Ram at the Shri Ramjanmabhoomi, he said.

I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said.

He said there is a BJP government at the Centre and also in the state. Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,' he said.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, he said.

IMAGE: Uddhav Thackeray with his wife Rashmi Thackeray and son Aditya Thackeray offers prayers at Laxman Qila. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple?

"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict, he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.

Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."

"There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya, he claimed.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena activists holding a flag as they arrive on a bike to attend the Ram Temple event at Lakshman Kila, in Ayodhya. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

After his remarks at Lakshman Kila, he went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers.

The Sena is believed to have sent in about 3,000 party supporters from Maharashtra by two trains.

The supporters took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena leaders said.

Thackeray is reported to have brought a pot of soil from Shivneri fort in Pune to be handed over to the priest at the Ram Lalla's temple when he meets him later.
Mumbai's Chabad House in the Nariman House Colaba, one of the bloody targets of the 26/11 terror strikes, will be renamed as 'Nariman Light House' on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and 10 months after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, official sources said on Friday.

IMAGE: Chabad House in the Nariman House Colaba which was targeted during the 26/11 terror attack in 2008, in Mumbai. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad/PTI Photo

Rex Bakery, opposite the Chabad House building, was given a fresh coat of paint but the bullet marks on its wall were circled carefully in red, a symbol of the city's spirit of defiance, on the tenth anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack.

"We condemn the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai," reads a message on the wall painted by Kuresh Zorabi, who runs the bakery.

The five-storeyed Chabad House building continues to stand tall in a quaint lane at Colaba in south Mumbai after it was attacked by Pakistani terrorists on November 26, 2008.

Israel's Counsul General in Mumbai Ya'akov Finkelstein says the attack has not dented Israel's relation with India and even today people from Israel feel safe and secure here.

"The terror attack brought India and Israel even closer. Terrorists thought they could break our spirits or come between us but actually the opposite (happened). What impression we get from our local community is that they feel secure, and welcomed in Mumbai," Finkelstein said.

"The impression is that, they (Israelis) do not feel a problem in visiting Mumbai or India. Many Israelis love coming to India for touring and the numbers are only growing. No one has raised issue of security here," he says.

According to him, there are about 4,000 Indian Jews in the city.

Echoing his views, Samsun Mosses, a local Jew said, "There are security measures in place here (at Chabad House). We like coming here. There is no issue of security or safety."

IMAGE: A passerby looks at the bullet marks outside Chabad House. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad/PTI Photo

The street now has several CCTV cameras. There also a a number of mobile shops at its entrance and a temple as an added attraction but what remains unchanged is a hair salon and the bakery.

The Chabad House will be renamed as 'Nariman Light House' on the 10th anniversary of the attack

"The Indian authorities have taken up this step (of beefing up security). There is greater awareness in the public and the authorities regarding terror (attacks) and the aim is to prevent future attacks, not just against Jews but everyone," Finkelstein says.

He said the Chabad House was organising an event to commemorate the tenth anniversary with the Jewish community.

Finkelstein says, "We were all victims. Terrorists are blind, they do not distinguish between anyone. We should stand united against terrorists and fight terrorism together and that is exactly what India and Israel are doing."

As a counsul general, he says his aim is to promote the country's relationship with the western part of India and he is closely working with government, businessmen, Bollywood celebrities and others.

Two terrorists, Babar Imran and Nasir, laid a terror siege at the Jewish centre and slaughtered four Jews, including Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivka.

Their son Moshe, who was two-years-old at that time, had survived the attack after being rescued by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel.
East Have n Police Officer Vincent Ferrara is a local hero who stepped up when federal investigators asked him to expose illegal activity in his agency.

Now hes a marked man, paying a high price for detailing the systemic profiling, harassment and assault of Latinos that sent four other cops to federal prison.

Hes also a victim, according to his federal lawsuit claiming an orchestrated attempt by the town  led by controversial Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr.  to ostracize, intimidate and now fire Ferrara.

Maturo, who as the mayor is the direct and only supervisor of Police Chief Edward Lennon, denies knowing anything about the alleged campaign against Ferrara that could culminate this week in a termination hearing.

During a recent sworn deposition, Maturo used the terms I dont remember, or I dont recall 86 times in the sometimes-combative two-hour interview focused on Ferraras treatment by East Haven officials, and the fallout from the federal investigation that uncovered a blue wall of silence  and retribution  in the Police Department.

Im the policymaker, I guess, and make sure all the rules and regulations are followed, Maturo said in an answer from early in the 103-page transcript of the deposition.

Asked whether he discussed the issue of retaliation with Leonard Gallo, a close friend of Maturos who retired as police chief shortly after the four officers were indicted in January 2012, Maturo said, I didnt say I didnt and I didnt say I did.

FBI asks for help

Ferrara, who describes himself as an honest cop, could not see into the future back in December of 2010, when the FBI asked for his assistance in exposing the misconduct that eventually rocked the town of 29,000 on Long Island Sound. A few months later, he testified before a federal grand jury in New Haven.

Now, sitting in the kitchen of his Branford home, the 53-year-old father of two and the grandfather of a toddler, pauses when asked if he regrets it.

I know it was the right thing to do, he said. I couldnt sit and watch that happen. Do I wish things were different? Maybe, but what kind of cowardice does it take to hit someone whos handcuffed?

He couldnt predict the reaction of the co-workers he once called brothers: the abandonment of requested backup officers during late-night vehicular stops; the allegedly trumped-up internal investigations and disciplinary decisions; the whispers that he was a rat for exposing the departments dirty secrets; the gun pointed at his chest by an officer who ended up in prison for beating a handcuffed suspect.

At union meetings in 2011, months before the criminal indictments of the four officers, Ferrara was allegedly confronted by East Haven Police personnel, who told him not to testify.

Three current police officers are named as defendants in Ferraras civil lawsuit, which claims that on March 29, 2016, then-Police Chief Brent Larrabee suspended him after maliciously made material misstatements were included in reports prepared by fellow officers who had engaged in threatening behavior. Other internal investigations followed, culminating in a paid suspension ordered on Dec. 15, 2017, following an interview during which Ferrara was ill, suffering from a severe headache.

The next day he was hospitalized at Yale New Haven Hospital and diagnosed with glioblastoma, the type of brain cancer that killed U.S. Sen. John McCain.

When he was put on paid administrative leave, Ferrara was shut out of the computerized payroll system and could not monitor his pay and benefits. Four months later, at the end of April, he asked for coverage under the Family Medical Leave Act.

That was around the time that officials allegedly began depleting his sick and vacation days with no notice. At the end of August, Town Hall officials warned him that his pay and health benefits would end Sept. 1, essentially firing him, even though Ferrara and James S. Brewer, one of his lawyers, said they understand that he remains on paid suspension.

Ferrara is now paying out of pocket for insurance costs that he describes as devastating.

Theyve destroyed us financially, he said. Im an employee of East Haven and they just cut me off.

He says hes received no phone calls from supervisors or even co-workers during the time hes been on leave.

Ready to go back to work, Ferrara feels abandoned by the town he helped protect for 10 years following seven years on the Wallingford Police Department. He said he is worried about what might be a continuance of the culture that led to the federal investigation, and its effect on new hires.

Theyre dealing with him in a malicious and sneaky way, said Brewer. They fraudulently used up his sick time and vacation when he was on paid suspension. So now theyre trying to go back and fire him. Its like whack-a-mole. They took the fact that the guy is gravely ill from cancer and are using it against him. It makes no sense to me other than theyre playing games with someones life.

Police links to Town Hall

Chief Lennons lone supervisor, according to town charter, is Maturo, who infamously said he might eat tacos in reaction to the 2012 arrests of four police officers for abusing Latinos.

During the recent sworn deposition when Brewer asked Maturo to recall the taco remark, which was videotaped and made national news at the time, Maturo said that incident was taken out of context. Pressed further by Brewer, Maturo replied: Im not going to answer that question. Have me arrested.

The four officers, John Miller, David Cari, Dennis Spaulding and Jason Zullo, were found guilty of civil rights violations  including beating a handcuffed prisoner  and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four months for Miller, to 60 months for Spaulding.

Theyre all out of prison now. Miller, a former sergeant who allegedly once put a gun to Ferraras chest and said I wonder if your vest can stop this bullet, now works for a police union.

As part of the federal settlement, Maturo promised not to retaliate against law enforcement personnel who might have assisted in building the cases against the town and police.

The agreement, however, expired at the end of 2017. Ferraras lawsuit alleges that days after he filed his lawsuit in March of 2017, a series of retaliatory acts escalated.

Ferrara said that federal law enforcement did little to shield his identity during the investigation, and theyre doing nothing to help now.

They didnt protect me at all, Ferrara said.

Kelly Laco, in the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Unit in Washington, last week declined to comment on Ferraras case against Maturo and the town. The suit was filed in March, and on Tuesday, Brewer appeared before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in a pretrial scheduling argument.

At the other table were Hugh Keefe and Matthew D. Popilowski, the town attorneys.

Because of the withdrawal of health benefits, Brewer asked that Joseph Coppola, the citys assistant director of administration and management, added to the list of defendants in the allegations of retaliation, along with Sal Brancati, Maturos human resources director and the entire East Haven Board of Police Commissioners.

Its unclear who made the decision as of April this year to stop paying him while on paid leave, Brewer told Hall. Popilowski then stood and began to make a case for why the lawsuit should be rejected. Hall interrupted. Lets not try the issue right now, she said. I will see you in a couple months.

Meanwhile, the towns administrative hearing, in which Ferraras job is on the line, is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 29. Maturo on Friday declined to talk about Ferrara. This is a very delicate case and I dont want to make a comment on it until its adjudicated, he said.

There is a GoFundMe site for Officer Vincent Ferraras medical expenses. Donations can also be made to the United Bank of South Windsor, Attention Jennifer Grennan, 1645 Ellington Road, South Windsor, CT 06074
BRIDGEPORT - Social media sensation Bryan Silva had hoped for a quiet Thanksgiving dinner with his wife at her parents Easton home.

But the body builder/rapper, known as the GraTaTa Guy for the machine-gun sound he made in his last rap video, found himself under the gun after his wife accused him of hitting her.

Looking a little worse for wear and wearing checkered pajama pants from the previous evening, the 27-year-old Silva was arraigned in Superior Court Friday afternoon.

Initially held in lieu of bond on a domestic violence charge, Silva was later released on a promise to appear in court on the recommendation of Senior Assistant States Attorney Stephanie Damiani after she reviewed the police report.

Judge Tracy Lee Dayton issued Silva an order barring him from further contact with his wife, Melissa Barney. Both were charged with disorderly conduct, and she was previously released on a promise to appear.

Clutching his few possessions in a plastic bag, Silva declined comment Friday as he left the Golden Hill Street courthouse.

In October 2016, Silva was sentenced in Virginia to more than a year in prison for an armed standoff with Charlottesville police. It was while he was in a Virginia prison that he met Barney, 23.

On Thursday, police said, Silva came to his wifes parents Easton home to reunite with his bride of less than a year. But police said things did not go well.

After the traditional turkey dinner, police said, Silva fell asleep. While he was out, his bride decided to go through his cellphone, police said, and discovered what she believed to be evidence that he was cheating on her.

Police said Barney became so enraged that she punched her sleeping husband in the mouth. She claimed he then punched her in the head.

At any rate, police said Silva then grabbed his suitcase and was heading out the door when his wife called 911.

Barney stated that she loves Silva and didnt want him to leave, so she called police, police related.

When officers arrived on the call of an assault, they confronted Silva, who was kneeling in the driveway trying to close his suitcase, police said. They said they saw blood on Silvas mouth.

Police said Silva told them he never really knew what his wife was like and was now thinking of divorcing her.
Contributed photo

Sheba is at our Waterford location and she would like to live with adults and kids over the age of 12. She does want to be the only pet in the household so she can get all the attention. Sheba is 15 years old and she does have some special needs. But Sheba still has lots of life to live and love to give. Please ask the adoption counselor to explain when you visit with me in Waterford. Remember, the Connecticut Humane Society has no time limits for adoption. Inquiries for adoption should be made at the Connecticut Humane Society located at 701 Russell Road in Newington or call toll free: 1-800-452-0114.
Thousands of supporters of acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian rallied in Yerevan, the country's capital, on November 24. Speaking at the rally, Pashinian said that the peaceful protest movement that he led in the spring "returned power to the people." Pashinian announced in October that he was resigning from the post of prime minister in order to dissolve parliament and force early elections scheduled for December 9.
Following 20 months of negotiations, European Union leaders have endorsed two key documents on Britain's departure from the bloc next year.



The leaders of the 27 states staying on together after Brexit gave their backing on November 25 during a Brussels summit that lasted less than an hour.



They approved a 585-page agreement setting out the terms on which Britain will leave the EU on March 29, 2019, and a political declaration outlining London and Brussels' shared goals for their future relationship.



However, the deal still needs to be passed by the British parliament, and many lawmakers have stated they will vote against it, including deputies in Prime Minister Theresa May's own Conservative Party.

Calling the agreement she has negotiated with EU officials "the only possible deal," May said parliament will vote on it "before Christmas."

Ahead of the Brussels summit, May said in a letter to the British public that the deal promises a "brighter future" for Britain and leaving the EU will be "a moment of renewal and reconciliation for our whole country."



The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said it was "the best deal possible" for Britain and Europe.

The Brussels summit was assured after a last-minute agreement to meet Madrids demands on possible talks about the future of Gibraltar.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on November 24 stepped back from his threat of an effective veto on the deal after Britain and EU officials provided written guarantees on the issue of possible Gibraltar talks in the future.

The breakthrough came after the British government wrote to the European Council to confirm that it would not interpret its withdrawal treaty as meaning that a future EU-U.K. trade treaty would automatically apply to Gibraltar.

Britain captured Gibraltar, a 6.7-square-kilometer area at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, during a war with Spain more than 300 years ago.

Now considered a British overseas territory, Gibraltar is home to a historically strategic British naval base and about 30,000 residents.

But Spain asserts an irredentist claim to Gibraltar and wants a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom over its sovereignty.

Britain has said it will never enter an agreement on Gibraltars sovereignty unless the government and the people of Gibraltar itself also agree. No political party or pressure group in Gibraltar supports union with Spain.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
Russia is a "far greater threat" to Britain's national security than Islamic terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS), the new head of the British Army has warned.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph published on November 23, General Mark Carleton-Smith said Britain and its allies "cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses."

The Russian Embassy in London responded to the comments with a tweet on November 24, saying "Army chief doesn't care about [IS]? Great global strategic vision!"



Carleton-Smith made the comments at a time of heightened tensions between the West and Russia over issues including Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, its alleged election meddling in the United States and Europe, massive international cyberattacks, and the poisoning of a Russian double agent and his daughter in Britain.

"Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats" such as Al-Qaeda and IS, Carleton-Smith said in his first interview since becoming chief of Britain's General Staff in June.

The 54-year-old former SAS commander said Moscow had "embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the nontraditional areas of cyber-, space, undersea warfare."

With the threat from Islamist groups in the Middle East now reduced, the focus needs to shift to Russia, the British general also said, warning, "We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested."

During a visit to Lisbon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also poked fun at the remarks, saying, "We cannot influence the British government's decisions as to whom they trust to head its armed forces," according to the Interfax news agency.



"I hope they check the appropriateness of such decisions," Lavrov added.

In October, U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson accused Russia of acting like a "pariah state," whose "reckless and indiscriminate" attacks had left it isolated in the international community.

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the accusations as "fantasy."

Britain and most of the West has blamed Russia for a nerve-agent attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the English city of Salisbury in March. Moscow denies any involvement.

The Skripals survived the poisoning, which used a Soviet-made military nerve agent known as Novichok.

Two other British citizens were exposed to the nerve agent in June, apparently by accident; one of them, Dawn Sturgess, died.

With reporting by the Daily Telegraph, the BBC, Press Association, and Interfax
Thousands of Czechs have demonstrated in the capital, Prague, after the government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis survived a no-confidence vote triggered by a fraud investigation.

Opposition parties in parliament only garnered 92 of the 101 votes needed to approve the vote, with the Social Democrats and and Communist Party members refusing to vote against the billionaire businessman.

But thousands joined the protests in Prague's historic city center chanting slogans such as "We want a decent government" in calling for Babis's resignation.

"The government should be led by an ethical, moral, and honest person who has credit even with his political opponents," Ivan Bartos, head of the opposition Pirate Party, said in parliament before the vote.

Babis -- who heads a minority government but enjoys the support of President Milos Zeman -- has been battling police charges that he hid the ownership of one of his many companies by listing his adult children as the owners. The company is alleged to have received a 2 million-euro grant that it should not have qualified for.

Protests have been ongoing since last week, when a media report quoted Babis's son as saying his father had him involuntarily taken to Crimea in 2017 in order to keep him from being questioned by investigators.

The prime minister denies any wrongdoing and says the investigation is being used to push him out of politics. He also said his son, who lives in Switzerland, is being treated for a mental illness.

Police are looking into the son's claim.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has called on Muslims across the world to unite against the United States, instead of "rolling out red carpets for criminals."

"Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion," Rohani told a conference in Tehran on November 24, calling Israel a "cancerous tumor" established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East.

The United States in May withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers, saying the terms of the accord were not strict enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It also accuses Tehran of supporting militant violence in the region and other "malign" activities. Iran denies the allegations.

Washington in August started imposing crippling sanctions on Iran's economy that were lifted in exchange for curbs on the country's nuclear activities.

Iranian officials frequently condemn Israel and predict its demise. Israel views Iran's clerical establishment as an existential threat.

Addressing the annual Islamic Unity Conference, Rohani said Muslim governments "have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran, and our Islam,"

The Iranian president was apparently referring to Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries that have close ties to Washington.

Rohani assured Saudis they were "brothers" who had nothing to fear from Tehran.

"We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression, and the superpowers," he said.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are regional rivals and have supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen, as well as different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon. Tehran also supports militant groups in the Middle East such as Hizballah and Hamas.

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran nearly three years ago after protesters stormed its diplomatic posts in Iran following the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says U.S. charges that Iran has a chemical weapons program are "obscene and dangerous."

Zarif said in a tweet on November 23 that "[The] U.S. wants to resort to international conventions to make allegations against Iran when it's made a policy of violating them itself."

He added that such allegations "by a country that supported Iraq's use of [chemical weapons by Iraq] against Iran, then invaded Iraq to allegedly rid it of them is not just obscene, it's dangerous."

Zarif's comments come one day after a U.S. envoy alleged that Iran had failed to declare a production facility for the filling of aerial bombs and that it maintains a program to obtain banned toxic munitions.

Those charges were made to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at The Hague on November 22 by Kenneth Ward, the U.S. ambassador to the OPCW, an international chemical-warfare watchdog.

"The United States has had long-standing concerns that Iran maintains a chemical-weapons program that it failed to declare to the OPCW," Ward said, adding that Washington "is also concerned that Iran is pursuing central-nervous-system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes."

Ward cited the discovery of chemical-filled artillery projectiles, mortars, and aerial bombs of Iranian origin as proof that Iran did not fully disclose its capabilities.

His allegations come amid growing pressure on Iran from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has withdrawn Washington from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and introduced several layers of U.S. sanctions against Tehran.

Earlier on November 23, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran "strongly rejects" the U.S. accusations.

"The United States...has made, as is its habit, baseless accusations against the Islamic republic which we strongly reject," it said in a statement.

Chemical weapons were used by Iraq under leader Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, during which thousands of Iranian soldiers and civilians were killed and wounded by such weapons.

With reporting by AFP
Islamic State (IS) extremists have claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that destroyed a market in Pakistan's northwestern Orakzai tribal district, killing at least 35 people and injuring more than 50.

Police had initially said that a bomb hidden in a box of vegetables exploded in the crowded marketplace on November 23 in the town of Klaya near the border with Afghanistan.

The town is in a Shi'ite-dominated part of the Orakzai district, which was one of seven autonomous tribal regions in Pakistan until earlier in 2018, when it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

In a statement issued on November 24 on the IS militant website Amaq, the group claimed the blast was caused by an IS suicide bomber.

IS also claimed 57 Shi'ite Muslims were killed and 75 were wounded by the blast.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
The Islamic State (IS) extremist group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a crowded mosque inside an Afghan army base in Khost Province during Friday Prayers on November 23, killing dozens of people.

Some news agencies put the death toll at 26, citing Afghan officials who said more than 50 others were wounded by the attack.

In a statement issued on its Amaq website, the IS group on November 24 claimed that an IS suicide bomber infiltrated the military base and got inside the mosque to detonate his explosives, killing around 50 Afghan soldiers who were praying and wounding 110 others.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack as "anti-Islamic and inhumane."

In a statement, Ghani urged a swift investigation into the bombing and said he wanted to know how security at the army base was breached, calling for those responsible to be punished.

The attack came just days after a suicide bomber targeted a gathering of religious scholars in Kabul, killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 80 others.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
Pakistani authorities have launched a crackdown against supporters of a detained radical Islamic cleric whose party had held violent rallies against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case.

Police said on November 24 that they detained more than 300 supporters of Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) in Punjab Province in an effort to "maintain public order" following the detention of the party's leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the action was prompted by TLP's refusals to withdraw its call for protests.

"Police has been deployed in all major cities of [Punjab Province] to deal with any untoward incident. There is a complete ban on all type of political gatherings in the province," Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul-Hassan Chohan said.

Rizvi led three days of violent rallies across Pakistan earlier this month after the Supreme Court on October 31 acquitted Asia Bibi, who had spent eight years on death row on a blasphemy conviction.

The protests mostly ended after the authorities said Bibi would not leave the country until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.

Bibi has denied the charges against her, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians, and religious figures.

Rizvi was taken into custody in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, late on November 23 after calling on party supporters to rally in Islamabad.

Security forces arrested scores of Rizvi's supporters as they took to streets to protest his overnight arrest.

Chaudhry tweeted that Rizvi was "taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house" to "safeguard public life, property, and order."

The cleric will be detained for 30 days, according to a notification issued by the Punjab government, which said there was "credible" information that he would create a law and order situation.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa
Pakistani police say they are investigating whether a Baluch separatist commander suspected of orchestrating a suicide attack against the Chinese Consulate in Karachi is sheltering in India.

Pakistani security forces say they killed three suicide attackers trying to carry out the November 23 attack before they were able to enter the consulate building.

But two police and two Pakistani visa applicants were also killed in the violence, which was claimed by a Pakistan-based separatist militant group known as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

Pakistan's government has called attack a "conspiracy" against the strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing.

On November 24, Pakistani counterterrorism police officer Umar Khitab said the attackers used a foreign-made C-4 plastic explosive and suggested that India was involved.

Khitab also suggested that India was involved, saying that the BLA was backed by "the 'enemy country'," a reference to India.

Khitab said the authorities believed Baluch separatist commander Aslam Achhu masterminded the attack and that he may now be in India.

Other Pakistani officials said on November 24 that four people who allegedly helped the attackers have been arrested in Karachi and other towns in Pakistan's Sindh Province.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Ukraine has marked the 85th anniversary of the Stalin-era famine, known as the Holodomor, in which millions of people died of starvation.

The anniversary was also marked by U.S. criticism of what Washington called "ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine" by Russia and "attempts" by Moscow "to destroy the identity and Western aspirations of the people of Ukraine."

Moscow responded by rejecting critics who describe the Holodomor exclusively as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his wife, Maryna, on November 24 laid bouquets fashioned from wheat stalks and red flowers at a memorial to the victims of the Holodomor on Kyiv's Mykhailivska Square.

Poroshenko, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, also said the Holodomor was an "artificial" famine and a terrible crime committed by Soviet authorities in the early 1930s.

"In the name of Ukraine's preservation we must always remember the terrible crimes committed by the communist regime on Ukrainian lands," he said.

The Holodomor took place in 1932 and 1933 as Soviet authorities forced peasants in Ukraine to join collective farms by requisitioning their grain and other food products.

Estimates of the famine's death toll range from 3 million to 7 million.

Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holodomor each year on the fourth Saturday of November to commemorate those who died during the tragedy, which many Ukrainians consider as an act of genocide aimed at wiping out Ukrainian farmers.

The Russian government denies there was any systematic effort by Soviet-era authorities to target Ukrainians, arguing a poor harvest at the time wiped out many in other parts of the Soviet Union.

On November 24, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the famine as a "major humanitarian catastrophe" that also affected Russians, Kazakhs, and others.

"Attempts to present those tragic events exclusively as an act of 'genocide of the Ukrainian people' have nothing in common either with the restoration of justice or historical facts," the ministry said on its VKontakte page.

WATCH: One woman reveals how her great-grandfather secretly photographed the suffering in the city of Kharkiv.

Ahead of the commemorations, the U.S. State Department said on November 23 the "man-made famine" was "one of the most atrocious acts of the 20th century."

The. State Department also said the victims were "deliberately starved to death by the regime of Josef Stalin."

"The Soviet Union's barbaric seizure of Ukrainian land and crops was undertaken with the deliberate political goal of subjugating the Ukrainian people and nation," it said.

The State Department also pointed to Russia's "ongoing aggression" in eastern Ukraine, where fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Moscow-backed separatists has left more than 10,300 dead since April 2014.

"Today Ukrainians are once again dying as a result of Russia's attempts to destroy the identity and Western aspirations of the people of Ukraine," the statement added, citing Moscow's "ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine."

However, Russia "will not vanquish the resilient Ukrainian spirit, nor dampen Ukrainians' desire for a better future," the State Department added, reaffirming the United States' "unwavering support" for Ukraine's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a video posted on Twitter to mark the Holodomor anniversary, U.S. Ambassador Marie Jovanovich said, "Even during the darkest times, the Ukrainian people have continued to struggle for pace, freedom, and democracy with dignity."

"The United States stands with the people of Ukraine," she added.

Along with Ukraine, at least 15 other countries have officially recognized the Holodomor as "genocide" -- but not the United States.

On October 3, the U.S. Senate adopted a nonbinding resolution recognizing that Stalin and those around him committed genocide against the Ukrainians in 193233.

The European Union describes the Ukrainian famine an "appalling crime."

Relations between Moscow and Kyiv -- as well as its Western backers -- have deteriorated dramatically after Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and shortly thereafter began supporting separatists in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

With reporting by Interfax
The U.S. Army says one of its service members has been killed in Afghanistan, taking the number of U.S. soldiers to die in the war-torn country this year to nine.

In its November 24 statement, the military did not provide further details on the soldier's identity or the time or place of death.

Some 14,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in Afghanistan, where the United States and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in 2014.

The remaining Western forces mainly train and advise the Afghan security forces, which have been struggling to counter attacks from a resurgent Taliban and other militant groups.

International forces have suffered from "insider attacks" in recent months, in which members of Afghan security forces turn their weapons on international soldiers with whom they are working.

On November 3, a U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded in an apparent "green-on-blue" attack in the capital, Kabul. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The Taliban claimed two similar attacks in the western province of Herat and the southern province of Kandahar last month.

General Scott Miller, the top NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan, narrowly escaped the latter attack that killed the powerful police chief and intelligence head of Kandahar Province.

Since the start of 2015, 58 Americans have been killed, President Ashraf Ghani said earlier this month.

During the same period, close to 29,000 Afghan police and soldiers have died, Ghani said -- a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged by the government.

With reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and dpa
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If someone tells us that it is very hard for an ordinary people to understand what a philosopher talks about, it would not be surprising, since philosophers are supposed to be more thoughtful and profound than ordinary people. But if professional philosophers tell us that they have problems to understand what other people talk about ordinary things happening in the world or write about philosophically meaningful issues, as long as not in the language that they feel comfortable with or not about the topics that they feel familiar with, then this world needs to worry about the capacity of the professionals of philosophy.

Recently, I had a conversation with a very bright young man who graduated from a top ranked department of philosophy in the US with a GPA 3.6/4.0. The conversation roughly went like this:

He mentioned that he was interested in the philosophy of ethics and philosophy of law. Then I remarked, Philosophy of law should be more relax than philosophy of ethics since the law system is not fundamentally built on top of strict logic even though you might make it more reasonable with a more solid logic basis, but when you started to discuss the logic behind the ethics it is very easy to get into paradoxical situations just as Michael Sanders demonstrated in his famous online class.

Not necessarily. he explained, nowadays analytic philosophy is no longer the same as the analytic philosophy that started from Wittgenstein, for which people mainly analyzed concepts in language. We are building models that might be used to explain things.

But as long as you build your model on top of the basic logic of ethics such as everyone is equal, then you would still easily come to the paradoxes as Sanders talking about, I remarked.

No, he said. We build some ideal model to help us to understand the world.

Avant-garde physicists are building models which they would use to explain the real universe structure, but what you just said sounds like you guys are building a model which is not aimed at real world but just for your own satisfaction, I said.

No, he responded. We adjust our model in case we find that our model failed to explain something in real life.

When noticing that I was not impressed by what he just introduced, he provided an example to support the methodology he just described. He told me that he was involved in a project of working out a model of blame, which studies how blames work in life. He explained, When you blame someone, maybe he deserves the blame, but maybe not. Besides, blames would impact human social life in many ways.

I commented, That I will call 2nd order philosophy. I wont even call it as model. Its just 2nd order philosophical analysis. Actually, I have done a lot of that kind of analyses. For example, I discussed the so-called social mask in one article about the saying that people in a society all put on masks to hide the real them from others. My argument is that if someone does not put on a mask then he would be published by the society for most of the time, and if he has been repeatedly punished for not wearing a social mask since he was a child, then in the end he will put on different masks in different situations. Therefore, it is the society that puts the mask for him, not he himself puts on the mask.

Thats true, and interesting. But why you call it as 2nd order philosophy? he asked.

Because it involves one step further analysis about the common perceptions of notions, I explained. [Social mask] is a notion. So when we attempt to identify the social mask, we are doing the zeroth order philosophy, when we start to speculate that people proactively put on social mask for various purposes, we step into the 1st order philosophy territory, and when we start to examine the social force behind the action of putting on social mask, then we are in the business of 2nd order philosophy. In the case of your so-called blame model, [blame] itself is a notion. When you discuss what is [blame], you are dealing with the zeroth order analysis of that notion, when you start to look into the fact sometime your object deserves the blame but sometimes not, you are dealing with the 1st order philosophy, but when you start to look at the impact of [blame] upon the society in general, you are doing the 2nd order philosophy.

Thats true, he responded, but right away he changed his stand and said, I disagree with you. Because what you said is against psychology.

This identification of 2nd order philosophy has nothing to do with psychology yet, I corrected him, and then brought up my favorite topic of fairness analysis. When people argue about what is fair and what is not, they are making zeroth order fairness analysis. But what John Locke in his 2nd

2nd Treaty of Government, he uttered the name of the book before I even completed my sentence.

Yes, the 2nd Treaty of Government, I smiled and then continued. He started from the book of Genesis, and then developed his theory based on the fairness principle.

No, he disagreed. He was not based on fairness, what he did was  He gave me a summary of Lockes 2nd Treaty of Government.

He did not explicitly use the term [fair] or [fairness] frequently in that bookmaybe just four or five timesbut his argument is clearly constructed on top of the fairness principle in the sense that all his conclusions were clearly made under the explicit assumption of fairness.

You can say that, he agreed reluctantly.

Now, the 2nd order fairness analysis looks into the impact of fairness, I was about to further explain to him what the 2nd order fairness analysis is.

I disagree, he protested impatiently, and gave me an example of some argument made by someone in some book about what is fair or what is not.

What you just said goes back to the zeroth order fairness analysis, I responded.

So you are talking about the issues of Sociology, he said.

No, I responded. 2nd order fairness analysis could be a very powerful tool for Sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, philosophy of ethics, philosophy of law, and so on.

This kind of pragmatic view has been very extensively discussed, he remarked.

2nd order fairness analysis is not pragmatism even though it is a powerful tool for solving practical problems, I responded.

Do you know what pragmatism is? he asked in a proud tone.

Sure I know, I smiled at him because I started to enjoying the first hand observation of the familiar tone of confidence from the professional community of philosophy. I continued to explain, 2nd order fairness analysis is not focusing on the practical utility of fairness but looks into the dynamics of fairness.

What do you mean by dynamics?

The dynamics of fairness could be better perceived when we realize that fairness could do both good and bad, I responded and then I provided an example analysis from my book A brief discussion on fairness analysis.

What you said is the same as someone said, He mentioned a name and then said, you might want to read his book.

I am fed up with reading all kinds of irrelevant or meaningless books. But since you think what I just told you have already been discussed by him, then could you tell me what he has discussed?

Sure, he described what that guy discussed in his theory which was so irrelevant to the topic of 2nd order fairness analysis at all that it did not even stay in my memory for long. After I pointed out to him that what he described had nothing to do with 2nd order fairness analysis, he brought up another name, Putnam, but was not able to explain which part of the theory of Putnam was about what I described with 2nd order fairness analysis.

I guessed it might be too hard for him to capture the meaning of 2nd order fairness analysis, or the meaning of 2nd order philosophy in general, so I changed the topic to the reason for the decline of the mainstream philosophy.

All those claims about that philosophy is dead are wrong, he said with confidence.

I agree, I said. But why so far no anyone from your professional discipline of philosophy could come out to defend the survival rights of philosophy forcefully?

Yeah, I agree. No one so far has come out to defend it. But it is because we just ignore those claims, he replied.

I would say there is some deeply rooted cause for the decline of professional philosophy, I remarked.

What is it?

The decline of philosophy has been caused by the fact that philosophy is the love of wisdom, I replied.

He added some irrelevant comments, and I continued, The very reason that philosophy could be the foundation of all particular sciences is because it is the love of wisdom as the ancient Greeks correctly told us. I once saw in a book of dialectic materialism the claim that philosophy is the love of the truth instead of the love of wisdom. But that is wrong.

He agreed with me this time.

But that very nature of philosophy as the love of wisdom is causing the professional philosophy to decline because we dont have a hard criterion to judge the value of wisdom, I replied.

Thats not true, he protested. We do have hard criteria to judge wisdom.

No, I said. We could judge whats right or wrong in certain circumstances, but we dont have a general rule to judge who is wiser between two persons.

.

The conversation was interrupted when both of us were called off to join others for something else.

The reason I am reconstructing the conversation here is because the responses from that bright young man reflect a very typical problem of the professional community of philosophy. Obviously, he has a very good mastery of knowledge about various fields that concern professional philosophers, such as psychology, sociology, and so on, and also very familiar with the existing contemporary philosophical theories and the names behind the theories. However, throughout the whole conversation, he was not able to discuss responsively in terms of the logic behind the issues, and all his argument was this or that field of studies, or this or that persons theories. Whenever I pushed further requesting him to explain the relevance of the theories he mentioned to the issue I was talking about, he failed to explain; in fact, he even did not seem to apprehend the issues very well or at least was not able to comprehend the logic behind the issues very well. Thats understandable because what I just mentioned to him during the conversation is still very new to this world so that it might be hard to capture the logic even for a senior professor. But what really looked problematic to me was that he was so content with responding to all the challenges he faced by referring to different names of figures in the discipline of philosophy or ascribing the issues to different fields of studies. Thats very typically reflecting the current situation of that profession community of philosophy: the love of wisdom has been replaced by contentedness of providing answers to real issues with a grid of existing names, fields, isms, and all kinds of seemingly helpful knowledge that would bring the aura of being knowledgeable to the supposedly problem solvers.

For quite a long time, the field of professional philosophy has been operated like a closed-door club, with its members only understanding those who speak the same language, including the complicated idiosyncratic system of references and even writing styles that only appear in the so-called professional philosophical journals, as others in the club, and only being interested in very limited so-called hot philosophical issues which are normally far away from the real philosophical challenges this world is facing. On top of that, its very hard for anyone to enter that club without being recognized by others for his/her background such as which school or which professors students, which institutions employee, which societys member, and so on. That form of game provides an effective protection, not for philosophy or the development of philosophy, but for the personal interests of the people in that club.

As a matter of fact, academically, philosophy could be the hardest subject among all subjects in human civilization, but still, it could also be not only the easiest to get in but also the easiest to become famous and powerful within the discipline.

The logical openness of the subject of philosophy makes it very hard to get a proper angle to look at issues that belong to its subject matter (i.e. all the existences) with wisdom and abstract out the well ordered meanings. For those very rare exceptions in mathematics or physics or other subjects, when the pioneers were exploring the new fields of interest, they often need more philosophical wisdom than empirical knowledge since empirically they can always start from small and then get into big, but intelligently they need to set up some new rules to slice a piece out from the open world.

But on the other hand, the academic philosophy is also a field that is not just apparently but indeed practically the easiest to get into, and become famous and powerful (if some other conditions allow so) without the need to be the real wise thinkers according to the idea of love of wisdom for a very profound reason that philosophy lacks a hard criterion, as we can find in all other subjects in human civilization, about whats good and whats bad in its theories.

Ideally, the subject of philosophy should be the manifestation of love of wisdom as ancient Greeks said correctly, and thus the ultimate human criterion to judge the quality of any philosophical theory is its worth for wisdom. However, the appreciation of wisdom is fundamentally dependent on the intelligent resonance between the thinkers. Two people with very different capacities of appreciation might make utterly different judgments about the quality of a philosophical theory.

Of course, there is a tool, which is harder than the appreciation of wisdom, for identifying a bad theory. That is logic, and for this reason, logic is at the core of philosophy. However, logic could only help to identify mistakes in a theory, in addition to help the readers to delve into the exposition of the theory, but cannot, by itself alone, help the appreciation of wisdom.

Although it does not mean that there is no any hard criterion for the judgment of any part of a philosophical theory, since a philosophical theory could involve a lot of scientific and artistic contents, but it is a fundamental nature of philosophy that we dont ultimately have a hard criterion for judging the wisdom in philosophical theories. This ultimate missing of a hard criterion in the foundation of the subject would increase the weights of those non-truth factors in the operation of the discipline of professional philosophy (which still possesses huge amount of resources across the world). Here, by truth, I am also referring to the true values to the development of philosophy and true values to the benefit of human society.

One of the direct consequences of the abovementioned idiosyncratic nature of philosophy is the reduced quality of philosophical education in school. Kant once pointed out that philosophers could not be produced from classrooms, but could only be nurtured through practices of philosophizing. However, the capacity of philosophizing is more difficult to judge, because of its dependence on wisdom of the thinker himself and the wisdom of the teacher, than the answers to standardized questions, especially questions about the existing philosophical theories or stories of past philosophers; therefore, Kants dream of producing philosophers through practices of philosophizing would continue to be a dream for a long time.

Similarly, for the past a couple of centuries, we do have seen a large amount of philosophical writers who could write beautiful articles in terms of their applications of language skills, but we dont have many great philosophical works and, accordingly, the main stream philosophy has been in a deep crisis.

Because of the abovementioned hermetic nature of the society of professional philosophy, in the past few centuries, all professional philosophers have been produced from the department of philosophy across the world. Therefore, the current difficult situation of the discipline of professional philosophy would imply a pessimistic report of the education on both philosophical writing and philosophical reading, for otherwise, we should at least not have the chance to witness that mainstream professional reviews and commentaries could often be seriously wrong about the original works, even if we might be moderately conservative in our expectation of seeing a radical breakthrough in the philosophical perceptions about the world.

The negative effect of the previously mentioned idiosyncratic nature of the subject of philosophy has been greatly boosted by the sad fact that the professional philosophers have been very confused about the question what is philosophy? All the definitions of philosophy given by the society of professional philosophy have shared one commonality: partially reducing the territory of philosophy to a very narrow sub domain of philosophy.

When Kant said Ancient Greek philosophy was divided into three sciences: physics, ethics, and logic. This division is perfectly suitable to the nature of the thing; and the only improvement that can be made in it is to add the principle on which it is based, so that we may both satisfy ourselves of its completeness, and also be able to determine correctly the necessary subdivisions, he narrowed the scope of philosophy not only because his limited knowledge in sciences at that time, but also because he ignored that the task of philosophizing should not be just limited to the education as he pointed out, but should expand to the perceptions of all existences.

When Hegel made philosophy equal to his new logical system that was comprised of metaphysics and logic together with their common dialectics, he was quite close to the whole picture of philosophy since his system includes the Idea and Notion, which could account for everything as he pointed out. However, his philosophy was greatly narrowed into the so-called dialectic logic because of his own outpaced vocabulary, as well as the misunderstandings of his vision by the world because of his failure of expressing his vision in a better way.

When the existentialists extended Kierkegaards theory about existence in his theological framework into the general social world, obviously they narrowed the scope of philosophy way too much off what it really is.

When Whitehead claimed that philosophy was to provide a self-content logical framework for empirical knowledge, he was only partially right. When Russell said philosophy was something between theology and science, he was also missing a great deal about philosophy. And when Wittgenstein claimed that philosophy was about the interpretation of the language used in the knowledge created in all fields, as his teacher Russell noticed, he also greatly narrowed the scope of philosophy, although that emphasis on language interpretation helped our civilization to make a great progress at that time.

When dialectic materialists claimed that philosophy was the methodology and world-view, they also severely underestimated the power of philosophy in human civilization, since their definition not only missed logic and metaphysics, but also missed life-view, aesthetic view, and so on. They actually also proposed another definition which was closely related to the above definition but much trickier and more confusing, which was philosophy is the love of truth instead of love of wisdom. The tricky part is that there are actually no globally accepted criteria about what are the truths, and they wanted others to believe Marxism or communism to be the truth as they did. Even though, as I discussed above, lacking a hard criterion for true values is a profound cause for many problems in the professional discipline of philosophy, the love of wisdom instead of the love of a nominal truth would be the best academic foundation for all particular sciences, which is philosophy.

The reason why the confusion about what is philosophy was serious is because all abovementioned narrow definitions of philosophy have caused philosophy to go astray in different ways and caused confusion or even turmoil in the mainstream society accordingly.

Nonetheless, the current long lasting global crisis of professional philosophy has been considered to be best symbolized by the announcements of the end of philosophy by Martin Heidegger and Stephen Hawking, which have been the most dramatic things happened in this crisis. According to both Heidegger and Hawking, the main reason for philosophy to come to its end was the rise of science, which is no doubt one of the reasons for the decline of the professional philosophy, but a very minor reason.

In fact, instead of the academic field of philosophy itself, it is the survival of many philosophers that is directly threatened by the slicing away of the research territory from the traditional philosophy by science. It even should not be a threat to the academic field of philosophy at all if the ecological status of the field is healthy, since there are unlimited issues waiting for professional philosophers to handle. But obviously, the rise of science does take tolls on the academic field of philosophy, which actually reflects the existence of some internal hazards for professional philosophy as discussed above.

When the people around the world are facing the mayhem caused by the political and economic crises one after another, the threats of social crimes (no matter organized and random), the threat of global destructive military conflictions, the threat of the deterioration of our environment, the crisis of world-wide moral decline, the careless abuse of scientific achievements for personal benefits, and so on, all we have seen are sporadic remedies of crises by governments or some social groups through political, legal, military, financial measures case by case, as well as endless arguments between groups of people of different opinions or backgrounds of conflicting interests. But we have never seen any efforts or attempts from the society of the professional philosophy to propose an overall analysis of what is going on with our civilization, or analyses about the general logical reasons behind all kinds of political and economic crises, by logically strict serious philosophizing. In the meantime, professional philosophers continue to enjoying their closed-door hermetic games among themselves
Another national consult for upcoming projects under Lopez Obrador

Mexico City, Mexico  A total of 10 priority programs under the upcoming government will be put to public consult over the next two days.

The projects, which will be headed by president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, will be put to consultation on November 24 and 25 in the countrys second public consult prior to his taking office. This consult will be a binary consultation with logistics very similar to the one made in October regarding the future of the Mexico International Airport (NAIM).

More than 1,100 voting booths will be placed in 538 municipalities around the country where citizens holding INE cards can participate. The Arturo Rosenblueth Foundation will be responsible for counting the votes.

The 10 projects up for endorsement or rejection in the consultation include the Maya Train, the development of Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the building of a refinery in Tabasco and the modernization of the countrys six refineries.

Other projects on the consult list include whether or not to plant one million hectares with fruit and timber trees, double the pension for seniors, grant scholarships and job training to 2.6 million young people, scholarships to all students of public high schools, offer pensions for one million people with disabilities, guarantee medical attention and medicines to people who do not have health services and provide free Internet coverage throughout the country.

In a statement, Lopez Obrador said that his government is about to begin the Fourth Transformation of public life of the country and to expect a major change as there will be savings and support for the most needy.

The Fourth Transformation will begin by cleaning the government of corruption and luxuries to have resources that meet the needs of people, says Lopez Obrador.
Federal officers incinerate drugs, criminal objects including cell phones

Cancun, Q.R.  A fire to destroy drugs and confiscated criminal weapons was set in Cancun Friday by state officials.

In a public report, the Attorney General of the Republic through the Delegation in Quintana Roo, carried out the incineration and destruction of narcotics and objects of crime collected during the month of October at the Military Garrison of Cancun.

The attorney general says that officials destroyed trimetoxifenetilamina, clonazepam, methylenedioxyamphetamine hydrochloride, cannabis and poppy seeds along with 27 kilos of cocaine, 59 kilos of marijuana and 45 kilos of methamphetamine.

In the incineration, federal officers also destroyed 12 objects of crime including cell phones. The incineration of criminal material is a regulated event witnessed by agents of the Public Ministry of the Federation.

On hand for verification are also members of the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) and personnel of the Internal Control Body of the PGR.

The office of the attorney general says that the narcotics and objects were seized in the municipalities of Benito Juarez, Solidaridad, Othon P. Blanco and Cozumel and were related to various preliminary inquiries, criminal cases and investigation files.
US Coast Guard rescues two from Cozumel found drifting at sea

Key West, Florida  Two Mexican men were rescued by US Coast Guard officials after they were reported seen floating in a small vessel off the coast of Florida.

The two men, both from the island of Cozumel, were heading to the area to buy a boat. However, after setting sail from Isla Cozumel, the pair encountered trouble with their vessel, which ended up sinking.

Both men were forced into an emergency boat that they reportedly floated in for three days before being found. The pair were spotted by a crew from the boat, Irish Cowboy, who reported their situation to local Coast Guard authorities.

American officials set out to sea, rescuing the pair approximately 15 miles south of Key West. Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne crew members transported the two men to safety.

The two were identified as 55-year-old Luis Erosa and his nephew Nestor Erosa, 29. According to the US Coast Guard, the pair explained that they experienced problems that led to the sinking of their boat about 115 miles southwest of Key West that left them stranded at sea for three days before being rescued.

There were no reported injuries.
A huge crowd called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign. Thousands of police were deployed already nationwide to contain the demonstrations. More than 95 police have been hurt in a variety of disturbance. There have been people wounded, even serious. Some were arrested for throwing projectiles, Paris Police said. Demonstrators, are called the yellow jackets. Neon security vests have become a sort of uniform for the movement against higher fuel costs. But the movement has no clear leader and has attracted a motley group of people with varying demands.

Demonstrators faced metal barriers. Police to stopped them from getting to buildings such as the prime ministers official residence. Macron has insisted that the fuel tax rises are a necessary pain to reduce Frances dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments. Demonstrators accuse him of indifference to the struggles of ordinary French.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Chhatarpur (MP), Nov 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress Saturday, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother.

Addressing a rally here, Modi, in an apparent dig at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said 125 crore people of the country were the "high-command" of his government, which was "not remote-controlled by a madam". Hitting out at the Congress on Babbar's remarks, he said, "When one doesn't have issues to talk about, he resorts to abusing somebody else's mother."

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Sonia Gandhi

The Congress leader had kicked up a row in Indore Thursday when he compared the falling value of rupee against US dollar with the age of the prime minister's mother. Attacking Gandhi, Modi alleged that "coffers of banks were emptied for the rich during the madam's government". "However, our government opened doors of banks for the needy youth," Modi said. The prime minister asked why the Congress was worried about Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being called "mama".

"They are worried Shivraj is called mama...Why, don't you remember (Ottavio) Quattrocchi mama and Warren Anderson (then chairman of the Union Carbide) mama," he said, referring to the Bofors scandal and the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy. He said the Congress was voted out of power in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago because it indulged in the politics of divisiveness.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh

SPOKESMAN NEWS SERVICE: CHANDIGARH, NOVEMBER 24: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday expressed profound grief over the tragic demise of Punjabi Jagran Correspondent from Kapurthala district Davinder Singh Soni (44), who was killed in a road mishap on Friday late evening on the way back to home after covering State Level Function in commemoration of 549th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Sultanpur Lodhi. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

In a condolence message, the Chief Minister said that the untimely demise of Davinder Singh is a big loss to the journalistic fraternity. The Chief Minister directed Secretary of Public Relations to ensure that the deceaseds family gets the payment of Rs five lakhs insurance, a cover provided to all journalists by the state government, at the earliest.

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Meanwhile, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral also mourned the demise of Davinder Singh describing his death a huge loss to family, relatives, friends and society. Sharing heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family, Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family member to bear this irreparable loss.
DGP Suresh Arora at a media conference

Spokesman News Service: Chandigarh, November 24: Punjab Police has arrested the second and main perpetrator of the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan grenade attack, to crack the case completely less than a week after terror was unleashed on innocent victims at Amritsars Adliwal village. The blast had claimed three lives and left 16 injured. Avtar would be produced in the court and the police would seek his remand, DGP Suresh Arora disclosed at a media conference on Saturday, adding that there was strong evidence against the suspects caught in the case.

Avtars links have also been traced to Harmeet Singh Happy @ Ph.D, the self- styled chief of ISI-backed KLF, based in Pakistan. Happy @ Ph.D has emerged as the most active leader of Punjab based outfits working under the watch and directions of the Pak ISI, which is determined to spread terrorism in the border State of Punjab by radicalising poor and gullible youth of the State and motivating them to carry out terrorist actions, according to DGP Suresh Arora.

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The DGP appealed to the youth of the State not to fall prey to the manipulations of Pakistani establishment and the terrorist outfits working under its command, which was determined to destroy their lives and careers. He exhorted the media to play a positive role on this count, and added that the police were counselling youth to ensure that they do not get misled by radical forces, especially on the social media.

Responding to a question, the DGP said there had been only two cases of terrorist attack in Punjab this year, including the Maqsudan police station attack and the Adliwal grenade attack. These were both sensitive cases, said the DGP, assuring the people of Punjab that nobody would be allowed to harm them. He expressed concern over the movement of terrorists from J&K to Punjab but asserted that the police were keep close tabs on all such movements.

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Giving details of the operation, Arora, who was accompanied at the Press Conference by DGP (Intelligence), Dinkar Gupta, and DGP (Law & Order), H S Dhillon, said that the leads provided by Bikramjit Singh @ Bikram led the police to arrest 32-year-old Avtar Singh from Khiala village in PS Lopoke, from the tube well motor shed of his uncle, Trilok Singh, early this morning. Avtar, s/o Gurdial Singh, r/o Chak Mishri Khan, is a graduate and has been donning Nihang Bana since 2012. He was a practicing quack in his village and had no criminal history, said the DGP.

Both the pistols which the perpetrators were carrying on the day of attack have been recovered on the disclosures of Avtar Khalsa. The weapons recovered include two Pistols (.32 bore), one of them US made, four magazines and 25 live rounds, said the DGP, adding that the recovery followed the arrest of one Shabnamdeep from Patiala.

Initial investigations have revealed that Avtar was contacted on WhatsApp, a few months ago, by one Javed, who claimed to be a Pakistani national (PIO) from Dubai. The so-called Pakistani national, who spoke in Punjabi, first contacted him, on the basis of a reference, in the garb of seeking consultation for his back problem. Thereafter, he started to discuss Sikh issues with him and motivating him to target the enemies of the Sikh quom.

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A few months ago, he put Avtar in touch with one Happy who claimed to be based in Pakistan. According to Avtar, Happy would try to motivate him to carry out terrorist acts in Punjab, on the lines of targeted killings of RSS and Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) workers in Punjab in 2016-17.

According to preliminary investigations, Avtar Singh disclosed that his maternal cousin, Paramjit Singh r/o Wadala, PS Beas is based in Italy. And that Paramjits elder brother, Sarabjit Singh, a constable in Punjab Police, had joined terrorist ranks, KLF (Budhisingwala). Sarabjit Singh had died in an encounter with the Police near Rayya (Beas) in 1992.

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Avtar Singh has disclosed that about two months ago, Avtar contacted Paramjit to arrange weapons to settle his enmity with some people of his village, which Paramjit assured to arrange soon. At this point, Paramjit Baba put him in touch with Happy, based in Pakistan, who Avtar had identified as the same person introduced to him by the Dubai based Pak National, Javed. Happy promised Avtar to arrange weapons for him.

Towards the end of October or beginning of November, Avtar got a WhatsApp message from a foreign number with details of a location where weapons had been buried. On 3rd November 2018, at around 11 pm, Avtar contacted his close friend, Bikramjit Singh r/o Dhariwal, and asked him to be ready at the next morning.

According to Avtar Singh, he and Bikramjit went to the given location near Majitha on 4th November 2018, and successfully retrieved a polythene bag containing two .32 bore pistols, four magazines, twenty-five cartridges and one hand grenade. After retrieval, Avtar concealed the arms/explosive in his medical store. On 13th November 2018, Avtar and Bikram carried out a recee of the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan at Rajasansi and both decided to target the Bhawan on an opportune day.

On 16th November 2018, Avtar and Bikram met at village Dhariwal, planned the attack in detail, and decided to carry out the attack on 18th November. Avtar has corroborated the sequence of events of the 18th attack, as disclosed by Bikramjit. After the grenade attack, Avtar received a WhatsApp message from a Pakistan number enquiring about his well-being and asking him to call back immediately. Avtar claimed that he had deleted the message as well as the number after the Sunday attack.

During initial investigations, the accused has also disclosed that he initially got radicalised in the wake of the 2007 incident when the DSS chief appeared in public in the attire of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Thereafter, he began to participate regularly in protests against the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) in his local area. He was an active member of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee and regularly participated in the protests organized by the Satkar Committee.

Avtar Singh has further disclosed that he was staunchly opposed to Derawad and all the self-styled Gurus, such as DSS, DJJS, Piara Singh Bhaniarewala and controversial Sikh preachers, including Sarabjit Singh Dhunda, Inderjit Singh Ghagga etc, and was also against the Hindu Right Wing and its leaders/workers.
Corals and the microbes they host evolved together, new research by Oregon State University shows.

The findings, published today in Nature Communications, add fresh insight to the fight to save the Earth's embattled coral reefs, the planet's largest and most significant structures of biological origin.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the study involved hundreds of samples of scleractinian corals -- also known as stony corals -- which since their first appearance 425 million years ago have branched into more than 1,500 species.

Many of those are major builders of coral reefs, which are found in less than 1 percent of the ocean but are home to nearly one-quarter of all known marine species. Reefs also help regulate the sea's carbon dioxide levels and are a crucial hunting ground that scientists use in the search for new medicines.

"Many corals have gone extinct during industrialization and many others are threatened with extinction," said study co-author and OSU microbiologist Rebecca Vega Thurber, who is featured in the 2018 Oregon State University-produced documentary "Saving Atlantis." "If we see patterns of evolution between microbiomes and corals, that gives us an idea of which microbes to target -- to learn what they do, how they help corals resist climate change, and how they help to buffer against nutrient pollution. We can look in more depth at the microbes and understand how they help or hurt their hosts."

Modern corals are home to a complex composition of dinoflagellates, fungi, bacteria and archaea that together make up the coral microbiome. Shifts in microbiome composition are connected to changes in coral health.

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"Likely the ancestral corals also harbored complex microbial communities but there's a lot we don't know about how these coral-microbe symbioses evolved or the key factors influencing microbial communities in modern corals," Vega Thurber said. "Certain species of corals have distinct microbiomes, to the point where that occurred at some point in their evolutionary history. Not 400 million years ago, but there are specific groups of microbes that do show very strong evidence of evolving with their hosts more recently."

Vega Thurber and Ryan McMinds, a Ph.D. student in her lab and co-first author of the paper, were part of an international collaboration that also included Penn State University's Monica Medina and former Oregon State post-doctoral scholar Jesse Zaneveld, now an assistant professor at the University of Washington-Bothell.

The massive, computationally challenging research project involved taking 600 coral samples from 21 reefs off the coasts of Australia, spanning 17 degrees of latitude.

"On a lot of different scales, the more similar the coral hosts, the more similar the microbial communities are -- both the whole community and particular microbes," McMinds said. "We collected samples from as many kinds of corals as was possible. For every sample set, we looked at the corals' tissue, skeleton and mucus to see what microbes were there."

To do that, the researchers sequenced the 16S rRNA gene. The gene is present in every living organism, McMinds explains, but is slightly different. He likened it to a "molecular bar code" of each organism it belongs to.

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From there, the scientists could look for patterns between different corals' microbial communities and determine whether co-evolution of the corals and their microbiomes had taken place.

"We found strong support for coral-microbe 'phylosymbiosis,' in which coral microbiome composition and richness is reflected in coral host's evolutionary history," Vega Thurber said. "When speciation for modern reef-building coral families began between roughly 25 million and 65 years ago, that was accompanied by large changes in microbiome richness. And changes continued to accumulate during more recent speciation events."

Coral diversity is too great for assessing the various factors that maintain the microbiome of every single coral species, but these findings provide general rules for microbiome assembly "that inform estimates of the effects of microorganisms in understudied portions of the coral tree."

"Now we have a framework for analyzing scleractinian coral microbes that can reveal how the corals' evolutionary history, host traits and local environment interact to shape microbiomes," Vega Thurber said. "In the coral world, there's been a longstanding hypothesis that microbes and coral co-evolved, but there hadn't been a sufficient data set to test that before now."

It was something of a surprise to researchers to find that the microbial communities of the corals' calcium carbonate skeletons showed greater microbiome richness compared to the tissue and mucus microbiomes. Also, the skeletal microbiomes displayed the strongest signal of long-term phylosymbiosis -- a pattern in which the diversification of a related group of host organisms correlates with changes in dissimilarities among their microbiomes.

"We originally thought corals would show signs of phylosymbiosis throughout their entire phylogenetic history, and the results support that for the skeleton and tissue but not the mucus," McMinds said. "Despite variability in the chemical composition of mucus between species and significant host-specificity in the mucus microbiome, host specificity was limited to relatively recent divergences."

He also noted the research found potential significance in "a few groups of microbes no one had thought were important to look at."

"There are thousands of different species of microbes and not that many that researchers have thought were interesting, and we identified a couple of other microbial targets that might be influencing coral health," McMinds said. "We don't know for sure if they are important, but evidence suggests they're changing along with their hosts, so it's probably something important they're doing. They're not a standard symbiont but it seems they're something worth looking at more closely."
New research disputes a long-held view that our earliest tool-bearing ancestors contributed to the demise of large mammals in Africa over the last several million years. Instead, the researchers argue that long-term environmental change drove the extinctions, mainly in the form of grassland expansion likely caused by falling atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels.

Tyler Faith, curator of archaeology at the Natural History Museum of Utah and assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Utah, led the study. The research team also includes John Rowan from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Andrew Du from the University of Chicago, and Paul Koch from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The study is published today in the journal Science.

"Despite decades of literature asserting that early hominins impacted ancient African faunas, there have been few attempts to actually test this scenario or to explore alternatives," Faith says. "We think our study is a major step towards understanding the depth of anthropogenic impacts on large mammal communities, and provides a convincing counter-argument to these long-held views about our early ancestors."

To test for ancient hominin impacts, the researchers compiled a seven-million-year record of herbivore extinctions in eastern Africa, focusing on the very largest species, the so-called 'megaherbivores' (species over 2,000 lbs.) Though only five megaherbivores exist in Africa today, there was a much greater diversity in the past. For example, three-million-year-old 'Lucy' (Australopithecus afarensis) shared her woodland landscape with three giraffes, two rhinos, a hippo, and four elephant-like species at Hadar, Ethiopia.

When and why these species disappeared has long been a mystery for archaeologists and paleontologists, despite the evolution of tool-using and meat-eating hominins getting most of the blame.

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"Our analyses show that there is a steady, long-term decline of megaherbivore diversity beginning around 4.6 million years ago. This extinction process kicks in over a million years before the very earliest evidence for human ancestors making tools or butchering animal carcasses and well before the appearance of any hominin species realistically capable of hunting them, like Homo erectus," says Faith.

Taking a Closer Look

Faith and his team quantified long-term changes in eastern African megaherbivores using a dataset of more than 100 fossil assemblages spanning the last seven million years. The team also examined independent records of climatic and environmental trends and their effects, specifically global atmospheric CO 2 , stable carbon isotope records of vegetation structure, and stable carbon isotopes of eastern African fossil herbivore teeth, among others.

Their analysis reveals that over the last seven million years substantial megaherbivore extinctions occurred: 28 lineages became extinct, leading to the present-day communities lacking in large animals. These results highlight the great diversity of ancient megaherbivore communities, with many having far more megaherbivore species than exist today across Africa as a whole.

Further analysis showed that the onset of the megaherbivore decline began roughly 4.6 million years ago, and that the rate of diversity decline did not change following the appearance of Homo erectus, a human ancestor often blamed for the extinctions. Rather, Faith's team argues that climate is more likely culprit.

"The key factor in the Plio-Pleistocene megaherbivore decline seems to be the expansion of grasslands, which is likely related to a global drop in atmospheric CO 2 over the last five million years," says John Rowan, a postdoctoral scientist from University of Massachusetts Amherst. "Low CO 2 levels favor tropical grasses over trees, and as a consequence savannas became less woody and more open through time. We know that many of the extinct megaherbivores fed on woody vegetation, so they seem to disappear alongside their food source."

The loss of massive herbivores may also account for other extinctions that have also been attributed to ancient hominins. Some scientist suggest that competition with increasingly carnivorous species of Homo led to the demise of numerous carnivores over the last few million years. Faith and his team suggest an alternative.

"We know there are also major extinctions among African carnivores at this time and that some of them, like saber-tooth cats, may have specialized on very large prey, perhaps juvenile elephants" says Paul Koch. "It could be that some of these carnivores disappeared with their megaherbivore prey."

"Looking at all of the potential drivers of the megaherbivore decline, our analyses suggest that changing climate and environment played the key role in Africa's past extinctions," said Faith. "It follows that in the search for ancient hominin impacts on ancient African ecosystems, we must focus our attention on the one species known to be capable of causing them -- us, Homo sapiens, over the last 300,000 years."
An international study lead by University of Manchester scientists has discovered the identity of genes that predispose people to chronic kidney disease.

The discovery is a major advance in understanding of the significantly under-diagnosed disorder which, if left undetected, can lead to failing kidneys that need dialysis or kidney transplantation.

The discovery of 35 kidney genes is an important step forward to the future development of new diagnostic tests and treatments for the disease that affects around one in ten adults.

The team, based in Poland, Australia and the UK publish the Kidney Research UK funded study in Nature Communications today.

Lead researcher Professor Maciej Tomaszewski from The University of Manchester said: "Chronic kidney disease is known for its strong genetic component.

"Our limited knowledge of its exact genetic mechanisms partly explains why progress in the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments of chronic kidney disease has been so slow.

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"The findings were made possible by using a state-of-the art technology known as "next-generation RNA sequencing" applied to one of the largest ever collections of human kidneys.

"We hope that some of the kidney genes we discovered may become attractive targets for the development of future diagnostics and treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease."

Co-author Professor Adrian Woolf from Manchester Children's Hospital and The Universality of Manchester said: "One of the genes -- mucin-1- is especially interesting.

"It makes a sticky protein called mucin that coats urinary tubes inside the kidney. Mutations of this gene have already been found in rare families with inherited kidney failure"

Professor Fadi Charchar from Federation University Australia said: "We hope that early prediction by genetic testing even before the development of symptoms will in the future be the first line of defence against one of the world's top killers."

"Early detection followed by treatment using kidney-protective medication or avoidance of drugs which can damage the kidneys is the key to healthier kidneys later in life."

Director of research operations at Kidney Research UK, Elaine Davies said: "Nearly 2 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with moderate-severe CKD by their GP but it is estimated that a further one million people remain undiagnosed. We refer to CKD as a silent killer because it is common for it to have little or no symptoms until the consequences of the disease have taken hold.

"The findings of this research are hugely important as they bring us a step closer to being able to understand, diagnose earlier and prevent kidney disease."
What could be the last pleasure boat to depart downtown Petaluma left very carefully the other afternoon.

Exactly 5 feet of water was beneath the hull of the Sea Witch as it inched away from the dock for a 20-minute voyage nearly as treacherous as the rounding of Cape Horn.

Theres a big bump of mud over there, said captain Bob Boynton, his hand firmly on the tiller. And another big bump of mud over there.

There are big humps of mud everywhere on the Petaluma River, the 18-mile-long body of water that connects downtown Petaluma to San Pablo Bay. The narrow waterway is supposed to be dredged every four years. It hasnt been dredged since 2003. Avast, says the Army Corps of Engineers, theres no money right now to do such work.

So year after year, as the river grows ever shallower, fewer and fewer boats venture to the once-thriving waterfront of downtown Petaluma. The barge that once brought bay oyster shells for the world famous chickens of Petaluma to nibble on stopped running two years ago. Other barges run with half loads and crossed fingers.

For this Veterans Day celebration, which once drew scores of vessels, only five recreational sailors were bold enough, or misguided enough, to weave their way upriver, through the mudbanks, with one eye on the tide tables and the other on the depth gauge.

Now Playing: The Petaluma River, which hasnt been dredged in 15 years, is barely navigable. Steve Rubenstein reporting for the San Francisco Chronicle. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

Boynton of Richmond was one of those who braved it. He made it to the downtown dock where the inevitable happened. At night, at low tide, his boat got stuck in the mud. He had to wait for the rising tide to lift the 30-foot Sea Witch free.

The downtown docks are now empty and forlorn. There is still a Petaluma Yacht Club, in theory, but the clubhouse is almost always deserted, its jukebox dusty and unplugged. The commodores of the Petaluma club no longer keep their boats in Petaluma, because commodores have a thing about not getting into shipwrecks.

I moved mine to Isleton in the delta, said staff commodore McKenzie Smith. Had to.

It could be a bleak Christmas.

For the first time ever, Smith was forced to cancel the annual lighted boat parade, which traditionally draws thousands of tourists to the waterfront. The only boats expressing interest in parading this year were rowboats and kayaks. At the last lighted boat parade, one fancy power boat got tangled up with the river bottom and sustained $20,000 worth of damage. The boats captain said he wasnt coming back.

Santa Claus, who usually rides into Petaluma on one of the lighted boats, will be taking this Christmas off. A different Santa Claus will show up on a tugboat blasting its way through the mud. Thats the only boat ride the Santa Clauses of Petaluma can bank on.

Sue Cho, who runs Dempseys Restaurant & Brewery overlooking the dock, isnt too happy about losing the string of lighted boats.

Ramin Rahimian / Special to The Chronicle

Its our biggest day of the year, she said. We usually have a line out the door. This is going to cost us thousands.

Elias Ghattas owns the nearby River Front Cafe. Now its a cafe, he said, without a riverfront.

Theres no boats, Ghattas said. Nothing. Everyone is disappointed. When people come to a river, they expect to see boats.

Marie Indiana remembered, as a kid, watching the D Street drawbridge go up and down. But a drawbridge only goes up and down to let boats pass.

Ive been here 22 years, Indiana said, sitting by the riverbank with her black puppy. There are less boats every year. You used to see the drawbridge go up all the time. Not any more.

Whats left of the river meanders beneath the John Balshaw River Walk Bridge. That bridge has a brass plaque on it, from its dedication in 1989, recognizing the significance of the turning basin to the ... future of Petaluma.

That was in 1989. Nobody is putting up brass plaques about the significance of the Petaluma waterfront anymore. A huge island of mud sits in the middle of the river, like a giant beached whale. At high tide, the whale disappears. At low tide, the whale returns, ready to gobble up boats like the whale in Pinocchio.

Its now possible to wade across the Petaluma River and keep your torso dry. Not long ago, dozens of people held hands in a human chain across the river. The photograph was supposed to spur action. It didnt.

With little else for a Petaluma commodore to do these days, Smith got in his car and drove along the mud-choked Petaluma River to console himself. Things could be worse. At the long-abandoned Port Sonoma, they were. There is no longer a port at Port Sonoma. Scores of boat slips rest atop a sea of mud. At the Bahia waterfront neighborhood of Novato, there was no waterfront and no water, replaced by a vast expanse of tall reeds and plants.

Were looking at the future of Petaluma, if someone doesnt do something, the commodore said, poking at the reeds.

Dredging the river will cost about $10 million, said Justin Yee, a project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is charged with keeping rivers open and navigable. The Petaluma River is among a dozen or so Northern California projects awaiting funding.

Ramin Rahimian / Special to The Chronicle

Theres a finite amount of money, Yee said. Its uncertain.

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.

Yee said about $600,000 has been awarded for preliminary studies of the dredging that everyone acknowledges needs to be done. The $10 million for the actual dredging is waiting for a final approval, a process that has gone on for more than a decade.

So for now, any trip in or out of Petaluma is fraught with peril. Wise sailors make sure they have fresh batteries in their depth gauge.

The other morning, the exodus of the five bold holiday boaters was delayed. They had hoped to leave on the morning high tide, but the bridge tender who was supposed to raise the D Street bridge wasnt there and wasnt answering the radio. There are so few boats on the Petaluma River that a bridge tender is rarely needed to tend.

Rick Morris thwarted the drawbridge that wouldnt draw by turning his boat around and heading back to the Petaluma dock. The brief window of time during which the Petaluma River passes for being passable had elapsed.

Id have ended up in the mud, Morris said. Any time a boater comes into Petaluma hes sticking his neck out.

Morris, Boyton and the other boaters had little choice but to wait an additional 12 hours, until the moon and the Earth did their celestial dance and the water level rose. The beached whale disappeared and the depth gauge registered barely 5 feet. Now, though, for a few moments, the waterfront of downtown Petaluma was passable.

This time, they rang up the bridge tender and made an official appointment, lest their visit to Petaluma stretch to next Christmas season.

Precisely at 4 p.m., the small flotilla made its getaway, at the respectable walking pace of 2 knots. From the stern of the Sea Witch, Boyton said that, without dredging, this might be the last time he and his wife, Gay, make the trip.

The mighty D Street drawbridge, and then the SMART train span, pivoted up into sky, like giant praying mantises. Boynton, not wanting to risk dodging the rest of the mud bumps in the enveloping darkness, pulled the Sea Witch into the small marina at the Sheraton Hotel and tied up for the night. The rest of the trip to Richmond could wait until morning. Elapsed distance, 1 mile.

We made it out of Petaluma, Boynton said. Thats far enough for today.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF
Many San Franciscans act as if they dont really live in a big city. Were told its a collage of neighborhoods and diversity. Affinity groups and shared cultures. Small villages within a single boundary.

In fact, this wasnt always the case.

The proof is in Boomtowns: How Photography Shaped Los Angeles and San Francisco, a thought-provoking exhibition open now at the California Historical Society on Mission Street. It shows how these two cities came to be, and how they presented themselves to the world.

The photos selected from the societys archives by curator Erin Garcia are engaging, to be sure  you cant not be pulled into the aerial view of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake, shot from a camera hanging from kites 2,000 feet in the air. An 1880 postcard with its Edenic depiction of a a vine-shrouded home and the caption Los Angeles in January shows why generations of families from the East and Midwest remade themselves as Angelenos.

Yet what strikes me about the San Francisco depicted here is that from the start, its portrayed as an urban landscape. Los Angeles in many ways was conjured up by business interests, railroads with seats to fill and developers with land to sell. San Francisco was a fluke of the 1849 Gold Rush, born of necessity and then eager to be the economic centerpiece of the territories beyond.

Thats the impression in one of the oldest, eye-popping highlights of Boomtowns, an 1864 panorama by Carleton Watkins. Its a view from the peak of Nob Hill presented in five mammoths, at 18 inches by 22 inches the largest photographs that then could be made, with Mission Bay on the right and Alcatraz on the left.

This isnt some quaint hamlet; its a metropolis on the make. We see sidewalks and streetlamps, and imposing brick churches amid the grid of wooden structures. The waterfront is a place to do business; the sandy slope in the foreground on the left isnt nature being preserved, its a building lot that no doubt was soon filled in.

On a much smaller scale, consider two 1870 photographs of Montgomery Street.

Nothing is taller than three stories  a far cry from the towers we see today, or the narrow canyon between skyscrapers referred to in the 1939 guide to San Francisco published by the Federal Writers Project. But the photography firm Lawrence & Houseworth crop the three-story blocks so that they fill the image. Were looking at robust prosperity. A place to do business, even then.

Such shots can be dismissed as commercial boosterism, yet the matter-of-fact mentality continues in the 20th century imagery. Theres a wonderful Rovere Scott photo of the Financial District skyline as seen from the bay in 1936. Whats shown seems romantic in hindsight, a masonry cluster of such now-revered architectural peaks as the Shell Building. At the time, I suspect, the intent was to show concentrated sophistication  a city on par with anything back east.

More Information "Boomtowns: How Photography Shaped Los Angeles and San Francisco, Selections From the California Historical Society Collection": 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Through March 12, 2019. California Historical Society, 678 Mission St., San Francisco. 415-357-1848. www.californiahistoricalsociety.org See More Collapse

Or take in a 1925 photograph of Nob Hills summit by Ansel Adams. Hes legendary now for photographs of Yosemite and the wonders in other national parks. But this is a compacted urban scene, a meticulous stack of rectangles that conclude in the Mark Hopkins tall crown.

Even photographs that emphasize incongruities suggest a city at ease with itself.

Two of my favorite shots capture the tight collision of scales, of worlds. One is of Telegraph Hill, taken by Laura Adams Armer around 1910. The foreground shows shadowed, residential cottages nestled against a curved street. Below and behind it, in clear light, is the working waterfront capped by the Ferry Building. Mountain hamlet and industrial port, each confident in its realm.

Another, Haas Wood and Ivory Turning Works, 64 Clementina St., is one of the 10 Minor White photographs in the show. Theyre all good, but this ones startling  a two-story blue-collar enclave smack against the thick concrete ramps leading to the old Transbay Terminal. Old and new couldnt be more jarring. White presents it as a cool-eyed curiosity, not an indictment.

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.

Thats how big cities are, right?

This shrugged perspective would be challenged today. Planners emphasize the need to respect context, so that fresh waves of development dont overwhelm what already exists. In many of San Franciscos more settled neighborhoods, the smallest addition to a house can trigger hearings and lawsuits.

I understand the resistance to change. After all, Boomtowns ends before the urban renewal efforts that showed how destructive renewal can be. An exhibition moving forward from the 1960s would show such work as Ira Nowinskis photos of the razing of blocks south of Market Street for what now is the area around the Moscone Convention Center.

But if we cling too much to the past, or insist that an altered skyline must inevitably be a blight, we deny the nature of how cities evolve. The challenge today isnt to lock San Francisco in place, but to find ways to make the ongoing boom beneficial to all.

Never an easy task.

Theres more here than a cool bunch of old photographs. As Boomtowns shows, San Francisco is a city of complicated revelations. Thats what makes this metropolis so fascinating, no matter the frustrations of the moment.

John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron
A Larkspur ferry crashed into the dock at San Franciscos Ferry Building Friday afternoon, causing frightened onlookers to run and scream while craning their cell phones to take video, but leaving the passengers and crew unscathed.

Fifty-three passengers were aboard the M.S. San Francisco when it arrived shortly before 2 p.m., attempting to tie up at its outer berth, said Priya Clemens, a spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, which operates the ferry.

"It appears there may have been some mechanical difficulty," Clemens said, describing the moment when the large blue and white vessel nosed toward the building before sharply veering toward the dock. Video posted on Twitter shows some bystanders frantically running along the rain-slicked pier behind the building, while others angle for a better look.

No major injuries have been reported, Clemens said. One worker on the boat had a bruised hip and one passenger complained about a sore back but refused medical attention. Though both the boat and dock were damaged, the incident was not as bad as it could have been, Clemens said, noting that the day after Thanksgiving was light for ferry service.

Now Playing: The M.S. San Francisco, with 53 passengers aboard, damaged its prow in a crash at the Ferry Building. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle IMAGE 1 OF 5 The M.S. San Francisco, with 53 passengers aboard, damaged its prow in a crash at the Ferry Building. Buy Photo A Larkspur ferry crashed into the dock at San Franciscos Ferry Building Friday afternoon, causing frightened onlookers to run and scream while craning their cell phones to take video, but leaving the passengers and crew unscathed. Video: Courtesy of @VeryTiffany on Twitter

Normally, the M.S. San Francisco is more crowded  its capable of holding 750 people.

At 6 p.m. the boat was still sitting at the dock with what appeared to be two gashes in its prow.

Crew members were taken off the ferry after the crash to be interviewed and drug-tested. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the crash. Its still not clear how it will impact ferry service on Monday.

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.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Gabriel Metcalf has spent a lifetime thinking about cities. He spent 21 years at SPUR, the Bay Area urban think tank in San Francisco, and led the organization for 13 years. Holding that job, he said, was the honor of my life.

Hell be leaving town at the turn of the year, bound for Sydney, where hell be head of the Committee for Sydney, a planning organization similar to SPUR. In a way, hes following a dream. Metcalf and his wife have always wanted to live and work abroad. So he was delighted when a job offer came from Australia, right out of the blue, he said.

Hed been in Sydney a few times.

I fell in love with it, he said, Its a great city.

He said the same thing about San Francisco, when he moved here 22 years ago, when it was still possible to come here without a job and figure it out, he once said.

Metcalf thinks San Francisco is the most progressive of American cities. But problems are overwhelming the city and the Bay Area. Something has gone terribly wrong, he wrote in SPURs magazine.

The success of the region has also brought failure  and economics are the key, he thinks.

The economy has changed fundamentally in the last 50 years, Metcalf said. We have made the transition to the knowledge economy, with thousands of new people and new jobs. The Bay Area has become a player on the world stage, with an economy that is larger than Swedens. He calls it the reluctant metropolis.

The region has become so attractive and successful that no one can afford to live here. Economic studies show that the median price for a house in San Francisco is $1.6 million  twice what it was five years ago. And its not just San Francisco. Only 18 percent of Bay Area residents can afford a medium-price house.

Metcalf believes its our own fault. The current generation  the voters, the leaders, the ordinary citizens  are to blame.

You know what they say, San Franciscans love innovation as long as it doesnt mean changes, he said. Every development decision in the city  and the region as well  involves endless meetings, public hearings and workshops. Not to mention a permit system of Byzantine complexity.

Weve really gotten good at preventing bad things from happening, Metcalf said, but we are not good at making good things happen.

Its no secret that the result is that the regions supply of housing has been overwhelmed by demand. Restrictions on zoning, coupled with construction costs that are among the highest in the country, mean that only one housing unit has been built in the Bay Area for every six new jobs.

Metcalf thinks that more dense housing is an answer. But zoning regulations are in the way.

In most of the Bay Area, it is illegal to build anything but single-family houses, he said. What we are doing now is not working.

The housing crisis is behind the Bay Areas terrible traffic, long commutes and inadequate transportation as people push farther out in search of places to live. Metcalf is worried about the lack of big transit projects. In recent years, the regions only major projects to be approved have been the Sonoma-Marin SMART train, a couple of BART extensions, increased ferry service and plans to electrify the 155-year-old Peninsula commute trains.

BART is talking about a second Transbay Tube in the next decade, but so far its only talk.

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.

And projects seemingly take forever these days.

Look how many years it has taken to study faster buses on Geary Boulevard, Metcalf said. In fact, the Geary bus project has been in the works for 10 years.

Metcalf thinks the region can learn from the past, particularly the generation that built BART.

It took leadership to build BART, he said, in the face of technical problems and political opposition, especially from so-called progressive groups that argued BART would benefit only big business and developers.

Like all urbanists, Metcalf looks to the future. The numbers are sobering: The most recent Metropolitan Transportation Commission study envisions 300,000 new jobs in San Francisco over the next 20 years, part of a growth pattern in a booming mega-region of 4 million new residents that stretches from Monterey to Sacramento.

People are going to come here, he said. There will be new immigrants from other parts of the country and from foreign countries. Our job is to make the region better for the next generation.

In the meantime, hes off to Sydney, a city very similar to San Francisco, where a combination of natural beauty and growth has created its own problems. He sees it as a challenge and an adventure.

How will it work out?

Ask me in a year, he said.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
Sporting a puffy coat and glasses affixed to his face with a clear piece of tape, 2-year-old Niam Dudhela let out a squeal heard across Jeffreys Toys in San Francisco: A Thomas the Tank Engine train set was out of its box.

He tried to take a train from the display, only to have his dad steer him to an $11 helicopter named Harold.

Its the first holiday season since Toys R Us closed all of its U.S. stores, and families are shopping for their little ones elsewhere. Tanay Dudhela, Niams dad, said he mostly buys toys on Amazon but popped into the Financial District store to kill time on a rainy day.

Toy stores are hard to find, he said.

Toys R Us controlled 15 percent of toy spending in the country before it entered bankruptcy, said Linda Bolton Weiser, an analyst who focuses on toys and consumer products at D.A. Davidson & Co. Now, Target, Walmart and others are scrapping for its customers, reallocating millions of square feet in stores to make room for even more toys.

Those retailers that ushered in the decline and ultimate demise of Toys R Us will benefit most in the new market, Weiser said. The giant toy manufacturers, such as Mattel and Hasbro, fed most of their inventory into big-box chains.

Small businesses such as Jeffreys often specialize in an assortment of toys that shoppers cant find anywhere else, and aim to tap into shoppers nostalgia.

We have no interest in the hottest item, said Mark Luhn, Jeffreys owner.

He likened the store to a museum: They come in here and they cant leave in a hurry.

Luhn took over his fathers business in 1989, consolidating three San Francisco locations into one on Market Street. Jeffreys was evicted from that spot in 2015 after the landlord reportedly pushed the rent to $40,000 a month but reopened at a new location last year.

The new shop at 45 Kearny St. was humming with shoppers on Friday, with the smell of plastic and freshly made popcorn wafting through the aisles.

Jigsaw puzzles, toy slime and plushies shaped like pizza and avocado are among the most popular items. But Jeffreys also stocks contemporary toys, such as Lego sets from the new Star Wars movies and pill-shaped mystery boxes containing L.O.L. Surprise dolls and accessories. They cost $24 a pop.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

A lot of these toys I havent seen since I was a kid, said Tanya Khoury, sifting through a container of plastic marbles.

She and a friend drove to San Francisco from San Jose to take in the wonder of the department store windows and visit tourist hot spots. They saw a sign in the window calling Jeffreys the oldest toy store in the city.

But the loss of Toys R Us isnt necessarily a boon for small businesses.

The chain known to generations of children and parents for its sprawling stores, brightly colored logo and Geoffrey the Giraffe mascot used to carry toys from independent toy manufacturers. Jeffreys also stocks items from such makers. But Target, Walmart and online retailers such as Amazon do not because they require larger quantities of inventory.

If smaller manufacturers scale back or go out of business, independent toy shops could suffer because they will have fewer offerings for their customers, Weiser said.

Already a lot of them are starting to think about selling, she added.

There were more than two dozen Toys R Us stores in the Bay Area with the large Emeryville location, the San Rafael outlet and one in San Jose among the first wave of closures in April. The last stores disappeared over the summer.

Most of the chains locations kept their doors open for 30 hours straight starting on Thanksgiving Day. Thousands of families nationwide shuffled into Toys R Us early Thursday evening, seeking door busters on plushies, play sets and bicycles once reserved for Black Friday.

The big-box toy retailer filed for bankruptcy last fall, and later announced plans to close all 800 stores.

Toy shoppers had more options to choose from at Target this year.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

About 35 customers lined up outside the Target store at the Metreon in the rain before doors opened at 7 a.m. They rushed to the electronics section before hitting up the aisles.

Jeffrey Lai, 4, made a beeline for the toy section.

He admired a set of Pokemon toy balls before reaching with his little arms for a remote-controlled monster truck on sale for $15.

Target added more than 2,500 new toys  nearly twice as many as the chain had last year  to bring families into stores and online this holiday season.

Weve doubled down on inventory knowing, especially in light of the current retail environment with retailers going out of business, theres definitely an opportunity to gain additional market share, said Lee Henderson, a public relations manager for Target.

The toy section is the first stop on any Target visit, said Christian Frey, a hospitality worker and father of two.

He collects Hot Wheels and has a bajillion stored in boxes in the garage, according to his son Thomas, 5. An employee offered a box as Freys pile grew to more than 30 vehicles.

These are pretty hard to get, Frey said.

Thomas clutched a tiny Tesla Roadster, depicting the red electric car that Elon Musk launched into space on the back of a Falcon Heavy rocket. It cost $1.09, and the Hot Wheels were buy-one-get-one-half-off at Target over the holiday.

We thought it would be packed, Frey said, standing in the empty toy aisle. But the shelves are full.

Melia Russell is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobin
Just north of Berkeley off San Pablo Avenue in Albany stands a housing complex called University Village, reserved for married students at UC Berkeley. Few realize that in the years after World War II, this complex, then called Codornices Village, was the site of one of the most racially charged housing battles in Bay Area history.

At stake: whether to tear down a public housing project that had been hastily erected to give wartime shipyard workers a place to live.

World War II brought about the most dramatic migration to the Bay Area since the Gold Rush. Drawn by high-paying shipyard jobs, hundreds of thousands of people poured into the area. Richmond, home to the Kaiser shipyards, saw the most explosive growth: Its population nearly quadrupled in three years, to 93,738 in 1943. San Francisco, Oakland, Vallejo and other cities also experienced big increases.

Many of the newcomers were African Americans from the South, an influx that radically transformed the regions racial makeup. In 1940, there were 270 blacks living in Richmond; in 1945, there were 5,673. Oaklands black population soared from 8,462 to 21,770, and San Franciscos from fewer than 5,000 to 32,000.

There were also large numbers of whites from Oklahoma and the South, following the path blazed by the Dust Bowl migrants of the 1930s.

The population boom created a Bay Area-wide housing crisis. As Marilynn S. Johnson notes in The Second Gold Rush: Oakland and the East Bay in World War II, Oaklands vacancy rate fell to 0.06 percent in September 1942. Workers slept outdoors, in 24-hour movie theaters, in shifts in the same bed, in trailer parks, even in chicken coops.

For black workers, finding housing was much harder than for whites. Federal authorities, ideologically opposed to public housing, initially relied on private sector initiatives like the war guest program, which encouraged homeowners to take in war workers as tenants and boarders. Since few white homeowners would take them in or rent to them, African Americans were forced to squeeze into existing black neighborhoods like West Oakland, creating Eastern-style ghettos that had not existed on the West Coast.

When the private sector was unable to meet the need, the federal government decided it had no choice but to construct housing of its own. But under pressure from real estate interests that feared permanent housing would harm postwar construction, and clinging to the belief that most of the migrant workers would go home after the war, the government decided to build housing designed to be temporary.

Guided by expediency ... federal housing agencies created, in effect, distinct zones of migrant settlement along the bay flatlands between Richmond and Alameda, Johnson writes.

In all, more than 30,000 public housing units, holding an estimated 90,000 war workers and their family members, were built in the East Bay. Among them was the 1,900-unit Codornices Village.

Trivia time The previous trivia question: What loud nighttime noises assaulted dwellers on the eastern side of Telegraph Hill until 1993? Answer: The coupling of trains belonging to the State Belt Line railroad. This week's trivia question: How many people died in San Francisco in the great earthquake and fire of 1906? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday, alternating with Peter Hartlaub's OurSF. Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your in-box twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. See More Collapse

The projects, especially Codornices, ran into immediate opposition from whites. The Albany City Council warned of an undesirable element (i.e., blacks) that would bring integration to city schools and make Albany like south Berkeley. The city of Berkeley, not yet a liberal bastion, was also opposed, as was UC Berkeley, which owned 40 percent of the projects land.

But the federal government overruled local objections and opened Codornices in 1943. Like nearly all wartime Bay Area public housing projects, it was racially segregated  white tenants ended up in the more desirable units on San Pablo Avenue, while blacks were shunted to the west side of the project, next to the Southern Pacific railroad tracks.

When the war ended, local governments had to decide what to do with their temporary housing and the people who lived there. The federal housing acts of 1949 and 1950 provided funding for 135,000 new public units nationwide to house displaced residents, and transferred title of all existing projects to local authorities. But the powerful National Association of Real Estate Boards, which had opposed public housing since the 1930s, mounted an all-out statewide campaign to block socialistic developments.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Red-baiting tactics led to one pro-housing city councilman in Oakland losing his seat; when he was subsequently fired from his job, he committed suicide.

Under relentless pressure, the liberal, pro-housing coalition collapsed. Between 1945 and 1965, Oakland built only 500 public housing units. In Richmond, many displaced black families, unable to move elsewhere because of racial covenants, crowded into south- and west-side neighborhoods bracketed on three sides by railroad tracks  creating the so-called Iron Triangle ghetto.

The black residents of Codornices Village eventually suffered a similar fate. Thanks to an antisegregation campaign led by future Assemblyman Byron Rumford and the progressive stance of the projects federal managers, Corornices buildings had become largely integrated by 1946. But in a familiar pattern, white tenants who had housing options moved out, while blacks who lacked such options remained and other blacks moved in. By 1954, the project was almost 90 percent African American.

For local officials and citizens who feared they would be overrun by Southern blacks, integration had now gone too far, and they renewed their efforts to demolish Codornices. In 1954, with no local agency willing to take the project on, and the University of California washing its hands by saying it would not get involved in the housing business, the federal government announced its closure. By 1956, all the residents had been forced out.

But not all the buildings were razed. Despite its earlier claim, UC did in fact get involved in the housing business  taking over several hundred units and converting them to married student housing.

The last of the wartime buildings, within whose walls a brief attempt at racial integration failed more than half a century earlier, were demolished in 2007.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
The Catholic Diocese of Oakland postponed its reveal of clergy members credibly accused of sex abuse until next year, the church announced this week in a newsletter.

Bishop Michael Barber had previously said the Oakland Diocese has nothing to hide and called the publication of names the right thing to do. In an Oct. 8 announcement, Barber said the diocese would publish the list within 45 days, which would have made it due for publication on Thanksgiving.

But the dioceses weekly newsletter announced that the names will not be released until after Jan. 1.

First, we have decided it is essential we contact survivors in advance of a public announcement, and this will require a sensitivity to their unique situations, diocese officials wrote. Secondly, it is important we spend more time verifying the information we have on priests from religious orders and from other dioceses who served in the Oakland Diocese.

The diocese initially said it would take 45 days to finalize the names, but there has been some difficulty in verifying claims from decades past, said Helen Osman, an Oakland Diocese spokeswoman. The diocese has not been in touch with some victims in years, she said.

Its a situation in which you dont want to re-traumatize people, because even though their names arent going to be there, the name of their perpetrator could be released, Osman said.

Melanie Sakoda, a Bay Area advocate for the national Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said most survivors do not care whether their abusers names are published.

Im not surprised, she said of the delay. It would have been better saying, Heres what we have so far, were still looking at them.

Sakoda said a partial list would have been a good start, because other reports on clergy sexual abuse have come out in recent months. One such report in late October listed the names of 95 priests accused of sexual abuse with ties to the Diocese of Oakland.

These names are already out there, so it doesnt make too much sense to delay any further, Sakoda said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The diocese is aware of that list, church officials said, but the internal investigation is independent of that report. Additional survivors have come forward to other dioceses since they released their own reports, officials said, and that influenced the Diocese of Oaklands decision to make a complete list, if possible.

To do a partial list doesnt do justice to the community, Osman said.

The decision to publish the names of accused priests comes after a grand jury report found six Pennsylvania dioceses guilty of covering up widespread sexual abuse by clergy members.

In October, the Diocese of San Jose named 15 priests accused of child sex abuse. The Archdiocese of San Francisco is reviewing 68 years of files of roughly 4,000 clergy members, some of whom have been accused of sexual abuse, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced on Nov. 15 in a letter posted to the archdioceses website.

Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu
Rogelio V. Solis / Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss.  The special election for a U.S. Senate seat in deeply conservative Mississippi wasnt supposed to be competitive. But hopeful Democrats are eyeing a narrow path to victory this week by driving up African American turnout after Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith stirred outrage with her remark to a supporter that she would attend a public hanging with him if he asked.

While Hyde-Smith apologized during a debate Tuesday night, opponents say shes at least unconsciously echoing the states history of white supremacy, and civil rights groups have seized the moment to push black voters to the polls. Democratic presidential hopefuls New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and California Sen. Kamala Harris traveled to Mississippi to support Espy, who is attempting to duplicate the longshot election of a Democratic senator in neighboring Alabama last year.
Sorry, Mr. President, raking Californias forest floor wont prevent the next runaway blaze. Neither will blaming radical environmentalists, as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke did. Still, theres an ember of truth in both suggestions, if not the dogma behind such thoughts.

Californias forests, like the rest of the West, are a product of human influences that have curbed their ecology in harmful ways. Brushy undergrowth and smaller trees, once checked by natural wildfires, have flourished as fire crews snuffed out blazes that encroached on human habitation. Logging, which cleared the landscape often in brutal ways, also tamped down fire dangers.

Thats the nub of the argument that Trump and Zinke are making. Less dense forests burn less. But thats hardly the summary argument or useful guidance this state needs. Its no answer to call Californias wave of deadly fires a case of mismanagement that can be easily reversed.

Convenient political thinking cant substitute for a full understanding of a serious problem and the steps needed to solve it. A quickie White House visit last week bestowed needed sympathy for victims of two disastrous fires and support for firefighters, but the president showed zero knowledge about wildfire causes and cures.

A lot else goes into the combustible conditions. Years of drought have dried trees and shrubs into brittle kindling, meaning controlled burns arent always feasible. A sprawling state with 40 million people permits homes up canyons and down gullies in fire-prone areas. Narrow roads, far-flung fire departments, and human error  including faulty power lines  all figure in.

Large fires have tripled in frequency since the 1970s and moved from the tall trees into grasslands and scrub country as the most recent pair of blazes demonstrate. Different times means different fires.

Looming above it all is a factor that the White House wont acknowledge: climate change that is frying the landscape and ushering in a year-round fire season. Drier air means more evaporation, priming vegetation to burn quicker, especially if a wind is blowing. Theres less snow and rainfall is spotty, with last weeks downpour coming later than usual. Its a long list of factors, none of them good.

In response, the state is just beginning to implement a $1 billion plan to clear away overgrown areas and hire more crews, a process that would ease but not end a dangerous situation. Those rain clouds overhead wont last. Scientific predictions point to long-term arid conditions that will exacerbate Californias predicament. That means much harder choices lie ahead, such as where and how to build, whats the best way to fireproof a combustible state, and how will these tough decisions be made.

This complicated picture draws in everything thats attractive and worrisome about California living. Rural life in a beautiful location is prized. Expensive cities drive people to live in cheaper, woodsy areas. The costly business of fireproofing the land gets postponed in favor of calling in state fire crews and water bombers when needed. These ways of thinking wont work, an argument thats finally sinking in as the human toll and scorched acreage count reaches all-time levels. But changing these outlooks will be a test for not just political decisionmakers, but this states residents too. How much danger can a homeowner living on a ridgetop or a ravine bottom accept when the price may be a lost house, sky-high insurance or even loss of life?

If only the president and his team would back up and scan the horizon. The wildfire causes are coursing together in ways that make it impossible to pick out one as the culprit, much as Trump or Zinke would like. The full picture of human living patterns, climate change and inadequate forestry tactics offers a better explanation than choosing an easy sound bite and flying back to Washington.

California needs help, not politics.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Most 15-year-old boys grow out of their clothes. They eventually start taking regular showers. They get bored of video games. Senate Bill 1391, a newly signed California law, is based on a dangerous contention about teenagers: that they grow out of murder.

Most kids charged with a crime belong in juvenile court, with its focus on rehabilitation and positive reinforcement. We are not talking here about kids struggling with their moms, math tests, or marijuana.

We are talking, in the minuscule number of cases that are transferred to adult court, about sexual assault and murder.

Over the past 21 months, my office has filed charges against 413 15-year-olds. Of those, two were tried in adult court  both for murder. Proponents of SB1391 cannot assure you that this small subset of 15-year-olds will not kill again. Some will.

The very mission of Juvenile Court is different. Its intended to change a young persons destructive direction. If they are truant or on drugs, then the system steers them toward schooling and sobriety.

Connor Radnovich / The Chronicle 2016

The system is as protective of the juvenile offender as it is of the victim.

Thats appropriate, in most cases. What the juvenile system is not constructed for is a psychopath, someone who hurts and kills others for pleasure.

What its not set up for is Jae Williams.

Williams and another friend started by torturing cats and rabbits. While other kids were thinking of their first cars or dates, Williams had darker dreams. He talked with classmates about losing his killing virginity.

On Nov. 10, 2009, Williams and his friend lured 15-year-old Michael Russell into his own San Jose backyard, tackled him, stabbed him nine times, and slashed his throat with a chefs knife.

Williams told police that Satanism allowed him to kill.

I guess I just finally wanted to kill somebody, he told detectives two days after the planned murder. I had my chance, and I took it.

Fifteen years old at the time he killed his classmate, Williams was sentenced in adult court to 26 years to life.

Under SB1391, Williams  now 24 years old  will be walking out of prison in June.

Californias criminal justice reforms have been moving our state steadily toward a smarter and fairer model of justice that makes us all safer.

We dont want a seriously mentally ill person behind bars for a minor offense. We dont want an immigrant deported for driving without a license. We dont want a rehabilitated person rotting away in prison forever because of a sentence that no longer makes sense.

Two years ago, Proposition 57 was passed by the voters in this spirit. Prop. 57 took away the unilateral power of prosecutors to send a tiny number of extremely violent juvenile offenders to be tried in adult court. However, it left that decision in capable and independent hands  judges.

SB1391 snatches away the safety net of this reform. It takes this discretion away from judges, who carefully weigh the seriousness of the crime and the risk an offender may pose to our community.

If this law stands, there will be no one left to weigh the danger of an individual criminal.

The only choice we have then is to cross our fingers that Jae Williams got killing out of his system.

Jeffrey Rosen is the district attorney for Santa Clara County. Submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.
Proposition 47s forgotten people are in dire need of relief. Low-level offenders, the people for whom our state sought to decrease penalties, have been buried under a tomb of harsher punishments.

In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47, partly to reduce overcrowding in state prisons. (This was especially important after a federal court ordered the state to reduce its prison population, setting the threshold at 137.5 percent of design capacity.)

After the proposition passed, Californias prison population saw a sharp drop. Much of the decline was due to new sentencing guidelines, directing nonserious, nonviolent, nonsexual offenders to serve their state prison terms in county jail. Consequently, county prison terms became a mandatory judicial sentencing procedure, and thousands of inmates never made it to prison.

Case closed, right?

Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2015

Wrong.

While many applauded the apparent reversal of Californias mass incarceration trend, thousands of county-realigned offenders are quietly suffering more onerous penalties and institutional conditions of greater severity.

Say a criminal defendant incurs four convictions on commercial burglaries for a spree of after-hours pharmacy break-ins and receives a seven-year county prison term. County jail inmates serve 50 percent of their sentences, so this person would serve 3 years.

In state prison, this case would qualify the prisoner for assignment to a minimum-security unit, and he would serve only 33 percent of that sentence. So this seven-year term could be reduced to 2.33 years  if Prop. 47 did not prohibit entrance to state prisons.

In 2016, Prop. 57 implemented a new system of incentives for state prisoners to earn their way out of confinement. Now, state prisoners have the right to earn 16 weeks off their sentences annually for participation in rehabilitative programs and vocational education, along with a reduction of six months for earning a college degree.

These opportunities would give the prisoner the chance to have that same seven-year term reduced even further.

Its a positive thing that state prisoners have the encouragement to rehabilitate themselves. This ensures a reduction in their recidivism rate.

But an inmate suffering through a county prison term is barred from such credit accruals.

Inmates in county jail are locked down for the majority of the day. They often have little to no access to 12-step meetings, vocational education, college, and a variety of other life-altering opportunities. These low standards increase recidivism.

Other conditions in county jail can be worse than in state prison, too. The food may be of lower quality, the visiting procedures may be stricter, the commissary items more expensive, and there can be limited access to outdoor recreation. The list goes on. Just because people in society assume state prison is worse than county jail doesnt make it so.

A more just criminal justice system "My view is that we should continue to work toward a more just system that respects victims, protects public safety, holds youth accountable, and also seeks a path of redemption and reformation whenever possible." -Gov. Jerry Brown Legislation passed in the past few years is changing California's criminal justice system: SB439 - Makes the minimum age for prosecution in juvenile court age 12 (except for murder and rape). SB1391 - Ends the practice of trying a defendant under 16 as an adult. It also addresses severe racial and geographic disparities in adult sentencing of juveniles, according to data from the California Department of Justice. SB1437 - Scales back prosecutors' ability to use the "felony murder rule" to charge accomplices to a homicide. SB1421 - Gives public access to police personnel records (reversing a bill Jerry Brown signed in 1978 during his first term as governor.) AB748 - Requires timely release of body-worn camera video for serious incidents. SB1050 - Provides more services for people exonerated of crimes, including access to Medi-Cal and CalFresh (food stamps) and work training programs. SB1393 - Removes a mandatory five-year sentencing enhancement for serious felony convictions, allowing judges to use discretion. Tough-on-crime advocates are calling for repeal of: AB109, passed in 2011 at the governor's urging to reduce overcrowding of the state's prisons. Newly convicted low-level offenders were sent to county jails to serve their sentences. Others who met certain criteria got early release from prison. SB10 -Eliminated cash bail. Proposition 47, passed by voters in 2014 - Categorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors, rather than felonies. The proposition would have expired in 2017, but Brown approved a bill that extended the deadline to 2022. Proposition 57, passed by voters in 2016 - Allows parole consideration for nonviolent felons, changes policies on juvenile prosecution, and authorizes credits for rehabilitation, good behavior and education. See More Collapse

My journeys once led me to a holding tank in Contra Costa County Jail. I saw a fellow prisoner storm back to the bullpen, fully enraged, after getting an offer of eight years in county jail on a methamphetamine sales case.

They want me to do eight years here! he screamed.

He paced our cinder-block box nervously, like an abused animal.

I cant do it. Not in County! I asked them to send me to prison and got told it was impossible. I want to go back to the pen, or even a drug rehab!

Neither drug treatment nor prison were in this mans future. He was doomed to a county prison term  the hardest time in the state.

When Prop. 47 hit the ballot, it was promoted as a method to help small-time offenders by not sending them to state prison. Ironically, its delivering heavy-handed punishment to the very inmate population for whom it sought lenience.

Isnt it unsettling when human beings are disproportionately penalized for poor decisions deemed so insignificant that lawmakers reasoned they should receive the so-called privilege of remaining in county lockup?

Efficient measures must be taken so that all Prop. 47 inmates, in every county in California, have access to rehabilitative opportunities. Equal protection and justice depend on it.

Kerry Rudd is a writer who is serving time at San Quentin State Prison. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.
For nearly a decade, California has been sold on a series of public safety reforms built on a foundation of empty promises. The kind of promises told by people who want to get what they want, made to people who really want to believe what they hear.

As a family law and victims attorney, its a story I hear all too often. A story of abuse and victimization. An abuser continuing to abuse, each time promising to change. The victim feeling defeated and helpless  willing to believe almost anything.

But in this case, the abusers are a group of California policymakers and the victims are well-meaning Californians.

It started with the passage of AB109, which shifted tens of thousands of state inmates to local jails and ultimately onto our streets. It continued with Propositions 47 and 57, changing sentencing and parole policies, and authorizing mass early release. And this year, SB10 made California the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail.

These policies all came wrapped in grand promises, each one slightly less plausible than the last. Yet Californians believed. Like the abused spouse, they so wanted to believe that, this time, it would be true.

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

Less incarceration and more treatment. Safer streets and schools. A fairer and more efficient justice system. Reduced costs to the state. Early release would never apply to violent or sexual offenders.

That last lie should be the tipping point, the final blow that makes Californians say, Enough.

The shocking truth is that the list of crimes considered violent under California law is remarkably short. Raping an unconscious person isnt officially a violent crime in California. Nor is pimping a child for sex. If an abuser beats a spouse or a domestic partner with enough force to cause injury, thats not a violent crime either under California law. Clearly, few voters knew this.

But this deception did more than leave us feeling betrayed and angry. It made us less safe, and cost people their lives.

People like Whittier police Officer Keith Boyet, killed by a known gang member who would not have been on the streets without these reforms. Or 17-year-old Fresno high school student Nick Kauls, whose accused murderer would have been taken to jail just hours before the murder had it not been for changes resulting from Prop. 47.

And while its too late to save them  our hearts break for their families  its not too late to help future victims.

One way we hope to accomplish this is through the Keeping California Safe Act of 2020, which expands the states list of violent crimes to include crimes that are clearly violent  like raping an unconscious person and pimping a child for sex.

A more just criminal justice system "My view is that we should continue to work toward a more just system that respects victims, protects public safety, holds youth accountable, and also seeks a path of redemption and reformation whenever possible." -Gov. Jerry Brown Legislation passed is changing California's criminal justice system: SB439: Makes the minimum age for prosecution in J uvenile C ourt age 12 (except for murder and rape). SB1391: Ends the practice of trying a defendant under 16 as an adult. It also addresses severe racial and geographic disparities in adult sentencing of juveniles, according to data from the California Department of Justice. SB1437: Scales back prosecutors' ability to use the "felony murder rule" to charge accomplices to a homicide. SB1421: Gives public access to police personnel records (reversing a bill Brown signed in 1978 during his first term as governor). AB748: Requires timely release of police body-worn camera video for serious incidents. SB1050: Provides more services for people exonerated of crimes, including access to Medi-Cal and CalFresh (food stamps) and work-training programs. SB1393: Removes a mandatory 5-year sentencing enhancement for serious felony convictions, allowing judges to use discretion. Tough-on-crime advocates are calling for repeal of: AB109: Passed in 2011 at the governor's urging to reduce overcrowding of the state's prisons. Newly convicted low-level offenders were sent to county jails to serve their sentences. Others who met certain criteria got early release. SB10: Eliminated cash bail. Proposition 47: Passed by voters in 2014, categorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors, rather than felonies. The proposition would have expired in 2017, but Brown approved a bill that extended the deadline to 2022. Proposition 57: Passed by voters in 2016, allows parole consideration for nonviolent felons, changes policies on juvenile prosecution, and authorizes credits for rehabilitation, good behavior and education. See More Collapse

Other crimes include domestic violence, felony hate crimes, assault with a deadly weapon and drive-by shootings, none of which is classified as violent under California law. Moreover, the initiative strengthens parole violations and gives voters more authority over early release decisions, which are now made by an unelected body whose members are appointed by the governor, with little if any input from victims, prosecutors or the public.

It would also overhaul theft laws to restore accountability for serial thieves, and expand the crimes for which DNA can be collected  previously narrowed by Prop. 47  to help solve rape, murder and other violent crimes, and to exonerate those wrongly accused.

Restoring accountability is also the focus of a second statewide measure headed for the November 2020 ballot  a referendum to block SB10, which abolished cash bail, a vital public safety tool that helps ensure people arrested for crimes show up to stand trial.

Having your day in court has become a common idiom, but its purpose in the criminal justice system is essential: a trial or other court proceeding is where the accused and the accuser can be heard. Its where justice is served. When a defendant is not held accountable to appear, the process breaks down.

SB10 replaces the money bail system with a computer-based risk assessment algorithm that lacks both transparency and the necessary teeth to ensure a defendant appears. Unbiased studies, and perhaps more importantly judges, agree.

SB10 was grossly amended and passed at the last minute by the Legislature  against strong, bipartisan opposition from a wide range of groups, from crime victims and sheriffs, to the ACLU and Black Lives Matter.

We encourage all Californians to educate themselves on these measures and other efforts to fix the harm done by these public safety reforms. No more empty promises.

Nina Salarno Besselman is the president of Crime Victims United and secretary/treasurer of the California Public Safety Partnership. To learn more about the Keep California Safe Act of 2020 and the referendum to Stop SB10, see https://capublicsafetypartnership.com. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.
Coming from a man who aspired to call balls and strikes as a sort of berobed umpire, Chief Justice John Roberts public rebuke of President Trump sounds like the prelude to a bench-clearing brawl.

From Jackson to Obama, presidents and courts have certainly clashed before. But Roberts evidently recognizes Trumps sustained assault on a coequal judiciary as something different and dangerous.

This week, after San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar ruled that the president could not rewrite federal law by refusing to accept asylum claims at the southern border, Trump dismissed Tigar as an Obama judge and reiterated his contempt for another San Francisco court that could hear the case, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. While such tantrums over unfavorable court rulings are, for this president, regrettably routine, Roberts response was not. Offered to the Associated Press and quoting Trumps language, it could only be seen as directly and plainly contradicting the president.

We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges, Roberts said. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. The independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.

Granted, amid deepening politicization of the judiciary, the president is far from alone in the perception that there are Obama judges and Trump judges. But Roberts, to his credit, understands that this polarization  and Trumps efforts to exacerbate it  threaten the courts credibility and influence. The conservative chief justice has challenged the notion of a partisan judiciary before, most consequentially by ruling with the liberal justices to uphold Obamas signature Affordable Care Act  a decision Trump excoriated with a barnyard epithet.

As president, Trump has accumulated an impressive string of court losses that transcends politics, thanks to his general disregard for laws and facts. Just last week, a judge Trump himself appointed ordered the restoration of CNN correspondent Jim Acostas press credential mainly because the White House couldnt explain the basis for its revocation.

Trumps disinformation campaigns against the media and the judiciary are parallel efforts to undermine long-established checks on presidential power. The same can be said for his war on every other potential restraint on his whims, including Congress, Democrats, elections, other executive branch officials, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Given that Trumps challenges to these institutions can be expected to end up before the Supreme Court, heres hoping Roberts decisions reflect his reassuring words.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Calling this the Year of the Woman in politics leaves out one key word. It was the Year of the Democratic Woman  especially in California, where Republicans are having trouble electing women to higher office.

The imbalance shows little sign of changing. On the day after election day, 100 women contacted Emilys List, which spent $110 million to elect candidates this year. They wanted to learn more about how to run for office from the 33-year-old organization that trains and raises money for pro-choice Democratic women.

Theyre inspired by the historic number of victorious women who will be serving come January, said Emilys List president Stephanie Schriock. This was never about one year; were in this for the long run.

There is no comparable organization to help Republican women. And thats only part of the GOPs challenge with recruiting and electing women.

Of the record 36 female newcomers elected to the House this year, only one was a Republican  Rep.-elect Carol Miller of West Virginia. (Three races remain too close to call.) There will be the most ever (89) Democratic women in the House, up from 65 currently. But the number of female GOP members is down to 13 after three incumbents, including Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine, lost.

The same dynamic holds true in state legislatures, where there will be at least 219 additional Democratic women while the number of Republican women will decline, according to the nonpartisan Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. State legislatures are often the feeder systems for candidates who want to seek higher office.

If the goal is parity in these institutions, it will not happen if only one party is electing women, said Debbie Walsh, the centers director. The Republican Party has to do better.

In California, the Republican prognosis is bleak after Walters defeat and the narrow loss of former Fullerton Assemblywoman Young Kim to Democrat Gil Cisneros in an Orange County House race. None of the 10 GOP women running for statewide or federal offices in California won.

Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

The election prospects for more Republican women are likely to remain dim in the state as long as President Trump is in office. An October survey by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 64 percent of women disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job.

If women are going to shun Republicans in the midterm elections when Trump isnt on the ballot  59 percent of women voted for Democrats in House races, according to national midterm exit polls compiled by Pew Research  they could be even less likely to vote GOP in 2020, when Trump will be up for re-election.

And if women are less likely to vote for a Republican, theyre less likely to run for office under that party label, Walsh said.

In California, said Kristin Olsen, a former Republican Assembly leader, Trump is a significant factor.

The president caused Republicans to lose seats that historically have been safe seats, said Olsen, a Trump critic and member of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. The GOP wipeout  the California party lost at least six seats in the House and was drubbed in every statewide race  cannot be explained any other way other than (voters) responding to peoples affiliation with a party that they cant tolerate at this time, she said.

Few Republican female officeholders in California stood up to Trump, even though the states voters disapprove of him, Olsen said.

For too many women, their definition of courage is to ignore Trump, she said. Thats not good enough. Not in California. We have to call it out and model something different.

But Shawn Steel, one of Californias representatives to the Republican National Committee, wrote in a recent opinion piece that the partys problems have been around longer and run much deeper than any one person. From money to grassroots organization, California Republicans are completely outmatched.

Republicans  including their top female candidates  were outspent and out-organized in many key California races.

In her open Orange County House race, for example, Kim was outspent by Cisneros nearly 5 to 1. Women Vote, an arm of Emilys List, spent $241,000 on behalf of Democrat Katie Porter against Walters, the incumbent Republican.

There is nothing on the Republican side even close to that, Walsh said.

Republicans dont do as well as Democrats in recruiting or developing female candidates, often dismissing such efforts as playing identity politics, Walsh said.

But Democrats believe it is important to have a diverse field of candidates for policy reasons, too, she said. The Democratic Party embraces the idea that women and people of color bring their life experiences to the making of policy.

It isnt just in the lower ranks that Democrats outpace Republicans. Walsh pointed to House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking woman in U.S. political history, as a major selling point among women.

Success begets success, Walsh said. It matters that a Nancy Pelosi is the leader of the party.

But all is not lost for female GOP candidates. A survey last year by the nonpartisan Barbara Lee Family Foundation found that voters perceive that Republican women have advantages over Democratic men on the economy and taxes. Traditionally, Republican candidates have a disadvantage in the eyes of voters on the issues of education and health care, but today a Republican woman can neutralize those disadvantages.

Amanda Hunter, communications director for the foundation, said that if Republican women do run, voters do respond favorably to them. Now could be an excellent time for Republican women candidates to run, because voters are looking for something different.

Tell that to East Bay Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, one of the last Republican moderates in the Legislature, who lost to Democrat Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle

Baker  the only elected Republican in the Bay Area  distanced herself from national party orthodoxy during the campaign, touting pro-choice, pro-environment and pro-gun control positions to voters in a Democrat-dominated district that stretches from Lafayette and Walnut Creek through Livermore.

Even though Baker won her race in 2016 with 56 percent of the vote, the R next to her name proved too much to overcome in this blue wave election in California.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
Officials with the Coast Guard and the Port of San Francisco surveyed damage Saturday to a Larkspur boat that crashed into a San Francisco Ferry Terminal dock.

The blue-and-white-striped ferry squeaked as it bobbed alongside the docks outer berth Saturday afternoon while officials wearing bright orange vests used a boat to get nearby, snapping photos of gashes on the ferrys prow. Visitors to the Ferry Building lingered near the dock to watch officials check the damage.

Priya Clemens, a spokeswoman with the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, said the boat was towed to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal on Saturday.

It will be evaluated there for repair, Clemens said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Coast Guard officials will release findings of the investigation when it is completed.

3 1 of 3 Lauren Hernandez / The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Lauren Hernandez / San Francisco Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Workers along the waterfront pier were serving bustling crowds Friday afternoon when they saw the ferry barrel toward the dock around 2:30 p.m., said Cheryl McKeon, the manager of Book Passage.

McKeon was standing behind the counter when she saw the ferry rapidly approaching the dock in the heavy rain. She ordinarily loves watching the ferries pass by the picturesque Bay Bridge, but she said something was different this time.

I saw it coming this way, and then it was running parallel to the building, which seemed odd, McKeon said Saturday, pointing out the window. I said, This isnt right, and we rushed to the window, then we heard the crash.

She said it sounded similar to the scraping and crunching sound of a car crash. By the time McKeon ran outside, the ferry had knocked down posts and a fence at the edge of the dock and boat passengers were walking around on the deck.

Michael Wilson, 63, was serving vegan doughnuts at a kiosk inside the Ferry Building when he saw the boat approach the dock, moving faster than he had seen in his six years working in the building.

He quickly ran down the hallway and out onto the pier.

I wanted to see if anyone was hurt, Wilson said. The boat was pushed up on the dock. It was just crumpled.

One worker on the boat had a bruised hip and a passenger had a sore back, but no major injuries were reported.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor
WASHINGTON  Americas farmers have been shut out of foreign markets, hit with retaliatory tariffs and lost lucrative contracts in the face of President Trumps trade war. But a $12 billion bailout program Trump created to make it up to farmers has done little to cushion the blow, with red tape and long waiting periods resulting in few payouts so far.

According to the Department of Agriculture, just $838 million has been paid out to farmers since the first $6 billion pot of money was made available in September. Another pool of up to $6 billion is expected to become available next month. The government is unlikely to offer additional money beyond the $12 billion, according to Sonny Perdue, the agriculture secretary.

The programs limitations are beginning to test farmers patience. The trade war shows no signs of easing, with China and the United States locked in a stalemate that has reduced American farmers access to a critical market for soybeans, farm equipment and other products. Europe is planning more retaliatory tariffs on top of those already imposed on American peanut butter and orange juice, and Canada and Mexico continue to levy taxes on American goods, including on pork and cheese.

Trump, who has had broad support in many farm states, still insists that his get-tough approach to trade will ultimately help American farmers, a position Perdue reiterated last month when he said farmers are resilient and can plan ahead for market conditions.

Farmers are no strangers to foreign tariffs or to government subsidies. But receiving monetary support in response to a trade dispute set off by the U.S. government is unusual. The program, which is using a Depression-era fund, allows farmers earning less than $900,000 a year to receive money if they produce one of the agricultural products that has faced retaliation. In some cases, the government is buying excess food such as apples and orange juice and giving it away through nutrition assistance programs.

Under the program, different types of commodities receive different rates  for instance, hog farmers get $8 per head for 50 percent of their herd, while dairy farmers get 12 cents for every hundred pounds of milk  creating questions about equity.

The dairy industry has been particularly critical of the program and, in a letter to Perdue, asked the administration to rethink how it calculates subsidies and to make them more generous to dairy farmers. The milk federation expects dairy farmers to lose $1.5 billion from the tariffs in the second half of this year and it has received only $127 million in aid.

This was supposed to make sure farmers were not the victims of this trade policy, said Jim Mulhern, president of the National Milk Producers Federation. I think most agriculture producers feel that the payments have not come close to making up for the damage for the tariffs.

Farmers had mixed feelings about the bailout when it was announced last summer, as they tend to prefer free enterprise over government intervention, but many are disappointed as the subsidies have not made up for their losses.

I dont think this is going to be enough to compensate them, said Eric Belasco, an economist at Montana State University and a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. It seems like theres not really an end in sight.

So far, farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota have been the biggest recipients of assistance, the USDA said, with soybeans, wheat, corn, dairy and hogs being the goods most in need of support.

The bailout has also benefited two senators who continue to run active farms: Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and John Tester, D-Mont.

Like any program offering free money, there are also opportunities to game the system. Last week, watchdog organization Environmental Working Group is expected to release a report that shows city residents who own shares in farms and relatives of farmers have been capitalizing on the bailout.

The program has also been bogged down by bureaucracy as well as practical challenges, which made it slow to roll out. Farmers who want payments must fully complete their harvests before they can apply for aid  presenting a challenge for some crops that have been delayed by bad weather.

Roderick De Arment, who grows soybeans and corn in Virginia, said that the subsidy application paperwork had been sitting on his desk because he had been waiting for his beans to dry for harvest. The wet weather has delayed the entire process, but he expects that if he gets 1,000 bushels of beans, he may be entitled to about $800 in return from the government.

Its kind of a patch, said De Arment, who is an old friend of Robert Lighthizer, the Trump administrations top trade negotiator. Its a bad situation, but it provides some relief for the farmers who are impacted.

That relief has not been enough to keep many farmers from feeling the pain of Trumps trade war.

Lynn Rohrscheib, who farms 7,000 acres of soybeans and corn in eastern Illinois, said she needed to sell soybeans at $10 a bushel to break even, and she can get only $8 a bushel. She is holding on to some of her beans, hoping for higher prices, but she had to sell a significant portion of this years crop to pay her bills. If the standoff with China continues, she said she would need to lay off some of her 18 employees.

We dont want a handout, she said. We want trade. We want to sell the crop.

She said she was losing patience with the Trump administration.

We were all really supportive at the beginning, she said. We figured we didnt know all the facts and something would happen and this wont be a long-term thing. Now it looks like this is going to be a several-year thing and people are getting frustrated.

Farmers in general are having a tough year. The Agriculture Departments economic research service predicts net farm income in the United States this year will fall by $9.8 billion, to $65.7 billion, a 13 percent drop from 2017. Weak pricing, tight credit and corporate monopolies have put pressure on farms in recent years, and new trade barriers have exacerbated their economic problems.

Alan Rappeport is a New York Times writer.
As Californias wildfires keep growing bigger, more frequent and more destructive, it has put pressure on property insurers, some of which have been declining to renew homeowners policies in fire-prone areas. When the houses that burned this year are rebuilt, their owners may find that no one is writing insurance there  at least not at affordable prices.

Were not in a crisis yet, but all of the trends are in a bad direction, said Dave Jones, who is completing his eighth and final year as Californias insurance commissioner. Were slowly marching toward a world thats uninsurable.

Heres what you need to know about Californias slow-motion insurance crisis:

Who is being wiped out? Millions of Americans want to live in what experts call the wildland-urban interface  quiet, scenic realms where towns and cities end and forests, grasslands or scrublands begin. For decades, the number of people moving to such places has grown, and today about a third of all American housing stands on the wildland-urban interface. But houses close to vegetation pose complex risks  including the danger of fires.

Of Californias 8 million houses, about 3 million stand on the wildland-urban interface. And of those, 1.7 million are considered highly prone to wildfire. Real estate agents warn home buyers, but they pay little attention, said Alice Hill, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution who studies climate change and other catastrophic events.

Its a known risk, and people just hope it wont happen to them, Hill said.

What is California doing about it? To protect homeowners from unnecessary rate increases, California requires insurers to justify increases with reams of data showing that their cost of paying claims is rising. And after a catastrophic year, insurers are not allowed to raise rates right away, but must phase in the increase over 20 years.

After last years fires, United Policyholders, an advocacy group, heard from homeowners who had received letters from their insurers stating that their coverage would end in 45 days. The group set to work with regulators and lawmakers on a legislative package that would have required insurers to seek state approval before pulling out of high-risk areas, mandated discounts to policyholders who fireproofed their homes and given regulators the power to make sure that insurers wildfire models were sound.

The only provision that became law was a two-year moratorium barring insurers from dropping policyholders for two years after a covered disaster, said Amy Bach, the groups executive director.

Insurers were also stepping up home inspections, she said, sometimes disqualifying houses with risks they had not cared about before.

When that happens, the owner must try to find coverage elsewhere, possibly from a nonadmitted insurer, one that does not meet the states regulatory standards. That can be risky. If all else fails, they can get insurance from Californias property insurer of last resort, the FAIR Plan.

How does that work? The FAIR Plan was set up in 1968, after riots prompted property insurers to pull out of the Watts section of Los Angeles. It has since evolved to also provide coverage for people shut out of the market because of wildfire risk.

The FAIR Plan is designed for people who cannot find insurance  it cant just be because they dislike the rate, said Mark Sektnan, a vice president of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, who represents the industry in California, Hawaii and Nevada.

The FAIR Plan is operated by the industry  without taxpayer dollars  and is required to charge rates that reflect risk, so it is not some kind of bargain. And it covers only fire-related risks; a homeowner is still expected to buy coverage elsewhere for theft, liability, flooding and other perils.

The program covered 4,269 homes at extreme risk of wildfire in 2017, up from 3,861 extreme-risk homes in 2014. The numbers, though growing, remain low because the FAIR program screens applicants to be sure they cannot get insurance elsewhere. Because of the new two-year moratorium on nonrenewals, there will be a lag before victims of the current fires start to show up in the FAIR Plans statistics.

Has a situation like this happened anywhere else? Florida had its equivalent of the Camp Fire in 1992: Hurricane Andrew, which killed 44 people and damaged more than 730,000 homes. At the time, it was the worst natural disaster in state history in terms of insured losses, causing nearly $25 billion in such damage in todays dollars.

The storm also wiped out about a dozen insurance companies, said Don Griffin, the Property Casualty Insurers Associations vice president for policy research. Floridas two biggest, State Farm and Allstate, had to borrow money from their auto-insurance affiliates to pay homeowners claims, he said.

The big insurers mostly pulled out of the state and in the retrenchment that followed Florida set up its own homeowners insurer, Citizens Property Insurance.

At first, it filled the gap in the market. But Citizens was not required to match its rates to its risks and it ended up underpricing the remaining insurers. At its peak, Citizens had a quarter of the homeowners insurance market in Florida, Griffin said.

Sektnan said, If they had had a major hurricane then, there are people who would tell you it would have taken the whole state down.

Eventually, Citizens came under criticism and sold off many policies to private insurers. Today, Citizens market share is about 5 percent and it functions more as an insurer of last resort.

Hill, the Hoover researcher, said she wondered whether the wildfires would force California to expand the FAIR Plan and even subsidize it with state money. But Floridas experience has left the industry wary of a public insurance enterprise.

So far, Sektnan said, homeowners were not clamoring to join the FAIR Plan. He thought the states insurance market remained healthy and most people could still buy adequate coverage.

Bach, the advocacy group executive director who works with people receiving nonrenewal notices, disagreed. She said many homeowners were simply opting for cheap plans with insufficient coverage.

Is there anything else that can be done? It is worth looking at a fire-mitigation program in Colorado.

In 1989, Boulder County had the Black Tiger Fire. It was small compared with todays conflagrations  44 houses burned down  but it prompted the county to set up a program to harden its roughly 8,000 houses against fire.

The county dipped into its own budget, got federal and state grants, and consulted with insurance and real estate specialists to establish a program called Wildfire Partners, said Jim Webster, the program coordinator.

After nearly 30 years, Wildfire Partners does not take all comers. Successful applicants receive an inspection from a fire-mitigation specialist like a retired fire chief, who issues a report on what the owner must do to eliminate vulnerabilities  which include openings that embers could fly into, combustible trees like junipers and flammable building materials like cedar shingles.

It can take a homeowner years to receive a certification and that does not necessarily translate into discounted premiums  but it does mean insurers will not refuse to insure the house.

Mary Williams Walsh is a New York Times writer.
JINZHOU, China  Zhang Zhejun used a fat plastic straw to gently tap the pale yellow pharmaceutical powder onto a piece of silver foil that lay on an electronic scale. He made sure the amount was just right before he poured it into a clear capsule.

When making cancer drugs at home, the measurements must be precise.

Zhang had no medical experience and no background in making drugs professionally. He did this out of desperation. His mother suffered from lung cancer and required expensive drugs that Chinas ambitious but troubled health care system couldnt provide.

He was aware of the risks. The drug he was making had not been approved by regulators in China or the United States. Zhang had bought the raw ingredients online, but he was not sure from whom, or whether they were even real.

Were not picky. We dont have the right to choose, he said. You just hope the sellers have a conscience.

It is a desperation born of necessity. Chinas aging population is increasingly stricken with deadly diseases like cancer and diabetes, but many cannot find or afford drugs.

The countrys rudimentary insurance system does not begin to cover the ever-rising prices of treatments and drugs. Coverage also depends on where somebody lives, and some rural residents still lack access to certain drugs.

Despite a costly new safety net from the government, illness remains the leading reason Chinese families fall below the poverty line, according to official figures.

Many of Chinas problems are self-inflicted. Major bureaucratic hurdles keep lifesaving drugs out of the reach of millions who need them. Drug approvals, while accelerating, remain dauntingly backlogged. Until October last year, pharmaceuticals approved in the United States and Europe had to go through an extensive vetting process in China. Even now, foreign-made drugs have to clear another hurdle before insurance companies will pay for them.

To stay alive, many sick people in China  and the people who love them  break the law. Online marketplaces are filled with illegal pharmaceuticals. Dealers run underground pharmacies. In some cases, cancer patients and their families make the drugs themselves, finding the ingredients and the instructions online.

In China, the public has become increasingly concerned about access to drugs, putting pressure on leaders. This summers box-office hit Dying to Survive was based on the real-life story of a Chinese leukemia patient who ran a buyers club, smuggling generic drugs from India to save himself and others. It was almost universally lauded for shedding light on the difficulties of getting cancer drugs in China.

The movies popularity prompted Premier Li Keqiang to call for speeding up price cuts for the medication. Chinas growing affluence has led to greater expectations among its people. The Communist Partys grip on power depends heavily on providing improved opportunities for the public, including better health care.

I dont know whether they can do that, said Zhou Jun, executive director of the U.S.-China Healthcare Cooperation Program in Beijing, a group that fosters closer working relations between the countries. Its going to be a challenge. (Zhou died of cancer several months after speaking to the New York Times.)

Last year, police raided Hong Rupings modest apartment in southwestern China. Under a television, they found what they were looking for: medicine to treat chronic kidney disease.

Hong, who is unemployed and has kidney dialysis three times a week, explained that the drugs  cheap knockoffs of Western pharmaceuticals from India  were for him.

The officers seized the drugs, warning that they were not approved by the countrys regulators. Then, the officers let him go.

Some health experts are torn about encouraging the use of drugs that are not approved. I find it hard to give a one-size-fits-all view on whether they should or shouldnt do it, said Gordon Liu, director of Peking Universitys China Center for Health Economic Research and an adviser to the government.

Some generics from India are likely to offer newer treatments than the existing medicines in the mainland, Liu said. He added: Youre acquiring drugs through informal channels. Not only are you taking on economic risks, but also the uncertainty of the technology.

Dr. Shen Lin, director of digestive oncology at the Peking University Cancer Hospital, said several of her patients on long-term medication could not afford the drugs anymore, and had asked whether they could use generics from India. She has tried to dissuade them, saying she could not vouch for drugs from unofficial sources.

Still, she said, if they continue on their path, they would go bankrupt.

To survive, many Chinese need foreign-made drugs. But they can be costly, when they are available at all.

First, drugs need to be approved. From 2001 to 2016, China approved just over 100 new drugs, about one-third the number in developed countries, according to the China Food and Drug Administration. Drugs could take six to seven years to get the green light, turning cancer for many into a death sentence.

Late last year, Chinese authorities said they would begin allowing drug companies to submit data from foreign clinical trials, along with other steps to speed up reviews. Approval times have dropped to two to three years. China has thinned its backlog of new drugs waiting for approval to 4,000 from 22,000 in 2017. The government is also pushing to develop more innovative, less costly pharmaceuticals to combat life-threatening diseases.

Still, the agency remains short staffed. China had roughly 600 reviewers at the end of 2016, compared with thousands in the United States.

Once approved, the drugs have to qualify for coverage under one of Chinas insurance plans. That means earning a spot on the National Reimbursement Drug List  and that can take years. Beijing added 36 drugs to the list in 2017 and 17 this year. The last update was in 2009.

When the drugs do arrive, many Chinese patients, like Yao Xianghua, cannot afford them, even if they have government coverage.

A petite former elementary schoolteacher with blunt bangs, Yao had lung cancer that did not respond to surgery or a form of treatment called biotherapy. She was 68 in 2011, when the cancer was first diagnosed, and she felt she was too old to undergo chemotherapy and radiation.

I give up, she told her son, Zhang Zhejun. Im resigned to my fate.

Her doctor prescribed Iressa, a drug made by AstraZeneca that keeps cancer cells from multiplying. The drug had been added to the reimbursement drug list after AstraZeneca agreed to halve the price to just under $1,000 a month.

It was still too expensive. Yao was covered by Chinas rural cooperative medical scheme, which provides only modest benefits compared with the insurance for urban residents. She received a monthly pension of $460. Her son said the rural scheme at that time did not pay for imported drugs.

Zhang vowed to save her. He quit a decent-paying job and moved in with his parents in a barely furnished apartment in Jinzhou, a largely industrial and heavily polluted city.

Zhang discovered that India made a cheaper, generic version of Iressa. It worked for a while. But Yao developed a resistance to it after about nine months. Zhang needed alternatives.

He went online.

China in recent years has become the worlds largest home of internet users. Many Chinese now shop almost exclusively in internet bazaars that offer everything from groceries and hot meals to jewelry and cars.

They can also buy pharmaceuticals  even the raw ingredients to illegally make drugs themselves.

Many start on forums devoted to patients and their loved ones when they cannot get answers anymore. The two most popular are I Want Miracles, which is dedicated to helping people with lung cancer, and Dances With Cancer. The forums combined have just over 440,000 members.

This is the current state of health care in China, said Chen Yun, who runs I Want Miracles. Every doctor is just too busy, and theres no way that they can explain many things to you clearly. But if you want to figure it out, you just have to learn by yourself.

Desperate to help his mother, Zhang did a basic search: What to do after patient develops drug resistance on Iressa? He happened upon Dances With Cancer and an active participant and a longtime cancer patient called Bean Spirit, who wrote a manual on how to make drugs at home.

Zhang, who previously worked at a pharmaceutical factory but was not involved in making drugs, started on his own version. He bought the ingredients for AstraZenecas Tagrisso, a lung cancer drug. He spent just over $150 for a months worth of ingredients, plastic capsules and an electronic scale.

The raw ingredients are worth more than the price of gold, he said.

When the drugs stopped working for his mother, Zhang began making others. He started having sleepless nights, worried that he would not be able to find the ingredients each time a drug stopped working.

You dont know whether the thing thats ahead of you is a pit or a road, he said, wiping tears off his face. But you must go forward. You cant stop.

In July 2017, Zhang started making WZ4002, yet another drug. It was discovered in 2005 by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston but has not been approved by regulators in the United States or China.

His mother told Zhang that it caused dizzy spells. Earlier, she had come down with a severe bout of diarrhea after taking one of the homemade drugs and had to be hospitalized for a month.

Both mother and son shrugged off any side effects.

How do you feel after taking the new medicine? Zhang asked his mother.

Well, I think it feels a little bit less painful now, Yao said.

Less painful? he asked.

Remember, I told you that sometimes this part and this and this part hurt, she told him. Now these parts are less painful.

Yao died in October 2017, two years after Zhang started making drugs for her. The cause of death was gastrointestinal bleeding and acute bronchitis. Zhang said it was unclear whether the drugs that he had made were the cause.

Sui-Lee Wee is a New York Times writer.
The nurse who was hailed as a hero for helping evacuate patients in his truck during the Camp Fire, posted photos Thursday of his new set of wheels, courtesy of Toyota.

Allyn Pierce evacuated patients and staff from Adventist Health Feather River hospital, where he works as lead nurse in the intensive care unit, the morning the Camp Fire broke out. When he was attempting to leave Paradise himself, he became trapped in gridlock on the way out of town, and thought he wouldn't make it.
In route news this week, Southwest is adding new routes at San Francisco and San Jose and expanding at Nashville but gives up on Paine Field; Delta's newest single-aisle aircraft model will start flying out of San Jose in June; United beefs up its schedules for Spring Break; the SkyTeam global alliance loses an Asian member; and JetBlue and American add new routes.

Southwest Airlines' latest schedule announcement this week includes plans for new routes from both San Francisco International and Mineta San Jose next summer. At SFO, the airline said it will introduce new intrastate service on June 9 to Ontario, California, operating four daily flights on weekdays and three a day on weekends. Southwest already serves the Ontario-Oakland route with multiple daily flights; in the Ontario-SFO market, it will be competing against United. And at San Jose, Southwest plans to begin new daily service on June 9 to Nashville.

Other new routes announced by Southwest for a June 9 start include daily flights between Nashville and Burbank, San Diego-Omaha, and Austin-Raleigh/Durham, as well as seasonal Sunday-only flights between Omaha and Nashville. Southwest will further increase its operations at Nashville on June 10 by adding more daily frequencies to Boston, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, San Diego and St. Louis and reviving seasonal weekend service to Norfolk and Seattle.

Southwest also confirmed Alaska Airlines' recent announcement that it has acquired Southwest's landing slots at Washington State's Paine Field north of Seattle, where Alaska said it will begin commercial service February 11. Apparently Southwest has now given up on its earlier plans to fly from Paine to Oakland and Las Vegas. "The decision is based on business considerations and terms of the agreement are confidential," Southwest said. "The carrier has since notified airport developers and Snohomish County leaders of its decision." United also plans to fly out of Paine Field.

When Delta announced the initial service plans for its brand-new Airbus A220-100 single-aisle jets several weeks ago, the affected routes were mostly out of LaGuardia and Dallas/Ft. Worth, but none in the Bay Area. Now that has changed. According to Routesonline.com, Delta has filed plans to start flying A220-100s from June 13 through August 30 on two of its six daily flights between San Jose and Seattle. Delta's A220-100s have 109 seats in first class, Comfort+ and regular economy; here's our first look at the new plane.

Chris McGinnis

United Airlines said that it will add some new routes out of Denver next spring, just in time for Spring Break, including flights to Destin, Palm Beach, Pensacola and Sarasota, Florida; and to Brownsville/South Padre Island in Texas. The airline said it will also schedule extra flights during Spring Break period to destinations in Florida, Arizona, Hawaii and Colorado ski resorts.

China Southern Airlines said it will leave the Delta-Air France/KLM SkyTeam global alliance effective January 1. That move has been widely anticipated since American Airlines purchased a small equity stake in China Southern and started to forge an operational partnership with the Chinese carrier. Based in Guangzhou, China Southern is one of the world's 10 largest airlines. It is considered likely that the airline could eventually join the American-British Airways Oneworld alliance; it recently formed a bilateral partnership with British Airways. According to an analysis by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, "For (China Southern) to formally join Oneworld would be complicated for Cathay Pacific. That would mean two carriers with very close home bases  Hong Kong and Guangzhou, respectively  in the same alliance. Both serving the same destinations, the airlines would compete for the same long-haul travelers." China Southern flies from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Guangzhou and from SFO to Wuhan and plans to launch non-stop LAX-Shenyang service on December 18.

In other route news, JetBlue said it will expand its service to the popular Massachusetts resort island of Nantucket next summer, launching new seasonal flights five days a week from New York's Westchester County Airport starting June 13, and twice a week from LaGuardia beginning June 15. The airline already serves Nantucket from its New York JFK base as well as Boston and Washington Reagan National. American Airlines plans to add daily seasonal flights from its Chicago O'Hare hub to Quebec City from June 6 through September 3 with an Envoy Air E175. And American has started the only U.S. carrier service to Georgetown, Guyana on the north coast of South America, operating four flights a week from Miami.





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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.
RALEIGH, N.C.  Emboldened by a referendum voters approved this month, North Carolinas soon-dwindling Republican majorities will scramble to approve their preferred voter identification law before Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper can stop it.

The GOP-dominated General Assembly returns to work Tuesday to decide how a new amendment to the state constitution requiring photo ID to vote in person will be carried out. The amendment passed with more than 55 percent of the vote, giving Republicans confidence to move ahead despite years of controversy in the state over such a mandate.

Meeting now is strategic. Democrats won enough legislative seats election day to end the Republicans veto-proof control come January. So Cooper, a longtime opponent of voter photo ID laws, wont be able to stop any lame-duck session bills as long as Republicans remain united.

New restrictions, on which courts probably will weigh in, would affect over 7 million voters in the anticipated 2020 presidential battleground state, which will also feature races for governor and U.S. Senate that year.

We will pass a law that improves the real and perceived integrity of the election system, said Rep. David Lewis, a Harnett County Republican expected to shepherd a bill through the legislature.

Republicans have passed voter ID legislation twice, but theyve been derailed both times. Federal judges struck down a wide-ranging 2013 elections law, which contained several voting restrictions, writing it was passed with racially discriminatory intent by targeting black residents with almost surgical precision.

Undeterred and rejecting the ruling as political hyperbole, GOP lawmakers decided to submit the voter ID question directly to voters. More than 30 other states require some form of identification to vote. Along with a successful November referendum in Arkansas, four states now have constitutional provisions addressing photo ID.

The state chapter of the NAACP, which sued over the 2013 law, has led the fight against the anti-democracy, racist photo voter ID even before it was improperly placed on the ballot this time, and we will continue to fight it and any effort to suppress the sacred right to vote, said the Rev. T. Anthony Spearman, the state chapter president.

Gary D. Robertson is an Associated Press writer.
CHICAGO  The city of Chicago has made its first full-throated response to a lawsuit seeking to stop construction of the Obama Presidential Center, saying the buildings would sit on land that wasnt subject to restrictive public-trust laws.

City attorneys made those and other legal arguments in a federal court motion to dismiss a May lawsuit filed by an environmental group opposed to the project in Chicagos historic Jackson Park, chosen as the site for the $500 million presidential museum and library by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

The filing last week asking Judge John Robert Blakey to toss the suit highlights City Council and state legislative approval for the complex it said will foster economic development on the citys South Side, upgrade the parkland and tell the story of our Nations first African American President. Its slated to open in 2021.

Protect Our Parks contends in its complaint that the land was once under Lake Michigan water, putting it in the public trust under court precedent and extending additional protections. The citys filing argues thats historically inaccurate and that while nearby areas were submerged, the Obama Presidential Center site was not.

The center has widespread backing in Chicago, where Obama began his political career. But lakefront projects over the decades always have prompted fierce resistance in some quarters. A similar suit helped scuttle Star Wars creator George Lucas plans for a Chicago museum in 2016.

Disputes derive, in part, from an 1892 Supreme Court ruling in Illinois Central Railroad vs. Illinois that helped establish the public trust doctrine. It held that submerged  or in some contexts formerly submerged land  is in the public trust, so cant be transferred to private owners  unless granting the lands use expands public benefits.

The city also noted that the physical center wont be a private entity upon completion. While the private Obama Foundation will pay costs of construction and maintenance, ownership of the buildings will be given to the city at no cost.

The court did not immediately rule.

Michael Tarm is an Associated Press writer.
Bernie Sanders can still get a crowd.

At rallies across the country before the midterms, from South Carolina to Michigan to Nevada, people came to see the Brooklyn-timbred senator from Vermont. They rattled the rafters in Wichita, Kansas. They screamed his name in Iowa.

Yet as Sanders ponders another presidential run, what is not clear is whether he can still get the votes.

It is a question that has taken on new relevance as attention turns to the presidential election two years away. While the list of possible Democratic candidates seems to expand every day, political prognosticators have long assumed there would be a Bernie 2.0.

But if Sanders, 77, was a sensation in 2016, electrifying crowds and awakening fervor on the far left, he is no longer a singular figure among Democrats. Outflanked on the left by rising stars like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Beto ORourke, his stronghold on the partys progressive wing has weakened. Many of his key policy positions, including Medicare for All and tuition-free public college, have been embraced by others  a victory for him, he would argue, but one that makes his agenda seem less novel.

And while his out-front political presence has kept his name in the mix of 2020 chatter, it has also weakened the anti-establishment appeal he rode to success two years ago.

Sanders has not made any official announcement that he is running for president. In an interview on MSNBC last weekend, he said he would make that decision at the appropriate time.

I want to make sure that when I make that decision, if I decide to run, that I have concluded in fact that I am the strongest candidate who can defeat Donald Trump, he told the network.

Sanders exceeded political expectations in 2016, winning roughly 13 million votes in an essentially two-person race against Hillary Clinton, who got 17 million. He prevailed in 23 primaries and caucuses  compared with 34 for her  including wins in New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin, while struggling in major battlegrounds like Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

But 2020 would be a far different electoral test for Sanders. He would likely face far more rivals and far greater scrutiny, which caused him to stumble at times in 2016.

Like other possible 2020 candidates, Sanders spent the midterms laying groundwork for a possible run.

Before the midterm elections, he campaigned with candidates including Andrew Gillum and Gretchen Whitmer in key battleground states, and crisscrossed the country raising money. He has begun introducing new items to his policy agenda, including proposing legislation to end cash bail. After loudly criticizing Amazon earlier this year over its wages and treatment of workers, he is now attacking Walmart on the same issues  burnishing his credentials as a champion of the working class.

Advisers and people close to the senator speak as if he plans to run, talking privately about his core message and his proven ability to raise money from individual donors.

They also rebuff the notion that his candidacy would not resonate in the same way it did two years ago. In such an unpredictable political climate, Sanders is at least a known quantity who built a loyal following with his curmudgeonly demeanor and fiery challenge to Wall Street and the Washington elite.

Hes going to be able to rekindle that spark, partly because I dont think his spark ever went out, said Mark Longabaugh, a senior adviser to Sanders in 2016, who still speaks to the senator regularly. I think theres an energized base of supporters that he has out there.

Early primary polling for 2020, at this point a marker principally of name recognition, suggests Sanders remains popular, even as he trails Joe Biden, the former vice president. But his numbers have hovered in the teens, which could suggest softening enthusiasm.

One recent poll showed Sanders in second place among potential Democratic contenders, with 13 percent support, far behind Bidens 33 percent, and only slightly ahead of other potential competitors like Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

I dont know if all the folks that loved Bernie Sanders in 2016 are then automatically going to go to him in a 2020 situation, said Aaron Pickrell, who was a senior adviser on President Barack Obamas Ohio campaign. This time around, he continued, a lot of other candidates bring similar dynamics that Sanders has.

David Kochel, a top Republican strategist in Iowa who has worked on presidential campaigns for Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, said: Sanders will fizzle. Lightning doesnt strike twice for these passion candidates.

Sanders declined a request for an interview.

In recent months, aides, advisers and others close to Sanders have wrestled with how to make old seem new, or at least, newer  and whether that should even be a concern.

Some recognize that the lectern-pounding liberalism that Sanders embraced in 2016  punctuated with frequent denunciations of the millionaihs and billionaihs  could benefit from a new element or two. Several advisers have suggested he might talk more about foreign policy, including his position that the United States should stop supporting Saudi Arabia in the war in Yemen.

He might also add to his policy arsenal an aggressive call for the government to forgive student loans and concrete proposals for combating climate change, some said.

Others believe that Sanders has been championing the same policy agenda for decades. Why change anything now?

I dont think he needs to add onto the message in the sense that thats his message, said Pete DAlessandro, who was Sanders Iowa campaign director in 2016. That is his brand.

There is also a more combustible element to the 2020 campaign: the Trump presidency. Some Democrats have suggested the party should hew closely to a strategy focused on health care and economic issues, but Sanders appears primed to attack the president, using acerbic language in recent months to denounce him and his policies.

That strategy could appeal to those who want to see their own anger channeled through candidates, yet could backfire with voters in states like Ohio and Wisconsin which flipped to Trump last time.

One widely reported weakness for Sanders in 2016 was his struggle for support from black voters, an issue that still divides his supporters. Some strategists acknowledge that he will need to improve his outreach to minorities to have any hope of becoming the nominee, especially during a race that will likely have several minority candidates.

Earlier this month, in discussing Gillum and Stacey Abrams, two black candidates who lost their elections, Sanders told The Daily Beast that 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. The comment was not well received.

It was inartful, said Nina Turner, president of Our Revolution, an advocacy organization aligned with Sanders. Thats the nicest way I can frame it. What came out of his mouth is not in his heart.

Turner, who said Our Revolution would support Sanders if he runs, said the senator would have to add race to his class conversations during a 2020 campaign to appeal more to minority voters.

As other candidates with similarly populist sensibilities also consider runs, including Warren and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sanders and his allies are confident in his enduring appeal. They point in particular to his 2016 ability to attract young people, a strength that they hope will carry over into 2020. Its not obvious, however, that it will.

During a swing through Iowa before the midterm elections, Sanders made a stop at Iowa State Universitys homecoming parade, where he was greeted with fervent shouts and cheers. He would later hold a rally for local candidates on campus.

Among those marching in the parade was Jimmie Bragdon, 21, wearing a Democrat-blue sweatshirt. Bragdon had caucused for Sanders in 2016, but he said he now thought it was time for a fresher face in Democratic leadership. For 2020, he had his eye on Harris and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York

In this day and age, people like to see things that are different, he said later. Status quo stuff kind of doesnt stick.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
A British farmer was crushed to death last year by a forklift driven by his pet dog, an inquest has confirmed.

The UK's Press Association learned that 70-year-old Derek Mead was killed on June 4, 2017 after leaving his Jack Russell Terrier in a forklift while exiting the vehicle to open a gate.

Mead left the forklift in neutral and the dog somehow hit the shuttle lever, which put the forklift back in drive.

The forklift was then sent forward toward Mead and crushed him to death against the gate.

At the time of the death, principal investigator Simon Chilcott hypothesized that the dog was responsible for setting the forklift in motion.

More for you Teen from Israel reportedly dies in Yosemite after taking selfie atop Nevada Fall

"We think the most reasonable explanation is that within the cab of the vehicle there was a small dog," he said. "Whether the dog has been jumping up to see where his master has gone, or put his paws up on the door to await the return of Derek  it seems most likely that he has collided with the lever."

Chilcott added that it's unlikely Mead failed to properly put the forklift in neutral when he first exited the vehicle.

Peter Harrowing, the assistant coroner for Avon, reached the same conclusion.

"The most likely explanation, which I accept, is that the dog that he had in the cab with him on that day inadvertently moved the shuttle lever, causing the forward motion on the Manitou which sadly trapped Mr Mead against the solid gate, causing injuries which he did not survive," he said. "I'm satisfied that this death of Derek Mead was one of a very tragic accident."

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

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OAKLAND (BCN)



One man was killed and another was injured in a shooting in West Oakland this afternoon, according to Oakland Police.



Police said officers were notified of the shooting around 1:30 p.m. through ShotSpotter, a technology used to identify gunshots.



When officers arrived at 32nd Street and San Pablo Avenue they found the two men shot. One was dead and the other was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to police.



Police didn't say if any arrests had been made or release any other details.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A ferry vessel crashed into a dock at the San Francisco Ferry Building this afternoon, causing two passengers onboard to suffer minor injuries, according to a Golden Gate Ferry spokeswoman.



The crash occurred around 2 p.m. at the terminal along the San Francisco waterfront.



According to Golden Gate Transit District spokeswoman Priya Clemens, the San Francisco-bound ferry was traveling from Larkspur and had 53 passengers onboard.



One passenger suffered injuries to their back, but refused treatment. Another passenger was treated at the scene for a bruised hip, Clemens said.



Although the vessel and dock sustained some damage, the Ferry Building was not damaged. Additionally, the crash didn't result in any delays.



"It's a light travel day so we're not having any service delays or disruptions," Clemens said.



The ferry vessel's crew is being debriefed and will undergo drug and alcohol testing, which Clemens said is standard protocol during such incidents.



While Clemens said the cause of the crash appears to be mechanical, an investigation is underway and could take days.





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SAUSALITO (BCN)



A driver was killed and a California Highway Patrol officer narrowly escaped serious injury in a crash this morning on U.S. Highway 101, authorities said.



The wreck happened about 8 a.m. on southbound 101 near the Spencer Avenue off-ramp. A pair of CHP officers had stopped to help an SUV driver whose vehicle had spun out and was blocking the slow lane of the freeway, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.



While they were assisting him, they heard the sound of a skidding car and turned to see a Toyota Corolla spinning out of control and headed directly for their CHP patrol SUV.



One of the officers was standing next to the patrol vehicle and had just enough time to jump into the backseat before the Toyota slammed into it, Barclay said.



"Had he not jumped into the patrol vehicle he might have been killed," Barclay said.



The Toyota's driver, a woman, was extricated from the car by Southern Marin Fire District crews. She was taken Marin General Hospital, where she died from her injuries, Barclay said.



The CHP officer had moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital, Barclay said. The other officer was not hurt.



The driver of the disabled SUV that had brought the officers to the scene was not injured.



Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash. All lanes were cleared about 12:30 p.m.









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PETALUMA (BCN)



A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Thursday morning after crashing into a street sign in Petaluma, according to police.



Marco Padilla, a Petaluma resident, was allegedly "spinning donuts" at the wheel of a Cadillac in the intersection of Western Avenue and Kentucky Street around 1:55 a.m.



Investigating officers, who were on foot patrol downtown due to heavy traffic at bars during the holiday week, allegedly heard a car revving its engine on Kentucky Street.



They observed Padilla lose control of his Cadillac, drive onto a sidewalk and crash into the sign.



He attempted to flee, according to police, but he was detained by officers who physically removed him from the vehicle and noticed signs of impairment due to alcohol.



There were also two passengers in the car at the time of the crash. They were both detained but ultimately released.



Police said he was later found to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.26 percent - more than triple the legal limit.



Padilla was on probation for a prior conviction for driving without a valid license. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, reckless driving and violating the terms of his probation.





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One man was killed and another was injured in a shooting in West Oakland Friday afternoon, according to Oakland Police.



Police said officers were notified of the shooting around 1:30 p.m. through ShotSpotter, a technology used to detect gunshots.



When officers arrived at 32nd Street and San Pablo Avenue they found the two men shot. One was dead and the other was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to police.



Police didn't say if any arrests had been made or release any other details.







A ferry vessel crashed into a dock at the San Francisco Ferry Building Friday afternoon, causing two passengers onboard to suffer minor injuries, according to a Golden Gate Ferry spokeswoman.



The crash occurred around 2 p.m. at the terminal along the San Francisco waterfront.



According to Golden Gate Transit District spokeswoman Priya Clemens, the San Francisco-bound ferry was traveling from Larkspur and had 53 passengers onboard.



One passenger suffered back injuries, but refused treatment. Another passenger was treated at the scene for a bruised hip, Clemens said.



Although the vessel and dock sustained damage, the Ferry Building was not damaged. Additionally, the crash didn't result in any delays.



"It's a light travel day so we're not having any service delays or disruptions," Clemens said.



The ferry vessel's crew is being debriefed and will undergo drug and alcohol testing, which Clemens said is standard protocol after such incidents.



While Clemens said the cause of the crash appears to be mechanical, an investigation is underway and could take days.







Golden Gate Warriors star Stephen Curry escaped injury after being involved in two separate back-to-back traffic collisions Friday morning in Oakland, California Highway Patrol officials said.



Around 8:50 a.m., Curry was driving a black Porsche sedan on westbound state Highway 24 just east of state Highway 13 when a silver Lexus also heading west made an unsafe lane change.



The driver of Lexus then somehow lost control and collided with Curry's Porsche, according to CHP officials.



After the collision, Curry stopped his car in center median and waited for assistance.



About 10 minutes later, as Curry waited, the driver of a black Honda on the highway lost control of their vehicle and veered into the center median, striking the concrete wall first and then Curry's Porsche afterward.



No injuries were reported in either collision and the involved drivers cooperated with the investigation, CHP officials said.



Impairment has been ruled out as a factor in both collisions.



CHP officials are reminding drivers to slow down as the Bay Area experiences wet weather.







A man who allegedly shot at police and then barricaded himself inside an East San Jose home Friday morning has been taken into custody, police said.



The hours long standoff began around 10 a.m. at a home on Barrow Court after a person called police to report that a family member was armed with a gun.



When officers arrived, the suspect fired at them, prompting one officer to shoot back. The suspect then barricaded himself inside the home and refused to come out, police said.



Around 8:25 p.m., police said officers were able to take the man into custody. Officers determined he had been shot at least once during the exchange and he was taken to a hospital for his injury, which was not considered life threatening.



No one else was injured, according to police.



Police did not release the man's name.







Bay Area residents may start to see postal workers delivering mail as early as 5:30 a.m. in the coming weeks as the United States Postal Service ramps up package delivery for the holidays.



The postal service is expecting a huge increase in the number of packages it delivers this holiday season - up to 50 million more than last year's total, according to a postal service news release.



The busiest week will likely be Dec. 17 to Dec. 23. Workers may process up to three billion pieces of mail that week.



"The fact is parcel volume is higher than ever, and we want to make sure we meet our commitment to deliver every piece every day," post office spokeswoman Augustine Ruiz said in a statement.



The early mail delivery started Friday in the East and South Bay, and along the coast between Big Sur and Santa Cruz.













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BEIJING  Chinese pig farmers, already reeling from rising feed costs in Beijings tariff fight with President Trump, face a new blow from an outbreak of African swine fever that has sent an economic shock wave through the countryside.

First detected in August, the disease has killed 1 million pigs, prompting authorities to restrict shipments of most of Chinas 700 million swine, even though nearly all are still healthy. That has disrupted supplies of pork, Chinas staple meat, to big cities while prices collapsed in areas with an oversupply of pigs that farmers are barred from shipping to other provinces.

I can only manage to break even at the current price, said a breeder on the outskirts of Shenyang, northeast of Beijing, where the first case was reported Aug. 3. She said she was rearing about 100 pigs and would give only her surname, Yan.

Unless we see a higher price for pigs, all my work this year would have gone for nothing, Yan said.

African swine fever doesnt affect humans but is highly contagious in pigs, making it a serious threat to farm areas. On Friday, the first cases were reported in Beijing, the capital. Authorities said a total of 86 pigs at two farms in suburban Fangshan district died.

Also Friday, Xiamen Airlines, a midsize Chinese carrier, announced it was suspending use of pork in in-flight meals.

The outbreak adds to a swarm of challenges for Chinese leaders as they grapple with Trump over Beijings technology policy and try to shore up cooling growth in the worlds second-largest economy.

Farmers have been losing money in pig-breeding provinces for the past couple of months and their confidence has been shattered, said Feng Yonghui, chief analyst of Soozhu.com, a pork industry consultant.

The cost of raising pigs spiked after Beijing retaliated for Trumps tariff hikes on Chinese goods by slapping 25 percent duties on imported U.S. soybeans used as animal feed. American farmers supplied about one-third of Chinas imports of 96 million tons of soybeans last year, while its own farms produce about 15 million tons a year. Soy prices have risen by as much as 4 and 5 percent per month since then in some areas.

Joe McDonald is an Associated Press writer.
VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis has named the Vaticans top sex abuse investigator and a close U.S. ally to an organizing committee for a February abuse prevention summit that has become a high-stakes credibility test following a new eruption of the scandal in the U.S. and elsewhere this year.

Abuse survivors and women working at the Vatican will also contribute to the preparatory committee. Notably absent from the lineup announced Friday was Boston Cardinal Sean OMalley, who heads the popes sex abuse advisory commission, though one of his members, the Rev. Hans Zollner, is the point person for the group.

In addition to Zollner, the committee includes Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, for a decade the Vaticans sex crimes prosecutor, Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich and Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, a member of Francis key cardinal adviser group.

Francis summoned leaders of the worlds bishops conferences to the Vatican on Feb. 21-24 after the abuse scandal erupted in his native South America and again in the U.S. and he botched the case of a Chilean bishop implicated in cover-up.

The stakes of the meeting grew exponentially after the Vatican told U.S. bishops earlier this month not to vote on new measures to investigate sexual misconduct or cover-up within their ranks.

The Vatican still hasnt explained why it blocked the vote on a U.S. code of conduct for bishops and a lay-led board to investigate them, though the proposals were only given to the Vatican at the last minute and were said to contain legal problems. The head of the U.S. bishops conference, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, said the Holy See wanted to delay any vote until after the February global summit.

However, it is unlikely that such a diverse group of churchmen, some representing national churches that continue to deny or downplay the scandal, will over the course of four days come up with any universal proposals that come close to the accountability norms that U.S. bishops were seeking.

Cupich has said he was disappointed by the Vaticans decision. His inclusion as a member of the Vatican organizing committee is significant, since he is not himself the head of a bishops conference  as are Scicluna and Gracias  and would otherwise have no reason to attend the February summit.

Nicole Winfield is an Associated Press writer.
BEIRUT  Lebanon marked 75 years of independence with a military parade last week in Beirut, but many anxious Lebanese feel they have little to celebrate: The countrys corruption-plagued economy is dangerously close to collapse and political bickering over shares in a new Cabinet is threatening to scuttle pledges worth $11 billion by international donors.

The World Bank issued a stark warning, with one official saying that unless a government is formed soon to carry out badly needed reforms, the Lebanon we know will fizzle away.

Its been more than six months since Lebanon held its first national elections in nine years, but the prime minister-designate, Saad Hariri, still hasnt formed a government to undertake the reforms necessary to unlock the donors funds.

The vote, in which the Shiite militant Hezbollah group and its allies made significant gains, did little to pull Lebanon out of a political impasse. Anger against politicians apparent indifference, worsening public services and distress over down-spiraling finances and gloomy predictions are building up.

Heavy rains recently caused Beiruts sewage system to burst, turning the citys famous Mediterranean coastal avenue into a river of filthy, foul-smelling black water that engulfed motorists.

On Thursday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun and the countrys top officials watched a military parade along Beiruts waterfront. As soon as the parade ended, dozens of protesters took to the streets to voice their impatience with the political stalemate.

Despite a population of more than 4.5 million that is among the most educated in the region, Lebanon still has a primitive infrastructure, widespread electricity and water cuts, and a waste crisis that over the past few years saw trash piling in the streets for weeks at a time.

There is no independence (to celebrate) because corruption is eating us up, said Mohammed al-Rayyes, a shop owner in Beiruts Hamra district. The coming days are going to be very difficult.

The tiny Arab country has coped with multiple political and security crises over the past decades and also suffered from the seven-year civil war in neighboring Syria, a conflict that has occasionally spilled over the border and brought more than 1 million refugees into Lebanon, putting even more pressure on its dysfunctional infrastructure.

Bassem Mroue is an Associated Press writer.
MUMBAI, India  Ten years ago, chef Raghu Deora stood face-to-face with death.

He was in the kitchen of the Taj Mahal Palace hotels private club, The Chambers, when four gunmen walked in with assault rifles and sprayed the guests and hotel staff with bullets. He tried to hide, but his efforts were for naught.

I was found out by the terrorists. They got me out. Me, along with two more guests, we were made to stand in line and we were shot point blank, he says.

On Nov. 26, 2008, Indias financial capital Mumbai was turned into a war zone by a group of Pakistani gunmen who launched coordinated attacks in the heart of the city. They targeted two luxury hotels, a Jewish center, a tourist restaurant and a crowded train station. Three days of carnage killed 166 people and wounded hundreds more.

The epicenter of the assault was the Taj Mahal Palace hotel with its imposing, red-tiled dome overlooking the Gateway of India monument. Thirty-one people died inside the hotel, including staff trying to guide the guests to safety. Images of smoke rising out of the city landmark have come to define the 60-hour siege.

Deora was shot in his abdomen and leg. The two guests with him were killed, but he was evacuated by hotel security and rushed to a hospital. It took him more than three months to recover. The near-death experience has given the 44-year old chef a new perspective.

My entire family is from the army background and nobodys got shot other than me, he says with a laugh.

Ten years on, there are few signs of the assault in the 115-year old hotel, which was left ablaze, its opulent interior destroyed.

But the events are not forgotten. A minimally designed memorial for the victims greets visitors in the hotel lobby. A waterfall cascades down behind glass, alongside an installation with names of victims and a tree of life.

India blamed the attack on the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, throwing relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors into a tailspin. Indian officials accused Pakistans intelligence agency of working with the militant group to mastermind the attack  an allegation Islamabad denied.

In November 2012, India hanged the lone surviving gunman from the attacks. India has repeatedly urged Pakistan to pursue the case more actively, demanding action against those it says are responsible.

Vineeta Deepak is an Associated Press writer.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Surrogate Robert J. Gigante is once again busy gathering fluffy little teddy bears for his annual holiday drive, which is now in its 18th year.

The teddy bear drive has now grown from 200 or 300 bears during the first years to way over 1,000 in the last few years, he said, noting that the stuffed animals benefit children in need.

And hes hoping it will continue to grow.

Gigante is seeking new teddy bears -- of all shapes, sizes and colors -- to be delivered by Dec. 7 to his chambers in Surrogates Court at 18 Richmond Terr., Room 200, or state Supreme Court Justice Wayne Ozzis chambers in the new Staten Island Courthouse at 26 Central Ave., Room 510.

As in years past, Gigante also is enlisting the help of court personnel, judges, attorneys, court officers and secretaries to make the event possible.

Whats so special about the teddy bear drive is that everyone participates  staffers from the janitors to attorneys. It really involves everyone, which makes it all the more wonderful," he said.

This year, the teddy bears will be delivered to: Staten Island University Hospitals Natlitt Pediatric Cancer Center, the Addeo Hospice Residence, the Bini Foundation, the Notre Dame Club, Silver Lake Head Start, the Ronald McDonald House, A Very Special Place, Childrens Aid-Goodhue Center and On Your Mark.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The landscape of Staten Island is shifting -- from the development of St. George to new businesses and housing on the South Shore.

Local community boards give residents an opportunity to offer input in the decision-making process for many of these long-term projects.

Community board meetings are open to the public and afford a great way to learn more about whats going on in your neighborhood and to get involved.

If you have something you would like to speak out about, all you need to do is sign up -- before the meeting is called to order -- to speak in the public session.

The following meetings are scheduled for the week of Nov. 26 to Nov. 30.

COMMUNITY BOARD 1

Arlington - Castleton Corners - Clifton - Concord - Elm Park - Fort Wadsworth - Graniteville - Grymes Hill - Livingston - Mariners Harbor - New Brighton - Port Richmond - Randall Manor - Rosebank - St. George - Shore Acres - Silver Lake - Stapleton - Sunnyside - Tompkinsville - West Brighton - Westerleigh

There are no Community Board 1 meetings scheduled for the week of Nov. 26.

The board office is located at 1 Edgewater Plaza, Suite 217, Stapleton. The office phone number is 718-981-6900. The board chairman is Nicholas Siclari; the district manager is Joseph Carroll.

COMMUNITY BOARD 2

Arrochar - Bloomfield - Bulls Head - Chelsea - Dongan Hills - Egbertville - Emerson Hill - Grant City - Grasmere - High Rock - Lighthouse Hill - Midland Beach - New Dorp - New Springville - Oakwood - Ocean Breeze - Old Town - Richmond - South Beach - Todt Hill - Travis

There are no Community Board 2 meetings scheduled for the week of Nov. 26.

All committee and full board meetings are in the board office, which is located in the Lou Caravone Community Service Building on the campus of Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home, 460 Brielle Ave., Sea View. The office phone number is 718-317-3235. The chairman of the CB 2 board is Dana T. Magee; the district manager is Debra A. Derrico.

COMMUNITY BOARD 3

Annadale - Arden Heights - Bay Terrace - Charleston - Eltingville - Great Kills - Greenridge - Huguenot - New Dorp - Oakwood - Pleasant Plains - Princes Bay - Richmond Valley - Richmond - Rossville - Tottenville - Woodrow

There will be a general board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Woodrow United Methodist Church, 1075 Woodrow Rd.

All committee meetings take place at the Community Board 3 office, located on the second floor of 1243 Woodrow Rd. All general board meetings take place at the Woodrow Methodist Church Hall located at 1075 Woodrow Rd. The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The CB 3 board chairman is Frank Morano; the district manager is Charlene Wagner.
Citing concerns about the "caravan" of migrants moving toward the U.S. border, President Donald Trump deployed 5,900 troops to aid the Border Patrol. Yet, shortly after the midterm elections, the president announced he would begin withdrawing troops from the border. Many believe the $220 million troop build-up was a costly political stunt. The president maintains it was for our protection. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Weeks before the midterm elections, the president began to aggressively promote the story of the caravan of migrants slowly approaching the U.S. border. While reports from the ground clearly indicated the group was predominantly comprised of women and children, the president insisted it posed an unstoppable threat to the country.

Vanity Fair reported that many pundits and politicians believed this fear-mongering was a political tactic to drum up support for conservative candidates across the country.

The president publicized the troop movement across all his media platforms, declaring it was necessary to protect the physical border and U.S. citizens from what he characterized as an invasion.

Our military is being mobilized at the Southern Border. Many more troops coming. 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!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018

Yet, mere weeks after the election, the president began pulling troops away from the border. The caravan is still weeks away from reaching the border. Per Politico:

Defense Secretary James Mattis, though, has maintained that the troop movement was necessary and had nothing to do with politics. Per New York Magazine:



The Los Angeles Times reports that some Democratic lawmakers are already beginning to call for investigations into the abrupt and large-scale troop movement, saying it was a wasteful and dangerous stunt.



The president has maintained that even though troops are moving away from the border, the caravan poses a dire threat to the United States.

The Mayor of Tijuana, Mexico, just stated that the City is ill-prepared to handle this many migrants, the backlog could last 6 months. Likewise, the U.S. is ill-prepared for this invasion, and will not stand for it. They are causing crime and big problems in Mexico. Go home!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2018

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Ever since he was a baby, Declan Peno has loved books. "When he was really little, he used to toddle around saying, 'read this, read this'," says his mother Julie. She expected him to thrive at school, and quickly become a bookworm.

He didn't. By the end of year two, he still wasn't reading. Teachers and friends would raise their eyebrows and ask if she was reading to him. "I felt terrible about it," she says. "I thought I must have been doing something wrong."

A widely held fallacy about reading - that all kids can learn to read by regularly being read to - is leading to a new form of parent-shaming, in which parents are tacitly blamed when their child finds reading difficult.

After intensive tutoring, Declan Peno is able to read to his mother Julie. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Anne Castles, a professor of cognitive science Macquarie University who works with struggling readers, has met many of these parents - some of whom write books themselves - and witnessed the heartache and guilt this shaming causes.
Keith Urban calls it the "shock of shocks".

When he heard his name called out as Entertainer of the Year at this month's CMAs  Americas Country Music Association Awards  Urban was forced to choke back tears. Thirteen years after first accepting the award, the 51-year-old had felt the days of winning the prestigious accolade were behind him.

"There were a lot of things going on in my head," says the New Zealand-born, Australian-raised singer. "At a certain point you're like, 'It's been a decade, it's not going to happen now'. I just didn't expect that."

During his acceptance speech, Urban made special mention of his father Bob, who passed away in 2015, saying, "I wish my dad was alive to see this".
Lucie says "whole islands will disappear" as warming lifts sea levels, and the time for thinking is running out. "We cant just talk about it, we have to act," she says. "We have to make a change." While Lucie hopes to attend the main strike event at NSW Parliament, school principal Stephen Reed has been supportive, she says. Students remaining behind are expected to be involved in school-wide activities. 'Fear' is a motivator Vivienne Paduch, a 14-year-old student from Manly Selective school, says 'striking for climate action is more important than missing a day of school'. Credit:Christopher Pearce

Vivienne Paduch isn't waiting for Friday's gathering - where the Manly Selective school student will also be a speaker - to get active. This Sunday, she'll be busy at a "Crafternoon", creating banners and honing her speech. The 14-year-old says Australia needs to cut its carbon footprint "dramatically" and soon. The run of "crazy, extreme weather events" - from the NSW drought to destruction of the Great Barrier Reef and recent unusual fires within the Arctic circle - are part of her motivation. "Firstly it's fear," Vivienne says. "I'm really scared for me and for my generation and the generations that are going to come after me from the implications of what climate change will mean. "It's only going to get worse if we don't take action now. "Striking for climate action is more important [to me] than missing a day of school.

"With all the support we've got this year, I can see it happening again next year," Vivienne says. "It's very important to keep pressure on the politicians." 'Young people have to step up' Aisheeya Huq, a 16-year-old student from Auburn Girls High School, says young people 'are going to have to face the consequences' of climate change long after the current political leaders are gone. Credit:Christopher Pearce For Aisheeya Huq, a year 10 student at Auburn Girls High School, the School Strike is a natural extension of her volunteer work for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. The 16-year-old says her generation can't ignore climate change and environmental destruction and the justice issues that flow from them.

"Were going to have to face the consequences [from the work of] a lot of the policymakers and politicians ... due to their lack of understanding and perhaps care for the future," Aisheeya says. "Young people have realised that because we are going to be affected, we have to step up, and we have to do something about it." Politicians talk about the importance of education and shouldn't be surprised when students join the climate dots. "If you care so much about our education and what youre teaching us, why arent you doing anything about it?" she says. 'Massive emergency' Callum Neilson-Bridgefoot (left) and Tully Boyle, Castlemaine students who helped set off an Australian campaign. Credit:Eddie Jim

Students from Castlemaine, a town in the Victorian goldfields north-west of Melbourne, were the originators of the School Strike movement in Australia after reading about Greta Thunberg and also the special Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 1.5 degree report. Tully Boyle, a 15-year-old at Castlemaine Secondary College, has already taken part in several school boycotts, and this week took a train into Melbourne with other students to deliver demands to politicians. "It's a massive emergency," Tully says. "We want all governments to take it seriously." She says heatwaves, flooding and worsening bushfires are a portent of much worse to come if temperature rises reach 4-5 degrees - the course they are now on. Tully would like to see support for renewable energy and greater promotion of electric vehicles given priority.

"Climate change matters more for us," she says. "We need to fight for our future." Students from Castlemaine in central Victoria journeyed down to Melbourne this week to press the issue for urgent climate action from our political leaders. Credit:Eddie Jim Callum Neilson-Bridgefoot, an 11-year-old student at Castlemaine Primary School, has also taken part in four strike activities already. "Sacrificing a little bit of my education will help in the long term," Callum said. "I work really hard when I'm at school. "Any political leader can really make a difference - they have much more power than we do," he says. "Right now what they are doing is not enough."

Greta's actions were a key inspiration. "I was really moved," Callum says. "It was really brave and very powerful." 'It was so easy' Greta Thunberg, the 15-year-old Swedish student whose 'school strike' has drawn international attention and many followers. Credit:Anders Hellberg Greta Thunberg has seen her Friday vigils for action on climate change copied in many parts of the world, including Finland, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Canada and Britain. "And Australia of course!" she says. "The thing I think surprised me the most was that it was so easy," she tells Fairfax Media, via email.

"I remember thinking before I started 'why has no one ever done this before?'" The solution, she says, is to keep climate change in front of the public's attention. "All we need to do is treat it like a crisis with headlines and news reporting all the time. And I mean A L L the time," she writes. "As if there was a war going on." Greta wants her Australian acolytes to know she is aware of their actions: "I would tell them that they are making a huge difference. I read about them in newspapers up here in Europe and it's hopeful beyond my imagination. "And Australia is a huge climate villain, I am sorry to say. Your carbon footprint is way bigger than Sweden and we are among the worst in the world."
With property prices are falling across Sydney and Melbourne, people who bought off the plan some time ago and are settling now are likely to be in for a rude shock.

Three out of 10 off-the-plan apartments that settled in September in Sydney were settled for a lower valuation than the original contract sale price, figures from property researcher CoreLogic show. That is more than double the percentage a year ago.

Many off-the-plan buyers are in for a shock when they come to settle on the property and the value is lower. Credit:Glenn Hunt

For Melbourne, the news is almost as grim, with 28 per cent of off-the-plan apartments settling for a lower valuation.

Lenders having toughened their lending criteria over the past couple of years and buyers settling with lower valuations might have to top-up their deposits or struggle to secure finance.
A Canberra man will face court after he allegedly stole a dog from a Sydney home, before trying to sell it online.

The man, 28, was charged with allegedly stealing a seven-year-old poodle from a home in the north-west Sydney suburb of Carlingford on October 16.

The dog was found on October 19 at a home in nearby North Parramatta.

The location of the missing dog was only revealed after the poodle was seen to be advertised for sale online.

Similar breeds of the dog on sites such as Gumtree attract prices of more than $3000.
Carol Benda was two years shy of her 50th birthday when she enrolled in a law degree at the University of Canberra.

Almost 10 years on, she's been named the ACT's Woman Lawyer of the Year for her work in the community sector, particularly for helping vulnerable people access the justice system.

It was quite the turnaround for the woman who dropped out of school at 16, moved out of home and worked at the Fosseys - now Target - head office in Sydney.

Carol Benda, the ACT woman lawyer of the year. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

And it came about purely by fluke.
For members of the Tibetan community in Canberra, looking after the elderly comes as second nature.

After seeing images of elder abuse in nursing homes splashed across the media earlier this year, Tibetan migrant Shenphen Ringpapontsang realised he had to do something about it.

"It was just heartbreaking to see," Mr Ringpapontsang said.

"Our culture is one where elders are revered and loved unconditionally, and it's that sort of culture that makes Tibetans especially talented in the aged-care space."
Putting on a big 30th birthday bash for Questacon wasn't exactly rocket science... well, it sort of was.

With astronauts wandering around and the institution's latest addition, the stunning suspended replica moon, space exploration was definitely one of the themes as Questacon looks ahead to next year's 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

Bubble master, Liam Johnson, entertains kids at the 30th birthday event for Questacon on Saturday. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

But Saturday was about celebrating everything the National Science and Technology Centre has become in its 30 years at its magnificent Parkes location.

Questacon was born out of ANU Professor Mike Gore wanting to bring a science museum to Australia after taking his family to experience the wonders of the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
If you've ever fancied yourself as an amateur climate scientist, you now have an opportunity to participate in an Australia-wide micro-climate study.

The project, conducted by RMIT and the University of NSW, aims to explore the urban heat island effect in greater detail.

Canberra temperatures shown as departures from the average temperature of 35 degrees. Temperatures captured by thermal imagery on February 9, 2017 and taken from the CSIRO report 'Mapping surface urban heat in Canberra'. Credit:CSIRO

Participation in the study would involve Canberrans measuring wind, temperature and humidity in Tuggeranong, Woden and Gungahlin to form baseline climate data for these areas.

The urban heat island effect is a phenomenon where certain urban areas will become significantly hotter than other parts of the city due to the concentration of built environments and lack of water or vegetation.
This stock of temporary migrants is 10 times greater than the annual permanent entry of 163,000 and represents about one-tenth of workers in the Australia. Morrisons government is increasing incentives and opportunities for temporary migrants to come to Australia, contradicting his rhetoric on immigration that "enough is enough". In the past month his government has extended the backpacker visa by another 12 months and uncapped a three-year, low-skilled temporary work visa for workers from the Pacific. And at the same time as promising to ease congestion in capital cities, Morrisons government has ineffectively managed the two migration programs aimed at moving migrants into the regions where they are needed. Firstly, only 6221 visas were issued last year under the Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme (RSMS), a sharp fall from the previous year and less than half of the number of visas issued in 2016-2017.

With a backlog of more than 22,000 applicants in this category currently waiting for a result on their application to move to the regions and work, the stagnation of the RSMS exposes the hollowness of Morrisons desire to ease migration pressures in the cities in favour of the regions. Secondly, the government increased the points test for the regional 489 visa from 60 to 65 points. The 489 visa is used to encourage migrants to move to the regions, so if the government wants more people to go to regional areas, it should increase the points required for capital city applications but not for regional points-based applications. There are three main immigration policy challenges which are inadequately addressed by Morrisons announcement to cut the permanent migration intake. Addressing these challenges is essential for realising the economic benefits of labour migration. The first challenge is to assess the desirability of the expansion of the temporary migration program at the expense of the permanent intake. In fact, there are good reasons to reduce temporary migration levels in favour of increasing permanent migration.

Skilled migrants that come in under the permanent program contribute more to the economy through income taxation than they take via government services. Permanent migrants are also far less vulnerable to exploitation in the labour market than temporary migrants as they are not reliant on employer sponsorship to remain in Australia or to obtain permanent residency. Permanent migrants are also far better for social cohesion because their secure residency status means they can fully commit to Australia and her future. The second challenge is to consider the relative value of visas which provide a direct pathway to the Australian labour market versus visas which are ostensibly for a non-work purpose but provide work rights. Temporary visas for skilled workers, or seasonal and longer-term workers from the Pacific, are preferable to visas which aim to facilitate a period of "study" or "holiday" but are used primarily for work. Although not without their problems (in particular the tie of workers to a sponsoring employer), visas which provide direct access to the labour market are easier to monitor and enforce and can be better tailored to the labour market needs of industry and regions. A recent study estimated that temporary migrants are owed more than $1 billion, most of which relates to wage theft involving backpackers and international students.

Direct migration pathways are also better for employers as they can more accurately forecast labour supply and recruit migrant workers who are experienced and trained, rather than rely on what comes in through the backdoor. Any effort to reduce visas for international students being used for a primary purpose of work and securing permanent residency, will need to take into account the education sectors extraordinary reliance on international students. Now our third biggest export, international students have been essential to the growth of this sector. The governments announcement to cut the permanent migration intake coupled with a previous change making it harder for students to transition to permanent residency, means that over time Australia will be a less attractive destination for international students. The third challenge is channelling migrants into the regions and away from capital cities. Although Morrison has flagged this will be discussed at the next Council of Australian Governments meeting, the conversation also needs to consider the benefits of human accumulation versus demand-driven migration in regional areas. If the Prime Minister is serious about his promise to begin a new "responsible population discussion", then hell cast aside political point-scoring and focus on addressing these policy challenges in a bipartisan and evidence-based way.
Rosanna Barbero, chief executive of the Addison Road Community Centre Organisation in Marrickville. Credit:Caitlin Fitzsimmons Ms Barbero said ARCCO had a focus on compliance for a reason. "If we breach our head lease, the Crown can come in say, 'You've breached your lease. We're shutting the entire centre,' and 43 organisations with the stroke of a pen would be gone, and the community would be very upset at us," she said. Mr Verbist dismissed this as "scaremongering" and said it was the latest in a concerted campaign by ARRCO to try to get rid of The Bower. The issue behind the alleged breach of lease was that the Bower building needs a retrospective development application. The Bower has submitted reports from a structural engineer but the Inner West Council can't process the DA without permission from ARCCO. Terms of lease

Soon after starting in the job in 2013, Mr Verbist tried to get a copy of The Bower's lease and when it couldn't be located, he was advised to sign a new one. Mr Verbist claims ARCCO switched the terms of the contract between sending the electronic version and the hard copy, reducing the term from five years to two years, and removing the clause that acknowledged The Bower had constructed the building and was entitled to reduced rent. Loading The original lease was later found and reinstated after The Bower took legal action, he says. The Sun-Herald has seen copies of both versions. Ms Barbero said Bower staff were told the terms were different but they failed to check the contract before they signed. Tiered rent system

Then ARCCO tried to increased the rent, not only for The Bower but also Reverse Garbage, one of the original tenants with a 40-year history at the site. Reverse Garbage has a similar model to The Bower, but focuses on industrial and commercial waste that can be reused for arts, craft and DIY. ARCCO has a tiered rental system, where it determines a market rate and then tenants pay 40, 50 or 80 per cent of that. The Bower and Reverse Garbage must pay 80 per cent because they sell goods, despite being a not-for-profit organisation with a marginal business model, while service providers would generally pay a lower rate, including some small-time commercial operators and services with government funding. The Bower general manager Guido Verbist standing in front of eviction notices. Credit:Jessica Hromas In 2015, The Bower paid $15,579 a year and in 2018 it pays about $20,816 a year, according to both parties, but if ARCCO has its way it would pay more than $60,000 a year. But Mr Verbist said an independent valuation estimated the market value at $37,500 a year before any discount. We have a second site in Parramatta where the site would usually charge $60,000 in rent and we get it for $10,000  now thats what I call subsidised rent, Mr Verbist said.

Reverse Garbage, an organisation with a similar model to The Bower but focused on commercial and industrial waste, pays $69,566 rent annually for a bigger building. Reverse Garbage chief executive Naomi Brennan said ARCCO's proposed rent increases would make the annual rent $224,000 a year by the end of a new five-year lease. "We are in a building where it leaks copiously when it rains and the floor is collapsing. We've been asked to, and we have, moved off 25 per cent of our floor space earlier this year and we haven't received any reduction in rental as a consequence and we currently pay nearly $70,000 and they want us to pay considerably more," Ms Brennan said. "To classify us as a seller of goods as if we are a commercial organisation seems an unlikely classification. We are a not-for-profit, income-tax exempt, registered charity." Reverse Garbage has not been evicted but Ms Brennan said the rent demands put the operations at risk. Vision for the centre

The bigger issue is that the focus of ARCCO's operations has changed. ARCCO is also a not-for-profit organisation but originally, its role was as custodian of the site and it operated largely as a property manager and landlord. Loading But ARCCO's current strategic purpose gives it a dual function, and the centre runs its own award-winning programs, such as a food pantry to combat food insecurity in the community and a social-enterprise cafe. Were the neighbourhood centre of Marrickville but were broader than that  we work on environmental, cultural, arts and humanitarian programs and we see ourselves as permanently here and associated with the site, Ms Barbero said. The new constitution adopted at the AGM last year changed ARCCO' from a manager of the site to one with a charitable purpose, including "practical relief of food shortages", and "empowerment of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals". The Sun-Herald has copies of both the old and new versions.

ARCCO's financial reports show big increases in wages, administration and program costs, while spending maintenance has stayed stable. A number of tenants complained to The Sun-Herald they were paying more rent and ARCCO had the boomgate income from weekends, but there were as many potholes as ever and the internet didn't work properly. Loading "They have in my opinion a conflict of interest," Mr Verbist said. "They're good programs but that's not the point. Given the new mission they've given themselves, they have to look for income streams. "All the people who approved this change of constitution are one by one going to be the victims and forced to leave their own buildings, because they need more wealthy or commercially driven organisations to pay these higher rents. Ms Barbero said there was no conflict and ARCCO is obligated to provide services to the community, but also had big fixed costs like insurance.
The man Malcolm Turnbull once dubbed "the world's leading demographer" has warned Premier Gladys Berejiklian against "pushing the panic button" on immigration, saying it could undermine Sydney's economic success.

University of Melbourne Professor of Demography Peter McDonald, whose views were specifically sought by the premier's special panel on migration, said Ms Berejiklian's goal of halving overseas migration to NSW would require cutting the skilled migrant intake to zero.

His detailed submission to the inquiry, seen by Fairfax Media, concluded: "My view is that NSW needs to think carefully before pushing the panic button on migration."

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian wants to halve migration into NSW to 45,000 people a year. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Professor McDonald told the panel the government's own massive infrastructure commitments - such as Western Sydney Airport - made it a "difficult time" to cut back on skilled labour supply.
Swimmers scrambled to evacuate a popular south Sydney surf beach on Saturday morning after a four-metre shark was spotted near the coast.

Randwick Council lifeguards jumped into action after one Maroubra Beach-goer spotted what they thought was a great white shark 150 metres off the beach about 10am.

Maroubra beach was quickly evacuated after a four-metre shark was spotted 150 metres off the coast. Credit:Christopher Pearce

Lifeguards quickly confirmed there was some sort of very large fish in the water and sounded the alarm, a Surf Life Saving spokeswoman said.

Randwick Council lifeguards searched the waters by boat and jetski with Surf Life Saving NSW guards from Maroubra and South Maroubra, while a Westpac rescue helicopter flew overhead.
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- An undocumented immigrant who has been taking sanctuary in a North Carolina church for more than a year was taken into custody on Friday as he left the church for a meeting at the U.S. Immigration office.



Samuel Oliver-Bruno, a 47-year-old Mexican national, had recently submitted a petition for deferred action and was complying with a "procedural biometrics appointment for a background check" with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration office in Morrisville, North Carolina, when he was taken into custody, according to a statement from immigrant advocacy group Alerta Migratoria NC.



He has been living in the basement of the CityWell United Methodist Church in Durham since late 2017, Raleigh-based newspaper The News and Observer reported.



Oliver-Bruno was surrounded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in plain clothes "just minutes" after entering the USCIS office while accompanied by his 19-year-old son, his immigration attorneys and members of the clergy and community, according to Alerta Migratoria. He was then "forced" into a van around the back of the building, but his supporters, who were waiting outside the office, "rushed to block the vehicle," the advocacy group said.



Demonstrators who blocked the van were arrested, a spokeswoman for the Morrisville Police Department told ABC News.



Officers called to the scene tried to warn the group surrounding the van that they would be arrested for obstruction if they did not disperse, the spokeswoman said. Twenty-seven people, including Citywell pastor Cleve May, were arrested when they refused to comply, police said.



"They did not want to move from out in front of the van," the spokeswoman said. "Our police officers had to place them under arrest for not giving [the van] the right of way."



Some members of the crowd leaned their torsos over the hood of the van, video posted onto Alerta Migratoria's Facebook page shows.



A woman with the Wake County Sheriff's Office  the law enforcement office that presided over the protest scene at the church  declined to provide a comment to ABC News.



An ICE spokesman confirmed to ABC News that Oliver-Bruno was arrested as part of a "targeted enforcement action."



"Mr. Oliver-Bruno is a convicted criminal who has received all appropriate legal process under federal law, has no outstanding appeals, and has no legal basis to remain in the U.S.," Bryan Cox, ICE director of communications for the southern region, said in a statement.



Oliver-Bruno's son, Daniel Oliver-Perez, was among the protesters arrested, ABC Raleigh-Durham affiliate WTVD reported. Oliver-Perez is a U.S. citizen, The News and Observer reported.



Oliver-Bruno was taken to the ICE office in Cary, North Carolina, the advocacy group said, adding that the detainment has placed his life in danger.



"If deported, Samuel fears for his life," Alerta Migratoria said in a statement. "If deported, Samuel will be returned to the state of Veracruz, where his family has recently faced threats and which is a state that is constantly in threat of drug cartels. If deported, ICE will be delivering Samuel to danger and death. Furthermore, ICE is not allowing us to give Samuel his diabetic pills or insulin medication, which is further putting his life in danger."



Oliver-Bruno appeared in a video on Alerta Migratoria's Facebook page Wednesday, asking for support in Spanish for when he entered the "wolf cave."



In May 2014, Oliver Bruno was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso, Texas, "while attempting to enter the U.S. using fraudulent documents," Cox said. He was then paroled "solely for federal criminal prosecution" and was convicted in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas later that month, Cox said.



Oliver-Bruno was released from ICE custody in June 2016, and his case has since "been subject to extensive appeals," Cox said, adding that officials "ultimately concluded Mr. Oliver Bruno has no legal basis to remain in the U.S.," Cox said.



USCIS had requested that Oliver-Bruno provide fingerprints in person, a requirement for his deferred deportation petition, The News and Observer reported. He moved from his home in Greenville to the church last year after ICE notified him that it would no longer practice discretion for his removal, the local newspaper reported. ICE does not typically make arrests at churches, schools or hospitals.



Oliver-Bruno left Mexico in 1994, and his wife came to the U.S. two years later on a work permit, The News and Observer reported. It is unclear when and why he initially left the U.S., but his attempt to cross the border again in 2014 was to be with his wife, who was undergoing open heart surgery in the U.S., according to the newspaper.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
An anonymous letter campaign on Sydney's north shore has led to a defamation fight in the NSW District Court, in the latest in a series of costly legal battles involving ordinary people suing over slurs published to a small audience.

The court fight, which has already cost thousands of dollars, centres on an anonymous letter from an "Utterly Peeved Creditor" that was allegedly dropped into seven letterboxes on a quiet suburban street in Chatswood on Sydney's lower north shore in mid to late 2016.

The letters were allegedly sent to a number of residents in a suburban street in Chatswood. Credit:Glenn Campbell

The letter was addressed to a named woman who lives on the street as well as being sent to her neighbours.

The "peeved creditor" told the woman that her son, who works in Dubai but has a family in Australia, was a "blatant con man, thief and liar" and said "a copy of this letter has be [sic] sent to all your neighbours to inform them about [your son] ... and your support for him".
A Sydney-wide manhunt is under way after an alleged violent assault and car jacking in Drummoyne, where one man was punched multiple times and another endured a ten minute carjacking in which he was forced to drive towards the city.

Police across Sydney are searching for a man, believed to be in his 30s, of Pacific Islander or Maori appearance, wearing Sydney Roosters football shorts, following the dual attack on Saturday morning.

The violent rampage allegedly began on Victoria Rd, Drummoyne. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The man has also been described as being 168cm tall, with dark skin and long black hair. He is wearing a maroon or red coloured jacket and black runners.

The man is wanted in connection with an incident that took place around 8am, when another man aged in his 50s was approached and punched in the head multiple times on Victoria Rd, Drummoyne.
The traditional Queenslander is under pressure to hold its place in Brisbanes architecture files as modern home styles consolidate their popularity.

Brisbane City Council has recently opened debate through an online forum on what aspects of the Queenslander  and other traditional home styles  should be valued and protected.

Queenslanders in Brisbane

Already 100,000 residents have had their say in one of the councils most popular online forums.

Overall, the feedback could help develop a Character Housing Design Guide for Brisbane.
A convicted rapist with "significant" bush survival skills is on the run with $8000 cash, his passport and an off-road motorbike  and may be hiding out in Victoria's alpine foothills.

Victoria Police are hunting for 46-year-old registered sex offender Christopher William Empey, who was convicted in November 2003 of brutally raping and stomping on the head of his then 30-year-old work colleague in the stairwell of a Southbank apartment building the previous July.

Police have released this image of Christopher William Empey in the hope a member of the public recognises him and can help locate him.

The victim was found covered in blood, and was admitted to hospital with facial fractures, a partly amputated right ear, brain damage and serious genital injuries. The young woman lost two litres of blood in the savage attack.

Assistant Commissioner Neil Patterson of Intelligence and Covert support command said Empey's GPS monitoring bracelet was deactivated on Thursday, and he was last known to be in the Bonnie Doon area.
Premier Daniel Andrews was out in the marginal seats, drumming up last-minute votes and trying to dodge reporters.

At the Cabaret Room at the Village Green Hotel in Mulgrave, party volunteers were tuning up the sound system and blowing up balloons, great red clumps of them, hoping for a celebration.

Daniel Andrews was still campaigning in the marginal electorate of Carrum on Saturday. Credit:Timna Jacks

Mulgrave, out in Melbournes south-east, is both a suburb and the name of the state electorate Daniel Andrews has held since he entered Parliament in 2002.

As Saturdays election approached, the Premier held the seat by 4.5 per cent, which placed it in the marginal category.
Labors Richard Wynne, who on Saturday was facing a battle to retain the marginal seat of Richmond from the Greens Kathleen Maltzahn, said the Liberal Partys decision not to run a candidate against him was extraordinary.

On election day, Liberal Party member Kevin Quoc Tran  not endorsed by the Liberal Party but still running in the seat  was told by the Victorian Electoral Commission to cease handing out unauthorised election pamphlets at booths in Collingwood and Richmond.

VEC spokesman Mike Lagastes said Mr Tran was "handing out material that was not registered".

Volunteers handing out for Mr Tran were also told to stop. As soon as that happened, Kevin instructed his volunteers to cease handing out that material straight away. Its not allowed so we took action," Mr Lagastes said.
Brussels: A row between Spain and the UK over the British enclave of Gibraltar threatens to overshadow a European Union summit aimed at endorsing Theresa May's Brexit deal.

Spanish officials said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez might not attend the gathering in Brussels on Sunday unless he gets guarantees first about how the disputed territory will be treated after Brexit.

A Spanish flag flies on top of the customs house on the Spanish side of the border with the British overseas territory. Credit:AP

It's a last-minute obstacle for the UK and the rest of the EU, which are aiming to get all EU leaders to give their assent to the Brexit accord this weekend.

No individual country has a veto, but it would be politically and diplomatically embarrassing if Spain continues to withhold its approval. An EU official said late on Friday, Brussels time, the summit was still expected to go ahead.
New York: It could be said that two separate trials are taking place, side by side, these days in Room 8D of the US District Court in Brooklyn.

At the actual trial, the US government is prosecuting Joaquin Guzman Loera, who is accused of being one of the world's biggest drug dealers. Widely known as El Chapo, Guzman, prosecutors say, earned as much as $US14 billion as head of the Sinaloa drug cartel  a fortune he is said to have protected with rampant pay-offs and an army of professional assassins.

A court sketch as the trial gets underway in New York. Credit:Elizabeth Williams/AP

But at a second trial of sorts, Guzman's lawyers are, in essence, prosecuting the government of Mexico. By their account, the country's police and politicians not only are corrupt, but also have conspired for years with Guzman's partner, Ismael Zambada Garcia, to target El Chapo in exchange for a flood of bribes.

Judge Brian Cogan has been tasked with keeping the first of these trials on track and the second one in check. Given the sensitivities involved and the enormous news media attention, he has conducted much of the proceedings in secret.
Viewing parties around the world will tune in this Monday (Nov. 26) to watch NASA's latest Martian probe finally attempt to land on the Red Planet.

NASA's InSight Mars Lander has been steadily approaching Mars for three of Earth's seasons. The spacecraft launched from California during the North American springtime, on May 5, and it is still journeying toward our neighboring planet. But the long haul finishes Monday (Nov. 26), when InSight will finally land on the flat plains of Elysium Planitia near Mars' equator.

Museums, libraries, college campuses and even public spaces like Times Square in New York City will be airing InSight's landing, set to occur at about 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) on Nov. 26. NASA has provided an extensive list of viewing locations, available here. Space.com will also broadcast the landing here, courtesy of NASA TV. [NASA's InSight Mars Lander: Full Coverage]

Or you could watch from Mars. (The planet humorously sits on the top slot of NASA's event-viewing list.)

The landing sites of past and present Mars missions are labeled on this map, provided by NASA. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

InSight will be a stationary probe. It's equipped with instruments that can measure subsurface movements and heat flow to help scientists learn about Mars' interior over the course of a two-year mission. InSight will be NASA's first Mars landing since the Curiosity rover in 2012.

Colleges and universities are hosting public viewing parties. The California Institute of Technology's event will feature guests from the nonprofit space-interest group The Planetary Society. The University of Alaska Fairbanks' event will be held in their Vis Space visualization environment and will include a round of Mars trivia.

Major viewing events at museums include "Countdown to InSight" at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia; a "NASA Mars Insight Landing Livestream" at The Museum of Flight in Seattle ; a 6-hour pop-up Landing Event at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago; an "InSight Lands on Mars" simulation at the American Museum of Natural History in New York; and many more.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory created this composite image of Earth and Mars. These are their relative sizes, not their actual distance apart: NASA's InSight Mars Lander will have traveled over six months to reach the Red Planet from Earth. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Libraries across the country will also host events. Nebraska's Wilson Public Library, North Dakota's Grand Forks Public Library, California's San Gabriel Library and Massachusetts' Brockton Public Library, to name just a handful, are having InSight landing gatherings.

People in Germany and France can attend viewing events, as well. The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Gottingen, Germany, will host a "Quick Guide to a Landing on Mars" lecture, for example. And one of the several events hosted in France includes an evening program, featuring two scientists, at the City of Science and Industry in Paris.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter@salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Humanity has gazed at Mars for centuries, dreaming of what might lie on its dust-orange surface. As our telescopes improved, so did our picture of the Red Planet, though scientists' interpretation of that growing detail has not always been accurate (see: Mars canals). The first mission to successfully view Mars up close, Mariner 4, beamed home a handful of blurry crater views, but the missions that followed  those that succeeded; the overall failure rate is upward of 50 percent for Mars-bound spacecraft  painted a clearer picture of the planet's dusty, bouldery present.

More recently, scientists have found evidence of a warmer, wetter ancient past for the planet that could have hosted Earth-like life, and so the search for life continues, though it now stretches to the past. And the planet has less scrambling of material from tectonic movement than Earth, so its makeup can tell scientists about the formation of the solar system.

NASA's InSight Mars mission, set to touch down on Monday (Nov. 26), will delve deeper below the planet's surface than any mission before it, learning about the planet's interior. InSight is a smaller mission than many of the rovers and orbiters preceding it, but it's the latest in a long line of robotic emissaries to explore our planetary neighbor. [Missions to Mars: A Robot Red Planet Invasion History (Infographic)]

"Mars is an incredible natural laboratory right next door to Earth," Lori Glaze, the acting director of NASA's planetary sciences division, said during a news briefing for InSight on Nov. 21. "We really want to understand how we came up with this diversity of rocky planets in our solar system  they're all very different, each one of them is unique in its own way, and trying to understand how they ended up so differently is a really important question."

In addition  failure rate notwithstanding  the planet is comparatively easy to land on and is less likely to melt our equipment than Venus or Mercury.

Artists illustration of NASAs InSight lander, which is scheduled to touch down on Mars on Nov. 26, 2018. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Time capsule of early planets...

Earth, Mars and the other rocky planets in our solar system glommed together from a dusty disk surrounding the young sun, getting hotter and hotter as material was added and melting into bodies with distinct mantles and cores. Yet we don't know much about that early time in the planets' history.

"On Mars, that structure's been preserved over the last 4.5 billion years, whereas on the Earth, where we actually can study it pretty easily, that structure's all been scrambled up both by plate tectonics, by mantle convection, and so the evidence of the very earliest processes has been wiped away on the Earth," Bruce Banerdt, principal investigator of the InSight mission and a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said during the briefing.

So just like studying comets  the leftovers of this formation process  tells researchers about the solar system's earliest days, probing Mars' structure by measuring the planet's temperature and marsquakes can tell scientists about the next step in planetary evolution.

And knowing more about Mars' current conditions can also help researchers understand what it might have been like in the past. [Why We're Obsessed with Mars]

...and early Earth

"Mars is a very unique place in our solar system because it's one of the few other planets that we think has really ever been truly Earth-like," Briony Horgan, a planetary scientist from Purdue University who focuses on the geologic history of the moon and Mars, told Space.com. "Today, it's this cold, inhospitable place with very thin atmosphere...low pressure, all the radiation that's bathing the surface. But when we look at the geologic record of Mars, we see huge amounts of things like dried-up river channels, dried-up lake deltas and lake sediments; we see minerals all over the planet that can only form in the presence of water." [Water on Mars: Curiosity Rover Uncovers a Flood of Evidence]

Mars 3 or 4 billion years ago may have looked very similar to early Earth, Horgan said, and while on our planet erosion, plate tectonics and other processes have swept away rocks dating from that time, Mars offers another chance to see them.

"The geology of Mars has just been so much less active on the kind of scale the Earth is that the rocks 4 billion years ago are just sitting on the surface," Horgan said. "They haven't been subducted, they haven't been buried, they haven't been eroded  they're just sitting there, basically waiting for us to go look at them and to try to understand what these ancient, 4-billion-year-old environments might have looked like, and did they support life."

Horgan is a scientist on NASA's upcoming Mars 2020 rover mission, whose landing site the agency announced on Nov. 19. The Mars 2020 rover follows in the footsteps of 1976's twin Viking landers, which landed on the Red Planet to search for life according to scientists' best understanding of the planet's conditions, and the Curiosity rover, which touched down in 2012 to investigate Mars' past habitability.

As our views of the planet evolve, our life-searching tools have, too, Horgan said  after the Spirit and Opportunity rovers presented evidence of past water, Curiosity brought a vast suite of science instruments to try to find organics or other evidence of habitability near those ancient water beds. Mars 2020 will build on Curiosity's ongoing work by bringing even finer analysis tools to, for instance, image organics in rocks, looking for microfossils or textures that suggest ancient biology. Scientists still don't know if flowing water was frequently on the surface, or if it might have been mostly frozen with occasional melts due to volcanic activity.

"Some of the instruments on 2020 are really going to zero in on the finer detail of the rocks, the kind of things that we can't see with the instruments that we currently have, and cache samples that eventually, if they were returned to Earth, could provide us long-term, fundamental information," said John Grant, a geologist at the Smithsonian Institution who has been on the science teams for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Curiosity and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. He also co-led the process to choose Mars 2020's landing site.

InSight is a very important part of that, because none of [NASA's previous missions] really  pun intended  scratch below the surface in terms of the planetary evolution and understanding how the planet evolved over time, Grant added.

"If we know something about its internal structure and evolution, we can say something about how long it has been active, whether or not or how active it is today, and all of those have implications for the changing conditions  as related to things like habitability and whether there was past life," he told Space.com. So although InSight isn't directly addressing Mars life, "it's all interwoven," he added.

A neighbor

And, of course, with NASA's evolving plans to eventually send humans to Mars, anything we learn will help prepare for that moment.

"Yes, we're going back to the moon, but we're also on the way to Mars, and science [helps] make sure that we understand the resources, and to explore that we understand the conditions of life and we understand what is to be researched there," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's science mission directorate, said during the Mars 2020 landing site announcement.

"That's, I would argue, an additional over-and-above argument for why Mars is so exciting to us, he added. We're not going to go to any other place anytime soon of our terrestrial planets for all the obvious reasons. Mars is really the obvious place after the moon to go back and expand our presence into deeper and deeper space."

So why do we keep going to Mars? To learn about our solar system, to learn about early Earth, to search for life and simply to learn about our neighbor before we visit.

"Science drives our understanding and allows us to get humans to a place like Mars," Glaze said during the briefing. "The more exploration we have, the better we understand that environment, the better prepared we'll be to send humans to Mars in the future."

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
Brussels, November 23, 2018 (SPS) - The European Parliaments Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) affirmed that its vote, in Wednesdays meeting, on the proposal of the Councils decision relating to the conclusion of an agreement in the form of exchanging letters between the European Union (EU) and Morocco, concerning the modification of protocol 1 and 4 of the Euro-Mediterranean association agreement between EU and Morocco, doesnt mean at all the recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the territory of Western Sahara, said Sahrawi Deputy Minister for Europe .



Western Sahara is a self-governing territory subject to the United Nations resolutions in terms of decolonization, said Sidati.



While commenting this decision, the Sahrawi official said that despite the forcing of the European Commission and some member States like France and Spain, AFET noted that this doesnt mean at all the recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the territory of Western Sahara, underlining that it is a self-governing territory subject to the United Nations resolutions in terms of decolonization which involve the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.



It insisted on the fact that EUs position still consists in ensuring its full support to the United Nations efforts to reach a fair and lasting solution enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination, in accordance with the international law, the United Nations Charter and its relevant resolutions, said Sidati.



AFET Committee expressed its full support to the personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for Western Sahara Horst Kohler, in his willingness to bring the parties to negotiations without pre-conditions and in good faith, he added. (SPS)



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Brussels, November 23, 2018 (SPS) - The European Parliament hosted a conference on the effects of EU-Morocco agreement on the United Nations settlement process of the conflict in Western Sahara, in which the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Parliament (CJEU) and the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council were underlined.



The participants in this conference, organized Thursday at the headquarters of the European Parliament, highlighted CJEUs decisions affirming that Morocco and Western Sahara are two separate territories and that any agreement between EU and Morocco involving Western Sahara and its natural resources, without the Sahrawi peoples consent, is null and void and constitutes a blatant violation of the international law.



In this regard, the participants broached the European Commissions attempts to circumvent these decisions, notably by designating some Moroccan associations as representatives of the Sahrawi people, which is inconsistent with CJEUs decisions, affirming that any agreement involving Western Sahara must obtain the consent of the Sahrawi people and their legitimate and only representative, the Polisario Front, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly of 1979 and 1980.



They also examined the legal status of Western Sahara and UN relevant decision, including the last decision of the Security Council 2440 which reiterates the support to the approaches of UN envoy Horst Kohler, in order to reach a peaceful solution to Western Saharas conflict, enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination, in accordance with UN principles and objectives.



This conference, which is led by the Polisario Fronts lawyer Gilles Devers, vice-president of the European parliament and member of trade commission, the head of group for peace in Western Sahara at the European Parliament as well as Sahrawi activist Mahfoud Bechraya, takes place at a moment when the European companies attend a major debate on the effects of the agreements concluded between Morocco and the Polisario Front on the settlement process, backed by UN in Western Sahara. (SPS)



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If youre still working, one of the most effective ways to save for your retirement years is to maximize contributions to your IRA and to your workplace retirement plan, especially if your employer adds matching dollars to your account.

The Internal Revenue Service recently increased the amount of money you are allowed to contribute to various retirement accounts starting in 2019, so make sure you bring your contribution up to the new maximum amount.

For 401(k), 403(b) and most 457(b) plans, the limit will rise from $18,500 to $19,000 for the year. For IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts), the limit will rise from $5,500 to $6,000.

The catch-up contribution limit for those over age 50 will remain at $6,000, meaning you can add that much more on top of the regular limit. This applies to most retirement accounts, but it does get tricky: For instance, if you have a SIMPLE IRA or a SIMPLE 401(k) plan, the catch-up contribution limit is just $3,000. And if you have worked for 15 years or more and have a 403(b) plan (for public school or nonprofit employees), your catch-up limit may be much higher.

The rules for 457(b) plans (for government employees) are even trickier, with potentially higher catch-up limits for employees within three years of retirement.

The increases for 2019 may not sound like a lot, but when it comes to saving for your retirement, every dollar helps. This is especially true for younger workers, who have more years ahead of them for the power of compound investing to work.

Fidelity provides examples of the difference it can make to add just one percent more to a 401(k) or other retirement plan. By adding $12 a week to her savings plan, a woman age 35 earning $60,000 a year would add $85,492 to her nest egg by retirement age, assuming an annual investment growth rate of 5.5 percent and a nominal salary increase rate of 4 percent.

Older workers can help their cause, as well: Based on the same assumptions as above, a 55-year-old woman earning $80,000 per year would add $16,799 to her retirement savings for every $16 in additional weekly contributions.

A recent Fidelity survey shows that half of Americans are at risk of being unable to cover essential expenses after they retire. Only 32 percent of Americans are on target to cover 95 percent of essential expenses.

To get yourself into the on target zone, increase savings any way you can, review your asset mix with the help of a financial planner, and create a retirement plan based on your estimated expenses post-retirement.

Eric Tashlein is a Certified Financial Planner professional and founding Principal of Connecticut Capital Management Group LLC, 2 Schooner Lane, Suite 1-12, in Milford. He can be reached at 203-877-1520 or through www.connecticutcapital.com. This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice or legal/tax advice. Please consult your advisor/attorney/tax advisor. Registered Representative, Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC.
BRIDGEPORT  Family and friends of a Stamford man killed in a crash in Bridgeport on Thanksgiving flooded social media with messages and photos in his memory.

Wagner Mendez, 31, was identified Saturday by police spokesman Av Harris as the driver of the car sped south down Main Street, jumped the curb and slammed into the Webster Bank Arena around 2 p.m. on Thursday.

William Andujar, who identified himself as Mendezs uncle in a comment on a photo of Mendez on Facebook, wrote that the whole family was hurting.

These are very difficult moments, he wrote.

Abertina Mendez Wagner wrote, I have no words to express my pain.

After colliding with the front of the building, shattering two doors and knocking out a portion of brick, Mendezs car rolled over several times and he was thrown from the car and then trapped under it, Assistant Fire Chief Michael Caldaroni said Thursday shortly after the crash.

By the time fire units got to the scene, he said, crews found the car on fire and the driver under the car. Firefighters were able to quickly put the flames out and extricate the driver.

Mendez was taken to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police Capt. Kevin Gilleran said.

The Bridgeport Police Department offers its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Wagner Mendez, Harris said Saturday.

Though an exact speed was not provided, Caldroni said Mendez was driving down Main Street at, a tremendous amount of speed, before he crashed into the arena at 600 Main St. The arena was closed on Thursday, though some security were inside the building at the time of the crash.

Since the building was structurally sound after the crash, the arena opened on Friday for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey game. Wood covered the exposed areas that were taken out by the impact of the crash. It was unclear how long the repairs would take or how much they would cost.
Editors Note: Hearst Connecticut Media first reported on Charlottes case in 2017 in an article titled The Legal Assault  part of a five-part series on domestic violence. At her request, we continue to use the pseudonyms Charlotte and Lucas to protect her privacy.

As the minutes ticked by in the Stamford courtroom, Charlotte sat next to her lawyer, praying for a ruling that would transform the courts, so long a place of abuse, into a refuge.

Charlotte, a travel and marketing consultant, was seeking relief from a nonstop torrent of legal actions brought against her since 2014 by the father of her 4-year-old son. Her lawyer has argued, and two Connecticut family court judges have agreed, that this flood of litigation  most of it eventually denied or dismissed  has risen to the level of harassment.

While Charlottes case garnered a rare ruling Wednesday, her situation is not wholly unique, advocates say.

More News THE LEGAL ASSAULT

Thousands of individuals are subjected to vexatious litigation every year, prompting some states to respond with new legislation to limit the practice.

In domestic violence cases, vexatious litigation can become a new tool for abusers to retain power over their victims, said Karen Jarmoc, executive director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Some advocates call it stalking by way of the courts.

The circumstance of abusers using the court system to continue to harass, stalk, threaten, intimidate emotionally, manipulate, cause emotional harm to their ex-partner is extremely common, and it is a challenge that we grapple with on a daily basis, said Jarmoc.

Acknowledging the issue, Tennessee passed a law in May allowing a judge to stop a former romantic partner from filing frivolous motions against an ex. The CCADV is now considering lobbying for similar legislation in Connecticut in 2019.

Unceasing litigation

When their short dating relationship produced a child, Charlotte hoped for a harmonious co-parenting situation with the dapper interior designer Lucas.

But from 2014 to 2017, Lucas filed 56 motions against Charlotte in family court, three civil restraining order applications, one civil complaint, one probate court complaint and one appeal of a family court decision, in addition to being sentenced to a family violence re-education program for disorderly conduct, court documents show.

In the past year, Lucas has only continued his aggressive litigation. In 2018, he filed six new restraining order applications against Charlotte and her father  all denied  and two fresh appeals.

All that litigation has cost Charlotte, a Greenwich resident, more than $515,000, she said. She lost her job because she was in court so much, and it took her time away from parenting.

Exhausted to the point of numbness, she worries constantly about what the man who threatened to take their child away will do next. Even her dreams are invaded by a maelstrom of judges, filings and courtrooms, she said.

It has taken over my life, said Charlotte, testifying before a family court judge Wednesday.

Lucas denied Wednesday that he harassed Charlotte through the courts, or otherwise. He maintains his legal actions are not frivolous.

I finally and categorically deny every allegation that has been made against me, he said. (She) simply doesnt stop.

States responses

Some states have started to address the use of litigation to intimidate or harass people, advocates say. Texas, California, Florida and Massachusetts have passed laws to address vexatious litigants, according to the CCADV.

California includes a lengthy definition of a vexatious litigant in its state statutes. Since 1991, it has published a monthly list of vexatious litigants in the state. Canada allows judges to hold some hearings in writing to reduce vexatious litigation.

The Tennessee law passed this spring allows a judge to hold a hearing to determine whether an ex-spouse or former partner has filed abusive lawsuits. The law empowers the judge to stop someone from filing additional lawsuits for four to six years.

Some advocates and legal observers have worried that the Tennessee law could be used against victims as well as abusers, however. Im not sure it would always be clear to courts who is the vexatious litigant, said Susan Schmeiser, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law. There could be mutual recrimination.

Connecticut now

Connecticut law gives judges leeway to respond to vexatious litigation, but does not specifically outline a strong sanction for the behavior.

The Connecticut Practice Book, which contains court rules published by the state, forbids frivolous and vexatious litigation. State statute also permits the court to force a plaintiff who makes an untrue pleading to pay the defendants legal fees, but does not block their ability to file future motions.

Generally the judges usually stick to the Practice Book and prior case law when they make their decisions, said Anne Louise Blanchard, litigation and advocacy director for Connecticut Legal Services.

Judges may craft additional orders or sanctions to protect a victim, if they see fit. But they must allow everyone to defend their rights in court, while attempting to dismiss frivolous litigation.

Were always on kind of a tightrope to ensure due process, said Judge Elizabeth Bozzuto, deputy chief court administrator for the Judicial Branch, in a 2017 interview with Hearst Connecticut Media.

Judges may be hampered in their ability to respond to vexatious litigants if the litigation is filed in multiple courts or if new motions are assigned to different judges. When presented with only one thorny action amid a forest of lawsuits, it can be difficult for a judge to see the whole picture of a litigants behavior.

Bozzuto advocated for individual calendaring to improve the Family Court system  one judge sitting through the entirety of a case from first motion to trial. Only the Norwich Judicial District now uses individual calendaring, said Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, communications program manager for the Connecticut Judicial Branch.

Judges should also be educated on the courts authority to ensure the orderly administration of justice, said Schmeiser.

Courts can always dismiss particular pleadings as frivolous, but I think they are reluctant to do so, she said. Judges are reluctant to cut off litigants and potentially infringe on their access to justice and their rights to be heard.

New territory

On Wednesday, a Superior Court judge issued a second Strobel order, named for litigants in a precedent-setting family case, on Charlottes behalf, blocking Lucas from filing any new restraining order applications in Family Court.

Alicia Chalameau, Charlottes attorney, called the ruling a unicorn.

Strobel orders, by their nature, exist maybe in 1 percent of court cases, she said. You would be hard pressed today to find another Strobel order in a restraining order case.

But Charlotte was frustrated, fearing Lucas may turn to other courts to continue the onslaught.

I would like to see that the person who has caused me so much fear and distress and anxiety and loss of my time with my son, my personal time and my work time, I would like to see that person be sanctioned and be restrained from continuing to behave that way, she said.
C anada has long been a nature lovers oasis. The 10 provinces and three territories that make up Americas more chilled-out neighbour have become synonymous with wildlife-spotting, incredible scenery and great hiking routes.

One of the provinces, New Brunswick, is located between Quebec and Nova Scotia and offers some of Canadas best landscapes.

Time permitting, it is worth spending a week travelling around Canadas Atlantic provinces, starting with a foodie road trip of Nova Scotia , before relaxing on Prince Edward Island and discovering the beauty of nature in New Brunswick. Autumn is the best time to visit, as the snow is yet to fall and youll be able to witness a golden Canadian autumn in all its glory.

Below is our guide for a three-night, two-day trip along the Bay of Fundy coast in New Brunswick.

Day one

The closest international airport to New Brunswick is Halifax in Nova Scotia. Budget Canadian airline, WestJet offer flights from London Gatwick to Halifax for just 568 return. The flight is around seven hours and, with the time difference, leaving London at 9am will get you to Halifax at 1pm their time.

Whether you drive straight from Halifax to New Brunswick, or explore Nova Scotia for a few days and catch the ferry from Digby across the Bay of Fundy, Saint John is a great place to begin your New Brunswick adventure.

Once youve checked into a hotel (we checked into the Hilton), head out to explore and grab some dinner. One of the must-eat dishes while youre in Canada is poutine  chips lathered with gravy and cheese curds. A stand-out poutine in Saint John can be found at Britts Pub & Eatery in the city centre. There, they offer a turkey poutine which consists of chips topped with turkey gravy, pulled turkey, cheese curds, stuffing and dried cranberries  basically Christmas dinner on a bed of fries, and absolutely divine.

Day two

The one benefit of jet lag is youll be up and about around 7am, which means more time to explore. Travel east to St Martins, a sleepy coastal town, to go sea kayaking with Red Rock Adventures. After a quick tutorial, spend the morning out on the ocean with your guide, discovering the sea caves around the Bay of Fundy coast  be sure to watch out for whales and dolphins, frequent visitors to the bay.

St Martins Caves, New Brunswick, Canada / Shutterstock

Check into the St Martins Country Inn to drop your bags before heading back out for lunch. The Caves Restaurant, just in front of the sea caves, is a pescatarians nirvana, offering creamy seafood chowder, fresh lobster, a seafood casserole and lightly battered scallops. Fresh seafood in this part of Canada is abundant, meaning  especially with the exchange rate  you can have a lobster dinner each night and not break the budget.

After your lunch goes down, head to the recently opened Fundy Trail Parkway, where you can follow the road for stunning sights or stop off and hike one of the many pathways. Be sure not to miss Long Beach and the Walton Glen Gorge lookout.

Dinner is cooked in-house at Vaughns Restaurant on the ground floor of St Martins Country Inn by the host, Lynette. Expect comforting, home-cooked meals before retreating to your delightfully decorated room with full stomach, ready for a good nights sleep.

Day three

Wake up to the sun glittering over the bay before enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the Inn. The town of Alma is an hour and a half drive away, and you can stay there the night or continue on further depending on timings.

Like St Martins, Alma is a sleepy town with friendly locals, fresh produce and brilliant scenery. On the way to Alma, make sure you explore the Fundy National Park with one of their many hikes. The drive in certainly feels like moose-territory (at least that's what the many moose signs on the side of the road lead you to believe) and there are a number of lookouts to check out the bay too. A walk through the park to Dickson Falls is lovely, quaint and easy enough for any ability.

A beautiful view of the Bay of Fundy from the Fundy National Park, New Brunswick, Canada / Shutterstock

Once youve explored the park, head east to Cape Enrage and dine at the Cape House for lunch. The lobster poutine is always a winner, but if youre after something lighter go for the lobster roll. When lunch has settled, explore Cape Enrage which offers the perfect vantage point to witness one of the Marine Wonders of the World. The Bay of Fundy (bordered by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) sees the tide rise as much as 16.3 metres over a 12-hour period, two times per day. You can witness this from Cape Enrage, and while there experience their zip line or visit the nearly 200-year-old lighthouse.

Another place to witness the tide change is at Hopewell Rocks. A 45-minute drive from Cape Enrage, Hopewell Rocks are a collection of rocks shaped by the highest tides in the world. Depending on what time you visit, you can view them at high tide or walk on the ocean floor to stand under the towering giants.

The Hopewell Rocks at high tide, New Brunswick, Canada / Shutterstock

Heading back to Alma, check into Cleveland Place, where you will find one of the loveliest hosts in Canada. Jane and her husband host just one party per night, and you will have a private bathroom, room and your own set of keys for the house. Their house is located on the main street in Alma and there is off-street parking available.

For dinner tonight, walk down to Tipsy Tails where lobster is the star of the menu. Choose from a lobster roll, lobster mac & cheese, lobster poutine or a full lobster dinner. If lobster doesnt pique your interest, opt for a classic fish and chips, ribeye steak or platter of scallops. On balmy evenings, head to the Alma Lobster Shop and pick up a lobster picnic for the evening.

Afterwards, on clear nights, you can visit the Fundy National Park Dark Sky Preserve where you gaze at the stars above and take in the crisp Canadian air.
A young man has been stabbed to death on a busy road in east London.

Police and paramedics rushed to Kingsland Road in Shoreditch just before 6.30am on Saturday after receiving reports of an injured man.

They found a man aged in his 20s suffering from stab injuries near the junction with Waterson Road.

He was taken to a central London hospital where he died a few hours later, Scotland Yard said.

It comes after a police officer was knifed outside Ilford station in east London on Friday night.

A Met Police spokesman said: His next of kin have been informed.

"A post-mortem examination will be held in due course. Formal identification awaits.

"A crime scene remains in place. As part of this scene, temporary road closures are also in effect and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

"No arrests have been made. Enquiries into the full circumstances are ongoing."
A police officer has been stabbed in horrific scenes outside an east London railway station.

The male officer was attacked with a knife outside Ilford Station on Friday night, police said.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance for treatment for his injuries.

Witnesses described seeing the bloodied officer outside the station as it was put on "complete lockdown".

One person tweeted: "At Ilford station... just come outside and all I see is someone on the floor, blood and police."

Footage shared on social media showed a man being restrained on the floor as more officers arrived.

Witness Jay Singh told the Standard he was walking to Ilford station after work and saw it had been taped off.

He said: "There were loads of police officers moving people away from the station.

I asked someone what had happened and someone told me that a police officer had been attacked in the main entrance to the station.

The scene outside Ilford Station in east London after a police officer was stabbed on Friday night / PA

British Transport Police confirmed a man has been arrested over the incident. The officer's injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Counter-terrorism police are not involved at this stage, it is understood.

The incident comes amid concerns of an increase in attacks on police officers amid a rise in violent crime across London.

"Officers are appealing for information after a BTP police officer was stabbed outside Ilford Station earlier this evening," the force said.

"Around 9.45pm this evening a male officer was approached whilst on duty outside Ilford Station and was attacked with a knife.

"The London Ambulance Service has taken the officer to hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries, which are not thought to be life threatening.

"A man has been arrested."

Following a recent incident where an officer was kung-fu kicked into a road, close to the path of a bus, Met Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh called for officers to be given greater support.

He previously warned of a "breakdown in society" after two officers were attacked as they tried to apprehend a suspect in Hackney.

"There is an element of people out there who just have no respect whatsoever and don't care," he said.
T his is the Soho pop-up shop asking Londoners to buy gifts for refugees and the homeless this Christmas.

UK charity Help Refugees and creative collective Glimpse on Friday launched their second Choose Love store in the capital after raising 750,000 via the world-first concept last year.

The Carnaby shop offers a unique take on the shopping experience, giving people the opportunity to buy crucial items for refugees before leaving the store with nothing but a "warm fuzzy feeling inside".

Every purchase in the store goes towards a similar item for a refugee, distributed by Help Refugees and its partners across Europe and the Middle East.

Following on from last year's success, Choose Love is opening at an additional location in New York this Christmas.

Help Refugees opened its second Choose Love store in Soho on Friday / Choose Love

New items for 2018 include sleeping bags and support for homeless groups both in the UK and the US.

The store allows visitors to interact with the items and learn about why they are needed through the images and stories on display - all taken from the frontline of the refugee crisis.

The store sells items including sleeping bags, tents, meal packs and warm clothing / Choose Love

Split into three sections, each area of the shop explores a different stage of a refugees journey, from Survival (emergency blankets, warm clothing and food) to Shelter (tents, sleeping bags and hygiene packs) all the way to the Future (educational materials, a dictionary and keys to a home).

Other additions this year include "bundles" of items, which help people with specific needs, such as the mother and baby bundle, and a collection of services for vulnerable women.

There are also school supplies and safe spaces for women on sale / Choose Love

There is also a selection of new products to support people; like family reunion, which will pay for a lawyer for a refugee separated from their family and a solar lamp, which will allow customers to buy energy and power for people in refugee camps.

Customers visiting the store on Friday praised the concept for highlighting where and what donations will go towards, and how they can help.

Max Wolff said the shop makes donations seem 'more real'

Max Wolff, 26, who works at a Soho bar, told the Standard: "It's nice to see when you donate exactly where your money is going and what difference it will make.

"It becomes a little bit more real when you can see exactly what you are buying.

Help Refugees provides aid to refugees around the world / Choose Love

"Everyone understands what a scarf and mittens are going to do for someone's life when they are cold.

"It's just more tangible than if you send some money to a charity. I'm sure they are going to distribute the money in the same way but it just becomes a little bit more real."

Zander Woollcombe said the store 'makes you think how hard it must be to be a refugee'

While Zander Woollcombe, 38, from Archway said the store "makes you think how hard it must be to be a refugee".

He said: "My girlfriend and I are having a baby in February and looking at this little babygrow and the tent really makes you think. Having a baby is pretty scary for us when we live in London and have everything we possibly would need, and there's going to be people having babies in tents this winter. If we can help then we should."

He added: "I hate buying Christmas presents, I've got so much stuff. But you do want to give something thoughtful.

"I have got a friend whose been going through some mental health issues and I gave her the mental health support pack.

"For my girlfriend I bought the babygrow and mother and baby pack. It's a bit more personal. It's also a way of guilt tripping them into giving something away."

Visitors can buy mental health support for refugees / Choose Love

Last year, the London store and its online equivalent raised 750,000, helping provide refugees with:

800,000 nutritious meals

3,556 nights of accommodation

25,000 essential winter items for adults, which included 5,000 blankets and 11,000 items of clothing

100,000 essentials for babies and children including 77,000 packs of nappies

Josie Naughton CEO of Help Refugees said: "It's the most incredible way for people to feel like they are doing something to help.

"You can come in and have the shopping experience but you buy them and then leave the store with nothing but a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

"We are really excited that the sleeping bags are supporting the homeless in London and New York. It didn't feel right to not be doing something for them as more and more homeless are on the streets."

3 will buy refugees a hot meal / Choose Love

Help Refugees volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions and take donations in both London and New York. Those not able to get to the store can purchase all the items online.

The items on sale include emergency blankets, childrens shoes, warm gloves, mobile phone credit and more. There is also an option to buy the entire store for 499.

James Turner, co-founder of Glimpse: With all the hype around Black Friday and Christmas shopping, we wanted to try something very different. Instead of gadgets and jeans, what would happen if we sold basic items that could make a real difference to someones life? I think most of us want to be generous and find ways to help. This is about creating a new space for people to do just that.

Help Refugees is a refugee charity supporting refugees across Europe and the Middle East.
B oris Johnson said Britain needs to recover its confidence and self-belief as he blasted the current Brexit deal which he feels should not be accepted.

The former foreign secretary said that no British government could or should sign up to the arrangements outlined, as he spoke at the DUP party conference.

Describing it as a historic mistake, he said: If we are not careful, we are going to stay in the customs union, we are going to stay in the single market, we are going to be rules takers.

"We need urgently to recover our confidence and our self-belief, and to stop treating Brexit as if it were a plague of frogs, or a murrain on our cattle, or some adverse weather event that had to be managed."

Throughout his address, he also called for the backstop arrangement proposed to be scrapped.

He spoke of his desire to "junk" the backstop / Getty Images

"Unless we junk this backstop, we will find that Brussels has got us exactly where they want us - a satellite state," he said in Belfast.

"We will continue to accept the terms under which they have a surplus in trade in goods with us of 95 billion. But with no power, no British influence on those terms. We won't be able to do free trade deals of any value or significance."

He also slammed Jeremy Corbyn, stating that he felt that taking this deal could result in revenge voting against the Conservative party which would put the Labour leader in party.

Boris Johnson was highly critical of Labour's Jeremy Corbyn / Getty Images

After a week that saw the DUP refuse to support the Government in Commons votes, in a show of anger at the draft withdrawal text, Mr Johnson stressed the need to maintain the Conservatives' "crucial" confidence and supply deal going forward.

He then gave a highly critical verdict of the outcomes he would foresee if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came to power.

Mr Johnson said the EU had achieved a "very clever trick" by using Northern Ireland as an "indispensable bargaining chip" in negotiations in future.

"Indeed if you read the Withdrawal Agreement you can see that we are witnessing the birth of a new country called Ukni," he said.

Boris Johnson made a range of points during his address / REUTERS

"Ukni is no longer exclusively ruled by London or Stormont. Ukni is in large part to be ruled by Brussels.

"And Ukni will have to accept large swathes of EU regulations now and in the future.

"On lawnmower noise, on the labelling of sardines, on the use of coins and tokens that may be deemed to resemble a Euro.

"And on the use of personal recreational watercraft. And nowhere has a more illustrious history than Northern Ireland when it comes to the creation of recreational watercraft.

"The Titanic springs to mind, and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead."

Passing further negative comment on the deal, Mr Johnson said it would leave the UK facing a "Hobson's choice" of unthinkable options.

DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) spoke after Boris Johnson and deputy leader Nigel Dodds spoke prior / PA Wire/PA Images

"If we wanted to do free trade deals, if we wanted to cut tariffs or vary our regulation, then we would have to leave Northern Ireland behind as an economic semi-colony of the EU and we would be damaging the fabric of the union," he said.

"With regulatory checks and even customs controls between GB and NI on top of those extra regulatory checks down the Irish sea that are already envisaged in the Withdrawal Agreement.

"No British Conservative government could or should sign up to anything of the kind, and so our answer at the moment is rather desperately to make sure the whole UK stays in the backstop with the EU having the power to decide whether or not we can ever leave and why should they?"

Theresa May has faced a range of backlash over her plans / Getty Images

He again argued for a "super Canada" style trade deal with the EU, while he urged a rethink on the timeframe for paying the divorce bill, stating his belief half should be withheld until 2020.

He said the EU would have no incentive to let the UK leave the backstop arrangement because the multibillion-pound divorce bill would have been paid.

"This deal risks yet further economic and political humiliation," he added.

"We are locking ourselves in by treaty and making it impossible to negotiate our way out in the second half of the talks.

"This is not what people of the United Kingdom voted for. It is self-evidently not taking back control of our laws."

He also declared his opinion that the government needed a secretary of state specifically to prepare for no deal.
T heresa May is heading to Brussels today ahead of a crucial EU summit with her Brexit deal under threat both at home and abroad.

The prime minister will hold talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk before a summit of the 28 EU leaders on Sunday which is expected to endorse the deal.

But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has threatened to "veto" progress without further guarantees over the status of Gibraltar.

Mrs May also faces domestic difficulties, with her relationship with the Democratic Unionist Party looking increasingly strained as Arlene Foster's party prepared for its conference in Belfast.

Theresa May fails to answer questions on whether she will resign if Parliament reject her Brexit deal

DUP leader Arlene Foster warned that the confidence and supply deal propping up Mrs May's minority administration would have to be "revisited" if her Brexit deal gets through Parliament.

The DUP has strongly opposed the deal and the guest star at its conference will be Boris Johnson, a prominent critic of the prime minister's approach and a potential rival for the Tory leadership.

Theresa May with Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party / Getty/Clodagh Kilcoyne

The tensions over Gibraltar concern Spain's demand to be directly consulted by the UK over the region's future rather than it being an the issue that only concerns Britain and the EU.

Mr Sanchez has suggested that Sunday's summit could be scrapped unless there is a breakthrough.

Spain: We'll veto Brexit deal without 'sufficient guarantees'

Mrs May has insisted her deal is in the interests of "the whole UK family" including Gibraltar.

The last-minute diplomatic spat comes as Mrs May's critics laid bare the scale of their opposition to the Brexit plan.

Theresa May this week with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker / REUTERS

More than 80 Conservative MPs from both the Leave and Remain sides are threatening to vote against the agreement.

And if it did pass the Commons, the repercussions could bring down Mrs May's government, with the DUP hinting at withdrawing the support of its MPs.

The DUP's 10 MPs have proved reluctant to vote with the government since the terms of the Brexit deal became known and the termination of their Westminster arrangement would be a major blow to the prime minister.

Tusk and Barnier Brexit Deal - In Pictures 1 /7 Tusk and Barnier Brexit Deal - In Pictures EU Council President Donald Tusk holds British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty at a press conference in Brussels. AP European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier attends a news conference to hand over the Brexit draft text to European Council President Donald Tusk Reuters European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and European Council President Donald Tusk pose with the Brexit draft text in Brussels, Reuters European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and European Council President Donald Tusk pose with the Brexit draft text in Brussels Reuters EU Brexit chief negociator Michel Barnier (L) hands over to European Council President Donald Tusk the "draft agreement of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union" during a press statement at the European Council in Brussels AFP/Getty Images European Council President Donald Tusk shows the "draft agreement of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union" AFP/Getty Images EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, left, and European Council President Donald Tusk flip through the pages of a draft withdrawal agreement AP

In her conference speech, Mrs Foster will say: "The choice is not between this deal and no deal despite what the government spin machine may say.

"The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome."

The DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds will use his conference speech to stress that the confidence and supply arrangement is with the Conservative Party rather than Mrs May herself. He will urge Tory Eurosceptics to revolt against the Brexit deal.

In a message aimed at Tory Brexiteers he will say: "Our agreement is of course with the Conservative Party. It is incumbent therefore on all Conservatives in Parliament who recognise the importance of continuing stability and who wish to see the government deliver its agenda to ensure it is honoured in full."

But Mrs May, who launched an effort to sell the Brexit deal directly to the public, insisted that there would be no changes to appease critics at this late stage.

In a BBC phone-in she said: "If we were to go back to the European Union and say 'People didn't like that deal can we have another one?,' I don't think they are going to come to us and say 'We will give you a better deal'.

"This is the deal that I think works for the UK."

The Daily Telegraph reported that the next stage of her Brexit sales pitch will be on the immigration controls believed to have been a key factor in the Leave vote.

According to leaked cabinet papers, the Home Office has drawn up plans to issue low-skilled migrants with 11-month visas "with restricted entitlements and rights" while they are living in the UK.

Alternative plans could allow EU migrants aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for two years, with a strict cap on numbers.

The government will abolish the cap on highly skilled "tier 2" migrants entirely, the report said.

These plans are expected to be set out in the week beginning December 3, a week before the crunch Brexit vote is expected in the Commons.
T he UK would face "economic chaos" if MPs reject Theresa May's Brexit deal, the chancellor has warned.

Philip Hammond laid bare the prospect of "very serious" consequences from a no-deal scenario, including job losses.

His comments came as the prime minister travelled to Brussels with her Brexit deal under threat at home and abroad.

Mr Hammond's intervention was aimed at winning over critics including more than 80 Conservative MPs from both the Leave and Remain sides who are threatening to vote against the agreement.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond warned about the prospect of "very serious" consequences from a no-deal scenario / REUTERS

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a no-deal Brexit would unleash "economic chaos", adding: "If the meaningful vote is lost we are in uncharted territory.

We will be faced with potential economic chaos; I am sure we would get a very negative reaction from the business community, from investors, from the markets."

Theresa May this week with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker / REUTERS

He added "we might end up with no-deal, we might end up with no Brexit" if the Withdrawal Agreement is blocked by parliament.

He also sought to reassure the Democratic Unionist Party over their "understandable concerns" about the Northern Ireland backstop provisions aimed at preventing a hard border with Ireland.

Mr Hammond said that he believed the deal on offer was better for the UK than remaining in the EU, stressing that it would help heal the divisions caused by Brexit.

"It's a way of leaving the European Union with minimum negative impact on our economy," he said.

"Economics is not the only consideration - we also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together because countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries.

"If we want this country to be successful in the future, we have got to bring it back together after this process."
T heresa May faces a tough 48 hours as she visits Brussels in hopes of winning leaders of the 27 EU states around to her Brexit deal.

Though the deal has been agreed in principle, with negotiators and at a political level, the other member states have now seen it and are being given an opportunity to air their views.

With that said, the outlook does not look entirely promising for Mrs May, as some have already voiced some already concerns ahead of a summit of the EU 27 on Sunday.

The PM is also due to meet with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, on Saturday evening

The Standard has detailed some of the key issues facing the PM over the weekend.

Theresa May is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker prior to a previous meeting in Brussels / EPA

Spains veto threat

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, has threatened to "veto" progress due to issues over how Gibraltar factors in the deal.

He has said he will boycott the move without further guarantees for Madrid over the status of Gibraltar.

Spain has demanded Gibraltar's future is considered a bilateral issue between London and Madrid, rather than between the EU and UK.

Unless there is a breakthrough, Mr Sanchez has suggested that Sunday's summit could be scrapped.

Pedro Sanchez has spoken out over issues involving Gibraltar / REUTERS

According to a report from El Pais, opposition leader Pablo Casado backed Mr Sanchez on vetoing "any agreement that is dishonourable" for Spain.

Mrs May has previously insisted her deal is in the interests of "the whole UK family" including Gibraltar.

Sunday summit

It is scheduled for leaders of the EU27 to meet on Sunday with the aim of endorsing the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement as well as to approve the draft Political Declaration on future UK-EU relations.

The Withdrawal Agreement is the 585-page legal text stating the terms of the UK's departure.

It outlines how trade, security and other issues will work in broader terms.

Within it are arrangements for the contentious Northern Ireland backstop and the 39 billion "divorce bill".

AFP/Getty Images

Mrs May, who in recent days has made efforts to sell the Brexit deal directly to the public, insisted there would be no changes to appease critics at this late stage.

In a BBC phone-in she said: "If we were to go back to the European Union and say 'People didn't like that deal can we have another one?,' I don't think they are going to come to us and say 'We will give you a better deal'.

"This is the deal that I think works for the UK."

Issues remain at home

DUP leader Arlene Foster is to speak against the deal at her party conference / Getty Images

There is due to be a weekend of continued backlash at home, as Mrs May makes moves to get approval for her deal in Brussels.

The DUP conference is taking place in Belfast on Saturday, with the partys leader Arlene Foster is due to tell delegates that the Withdrawal Agreement's backstop plans are against Northern Ireland's interests.

In her conference speech, Mrs Foster will say: "The choice is not between this deal and no deal despite what the Government spin machine may say.

"The reality is that if we are to secure a better outcome than is currently on offer then the only option is to look beyond this current draft Withdrawal Agreement and work in the time ahead for an improved outcome."
T he Northern Irish party propping up Theresa May's government has said it would vote against her Brexit agreement, which its deputy leader said would leave Britain in a "pitiful place".

The pledge to vote down the deal was made by party leader Arlene Foster at the end of her Democratic Unionist Party's annual conference at which members gave standing ovation to Boris Johnson's proposal to begin preparations for a "no deal" Brexit.

"We will vote against it if its brought to parliament," Ms Foster told Ireland's RTE television in an interview from the conference, in her most direct comments on the issue to date.

The Prime Minister's divorce treaty and accompanying political declaration are due to be endorsed in Brussels on Sunday by Ms May and the other 27 EU leaders.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster / AFP/Getty Images

But Ms Foster's comments further complicate Ms May's already daunting challenge to get enough votes to pass the deal.

Dozens of members of her party have indicated they will not support the deal and the Labour party plans to vote it down.

While the DUP's 10 members of parliament are subject to a "confidence and supply" deal signed last year last year to back her minority government, Ms Foster said they would not vote with the government and would consider scrapping the deal if the agreement somehow passes.

The treaty's "backstop" provision could align Northern Ireland more closely with the EU than the rest of the UK if no other way can be found to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

Ms Foster's pro-British party fears the provision, if implemented, could one day threaten the province's place in the UK altogether.

Theresa May addresses media representatives after Brexit talks at EU Headquarters / AFP/Getty Images

The backstop "will put Northern Ireland under swathes of EU laws with no say for anyone in Belfast or London (and create) a trade border down the Irish Sea," deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds told the conference.

"The published Withdrawal Agreement portrays a pitiful and pathetic place for the United Kingdom," he added, saying it would be "locked into an EU straitjacket, divided and diminished."

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and leader of the DUP Arlene Foster / AFP/Getty Images

The comments were echoed by Mr Johnson, who received a rapturous applause from the delegates, saying Britain would be left as a "satellite state" by the deal.

Ms May has said the EU will not renegotiate and that Britain could face a hugely disruptive "no deal" Brexit if it does not take the deal on offer.

Ms Foster said to regain the DUP's support the Prime Minister would have to remove the Irish protocol from the legally binding withdrawal agreement, something the EU has repeatedly made clear it will not countenance.

The Irish border issue should be in the the non-binding political declaration instead, she said.

If parliament votes down Ms May's deal that will trigger renewed negotiations rather than an election or another referendum, she said.
P rime Minister Theresa May said the UK's position on Gibraltar has not changed and she would always "stand by" its citizens ahead of the Brexit summit in Brussels.

Speaking after a meeting with President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, May said she will always negotiate on behalf of the whole of the UK family.

May said the UK has ensured Gibraltar is "covered by the whole withdrawal agreement" and position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar "has not changed and will not change".

The Prime Minister will now meet with President of the European Council Donald Tusk ahead of the summit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May being welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude / AFP/Getty Images

The meeting of EU leaders is set to go ahead on Sunday after the UK and Spain reached a deal over the issue of Gibraltar.

Speaking in Brussels, Theresa May said: "We have worked through the withdrawal issues for Gibraltar with Spain in a constructive and sensible way and I would like to pay tribute to the statesmanship with which Fabian Picardo has led the negotiations on behalf of Gibraltar.

"We have ensured that Gibraltar is covered by the whole Withdrawal Agreement and by the implementation period and we will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar, and in the future relationship we will stand up for their interests.

"The UK's position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change. I am proud that Gibraltar is British and I will always stand by Gibraltar."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez / EPA

Gibraltar's government said: "The deep and unbreakable bonds that bind the United Kingdom and Gibraltar together have not been in any way, and will not be in any way, diluted as a result of our common departure from the EU.

"Brexit will have no effect on the British sovereignty of Gibraltar and the waters that surround it."

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo added: "'Throughout our history, we've stuck with Britain. After Brexit, we will stick with Britain in the future too.
A n exhibition of Banksy artworks was raided by Belgian authorities with 58 pieces confiscated amid a legal dispute.

The pieces, worth more than 12million according to estimates, had been part of a Banksy unauthorised exhibit.

A gallery named Strokar Inside in Ixelles, Brussels, was hosting the showcase but staff contacted authorities when made aware of potential rights issues.

A lawyer for the art space said his clients were concerned the work was not properly insured and sought legal action to get out of the situation, the Guardian reported.

The showcase was at Strokar Inside / EPA

According to the report, a court ruled that: The disputed works do indeed appear to be exposed, without the agreement of the legitimate holders of rights over them, in the premises, where they do not appear to be regularly insured, and that there are reasons that it would seem necessary to secure them as quickly as possible.

Local reports said the dispute came between a German company which facilitated the exhibition and Banksys former manager, Steve Lazarides, who owns the majority of the works.

The pieces were some of Banksys most notable work including girl with balloon and kissing policemen.

Banksy shredded artwork to go on display - In pictures 1 /3 Banksy shredded artwork to go on display - In pictures Courtesy of Sotheby's AFP/Getty Images Getty Images

The exhibition, which was to be held in the art space set up in a former supermarket, has since been cancelled.

A description of the event said: Banksy Unauthorized will take you on an enchanting journey with the master of streets, namely Banksy, who succeeded in becoming a world-renowned artist. Nobody knows who is Banksy, yet everybody knows who he is.

It was set to run until December 30.

The Standard has contact Strokar Inside and a company owned by Steve Lazarides for further comment.

The incident comes shortly after street artist Banksy, whose real identity is unconfirmed, warned people off a spate of exhibits arranged without his consent.
S panish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said that a deal has been reached between the UK and Spain on Gibraltar, clearing the way for a EU summit keep on Sunday.

Mr Sanchez said on Saturday that the UK and Spain "have reached an agreement on Gibraltar", stating any future decisions regarding Gibraltar would be made with Spain.

A draft document seen ahead of the summit on Sunday states: "After the United Kingdom leaves the Union, Gibraltar will not be included in the territorial scope of the agreements to be concluded between the Union and the United Kingdom.

"However, this does not preclude the possibility to have separate agreements between the Union and the United Kingdom in respect of Gibraltar... those separate agreements will require a prior agreement of the Kingdom of Spain."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez / EPA

The issue had become a late stumbling block in the Brexit talks.

Mr Sanchez had said on Friday he wouldn't back the divorce deal UK and European Union leaders are supposed to vote on during Sunday's summit in Brussels, saying a draft agreement did not include clear language regarding Gibraltar.

Speaking after the agreement over Gibraltar was announced, Mr Sanchez said: "This is going to allow us to have direct negotiations with the UK regarding Gibraltar."

It comes after European Union summit chairman Donald Tusk recommended that the bloc approves the Brexit deal negotiated with Britain.

He said: "I will recommend that we approve on Sunday the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

"No one has reasons to be happy. But at least at this critical time, the EU27 has passed the test of unity and solidarity."

European Council President Donald Tusk and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May talk / REUTERS

In the official letter inviting EU leaders to the summit, Mr Tusk said: "The Withdrawal Agreement ensures that the rights of our citizens are fully protected, the peace process in Northern Ireland should not be affected, the UK will continue its payments to the EU budget during the transition period and legal certainty will be secured.

"Our negotiator has thereby managed to reduce the risks and losses resulting from the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

"The Political Declaration sets the direction as regards the future relations. We intend to work resolutely towards building the best possible relationship with the UK after Brexit, as friends and partners. And we will have around two years to work out and agree a precise framework for such cooperation.

"And if, in spite of our best efforts, additional time is needed to negotiate the future relationship, an extension of the transition period by up to two years will be possible. During these negotiations, no-one wanted to defeat anyone. We were all looking for a good and fair agreement.

"And I believe that we have finally found the best possible compromise."

Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker are set to meet on Saturday evening / REUTERS

Theresa May is now facing a tough 48 hours as she visits Brussels in hopes of winning other leaders of the 27 EU states around to her Brexit deal

Though the deal has been agreed in principle, with negotiators and at a political level, the other member states have now seen it and are being given an opportunity to air their views at the summit.

With that said, the outlook does not look entirely promising for Theresa May May, as some have already voiced some already concerns ahead of Sunday.
C limate change will cost the US economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, damaging everything from human health to agriculture production, a report has said.

Written with the help of more than a dozen government agencies and departments, the report outlines the projected impact of global warming in every area of American society.

It contains a dire warning that is at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil-fuels agenda.

The White House has dismissed the congressionally mandated report issued on Friday as inaccurate.

President Donald Trump / REUTERS

"With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century - more than the current gross domestic product of many US states," the report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II, said.

It suggests global warming would disproportionately hurt the poor, broadly undermine human health, limit the availability of water, alter coastlines, and boost costs in industries from farming to energy production.

But the report said that if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply curbed, projections of further damage could change, even though many of the impacts of climate change - including more frequent and more powerful storms, droughts and flooding - are already underway.

"Future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today," it said.

The report supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming and warned of potentially catastrophic effects to the planet.

The studies clash with policy under President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximise production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world, above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The effects of climate change will get worse unless more is done to cut carbon emissions, a report has warned / AFP/Getty Images

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said the new report was "largely based on the most extreme scenario, which contradicts long-established trends by assuming that...there would be limited technology and innovation, and a rapidly expanding population."

The government's next update of the National Climate Assessment, she said, "gives us the opportunity to provide for a more transparent and data-driven process that includes fuller information on the range of potential scenarios and outcomes."

Mr Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the U.S. economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit.

He and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, arguing that the causes and impacts are not yet settled.

Environmental groups said the report reinforced their calls for the United States to take action on climate change.

Climate change poses growing risk to US, a report says / AFP/Getty Images

"While President Trump continues to ignore the threat of climate change, his own administration is sounding the alarm," said Abigail Dillen, president of environmental group Earthjustice.

"This report underscores what we are already seeing firsthand: climate change is real, it's happening here, and it's happening now."

Previous research, including from US government scientists, has also concluded that climate change could have severe economic consequences, including damage to infrastructure, water supplies and agriculture.

Severe weather and other impacts also increase the risk of disease transmission, decrease air quality, and can increase mental health problems, among other effects.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report.
S choolchildren were among at least 25 people killed as a bus crashed into a canal in India.

The tragedy happened when the driver lost control while travelling at high speed, according to G. Parameshwaran the Karnataka state deputy chief minister.

Emergency services raced to the scene in Karnataka in the Mandya district.

The bus crash was at a spot around 65 miles southwest of Bangalore, the state capital, and the vehicle has since been retrieved from the canal.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

The victims were unable to come out of the bus after it had fallen on its side.

This blocked the doors on the floor of the canal, the NDTV news channel said.

Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads with reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers often blamed.
T his week marks the 20th anniversary of the construction of the International Space Station.

As of November 20, 2018 the ISS has been orbiting earth for 20 years.

The Standard has put together a gallery of incredible images showing how it has evolved over time, from the launch of the Zarya module in 1998 to the space station we know today.

Some 15 counties including the US, UK, Canada, Russia and Germany contributed to the construction of the station.

The crew of Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft took these images of the International Space Station in October 2018 / Roscosmos/NASA

Gary Oleson, space station engineer at NASA from 1988 to 1993, told Space.com that the ISS pushed NASA into "an entirely new way of thinking".

He said: "We normally think of a spacecraft as being a spacecraft. But it turned out that the International Space Station, during the assembly, was not, from an engineering point of view, one spacecraft.

Astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, Mission Specialist, Hangs Onto A Handrail October 15, 2000 / Getty Images

"It was at one time 19 different spacecraft, because every time you went up and added a new element, you had a different spacecraft. It had a different mass; it had a different reliability."

The ISS is a satellite that flies around the world every 90 minutes, travelling at five miles per second.

International Space Station celebrates 20th anniversary

Astronauts have been living on board the station ever since its first stages. It has been continuously occupied since November 2000.

Around 230 astronauts from 18 countries have visited the ISS with over 200 spacewalks carried out since December 1998.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour lights up the night sky as it embarks on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station / Getty Images

Images from our gallery show numerous astronauts including Tim Peake embarking on missions to the station.

Astronauts continue to take part in experiments and research in human physiology and astronomy.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield performing aboard the International Space Station / EPA

Another photograph shows Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut, who went viral in 2015 after he released a video of himself playing Space Oddity on the guitar onboard the space station.
A ferry carrying 53 passengers crashed into a dock in San Francisco sparking panic among passengers.

Footage shows the large blue and white vessel coasting out of control and into the docks at the Ferry Building in California.

Onlookers appeared panicked with some running away as it appeared the boat, incoming from Larksput, was about to collide with a walkway.

A spokeswoman for Golden Gate Ferry told the Marin Independent Journal the ferry was damaged in Friday's crash.

The incident was witnessed by crowds gathered by the water in San Francisco / REUTERS

Priya Clemens added that the cause of the accident is under investigation and employees onboard are being questioned.

Eyewitness Tiffany Dennis said the accident set off panic among a crowd gathered at the attraction.

According to local reports, people on board were "yelling" as the incident unfolded.

She said it bumped into one dock then careered into another.

The vessel came to a stop when it struck concrete, shortly after 2.30pm.

A passenger and a worker onboard sustaining minor injuries, according to the Marin Independent Journal report.
The European Union is at a turning point, with the European agenda being marked by multiple challenges, according to a message sent by Romania's President Klaus Iohannis to the General Assembly of the European Center for Workers' Questions (EZA).

"Today, the European Union is at a turning point. The European agenda is marked by multiple challenges and uncertainties, some rooted in the past, others that are the result of present development, and the solution for both can only come from consensus, from the way we, European institutions and civil society organisations, get to manage together the difficulties that the socio-political climate on our continent generates. A strong Europe means a prosperous, safe Europe, close to the citizens, based on solidarity, social justice, respect for democratic principles, fundamental rights and freedoms, and if we are adhere to these principles, I am convinced that the so complicated daily emergencies will find their solution. As you may know, Romania's preparations to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union, a defining period for the future of the European project that cannot be thought of in the absence of common values and interests, has reached the finishing line. The fact that you are today in Bucharest proves us not only that this project is an important one, but it also gives us the optimism that we will succeed in having a successful tenure, " Iohannis said in his message delivered by Andrei Muraru, presidential adviser in charge with public relations and the civil society.

According to the president, for the first time since joining the EU in 2007, Romania will manage as the holder of the presidency of the EU Council some major challenges: Brexit, the negotiations over the Multi-annual Financial Framework post-2020 and the issue of migration. Also in the first half of next year, elections to the European Parliament will be held."These are only some of the most important issues that I wish to be able to deal in all seriousness and efficiency in order to contribute to the consolidation of the European project: a success of the Romanian presidency means, in the end, concrete results for the European citizens. Beyond these tangible projects and approaches, I wish to bring optimism back for the European citizens. But for this daring objective, we need a collective effort to find solutions for a strong and tailor-made European Union that meets the aspirations of future generations. That is why, in this difficult mission in 2019, Romania attaches great importance to the European social dialogue. We must offer an example of seriousness and professionalism from a young, modern and developed EU member state that is aware of its responsibilities and rights regarding the management of the the labour market."Iohannis also underlined that one of the priorities pledged by Romania is to strengthen European convergence by promoting cohesion, competitiveness and connectivity, and to achieve this central objective action to increase employment and strengthen social rights will be given a special role ."Developing the digital sector is also fundamental to economic progress, and efforts must be made to turn the European Union into a world leader in this area. I believe that your involvement in all these projects at this stage is vital. That is why I am counting on the expertise that you can provide and that I am emphasising and recognising today. The event you take part in today happens just a few days before a century lapses since the achievement of the Romanian national unity, a moment of great celebration for us, the Romanians, and for our country. In these 100 years, the Romanians have fought, sometimes at the cost of their lives, for a modern and democratic Romania, and the European integration represents one of the most important projects of the last century. As Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has recently said, is not just a Romanian celebration, but a European celebration as well. Economic growth, democratic consolidation, free movement of persons are just a few of the benefits that EU membership has brought us. Romania is strongly attached to European principles and values, and Romanians do not see their future outside the European Union. That is precisely why our efforts will be harnessed to consolidating the European design by strengthening democracy and the rule of law, respect for the citizen, and the promotion of fundamental freedoms,".
President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople - New Rome, and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) according to Agerpres

"Your Beatitude, your visit today together with His Holiness is a great pleasure to me," said Iohannis on this occasion.

"And to us it is an honour," said Daniel.The meeting took place at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.Bartholomew arrived in Bucharest on Friday, accompanied by a delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to participate in the events related to the consecration of Catedrala Mantuirii Neamului, the People's Salvation Cathedral, in Bucharest.President Klaus Iohannis on Friday sent a letter to Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church indicating that he will not take part in the consecration of the People's Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest."Your Beatitude, thank you for the warm invitation to attend the ceremony of consecration of the People's Salvation Cathedral. Unfortunately, for reasons related to the European agenda, I will not be able to take part in the event on Sunday, November 25, 2018," Iohannis says in his letter.President Iohannis emphasises that the consecration of the cathedral represents, for the Christian Orthodox believers in the country and diaspora, a celebration of a special historical and symbolic charge."The participation of Ecumenical Patriarch His Holiness Bartholomew I, along with the hierarchs of the sister Orthodox churches, reveals the deep connection that unites us in the spirit of Christian faith and values that the Church cultivates in society," reads the presidential letter.The Romanian head of state will attend an extraordinary meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Sunday.
The Romanian Police has participated in the 16th international action of the European Network of Railway Police Forces (RAILPOL) called "RAIL ACTION DAY - 24 BLUE" organised simultaneously in Europe to exercise railway transport security, according to Agerpres

According to a press statement released by the Romanian General Police Inspectorate (IGPR), more than 400 transport police officers participated in a 24-hour nationwide mission under the coordination of the Transport Police Directorate - the Romanian General Police Inspectorate, carrying out inspections in 270 railway stations, 346 passenger trains and 54 freight trains, identifying over 900 persons.

Under the action, 107 ferrous and non-ferrous scrap collection centres were checked, with over 500 kilograms of illegally acquired scrap having been impounded.At the same time, criminal files have been drawn up on 15 persons, four of whom for aggression, violence or antisocial behaviour, three for vandalism and eight for other types of crime."On November22 and 23, the participating RAILPOL states carried out checks at stations and in trains for the prevention and combatting of criminal offences in the railway transport system," according to IGPR.RAILPOL is an international association of EU member states responsible for public order and safety in the rail transport sector.The main objective of the association is to intensify, at European level, international railway police cooperation for the safety of passengers.
Ukraines Constitutional Court green-lighted a bill on amending the countrys main law by enshrining into it the final goal of obtaining NATO and EU membership. The decision was announced the next day after the UK and Ukraines defense ministries made a joint statement, stressing the need to expand military cooperation. The defense chiefs agreed that Operation Orbital, the Army training program started in 2015, was a success to be continued at least till 2020. Instructors from the British Army, most of who have significant experience in participating in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, have trained over 9,500 Ukrainian servicemen. An unspecified number of UK soldiers would be sent to train Ukrainian special forces and marines, in addition to the 100 personnel deployed currently in the country.

A multi-role hydrographic survey ship will be deployed in the Black Sea next year to demonstrate Britain's support for Ukraine and ensure freedom of navigation. HMS Echo is not a warship but it flies the naval ensign. In September, Great Britain made known it planned to increase the warships presence in the Black Sea next year with increasingly frequent port calls to Odessa.

NATO naval presence there is seen as provocative by Russia amid increasing tensions in the Azov Sea. A conflict appears to be imminent and the West has taken the side of Ukraine despite the fact that it was Kiev who has been provoking it. EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini believes many vessels flying European Union flags were threatened to make Brussels consider appropriate targeted measures to be taken as a signal to Moscow.

The increase in UK military presence goes against the letter and spirit of Minsk accords, which state that the conflict in Ukraine should be managed through diplomatic and political means.

The US military already runs a maritime operations center located within Ukraines Ochakov naval facility designed to deliver flexible maritime support throughout the full range of military operations. Hundreds of US and Canadian military instructors are training Ukrainian personnel at the Yavoriv firing range. The US is to transfer two Oliver Hazard Perry-type frigates to Ukraine. The move will actually ensure constant NATO naval presence in the Black Sea going around the restrictions imposed by the Montreux Convention because the vessels will have America sailors onboard carrying out training missions and remain under US command, despite official sources saying otherwise. All in all, ten ships of that class are available for export. In September, the US Coast Guard transferred two Island-class cutters, armed with .50-caliber machine guns and 25mm deck guns. The transfers urge Kiev to challenge Moscow militarily.

Nobody in Washington or London asks why an industrialized nation and a large arms exporter, with abundant resources and fertile land should depend on foreign assistance unable to defend itself. Weapons are supplied and training is provided to the country, where corruption is rampant. Even the US State Departments recent report says it is. Popular protests are commonplace. The conflict in Donbass is used to distract the people from domestic woes. The frustration with Kievs reluctance to introduce much-needed reforms and curtail the political influence of the oligarchs is rapidly growing. The common people of Ukraine need political and economic reforms, not increased foreign military presence on their soil.

The only reason for the West to keep the failed Ukraine afloat is its obsequiousness and readiness to be converted into a springboard to threaten Russia with an aggression. Despite Ukraines multiple problems, the country has recently been rewarded with an official status in NATO. The 2018 North Atlantic Alliances summit confirmed its support for Ukraines full-fledged membership to make a mockery of the so called NATO standards.

The UK government is going through hard times. It has just achieved as a draft agreement on post-Brexit relations with the EU. The deal has a little chance to make it through the Commons. Nobody knows exactly how it will end up if the MPs say no. There may be no Brexit at all finally. Chancellor Philip Hammond believes If the deal is not approved by parliament, we will have a politically chaotic situation In that chaos that would ensue, there may be no Brexit. Or there may be endless negotiations, reconciliation conferences, delays and postponements. Itll be a large order for the government to stay. There are supporters of no-confidence vote in parliament. You never know how its all going to pan out.

Nothing unites a divided nation better than an external threat, such as Russia. The Brexit deadline is March 29 to launch a 21-months transition period with Britain still a member. The events in Ukraine are needed to fuel the fire. Making people think that the UK is lending a helping hand to a poor nation under attack is a way to improve the governments image and approval ratings. The cabinet members never tell their people that by rendering military assistance to Kiev their country becomes an accomplice to a conflict that has nothing to do with its national security or interests. The UK military aid eggs the Ukrainian government on to seek a military solution.

Russia is not watching idle. If the Minsk accords are washed out, it will have each and every reason to recognize the Lugansk and Donetsk self-proclaimed republics as independent states eligible for military cooperation agreements, including stationing Russian military bases on their soil, if their governments ask for it. No international law would be violated.

Ukraines government is ramping up tensions because President Petro Poroshenko is running for re-election in March 2019 on a national security platform. So he takes a tougher line on Azov. Those who rush to provide him with military assistance become accomplices in his adventurist actions that could have disastrous consequences. The UK will bear responsibility for goading Kiev into taking a confrontational approach and turning the Azov Sea into a flashpoint that can spark at any minute.
A High Mobility Rocket Artillery System fires an M31 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System during exercise Black Oryx, in Amman, Jordan, Oct. 24, 2018. Black Oryx is an annual bilateral exercise, is designed to strengthen relationships and military capabilities between the U.S. and Jordan Armed Forces. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jeffrey D. Belnap)

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TC is a student at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, New Zealands state distance education provider.

TC says he was ecstatic and shocked to get the call from Hon David Parker.

A big inspiration for my application was my community here in Opotiki, a small, close-knit community. I want to be able to help bring the ideas of my town to a national stage.

TC says one of the big issues facing Opotiki is unemployment.

We need more job opportunities for young people  actually for all people. Theres a real lack of jobs here.

Language education is his greatest passion and he is studying Japanese and Chinese at Te Kura.

Language gives us the ability to bridge gaps between cultures, and with the rising global climate of second language speakers, I want to pioneer New Zealands pursuit for bilingualism.

Te Kura fulfils a really important function in New Zealand and I am really pleased to support it and TC, says David Parker.

TC, who is of Maori and Samoan descent, would eventually like to study Computer Science at University.

Before beginning study at Te Kura last year, TC was enrolled at a face-to-face school.

There wasnt really a nurturing environment for students who are different. Whereas at Te Kura, I think there is a lot of acceptance.

Te Kura Chief Executive Mike Hollings says mainstream schooling doesnt meet the needs of everyone.

Its great to have TC flourishing with the flexible, personalised learning approach that Te Kura provides.

TC will join New Zealands other Youth MPs when he heads to Parliament in Wellington on 16 and 17 July 2019.

The unique opportunity involves stepping into the shoes of an MP while they debate legislation, sit on select committees and ask oral questions of ministers.

In the meantime, he will be talking to people in Opotiki to get a stronger idea of what his community wants.
New Zealands largest Health and Safety professional organisation is asking Kiwis to keep an eye on safety at work in the rush up to the Christmas and New Year holiday to avoid injury that ruins their time off.

The advice comes as the country gears up for the last four weeks of finishing projects and getting prepared for the festive season and then heading off for a well-earned rest.

Statistics show its not uncommon for more accidents to occur at this time as people become tired and lose focus, accidents are 30 per cent more likely because of fatigue, a known work related health risk.

NZISM president Greg Dearsly cautions its easy for people to have so much on their mind they lose concentration, and that can result in an incident.

Our aim is to grow awareness of the heightened risk to everyone gets to the holidays safe and sound, injuries ruin holidays, and its no fun for you, your family or friends, or they can be longer term and have more serious impact.

The warning comes almost a year after four people died in workplace accidents across the country in just three days in December 2017.

At that time, Minister for Workplace Relations Iain Lees Galloway commented on the especially risky time of year. Its the end of a long year, theres fatigue combined with pressure to finish jobs before the holiday break, and there are a lot of distractions on the minds of many workers.

The best approach to improving health and safety in any workplace is to involve those doing the work in discussion, feedback, sharing of ideas and proposals  taking more time and less haste, leads to more safety, says Greg.

I would also encourage anyone who is unhappy with health and safety in their workplace to speak up so something can be done. Employers need to have regular discussions with their teams about health and safety so it just becomes a normal and regular topic.

Other factors that can have an effect at this time of year is workplaces being understaffed or overworked, which heightens the need for employers to ensure all people are fully aware of specific health and safety processes, especially if temporary workers are being employed.

Certain high risk industries need to be even more vigilant such as agriculture, construction, forestry and fishing.
A war against pests is taking place throughout many backyards in the Bay of Plenty.

Predator Free Bay of Plenty is looking for more people keen to join in on the fight, to bring native birds back to our neighbourhoods.



Predator Free Bay of Plenty is a community led, backyard trapping programme that aims to get a trap in every fifth backyard to rid our neighbourhoods of rats and mice.

One rat can kill up to 50 native birds, so the more people we have trapping in their backyards, the more native birds we will see, says Predator Free BOP Coordinator Emma Woods.

The initiative was inspired by the work of Kelvin Hastie whose crusade saw his Crofton Downs neighbourhood in Wellington become New Zealands first predator free suburb in 2015.

The goal is to achieve the same thing in the Bay of Plenty.

Launched by Envirohub Bay of Plenty, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and the Bay Conservation Alliance, Predator Free BOP started in Matua and with public interest, has expanded to Merivale, Te Puke, Maketu, Little Waihi, Paengaroa and Pukehina.

The interest has been amazing but we are keen to keep growing and go region wide. As proven in Wellington, if we can get a trap in every fifth house, well give our native birds a fighting chance, says Emma.

To help get more people enlisted, Predator Free BOP are holding free workshops for people to learn about backyard trapping and becoming community leaders.

At the workshop youll learn whats involved in backyard trapping, get a feel for whats involved in being a community leader and what support is available for you.

There will also be a chance to ask questions and you will walk away with your own trap so you can get trapping.

The workshop is being held at the Historic Village on Tuesday November 27, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

For more information for to RSVP for the workshops, email admin@predatorfreebop.nz.
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Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world











The Dubai DL is infamous for being one of the toughest to procure in the world. If youve heard about it, the entire process is long and exhausting causing a lot of strain on your head and your pocket alike. Getting a license in Dubai is treated as an achievement  so much so that I had to buy samosas for everyone at the office for successfully clearing it. Coming from India where having a DL essentially states that youre older than 18 and not much else, the full process can be quite intimidating. Id done extensive research for my license and thought Id pen down my experience and wisdom as I know how hard it can be for someone who wishes to get a license.



Side note  You need a valid UAE DL to drive a car only if you are a resident. An IDP will do just fine if you are on a tourist visa and want to rent cars. However, ensure that the rental company provides you valid insurance for the time you rent out cars.



There are two categories of licenses that Dubai recognizes (TL;DR If you hold an Indian DL jump to point 2),

If you are lucky enough, you will be able to easily transfer your license if you already have an existing DL from any one of 31 approved countries (for easy reference, India isnt one of them ). The full list and process can be found here. This is a no hassle process and takes all of 15 minutes if you have all the required documents. The approved countries have a DL process which are of similar difficulty / have similar road rules as Dubai and hence the authorities consider it to be good enough. If youre one of the poor souls who holds a DL from any of the other countries, you will have to necessarily go through the full process. While Im not too happy about this distinction, I understand the logic behind it. And now, having completed the exercise, I genuinely believe it is necessary for us to undergo training, regardless of how long one has been driving in India to get accustomed to all the rules, high speed freeway manners etc. This route is what I will be detailing out below.

Fear not though, the Indian driving experience will be useful. I believe that driving conditions in India are extremely difficult and driving in a place like Dubai will be easier, once you understand the rules and get accustomed to it. In addition, the minimum number of classes that you have to take also depends on the number of years youve held your home license.

No driving license / new student - A minimum of 40 classes (20 hours)

Home country license of 2-5 years old - A minimum of 30 classes (15 hours)

Home country license more than 5 years old - A minimum of 20 classes (10 hours)

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has licensed 5 driving schools in Dubai. I suggest you shop around and choose one depending on price, location and convenience offered. All of them are equally good / bad and have years of experience with more than 400 cars each (mostly a Nissan Sunny or a Toyota Vios / Yaris as it is called in India) except for Emirates Driving Institute which is bigger, has a better pass rate and is typically more expensive.

Emirates Driving Institute

Galadari Driving School

Al Ahli Driving School

Belhasa Driving Centre

Dubai Driving Centre

The license, unlike an Indian driving license is different for manual and automatic transmission vehicles. A manual will allow you to drive both types of vehicles while an automatic allows you to drive only automatic vehicles. While your first instinct (like mine was) will be to get a manual license, evaluate if you really will be buying and driving a manual car as managing a manual tranny will add complexity and difficulty to what is already a complicated and hard process. Majority of the cars sold in UAE are automatics, youll be hard pressed to find many choices in the second hand market as well and manuals do not hold as much value when you finally want to sell your car off. If you still want to get a manual license, there is an alternate method  secure an automatic license first and then go for an upgrade from automatic to manual. The latter is a simple process where you will not be evaluated on your road driving skills but on your handling of the manual gear system only and is much easier to clear. Bear in mind that you will be charged money if you decide to shift to automatic from manual classes post initiating your driving lessons. So, it is suggested that you make an informed choice and stick with it. As much as I like driving manual cars, I still went for an automatic license because majority of the cars in my consideration set were automatics.



With all this out of the way, the steps to actually get a license are as follows (you will be able initiate the process only after getting your Emirates ID)

Eye Test: Get an eye test done at any of the RTA authorized eye test centres. They are available at every major mall (Dubai Mall, Mall of Emirates, Marina Mall etc.). The cost will be around AED 150 and will be linked to your Emirates ID.



Registration: Go to the selected driving school or its branches and register for either automatic or manual driving classes as per your choice. You will need your Emirates ID, Home country driving license, passport copy and a no objection certificate from your employer.



Lectures and Theory Test: The training course begins with 8 hours of lectures which can be taken in person or online. The lectures talk about rules and regulations, dos and donts and all essential rules that are required. You will then have to get a score over 30 out of 40 questions to clear the test. This will include 5 questions of hazard perception where a short clip is shown and you are supposed to identify the possible hazards arising from the situation. The test is simple where all the questions will be from the theory lectures. To get yourself comfortable, RTA has a mobile app with sample questions where you can practice, or there are multiple practice exams available online. Most questions, if not all will be repeated and hence is fairly easy to clear the test.



Evaluation Test: Take this test immediately after the theory test is cleared. Again, a simple one - The examiner will check your familiarity with managing basic operations of a car such as starting a car, moving forward, steering etc. The test is nothing but a simple round in the internal compound of the school. If you have driven a car at all, he will give a green signal for 20 classes or 30 classes as you have applied. You will essentially be cleared to start off at Stage 2 as shown in the below pic.









Road and parking classes: Schedule classes for practical training classes on road and parking. Items in stage 2 and 3 will be covered in 8-12 classes while 4 classes will be required for parking training (each class is 30 minutes). You should also make it a point to schedule your internal parking test (if applicable) at the same time as it is difficult to get a slot and will usually get a slot 3-4 days from the time you request for one.



Internal parking test (Yard assessment): All the driving schools are moving towards a fully automated RTA internal yard test where no examiner will be present with you during the test. This is to reduce human involvement of RTA examiners, who are all Emiratis. If your driving school has an automated RTA parking test, the driving school will conduct an internal test with one of their own examiners. If not, the RTA test will be with an Emirati examiner. This will be increasingly unlikely as it is almost fully implemented across all driving schools. The assessment will be similar to the main RTA test except that a physical examiner will accompany you instead of it being a fully automated test. The test will assess you on 5 aspects which are commonly required in normal Dubai driving conditions

Angle Parking: 60 degree parking forward

Garage Parking: 90 degree parking in reverse

Parallel Parking in reverse

Moving off an incline: Stopping on an inclined surface and moving off with minimal reverse movement

Emergency brake: Performing an emergency brake maneuver from a speed of 25-30 kmph to a complete stop at indication by the examiner The instructor, during the parking lesson will teach you cues for performing the parking maneuver correctly. These cues include the point at which you are to turn the wheel, straighten out etc. Memorize these moves and apply them and you will clear the test. The internal parking test will be conducted in the same yard as the RTA test. The yard where I had taken the test is provided in the below picture. An important saving grace in this test is that if you clear individual parts of the test, you will not be required to clear them again during the re test.









RTA Yard test: The RTA test is fully automated and incorporates state of the art technology. The test cars are fitted with sensors all round to accurately depict its position in the yard  examiners are able to see a birds eye view of the car from a central location similar to what is available in high end luxury cars.







The yard is also fitted with sensors so that it can detect the position of the car and check if it is in the lines as required. The cars are fitted with auto braking mechanisms (similar to safety systems on Volvo and other high end cars) such that if it detects a collision, it will automatically come to a full halt. The cars will also come to a halt also if speeds cross 35 kpmh or cross 4000 rpm. All of these are designed keeping in mind the safety of the learners as there is no instructor / examiner present to prevent an accident. The car is also equipped with cameras inside for the examiners to check if you do the required safety and head checks before initiating a parking. The car is also equipped to take inputs from the handbrake, transmission, dry steering and clutch usage. I personally like the system as it is foolproof and brings in significant levels of objectivity in the entire testing process while reducing human involvement and human errors. There are several candidates who claim that the instructor failed them for a fault which they did not commit. The automation reduces possibilities of such subjectivity.



Once you start the test, you have 20 minutes to complete all 5 tasks. You are free to do them in any order you wish. When you cross the grey boxes indicated on the image, the tablet in the car will tell you the zone / test you are in. For the parking assessment, activating the left indicator will start that part of the test. Ex. You enter into angle parking zone and see that it is occupied, you can move ahead to the garage parking zone, position yourself and then engage the left indicator to start the garage parking test.



For each test, there are offences that will result in an immediate fail (ex. touching yellow lines) and offences which are classified as allowable (dry steering, excess time). However, you are allowed only one allowable offence per parking (each offence is worth 2 demerit points and 4 or more will cause you to fail the particular parking). For a detailed list of checks done, please PM me. If you fail to clear any individual parts of the test, you will be required to pass only those test which you did not clear, i.e. you will have to clear each type of test only once.



Driving School Road Test: Once you have cleared the parking test, you will be required to take a road test with the driving school examiner. This will again be similar to the road test conducted by RTA to give you the same experience and practice before the main RTA test. The key checks will be on how you are able to manage the car, work your way into traffic, reading stop and give way signs, lane changes and possibly a parking on public roads. You will be given feedback on your performance and if you do not clear the test, you will have to take a few classes before you attempt the test again, the number of classes will be dependent on your performance in the test.



Freeway Driving: Fun classes once you're done with the internal assessment tests - you will train on the freeways for a couple of hours. These are high speed expressways with a minimum speed limit of 60 kmph and a maximum of 120 kmph.



RTA Road Test: The finale, the big daddy, the culmination of the full process. The test will be similar to the internal road test, except that it will be conducted by an official examiner from RTA. The test will be done for 3 people at a time. Before you start, check if all passengers are wearing seatbelts, even passengers seated at the back. Follow all instructions provided by your instructors, be confident, dress well and you should be fine. In my experience, RTA examiners though seemingly strict, are fair and if you showcase the correct driving skills, they will not fail you for unfair reasons. The test will be a short drive of 10  15 mins in roads surrounding the driving school. Bear in mind though, if you do not clear the RTA test, you will have to take 4 hours of classes before attempting the test again and therefore is an expensive affair (~ AED 1000 per attempt). Driving schools have hence made the internal test more stringent with the aim to reduce financial burden on candidates and also improve their pass rate. So, in a way, it is better to not clear the internal test rather than the RTA test.

The start to end cost starts at a minimum of AED 3500 to AED 4000 for 20 classes if all tests are cleared in the first go with no extra classes. Be sure to ask for discounts and promotions when you inquire with driving schools. The cost will go up with each unsuccessful attempt in tests as you will have to take classes once you fail a test. The cost will also be higher if you choose to take your classes in off hours (weekends, night). On an average, people take 2-3 attempts on each test depending on how well they are able to catch on to the rules. Costs can go up very quickly and hence I suggest you budget for a cost of around AED 6500. If youre not confident, some schools have a package of unlimited attempts at around AED 9000. While this is expensive, you will not have the pressure of financial loss weighing on your mind while taking a test. Ive known people who have taken more than 7 attempts, spent months together and inordinate sums of money to get their license, so believe me it is a value proposition for many people. (All stated figures are for the 20 class course)



My cost breakdown is provided below,







If you dont feel like slumming it out and learning on a Nissan Sunny, have extra dough lying around and want to experience Dubai, there is a VIP package starting at AED 15,000 which gives you priority in securing test slots and lessons in a Porsche Cayenne .



My parting advice would be to be mentally prepared to go through a long and laborious process to get a driving license in Dubai. Do not get disheartened if you do not clear any of the tests and take comfort in the fact that you are not the only one going through this. It can be a humbling experience. Keep sight of the end result  once you're done, it opens up ownership opportunities which you would never have got anywhere in the world. Ask any petrolhead what his top 5 dream destinations to reside in are, and Dubai will most likely be there. Dubai is a paradise for car lovers for its amazing car market, an absolutely bustling pre-owned market where you can buy anything from a Grand i10 to a Lamborghini with an extremely wide pool of choice, all at rates more affordable than India and an amazing road network to accompany. To enjoy this however, you will need a piece of plastic card that allows you to drive on UAEs asphalt which is not easy to come by.The Dubai DL is infamous for being one of the toughest to procure in the world. If youve heard about it, the entire process is long and exhausting causing a lot of strain on your head and your pocket alike. Getting a license in Dubai is treated as an achievement  so much so that I had to buy samosas for everyone at the office for successfully clearing it. Coming from India where having a DL essentially states that youre older than 18 and not much else, the full process can be quite intimidating. Id done extensive research for my license and thought Id pen down my experience and wisdom as I know how hard it can be for someone who wishes to get a license. You need a valid UAE DL to drive a car only if you are a resident. An IDP will do just fine if you are on a tourist visa and want to rent cars. However, ensure that the rental company provides you valid insurance for the time you rent out cars.There are two categories of licenses that Dubai recognizes (TL;DR If you hold an Indian DL jump to point 2),Fear not though, the Indian driving experience will be useful. I believe that driving conditions in India are extremely difficult and driving in a place like Dubai will be easier, once you understand the rules and get accustomed to it. In addition, the minimum number of classes that you have to take also depends on the number of years youve held your home license.The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has licensed 5 driving schools in Dubai. I suggest you shop around and choose one depending on price, location and convenience offered. All of them are equally good / bad and have years of experience with more than 400 cars each (mostly a Nissan Sunny or a Toyota Vios / Yaris as it is called in India) except for Emirates Driving Institute which is bigger, has a better pass rate and is typically more expensive.The license, unlike an Indian driving license is different for manual and automatic transmission vehicles. A manual will allow you to drive both types of vehicles while an automatic allows you to drive only automatic vehicles. While your first instinct (like mine was) will be to get a manual license, evaluate if you really will be buying and driving a manual car as managing a manual tranny will add complexity and difficulty to what is already a complicated and hard process. Majority of the cars sold in UAE are automatics, youll be hard pressed to find many choices in the second hand market as well and manuals do not hold as much value when you finally want to sell your car off. If you still want to get a manual license, there is an alternate method  secure an automatic license first and then go for an upgrade from automatic to manual. The latter is a simple process where you will not be evaluated on your road driving skills but on your handling of the manual gear system only and is much easier to clear. Bear in mind that you will be charged money if you decide to shift to automatic from manual classes post initiating your driving lessons. So, it is suggested that you make an informed choice and stick with it. As much as I like driving manual cars, I still went for an automatic license because majority of the cars in my consideration set were automatics.With all this out of the way, the steps to actually get a license are as follows (you will be able initiate the process only after getting your Emirates ID)The start to end cost starts at a minimum of AED 3500 to AED 4000 for 20 classes if all tests are cleared in the first go with no extra classes. Be sure to ask for discounts and promotions when you inquire with driving schools. The cost will go up with each unsuccessful attempt in tests as you will have to take classes once you fail a test. The cost will also be higher if you choose to take your classes in off hours (weekends, night). On an average, people take 2-3 attempts on each test depending on how well they are able to catch on to the rules. Costs can go up very quickly and hence I suggest you budget for a cost of around AED 6500. If youre not confident, some schools have a package of unlimited attempts at around AED 9000. While this is expensive, you will not have the pressure of financial loss weighing on your mind while taking a test. Ive known people who have taken more than 7 attempts, spent months together and inordinate sums of money to get their license, so believe me it is a value proposition for many people. (All stated figures are for the 20 class course)My cost breakdown is provided below,If you dont feel like slumming it out and learning on a Nissan Sunny, have extra dough lying around and want to experience Dubai, there is a VIP package starting at AED 15,000 which gives you priority in securing test slots and lessons in a Porsche CayenneMy parting advice would be to be mentally prepared to go through a long and laborious process to get a driving license in Dubai. Do not get disheartened if you do not clear any of the tests and take comfort in the fact that you are not the only one going through this. It can be a humbling experience. Keep sight of the end result  once you're done, it opens up ownership opportunities which you would never have got anywhere in the world. Last edited by aditya9567 : 23rd November 2018 at 05:07 .
The big picture: The digital age has pushed the cold, hard cash of old to the side, but nowhere has money gone as digital as in Sweden. Half of all Swedish retailers predict that theyll have stopped accepting cash payments by 2025, and half of the countrys bank branches have already stopped accepting cash deposits. Coins and notes make up just 1% of Swedens economy, compared to 8% in the US and 10% in Europe.

Paying with a card or phone or just buying things online first gained popularity due to its convenience, but as the New York Times notes, its now at the point where cash is so rare in Sweden its costly for shops to support it. After noticing that only 1% of customers used cash while employees were spending 15% of their time counting, organizing and storing it, an Ikea store decided to stop accepting cash temporarily. Only 0.12% of customers have been unable to pay without cash, mostly in the store's cafe.

We said, If you want a 50-cent hot dog, be my guest, take it. But next time maybe you can bring a card, Patrick Burstein, a senior manager, told the NY Times. He says it's more profitable to give a little food away than to manage the cash. Were spending a lot of resources on a very small percentage that actually needs the service.

The move hasnt been popular with everyone, however. The nearest branch of the Swedish National Pensioners Organization has been organizing protests against Ikea's experiment, saying that it has alienated many retirees that used to pay for meals at the cafe with cash. And considering one in ten Swedes admit to not being comfortable using digital payment systems, the government has been listening to the complaints closely.

We need to pause and think about whether this is good or bad, and not just sit back and let it happen, said Mats Dillen, the head of a Swedish Parliament committee studying the matter. If cash disappears, that would be a big change, with major implications for society and the economy.

Over the last few years, the government has changed its tune from supporting the move away from cash to requesting that the major banks and retailers keep supporting it. Swedens central bank, called the Riksbank, wants all the banks to continue supporting cash as much as possible. When you are where we are, it would be wrong to sit back with our arms crossed, doing nothing, and then just take note of the fact that cash has disappeared, said Stefan Ingves, the governor of Riksbank. You cant turn back time, but you do have to find a way to deal with change.

Swedens banks are fighting back though, in an attempt to push cash out of the economy completely.

Digital currency is far more profitable for banks, as they get to profit from the fees attached to debit cards, credit cards and Swedens bank-developed payment app, Swish. Combined, those three are how 95% of purchases made by young adults are paid for.

After years of banks being terrorized by violent robberies, banks also much prefer to be protecting their money digitally. In 2008 there were 210 robberies of Swedens 1400 bank branches, but last year there were just two.

Sweden is also at the forefront of exciting new digital payment technologies, including microchips that have been implanted into 4000 peoples hands, enabling them to pay via high-five. Next year the central bank will begin implementing e-krona, the digital currency that may replace Swedens traditional krona.

If nothing else, Sweden has shown the world that a nearly cashless economy works, and it wont be too long before other countries begin to see similar trends.
Unlike most planes that require turbines and fans to fly, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's recent breakthrough is one that has no moving parts  like it came out from the sci-fi film Star Trek.

Scientists have successfully flown a light, silent plane that did not use moving parts, which made quite an irritating sound. To replace these components, the team used a technology called "ionic wind" to power the creation, which utilizes ions that thrusts and sustains the whole flight without any noise.

"It's taken nine years of work to get here, and it's a hundred years since the ionic wind was first discovered," Professor Steven Barrett, the lead researcher, said.

Indeed, the introduction of the idea of incorporating ionic wind system to an aircraft had been done a long time ago, though it was only now that a solid-state plane with the technology has successfully flown. Early research didn't believe that the system was capable of propelling a small aircraft and sustaining the flight.

Tip Of The Iceberg

The MIT engineers didn't only make a revolutionary plane, they also made a significant contribution to the industry. When the Wright Brothers first successfully launched their airplane 100 years ago, it needed fossil fuel-powered moving parts, but with the latest news, there are a lot of possibilities on the horizon.

The researchers hope that this will be a good start in further discoveries for a better aviation industry, including more silent drones and emission-free passenger aircraft. These do not just benefit the customers who usually become irate with the loud buzzing noise, it also pushes forward the fight against greenhouse gases.

'Star Trek'-inspired

At first glance, it seemed it's pretty much lifted from a sci-fi film. Well, it is, as the lead inventor said he took the idea from the Star Trek films and series, which Barrett used to watch when he was a child. He had high interest over the high-tech spacecraft, which he specifically noted moved silently.

The MIT researchers launched a 16-foot, 5-pound prototype in the gym hall that had sustained flying at 197 feet without any assistance. The plane had thin wires that are underneath the front-end wings, where sufficient current passes through.

One of the problems that the team encountered was crafting a power supply that can generate up to 40,000 volts. The group is further looking into other means to produce ionic wind without needing high voltage.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Recent guests at a restaurant in Orlando are encouraged to get vaccinated after an employee of the restaurant was confirmed to have Hepatitis A. Vaccination within two weeks after contact could prevent the disease.

Restaurant Worker Tests Positive For Hepatitis A

In Orlando, Florida, health officials announced that a restaurant worker at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs was confirmed to have hepatitis A. As such, anyone who dined at the restaurant between Nov. 6 and Nov.16 may have been exposed to the virus and thus need to be vaccinated immediately.

Anyone who visited the restaurant during those dates and experiences symptoms such as dark urine, abdominal discomfort, fever, diarrhea, and jaundice or the yellowing of the eyes and skin must go and see a doctor.

In a statement, the Patina Group, which operates Morimoto Asia, states that the well-being and safety of the customers remain to be its top priority, and that it is working closely with authorities to make sure that both the guests and the employees are protected.

Hepatitis A In Orlando

Just this past October, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County released a statement encouraging prevention and vaccination for hepatitis A due to the spike in cases in the county. This year alone, there were 45 confirmed cases of locally acquired hepatitis A as of Oct. 22, which is a 3,000 percent increase compared to the 5-year average of just 1.4 cases per year.

In addition, majority of the reported hepatitis A cases in Orange County in the past five years were contracted during international travel, but 85 percent of the cases this year were contracted from inside the United States, most of which from within Orange County itself.

This is the highest number weve seen since 2003, the agency stated.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A virus affects the liver and may be contracted through the consumption of contaminated food or water, through person-to-person fecal-oral route, or through close and continuous contact with an infected person. It is a limited disease that does not cause a chronic infection and typically gets resolved within two months.

Proper hand washing with soap and water is key in preventing contracting hepatitis A, but vaccination remains to be the best protection, especially for those who are more at risk.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
After university freshman Olivia Paregols recent adenovirus death, some students at the University of Maryland are concerned over her deaths connection to a mold problem going on at the dorms.

Evidently, even Paregols dorm was affected by the mold problem that began last August.

Adenovirus Death

It was early this month when 18-year-old student Paregol developed a cough, which eventually turned into pneumonia. She later died from adenovirus 7, which is a strain that can cause more severe illnesses compared to other common adenovirus strains that are not typically dangerous but can cause illnesses such as cough and pink eye.

It was later learned that Paregol was also suffering from Crohns disease, which means she may have had a compromised immune system, making her more vulnerable to the adenovirus.

Mold Problem

Now, however, some students are worried over the connection of her death to an ongoing mold problem at the university dorms, which started last August. Some of the students say they discovered mold on their shoes and clothing, and that some of them even fell ill as a result.

Student Jessica Thompson even told CBS News that they would be fine when they went home during the weekends, but would fall ill again when they went back to the dorm, experiencing cough, sniffling, and headaches. She further states that they would have trouble sleeping because their pillows were nest to the mold and they would be up coughing all night.

Eventually, about 500 students were moved to a temporary housing and placed dehumidifiers after the students repeated alerts to university officials, but they say it took about two and a half months before this was done.

Mold-Adenovirus Connection

According to Paregols father, Ian Paregol, his daughters room was also affected by the mold, saying that while there is no causation yet, it did not help her illness either.

In response to the concerns, the university stated that while mold is known to cause respiratory tract irritation and can make people more vulnerable to infections, the adenovirus cases on campus were seen in students living both on and off campus, whether affected by the mold or not.

As such, it appears that there is no consistent connection between mold exposure and the incidents of adenovirus infection affecting UMD students, the university states.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The new pot professor from the University of British Columbia will lead studies to look into the potential of cannabis as a treatment for opioid use disorder.

On Friday, Nov. 23, M-J Milloy, a leader in the field epidemiology and a respected research scientist, was announced as the inaugural Canopy Growth professor of Cannabis Science. His appointment was made possible thanks to the $2.5 million gift from Canopy Growth, a major cannabis producer, and $500,000 from the province of British Columbia.

Canada's Opioid Crisis

The primary goal of Milloy's research, according to UBC, is to find evidence that cannabis can provide a positive impact on people who are affected by opioid use disorder. In the past couple of months alone, 1,143 people in British Columbia have died because of a suspected overdose.

Canada, just like the United States, has an opioid crisis. The government estimated that in 2017, approximately 11 lives were lost every day due to opioid overdoses. Majority of the victims, about two-thirds of all opioid-related deaths, were men.

While there are treatment options available, previous research has revealed that fewer than one-third of the people enrolled in an opioid agonist therapy, or OAT, remain after six months. This is concerning because dropping out of addiction treatment is a major risk factor for death due to overdose.

Opioids include fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and heroin. Some opioids are prescribed by doctors to treat major pain, but it can also be obtained illegally.

Cannabis Key To Ending Opioid Crisis?

UBC hopes that the findings of Milloy's research could add evidence to the claims that cannabis could better support people who are suffering from opioid use disorder. If successful, it could pave the way to the introduction of cannabis-based therapy.

"We need all-hands-on-deck to save lives and help people find the treatment and recovery services that will work for them long term," stated Judy Darcy, the Mental Health and Addiction minister of British Columbia. "Our government has been bold and innovative in providing treatment options  based on evidence  for people living with addiction. This first-of-its-kind professorship will lead research and clinical trials on how cannabis products can be used to address the overdose crisis that is taking three to four lives a day."

Milloy's previous research focused on the interrelationship between illicit drugs and HIV. He also probed the public health impact of the legalization of cannabis and the medical application of cannabis for people with substance use disorder.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As "Sugartown" opens, the camera pans across acres and acres of Iberia Parish cane fields, but this is no sweet story.
WASHINGTON  Millions of people may be able to show their smartphones rather than a plastic card to prove theyre legit to drive, vote or buy a beer in coming years.

Louisiana in July became the first state to make digital licenses available to anyone who wants them, and at least 14 other states either have developed a program, run a pilot or are studying the possibility, according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

Seventy-seven percent of American adults already own a smartphone, including 94 percent of adults under 30, and many state motor vehicle officials think residents will appreciate the convenience of having their drivers license available in an app.

Officials also like that the licenses are connected to a central database and can be updated easily with, for example, suspensions or revocations.

And unlike plastic cards that can easily be counterfeited or tampered with, mobile licenses are less susceptible to fraud, they say.

But as is often the case when something analog goes digital, privacy advocates worry about the potential for government overreach and fear the digital licenses and motor vehicle databases will become vulnerable to hackers.

These are shiny new things, and states are only talking about the upsides, said Chad Marlow, a senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. It is very important the public understand there are significant risks with digital drivers licenses. I think it is irresponsible for states to offer them (without explaining those risks).

Colorado, Delaware, Maryland and Wyoming are among the states that have started a digital drivers license pilot program. Others are exploring the possibility.

This is a quantum leap improvement over what has been the traditional model for how we ask for and receive identification, said Geoff Slagle, director of identity management at the motor vehicle administrators association. With this approach, Im able to verify that the MVA actually created that license for you and that it was overseen by them.

Only one state  New Mexico  does not allow drivers to use an electronic copy of their insurance card during a traffic stop, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

Slagle said digital drivers licenses wont replace plastic ones; theyll simply be a supplement. Everybody still will have to carry a physical license for the foreseeable future.

Eventually, officials envision people using digital licenses not only for traffic stops and airport ID but also in bars, grocery stores, casinos, banks, doctors offices and as voter ID at polling places.

About 35,000 of Louisianas approximately 4 million drivers have signed up to have their license available on the LA Wallet app, said Paige Paxton, a field administrator for the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. And on Election Day, the secretary of states office allowed voters to display digital licenses instead of plastic ones.

We like to move with the times. We saw the potential, Paxton said. Our plan is to eventually make it so your registration, insurance or any credential would be on LA Wallet.

The program was jointly designed by the motor vehicles office, the Louisiana State Police and the Department of Public Safety. It was developed for free by Envoc, a Louisiana software firm, Paxton said, and there has been no cost to the state.

Louisiana residents can download the Apple or Google app for free but must pay a $5.99 activation fee (most of which goes to the software developer; the rest to Google or Apple) that covers them until their drivers license expires.

Drivers must use a PIN number, fingerprint or both to access their license, which is linked to the DMV data system.

This is not a static thing, Paxton said. Its a live connect.

For now, the app only can be used for stops by Louisiana police and for voting, and drivers still must carry a physical license for the foreseeable future, Paxton said. Louisianas Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control is developing a policy and training materials for its officers.

LA Wallet was developed after the state legislature passed a measure in 2016 allowing the creation of digitized licenses as an alternative to physical ones.

To address privacy concerns, the law says that displaying a digital license doesnt serve as consent or authorization for police or anyone else to search or view any other data or app on the mobile device.

And at the request of state police, Paxton said, the policy goes even further: Under its hands-off procedure, police can check the license without having to take the phone from the driver.

Our state police were concerned, Paxton said, that there was a potential that someone could say, Hey, you broke my phone. So, whos liable for that if a screen is shattered?

So far, the system has been working just fine for state troopers, said Lt. Nick Manale, a Louisiana State Police spokesman.

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Were not aware of any problems with it, as long as the driver has cellphone connectivity, he said. And they always have a physical drivers license as a backup.

The app, which Paxton said does not track users location, also is built so the screen only shows whats needed. If a store clerk or bouncer scans it, for example, the app would show only whether the person is old enough to drink.

But critics such as the ACLUs Marlow are skeptical that digital licenses in Louisiana or anywhere else are a good idea.

By unlocking the license, phone owners could expose their data to whoever is checking it, Marlow said. And, he added, while an officer normally would need a warrant to search a phone, in the real world, drivers who dont know the law could be pressured into handing over the phone, allowing access to everything from contacts to text messages.

And he worries hackers could access data being transmitted to and from the DMV database.

A group formed by the motor vehicle administrators association has been working on a plan to provide standards that would make it possible for digital licenses to work across states. This way, a license from one state could be checked and verified by a device in another.

Wyoming is one of several states that joined a pilot last year to test digital licenses. As part of the first phase, Wyoming officials wanted to see, for example, whether information could be transferred from a tractor-trailer digital drivers license directly to a highway patrol officers cruiser behind the truck.

It worked, said Misty Zimmerman, a deputy program manager at the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Wyoming is now planning the second phase of its pilot program.

The first phase was very smooth. There were no hurdles whatsoever, Zimmerman said. We have not made any formal commitment (to offer digital licenses to the public). However, from a department standpoint, I feel we would greatly benefit from having this option for our citizens.

Iowa, which in 2016 became the first state to start a digital license pilot program, is moving ahead with its plan to offer mobile licenses, turning to a system that uses biometrics and beefed-up security.

The state hired a French multinational company that specializes in providing secure credentials, IDEMIA, to develop the pilot for just under $50,000, said Mark Lowe, director of the state Department of Transportation.

And after a competitive bidding process for the current digital license project, Iowa awarded the company a contract of about $1.2 million initially. It hopes to start the digital license program by late 2019 or early 2020.

The drivers app would be able to interact with another device used by the person checking the license. The device-to-device exchange would authorize information sharing and verify that the person is who he says he is.

The really powerful thing is that once we bind you to that credential and verify it, you can use it for hunting and fishing licenses, weapons permits, tax returns  all sorts of things, Lowe said. Theres a ton of convenience and efficiencies.

Iowa is working with other states to make sure that the system it is developing can be used outside of the state. Lowe said thats the biggest hurdle  developing common standards for digital licenses across states.

But privacy advocates are concerned about states creating digital license programs that use device-to-device communications rather than just scanning a barcode, as is done in airports and grocery stores.

Thats 1984 stuff, said Alan Butler, senior counsel at the Washington, D.C.-based Electronic Privacy Information Center, a nonprofit research group. Youre opening up a new channel of attack or breach or nonconsensual monitoring of a person. It creates substantial privacy and data security risks with no added benefit.

And the ACLUs Marlow worries about expanding the use of digital licenses.

Whats stored on your physical drivers license is limited, Marlow said. But the digital one has the potential to store a lot more information, and that could be hacked.

But Slagle, of the motor vehicle administrators group, said the ACLU should be more concerned about plastic licenses, which are vulnerable to fraud and counterfeiting. They should be super excited about something coming along that helps to solve some of those problems, he said.

Slagle and Lowe predict that every state eventually will offer digital licenses.

It is not a question of whether or not this is happening, its a question of how fast this happens, Slagle said. Were going to do this as fast as we can, but we want to make sure that we get it right.
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John Raymond, the Slidell pastor who's running for a seat in the Legislature, points to his accomplishments in starting the nondenominational New Horizon church, a school and The Bridge, 88.7 FM, a Christian radio station, as evidence of his ability to get things done.

But as Raymond enters the final days of the runoff election for the Slidell-area House District 90 seat, two fellow Republicans are raising questions related to his radio station and his campaign, and are trying to determine whether Raymond and his station have properly handled political advertising in the race, specifically ads for his candidacy that have run on his radio station.

John Wells and Rob Maness, who serve on the St. Tammany Republican Parish Executive Committee along with Raymond, arrived at the offices of Raymond's radio station Nov. 16. They asked to see the public file and political file, documents that detail information about political advertisements that the Federal Communications Commission requires radio stations to maintain and to make available to the public on demand.

Instead of providing the files, Raymond retreated into an office, according to Wells and Maness. He then called Slidell police, complaining that the two men were harassing and bullying him, and he requested that an officer come to remove the two men from the premises, according to police reports and a recording of the encounter made by Wells and Maness.

Wells and Maness said they wanted to see how the station had documented the political advertisements for Raymond. Both have endorsed Raymond's opponent in the Dec. 8 runoff, Mary DuBuisson.

"We were contacted by some people, and they had a good faith belief that the public file required by the FCC was either not existing or woefully inadequate," Wells said.

Raymond is general manager of the 100,000-watt station that he describes as the most powerful Christian rock station in the Gulf South. While neither Maness nor Wells had heard the pro-Raymond ads, they said they were contacted by others who said the station was airing them.

Raymond has not responded to repeated requests for comment related to political advertising on his station or his interaction with Wells and Maness. After canceling two interviews with The Advocate, Raymond asked a reporter to send questions via email. He did not respond to questions that were sent on Wednesday.

Raymond's campaign spending reports do not list any expenditures for advertising on The Bridge or any donations of in-kind services from the station.

Wells and Maness recorded their 19-minute visit to the office, including a brief exchange with Raymond. Wells told him they wanted to see his public file and political file. Raymond replied, "I appreciate that," paused and said, "Just a moment," before going back up the stairs to the station office, according to the men.

After several minutes passed, the two men left, asking that they be contacted when he had located the documents.

A Slidell police car then pulled up in front of the station, parking in the middle of the driveway so that Maness and Wells were not able to pull out, Wells said. But after briefly going inside, the officer returned to his car and left without talking to the pair.

Can't see video below? Click here.

The odd timing of the police car's visit led them to drive to the Slidell Police Department, where they learned that Raymond had called to ask for an officer to come and "disperse them."

The incident report and a copy of the 911 call support the details of the events laid out by Wells and Maness.

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Although Wells, a Slidell attorney, and Maness, himself a former political candidate for various offices, have served on the St. Tammany Republican Parish Executive Committee with Raymond for several years, they are not supporters or friends of Raymond.

DuBuisson, also a Republican, announced she would not seek the RPEC endorsement because eight of its members had backed Raymond. But the committee, which needs a two-thirds vote to endorse a candidate, did not make a choice in the race.

DuBuisson was the front-runner on Nov. 6, though with just 29 percent of the vote. Raymond got into the runoff with a three-vote margin of victory over Democrat Sean Morrison for second place.

The seat they are seeking was previously held by Greg Cromer, who resigned when he was elected Slidell mayor. There is a year left in the term.

Maness said he had been a "polite colleague" of Raymond's until a little over a year ago, when he said it became clear to him that Raymond doesn't want people in the Republican Party "who might think differently."

Wells and Maness had a heated debate with Raymond at an RPEC meeting in June 2017 when they wanted to pass a resolution condemning human rights violations against LGBT people. The resolution was ultimately withdrawn by Wells.

Maness said that while he has engaged in some "opposition research" against Raymond, he has not harassed or bullied him. He said he was "surprised and disappointed" to learn that Raymond had summoned the police. Political opposition is part of running for office, he said, adding, "He signed up for that."

In addition to the political demands from Maness and Wells, Raymond also appears to be dealing with some financial entanglements related to the entities he controls.

Next Level Productions and Promotions, a Florida-based company, filed a lawsuit against New Horizon Church in June for failure to make good on a $100,000 promissory note related to The Bridge.

The suit, filed in 22nd Judicial District Court, claims that the church, with Raymond acting as its agent, made only one $5,760 payment during the term of the loan  money it said was raised for the church by a third party.

The company is asking for the full amount of the loan, plus 15 percent interest that the borrower agreed to pay, for a total of $195,776. And the interest is continuing to mount, now at 20 percent.

Raymond, who until recently was representing himself, asked the court for a 30-day delay on Aug. 15, which was granted. But the plaintiffs are fighting a second request for a delay, saying that New Horizon gave no valid reason for the delay beyond the fact that Raymond has commitments associated with running for office.

"Mr. Raymond's personal political aspirations should not be allowed to prejudice Next Level through additional delays," the plaintiffs said.

Raymond did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The black truffle is already one of the world's scarcest foodstuffs, but climate change could drive it to the brink of extinction in its traditional home of southern Europe.

Increasingly dry, hot weather in the world's prime truffle-producing regions of Italy, France and Spain may become so severe that the delicacy is wiped out there by the end of the century, according to a study published in the journal Science of Total Environment.

Prices for the treat, already one of the world's costliest foodstuffs, will be driven even higher, they predict.

Black truffles are rare and expensive, and getting even more so. Credit:Aleksandar Milutinovic

"Every time there is a drought event, it impacts that winter's harvest," says Paul Thomas of the University of Stirling in Scotland, who led the study. "They grow over summer and then they mature over winter, so they need that moisture over the summer."
The great cryptocurrency crash of 2018 is heading for its worst week yet.

Bitcoin slipped closer to $US4,000 and most of its peers tumbled on Friday, extending the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index's decline since November 16 to 24 per cent. That's the worst weekly slump since crypto-mania peaked in early January.

After an epic rally last year that exceeded many of history's most notorious bubbles, cryptocurrencies have become mired in a nearly $US700 billion ($968 billion) rout that shows few signs of abating.

Private investors who went in just as prices peaked are some of the bubble's biggest casualties. Credit:Bloomberg

Many of the concerns that sparked the 2018 retreat -- including increased regulatory scrutiny, community infighting and exchange snafus -- have only intensified this week. Even after losses exceeding 70 per cent for most virtual currencies, Oanda Corp.'s Stephen Innes has yet to see strong evidence of a capitulation that would signal a market bottom.
Nicolas Roeg, the prominent British film director known for making provocative films and working with rock stars Mick Jagger and David Bowie over a six-decade career, has died. He was 90.

The director of Don't Look Now and many other films died on Friday night, his son, Nicolas Roeg Jr., told Britain's Press Association.

"He was a genuine dad," Roeg Jr. said. "He just had his 90th birthday in August."

He didn't provide details about his father's death during a brief telephone call.

Roeg worked with Jagger in "Performance" and Bowie in "The Man Who Fell to Earth." Bowie played an alien who crashes on Earth looking for a way to save his own planet.
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU 

MA, 102 minutes. Cinema Nova, opens Thursday

Applying a punk backbeat and African-American lens to the absurdist digests of Luis Bunuel, Charlie Kaufman and Mike Judge, the American artist, activist, and now filmmaker Boots Riley turns up the volume on America's vast chasms in his debut feature, revealing a dystopian society perched on today's precipice. Living in his uncle's Oakland garage, Cassius Green (Atlanta's Lakeith Stanfield) joins a telemarketing firm, where his progress is phenomenal once he masters his "white voice" (dubbed by comic David Cross). Like much in this movie, it's a fertile exaggeration of racial divides and cultural attitudes, completed with handmade transformations and deadpan retorts. Income inequality and workers' rights are on the agenda, but they can never keep up with the endemic and unchecked malignance. Armie Hammer plays a smiling CEO whose company markets incarceration and slavery as a means of financial independence, and like Tessa Thompson as Cassius' freewheeling artist girlfriend Detroit, his character overwhelms the detached and initially dazzled salesman. The awkwardness in Riley's filmmaking suits the mood, but while there are brilliantly sharp moments  particularly Cassius' improvised rap to wealthy partygoers  there are misses too. The narrow tone also leaves a hint of inertia, despite the many broadsides.

Sorry to Bother You has plenty of brilliantly sharp moments.

ON BODY AND SOUL: THE PASSION ACCORDING TO AMIEL COURTIN-WILSON

melbournecinematheque.org. Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Wednesday, November 28 and December 5

No Australian director has had a more distinctive or expressive career in the last decade than Amiel Courtin-Wilson. Moving between improvised drama and documentary, and between social realism and lyrical crescendos, the Melbourne filmmaker has always worked from a close connection to his subject. It was crucial to 2008's Bastardy (, MA, 83 minutes), which turns the city's landscape and cultural memory upside down as it tracks the life of the Indigenous stage and screen actor Jack Charles (The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith), who was also gay, a cat burglar, and a long-term heroin addict. Charles sleeps rough, shoots up, and tours the sights of long ago robberies, giving a host's performance that is both explicitly honest and slyly knowing. At certain points, particularly following a robbery, the lives of the filmmaker and his subject become entwined on screen, and Courtin-Wilson, who creates rich textures that offset the handheld aesthetic, has a sympathy for Charles that doesn't preclude shining a sometimes uncomfortable light on his choices.
Police smashed their way into a stolen vehicle to arrest a driver who allegedly led officers on a low-speed pursuit across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and into the city last night.

Queensland man Jaiden Dowton, 20, will face Parramatta Bail Court today accused of leading NSW Police on two chases, the first of which began in the state's northwest.

It's alleged officers gave chase after a Toyota Landcruiser failed to stop for a roadside breathe test in Tenterfield at about 10.45pm on Friday, but stopped the pursuit shortly after due to the vehicle being driven dangerously.

Checks revealed the 4WD was stolen from a property in Kunwarara, on the central coast of Queensland.

About 7pm yesterday, North Shore police were patrolling the Pacific Highway in Crows Nest when they spotted the Landcruiser and tried to stop it.
A Queensland Police Memorial has been opened in Brisbane's City Botanic Gardens to honour 147 officers who have died while serving the Queensland community since 1861.

The previous memorial was decommissioned in November last year due to the redevelopment of the lower end of George Street.

A new police memorial has been dedicated in Brisbanes City Botanic Gardens. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Name plates were temporarily relocated to the Queensland Police Service Academy at Oxley while the new memorial was underway.

The monument, funded by QPS' own budget and donations from the police union, the innovation, tourism and industry development department and the Commonwealth Games, includes five individual archways and 10 pillars representing the 10 ranks within the service.
In Carrum, the Liberals believe their strong law and order campaign will be key to picking up majority of votes, but the Premier remains sceptical. I think you can try and scare people into voting for you but I dont think thats leadership, frankly. I dont think people warm to that, I think they would much rather have a sense that the person who is in charge has a plan and a determination, a conviction and an absolute resolve to deliver on it and face up to whatever challenges present, he said. The Premier kicked off the day casting his vote in his seat of Mulgrave, before hopping on the Labor campaign bus to visit key seats.

Loading His kids were back in Mulgrave encouraging voters to support their dad, the Premier said. They were briefed by their mum about the key issues: Its just dad, dad, dad ... they might have even had vote dad t-shirts on. He cast his vote on Saturday morning at Albany Rise Primary School in his seat of Mulgrave, which Labor holds by 4.5 per cent, considered marginal.

There were no comments during that stop for waiting media, only an over-the-shoulder "hello" to Liberal opponent Maree Davenport, before he dropped a coin in the collection tin for charity Aussie Dollar Drop and disappeared inside to vote. "He holds the seat by only 1600 votes," Ms Davenport, a former upper house member, said. "A lot of people are extremely disappointed about a lot of things he's done and hasn't done." But nothing could wipe the smile off Mr Andrews' face as he confidently shook a few hands as a couple of people called "good luck Daniel". Making his pitch to voters during a TV appearance earlier on Saturday morning, Mr Andrews said "a handful of votes in a handful of seats" was all that separates the two major parties on Saturday. Labor currently holds a one-seat majority in the 88-seat parliament, while the Liberal-National coalition is on 38 and the Greens three.

Despite polls pointing to a Labor win, Mr Andrews said he was taking nothing for granted and would be campaigning right up till the polling booths close at 6pm. Appearing on breakfast TV, he urged Victorians to vote one for their Labor candidate to ensure a stable majority government for the next four years. His message came as a defiant Greens leader Samantha Ratnam hailed the minor party's campaign, the largest it has run, as a success despite a series of scandals. Greens leader Samantha Ratnam voting at Brunswick North West Primary School on Saturday morning. Credit:Justin McManus Voting in the Greens heartland of Brunswick, Ms Ratnam hit back at Labor's attacks against her party.

Three opinion polls published at the end of the campaign show Labor should be returned with a narrow majority if the results are uniform across the state. But if it doesn't, the Greens  who currently hold three seats and are aiming for more despite a scandal-riddled campaign  could be the kingmakers. Loading Despite that, Mr Andrews is refusing to cut a deal with the party he says has a toxic culture and says Labor provides the proven track record on progressive policies for the state. Ms Ratnam, whose party was thrust into turmoil in the final hours of the election campaign after standing down a candidate amid accusations of rape, said the 2018 campaign was the largest the party had run.

She said Greens had knocked on more than 160,000 doors across inner Melbourne during the election campaign. Ms Ratnam has accused the Labor party of resorting to "dirty tricks, negative campaigning and mud-slinging". "During this campaign we have come under extraordinary attack and we're coming under attack because we're a threat," she said. Ms Ratnam has questioned the "veracity" of the polls and says support for the party hasn't wavered in the community. She said voters weren't interested in the dirty politicking, and were more concerned about progressive issues. Hold the onions: Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has a democracy sausage on Saturday after voting earlier in the week. Credit:AAP

Coalition leader Matthew Guy voted early (along with more than a million Victorians) but he was able to count on a couple more votes when his parents Vera and Chris voted in Briar Hill on Saturday morning. As a mother, of course I think hes going to win, Vera said. Hes worked very hard. Loading They cast their vote at Sherbourne Primary School for their sons childhood friend Nick McGowan, who is hoping to win the seat of Eltham from Labors Vicki Ward. Despite the drizzling morning, Guy was in high spirits as he showed the media around his old

primary school that he first attended in 1979.

There was the bike ride he used to take up the hill on Outlook Crescent and the chicken pen that held Super Chook, who unfortunately died. He joked with the parents working the sausage sizzle about the pork barrelling of a former Labor government that built a pool at the school in the 1980s. When they asked what he would promise them, Guy responded to laughter: Another pool! It wasnt a totally warm reception for Guy, with some voters throwing barbs about lobsters and other controversies in his direction. One even shook his hand and said good luck but told him he didnt have a hope in hell. However, the negativity didnt seem to phase Guy too much, who smiled his way through the visit, telling another friend who voted that they would grab a beer soon and well get an Uber home.
The weather is cold, the lines are long and the election campaign seems to have gone on forever. However there is one thing that brings Victorians of all political stripes together on polling day, and that is, of course, the democracy sausage.

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The way one takes their #democracy sausage can say a lot about them, so what have the political heavyweights in this election opted for? With sauce or plain; onions on the top or, like Bunnings, on the bottom, or traditional beef or a new-age vegan version.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy
The thing about trust is that it is hard to earn but can be easy to lose. Or put another way, its easier to maintain trust than restore it.

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Take my brother-in-law, for example. He had his business, home and both cars insured with NRMA and had been a loyal customer for 26 years. He had trusted (as clearly do many Australians, given NRMA is also among the top 10 most trusted brands) that he was getting a good deal. So he was surprised when he recently got his car insurance renewal from NRMA and it was $200 more expensive than the previous year. A fair hike in anyones book.

After calling the NRMA and pleading his case he was told there was nothing it could do, so he rang around and found an alternate car insurance policy for $480 cheaper. Thats right, $480. Suffice to say he wont be so trusting of NRMA anytime soon.

Trust is earned by not only doing what you say, but doing it consistently and for all. Perhaps there is a lesson in this for our politicians too.
The Liberal Party's disastrous performance in the Victorian election has put the Morrison government on course for a crushing defeat at next year's federal poll, as a brawl breaks out over whether Malcolm Turnbull's demise was to blame for the shock result.

Premier Daniel Andrews easily won Saturday's election following a surge to Labor in a swag of seats across the state, including marginal electorates held by the Liberals.

While Coalition figures blamed the loss on a poor campaign spearheaded by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, they conceded leadership instability in Canberra was a significant factor with worrying implications for next year's federal election and the NSW election in March.

Party strategists believe the federal seat of Corangamite  the nation's most marginal  is a certain loss for the Coalition, along with Chisholm. Chisholm was the only electorate the Liberal Party won at the 2016 election. The current MP, Julia Banks, is leaving politics after sensationally alleging she was bullied during the Liberal leadership implosion in August.
The state government will launch an immediate investigation into an "appalling" data breach that saw personal details of emergency services staff posted to the web.

The breach reportedly occurred in October and saw private details  including addresses and medical information  of staff from a number of departments shared online.

This kind of cybercrime is nothing short of appalling, said Victorian Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino.

There will be a thorough, independent investigation to determine exactly how this happened and it will be dealt with accordingly.
Nonetheless, even the short-lived shift emphasises the erosion of support faced by the Coalition in seats previously considered sacrosanct. Hawthorn and Caulfield still in the balance After 53 Years, the Liberals could still lose the blue-ribbon seat of Hawthorn, with the seat of Caulfield also in play. With 68% of the vote counted this morning, Hawthorn incumbent Liberal MP John Pesutto has 50.09% of the vote. With postal votes tending to favour the Liberal Party, Fairfax election analyst Tim Colebatch predicts that the Liberal Party will retain the seat.

Mr Pesutto was not so confident last night, however, as the electoral disaster unfolded on live TV. Somethings gone horribly wrong he said. Held by the Liberal Party since 1955 and passed from former Premier Ted Baillieu to Mr Pesutto in 2014, loss in the seat of Hawthorn emphasises the wipe-out faced by the Coalition in seats previously considered safe. By 9pm, Labor candidate John Ormond Kennedy was in front in Hawthorn with a stunning 11.1 per cent swing.

Mr Pesutto, the Shadow Attorney-General, was obliged to watch the loss of what had previously been considered an unloseable seat from the ABC TV panel, with nowhere to hide. He delivered live what sounded like a concession speech while he trailed by just 2.5 per cent. You get a short time on the stage in politics its a difficult road back. John Kennedy is a very decent man, and Ive enjoyed being on the campaign trail with him, Mr Pesutto told ABC. Shadow attorney general John Pesutto looks like he may lose his blue-ribbon seat of Hawthorn. Credit:Simon Schluter A former school teacher born and raised in Sydney, Mr Kennedy received 38.9 per cent of the federal vote when he ran against federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong in 2013.

Once upon a time we were regarded as a bunch of ratbags in these parts, Mr Kennedy told The Age. Now Labor is becoming more and more acceptable in the eastern suburbs." Mr Pesutto identified new high-density residential buildings as crucial in swaying the outcome. I never regarded Hawthorn as a safe seat. Theres a lot of people coming and going, he said. To take advantage of those new voters, Mr Kennedy says he attended all 11 days of pre-polling, crucial in a seat where approximately one quarter of residents voted early.

Throughout the campaign I certainly thought people were really cynical about law and order. Labor seemed to be more substantial, and Andrews has done a good job, he added. Labor's Sorina Grasso achieved a swing of almost 10 per cent against Liberal MP David Southwick. Credit:Paul Sakkal In Hawthorn on Sunday morning, residents appeared to going about their business unsuprised by the race. Terri Golder voted for Labor for the first time after being a lifelong Liberal voter. She believed the Liberals' complacency in the traditionally blue Hawthorn seat contributed to their poor showing.

It very much felt like they were riding on the fact that electorate would suport Liberals and they really hadnt invested much effort into convincing people that they still needed to back the Liberals. This lack of effort was especially prominent in the Liberal's campaign, Ms Golder said. "I thought it was a bit of a lazy campaign,'' she said. She also said that Labors policies focused on the daily things voters were concerned about, like roads. It very much felt like they were riding on the fact that electorate would support Liberals and they really hadnt invested much effort into convincing people that they still needed to back the Liberals.

For Daniel Gent, 26, this was similarly the first time he had chosen not to vote for the Liberal Party, instead putting them last on his ballot. He voted for the Reason Party first. They really needed to be sent a message, I think", he said. He was not surprised it turned into a close race and believed the Liberal Party's federal issues in the last six months was a contributing factor to their loss. "If they hadn't outed Turnbull I don't think they would have had the same issues.'' He didn't think the Liberal's crime and order messaging was effective. "Daniel Andrews campaign was a lot better than Guy's because he was promoting way more public health initiatives and Guy was campaigning on terrorism which is a really minor issue in the grand scheme of things.. "I think the Liberals were aiming at the wrong thing to start with." "Guy played on fear and Andrews played on the future."

Kerri Hart, 52, who voted Liberal, was surprised at the size of the swing. "People were predicting a swing but I didn't think it would be so large. "I think maybe we didn't hear a lot from Matthew Guy so he just wasn't as obvious, maybe Labor was more obvious." Cautious optimism in Caulfield Labor has declined to declare victory in the blue-ribbon Liberal Party seat of Caulfield, held by Shadow Energy Spokesperson David Southwick. By the end of last night, with 70% of the vote counted, the Liberal Party had garnered 52.92% of the vote.

Never held by Labor in the seat's history, the Labor candidate Sorina Grasso has seen an almost 4 per cent primary swing towards her. Addressing Labor's Caulfield rank-and-file, a largely Jewish demographic, Ms Grasso said "it's looking really, really good". "It's been a wild ride," she said. "Thank you all for accepting and supporting me." Ms Grasso reserved special thanks to the now-federal candidate for McNamara Josh Burns, who in 2014 as the candidate for Caulfield achieved a significant swing to Labor to bring it within the party's reach. She was cautiously optimistic of snatching the seat, noting the need to wait until pre-poll votes had been counted.
The seats kept coming. Four more years, they cried. Four more years! Those gifted years were guaranteed when, only 75 minutes after polling closed, leading psephologists Tim Colebatch and Antony Green declared that Labor had won the election.

And then, as the depth and breadth of the victory became clear, with Labor gathering within its grasp not just traditional Labor seats, but the aspirationals, the wealthy - why, could it be possible that Brighton would be lost to the Liberals? - the regions and the hipsters, the chant was reduced to one word. Daniel, the adoring throng sang. Dan..iel. And finally, there was Daniel himself. Arms were flung around him. Kisses were planted upon his cheeks. His wife Cath and their children were escorted by concerned party officials in his wake, lest the crowds enthusiasm overwhelmed them. The Premier made it to the stage and stood, arms held high, thumbs pointed to the heavens.

For a moment, you might have expected something along the lines of the sweetest victory of all, but Daniel Andrews is no Paul Keating. Loading Thank you so much. Thank you so much, he said, adding that the Liberal leader Matthew Guy had phoned him and offered a gracious congratulations. The crowd roared, as if their Daniel had slain a lion. He said a lot more, of course, about keeping promises and doing things and not succumbing to fear campaigns, and a lot of it was lost in the tumult of all those believers, a sea of red t-shirts beneath a cloud of red balloons. Andrews has been the local member of the Mulgrave electorate since he entered parliament in 2002, and until Saturday, had held it, slightly uneasily, with a margin of just 4.5 per cent. By the end of the night, he appeared to have almost tripled that margin.

He and his colleagues had crowd-surfed a wave of votes that few in the Labor Party had dared to imagine. Indeed, Andrews himself had spent the afternoon out in the marginal seats, drumming up last-minute votes, believing they might be needed. The polls had predicted that Labor would waltz back into power, But politicians, particularly Premiers trying to gain a second term, tend to cloak themselves in caution on election days. Andrews - who has spent all his years working in Labor politics since graduating from university in 1996 - wasnt about leave things to chance. He began his day by casting his vote at a school in his electorate, Albany Rise Primary, lining up with members of the public, clutching the hand of his wife, Cath.

Soon after, he left behind his comet-talk of media and melted away for a last-minute whirl around the marginal seats The Ages Timna Jacks was by chance in the sandbelt suburb of Carrum Downs when the Premier rolled in. Carrum was on Saturday afternoon the third most marginal seats in the state, held since 2014 by Labors Sonya Kilkenny by 0.7 per cent. By the end of the evening, it would be judged a safe seat, held by a margin now estimated at up to 7 per cent. But given the Andrews Government would have lost its majority with the loss of just two seats - and that Melbournes sandbelt is an important decider of elections - Andrews decision to give the area one last lap without the distraction of a media comet-tail seemed necessary. Nevertheless, he told The Age the election hadnt kept him up the previous night. Why, he told The Age, he always slept short but sound. You get to the point where its there or its not, he said of the election.
The Greens' hopes of capturing a swag of inner-city seats in the lower house of the Victorian Parliament slumped on Saturday night, with Labor retaining the key marginal seat of Richmond and winning back the seat of Northcote.

The party that had hoped to hold the balance of power in the lower house was instead fearful of losing seats it had gained in 2014 or last year's Northcote by-election.

And Brunswick, which the Greens had expected to win from Labor, was hanging in the balance. Greens members at the party's Docklands event on Saturday night were canvassing for volunteers to take part in a recount for the seat.

Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt said it "would go down to the wire" in Brunswick.
The veteran Liberal powerbroker was not giving up the fight but his partys internal polling put the Coalition in a potentially winning position in enough marginal seats for an upset to occur, Mr Kroger said. Loading "Theres 12 to 15 [seats] which have been in play for weeks and some of those are coming our way, some going Labors way but a lot of them are bouncing around," he said. Mr Kroger said the polling confirmed that voters in marginal seats were concerned about the cost of living, congestion and crime, the three issues on which the Coalition has campaigned most heavily. Senior Labor figure confirmed the party was expecting to win seats based on early indications but would not estimate how many electorates they might pick up.

Labor has governed in Victoria for 15 of the past 19 years and Mr Kroger said it was difficult to deny it has become the natural party of government. "Illustrative is the fact that they get 100,000 to a union rally in Melbourne and 10,000 in Sydney," he said. "Its the headquarters of the ACTU, its where the labour movement itself is the strongest, which creates even more challenges for the Liberal Party." Matthew Guy with his democracy sausage on Saturday morning. Credit:AAP A defiant Mr Guy predicted on Friday that the Coalition would take seats from Labor in Melbournes south-east, north-east and in the regions.

The party visited Ballarat repeatedly during the campaign and is hopeful it can snare the two Labor-held seats of Buninyong and Wendouree, where both sitting MPs have retired. Labor was long considered favourite to win Saturdays election but polls widened in the final days before Victorians cast their last ballots. On Saturday Mr Andrews cast his vote at the Albany Rise Primary School in his Mulgrave electorate, which he holds by 4.5 per cent. On track to win: Premier Daniel Andrews appeared relaxed as he visited a Cranbourne West school on the final day of campaigning. Credit:AAP He then visited polling booths in Pakenham, Carrum, Bentleigh and Burwood in an attempt to sway the last of the undecided voters in marginal seats across Melbournes southern and eastern suburbs.

Labors campaign was polished and largely free of major gaffes and candidate controversies. By contrast both the Liberals and Greens were dogged by scandal. The premiers performance in front of the cameras throughout the campaign was smooth and he was rarely ruffled even when pressed on controversies, including the red shirts rorts. In marginal Carrum on Saturday a relaxed looking Mr Andrews, who was supporting sitting MP Sonya Kilkenny, said the election had not kept him awake overnight. "You get to the point where its there or its not," he said. "Weve done everything we can."

In Carrum, the Liberals believe their strong law-and-order campaign would be the key to picking up majority of votes, but the Premier remained sceptical. "I think you can try and scare people into voting for you but I dont think thats leadership, frankly. "I dont think people warm to that, I think they would much rather have a sense that the person who is in charge has a plan and a determination, a conviction and an absolute resolve to deliver on it and face up to whatever challenges present," he said. The Premier kicked off the day casting his vote in his seat of Mulgrave, before hopping on the Labor campaign bus to visit key seats. His kids are back in Mulgrave encouraging voters to support their dad, the Premier said.

They were briefed by their mum and the Premiers wife Cath about the key issues: "Its just dad, dad, dad ... they might have even had vote dad t-shirts on." Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam was upbeat on Saturday night, saying her party still had hopes of picking up the bitterly contested Labor-held seats of Richmond and Brunswick. The Greens leader, whose party endured a horror campaign marred by a series of scandals including allegations of misogyny, sexism and rape, hit out at what she called dirty smear tactics and "preference harvesters who were damaging Greens hope in the upper house". "Weve had a challenging few weeks, thats for sure," Ms Ratnam said. "Were really hopeful of making a breakthrough, weve campaigned really strongly in the seat of Richmond and we hope that theyll become Green for the very first time.
Families often band together to support one of their own who has decided to have a tilt at politics.

But on Saturday in a marginal seat in Melbournes outer north-east, a group of cousins got together to try to stop their aunt getting elected.

The candidate was Meralyn Klein, who was running as an independent in Yan Yean, after she was stood down by the Liberal Party two weeks before the election following her appearance in an anti-Muslim video made by far-right micro-party the Australian Liberty Alliance.
Sometimes you can almost see the burden being lifted from someones shoulders.

At Sherbourne Primary School in Briar Hill near Eltham in the citys north-east, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was smiling.

It wasnt a forced smile either, one of thousands hes put on over the past month for the cameras and the voters and even perhaps for himself, as the polls showed his campaign was making little dent in the Andrews machine.

Hold the onions: Matthew Guy has a democracy sausage on Saturday after voting earlier in the week. Credit:AAP

There was a playful enthusiasm about Guy early on Saturday morning that was far from the tough-on-crime persona that has been the main character in the Liberals election narrative.
Occasionally, voters recognise her. Did you see that? Ms Bauer alerts this journalist. A voter has called out to the candidate by name. I didnt even have to tell them my name," she says. "I have good brand recognition." Last time Ms Bauer campaigned for this seat, the bowel cancer survivor had a chemotherapy pump attached to her body.

She was diagnosed in February that year  nine months before the election. Liberal candidate Donna Bauer is hoping to reclaim the seat from Labor. Credit:Simon Schluter Despite a redistribution in 2013 and the cancer, she won the primary vote in 2014, but lost after preferences. Since then, she has knocked on thousands of doors for "two years", and now feels confident that the Liberal campaigning on law and order, cost of living and congestion, will get her over the line. A few metres away Sonya Kilkenny is nursing a steaming coffee, wrapped in a bright red puffer jacket with matching red lipstick.

The Labor MP has the added advantage of a surprise visit from the Premier, who has stopped by to support the former lawyer at the voting booth. Ms Kilkenny and Daniel Andrews are pictured together in billboards dotted around Carrum, promoting a new road bridge over Patterson River connecting Carrum and Bonbeach, built as part of the level crossing removal program. She introduces him to her new friend Mia Espinoza, a 12-year-old girl. The girl is a budding politician; an anti-sky rail who changed her view after Ms Kilkenny invited her to join a local group advising on the project. The invitation came after Mia wrote Ms Kilkenny an angry protest letter.

Starry-eyed Mia says she is now a proud Labor supporter. "I'm touched by everything she [Kilkenny] says". Over in Mordialloc, there's a notable absence of argy-bargy at polling booths and vandalising of corflutes - the usual symptoms of campaigning in ultra-marginal seats. The civility might have something to do with the working relationship Labor MP Tim Richardson and Liberal candidate Geoff Gledhill have developed during Gledhill's time as Mayor of Kingston City Council. Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson at Chelsea Heights Primary School. Credit:Paul Sakkal

The pair's differences revolve largely around policy matters, with Mr Gledhill criticising the Andrews government for breaking a promise to remove level crossings between Edithvale and Mentone. Mr Richardson wryly applauds the Liberals' recent announcement to put level crossings underground. "I'm glad they've finally seen the merit in removing level crossings." In Frankston, the Liberal and Labor candidates - a former firie and a cop - are also unusually chummy. Years ago, former firefighter Labor MP Paul Edbrooke and Liberal candidate and police officer Michael Lamb were called to some of the same crime scenes in Frankston. Contrary to popular belief, we actually get along quite fine, says Mr Lamb, the tall political newbie.

Labor member for Frankston Paul Edbrooke and Liberal candidate Michael Lamb having a laugh as people vote at Frankston High School. Credit:Paul Jeffers Mr Lamb says if he wins, it will be because of his partys promises on mandatory sentencing for violent repeat offenders, tougher bail laws, a rail line extension to Baxter and solar panels on schools. Mr Edbrooke is singing from a different song sheet, reminding voters of half a billion dollars in upgrades Labor has promised for Frankston hospital. In the marginal seat of Bentleigh, the coffees are getting better and the brekkies are diversifying, according to Liberal candidate Asher Judah, but the former Property Council of Australia Executive director is worried that medium-rise development is coming to fast and too soon. Plus, there's been a 58 per cent increase in crime in Bentleigh under the Andrews government", he notes.
I rang the Premier Daniel Andrews and offered my sincere and gracious congratulations to him on what has been a stunning night for him and his party, he said. It is fair and the right thing for us to do to acknowledge his success, his party and his teams success and the strength of their campaign and tonight I do that. As counting continued into Saturday night, Labor also looked like it had inflicted serious reverses on the Greens in the inner-city battleground seats bitterly contested between the two parties, with the minor party tipped to hold just two of its three seats. Loading Liberal frontbenchers David Southwick and the veteran Robert Clark appeared to be among the casualties, possibly losing their seats of Caulfield and Box Hill respectively. Shadow attorney-general John Pesutto was locked in a desperate battle to save his seat of Hawthorn.

The political bloodletting went on right across traditional conservative strongholds in Melbournes leafy eastern suburbs with Forest Hill, Burwood and Mount Waverley also swept away on the red wave. Labors Planning Minister Richard Wynne looked to have survived the strong challenge from the Greens in his seat of Richmond and the Greens seats of Prahran and Melbourne remained in the balance late on Saturday. The Greens were in danger of losing two of their three seats, as counting continued. Labors after-party in Mulgrave erupted in jubilant cheers each time it looked like the government had picked up another seat. By 7.30pm supporters chanted one more seat as the results swung in their favour. Less than 10 minutes later the chant had turned to four more years and Daniel, Daniel as the scale of the massive victory became clear.

As the full extent of Labors victory sunk in, a senior party source said the result had been several years in the making. This election was done many years ago, it was the Premiers complete focus on getting things done, the source said. This election [victory] dates back to the May 2015 budget when we financed the Metro Tunnel and level crossing removals, and [comes from Mr] Andrews fierce focus on things people care about  health, education and transport. Daniel Andrews and his wife Cath cast their votes in Mulgrave on Saturday morning. Credit:Paul Jeffers

This is too strong for federal factors alone, its a laser-like focus on things that matter. "Its an extreme endorsement of the strategy taken to the election by the Premier." Mr Pesutto said his party was going to have to have a root and branch review to determine what had gone so horribly wrong. We shouldnt be in this position, he said. Im looking at some people who are very good MPs ... Im seeing them at serious risk of losing their seats and I feel for them.

We have to remember what were here for as a party, what kind of party we need to be. Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett has spectacularly called for state party president Michael Kroger to resign before midnight. "If there's one person who should stand down tonight it's Michael Kroger," he told Seven News. "And he should stand down before the clock strikes 12(am) because I think his leadership of the party over recent times has been appalling." Mr Kroger said it was not uncommon for Mr Kennett to call for people to resign.

"Jeff regularly calls on others to resign. I wish him well," he told Sky News. "The organisation does whatever it can to support the party. But of course it's a collective responsibility, Matthew Guy, the parliamentary team, the president, everybody. "To try and get one person and say that person should go, that's nonsense." Former Liberal vice-president Greg Hannan said the scale of the loss was devastating. We were bracing ourselves for at worst a modest loss, he said. We were not expecting a catastrophe of this scale.

The Liberal Party needs to focus on voters and stop focusing on itself. Matthew Guy concedes. Credit:Chris Hopkins A senior Labor figure said the win was an endorsement of the vision the government had presented over the past four years and for future generations. We just stuck to the core things that matter to peoples lives, the figure said.

The Liberals made a bad call about a narrow campaign of scaremongering without a positive vision. The Labor figure said the new MPs would need plenty of support to move into their new jobs, particularly considering some of them had not expected to win their seats. Long-serving federal Liberal MP Kevin Andrews was at the Veneto Club and said he had detected no hostility towards the Andrews government while doorknocking in the past two months. "My sense was that whilst I thought we were running a good campaign, Labor was going to be returned." Mr Andrews, a conservative who voted for Peter Dutton in the leadership spill, rejected the notion that division in the federal Coalition hurt the state campaign, He argued Victorians had simply chosen to give Labor a second term.
Beijing: Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen has resigned as the chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party after the party's disastrous results in local elections on Saturday.

A wave of conservatism swept the island as voters rejected Tsai's independence-leaning party in the nationwide polls, as well as marriage equality in a referendum held at the same time.

The local elections are seen as a barometer of voter sentiment towards her government.

Tsai's leadership has raised the ire of mainland China at the same time as winning unprecedented support from the Trump Administration. The DPP lost seven of the 13 mayoral and county magistrates seats it had previously held.
Paris: Zora may not look like much  more cute toy than futuristic marvel  but this robot is at the center of an experiment in France to change care for elderly patients.

When Zora arrived at a nursing facility an hour outside Paris, a strange thing began happening: many patients developed an emotional attachment, treating it like a baby, holding and cooing, giving it kisses on the head.

Mickael Feret, a nurse, walks with a robot named Zora at Jouarre, a nursing facility an hour outside Paris. Credit:New York Times

Zora, which can cost up to $US18,000 ($24,000), offered companionship in a place where life can be lonely. Families can visit only so much, and staff members are stretched.

Patients at the hospital, called Jouarre, have dementia and other conditions that require round-the-clock care.
Damascus: At least 50 civilians are being treated after a suspected poison gas attack by Syrian rebel groups on the government-held Aleppo city in the country's north, according to Syrian state media.

The number of people reportedly affected continues to rise - Syrian state TV earlier said that 21 people had been injured on Saturday, but people continued to arrive at a hospital in Aleppo where state TV was airing live.

Doctors told state TV that most of those admitted to hospitals suffered from breathing problems and blurred vision. One doctor said two were in critical condition, including a child. State TV showed footage of medical professionals treating men and women on hospital beds.

Syrian rebels dismissed the government accusations they used poison gas.
It says the last few years have smashed records for damaging weather in the US, costing nearly $US400 billion ($553 billion) since 2015. "We are seeing the things we said would be happening, happen now in real life," said report co-author Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University. "As a climate scientist it is almost surreal." Loading Report co-author Donald Wuebbles, a University of Illinois climate scientist, said things will just get worse from here. "We're going to continue to see severe weather events get stronger and more intense."

An overhead view of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. Climate change is altering America's first national park so quickly that plants and animals may not be able to adapt. Credit:New York Times The White House report was quietly issued on Friday, US time. The congressionally mandated document - the first of its kind issued during the Trump administration - details how climate-fuelled disasters and other types of worrisome changes are becoming more commonplace throughout the country and how much worse they could become in the absence of efforts to combat global warming. A coal-fired power plant is silhouetted against the morning sun in Glenrock, Wyoming. The Trump administration is rollingback Obama-era regulations designed to rein in climate-changing fossil-fuel emissions. Credit:AP The report's authors, who represent numerous American federal agencies, say they are more certain than ever that climate change poses a severe threat to Americans' health and wallets, as well as to the country's infrastructure and natural resources.

And while it avoids policy recommendations, the report's sense of urgency and alarm stand in stark contrast to the lack of any apparent plan from US President Donald Trump to tackle the problems. Part of the northern Californian town of Paradise after a wildfire last week. Credit:DigitalGlobe/AP Already, western mountain ranges are retaining much less snow throughout the year, threatening water supplies below them. Coral reefs in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida and the United States' Pacific territories are experiencing severe bleaching events. Wildfires are devouring ever-larger areas during longer fire seasons. And the country's sole Arctic state, Alaska, is seeing a staggering rate of warming that has upended its ecosystems, from once ice-clogged coastlines to increasingly thawing permafrost tundras. Loading The publication marks the US government's fourth comprehensive look at climate-change impacts on the United States since 2000. The last came in 2014. Produced by 13 federal departments and agencies and overseen by the US Global Change Research Program, the report stretches well over 1000 pages and draws more definitive, and in some cases more startling, conclusions than earlier versions.

The authors argue that global warming "is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us." And they conclude that humans must act aggressively to adapt to current impacts and mitigate future catastrophes "to avoid substantial damages to the US economy, environment, and human health and well-being over the coming decades." "The impacts we've seen the last 15 years have continued to get stronger, and that will only continue," said Gary Yohe, a professor of economics and environmental studies at Wesleyan University who served on a National Academy of Sciences panel that reviewed the report. "We have wasted 15 years of response time. If we waste another five years of response time, the story gets worse. The longer you wait, the faster you have to respond and the more expensive it will be." Donald Trump visits a neighbourhood impacted by the Wolsey Fire in Malibu, California, last week. Credit:AP That urgency is at odds with the stance of the Trump administration, which has rolled back several Obama-era environmental regulations and incentivised the production of fossil fuels. Trump also has said he plans to withdraw the nation from the Paris climate accord and questioned the science of climate change just last month, saying on CBS's 60 Minutes that "I don't know that it's man-made" and that the warming trend "could very well go back". Furthermore, as the Northeast faced a cold spell this week, Trump tweeted, "Whatever happened to Global Warming?" This shows a misunderstanding that climate scientists have repeatedly tried to correct - a confusion between daily weather fluctuations and long-term climate trends.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Some of the hundreds of scientists and federal officials who spent months working on the detailed document were frustrated, but not surprised, that the administration chose to release it on the day after Thanksgiving - typically one of the slowest news days of the year. Spokespeople for the report implored reporters to focus not on the timing but on the contents of the report, which they said had not been tinkered with by administration officials. "This report has not been altered or revised in any way because of political considerations," Monica Allen, a spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said. "No matter how hard they try, the Trump administration can't bury the effects of climate change in a Black Friday news dump - effects their own federal government scientists have uncovered," Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement.

"The President says outrageous things like climate change is a hoax engineered by the Chinese and raking forests will prevent catastrophic wildfires, but serious consequences like collapsing coastal housing prices and trillions of dollars in stranded fossil fuel assets await us if we don't act." The report suggests that by 2050, the country could see as much as 1.2 additional degrees Celsius of warming in the continental United States. In a high-end global-warming scenario, coral reefs in Hawaii and the US Pacific territories could be bleaching every single year - conditions in which their survival would be in severe doubt. A record-warm year like 2016 would become routine. Key crops, including corn, wheat and soybeans, would see declining yields as temperatures rise during the growing season. And those who face the most suffering? Society's most vulnerable, including "lower-income and other marginalised communities," researchers found.

In another major step, the authors of the new report have begun to put dollar signs next to projected climate damage, specifically within the United States. In a worst-case climate-change scenario, the document finds, labor-related losses by the year 2090 as a result of extreme heat - the sort that makes it difficult to work outdoors or seriously lowers productivity - could amount to an estimated $US155 billion annually. Deaths from temperature extremes could take an economic toll of $US141 billion per year in the same year, while coastal property damage could total $US118 billion yearly, researchers found. Of course, mitigating climate change would also mitigate this damage, by as much as 58 per cent in the case of high-temperature related deaths, the report finds. For many Americans, however, no simulations are necessary. The effects of climate change are already playing out daily. "We don't debate who caused it. You go outside, the streets are flooded. What are you going to do about it? It's our reality nowadays," said Susanne Torriente, who also reviewed the report. She is chief resilience officer for Miami Beach, which is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to adapt to rising sea levels. "We need to use this best available data so we can start making decisions to start investing in our future. . . . It shouldn't be that complicated or that partisan."

The report is being released at the same time as another major federal climate study that, in contrast, reaches a more positive conclusion - at least with respect to what can be done about climate change. The Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report, which examines all of North America (not just the United States), finds that over a decade, greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels declined by 1 per cent per year. The result is that while North America emitted 24 per cent of the world's emissions in 2004, that was down to 17 per cent in 2013. This occurred in part thanks to improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, the growth of renewable energy and the swapping of coal-burning for natural gas. On the other side of the country from Washington, at least one well-known atmospheric scientist this week was wrestling not with the contents of a climate report but with the changing view from his window. "Normally, I can see San Francisco Bay from my home," said Ken Caldeira, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Institution for Science. "Today and for the past few days, I could not see the bay for all the smoke from the Paradise fire. Fires that approach the size of the Paradise fire are most common in the hot dry years - the kind of years that we are likely to see many more of."
In this file photo, people show their support to veterans during the Veterans Day Parade in New York City on Nov. 11, 2016. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

After the Parade: Salute Service in Ways That Count

Commentary

As a combat veteran, nothing makes me cringe harder than the awkward moment when somebody tells me, Thank you for your service.

Its extra uncomfortable for me, since I dont enjoy praise and recognition regularly, when its just for doing the job I used to get paid to do.

I try my best to accept graciously and not make the moment any more awkward than it needs to be. But I should add a caveat by saying Im sure Im not the majority in feeling this way, and I want to thank you for voicing your appreciation.

Im not trying to write another cynical hot take from a veteran complaining about Veterans Day. Im glad we live in a time when our service members are appreciated for the job they do, rather than viewed with suspicion or disdain.

With an all-volunteer military, the most that a society owes veterans is a thank you for your service. Nobody forced us to serve and we were paid well for the job we volunteered for. We get whatever benefits were entitled to, whether they are education, retirement, disability, or medical care. Because someone was a squad leader in an airborne infantry unit doesnt mean that [insert company name here] owes him or her a job as a senior leader.

That could be a smart move (more on that later), but us veterans need to check our sense of entitlement at the door.

Now, lets say youre one of those proud, patriotic Americans who disagrees with me, and you feel an obligation to veteransthose who served so you didnt have to. If thats true, and if you really believe this, then what does it mean? How do you thank veterans in an impactful way on behalf of a grateful nation? How do you give back?

The Biggest Impact

You can offer to be an emotional resource, but trust me, no combat veteran will want to pour his or her heart out to a civilian who has no concept of what life is like in a combat zone. To be honest, its part of the reason we dont like seeking help from civilian mental-health professionals. The diploma on the wall may show years of training and declare that we should address the person as doctor, but the doctors we most respect were there in the fight with us.

So, maybe well come to you and ask to talk. On behalf of my fellow veterans, thank you and God bless if that happens  but it probably wont.

Maybe youre a restaurant owner and you offer free meals on Veterans Day, and you want to offer a military discount year-round. Thank you. Some of us look forward to taking advantage of this every year. I wont hate on you for that because its a kind and noble gesture. But if you ask me, businessowners can make the most impact on veteran finances by committing to hire veterans in leadership roles.

Veterans bring a level of leadership experience and complex problem-solving that is unique in the business world. Give them meaningful work, and recognize the unique skills and experiences they can bring to your organization as managers and senior leaders. I promise you, you wont be disappointed. The ability to deal with tight deadlines and limited budgets are skills that take years to cultivate. A veteran will be light-years ahead of his or her peers who took a different path to your organization. Theyre force multipliers.

Hire Us

My experience was a little different from your average Joe. I was lucky; I found my way into a large organization that saw the potential of special-operations veterans in their organization. Through an accelerated leadership pipeline, I could emerge from the other end as a full-time leader, performing at the same level as my peers whove been in the industry for seven to 10 years.

I say this in all seriousness: Hire my peers.

Ive been working at a senior/director level for several years in my new industry. Id take a Green Beret veteran over an Ivy League MBA any day.

Perhaps you should seriously consider making your companys charity of choice a veterans organization? Ill even become an unofficial (aka free) brand ambassador if you back the Special Forces Association (SFA)just let me know and well get the message out. While Im more than a little biased toward the SFA, Id support your choice of any reputable veterans organization.

If you really care about thanking veterans, dont think about us just on Veterans Day. Let us help you the other 364.

Chris Erickson is a combat veteran and former Green Beret with extensive experience deployed to various locations across the world. He now works in the communications industry. You can follow him on Twitter @EricksonPrime.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Heavy traffic moves along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in the Brooklyn, New York, on Nov. 20, 2018. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Americans Enjoy Cheaper Thanksgiving Trips as Oil Prices Descend Further

Americans are finally feeling the oil price dive in their wallets as gasoline prices inched down in November, just in time for Thanksgiving travel.

Gas prices dropped to a $2.57 average per gallon of Regular on Nov. 24, according to the AAA travel membership organization.

Some motorists in Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma even reported prices below $2 a gallon in a Nov. 23 Reddit discussion.

Meanwhile, the U.S. crude oil price index, WTI Crude, collapsed more than 34 percent in less than two monthsfrom $76.4 a barrel on Oct. 3, to $50.4 on Nov. 23.

So great that oil prices are falling (thank you President T). Add that, which is like a big Tax Cut, to our other good Economic news. Inflation down (are you listening Fed)! President Donald Trump commented in a Nov. 25 tweet, taking a jab at the Federal Reserve that, in Trumps view, has been raising interest rates too fast.

How Did It Happen?

For some half a year, gas prices stayed above $2.80 a gallon, as the oil market braced for an increasing demand from a growing world economy and export cuts from Iran, where U.S. sanctions were to hit the energy and other sectors.

But much has changed since October. Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States bolstered production, Trump gave sanction waivers to Irans biggest oil importers, and, as it turned out, its mainly the United States thats doing well among other major economiesthe rest of the globe may not be looking for that much more oil after all.

The worlds leading oil price index, Brent Crude, collapsed from the high of nearly $86.3 a barrel on Oct. 3, to $58.8 on Nov. 23.

The market is pricing in an economic slowdownthey are anticipating that the Chinese trade talks are not going to go well, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago, referring to expected talks next week between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires.

The Saudis, heavily dependent on oil exports, have already voiced intention to cut their output. Broader cuts are expected to be discussed at the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting in Vienna on Dec. 6. Its not clear whether that will be enough to stop the price slump.

The market doesnt believe that OPEC is going to be able to act swiftly enough to offset the coming slowdown in demand, Flynn said.

Too Low?

Too low an oil price could hurt the American energy industry, but the worlds top oil companies, including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and BP, have learned from the extremely low prices in 2015 and 2016, when the Brent Crude dropped as low as $29 a barrel.

The companies are now able to generate profit from prices of around $50 a barrel, and have vowed to remain disciplined in spending even when the outlook for oil prices looked stronger.

The cashflow improvements coming from the energy sector generally are still quite good, said Caroline Simmons, the deputy head of UBS Wealth Managements UK investment office.

The companies, however, dont like price volatility.

What they want is stability in the oil price to be able to make decisions about future investment. It doesnt even matter about the level, they just need stability, she said.

BP is planning its long-term investments based on an average oil price of $50 to $65 a barrel, its Chief Executive Bob Dudley said in October.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Villagers gather beside a police vehicle as they look at an area where a grenade exploded during an attack by a gang in the coastal Kilifi county, south-east Kenya, on Nov. 21, 2018, during which Silvia Romano, an Italian charity worker was abducted. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)

Kenyan Police Make Arrests in Connection With Kidnapping of Italian Charity Worker

NAIROBI, KenyaOfficials have made several arrests in connection with the kidnapping of an Italian aid worker in Kenyas coastal region. However, her fate and whereabouts remain unknown, Kenyan authorities said.

By early Nov. 24, police had arrested 20 suspects in connection with the abduction of Silvia Romano, 23, an Italian social worker from a village in Kilifi county along the Kenyan coast.

Police also released the the names of three main suspects linked to the abduction and offered a reward of 1 million Kenyan shillings ($9,767) for information leading to their arrest.

In a statement, Kenyas inspector-general of police, Joseph Boinnet, identified the trio as Ibrahim Adan Omar, Yusuf Kuno Adan, and Said Adan Abdi.

We consequently appeal to the public to inform the nearest police officer or police station should they see any of the three persons for further action, he said.

According to police, the gunmen kidnapped the young Italian woman late Nov. 20. The gang of men armed with AK-47 rifles attacked Chakama trading center in Kilifi county, some 50 miles west of the coastal town of Malindi, a popular tourist destination, and abducted her from a guest house.

Eyewitnesses and local officials said the gang fired indiscriminately, wounding five other people, including school children, before abducting the woman.

McDonald Mwaringa Ngowa, a government-appointed area assistant chief, told The Epoch Times that his 14-year-old son was among the wounded victims.

He was shot in the leg while running trying to escape from the attackers, Ngowa said. He added that police have seized two motorbikes believed to have been used by the armed assailants.

So far, we dont have any further information, but a joint security operation is still ongoing to track the attackers, Ngowa said.

Romano was volunteering as a social worker with Italian charity Africa Milele Onlus.

Ronald Kazungu, 18, described the events of Romanos violent abduction to The Epoch Times.

I was with her in the room, when the armed attackers forced their way in, said the high school student, whose education is funded by the Italian charity Romano worked for.

I had come to present to her my end-of-year school performance report card.

According to Kazungu, six armed attackers found him at the charitys offices and demanded to see the white woman.

They immediately attacked her, and she started crying, he said.

He said Romano pleaded with him to help, but one of the attackers clobbered him on the head with a blunt object. I fell down and when I woke up, I managed to escape unhurt, he said.

He said the attack happened at around 7:30 p.m.

Many locals said they were shocked by the incident. I have never seen something like it around this area, said Sam Zoa, 33, a local resident.

There are fears that the abductors may have attempted to escape into neighboring Somalia, where al-Qaeda-linked militant group al-Shabab is based.

In recent years, the Islamic terrorist group has been blamed for a string of attacks and abductions along the Kenyan coast.

In 2011, Kenya deployed its troops to Somalia to fight the Islamic insurgents following the abduction of four foreigners, including a British couple and a French woman, seized in two separate incidents along the same region.

During the first attack, the British man was shot dead while his wife was taken hostage.

Both women later ended up in Somalia. The female British national was eventually released after six months, while the French woman died of ill health, according to officials quoted in local media reports.

Al-Shabab a Threat

A recent report by the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit that works to prevent wars, warned that al-Shabab still remains a threat to Kenya and Tanzania.

The study, titled Al-Shabab Five Years after Westgate: Still a Menace in East Africa, said the Islamic group appears committed to striking targets across the region.

Security experts also point to growing cases of radicalization among Kenyan youth, particularly along the coast due to rising unemployment rates.

According to Mutuma Ruteere, director of Center for Human Rights and Policy Studies, a Nairobi-based security think tank, violent extremism has become a social problem for communities and families that have seen their young men and women embrace ideologies of groups like al-Shabab.

The latest kidnapping has prompted fears that it may impact the countrys fragile tourism industry, which has been recovering after years of political instability and sustained attacks from al-Shabab, which saw several foreign missions issue travel warnings to their nationals against visiting the East African nation.

But a senior Kenyan official said Romanos abduction was an isolated incident that occurred well away from any popular tourist areas.
Mexico Backs Trumps Plan to Overhaul Asylum Rules: Washington Post

WASHINGTONMexicos incoming government has agreed to back the Trump administrations plan to change U.S. border policy by requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims move through U.S. courts, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Reached for comment by Reuters, incoming deputy interior minister Zoe Robledo said details of the Remain in Mexico scheme were still being worked out.

He confirmed the plan in essence foresaw migrants staying in Mexico while asylum claims are being processed, and said the incoming government wanted to find jobs for them in sectors that are short-staffed, such as maquila assembly plants.

What were aiming for is that people leaving their countries due to security issues or violence can find a place to stay in Mexico if that is their decision, Robledo said.

Lopez Obrador has vowed to try to eliminate the causes of migration by creating more jobs and improving living conditions in Mexico and Central America.

In exchange, he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump and the Canadian government will agree to help spur economic development in the region.

Outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto has also sought to stem the flow of migrants north by offering jobs to them, and has received backing from the private sector in his efforts.

Olga Sanchez Cordero, Mexicos incoming interior minister and the top domestic policy official for Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, told the Washington Post the plan, known as Remain in Mexico, was a short-term solution.

The medium- and long-term solution is that people dont migrate, Sanchez Cordero said. Mexico has open arms and everything, but imagine, one caravan after another after another, that would also be a problem for us.

The paper said that according to the outlines of the plan, asylum applicants at the border will have to stay in Mexico while their cases are processed, potentially ending the system Trump decries as catch and release that has until now generally allowed those seeking refuge to wait on U.S. soil.

There was no immediate comment from the White House on the deal that the Washington Post said took shape last week in Houston during a meeting between Marcelo Ebrard, Mexicos incoming foreign minister, and top U.S. officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

Without confirming the deal, James McCament, Homeland Securitys Acting Under Secretary for Policy, said the U.S. government has been working since the Mexican elections with its current and incoming Mexican counterparts on trade, border policy and other issues.

We appreciate the leadership and partnership the Mexican government has shown, McCament said.

Trump has been seeking to block thousands of Central Americans traveling in caravans from entering the United States, and has ordered that immigrants who enter the country illegally from Mexico are ineligible for asylum.

That order has been temporary suspended by a U.S. judge.
Mystery Beast Passes On: Rare Hairless Raccoon Unfortunately Died

A strange, alien-looking animal turned up shivering under a car in Windermere, Florida on Nov. 16.

The homeowners managed to trap the sickly creature and brought it to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Florida, the next day.

The creature defied all attempts at identification. The 6 pound quadruped looked like a Chihuahua crossed with a hairless ratsome people called it a chupacabra, after a mythical Mexican monster.

A mystery animal was found hiding under a car this past Friday evening, trying to stay warm. A volunteer of ours reached    Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge     

Debbie Helsel, Back to Natures executive director, told the Orlando Sentinel that the creature was, in fact a hairless raccoon. Helsel said the raccoon likely had either alopecia or a genetic mutation that made her hairless.

Staff at the Wildlife Refuge named the raccoon Dobby, after the house elf from the popular Harry Potter series of books and movies.

Under some sedation, but also not in good health, our sweet girl is fighting (and hard) for her life. We are doing all    Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge     

Exposure and Infections

Dobby was not in good shape. Lacking a normal raccoons thick coat, she was susceptible to the occasional cold snap. Workers at the refuge diagnosed her with an infection and started her on a course of four different antibiotics.

The raccoon, said Debbie Helsel, looked to be about a year old. There were signs she had borne a litter of pups, as well.

At first the staff had hope that some loving care would help Dobby regain her health, but her condition worsened.

Were trying to get her back on track, but she is seriously depleted, Helsel told the Sentinel on Nov 21. I dont know that shes going to survive  but everybody else is really rooting for her.

Helsel took the tiny creature to her own living room, where she wrapped the sedated animal in blankets and surrounded it with stuffed animals.

Shes struggling, but shes trying, Helsel said.

Unfortunately, Dobby died in her sleep, on Nov. 22.

We know you are all anxious to hear news about our sweet girl. And though we chose to remain hopeful and diligent with    Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge     

A Loss, but a Small Gain

In a Facebook post, the Wildlife refuge tried to find some bright side to Dobbys demise.

We couldnt be more grateful for the chance to try to save her. And though we couldnt save her, we will choose not to look at her passing as a failure, but as a small success, the post stated.

Her arrival to BTNs doorsteps allowed us the opportunity to share her beauty with you all. She brought so much awareness to not only her condition, but to her species (often looked as a nuisance), and to the refuge and our mission. For that, we are truly grateful.

The nonprofit Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge has been operating since 1989, following as its Prime Directive the Four Rs: Rescue, Raise, Rehabilitate, and Release of Central Floridas injured and orphaned native wildlife, its website says.

The refuge aids some 2,500 to 3,000 lost or injured animals each year with its staff of one part-time and four full-time employees.

The refuge operates on a 20-acre plot of land of Orange County conservation land, managed by the Environmental Protection Division, near the Lake Nona neighborhood in southeast Orlando that was granted to the nonprofit in 2007.

From NTD News
The head of the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Labbaik radical religious party, Khadim Hussain Rizvi prays during a sit-in protest in Islamabad, Pakistan on Nov. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash, file)

Pakistan Arrests Top Leader of Radical Islamic Party in Lahore

LAHORE, PakistanThe party of a radical Islamic cleric who disrupted daily life with rallies across Pakistan following the acquittal of a Christian woman in a blasphemy case says he has been arrested by police in the city of Lahore.

In a statement, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party said their leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, was arrested Nov. 23.

It also said police arrested scores of its supporters.

The arrests came weeks after Rizvis supporters held violent rallies against the Oct. 31 acquittal of Asia Bibi by the Supreme Court.

Bibi had been on death row since 2010 on charges of insulting Islams Prophet Muhammad.

It angered Rizvi and his supporters who rallied for three days.

Rizvi ended the protest after authorities said Bibi would not leave Pakistan until a petition against her acquittal was reviewed.

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Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the BBC, after taking part in a live radio phone-in, in central London, Britain, on Nov. 23, 2018. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

Spain Bars Mays Way to Brussels Brexit Deal

BRUSSELSSpain was standing between Theresa May and a Brexit deal as it threatened to derail an EU summit on Sunday if it does not get new assurances on having a say in the future of Gibraltar.

As talks among Spanish, British and EU officials continued on Nov. 24, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was ready to thwart his British counterpart Mays hopes of seeing EU leaders sign off on promises of close ties with London after Britain leaves the bloc in March if he did not get his way.

EU diplomats and officials said there was still no clear breakthrough on Saturday morning, hours before some of the other leaders must set off for Brussels ahead of Sundays breakfast summitfew will be happy if plans change.

Brussels diplomats and representatives of other governments across Europe said they did not believe Madrid would upset the careful choreography of Sundays summitry, when May and her 27 EU peers will fly in for a couple of hours in the morning. But they also heard strong words from Spanish ministers that left them unwilling to call Sanchezs bluff without further talks.

On a visit to Cuba, Sanchez said he had yet to receive assurances that any future decisions on Gibraltar would be decided in direct talks between London and Madrid.

The guarantees are still not enough and Spain maintains its veto to Brexit. If there is a deal, then it will be lifted, he said when it was already late on Friday in Europe. If there is no deal  the European Council will most likely not take place.

Spain can expect its European allies to swing more clearly behind its 300-year-old claims to sovereignty over The Rock, a British naval base on its southern coast that is home to some 30,000 people whose economy faces major questions after Brexit.

But demands that extensive treaty documentation recently agreed between Brussels and London be tweaked to give Spain a bigger say over its implementation in regard to Gibraltar face resistance from Britain and EU allies who are wary that the whole edifice of the long-negotiated deal might unravel.

Proud People

Diplomats said there was no doubting the passion behind the Spanish arguments when advisers to the 27 EU leaders met in Brussels on Friday to prepare the summit: The Spanish are very proud people and this is absolutely important for them, one participant in the talks told Reuters.

We have to have a solution. I am quite sure we will have one.

Some in Brussels stress that Sanchez is fighting a regional election in Andalusia, the province that abuts Gibraltar, next weekend and may want to play up the issue for home consumption.

For him to force the cancellation of the summit, or drag it out beyond the morning, would incur the wrath of his peers.

May is due to meet EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), and diplomats say that should be the moment they confirm that the Gibraltar issue is settled. May will then meet summit chair Donald Tusk.

In Germany, a government spokesman was confident a solution would be found in time for Sundays summit.

Berlin had earlier said there could be no more technical negotiations at the summit, and that Chancellor Angela Merkel could skip it if all the texts are not ready in advance.

The biggest obstacle to the Brexit accord overall is the vehement opposition in the British parliament. Without its approval, Britain could leave the bloc on March 29 without an agreement to mitigate economic and legal disruption.

By Gabriela Baczynska and Alastair Macdonald
TV personalities Laura Dotson and Dan Dotson attend the 20th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2015. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Storage Wars Star Claims He Sold Unit With $7.5 Million Inside for $500

A man bought a storage unit for $500 in California and found a safe containing $7.5 million, but he will only be able to keep about $1.2 million of it, according to Storage Wars TV host Dan Dotson.

Dotson told The Blast website that a stranger approached him and told him the details.

An older Asian woman at the table next to me kept looking at me like she wanted to tell me something, he said. Eventually she walked up and told me her husband works with a guy who bought a unit from me for $500 and found a safe inside.

Laughing all the way to the bank!  Posted by Daily Mail on Friday, November 23, 2018

The woman told him that her husband took the safe to a locksmith to open the safe, discovering $7.5 million in cash inside.

Then, the woman said an attorney contacted her, alleging to represent the people who owned the unit and the millions of dollars. The owner offered the woman $600,000 to return the money, and they apparently declined. They accepted a second offer to keep $1.2 million but had to give back the remaining $6.3 million, according to the report.

In a video on Twitter, Dotson said the woman told him: My husband works for a guy and he bought a unit from you for $500 (390) and it had a safe in it.

The first person that they called to open the safe couldnt, or didnt, he continued. They called a second person and when that person opened it up  inside the safe theyre normally empty, but this time it wasnt empty. It had $7.5million (5.8million) cash inside.

Dotson didnt reveal the identity of the person who purchased the unit and safe. He also did not say when it was sold. He also didnt say where the money originated.

The Dotsons co-star, Bargain Hunters Thrift Store owner Rene Nezhoda, said the money was likely drug cartel- or mafia-related if you find money like that, theres probably a reason it isnt in the bank, Nezhoda told The Blast.

Finders-Keepers?

Typically, the finder of lost property can keep it against all the world qualified by the question of where it was found, property law expert John Orth, a professor at the University of North Carolina, told Time magazine.

But earlier this year, a couple found a buried safe containing $52,000 worth of jewelry, gold, and cash and didnt keep it. Hundreds, jewelry, diamonds, engagement ring. Dozens of rings, gold with jade. It was stunning, said Matthew Colonna-Emanuel, according to CNN.

They found the box in their backyard behind some trees. I thought it was an electrical box, he said.

He knocked on a door of one of his neighbors in Staten Island, New York, asking if they had been robbed. They were, he said.

This couple found a buried safe containing $52,000 worth of money, gold and jewelry in their backyard, but didn't keep it https://t.co/M56v3976xY pic.twitter.com/BDkukAaghv  CNN (@CNN) May 17, 2018

The New York Police Department said a burglary was reported at their neighbors home on the day after Christmas in 2011, and the safe was the only thing taken. The cops told her, youll never see your stuff again, said Matthews wife, Maria.

They didnt keep the safe. It wasnt even a question. It wasnt ours, Maria told the network.

The reward is karma. Good karma, Matthew said.
Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers stand guard at the gate of an army base after a suicide blast in Khost province, Afghanistan on Nov. 23, 2018. (Stringer/Reuters)

Suicide Blast at Afghanistan Mosque Kills at Least 26 Gathered to Pray

KABULA suicide blast at a mosque in an army base in eastern Afghanistan on Nov. 23, killed at least 26 people and wounded 50, security officials in the area said, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

One security official said the victims had gathered for Friday prayers at the mosque in the Ismail Khel district of Khost province.

All those killed in the suicide attack were working for the Afghan security forces, said Captain Abdullah, a military spokesman in Khost, who goes by only one name.

The Taliban, who are waging a war to oust the Western-backed Afghan government and expel foreign forces from Afghanistan, have launched a series of high-profile attacks against Afghan security forces in recent weeks.

Hundreds of Afghan security guards have been killed, their checkpoints destroyed and weapons seized by the hardline Islamist terrorists.

Fridays attack came three days after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a gathering of religious scholars in Kabul, the capital.

Officials said 55 scholars marking the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad were killed and more than 90 injured in the blast in a banquet hall.

By Rupam Jain
Linda Robak was taken aback while shopping Tuesday at an area grocery store. In the produce section, the Bridgeport resident saw romaine lettuce for sale.

It unsettled her, since she knew romaine had been linked to an E.coli outbreak that had sickened 32 people in the United States (including one in Connecticut) and sent 13 people to hospitals. She had seen news stories and social media posts stating that the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised people to stop eating romaine lettuce and implored retailers to pull it from shelves.

I wasnt even at the store to buy romaine lettuce, but I saw the romaine lettuce and I had just seen warnings telling people not to buy it, Robak said.

The store has since pulled the lettuce, but Robak said that when she initially told staff about her concerns, she was told the lettuce being sold there wasnt contaminated.

In fact, the FDA and CDC have said that the exact source of the contamination is still unknown, which is why they caution people not to eat any romaine. However, the agencies havent specifically recalled the lettuce, because the issue is still under investigation.

Getting the message

Currently, the FDA does not have enough traceback information to identify the source of the contamination that would allow us to request a targeted recall from specific suppliers, reads a statement on the FDA web site. At this stage in the investigation, the most efficient way to ensure that contaminated romaine is off the market would be for (the) industry to voluntarily withdraw product from the market and to withhold distribution of romaine until public health authorities can ensure the outbreak is over and/or until FDA can identify a specific source of contamination.

In Connecticut, the states Department of Consumer Protection has been asking stores to pull romaine from their shelves, and they seem to be complying, said department spokesperson Lora Rae Anderson.

If someone goes to their store and sees it on the shelf, they should let us know and well contact the store, she said in an email.

Despite Robaks experience, most stores seem to have heeded the call. After the FDA and CDC announcement went out Tuesday, chain grocers and independent retailers throughout the state began removing romaine, said Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association, which represents retailers, wholesalers, distributors and food service providers.

I spoke to one of our largest members today and they had already instituted what they call a class 1 recall for romaine, Pesce said Wednesday in an email. That means the product is removed from the shelf, not utilized in the deli or allowed to scan at the register. This is a serious matter with potential health risks to our customers. Grocery retailers are taking this very seriously to insure public safety.

Alternative greens

Many retailers contacted for comment didnt immediately respond, but one local grocer confirmed that romaine had been removed from that store. Connecticut-based grocer Stew Leonards, which has six locations including those in Norwalk and Danbury, announced it was pulling the lettuce.

Stew Leonards has removed all romaine lettuce from our shelves, read a statement on the chains website. However, you can still enjoy Thanksgiving and enjoy lettuce! The post then goes on to describe other types of lettuce available through the stores, including spinach and iceberg.

New Jersey-based grocery chain ShopRite also announced that its stores had removed all romaine and salad blends containing it.

Bridgeport Health Director Maritza Bond also issued a statement Wednesday afternoon about the romaine flap.

To be proactive we are urging Bridgeport residents, retail and restaurants not to consume or sell romaine lettuce and to take precautionary measures and advising that any open packages of romaine lettuce be discarded, and not to consume any romaine lettuce until further notice, Bond said. As residents prepare for this upcoming holiday, it is imperative to also practice food safety measures and eliminate any cross contamination of meat and other vegetables. We want everyone to enjoy a happy and healthy holiday.

Shoppers who see romaine at an area retailer are asked to contact the state Department of Consumer Protections Food and Standards Division at 860-713-6160 or dcp.foodandstandards@ct.gov.
NORWALK  While not yet saying if shell run for mayor in 2019, Lisa Brinton is predicting defeat for Republicans in next years election unless they broaden their base and embrace unaffiliated voters such as herself.

The Norwalk Republicans should have endorsed me 18 months ago and we wouldnt be in this mess. Im not really a Republican or a Democrat. Im an independent, said Brinton, who came in second in last years four-way mayoral race. Whoever runs against Harry (Rilling), regardless of who it is, is going to require a coalition of Norwalk voters. Its people that care about the school system. Its going to be South Norwalk, its going to be Republicans and its going to be independents.

On Nov. 14, Brinton, a self-described fiscal conservative and social progressive, reregistered herself as an unaffiliated voter and said, stay tuned, when asked if shell run for mayor in 2019. Shes changed her political affiliation on numerous occasions to vote in various primary elections.

Rilling, a Democrat, hasnt yet said whether hell seek a fourth term in 2019.

As of Nov. 1, Norwalk had 52,949 registered voters of whom 21,972 were unaffiliated, 20,094 were Democrats, 9,768 were Republicans, 1,024 were Independents and 91 belonged to smaller political parties, according to the Registrar of Voters Office.

Two bad election cycles for Republicans

Brinton ran as a petitioning independent candidate in the 2017 mayoral race, placing second behind Rilling but ahead of Republican candidate Andrew T. Conroy and petitioning Democrat Bruce V. Morris. Republicans won only one of 15 Common Council seats in the municipal elections.

Her predictions for Norwalks 2019 mayoral election come after Norwalk-area Republicans, despite receiving cross endorsements, suffered defeats in this Novembers state and federal elections.

State Reps. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, and Fred Wilms, R-Norwalk, sought and received cross endorsements from the Connecticut Independent Party in their respective re-election bids for the 143rd and 142nd District seats in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Frank Page and Marc DAmelio, both Norwalk Republicans, received the Independent Partys backing in their respective bids for the 137th State House and 25th State Senate seats that were up for grabs Nov. 6.

Lavielle was the only winner among the group.

Waiting for a candidate to step forward

Fred Wilms, past chairman of the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation, and fellow Norwalk Republican Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., who represented the district from 1993 until 2015 and fell short in his bid for Norwalk-Wilton Probate Court judge on Nov. 6, have been considered potential mayoral candidates. However, neither indicated Friday that hes about to jump into next years race.

Im just getting over this one (last election), said Caefero, former House Republican leader and a lifelong Norwalker. For me, I want to get through the holidays. The world changed for everybody in various ways. Ill go through the holidays with my family and we can talk next year.

Cafero, an attorney for more than 35 years, continues to work as principal of Cafero Law and Strategies, LLC.

Wilms cited his job as a senior vice president at Webster Bank and his volunteer work for nonprofit organizations when asked if hell run for mayor in 2019.

A number of people have asked me that question and right now Im must really focused on recovering from this past election and looking at different ideas how I can best serve Norwalk, said Wilms, a former city councilman. I still remain very active at my bank. Im very active with the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce. Im on the board of the Carver Center. Im just really focused on those things right now.

Mark Suda, Norwalk Republican Town Committee chairman, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Veteran Councilman Douglas E. Hempstead and former Council President Jerry E. Petrini, two Republicans favored by some members of their party as mayoral candidates, did not respond immediately for comment.

Peter Halladay, a District D Republican, indicated hed be pleased with either Brinton or Wilms.

I like Lisa, I really do, Halladay said. I thought she was very good in the (2017 mayoral) debates.

Halladay named Wilms as the second person on his mayoral wish list. Hes got great fiscal background. Hes local and he was a state rep for two terms.

Norwalk Town Clerk Richard A. McQuaid, a Republican and former longtime city councilman, said hes been asked if hell run for mayor in 2019.

Theres been times Ive thought about it, McQuaid said. But I would say, No. I love my job as town clerk. I love my family enough that Im not going to do that to them, either.

McQuaid, whom Democrats have cross-endorsed for town clerk in past elections, said he plans to seek another term in that position.

Rilling not ready to announce plans

Rilling, a lifelong Norwalker and the citys former police chief, captured 55.42 percent of the vote in the 2017 mayoral election, defeating Brinton (22.8 percent), Conroy (15.38 percent) and Morris (6.39 percent), according to the Secretary of the States Office.

Im not ready to make that announcement yet, Rilling said Friday when asked if hell seek a fourth term as Norwalks mayor. I think Norwalk is moving in a very positive direction and Im very proud of what weve been able to accomplish thus far.
The Czech Republic's billionaire prime minister survived a non-confidence vote and defeated a challenge sparked by fraud allegations.

Andrej Babis, who rose to power by attacking the political establishment and campaigning against Muslim refugees, has been facing a crescendo of calls for his ouster over investigations into his conduct as a businessman. The pressure escalated this month after his son claimed that he had been abducted to Crimea as his father tried to hide him from the probes. Babis Sr. rejects the allegations and said his son, who's been also accused in the fraud case, is mentally ill.

The case of alleged misuse of a European Union grant at a company that once belonged to Babis's chemical, agriculture and media empire has strained relations between members of the ruling coalition, which is governing without a parliamentary majority.

While the Social Democrats, the junior partner, urged the the tycoon's ANO party to pick another premier, it declined to join the opposition's ouster motion. The Communists, who aren't part of the government but back it in key votes, also supported Babis in the no-confidence motion on Friday.

"Andrej Babis's position is exceptionally strong on every front," said Tomas Lebeda, a political scientist at Palacky University in Olomouc, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Prague. "This case hasn't changed anything despite triggering quite strong emotions on all sides."

The crisis has cemented the premier's alliance with President Milos Zeman, a veteran pro-Russian politician who shares Babis's anti-immigrant views and opposition to joining the euro area. Even before the premier's partners pledged their backing, Zeman said he'd pick the billionaire to lead the government again if his current cabinet was ousted. In the end, the opposition failed to muster the 101-vote majority needed to bring down the government.

While most mainstream parties refuse to cooperate with Babis because of the investigation that began three years ago, his popularity has been largely unaffected. In a flash survey by the polling company Median, half of the electorate thought the latest twist in the case should have some implications for the government and about a third wanted the cabinet to continue without any changes.

But Babis's ANO party has kept a wide lead in popularity. On Friday, the pollster CVVM published a survey showing that ANO would win elections now with about 30 percent. It was mostly conducted before the current crisis and didn't reflect its potential impact on political parties, CVVM said.

The government is increasing spending on pensions, public wages, and large investment projects, which is resonating with Babis's voters. While ANO lost control of the Prague city council in a recent municipal ballot, it continued dominate the rest of the country.

Still, several thousand people took to the streets in the capital last Saturday to demand Babis's resignation. The premier calls the fraud probe a fabrication by his rivals and said the video of his son's abduction claim was media manipulation and part of a campaign to drive him out of politics.

"I don't have a reason to resign," Babis told lawmakers before the vote. "You will either have to dismiss me or try to defeat me in free, democratic elections. You can't get rid of me in any other way than the one based on the will of the citizens."
ALTON  Millions of people went shopping Friday, and although Ava Clowers was one of them, she was bored.

While her family went through the checkout at JC Penney at Alton Square Mall, Ava, 11, of Hardin, sat on a display bed looking at her cell phone.

For her mother, Kathy Clowers, and other family members it was just a kind of a fun-filled day.

Were having a good time, Kathy Clowers said, adding that she was doing some buying, but mostly looking for ideas.

But Ava said shopping was Not a really fun thing I like to do, adding she was unsure what she would rather be doing.

An estimated 116 million people had been expected to hit the stores Friday, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation.

At Alton Square, most of the traffic was around JC Penney, with long lines at Bath & Body Works and shoppers hitting some of the other stores, or waiting in line to see Santa.

Most of those out shopping, approximately 65 percent, said they wanted to take advantage of deals and promotions, while another 26 percent said it was simply tradition, according to the NRF survey.

Carl Watkins, of Austin, Texas, was visiting family in the St. Louis area; he was looking over shirts in the Mens Department at JC Penney.

Were taking pictures, but there is a little wait time, he said, adding he usually does some shopping on black Friday, but it was more about spending time with family. A little bit, its just spending money.

In another part of the store Myah Grossheim, of Godfrey, was modeling a sweater for her mother, Terri Chappell.

Grossheim, a Marquette High School student, said they come out every year with her sister.

Its a fun time to spend with them, she said.

Her focus was shopping for my boyfriend.

Her mother said it was an all-day event.

Pretty much we start as soon as we wake up at 6:30 a.m., all day, Chappell said, adding she planned to get most of her holiday shopping done that day. I can get more for my money for the kids.

At about the same time, Judy Godar, also of Hardin, was relaxing after doing some shopping with her mother. The two were sitting in some chairs on display, and had a full shopping cart nearby.

They were there to get the deals, according to Godar, who said she enjoyed it as long as I can find a nice spot to get some rest in between.

After resting, she said they were going to do some more shopping, but really didnt have a choice  she and her mother were in Alton because her father had to go to St. Louis. He dropped them off and was going to pick them up later.

JC Penneys general manager, Jason Tucker, said business had been busy, steady and consistent since opening Thursday afternoon.

The store opened at 2 p.m. Thursday with a long line of customers waiting to get in.

It ran from our main entrance all the way around our building, he said. It was quite a few people, it had to have been 400 or 500.

When we first opened up it was hectic, but thats to be expected, he said.

This year, holiday sales are expected to increase between 4.3 to 4.8 percent over 2017, with total spending between $717.45 billion to $720.89 billion, according to the NRF. For most retailers the holiday season accounts for about 20 percent of sales, but toy and hobby stores are higher at about 30 percent, according to the NRF.

Tucker said so far one of the hottest items is air fryers, with some people filling their carts with them.

Theyre huge, he said.

Boots are huge again for us, he added. Small electrics are doing well, major appliances have done well this year.

The shopping weekend continues with Small Business Saturday, which emphasized small locally-owned shops, as well as the Green Gifts Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alton YWCA, 304 E. Third St., Alton.

The shopping weekend traditionally ends with Cyber Monday.
As Californias catastrophic wildfires recede and people rebuild after two hurricanes, a massive new federal report co-authored by an Illinois professor warns that these types of extreme weather disasters are worsening in the United States.

The White House report quietly issued Friday also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump.

The National Climate Assessment was written long before the deadly fires in California this month and Hurricanes Florence and Michael raked the East Coast and Florida. It says warming-charged extremes have already become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration.

The federal report says the last few years have smashed records for damaging weather in the U.S., costing nearly $400 billion since 2015.

Warmer and drier conditions have contributed to an increase in large forest fires in the western United States and interior Alaska, according to the report.

We are seeing the things we said would be happening, happen now in real life, said report co-author Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University. As a climate scientist it is almost surreal.

Were going to continue to see severe weather events get stronger and more intense, said report co-author Donald Wuebbles, a University of Illinois climate scientist.

The air pollution from wildfires combined with heat waves is a major future health risk for the West, the report says. During the fires in northern California, air quality hit hazardous levels, according to government air monitoring agencies.

Theres real concern about how the West will be able to manage this increasing occurrence, said report co-author Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington public health professor. She said global warming already is harming peoples health, but it will only get worse.

The report is mandated by law every few years and is based on hundreds of previously research studies. It details how global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of United States and how it impacts different sectors of the economy, including energy and agriculture.

Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us, the report says.

That includes worsening air pollution causing heart and lung problems, more diseases from insects, the potential for a jump in deaths during heat waves, and nastier allergies.

What makes the report different from others is that it focuses on the United States, then goes more local and granular.

All climate change is local, said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Richard Alley, who wasnt part of the report but praised it.

While scientists talk of average global temperatures, people feel extremes more, he said.

We live in our drought, our floods and our heat waves. That means we have to focus on us, he said.

The Lower 48 states have warmed 1.8 degrees since 1900 with 1.2 degrees of that coming in the past few decades, according to the repot. By the end of the century, the U.S. will be from 3 to 12 degrees hotter depending on how much greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, the report warns.

Outside scientists and officials from 13 federal agencies wrote the report, which was released on the afternoon after Thanksgiving. It originally was scheduled for December. The report often clashes with the presidents past statements and tweets on the legitimacy of climate change science, how much of it is caused by humans, how cyclical it is and whats causing increases in recent wildfires.

Trump tweeted this week about the cold weather hitting the East including: Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?

Fridays report seemed to anticipate such comments, saying: Over shorter timescales and smaller geographic regions, the influence of natural variability can be larger than the influence of human activity  Over climate timescales of multiple decades, however, global temperature continues to steadily increase.

Releasing the report on Black Friday is a transparent attempt by the Trump Administration to bury this report and continue the campaign of not only denying but suppressing the best of climate science, said study co-author Andrew Light, an international policy expert at the World Resources Institute.

Trump, administration officials and elected Republicans frequently say they cant tell how much of climate change is caused by humans and how much is natural.

Citing numerous studies, the new climate report says more than 90 percent of the current warming is caused by humans. Without greenhouse gases, natural forces  such as changes in energy from the sun  would be slightly cooling Earth.

There are no credible alternative human or natural explanations supported by the observational evidence, the report says.
Maybe Illinois has produced so many cool movies because it offers such a vastly diverse spectrum of locations from which to tell highly visual stories.

Or maybe our state has pumped out impressive pictures because the Illinois Film Office and Chicago Film Office cut through red tape for appreciative filmmakers.

Or maybe Illinois seals those deals with its attractive 30 percent tax credit on film production costs. (Being the only state in the union with a diversity provision as part of its tax credits cant hurt.)

Many local scenes turn up in iconic Illinois-filmed motion pictures such as The Blues Brothers, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Home Alone, The Breakfast Club and The Fugitive. Here are eight others that were filmed at locations across the state that are worth a special mention, too.

1. Dig Two Graves  Hunter Adams horror tale hails from the comic book tradition of Tales from the Crypt, but it stands on its own as a crisply edited, surprising display of craftsmanship on a budget. Adams fell in love with the rich, diverse and truly creepy locations in several counties at the states southern tip, where he whisks us into a rural nightmare of Kubrickian symmetry. The railroad tunnel at Tunnel Hill in Johnson County figures in, as do Marions town square, downtown Vienna and Ferne Clyffe State Park near Goreville.

2. Munger Road  St. Charles writer/director Nicholas Smith and a crew of young filmmakers from Chicagos Columbia College shot this atmospheric suburban legend horror tale over 16 nights in Bartlett, St. Charles, Elburn, Geneva and Sugar Grove. Smith was 26 at the time. Set during St. Charles annual Scarecrow Festival, the story involves an escaped serial killer and two teen couples stuck over a set of railroad tracks allegedly haunted by the ghosts of children killed in a fiery crash.

3. Groundhog Day  The town of Punxsutawney got so miffed that Harold Ramis chose suburban Woodstock to play the Pennsylvania town in Danny Rubins supernatural comedy that it refused to allow the real Punxsutawney Phil to appear in the movie. Too bad that Punxsutawneys Town Center didnt look good on camera, according to Ramis. Woodstock turned its movie fame into an annual Groundhog Day festival.

4. Contagion  Steven Soderberghs 2011 virus-pandemic thriller shot scenes all over the suburbs, most notably at the old Sherman Hospital in Elgin and the Central Elementary School in Wilmette. A key grocery scene (with Matt Damon) was filmed in downtown Western Springs. Even Waukegan got into the act, with its Amstutz Expressway acting the role of Chicagos Dan Ryan Expressway.

5. The Fury  Much of Brian De Palmas stylistically sleazy 1978 horror movie was shot in Chicago. It used the same room from Chicagos now-extinct Plymouth Hotel that later would be used in 1980s The Blues Brothers. But the films best claim to fame would be the deadly carnival ride filmed in the once-immensely popular Old Chicago indoor amusement park in Bolingbrook.

6. The Untouchables  Brian De Palma returned to the Windy City to shoot a 1987 version of the popular TV series starring Robert Stack and created one of the two best films to showcase the city of Chicago as an essential presence on the silver screen. The highlight? The slow-motion gunfight on the steps at Union Station, a breathlessly constructed homage to the famous Odessa Steps sequence from Sergei Eisensteins seminal 1926 silent Russian masterpiece Battleship Potemkin.

7. The Dark Knight  The second film to showcase the city of Chicago as an essential presence on the silver screen. Except now, the dark and gritty Windy City plays the role of the even darker and grittier Gotham City in Christopher Nolans 2008 Batman movie. The highlight? A carefully planned explosive flip of an 18-wheeler upside down in the middle of LaSalle Street. No digital effects needed.

8. Lucas  This 1986 high school coming-of-age drama shot several scenes in Glen Ellyn (including at Glenbard West High School, Lake Ellyn Park and The Glen Theatre) plus Highland Park High School and, most notably, Arlington High School in Arlington Heights, which had been closed before being transformed into the Christian Liberty Academy. The movie gave Glen Ellyn actor Tom Hodges his first speaking role.
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Biden Warns: China Could "Eat Our Lunch" When it Comes to Lithium

Pres. Biden recently warned about China's dominance when it comes to lithium demand, stating, "if we don't get moving, they're going to eat our lunch." One junior mining company in South America is looking to become a strong link in the lithium supply chain due to a monster acquisition.
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Into the light: Inspection of Phoenix wreck unveils details, inconsistencies

PHUKET: The recovery of the Phoenix tour boat from the seabed at a depth of 45 metres south of Koh Hei (Coral Island)  where it sank in a storm on July 5  this week marked the beginning of the investigation into whether any structural or mechanical failures of the boat caused or contributed to the death of 47 Chinese tourists in Thailands worst maritime disaster in modern history.

disasterstourismmarinedeathChineseSafety

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Saturday 24 November 2018, 09:00AM

The recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

The recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

Immigration Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn inspects the recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

Immigration Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn inspects the recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

The recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

Immigration Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn inspects the recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

Immigration Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn inspects the recovered wreck of the tour boat Phoenix at Ratanachai Shipyard east of Phuket Town on Wednesday (Nov 21). Photo: Immigration Bureau

The investigation is now an integral part of a full-scale campaign to regain Chinese tourists confidence to travel to Thailand as a safe holiday destination.

Thai-Singaporean shipbuilders Seacrest Marine, brought in after the previous salvage company Spitz Tech Co Ltd failed to recover the boat after four months of foul weather during the southwest monsoon, raised the Phoenix to the surface last Saturday (Nov 17).

The boat was taken to the Ratanachai Shipyard on the east side of Phuket Town, where it is now under armed guard by military personnel in order to prevent any tampering of evidence while the investigation continues.

Despite repeated announcements over the past months that investigators and experts will have 30 days to inspect the wreck, Royal Thai Police Deputy Commander Gen Rungroj Sangkram alongside Immigration Bureau Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn at Ratanachai Shipyard on Wednesday (Nov 21) both said that investigators will have only seven days to gather what evidence they need from the wreck.

However, Gen Rungroj did explain that the investigation in full will take longer. We have no deadline for concluding the investigation, he told The Phuket News.

Gen Rungroj also confirmed his suspicions of the registration documents for the boat, which Gen Surachate  who was Deputy Chief of the national Tourist Police at the time  revealed within days after the disaster contained only four to five pages of structural diagrams, instead of the usual 60 to 70 pages.

I agree with Gen Surachate that this is important to the case, and Gen Surachate will be working together with us in the investigation, Gen Runroj said.

I know there are only four to five pages of plans (for the boat), which is suspicious because a boat like this is supposed to have more than that, about 70 pages. I have openly shared my thoughts about this and that it looks strange, he added.

Wiwat Chitchertwong, currently serving as the Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office, defied Gen Rungrot and Gen Surachate in their understanding of the plans submitted, despite their ranks.

The Phoenix boat blueprints must be more than four to five pages, not as reported in the news (sic), he told The Phuket News. Of note, Gen Surachate published his own report on the blueprints on the Tourist Police website, where the article remains for public viewing. (See report here.)

All designs for the Phoenix  and for every boat  are required by regulation as required by the Ship Standard Registration Bureau of the Marine Department. These details for any boat can be searched by anyone there (at that department), Mr Wiwat said, again without confirming that he had seen the documents for the Phoenix for himself.

I am confident that all other boats in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi are approved in accordance with the regulations of the Marine Department, he added.

Also, the Phoenix was not registered or approved by the Phuket Marine Office. This boat was approved by the Ship Standard Registration Bureau in Bangkok, Mr Wiwat pointed out, again without explaining whether the Phuket Marine Office did or did not physically inspect the boat.

Asked specifically who signed the approval to register the boat, Mr Wiwat said, I dont know.

However, Mr Wiwat did send to The Phuket News a copy of the main registration document for the Phoenix, showing that it was registered to carry passengers in specified areas on the open water anywhere from Ranong to Satun, and was valued at B11.7 million.

The Phoenix, at 6.5 metres wide, 29.13m long and with a draft of 3.5m, was registered to carry 120 passengers with a crew of six. The boats gross weight was given as 287 tonnes, and the net weight as 107 tons, and the vessel was registered to be powered by two Hino 272.3kW, six-cylinder diesel engines.

Of note, the registered owner of the boat  on the actual registration document  is not 26-year-old Phuket resident Woralak Yui Rerkchaikarn, remains in custody at Phuket Prison after the court denied her bail on the charge of recklessness causing death. It is TC Blue Dream Co Ltd, of Moo 5 Rawai.

Meanwhile, Gen Rungroj confirmed that at this stage no officials are facing any initial charges for the likelihood that they may have failed to perform their duties in inspecting the boat and ensuring that it was safe to travel in open water around Phuket.

The boat has only just been brought onto land for investigation. I want to finish my investigation first, Gen Rungroj said.

After the investigation is complete, any persons found guilty in this case will be charged, he assured.
Why Jesus? He is the way and the truth and the life worth living
NORRISTOWN  A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty to a drug-related charge and was sent to prison in connection with a multi-state methamphetamine and marijuana trafficking ring that targeted Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia counties.

Richard Michael Willmes, 68, of the 4700 block of Worth Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 21/2 to five years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed by Judge William R. Carpenter as part of a plea agreement.

Other charges of conspiracy to engage in illegal drug activity and criminal use of a communication facility were dismissed against Willmes as part of the plea agreement.

Willmes was one of about a dozen people arrested earlier this year during the investigation of a corrupt organization that authorities alleged used the U.S. Postal Service to carry out drug crimes.

Brian Justin Holt, 42, who listed addresses in the 600 block of North Redwood Court and in the 100 block of Drayton Circle, Montgomery Township, and Lorraine Yvonne Zeno, 36, of the 600 block of Ardross Avenue, Upper Dublin, are accused of being the leaders of the organization.

Zeno and Holt, authorities alleged, were part of The Big Five allegedly involved in the trafficking ring. Three men from California also were charged in connection with the drug ring, according to court documents.

Holt previously pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and ketamine, dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts and criminal use of a communication facility in connection with incidents that occurred between April 2016 and November 2018.

Zeno is still awaiting trial on drug-related charges.

At the time of the arrests last January, District Attorney Kevin R. Steele alleged members of the drug trafficking organization mailed packages of crystal methamphetamine and marijuana, using the U.S. Postal Service, from California to Zeno and Holt in Montgomery County since at least April 2016.

During the joint investigation that involved law enforcement from Pennsylvania, California and New Jersey, authorities identified more than 350 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and marijuana that was sent in multiple shipments, according to court documents. Investigators shut down the organization operating in Pennsylvania and worked their way back to the alleged suppliers in California, according to Steele.

The investigation began in 2016 when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified and intercepted a suspicious parcel being shipped from California to Montgomery County, according to court documents. Investigators alleged the parcel contained about one pound of crystal meth.

Investigators subsequently uncovered cross-country shipments of alleged bulk quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana to members of the Zeno and Holt drug trafficking organization. Authorities alleged the shipments received were then sold to other drug dealers and individuals in Montgomery and Bucks counties and Philadelphia.

The corrupt organization allegedly headed by Zeno and Holt then sent the illegal proceeds for the drugs to those allegedly involved in California, according to the criminal complaint.

The investigation involved the use of court-authorized wiretaps on the phones of Zeno and Holt, which helped identify the alleged California suppliers.

Investigators also learned the identities of Zeno and Holts methamphetamine customers, some of whom also distributed the drug and assisted Zeno and Holt with receiving the drugs at locations referred to as work sites, according to the arrest affidavit.
CALGARYA warm week for November in Calgary has come to an end, and in its place, the city can expect snowier weather to persist Friday evening.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for Calgary just after 5 p.m., with 10 to 15 centimetres expected in a narrow band of the province. Warnings were also issued for Airdrie, Brooks, Cochrane, Drumheller, Olds, Strathmore, Sundre, Three Hills, and Vulcan.

A nearly stationary band of snow has formed from Mossleigh to Airdrie, including Calgary. Environment Canada said the band is expected to slowly move northeast for the next few hours. A public statement from the federal department said it expects the hardest-hit regions to be between northeast Calgary to Airdrie to Beiseker to Strathmore.

Environment Canada cautions drivers to slow down on snow-covered roads. The weather agency is reminding drivers if their visibility on the road is reduced, to watch for tail lights ahead of them and be prepared to stop.

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LETHBRIDGE, ALTA.A southern Alberta man accused of sexually abusing teen girls says he will take the stand in his own defence.

Trevor Pritchard of Coaldale faces charges of sexual assault, child luring and possession of child pornography.

His lawyer, William Wister, told Lethbridge Court of Queens Bench that he has advised Pritchard of his right to silence.

Wister also told the court that he has advised Pritchard that his application to have his criminal background exempt from cross-examination has been rejected.

Pritchard has three prior convictions for sexually assaulting adolescent girls in 2004, 2009 and 2010.

Justice Johnna Kubik is hearing the case without a jury and Pritchard is to start testifying on Tuesday.

Ive discussed the issue of him testifying, and on numerous occasions Ive advised him of his right to silence, Wister said Friday. Ive advised him of the onus on the Crown to prove all the elements  and he does not have to testify.

Last April, Pritchard pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and child luring in a separate case involving other teens.

It was his fourth conviction for sexually assaulting adolescent girls, which prompted the Crown to seek to have him designated as a dangerous offender.

Pritchard is seeking to withdraw those guilty pleas.

His lawyer at the time argued that Pritchard was not fully aware of the implications of pleading guilty. People designated as dangerous offenders can be kept in jail indefinitely.

The application to withdraw the guilty pleas is to go before another judge in February.

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TORONTOAfter days of backlash over its cuts to institutions serving francophones, Ontarios Progressive Conservative government says its making changes meant to recognize the significant and ongoing contributions of the Franco-Ontarian community.

In a statement Friday evening, Premier Doug Ford says his government is creating the position of French-Language Services Commissioner within the provincial ombudsmans office, and seeking to turn the office of francophone affairs into a ministry.

The Tories announced last week they were transferring the commissioners mandate to Ontarios ombudsman and scrapping plans for a standalone French-language university.

The moves sparked massive outcry from francophones in Ontario and Quebec and were publicly denounced by a member of Fords own caucus, Amanda Simard, who represents a largely francophone riding.

Both Ford and the minister responsible for francophone affairs, Caroline Mulroney, said the cuts were necessary to bring down the provinces deficit, although they did not say how much would be saved.

In Fridays statement, Ford thanked all the people who reached out to his office following last weeks announcement and said he looks forward to building a constructive dialogue with Franco-Ontarians.

Read more:

Ford has delivered a slap in the face to Ontarios francophones

Abolishing Ontarios French language commissioner is a blow to minority rights across Canada

Tory MPP Amanda Simard breaks ranks over French-language cuts

Theyre fighters. Theyre part of the history of Ontario. They continue to work hard for generations to promote and preserve their beautiful culture and language in our province, he said.

The government also said Fords office will hire a senior policy adviser on francophone affairs. No changes were announced in regard to the university, but Mulroney was quoted as saying she looks forward to the day when the province is in a financial position to proceed with such projects.

I will continue to be a tireless advocate for the university, by and for francophones, so that when we are in a position to proceed with the build, we will be ready to go, Mulroney said.

While the fiscal realities of our provinces finances prohibit a new stand-alone French language university right now, I will continue to support models of education that meet the needs of francophone students and the francophone community.

In a post on Twitter later Friday, Mulroney added that she urges the federal government to fund programming for francophones in Ontario at the same level, per capita, as it does in the rest of Canada.

Ontario is investing in Ontarios froncophonie, and expects the federal government to do the same, she wrote.

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The scandal at St. Michaels College School, where police are investigating allegations of assault and sexual assault, is prompting calls for greater oversight of privately run schools.

Any school, publicly funded or private, has to have transparency and good governance, says Charles Pascal, a professor at the University of Torontos Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

You cant play hide-and-seek in publicly funded schools, so its imperative that this long-standing free pass for private schools is replaced with better governance, said Pascal, a former Ontario deputy minister of education.

His comments come on the heels of allegations of assault and sexual assault involving students at the all-boys grades 7-12 school, located at Bathurst St. and St. Clair Ave. W.

About two weeks ago, two videos, of an alleged assault in a washroom and an alleged sexual assault in a locker room, appeared on social media.

The principal learned of the sexual assault video on a Monday evening, but didnt immediately notify police, because he was busy with the victim and in meetings involving the expulsion of students. On the Wednesday, around 11 a.m., police showed up at the school after media began asking them about the sexual assault video. The principal says he always intended on calling police about it.

This week, six boys were charged with assault, gang sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon. Police are now investigating six incidents at the school including two alleged sexual assaults, three alleged assaults and one incident related to threatening.

The schools principal and president resigned.

In Ontario, there are about 1,300 private schools, with 140,000 students, that operate as businesses or non-profit organizations, independent of the Ministry of Education, but must follow the Education Act. The Ministry doesnt regulate, licence, accredit or oversee the operation of private schools, and has a buyer-beware type of warning on its website, urging the public to do its own research before registering for them. Information on a schools educational program, business practices and other policies should be obtained from it directly.

The ministry, however, outlines courses students must take to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, requires private schools submit an annual Notice of Intention to Operate and inspects high schools. Principals and teachers in private schools arent required to be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers.

Anyone who works with children must abide by the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA), which clearly stipulates that they have an immediate duty to report suspected abuse or harm to a childrens aid society. Public school boards have protocols in place for when they should notify police, which covers incidents such as those of sexual assault.

Barbara Bierman, executive director of Ontario Federation of Independent Schools, which represents 149 private schools, says the law is very clear in the duty to report. And, some private schools do have protocols with police, but whether they do varies by region.

They (schools) have to have policies in place for abuse prevention and intervention, she said. Otherwise, they dont get insurance.

St. Mikes, which is overseen by a board of directors, is a member of the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CIS Ontario), an association of 48 private schools. CIS Ontario did not respond to the Star about whether its members have protocols in place.

Police welcome the opportunity to help St. Mikes, and other private schools, with protocols, and, at a St. Mikes alumni meeting this week, the administration said it plans to debrief with them on whether the episode could have been handled better.

Given whats come to light at St. Mikes, its time for the government to tighten its oversight of private schools, said NDP Education Critic Marit Stiles.

Its really kind of striking, when you look at what the Education Act requires of private schools, Stiles said. I think even parents of children in private schools would be surprised at how little oversight, and how little regulation, is required.

Stiles said the government should mandate that private schools have clear processes in place when dealing with incidents such as those at St. Mikes.

When she was a Toronto public school board trustee, she had to review, on a yearly basis, such protocols, the CYFSA, and her responsibilities as an employer.

Its quite striking to me that maybe thats not required outside the public system, she said. At the very least, this indicates that there are some shortcomings in the private education system around understanding what peoples responsibilities are and what the protocols are, and that needs to be made clear.

Marvin Zuker, a retired provincial court justice who is an associate professor at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, would like to see the Ontario College of Teachers regulate all teachers, whether theyre certified or not.

Then they would be subject to the discipline of the college, and, once we can discipline you, we can get rid of you and youre not going to go next door to teach.

When it comes to reporting abuse, Zuker, whos been teaching education law for nearly 40 years, always tells his students to contact a childrens aid society and police immediately. He plans on using the St. Mikes case as an example in his lessons of what not to do, calling it a great learning tool.

MPP Mitzie Hunter, who served as education minister in the previous Liberal government, said, when it comes to private schools, the expectation would be the same as all public schools: that every student is safe and theres a trust there. When parents send their children to school, that safety is paramount and theres no compromise on that safety.

With 95 per cent of Ontario students attending public school, its a small percentage who are in the private system and it may be time to look at changes, she said.

Public boards have various levels of supervision and trustees who are publicly elected, so theres additional oversight. Theres no question that, in the public system, there are many layers of oversight which do not exist in the private system, she added.

Certainly, the ministry (of education) has a role in registering those schools and theres an expectation that they are safe environments, but the layer of oversight is not the same.

Kelly Gallagher-Mackay, an assistant professor of law society at Wilfrid Laurier University, said protocols with police are helpful, but not a guarantee, when it comes to reporting.

Protocols are a really important part of the network of protection for children, she said. When you dont have that protocol maybe youd make more of a decision thats sort of about the institution.

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When Lynne Craigmyle moved into her Yonge and Eglinton-area condo five years ago, she had a wonderful unobstructed view and lots of sunlight streaming through her west-facing balcony.

But since then, new high-rise condo towers on her street, including a 34-storey building on the northeast corner of Roehampton Ave. and Yonge St. and one under construction across the street, have significantly reduced the invigorating rays hitting her third-floor unit.

And shes not happy about that.

Now Im lucky if I get an hour of light. I need to have my indoor lights on all the time. Its getting worse. Ive become very depressed, says Craigmyle, a senior who lives with her 26-year-old son, Collin, in an 800-square-foot unit in her mid-rise building.

I used to be able to see the sky, but you can see how much of the sky is left now  next to nothing, she says, adding that before the towers showed up she used to get a good half-day of sunlight beginning around noon.

The building on the northwest corner is dead centre in the middle of our view, Collin complains.

Shadows cast by tall buildings blocking out the sun can upset residents who are impacted. After all, when buyers drop massive amounts of money down for a condo, sunlight is often a major selling feature.

Studies have also shown that exposure to sunlight can boost serotonin, a chemical that controls our moods and that reduced sunlight can lead to decreased energy and sadness.

But with a citywide housing shortage leading to calls for more density, it seems Toronto will inevitably become further shrouded.

Torontos Official Plan has policies aimed at limiting the impact of shade on parks, school yards and other open spaces as well as policies pertaining to shadows on private areas. For instance, the section on apartment neighbourhoods calls for acquiring buildings so as to adequately limit shadow impacts on properties in adjacent lower-scale neighbourhoods, particularly during the spring and fall equinoxes.

The section also calls for new buildings to maintain sunlight and comfortable wind conditions for pedestrians on adjacent streets, parks and open spaces.

The city requires shadow impact studies as part of the highrise development applications for proposed buildings about six storeys or taller. Typically in Toronto, the applicants  the team of developers, builders, architects and others  submit the shadow impact studies and city planning staff review them. City planning staff might also prepare their own shadow studies during application reviews, appeals or city-led planning studies, a Toronto planning department spokesperson explained.

Engineer Ralph Bouwmeester, who operates a company in Barrie specializing in sun and shadow positioning has helped municipalities such as Ottawa, Whitby and Mississauga prepare shadow impact standards.

He believes Toronto needs shadow standards that set out specific targets and limits.

The current standards simply set out the dates and times to be modelled but dont offer any insight into what is acceptable or not. Too much is left to interpretation, which leads to delays, and possibly planning appeals, Bouwmeester argues.

In the summer, Toronto approved a downtown plan known as TOcore which talks about the increasing importance of the need to preserve sunlight to ensure comfort for residents and workers in Toronto.

The plan includes policies for no net-new shadow on a number of parks and open spaces, playgrounds and other areas.

The plan says development will not cast net-new shadow as measured from March 21 to Sept. 21 from 10:18 a.m. to 4:18 p.m. on parks and open spaces on a map that includes a number of parks in the city, such as Queens Park, several along Torontos waterfront, Berczy Park near Yonge and Front Sts. and Clarence Square park at Wellington St. and Spadina Ave.

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The plan also calls for new developments to minimize net-new shadow on all school yards. It includes policies geared toward limiting the impact of shadows on private spaces such as a common terrace in a condo building.

In New York, a startup has added another tool for residents trying to avoid being left in the dark  one the creator hopes to bring to Toronto.

Localize.city, a free website launched in April, uses artificial intelligence to tell potential buyers how much sunlight hits all sides of every building in New York City, where tall towers rule the day.

The website is based on a complex algorithm that provides predictions on whether daylight a building gets now might be blocked in the future.

New buildings are constantly being built, (old) ones being knocked down, new zoning regulations are introduced. You want to be able to tell people, OK, over here you have this much sunlight but this building will be knocked down and a new building has been approved that will block the sun, says Localize.city president Steven Kalifowitz.

The site, which lets users plug in any New York address, also gives a host of other details for about 100 categories, including the safest streets for cyclists, buildings most prone to noise from airplanes and areas most likely to see flooding.

For its shade prediction feature, designers had to simulate where the sun is throughout the year, analyze the amount of sun and the time when the sun hits every point on every building in the city, and take into account data on newly zoned buildings in the pipeline.

The companys goal is to bring Localize.city to Toronto some time next year. Toronto has a dynamic real estate market and a good availability of open data, Kalifowitz says.

Engineer Bouwmeester says the Localize.city website, which he has navigated, is a very cool visual tool but he believes his for-fee service offers studies that are more accurate and reliable for the purposes of a hearing pertaining to a development application.

He said researching shadow impact is just part of the due diligence of making a purchase of that magnitude.

People invest multiple millions into a home and they enjoy sunshine and want to ensure the home they are purchasing does have access to the amount of sunlight they expect. They dont want to buy a unit and find out later, Oh, I only get one hour of sunlight a day, Bouwmeester says.

Unfortunately, homeowners cant always see skyscrapers coming. Thats the situation Lynne Craigmyle, the condo owner near Yonge and Eglinton, finds herself in, dealing with diminished sunlight.

And moving to another address isnt really an option for her because doing so would probably mean more expenses, she says.

If I had known moving in (to my condo) that these buildings would be coming, I wouldnt have moved here, she says.

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Tenants displaced by the fire that ravaged 650 Parliament St. over the summer plan to keep up the pressure on the buildings management, despite reassurances they will receive financial help.

Residents will have to wait at least six more months before they can move back in, building management said in a press release Friday  but they will also receive financial support that management previously said would end Nov. 30. Tenants also have the option to terminate their lease early and receive a $5,000 stipend, plus $2,500 for furnishing, the release says.

Im happy that they did the right thing, said tenant Mark Slapinski, currently staying in a hotel. It allows me to focus more on other stuff now, instead of worrying about where Im going to go in a week.

On the Twitter page he runs to represent displaced residents, Slapinski credited the announcement to lots of hard work, public attention and some very experienced lawyers.

Catastrophic damage to electrical and mechanical systems is still being repaired, according to the news release. The earliest move-in date is April 2019. More than 1,500 residents have been displaced since fire tore through the building in August.

Read more:

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Area councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam met with residents Friday evening to hear their concerns, which she said she will relay to the buildings landlord.

Wong-Tam tweeted that she was in awe of (the tenants) resiliency. More needs to be done to support them, as theyve already endured too much.

Slapinski said he plans to continue working with Wong-Tam to keep the pressure on management  not all tenants have been able to move into new apartments, he said, and some have not received payments from management. Wong-Tams next meeting with tenants is in 10 days.

Building spokesperson Danny Roth said he couldnt speak to any specific tenants issues, but that any money overdue is likely on the way.

Its a pretty significant bureaucratic process at work here, he said.

Alex James, a former resident who has since moved, said he was seriously considering getting out of 650 Parliament before the fire hit.

Even if I were still homeless I would not be going back to that building, he said, pointing to what he said was a massive decline in terms of how the building was upkept.

Issues with bugs and mice, laundry and elevators that often didnt work, and overflowing garbage cans all contributed to his decision to leave, James said.

Roth said he was unaware of those issues, but that the people who are there are anxious to get back home, so that sort of suggests that at least its a place they want to be living in.

James also took issue with updates from management in the wake of the fire only being distributed in English, as he said most of his neighbours were new Canadians with a tenuous grasp of the language.

Building management did absolutely nothing to help people understand what was going on, he said.

Roth said there was one person in the buildings resource centre who speaks Farsi, but that the building wont provide translation resources on its own.

Were in the business of managing apartments. Thats what we are staffed for, and thats what were built to do, he said.

If someone needs help with translation, they are encouraged to bring in somebody from the community to help, Roth said.

But right now we dont have anybody there trying to deal with the multiple languages that are spoken, he said.

With files from Emerald Bensadoun.
An enormous plot of land in the Nevada desert  bigger than nearby Reno  has been the subject of local intrigue since a company with no history, Blockchains LLC, bought it for $170 million in cash this year.

The man who owns the company, a lawyer and cryptocurrency millionaire named Jeffrey Berns, put on a helmet and climbed into a Polaris off-road vehicle last week to give a tour of the sprawling property and dispel a bit of the mystery.

He imagines a sort of experimental community spread over about 100 square miles, where houses, schools, commercial districts and production studios will be built.

The centrepiece of this giant project will be the blockchain, a new kind of database that was introduced by bitcoin.

After his driver stopped the Polaris on a high desert plateau, surrounded by blooming rabbit brush and a grazing herd of wild horses, Berns, 56, pointed to the highlights of his dream community.

You see that first range of mountains, he said, pointing south. Those mountains are the border of our South Valley. Thats where were going to build the high-tech park, a research campus that would cover hundreds of acres. There are also plans for a college and an e-gaming arena.

As strange  even fantastical  as all this might sound, Berns ambitions fit right into the idiosyncratic world of cryptocurrencies and blockchains.

The blockchain began as a digital ledger on which all bitcoin transactions are recorded. Some aficionados have grander plans.

They think it could be a new way of taking power back from the institutions they believe are calling all the shots.

Just as bitcoin made it possible to transfer money without using a bank, blockchain believers like Berns think the technology will make it possible for ordinary people to control their own data  the lifeblood of the digital economy  without relying on big companies or governments.

There is a fuzzy line between these utopian visions and get-rich-quick schemes.

Several cryptocurrency projects have been shut down by regulators; apparent hucksters have been arrested; and a plan to transform Puerto Rico with cryptocurrencies has been criticized as nothing more than a bid to take advantage of the islands status as a tax haven.

Berns was drawn to Nevada by its tax benefits, including the lack of income taxes. And the breadth of his ambitions certainly raises the risk of a boondoggle.

But he is different from his crypto-brethren in one big way: He is spending his own money.

So far, he said, he has spent $300 million on the land, offices, planning and a staff of 70 people. And buying 67,000 largely undeveloped acres is a bit of old-fashioned, real estate risk-taking.

Still, Berns said his ambition was not to be a real estate magnate or even to get rich  or richer.

He is promising to give away all decision-making power for the project and 90 per cent of any dividends it generates to a corporate structure that will be held by residents, employees and future investors.

That structure, which he calls a distributed collaborative entity, is supposed to operate on a blockchain where everyones ownership rights and voting powers will be recorded in a digital wallet.

Berns acknowledged that all this is way beyond what blockchains have actually accomplished. But that hasnt discouraged him.

I dont know why, he said over the roar of the Polaris engine. I just  something inside me tells me this is the answer, that if we can get enough people to trust the blockchain, we can begin to change all the systems we operate by.

Berns has managed to win over local officials who are eager for economic development.

Nevadas governor, Brian Sandoval, read a proclamation that named the Blockchains property Innovation Park at an event last month where Berns sat on a panel with the governor and Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla.

Teslas Gigafactory in Nevada, which has been described as the largest building in the world, is surrounded by Blockchains land. Companies like Google, Apple and Switch also have properties in the industrial park that is surrounded by Berns holdings.

This week, he announced a memorandum of understanding with one of the states main power companies, NV Energy, to team up on projects that will run energy transactions through a blockchain.

The Nevada county where this is all located, Storey County, has only about 4,000 residents and was best known, until recently, for its history of silver mining and its modern brothels, including one owned by a county commissioner.

That same county commissioner, Lance Gilman, bought the land surrounding the brothel and turned it into the industrial park where Tesla and Google are now located.

Blockchains has already received preliminary county support for a new town along the Truckee River, with thousands of homes, a school and a drone delivery system, and is working closely with the county on a broader master plan.

But for now, Blockchains is empty land and a repurposed office building. Berns said the company wont begin construction on the broader property until late 2019, at the earliest, after putting together the master plan and getting it approved by the county.

Berns spent most of his professional life on class-action lawsuits, many of them against financial companies.

He learned about bitcoin in 2012 but was won over by another cryptocurrency called Ethereum, which makes it possible to store more than just transaction data on a blockchain.

Berns bought Ether, the digital token associated with Ethereum, in a big sale in 2015.

Thanks to an astronomical increase in the price of Ether and some well-timed selling last year before it crashed, he became wealthy enough to fund his dream project.

Ethereum is what he believes makes his community more than just a giant real estate project. To understand why requires more than a bit of imagination. And faith.

Every resident and employee will have what amounts to an Ethereum address, which they will use to vote on local measures and store their personal data.

Berns believes Ethereum will give people a way to control their identity and online data without any governments or companies involved.

That is a widely shared view in the blockchain community, but there are significant questions about whether any of it can work in the real world.

Most blockchain companies have failed to gain any traction, and Ethereum and bitcoin networks have struggled to handle even moderate amounts of traffic.

Berns believes one of the big problems has been security. People have been terrible at holding the private keys that are necessary to access a bitcoin or Ethereum wallet.

He wants to address that with a custom-built system where peoples private keys are stored on multiple digital devices, kept in vaults, so that no one device can gain access to the keys.

He has already purchased vaults that are burrowed into mountains in Sweden and Switzerland and he plans to build additional vaults in the mountains in Nevada.

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Questions are being raised about the $16 million sale price a province-owned corporation put on a 16-hectare (40-acre) power plant site on Torontos eastern waterfront.

At Queens Park the New Democrats want an independent appraisal of Ontario Power Generations paltry price for the hulking decommissioned R.L. Hearn power plant with longtime leaseholder Studios of America.

Others were pointing to the past sale of waterfront properties including, earlier this year, OPGs $275 million deal for the significantly bigger, 72-hectare (178-acre) former Lakeview Generating Station site on Mississaugas waterfront.

New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) told reporters Friday that the Hearn site is on industrial wasteland poised to blossom with new residential and commercial development in years ahead, boosting its potential value.

While OPG has said the land is contaminated from decades of operation as a coal-fired power plant and needs expensive remediation, Tabuns maintained the potential to make a lot of money out of these sites is very, very high.

He questioned the deal, which OPG announced Friday citing conditions including Studios of America not reselling the land within three years and no residential development or sensitive uses within 15 years.

The Star wasnt able to reach Studios of America representatives for comment Friday.

Tabuns argued that wealthy real estate developer Mario Cortellucci, one of the partners in Studios of America and a past political donor to Doug Ford and his late brother Rob, got an unbelievably good deal.

OPG said Thursday its board made the decision to sell based on an independent evaluation of the polluted brownfield land and that it kept the Premier Doug Ford government abreast of developments.

This decision was made solely by OPG, said Sydney Stonier, a spokeswoman for Energy Minister Greg Rickford. Last year, an OPG executive told a City of Toronto committee his corporation would not sell the Hearn site without the blessing of the province, its sole shareholder.

Is this a deal that we want? said Tabuns, questioning if Ford was involved and noting a recent Globe and Mail report that the premiers chief of staff forced the power company to fire former Patrick Brown chief of staff Alykhan Velshi.

There have been a lot of questions recently about the premiers office reaching into OPG to get them to make decisions, Tabuns said. One has to ask, did that happen here?

Fords office referred the Stars questions to Rickford.

The sale price would be impacted by factors including the cost of cleaning the land, Studios of Americas lease from 2002 to 2041, rights of access to the site to get to adjacent properties, and the fact that it is not serviced by city power or sewers.

Lakeview, a former coal plant like Hearn, was sold to a consortium including Argo Development Corporation, TACC Construction Limited, Branthaven Homes, Greenpark Group and CCI Development Group of Companies for $275 million.

The plan, announced in March, is to turn that former industrial site into a vibrant mixed use community, including homes, coastal wetlands, trails and meadows.

Last December, the City of Toronto announced it was buying the Showline Studios site in the Port Lands, on Lake Shore Blvd. E. near Carlaw Ave. for $30.9 million to ensure it remains studio space for film, television and digital production.

Andrew Barnicke, vice chairman and managing partner of capital markets Canada for Colliers International, which is not involved in the Hearn deal, said there are many extraordinary costs that could factor into the $16 million price tag.

They include the level of soil contamination, the lack of municipal services, potential moves by the city to protect the huge building as a heritage site and, if that doesnt work, demolition costs.

As for the potential future for the site, Barnicke noted the plan for the Port Lands would not see major development on that site for probably decades.

Time is a killer for land values, he said. If you have to wait an extended period of time to recoup your money back . . . it really, really kills the value.

Barnicke added that its rare for a government agency to sell land without a public competition. Ive never, ever heard of something like this, he said of OPG negotiating with only one potential buyer.

The former plant, which has been used over the years as a movie location and art installation site, is on Torontos heritage register. That doesnt guarantee it protection but stipulates the owner must give the city 60 days notice of any demolition plans so it can consider seeking heritage designation to protect it.

Paul Vaughan, president of Studios of America, said the partners have no plans to do anything new with the site, beyond cleaning up contaminated soil, now that they own it.

Theres no hidden agenda here; we plan to continue with feature films and television (locations) and were going to stage special events that we can get permits for, he told the Star on Friday.

We dont want to change anything, because the film producers like it as what they call a raw stage  if we clean it up, they ask us to put the dirt back, Vaughan joked, noting the Hearn served as a location for Oscar-winning film The Shape of Water.

The new owners have no plans to restrict public access to the site, which includes a portion of the Martin Goodman trail, he added.

As for the price, he said the amount of soil contamination affected the $16-million figure.

It looks as if you appreciate our journalism. Our reporting changes lives, connects communities and effects change. But good journalism is expensive to produce, and advertiser revenue throughout the media industry is falling and unable to carry the cost. That means we need you, our readers. We need your help. If you appreciate deep local reporting, powerful investigations and reliable, responsible information, we hope you will support us through a subscription. Please click here to subscribe.

with files from David Rider
NIAMEY, NIGERA regional deputy official in Niger says that 18 girls have been kidnapped from two different villages by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Lamido Harouna Moumouni said 24 attackers abducted 15 girls in the village of Blaharde early Saturday and three other girls in the village of Bague. This is not far from where suspected extremists killed at least seven people at a French drilling company's site Wednesday, and near Nigeria's border.

Moumouni asked the government do "everything possible to secure this population, including through dialogue with Boko Haram," saying people will leave.

Two years ago, about 39 women were kidnapped in Ngalewa in the same region.

Nigeria-based Boko Haram has killed and kidnapped thousands of people in its nine-year insurgency, crossing into Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Read more:

Nigerias military acknowledges major attack by extremists

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TAIPEI, TAIWANTaiwans ruling party was handed a major defeat Saturday in local elections seen as a referendum on the administration of the islands independence-leaning president amid growing economic and political pressure from China.

Soon after the results came in, President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as head of the Democratic Progressive Party. She will remain as president and her resignation will have no direct effect on the business of government, although the results bode ill for her re-election chances in two years.

The DPP lost the mayoral election to the Nationalist party in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, where it had held power for 20 years. The Nationalists also defeated the DPP in the central city of Taichung, home to much of Taiwans light industry, while Ko Wen-je, the independent mayor of Taipei, the capital, appeared on track to win a second term.

At a brief news conference at DPP headquarters late Saturday, Tsai announced she was stepping down as DPP chair and said she had refused Premier William Lais resignation, saying she wanted him to continue her reform agenda.

Today, democracy taught us a lesson, Tsai said. We must study and accept the higher expectations of the people.

The elections for mayors and thousands of local posts were seen as a key test for Tsais 2-year-old administration, which has been under relentless attack from Beijing over her refusal to endorse its claim that Taiwan is a part of China.

Tsai and the DPP won a landslide victory in 2016, but China swiftly responded by cutting all links with her government. Beijing has been ratcheting up pressure on the island it claims as its own territory by poaching its diplomatic partners and barring its representatives from international gatherings, while staging threatening military exercises and limiting the numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan.

The Nationalists, known also as the KMT, had campaigned on their pro-business image and more accommodating line toward Beijing.

Since her election, Tsai has walked a fine line on relations with China, maintaining Taiwans de facto independent status that the vast majority of Taiwanese support, while avoiding calls from the more radical elements of her party for moves to declare formal separation from the mainland.

Taiwanese officials had warned that Beijing was seeking to sway voters through the spread of disinformation online similar to how Russia was accused of interfering in U.S. elections.

Although domestic concerns were in the foreground, China played a major factor in voter sentiment, analysts said.

I think part of the reason for the vote on Saturday was concern about relations between Taiwan and mainland China, said Huang Kwei-bo, vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi University in Taipei. Their relations have slid backward.

Saturdays results also throw Tsais political future into question. While the DPP still controls the national legislature, local politicians are crucial in mobilizing support among grass-roots supporters.

Im afraid it will be a big challenge for her in 2020, said Gratiana Jung, senior political researcher with the Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute think-tank in Taipei.

Economic growth, employment and pension reforms were among key issues in the elections, which drew high turnout from the islands 19 million voters. Government employees who feel slighted by pension cuts that took effect in July probably mobilized against Tsais party, Jung said.

Nationalist Party Chairman Wu Den-yih told reporters Saturday that his party would keep trying to avoid diplomatic friction with China and ensure smooth two-way trade.

We hope the two sides will soon go back to a peaceful and stable trend in relations, he said.

Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists rebased their government to Taiwan in 1949 amid the civil war with Mao Zedongs Communists. They ruled under martial law until the late 1980s, when the native Taiwanese population began to take political office, mostly through the DPP.

Voters on Saturday also cast ballots on 10 referendums, including one on whether to amend the civil code to include same-sex marriage  which was legalized last year  and on whether to uphold a commitment to ban nuclear energy by 2025.

And in a highly symbolic but potentially impactful referendum, voters were also asked whether they wish to compete in future international sporting events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as Taiwan instead of Chinese Taipei  the name the island is required to use at Chinas insistence.

Although the IOC has already ruled out any changes and warned that Taiwan could even lose its accreditation, many see the vote as a test of support for independence and a means to fire up the DPP base.

China has already responded. Earlier this year, it forced a vote at the Asian Olympic Committee to withdraw the right of Taichung in central Taiwan to host a youth competition scheduled for next year.

The results of the referendums werent expected until Sunday.
Tories cut taxes, slash role of watchdogs, Nov. 16

The provincial economic update should not have come as a surprise to any voter. The independent voices for the environment, consumer, child advocacy and the French language paid the price. The Minister of Health was not consulted regarding impacts of new legislation removing Ontario workers right. Why?

The reason is clear: We have government leadership with revenge in his heart. Intelligent and compassionate Conservative politicians stand and clap like extras in a theatre of the absurd production. Losing those voices removes more voices of reason. And if you cant have that, clap em into silence then lock em up.

Is this a vicious new political circle? A plan where one party wins a majority and wipes out all traces of past governance, using any tactic to achieve the goal.

Voters become caught in the middle of a festering obsession. Fear is what drove our government to kill those needed, independent voices. What next?

Will promises made in campaigning become as dispensable as losing independent voices. Voters grow angry and elections bring change. Now add up all the revenge items, add up all the independent voices, including the silent cries from the PC party itself, and wonder if the next government will seek revenge: a revengeful circle.

Don Graves, Burlington

Do the Ontario Liberals deserve official party status? Opinion, Nov. 20

Im not a fan of the provincial Liberals, based on their poor record as custodians of Ontarios finances that cost them the election and even official party status. But it is only fair that Liberal MPPs are provided with an opportunity to speak in the legislature on behalf of the 1.1 million Ontarians who voted for them during the last election.

Remember that PC Premier Mike Harris and Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty earlier adopted a pragmatic approach in giving standing and more resources to the Liberal and NDP parties, respectively. Such past democratic precedents for giving a small group of MPPs a greater say, and opportunities to ask questions, is surely worth respecting.

Given past experiences, who knows how the pendulum will swing in the next election? This alone should give Premier Doug Ford sufficient reason to show rare magnanimity to the Liberals and help the cause of effective representation at Queens Park.

Rudy Fernandes, Mississauga

It reminds me of the Orangemen who waged a war against the most basic rights of the French Catholic people in Ontario a long time ago. The hatred, intolerance and bigotry of those Orangemen survived in the English culture through the years. It certainly showed when the conservative party of Ontario banished all the French schools in 1912.

This intolerance was still very strong when Conservative premier Mike Harris trampled the project of the one and only French hospital (Montfort) in Ontario in 1997.

The English minority in Quebec and the French minority in Ontario are both about 5 per cent of their provincial population. The English people of Quebec often complain that they are treated the worst in Canada. They obviously dont realize that they have 10 hospitals in Montreal alone. They also have three English universities in Montreal. (In Ontario, there is no French university and only one French hospital).

Not only has Ford showed intolerance, but also a blatant ignorance when he claimed there are about 600,000 Chinese Ontarians and 600,000 Italian Ontarians, but that the province couldnt please everybody (The Citizen, Nov. 17). He doesnt understand that French is one of two official languages in Canada, so the language of 600,000 francophones should prevail over all foreign languages.

Pauline Cyr, Belleville, Ont.

Ford is following Harris austerity playbook, Walkom, Nov. 19

So Vic Fedeli tells us that his upcoming austerity budget will affect everyone, without exception. Since when did any austerity budget ever affect a politician?

Being vastly overpaid and having power over most Ontario citizens, these politicians are able to do with us whatever they please and there is not much any of us are able to do about it.

Bill Gotro, Whitby

We are moving backwards instead of forwards. Rolling back the sex-ed curriculum to the 1998 version, cancelling the construction of a French-language university, cutting the French language services commissioner and child and youth advocate positions.

At least we will be able to shop at the LCBO until 11 p.m.

Liam Harrington, Guelph, Ont.

Ontario Place casino possible, Tories say, Nov. 18

With regard to a replacement for what he now refers to as, the former Ontario Place, Finance Minister Vic Fedeli states, weve got to start looking at everything.

But before the Tories consign Ontario Place to the dustbin of history, theres something else they should take a look at, and heres a suggestion for how they might go about doing it.

Let Doug Ford get a hard hat, safety glasses and a sledgehammer, then have his cabinet meet with him at Ontario Place. There they will find and gather before a commemorative plaque, vintage 1971, upon which these words are inscribed (the first three lines): Ontario Place, dedicated to the people of Ontario, past  present  future.

I strongly believe that Ontario Place, from its very inception, was envisioned by the PC government of the day as a lakefront recreational facility that all Ontarians could enjoy in their provincial capital and, as indicated by the plaque, this was to be for posterity.

Woe betide the government that would dare break faith with those who had such a vision for this land, and named and dedicated it as they did.

Robert McBride, Thornhill

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Secrets of the Four Seasons, Nov. 21

This investigative report highlights four facts.

First, criminals live everywhere, not just in poor neighbourhoods or in social housing. Do you know who your neighbours are? The white-collar crimes committed by the educated and refined among us can be just as devastating as physical assault.

Second, Canadian federal, provincial and municipal governments provide tax advantages, deductions, allowances, credits, incentives, grants, rebates, subsidies, exemptions, privileges and opportunities to non-person entities  corporations.

These same advantages are not extended to persons or households, even if persons are engaged in business or investment. Professionals and businessmen have taken advantage of the corporate structure for decades; and those who are inclined to engage in nefarious activities tend to use the corporate veil and to reap the benefits of corporate advantage.

Third, real estate ownership does not guarantee positive returns or capital gains. Not every seller makes a killing in a hot market.

Fourth, the domestic market for high-end condos is small. Few Canadians can afford the price tag or the carrying costs of an apartment at the Four Seasons Private Residences. Consequently, many high-priced condos tend to be purchased by foreign buyers. The signature property of the subject site, the Four Seasons Hotel, was recently sold by one foreigner, Alwaleed Bin Talal, to another foreigner, Shahid Khan.

Perhaps our governments should focus on improving the personal disposable incomes and the savings among Canadian families engaged in legitimate business and employment instead of pushing us down the ladder with heavier taxation.

Those who see problems with foreign ownership or corporate shells should promote reversal of the personal and the corporate taxation trends.
The Progressive Conservatives fear some disgruntled MPPs are set to cross the floor to join the Liberals, the Star has learned.

Thats a key reason why Premier Doug Ford is increasing the threshold for official party status in the legislature from eight MPPs to 12, a senior source says. A single defection would give the seven-member Liberal caucus official status.

There are at least two were concerned about, a senior Conservative insider said, speaking like others from the Liberals and PCs on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal machinations.

Weve been watching this closely, the PC source said, declining to reveal which MPPs are suspected of plotting to defect except to say that two are from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

On Friday, sources close to Ford said there is also mounting concern that eastern Ontario PC MPP Amanda Simard might switch parties.

Simard (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell) made headlines this week by breaking with the government over the elimination of the French-language services watchdog and the cancellation of a new francophone university.

While the rookie MPP received permission from Fords office to publicly dissent on Facebook to help quell outrage among voters, she has not been seen at Queens Park since Wednesday. She is set to appear on the popular Quebec TV show Tout le monde en parle on Sunday.

Read more:

Tory MPP Amanda Simard breaks ranks over French-language cuts

Federal minister blasts Ontario Tories over cuts to francophone services

Editorial | Ford has delivered a slap in the face to Ontarios francophones

On Friday a second Tory close to Ford said we have not heard back from her.

The Star has guaranteed the confidential sources anonymity so they can speak freely without fear of retribution.

The source said Simard had the support of both caucus and cabinet for her Facebook post, adding they went out of their way to help her out. Simard has been the target of francophone fury with the government, which is why she has been allowed more leeway than other caucus members to break ranks over recent cuts. .

On Facebook, Simard  whose riding was in Liberal hands for almost four decades until her June win  said she needs to assess where we are and what we can do and must do.

She did not return calls, emails, or text messages from the Star.

Late Friday afternoon, the Ford government scrambled to do damage control, announcing that Attorney General Caroline Mulroney, who has been minister responsible for francophone affairs, will become a full minister of the department that is being re-named a ministry from an office. Its unclear what practical difference this will make.

As well, Fords office pledged to hire a senior policy adviser on francophone affairs and Mulroney said I am looking forward to the day where we are in a financial position to proceed with projects like the French language university. The government did not set a timeline.

Simard, a lawyer and former municipal councillor who has worked on Parliament Hill as a policy adviser, is the parliamentary assistant to Mulroney in her secondary role at francophone affairs.

A senior Liberal source confirmed that there has been outreach to disaffected Conservatives.

There are a few that weve been working on, but no confirmations, said the Liberal.

Even before Simard expressed her disappointment with the governments moves, there was growing dissatisfaction within the Tory caucus just five months after the party toppled former premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberals.

No less than seven members want to get out, a third senior Conservative operative told the Star on Friday.

Weve never seen anything like this, the source said, expressing hope that exhaustion is contributing to the schism more than disillusionment with Fords administration. MPPs have been working with little time off since the June election.

Last week, Finance Minister Vic Fedeli announced the bar for party status in the house would be raised.

A recognized party will include any party that obtains at least 10 per cent of the seats in the legislative assembly, Fedeli said in his fall economic statement.

There are now 124 MPPs in the house after riding redistribution. In the last parliament, there were 107 and party status was eight. In the 1990s, when there were 130 members, the threshold was 12.

With the Liberals one shy of qualifying for recognition in the house, the Tories felt they had to act to dissuade any potential defectors, one source said.

Party status would mean an increased budget for staff and research as well as more privileges in the house, including more daily questions and standing in legislative committees.

The Tory changes were also announced after Ford defenestrated Jim Wilson, the longest serving PC MPP and his most-experienced cabinet minister, over a scandal involving a staffer.

Wilson, who is now seeking treatment for alcohol in rehab, will sit as an Independent MPP when he returns to Queens Park.

A fiercely loyal Tory and former interim party leader, its seems unlikely he would join the Liberals.

Jim would never do that, said one associate.

Another Liberal insider said the party has definitely not reached out to Jim Wilson.

Fords office closely monitors Tory members. Sources say they track who applauds in the legislature and watch for MPPs who do not quickly leap to their feet for ovations after the premier or ministers respond to opposition inquiries during question period.

They keep tabs on everything, said a fourth Tory, conceding that such micromanaging is both heavy-handed and ham-fisted because MPPs are getting fed up.

Two party aides noted that speaking out in caucus meetings is also discouraged because they dont want anyone to undermine team unity.

The Globe and Mail reported last week that MPP Paul Calandra (Markham-Stouffville) was dressed down by Fords chief of staff, Dean French, for questioning a decision during a recent caucus meeting.

Calandra, a former Tory MP who is not suspected of planning to defect, was scolded by French after complaining that MPPs were not being given advance notice on changes to government cannabis policy.

Witnesses have confirmed to the Star the staffer berated the MPP and warned him to be a team player.

Ford was taken aback by his aides outburst against an elected official, sources said.

Even a mass defection would not radically alter the party standings. In the 124-member house, there are 75 Tories, including Speaker Ted Arnott, 40 New Democrats, seven Liberals, Green Leader Mike Schreiner, and Wilson.

Floor crossings are rare at Queens Park. The last time it happened was in March 2007 when Mississauga South MPP Tim Peterson  brother of former premier David Peterson  quit the Liberal caucus and announced he would run for the Conservatives in the fall election. He lost the seat to Liberal Charles Sousa, who later became finance minister.

It looks as if you appreciate our journalism. Our reporting changes lives, connects communities and effects change. But good journalism is expensive to produce, and advertiser revenue throughout the media industry is falling and unable to carry the cost. That means we need you, our readers. We need your help. If you appreciate deep local reporting, powerful investigations and reliable, responsible information, we hope you will support us through a subscription. Please click here to subscribe.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Correction - November 26, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that misattributed a statement from Attorney General Caroline Mulroney to Premier Doug Ford. In fact, it was Mulroney who stated: "I am looking forward to the day where we are in a financial position to proceed with projects like the French heritage university."

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VANCOUVERAn Anglican priest and a member of her church were sentenced to seven days in jail, but avoided paying costly legal fees, for staging a protest on Trans Mountains Burnaby property in May.

Priest Laurel Dykstra and parishioner Lini Hutchings, both from the environmentally-focused church Salal and Cedar, appeared calm as they heard the sentencing on Friday, maintaining in their final statements that they were acting to protect Indigenous lands. The pair were arrested after chaining themselves to a tree, which breached an injunction that barred protesters from coming within five metres of Trans Mountains property.

When Tsleil-Waututh members and Indigenous elders call on people to stand with them as they assert autonomy on their own territory  it is my obligation to show up,  said Dykstra.

Dykstra and Hutchings were then taken into custody, while a crowd of approximately 20 supporters in the court gallery applauded and sang.

In early November, after the court ruled that the two women had been found guilty of civil contempt of court, Trans Mountain sought seven days of jail time and payment for all legal fees. In an earlier statement, Dykstra said that she expected jail time, but feared being ordered pay Trans Mountains legal costs, which could have been in the tens of thousands.

Matthew Huys, attorney for Trans Mountain, argued that the costs would act as a deterrent, to the two activists staging other protests.

Read more:

Anglican priest found guilty of civil contempt for Trans Mountain protest

Charges dropped for Ironworkers Memorial Bridge activists who opposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

Meet the self-described sinister seniors taking a stand against Trans Mountain  and going to jail for it

While protesters who had been tried on criminal charges, Trans Mountain had decided to pursue civil charges against Hutchings and Dykstra.

However, Judge Kenneth Affleck concluded that sentencing for the pair should be similar to sentencing for other Trans Mountain protesters, which included fines and imprisonment, but not costs.

I am not inclined to reward special costs in this instance ... it is a well ingrained principle in law that like cases are treated alike, Affleck said.

Patti Powell, the sister of Linni Hutchings, said outside court that the overall outcome was expected, but that environmental protesters should not have to face jail at all.

It seems like one of the best outcomes we could have expected, she said. We feared Trans Mountain use this as a punishment to uphold Linni and Laurel as examples to impose their worldview on people who are doing what they think is right for the planet.

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VANCOUVERAt the end of a week of intrigue in British Columbia politics, the lawyer for the Legislatures two top non-partisan officers said they deny having committed any wrongdoing and argue they were placed on leave from work in a deliberately public and humiliating way.

Vancouver-based litigation lawyer Mark Andrews confirmed to StarMetro he had been retained by Craig James, clerk of the House, and Gary Lenz, sergeant-at-arms, following their dramatic suspension by MLAs vote on Tuesday.

Neither has been charged with any offences as a result of a three-month RCMP probe. Even the allegations of criminal behaviour remain unspecified.

They are hoping for a fair resolution, Andrews said by phone on Friday, though he said he could not provide any details of the case. Im not at liberty to say anything else.

Andrews, a top litigation lawyer with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Vancouver, is described on the companys website as ranked among the foremost litigation counsel in B.C. and Canada and lists professional discipline cases as a specialty.

In a letter he wrote Friday to the three provincial parties House leaders on behalf of Lenz and James, the pair say they still have not been informed of the accusations they face.

Read more: What we know and dont know about the B.C. legislature criminal probe

Craig James and Gary Lenz deny having committed any wrongdoing, wrote Andrews in the letter. He confirmed the documents authenticity to StarMetro. They are entitled to be treated as innocent until proven guilty.

They are the most senior and long-serving and loyal servants of the Legislative Assembly whose reputations are in the process of being destroyed by these events. As a matter of basic fairness, they deserved to be told what it is alleged that they have done and to be given an opportunity to respond to those allegations.

The unprecedented chain of events, so sensitive it required the secret appointment of two special prosecutors in late September, has resulted in far more questions than answers.

MLAs voted unanimously to suspend the Legislatures two highest-ranking officers. James essentially oversaw the administrative and procedural aspects of how things run in the Legislature, including its operating budget, while Lenz was head of security on the property.

The past number of days were admittedly more difficult than in some time, Premier John Horgan told reporters in a teleconference Thursday. The question is how quickly we can see resolution of an RCMP investigation that involves two special prosecutors.

At this point, to be an impartial investigation, it has to be conducted with the same rigour as in any other place. I have confidence in the investigative process of the RCMP and our special prosecutors service  Its important the public have confidence.

Andrews letter on behalf of the suspended officers, however, demanded the Legislature rescind its all-party motion to place them on leave with pay and benefits.

In the absence of cogent facts that provide a demonstrably sufficient basis for a conclusion that the clerk and sergeant-at-arms are unable to carry out the duties of their office pending the resolution of the investigation  they should be restored to active duty, the letter stated.

James was appointed to the job in 2011 and briefly served as head of Elections BC in 2010-11. The career civil servant had risen through the ranks in the building since coming to B.C. in 1987 after similar administrative jobs in Saskatchewans legislature.

Lenz, until his appointment as sergeant-at-arms in 2009, had been in charge of the Sidney North Saanich RCMP division.

Also on Friday, former B.C. attorney-general Wally Oppal started his first day in the role of special adviser to House Speaker Darryl Plecas, an opaque job title formerly held by Alan Mullen, Plecas decades-old friend and former Corrections colleague. Plecas hired Mullen to quietly probe allegations in January, long before the RCMP began their investigation.

And the same day also saw BC Liberal House Leader Mary Polak issue a terse letter to Plecas asking him to call an emergency meeting in the wake of the weeks events.

Plecas is a former member of her party who was expelled when he broke ranks to take the speaker role in the minority NDP government, thus helping strengthen its narrow hold on the House with the Greens backing.

I write to request that as chair you convene an emergency meeting of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee as soon as possible, Polak wrote.

She carbon-copied fellow House leaders Mike Farnworth with the NDP and Sonia Furstenau with the Greens.

The three House leaders were the first to learn of the investigation into James and Lenz, just ahead of Tuesdays shocking vote. According to Polak, prior to the vote to suspend the two officials, Plecas had proposed making Mullen an interim sergeant-at-arms  but all three party leaders rejected the notion.

Im confident the three of them working with the speaker will make their way through this. It is an extraordinary time, without any doubt, Horgan said Thursday about Plecas proposal. The first I heard of that was (Thursday) morning.

When I talked to the House leader (NDPs Mike Farnworth) of that he said he didnt advise me of it because it was dismissed immediately by everyone in the room.

Several Legislature employees told StarMetro the shock waves continue to ripple through the building.

If this was any other workplace, sure, there would be questions and rumours, one Legislature employee told StarMetro earlier. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorize to speak to media. However, because its the Legislature, suspicious and conspiracy theories here are practically front-page news.

Another staffer described the feeling of being kept in the dark throughout the unfolding drama, learning many details from the same news outlets as the public, in a week they labelled nuts.

All I know, said the employee, who also requested anonymity, is what the speakers special adviser, whatever the f that is, has said during his little media (availabilities).

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EDWARDSVILLE  An Alton man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 28 years in prison after he was charged with residential burglary and home invasion in two separate incidents in November 2016.

Diontae A. Vaughn was in the Madison County Jail in October 2017 on a residential burglary charge when authorities discovered he had committed a home invasion on Nov. 1, 2016.

While in jail in connection with the burglary charge, authorities discovered that his DNA matched that found on a ski mask left at the scene in the previous home invasion in the 300 block of Lindenwood Avenue. He was also charged with being a habitual armed criminal. In the Lindenwood Avenue incident, a potential victim pulled the mask from Vaughns face.

Officers sent the mask to a lab for analysis. Once the test came back, the case was presented to the grand jury, which handed up a home invasion. His bail on the home invasion was $250,000.

In the burglary case, he was accused of entered a home in the 2000 block of Mulberry Street, Alton, with the intent to commit a theft. He was allegedly armed with a Cobra .45-caliber handgun. Bail on those charges was set at $500,000.

According to a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to charges of attempted armed robbery and residential burglary in exchange for a prosecution agreement to drop other charges. He was sentenced to two, 28-year sentences to be served concurrently.

In the Lindenwood incident, he was allegedly armed with a semiautomatic handgun and pointed it at a woman who was present at that address. He demanded to know where her brother was, according to the indictment.

He was also charged with being an armed habitual criminal because he had previously been convicted of armed robbery and home invasion.

Vaughn has a record dating to 2000 when he was convicted of misdemeanor retail theft. That charged was reduced from a felony in exchange for a guilty plea.

He also has felony convictions for drug possession, manufacturing or delivering cocaine, two counts of armed robbery, home invasion, and two counts of probation violation. He also has 21 convictions for misdemeanors, such as retail theft, trespassing, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and property damage.

Reach reporter Sanford Schmidt at 618-208-6449.
EDWARDSVILLE  A revision of the countys food sanitation ordinance minus fee increases was approved after some pointed discussion at Wednesdays County Board meeting.

The original ordinance was approved in September but the board voted to reconsider it and send it back to the Health Committee after some members objected to fee increases.

Health Department Administrator Toni Corona had told county officials that some aspects of the ordinance needed to be approved before Dec. 1.

In general it updates the countys food sanitation ordinance to new state standards, such as allowing inspections for food trucks.

There was some discussion about the ordinance before passage.

Board Member Mick Madison, R-Bethalto, thanked the Health Committee for reconsidering the fees. However, Jack Minner, D-Edwardsville, complained that Republicans basically ignored the work the committee had originally done on the ordinance.

The Health Department is a toothless tiger, he said.

Fee changes may be considered in the future.

The board also approved a loan to the Moro Public Water District to make water system improvements, including new water lines to the Heartland Meadows Subdivision. The $350,000 loan will be paid back over seven years with 3 percent interest.

Also approved was a $347,182.27 contract with Advanced Correctional Healthcare Inc. to provide medical services for the Madison County Jail.

Medical services are currently provided by Integritas, a Carbondale-based health care provider.

The company was hired after the death of Dr. Richard Blankenship, who served as the long-time physician for the jail and Madison County Detention Center until his death in October 2017.

The contract with Integritas is approximately $120,000 per year, but does not include X-ray, blood and other testing, or mental health services that the new company will offer, according to Sheriffs Department officials.

In other business, the County Board approved:

 Five emergency appropriations totaling approximately $331,000. The appropriations were all for grants to various departments received after the 2018 budget was finalized.

 A contract with Exela Technologies of Irving, Texas, for off-site case file imaging for the Madison County Circuit Clerk Department, at a cost not to exceed $150,000.

 A supplemental agreement with Heneghan & Associates for preliminary engineering work for Airport Road in Godfrey, totaling $333,000; a funding agreement for the resurfacing of Wanda Road totaling $350,000; and $84,000 for preliminary engineering services for the replacement of the Engelke Bridge over Silver Creek in Olive Township.

 Appropriating $4.25 million in Motor Fuel Tax funds for road maintenance.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.
ALTON  If youve called the Illinois State Police in recent weeks in hopes of renewing your concealed carry permit, youve likely heard one thing: ringing.

And ringing, and ringing, and ringing.

Followed by a message telling you that the department is busy and to call back later, followed by a click.

An officer for the Illinois State Police, who declined to give her name, said that the department recently switched to online applications as opposed to the paper ones used previously, and the new process for reviewing applications has caused a slow down. The officer said that, despite having to review all of the applications by hand in the past, its taking even longer to review applications that are using incorrect paperwork.

That could cause further issues next spring, when the first round of concealed carry renewals will start streaming in. The Firearm Concealed Carry Act became law on July 9, 2013, and with permits good for five years, early applicants are now preparing to apply for renewal for the first time  those early applicants are eligible for renewal in February and March of next year. As of May 31, 2017, there were 243,245 active concealed carry permits in the state of Illinois.

The process of getting a concealed permit in Illinois in general is not an easy one. In fact, the state has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. In order to receive a permit, residents must complete 16 hours of concealed carry firearms training and receive an electronic copy of their training certificate, have a valid drivers license and FOID card, complete a background check, have a head shot photograph taken within the last 30 days, provide ten years of residency, and pay $150, just to name some of the steps.

After completing all of these steps, those wishing to get their hands on a permit must then create an online account with the Illinois State Police and wait up to 90 days to receive their permit in the mail. Those filing for concealed carry can also have their fingerprints taken in order to speed up the lengthy process; however, it is not mandatory.

Because of the slow or lack of a response entirely from ISP, some Illinois residents are seeking help elsewhere. Scott Pulaski, owner of Piasa Armory in Alton, says people come in all the time looking for help renewing their permits.

Pulaski says that because of the states all-online registration system, the older population is has sought his help the most of late.

You know, some people dont even want to carry, they just want to have that right, Pulaski said. Its hard for those who want access to their rights.

The unnamed ISP officer said its important to remember that if you receive a paper application from a firearms dealer or from anywhere else besides in the mail after requesting one from the ISP, its void.

So what should you do if you want to renewal your permit or receive your very own concealed carry? You can register online at https://www.ispfsb.com/. However, if you feel uncomfortable using the website or dont understand it, you can call (271) 782-7980 and receive the old-fashioned paperwork in the mail.

However, Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois Riffle Association, emphasized patience.

Dont renew early. If your concealed carry doesnt come up until April, wait, Pearson said. There is no reason to renew now.

Most importantly?

Dont get frustrated, Pearson said.

Reach reporter Riley Newton at (618) 208-6460.
After Thanksgiving, lets start with an excerpt of the Mayflower Compact: solemnly & mutually in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant, & combine ourselves together into a civil body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute, and frame such just & equal laws from time to time, as shall be thought most meet & convenient for ye general good of ye colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

This early statement of democratic self-government is a revolution where people were mutually bound. They created a civil community of mutual aid. Notice that it is concerned for the general good. Equality is a prime virtue immediately, not a recent concern.

William Bradford was only 30 years old and the leader of the band of pilgrims. He and his wife left their son in Holland. She was to die soon after they came to America. Miles Standish, their military advisor, lost his wife as well. Both remarried.

The Pilgrims settled in an abandoned village that was wiped out by illness. How did Squanto know English? He went to England and journeyed over the Atlantic more than once. When he finally was able to try to get home, he found his village deserted, due to an outbreak of disease. It is possible that the Native Americans were felled by disease borne by Captain John Smith in his geographical tour of New England, with Squanto.

The Compact was written at the end of a harrowing voyage through North Atlantic storms. Since they lived in Holland to find a measure of religious tolerance, they were headed for New York (Amsterdam), the fledgling Dutch colony. They had separated from the Church of England.

They had a simple structure and saw ritual as antithetical to the plain style of life and worship. Not surprisingly, they emphasized covenant, the bond of God with us, so they practiced infant baptism. Like many Reformed Christians they used the 1560 Geneva Bible, not the new and relatively ornate King James Bible.

Bradford recalled Brewster after serving 20 years in America: In teaching, he was very moving and stirring of affections, also very plain and distinct in what he taught; by which means he became the more profitable to the hearers. He had a singular good gift in prayer, but public and private, in ripping up the heart and conscience before God in the humble confession of sin, and begging the mercies of God in Christ for the pardon of the same. He always thought it better for ministers to pray oftener and divide their prayers, than be long and tedious in the same. His reason was that the heart and spirits of all, especially the weak, could hardly continue and stand bent as it were so long towards God as they ought to do in that duty, without flagging and falling off.

I went to a talk recently where beer and the Pilgrims was the topic. When one of the ships was not seaworthy, over 100 people were crammed into the Mayflower. The crew was concerned that the beer stores would not last for the voyage home. After all, water was often pestilential in Europe, so beer was relatively safe, as it is boiled and hops are natural antibiotics and preservatives.

The beer was about 1 percent alcohol and dark. The only similarity to Bud would be that the pilgrims learned to make a corn-based brew. John Alden, famous from the Longfellow poem, was a stranger who was brought in by the Pilgrims for his skill as a cooper. Yes, the barrels were for many products, including beer.

Those pilgrims were and are a testament to providence, to faith, and community.

David Crowley is former pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Alton.
Johnny Depp and President Michael D Higgins with Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke at his 60th Birthday Celebration Concert at the National Concert Hall . Pic Steve Humphreys 15th January 2018

Johnny Depp with Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke at his 60th Birthday Celebration Concert at the National Concert Hall . Pic Steve Humphreys 15th January 2018

The Pogues rocker Shane MacGowan and long-term love Victoria Mary Clarke are due to tie the knot next week.

After an 11-year engagement and a 32-year relationship, the couple are in Denmark as they plan to exchange vows in Copenhagen on Monday. Earlier this week, Victoria posted a message on Facebook alongside a picture of her on a plane with the caption, "Heading off on a secret mission", to which many commenters guessed a wedding was imminent.

Shane's manager Joey Cashman confirmed the news to the Irish Sun and wished them well as he is unable to make the ceremony.

"Its a private affair for the pair of them but Id like to pass on my congratulations and best wishes to Shane and Victoria," he told the paper.

Expand Close HAPPY: Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke. Photo: David Conachy / Facebook

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Whatsapp HAPPY: Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke. Photo: David Conachy

The celebration will be small and in stark contrast to Shane's star-studded 60th birthday extravaganza earlier this year.

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Clarke paid tribute to her long-term love in March, writing: "I fell hopelessly, madly in love with Shane; I worshiped him; I wanted nothing else except to be with him. He was everything that I was not. He had talent and focus and charisma and self-belief."

In a previous interview with the Guardian, she said she first met the rocker when she was 16, but their relationship didn't begin until she was 20.

"Once we were together, I felt my own life becoming subsumed by his. This was a welcome feeling for me, as I preferred to live someone else's life," she said. "I took immediate responsibility for his moods and problems and devoted myself to solving them and to being his personal assistant as well as his lover.

"I worshipped him in every possible way. In return, I felt that he gave me a sense of purpose, as well as a sense of being wanted. I belonged to him in a way that I had never really belonged to my family."

Expand Close Johnny Depp with Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke at his 60th Birthday Celebration Concert at the National Concert Hall . Pic Steve Humphreys 15th January 2018 / Facebook

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Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her...
Kerala police chief DGP Loknath Behera has confirmed that a detailed probe will be conducted into musician Balabhaskar's death. Balabhaskar's father C.K. Unni had on Friday, filed a petition seeking a probe into the 'mysterious accident'.

The fatal accident took place in the wee hours of September 25 as their car rammed into a tree on the national highway. Balabhaskar's two-year-old daughter Tejaswini died on the spot. Balabhaskar, who was seriously injured, died on October 2. His wife Lakshmi and driver Arjun survived the accident.

Since the accident, there have been speculations about who drove the car during the accident. Lakshmi and Arjun's contradictory statements have added to the mystery surrounding the accident.

Balabhaskar's family has also sought an inquiry into the musician's financial dealings with an ayurveda hospital in Palakkad. The family also claims there is a mystery surrounding Balabhaskar's sudden plan to travel from Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram.
The infighting in the Kerala unit of the BJP is set to bother its national leadership again soon after its recent bid to quell factionalism. The group clashes in the BJP state unit have intensified as a fallout of the party's involvement in the agitation linked to Sabarimala.

The factions led by Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan has readied plans to report to the central leadership that the BJP in the state, led by president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, did not respond adequately to recent developments in Sabarimala that have angered the cadres. They would cite the arrest of general secretary K. Surendran and the resistance that Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan faced from the police during his visit to Sabarimala.

The Muraleedharan faction would also apprise the national leaders that the Pinarayi Vijayan government dared to pile on cases against Surendran because the state BJP unit is not putting up any effective resistance.

The latest strife in BJP cropped up after the earlier discord over the medical college bribery case had settled. It was reported that some state BJP leaders had accepted bribes to get Central nods for medical colleges.

Considered neutral, Sreedharan Pillai was brought in to helm the BJP state unit in a bid to end the battle of the groups, which had peaked during the medical college row. But the Muraleedharan faction has now come out with the charge that Pillai is protecting the interest of only one group in the party.

The strife flared up again recently after the arrest of Surendran. The BJP and the RSS were lukewarm to Surendran, who rushed into the hill shrine agitation on his own. It is perceived that the rightwing leadership ignored Surendran as he faced legal hassles.

The police arrested Surendran at Nilakkal itself and kept him locked up with several cases. The Muraleedharan faction alleged that even the state president did not bother to find out what was happening to Surendran. Neither did anyone bother to raise a strong protest over Surendran's arrest.

The MP and his faction pressed the charge that the Vijayan government dared to proceed with tough measures because of weak resistance from the current state leadership of the BJP. They pointed out that the state BJP unit merely issued a statement when a police superintendent virtually mocked a Union minister who was proceeding to Sabarimala.

It is understood that Muraleedharan himself will submit the complaint to the national leadership.

The RSS-BJP workers have been on a warpath after the Vijayan government decided to implement the Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala temple.

-Via onmanorama
Four Tanzanian women were rescued after a hostile crowd gathered outside their homes in Dwarka following rumours that they were cannibals and were abducting children, police said Friday.

Later, a police patrol party, while conducting searches in the area, found that two Nigerian men were locked inside a room and rescued them as well, they said, adding, there were rumours about them also being cannibals.

There were allegations about the foreign nationals being assaulted by the locals, but police dismissed the reports as baseless, saying they were rescued safely.

A police official said the women were rescued on Thursday evening after police received a series of calls informing them that they had an altercation with the locals.

Five phone calls were received at the police control room within a span of 41 minutesbetween 6.57pm to 7.38pmon Thursday informing them about the altercation involving the Tanzanian women in Kakrola area of Dwarka, police said.

When police teams reached there, they found that a crowd had gathered in front of the women's house and allegations were afloat that they had killed a child and eaten his flesh.

Police rescued the women, a senior police officer said.

A sixth call was received at 7.40pm by a woman who alleged that her 16-year-old son had been kidnapped by the Nigerian men, the police officer said.

However, investigations showed that it was a false charge and the caller's phone was also switched off, he said.

While searching the area during the night time, police found the Nigerian nationals locked inside a room, police said.

They said they were sleeping when some people came and locked their room from outside. One of them does not possess Indian visa, and will be deported, they said, adding further investigation is underway.

There was no assault on the Africans, police said, adding all the six were brought to police station for their safety and no one was injured.

In May last year, at least six Africans were injured in three separate incidents in Chattarpur area of south Delhi.

In October this year, a video had surfaced showing a man, believed to be a Nigerian, tied to a pole and being beaten up with sticks by a group of men after he allegedly attempted to burgle their house in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar.
Polling stations across Bahrain have opened up on Saturday as the country heads to parliamentary elections.

The government hopes that there will be a higher turn out of voters this time when compared to the 53 per cent turnout in 2014. But these elections are far from democratic.

The main opposition groups have been closed and their members have been barred from running in elections. The government has also prosecuted activists, who were a significant dissenting voice, in mass trials.

In May, Bahrains parliament approved a bill barring the former members of al-Wefaq from running in elections. The group announced a boycott of the upcoming elections in October. Another opposition group followed suit in November.

On November 4, a Bahraini court sentenced three senior opposition members, including prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Ali Salman, to life imprisonment after overturning a previous acquittal. They were charged with spying for Qatar, in what Amnesty International called a travesty of justice.

While the government claims the elections are democratic, activist have cried foul describing the elections as "farce". Clearly, legislatures from the worlds leading democratic states believe that the upcoming election in Bahrain lacks legitimacy. You simply cannot crush, torture and imprison your entire opposition, call for a pseudo-election, and then demand the respect of the international community, said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) told Reuters.

This time around, the election is seeing the highest number of female candidates among the 506 who are fighting for a postion in the Bahrain parliament. In 2014 elections too, there was no opposition as the groups had boycotted the elections.

Shia Muslims in Bahrain claim they are treated as second class citizens deprived of jobs and government services. The ruling family of Al Khalifa, of Sunni Muslim descent, has suppressed protests with the help of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh sent its troops to help crush 2011 uprising against the ruling family fearing such a rising could inspire the Shia Muslim minority in their own country. Bahraini authorities accuse Shiite Iran of provoking unrest in the kingdom. Tehran denies the allegation.

In a strong move, Bahrain, allegedly with the backing of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, stripped many activists of their nationality. Ahead of the elections, the regime arrested and charged five people of obstructing the electoral process of the polls.

Muhanna al-Shayji, head of Bahrains so-called electoral crimes unit, said one of the suspects had been detained after calling on Twitter for a boycott of the November 24 elections, according to the statement. A second man was arrested for posting fake news on the behavior of one of the candidates on social media, and the other three were arrested for destroying advertisements of candidates, the statement said.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that Bahrain had failed to provide conditions for fair and free voting in the upcoming polls, adding that the elections are taking place in a repressive political environment.

Amnesty International expressed "grave concerns" over the campaign of suppression by the rulers on Friday. Over the past two years, the crackdown in Bahrain has seen the political opposition detained, intimidated and silenced, Devin Kenney, the rights group's Bahrain researcher.

Last year, Bahrain ratified a constitutional amendment granting military courts the authority to try civilians charged with "terrorism", a term that is loosely defined by the Bahraini penal code.

In June, the kingdom amended its law on political rights, prohibiting "leaders and members of political associations dissolved for violating the kingdom's constitution or its laws" from running in legislative elections.

The Gulf island-state remains a vital link for Western militaries. It is the home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which patrols the oil-rich region, as well as a permanent British base.

The Trump administration lifted restrictions on arms sales to Bahrain that former president Barack Obama imposed on human rights grounds.
Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe's alliance on Friday won control of a powerful panel in Parliament, dealing a major blow to President Maithripala Sirisena and his prime ministerial appointee Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sirisena's party members walked out of Parliament, which resumed its session on Friday after being adjourned on Monday, protesting against Speaker Karu Jayasuriya's move to appoint five members of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which is led by the President.

The Speaker named five members from the United National Front (UNF) of Wickeremesinghe, and one each from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

This is in continuation of the political unrest plaguing the country since October 26.

Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament.

Jayasuriya, at the start of the session, announced that following a meeting of all party leaders which ended without an agreement over the composition of the committee, he had decided to grant five members each to the UPFA and the UNF.

The committee would comprise 12 members, he said.

Senior UPFA member Dinesh Gunawardena slammed the speaker's conduct as biased.

"I urge you to recognise us as the government and give us the majority in the select committee.

"We have precedents that even during the minority governments in the past the government had been given majority in the select committee," he said.

Lakshman Kiriella on behalf of the ousted government said that Jayasuriya has declared the members based on two previous votes that there was no government and the purported government does not exist.

Wimal Weerawansa, another Sirisena backer, said that if Jayasuriya was not recognising the government, they would not recognise Jayasuriya as the Speaker.

"We will leave the chamber allowing you to conduct a meeting of the United National Party," Weerawansa said and led Sirisena's side out of the chamber.

Jayasuriya then proceeded to take a vote on his decision on the select committee composition after a vote was moved by JVP's Vijitha Herath.

The proposal was adopted with 121 votes for and nothing against. The members of the UNF, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil National Alliance voted in favour.

Sri Lanka is witnessing a political crisis since President Sirisena abruptly sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26.

Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

Speaker Jayasuriya then ordered a floor test in the 225-member assembly to end the ongoing political crisis, a move which invited the wrath of the government of Rajapaksa.

The UNF has already moved two motions of no trust against Rajapaksa and they are to move a third vote again, perhaps Friday. Rajapaksa, however, has refused to step down.

On Wednesday, Wickremesinghe's party handed Parliament another motion, demanding suspension of funds of all ministry secretaries whom they claim had been illegally appointed since October 26.
Around 11.45am on October 13, two days before Durga Puja celebrations were to start in Assam, a small explosion rocked a scrapyard in Guwahatis Pan Bazaar area, injuring four people. Minutes after the blast, Paresh Baruah of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) telephoned a local television channel and claimed that ULFA(I) had set off the explosion to oppose Indias attempt to settle Bengali immigrants in Assam through the revision of National Register of Citizens. Baruah, 61, has been fighting to establish a sovereign Assam for four decades.

Strategic analyst G.M. Srivastava said he was certain that Baruahs group had carried out the Tinsukia killings. Our intelligence did not know that he had revived his organisation, he said. Nagas from India-occupied territories must understand that [the faction] led by Khango Konyak is the only legitimate organisation. Isak Sumi, army commander of the Konyak faction of NSCN(K) I know the deposed leaders, and they are still anti-talks. I can only hope they would not surrender to the Indian government. Chuba Ozukum, president of the Naga Ho Ho The NSCN(K) under Yung Aung signed a nationwide ceasefire agreement with Myanmar, pledging that it would never secede from the country. This means that the fight for Naga sovereignty may well be over.

The police, however, were sceptical of Baruahs involvement in the blast. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ranjan Bhuyan ruled out any terror connection, saying, The blast happened near a pile of sand kept for constructing a roadside drain. It may have had an unexploded shell which went off. The injured, he said, were hit by stones; not shrapnel, as would have been in case of a bomb blast.

Barely three weeks later, on November 2, six militants in battle fatigues rode into Bisonimukh village in Tinsukia district and each of them seized a Bengali-speaking villager. The militants lined them up along a canal, made them kneel down, and fired. Five died; one fell, unconscious, into the water and survived.

This time, the police themselves announced that ULFA(I) was behind the attack. We have investigated thoroughly and have come to the conclusion that the killings were carried out by ULFA(I), said Pallav Bhattacharya, director-general of police (intelligence). The style of the killings was similar to that of earlier ULFA killings. Even if an affiliate was involved, the onus is on ULFA(I).

Interestingly, Baruah has neither owned up to the killings nor disowned them. When THE WEEK reached out to ULFA(I), a spokesman said, We will send out a message at an appropriate time.

Strategic analyst G.M. Srivastava, who had been director-general of police in Assam and Tripura, said he was certain that Baruahs group had carried out the killings. Our intelligence did not know that he had revived his organisation, he said. He dismissed a press release that suggested a ULFA(I) denial of any role in the killings. Its a big falsehood, he said. We know that the area where the incident happened has ULFA(I)s presence.

The fight goes on: Baruahs ULFA(I) is on a recruitment spree in the northeast | Rajeev Bhattacharyya

If so, what stopped Baruah from owning up? The answer, according to intelligence agencies, is that the killings were not by a single terror outfit, but by a terror consortium. Sources said the attack was carried out by the United Liberation Front of Western Southeast Asia (UNLFW), formed in 2015 as an umbrella organisation of banned insurgent groups. Its major members are the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), the National Democratic Front of Boroland, the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, the Kangleipak Communist Party and the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation.

Baruah played a key role in envisaging and forming the UNLFW. According to him, the front has two clear-cut objectives. One, to build an alliance of militant organisations that, together, could effectively take on the Indian Army. (On June 4, 2015, within weeks of its formation, the front ambushed a military convoy in Manipurs Chandel district, killing 18 soldiers of the Dogra Regiment. India carried out a surgical strike on terror camps in Myanmar five days later.)

The fronts second objective is to internationalise the struggles for sovereignty in the northeast. We are reaching out to countries and international bodies like the United Nations in a big way, to boost opinion in our favour, Baruah told THE WEEK in an exclusive interview. We tell them about our struggle that has been going on for four decades.

Pankaj Pratim Dutta, a student leader who left his home in August to join ULFA(I).

Baruah, who divides his time between China and Myanmar, cited the example of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. So long as the LTTE enjoyed international support, it succeeded, he said. When it lost that support, it lost the battle as well.

The Assam Police have not confirmed whether the UNLFW was involved in the Tinsukia killings, though they were sure that ULFA(I) was behind it. A day after the killings, they arrested Biklai Gogoi, who they say was one of the killers. We have interrogated him and we know the names of several others [who are involved], said P.S. Changmai, special superintendent of police at Sadiya, a police district in Tinsukia that coordinates counterinsurgency operations. Changmai was later transferred out of Sadiya, perhaps because of a police failure to anticipate ULFA(I)s revival.

What is worrying, said DGP Bhattacharya, is that the UNLFW has tied up with another deadly terror networkthe Coordination Committee. Better known as CorCom, it operates mainly in Manipur, while its leaders live in the Myanmar-Thailand border region. CorCom has six militant outfits as members and has links to the CPI (Maoist) in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The UNLFW and CorCom have joined hands and become the largest terror alliance in south Asia, said Bhattacharya.

The militants are allegedly trying to raise funds through kidnapping and extortion. On November 10, a tea estate manager in Namsai district in Arunachal Pradesh was abducted, allegedly by ULFA(I) members. The estate is owned by N. Sati Mein, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein. The kidnappers have demanded 03 crore as ransom. The police say Namsai is dominated by ULFA(I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit), another UNFLW constituent.

Return of the native: Khango Konyak, the ousted NSCN(K) chief, with his followers.

The UNLFW was headed by NSCN(K) chairman S.S. Khaplang till his death in June last year. Khaplang was succeeded by his longtime second-in-command Khango Konyak a month later in both organisations.

A Myanmar-born Heimi Naga, Khaplang had unilaterally ended his NSCN factions ceasefire agreement with the Indian government in 2015, apparently at Baruahs instance. With Konyak being an Indian Naga, the Indian government had hoped to bring the NSCN(K) back to the talks table. But, in August this year, Baruah engineered a coup in the NSCN(K). He helped Yung Aung, known as Khaplangs nephew, impeach Konyak and seize command of the organisation. In recognition of his contributions to the Naga nationalist movement, Konyak, 75, was then given safe passage from Myanmar to India.

The NSCN(K) maintains that Konyaks exit was not part of a coup. He was removed as member and chairman of the organisation, said U Kyaw Wan Sein of the NSCN(K) central committee. The decision of the central committee was unanimous and Konyak has been given a safe passage to leave the camp.

Baruah had convinced UNLFW leaders that Konyak was incapable of leading the biggest organisation in the northeast. Under Konyak, the NSCN(K) had failed to protect its turf. The Indian Armys surgical strikes on terror camps in Myanmars autonomous territorywhere the government had given militants a free hand to operatehad left the NSCN(K) vulnerable.

Man in charge: Yung Aung (left) with S.S. Khaplang. Aung replaced Konyak as NSCN(K) chairman in August | Rajeev Bhattacharyya

I advised them to change the leadership, Baruah told THE WEEK. This is part of our grand plan to infuse fresh blood into UNLFW leadership. I convinced them that, if we were to fight the Indian Army as a unit, both our organisations and the UNLFW would need young minds who would easily connect with the young generation in Indias northeast. My idea has been accepted by senior leaders of different organisations.

The new NSCN(K) chief, Yung Aung, is only 45. A postgraduate in political science, Aung joined the Naga rebellion in 1998, after the NSCN(K) signed a ceasefire agreement with India. When the group broke the ceasefire, he stayed loyal to Khaplang, whom he called uncle. But, contrary to popular belief, they are not related (see story on page 54).

With Aung at the helm of the NSCN(K), Baruah is now the de facto head of the UNLFW. Baruah, however, said he did not wish to formally take up the position. We will grow with a new leadership, he told THE WEEK. I will become a patron, instead of holding posts.

Srivastava, the former DGP, said ULFA(I) was exploiting the volatile political situation in Assam, where the government is updating the National Register of Citizens: the updating has left 40 lakh people anxious because their names are missing from it. What surprises me is that the organisation that was almost dead is now heavily recruiting people, he said.

NSCN(K) cadres during a training session | Rajeev Bhattacharyya

In August, Pankaj Pratim Dutta, vice president of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) in Golaghat district, left his home to join ULFA(I). In October, he posted on social media a video of himself in battle fatigues and holding a Kalashnikov rifle. I have joined ULFA(I) on my own volition, he said. I firmly believe that to be able to protect the existence of Assam, there is no other alternative. The Assamese people were once warriors; but now, we are forced to bow down to the government of India even in petty matters.

It is perhaps the first time in 15 years that an AASU leader has joined ULFA. Bhattacharya said he did not know whether any of Duttas colleagues had joined the group. But ULFA(I) has asked various student organisations to join it, he said.

According to intelligence officers, around 150 youth from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have joined ULFA(I). Karishma Mech, a Class 10 student of Jagun village in Tinsukia, joined ULFA (I) in October. The police said at least seven girls from adjoining areas, who were reported to be missing, had followed suit. In November, Paresh Baruahs nephew Munna Baruah, an electrical engineer at Indian Oil Corporation in Dibrugarh, went missing. The police said Munna and several of his friends had joined ULFA(I).

Bhattacharya, however, has played down fears of ULFA(I)s revival. They are confined to some areas in Assam and are mostly staying in Myanmar, he said. They cannot work alone, and that is why they formed the UNLFW with other groups. ULFA(I) has around 200 cadres in Assam, and we will arrest all of them.

Cold handshake: Rajnath Singh with Zhao Kezhi, Chinas minister of public security, in Delhi. China has rejected Indias demand that Baruah be extradited to India | PTI

ULFA(I) says it has ten times more cadres, mostly in Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and on the India-Myanmar border. This year, ULFA(I) and its associates have carried out 16 attacks in the northeastfive of them in Assam alone. The government, both at the Centre and in the state, must not underestimate us, Baruah said. We are growing in leaps and bounds.

KONYAKS RETURN to India has rekindled hopes that his faction may rejoin peace talks and abandon its demand for sovereignty. Konyak still commands a significant number of Indian Nagas, including his military chief Nikki Sumi and army commander Isak Sumi. They said they were opposed to the change of leadership in the NSCN(K).

Konyaks ouster has left him with two options: either float a new outfit or join the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN in peace talks with India. I know the deposed leaders, and they are still anti-talks, said Chuba Ozukum, president of the Naga Ho Ho, the apex body of Naga tribals. They have taken an oath to propagate the message of securing Naga sovereignty. I can only hope they would not surrender to the Indian government.

Isak Sumi

Both Nikki Sumi and Isak Sumi have said they have no plans to enter peace talks. It would be akin to sacrificing the cause of Nagas in India, said Isak Sumi. What, then, is their strategy? Wait and see. Something would emerge, said a commander of Konyak.

Konyak, however, may feel compelled to join peace talks, as he is unwell and is reportedly in urgent need of medical treatment.

The NSCN(K) under Yung Aung recently signed a nationwide ceasefire agreement with the Myanmarese government, pledging that it would never secede from the country. This means that the fight for Naga sovereignty may well be over, at least in Myanmar.

Aung, however, could become a thorn in Indias side. The NSCN(K) has sympathisers in eastern Nagaland, and they could help Aungs cadres carry out attacks. The Konyak faction says it will resist such plots. The Myanmarese secessionist group led by the Hindu and Meitei half-breed [Yung Aung], an arch opponent of Naga integration, must never be allowed to create any disturbance in Nagaland, said Isak Sumi in a Facebook post. Nagas from India-occupied territories must understand that [the faction] led by Khango Konyak is the only legitimate organisation.

Baruah, the man behind Aung, has long enjoyed the patronage of China and Pakistan. We have very cordial relations and our friendship is unparalleled, he told THE WEEK about China.

Chuba Ozukum

On October 21, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Chinas minister of public security Zhao Kezhi in Delhi and demanded that Baruah be extradited to India. Zhao rejected the demand, apparently because the cases against Baruah in India could result in a death sentence.

Singh has asked the National Investigation Agency to help the Assam Police inquire into the Tinsukia killings. The Army has also reportedly begun operations to crush the resurgent ULFA(I).

So, is another surgical strike in the offing?

While the Army is keeping mum, sources in the Assam Police suggested that the Centre was preparing to crack down on Baruah and the UNLFW. The state government has asked Bhattacharya to coordinate with the Union government for tracking Baruahs movements. According to Bhattacharya, Baruah is staying at a strategically important place called Ruili. Ruili is in Yunnan province in China, on the China-Myanmar border, he said. Baruah, apparently, has the freedom to move around the border area.

The Assam Police, the NIA and the Indian Army are holding talks to chalk out the course of action, Bhattacharya told THE WEEK. In fact, we are getting great help from the Army as far as the operation is concerned.
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road corridor up to international border with Pakistan in Mann village in Gurdaspur on November 26.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh will be present on the occasion.

To mark Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th birth anniversary in 2019, the Indian government decided on November 22, 2018 to build the Kartarpur road corridor up to international border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project.

The corridor will let Sikh pilgrims visit the iconic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi in Pakistan.

India and Pakistan had announced on November 15, 2018, that they will build corridors on their respective sides to let Sikh pilgrims visit the holy shrine without visa and to help them walk across and come back without having to secure a visa.

"Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road corridor (up to international border) at a function in village Mann in Gurdaspur district of Punjab on Monday, the 26th of November, 2018," a Road Transport Ministry statement said.

Guru Nanak had assembled the Sikh community at Kartarpur and lived there for 18 years till 1539. The Gurudwara Darbar Sahib is built where he took his last breath.

The Indian side of corridor starts from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and extends up to international border between India and Pakistan. The project corridor is to be developed by National Highways Authority of India and will be funded by the Government of India. The project corridor is four-lane with service road and all other appropriate amenities for pilgrims intending to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur in Pakistan.

This corridor will be a historical landmark between India and Pakistan and will also boost tourism as more pilgrims would visit the holy shrine throughout the year between two countries, the statement said. PTI KKS MKJ
Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) Filmmaker S Shankar said Saturday he had approached "The Terminator" star Arnold Schwarzenegger to play the antagonist in "2.0" but things did not work out and the role finally went to Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.

Rajinikanth will be back in the role of 'Chitti' in the second installment of the mega-hit "Robot", which is slated to be released on November 29.

"We had thought of casting Arnold. We had talked and allotted dates also. But somehow things did not work out as the contracts of Hollywood and India are contradictory. So we thought of looking at a good cast from the Indian film industry," Shankar said at a press conference here.

The director said Lyca (producers of 2.0) and Akshay were in talks for a remake of a film called 'Kathi' in Hindi.

"Everyone told me to consider Akshay and I also thought it would be nice. I narrated the story to him and he said yes," the director said.

Shankar is confident that the film would connect with everyone as it has an international theme. The technology, he said, was better than the previous film and it was the reason they decided to title the film "2.0". PTI KKP



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Bengaluru, Nov 24 (PTI) Film star-turned-politician M H Ambareesh passed away at a private hospital here on Saturday, according to official sources and Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He was 66.

Ambareesh was rushed to a private hospital after he complained of breathing-related issue, sources said.

The former Union minister has acted in over 200 films and served as the Karnataka minister of housing in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. PTI KSU HMB

HMB
Bengaluru, Nov 25 (PTI) Kannada actor and politician Ambareesh has passed away here at a private hospital due to cardiac arrest, sources have said. He was 66.

A former Union minister, Ambareesh was rushed to the hospital after he complained of breathing trouble and passed away on Saturday night, officials at the hospital said.

"Ambareesh was brought to hospital around 9 pm and he passed away because of cardiac arrest," Vikram Hospital officials told PTI.

According to the hospital spokesman, Ambareesh was found unresponsive at his residence and the resuscitation efforts were initiated there and continued en route while he was shifted to the hospital.

"Despite all aggressive resuscitation efforts, he could not be revived and was declared deceased at 2215 hrs," the spokesman added.

Ambareesh, a three-time Lok Sabha member and also a former State minister, is survived by actress Sumalatha and son Abishek.

Born as Malavalli Huchche Gowda Amarnath on May 29, 1952, Ambareesh popularly known as a "rebel star" has acted in over 200 films in a more than four-decade long movie career with a fan following of his own at the peak of his popularity.

Ambareesh had not been keeping well in recent years and was hospitalised frequently. In 2014, he was shifted to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

Entering the movie world through film "Nagarahavu" (king cobra), directed by veteran late Puttanna Kannagal in 1972, Ambareesh had carved a niche for himself in the Kannada film industry, particularly as an "angry" man, earning the title "rebel star".

Beginning his film career in antagonistic roles, he later emerged on his own to become a hero.

Ambareesh also had a successful career in politics having been an MLA, a Lok Sabha member and a former minister at the state and central levels.

He was in the Janata Dal, the JDS and the Congress in his political career that took a hit when he was asked to resign as minister for housing during the previous Siddaramaiah government.

Ambareesh had served as the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting from 2006-2007 under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but had quit the post over the issue of formation of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal.

He has won several state government film awards and was bestowed with the honorary doctorate by the Dharwad University.

As the news of his death spread, several political leaders including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and a host of film personalities visited Vikram Hospital.

A large number of emotional fans and followers also descended at the hospital with some saying that they became "orphans" without their "Ambareesh Anna".

Expressing shock over the demise, Kumaraswamy said Ambaresh's death "an era of love and affection in Kannada fim industry has ended".

"He was a rebel who was loved by all. He has carved a unique place in both politics and films," said Kumaraswamy, who himself is a film producer.

Ambreesh had spoken to a couple of Kannada news channels earlier on Saturday, expressing shock and grief over a bus mishap in Mandya, his home district, in which 30 people were killed.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the hospital, Kumaraswamy said, the state government has decided to observe a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect for Ambareesh whose funeral would be held with full state honour.

Calling Ambareesh "Ajatashatru", the Chief Minister appealed to his fans to maintain calm and extend cooperation so that no hindrance is caused to public at large and the funeral related formalities happen peacefully.

"I can understand your pain, tomorrow morning around 7:30 or 8 his body will be kept at Kanteerava Stadium for paying last respects," he said.

Recalling Ambreesh's bonding with Mandya and Mysuru region, Kumaraswamy said special buses will be arranged from there for his fans and friends to pay their last respects here in Bengaluru.

Ambareesh was often referred to as "Mandya da Gandu" (Man of Mandya).

"We have to build a memorial for him here. Keeping this in view the family has decided to perform his last rites in Bengaluru," Kumaraswamy said while noting his contribution to state, films and politics. PTI KSU RA MRJ

MRJ
\R Chennai, Nov 24 (PTI) Tamil superstar Rajinikanth condoled the death of veteran Kannada actor M H Ambareesh on Saturday, calling him his "best friend".

"A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish," he said in the tweet.

Ambareesh passed away in Bengaluru, according to official sources and Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He was 66.

The former Union minister was rushed to a private hospital after he complained of breathing-related issue, sources said.

Ambareesh has acted in over 200 films and served as the Karnataka minister of housing in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. PTI SA

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Peshawar, Nov 24 (PTI) The Islamic State (IS) terror group on Saturday claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in northwestern Pakistan that killed 32 people, including three Pakistani Sikhs, and injured 40 others.

In a statement on the group's website 'Amaq', IS claimed "57 Shiites (Shias) were killed and 75 were wounded" in the attack on Friday.

Most of the victims were minority Shia Muslims, who in the past have also been targeted in the area.

A suicide bomber triggered the powerful blast at a busy market outside a religious seminary in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

An improvised explosive device was planted in a bike at a popular Friday Market near a Shia imambargah in Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

The minority Sikh community in the area was previously displaced by the Taliban that controlled the region prior to the military operation in 2010. PTI KUN

KUN
Guwahati, Nov 24 (PTI) Congress leader Debabrata Saikia Saturday blamed the BJP-led governments at the state and the Centre for ignoring the sentiments of the Assamese people which has allegedly led to the rise in youths joining the banned ULFA(I).

Even senior police officers of the state have admitted that there is fresh induction of youths in the ultra outfit, the Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly told reporters here.

Senior leaders of state BJP, including Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and union minister Rajen Gohain were aggravating the situation by making "injudicious remarks", he alleged further.

"Youths in Assam are frustrated and are joining ULFA(I) as the BJP-led governments at the state and the Centre are ignoring the sentiments of the Assamese people and pushing ahead with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill," he said.

"Sarma is not only denying the reality of the ULFA(I) getting a boost due to BJP's anti-Assam policies, but is also provoking the outfit by labelling it a dynastic entity," the Congress leader said.

Earlier this week, Sarma had sought to underplay ULFA(I) 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah's nephew Munna Baruah joining the proscribed outfit saying that there was nothing new in 150-200 youngsters from the state joining it every year.

He had also taken a swipe at the Congress, saying just like the political party, the aging Paresh Baruah too chose his own blood as his heir to take forward his mission.

Saikia said the two BJP leaders were at the same time defending the Citizenship (Amednment) Bill "by even going to the extent of dismissing the relevance of the Assam Accord".

This action seem to be a "deliberate attempt" to instigate Assam's youths, who are already frustrated due to lack of employment and development works, to take up arms against the state, he said.

The proposed amendment to the Citizenship Bill, 1955 seeks to grant citizenship to people from minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they don't possess any proper document.

The updation of the National Register of Citizens in the state is being done in accordance with the Assam Accord of 1985.

But regional political parties like the Asom Gana Parishad, which is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, feels it will be rendered useless if the Centre passes the Citizenship Bill.

Saikia said that in less than three years, the BJP government had undone the achievements made by the successive Congress governments when it came to containing militancy in the state.

He further alleged that the law and order situation in Assam had sharply deteriorated under the BJP, citing the recent killings at Demow in Sibsagar and Dhola in Tinsukia as well as the rise in the number of abductions, extortions, thefts, lynchings and bomb blasts.

Two persons were killed in a grenade explosion by suspected United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) militants at Demow on November 22, while five Bengali-speaking people were killed by the proscribed outfit in Tinsukia on November 1.

Saikia charged the BJP of not showing any respect for panchayati raj as it had first delayed the rural poll in the state "as much as it could" before being forced to hold it at the intervention of the Gauhati High Court.

The rural polls are slated to be held in the state on December 5 and 9.

The Congress leader claimed that it is clear from media reports as well as ground level public reports that in some areas, the BJP had resorted to measures like temporary abductions and preventing strong opposition candidates from contesting the panchayat poll.

Continuing his criticism of the BJP government in the state, he alleged it faces acute financial problem due to fall in revenue collection by 15-20 per cent post GST and was forced to borrow "unprecedented sums" of money from various sources.

During 2016-17 and 2017-18, the BJP government had borrowed over Rs 15,000 crore - Rs 5649.45 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 9716.3 crore in 2017-18 from sources like NABARD and RBI.

Compared to this the highest loan taken by the previous Congress government in the state was Rs 2338 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 2812 crore in 2015-16, he said.

"This shows that borrowings by the Assam government have nearly doubled since the BJP-led government came to power in the state," Saikia added. PTI DG KK RHL
Chandigarh, Nov 24 (PTI) The Punjab Police Saturday ruled out a terror angle in the SUV snatching incident in Pathankot last week, saying a local criminal was involved in it.

However, police have not been able to trace the vehicle.

Four persons, travelling in a hired SUV from Jammu, had snatched the vehicle from its driver at gunpoint near Madhopur area here in Pathankot on November 13.

The incident took place when the driver stopped the car near Madhopur after one of the passengers complained of vomiting.

"One of them (vehicle snatchers) has been identified. He turned out to be a criminal belonging to Punjab. There is no terror angle involved in this incident, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said.

The criminal belonging to Jalandhar district was identified after the driver of the SUV recognised him from a picture, police said.

The accused, who were speaking in Punjabi, had booked the car from the Jammu taxi stand, police had said.

Security was tightened in and around Pathankot district following the incident.

Police were maintaining a vigil as in 2016, terrorists, who had launched attacks on the Pathankot air base, had snatched a Punjab Police officer's car to get to the air base. PTI CHS VSD





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Chandigarh, Nov 24 (PTI) Punjab police on Saturday claimed to have nabbed the man who allegedly threw a grenade on a religious congregation at Nirankari Bhavan in Amritsar last Sunday leaving three persons dead, the second arrest in the case.

Weapons including a .32 bore pistol, a US made pistol, four magazines and 25 live cartridges have been recovered from the accused identified as Avtar Singh, Director General of Police Suresh Arora told reporters here.

Avtar Singh has been arrested from Khayala village under police station Lopoke (in Amritsar), the DGP said.

We will produce him before the court for police remand, the DGP said.

Three persons including a preacher were killed and over 20 injured in the attack by two-motorcycle borne men which the police treated as a terrorist act.

Police have already arrested Bikramjit Singh, an operative of militant organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) who was allegedly driving the motorcycle on that day. It is alleged that Avtar Singh threw the grenade.

Avtar Singh is a resident of village Chak Mishri Khan, Lopoke (Ajnala), Amritsar.

The DGP said that initial investigations revealed that a person identified as Javed, who is Pakistan-based, was allegedly involved in misguiding the accused to carry out the terrorist act.

The name of another man identified as Paramajit Singh Baba, based in Italy, has also emerged during investigation, police said.

Rejecting claims of the families of the accused that they have been falsely implicated, the DGP said, We have enough evidence against them.

We do not believe in false implications. We have recovered weapons in the presence of the duty magistrate, he said.

The DGP also expressed concern that "inimical forces were trying to spread a disinformation campaign" on social media to misguide youth of the state.

Both the accused in this case had no past criminal record, he noted.

The incident had taken place inside the Nirankari Bhavan's prayer hall at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi. PTI CHS VSD RT
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri will travel to Pakistan next week for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed to Islamabad Saturday.

Swaraj's response came hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited her to visit Pakistan to attend the ceremony on November 28.

In a letter to Qureshi, Swaraj thanked her Pakistani counterpart for the invite and said she was unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib due to prior commitments including election campaign in Telangana and that India will be represented at the ceremony by Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Puri.

"Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr H S Puri (sic)," she tweeted.

Swaraj also hoped that the Pakistan government will ensure that the construction of the corridor is expedited so that "our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible." PTI MPB NSD
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) The flow of the Ganga is being restricted and its rejuvenation is under threat due to the over 900 dams, barrages and weirs built on the river, according to environmentalists.

They also said to rejuvenate the river, its flow must be improved and discharge of solid waste from cities into it be stopped.

The government is concentrating on cleaning the Ganga and not its rejuvenation. Improving the flow of the river is the most important way to rejuvenate it, environmentalist and water management expert Ravi Chopra said.

He was speaking at an event 'Can India Rejuvenate Ganga' here.

In a joint presentation by environmentalists, they claimed as many as 940 dams, barrages and weirs have been built on the Ganga river and these were restricting its flow and posing a grave threat for its rejuvenation.

Manoj Misra, another environmentalist, said discharge of solid waste from cities, and muncipal and industrial wastes into the river were the main causes of pollution in the Ganga.

"Sewage causes 80 per cent of the total pollution in Ganga and 52 per cent of the total sewage is released in the river in untreated form," he said

The highest amount of municipal waste is received from Uttar Pradesh, which discharges 761 tonnes of sewage per day, followed by Bihar at 99.50 tonnes per day and West Bengal at 97 tonnes per day, Misra said.

He also stressed on the need to improve the flow of the river to ensure its rejuvenation.

Shashi Shekhar, former special secretary, water resources, said there needs to be an understanding that the natural flow of the river is important and cleaning of the river is not rejuvenation.

"We are only attacking sewage waste in the river but the solution is in improving the flow. Solution to pollution is by dilution which would come with better flow," he said. PTI UZM UZM ANB

ANB

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New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) A case has been registered against unnamed people on Saturday after two Tanzanian women complained that they were wrongfully restrained at Dwarka in Delhi, police said.

The two woman complained that they were wrongfully restrained in Harsh Vihar, Kakrola, on the evening of November 22 following an unsubstantiated rumour of kidnapping in the area, a senior police officer said.

A case has been registered at Dwarka (North) police station and investigation is underway, the official said.

Four Tanzanian women were rescued after a hostile crowd gathered outside their homes in Dwarka following rumours that they were cannibals and were abducting children, police said Friday.

Later, a police patrol party, while conducting searches in the area, found that two Nigerian men were locked inside a room and rescued them as well, they said, adding, there were rumours about them also being cannibals.

There were allegations about the foreign nationals being assaulted by the locals, but police dismissed the reports as baseless, saying they were rescued safely.

A police official had said the women were rescued Thursday evening after police received a series of calls informing them that they had an altercation with the locals.

When police teams reached there, they found that a crowd had gathered in front of the women's house and allegations were afloat that they had killed a child and eaten his flesh.

There was no assault on the Africans, police had said, adding all the six were brought to police station for their safety and no one was injured. PTI AMP UZM NSD
(Eds: Change in number of arrested, with more inputs)

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Five suspected members of a Bangladeshi gang of robbers were arrested after a shootout with crime branch officials in southeast Delhi's Taimoor Nagar, police said Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Kabir, Farooq, Zakir, Indadul and Aslam. With their arrest, four cases of robbery, attempt to murder and burglary in various states have been worked out, they said.

According to Rajiv Ranjan, the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), the Bangladeshi gang members were in the area to spot a house where they could commit robbery.

Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch officials were present at the spot and directed the gang members to surrender, but were instead fired upon by the accused.

The encounter occurred on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. In total, six rounds were fired of which three were fired by the accused and the rest by police in retaliation, the official said.

Two gang members sustained bullet injuries in their leg and were hospitalised. They are stable, the officer said, adding that five members of the gang were arrested.

When the accused opened fire at the police party, a bullet hit a police personnel but he was saved by his bullet proof jacket, a senior officer said.

Three country-made pistols with five cartridges and house-breaking instruments have been seized, he said, adding the Bangladeshi gang were involved in committing robbery in Bengaluru, Delhi and Kota.

Police have managed to link some incidents in these cities to the gang. They even resorted to committing rape and killing, the police official said. PTI SLB AMP PLB NSD
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
Lucknow Nov 24 (PTI) Muslims in Ayodhya are "terrified" ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) 'Dharam Sabha', Zafaryab Jilani, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said on Saturday.

He alleged that the public meeting was part of the political strategy of the BJP and the RSS to keep the Ram temple issue alive in the run up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"The Muslims living in Ayodhya are terrified since about the past week...we have also asked those feeling insecure to come to Lucknow if they want," Jilani told PTI here.

"We are keeping an eye on the developments and will look into them if something happens," he said.

The VHP, a right-wing Hindu group, has called for the public meeting in Ayodhya on Sunday to call for the construction of a grand temple for Lord Ram in the holy town. Ayodhya is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

The organisers of the 'Dharam Sabha' claim that more than 3 lakh devotees of Lord Ram are likely to arrive for the meeting.

Jilani, who is also a senior counsel, said whatever is happening in Ayodhya is a contempt of court.

"The law is that an issue which is under consideration of the court should not be discussed publicly, but the court is being challenged through statements and by organising functions," he said.

The Supreme Court on November 12 had declined early hearing of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul had said that it had already listed the appeals before the appropriate bench in January.

Jilani said while the BJP is very serious about constructing the temple, the Shiv Sena is trying to prove it wrong, which is affecting both Hindus and Muslims in Ayodhya.

He said officials were also under tremendous pressure to ensure that the law and order is not disturbed.

Ayodhya was virtually turned into a fortress on Saturday with multiple layers of security.

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary, five companies of the Rapid Action Force, Anti-Terrorism Squad commandos and drones have been deployed in Ayodhya. PTI SAB DIV

DIV
\R New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Three suspected members of a Bangladeshi robbers gang were arrested after a shootout with Crime Branch officers in southeast Delhi's Taimoor Nagar, police said Saturday.

The shootout happened between 12.15 am and 12.30 am on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

According to Rajiv Ranjan, additional commissioner of police (Crime), the Bangladeshi gang members were in the area to look for a house where they could commit robbery.

The Crime Branch officials, who were present in the area, on the basis of a tip-off, asked them to surrender but they fired at them, police said.

The police personnel fired in retaliation, he said.

Two gang members sustained bullet injuries in their leg and are currently hospitalised, but are stable, the officer said, adding that three members were arrested.

Police have seized three pistols with some live cartridges and house-breaking instruments, he said.

The Bangladeshi gang has been involved in committing robbery across Bangalore, Delhi and Kota, he said.

Police have managed to link some incidents connected in these cities to the gang. He said the gang members even resorted to committing rape and killing when they find an opportunity. PTI SLB AMP KJ

KJ
Sagar/ Damoh (MP), Nov 24 (PTI) Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed the people, claiming that he had not fulfilled promises of providing two crore jobs every year and "depositing" Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

The Congress chief was addressing a rally at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls will be held on November 28.

"Modiji has betrayed the people on the issue of providing jobs to two crore people every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh cash into their accounts by bringing (back) black money stashed abroad," Gandhi said.

Modi, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, had prominently highlighted the issue of black money and had promised to bring it back.

The fear of losing the 2019 general elections has created "hatred" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind against the Congress, Gandhi said addressing another rally at Damoh later.

The Congress chief said while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks with decency, Modi lacks it whenever he attacks the Congress and his family members.

"When you hear Modi's speech, he uses wrong words and speaks with hatred... and also speaks lies. The faith reposed by the people and youths in them has broken. Now, when Modi comes, people say he will speak lies," Gandhi said.

"He (Modi) speaks with hatred about me and my family, but Shivraj uses decent language. Modi doesn't know how to speak decently, but Rahul Gandhi will always maintain decency while speaking," he said.

"Though Chouhan has indulged in corruption, whenever he says anything against us, he speaks with decency," Gandhi added. PTI MAS ADU LAL NP ANB

ANB
\R Jaipur, Nov 24 (PTI) Thirty-three of the total 200 Rajasthan Assembly constituencies are witnessing a fight between the same candidates of the BJP and the Congress who had contested the 2013 state polls.

Both the parties have changed their candidates on 43 seats this time.

On the remaining 124 seats, the two major parties have decided to field new candidates.

Of the 33 seats, 29 are sitting BJP MLAs and four are Congress MLAs that included former chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Karanpur seat is witnessing a fight between Mines minister Surendra Pal Singh and former Congress minister Gurmeet Singh, who had lost 2013 election to Surendra Pal Singh with a margin of 3,853 votes, while Hanumagarh seat is being contested by Water Resources minister Ram Pratap and Congress candidate Vinod Chaudhary.

Chaudhary had faced defeat with a big margin of 30,487 votes but the Congress has fielded him again and the seat will witness a direct fight between both the candidates.

Former Congress minister Rajendra Pareek is in the fray in Sikar constituency, which was won by BJP's Ratan lal Jaldhari in 2013 with a margin of 13,015 votes.

The seat in Shekhwati region is all set to witness a triangular contest with Rashtriya Loktantrik Dal's Wahid Chauhan in the race.

Chauhan contested the last polls as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate and stood third by securing 29.10 per cent votes.

Former speaker and Congress candidate Deependra Singh Shekhaat is in fight with BJP's Jhabar Singh Kharra at Srimadhopur, while Chomu seat is also witnessing a direct fight between BJP MLA Ram Lal Sharma and Congress candidate Bhagwan Sahahi Saini.

The winning margin of Sharma was 44,473 in 2013.

Jaipur's hot seat civil lines is again witnessing the same fight like that of 2013 and the candidates are Social Justice and Empowerment minister Arun Chaturvedi and former Congress MLA Prapta Singh Khachariyawas.

Similar situation is in Malvia Nagar where Health minister Kalicharan Saraf is in a close battle with PCC vice president Archana Sharma.

Candidates are same but people will vote for the Congress on December 7 because there is high resentment among people against Saraf who is facing corruption charges and people are inclined towards Congress, Sharma said.

People want clean leadership and corruption-free government which is focussed on development and the BJP failed to deliver and therefore public is against the ruling party, she said.

Jayal seat of Nagaur district is also having repeat candidates and both are women named Manju.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained sitting MLA Manju Baghmar while the Congress has again fielded Manju Devi on the seat reserved for SC candidates.

Jodhpur's Sardarpura seat is witnessing contesting between sitting MLA and Gehlot who had defeated BJP's Shambhu Singh Khetasar with a margin of 18,478 votes.

Gehlot had the only advantage of caste factor. Apart from that, there is no charm of him. He did not work for his constituency and also often remained absent in the assembly. The issue in the assembly remains the same and unaddressed and I am confident that the BJP will win the seat this time, BJP candidate Shambhu Singh Khetasar said.

On the other hand, both the BJP and the Congress have changed their candidates in 43 constituencies.

Thirty four out of these 43 seats were won by the BJP in 2013 but the party dropped them this time and gave tickets to others which made some of such sitting MLAs, including ministers Rajkumar Rinwa (Ratangarh), Hem Singh Bhandana (Thanagaji) rebel.

As many as 2,294 candidates, including 189 women candidates, are contesting on 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan which is going to poll on December 7. PTI SDA KJ

KJ

KJ
BJP ex-servicemen press for demands in protest rally

Kolkata, Nov 24 (PTI) The BJP ex-servicemen cell on

Saturday organised a sit-in demonstration in central Kolkata,

accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress government of not doing

enough for former army personnel in the state.

"We demand that there should be formation of soldier

boards in all districts. There should also be proper allotment

of ex-servicemen quota in government jobs, at least 10 per

cent like in other states," said N Mohan Rai, convenor of BJP

ex-servicemen cell, West Bengal.

In other states, government allots shops or land to

the widows or family members of martyrs, but in Bengal, there

is no such provision, he said.

"We demand that the state government immediately look

into these issues," Rai added. PTI PNT

RBT RBT
Bengaluru, Nov 24 (PTI) The special investigation team (SIT), probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has named Hindu right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

The SIT submitted the 9,235-page charge sheet in the

Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday.

The charge sheet stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.

It also said the planning to kill Lankesh took place for almost five years.

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other

enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in certain

ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the

case further.

The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed

in May last.

Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning and strong

anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government

constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.

So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.

The gang is suspected to be involved in the killing of

three other rationalists M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and

Govind Pansare. PTI GMS ROH KJ

KJ

KJ
Gauri killing; SIT files additional charge sheet naming Hindu

outfit,says it was a 5-year plot

(Eds; Updating with more details, quotes, Sanstha reax)

Bengaluru, Nov 24 (PTI): The Special Investigation Team

(SIT) probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh

has named Hindu right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its

additional charge sheet filed before a city court.

In the 9,235-page charge sheet submitted before the

Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday evening, it was

also stated that the killing of Lankesh was plotted for almost

five years.

A network within the Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha targeted

Lankesh for no personal reasons, it said.

"Sanatan Sanstha members' involvement is there. We have

named them. We have also mentioned its allied organisation," a

top officer in the SIT told PTI here Saturday.

Reacting to the charge sheet, Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha

dismissed its alleged link with the killing of Lankesh, saying

none of the accused were its members.

"None of the accused are members of the Sanatan Sanstha.

So far, the SIT has not said this officially. If the SIT

mentions our name in the supplementary charge sheet, we will

fight it legally.

So far, we haven't got the copy (of the charge sheet),"

Chetan Rajhans, Sanstha's head of communication, told PTI over

phone.

"Other than this, if any organisation indulges in

maligning the name of the organisation without proof, it would

face legal consequences," Rajhans said.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who holds the Home

portfolio, Saturday said the government would soon take a call

on banning organisations involved in the killing of Lankesh.

"No discussions have taken place regarding the

organisations involved in the case, but we will shortly take a

decision on that," Parameshwara told reporters.

He also refused to divulge information about the

progress made in the investigation.

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other

enmity.

Why she was killed? Because she believed in a certain

ideology, she wrote and spoke on that.

So it must be an ideology and it must be an

organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the

case further.

The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed

in May last, eight months after 55-year old Lankesh, known for

her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead

in front of her house here on September 5 last year.

As the murder triggered national outrage and widespread

condemnation, the Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the

SIT to probe the killing.

So far, 18 people have been named as accused in the

crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol

Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT

sources said.

The gang is also allegedly linked with the killing of

three other rationalists M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and

Govind Pansare, the sources added. PTI GMS RA APR

APR APR
Chennai, Nov 24 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government Saturday expressed confidence that Governor Banwarilal Purohit would take a "decision" soon on its recommendation for the release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The governor "cannot be compelled" on the matter, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters here, even as the state cabinet's recommendation for their release is pending with him.

The three AIADMK men convicted in the killing of three women students in the 'Dharmapuri bus burning case' in 2000 recently walked free from prison because there was "no malafide intention" on their part, he said.

Officials had also explained to Purohit the case before he approved their release, he said.

Underlining the AIADMK government's "sincerity" towards the release of the seven convicts, Jayakumar said this was evident from the fact that the state cabinet met on a Sunday (September 9), where it decided to recommend to Purohit their release.

"It is a cabinet decision, which means not only the chief minister and ministers (were involved) but it was reflective of the sentiments of all Tamils. The fact that the cabinet meeting was held on a Sunday shows how sincere the government is for their release," he said.

However, "the governor cannot be compelled," he said.

"The governor cannot be compelled. The government has taken a cabinet decision and the governor will for sure respect it and take a due decision soon. That confidence is there," Jayakumar said.

The state cabinet had earlier decided to recommend to Purohit, the release of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini, all serving life imprisonment in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The decision was taken following the Supreme Court asking the governor to consider the mercy petition of Perarivalan seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur near here by an LTTE woman suicide bomber at an election rally.

Responding to the release of the three AIADMK men, Jayakumar said they were released as they had served over 10 years, besides there was "no malafide intention" in their action.

He also said the relevant departments had given due explanation to the governor on the matter, before he approved the files seeking their release.

A Nedunchezhian, G Ravindran and C Muniappan, serving life sentence for setting ablaze a bus in Dharmapuri that killed three women students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 2000, were released prematurely from the Vellore Central Prison on November 19.

They were released in commemoration of the birth centenary celebrations (2017-18) of former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, also AIADMK founder.

Soon after former chief minister J Jayalalithaa was convicted in the Pleasant Stay Hotel case on February 2, 2000 for allegedly flouting norms to favour a hotel at Kodaikanal, AIADMK workers held protests and a mob torched a varsity bus the same day in Dharmapuri.

Three students, Kokilavani, Gayathri and Hemalatha died in the blaze amid commotion while 44 other students and two college lecturers managed to escape.

The Raj Bhavan had later said Purohit approved their premature release after being satisfied that they would be "absorbed" by the society without any disturbance.

The decision was also taken based on grounds that the apex court had observed that the deaths took place in a state of mob frenzy and considering that the convicts had been in prison for 13 years.

Purohit eventually cleared them only after obtaining legal opinion from the state advocate general.

The Raj Bhavan had said that advocate general Vijay Narayan, chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and home secretary Niranjan Mardi had met the governor on October 31 "and said the three life convicts had no intention to kill and that they set fire to the bus in a state of mob frenzy." PTI SA BN BN ANB

ANB
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) A 60-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attacking a woman staff at his salon in south Delhi's Greater Kailash, following a quarrel between the two on Saturday, police said.

The 28-year-old woman was working at the salon of the accused. Following a fight between the two, the accused allegedly attacked the victim with a knife-like sharp item, a senior police officer said.

The victim, who sustained an injury on her hand, was rushed to a nearby hospital. Later, the woman was referred to AIIMS Trauma Centre, said Vijay Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (south).

The woman is stable now, police said, adding a case had been registered.

The accused has also been arrested in connection with the incident, the DCP said.

Meanwhile, further investigation is underway to ascertain the reason behind the incident, police said. PTI AMP HMB
Christmas can be costly for those who have to post presents for family and friends. Most will rely on Royal Mail to deliver gifts. But as the deadlines loom for the last postal dates for overseas destinations, queuing at a Post Office is not the only option.

The last postal date for Royal Mails international economy service has already passed. But there is still time to make use of Royal Mails Parcelforce division service  with December 17 the cut-off date for all parcels going abroad.

As a rule of thumb, for parcels sent within the UK or overseas, it makes sense to check out any Royal Mail deal first  and then use the quote to see if it can be bettered on a courier comparison site.

Money off: Depending on the size and weight of your item, you could cut a third or more off your postage

Websites such as My Parcel Delivery, Parcel Monkey, ParcelHero, Parcel2Go and ParcelCompare all scour the market to find the best value deal.

They will provide quotes from a range of courier services such as Hermes, DHL, UPS, TNT, DPD, Parcelforce, DX, CitySprint and Collect+.

Once you have picked a courier firm or broker, check out cashback websites such as TopCashback and Quidco. These often offer deals that can cut delivery costs further if you click through from their website to the chosen courier.

For example, TopCashback currently offers discounts ranging from 3.15 per cent with ParcelHero, 5.25 per cent with ipostparcels, through to 10.5 per cent with Parcelforce, My Parcel Delivery and ParcelBroker.

Andrew Hagger, a financial expert at website Moneycomms, says: Most people plump for Royal Mail without realising there are cheaper alternatives. Depending on the size and weight of your item, you could easily cut a third or more off your postage costs.

Christmas presents: Royal Mail is among the most competitive for smaller parcels, but it is expensive for the delivery of heavier items

Many couriers make life easier by letting people drop off goods at local shops  for example Asda, CostCutter, Nisa and Spar  as well as some independent stores. Hagger adds: With Hermes and ipostparcels, costs are even more competitive if you are able to drop off a parcel at a depot  rather than having it collected from your home.

With Royal Mail, sending a parcel within the UK weighing up to 1kg (measuring 45cm x 35cm x 16cm) costs from 2.95 second class and 3.45 first class. For a parcel weighing up to 2kg (same measurements), the price is 2.95 second class and 5.50 first class. All prices include up to 20 cover for loss or damage.

But while Royal Mail is among the most competitive for smaller parcels, it is expensive for the delivery of heavier items. For a 20kg parcel measuring 61cm x 46cm x 46cm prices start from 28.55 second class and 33.40 first class.

Via comparison website Parcel2Go, the 20kg parcel could be posted for as little as 5.85 using InPost 24, 5.85 with UPS Access Point, and 6.79 with DX24.

All these prices are for next- day delivery and include 20 protection.

There is also the option to send the same 20kg parcel to a UK address with ParcelForce. Royal Mail uses ParcelForce Worldwide to post many items to customers both in the UK and overseas.

A 20kg parcel delivered to a UK address would cost 28.80 via ParcelForce Worldwide express 48. This guarantees delivery in two working days and includes up to 100 for loss or damage. But this is still more expensive than Parcel2Go.

Civil servant Neil Saunders has saved a fortune by using a courier rather than Royal Mail.

Neil, 47, from Burgess Hill in West Sussex, has sent packages via ipostparcels  part of DHL  for the last few Christmases to his young nephews in New Zealand. This Christmas, Neil is planning to send two parcels.

He says: Royal Mail quoted me between 120 and 180 to send the two items. By contrast, ipostparcels quoted between 80 and 100  a potential saving of 100.

With ipostparcels, you have to create the label and postal dockets yourself using the website but it hardly takes any time.

There is also the handy option to get packages picked up from your home.
A relentless drive to paperless billing by energy suppliers, telecoms providers, banks and insurers has prompted an outcry from readers of The Mail on Sunday who say the trend is disgraceful and discriminatory.

Companies are desperate to cut costs by emailing bills or statements rather than delivering hard copies in the post. So much so that many customers are now charged a fee if they choose to continue receiving a paper bill.

Though some consumers are happy with the move away from paper bills, many are not. It penalises people who do not use a computer, have poor internet connection at home or just like analysing their household expenditure on paper.

Paperless bills: Companies claim they are saving the planet, but customers says it's a rip off

Companies typically suggest consumers can print bills at home. But this contradicts their argument that axing paper bills helps save the planet, and many households do not have a printer.

Since The Mail on Sunday highlighted the issue three weeks ago, dozens of readers have contacted us to tell how they have suffered from companies drive to wipe out paper bills and statements.

HOW CUSTOMERS ARE UNFAIRLY PENALISED

Robert and Marjorie (names have been changed) are pensioners in their 80s and are outraged at the inflated prices energy suppliers charge for offline accounts.

They live in Surrey and use EDF Energy for electricity and gas. When Robert enquired about a cheaper tariff earlier this year he was told they were on the best deal for offline customers.

But the difference between their deal and the cheapest for online customers receiving bills via email was 438 a year  amounting to a monthly paper penalty of 36.50.

EDF Energy says it is more cost-effective to run online-only accounts, particularly when customers pay by direct debit.

Barred: Dave Pettifer could not get TalkTalk bills by email

And it says the annual difference in cost for an average household on the keenest paper-based tariff compared to an online-only alternative is just 20.

But Robert says: The truth is that customers who do not use the internet are being ripped off. It is unregulated discrimination and profiteering and unacceptable that we should be penalised in this way.

A spokeswoman for EDF Energy says: The differences individual customers see in price will be based on a range of factors, including how much energy they consume.

We offer our customers a diverse range of tariffs with different servicing and payment options to suit their needs. A wide range of factors affect how our prices are set.

The company also points out that its electricity is backed by low-carbon generation.

In another glaring example, pensioner Dave Pettifer, 73, told how he is being prevented from going paperless by his phone and broadband provider TalkTalk because, incredibly, it says it is unable to send bills to his TalkTalk email address.

He agreed to paperless billing to eliminate the 2-a-month charge for receiving communication by post.

Dave, who lives near Hastings in East Sussex, says: I have no idea why this is the case as I have never been given an explanation.

He provided an alternative email, but this was also rejected because TalkTalk said it was already in use on another account. He suspects this may be from a previous contract he had with the company.

Many customers are now charged a fee if they choose to continue receiving a paper bill

The telecoms firm asked for a third email address before it could waive the paper bill fee. Dave refused and complained to the company, but he has yet to get anywhere, being met with several apologetic letters and correspondence with different complaint reference numbers.

He adds: I am disappointed, not only in the shambolic way my complaint has been handled but also how it is that TalkTalk cannot seem to send out bills to me by email.

A spokesman for TalkTalk says: We apologise for Mr Pettifers recent experience. The email address has now been updated and we have provided credit to cover the paper bill charges applied.

Reader Pauline Quail was angered by Nationwide Building Societys decision to cease annual paper statements for savers.

She was also recently informed her travel insurer would no longer send policy documents in the post. Pauline says: This lack of choice, forcing people to rely on the internet, is relentless.

Meanwhile, another reader, Susan Cowley, says the lack of a paper bill from her water company means she now owes a considerable debt.

Realising she had not received a bill for a while, she contacted the utility provider, only to discover that her account had been cancelled in error because it thought she had moved house. Others call the ruthless promotion of bills by email disgraceful and an erosion of choice.

FINAL WORD

Judith Donovan is chairwoman of Keep Me Posted, a campaign seeking to protect and promote choice in how customers receive bills.

She argues that the cost of paper bills  estimated at between 30 and 45p  is not a reasonable excuse for axing them.

She says: Companies offering paper bills often charge significantly more than it costs them. It represents a penalty to vulnerable customers who have no alternative. All customers should have the right to choose how they receive information from providers.

She adds: Businesses incur costs  that is how markets work. There is also a cost for maintaining branches, stores and phone lines.

To find out more about the fight to protect choice visit keepmeposteduk.com or write to the campaign for an information pack at Keep Me Posted, PO Box 72064, London EC4P 4DZ.
One of the countrys top fund managers, dubbed by some financial experts as son of Neil Woodford, insists his well-tested investment process will eventually come good.

The claim, made by Mark Barnett of major investment house Invesco, comes as the latest performance statistics show he is delivering returns for fund investors way below those of all his immediate rivals bar Woodford.

Barnett replaced Woodford as head of UK equities at Invesco in early 2014 after the latter set up his own investment group. He now manages Invesco Income and High Income, the two multi-billion pound funds previously run by Woodford, as well as two other UK-focused funds and investment trusts Edinburgh and Perpetual Income & Growth.

Losses: Mark Barnett replaced Neil Woodford at major firm Invesco

Data from financial information group Citywire confirms that over the past three years, the average return generated on the UK equity income investment funds Barnett manages is minus 1.4 per cent. This ranks him 84th out of the 85 equity income managers embraced by Citywires analysis.

Over the same period, the best managers have achieved total returns in excess of 30 per cent, comfortably outperforming the FTSE All Share Index. Woodfords average loss is a dismal 12 per cent.

Frank Talbot, head of investment research at Citywire, says that Barnetts average performance has been bottom decile  in the worst 10 per cent of his peer group  on a rolling three-year basis for all of the past 12 months.

Over the summer, wealth manager Tilney included High Income, Income and Strategic Income on its list of spot the dog (serially underperforming) funds.

The fact that Barnett and Woodford occupy the bottom two positions has led to claims that Barnett has done little to change the way the funds he inherited are run  hence the son of Woodford label.

This is vehemently denied by Invesco which insists each fund he runs reflects his own convictions and is actively managed.

Others describe him more cruelly as the David Moyes of Invesco, as big a let-down as Moyes was when given the job of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Patrick Connolly, a chartered financial planner with Chase de Vere, continues to hold Invesco Income and High Income for clients. But he has not recommended the funds for more than a year.

He says: Barnett has underperformed significantly. This is for a number of reasons including a focus on domestic UK companies that have been hurt by a weak sterling.

On Friday, Invesco acknowledged that Barnetts underperformance had resulted from the funds exposure to sterling and UK-sourced revenues, a refusal to invest in mining companies (which had performed strongly), and isolated stock challenges.

But it remains convinced the most compelling investment opportunities within the UK stock market are be found in the domestic sectors that Barnetts funds are heavily exposed to.

It added: Mr Barnett continues to evaluate and re-evaluate the holdings in the funds, seeking the best opportunities to create a sustainable flow of dividend income. He believes at a time of irrational market pricing, it is vital he remains rooted to his investment strategy.
Although it is still early days for investment house Blue Whale Capital, it has got off to a rather good start.

Set up in 2016 by investment manager Stephen Yiu and billionaire Peter Hargreaves, the companys flagship fund  Blue Whale Growth  is quietly doing what it set out to do.

That is to outperform most of its 300-odd global fund rivals and its main benchmark, the MSCI World Index  a proxy for the performance of world equities.

Promising start: Blue Whale Growth outperforms most of its 300-odd global fund rivals

Since launch in September last year, the fund has delivered a return of 12 per cent  in excess of the index (up five per cent) and the average global fund (up two per cent).

For Yiu, it is vindication of his investment process based on a mix of hard work and meticulous research.

For Hargreaves, it represents a handsome paper profit on the 25million of family money he invested in the fund at launch  and confirmation that the wily co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown is backing a winner in Yiu.

The paths of Yiu and Hargreaves crossed at Hargreaves Lansdown in the early 2000s when Yiu was employed as an investment analyst. Yiu then decided to become a fund manager at investment house New Star (now absorbed into Janus Henderson), Artemis and latterly at hedge fund Nevsky Capital.

When Martin Taylor, founder of Nevsky, decided to call time on the hedge fund in 2016, Yiu set up Blue Whale Capital in partnership with Hargreaves as senior partner.

He also brought on board three investment colleagues from Nevsky  Rob Lloyd, Dan Allcock and Matt Stonebridge  plus Xiao Cai to form the companys investment team.

Although Hargreaves is Blue Whale Capitals chairman, he is not involved in how the investment fund is managed. As for the companys name, Yius choice, it signifies his ambition to be a significant investment fish in an ocean swarming with others that most of the time provide investors with mediocre returns.

Today, Blue Whale Growth has 80million of assets under management. The fund is invested worldwide with two thirds of its exposure being in the United States. It has just 28 holdings.

While the fund only holds companies in the hope of their share price rising in value  unlike Nevsky which often bet on share prices falling  Yiu says Blue Whale Growth is run on many of the investment processes that were key at his former employer.

He says: What we are trying to do is buy good companies at good prices. But we dont then just sit back. We are constantly re-evaluating all our holdings to assess whether they continue to remain attractive. If they do not  maybe because their business model has been disrupted by a rival  we sell out and look elsewhere for value.

The result is that ten holdings have been sold since the fund launched. Companies Adobe, Alphabet and Microsoft have remained top ten holdings throughout.

For those wondering whether Blue Whale Growth represents a good investment, the fund offers pluses and minuses. On the positive side, it provides diversification outside the UK stock market. Also Hargreaves does not back losers.

On the negative side, Blue Whale is an unknown quantity so as an investor you are treading a little into the unknown.

Its emphasis on technology stocks also means the funds performance will suffer when stock markets slide as has happened over the past three months  and last week. At most, it should represent a slither of a broad investment portfolio.
Stepping down: SSP boss Kate Swann

In 1996, people living in the UK took 26million holidays abroad. The number rose to 45million last year and it will almost certainly be higher still in 2018.

Most of those travellers ate or drank at an outlet run by SSP Group, which operates bars, restaurants and cafes ranging from Upper Crust and Ritazza to Yo! Sushi and Burger King to the James Martin Kitchen and Le Grand Comptoir.

Originally focused on UK train stations and airports, the company now operates around the world including the US, Brazil, the Philippines and most of Europe.

Floated on the stock market at 2.10 in 2014, the shares were recommended by Midas a year later at 3.03. On Friday, they closed at 6.46 and are likely to continue gaining ground.

SSP has been led for the past five years by Kate Swann, who is one of the most highly-regarded chief executives in the retail trade.

Swann gained her spurs at WH Smith, transformed under her tenure from a struggling high street group into a fast-growing chain, focused on airports, motorway service stations, railways and hospitals.

Last week, as Swann unveiled robust annual results at SSP, she said she is stepping down next year and handing over to Simon Smith, who runs the group's UK and Irish business. The shares fell in response, losing almost 10 per cent in three days.

SSP has been led for the past five years by Kate Swann

This seems unfair. Smith has worked with Swann for 15 years, initially at WH Smith and latterly at SSP. At WH Smith, he helped mastermind the growth of the travel division. At SSP, he has made the business more efficient and improved profits here and in Ireland.

It is also worth noting how Smiths has fared since Swann's departure. Having decided to move on when the company was in rude health  much like SSP  she left it in the capable hands of her sidekick, Stephen Clarke.

Smiths' shares have more than trebled under his tenure. Today, Swann will be hoping that Simon Smith can do something similar at SSP, particularly as she is one of the largest shareholders with 4.6million shares.

MIDAS VERDICT: Investors who bought in 2015 have had a good run and may be tempted to sell or reduce their holdings. Now is not the time, however. SSP has plenty of growth potential, Smith should prove an able successor to Swann and most analysts believe the shares should rise to almost 8 in the next year. New investors may even view last week's dip as a buying opportunity.
Theres probably only one way that Brexit has united the whole country. The current chaos has left everyone worrying what the impact on their pockets will be after it comes in  or if it doesnt.

A study commissioned by TheCityUK indicated that a no-deal scenario (in which goods imported from the EU will be subject to World Trade Organization tariffs) would cost Britain 27billion a year, or nearly 1,000 per household.

Since the referendum vote, the price of energy, groceries, and mortgages have all been on the up.

A no-deal Brexit would cost Britain 27billion a year - amounting to nearly 1,000 a household

Nic Gray is a financial expert and futurologist from innovation specialists Fluxx, which has advised Selfridges, Argos, Mars Wrigley, banks like Lloyds and even the government on the trends that will (and wont) affect their businesses.

Gray told the MailOnline exclusively: There are eight things anyone can do right now, in less than an hour, to make back the possible 1000 cost, and cushion the blow if the worst-case scenario with Brexit happens.

1) Sign up with Labrador  the end of worrying about whether to switch energy providers and to which one

11 million Brits overpay for energy by 360 a year on average. Switching energy providers can prevent this but a lot of us see either looking into it or actually doing it (i.e. in practical terms both) as a chore and somehow possibly hazardous.

Even then it can be hard to know whether youve really saved money. Labrador solves all these problems. Sign up with Labrador and they will regularly check you are on the right plan, switch providers if and when necessary, saving you an estimated 537 a year.

This is Money says: The saving of 537 will only apply to a small number of households - big energy users who have never switched before and then switch to the lowest possible tariff. But it is fair to say that households who have never switched or not switched for years could save hundreds. And Labrador does seem to make the whole thing easier.

2) Sign up with Trussle  and guarantee a lifetime with the best deals for your mortgage

Savings: Looking online can potentially save customers money on a variety of household costs

Trussle is the UKs first online mortgage broker with a process that is brilliantly designed. Sign up to Trussle and it will find you the best mortgage (tracker, fixed or variable) so you can switch and you never end up on lenders standard rates again - even if youre within your fixed rate period with all fees taken into account.

The website makes it easy to upload all the information that lenders need. And it even has real people available that we can talk to answer any queries about the details of the deals.

This is Money says: Theres a number of online mortgage advisers available now including Habito, Trussle, Dashly, Mojo, Mortgage Gym, Hooski and Hoocht. An important thing to note however  many of these services claim to monitor your mortgage on an ongoing basis and alert you when you could save by switching.

That claim is not always true and in order to monitor whether you could save, youll have to manually update your information yourself each month. If you want a firm that does check continuously and automatically for you, This is Money would suggest Dashly.

3) Use the app Zebra  to get cheaper fuel delivered to your car at no extra cost

Zebra Fuel comes to people's houses to refuel their car but so far is only available in London

Zebra is an app anyone can download from the app store that brings fuel directly to your car, wherever you are. No more trips to the forecourt, just use Zebra to say where you have parked (at the station you took the train to work from in the morning, the supermarket where youre doing your weekly shop, your home, your friends house, anywhere).

Then leave your fuel door subtly unlocked and Zebra will come and fill you up with fuel that is cheaper than your local forecourt.

This is Money says: The issue with Zebra is that it is currently only available in some bits of London and it also only offers diesel at the moment - not petrol. By comparison, the average price of diesel, according to RAC's Fuel Watch is 135.61p a litre. Zebra's diesel currently costs 135.5p a litre - coming in slightly cheaper. However, this is without the addition of delivery costs.

4) Use search engines Quidco or Topcashback rather than Google  to make big savings while online shopping

Massive amounts of cash-back is available when you purchase things like clothes, holidays, or insurance via a cash-back website rather than Google or other search engines.

Canny customers can get hundreds of pounds cash back a year. When you want to buy something online, simply find the place thats selling it cheapest using the search engine of your choice (Google for instance).

Then go to Quidco or TopCashBack and check if they have a deal on that retailer. If so, just purchase via the cashback website rather than your search engine. They also often have 1015 per cent discounts on big brands available.

This is Money says: There are so many money-saving websites and apps these days, it can be hard to know which one to choose. Search engines like Quidco and TopCashBack are great for specific products but apps like Vouchercloud are also worth checking as they can give customers money off for shops and restaurants in their local area.

5) Download either Pouch or Honey  to automatically receive discount voucher codes on a huge range of products and services

Honey is a browser extension that automatically finds voucher codes for you

There is no excuse for paying full price for anything online anymore as there are so many offers available if you look for them. Or rather use Pouch, a free browser extension that saves you time and money by automatically finding and filling in discount voucher codes if they exist for the goods/products you are buying.

Go to Pouch and download it onto your computer and click on it whenever you check out or shop online. This will ensure you are paying the lowest price possible. Honey does the same thing.

This is Money says: Gone are the days when people have to hunt around to find the cheapest price. Nowadays, it is all done for you. Apps and browser extensions that can automatically give you the best offers available on that site are proving to increase in popularity.

It is worth exercising caution when choosing an extension though  make sure that whatever youre installing on to your computer or smartphone is safe, secure and will protect your personal details.

6) Download the app Chip  and make extra interest on the money youve already saved

Saving has been made easy with Chip, and fruitful too because they will give you 5 per cent interest if you use their savings account. Download the app and you wont even notice the money is gone because Chip uses algorithms to work out how much you can afford to save each month without feeling the pinch.

This is Money says: Whilst the app is beneficial in helping users organize their money, there is a catch when it comes to the five per cent interest that is promised. It is only available once someone has recommended their friends to the service  customers will get one per cent interest every time that they recommend a friend, up to five per cent total.

7) Download the app Hopper  to guarantee you find the fairest airfares

Download the Hopper app from the app store and tell it where you want to go in the world. As flight prices fluctuate, it will keep an eye on them for you, track trends, and tell you when it has found the best time to grab the fairest airfare to your ideal destination - for example, the best price once all the extra charges for luggage and other add on's have been included.

This is Money says: Whilst Hopper can be a useful tool for prospective travelers, it is not the first website to track cheap flights. Skyscanner is a flight comparison website that has dominated the market for some years and will tell customers how much flights are for thousands of different routes around the world.

8) Sign up with Neomy  to get the best deals on exchange rates

Sign up with Neomy and it will track changes to the exchange rates you care about and then (through emails) suggest when a particular exchange rate is good, bad, or unchanged based on recent trends.

This is Money says: With Brexit on the horizon, exchange rates have been  and will continue to  fluctuate dramatically. An app that keeps an eye on them for you will definitely be beneficial for those looking to travel abroad.

It will also be worth checking other sources for exchange rates to make sure that youre getting a good deal for your money. MoneySavingExpert has a good travel money price comparison too.
BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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Hunt Mining Corp., a mineral exploration company, explores for mineral properties in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The company explores for gold, silver, and base metal deposits. Its principal properties include the La Josefina project located to the northwest of the city of Rio Gallegos, in the Santa Cruz province; Mina Martha project located in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina; La Valenciana project located on the central-north area of the Santa Cruz Province, Argentina; Bajo Pobre property located to the south of the town of Las Heras; and El Gateado property located in the north-central part of Santa Cruz province. Hunt Mining Corp. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Liberty Lake, Washington. Hunt Mining Corp. is a subsidiary of Hunt Family Limited Partnership.

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Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG.

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Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 433,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 98,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,233 megawatts (MW), including 59 MW of solar capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,048,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 572,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 67,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 270,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 31,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 15,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 91,000 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 49,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.

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Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.

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Madrid

Some of Amazon's workers in Europe are protesting against what they call unfair work conditions, in a move meant to disrupt operations on Black Friday.

Labor groups representing workers at Amazon Spain said that around 90 percent of workers at a logistics depot near Madrid joined a walkout Friday. Only two people were at the loading bay, said Douglas Harper of the CCOO trade union confederation.

Amazon challenged the unions' walkout figures, saying in a statement that most staff had turned up for work at the depot.

On a picket line, 38-year-old employee Eduardo Hernandez said the walkout intended to hurt the company financially.

"It is one of the days that Amazon has most sales, and these are days when we can hurt more and make ourselves be heard because the company has not listened to us and does not want to reach any agreement," said Hernandez, who has worked for five years at Amazon.

Unions in Britain said they would stage protests at five sites to complain about safety conditions. Amazon said the safety record at its warehouses is above the industry average.

In Germany, workers walked off the job at Amazon distribution centers in Rheinberg and Bad Hersfeld as part of a years-long push for higher pay, the ver.di union said.

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The union argues Amazon employees receive lower wages than others in retail and mail-order jobs. Amazon says its distribution warehouses in Germany are logistics centers and employees earn relatively high wages for that industry.

While Black Friday discounts have traditionally been a U.S. retail event, companies have increasingly been offering discounts in other countries too.
London

In the battle for online privacy, Google is a U.S. Goliath facing a handful of European Davids.

The backlash over Big Tech's collection of personal data offers new hope to a number of little-known search engines that promise to protect user privacy.

Sites like Britain's Mojeek , France's Qwant , Unbubble in Germany and Swisscows don't track user data, filter results or show "behavioral" ads.

These sites are growing amid the rollout of new European privacy regulations and numerous corporate data scandals, which have raised public awareness about the mountains of personal information companies stealthily gather and sell to advertisers.

Widespread suspicion in Europe about Google's stranglehold on internet searches has also helped make the continent a spawning ground for secure searching. Europe is particularly sensitive to privacy issues because spying by the Nazi-era Gestapo and the secret services in the Soviet Union is still within living memory.

"For us, it's all about citizens and citizens have the right to privacy," said Eric Leandri, chairman of Paris-based Qwant. He said that view contrasts with the mindset across the Atlantic, where internet users are seen as consumers whose rights are dictated by the terms of their agreements with tech companies.

Traffic numbers show interest is rising. Qwant's queries tripled to 10 billion in 2017. On a monthly basis, it's getting 80 million visits while requests are growing 20 percent. Leandri says the site now accounts for 6 percent of search engine market share in France, its biggest market.

Qwant is even getting official support. Last month the French army and parliament both said they would drop Google and use Qwant as their default search engine, as part of efforts to reclaim European "digital sovereignty."

The site doesn't use tracking cookies or profile users, allowing it to give two different users the exact same result. It has built its own index of 20 billion pages covering French, German and Italian and plans to expand it to about two dozen other languages, for which results come from Microsoft's Bing.

To be sure, Google's in no danger of toppling. The company based in Mountain View, Calif., accounts for three-quarters or more of global market share, depending on whom you ask, and rules the mobile market with its Android operating system.

Mojeek, based in Brighton, England, operates on similar principles and has so far cataloged 2 billion webpages. The company says it gets 200,000 unique visitors a month and search queries have quintupled over the past year.

Another British startup, Oscobo, does anonymous searches for users with results licensed from Yahoo/Bing. Netherlands-based Startpage anonymizes Google results, stripping out ads and tracking.

Pat Walshe, a U.K.-based privacy consultant, has been using Startpage and Qwant for years and says has never felt their services were inferior to Google's.

"I don't think people would go back if they started using these sites," Walshe said. They're "allowing you to have greater choice and control and should hopefully minimize the tracking," which means you'll no longer see, for example, the same ad for a pair of shoes following you around online, he said.

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Walshe likes Startpage's new "anonymous view" feature, which goes a step further by letting users browse a copy of a website from its search results, not the actual site.

Germany's Unbubble is a "meta-search" site, sending encrypted queries to more than 30 other search engines. It promises neutral results rather than ones filtered by an algorithm catering to personal biases.

Outside Europe, there's also U.S. site DuckDuckGo.

Some privacy search operators say it's equally important to help users avoid "filter bubbles," in which content is pre-selected by the likes of Google and Facebook based on previous searches and other data.

"The main idea is to provide neutral information and allow people to depend less on machine learning-based filters," said Unbubble founder Tobias Sasse. "If you are using Google today, perhaps you'll notice that there is always the same mainstream information," preventing people from seeing the "great diversity" online, he said.

Some sites rely on donations, others from "affiliate advertising"  links from shopping sites that pay a commission but don't target or track users. That's different from Google's behavioral, or targeted, ads that come up based on your search history, which many find creepy and invasive.

In Switzerland, a country whose banking sector became a byword for secrecy, Swisscows has thrived, with monthly search queries jumping by nearly half to 20 million from a year ago, said founder Andreas Wiebe, who also runs software company Hulbee.

Even so, Wiebe said he met plenty of skepticism at the start. "In 2014, I had people talking to me (saying) 'you're crazy'," and that the project would be dead within a year. Instead, National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden's revelations of U.S. government surveillance in 2015 gave it a kickstart.
In the most significant strike against Chinese interests in Pakistan in years, three militants assaulted the Chinese Consulate in Karachi on Friday, killing two police officers and two civilians at a checkpoint before being gunned down by security forces.

On a day of violence that included a bombing that killed at least 30 people in northwestern Pakistan, the attack on the consulate was a rare moment of upheaval for a tightening economic and strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.

A Twitter account associated with the Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist group in the province of Baluchistan, said that three of its members had "embraced martyrdom" in an attack on the Chinese Consulate. A spokesman for the group was quoted by Reuters as accusing China of "exploiting our resources."

Pakistan has been a showcase for China's international development program, the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, in recent years. China is estimated to have spent some $62 billion on those projects in Pakistan. A transportation corridor being built through Baluchistan is one of the most strategic projects associated with the initiative.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Pakistan's National Assembly that the first attacker at the consulate Friday detonated an explosive vest, while the other two opened fire and tried to rush toward the area where visas are issued. Officials later said that two Pakistani civilians, a father and son, were also killed in the attack.

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Prime Minister Imran Khan issued a statement on Twitter insisting that such attacks could not shake the relationship between China and Pakistan. He said the strike had clearly been intended "to scare Chinese investors."

The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad later issued a statement extending condolences and expressing faith in Pakistani security, adding that any attempt to undermine the countries' relationship was "doomed to fail."

After the attack in Karachi, another bombing  this one in the Orakzai region of northwestern Pakistan  showed the continuing threat posed by militants on a separate front.

At least 30 people were killed and 40 or more wounded when a bomb blast ripped through a fruit and vegetable market in the Hangu district there, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing.
Washington

A major scientific report issued by 13 federal agencies Friday presents the starkest warnings to date of the consequences of climate change for the United States, predicting that if significant steps are not taken to rein in global warming, the damage will knock as much as 10 percent off the size of the U.S. economy by century's end.

The report, which was mandated by Congress and made public by the White House, is notable not only for the precision of its calculations and bluntness of its conclusions, but also because its findings are directly at odds with President Donald Trump's agenda of environmental deregulation, which he asserts will spur economic growth.

Trump has taken aggressive steps to allow more planet-warming pollution from vehicle tailpipes and power plant smokestacks, and has vowed to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, under which nearly every country in the world pledged to cut carbon emissions.

But in direct language, the 1,656-page assessment lays out the devastating effects of a changing climate on the economy, health and environment. Going forward, American exports and supply chains could be disrupted, agricultural yields could fall to 1980s levels by midcentury and fire season could spread to the Southeast, the report finds.

All told, the report says, climate change could slash up to a tenth of gross domestic product by 2100, more than double the losses of the Great Recession a decade ago.

Scientists who worked on the report said it did not appear that administration officials had tried to alter or suppress its findings. However, several noted that the timing of its release appeared designed to minimize its public impact.

Still, the report could become a legal tool for opponents of Trump's efforts to dismantle climate change policy, experts said.

"This report will weaken the Trump administration's legal case for undoing climate change regulations and it strengthens the hands of those who go to court to fight them," said Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton.

The report is the second volume of the National Climate Assessment, which the federal government is required by law to produce every four years. The first volume was issued last year.

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The report puts the most precise price tags to date on the cost to the U.S. economy of projected climate impacts: $141 billion from heat-related deaths, $118 billion from sea level rise and $32 billion from infrastructure damage by the end of the century.

The findings come a month after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued its most alarming and specific report about the severe economic and humanitarian crises expected to hit the world by 2040.

But the new report also emphasizes that the outcomes depend on how the United States and other countries take action to mitigate global warming. The authors put forth three main solutions: putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions, which usually means imposing taxes or fees on companies that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; establishing government regulations on how much greenhouse pollution can be emitted; and spending public money on clean-energy research.

The Environmental Protection Agency referred questions on the report to the White House; spokesmen for the White House did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Colonie

A Colonie police officer was injured Friday evening after his cruiser collided with another car at the intersection of Watervliet-Shaker and Old Loudon roads.

The unidentified officer, a 20-year veteran, was taken to Albany Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition with "non-life threatening" injuries, according to Colonie Sgt. John O'Donnell.

The other driver, a 56-year-old Latham man whose identity also was not released by police, was taken to Albany Memorial Hospital complaining of chest pain. His vehicle was traveling north on Old Loudon Road.

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At the time of the 7:15 p.m. collision, the police cruiser was traveling west on Watervliet-Shaker Road, and using its emergency lights and siren, said O'Donnell. The officer was responding to an unspecified call for assistance from another unidentified police agency, he added.

Alcohol and drugs were ruled out as factors in the collision, he said. Any witnesses to the incident were asked to contact Colonie police at (518) 783-2744.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Mouzon House, the restaurant that successfully stalled a parking garage project that would tower over its business, has signed off on the city's latest plan to ease its parking woes.

David Pedinotti, co-owner of the farm-to-table eatery on York Street, said he and his wife Dianne Pedinotti have agreed to the Flat Rock Centre concept approved by City Council on Tuesday night. Not only does it pull the five-story garage farther away from its entry, the design also includes a park, a connection to the yet-to-be complete Greenbelt Trail and the reopening of the long-capped Flat Rock mineral spring.

"As long as they keep the concept that they have done, we are happy with it," David Pedinotti said. "It shows off the park, its shows off the restaurant. We think it's great. We can't complain about it."

The Pedinottis sued the city and the Saratoga Springs City Center in 2015 saying its $10.4 million five-story parking garage would overshadow its business, shade its solar panels in violation of the city's solar ordinance and destroy the restaurant by cutting it off from the city's downtown. The new concept, which does not yet have a price tag, pulls the garage 50 feet away from the front of the restaurant and cuts out another 50-foot square so that diners can have a view of newly created green space on High Rock Avenue.

"We are not impossible people," said Pedinotti who dropped his suit against the city. "We just wanted to be noticed by the city and the City Center as a viable business. Before, they seemed to completely ignore us, didn't care about us at all."

Tuesday's resolution allows the City Center to move forward with a design-build team for what its Executive Director Ryan McMahon said will be a realistic vision for the 754-parking space garage. He said this is the right direction for the city to head because the city hotels, restaurants and businesses lost about $2.8 million in the last 18 months because some convention organizations decided against Saratoga Springs because of its parking problem.

His claim was echoed by Todd Shimkus, president and executive of the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce, and a number of business owners who spoke on Tuesday, saying that their customers complain about not being able to park.

"It's a quantifiable loss," McMahon said. "We also have a number of repeat clients who raise bigger and bigger concerns about parking. If we lose them, it would have approximately a $15 million impact on the city."

The 2015 garage design had an estimated 480 parking spots on the city's 2.62 acres. Currently, 277 cars can park in the paved lot, which sits behind City Hall between Maple and High Rock avenues.

In July, Michael Ingersoll of LA Group, which created the concept, told the City Council that to erect a garage, the cost would be about $18,000 per parking space. That would calculate to a cost of an estimated $13.94 million, if 754 spaces were created. McMahon said there is a "general consensus" that 754 is too much parking.

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Mayor Meg Kelly has said in City Council meeting that the city has applied for a state Regional Economic Development Council grant. It is unclear what amount was requested in the Consolidated Funding application. McMahon said grant money will be supplemented by hotel taxes and fees charged to park there.

In addition to the parking, the Flat Rock Centre would preserve the original design's walkway over Maple Avenue to the City Center. It would add green space on the side and behind the Mouzon House. A city-managed commercial building and solar panels are also part of the project's design.

Kelly, who did not respond to a Times Union phone call Friday, said in a July council meeting that Flat Rock Centre "will be compatible and complementary to commercial Broadway's urban core." She also said it would expand year-round tourism.

Pedinotti believes the new concept is a better use of the parking lot behind City Hall.

"The thing I was concerned about more than anything was that how it was going to overshadow us." Pedinotti said. "The new concept allows us to be part of the community."
Washington

Jerome Corsi, a conspiracy theorist and ally of the former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone, is in plea negotiations with prosecutors working on the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

A person familiar with the talks said the prosecutors had presented Corsi with evidence he had not been truthful when investigators asked him whether he knew beforehand that WikiLeaks was going to publish emails stolen from Democratic computers during the campaign.

The special counsel, Robert Mueller, and his team are trying to discover whether anyone connected with the Trump campaign knew of or cooperated with the Russian intelligence operatives who hacked the Democratic systems and funneled the emails to WikiLeaks to undercut Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Although Corsi apparently had no direct connection to the Trump campaign, he was in touch with Stone, a former campaign adviser who communicated with senior campaign officials through the election. Stone claimed during the campaign he had a back channel to WikiLeaks, but now says he was merely bluffing to unsettle Clinton's team. Stone also communicated with Guccifer 2.0, the online persona used by one or more Russian intelligence operatives who hacked the Democratic systems.

Although Corsi, 72, insisted in an interview two weeks ago with The New York Times that he had told investigators the truth, the special counsel's office has decided his text messages and emails contradict some of his statements about whether he knew details about the purloined materials before they were released, according to people familiar with those discussions.

David Gray, Corsi's lawyer, could not immediately be reached for comment on the plea talks, which were reported earlier by The Washington Post.

Federal investigators have questioned a host of Stone's associates about his relationship with WikiLeaks. Three senior Trump campaign officials have told them that Stone created the impression he was a conduit of information from WikiLeaks, according to people familiar with the inquiry.

One said Stone not only seemed to predict WikiLeaks' actions, but also took credit afterward for disclosures that damaged Clinton's campaign.

Corsi is among a string of witnesses who have recently testified before a federal grand jury about the matter. In the interview with The Times, he said prosecutors quizzed him for about 40 hours, then warned his lawyer that the next phase of their talks would involve a possible plea agreement.

"I took that to mean they were planning to indict me" on charges of lying to federal authorities, Corsi said. "I still believe I've told them the truth, and to the best of my ability and the best of my recollection," he added, but "my memory of 2016 is not perfect, by any means."

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Asked about the plea talks Friday, Stone said, "My friend Dr. Corsi has been under a tremendous amount of pressure, and it is beginning to affect him profoundly." Stone insisted, as he has repeatedly, that he had only secondhand information, at best, about WikiLeaks' plans to disrupt the presidential race.

Among other issues, investigators have been asking about an Aug. 21, 2016, Twitter message in which Stone predicted that John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman, would soon face his "time in the barrel."

Stone posted his message six weeks before WikiLeaks began releasing tens of thousands of Podesta's emails, throwing the Clinton campaign on the defensive a month before the November election.

Corsi has publicly backed Stone's explanation of the message, saying Stone was predicting that Podesta would face controversy about his overseas business dealings, not stolen emails. "Having reviewed my records, I am now confident that I am the source behind Stone's tweet," he wrote in an early 2017 article on Infowars, a site that promotes conspiracy theories.

In a broadcast on YouTube this month, Corsi insisted he had possessed no inside information or ties to Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.
A year ago, several days before Thanksgiving, my mother was sent into hospice care to die. She was weak and declining by the hour. Three doctors told us that a nasty blood condition called sepsis would soon stop her heart.

I had a hunch they were wrong.

The facility near her home in Salt Lake City was short-staffed because it was Thanksgiving weekend. I couldn't persuade a doctor to come in and see her, and I felt as if my window to help her was closing fast.

So I spun into action: I called a mobile phlebotomist (the people who stick you to take a blood sample) to come over right away to do an independent blood panel. It was the best call I ever made. We found out that my mother wasn't dying of sepsis at all - instead, she had critically low potassium.

My mom, as it turned out, needed bananas.

While the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally known as Black Friday to most people, my family now calls it something else: Bright Friday. It was the day we saved my mom.

Since last Thanksgiving, I've had 365 days with my mother that I didn't expect to have. Now 77, she was greatly weakened by her ordeal and requires a long-term care center. But her mind is still active, and her sense of humor is as quirky as ever.

In my three-days-a-week visits, we've settled into a comfortable routine: After I bring her a homemade peanut butter smoothie (with extra banana), I settle in next to her bed to read the day's headlines and fill her in on my two kids' latest dramas. Then we'll vent about politics while I spritz her with her favorite "Alien" or "Joy" perfume, give her a manicure or rub lavender lotion into her fragile skin.

On sunny days, I'll wheel her outside to look at the mountains and check on the family of quail that has set up house in the shrubbery ringing the courtyard.

When she was close to dying last fall, I thought often about the last trip I'd taken with her just seven months before. For more than a decade, my mother had invited me to join her during her annual trip to the International UFO Congress in Arizona every February, and I'd always laughed and declined.

Then last year, when I could see that my mother's step had drastically slowed (she needed a cane to get around), it hit me that our years together might be numbered.

We weren't always close. When my parents divorced and I was 11, my brother and I, the oldest two, went to live with my father. My mother kept my other brother and sister, the youngest two.

Old wounds had healed with time, and I thought attending the UFO congress together might be fun.

And it was. For three days, we attended seminars about spaceships, crop circles and alien abductions and shopped for E.T.-themed merchandise, including little green alien necklaces, "I Don't Believe in Humans" T-shirts and "Fifty Shades of Greys" books.

Mostly, though, we laughed and sipped bright green margaritas and just enjoyed being together as a mother and daughter for the first time in years.

Our getaway took on new meaning in late September last year when my mom's left knee collapsed while she was preparing for a yard sale. She ended up in a rehab center, then the hospital, and my siblings and I were told that sepsis in her knee had moved to her kidneys. She needed immediate dialysis.

The treatment boosted her kidneys' function, but her outlook was still poor. Three doctors said it was time to move her into hospice and say our goodbyes.

In her hospice room at a care center near the hospital, my brothers, sister and I took shifts in a cushy recliner next to her bed. As she cycled in and out of sleep, I talked to her about her final requests.

"Nothing fancy," she told me. "Let's keep it simple." She wanted sunflowers at her memorial service and lots of family photos. "Champagne," she said, "would also be nice. And happy music."

I rested my head on her chest to feel her warmth.

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"Mama, I love you. This is hard, but I will try to be brave," I told her.

"I love you, too," she replied, taking my hand. "Think of the happy times. Remember your pink canopy bed? I can still see you sleeping there."

I went home Thanksgiving night, but, unable to sleep, I went outside in my pajamas and looked at the stars, clutching the snowy owl necklace that I'd worn since my mother's diagnosis. She always loved snowy owls and collected memorabilia as far back as I can remember. I'd bought this one for my mom at an English sorcery shop in 2015 and carried it with me to Stonehenge, where my family had a tour at sunset. When the sun appeared in the middle of the Great Trilithon, I held up the necklace, knowing that my mother would love that I'd performed a small ritual. At that moment, I felt connected to her and smiled, wondering whether the necklace would now have some sort of power.

As I stood in my chilly backyard last year and searched the stars for the Pegasus and Pisces formations the way my mother had taught me, I was overcome with a feeling that the medical experts were wrong. I decided my mother was not dying. I left several messages for the doctor on call at the care center to come and see her, but he didn't respond.

After I ordered the blood panel on my own, the phlebotomist called later that night. "I'll fax the results in the morning," he said, "but I need to let you know that your mom's potassium is the lowest I've ever seen. It's critical. She could have heart failure."

My mom's nurse said she couldn't give her potassium without a doctor's approval. So my brother, who was taking a shift in the recliner, rushed to the grocery store for potassium pills, which he crushed up in water for our mother.

Early the next morning, I was there when the fax results came in showing that if my mother ever had sepsis, it had mysteriously vanished. I immediately called an ambulance to take her to a hospital.

In the emergency room, a doctor said my mom never should have been in hospice care. After nearly a month in the hospital, she was sent to a new care center, which was worst than the first. Finally, on the third try, we got it right.

The staff where she is now is attentive and caring and nobody bats an eye if my mother says, "The lunch today looks like cat food."

It's not a perfect life (she'll never walk again), but my mom is happy on most days and thankful to be alive. I can't stop smiling when I think back on the recent afternoon when a priest came to her room by mistake to deliver last rites.

"Oh, hell no!" my mother exclaimed. "I'm not going anywhere!"

We laughed until she nearly fell out of her bed. On this Bright Friday, I'll toast her again with her favorite champagne. My mom says she's up for two glasses. And maybe a banana.

- Free is a Salt Lake City-based journalist and former newspaper columnist. She is writing a book about saving her mother's life.
A report by a major think tank on North Korea's missile program has created a sensation while U.S. officials wonder what's next in efforts at reconciliation and dialogue with North Korea.

The report, issued by the influential Center for Strategic and International Studies, cites as many as 20 facilities that could be used launching short-range, intermediate-range and long-range ballistic missiles. Satellite imagery has detected more than half the sites that are in various stages of construction and development.

The report is increasing doubts in Washington about whether it's possible to reach any accommodation with North Korea on its program for building nuclear warheads and the long-range missiles needed to carry them to distant targets. CSIS released the report in the midst of efforts at arranging a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un.

Analysts say the report is showing overwhelming differences between pledges of "denuclearization" made by Trump and Kim at their summit in Singapore in June and the reality that North Korea has done nothing substantive about getting rid of its nukes and missiles. As the report makes clear, the North Koreans have acknowledged the existence of none of these sites. Nor have they provided an inventory on their nuclear and missile program.

The report delivered a devastating indictment of North Korea for its efforts at avoiding detection while making a pretense of seeking reconciliation through dialogue.

In fact, said the report, "The dispersed deployment of these bases and distinctive tactics employed by ballistic missile units are combined with decades of extensive camouflage, concealment and deception practices." The point, it said, was to maximize the survival of its missile units from pre-emptive strikes and during wartime operations."

The report zeroed in specifically on the Sakkanmol missile base 85 kilometers north of the Demilitarized Zone, stating that it is now equipped with short-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching much of Japan and anywhere in South Korea. The site, says the report, "could easily accommodate more capable medium-range ballistic missiles."

South Korean officials insisted the report basically had no new information, that all its findings were well known to South Korean and American analysts, but the report was still likely to have a devastating effect on the mood here about making further concessions to North Korea. While North Korea has demanded the United States remove sanctions imposed for its nuclear and missile tests, Trump has repeatedly said sanctions will remain in place until North Korea makes good on the promises made at Singapore.

U.S. officials do not consider North Korea's gesture of blowing up its nuclear test site at Pyunggye-ri as convincing since the site was largely destroyed in the North's last missile test more than a year ago. North Korea has said inspectors are welcome to take a look at the site, but no one seems very interested in taking up the offer.

Opinions vary widely as to how far the North Koreans have gone in developing the sites, all of them spread out over mountainous regions where detection and monitoring, even by satellites, is quite difficult. Images of the Sakkanmol site indicate support buildings scattered over a wide area while the missiles themselves are hidden in tunnels.

Joseph Bermudez, who has written extensively on North Korea's missile program for years, is quoted in the report as emphasizing that the bases are "not launch facilities" but also said that "missiles could be launched from within them in an emergency.

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Bermudez derided North Korea's decision to shut down its Sohae site near the Chinese border for launching satellites as basically a play "for gaining media attention." At the same time, he said, that gesture "obscures the military threat to U.S. forces and South Korea from this and other undeclared ballistic missile bases."

The report was expected to have an immediate effect on attempts to revive talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea's Kim Jong-chol. Some observers believed it was because they knew the report was about to be released that North Korea canceled a meeting the two were to have had last week at which they were to discuss arrangements for another summit between Trump and Kim early next year.

South Korean officials feared the report would derail the drive toward reconciliation not only between the two Koreas but also between the United States and North Korea. It was to stave off the negative effect that Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for the Blue House, observed that South Korea and the United States had "far more detailed information from military satellites."

Moreover, he noted, the Sakkanmol base was for short-range missiles, not for the long-range types that most alarmed the United States last year when Trump denounced Kim as "little rocket man."

Donald Kirk has been a columnist for various publications including Korea Times and South China Morning Post.
[November 23, 2018] Antibe Therapeutics Reports Q2 2019 Interim Financial and Operating Results

Antibe Therapeutics Inc. ("Antibe" or the "Company") (TSXV: ATE, OTCQB: ATBPF) filed its financial and operating results on Friday, November 23rd for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2018. The Company's unaudited fiscal Q2 2019 condensed interim consolidated financial statements and MD&A are available on SEDAR. In addition, the Company has retained PCG Advisory Group ("PCG") to increase its profile amongst retail brokers, high net worth individuals and family offices in the United States. This investor relation activity will complement Antibe's existing U.S. coverage of institutional investors and sell side analysts. The agreement with PCG, which is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, has an initial term of 3 months and can be terminated by either party on 30 days prior notice. PCG will receive a fee of US$6,500 per month. PCG is an investor relations firm based in New York, is independent of Antibe and does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in securities of Antibe or any right to acquire such interest. The Company has also granted 40,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to a consultant pursuant to Antibe's recently adopted RSU plan. About PCG Advisory Group

Founded in 2008, PCG Advisory is dedicated to the delivery of top-tier strategic advisory services that encompass investor and stakeholder relations, capital markets navigation, corporate communications and social media management for emerging growth companies. The team at PCG has extensive experience with life science, fintech and blockchain technology and works with innovative and emerging companies from around the globe. As an aggregation, distribution, and engagement platform, PCG reaches thousands of individual, retail and institutional investors and stakeholders in its proprietary and extensive distributin network, and through the use of unique digital marketing and audience development techniques. www.pcgadvisory.com.



About Antibe Therapeutics Inc.

Antibe develops safer medicines for pain and inflammation. Antibe's technology involves linking a hydrogen sulfide-releasing molecule to an existing drug to produce a patented, improved medicine. Antibe's lead drug ATB-346 targets the global need for a safer, non-addictive drug for chronic pain and inflammation. ATB-352, the second drug in Antibe's pipeline, targets the urgent global need for a non-addictive analgesic for treating severe acute pain, while ATB-340 is a GI-safe derivative of aspirin. www.antibethera.com. Antibe's subsidiary, Citagenix Inc. ("Citagenix"), is a leader in the sales and marketing of tissue regenerative products servicing the orthopedic and dental marketplaces. Since its inception in 1997, Citagenix has become an important source of knowledge and experience for bone regeneration in the Canadian medical device industry. Citagenix is active in 15 countries, operating in Canada through its direct sales teams, and internationally via a network of distributor partnerships. www.citagenix.com.

Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, the completion of financing transactions and the licensing and development of drugs and medical devices. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "propose" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this news release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to secure additional financing, its ability to execute its business strategy and successfully compete in the market, and risks associated with drug and medical device development generally. Antibe Therapeutics Inc. assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181123005257/en/

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[November 23, 2018] WELBILT SHAREHOLDER ALERT by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Welbilt, Inc. - WBT

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 8, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Welbilt, Inc. (NYSE: WBT), if they purchased the Company's shares between February 24, 2017 and November 2, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. What You May Do If you purchased shares of Welbilt and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-wbt/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 8, 2019.



About the Lawsuit Welbilt and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 5, 2018, the Company disclosed that it would be restating its YE December 31, 2016 financial statements and was expecting to revise its statements for YE December 31, 2015 and 2017 because "During the third quarter of 2018, the Company identified errors in the tax basis of a foreign subsidiary and incorrect amortization of the intangible assets held by the same entityIn addition, the Company discovered certain intercompany transactions were not recorded on a timely basis." On this news, the price of Welbilt's shares plummeted. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181123005254/en/

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[November 23, 2018] CAMPING WORLD SHAREHOLDER ALERT: ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Camping World Holdings, Inc. - CWH

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 &am; 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181123005255/en/

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[November 23, 2018] CAMPBELL SOUP 96 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 96 Hours Remain; Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors With Losses in Excess Of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Campbell Soup Company-CPB

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with large financial interests that they have only until November 27, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's shares between August 31, 2017 and May 17, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. What You May Do If you purchased shares of Campbell and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cpb/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by November 27, 2018.



About the Lawsuit On May 18, 2018, the Company disclosed disappointing financial results, for the third straight quarter, including the poor performance of its Campbell Fresh division that forced it to take a $619 million pre-tax non-cash impairment charge, a $19 million quarterly loss for the division, further revisions to its fiscal year 2018 earnings guidance, and that the Company's CEO was stepping down immediately. On this news, the price of Campbell's shares plummeted.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181123005256/en/

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Man alleges asbestos exposure at locations in Kansas City caused cancer ST. LOUIS - A man alleges exposure to asbestos in the 1970s caused him to develop lung cancer. Lester Riley and Alyce Riley filed a complaint on Nov. 13 in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court against the Dow Chemical Co., et al. alleging negligence and other counts.

An old school complaint and something to consider as so many retro locations have been (cheaply) converted to condos. Checkit:
Crisis Phone Numberspecial noticeIf you are a veteran in emotional crisis and need help RIGHT NOW, call this toll-free number 1-800-273-8255, available 24/7, and tell them you are a veteran. All calls are confidential.1-888-899-9377A Crisis Intervention Hotline has been established by the VA Heartland Network to assist veterans who may be dealing with a mental health crisis or difficult issue in their lives. The hotline will also aid family members or friends of veterans who need help in assisting a veteran in crisis.
Selecting toys for our dogs can be a tough task, especially when we want the right combination of durable, stylish, and sustainably made. These companies have our dogs' best interests at heart, and have come up with adorable and affordable options.

West Paw Design

West Paw Designs

The designs from West Paw Design are cute and whimsical, and they're also environmentally savvy. The rubber toys are made with Zogoflex, a tough, buoyant, and fully recyclable material that is also non-toxic, both BPA and phthalate-free. In other words, strong and safe! The plush toys are filled with IntelliLoft, a soft stuffing made from recycled plastic bottles that uses about eight times less energy than a similar material made from raw resources. An added bonus is that the stuffed toys are also completely machine washable, so you can get the stinky slobber and dirt off of them when needed.

The toys range from $8-$16.50.

West Paw Designs

Eleanor and Milo

Eleanor and Milo

For those who like to do their shopping at Etsy, selecting among countless independent artists, I suggest checking out Eleanor and Milo for simple yet beautiful hand-made stuffed toys made with reclaimed materials. Each toy uses remnants or deadstock fabrics from furniture manufacturing companies local to the artist in North Carolina. And even the filling, instead of using fluffy stuffing, is comprised of strips of re-purposed fabric. Each toy is entirely unique, and you can also order customized toys. And as an extra bonus, 5% of all proceeds are donated to animal rescue and rehabilitation organizations.

Prices range from $15-$17.

Eleanor and Milo

p.l.a.y.

Photo Lab Pet Photography

P.L.A.Y. not only makes fantastic dog beds, which we featured here among other great companies, but they also make some adorable stuffed toys. Their "Under the Sea" line of toys includes a giant clam, starfish, giant squid, sea turtle and crab. Each are made with PlanetFill stuffing, which is created out of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and use AZO-free dye for the fabrics. They are completely washer and dryer safe, and in an extra special move, the company is donating 2% of the purchase price to International Fund for Animal Welfare, whose mission is to "reduce the commercial exploitation of animals, protect wildlife habitats, and assist animals in distress."

Prices range from $9-$15.50.

Harry Barker

Harry Barker

Harry Barker is another favorite company of ours when it comes to canid care. The company has a fantastic selection of toys of all different types, and they keep sustainability in mind during manufacturing. For instance, the rope toys are made from 100% recycled cotton yarns, and are machine washable. They have a selection of super cute Scottie dog stuffed toys that are extra durable and use a filler made from recycled plastic bottles. And the nautical-themed tug toys are made with a hemp exterior -- a great choice for a low-impact material -- and the same recycled filling as the other toys.

Prices range from $8-$16.

Harry Barker

Honest Pet Products

Honest Pet Products

Honest Pet Products has three simple principles: "To be True to our Pets; to be True to our Planet; to be True to our People." That sounds like our kind of company. The toys from Honest Pet Products are made with organic hemp, which as the company points out is the strongest of all plant fibers and is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. And of course, the toys are compostable, since they skip synthetics, plastics and rubber. Several great designs are available, like the Eco Owl Buddy, which is made with an outer layer of organic hemp and an inner layer of organic wool. Rope tug toys, flyer frisbees, and a long "rattler" with squeekers are also great options. All the toys are machine washable, non-toxic, and are lead- and chemical-free.

Prices range from $8-$13.

Honest Pet Products

Tuffy's Pet Toys

Tuffy's Dog Toys

Sustainability doesn't just mean that earth-friendly materials are used. It can also mean that it's an object that will last for a really, really, really long time, outlasting the competition. For that, we have stuffed toys from Tuffy's Pet Toys. I have to say, we play some serious tug-o-war games around here, and after going through goodness-knows-how-many stuffed toys -- with my dog ripping out the stuffing of even the "mighty" stuffed toys within a week or two and having only a sad, floppy carcass of cloth left to play with -- I finally found these in a pet store. I bought three about a year ago and haven't had to buy a single new stuffed toy since! They seem to last through the worst abuse, and that includes using them for our rambunctious games of tug-o-war.

There are loads of creatures, both real and mythical, to choose from. We have the shark (tuff scale: 7), the spider (tuff scale: 8), and tug-o-war toy (tuff scale: 9). The shark is now missing some stuffing but still has the squeeker, the spider is intact except for a mangled leg, and the tug-o-war toy is like new. So the company is really on target with their rating system!

The toys may not be made out of recycled or organic materials, but they last and after all, consuming less is part of living sustainably.

Prices range from $8-$80 because of the wide variety of size, durability and design, so you'll be able to find something that suits both your taste and budget.
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

San Francisco, November 24

Microsoft has become the most valuable US company with $753.3 billion in market capitalisation, riding past Apple for the first time since 2010 when it came close to the Cupertino-based tech giant.

Apple, which became the first $1-trillion US company in August, came down to $746.8 billion on Friday, owing to lower-than-expected iPhone sales amid reports of its suppliers cutting cost and workforce.

Amazon with $736.6 billion is currently at third and Alphabet (the parent company of Google) with $725.5 billion is at the fourth spot.

"With Microsoft now overshadowing all three, including Alphabet Inc, the firm now looks to be the most valuable tech company of the Silicon Valley giants," mspoweruser.com reported.

The investors are now betting big on companies with robust Cloud services and software services which are witnessing an increased demand from big and small enterprises the world over for their digital journey, at a time when giants like Facebook and Google face intense scrutiny for users' data practices.

Riding on its growing Azure Cloud, gaming and Surface laptop portfolio, Microsoft posted a revenue of $29.1 billion and net income of $8.8 billion for the first quarter of its 2019 financial results.

Revenue was up 19 per cent while net income increased by 34 per cent. Operating income was $10 billion and increased 29 per cent.

"We are off to a great start in fiscal 2019, a result of our innovation and the trust customers are placing in us to power their digital transformation," CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement.

Revenue in Intelligent Cloud was $8.6 billion and increased 24 per cent. Server products and Cloud services revenue increased 28 per cent driven by Azure revenue growth of 76 per cent, Microsoft informed.

Revenue in More Personal Computing was $10.7 billion and increased 15 per cent.

"Windows commercial products and Cloud services revenue increased 12 per cent," said the company.

Microsoft's gaming revenue increased 44 per cent with Xbox software and services revenue growth of 36 per cent while Surface revenue increased 14 per cent.

On the other hand, slower-than-expected demand has reportedly led Apple to direct its top phone assemblers, Foxconn and Pegatron, to halt a planned production boost for iPhone XR, a relatively cost-effective model that hit the shelves late last month.

Foxconn, a Taiwan-based company, would produce around 100,000 fewer units daily to reflect the new demand outlook, down 20-25 per cent from the original optimistic outlook, Japanese financial paper Nikkei reported earlier this week.

The estimates of iPhone XR have been cut by nearly 30 million shipments, according to an Apple analyst.

Ming Chi-Kuo, an Apple analyst working with TF International Securities, said earlier this month that shipment forecast for the iPhone XR has been cut from 100 million units to 70 million units during the product lifecycle.  IANS
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It was lovely to see all the families with young kids out daily dresses the streets at night and watch the boys practicing their back flips and playing piggy in the middle on the beach.. Furthermore, the headquarters of the "No Names" are located in the 7th gate.

Private property and structures in the Rock Creek and Upper Willow Creek drainage are threatened. The group has already partnered with local organizations such as MY Museum, Parkview Veterinary Hospital and Easter Seals, but is looking for more partnerships.

Maybe 1 1/2 ft.. I no longer have contact with him. Down Herling's creative rabbit hole lies pieces that resemble a mix of Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" meets "Alice In Wonderland.". "She's very strong, it was really hard to watch at a young age a baby like that to go through so much."When Bella was only four months old she went into liver failure.Doctors told Bella's parents, Kari and Chris Peterson of Pittsville, a virus was attacking her liver."We kind of went through spurts when she would get sick and then she'd get better," said Kari Peterson.As Bella's fight continued, so did the wait for a new liver.At fifteen months, the young girl weighed only 16 pounds."She couldn't sit up on her own," said Kari Peterson.

Police say they suspect there may be other victims. If you see an inappropriate comment, please flag it for our moderators to review.. In her own words: "Prison is not for rehabilitation. Said GOP spokesperson Wadi Gaitan, "It'san outrageous that the Democrat Leadership in Washington has once again manipulated the primary process in South Florida's congressional race.

"But did you see the block I missed?" he replied.. Returns, refunds, " exchanjjes, rainchecks. I wouldn change a thing about that child he perfect in every way."The community reached out to help when they learned Heather and Teddy do not have health insurance.

He says the Vaad will organize educational programs to change that.. "But if you meet those children, see what Paula has done with and for them, see the love in that family you will get a totally different picture than was implied when the charges were brought.

"You know the 9 year old or another sibling could have been able to unlock the car and get out and wander off, so that where all the child endangerment comes into play.". Disparities widened between those living in poor localities and those living in rich suburbs or rich enough to send their kids to private schools.

Mr Baldrick, a third year business studies student at Liverpool John Moores University, originally from Londonderry, Northern Ireland, said: "David Baldrick was a farmer near Derry from back home in Ireland, who went to fight for his country. State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach; 2764 S.

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harinder@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

The Ministry of External Affairs has declined permission to a Delhi government delegation led by Health Minister Satyendar Jain to visit Australia on the invitation of University of Melbourne and George Institute (Sydney), a statement issued by the city government said.

The visit scheduled for the Delhi government delegation included a dialogue on Mohalla Clinics and health revolution of Delhi with the Victorian government, the statement said.

The MEA said that permission was denied from the political angle, it said.

Responding to the development, Jain said, I would like to know the exact reason behind the MEAs political angle.

The BJP-led Centre had once again shown how much they feared the good work of the Aam Aadmi Party and how they did not want the good work of the Delhi government to be showcased, the statement said.

The university is hosting a dialogue on health and its diverse aspects with representatives of Heath Department of Delhi government and Victorian government to explore the possibilities to engage in the field of public and universal health care on November 26 and 27.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Karnal, November 24

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a closed-door meeting with party leaders at the PWD Rest House at Gharaunda in the district on Saturday to discuss probable mayoral candidates of the Karnal Municipal Corporation, the elections of which are to be held on December 16.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister said that he discussed the municipal corporation elections and the BJP election committee would announce the names of the candidates on coming Monday.

BJP state organising secretary Suresh Bhatt, Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan and Ladwa MLA Pawan Saini had a long discussion with the Chief Minister before leaving. Khattar also had a meeting with state general secretary of the party advocate Vedpal, Minister of State for Mining Nayab Saini, district president Jagmohan Anand, former district president Ashok Sukhija, former Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, former Senior Deputy Mayor Krishna Garg and other senior leaders. Besides, the Chief Minister also discussed the names for the councillors for all 20 wards.

The BJP has shortlisted six candidates  former Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, former Senior Deputy Mayor Krishan Gargs daughter-in-law Monika Garg, former district president Ashok Sukhijas daughter-in-law Dipti Sukhija, district president Jagmohan Anands wife Rekha Anand and former councillors Sujata Arora and Sonia Pandit.

Sources in the BJP say Renu Bala Gupta could be the final candidate, but the official announcement would be made on Monday.

According to political pundits, Karnal is the constituency of the Chief Minister and it is a litmus test for him also. So, he is making all efforts and exploring all options.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, November 24

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised to revamp ailing education and health sectors in Haryana, as he marked a thunderous beginning to his election campaign in the state on Saturday.

While addressing his first School-hospital rally in the state, Kejriwal said that he would roll back any increase in annual fee in schools and regulate hospital charges.

Private schools and hospitals in Haryana are robbing people and nobody is paying attention. If Manohar Lal Khattar cannot do this, I will have my government here and do it. I will also make these institutions to pay back money. I am from a state, which is one fourth of Haryana, but have more achievements than your Chief Minister, he added.

He said that, They talk of Vikas rally, Hunkaar rally and Parivartan rally to mislead people but never talk of development and achievements, as they have none. I talk of hospital and school rally because that is my achievement in Delhi and a promise to Haryana.

Kejriwal accused the BJP government of being insecure and scared of AAP. He said efforts were being made to stop him from holding scheduled 10 rallies in Haryana. They are tearing our posters, but not that of the Congress and the INLD, thus showing we are their greatest fear. I am not allowed to go to hospitals and schools in the state because they know I will expose them. But I dare them to try and stop me, he added.

Delhi CM to take part in rally today

Kurukshetra: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is set to intensify the partys political activities in Haryana by joining an anti-government public rally in Jind on Sunday. It will be his first public meeting in central Haryana district that is considered politically important. AAP has already announced to contest the next Assembly elections in the state.  TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 24

Separatists have called for peaceful, candlelight protests on Sunday against what they called "unabated killing of Kashmiris".

Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, in a statement issued today, claimed that over 400 people, including militants and civilians, had been killed by security forces in Kashmir this year during encounters and in targeted killings.

While condemning these killings, they urged the international community to use its influence over India to stop the bloodshed in the restive Kashmir region.

They also paid tributes to two slain civilians Ishfaq Ahmad and Muskan Jan.

"A well-thought-out strategy of violence is being perpetrated against Kashmiris to quell their struggle for their rights," they alleged, urging people to orgainise peaceful protests by lighting candles against these killings on Sunday evening.
editorial@tribune.com

Nonika Singh

She brought glamour and oomph to the 49th edition of IFFI, otherwise rather bereft of the glam quotient. Attired in an haute jumpsuit dress with glittering chandelier earrings, fit for a cocktail evening, enhancing her starry persona, soon to be seen in Housefull 4, the very beautiful Kriti Sanon may not have had enough star power to ensure a house-full at Kala Akademi on Saturday morning. But she along with gifted actor Adil Hussain did trigger grey cells.

A beautiful and a brilliant mind, on stage, they, one powerhouse of talent of art cinema, another lovely heroine of mainstream films like

Dilwale, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Raabta may have seemed like an unlikely pair. However, as they got talking they complemented each others mental wavelength, a perfect offset to each others thoughts.

Certainly, Adil as expected got a little more philosophical while talking about his craft. Stanislavski and his four circles are quoted and so is the rather profound observation, How to do it is akin to planting the seed of banality. Yet, he admitted that once a fanatic method actor, he has slowly learnt the classic Indian way the art of surrender.

Kriti anyway shared that while enacting a particular part she goes with the flow and loves to be in the moment. For no amount of going back to my personal memories or drawing from experiences help. Sure, her BTech degree does enable her to cram dialogues, especially when she made her mark in a Telugu film Nenokkadine.

For this engineering graduate, acting was never a conscious decision. Her great height led to modelling and TV to commercials to acting.

Today she, who considers herself more sentimental than emotional, reveals that there is no one way to choose roles. She puts herself in the shoes of viewers as also looks at her role whether it excites me. Adil, however, point-blank refuses to work with people he doesnt like; I would rather cook for my wife than work with people I dont care about. Another thing they dont agree upon is; women directors. Kriti feels, The only difference is while I can sit in the lap of my women directors. Adil explains the difference between male and female directors with greater sensitivity, Women directors have more sympathy, grace and elegance.

And the thought was further reinforced when he worked with Norwegian director Iram Haq in What Will People Say which is Norways official entry to the Oscars.

Kritis future line up looks exciting too. Besides Luka Chupi, there is Arjun Patiala with our Punjabi heartthrob Diljit Dosanjh and her first period film Panipat.

As an actor one is always restless and looking for newer ways to play a part. Adils horizon includes Nirvana and a Netflix series, if only they would shoot in Delhi.

Delhi by the way is what connects the two actors. While Adil continues to stay in Indias capital for Kriti Mumbai is second home. Of course, facing the camera is where they truly belong. The power of cinema and star power is best summed up by Adil, Camera intrudes into your personal space, an access you grant only people close to you.

Kriti reads his mind and fills in, That is the reason why people feel a greater connection with film actors. Did we not say they make a great combination?

Chalta hai? No way!

The organisers may have made a faux pas and got Adil Hussains vocation wrong and introduced him as a director, but clearly the audiences, mostly comprising young students knew they could learn a lesson or two from this NSD graduate and bombarded the actor with question after question. The actor who has worked with greats like Ang Lee was only too willing to share his insights and experience of having worked with western crews where chalta hai is never an option.
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Khanna, November 23

A team from 7th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) headed by Inspector Ram Lal visited Desh Bhagat University (DBU) for disaster management awareness camp.

Dr Surjeet Pathjha welcomed Inspector Ram Lal, Sub-Inspector Gurpreet Singh, Sub-Inspector Sushil Kumar and the other NDRF team members.

Inspector Ram began with a brief introduction of the National Disaster Response Force to students and said, The NDRF consists of 12 battalions. These 12 battalions are located at 12 different locations based on the vulnerability profile of the country and to cut down response time. Each battalion have 18 self-contained search specialist and rescue teams of 45 personnel each, including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and paramedics. The total strength of each battalion is 1,149 personnel.

He said, All the battalions have been equipped and trained to respond to natural as well as man-made disasters, inlcuding chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.

He added that the NDRF was established by the Disaster Management Act in 2005. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was constituted to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management. The Disaster Management Act has statutory provisions for constitution of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

He also gave a presentation on types of hazards, disasters, risk management and vulnerability. The NDRF team also trained students regarding first aid techniques.

Dr Zora Singh, chancellor, Desh Bhagat University said, We should be prepared to help the needy. Million of people are killed by injuries every year due to lack of timely assistance. Taking immediate action and applying appropriate techniques, while waiting for the professional help, can considerably reduce deaths and impact of disasters.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Bengaluru, November 24

At least 30 passengers, most of them women and children, were killed when a speeding private bus in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district on Saturday, officials said.

The bus, which was moving on a road along the VC canal at Kanaganamaradi, 105 km South-West of Bengaluru, swerved and toppled into it, completely submerging the vehicle and killing the victims instantaneously, officials said.

Police said 30 bodies have been recovered and two people were rescued.

Among those killed were eight men, 13 women and nine children, they said.

Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver may have caused the accident, officialssaid.

The fate of the driver and conductor was not known.

Officials have handed over most of the bodies to the family members.

Most of those killed were from nearby Vadesamudra village, locals said.

They said the children were returning home after half day school when the accident took place.

Long wails of grief-stricken kin of the victims rent the air as rescue teams fished out the bodies oneafter the other.

The district authorities roped in a crane to lift the bus from the canal.

Police had a difficult time controlling the crowdsas people living nearby thronged the mishap site.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy rushed to the accident spot, cancelling all his official engagements.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those killed.

"The Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs fivelakh to the kin of the deceased.

Deeply pained by theincident, he has prayed to God to give strength to the familiesof the deceased to help them bear the loss," the Chief Minister's office said.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and state opposition leader B S Yeddyurappa expressed grief over the loss of lives.

"Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic bus accident in Mandya, Karnataka. Thoughts and prayers with the bereaved families and with the injured.

I understand local authorities are making efforts to rescue and help affected passengers," the President tweeted.

"Deeply pained by the bus accident in Karnataka's Mandya.

My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. May God give them strength in this hour of sadness: PM @narendramodi,"the Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka, in which over 20 people are feared dead & many others injured.

I extend my deepestcondolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

Girish, a carpenter who was rescued, said he survived as he was lucky and knew swimming.

"I'm not sure what caused the accident, but it lookslike it was the driver's fault. Fifteen people from my village and some of my relatives died," he said.

"There was no chance foranyone to survive.

I survived as I was sitting next to a window," he said.

Girish reportedly helped another survivor, Rohit, a school boy.

A case has been registered against the driver, police said. - PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Beijing, November 24

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 21st round of border talks in Chinas southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday, officials said.

Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, would also review the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and China. The talks were expected to be concluded later on Saturday.

This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese governments hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability.

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year.

Since the first-ever informal summit between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance Indias exports to China to address the over USD 51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing Indias export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said.

Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese armys plan to build a road close to Indias strategic Chickens Neck corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the Peoples Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Officials on both sides say a lot of spadework has been done to ensure peace and tranquillity at the border, though the solution to the border dispute is still elusive even after 20 rounds of talks.

Senior defence officials of India and China held the 9th India-China Annual Defence and Security Dialogue in Beijing on November 13 after a one-year gap due to the Doklam standoff. During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges and interactions. PTI
rohitb@tribuneindia.com

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Ayodhya, November 24

Arriving in the holy city ahead of Sundays Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today sought to know the date from the Narendra Modi government as to when it would be built in Ayodhya.

Mandir wahin banayenge, tareekh nahi batayenge, nahi chalega. Aaj hum Ayodhya ayen hain tareekh tai karne (Will build the temple but will not tell the date is not going to work any longer. I have come to Ayodhya to fix the date), announced Thackeray after receiving the blessing of seers at Laxman Qila Maidan.

Reiterating the Pehle mandir, phir sarkar (first mandir, then government) slogan, he claimed all Hindus wanted the temple built at the earliest and that his party would support an ordinance on the issue. Making it clear it was not a turf war, the Shiv Sena chief said he would be more than happy if the BJP built the temple and took the credit for it.

But any further delay is unacceptable. I have come to awaken the Kumbhkaran who has been asleep for the past four-and-a-half years, he declared. Thackeray arrived in the holy city accompanied by wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

Despite the media build-up and the large number of Shiv Sainiks brought to the city in chartered trains, the event was a damp squib with local participation practically nil. Even the seers, who had ostensibly come to bless Thackeray, left after receiving gifts without waiting for him to finish his address.

The Sena chief, who went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers, asked the Sainiks to return to Mumbai on Saturday night, leaving the field clear for the VHP supporters on Sunday.

He is scheduled to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram temple on Sunday and hand over an urn of soil brought from the Shivneri fort in Pune to the chief priest.

CALL ARMY DEMAND

Rebel minister in the Yogi Adityanath government OP Rajbhar has demanded that the Army be called. The demand was first raised by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who claimed the BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution and can go to any extent.

A BJP PLOT, SAYS MAYAWATI

BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday alleged the BJP had deliberately left it to its allies  the Shiv Sena, RSS and VHP  to raise the pitch for Ram Mandir. The BJP is losing in Chhattisgarh and MP. Raising the temple issue at this juncture is a ploy.

SECURITY BLANKET

To ensure peace, the UP government has deployed an Additional DGP, a DIG, three SSPs, 10 Additional SPs, 21 DSPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of the PAC, five of the Rapid Action Force, ATS commandos and drones in Ayodhya.

VHPS DHARAM SABHA

The VHP expects one lakh supporters to attend the Dharam Sabha on Sunday. It has been holding processions to mobilise support. To maintain peace, Ayodhya has been turned into a fortress, with each district divided into eight zones.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, November 24

Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday criticised the BJP government at the Centre after the latter denied Health Minister Satyendar Jain permission to travel to Australia.

Jain was to visit Australia on the invitation of the University of Melbourne and George Institute in Sydney for a dialogue on Mohalla Clinics and the Health Revolution of Delhi with the Victorian Government, the AAP said in a statement.

But the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied him a permission to travel due to a political angle, the statement said.

I would like to know the exact reason behind the MEAs political angle, Jain said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took to Twitter to ask as to why Prime MinisterNarendra Modis government denied permission. What is the political angle? he asked.

The AAP said that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not want the Delhi government to showcase its good work and hence it denied Jains visit to Australia.

The BJP-led Union government has once again shown how much they fear the good work of the Aam Aadmi Party. The meeting had a lot of scope for mutual learning and collaboration in the field of Universal Health Care (UHC), the AAP said.

The University of Melbourne was scheduled to host a dialogue on health and its diverse aspects with the representatives of the health department of Delhi Government and Victoria Government to explore the possibilities to engage in the field of Public Health and universal health care on November 26 and 27.

Australias existing health infrastructure and systems are one of the best in the world. In the meeting, other public health issues like dengue and possible solutions developed by scientists in Australia were to be discussed, the party said.

The AAP said that it becomes quite obvious that the central government is not bothered about the country and is more interested in crushing their political opponents.  IANS
editorial@tribune.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

Ahead of the elections to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram, the Congress is keeping a cautious watch on its strengths and weaknesses.

Although upbeat over what it sees as a surging anti-BJP sentiment across the Hindi heartland, the Congress is not yet very comfortable with the way its booth management is going.

Partys internal surveys have pointed to the need for its workers to engage more frequently and proactively with voters in all states. A point of worry remains the aggressive ground-level presence of BJP and RSS cadres.

The Tribune has learnt that a recent assessment of booth-level presence of party workers found where the Congress workers reached the voters once, BJP and RSS workers reached them thrice.

The Congress has been working to boost its organisation for some time now through the my booth, my pride plan, which seeks to build cadre morale. But partys state leaders remain wary of the impact the organisational capability of political parties will have on electoral outcomes.

So far as the BJP goes, its chief Amit Shah has consistently maintained that elections are won and lost with booth management. His famous quote has been, Booth hi chunaav kaa garbh daan hota hai (booth is the uterus of any election).

That explains the massive push both Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have given to the local-level electoral management through workers. Both have held meetings with BJP workers in all poll-bound states. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has concentrated on big election rallies.

After the recent distribution of ticket in states, there are reports mainly from Rajasthan of loss of Congress workers enthusiasm over the party repeating either oldtimers or their kin in seats.

The Congress has managed to contain rebels in most areas this time even though it is facing disillusionment among workers in some seats where state leaders are now engaging the cadre to ensure they back official candidates.

For instance, in Ladpura segment of Kota, a larger body of Congress workers had wanted a fresh face but the party fielded the wife of local leader Naimuddin Guddu, who has twice lost this seat.

Congress veterans have often acknowledged that the weakness of party organisation was one of the two main reasons they lost the 2014 LS election. Former minister P Chidambaram, when asked what would be the party's main challenges in the upcoming states, said: Partys challenges in any election are the same. The party organisation must be strong. The narrative that is communicated to the people must be clear and the communication must be effective.

Chidambaram had earlier acknowledged that Congress organisation weakened in the 10 years of UPA rule between 2004 and 2014.
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

Muzaffarnagar, November 24

A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 20-year-old neighbour in Sambhalheda village here, police said on Saturday.

SHO Kushalpal Singh said the incident took place on Friday.

According to a complaint by her father, Mohsin entered into their house and took her to another house in the neighbourhood where he raped her.

A case was registered against the accused who was on the run, the SHO said.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Thiruvananthapuram, November 24

The Lord Ayyappa shrine witnessed comparatively heavy crowd Saturday, even as a war of words erupted over the government's handling of the Sabarimala issue.

Congress veteran and former Defence minister A K Antony reportedly attacked the state government, saying it was encouraging the BJP and RSS on the matter.

Hitting back, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the statement was with "ulterior motives."

"Antony's statement that the violence witnessed in Sabarimala was due to inept handling of the issue by chief minister and the DGP was with ulterior motives," Vijayan said in a Facebook post.

He said the government's measures had been appreciated by the Kerala High Court and this statement was to spread canards about the government.

Vijayan also said footfall of devotees had gone up at Sabarimala as all facilities had been arranged for them.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the chief minister, alleging that he was acting as a "godfather" to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

He also said an "atmosphere of fear" prevails at Sabarimala due to restrictions imposed there and the government was not doing anything to ease the troubles of devotees.

Amid the stand-off over entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine, Devaswom (temple administration) minister Kadakampally Surendran met Governor P Sathasivam and apprised him of the current situation at the shrine.

"The governor was very attentive to the issues relating to Sabarimala. He understood the issues there and wanted all stakeholders to cooperate to ensure peace and tranquility in the shrine," the minister told reporters after the meeting.

The minister said the governor wanted the government to also focus on the rebuilding exercise of the state which was devastated by an unprecedented deluge in August.

The temple has been witnessing a moderate turnout of devotees after it re-opened for the two-month long annual 'Mandala Makkaravillaku" pilgrimage season on November 16, causing concern for the government.

The restrictions imposed by police at the temple complex saw fewer pilgrims coming in the early days.

The restrictions were clamped following protests from devotees and right wing outfits after the state government made it clear that it would implement the apex court verdict allowing all women to offer prayers at the shrine. The revenue from the shrine has gone down considerably and the minister expressed concern that it could impact the disbursal of salaries and pension of devaswom employees.

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the hill shrine, has over 1200 temples under it which are all dependent on the revenue from the hill temple.

Meanwhile, a court denied bail to BJP general secretary K Surendran in a case relating to his alleged involvement in violent protests at Sabarimala earlier this month.

Surendran was arrested earlier this week from Nilackal, the base camp, after he refused to go back despite police request.

He was produced before court and remanded to 14 days judicial custody and later granted conditional bail.

Subsequently, he was arrested in the case relating to the violence at the temple complex when a 52-year-old woman, who had come for the 'choorunu' (rice feeding ceremony) of her grandchild was blocked and allegedly attacked.

The state health department has issued H1N1 (swine flu) alert at Sabarimala since a lot of pilgrims from other states, where it has been already been detected, are coming to visit the shrine, according to officials.

"Since most of the devotees are from other states, we have given instructions to all district medical officers to monitor the situation and step up preventive measures," health minister K K Shylaja said. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Beijing, November 24

India and China on Saturday resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the vexed boundary question at an early date as the special representatives of the two countries held constructive and forward-looking talks over the issue.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province for the 21st round of Special Representatives talks.

While an early solution would serve the fundamental interests of both countries, the two designated Special Representatives for the border talks also said pending the final solution, the two countries should maintain peace and tranquillity at the borders, ensuring that the dispute does not affect the overall development of bilateral ties. The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

This was the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese governments hierarchy.

Recalling the strategic guidance and support to their work provided by the leaders at the Wuhan Summit, the Special Representatives resolved to intensify their efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an early date, according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Beijing.

They were referring to the outcome of the first-ever informal summit between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April this year in Wuhan. They held discussions on various confidence-building measures to promote exchanges and communication between border personnel.  PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, November 24

A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded Rs 3.07 crore as compensation to families of three men who died in a road accident while travelling from Noida to Kotdwar in Uttarakhand.

MACT Presiding Officer MK Nagpal awarded Rs 3,07,27,000 in total to the next of kin of the three victims who were killed when their car collided with a tractor near Bijnaur in Uttar Pradesh nearly six years ago.

The tribunal held that the accident was a result of the rash and negligent driving of the tractor and directed the driver, owner and insurer--the Oriental Insurance Company Limited--of the offending vehicle to jointly and severally pay the compensation.

It clubbed together the pleas moved by the kin of the three victims and awarded varying compensation amounts to the families based on the income of the deceased.

On December 29, 2012, Sandeep Balodi, Satish Kumar and Deepak Kainthola were travelling along with two others in a Maruti Swift from Noida to Kotdwar when their car collided with a tractor coming from the opposite direction.

All five occupants suffered injuries and Balodi, Kumar and Kainthola were declared brought dead at the hospital.

The tribunal awarded Rs 10,83,000 to the aged parents of 25-year-old Balodi and Rs 53,65,000 to the family of 30-year-old Kumar. It awarded Rs 2,42,79,000 to the aged parents of Kainthola, a software engineer, who was 33 when the accident took place. PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, November 24

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena on Saturday for raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, alleging it to be a political tactic to divert attention from their failures.

She said since the matter is before the Supreme Court, parties and outfits must await the outcome and not rake it up in such a way.

To divert attention from their failures, they raised Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good they neednt have waited for five years. Its their political tactic, nothing else. Whatever their associates like the Shiv Sena and VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy, the BSP chief said in a statement read out before the media.

Various organisations are holding programmes in Ayodhya on Saturday for an early construction of the Ram temple there.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also urged party cadre from staying away from organisations such as the Bhim Army, who were allegedly using her and the BSPs name to gather people at their rallies and seek donation.

Without taking the name of Chandrashekhar Azads outfit, Mayawati said such organisations may play in the hands of Opposition parties during the elections.

She alleged that such outfits were trying to pit people from different castes against each other which will only lead to violence and polarisation of society. PTI
shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, November 24

Three suspected members of a Bangladeshi robbers gang were arrested after a shootout with Crime Branch officers in southeast Delhi's Taimoor Nagar, police said on Saturday.

The shootout happened between 12.15 am and 12.30 am on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

According to Rajiv Ranjan, additional commissioner of police (Crime), the Bangladeshi gang members were in the area to look for a house where they could commit robbery.

The Crime Branch officials, who were present in the area, on a tip-off, asked them to surrender but they fired at them, police said.

The police personnel fired in retaliation, he said.

Two gang members sustained bullet injuries in their leg and are currently hospitalised, but are stable, the officer said, adding that three members were arrested.

Police have seized three pistols with some live cartridges and house-breaking instruments, he said.

The Bangladeshi gang has been involved in committing robbery across Bangalore, Delhi and Kota, he said.

Police have managed to link some incidents connected in these cities to the gang. He said the gang members even resorted to committing rape and killing when they find an opportunity.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24

The names of Patiala-based scholar Prof Chaman Lal and playwright Atamjit, who is based in Mohali, were found on the hit list of the killers of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The latter was shot dead allegedly by activists of the Sanatan Sanstha in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder, in an additional charge-sheet filed in a Karnataka court, has given the names of 34 prominent personalities the accused planned to eliminate.

Prof Chaman Lal, a former professor of Hindi at the Centre for Indian Languages, Jawaharlal Nehru University, is known for his work on Bhagat Singh. He has been a staunch critic of right-wing politics. About three months ago, an official from the special cell of Delhi Police visited my house and offered security. He said they had directions from the Home Ministry, he told The Tribune.

Similarly, a Punjab Police official visited Sahitya Akademi Award winner Atamjits house in Mohali and offered security, which he politely declined as he considered it an infringement of privacy. So did Prof Chaman Lal.

Both of us spoke in Karnataka on the death anniversary of rationalist MM Kalburgi. Another person on the hit list, scribe Antara Dev Sen, too attended the function. Perhaps that is why we were on the hit list, explained Prof Chaman Lal. After Kalburgis murder, Atamjit and Prof Lal had returned their Sahitya Akademi Awards to protest the rising intolerance.

SIT chargesheet
editorial@tribune.com

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24

A prominent Sikh seminary in Ajnala has come under the scanner of the police as well as security agencies, as almost all terror modules busted in the state in the past few months have links with it.

While Avtar Singh, president of Sikh Youth Federation (Bhinderanwale), arrested today in the Amritsar grenade attack, is learnt to be a disciple of Amrik Singh Ajnala, who heads the Damdami Taksal Ajnala, at least five other persons, part of terror modules, busted in the past two months, were disciples of the seminary, sources said.

German Singh, who was arrested in October from Bikaner, for conspiring to assassinate former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, was also linked to the Taksal at Ajnala. The sources said Shabnamdeep Singh, who was arrested from Patiala earlier this month, too, was a follower of the Taksal. Sukhraj Singh and Malik Singh arrested from Amritsar last month for distributing paraphernalia related to Referendum 2020, too, were followers of this seminary.

It is known that the seminary propagates radical ideology. Though all these persons have a direct link with the seminary, we do not have any proof of the seminary inciting them to carry on terror activities. However, the activities of important office-bearers of the seminary are under the scanner, confirmed a top police officer. Since last Sunday, when the blast took place in Adliwal, Amrik Singh has remained out of Punjab.

Amrik Singh heads the breakaway faction of Damdami Taksal. He had parted ways with the Taksal at Chowk Mehta in 2003, and is a proponent of the theory that Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale is still alive. His seminary at a sprawling campus in Ajnala, about 60 km from Damdami Taksal at Chowk Mehta, runs schools for children, where emphasis is on religious studies.

Amrik Singh could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Two days ago, when his links with Avtar Singh were reported by The Tribune, Amrik Singh Ajnala, who was appointed as parallel Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, had claimed innocence, saying that he or his Taksal had no role in the blast.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24

Punjab Police have arrested the second and main perpetrator of the Nirankari Bhavan grenade attack, to crack the case less than a week after a religious congregation was targeted in Amritsar last Sunday leaving three persons dead.

Watch: DGP Suresh Arora's press briefing

Avtar Singh would be produced in the court and the police would seek his remand, DGP Suresh Arora told the media on Saturday, adding that there was strong evidence against the suspects caught in the case.

Avtar's links have also been traced to Harmeet Singh Happy alias PhD, the self-styled chief of ISI-backed KLF, based in Pakistan. Happy alias PhD has emerged as the most active leader of Punjab-based outfits working under the watch and directions of the Pakistan's ISI, said the DGP.

He expressed concern over the movement of terrorists from J&K to Punjab but asserted that the police were keep close tabs on all such movements.

Giving details of the operation, Arora, who was accompanied by DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta, and DGP (Law & Order) H S Dhillon said the leads provided by Bikramjit Singh alias Bikram led the police to arrest 32-year-old Avtar Singh from Khiala village in Lopoke, from the tubewell motor shed of his uncle, Trilok Singh, early this morning.

Avtar, a resident of Chak Mishri Khan, is a graduate and has been donning 'Nihang Bana' since 2012. He was a practising quack in his village and had no criminal history, said the DGP.

Both the pistols which the perpetrators were carrying on the day of attack have been recovered on the disclosures of Avtar Khalsa. The weapons recovered include two pistols (.32 bore) - one of them US made, four magazines and 25 live rounds, said the DGP, adding that the recovery followed the arrest of one Shabnamdeep from Patiala.

Initial investigations have revealed that Avtar was contacted on WhatsApp, a few months ago, by one Javed, who claimed to be a Pakistani national (PIO) from Dubai. The so-called Pakistani national, who spoke in Punjabi, first contacted him, on the basis of a reference, in the garb of seeking consultation for his back problem. Thereafter, he started to discuss Sikh issues with him and motivating him to target the enemies of the 'Sikh quom'.

A few months ago, he put Avtar in touch with one Happy who claimed to be based in Pakistan. According to Avtar, Happy would try to motivate him to carry out terrorist acts in Punjab, on the lines of targeted killings of RSS and Dera Sacha Sauda workers in Punjab in 2016-17.

According to preliminary investigations, Avtar Singh disclosed that his maternal cousin, Paramjit Singh is based in Italy. Paramjit's elder brother, Sarabjit Singh, a constable in Punjab Police, had joined terrorist ranks, KLF (Budhisingwala). Sarabjit Singh had died in an encounter with the police near Rayya (Beas) in 1992.

Avtar Singh has disclosed that about two months ago, he contacted Paramjit to arrange weapons to settle his enmity with some people of his village, which Paramjit assured to arrange soon. At this point, Paramjit Baba put him in touch with Happy, based in Pakistan, who Avtar had identified as the same person introduced to him by the Dubai-based Pak National, Javed. Happy promised Avtar to arrange weapons for him.

Towards the end of October or beginning of November, Avtar got a WhatsApp message from a foreign number with details of a location where weapons had been buried. On November 3 at around 11 pm, Avtar contacted his close friend, Bikramjit Singh and asked him to be ready at the next morning.

According to Avtar Singh, he and Bikramjit went to the given location near Majitha on November 4 and successfully retrieved a polythene bag containing two .32 bore pistols, four magazines, twenty-five cartridges and one hand grenade.

After retrieval, Avtar concealed the arms/explosive in his medical store. On November 13, Avtar and Bikram carried out a recce of the Nirankari Bhavan at Rajasansi and both decided to target the Bhavan on an opportune day. On November 16, the two met at Dhariwal village, planned the attack in detail, and decided to carry out the attack on November 18. Avtar has corroborated the sequence of events of the attack, as disclosed by Bikramjit.

After the grenade attack, Avtar received a WhatsApp message from a Pakistan number enquiring about his well-being and asking him to call back immediately. Avtar claimed that he had deleted the message as well as the number after the Sunday attack.

During initial investigations, the accused has also said he initially got radicalised in the wake of the 2007 incident when the DSS chief appeared in public in the attire of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Thereafter, he began to participate regularly in protests against the dera in his local area. He was an active member of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee and regularly participated in the protests organised by the committee.

Avtar Singh has further added that he was staunchly opposed to 'Derawad' and all the self-styled Gurus, such as DSS, DJJS, Piara Singh Bhaniarewala and controversial Sikh preachers, including Sarabjit Singh Dhunda, Inderjit Singh Ghagga etc, and was also against the Hindu right wing and its leaders/workers.

False charges

The suspects family countered the police saying he was being framed in the case.

Avtar Singhs father Gurdail Singh claimed his son was home when the attack occurred, supervising some ongoing repairs at home. He also claimed that Trilok Singh, from whose tubewell police claim Avatar Singh was arrested, was a family friend and would have informed them of their sons arrest.

We believe that he was arrested earlier, he said.

The suspects family claimed they feared he would be arrested because of their own panthic links, and had warned him to stay away. Father Gurdial Singh admitted that they had been part of a protest against a Nirankari Bhavan at Chogawan four months, but quickly added: It was like many others who attended the protest.

We have been attending protests at Bargari but the links with Pakistan based Javed and with 20-20 Sikh referendum organisers are not true, he said, adding that his family was being harassed.

Trilok Singh, head of a local Nihang organisation, could not be reached for his version. Some of his associates said he was away at Sultanpur Lodhi for a religious event.
editorial@tribune.com

Manmeet Singh Gill & Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune Reporters

Amritsar, November 24

The family members of Avtar Singh, who was arrested for allegedly masterminding the Nirankari Bhavan blast, claimed that he was being falsely implicated.

The family claimed that Avtar was at home when the incident took place. They stated that they had engaged construction workers at their home at Chak Mishri Khan village on the day of the blast and Avtar was supervising them.

Countering the police claim that Avtar had asked his Italy-based uncle to help him arrange weapons, Avtars father Gurdial Singh said: We already have three weapons at home, a .32 pistol and two guns. Why would he ask for more?

He said Tarlok Singh, from whose tubewell Avtar was claimed to have been arrested, was a close relative. Tarlok would have told us if there was anything wrong, he said. Tarlok Singh, head of a local Nihang organisation, could not be contacted as Nihangs deployed at the gate of his premises stated that he was away to Sultanpur Lodhi for a religious event.

The family claimed that since they had links with panthic organisations, they feared that Avtar would be arrested and had advised him to stay away. Gurdial Singh said around four months ago, they had attended a protest against the Nirankari sect when they were trying to build a bhavan at Chogawan.

Many villagers had attended the protest. We had not led it. The police are harassing our relatives and many of them have been rounded up, Gurdial Singh alleged.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, November 24

The management committee of Sikh gurdwaras in Delhi will import an ultra-modern fully-computerised offset machine from Germany to print Sikh holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib.

The eco-friendly CO2 neutral four-colour printing machine costing around Rs 8 crore will be set up at the Granth Sahib building that is coming up in Gurdwara Rakabaganj, president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh said.

The new machine is likely to reach in India by April 2019 and the printing is likely to start in May 2019, he said.

The Siromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee in Amritsar and the DSGMC in Delhi only have exclusive and legal rights for publication of the authentic version of the Guru Granth Sahib.

The new printing press will have optimum capacity of printing 10,000 pages per day which will meet the growing demand of holy book worldwide mainly among overseas Sikh devotees, Singh said.

The DSGMC is also planning to organise tours for people and schoolchildren at the printing facility.

In these tours, visitors will be educated about the process of printing the holy scripture, Singh said..

It will be a new religious tourist destination in the national capital which will attract both foreign as well as domestic tourists, he said.

The 1,430-page Guru Granth Sahib is composed of holy verses of Sikh gurus and 30 other saints like Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev among others. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 24

Nakodar Akali MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala on Saturday demanded that the part of the Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side be named after his deceased father and Akali veteran Kuldip Singh Wadala, who kept consistently working on the issue for nearly 18 years.

Wadala, who along with members of the Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib Ravi Darshan Abhilashi Sanstha, a non-political body formed by Kuldip Singh Wadala in 2001, said he would take up the matter related to naming of the road from Dera Baba Nanak to zero line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Starting from Baisakhi of 2001, Kuldip Singh Wadala and members of his organisation had been holding prayer at Dera Baba Nanak for opening of a free passage to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib on every masya (fullmoon night). He kept taking a jatha there till he passed away in June this year. In all, he visited there 208 times, missing it only a few times when he was extremely unwell or abroad. On those occasions, I went in his place and we are still going, the Nakodar legislator said.

Asked as to why no one even in the Akali Dal was crediting him for his efforts till now, Wadala said, In 2008, when we felt that the governments of India and Pakistan are getting serious about the issue and the then Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee was to hold talks with the then Defence Minister of Pakistan, the then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called up Wadala for the initiative. At this, Jasvir Singh Zaffarwal from Gurdaspur intervened and said, Two Akali leaders of Gurdaspur locked Wadala inside a room there so that he is not able to take any credit there.

Another member Gian Chand endorsed and added, At the time when he started talking about the opening of corridor, no one took it seriously. In fact, even his own party leaders did not support him at that time. It was only when the issue took international dimensions that Akali Dal pitched in.

Though Wadala kept maintaining that no single person or organisation should take credit for the development, he said, While we were working on it for years, Congress minister Navjot Sidhu has now jumped in into the issue. He maintains that General Qamar Javed Bajwa told him that the corridor would be opened but there has been no confirmation on this from the Pak General. So the matter remains questionable.

The members of the organisation also demanded opening of the corridor for trade between the two countries saying that it would bring in prosperity.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Chandigarh, November 24

The Punjab Police Saturday ruled out a terror angle in the SUV snatching incident in Pathankot last week, saying a local criminal was involved in it.

However, police have not been able to trace the vehicle.

Four persons, travelling in a hired SUV from Jammu, had snatched the vehicle from its driver at gunpoint near Madhopur area here in Pathankot on November 13.

The incident took place when the driver stopped the car near Madhopur after one of the passengers complained of vomiting.

"One of them (vehicle snatchers) has been identified. He turned out to be a criminal belonging to Punjab. There is no terror angle involved in this incident," Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said.

The criminal belonging to Jalandhar district was identified after the driver of the SUV recognised him from a picture, police said.

The accused, who were speaking in Punjabi, had booked the car from the Jammu taxi stand, police had said.

Security was tightened in and around Pathankot district following the incident.

Police were maintaining a vigil as in 2016, terrorists, who had launched attacks on the Pathankot air base, had snatched a Punjab Police officer's car to get to the air base. - PTI
rohitb@tribuneindia.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

After weeks of bitterness, signs of thaw in ties between India and Pakistan have emerged over the issue of opening the Kartarpur Corridor. The Indian government has nominated a team led by a senior minister to attend the corridor opening.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, however, said she would be unable to attend the meeting. In a letter to her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who had invited her to attend the ground breaking ceremony on November 28, Swaraj said: Due to my prior commitments, including election campaign scheduled in Telangana, I will not be able to travel to Kartarpur Sahib.

Earlier, Qureshi in a tweet extended a formal invitation to the Modi government to be a part of the historic occasion mentioned: On behalf of Pakistan, I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj ,Capt Amarinder Singh @capt_amarinder & Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at #Kartarpura on 28 Nov, 2018. #PakistanKartarpuraSpirit.

The Indian government, meanwhile, has instead nominated Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri, incidentally both from the Sikh community, to represent India at the event for which Navjot Sidhu of the Congress has accepted the invitation.

Sidhus hugging of Pakistani Army chief Bajwa during Imran Khans oath-taking ceremony as PM in August in Islamabad this year had led to a huge row with the government accusing Sidhu of being a stooge and not an interlocutor on the matter.

It is our hope that the Pakistan government will expedite the construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara using the corridor as soon as possible,added Swaraj in her letter on Saturday.

Vice-prez to lay corridor stone tomorrow
editorial@tribune.com

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, November 24

Even as people of both India and Pakistan are awaiting infrastructural details of the proposed Kartarpur Sahib corridor, a US-based NGO, United Sikh Mission (USM), got prepared its design way back in 2011, after sending architects and engineers to the site.

For the last several years, the mission has been urging Members of Parliament to take up the issue in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. Amritsar MP Gurjit Aujla, who is in possession of the blueprint, said many NGOs, the prominent being the USM, had been working behind the scenes to ensure the thoroughfare became a reality.

Aujla is a member of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs. The USM has urged both Pakistan and Indian governments to follow its design. The blueprint envisages that the thoroughfare should be named Kartarpur Sahib Marg  Peace Corridor and should have a security fence.

Since most of the corridor will be in the flood plain, minimum 24-inch diameter cross drains will be provided under the pavement at intervals of 100 ft to facilitate water movement under the pavement in flood-like conditions, reads the blueprint.

As the corridor has to cross two waterways, the Ravi and a nullah just adjacent to Kartarpur Sahib shrine, two 40-ft wide multi-span structures, having similar designs and using the same materials, have been proposed. This will ensure two lanes of traffic and a sidewalk on one side.

A decorative metal railing will also be provided on both sides of the bridges with light poles installed after every 100 ft. The design speaks of constructing a 400-ft-long bridge over the nullah, while the Ravi bridge is sought to be 1,200 ft long.

Aujla said it would not be a bad idea if the two governments take into consideration the blueprint while establishing the corridor.

Two welcome centres buildings, one on the Indian side and the other in Pakistan, are proposed to be built.

There is also a stipulation for a walkway to be constructed with an 8-inch thick asphalt base with a 2-inch thick bituminous wearing course so that it is suitable for two-wheeler traffic.

The blueprint also indicates a large congregation hall to the south-west of the existing gurdwara building to accommodate 2,000 pilgrims.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib road Corridor up to international border at a function at Mann village in Gurdaspur on November 26.

Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh will be present on the occasion.

Guru Nanak Dev had assembled the Sikh community at Kartarpur and lived there for 18 years.

To mark Guru Nanak Devs 550th birth anniversary in 2019, the government decided on November 22 to build the Kartarpur road corridor up to the international border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project. The corridor will let Sikh pilgrims visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the banks of Ravi river in Pakistan.

The Indian side of corridor starts from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and extends upto international border between India and Pakistan. The project corridor is to be developed by National Highways Authority of India and will be funded by Government of India. The project corridor is four-lane with service road and all other appropriate amenities for pilgrims intending to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, in Pakistan.

This corridor will be a historical landmark between India and Pakistan and will also boost tourism as more pilgrims would visit the holy shrine throughout the year between two countries.
Tanushree Ghosh

Tanushree Ghosh

Just approximately a week before the US mid-term elections on November 6 (possibly to recharge his base assumed to be anti-immigration), US President Donald Trump created sound waves announcing he will be pushing for the removal of privilege granted by above 30 nations to children born on their soil  birthright citizenship.

Whether or not that would be feasible to push through, and whether or not President Trump would continue on this agenda after the election result is doubtful, but the announcement itself calls for profound reflections.

A point to remember here is that India largely follows citizenship by the right to blood, not by right to the soil. But the point of this article is not to debate the merit and rationality of one versus another philosophy. The attempt here is to understand why and how a nation mostly made of immigrants and having predominant population inheriting citizenship through right to the soil (after-all, there is historical pretext on the US (and any nation) have chosen one philosophy over another for citizenship) is considering this possibility. If not for citizenship through right to the soil, most of the Americans (US citizens) today wont be so.

Its no secret that it is believed that a lot of immigrants choose to make the US their long-term or permanent home and give birth to children here to have US citizenship availed to their next generation. And the belief is largely true. Human ambition is to seek betterment, and there obviously are significant benefits to being a US citizen  from convenience to access. So the base that has concerns on diversification of the US and the changing face of the countrys population, doesnt want this right to be available to people here illegally, temporarily, or unjustly (real or perceived), even if the undertone of intolerance and racism is left alone.

Although the intended target of this latest in the series of anti-immigration rhetoric of the Trump administration are the children born in the US to folks who are in the country illegally (and that too primarily from Latin America as hinted), the effect of the sentiment weighs heavy on immigrants of all nationalities, irrespective of their legal status. A huge section of the first generation immigrant population in the US is from India, China and the Philippines, and once here in the country  they bear children (like I did too) who are born US citizens. The ripples, therefore, are going far and deep, from disbelief and hurt to panic and dismissal.

Yes, it would be very hard, if not impossible to do  for changing the Constitution in any country is no small task. But still, its the thought that counts. From holding off on having children to dashing for US citizenship  the whispers, fears, and speculations have ranged wide in the Indian diaspora, as has denial. There is no way this could be allowed to happen. Can it be?

Well, who knows? Post-2016, nothing seems impossible anymore. But now that the mid-term is over, President Trumps pre-occupation has shifted to a few other concerns and this agenda of his that has faced strong criticism from most of America might be left alone. At least for a while.
Vibha Sharma in New Delhi

Vibha Sharma in New Delhi

When Gujarat faced the Hardik Patel-led reservation storm in August 2015, the ruling BJPs worries were not just limited to this one state. The young face of the Patel or Patidar agitation had catapulted the quota war to the national level, giving a leg-up to the OBCs in other states, who began demanding a share in the reservation pie.

There were concerns in the BJP about caste-based quota demands from the Gujjars in Rajasthan, the Marathas in Maharashtra and the Jats in states like Haryana. Sources had told The Tribune that leaders from the BJP and the RSS had tried to drum sense about the dangers and futility of Hardik Patel-type efforts in other communities.

However, the ball had been set rolling. Haryanas violent Jat protests in 2016 demostrated that. The state lived through its worst nightmare as the government watched helplessly. A similar agitation led by the Marathas was turning out of control in Maharashtra. Devendra Fadnavis could not, and did not, make the mistake of ignoring it in the pre-election year.

Fadnavis quandary

Soon after Fadnavis became CM in 2014, Bombay High Court struck down the special quota in jobs and education that the previous Congress-NCP government had granted ahead of the Assembly elections. With the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections next year, the Marathas were back on the streets in July and their once silent protests had now turned violent.

Fadnavis did not have much choice with rivals harping on rural and farm distress and absence of economic avenues. The loan waiver announced earlier this year too had not yielded expected results. So, on November 18, his government cleared the way for 16 per cent quota for the Marathas under a new category  Socially and Educationally Backward Class. However, the special category increases the overall quota beyond the Supreme Court-set limit of 50 per cent. It remains to be seen how the proposal withstands scrutiny by the court of law.

Sanghs stand

In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections in 2015, when Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar was yet to do ghar wapsi to NDA and was playing along with RJD, he had supported the Hardik Patel-led quota agitation. The BJP had dismissed the support saying it would not affect its prospects in the state. His support to Patel can backfire and anger OBCs as including any more communities will cut into the share of those who already enjoy the quota, a top BJP leader had said.

Among the factors believed to have contributed to the BJPs poor performance in Bihar was a particular comment by RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat urging for a review of the existing reservation policy. The comment hurt the BJP the most in the caste-driven state. Lalu Prasad said it was enough proof that the BJP would do away with caste-based reservation. Saffron leaders tried their best to convince the people otherwise, but the die had been cast.

The issue came back to haunt the party ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Speaking at a lit fest, senior Sangh leader Manmohan Vaidya said one should look into the impact of reservation as a state policy to end socio-economic discrimination. The statement conformed to the Sanghs long-held stance of a review of the privilege. However, sensing that the statement could be politically manipulated, the RSS set the record straight saying that caste-based reservation was a necessity for some more time.

Political exigency

No party can afford to mess with vote banks commanding huge percentages of the Indian population, more so when its aim is to increase vote share. Eyeing traditional vote banks of regional parties like Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and the RJD, the BJP is trying to move beyond its traditional voters, the upper castes. Some of its recent attempts to placate Dalits have also angered the so-called swarna jatis (forward classes) but this is a price the new BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready to pay while striking for 50 per cent share in the Lok Sabha elections.

It has announced several measures, including setting up a commission to examine the sub-categorisation of backward communities in the central list to ensure that the benefits extended to the OBCs reach all communities and granting constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

Economics at play

Interestingly, like the Jats in North India, the Patels in Gujarat and the Yadavs in the Hindi heartland, the Marathas enjoy a socio-economic status similar to forward castes. They also do not face any social stigma like the Dalits. Social scientists see this desire to be counted among backwards by the dominant communities as a reality check on the current situation in the country besides, of course, the politics and the if they can get it, why cant we mindset. This could be because of their inability to move up the economic ladder, lack of employment opportunities and sluggish agrarian economy.

A top BJP leader said demarcations based on caste were the only way to solve this puzzle. You dont choose to be in a particular caste; you are born into one and stay there for the rest of your life. But economic status can change. The government will have to keep updating the economic status of people if reservation is given on those lines. How can children of once poor and now rich parents be allowed to avail reservation? In other words, reservation based on caste is not just logical but also the practical. It makes better sense politically too.

Time will tell how the BJP will address the growing unrest among upper castes over its OBC-Dalit placatory attempts. Meanwhile, results from Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections will show whether swarna jatis have the potential to disturb the BJPs carefully crafted caste calculations for 2019 or not.

Timeline

To press for their demand for reservation in jobs and education, the Marathas held silent demonstrations across Maharashtra in 2016 and 2017. The quota granted to them by the previous Congress-NCP government had been struck down by the high court. However, this July, the protests turned violent.

23 July: Maratha protests turn violent.

26 July: Post-violence, Marathas call off quota bandh in Mumbai.

30 July: Fadnavis agrees to hold special session on quota.

31 July: Maratha youth turn riot again. By the end of this month, at least six youth had committed suicide over the issue.

13 Sep: Two more end life over quota issue.

18 Nov: State governments nod to 15 per cent quota for the Marathas.

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Tegucigalpa, November 24

Juan Antonio Hernandez, the brother of the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, was arrested in the United States on Friday over suspected ties to drug trafficking, officials said.

Honduran authorities released a statement saying the arrest in Miami was consistent with the presidents declaration last month that no one is above the law and came after persistent rumors of Antonio Hernandezs involvement in narcotics.

The former head of the Los Cachiros cartel Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga had testified to a court in New York in 2017 that he had bribed the presidents brother when he was a lawmaker, in exchange for his assistance to the traffickers.

Maradiaga had also testified against Fabio Lobo, son of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for collaborating with the Los Cachiros cartel.

In his testimony, he had explained how the Los Cachiros had set up an intermediary company which it used to conduct business with the government, and which served to launder its trafficking profits.

The Los Cachiros cartel was responsible for moving tons of cocaine in to the United States before being dismantled by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Antonio Hernandez was previously accused of being involved in the drug trade in 2016 by former Honduran soldier Santos Rodriguez.

Rodriguez also accused Antonio Hernandez of being an accomplice to a plot to kill the US ambassador to Honduras. He denied all charges.  AFP
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November 24

Climate change will cost the US economy hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, hitting everything from health to infrastructure, according to a government report issued on Friday that the White House called inaccurate.

The congressionally mandated report, written with the help of more than a dozen U.S. government agencies and departments, outlined the projected impact of global warming on every corner of American society in a dire warning that is at odds with the Trump administrations pro-fossil-fuels agenda.

With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century - more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many US states, the report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II, said.

Global warming would disproportionately hurt the poor, broadly undermine human health, damage infrastructure, limit the availability of water, alter coastlines, and boost costs in industries from farming, to fisheries and energy production, the report said.

But it added that projections of further damage could change if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply curbed, even though many of the impacts of climate change - including more frequent and more powerful storms, droughts and flooding - are already under way. Future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today, it said.

The report supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming and warned of catastrophic effects to the planet.

The studies clash with policy under President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back Obama-era environmental and climate protections to maximise production of domestic fossil fuels, including crude oil, already the highest in the world, above Saudi Arabia and Russia.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said the new report was largely based on the most extreme scenario, which contradicts long-established trends by assuming that...there would be limited technology and innovation, and a rapidly expanding population.

The governments next update of the National Climate Assessment, she said, gives us the opportunity to provide for a more transparent and data-driven process that includes fuller information on the range of potential scenarios and outcomes. Trump last year announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Deal agreed by nearly 200 nations to combat climate change, arguing the accord would hurt the U.S. economy and provide little tangible environmental benefit. Trump and several members of his cabinet have also repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change, arguing that the causes and impacts are not yet settled.

Environmental groups said the report reinforced their calls for the United States to take action on climate change.

While President Trump continues to ignore the threat of climate change, his own administration is sounding the alarm, said Abigail Dillen, president of environmental group Earthjustice. This report underscores what we are already seeing firsthand: climate change is real, its happening here, and its happening now.

Previous research, including from US government scientists, has also concluded that climate change could have severe economic consequences, including damage to infrastructure, water supplies and agriculture.

Severe weather and other impacts also increase the risk of disease transmission, decrease air quality, and can increase mental health problems, among other effects.

Thirteen government departments and agencies, from the Agriculture Department to NASA, were part of the committee that compiled the new report. Reuters
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PARIS, November 24

Police firing tear gas and water cannons clashed with protesters in Paris who are angry over rising fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France.

A trailer was set on fire and exploded on the Champs Elysees and a man who tried to attack fire fighters was overpowered by some of the demonstrators themselves. On the nearby Avenue de Friedland, police fired special rubber balls to control demonstrators.

Around 5,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where police tried to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace nearby.

Protesters sang the national anthem and waved French flags while others carried signs with slogans saying "Macron, resignation" and "Macron, thief". Police detained 22 people in Paris and at protests in other parts of the country.

Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol that are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy electric vehicles.

For more than a week, protesters clad in the fluorescent yellow jackets that all motorists in France must have in their cars have blocked highways across the country with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks, obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centres and some factories.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner accused far-right leader Marine Le Pen of fanning the protests in the capital.

"The ultra-right is mobilised and is building barricades on the Champs Elysees. They are progressively being neutralised and pushed back by police," he said.

In a message on Twitter, Le Pen said she had questioned why no protests were being allowed in the area.

"Today Mr Castaner is using this to target me. This is low and dishonest" she said.

Challenge for Macron

Last Saturday, when nearly 300,000 people took part in the first yellow vest demonstrations countrywide, retailers' daily revenue fell 35 per cent, according to consumer groups.

By 1400 GMT, more than 80,000 demonstrators were protesting across France, including 8,000 in Paris alone, according to figures from the interior ministry

Demonstrators were blocking access to shopping malls in Bollene and Carpentras in southern France while in Dole, in eastern France, a man carrying a weapon was overpowered on a roundabout occupied by demonstrators.

The unrest is a dilemma for Macron, who casts himself as a champion against climate change but has been derided as out of touch with common folk and is fighting a slump in popularity.

Despite calls for calm from the government, the yellow vest protests have spread to French territories abroad, including the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, where cars were set on fire.

While the movement, which has no leader, began as a backlash against higher fuel prices, it has tapped into broader frustration at the sense of a squeeze on household spending power under Macron's 18-month-old government.

Since coming to power, Macron has seen off trade union and street demonstrations against his changes to the labour rules, and overhauled the heavily indebted state rail operator. Foreign investors have largely cheered his pro-business administration.

But political foes have dismissed him as the "president of the rich" for ending a wealth tax, and voters appear to be growing restless, with the 40-year-old president's popularity slumped at barely 20 per cent. Reuters
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BRUSSELS, November 24

An 11th-hour deal on Saturday to answer Spanish demands for a big say on Gibraltar after Britain leaves the EU has salvaged an EU summit which will now go ahead as planned on Sunday to deliver a Brexit accord.

With British Prime Minister Theresa May due to meet EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker and summit chair Donald Tusk soon, Tusk secured a deal with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had been threatening to scupper the consensus by staying away on Sunday.

After the phone call between (Tusk) and (Sanchez) a few minutes ago, we are closer to tomorrows (European Council), Tusks spokesman Preben Aamann said on Twitter.

The British government released a letter from the British ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow to the head of Tusks secretariat spelling out that Britain would make no presumption that any future EU-UK trade pact would apply to Gibraltar.

Sanchez was due to make a statement in Madrid to outline the agreement after British and Spanish negotiators talked through the night with EU officials trying to broker a deal that would reassure Madrid on how the Brexit treaties would apply to Gibraltar and give it a clear say on their application without reopening the texts.

Those assurances should form part of a brief statement agreed by the 27 EU leaders and added to the minutes of Sundays hour-long meeting before the 27 meet May.

Negotiations went on through the night with Spain and Britain, one diplomatic source said. In a telephone conversation just now, Tusk and Sanchez reached an agreement on Gibraltar. The summit will go ahead. The biggest obstacle to the Brexit accord overall is the vehement opposition in the British parliament.  Reuters

The Rock out from EU-UK trade pact
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Dubai, November 24

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States, instead of rolling out red carpets for criminals.

Washington in May reimposed sanctions on Tehran, after President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran under which they had been lifted.

Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion ... and against the future generations of this region, Rouhani told an international conference on Islamic unity in Tehran, in a speech broadcast live on state television.

We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran and our Islam, Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states which have close ties to Washington.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are regional rivals and have supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen and different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon.

We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression and the superpowers... and we dont ask for $450 billion to do it, Rouhani said, referring to Saudi Arabias contracts with the United States. Reuters
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Brussels, November 24

Spain was standing between Theresa May and a Brexit deal as it threatened to derail an EU summit on Sunday if it does not get new assurances on having a say in the future of Gibraltar.

As talks among Spanish, British and EU officials continued on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was ready to thwart his British counterpart Mays hopes of seeing EU leaders sign off on promises of close ties with London after Britain leaves the bloc in March if he did not get his way.

EU diplomats and officials said there was still no clear breakthrough on Saturday morning, hours before some of the other leaders must set off for Brussels ahead of Sundays breakfast summitfew will be happy if plans change.

Brussels diplomats and representatives of other governments across Europe said they did not believe Madrid would upset the careful choreography of Sundays summitry, when May and her 27 EU peers will fly in for a couple of hours in the morning. But they also heard strong words from Spanish ministers that left them unwilling to call Sanchezs bluff without further talks.

On a visit to Cuba, Sanchez said he had yet to receive assurances that any future decisions on Gibraltar would be decided in direct talks between London and Madrid.

The guarantees are still not enough and Spain maintains its veto to Brexit. If there is a deal, then it will be lifted, he said when it was already late on Friday in Europe. If there is no deal ... the European Council will most likely not take place.

Spain can expect its European allies to swing more clearly behind its 300-year-old claims to sovereignty over The Rock, a British naval base on its southern coast that is home to some 30,000 people whose economy faces major questions after Brexit.

But demands that extensive treaty documentation recently agreed between Brussels and London be tweaked to give Spain a bigger say over its implementation in regard to Gibraltar face resistance from Britain and EU allies who are wary that the whole edifice of the long-negotiated deal might unravel.

Proud people

Diplomats said there was no doubting the passion behind the Spanish arguments when advisers to the 27 EU leaders met in Brussels on Friday to prepare the summit: The Spanish are very proud people and this is absolutely important for them, one participant in the talks told Reuters.

We have to have a solution. I am quite sure we will have one.

Some in Brussels stress that Sanchez is fighting a regional election in Andalusia, the province that abuts Gibraltar, next weekend and may want to play up the issue for home consumption.

For him to force the cancellation of the summit, or drag it out beyond the morning, would incur the wrath of his peers.

May is due to meet EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), and diplomats say that should be the moment they confirm that the Gibraltar issue is settled. May will then meet summit chair Donald Tusk.

In Germany, a government spokesman was confident a solution would be found in time for Sundays summit.

Berlin had earlier said there could be no more technical negotiations at the summit, and that Chancellor Angela Merkel could skip it if all the texts are not ready in advance.

The biggest obstacle to the Brexit accord overall is the vehement opposition in the British parliament. Without its approval, Britain could leave the bloc on March 29 without an agreement to mitigate economic and legal disruption. Reuters
GOVERNMENT will take whatever action is necessary to safeguard the pensions of Petrotrin workers.

This was the assurance from Finance Minister Colm Imbert as he responded to a question from United National Congress (UNC) Senator Wade Mark in the Senate on Wednesday.
Our forefathers in their wisdom gave us watchwords to ensure the nations success. They are Discipline, Tolerance and Production.

The first of the three  Discipline  lags behind in our progression towards the future.
Who did he book the QATAR flight with? The airline or some online ticket seller? The only way to rescuea potential complete loss of an air fare is to change the existing one. Get him to find out the cost of making it a single booking to Bali via Melbourne. There will be a change fee and fare difference and if booked through a third party their fees too. So it may not be worthwhile even if the fare conditions allow it.

The other option is to look at whether QATAR will allow a change of travel date and if so at what price. Trouble is he doesnt know what date to postpone to as he doesnt know if/when his WHV wil be approved.

I suspect hes going to lose out on that flight cost all together, other than getting a refund of tax (and he wont get much of that back of he used a third party).
"The main touristy things" seems very generic. Ppl like and do different things, in different areas of the country. You have a short time in CR, in the busy high month of travelling. Some of your decision will be based on the accommodations availability that you might still find, especially if you are planning on travelling in the 2nd half of Dec. Popular accommodations for the peak holiday season are booked months in advance.

This ready-made 1-wk long itinerary covers two popular areas, Arenal and Manuel Antonio- .

If you are arriving to CR later in the afternoon or at night and leaving early in AM, you would need to subtract the first and/or last nights, as those might need to be spent closer to the airport. There are hotels that include airport shuttles (and sometimes breakfasts, too), which are located closer to the airport.

Do not stay in San Jose city itself as your base, if your goal is to explore other areas. The SJO airport is not in San Jose city. The traffic in between and around the airport is very busy, so especially in the peak travel times of winter holidays, getting to SJ city and out of it will be taking up too much of your time.

You can usually do 2 destinations in 1 wk.

How many days in each of those 2, will depend on your flights' times and whether you need to spend any nights closer to SJO.

When we visited Arenal and Manuel Antonio, we used reserved in advance shared shuttle vans from Interbus. They operate on schedule, 1-2 times daily, deliver you door to door. Adult rate between main tourist areas mentioned above is around US$54 pp one way- .

If you have your air tickets, book accommodations, then transportation.

If you decide to travel by public bus, see .

If planning on getting to your first destination on your first day, remember to leave sufficient time to get out of the busy SJO airport and to take a taxi to the near by parking lot of Denny's where many shuttles pick up from (few pick up right from the terminal, Interbus does not) or, if you are taking public buses , you need to get to San Jose, correct terminal, and know how you will get to your actual accommodations from the terminal in Quepos (for Manuel Antonio) or from La Fortuna.

We found Manuel Antonio / Quepos area easy without renting a car. There are taxis and inexpensive local buses to travel to the national park, to Quepos, etc. In our experience, tour prices in that area included hotel pick up. Arenal attractions are more spaced out. In our experience, tpur costs did not include transportation, which needed to be added extra, per person, and taxis are not inexpensive.

Edited: 3 years ago
Day 6 - Thanksgiving Day - Hone time

Happy Thanksgiving! I awoke on my final morning. Id left the heating on low over night so had no idea if it was as cold as predicted, about -5 c (early 20s f). I checked the weather to see if my some miracle it had changed in the last few hours but no, it was still saying it was freezing outside.

I got ready, finished packing my case and caught up on some correspondences. It was 11am by the time I checked out. Leaving my case with the hotel, wrapped up in many layers I headed out. And my it was cold. As Id been layering up, I thought, surely I wont need this many layers, in the end I was very glad of them but still cold.

I wandered around the TriBeCa area, it was quieter with it being Thanksgiving day but not as quiet as I thought it might be. Its a lovely area and Id stay here again, there are still many restaurants/cafes in the area I want to try and it really is convenient for many subway lines. Im not a fan of Canal St but other than using it to get to and from subway stations, its easy to avoid.

After exploring, I headed west on Chambers St until I got to the Hudson River. You might be thinking a river walk in -5 temperatures was a crazy idea and youd probably be right. I did enjoy looking at the Tom Otterness sculptures in the park, Id also spotted various sculptures throughout different subway stations during my trip.

I walked right down to the Staten Island ferry terminal and caught the free ferry. It was nice to be slightly warmer inside and the ferry was fairly quiet. It was my first time taking the ferry. I did visit the Statue of Liberty on my first visit but I think if youre not overly fussed about visiting the actual statue or Ellis island this is a good and free alternative to get a fairly decent view of the statue.

I came straight back once I reached SI and headed up town. Again, the Financial district was busier than I thought, mostly with tourists. Although along my walk down the Hudson River, there had been a lot of joggers who I presume were enjoying how quiet the paths there were.

I stopped at the 9/11 memorials. This is something Ive visited every time Ive been as its important to me to pay my respects and remember the people and the events of that tragic day.

Feeling somber and still exceptionally cold Id decided enough was enough and walked back to my hotel. I was back for about 2:30pm. Id been out in the bitter temperatures for just over 3 hours and was frozen to the core. The hotel had a bar/grill attached on to it. As Id already checked out I figured Id grab some lunch there before heading to the airport. I had a chicken sandwich, it wasnt really that great and if I stay in the hotel, I wont be using the adjoining bar/grill again but I was just thankful of somewhere warm to sit for an hour.

Meal eaten, I went to the hotel to collect my case and let them know I was ready for my lift. Id spoken to reception the day previously about getting to the airport. I normally take the subway/air train but the combination of the cold, steps with a heavy case and how tired I was made it a very unappealing idea. The hotel had said Taxis would be running today as normal but some may try to charge more as its Thanksgiving. They could book me a car for $65 including tolls and tip. I didnt know if that was true about yellow taxis charging more but Im pretty sure I remembered their rate with tolls and tip was about $78. So I booked the car through the hotel. It was about 20 minutes late arriving due to a lot of traffic heading for the tunnel to New Jersey, which the hotel is right by. But, luckily I had allowed enough time so it didnt make a difference.

I arrived at JFK, paid the $65 and checked with the driver that it included tolls and tip which he assured me it did. I was very happy I took the easiest option of getting to the airport for once.

Baggage drop and security was fine, I noticed no real difference to say it was Thanksgiving Day with those areas, they still seemed reasonably busy. The plane home was very quiet though meaning I could move to a 4 seat row and lie down to get some sleep. Due to sleeping the flight home went quickly and landed early without issues.

New York has been magical as always. Each time I leave, I come away with a longer list of things I want to go back and do/try. Ive no return trip planned yet but I know it will happen and already cant wait for it.

Thank you to everyone who has made it this far reading along and as always a huge thank you to the forum members who take time to share knowledge, experiences and answer questions. It makes planning a trip that little bit more fun and I for one, am very grateful. If anyone has any questions about anything I got up to or would like more information, Ill be really happy to help.
I am cobbling my itinerary for NYC together using a lot of fab information from here. So thank you. Just thought I would send out what I have already here and see if you can suggest things nearby that I could do on the same day. I like potter when I am travelling, walk, take pictures have a coffee, shop...

Sun 30th arrive NYC staying at The Jane should get there around 4. Will check our he neighbourhood and then walk to freemans restaurant for dinner then ghost donkey (I found these in Instagram... they look fun.

Monday 31st I am going to start early today and head of the Central Park. Spend some time there (havent quite mapped this out) then I have an untour booked at the Met at 11. Then I will head to Top of the Rock for my booking at 3. Before heading back to my hotel maybe grabbing dinner somewhere casual and finding a pub or something in the area. Not to fussed about NYE if I can get back up to Central Park later i will.

Monday 1st booked Statue of Liberty tickets and Ellis island when I get back Ill do 9/11 site I might see wicked or another show this evening.

Tuesday I will do a tour in Brooklyn food and beer (I tried to book a Ziggy tour but its a tricky time of year! Other suggestions?) and do the Brooklyn bridge walk as well.

Wednesday I fly back to China early doors.

Are there cafes/ restaurants/ bars near these places people would suggest (I love trying the famous food from the areas and I love American food chicken and waffles were my fave when we visited the west coast last year!)

Are my days too full (not full enough)

Anything else interesting that you could suggest particularly photography wise? That I might be able to shoot?

Thanks so much I am so excited about this trip and the forum has been so helpful with my planning.
TROY, N.Y.  Despite frigid temperatures and the option of shopping online from home, folks still made their way out in search of some good Black Friday deals.

From the Shoppes at Greenbush Commons to the streets of downtown Troy, shoppers and business owners alike were taking in the annual shopping frenzy.

Among the most popular items and deals according to cnet.com are the Echo Dot, Jabra Elite 65t, Google Home Mini, Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart Deluxe and Amazon Fire HD 10.

Taking in some of the shopping scenes were Sean Fitzsimons of Delmar and his cousin Julia Timko visiting from Connecticut.

I live in Delmar and I have my cousin here whos visiting from out of town and we thought it would be nice to stop into Troy and check it out, Fitzsimons said. We had a great lunch at the Whistling Kettle and weve been sightseeing and window shopping.

Were always very excited about Black Friday it always brings a lot of our regular customers in as well as new customers. We have specials today of 20 percent off regular priced merchandise, Truly Rhe owner Rhe Potenza said of her sales. Were getting a lot of people in its been very steady all day, even though its been very cold.

Were selling lots of hats and gloves and scarves today because of the cold and were selling lots of gifts, weve been doing a lot of wrapping, so its been a good day.

Its been mostly families, its been steady, hasnt been too busy, not anything crazy. Were right here over at Artcentric, Olivia Lockrow, who works at Artcentric, said of the Black Friday traffic. Its mostly people shopping for little holiday gifts, in our store furniture, its been pretty normal.

Were kind of just preparing for tomorrow, getting everything together, thats going to be a lot more business than today.

Tomorrow being Small Business Saturday, which coupled with more seasonable temps, should drive even more foot traffic to the Collar City.

Its been pretty steady kind of in groups but tomorrow is our big day, Small Business Saturday, really everyone comes out. I feel like we have a very strong community here in Troy so people will come out for it, Theresa Van Duyne, of T&J Handcrafted Soap, said.

Tomorrow is our six-year shop anniversary so Ill be giving a loaf of soap away tomorrow and the first 10 people through the door will be getting Enjoy Troy bags with a special treat in it and then the following 20 will be getting the shop small tote bags with their purchase, Van Duyne added of the Saturday specials.

For those working or not wanting to brave the elements (or craziness) of the Black Friday tradition, theres always the online option.

Im working today, so Im probably going to do some Cyber Monday shopping, Lockrow added.
- The attires are currently being produced by the National Youth Service

- The uniforms were unveiled by Uhuru during launch of police reforms

- New attires are meant to improve visibility of the men and women in uniform

Tailors at National Youth Service (NYS) are burning the midnight oil to meet deadline for the controversial police uniforms which will be officially launched during Jamhuri Day celebrations on Wednesday, December, 12, 2018.

Early November 2018, the Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet signed an MoU with NYS for the production of the attires.

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READ ALSO: Another lot of Form Four leavers captured insulting Interior CS Fred Matiang'i as they burn books

Police will wear the uniforms officially during Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12, 2018. Photo: UGC

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: Binti mrembo ashangaza wengi baada ya kutangaza anaishi na virusi vya HIV

On Thursday, September 13, at the Kenya School of Government (KSG), President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled the new uniform.

According to him, the attire was meant to improve visibility of the men and women in uniform but Kenyans thought otherwise.

READ ALSO: Crisis looms as North Rift MPs vow to rally farmers against delivering maize to NCPB

They disapproved of the outfit, with many terming them ugly and uninspiring while others noted it was a copy of what Chinese police wear.

Boinnet defended the uniforms telling Kenyans they are here to stay and the only way they could help was to only give suggestions on how to make them better.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

King Kaka blames Kenyan media for Tanzania,Nigeria Music Invasion| Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke
A student in Mombasa county who had just written his last paper was found hanging in a class room on Friday, November 23.

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidate at Alidina Visram High School is said to have committed suicide when he was busted with marijuana by the school management.

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READ ALSO: Authorities dismiss cheating claims advanced by 8 Ambira High School students in viral video

The Alidina Visram High School student is said to have committed suicide when he was busted with marijuana by school management. Photo: Allidina Visram High School/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Binti mrembo ashangaza wengi baada ya kutangaza anaishi na virusi vya HIV

It is suspected the student who was facing disciplinary action for being in possession of the illegal substance decided to take his life out of fear.

Mombasa police boss Eliud Monari confirmed the incident saying investigation into the matter had began to establish the reason which could have led to the unfortunate happening.

Juma Mshimu, the school principal did not speak to the media over the same.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenya news: Top Girl in KCPE 2018 | Tuko TV

Source: Kenya Breaking News Today
Combative lawyer and a fierce critic of Opposition leader Raila Odinga has cried foul after the former prime minister blocked him on Twitter.

Miguna is known for his scathing and bare knuckle online attacks attacks on Raila, President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and other top political figures in the country who harbour opinions contrary to his.

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READ ALSO: Man catches wife red-handed in bed with student

Miguna who was once Raila Odinga's political advisor said his former boss blocked him on Twitter because of his new book set to be launched which criticises him. Photo: The Star.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Police unmask 8 Ambira High School students captured in viral video insulting CS Matiang'i and Amina

In his tweet seen by TUKO.co.ke on Saturday, November 24, the lawyer who was deported to Canada said he could not access the man he had previously served as a political advisor.

He alleged Raila whom he helped take the controversial oath of office on Tuesday, January 30, as the People's President had blocked him because he was scared of his new book, Treason: The Case Against Tyrants and Renegades set to be launched soon.

In his tirade, he went ahead to refer to the ODM party leader as a "chief cowardly hypocrite".

The self proclaimed National Resistance Movement General who was kicked out of the country due to what was suspected to his involvement in Raila's swearing in warned his book would lay bare the former PM's secrets.

READ ALSO: Nairobi woman burns neighbour with hot water after conflict over children

"It's going to be an explosive revolutionary engagement ahead," Miguna added about the book aimed at Raila, currently appointed as Africa Union high representative of infrastructure and development.

A section of Kenyans, however, did not sympathise with the combative lawyer and lauded Raila's move saying it was long overdue.

They said Miguna was fond of insulting people via social media platforms and blocking those who differ with his opinion and had just gotten a taste of his own medicine.

READ ALSO: Agony for Karatina mum as 10-year-old son disappears at bus stop in Nairobi CBD

Miguna published another book titled Peeling Back The Mask in 2012 which portrayed Raila negatively with an aim of undermining his presidential candidature during the 2013 General Election.

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Source: Tuko
- 52,767 new HIV/Aids infections are reported annually, with Nairobi and Homa Bay counties recording highest numbers

- NACC attributed the spread to trans-generational sex and lack of comprehensive prevention methods

- An Israeli company announced discovery of a new HIV cure

Despite numerous government efforts to combat spread of HIV/Aids in Kenya especially among the youth, majority of new infections still remain among the young generation.

According to the latest report by the National Aids Control Council (NACC), girls aged between 15 and 24 years recorded the highest number of new HIV infections in Kenya, translating to one third of the total.

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READ ALSO: Condoms are not part of our agenda in fighting HIV spread - Catholic bishops

The latest HIV treatment drug known as Gammora is said to eliminate up to 99% composition of HIV virus in a period of four weeks.

Source: Getty Images

READ ALSO: New HIV cure? Everything you should know about Gammora

It further showed 52,767 new infections including 7,978 children are reported annually hence about 14,929 girls aged between 15 and 24 contracted HIV in 2017 alone.

In terms of prevalence rate in counties, Nairobi had the highest new infections among young women aged 15 and 24 years with 2,587 people.

Homa Bay, Siaya, Kisumu, and Migori counties followed with 1,852, 1,641, 1,630 and 1,143 new infections respectively.

Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at NACC Joshua Gitonga attributed the spread to lack of comprehensive prevention methods and increased cases where old men date young girls.

READ ALSO: The murder of Rongo University student is a lesson to girls, leave sponsors alone - MP Gladys Wanga

Trans-generational sex that happens when girls go for older partners is something that cannot be overlooked. This target group lacks comprehensive knowledge of HIV and do not have access to prevention methods because the majority rely on guardians for all their health issues, he said.

Since the 1990s when HIV was first transmitted to humans in Central Africa, it has been more than a century without a cure for the condition.

READ ALSO: Sponsor sets house on fire after busting lover with another man in Mombasa

An Israel biotech company, responsible for the development of cancer and HIV treatments, announced it has discovered a new HIV cure.

The latest HIV treatment drug known as Gammora is said to eliminate up to 99% composition of HIV virus in a period of four weeks.

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Source: Tuko Newspaper
- The controversial young tycoon had said he is simply blessed and that is why he lives large

- He claimed to wear designer shoes worth KSh 1 million and a wrist watch worth KSh 10 million

- The tycoon also claimed to have donated millions of shillings to Red Cross Society in Kenya

- Malong was featured in a documentary as one of the people who amassed wealth from the South Sudan war

- He is being investigated in Uganda over a wide range of criminal activities

Uganda authorities have confirmed they are holding South Sudanese billionaire Lual Malong over links to a multi-billion fake gold scam in which several traders lost billions of shillings.

This is after the controversial businessman who recently claimed he got his wealth from Jesus Christ was reported missing while on a business trip in Uganda.

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READ ALSO: Suitors in last minute rush to win heart of South Sudanese woman whose dowry is 520 cows, three V8 cars

Lual Malong display wads of cash. He has been arrested in Uganda over links with gold scaming. Photo: Lual Malong Junior/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Binti mrembo ashangaza wengi baada ya kutangaza anaishi na virusi vya HIV

According to reports published by New Vision, Internal Security Organisation Director General Kaka Bagyenda on Friday, November 23, confirmed Malong was being investigated over a wide range of criminal activities.

He is a person of interest to us as security and its true we have him. He is helping us with investigations and at the right time, you will be duly informed of what charges he faces, said Bagyenda.

TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday, November 21, gathered prior to Malong's disappearance, he was picked by unknown people from a hotel room in Kabagala, Kampala.

The tycoon's kinsman added that Ugandan police force had denied having picked him and their efforts to contact him were fruitless prompting them to report the matter to the police.

"The hotel people confided to us that he was picked by soldiers of Uganda People's Defence Forces. They said the soldiers came with two vehicles," said the relative.

The 30-year-old tycoon first came to public limelight when he posted a video of himself lying on a bed splattered with $1 million (KSh 100 million) crisp notes which he claimed was a donation to charity.

The documentary by Africa Uncensored had alleged Malong who refers himself as one of "Africas youngest billionaire", donated KSh 500 million to the Kenya Red Cross and the South Sudan Red Cross.

The humanitarian group in Kenya, however, denied having received any money from him.

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Source: Tuko Breaking News
The Farmers Union stands by their increase in price of goat meat saying that, feed and pharm
The Supreme Court yesterday fixed for support on December 4 the fundamental rights petition filed against the re-convening of Parliament.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera and Justice Lalith Dehideniya fixed the matter to be supported for granting leave to proceed along with the related petitions.

Former UPFA MP Sarath Weerasekara filed the petition seeking a declaration from the Court that the decision taken by the Parliament Secretary General and the Attorney General to re-convene Parliament was unconstitutional.

He said the SC had already issued an interim order staying the operation of a gazette proclamation issued by the President and that it could only be determined at the conclusion of the main matter and as such the petitioners in the applications are not entitled to claim the result of the final order from an IO.

However, Parliament Secretary General had made arrangements to reconvene Parliament on November 14.

Since Parliament continues to stand dissolved, neither the Secretary General nor the Speaker could summon Parliament before the final determination of the Court.

The Speaker was also cited as one of the respondents.

W.D.Rodrigo PC with Kaniska Vitharana appeared for the petitioner. Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appeared for the respondents. (S.S.Selvanayagam)
A trade volume between Ukraine and Slovakia grew by 36% in the first half of 2018.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this at a joint briefing with President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska in Kyiv on November 23, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The trade turnover between our countries increased by 36% in the first half of the year. This is another proof of the effectiveness of the Association Agreement and the FTA in conditions when Russia uses the embargo as an element of the hybrid war and closed its markets, the Ukrainian president said.

The European Union is a reliable market for Ukrainian producers, Poroshenko stressed.

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On Saturday, November 24, Ukraine commemorates the victims of the Holodomor (famines) - millions of innocent Ukrainians killed by the totalitarian communist regime.

The Holodomor Victims Remembrance Day is marked annually on the fourth Saturday of November under the presidential decrees of 1998 and 2007. In the 20th century, Ukrainians survived three famines - in 1921-1923, 1932-1933, and in 1946-1947. However, the most massive was the Holodomor of 1932-1933 - the genocide of the Ukrainian people, which was carried out by the totalitarian communist regime of the Soviet Union.

In November 2006, the Verkhovna Rada recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide against Ukrainian people.

In addition to Ukraine, 15 UN member states and the Vatican City State recognized the Holodomor in Ukraine of 1932-1933 an act of genocide.

On November 26, 2016, President Poroshenko signed a decree on events on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine - the genocide of the Ukrainian people", according to which the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor will be marked at the highest state level.

Nationwide events commemorating the Holodomor victims will be held throughout Ukraine and in many countries of the world.

At 16:00, along with a national minute of silence, the traditional "Light the Candle of Memory" initiative will take place. Everyone is welcome to light a candle and put it on a window sill (or a balcony), thus honoring the memory of the millions of Ukrainians who were killed by the famine in Ukraine.

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The United States of America remembers millions of innocent victims of the Holodomor in Ukraine and continues to support Ukraines national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert said this in a press statement on November 23, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

This month we join Ukrainians around the world in marking the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, when millions of innocent Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death by the regime of Josef Stalin, the statement reads.

The Department of State stressed that the Soviet Unions barbaric seizure of Ukrainian land and crops had been undertaken with the deliberate political goal of subjugating the Ukrainian people and nation.

This catastrophic man-made famine was one of the most atrocious acts of the twentieth century and a brutal reminder of the crimes of communism, the statement says.

Today, Ukrainians are once again dying as a result of Russia attempts to destroy the identity and Western aspirations of the people of Ukraine. Russias ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine has resulted in more than 10,000 deaths. "However, Russia will not vanquish the resilient Ukrainian spirit, nor dampen Ukrainians desire for a better future," the Department of State notes.

The U.S. reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraines national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the Ukrainian peoples right to chart their own course.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska discussed issues of bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.

The presidents held a meeting in Kyiv on November 23, the press service of the Ukrainian head of state reported.

"We have negotiated the coordination of our efforts to prevent the construction of a politically motivated Russian project Nord Stream 2. And we note that we have a common position on this project. We have a firm intention to coordinate our actions in the future," Poroshenko emphasized.

He also thanked the Slovak president and the Slovak government for supporting Ukraine in gas supply. "Three years ago, in October 2015, when the Russian Federation cut off the supply of gas to Ukraine, trying to create both social and economic problems, Slovakia was the first to provide us with European gas through an interconnector. Today, it is one of the main suppliers of gas, which ensures the energy independence of Ukraine," the president stressed.

In turn, Andrej Kiska said that "Slovakia ensures the supply of gas to Ukraine. If I have the correct information - 90% of gas coming to Ukraine is from Slovakia".

"As for Nord Stream 2, Slovakia always claims that it is not an economic project, but a political one. And it is extremely important to understand that when someone is constantly repeating that this is just an economic project. No, it is a purely political project," the Slovak president stressed.

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The blockade of the Sea of Azov is another proof of the consistent destructive regional policy of Russia, which continues its aggression in Donbas and does nothing to de-escalate the conflict.

President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis said this at a joint briefing with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on November 24, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"Latvia strongly condemns Russian aggression in Donbas. Unfortunately, Moscow does not take any steps to de-escalate the conflict. The blockade of the Sea of Azov is another proof of Russia's consistent destructive regional policy," Vejonis said.

He has added that Latvia strongly supports the position of the European Union regarding the non-recognition of illegal elections in the occupied territories of Donbas, and expressed full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

"The sanctions imposed on Russia should remain in force until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements," the president of Latvia said.

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The blockade of the Sea of Azov is another proof of Russia's consistent destructive regional policy, Vejonis said.

President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis has called on the European Union member states to continue the sanctions policy towards Russia.

"The sanctions imposed on Russia should be continued until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements," President of Latvia said at a joint briefing with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Saturday, November 24.

Read alsoLatvia increases size of OSCE Ukraine observer mission  media

According to Vejonis, he discussed with Poroshenko the security and humanitarian situation in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

"Latvia strongly condemns Russian aggression in Donbas. Unfortunately, Moscow does not take any steps towards de-escalation," he said.

According to Vejonis, the blockade of the Sea of Azov is another proof of Russia's consistent destructive regional policy.

"Latvia strongly supports the position of the European Union regarding the non-recognition of the unlawful 'elections' in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government," he said, adding that Latvia continues fully supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Vejonis says that Latvia adheres to the policy of non-recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

In addition, he called on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners. Vejonis also said that during the visit to Ukraine, he would meet with the leaders of the Crimean Tatars.

"We are concerned with the limitations of the rights of Crimean Tatars and their persecution on the peninsula. International human rights observers should have full access to the peninsula," he said.

"We have repeatedly called for the immediate release of all Ukrainian political prisoners detained in Russia, as well as in the illegally annexed Crimea," he added.
The award ceremony was held in Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has awarded President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the first degree.

Read alsoLatvian President urges EU to continue sanctions policy towards Russia

"Today, I've had a great honor to present the highest state award of Ukraine  the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the first degree for the President's huge contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations between Ukraine and Latvia," Poroshenko said at a joint briefing with President of Latvia in Kyiv on November 24.

According to the head of state, the award is a symbol of gratitude of the Ukrainian people and recognition of personal contribution of the Latvian President in support of Ukraine.

The award ceremony was held in Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv.
Two enemy troops were killed and another one was wounded, intelligence reports say.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.

Read alsoRussian occupation troops being reinforced near Horlivka  OSINT expert

"Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action in the past day. According to intelligence reports, two occupiers were killed and another one was wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on November 24, 2018.

The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms to attack the defenders of the town of Maryinka, as well as the villages of Stanytsia Luhanska, Krymske, Zolote, Troyitske, Pisky, Verkhniotoretske, and Berezove.

In addition, the enemy fired 82mm mortars and a ZU-23-2 towed 23mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon in an attack on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Vilny. The occupiers also used anti-tank guided missiles and 120mm mortars to shell the Ukrainian strongholds near Troyitske. Moreover, the enemy opened fire from PTRD anti-tank rifles there.

Since Saturday midnight, Russian-led forces have attacked the Ukrainian positions near Krymske, using 82mm mortars and small arms.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on November 22, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak said that the Donbas conflict was in its active phase, and there was a threat of Russia's open aggression.
The ministry called such "humanitarian" assistance another provocation by Russia, contrary to the Minsk agreements.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has condemned another so-called "humanitarian convoy" sent by Russia to Donbas as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Read alsoOSCE spots trucks carrying anti-aircraft gun in Russian-occupied Donbas

"We strongly condemn the next 'humanitarian convoy' of the Russian Federation as a gross and cynical violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is another provocation, contrary to the Minsk agreements," spokeswoman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Kateryna Zelenko tweeted on Novemer 23.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on November 22, the 83rd humanitarian convoy of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry reached its destination in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Russia has been sending "humanitarian" aid to Donbas since August 2014. More than 70,000 tonnes of such aid has already been supplied.

Ukrainian customs officers and border guards are not allowed to examine "humanitarian" trucks. Moreover, the Ukrainian officials claim that they have proof that the "humanitarian" cargo included, among other things, weapons, ammunition and anti-tank grenades.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly called on Russia to stop the violation of Ukraine's sovereignty by supplying the so-called "humanitarian" assistance.
Turkish agricultural sector will be able to commence investments in Sudan's fields by 2019, Turkish agriculture minister told Anadolu Agency

ANKARA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Turkish agricultural sector will be able to commence investments in Sudan's fields by 2019, Turkish agriculture minister told Anadolu Agency.

An office of Turkish and Sudanese joint agricultural and livestock company was opened last week in the eastern African country's capital Khartoum, Bekir Pakdemirli said.

Turkey's General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TIGEM) capitalized 80 percent of the joint-venture, while the Sudanese side capitalized 20 percent.

The decision to found the company was made under a Turkish-Sudanese agricultural pact signed in 2014.

The bilateral pact aims to rationalize the use of resources and agricultural potential and contribute to sustainable food objectives.

Under the agreement, around 780,000 hectares in Sudan across five regions were earmarked for investment by Turkish entrepreneurs for 99 years.

The new office will commence works to set a pilot farm in 12,500 hectares field, Pakdemirli said.

He noted that Sudanese and Turkish sides will start investments together.

"Infrastructure needs in there would be met. While doing model agricultural production in a small part of the pilot land, we will open the rest to private sector," Pakdemirli said.

He stated that the project is based on a win-win principle and added that agricultural products in Sudan can be exported to other countries along with Turkey.

Pakdemirli underlined that the project also aims to guarantee food supply by meeting agricultural products need which cannot be produced in Turkey due to climatic reasons.

"Products will come with zero custom fees. The project will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in Sudan and its welfare," he said.
The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held meetings with the visiting Norwegian and Belgium delegation led by former Prime Minister, Kjell Magne Bondevik, about the grim situation of human rights in the territory.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held meetings with the visiting Norwegian and Belgium delegation led by former Prime Minister , Kjell Magne Bondevik, about the grim situation of human rights in the territory.

According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), a team of High Court Bar Association headed by its President Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom and comprising Aijaz Bedar, Muhammad Ashraf Butt, Aadil Asimi, Mufti Meraj-ud-din, Altaf Haqani, Arshad Andrabi and Bashir Sidiq met in Srinagar with the Norwegian and Belgian delegation headed by Kjell Magne Bondevik and including Ewald Poeran, Managing Director, World Forum for Ethics in business, Belgium, and Inge Andersen, a Senior consultant, the Norwegian school of Sport Sciences.

The HCBA team discussed with the visiting delegation the long-pending Kashmir dispute and the worst kind of human rights violations being committed by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir.

The delegation members were told that Indian forces have been killing, blinding and maiming Kashmiris since 1947 in general and since 1990 in particular, without impunity given to them under black law, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

The delegation members were also informed that the occupation authorities were arresting people under black law, Public Safety Act, and lodging them in Indian jails far away from their homes.

A team of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its President, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmed, also held a meeting with Kjell Magne Bondevik and Ewald Poeran in Srinagar and apprised them of the atrocities beingcommitted by Indian troops on the people of occupied Kashmir.

The KCCI team on the occasion said that settlement of Kashmir dispute though talks was essential for ensuring durable peace in South Asia.
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Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader and the Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, has said that India is victimizing the Kashmiri people for demanding their inalienable right to self-determination in Indian occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader and the Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, has said that India is victimizing the Kashmiri people for demanding their inalienable right to self-determination in Indian occupied Kashmir.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai in a statement issued in Srinagar said that south Kashmir had been subjected to ruthless Indian military offensive and the cost had been devastating in terms of innocent human casualties as well as infrastructure.

He paid tributes to the six youth martyred by Indian troops in Bijbehara area of Islamabad district, yesterday, and prayed for forbearance to the grieved families.

"The supreme sacrifices of our sons are the biggest human investment. The priceless sacrifices of Kashmiri youth will always be safeguarded," he said.

Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai said the way the Kashmiri people have remained firm and steadfast in their just struggle for right to self-determination despite facing colossal persecution and atrocities of all sorts at the hands of Indian troops, is commendable.

He appealed to the international community to play its role in the settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and the aspirations pf the Kashmiri people.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, today received the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Miguel Octavio Vargas Maldonado, and discussed ways of promoting bilateral relations across all domains.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Nov, 2018) H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, today received the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Miguel Octavio Vargas Maldonado, and discussed ways of promoting bilateral relations across all domains.

The meeting occasioned a review of means of propelling political, economic and cultural cooperation and the exchange of expertise and transfer of knowledge in areas of renewable energy.

Sheikh Abdullah during the meeting affirmed that the UAE has privileged relations with the Dominican Republic and that the country is keen to foster these ties across various fields.

The top diplomat of Dominican Republic hailed the prestigious status enjoyed by the UAE at the regional and international levels and affirmed his country's determination to accelerate bilateral relations.

At the end of the meeting, the two ministers signed four memoranda of understanding on promoting cultural cooperation; strengthening political consultations; forming a task force to promote investments; and advancing cooperation between the Emirates Diplomatic academy and its counterpart in Dominican.
(@rukhshanmir)

Abu Dhabi Police, ADP, has set the specifications for decorating vehicles during the UAE's 47th National Day celebrations, as well as prepared a traffic plan to ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers alike.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Nov, 2018) Abu Dhabi Police, ADP, has set the specifications for decorating vehicles during the UAE's 47th National Day celebrations, as well as prepared a traffic plan to ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers alike.

According to a statement by ADP, vehicle owners can decorate their cars with appropriate decals from 25th November to 6th December. "Drivers who do not comply with the allotted time frames will be fined," the statement added.

The rules and specifications detail that decals and decorations "must not obstruct the vision of the driver in any form". Abu Dhabi Police also specified not to install flagpoles on vehicles, not to blur or cover number plates on the car, and not to change the vehicle's original paint colour.

Brigadier Khalifa Mohammed Al Khaili, Director of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at ADP, called on members of the public to adhere to the rules, coinciding with the message behind the Year of Zayed, and to enhance the spirit of love for the homeland while respecting the law and cooperating with the police.

Al Khaili added that drivers and passengers should not use confetti sprays, and not overcrowd vehicles. He also called on individuals not to stick their bodies out of windows, or ride on top of vehicle roofs. Drivers are also expected not to leave their vehicles, and the use of camels and horses on public roads is also prohibited, the ADP Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate explained.

He urged pedestrians to use designated crossings to ensure their safety, and called on the public not to throw waste items, not to leave skid marks on roads, and not to obstruct the flow of traffic and designated taxi and bus stands.

Al Khaili said that a comprehensive traffic plan was prepared to ensure the safety and security of members of the public during National Day celebrations. The plan includes an increased presence of police patrols within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as well as the use of smart monitoring systems to detect traffic law violations.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that its President and CEO, Hamad Buami, has been appointed as Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerces World Chambers Federation, WCF, the International Chamber of Commerces forum uniting a global network of 12,000 chambers and their respective business communities.

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Nov, 2018) The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that its President and CEO, Hamad Buami, has been appointed as Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerces World Chambers Federation, WCF, the International Chamber of Commerces forum uniting a global network of 12,000 chambers and their respective business communities.

The announcement came during a high-level WCF General Council meeting which was recently held at Dubai Chambers headquarters. Buamim, who previously served as Deputy Chair of WCF, will assume his new position at the beginning of 2019 for a period of three years, during which he will preside over meetings and activities of the WCF Chairmanship, WCF Executive Committee, and WCF General Council.

In his new role, Buamim will supervise the WCFs efforts to foster and facilitate collaboration and cooperation between chamber leaders and their members worldwide. The WCF actively promotes chambers of commerce as essential intermediaries between business and government, and between business and the general public. In addition, the organisation addresses common challenges and help its members benefit from new opportunities.

Buamim succeeds Peter Mihok, President of Slovakias Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who held the position of WCF Chairman for the last six years. The appointment marked the second time that an official from the middle East is elected as WCF Chairman after Adnan Kassar, President of Beirut Chamber of Commerce and President of General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry, held the position between 1991 and 1996.

Commenting on the appointment, Buamim thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for his strong support to Dubai Chamber and the business community in Dubai, and said that the achievement reflected Dubais strengthening reputation as a global business hub.

"As one of the worlds largest membership-based chambers of commerce, Dubai Chamber has played a crucial role in fostering cooperation and partnerships between chambers of commerce and championing best international practices to enhance our members trade competitiveness. We are now ready to launch a constructive dialogue about how chambers of commerce can align their efforts to achieve this goal on a global level," said Buamim.
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Editors-in-Chief of various local newspapers held a coordination meeting at the Emirates News Agency's, WAM, headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Nov, 2018) Editors-in-Chief of various local newspapers held a coordination meeting at the Emirates News Agency's, WAM, headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

During the meeting, attendees discussed means of enhancing cooperation and coordination efforts to support the role of the national media sector in highlighting the UAE's pioneering accomplishments.

They also discussed ways to strengthen knowledge exchange and to benefit from experiences in the media sector.

The attendees noted the role played by the Emirates News Agency in disseminating UAE news, highlighting the latest endeavour which sees the agency's news service distributed in 13 languages targeting some 142 countries.

Following the meeting, Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Executive Director of WAM, provided a tour of the agency.
(@rukhshanmir)

The UAE Ambassador to Mexico, Ahmed Hatem Al Minhali, has met with Yeidckol Polevnsky Gurwitz, President of the National Regeneration Movement, MORENA, at the Embassy headquarters in Mexico City.

MEXICO CITY, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Nov, 2018) The UAE Ambassador to Mexico, Ahmed Hatem Al Minhali, has met with Yeidckol Polevnsky Gurwitz, President of the National Regeneration Movement, MORENA, at the Embassy headquarters in Mexico City.

During the meeting, Al Minhali relayed the UAE government's best wishes and success to the newly elected ruling party, led by President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, noting the UAE leadership's interest to enhance cooperation between the two countries further, and deepen relations between their governments and peoples.

The MORENA Party President expressed her thanks for the warm welcome, adding that the party is keen to cooperate with the UAE as one of the main partners in the Gulf, and the middle East region.

The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and means to enhance them, particularly in the trade and investment, cultural and tourism sectors.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday said that some anti-Pakistan forces wanted to sabotage China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and vowed that perpetrators of Chinese Consulate attack in Karachi would be brought to justice.

Talking to a private television channel, he said the Chinese government had appreciated the timely action of Karachi police and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families of martyred police.

To a question, the foreign minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to attend the National Assembly sessions but the opposition behavior in the House had been very aggressive.

Qureshi said the Opposition instead of Shahbaz Shaif should nominate someone else for Chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee. He said the Prime Minister would not compromise with corrupt people and added that the Prime Minster would take the nation into confidence on November 29.

He said the tense atmosphere created by the Opposition in the Parliament was in nobody's interest. He said that it was a long desire of the Opposition to dislodge the PTI government, but added that the treasury benches should have patience.

He said the government had no objection over a Charter of Economy as it wanted to have consensus on it and resolve economic problems of the country. He added that the government wanted to bring a long-term policy for economic turnaround of the country.

Terming the Prime Minster's visit to China very encouraging and successful, the foreign minster said, the Chinese leadership had given a clear message to Pakistani leadership during this visit.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa Saturday visited Headquarters Special Service Group (SSG) here in connection with installation ceremony of their Colonel Commandant.

TARBELA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa Saturday visited Headquarters Special Service Group (SSG) here in connection with installation ceremony of their Colonel Commandant.

Upon arrival, the COAS laid wreath at Martyrs Monument, said a press release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Major General Abid Rafiq was installed as first colonel commandant of SSG.

Later, talking to the guests including serving and retired officers and men of SSG, the COAS hailed their unmatched contributions, especially duringcounter terrorism operations.

He said that SSG of Pakistan Army was the best special force of the world and they had proved it through professional performance and great sacrifices of their sweat and blood.
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Deputy Commissioner Mudassir Riaz Malik said that monitoring officials were being deputed to check the duties of sanitary workers at union council level.

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Deputy Commissioner Mudassir Riaz Malik said that monitoring officials were being deputed to check the duties of sanitary workers at union council level.

He said that sanitary workers who remained absent from duty would face strict action.

He said this while paying visit to the city to review cleanliness arrangements here on Saturday.

The DC said that more recruitment was being made in the waste management company to improve cleanliness in city.

He said that loader rickshaws and hand carts were being provided to sanitary staff to lift waste from walled city areas.

Mudassir Riaz directed to lodge cases against those who threw waste and construction debris on roads. He also directed to place new containers and waste drums at various points of the city.

Managing Director MWMC Iqbal Fareed gave briefing to the DC about cleanliness measures.
Third death anniversary of female fighter pilot, Flying Officer, Marium Mukhtiar Shaheed was observed on Saturday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Third death anniversary of female fighter pilot, Flying Officer, Marium Mukhtiar Shaheed was observed on Saturday.

She was the first female pilot of Pakistan Air Force who sacrificed her life in the line of duty and attained Shahadat.

She was on a mission when her trainer jet crashed near Kundian area of district Mianwali two years ago.

She was on a mission on an FT-7PG aircraft and encountered a "serious in-flight emergency" during the final stages, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said in a statement when her trainer jet crashed near Kundian area of district Mianwali 3 years ago, a private news channel reported.

Born on May 18, 1992, in Karachi, Mariam Mukhtiar hailed from a family having a military background.

Her father, Mukhtiar Ahmed Shaikh was a retired colonel of the Pakistan Army, who inspired her to join the armed forces.

Marium after receiving her initial education from Karachi, graduated as a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 2007 with seven other female Pakistanis who also graduated as pilot officers.

On May 6, 2011, she joined the Pakistan Air Force in 132 GD Pilot course.

The government of Pakistan posthumously honoured Marium Mukhtiar with Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Good Conduct) on 23rd March 2016.
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Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said on Saturday that new local government (LG) system in the province would be fully empowered financially and administratively to solve problems of common man within minimum possible time.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) : Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said on Saturday that new local government (LG) system in the province would be fully empowered financially and administratively to solve problems of common man within minimum possible time.

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of notables of Sheikhupura here at 90 Shara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, and a detailed discussion was also held on the new LG system in the province.

Despite inheriting the worst financial challenges from the previous regime, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was moving forward with concrete planning, he added.

The minister said that in urban areas, neighborhood councils and village councils would be working independently, and 30 per cent of annual development programme budget would be allocated to ensure prosperity and progress in each area. Instead of three, it would be a two-tier local government system, upon which the final deliberations were underway, he added.

The senior Minister said that common man and party workers had great expectations from the incumbent government, adding that it would not disappoint them through better delivery of public services. He said that the government had to reduce its development programme allocations because of massive corruption, committed by the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-N regime in Punjab.

The delegation head, Provincial Minister Mian Khalid Mahmood, apprised the senior minister about problems and issues of Sheikhupura district and said that people were waiting for new LG system and they wanted to get rid of corruption at all levels.

Delegation members included Saeed Virk, Aslam Baloch, Gul Aghaz, Bilal Virk, Shahid Manzoor Gill, Chaudhry Ashfaq, Dr Saleem, Rao Jahanzaib Qawi, Abid Chathha and Sarfraz Dogar.
Pakistan has told the UN Security Council (SC) that it remains committed to backing initiatives aimed at improving peacekeeping that make it fit for purpose and adapt better to changing environments and needs.

UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Pakistan has told the UN Security Council (SC) that it remains committed to backing initiatives aimed at improving peacekeeping that make it fit for purpose and adapt better to changing environments and needs.

"Successful peacekeeping is our success; the credibility of the UN depends on it, and so does international peace and security," Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told the 15-member Council.

Speaking in a debate on Peace and Security in Africa, she recalled that Pakistan was the first to accede the Declaration of Shared Commitments, which reaffirmed the need to provide predictable, sustainable and flexible funding for African-led peace operations, especially those authorized by the Security Council.

"The situation in Africa needs a comprehensive approach to effectively address the many challenges it faces; one that relies on strengthening cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations," the Pakistani envoy said.

Pointing out that Chapter VIII of the UN Charter emphasizes the importance of cooperative, inter-dependent and mutually reinforcing relationship between the UN and regional organization, Ambassador Lodhi said countries of a region were better equipped to understand their challenges and to respond to them.

"We acknowledge and appreciate AU's commitment in stabilizing conflict situations and resolving disputes in Africa," the Pakistani envoy said.

"The growing dialogue between the Security Council and the African Union (AU) for a better and effective response to peace and security issues in Africa is also a welcome development." As one of the top troop contributors to the UN, Ambassador Lodhi said Pakistan's brave peacekeepers continue to be deployed in African States, contributing to many of the continent's success stories from Liberia to Ivory Coast to Sierra Leone.

Pakistani well-trained troops have protected civilians, provided medical care and rebuilt communities, she said adding, "Successful peacekeeping is a two-way street", which depended not only on the professionalism of peacekeepers, but also on adequate resources and realistic mandates.

Opening the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "Our partnership with the African Union and African Member States is vital to our collective efforts for peace, and we must continue working to strengthen it." The Secretary-General noted the close collaboration between the United Nations and the Union across the continent, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Mali, Central African Republic and Darfur, to supporting political processes, national dialogues and regional mediation efforts, easing tensions and paving the way for peace agreements and elections. Such cooperation becomes increasingly important as peacekeeping encompasses complex operations with multidimensional mandates in extremely dangerous environments, he said.

He went on to emphasize the need to build the capacity to enable Africa to play its full role in that context, and to improve funding methods. "It is essential that African-led peace operations acting under the Security Council's authority are provided with strong mandates and predictable, sustainable and flexible finance, including through UN assessed contributions where appropriate," he stated.

Smail Chergui, the African Union's Commissioner for Peace and Security, speaking via video-teleconference from Addis Ababa, said the African Union has spared no effort in expediting priorities that help to strengthen its partnership with United Nations peacekeeping, including the launch of the revitalized Peace Fund on 17 November 2018, noting that African Union member States have contributed $ 60 million.

Significant progress has also been made in enhancing the human rights compliance framework for African Union peace support operations, as well as in joint analysis, planning and cooperation with the United Nations, he added.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Nov, 2018 ) :The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Friday said that media and parliament have a deep association which sustains democracy.

HE was addressing at the ceremonial dinner organized in the honor of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Dastoor. He said that journalism was a very consecrated profession whereas the media houses bear the responsibility to look after its workers and make endeavors for their welfare.

He observed that the stability of democracy ensures the country's development, adding "We believe in the democratic constancy which should keep on as the democracy esteems the public votes and opinion.

" He thanked the leadership of PFUJ-Dastoor and hoped that it would make efforts for safeguarding the rights of the workers and play its role in promotion of democratic norms.

Senator Raja Zafar-ul-Haq also vehemently condemned the attack on the Chinese Consulate and opined that Pakistan is the supporter of peace in the region. He also remarked that Indian atrocities going on in the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was a barefaced evidence of state terrorism in the territory. "Pakistan would continue its moral and diplomatic support at every level to the Kashmiris," he reiterated.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Naeem ul Haq Saturday emphasized the need to setup well equipped and trained special police force to ensure security of all consulates in the country.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Naeem ul Haq Saturday emphasized the need to setup well equipped and trained special police force to ensure security of all consulates in the country.

Talking to private news channel, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was bringing reforms in the police department to improve its professional capabilities by imparting modern training.

Naeem said that government had planed to constitute a special police force which would be responsible to maintain the security of all the important places and personalities.

Replying to a question, he said the security arrangements of the Chinese Consulate was responsibility of the provincial government, adding Federal government was taking steps with the consultations of provincial governments to ensure foolproof security for all consulates in the country.
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Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) successfully carried out simultaneous load rejection test of all three units of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) : Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority ( WAPDA ) successfully carried out simultaneous load rejection test of all three units of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project.

The test was conducted at the load of about 1100 Megawatts under the supervision of the consultants and the contractor of the project. The simultaneous load rejection test was aimed at testing the stability of under-water parts and rise in speed and pressure of the turbines.

According to WAPDA spokesman here Saturday, the turbine efficiency test was also carried out last week under the supervision of an international expert, hired for the purpose. The test ascertained that the turbine efficiency was more than the efficiency envisaged during the model testing of the turbines.

The completion of Tarbela 4th Extension and Neelum Jhelum hydropower projects this year has exerted positive impact on overall hydel generation, as it surged to 5241-MW during the peak hours on Friday, registering an increase of about 46 per cent if compared with 3581-MW, generated on this day last year.

Since its commissioning, he added, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project had so far contributed 1.26 billion units of low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid despite low flows of water this year.

The 1410 MW-Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project had been constructed on Tunnel No 4 of Tarbela Dam. The Project had three generating units, each of them having capacity of 470-MW. The project would provide 3.84 billion units of electricity on the average to the national grid per annum. Annual benefits of the project had been estimated at Rs 30 billion. With completion of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project, the installed capacity of Tarbela Hydel Power Station had increased from 3478-MW to 4888-MW, he concluded.
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UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Saturday that he was trying to exert all efforts until the end of his mandate to push the formation of Syria's constitutional committee forward.

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Saturday that he was trying to exert all efforts until the end of his mandate to push the formation of Syria 's constitutional committee forward.

De Mistura said in mid-October that he would step down for personal reasons at the end of November.

"I am pushing until the last day of my assignment to use that leverage in order to get something moving in the direction of the constitutional committee. Why? Because you have heard the Russians have an interest, substantial interest [in establishment of the constitutional committee].

We all have an interest," de Mistura said at the Mediterranean Dialogues Forum in Rome.

On Monday, the UN Syria envoy expressed hope that the constitutional committee, set to draft reforms to Syria's constitution, could convene in December.

The decision to set up the Syrian constitutional committee was made at the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, held in the Russian resort city of Sochi in January.
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Kinshasa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Felix Tshisekedi, opposition candidate for next month's crucial presidential elections in DR Congo, goes into the contest with political heft as the son of Etienne Tshisekedi, his party's late founder.

Tshisekedi senior, founder of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), died in February last year and his heir now hopes to make the great leap from opposition to the presidency.

The portly "Fatshi", as his friends call him, hopes to succeed President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the volatile, poverty-stricken nation with an iron fist since 2001.

But it briefly didn't look like Tshishekedi, 55, would even to be on the ballot.

On November 11, he and his running mate Vital Kamerhe joined five other opposition figures in choosing unheralded deputy Martin Fayulu as a unity candidate to face Kabila's handpicked successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

That deal lasted just 24 hours as Tshisekedi and Kamerhe succumbed to grassroots party pressure and ditched Fayulu to announce they would stand on a joint ticket, dividing the opposition camp.

If they win, Tshisekedi would become president and Kamerhe, a former National Assembly president who ran against Kabila in 2011 and leads the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC), would be prime minister.

Since Tshisekedi senior founded the UDPS in 1982, the party has served as an opposition mainstay in the former Belgian colony -- first under dictator Mobutu Sese Seko then Kabila's father Laurent-Desire Kabila, who ruled from 1997 until his death in 2001.

Yet the ditching of the pact with Fayulu has made ripples, if not waves, weakening the opposition and leaving it in some disarray.

Father of five Tshisekedi and Fayulu attend the same Pentecostalist church in the capital Kinshasa but will now both be vying to see off Shadary, a Catholic, at the polls.

Tshisekedi includes among his credentials a Belgian-obtained diploma in marketing and communication -- but detractors suggest the qualification is not valid.

His opponents also point to his never having held high office or having managerial experience.

But he has risen through the party ranks -- in 2008 he became national secretary for external relations and last March was elected party head after his father's death.

He was elected to the national assembly in 2011, representing Mbuji-Mayi in the Kasai-Oriental province, but he did not take his seat as he did not recognise his father's 2011 election defeat to Kabila.

Tshisekedi, who does not enjoy the same degree of popularity as his father,last year told AFP that if he won the presidency he would set up a "truth and reconciliationcommission" to call Kabila to account, but would allow him to stay in the country.
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A fire broke out at a building of South Korea's leading wireless and fixed-line services provider in central Seoul on Saturday, paralyzing the network in the region, fire authorities said.

SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :A fire broke out at a building of South Korea 's leading wireless and fixed-line services provider in central Seoul on Saturday, paralyzing the network in the region, fire authorities said.

The building of the KT Corp., the country's No. 2 mobile carrier, located in the central Ahyeon district, caught fire around 11:20 a.m.

No casualties have been reported, the authorities said.

They said the fire started in the basement of the building, where the company's communications equipment is located.

"The fire isn't serious but caused a network problem," a fire official said.

As a result, mobile and internet networks, as well as Internet Protocol tv (IPTV) services, are down in central Seoul. The authorities said it will likely take at least one week to fully normalize the system.

KT said it is looking into the exact cause of the fire and how much of the network has been affected.
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Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday agreed to return 26 cultural artefacts to Benin "without delay", a move that could put pressure on other former colonial powers to return African artworks to their countries of origin.

The decision -- which Macron said should not be seen as an isolated or symbolic case -- came as the president received the findings of a study he commissioned on repatriating African treasures held by French museums.

Macron agreed to return the 26 works, mainly royal statues from the Palaces of Abomey -- formerly the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey -- taken by the French army during a war in 1892 and now in Paris' Quai Branly museum.

In addition, he proposed gathering African and European partners in Paris next year to define a framework for an "exchange policy" for African artworks.

The president "hopes that all possible circulation of these works are considered: returns but also exhibitions, loans, further cooperation", the Elysee palace said.

Ousmane Aledji, director of the Benin cultural centre Artisttik Africa, said he was pleased to see "a new form of cultural exchange" with France.

Britain has also faced calls to return artefacts, including the Elgin Marbles to Greeceand the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, while museums in Belgium and Austria house tens of thousandsof African pieces.
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France will return to Benin 26 cultural heritage objects that French colonizers exported from the country in 1892, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) France will return to Benin 26 cultural heritage objects that French colonizers exported from the country in 1892, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

The initiative was launched by Musee du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, where these objects are currently disposed.

"The president of the republic [Emmanuel Macron] has decided to immediately return the 26 objects previously demanded by the Benin authorities. The objects were taken from [Benin] King Behanzin's palace by [French] Gen. Dodds as war trophies after bloody battles held in 1892. These relics can be presented to the Benin community and the global community within an ambitious museum project currently implemented in the Republic of Benin," the statement, released late on Friday, read.

The statement went on to say that the French government would take necessary steps, including legislative measures, to ensure the objects return.

Musee du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac will provide its assistance as well.

According to the statement, Macron has suggested to hold a meeting with African and European partners in Paris in the first quarter of 2019 in order to "build new relations and exchange policy."

On Friday, French scientist Benedicte Savoy and Senegalese scientist Felwine Sarr presented to Macron a report on the restitution of African cultural heritage objects exported during the French colonization.

The report was created at Macron's request. Following his visit to Burkina Faso in November 2017, the French president pledged to "ensure all conditions for temporary or permanent return of cultural heritage objects to Africa" in five years.
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The 4th meeting of Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee is set to be held in Istanbul on November 26, an official statement said.

ANKARA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :The 4th meeting of Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee is set to be held in Istanbul on November 26, an official statement said.

According to a statement from Turkey's presidential press office, the meeting will be jointly presided over by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

The meeting will discuss the opportunities to further develop cooperation between the two countries in various fields, and exchange views on regional issues.

A number of agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries during the meeting.
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Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov discussed with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiative to hold in the country's capital of Astana a Russian-US-EU-Chinese meeting, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov discussed with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiative to hold in the country's capital of Astana a Russian-US-EU-Chinese meeting, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

On Friday, Abdrakhmanov and Mogherini held a meeting in Brussels on the sidelines of the EU-Central Asia Conference.

"During the meeting, they have also tackled the results of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit, during which ... Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev presented a number of suggestions on pressing global problems solution.

Back then, the head of the state voiced his initiative to hold a special UN session or a meeting of US, Russian, Chinese, and EU leaders in Astana in order to discuss international security challenges," the statement read.

According to the statement, Mogherini qualified Nazarbayev's suggestions as "quite well-timed for the global community." She also voiced the importance of their further implementation.

The ASEM summit, uniting 51 European and Asian nations, was held on October 18-19 in Brussels.
The Ukrainian Justice Ministry's decision to deprive the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the only canonical Orthodox church in the country, of its right to use the buildings of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra in the region of Ternopil can be appealed in court, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov, the head of the UOC-MP legal department, said on Saturday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) The Ukrainian Justice Ministry's decision to deprive the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the only canonical Orthodox church in the country, of its right to use the buildings of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra in the region of Ternopil can be appealed in court , Archpriest Alexander Bakhov, the head of the UOC-MP legal department, said on Saturday.

On Friday, the Ukrainian Justice Ministry announced that it had deprived the UOC-MP of the right to use the buildings of Pochayiv Lavra that was handed over to the UOC-MP in 2003.

"This decision of the Justice Ministry can be judicially overturned. I ask all the interested individuals not to incite religious discord and to abstain from illegal acts toward the believers and the brethren of the monastery," Bakhov posted on Facebook.

According to Bakhov, the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra will remain in legitimate use of the UOC-MP monastery brethren, as the cancellation of the state registration did not mean that the monastery lost its right to use the buildings of the lavra.

"The Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra will remain in legitimate use of the UOC monastery brethren. The 2003 agreement on UOC monastery brethren usage of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra buildings (such as churches, bell tower, cells, etc.

) is valid, and it has not been canceled," Bakhov said in his Facebook post.

The Ternopil Region police has filed a criminal case over allegedly illegal passage of the buildings of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra to the UOC-MP on November 15.

The church property issue has recently become acute in Ukraine amid the religious conflict that escalated there.

In October, the Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate announced that it would proceed to granting independence to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who seeks to establish a single independent church in the country, welcomed.

The Constantinople Patriarchate's decision prompted the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to completely "break the Eucharistic communion" with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Moscow Patriarchate called Constantinople's decision the "legalization of schism," saying that it would have catastrophic consequences and would affect millions of Christians in Ukraine and other countries. The Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church said that the synod's decision was a hostile act, interfering with the Ukrainian church's affairs, and threatened the Constantinople patriarch with anathema.
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Benghazi, Libya, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :At least nine security service members were killed in a suspected Islamic State group attack in the southeastern Libyan town of Tazerbo on Friday, a senior security official said.

Eleven other people including civilians and a security chief were also "kidnapped" by members of the extremist group, which attacked a police station in the oasis town, added the official.

The Tazerbo desert region is controlled by the forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar, who heads the self-styled National Libyan Army (ANL).

The capital Tripoli is the seat of a rival administration -- the internationally-backed government led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

The attack, which has not yet been claimed, is the second in less than a month targeting forces loyal to Haftar.

The first, claimed by IS, killed at least five people in October in the central Kufra region.

Another attack in August claimed by IS killed 11 people including nine members of the ANL.
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In the last 24 hours, more than 180 Syrians have returned home from Lebanon and over 840 came back from Jordan, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said in a daily bulletin on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) In the last 24 hours, more than 180 Syrians have returned home from Lebanon and over 840 came back from Jordan, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said in a daily bulletin on Saturday.

"Over the past 24 hours, a total of 1,031 people returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from foreign states: 186 people (55 women and 95 children) left Lebanon for Syria via the Jaydet-Yabus and Talkalakh crossing points, and 845 people (253 women and 431 children) came back from Jordan via the Nasib crossing point," the bulletin read.

A total of 157,518 Syrians have returned home from abroad since July 18, according to the bulletin.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Victory over the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) was declared in Syria at the end of 2017. However, the Syrian Army continues mop-up operations in some areas of the country. Currently, the priorities in the country are political settlement, restoration and refugee repatriation.

Russia along with Turkey and Iran are guarantors of the ceasefire regime in Syria.
Poland has joined the EU initiative on a cyber response force and mutual assistance led by Lithuania, the Baltic country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

VILNIUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) Poland has joined the EU initiative on a cyber response force and mutual assistance led by Lithuania , the Baltic country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"On November 24 Poland officially joined the European Union Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Cyber Rapid Response Teams Initiative launched by Lithuania. The Declaration of Intent was signed by Minister of National Defense of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak on a visit in Vilnius," the statement read.

Poland will participate in the initiative together with Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain - the EU member states that have signed the Declaration of Intent so far, according to the statement.

Under the initiative, cyber security units of the participating EU countries are expected to conduct investigations in cyberspace and cooperate in case of a major cyber incident, the ministry said.

To test the new structure, Lithuania is expected to host the first joint cyber security exercise involving the EU Cyber Rapid Response teams in the fall 2019, according to the European External Action Service (EEAS).
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Portugal condemns arrests of people for political reasons, including ongoing detention of Kirill Vyshinsky, the head of RIA Novosti Ukraine portal, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Saturday after the talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

LISBON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) Portugal condemns arrests of people for political reasons, including ongoing detention of Kirill Vyshinsky, the head of RIA Novosti Ukraine portal, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Saturday after the talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Portugal criticizes and condemns any acts [of] arresting people over their political views. That is why we are condemning that both in European and other countries," the foreign minister told reporters answering a question about the ongoing detention of Vyshinsky.

Vyshinsky was arrested in Ukraine on May 16 on the charges of treason, and supporting the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's embattled Donbas region.

The journalist has suggested that his arrest was a part of the Ukrainian authorities' campaign to gain the support of voters ahead of the 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The detention of Vyshinsky has prompted widespread criticism by journalists rights groups, which said that such moves were unacceptable in a democratic society.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Vyshinsky's arrest was politically motivated, adding that the incident demonstrated an unprecedented and unacceptable policy of Ukrainian authorities targeting journalists, who were just doing their jobs.
Portugal is promoting the idea of maintaining dialogue with Russia in NATO and the European Union, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Saturday after the talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

LISBON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) Portugal is promoting the idea of maintaining dialogue with Russia in NATO and the European Union , Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Saturday after the talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

"We have discussed EU-Russian and NATO-Russian relations. Portugal is defending the importance of maintaining political dialogue between the European Union and Russia as well as NATO and Russia at these two levels," Silva said.

The foreign minister called Russia an important partner of Portugal.

"The Russian Federation is a very important country for us and a neighbor of the European Union.

We share common interests, particularly, regarding the international agenda," Silva noted.

The minister added that the common Portuguese-Russian interests included fight against terrorism, promotion of quick crisis response as well as ensuring development via UN mechanisms.

Earlier in the day, Lavrov arrived for an official visit in Portugal. The previous meeting between Lavrov and Silva took place in Moscow on July 17-18 during the latter's working visit to Russia.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2018) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad discussed on Friday the situation in the Arab republic ahead of the upcoming round of the Astana reconciliation talks, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"During the conversation, the diplomats have exchanged opinions about the developments in Syria and around it, in anticipation of the 11th International meeting on Syria in Astana scheduled for November 28-29," the ministry said in a statement.

Syria has been devastated by years of violent civil war that has prompted millions to flee hostilities to other locations within the country or abroad. Astana-format talks have been an important part of international efforts aimed at settling the conflict in Syria. It is during the Astana talks that the memorandum on the creation of de-escalation zones in Syria was signed in 2017.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said here Friday that his government will continue to invest in Cuba and contribute to the economic development of the island nation.

HAVANA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said here Friday that his government will continue to invest in Cuba and contribute to the economic development of the island nation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a business forum, the Spanish leader said Spain will not slow down its investment in Cuba despite the economic challenges facing the Caribbean country.

Sanchez was accompanied by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Noting that Spain is Cuba's third largest trading partner, Sanchez said that past obstacles and current difficulties are not going to prevent the growth of trade and investment between the two countries.

Spanish companies can lend their expertise in areas such as renewable energy, transport and infrastructure, and they could play a key role in Cuba's economic takeoff, he said.

Sanchez's trip is the first by a Spanish prime minister in 32 years.

The two-day business meeting brings together almost 300 Spanish entrepreneurs from around 100 companies to explore new areas of cooperation with their Cuban counterparts.

Cuban Vice President of the Council of Ministers Ricardo Cabrisas said current Cuba-Spain relations are at a "very positive moment" witnessing political and economic dialogues at its highest level in decades.

"This important visit by the Spanish prime minister after more than 32 years marks a new stage and relaunches our ties in different sectors, including economic and commercial cooperation," he added.

On Friday, Sanchez also toured Old Havana, along with the city's historian Eusebio Leal, where he appreciated the work to restore Spanish-era colonial buildings and houses.

During his stay in Cuba, the Spanish head of government will also host a meeting with Cuban intellectuals, artists, entrepreneurs, religious and civil society members.
The long-awaited Middle East settlement plan of US President Donald Trump is unlikely to bring a lasting peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, since the matter has no immediate solution, Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2018) The long-awaited middle East settlement plan of US President Donald Trump is unlikely to bring a lasting peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, since the matter has no immediate solution, Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.

In September, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that President Donald Trump administration's long-awaited peace plan for Israel and Palestine would be completed soon.

"I do believe that the approach should be different. I am not sure we can find some magic plan to solve all the problems in immediate negotiations. We have to start building peace brick by brick," Edelstein said when asked to comment on Trump's peace plan.

He added that in order to resolve the decades-long dispute it was necessary to persuade the both parties that the cooperation would benefit all.

"Right now, even if we impose some kind of deal, I am not sure it will hold ... I am not sure that you can find some scissors and cut a piece of paper and then everything becomes fine. It is a long process," Edelstein argued.

Trump has long promised to take steps toward settling the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner and Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt have been working to put together a US plan that could bring peace to the region.

The Middle East settlement process took a hit last December when the United States decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The move was condemned by Arab states and has been rejected by European nations. Palestine responded by refusing to accept the United States as the Primary mediator in peace talks with Israel.
From the 8th December 2018 to 8th December 2019, Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, Queen of Africa, the two Missionary Institutes of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr) popularly known as the White Fathers and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa sometimes referred to as the White Sisters are set to commemorate the 150th anniversary their foundation by Cardinal Lavigerie.

Paul Samasumo  Vatican City

It is almost unthinkable to talk about the evangelisation of Africa without mentioning the White Fathers and for that matter, the White Sisters.

The Superiors General, Sr. Carmen Sammut, MSOLA and Fr. Stanley Lubungo, M.Afr, have jointly spoken about their great joy at the pending year-long celebrations.

Three years of preparation

As the commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the campaign against slavery led by our Founder in 1888 had already brought us together, the preparation of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of our foundation brought us even closer. Following the invitation of Pope Francis expressed in his Apostolic Letter to Consecrated Men and Women in December 2014, our two Institutes have engaged, since 2016, in a three-year preparation for the Jubilee, beginning by taking the time to look at our past with gratitude. In many of our communities, this period was also an opportunity to embark on the path of reconciliation by acknowledging the mistakes which had sometimes divided members of our two Institutes in the past. This led us, in the second preparatory year, to accept the invitation to live the present with passion, before daring, in the third year that is still in progress, to look to the future with hope, the two Superiors write in a special joint publication of Petit Echo.

White Fathers, the Gandoura and Evangelisation

The two Missionary Institutes were founded in Algeria, in 1868 by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, then Archbishop of Algiers. The new missionary society took the Arab dress known as Gandoura together with the Christian religious symbol of the Rosary worn like a necklace. It was the Gandoura which earned them the name White Fathers. One year later, in 1869, Cardinal Lavigerie also founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA).

As the White Fathers became better known, there were numerous requests upon them to send more missionaries to various African countries. The General house in Rome did its best to respond to all the requests resulting in an unprecedented dedication to Africas evangelisation.

The inauguration of the Jubilee Year comes in 2018 because 150 years ago, on the 18 October 1868 to be precise, the first novitiate of the Missionaries of Africa opened its doors at Rostan House in Ben-Aknoun on the heights of El Biar in Algeria, Sr Sammut and Fr. Stanley Lubungo said.

Beatification of the Martyrs of Algeria

According to the two leaders, the year 2018 will be remembered for many other happy coincidences including the beatification of the 19 Martyrs of Algeria, among whom are four members of the Lavigerie family.

On this day, 8 December 2018, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will preside over the Beatification ceremony of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, martyred between 1894 and 1896. The beatification will take place at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Cross in Oran, Algeria.

A Jubilee Year of Grace

It is wonderful to note that the commemoration of our Jubilee Year opens with the beatification of our brothers, in the country of our foundation on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is also the feast of our two Institutes and the long-established date for the inauguration of the Jubilee year. We could not have expected better. In addition to that, the Algerian government has agreed to grant a special visa for the beatification. Our wish for all is that the upcoming Jubilee Year comes with the abundant graces we need to faithfully fulfil the mission entrusted to us, Sr Sammut and Fr. Stanley Lubungo emphasised.
A Polish nun who was believed to be the oldest nun in the world and was recognized as a rescuer of Jews during the Holocaust when millions died has been laid to rest in Poland. The faithful have been reflecting on the turbulent and compassionate life of Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak, who died last week at the age of 110.

By Stefan J. Bos

Merciful and modest. That's how nuns, members of the Polish Catholic church and others are remembering Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak.

They have been gathering in Krakow to bid her farewell.

In remarks, the mother superior of her convent, Stanislawa Chruscicka, said Sister Cecylia would often say that life is wonderful, however, too short.

During her 110 years on this earth, the nun went through turbulent times. Born March 25, 1908, she joined the convent at age 21. During the German occupation of Poland in World War II, when she was in her 30s, she was one of several nuns who set up a new convent near Vilnius, today in Lithuania.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report

It was there where she began sheltering more than a dozen Jewish people who had escaped the ghetto there. After the war, the nun and others from her convent were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Israels Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance institute.

Yad Vashem praised them for saving the lives of several Jews, actions that put them at risk of being executed by German occupiers.

Jews rounded up

It was a time when Jews from across Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe were rounded up, and either transported to extermination camps where they were gassed, shot locally, or starved and abused in ghettos and labor camps until they died.

However, at least some survived thanks to Sister Cecylia. A woman, Wanda Jerzyniec sent a massive bouquet at this week's funeral. Sister Cecylia sheltered the woman along with her brother after Germans shot both of their parents in Vilnius in 1944.

The funeral Mass was at the Dominican nuns church in Krakow on Thursday. Roszak was laid to rest in the citys historic Rakowicki cemetery.

A spokesman for Polands Roman Catholic Church said she had been probably the oldest nun in the world. Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak leaves behind generations who could live because of her faithful acts.


The embassies of the United Kingdom and Belgium, together with the Jesuit Refugee Service, Shining a Light on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Both the embassy of the United Kingdom and that of Belgium to the Holy See, along with the Jesuit Refugee Service, hosted a conference entitled "Shining the Light on Sexual Violence in Conflict" on Friday evening at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of sexual violence used as a weapon primarily against thousands of women in conflict zones. It is part of the larger Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative Film Festival  Fighting Stigma through Film being held in London from 23-24 November.

Cause embraced by both the UK and Belgium

Both Ambassadors to the Holy See expressed their respective countrys commitment to combating the phenomenon of the widespread use of sexual violence against women in conflict zones. Jean Cornet dElzius, Ambassador of Belgium to the Holy See, said that Belgium is very active in the fight against sexual violence used as a weapon in conflicts. He also said that Belgium has long supported the work of Nobel Peace Prize 2018 winner Dr Denis Mukwege.

Sally Axworthy, British Ambassador to the Holy See, presented the United Kingdoms commitment which began in 2014. While rape has always been a part of conflict, "its increased use tears apart the fabric of society", she said. Britain is actively combating this evil through protocol, addressing the stigma faced by the violated women, and prevention programs primarily through military training. Recognizing that men and women religious are often on the ground, ministering to the victims, the UK has also partnered with both groups representing the Superiors General of men and women religious. Together, they have already carried out two training sessions.

No faceless victims

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vaticans Secretary for Relations with States, presented the events keynote address. He stated emphatically that there are no faceless victims. Looking at the issue on a larger scale, Archbishop Gallagher said protecting women and children from sexual violence used as a weapon should motivate nations to bring conflicts to an end and to act together through dialogue and mediation efforts, in order to find coordinated solutions that promote reconciliation and build peace. Peace is essential to overcome sexual violence, he said.

Listen to our report

Empowering victims

Participants also had the opportunity of seeing a video message from White Father Bernard Ugeux, who provides assistance and training for sexual abuse survivors. His program helps empower them through professional skills training in order to help them recover their own self-esteem and autonomy. He said that rape has become a normal way of terrorizing and controlling populations, especially those living in areas rich in mineral resources which are dominated by illegal trade activities. Fr Ugeux said that he advocates that companies producing cell phones and computers should be obliged to divulge where they obtain their raw materials.

Training men and women religious

Sr Sheila Kinsey, FCJM, Executive Co-Secretary of the Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC), spoke about her experience in Uganda and the Congo, in the 6-day training program sponsored by the British government. Together with sisters ministering in conflict zones, they explored the importance of creating a safe and all-encompassing caring environment for the women who have experienced sexual violence. Women religious, she said, are highly trusted, but also need to develop skills aimed at helping these women create a new narrative. The training included learning about the tools offered by the legal system which are in existence, but not applied, listening skills, and training in the protocol embraced by Britain. Sr Sheila ended saying that there is now a heightened commitment on the part of religious to put into place mechanisms to enforce laws and policies, to create initiatives combating sexual violence toward women, and to work with other NGOs.

Best practices for organizations

Fr Tom Smolich, SJ, International Director of the Jesuit Refugee Services, then presented three obligations for organizations who commit themselves to fighting this evil. The first is that their own organizations have clear policies enforcing zero tolerance toward sexual abuse of any kind. The second is the necessity to include the voice of the victims because they know what is happening. They too have a voice and know what needs to be done. Lastly, he said, survivors should not have to tell their story in vain. Their witness must serve as an avenue both to accompany the survivor, but also to minimize the risk for others.

The event ended with the viewing of a film highlighting the work of Nobel Peace Prize 2018 winner Dr Denis Mukwege, entitled The man who mends women.


As the Nevada SPCA continues to impact and educate the Southern Nevada community, the no-kill animal sanctuary took time to celebrate its animal residents this holiday season.

On Thursday, Nov. 22 the staff, volunteers and board members of the Nevada SPCA gathered in the morning to prepare and serve a special Thanksgiving treat to all canines currently calling the shelter home. Courtesy of Merrick Pet Care a special canned Thanksgiving Day Dinner recipe was served alongside unseasoned carrots and topped off with a delicious pumpkin biscuit for dessert.


Experience the magic of Chris Van Allsburgs classic childrens book The Polar Express come to life on the rails of the Nevada Northern Railway. This magical family adventure departs from Ely, Nevada to go see, meet, and ride with Santa at the North Pole.

Watch the Polar Express Train Ride Movie

httpvh://youtu.be/oN6xI0RCd-A

Just like in the movie and the book, along the way you will meet a lively bunch of Santas helpers, including the elves, and the chef. You will be served hot chocolate and cookies while listening to the beloved childrens story of the Polar Express. Guests will sing along with all of the holiday favorites from the the Polar Express movie. Of course, photo-ops are plentiful along the way, so bring your camera and dress the part, if you like. Sure, pajamas are very much in style on this family train ride

Everyone will experience that magic moment when the train arrives at the North Pole, where Santa Claus himself will join you! Santa will board The Polar Express and personally present each child their own special gift so they can always remember the spirit of Christmas, and their trip on the Polar Express.

Santas Elves are honored that Nevada Northern Railways Polar Express childrens train ride has been voted as the Best Special Event in Rural Nevada by readers of Nevada Magazine.

Based on the popular childrens book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is a story of a young boy and his sister who hear from their friends that there might not be a Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, however, the boy hears a distant whistle and sees a locomotive pull into his front yard. He boards it, and and finds that it is on a journey to the North Pole. After he and the other children disembark, they learn that it is nearly time for Santa to begin his annual Christmas Eve journey. However, he will select one of them to receive the first gift of Christmas, which can be anything that they wish. The young boy is selected, and, after much thought, he chooses a bell from the harness of Santas reindeer. When he begins the trip back to his home, the boy discovers that there was a hole in his pocket, so he lost the bell. The next morning he receives an extra present: the bell with a note from Santa. His parents are disappointed because they do not hear the sweet jingle from it, and they think that it is broken. However, the boy and his sister DO hear the clear, sweet sound because of their faith. Many years later, the sister could no longer hear the jingle, but the boy always could because he always believed in the spirit of Christmas.

What to expect:

The trains feature on-board restroom and are wheelchair accessible. All trains operate on-time, as they have for over a century, so be at the depot ready for boarding 45 minutes before the departure time. Sorry, pets arent allowed on trains or on the grounds. Service animals are always welcome, but please take necessary precautions for this somewhat noisy, industrial environment.

There is open seating, first come, first served, so board with your children and select seating together. The Polar Express Train is pulled by one of our vintage diesel locomotives. The train trip, including visiting with Santa on-board the train takes approximately 90 minutes.
An overview of meeting on Typhoon Usagi response (Source: VNA)

Usagi is forecast to make landfall in the night of November 24 or the morning of November 25, Tran Quang Hoai, standing member of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and head of the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority, said at a meeting on storm response in Hanoi on November 23.

Hoai urged localities likely to be affected by the storm to pay attention to areas vulnerable to landslides and prepare to address incidents related to sea dykes in order to ensure safety for locals.

Based on forecasts, localities should put in place plans to evacuate people from dangerous areas and coastal areas before 12:00 of November 24 and ban fishing activities if necessary, he suggested, adding that the Steering Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will send working groups to check on storm response and measures to ensure the safe and effective operation of reservoirs in localities during the day.

The National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue must get ready for search and rescue missions when needed, he affirmed.

According to Sen. Lt. Col. Nguyen Dinh Hung, deputy head of the Search and Rescue Division under the Border Guard High Command, as of 6:00 am of November 23, information about the storm and guidance were provided for 64,137 ships with 330,712 people on board, so that they are moving to safer areas.

At 4:00 am, the typhoons centre was at 10.9 degrees north latitude and 113.8 degrees east longitude, about 450 km east of the coast of the south central and southern provinces from Ninh Thuan to Ba Ria  Vung Tau. The storm's strongest winds were at a speed of 60  75 km per hour, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the next 24 hours, it is forecast to move west at 10 - 15 km per hour and may gain more strength. The storm with sustained wind speeds at 75  100 km per hour will be about 230 km east of the coast of provinces from Ninh Thuan to Ba Ria  Vung Tau.

At 4:00 am of November 25, the storm will continue moving west at 10  15 km per hour and make landfall in the area between coastal provinces in south central and east southern regions. It is then weakened to a tropical depression, the centre said.

The typhoon will cause torrential rains for south-central and south-east provinces, it added. Localities stretching from Thua Thien  Hue to Binh Thuan provinces and in the southern Central Highlands region might suffer downpour with rainfall up to 300-500mm.
Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT Corporation: Horasis will be a golden opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises

When accompanying other global corporations during the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we recognise that there is a tremendous need for strategic consulting and digital conversion practice.

Horasis is where we meet, seek for co-operation and get lessons from other partners. Every year, Horasis organises meetings to promote solutions for the most important challenges for multinational corporations.

Meetings and dialogue at Horasis aim to let the delegates and participants present comprehensive views on activities that influence the Asia's economic situation and the way that Asian companies are interacting with the region and the wider world.

At Horasis 2018, participants will join in the dialogue to deliver new solutions, visions, business models, and support for micro-scale enterprises and startups as well as solutions for smart cities.

At this event, Vietnamese companies will not only learn about the business model and governance in Industry 4.0, but also have the opportunity to connect and co-operate with leading corporations in the globally.

This is also the experience that FPT has gained when participating in international events such as the World Economic Forum (WEF). FPT has brought in the services and solutions it has invested in and researched so far and introduced to leading corporations. Many of these firms have become FPT's clients.

I expect Vietnamese businesses will have more golden opportunities at Horasis. With 30 years experience of pioneering in technological strength, a human resource of 15,000 engineers, and collaborative experience with global leading digital partners, at Horasis FPT wants to transfer the message: "FPT pioneered the digital transformation".

FPT is ready to provide global convergence solutions for global corporations, contributing to improve Vietnam's position on the global technology map. "

Pham Hong Hai, CEO of HSBC Vietnam: Great opportunity to promote trade and business connections

The Asian Economic Cooperation Forum is an investment event that provides a comprehensive view of the successes of the Asian economy. The host of Binh Duong province has strengthened and promoted prestige in the area and made it well-known in the international market. The event also helps build a good image of Binh Duong to international and domestic partners and investors.

Binh Duong has established itself as one of the key economic centres in the south of Vietnam and is home large industrial development, as well as being one of the country's strongest foreign investment destinations. The local authorities are implementing the right policy in boosting industrial development with high value-added content, improving the localisation rate, and forming and developing supporting industries to participate in the global manufacturing chain.

Being in line with the Smart City Development Plan and the trend of Industry 4.0, Binh Duong has encouraged companies to update and improve their technologies and increase connectivity among large corporations.

In addition to industrial development, the province aims to develop modern, friendly and sustainable urban areas, and develop the infrastructure system to serve economic development and attract investment, creating efficient ecosystems.

With the influence of Horasis and the participation of government leaders, ministers and national ministerial leaders, the event will be a highlight to consolidate and expand the image of Binh Duong and is a great opportunity to promote trade and business connections.

Vietnam, as the host country of the event, is a rising star in the ASEAN region and an outstanding example of getting achievements through economic openness and integration into the regional and global market.

I hope that the connecting and cooperation policies will bring the ASEAN to a new level - ASEAN members working together towards prosperous development.

Tong Chee Kiong, managing director of BW Industrial: Time to take the opportunity and speed-up

Binh Duong is strengthening its position with regional and international partners. Therefore, we can see that this is the good time for us to capture the opportunities and thrive in the industrial properties, with an aim to bring Vietnams industry, logistic and services up to a new level.

There will be many opportunities for companies like BW Industrial to develop and supply industrial property products which the market is in need of. This will help reduce risk for investors in Vietnams market, especially when Vietnamese companies have more sustainable and higher-skilled human resources, and the assistance to set up enterprises in Vietnam.

BW Industrial will focus on supporting the sustainable development of Binh Duong in particular and Vietnam in general in an aim to become a strategic investor in industrial property for lease.

With the mission of providing value-added services to various industries, BW Industrial will make use of the association with Becamex IDC to assist its business clients who are investing in Binh Duong.

In addition, we will improve available land resources to become the largest warehouse and logistics provider in Vietnam. To achieve that goal, we will focus on developing a professional customer care system to ensure the best quality of service to meet the requirements of customers.
Artefacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey claimed by Benin. (Photo: AFP/Gerard Julien)

The decision - which Macron said should not be seen as an isolated or symbolic case - came as the president received the findings of a study he commissioned on repatriating African treasures held by French museums.

Macron agreed to return the 26 works, mainly royal statues from the Palaces of Abomey - formerly the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey - taken by the French army during a war in 1892 and now in Paris' Quai Branly museum.

In addition, he proposed gathering African and European partners in Paris next year to define a framework for an "exchange policy" for African artworks.

The president "hopes that all possible circulation of these works are considered: returns but also exhibitions, loans, further cooperation", the Elysee palace said.

Ousmane Aledji, director of the Benin cultural centre Artisttik Africa, said he was pleased to see "a new form of cultural exchange" with France.

Britain has also faced calls to return artefacts, including the Elgin Marbles to Greece and the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, while museums in Belgium and Austria house tens of thousands of African pieces.

LEGISLATION TO RETURN ART?

Calls have been growing in Africa for restitution of artworks, but French law strictly forbids the government from ceding state property, even in well-documented cases of pillaging.

In 2016 Benin demanded France return items including statues, artworks, carvings, sceptres and sacred doors.

While that request was initially denied, in November 2016 Macron raised hopes in a speech in Burkina Faso, pledging to "return African heritage to Africa".

Following his speech, Macron asked French art historian Benedicte Savoy and Senegalese writer Felwine Sarr to study the matter.

Their report, a copy of which has been seen by AFP, has been welcomed by advocates of the restitution of works which were bought, bartered, or in some cases simply stolen.

It proposes legislation be developed to return thousands of African artefacts taken during the colonial period to nations that request them.

There are conditions, however, including a request from the relevant country, precise information about the works' origins, and the existence of proper facilities such as museums to house the works back in their home country.

Macron's office said that museums will be invited to "identify African partners and organise possible returns" and should quickly establish "an online inventory of their African collections".

The president also called for "in-depth work with other European states that retain collections of the same nature acquired in comparable circumstances".

MUSEUMS FEAR LOSING ARTEFACTS

A UNESCO convention against the export of illicit cultural goods adopted in 1970 called for the return of cultural property taken from a country but it did not address historic cases, including from the colonial era.

With museums fearing they could be forced to return artefacts, former colonial powers have been slow to ratify the convention: France only did so 1997, Britain in 2002, Germany in 2007 and Belgium in 2009.

On Tuesday, the governor of Easter Island in the Pacific tearfully begged the British Museum to return one of its famous statues.

The London museum has held the Hoa Hakananai'a, one of the most spiritually important of the Chilean island's stone monoliths, for 150 years.

Of the estimated 90,000 African artworks in French museums, around 70,000 are at the Quai Branly museum, created by ex-president Jacques Chirac, a keen admirer of African and Asian art.

Elsewhere in Europe, 37,000 objects from Sub-Saharan Africa were at Vienna's Weltmuseum and 180,000 were at Belgium's Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren.

The report commissioned by Macron said such collections were effectively depriving Africans of their artistic and cultural heritage.

"On a continent where 60 percent of the population is under the age of 20 years old, what is first and foremost of a great importance is for young people to have access to their own culture, creativity, and spirituality from other eras," it said.
Typical products of Chu Puh District in Gia Lai Province on display at a fair held recently in the province.-Source chupuh.gialai.gov.vn

The projects are in various sectors, including infrastructure, agro-forestry processing, building materials, consumer goods, education, culture, sport, tourism, and renewable energy.

Spread over an area of 15,500 sq.km, Gia Lai is the countrys second largest province and has a population of more than 1.4 million including 14 ethnic groups.

It grows a lot of major cash crops such as coffee, rubber and pepper, and so investment in processing of agricultural products is required, according to Ho Phuoc Thanh, director of the province Department of Planning and Investment.

The provinces favourable geographic location in the central coast Central Highlands region and the development triangle of Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam, including the Le Thanh international border gate adjoining Cambodias Ratanakiri Province makes it very convenient for trading goods not only within the country but also with other countries in the region, he said.

It has three industrial parks: Tra a, one belonging to the Le Thanh International Border Gate Economic Zone and the South Pleiku Industrial Park.

The 621.95ha South Pleiku is in the process of building infrastructure.

The province has excellent potential in renewable energy such as solar and wind power, which has recently attracted interest from many investors, he said.

Vo Ngoc Thanh, deputy secretary and chairman of the province Peoples Committee, said: This conference is organised with huge support from Ton Duc Thang University to connect Gia Lai Province with scientists, businesses and local and foreign investors and introduce the potential and strengths of the province and call for investment.

I hope participants in the conference will share helpful experiences with us, help us with new ideas for collaboration for integrating Gia Lai in the new era.

In recent years the province had reformed administrative procedures and public services to create the best conditions for investors, he said.

Besides the Governments mechanisms and policies, the province also had its own policies and mechanisms to create favourable conditions for investors and businesses to make long-term investment, he said.

We always see the success of investors as the provinces success.

At the conference, the province issued licences to seven projects with a total registered capital of over VND3.3 trillion (US$141.3 million).

The province also signed memorandums of understanding with seven investors for investment of more than VND5.5 trillion ($235.67 million).

Organised by the province and Ton Duc Thang University, the conference attracted more than 200 local and foreign businesses, representatives of foreign business groups and foreign affairs agencies from Vietnam and elsewhere.
Hongkong Land marked the 20th anniversary of 63 Ly Thai To retail and office block

Leading members of the business community, senior government officials and diplomats attended a ceremony held to commemorate the occasion in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Hongkong Land early on recognised the potential of Vietnam and the capitol Hanoi, dating back to the beginning of the 1990s. We are proud to have played a role in developing commercial space of the highest international standards in the city, said Robert Wong, chief executive of Hongkong Land. The success of 63 Ly Thai To over two decades reflects the close co-operation we have cultivated with our partners and tenants.

Completed in March 1998, 63 Ly Thai To is owned 74 per cent by Hongkong Land, with Chan Hung Polimex Limited under the arm of The Vietnam Father Land Front, and Manolis & Company Asia Limited, as joint venture partners.

The Grade A retail and office development offers 8,000 sq. m. of premium accommodation over eight floors and also has a basement car park. It is one of the first buildings in Vietnam to have column-free floors and under-floor cable trunking, with international standards of construction, facilities and management.

Situated at a major intersection on Ly Thai To Street, 63 Ly Thai To is in a prime location in the centre of Hanoi, close to the Hanoi Opera House, government offices, and the international hotels. It has consistently achieved a more than 95 per cent occupancy rate since opening.

63 Ly Thai To was Hongkong Lands second property development in central Hanoi, following the Central Building, a seven-floor Grade A office tower offering some 4,000 square metre of space, which opened in 1995.

In more recent years, Hongkong Land has been active in the development of residential property in Ho Chi Minh City. Hongkong Land completed and handed over its first luxury high-rise residential development named The Nassim this year. It is currently involved in two luxury high-rise residential development that will bring new standards of international living to District 1 and the Thu Thiem New Urban Area.
Eight tonnes of a vitamin B2 additive produced by a genetically modified strain of the Bacillus subtilis bacteria had been sold in Europe and could have contaminated from 800,000 to 1.6 million tonnes of animal feed. (Photo: AFP/Josep Lago)

Citing a memo from Dutch health authorities, Le Monde said that eight tonnes of a vitamin B2 additive produced by a genetically modified strain of the Bacillus subtilis bacteria had been sold in Poland, Italy and the Netherlands between April and June.

The additive, also known as riboflavin (80 per cent), is used in the feed of cattle, pigs and poultry.

Because only a small amount of additive is used, the amount of feed that may have been contaminated could run from 800,000 to 1.6 million tonnes, Le Monde quoted the Dutch authorities as saying.

The additive was produced by Chinese company Shandong and distributed by Dutch company Trouw Nutrition, owner of Nutreco, the world leader in animal feed, Le Monde said.

Some 2,500 kilogrammes has already been used in feed in Poland, the paper added.

The report comes two months after the European Commission withdrew the vitamin's authorisation and ordered it to be withdrawn from sale by Nov 10, after the European Food Safety Authority said it presented a risk for both animals and humans.

The authority said the it "poses a risk for the target species, consumers, users and the environment" due to the presence of genetically modified genes resistant to antibiotics "of human and veterinary importance".

A European Commission spokeswoman told AFP that a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed had been triggered, but did not say what countries were targeted nor what quantity of the additive had been traced.

She emphasised that it was the responsibility of EU member states "to ensure that unauthorised products are not found on the market" and to punish those who violate the ban.

National food safety authorities have been scrambling to trace stocks of the additive since the EU banned it.

In October, Belgian authorities found a shipment of 60 kilogrammes imported from China by a Dutch-based company, Le Monde said.

It cited Dutch authorities as saying that consignments of the banned additive had also been sent to France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Finland and Iceland.
Siemens is one of the most impactful successful German businesses in Vietnam

A number of German entities and enterprises accompanied Martin Dulig, Minister of Economy, Labour and Transportation and Deputy Governor of the State of Sachsen, Federal Rebulic of Germany on his official visit to Vietnam on November 17-24, 2018 to seek business and investment opportunities.

As part of the visit, on November 19, the delegation held a meeting with the Hanoi People's Committee and visited key joint development projects under businesses of the two countries. Martin Dulig expressed hope that the visit would open more business opportunities for the businesses of the two sides in the months to come.

Minister Martin Dulig met with the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee

Likes other countries, Vietnam is facing a number of challenges related to sustainable development, environmental protection, and urban infrastructure development. Thus, Martin Dulig hopes that more detailed co-operation opportunities will be created to help the city deal with these issues.

Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee, in response, agreed that Germany is a priority partner to the city, expecting that businesses of the two countries will boost partnership in more projects in the future.

As part of the visit, Martin Dulig witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AquaOne Vietnam and Germany's Aone Deusheuche on developing a solar power system on the rooftop of water treatment pools at Song Duong Surface Water Treatment Plant (SDWTP).

Minister Martin Dulig witnessed the MoU signing

The MoU will contribute to strengthening co-operation in technology transfer and experience sharing in project development, affirming the co-operation potential in the fields of economics, culture, renewable energy, environment, and sustainable development between Vietnamese and German businesses.

The first phase of SDWTP, the largest water supply project in Northern Vietnam, was put into operation on October 13, supplying clean water to thousands of locals and residents of surrounding provinces.

Germany's Aone Deutschland AG and Strabag are the contractors of the first phase with the most modern technology.

Minister Martin Dulig visited Song Duong Surface Water Treatment Plant

The second phase is now being developed and is expected to be completed in October 2019 with a capacity reaching 300,000cu.m per day.

In addition to economic co-operation, the partnership between Vietnam and Germany has been further enhanced through cultural activities.

Before the Hanoi visit, Martin Dulig attended the inauguration of Vietnam House in Germany. Meanwhile, in Hanoi, Deutschland-Fest 2018: German experiences was hosted by the German Embassy on November 2-3, 2018.

At the Deutschland-Fest 2018, German Ambassador Christian Berger emphasised that, The Vietnamese-German relationship has turned to a new page.

As shown by the statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, German investment in Vietnam reached $282 million in the first 10 months of 2018, ranking 13th among 105 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

According to the annual AHK World Business Outlook survey of more than 3,500 German businesses worldwide, 54 per cent expected to continue expanding investment in Vietnam in the next 12 months, while 52 per cent wanted to recruit more staff.

The CPTPP opens up business opportunities for participants but also for German firms, since many of them already operate and invest in CPTPP countries. Therefore, just as the Asian members, German firms may exploit the agreement under specific conditions and the German Industry and Commerce Vietnam is pleased to accompany businesses from both countries on the path to success in Vietnam and in Germany, Marko Walde, chief representative of Germans Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, told VIR.

What is more, the Vietnamese economy has been growing continuously, in addition to the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

German businesses want to expand investment in Vietnam, says survey German business expectations remained largely positive in Vietnam, according to the annual AHK World Business Outlook report compiled by the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad.

Hanoi keen to work with German businesses Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung and a delegation of the capital city have embarked on a working visit to some European ...
A prominent Saudi royal said Saturday that whether or not heads of state gathered in Argentina next week for the Group of 20 summit warmly engage with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he is someone that they have to deal with.

Prince Turki al-Faisal told The Associated Press the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul last month is an unacceptable incident that tars and mars the long record of Saudi Arabias own standing in the world.

We will have to bear that. Its not something that should not be faced. And we do face it, he said.

Intelligence officials and analysts say the operation to kill Khashoggi, who wrote critically of the crown prince for The Washington Post, could not have happened without Prince Mohammeds knowledge. The kingdom, which has offered several conflicting accounts of the killing, denies the crown prince had any involvement.

The crown prince embarked late Thursday on his first foreign tour since the Oct. 2 killing with a visit to the United Arab Emirates. Hes expected to visit other Mideast countries before going to Buenos Aires Nov. 30 for the start of the two-day G-20 summit, where hell come face to face with world leaders.

President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has kept international pressure mounting on the kingdom, are among those expected to attend.

Whether the leaders in that summit will warmly engage with the crown prince or not, I think all of them recognize that the kingdom as a country and King Salman and the crown prince are people that they have to deal with, the prince said.

He said Saudi Arabia will continue to play a role on the world stage and that Trumps statement of support for Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance of the kingdom.

Trump insists theres not enough evidence to blame the crown prince for Khashoggis killing, despite a U.S. intelligence reports assessment to the contrary. Trump says the kingdom is an important ally that has helped to lower oil prices.

I thought President Trump was expressing what he felt was in the interest of the United States. He emphasized the strategic relationship between the two countries in the same statement and how Saudi Arabia has been helpful in many instances  not just oil, said Prince Turki.

The prince also firmly dismissed the U.S. intelligence assessments that the crown prince had ordered Khashoggis killing, saying these same intelligence bodies had a remarkably flawed assessment in 2003 in the lead up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

So we dont take it as being, as I said, divine revelation, he said of the U.S. intelligence reports.

Prince Turki, who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, worked closely for years with Khashoggi before the writer became an outspoken government critic. The prince said Khashoggi worked under him as a spokesman for the Saudi Embassy in London and later in Washington, and that he last spoke to him three years ago.

The princes father is the late King Faisal and his brother is Prince Khalid al-Faisal, the governor of Mecca.

Prince Turki said that reports of discontent within the ruling Al Saud family over the crown princes rapid rise to power do not reflect the extraordinary support that King Salman and his son, the crown prince, enjoy.

I see no signs of such disquiet or uncertainty vis-a-vi the king and the crown prince, he said.

The prince spoke Saturday during a policy briefing by the Beirut Institute Summit . The summit is the brainchild of Arab writer and columnist Raghida Dergham. The prince is a board member and supporter of the summit, which draws upon recommendations of its participants to put forth policy ideas for the Middle East.

Among its recommendations is support for the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi initiative dating back to the early 2000s that calls for east Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in exchange for Arab state recognition of Israel and normalized relations.

In the absence of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, Gulf Arab states have moved ahead with their own outreach to Israel .

The driving force appears to be shared concern over Irans expansion in the region. Oman, which has often played the role of regional mediator, welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a surprise visit last month.

Prince Turki, who himself appeared on a panel last year alongside a former chief for Israels Mossad spy agency, said such appearances do not represent a normalizing of relations with Israel.

I dont think its so much a rapprochement as, how can I put it, a shot by shot deal that rises as happened with the effort by the Sultan of Oman to push for a restart of the negotiations, he said.
Polls opened in Bahrain Saturday to elect a new parliament, but absent from the ballot is the countrys Shiite-dominated opposition, whose most prominent figures are serving lengthy prison sentences.

Up for grabs are 40 seats in Bahrains lower house of parliament and 30 municipal council seats. Runoffs will be held next month.

Its the second election in Bahrain since mass protests led by the countrys Shiite majority erupted in early 2011. The government, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy, crushed the Arab Spring-inspired protests with help from Saudi and Emirati forces, but disenfranchised Shiite youth continue to hold scattered street protests in the tiny Persian Gulf nation.

Repressive environment

Rights groups say Saturdays vote is taking place in a repressive environment that is not conducive to free elections.

Just before Bahrain held its last parliamentary elections in 2014, the countrys largest opposition bloc, Al-Wefaq, was suspended. Fourteen Shiite candidates won seats in those elections, which were boycotted by much of the Shiite-dominated opposition.

Since then, Al-Wefaq has been ordered dissolved and its leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, has been sentenced to life in prison. Courts also dissolved the secular Waad group and closed the last independent newspaper in the country, Al-Wasat.

Just this month, prosecutors detained and charged a former lawmaker for expressing his intention on Twitter to boycott the elections. Prosecutors say the tweets sought to hamper the democratic process.

More than 100 Bahrainis have been stripped of their nationality in recent years, forced to take up residence in Iraq and other countries.

Candidates disqualified

Human Rights Watch noted that in June, King Hamad signed legislation that disqualifies opposition candidates from these elections by banning anyone who belonged to a dissolved political organization or who was previously convicted and sentenced to more than six months in prison from running for political office.

By jailing or silencing people who challenge the ruling family and banning all opposition parties and independent news outlets, Bahrain is failing to create the conditions necessary for a free election, said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

The government, however, has defended the election as free and fair, saying the vote is being monitored by the judiciary and local civil society groups.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency carried a report before the election saying those barred from running had been found guilty of violating the law. It accused some of the barred opposition groups of receiving support from Iran and Qatar, which Bahrain has repeatedly accused of sowing instability.

Some Shiite protesters have taken up arms amid the crackdown and have carried out attacks on security forces. The government accuses Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard of training and supporting them.

Bahrain, a nation of around 760 square kilometers (290 square miles) in size, is home to about 1.4 million people. About half are Bahraini citizens, the majority of them Shiite. There are 365,467 eligible voters. Polls close at 8 p.m. (1700 GMT), and its unclear when results will be announced.

The island is also home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet and a new British naval base.

The country has been ruled since the 1780s by the Al Khalifa family. King Hamad, who took the throne in 1999, initially took steps to move the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one.
Brazil's federal police issued 22 arrest warrants Friday as part of a probe into a corruption and money laundering scheme involving construction of the new headquarters of the state oil company in the northeastern city of Salvador.

Police said they had arrested 17 people so far, but details were not immediately available.

The ongoing Car Wash kickback probe has engulfed the state oil company Petrobras and ensnared politicians and businessmen.

The latest arrest warrants were issued weeks after the federal judge who was instrumental in the investigation resigned from his position and agreed to be justice minister in the government of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro.

Former Judge Sergio Moro said at the time that investigations would continue in the hands of local judges in the southern city of Curitiba, where many of the cases have been tried.

In a separate event at the business-focused think-tank Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro, Moro said he would present a bill to fight corruption and organized crime in February.

Moro reiterated that he had been given carte blanche by the President-elect to carry out investigations.

Moro said he would set up task forces similar to those he used in the Car Wash probe. The creation of task forces focused on specific criminal organizations and large corruption schemes is the model to be pursued, Moro said.
Millions of migrating birds pass through Egypt on their migratory flyway mainly seeking food, water and shelter, every year. But experts say Egypt, an essential transit point on the birds' nomadic journey, has become a very dangerous place for migrating birds, with many being illegally shot or trapped. Egyptian Falconers gathered recently in the desert of Borg Al-Arab to mark the sixth annual World Falconry Day on November 17. Hamada Elrasam reports from Egypt.
Governors have a wide range of priorities they want to tackle in the coming year, from tax reform to education. Yet its a topic that receives less attention on the campaign trail and in their speeches that could determine their success  natural disasters.

In the last two years alone, storms and natural disasters have killed scores of people, damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of homes and cost tens of billions of dollars.

Wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the South have been especially destructive, and scientists say climate change is making this more common. As the severity escalates, governors are finding they have to make disaster planning a priority or risk the consequences of inaction defining their terms and enraging voters.

Handling disasters and emergencies was a prime topic last week when the National Governors Association held a three-day seminar in Colorado that most of the nations 19 governors-elect attended.

As Californias wildfires, a spate of hurricanes, and unfortunate acts of mass violence have demonstrated, such events can occur at any time, Scott Pattison, the nonpartisan associations chief executive, said in a statement, including a governors first day in office.

For many Democratic governors especially, the main concern is how climate change appears to be worsening the effects of natural disasters.

In California, half of the 10 most destructive wildfires in state history have occurred since 2017, and the costliest have been in each of the past three years, according to the state firefighting agency. The state has spent $500 million from its emergency firefighting fund just since July 1, putting this wildfire season on pace to be among the costliest yet.

The state is dealing with its most destructive wildfire ever, a Northern California blaze that leveled a town of 27,000 this month, killed at least 80 people and left thousands homeless. That blaze, and another that roared through Malibu at the same time and left at least three dead, are the latest in a string of catastrophic wildfires that have put the state in what seems like a perpetual state of emergency.

Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown has called Californias mega fires the new abnormal as climate change turns the state warmer and drier.

The escalating destruction prompted state lawmakers to pass a series of wildfire-related bills this year. Among other provisions, they provide millions of dollars to cut trees and brush, make it easier for property owners to clear their land and require the states utilities to step up their fire-prevention efforts.

During his campaign, incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom said wildfire planning would be a priority for his administration and outlined a number of steps he wants to take. Among them is a more aggressive approach to clearing trees and brush, particularly the states millions of dead trees.

Id rather see our National Guard working on those kinds of emergencies than being on the border, Newsom told the nonprofit news organization CALmatters over the summer.

He also proposed deploying a network of infrared cameras to detect wildfires early, improving the emergency alert system and boosting funding for fire departments throughout the state.

A spokesman, Nathan Click, said Newsom is putting together a comprehensive wildfire strategy as he prepares to take office in early January. But the governor-elect also has been clear that the long-term goal must be reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Californias fire season has been especially severe, yet other Western states also have experienced ever-intensifying wildland blazes in recent years.

In Colorado, the two most destructive wildfires in state history erupted within the last six years, killed a total of four people and destroyed more than 850 homes combined. Both are believed to be caused by humans, leading Democrat Jared Polis, Colorados governor-elect, to call for a public education campaign to reduce the possibility of manmade wildfires.

He also said the state should invest in programs to remove flammable debris and help communities and private landowners take steps to prevent the spread of wildfires.

Nearly 1 million people in Colorado live in areas considered to have at least some risk of a devastating fire.

Florida has been hit with two deadly and destructive hurricanes in roughly a years time. Hurricanes Irma last year and Michael in October caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.

Even without hurricanes, many coastal communities are dealing with flooding from high tides and storm surges. Incoming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has already said he will work with local governments to address rising sea levels, but has been criticized by Democrats for avoiding any mention of climate change in his environmental plan.

DeSantis has said he is neither a climate change denier nor a believer. That could be a problem for identifying long-term solutions to keep coastal communities safe, said Jen Hensley, the director of state lobbying and advocacy at the Sierra Club.

She said one reason Hurricane Michael was so devastating was a lack of strong statewide coastal development standards.

Were going to have to change zoning rules in coastal areas, Hensley said. The reality is that those areas are more flood prone than theyve ever been.

Its similar in Texas, which has seen widespread destruction from hurricanes and where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has been noncommittal about whether he thinks human activity is affecting the climate.

Texas has sought $12 billion from the federal government for a 60-mile coastal spine of concrete seawalls, floating gates and steel levees as a defense against future hurricanes and higher tides expected from climate change. Thats just a fraction of the work the state estimates need to be done over the next decade to reduce the impact of flooding.

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey left Houston underwater, killed dozens and left an estimated $125 billion in damage. Abbott named a recovery czar after the storm and wants to future-proof the Texas coast, but attention on the issue has faded.

Governors in New York and New Jersey pushed for changes after Superstorm Sandy devastated the region in 2012.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed a law requiring sea level rise projections to be used whenever the state considers approvals or funding for projects. Then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, pushed policies to buy homes in some flood-prone areas, although environmentalists criticized him for not addressing climate change.

Those groups cheered last year when Democrat Phil Murphy was elected to replace Christie, but they have been critical of him too since, saying hes not taking action to address global warming.

Earlier this month, Murphy experienced the perils of falling short on the basics of emergency preparedness when an early season snowstorm hit without plows at the ready, bringing roads and the transit system to a standstill and stranding thousands of commuters.

He was hit with waves of criticism, and his transportation commissioner was forced to apologize.

Murphy said it was too simplistic to say his administration dropped the ball. But he added, The buck stops with me, period.
A nationwide massive police crackdown in Pakistan has detained hundreds of leaders and activists of an Islamist party, which recently staged crippling street protests against the Supreme Court's acquittal of a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy.



Authorities said Saturday that a majority of the arrests took place in the country's most populous province of Punjab, the power base of the ultra-right Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party.



The crackdown began late Friday and TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, was among the first detainees, along with many of deputies. Rizvi's arrest sparked violent clashes with police in some areas. Police and hospital officials said several people were injured.



The religious party had organized three days of crippling protests countrywide earlier this month to denounce the top Pakistani court for acquitting Asia Bibi, a member of the minority Christian community who had spent eight years on death row for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet Mohammad.



TLP spokespeople insisted the police crackdown against the party and its leadership was aimed at deterring them from protesting the acquittal.



Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, however, dismissed those allegations and explained Rizvi had been placed under "protective custody" because he refused to withdraw a call for fresh street protests on Sunday and turned down offers to organize the rally at a place proposed by the government.



"It's to safeguard public life, property and order and has to do nothing with Asia Bibi case," Chaudhry noted. The minister went on to call for the public to remain "peaceful and calm", vowing the "law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals."



In speeches during the recent protests TLP leaders had threatened the Supreme Court judges who freed Bibi and urged the judges' cooks and servants to kill them. They also condemned Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistani army chief for siding with the court and the Christian woman.



The woman along with her family is in hiding after her release. Pakistani officials say she is located in a safe place in the country and dismiss reports Bibi has fled Pakistan.



Bibi's lawyer fled Pakistan shortly after the landmark court ruling, saying his life was in danger.



Rizvi's party has petitioned the Supreme Court to review last month's decision. Some Western countries have offered Bibi and her family asylum. The Pakistan government maintains that once the judicial process is concluded Bibi can go to any country like any free Pakistani citizen.



Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where mere allegations have led to mob lynching of people. A provincial governor and a federal minister were assassinated by extremists because they had called for reforms in the blasphemy law that gives the death penalty to those found guilty of insulting Islam or its Prophet.
Administrative authorities in Cameroon say they are tracking armed terrorists who this week killed a Kenyan missionary in the town of Eyumojock in the restive southwest region of the central African state. The slaying happened as many missionaries and foreign workers have been leaving the area following other attacks, and as the government of Cameroon and foreign embassies in that country have urged those workers to leave.

Nigerians living in Cameroon's political capital Yaounde sing in a special ceremony Wednesday to welcome seven fellow citizens who fled fighting in the towns of Kumba and Kumbo in the restive English-speaking northwest and southwest regions. Among them are Okafor Stanley, his wife Okafor Emmaculate Ngoze and their one-year-old baby. Okafor Emmaculate Ngoze says she fled from Kumbo in the northwest after she and her husband were kidnapped by armed men and tortured until they paid a $6,000 ransom last week.

"You need to have seen these guys, the way that they are dressed, the way that they are dirty, the way that they are masked," said Ngoze. "The way that they talk. They were seven in number, all of them were having guns. They took us to an unknown destination, I can not tell you where we were taken. In short I can not describe them because it was a very bitter experience."



The couple left their hometown Onitsh and settled in Kumbo three years ago. They abandoned everything and trekked over 40 kilometers before a car transported them to Yaounde where the Nigerian community took them in.



They are among an unknown number of foreign nationals who have fled the English-speaking regions after attacks, arson, kidnappings and killings.



Last Wednesday Cosmas Ondari, a Kenyan missionary, was shot dead in the southwestern village of Kembong, where he worked for the Roman Catholic Church. He was the second Kenyan missionary killed in Cameroon following an April 2017 incident in which a missionary was caught in the crossfire between government troops and militants in the southwest.



On October 30, American missionary Charles Trumann Wesco, was shot to death in the town of Bamenda.



Earlier this month three Catholic nuns and 13 novices were kidnapped on their way to Kumbo in the northwest region. They were released after 24 hours.



Armed gangs kidnapped five foreign road construction engineers last year in the southwest for neglecting instructions to stop building roads. Two were killed in a military a rescue operation.



In April, authorities in Cameroon said they freed 18 people, including 12 European tourists, who were seized by separatists in the English-speaking regions.



Several embassies now caution workers against travelling to the violence-hit areas.



Cameroon's territorial administration minister, Paul Atanga Nji, says although security has been increased, the country still needs the collaboration of every citizen for those who have fled to return when live returns to normal.



"It is terrible you can not go to a church and kill," said Nji. "If we all decide not to harbor the terrorists, if we all take one statement that we have to denounce them, because what are they doing? They are doing everything which is evil. Even if you have a family member who is part of that, you just have a choice to tell him either you go out of this thing which is very, very destructive, which is dangerous or you have to meet the justice on your way."



The separatists have not claimed responsibility for the attacks on foreigners. The government says those killed are often caught in a crossfire between the militants and government forces.



Unrest in Cameroon's northwest and southwest regions began in 2016, when English-speaking teachers and lawyers staged demonstrations criticizing what they called the marginalization of the Anglophone population, which accounts for about one-fifth of the country's 25 million people. The government says over 1,200 civilians, military troops and armed separatists have been killed.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called on Muslims including those in Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional rival to oppose the United States. He also labeled Israel a "fake regime" created by Western nations, and likened its formation following World War II to "a cancerous tumor in the region."



Speaking at the annual Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, Rouhani said the U.S. wants to enslave the Middle East. He said regional Muslim nations should stop "rolling out the red carpet for criminals," a thinly-veiled criticism of Saudi Arabia and other regional nations that have close ties to the U.S.



Shiite-dominated Iran and Saudi Arabia, ruled by a Sunni king, are often on opposite sides of conflicts in the Middle East. Most notably, Iran backs the Houthi rebels in the ongoing civil war in Yemen, while Saudi Arabia leads a coalition of Sunni nations supporting the Yemeni government. The two nations haven't had diplomatic ties in nearly three years, following Iran's execution of a Shi'ite cleric.

Despite those differences, Rouhani said Iran considers the Saudis "brothers."



"We do consider the people of Mecca and Media [Islam's holiest cities, located in Saudi Arabia] our brothers," Rouhani said. He added that Iran is prepared to defend Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region from "terrorism and superpowers."



The U.S. has been a frequent target for fiery rhetoric from Iranian leaders since the 1979 revolution that deposed the U.S.-backed shah. But the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year to withdraw from a nuclear deal between Iran, the U.S. and major world powers  and to consequently restore some sanctions on Iran that were removed when the deal was struck in 2015  has further inflamed those tensions.
South Korea said Saturday that the United Nations Security Council granted an exemption to sanctions that will allow surveys on North Korean railroad sections the Koreas want to connect with the South.

The surveys would require the South to bring to the North fuel and a variety of goods, including possibly cars to test on northern tracks.

The Koreas plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony by the end of the year on an ambitious project to connect their railways and roads as agreed by their leaders. But beyond surveys and tape-cuttings, they cannot move much further along without the lifting of U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea, which isnt likely before Pyongyang takes firmer steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons and missiles.

South Korea ahead of US

The plan to modernize North Koreas outdated railways and roads and reconnect them with the South was among many agreements reached between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who met three times this year amid a diplomatic push that eased tensions over the Norths nuclear program. Kim also met with President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, when they issued a statement about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur.

North Korea insists that sanctions should be removed first before any progress in nuclear negotiations. Theres also unease between the United States and South Korea over the pace of inter-Korean engagement, which Washington says should move in tandem with U.S.-led efforts to denuclearize the North.

South Korea initially said that the joint surveys of North Korean railroads wouldnt violate U.N. sanctions and had hoped to start them in October. Seoul later said that Washington had different views and the two sides had discussed the matter in a newly launched working group.

Long, expensive project

Even if the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization and gains sanctions relief, experts say updating North Korean rail networks and trains, which creak slowly along the rails that were first built in the early 20th century, would require a massive effort that could take decades and tens of billions of dollars.

U.N. sanctions against North Korea have strengthened significantly since 2016 as Pyongyang stepped up its weapons tests. The measures now include trade bans on dual-use technology that could potentially be used for weapons development, transport vehicles and machinery and import caps on fuel. Washingtons own sanctions against Pyongyang restrict an even broader range of economic activities and target a larger list of companies and individuals.
Tensions in Kosovo rose again Friday after police arrested three ethnic Serbs, including two police officers, on suspicion of involvement in the killing earlier this year of a leading Serb politician in the north of the country.

The three men were arrested in the Serb-dominated town of Mitrovica, 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the capital, Pristina, as suspects in the January slaying of Oliver Ivanovic, police said in a statement. A fourth Serb was arrested for resisting police. A fifth person is still at large, police said.

Police said they seized evidence for the investigation into Ivanovics killing during raids in four locations. Police showed photos of a drone, automatic weapons and ammunition and other equipment found in the raids.

Prosecutor Syle Hoxha said they have questioned more than 40 witnesses to date in the case. Nobody has yet been charged in the slaying.

Thousands protest

Thousands of Serbs protested in Kosovo towns, some blocking all main roads leading to Northern Mitrovica, as well as several border posts with Serbia. No violence was immediately reported.

Kosovos ethnic Albanians fought a bloody war with Serbia from 1998-1999, which ended with a 78-day NATO air campaign in June 1999.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which Belgrade still refuses to recognize.

Interpol an issue

Earlier this week, tensions soared after Kosovo failed to become a member of the international police organization, Interpol, following intense lobbying by Serbia. Kosovo slapped a 100 percent tax on goods imported from Serbia in apparent retaliation.

In Belgrade, Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic said the arrests were a demonstration of force that he said was designed to frighten the Serbs in Kosovo and avert attention from the taxes that Kosovo imposed in violation of a regional trade agreement.

We must prepare ourselves for long-term support for our people (in Kosovo) that wont be easy, simple or cheap, Vucic said. Serbia will not agree to new rules and new blackmail against our country and our people.

Vucic spoke after a meeting with the members of the Serbian government. He held meetings earlier Friday with security officials and the ambassadors for Russia and China, Serbias allies in its refusal to recognize Kosovos independence.

Calls for calm

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinajs Cabinet appealed for calm and said the police operation was not linked to any political development.

NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo, a force known as KFOR, also urged calm and said there was no unlawful operation or military action and there has never been any threat to safety and security of the citizens.

KFOR said in a statement that the situation remains stable and under control on the ground, but acknowledged rising tensions at political level due to some international and economic developments.

Haradinaj met with ambassadors of Western powers including the United States, Britain, Germany, and France, for talks on the countrys situation and to explain the tax on Serb and Bosnian goods.

Serbs see game of nerves

Ethnic Serb leaders in Kosovo also called for calm and asked Serbia and the international community to assist them.

Goran Rakic, mayor of Northern Mitrovica, told The Associated Press that ethnic Serb leaders had formed a crisis center and called on the international community and Serbia for help. He said he had talked by phone with Vucic.

Vucics adviser Nikola Selakovic said the arrests of four Serbs in Kosovo were designed to spread fear, intimidate and demonstrate force against the Serbs in Kosovo.

This is a game of nerves, a walk on thin line. The goal is to provoke our reaction which would be immediately used for measures against us, Selakovic said.
The U.S. Space Agency NASA says that its latest Mars probe has successfully touched down on the Red Planet with a unique mission to explore Mars' interior.

After traveling hundreds of millions of kilometers through space over the course of six months, the probe, called InSight, landed safely Monday on the Martian surface.

WATCH: Mars landing

Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California erupted with cheers as they received data showing that the spacecraft had survived a dangerous descent to the Red Planet.

"Touchdown confirmed!'' a flight controller announced. Minutes later, controllers received a photograph of the probe's new surroundings on Martian soil.

'Amazing day'

The spacecraft took a crucial six and-a-half minutes to enter Mars' atmosphere, descend and land. During that time, InSight decelerated from an initial speed of 19,300 kmh (12,000 mph) down to just 8 kmh (5 mph) when it touched down. To aid the landing, scientists equipped InSight with a parachute, descent thrusters and shock-absorbing legs.

"What an amazing day for NASA," said agency administrator Jim Bridenstine. He said Vice President Mike Pence called him seconds after touchdown to congratulate everyone who worked on the project.

NASA has pulled off seven successful Mars landings in the past four decades, with one failed touchdown. The space agency last attempted a landing on Mars six years ago when the Curiosity rover successfully reached the Red Planet in 2012.

Excitement about the latest landing was high, with viewing parties held across the United States. The giant NASDAQ screen in New York's Times Square broadcast NASA TV on Monday afternoon.

After the probe landed, there was a communication lag of eight minutes before scientists on Earth could tell if the touchdown was successful. A pair of satellites that trailed InSight since its liftoff in May relayed radio signals to Earth about the probe, but those messages took eight minutes to reach NASA scientists.

"Every milestone is something that happened eight minutes ago," Bridenstine said.

After InSight touched down, it waited 16 minutes to allow the dust that it kicked up to resettle. A few hours later, NASA confirmed the spacecraft deployed its solar arrays that convert sunlight into electricity. That is a critical step that will allow the lander to power itself for the next two years.

"We are solar-powered, so getting the arrays out and operating is a big deal," said Tom Hoffman, Insight's project manager.

InSight has a battery system, but it stores only enough energy to power the probe for one day.

During a post-landing NASA press conference, the astronauts on the International Space Station called down to congratulate the scientists who worked on InSight.

Scientists carefully chose where they wanted the probe to land, selecting a large volcanic plain named Elysium Planitia because it has few rocks and less chance of wind gusts that could potentially knock over the lander.

By the time it landed, InSight had traveled 484 million kilometers (300.7 million miles). However, since it is not a rover, it cannot move across the Martian surface. Scientists say it was critical that InSight landed in the correct location because wherever it landed is where it will stay.

Insight has a unique mission to explore Mars' interior. While other missions to Mars have sought to better understand the planet's surface and atmosphere, this is the first to focus exclusively on what is under the planet's surface.

Mission set to last a year

The $850 million InSight mission is planned to last 24 months or about one Martian year  and will try to gather an array of information, including Mars' below-ground temperature and seismic activity, as well as to carry out an underground mapping project. Insight is armed with a crane, heat probe and seismometer and is able to hammer 5 meters (16.4 feet) below the surface.

Scientists are hoping the mission will help answer questions about the composition and evolution of the planet and whether Mars was formed from the same mixture of materials as Earth.

Bridenstine says he is hopeful that Insight can also provide crucial information about whether there is liquid water on Mars.

Bruce Banerdt, InSight's principal research scientist, said the mission has been 10 years in the making. "But even after landing, we'll need to be patient for the science to begin," he said.
Mexico's incoming government denied a report Saturday that it planned to allow asylum seekers to wait in the country while their claims move through U.S. immigration courts, one of several options the Trump administration has been pursuing in negotiations for months.



"There is no agreement of any sort between the incoming Mexican government and the U.S. government,'' future Interior Minister Olga Sanchez said in a statement.



Hours earlier, The Washington Post quoted her as saying that the incoming administration of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had agreed to allow migrants to stay in Mexico as a "short-term solution'' while the U.S. considered their applications for asylum. Lopez Obrador will take office Dec. 1.



The statement shared with The Associated Press said the future government's principal concern related to the migrants was their well-being while in Mexico. Sanchez said the government did not plan for Mexico to become a "third safe country.''

The Post reported Saturday that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had won support from the Mexican president-elect's team for a plan dubbed "Remain in Mexico.''

The newspaper also quoted Sanchez as saying: "For now, we have agreed to this policy of Remain in Mexico.''



Sanchez did not explain in the statement why the Post had quoted her as saying there had been agreement.



The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



U.S. officials have said for months that they were working with Mexico to find solutions for what they have called a border crisis.



Approximately 5,000 Central American migrants have arrived in recent days at Tijuana, just south of California, after making their way through Mexico via caravans.



Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum on Friday declared a humanitarian crisis in his border city, which is struggling to accommodate the influx. Most of the migrants are camped inside a sports complex, where they face long wait times for food and bathrooms.



Julieta Vences, a congresswoman with Lopez Obrador's Morena party who is also president of Mexico's congressional migrant affairs commission, told the AP that incoming Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard had been discussing with U.S. officials how to handle a deluge of asylum claims at the border.



"They're going to have to open the borders [for the migrants] to put in the request,'' Vences said. "They will also give us dates, on what terms they will receive the [asylum] requests and in the case that they are not beneficiaries of this status, they will have to return here,'' Vences said.



She spoke to the AP after a visit to the crowded sports complex in Tijuana.
Black diesel smoke belches from a rusty engine that pumps water to the relatively new eastern Myanmar town of Lay Kay Kaw, about 5 kilometers from a local reservoir. Thousands of people who fled to Thailand to escape civil war in Myanmar have come to the 2-year-old town to put down roots, but the homecoming has not been a smooth one.

For the returnees, keeping water flowing as pipes break, especially during the hot summer, is one problem they face in the struggle to adjust after more than six decades of conflict and displacement. Another is a lack of job opportunities. Critics say poor planning contributes to the problems.

WATCH: Challenges Beset New Myanmar Village for Karen Refugees

The returnees include members of the Karen ethnic minority, which has been fighting for independence since 1949. Their settlement is in the state of Karen, or Kayin, a flashpoint in the conflict between the minority group and government.

Observers, however, say the main challenge facing the returnees is security. Plans to repatriate another group of displaced Karen refugees this month were delayed by security concerns as sporadic fighting continues.

Myanmar threatening cease-fire

Myanmar forces have repeatedly crossed into areas controlled by ethnic armed groups without permission, violating the Nationwide Cease-Fire Agreement (NCA) signed in 2012 between the Myanmar military and Karen states largest armed ethnic group, the Karen National Union.

There are five armed groups in Karen state, including the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), the KNU/KNLA Peace Council and the Border Guard Forces (BGF).

Recent skirmishes involving government forces and various ethnic armed groups have stirred more mistrust for refugees like Naw Lay Paw. Naw Lay Paw moved from one of the Thai camps to a safe house on the edge of the Thai border town of Mae Sot.

Naw Lay Paw was considering joining some of her family, already living in Lay Kay Kaw, but is not sure if she will have enough money.

I dont think I want to return right now because I know I can work on the Thai side and save more money before I return, the 59-year-old mother said.

The Lay Kay Kaw housing project is seen by analysts as an attempt to restore trust and confidence with the local population, but some locals say the effort offers them little consolation.

Seventy-year-old Karen farmer Naw La Gee, who fled the fighting 30 years ago, is worried about other family members still in the camps, including her two children.

Right now my son has a job to do but in the past he could not find any work. I have two more cousins that are going to resettle in this village soon, but I dont know what jobs they can find here so its going to be hard for them, Naw La Gee says, as she pours a cup of tea.

Additionally, international funding is being increasingly diverted to central Myanmar, where many nongovernmental organizations have relocated, taking away vital resources from camps on the border.

Land confiscation

Separately, land confiscation is on the rise as both international and domestic development increase in former conflict zones. Thousands of Karen villagers, who farmed sections of land years ago, no longer have hopes of reclaiming property that was taken from them by the government in the agriculture-rich region.

There are also many investors, including the Myanmar government, who want to do business in our area and open up factories, said Padoh Mahn Batun, a Karen Forestry Department official.

He once served as a Karen soldier and says he is wary of unkept promises made by the Myanmar military in the past.

They say they will create more jobs for locals, but we have to consider now how to manage and make our land work for everyone, he said.

A recent study by the Myanmar civil society network Land in Our Hands, points out that the nations military was the leading actor responsible for land confiscation, accounting for nearly 50 percent of all land grabs surveyed.

For indigenous people, land is life, so transporting rural refugees into urban areas will not address grievances about the dispossession of ancestral lands, says Duncan McArthur, of The Border Consortium (TBC) a Thailand-based group of 10 NGOs that has provided food, shelter and support to refugees from Myanmar and internally displaced persons since 1984.

New laws that demand official documentation for proof of land ownership have left many displaced families without legal ground on which to stand.

Instead of criminalizing upland farmers for cultivating so-called vacant, fallow and virgin lands, recognizing customary land management systems will be key to promoting social reintegration, McArthur added.

Make-work projects

An organization known as the Nippon Foundation has created several make-work projects at the edge of Lay Kay Kaw, including an agriculture center where workers grow corn, green beans, dragonfruit and mushrooms, but production is limited and there is not enough to sustain the community appetite.

Many refugees no longer have homes to return to, so the allocation of land and development of resettlement areas like Lay Kay Kaw is significant in terms of promoting options for refugees beyond the camps, The Border Consortiums McArthur said.

However, return movements will not be sustainable unless access to agricultural land can be secured or employment opportunities generated in the surrounding areas, he added.

According to Human Rights Watch, farmers received little or no notice before their land was taken from them and received little, or no compensation, depriving them of their livelihood.
European Council President Donald Tusk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez agreed to a deal Saturday on the future of Gibraltar, removing a key obstacle one day before a European Union meeting intended to endorse the Brexit deal.



Spain had demanded changes to the agreement and an accompanying declaration on a new EU-Britain relationship to clarify that the future of Gibraltar, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 but still is claimed by Spain, be decided in direct talks between Madrid and London.

Sanchez had warned he could boycott the summit on Sunday if London and EU member states did not confirm his country's right to a veto over any future accord involving Gibraltar.

The deal was reached after British and Spanish negotiators talked through the night with EU officials.



Sanchez said the deal "is going to allow us to have direct negotiations with the U.K. regarding Gibraltar'' and added Spain would vote in favor of Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said of the deal, "I will always stand by Gibraltar. The U.K. position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change."

EU head Jean-Claude Juncker said after meeting with Sanchez that solidarity and dialogue were "the European way of finding solutions."



Spain does not currently have veto power on the Brexit agreement, which does not have to be approved unanimously, but it would prevent any free-trade deal between Britain and the European Union, which would require the approval of all 27 EU member states.

The Brexit package is also facing strong opposition in the British parliament, which must vote in favor for it to take effect. Otherwise, Britain would leave the bloc on March 29, 2019, without an agreement to mitigate economic disruption.



As negotiators from EU member nations attended a pre-summit meeting in Brussels Saturday, May was scheduled to discuss the disputed British territory with Juncker and Tusk.



In an open letter published in the Sunday British newspapers, May made a direct appeal to Britons, asking them to support the deal to leave the EU, even though the support of her own Conservative Party seemed unsure.



"It will be a deal that is in our national interest  one that works for our whole country and all of our people, whether you voted 'Leave' or 'Remain,' " she said, adding she would campaign "heart and soul" to get her Brexit deal through Britain's Parliament.



Former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called Saturday for the appointment of a minister to oversee preparations for a "no-deal" British exit from the EU.



"It is very important that we show we are negotiating with confidence and conviction and we have a new secretary of state with powers ...to make things happen and get this country ready if we have to go out on WTO (World Trade Organization) terms."



EU diplomats were hopeful a draft of the clause would be approved by late Friday. And they were concerned Sanchez would want to discuss the issue with top-level officials on Sunday in an attempt to show determination and to curry favor with voters before December's regional election.



The clause is seen by some experts as a major opportunity for Spain, one of whom is Ignacio Molina of the Elcano Royal Institute, a Madrid-based research organization.



"Madrid saw Brexit as an opportunity to reconfigure the status of the territory which is administered by the United Kingdom," Molina wrote on the Agenda Publica's website.



Molina wrote that Spain could go "all-out" and raise the issue of sovereignty or take a more modest approach to "resolve concrete problems in the areas of regulation, tax and cross-border freedom of movement."
The stone steps leading into the medieval church where Serbian Orthodox worshipers enter are worn. In the half-light of the interior, some pilgrims reverentially lean on or drape themselves across the tomb of King Stefan Decanski, considered by Serbs a holy monarch.

Others light candles. One young woman has dozens of tapers in her hand, lighting each one slowly and methodically after a brushing kiss and a silent prayer.



Many of the pilgrims have driven six hours from Belgrade to pray this Sunday in one of the most revered Serbian Orthodox churches, the 14th century Visoki Decani.

For many Serbs, Visoki Decani is a besieged church, surrounded as it is by Kosovar Albanians and located deep in the territory of Kosovo, the former province that broke away from Serbia in 1999 after a U.S.-led NATO intervention brought a year-long ethnic war to a halt.

The church came under attack during the Kosovo War, which was sparked by a massive repression of Kosovar Albanians by Serbian forces. The Serbs conducted an ethnic cleansing campaign, driving thousands of ethnic Albanians from their homes, and they were accused by rights groups and Western governments of other major rights violations, including abductions and murder.



We have had a very hard time since the last Kosovo conflict, says Father Sava Janjic, Visoki Decanis abbot.

Last seems an appropriate word, hinting at the possibility of more conflict to come.

And taking the long, historical view, it is not hard to imagine that sometime in the future, monks at Visoki Decani will again hear the fearsome echo of war raging around them  like many other Balkan churches and mosques caught on the wrong side of history.

The church has been plundered over the centuries by Ottoman troops, Austro-Hungarian soldiers, and during World War II, it was targeted for destruction by Albanian nationalists and Italian fascists. During the Kosovo War, the final one in a series of Balkan wars in the 1990s, the church was attacked five times. In May 1998, two elderly Albanians were killed 400 meters from its walls reportedly by the Kosovo Liberation Army for allegedly collaborating with Serbian forces.

This is one of the most politically turbulent areas in Europe. The Balkans have always been on the crossroads of civilizations and invasions, Fr. Sava said.

As he talked with VOA, soldiers from the NATO-led Kosovo Force of peacekeepers patrolled the grounds - as they have done every day since the wars end.

Since 1999, we have had three mortar attacks and one RPG (rocket-propelled grenade), bazooka attack. Thank God no particular damage was made and nobody was hurt, says Fr. Sava. A strong advocate of multi-ethnic peace and tolerance, he likes to think of the church as a haven for all people of goodwill. During the war, the church sheltered not only Serbian families but also Kosovar Albanians and Roma.

He adds, Im still trying to believe that the majority of Kosovar Albanians dont harbor negative feelings toward us. But very often we are seen just as Serbs. This church is seen as something alien here, as a kind of threat to the new Kosovo identity.

He says Kosovar Albanians shouldnt fear the church or see it as representing anything bad from the past. He says he hopes people will see the church as a signpost of a possible future, one where multi-ethnicity is embraced. His plea echoes those of other Balkan clerics  Orthodox and Muslim  who find themselves, their places of worship, and their flocks, left thanks to conflict and animosity as awkward islands.

But he worries about whether Serbia and Albania can put conflict behind them. Serbs and Kosovar Albanians remain at odds over Kosovo, and the jigsaw puzzle of the Balkans map is not helping them.

The presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have considered border changes in a bid to reach an historic peace settlement which, if sealed, could advance their countries applications to join the European Union and, for Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, to secure U.N. membership. More than 100 countries recognize Kosovo as an independent state, but not Serbia. The EU has said it will not consider advancing accession talks until Belgrade and Pristina have made up.

Most EU leaders have long opposed any Balkan border changes, fearing any tweaks large or small might spark a return of ethnic violence.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton earlier this year indicated that Washington could entertain the idea of border changes.

The U.S. ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, appeared more cautious about a land-swap deal, but kept the door open. In an interview with VOA during an international trade conference in Thessaloniki, Pyatt said, "There are no blank checks," he said. What we have been very clear on is that this process needs to be locally-owned and locally-driven and we are supporting European Union efforts to see progress.

Various possible land deals have been mooted, officials in Belgrade and Pristina say. One possible variation could see the Serbian border would be extended south to include Serbs in Kosovos north and some majority ethnic Albanian areas in Serbia traded in return by Belgrade. That would not help the majority of Serbs in Kosovo, who are spread across the south and west of the country.

Fr. Sava worries any kind of land-swap deal, if pulled off, would amount to peaceful ethnic cleansing. Land swaps, where the majority of Kosovo Serbs would not just be left in majority-Albanian territory but also probably be forced to leave, would be very unjust, he said.

Ultra-nationalists on both sides loudly reject land swaps.

Serbias main opposition leader, Vojislav Seselj, dismisses the idea out of hand. What are we talking about? Kosovo is just part of Serbia, he told VOA. Kosovo is being illegally occupied, he said, due to assistance from the West, and especially the U.S, according to Seselj seen by many as an extremist.

We are not exchanging the land, Seselj said. "They can only have the highest level of autonomy. We will not recognize their independence, he emphasized.

Seselj, a onetime deputy to Serbias wartime leader Slobodan Milosevic, was found guilty by the U.N. court of crimes against humanity for instigating the deportation of Croats from the village of Hrtkovci in May 1992. He argues Serbs and Albanians cannot possibly live together and that they should be in separate communities. Albanian ones in Kosovo could be allowed some self-administration rights, he concedes.

Earlier in September, Kosovo Albanian nationalists led by veterans of the 1998-1999 war disrupted a planned two-day visit by Serbias president, Aleksandar Vucic, to Kosovo by blocking roads and burning tires. Their action showed how inflammatory the whole issue can easily become. Banje, the village west of the capital, Pristina, that Vucic planned to visit was the scene of the first crackdown by Serbian troops against ethnic Albanian separatists in 1998, which triggered the outbreak of open hostilities.

All the wars in the former Yugoslavia were focused on territory and division, and to continue with the idea of territory is dangerous and will inflame nationalistic passions, warns Natasa Kandic, a Serbian human rights campaigner and Nobel Peace prize nominee.

Talk of land swaps appear to have been shelved for now. But may well re-appear.

Fr. Sava harbors the same fear. We still see people who are drawing up maps, and these maps in the 1990s became actually the killing fields. Do we still need it now? he asked. I am just trying to be hopeful that politicians see the risk of going into this story again.

Most Kosovar Albanians and Serbs view the idea of border revisions with horror, according to recent opinion surveys.
The United States has welcomed a report that Iran's largest commercial lender, Bank Melli, has seen its German branch disconnected from phone and internet service under pressure of U.S. sanctions.

In a Thursday report, German business newspaper Handelsblatt said Germany's part state-owned telecom provider Deutsche Telekom had cut off Bank Melli's Hamburg office. It was not clear when the branch lost its phone and internet services.

Handelsblatt quoted Deutsche Telekom as sending Bank Melli a message, saying: "We have to assume that you can no longer make any payments" for telecom services. There was no immediate response from Deutsche Telekom to a VOA Persian request for comment on the move.

Bank Melli is among dozens of Iranian banks subjected to U.S. sanctions reimposed by the Trump administration Nov. 5 to isolate Iran's financial sector and pressure Tehran to end perceived malign behaviors.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew in May from a 2015 deal in which his predecessor and five other world powers granted Iran sanctions relief in return for a freeze on its sensitive nuclear activities.

In a Friday tweet, the U.S. Embassy in Berlin posted a link to the Handelsblatt article about Bank Melli, which the embassy accused of funneling cash to Iran-backed terrorist groups. Tehran calls itself a victim rather than a perpetrator of terrorism.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin added two hashtags to the tweet, saying "sanctions are working" and "thank you Deutsche Telekom." U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell retweeted the post on his personal account.

Iranian state media had no reaction on Friday to the reported cutoff of telecom services to Bank Melli's German branch.

Bank Melli Hamburg managing director Helmut Gottlieb told Handelsblatt that the move has left the branch "almost paralyzed."

Germany and other EU nations that remain a party to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have criticized the reimposition of U.S. sanctions and said they will try to shield European companies from the measures.

But Handelsblatt quoted German business sources as saying numerous German companies have been filing weekly reports to the U.S. Embassy in Berlin to show that they are abiding by the U.S. sanctions. Washington has warned international companies that they must choose between doing business with Iran and maintaining access to the U.S. market.

The Handelsblatt article did not quote Deutsche Telekom as explicitly citing U.S. sanctions as the reason for the cutoff of services to Bank Melli.

In an editorial published Friday, Handelsblatt criticized the Deutsche Telekom move as "cynical." It also accused the German government and central bank of "doing nothing" to ensure that Bank Melli can make legal payments to German institutions.

"Where is the help for German companies? Where is the defense of Germany's sovereignty?" the German publication asked.

An earlier Handelsblatt report published Oct. 2 quoted the German central bank as saying it cannot force German institutions to accept payments from an Iranian bank. The article also said officials of Germany's economics and finance ministries declined to express a position on the issue.

This article originated in VOA's Persian Service
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Four Finnish citizens are believed to have been among five people who died in a plane crash in Zimbabwe on Friday, their companies and Finlands foreign ministry said.

The plane crashed near Masvingo, the ministry said.

Finnish pulp and paper maker UPM said Heikki Vappula, 51, executive vice president of UPM Biorefining, appeared on the passenger list of the crashed private plane.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Heikki who was a visionary and inspiring executive... His insights and energy will be greatly missed, UPM Chief Executive Jussi Pesonen said in a statement.

Lassila & Tikanoja CEO Pekka Ojanpaa, 52, was also among the victims, the environmental and support services firm said.

Pekka served as President and CEO of Lassila & Tikanoja for seven years... Our deepest condolences to Pekkas family and closest ones in this time of loss, company chairman Heikki Bergholm said.

Ojanpaa was set to leave Lassila & Tikanoja at the end of this month to start working as chief executive of another Finnish company, fibre maker Suominen Corporation.

The ministry said it had received confirmation from Zimbabwean authorities regarding the four Finns involved.

The two other Finns on the crashed plane were a 53-year-old technology expert and a partner of a law firm, Finnish media reported.

The four men are believed to have been on a private hunting trip, media reported.

Reporting by Anne Kauranen; editing by Jason Neely
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Saturday that former President Robert Mugabe, 94, was unable to walk and had been a patient at a hospital in Singapore for about two months.

Addressing ruling ZANU-PF party supporters in Mugabe's rural hometown, Mnangagwa said of his predecessor, We are taking care of him. He is now our responsibility. He should have come back in September, but we received a message that he wasn't all well. I have received a message while I am here saying he feels that he is now well and will be coming back on the 30th of November.

Yes, he is now unable to walk on his own, but we will take care of him. We have been giving him everything that he has been requesting.

After leading Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe resigned last year following military-led pressure. Mnangagwa was appointed his successor and was elected president in July.

Since stepping down, Mugabe has made few public appearances but has traveled several times to Singapore, where he has been receiving treatment for undisclosed ailments.
US institutions continue to make the case to be the first destination for international higher education. But are American institutions losing their edge? We'll hear from recruiters, students and a State Department official about new challenges for schools trying to recruit foreign scholars.
Anti-government protestors clashed with police Saturday on the Champs-Elysees in Paris in yet another round of protests against French President Emmanual Macron.



Police fired tear gas and used water cannons on the famed avenue to force protestors away from the presidential offices in the Elysees Palace.



Thousands gathered in the French capital and elsewhere in France, staging roadblocks and setting fires to express anger against rising fuel taxes.

At least eight people, including two police officers, were injured Saturday, authorities said.



Two people have been killed since the protest movement was launched a week ago, when nearly 250,000 protestors wearing yellow vests, many from rural overlooked areas, blocked roads across the country.



Police said dozens of protestors were arrested in Paris Saturday for "throwing projectiles" and committing other violent acts.



"It's going to trigger a civil war and me, like most other citizens, we're all ready," said 21-year-old Benjamin Vrignaud.

The citizen-driven movement is one of the most serious challenges to date for Macron and his pro-business government, as the protests are also an expression of citizen discontent with the country's high tax rate.



Authorities said 5,000 protestors converged Saturday on the Champs-Elysees, with a total of more than 80,000 nationwide.



Interior Minister Christophe Castaner blamed the unrest on far-right "rebellious" agitators. He tried to downplay Saturday's demonstrations, noting there were fewer protestors compared to last week.
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Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys. Photo: Universal Pictures

As I write this addendum to the below essay, the world has not yet collapsed. I just went to pick up some supplies from my local chain pharmacy outlet and people seemed to be going about their daily business much as they always do. The ambience stood in stark contrast to the reports Id been reading all night about what the situation is likely to become in the near future. I felt like 12 Monkeys protagonist, James Cole  someone who has been in the future, after it all hit the fan, and is granted a brief, bittersweet opportunity to visit the world as it was before the fall. Given whats happening, we thought we should republish this essay, which I wrote a year and a half before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 12 Monkeys, a film that is less about surviving a plague than it is about making a meaningful life on the eve of a crisis  and stubbornly believing that theres something on the other side worth preparing for.

When it comes to the flexibility of history, time-travel stories exist on a spectrum. On one end are stories where fate can be easily changed. Back to the Future, in which Marty McFly reverses all manner of poor outcomes, dwells here. Move a bit down the line and you get the Terminator franchise, where Armageddon is never quite stopped, but can be staved off for a bit. Farther along, you get the approach to time travel in superhero comics, where certain events  the killings of Batmans parents or Peter Parkers Uncle Ben, for example  are fixed and others can be wildly altered. Finally, move all the way to the other extreme, and you get 12 Monkeys, where history is written in unbendable iron.

How can I save you? says the protagonist, Bruce Williss James Cole, early on in the 1995 Terry Gilliam film. This already happened. I cant save you. Nobody can. Hes speaking before a panel of psychiatrists in a mental institution in 1990, a year in which hes newly arrived. Hes been deemed crazy for his ravings about how hes been sent from the year 2035, where a scant remainder of humanity lives in squalid underground tunnels after having been driven from the surface by a viral pandemic. The movie wisely wastes no time on ambiguity about whether Coles story about a chronological jaunt is true or mere madness. By the time he appears before the shrinks, weve already seen Coles home time. Throughout the story, we know  sometimes even better than he does  the worldwide doom that awaits. Though there are moments in the movie in which it seems as though fate might be altered, the conclusion of this deeply pessimistic masterwork (spoiler alert) makes it clear that Cole is right: humanity falls, right on schedule. He couldnt save anyone. Nobody could.

Ive been thinking about 12 Monkeys a lot lately. It seems, these days, as though the human race has passed a Rubicon and is now on a straight path toward the end of days, or at least the end of the social order as we know it. The most obvious threat is not a virus, but rather our degradation of the biosphere. The U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has made it clear that our ongoing ecological hubris means theres precious little chance we will avoid planetary upheaval of the worst variety, and suggests we will probably fall off a cliff in the next dozen or so years. We are still obligated to try to mitigate the extremity of the climate disaster, but the existence of that disaster is more or less a done deal.

So what does one do when the end is foreordained? The centrality of this question in 12 Monkeys is what makes it more valuable than ever, and one of the most currently relevant pieces of science fiction ever committed to celluloid. In addition to being visually stunning and filled with fascinating  if occasionally overcooked  performances, it puts forth a clarion call that is woefully necessary in these dark times. In short, 12 Monkeys offers a vision of the curious joy and hope that we must embrace when all conventional forms of it have been lost.

For the uninitiated, three points must be made before going further. One: This film has next to nothing to do with the recently concluded Syfy television series of the same name. They share a title, a few character names, and the existence of time travel; but where the movie is a grim psychological spelunking expedition with the aforementioned conceit of unchangeable history, the show is a pulpy thriller in which the space-time continuum is extremely plastic. Two: Its a very loose adaptation of Chris Markers seminal French New Wave short La Jetee, but 12 Monkeys deviates so significantly that we can call its themes and ideas its own. Three: The plot of 12 Monkeys is more than a little convoluted, so Ill spare you every last in and out.

Generally speaking, it follows Cole as he shuttles unwillingly back and forth between the 1990s and the 2030s, interacting in the pre-virus era with a psychiatrist named Kathryn Railly (the underrated Madeleine Stowe) and a mentally unstable eco-activist named Jeffrey Goines (a slightly over-twitchy Brad Pitt). His mission, decreed by authoritarian scientists in the 30s, is not to prevent the end of days, but rather to find a sample of the virus in its earliest form, then bring it back so they can synthesize a cure. There is no hope for the people Cole sees in his time-travels: As he says at one point (oddly predicting The Sixth Sense), All I see are dead people. As a result, its tough to refer to the 30s here as the future, and likewise to call the 90s the present. Cole goes out of his way to tell the residents of the earlier era that theyre in the past and that the true present is the post-apocalyptic hovel from which he came. Its a compelling concept that I think might have been wasted on the audiences of the 90s, that bizarre blip in American history where it seemed like we were living in an eternal present, the End of History, where history was being written with a new pen on clean paper.

Now, as in 12 Monkeys, it feels increasingly as though our minds are situated in the years to come, as though were already looking back on whats happening to us right now from the vantage point of the coming calamities. People speak about the collapse of civilization with startling regularity. Some stockpile cans and guns for the coming war of all against all, others merely summarize their depressed outlook in half-ironic tweets. More and more of us are united by a feeling like anything good is living on borrowed time.

Yet here can we find the kind of joy that 12 Monkeys teaches us: the embrace of transient delights in our spare moments. While in the 90s, we see Cole gradually make a transition. Initially, he has a fervent sense of mission, attempting to barrel his way through the world in order to get what he needs from the past and return to the present as soon as he can. But as his trips continue, we find him increasingly taking time to savor these last days before humanity lost its battle against nature and decamped for life beneath the surface of the planet.

At one point, he finds himself in a car with Railly (its after hes kidnapped her and before they start up a romance  the sexual politics of the film are questionable, but best addressed another time) with the radio on and he hears Fats Dominos Blueberry Hill. He laughs as tears begin to stream down his cheeks. I love the music of the 20th century! he bellows. I love this air! Love to breathe this air! He sucks oxygen in deeply and sticks his head out the window, cracking up.

Its a beautiful moment, one Ive thought of often in recent days. Joy is not the enemy of action; indeed, without joy, one can hardly imagine finding a reason to bother. That said, we have an obligation to not spend all of our remaining hours assuming nothing can be done and just hedonistically taking in our disappearing pleasures. The movie subtly warns against such hedonism in a moment when Cole briefly interacts with a mental patient who describes his fantasies of life on another planet, then concludes, I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. We are unwell if we live permanently in joy. But its worthwhile to taste what you can, here and there.

And what of hope? Here we find a mix of duty and mild, benevolent insanity. On the surface, 12 Monkeys provides us almost solely with dread, and its comforts are profoundly cold. Gilliam and his team conjure up an unforgettably bleak vision of Coles home era, where the narrative begins. Its a world in which humans live, as he puts it, like worms, in what look like massive subterranean sewer tanks. There, hes a prisoner, jailed for crimes not spelled out in any detail, confined to a cage no bigger than one you might obtain for a dog. The one time we see the post-virus surface world, its been reclaimed by the beasts, with bears and lions wandering among the cracked buildings of what was once Philadelphia. In the 90s, we get premonitions of disaster, and not just from Cole. Goines regularly pontificates about humankinds folly and, when Cole mentions a viral apocalypse, replies, Wiping out the human race? Its a great idea! When we first meet the virologist who is revealed as the perpetrator of Armageddon (David Morse), he is attending a lecture by Railly about prophets of doom throughout history. I think, Dr. Railly, youve given the alarmists a bad name, he intones before listing all the ways humanity is destroying itself and the biosphere. In this context, isnt it obvious that chicken little represents the sane vision? And that homo sapienss motto, Lets go shopping, is the cry of the true lunatic?

In an admirably bold leap of grimness, the movie never really offers up a counterargument to these notions. There is no point at which someone triumphantly defends humanity and says that love will surely conquer all. There are brief moments where the characters think they can slough off their resignation to cruel fate: In his final trip back to the 90s, Cole tries deciding that hes crazy and that his present in the 30s was all a hallucination, and Railly goes along with it, but when Cole starts accurately predicting that which he couldnt know unless he already saw how events would unfold, he doubts himself yet again. In the films final few scenes, Railly and Cole see the virologist at an airport, recognize his plan, and attempt to chase him down and stop him. But not only does Cole get shot by police before he can reach his target, were also shown a few minutes prior that the virologist already opened his first vial of disease in the building. Its too late, after all.

And yet, despite all this, the movie ends on a note of extremely cautious optimism. The virologist sits down on his plane next to someone, and we see that its one of the 30s scientists. She tells him shes in insurance. One might read this as her being sent to prevent the further spread of the disease. Given everything weve already seen, this is a misreading. We can assume shes there to complete Coles mission and take one of the vials back to her home time and work on a cure. She wouldnt have pinpointed the proper moment without Coles efforts. They werent for naught. Herein lies why 12 Monkeys feels so urgent as 2018 draws to a close: Perhaps it is, indeed, too late to avert the great catastrophe. But we cannot accept that the catastrophe is the end of the story. There will be some kind of future, however difficult it may be to live in. It is our responsibility to prepare whatever we can for the survival of whats worth preserving in that coming existence.

La Jetee, in a crucial contrast to 12 Monkeys, features the protagonist traveling into the far future and finding an advanced civilization that has emerged from the ashes. Gilliams film doesnt provide us with that relief. It guarantees nothing pleasant. But it reminds us that we can learn from the days in which we live in order to ameliorate the coming world. We still live in the now, and there is still work to be done and wonders to be experienced. Even Cole, near the end of the story, seems to realize this, and, in the 90s, utters lines that should echo in our heads: This is the present. This is not the past. This is not the future. This is right now.

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HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - About 200 people marched through an Alabama shopping mall to protest the shooting death of a man whom police erroneously believed was the gunman who shot and wounded two people.

The protesters gathered at the spot at the Riverchase Galleria mall in suburban Birmingham where 21-year-old Emantic "EJ" Bradford Jr. was shot and killed by a police officer who was responding to reports of gunfire.

Police initially thought Bradford was responsible for shooting two people at the mall but later retracted that statement. They later said it was unlikely that Bradford had done the shooting.

Police are now searching for a gunman who they believed shot and wounded an 18-year-old male and a 12-year-old bystander.

The protesters held a moment of silence for Bradford at the spot where he was killed. Bradford's stepmother Cynthia described him as a respectful young man and said he was the son of a Birmingham police officer.

(Photo courtesy ABC 33/40)
Rome's starlings cause havoc for motorists on Lungotevere.

Rome city council has drafted in the help of falconers to move some of the wintering starlings - whose numbers are estimated between 1.5 and four million - away from central areas of the capital, according to reports in local media.

The "natural deterrent" concept involves falcons being placed in trees used for roosting by Rome's starlings, particularly along the Lungotevere, part of which was closed to traffic in recent days due to the excessive amount of starling droppings.

The birds' foul-smelling, oily guano can make the Lungotevere an inhospitable place for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, particularly the stretch between Ponte Sisto and Ponte Garibaldi.

Rome pedestrians slip on starling guano. Photo (2016) La Repubblica.

Rome has used falcons to combat starlings for several years, in addition to its distress call campaign, an amplified alarm that mimics a call of danger used by starlings in the wild.

Two years ago the city carried out radical pruning of the trees in the little park at Largo Cairoli, putting a temporary end to a starling stronghold in the city centre, near Largo Argentina. However the trees have since grown back and the birds have returned this winter, creating problems for pedestrians in the area.

In recent decades Rome has witnessed a dramatic rise in starlings which are attracted by the citys artificially-high urban climate, less rainfall and wind, and the virtual absence of predators.

The birds are also known for their spectacular swirling flight patterns which are sometimes the result of an attack by one of Rome's Peregrine Falcons whose population continues to increase after decades of being an endangered species. See related article.

Cover photo La Repubblica
The Amazon campus is expected to rise in National Landing, a newly branded neighborhood that includes parts of Pentagon City and Crystal City in Arlington and Potomac Yard in Alexandria. Amazon executives have said they plan over a period of years to expand their workforce to 25,000, some of whom are expected to send their children to schools throughout Northern Virginia.
Much of Maryland has experienced 60 inches of precipitation so far in 2018  a foot and a half more than what falls in a typical calendar year. The rain has kept the brackish waters of many Chesapeake tributaries more fresh and less salty than normal. Oysters have evolved to develop some tolerance of fresh water, but need salt water to grow and reproduce.
A video taken by a passenger who had been on the Delta flight showed a man later identified as Toaff shouting and trying to run from three officers as they took him into custody at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The governor also joked that his arguments might be more persuasive now that the General Assembly would have to work with a Republican to draw the maps: Maybe the legislature, knowing that Im going to be the one drawing the districts, might be more open to taking it away from me.
But Col. Collinss greatest contribution to U.S. national security was an online discussion group, called the Warlord Loop, which he founded in 1998 at age 77 and oversaw until illness forced him to cede daily management of it when he was 92. Col. Collins came up with the idea for the group in the late 1970s when he was still at the Congressional Research Service but received repeated rejections from his bosses for more than 20 years.
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Core DC will not be able to accept violent sexual predators either  the community and its elected officials simply will not stand for it, the protest read. The two offerors faced the same situation regarding placement of offenders  one by dealing directly and openly with the Bureau, and the other by flouting the rules.
Often cited is research done in the 1990s by the University of Pennsylvanias School of Social Policy and Practice and a nonprofit group called Partners for Sacred Places. It found that an average urban congregation creates more than $140,000 per year in value through the contribution of volunteer time; rental space at below market rates; and cash and in-kind donations. In 2016, the two groups teamed up again to create a metric that also includes the housing of schools and day-care centers as well as increased foot traffic and argues that each congregation generates $1.7 million annually, on average, for the wider community.
In 2017, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found in favor of residents in Phoenix, ruling that the FAA must revise flight paths put in place at Sky Harbor International Airport in 2014. (A subsequent compromise involved changes to only a small number of flight paths.) But just a year later, a different three-judge panel of the same court dealt residents in Northwest Washington a serious setback, ruling that the D.C. residents had missed the deadline to file their appeal.
That said, both Crystal City and Pentagon City Metro stops are heavily used. The state will pay for a second entrance to the Crystal City Metro station and a south entrance to Alexandrias future Potomac Yard station. The latter work needs approval from the Commonwealth Transportation Board, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has sought additional information from the city about the stations impact on adjacent wetlands. Alexandria is attempting to accelerate the funding so the full station can open by 2022.
Two officers providing security at the mall heard the gunfire and approached the area. They spotted a man waving a pistol and shot him. He died at the scene. His name was not immediately released, but police said he was 21 years old and from Hueytown.
Even when people get the flu, new research shows they are better off if they got the flu shot. In one 2018 study, Thompson and colleagues analyzed data on more than 3,000 patients admitted to two hospitals in New Zealand between 2012 and 2015. Among patients with influenza, those who had been vaccinated were 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit. And even if they did end up in the ICU, vaccinated patients spent an average of four fewer days in the hospital.
We equipped 55 14- to 18-year-old high school students across Los Angeles from different socioeconomic backgrounds with actigraphs, wristwatchlike monitors that track sleep quality. Higher sleep quality is defined by fewer awakenings per night. Those are times in the night when sleep rhythms are disrupted and the person is briefly awake or moves into a lighter stage of sleep, whether theyre consciously aware of it or not. In our study, adolescents had an average of five awakenings per night that ranged in duration between less than a minute and over an hour.
A: It stems from biophilia, the desire to emotionally affiliate with nature. And it translates to touch because that was really our first form of communication, the way we explore our environment from day one. For wild primates in particular, its also because theyre cute. Theyve got hands like us. They play like us. One of the things that keeps coming up in interviews is that people have seen others do it and get away with it, so they think they can as well.
Yes, Maryland officials could always gamble on the markets to give them an 8.1 percent annual return, which is what JPMorgan Chase says it would take to free them from the painful but necessary choices they might otherwise have to make. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and the Democratic-dominated General Assembly have opted to muddle through over the past four years, adding a total of $375 million in supplemental payments to state pensions instead of the $300 million per year called for in a 2011 pension reform law. The result is a state pension system thats in better shape than it used to be but not nearly as stable as it could be, given Marylands underlying financial capabilities. Mr. Hogan and the General Assembly will return next year amid benign economic conditions for both the state and the country. The measures necessary to stabilize the states pensions are significant but eminently doable, both financially and politically. All it takes is a bit of foresight  and leadership. If not now, when?
Whitakers organization is particularly concerning because of the prohibition against charitable organizations engaging in political activities. The Post reports that Whitaker, while serving as executive director of his charity, focused most of his media comments against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. His organization also targeted Democrats with ethics complaints. The identity of its funders could be relevant in evaluating the political nature of these activities. For example, if the funding had come from Donald Trump or another candidate, it could indicate that the true purpose of the organization was political in nature and that it should not qualify as a charity at all.
That political division can still work to Trumps advantage as he looks to his reelection campaign, as an analysis of the gubernatorial results in Wisconsin in 2018 and 2014 by Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel illustrates. Gilbert found Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was narrowly defeated in his bid for a third term, lost ground in the 35 most populous counties in the state, but he gained ground in 16 of the 20 least populous counties.
This is probably one of the most entrepreneurial, innovative and restless freshmen classes that weve seen in recent memory, said former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who ran the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. What I would caution them to do is to keep their eye on who the problem is  and the problem is the Trump administration.
Ties between the United States and Europe have been strained in the era of President Trump, who has departed from many long-standing tenets of U.S. foreign policy to embrace a go-it-alone approach in the world. But in the areas where interests remain aligned, diplomats and leaders on both sides of the Atlantic say that Americans will find it harder to exert their will inside a 27-nation bloc that will be among the richest in the world.
Also under the spotlight were commissions paid by lenders to mortgage brokers for signing up new loans. Senior counsel assisting Rowena Orr, QC, grilled Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn at length about internal emails from 2016 in which he expressed the belief that all such commissions should be axed. Consumers, instead, should be asked to pay upfront for home loan advice provided by brokers, in a move similar to reforms in the Netherlands, Comyn argued. However the bank decided not to act, and continues to pay commissions. Commonwealth Bank's Matt Comyn said he would follow the Netherlands' example on payment of mortgage brokers. "Would you like to move to the Netherlands model, to go the whole hog and have a flat fee paid by the consumer?" Orr asked Comyn on Monday. "I think that is, in my view, the most attractive model," he replied.

Macquarie Group's Nicholas Moore. Credit:AAP In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, the Dutch government banned commissions from lenders to brokers for arranging loans. Instead, Dutch borrowers now pay a flat fee in the region of 2000 ($3145) which is tax deductible. Banks are also required to charge a fee, to level the playing field between bank and broker-originated loans. But Macquarie Bank CEO Nicholas Moore sounded a note of caution. "We think ... that the broker network does provide genuine competition, and that genuine competition has reduced the cost for all mortgages," he said. Bank executive pay Bank bosses' bonuses, which were excluded from a banking industry review of bank staff pay lead by Stephen Sedgwick, were also examined this week.

The commission heard how the Commonwealth Bank's board approved millions of dollars in bonuses for executives, despite clear problems with the bank charging fees for no service and to dead people, and failing to comply with obligations to prevent money laundering through "smart" ATMs. CBA chairman Catherine Livingstone sensationally revealed that the board asked then chairman David Turner to return 40 per cent of his director's fees, only for him to refuse. Reforms to executive pay structures to give less weight to short-term profits and greater weight to customer outcomes appear to be under consideration by the commission, as are ways to ensure boards dock pay for poor outcomes. Board minutes and duties All company boards should be on renewed notice to comply with their strict legal duties after this week's hearings, according to Ramsay.

"Is your board passively just receiving volumes of information from management, or is your board one where there is good robust discussion and frank views being expressed?" Rowena Orr QC raised the prospect of criminal penalties over inadequate board minutes. Orr raised the prospect of criminal penalties this week if board minutes fail to record significant exchanges. This came after CBA's Livingstone revealed she had challenged management on the unfolding money-laundering scandal, but that neither her challenge, nor management's response, was recorded in the board minutes. Regulator reform With the corporate regulator also in the box this week, Ramsay said it was increasingly clear that tougher boards would require a tougher regulator.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
Three people have made accusations about actor Craig McLachlan relating to his time on the television show The Doctor Blake Mysteries, including claims of an unwanted kiss and "inappropriate touching", a court has been told.

McLachlan, 53, is suing the ABC and Fairfax Media for defamation after an investigation published in January aired allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct made against him by female performers in the 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Show.

Craig McLachlan in character on the ABC's The Doctor Blake Mysteries. Credit:Jessica Dale

The actor is also suing Christie Whelan Browne, who performed alongside him in the production and spoke to journalists for the stories.

In a preliminary hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday afternoon, McLachlan's barrister Matthew Richardson said all three parties being sued were trying to amend their defences to add details about three new complainants from Doctor Blake.
Just one day after Renae Lawrence returned to Australia after 13 years in an Indonesian prison, the Bali Nine drug trafficker has handed herself in to police over a number of outstanding warrants.

A spokeswoman for NSW Police confirmed the 41-year-old attended the Waratah police station in suburban Newcastle on Friday afternoon "in relation to outstanding warrants issued in 2005."

Bali Nine drug smuggler Renae Lawrence arrives at Brisbane airport on Thursday. Credit:AAP

Ms Lawrence was allegedly involved in a police chase using a stolen car on the Central Coast on March 26, 2005, a month before she was arrested in Indonesia.

Police claim on that date, Ms Lawrence stole a car from Sydney's inner west and drove north with fellow Bali Nine member Matthew Norman.
Australias spy and police agencies are set to enter a politically charged debate over whether far-reaching laws to help authorities access encrypted messages of terrorism and criminal suspects need to be rushed through before Christmas.

ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and other organisations have been called back to Parliaments intelligence and security committee on Monday, in part to give a view on whether the laws passage need to be accelerated.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday said Labor would take the time needed to get the laws right after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton wrote to the intelligence committee asking it to accelerate its work. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also said he would insist on the laws being passed in the 2018s final parliamentary sitting fortnight.

The legislation will compel technology companies to help authorities access the content of communications sent by suspects in terrorism and serious criminal case. Police and spy agencies have warned they are increasingly blind to messages on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which use end-to-end encryption.
A record 40 per cent of Victorians - about 1.6 million people - voted early this election. Nearly two-and-a-half million Victorians were voting on Saturday. "At the last election, the queue was 200 to 300 people. Today maybe weve got up to 100," said Victorian Electoral Commission centre manager Malcolm Hume, who was at Brunswick North Primary School. "This seat is only going one of two ways so everyone else is in it for fun, but everyones been calm and collected and theres no arguing, which is good." Democracy sausages in Moonee Ponds. Credit:Justin McManus In Melbourne's inner-west the legendary democracy sausage took on a decidedly local flavour.

The setting was the same as it was at hundreds of voting centres around the state: fold-out canvas shelter, mobile barbecue, right down to the sliced white bread and tomato sauce. But at the Yarraville Community Centre all the sausages were halal. "We wanted everyone to be included - and we got a great deal from our Footscray butcher," Bettina Twyman said. There were also cornflake crackles and other homemade sweets.

The coordinator, Mrs Twyman said all the funds raised were going towards that community group, which helps young people who have dropped out get back into school. "We try to reach them before there is a crisis," she said. "Housing, drugs, alcohol." On the barbecue was Sasha Gleeson, a young woman who came through the program and is now a mentor herself. Surely she could be setting no finer example of upstanding citizenry than flipping all-inclusive snags on a cold and rainy election day. Sasha Gleeson. Credit:Joe Hinchliffe At Camberwell Primary School, in Liberal heartland, traditional Liberal voters expressed their disenchantment with the party.

A woman in her 60s and a long-time Liberal supporter said: "I dont think our policies are clear and I think weve been too slow to act. "Labor, on the other hand, have got things done," she said. "But Im still voting Liberal." Another resident, Peter, said despite voting Liberal, he didnt believe the party "has got a strong enough leader". Another Camberwell resident and mother-of-three, Cara, said she was surprised the area was still such a strong Liberal seat. "Most of the mums I know around here are Labor voters," she said. "Because theyre more in touch with the people."

Steven Gledhill voted for the Reason Party in the upper house. Credit:Sumeyya Ilanbey Back in Brunswick, long-time Labor voter Steven Gledhill was tempted to vote for the Reason Party in the lower house, but decided against it at the 11th-hour and voted for the party in the upper house. "I like Fiona Patten so thats why I voted for her in the upper house," Mr Gledhill said. "I think Labors investment in infrastructure has been a big one for me  particularly public transport infrastructure kept my vote with them." At St Margaret Marys Primary School in Brunswick, sausages were only being served with the onion on top. Condiments included sauce, mustard, homemade chutney and homemade chilli sauce.

Far fewer people were lining up on Saturday, than on the same day four years ago, even though the bake stall is legendary. Jams were for sale and the church ladies were selling amazing cakes alongside religious paraphernalia. Cakes on sale at St Margaret Marys Primary School in Brunswick. Credit:Michelle Griffin At North Melbourne Primary School, in the neighbouring seat of Melbourne, Rosey Conway - a self-declared socialist at heart - voted for the Reason Party in the lower house and the Victorian Socialists in the upper house. She said the Parliament needed a "shake-up" with independent and minor party voices.

"I know theyre not going to [form government] but I think to get more voices in the government is really important," Ms Conway said. Rosey Conway, a self-declared socialist at heart, voted for the Reason Party in the lower house. Credit:Sumeyya Ilanbey Janet Day said although she had been tossing up between voting for the Greens and Labor, she would cast her vote for Labor's Cindy OConnor in Brunswick. "On balance Im coming out for Labor because we need a stable government and with a clear majority," Ms Day said. There was a different kind of democracy sausage at Rangeview Primary School, delighting voters in the seat of Ringwood.
Washington: Democrats on the US House intelligence panel will investigate President Donald Trump's response to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as part of a "deep dive" next year into US-Saudi Arabia ties, the committee's incoming head says.

Donald Trump on Friday. Credit:AP

The committee will investigate the US intelligence assessment of Khashoggi's death as well as the war in Yemen, the stability of the Saudi royal family and the kingdom's treatment of critics and the press, among other topics, Democrat Adam Schiff told the Washington Post.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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When Gov. Thomas Meskill took office in January 1971, Connecticut found itself in the midst of a financial crisis. In the years leading up to Meskills election, the state managed to accumulate a debt of over a quarter of a billion dollars. Throughout the spring of 1971, legislators struggled to develop a plan for eliminating the deficit.

Meskill wanted the budget balanced within 36 months. To that end, he proposed raising the states sales tax from 5 to 7.5 percent. The only other option, many felt, was to institute a tax on income. During this time, Connecticut residents had the highest per-capital income in the country and several legislators saw an income tax as a quick and easy solution to raising the necessary funds. As the spring legislation session began coming to a close, however, there remained no agreement on how best to address the financial crisis.
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MANY places try to look their best and wait and hope some big corporation finds them attractive and builds a branch plant in their community.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANY places try to look their best and wait and hope some big corporation finds them attractive and builds a branch plant in their community.

But thats never been the formula for southern Manitoba, which punches above its weight with an impressive array of homegrown manufacturing companies.

That economic record could get turbocharged now that business-mentoring company North Forge Technology Exchange has come to town.

North Forge has set up an office in Morden, called North Forge South, and it almost cant keep up with the number of wannabe entrepreneurs. The office has been overwhelmed with 39 applications in just its first month.

"To get 39 applications in one month? I would say thats pretty remarkable and testament that this is a great place for business," said Alison Lea, the executive director of the new North Forge South.

"These are mothers, high school kids, employees of companies that have ideas and want to do innovation within their own companies," she said.

North Forge in Winnipeg was recently presented the Startup Canada Community of the Year Award from Startup Canada, the countrys entrepreneurship organization. North Forge excels in economic development, and is particularly strong in technological expertise.

Lea agreed its know-how in technology could form a perfect marriage with the manufacturing hub in Pembina Valley and Portage la Prairie.

"When it comes to manufacturing, you wouldnt believe the amount of technology required," Lea said.

"Im hoping North Forge can become that place that provides certain software and certain technologies and helps companies lower the cost of commercialization, as well as with research and development," she said.

Lea added theres a significant amount of wealth in the area that wants to invest back into the community.

The non-profit North Forge set up in Winnipeg almost three years ago, helping more than 200 companies raise $220 million in financing.

North Forge South is the second North Forge office set up outside Winnipeg. Pinawa has a North Forge East office. The South office is serving an area from Portage la Prairie south, including Winkler, Altona and Carman. There is talk of opening an office in Brandon.

The Morden Community Development Corporation (MCDC) was looking to set up an entrepreneur incubation office when it came in contact with North Forge, MCDC business development officer Chad Sheldon said.

"Lo and behold, North Forge in Winnipeg was doing what we were looking to do here," he said.

So, MCDC gave it a remodelled building with 5,600 square feet of office space at 500 Stephen St. in downtown Morden, as well as funding for one staff position. "It creates an entire entrepreneurial ecosystem under one roof," Sheldon said.

The Morden office will be supported by membership fees. Members pay from $150 to $250 per month and get a desk and office space.

"It will also include meetings with an accountant, lawyer, all those business startup things (including marketing people), and a seasoned business person as a mentor," Sheldon said.

"Theres a huge, huge ecosystem for technology-based companies here," especially opportunities in agriculture, like drones to monitor and spray crops, Sheldon said.

North Forge South also plans to build a large fabrication centre that allows "rapid prototyping," along the lines of the one at North Forge in Winnipeg. It would have capabilities in metalworking, woodworking, laser cutting and 3D printing. The target date for opening Fabrication Lab is next April.

North Forge South is not just for business startups, but also existing businesses like Friesens Corp. in Altona, Sheldon said. Larger companies are very interested in the fabrication centre, which will fill about 4,000 square feet, he said.

"They can prototype a product inexpensively to see if it works or not," he said. "That is probably the most exciting thing for people when they think of opportunity with North Forge South."

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca


By Daily Mail , Nov. 23, 2018





The 21-year-old black man killed by police during the Alabama mall shooting was not the gunman, say police who have warned that the shooter is still on the loose.





Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., the son of a Birmingham cop and a combat engineer in the US Army, was shot dead by officers responding to reports of an active shooter at the Riverchase Galleria on Thanksgiving Day.

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In case you havent noticed, Winnipegs tech sector is on a roll.

National real estate firm CBRE released its 2018 Scoring Canadian Tech Talent report that shows Winnipeg recorded the second-highest growth rate in technology employment among Canadas mid-sized cities between 2012 and 2017.

The citys technology-sector workforce grew by 39.7 per cent  faster than Vancouver and Waterloo, Ont., during that time  adding 4,800 tech jobs over the past five years.

It so happens that about 2,000 of those jobs came from one employer  SkipTheDishes  but the sector is getting broader and deeper.

"Were proud to be a catalyst for Winnipegs tech sector," said Chris Simair, CEO of SkipTheDishes. "Were proving tech does not have to exist only in Toronto or Montreal or Ottawa."

SkipTheDishes may be the most obvious example, but companies like Bold Commerce, 24/7 Intouch and Farmers Edge are all dramatically growing their Winnipeg workforces as well as their international brands.

"Were starting to lead by example, and were showing it is possible to create consumer-focused technology companies right here in Winnipeg," Simair said.

According to CBRE, the new positions bring the total tech jobs in Winnipeg to 16,900, reinforcing the citys potential as a regional tech hub and a strong choice for tech companies to base operations from.

Winnipeg may be the second-cheapest mid-sized tech market in Canada, but not by much. Unlike many other industry performance comparisons, Winnipegs growth in the tech sector is not all about the city being a low-cost operational centre. Its average salary offerings, for instance, are not much less than in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where the cost of living is much higher.

"The value proposition for what you get in return, the quality of the tech talent, the labour base, the cost of office space... the overall value proposition is a significant advantage here," said Ryan Behie, CBREs Winnipeg vice-president and managing director.

The report does note that development of the tech sector is greatly enhanced by the presence of clusters, where large and small firms and post-secondary educational institutions cross-pollinate with each other.

A natural tech cluster is already starting to form in the Exchange District, and industry officials say care and attention needs to be applied to keep that growing.

Dayna Spiring, the CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg, said part of her job is to talk with the universities and colleges to make sure they are offering the right programs to provide the marketplace with the talent it needs.

"We know the demand is there," she said. "The challenge for us is how to get more people in the pipeline."

While companies like SkipTheDishes and Bold have become engaged in importing computer science professionals from places like Brazil and Germany, the CEOs of both companies are adamant Winnipeg is producing plenty of homegrown talent.

Spiring said the process of bringing in talent from outside the country should not be seen as a negative, because there seem to be plenty of jobs available for local workers.

"What that does is add to our ecosystem here," she said. "People will learn off them and build up the ecosystem."

"The talent is here," said Yvan Boisjoli, the CEO of Bold Commerce. The company has grown to more than 250 employees in about six years. "If you compare the tech talent between Winnipeg and Toronto, the percentage of great talent is the same here as it is there."

He said he has also seen evidence of a willingness from outside investors to back companies in tier-II cities like Winnipeg.

That said, Winnipeg does not make it onto the list of the top five cities for venture-capital investments, where the total venture-capital investment in Ottawa in 2016  the fifth-highest in the country  is about 10 per cent of the total amount invested in Toronto.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Lets face it.

Do-it-yourself investors are a greedy lot.

After all, underpinning this hobby is a desire for riches. Among all of the get-rich (over time) schemes thats most renowned and embraced is value investing.

Buying low, holding for the long haul and eventually selling at a tidy profit has been a successful formula for many. Think Warren Buffett, whose company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has made billions using this strategy.

Yet, a new book by a millennial DIY-er argues individual investors seeking to grow their money are better off using a different strategy that favours growth-oriented stocks.

You may have heard of Robin Speziale before  possibly because hes featured in the Free Press. Or you might read his popular, eponymous investing blog (robinspeziale.com). You might have also read a previous book of his: Market Masters: Interviews with Canadas Top Investors  Proven Investing Strategies You Can Apply.

Speziale is a wunderkind of sorts. By day, a business consultant for a large multinational firm, he moonlights as a prolific author and exceptional DIY investor. While he started out reading everything about value investing, Speziale eventually found his focus drawn to a growth investment style because it favoured stocks that compound capital at high rates over long spans.

And that strategy helped super-charge his portfolio in the span of less than a decade. By 30, he had grown his portfolio to more than $300,000, starting from zero in his teens. And the value today is more than half a million dollars. (By the way, his goal is to grow it to $1 million by age 35.)

Not wanting to keep the secrets of his investment success to himself, Speziale has now penned Capital Compounders: How to Beat the Market and Make Money Investing in Growth Stocks. With it, he offers amateur investors a step-by-step formula to find companies with track records of growth due to competitive advantages, while also providing guidance to avoid todays most over-hyped stocks.

And buying overvalued stocks with sky-high share prices (and then selling them low when they blow up) is a major risk associated with growth strategies.

By contrast, with value investing, the risk is buying a stock at a low price that continues to fall because the hidden value you see is either fools gold or isnt seen in the same positive light as the majority of investors.

"A lot of people start out embracing value investing, and they dont evolve, so they miss out on a lot of great opportunities," Speziale says in a recent interview with the Free Press.

Value investors look for undervalued stock. The price is down because the company has fallen out of fashion, but wrongly so. Eventually, its share price should revert to its true value, hopefully much higher than what you bought it for in the first place.

In contrast, "growth investing involves looking for companies that can compound capital in the future, whereas a lot of these value stocks are not compounding their owners capital anymore," the Toronto author says.

"The capital is almost dormant, and so youre really waiting for a reversion of mean (with a value investment) and that can take years."

If youre right on your value bet, the investment might generate a 50 per cent return. But, Speziale adds that comes with opportunity cost.

"You could have that money in a growth company compounding your capital the whole time."

Done right, your equity investment compounds 20 per cent or more per year. However, lets be clear: by compounding capital, Speziale means your equity stake of $1,000 would grow to $1,200 after one year, and then about $1,440 after year two and so on.

But this doesnt pertain to share price. Rather, think of capital compounding as an internal rate of return. Your investments value is growing as a share of the companys profits and assets, assuming the market will reward this performance with a rising  hopefully soaring  share price.

Among notable growth stocks are Amazon, Netflix, Alphabet (Google) and blue chips such as Nike, he says.

Growth investing in this way involves a few key measurements, or metrics.

The first two are return on capital and return on equity. Speziale argues these express the rate at which a company compounds capital. And you, ideally, want to find firms that compound at 20 per cent or more for a number of years. The challenge is only a handful of firms do this.

"The reason why its tough is because companies that have a high return on capital usually see a lot of competition enter the marketplace."

Those that can, however, generally have a combination of a unique product or service, a strong brand, innovation, growing revenues and exceptional management.

As a starting point, look for companies with ROEs between 20 per cent and 50 per cent (anything exceeding that is difficult to maintain). This indicates how well management allocates capital.

You can figure out ROE by dividing a firms profit by its book value (which is calculated by subtracting total liabilities from its total assets).

Its a quick assessment  you can often find it on investment websites. And it points you in the right direction. But Speziale notes ROE can be deceptive. He points to Valeant Pharmaceuticals (now Bausch Health Companies Inc). It had a share price of more than $300 and was the largest company by market share in Canada just a few years ago.

"Its return on equity looked great," he says.

And the reason investors liked it so much was its rapid growth. But the company was growing by taking on debt to acquire companies.

"I never invested in Valeant because I realized it had so much debt," he says.

Thats where other metrics like ROC come in handy.

Valeant has an attractive ROE, because after subtracting significant liabilities (debt) from its assets, it has a low book value. When dividing its profits by this low number, the result is a high-percentage figure for return on equity.

"That was misleading," he says. "Some of these companies with high ROEs, like Valeant, just blow up because they cant service the debt while growing through buying more companies using more debt."

But, if you had used the ROC metric, long-term debt is added to book value, which is the denominator. So, when you divide profit by book value (with long-term debt added on), the percentage figure for ROC is lower than what you would get for ROE.

Yet, even after finding stocks with both strong ROEs and ROCs, investments must still meet other criteria. These additional factors include high revenue growth. So are sales growing annually?

Another is growth of earnings per share, and growth in book value per share (see fact box for explanation).

"Those three with a high return on capital are a pretty darn good mix," he says.

For the most part, these can be easily found on investing websites like Morningstar.

While the aforementioned metrics help discover companies that should over the long-term grow significantly, growth investing is more art than science. With that in mind, a critical piece of the puzzle is assessing whether a company can maintain growth. And that often boils to down to management prowess.

Ironically, a good example in this respect is Buffett and how he manages Berkshire Hathaway, which exhibits more capital compounding qualities than value characteristics. Speziale notes, for example, Buffett often compares Berkshires book value growth with the return on the S&P 500, which it outperforms most of the time, Speziale says.

"What hes really saying is to focus on the companys ability to compound capital internally."

So, there you have it: even the worlds most renowned value investor runs his company like a capital compounding machine.

So if youre a DIY investor, you might want to do the same for your portfolio.
Like any tourist, I often try to check off all the boxes on must-see destination lists and sample restaurants recommended by travel blogs, but I also make a point of visiting specific neighbourhoods consistent in many metropolitan cities: Chinatowns, downtowns and gay districts. Theyre generally the most metabolic areas of a city  bustling, bursting and active with people, history and great urbanism. Theyre spaces that energize you as a traveller, and often tell the diverse story of its people. Theyre gritty, spontaneous, unpredictable  and largely enjoyable.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/11/2018 (1095 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Like any tourist, I often try to check off all the boxes on must-see destination lists and sample restaurants recommended by travel blogs, but I also make a point of visiting specific neighbourhoods consistent in many metropolitan cities: Chinatowns, downtowns and gay districts. Theyre generally the most metabolic areas of a city  bustling, bursting and active with people, history and great urbanism. Theyre spaces that energize you as a traveller, and often tell the diverse story of its people. Theyre gritty, spontaneous, unpredictable  and largely enjoyable.

Montreals Gay Village, or Le Village Gai, is located on Sainte-Catherine Street, extending along Amherst Street. Its evolution is marked by a sizable increase in business activity, festivals and pedestrian movement. Youve likely seen the iconic art installation  Pink Balls by Claude Cormier and Associates, strung from one architectural building marvel to the next  in-person or in photographs throughout the summer, as the street transforms into a lively pedestrian mall for the LGBTTQ* community, allies and tourists. It becomes a stage for all sorts of performance and a site symbolic of inclusion and tolerance. Meanwhile, gay-friendly cities like Vancouver have Davie Street and Toronto, its Gay Village  both boasting some of the largest Pride festivals in the world, drawing in visitors from across the globe, fuelling the local economy and embracing the strength of its local community.

These places are said to make people feel comfortable and safe. They ensure that people are able to act with authenticity. On every street, youll likely see same-sex couples holding hands, some even planting a peck on their partners cheek, with no reactions from those nearby. The commercial spaces  bars, restaurants and other venues  are often lined with flags and posters to punctuate their solidarity, physically expressing how they see value in their gay clientele. Along public nodes and corridors, you might see gay-friendly banners, posters on display boards outlining community services and outreach opportunities, and of course, pedestrian crossings splashed with rainbow paint  likely a modest financial investment by a municipality.

Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press files Strings of pink plastic balls form a ribbon along a section of Sainte-Catherine Street in Montreals Gay Village. The street closes off as a pedestrian mall for the summer.

Recently, Winnipeg has begun to let loose on its regulations for pedestrian crossings, abandoning the traditional black-and-white zebra design for artistic interpretations from residents. During Canadas 150th birthday, pedestrian crossings were transformed through initiatives like Cool Streets. Launched by Stephane Dorge, Cool Streets goal was to acknowledge the role of streets in our neighbourhoods, and to offer new canvases for colourful expression.

Andrew McLaren, a downtown resident and member of the LGBTTQ* community, is known as one of the organizers of the widely popular Pride Run, which takes participants on a brisk tour of the Exchange District and The Forks. Inspired by Cool Streets, he installed Winnipegs first rainbow pedestrian crossing at The Forks. Located on Israel Asper Way, with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights serving as a timely and figurative backdrop, the rainbow crosswalk not only helped to break up the banality of daily urban life and its bleak and grey infrastructure, but also provided passersby with an uplifting visual message about the strength of Winnipegs LGBTTQ* community.

"The prominent location made the rainbow crosswalk a welcoming symbol for local LGBT* people as well as visitors to Winnipeg," McLaren said. "It was also a great community building project because it brought together the LGBT* volunteers who installed it with terrific support from The Forks and the Manitoba Teachers Society, who helped fund it."

A rainbow crosswalk was painted at The Forks. (Mike Deal / Free Press files)

One of the first rainbow crosswalks can be traced back to West Hollywood, Calif.  installed with the motivation to brand the city as a gay-friendly destination and to add colour to otherwise-drab concrete paving.

Tourism Winnipeg, the City of Winnipegs destination marketing agency, has a website dedicated to marketing the queer history  past, present and future  of the city. In their words, "Winnipeg is home to one of the largest LGBT populations in Canada between Toronto and Vancouver. We also hold the distinction of being the first major North American city to elect an openly gay mayor." Their campaign efforts attempt to position the city as a gay-friendly attraction, with shops and places that not only embrace gay culture, but welcome the community and its allies.

To me, urban space is about interpretation; theyre layered with social meanings. Urban space can highlight our civic values, our desires and provide a sense of who is "included" and who isnt. When we imagine our favourite urban spaces in Winnipeg, who do we see? What do we see? Whats missing? For planning theorists who study queerness and urbanism, whats missing is LGBTTQ* representation. Heterosexual experiences dominate most cityscapes  suppressing the visibility of other sexual identities. Urban theorists Danielle Endres and Samantha Senda-Cook have written about "the constructed nature of place" and how these spaces are often "under constant negotiation" between many proprietors. The key question emerging for me: to whom does urban space belong?

When we imagine our favourite urban spaces in Winnipeg, who do we see? What do we see? Whats missing? For planning theorists who study queerness and urbanism, whats missing is LGBTTQ* representation

On a date once, a male partner placed his arm around me. We were walking down Market Avenue toward Main Street. Even with cars buzzing by and hundreds of music lovers spilling out from the Centennial Concert Hall, a group of men turned to us and uttered, "Get a room, you queers!" While I am a self-professed lover of downtown, in that particular instant, my feelings about the neighbourhood had changed. I no longer felt included in this community. I didnt feel safe. Later, I wondered whether these individuals would have felt compelled to express their prejudices if I were with a woman that evening.

This experience made me think more cogently about the relationship between sexuality and urban design. Part of our job as urban planners and placemakers is to promote community well-being and social prosperity. We try to achieve these goals by incorporating phrases like "sense of belonging" and "community connection" into our plans and policies. When marginalization and discrimination slither into our urban spaces, our city becomes uglier as a result  feeding into fear, anxiety and "othering." For many LGBTTQ* people, who often lack acceptance and support within their own households, they look to the city for that sense of belonging and community connection. Unfortunately, civic places arent always built to support gay people, and they arent always tolerant.

Public spaces are not equally accessible. Public space affords opportunity for some, but not for everyone. Gay districts, then, represent an active protest, and can generate "a sense of space where ambiguities of proprietorship, of esthetics of social relations (class and gender in particular) and the political economy of everyday life collide" (David Harvey). Gay districts can be a tool to rebalance the political, economic and social status of LGBTTQ* community members.

CNS VANCOUVER SUN Davie Street in Vancouver gets readied for Gay Pride Festival. (Arlen Redekop photo)

So how can city planners and urban design work toward making Winnipeg a more inclusive place for the LGBTTQ* community? One of the first steps towards a gay-friendly district might be mapping where gay people feel most comfortable. How do commercial spaces, public institutions and other civic infrastructure accommodate the experiences of LGBTTQ* people? Interviews with organizations like Pride Winnipeg and the Rainbow Resource Centre may illuminate geography-specific activities and initiatives with queer history or connections. Once a specific location is identified and confirmed through a public engagement process, a visual concept may be developed featuring queer-friendly infrastructure. Wherever this gay-friendly district may be located or clustered, this form of explicit urban representation may have the potential to lessen stigma, to improve the lives of LGBTTQ* community members and to serve as a safe sanctuary for full freedom of expression.

At a time when the dignity and existence of LGBTTQ* community members are under threat  and more recently for transgender people  gay-friendly districts and urban placemaking provocations like rainbow crossings are needed. We cant simply talk about wanting inclusion for people  it needs to be manifested in a physical and permanent way. As a new city council is sworn in to serve the citizens of Winnipeg, I implore them to work toward these aims, to simply provide a sense of value for the people they represent.

Jason Syvixay is an award-winning urban planner and public relations professional, having worked as managing director of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ and a community planner with HTFC Planning & Design. More recently, he has focused his planning work in the area of infill development. Through various media platforms, Jason continues to shape and inform dialogue around pressing urban issues. His work here, jasonsyvixay.com.
This past summer, a retired police officer and his wife started noticing a funny scent in the backyard of their home in the Maples neighbourhood of Winnipeg. Sometimes, they could smell it from their bedroom.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This past summer, a retired police officer and his wife started noticing a funny scent in the backyard of their home in the Maples neighbourhood of Winnipeg. Sometimes, they could smell it from their bedroom.

The house next door had been sold in 2017, but the man had never met the new neighbours. Now, he noticed security cameras hung from the eaves of the adjacent home.

"The blinds are always pulled," he said. "Never see anybody around. I could hear a motor, or a fan, running in the basement."

One day, the ex-cop saw a young man outside the house.

"I went over and said, 'What's going on around here?' He says, 'What do you mean?'"

The retiree told his new neighbour he could smell marijuana coming from the house.

"And he smiled, and he says, 'Oh, I'm growing some medicine for my mother,'" he recalled. "He said he had a prescription, that's the word he used.

"I said, 'That's bulls---.'"

His suspicions confirmed, the retiree called former colleagues at the Winnipeg Police Service.

"They came out, checked around the house. They could smell it as well... They went back, and the next day I get a phone call from District 3 saying the guy has a medical marijuana licence for up to 292 plants," he said.

"I don't think they were supposed to tell me that, but they did."

"...The guy has a medical marijuana licence for up to 292 plants."

The retiree was incensed his neighbour could be growing hundreds of cannabis plants in a quiet residential area. He said the grow-op has ruined his and his wife's quality of life, and other neighbours are upset and uneasy. The man figured the presence of hundreds of cannabis plants makes the house next door a tempting target for theft or gang violence.

"They're not afraid of the police, obviously," he said.

The Free Press has agreed not to identify the man nor the street he lives on. He's never witnessed anything illegal going on at the house next door, but he's also worried the neighbouring grow-op could catch fire.

Most of all, he wants to know: how is it even possible to get a government licence to grow so many marijuana plants in a home?

"How many of these things have been given out?" he asked. "Who's checking on this?

"What genius decided that somebody could have 200, or whatever, 300 plants for medical use? It makes no sense."

***

Tens of thousands of Canadians are allowed to grow their own medical marijuana, or have someone grow it for them, under Health Canada's authority.

The situation evolved from a complicated series of legal challenges, judicial rulings and government regulations that have tried to keep up. A 2000 Ontario Court of Appeal ruling upheld the principle that people in medical need should be able to access and possess cannabis. That led to the first regulations to allow home cultivation of medical marijuana, enacted under then-prime minister Jean Chretien's Liberal government in 2001.

Ottawa tried to do away with the program in 2013, when it passed new regulations with the goal of ending personal marijuana production and replacing it with government-licensed cannabis producers who would sell directly to medical users. (Those regulations were enacted under Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which framed the issue as a matter of public health and safety. Ironically, the Conservatives' move to turn medical cannabis into a regulated commercial industry helped lay the foundation for the legalization of recreational cannabis by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals this year.)

The Harper government failed to achieve its goal. A group of medical cannabis users successfully challenged the regulations in federal court, arguing the parallel moves to end home cultivation while restricting patients to buying cannabis only from corporations violated their Charter rights to "life, liberty and security of the person."

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES The Harper Conservatives tried to get rid of the home cultivation program.

Much of that case, Allard v. Canada, revolved around whether or not the government's ban on personal cultivation was justified in light of what federal lawyers argued were the significant health and safety risks of marijuana grow-ops. The federal government and the plaintiffs marched out witnesses, including experts on mould, fire safety, crime, property values, home insurance, cannabis cultivation, and affordable access to medical cannabis.

Justice Michael Phelan was skeptical of some of the expert testimony on both sides, but ultimately agreed with the plaintiffs the new regulations would infringe on their Charter rights. "The evidence establishes that the great majority of patients were able to produce their own cannabis as medicine without any threat to their own health and safety or that of the public," he wrote in a February 2016 ruling.

Following its loss in court, the federal government had to enact a third set of medical cannabis regulations, which would let registered medical cannabis users continue to cultivate. Those new regulations took effect in August 2016, combining the personal cultivation program with the government's vision of regulated, commercial medical marijuana producers.

The fourth and latest set of government cannabis regulations, which took effect the day recreational cannabis was legalized Oct. 17, also keeps personal cultivation of medical cannabis intact.

***

Under the regulations, a potential grower must get a doctor's written authorization to use a certain amount of cannabis per day, and register with Health Canada as a medical cannabis user. After submitting a complex application, successful applicants will be allowed to grow a certain number of cannabis plants and store a fixed amount of dried marijuana at home.

The exact numbers depend on how much marijuana the patient's doctor authorized per day, as well as whether the patient wants to grow indoors, outdoors, or both. For example, a patient authorized to use one gram per day  roughly the equivalent of three joints  could grow five plants indoors and store up to 225 grams of their harvest.

Health Canada data show there were 20,346 licences for personal medical cannabis cultivation in Canada as of June 2018, including 700 in Manitoba. Less common are licences that let someone grow on behalf of a registered user: there were 1,195 in June, with 25 in Manitoba. (All told, licences for personal medical cannabis production make up just a small fraction of the more than 330,000 medical cannabis registrations in Canada.)

Registered personal growers have to follow the production and storage limits on their licences and respect all relevant local laws and bylaws, a Health Canada spokeswoman wrote in a statement.

But it's not Health Canada's role to decide whether medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment, she said, nor to determine how much cannabis a patient should be allowed to use  that's between them and their doctor.

Applicants for personal cannabis production have to let Health Canada know where they're growing, sign a declaration that they'll keep their cannabis secure, and can't have been convicted of certain marijuana-related crimes in the previous decade. The regulator doesn't tell personal growers how to grow marijuana, but provides them with recommended safety precautions.

Health Canada can revoke licences from growers who break the rules, and runs a 24/7 hotline for police to confirm the details of someone's permit to grow or possess medical cannabis.

In answers to written questions, a Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman wouldn't confirm whether the house in question in the Maples is a Health Canada-registered site for personal medical cannabis production, citing privacy laws. When police are informed of a possible cannabis grow-op, she wrote, they first check with Health Canada to see whether the site is licensed.

"We can knock on the door and ask to inspect the site," she said. Otherwise, "We need a warrant to get past the door."

Checking a residence for building and fire code violations requires a different kind of search warrant, she said. "But going in with just this warrant won't let us count the plants, so we have to also get a general warrant which allows us to do this."

If there are more plants than a licence allows, she said, "We now have to get a search warrant under the Cannabis Act."

Even that warrant would only allow police to seize any cannabis plants beyond the limit on the person's licence, she wrote.

"So if they have a licence for 171 plants and we count 200, we are only seizing 29 plants and leaving all the equipment there after getting three separate judicial authorizations."

***

Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux represents the Maples riding, and has spoken with the retired Winnipeg police officer who's concerned about the 292 cannabis plants reportedly being grown next door. That's not the only residence in the area where cannabis is being legally grown, the MP said  he's aware of at least one other, and he's not happy about it.

"These are suburban homes, both located in the Maples, in communities in which there's kids walking around, young kids," Lamoureux said.

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux:'These are suburban homes, both located in the Maples, in communities in which there's kids walking around, young kids.'

Pointing out home medical cannabis cultivation predates the current Liberal government, Lamoureux said he's brought the issue to the attention of both Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Bill Blair, the ex-Toronto police chief who served as the Liberals' key political spokesman for cannabis legalization and is now minister of border security and organized crime reduction.

"I've had a commitment by both ministers that they are looking into it to explore what sort of options that we have," he said.

"What I've clearly indicated to them is that it is absolutely unacceptable that we would be giving authority to an individual to grow literally hundreds of marijuana plants. In my personal opinion, it's like a licence for a grow-op."

Responsibility could lie with certain doctors who authorize patients to use unusually large amounts of medical marijuana, Lamoureux added, suggesting those unnamed physicians are abusing the system.

"These doctors, that are trying to give an impression that someone needs to have 200-plus plants in order to provide medical cannabis  I would really like to question them, why it is that they believe that that would be the case."

If the 292 cannabis plants purportedly being grown at the house in Lamoureux's riding are for the use of just one person, they would equate to a medical authorization for 60 grams of cannabis per day, according to Health Canada's online calculator tool for personal medical cannabis growers.

***

Sixty grams of cannabis daily is more than the average medical authorization for cannabis, according to Dr. Shelley Turner.

Turner is the medical director of First Farmacy Medical, a cannabis-focused practice in Thunder Bay, Ont., with plans to next year open a second clinic in the resort town of Gimli, some 80 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Shelley Turner, medical director of First Farmacy Medical: 'I've been asked to write scripts for 100 grams a day, which I absolutely refuse'

"I've been asked to write scripts for 100 grams a day, which I absolutely refuse," she said. "I think the max I've ever written is 10 grams per day."

However, it's possible a medical cannabis user could consume 60 grams per day, she said, citing complex factors such as the patient's diagnosis, cannabis tolerance, and how it is consumed.

"Is that ingestion? Is that vaporized? Are they juicing it? Are they eating it raw? You'd really have to look at it case by case," she said.

Turner estimates she's authorized medical cannabis for roughly 4,000 patients since late 2013, but only about 20 of her patients are licensed for home cultivation. She prefers to start new patients off with cannabis from licensed producers, because "you know exactly what they're getting."

Still, home cultivation can be important for some patients, said Turner, especially considering the high cost of buying medical cannabis. Provincial health systems don't cover the cost of medical marijuana, nor do the vast majority of workplace health benefit plans.

"I saw probably seven or eight people today alone, that said, 'I wish I could take more but I can't, because I can't afford it,'" she said.

Asked about Lamoureux's assertion a handful of unscrupulous physicians are authorizing patients to use huge amounts of cannabis, Turner agreed it's possible.

"Is there a specific subset of patients that are going to see these physicians? Perhaps," she said.

"And I know there's been a few bad apples in the mix there," she added, citing the case of Roman Chubaty, a Winnipeg physician who was formally censured by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba in 2016 for his conduct in authorizing medical marijuana for patients.

In an email, College registrar Dr. Anna Ziomek said physicians don't specifically authorize home cultivation, and that authorized medical cannabis patients apply to Health Canada for production licences on their own. The College's medical marijuana bylaw requires Manitoba physicians to log all their authorizations of medical marijuana, and doctors aren't required to authorize medical cannabis use if they don't think it's a good idea for their patient.

***

The issue of personal medical cannabis growing will almost certainly come under Ottawa's microscope in the years to come.

The federal government has said it will review the entire medical cannabis regime within the next five years, and a review of the impacts of recreational cannabis legalization is due to begin in three years. By law, that review must include a study of "the impact of the cultivation of cannabis plants in a dwelling-house," and result in a report that will be delivered to Parliament.

In the meantime, the 2016 federal court ruling still stands, and Canadians registered to use medical marijuana have the right to grow their own if they meet the government's requirements.

In the Maples, a Winnipeg Free Press reporter visited the grow-op house on the quiet residential street. No smell was noticeable from outside the modest bungalow, and the driveway and walkway had been freshly shovelled. All the blinds were pulled down, and security cameras still kept watch over the exterior.

The reporter spoke briefly with a man who identified himself as a resident of the home, but not the owner. Aside from confirming the owner was growing marijuana inside the house, the man had little to say. Despite multiple attempts, the Free Press was unable to reach the property owner for comment.

The retiree who first contacted the Free Press maintains it makes no sense someone could grow hundreds of marijuana plants at home. He pointed out government-regulated, commercial cannabis production facilities are subject to strict regulations.

"The police know about these situations and the government knows about these situations, and my neighbours know what's going on," he said. "But other people don't. And I think it makes the neighbourhood more dangerous than it was before, because of this locked-down house with cameras around it."

He's left his complaints in the hands of Lamoureux, but he recognizes any reform on the government's part will likely take a long time.

"I hope the government can say that they've made a mistake, or someone's made a mistake, in allowing this kind of situation to continue, and to exist in the first place."

solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sol_israel
Manitoba is watching as proposed domestic-violence protocols for police are introduced elsewhere in the Prairies.

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This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba is watching as proposed domestic-violence protocols for police are introduced elsewhere in the Prairies.

Earlier this month, Saskatchewan became the first Canadian province to bring in its version of United Kingdom legislation that aims to combat domestic violence by allowing police to disclose abusers' criminal records to their current partners.

Saskatchewan's Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol is modelled after Clare's Law, which was implemented after the 2009 homicide of Clare Wood, who was killed by her boyfriend in England. Her family didn't know until after her death the man had served prison time for previous domestic-violence offences.

It has yet to be passed in the Saskatchewan legislature, but in a statement, Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said he will be looking at the legislation as part of the province's efforts.

"Our government is taking concrete steps to protect Manitobans from domestic violence and improve care for victims. We take interest in any measures that seek to accomplish that objective, and will be studying the Saskatchewan disclosure legislation," Cullen's statement said, in response to a Free Press inquiry during national Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Rates of intimate partner violence are highest in the Prairie provinces, with Manitoba coming in a close second to Saskatchewan, according to 2016 data from Statistics Canada.

Last year, the Winnipeg Police Service responded to 16,332 domestic calls  a 1.4 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the most recent WPS annual report. Thirteen per cent of those calls were deemed criminal.

Manitoba Justice, meanwhile, provided support to more than 17,000 domestic-violence victims in 2017-18.

For 10,539 of those victims, criminal charges weren't laid.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan's Ministry of Justice said it is working with the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police and advocates from shelter organizations to develop the protocol, which will be set out in the legislation.

"It will set out the details as to who may request information and what information police services could release about someones violent or abusive past to intimate partners who may be at risk," the statement said.

Meanwhile, police are waiting to find out how the proposed legislation will affect their work.

The Regina Police Service receives more than 100 calls for service daily, and some 15 of those calls are domestic-violence-related, a spokeswoman said Friday.

"As a police service, we don't have the details yet on how that's exactly going to work," said Elizabeth Popowich. "Among other things, there have to be some conversations about freedom of information and protection of privacy, and how much latitude the government or the new legislation will allow."

If it's not implemented carefully, the proposed legislation could prompt legal challenges similar to what Manitoba has seen over police disclosure of criminal record-check information, said Scott Newman, spokesperson for the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba.

He compared the proposal to Canada's existing child-abuse registry, which includes offenders convicted of crimes against children and is tightly controlled.

"These issues come up where there's a real tension and balancing required between somebody's right to privacy versus public safety, and it's not something that should be taken lightly or conceived hastily," he said. "It's got to be carefully considered before it's implemented, otherwise you're going to cause more problems than you solve."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
The provincial government will pony up more than $20 million in grants to the Manitoba Jockey Club as part of a plan to enhance the sustainability of the horse racing industry.

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This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The provincial government will pony up more than $20 million in grants to the Manitoba Jockey Club as part of a plan to enhance the sustainability of the horse racing industry.

The jockey club will receive $7.4 million a year for the next three years over and above revenues from pari-mutuel betting and VLTs.

The newly announced grants are an upgrade over what the club would have received from the province over the past five years of a 2014 court-ordered settlement between the two parties. Under the old arrangement, the club would have received $5 million in each of the next two years, followed by $4 million the following year and $3 million the year after that.

Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler said Friday the new funding model will make the horse racing industry more sustainable. He couldnt say how much support the government will be prepared to give once the three years are up.

"We have to support (horse racing) in some way or fashion. I mean its a $34 (million) to $40-million income tax return for government. It creates about $112 million a year in revenue from... tourism... and between 1,100 and 1,200 jobs. So, its a big business for Manitoba."

The Pallister government released a consultants report last week that recommended the province increase subsidies to the horse racing industry.

The jockey club receives $2.2 million a year from pari-mutuel betting and $1 million a year in VLT revenue.

In 2014, the NDP government and the jockey club reached an out-of-court settlement during which the province would pay annual supplemental grants for 10 years.

The deal followed more than a year of litigation between the two sides that stemmed from an announcement by the government that it was suspending a long-standing agreement in which the track received a larger-than-normal portion of proceeds from the 140 VLTs in place at Assiniboia Downs.

Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs, said the new funding arrangement recognizes the "significant contributions" the horse racing industry make to the provincial economy.

"This new transitional structure will provide important continued stability for horse racing in Manitoba," he said in a statement released by the province.

 Staff
It is hard for a government to support a good idea when it knows critics will attack the assistance as support for a bad idea.

This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It is hard for a government to support a good idea when it knows critics will attack the assistance as support for a bad idea.

So the federal Liberal government should be commended for the support it promised to news media this week.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced the federal government will start subsidizing newsroom salaries, as well as digital subscriptions and charitable donations to news media. The cost will be about $120 million a year for five years.

Most of us in the newspaper industry welcome this as a good idea  journalism, a pillar of democracy in communities across Canada, needs help.

Critics have attacked it as a bad idea  a federal bailout of news media, an effort by the Liberals to influence journalists.

Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press In his fall economic statement, delivered Wednesday, Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered long-awaited support for news media.

However, the package is not a bailout. It is designed to ensure the federal money goes into preserving newsrooms and helping traditional news media such as newspapers transition to sustainable business models.

It is aimed at news outlets that are not currently getting any government help  primarily newspapers and digital outlets.

Support for journalism is central. The main part of the package is a tax credit to "support labour costs associated with producing original news content."

There is no up-front money without strings attached. Eligible news outlets will have to employ journalists. The federal government will refund part of the salaries paid to those journalists  either a percentage or dollar amount per journalist. This will give companies an incentive to grow rather than shrink newsrooms, as has happened consistently for the past decade.

While this money will save journalism jobs, it wont save poorly run news outlets.

In newspapers, editorial costs are a small part of overall expenses. At the Winnipeg Free Press, journalists salaries make up about 10 per cent of costs. The federal subsidy will help preserve those jobs while we manage the other 90 per cent of costs in the face of falling print advertising revenues.

DREAMSTIME / TNS FILES The federal subsidy will help preserve journalists' jobs.

The drop in ad sales has meant we are searching for new sources of revenue.

The digital tax credit will help do that. It will refund to taxpayers 15 per cent of the cost of a digital news subscription. This will help sell more digital subscriptions, which is a growth area for newspapers. At the Free Press, more than 10 per cent of our readers now are paid digital subscribers.

News outlets are also searching further than advertising and subscriptions for revenue. Allowing charitable donations for journalism will speed this up. Eligible not-for-profit newsrooms will be able to issue tax receipts to donors, allowing them to partly fund their journalism through reader donations.

Some news outlets already are formally non-profit organizations. Montreals La Presse converted to non-profit status earlier this year. Charity status for these newsrooms will help this trend grow.

While there are many details to be worked out yet in the federal program, the government has also made it clear it will not be "buying off" journalists by deciding who gets the money.

Instead, it will set up an arms-length panel to "define and promote core journalism standards, define professional journalism and determine eligibility."

The federal help has been a long time coming. My colleagues and I have spent almost three years trying to persuade the Liberal government that it should act to help save newspapers. In the end, Ottawa has given us solid support as we work toward that goal.

Bob Cox is publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press.
For decades, the government of Canada has resisted the term genocide when describing its treatment of Indigenous Peoples. Recently, debates have occurred around its usage at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights when describing Canadian policies and practices surrounding residential schools.

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This article was published 23/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For decades, the government of Canada has resisted the term "genocide" when describing its treatment of Indigenous Peoples. Recently, debates have occurred around its usage at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights when describing Canadian policies and practices surrounding residential schools.

Canadas resistance to the term resulted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission employing the term "cultural genocide" when describing the schools  even while experts and advocates use "genocide." The issue surrounds two criteria that define genocide: a physical act alongside a mental intent to exterminate a group.

Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott called the practice horrifying. (Patrick Doyle / The Canadian Press files)

At the United Nations this week, international human rights organizations decried recent reports of a significant number of forced sterilizations of Indigenous women in Canadian hospitals, and called on Canada to legally end the practice.

Most referred to the act as genocide. Article 2 (d) of Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted by the UN in 1948, states that genocide is defined by "imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group."

The first criteria of genocide, the physical act, appears to be present.

Earlier this year, at least 60 Indigenous women filed a class-action lawsuit against the government of Saskatchewan, the Saskatoon Health Authority, the federal government and medical professionals over coerced sterilizations that took place as recently as 2017.

The women claim they were forced to endure tubal ligations while giving birth or seeking medical assistance. Some even allege they had to agree to the procedure before they were allowed to see their newborns.

The questions now before the court are whether Canadian doctors, health institutions and governments knew about this and, if so, who knew, what did they know and how culpable are they in the forced sterilization of Indigenous women.

The women seek $7 million each in damages, as well as legislative changes to end forced sterilization, including making the practice a crime.

Currently, forced sterilization is primarily a civil matter, and is recognized by some courts as sexual battery.

A 2017 report by researchers Yvonne Boyer and Judith Bartlett documents the history of Indigenous sterilization in Saskatchewan, as well as Canadas history with the practice. The study states that "large numbers of Aboriginal women and men were sterilized for being mentally unfit," that sterilization laws in British Columbia and Alberta impacted "high numbers of Aboriginal women" and that "Inuit women were also sterilized in record numbers in the 1970s. In fact, 26 per cent of all Inuit women in Igloolik between the ages of 30 and 50 were sterilized."

On Thursday, Sen. Murray Sinclair stated that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission also heard regularly about the practice from residential school survivors. Now, the law firm representing the 60 Indigenous women in Saskatchewan is hearing from others across Canada. At least two are from Manitoba, one of whom states she was forcibly sterilized in 2009.

The first criteria of genocide, the physical act, appears to be present.

Ms. Boyer, now a senator, says a national study is needed. "If its happened in Saskatoon, it has happened in Regina, its happened in Winnipeg, its happened where theres a high population of Indigenous women," she told The Canadian Press.

The questions now before the court are whether Canadian doctors, health institutions and governments knew about this and, if so, who knew, what did they know and how culpable are they in the forced sterilization of Indigenous women.

In other words, was there mental intent to impose measures intended to prevent births within Indigenous communities?

Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott called the practice "horrifying."

"The issue of forced sterilization of vulnerable people, including Indigenous women, is a very serious violation of human rights," she said.

If that is the case, Canadas denial of the term "genocide" might no longer be possible.
Months before devastating wildfires caused havoc in California, firefighters from across Europe headed to Sweden as authorities there struggled to extinguish several massive blazes.

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This article was published 24/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Months before devastating wildfires caused havoc in California, firefighters from across Europe headed to Sweden as authorities there struggled to extinguish several massive blazes.

Officials in Sweden, one of the continents greenest countries, eventually got so desperate that they ordered an air force jet to drop a bomb in the middle of the wildfires centre to deprive the blaze of oxygen.

The strategy failed and fires continued to rage for weeks. But several hundred kilometres away, in neighbouring Finland, officials worried about a far different problem: a shortage of wildfires.

"From natures point of view, the diversity of species and habitats suffers from too few fires," the Finnish Forest Association recently concluded in a report.

Roni Lehti / Lehtikuva The aftermath of a wildfire in Pyhranta, Finland in 2018.

In Sweden, officials were stymied by their neighbours luck: weather maps showed that both countries suffered under the same rare, extreme heat during the past summer.

Viewed from space, the differences appeared especially striking: as all of Finlands neighbouring countries, including Russia, battled massive blazes, the skies over Finland were smoke-free.

But it wasnt really luck, Finnish researchers soon let everyone know. Instead, Finland has one of the worlds most successful strategies in countering wildfires that is now being more closely examined in other nations recently struck by large-scale fires.

Last weekend, Finland President Sauli Niinisto saw himself forced to clarify that this strategy does not consist of raking, however. He was contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump, who said Saturday as he was touring Californias devastated wildfire areas that Finnish authorities "spent a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things, and they dont have any problem."

"Youve got to take care of the floors. You know the floors of the forests, its very important," Trump said.

Maja Suslin / Lehtikuva A fire advances around Ljusdal, Finland in 2018.

The Finnish president confirmed having discussed wildfire prevention with Trump but rejected the suggestion that raking ever came up. The forest service in Finland carries out controlled burns of the forest floor, mostly to clear away underbrush and also promote new saplings.

Researchers arent sure if the countrys approach can really hold any lessons for California, however, given that parts of Finland are near the Arctic Circle with prolonged periods of rain and snow. Whereas below-average precipitation is still the exception in Finland, it has become the new normal in California.

Allowing some burns and clearing away undergrowth is also part of federal forest policy in California. In fact, some of the areas hit in the California fires burned 10 years earlier, so there hadnt been a major build up of undergrowth.

The key factor in Californias vulnerability to fires (and Finlands resistance) appear to have to do with weather. The two countries are on very different trajectories, as Finnish scientists predict the annual number of days with a wildfire risk to increase by perhaps as little as 10 per cent by 2100. According to some estimates, wildfires may burn almost 80 per cent more area in California by 2050 than at the moment.

Finland does, however, offer an instructive example to its Nordic neighbours. It has managed to bring down the area annually destroyed by wildfires from about 247,000 acres a century ago to now less than one per cent of that. That compares to almost 62,000 acres lost this summer in Sweden.

Maja Suslin / TT Sweden struggled to contain wildfires last summer, while neighbouring Finland had too few to ensure its habitat remained diverse.

"The difference between the two Nordic countries is not explained by vegetation or climate," Finlands Forest Association explained, "but is believed to be based on differences in infrastructure and forest management."

Researchers say that Finland has a far denser road network than other nations in the region, a barrier to the expansion of the blazes. Lakes and rivers are abundant, too. With many of the California fires happening near population centres now, a lack of roads is most likely not the issue.

Perhaps the most striking difference with California is of a historical nature: northern Europe is greener today than 100 years ago, whereas California has lost about half of its big trees. Europes medieval and industrial revolution-era need for wood turned former forest areas into grasslands, especially in southern Finland.

When reforestation became a more serious concern, Finland split future forests into small compartments. One side-effect of this was fewer wildfires, as blazes usually dont spread beyond a single compartment, with borders that are usually marked by wide paths or by trees with different heights.

While that approach may work in other European countries with similar histories, climate-change California, with its steadily heating-up forests, faces a challenge it cant confront by itself.

 Washington Post
GOUDOUMARIA, Niger  Atop a remote desert dune in the poorest corner of the least-developed country in the world is an internment camp, the site of a high-stakes program that U.S. officials hope will be a model for winning the war on terrorism.

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This article was published 24/11/2018 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GOUDOUMARIA, Niger  Atop a remote desert dune in the poorest corner of the least-developed country in the world is an internment camp, the site of a high-stakes program that U.S. officials hope will be a model for winning the war on terrorism.

The camp is in Niger, where the U.S. has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a military strategy to counter groups aligned with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida. It now houses 132 former Boko Haram fighters who are referred to as "the repentant ones."

With Boko Haram still thousands of fighters strong and able to control entire swaths of West Africa, the U.S. State Department is about to invest millions of dollars into an alternative strategy that is locally born: a program started by a Nigerien governor that promotes defections and prepares ex-combatants for reintegration into society.

Lured by the local governors promises of amnesty, the defectors at the camp in Goudoumaria risked death by escaping one of the worlds most bloodthirsty terrorist groups. But for over a year, they have languished in the remote outpost, without work or school as distraction, waiting for officials in the countrys capital to decide who among them should be put on trial and who should be pardoned.

Capt. Moussa Garba Hassane, a Nigerien military officer who oversees the camp, said, "To them, their detention seems like it may be everlasting. We have promised them training and reintegration, but instead we have put them in an oven and forgotten about them."

Challenges are stacked against the program. The part of Niger where it is taking place barely has an economy after a decade of war, and much of its population has been traumatized by the fighting, making reintegration of fighters hard to fathom.

The State Departments main partner, the Nigerien government, has taken more than a year to pass a law that lays out how it will determine whether defectors should be put on trial or rehabilitated and released through the program. The law, once passed, will unlock the majority of U.S. funding, but almost nothing has been done to deradicalize the ex-fighters yet. Many in the camp expressed regrets at defecting, lamenting the loss of their youth first to Boko Haram, and then to the camp.

  

Mustafa Aboubacar was 22 when Boko Haram first showed up near his home on the shore of Lake Chad in 2013.

"It was dozens of them, and they came at night. They said, If you run, we shoot you," he said at the camp in Goudoumaria.

But a few days later, he recalled, a Boko Haram commander handed him one million Nigerian naira, or about US$6,250 at the time, an astronomical sum in a country where the average income is about US$400 a year. It was an investment in his familys goods-trading business, with two major strings attached: he had to supply the militants with whatever they needed, and he would have to join them whenever they needed foot soldiers.

The U.S. military estimates that Boko Harams two factions, the larger of which has pledged allegiance to IS, now have a combined 5,000 fighters across the Lake Chad Basin, which includes parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Over nearly a decade, they have forced innumerable young men to join them and have killed tens of thousands and left almost 2.5 million without homes.

The number of fighters may seem small, but it totals more than all of Africas other IS affiliates combined, and many of the groups members regularly move between civilian life and combat, making them hard to track.

Months after Aboubacar accepted Boko Harams money, they invaded his hometown, Bosso, storming a nearby Nigerien army compound and killing dozens of soldiers.

That was the beginning of three years "in the bush" he said, during which he "committed too many sins to bear."

Like many who are now in the internment camp for defectors, Aboubacar, now 27, heard about the local governors amnesty program over the radio. He, his two wives, his infant child and another fighter escaped their encampment, walking for days across Lake Chads rapidly drying landscape. His friend died on the way, but Aboubacar arrived safely and became one of the first defectors.

Almost two years later, the word that would best describe him is exasperated. Nothing happens in the camp, except prayer. The food is the same every day. Hes been in the camp long enough to have had another child with his second wife, who is 15, and worries the boy will grow up within the confines of the mud-walled camp, rimmed with barbed wire.

"Ive had enough of this," he said. "Coming here, it was a big mistake."

  

These "repentant ones" are now in a state of limbo, while officials in Niamey, Nigers capital, mull the contours of the screening process that will decide the defectors fates.

Should people like Aboubacar be considered terrorists who may have committed war crimes and thus must answer in court? Or should these young men, some of whom were teenagers when they were forced at gunpoint to join Boko Haram, be considered the victims of terrorism instead?

Under legislation awaiting passage in Nigers assembly, a panel of high-ranking judicial and law enforcement officials would attempt to assess, for each defector, the likelihood that he had committed a war crime. Those deemed not likely war criminals would be released and provided with religious and psychological counselling, along with job training. The others would be sent to trial.

U.S. officials say the wait for a legal framework to screen the defectors is essential, if frustrating. Because this is the first program of its kind, a strong framework would provide the basis for Nigers government to continue it even if a new administration came into power. The framework could be adapted to other conflicts, such as in Somalia or even Afghanistan.

An even larger question lurks beneath the neat plans to reintegrate the defectors: even if the program works, will the thousands of families that have lost everything  sisters, uncles, limbs, homes  to Boko Haram accept the defectors back into society? After nearly a decade of violence, most people here are destitute, exhausted and yearning for a return to normalcy. And yet trust and forgiveness can be especially tall orders.

  

Boko Harams 2016 attack on the military base in Bosso took place on Dan Dano Lawalys third day as governor of Nigers Diffa region.

That day, Boko Haram decapitated dozens of Nigerien soldiers and made off with their uniforms and weapons. Diffa was paralyzed with fear.

The Nigerien government imposed a state of emergency, still in effect today, that banned all motorcycle travel, and all use of Lake Chad and the Komadougou River, the lifeblood of an economy reliant on fishing and pepper farming. Everything ground to a halt. Millions faced a choice between becoming reliant on humanitarian aid or joining Boko Haram, which promised prospective fighters motorcycles, phones and concubines on the other side of the Komadougou, in Nigeria, where the group is strongest.

"Many felt that Boko Haram were liberators at first," said Moulaye Hassane, chief of research at the Nigerien governments National Centre for Strategic and Security Studies. "People in Diffa  many of them dont even know the colour of our currency. When they realize the state has given them nothing and Boko Haram is promising everything, it is very easy to see why so many made that choice."

With the help of local traditional chiefs and community radio stations, he started sending out messages that defectors would be protected.

By the time he had 180 people, including defectors and their family members, he was invigorated and proud, calling them "my children."

It was around then that the Nigerien and U.S. governments took interest.

"It was in D.C. that I realized the Americans might suffocate this program, even with good intentions," Lawaly said. "They would say, These defectors of yours may have committed war crimes, so we have to get the legal framework sorted out. And Id say, Theyre abused kids, for Gods sake."

  

Mahamadou Kindin wonders how hell be categorized. He joined Boko Haram when he was 17, partly out of peer pressure. A group of fighters came to Jabullam, his village in Nigeria, just on the other side of the Komadougou River from Niger.

They held a big sermon claiming to be the representatives of "true Islam" and asked anyone "brave enough" to step forward and join them. Two friends whom he looked up to did, and then he felt his own feet moving.

The next 3 years were hellish, he recalled. He was present at some of Boko Harams most infamous attacks  Baga, Damasak, Karamga, Bosso.

"The commanders told us to shoot anything that moved," Kindin said.

In Bosso, he was shot in the leg, and his commander consoled him and said he had been brave.

He feels safe in the camp but has no idea what hell do if hes released. He has a wife and a child to support. He had heard the promises that once the U.S. money comes through, he might get trained as a carpenter or a welder and be "reintegrated."

The big question is where: where will he be welcomed? Where will those trades be needed? Where are his parents?

"I cant go back to Jabullam," he said. "Jabullam is gone. We burned it to the ground."

 Washington Post
Michael B. Jordan sees himself as a "giver".

The 31-year-old actor has revealed he likes to do things for other people, but over the years, Michael thinks he's struck a "nice little balance" between finding time for himself and also taking care of others.

He shared: "For me, I'm always a giver. I'm a pleaser, you know, a fixer. I do a lot of things for other people. That's something that just comes with me. It's okay, it's who I am.

"Obviously everyone has their own limits, but I think I've found a nice little balance between not spreading myself too thin and, at the same time, helping people."

Michael also revealed he's looking forward to becoming a father one day.

The Hollywood star - who has reprised the role of Adonis Creed in 'Creed II' - told Variety: "I love kids, man. I can't wait to be in the right position to start a family of my own. I'm looking forward to the day that I start my own little tribe."

Meanwhile, Tessa Thompson recently claimed Michael got "really angry" when he was hungry on the set of 'Creed II'.

The actress admitted it was understandable that her co-star became "really irritable" during filming because he was pushing himself so hard to stay in shape.

She said: "I'm sure a lot of people can relate to this, but he's really irritable when he hasn't eaten. He gets really angry. It's not just sort of like, 'Okay, get him a sandwich.'

"I think it might have also been exacerbated by - when he's training, there's certain days where he wouldn't drink water all day and he was going through very intense training. So he was allowed some irritable days."
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The following companies are subsidiares of Marsh & McLennan Companies: 8WORKS INC., 8WORKS LTD, A. Constantinidi & CIA. S.C., A.C.N. 000 951 146 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 001 572 961 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 076 935 683 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 102 322 574 Pty Limited, ACE Insurance Agents Limited, ACE Insurance Consultants Limited, ACE Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Limited, AD Corretora de Seguros, AFCO Premium Acceptance Inc., AFCO Premium Credit LLC, Access Equity Enhanced Fund GP LLC, Admiral Holdings Limited, Agnew Higgins Pickering & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd, Aldgate Investments Limited, Aldgate Trustees Ltd, Alexander Forbes Group Holdings Limited, Alpha Consultants Limited, Alta SA, Altius Real Assets (GP) LLC, Amal Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Anda Insurance Agencies Pte Ltd, AssetVal Pty Ltd, Assur Conseils Marsh S.A., Assurance Capital Corporation, Assurance Services Corporation, Australian Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Australian World Underwriters Pty Ltd., BBPS Limited, Barney & Barney Orange County LLC, Beaumonts (Leeds) Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Services Limited, Beneficios Integrales Oportunos SA, Benefitfocus Inc., Blue Marble Micro Limited, Blue Marble Microinsurance Inc., Bluefin, Bluefin Insurance Group Limited, Bluefin Insurance Services Limited, Boulder Claims LLC, Bowring (Bermuda) Investments Ltd., Bowring Marine Limited, Bowring Marsh (Bermuda) Ltd., Bowring Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Bowring Marsh Asia Pte. Ltd., Bowring Marsh Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Bowring Marsh Limited, Broderick Piller Pty Ltd, Broker 2 Broker Limited, BuildPay LLC, Burke Ford Trustees (Leicester) Limited, C.T. Bowring Limited, CMC-Belgibo NV, CPRM Limited, CPSG Partners LLC, Carpenter Marsh Fac Chile Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Carpenter Marsh Fac Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Carpenter Marsh Fac Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.C., Carpenter Marsh Fac Re LLC, Carpenter Turner Cyprus Ltd, Carpenter Turner S.A., Cascade International Holdings C.V., Cascade Regional Holdings Limited, Central Insurance Services Limited, Charter Risk Management Services LLC, Chartwell Healthcare Limited, Chronos Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Claims and Recovery Management (Australia) Pty Limited, Clark Thomson Insurance Brokers Limited, Client Provide Limited, Colombian Insurance Broking Wholesale Limited, Consultores 2020 C.A., Cronin & Co Insurance Services Limited, DVA - Deutsche Verkehrs-Assekuranz-Vermittlungs GmbH, Dawson Insurance, DeLima Marsh S.A. - Los Corredores de Seguros S.A., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Managing General Agency Corporation, Dovetail Technology Service India Private Limited, Draw Connect Limited, Draw Create Limited, Draw Group London Limited, Eagle & Crown Limited, Echelon Australia Pty Limited, Echelon Claims Consultants Sdn Bhd, Echelon New Zealand Limited, EnBW Versicherungs Vermittlung GmbH, Encompass Insurance Agency Pty Ltd., English Pension Trustees Limited, Epsilon (US) Insurance Company, Epsilon Insurance Company Ltd., Eustis Insurance & Benefits, Evolution Management Ltd, Exchange Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Exmoor Management Company Limited, Faulkner & Flynn LLC, Freedom Trust Services Limited, GC Genesis LLC, GCube Insurance Services Inc, GCube Underwriting Limited, Gama Consultores Associados Ltda., Gem Insurance Company Limited, Global Premium Finance Company, GrECo International Holding AG, Gracechurch Trustees Limited, Gresham Pension Trustees Limited, Group Promoters Pty Limited, Guy Carpenter & Cia (Mexico) S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter & Cia. S.A., Guy Carpenter & Co. Labuan Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company AB, Guy Carpenter & Company Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Guy Carpenter & Company Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company GmbH, Guy Carpenter & Company LLC, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Ltd./Guy Carpenter & Compagnie Ltee, Guy Carpenter & Company Participacoes Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company Private Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Proprietary Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Pty. Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A. (Uruguay), Guy Carpenter & Company S.A.S., Guy Carpenter & Company S.r.l., Guy Carpenter (Middle East) Limited, Guy Carpenter Bermuda Ltd., Guy Carpenter Broking Inc., Guy Carpenter Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter Insurance Brokers (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Guy Carpenter Japan Inc., Guy Carpenter Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, HAPIP GP 2009 LLC, HAPIP GP LLC, HSBC Insurance Brokers International (Abu Dhabi) LLC (in liquidation), Hamilton Bond Limited, Hansen International Limited, Hayward Aviation Limited, INSIA Europe SE, INSIA SK s.r.o., INSIA a.s., INSURANCE BROKERS OF NIGERIA LIMITED, IRC Asia Insurance Brokers Limited, InSolutions Limited, Industrial Risks Protection Consultants, Ingeseg S. A., Ingeseg S.A., Insbrokers Ltda., InsurTech Alliance LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC [BAHRAIN BRANCH], Insure Direct - Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, International Catastrophe Insurance Managers LLC, International Loss Control Services Limited, International Risk Consultants (Asia) Limited, Invercol Limited, Irish Pensions Trust Limited, Isosceles Insurance (Barbados) Limited, Isosceles Insurance Company Limited, Isosceles Insurance Ltd, Isosceles PCC Limited, J&H Marsh & McLennan Limited, J.W. Terrill Benefit Administrators Inc., JI Holdings Limited, JIB Group Holdings Limited, JIB Group Limited, JIB Holdings (Pacific) Limited, JIB Overseas Holdings Limited, JIB UK Holdings Limited, JL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co. KG, JLM Verwaltungs GmbH, JLT (Insurance Brokers) Limited, JLT Actuaries and Consultants Limited, JLT Advisory Limited, JLT Affinity Colombia Solutions SAS, JLT Agencies Limited, JLT Asesorias Ltda, JLT Asia Holdings BV, JLT Asia Shared Services Sdn Bhd, JLT Belgibo, JLT Benefit Consultants Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Bermuda Ltd, JLT Brasil Holdings Participacoes Ltd, JLT Chile Holdings SpA, JLT Colombia Retail Limited, JLT Colombia Wholesale Limited, JLT Consultants & Actuaries Limited, JLT EB Holdings Limited, JLT EB Services Limited, JLT Employee Benefits Holding Company (PTY) LTD, JLT Employee Benefits SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Financial Planning Limited, JLT France Holdings, JLT Group Services Pty Limited, JLT Holdings (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Holdings (NZ) Limited, JLT Independent Insurance Brokers Private Limited, JLT Insurance Agencies Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited ( Shanghai Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Beijing Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Guangzhou Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Ireland Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers SA, JLT Insurance Group Holdings Ltd, JLT Insurance Management Malta Limited, JLT Intellectual Property Limited, JLT Intellectual Property [UK Branch], JLT Interactive Pte. Ltd., JLT Investment Management Limited, JLT LATAM (Southern Cone) Wholesale Limited, JLT Latin American Holdings Limited, JLT Life Assurance Brokers Limited, JLT Management Services Limited, JLT Marine (Pty) Ltd, JLT Mexico Holdings Limited, JLT Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., JLT Netherlands BV, JLT Norway AS, JLT PLA, JLT Pension Trustees Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Holdings Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Limited, JLT Peru Reinsurance Solutions Limited, JLT Peru Retail Limited, JLT Peru Wholesale Limited, JLT QFM Services Limited, JLT RE Brasil Administracao e Corretagem de Resseguros Ltda, JLT Re (French Branch), JLT Re (Northern Europe) AB, JLT Re Argentina Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.U., JLT Re Labuan Limited, JLT Re Limited, JLT Re Pty Ltd, JLT Reinsurance Brokers GmbH, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited [French Branch], JLT Risk Management Limited, JLT Risk Solutions AB, JLT Risk Solutions AB Branch - Germany, JLT SA IB Holdings Company (Pty) Limited, JLT SCK Affinity Administracao e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., JLT SCK Corretora e Administradora de Seguros, JLT Secretaries Limited, JLT Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerlii A.., JLT Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., JLT Specialty France, JLT Specialty Insurance Broker A/S, JLT Specialty Limited, JLT Specialty Limited [DUBAI BRANCH], JLT Specialty Pte. Ltd., JLT Towner Insurance Management (Anguilla) Limited, JLT Trust Services (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Trustees (Southern) Limited, JLT Trustees Limited, JLT UK Investment Holdings Limited, JLT Vantage Risk and Benefit Consulting Private Limited, JLT Wealth Management Limited, JLT do Brasil Corretagem de Seguros Ltda, JLTPCS Holdings Pte. Ltd., JMIB Holdings BV, JSL Securities Inc., Japan Affinity Marketing Inc., Jardine IBR Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson (Proprietary) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Australia Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited (UK Branch Office), Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance Consultants Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Inc., Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Holdings Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Unlimited Company, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Korea Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited [Macao Branch], Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS (Dubai) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS SA, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Sdn Bhd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Valencia y Iragorri Corredores de Seguros SA, Jardine Pension Trustees Ireland Limited, Jardine Risk Consulting Co. Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited [Macao Branch], Jardines PF- Consultoria Em Gestao De Risco Limitada, Jelf, Jelf Commercial Finance Limited, Jelf Financial Planning Limited, Jelf Insurance Brokers Limited, Jelf Limited, Jelf Risk Management Limited, Jelf Wellbeing Limited, John Lampier & Son Ltd, Johnson & Higgins (Bermuda) Limited, Johnson & Higgins Limited, KESSLER & CO AG, Kepler Associates Limited, Kessler & Co Inc., Kessler Consulting Inc., Kessler Prevoyance Inc., Key Underwriting Pty Limited, Kroll, Lambert Brothers Holdings Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Employee Benefits) Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Hong Kong) Ltd, Laterlife.com Limited (in liquidation), Lavaretus Underwriting AB, Lavaretus Underwriting AB (BRANCH - Denmark), Libra Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Lloyd & Partners Limited, Local Government Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Lomond Macdonald Limited, Lynch Insurance Brokers Limited, M&M Vehicle L.P., M.P. Bolshaw and Company Limited, MAG JLT SpA, MERCER ALTERNATIVES LIMITED, MM Risk Services Pty Ltd (for dissolution), MMA Mid-Atlantic Employee LLC, MMA Securities LLC, MMB Consultores S.A., MMC (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd., MMC 28 State Street Holdings Inc., MMC Borrower LLC, MMC Brazilian Holdings B.V., MMC Capital Inc., MMC Cascade Regional Holdings LLC, MMC FINANCE (EUROPE) LIMITED, MMC FINANCE HOLDINGS LTD, MMC Finance (Australia) Limited, MMC Finance (Singapore) Limited, MMC France Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., MMC GP III Inc., MMC Group Services sp. z o.o., MMC Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, MMC Holdings (New Zealand) ULC, MMC Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC International Finance (Barbados) SRL, MMC International Holdings LLC, MMC International Limited, MMC International Treasury Centre Limited, MMC Middle East Holdings Limited, MMC Poland Holdings B.V., MMC Realty Inc., MMC Regional Asia Holdings B.V., MMC Regional Caribbean Holdings Ltd., MMC Regional Europe Holdings B.V., MMC Regional LATAM Holdings B.V., MMC Securities (Europe) Limited, MMC Securities LLC, MMC Treasury Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC UK Group Limited, MMC UK Pension Fund Trustee Limited, MMOW Limited, MMRC LLC, MOW Holding LLC, MPIP III GP LLC, MPIP IV GP LLC, MPIP V GP LLC, MPIP VI GP LLC, Mangrove Insurance Europe PCC Limited, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC Limited, Manoel Management Services Ltd, Marchant McKechnie Insurance Brokers Limited, Marine Aviation & General (London) Limited, Marsh & McLennan (PNG) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agencies AS, Marsh & McLennan Agencies Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency A/S, Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, Marsh & McLennan Agency Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency Pty Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Argentina SA Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh & McLennan Colombia S.A., Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Funding Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Asia Pacific Treasury Center Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies BVBA/SPRL, Marsh & McLennan Companies Finance Center (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies France S.A.S., Marsh & McLennan Companies Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies Regional Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Services B.V., Marsh & McLennan Companies UK Limited, Marsh & McLennan Europe S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan GP I Inc., Marsh & McLennan Global Broking (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Holding GmbH, Marsh & McLennan Holdings (Canada) ULC, Marsh & McLennan Holdings Inc., Marsh & McLennan Incorporated (for dissolution), Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings II, Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Limited, Marsh & McLennan Insurance Services Limited, Marsh & McLennan Ireland Limited, Marsh & McLennan Management Services (Bermuda) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Risk Capital Holdings Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Servicios S.A. De C.V., Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Canada Limited, Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Corporation, Marsh (Bahrain) Company SPC, Marsh (Beijing) Risk Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Marsh (China) Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh (Insurance Brokers) LLP, Marsh (Insurance Services) Limited, Marsh (Malawi) Limited, Marsh (Middle East) Limited, Marsh (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh (Pty) Ltd, Marsh (Risk Consulting) LLP, Marsh (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Marsh A/S, Marsh AB, Marsh AG, Marsh AS, Marsh Advantage Insurance Holdings Pty Ltd, Marsh Advantage Insurance Pty Ltd., Marsh Africa (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Argentina S.R.L., Marsh Associates (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Austria G.m.b.H., Marsh Aviation Insurance Broking Pty Ltd (for dissolution), Marsh B.V., Marsh Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh Brockman y Schuh Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Marsh Broker Japan Inc., Marsh Broker de Asigurare-Reasigurare S.R.L., Marsh Brokers (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh Brokers Limited, Marsh Canada Limited/Marsh Canada Limitee, Marsh Company Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Compensation Technologies Administration (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Isle of Man Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Malta Limited, Marsh Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Marsh EOOD, Marsh Egypt LLC, Marsh Emirates Consultancy LLC, Marsh Emirates Insurance Brokerage LLC, Marsh Employee Benefits Limited, Marsh Employee Benefits Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Marsh Eurofinance B.V., Marsh Europe S.A., Marsh FJC International Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh For Insurance Services S.A.E., Marsh Franco Acra S.A., Marsh GSC Servicos e Administracao de Seguros Ltda., Marsh GmbH, Marsh Holding AB, Marsh Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Marsh India Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Marsh Insurance & Investments LLC, Marsh Insurance Brokers, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Macao) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Private) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers AO, Marsh Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh Insurance Consulting Saudi Arabia (in liquidation), Marsh Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers LLC, Marsh Intermediaries Inc., Marsh International Broking Holdings Limited, Marsh International Holdings II Inc., Marsh International Holdings Inc., Marsh Investment B.V., Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited, Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited (UK Branch), Marsh Ireland Holdings Limited, Marsh Israel (1999) Ltd., Marsh Israel (Holdings) Ltd., Marsh Israel Consultants Ltd., Marsh Israel Insurance Agency Ltd., Marsh Israel International Brokers Ltd. (in liquidation), Marsh JCS Inc., Marsh Japan Inc., Marsh Kft., Marsh Kindlustusmaakler AS, Marsh Korea Inc., Marsh LLC, Marsh LLC Insurance Brokers, Marsh LLC [Ukraine], Marsh Lda., Marsh Limited, Marsh Limited [Fiji], Marsh Limited [New Zealand], Marsh Limited [PNG], Marsh Ltd. [Wisconsin], Marsh Management Services (Bahamas) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Dublin) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Labuan) Limited, Marsh Management Services (MENA) Limited, Marsh Management Services (USVI) Ltd., Marsh Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Management Services Guernsey Limited, Marsh Management Services Inc., Marsh Management Services Isle of Man Limited, Marsh Management Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Marsh Management Services Malta Limited, Marsh Management Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., Marsh Management Services Sweden AB, Marsh Marine & Energy AB, Marsh Marine Nederland B.V., Marsh Medical Consulting GmbH, Marsh Mercer Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Marsh Nest Inc., Marsh Oman LLC, Marsh Oy, Marsh PB Co. Ltd., Marsh Philippines Inc., Marsh Privat A.I.E., Marsh Private Client Life Insurance Services, Marsh Pty. Ltd., Marsh Qatar LLC, Marsh RE S.A.C. Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh Rehder Consultoria S.A. (MRC), Marsh Rehder S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Marsh Resolutions Pty Limited, Marsh Risk Consulting B.V., Marsh Risk Consulting Limitada, Marsh Risk Consulting Ltda., Marsh Risk Consulting S.L., Marsh Risk Consulting Services S.r.L., Marsh Risk and Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd, Marsh S.A. Corredores De Seguros, Marsh S.A. Mediadores de Seguros, Marsh S.A.S., Marsh S.p.A., Marsh SA [Argentina], Marsh SA [Belgium], Marsh SA [Luxembourg], Marsh SA [Uruguay], Marsh SIA, Marsh Saldana Inc., Marsh Saudi Arabia Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Marsh Secretarial Services Limited, Marsh Semusa S.A., Marsh Services Limited, Marsh Services Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Marsh Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Szolgaltato Kft., Marsh Takaful Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Treasury Services (Dublin) Limited (in liquidation), Marsh Treasury Services Limited, Marsh Tunisia S.a.r.l., Marsh UK Limited, Marsh USA (India) Inc., Marsh USA Borrower LLC, Marsh USA Inc., Marsh Uganda Limited, Marsh Venezuela C.A. Sociedad de Corretaje de Seguros, Marsh Vietnam Insurance Broking Company Ltd, Marsh Zambia Limited, Marsh Zimbabwe Holdings (Private) Limited, Marsh d.o.o. Beograd, Marsh d.o.o. za posredovanje u osiguranju, Marsh for Insurance Services - Jordan, Marsh i-Connect (Pty) Ltd, Marsh s.r.o., Matthiessen Assurans AB, Mercer (Argentina) S.A., Mercer (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer (Austria) GmbH, Mercer (Belgium) SA-NV, Mercer (Canada) Limited/Mercer (Canada) Limitee, Mercer (China) Limited, Mercer (Colombia) Ltda., Mercer (Danmark) A/S, Mercer (Finland) OY, Mercer (France) SAS, Mercer (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer (Ireland) Limited, Mercer (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Mercer (N.Z.) Limited, Mercer (Nederland) B.V., Mercer (Norge) AS, Mercer (Polska) Sp.z o.o., Mercer (Portugal) Lda, Mercer (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer (Sweden) AB, Mercer (Taiwan) Ltd., Mercer (Thailand) Ltd., Mercer (US) Inc., Mercer Administration Services (Australia) Pty Limited, Mercer Africa Limited, Mercer Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Mercer Asesores de Seguros S.A., Mercer Asesores es Inversion Independientes S.A. de C.V., Mercer Broking Ltd., Mercer Career Unipessoal Lda, Mercer Consultation (Quebec) Ltee., Mercer Consulting (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Mercer Consulting (France) SAS, Mercer Consulting (India) Private Limited, Mercer Consulting B.V., Mercer Consulting Group Inc., Mercer Consulting Holdings Sdn. Bhd., Mercer Consulting Limited, Mercer Consulting Middle East Limited, Mercer Consulting S.L.U., Mercer Consulting Venezuela C.A., Mercer Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Mercer Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercer Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Mercer Deutschland GmbH, Mercer Employee Benefits - Medicacao de Seguros Unipessoal Lda., Mercer Employee Benefits Limited, Mercer Financial Advice (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Financial Services Limited, Mercer Financial Services Limited liability company, Mercer Financial Services Middle East Limited, Mercer Global Investments Europe Limited, Mercer Global Investments Management Limited, Mercer HR Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer HR Services LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits LLC, Mercer Holdings Inc., Mercer Holdings Inc. [Philippines], Mercer Human Resource Consulting Ltda, Mercer Human Resource Consulting S.A. de C.V., Mercer ICC Limited, Mercer Investment Consulting Limited, Mercer Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mercer Investment Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Investments (Australia) Limited, Mercer Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer Investments (Japan) Ltd, Mercer Investments (New Zealand) Limited, Mercer Investments LLC, Mercer Ireland Holdings Limited, Mercer Italia Srl Socio Unico, Mercer Japan Ltd., Mercer Korea Co. Ltd., Mercer LLC, Mercer Limited, Mercer MC Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer Master Trustees Limited, Mercer Mauritius Ltd., Mercer Oliver Wyman Holding B.V., Mercer Outsourcing (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Outsourcing S.L.U., Mercer Pensionsfonds AG, Mercer Pensionsraadgivning A/S, Mercer Philippines Inc., Mercer Private Investment Partners IV General Partner S.a.r.l., Mercer Private Markets AG, Mercer Private Markets Advisers (US) AG, Mercer Services Poland Sp. z.o.o., Mercer Sigorta Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Mercer South Africa (Pty) Limited, Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited, Mercer Switzerland Inc., Mercer System Services LLC, Mercer Technology Acquisitions Limited, Mercer Treuhand GmbH, Mercer Trust Company LLC, Mercer Trustees Limited, Mercer WorkforcePro LLC, Mercury Insurance Services Pty Ltd, Moola Systems Limited, Mountlodge Limited, Muir Beddal (Zimbabwe) Limited, NERA Australia Pty. Ltd., NERA Economic Consulting GmbH, NERA Economic Consulting Limited, NERA S.R.L., NERA SAS, NERA UK Limited, NERA do Brasil Ltda. (for dissolution), National Economic Research Associates Inc., NetComp Insurance Corp., Neuburger Noble Lowndes GmbH, Normandy Reinsurance Company Limited, Northern Alliance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), OWL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co.KG, OWL Marine Verwaltungs GmbH, Oliver Wyman (Bermuda) Limited, Oliver Wyman (Hong Kong) Limited, Oliver Wyman AB, Oliver Wyman AG, Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting Inc., Oliver Wyman B.V., Oliver Wyman Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Oliver Wyman Consultoria em Estrategia de Negocios Ltda., Oliver Wyman Energy Consulting Limited, Oliver Wyman FZ-LLC, Oliver Wyman Group KK, Oliver Wyman Inc., Oliver Wyman LLC, Oliver Wyman Limited, Oliver Wyman Limited Liability Company, Oliver Wyman Limited/Oliver Wyman limitee, Oliver Wyman Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pte. Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pty. Ltd., Oliver Wyman S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman S.A.S., Oliver Wyman S.L., Oliver Wyman S.r.l., Oliver Wyman SNC, Oliver Wyman SPRL/BVBA, Oliver Wyman Sdn. Bhd., Oliver Wyman Services Limited, Oliver Wyman Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman sp. z o.o., Omega Indemnity (Bermuda) Limited, Organizacion Brockman y Schuh S.A. de C.V., Osbornes Insurances Oxford Limited (in liquidation), PFT Limited, PI Indemnity Company Designated Activity Company, PT JLT Reinsurance Brokers, PT Jardine Lloyd Thompson, PT Marsh Indonesia, PT Marsh Reinsurance Brokers Indonesia, PT Mercer Indonesia, PT Nexus Asia Pacific, PT Oliver Wyman Indonesia, PT Quantum Computing Services, PT Quantum Investments, PT Quantum Support Services, Pallas Marsh Servicos Ltda., Pavilion Alternatives Group (Singapore) PTE. Ltd, Pavilion Financial Corporation Holdings UK Limited, Pavilion U.S. Investments Holdco LLC, Pension Trustees Limited, Pensionsservice Benefit Network Sverige AB, Perils AG, Personal Pension Trustees Limited, Pet Animal Welfare Scheme Limited, Portsoken Trustees (No. 2) Limited, Portsoken Trustees Limited, Potomac Insurance Managers Inc., Premier Pension Trustees Limited, Premium Services Australia Pty Limited, Professional Claims Handling Limited (in liquidation), Profund Solutions Limited, Promerit AG, Promerit Hungary Kft, Promerit Schweiz AG, Pymetrics Inc., R G Ford Brokers Limited, R R B Beratungsgesellschaft fuer Altersversorgung mbh, R. Mees & Zoonen Holdings B.V., Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters LLC, Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters Limited, Resource Benefit Associates, Rightpath Reinsurance SPC Ltd., Risk Management Australia Pty Limited, Rivers Group Limited, Rockefeller Risk Advisors Inc., Rutherfoord International Inc., SAFCAR-Marsh, SBJ Holdings Limited, SCIB (Bermuda) Limited, SCM Global Real Estate Select GP LLC, SCM Infrastructure General Partner S.a r.l., SCM International Private Equity Select III GP LLC, SCM LT General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE II GP Ltd., SCM PE II Scotland GP Ltd, SCM Strategic Capital Management (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., SICAR Marsh S.a.r.l., SME Insurance Services Limited, Sail Insurance Company Limited, Scalene Re Ltd, Seabury & Smith Borrower LLC, Seabury & Smith LLC, Secure Limited, Sedgwick (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Consulting Group Limited, Sedgwick Dineen Group Limited, Sedgwick Financial Services Limited, Sedgwick Forbes Middle East Limited, Sedgwick Group, Sedgwick Group (Australia) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Group (Bermuda) Limited, Sedgwick Group (Zimbabwe) Limited, Sedgwick Group Limited, Sedgwick Internationaal B.V., Sedgwick Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Singapore) Pte Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes (UK) Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Group Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Limited, Sedgwick Overseas Investments Limited, Sedgwick Private Limited, Sedgwick Re Asia Pacific (Consultants) Pte Ltd (for dissolution), Sedgwick Trustees Limited, Sedgwick UK Risk Services Limited, Sedgwick Ulster Pension Trustees Limited, Settlement Trustees Limited, Shanghai Mercer Insurance Brokers Company Ltd., Shorewest Insurance Associates LLC, Sirota Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Sirota Consulting UK Limited, Smith Long Term Disability Management Group Inc., Societe d'Assurances et de Participation Guian SA, Software Underwriting Systems Limited (in liquidation), Southern Marine & Aviation Inc., Southern Marine & Aviation Underwriters Inc., Sudzucker Versicherungs-Vermittlungs GmbH, Sumitomo Life Insurance Agency America Inc., Sylvite Financial Services, TBX Solutions Limited, Talent Tech Labs LLC, The Benefit Express Holdings Limited, The Benefit Express Limited, The Carpenter Management Corporation, The Insurance Partnership Holdings Limited, The Insurance Partnership Services Limited, The Positive Ageing Company Limited, The Purple Partnership Limited, The Recovre Group Pty Ltd, Thomsons Online Benefits (HK) Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits Inc., Thomsons Online Benefits Limited, Thomsons Online Benefits Pte Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits S.R.L, Torrent Government Contracting Services LLC, Torrent Insurance Services LLC, Torrent Technologies, Torrent Technologies Inc., Tower Hill Limited, Tower Place Developments (West) Limited, Tower Place Developments Limited, U.T.E. AMG, U.T.E. Marsh - Caja Castilla La Mancha Junta de Comunidades, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus (in liquidation), U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus 2012, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Vila-Seca 2010, UAD BB Marsh Lietuva, Vezina & Associes Inc., Vezina Assurances Inc., Victor Insurance Europe B.V., Victor Insurance Holdings Inc., Victor Insurance Italia S.r.l., Victor Insurance Managers Inc., Victor Insurance Managers Inc./Gestionnaires d'assurance Victor inc., Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd., Victor O. Schinnerer & Company Limited, Victoria Hall Company Limited, Wellnz Limited, William M. Mercer (Canada) Limited/William M. Mercer (Canada) Limitee, William M. Mercer AB, William M. Mercer Comercio Consultoria e Servicos Ltda., Wortham Insurance & Risk Management, everBe SAS, and realright GmbH.
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The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: AMGH, APEI UK Limited, APEI Unlimited IOM, Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Beteiligungen Sonoco Deutschland Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh, CP Acquisition LLC, Can Packaging, Can Packaging SAS, Cap Liners Limited, Capseals Limited, Capseals Liners Limited, Cascades Sonoco Inc. (fka Cascades Conversion Inc), Clear Lam Flexible Films (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Clear Pack Company, Colombiana P.M. LLC, Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Conitex Sonoco (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., Conitex Sonoco Hellas S.A., Conitex Sonoco Holding B.V., Conitex Sonoco Inc., Conitex Sonoco India Pvt. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco N.V., Conitex Sonoco Shanghai Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Suzhou Co. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., Conitex Sonoco USA Inc., Convex Mold Inc., Corenso Holdings America Inc., Corenso North America, Corenso Richmond LLC, Corepak Limited, CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., Fair Lawn Packaging Services LLC, Friarsgate Studio Limited, Graffo Paranaense De Embalagens S.A., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Grove Mill Paper Company Limited, Gunther of America Inc., Hartsville Corrugating LLC, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Heathfield Reels Limited, Highland Packaging Solutions, Highland Packaging Solutions LLC, Industrial Machine Co. Inc., Inversiones Sonoco Limitada, Italtubetti SpA, Laminar Medica, Laminar Medica (CE) s.r.o., Laminar Medica Limited, Manufacturas Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Matrix Packaging Inc., Nathaniel Lloyd & Company Limited, OOO Sonoco Alcore (fka ZAO Sonoco Alcore), Ontario Inc., PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, Packaging Holdings Inc., Papcor (Dezhou) Packaging Material Co. Ltd., Papertech Dezhou Co. Ltd., Papertech SL, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SAS Du Lagon, SCI Lagon Quest, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc., SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc., SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inc., Sonoco (Shanghai) Co., Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co., Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd., Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia L.L.C., Sonoco Asia Management Company L.L.C., Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco D & P LLC, Sonoco D and P York LLC, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc., Sonoco Display and Packaging LLC, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc., Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Europe Limited, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc., Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc., Sonoco Holdings Inc., Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc., Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc., Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc., Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc., Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC (fka Reparco USA Inc.), Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc., Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc., Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Ou, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., TPT Board Mills Limited, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc., Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc., Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD., ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Unit Reels & Drums Limited, Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of NOV: AG Holding UK, APL France SAS, APL Management Pte Ltd, APL Norway AS, APL do Brasil Ltda., ASEP Group Holding B.V., ASEP Otomotiv Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Ackerman Holdings C.V., Ackerman Holdings GP LLC, Ackerman International Holland B.V., Advanced Production and Loading, Advanced Wirecloth, Aggregate Plant Products Co., American Pipe and Construction International, Ameron B.V., Ameron Holdings Pte. Ltd., Ameron International, Ameron International Corporation, Ameron Pole Products LLC, Ameron Polyplaster Industria E Comercio de Tubos Ltda., Ameron Singapore Holding, Ameron Singapore Poly Holdings Pte. Ltd., Ameron Trading Holdings Pte. Ltd., Andergauge Limited, Andergauge Redback, Andergauge USA, Arabian Rig Manufacturing Company, Axiom Process Limited, Belco Manufacturing Company, Big Red Tubulars Limited, Bondstrand Ltd., Bowen Downhole Inc., Bowen Downhole LLC, Brandt Interests, Brandt Oilfield Services (M) Sdn. Bhd., C.M.A. Canavera S.R.L., CJSC Fidmash, CJSC Novmash, CSI Inspection, Camco Drilling Group Limited, Chemineer, Coil Services Middle East LLC, Containment Solutions, Containment Solutions Services, Couoperatie Intelliserv Holding U.A., Couoperatie NOV NL U.A., Danco AS, Denali Incorporated, Denali Management, Devin International, Dreco Canada L.P., Dreco DHT, Dreco Eastern Europe ULC, Dreco Energy Services ULC, Dreco International Holdings ULC, Dreco LLC, E.C. Motors, Elmar Far East Pty Ltd, Enerflow Industries, Enerpro de Mexico, Environmental Procedures LLC, Ershigs, Fabricated Plastics Acquisitions Limited, Fabricated Plastics Limited, Fiber Glass Systems, Fiber Glass Systems (Qingdao) Composite Piping Co., Fiber Glass Systems Holdings, Fiber Glass Systems Oman L.L.C., Fiber Glass Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fiberspar, Fiberspar Australia Pty. Ltd., Fiberspar Corporation, Fiberspar Linepipe Canada Ltd., Fibra Ingenieria y Construccion S.A., FidService, Fjords Processing (Shanghai) Co., Fjords Processing 1 AS, Fjords Processing AS, Fjords Processing Australia Pty Ltd, Fjords Processing France SAS, Fjords Processing Korea Co. Ltd., Fjords Processing Limited, Fjords Processing UK Ltd., Fryma S.a.r.l., GOT German Oil Tools GmbH, GP USA Holding LLC, GPEX, German Oil Tools (Middle East) FZE, Grant Prideco (Jiangsu) Drilling Products Co., Grant Prideco (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Grant Prideco AB TCA Holding LLC, Grant Prideco European Holding, Grant Prideco Holding, Grant Prideco III C. V., Grant Prideco Inc., Grant Prideco Jersey Limited, Grant Prideco L.P., Grant Prideco Mauritius Limited, Grant Prideco Netherlands B.V., Grant Prideco PC Composites Holdings, Grant Prideco S. de R.L. de C.V., Grant Prideco USA, Grant Prideco de Venezuela, Greystone Technologies Pty. Ltd., GustoMSC B.V., GustoMSC U.S., Hebei Huayouyiji Tuboscope Coating Co., Hitec AS, Hydralift AmClyde, Hydralift France SAS, Hydralift Holdings UK Limited, Inspecciones y Pruebas No Destructivas, IntelliServ Norway AS, Intelliserv, Intelliserv GP Holdings LLC, Intelliserv International Holding, Intelliserv LLC, Interval LLC, JiangYin Tuboscope Tubular Development Co., Merpro Group Limited, Merpro Products Limited, Merpro Tortek Limited, Midsund Bruk AS, Mono Group Pension Trustees Limited, Mono Pumps New Zealand Company, Monoflo NOV S.A.I.C., Moyno Inc., Moyno de Mexico S.A. de C.V., NKT Flexibles I/S, NOV (Asia), NOV (Barbados) Holding SRL, NOV (Barbados) SRL, NOV (Caymans), NOV (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., NOV - Oil Services Angola LDA., NOV APL Limited, NOV ASEP Elmar Mexico, NOV Africa Pty Ltd, NOV Australia Pty Ltd, NOV Azerbaijan LLC, NOV Brandt Europe France, NOV Brandt Oilfield Services Middle East LLC, NOV CV1 GP LLC, NOV CV2 GP LLC, NOV Completion Tools AS, NOV Completion Tools LLC, NOV Completion and Production Solutions Korea Ltd., NOV DH de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., NOV DHT Canada Holding ULC, NOV Denmark Cooperatief U.A., NOV Downhole Argentina, NOV Downhole Bolivia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Colombia, NOV Downhole Comercializacao de Equipamentos para Petroleo Ltda., NOV Downhole Congo, NOV Downhole Eurasia Limited, NOV Downhole Europe B.V., NOV Downhole Germany GmbH, NOV Downhole Italia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Kazakhstan, NOV Downhole Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Downhole Pty Ltd, NOV Downhole Thailand, NOV Dreco GP LLC, NOV EU Acquisition SNC, NOV Elmar (Middle East) Limited, NOV Elmar NL B.V., NOV Elmar Pte. Ltd., NOV Enerflow ULC, NOV Eurasia Holding LLC, NOV European Holding LLC, NOV Expatriate Services, NOV FGS Malaysia Sdn Bhd, NOV FGS Singapore (Pte.) Ltd, NOV Fiber Glass Systems Fabricacao De Tubos E Conexoes Ltda, NOV Flexibles Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Flexibles Holding ApS, NOV Floating Production AS, NOV Fluid Control B.V., NOV GEO GP LLC, NOV GEO LP1 C.V., NOV GEO LP2 C.V., NOV GP Holding L.P., NOV GP1 Holding LLC, NOV Gabon SARL, NOV Germany Holding GmbH, NOV Ghana Limited, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Equipment Manufacturing LLC, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Products Middle East FZE, NOV Grant Prideco L.L.C., NOV Holding Danmark ApS, NOV Holding Germany GmbH & Co KG, NOV Holding Germany Management GmbH, NOV Holdings B.V., NOV Hydra Rig Pte. Ltd, NOV India Private Limited, NOV Intelliserv UK Limited, NOV International Holdings C.V., NOV International Holdings GP LLC, NOV Intervention & Stimulation Equipment US LLC, NOV Intervention and Stimulation Equipment  Aftermarket Comercio de Equipamentos e Servicos Ltda., NOV Kenya Limited, NOV Kostroma LLC, NOV Kuwait Light & Heavy Equipment Repairing & Maintenance Co., NOV LP (Trading), NOV MSI Pipe Protection Technologies Inc., NOV MSI Pipe Protection Technologies Mexico, NOV Mexico Holding LLC, NOV Middle East FZCO, NOV Mission Products UK Limited, NOV Mozambique Limitada, NOV NL Mexico Holding B.V., NOV Netherlands Finance Holding C.V., NOV Netherlands Finance Holding LLC, NOV North America I/P, NOV Oil & Gas Services Egypt (S.A.E), NOV Oil & Gas Services Uganda Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Ghana Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Nigeria Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Tanzania Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Vostok LLC, NOV Oilfield Solutions Ltd., NOV Park II B.V., NOV Process & Flow Technologies AS, NOV Process & Flow Technologies Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies Pte. Ltd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies UK Limited, NOV Process & Flow Technologies US, NOV Rig Solutions Pte. Ltd., NOV Romania, NOV Saudi Arabia Co. Ltd., NOV Saudi Arabia Trading Co., NOV Services Ltd., NOV Servicios de Personal Mexico, NOV Subsea Products AS, NOV TV2 LLC, NOV TVI LLC, NOV Tanajib Kuwait for Services and Maintenance of Oil Rigs Refineries and Petrochemicals, NOV Tuboscope Italia S.R.L., NOV Tuboscope Middle East LLC, NOV Tuboscope NL B.V., NOV Tubulars and Connectors Ltd., NOV UK (Angola Acquisitions) Limited, NOV UK Finance Limited, NOV UK Holdings Limited, NOV UK Korea LP, NOV Wellbore Technologies Norway LLC, NOV Wellbore Technologies do Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Wellsite Services Germany GmbH, NOV Worldwide C.V., NOV-BLM SAS, NOVM Holding LLC, NOW Downhole Tools, NOW International LLC, NOW Nova Scotia Holdings LLC, NOW Oilfield Services, NQL Holland B.V., National Oilwell (U.K.) Limited, National Oilwell Algerie, National Oilwell DHT, National Oilwell Middle East Company, National Oilwell Services de Mexico, National Oilwell Varco (Beijing) Investment Management Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco (Thailand) Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Algeria, National Oilwell Varco Almansoori Services, National Oilwell Varco Bahrain WLL, National Oilwell Varco Belgium SA, National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S, National Oilwell Varco Egypt LLC, National Oilwell Varco Eurasia, National Oilwell Varco Guatemala, National Oilwell Varco Guyana Inc., National Oilwell Varco Hungary Limited Liability Company, National Oilwell Varco Korea Co., National Oilwell Varco MSW S.A., National Oilwell Varco Mexico, National Oilwell Varco Muscat L.L.C., National Oilwell Varco Norway AS, National Oilwell Varco Peru S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Petroleum Equipment (Shanghai) Co., National Oilwell Varco Poland Sp.z.o.o., National Oilwell Varco Pte. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Rig Equipment Trading (Shanghai) Co., National Oilwell Varco Romania S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Solutions, National Oilwell Varco UK Limited, National Oilwell Varco Ukraine LLC, National Oilwell Varco de Bolivia S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco de Chile - Servicios Limitada, National Oilwell Varco do Brasil Ltda., National Oilwell de Venezuela, National-Oilwell Pte. Ltd., National-Oilwell Pty. Ltd., PT Fjords Processing Indonesia, PT H-Tech Oilfield Equipment, PT NOV Oilfield Services, PT National Oilwell Varco, PT PROFAB INDONESIA, Pesaka Inspection Services SDN.BHD., Pipex Limited, Pipex PX Limited, Pipex Structural Composites Limited, Pridecomex Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Pridecomex TA Industries, Procon Engineering Ltd., Profab Engineering Pte. Ltd., Profab Services Pte Ltd, Quality Tubing FSC, R&M C.V., R&M Canada Cooperatief U.A., R&M Energy Systems Australia Pty Ltd., R&M Energy Systems de Argentina S.A., R&M Energy Systems de Venezuela, R&M Environmental Strategies, R&M Singapore Holding LLC, R&M UK Holding LLC, RE.MAC.UT. S.r.l., RHI Holding LLC, ReedHycalog, ReedHycalog International Holding, ReedHycalog LLC, ReedHycalog UK Limited, Robannic Overseas Finance A.V.V., Robbins & Myers, Robbins & Myers (Suzhou) Process Equipment Company Limited, Robbins & Myers B.V., Robbins & Myers Foundation, Robbins & Myers GP LLC, Robbins & Myers Holdings, Robbins & Myers Holdings UK Limited, Robbins & Myers Inc, Robbins & Myers Italia S.R.L., Robbins & Myers N.V., Rodic S.A. de C.V., Romaco S.a.r.l., STAR Sudamtex Tubulares S.A., STBH2O TUNISIE, STSA, Screen Manufacturing Company Unlimited, Seabox AS, Slip Clutch Systems Limited, Smart Drilling GmbH, Soil Recovery A/S, South Seas Inspection, Subseaflex Holding ApS, T-3 Energy Preferred Industries Mexico, T-3 Energy Services, T-3 Energy Services Cayman, T-3 Energy Services Cayman Holdings, T-3 Energy Services India Private Limited, T-3 Energy Services Mexico, T-3 Investment Corporation IV, T-3 Mexican Holdings, TVI Holdings, Telluride Insurance Limited, Tianjin Grant TPCO Drilling Tools Company Limited, Tube-Kote, Tubo-FGS, Tuboscope & Co. LLC, Tuboscope (Holding U.S.) LLC, Tuboscope Brandt de Venezuela, Tuboscope Machining Services AS, Tuboscope Norge AS, Tuboscope Pipeline Services Inc., Tuboscope Services, Tuboscope Vetco (Deutschland) GmbH, Tuboscope Vetco (France) SAS, Tuboscope Vetco (Oesterreich) GmbH, Tuboscope Vetco Canada ULC, Tuboscope Vetco Capital Limited, Tuboscope Vetco Moscow CJSC, Tuboscope Vetco de Argentina S.A., Tubular Coatings Solutions Ltd., Tucom Composites Polyester Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Varco BJ B.V., Varco CIS, Varco Canada ULC, Varco I/P, Varco International de Venezuela, Varco L.P., Varco US Holdings LLC, Vetco Coating GmbH, Vetco Enterprise GmbH, Vetco Saudi Arabia Ltd., Visible Assets, Wilson International, Woolley, XL Systems, XL Systems Antilles, XL Systems Europe B.V., XL Systems International, voestalpine Middle East Free Zone Establishment, voestalpine Tubulars Corporation, voestalpine Tubulars GmbH, and voestalpine Tubulars GmbH & Co KG.
Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. engages in the operation of senior living communities. The firm manages independent living, assisted living and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers. It operates through the following segments: Independent Living Assisted Living & Memory Care, CCRCs, Health Care Services and Management Services. The Independent Living segment is primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors who desire an upscale residential environment providing the highest quality of service. The Assisted Living & Memory Care segment offer housing and 24-hour assistance with ADLs to mid-acuity frail and elderly residents. The CCRCs segment offers a variety of living arrangements and services to accommodate all levels of physical ability and health. The Healthcare Services segment provides home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services, as well as education and wellness programs, to residents of many communities and to seniors living outside communities. The Management Services segment composes of communities operated by the company pursuant to management agreements. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN.

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Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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CARBO Ceramics Inc., a technology company, provides products and services to the oil and gas, industrial, and environmental markets worldwide. It operates through two segments, Oilfield and Industrial Technologies and Services, and Environmental Technologies and Services. The Oilfield and Industrial Technologies and Services segment manufactures and sells oilfield ceramic technology products, base ceramic proppants, and frac sand proppants to pressure pumping companies, and oil and gas operators for use in the hydraulic fracturing of natural gas and oil wells. It also provides technology to design, build, and optimize the Frac; sells fracture stimulation software under the FracPro brand; and offers fracture design and consulting services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies under the StrataGen brand name. The Environmental Technologies and Services segment provides spill prevention, containment, and countermeasure systems for the oil and gas industry. CARBO Ceramics Inc. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd..
Centrica plc operates as an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, North America, and internationally. The company operates through British Gas, Energy Marketing & Trading, Centrica Business Solutions, Bord GAis Energy, and Upstream segments. It supplies gas and electricity to residential customers, as well as offers energy-related services; and generates power from combined cycle gas turbines and nuclear assets. The company also provides installation, repair, and maintenance services for domestic central heating, plumbing and drains, home electrical, and gas and kitchen appliances; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, as well as offers breakdown services. In addition, it is involved in the procurement, trading, and optimization of energy; procurement and sale of LNG; and supplies energy efficiency solutions and technologies to residential customers. Further, the company produces and processes gas and oil; develops new fields to maintain reserves; constructs, owns, and exploits infrastructure; and engages in the social enterprise investment fund activities. Additionally, it provides vehicle leasing, commercial, and insurance services, as well as energy management products and services; and operates a gas storage and franchise network. The company was formerly known as Yieldtop plc and changed its name to Centrica plc in December 1996. Centrica plc was incorporated in 1995 and is based in Windsor, the United Kingdom.

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iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF's stock reverse split on the morning of Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the closing bell on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split.
CVR Refining, LP operates as an independent petroleum refiner and marketer of transportation fuels in the United States. The company owns and operates a complex full coking medium-sour crude oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas; and a complex crude oil refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. It also controls and operates logistics assets, including approximately 570 miles of owned and leased pipelines; approximately 130 crude oil transports; a network of crude oil gathering tank farms; and approximately 6.4 million barrels of owned and leased crude oil storage capacity, as well as approximately 4.6 million barrels of combined refined products and feedstocks storage capacity. In addition, the company owns 170,000 barrels per day pipeline system that transports crude oil from Broome Station facility to Coffeyville refinery; approximately 1.5 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity, which supports the gathering system and Coffeyville refinery; approximately 0.9 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity at Wynnewood refinery; and approximately 1.5 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity in Cushing, Oklahoma, as well as leases crude oil storage capacity of approximately 2.3 million barrels in Cushing and approximately 0.2 million barrels in Duncan, Oklahoma. CVR Refining GP, LLC operates as the general partner of CVR Refining, LP. The company was founded in 2012 and is based in Sugar Land, Texas. CVR Refining, LP is a subsidiary of CVR Energy, Inc.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23)  Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday cautioned government officials to be wary of "careless talk" to avoid waiving the arbitral ruling in the South China Sea maritime issue.

In a roundtable discussion on Friday, Carpio addressed President Rodrigo Duterte's previous statement that the latter is "setting aside" the international arbitral tribunal's decision, which recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

"We want to be very careful that we do not waive the award because of careless talk," Carpio said.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in July 2016 recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, or areas of the South China Sea that lie within the country's 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

China, however, rejects the ruling and continues to claim virtually the entire global waterway-- parts of which are contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, and Taiwan.

During a speech in 2016, Duterte said he will "set aside" the Arbitral Tribunal's ruling.

"In the play of politics now I will set aside the Arbitral Tribunal's ruling.' the country's chief executive said.

"One day the President said when he arrived from Singapore "I am setting aside the ruling." To set aside is to reverse. When I heard this, I talked to my friends at the DFA (department of Foreign Affairs) and said, you have to clarify," the Senior Associate Justice narrated.

"It was fortunate that the DFA made a clarification on the President's statement before the other party (China) accepted this statement."

The Justice noted that the government should assert itself more on the issue.

"The award will be there, for as long as we do not waive the award or renounce the award," he added.

Carpio is one of five nominees for Supreme Court Chief Justice. The Judicial and Bar Council has yet to come up with its shortlist from which Duterte would choose the next chief justice.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday said the ruling was"useless for now" as it cannot be enforced. This came amid Chinese President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to the Philippines this week.
Dougherty's Pharmacy, Inc. focuses on acquiring, managing, and growing community based pharmacies in the Southwest Region of the United States. Its flagship store is Dougherty's Pharmacy, a turn-key multi-service pharmacy located in Dallas, Texas. The company was formerly known as Ascendant Solutions, Inc. and changed its name to Dougherty's Pharmacy, Inc. in May 2017. Dougherty's Pharmacy, Inc. was founded in 1929 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

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Texas Pacific Land Corp. operates as a landowner in the State of Texas. Its surface and royalty ownership allow revenue generation through the entire value chain of oil and gas development, including through fixed fee payments for use of the firm's land, revenue for sales of materials used in the construction of infrastructure, providing sourced water and treated produced water, revenue from its oil and gas royalty interests, and revenues related to saltwater disposal on land. The company also generates revenue from pipeline, power line and utility easements, commercial leases, material sales and seismic and temporary permits related to a variety of land uses including midstream infrastructure projects and hydrocarbon processing facilities. The company operates through following segment: Land and Resource Management and Water Services and Operations. The Land and Resource Management segment focuses on managing oil and gas royalty interest and surface. The Water Services and Operations segment offers operators an unparalleled breadth of service across the majority of the Permian Basin. The company was founded in April 2020 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

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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 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 Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH.
SRC Energy Inc., an oil and natural gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids primarily in the Denver-Julesburg Basin of Colorado. As of December 31, 2018, it had net proved oil and natural gas reserves of 88 million barrels of oil and condensate, 771.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 89.1 million barrels of natural gas liquids; and operated 985 net producing wells, as well as had 95,200 gross and 86,200 net acres under lease in the Wattenberg Field. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

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President Energy Plc engages in the exploration, evaluation, and production of oil and gas properties primarily in South America. The company holds exploration assets in Argentina, the United States, and Paraguay. It also sells hydrocarbons. The company was formerly known as President Petroleum Company PLC and changed its name to President Energy Plc in September 2012. President Energy Plc was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Leeds, the United Kingdom.

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China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited.
Lenovo Group Limited, an investment holding company, develops, manufactures, and markets technology products and services. It operates through Intelligent Devices Group and Data Center Group segments. The company offers commercial and consumer personal computers, as well as servers and workstations; and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smartphones. It also provides laptops, desktops, phones, accessories, monitors, data center solutions, systems, software, server and storage products, networking products, and replacement parts. In addition, the company manufactures and distributes IT products, computers, computer hardware, and peripheral equipment; and offers IT, business planning, management, supply chain, finance, administration support, procurement agency, data management, intellectual property, investment management, and computer hardware and software systems repair services. Further, it is involved in the retail and service business for consumer electronic products and related digital services; and development, ownership, licensing, and sale of communications hardware and software. The company operates in China, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Lenovo Group Limited was founded in 1984 and is based in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.

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McEwen Mining Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and silver. It also explores for copper deposits. The company owns 100% interests in the El Gallo and Fenix projects located in Mexico; and the Black Fox Mine and Stock Mill, Grey Fox, and Froome and Tamarack properties in Canada. It also owns interests in the Fuller, Davidson-Tisdale, Buffalo Ankerite, and Paymaster exploration properties located in Canada; and a 49% interest in the San Jose mine located in Argentina. In addition, the company owns 100% interests in the Gold Bar and Tonkin properties located in Eureka County, Nevada; and interests in the Los Azules copper project located in the cordilleran region in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The company was formerly known as US Gold Corporation and changed its name to McEwen Mining Inc. in January 2012. McEwen Mining Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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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.
There is not enough analysis data for MedEquities Realty Trust.

4.3 Community Rank

Outperform Votes MedEquities Realty Trust has received 224 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes MedEquities Realty Trust has received 126 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment MedEquities Realty Trust has received 64.00% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about MedEquities Realty Trust and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe MRT will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe MRT will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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Metro Inc. operates as a retailer, franchisor, distributor, and manufacturer in the food and pharmaceutical sectors in Canada. It operates food stores, including supermarkets and discount stores that provide fresh and grocery products, baked goods, prepared foods, meats, general merchandise, non-perishable goods, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, frozen foods, bakery products, pastries, and deli products, as well as Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern products; and drug stores and pharmacies. As of January 27, 2021, the company operated a network of approximately 950 food stores under various banners, including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, and Food Basics, as well as approximately 650 drugstores primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy, and Food Basics Pharmacy banners. It also manufactures generic drugs; and provides online grocery shopping services. The company serves restaurants, other chains, non-franchised drugstores, and various health centers, as well as consumers. Metro Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in MontrAal, Canada.

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Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC.
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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National Bank of Canada engages in the provision of commercial banking and financial services. It operates through the following segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, US Specialty Finance and International (USSF&I), and Other. The Personal and Commercial segment involves in banking, financing, and investing services offered to individuals and businesses as well as insurance operations. The Wealth Management segment focuses on the investment solutions, trust and lending services, and other wealth management solutions offered through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment includes banking and investment banking services and financial solutions for large and mid-size corporations, public sector organizations, and institutional investors. The USSF&I segment comprises specialty finance expertise activities of subsidiary ABA Bank, which offers financial products and services to individuals and businesses; and activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The Other segment encompasses treasury activities such as asset and liability management, liquidity management and funding operations, certain no

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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..
Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL.

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Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of traditional and non-traditional life and health reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. and Latin America; Canada; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Asia Pacific; and Corporate and Other. The U.S. and Latin America segment markets individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic clients for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. The Canada segment offers individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment serves individual and group life and health products through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements, reinsurance of critical illness coverage that provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and underwritten annuities. The Asia Pacific segment comprises individual and group life and health reinsurance, critical illness coverage, disability, and superannuation thr

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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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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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The following companies are subsidiares of Tyson Foods: APF Legacy Subs LLC, Advance Food Company LLC, AdvancePierre Foods, AdvancePierre Foods Holdings Inc., AdvancePierre Foods Inc., Aidells Sausage Company Inc., Allied Specialty Foods Inc., American Proteins Inc, Artisan Bread Co. LLC, Australian Food Corporation Pty Limited, Australian Food Corporation Trust, BRF, Barber Foods LLC, Bosco's Pizza Co., Bryan Foods Inc., C.S. Grain LLC, C.V. Holdings Inc., CBFA Management Corp., Central Industries Inc., Chefs Pantry LLC, Clovervale Farms LLC, Cobb (Hubei) Breeding Co. Ltd., Cobb (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Cobb Ana Damizlik Tavukculuk Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cobb Columbia S.A.S., Cobb Europe B.V., Cobb Europe Limited, Cobb Peru (Andina) S.A.C., Cobb-Heritage LLC, Cobb-Vantress Brasil Ltda, Cobb-Vantress Inc., Cobb-Vantress New Zealand Limited, Cobb-Vantress Philippines Inc., Coominya AFC Pty Limited, Coominya AFC Trust, DFG Foods Inc., DFG Foods L.L.C., Don Julio, Egbert LLC, Equity Group - Georgia Division LLC, Equity Group - Kentucky Division LLC, Equity Group Eufaula Division LLC, Equity Meat Corp., Flavor Corp., Flavor Holdings Inc., Foodbrands America Inc., Foodbrands Supply Chain Services Inc., Gallo Salame Inc., Global Employment Services Inc., Grow-Out Credit LLC, Grow-Out Holdings LLC, Haimen Tyson Poultry Development Co. Ltd, Hudson Foods Company, Hudson Midwest Foods Inc., Hybro Genetics Brasil Ltda, IBP Caribbean Inc., IBP Foodservice L.L.C., IBP Inc., International Affiliates & Investment LLC, Jiangsu Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Keydutch Finance B.V., Keydutch Holdings I LLC, Keydutch Holdings II LLC, Keydutch Investments B.V., Keystone CLJV Holdings Limited, Keystone County House Road LLC, Keystone Foods, Keystone Foods (AP) Limited, Keystone Foods Holdco LLC, Keystone Foods Intermediate LLC, Keystone Foods LLC, Keystone Foods Pty Limited, Keystone Management Inc., Keystone Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, LD Foods LLC, M & M Express LLC, M&M Restaurant Supply (MI/OH) LLC, MFG (USA) Holdings Inc., Mac Food Services (Malaysia) SDN. BHD., Madison Foods Inc., McKey Food Services (Hong Kong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Shandong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Thailand) Limited, McKey Food Services Limited, McKey Luxembourg Holdings APMEA S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg S.a.r.l., McKey VI Holdings Limited, Myung Seung Food Company Ltd., National Comp Care Inc., New Canada Holdings Inc., Oaklawn Capital Corporation, Oaklawn IT Solution Private Limited, Original Philly Holdings Inc., PBX inc., Pierre Holdco Inc., River Valley Ingredients LLC, Rizhao Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Rizhao Tyson Poultry Co. Ltd, Rural Energy Systems Inc., Sara Lee - Kiwi Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Diversified LLC, Sara Lee Foods LLC, Sara Lee Household & Body Care Malawi Ltd., Sara Lee International LLC, Sara Lee International TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Mexicana Holdings Investment L.L.C., Sara Lee TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Trademark Holdings Australasia LLC, Saramar L.L.C., Shandong Tyson-Da Long Food Company Limited, Smart Chicken, Southern Family Foods L.L.C., Southwest Products LLC, TF 20 B.V., TF 5201 B.V., TFA Leasing LLC, TFA Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, TFI of California Inc., Tecumseh Poultry LLC, Texas Transfer Inc., The Bruss Company, The Hillshire Brands Company, The IBP Foods Co., The Pork Group Inc., TyNet Corporation, Tyson (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Tyson Americas Holding Sarl, Tyson Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Tyson Breeders Inc., Tyson Chicken Inc., Tyson China Holding 2 Limited, Tyson China Holding 3 Limited, Tyson China Holding Limited, Tyson Deli Inc., Tyson Europe Holding Company, Tyson Farms Inc., Tyson Farms QOZB LLC, Tyson Foods Brasil Investimentos Ltda., Tyson Foods Canada Inc., Tyson Foods Europe (Netherlands) B.V., Tyson Foods Europe GmbH, Tyson Foods France S.A.R.L., Tyson Foods Germany GmbH, Tyson Foods Group Limited, Tyson Foods Holland B.V., Tyson Foods Huadong Development Co. Ltd, Tyson Foods Iberia Alimentos S.L.U., Tyson Foods Italia S.p.A., Tyson Foods Korea, Tyson Foods Netherlands B.V., Tyson Foods Products Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Europe Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Sales (Europe) Limited, Tyson Foods UK Limited, Tyson Foods Wrexham Limited, Tyson Foods oosterwolde B.V., Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats Sales and Distribution LLC, Tyson Global Holding Sarl, Tyson Hog Markets Inc., Tyson India Holdings Ltd., Tyson International APAC Ltd., Tyson International Company Ltd., Tyson International Holding Company, Tyson International Holding Sarl, Tyson International Service Center Inc., Tyson International Service Center Inc. Asia, Tyson International Service Center Inc. Europe, Tyson Mexican Original Inc., Tyson Mexico Trading Company S. de R.L. de CV., Tyson New Ventures LLC, Tyson Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, Tyson Pet Products Inc., Tyson Poultry Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods Inc., Tyson Processing Services Inc., Tyson Refrigerated Processed Meats Inc., Tyson Sales and Distribution Inc., Tyson Service Center Corp., Tyson Shared Services Inc., Tyson Storm Lake Holdings LLC, Tyson Warehousing Services LLC, Tyson of Wisconsin LLC, Uninex SA, Universal Meats (UK) Limited, WBA Analytical Laboratories Inc., Wilton Foods Inc., Xamol Consultores e Servicos, and Zemco Industries Inc..
Novan, Inc., a clinical development-stage biotechnology company, provides nitric oxide-based therapies to treat dermatological and oncovirus-mediated diseases. Its clinical stage dermatology drug candidates include SB204, a topical monotherapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris; SB206, a topical anti-viral gel for the treatment of viral skin infections; SB208, a topical broad-spectrum anti-fungal gel for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nails, including athlete's foot and fungal nail infections; and SB414, a topical cream-based gel product candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. The company also develops SB207, an anti-viral product candidate for the treatment of external genital warts; WH602, a nitric oxide-containing intravaginal gel to treat high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV); WH504, a non-gel formulation product candidate to treat high-risk HPV; and SB019 for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Novan, Inc. has a license agreement with Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and a strategic alliance with Orion Corporation. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina.

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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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The following companies are subsidiares of Crown: Adularia Inversiones 2010 S.L., Angleboard Sweden AB, Bates Cargo-Pak ApS, Butimove, CMB Machinery and Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CROWN AP (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Aerosols & Promotional Nederland, CROWN Aerosols Italia Srl, CROWN Aerosols Nederland BV, CROWN Aerosols UK Limited, CROWN Americas LLC, CROWN Arabia Can Company Ltd, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd., CROWN Asia Pacific Investments (T) Limited, CROWN Bevcan Espana S.L., CROWN Bevcan France SAS, CROWN Bevcan Slovakia s.r.o., CROWN Bevcan Turkiye Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, CROWN Bevcan and Closures (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Cambodia) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Dong Nai) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Beijing Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Changchun Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Danang Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hangzhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hanoi Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Heshan Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hong Kong Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Huizhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Malaysia Sdn Bhd, CROWN Beverage Cans Nanning Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Putian Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Saigon Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Shanghai Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Sihanoukville Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Singapore Pte. Ltd., CROWN Beverage Cans Ziyang Limited, CROWN Beverage Packaging LLC, CROWN Beverage Packaging Puerto Rico Inc., CROWN Cans Ghana Limited, CROWN China Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, CROWN Commercial Belgium BVBA, CROWN Commercial France SAS, CROWN Commercial Germany GmbH & Co. KG, CROWN Commercial Hungary Kft, CROWN Commercial Netherlands B.V., CROWN Commercial Vermogensverwaltung GmbH, CROWN Cork & Seal USA Inc., CROWN Embalagens Metalicas da Amazonia S.A., CROWN Emballage France SAS, CROWN Emirates Company Limited, CROWN Envases Mexico S.A. de C.V., CROWN Famosa S.A. de C.V., CROWN Food Packaging (Thailand) Public Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Hat Yai) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Nakhon Pathom) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan Germany GmbH, CROWN Foodcan GmbH, CROWN Imballaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Imgallaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Italy Finance srl, CROWN Khmer Beverage Cans Limited, CROWN Maghreb Can, CROWN Magyarorszag Csomagoloipari KFT, CROWN Metal Packaging Canada Inc., CROWN Metal Packaging Canada LP, CROWN Middle East Can Co. Ltd., CROWN Packaging (Barbados) Limited, CROWN Packaging Holdings LLC, CROWN Packaging Investment (H.K.) Limited, CROWN Packaging Ireland Ltd, CROWN Packaging Jamaica Limited, CROWN Packaging Polska Sp.z.o.o., CROWN Packaging Technology Inc., CROWN Packaging Trinidad Limited, CROWN Packaging UK Limited, CROWN Promotional Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN SIEM, CROWN Senegal, CROWN Societe Malgache d'Emballages Metalliques, CROWN Speciality Packaging BV, CROWN Speciality Packaging Investment Pte. Ltd., CROWN Specialty Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN TCP Beverage Cans Company Limited, CROWN Verpakking Belgie NV, CROWN Verpakking Nederland B.V., Caretex Asia Ltd., CarnaudMetalbox Engineering Ltd, CarnaudMetalbox Food South Africa (Pty) Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Group UK Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overeseas Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overseas Limited, Cierres Hermeticos S.A. DE C.V., Constar International, Crown Americas Capital Corp., Crown Americas Capital Corp. II, Crown Americas Capital Corp. III, Crown Americas Capital Corp. IV, Crown Americas Capital Corp. V, Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI, Crown Brasil Holdings Ltda., Crown Canadian Holdings ULC, Crown Closures Spain S.L., Crown Colombiana S.A., Crown Comercial de Envases S.L., Crown Commercial Italy Srl, Crown Commercial Polska Sp. z.o.o., Crown Consultants Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Company (DE) LLC, Crown Cork & Seal Company Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Crown Cork & Seal Receivables (DE) Corporation, Crown Cork & Seal de Portugal Embalagens S.A., Crown Cork Kuban, Crown Cork and Seal Receivables II LLC, Crown Developpement SAS, Crown European Holdings, Crown Food Espana S.A.U., Crown Foodcan Turkey Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Crown Hellas Can Packaging SA, Crown Heshan Trading Company Limited, Crown Holdings Italia Srl, Crown Holdings Spain S.L., Crown International Holdings B.V., Crown International Holdings Inc., Crown Luxembourg Holdings, Crown Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Crown Overseas Investments B.V., Crown Packaging Commercial UK Limited, Crown Packaging Distribution UK Limited, Crown Packaging European Division GmbH, Crown Packaging European Division Services SAS, Crown Packaging European Holdings GmbH, Crown Packaging Lux I S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux II S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux III S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Manufacturing UK Limited, Crown Packaging Maroc, Crown Receivables III, Crown Services Iberia, Crown UK Holdings Limited, Crownway Insurance Company, Dacro B.V., EMPAQUE, Fabricas Monterrey S.A. de C.V., Form Koruyucu Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Foshan Continental Can Co. Limited, Foshan Crown Easy-Opening End Co. Limited, Glass & Silice S.A. DE C.V., Globoplastt s.r.o., Gunther S.A.S., Haloila Bulgaria EOOD, Interstrap B.V., Josef Kihlberg AB, Kiwiplan GmbH, Kiwiplan Inc, Lachenmeier ApS, Liljendals Bruk AB, Litec France S.A.S., Mezger Heftsysteme GmbH, Mima Films S.a.r.l., Mima Films Sprl, Mima Packaging Systems S.A.S., Mivisa, Nordic S.A.S., Norsk Signode AS, Oy M. Haloila AB, PT CROWN Beverage Cans Indonesia, Package Design and Manufacturing, Prolatamex S.A. DE C.V., Quandel Verpackungs- und Foerdertechnik GmbH, SMB Schwede Maschinenbau GmbH, SMP Schwede Maschinenbau Weischlitz GmbH, SPG Denmark, SPG France Holdings SAS, SPG Germany Service Management GmbH, SPG Industrial Packaging S.a.r.l, SPG Netherlands B.V., SPG Packaging Ireland Limited, SPG Packaging Systems GmbH, SPG Packaging UK Ltd, Scybele S.A.S., Shippers Europe S.p.r.l., Signode BVBA, Signode Brasileira Ltda, Signode Hong Kong Limited, Signode Industrial Group, Signode Industrial Group AB, Signode Industrial Group Colombia S.A.S., Signode Industrial Group GmbH, Signode Industrial Group Holdings Lux S.a.r.l., Signode Industrial Group Holdings US Inc, Signode Industrial Group Lux S.A., Signode Industrial Group Mexico, Signode Industrial Group Sweden AB, Signode International Holdings LLC, Signode International IP Holdings LLC, Signode International Investment LLC, Signode Kabushiki Kaisha, Signode Korea Inc, Signode NZ Limited, Signode Netherlands B.V., Signode Packaging (Qingdao) Co., Signode Packaging (Shanghai) Co., Signode Packaging Espana S.L., Signode Packaging Group (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Signode Packaging Group Australia Pty Ltd, Signode Packaging Group Canada ULC, Signode Packaging Group NZ, Signode Packaging Systems Limited, Signode Pickling Holding LLC, Signode Polska sp. Z.o.o., Signode Singapore Pte. Ltd., Signode Sweden Holdings AB, Signode System GmbH, Signode System Packaging GmbH & Co. KG, Signode Systems (Thailand) Ltd., Signode US IP Holdings LLC, Silice De Veracruz S.A. DE C. V., Silice Del Istmo S.A. DE C.V., Silices De Veracruz, Societe Civile Immobiliere Rousseau-Ivry, Societe Civile Immobiliere des Baquets, Societe de Participations CarnaudMetalbox, Stopak India Pvt. Ltd, Strapex Austria GmbH, Strapex Embalagem L.d.a., Strapex Holdings Limited, Strapex S.A.S., Strapex Srl, Superior Investments Holdings Pte. Ltd., Superior Multi-Packaging Limited, TopFrame LLC, V.A.C. B.V., Vichisa S.A. de C.V., and Warehouse Automation Iberia S.L..
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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FLOYD- Around 3 p.m. on Friday, crews were called to an accident on State Route 274 in the Town of Floyd and found a tractor trailer overturned in a ditch.

Deputies said the tractor trailer had a load of lumber, and oil dislodged onto the road. They said Nicholas Hughes, 26, of Norwich was driving the vehicle and failed to stay in his lane. They said he went off the road into a ditch, and the tractor trailer landed on it's roof.

No one was injured, but hughes was issued a traffic ticket for failure to maintain the lane, and operating an uninspected vehicle.

Notifications were made to ENCON for any additional fuel that was dislodged during the accident.

Deputies were assisted on scene by New York State Police, Floyd Fire Department and Holland Patent Fire Department.

The roadway is open to all traffic.
The Slavic or the Slavonic languages refers to a group of languages used by the Slavic people, which all originated from the Indo-European language. The Slavic language is grouped into three categories of East Slavic languages which encompass Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian; the West Slavic languages which include Slovak, Czech, and Polish; and the South Slavic which include Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbia/Croatian/ Bosnian, and Slovenian. The current distribution of native speakers of the Slavic languages covers the areas of Balkans, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, North and Northern Central Asia, and Russia. The total numbers of the speakers of the Slavic languages are estimated to be about 315 million people. All the Slavic languages are strongly related, but they are also distantly related to Germanic and other romance languages.

Russian

Russian is an East Slavic language. It is closely related to Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Rusyn. These languages are also spoken interchangeably in east and south of Ukraine and throughout Belarus. The Russian language has numerous lexical similarities with the Bulgarian language although they differ remarkably grammatically. The Russian language has native speakers in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Ukraine among other former Soviet states. As of 2017, there were 154 million native speakers of the language and 265 million speakers globally.

Ukrainian

The Ukrainian language is the official language of Ukraine. The unrecognized state of Transnistria has the language as one of the three official languages, with the other languages being Romanian and Russian. Linguists believe that the Ukrainian language originated from the Old Slavic language, which was used in the early medieval Kievan Rus. The language has been used since the 17th century, and it is thought to be closely associated with Cossack Hetmanate. There are approximately 50 million native speakers of Ukrainian language worldwide, which include 37.5 million in Ukraine; equivalent to 77.8% of the total population. The Ukrainian language is widely used in the western and central part of the country. In the capital city of Kiev, the Russian and Ukrainian languages are common.

Polish

Polish is the most spoken Slavic language after Russian. There are approximately 50 million Polish speakers in the world, and it has earned a position as one of the official languages of the European Union. Aside from being the language of the majority in Poland, Polish is also spoken in other countries such as Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus. It is the most widely used minority language in Lithuania. As of 2011, there were at least 500,000 people in England and Wales who use the Polish language.There are other significant numbers of people of Polish origin in Canada, particularly in Montreal and Toronto.

Czech

The Czech language is one of the west Slavic languages of the Czech-Slovak group of languages. More than 10 million people speak Czech, and it is the official language in the Czech Republic. The language has a close relationship with the Slovak language, and they are mutually intelligible to a higher degree. The Czech language is a fusional language having a rich system of morphology and relatively flexible word order. The main vernacular language, which is also known as the common Czech language, is based on the vernacular of Prague, which is now widely spoken throughout the Czech Republic. The Moravian dialects are common particularly in the eastern part of the country, and they are also categorized as the Czech language, although some of the variants in the eastern part of the country are closely related to the Slovak language.

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Montenegran

The Serbo-Croatian language is one of the South Slavic languages. It is widely used in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The language is pluricentric, having four mutually intelligible variant languages. The language goes by Bosnian, Coatian, Serbian, or Montenegran.
The Trucial States was a collection of various sheikhdoms that allied themselves permanently to the British through a number of treaties. The region was also known as the Trucial coast, Trucial Sheikhdoms, the Trucial States of the Coast of Oman, Trucial Oman, or the pirate coast. The states were located on the southeastern side of the Persian Gulf. Each of the states had its own needs and aspirations, hence had its own treaty with the United Kingdom. The treaties led to a truce hence the name the Trucial States. The treaties led to the formation of an official British Protectorate in 1820. The Trucial sheikhdoms are Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah, which today are the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates.

Overview of the Trucial States

All the sheikhdoms allied themselves to the British with the first treaty being the General Maritime Treaty of 1820. It was followed by the Perpetual Maritime agreement of 1853. In 1892, the exclusivity agreement was entered. In the 1890s, Britain sought to stamp its authority further by formalizing all the agreements previously made with the rulers in the Gulf region. The decision was triggered by the French and Russians who had started showing renewed interests in the gulf. The terms of the treaty were that the British would defend the sheikhdoms from any external aggression in return for their undivided loyalty to the British. The sheikhdoms were to further have no dealings with other rulers without express authority from the British.

Administration of the Trucial States

The British had no intention of controlling the commercial and domestic affairs of the Trucial States even after formalizing the treaties. All they wanted was to secure the transport and communication channel to India which were very crucial to the British. The sheikhdoms were therefore left without a British political ruler until after the Second World War. The states were self-administering. In 1951, a Trucial States Council (T.S.C) was established to resolve allegiance and border disputes. The current UAE Supreme Council is the successor of the Trucial States Council.

Role of the British Within the Trucial States

There was not much activity from the British in the Trucial States. With the advent of airplanes, there was a need to build the first British facility which was an airfield in Sharjah for passengers of the Imperial Airways. However, the economic and strategic significance of the coast changed dramatically with the discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi. Iraq Petroleum company, which was owned by the British, bought the concessions of oil. Abu Dhabi and Dubai became the leading producers of oil making the British concentrate more in affairs of that sheikhdom. The biggest and final political undertaking by the British was a bloodless coup in 1966 against the ruler of Abu Dhabi. The Sheikh of Abu Dhabi was removed due mismanagement of oil and resources generated from oil a factor that had hindered the British access to the oil.

When Did The Trucial States Come To An End?

In 1968, the British declared their intention of completely ending its protectorate over the Gulf region by 1971. The announcement led to negotiations among the rulers of the Trucial region and the other protectorates of Bahrain and Qatar on how to fill in the power vacuum. Proposals to join the region into one autonomous country were rejected since the involved parties could not agree on political boundaries and power-sharing formulae. Consequently, Bahrain and Qatar became nations on their own. On December 1971, the United Arab Emirates came into existence with Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Dubai and Ajman as members. Ras Al Khaimah became a member of the union on February 10, 1972.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23)  Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi assured Friday that the recently-signed joint oil and gas exploration deal between the Philippines and China will not affect existing petroleum Service Contracts (SC).

"The MOU signed with China provides a framework for any possible future cooperation, which may or may not include joint exploration between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea. I must emphasize that whatever the outcome of this MOU (memorandum of understanding), the rights of existing Service Contract holders will be protected," he said in a statement.

As Energy Secretary, Cusi stressed his top priority is to ensure the country's energy supply.

"A component of this is developing new indigenous energy resources in the West Philippine Sea," he added.

CNN Philippines obtained a copy of the MOU between Manila and Beijing. It does not specify areas where joint oil exploration can be conducted, but Beijing authorized the state-run China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) as its representative firm in talks for oil exploration.

The Philippines has named its authorized representative firm, but the MOU states that the state-led Philippine National Oil Company - Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) would serve as the representative enterprise if no specific contractor is named in an area for exploration.

Cusi earlier said the CNOOC expressed interest in partnering with PNOC-EC in SC 57, located in Northwest Palawan and covering about 712,000 hectares.

Critics earlier expressed concern that the MOU would give Beijing rights over the Philippines' natural resources within its exclusive economic zone that are also claimed by China.
Black Friday saw strikes and protests by thousands of Amazon warehouse workers across Europe. Action was taken to protest brutal working conditions on the biggest sales day of the year in Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and France, as well as at UK distribution centres by off-shift workers.

Various national trade unions were involved, with demands focussed on union recognition at Amazon. The protests and strikes were therefore of a token character, often small and mounted by organisations whose real aim is official recognition by Amazon as an industry partner, i.e., a policeman over the workforce. Tim Roache, the general secretary of the GMB union in Britain, told Business Insider: All we want is to get Amazon around the table.

UNI Global, an international trade union federation that helped coordinate the walkout, said roughly 2,400 staff struck in Europe, with other reports citing larger figures. The bulk of this was accounted for by Germany and Spain, with German union Ver.di saying 1,000 workers walked out. Spanish unions cited 1,600 striking workers. There are no media accounts of action in either Italy or Poland.

The GMBs publicity material for protests in the UK, outside distribution hubs in Rugeley, Swansea, Peterborough, Milton Keynes and Warrington, highlighted what it described as frankly inhuman working conditions. Freedom of Information requests showed that by June, ambulances had been called out 600 times to 14 UK Amazon warehouses over the past three years. This included a staggering 115 times at Amazons Rugeley depot. Incidents included electric shocks, bleeding, chest pain and major trauma. Ambulances were called out three times for pregnancy/maternity.

Anonymous interviews collected by the GMB cited one worker as stating: I am pregnant and they put me to stand 10 hours without a chair They are telling me to work hard even [though] they know I am pregnant. I am feeling depressed when I am at work. Another described Amazon as an awful place to work, where people cant breathe or voice an opinion and are left feeling like a trapped animal with lack of support and respect.

They are breaking bones, being knocked unconscious and being taken away in ambulances, Roach told Business Insider. The GMB published a video of staff telling Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos we are not robots in five different languages.

An Amazon spokesman replied, All of our sites are safe places to work and reports to the contrary are simply wrong.

Outside the Warrington warehouse, the protest consisted of GMB union officials handing out leaflets. One worker starting his shift told World Socialist Web Site reporters, Im from eastern Europe and am on 9.50 an hour here. There are many migrants working at the plant. I have only ever worked in warehouses. Thats the only work around. Its hard. You have to be fit to do it.

Another worker said he would read the International Amazon Workers Voice leaflet. I need to clock on, but I have only one thing to say. I would really love to protest against Amazon. I really would.

In Spain, yesterdays 24-hour strike action, called by the CCOO union at Amazons Madrid depot at San Fernando de Henares, continues today. Further strikes are planned throughout the Christmas and New year sales periodon December 7, 9, 15, and 30, and January 3 and 4. The depot employs around 2,000 people. Reports on participation are highly contradictory, but the union says 80 percent of the first shift came out and that the depot was at a standstill. The CCOO says it is opposing a new contract already implemented in Barcelona, where strikes did not take placeallowing Amazon to shift work to minimise the impact of the Madrid action.

In France, the CGT and SUD trade unions called action in opposition to Black Friday and related peak-sale super-exploitation of workers at the Lauwin-Planque warehouse in Lille.

In Germany, workers at warehouses at Bad Hersfeld in Hesse, the companys largest, and Rheinberg in North-Rhine Westphalia struck at the beginning of the night shift on Thursday until the end of Friday. The action is part of a now four-year campaign by the Ver.di union seeking a collective bargaining agreement for the companys 12,000 German employees, including payment according to higher retail and mail order rates.

An Amazon dispatch worker from Leipzig, who wanted to remain anonymous, explained to the WSWS the dilemma facing his work colleagues. Everyone is critical of the bad working conditions and low wages and most would take part in strikes, he said. There is the fear that Amazon will take personal action against them and throw them out.

But above all my colleagues are completely disillusioned with Ver.di. Nobody believes that the unions will achieve anything and organise a serious struggle.

The worker added: The union always blames the workers. I blame the union. There are strikes in Bad Hersfeld and Rheinsberg, but here in Leipzig you dont notice anything! Why? And in Poland, in Breslau, which is just around the corner, the working conditions are supposed to be even worse. So why is there not a strike with the colleagues there?

The regulations governing the breaks are an absolute disgrace. I work a total of 8.5 hours at Amazon. But only 7.75 hours are paid. The rest is an unpaid break and is divided into twoone 20 minutes, the other 25 minutes long. Amazon considers the walk to the break rooms as a break. The bottom line is that you have a break of 10 minutes, because you need 5 minutes to get back!

The worker said that employees are constantly monitored through scanners and electronic devices so that management always knows exactly who does what and for how long. The company records every single step, even when you are going to the toilet too often.

Management is trying to systematically squeeze out the workers here and drive them to ever greater speed ups, he added. There are bonus weeks, where you get 20 more per day, if you come to work for a whole week. If youre sick or just a minute late, the bonus for the day or week is completely gone. You have to show up at work even when you are sick. In a training course on ergonomic movement, the presentation video showed workers performing certain movements, for example to protect their backs. One colleague said this is all well and good, but completely out of touch with reality. Nobody has the time to move so slowly. In the last rush hour she was lucky that no forklift truck drove over her feet!

Shannon Allen, an Amazon worker and whistleblower in Haslet, Texas, said she supported the struggle by workers internationally. I stand in solidarity with all workers who are fighting back against Amazon, she said. Responding to the video of workers declaring that we are not robots, she commented: Its true, they do treat people like robots. They dont treat you like a human being. They just see how much work they can get out of you before they are done with you. Its not just happening in the UK. Its happening here in the US, too, and more and more people are speaking out about it.

Shannon wanted to emphasize to workers who feel isolated and reluctant to come forward that you are not the only one. People do not realize that its not just happening at [fulfillment center] DFW-7 in Haslet, Texas. It is happening at DFW-6. Its happening around the world. Its happening everywhere.

Shannon has been reaching out to striking workers on social media and said, Its important for Amazon workers to link up around the world.
On Chicagos predominantly working class South and West sides sit many of the citys industrial plants from which smoke and toxins infiltrate the air and, in many instances, the soil of those living nearby, some just feet away. On numerous occasions, city residents have complained and pleaded for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate what is pumped out of them and to stop the construction of new plants in residential areas.

The health risk associated with air pollution is enormous. According to the American Lung Association, it increases the risk of premature death and other serious health effects such as lung cancer, asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm.

Asthma hospitalization rates in Chicago are twice the national average of the United States.

Facing public pressure, a so-called environmental justice policy was put in place in the 1990s.

After the EPA receives a construction permit request from a business, the EPA determines within ninety days to issue the permit. During this time, the EPA will notify elected officials and community organizations if the area where the permit is seeking construction resides within a minority or low-income population twice the statewide average.

However, a recent report from the Chicago Tribune found the EPA has done little to nothing to inform residents of the construction of new plants. According to the Tribune, nearly 2,000 permits for construction were filed as complete between January 2015 and August 2018 in the EPAs environmental justice outreach database. In other words, the EPA marks these as having notified residents of some 2,000 construction projects which would be taking place in their neighborhood.

But, the Tribune states, for over half of the cases a notification letter was not sent. Among those sent, some 80 of those were given the minimum allotted time to respond of two weeks.

In July of this year, MAT Asphalt began producing asphalt in Chicagos working class McKinley Park neighborhood on the southwest side. The EPA received the permit request in July 2017 but informed residents just two weeks before the plant began operations.

The plant is adjacent to a popular park where families and friends gather to socialize. Asphalt plants are known to produce fine particles which can cause breathing problems. They are also known to produce benzene, which has been linked to leukemia.

While the owner of MAT Asphalt stated the plant uses new techniques to reduce the release of harmful substances, Dr. Lynn Goldman, a dean at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, told the Tribune, Even when facilities dont work with toxic materials, just the traffic alone is creating a hazard. Think about trash transfer, big lots for school buses and delivery trucks. If these trucks are lining up and idling, they can really create a hotspot of air pollution.

Like many major cities in the United States and the world, Chicago confronts a staggering environmental health crisis, of which the working class bears the brunt.

The environmental advocacy Natural Resources Defense Council reported in October that Chicagos poor and working class West and South sides are exposed to the greatest levels of toxic air pollution and other environmental health toxins in the city. The findings were based on eleven environmental guidelines defined by the EPA, including toxic air and water pollution, lead paint exposure, vehicle traffic and nearness to hazardous waste.

In April, the American Lung Association published their 2018 State of the Air Report and gave Chicago a grade of F for air pollution due to an increase of unhealthy ozone pollution days rising from last years 18 to 28. Chicago is now the 22nd most polluted city in the United States, worse than last years 26th ranking.

The EPA has consistently paved the way for businesses in Chicago and Illinois to buy up the cheapest lands, often in poor and working class neighborhoods, and allow the building of toxic spewing plants all with little oversight. At the same time, it has concealed from public view enormous health risks from already operating plants.

In August, the EPA informed residents of Willowbrook, some thirty-five miles southwest of Chicago, that the Willowbrook-based medical sterilization Sterigenics plant, was releasing cancer-causing ethylene oxide into the air.

The Tribune reported: Long-term exposure to ethylene oxide can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs, and harm the brain and nervous system (causing effects such as headaches, memory loss, numbness). Studies show that breathing air containing elevated ethylene oxide levels over many years increases the risk of some types of cancers, including cancers of the white blood cells (such as non-Hodgkins lymphoma, myeloma and lymphocytic leukemia); and breast cancer in females.

Some 19,000 people live within one mile of the plant. The EPA estimated that chance those living in one census tract near the plant will contract cancer is more than nine times the national average.

In October, the Tribune reported the EPA along with Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the Trump administration knew about the about the high cancer risks of the Sterigenics plant in December 2017 but said nothing. A private equity firm co-founded by Rauner has owned Sterigenics since 2011. Rauner left the firm in 2012 to run for governor.

A December 22, 2017 letter, obtained by the Tribune, from leading EPA official Ed Nam to a Sterigenics executive and Julie Armitage, the Illinois EPA chief air bureau, confirmed they knew of the plants cancer risks.

EPA has calculated a cancer risk of approximately 1,000 in a million at the nearest residence, exceeding our typical upper limit of cancer risk acceptability, wrote Nam. EPA would like to provide Sterigenics with the opportunity to review our modeling and to suggest improvements for accuracy.

The EPA ordered Sterigenics to temporarily halt production in October.

In November, the Illinois EPA revealed two more plants are releasing cancer-causing pollutants. Medline Industries, in the northern Illinois city of Waukegan, releases the same ethylene oxide as Sterigenics with some 19,000 people, the EPA reports, living within the cancer risk zone near it.

Vantage Specialty Chemicals in Gurnee, also in northern Illinois, released 6,412 pounds of ethylene oxide into the air in 2014, more than Sterigenics or Medline during the same time. Approximately 24,000 people live within the high risk cancer zone of the plant.

The EPA, again, knew well in advance but said nothing.
Dozens of young people joined a demonstration yesterday in Geelong50 kilometres southwest of Melbourneto voice their concern over climate change and the destruction of the global environment.

Students at the rally in Geelong

The protest was one of the school walk-outs to be held across Australia toward the end of the month. Thousands of youth have promoted the events on social media, pointing to a growing political radicalisation.

Students gathered outside the office of the local federal member of parliament, Richard Marles, an Australian Labor Party shadow minister, along with parents and others concerned about climate change. Many students were from Kardinia International Collegea private school.

A section of the rally

At the rally, students spoke about their concerns over climate change, poverty and social conditions, particularly for youth.

Jude speaking at the walk-out

Jude, one of the protests year 11 organisers, spoke of the importance of seeing dedicated kids out, speaking about their future and starting to make a change, because change starts with us. He continued: It wont start with politicians or those who have power. It has to be a ground-up process. He added: There are others all around the world who are rallying together to make a change for their future.

Jude noted that in our lives, we have more access to technology than ever, more access to climate data, more access to politics and the events that are occurring, and this will dictate the future of the planet.

In concluding his speech, he said: We are tired of the inaction. The decisions made today will affect our planet tomorrow. Whilst these movements have fallen on deaf ears in the past, that cannot happen any longer. This is a problem that cannot be ignored.

Dom

A number of students delivered impromptu speeches. Dom, another year 11 student, said climate change affects us all, young and old.

One student said: I, like a lot of young people, thought there was nothing I could really do about climate change. Im 15, so I thought I really had no power. But then, when I read the UN climate report which shows that, by 2030, there will be an increase in natural disasters and poverty, I really felt like I have to do something.

She continued: The reason why we are all out here is to ask our politicians to represent us, because clearly, on this issue, we are not being represented.

Evrim Yazgin, the president of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) club at the University of Melbourne, was invited to speak. Yazgin began: The IYSSE welcomes the widest participation by youth and students in the demonstrations on climate change and we are here in solidarity with you today.

Evrim addressing the rally

Yazgin said: Young people today face a future of environmental destruction, unending war, growing social inequality and attacks on democratic rights. The official political establishment has nothing to offer young people. All the major partiesLabor, Liberals, Greensrepresent the interests of a tiny, wealthy minority.

Yazgin emphasised: The critical question is: What political perspective will halt and reverse environmental destruction, the drive to war, growing poverty and authoritarianism? The root cause of all these social problems was the global capitalist system. Therefore, the political perspective that is required to provide youth with a future free from war, inequality, authoritarianism and environmental catastrophe must be anti-capitalist and socialist.

The IYSSE speaker explained that under socialism, wealth distribution will be based on need, not profit. The rational reorganisation of society along socialist lines will mean resources being poured into education, healthcare, the environment, and other social programs, not war, censorship, or the accumulation of wealth by a tiny minority.

Yazgin called on those present to join the building of an international revolutionary socialist movement opposed to war, inequality, censorship and environmental destruction. He urged everyone to read the World Socialist Web Site and attend the upcoming public lectures being held by the IYSSE and the Socialist Equality Party.

After the speeches, students and parents spoke with WSWS reporters.

Mick and his son

Mick, who attended the rally with his 13-year-old son, said: Its great to see that these kids are linking up to a global conversation. Its pathetic whats going on at the moment with politics. Politicians dont have a plan for the environment. They arent even talking about the environment.

Saskia, who attended the protest with a group of friends from her school, said: Politicians are too focused on whats happening right now, not what will happen to future generations.

One of the rallys student organisers, Laura Kelly, said: I think its important that all these youth are coming around. You see 30 kids around here, all different ages, and we are fighting for our futurenot just our future but the future generations that will be after us. Were not able to vote but I think its really important that were putting our voice out there.

Laura

Laura continued: This youth movement is just getting started, so we havent properly seen the actual effect that it has. But I think the powerful thing is that we are the majority. Weve got all the facts, we know that were heading in the wrong direction, and I think its important that all of us can see that and that were all doing something about it. Im so excited that there are so many young kids around. There are a heap of us year 11, but theres also a variety of different ages, which is really touching.

Speaking on socialism, Laura said: I actually study global politics at school, and we look at different theories on power, and the socialist power is really interesting because its such a humanitarian and ideal approach to life. The benefits that are described in theory seem so ideal and I think thats really powerful. People have the same levels of power, money and equality. Thats really cool.

Peter

Peter, Lauras father, commented: Hearing all the young people speak over the course of the last 15 or 20 minutes, I feel really humbled that weve got all these fantastic young people really thinking about this issue and putting forward a lot of thought and ideas, and aspirations. They want to live a better future, and a lot of that is driven by the conditions around us, including our environment, which is just so critical in terms of our health and wellbeing and the way we live together.

Peter added: The political structures weve had up to this stage havent done a fantastic job, in terms of really looking after the world more generally. We need to restructure our political frameworks and ideology to bring it to the fore. I think they [the students] are on the right track. The older generation, we cant just sit back and expect them to do itweve got to support them as well.

At the end of the rally, a number of students were invited to meet Marles in his office. However, as a capitalist politician, he has no intention or perspective to act to stem climate change at the expense of big business.

As the IYSSE wrote in a statement published on the WSWS this week: The starting point is to recognise that the fundamental problem is the capitalist profit system and the division of the planet into competing national-states. Capitalism prevents any rational, global plan being implemented to carry out the necessary drastic and rapid reduction in carbon emissions, while protecting the living standards of the worlds population.
As the government of French President Emanuel Macron moved to ban protests against its fuel tax increase, strikes and demonstrations in support of the protest movement spread across France yesterday.

At present, the Facebook pages associated with the fuel tax protests, referring to themselves as yellow vests, have defied the government order and are maintaining calls for protests at Place de la Concorde. Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part at the capital from cities and towns across the country for the second successive Saturday. There are growing rumors that railway workers will allow demonstrators to travel by train to the capital for free. They will be met by thousands of riot officers and police dispatched by the government of President Emmanuel Macron.

In a press statement on the protest, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner indicated that he had excluded the possibility that it will occur at the Place de la Concordes for obvious reasons of security. The square is next to the US Embassy and the Elysee Palace, which houses the president. Castaner similarly threatened that the judicial response will be uncompromising in case of trouble.

The prefect of Bordeaux, Didier Lallement, has issued an interim order outlawing a protest in the center of the city.

The governments threats have been largely met with anger and rejection by workers in France, in Belgiumwhere yellow vest protests are also taking placeand internationally. Since the first protest on November 17, it has become clear that the movement against Macrons fuel tax increase was an initial expression of explosive social discontent among broad sections of workers and in the middle class across Europe.

After roadblocks were organized on roadways outside various workplaces, workers have gone on strike in support of the fight against Macron.

While strikes are taking place at Amazon in Germany, Spain and the UK, Amazon workers on strike at Lauwin-Planque in the north of France joined with groups of yellow vest protesters near their hub, where traffic had been affected by a roadblock. Truck drivers honked their horns in support of the protest as they drove past.

After police forces shut down roadblocks outside the Esso oil refinery in Fos-sur-Mer, in the south of France, a strike movement has struck six out of seven refineries in the country.

The Stalinist General Confederation of Labor (CGT) unions, whose leadership is openly hostile to the protest movement and has denounced it as neo-fascist, insists that the strikes have nothing to do with the demands of the yellow vest protesters against Macron. Yesterday, the head of the CGT, Phillippe Martinez, issued another attack on the protests, warning that they contained extreme-right elements.

The annual industry-wide wage negotiations opened today. This is a day of action across all the sites facing job cuts, Fabien Cros, a CGT at the La Mede refinery, told AFP. Nonetheless, Cross was forced to admit that around 150 strikers at La Mede had joined a blockade of around 50 yellow vest protesters at a roundabout entrance to the refinery, and were distributing leaflets there. No product is entering or leaving from the depot, he added.

Contacted by telephone, one striker told AFP: We are not against any struggle; everything is good against Macron. We are totally fed up.

These statements make clear that the trade unions, supported by parties such as the New Anticapitalist Party and Jean-luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France, are fighting to protect Macron. But they are being shaken by the rapid entrance of large sections of workers into struggle against the government.

To keep control of the workers anger and avoid being pushed aside, some union officials are switching to nominally support the protests. The CGT port and dockworkers unions have declared their support. One official, Herve Caux, explained: A lot of our workers are yellow vest protesters and the government is indecent. To force it to bend, we have to be together.

On Reunion Island, where Macron has threatened to dispatch the military against protesters, dockworkers joined the blockade at the East Port, while 16 roadblocks were reported on the principal roads on the island.

At the same time, thousands of protesters continued to organize roadblocks across France and Belgium yesterday. They shut down highways near Montelimar in Frances southeastern Drome department, in Brittany, Normandie, and in the regions of Agen, Toulouse, Narbonne and Beziers. They blocked multiple shopping centres in Carpentras as well as multiple sites in Belgium to mark Black Friday.

The decisive question remains to orient the movement against Macrons austerity measures toward the international working class, and to organize independently of the trade unions. Workers face not merely an economic struggle but a political fight against the Macron government and the entire European Union that stands behind it. It is therefore necessary to build a Marxist leadership of the working class to wage such a fight.

As Macron seeks to suppress the yellow vest protests and reinstate the military draft in order to promote nationalism and militarism, the fight for an internationalist, socialist and revolutionary perspective is critical. Against the determination of the financial aristocracy and their political representatives to impose their will upon the whole of society, the development of working-class struggles poses ever-more directly the necessity of taking power into the hands of the working class itself.

The yellow vest protests remain at present a politically heterogeneous movement. Tendencies of a right-wing and extreme-right character are seeking to influence it. But as the working class enters into struggle against Macron, the right wing is increasingly abandoning the protests. Laurent Wauquiez, the leader of the Republicans who joined the protest last Saturday, has made clear he will not participate in todays demonstration.

At the same time, certain figures in the yellow vest protest have publicly distanced themselves from the right wing, including Eric Drouet, the truck driver who issued one of the original calls for protests on Facebook.

Drouet wrote in a Facebook post: It is important that every person who wishes to participate in this movement be able to do so, no matter their skin color, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender or religion No, the Yellow Vests are not the sheep of nationalists, fascists and other extremist movements, just as our movement is not represented by any party or union. We denounce the governments tax on those most in need while it enriches the ultra-wealthy.
In conjunction with Mehring Books, the Socialist Equality Party (Canada) is holding a public meeting in Montreal on the evening of Wednesday, November 28 to review the contemporary significance of the life and struggle of Leon Trotsky. (Scroll to the bottom for meeting details.)

Co-leader of the Russian Revolution, chief protagonist in the struggle against the Stalinist bureaucracy that usurped power from the Soviet working class, founder of the Fourth InternationalTrotskys political and theoretical conceptions are vital to an understanding of the contemporary crisis of world capitalism and the elaboration of a socialist internationalist strategy for the working class.

It is for this reason that Trotsky, more than three-quarters of a century after his assassination, continues to be the target of historical vilification.

The November 28 meeting will see the Canadian launch of the French-language edition of David Norths In Defense of Leon Trotsky (Defense de Leon Trotsky), which demonstrates the continuity between contemporary rightwing attacks on Trotsky and the Russian Revolution and the lies and calumnies promoted by the Stalin school of historical falsification.

North, the Chairman of the World Socialist Web Site, has explained that the defence of Trotskys legacy is critical, for it is impossible to fight for socialism in the twenty-first century without studying and assimilating the lessons of Trotskys struggle against Stalinism in the twentieth century. This remains the fundamental theoretical and political struggle of the last century, of the most profound and immediate significance to every critical issue of political strategy that confronts workers and all those seeking seriously the correct path of struggle against capitalism in the contemporary world.

The main speaker at the Montreal meeting will be Keith Jones, the National Secretary of the SEP (Canada). A period of questions and discussion will follow.

Montreal

Wednesday, November 28, at 7 PM

UQAM-Universite du Quebec a Montreal

Pavillon Hubert-Aquin, Room A-1745

400 rue Sainte-Catherine Est

(near the Berri-UQAM Metro)
On Monday, November 19, Sandra Parks, a 13-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin schoolgirl and writer, was shot and killed by an apparent stray bullet, one of four that entered her home and struck her while she was in her bedroom. Parks is the seventh Milwaukee Public School student killed this year via homicide, the twelfth child killed by firearms, and the 91st overall homicide in the Midwest states largest city.

In what is now a standard response to every social crime or emergency that befalls workers under capitalism, a GoFundMe account has been set up by the family to help pay for exorbitant funeral costs.

Parks placed third in a school-wide district writing contest, held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., two years ago this week. In her moving essay, titled, Our Truth, Parks vividly described the social deterioration and trauma of daily life experienced by the youth and working class in the city.

Sometimes, I sit back and I have to escape from what I see and hear every day. I put my headphones on and let the music take me away. I move to the beat and try to think about life and what everything means. When I do; I come to the same conclusion we are in a state of chaos. In the city in which I live, I hear and see examples of chaos almost everyday. Little children are victims of senseless gun violence.

Following her death, Parks words have resonated with workers, parents and children across the country who are searching for solutions to prevent this type of senseless violence, which is pervasive throughout American society.

Six shell casings were recovered outside her familys north Milwaukee home. Two young men have been charged with reckless homicide in connection with the killing, Isaac D. Barnes, 26, and Untrell Oden, 27. Milwaukee Police conducted house to house searches throughout the neighborhood with tactical officers donning body armor and carrying automatic rifles in search of the suspected shooters. Barnes and Oden were located a couple of blocks away from the shooting and surrendered without incident. Both had been arrested and incarcerated previously for various petty crimes, including armed robbery.

The response from representatives of the ruling class is the same ineffectual drivel that has produced a social catastrophe for the working class. Milwaukees Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett, who has held the position since 2004, that is, a year before Sandra Parks was born, has overseen years of rising unemployment, poverty, and homeless rates. In a press conference held the following day, Barrett lamented the insanity of gun violence and once again called for sensible gun control measures. Barnes and Oden, due to prior convictions, were already not permitted to own or possess firearms.

The now rote call for gun control will do nothing to address the underlying cause of social violence in the United States, primarily the capitalist system and the historic levels of social inequality it has produced. Throughout Sandra Parks entire life, her neighborhood has been ground zero for social devastation overseen by the Democratic Party and their functionaries in the trade unions.

The ZIP Code Parks resided in, 53206, is often cited as the poorest zip code in Wisconsin, but this was not always the case. Beginning in the early 1980s, companies such as Allis-Chalmers, Delco, AC Spark Plug, Pabst, Louis Allis, Kearney & Trecker, Outboard Marine and Marine Corporation (banking) left the area in search of cheaper labor to exploit and greater profits. Trade union bureaucrats in the United Auto Workers and United Steelworkers oversaw the elimination of jobs at the behest of stockholders and the suppression of the class struggle, all while maintaining their bloated salaries and coveted positions.

This hollowing out of the industrial urban center has lead to rising poverty rates among all residents, regardless of race. In the latest supplement to the 2016 Wisconsin Poverty Report, which focused on Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Poverty Measure (WPM), which includes non-cash benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) when determining poverty, exposes the high levels of poverty in Parks neighborhood.

For a family of four in Wisconsin, the WPM poverty line was determined to be $26,500, in Sandras neighborhood, approximately 40.5 percent of black residents were at or below this line, compared to 32.5 percent of white residents. When narrowed to just children, the rate remains roughly the same for blacks, 39.0 percent, while the rate for white children in the same neighborhood increased to 65.3 percent, the highest in the state. This forced the authors of the report to conclude, The concurrence of high black and white poverty in central Milwaukee suggests that place matters for all races, and that whites who live in poor places do as poorly as blacks.

The erosion of jobs and siphoning of wealth from working class communities to billion dollar companies and their shareholders has also had a devastating effect on Milwaukees physical infrastructure. Similar to Flint, and thousands of other American cities, clean water is now a luxury throughout the city, as the share of children exposed to lead poisoning has continued to increase. As reported in March of this year by CBS, 11.6 percent of Milwaukee children, over three times the national average, were found to have contracted lead poisoning.

While Mayor Barrett sought to blame lead-based paint, which is still in over 100,000 Milwaukee homes, for the poisoning of thousands of children, Milwaukee continues to use over 74,125 lead-based service pipes to deliver water to residents. Lead pipes have been banned by Congress since 1986, yet less than one percent have been replaced, as inadequate funding has stymied the process of removing the citys dangerous pipes.

Instead of providing the necessary funding to ensure everyone has access to clean water, Barrett, like hundreds of other mayors, spent this past summer trying to entice the richest man on the planet, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, to come to the city and exploit workers. Barrett stated he would love to work with Bezos and advised the centibillionaire to build a distribution center on the citys north side to take advantage of the high unemployment rate, in the area.

This is what the capitalists and their political representatives have to offer the working class: poisoned water, low-wage labor, if any, and senseless violence, which they are unwilling to address beyond increased police repression and empty platitudes.
US President Donald Trump spent his Thanksgiving morning Thursday hosting a teleconferencefrom the bordello-like atmosphere of his grotesque Mar-a-Lago resort in Floridawith military officials and commanders in different parts of the world.

The call included Army Colonel Stephanie Barton of the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan; Marine Lieutenant Colonel Sam Howie at the al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait; Navy Captain Pat Hannifin aboard the USS Ronald Reagan; Air Force Brigadier General David Lyons in Afghanistan; and Lieutenant Nicholas Hartmann of the US Coast Guard in Bahrain.

Trump used the opportunity to solicit direct military support against his political opponents and US court decisions unfavorable to the White House.

You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, he told Lyons, comparing the administrations fascistic immigration policies with the fight against terrorists in Afghanistan. Large numbers of people [are trying to cross the border], and in many cases, we have no idea who they are. And in many cases, theyre not good people; theyre bad people Youre doing it over there, were doing it over here.

Trump went on to attack bad court decisions from the Ninth Circuitrepeating his denunciations of the American judiciary system for a Northern District of California ruling that the Department of Homeland Security acted illegally when it began refusing to accept asylum applications from immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border.

Its a terrible thing when judges take over your protective services; when they tell you how to protect your border, Trump said. Its a disgrace.

In an extraordinary statement in a press briefing that followed the conference, Trump denounced the fact that some judge, sitting in some location very far away, is telling our incredible military and law enforcement what to do. That is, the military, police and border security officialsand the White Houseshould not be subject to any legal restraint or judicial oversight.

At other points in the teleconference and press briefing, Trump praised the massive growth in military spending under his administration and threatened to completely close the US border with Mexico if the administration determined that Mexico had lost control of its side of the border.

Such statements are extraordinaryand dangerous. Trump is making a direct appeal to the military against legal and judicial decisions, which is itself illegal. While the teleconference with the military officials has been reported in the media, there has been no significant treatment of its implications.

The teleconference is the latest in a series of actions aimed at developing Trumps own personalist relationship with military commanders and increasing the power of the military in domestic affairs.

This began with Trumps inauguration speech in 2017, which involved a sinister incident during which ten officers from various military services lined up behind Trump and remained long enough for images of the president flanked by the military to be broadcast throughout the world. The aim of the action, which was hardly commented on in the media, was to present the incoming administration as a quasi-militarist regime.

Trump subsequently appointed a series of ex-generals to top cabinet and administration positions, including the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of Defense and National Security Adviser.

This was followed by persistent efforts by Trump to organize a military parade within the United States, which had been scheduled for November 10 but was then delayed for sometime next year. Funding for the parade was included in the military budget adopted earlier this year with bipartisan support.

Then, in the runup to the 2018 midterm elections, Trump announced the deployment of thousands of troops to the US-Mexico border. The administration has used the caravan of migrants from Central America as a calculated pretext to mobilize the military within the United States and create the precedent for its use in domestic policingan illegal action in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.

Following the call with the military on Thursday, Trump reiterated his threat that the military may use lethal force against the migrants.

The efforts of the Trump administration to cultivate its direct connections to sections of the military and police forces are motivated by several interrelated factors. There is first of all the intense conflicts within the state, which have centered on issues of foreign policy. Trumps attack on the courts have been accompanied by attacks on the media and threats to take criminal actions against his opponents. Significantly, the Thanksgiving call was made directly to lower-level commanders, bypassing the Joint Chiefs and top generals, who have tended to align with Trumps opponents within the ruling class and state apparatus.

More fundamentally, all factions of the ruling class are terrified by the growth of social tensions and opposition within the United States. Trumps strategy throughout his administration has been to develop a far-right political movement, based on appeals to extreme nationalism, in which the military and police agencies would play a central role. With the military deployment to the US-Mexico border, this strategy is taking on an ever more overtly extralegal and fascistic character.

Trumps opponents within the ruling class also support increasingly authoritarian methods of rule, though in a somewhat different form. They have focused their campaign on the elevation of the CIA and intelligence agencies and the promotion of Internet censorship and other attacks on free speech and democratic rights under the guise of combatting fake news and Russian meddling.

The Trump administration itself is the outcome of an extended process that has seen a vast expansion of the role of the military and intelligence agencies in domestic politics. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, under the pretext of the war on terror, the Bush administration enacted a raft of repressive legislation, established the Department of Homeland Security, and created the US Northern Command, which for the first time established a military command for operations within the United States.

Under the Obama administration, these measures were developed further, with the White House asserting the power to assassinate or militarily detain anyone, on the say-so of the president, including on US soil.

Now, against the backdrop of growing social unrest, signs of renewed economic crisis and ruling-class preparations for global war, the Trump administration is assuming an ever more overtly authoritarian character. Trump himself clearly has in mind the upcoming 2020 elections. He is well aware that he came to power in 2016 without a majority of the popular vote, winning the elections only due to the constitutional anachronism of the Electoral College.

The attack on the Central American immigrants has provided Trump with the opportunity to rule more and more directly through the military and police. Developments over the past two years are not a series of coincidences. Trump has a game plan, with cards still up his sleeve.
Strikes against plans to introduce Driver Only Operated (DOO) train services at South West Trains and Arriva Trains Northern continue this weekend. The determination of workers to fight these attacks is seen in the fact that the strike by the Arriva Northern conductors will be the 14th consecutive Saturday strike and nearly 40th overall.

They take place as conductors and drivers at West Midlands Trains (WMT) are resisting a coordinated effort by the private train operator Abellio and rail unions to impose DOO/DCO (Driver Controlled Operation) in 2020 with the arrival of new trains.

The aim of the company and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) is to deepen the isolation of striking conductors at other franchises who face well-funded strike-breaking operations supported by the Tory government.

In June, behind workers backs, the RMT entered back room discussions on a Framework Agreement that states, On such new or modified rolling stock, train drivers will operate the train doors and undertake train despatch in normal circumstances...

As part of the Framework, all statements would be joint company/union to avoid confusion. This demonstrates that the RMT is not accountable to its members but has fully integrated itself into the corporate structures.

Workers at WMT are being forced to accept an agreement that has not been discussed with them, with the RMT denying them the most elementary right to strike to protect their jobs.

When Abellio, the private arm of the Dutch state railways Nederlandse Spoorwegen, secured the franchise from London Midland (serving London, Birmingham, Northampton, Coventry, Crewe and Liverpool) it declared the new trains would be DOO enabled. It runs a host of bus and rail franchises across the UK and Europe.

Abellios first act in charge was to train hundreds of managers as a strike-breaking force. Abellio and rail unions have already jointly imposed forms of DOO on its franchises at ScotRail, Greater Anglia and are in advanced talks to impose DOO on its Merseyrail joint franchise after the RMT called off strikes by conductors that were supported by drivers throughout.

Once Abellio secured the new franchise it announced the new trains, to be rolled out in 2020, would be DOO enabled. When the WMT franchise was first announced by the Department for Transport they declared as one of its benefits the implementation of Driver Controlled Operation (DCO).

In 2016, regional RMT organiser for the Midlands, Ken Usher, declared they would oppose DOO at WMT as a direct threat to 500 conductors jobs. But ever since the RMT have opposed calls for an industrial struggle and sought negotiations to push through DOO/DCO. They have placated opposition by claiming a second safety critical person will be retainedbut who will essentially be stripped of the extensive safety responsibilities carried out by the majority of existing conductors. Conductors are now confronted with the full implications of the RMTs sleight of hand.

The treachery at WMT is the culmination of more than two years of phony posturing by the RMT as opponents of all forms of DOO. It confirms that the World Socialist Web Site is correct in its description of the rail unions as essential allies of the Tory government in imposing the recommendations of Lord McNulty.

McNulty was hired by the last Labour government to prepare a major assault on rail workers jobs, wages and working conditions, beginning with 20,000 job cuts and the default imposing of DOO services. That any of this could have been imposed over the last seven years is the responsibility of the rail unions.

At Greater Anglia trains, RMT General secretary Mick Cash secured a DOO agreement after closing down all options for conductors in the face of a major strike-breaking operation. Instead of expanding the struggle to other Abellio franchises, Cash used the isolation of the strike to pressure workers into a deal. He declared Greater Anglia as his model to impose DOO across the rest of the country.

Strikes on Merseyrail were cancelled and a similar Framework agreement was forced through. Merseyrail had become a powerful example to rail workers when drivers in the ASLEF union honoured conductors picket lines, defying the governments draconian anti-strike laws. This pointed the way forward for workers to break out of the straightjacket imposed by the unions on the dispute and to conduct a serious struggle against DOO. It was a necessity for the Tory government and Merseyrail for this solidarity to be shut down and the RMT stepped up to the mark.

At WMT, the RMT called a town hall meeting not of membersas they feared their plans for a sellout would be stopped in their tracksbut of local representatives who voted overwhelmingly to enter negotiations. In tandem, ASLEF say they would wait for an RMT deal before they entered negotiations with WMT. ASLEFs action was only the latest in proving their track record on DOO to be as treacherous as the RMTs. Workers should treat with contempt any public spats between the bureaucracy of both unions, which are always reconciled after the sellout with solemn declarations of the importance of trade union unity.

When the RMT pushed through DOO or forms of DOO at London Overground, ScotRail and Greater Anglia, ASLEF imposed it on their members without organising any united action with conductors. The only exception was Southern GTR. In the face of state attacks, they called off strikes and imposed DOO in a deal brokered by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). After being rejected twice by drivers, ASLEF said there would be no return to strikes and they would continue balloting.

On Southern GTR, RMT officials now report that ASLEF are plotting full DOO train despatch. This affects not only conductors (the majority are now downgraded to On Board Supervisors on DOO trains) but hundreds of train despatch jobs.

If ASLEF again agree to DOO at WMT it is only a prelude to a frontal assault on their own members jobs. The entire mechanism used to attack striking conductors across the UK will be turned against ASLEF drivers with a renewed force.

ASLEF are not opposing the introduction of driverless technology on Thameslink GTR services through London St Pancras to Blackfriars, where drivers take over the conductors role.

The Train Operating Companies are working to a long-term four-stage plan to de-staff the railways. The fourth stage is driverless trains across the network. Due to rail unions capitulation on DOO the time frame has been reduced. Drivers should also take a warning from France where French President Emmanuel Macron and National Railways (SNCF) have forced through privatisation and are planning in the next four to six years driverless trains on the entire network.

Since Southern GTR conductors initiated a struggle against DOO, sparking disputes nationally that have lasted for over two and half years, the rail unions have proven that they are not workers organisations fighting in the interests of their members but are a corporate arm of management. They exist as a permanent conspiracy against the workers they claim to represent.

As well as suppressing workers struggles against DOO, the RMT reports that management at Network Railthe state controlled track and signal maintenance companyare riding roughshod over agreed procedures. However, they refuse to mobilise their 25,000 Network Rail members in opposition, which would result in an immediate shutdown of the entire rail network.

Rail workers are at a crossroads. Either the unions will retain control and impose sellout deals over DOO everywherefollowed by a massive assault on all wages and working conditions across the entire rail networkor workers will take the struggle into their own hands and open up an avenue of mass struggle.

This will require an open rebellion against the union bureaucracy! The Socialist Equality Party is fighting to mobilise conductors, drivers and platform staff in resistance against the rail unions treachery. It urges the holding of mass meetings independently of the unions, with the election of rank-and-file committees in every depot. A joint offensive must be organised for a national strike against privatisation, job losses, wage cuts and draconian anti-worker legislation. Links must be made with bus, metro and London Underground and other workers who are fighting the same attacks on their jobs, terms and conditions.

The committees must demand an end to DOO in all its forms and establish worker control of all aspects of safety, to ensure a safe and affordable rail system for workers and passengers alike.
This years European Jewish Association special conference underscored the deeply reactionary character of the global efforts by Zionist groups and their allies to redefine opposition to Israels repression of the Palestinians as anti-Semitism. It is the spearhead of a broader campaign to equate socialism with Jew hatred and to apologise for and make an alliance with far-right forces.

Central place at the two-day event in Brussels, November 6-7, was given to a session slandering UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters as an existential threat to Jews, accompanied by a call to reach out to Europes far-right parties as potential allies of Israel in the struggle against Islam.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the founder and chair of the EJA, said that while efforts should be made to outlaw explicitly anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi parties, once a far-Right or populist party joined a coalition government in Europe efforts should be made to open communications and engage with them. Another participant, Riccardo Pacifici, former President of the Jewish Community in Rome, justified this, saying, Whats happening in Europe is a new history. Its impossible to classify European parties as Left or Right. Everything has changed.

Such statements are in line with the alliance Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahus government is seeking to build with xenophobic and far-right populist parties throughout Europe that defend Israel based on anti-Muslim prejudice and shared support for imperialist intervention in the Middle East.

A front for the Israeli government

The two-day event was targeted at European and UK Parliament legislators, with many of the delegates invited by Israels Foreign and Jerusalem Affairs Ministries, which co-sponsored the conference. Jerusalem Minister Zeev Elkin was in attendance. The EJA has extensive connections Netanyahus government and an annual budget of 10 million. It has close links with the Chabad movement, an orthodox Jewish Hassidic organisation which maintains that, under Jewish law, any territorial concession to the Palestinians on Israels part would endanger the lives of all Jews in Greater Israel and is therefore forbidden.

Also involved in promoting the EJA event was the European Israel Public Affairs, a pro-Israel lobby group led by Alex Benjamin, a former advisor to David Trimble, the former leader of the UKs Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Other organisers included the UKs Campaign against anti-Semitism (CAA), which functions as a pro-Israel lobby organisation but has been afforded charitable status, and the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center. The CAA has played a key role in orchestrating the scurrilous campaign to unseat Corbyn as Labour leader, with bogus accusations that he has fostered the growth of anti-Semitism in the party. It was the CAA that organised the demonstration last August outside Labours headquarters and launched a petition titled, Jeremy Corbyn is an antisemite and must go.

Last year, 250 academics, many of them Jewish, wrote to the Guardian, protesting the CAAs attempts to disrupt Israeli Apartheid Week events by urging its supporters to record, film, photograph and get witness evidence, telling them it would help you to take it up with the university, students union or even the police and citing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism as the basis for urging prosecutions. The signatories denounced the CAAs outrageous interferences with free expression and attacks on academic freedom: It is with disbelief that we witness explicit political interference in university affairs in the interests of Israel under the thin disguise of concern about antisemitism.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center has played a key role in promoting the adoption of the IHRAs working definition of anti-Semitism and victimising US academics that evince any support for the Palestinians.

EJA declares anti-Zionism and BDS movement is anti-Semitism

The conference approved Margolins five red lines, which he said, serve as a wake-up call to politicians that the very future of Jewish Europe is on the line here. These included the demand that all political parties and their leaders sign up to the full IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, pledge to exclude from government parties or politicians that espouse anti-Semitismas defined by the IHRAand pass a binding resolution rejecting Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) activities against Israel as anti-Semitic.

The aim of the red lines is to outlaw left-wing parties and the expression of socialist and anti-imperialist views. The IHRA definition describing criticism of Israel as anti-Semitism lists as one of eleven examples describing the establishment of Israel as a racist endeavour due to the mass expulsion of the regions existing Palestinian citizens. Such a description is given further legitimacy by Israels recent passage of the nation-state law making it explicit that Israel is a nation-state for the Jews alone. The law declares, The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people. It demotes Arabic as an official language, while sanctioning the construction of yet more Jews-only communities and proclaiming, Jewish settlement on Palestinian land a national value.

The EJA takes this one step further by denouncing the Palestinian-led BDS movement as the new and latest incarnation of anti-Semitism. Its attempt to outlaw BDS throughout Europe follows heavy pressure by the Netanyahu government on its allies to criminalise the movement, quash free speech and counter support for the Palestinians and opposition to Israels inhuman and illegal policies on university campuses. Israels Ministry of Strategic Affairs was reportedly setting up a dirty tricks unit, with a budget of $100 million, to establish, hire or tempt not-for-profit groups not associated with Israel to spread negative information about BDS supporters and had awarded government contracts worth at least $1 million to law firms in the US and Europe to oppose the movement.

Earlier this year, the Netanyahu government announced a ban on members of organisations supporting BDS from entering the country. Last month, Israels Supreme Court overturned the governments attempt to deport US student Lara Alqasem, who is of Palestinian decent, after she landed at Tel Avivs Ben Gurion airport, accusing her of supporting the BDS movement and detaining her for two weeks.

Attack on the left

The special session on Britain was titled, Securing a future for British Jewry against the threat of political and criminal anti-Semitism. Led by Gideon Falter, the CAAs chairperson, the panel included Conservative TMP Matthew Offord and David Maddox, political editor of the Sunday Express , sister paper of the Daily Express. The newspapers historic record on anti-Semitism was to support Adolf Hitler and appeasementincluding running a headline in March 1933 opposing the anti-Nazi boycott, Judea Declares War on Germany. More recently, under the ownership of porn Baron Richard Desmond, its political alliance with the UK Independence Party and the right-wing of the Tory party saw it launch a petition against EU migration under the demand, Britain is full and fed up.

Speaking after last years takeover of the titles by Trinity Mirror, newly appointed editor of the Daily Express Gary Jones said that previous coverage had contributed to an Islamophobic sentiment in the media and things would now change. The change at both newspapers involves leading the charge in slandering Corbyn as an anti-Semite.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Falter denounced Corbyn as an anti-Semite and claimed that many Jews were considering leaving the UK should he become prime minister, And thats a question they shouldnt be having to ask at all.

The ultimate target of the anti-Semitism slander campaign mounted by the Blairite wing of the Labour Party, the Tories, Zionist groups and the mainstream media is not Corbyn, who has caved into every one of his opponents demands, but his support-based among leftward-moving workers and youth.

Daniel Pipes, the Islamophobic and pro-Zionist founder and president of the Middle East Forum, which has backed anti-Islamic provocateur Tommy Robinson, published an article on the eve of the EJA conference. In it, he chided Margolin for not sufficiently recognising that Europes far-right parties were not a threat to Jews, but reflect a healthy response by Europeans to protect their way of life from open immigration and Islamization.

They are not far-right, or even nationalist, he added, but patriotic: Better to call them civilizationist, focusing on their cultural priority, because they feel intense frustration at watching their way of life disappear. They cherish Europes and the Wests traditional culture and want to defend it from assault by immigrants aided by the left.

The Alternative for Germany, Frances National Front (Now National Rally), Italys League, the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands and the Austrian Freedom Party head an extensive list of those who, At the height of the migrant tsunami in 2015, opposed uncontrolled migration, especially that of Muslims and Africans. A slight problem with anti-Semitism must not be allowed to delegitimise these parties, which generally distance themselves from obsessions with Jews as they mature and whose leaders seek good relations with Israel.

Pipes insists that the civilizationists difficulties with Jews  pale in comparison with the lefts rampant anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism  Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britains Labour Party, symbolizes this trend.

While Corbyn and the left must be ferociously opposed, the growth of civilisationist parties should be welcomed because as they gain in support and power they open the eyes of the other parties to the challenges related to immigration and Islam. Britain, he complains, has no such party, so these issues are not addressed.

The 6Ps [police, politicians, press, priests, professors, and prosecutors] should accept civilizationists as legitimate, work with them, encourage them to slough off extremist elements, help them gain practical experience, and guide them to prepare for governance. They are, he insists, not dangerous; their advent to power will not return Europe to the low dishonest decade of the 1930s.

A policy of appeasing the far-right poses enormous dangers not just for European Jews, Muslims and migrants, who will all fall victim to such forces, but to workers and youth across the continent as well as in Israel itself. Blinded by their visceral hatred of socialism and bound to the civilisationists by a shared ethno-cultural nationalism, the Zionists are helping pave the way for the re-emergence of fascism in Europe.

Across Europe and internationally, in the face of growing social tensions, the ruling elites are relying on authoritarian forms of rule and fascistic forces. The global nature of this process makes clear that this is not a coincidence, but the fundamental tendency of the capitalist system. The only social force that can counter this development and stop the extreme right is the international working class. The Socialist Equality Party calls on workers and young people to join its ranks and take up the fight against capitalism, fascism and war.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has issued a warning about the rise of protectionism in the lead-up to the summit meeting of the G20 group of countries in Buenos Aries at the end of next week.

According to the WTO, from mid-May to mid-October an additional $481 billion worth of trade was affected by new restrictive measures imposed by member countries. This was six times larger than in the previous reporting period and the largest since the WTO began collecting such data in 2012.

The WTO said 40 new trade restrictions were applied in G20 economies alone during the five-month period, including tariff increases, import bans and export duties.

Commenting on the report, WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo said its findings should be of serious concern for G20 governments and the whole international community. He added: Further escalation remains a real threat. If we continue along the current course, the economic risks will increase, with potential effects for growth, jobs and consumer prices around the world.

Azevedo said the WTO was doing all it could to de-escalate the situation but finding solutions will require political will and it will require leadership from the G20.

While the WTO did not point the finger of blame for the rise in protectionist measures, the chief factor is the aggressive policies instigated by the United States. Three quarters of the latest restrictions were tariff hikes, many in retaliation against the steel and aluminium tariff increases the Trump administration imposed in March.

Besides threatening further measures against China, including lifting its 10 percent tariff on $200 worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent at the start of next year, the US is considering imposing a 25 percent tariff on auto imports on national security groundsthe same pretext as for the steel and aluminium tariffs.

These measures remain on hold at this point because Washington is seeking cooperation for its anti-China push from Europe and Japan, which would be adversely affected by such actions. But they remain an ever-present threat.

Rather than acting against the rise of protectionism, the G20 meeting is likely to see a further escalation of tensions as the US steps up calls for measures against China, including through the WTO.

The overall trend of development is indicated by the draft communique prepared for the summit. When the G20 became the worlds premier economic forum in 2009 following the global financial crisis, it placed the fight against protectionism at the centre of its statements. Political leaders insisted they would not go down the trade war road of the 1930s.

But in the latest communique, now under negotiation, there is no explicit reference to fighting protectionism. Instead it refers to the importance of the multilateral trading system and the need to keep markets open and ensure a level playing field.

The specific reference to protectionism may be dropped in the hope of averting the kind of conflict that erupted at Junes G7 meeting in Canada, where President Donald Trump clashed with the other participants.

Whatever the final wording, the main issue at the meeting will be a scheduled sideline meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade issues.

When that meeting was first announced, it was expected to lead to a lessening of tensions. Those hopes have since faded rapidly. Last weekend, US Vice President Mike Pence launched a major attack on China at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea. For first time in its 29-year history, APEC leaders were unable to agree on a final statement.

Over the past week, tensions between the US and China have increased on a number of fronts.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the US administration is contacting foreign allies to persuade wireless and internet providers in their countries not to purchase equipment from the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, on the grounds that it could be used to endanger cyber security.

Huawei responded, saying it is not beholden to the Chinese government and that even if Western manufacturers, such as Finlands Nokia or Swedens Ericsson, were preferred, all manufacturers share common supply lines.

One of the problems facing the US in trying to restrict Huawei is that, in the key area of 5G mobile phone technology, the companys equipment is regarded as better quality and is available at a lower price than the alternatives.

Another conflict that could surface at the G20 meeting, as it did at APEC, is the US demand that the WTO take action against China over alleged theft of technology and market-distorting subsidies to key state-owned enterprises (SOEs). One of the G20 summit agenda items is reform of the WTO.

Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen put forward Chinas position on WTO reform. He criticised excessive agriculture subsidies used by developed countries and said reforms should correct discrimination against Chinese investment.

Defending Chinas own policies, he said it opposed groundless criticism of normal SOE and industrial subsidies and normal sharing of technological innovations.

In another attack on China, one of Trumps top economic advisers has indicated Washington considers there is a case for excluding China from the WTO. Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the presidents Council of Economic Advisers, told the BBC China had misbehaved as a WTO member and the global trade organisation had failed the US.

We never really envisioned that a country would enter the WTO and then behave in the way that China has. Its a new thing for the WTO to have a member that is misbehaving so much, Hassett said. In the interview, he raised the question of whether the China issue could be fixed through bilateral negotiation, reform of the WTO or should we pursue evicting China from the WTO?

Hassett echoed the view expressed by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer earlier this year, that it was a mistake for the US to have agreed to Chinas entry into the WTO in 2001. The Clinton administrations assessment, which helped prepare the way for Chinas accession, and for the George W. Bush administration to sign off on it, was that China would remain in a subservient position as a supplier of cheap consumer goods.

But the steps initiated by the Xi Jinping regime for China to move up the value chain and invest heavily in high-tech industrial development under its Made in China 2025 program have provoked intense opposition. The US political and military establishment regards such development as a threat to American economic, and ultimately military, hegemony, and is determined to counter that possibility by all means considered necessary.
Update - This article has been corrected to show November 23 as the correct date.

WEST POINT, Miss. (WTVA) - The famous "Kansas City Southern" Christmas train is expected to stop in North Mississippi this holiday season.

The company made the announcement and said the 18th annual holiday express will roll into West Point as one of its 22 stops in 27 days.

The Daily Times Leader reports visitors can board the train, visit with Santa and his elves and tour the six-car train for free. Meanwhile, the train will accept donations for the Salvation Army.

The train will be in West Point on November 23 at the Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum around 4 p.m.
The Yes We Can mental health facility takes an intense approach to treating gaming addiction and other issues in teens and young adults, as revealed in a report from the BBC on Thursday.

The Netherlands facility treats those ages 13 to 25 for difficult to classify mental health issues such as addiction to smartphones and social media, as well as drug and alcohol addiction.

This summer, the World Health Organization proposed the addition of gaming disorder to the International Classification of Diseases, meaning video game addiction could be officially in the ICD when it passes in May of 2019.

What this could mean is treatment will be offered more widely for this form of addiction. For now, the treatment of gaming addiction seems to be a, relative to other addictions, niche offering. The way Yes We Can treats gaming addiction is similar to drug and alcohol addiction, according to Ben Bryants BBC article.

The clinic takes the view that addiction is a disease, and that addicts will often swap one addiction for another  meaning they have to give up all other addictive substances for good, Bryant wrote. Other 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous consider this to mean drugs and alcohol  but here the definition has been expanded to include gaming. Upon completion of the program, screen use  laptops, phones, and social media  is permitted, but has to be monitored.

For Dutch citizens, treatment at Yes We Can is funded by the state for minors, and those over 18 without insurance must pay a contribution in line with their income. For those who arent from the Netherlands, the treatment at the facility has a price tag of 50,000 for the 10-week program  or more than $64,000 USD. The biggest international customer base for the clinic is the UK.

Fellows in the program (they are not called patients) have a set schedule consisting of exercise, outdoor time, group activities, and two daily sharing meetings.

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The goal for the program is that the fellows will abstain from playing video games for the rest of their lives.

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A 13-year-old Wisconsin girl who had spoken out against gun violence was killed in Milwaukee this week from a stray bullet, PEOPLE confirms.

Authorities say eight-grade student Sandra Parks died on Monday after being shot inside her home on North 13th Street.

Thanks to help from members of the community, officers were able to take a 26-year-old Milwaukee man into custody in connection with the shooting, according to a Milwaukee police statement.

A second man has since been arrested and charged with unlawful weapons possession.

In an interview with local TV station WISN, Sandras sister, Tatiana Ingram, said that at the time of the shooting, Sandra had been watching television.

My sister took it like a soldier: She just walked in and said, Mama, Im shot,  Ingram recalled. She was only hit one time, in her chest. The bullet wasnt even for her.

While the investigation is ongoing, Milwaukee County prosecutors charged Isaac D. Barnes, 26, with first-degree reckless homicide, among other counts. Untrell Oden, 27, is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Only Barnes has been accused of participating in the shooting. His first-degree reckless homicide charge carries a sentence of up to 60 years in prison.

Should he be convicted, Oden faces up to 10 years in prison for each charge. It was unclear if either man has entered a plea or retained an attorney who could comment on their behalf.

Both men remain behind bars, according to jail records.

A police spokeswoman said Wednesday the motive for the shooting is still being determined, according to the New York Times. (The Milwaukee Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.)

Isaac Barnes (left) and Untrell Oden

In a copy of the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, a detective reported that according, to Sandras mother, Bernice Parks, at the time of the shooting both she and her daughters were at their home on North 13th Street.

While Bernice went to bed around 7 that night, her kids had stayed awake to watch television.

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About 7:45 p.m., Bernice said she was awoken by the sound of gunfire, according to the complaint. The next thing she heard was [Sandra] yelling Im shot! Im shot!  After going to the living room, she found her daughter lying on the floor bleeding.

Although members of the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee Fire Department both tried to save the childs life after arriving at the residence, Sandra was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another detective recovered six spent casing in front of the roadway and observed four bullet strikes to the window where Sandra had been watching TV.

An autopsy performed by the Milwaukee County MEdical Examiners Office found that Sandra suffered a single gunshot wound to her upper right flank area, and she died of blood loss.

RELATED: Thanksgiving Mall Shooting Injures 2  Including 12-Year-Old Bystander  as Gunman Is Killed

The complaint states taht a woman who identified herself as Barnes ex-girlfriend told detectives she had come across Barnes the night of the shooting while parked outside her sisters home nearby.

The woman said Barnes had allegedly approached her vehicle wearing a mask and holding a large AK-47 style firearm.

Later, while looking door to door, detectives were able to recover two firearms in a residence where they also found Barnes hiding in a closet, the complaint states. Odem was found at the same location.

Oden allegedly went on to tell detectives that he saw Barnes shooting at an unknown target as they walked from the store. Authorities say he also admitted that Barnes had approached him about keeping his guns at Odens home and that he had handled both of the guns in the past.

The complaint shows both men have criminal records involving guns: Barnes was convicted of armed robbery in September 2010 while Oden was convicted of armed robbery in April 2011.

RELATED VIDEO: He Survived the Las Vegas Massacre  Then a Gunman Killed Him in Calif. Mass Shooting: No. More. Guns, Says Mom

When Sandra was in sixth grade, she won third place in the 2016-17 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing contest, according to the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association.

Sometimes, I sit back and I have to escape from what I see and hear every day. I put my headphones on and let the music take me away. I move to the beat and try to think about life and what everything means. When I do; I come to the same conclusionwe are in a state of chaos, she wrote in her essay, titled Our Truth.

In the city in which I live, I hear and see examples of chaos almost everyday, she continued. Little children are victims of senseless gun violence.

Sandra wrote, We must not allow the lies of violence, [r]acism, and prejudice to be our truth. The truth begins with us. Instead of passing each other like ships in the night, we must fight until our truths stretch to the ends of the world.

My baby did not like violence, Sandras mother, Bernice, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She was my angel from the time she was in my womb to the time she came out.

A GoFundMe page created by Bernice to raise money to help pay for her young daughters memorial service reached its fundraising goal within just two days. As of this writing, more than $20,000 has been donated.
How Prince Harry Is Carrying on Meghan Markle's Campaign for Girls' Empowerment in Africa

Prince Harry may not be traveling to Africa next week with wife Meghan Markle, but in her stead he will be carrying on her campaign for womens empowerment and girls education.

For him to step in and say, These are not just womens issues, they are about human beings issues, they are about dignity  him putting his voice in this means a lot, says Angeline Murimirwa, executive director of CAMFED, who will meet Harry on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of when the world was told of his engagement to Meghan.

CAMFED tackles poverty and inequality in sub-Saharan Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of young women. And through its alumni association, CAMA, which Murimirwa co-founded, members go out into communities and encourage even more young girls to get into education.

Murimirwa tells PEOPLE she admires the efforts of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to use their public profile to bring attention to this issue  and it will also bring attention to CAMA as a network.

Since it started in 1992, by helping just 32 students in Zimbabwe, CAMFED has aided four million schoolchildren.

We had foundations that were way stronger than other girls from our village. So we realized we had to give back to the community, Murimirwa adds of those early days.

Their work continues as each alumni, or CAMA member, supports at least two children every year though school, through their own resources.

By the end of last year, they had helped almost half a million children over 20 years.

RELATED: Prince Charles Shares a Chuckle with Sons William and Harry in Candid New Photo

In one recent year, CAMA brought more than 4,390 children back to school.

CAMA members were going back into communities and negotiating with community members and saying, Outreach will pay for these girls, for their exercise books or uniform,  Murimirwa explains. It is out of that that our current partnership with the Queens Commonwealth Trust was born.

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Harry, 34, is Youth Ambassador of the family of 53 nations linked to the U.K. In addition to meeting with CAMFED, Harry is set to meet with conservation group African Parks, of which he is president.

It is not lost on CAMFED that they will be meeting Harry on his engagement announcement anniversary and that their focus on empowering girls and women is an issue dear to Meghan, 37.

RELATED: Why Prince Harry Will Spend the Anniversary of His Engagement Announcement Away from Meghan Markle

Last month, in Fiji, Meghan said, Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to receive the education they want, but more importantly the education they have the right to receive. And for women and girls in developing countries, this is vital.

Murimirwa says it is significant to have Harry (whom Meghan has confirmed is a feminist) championing it, too.

We always work with men as partners, embracing gender, Murimirwa says, adding, We have benefited from the support of the male constituency in our work  as teachers, as peers within the classroom. We have lots of boys and young people working on sensitive issues like sanitary provisions for girls.

RELATED VIDEO: Prince Harry Goes Solo on Fraser Island

Harry will start his visit to Zambia on Monday with a reception celebrating links between the U.K. and Zambia.

On Tuesday the prince will head to Burma Barracks to commemorate the Zambian veterans from the two world wars, meet widows of veterans and be shown around a special photographic exhibition about the African soldier of WWI.

At an event for the Queens Commonwealth Trust, of which he is also president, the royal father-to-be is set to chat to young leaders who are leading social purpose ventures around the world. He will also visit Circus Zambia, which helps young people from vulnerable backgrounds across Lusaka with life skills while providing educational and employment opportunities.

Harrys final duty in the country will be a visit to BongoHive, the countrys first technology and innovation hub.

Murimirwa is keen to tell Harry and the outside world that the way their mentors give back shows that these young people are not just recipients of aid but are activists in their own right and are donors to their communities.

She believes Harry will gain inspiration from the visit after seeing her groups work.

It matters for him to see that he is not just one young person trying to help Africa, she says. But there are young people in Africa, and I hope it gives him the motivation and inspiration to give him momentum.
'They killed him for no reason,' says aunt of 21-year-old armed man shot dead at Alabama mall originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

The aunt of a 21-year-old man shot dead at an Alabama mall said her nephew was killed by police "for no reason at all."

Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, who was armed, was shot Thanksgiving night when another man -- first believed to be Bradford -- and an 18-year-old got into a physical altercation at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover, a suburb of Birmingham, according to Capt. Gregg Rector of the Hoover Police Department.

Police initially said they believed Bradford pulled out a gun and shot the 18-year-old teenager twice in the torso before fleeing.

PHOTO: Police respond to a fight inside the Riverchase Galleria mall after gunfire erupted Thanksgiving night in Hoover, Ala., Nov. 22, 2018. (Carol Robinson/Press-Register/AL.com via AP)

(MORE: 1 injured, gunman still at-large after shooting at New Jersey mall)

Bradford, who was fleeing "while brandishing a handgun," was spotted by two uniformed police officers, one of whom drew a weapon and fired on him, authorities said. Bradford was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday, Rector said in a statement, "New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim."

PHOTO: This Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, image made from a video provided by ABC 33/40, authorities respond after reports of shots fired at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, a Birmingham, Ala., suburb. (AP)

PHOTO: This Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, image made from a video provided by ABC 33/40, authorities respond after reports of shots fired at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, a Birmingham, Ala., suburb. (AP)

(MORE: Suspect in triple killing at Chicago hospital had confronted doctor who broke off their engagement: Officials)

"They killed him for no reason at all. He wasn't the shooter," Bradford's aunt, Catherine Jewell, told reporters on Saturday.

Jewell said her nephew was in the Army and was home for Thanksgiving.

"He was a great guy, he was very respectable," she said. "They did him wrong."

In a statement released on Saturday evening, Bradford's family said they were working to determined what exactly happened in the moments leading up to the fatal shooting.

"Our family is completely shocked, heartbroken and devastated at the tragic death of our beloved EJ, the statement reads.

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"As we continue to grieve, rest assured, that we are working diligently with our legal team to determine exactly what happened and why this police officer killed our son. We will never forget EJ.

Demonstrators in support of Bradford gathered at the mall Saturday, holding signs like, "stop police killings."

PHOTO: Demonstrators gather at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover, Alabama, Nov. 24, 2018, after a deadly officer-involved shooting at the mall. (PatThomasNews/Twitter)

PHOTO: Demonstrators gather at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover, Alabama, Nov. 24, 2018, after a deadly officer-involved shooting at the mall. (PatThomasNews/Twitter)

PHOTO: Demonstrators gather at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover, Alabama, Nov. 24, 2018, after a deadly officer-involved shooting at the mall. (PatThomasNews/Twitter)

Rector had said on Friday: "Investigators now believe that more than two individuals were involved in the initial altercation. This information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at large who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old male and 12-year-old female."

Rector on Saturday didn't immediately respond to a request for additional comment from ABC News.

The 18-year-old was last reported to be in serious condition and the 12-year-old, an innocent bystander, was last reported in stable condition.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has turned over the investigation to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency due to a potential conflict of interest.

"We have determined that one of the witnesses is closely related to a Sheriff's Office sworn Personnel," said Randy Christian, chief deputy of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. "In order to remove any perceived biases, at the request of the District Attorney, we have turned the investigation over to ALEA."

The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

ABC News' Christopher Donato, Alexandra Faul, William Gretsky, Julia Jacobo and Louise Simpson contributed to this report.
Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

From Car and Driver

Cadillac is in flux. Johan de Nysschen, veteran of Audi and Infiniti, who led Cadillac out of Detroit and into Soho, left the company in April. In September, General Motors pulled the plug on Cadillac's East Coast adventure. Now Steve Carlisle, a career GM guy, is at the helm, and the crest is moving back to Michigan. But long product-development cycles mean that as Cadillac retreats to its midwestern home, some holdovers from the New York era remain. The XT4 is one of those remnants.

Unveiled around the 2018 New York auto show, mere weeks before de Nysschen's exit, the XT4 is Cadillac's first entry into the trendy subcompact-luxury-crossover segment. Sales of subcompact SUVS (including those from plebeian brands) have tripled since 2014, and GM already has some experience with how well tiny crossovers can fare; the Encore is Buick's best-selling vehicle by far, and the Chevrolet Equinox, the bow-tie's closest analogue to the XT4, sold more units than the Suburban, Tahoe, and Trax combined in 2017. That this is Cadillac's first crack at the segment means it's already behind. Audi, BMW, and Jaguar preceded Cadillac at the entry level, sometimes by two generations, with the Q3, X1/X2, and E-Pace, respectively. Volvo's charming XC40 beat the XT4 to market by months. Cadillac's slightly larger XT5, which replaced the SRX, is the brand's best-selling nameplate in the U.S. by a wide margin, and if the XT4 can gain similar traction in this segment-something on the order of 20,000 to 30,000 sales per year-it could mean big things for Cadillac.

With its sharp angles, large grille, and striking saber-toothed-light signature, Cadillac's littlest SUV will make an impression on even the most dedicated brand snobs. The model we tested came wearing $625 in glittering orange paint and $1100 20-inch wheels (18s are standard), lending it a concept-car air. It's more attractive than a crossover has any right to be, with a more modern mien than anything else in Cadillac's lineup.

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Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

Cadillac updated its much-maligned CUE touchscreen infotainment system with a console-mounted dial, but the knob can only be used to scroll. It does not toggle left, right, up, or down, as the best of its kind do (see BMW). And while some users might find the controller useful, it's possible and even preferable to operate this infotainment system without it.

In our opinion, some of the cash spent on CUE's new knob would have been better used gussying up the XT4's interior. Because while the Caddy's exterior is alluring, the rest of car doesn't always deliver on the promise of its fresh face. The Sport model we tested shares top billing with the XT4's Premium Luxury trim-both start at $40,290-but despite some plush materials (a soft-touch dashboard and lashings of carbon fiber are the high points), the cabin isn't quite as well executed as we'd hoped, nor is its interior design as thoughtfully strange as that of the Volvo XC40. Our test car had significant gaps at the joint where the roof and A-pillar meet, exposing a portion of the windshield that would otherwise have been covered and allowing a sliver of sunlight to peek through the trim right at eye level. Also, one editor scraped his hand on a rough edge inside the front-door pocket. And that new infotainment controller was already showing scratches after just a few thousand miles of service. Our test car was a preproduction model, though, so we hope Cadillac will work out the fit and finish kinks before these vehicles get into customers' hands. But it must be said that these are pretty egregious lapses, even for a preproduction unit.

Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

It may not be as carefully resolved as the best of its competition, but the XT4's cabin is comfortable. Despite the car's small footprint, there's space for an average-size adult to sit behind an average-size driver. That's likely the influence of China, which has grown into Cadillac's largest market. It's much cheaper to be chauffeur-driven there than it is in America, so even owners of pseudo-luxury vehicles like the XT4 can swing it.

For $2450, our test car's front seats were upgraded with leather, ventilation, and a massage function (that package also adds a hands-free liftgate and lumbar adjustment for the front passenger). The front seats are wide and reasonably supportive, but while we can't bring ourselves to actually complain about a vehicle's massaging seats, Cadillac hasn't replicated a hot-stone massage convincingly enough to completely justify the asking price for that option. Masters of the form, Mercedes and Volvo prove that massaging seats can be good enough to replace monthly visits to a mediocre masseuse. A further $1550 added a huge dual-panel sunroof, lending the cabin an airy feel. The XT4's interior is free of cutesy gimmicks like the jaguar print stamped on the rubber cubby liners in the E-Pace, so it feels mature despite its dainty size.

Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

An all-new entry in GM's powertrain portfolio, the XT4's 237-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four makes use of variable valve-lift modes and adopts GM's cylinder-deactivation technology; both functions represent an effort to balance performance and fuel efficiency. A nine-speed automatic is the XT4's only transmission. The base XT4 is front-wheel drive, but an all-wheel-drive system is available and allows drivers to choose when to send torque to all four wheels via a button mounted on the center console. During our testing, the all-wheel-drive XT4 accelerated to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. A Jaguar E-Pace was more than half a second quicker to 60 mph on our track, and the BMW X2 and the Volvo XC40 both broke 7.0 seconds.

Cadillac has boasted that the 2.0-liter's twin-scroll turbocharger is designed to provide plenty of low-end torque, but we found motivation lacking below about 3000 rpm. The good news is that the nine-speed is adept at staying in the powerband during passing maneuvers. Sluggish responses from the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters mean that the transmission is best left to its own devices.

It's the rare crossover that is truly fun to drive, even in this segment where vehicle proportions suggest buggies and wagons rather than trucks. The XT4 has passable road manners, with accurate responses to steering inputs and a forgivable amount of body roll. The ride in our test car was harsh at times, and impacts seemed to reverberate through the vehicle's structure. The optional 20-inch wheels and Active Sport suspension are not the ideal combination for our battered Michigan roads, nor can the XT4 match the BMW X2's handling poise.

Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

By size, the XT4 falls between two cohorts of competitors. Its 109.4-inch wheelbase places it squarely between Audi's Q3 and Q5, BMW's X1/X2 twins and the larger X3, and Jaguar's E-Pace and F-Pace. This tweener strategy is a popular one among those seeking to make an impact on the luxury market (see Lexus NX). It allows for the social climber to sell its vehicle partially on the basis of value-look at all that space! And it only costs how much? The XT4 uses up much of its extra length in the rear seat, and the roof slopes sharply behind the second row, so the cargo area is long but not very tall. Still, its 23 cubic feet is about average, plenty of space for the stuff of an upper-middle-class life.

In an increasingly crowded segment, it's hard to stand out. So GM struck a deal with online retailer Amazon so that Prime members can have packages delivered directly to their XT4s. When XT4 owners are expecting a package, they can use the Amazon Key smartphone app to set a delivery location. The delivery driver can unlock the car using his or her own Amazon Key app and deposit the package. This feature is likely of limited interest to owners who live between the mountain ranges, as many in that region who can afford a Cadillac may also own a house. But in large cities, where even people with disposable income often live in apartment buildings with nonsecure entryways, in-car delivery makes a certain kind of sense.

Photo credit: Roy Ritchie

What doesn't always make sense is the XT4's price tag. All-wheel-drive Sport models like the one we tested start at $42,790-not out of line for a vehicle of this sort. The XT4's base price puts it in line with its smaller competitors, so the value proposition is real. Or it can be, depending on how the car is optioned. When all was said and done, our test model rang in at $56,835, on the high end even for similarly outfitted competitors; its sticker placed it closer to an X3 than an X1.

That price includes some options-like forward-collision alert and pedestrian avoidance ($770)-that come standard in competitors such as the BMW X3 and the Volvo XC40, and there are tells in the interior finishings that betray the XT4's family relationship with the Chevrolet Equinox. But we had similar complaints about the XT5's readiness for showtime, and that vehicle has gone on to achieve the kind of sales success that has eluded many of the brand's better-executed products, even outselling competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz in 2017. And for all of Cadillac's hipster chasing, it's more important how this car plays in Shanghai than in New York. Not only is China Cadillac's largest market, it's also where the brand most closely competes with European luxury marques. In a segment where a joyful driving experience is hard to come by and real luxury is still something to aspire to, the XT4 keeps up with its competitors even if it can't outshine them. Given that it's an eye-catching alternative in a sea of Germans, it may not have to.

Competitors

From the December 2018 issue

('You Might Also Like',)
This is the time of year when many Americans contemplate giving back  and not coincidentally, its also the time of year when nonprofits and charities of all stripes send out solicitations for donations. The National Center for Charitable Statistics counts more than 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States, so finding the right fit for your giving might seem challenging.

Here are five insights from experts in charitable giving and philanthropy that will help guide you towards making a meaningful donation.

Write your philanthropic autobiography

Probably the most important thing for donors is aligning the causes they give to with their own values, passions and interests, says Una Osili, professor of economics and philanthropic studies at Indiana Universitys Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Thats what leads to sustained engagement with a cause, she says, which will help your giving become more intentional and deepen your relationship with a given charity.

Reflect back on the last year for inspiration, suggested Alan Ranzer, managing partner and co-founder at Impact 4 Good, an organization that develops corporate social responsibility events and team-building for businesses. What were the highs and lows of your last year? If the high was a hiking vacation, for instance, maybe give to an organization that gets urban youth out into nature, he says. Conversely, if you lost a loved one to an illness or injury, a charity that helps fund research or raise awareness about that cause might be meaningful to you.

Give to the moment, not in the moment

This advice might sound like semantical hair-splitting, but its an important distinction, according to Paul Schervish, professor emeritus and retired director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. In the aftermath of natural disasters or humanitarian crises, its natural to want to help, and charities in related fields often tie their solicitations to those headline-making events. But its important to pause and take a step back before pulling out your checkbook or entering your credit card number.

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Dont give in the moment if it means youre going to make a rash and quick decision, says Schervish. If an unsolicited plea for funds comes from a charity with which youre not familiar but their appeal moves you, see if any nonprofits to which youre already donating are taking up that cause. Use familiar charities for new purposes, says Schervish.

Decide if you want to make an impact locally or globally

This is a tough one. In todays world, we have many donors that want to make a difference in their own backyard, but they also want to have an impact globally, says Osili.

Many people like the idea of donating to a local charity because they feel that their dollars would have more of an impact in a smaller organization. Sometimes looking towards organizations that dont have the marketing dollars to broaden their reach  those are great organizations to support, says Ranzer. Wherever you want to make a difference, thats a good thing.

One option is not to view the global versus local consideration as an either-or question, says Osili. In some areas, especially the international arena, a smaller gift can go a long way in terms of bringing services to a poor community, she points out.

Vet your charities

Before you open your wallet, make sure the charity to which you plan to give will use your donation wisely. There are a number of organizations that research charities financial health and their commitment to transparency and accountability. Sites such as guidestar.org, charitynavigator.org, charitywatch.org and givewell.org are a good place to start if youre trying to decide on a charity to support, because they deliver quantitative evaluations of doing good. They do the legwork of combing through charities tax filings and governance documents so you dont have to, and present their findings in a straightforward and unbiased manner.

You also can look to trusted institutions for guidance. Experts in charitable giving say it can be useful to see which charities your alma mater, house of worship or employer supports, since their philanthropic efforts are likely to have been undertaken only after rigorous vetting, and its likely that your personal value system is at least similarly aligned to that of organizations with which youre affiliated.

Think beyond dollars

Even if you dont have a lot of money at the end of the year, there are ways you can help support a cause. Volunteering can be an option, especially for local charities that dont have the kind of overhead for administrative functions and day-to-day operations as do their larger counterparts.

If you have time to offer, check volunteermatch.org, Ranzer says. You can type in your city and a date, and they will give you organizations you can support that day. In addition to geographic proximity, you can also search by cause areas like animals, education or health care to find a charity whose mission you want to support.

If you have professional skills  say, experience in accounting or graphic design  that know-how might be highly in demand. Volunteermatch.org is a good resource for finding a match, along with catchafire.org, a platform that matches people who want to do pro bono work with organizations that need assistance.
Addis Ababa (AFP) - The African Union on Friday said an internal investigation had found sexual harassment to be "prevalent" within the organisation.

The admission comes after a committee was established in May to investigate anonymous allegations.

It found some female employees, especially those on internships, volunteer programmes or short-term contracts, were being sexually harassed by line managers.

"It is the finding of the committee that incidents of sexual harassment exist" within the AU, a statement said, adding that there was "almost unanimous confirmation of the prevalence of this occurrence by interviewees appearing before the committee".

It said that senior staff styled themselves as "gate-keepers" and "king-makers" in order to exploit employees without job security.

The perpetrators, it said, were "well-positioned to make believable promises to young women that they will be offered contracts".

The body would now establish "a comprehensive sexual harassment policy that protects the victims and takes the strongest punitive measures against any perpetrator", the statement said, but did not give any timeline.

AU commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat was expected to appoint another committee to look into 44 specific cases.
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 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.

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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.

___

Follow Sally Ho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SallyHo
Taipei (AFP) - Voters in Taiwan backed anti-gay marriage referendums Saturday in what LGBT activists said was a major blow to the island's reputation as a rights trailblazer.

Taiwan's top court legalised same-sex marriage in May 2017, the first place in Asia to do so, and ruled that it must be brought in within two years, but the government has made little progress in the face of opposition from conservative groups.

A referendum on whether marriage should only be recognised as between a man and a woman in Taiwan's Civil Code won more than seven million votes, while another calling for same-sex unions to be regulated under a separate law gained over six million.

Gay rights activists had proposed that the Civil Code should give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, but only garnered three million votes.

"Pro-family" group the Coalition for the Happiness of our Next Generation said the win was a "victory of all people who treasure family values".

The conservative group also beat gay rights activists on competing referendums about whether LGBT issues should be compulsory on the school curriculum.

"Everyone used every single 'yes' vote to tell the authorities what are the mainstream public opinions," the coalition said.

Jennifer Lu, a spokeswoman for Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, said they were saddened by what she described as the "absurd referendums" and blamed government "incompetence" for allowing the anti-gay marriage votes to go ahead.

"The regression of gender equality... deals the most severe blow to Taiwan's democratic values," she added.

Although the government has made clear the referendum results will not impact the court's original decision to legalise gay marriage, pro-gay campaigners worry that their newly won rights will be weakened.

The court did not specify how it wanted gay marriage to be implemented, leaving room for conservative groups to call for separate regulations.

With all three conservative referendums passing the threshold of 25 percent of eligible voters, under referendum law the government must take steps to reflect the result.

Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International had urged the government not to "water down" same-sex marriage proposals in the face of a conservative win.
Antigovernment protesters clash with police in Paris A demonstrator throws debris at a burning barricade while protesting with others against the rising of the fuel taxes on the famed Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. (Photo: Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)

Antigovernment protesters clashed with French police on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Saturday, leaving the area cloaked in tear gas and smoke from fires on a fresh day of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron.

Demonstrators wearing the yellow, high-visibility vests that symbolize their movement threw projectiles at police preventing them from moving along the famed shopping avenue, which was decked out in twinkling Christmas lights.

They also built barricades in some spots, and tore down traffic lights and street signs, creating riotous scenes reminiscent of Frances 1968 civil unrest, or street insurrections in the mid-19th century immortalized in paintings and movies.

Police arrested 130 people, 42 of those in Paris, and 24 people were injured, five of them police officers including one who suffered burns to his groin, the city police department and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said. (AFP)

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Beirut (AFP) - Counter-attacks by the Islamic State group have killed at least 47 US-backed fighters over two days as the jihadists struck from their embattled holdout in eastern Syria, a war monitor said Saturday.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Kurdish-led alliance supported by a US-led coalition is battling to expel the jihadists from a pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on the Iraqi border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the jihadists launched "three separate assaults" on Saturday.

The monitor said the counter-attacks targeted the villages of Al-Bahra and Gharanij and an area close to the Al-Tanak oilfield, which is commercially active but is also an SDF military position.

SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali confirmed "a series of attacks" led by IS in these three locations and said fighting had taken place all day, with the Kurdish-led ground forces receiving coalition air support.

The fighting on Saturday alone killed 29 SDF fighters, taking its total losses over the last two days to at least 47, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, revising up an earlier death toll of 24.

Thirty-nine IS jihadists have been killed -- some in the ground clashes, others in air strikes -- over the same period, the Observatory said.

IS confirmed in a statement on Telegram that it had launched attacks near Al-Bahra and Gharanij.

Earlier, the Observatory said IS had broken out of its holdout on Friday to attack Al-Bahra, where SDF fighters and coalition advisers are based.

"IS launched a broad attack on the village of Al-Bahra next to its holdout, taking advantage of the fog," Abdel Rahman said.

The monitor said coalition raids have also killed 17 civilians, including five children, in the IS-held pocket since Friday.

Coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said he had not received any reports of civilian casualties, and insisted air strikes had been "very limited due to the weather".

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The anti-IS alliance has repeatedly denied previous reports of civilians killed in its air strikes, and said it does its utmost to avoid hitting non-combatants.

Deir Ezzor activist Omar Abu Leila said the attack on Al-Bahra was "very scary" and that IS fighters were able to move quickly "taking advantage of the fog".

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled but has lost most of it to offensives by multiple forces in both countries.

In Syria, the jihadists are largely confined to the pocket in Deir Ezzor, but they also have a presence in the vast Badia desert that stretches across the country to the Iraqi border.

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 much higher.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Dubai (AFP) - Bahrainis headed to the polls Saturday amid calls to boycott the parliamentary election in which dissolved opposition groups have been banned from taking part.

The country's two main opposition groups, the Shiite Al-Wefaq and secular Waad, were barred from fielding candidates, prompting renewed calls for a boycott.

The polls opened at 8am local time (0500 GMT) and are set to close at 8pm.

King Hamad in September urged voters to take part in the vote, in which officials say 293 people -- including 41 women -- are running for parliament.

A municipal poll coincides with the parliamentary vote.

At least six people were detained and charged this month for "obstructing the electoral process", according to statements released by Bahrain's public prosecutor.

One of the six was Ali Rashed al-Asheeri, a former member of parliament with Al-Wefaq, according to the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

Asheeri had tweeted that he and his family would boycott the polls.

Al-Wefaq called for a boycott of this year's parliamentary election after a law issued in June barred "leaders and members of political associations dissolved for violating the kingdom's constitution or its laws" from standing.

The tiny Gulf kingdom has been hit by ongoing unrest since 2011, when security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.

Opposition parties shunned the last elections in 2014, the first since the 2011 crackdown, denouncing the vote as a "farce".

Since 2011, authorities have imprisoned hundreds of dissidents -- including top Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, who headed Al-Wefaq -- and stripped many of their nationality.

Amnesty International said Friday it was "gravely concerned" by Bahrain's suppression of political opposition

"Over the past two years, the crackdown in Bahrain has seen the political opposition detained, intimidated and silenced," said Devin Kenney, the rights group's Bahrain researcher, in a statement.

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"We call on the authorities to stop this ongoing and escalating repression and to allow free expression of dissenting voices, including those who oppose the monarchy."

Bahraini authorities accuse Shiite Iran of provoking unrest in the kingdom. Tehran denies the allegation.

Human rights groups have frequently said cases against activists in Bahrain -- men and women, religious and secular -- fail to meet the basic standards of fair trials.
Dubai (AFP) - Polls closed in Bahrain Saturday after a parliamentary election marred by boycott calls from dissolved opposition groups banned from taking part.

The country's two main opposition groups, the Shiite Al-Wefaq and secular Waad, were barred from fielding candidates.

Counting got underway after a day of voting in the tiny Gulf kingdom, with preliminary results expected Sunday.

King Hamad in September urged voters to take part in the vote, in which officials say 293 people -- including 41 women -- are running for parliament.

A municipal poll coincides with the parliamentary vote.

Justice Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ali al-Khalifa announced a preliminary voter turnout of 67 percent, saying it was "well above" the 53 percent turnout registered during the last elections in 2014.

But Al-Wefaq poured scorn on those figures, saying in a tweet that there was a "wide boycott" and accusing authorities of "forcing" people to vote.

Bahrain has been hit by ongoing unrest since 2011, when security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.

The authorities have repeatedly accused Shiite-dominated Iran of stoking unrest, allegations denied by Tehran.

Opposition parties shunned the last elections in 2014, the first since the 2011 crackdown, denouncing the vote as a "farce".

More than 350,000 Bahrainis were eligible to vote, the justice minister said, adding that there were 54 polling stations across the country.

On Saturday, the interior ministry alleged Iran was meddling in the ballot after people reportedly received text messages warning them not to go vote as they had been stricken from the electoral roll.

The ministry said Tehran was behind around 40,000 texts sent to Bahraini citizens that "aimed to negatively affect" the elections, adding that other messages came from people inside the kingdom.

- 'No substance' -

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At least six people were detained and charged this month for "obstructing the electoral process", according to Bahrain's public prosecutor.

One of the six was Ali Rashed al-Asheeri, a former member of parliament with Al-Wefaq, according to the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

Asheeri had tweeted that he and his family would boycott the polls.

Al-Wefaq called for a boycott of this year's parliamentary election after a law issued in June barred "leaders and members of political associations dissolved for violating the kingdom's constitution or its laws" from fielding candidates.

Experts have questioned the value of a parliamentary election in which the opposition is not allowed to participate.

Neil Partrick, a specialist in Gulf Arab politics, said Bahrain's elections "have lost all practical and political meaning" since an earlier boycott by Al-Wefaq -- the main movement representing the country's Shiite population.

"The subsequent outlawing of Al-Wefaq, and of the relatively liberal, cross-sect, Waad trend, has merely underlined the meaninglessness of Bahraini elections," he said.

He said such polls had "no political or practical substance" regardless of boycott calls.

But the United Arab Emirates state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash disagreed, tweeting that that the election in Bahrain had been a "success".

"Bahrain's success is our success," he said.

Since 2011, authorities have imprisoned hundreds of dissidents -- including top Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, who headed Al-Wefaq -- and stripped many of their nationality.

Amnesty International said Friday it was "gravely concerned" by Bahrain's suppression of political opposition.

"Over the past two years, the crackdown in Bahrain has seen the political opposition detained, intimidated and silenced," said Devin Kenney, the rights group's Bahrain researcher.

"We call on the authorities to stop this ongoing and escalating repression and to allow free expression of dissenting voices, including those who oppose the monarchy."

Human rights groups have frequently said cases against activists in Bahrain -- men and women, religious and secular -- fail to meet the basic standards of fair trials.
By Emma Farge HAMILTON, Bermuda (Reuters) - Bermuda's top court ruled on Friday that legislation banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, rejecting a government bid to overturn an earlier court ruling that reached the same conclusion. "In the judgment about to be handed down, we dismissed the appeal of the attorney general," Sir Scott Baker, president of the Bermuda Court of Appeal, told the crowded courtroom, sparking whoops of applause from gay rights supporters. Baker was referring to an appeal lodged by the government against a June ruling by Bermuda's Supreme Court that struck down the gay marriage ban passed by Bermudian lawmakers last year. The ban was later approved by the British governor. The ruling may still be brought before the judicial committee of the Privy Council in London - the final court of appeal for British overseas territories like Bermuda. Appeals to the Privy Council are rare, with only one or two cases from Bermuda brought each year, according to court records seen by Reuters. In the meantime, same-sex marriages will be allowed to resume after a pause of several months that followed the enactment of Bermuda's Domestic Partnership Act, which reversed gay marriage rights in favor of domestic partnerships. "Love won again, and today love was reaffirmed," Winston Godwin, a gay Bermudian who began the legal battle for equal marriage rights in Bermuda two years ago, told Reuters in the courtroom. "My marriage doesn't impact anyone else's." The government, which has 21 days to appeal the ruling, has yet to make a decision on the matter. "In considering whether to appeal this case, we must weigh the significant implications for the expectation of Bermudians that laws passed by their elected representatives and that reflect their democratically expressed views will be upheld," Home Affairs Minister Walter Roban said in a statement. Lawyers challenging the ban argued that the government's legislation was motivated by an attempt to appease a powerful religious lobby on the small Atlantic island of 60,000 people. They also argued that prohibiting gay marriage violated Bermuda's 1968 constitution, which protects freedom of conscience. Rod Attride-Stirling, one of the lawyers, said the ruling would set a "massive precedent" for other jurisdictions where gay marriage is not yet legal, such as Northern Ireland. "This case is revolutionary because every country that has a freedom of conscience provision, which is most now, has a fully new avenue of approach," he told reporters outside the courtroom. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Frances Kerry)
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said Saturday his government would not send back the tens of thousands of Venezuelans who have sought refuge in Brazil from the economic breakdown in their leftist-ruled homeland.

The Venezuelan immigrants "are not merchandise or some product that can be returned," he said after attending a military anniversary ceremony.

His comments followed a suggestion by the governor-elect of the state of Roraima that a "return program" be developed to deal with the influx of migrants that have poured into the poor border state from Venezuela.

Bolsonaro said the Venezuelans "are fleeing a dictatorship supported by the PT, Lula and Dilma, and we can't leave them to their fate."

Bolsonaro, who takes office in January, was referring to former presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, who had close ties to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez.

"Venezuela cannot be treated as a democratic country," he said.

The United Nations says at least 2.3 million people have fled Venezuela's economic and political crisis since 2015.

More than 100,000 have entered Brazil over the past three years, with three quarters of them requesting immigration papers from Roraima's state government.

The Brazilian government has allowed them to enter, but has ordered the military to step up security in the area.
Ottawa (AFP) - A French-language university cancelled by Ontario's government this month has kindled the passions of Canada's francophone minority, who are set to replay their historical rights struggle.

In addition to nixing the proposed university that was to open in Toronto in 2020, the province with the largest francophone minority in the country -- outside of Quebec -- also cut funding for francophone theater troupes.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the brother of Toronto's late crack-smoking mayor, responded to a barrage of criticism, saying the move "has nothing to do with personal (grudges or other) against any Franco-Ontarians."

"They're great people," he told reporters. "But we also cancelled three other universities, English-speaking universities."

Ford insisted that budget constraints were behind the decision which will save Ontario Can$80 million (US$60 million) over seven years.

But it has rattled Ontario's 600,000 francophones, who represent about four percent of Ontario's population.

The move also drew criticism and calls to reverse course from the federal government and others including the government of Quebec, where francophones are the majority.

Canada's nearly eight million francophones represent 20 percent of its population, but most are in Quebec.

"I know personally from having taught French in Vancouver, from having spoken with minority communities right across the country, how much they look to the federal government to try and stick up for them, regardless of what the provinces do," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

"And we will certainly be engaged with the provincial government to try to ensure they do this."

His father, the later prime minister Pierre Trudeau, enshrined bilingual language rights in the Constitution.

Justin Trudeau's languages minister, Melanie Joly, was scheduled to confront her Ontario counterpart Caroline Mulroney on the issue Friday.

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Joly also announced Can$5 million for a "court challenges program" which provides financial assistance for important court cases that advance constitutional rights.

Francophone groups have dusted off their picket signs and plan to march for their rights in 40 locations across Ontario on December 1.

"We feel betrayed," said Carol Jolin of the lobby group Assemblee de la Francophonie de l'Ontario.

Ford had pledged during the June election support for the new university that was to enroll 3,000, Jolin told AFP.

"Everything was going pretty well for francophones in Canada in recent years," he said. "But we're worried now about a backsliding."

- Kicking up old feuds -

The late 1960s and the two decades that followed had marked a turning point for Canadian francophones in their fight to have their rights to an education and government services in French recognized.

This included a Manitoba insurance broker's 1976 Supreme Court challenge of a parking ticket issued only in English as a means to restore French language rights in that province, and a 1990s battle against budget cuts to keep open Ontario's only francophone hospital, Montfort in Ottawa.

French language rights were laid out in the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and other laws.

New Brunswick went the furthest, making French one of its two official languages in 1969. But the province suffered a relapse in September when a fringe party that campaigned on slashing "costly" French services emerged as a potential kingmaker in an election that failed to secure a majority.

Trudeau's Liberals have sought to make the rights row an election issue in 2019, as Ford's government is closely allied with the federal opposition Conservatives and their leader Andrew Scheer.

"This decision is unacceptable," Joly said, demanding that Ford back down and "that Andrew Scheer denounce it too."

Scheer, however, distanced himself from Ford on the issue.

"We are a bilingual country with many francophones outside of Quebec and the federal government must work with the provinces to ensure that all Canadians have the same rights and access to services and programs," the Conservative leader said during a Quebec tour.

Jolin held out hope that a negotiated solution may be reached with Ford, but added that his group is ready to go to court to fight for its linguistic rights.

He noted that demographic trends point to Toronto, Canada's largest metropolis, becoming the nation's biggest francophone cluster outside of Quebec within a few years.

If 100,000 francophone students in Ontario -- along with 200,000 enrolled in French immersion programs -- cannot continue their post-graduate education in the language of Moliere, the community will decline, Jolin said.

"It'll contribute to the assimilation of our young people," he said. "If they study in English and then go on to work in English, French will stop being a part of their life."
There's something about that smell, that new car smell, said Jeff Diesing a sales consultant at Chelsea Chevrolet Buick outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

To people shopping for a new car, it's almost like they're sniffing the turkey as it cooks in the oven on Thanksgiving Day, he said.

"It's very distinctive and, in general, most people like it," said Diesing, as he got ready for the action to begin on a Black Friday that was expected to be one of the busiest days of the year for suburban Detroit dealership.

The smell of a new car is, in fact, so popular with some motorists that several companies simulate it with an air freshener spray. "Now you can sustain that same scent and feeling for as long as you own your car," proclaims the Chemical Guys website.

There are some folks who aren't quite as enamored of the smell, however, especially in China. Some companies, like Ford, are going to great lengths to eliminate the smell, which is comprised of a combination of chemicals that some say may not be all that healthy to breathe in any way.

Fully 10 percent of buyers in China complained about the odors they found in their new cars, according to the 2018 J.D. Power China Initial Quality Study.

"Unpleasant interior smell/odor remains the top industry problem in that market," said Brent Gruber, senior director, global automotive, at J.D. Power. "To put that in context, it is nearly double the problem rate of the second-most prevalent problem, excessive fuel consumption."

So, Ford, which is struggling to catch up to rivals like General Motors and Volkswagen that dominate the huge Chinese market, has submitted a new method for eliminating the new car smell to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Officially dubbed a "vehicle odor remediation" system, it literally bakes the smell out of a vehicle.

Ford already has an entire department in China charged with sniffing out scents that might offend the sensibilities of Chinese motorists. But it's not unique. Volkswagen, some years back, created a department charged with figuring out how to create just the right sort of smells that would appeal to its buyers. As the issue with China shows, however, that can be a challenge, as what appeals to the nose in one country can send consumers racing to find fresh air somewhere else.

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Complicating matters, that new car smell might be appealing to many buyers, but there's a growing body of evidence that it isn't all that good for you.

"Automobiles function as chemical reactors, creating one of the most hazardous environments we spend time in," said Jeff Gearhart, research director at the Ecology Center.

What you're actually smelling when you climb into a new vehicle is a combination of odors from things like adhesives and the fabrics in the car's seats and carpet. In all, your nose might pick up as many as 50 or more volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and, according to research by the Ecology Center, some other, not very nice, materials, like bromine and antimony  the latter used by some manufacturers as a flame retardant  as well as chromium found in tanned leathers.

A 2001 study by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, or CSIRO, found anecdotal evidence that the VOCs found in a new car can cause headaches, irritation, even disorientation, but manufacturers have long debated such claims.

That said, some carmakers are have already taken steps to eliminate these compounds, and salesperson Diesing said that he has noticed that many new vehicles don't have quite as much of that distinct new car smell anymore. One reason is that some automakers have been switching to renewable materials, such as soy, for interior finishes, and they don't produce those VOCs.

Whether you like or hate the smell of a new car the reality is that it doesn't last long: studies have shown the chemicals that cause the distinctive scent diminish at a rate of about 20 percent a week. So, unless you order a can of scented air freshener, the odor will be gone not long after you make your second car payment.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Two people were killed and 24 others injured in an explosion at a machinery plant in the northern Chinese province of Jilin, the local government said on Saturday. At least 41 houses were damaged in the blast and a subsequent fire which began shortly before midnight on Friday, it said. The cause of the explosion was not released, but officials said they have ruled out terrorism. Rescue efforts were ongoing on Saturday morning and people had been evacuated from the area. Scores of police, fire fighters and medical personnel had been sent to the scene. China has pledged to improve safety in factories, though explosions and other incidents are common due to patchy enforcement of rules. In August, five people were killed in an explosion at an aluminum plant in the eastern city of Jiangsu, while in July, 19 people died in a blast at a chemical plant in the southwestern province of Sichuan. Earlier this month two people were killed in a factory explosion in the city of Ningbo. (Reporting by Cate Cadell; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Evergreen trees lined up in rows at a Christmas tree farm.

Greg Schneider with High Country Christmas Trees recently spoke with reporters about the Christmas tree shortage in the foothills of North Carolina. The 2008 recession is to blame for a Christmas tree shortage. Picking out a Christmas tree is a family tradition for many, but with the shortage, it could mean increasing costs for consumers. The trees that Schneider sells take 10 to 15 years to grow, which is why theres a shortage now, reports Waay TV.

High Country Christmas Trees said that its been bringing Christmas to Huntsville, North Carolina, for the last 35 years. The company transports trees from Boone, North Carolina, to the Tennessee Valley. But, 10 years ago, the shaky economy took a toll on the Christmas tree industry.

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Beirut (AFP) - The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for an attack on militia forces in southeastern Libya that saw at least nine people killed and 11 taken hostage.

The assault in the desert town of Tazerbo on Friday targeted security service members loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar, who heads the self-styled Libyan National Army.

A statement released by IS propaganda arm Amaq said its fighters had captured a number of "officers" and killed and wounded 29 members of Haftar's militia during fighting.

A senior security official told AFP Friday that nine security service members were killed and eleven people including civilians and a commander were "kidnapped".

The attack is the second claimed by IS in less than a month targeting forces loyal to Haftar.

The first killed at least five people in October in the central Kufra region.

Another attack in August claimed by IS killed 11 people including nine members of the LNA.

Torn apart by power struggles and undermined by chronic insecurity, Libya has become a haven for jihadists since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

IS took advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the city of Sirte in 2015 but forces loyal to a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) resumed control of the city in December 2016 after eight months of deadly fighting.

Since then, some jihadists have returned to the desert in an attempt to regroup and reorganise.

In September, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the headquarters of Libya's National Oil Company in the heart of Tripoli which left two dead and 10 wounded.

Four months earlier, it claimed an attack on the electoral commission's headquarters which left 14 dead.
US National Climate Assessment details climate change impact

Current response to crisis is insufficient, authors say



A home is overshadowed by towering smoke plumes in Paradise, California . Climate change-related risks will continue to grow without additional action, the report is set to warn. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Climate change is already harming Americans lives with substantial damages set to occur as global temperatures threaten to surge beyond internationally agreed limits, a major US government report has warned.

The influence of climate change is being felt across the US with increases in disastrous wildfires in the west, flooding on the east coast, soil loss in the midwest and coastal erosion in Alaska, according to the US National Climate Assessment. The Guardian saw a draft of the report before publication on Friday.

The draft outlined that impacts of climate change are intensifying across the country, and that climate-related threats to Americans physical, social, and economic wellbeing are rising. Climate change-related risks will continue to grow without additional action, it added.

The quadrennial report, the combined work of 13 federal agencies, was released by the Trump administration on the day after Thanksgiving. Scientists who worked on the report said their research was not watered down but claimed the release was timed to bury the findings during the holiday season.

Global temperatures could be limited to 2C above pre-industrial era if greenhouse gas emissions are slashed but without significant reductions, annual average global temperatures could increase by 9F (5C) or more by the end of this century, a previously released chapter states.

Even 2C warming is likely to have major ramifications for societies, as the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report spelled out. Heating the planet well beyond this would create a totally different world, said Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist at Princeton University.

It would be indescribable, it would turn the world upside down in terms of its climate. There would be nothing like it in the history of civilization.

Oppenheimer, with many other scientists, has said warming of around 3C is more likely given the advance of renewable energy and expected emissions reductions in the future.

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That is more of an economic, political and technology question, a report author who wished to remain unnamed told the Guardian. Its hard to say what we are on track for right now.

Climate-related threats to Americans physical, social, and economic wellbeing are rising

The draft report warned that the current response was insufficient to stave off the worst impacts, stating that neither global efforts to mitigate the causes of climate change nor regional efforts to adapt to the impacts currently approach the scales needed to avoid substantial damages to the US economy, environment, and human health and well-being over the coming decades.

Another report author said: Climate change is loading the dice against us, its going to affect our water, food and ecosystems. This report is important because it shows its already happening where we live, not on far off islands or at the poles.

Included in the dozens of draft report chapters:

The summary states the earths climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities. The impacts of global climate change are already being felt in the United States and are projected to intensify in the future.

Average sea levels along the US coast have increased by around 9in since the early 20th century as the oceans have warmed and land ice has melted. If emissions are not constrained, many coastal communities will be transformed by the latter part of this century.

Fisheries, tourism, human health and public safety are being transformed, degraded or lost due in part to climate change impacts, particularly sea level rise and higher numbers of extreme weather events.

Wildfires have burned at least 3.7m acres in the US in all but three years from 2000 to 2016. More frequent and larger wildfires, combined with increasing development at the wildland-urban interface portend increasing risks to property and human life, the report states.

More than 100m people in the US live in places with poor air quality and climate change will worsen existing air pollution levels. Increased wildfire smoke risks heightening respiratory and cardiovascular problems, while the prevalence of asthma and hay fever is also likely to rise.

Major groundwater supplies have declined over the last century, with this decrease accelerating since 2001. Significant changes in water quantity and quality are evident across the country, the report finds.

Climate change will disrupt many areas of life by hurting the US economy, affecting trade and exacerbating overseas conflicts. Low-income and marginalized communities will be worst hit.

Members of the coast guard help a stranded motorist in the flood waters caused by Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina. Photograph: Jason Miczek/Reuters

The national climate assessment is mandated by Congress to compile the latest research on climate change. The last report came out in 2014. Donald Trump has since announced the US will withdraw from the Paris climate deal, with his administration working to dismantle every major policy designed at lowering emissions.

The release of the report comes as California is racked by its most deadly wildfire on record, the so-called Camp fire, which razed the town of Paradise. At least 84 people have died and tens of thousands of people have had to flee the fire, which has occurred at the same time as a smaller blaze further south, near Los Angeles.

Trump has downplayed assertions by scientists and firefighters that climate change is making California more wildfire-prone, instead pointing to gross mismanagement of forest areas. Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary, has said conservationist lawsuits by radical environmental groups were to blame.

While visiting devastated parts of California last weekend Trump was asked if what he had seen and heard had changed his mind about climate change, which he has previously called a hoax. Trump responded to the question with a firm: No.

When there are daily images of California burning up its hard for the administration to argue climate change isnt happening, said Oppenheimer. The strategy seems to be let sleeping dogs lie and hope the public doesnt pay much attention to it.
Beirut (AFP) - Counter-attacks by the Islamic State group have killed at least 47 US-backed fighters over two days as the jihadists struck from their embattled holdout in eastern Syria, a war monitor said Saturday.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Kurdish-led alliance supported by a US-led coalition is battling to expel the jihadists from a pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on the Iraqi border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the jihadists launched "three separate assaults" on Saturday.

The monitor said the counter-attacks targeted the villages of Al-Bahra and Gharanij and an area close to the Al-Tanak oilfield, which is commercially active but is also an SDF military position.

SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali confirmed "a series of attacks" led by IS in these three locations and said fighting had taken place all day, with the Kurdish-led ground forces receiving coalition air support.

The fighting on Saturday alone killed 29 SDF fighters, taking its total losses over the last two days to at least 47, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

Thirty-nine IS jihadists have been killed -- some in the ground clashes, others in air strikes -- over the same period, the Observatory said.

- 'A broad attack' -

IS confirmed in a statement on Telegram that it had launched attacks near Al-Bahra and Gharanij.

Earlier, the Observatory said IS had broken out of its holdout on Friday to attack Al-Bahra, where SDF fighters and coalition advisers are based.

"IS launched a broad attack on the village of Al-Bahra next to its holdout, taking advantage of the fog," Abdel Rahman said.

The monitor said coalition raids have also killed 17 civilians, including five children, in the IS-held pocket since Friday.

Coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said he had not received any reports of civilian casualties, and insisted air strikes had been "very limited due to the weather".

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Deir Ezzor activist Omar Abu Leila said the attack on Al-Bahra was "very scary" and that IS fighters were able to move quickly "taking advantage of the fog".

- 'Probable chlorine attack' -

Meanwhile Syrian regime shelling killed nine civilians including seven children Saturday in a planned buffer zone around the country's last major rebel bastion, the Observatory said.

A teacher and four schoolchildren were among the victims after the shelling hit near a school in the northwestern province of Idlib, said Abdel Rahman.

Later in the evening, in neighbouring Aleppo which is under Syrian regime control, official media accused the rebels of launching an attack with "toxic gas".

Regional head of health services, Ziad Hajj Taha, said it was a "probable" chlorine attack.

It is not the first time such accusations have been levelled against the rebels in Aleppo. On other occasions the Syrian regime has been accused of using chemical weapons against rebel strongholds, which it has always denied.

The anti-IS alliance has repeatedly denied previous reports of civilians killed in its air strikes, and said it does its utmost to avoid hitting non-combatants.

IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled but has lost most of it to offensives by multiple forces in both countries.

In Syria, the jihadists are largely confined to the pocket in Deir Ezzor, but they also have a presence in the vast Badia desert that stretches across the country to the Iraqi border.

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 much higher.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
TipRanks

Every retail investor wants to ensure a solid portfolio return. The only question is, how? The stock market produces a vast mine of data, that by its nature forms a barrier to access. Some investors take a path of low resistance, and follow one or more market legends. These legends are the giants of the investing world, people like Steven Cohen. The billionaire trader behind Point72 Asset Management has shown that he can survive the vicissitudes of Wall Street. After recovering from Federal inve
NYSE Silvergate IPO

California-based financial institution Silvergate Capital, the parent company of Silvergate Bank, is preparing to go public to raise $50 million in an initial public offering (IPO), according to documents filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The bank has applied to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol SI. The company plans to use proceeds to funds its organic growth and for general corporate purposes, which could include repayment of long-term debt, future acquisitions, and other growth initiatives.

Silvergate Bank is best known for opening its arms to cryptocurrency exchanges and companies, who are often shunned by mainstream institutions who fear the money laundering baggage that seems to follow bitcoin and the regulatory uncertainties associated with servicing crypto firms. The bank has grown larger in recent years, drawing in clients such as Paxos, Gemini, and Kraken. Having signed its first cryptocurrency client in 2014, the Digital Currency Group, the company has gone on to generate approximately $1.7 billion from the digital currency sector, according to the filing.

The companys willingness to work with cryptocurrency companies has seen it onboard approximately 483 established and new digital currency customers as of September 30. There are also 145 prospective crypto customers currently being onboarded by the bank, where they perform extensive regulatory compliance diligence and integrating of the customers technology stack for those digital currency customers interested in using our API.

The filing states:

As of September 30, 2018, approximately $1.7 billion, or 88.2%, of our total deposits were noninterest-bearing demand accounts[] Substantially all of these noninterest-bearing demand accounts are deposits from our customers in the digital currency industry.

As the filing states, Silvergates focus has moved away from that of a traditional lender to providing non-interest bearing deposits for digital currency businesses. The financial institution estimates the market for cryptocurrency banking services to be between $30 billion and $40 billion.

Story continues

In 2017, Silvergate launched its proprietary digital currency solution, Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN), which facilitates the swift movement of fiat between cryptocurrency exchange and their customers 24/7, 365 days a year.

Featured Image from Shutterstock



The post Crypto Bank Silvergate Files for $50 Million IPO appeared first on CCN.


Washington (AFP) - Former FBI director James Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch have been subpoenaed to testify before Congress next month before Republicans relinquish control of the House, documents showed Thursday.

Comey confirmed he had received a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee but said he would resist if made to answer questions behind closed doors.

"I'm still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions," he said on his Twitter account.

"But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because I've seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let's have a hearing and invite everyone to see."

Lynch, who served under former president Barack Obama, did not immediately comment, but copies of the subpoenas made public Thursday show she was summoned to testify on December 4. Comey was ordered to appear before the committee on December 3.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Comey and Lynch of covering for Hillary Clinton in an investigation into her use of a private server for emails while she was secretary of state.

He has often leveled charges of bias in countering a probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into whether the Trump campaign colluded with a Russian effort to sway the 2016 elections in the Republican's favor.

Clinton, the Democratic candidate, lost the election despite winning the popular vote.

The chairman of the House Judiciary Bob Goodlatte is reported to have indicated earlier this week he planned to force Comey and Lynch to testify on political bias at the Justice Department before Democrats take over leadership of the House in January.
Photo: Reuters

Family-run businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy as they account for 88% of all firms in Britain. And according to a study sent exclusively to Yahoo Finance UK, 41% of Brits think Brexit has the potential to have a severely detrimental effect family and/or regional businesses.

In A State of the Nation  The UK Family Business Sector 2017, corporate financiers Capital Step surveyed 2,005 Brits to get their views over how they think the government is supporting business and whether they think Brexit will impact firms.

Most (62%) of Brits believe that the UK government does not support regional and/or family-run businesses as much as it does corporate entities in the private sector and that (63%) think that the UK high street is suffering as a result of family run and/or regional businesses not receiving adequate support from local council and government.

While only two out of five Brits believe Brexit will damage family-run businesses shows that the majority think it wont severely affect firms, its more about the break down by age that highlights the generational gap in attitudes over leaving the bloc will affect finances. This is the breakdown over those who agree with the statement Brexit has the potential to break family and/or regional businesses.

Millennials (18-34 year olds): 52%

35-54 year olds: 42%

Over 55 year olds: 32%

And this is the breakdown of those who agree with the statement Brexit has the potential to have a severely detrimental effect family and/or regional business:

Millennials: 48%

35-54 year olds: 32%

Over 55 year olds: 32%

When Brits voted for Brexit by a slim majority in June 2016, there was a lot of focus on what age groups voted for Remain or Leave. The following table shows how the older people were, the more likely they would vote for Brexit:

Table: Statista

The role of family enterprise, community SMEs and bricks and mortar productivity across the length and breadth of the British Isles must be considered a firm priority for the UK government  deal or no deal, saidJonathan Schneider, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Capital Step.

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Transitioning the immediate aftermath of Brexit will be an acutely sensitive process; ensuring the foundations for a business community that can thrive and scale in the long term will lead the charge for a successful post-Brexit future  the UK economy is only as strong the businesses and communities that upholds it.

The study comes as UK prime minister Theresa May heads to Brussels for an precedented summit over signing off her draft Brexit deal. Ahead of the meeting, Britains finance minister Philip Hammond said on Saturday, this deal is a way of Britain leaving the European Union with minimum negative impact on our economy.

But economics is not the only consideration. We also have to look at the political healing process, bringing our country back together, because countries that are disunited and divided are not successful countries, he added.

READ MORE: Heres the crucial Brexit document leaked ahead of summit




orangesparrow/flickr/CreativeCommons

A US special agent stands accused of falling in love and providing top-secret information to her boyfriend, thereby compromising an FBI counterterrorism investigation, it has been reported.

Leatrice Malika De Bruhl-Daniels was considered an exemplary employee in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the agency assigned her to a station in the United Arab Emirates, where she met Nadal Diya, who was under investigation for possible terrorism charges.

The agency claims Ms De Bruhl-Daniels fell in love with and decided to help the suspect, using her position to inform him of investigations about him.

Ms De Bruhl-Daniels has pleaded not guilty to attempting to obstruct, influence or impede justice, the Houston Chronicle reports.

She is awaiting a court date and is on indefinite suspension from the NCIS. Mr Diya is on bond in Toronto on suspicion of using fraudulent passports.

As the alleged affair blossomed, members of the NCIS reportedly warned Ms De Bruhl-Daniels multiple times to keep her distance from Mr Diya, and she never disclosed the extent of their relationship.

Witnesses told investigators the two became close enough Mr Diya paid for a birthday party believed to have cost tens of thousands of dollars, and allegedly paid for part of her trip with him to Greece. Ms De Bruhl-Daniels son also allegedly took a paid job with Mr Diya.

Court documents showed an email sent from Ms De Bruhl-Daniels account to herself said: Im deeply attracted to you and I cant think about you like that. Its not right. The email was titled Thoughts on ND".

Later, transcripts of text messages to Mr Diya appeared to share top-secret information with him and suggest how he should deal with an investigation.

Whatever they hv on u is more than just suspicion so its serious, one said, according to the Chronicle.

Ms De Bruhl-Daniels messages suggest she wanted the two of them to pretend they were just friends in case she was suspected of acting as some sort of dbl [double] agent.
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon authorities said Saturday they have banned an opposition party from state media for three months over statements about the health of President Omar Bongo, who has been in a Saudi hospital for a month.

Bongo, 59, was rushed to hospital in Riyadh on October 24 after falling ill at an economic forum. A source said on Friday he will be transferred next week to the Moroccan capital Rabat to convalesce.

Gabon's HAC communications authority said the Union Nationale party had failed to respond to two summons to explain a statement by the party in which it called an official bulletin about the president's health a "state lie".

The HAC said the party's statement was an "abuse of freedom of expression" and therefore "the Union Nationale is banned from public media for three months".

The party, however, asserts it is not compelled to explain its comment to the communications authority.

The HAC has in recent months suspended publication of a Gabon newspaper and banned some journalists who have been openly critical of the government.

The communications authority in August also suspended for three months the French channel France 2 for broadcasting a documentary on Bongo.

After the president was hospitalised, the presidency was silent for a time before admitting he was seriously ill but declaring that he was on the mend.

Lack of official news -- along with memories of the secrecy-shrouded death of Bongo's father and predecessor Omar Bongo in 2009 -- has sparked numerous rumours, including speculation he was incapacitated, perhaps by a stroke.
Gibraltar was the final issue to be resolved in Brexit talks (Getty)

UK prime minister Theresa May will win unanimous support from her European Union counterparts for the Brexit deal after an 11th-hour compromise over Gibraltar.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez had threatened to veto the deal at Sundays summit after claiming it reneged on a previous commitment over the future of the Rock. While he failed to get the substance of the deal changed, he climbed down from his position on Saturday afternoon after receiving written assurances from the UK government and European commission.

The compromise brokered during through-the-night talks saw the green light given to Sundays emergency European Council, where the likes of German chancellor Angela Merkel will wave through the Brexit deal which has been negotiated over the last 18 months.

We have received sufficient guarantees to be able to reach a solution to a conflict that has lasted more than 300 years between the United Kingdom and Spain, Sanchez told reporters in Madrid.

He made the statement after confirming his support for the Brexit deal in telephone calls to EU leaders.

European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the compromise reached was the result of solidarity, determination and dialogue.

I just spoke to Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon. Solidarity, determination and dialogue are the European way of finding solutions.  Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) November 24, 2018

The go-ahead from Madrid allowed European Council president Donald Tusk, who will chair Sundays summit, to formally recommend the deal. In an invitation letter to the leaders of the 27 member states, Tusk said no-one will have reasons to be happy on Sunday, but concluded: I believe that we have finally found the best possible compromise.

Mays Saturday night talks

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May will meet both Juncker and Tusk in Brussels on Saturday evening to prepare for the summit.

In a bid to lighten the mood, Tusk tweeted to say he was taking inspiration from Queen for Sundays proceedings.

As a motto for tomorrow, the words of Freddie Mercury, who passed away exactly 27 years ago: "Friends will be friends, right till the end".  Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) November 24, 2018

But the disagreement over Gibraltar had though risked an 11th-hour postponement of the crucial summit until December. The dispute was sparked on Monday when the Spanish government raised an objection to an innocuous sounding article in the 585-page withdrawal agreement  which many believe was motivated by the interests of Sanchezs socialist party in the Andalusian elections next Sunday.

The article says simply that the EU and UK will conclude an agreement on their future relationship  the all important trade deal  before the end of the transition.

Spain was furious that the article did not explicitly state that the deal would not apply to Gibraltar without their agreement  a condition that appeared in the negotiating guidelines given by the European Council to the EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at the outset of the Brexit process.

Spain demanded that the withdrawal agreement should be amended but was refused over fears that other countries would call for their own changes. France wanted firm guarantees on access to UK waters for its fishing fleets after Brexit.

In the end, Sanchez settled for written agreement from the UK government that the withdrawal agreement imposes no obligations regarding the territorial scope of future agreements.

Sanchez said the agreement ensured Gibraltars relationship with the EU will go through Spain and, in comments that risk inflaming the situation, added: We have to talk about co-sovereignty and many other things with the UK.

A UK government spokesperson explained it meant the British lawmakers would talk directly with Spain over any Gibraltar-specific issues involved in any trade deal.

However, they added: The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear that we stand behind British sovereignty for Gibraltar and that we will get a deal on the future that works for the whole UK family.

And the chief minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, issued a defiant statement saying: No declarations agreed by the remaining EU 27 or the European Institutions will ever change the undiluted British sovereignty or security of Gibraltar.

Although the compromise means the deal will get over the line, the issues of Gibraltar and fishing rights are likely to explode back onto the scene once negotiations over trade begin after Brexit.




The door to Google headquarters, with the brand's logo on the front.

Is it possible to do business in China and hang on to your core values? Apple believes it is. But Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy doesnt think so.

Anybody who does business in China compromises some of their core values, CNBC reports him as saying.

Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy is conflicted about what Googles strategy should be in China.

Anybody who does business in China compromises some of their core values, Hennessy said in an interview this week with Bloomberg. Its true for every company because the laws in China are quite a bit different than they are in our own country, he said, according to CNBC.

The chairman is clearly conflicted over whether Google should re-enter the country with a stripped down product that complies with local law. The article expands on that conflict.

Click here to continue and read more...
Cindy Hyde-Smith, the Republican Mississippi senator who made comments condoning public hangings, attended a segregated school when she was younger, the Jackson Free Press reported Friday after unearthing a 1975 yearbook photo.

The school, Lawrence County Academy, was set up for white parents to avoid sending their children to school with black children, according to the Free Press. Many such schools, dubbed segregation academies, were created in the South following desegregation as inexpensive, private educational options.

Hyde-Smith is identified in a caption beneath the yearbook photograph, which shows a row of cheerleaders smiling as they lie on the ground, propped up on their elbows, as a girl dressed in what seems to be Civil Warera regalia stands in the center holding an apparent Confederate flag.

Lawrence County Academy was established in 1970, one year after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Mississippi to desegregate its schools. For 15 years after desegregation became law of the land, Mississippi dragged its feet on integrating black and white students.

A former student who provided the photo to the newspaper said she realized at the time that her parents sent her to Lawrence County Academy to avoid interactions with black students. Segregation was not openly acknowledged at the school, she said.

Hyde-Smith sent her daughter to a similar school, Brookhaven Academy, which is nearly all white despite being located in a majority-black town.

The senator faces Democratic challenger Mike Espy in a special election Nov. 27. She was appointed by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to fill the seat vacated in April by former Sen. Thad Cochran, who stepped down for health reasons.

Hyde-Smith has been heavily criticized this month for making racist comments on the Confederate South.

In a state with an ugly history of terrorizing African-Americans with lynchings, Hyde-Smith said of a local rancher in early November, If he invited me to a public hanging, Id be on the front row. Espy called the comment reprehensible.

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Although she later apologized for her remark, she accused her opponents of twisting her words for political gain.

A 2014 Facebook post in which Hyde-Smith praises Confederate history subsequently surfaced. Alongside a smiling photo of herself in a Confederate hat and holding a rifle at a museum exhibit, the senator wrote, Mississippi history at its best!

She also appeared to voice support for voter suppression at a campaign stop earlier this month, telling constituents maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult to vote due to the liberal folks in those other schools who maybe we dont want to vote.

And I think thats a great idea, she said.

President Donald Trump, of whom Hyde-Smith has been a vocal supporter, will hold two rallies in Mississippi on Monday to whip up support for the Republican candidate.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of Mike Espy as Epsy.

Related...

GOP Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Just Made A Joke About Public Hangings In Mississippi

Mississippi Senator Apologizes For Hanging Remark, Blames Critics For Using It Against Her

Trump's Racism Doesn't Have To Be A Political Strategy. Sometimes It's Just Racism.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
MOSCOW (AP)  Igor Korobov, head of the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, which has been accused of meddling in U.S. elections, has died in Moscow. He was 62.

The Defense Ministry said Thursday in a statement that Korobov, who led the GRU since 2016, died Wednesday of "a lengthy and grave illness," a usual Russian euphemism for cancer. His predecessor had died two years earlier, at 58.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered condolences to Korobov's family but did not immediately name his successor.

"He dedicated his life to serving the Fatherland, defending national interests and strengthening security of our state," Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin.

The United States and its allies have accused the GRU of hacking the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, orchestrating the March nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy in Britain, and disrupting anti-doping efforts in world sports. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations, calling them part of a Western smear campaign.

This has been a tough year for the GRU, which has faced a series of exposures that revealed its inner workings.

In September, British intelligence released surveillance images of GRU agents accused of the nerve agent attack on former GRU officer and British double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. The investigative group Bellingcat and the Russian site The Insider quickly exposed the agents' real names, and media outlets including The Associated Press were able to confirm their real identities.

Dutch authorities also have recently identified four alleged GRU agents who tried to hack the world's chemical weapons watchdog from a hotel parking lot.

Putin visited the GRU headquarters earlier this month to congratulate the agency on its centenary, praising the agency for its professionalism.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the president had maintained a "regular dialogue" with Korobov as the chief of one of the nation's top intelligence agencies. He added that Korobov took part in a series of meetings on military issues chaired by Putin this week.
By Gustavo Palencia TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The brother of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was arrested on Friday in the United States on drug trafficking charges, the Honduran government said on Friday. Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez, a 40-year-old lawyer and former ruling party lawmaker, was arrested by U.S. authorities in Miami, the president's office said in a statement. The president's brother is the latest in a string of prominent Hondurans, including three congressmen, who have been charged in the United States for involvement with drug trafficking. "This is a heavy blow for the whole family," the president told reporters in his hometown of Gracias, in western Honduras. "I hope the justice system gives him the room to defend himself, and as a family, we will do what we can to support him." Reuters could not immediately contact a lawyer for the president's brother. He has denied previous accusations of links to the Cachiros drug trafficking organization. A leader of the Cachiros gang had testified during a trial in March 2017 in New York that "Tony" Hernandez had taken a bribe to help launder drug funds. The Honduran president, a conservative lawyer who came to power in 2014, has reined in homicides with a tough policy against drug cartels and street gangs that has been supported by the United States and criticized by human rights groups. Former President Porfirio Lobo, who governed Honduras between 2010 and 2014, has also been linked to the Cachiros criminal organization in trials in the United States and has rejected these accusations. Last year, one of Lobo's sons pleaded guilty before a U.S. court to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Leslie Adler)
The death of an American missionary on a remote Indian island has cast a rare spotlight on the Sentinelese, one of the world's most reclusive hunter-gatherer tribes.

John Allen Chau, 27, was killed with arrows as he illegally set foot on North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean after paddling there in a kayak last week.

Here is a factbox on the tribe:

- Extreme isolation -

The sole inhabitants of North Sentinel Island, around the size of Manhattan, guard their territory fiercely. They rely on forest produce and sea resources for survival.

They are the most isolated among the native tribal groups that inhabit the Andaman islands and are protected by Indian laws which ban any contact with the indigenous people.

Their number was estimated to be some 8,000 when the British first made attempts to colonise these islands in the late 18th century.

The tribe's extreme isolation makes them very vulnerable to diseases to which they have no immunity.

Their current population is believed to be 150, although a national census based on photos taken from afar put their numbers as low as 15.

- 'Proud, strong and healthy' -

Most of what is known about the Sentinelese has been gathered by viewing them from boats moored at a safe distance from the shore.

They are near-naked, with the women wearing fibre strings tied around their waists, necks and heads, and the men also wearing necklaces and headbands. Some have their faces painted.

Rare photos show them carrying spears, bows and arrows.

In his journal reportedly written hours before his death, Chau said the men were about 5 feet-5 inches tall (1.65 metres) with yellow paste on their faces.

Survival International, a tribal rights advocacy group, says the Sentinelese "look proud, strong and healthy" and that observers have noted "many children and pregnant women."

- 'Eyes on, hands off' -

Brief visits have been paid to the island but the Sentinelese remain untouched by modern civilisation.

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Starting in the 1960s, anthropologists succeeded in exchanging gifts and conducting field visits but abandoned their efforts some 25 years ago in the face of renewed hostility.

An Indian Coast Guard helicopter which flew over the island after the 2004 Asian Tsunami was attacked with arrows.

The authorities then declared that no further attempts would be made to contact the Sentinelese.

They do make periodic checks, albeit from a safe distance, to ensure the tribe's well-being, following a strict "eyes on, hands off" policy.

Veteran anthropologist T. N. Pandit who visited North Sentinel 50 years ago believes there should be no rush to make contact with the Sentinelese.

"Of the four Andaman tribal communities, we have seen that those in close contact with the outside world have suffered the most. They have declined demographically and culturally," he told Down To Earth magazine in a recent interview.

The Sentinelese "are a highly vulnerable population and would disappear in an epidemic," he added.

"The government's responsibility should be to keep a watch over them in the sense (that) no unauthorised people reach them and exploit them. Otherwise, just leave them alone."

- 'Human safari tours' -

The nearby Jarawas were the earliest tribe in the Andamans to be contacted by the British. The 2011 census estimated their population to be around 400.

They fiercely resisted contact with outsiders before opening up gradually in the 1970s. Some travel companies were accused of organising "human safari tours" so that tourists could catch a glimpse.

Some say the younger generation has even learnt bits of the Hindi language from frequent interaction with tourists. Some have taken up drinking and smoking.

In 2012, a video of a naked Jarawa woman dancing for tourists set alarm bells ringing and led to tightening of rules and enforcement.

In 2016 there were reports of a fair-skinned baby, assumed to have been fathered by an outsider, being killed by Jarawa men according to a custom of the tribe.
The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed a suicide attack inside a packed mosque on an Afghan army base that a senior government official said killed at least 27 soldiers.

At least 79 military personnel were wounded in the attack on the First Brigade of the 203 Army Corps in the eastern province of Khost during Friday prayers, according to casualty figures from public and private hospitals in the provincial capital.

In a statement posted on the IS news site Amaq, the group's Afghan franchise claimed 50 were killed and 110 wounded in the attack.

It warned "more devastating and bitter" assaults were ahead.

But a government official told AFP on Friday on the condition of anonymity that 27 soldiers had lost their lives and 44 had been wounded.

Provincial governor spokesman Taliban Mangal told AFP on Saturday that 13 soldiers had been killed and "about" 40 wounded.

Afghan government and military officials are often suspected of downplaying the casualty tolls in militant assaults.

The bombing follows a wave of deadly attacks across Afghanistan in recent weeks as militants step up violence amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts to end the 17-year conflict.

Presidential spokesman Mohammad Haroon Chakhansuri told reporters Saturday that the Khost attack was similar to the Taliban-claimed assault on a mosque and dining hall inside a military base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in April 2017 that killed at least 144 troops.

"We are seriously investigating it," Chakhansuri said.

"Those who have neglected their duties will be prosecuted."

It has been a bloody few days for Afghanistan.

A US soldier was killed on Saturday, NATO said, taking the number of American service personnel to die in the war-torn country this year to nine.

That came after at least 55 people were killed and 94 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the middle of a religious gathering in Kabul on Tuesday.

No militant group has claimed the explosion at the Uranus Wedding Palace, where hundreds of religious scholars had been marking the Prophet Mohammad's birthday.

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Friday's explosion in Khost came as Afghan security forces suffer record casualties, which experts warn have reached unsustainable levels as the Taliban maintain the upper hand in the war.

Since the start of 2015, when local forces took over from US-led NATO combat troops to secure the country, nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police have been killed, President Ghani revealed this month -- a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed hopes in Kabul last Sunday that a peace deal to end the war could be struck before the Afghan presidential election, scheduled for April 20.

His comments underscore an apparent increasing sense of urgency in the White House and among American diplomats for a peace deal to be done quickly.
Lima (AFP) - A Peruvian judge issued an international arrest warrant for an ally of jailed opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in relation to the same money laundering probe that has seen former president Alberto Fujimori's daughter locked up for three years of preventative detention.

Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho also ordered Jaime Yoshiyama to join Fujimori in pre-trial detention for three years.

Yoshiyama ran for vice-president at the 2011 election when Keiko Fujimori first lost a presidential run-off.

She is accused of accepting $1.2 million in illicit party funding from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign.

Yoshiyama is currently recovering in Miami following an operation on his face, his lawyer said.

In his ruling issued in the early hours of Saturday morning, Carhuancho ordered businessman Augusto Bedoya, one of Fujimori's campaign leaders in 2011, not to leave Peru in the next three years.

The judge said "Yoshiyama's conduct in evading justice" by leaving the country meant "pre-trial detention becomes indispensable."

Prosecutors have accused a total of 11 people linked to Fujimori's Popular Force party of running "a criminal organization" in order to raise illicit funding for her 2011 campaign. Seven of those are in pre-trial detention.

Attorney general Jose Domingo Perez claims Yoshiyama and Bedoya each received $500,000 for the campaign with the other $200,000 allegedly paid by Odebrecht going to a fund for businessmen supporting Fujimori's campaign.

Her disgraced father, president from 1990-2000, is serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity and corruption.

Peru is one of the Latin American countries worst affected by the multi-million dollar, region-wide Odebrecht corruption scandal.

The Brazilian company has admitted paying at least $29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials since 2004.

Former Peru president Alan Garcia has been barred from leaving the country while under investigation and last week entered the Uruguay embassy in Lima seeking political asylum.

Three more ex-presidents, Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kczynski are also under investigation.

Odebrecht has admitted paying $788 million in bribes across 12 countries to secure public works contracts.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The Latest on a U.S. Senate runoff election in Mississippi (all times local):

5 p.m.

A black Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Mississippi says he would bring experience of "diversity" and "inclusion" to the job, and he thinks the Republican he's trying to unseat has a different background.

Democrat Mike Espy spoke Saturday about how he and his twin sister were among the 17 black students who integrated the all-white Yazoo City High School in 1969, graduating in 1971.

An independent newspaper, the Jackson Free Press, reported late Friday that Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith attended a white private school founded in 1970, the year many Mississippi public high schools integrated. She graduated from Lawrence County Academy in 1977.

Hyde-Smith campaign spokeswoman Melissa Scallan responded to the report about Hyde-Smith's high school attendance by saying, "the gotcha liberal media has taken leave of their senses."

___

4:30 p.m.

More than 43,000 absentee ballots have been requested ahead of a Mississippi runoff election, which includes a hard-fought U.S. Senate race.

The secretary of state's office says Saturday that the number could increase as circuit clerks continue compiling information. The total includes absentee ballots that were requested by mail and absentee ballots that were cast at circuit clerks' offices. Saturday was the deadline for in-person absentee voting, and people waited in line at some courthouses, including Hinds County.

People 65 or older are allowed to vote absentee, as are people who will be away from their home county on Election Day.

About 69,000 absentee ballots were requested before Mississippi's Nov. 6 election. There's typically a large decrease in ballots cast between the first election and a runoff.

___

2:25 p.m.

Several dozen voters in Mississippi's largest county have been waiting in a line stretching outside the courthouse to cast absentee ballots in a U.S. Senate runoff.

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The contest is between white Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress, and Democratic challenger Mike Espy, a former U.S. agriculture commissioner who is seeking to become the first African-American senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction.

The runoff is Tuesday. Saturday was the deadline for people to cast absentee ballots at circuit clerks' offices.

People 65 or older are allowed to vote absentee, as are people who will be away from their home county on Election Day.

A 92-year-old voter from Jackson, Illinois Cox Littleton, says she voted for Espy because she considers him "a highly intelligent man."
The murders of Raed Fares and Hammoud al-Juneid dealt yet another blow to the dwindling civil society movement that first sparked Syria's uprising in 2011 - Kafranbl News

Gunmen in Syria's rebel-held northwestern province shot and killed on Friday a prominent anti-government journalist who was also a sharp critic of Islamist militants.

Raed Fares' US-funded Radio Fresh station provides news of the conflict to Syria's northern provinces and is a source for international news outlets which have largely stayed away from the opposition-held areas amid rising lawlessness.

Fares' killing was a blow to the few independent voices that have continued to promote nonviolence and democratic change in the war-torn country.

In a June op-ed in The Washington Post, Fares lamented that the US had cut funds to Syria's opposition areas, including the radio station he founded in 2013 in his hometown of Kafranbel in rebel-held Idlib province. He said such a move would only feed extremism.

"As a journalist and activist, I felt I had a duty to counter the fundamentalist narratives that are spreading among people who have no other source for hope in our war-torn homeland," Fares wrote in the Post on June 28. His station provided training and jobs for hundreds of young activists and citizen journalists.

"If it weren't for us and other independent voices, terrorists would be the only source of information about Syria locally and internationally. For that reason, the terrorist groups (and the regime) see us as a direct threat."

Fares and friend Hammoud al-Juneid died after three gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Kafranbel Credit: Kafranbl News

Fares survived an earlier assassination attempt in 2014 when he was shot in the chest by armed men. He was abducted by militants affiliated with an al-Qaida group and tortured. He criticized the militants' harassment of its critics. His radio station was raided by militants and bombed by government warplanes.

Fares and friend Hammoud al-Juneid died of their wounds after three gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Kafranbel. A third, Ali Dandouch, sitting in the backseat, ducked the bullets and survived, he later told The Associated Press.

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Dandouch said the gunmen fired at them from a moving vehicle.

Social media sites were rife with the news of Fares' killing. "My last friend & hope 4 a better Syria has been killed (today) after being let down by" everyone, Zaina Erhaim, a UK-based Syrian journalist who left the country in 2016, wrote on Twitter.

Fares gained fame during the Syrian uprising because of continued support for opposition protests even when the conflict took a violent turn.

Mourners attend the funeral of Fares and Jneid Credit: AFP

His town gained attention during weekly anti-government protests because of the humorous English-language banners he created for each rally. "Do not send money. Gold is not edible," one banner read, urging the world to free a besieged area instead of sending assistance.

He organized protests to express support for the victims of the 2013 Boston bombings, which he called "a sorrowful scene of what happens in Syria every day. Do accept our condolences."

Fares was also a vocal critic of Islamic militants, supporting rallies against them, and accusing them of silencing dissent. The Observatory reported that more than 390 people have been shot and killed since April in the rebel-held north amid a wave of assassination and lawlessness.

In his op-ed in the Post, Fares said he had seen militants regrouping in the absence of support for the less radical opposition.

"Syria's democratic future relies on our success," he wrote.

Mohammed Katoub, a doctor who supports health facilities in rebel-held areas, said public figures and civil society activists are increasingly under threat in northwestern Syria by militant groups. He said at least 13 doctors have disappeared since 2018.

"I think the targeted people are all public figures and community leaders who believe in the same values of humanity, dignity, justice and liberty," Katoub said. "You can't know (Fares) without loving him, his smile, his optimism, his hopes for Syria, (his) way of thinking and creativity."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at the Hubb Community Kitchen at Al Manaar mosque. It said it had been on the record as 'rejecting and condemning extremism and terrorism' - Getty Images Europe

Acommunity kitchen supported by the Duchess of Sussex is housed inside a mosque linked by experts to individuals connected to terrorist acts and run by an imam who says girls who listen to music risk becoming strippers.

Meghan visited the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre on Wednesday after championing a cookbook to raise funds for the Hubb Community Kitchen project there to help victims of the fire at nearby Grenfell Tower.

In February it emerged the 37-year-old royal had made secret visits to the mosque in Westbourne Grove, which has also hosted Princes William and Harry, Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn in recent months.

An investigation by the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), the anti-extremism think tank, has linked the mosque, opened by Prince Charles in 2001, to 19 jihadists, including Islamic State executioner Mohammed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John.

Imam Samer Darwish, who has been photographed with Mrs May, Mr Corbyn and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, presents a weekly show on the Islam Channel where he has condoned bigamy, suggested women should not pray while on their periods, claimed girls who listen to music risk becoming strippers and said women should not cry when visiting graves.

Samer Darwish, Imam of the Al Manaar mosque in Acklam Road, west London. Credit: You Tube/You Tube

The comments are likely to shock the Duchess, who has described herself as a feminist and is committed to championing gender equality.

On Wednesday, Meghan visited the kitchen at Al Manaar after it was refurbished with proceeds from the sale of the Together cookbook of recipes inspired by women involved in the Hubb project, for which she wrote the foreword. So far 39,000 copies have been sold raising 210,000 which has been channeled into the community group based at the kitchen via The Royal Foundation.

Research by the HJS suggests the mosque was once attended by three of the four Beatles, the Isil terror cell charged with guarding, torturing and killing hostages in Syria and Iraq. As well as Emwazi, Choukri Ellekhlifi, Alexanda Kotey and Aine Davis, all from west London, also have links with Al Manaar. Emwazi and Ellekhlifi were associates in London and it seems highly likely that they fought together after joining Isil in late 2012 and early 2013. Ellekhlifi reportedly fought with al-Qaeda affiliate Jhabat al-Nusra and was killed in 2013 near Aleppo.

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Mohammed Emwazi during his time at Westminster University Credit: TMG/TMG

Kotey would allegedly stand outside Al Manaar and preach extremist propaganda, such as arguing that suicide bombings did not violate the Koran. In 2008, Kotey became involved with the London Boys, a radical network linked to terrorist attacks in the UK, including the 7/7 bombings. According to the US State Department, Kotey acted as a guard for Isil and "likely engaged in the group's executions and exceptionally cruel torture methods, including electronic shock and waterboarding". He is currently being held in solitary confinement in Syria.

Former drug dealer Davis oversaw beheadings of British hostages, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, and US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley. He was convicted of terrorism charges in Turkey, 2017 and sentenced to seven and a half years.

Daviss wife Amal el-Wahabi, the first woman to be convicted of terrorism offences connected to Syria, formerly worked as a nursery assistant at Al Manaar.

Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in west London Credit: TMG

You Tube videos show Mr Darwish, who preaches at the mosque for three and a half days a week, speaking on the Islam Channel. In one clip he says of women on their periods: Bleeding, no praying. Stop bleeding, just pray. Ive seen some of our sisters holding Koran using glove, which is a good idea. Condoning bigamy in another, he says: In Islam, it is permissible, yes, to marry more than one wife.

He also says listening to music or dancing is haram (sinful) except as reward for memorising the Koran, adding: Those who are uncovering up some parts of their body and you will have no control in your daughter.

On women visiting graves, he says: There is no harm for the women to visit the grave, but this is also conditional that she will not commit something haram, she will not cry to the extent to the point that she start screaming and stuff. In other footage, he claims a man can bring back his divorced wife by having sexual intercourse with her.

Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, said: The Duchess of Sussex has been poorly advised over her involvement with a mosque where many former congregants have gone on to commit terrorist acts. This is not one or two isolated cases but 19 separate individuals. A simple Google search would have highlighted concerns over these connections, and the recently expressed views of Imam Darwish.

The support that Al Manaar Mosque has given to survivors, their families & the local community following the horrific Grenfell Tower fire continues to demonstrate the true spirit of our city. Good to be back as part of #VisitMyMosque Day. pic.twitter.com/2nV3JGgsbG  Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 18, 2018

A Kensington Palace source said: The funds raised by the cookbook are supporting the Hubb Community Kitchen, which is an independent project that leases space from Al Manaar. The project is empowering the women and helping provide some hope and joy to a community that has gone through unspeakable tragedy.

Abdulrahman Sayed, chief executive of the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre said: Al Manaar has been on the record rejecting and condemning extremism and terrorism. The Charitys vision and mission is to be a vibrant and welcoming community hub and resource that encourages and promotes a sense of belonging, unity and pride for both Muslims and the wider community; and to contribute to building cohesive and resilient communities.

He said the mosque could not be held responsible for anything Mr Darwish said outside the mosque but added: Im happy to look at what he said and have a word with him about that language.
Rabat (AFP) - Morocco's navy on Saturday found the bodies of 15 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on board a boat stranded at sea for days and rescued 53 survivors, a military source said.

Coastguards recovered "15 lifeless corpses" from the vessel in the Mediterranean Sea after it was left drifting for four days following engine failure on its way to Spain, the source said.

The 53 other survivors on board, including eight women, were taken to the port of Nador.

Increasing numbers of Moroccans and sub-Saharan migrants are seeking to enter Spain, either by sea or by smuggling themselves into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which are in Morocco and are the only European territories in Africa.

The International Organization for Migration says that some 51,000 migrants have arrived in Spain by sea this year, and that over 630 have died or gone missing trying.

On Friday the Moroccan navy said it rescued 289 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African off Nador.

Moroccan authorities say that between January and the end of September they stopped some 68,000 illegal attempts to cross into Europe and took down 122 people smuggling gangs.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology linguist Noam Chomsky accepts his honorary degree.

Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, touched upon a variety of subjects in his most recent interview with Democracy Now host Amy Goodman. According to Chomsky, this is one of the gravest times in human history.

Both parts of the hour-long interview are available on Democracy Nows official YouTube channel, and on the news programs official website. Professor Chomsky touched upon a wide variety of issues during the interview: the phenomenon of Donald Trump, violence in Gaza, Brazils far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, Saudi-led war in Yemen, and climate change.

Humans have been around for 200,000 years. For the first time in their history, they have to decide  and quickly  whether organized human society is going to survive for very long.

The 90-year-old recounted his childhood, drawing a parallel between the rise of fascism then, and the recent resurgence of fascist sentiment.

Click here to continue and read more...
By Amanda Ferguson

BELFAST (Reuters) - The Northern Irish party propping up British Prime Minister Theresa May's government on Saturday said it would vote against her Brexit withdrawal agreement, which its deputy leader said would leave Britain in a "pitiful and pathetic place".

The pledge to vote down the deal was made by party leader Arlene Foster at the end of her Democratic Unionist Party's annual conference at which members gave standing ovation to key May rival Boris Johnson's proposal to begin preparations for a "no deal" Brexit.

"We will vote against it if its brought to parliament," Foster told Ireland's RTE television in an interview from the conference, in her most direct comments on the issue to date.

May's divorce treaty and accompanying political declaration are due to be endorsed in Brussels on Sunday by May and the other 27 EU leaders.

But Foster's comments further complicate May's already daunting challenge to get enough votes to pass the deal in parliament.

Dozens of members of her own party have indicated they will not support the deal and the opposition Labour party plans to vote it down.

While the DUP's 10 MPs are subject to a 'confidence and supply' deal signed last year last year to back her minority government, Foster said they would not vote with the government and would consider scrapping the deal if the agreement somehow passes.

The withdrawal treaty's 'backstop' provision could align Northern Ireland more closely with the EU than the rest of the United Kingdom if no other way can be found to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

Foster's pro-British party fears the provision, if implemented, could one day threaten the province's place in the UK altogether.

The backstop "will put Northern Ireland under swathes of EU laws with no say for anyone in Belfast or London (and create) a trade border down the Irish Sea," deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds told the conference.

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"The published Withdrawal Agreement portrays a pitiful and pathetic place for the United Kingdom," he added, saying it would be "locked into an EU straitjacket, divided and diminished."

The comments were echoed by Johnson, who received a rapturous applause from the delegates, saying Britain would be left as a "satellite state" by the deal.

May has said the EU will not renegotiate and that Britain could face a hugely disruptive "no deal" Brexit if it does not take the deal on offer.

Foster said to regain the DUP's support May would have to remove the Irish protocol from the legally binding withdrawal agreement, something the EU has repeatedly made clear it will not countenance.

The Irish border issue should be in the non-binding political declaration instead, she said.

If parliament votes down May's deal that will trigger renewed negotiations rather than an election or another referendum, she said.

Earlier Foster told the Times newspaper that a government led by the Labour Party's Jeremy Corbyn - a longtime sympathiser with the DUP's arch rival Sinn Fein - might be preferable to the deal.

(The story was refiled to correct the additional reporter's name in the signoff)

(Writing by Conor Humphries; Additional reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary in Edinburgh; Editing by Clelia Oziel, Richard Balmforth)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23)  The country now has an agricultural cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea that will allow Philippine companies to engage in agriculture projects in the Pacific country.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol said the government is looking to Papua New Guinea for food security, saying Filipinos can grow rice there, then ship the grains back to the country through the private sector.

Pinol said the country has enough rice supply, but there may be a need to outsource rice production to feed a growing population in the future.

"You have to understand, 3.9 million ang rice area.. the population is growing at 1.7 percent and the land area is not expanding. That's final. As the population grows, where do we get the food?" Pinol said.

However, local farmers said rather than prioritize rice importation or outsourcing rice production, the government should give more assistance to them by providing irrigation facilities, machinery and fertilizer supply.

Trinidad Santiago, a member of the National Movement for Food Sovereignty said, "Doon nga kami nasasaktan. Bakit ang produkto ng magsasaka sa ibang bansa ang tatangkilikin natin, samantalang kung itong maliliit na magsasaka, kung bibigyan lang ng gobyerno kayang pakainin ang sambayanang Pilipino."

[Translation: That's what's hurtful. Why should we patronize the products of another country, when the government could support small, local farmers they could feed the country.]

Simeon Sioson, president of the Federation of Central Luzon Farmers Cooperative said, "Kung nakapag-invest po tayo ng 300 to 400 billion sa mga roads, sa mga bridges, sa airport, bakit hindi natin unahin mag-invest ng at least 200 billion sa irrigation?"

[Translation: If we can invest 300 to 400 billions in roads, bridges, and airports, why can't we first invest at least 200 billion on irrigation?]

Rosendo So, president of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) echoed this sentiment, "Why not irrigate our own area? Marami tayong area dito na pwede pang i-develop [We have plenty of areas here we can still develop]."

Farmers said allowing unregulated imported rice to flood the market may leave them on the losing end, adding this would be possible under a senate bill that seeks to remove the National Food Authority's (NFA) regulatory powers.

Santiago said traders will buy palay from farmers at a lower price should large quantities of imports come in.

Pinol shares the view, saying, "Who will correct traders and retailers who are manipulating the prices and supply in market? While of course senate version has been approved, I believe that it merits a second look. Personally i think, it's an ill-advised move dahil sa issue ng kurapsyon sa NFA ay tatanggalan ng [because of the issue of corruption in NFA, there will be removal of] powers."

Meanwhile, lawmakers are crafting a common version of the rice tarrification bill. The bill lifts rice import limits in exchange for corresponding tariffs.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said the bill has a provision that gives assistance to farmers such as machinery.

"Ba't daw ibibigay sa Philmech and Philrice 'yung budget...sila 'yung dalawang agency created to take care of mechanization and development of seeds," she said.

[Translation: Why give the budget to Philmech and Philrice? They are the two agencies created to take care of mechanization and development of seeds.]

Farmers say they are looking forward to the promised government assistance. They hope this help will reach all farmers and not just a few cooperatives.
Lerch, who served 12 years with the U.S. Coast Guard and another 30 in the reserves, died on Sunday evening of cancer.
By Amanda Ferguson BELFAST (Reuters) - The Northern Irish party propping up British Prime Minister Theresa May's government on Saturday said it would vote against her Brexit withdrawal agreement, which its deputy leader said would leave Britain in a "pitiful and pathetic place". The pledge to vote down the deal was made by party leader Arlene Foster at the end of her Democratic Unionist Party's annual conference at which members gave standing ovation to key May rival Boris Johnson's proposal to begin preparations for a "no deal" Brexit. "We will vote against it if its brought to parliament," Foster told Ireland's RTE television in an interview from the conference, in her most direct comments on the issue to date. May's divorce treaty and accompanying political declaration are due to be endorsed in Brussels on Sunday by May and the other 27 EU leaders. But Foster's comments further complicate May's already daunting challenge to get enough votes to pass the deal in parliament. Dozens of members of her own party have indicated they will not support the deal and the opposition Labour party plans to vote it down. While the DUP's 10 members of parliament are subject to a 'confidence and supply' deal signed last year last year to back her minority government, Foster said they would not vote with the government and would consider scrapping the deal if the agreement somehow passes. The withdrawal treaty's 'backstop' provision could align Northern Ireland more closely with the EU than the rest of the United Kingdom if no other way can be found to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. Foster's pro-British party fears the provision, if implemented, could one day threaten the province's place in the UK altogether. The backstop "will put Northern Ireland under swathes of EU laws with no say for anyone in Belfast or London (and create) a trade border down the Irish Sea," deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds told the conference. "The published Withdrawal Agreement portrays a pitiful and pathetic place for the United Kingdom," he added, saying it would be "locked into an EU straitjacket, divided and diminished." The comments were echoed by Johnson, who received a rapturous applause from the delegates, saying Britain would be left as a "satellite state" by the deal. May has said the EU will not renegotiate and that Britain could face a hugely disruptive "no deal" Brexit if it does not take the deal on offer. Foster said to regain the DUP's support May would have to remove the Irish protocol from the legally binding withdrawal agreement, something the EU has repeatedly made clear it will not countenance. The Irish border issue should be in the the non-binding political declaration instead, she said. If parliament votes down May's deal that will trigger renewed negotiations rather than an election or another referendum, she said. Earlier Foster told the Times newspaper that a government led by the Labour Party's Jeremy Corbyn - a longtime sympathiser with the DUP's arch rival Sinn Fein - might be preferable to the deal. (This story has been refiled to correct additional reporter's name in signoff.) (Writing by Conor Humphries; Additional reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary in Edinburgh; Editing by Clelia Oziel, Richard Balmforth)
Norway, a country known for its green crypto mining outfits, has decided to roll back a tax structure which previously allowed cryptocurrency miners to be taxed on power consumption at the same rate as other industries which use a lot of energy, according to a local news outlet.

A parliamentary representative named Lars Haltbrekken told Aftenposten.no:

Norway can not continue to provide huge tax incentives for the most dirty form of cryptographic output as bitcoin. It requires a lot of energy and generates large greenhouse gas emissions globally.

The change is astronomical in nature. Currently miners pay about 0.48 re  or just 0.0005 USD  per kilowatt hour. This is in line with other high energy consumers of 0.5 megawatts or more. However, after January 1st, they will pay the normal electricity tax rate of 16.58 re, or roughly two cents  in tax alone  per kWh. The reaction from pro-business Norwegians was not favorable.

Message from native Norwegian & CCN Publisher Jonas Borchgrevink:

Norway is one of the greenest nations on earth when it comes to the production of electricity. 99% of the electricity is produced by hydropower, and we continue to expand with wind power-, offshore wind power-, solar energy- and bio-energy facilities. From January 2018 to October 31st 2018, we exported 15 071 492 MWh, imported 6 321 079 MWh with a total net profit of 8 750 413 MWh. We are in excess of green energy. That the parliament and the government claims the reason for removing the electricity tax break for Bitcoin mining is that it generates large greenhouse gas emissions globally does not make any sense. Why would a green nation punish miners companies from Norway, encouraging them to re-establish elsewhere and get a higher carbon footprint? It is plain stupid. If we are to be a green nation, why dont we shut down the offshore oil production that pumps up more than 1.6 million barrels per day? Parliament is hypocritical. Look at this quote from norskpetroleum.no: Total production rose in 2017 for the fourth consecutive year, and gas sales were at a record high. Never before has so much gas been sold from the Norwegian shelf as was the case in 2017. In the next few years, total production is expected to remain high. Another Parliament member from SP, Sigbjrn Gjelsvik, said that they dont want to support an industry that employs few employees. Thats an insightful statement. So we will stop supporting other industries when they automate most of the production tasks? If thats the case, lets say goodbye to industry as a whole.

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A ranking economist, Roger Schjerva, told the same local publication that:

We just say no to income and work in many municipalities in Norway. We can only hope that politicians understand that energy-intensive computing is one of the things we will be living with in the future.

And a Kryptovault spokesperson, Gjermund Hagaster, said:

If this is correct, it will be a complete disaster for the cryptocurrency industry in Norway. This gives a terrible signal to foreigners that are thinking of investing in Norway.

Norways power grid is almost entirely hydroelectric, which somewhat belies the statements of the representative  some might interpret the move as a money grab or effort to balance the budget on the back of an emerging industry. It is with some degree of irony that one of the countries with the most miners, China, still relies on coal power plants for much of its grid.

According to Bitnodes, there are just 48 full Bitcoin core nodes operating in Norway at time of writing. While Bitcoin is often used interchangeably by people less familiar with it, it can be extrapolated from that figure that the number of mining operations in the country is probably does not number in the thousands, across cryptocurrencies. Meaning that while the move, which takes effect at the beginning of 2019, will not necessarily be a huge setback to the Bitcoin mining network as a whole, it definitely will have an impact on the decision of miners in the future regarding Norway as a viable place to start and/or do business.

Forbes coverage of the matter cites a company called Northern Bitcoin as claiming that a Bitcoin costs about $7,700 at present to mine in Norway. Whether or not this is accurate, the cost of electricity in mining will increase. Mining profitability varies on a number of factors, particularly the size of the mine. The ideal mine has a lot of machines mining 24/7, which means that power is consumed and used even when there is no actual profit being had. The recent downturn in the global price of cryptocurrencies is sure to have a secondary effect on the profitability of Norwegian miners, making it an all-around unfriendly zone for Bitcoin miners.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Norway Removes Tax Breaks for Bitcoin Mining as Crypto Firm Labels it a Disaster appeared first on CCN.


okex

The latest Bitcoin Cash hard fork had ramifications on the entire crypto community. Independent of whether you trade BCH, its recent split had disastrous financial consequences for many and inspired some unorthodox moves from others.

Malta-based exchange OKEx left traders furious last week after taking the decision to change the terms on $135 million Bitcoin Cash derivatives contracts.

As one of the worlds largest crypto exchanges (and part of a handful to offer derivatives trading as well as spot) OKEx has gained in popularity. Its also ramped up the trading volume, handling some $1 billion or more of crypto trades daily. Thats a lot of transactions.

OKEx Changing the Contract Terms

The OKEx decision to change contract terms involved futures in Bitcoin Cash. The fork was causing headaches and hash wars all round and splitting the crypto community down the middle. So, the exchange took matters into its own hands. It forced the early settlement of all Bitcoin Cash contracts without warning on November 14right before the fork took place and just as prices were beginning to freefall.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: All Bitcoin Cash (BCH) futures contracts will stop trading at 9:05am and be delivered at 10:00am Nov 14, 2018 CET (UTC +1) due to the upcoming hard fork. We will provide a detailed explanation shortly.#OKExAnnouncementhttps://t.co/yh3p46tirc pic.twitter.com/oqioSUOUsf  OKEx (@OKEx) November 14, 2018

This decision went against the stance that the exchange had previously announced on November 9, that it would list Bitcoin ABC after the fork. This decision was in line with most other exchanges. In the event that two chains could not co-exist after the fork and BSV emerged victoriously, futures contracts in ABC would likely settle worthless. Traders began to make adequate adjustments, selling contracts, and pricing for this risk.

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So, upon the news of early settlements, derivatives traders on OKEx were left hit by an ice-cold shower in the middle of winter. One trader quoted in Bloomberg Qiao Changhe said that his fund lost $700,000. The hedging position it was forced to take by OKEx was not reflective of prevailing market prices at the level it closed. Qiao will now be reducing his $5-million funds usage of the exchange.

Traders Calling Contract Changes Fiddling

Qiao isnt alone in fleeing from the exchange. Plenty of other traders will also be scaling back or cutting ties completely. Qiao said:

OKEx is losing its credibility The futures contract became something nonsense, not something we could use to hedge.

In a statement, OKEx pointed to the extreme volatility behind their decision, saying:

Due to the upcoming hard fork, strong volatility is observed in the BCH spot and futures markets. We expect an even greater volatility during the hard fork that may cause large-scale impacts, such as cascade liquidation.

They went on to call the outcome unpredictable and say that the exchange:

may lack time to respond to the market.

They also explained why no prior notice was given as a bid to reduce the chances of market manipulation:

It has come to our concern that an early announcement may make room for market manipulation and cause loss to our users. Therefore, we decided to give a short notice in order to maintain the fairness and stability of the market.

While this may sound plausible, OKEx is the only exchange who made the decision to force an early settlement of Bitcoin Cash contracts. This is something that may not be illegal but is certainly unorthodoxand highly unpopular with traders, leaving many reeling from losses.

OKEx Accused of Market Manipulation

Despite their statement to the contrary, the Malta-based exchange has also been openly accused of market manipulation. In an article on Medium by Amber AI, the author states:

Over the past week we have seen behavior indicative of market manipulation by OKEx, and estimate $400mm+ of futures contracts have been forced into liquidation as a result.

Today, OKEx released a statement in response to this article, discrediting the authors claims of having a Hong-Kong based company and institutional account as fictitious. Moreover, the account Amber AI was an individual and not based in Hong Kong. They went on to reinforce the reason behind the early settlement as being:

Based on the consideration of market integrity and customer interests. The early settlement was implemented in accordance with clause 2.5 of OKEx Futures Trading User Agreement, If market anomalies occur before or after settlement and delivery, which results in wide fluctuation of futures index or abnormal clawback rate, we may postpone or early settlement and delivery as the case may be. We shall post an announcement regarding detailed rules.

OKEx insists that upon seeing the large-scale impact that the BCH hard fork was going to have on the futures market, the exchange felt duty-bound to protect its customers as well as the markets, adding that:

In the absence of evidence, Amber AI alleged us for trading against our own customers and manipulating the markets. These are completely false allegations and the defamatory statements have caused serious damages to OKExs reputation. We reserve all rights to take further legal actions against Amber AI for interfering OKExs business We reaffirm that we will NEVER trade against our customers and manipulate the market.

Not the First Time the Exchange Has Been Criticized

Its not the first time that OKEx has been criticized. In August, it imposed losses on its clients after saying that it was unable to cover the shortfall of a major wrong-way bet by one of its users, throwing its risk management ability into question.

To add fuel to the fire, the day after the Bitcoin Cash futures contracts settled, on November 15, the exchange suffered a malfunction and traders were unable to execute orders for more than two hours during a time of extreme and heightened volatility.

When you consider that mainstream adoption of crypto is a long way from getting off the ground and that the community as a whole is dogged by reports of scams, hacks, and criminal activity; this latest move by OKEx does little to boost investor confidence. In fact, it serves to further highlight what can happen when trading on unregulated crypto exchanges.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post OKEx Bitcoin Cash Futures Debacle Shows Danger of Unregulated Exchanges appeared first on CCN.


Islamabad (AFP) - Pakistan authorities launched a crackdown Saturday against hundreds of supporters of a hardline cleric whose party recently paralysed the country with violent protests over the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.

Hours after firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi was himself arrested late Friday, police said over 300 Tehreek-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party supporters were detained in Punjab province in efforts to "maintain public order".

The arrests came ahead of a scheduled party rally on Sunday in Islamabad, but Punjab information minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan said TLP supporters would be banned from gathering in the neighbouring province.

"We are detaining supporters of TLP across the province to avoid any backlash after the arrest of their leaders," said Chohan.

"Police has been deployed in all major cities of the province to deal with any untoward incident. There is a complete ban on all type of political gatherings in the province."

The country's information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the detention of Rizvi "has to do nothing with (the) Asia Bibi case," referring to a Christian woman who was on death row for eight years before the Supreme Court overturned her blasphemy conviction last month.

The court's decision sparked furious demonstrations led by the hardline TLP, with protesters calling for Bibi's execution as they blocked major roads, leaving large swathes of the country paralysed.

In response, the government made a deal with the Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, who was released from jail earlier this month as she awaits the outcome of a final review of her case.

The TLP has vowed to return to the streets if she is allowed to leave the country.

Early on Saturday clashes took place in the southern city of Karachi between Pakistani paramilitary forces and protestors over the arrest of Rizvi.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house," tweeted Chaudhry.

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"It's to safeguard public life, property and order ... Law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals," he added.

A notification issued by the Punjab government said the cleric will be detained for 30 days. The notification said there was "credible" information that the cleric would create a law and order situation.

In a video message released on Friday, another TLP leader Pir Afzal Qadri called for fresh protests, saying police had arrested dozens of party workers in the port city of Karachi as well as Lahore.

Blasphemy is a massively inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders.

Bibi's conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields.

Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted.

A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed.

Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures.
Lagos (AFP) - The debate over the restitution of thousands of African cultural artefacts from France has become heated, but in West Africa conservators prefer to call it "collaboration" and are preparing for their return.

The French presidency announced on Friday night that it was restoring "without delay" 26 works plundered by the French army in 1892 and claimed by the authorities in Benin.

The recommendations come with the delivery of a non-binding report that proposes a change in legislation and urges the return of museum artefacts to Africa from France.

Alain Godonou, a Beninese conservator responsible for heritage at the new national agency for tourism promotion in Benin, has been working on this issue for more than 30 years and says now is the time for reflection.

The small West African country of Benin, formerly Dahomey, was home to the kingdom of Abomey (1600-1894) and priceless wealth.

But instead of sitting in the capital of Porto-Novo, the throne of King Glele from 1858 is one of the centrepieces of the 70,000 African objects kept at the Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris.

"To keep war booty in countries that are now friends and collaborate doesn't make sense," Godonou told AFP.

"It's a relief but it's only the beginning. There is still so much to be done so that our youth can access this heritage that will make them proud."

- Sensitive question -

"We don't want them to have our objects just for the sake of it," Godonou continues.

"The cultural education of African youth is important and these objects will help to root them."

This includes a rehabilitation of museums. For years, Europeans have justified keeping the treasured artefacts by arguing that African countries didn't have the facilities to take care of their cultural heritage.

But in many countries -- including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Benin -- plans are underway new museums have been built and plans are underway for yet more.

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Beninese President Patrice Talon, whose goal is to make tourism one of the pillars of the national economy, has approved the sites for five museums that will open in 2020 to honour the kings of Abomey and the Amazons, the all-female military regiment in Dahomey.

The country's minister of foreign affairs Aurelien Agbenonci told AFP on Saturday the government is "delighted" with the decision, which he said was "an invitation to get to work quickly."

Ousmane Aledji, in charge of heritage for the Benin presidency, welcomed the "new form of cultural exchange" with France.

"We're not for a violent claim, but we want to put in place measures for progressive restitution," he says.

His sentiment was echoed in Abidjan, where the director of the museum of civilisation of Ivory Coast Silvie Memel Kassi said "it's not a bad thing in itself that they were preserved and indexed in France."

- "Ancestral pieces" -

The national museum of Abidjan was renovated last year, but a larger museum is sill in the works.

In this case, said Kassi, "we could start talking about a definitive restitution."

She added that "the important thing is to work together, we want to have access to these objects, we need this memory, these objects are a memory."

In Dakar, the museum of black civilisation, whose inauguration is scheduled for December 6, will be ready one day to house the objects, pledges Kassi.

"We have operational reserves that can accommodate such objects," said the Senegalese museum director Hamady Bocoum, stressing the works may not necessarily end up in museums and could go back to communities who may "decide to put them in the altars of the ancestors."

"These works came from our ancestors," said Taho Toubo, a traditional leader from Ivory Coast.

"I pray for the ancestors that their pieces are returned."
The head of Russias national space agency has proposed a mission to the moon to verify whether the American moon landings really took place.

Dmitry Rogozin responded to a question about whether Nasas Apollo programme actually put men on the moon back in the 1960s and 1970s during a conversation with the president of Moldova, Igor Dodon.

He appeared to be joking, as he smirked and shrugged while answering. But conspiracies surrounding Nasas moon missions are common in Russia.

In a video of their interaction, posted to his 815,000 Twitter followers, Mr Rogozin says: We have set this objective to fly and verify whether theyve been there or not.

Nasas six well-documented official manned missions to the surface of the Moon, beginning with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969 and continuing with Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt in December 1972, have been dogged with conspiracy theories.

In 2015, a former spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee called for an investigation into the Nasa moon landings.

Vladimir Markin said an enquiry should be launched into the disappearance of original footage from the first moon landing in 1969 and the whereabouts of lunar rock, which was brought back to Earth during several missions.

We are not contending that they did not fly [to the moon], and simply made a film about it, he wrote in an op-ed published by Russian newspaper Izvestia.

But all of these scientific  or perhaps cultural  artefacts are part of the legacy of humanity, and their disappearance without a trace is our common loss. An investigation will reveal what happened.

The Soviet Union abandoned its own lunar programme in the mid-1970s after four experimental moon rockets exploded.

Earlier in November, Mr Rogozin revealed plans to start building a base on the moon after 2025, with the project exceeding the US Apollo programme of the 1960s and 1970s in terms of scale. The programme will put its first humans on the moon by 2030 or 2031.

Additional reporting by AP
Lisbon (AFP) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group.

"In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal.

"I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces."

Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)."

Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare."

Lavrov, speaking after a meeting with Portugal's president, said such criticisms were not "original".

He claimed that former US president Barack Obama had "placed Russia on the same level as the Ebola virus" in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

That appeared a reference to a September 24, 2014 speech Obama made in which he spoke of Russia's threat to the "post-war order" notably through its actions in Ukraine, where a Russia-backed insurgency is being waged. He then went on to speak of US efforts to help contain an Ebola outbreak, without any mention of Russia.

- UK-Russia tensions -

Relations between Russia and Britain have sunk to historic lows this year after London accused Russia's military intelligence service of using a banned nerve agent to poison an ex-Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March.

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The incident prompted a wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Moscow and the West, as well as a ratcheting up of US sanctions.

Carleton-Smith told Saturday's Daily Telegraph that, following IS battlefield loses in Syria and Iraq, the Western alliance must switch focus to the threat posed by Russia, and do so through NATO.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance," he said.

It was the first interview by the former special forces commander since becoming Britain's chief of the general staff in June.

He made the comments after visiting British troops deployed in Estonia as part of a NATO battle group intended to deter aggression from neighbouring Russia.
Dubai (AFP) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was due to visit Bahrain on Sunday on the second leg of a regional tour, his first since critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

Prince Mohammed, who began his tour Thursday with a visit to Abu Dhabi, will hold talks with Bahrain's King Hamad, the state-run Bahrain News Agency said on Saturday.

Quoting a royal court statement from Manama it said that the Saudi crown prince and King Hamad will discuss the "deep-rooted fraternal and historic relations binding the two brotherly countries and peoples, in addition to (the) latest regional, Arab and international developments".

Saudi Arabia has been facing intense global criticism over the killing of insider-turned-critic Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate on October 2.

The murder of the journalist who wrote for The Washington Post has tipped the kingdom into one of its worst crises.

He was killed and reportedly dismembered in what Saudi Arabia said was a "rogue" operation, but CIA analysis leaked to the US media pointed the finger at Prince Mohammed.

Saudi Arabia has warned criticism of the crown prince is a "red line".

On Wednesday Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that calls for the crown prince to be held accountable for the grisly killing would not be tolerated.

Prince Mohammed began his regional tour at the request of his father, King Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency which said he would visit "brotherly" Arab countries.

The tour started Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, a close ally that is part of a Saudi-led coalition battling Iran-aligned Huthi rebels in Yemen.

And the prince is also set to travel to the Tunisian capital on Tuesday, a presidential source in Tunis told AFP.

Prince Mohammed is expected to attend the G20 summit in Argentina next week.
Keyless car crime : Car thief caught on camera

Keyless-Go-System Foto: Polizei

Bonn Car thieves are taking advantage of a security loophole in the electronic signal key system 'Keyless-Go'. Police provide tips on keeping your car safe.

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Only a few minutes after the theft of a BMW limousine, one of the culprits was caught on speed camera on the B9. Police are now using the photo to search for the unidentified person. They assume that several people were involved, as the so-called Keyless-Go system was obviously exploited during the theft, something which is not really possible by someone acting alone. At the same time, the police are warning of a security loophole in the Keyless-Go system which makes life easier for car thieves.

The theft occurred on the night of 26 October on the street "Am Schanzchen" in Bonn-Castell. The stolen vehicle, a BMW 640i, was caught on a speed camera at around 4 a.m. on the B9 travelling towards Bad Godesberg at a speed of 60 kmph. The car thief at the wheel can be relatively well made out but has not yet been caught.

Bonn CID is now publishing the speed camera photo because previous investigations have not led to an identification. They are asking anyone with relevant information to call on 0228150.

According to the police, car thieves are repeatedly exploiting a security loophole in the keyless locking systems to quickly steal the car, as was the case here. Using a radio wave extender they can pick up the keys signals, open the doors and drive away in the usually expensive car. "This can easily be prevented," emphasizes the police. Special key cases, metal boxes and being aware of the dangers are all ways to protect your car against thieves.

With keyless locking systems, the vehicle can be opened without pressing a button; it is sufficient to carry the key with you. As soon as the driver approaches the vehicle, the key is recognised through the signal and the central locking system opens when the door handle is touched. Vehicle keys with the Keyless-Go function continuously send a signal indicating to the vehicle that the key is in the immediate vicinity. The vehicle then tries to pick up this signal in order to open and start as soon as the owner is nearby.

"This is exactly what the thieves take advantage of. A radio wave extension is enough to trick the system," explains Chief Detective Gerald Ohletz, who heads crime prevention at the Bonn police headquarters. The "extender" is positioned by a person close to the car key, for example in front of the house door. A second person stands with another device at the car driver's door and picks up the signal. In this way, the car appears to be close to the key and the perpetrators can drive away without any visible signs of a break-in. And the worst part: once the engine has been running, the vehicle no longer questions the signal from the key and remains in operation as long as there is still fuel in the tank.

So how can you protect yourself? Chief Detective Gerald Ohletz advises: "Even for small amounts of money you can buy cases or metal boxes online and in specialist shops which protect the signal between the key and the vehicle. You should carry out a test yourself to make sure it works. The safest option, however, is still to have the keyless function deactivated by the dealer."
By Helen Reid and Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) - The latest collapse in oil prices has proved some investors right in their lack of confidence in energy stocks this year. Crude prices surged to a four-year high early in 2018 as tensions with Iran and OPEC supply cuts raised concerns that global oil supply was dwindling. But the narrative has flipped since October as worries over a global trade war and rising U.S. shale oil production mounted, driving oil to a one-year low on Friday. Brent crude is down to $60 a barrel from a peak of $85 in early October. While oil majors have gone some way to cleaning up their balance sheets since the 2014 oil price collapse, their shares are still sensitive to moves in the underlying commodity - higher crude spells stronger revenues. When prices were climbing earlier this year, big banks were recommending investors buy back into the sector. Many, especially in Europe, followed that advice. But given the latest falls, some of those who sat on the sidelines believe their caution has been rewarded. Kevin Gardiner, global investment strategist at Rothschild & Co Wealth Management, said he was happy not to have piled into the bullish oil trade, having considered it earlier in the year. "Just as the ink was drying on the bullish stories on the oil price, we turned around and a sector that was looking intriguing is now looking much less so, at short notice," said Gardiner. "You have to be really careful with commodities, because it's a market timing story," he added. Investing in European oil stocks at the start of this year would have been very lucrative - if you had had the foresight to sell at the October peak. That would have delivered a solid 15 percent return, not to be sniffed at in a building global bear market. In Europe the energy sector is still the strongest-performing this year, up 2.2 percent by Nov. 22 when all other sectors apart from healthcare are in the red. The main decision facing investors is whether they can stomach the volatility of the sector. "The collapse in the last month has really scared institutions," said Ashley Kelty, oil and gas analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald. "Investors recognize that the stocks are still fundamentally OK, but trying to ascertain a long-term value is very difficult, so a lot of people are going to be sitting on their hands until the oil price stabilizes." Bank of America Merrill Lynch's November fund manager survey showed investors slashed allocations to energy stocks by seven percentage points from the previous month, while European fund managers also cut their positions. ETFs tracking energy indices have seen big outflows, taking their assets under management back to April levels. Graphic: Nov 23 outflows from oil ETFs - https://tmsnrt.rs/2R86GeG Energy stocks had already significantly lagged gains in oil last year, as investors remained cautious about runaway crude prices which they judged could easily come crashing back down. "When the oil price did come back most long-term institutions recognized that they were very underweight in oil, but were quite happy to give up the first 20 to 25 percent of the rise before they came back in, mainly because they were very wary that oil could rebound downwards very quickly," Kelty said. While many at the start of this year predicted the gap would close from the bottom as oil stocks caught up with gains in the crude price, the latest data shows that gap is closing from the top, with crude crumbling, proving bears right. Graphic: Mind the gap no more - https://tmsnrt.rs/2QAabu9 Energy stocks are better positioned to withstand lower oil prices than they have been in the past. The world's top oil companies, including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP, are today able to generate profit at oil prices of around $50 a barrel, and have vowed to remain disciplined in spending even as the outlook for oil prices looked stronger. "The cashflow improvements coming from the energy sector generally are still quite good," said Caroline Simmons, the deputy head of UBS Wealth Management's UK investment office. But oil price volatility poses a problem not just for investors but also for the companies themselves, she added. "What they want is stability in the oil price to be able to make decisions about future investment. It doesn't even matter about the level, they just need stability," she said. BP is planning its long-term investments based on an average oil price of $50 to $65 a barrel, its Chief Executive Bob Dudley said in October. Alastair Bishop, director and portfolio manager in BlackRock's natural resources team, which has major holdings in the world's five largest oil and gas companies, said he did not expect capital expenditure to rise in the near term. Graphic: Big Oil cashflow - https://tmsnrt.rs/2Pn84xn (Reporting by Helen Reid and Ron Bousso; Editing by Jan Harvey)
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Gunmen on Friday raided a town deep in Libya's southern desert, killing nine people and kidnapping several others, a resident said, with officials blaming the attack on the militant group Islamic State. A military source said the attackers had occupied a police station in the oasis town of Tazerbo, north of Kufra, until residents expelled them. The source also said the attackers were believed to belong to Islamic State. The town - which was a resting point for tourists going on Sahara camping tours before Libya plunged into chaos in 2011 - listed six residents on its website as having been killed. A resident said nine people had been killed and 10 wounded, adding that the attackers had kidnapped several policemen and civilians. Islamic State has staged several attacks on southern towns since withdrawing into the desert after losing its main stronghold, the coastal city of Sirte, late in 2016. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Beirut (AFP) - Syrian regime shelling killed nine civilians including seven children Saturday in a planned buffer zone around the country's last major rebel bastion, a monitor said.

A teacher and four schoolchildren were among the victims after the shelling hit near a school in the northwestern province of Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey in September agreed to set up a demilitarised cordon around the region of Idlib to stave off a massive regime offensive.

But the deal's implementation has stalled after jihadists refused to withdraw from the expected buffer zone by a mid-October deadline, and sporadic shelling and clashes have since rocked the area.

The teacher and four children were leaving the school in the town of Jarjanaz in the southeast of Idlib province when the artillery fire hit, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.

Saturday's killings are the latest in a string of similar incidents, according to the Britain-based monitor, which says it relies on sources inside Syria for its information.

On November 2, regime shelling killed at least five civilans in the same town of Jarjanaz.

On October 26, artillery fire by pro-government forces killed seven civilians in the town of Al-Rifa inside the Idlib region.

The September 17 deal was intended to protect three million inhabitants in the Idlib region, more than half of which is held by an alliance led by jihadists of Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate.

Syria's regime has insisted that the buffer zone deal is temporary and that Idlib will eventually revert to government control.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Two people including a 12-year-old girl were injured and the suspected shooter killed after a man opened fire in Alabamas largest enclosed mall on Thanksgiving night.

The deadly shooting started with a physical altercation between two young men around 10 P.M. local time at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, Alabama, according to the Hoover Police Department. During the fight, one of the men produced a handgun and shot the other, an 18-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, hitting him twice in the torso. The gunshot victim was later taken to UAB hospital in serious condition, according to police.

Two uniformed police officers in the mall heard the gunshots and came to the scene. They encountered a 21-year-old from Hueytown, who was fleeing the mall while brandishing a pistol, according to police. One of the officers shot him, and the suspected shooter was later pronounced dead on the scene.

During the gunfire, a 12-year-old girl, who police said was an innocent bystander, was wounded by gunfire. She was taken to a Childrens Hospital of Alabama and is in stable condition, according to police.

We believe last we heard that she was alert, conscious, and talking, and that maybe she was going into surgery, said Captain Gregg Rector, the Hoover Public Information Officer, during a press conference following the shooting.

When asked by a reporter about who fired the shot that hit the girl, Captain Rector said, Thats way too early in the investigation to have really any information yet as to who may have struck the 12-year-old girl.

The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. The mall remained closed for the rest of the night, but reopened early in the morning for Black Friday shopping, according to CNN.

We were fortunate that that officer was there, where he needed to be, said Captain Rector. We believe at this point that maybe he prevented further injuries.
Donald Trump's administration has asked the Supreme Court to hear a challenge to the president's decision to ban transgender people from serving in the US military, in an attempt to bypass federal appeals courts.

Attorneys for the federal government asked the court to fast-track cases on the issue after lower courts had blocked the administration from implementing the policy the president signed in March. That ban adopted recommendations from US Defence Secretary James Mattis, who said transgender persons who require or have undergone gender transition were no longer permitted to serve.

The move also arrived as a three-judge panel on the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals was still reviewing one of the cases, hearing arguments as recently as last month. In its request, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to review preliminary district court rulings before the Ninth Circuit is provided its opportunity to rule on the case.

The administration is in a rush because they know that every day that transgender people continue to enlist and serve with distinction is another day that the courts and the public see this irrational policy for what it is, Sarah McBride, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement to The Independent. There is simply no reason to circumvent the traditional judicial process in pursuit of banning qualified, patriotic Americans from serving their country.

Mr Trump has continued to target the transgender community since assuming the Oval Office, signing the latest implementation of his ban in the military after previous versions were blocked by the courts. His administration has also reportedly considered erasing all civil rights protections that have been afforded to transgender people by requiring all US citizens to legally identify with the gender listed on their birth certificate.

The Trump administration previously said it would ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on the presidents demands if the Ninth Circuit Court had not ruled on the case by Friday.

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But despite the administration calling on the high court to intervene on the issue, oral arguments for Doe v Trump are still currently scheduled to take place in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals next month.

The National Centre for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), who were the first to challenge the ban and currently represent plaintiffs in two of the three cases, refuted the administrations requests.

There is no urgency here and no reason for the Court to weigh in at this juncture, said Jennifer Levi, transgender rights project director for GLAD. The injunctions preserve the status quo of the open service policy that was thoroughly vetted by the military itself and has been in place now for more than two years. This is simply one more attempt by a reckless Trump administration to push through a discriminatory policy. The policy flies in the face of military research and dozens of top military experts.

Shannon Minter, legal director for NCLR, also warned against Mr Trumps ban on transgender military members, saying the move would upend thousands of lives and weaken our Armed Forces.

The great majority of people in this country recognise that transgender people who can meet the same standards as others should have an equal opportunity to serve, the director said.
Trump-Appointed Judge Hands Donald Trump Bad News In Robert Mueller Russia Case, Rules 'Collusion' Is A Crime

In addition to his frequently repeated assertion that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump has also followed the lead of his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, claiming that even if Russian collusion did exist, collusion is not a crime, as the Washington Post reported.

In fact, Trump said exactly that on his Twitter account in July, stating Collusion is not a crime, but that doesnt matter because there was No Collusion (except by Crooked Hillary and the Democrats)!

But if Trump and Giuliani were planning to forestall the investigation into Russian collusion led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, by arguing that collusion its not a crime, a federal judge appointed to the Washington, D.C., district court last year by Trump himself handed the president a major defeat last week, as Law & Crime reported.

Click here to continue and read more...
Donald Trump has renewed his attacks on judges and judgements that have gone against his administration after an extraordinary rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Using Twitter and an impromptu press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the president called for someone  either a group of judges or Congress  to step in and stop the "horrible decisions" being made by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

The federal appeals court, which is based in San Francisco, has blocked a number of border and immigration orders from Mr Trump during his presidency. Mr Trump tweeted that "judges must not legislate security ...They nothing about it and are making our country unsafe." He said that such decisions would only lead to "bedlam, chaos, injury and death".

The latest outbursts from Mr Trump are part of a nearly week-long tirade after a ruling on Monday by District Court Judge Jon Tigar, who is not an appeals court judge, that halted the Trump administration's attempts to bar migrants who enter the country illegally from applying for asylum.

Mr Trump responded by calling that decision a disgrace and labelling Mr Tigar an "Obama judge". Mr Tigar had been appointed to his seat by Mr Trump's White House predecessor Barack Obama.

On Wednesday, Chief Justice Roberts issued an unprecedented public critique of the president's remarks, defending the independence of the judiciary.

We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," Mr Roberts said. "What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.

The president confronted Mr Roberts in a tweet on Thursday: Roberts can say what he wants, but the 9th Circuit is a complete & total disaster. It is out of control.

Mr Trump continued on that theme in front of reporters at Mar-a-Lago, calling the court "a big thorn in our side" and said "judges or Congress need to do something to stop it".

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After a Thanksgiving Day call with members of the military, Mr Trump told reporters that he liked and respected Chief Justice Roberts, but repeated his complaints about the ninth circuit, on which he said he had shone some light.

Earlier on Twitter, Mr Trump wrote that particular circuit had a "horrible reputation, is overturned more than any Circuit in the Country, 79%, & is used to get an almost guaranteed result". According to data, the ninth circuit is not the most overturned; that distinction belongs to the sixth circuit, based in Ohio.

Justice Roberts can say what he wants, but the 9th Circuit is a complete & total disaster. It is out of control, has a horrible reputation, is overturned more than any Circuit in the Country, 79%, & is used to get an almost guaranteed result. Judges must not Legislate Security...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018

....and Safety at the Border, or anywhere else. They know nothing about it and are making our Country unsafe. Our great Law Enforcement professionals MUST BE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOB! If not there will be only bedlam, chaos, injury and death. We want the Constitution as written!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018

In the past few weeks, president Trump has ordered several thousand US troops to the US-Mexico border in anticipation of a migrant caravan containing thousands of people  many of them fleeing violence in their home countries  that had been slowly making its way from Central America, through Mexico.

"Our great Law Enforcement professionals MUST BE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOB! If not there will be only bedlam, chaos, injury and death. We want the Constitution as written!," Mr Trump tweeted early on Thursday.

The caravan of refugees and migrants was a frequent topic for Mr Trump on the campaign trail ahead of the congressional midterm elections earlier this month. But Mr Trump had been relatively quiet on the subject until the latest spate.

The ninth circuit was the appeals court that ruled against Mr Trump's controversial travel ban in 2017, the initial version of which banned travellers from seven majority-Muslim countries.

The president also hit out at the district court earlier in the week, tweeting: Every case that gets filed in the 9th Circuit, we get beaten. And then we end up having to go to the Supreme Court, like the travel ban, and we won.

He said it was a disgrace that the ninth circuit, seen as the more liberal of federal district courts, would routinely rule against the administration.

Mr Trump has a history of lashing out at judges over their decisions. In 2016, he referred to a judge who was presiding over a fraud lawsuit against Trump University as a Mexican as an insult.

He said US District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born and raised in Indiana, would be unable to rule fairly because of Trumps proposal to build a wall along the US-Mexican border.

The president has just successfully placed conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court after a controversial confirmation process during which Mr Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault when a teenager. Justice Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Mr Kavanaughs confirmation followed Mr Trump placing another conservative judge  Neil Gorsuch  on the Court in 2017.

Given the fact that Mr Trump has solidified the Supreme Courts conservative majority, several justices have spoken out about judicial independence and the danger of having the Court viewed merely as a political institution.
New ideas from Alanus students : Sea containers should upgrade the Rhine promenade in Bonn

Bonn Students from Alanus University have analysed the river bank area between the north and south bridges. Among other things, the prospective architects suggest a new approach to the old sea containers.

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Outside you can hear the Rhine flowing. This is an unusual sound on the Budapester Strae opposite the new Sparkasse building, where buses and cars heading to Friedensplatz usually determine the background noise. But the river is a guest, so to speak, at the Forum Stadt Bau Kultur. And it is calling in passers-by over the loudspeakers.

Students at Alanus University in Alfter have spent an entire semester considering how the relationship between the Rhine and the residents of Bonn could be improved. This is part of a joint project offered by the Faculty of Architecture and the General-Anzeiger. The prospective architects have delivered on their commitments and have been so creative that the results have found their way into the two exhibition rooms on the Budapester Strae.

Jakob Krauss pores over a city map on which various buildings are marked in colour. "We analysed and categorised the river bank area from the north to the south bridge," reports the student. The plan is not the only result. An entire book has been written which visitors will be able to borrow in the coming weeks for exploring the Rhine. It shows for example an interesting cultural axis from the Bundeskunsthalle to the Beethovenhalle.

Krauss also sees a lot of good things on the river bank area itself, such as the Heimkehrerweg, which leads from the roundabout at the boat jetty through the Bundesviertel under the southern bridge. In other places, Krauss and his fellow students Michael Kretschmer and Alexander Jensch Herold were able to make simple improvements from their surveying. The young people think that a signpost is missing at the Palais Schaumburg park indicating the Chancellor's bungalow. And in general, Krauss asks, "why don't you make it a freely accessible Park of Democracy?"

In the direction of the city centre, the students especially see the street along the Rhine as a barrier between the city and the river. They believe that an open staircase on the Brassertufer could lead directly down to the river without any traffic. "You can easily handle this bit of traffic," says architect Nikolaus Fritschi at the opening ceremony. Together with Benedikt Stahl, he has worked to make the banks of the Rhine in Dusseldorf accessible again. Fritschi and Stahl believe that architecture is only a means to an end. It should also revitalise the area along the river bank in a sustainable way. "We were surprised at how well this succeeded in Dusseldorf," said Fritschi.

The situation in Bonn will not change in the short term (as previously reported by GA in a German article entitled Rheinufer bleibt Pflegefall about the poor and often dangerous condition of the river bank area which is not due to be renovated until next year for the Beethoven anniversary in 2020). Ines Gartlinger and Alisa Giesler have been considering this case. In the exhibition, they present their #BonnBox, which could theoretically set new standards in the coming year in the city and on the Rhine. The young women believe that disused sea containers from the port of Bonn could be used as multifunctional spaces with recognition value.

For example as a mobile kiosk or cafe, as an urgently needed public toilet or as a storage space for bicycles. Behind the opera it would even be possible to install an elevator with a projecting scaffold, to reach the banks of the Rhine from the Boeselager Hof, providing access for wheelchairs and pushchairs. "The containers could easily be moved in the event of flooding. And when the Rhine bank is renovated in the future, the containers can be replaced," Gartlinger and Giesler are convinced. A nice project for Beethoven's anniversary year in 2020. It seems unlikely, however, that those in charge at the city council will be concerned with the students findings.

The exhibition at Budapester Strae 7 is open on Thursdays until 13 December and also on Saturday 1 December, from 11.30 am until 7.30 pm (in German). On 1 December the students are offering accompanied walking tours along the Rhine from 12 noon until 3pm.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump disputed that U.S. intelligence officials had concluded that the de facto leader of American ally Saudi Arabia ordered the killing of a U.S.-based journalist critical of the kingdom's royal family.

Citing vehement denials by the crown prince and king that they were involved, Trump said Thursday that "maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a vicious place. The world is a very, very vicious place."

Critics in Congress and high-ranking officials in other countries are accusing Trump of ignoring human rights and giving Saudi Arabia a pass for economic reasons, including its influence on the world oil market.

Trump said this week he would not impose harsher penalties on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the death and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last month.

"My policy is very simple: America first, keep America great again and that's what I'm doing," Trump told reporters after a Thanksgiving Day telephone call with members of the military.

The crown prince and his father, King Salman, said they did not commit "this atrocity," Trump said.

"It's a terrible thing. I dislike it more than you do. But the fact is ... they create tremendous wealth, really tremendous jobs in their purchases and very importantly, they keep the oil price down."

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 that the crown prince was involved in the death, questions remain about the extent of his culpability.

Several lawmakers have indicated that the U.S. has no "smoking gun" that proves the crown prince was responsible. They have called on the CIA and other top intelligence agencies to share publicly what they told the president about the slaying.

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"I hate the crime," Trump said while on vacation in Florida. "I hate what's done. I hate the cover-up and I will tell you this  the crown prince hates it more than I do."

He said the CIA "points it both ways and as I said, maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But I will say very strongly that it's a very important ally and if we go by a certain standard, we won't be able to have allies with almost any country."

He also has pushed back on the idea that his refusal to punish the Saudis more will embolden other governments to go after journalists and commit other human rights abuses.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has noted that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of involvement in the killing.

"We've sanctioned 17 people  some of them very senior in the Saudi government," Pompeo said Wednesday in a radio interview with KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri. "We are going to make sure that America always stands for human rights."

Saudi prosecutors have said a 15-man team sent to Istanbul killed Khashoggi with tranquilizers and dismembered his body, which has not been found. Those findings came after Saudi authorities spent weeks denying Khashoggi had been killed in the consulate.

Some lawmakers have triggered investigations into Khashoggi's death and specifically whether the crown prince was responsible. The investigations were requested under provisions of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The act requires the president to report back to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee within 120 days  in this case by Feb. 7  on whether the crown prince was responsible for an extrajudicial killing, torture or other gross violation of internationally recognized human rights against someone exercising freedom of expression and the administration's decision on whether sanctions are warranted.

___

Colvin reported from Palm Beach, Florida.
Donald Trump has said he is most thankful for himself, at the end of an extraordinary Thanksgiving Day phone call to US troops in which he railed against judges, immigrants and "bad" trade deals.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, the US president told reporters he was most thankful for his great family and for having made a tremendous difference in this country.

"This country is so much stronger now than when I took office you wouldnt believe it," he said. "I mean you see it, but so much stronger that people cant even believe it.

When I see foreign leaders they say we cannot believe the difference in strength between the United States now, and the United States two years ago.

During the earlier teleconference with a select group of troops in the Middle East, Mr Trump described the US as the hot nation of the world and said it was doing economically better than anyone.

Its nice to know youre fighting for something doing well, and thats our country, he said, adding: Your courage truly inspires us all.

Addressing Brigadier General David Lyons of the US Air Force, who told the president they were fighting in Afghanistan to ensure adversaries did not reach our shores, Mr Trump responded: You said it better than anyone could have said  keep em away from our shores, and thats why were doing the strong borders.

The 72-year-old then embarked on an extended monologue about immigration and security, in which he described many migrants trying to reach the US as not good people and praised the barbed wire plus installed alongside fencing at the US-Mexico border.

Echoing his recent outbursts on Twitter, Mr Trump next attacked judges on the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals for making a lot of bad court decisions.

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We always lose and then we lose again, he said, branding the judges a thorn in our side and a disgrace.

The federal appeals court, which is based in San Francisco, has blocked a number of border and immigration orders from Mr Trump during his presidency.

Mr Trump also railed against trade deals during an exchange with a Coast Guard lieutenant currently based in Bahrain.

Trade for me is a very big subject all over. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, we dont have any good trade deals, he said, before asking lieutenant Nicholas Hartmann how he was finding trade in the Arabian Gulf.

Following the call, asked by a reporter if he planned to visit troops abroad, Mr Trump would only say his administration was going to do some interesting things. Pressed on if he knew when a visit may occur, the president said: I do, but I cant tell you.

On Jamal Khashoggis murder, Mr Trump again defended Saudi Arabias de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, despite a CIA assessment that he was likely aware of the planned killing.

I hate the crime, I hate whats done, I hate the cover-up, and I will tell you this, the crown prince hates it more than I do, and they have vehemently denied it, the CIA points it both ways, he said.

Asked who should be held accountable for the killing, Mr Trump said: "Maybe the world should be held accountable, because the world is a vicious place."

On his upcoming meeting with Chinese premier Xi Xinping at the G20 in Argentina, Mr Trump said he had been preparing for it all my life.

Its not like, oh gee Im going to sit down and study, he said, when asked if he had planned for the conversation. I know every ingredient, I know every stat, I know it better than anybody knows, and my gut has always been right.

He then claimed the economy had been teetering during president Barack Obamas last months in office, a claim not supported by evidence.

We were going down to minus four, minus five, minus six per cent in GDP, he said. The economy actually grew 1.9 per cent in the last quarter of 2016.
Donald Trump has suggested maybe the world should be held accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as he doubled down on his insistence the CIA had not concluded Saudi Arabias crown prince was responsible for the killing.

Speaking to reporters after delivering a Thanksgiving Day message to troops deployed to Afghanistan, the president again denied the countrys pre-eminent intelligence agency believed the powerful Mohammed bin Salman was behind last months murder.

They did not come to a conclusion. They have feelings, certain ways, but I have the report, the president said. They have not concluded. Nobodys concluded. I dont know if anyone could conclude that the crown prince did it.

Mr Trump spoke after the Washington Post reported last week the CIA had concluded the crown prince ordered the assassination of journalist the 59-year-old journalist, who went missing after entering a consulate in Turkey to prepare for a trip to Saudi Arabia to get married. Turkish investigators believe the journalist was dismembered and his body parts taken out of the Istanbul facility by a 15-strong hit squad.

Mr Trump said this week the US was standing by Saudi Arabia even though it could very well be the crown prince was responsible. He said Washington would remain a steadfast ally and would not impose sanctions, as many Democrats have demanded.

My policy is very simple: America first, keep America great again and thats what Im doing, Mr Trump told reporters from his estate in Florida.

Its a terrible thing. I dislike it more than you do. But the fact is  they create tremendous wealth, really tremendous jobs in their purchases and very importantly, they keep the oil price down.

Asked who should be held accountable for the killing if not Saudi Arabia, the president replied: Maybe the world should be held accountable, because the world is a vicious place. The world is a very, very vicious place. You look at whats happening in China, you look at whats happening in so many different countries, I could name many countries. You look at whats happening in terrorism all over the world.

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The other thing about Saudi Arabia, theyre putting up tremendous amounts of money to fight terrorism. Now, they were part of terrorism and nobody is going to try and justify that. They were a big part of it. But theyre spending a lot of money and theyre opening up and theyre doing a lot of things.

Mr Trump has been widely accused of ignoring a string of human rights abuses by Saudi Arabia in order to protect access to cheap oil, and to maintain a relationship with a country it considers a vital counterweight to Iran.

The Associated Press said that on Capitol Hill, several politicians triggered investigations into Mr Khashoggis death and specifically whether the crown prince was responsible. The investigations were requested under provisions of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The act requires the president to report back to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee within 120 days, on whether the crown prince was responsible, the AP said.

Many have said they were not surprised by Mr Trumps decision.

A US president continuing to back a regime after evidence emerges of its true brutality is nothing new, even if it is, this time, his own CIA telling him, Mark Curtis, an historian and the author of Secret Affairs: Britains Collusion with Radical Islam, told The Independent.

Even Saudi involvement in 9/11 has not been enough to halt the Washington-Riyadh alliance. Trump is continuing to act at the behest of US corporations but also from seeing Iran as the main barrier to US domination of the region, hence the need to preserve the US alliance with Riyadh at all costs.

Mr Trumps comments came as Saudis crown prince arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday at the start of a tour of several Arab countries  his first trip abroad since Mr Khashoggis murder.

Reuters said the prince, the countrys de facto ruler, was also expected to participate in a G20 meeting in Buenos Aires at the end of the month which would be attended by leaders from the US and Turkey, as well as other European nations.
President Donald Trump speaks outside the White House.

On Thanksgiving morning, while millions of Americans prepared for a large meal with last-minute prepping to their turkeys and side dishes, President Donald Trump continued to lambaste Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts had suggested comments made by Trump yesterday were out of line, namely that the presidents complaint of an Obama judge overruling his administrations new restrictions on immigrants seeking asylum. Roberts defended judges and justices, per previous reporting from the Inquisitr, as being independent of the chief executives who appointed them.

That didnt sit well with Trump, who chastised Roberts in tweets hours later. Taking aim at the Ninth Circuit Court specifically, which was the court where his rules on asylum were struck down, Trump disagreed with Roberts assertions.

Please study the numbers, they are shocking, Trump wrote. We need protection and security  these rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!

Click here to continue and read more...
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish newspaper reported on Thursday CIA director Gina Haspel signaled to Turkish officials last month that the agency had a recording of a call in which Saudi Arabia's crown prince gave instructions to "silence" Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Asked about the report, a Turkish official told Reuters he had no information about such a recording. Saudi Arabia has said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no prior knowledge of Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul six weeks ago. When asked about the recording by reporters in Florida, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "I don't want to talk about it. You'll have to ask them." The CIA declined to comment when asked about the report. "There is talk of another recording," Hurriyet newspaper journalist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote in a column, saying the purported call took place between Prince Mohammed and his brother, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington. "It is being said that CIA chief Gina Haspel indicated this during her visit to Turkey," he wrote, adding that they had discussed Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's de facto ruler. "It is being said the crown prince gave orders to 'silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible'," in a call which was monitored by the U.S. agency, he said. Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 in an operation that Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has said was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership. After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh said last week Khashoggi had been killed and his body dismembered when negotiations to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed. Trump said the CIA had not definitively concluded that the crown prince was responsible, and said he would stand by Saudi Arabias leadership because it was a key U.S. ally. We want low oil prices and Saudi Arabia has really done a good job in that respect, Trump said. "I hate the crime. I hate what's done. I hate the cover up. And I tell you what: the crown prince hates it more than I do," Trump said, without providing further detail. (This story has been refiled to correct "print" to "prince" in final paragraph.) (Reporting by Dominic Evans, Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington and Roberta Rampton in Palm Beach, Florida; Editing by David Dolan, William Maclean and Nick Zieminski)
Bogota (AFP) - Two Colombian soldiers were killed and another two wounded Friday along the country's border with Venezuela in a bomb attack blamed by the military on rebels from the National Liberation Army.

The soldiers were on patrol near a pipeline close to the border town of El Tarra when they triggered an explosive device the army blamed on the guerillas, known by their Spanish acronym ELN.

The pipeline has been attacked 82 times this year, causing serious environmental damage, according to its operator, state-run petroleum giant Ecopetrol.

"It is clear evidence of how the ELN systematically violates the tenets of international law with its indiscriminate methods of illicit warfare," the military said in a statement.

With nearly 1,500 fighters, the ELN are Colombia's last active rebels following the disarmament and transformation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2017 after half a century of war in the world's biggest cocaine producer.

The ELN were in peace talks themselves until the middle of this year, when right-wing President Ivan Duque came to power.

Duque has conditioned the resumption of dialogue on the ELN releasing hostages -- who number 10 according to authorities -- and the suspension of their "criminal" activities.

The ELN for their part have accused the president of wanting to tear up the peace process.
HODEIDAH/GENEVA, Yemen (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Friday it was ready to help supervise Yemen's vital Hodeidah port to protect it from "potential destruction", as its envoy met managers of the Houthi-held harbour. Western countries are pressing for a ceasefire and renewed peace efforts to end the country's three-year-old conflict amid fears that half the population, some 14 million people, could soon be on the brink of famine. "We discussed ... how the United Nations can take a leading role in operating the port, we have to do this quickly through discussions with all the parties," U.N. envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said after his meetings. "We think that by playing this role we would help preserve a lifeline to the people in Yemen," he said, according to an Arabic translation of his remarks which was supplied to local reporters. U.N. spokesman Rheal LeBlanc told reporters earlier in Geneva that Griffiths had specific ideas about managing the port that he would present to the parties to the conflict. The aim was to "protect the port itself from potential destruction, and preserve the main humanitarian pipeline to the people of Yemen," LeBlanc said. Griffiths arrived earlier in the day in Hodeidah, the latest focus of the war between the Houthi group, which controls the city, and pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The port is an important supply line to the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa, located in mountains to the northeast of Hodeidah, and to much of the country. Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council last week that Yemen's warring sides had given "firm assurances" they were committed to attending peace talks he hopes to convene in Sweden in December. CHILDREN STARVE LeBlanc said Griffiths wanted a halt to the recent escalation in fighting around Hodeidah in order to "create a conducive environment" for the Sweden consultations. Griffiths visited Sanaa on Thursday to talk to Houthi leaders about their attendance in Sweden. The Saudi-led, Western-backed coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to restore the internationally-recognised government ousted from Sanaa in 2014 by the Houthis. The death toll from a conflict seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran is big but unknown. In 2016 the United Nations said 10,000 civilians had been killed in the fighting itself. An estimated 85,000 children under five may have starved to death in Yemen since 2015, Save the Children said on Thursday. Almost half of Yemen's children are chronically malnourished, which can stunt their growth, World Health Organisation spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters on Friday. "Thousands of under-nourished people are dying of diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles," he added. The UN's World Food Programme said that on Friday it completed food distribution to 180,000 people, or about 30,000 families, in Hodeidah city, reducing the danger they would have faced if they had to travel to get supplies. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and staff in Yemen; writing by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Andrew Roche)
Sanaa (AFP) - United Nations envoy Martin Griffiths met a Yemeni rebel leader in insurgent-held Sanaa Saturday and is to follow up by holding talks with Yemen's government in Riyadh, a UN source said.

The source said Griffiths will hold talks on Monday in the Saudi capital, where Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials have taken up residence.

On Saturday, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the Huthi rebels' Higher Revolutionary Committee, met in Sanaa with the UN envoy, an AFP photographer said.

"We hope that his (Griffiths's) visit to Riyadh ends with positive results," Huthi told reporters after their talks.

Griffiths arrived Wednesday in Yemen ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

In a possible breakthrough, the envoy said Friday that he discussed with Huthi rebel officials "how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace" in the key port city of Hodeida.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port," he told reporters on what was his first visit to Hodeida.

Griffiths urged Yemen's warring parties to "keep the peace" in the rebel-held Red Sea port city, which serves as the entry point of nearly all imports and humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.

According to UN figures, nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition joined the conflict in 2015 to bolster Hadi, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Rights groups fear the actual toll is far higher.
Sanaa (AFP) - UN envoy Martin Griffiths met a Yemeni rebel leader in insurgent-held Sanaa on Saturday and is to follow up by holding talks in Riyadh with Yemen's government in a drive to relaunch a peace process.

In a possible breakthrough despite scepticism on the government side, the envoy has said he has opened a dialogue with Huthi rebel officials on "how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace" in the key port city of Hodeida.

A UN source said Griffiths will hold talks on Monday in the Saudi capital, where Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials have taken up residence.

On Saturday, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the Huthi rebels' Higher Revolutionary Committee, met in Sanaa with the UN envoy, an AFP photographer said.

"We hope that his (Griffiths's) visit to Riyadh ends with positive results," Huthi told reporters after their talks.

Griffiths later flew out from Sanaa's airport without making comments to reporters.

He arrived in the capital on Wednesday ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Shiite Huthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.

No date has yet been set for the negotiations.

The UN-recognised government had not yet received "any information from UN envoy Martin Griffiths about the talks in Sweden and what is to be discussed", Rajeh Badi, a government spokesman, said Friday.

"We are certain that the Huthi rebels have not yet taken a strategic and serious decision about peace," he told AFP.

"They (Huthis) will not let go of their weapons. They would tell us: 'You're dreaming if you think we're going to disarm.'"

Griffiths, however, struck a positive note on Friday during his first to Hodeida.

"I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port," he told reporters.

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Griffiths urged Yemen's warring parties to "keep the peace" in the rebel-held Red Sea port city, which serves as the entry point of nearly all imports and humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.

UN agencies say 14 million Yemenis are at risk of starvation and the closure of Hodeida port would further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

- Biggest peace push since 2016 -

Under heavy international pressure, the loyalists and their Saudi-led military backers have largely suspended a five-month offensive on Hodeida.

Humanitarian organisations are desperate to see the current peace push translate into a more permanent halt to Yemen's four-year war.

The current peace push is the biggest since 2016.

In September, UN-led peace talks faltered when the Huthis refused to travel to Geneva, accusing the world body of failing to guarantee their delegation's return to Sanaa or secure the evacuation of wounded rebels to Oman.

Previous talks broke down in 2016, when 108 days of negotiations in Kuwait failed to yield a deal and left rebel delegates stranded in Oman for three months.

The conflict in Yemen, which escalated when the Saudi-led alliance intervened in 2015, has killed nearly 10,000 people and left up to 22 million Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance, according to UN figures.

Rights groups fear the actual death toll is far higher.

The Arab coalition joined the conflict to bolster Hadi a year after Huthi rebels captured Sanaa, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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Washington (AFP) - Asylum seekers hoping to enter the US via its southern border will have to wait in Mexico while they are assessed, President Donald Trump announced Saturday, appearing to confirm a report about a bilateral deal published by The Washington Post.

The move was cautiously welcomed by some refugees currently at the border, even as Mexico's incoming interior minister Olga Sanchez Cordero, who was quoted by the Post as confirming the agreement, later issued a denial.

"Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court," Trump wrote on Twitter.

He added that the US "will allow those who come into our Country legally" and emphasized: "All will stay in Mexico."

The deal, which would overhaul US border policy, comes with Trump outraged over the presence of thousands of Central American migrants who marched to Mexico's border city of Tijuana hoping to enter the US for a better life free from the poverty and gang violence in their homelands.

"For now, we have agreed to this policy of Remain in Mexico," the Post quoted Sanchez Cordero as saying. The government of new President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will enter office on December 1.

But her office later issued a statement saying: "There is no agreement of any type between the future federal government of Mexico and that of the United States of America."

Trump has sent almost 6,000 soldiers to the Mexican border in support of Customs and Border Protection agents and National Guard troops already there, to forestall what Trump has called an "invasion" by "very bad people."

After a trek of more than a month from Honduras, nearly 5,000 migrants -- including women and children -- are now in Tijuana living in a makeshift shelter.

- A potential breakthrough -

Trump "is within his right. He is in his government," but he is not like other presidents in his views of migrants, said a resident of the shelter, Carolina Flores, 38, of Honduras.

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"He sees us as a bug that is going to eat there," she added. "We come for an opportunity!"

Another Honduran in the shelter, Orlinda Morales, 31, a housewife, said the reported new asylum rules seem "very good" because migrants will not be in limbo. "We will get work here," she said.

Hundreds of the migrants lined up this week at a special jobs fair set up for them in the manufacturing city, but others remain determined to reach the US.

No formal agreement has been signed, the Post said, but US officials view the deal, which would see would-be refugees' cases heard by US courts in Mexico, as a potential breakthrough in deterring migration.

US asylum officers will begin implementing the new procedures in coming days or weeks, Homeland Security officials cited by the Post said.

Asylum seekers will be given an initial screening to determine whether they face imminent danger by staying in Mexico, where violence is widespread.

- Deportation to the homeland -

American officials will be able to process at least twice as many asylum claims under the new system because they would not be limited by detention space at US ports of entry, the Post report said.

It added that under the new rules, an applicant whose asylum claim is denied would not be allowed to return to Mexico but would remain in US custody pending immediate deportation to his or her home country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made no mention of a deal but said that he and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen had "a constructive meeting" with Mexico's future foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard over the caravans.

"We have affirmed our shared commitment to addressing the current challenge. The caravans will not be permitted to enter the United States. There are real dangers to the safety and human rights of migrants from those who would prey on them," Pompeo said.

He added that he was looking forward to working with Mexico's new government, including on ways to spur job creation "to benefit the government and people of Mexico."

In 2018, border patrols registered more than 400,000 illegal crossers, according to Homeland Security, and in the last five years, the number of those requesting asylum has increased by 2,000 percent.

Less than 10 percent of cases result in asylum being granted, the government says.

Last week, a US federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from denying asylum to people who enter the country illegally.

The president issued a proclamation earlier this month saying that only people who enter the US at official checkpoints -- as opposed to sneaking across the border -- can apply for asylum.
London (AFP) - The wife of a British researcher sentenced to life in prison in the United Arab Emirates on espionage charges told AFP she was cautiously optimistic he could be freed.

Daniela Tejada said the family of her husband Matt Hedges had submitted a letter asking for clemency from UAE authorities on Wednesday, just hours after he received the jail term.

The country's ambassador to Britain said Friday the authorities were reviewing the request, while insisting the government "does not dictate verdicts" to the courts.

"I want to remain hopeful," Tejada said in an interview in London. "It's hard to do so after all of our hopes have been shattered repeatedly for six months.

"I hope that the UAE... see that this is an innocent man, and that he deserves that clemency."

Tejada, who Thursday met Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt after criticising British efforts at securing Hedges's release, vowed she would keep fighting no matter what.

The 27-year-old added that the decision to seek clemency, with its implied admission of guilt, appeared the best option available.

"I know in the bottom of my heart that Matt is innocent, but even if it takes me subjugating myself to the UAE I will, because I have the conviction that Matt deserves his freedom," Tejada said.

"Until I have him safe, back home with me, I will not rest."

- 'Absolutely terrified' -

Hedges, 31, was detained in Dubai on May 5 while researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011.

After months of uncertainty the scholar was released on bail on October 29, prompting hopes of his imminent release.

But his family and British officials were left stunned by Wednesday's ruling, in a country considered a strategic Middle East ally supplied with British arms.

Amid increased diplomatic pressure, the UAE foreign ministry said Thursday it wanted an "amicable solution".

Story continues

Tejada hopes that could mean her husband is released in the coming weeks.

"We've had so many deadlines but Christmas definitely is something we're all hoping for," she said. "It would really mean the world to have him back by then."

Tejada spoke to her husband for around five minutes Thursday, and said he was not allowed to reveal where he was being held and "didn't sound well".

"He's absolutely terrified," she added, noting Hedges has suffered from anxiety, depression and panic attacks.

"Until he receives adequate medical treatment and personal support, he will not be OK and I'm very concerned about that because... he has experienced suicidal thoughts during his detention.

"I just wish I could be there to truly just hold him and tell him 'it's going to be OK.'"

- 'A dark cloud' -

The UAE envoy in London, Sulaiman Hamid al-Mazroui, dismissed criticism of the case's handling, saying three judges had evaluated "compelling evidence" in three hearings over a month-long period.

He insisted that genuine researchers were able to visit his country "freely".

But Tejada said Hedges was denied due process from the outset.

She said he had been held in solitary confinement and initially not given a lawyer or adequate consular access, and was subjected to "intense interrogations" lasting up to 15 hours.

"The fact that he was held in such conditions, and that he was subject to such mistreatment, already breaches every due process standard," Tejada said.

Colombia-born Tejada, who married Hedges in January last year after the couple began dating in 2011, said she has been heartened by the "overwhelming demonstration of support in the UK and abroad".

An online petition she launched following the sentencing has already garnered more than 200,000 signatures.

Meanwhile more than 100 academics last month signed an open letter expressing their concern over the case.

Tejada revealed she has also been getting support from Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who remains held in jail in Iran on sedition charges.

"(They) have been an inspiration for me -- just the strength of their relationship and resilience and how brave they've been," she said.

"I'm a firm believer that every sky has a dark cloud that has to pass at some point."
Basti Ameerwala (Pakistan) (AFP) - For as long as she can remember, Ayeesha Siddiqua has fought her male relatives for access to toilets -- but a sanitation drive by new premier Imran Khan could make life easier for women in patriarchal Pakistan.

"I told them: 'You can go where you want, but me, my movements are restricted!'," said Siddiqua, who is in her 60s, in Basti Ameerwala, a small agricultural village in central Punjab province where residents have been relieving themselves in the open for generations.

Women in the village have long been forced to hide their bodily functions from the conservative, deeply patriarchal society, Siddiqua and other female residents told AFP.

Restraining themselves over long days working in the fields, they wait for night and the cover of darkness -- braving snakes, dogs, or even unpleasant encounters with strange men, Siddiqua's daughter-in-law Tahira Bibi said, her face hidden by a brown veil.

"I would limit my consumption of water and eat less just to avoid going to the bathroom in the daytime," the 35-year-old said, describing a ploy used by all the women interviewed by AFP in the region.

For the last month and a half, however, Tahira Bibi has not had to wait. A small red-brick cottage housing a pastel green squat toilet has been erected in front of her house.

The initiative has come from a Pakistani non-profit, the Lodhran Pilot Project (LPP), whose team has ventured into the remote hamlet to preach hygiene -- mainly, they say, to men.

- Toilets 'not a priority' for men -

Providing toilets is the responsibility of men in the region, according to Altaf Hussain, a programme officer for LPP.

"When we ask them, they are ashamed that their women have to defecate outside," he said.

"So they tell us they have never thought about toilets. They are surely lying. They can spend money on TV, smoking, other things, but latrines are not a priority."

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Added to this, he says, is a cultural issue: "People see open defecation as routine, and as fertilisers for their soil. They are not aware of the consequences."

The United Nations children's agency says 22 million Pakistanis relieve themselves in the open. In rural areas just 48 percent of the population has access to toilets, compared with 72 percent in the cities.

Some 53,000 children die each year from diarrhoea in Pakistan after consuming polluted water, according to UN data.

Typhoid, cholera, dysentery and hepatitis are common. Those who do not die "tend to see reduced capacity of their body to absorb nutrients", says Kitka Goyol, a UNICEF expert on water and hygiene.

That can be a factor in stunting, which afflicts 44 percent of Pakistani children.

Tahira Bibi says one of her four children died after "stomach problems", while another was at one point in critical condition.

"We thought it was God's will," she said soberly.

- 'Pride' in toilets -

The UN, which marked World Toilet Day this week, says the lack of toilets costs Pakistan up to $2.5 billion per year.

Khan, who came to power in August, vowed last month to "eradicate the deficit of toilets in the country by 2023".

His counterpart in neighbouring rival India, Narendra Modi, launched his own aggressive sanitation drive in 2014.

New Delhi claims it has slashed the number of people forced to defecate in the open from 550 million that year to less than 150 million today.

Khan's government, meanwhile, has launched "Clean Green Pakistan", a massive social and environmental initiative seeking to shift behaviour in areas including sanitation, minister of climate change Malik Amin Aslam said. He did not offer details, however.

Non-profits such as LPP, which is not part of Clean Green Pakistan, are already paving the way in places like Basti Ameerwala, where 15 out of 60 households now have latrines.

In the neighbouring hamlet of Chah Jamalianwala, where LPP also works, 35 out of 60 houses have one, six of which have been built in recent weeks.

Mohammad Nasir, a frail man of 45, is one of the last to have taken the step.

Like many other men in the area, he did not consider a toilet a priority -- having relieved himself in neighbouring fields for 28 years, and spending his money instead on a satellite dish, television and solar panel.

Finally, after his doctor warned him about his wife's health, his small field is equipped with roofless latrines.

The construction cost him 15,000 rupees ($110), a month's salary -- but, he says, he feels "pride" at finally having a toilet.
Caroline Kennedy (center) poses with members of the Unleashed team in The Capitol Theatre's Robertson Room after answering questions with local media just before her Town Hall lecture appearance in Yakima on Oct. 24. Unleashed members left to right are Amy Bailon of Davis High School, Anna Ergeson of Selah High School, Kathryn Conley of Davis High School, Zach Bethel of Riverside Christian School, and Mary-Frances Ballew of Selah High School.
During the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas, which saw more than 500 rockets launched at Israel , the Israeli children living in communities near the Gaza border found themselves dealing not only non-stop Code Red rocket alert sirens, but also with endless hours of being stuck in bomb shelters and safe rooms. One of the ways in which they cope with their frightening reality is by being creative.

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We asked Michal Weimar, a decoder of children's drawings, to analyze the pictures drawn by kids for whom war has become part and parcel of everyday life. What she found is that underneath the bright colors, there is anxiety, uncertainty and a desire to create a different reality.

Gaya and Shaked from Sderot hold up their drawings

'Guards who protect the house from Code Red'

Six-year-old Shani Kadosh from Moshav Pri Gan painted a guard wearing a helmet and holding a shield and a sword. Shanis mother, Mickey, explained that the guard is supposed to protect the house when a Red Code alert is sounded."

Shani has two sistersa two year old and a nine year old. Last week, there were a lot of rocket alert sirens and the children were scared, the mother said. They asked to have their breakfast in our safe room and were afraid to come out. I put on songs for them, we danced, we tried to keep the kids busy.

Shani Kadosh's drawing

After examining the drawing, Michal emphasizing that children have a language that is different from the language of adults. We see a picture that contains a sun, blue skies, and flowersbut if we look at how the picture is drawn, we see something completely different. The color is applied in a neurotic manner and mostly on the roof of the house in the picture, which represents thoughts.

We see a double door that focuses on the lock. Two flowers on each side of the door symbolize protection, and two guards, one on each side, is an attempt to reach symmetry. If we look at the way its drawn, we understand what the child really feels, and we can see the lack of balance, the pressure and disquiet that is felt through the picture. Shes attempting to create a different realitywith two guards that protect her in times of war, explained the decoder.

'A hand that stops the war'

Ziv, a first grader from the Eshkol Regional Council, drew himself sleeping in a safe room. "It's actually our hallway, theres no safe room in our house, said Zivs mother.

The sound from the rocket alert warning beeper at our house terrifies Ziv, his mother continued, he drew the beeper, himself and his father standing in a safe space, as well as a siren speaker near the public bomb shelter.

Ziv's drawing

Michals interpretation suggests Zivs drawing is a visual manifestation of sounds that cause his distress. "The child paints the sound waves, the noise a rocket alert makes. This is a child with auditory sensitivity, who is affected by the stressful sounds, and he expresses his distress through the drawings, she explained.

He drew himself with giant hands. This is whats great about childrenthey can imagine themselves as Superman, someone who can stop a war, even though in reality they have no influence. This is something we should encourage children to draw, it tells them, 'You can invent any reality you want  you can change reality on the page.' It is wonderful that a child uses this as a tool to create an alternative realitythe hand that stops the war that shields him and his father," Michal elaborated.

'Men cannot defeat rockets'

The first thing we notice when we look at a drawing by seven-year-old Noya from Sderot is a giant missile that takes up almost the entire page.

Efrat Shraizin, Noya's mother, described the situation at their house whenever there is another escalation in Gaza. "My husband works in security and gets called up for duty in the middle of the night, so we have no choice but to share all the information with our two girlsNoya and her little sister, three-year-old Amelie," explained Efrat, adding, Today the girls can differentiate between the bombs dropped by the IDF in Gaza and the rockets directed at us."

Noya's drawing

The mother went on to confess that their younger daughter wets the bed out of fear during rocket attacks, while the older one resorts to stress eating in times of security tensions.

Despite the difficult situation were in, it's hard for me to hear my daughters say, 'Death to the Arabs.' I keep trying to explain to them that on the other side there are also people who suffer, and there are good people as well, not everyone is bad, she said.

Michal says Noyas choice to draw a disproportionately large missilewhen compared to the people in her drawing, who look small indicates that in the eyes of the child, rockets from Gaza are something that can swallow everything in a second.

This is also a result of the children's lack of understanding of the security situation, since kids dont listen to political analysts or military assessments, all they hear are unexplained explosions and rocket alert sirens. Noya's decision not to draw landwhich represents stability and securityemphasizes her uncertainty regarding the circumstances she is in.

The decoder added that hands symbolize a person's abilities, and Noyas choice to draw people with small hands underlines her belief that a man cannot defeat a rocket.

In addition, Michal believes Noyas choice to only use one color is reflective of her mood and not wanting to invest in the drawing.

'Fear and anxiety due to lack of control'

The drawing of five-year-old Anael, who is also from Sderot, is very colorful, beautiful and meticulousshowing fish swimming in the sea. However, beneath the surface lies a fear of losing control of what is going on.

"My approach is that children need to be told the truth about what's happening around them, so they understand the reality through my explanation and not through their imagination," said Adi Abergil, the mother Anael and six-year-old Noam.

Anael's drawing

"Sometimes the entire house shakes because of the explosions in Gaza, so I explain to them that there is nothing to fear, these are IDF attacks, which is why there are no rocket alert sirens, stressed the mother.

Adi also explained that in times of security tensions, the children alter their behavior because they are in constant fear.

Noam would go with me everywhere, even at night, he would not stop crying and hardly sleeps. Adele, the eldest of the three, woke me up one night and asked me to walk her to the toilet, and when I flushed it, she put her hands over her ears because she was afraid of the noise the water made, which had never happened before. I used to have to ask the kids to enter the safe room whenever we would hear a rocket alert siren, but now, not only do they run in there by themselves, they refuse to come out for a long time afterwards, the mother described.

Michal says children like Anael shouldnt be left in the dark in tense situations due to their need to remain in control and feel secure. "In Anaels drawing, all of the items are very dense and all the elements are carefully painted, noticed Michal. In times of war, there is no certainty and no control over whats happening, and children like Anaelwho crave controlare the first to fall victims to anxiety and fears about the uncertainty surrounding them.

Children like Anael feel the importance of being given as much information as possible, so they understand the situation and are able to control it, the decoder said.

'Kids waiting for explosions to calm them down'

Ortal, mother of six-year-old Shaked, also from Sderot, said that during the latest round of escalation, her daughter became "very anxious," and on several occasionswhen there wasnt enough time for her to get to the safe room during a Code Red alertthe six year old simply froze.

It had never happened to her before  so we decided to sit her down and explain everything about the situation, so she would understand someone was protecting her  we had no choice but to give her all the information," the mother said.

Shaked's drawing

We also have 11-month-old Omri, and four-year-old Gayawho is indifferent to the situation because she doesnt understand it. The two girls already know within a few seconds of hearing a rocket alert siren, an explosion follows, so they wait for the explosion to calm them down, Ortal went on to say.

Michal emphasizes that like Noya's drawing, the hands of the characters drawn by Shaked are noticeably small, and the people in her picture have no legstwo aspects that point to feelings of helplessness and uncertainty in times of war.

Fear is legitimate

Dalia Cohen, the director of the early childhood and family education program at the Israel Association of Community Centers, shared advice on how to ease children's fears in times of war.

Parents should give legitimacy to their childrens anxieties and fears, tell them that its okay to be afrai because even adults are scared sometimes. At the same time, parents should emphasize how strong their children are despite the difficult situation theyre in.

If a child reacts to the situation in an extreme manner, for instance by wetting the bed out of fear, parents shouldn't resort to reprimanding him or her but rather accept their children as they are.

The most important thing to remember in situations like these is that a child needs to feel protected. This responsibility could be split between the parents, and older siblings should be encouraged to support the younger ones.
Every morning, while his classmates are fast asleep, 15-year-old Erez Amir takes his camera and snaps photos of the surrounding area of his hometown of Jerusalem.

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Amir's photos of wildlife, landscapes and flora made him one of the youngest nature photographers in the country to have his own show presented in a gallery.

Erez Amir

Amir has always loved photography, but his parents' passion for traveling turned him into a professional. Instead of going abroad for his Bar-Mitzvah, he asked his parents to visit more and more expeditions in various areas of Israel so he could expand his photo gallery..

A Gazelle roaming the outskirts of Jerusalem.

"I fell in love with nature and landscapes at a young age," he recalls. "I got my first camera at age 11 and became a photography enthusiast: I went outside our home every day, and took amazing pictures of animals and nature that most people don't know exist under their noses."

Several months ago, after he collected thousands of unique photos, Amir decided to try and make his exhibition dream come true.

Despite his young age, he started a crowd funding campaign to raise NIS 8,000 for the exhibition's promotion. His ultimate goal was to expose the public to the natural treasures that can be found right outside their homes.

Little owl

The dream came truethe exhibition is now showing in the Henry Crown Hall at the Jerusalem Theater. Photos include vistas, flora and fauna, all taken at Mount Herzl, Gazelle Valley, Wadi Zimra, Wadi Kos and other sites around Jerusalem.

"Many think Jerusalem is just old buildings and religious sites," Amir says. "In my photos, I show that there are also beautiful natural sites."

The exhibition's curator said it is indeed unusual to see a teenager who invests so much time and resources in creating an exhibition. "I can't think of other such cases that are not part of an educational program led by adults," she says.

European bee-eaters

"Erez was judged by the same criteria we use to judge other artists, despite his young age, since we are a publicly-funded organization," she adds. "He's a good photographer but more than that, you can see this is his passion and that Jerusalem's urban nature means a lot to him."

"When you look at his photos, you can see he has managed to capture sights most of us miss, and some of his photographs show remarkable observation and an ability to sit stillthe qualities of a nature photographer," the curator continues.

A fox (Photo: Erez Amir)

Amir's principle also speaks of his student's determination, saying Amir arrives in school every morning after a walk in nature. Unsurprisingly, he attests Erez is a creative student in other fields as well.

"We're proud of him, and hope he'll inspire other students," the principal says.
The museum built around a secret annex in a canal-side house where Anne Frank hid from Nazis during World War II has been renovated to better tell the teenage Jewish diarist's tragic story to a new generation of visitors who may know little about the horrors of the Holocaust.

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Museum executive director Ronald Leopold said Wednesday the aim is to "provide more information about the historical context and background of the story we represent, which is the story of Anne Frank."

What has remained the same is the museum's moving centerpiece: the Spartan secret annex where Anne wrote her world-famous diary.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

Anne, her sister and their parents hid in the annex with four other Jews from July 1942 until they were arrested in August 1944 and deported to concentration camps. Only her father, Otto Frank, survived.

"Of course we did not change the hiding place itselfthe annexwhich is the most authentic place where Anne Frank was in hiding and where she wrote the diary," Leopold said.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

In a major overhaul spanning two years, the museum got a new entrance and changes to rooms including the darkened space that displays the iconic books that made up Anne's diary.

The museum also has revamped the way it tells the story of the Frank family, and by extension the Nazi persecution of Jews.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

"What we tried to do is ... use the family history as kind of a window onto a larger history," said Tom Brink, the museum's head of publications and presentations.

That larger history includes the Nazi-occupied Dutch capital during the war "and, of course, European history because all Europe was affected by the Nazi rule," Brink said.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander visiting the renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

As well as the physical changes, the museum now has an audio tour which pieces together fragments from the diary, family stories and historical perspective. That allowed curators to keep physical exhibits sparse while still explaining the Franks' story and putting it in historical context.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

"We wanted to preserve the character of the house, which is very much its emptiness," said Leopold. "I think its emptiness is probably the most powerful feature of the Anne Frank House."

For example, a room that served as the office for Anne's father's company used to contain office furnishings. Now it is virtually empty with just a few photos on the wall. One shows a group of Jewish men in Amsterdam kneeling, their hands on their heads, watched over by a Nazi soldier carrying a rifle.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

On another wall is a map drawn up by Amsterdam civil servants for the city's Nazi occupiers with black dots representing the places where Jews lived.

The museum remained open throughout the renovations. Dutch King Willem-Alexander formally opened the refurbished landmark on Thursday.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

After the war, Otto Frank had his daughter's diary published, and it went on to become a symbol of hope and resilience that has been translated into more than 70 languages. The building housing the secret annex was turned into a museum in 1960.

Telling Anne's story remains relevant more than 60 years after Anne and her sister both perished in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp after contracting typhus.

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

This week, the head of the European Jewish Congress, Moshe Kantor, warned at a conference in Vienna that "Jewish communities in Europe are increasingly concerned about their security and pessimistic about their future."

The renovated Anne Frank House (Photo: AP)

Leopold said the museum, which receives 1.2 million visitors annually, has an important role to play in combatting anti-Semitism.

"We run a museum and we know how powerful the influence of this museum is," he said. "A visit ... really has a huge impact on young people and encourages them to fight discrimination, anti-Semitism, racism in their own communities."
Russia would be ready to host a meeting between Palestinians and Israel and to act as a mediator, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

Lavrov was speaking to reporters during a two-day trip to Rome.

Lavrov said that the resolution of the conflict would also help strengthen the stability of the entire Middle East: "Stabilizing stability in the Middle East, including Libya, Syria, Iraq and other countries, also depends on the Palestinian problem."

"The agreement between Israel and the Palestinians must be based on the UN proposal and the initiative of the Arab League," Levrov said, adding that "in the past they tried to invent new game rules that were not based on international law. This only spoiled the chances of solving the complex situation."
ANKARA (Reuters) - US President Donald Trumps comments about Jamal Khashoggis killing show the US president will turn a blind eye to the issue no matter what investigators uncover, Turkeys foreign minister said on Friday.

On Tuesday, Trump vowed to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder Khashoggi last month.

Criticising Trumps stance for putting commercial deals with Riyadh ahead of justice, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said human life should take precedence.

This statement that Trump made also means: No matter what happens, I will turn a blind eye. This is not a correct approach. Not everything is money, Cavusoglu told broadcaster CNN Turk.

He also said the United States had not informed Turkey of an audio recording regarding Khashoggis killing, a day after a Turkish newspaper said that the CIA had signalled to Turkey it had a recording in which the crown prince ordered to silence Khashoggi.
BAMAKO, Mali (AP)  Frances anti-terrorism forces in Mali have killed at least 30 al-Qaida-linked extremists in central Mali, including the possible death of a chief jihadi leader, Frances armed forces ministry said Friday.

The ministry said in a statement that the attack overnight Thursday into Friday combined air strikes, Reaper drones, helicopter assaults and ground engagement by French soldiers.

Chief jihadist leader Hamadoun Kouffa and other main leaders of the Katibat Macina jihadist group are probably among the dead, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Twitter.
A monument commemorating the Holocaust in the Jewish cemetery in Sochaczew, Poland has been defaced last weekend with swastikas and ISIS inscriptions

Vandals desecrated the monument, and wrote "Death to Poland" and "Isis rules," alongside the anti-Semitic graffiti.

The commemorative monument has inlayed plaques in English, Hebrew, and Polish in memory of the Jews who were murdered by the Nazis in WWII.

"Remember: The Jews of Sochaczew and its surroundings lived here for 600 years. They were annihilated by the Nazis, 1939-1945," the inscription reads.

The Sochaczew Jewish cemetery has also been vandalized in 2015.
DUBAIPresident Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States, instead of "rolling out red carpets for criminals".

Washington in May reimposed sanctions on Tehran, after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran under which they had been lifted.

"Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion ... and against the future generations of this region," Rouhani told an international conference on Islamic unity in Tehran, in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran and our Islam," Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states which have close ties to Washington.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are regional rivals and have supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen and different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon.

"We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression and the superpowers... and we don't ask for $450 billion to do it," Rouhani said, referring to Saudi Arabia's contracts with the United States.
TEHRANIran's President Hassan Rouhani called Israel Saturday a "cancerous tumor" established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East.

Iran's leaders frequently condemn Israel and predict its demise, but Rouhani, a relative moderate, rarely employs such rhetoric.

Addressing an annual Islamic Unity Conference, Rouhani said "one of the ominous results of World War II was the formation of a cancerous tumor in the region." He went on to refer to Israel as a "fake regime" set up by Western countries.

Rouhani says the United States cultivates close ties with "regional Muslim nations" to protect Israel, an apparent reference to Iran's archrivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Iran supports militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas that are pledged to Israel's destruction.
Police arrested Saturday two suspects from Jaljulia, aged 27 and 24, at Ben Gurion Airport on suspicion of involvement in firing at the Ayalon Prison complex in Ramle, Central israel and Hadarim Detention Center in the Sharon area. The two suspects fled to Romania on Friday.

One suspect was released after he was questioned by authorities.

"I am glad that the police didn't rush to judgment and released him," his lawyer said.
PARISPolice fired Saturday tear gas and turned water cannon on protesters in Paris who are angry over rising fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France.

By midday around 5,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where some clashed with police sent to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace nearby.

Protesters sang the national anthem and waved French flags while others carried signs with slogans saying "Macron, resignation" and "Macron, thief".

Others were seen digging up cobbles or building barricades as police confirmed the presence of several hardline groups on one of the city's best known avenues.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner accused far-right leader Marine Le Pen of fanning the protests.

"The ultra-right is mobilised and is building barricades on the Champs Elysees. They are progressively being neutralised and pushed back by police," he said.

In a message on Twitter, Le Pen said she had questioned why no protests were being allowed in the area.

"Today Mr Castaner is using this to target me. This is low and dishonest" she said.

Proesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to shift to more environmentally friendly transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy green or electric vehicles.
ISTANBUL Turkey is uneasy about US plans to set up "observation posts" in Syria along parts of its border with Turkey, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday the United States was setting up the posts to help keep the focus on clearing the final Islamic State militant strongholds in Syria.

The United States has long complained that tension between Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - which includes the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia - has at times slowed progress on the fight against Islamic State.

Akar said he told US Chief of Staff Joseph Dunford and other US officials during a recent visit to Canada that setting up the posts would have a very negative impact on perceptions of the United States in Turkey.

"During our talks with both political and civilian interlocutors we repeatedly expressed our unease in various ways," he said. "I think actions like this will make the complicated situation in the region even more complicated".

Turkey is angry at US support for the YPG, which it views as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) waging a decades-long insurgency on Turkish soil. The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Police are asking the public for help in locating a missing teenager named Ayub Yara, 16, from Jish (Gush Halav), a local council in Upper Galilee.

Yara is slim; she is 53 tall, with dark brown eyes and smooth black hair. She was wearing dark jeans, a black coat and a black and white hat. She was seen last Friday at 5:00pm in a local bakery.

Anyone who knows anything about her whereabouts is asked to contact the 100 call center of the Israel Police or the Tzfat police station at 04-6978444.
Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Benjamin Netanyahu referred Saturday to the comments of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, who said earlier Saturday that Israel is a "cancerous tumor established by Western countries to advance their interests in the Middle East."

"Israel knows how to defend itself against the murderous regime in Iran. Rouhani's hateful rhetoric calling for the destruction of Israel proves once again why the nations of the world should join the sanctions against the Iranian terror regime, which also threatens them," Netanyahu said.
The Magistrate's Court in Rishon LeZion extended Saturday the detention of two young men aged 22 and 27 from Jaljulia who are suspected of shooting at the Ayalon Prison facilities and Hadarim Detention Center in the Sharon region.

One suspect was released Saturday after being questioned by authorities.
The US embassy in Democratic Republic of Congo said on Saturday it had received "credible and specific information of a possible terrorist threat against US government facilities" in the capital, Kinshasa.

The e-mailed security alert sent to US citizens added that the Kinshasa embassy would be closed to the public on Monday, Nov. 26.

The statement did not elaborate on the nature of the threat, and the embassy declined to comment further. None of the State Department's designated foreign terrorist organizations are known to have major operations in Congo.

The country's political situation, however, is tense. Campaigning got underway on Thursday for a Dec. 23 presidential election that is meant to select incumbent Joseph Kabila's successor.

Repeated delays to the election over the past two years sparked street protests in which security forces killed dozens of demonstrators and worsened militia violence across the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Saturday violence by protesters at demonstrations against rising fuel taxes and his government.

Macron said in a strongly worded tweet: "Shame on those who attacked (police). Shame on those who were violent against other citizens ... No place for this violence in the Republic."

At least 20 people were hurt in the protests, including one with more serious injuries. Dozens of people have been arrested.

___
The European Union (EU) Spokesperson condemned Saturday the house demolitions in Shuafat Palestinian refugee camp in East Jerusalem.

"Last week, the Israeli authorities demolished some 20 Palestinian commercial structures in the Shuafat Palestinian refugee camp in East Jerusalem. The demolition started several weeks after the Jerusalem municipality decided to promote a plan to build 800 housing units in the Israeli settlements of Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem.

"The European Union strongly opposes the policy of Israeli settlements, which is illegal under international law, and the actions taken in this regard. The European Union expects the Israeli authorities to reconsider and revoke these decisions. The settlement bloc in East Jerusalem continues to jeopardize the feasibility of a two-state solution," the EU's statement read.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz condemned Saturday Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's statement that "Israel is a cancerous tumor in the region."

"I strongly condemn the recently unacceptable statements by President Rouhani's regarding Israel," wrote Kurz on Twitter.

"Questioning Israel's right to exist and calling for its destruction is absolutely unacceptable," said Kurz and added that Austria has a historic responsibility to fight against all forms of anti-Semitism and support Israel. "Israel's security is not open to negotiations," he stressed.
By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Iron Countys unemployment rate improved to 4.2 percent in October from 4.6 percent in September.

That wasnt enough to pull the county out of the second worst job numbers in Wisconsin, however. Only Menominee County, at 4.4 percent, posted higher jobless numbers of the 72 counties in the state.

A year ago, Iron County was also at 4.2 percent.

Ashland County continues to make real strides, improving from 3.1 percent in September to 2.8 percent in October, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Price County is no longer the shining beacon for employment in the north, as the jobless rate was 3 percent in October, just a bit better than the 3.1 percent in September.

Vilas County went backward to 2.9 percent in October, after posting a 2.7 percent mark in September.

For Oneida County, there was also a minor dip, from 2.6 percent to 2.7 percent.

Wisconsin DWD Secretary Raymond Allen said 21 counties set or tied their all-time low jobless rates in October.

Wisconsins addition of 20,000 manufacturing jobs from October 2017 to this October ranked second nationally and was tops in the Midwestern states, Allen indicated.
News

Nogales, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Nogales are being credited with saving the life of a U.S. citizen Wednesday, suspected of a drug overdose.

Officers at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing assisted an unconscious 22-year-old California man who reportedly was carried to the crossing, accompanied by his parents, where officers immediately began administering CPR. Suspecting a drug overdose, a medically trained CBP officer administered Naloxone, a narcotic blocker used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioids. Once the man regained consciousness, he was transported to a local hospital by Nogales (Arizona) EMS.

Nogales Area Port Director Michael Humphries praised the efforts of his officers. This incident is a perfect example of how CBP officers are prepared for a variety of potential situations. Their quick and professional response led to saving this persons life, he said.
News

Tucson, Arizona - The Tucson Field Office (TFO) is monitoring the movement and arrival of the migrant caravan. In planning, TFO officials recommend commercial enterprises review and update their business resumption plans in case of disruption to commercial operations at Arizona ports of entry.

At this time, the TFO anticipates two possible scenarios. In the first, the caravan arrives in a peaceful manner and the ports are able to continue processing in an orderly fashion. In the second, the caravan arrives and tries to enter by force, disrupting current operations.

In the event the Tucson Field Office determines the group will disrupt operations, officials will provide information alerting businesses to implement their contingency plans.

CBPs priority is the safe and orderly processing of asylum seekers while maintaining port operations. If asylum seekers affect private vehicles or cargo movements, the business resumption plan calls for the re-establishment of operations from low risk lanes to higher risk lanes.

The Tucson Field Office is working closely with Servicio de Administracion Tributaria, Mexican Customs, and will prioritize the processing of the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) and Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) lanes, followed by the Ready Lanes and then all others lanes.

Again, TFO is monitoring the situation 24/7 and will attempt to keep publics informed. Please continue to work on contingency plans. For questions related to this notice, please contact either the local port in your area or TFO at the phone numbers listed below:
Arizona News

Washington, DC - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has awarded a contract to construct up to 32 miles of Primary Pedestrian Replacement Wall in Arizona, within the U.S. Border Patrols Yuma and Tucson sectors.

The project was funded with CBPs Fiscal Year 2018 appropriations. The contract for this project was awarded on November 13, 2018 to Barnard Construction Company, Inc. for the base contract of $172 million for approximately 14 miles in Yuma Sector. Total contract value, including options, is approximately $324 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2019.

The Arizona projects include the construction and installation of upgraded tactical infrastructure including approximately five miles in Lukeville, Arizona, and approximately 27 miles in Yuma, Arizona. This project is within the Yuma and Tucson Border Patrol sectors areas of responsibility.

The primary pedestrian replacement wall in Arizona will improve each sectors ability to impede and deny illegal border crossings and the drug and human smuggling activities of transnational criminal organizations.

CBP continues to implement President Trumps Executive Order 13767  also known as Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements  and continues to take steps to expeditiously plan, design, and construct a physical wall using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve operational control of the southern border.
Border News

Willcox, Arizona - Willcox Border Patrol agents arrested two Tempe men Friday for attempting to smuggle two Mexican nationals through the State Route 80 Immigration Checkpoint.

Agents working the primary inspection lane referred the driver of a Kia Forte for a secondary inspection after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. When agents looked in the vehicles backseat and trunk, they discovered two male Mexican nationals, ages 26 and 17.

Agents noticed the juvenile, found in the trunk, was sweating profusely due to a lack of ventilation. Both Mexican nationals were monitored and questioned at the scene to ensure they were in good health.

Agents seized the vehicle and arrested the 27-year-old driver and 30-year-old passenger for human smuggling. The Mexican nationals were processed for immigration violations.

Border Patrol officials warn that riding in the trunk of a car is dangerous due to the possibilities of carbon monoxide poisoning and the risk of serious injury or death from a vehicle collision.
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- Ronadinho's house was raided by Brazilian police after he was declared bankrupt

-The 38-year-old's charity institute was fined for environmental damage by the court

- The former Barcelona star's passport has also been seized by security operatives

Ronaldinho Gaucho's financial status has taken a new turn since he was officially declared bankrupt in a couple of weeks back.

The Brazil legend and his brother have been at large from security operatives amid claims he owes money for fines levied against the player's charity organization.

The ex-Barcelona star's passport was seized last month after state prosecutors discovered he had just 5 left in his bank account.

READ ALSO: Ronaldo and Messi reportedly snubbed in Ballon d'Or final 3 shortlist

The 38-year-old's family home has been ransacked and officers from the Brazilian police have seized two of his BMW and a Mercedes Benz.

The act was carried out by the Brazilian Prosecutor of Justice and Defence of the Environment in an attempt to recover funds to meet a fine accrued by his charitable institute he set up.

READ ALSO: Top 7 most lethal attackers in the English Premier League right now

The Ronaldinho Gaucho institute were fined the Brazilian Public Ministry for environmental damage when the organization was under construction in 2013.

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that former Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan forward Ronaldinho will not get any chance to travel out of Brazil until he settles his 1.75m debt.

He flouted government laws by building a house in a restricted area in his home country.

Barcelona legend Ronaldinho has been grounded by Brazil authorities over debt of 1.75 million.

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen
The death of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, was a result of a malignant gallbladder, his family has revealed.

3news.com disclosed that the legislator fell ill about four weeks ago, and passed away on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

He was flown to the United States of America (USA) for treatment, but despite the efforts of the doctors, he did not survive.

The late Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko Source: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Prophet Nigel reportedly predicted the death of late MP (Video)

According to former energy minister, Boakye Agyarko, who is his brother, the late MP was initially treated at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, to help deal with his acidic reflux.

Upon consultations with doctors, he went on, it was decided that the late MP should be treated outside the country.

Boakye Agyarko revealed that his brother was healthy when he emplaned, and was processed for admission at the Yale University Hospital.

He added that together with his siblings, they have since informed the family as tradition demands, and authorization has been given for the funeral processes to begin.

Some Ghanaians, meanwhile, took to social media to express their opinions about the MPs death and related issues:

READ ALSO: Male nurse delivers baby at a roadside (Photos)

Street Quiz: Ghanaians React to Increment in Sachet Water Prices - Yenkasa | Yen.com.gh

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen.com.gh
The Chief Revenue Officer of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Dominic Naab, has disclosed that persons in the creative industry will be taxed based on their lifestyles.

According to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Graphic.com.gh, he made the statement on Friday November 23 at the Accra Tourism Information Center during a Tax Sensitization workshop.

Mr Naab indicated that celebrities all over the world were taxed based on their lifestyles and the same formula was going be applied here in Ghana.

Ghana Revenue Authority. Credit: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Allegations against me are false; a friend betrayed me  Asamoah Gyan on his marriage saga

The GRA will see to it that persons in the creative arts pay their tax because they earn a lot and live expensive lifestyles he said.

He went on to explain that actors or persons in the creative industry needed to come to the offices of GRA and explain for example if they were given gifts in the form of a car, a house or anything valuable.

We tax based on the expensive cars the creative people drive so the onus lies on them to explain to us that the cars or the expensive lifestyle are all sponsored by other people, Mr Naab said.

Mr Naabs statement did not go down with actors Martha Ankomah, Gloria Osei Sarfo, Beverly Afaglo, Bob Smith among other creative persons who were present at the workshop.

According to Martha Ankomah, it was not right to be taxed on her lifestyle if she was being sponsored by other people.

How do you know whether I rented the car or the car I am driving belongs to a friend? The fact that I take pictures at an expensive place doesnt mean I am living an expensive lifestyle she stated.

A cross-section of actors who were at the workshop. Credit: Graphic Showbiz

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Fancy Gadams girlfriend threatens to leave him after baby mama reports

For Bob Smith, the creative arts industry was not vibrant enough to be paying tax.

Some of us have not shot movies in a long while. So how do you expect someone like me to pay tax? I think more explanations have to be done he opined.

Actress Beverly Afaglo was of the view that the whole taxation process had to be explained well for the understanding of those in the creative arts industry.

I personally disagree with how GRA wants the creative arts people to pay tax. Some of the creative people have well to do families who support them and GRA cant tax them because they live expensive lifestyles. Displaying your expensive lifestyle is not enough to tax us she stated.

Rex Omar, chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) said if the system worked well elsewhere, then creative people would have to oblige. "But as it stands now, explanations have not gone down well on why we should pay tax".

Other persons in the creative industry who attended the workshop were actors Adjetey Annang, Paa George, Yvonne Nelson, Jackie Appiah, Van Vicker, Nana Ama McBrown, Gloria Osei Sarfo, movie producer Abdul Salam Mumuni among other personalities.

READ ALSO: Medikal set to marry Fella Makafui soon - Mix Master Garzy

Watch: Meet Ghana's Peculiar Female Tiler: Faces of Ghana| #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen.com.gh
At least 30 female students of Nsutam Senior High School in the Eastern region have been displaced after fire gutted their dormitory YEN.com.gh has learnt.

According to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Starrfmonline.com, the incident occurred in House-four Room 3 at around 9:30am Thursday, November 22 when the students were in their classrooms.

It took the swift intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service to douse the fire preventing it from spreading to other rooms.

Credit: Starrfmonline.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Fancy Gadams girlfriend threatens to leave him after baby mama reports

The fire destroyed mattresses, blankets, uniforms ,books and other personal effects of students.

The cause of the fire outbreak is not yet known. Officials of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the Fire Service have began investigations into the incident.

Credit: Starrfmonline.com

Source: UGC

Not too long ago, YEN.com.gh reported that five pupils of the Assin Atobease Primary School who were killed in a gory accident last Friday at Assin Atobease in the Assin South District of the Central Region have been buried.

READ ALSO: My husband of 8 years has infected me with HIV/AIDS - Woman breaks down

Their burial took place at Atobease on the morning of Wednesday, November 21.

In photos sighted by YEN.com.gh of the solemn ceremony, the deceased were put in identical coffins with their names and photos placed on them.

The pupils, all girls, were run over by an articulator truck while they were attempting to cross the Yamoransa-Kumasi Highway which passes through the town after closing from school. The five died on the spot.

READ ALSO: Medikal set to marry Fella Makafui soon - Mix Master Garzy

Watch: Meet Ghana's Peculiar Female Tiler: Faces of Ghana| #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen News
Lameness prevention: it's all in the head

An understanding of how cows think, how they see the world and how they move is essential for lameness prevention.
bohlah at 24-11-2018 08:50 AM (3 years ago) (m)

A 27-year-old suspected kidnapper, Emmanuel Okemayin, has confessed that he formed a kidnapping gang in a bid to raise money to travel abroad and further his education, following the death of his father.

A 27-year-old suspected kidnapper, Emmanuel Okemayin, has confessed that he formed a kidnapping gang in a bid to raise money to travel abroad and further his education, following the death of his father.

Okemayin was arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery (SARS), Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos, following a botched kidnap attempt.



I was arrested for planning the kidnap of my employers wife which failed. I had good grades in West Africa School Certificate- Government, A1; Economics A1; Biology, A1; Geography, P7; Literature in English, P7 and Chemistry, P7. I cant remember what I got in English language and Mathematics. I am qualified to go to university,Okemayin said.



My financial problem started when I went to Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, and they told me to pay N120,000 for registration, but I had no kobo on me.



They even told me to pay in bits by paying only a sum of N50,000 in subsequent payment, yet I knew that I still could not afford it. When I calculated the feeding money and other expenses I decided call it quit.



I started searching for jobs and found one in a hotel, on Iju Road, Agege, Lagos, on a monthly salary of N8,000. I worked there for two years and later travelled to Benin, Edo State, and stayed there for two years. I returned to Lagos in 2014.



Having resigned from hotel work I decided to look for another job upon my return from Benin, Edo State. Luckily, I got a job as a driver with a sachet water production company. My salary was N25,000. I was able to rent a one room apartment in Agege on a monthly rent of N3, 000 and N71,000 per annum.



The suspect said he later saved some money to procure an international passport and spent about N200,000 to get a visa.



His problem however started when he could not raise money to take care of his flight ticket.



Frustrated, she resigned from the company and got another job a driver through one of his friends, Ejike.



Ejike assisted me to secure a job. I was driving a married woman who has an office in CMS, Lagos, on a monthly salary of N40,000, without no allowance of any kind.



After driving the woman for few weeks, I found out that her character was too bad and the way she addressed people was dehumanising. When I narrated my ordeal to a colleagues of mine called Austin, he advised me to be patient since I have not worked up to a month.



The next day, I took her to a native doctor and she was behaving in a way that made me to see her as a heartless person. When I narrated my experience to Austin he reasoned with me. We planned to arrange somebody to attack us, when madam would be carrying huge sum of money.



 I planned with one T- boy, who unfortunately sabotaged us by informing operatives of FSARS and we were arrested before we could carry out our operation.



In his confession, Okemayins accomplice, Austin Anyia, 30, who was a driver to the victims husband said: I am from Akokwa in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State. When Emma (Okemayin) told me that the woman was rude, I advised him to take it easy but when the woman became rude I decided to join him in teaching the woman a lesson. But the SARS operatives were smarter than us, hence, Emma(Okemayin) and I were arrested when we were about to carry out our plan with one T boy. I regret following Emma(Okemayin) to plan this attack on madam. I thank God SARS operatives stopped us. Tell her to forgive us. Okemayin was arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery (SARS), Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos, following a botched kidnap attempt.

Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 24-11-2018 08:50 AM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero
xspraise at 24-11-2018 07:36 PM (2 years ago) (m)

Publisher/Author, Betty Irabor tweeted this in reaction to the recent murder of over 50 soldiers by Boko Haram members.

Publisher/Author, Betty Irabor tweeted this in reaction to the recent murder of over 50 soldiers by Boko Haram members.

The outspoken entrepreneur reacted over the spate of killings in the nation saying Nigeria is not worth dying for.



The outspoken entrepreneur reacted over the spate of killings in the nation saying Nigeria is not worth dying for.

Post Reply I am Victor, I write reportage on sport news and latest metro happenings in Nigeria. Posted: at 24-11-2018 07:36 PM (2 years ago) | Hero
<< See the full list of the 2018 Public Officials of the Year.

Two of the biggest problems our election system faces are keeping the voting process secure and boosting dismal voter participation. To Amber McReynolds, both of those problems have the same solution: better customer service. In seven years managing elections in Denver, McReynolds used technology and common sense to improve turnout and lower costs -- all while turning Denver into a national model of reform for election security. Her strategy was to make the process as simple and easy as possible for those casting the votes. The entire elections process was never designed with the voters interest first, McReynolds says. It was designed for political parties and campaigns.During her tenure, which spanned 13 years at the elections division, Denver has been a veritable testing ground for improving the voter experience. Early on, McReynolds was instrumental in making Denver the first municipality to adopt Ballot TRACE, a tracking system for voters who mail in their ballots. The program, which has since been adopted by other municipalities, came about in response to the many calls McReynolds office received from voters on Election Day about the status of their mail-in ballots. Ballot TRACE works like a package tracking service. It notifies Denver voters of when their ballot has been printed, mailed, delivered and eventually received by the elections division. The approach is working -- after it was implemented, Denvers call volume on Election Day went down by 90 percent.That was just the beginning of innovations that have targeted the entire election process. For campaigners, McReynolds introduced a signature-gathering app called eSign so candidates and petitioners can collect electronic signatures on tablets and get instant verifications of the signatures validity. In 2015, McReynolds and her team launched a new voting system using scanners, printers and touchscreen tablets. Not only are these commercial products more familiar and intuitive to most voters, but the tablets come at one-tenth of the price of a standard voting machine. And Denver was one of five counties to pioneer a first-in-the-nation risk-limiting audit, a cheaper way to validate election results and one that was eventually adopted statewide.McReynolds approach has increased participation in the election process while lowering overall costs. In the 2016 general election, turnout in Denver was at 72 percent -- up six points from 2008 and 10 points higher than the national average. Meanwhile, costs had decreased by one-third, to $4.15 per voter.In 2013, McReynolds was a key player in bringing about change at the state level. Reforms she helped design require a ballot to be mailed to all registered voters, and extend voter registration through Election Day. Elections are for the most part run by local officials and theyre the ones who can make the biggest difference, says Jonathan Brater of the Brennan Center for Justice. Ambers an example of someone who can bring the importance of that discussion to state and other policy officials.This summer, McReynolds made the leap from administrator to policy advocate when she stepped down from her post in Denver to head up the National Vote at Home Institute. If I can make it easier for one voter, let alone many, she says, then I know Ive done something in this world.Liz Farmer
Haas is merely seeking "equal treatment" in deciding to protest against the legality of Force India's cars.

That is the view of Haas boss Gunther Steiner, after the American team lodged a formal protest to the stewards in Abu Dhabi.

Haas is claiming that, as a brand new entrant, 'Racing Point Force India' is illegally using cars that were not technically designed by the new team.

The dispute comes after Liberty Media agreed to pay Force India $60 million in the form of its so-called 'Column 1' payments under the Concorde Agreement.

A 'new' team like Haas is not normally entitled to Column 1 money for two years.

"We are just looking for equal treatment for all the teams," Steiner is quoted by Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

"We are not trying to get more, but just what teams in the future know what they are entitled to," he added.

"We entered formula one under certain conditions, and we do not feel that this has happened on this occasion with Force India.

"So we want equality, or least an explanation as to why that has not happened," Steiner said.

The stewards are set to rule on the protest on Saturday.

Steiner said: "Initially we tried to find a friendly solution, but we have not received any answer. At some point you have to act."

(GMM)
Niki Lauda has told Mercedes he will be back at the F1 tracks "soon".

The team chairman and F1 legend actually wanted to come to Abu Dhabi, but according to Austrian radio O3, that plan was vetoed by doctors.

"He didn't lose the race to come to Abu Dhabi, he won it because he is smart," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Bild newspaper.

"I prefer Niki to be back at full speed."

Lauda, 69, has made his first appearance since his lung transplant, telling Mercedes' race team in Abu Dhabi by video message that he will be back soon.

"This was the Niki we know," Wolff said. "He said the pressure will soon be greater because he will soon be back."

Wolff added of the one minute video: "It was a cool thing and everyone was happy."

(GMM)
Business

Dubai real estate market touches new milestones

Coinciding with the launch of Expo 2020 Dubai, the largest global event and the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East, the Dubai real estate market continued to record new achievements and further growth in the field of real estate sales transactions. According to the data of the
The woman Levanch [sic] L. Swart, who claimed to have been married to my late husband Edward Z.C. Carroll Judson, he always said was not his legal wife. She blackmailed him and did a great many things to annoy him and came here to Stamford after we were married and in fact wanted me to give her my husbands invalid chair after his death.She was a bad woman, deep and designing in her motivesa dangerous woman. Anna Fuller

Soon after Edward Zane Carroll Judsonbetter known to posterity as dime novelist Ned Buntline, a pseudonym he gave himself in 1844died on July 16, 1886, his wife Anna Fuller was outraged to learn that two of his ex-wives had applied for his Civil War pension. Yet confusion over which spouse had rightful claim to the money was understandable, as the notorious and prolific Father of the Dime Novel and self-proclaimed creator of Buffalo Bill had married at least nine times. He had never formally divorced several of his spouses and, indeed, hadnt even bothered to tell some he was leaving. The battle over his pension stretched from the day of his death all the way through 1908.

Born in Stamford, N.Y., in 1822 or 1823, Judson ran away from home in his preteens and soon secured a commission as a midshipman in the Navy, beginning the first of many real and highly fictionalized adventures hed later build on in his popular novels. During his writing career Judson was also a temperance lecturer, though he was often drunk when delivering his sermons. Judsons serialized novel Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men, play Scouts of the Plains and subsequent dime novels featuring Buffalo Bill Cody catapulted the latter from obscure Army scout to national celebrity.

Judson was responsible for creating a highly romanticized and often misleading image of the American West, albeit one the masses back East clamored to read in the mid- to late 19th century. Scholars estimate he wrote at least 400 dime novels over his career and perhaps as many as 600. His plotlines, if unimaginative, remained consistent: abduction, pursuit, rescue, re-abduction, re-pursuit, re-rescue, with multiple sets of villains. But as editor R. Clay Reynolds notes in his 2011 compilation of Buntline dime novels, The tales of Judsons several marriages would make for a better story than he ever wrote.

Judson was responsible for creating a highly romanticized and often misleading image of the American West, albeit one the masses back East clamored to read in the mid- to late 19th century

According to biographer Jay Monaghan, Judson met his first wife, Severina Marin, in Havana, Cuba, during carnival season in 1839. She was the daughter of a prosperous Catalonian family from St. Augustine, Fla., and the couple was married by a justice of the peace in nearby St. Johns on Dec. 18, 1841. Severina was 20; Judson was 17. In the fall of 1867 the Republican Banner of Nashville, Tenn., printed a bizarre account of Judsons wife:

There died in the poorhouse of this county, and was buried last Saturday at the expense of the public, a woman who was at one time the wife of the famous Ned Buntline and at another the mistress of Ben McCulloch, the Texan Ranger.Buntline, before he came to Nashville and was involved in a fearful tragedy that is associated with his name, lived a thriftless, daredevil life in Texas, on the prairies, upon the Gulf Coast and about New Orleans.His meeting with the pretty cigar girl was an accident, and his suit was long and difficult. At last he had to marry her, and three weeks after the marriage the couple suddenly disappeared.

The fearful tragedy refers to events following Judsons seduction of a married woman in Nashville in 1846. That March 14 the womans husband, Robert Porterfield, tracked down Judson, shot at him three times and missed; the writer shot back and killed the husband. A mob of angry townspeople tried to lynch Judson, but the rope broke. Authorities took him into protective custody and later released him, as Porterfields survivors brought no charges. The obituary for the wife Ned was with around the time he seduced Mrs. Porterfield continues with details of the womans slow descent from life as a young bride and Rangers mistress to that of a gambler and then a prostitute and pauper.

In all probability, though, this was not Severina Marin. The article identifies the woman as Maria Cordovabelieved to be Judsons second wifethough it notes shed been using various pseudonyms for some time. In her testimony regarding Judsons pension, his fifth wife, Lovanche Swart, recalled her husband had told her about Severina and mentioned shed died within a year of their marriage. Several 1849 news accounts claim Severina had died in Nashville six years earlier, having suffered much from his conduct toward her. In fact, she had died in Smithfield, Ky., in 1846.

On Jan. 23, 1848, Judson married his third wife, 19-year-old Annie Abigail Bennett, in lower Manhattans historic Trinity Church. She divorced him on Sept. 29, 1849, on grounds of ill treatment and infidelity. New Yorks World newspaper printed all the salacious details provided by witnesses at the couples divorce proceedings, one policeman testifying that hed often spotted Judson visiting a house of ill fame and keeping company with prostitutes. Yet the 1850 U.S. census shows Judson lodged with Bennett and her family well after her divorce was granted. In her pension testimony Swart said that shortly after they had met in 1853, the author showed her a clipping from a London paper reporting Bennett had died. In fact, Bennett was very much alive, although she did remarry and move to Europe.

In late 1851 Judson saw an opportunity to unite pro-slavery Northerners and Southerners in their common desire for territorial expansionnot to mention a way to make a tidy profit for himself. He yoked himself to Venezuelan filibuster Narciso Lopez, who fomented a military expedition to Cuba to overthrow Spanish colonialism and thus open the island to annexation by the United States as a new slave state, much like what had happened in Texas. Judson, living in New Orleans at the time, sold Cuban scrip and lectured on liberty in Cuba and Americanism at home, sentiments shared by the flowering Know Nothing political movement, which opposed immigrants and Catholics. Buntline was a party member. When Lopez was captured by the Spanish that fall and executed in Havana, his expedition dissolved, and Judson wisely hurried west to avoid those holding the now worthless scrip. He boarded a steamboat bound for St. Louis, where he tried to hawk his latest book, Ned Buntlines Novelist. It flopped, but the entrepreneur soon lit on another moneymaking scheme as a theater producer. After training a quartet, designing a few costumes and printing up playbills, he led his little company aboard a steamboata cheap way to tour villages along the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. Perhaps, too, a way to meet women, as on April 20, 1852, in Hannibal, Mo., Judson married his fourth wife, Margaret Ann Watson, from McDonough County, Ill.

In all likelihood Judson was either drunk, hiding from St. Louis authorities or both when he wedded Watson. Some two weeks earlier hed ridden down that citys crowded streets and fired several shots into crowds of election day voters, instigating a riot that resulted in several deaths. The incident harked back to his actions during the notorious Astor Place riot in Manhattan three years earlier, for which hed served a year in prison. Judson had sparked this second riot to steer people away from ballot boxes and hopefully benefit his friend Whig Mayor Luther Martin Kennett. It worked, and Kennett won re-election, though authorities eventually tracked down Judson and arrested him for mayhem. Friends bonded him out of jail, and a few days later he failed to show before a judge. That fall, safely across state lines in Illinois, Judson started a political journal named Buntlines Novelist and Carlyles Prairie Flower. The venture failed within months, as did his marriage to Watson. He went back to New York, and she remarried some years later.

The record of Judsons marriage to Josie Judah notes it was his third  at least three shy of his true nuptial tally to date. Noting a discrepancy, the Charlestown Advertiser accused Judson of bigamy

In July 1853 Judson became acquainted with Lovanche L. Swart, the recent widow of the man who printed the authors intermittent periodical Ned Buntlines Own. Swart lived with her parents and young son in Chappaqua, 30 miles north of midtown Manhattan. Years later Swart told a Stamford (N.Y.) Mirror reporter she had married Judson on Sept. 24, 1853, in Hoboken, N.J., in a house he purportedly owned. We lived there until sometime in April 1854, she said, when he started out lecturing on Americanism and organizing lodges, about the commencement of the Know Nothing party, taking me with him. We went through the Eastern states, had good times and enjoyed life in all its pleasures. However, in August 1854, during their stay in Boston, Judson became entangled with Jewish actress Ione Josie Judah and abruptly abandoned Swart at their hotel. Having no income, the spurned spouse moved back to her fathers home in upstate New York.

Judson married Judah on June 13, 1854, in Charlestown, Mass. He was 31; she was 18. The record of the marriage notes it was Judsons thirdat least three shy of his true nuptial tally to date. Noting a discrepancy, the Charlestown Advertiser accused Judson of bigamy, reporting he had married a lady in Newark the previous September, recently abandoned her and then clandestinely married Judah. When the first wife came to see about it on the 27th June, added the paper, he had fled with his new wife to parts unknown. They soon returned to Boston.

A record of Judsons split from Judah remains elusive, but presumably they parted ways shortly after the marriage. If the bride was heartbroken, she was at least prepared from prior experience to deal with it. Judahs father and two brothers drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Florida in 1839, her mother Marietta remarrying and moving to San Francisco. One of Judahs sisters launched her own successful vaudeville career, while another raised three daughters (Josies nieces) who sang and danced their way to fame as the Worrell Sisters, among the best-known sibling acts of the late 19th century. In 1903 a New York theater historian reflected briefly on the Judah family, singling out Ione as a great spiritualistic medium.

Meanwhile, Swart, having moved back into her parents upstate New York home, got work as a seamstress. Despite the economic straits and embarrassment heaped on her by Judson, she kept up a correspondence with him for more than a year. After that, she told the Stamford Mirror, we occasionally met, up to the year 1859, and his habits were such that I had very little to do with him, referring to his drinking. In 1863 she bumped into Judson unexpectedly on the streets of New York City, and he asked to visit her. He looked pale, haggard and nearly worn out, only weighing 96 pounds, she recalled. He said he had come home to die and could not do so without a reconciliation. I doctored and nursed him. Judson told his erstwhile ex he was on furlough from his cavalry unit, and he wanted to marry her again, as their first marriage would not hold good according to the laws of New York State. And so, on January 14, at Swarts home on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, the couple was legally, morally and religiously married by her Episcopal minister before several witnesses.

In her April 1881 tell-all in the Stamford Mirror Swart recalled her wayward husband toyed with her emotions and finances over the next eight years. He traveled more extensively than ever before, adapting his stock adventure plots to the American West. While doing so, he met handsome young scout and buffalo hunter William Frederick Cody and wrote the first of many fantastically popular dime novels about him. It was Judson, the story goes, who gave Cody the moniker Buffalo Bill. When the author was in New York, he visited Swart two or three times a week, bringing cash, gifts, flowers, even a canaryand, of course, his amorous attentions.

Swart admitted shed felt placated, setting aside any and all threats of divorcethat is, until Oct. 10, 1871, when she opened the Stamford Mirror to find the week-old marriage notice of Judson and one Anna Fuller. Swarts mother immediately wrote to a reverend at the church where Judson and Fuller married, who confirmed the vows and said he had raised concerns with his colleagues and the latest brides family. I did all I could to put Mr. Fullers people on their guard against Mr. Judson, he told her, as I had intimations that he had other wives living. If your daughter is his legal wife, some of her friends should put the law in force against him, on the charge of bigamy. According to both Judson and Swart, the pair continued to meet on occasion over the next few years, although they had differing recollections about those meetings. The seamstress claimed she only made contact when Judson was in arrears on payments toward her upkeep; Judson insisted Swart was a deranged woman continually seeking to extort money from him, and that she chased him through the streets and wrote notes to him. He said he had nothing she could get a hold of and told her to go ahead or to the devil.

Swart and Fuller in turn may have been still legally married to Judson when he wed yet another woman. Catharine Kate Myers. was born in 1837 and lived in Chappaqua. Judson and Myers were married by a Methodist Episcopal preacher on Nov. 2, 1860, in Ossining, N.Y. The couple had four children. Their eldest, Mary Carrollita, was born on Jan, 10, 1862, at Eagles Nest, Judsons rustic cabin in the Adirondack Mountains (Hamilton County). After two subarctic winters, however, Myers decided shed had enough and returned to Chappaqua to live with an aunt.

If Myers felt squeamish about giving birth at Eagles Nest, she would have every right to, as yet another of Judsons wives had died there in childbirth just a couple of years before. Eva Marie Gardiner was just 17 when Judson hired her from a Troy beer hall to be his housekeeper and 18 when he married her. Gardiner was only 19 when she and her baby died on March 4, 1860. According to Monaghan, Ned buried Eva with the baby in a rude coffin under the wet ground behind the log house.

Myers divorced Judson on Nov. 27, 1871, about eight weeks after he had married Fuller. According to later interviews with Myers children with Judson, the author was mostly sober and domesticated when at home and even downright scared of her. Biographer Harold Hochschild reported that a knife-wielding Kate had once locked her husband in a closet, leaving him to huddle shamefacedly as visitors called, and that more than once she had driven him from the house. Still, Myers must have had at least some anxiety about her husbands fidelity, as evinced by a remark in one of his letters to her. I have been wild & crazy, have wandered far, he wrote in September 1866, but never have been untrue to you.

Fuller, the wife who remained with Judson till death, drew on recollections of Cody to establish the marital solidarity the couple enjoyed during the last years of his life. We traveled together on his lecture tours, covering a period of near two years, then we traveled near two years with William F. Cody, she testified. After about 1876 he [Judson] settled down here in Stamford in our home and remained here till he died. I always went with him on his lecture tours and while he was with William F. Cody. After collecting more than 500 pages of testimony from ex-wives, friends, family members and military cohorts of Judsons, the special examiner for the U.S. Bureau of Pensions ultimately ruled in Fullers favor, awarding Judsons annuity to her and their one surviving child. Separately, officials in Delaware County, N.Y., allowed her to keep their residence, also named Eagles Nest, the only property of value left in Judsons estate after years of overspending. Had the Bureau of Pensions scrutinized one more piece of evidence, the outcome may have been different: The 1880 U.S. census shows Judson living in Manhattanwith wife Lovanche Swart. WW

Los Angelesbased independent historian Julia Bricklin is the author of Americas Best Female Sharpshooter: The Rise and Fall of Lillian Frances Smith (reviewed in the December 2018 Wild West) and is writing a book about Ned Buntline. For further reading she recommends Buffalo Bills Wild West: Celebrity, Memory and Popular History, by Joy S. Kasson, and The Hero of a Hundred Fights: Collected Stories from the Dime Novel King, from Buffalo Bill to Wild Bill Hickok, by Ned Buntline, edited by R. Clay Reynolds.
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The Independent Investor: The Origin of Black Friday

As you finish your turkey and prepare to get an early start on Black Friday shopping, you might wonder how shopping became such an integral part of your Thanksgiving holiday. The term has followed a circuitous route through our financial history.

Although the term "Black Friday" is a new phenomenon, its origins date back to the late 19th century. The term was first associated with a stock market crash on Sept. 24, 1869.

Two speculators, Jay Gould and James Fisk, tried to corner the gold market. This created a boom-and-bust atmosphere in gold prices. That volatility spilled over into stocks. Before it was all said and done, stocks lost 20 percent of their value, while commodities fell by over 50 percent. Neither speculator was ever punished for their deeds (sound familiar?) due to political corruption within New York's Tammany Hall. The term Black Friday, however, was used to describe that period of our financial history for the next century.

It wasn't until 1905 that the day after Thanksgiving had anything to do with shopping. It was in that year that a Canadian department store, Eaton's, launched the first Thanksgiving Day parade in downtown Toronto. Santa lead the parade in a horse-drawn wagon, while Eaton's benefited by seeing an uptick in shopping at their store the following day.

But it wasn't until 1924 that Macy's followed the Canadian lead by announcing their own parade. A similar increase in holiday shoppers convinced Macy's and soon other retailers across the nation, that Thanksgiving parades were good for business.

Retail sales on the Friday after turned out to be so good that the government got involved just to ensure that this extra business was here to stay. Congress passed a law in 1941 that made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. That allowed retail stores to plan their holiday shopping events every year on a predictable schedule.

It worked so well that the Friday after became just as important as the holiday itself. In the 1950s, shoppers began calling in sick on Friday to extend the holiday to a four-day weekend while also taking advantage of the shopping deals. It soon became a wholesale practice among workers across the nation. Businesses, after attempting (unsuccessfully) to discourage the practice, began giving that Friday off as another paid holiday and everyone was happy.

It wasn't until 1966, that the modern-day term "Black Friday" was officially coined in my home town of Philadelphia. It was there that the police department in the "City of Brotherly Love" used the term to describe the traffic jams, the free-for-all invasion of the town's department stores, and the well-publicized fisticuffs among shoppers that was becoming a tradition among consumers.

Since the 1920s, retailers had followed a "gentleman's agreement" to wait until Black Friday before advertising holiday sales. It worked. If one looks back through history, roughly half of all holiday shopping occurred on Black Friday. But that agreement began to unravel in the new millennium.

The advent of internet shopping spurred many retailers with a presence on the internet to extend the shopping holiday to include Mondays. On November 28, 2005, two marketing agents created the term "Cyber Monday." The concept proved an astounding success. Last year internet sales on that Monday reached $6.59 billion, making it the largest single internet shopping day of the year.

In 2011, retailers (ever a greedy group of buggers), disgruntled to see an increasing share of their brick and mortar sales being siphoned off by the internet, came up with a solution to make up those sales. Why not extend the shopping weekend by yet another day? Thus, the crowding out of Thanksgiving in exchange for more hours in the store.

At this point, I suspect someone will need to invent yet another catchy phrase to describe this national, five-day, retail spending spree. It is a trend that has all but obscured a day when, in the distant past, we came together as a family, to give thanks for something more than a 20 percent discount on a 4-D TV.

Nonetheless, as a traditionalist who is showing his age, I wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving. You can bet I will be spending it with my family, giving thanks for all I, and this nation, have received.
The former mill building at 330 Cole Ave. Berkshire Housing Development Corp. plans to create 22 housing units inside the structure.

Williamstown Renews Development Agreement on Cole Avenue Parcel



The initial plan approved in 2016. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Work continues on the planned subsidized housing project at the former Photech mill, but escalating costs at home and tax cuts from Washington, D.C., have slowed progress on project.

The president of Pittsfield's Berkshire Housing was before the Select Board last week to discuss what has been done and what has caused delays and to ask the board for an extension on the non-profit's option to build more than 40 units of Affordable Housing at 330 Cole Ave.

Elton Ogden told the Select Board that, as expected, the project was unsuccessful in its first round of applications for funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development.

As far back as 2015, when Berkshire Housing started talking to the town, Ogden has been consistent in saying that, unlike the Highland Woods senior housing project that was expedited by the state as replacement housing for the former Spruces Mobile Home Park, the Photech project could expect to "get in line" with other projects around the commonwealth.

"We've completed all of the work it takes in order to put together an application to DHCD for $9.6 million in equity, low-income housing tax credits and $3.3 million in soft debt," Ogden said in a meeting telecast on the town's community access television station, Willinet. "We made that application unsuccessfully last year, but we got our foot in the door, and that's what it's all about.

"You come in with a competitive application and get your place in line."

And the line got a little longer last year when Congress added $1.5 trillion to the national debt with a massive tax cut.

"We've got an environment where the federal government has basically checked out of funding affordable housing projects," Ogden said. "So the Department of Housing and Community Development, the state, is pretty much the only source. Consequently, all their resources are stressed.

"Then we have the wrinkle that was thrown in with the reform of the corporate income tax. That ended up devaluing the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.  That created a significant gap in every project. It's not just us. It's across the board."

While Berkshire Housing continues to work on putting together funding for the $13.5 million project, the nonprofit and town continue to make sure it is "shovel ready" when financing is in place.

Ogden's agency partnered with the town on a $200,000 EPA Brownfields Grant to remediate contaminated areas of the former industrial site that the town obtained in a tax taking. Berkshire Housing has pledged $40,000 in matching funds for that grant.

Unfortunately, Town Manager Jason Hoch told the Select Board last Wednesday, the town received just one bid for the work it needs done, "and it was significantly over the amount received from EPA."

Williamstown and Berkshire Housing are instead going to phase in the project, an approach that begins by abating and removing the boiler room in the "cube," the one remaining factory building that dominates the property beside the Hoosic River.

Ogden said that higher site prep costs and a reduction in the maximum low-cost loans allowed by the Federal Home Loan Bank have combined to leave the project with a shortfall of about $1.5 million.

"We've had some significant [cost] increases that became realized as the engineering became more advanced," Ogden said. "We did geotechnical explorations, which weren't terribly positive. They told us that we had about $500,000 worth of site costs that weren't anticipated. That's to remove all the debris that was put into the basements of the old buildings that now has to come out and be replaced with structural fill.

"We've also had something that everyone is going to be subject to because of changes in the building code: The Cube, which we thought was going to be cost efficient to renovate and create 22 units, is not as cost-efficient."

Ogden said Berkshire Housing still plans to renovate and reuse the Cube, but it has made another change to its site plan in order to reduce costs. Instead of building the 46 units of housing it anticipated, the nonprofit currently plans to build 41 units, leaving out one five-unit townhouse but leaving room for expansion at a later date.

Reducing the project by five units will reduce its total cost by $1 million, Ogden said. In answer to a question from Select Board member Andy Hogeland, Ogden said the commonwealth's funders have approved the idea of reducing the number of total units in the project.

Another option Berkshire Housing is looking at to help close its funding gap is an application to the town for Community Preservation Act funds, Ogden said. In the past, CPA money has been expended to support the non-profit's development of the Highland Woods project.

After the board voted unanimously to extend Berkshire Housing's option on the site, Hoch praised the local agency's contribution during the pre-development phase.

"They've expended a lot of money on behalf of this community for this project," Hoch said. "We all want to see housing there. They've spent the hundreds of thousands of dollars to get it there.

"One of the options they've put on the table right now is deferring some of their own development fee right now to make it happen. That's a major commitment, and a major commitment on behalf of the developer to put together a plan like that before a shovel hits the ground."
Mount Greylock School Building Committee Decides on Plan for Permitting Fees



Mount Greylock School Committee member Steven Miller, right, attends his first School Building Committee meeting. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Mount Greylock Regional School Building Committee on Tuesday voted unanimously to pay an invoice from the town of Williamstown for inspection services if the money remains in the project budget at the end of the process.

At issue was $154,426 in fees that the district accumulated for the town building department's inspections throughout the life of the $64 million addition/renovation project.

At the outset of the project, the town manager told the district that he was willing to be the last vendor paid, essentially setting up another contingency in the budget for the cost-conscious district officials who were, at the time, concerned about whether the building project bond would be approved by voters.

Normally, the town takes fees for building projects at the time permits are pulled, i.e., at the front end of projects. Town Manager Jason Hoch said he could wait for payment in case something went awry and the project was in danger of going over budget.

This summer, with the project continuing to track favorably with its budget, Hoch reminded district officials of the outstanding debt, touching off months of debate on the School Building Committee, where some members objected to the idea of Williamstown charging the two-town district the standard rate for permitting.

The $150,000 bill at issue is based on the published fee schedule the town uses for all applicants and is tied to square footage and other measurable factors.

Some on the School Building Committee argued that the town instead should submit a bill based on the actual hours spent on the project. Some members of the community suggested that a discount from the town to the district would be an appropriate sign of goodwill to the project.

Committee member Thomas Bartels, who appeared to favor both those arguments at the committee's October meeting , on Tuesday indicated he was satisfied to have the district pay the full bill if funds remain in the budget at "closeout."

"The town manager offered that," Bartels said. "It seemed at that time like a good way to address it."

Co-Chairwoman Paula Consolini followed up on Bartels' comment.

"There could be a motion that the committee says, 'Should there be dollars available, there's a commitment to pay the town  ," she began.

"... Whatever is owed," Bartels finished her thought. "We owe a debt."

Committee member John Goerlach asked if the district knew the fees at the start of the project and whether it was a budgeted cost.

"Yes," answered Hugh Daley, a member of the Williamstown Select Board who, as that body's chair at the time the building project budget was developed, participated in an email conversation that included Hoch and then Mount Greylock Superintendent Douglas Dias.

"I would say [the bill] wasn't a surprise," added co-Chairman Mark Schiek.

"In light of [Bartels' and Hoch's] agreement we should wait, I move we approve the payment of the Williamstown Building Department fee contingent on the project budget being available at  project closeout," Daley said.

The town could have to wait a while for the check, the district's owner's project manager has indicated to the committee that final closeout on the building project could come in 2020.

For now, though, the question of the committee's intent was resolved on a vote of 9-0.

The committee member who pushed the issue the hardest, Richard Cohen, notified the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee after the October meeting of the School Building Committee that he intended to step down from the building panel.

Schiek began Tuesday's monthly meeting by recognizing the efforts of Cohen and Carolyn Greene, who left the building committee after her term on the School Committee came to a close when she chose not to run in November's election.

"I'd like to make sure we thank Carrie Greene for her dedicated service to the School Committee and the School Building Committee over the years," Schiek said. "She was one of the people who helped form the first Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. We're sad to see her go, but sometimes life changes, and it was her choice to step away

"We'd also like to thank Rich Cohen.  Rich, as we know, is passionate about many things, and we want to thank him for his time on both the School Committee and the School Building Committee."

Mount Greylock School Committee member Steven Miller stepped into the seat formerly occupied by Greene.

Schiek ended the 75-minute meeting by returning to the topic of committee membership, noting that as the project moves into its closeout phase, the committee's work changes. And he invited all of its members to consider whether they wanted to continue. Some are filling seats that are required to be occupied by the MSBA, but the committee is currently larger than it needs to be and could see an actual reduction in members if other individuals choose to give up their seats.

"We've come through many different phases, from inception to design to construction," OPM Trip Elmore told the committee. "Now, we're going to the closeout portion. Design decisions and construction decisions are not part of it. Largely, the next phase is heavily weighted on the OPM trying to guide the data to get the final reimbursement from the MSBA.

"It is largely financial, and it is largely paperwork."

Schiek asked any members who are interested in stepping down to let him know so he can look into options for either replacing them or leaving their seat vacant. The committee currently has 14 members  not counting Cohen. Elmore said Tuesday that at a bare minimum, it would have closer to 10 members.
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Home Search ICH Chomsky Warns Against Disaster Under Jair Bolsonaro By Democracy Now! AMY GOODMAN: Today we spend the hour with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned professor, linguist and dissident. Democracy Now!'s Nermeen Shaikh and I recently spoke to Chomsky in Tucson, Arizona, where he now teaches at the University of Arizona. He's also institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has taught for more than half a century. I began by asking Professor Chomsky about President Trumps national security adviser John Boltons recent praise of Brazils newly elected far-right President Jair Bolsanaro, a former Army captain who has embraced Brazils former military dictatorship and has a history of making racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments. NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, its entirely natural for Bolton to welcome Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is definitely his kind of guy. Hes vicious, brutal, a strong supporter, enthusiastic supporter of torture. He was a little bit critical of the military dictatorshipbecause it didnt kill enough people. He thought it should have killed 30,000 people, like the Argentine dictatorship, which was the worst of the U.S.-backed dictatorships in Latin America. He wants to throw the country open to investors, turn Brazil into a kind of a caricature of a country. This includes opening up the Amazon to his agribusiness supporters. Its a serious blow, if not even a death knell to the species. It means virtual genocide for the indigenous population. According to Bolsonaro, they dont deserve a square centimeter. But, by and large, just the kind of guy that Bolton would greatly admire. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter NERMEEN SHAIKH: Among the Cabinet ministers that Bolsonaro is likely to appoint is Paulo Guedes. Could you say something about his background? Hes going to be Bolsonaros chief financial adviser, the head of the so-called super ministry combining the current planning, finance and industry ministries. What is this persons background? NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, Guedes is a ultra-right-wing Chicago economist. Hes spent time in Pinochets Chile. Hes been very frank and open in interviews in the Brazilian press about his plans. Its very simple: As he puts it, privatize everythingeverything, infrastructure, anything you can think of. The reason, the motive, is to pay off the debt which is owned by the predatory financial institutions that have been robbing the country blind. This will give away the resources of the country for the future. And as I mentioned, one part of it is Bolsonaros favorite program of opening the Amazon to agribusiness. So, hes exactly the kind of person who succeeded in driving Chiles economy to utter disaster within only a few years. Its rarely remembered that when the Chicago boys took over the Pinochet economy, they had every conceivable advantage. There couldnt be any dissent. The torture chambers took care of that. They had the advice of the top stars of the Chicago economics, right-wing economics system. They were clever enough not to nationalizenot to privatize the majorone of the major bases of the Chilean economy, the highly efficient, nationalized copper corporation, the biggest in the world, Codelco. So they really had every conceivable advantage. Within about five years, they had created such an economic disaster that the state had to take over the economy. People, as a joke, used to call it the Chicago road to socialism. They have left a residue which is pretty bitter. The pension system doesnt work. The educational system has collapsed. So, this is the man whos one of their great admirers, is now taking over the Brazilian economy. And it will be a heyday for investors. Stock market loves it. They think theyll be able to rob freely. Brazil does have enormous wealth and resources, which theyre glad to get their hands on. For the future of Brazil, its a disaster, I think; for the region, quite harmful. One of the things that Guedes has already said is that they may pull Brazil out of Mercosur, the South American trade system that had been established and, in fact, Lula had pushed forward. And for the world, it will also be a potential disaster. Destroyingif they proceed to destroy the Amazon, that is a very serious attack on the environment. But again, thats just in line with Bolton, Trump, exactly what theyre doing right here. Its their counterpart to recently opening up huge areas of the West for further exploitation of fossil fuels to accelerate the race to disaster, which is not very far off. So, again, two peas in a pod, they should get along fine with one another. AMY GOODMAN: During an interview with a Brazilian TV program in 1999, Jair Bolsonaro said, Through the vote you will not change anything in this country, nothing, absolutely nothing! It will only change, unfortunately, when, one day, we start a civil war here and do the work that the military regime did not do. Killing some 30,000, starting with FHC [then-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso], not kicking them out, killing! If some innocent people are going to die, fine, in any war innocents die. Thats a quote from Bolsonaro from 20 years ago, but the description of what he is known for in Brazil right now. For decades, he has openly praised the countrys former military dictatorship, once saying the dictatorship should have killed 30,000 more people, as we just heard. He also has a history of making racist, misogynistic, homophobic comments; has spoken in favor of torture; threatened to destroy, imprison or banish his political opponents; has encouraged police to kill suspected drug dealers; once told a female lawmaker she was too ugly to rape. He also said he would rather hear his son had died in a car crash than learn that his son is gay. You were just recently in Brazil, where you also visited Lula in jail, one of the few people who have been able to do that, high-profile people, and actually speak about it to the press after. Talk about who exactly Bolsonaro is, are you afraid that the country will descend into a military dictatorship, and where Lula stands in all this today. NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, lets start with Lula. There has been a long, slow, right-wing, whats often called soft coup. One step was impeaching the president, Dilma Rousseff, 2013. She was impeached on derisory charges by a parliament of thieves. The most dramatic vote for impeachment was in fact Bolsonaros. When he voted for impeachment, he dedicated his vote to the chief torturer of the military regime, who in fact had been the responsible for the torture of Dilma Rousseff herself. So that was his dedication when he voted for the ridiculous impeachment. Its a competitor for one of his most vile moments. Theres plenty of competition. The next step was to ensure that Lula would be put out of commission. He was far and away the most popular political figure in Brazil, so in order to carry off the right-wing soft coup, its necessary to get rid of him. He was sent to prison for 12 years, virtually a life sentence, solitary confinement, barred from receiving books, press or journals, and, crucially, the courts decided, not permitted to make a public statement, unlike, say, a convicted murderer. So hes silenced, put away. Then comes the next step, a hugethere has been a majorin fact, I think he should be regarded as probably the most important political prisoner in the world today. Then came thethere had been, for years, by the media oligopoly, which is quite right-wing, a demonization of his party, the Workers Party, PT. Towards the end of the campaign, there was a massive increase in demonization and lies over social media, which was utterly scandalous. Thats where most Brazilians get their information, so-called. So, and it wasI should say that you should look at the charges against Lula, for which he was sentenced to this imprisonment and permanent silencing. He was charged with an accusation on a plea bargainalready dubiousthat he had been offered an apartment, which he never lived in and to which he didnt have a key. Well, OK, thats something. Maybe you get a tap on the wrist. But what was done was so utterly disproportionate to the nature of the alleged crime. And that, given the timing, makes it clear thatpretty clear, I think, that he should simply be regarded as a political prisonerlast step in this soft coup. I should say that the PT gave an opportunity to the right wing to carry off these maneuvers that weve been seeing. They didwe should recognize that the years of Lulas tenure in office are what the World Bank called a golden decade, a unique period in Brazils history in which there was enormous progress in reducing poverty and social inclusion, new opportunities for the oppressed. So, thats the golden decade. Thats been completely suppressed. But at the same time, the PT, regrettably, did not make significant changes in the structural system under which Brazil and much of Latin America has suffered for a long time. Elites in Latin America simply have no responsibility for the welfare of the country. They dont pay taxes, export capital, import luxury goodsradically different, say, from East Asia, which has developed with much less resources. The PT did nothing to change this. They also did nothing to open up more possibilities for a less monopolized media which would have other voices. And, very unfortunately, they fell prey to the corruption which is endemic in the Brazilian political class, bad enough, not to the extent of their accusers, but bad enough. And all of that has given an opportunity for the far right to carry out this process that I just described, which led to the election of the most malicious and vicious creatures of the current range of pretty ugly characters that we see around the world. This article was originally published by " Democracy Now! " - 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.
By Patrick J. Buchanan

November 23, 2018 "Information Clearing House" - The 633-word statement of President Donald Trump on the Saudi royals role in the grisly murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi is a remarkable document, not only for its ice-cold candor.

The president re-raises a question that has roiled the nation since Jimmy Carter: To what degree should we allow idealistic values trump vital interests in determining foreign policy?

On the matter of who ordered the killing of Khashoggi, Trump does not rule out the crown prince as prime suspect:

"King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder (but) it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge."

Yet, whether MBS did or didnt do it, the Saudis have "agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States." And a full fourth of that is for "military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and other great U.S. defense contractors."

"Foolishly" cancel these contracts, warns Trump, and Russia or China will snap them up. Moreover, the Saudis have agreed to pump oil to keep prices down.

Trump is unabashedly putting U.S. economic and strategic interests first. He is not going to damage our relationship with Riyadh and its royal family, even if the future king ordered a cold-blooded killing of a U.S.-based Saudi journalist he regarded as an enemy.

The stark manner in which Trump framed the issue will force the members of Congress of both parties to decide whether they wish to defy Trump, sanction the Saudis and risk the relationship.

Other contentions in Trumps statement suggest that one of the reasons he is giving the crown prince a pass on the Khashoggi killing is that he sees MBS as an indispensable ally against our real enemy in the region.

After his introductory line, Trump goes into a tear that begins: "The country of Iran is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen."

But is this true?

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

In 2015, it was on the orders of Mohammad bin Salman, then defense minister, that Saudi Arabia intervened in the civil war in Yemen, after Houthi rebels in the north overthrew a Saudi puppet and overran much of the rest of the country.

It is not Iran but Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with U.S. munitions and logistic support, whose troops, bombs and blockade are responsible for the thousands of causalities in Yemen and the millions who suffer from cholera, malnutrition and starvation.

It is not the Iranians who are trying to close the last port of entry for humanitarian aid for the suffering civilian population.

Iran, said Trump, is "propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens) Likewise the Iranians have killed many Americans and other people throughout the Middle East."

But the cause of the 7,000 U.S. military dead in the Middle East in this century, and the 60,000 wounded, are the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that were launched by the United States and George Bush, not by Iran.

As for U.S. civilian casualties, the 3,000 we lost in that monstrous atrocity of 9/11 were the victims of 15 Saudi terrorists, not Iranians.

While Iran has aided its Shiite allies in Iraq, and those allies have fought Americans, the major terrorist organizations we fight today in the Near East, Middle East and Africa  al-Qaida and its affiliates, the Taliban, ISIS, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab  are all Sunni, like the Saudis.

These terrorist groups are Irans enemies as well as ours.

"Our paramount goal," Trump declared in his statement, "is to fully eliminate the threat of terrorism throughout the world."

But this objective is every bit as utopian as George W. Bushs second inaugural where he declared the "ultimate goal" of U.S. foreign policy to be "ending tyranny in our world."

Terrorism and tyranny have been with mankind forever, and they will be with mankind forever.

Trump both titled and concluded his statement "America First."

And had an America First policy been pursued in this century, we would not today be tied down in these forever wars of the Middle East.

We would not have attempted to create a Western-style democracy in the wilds of Afghanistan. We would not have invaded Iraq, or attacked Libya, or armed rebels to overthrow Assad, thereby igniting a war that has cost half a million Syrian lives and made refugees of millions.

In his statement, Trump praises Saudi Arabia as a "great ally in our very important fight against Iran."

Yet, Iran has not attacked us, does not want war with us and remains in compliance with the nuclear treaty from which we walked away.

Trump is president because he promised to extricate us from the Mideast wars into which some of his closest advisers, along with some of our closest "allies," helped to plunge his country.

Is President Trump about to replicate President Bushs folly?

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of "Nixon's White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever." To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

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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.

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Peace and joy
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)  The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it is considering to create a special task force to investigate "lawless or terrorist acts."

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said this two days after Malacanang ordered the deployment of more soldiers and policemen to the Bicol Region, Samar, Negros Oriental and Occidental.

"The DOJ is called upon to expeditiously investigate and prosecute those who may be apprehended for commission of lawless or terrorist acts," he said.

Guevarra said the decision to create a task force or special investigating team will be played by ear.

"If lawless violence persists, the DOJ may consider creating a special task force for the purpose," he said.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued the order citing "sporadic acts of violence."

Malacanang explained the violent attacks against police and military were conducted by communist rebels, and that the order repeats a previous memorandum in light of the proclamation declaring a state of national emergency on accounts of lawless violence in Mindanao.

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding Chairman Jose Maria Sison has criticized the order to be a prelude to nationwide martial law, and Leftist groups add that it may be used to harass opposition candidates.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines denied these claims.
President Muhammadu Buhari has convened a meeting with service chiefs, following a recent attack on military base, by Boko Haram in which over 40 soldiers were overpowered and killed.

Buharis Media aide on New Media, Bashir Ahmad revealed that after receiving briefing on Friday, from Minister of Defence, on security development across the country particularly the recent Boko Harams renewed attacks on military bases in the North-East, President Buhari summoned all the Service Chiefs for a review session.

Ahmad noted thatbthe president was very worried by Boko Harams renewed attacks on military bases in the North-East, and has sent the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), to the neighbouring Republic of Chad for an urgent meeting with President Idris Deby and his defence counterpart.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said no responsible Commander-In-Chief of a country would fold his arms and watch his security personnel be put into danger by terrorists.

Buhari said this while reacting to the recent killings of soldiers in Metele village of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists.

In a statement entitled NIGERIA WILL PREVAIL OVER BOKO HARAM, PRESIDENT BUHARI ASSURES, the President stated his government remains committed to the fight against terrorists.

Buhari said he would be engaging military and intelligence chiefs for the next couple of days, for the way forward.

See full statement below

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep shock over the killing of military personnel in Metele village of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists,assuring at the same time that immediate measures are being taken to ensure that loopholes which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.

Reacting to the tragic incident, the President said that his administration remains ever committed and focused on the security of military personnel and other citizens.

No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens.

Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat.

In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.

The President noted that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

President Buhari reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.

The President advised against making political capital out of national tragedy, stressing that members of the armed forces are one family who are commonly committed to the security and safety of all Nigerians.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement on Saturday revealed that he was shocked over the killing of military personnel in Metele village of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists. Buhari, while assuring Nigerians revealed that immediate measures are being taken to ensure that loopholes which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.

Reports that men of the Nigerian Army were overpowered and killed in a Boko Haram attack last Sunday, emerged earlier in the week  With many Nigerians throwing several shots at the present administration for not doing enough for our gallant soldiers.

Immediate past governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose following the presidents statement on Saturday evening that he was shocked about the death of the soldiers, took a huge swipe at Buhari.

Fayose said Mr President couldnt have been shocked, if he was responding after several days since the sad incidence. The former governor, who has always been a strong opposition voice against the president said Buhari would have reacted, if the matter had concerned his reelection bid.

Taking to Twitter soon after Buharis statement on Saturday, Fayose wrote;

If it were to be issues concerning his reelection bid, he will be aware immediately and deploy necessary agencies of govt, but on the killing of over 100 of our soldiers by Boko Haram, our President was not aware until about 7pm today and they said he was shocked! His time is up!
The Nigerian Army has released a press statement as regards recent reports of an attack on a military base in Borno state by Boko Haram fighters, which led to the death of many soldiers.

In the statement entitled PRESS RELEASE ON THE ATTACK ON 157 TASK FORCE BATTALION DEFENSIVE LOCATION AT METELE IN GUZAMALA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BORNO STATE cleared the air on some of the claims in some media reports.

See statement below

The attention of the Nigerian Army(NA) has been drawn to several social media, print, electronic and online publications about the recent attack on 157 Task Force Battalion at Metele. Whilst it is true that there was an attack on the location on 18 November 2018, it has however, become necessary to correct several misinformation being circulated with regards to this unfortunate event.

It is important for the public to note that the NA has laid down procedures for reporting incidents that involve its personnel who fall casualty in action. Out of respect for the families of our gallant troops, the NOKs are first notified before any form of public information so as to avoid exacerbating the grief family members would bear, were they to discover such from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, it suffices to observe that several social media, print and online publications have been brandishing false casualty figures as well as circulating various footages of old and inaccurate BHT propaganda videos and alluding same to be the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion. Whilst it is understandable how such misinformation can spread in this era of social media frenzy, the spurious circulation of some of these videos only contribute to further propagate the propaganda intent of the terrorists; to misinform the populace and portray themselves as what they are not. So far, the situation is that the location is under control as reinforcing units have been able to repel the terrorists and stabilize the situation.

The NA sincerely, wishes to thank the various arms of government, MDAs and sister security agencies that have stood with her in these trying times; by commiserating with the families of the fallen heroes who have paid the supreme price for the defence of our dearly beloved country. The necessary support being given the NA by the Federal Government and the goodwill of the Nigerian populace will undoubtedly continue to spur the NA towards the ultimate defeat of the highly degraded BHTs.

This is for your information please. You are kindly requested to disseminate same through your various media channels. Thank you.
Vanguard

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to court, seeking an order to permit its candidates to participate in the forthcoming general elections in Zamfara State.

Thisday

Worried by the killing of 44 soldiers by Boko Haram last Sunday during an attack on a military base in Metele, Borno State, near the Nigeria  Chad boarder, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, summoned an emergency meeting with the Service Chiefs.

The Sun

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that leaders who undermine the economy by denying workers their benefits, while stuffing personal accounts with public funds will not escape the current anti-corruption dragnet.

Daily Times

In the last few months, stakeholders in the Organised Labour have been involved in back and forth negotiations over the new minimum wage to be paid by employers to the working population in the country.

Guardian

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says that the problem with Nigeria is finding upright men in positions of authority.

Leadership

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent the minister of defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), to the neighbouring Republic of Chad for an urgent meeting with President Idris Deby and his defence counterpart.

Daily Trust

Reverend Chris Okotie, pastor of the Household of God Church and presidential candidate of Fresh Party for the 2019 elections, argues, in this interview, that all the other presidential candidates need to step down for him so he can set up an Interim National Government. This, Okotie says, is the only way to take Nigeria out the woods

The Nation

The Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday, said he was done with the conferment of honorary degrees on him.
Nigerian minister, author, televangelist and Senior Pastor of House On The Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, and his beautiful wife, Ifeanyi, on Friday, attended the graduation ceremony of their 21-year-old son, Alvin, who graduated with a first class honors in Civil Engineering.

The excited popular Lagos pastor, who hosts the weekly television religious program, Something Is About to Happen, took to his social media handle this morning to post a lovely open letter to Alvin.

Read below and see more photos from the graduation;

*********

Congratulations to our son at his graduation ceremony  Adegboyega, you have been such a blessing to all who have known you from the day that you were born, and friend, you have always made us so proud, especially as you convocated yesterday with first class honours Bsc Civil Engineering.

Your Mother and myself salute this milestone attainment with you, and we pray that as you journey into the next season of your life, that HE will cause you to continue to remain exceptional in everything that you do.

Dear Son, no matter where you go and where God takes you, remember who you are in Christ; remember whose you are, and whos in you.

Alvin , remember that you are in the The Almighty and the All-wise; Remember that God is your Rock, HE is your source and your Anchor ; He has brought you this far and He is the One who teaches you to soar to heights untold ..

To say we are proud to be your parents is modest. We are blessed to know you and to love you: To God be the glory  HE has been immensely gracious to us as unique individuals and also as a family too.

We love you friend, and we are in your corner. More so, be assured that Gods hand is upon you and He smiles.

Love,

Dad.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed an outbreak of the yellow fever virus in Edo state.

In a statement signed by the bodys chief executive officer, Chikwe Ihekweazu, as at November 21, nine cases had been recorded in four different local government areas of the state, with 140 cases confirmed nationwide through laboratory testing.

The disease control body stated also that the centre is collaborating with the Edo state epidemiology team, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to carry out a detailed investigation and response to confirmed cases.

According to NCDC, a response team has been established to support the state with contact tracing, risk communications and management of cases.

There are also ongoing plans to begin a vaccination campaign in the state in response to the cluster of cases, the statement read.

It revealed also that the Yellow fever vaccine is freely available in all primary health care centres in Nigeria.

Yellow fever virus is usually spread through bites from an infected mosquito.

Its symptoms include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain.

It is a completely vaccine-preventable disease and a single shot provides immunity for a lifetime.

Nigerians have also been cautioned to prevent the spread of the virus by keeping their environments clean and free of stagnant water to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes and use insecticide-treated mosquito nets, screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquito bites.
(CNN)  Turkey's foreign minister has accused President Donald Trump of turning a blind eye in the high-profile murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a day after the U.S. leader doubled down in his defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

During a Thanksgiving call with U.S. troops on Thursday, Trump again undermined the CIA's assessment that bin Salman had personally ordered Khashoggi's killing. Saudi officials admit that the Washington Post columnist was killed at their consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, last month but have vehemently denied that bin Salman was involved.

"In a way, Mr. Trump's statement means 'Come what may, I will turn a blind eye on this.' This approach is wrong. Money is not everything. We should not distance ourselves from human values," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told CNN Turk, a CNN affiliate.

"We found the U.S. President's statement about MBS's involvement where he said 'Maybe he did, maybe he didn't,' interesting. What he based this on, we don't know," he said, referring to the Crown Prince by his initials.

Trump has been the Crown Prince's most powerful international ally during the fallout of Khashoggi's death, standing by the 33-year-old heir to the Saudi throne and prioritizing the U.S.' relationship with the kingdom.

On Thursday he said that the CIA's assessment was merely based on "feelings" and was not conclusive.

"They have not concluded. Nobody's concluded. I don't know if anybody's going to be able to conclude that the Crown Prince did it," Trump said. "They said he might have done it. That's a big difference."

Trump continued to defend his decision not to blame the Crown Prince or issue more severe punishments, suggesting diminished relations with Saudi Arabia would cause "a global depression," result in the loss of "hundreds of thousands of jobs" and leave Israel defenseless.

Trump has repeatedly pointed to the U.S.' lucrative arms deals with Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom's power to temper oil prices and contain Iranian aggression in the region, as reasons to keep a response to Khashoggi's death to a minimum.

The U.S. has sanctioned 17 Saudi individuals after the journalist's killing. A bipartisan group of senators has also introduced draft legislation to impose tougher sanctions that target arms sales.

Turkey has been the most vocal international critic of Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's murder, leaking evidence of what happened at the Saudi consulate piece by piece to keep the world's attention on the kingdom, a longtime rival in the region.

But Turkey itself has a dismal record on protecting the media. The organization Reporters Without Borders calls Turkey "the world's biggest prison for professional journalists," as a government crackdown since an attempted coup in 2016 has gutted the independent press and led to lengthy jail sentences for reporters. Many journalists spend more than a year in detention before even facing court, the group said.

Several other European countries have taken action against Saudi Arabia following Khashoggi's murder, including Germany, France, Denmark and Finland, and have also used the opportunity to push Riyadh for a resolution to the Yemen war.

France on Thursday followed Germany in banning and sanctioning 18 Saudi citizens from entering the country. European Union nations have mulled joint action to ban Saudi individuals from the wider visa-free Schengen zone. Germany, Denmark and Finland have also restricted arms deals with Saudi Arabia.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Turkey's top diplomat slams Trump for turning 'blind eye' to Khashoggi murder."
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Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.
Liberal MP Raj Grewal rises in the House of Commons in Ottawa on June 3, 2016. As the political storm around Raj Grewal intensifies, Justin Trudeau says there are many lingering questions about the Liberal MP. The prime minister says he wishes Grewal the best in the healing he needs to go through, but adds the government won't comment further. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)  Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, a staunch critic of the warming ties between the Philippines and China, says that he is optimistic of his chances to be appointed Chief Justice.

Im always optimistic, Carpio told reporters Saturday. He is among those shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council to become the next head of the Supreme Court.

Carpio had fiercely lobbied for the Philippines when the country won its case against Beijing at the International Court of Arbitration regarding contested territories in the South China Sea.

He continued to call on Filipinos to be vigilant on the recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the joint exploration with China.

The only way to prevent accession of our sovereign rights is not to sign anything that will cede it. We cannot cure it after the fact, Carpio said.

According to the Acting Chief Justice, the Supreme Court might not be able to stop any future agreement that would be tantamount to giving away Philippine territories to foreign powers.

Even if we declare [such document] void, you won't get it back because China will not submit to our jurisdiction. So it's better for me to speak now so that a document like that would not be signed, Carpio said.

If appointed Chief Justice, Carpio will serve until October 2019.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 56F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 23F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
About 44 percent of Koreans say they support the enactment of a new law prohibiting the killing of dogs for meat consumption. Yonhap



South Korean adults appear evenly divided over whether to legally ban the slaughter of dogs for meat, according to a poll released Friday.

The survey of 501 Koreans older than 19 by local pollster Realmeter showed that 44.2 percent endorsed the enactment of a new law prohibiting the killing of dogs for meat consumption, whereas 43.7 percent opposed it.

The remaining 12.1 percent said they don't know the issue well, it said.

Among women, 48.6 percent supported a dog slaughter ban, with 36.8 percent against it. By contrast, 50.8 percent of men opposed the ban, with 39.8 percent in favor of it, the poll found.

By ideological propensity, the majority of liberal respondents, 50.6 percent, supported the ban, whereas 51.4 percent of conservatives were against the legal ban. The poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points, with a 95 percent confidence level.

In South Korea, animal rights activists and dog farm owners have fiercely clashed over the legislation against slaughtering dogs for meat consumption. The clash has been rekindled as a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party recently introduced a bill that would effectively ban killing dogs for meat.

Analysts at Realmeter say there seems to be a gradual change in South Koreans' perception over dog meat, as 51.5 percent opposed the outlawing of dog slaughter, compared with 39.7 percent voicing the opposite view, in a similar poll conducted in June this year.

"The latest poll shows that the perception of animal rights protection for companion animals, like dogs and cats, is gradually expanding in Korean society, though the survey is a little different from the previous ones," an official said. (Yonhap)
Palanquins in the late 1890s early 1900s. Photos from Robert Neff Collection



In the fall of 1884, George C. Foulk, an American naval officer, traveled throughout the southern part of the Korean peninsula in a palanquin. He was accompanied by a small number of Koreans who acted as his servants, guards and chair bearers. His diaries provide us with some of the earliest and most fascinating first-hand descriptions of the Joseon countryside as witnessed by a Westerner.



Foulk arrived in Naju, the "Little Seoul", late in the afternoon on November 14, 1884, and in his diary wrote:



"Passing over a low hill, the wall of Naju comes in sight. The north wall is about a half mile long, 20 feet high, crenellated, broken down in places and altogether very ancient looking. It runs along a hill [] near the gate I expected to find a large city, but lo! From the arch beheld quiet fields. Only a few houses were to be seen. The walled area is about a half to three-quarters of a mile square, but only a small section in the west and southwest is built up."



As he entered the city he seemed somewhat disappointed.



"The streets are narrow and the houses poor, battered a little by bamboo and iron"  there was little in color or decoration. Upon seeing him, crowds of people gathered about, but they were relatively unobtrusive and Foulk seemed unbothered by their curiosity.





The Governor's residence in Naju.



He was, however, bothered by the indifference shown by local minor officials. Apparently no preparations had been made for his visit (despite notice being sent) as evidenced by a few mats "hastily pitched on the floors" of his quarters and the food offered "was very poor and shabby." He was determined not to let these slights go unanswered and intended to inform the governor (who was due to return to Naju that evening) about them "and some other things, too."



He seemed to have been under the impression that he was the first Westerner to visit the city, but he was not. In late May or early June 1654, the surviving 35 crew of the Dutch sailing vessel Sperwer, which was wrecked off the coast of Jeju in 1653, passed through the city on their way to Seoul. Unfortunately, they merely noted the city's name of and gave none of their impressions.









Before Foulk's arrival, a Japanese man had traveled through the city and "raised a great deal of trouble" among the people, which may have accounted for the less-than-welcoming attitude toward Foulk.



The following morning, Foulk rose early and was surprised that his servant had brought a tub of hot water to bathe in. "I actually had a fair bath," he wrote in his diary, "a marvelous thing in a land where baths are unknown."





Buildings from the Naju Image Theme Park.



Freshly bathed and in his uniform, Foulk called upon the governor, Pak Kyu-dong. Foulk described him as "about fifty, tall, strong, grey and dark [] rather solemnly agreeable and kind [and] dressed in green duds, and had the usual seal strap fast to him." Park would have probably been pleased with Foulk's description. Unlike now, it was a good thing in those days to look older than one's true age  Park was only 34.



The governor told Foulk that he had contemplated having the officials beat for the poor quality of food served the American visitor but on reflection thought it might displease his honored guest if he had done so. Foulk heartily agreed and added that he would "feel very bad if any Korean suffered on account of my visit."



But, the governor's apparent willingness to have someone beaten for not being attentive to Foulk's needs is contradicted by another of Foulk's observations: "[The governor's] servants struck me as particularly careless of etiquette &c to him, in spite of his savage look."





Buildings from the Naju Image Theme Park.
Kim J.M.



By Hwang Jae-ho



"Yes, I have a dream and I believe in that dream. Just watch me, facing up to the wall named destiny that is standing frigidly."



This is a part of the popular Korean song "Goose's Dream" by Insooni.



Most people have their own dreams, although they are in the middle of rough destiny. However, when I savor the lyrics of this song, North Korean defectors come to my mind. They seem to be near us, but at the same time they might be standing the farthest from us.



Some Koreans might be indifferent to North Korean defectors. However, the distance between South Koreans and the defectors cannot be narrowed down because although we wish to go near, some might be hesitant because they do not want to give defectors any unexpected offense.



On the other hand, it might be the same vice versa. The defector community is maybe not expanding itself because they are afraid of the biased gazes from South Koreans and their society. When each side hesitates, the distance never can be narrowed. We need to interact closely, listen to what is deep in their minds, and start melting them into our future.



Kim J.M. who I interviewed this week, has lived in South Korea more than 10 years already. What is her story? And what future will she have?





Kim J.M.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)  The National Museum has declared the Manila Post Office building as an "important cultural property" (ICP), the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) said Saturday.

An ICP is defined as an establishment that has "exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines."

Under the law, an ICP may receive government funding for its protection, conservation and restoration.

The declaration came as the Philippine Postal Service commemorates its 251st anniversary.

The neo-classical building located at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila City was designed by architects Tomas Mapua, Juan Marcos Arellano and Ralph Doane, according to PhilPost website. It was rebuilt in 1946 following the World War II in 1945.

The National Museum is mandated to declare ICPs or National Cultural Treasures under several laws, such as Republic Act (RA) 4846 or the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act; Presidential Decree No. 260; RA 8492 or the National Museum Act of 1998; and RA 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
Supporters of Chinese Nationalist Party mayoral candidate Han Guo-yu wave flags during a campaign rally in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Nov. 23. Taiwan's 2018 Midterm Elections will take place on Nov. 24. EPA



Taiwan began voting on Saturday in local elections, a key test of support for the island's pro-independence ruling party ahead of presidential polls in just over a year, and will also hold a referendum on same-sex marriage.

The results will be closely watched in China, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and which has ramped up pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen and her administration since taking office in 2016.

In the run-up to the election, Tsai and her government have repeatedly said China is attempting to sway election results with its "political bullying" and "fake news", accusations Beijing denies.

"This is a fight for democracy," Tsai said at a rally in northeastern Taiwan on Friday.

"Our vote is a demonstration to the world that false information and external forces will not defeat Taiwan's democracy and the dignity of the Taiwanese."

More than 11,000 seats are up for grabs in municipalities, counties, townships and villages, with the southern city of Kaohsiung a key battleground for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has held the city for two decades.

Candidates have fanned out across the island to press the flesh and canvass votes, and have held noisy, colourful rallies that have become the hallmarks of Taiwan's vibrant democracy, in marked contrast to China where the Communist Party tolerates no dissent to its rule.

Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have heightened with China conducting military drills around the island and snatching away Taiwan's dwindling number of diplomatic allies.

Tsai's domestic reform initiatives, from the island's pension scheme to labour law, have also come under intense voter scrutiny recently.

Confidence in the government has waned in recent months after reform moves upset both the opposition and some supporters, who said Tsai had backed away from promises to reduce the deficit and cut pollution.

Underscoring Tsai's challenge will be a series of public votes on Saturday on whether to make same-sex marriage legal, an issue which has deeply divided Taiwan.

Tsai has made little progress despite campaigning on a promise of marriage equality in the run-up to elections in 2016.

In Asia's first such ruling, Taiwan's constitutional court declared in May last year that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry, and set a two-year deadline for legalisation.

Voters will also be asked whether the island should join the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as Taiwan, rather than "Chinese Taipei" ? the name agreed under a compromise signed in 1981.

A vote to compete under a Taiwan banner would further rile Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to ensure eventual unification. (Reuters)
Time to carbo-load! Im Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, with a special, holiday edition of the Essential Arts newsletter featuring turkeys, Broadway, Fluxus and Peruvian food.

ESSENTIAL IMAGE

A detail from The Dinner Table (Turkey, Wine, and Silver), 1944, by Richard C. Miller. (Miller Family Trust)

Los Angeles photographer Richard C. Miller is perhaps best remembered for taking some of the earliest photographs of Marilyn Monroe. But the prolific photographer also frequently captured food. (Check out this 1946 image of an omelette with ketchup, it is whoa.) A number of his pictures are in the collection of the Getty Museum  including the above image of a turkey. Love whatever is happening in that mold at the bottom. Getty Museum

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ON BROADWAY

Times theater critic Charles McNulty has been in New York City, where he is taking in the latest Broadway offerings, including The Waverly Gallery (on aging and art), Bernhardt/Hamlet (about the great Sarah Bernhardt) and The Lifespan of a Fact (two generations of men parrying over facts). They are, he writes, three respectable plays that pose no danger of becoming modern classics but that are given a boost by the marquee names drawing the crowds, including Elaine May, Janet McTeer and Daniel Radcliffe, respectively. Los Angeles Times

Daniel Radcliffe in The Lifespan of a Fact in New York. (Peter Cunningham)

FLUXUS RUCKUS

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has teamed with the Getty Research Institute for one of the more radical portions of the L.A. Phils centennial year: a series of performances devoted to the 1960s art movement Fluxus. Times classical music critic Mark Swed reports on the watermelon dropping, head banging and violin smashing. The Fluxconcert, he writes, was revelatory within the context of L.A.: Fluxus is about paying attention to what you dont normally, and suddenly everything is Fluxus. Los Angeles Times

A watermelon is dropped off Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the Los Angeles Philarmonics Fluxconcert. (Mathew Imaging / Los Angeles Philharmonic)

KOOLHAAS IN THE HOUSE

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rem Koolhaas lived in Los Angeles for six months in the 1970s and wrote a screenplay that served as a Nixon-era critique of labor, culture and humanism. (Seriously, where can I read this?) This month the founder of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture was back  for a groundbreaking of the firms new pavilion for the Wilshire Boulevard Temple and to present his new book, Elements of Architecture. Contributor Mimi Zeiger sat down with Koolhaas for a chat about technology, urban design and the challenges of balancing openness and security in a religious building in the wake of the Pittsburgh shootings. Los Angeles Times

Rem Koolhaas, right, and OMAs Shohei Shigematsu at the groundbreaking for the Wilshire Boulevard Temples new Audrey Irmas Pavilion. (Jay Goldman)

FOOD + ART

Because I cant seem to eat enough this November, I recently hung out with artist Eamon Ore-Giron at one of his favorite L.A. dives: Intiraymi, a Peruvian restaurant in an under-the-radar strip mall downtown. In my first (and hopefully not my last) story for The Times Food section, the artist, who recently had a major installation at the Hammer Museum, tells me how this little joint reminds him of his family and of Lima  the light, when its super foggy, and youve been living under fluorescent lighting in a concrete room. Los Angeles Times

Artist Eamon Ore-Giron at Intiraymi in downtown Los Angeles. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

SOUND A LA KUBRICK

Actor Malcolm McDowell, who played the violent droog Alex in Stanley Kubricks A Clockwork Orange, hosts a concert series at Walt Disney Concert Hall this weekend that pays tribute to the late filmmaker. He was brilliant at picking great classical pieces, McDowell tells contributor Tim Greiving. The concerts will pair film clips with live performances by the L.A. Philharmonic and the L.A. Master Chorale. Get ready also rock Zarathustra! Los Angeles Times

Malcolm McDowell, seated in white at left, and Stanley Kubrick, second from right, on the set of A Clockwork Orange. (Warner Bros.)

ON STAGE

The Los Angeles Opera is reprising Humperdincks Hansel and Gretel. In this tale, writes contributor Catherine Womack, whimsical puppets cushion darker elements of the Grimm brothers fairy tale. Los Angeles Times

A scene in L.A. Operas Hansel and Gretel. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Plus, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra will be making regularly forays to the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in Northridge. Rick Schultz caught the first gig in the series: a blazingly energetic show by violin soloist Jennifer Koh. Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, contributor Philip Brandes checks out Amy Dellagiarnos new black comedy The Value of Moscow presented by Sacred Fools  about three estranged siblings facing family drama. The setup might seem formulaic, writes Brandes, but the play soon detours into unexpected surreal territory. Los Angeles Times

A CHRONICLE OF MASCULINITY

Times contributing reviewer Leah Ollman is intrigued by the photographs of Amy Elkins on view at the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion at Orange Coast College. This includes six projects that touch on masculinity, fear and memory  specifically the memories of those imprisoned on U.S. death rows. It is, writes Ollman, a show that is acutely intelligent and emotionally penetrating. Los Angeles Times

A detail from the image Rowan, Appling, GA, 2016, by Amy Elkins at Orange Coast College. (Amy Elkins)

THAT INCREDIBLE OWL PHOTO

During the Woolsey Fire in Southern California, Times photographer Wally Skalij captured an indelible image of an owl sitting forlornly on a beach in Malibu. He talks with Ari Shapiro about how that viral image came to be. NPR

The image that went viral: an owl sits on the beach in Malibu during the Woolsey Fire. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

MORE ON THE FIRES

Alissa Walker has a terrific piece on how Pepperdine Universitys campus, designed by William Pereira, has made itself fire-resistant. Curbed

Pepperdine University and other structures sit before the plumes of the Woolsey Fire. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Plus, a look at the cultural structures affected by the Woolsey Fire  which included the Paramount Ranch, a popular Old West filmmaking site that also served as home to a short-lived art fair. Curbed, Los Angeles Magazine, Hyperallergic

IN OTHER NEWS

 Post-hurricane, MECA International Art Fair is headed back to Puerto Rico. The Art Newspaper

 The British Museum holds a key moai statue from Easter Island. Easter Island wants it back. The Guardian

 How artificial intelligence could deepen our distrust of images. New Yorker

 A fascinating piece by Amber Butchart looks at why textiles have historically not been considered fine art. (Hint: Its got a lot to do with gender.) Frieze

 The artists of L.A.s skid row. Hyperallergic

 Travis Diehl has a terrific profile of L.A. artist Rafa Esparza, an artist with a knack for incorporating violent, colonial histories into work that gathers, rather than destroys. Frieze

 Charles Rappleye, co-founder of Artillery magazine, has passed away. Artillery

 The case for Debussy. New York Review of Books

 Theater now comes with warnings. New York Times

 I dont believe in absolute blind reverence to the material. Turning Sidney Lumets Network into a play. New York Times

 L.A. will have a museum dedicated to Mexican food  though I would argue that L.A. is a museum dedicated to Mexican food. Los Angeles Times

 East L.A.s Pan American Bank building, with its distinctive arched roof line and prominent murals, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Curbed

 An urban planner considers the effects of Amazons headquarters competition on the Washington, D.C., area. Vox

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Illustrated Japanese fireworks catalogs from the 19th century. Spoon & Tamago

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com | Twitter: @cmonstah
Before production was to begin on The Sisters Brothers, Joaquin Phoenix, an Oscar winner who has more than 30 credits on his resume, told the films director he wasnt a professional actor. This might have unnerved even the most experienced auteur, but Jacques Audiard took it in stride.

He said that to me and I asked him, How would you like to communicate, then? And he said, Through telepathy,  Audiard recalled. Its perfect. What he actually means is something simple, that he will not do the same thing twice. Hell do one take. With the second take, if you ask him to do the same thing, never will that happen. Thats not the way it works, and I like that.

Thankfully, Audiard is a filmmaker who is open to changing things on set even adding a multitude of scenes during production. He understood where Phoenix was coming from because that different take could be substantially better than what he was originally envisioning.

Joaquin Phoenix, left, and John C. Reilly in Jacques Audiards The Sisters Brothers. (Magali Bragard / Annapurna Pictures)

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There are many things that he does that are not even conscious. Hes in the character, and so hell just do things, Audiard says. Its easy to direct Joaquin. Hes not a white cat. Hes very easy, and hes very intuitive.

Adapted from Patrick deWitts acclaimed novel, The Sisters Brothers follows two assassin siblings (Phoenix and John C. Reilly) who are on a mission to track down two men (Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed) who have betrayed their boss. The period piece takes place in the great American West as all four men eventually find themselves seduced by Californias Gold Rush.

Reilly and his wife, Allison Dickey, produced the October release and made the inspired choice of reaching out to the French director of A Prophet, Rust and Bone and the Palme dOr-winning Dheepan about shepherding the story to the big screen. Directing a western hadnt been on Audiards bucket list.

Before it got offered to me, I never thought about it, Audiard says. Im French. And even if I liked [the book], because its a western, I would have never thought of doing it. [It was also] very strange for me because its the first time that I make a movie that I didnt originate.

Audiard and his writing partner, Thomas Bidegain, collaborate in an unconventional way that surprised the producers. There was obviously a shooting script, but during a week or so long break between moving locations the two men wrote a slew of new scenes inspired by the chemistry theyd witnessed between Reilly and Phoenix, who had never worked together previously. This is something Audiard says is part of the creative process on almost all his films.

I write the screenplay, then I watch the dailies. We talk about the dailies, so that means we can change things and we constantly rewrite, Audiard says. The main idea is that the film never should be petrified. It should not be rigid, so it should keep on evolving during production. So we shoot scenes, and maybe they will not be in the cut, but we will redo them. Thats a normal process for us. It also gives life to the project.

Audiard adds, You give me actors and horses, you give me a set, Im going to shoot many things until the sun sets. I will use all that time. I cannot let that go, so I will keep on shooting many things, and I will have new ideas all the time.

Jacques Audiard, left, and John C. Reilly sit for portraits at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, Calif., on Sept. 24, 2018. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

That included the final scene in the film, which turned into an almost one-take four-minute shot. In the sequence, Reilly and Phoenixs characters are shown returning to their childhood home. As time passes, they appear in different contexts in one room after another. In reality, the second the actors were out of frame in one shot they would race to another room, where cinematographer and cameraman Benoit Debie would eventually find them doing something completely different.

I knew where the characters were at that point. I wrote the scene the night before, and then gave the text the following day to the actors, Audiard explains matter-of-factly. Spent an hour or two putting that choreography together and then we did four takes.

There was one aspect of the production Audiard would prefer not to deal with again and thats having his actors being dependent on the whims of horses. That being said, he takes a breath and adds, Maybe ponies.

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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
Two weeks after Californias deadliest and most destructive wildfire sent thousands of evacuees fleeing the town of Paradise, No Vacancy signs have become a feature of the landscape here.

A second disaster is unfolding.

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.

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Temporary shelters run by the Red Cross to house wildfire survivors still hold more than 600 people people, many of them elderly and impoverished.

Butte County Housing Authority Executive Director Ed Mayer said that nearly 14,000 homes burned to the ground on Nov. 8, a loss of about 14% of Buttes housing stock. Before the fire, the countys homeless population numbered about 2,000. Now, it is expected to grow.

The real question is where do people go? Mayer said. And at first blush, the answer is: probably leaving California, if they can go anywhere. Because there is no availability in California.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, many evacuees found shelter and comfort in the homes of relatives and obliging strangers. The North Valley Property Owners Assn. created a website  CampFireHousing.org  where hundreds of people offered their spare bedrooms and guest cottages to people who had lost their homes. Offers of help poured in from across the country.

The housing market is flush with goodwill, but little in the way of permanent solutions.

On the day before the fire broke out, the city of Chico had 243 homes for sale, said Adam Pearce, president of the North Valley group. About a week later, less than a third of them were still on the market. Pearce said that many of those that remain are new construction and are still being built.

The sudden surge in demand has led to bidding wars, with desperate families willing to pay cash sending home prices soaring.

Some of these buyers, they dont care if theyre going over asking [price] because they just want a home over their head, Pearce said. People are dipping into their retirement accounts in order to purchase property.

Adding to the difficulty of finding long-term housing for evacuees is the fact that Butte County  like the rest of California  already had fewer homes than it needed before the fire. In Chico and Oroville, more than a third of renters were spending more than half of their income on housing each month.

The shortage has been particularly devastating for people who were struggling to make ends meet before the fire.

After the Camp fire turned her home in Paradise to ash and took everything she had, Leeanne Watts and her family of six people, four dogs and one bearded dragon lizard, found themselves stuck in a hotel in Yuba City.

Although she had recently received a voucher from the federal governments Section 8 program that would subsidize her rent payments, Watts 41, quickly learned that Butte County landlords wouldnt even entertain her inquiries. The voucher, which at first seemed like a stroke of unbelievable luck, had become a mark against her as a flood of tenants able to pay higher rents entered the market.

Watts said her hotel stay is being paid for by an attorney representing her in a lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the utility company whose high-voltage line malfunctioned just minutes before the first flames were reported. She can stay until the end of the month, but where she and her family go after that is a source of great anxiety. They have been subsisting on her husbands and sons disability payments and are running out of money.

This has completely ruined our lives, she said. I dont know what were going to do. Theres nothing.

Watts is not alone in her desperation. According to the countys housing authority, more than 300 Section 8 tenants lost their homes in the fire.

Complaints about landlords drastically raising rents have multiplied.

Though price gouging is illegal and Chicos city council recently strengthened renter protections, real estate agents and house hunters alike said the practice has become commonplace in the rental market. One of Mayers employees at the housing authority who lost her home in the fire looked into renting a four-bedroom house for her family that was listed at $2,100. When she called, the landlord clarified  it was $2,100 per week.

Another unwelcome side effect of the devastation is already making its presence felt. Several evacuees said that real estate speculators have approached them with offers to buy the land under their incinerated homes.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has stepped in to move wildfire evacuees out of shelters and into temporary housing, such as hotels and trailers. Frank Mansell, a spokesman for the agency, said it has offered 3,800 households rental assistance certificates and is putting up 90 families in hotels.

Firefighters and recovery workers are moving into a newly built base camp at the county fairgrounds, Mansell said, part of a effort to free up hotel rooms for evacuees.

Mayer said he has been told to expect a delivery of about 2,000 FEMA trailers, though precisely when they will arrive and where they will be placed is still under discussion. Authorities have cautioned residents who lost their homes against moving trailers onto their properties, many of which are believed to contain toxic ash.

Faced with the loss of their homes and the worsening shortage of affordable housing, some fire evacuees are giving up on California.

Jessica Swisher, 26, and her husband Eric Busby, 38, had moved into the Butte Creek Mobile Home Park about four months before the fire. It had taken them two years to save enough money for a deposit and first months rent. When the blaze swept through the park, it caused their barbecue grills propane tank to explode and left their daughters bunk beds twisted and charred.

While Busby talks about his desire to help rebuild Paradise, the couple and their four young daughters, ages 7 months to 9 years, are preparing to leave. A donation of $5,000 enabled them to buy a deeply discounted and well-used RV. Once its brakes are repaired, they plan to leave the shelter where they have been staying and make their way to Las Vegas, where they have relatives and the hope of steady work.

There are so many people from Paradise that lost their homes that housing here is just nonexistent, Swisher said. I think this could be a clean start for us.

Many evacuees said they feel paralyzed and are reluctant to make decisions about their future they might regret later.

For 18 years, Genesee Salamon and her husband owned a home in Paradise. Two weeks ago, it burned to the ground with her five dogs inside.

Unable to find a place to rent, the couple recently purchased an RV, buying themselves some time to stay in the area and map out new lives. Salamon is eager to go back to work as a counselor at a Chico charter school. She knows some people are already talking about rebuilding Paradise, but shes not one of them.

People are in shock  Im still in shock  and Im trying to be mindful of moving slowly and thoughtfully, she said. This is just such deep devastation.

anna.phillips@latimes.com

Twitter: @annamphillips
Firefighters are closing in on full containment of Californias deadliest fire on record, killing at least 85 people and scorching more than 153,000 acres in Butte County, officials said Saturday.

The Camp fire, which has destroyed nearly 14,000 homes, is 98% contained, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials. The number of residents still missing dropped to 475 on Friday; thousands more have been displaced by the massive blaze.

Rains in the area have assisted firefighters in extinguishing hot spots, but most evacuations and road closures remain in effect. About 1,200 firefighters  assisted by dozers and helicopters  continue to battle the blaze.

Many crews, however, are being allowed to go home as firefighters close in on full containment, said Brigitte Foster, fire prevention officer for Lassen National Forest.

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Our camp is definitely half the size that its been, she said. On Thanksgiving Day we were sending a lot of resources home, so that makes it nice, to be home with their families.

As rains douse fire-scarred areas, 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 National Weather Service said a flash flood watch is in effect for burn areas through Friday. Periods of heavy rainfall over recently burned areas could produce ash and debris flows.

The concerns have been the high winds and trees blowing and the possibility of some mudslides, Foster said. But there hasnt been a constant downpour where its going to cause flooding or mudslides as of right now.

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.

In addition to rain, heavy winds are expected throughout the northern part of the state, according to Cal Fire. Gusts of 35 to 45 mph could whip over higher terrain and east of the Cascade-Sierra crest Friday, with widespread gusts 35 to 50 mph and stronger at higher elevations and wind-prone locations.

Some showers are also possible in the north and west Tuesday, as well as another round of heavier rain beginning Wednesday.

A weak ridge of high pressure will build into Southern California from the Pacific Ocean Saturday through early next week. Local northeast winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph will reach the mountains, as well as canyons and passes, Saturday night through Monday night.

Paradise narrowed its main road by two lanes despite warnings of gridlock during a major wildfire 

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 about 97,000acres and destroyed more than 1,600 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 SoCal Gas, 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.

Like Northern California, officials in Malibu and the surrounding areas have been able to pare down their operations and cut back on firefighting teams. The rains that hit Malibu this week were minimal and did not cause any significant damage, Barnes said.

Authorities have opened two disaster assistance centers in Malibu and Agoura Hills. The centers will stay open through Dec. 8, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

Disaster assistance centers provide information on disaster recovery, including how to replace records lost during the wildfire and how to file insurance claims. The Agoura Hills center is in the Conrad L. Hilton Foundation, and the Malibu center is in the Malibu courthouse.

The series of major wildfires that scorched California this month  the Hill fire, Woolsey fire and Camp fire  have burned more than 254,816 acres and destroyed an estimated 20,391 structures.

Staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini

UPDATES:

10:40 p.m.: Saturday, Nov. 24: This article includes new containment and fatality figures from Cal Fire.

10:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24: This article was updated with new information from Cal Fire.

This article was originally posted at 5:35 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 23.
One of the most important elements of the $2-billion Crenshaw Line, the light rail route under construction in Inglewood and South Los Angeles, is a Y-shaped convergence of track at the end of the line in El Segundo.

The junction will allow Crenshaw Line trains to merge onto the tracks used by the nearby Green Line, which runs alongside the 105 Freeway. In a sprawling system in which riders can face multiple transfers to get to their destinations, the design creates a rare opportunity for riders: a seamless, 22-mile trip between Norwalk and the Mid-City area of Los Angeles.

The junction could also reduce the number of transfers required to reach a planned rail connection to Los Angeles International Airport that is slated to open in 2023.

To accommodate the connection, the Green Lines operation will have to change once the Crenshaw Line opens in mid-2020, officials say. The two connection options, and the service changes that passengers could face as a result, have created a rare disagreement between the officials who represent the South Bay and the Westside on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board.

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Both options would allow riders to travel between Mid-City and Norwalk without changing trains. But one option would create a slower and more inconvenient trip for riders headed in and out of the South Bay, while the other would restrict the capacity of the brand-new Crenshaw Line.

(Los Angeles Times)

The difficulty, Metro said, is that the junction in El Segundo was designed to work more like an intersection than a freeway interchange. Two trains cant move through the crossing at the same time without risking a collision, limiting the options for how trains can run through it, said Metro senior executive officer Conan Cheung.

Metros favored option would break the Green Line into two pieces at Aviation Boulevard. Riders along the portion of the line that runs along the 105 would be able to board a train every six minutes during peak periods and ride west and north to the Expo Line without transferring.

But riders going to or coming from the South Bays four Green Line stations, the portion of the line with the lowest ridership, would lose their one-seat ride. Requiring riders to transfer along Aviation Boulevard would add seven minutes for a one-way trip for about 12% of Green Line riders.

Seamless trips between Mid-City and Norwalk would serve a greater number of people than it would inconvenience, Metro said, and could convert some of the 620,000 workers in the commercial areas around the airport into transit commuters. Once the LAX station opens, the system would also provide a one-seat ride to the airport train from all stations on both lines.

But the plan has prompted criticism from South Bay officials who say that millennial workers who want to reach high-tech jobs in El Segundo as well as loyal longtime Green Line riders would be put off by a trip that would require a transfer. The four stations in the South Bay see about 3,400 trips per day.

Were going to lose riders, Steve Lantz, transportation director for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, said at a recent Metro meeting.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes Redondo Beach, called the proposal a crazy plan that would require transferring from the Green Line to the Green Line.

Hahn, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and four other Metro directors are pushing for another option that would preserve South Bay riders one-seat trip to the stations that connect to the Blue and Silver lines. The plan would operate on a trial basis for one year after the Crenshaw Line opened.

Keeping service the same for Green Line riders, Hahn said at a recent Metro hearing, is the right thing to do.

The South Bays proposal would require running a train along the 105 portion of the Green Line as often as every three minutes during rush hour. The line, built in L.A.s early days of rail construction, cant handle that frequency if either the Crenshaw Line or the Green Line is running three-car trains, Cheung said.

The substations that power the Green Lines overhead wires cant run anything heavier than a two-car train without the risk of tripping a circuit breaker on the line, shutting down service and stranding thousands of commuters, Cheung said.

The Crenshaw Line was built to accommodate three-car trains, which can carry up to 357 people, every five minutes. The South Bays plan would force the Crenshaw Line to run two-car trains, significantly restricting the lines capacity, officials said.

Weve got a real rub, said Metro spokeswoman Pauletta Tonilas. On Day 1, when we open up the line, we wouldnt be able to provide the level of service that was planned.

The South Bays plan would also require riders coming from Redondo Beach to change trains to reach the future rail connection to LAX at 96th Street and Aviation Boulevard.

That sparked concern from Westside officials, who are pushing for a more convenient transit connection to LAX, one of the worlds busiest airports.

For as long as I have lived in California, I have heard people ask why the hell do we have a rail system that doesnt connect to the airport? said Mike Bonin, a Los Angeles city councilman and Metro director who represents the airport area. 

I cant get comfortable with the idea of deferring that.

South Bay officials have said that providing a one-seat ride to LAX from all directions is not important until the airport station opens. There, riders will be able to transfer to a smaller airport train that will carry them to a consolidated car rental area and the central terminals.

Riders from Redondo Beach, El Segundo and other South Bay cities who are headed to downtown Los Angeles and dont want to change trains multiple times could instead board one of the citys commuter express buses, Cheung said. Metro has explored running more buses on the line, which would cost about $250,000 annually, he said.

The Green Line is Metros least utilized line. Monthly trips have dropped more than 25% over the last five years, from a little less than 1.2 million in October 2013 to about 876,000 last month.

Neither plan would be in place permanently, Metro officials said. In the mid-2020s, the agency expects to break ground on a four-mile extension of the Green Line from Redondo Beach to Torrance, funded through revenue from Measure M, the sales tax increase that county voters approved two years ago.

That extension is expected to add up to 16,300 daily trips on the South Bay portion of the line, Metro said. That change would prompt a wholesale reevaluation of service on the line within a decade.

Metros directors are scheduled to decide the issue at their Dec. 6 board meeting.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter.
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.

Butte Countys countywide public school system has been closed since the start of the Camp fire Nov. 8. Officials said the hope is to reopen Dec. 3.

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.

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This is the equivalent to setting up a school district in two weeks. There are a lot of logistics, and we want to assure you that were on it, Mary Sakuma, deputy superintendent at the Butte County Office of Education, said last week.

Authorities are also assembling trauma counselors to be available at schools.

This is not just about buildings, she said. Our staff, parents and students have undergone tremendous trauma. We cant just come back to school after Thanksgiving like we used to.

Paradise Unified is now operating out of a temporary location and said in a letter to parents several days ago that it was on the hunt for classroom space.

We can tell you that we have secured locations within Butte County that will allow us to have PUSD teachers in classrooms with PUSD students. We are also working on eliminating transportation barriers for our PUSD students so that they will be able to get to these new sites, the letter said.

School officials have been asking for donations and other forms of support. Rancho Santa Fe businessman Bob Wilson has promised to donate $1 million to Paradise High School, one of the few campuses to survive the flames.

The fire burned more than 12,000 homes in the Paradise area and left more than 80 dead with hundreds still missing.

Educators in the areas burned by the Woolsey fire in Southern California are dealing with less dire but also difficult issues.

Schools in Malibu survived 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 nearly 97,000 acres and destroyed 1,600 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, or 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.

Californias Camp fire 95% contained with an assist from rain; flash flood watch still in effect 

ron.lin@latimes.com | Twitter: @ronlin

howard.blume@latimes.com | Twitter: @howardblume
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)  Chinese President Xi Jinping thanked his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte upon the conclusion of his two-day state visit to the country.

Xi wrote a letter, issued by the Chinese Embassy on Thursday, thanking Duterte for the Filipino people's friendship and hospitality  despite militant groups protesting the East Asian leader's arrival to the country.

"During my visit, I had talks with you, and held meetings with House Speaker Gloria Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III. We had in-depth exchange of views, reached important agreement on our bilateral relations and issues of shared interest, and witness the signing of a series of cooperation documents. I am truly pleased with the fruitful outcomes of this visit," Xi said in his letter.

The Chinese leader said he values his personal friendship with Duterte.

"I set great store by China-Philippines relations and value my personal friendship with you, Mr. President. I will work with you to strengthen political mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation in all fields so that the tree of China-Philippines friendship will grow more luxuriant and bear more fruits," he added.

The warm Duterte-Xi relationship has been criticized for the Philippine president's softer stance on bringing up the territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

China has refused to recognize the July 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping claims in the South China Sea. The ruling also recognized the Philippines' rights within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, Nov. 24. Heres what you dont want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

A new federal study is the latest to offer an alarming look at how climate change is radically changing the Earth and leaving an expansive tab. The Trump administration report comes amid unprecedented wildfires that have left a destructive and deadly path through California. The problems will only get worse without swift action to slash greenhouse gas emissions, the report says. Los Angeles Times

The latest on the fires

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The survivors of the Camp fire arent the only ones with a story to tell about the fire that destroyed Paradise. Buried among the charred ponderosa pines and scorched rubble are clues to what transpired when a small fire broke out nearby on the morning of Nov. 8 and swallowed the California town of nearly 27,000 residents in a matter of hours. Los Angeles Times

Cal Fire investigator Jeff Hakala looks for clues among the ashes of a home destroyed by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Joseph Serna / Los Angeles Times)

-- Firefighters battling Californias deadliest fire continued to make progress Friday, with containment growing to 95% and the number of homes burned now 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. Los Angeles Times

-- My mother stood there, in a biohazard mask and sunglasses, her apron belted in the Japanese manner, with a hand towel folded over in front of her stomach. She looked ready for fire. The Atlantic

-- On social media, he alerted people to the Thousand Oaks shooting, then warned of the California fires that came next. Los Angeles Times

-- How the Walmart parking lot became such a symbol of the Camp fire disaster. Sacramento Bee

-- He stayed during the Paradise evacuation and survived. New York Times

-- Why so many famous chefs converged on the disaster scene. Chico Enterprise-Record

AROUND CALIFORNIA

Colorism in the Trump years: Since the 2016 election, with a rise in hate crimes and the emergence of bigotry in public spaces, including many incidents that involve anti-immigrant motivations, a closer proximity to whiteness can provide yet another benefit. People who can pass [as white] are less likely to be called names on the street or at sporting events and that kind of thing, which can make it easier to turn a blind eye to or to minimize when youre not facing it as directly, one expert said. Los Angeles Times

The desert is coming to us: Of the many nasty names that L.A. has been called by our snooty friends and neighbors, the nastiest is desert. Our exasperated and honest response has always been that no, we are not a desert. We have a Mediterranean climate. Check the rainfall totals. Average annual precipitation in Los Angeles is around 15 inches, well above the 10-inch cutoff that is a common definition of desert. But on a warming planet, the climate zones shift. -- L.A. Times editorial on Southern Californias water crisis. Los Angeles Times

Shop till you drop: Black Friday was looking good for many retailers, who are counting on a Trump bump thanks to the strong economy. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Of course there were fights. Los Angeles Times

Groundbreaking: Los Angeles has a new living document of historic resources  the largest and most ambitious such undertaking in the U.S., and one that will shape city planning for generations to come.The exhaustive block-by-block inventory of 880,000 parcels scattered over 470 square miles began in 2010 and was completed last year. Los Angeles Times

The next generation: Disneys StudioLab tries to use Silicon Valley-style experimentation to help studio executives and filmmakers stay ahead of rapid advances in technology by developing and showcasing new ideas for making and marketing movies. Some of its ideas have already spilled into the real world. Initiatives have included promotional efforts for the big-budget animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet. Los Angeles Times

In Berkeley: A moment of historical accountability. Los Angeles Times

At the border: A small faction of a larger group of 6,219 Central American migrants in Tijuana slowly and peacefully pushed within 500 feet of the U.S. border while armed Mexican federal police held a barrier near the pedestrian crossing. San Diego Union-Tribune

For the love of lutefisk: Saving the kinda gross fish delicacy many love to hate. LAist

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THIS WEEKS MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Why Pepperdine stays put when wildfires rage. Curbed LA

2. What started as a tiny brush fire became Californias deadliest wildfire. Heres how. Los Angeles Times

3. More than 17,000 buildings burned in Northern California. Heres what that looks like from above. Los Angeles Times

4. Theres a hidden bar with a secret entrance at Disney California Adventure that almost nobody knows about  until now. Press-Enterprise

5. Aaron Rodgers gets blasted by his brother after pledging $1 million to California wildfire relief. CBS Sports

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEKS GREAT READS

This is how I die: She is standing in the driveway of a sand-colored house  she doesnt know whose  and the air is choked with smoke. The sky is a nuclear orange. Wind is hurling embers against her body and into her blond wavy hair. She has just seen an ambulance melt. Transformers are blowing up around her. Homes are caving in and trees are bowing. Fleeing cars have jammed the roads, and flames dance on both sides of the asphalt. Los Angeles Times

Those were the days: I used to love Hollywood. Now, every time I visit, Im struck by a mixture of sadness and rage. Im still pissed that Hollywoods makeover took away everything that made it beautiful and interesting. But, am I the only one who feels that way? Chronicling being young in seedy Hollywood of the 1990s. L.A. Taco

Divine: Sitting in his Nob Hill apartment, director John Waters has a gift for San Francisco: demented holiday cheer. San Francisco Chronicle

Thats just, like, your opinion, man: The Big Lebowski is so essential because its where the Old West meets the New West. The New Yorker

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Now that the 2018 election has swung control of the U.S. House of Representatives from right to left, some progressive Democrats are pushing for a vote in the new Congress on Medicare for all, a national health insurance program covering all Americans without charging premiums, deductibles or co-pays. They seem to have the public on their side, at least conceptually: Exit polls on Nov. 6 found that healthcare was the leading issue for those casting ballots, and this summer, a poll by Reuters-Ipsos found that 70% of Americans  including 52% of Republicans  favored the idea of Medicare for all.

Some moderate Democrats have pushed back, noting that such a vast expansion of Medicare doesnt stand a chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate, let alone being signed into law by a president who campaigned against it (with characteristic hyperbole) in the weeks leading up to the November election. There could be political consequences too: Forcing newly elected House members from formerly Republican-held districts in the Midwest to take a tough vote on a government-run health insurance system could usher Democrats back into the House minority.

There are better reasons, though, for backers of universal coverage not to rush a Medicare-for-all bill to the House floor. There are a host of complexities that emerge once the debate moves past the title and tackles the details, many of which havent yet been discussed, let alone agreed upon.

The complexities involved in shifting to single payer shouldnt stop Congress from exploring it.

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A single-payer system would accomplish several things the ACA cannot: Providing fully portable coverage to all Americans, eliminating the threat of ever-rising premiums, and slashing the administrative costs and paperwork burdens of the current system. Bringing all Americans into one risk pool would also spread risk and cost far better than the ACA does.

Critics of Medicare for all (or any version of single payer) have focused on the enormous tax increase that would be required to make the switch. One widely cited estimate put the cost at $32 trillion over 10 years, although the studys author conceded that the switch could lower total U.S. healthcare spending over that period.

The gigantic numbers obscure a simpler question that needs to be debated: How do we want to pay for healthcare? The current system involves a mix of taxes and premiums paid by individuals and businesses, and it rations care to some degree by ones ability to pay. The House Medicare-for-all bill and the more detailed proposal by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are financed mainly by income-based taxes, putting more of the burden on high-income individuals and corporations. Other countries with single-payer systems take a variety of approaches, including requiring some premiums and out-of-pocket costs to reduce the burden on government budgets (and taxpayers) and curb excessive demand for care.

A more fundamental question is, who should be eligible for coverage? If the system extends only to citizens and green-card holders, that would leave roughly 11 million residents uninsured, posing challenges to public health and to the hospitals and clinics that care for these patients. But offering coverage to people in the country illegally would face huge political hurdles; thats why the authors of the ACA excluded them from Obamacare.

Then theres the question of how much to pay for medical treatments and services. Rather than letting supply and demand set prices, a single-payer system puts the government into the position of deciding what treatments, medical devices and drugs are worth, and how much doctors, nurses and lab technicians should earn.

If the values are set too low, that could deter investment and lead to shortages of treatments and services. If theyre too high, rising healthcare costs will swamp the federal budget, potentially leading Congress to try to cut spending by doing some of the same unpopular things that insurers have done, such as making patients jump through more hoops before obtaining expensive treatments.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

That leads to another crucial question: Who decides what treatments get covered? The House bill proposes simply to cover medically necessary treatments, devices and services. But what does that mean? And what would the government do when a new treatment is introduced thats only slightly more effective but far more expensive?

Policymakers need not just air these issues, but reach consensus on them. The GOPs incessant bashing of the ACA is instructive here. Having no investment in the measure, Republicans continually sought to repeal or undermine the law instead of adjusting and improving it as problems emerged. The result was much higher increases and dwindling competition. Expanding Medicare with no Republican votes would be setting the stage for a similarly dysfunctional rollout.

The complexities involved in shifting to single payer shouldnt stop Congress from exploring it. Countries around the world take this approach for good reasons, after all. But getting from where we are today to the universally affordable and available healthcare system we want will take more than symbolic votes and catchy slogans.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
As the fast-moving Camp fire closed in on the Sierra foothill city of Paradise and the few roads out of town clogged with cars, residents literally had to run for their lives, the soles of their sneakers melting on the asphalt. The escape from Paradise was terrifying, deadly  and predictable.

The entire town is in a high-risk fire zone. Residents have had to evacuate regularly in recent years. During a fire in 2008 that destroyed more than 80 homes on the edge of Paradise, residents were stuck in traffic jams as flames burned on both sides of the road. A grand jury report following that fire said the city and county needed more evacuation routes and should consider halting new home construction in fire-prone areas until thorough emergency plans were in place.

Paradise developed a plan for staggered evacuations of its estimated 27,000 residents. But the plan proved inadequate in the face of the Camp fire, which was so fast and so intense that it leveled the town. At least 81 people died and more than 17,000 homes and commercial buildings were destroyed in the deadliest fire in California history.

To rebuild Paradise as it was would be land-use malpractice.

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With thousands of newly homeless Paradise evacuees bivouacking in parks and parking lots, officials are already discussing how to get people home and back to normal quickly. But theres no more normal. California is facing the new abnormal, with climate change expected to fuel more frequent, more destructive fires.

To rebuild Paradise as it was would be land-use malpractice. The question facing state and local authorities is whether Paradise  and other towns that have burned  can be rebuilt to withstand the next, inevitable wildfire. If not, how does California relocate communities and restrict new construction while respecting property rights and not worsening the states affordable housing crisis?

At a minimum, cities should remap fire-prone areas and focus reconstruction in areas with lower risk. They should design fire breaks and buffer zones between open space and developed properties. Rebuilt communities must have sufficient evacuation routes and the most stringent, fire-resistant construction. Structures that didnt burn should be retrofitted, replacing wood roofs and flammable vegetation. Cities need to enforce requirements that residents empty leaf-clogged rain gutters and clear a 100-foot perimeter of defensible space around their homes to reduce the chance that an ember will set their home on fire.

All of this work comes with significant upfront costs, which is why so few local governments do it. The state should consider providing grants or loans to help local communities cover the costs of fire prevention and resilience. After all, the cost of inaction is far greater.

But are there some areas of the state that are just too dangerous to build or rebuild in? In 1993, after fires raged through Malibu, Joseph T. Edmiston, the head of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, called for a three-strikes rule to limit the number of times recovery funds could be spent to help rebuild a home destroyed by wildfire.

Lawmakers cant necessarily stop people from rebuilding, given the 5th Amendments protections for property owners. But Edmiston suggested that California could offer to buy out property owners to prevent them from rebuilding in high-risk areas and use the land for park space. The federal government already has a program that buys out homes that have repeatedly flooded. Participation is voluntary, and its a humane way to compensate property owners and deter them from rebuilding again in harms way. Policymakers should develop a similar effort for wildfire ravaged communities in California.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Other experts have suggested the creation of a state commission, much like the California Coastal Commission, that would have authority over new development in hazardous fire zones. Local control over land-use has been sacrosanct in California, but its clear that a patchwork, parochial approach to approving development in high-risk fire areas has failed protect the public.

Indeed, California cities and counties  motivated in part by the states housing crisis  continue to approve new housing developments deeper into high-risk fire areas, as the suburbs march into rural foothills and high property values force people farther and farther away from urban centers. The Los Angeles County Planning Commission recently OKd the 19,000-home Centennial project on Tejon Ranch. Developing in the wildland urban interface, where homes and offices abut foothills, forests or other open land, increases both the risk of starting fires and the number of people and structures in harms way when there is a fire. The vast majority of wildfires are caused by humans or their tools of modern living, including sparks from vehicles and power lines. Utility companies certainly have to do more to prevent fires from their equipment, but stringing new power lines to serve customers in far-flung wildland areas only increases the potential for disaster.

There are good reasons why so many people flock to urban fringe and foothill communities. Its beautiful living on the edge of nature, and housing is often much cheaper there than in Californias coastal regions. Yet the death and destruction of the last year should be a wake-up call that California cant continue to sprawl into increasingly dangerous wildfire terrain.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: Some 20% of our public schools still strive to deny their students complete, accurate instruction on human evolution? How could this happen 50 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that denial unconstitutional?

The answer: Undue deference to religion persists in our supposedly secular democracy.

We still suffer the effects of a mid-20th century religious frenzy that put under God in the Pledge of Allegiance and in God we trust on our currency. Meanwhile, public authorities and lobbyists have helped legions of men of God dodge culpability for their sex abuse of children.

Thus, religious conservatives have felt emboldened to discredit or ignore evolution in favor of the biblical doctrine of creation. Would that our nominal democracy didnt function in some areas like a theocracy.

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Dennis Alston, Atwater, Calif.

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To the editor: An op-ed article in the Los Angeles Times urges the importance of applying science and philosophy to demonstrate the elegant complexities of our cosmos, our Earth and our human nature. Therefore, these areas of study should be included:

The significance of consciousness, meaning and value (the noted philosopher Thomas Nagels short book, Mind & Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False, is worth reading), accounting for the marvel of speech (read Tom Wolfes The Kingdom of Speech), and the astonishing forming, combining and structure of our cosmos overcoming incomprehensible odds (Oxford professor Roger Penroses The Large, the Small, and the Human Mind references a formula derived by physicists Jacob Bekenstein and Stephen Hawking).

These compositions are not based on religion, nor do they give importance to attitudes of people who believe God created the universe.

Chuck Davis, Irvine

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To the editor: Ann Reids op-ed article was a breath of fresh air.

In 1989, when my daughter was taking a middle school science class in Redlands, her teacher skipped over the chapter on evolution in her textbook. I registered a complaint to no avail.

Reid states that providing instruction on the nature of science helps students recognize that science and religious faith are different but not mutually exclusive ways of understanding the world. I disagree. Science, reason, common sense and observation lead one to reject the supernatural.

Its a sad day when Reid states that 60% of science teachers downplay evolution or ignore it altogether. The story of evolution is true and mindbogglingly stupendous.

Jane Roberts, Redlands

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Close readers of the Los Angeles Times might have noticed a trend since election day: Our letter writers, most of whom already hold President Trump in low regard, have become more shaken and upset by the conduct of our commander in chief. The presidents initial threat to withhold federal funds in the wake of recent California wildfires and his refusal hold the Saudi crown prince accountable for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi have served as two flash points for our readers anger.

Comes now Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.  a man not known for saying anything particularly newsworthy outside Supreme Court oral arguments and decisions  to make the biggest splash in Trumps political morass. For the most part, readers have praised Roberts for defending the federal judiciary against recent attacks by Trump on Obama judges; even those who say the president is right about partisan jurists attack the Republican Party for producing a leader like Trump and a court like the one overseen by Roberts.

A. Marco Turk of Santa Monica says Roberts advocacy for an independent judiciary is crucial:

The autocrat in the White House has finally met his match: our chief justice breaking historical precedent and forsaking silence in response to our overreaching chief executive.

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Roberts has stepped up to the plate in grand fashion for an independent judiciary striving to provide a level playing field for all those who appear before it. This is especially crucial during these Trump times, when we must secure our democracy and be vigilant at all costs to protect our rights in a free society.

Congratulations to Roberts for standing up to the bully on Pennsylvania Avenue.

La Canada Flintridge resident Scott McKenzie faults Trump and Roberts:

Sorry, Justice Roberts, but I have to agree with Trump for once.

The myth of a nonpartisan judiciary vanished 18 years ago with Bush vs. Gore. More recently, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) flouted the Constitution by refusing to allow advice and consent on President Obamas Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016.

Finally, we had the spectacle of Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh denying during his confirmation hearing that he did not assault the totally credible Christine Blasey Ford.

Roberts had the intellectual honesty to recognize that the individual mandate of Obamacare was a tax, which Congress had the authority to levy. But tortured logic often still prevails at the Supreme Court, as in the Wisconsin gerrymandering case recently.

So, Trump shouldnt worry so much  minority rule by his party is still firmly in place.

Matt Giorgi of Brea says hail to the chief justice:

I have disagreed with many of the Roberts courts decisions; however, he has my respect and gratitude for publicly rebuking Trumps latest statements about the judiciary. Roberts revives my hope that there are still independent authorities to protect against the unwarranted acquisition of power by any one person or group.

Since assuming the office, Trump has often shown utter disregard for the rules and norms that have held this country together. His latest rebuke of a judge for ruling against his administration shows a complete lack of knowledge or caring about our system of three separate but equal branches of government.

Our country has taken a right turn away from democracy and toward an autocratic leader who is emboldened by the lack of public opposition from Republicans. We are now the proverbial frog in the pot of slowly warming water.

I hope more citizens see the existential threat Trump poses to our system of government before the water comes to a boil.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: President Trump has become a lawyer for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

After the CIA found it very likely that the crown prince ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump has decided, once again, to believe the prince and not his own intelligence professionals. Sound familiar? Why does Trump keep siding with our foes and other strongmen leaders instead of our allies?

He has showed the same disrespect to our veterans as he has to our allies. He traveled to France and refused to visit a cemetery where Americans who died during World War I are buried. Then, he made up a crazy lie that the Europeans want to build an army that will protect them from the United States, Russia and China. Trump returned home and failed to visit Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day.

Finally, on top of everything else, including his vulgar remarks about incoming House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), he criticized retired Adm. William McRaven, who oversaw the capture of Osama bin Laden.

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Trump and his party will go down in history as incompetent leaders who served their own interests and not those of the American people.

Richard A. French, Pasadena

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To the editor: In defending his position on Saudi Arabia and the Khashoggi killing, Trump explained that the Saudis conduct billions of dollars worth of business with the United States. That is to say, issues of right and wrong are less important than a favorable business deal.

This is probably the most morally and ethically corrupt public statement ever made by an American president. I hope that more Americans come to recognize that when given the opportunity to make a buck, Trump will sell out anybody  including them.

Jack Tomchak, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: Lately, the Los Angeles Times has gotten into publishing long, studious letters. This one wont fit that bill. My point is short and succinct.

This is probably the most morally and ethically corrupt public statement ever made by an American president. Jack Tomchak, Costa Mesa

President Trump has touted numerous times the economic benefit to the U.S. of this countrys arms sales to Saudi Arabia. What are those weapons used for?

Nothing good can come of these sales. People will be injured or killed.

Betty Rome, Culver City

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To the editor: Last August, newspapers around the country pushed back against Trumps assault on the free press by taking to their editorial pages and speaking out against this threat.

Now, Trump has dismissed the killing of a U.S.-based journalist and given a pass to Saudi Arabia. The L.A. Times should lead the way by inviting all papers to denounce Trumps actions of putting human rights second to profit.

Peter Tobia, Philadelphia

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To the editor: Only Trump, who credited lower gas prices to Saudi Arabia, could make every American who fills up a tank complicit in the killing of a journalist.

Instead of thinking how much I saved at the gas pump, Ill be thinking how much each gallon of gas really costs.

Mark Herder, Van Nuys

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To the editor: Can anyone say emoluments clause?

Might the shocking effort, even for this president, to minimize consequences for Khashoggis brutal assassination to Saudi Arabia have anything to do with the Saudis substantial patronizing of Trump apartments, business that Trump himself bragged about on the campaign trail in 2015?

Maybe the framers of the Constitution were prescient after all.

Charles Kent, Rancho Mission Viejo

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: Multiple articles in the Los Angeles Times have reported on the vast cost overruns and long delays in acquiring land for and building the California high-speed rail system.

With the recent deadly wildfires in our state and the many more to come that will make such disasters our new normal, I think we need to stop work on the high-speed train and invest billions instead in wildfire prevention, better methods for fighting fires, upgraded emergency alert systems, better infrastructure for evacuation and, especially, new technologies to scrub our air.

The death toll from these latest fires will never accurately be known because the elderly, the young, the sick and the frail will die prematurely because of the heart and lung conditions aggravated by the hazardous air quality.

Jessea Greenman, Oakland

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To the editor: With the latest cost-overrun estimates, it is worth considering putting on hold bullet train funds and using some (or all) of them to acquire water-dropping and fire-retardant planes and helicopters. I wonder how a vote on that would turn out.

We have enough alternatives to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco  via airplane, automobile or train. After the devastating loss of life and property these last two weeks, Californians might want to reconsider their spending priorities.

Raymond Laser, Camarillo

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Max and Beth Hazard calmly strolled down Huntington Beachs Main Street on Friday with a shopping bag in hand after buying a flannel jacket at Jacks Surfboards.

The couple from Joshua Tree said they found a parking spot with no hassle and popped into and out of stores without dealing with the throng of Black Friday shoppers common at large malls.

We like to avoid the crowds, Max Hazard said. Their last Black Friday outing was spent looking for a parking spot at Costa Mesas South Coast Plaza instead of shopping, he said.

A girl tries on a pair of sandals while shopping at Huntington Surf and Sport in downtown Huntington Beach on Black Friday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

In an effort to make major shopping days like the day after Thanksgiving and Saturdays follow-up, Small Business Saturday, easier for potential customers and more lucrative for local businesses, Huntington Beachs Downtown Business Improvement District is promoting its members by sharing several businessess deals on the BIDs Facebook and Instagram pages.

Printed coupons are a thing of the past, said BID manager Marianne Tonjes.

Its all online now, said Tonjes, who helped spearhead the idea of using social media platforms, which are accessible via smartphone.

Customers are encouraged to use the hashtag #ShopDineHBDBID to find bargains and discounts and share thoughts about their shopping experience.

Shoppers walk among racks of Jacks Surfboards merchandise in downtown Huntington Beach on Friday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Popular downtown surf shops such as Jacks Surfboards and Huntington Surf and Sport displayed an array of surf apparel and sandals outside their stores Friday.

Shelly Dunn of La Verne said she found great deals at Jacks, where she bought two flannel jackets.

Patrick Lawless of the Easyrider bicycle shop said the BIDs social media promotion is a good way for businesses to advertise for free. He said a good portion of Easyriders customers come from the social media pages.

On Friday, several customers were perusing the shops array of bicycles and apparel. Patrons could earn a $50 gift card with the purchase of any cruiser or a $20 gift card with the purchase of any skateboard or scooter.

A block down the street, Francesco Zaza, owner of ZeroZero39 Pizzeria, credited the BID for taking the initiative to help small-business owners like him. Though he wasnt offering holiday deals, he said the BIDs presence helps draw crowds to the area.

Luis Lopez is offering 20% off grooming services and products at Orange County Barbers Parlor, which he set up along Main Street four years ago. He said the BIDs use of social media has been helpful.

Huntington Beach wants their small businesses to be successful  not all cities do, Lopez said.

Cherie McCarty of Utah stopped by Main Street to have breakfast with her family and to check out some of the stores because of advertised deals. She bought two long-sleeved shirts.

Emerson Peralta peeks at the new Vans shoes he got Friday in downtown Huntington Beach with his family. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Rick Peralta and his family strolled down Main Street after buying a pair of shoes and two onesie pajamas. Theyre on a getaway from their home in Santa Barbara and said they understand the importance of helping communities.

We always try to help keep money local, Peralta said. Its better.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
Taiwans China-friendly chief opposition party won most major seats in midterm local elections Saturday, challenging the presidents two years of cold relations with the more militarily powerful and increasingly angry Beijing.

Nationalist Party candidates won 15 of Taiwans 22 mayoral and county magistrate seats, reversing the ruling partys lead that it took in 2014 on its way to the presidency two years later. Hours after polls closed, President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as the partys chairwoman and her premier offered to quit.

While voters picked candidates for a list of reasons, from colorful personalities to their role in completing local infrastructure projects, analysts say the ruling Democratic Progressive Partys tense relations with China weighed on overall sentiment.

We know the Democratic Progressive Party wasnt going to do well but not to such an extent, said Raymond Wu, managing director of Taipei-based political risk consultancy e-telligence.

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You look at any number of polls, and no one wants unification (with China) at this point, but we want a government that can manage cross-Strait relations, Wu said, referring to China-Taiwan ties. Its business 101, meaning you use limited resources to create the best outcome.

Tsai does not accept Beijings dialogue condition that both sides belong to a single China, an extension of the Communist leaderships claim to sovereignty over the island.

Her refusal reassures voters worried about a takeover by China, but it has stopped any talks and led China to step up pressure against Tsais government. Many Taiwanese still value economic relations and worry how far the pressure will go.

China periodically flies military aircraft near Taiwan, for example, and persuades Taipeis diplomatic allies to switch allegiance. The two sides have been separately ruled since the 1940s, when Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists based their government in Taiwan after a civil war with Mao Zedongs Communists.

The Nationalists, or KMT, advocate engaging China on Beijings condition. The 2008-2016 government of Nationalist ex-president Ma Ying-jeou signed more than 20 agreements with Chinese officials, covering mainly investment, trade and transit.

But Ma eventually got too close to China for a lot of voters comfort, precipitating his partys election losses in 2014 and 2016.

Nationalist Party Chairman Wu Den-yih said Saturday his camp would keep advocating stronger relations with Beijing based on the one-China prerequisite for dialogue. We hope the two sides will soon go back to a peaceful and stable trend in relations, he told reporters at the party headquarters after a victory speech.

Perceptions of low wages, slow economic growth and the Democratic Progressive Partys sometimes testy public relations also turned voters away, scholars and candidates for office said.

When it comes to the governments communication style, there are people who have criticized them as being too arrogant, said Gratiana Jung, senior political researcher with the Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute think tank in Taipei. I think what most people care about most is that things are corrected within the government.

Tsais party was particularly stung in the 2.8 million-population port city Kaohsiung, one of its traditional strongholds in southern Taiwan. The Nationalist victor there, populist former legislator Han Kuo-yu, took 53.8% of the vote. Nationalists also took two counties held before by independents, though Taipeis independent mayor narrowly won a second term.

Tsai said she stepped down as party chair, though not as president, to take full responsibility for the election results.

I want to express here my very sincere apologies, she said in a statement. As for the display of public opinion, we will of course do a deep review, but one round of failures wont make us stop our stride.

In another setback for the ruling party, voter majorities passed two advisory ballot measures Saturday saying the civil code should restrict marriage to one man and one woman. They supported a different process to protect same-sex unions.

The Constitutional Court had ruled in May 2017 that legislators must legalize same-sex marriage within two years, a victory for LGBTQ couples who wanted joint legal custody over children and shared insurance benefits. It was also a first order of its kind for Asia. The ruling party-dominated parliament had already crafted bills to recognize same-sex marriage.

The government has its freedom to pass laws, but if the referendum says one man and one woman, what choice does it have? asked referendum proponent Chen Ke, a Catholic pastor in Taiwan and part of the organized opposition to same-sex marriage.

The ballot measures should set direction for the legislature but not supersede the Constitutional Court order, a justice ministry official said Friday.

Jennings is a special correspondent.
Henry Diaz Reyes and about 1,500 other Central American migrants had just pushed past Guatemalan authorities and onto a border bridge to Mexico.

Mexican federal police were waiting for them in riot gear. The official border entry was closed, police said.

The migrants shouted obscenities and hurled rocks at the police, who responded by launching tear gas.

As the Oct. 28 scuffle escalated, projectiles started whizzing through the air. One struck Diaz, who fell to the ground, bleeding from his head. Rescuers rushed him to a hospital, where the 26-year-old was declared dead.

He had so many plans, said his half-sister, Glenda Reyes, who lives in Florida. Plans to work in the U.S. and have his son learn English. Plans to reunite with family members who had made the journey north and were finally living comfortable lives. They took them, Reyes said.

Large-scale confrontations on Mexicos southern border were unheard of until last month. In the past, Mexican immigration agents regularly deported Central Americans in the country illegally, but usually after intercepting individuals or small groups well inside Mexico at checkpoints along highways or railroad tracks.

That changed in the run-up to the U.S. midterm election, when President Trump began referring to migrant caravans as invasions and threatened to withhold aid from Mexico and Central American nations that failed to stop them.

In response, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto ordered hundreds of federal police to the southern border  putting them on a collision course with the groups of migrants mainly from Honduras that were heading north through Guatemala.

It is unclear what training or instructions the police on the border bridge had received.

Dozens of migrants and 10 police officers were injured the day Diaz was killed.

An autopsy performed by Guatemalan authorities found that Diaz died from a traumatic brain injury.

Mexican authorities have said police fired only tear gas. Found at the scene, however, were casings that two law enforcement experts said appeared to be from powerful projectiles that are designed to penetrate doors or other barriers and release chemical irritants  but not to be fired at people.

The experts based their opinions, made independently, on two images of casings  one taken by a photographer working for The Times who was several feet from Diaz when he collapsed, the other captured by a journalist working for another outlet and uploaded to YouTube.

An autopsy performed by Guatemalan authorities found that Henry Diaz Reyes died from a traumatic brain injury. Mexican authorities have said police fired only tear gas. Found at the scene, however, were casings that two law enforcement experts identified as powerful projectiles. (Jeff Abbott / For The Times) Two law enforcement experts examined images of casings, including one taken by a photographer working for The Times. (Jeff Abbott / For The Times) An autopsy performed by Guatemalan authorities found that Henry Diaz Reyes died from a traumatic brain injury. Mexican authorities have said police fired only tear gas. Found at the scene, however, were casings that two law enforcement experts identified as powerful projectiles. (Jeff Abbott / For The Times)

Manufactured by Combined Systems Inc., which is based in Jamestown, Pa., the projectiles are meant to be used during specific tactical situations such as hostage scenarios, according to the product specifications. The company warns users to exercise extreme care and caution to minimize the possibility of this projectile striking a human. The company did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

It shouldnt be used for crowd control at all, said a weapons expert at Omega Research Foundation, a nonprofit that tracks police and military use of weapons. The expert could not be named because of company policy.

The other expert, Ara Marcen Naval, a human rights advocate at Amnesty International, said that firing such projectiles into a crowd breaches international human rights law and standards that specify when law enforcement officials can use force and how much.

A Mexican official who spoke on condition of anonymity denied that federal police had fired such projectiles and said police do not use any products made by Combined Systems Inc. Asked where the projectiles may have come from, the official said: We do not have that information.

Human rights groups and journalists have documented past use of the same projectiles by police, including against crowds that demonstrated when Pena Nieto was sworn into office in 2012.

The day after Diaz was killed, the rest of the migrants he was traveling with waded across the Suchiate River illegally and continued their journey north mostly unimpeded by Mexican authorities.

Diazs body was sent back home with the help of the Honduran government. The simple wood casket was placed in the living room of the small house that Diaz had shared with his grandmother and six other relatives on the outskirts of the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa.

Diaz left Honduras because he was constantly broke, relatives said. The $250 a month he made as a delivery truck driver was barely enough to buy groceries and pay taxes to gangs to cross their territory on his routes.

Three times he had attempted the dangerous 1,500-mile journey to the Texas border, and three times he failed, most recently last year. But the possibility of traveling north in a large group  without paying a smuggler thousands of dollars, without having to pay Mexican cartels that controlled the route  gave his dream new allure.

His ex-wife and their 7-year-old son left in mid-October in the first migrant caravan, which drew international attention after Trump angrily tweeted about it. Back in Honduras, Diaz watched television footage that showed caravan members being hailed as heroes as they trekked north through Guatemala, where locals gave them food and places to sleep and cheered them from the sides of the road.

A photo shows Henry Diaz Reyes with his 7-year-old son, Jafed. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Felina Banegas, 74, is the grandmother of Henry Diaz Reyes. He had her first name tattooed on his chest. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Glenda Reyes, 33, left, and her sister, Angelica Reyes, 24, mourn the death of their brother, Henry Diaz Reyes. "He had so many plans, and they took them," said Glenda. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) (Top) Henry Diaz Reyes with his 7-year-old son, Jafed. (Bottom left) Felina Banegas, 74, is the grandmother of Henry Diaz Reyes. (Bottom right) Glenda Reyes, 33, left, and her sister, Angelica Reyes, 24, mourn the death of their brother, Henry Diaz Reyes. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

When Diaz heard about a second caravan forming, he told his relatives he was leaving. That night in the living room of his grandmothers house, its walls bare except for a few framed pictures of family, a debate broke out.

Dont go, said his uncle, Orlando Reyes Banegas, 53. It will be hard. America is not like you think.

Reyes spoke from experience. He had crossed illegally into the U.S. to find work in the 1980s before returning a few years later, homesick for his family and disheartened by the racism he said he encountered in the suburbs around Washington, D.C.

Youre going to suffer so much, he told his nephew. Maybe its not in Gods plan.

But Diaz hardly heard him. For years he had listened in wonder to more seductive stories about life in the U.S. from other family members who had gone there.

Glenda Reyes and another half-sister had obtained legal residency there thanks to their father, a U.S. citizen, and now cleaned houses in Naples, Fla. Their children ate at McDonalds whenever they wanted, attended good schools and spoke English.

Diaz wanted the same for his son, Jafed.

His grandmother, Felina Banegas, had also recently gone to Naples  legally  to seek treatment for a heart condition.

Diaz missed his 74-year-old grandmother, who had raised him when his own mother was absent. She doted on him, and he on her, calling her mama and reminding her to take her heart medication.

On the day he decided to leave Honduras, he had her first name tattooed across his chest.

If I die, at least I will hold her close to my heart, Diaz said to his relatives before heading to the bus station.

Diaz traveled to the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula to meet up with the second caravan. The group maintained a festival-like atmosphere as it crossed into Guatemala, some migrants singing to keep their spirits up.

On Oct. 27, the migrants arrived in the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman, just across the Suchiate River from Mexico. That night, they slept in a public park.

When the sun rose, they headed to the bridge, which had been closed since the first caravan of migrants had passed through more than a week earlier.

Those migrants had pushed their way onto the bridge, but turned back after Mexican authorities fired tear gas at them and several migrants were injured in the chaos that followed. Trump publicly thanked Mexico for its show of force against the people on the bridge that day, even as hundreds of migrants crossed illegally via the river.

The second caravan did not back down. As its confrontation with Mexican police unfolded, Glenda watched on television in Florida. She frantically dialed her brother.

Please go home, she pleaded when he answered. Youre risking your life.

He told her he wanted to be near the front of the group in case Mexican authorities opened the border.

I cant go back, he shouted before hanging up.

A few moments later, she watched in real time as her brothers limp body was carried away from the fracas by several young men.

When he was placed in an ambulance, his shirt opened, and the tattoo for their grandmother could be seen.

Special correspondent Jeff Abbott in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, and Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum
The Department of Justice is consideringthat will investigate individuals who may be linked to lawless or terrorist acts in areas where the government recently sent troops to quell violence, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Saturday. The justice chief made the statement a day after Presidentto Bicol, Samar and Negros provinces to suppress lawless violence. According to Guevarra, his department is called upon to probe and prosecute those who might be arrested for criminal acts. In a related development, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said more troops might be deployed to areas controlled by communist guerrilas to suppress lawless violence in the runup to the 2019 midterm elections . Lorenzanas statement followed President Dutertes order for more soldiers to be stationed in Bicol, Samar and the Negros provinces citing a number of [recent] sporadic acts of violence there. READ: Rody deploys more troops Lorenzana said these areas were considered critical during elections since the guerrillas stop candidates from campaigning unless they paid the rebels an undisclosed amount of money. Under Memorandum Order 32, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the executive sent more government forces to Bicol, Samar, and Negros provinces where a number of sporadic acts of violence recently occurred. The order merely reiterates and reinforces a similar directive Duterte issued in 2016, Guevarra said.Duterte issued his third Memo in September 2016 when he declared a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao after a blast in Davao City killed at least 12 people and injured several others. Officials said the military was still assessing the pre-election scenarios in other areas. The government earlier canceled peace negotiations with the communist movement following continued attacks on government troops despite current talks. According to Lorenzana, the suppression of lawless violence might lead to the extension of military rule in Mindanao, Lorenzana said, but added this would not lead to a declaration of a nationwide martial law. Martial law has been in place in Mindanao since May 2017, at the start of firefights between soldiers and terrorists in Marawi City. It was extended despite the end of the siege in October last year, with government citing remaining threats in the area. Its extension is set to lapse by the end of the year. READ: CHR wary of troop deployment in south
Trump's America, Front and Center

Public infrastructure in the U.S. is in bad shape and has been so for many years. Washington has fingered the importance of doing something about the decrepit state of Americas infrastructure for decades. Its the bipartisan thing to do.

President Obamas Council of Economic Advisers devoted a lengthy chapter in its 2016 Annual Report to the Nations infrastructure problems. Enter President Trump in 2017. The first thing out of his box was infrastructure. But, the i word faded away as rapidly as it entered President Trumps lexicon. There was a little problem: the White House didnt really have a fully developed infrastructure plan and most certainly had no legislative action plan. With last weeks elections, President Trump once again trotted out infrastructure, as did Nancy Pelosithe most likely Speaker of the House, which will be controlled by the Democrats in the 116th Congress.

Before I proceed with a proposal that might receive bipartisan congressional support, allow me to address two obvious questions. Just why is public infrastructure in such a sad state? And, why is the stock of Americas infrastructure capital consumed but not accumulated? Its all about politicians and their time preferences. After all, its politicians who control the investment and maintenance decisions related to publicly-owned infrastructure.

Politicians have very high time preferences: what counts is today, not tomorrow. Indeed, politicians discount rates are very high. This means infrastructure investments that have long lives and produce benefits for many years receive short shrift from politicians. The average tenure for a U.S. Congressman is 9.4 years. This implies that project benefits accruing in year 10 are worth nothing for the average member of the U.S. Congress. So, the implied discount rate for the average Congressman would be approximately 100%. With discount rates that high, it is easy to see why most long-lived projects have trouble passing the congressional smell test. Mega white elephants are perhaps the only exception. They seem to generate huge immediate political benefits at ribbon cutting time.

So, what type of infrastructure program might overcome the political time preference bias and win bipartisan support in the divided government that will commence with the 116th Congress? Sale-and-leaseback arrangements (SLBs) might provide a silver bullet. Thats what Steve Walters, a fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise, and I concluded. Most governmental entities have vast holdings of poorly maintained infrastructure on their balance sheets. These assets could be monetized via SLBs and temporarily put into private hands for maintenance, additions, and improvements.

With a SLB, a government sells its real assets to a private entity and leases them back. This enables government entities to sell their property and receive an immediate cash infusion in exchange for an annual rental payment. There are many variations, but, generally, ownership of the property reverts to its original owners at the end of the lease period. During the lease period, control and management of the property remains with the lessee.

Just how significant might the cash infusions from SLBs be? One high-profile use of SLBs involved the state government of Arizona. It employed such contracts to cope with a 34% plunge in revenue and heightened demand for services arising from the Great Recession of 2007-09. In January 2010, the state raised $735.4 million by selling 14 state buildings via certificates of participation that promised institutional and individual buyers annual returns of 4.57% over 20 years and stipulated that the properties would be returned to state ownership at the end of the lease if all lease payments were made. The sale was so successful that the state raised another $300 million with a similar offering six months later. Thus, SLBs helped the state close a $2.6 billion budget deficit in 2010 with an immediate $1 billion cash infusion, though it took on about $76 million in annual lease payments over the following 20 years.

However, sale-and-leaseback instruments should not be seen merely as a means for governments to raise revenues. SLBs can yield tax advantages that enhance their appeal for both buyers and sellers. Because governments are tax-exempt property owners themselves, they cannot benefit from tax depreciation allowances. For this reason alone, government should be asset-lite (read: infrastructure-lite).

Private entities that buy government assets and then lease them back to the government can depreciate the assets purchased for tax purposes. In consequence, the private owners can maintain and upgrade infrastructure at lower net (after-tax) cost than if the government retained the asset ownership.

Instead of being asset-lite, government entities hold huge inventories of real assets, including infrastructure. For example, according to its most recent accounting statements, the government of Baltimore City owns approximately $4.4 billion worth of property that is potentially available for SLB contracts. Most cities and towns of any size similarly maintain holdings of physical assets that would carry depreciation allowance-related tax benefits if held in the for-profit sector. Therefore, the potential demand for SLB contracts is great. So, a key component of any federal initiatives on infrastructure must be the clarification and enhancement of existing depreciation provisions allowed for in SLB arrangements.

The up-front cash infusions from monetizing the infrastructure components of governmental balance sheets that are now essentially dead would provide cash strapped governments with funds that could be earmarked, in part, to invest in new infrastructure. But more importantly, SLBs would put the care, maintenance, and augmentation of infrastructure in private hands. Indeed, the most important part of all SLB arrangements are their provisions that dictate exactly how the private lessee must care for and augment the infrastructure projects in a cost-effective manner.

If the encouragement of sale-and-leaseback arrangements isnt a big part of bipartisan infrastructure initiatives, assets on governmental balance sheets will remain dead and infrastructure will remain dead in the water, too.

By Steve H. Hanke

www.cato.org/people/hanke.html

Twitter: @Steve_Hanke

Steve H. Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics and Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Prof. Hanke is also a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.; a Distinguished Professor at the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia; a Senior Advisor at the Renmin University of Chinas International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing; a Special Counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York; a member of the National Bank of Kuwaits International Advisory Board (chaired by Sir John Major); a member of the Financial Advisory Council of the United Arab Emirates; and a contributing editor at Globe Asia Magazine.

Copyright  2018 Steve H. Hanke - All Rights Reserved



Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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US President Trump has taken a "relaxed" approach in the aftermath of the Khashoggi case, but even if Washington would have taken punitive measures, consequences for oil markets would be limited.

Saudi Arabia  if we broke with them, I think your oil prices would go through the roof. Ive kept them down, President Trump told reporters on Tuesday. Theyve helped me keep them down. Right now we have low oil prices, or relatively. Id like to see it go down even lower  lower.

Oil prices have indeed fallen significantly in recent weeks, and to be sure, Saudi Arabia has played a large role in that. Saudi production reportedly hit a record high 11 million barrels per day (mb/d) at times this month, and global inventories are rising once again.

But Riyadh is also clearly upset at being duped by Trump. Having been convinced by the Trump administration that Irans oil exports were heading to zero, or at least close to zero, Saudi Arabia ramped up supply to offset the losses.

Read more

The US then surprised the market by issuing a bunch of waivers, allowing Iran to continue to export oil. Japan and South Korea may even resume buying oil from Iran in January, after cutting imports to zero in anticipation of sanctions.

Almost immediately after the waivers were issued, oil prices crashed. Saudi Arabia then promptly announced that it would cut production by 500,000 bpd in December, and the rumors of an OPEC+ cut really began to pick up.

Trump is happy about the slide in oil prices, but Saudi Arabia clearly isnt. Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ partners could soon take action to push prices back up. So, it isnt clear that Washington and Riyadh have the same objectives, or that their tight relationship is resulting in lower oil prices.

More to the point, however, is the odd belief in Washington that the US needs to keep Saudi Arabia close in order to keep the oil flowing. Trump said that oil prices would go through the roof if he broke with them. The US has coddled the Saudi monarchy for decades, and only very recently, with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi  likely at the order of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman  has the American foreign policy establishment finally begun to reevaluate the wisdom of the relationship.

The murder has put the focus on Saudi atrocities. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi security forces jailed and tortured womens-rights activists, even as the world gushed over the decision from crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow women to drive.

Whereas past US presidents, from both parties, maintained a close alliance with Riyadh in the face of horrific human rights abuses, using varying explanations of security and cooperation, the Trump administration is more brutally honest in its transactional approach. Trump talks about how the US makes billions off of weapons sales, while also enjoying lower oil prices.

Also on rt.com Russia isnt interested in joining new OPEC-led oil output cuts

But that last point, which is arguably considered conventional wisdom in Washington, doesnt really add up. While the US imported 1 mb/d from Saudi Arabia in August (a figure that has fluctuated over time but is down from between 1.5 and 2 mb/d in the mid-2000s), it doesnt really matter. The precise volumes of oil the US imports from Saudi Arabia isnt relevant.

What if the US did break with Saudi Arabia? What if the US condemned MbS, and took more punitive action towards Riyadh? Or, more significantly, downgraded the alliance with Saudi Arabia?

The fear implied in Trumps comments is that Saudi Arabia would somehow restrict exports to the US, a nonsensical scenario. Even if Saudi Arabia restricted shipments to the US, the oil would still flow elsewhere. Crude oil is a fungible commodity, in the jargon, which is to say that oil would still find its way to the US. If Saudi Arabia sent all of its oil to China instead of the US, that would simply displace oil heading from, say, Iraq to China. That Iraqi oil would then shift back to the US and the end result would be minimal.

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What if Saudi Arabia decided to significantly cut production in order to jack up prices in retaliation for punishment from Washington? Thats possible, in theory, but it would also be hugely painful to Saudi Arabia. Cutting production and exports would reduce sales for Saudi Arabia; higher prices would ignite an even stronger response from US shale; higher prices would aid Iran (Saudi Arabias enemy); and higher prices would also put pressure on the US to issue more waivers on importing oil from Iran in order to relieve market pressure. All of this would be hugely negative for Saudi Arabia, and that is even before we consider the fact that an oil price spike would accelerate the long-term switch off of oil and bring on peak oil demand faster. As Liam Denning put it for Bloomberg Opinion, using the oil weapon would be a self-own of colossal proportions. Thus, it simply wouldnt happen.

Yet, US politicians are dominated by this line of thinking. Im not going to tell a country that is spending hundreds of billions of dollars and has helped me do one thing very importantly  keep oil prices down so that theyre not going to $100 and $150 dollars a barrel, Trump told reporters.

Right now we have oil prices in great shape. Im not going to destroy the world economy, and Im not going to destroy the economy for our country by being foolish with Saudi Arabia.

He went on to add: If you want to see oil prices go to $150 a barrel  like, by the way, Russia would love to see that  all you have to do is break up our relationship with Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg Opinion called it Trumps Stage-Five MBS Clinging.

For emphasis, Trump reiterated this position early Thursday morning on twitter.

Its a mean & nasty world out there, the Middle East in particular. This is a long and historic commitment, & one that is absolutely vital to Americas national security. @SecPompeo I agree 100%. In addition, many Billions of Dollars of purchases made in US, big Jobs & Oil!

Saudi Arabia desperately needs the US for security, weapons and as a massive consumer of crude oil (Saudi Aramco also owns the largest oil refinery in the US, the Motiva facility in Port Arthur, Texas). For some reason, American officials have long thought that it is Saudi Arabia that holds all the cards.

This article was originally published on Oilprice.com
As Islamic State is on the retreat in the Middle East, the mantra of 'evil Russia' is making a comeback in the hearts and minds of UK strategists. The new chief of the General Staff says Moscow is now a greater threat than ISIS.

Russia indisputably poses a greater threat to Britain and its allies than Islamists groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), Gen. Mark Carleton-Smith said in his first interview since he was appointed chief of the General Staff. He also believes that Moscow is seeking to exploit Western vulnerabilities in cyberspace and in space.

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Moscow has demonstrated that it is prepared to use military force to secure and expand its own national interests, he told the Telegraph. Head-chopping Islamists apparently pale in comparison.

Carleton-Smith was speaking after visiting UK soldiers deployed to the Baltic country of Estonia, where Russia scareproponents have also been known to raise a few eyebrows. The general provided some clues as to why the so-called Russia threat has risen back to the top. The physical manifestation of the Islamist threat has diminished with the complete destruction of the geography of the so-called Caliphate, he said, recommending that the London and its allies focus their attention on Russia.

Carleton-Smith, who led the 22nd SAS regiment during the Western-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, has outlined what a conventional military response to Moscow would be  the capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov fired back on Saturday, saying:Thats the worldview of a country that has spelt out its right to use force arbitrarily regardless of UN Security Council resolutions.

In fact, some would argue that fanning fears over evil Russia are instrumental in explaining or justifying increased defense spending. It wouldnt be the first time the UK establishment has done so.

READ MORE: Russia threat ever more real: UKs May berates Moscow like recalcitrant child & offers salvation

That aside, the latest tough claim from the UK is echoing a similar bizarre statement made by Barack Obama in 2014. Not mincing his words, then-US President also said that Russia was more dangerous than Islamic State. Well, at least that evil has been surpassed by Ebola, according to the American leader.

With the perceived threat from Russia, NATO has not passed up the opportunity to bolster its military presence all the way to Russias Western border, including the Baltic region where massive war games frequently take place.

Additionally, it emerged in September that London will send troops to the Arctic to defend the region from Russia (an internationally recognized Arctic country). Around 800 Royal Marine and Army commandos will be deployed to Norway every winter throughout the next decade according to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who also did not hesitate to call the area the UKs own backyard.

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In a clash of the worlds most popular philosophers, avowed communist Slavoj Zizek attacked pseudo-scientific Jordan Peterson and Steven Pinker, who he described as his enemy, during an appearance at the Cambridge Union.

Zizek, who appeared at the prestigious universitys union earlier this month, rounded on his fellow philosophers in his typical unique style.

Having previously praised Peterson for his contentions with political correctness, Zizek denounced the Canadian for having fallen into this stupid trap of using the term of the contemporary right: cultural marxism.

The Slovenian leftist then provided a history of the term and the conspiracy theory narrative that surrounds it.

Previously Zizek argued that it was Petersons belief in cultural-marxism, a theory which is often labelled anti-semitic, that made him a fellow-traveller of the alt-right and undermined his claims to be a classic British liberal.

Zizek got a laugh from the Cambridge audience when hitting Petersons pseudo-scientific references; he cannot talk about women and marriage without mentioning lobsters, apes or whatever, said Zizek leading to laughs from the audience.

READ MORE: Slavoj Zizek: Until the rich world thinks 'one world,' migration will intensify

In another repost to Peterson, Zizek asserted that the problem with political correctness is not that its too fanatically marxist rather it's precisely that it's not marxist.

Moving onto Steven Pinker, who Zizek described as someone who is also my enemy, the philosopher stated that he was dubious of many of the Americans facts which have been used to argue that the present is much better than anytime in history.

Peterson has previously attempted to debate with Zizek, challenging him to publicly discuss the validity of my 'apparently' scientific theories. However philosophy fans were disappointed when it turned out that Peterson had, seemingly accidentally, responded to a Zizek quote bot Twitter account.

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Negotiations on the implementation of a free trade zone agreement between Moscow and Seoul may start in 2019, according to South Koreas ambassador in Moscow, Woo Yoon-keun.

Woo told TASS that the documents have already been submitted to the parliament [of the Republic of Korea]... We hope that next year we will start intensive negotiations.

An agreement on setting up a free trade zone between the countries was inked in June during the visit of South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Moscow.

Also on rt.com Regular ferry line will soon link Russia and South Korea

Seoul is seeking to significantly ramp up business with Moscow. It wants to speed up the building of the so-called nine bridges, meaning gas, railways, the Northern Sea Route, shipbuilding, job creation, fishing, and other types of cooperation.

Last year, trade between Seoul and Moscow grew 40 percent to $19 billion. The countries have joint projects in Russias Far East and economic ties can grow if the countries reach a breakthrough on gas deliveries.

READ MORE: Dumping the dollar: Iran & South Korea agree cross-currency trade

As part of a plan to expand bilateral economic cooperation, Russia and South Korea aim to launch a regular ferry line, connecting their major port cities.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
A US service member has been killed in Afghanistan, NATO-led Resolute Support mission has confirmed. The person has become the eighth American combat fatality this year, according to Reuters.

The identity of the victim has not been immediately disclosed and will be shared after the required military procedures are complete.

More than 2,400 US troops have died in the 17-year war, while the goal to defeat the Taliban, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), and Al-Qaeda is still far from being achieved.

Despite the fact that major combat operations were wrapped up years ago, a US contingent along with allied Western troops are still present in the country with the stated mission to train and assist local forces.

However, the Taliban, which operates in vast parts of the country and considers the American presence an invasion, has repeatedly said it will not engage in any meaningful peace process until US troops are withdrawn.

We will not tolerate a single US soldier in Afghanistan, Sher Mohammad Abbas, the head of the Taliban delegation, said at the international meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow.

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That aside, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced last year that more than 3,000 extra troops would be sent to Afghanistan amid deteriorating security.

Shortly after that, a report published by a division of the US Department of Defense revealed that the actual number of troops already on the ground is more than the Pentagon claimed (15,298 instead of the officially announced 14,000). The document forced the military to come clean and admit that figures quoted by US officials on troop deployment abroad are not always accurate.

With all the power of the NATO (and especially US) war machines, the crisis in Afghanistan still requires a political settlement.

This is not going to be won militarily. This is going to a political solution, General Austin S. Miller, who recently took leadership of NATOs Resolute Support mission, said in early November.

It has also been reported that a US representative for Afghanistan met the Taliban twice in several months in an apparent bid to bring the insurgents to the negotiating table.
NORRISTOWN  Nearly all results from the 2021 general election were certified Monday by members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Several races were on the Nov. 2 ballot including councils, school boards and judgeships. There were a total...
MERIDEN  New Jersey-based Castle Rock Equity Group is looking to sell Townline Square Plaza on South Broad Street, with an initial price tag of $48.5 million.

Castle Rock tapped Avison Young, a New York City-based commercial real estate services firm, to market the 311,290 square-foot shopping center, which it acquired just three years ago.

This premier Connecticut property is a fully stabilized, high-quality asset in a strategic location, offering an attractive opportunity to buyers looking for a turn-key retail investment, James Nelson, principal of tri-state investment sales, said in an October press release. There is a strong demand to own quality, grocery-anchored power centers such as Townline Square and the 7.6 percent cap rate will drive significant interest from investors seeking high stabilized returns.

Townline Squares 31 retail suites are fully leased, with national retail tenants including Marshalls, Michaels, Burlington Coat Factory, Pier 1 Imports, Skechers, PetSmart, and McDonalds alongside more regional names like Big Y and Edge Fitness.

According to Sean Cahill, director of the Fairfield/Westchester office, there is continued demand in the Connecticut market for large institutional grade centers like Townline.

Avison Young brokered the sale of Clinton Commons recently, according to media reports.

Castle Rock purchased Townline Square, 533 S. Broad St. (Route 5), in 2015 from Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. for $44.5 million. The plaza was built in 1989 and has been significantly upgraded.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @Cconnbiz
HARTFORD (AP)  Connecticuts TV and online public affairs network is back on track, just in time to cover a new General Assembly and a new governor.

The nonprofit Connecticut Public Affairs Network recently won back the contract to operate the Connecticut Network following a yearlong dispute with General Assembly leaders and the ultimate rebidding of the contract to operate the online and television network, which is somewhat similar to C-SPAN in Washington, D.C.

Going into a new legislative session and a new governor, this is an exciting time to be back working on this project, said William Bevacqua, president of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network.

Adam Joseph, spokesman for the Senate Democrats, said legislative leaders and the Office of Legislative Management, which oversees the legislative complex in Hartford, reviewed several proposals to operate the network. He said they ultimately chose the Connecticut Public Affairs Network because it had the most cost-effective bid, experience running the Connecticut Network and an interest in keeping the current staff.

He said this new deal means taxpayers and viewers can expect the same quality of coverage at a lower price.

Connecticut Public Affairs Network announced last November it was terminating its agreement with the legislature to operate Connecticut Network, citing devastating state budget cuts and encroachments on our editorial independence. The nonprofit vendor had been at odds with lawmakers over the level of coverage dedicated to the General Assembly. Some lawmakers had voiced concerns about ancillary programming Connecticut Network was producing, such as a now-defunct public affairs show.

The Office of Legislative Management then took over the network temporarily, at first airing a loop of reruns. Connecticut Network staff received layoff notices, but some were later invited to return back to work.

Connecticut Public Affairs Networks new three-year contract with the Office of Legislative Management, which took effect Nov. 1, will be about $1.8 million a year. Bevacqua said its roughly $1 million less than the previous contract, which means Connecticut Networks extra programming will not be returning when the new legislative session opens in January. Bevacqua said a dozen of the employees who were working with the Office Legislative Management under temporary terms have been officially hired back, while nine others who were laid off last year have not been rehired.

We brought in the core production staff which had been keeping the network going for the past year, he said, adding how Connecticut Public Affairs Network still needs to determine its technical plan going forward, such as how to provide closed captioning services. The state Bond Commission last fall approved about $1 billion in borrowing for new equipment for Connecticut Network, including cameras and a new video service that will complete an upgrade to high-definition service.

He said CT-N will now focus again on its core mission of covering events involving the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, such as gavel-to-gavel coverage of legislative sessions.

But Bevacqua said the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which is dedicated to improving civic literacy in Connecticut, is considering a way to still provide additional educational and explanatory programming about state government. That would be through a separate media project with separate funding, possibly from private grants. The network currently has other projects unrelated to Connecticut Network, including overseeing the operations and programming at the Old State House in Hartford and operating the Kid Governor initiative, where a 5th grade student is chosen annually from a statewide election involving fellow fifth graders across Connecticut for a one-year term.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: It was the turn of Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu to bat for genuine credit needs of the gems and jewellery industry, just a week after his ministerial colleague Nitin Gadkari complained about the Central banks regulatory measures blocking financial closure of infrastructure projects. Prabhu, speaking at the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) event in New Delhi on Friday, said he has taken up the issue of funds for an industry that is one of the largert exporters and job creators in the country.

Credit to the gems and jewellery industry got tightened after the unfolding of Nirav Modi scandal, where Punjab National Bank was left gaping with a multi-million loss over fraudulent Letters of Undertaking, and a similar modus operandi by Geetanjali Gems. Apart from credit, the minister also flagged the issue the industry has been complaining about, the import duty on gold, the main raw material for the industry.



We seek ease of doing business and rationalisation of import duties on gold to 4 per cent, so as to reduce working capital blockages and give impetus to value-added gold jewellery exports, said Pramod Kumar Agrawal, chairman, GJEPC. The industry is also seeking reduction in the duty on diamond from 7.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

Prabhu said the ministries are looking at the industrys demand of cutting import duty on gold to 4 per cent from the current 10 per cent. India has the potential to double its gold jewellery exports to $18 billion by 2025 and add 3 million more jobs to the 5 million people directly employed by the industry, Agrawal said.
Low-cost air carrier IndiGo has announced a 5-day Fare-tastic Winters! offer under which flight tickets can be booked for as low as Rs 899 for domestic flights and Rs 3,199 for international flights.

The offer began on November 21 and will close on November 25. The interested customers can be booked for travel from 6 December 2018 to 15 April 2019, IndiGo website said, adding discounts on seats will be subjected to availability.

Fares on Mumbai- Delhi start from Rs 1,899. Starting fares on some other IndiGo routes include Bengaluru- Ahmedabad Rs 1,999, Bengaluru-Bhubaneswar Rs 2,199, Bengaluru-Bangkok Rs 5,999, Mumbai-Ahmedabad Rs 1,299, Mumbai-Bhubaneswar Rs 2,999, Mumbai Chennai Rs 2599, Mumbai- Delhi Rs 1,899, Mumbai-Surat Rs1,399, Delhi-Ahmedabad Rs 1,599, Delhi- Chennai Rs 2,899 and Delhi-Nagpur Rs 1,499, according to Indigo website.

Our Sale will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, So kick-start winters with fares starting 899. Book your flights today!, airline website announced the offer.

Winter is coming and we are giving you yet another reason to rejoice it! With fares starting as low as 899, it will be unfair if you dont take that trip. Book your flights today. https://t.co/3jPoXkFfg8 pic.twitter.com/YqZdi9WULl  IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 24, 2018

IndiGos all-inclusive Rs 899 fare is valid for flight bookings made through all channels during the offer period. The offer is valid for bookings made during the offer period, at least 15 days prior to the date of departure, provided that the date of travel is no later than 15 April 2019, IndiGo said.


By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A male sanitary worker of the SRM Institute of Science and Technology was arrested on Friday on the charge of sexually harassing a female student when she was alone in an elevator on the campus on Thursday.

The action was taken a day after the students staged a protest alleging that the student's complaint was initially not taken seriously and instead, she was shamed with questions about her dress style. A statement from the college on Friday said the hostel warden had been suspended.

"Seeking the consent of the parents resulted in a slight delay in lodging a complaint with the police, during which students became restless. Subsequently, the institution lodged a complaint with the police who swung into action and arrested the culprit around 3.30 am. Following the incident, a committee looked into the issue and subsequently, the warden was suspended. It is also looking into measures for strengthening safety and security of the students on the campus," said the statement from the institution.

The alleged incident took place on Thursday afternoon when the female student got into an elevator in the hostel building. The students alleged the worker unzipped his pant and started stimulating himself in front of the woman student and also prevented her from getting out of the elevator.

Police on Thursday identified the accused as Arjunan Subramanian, who is said to be engaged on contract to collect food waste from the mess.

A senior police officer said the accused has been booked under IPC sections 354 (outraging the modesty of women) and 294b (obscene act in public). Meanwhile, another student at the college, residing in the same hostel, told Express, "There are about eight functional lifts in the building, which are accessed by the workers and the students. The authorities could have allotted two lifts for the workers and six for the students. We had already raised complaints about the workers peeping through the windows of the hostel where the girls would be sleeping. Yet, no action was taken."
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A case has been registered against unnamed people on Saturday after two Tanzanian women complained that they were wrongfully restrained at Dwarka in Delhi, police said.

The two woman complained that they were wrongfully restrained in Harsh Vihar, Kakrola, on the evening of November 22 following an unsubstantiated rumour of kidnapping in the area, a senior police officer said.

A case has been registered at Dwarka (North) police station and investigation is underway, the official said.

Four Tanzanian women were rescued after a hostile crowd gathered outside their homes in Dwarka following rumours that they were cannibals and were abducting children, police said Friday.

Later, a police patrol party, while conducting searches in the area, found that two Nigerian men were locked inside a room and rescued them as well, they said, adding, there were rumours about them also being cannibals.

There were allegations about the foreign nationals being assaulted by the locals, but police dismissed the reports as baseless, saying they were rescued safely.

A police official had said the women were rescued Thursday evening after police received a series of calls informing them that they had an altercation with the locals.

When police teams reached there, they found that a crowd had gathered in front of the women's house and allegations were afloat that they had killed a child and eaten his flesh.

There was no assault on the Africans, police had said, adding all the six were brought to police station for their safety and no one was injured.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vijay Kumar Dev is the new chief secretary of the National Capital. Known for his strict action against the corrupt, the 1987 batch IAS officer of AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Union Territories) cadre will succeed Anshu Prakash, who was transferred to the Department of Telecommunications in the Centre. His appointment was made superseding 1986-batch IAS officer Manoj Parida, who is currently serving as additional chief secretary (home) and principal secretary in the Public Works Department (PWD).

Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev

The CEO has held many portfolios in the Delhi administration in the past, Dev, an electrical engineer by profession, has also served in Chandigarh. Officials, who have worked with Dev, vouch his out of the box thinking and for his initiatives that led to efficient functioning of the revenue department.

The senior bureaucrat has his task cut out as his predecessor Anshu Prakash did not share best of the ties with the AAP government after he was allegedly attacked in midnight hours by AAP MLAs at the official residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in February.

It went all downhill from there with official work coming to a near standstill, as bureaucrats stopped attending meetings with the ministers, the deputy chief minister and the CM. The impasse forced Kejriwal to complain about the non-cooperation by officials and he even went on a sit-in protest for a few days at the Raj Niwas.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain Saturday said he was scheduled to travel to Australia on the invitation of a university in Sydney and claimed that the central government has "denied permission" to him for it.

Sources in the central government, however said, in case of political clearance for Jain, a "considered decision" was taken based on inputs from its mission, and any suggestion to the contrary is "incorrect".

A delegation led by Jain was to visit Australia on the invitation of University of Melbourne and George Institute in Sydney.

The schedule included a dialogue on Mohalla Clinics and health revolution in Delhi, with the Victoria government, the Delhi government said in a statement.

"The BJP-led central government declined permission to Satyendar Jain to travel to Australia," the Delhi government alleged, and claimed, the MEA has said that permission was denied "from a political angle".

"I would like to know the exact reason behind the MEA's political angle," Jain was quoted as saying in the statement.

Sources in the central government said, a decision on political clearance for a foreign visit by the ministry is taken based on "several considerations".

These include inputs from mission which take into account a number of factors such as the participation of the host government, the source of the invitation, the nature of the event, level of participation, source of funding of the visit and the nature of hospitality, they said.

"In the case of political clearance for Satyendar Jain's visit to Australia, a considered decision was taken based on these inputs, and any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect," a source said.

The Delhi government said, the University of Melbourne was slated to host a dialogue on health and its diverse aspects with representatives of the Delhi Health Department and Victoria Government to explore the possibilities to engage in the field of public health and universal healthcare on November 26-27.

"The BJP-led Union government has once again shown how much they fear the good work of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and how they don't want the good work of the Delhi government to be showcased," the city government alleged.

Jain was supposed to deliver a lecture on the health care initiative taken by the government of Delhi and share the experience on the launching of extensive universal healthcare reforms in Delhi, it said.

"The meeting had lot of scope for mutual learning and collaboration in the field of universal health care (UHC).

It is stated that Australia's existing health infrastructure and systems are one of the best in the world," the statement said.

In the meeting other public health issues, dengue and possible solutions with the help of latest healthcare technologies developed by scientists in Australia were to be discussed.

The delegation was supposed to see the functioning of a few health facilities and visit George Institute of Global Health, Sydney to learn best practices in public health, the statement said.

"The Mohalla Clinics made by the Delhi government has been praised not only by several world leaders and governments but also been applauded by international media time and again.

Several delegations of health experts, international governments and researchers have visited these clinics in Delhi," it said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Muslims will be left without burial space in the National Capital if remedial measures such as allocation of land and provision of temporary graves are not arranged for them, the Delhi Minorities Commission has warned. After a survey of all Muslim graveyards in Delhi, the Commission pointed out that against an average of 13,000 Muslim funerals every year, there were 29,370 vacancies in the existing graveyards till 2017.

This means that at the present pace, there will be no space left after one year from now unless some remedial strategies are adopted, the report reads. According to records, there are 704 Muslim graveyards in various parts of Delhi, out of which only 131 are functional. Out of the functioning 131 graveyards, 16 are not operational due to litigation, while 43 others have been encroached upon by different entities.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had released the report, prepared by the minorities panel, on Thursday. The study titled Problems and Status of Muslim Graveyards in Delhi was conducted by the Commission through Human Development Society in 2017. Islam is followed by 12.86% of the Delhis total population, as per the 2011 Census.

According to the Commission, most graveyards in the city are small, measuring 10 bighas or less and 46 per cent of them measure five bighas or less. The report further states very few graveyards were developed in the recent past despite the growing need due to the rise in population as a result of natural growth and immigration from other parts of the country. As per the report, the findings were already presented to the Delhi government, various departments and organisations to plan a remedy.

Same problems for Christians as well

It is not just the Muslims who face this problem. The Christians  comprising 0.87 per cent of the National Capitals total population  are also in need for more cemeteries to rest the dead.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Despite the Kochi Corporation receiving a stay from the High Court on the National Green Tribunal order on Brahmapuram waste treatment plant, the Kochi Corporation is still groping in the dark to resolve the crisis it created.

Though staying the NGT directive for two months, the HC asked the civic body to submit Rs 1 crore as bank guarantee with Central and State Pollution Control Boards within three weeks. The special council meeting on Friday failed to a take decision on the Rs 1 crore with the ruling council failing to get the support of the Opposition.

The NGT had slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore for the inordinate delay in setting up a treatment plant at Brahmapuram. It has also been asked to realise the proposed waste-to-energy plant in six months and to submit a performance guarantee of Rs 3 crore within a period of 15 days.

Though the Corporation included the agenda to get the council nod, the Opposition asked to put it to vote knowing the UDF councillors are not adequate to pass the agenda. With Mayor Soumini Jain refusing to put it on the agenda, the Opposition staged a protest in front of the Mayors podium. Finally, the Mayor left the chair announcing the decision on the agenda will be taken in the next special council.

It is the lackadaisical attitude of the Kochi Corporation in dealing with some important matters which has resulted in such a huge burden to the Corporation. The Mayor is responsible for this and she should resign, said K J Antony during the council meeting.

However, the Mayor defended the allegation saying the Corporation has taken a timely decision to evade the penalty.

Meanwhile, the council session approved the request for road cutting for pipeline laying submitted by the Indian Oil-Adani Gas Private Ltd for the City Gas project. Unified price for the crematorium was also proposed during the council meeting.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The dissolution of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly gave more ammo to Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu to fire fresh salvo on the Narendra Modi government. Condemning the dissolution of J&K Assembly, he minced no words and termed it undemocratic and unconstitutional.

It has reflected the dictatorial attitude of the BJP government. It is nothing but punching holes in cooperative federalism. Irrespective of politics, all political parties, peoples associations, progressive thinkers and the entire nation should condemn the dissolution of J&K Assembly, Naidu said, in a statement here on Thursday.

It was highly deplorable that J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik did not respond to the claim made by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti that she had enough support to form the government in the State. All the developments such as non-functioning of fax machine in Raj Bhavan and non-availability of the Governor had proved the interference of the BJP Central leadership in J&K affairs, Naidu said and observed that there were no signs of upholding the Constitutional values and dignity of Raj Bhavan in the entire episode.He said after withdrawing support to Muftis government in less than 26 months, the BJP government imposed Governors rule in J&K and now dissolved the Assembly in less than six months.Apart from misusing the Governors institution, the Centre is trying to disturb the administration of State governments through Governors, the Chief Minister said.

Stating that the entire nation is watching how the BJP, with the sole aim of getting power in various States, had ruined the democracy and values during the past four-and-a-half years, he said despite the Congress emerged as the single largest party in Goa, the BJP formed government and when it came to Karnataka the same BJP formed government on the pretext that it emerged as the single largest party. Everyone knows, how BS Yeddyurappa failed to prove his majority in the Assembly, Naidu said.

Did we see any PM of India except Modi asking the RBI to hand over cash reserves to the government? Had we come across the top CBI officials making complaints against each other? The BJP leaders are damaging the reputation of RBI, CBI, CAG, ED and I-T, he said and added that the saffron party should be ready to pay a heavy price for its undemocratic ways as the people are waiting to teach it a befitting lesson.

Naidu confident of Grand Alliance victory in Telangana

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with Telangana Telugu Desam leaders on Thursday and enquired about the partys poll preparedness. Sources said that Naidu exuded confidence of Grand Alliance victory in Telangana. It is amply evident that TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is not confident of victory in the elections with his statements that he is not going to lose anything if his party is defeated, Naidu reportedly told the Telangana TDP leaders

Assembly session in Dec Vijayawada: The winter session of the AP Legislature is set to commence in the second week of December. According to sources, the State government is planning to hold the session, coinciding with the winter session of Parliament
Anuraag Singh By

Express News Service

BHOPAL: Narmade Sansad, a congregation of Hindu seers led by Namdev Das Tyagi alias Computer Baba in Jabalpur on Friday, gave a call to support the opposition Congress in the November 28 assembly elections for uprooting the 15-year-old BJP regime from Madhya Pradesh.

The Sansad while announcing to support the Congress in the coming poll, also cautioned the Congress that the support of Hindu seers to it was only for five years and if the party didn't further the cause of Hindu religion and river Narmada after coming to power, it will also be uprooted from power after five years.

The Naramada Sansad organized at Gwari Ghat, the main ghat on the banks of river Narmada in Jabalpur (330 km from Bhopal) saw a participation of other Hindu seers and religious leaders, including Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who is the founder of Kalki Peeth in Sambhal and is known to have Congress leanings.

Presiding over the congregation of seers and Hindu religious leaders, the Indore-based Computer Baba continued his tirade against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, which had granted status of Ministers of State (MoS) to him and four other Hindu religious leaders in April.

"The saints will support the Congress, when we can give 15 years to the BJP, we can surely give five years to Congress also. If the Congress upholds dharma, we'll go with them in future also or else dump them just like BJP," said Computer Baba, who had resigned as the MoS in October, accusing the CM and his government of neglecting the cause of river Narmada and cow.

It now remains to be seen what effect the open declaration by the religious congregation will have on the electorate in the state ahead of November 28 polls, particularly as most of those present at the gathering of saffron-clad sadhus and sanyasis came from other states.

On November 1, the 53-year-old Computer Baba had been expelled as Mahamandaleshwar of the Digambar Ani Akhara. The decision which was also ratified by the Akhara Parishad (the governing body of the 13 akharas) also included banning his entry into the January-February 2019 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj (Allahabad) for indulging in political activities.
By PTI

CHHATARPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress Saturday, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother.

Addressing a rally here, Modi, in an apparent dig at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said 125 crore people of the country were the "high-command" of his government, which was "not remote-controlled by a madam."

Hitting out at the Congress on Babbar's remarks, he said, "When one doesn't have issues to talk about, he resorts to abusing somebody else's mother." The Congress leader had kicked up a row in Indore Thursday when he compared the falling value of rupee against US dollar with the age of the prime minister's mother.

Attacking Gandhi, Modi alleged that "coffers of banks were emptied for the rich during the madam's government."

"However, our government opened doors of banks for the needy youth," Modi said. The prime minister asked why the Congress was worried about Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being called "mama".

"They are worried Shivraj is called mama. Why, don't you remember (Ottavio) Quattrocchi mama and Warren Anderson (then chairman of the Union Carbide) mama," he said, referring to the Bofors scandal and the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

He said the Congress was voted out of power in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago because it indulged in divisiveness politics
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Almost a year and half after six farmers were killed in police firing during the violent farmers stir in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally arrived in the West MP district on Saturday, addressing poll rally in support of party candidates from Mandsaur, Neemuch and Ratlam districts.

The PM invoked the persona of Sardar Patel at the rally, blamed the wrong policies of the erstwhile Congress regimes at the centre and state and reiterated his government's commitment to double the income of farmers by 2022, but he didn't speak anything about the killing of six farmers in police firing at two separate places in the same Mandsaur district on June 6, 2017.

Out of his 50-minute speech, Modi dedicated around 39 minutes to farmers and agriculture, blaming erstwhile Congress regimes squarely for the farmers' plight and ended the speech by appealing the electorate to ensure that not a single seat in Mandsaur is won by Congress in the coming polls.

"Ensure that the Congress isn't able to win even a single seat from Mandsaur, as only after being wiped out again will they learn not to stoke fire again in future," said Modi, apparently blaming the Congress for the 2017 violence.

"Had Sardar Patel been the first PM of the country, the lives of farmers would have never been ruined during the 55-50 years of Congress regime in the country. The hardships being faced by farmers presently are the result of the wrong policies of previous Congress governments. It's due to those lapses only that our present government too is getting defamed," said Modi.

ALSO READ | Madhya Pradesh Election: PM Modi targets Indira Gandhi, says 'garibi hatao' was a false promise, bank nationalisation a fraud

While narrating the works being done by his government and the BJP government in the state over 15 years for farmers welfare, including neem coating of urea, increasing irrigation five times more than previous governments in MP and bringing farmers and other marginalized sections into the banking mainstream through Jan Dhan accounts, the PM said for removing the sins of the last five-six decades, his government needed some more time.

Continuing to attack the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi with his namdar jibe, Modi cautioned the crowd about the Congress' farmers' loan waiver promise made in MP.

"They made the same promise in Karnataka a few months back, but after coming to power from back gate with HD Deve Gowda's help, they are issuing warrants to defaulter farmers and putting them in jail, forcing farmers to protest on streets. Similar hoodwinking was done by them when they were in power at centre, as in 2008 they announced a loan waiver.

But out of the total 6 lakh crore outstanding loans of farmers, then central government only waived off Rs 60,000 crore worth bank loans, a large part of which pertained to those who were ineligible to be covered by it.

"At poll rally in Bundelkhand, Modi hits back on Congress for dragging his mother in elections earlier in the day, while addressing a poll rally in Chhatarpur district of Bundelkhand region, Modi had said "unable to compete with me on development front, the Congress has stooped to such a low in election campaigning that they are abusing my mother.

My mother even doesn't know R of Rajniti (politics), but they are dragging her name in electoral politics, I'm confident that women present here will give the Congress the deserving reply for it in the coming polls.

"A visibly upset PM was referring to the remarks by UP Congress chief Raj Babbar at a poll meeting in Indore on Thursday, where Babbar had equated the falling value of rupee to the age of Modi's mother.The PM also slammed Congress party leaders for often calling MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Shakuni and Kans Mama.

"Before referring to our CM with such names, the Congress leaders should also remember mamas of its own leaders, Mama Quattrocchi (Bofors scam) and Mama Anderson (prime accused of 1984 Bhopal Gas disaster who was allowed to flee in special plane to US by the Congress regimes at the centre and in MP).

"Taking a dig at the erstwhile UPA regime, the PM accused the government "remote controlled by Madam Sonia Gandhi" of emptying coffers of a bank for loaning the rich between 2006 and 2014.

While reiterating the resolve to continue the crackdown against black money, Modi said the new law enacted a year back has already helped in seizing assets worth over Rs 40,000 crore owned by the rich and famous (even abroad) who looted banks in the past.

"The mother-son duo (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) which is out on bail is critical of demonetization because many of those known to them could have lost their black money. I assure them my fight against corruption will continue till the time every penny looted from the people of our country is not brought back."

On Sunday, the PM will address two more rallies in Jabalpur and Vidisha for the November 28 poll.
Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will mount an aggressive campaign in Rajasthan from November 26 with the hope of an encore of its 2017 victory in Gujarat. Unprecedented electioneering efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah had clinched victory in Gujarat in the face of strong anti-incumbency.

Now, with elections turning the corner in Rajasthan, party functionaries privy to the discussions said the ruling party would mount an unprecedented campaign. The troika of the BJP chief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, besides others will unleash an aggressive Rajasthan election campaigning with aims to swing the outcome, said the functionary. Adityanath will lead the charge with as many as 30 rallies in the state between November 26 and December 4.

On the day the Election Commission had announced the poll dates for Gujarat, the BJP chief had a copy of an internal assessment, which stated that the party would be winning just 50 Assembly seats in a House of 182. Afterwards, the BJPs micro-management and high voltage campaign by Modi helped the party win 99 seats... said another senior BJP functionary.

Unlike his low-key campaign in Chhattisgarh, the PM will hold about a dozen rallies in Rajasthan. With a number of districts being beneficiaries of Narmada water, the PM enjoys quite a formidable support base, he added.
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Congress in Rajasthan Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP president Amit Shah alleging that he had provoked his party's workers against leaders of the opposition party during his recent visit to Bikaner.

It also filed complaints with the poll panel against Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Srichand Kriplani and BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav.

The Congress alleged that BJP chief Shah, the minister and the legislator had violated the model code of conduct in the state, where elections are due on December 7.

"Shah during his recent visit to Bikaner had provoked his party workers against Congress leaders."

"Minister and BJP candidate from Nimbahera (Kriplani) had invoked sentiments of the public by telling people that he will commit suicide if they did not vote him to power," Rajasthan Congress spokesperson Sushil Sharma said here.

In an apparent reference to the illegal sand mining in Rajasthan, he said BJP MLA Ramhet Singh Yadav, that party's candidate from Alwar's Kishangarh Bas, made a remark which was in contempt of a Supreme Court order.

In a video, Yadav was seen purportedly seeking votes by telling people that "it is Ramhet Yadav's Sarkar, therefore loaded tractors are plying".

Sharma also said a complaint has been lodged with the EC against Rajasthan Administrative Service officer Rajesh Chauhan.

Rajesh's wife Shobha Chauhan is contesting the elections as a BJP candidate from Sojat and he is violating service rules and also the model code of conduct by working like a BJP worker, he alleged.

We have lodged a complaint with the election commission against them for violation code of conduct, Sharma said.
By PTI

JAIPUR: Western Rajasthan's Pokhran assembly constituency is set for a close fight on December 7 between a Hindu religious leader fielded by the BJP and son of Muslim 'peer' pitted against him by the Congress.

The BJP candidate, Pratap Puri, is the head of the Taratara 'math'.

The Congress' Shale Mohammad is the son of Muslim religious leader Gazi Fakir, who has a large number of followers both within India and across the border in Pakistan.

Both Puri and Fakir hold considerable sway among their communities, making the Pokhran constituency in Jaisalmer district one of the state's most hotly contested seats.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath and Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address rallies in support of Puri and Mohammad, respectively, on Monday, setting the tone for the rest of the campaign in the region better known for the nuclear tests in 1998.

Puri expressed confidence that the BJP will win the Pokhran seat and blamed the Congress for making the contest "communal" by fielding a Muslim candidate against him.

Protection of Hindus and cows has always been an important issue, he said.

"Hindutva is in my veins and the party is going to win the election which has been made communal by the Congress by fielding a Muslim candidate against me," the BJP candidate told PTI.

Religious leaders should be in politics for its purification, Puri (51), who hails from the influential Rajput community, said.

"The people are with the BJP because they have faith in the party's policies and in leaders like Narendra Modi," he said.

His Barmer-based 'math', which holds considerable influence in the entire Jodhpur division, is pulling out all stops to win over the electorate, conducting social and religious activities.

"We hold drug de-addiction camps, provide education to poor children and work for cow conservation, besides conducting several other social activities," Puri said.

The Congress candidate, Mohammad, said his focus was core issues like drinking water and other basic amenities for people in Pokhran, which has a total electorate of 1.94 lakh.

"People here face difficulties in getting drinking water and fodder for cattle. The constituency lacks healthcare facilities and I am focusing on that," he said.

Mohammad (41) had lost the 2013 assembly elections from the same seat to BJP's Shaitan Singh with a margin of 34,444 votes.

Mohammad's father, an octogenarian, boasts of a strong following in the Sindhi Muslim community and has several criminal cases against him.

There are an estimated 55,000 Muslim voters, 45,000-48,000 and Rajput voters in Pokhran.

It also has around 35,000 Dalit voters, according to the candidates.

Pokhran is one of the two assembly constituencies of the desert district of Jaisalmer.

The second constituency, Jaisalmer, will also see a direct contest between BJP candidate Sang Singh Bhati and Congress' Roopa Ram.

The BJP chose Sang Singh Bhati over its sitting MLA Chotu Singh Bhati, while the Congress has fielded Ram for the second time after 2013.

A total of 11 and 18 candidates are in the fray in Pokhran and Jaisalmer respectively.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Sleuths seem to have finally zeroed in on the kingpin smuggling cash into the State for election needs of netas. Meet 40-year-old Faheem, who is supposed to have good relations with political leaders cutting across party lines in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Faheems name sprung up after the Task Force arrested two persons for transporting Rs 97 lakh.

Cops are now closely monitoring the activities and movements of Faheem and one Rajesh, both residents of SP Road and key accused in the hawala case. The duo is currently absconding. Faheem, who allegedly does real estate business in the city, has made illegal transactions from Dubai, Mumbai, Rajasthan and other places. He is understood to have good contacts with businessmen and political leaders. Police officials say they have information that Faheem has stockpiled huge amounts, in cash, in the city. Based on requests, he gets his workers to deliver the cash to customers. Rajesh is believed to be the protector of the unaccounted cash, say cops. The seized Rs 97 lakh was supposed to be distributed among public as bribe for votes.

We have seized three mobiles from the accused who were arrested. Using their call and WhatsApp data, we will track movements and activities of Faheem and Rajesh, added cops. Preliminary probe has revealed that the seized amount was procured from a businessman based in Rajasthan. I-T officials have sought information to conduct their own probe.

Hawala operator details

Faheem, real estate businessman, Hussainialam

Rajesh, business, SP road, Secunderabad

Bhabut Singh Raj Purohit, businessman, Shahinayathgunj

Jayesh Kumar Patel, Gujarat
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: It was her first visit to the youngest State of India -- in the formation of which she and her party played a crucial role -- and Congress matriarch Sonia Gandhi did not fail to strike an emotive chord with the public. I feel like a mother meeting her children after a long time, she said, addressing a massive public gathering in Medchal on Friday.

I remember the difficulties we faced during the formation of Telangana. It was not an easy task, Congress had to pay a heavy price for it, she recalled. But the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party took the decision to deliver Telangana considering the aspirations of the people here, she said. Every mother wishes her children grow up, prosper and achieve their dreams. I felt the same way for Telangana, but later, I was very sad to see the TRS government shattering those dreams, she said. How many promises have been fulfilled? Have they delivered Neellu, Niyamakalu, Nidhulu for Telangana? Have these been fulfilled? she asked.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi wave at the crowd at a public meeting at Medchal, in Hyderabad on Friday. (left) The huge crowd, who gathered to hear Sonia speak, who was on her maiden visit to the State after its formation | Vinay Madapu

She also made an effort to reach out to the people of Andhra Pradesh and soothe their wounds of bifurcation. We weighed the interests of both Telangana and Andhra people. That is why while delivering the new State, we announced Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh. We are committed to fulfilling that promise, she said.

She said the new State was formed to ensure people get better access to water, funds and jobs. But, farmers are still committing suicides. Forget access to water, TRS has even weakened the Land Acquisition Act introduced by UPA. They failed to implement MGNREGA. Youth are unemployed and they feel betrayed. Self-help Groups of Telangana, that once stood as role models for the State, have been destroyed.

Telanganas parenting fell into the wrong hands: Sonia

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was dejected looking at the way TRS has governed the State.

Has TRS taken any initiative for the betterment of disadvantaged sections like Dalits, tribals, and minorities? Have they done anything for the farmers, youngsters, the women? All that they did was for one family, she said.

You all know, especially women know, if a child does not get proper parenting and nutrition during the initial years, then he will face a lot of problems in the future and growth will be affected. Unfortunately, Telanganas parenting fell into the hands of those who looked after only their welfare and neglected people, making them destitute she said. The 16-minute speech of the veteran leader was followed up by her son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. This is a historic meeting. Sonia Gandhi who stood by Telangana people during the Statehood movement has come to meet you. I say with pride that she is on your side, he said.

This State was formed with the sweat and blood of Telangana people. But over the last four years, only one person and his family reaped the fruits. I will not speak much, but the only thing I want to say is that we will put an end to TRS rule. Congress, TJS, CPI and TDP have come together and formed Peoples Front to end KCRs rule, said Rahul Gandhi.
By Express News Service

Midhu Elizabeth George rediscovered God in the midst of her frantic research for her doctoral thesis. It was during an internship in May that she saw the first trailers for the film Raazi. Upon some research, she discovered that the movie was based on the book Calling Sehmat by Harinder Sikka. "I was quite moved by the story right from the first look," she says. "When I read up on it further, my first thought was that the book had a lot of potential in the research world. Once I made the decision and got a very enthusiastic approval from my course coordinator, I randomly messaged the author on Facebook asking him for an interview. It all started from there."

The very next day, Harinder Sikka gave her an interview through email. As she began working on the project, he would reach out to her time and again to inquire about how far she had progressed with the work. Once she sent him the final copy, Harinder's publisher, Penguin Random House floated the idea of him giving a talk at St Teresa's College, where Midhu was studying. After it's debut in the world of film, Midhu's project would be the book's debut into the academic realm.

Titled 'Situating Trauma in the Ambit of Biopolitics: A Reading of Calling Sehmat', Midhu's thesis analysed three aspects of the book: A life narrative, the biopolitical context of it and the traumatic experiences that were faced by Sehmat following the events that transpired in Pakistan. "I am planning to publish it as soon as possible," affirms Midhu. She adds, "When Harinder spoke at our college, it was honestly a turning point in my life. Until a moment before that, I had a lot of doubts in my mind. I have dedicated 7 years of my life to Literature. And you know how people treat those who opt for this path in life. I somehow still held on to it. I believe this was all possible only because of perseverance."

"Harinder has made me believe in humanity again. He is sort of an angel for me. I have never seen such a wonderful person in my life who actually puts his words into action," she says. Midhu goes on with unbridled awe, "There were many points where I felt like giving up because this an entirely new topic and I had nothing to refer to. Somehow, his encouragement and the mysterious aura of Sehmat guided me. She was like a guiding light who helped me through him. I don't know what the word is for the mystic presence she has had in my life. But I have seen it and it has changed my life. I have never met her or seen her, but I have felt her through my writing." We caught up with Harinder Sikka as he was preparing to address an auditorium filled with young enthusiastic women. Excerpts:

How did you discover 'Sehmat'?

I left the navy prematurely in 1993. I went on to join the Piramal Group where I continue to work to this day. In 1999, I joined as a freelance journalist during the Kargil War. During this time, an incident happened where I questioned the integrity of the intelligence here. I asked them how we could have allowed the enemy to sit over our heads. One officer stood up and said, 'Everybody is not a traitor, my mother certainly was not.' This was when I started digging up about this incorruptible matriarch. I decided to christen her with the codename 'Sehmat'.

Could you give us an idea of the journey through which you put this story together?

My research went on for about 8 years. Initially, she wouldn't speak to me at all. All I got were some bits and pieces from here and there. With whatever she gave me, I built the walls around which the structure of this story came to life. Calling Sehmat was first released in 2008 and the film came out 10 years later in 2018. Lo and behold, it has now become a famous film and a bestselling book in the country and abroad. After the release of the book, everything fell together in a beautiful manner. It has been a journey that has changed my life. It changed my very concept and understanding of what it means to work for your country.

How did you convince Sehmat that the story deserved to be told?

The truth is that I didn't need to convince Sehmat of much. I just didn't budge. I was adamant and she realised that I was being adamant. She realised that I was not going to back away without knowing her story. In the beginning, she would give me only bits and pieces. I would write entire chapters and send them to her. She would cut many parts of what I had written because she thought I was overdoing it. But just the simple fact that she would leave at least 30 per cent of what I had written helped me see that I was almost on the right track. She also wanted me to remain sober and lay low during the writing process, which I respect to this day. I think a relationship was built around this whole process because we respected each other.

What do you hope people and this country learns from Sehmat's story?

People should first understand that women have sacrificed a lot. It should also be driven into their heads that Kashmiris are not traitors, and that calling them traitors repeatedly is equivalent to driving them towards being one. People live under the impression that Pakistan is their home ground. But what we need to talk about is the fact the Kashmiri people only get waylaid because we are pushing them to get waylaid. I asked the former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of the External Intelligence Agency how is it that we spent almost 8,000 crores over a decade in order to control terrorism in the Valley when most of this money has only funded politicians, bureaucrats and separatists. So we must ask ourselves if we are actually keeping terror alive in order to earn that money.

What can this story teach us about the relationship between these two countries?

Pakistan is a wonderful country. The Pakistani people were wonderful to me during the two visits I had made to research the story. The only problem is the militant nature of everything around it. 60 per cent of the land in Pakistan is owned by generals. The truth is If they don't create hatred, they will lose a lot of this stuff. The same thing happens in India as well. Our politicians are no less corrupted. They survive because they have created enough hatred for us in the name of religion and caste. Nature tells us that there is only one God. But in their language, unless one God fights with the other, how will they continue to reap from the benefits of hate?

Do you believe that the system can change in the near future?

I have been told that the current government has put a blockage on terror funding but much more needs to be done, otherwise, mothers will lose their innocent children. The very fact that Calling Sehmat and the film Raazi were all banned in Pakistan shows that they realise that if Kashmiri women stop sending their children to Jihad as a result of this story, Pakistan will lose a lot. So they put me under threat. Whether it is Pakistan or us, the terror never ends. Many separatists, terrorists or unwanted politicians benefit from the way the system works. So we do not need to look outward for enemies, we have them within. That is the aim of telling the world this story, what this ordinary woman from Kashmir has done for all of us. Why do we use these words, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian? First talk about being Indian.

What is the most urgent change that we need?

We need a leader. Fact is that masters cannot lead. They only know how to survive on a daily basis. We may have Narendra Modi who I daresay cannot be corrupt because he has nothing to pass on to anybody. But we don't have a system which is clean. From the very beginning, we are taught that to get admission in school, you need to pay a donation. Our system is engraved into negativity. Companies and individuals are simply fighting over this illusory idea of being better than each other. You can find an LED TV in every house regardless of whether people can afford it or not. This system is so broken that people are willing to even sell themselves to keep it running. And if we are not careful, this will be the cause for our downfall.

(This story originally appeared in Edex Live)
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Actor-turned-politician M H Ambareesh (66), fondly known as Mandyada Gandu and Rebel Star, died of cardiac arrest in the city on Saturday. The actors death came barely hours after he had expressed his grief at the death of 30 people in a bus accident earlier in the day in Mandya district. The state government has announced a 3-day mourning.

He is survived by wife, actress Sumalatha, and son Abhishek, also an actor. According to a statement from Vikram Hospital, Ambareesh was found unresponsive at his residence and shifted to the hospital. However, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 10.15pm, it said.

ALSO READ: Actors and politicians mourn loss of Kannada 'Rebel' actor Ambareesh

Thousands of fans, as well as politicians and officials, rushed to the hospital but many were denied entry. Only Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, actor Puneeth Rajkumar and a few others were let into the hospital.

Ambareesh had acted in over 200 films. He entered the tinsel world with Nagarahavu, alongside another Kannada film legend Vishnuvardhan. With this movie, directed by the legendary Puttanna Kannagal in 1972, Ambareesh carved a niche for himself in the Kannada film industry, particularly as an angry man, earning the title Rebel Star. He was last seen in Ambi Ning Vayassaytho (Ambi, you have aged), which released in September this year.

GALLERY: Here are some rare pictures of the South Indian actor

Ambareesh also had a successful career in politics, having been an MLA, a Lok Sabha member and a former minister at the state and central levels. He was a member of parliament from Mandya for three terms. He was minister for housing in the previous government and had resigned as MLA from the Siddaramaiah-led government after being dropped as a minister.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth condoled the death of the veteran Kannada actor, calling him his best friend.

A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish, he said in the tweet.

A wonderful human being ... my best friend ... I have lost you today and will miss you ... Rest In Peace #Ambrish  Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) November 24, 2018

Funeral on Monday

3-day mourning has been announced

Body to be kept for public viewing at Kanteerava stadium from 8am on Sunday

Funeral at Kanteerava studio on Monday

Getting into films was just good fortune, actor Ambareesh had said in his last interview with The New Indian Express. He was talking about his fate which brought him so much fame on the silver screen. A friend of mine thought I looked like Shatrughan Sinha, I never wanted to get into films, but destiny brought me

here, he had said.

The actor, revered by many in his hometown as well as across the state, earned a name for himself with his many acts of charity. Popular with his fans for his unique style of holding a cigarette, this mannerism got him his break with Puttanna Kanagal and there was no looking back since then.

A strong pillar of the Kannada film industry, Ambareesh was known as Ajata Shatru (one with no enemies). With his death, the industry has lost the last warrior of Kannada filmdom.

ALSO READ: Veteran Kannada actor Ambareesh's body to be kept at Kanteerava stadium for people to pay homage

Born Malavalli Huchche Gowda Amaranath on May 29, 1952, in Maddur taluk of Mandya district, Ambareesh grew up as a rebel. He was the grandson of legendary violinist T Chowdaiah (the violin-shaped Chowdaiah Memorial Hall near Sankey Tank in Malleswaram is built in his name).

Ambareesh made his debut in the Kannada cinema Nagarahavu in the role of Jaleela. Discovered by S R Puttanna Kanagal, Amarnath changed his name to Ambareesh and later came to be known as Mandyada Gandu. Ambareesh acted in about 208 films in a four-and-a-half decade career. He was a winner as a politician too  during his tenure as Union cabinet minister, he gained a lot of respect for his views and opinions.

The actors latest bite to a television channel was for Vijay Raghavendras Kismat. Though his recent film was Ambi Ning Vayassaitho, which he said was the last film he would be seen in, Munirathnas film Kurukshetra will be his last film where he plays Bhishma, which was slated for release earlier, but was delayed.

Ambareesh was also called Dhanashoora Karna because of his various contributions to charity and his willingness to help anyone who approached him. After Dr Rajkumar and Dr Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh was the other biggest star. He won the NTR award a few years back and was known as the Shotgun Sinha of Kannada cinema. His bold statements earned him immense respect and the image of a person with a clean heart.

It was his role in the acclaimed movie Antha that really catapulted Ambareesh to the top and he maintained his image as the rebel star till his last breath. Ambareesh married Sumalatha on December 8, 1991. She has acted in over 175 films in south Indian languages as well as in Hindi. The couple have a son, Abhishek.

Confident as always, the actor had once quipped in an interview, I am a super survivor. My films make money, producers are delighted and offers to keep pouring in.

He won the elections to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998, 13th Lok Sabha and 14th Lok Sabha and became Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting. He resigned in support of the people of his constituency in connection with the Cauvery water dispute. Ambareesh, hailing from the land of sugarcane, was popular even with those who he would scold in his trademark tone.
By Online Desk

Kannada actor-turned-politician Ambareesh died of cardiac arrest in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday evening.

The veteran actor has acted in over 200 films, started his career in 1972, playing negative roles before becoming a lead actor. Ambareesh, who is fondly known as the 'Rebel star' had a huge fan following in his career which spanned over 50 years in the industry.

GALLERY: Here are some rare pictures of the South Indian actor Ambareesh

The noted Kannada actor, a three-time Lok Sabha member and also a former state minister, had not been keeping well in recent years. The legendary actor, who is also popularly known as 'Ambi,' is survived by his wife, actress Sumalatha and son Abhishek.

As soon as the news of his demise broke out, fans began gathering outside the private hospital where he breathed his last.

Ambareesh Fans outside Vikram Hospital in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/HBFZ63IF9U  Pushkar_TNIE (@pushkarv) November 24, 2018

Condolence messages from the legendary actor's co-actors, party workers and followers started flooding Twitter after his family announced the news.

"An era of love and affection in the Kannada Film industry has ended," tweets Chief Minister of Karnataka, H D Kumaraswamy

Deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely death of my beloved friend #Ambareesh.



In his death, an era of love and affection in the Kannada Film industry has ended.



With Ambarish I enjoyed a friendship that went beyond political affiliations and films.  CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 24, 2018

#Ambareesh was a rebel who was loved by all. He carved a unique place in both politics and films. He leaves back a legacy that will be cherished by his family, friends, fans and followers.



May his soul rest in peace and his family and friends get the strength to bear this loss.  CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 24, 2018

Former Karnataka chief minister Sadananda Gowda expressed sadness over the loss of his leader's death

Yet another shocking news , Gentleman actor , Loved by all human , Former Union State Minister Sri Amabarish is no more . He had enlightened so many lives with his generosity . pic.twitter.com/518WzIEykN  Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) November 24, 2018

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted condolences

He was not just a great actor, not just a proven politician but also great human being. Ambareesh, u ll be missed.



I am deeply pained by his death. My condolences to all his family members, friends & well-wishers. pic.twitter.com/UitCU7MHss  Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 24, 2018

"Completely shell shocked," says actress Khushbu Sundar

Completely shell shocked..not able to come to terms..mind says it has to be untrue.. sudden demise of our great friend #Ambreeshji has left us shattered and heartbroken.. our thoughts are with his wife #Suma mam n his son #Abhi n the entire family..#RIP #Ambareesh Sirpic.twitter.com/rTBuFHkxX9  Khushbu Sundar.. (BJPwaalon ab thoda araam karlo) (@khushsundar) November 24, 2018

Actress Radikaa Sarathkumar tweeted her condolences

#Ambareesh what a wonderful human being, , such a wonderful person. Will miss you terribly. My heart goes out to Suma and family. So heartbreaking. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/Zb3bt3GCwd  Radikaa Sarathkumar (@realradikaa) November 24, 2018

Congress offered tribute to the veteran actor

We are shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely passing of former union minister, veteran actor and Congress leader Dr. Ambareesh. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. pic.twitter.com/avwM2rwqiv  Congress (@INCIndia) November 24, 2018

All India Mahila Congress expressed grief over the death of the 'Rebel' star

We are shocked and saddened to hear the news of the demise of former union minister, veteran actor and Congress leader Dr. Ambareesh. Our prayers are with his family. pic.twitter.com/POpMPEXuxk  All India Mahila Congress (@MahilaCongress) November 24, 2018

The Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala mourned the loss of the former Union Minister

Saddened to know about the demise of immensely popular actor and former Union Minister Ambareesh ji.



My deepest condolences to his family, friends, followers, millions of fans and especially to the people of Mandya and beyond.



May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/gTG13CZY5k  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 24, 2018

"We will miss the great human being," tweeted Actor Sarath Kumar

A legend is no more, shocking and unbelievable,we will miss the great human being pic.twitter.com/gvPftTravZ  R Sarath Kumar (@realsarathkumar) November 24, 2018

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Saturday said the body of veteran Kannada actor and Congress leader M H Ambareesh will be kept at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here Sunday for people to pay their last respects. The CM also said he will make arrangements for buses from Mandya for those who want to come to the city and pay their respects to their beloved 'Ambi.'

The Karnataka state government has announced a three-day mourning period.
Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

Director: Danis Tanovic

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Geetanjali Thapa, Satyadeep Mishra

Rating: 3.5 stars

Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovics much-awaited Tigers, which released on Zee5 on November 21, casts an unflinching eye at unethical marketing practices in Pakistans baby formula industry. The film is based on real-life whistleblower Syed Aamir Raza, a former sales representative for Nestle Pakistan who battled the Swiss food-and-drink multinational for over 17 years. Now he drives a taxi in Mississauga, Canada and works the graveyard shift. The title, Tigers, alludes to a moniker bestowed upon new sales recruits, who are trained to be ferocious go-getters and thus, for effect, growl.

The growling befits the films leading man, Emraan Hashmi, an undeniably talented actor so well past the erotic purring of his early years. Emraans character is given the fictionalised name Ayan (Nestle, too, becomes Lasta, but not without a sly subversion).

We meet Ayan as a skillful but down-on-his-luck salesman working for local pharmaceutical companies in 90s Pakistan. Under questionable circumstances, he is hired without a college degree by Lastas division head Bilal (a foxy Adil Hussain) who pushes him to peddle the companys signature baby formula that  unbeknownst to Ayan  doesnt gel with the countrys unsafe drinking water, killing hundreds of children.

Hashmi is terrific in the opening stretches of the film. Veteran actors Supriya Pathak and Vinod Nagpal appear as Ayans parents and Geetanjali Thapa as his newly wedded wife, while Satyadeep Mishra plays the conscientious Dr Faiz who makes Ayan see the dark underside of his doings. Will Ayan  unlikely David up against a milk-faced Goliath  finally raise his voice? Will there be any takers for his version of the truth, despite glaring loopholes in the mans credibility? After all can a forger be a flagbearer, and a salesman a saint?

Tanovic approaches the factual conundrums of his subject matter with (pretend?) caution. Theres a self-reflexive tone to the whole affair, as Ayan recounts his story over webcam to filmmakers considering an adaptation. The device is cleverly deployed, claiming objectivity while simultaneously manipulating us with emotional cues. Its mildly disconcerting to watch fiction borrow the tools of documentary as protective headgear.

The use of unsettling data and real-life footage to portray the horrors of a global reality, yet the most affecting notes of their narrative remain the personal ones, such as Ayan sitting on a sofa with a box of formula and watching his son. Its a victory and a loss for Tigers digital release.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: If proof was needed that the Bharatiya Janata Party is flush with funds, here it is: the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC)s latest data shows that the BJP was the top advertising brand in television in the 46th week of 2018. With 22,099 advertisement insertions during the week November 10-16, the BJP was at number one, beating Netflix with 12,951 and Trivago at 12,795 insertions.

Santoor Sandal and Turmeric with 11,222 insertions and Dettol Liquid Soap with 9,487 occupied the fourth and fifth slots. Amazon Prime Video was in the ninth slot with 8,031 insertions. The other advertisers which featured in the top 10 are Wipe, Colgate dental cream, Dettol toilet soaps and Roop Mantra Ayur face cream.

The BARC comes out with a list of 10 advertisers, brands and channels on a weekly basis. The BJPs coffers have been swelling ever since the party came to power at the Centre. According to an Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) report released earlier this year, the BJP declared the highest total income of Rs 1034.27 crore during 2016-17. The Congress was a distant second, with a declared income of Rs 225.36 crore, the ADR said.

Reacting to the BARC report, the BJP tweeted from its official handle: Media peddles fake news about BJP becoming the top advertiser on television (sic). A senior party functionary said the BJP is the largest political outfit in the world, leading the country of a billion plus. The Congress has been reduced to the status of a regional political outfit thus theres no national political party with which the BJP could be compared on advertisement spending, the senior party leader added.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, They need to find out what this means in monetary terms, how much money has the BJP been spending on advertising in these elections. The Election Commission must take cognisance of its impact on probity and integrity of the elections.
Manish Anand and Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI/ LUCKNOW: Ratcheting up their campaign ahead of a Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya, BJP leaders on Friday gave conflicting indications on taking the ordinance route to build the Ram temple at the disputed site.

While Ravindra Kushwaha, BJP MP from Salempur, claimed the Centre would bring a bill to facilitate construction of the temple in the upcoming winter session of Parliament and go for an ordinance if it was blocked in the Rajya Sabha, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ruled out the ordinance. Efforts are being made to build consensus on this issue. There is no scope for an ordinance on it, Khattar said.

Stirring the pot, Sakshi Maharaj, the controversial BJP MP from Unnao, gave a call to demolish the Jama Masjid in Delhi, claiming it was built after demolishing a temple during the Mughal rule.

With Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray scheduled to reach Ayodhya on Saturday, party leader Sanjay Raut said Ram bhakts took just 17 minutes to demolish the Babri mosque, wondering how long the government would take to bring in a law for temple construction.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which is organising the Sabha on Sunday, is learnt to have submitted memorandums to BJP MPs urging them to scale up the ordinance pitch in Parliament. Also, Hindutva hardliner Murli Manohar Joshi sought resolution of the Ram temple issue.

While the VHP and the RSS are on the same page on the issue, the BJP is learnt to be tacitly supporting it.

With the forthcoming Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan showing signs of rural distress impacting the overall electoral outcome, a section of BJP leaders argue the party would have to bank on the development and the mandir agenda in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. A big turnout at Sundays event could set the tone for the eventual build-up of the emotive issue.

Sena chief to visit Ayodhya

Raising the pitch over the demand for an ordinance on Ram temple, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday wondered why the government takes so long to bring in a law to construct the Ram temple given that it took only 17 minutes for devotees of Ram to bring down the Babri mosque. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is to visit Ayodhya on Saturday

All eyes on VHPs mega event on Sunday



Ayodhya: Vishva Hindu Parishads dharam sabha (religious conclave) on the Ram temple issue is also slated to be here on Sunday. VHP expects at least one lakh people to attend the event
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Union government will renovate the historic Jallianwala Bagh in 2019 to mark the centenary year of the massacre, Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma said here on Friday.The minister visited the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Friday to review the preparations for the remembrance of the tragic event. Jallianwala Bagh shall undergo necessary redevelopment and will be upgraded. Jallianwala Bagh shall continue to remind the younger generation on the sacrifices made during the freedom struggle, said Sharma.

The government is planning to create suitable infrastructure to provide basic amenities for tourists, the minister said. A number of commemorative as well as constructive activities will be taken up during this period. A committee has been constituted to ensure the timely implementation of providing basic amenities for visitors, renovation, and beautification of the memorial and developing virtual reality theme-based show at the memorial.

We will also develop the site around the well where people gave up their lives, he added.A commemorative coin and postage stamps will be released on April 13, 2019  the day the tragedy happened in 1919. The government will also organise cultural activities such as poets meet, plays, exhibitions, and seminars across the country in this regard.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Targeting the Centre for undermining central and state institutions, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Friday said the RBI and CBI are imploding and the government does not know how to manage these institutions. Mitra said there is a serious attack on federalism and the BJP government is undermining the power of states.

Calling the perceived rift between RBI and the government and the two warring factions in the CBI as a reflection of poor governance on the part of the Modi government, Mitra said: This government does not know how to manage institutions.

They have to learn. This is only a symptom of a disease. No such incident of conflict in institutions was reported during previous governments.

Indian economy is seriously impaired, RBI is imploding, CBI is imploding and there is growing NPAs in major banks. Every parameter of Indian economy is in critical condition and there is a fear psychosis in the financial system, he said.

There has been report of a rift between the RBI and government and RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya had publically said that undermining the central banks independence could be catastrophic.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Narmade Sansad, a congregation of Hindu seers led by Namdev Das Tyagi alias Computer Baba in Jabalpur on Friday, announced its support for the opposition Congress in the November 28 Assembly elections. The Sansad, while making the announcement, also cautioned the Congress that the support was only for five years and if the party didnt further the cause of the Hindu religion and the river Narmada after coming to power, it will also be uprooted after five years.

The Naramade Sansad organized at Gwari Ghat, the main ghat on the banks of river Narmada in Jabalpur saw the participation of other Hindu seers and religious leaders, including Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who is the founder of Kalki Peeth in Sambhal.

Presiding over the congregation, Indore-based Computer Baba continued his tirade against the government, which had granted the status of Ministers of State (MoS) to him and four other Hindu religious leaders in April. ...when we can give 15 years to the BJP, we can surely give five years to Congress also... said the godman, who resigned as the MoS in October, accusing the CM of neglecting the cause of river Narmada and the cow.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Entire Sikandara police station was booked for murder of a 32-year-old man who died in police custody after he was tortured in front of his 55-year-old mother in Agra. An inspector and two sub-inspectors were also suspended in the case.

Victim Hemant Kumar alias Raju Gupta was picked up by police from his rented house in Narendra Enclave on Gailana Road on the charges of theft on Wednesday evening after his neighbour alleged that he had stolen jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh from his house.

Raju's mother Reenu Lata claimed that her son was mentally retarded and worked as a help at Anshul's chemical shop. Anshul charged her son with theft saying he had stolen jewellery from his house and handed him over to police. She added that the cops thrashed her son in lock-up in front of her despite her repeated pleas for mercy.

Her husband, Om Prakash Gupta, a bank manager with SBI, died in 2001. The mother and son lived on rent, while Reenu's two married daughters live in Vrindavan and Delhi.

Raju's mtoerh also said that next morning she was called to the police station and her son was tortured infront of her inside the police station. She claimed that she was dropped home in the evening but her son was not released from the lock-up. At 9 pm, she was allegedly informed by cops that Raju was dead.

On Friday, police videographed Raju's postmortem which was conducted by a panel of SN Medical College doctors. The autopsy report said that Raju's death was caused due to myocardial infarction (heart attack) and minor injuries on shoulder, arms and legs.

According to SSP Agra, Amit Pathak three cops, including inspector Rishipal, sub-inspectors Anuj Sirohi and Tejveer Singh of Sikandra police station were suspended and an FIR was lodged against all those deployed at Sikandra police station. Besides two of the victim's neighbours, Anshul Pratap Singh and Vivek were also booked in the case. However, Anshul and Vivek have been absconding since the fateful day.
Ramananda Sengupta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: New Delhi on Friday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over Indian consular officials being abused, harassed and denied access to Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan and the blatant promotion of Khalistani ideology at Gurdawaras being visited by these pilgrims. The protest comes a day after India and Pakistan announced they would open the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India wanting to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur  some 5 km across the International border in Pakistan  for Guru Nanaks 550th birth anniversary next year.

..despite having been granted prior travel permission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the Consular officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were harassed and denied access on 21 November and 22 November 2018 at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Sacha Sauda to the Indian pilgrims visiting Pakistan under the Bilateral Protocol. As a result of such harassment, they were compelled to return to Islamabad without performing their diplomatic and consular duties vis-a-vis Indian pilgrims, the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.

Both nations allow these annual pilgrimages under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, 1974. While Pakistan, in a special gesture, issued over 3800 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India this year, 144 Pakistani Zaireen (Muslim pilgrims) are visiting Sirhind in India for the annual Urs celebrations and to pay obeisance at the Shrine of Sheikh Faruqi Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf Sani).

Noting that this was the third time such an incident had occurred on the pretext of security in order to deflect attention from Pakistans violation of the international legal instruments and conventions, the MEA statement said that Pakistan has been reminded that this is in contrast to the treatment meted out to their High Commissioner and the Consular officials in New Delhi who have been provided full access to meet the Pakistani pilgrims who are currently in India on pilgrimage to Kalyar Sharif .

Reports say the main reason for denial of access to Indian officials is because both Nankana Sahib and Sacha Sauda gurdwaras are awash with anti-India and pro-Khalistani posters and other propaganda.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Asserting that the country is passing through a difficult phase, former president Pranab Mukherjee has said that the land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is now in news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day national conference on 'Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation', Mukherjee stated, "We are holding this conference at a time when the country is passing through a difficult phase. Reading the newspapers in the morning is a painful and a distressing experience. The headlines are all about violence, anger, and hatred. The land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the civilizational ethos of tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, is now in the news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights."

"Peace and harmony prevail when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy, and aggression from our everyday lives," he added.

Stressing on the need of providing basic facilities to the citizens of India, Mukherjee said happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitant's basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy, and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. "People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured. Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace," he noted.

"For peaceful and harmonious social transformation, the society must have the capacity to meet the basic human needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities to enhance and sustain the quality of their lives and create the conditions for all individuals to reach their full potential. Where people are largely dependent on the governments for basic amenities, good governance has a vital role to play in such transformation," he said.

Mukherjee also touched upon the issue of widespread "cynicism and disillusionment growing with the governance and functioning of the institutions such as Election Commission, Comptroller And Auditor General (CAG) and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)".

"Institutions are a mirror of national character. To save our democracy, these institutions must win back the trust of the people, without any delay. Our constitution provides a delicate balance of power between various institutions of the State. This balance has to be maintained. We need a parliament that debates, discusses and decides. We need a judiciary that gives justice without delays. We need leadership that is committed to the nation and those values that made us a great civilization. We need a state that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us. We need media and citizens who, even as they claim their rights, are equally committed to their responsibilities," the 82-year-old leader said.

Pranab Mukherjee also spoke on the poor quality of education in India and said that improving it should be placed on the top of the priority list. "India has one of the largest education systems in the world but the quality of education is far from satisfactory. India ranks second from the bottom in a list of 12 countries where some Grade 2 students were found to be unable to read a single word from a short text. Improving the standards of education at the primary, secondary and university level has to be our top priority. Our educational institutions should take the lead in meeting the moral challenges of our times and ensure that our civilizational values of love, compassion, tolerance, the performance of duty and respect for women and elderly get deeply entrenched in young minds," the veteran opined.

In his concluding statement, Mukherjee urged everyone, including the politicians and academicians, to work together, to carve out the path for a "violence-free transformation of the society towards peace, harmony, and happiness".
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Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: As saffron parties gather for the two big events, Muslims in Ayodhya were found to be a bit restless but unwilling to leave the city.

However, the district administration authorities and the divisional commissioner Manoj Mishra reached out the Muslim population of the temple town to assure them of a foolproof security during VHP's Dharam Sabha on Sunday.

While the state government sealed the Muslim dominated localities of Ayodhya with the deployment of a huge contingent of police forces, the security of the main litigant of Ramjanmabhumi-Babri Masjid title suit, Iqbal Ansari was also increased on Saturday evening.

Notably, Ansari had threatened last week that if his security would not be increased in the wake of a congregation of Hindu devotees at VHP's event, he would be forced to leave the temple town.

However, reacting to the build-up in Ayodhya, Zafaryab jilani, Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) convenor and a lawyer representing the Muslim side in Supreme Court in the title suit, claimed that a situation similar to 1992 had re-emerged in the temple town.

"It is nothing but a strategy of the BJP and RSS to whip up temple sentiments started when elections to five states were declared," said Jilani. he added that after keeping silent for four years now they wanted to project their concern for the temple cause and reap its benefit in poll-bound states.

ALSO READ | Spell out date for Ram temple construction, says Uddhav Thackeray in Ayodhya

Claiming that entire Ayodhya, including the Muslims and Hindus, was suffering equally because of such events, Jilani said it was wrong to rake up the issue in such a manner as it amounted to contempt when it was sub-judice in Supreme Court of the country.

Jilani admitted that though Muslims were scared owing to the huge congregation, strict security arrangements were in place in the temple town.

However, he claimed that he and other leaders of his community were keeping an eye on the situation.

"I need arises and they feel scared, I have asked Muslims families to come to Lucknow till the VHP event gets over," said Jilani.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Continuing their new-found bonhomie, the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday took on former PDP minister and new entrant to BJP ally Sajjad Gani Lone's Peoples Conference Imran Ansari and accused him of being an "RSS-poster boy" and alleged that his family is involved in scam, land grab and income tax issues.

NC chief spokesman Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi accused Imran Ansari, former PDP minister and influential Shia leader, of being a power-hungry politician.

"The Sidhra land scandal, Income tax issues, PNB default cases and other land grab issues are reflective of his family's moral disposition," he said.

He alleged that Ansaris have been changing loyalties intermittently. Mehdi, who is also an influential Shia leader, said Ansaris have been making brief stopovers in various parties.

"At one point of time, they sided with Janata Party, then Congress, NC, PDP and now PC".Terming Imran as "RSS-poster boy", he said, "RSS-henchmen are referring to a fig leaf of 'change' to conceal their deceitful politics and fondness for RSS. The poster boys and proxies of RSS shall be rebuffed by people of J&K".

The NC spokesman said Ansari has been trying to get entry into NC but owing to his fluctuating loyalties, party decided against it. Ansari, who joined Sajjad Lone's PC few days back, had yesterday accused Abdullahs of "looting public money to fill their coffers".

He had alleged that Abdullahs have made property worth hundreds of crores of rupees after being in politics and power over the years. "This is despite the fact Omar's grandfather and NC founder and former chief minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was just a teacher."Ansari had alleged that Abdullahs have houses in London, France, Gurugaon, New Delhi, Srinagar, etc, have luxury vehicles worth crores of rupees and wear clothes worth lakhs of rupees.

A senior PDP leader also hit out at Ansari and accused him of being involved in scam.

"I can remind him of several scams including that of Sidhra scam to elaborate how money is made in politics," senior PDP leader and MLA Firdous Tak tweeted.

Indirectly referring to Ansari and Sajjad, he said they have got nothing except for the rhyme of "change". "These RSS backed parties need to be stopped from hatching a sinister and insalubrious conspiracy against the residents of J&K and India".

Referring to Sajad Lone's claim that they had the support of over 18 MLAs from different parties besides support from BJP to form the government, Tak said, "Forget MLAs, they don't have even real followers on social media. They have hired fake trolls for twitter. God be with them".

The NC, PDP and Congress had on Wednesday formed "grand alliance" to form the government in the State. But the experiment failed as Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the State Assembly after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Sajjad Lone wrote separate letters to Governor staking claim to form the government.
Sanjib Kumar Roy By

Express News Service

PORT BLAIR: After failing to get any fresh lead on the body of an American preacher, who is believed to have been killed by the Sentinelese tribe in the North Sentinel Island in the Andamans, the local police obtained seven days custody of three of the seven people arrested in the case. The seven people, arrested under various sections, had earlier been sent to judicial remand.

ALSO READ: American national survived one attack in Andaman and Nicobar island as arrow hit Bible

The body of 27-year-old John Allen Chau was spotted by five fishermen on November 17. They will be interrogated for leads on various aspects of the case, including the sequence of events and the sea route taken by five of the accused, all fishermen while ferrying Chau to the North Sentinel Island. We will also look to gather more information on the exact location where the victim got off the boat and the place where he was last seen, Vijay Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, South Andaman, told media persons on Friday.

Police said the journals, which the preacher wrote between November 14 and 16 before he was killed, would be examined for leads if any.Well also try to ascertain if the victim had taken the help of local fishermen to venture to North Sentinel Island earlier. In order to get a clearer picture of the events that preceded his killing, we are sending another police team to of North Sentinel Island, he said.

ALSO READ: American on deadly trip to Andaman and Nicobar island: 'God sheltered me'

With the Sentinelese considered an untra-sensitive tribe, and, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), police are taking the help of anthropologists, academics, forest department officials and a local guide in its investigation and bid to retrieve the body, the SP said.

According to highly placed sources, a police team, which went to North Sentinel Island for a recce, returned on Friday afternoon without being able to locate the preachers body. It has emerged that Chau, along with his friend Alexander and another local resident, had cut a deal with five fishermen to drop him off near North Sentinel Island. They paid Rs 25,000 for a ride to the remote island, sources said.

According to one of the journals that Chau left behind, he went to the island to introduce Jesus to Sentinelese people.
By Online Desk

The Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday arrived in Ayodhya for a two-day visit, to seek the darshan of Lord Ram and participate in the 'Dharma Sabha' arranged by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Thackeray will seek the blessings of saints and address a rally at Lakshman Quila at 2.30pm. The Shiv Sena supremo is scheduled to visit the makeshift Ram Temple at 9 am on Sunday.

In his visit, he is expected to attend several events, batting for the early construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The leader said that he would use the slogan 'Pehle Mandir, fir Sarkaar'.

Around 4000 Shiv Sena members will join Thackeray in Ayodhya, have already reached Ayodhya in two special trains from Thane and Nashik. Police sources said there would be over two lakh people converging on Ayodhya on what is now being called the 'Super Sunday'.

State police has sounded an alert, fearing law and order problem during the VHPs Dharam Sabha on Sunday. This is expected to be the largest gathering in the town since 1992, when thousands of Kar Sevaks had razed the Babri Masjid.

What is worrying the security agencies, insiders say, is the fact that many VHP and even the ruling BJP lawmakers have openly threatened a "repeat of 1992" on Sunday. Beria (Barabanki district) legislator Surendra Singh has publicly said that if things do not move fast towards an early announcement of the Ram temple, "they will not hesitate in taking law in their hands".

The Yogi Adityanath government is treading with caution. On the one hand, the government has said that "Ram bhakts" can gather in Ayodhya and perform rituals, on the other, it has asked the police and the district administration to be extra vigilant.

The Shiv Sena has ademanded an ordinance or executive order for the construction of a Ram temple and claims it has the support of more than 400 members of Parliament cutting across party lines.

Thackeray had earlier announced that he would carry soil from Shivneri fort, the birthplace of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji near Pune district, to the temple town.

On Friday, ahead of the saffron camp in this temple town, Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut had created a flutter by saying when Babri Masjid could be demolished in 17 minutes, why it was taking so long for a law to build a temple there. "We demolished the Babri Masjid in 17 minutes but for paper work why it is taking so much time...for drafting a law or ordinance," he had told reporters.

Raut demanded that the government enact a law for "quick construction of a grand Ram temple" in Ayodhya.

A Shiv Sena leader, who is now camping in the temple town said: "From Rashtrapati Bhavan to Uttar Pradesh, there is BJP government. In Rajya Sabha there are a lot of members who support Ram temple."

This Ayodhya visit comes months after Shiv Sena's announcement that they will be contesting elections independently.

(inputs from IANS)
By PTI

MUMBAI: In a veiled attack on the BJP over the Ram temple issue, the Shiv Sena Saturday said those talking about it had kept Lord Ram in "exile" in Ayodhya, despite being in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.

The Sena reiterated its demand that an ordinance be brought before 2019 for constructing the temple.

Without naming the BJP, the Shiv Sena likened it to 'Kumbhakarna', a character from the epic Ramayana mythicised for his long sleeping spells.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is in Ayodhya to wake "Kumbhakarna" from his "deep slumber" to set the ball rolling for the temple's construction, the party said.

Thackeray arrived in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh Saturday afternoon along with his family for a two-day visit.

The Shiv Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', claimed that the sentiment among Hindus, now, was "first temple and then government".

"The promise of constructing the temple was given in each election; the temple, however, has not yet been created despite those talking about it being in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.

Lord Ram has gone into exile in Ayodhya itself," the editorial said.

"This is the biggest betrayal. Those who came to power being Ram devotees have turned in to Kumbhakarna," it said.

The Shiv Sena said the 'Mahabharat' involved five villages, but the 'Mahabharat' in Ayodhya was for constructing the temple.

"To realise the natural truth of (constructing) Ram temple on his birth land, we should fight to win," it said.

Referring to Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya, the party added, "Maharashtra has been a born fighter. Maharashtra has built Ram Setu (bridge) to Ayodhya. We are heading to Ayodhya using this Setu.
By ANI

BHOPAL: With Assembly elections just around the corner in Madhya Pradesh, electioneering has reached its peak in the state.

In an attempt to garner support for the candidates belonging to his political party- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday will address scores of rallies in the state's Janpad Sagar, Vidisha, Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain regions.

The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held for 230 seats on November 28. The result will be declared on December 11.

With just a few days left for the polls, the state has been witnessing high-octane campaigning by political parties. Several prominent leaders including, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and many others have been holding several rallies in the state.

The elections in the state are being seen as a major political battle between senior Congress leader Arun Yadav and incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as they will face off each other in Budhni.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Two years after he announced his intentions to withdraw his protest against Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) and its promoter Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE), former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has decided to take on the infrastructure giant yet again.

Holding the owners of NICE responsible for the plight of residents of a layout near Hoskerehalli, Gowda suggested that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara take the next step forward against NICE based on the House Committee reports recommendations.

The JD(S) supremo met residents of Pramod Layout near Hoskerehalli NICE Road on Friday. Residents highlighted the lack of basic facilities apart from the alleged harassment they face on a regular basis from NICE officials.

Seventeen acres in Pramod Layout and 50 acres in Hoskerehalli was acquired for the NICE Road. When Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister he had claimed that land compensation elsewhere would not be possible. I know of all the illegalities that have taken place in different times, Deve Gowda said addressing the reporters.
K Shiva Kumar By

Express News Service

MYSURU: On a day the coalition government completed six months in office, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had to face some embarrassment and farmers anger in the JD(S) bastion.

Jaikumar

Hours before his visit to Mandya to inaugurate development works on Friday, two farmers, unable to repay loans, committed suicide.

In his death note addressed to the CM, one of the farmers, Jaikumar (43) of Kanahatti village in Pandavapura taluk, sought help for his family, including his wife and two children. Another farmer, Biliyaiah (58), ended his life by consuming pesticide in Tagahalli of Maddur taluk.

The farmers suicide sparked protests against the government. Prior to the CMs rally, police had to arrest the protesting farmers, including Raitha Sangha activists.

The coalition government has found itself at the receiving end of farmers wrath in recent months. While sugarcane farmers are up in arms over pending dues from factories and demanding better support price, the delay in implementing farm loan waiver too seem to be making farmers restive.

On Friday, farmer Jaikumar committed suicide by consuming poison in his fields. He owned 35 guntas and was cultivating sugarcane and vegetables. He had borrowed `2.85 lakh and was also suffering from cancer. Doctors had told him that the treatment will cost `3 lakh.

After farmers resorted to protest in Mandya and demanded Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to visit the farmers village, District Minister C S Puttaraju, on the directions of the CM, rushed to the village. The minister and the villagers entered into a wordy duel over paying compensation. While villagers insisted on

`15 lakh as compensation, minister Puttaraju said the government will pay `5 lakh compensation and he will personally deposit another `5 lakh to fund the education of farmer Jaikumars two childrens education.

Tension prevailed in the village when the Raitha Sangha members raised slogans against Kumaraswamy and C S Puttaraju, while JD(S) workers raised slogans against Raitha Sangha and its leader K S Puttannaiah.

Kumaraswamy appealed to the farming community not to act in haste as the government is doing its best to protect them. The farmer was suffering from cancer and has committed suicide during his visit with a request to help his family, the CM said. Accusing the media of blowing up the issue, he asked farmers not to lose hope as his government is for the farmers.

Meanwhile, farmer Biliyaiah of Dudda hobli, who was rushed to a hospital did not respond to treatment. Biliyaiah owned 1 acre and 10 guntas of land and was into sericulture and sugarcane cultivation. He had borrowed `1 lakh from DCC bank, `80,000 from a self-help group also a hand loan of `50,000. Unable to repay loans and with nothing to fall back on, he took the extreme step. Koppa police have registered a case.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team probing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh filed an additional chargesheet at the Special KCOCA (Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act) court on Friday.

The 9,235 page chargesheet names 18 accused, including 16 persons who have already been arrested. We have also sought permission to investigate further, investigation officer MN Anucheth said.

According to sources, right wing organisation Sanathan Sanstha was also named in the chargesheet. Amol Kale alias Bhaisaab, a mechanical engineer from Pune, has been named as the prime accused, while the suspected shooter Parashuram Waghmare is accused number two. Ganesh Miskin, who allegedly rode the bike on which the shooter reached Lankeshs home, and Amit Baddi, who allegedly drove a getaway car, are the third and the fourth accused, respectively.

ALSO READ | I didnt kill Gauri Lankesh, was offered Rs 25 lakh to confess: Parashuram Waghmare

NP Amruthesh, the counsel representing seven of the accused, told TNIE: The SIT has concocted stories against my clients. After so many days of investigation, they maintain that they need more time to find the weapon and the bike reportedly used. How much more time do they need?

Amruthesh denied the Sansthas involvement, and said the Sansthas advocates have taken up the case because they are all from one platform.
By PTI

BENGALURU: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has named an organised criminal syndicate inspired by the Sanatan Sanstha in its additional chargesheet filed before a court here.

In the 9,235-page chargesheet submitted before the Principal Civil and Sessions Court here Friday evening, it was also stated that the killing of Lankesh was plotted for almost five years.

A network, inspired by the literature of the Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha, had targeted Lankesh, it said.

"Sanatan Sanstha members were involved. We have named them. We have also mentioned one of its allied organisations," a top officer in the SIT told PTI here Saturday.

However, the SIT in a press release stated, "The investigation so far has revealed that all the 18 accused were active members of an organised crime syndicate.

This syndicate was formed in 2010-11 under the leadership of Dr Virendra Tawade alias Bade Bhai Sahab.

One former editor of the Sanatan Prabhat provided the financial support to this syndicate.

"The members of this organisation targeted persons who they identified to be inimical to their ideology and belief. The members strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in the 'Kshatra Dharma Sadhana', a book published by the Sanatan Sanstha."

Reacting to the chargesheet, the Sanatan Sanstha dismissed its alleged links with the killing of Lankesh, saying none of the accused was its members.

"None of the accused is a member of the Sanatan Sanstha. So far, the SIT has not said this officially. If it has mentioned our name in the supplementary chargesheet, we will fight it legally. So far, we have not got the copy (of the chargesheet)," Chetan Rajhans, the outfit's head of communications, told PTI over phone.

"Other than this, if any organisation indulges in maligning the name of the organisation without proof, it will face legal consequences," he said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who holds the Home portfolio, said the government would soon take a call on banning organisations involved in the killing of Lankesh.

"No discussion has taken place regarding the organisations involved in the case, but we will take a decision on that shortly," he told reporters.

The Congress leader also refused to divulge information about the progress made in the investigation.

"The killer and the killed had no personal or any other enmity. Why was she killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology and wrote and spoke about that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," Special Public Prosecutor S Balan told PTI.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.

The first chargesheet in the sensational case was filed in May, eight months after 55-year-old Lankesh, known for her left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year.

As the killing triggered a national outrage and widespread condemnation, the then Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government had constituted the SIT to probe it.

So far, 18 people have been named as accused in the case, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare and alleged masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources said.

The gang also allegedly had links with the killings of three other rationalists -- M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare -- they added.

PTI GMS RA RC 11250040 NNNN
Shan A S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The anti-drug agencies in the state have stepped up their vigil as coca harvest season is about to start in December in Latin American countries. Coca leaves are the basic ingredient for cocaine, a highly addictive and illegal drug, which in its purest form could fetch upto Rs5,000 per gram in India. Coca leaves are cultivated in large scale in the Latin American countries, including Columbia - home to the dread Cali cartel - which had produced over 1,200 tonne of cocaine in 2017.



Though Kerala seldom featured in the list of cocaine cases before September 2017, since November last year four instances of cocaine seizures have been recorded in the state.

All the seizures were effected from Kochi during the November 2017 - May 2018 period and foreign nationals were involved in all the four cases. About 11.5 kg of cocaine was seized from them, of which 4.8 kg was recovered from a Filipino.Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal director A Bruno said coca harvest usually takes place four times a year, with December being the last harvesting season.

Harvest of coca leaves in South America rings alarm bell here among anti-drug agencies, he said.

Sources, meanwhile, said Kochi prominently features in the radar of anti-drug agencies as four cocaine carriers were nabbed from the city within a span of six months.

 Four cases of cocaine haul is not a small number. And when it happens within a small time frame, the agencies take it seriously, sources said. NCB data shows from June 2015 - September 2017, hardly any case of cocaine seizures were reported from Kerala, which shows cocaines arrival in Kerala is a recent development.

Cases related to cocaine seizures have increased in India over the years. In 2013, the number of cocaine cases stood at 78, which rose to 82 in 2014. The number of cases in 2015, 2016 and 2017 were 100, 81 and 132, respectively.

To tackle the scourge, the anti-drug agencies and other investigative agencies will hold separate and joint meetings this month-end to chalk out an action plan. The Excise Department is also aware of the threat as they have procured almost two dozens of special drug detection kits from NCB to streamline the detection tests.

The official handing over of the kits was held on Thursday here. Excise sources said the kits were procured for better identification of various drugs.NCB sources said they had distributed kits to Excise earlier also. But this time more kits were delivered to meet the demand.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The state government on Friday informed the High Court that two days could be set apart exclusively for the entry of women aged 10 to 50 years at Sabarimala. The government also said sufficient protection would be provided to women devotees visiting Sabarimala.

The submission was made in response to a petition seeking a directive to the state government and Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure sufficient facilities for young women for hassle-free pilgrimage. The petition was filed by Reshma Nishanth, Cherukunnu, Kannur, Shanila Sajesh, Kannur, V S Dhanya, Piravanthoor, Kollam and M Surya, Vaniyamkulam, Palakkad.

The petitioners submitted women were not able to enter the temple because of protests against the entry of women. They sought a directive to ensure facilities for smooth pilgrimage for all women and to provide them adequate protection.

Court will decide the matter: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has made it clear that a decision on setting apart two days for women devotees for darshan at Sabarimala should be taken by the court. Earlier, during the governments meeting with the thantri family also such a proposal had come up. However, it did not go down well with

the other stakeholders.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state government to take steps to restore normalcy to Sabarimala at the earliest. The court also cautioned the protesters against taking the law into their hands. The HC was considering a batch of petitions alleging police excess in Sabarimala. The police are creating a panic situation at the Sannidhanam. The state government, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) or the police have no authority to prevent a devotee from staying back at the Sannidhanam. They also submitted the police are harassing devotees for chanting Saranamanthra at the Sannidhanam.

ALSO READ | Sabarimala Nadapanthal cant be opened to all due to curbs, says Kerala police

The TDB informed the High Court there is no truth in the allegation all the rooms at the Sannidhanam meant for pilgrims had been locked up by the police and that the Valiya Nadappandal was sprayed with water to prevent pilgrims from taking rest there. There are 630 rooms, which can be taken on rent, at the Sannidhanam. Of these, some of rooms are blocked exclusively for officers whose presence is inevitable during the festival season. These rooms, including the dormitories, which can accommodate upto 6,975 devotees, are now available to devotees and they can be booked online. The total viri spaces, including the rooms and dormitories provided by the TDB, pay and use spaces and free viri spaces can accommodate 17,155 packs at a time. During the Makaravilakku season, the devotees lay viries in different places including the forest area.

ALSO READ | Kerala government proposes women only days in Sabarimala temple

According to the TDB, free annadanam at the Sannidhanam was started on November 17 . At least 20,000 pilgrims can avail themselves of the free annadanam from the Annadana Mandapam.

Dont divert funds for police deployment: HC tells TDB



Kochi: The HC has directed the TDB not to divert any funds to the state government for deployment of police personnel in Sabarimala without the courts permission. A Division Bench comprising Justice P R Ramachandra Menon and Justice N Anilkumar issued the order on a petition filed by K P Sasidharan, from Aluva.

Pinarayi defends Yathish Chandra



TPuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has defended SP Yathish Chandra, who has been drawing flak from the BJP after he argued with Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan. He accused the Sangh Parivar of indulging in activities that demoralise the police. The officer has not misbehaved with the Union Minister. Such an action of misbehaving with an Union Minister will never occur from the part of the state police, he said.
By Online Desk

A day after late musician Balabhaskar's father lodged a complaint with the state Director General of Police Loknath Behera, the police chief has confirmed that a detailed probe will be launched into the death of the 40-year-old artist and his two-year-old daughter.

Behera has told the Crime Branch to probe the incident, Malayalam media reported. Balabhaskar's father UC Unni had met with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier, seeking a detailed probe into the incident.

Balabhaskar had financial dealings with a private hospital in Palakkad. This, along with the circumstances that prompted him to start an immediate journey to Thiruvananthapuram from Thrissur, needs to be investigated, Unni's complaint stated.

Balabhaskar's family had raised doubts regarding the circumstances that led to the accident on September 25. The contradicting statements given by the two survivors is another element.

While Arjun, the driver of the late musician had told the police that it was Balabhaskar who was driving the vehicle when the accident occurred, Balabhaskar's wife Lakshmi had said her husband was taking a nap in the back seat when the tragedy happened. She added the popular violinist never used to drive during long-distance journeys.

Balabhaskar, along with Lakshmi, daughter Thejaswini and Arjun, was returning home after visiting a temple in Thrissur when his car rammed into a tree near the Pallipuram CRPF camp. While his daughter Thejaswini died on the spot, Balabhaskar succumbed to his injuries on October 1.
Asish Mehta By

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The Central government has cancelled the agreement with Air Odisha for operating flights at Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport in Jharsuguda and six other airports in the country under Udey Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) scheme for failing to undertake 70 per cent flight operations in the last three months.

Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport Director SK Chauhan told The Express that agreement with Air Odisha was cancelled and the scheduled airlines will now be debarred from operating under the UDAN scheme in Jharsuguda, Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Raigarh and Jagdalpur airports.

The agreement was cancelled as Air Odisha failed to operate minimum 70 per cent of the scheduled flights in these airports in the last three months, Chauhan said. VSS officials said the decision to award the contract to any other airlines for operating from the airport under the UDAN scheme will be taken during a meeting which to be held in January.

Sources said the decision to award the contract to an airlines for operating from Jharsuguda Airport under UDAN will be taken during the third round of bidding by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in January, 2019. We are hopeful that flight operations under UDAN will resume from February, 2019, an official of VSS Airport said.

Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) Director and VSS Airport mentor Suresh Chandra Hota said the Jharsuguda Airport was fully capable of handling regular operations. The airlines had some internal problems for which it failed to run the operations regularly, he added. TNIE had reported on November 22 that Air Odisha had ignored the warning of Ministry of Civil Aviation for resuming the services at VSS Airport. Ministry of Civil Aviation had directed Air Odisha, which was selected as the scheduled airlines to operate flights from Jharsuguda to Bhubaneswar, Ranchi and Raipur under UDAN scheme, on October 24 to resume the operations at VSS Airport soon.

The Ministry had cautioned the airlines of cancelling the award for operating flights on the routes, which would be put up for fresh bidding, if it fails to resume the services soon. Similarly, VSS Airport officials had also issued a letter to Air Odisha and asked it to resume the operations immediately, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Air Odisha officials said as per the tender under UDAN scheme, the airlines was supposed to operate flights from Rourkela airport, Jeypore airport, Utkela airstrip and some airports in Chhattisgarh. As these airports were yet to open, the carrier was able to carry out only 50 per cent of its operation capacity.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI : DMK president M K Stalin has slammed the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir for having dissolving the state Assembly. I express my condemnation of Satyapal Malik, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who dissolved the Assembly of the state. He dissolved the House soon after Mehbooba Mufti (former CM of J&K) handed over a letter to the Governor for forming government, not inviting her to form government, he said in a release here on Thursday.

Saying that the Governors decision was against the Supreme Court verdict delivered in the S R Bommai case, Stalin said that it was also against the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission constituted to examine the Centre-State relationship. There is no need to prove a partys majority in the Raj Bhavan, which can be proved only in the Assembly, the DMK chief said.
By PTI

NEW YORK: A US court has dropped nearly all the charges against an Indian-origin doctor accused of performing female genital mutilation on at least nine underage girls by ruling that America's law over the practice was unconstitutional, outraging women's rights groups in the country.

In April last year, Jumana Nagarwala, MD, 44, Fakhruddin Attar, MD, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, all Michigan residents, were indicted by a grand jury for performing female genital mutilation on minor girls in the US, a first-of-its kind federal prosecution over the "brutal practice" which federal authorities said will not be tolerated in the United States.

However, in a major blow to the federal government, US District Judge Bernard Friedman ruled this week that America's female genital mutilation law was unconstitutional.

This lead to the dismissing of the key charges against the Michigan doctors accused of subjecting at least nine minor girls to the cutting procedure in the nation's first FGM case.

The judge's ruling also dismissed charges against three mothers, including two Minnesota women who prosecutors said tricked their 7-year-old daughters into thinking they were coming to metro Detroit for a girls' weekend, but instead had their genitals cut at a Livonia clinic as part of a religious procedure.

The AHA Foundation, which advocates human rights and individual liberties and leads programs to protect women from honour violence, expressed shock at Friedman's decision, saying the ruling that effectively throws out a federal law criminalizing female genital mutilation since 1996 is a serious blow to the rights of girls in this country.

Senior Director at the AHA Foundation Amanda Parker said it has taken years for whistleblowers, police, FBI and attorneys to work together to bring this trial to court.

"Dropping the FGM charge is a real blow to the human rights of women and girls in the United States. This is outrageous. The judge's ruling that the federal statute against FGM is unconstitutional sets a precedent that cutting girls genitals is not a concern at the national level,"Parker said.

She said the ruling means that those 23 states that do not have laws protecting girls from FGM could potentially become destination states.

She said if a perpetrator risks life imprisonment in Minnesota, where anti-FGM laws are in place, why would they not have girls trafficked across states lines to Iowa to mutilate them? This is exactly how we got here.

The defendants in this case had the victims shipped from Minnesota to Michigan and the only way of holding them accountable for FGM was the federal statute.

 The organization said judges regularly prosecute assault and other forms of mutilation at the federal level but prosecuting those who cut little girls genitals is not a priority for this court.

It sends the message that the authorities are not serious about protecting girls, especially those in immigrant communities, from this form of abuse, Parker said.

In his ruling Friedman had concluded that "as despicable as this practice may be," Congress did not have the authority to pass the 22-year-old federal law that criminalizes female genital mutilation, and that FGM is for the states to regulate.

FGM is banned worldwide and has been outlawed in more than 30 countries, though the U.S.statute had never been tested before this case.

"As laudable as the prohibition of a particular type of abuse of girls may be federalism concerns deprive Congress of the power to enact this statute," Friedman wrote in his 28-page opinion, noting: "Congress overstepped its bounds by legislating to prohibit FGM .

FGM is a 'local criminal activity' which, in keeping with long-standing tradition and our federal system of government, is for the states to regulate, not Congress.

A report in the Detroit Free Press said currently, 27 states have laws that criminalize female genital mutilation, including Michigan, whose FGM law is stiffer than the federal statute, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, compared with five under federal law.

Michigan's FGM law was passed last year in the wake of the historic case and applies to both doctors who conduct the procedure, and parents who transport a child to have it done.

The defendants in this case can't be retroactively charged under the new law.

Gina Balaya, spokesperson for the U.S.

Attorneys Office, said the government is reviewing the judge's opinion and will make a determination whether or not to appeal at some point in the future.

The defendants have argued that Congress lacked authority to enact" the genital mutilation statute, "thus the female genital mutilation charges must be dismissed.

They also argue that they didn't actually practice FGM, but rather performed a benign procedure involving no cutting.

Nagarwala's lawyer Shannon Smith said while the government could appeal against the ruling, "but we are confident we will win even if appealed."

Smith has maintained all along that her client did not engage in FGM.

FGM survivor and social activist Mariya Taher, who heads a campaign out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to ban FGM worldwide, also called Friedman's ruling crazy," saying she fears the ruling will put more young women in harm's way.

"Unfortunately, this is going to embolden those who believe that this must be continued they'll feel that this is permission, that it's OK to do this.

" The World Health Organisation had said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated.

WHO said FGM, which is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15, is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
By AFP

PESHAWAR: The Islamic State (IS) group Saturday claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that ripped through a marketplace in Pakistan's restive northwestern tribal region, as the death toll climbed to 33.

The blast happened during a regular Friday bazaar in Kalaya, a town in a Shiite-dominated area of Orakzai tribal district.

In a statement posted on Amaq, the news site of the group, IS said claimed "57 Shiites were killed and 75 were wounded" in the attack.

However, on Saturday the top official for Orakzai district Khalid Iqbal told AFP that the death toll was 33, up from 31 on Friday.

"Among the dead are three Hindu merchants," he added.

ALSO READ | Pakistan: Two suspects arrested in Chinese consulate attack

Pakistan has officially denied existence of IS on it's soil but the group has claimed responsibility for some of the deadly attacks in Pakistan.

Orakzai is one of seven restive semi-autonomous tribal regions on the Afghan border, an area that has long been a focal point in the global war on terror and was famously described by Barack Obama as "the most dangerous place in the world".

Washington has said that the mountainous region provides safe havens to militants including the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaeda -- an allegation that Islamabad denies.

Multiple bloody military operations have been carried out in the area, officially known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and home to around five million ethnic Pashtuns.

Security has improved in the region in recent years, though lower-level attacks are still carried out with devastating regularity, often targeting Shiites in the area.

But it remains notorious for the availability of cheap guns, drugs and smuggled goods.

Earlier this year Pakistan passed legislation which paves the way for the tribal areas to be merged into neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing them into the political mainstream.

The move will impose the Pakistani judicial system on a region still loosely governed by British colonial-era laws and the tribal system of honour, and which has always existed on the fringes of the state.
By UNI

ROME: The decision of the Israeli authorities to abandon their plans for signing the UN Global Compact for Migration is explained by the strong influx of migrants to the country, Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel decided not to sign the UN Global Compact for Migration and will continue to protect its borders from undocumented migrants.

READ| Israeli Defence Minister resigns; accuses Benjamin Netanyahu of surrendering before Hamas

"In our whole area we are the only attractive country for migrants. And hence that influx that came in from some countries really changed certain Israeli cities. And we do not want to be in a situation when we sign an international charter and then do not live up with it. That's why the prime minister decided that under present situation we are not joining this effort," Edelstein said.

He indicated that migrants who failed to find a shelter in other Middle Eastern countries automatically moved to Israel, which causes resentment of the Israeli authorities.

"If countries will cooperate with Israel and develop technological, agricultural and other cooperation, life will become better.

There will be less migrants at least in our area. Israel has a lot of experience in absorbing, getting migrants. So we are offering our know-how to any country that is dealing with absorbing migrants," Edelstein stated.

The Global Compact for Migration, scheduled to be adopted at an intergovernmental conference in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh on December 10-11, represents the international community's attempt to establish a global common approach to all aspects of international migration.

The paper comprises 23 objectives for better managing migration at local, national, regional and global levels.

A number of countries, including Austria, Hungary and the United States have already abandoned their plans to sign the agreement.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who last month abruptly sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, will write a book on his "unsuccessful political marriage" with the ousted premier.

Sirisena's controversial action on October 26 led to a political crisis in the country with both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claiming to be the legitimate prime minister.

Wickremesinghe termed his dismissal as invalid and said he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament.

Sirisena, addressing a public gathering on Friday, said the book will be titled 'My unsuccessful political marriage with Ranil'.

READ| Sri Lanka police reverse decision to remove top detective Nishantha Silva

"I know that people are criticising me right now. I will tell them to wait until I release my book," the President said. Sirisena claimed that despite his action, he had not been isolated.

"I know that right-thinking people are with me on this battle against the corrupt and the traitors," he added.

Sirisena's announcement came hours after Wickremesinghe's alliance won control of a powerful panel in Parliament, dealing a major blow to him and his prime ministerial appointee Rajapaksa.

Former president Rajapaksa, who ruled Sri Lanka for almost a decade, was unexpectedly defeated by his deputy, Sirisena, in the presidential election in January 2015 with the support from Wickremesinghe's United National Party.

READ| Sri Lankan economy on brink of 'anarchy' due to President Srisena: Ousted Finance Minister

However, the power-sharing arrangement between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe became increasingly tenuous on several policy matters, mainly on economy and security.

The country is witnessing a political stalemate since Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election.

The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya then ordered a floor test in the 225-member assembly to end the ongoing political crisis, a move which invited the wrath of the government of Rajapaksa.

The United National Front led by Wickremesinghe has already moved three motions of no trust against Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa, however, has refused to step down.
By PTI

BEIJING: Two people were killed and 57 injured in a warehouse explosion in northeast China's Jilin Province, state media reported on Saturday.

The explosion on Friday night also caused a fire which was put out on Saturday morning. Dense smoke can still be seen at the site. A total of 370 houses have been damaged, with 15 having collapsed.

The accident occurred at around 11:40 pm on Friday in a warehouse of Jiangcheng Machinery Company in Sanhe Township, Dongfeng County, leaving two people dead, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The injured are receiving treatment and the condition of one of the injured was stated to be serious.

Li Tao, a local resident, said he was sent to hospital in Dongfeng County at around 1:00 am.

The explosion shattered the tiles and glass of his house. He later noticed scratches on his forehead and arms.

His wife has been hospitalised in the same hospital due to heart problems caused by the explosion. The investigation into the blast is underway and rescue efforts are continuing, reports said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri will travel to Pakistan next week for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed to Islamabad Saturday.

Swaraj's response came hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited her to visit Pakistan to attend the ceremony on November 28.

In a letter to Qureshi, Swaraj thanked her Pakistani counterpart for the invite and said she was unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib due to prior commitments including election campaign in Telangana and that India will be represented at the ceremony by Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Puri.

"Being mindful of the sentiments of our Sikh citizens and the importance of facilitating their smooth and easy access to holy Gurudwara Katarpur Sahib, we will be sending Hasimrat Kaur Badal, Minister for Food Processing and Industries, and Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, as the Government of India's representatives for the event planned for November 28," she said in the letter.

Swaraj also hoped that the Pakistan government will expedite the construction of the corridor in order to ensure that "our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible".

On Thursday, both the countries announced that they would develop the Katarpur corridor in their respective areas, linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, is located across the Ravi river in Pakistan and is about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab in India.

The corridor, once built, will give Indian pilgrims easy access to the shrine.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the corridor on November 28.

Apart from Swaraj, Qureshi also invited Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

Following the Cabinet decision, India urged Pakistan to build the corridor to Kartarpur Sahib on the Pakistani side.

Later, Qureshi said Islamabad has conveyed to India its decision to build the Kartarpur corridor.
By AFP

KABUL: A US soldier was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday, NATO said, taking the number of American service personnel to die in the war-torn country this year to nine.

NATO's Resolute Support mission would not immediately release any details about the soldier -- the second US service member to be killed in Afghanistan this month -- or the circumstances of their death.

But it follows a spate of so-called "insider attacks" that have rattled foreign troops tasked with training and assisting Afghanistan's military.

Brent Taylor, the mayor of North Ogden in Utah state and a father of seven, was shot dead in an apparent insider attack in Kabul on November 3.

That came after two similar attacks in October, one on NATO personnel in the western province of Herat and another on a high-level security meeting in the southern province of Kandahar that was attended by General Scott Miller, the top NATO and US commander in Afghanistan.

Miller narrowly escaped unhurt but a powerful Afghan police chief was killed.

More than 2,200 American soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led invasion that toppled the Taliban regime from power.

The number of American casualties has fallen dramatically since the end of 2014 when Afghan forces took over from US-led NATO combat troops to secure the country.

Since the start of 2015, 58 Americans have been killed, President Ashraf Ghani said this month.

In the same time period, nearly 30,000 Afghan police and soldiers have died, Ghani said -- a figure much higher than anything previously acknowledged.

The Taliban have intensified attacks on Afghan forces, inflicting record casualties even as the United States ratchets up efforts to engage the militants in peace talks.

More than 17 years since the start of the conflict, the US is trying to find a way out of the war.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is spearheading efforts to strike a peace deal with the Taliban before Afghanistan's April presidential election.

A Taliban delegation met with Khalilzad in Doha in October and November to discuss ending the Afghan conflict.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Windy with increasing clouds. High 54F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 39F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Your Excellency and Chancellor, I assume leadership of this great university at a time when the new dispensation has dawned upon our country. MSU is well positioned to give impetus to your vision of turning Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030. MSU seeks to innovate in order to support the industrialisation and modernisation of our beloved country. The history of MSU inspires me and its future is guaranteed. It has been a short 18 years and yet MSU has grown phenomenally from humble beginnings with 400 students at inception in 2000 to over 24 000 in 2018. MSU is now a fully fledged multi-campus university spreading its wings from Gweru to Harare, Zvishavane, Bulawayo and Kwekwe thereby increasing access to quality higher education especially for those in continuing life long education, he said.
"I will not vote for those who have illegally taken power," he declared. He said he quit to avoid bloodshed, blaming "evil and malicious characters" while accusing Mr Mnangagwa of conniving with the military chief to pull off a "coup".
All is set for Mutoko North Constituency and Ward 16 Chegutu Rural District Council by-elections today.



The Mutoko North seat fell vacant after the elevation of the former Member of Parliament for the constituency Mabel Chinomona to be Senate President, while the Ward 16 Chegutu council seat fell vacant due to death.



Addressing journalists yesterday, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) acting chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana said they made adequate preparations for the elections and sufficient polling officers and relevant stakeholders were on the ground ahead of todays polling.



In Mutoko North Constituency, there are three contestants for the parliamentary seat: Rambidzayi Nyabote of Zanu-PF, MDC-Alliances Boniface Mushore and Edison Mugoma of NCA.







We have 23 295 registered voters in Mutoko North and 765 voters in Ward 16. We are using the international standards of printing 5 percent more ballot papers. ZEC also invited all political parties contesting for training on the electoral process.





We have invited nine observer groups, including the British and American embassies and local observers, he said.





Mr Silaigwana said the 2018 voters roll will be used for these by-elections and not the 2013 as alleged by other organisations.





He dismissed allegations that there were some duplications on the voters roll and confirmed that some voters were over 100 years old.





There are people over 100 years old and yes, it is possible to have them on the voters roll. They have a right to vote, he said. Herald




Chaos is reigning supreme at the National Aids Council (Nac) following multiple, but anonymous allegations of tender scandals, abuse of public funds on non-core activities and sexual harassment.





The allegations have sucked in both members of the board and senior executives. The Herald is reliably informed that the Gender Commission has since taken up cases involving sexual harassment at the workplace, while the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission looked at the tender scandals.





The Nac board is said to have instituted a special audit that intended to specifically look at issues of fuel, travel and subsistence allowances and procurement. The auditors carried out a routine audit, which did not delve into the specifics required by the board.





Further information gathered by our Harare Bureau indicates that the board chairman, Dr Evaristo Marowa, who is being accused of offering consultancy services through CompreHealth  a company that he is affiliated to, has since indicated intention to resign citing these and other allegations levelled against him.





Nac executive director Dr Tapuwa Magure is said to have decided to conclude his official duties at the expiration of his contract next month, despite the fact that the board had extended his contract by a further year to give room for a smooth hand-over, take-over.





Dr Magure has served more than two terms at the helm of Nac and the new regulations governing term of office for executives in State enterprises has been set at not more than two terms.





Dr Magure is also facing allegations of inappropriate relationships with a number of his female subordinates.





Further information gathered by our Harare Bureau insinuate that Dr Magure has since declared some of the relationships with his subordinates as legal and in line with customary marriage  further raising eyebrows in relation to good corporate governance practices.





Other senior officials cited in the anonymous letters include operations director Mr Raymond Yekeye and national youth coordinator Mrs Beauty Nyamwanza, who are facing allegations of abuse of office.





One of the anonymous letters purported to have been written by disgruntled Nac staff, allege that the officials have been protected over the years, hence no action was taken against them despite both the board and the Ministry of Health and Child Care being aware of the issues. Gone are the days where staff members and community will continue to protect you and keep you, reads part of the letter.





In an interview with, Dr Marowa denied allegations that he had thrown in the towel, saying even if he was to resign, he would only do so after all the said allegations had been cleared.





Dr Marowa denied ever receiving any consultancy fees from Nac during his tenure as board chair, serve for sitting allowances, which he described as meagre.





He further said from the date he was appointed to chair the board, his main duty, together with other board members, was to ensure that transparency, accountability and good corporate governance practices were adhered to by the Secretariat. Dr Marowa said audits were done, but nothing out of the ordinary was ever picked.




(Newser)  Women planning to get pregnant will want to take note. Half of US counties are currently without an OB-GYN, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which finds that women in Arizona, Washington, Utah, and Idaho are at the greatest risk of an OB-GYN shortage, reports Glamour. Those in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Nevada aren't far behind, and the issue isn't going away soon. Rural areas are expected to feel the worst of the effects of a predicted nationwide shortage of 8,800 OB-GYNs by 2020 and 22,000 by 2050. But population data suggests Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Detroit, Memphis, Salt Lake City, and St. Louis could also suffer shortages of doctors specially trained in matters relating to women's reproductive health, including pregnancy, per Fortune.

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In problem areas, the female population is increasing while the number of OB-GYNs is not. On average, OB-GYNs retire several years earlier than primary care physicians. "There's a really high rate of burnout," Heather Bartos, a 47-year-old OB-GYN who delivers up to 25 babies a month in Texas tells Glamour. ACOG chief Hal Lawrence says "you have to really love what you do"; in addition to night work, doctors describe "devastating" lows when childbirth doesn't go to plan. Accordingly, malpractice insurance is important but expensive, taking up to a third of a doctor's salary in some areas, according to Bartos. Some OB-GYNs prefer to transition to gynecology specifically, per Glamour, which notes women may have to rely on teams of medical professionals, including midwives. (This obstetrician delivered one baby, then gave birth to her own.)
(Newser)  It's the corollary to the child-left-in-hot-car stories from the summer: A woman in Wisconsin faces child-neglect charges after leaving her three young children in a cold car while she shopped, reports TMJ4. Police say Ashley Pirlot, 26, of Milwaukee left her three girls, ages 6 months, 17 months, and 6 years, in her car in 35-degree temperatures while she shopped in a Kmart. Surveillance video shows the girls were in the car about 17 minutes before police arrived, and the girls were OK. One unusual twist: Pirlot told officers that when she was a baby, her own mother was arrested for leaving her in a car while her mother watched a Packers game.

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Upon her arrest, Pirlot told police she didn't want to deal with hassle of belting the children into a shopping cart. The youngest girl was in an infant carrier with a blanket inside the car, though police say her bare feet were sticking out, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Two of the counts Pirlot faces are felonies, which could mean jail time if she's convicted. Officers who responded bought diapers for the younger girls. (An alert passer-by may have saved this child.)
(Newser)  A conservative writer and associate of Trump confidant Roger Stone said Friday that he is in plea talks with special counsel Robert Mueller's team. Jerome Corsi told the AP he has been negotiating a potential plea but declined to comment further. He said on a YouTube show earlier this month that he expected to be charged with lying to federal investigators, though he said at the time that he was innocent of wrongdoing. Mueller's team questioned Corsi as part of an investigation into Stone's connections with WikiLeaks. American intelligence agencies have assessed that Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election that damaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. Mueller's office is trying to determine whether Stone and other associates of President Trump had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks' plans.

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The confirmation of plea talksfirst reported by the Washington Postcomes as Mueller's team has just received fresh information from Trump personally and as federal prosecutors in Virginia recently inadvertently disclosed the existence of sealed charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. It's unclear if the charges against Assange are related to Mueller's investigation, but WikiLeaks was singled out in an indictment last summer against a group of Russian intelligence officers accused of carrying out the wide-ranging hack of Clinton's campaign and other Democratic organizations. It's also not known if any plea by Corsi signals a new raft of charges by the special counsel or just that investigators are aggressively pursuing cases against people they believe made false statements to investigators. (The Assange development was revealed accidentally.)
(Newser)  A New York judge has rejected a bid by Donald Trump's lawyers to throw out a state lawsuit that alleges the president disregarded the law in running his charitable foundation and used it as a wing of his presidential campaign. But, in the ruling posted Friday, State Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla reiterated that she would be forced to drop Trump from the lawsuit if a state appeals court weighing an unrelated case decides that a sitting president can't be sued in state court. In the meantime, Scarpulla said, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood's lawsuit alleging that Trump used the nonprofit Trump Foundation's money to settle business disputes and boost his political fortunes can move forward, reports the AP. What you need to know:

The suit seeks $2.8 million in restitution, the foundation's disbandment, and a 10-year ban on Trump running any charities.

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Scarpulla rebuffed the contention of Trump's lawyers that the lawsuit was politically motivated. Given the seriousness of the allegations, she said, there was no basis for finding that "animus and bias were the sole motivating factors" for the lawsuit.

Whether Trump remains a defendant in the Trump Foundation case hinges on how a state appeals court rules in former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos' defamation lawsuit against the president. Trump's lawyers argue that a sitting president can't be sued in state court over conduct outside official duties, something Scarpulla and the trial judge in the Zervos case reject.

As for the argument that the state court doesn't have jurisdiction over the president, Scarpulla wrote in her ruling that allowing the Trump Foundation case to proceed in state court is "entirely consistent" with the Supreme Court's 1997 ruling that forced then-President Bill Clinton to face a federal sexual harassment lawsuit concerning an alleged encounter while he was governor. CNBC reports Scarpulla wrote "the allegations raised in the Petition do not involve any action taken by Mr. Trump as president and any potential remedy would not affect Mr. Trumps official federal duties.

If the appellate division were to side with Trump in the Zervos case, the Trump Foundation lawsuit could still proceed against the foundation and Trump's adult children, who were board members.

Underwood welcomed the ruling; Trump's lawyer, Alan Futerfas, said he's confident the president's side will ultimately prevail. "The decision means only that the case goes forward," Futerfas said in a statement. "As we have maintained throughout, all of the money raised by the Foundation went to charitable causes to assist those most in need."

(Read more on the case and its origins here .)
(Newser)  Parts of what John Allen Chau wrote over the last days of his life were shared in the wake of his death at the hands of a tribe on a remote island off India. On Friday, police officials shared what the New York Times describes as "part letter, part journal, in 13 pages with many cross-outs and messy scrawl." It's variously emotive and mundane, including things like directions and details of the exercises he did, and he reportedly told the fisherman who brought him near North Sentinel Island to pass it to a friend should something happen to him. The Times has excerpts, and the writings tell more of what he brought to the tribescissors, safety pins, and fishing lineand how he attempted to communicate with them.

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Chau wrote that he sang worship songs and responded to the yells of one man, who was bedecked with a white, flower-like crown, by saying some words in Xhosa that he had picked up while in South Africa. "They would often fall silent after this," he wrote. On other occasions, they laughed. At one point he questioned whether the island was "Satans last stronghold." When the fisherman again brought him near the island on Nov. 16, he told them he planned to stay overnight, so they left him for the first time. On their pass by the island the next morning, they saw his body being dragged by a rope. The letter's last lines: "Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed. I love you all." The AP reports a second boat expedition involving police; forest department, tribal welfare department, and coast guard officials; and two of the people who helped Chau approach the island went near it on Friday in an attempt to locate where Chau died. (Read more John Allen Chau stories.)
(Newser)  An undocumented man's arrest triggered a public demonstration by over two dozen supporters who were hauled off by the cops, ABC 11 reports. Samuel Oliver-Bruno, 47, was arrested Friday by ICE at a Morrisville, NC, office for US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Oliver-Bruno apparently believed he was there to provide fingerprints as part of his petition for deferred deportation, but ICE was ready: "The plainclothes ICE officers forced Samuel into a van in the rear of the office, where supporters who were waiting outside the office rushed to block the vehicle," says the immigrants-rights group Alerta Migratoria. When supporters refused to budge, 27 were arrested, including Oliver-Bruno's 19-year-old son Daniel Oliver-Perez.

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Some backstory: Oliver-Bruno moved from Mexico to Greenville in 1994 and was arrested when he tried re-entering the US in 2014 for his wife's open-heart surgery, per the News & Observer. He was convicted and slated to be removed but for "a variety of appeals and acts of discretion," says ICE. Eleven months ago he moved into a church, knowing ICE doesn't arrest people in churches, hospitals, or schoolsbut put himself at risk by entering the USCIS office. "Samuel's sudden and inappropriate arrest in the middle of the Thanksgiving season reflects the callous and cruel approach we've come to expect from the Trump administration," say two NC Congress members calling for his release. ICE says Oliver-Bruno can stay in US detention while his case is adjudicated. (Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's migration comments are causing a stir.)
(Newser)  The guy shot by police at an Alabama mall Thanksgiving night wasn't really an alleged gunman, AL.com reports. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office released a statement Friday saying police actually shot and killed Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., 21, who was carrying a gun as he fled the scene of a multiple shooting at Riverchase Galleria in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover. Police Capt. Gregg Rector says they don't normally release information during an investigation, but this is an exception.

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(Newser)  Dior has taken a public hitand buckled a little under the pressureafter featuring Jennifer Lawrence in an ad for a collection celebrating Mexican culture, the Hill reports. Critics say the French fashion house should have used a Mexican actress for a collection about Mexican horsewomen known as escaramuzas. "Sooooooooo, #Dior & #JenniferLawrence wanna celebrate traditional Mexican women ... by having a rich white woman named Jennifer be the face of this campaign?!" writes Phoebe Robinson, co-host of the HBO show 2 Dope Queens, on Instagram. "The audacity to call this ... modern because it's worn by a white woman is ignorant and gross, but unfortunately, not surprising." Some commenters on Dior's Instagram page were also pretty upset, per USA Today.

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"There are plenty of non-white models that could have modeled this beautifully without being appropriated! #dobetter," wrote one. Adding to the cultural-appropriation charge, the Dior photo shoot was done in California rather than Mexico. "I can't think of a better landscape to highlight this collection," said Lawrence in a video on the brand's social media. But Dior fired back: "This has nothing to do with Jennifer and the backlash, which is not at all justified," a rep tells Fox News. "Also, Dior is working with Mexican photographers and commissioned eight Mexican women photographers to shoot in Mexico..." Apropos, the fashion giant has now removed Lawrence's video from social media and replaced her pics with images of other models shot in Mexico by female Mexican photogs. (Is it fair to criticize female celebs for "flaunting" their bodies on the beach?)
(Newser)  Philadelphia police say they were startled to spot a bullet-ridden New York City police cruiser with a broken windshield on a city expressway early Thanksgiving morning, the AP reports. Police say they tried to stop the car only to have the driver flee. They say the cruiser was later found abandoned and proved to be a stolen prop from a movie being shot in Philadelphia.

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The car had been used for the police drama, 17 Bridges, which stars Black Panther's Chadwick Boseman and Sienna Miller. Filming's been underway in the area since September. Police say the car was stolen just west of Philadelphia, in Chester County. They said no arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon. (A police detective who was poisoned says, "We lost everything.")
Bahraini citizens will cast their ballots today to elect the 40 MPs and 30 municipal councilors who will represent them for the next four years. The quadrennial elections will be held for the fifth time without interruption since 2002, the year of the promulgation of the Constitution that gave women the right to vote and run in offices.

The constitutional changes and the political empowerment of women were among the numerous positive changes promoted by the reform process launched by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa soon after he acceded to power in March 1999 and called for the drafting of the National Action Charter.

Elections of MPs and municipal councilors took place in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. More than 365,000 Bahraini men and women are eligible to cast their ballots to choose from the 293 candidates who are running for parliament seats. The number of people who initially signed up their names was higher, but following the application of the electoral rules, some were ruled out for not fulfilling the requirements set by the commission in charge of the elections.

The figure remains the highest in the five elections, indicating the growing commitment of the people of Bahrain to the success of the election as a fine practice of genuine democracy. Women also set their own record this year, scoring the highest number of applications ever. While the number of women who competed for parliamentary seats in 2014 was 22, it went up to 47 this year, before some candidates withdrew from the race.

The figure is also another indication of the strong determination and character of Bahraini women who want to build on their previous successes and show once more that they are partners with men in the challenging yet rewarding nation-building process. Hala Al Ansari, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), the top advocate of womens rights and champion of their empowerment in Bahrain, epitomized the aspirations of Bahraini women.
Today, around half a million Bahrainis endowed with voting rights are going to making a huge difference by deciding who should be the members of the next parliament. If we believe the parliaments performance in the last four years were disappointing, this is the right time to act by electing those 40 members who are most eligible.

There can be an agreement over the fact that previous MPs did fail to serve the needs of the public. In fact, in many situations, they went against the public interest. But we must acknowledge that the Kingdom is a fledgling democracy and it will take many more years for both the parliamentarians and voters to understand their roles in principle. What I would like to emphasize, at this moment, is that we must head to the polling booths only with a positive outlook.

We should never be whisked away by the negative energy thrown to us by the ineffective parliamentarians who have only deprived the citizens of their rights. We are also aware that there are many elements in society, which discourage people from exercising their democratic rights. But, we must always keep in mind that an effective parliament will be the real voice of the people. It was only a few days ago a very disturbing statement by the previous head of the parliament triggered negative responses from people belonging to various quarters, with whom I frequently interact with.

He had allegedly threatened citizens by saying that those who are not voting in polls would be deprived of housing services and early retirement options. This move came as a slap in our faces as we look forward to electing our new parliament. It was the last thing that we needed to hear from someone who had held a highly responsible position.

Despite such statements, we should always remember that His Majesty has shown to us that democracy is attainable, even if it takes years to achieve. After all 16 years isnt much when compared to the democratic experiences of other countries. I can recall an incident that happened some years ago. As I was filming an episode on the National Charter Monument, I concluded my report saying that the names of all those who voted for the charter had their names engraved on the walls of the monument. I was instantly corrected.

These walls do not just have the names of those who voted for the charter but carries the names of each Bahraini who was an eligible voter at that time. Whether you voted or not, His Majesty ordered all his citizens names to be engraved on the walls. My message is simple and clear. Our leadership is sincere about change and if there are factors in the society that wants to convey otherwise, we should realize that we are part of the change and we can have positive roles in what tomorrow and the future will bring.

I have personally decided who I will vote for tomorrow and I hope that each one of us will cast their votes for candidates who deserve our trust. Regardless of voting for a male or female candidate, empower the person you believe will represent the people of our beloved country and cast your vote for those you truly believe in democracy, love this country and want the best for it.
The national strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant microbes was launched yesterday.

This came as Supreme Council for Health (SCH) President Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa patronized an event held to devise the strategies. Health Minister Faeqa Al Saleh, National Health Regulatory Authority(NHRA) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mariam Al Jalahma, undersecretaries and senior officials attended.

The ceremony, which was held at Awal Ballroom at the Gulf Hotel, marked the World Antibiotic Awareness Week a global event aimed at raising awareness of antibiotic resistance among members of the public, professionals and political decision makers across the globe.

Lt Gen Dr. Shaikh Mohammed commended the efforts of the team which contributed to launching the strategy, which aims to reduce the use of antibiotics. Ms. Al Saleh addressed the ceremony, describing the issue of antibiotic resistance as a big challenge for Bahrain and other countries in the world. She commended the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) medical team which conducted the required assessment and came out with recommendations.
The United States accused Iran yesterday of failing to declare a toxic arms programme to the global chemical warfare watchdog, in breach of international agreements. US envoy Kenneth Ward told the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague that Tehran was also seeking deadly nerve agents for offensive purposes.

The United States has had longstanding concerns that Iran maintains a chemical weapons programme that it failed to declare to the OPCW, ambassador Ward told a five-yearly meeting on the bodys future. The US is also concerned that Iran is pursuing central nervous system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes. Ward said Iran had failed to declare the transfer of chemical-filled shells sent to Libya in the 1980s despite an appeal by the OPCW to identify their origin.

They were found after the death of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. They were clearly of Iranian origin as evidenced by the farsi writing on the boxes containing the artillery shells, he said. Iran had also failed to declare a chemical weapons filling capability despite the discovery of toxic shells and bombs in Libya and also in Iraq. Finally, Iran had failed to declare riot control agents despite having marketed them at defence expos, he added.

Ward accused Iran and its ally Russia of enabling the use of chemical weapons by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while pursuing their own chemical weapons programmes. Member states at the OPCW this week rejected attempts by Russia to block the watchdogs new powers to identify the perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria and elsewhere. Previously the OPCW -- charged with enforcing the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention under which all toxic arms will be destroyed -- was only able to confirm the use of chemical weapons without assigning blame.
LIC (International) yesterday announced financial results for its third quarter reporting investment Income of USD 73.35 million showing a positive growth rate of 3.91 per cent. As per the results as of 30 September 2018, the company has underwritten Premium of USD 128.7 Million.

The results were revealed during its Board meeting held on 22 November 2018 in Bahrain. The meeting was held in the presence of Hemant Bhargava, Managing Director of LIC of India, Thomas Mathew, Member, Abdul Rahman Ali Alwazzan, Director, Intercol and Rajesh Kandwal, CEO and Managing Director, LIC (International).

The board welcomed Hemant Bhargava, Managing Director, LIC of India as Member of the Board, and SK Thakur, the newly designated CEO and Managing Director of LIC (International). The company said it is in the process of introducing Fortune Plus (a Unit Linked Plan), Immediate Annuity and Deferred Annuity Pension Plans in the market to strengthen and diversify the product portfolio in New Business. LIC is providing Insurance coverage to 146,987 individuals in four GCC countries.
The character for katsu (activity) is generating a host of neologisms. Konkatsu means "marriage activity" a spouse-hunting. Papa-katsu is something some teenage girls do a offering themselves as companions, sexual or not, to older men in return for pocket money.

Weekly Playboy (Dec 3) introduces a newer variant: mama-katsu. If young girls can do it, why not young boys?

A seasoned mama-katsu pro the magazine speaks to, a young man in his early 20s, seems evidence that a direct approach, nuance-free, is the key to an older woman's heart. "I don't have enough money," he broadcasts on social media. "I'd like some help." Responding are women in their 30s and 40s. Give the young man credit where it's due. He aims to please. When one woman he'd yet to meet mentioned in her messages a partiality for 27-year-old actor-model Kentaro Sakaguchi, he promptly began his research. He saw some movies in which Sakaguchi appeared, studied the actor's gestures and copied his hairstyle. Only then did he feel ready to meet the woman face to face.

It went well. Over dinner at an expensive restaurant (her treat), she talked, he listened. After an hour or so he ventured, "I like your earrings." She removed one to show him. He stroked her ear.

It ended sexually, but it doesn't always. One of his other "mamas" is ultra-generous with money and gifts, but draws the line at light kissing. It's fine with him.

What's in it for mama? Company first and foremost, it seems. Conspicuous among them are childless divorcees and singles in their 40s, bar hostesses who now and then like to be receiving attention rather than giving it, and career women a one of whom, a modeling agency executive in her 50s, pays, says Playboy, up to 100,000 yen for "physical relations" with a boy young enough to be her son. - Japan Today
The removal of Carlos Ghosn as chairman of Nissan Motor reveals deep tensions inside the Japanese automaker's alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, as the partners struggle to chart a future without the charismatic leader who held them all together.

The alliance's future hinges on finding a successor who possesses the leadership chops to navigate the trio's sometimes conflicting interests while ensuring continued growth amid paradigm shifts like autonomous cars and electric vehicles.

Nissan's board on Thursday voted to remove Ghosn, who remains held by prosecutors for investigation over allegations of understating his pay in the automaker's financial statements. Ghosn remains Renault's chairman and CEO, at least for now. And as head of Renault, Ghosn had commanded control over the alliance.

Renault apparently wanted to name Ghosn's replacement at Nissan. But the Japanese company sent a letter to Renault before Thursday's board meeting saying such a move would not be permitted, since Ghosn remains a director and the French automaker therefore is not entitled to more representation on Nissan's board, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Nissan initially considered appointing CEO Hiroto Saikawa as interim chairman, but put off the decision Thursday. The company's three outside directors will pick a candidate to succeed Ghosn from the board by December, though it is unlikely that someone from Renault will be chosen.

The three automakers collectively sell more than 10 million vehicles yearly, making their grouping one of the largest globally. But cracks in their alliance are showing elsewhere as well.

The three partners have called off a strategy meeting set for Monday in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Ghosn, Saikawa and other executives were expected to attend. Nissan holds the largest share of any Japanese automaker in China, the world's largest auto market where 28.87 million new vehicles were sold in 2017. But with China's market expected to contract in 2018 for the first time in 28 years, management saw a need for countermeasures. - Nikkei
Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday restated its resolve to boycott the 2019 polls with members marching along some major streets and roads in the South-East and South-South zones.Some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, making brisk appearance along some streets in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, in what it called Show of Force in its determination to carry out its Sit-at-Home directive against Operation Python Dance 3.Comrade Emma Powerful, in a statement, said the march was to register the happiness of the group over the reappearance of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Jerusalem more than a year after the security agencies invaded his Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia country home, and to restate IPOBs readiness to boycott the 2019 general polls."Biafrans are equally today showcasing to the world that we are ready to boycott every Nigerian elections come 2019 especially presidential election next year," he said.IPOB rally and march today November 23, 2018 is ongoing in all the states across Biafraland like Rivers, Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and other Biafra clans and tribes fraudulently caved into Kogi, Benue and Edo states.
The General Overseer, Messiah New Life Church International Incorporated, Ipakodo-Ikorodu, Lagos, Archbishop Joseph Ehindero, has revealed what God told him concerning the upcoming 2019 presidential election.The cleric said it was divinely revealed to him that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari will defeat Alhaji Atiku Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2019.The Pastor, in an interview with Sun, also warned leaders of apex Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere to stop endorsing or openly campaigning for individuals and political parties seeking elective offices in the 2019 general elections.According to him, Atiku will suffer terrible defeat in the hands of Buhari. All those prophets predicting Atikus victory are fake.The vision they claimed to have seen is not from God. Atiku is going nowhere, thats what my living God told me, and those prophets that are predicting his victory are not hearing from God but from the devil.Buhari is the man God has ordained to win 2019 election, and his victory has been sealed by God.These people are elders and leaders, and what people expect from them is to play advisory roles. They are supposed to play fatherly role to all. They are not supposed to be partisan.But, it is unfortunate that Afenifere leaders today have become chief campaigners for the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Not only that, they have openly endorsed him and have been asking Yoruba to vote for him.But this is wrong. What is President Muhammadu Buharis offence that is making Afenifere leaders to campaign against him? It is very unfair what Afenifere leaders are doing against Buhari. Buhari, since assuming office, has been doing a yeomans job for this nation, and he has been able to turn round Nigerias fortunes.It is better Afenifere leaders retrace their steps before they lose respect among the Yoruba.Contrary to the impression being created by these Afenifere leaders, President Buhari still remains very popular among the Yoruba, and he is the one they will cast their votes for in 2019 because the man Buhari has transformed Nigeria.Not only that, Buhari also has divine support. His war against corruption, and achievements in the power sector and provision of infrastructures for Nigerians have been a good departure from 16 years of PDP wasteful administration of Nigeria. A second term for Buhari is a vote for continuity of good governance.
President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned the service chiefs to an emergency security meeting over the killing of Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents.NAN report that a source, who preferred not to be named, confirmed the development in Abuja on Friday.Scores of soldiers were killed during the attacks, which occurred at Metele, a remote village bordering Nigeria and Chad.Although some estimates put the death toll at over 100, the army failed to state the casualty figure when it spoke on the attacks on Friday.The president has called an urgent meeting with the service chiefs, the source was quoted as saying.And the families of the latest victims of the Boko Haram are being identified and contacts made before a government pronouncement on the tragic attacks.This, it is understood is the reason for the silence of the government over the incident, the source added.The president had earlier dispatched Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, to Chad for an emergency meeting with Chadian President, Idris Deby, on the deterioration of security at the Nigeria-Chad border.Dan-Ali had earlier briefed the president on security development across the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says it is the right of the South-East to develop along with other parts of the country.Osinbajo made this known during the opening of the All Progressives Congress governorship campaign office on Friday in Enugu.He noted that the posture in some quarters that President Muhammadu Buhari had a disdain for the South-East was not true and a misplaced statement.The V-P added that it was the right of the South-East to get good governance and develop evenly with other parts of the country, adding that citing infrastructure in the zone was not a favour.He reinstates the Federal Governments commitment to completing all ongoing projects in the zone, particularly the Second Niger Bridge.He expressed dismay at the successive administration in the country for not completing various contracts which they awarded.Our commitment is that we will not steal the resources of the state. Previous administrations awarded contracts but nothing happened, he said.Osibanjo explained that the present administration was led by a group of people who could deliver on its mandates, adding that such would ensure the partys victory in the 2019 general elections.The vice president said their administration would deliver on its entire mandate, adding that your support for the APC must increase day by day.The governorship candidate of the party in the state, Sen. Ayogu Eze, said the people of the South-East would give the necessary support to the president for his re-election in 2019.Eze urged the president to discountenance the antics of some people in the zone who claimed to have endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.He added that such people spoke for themselves and not for the region, adding our people have not met to endorse anybody.These are people speaking for themselves, he said.Eze said the South-East was poised to give the Party over 90 per cent of their mandate, adding that the president had done so well for the people.Also, the Enugu West Senatorial candidate of the party, Mrs Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, described the reception accorded to the Osinbajo as unprecedented.Ibekaku-Nwagwu described the reception as an honour for the APC led administration and an acceptance of the president.
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New York-based artist, umru, has been on a meteoric rise ever since he burst on to the scene last year as a producer on Charli XCX's game-changing mixtape Pop 2. Having been scouted by PC Music mastermind, A.G. Cook, brought umru in for one of Pop 2's standout tracks, "I Got It," to give it the extra blown-out punch it needed to become the badass anthem it is today. Having almost come out of nowhere, the young musician has been celebrated as an exciting and fresh new voice to come out of a stagnated Soundcloud generation.

Featuring fellow artists Banoffee, osno1, Ravenna Golden, Lewis Grant, and Laura Les, umru has become the latest addition to PC Music's roster of artists for the release of his debut EP, search result.

Listening to search result, one almost gets the sense that you're listening to what pop would be if it was made in a post-apocalyptic dystopia overrun by heavily-armored robots. With clanking metallic beats, caustic trills, and densely-processed vocals, umru manages to create music that's intricately designed with a hard-hitting impact on the dancefloor. umru manages to smartly distill some of the most exciting approaches and sounds in electronic music today and make them his own.

An active Internet presence, umru is prolific in his ability to seamlessly integrate his artistic persona with memes in ways that are not only amusing but have had the potential to blossom into something far greater. He was recently part of the team that curated an entire music festival in the video game Minecraft, dubbed "Coalchella." Elaborately detailed with multiple stages, custom in-game merch tents, and a diverse group of performers, the experience was a chaotic cross between Boiler Room and Second Life that managed to offer a glimpse at the future of digital concert, opening up new avenues of creative expression without taking itself too seriously. umru's music is no different.

We caught up with umru to talk about the journey to his debut EP, search result, and what lies ahead for him:

What was the process of putting the EP together like for you?

It was definitely a long one. I started planning to make some project like this over 2 years ago when I was a very different producer, I think. since then the whole tracklist has totally changed and all these songs are less than a year old, but the process was definitely not very organized, the project just naturally came together from a string of collaborations that all began separately.

Was there anything that surprised you along the way?

I think it surprised me a bit how well everything started to fit together at some point. these are very different songs with quite unique vocalists, I imagined the hardest part would be forming a cohesive track list but a lot of things seemed to fall into place on their own. I've also always considered my music difficult to work with and write to, so it definitely came as a surprise how willing each of the collaborators were to work with meit was my first time working with each artist except for Banoffee.

Did you envision a general arc or narrative to search result?

There's certainly an arc of energy and tone of the songs, they are meant to be heard in order, but it's not necessarily a narrative. The songs were written independently so they don't tell one cohesive story but it's a collection of frustrations, uncertainties, search queries that together make sense to me.

Your style comes across as very distinctive and recognizable, what was the evolution that lead up to settling on that specific palette?

I don't know if I'm at a point yet where I can look back and describe my evolution, I don't feel like I've settled on or become confident with a certain sound, I'm still in the middle of that kind of process and might always be. But the palette I'm working with definitely draws from a lot of influences. It's Soundcloud's "beat scene"artists like Mr. Carmack, Woolymammoth, Sam Gellaitrythat first got me into taking production seriously, and of course there's a thousand other names I could listSOPHIE, PC Music, Cashmere Cat, Sinjin Hawke, Arcathat have all had a huge effect on my work. I think I'm drawn to producers that have a very distinct "sound," you can tell it's them without the need for a beat tag. In terms of evolution, I definitely feel like I've tried moving away from the more EDM/trap sound i began with and am trying to make pop musicit interests me a lot more to influence the mainstream than to make "producer music" even if I end up doing that anyway.

Photo by Elena Fortune

How did you initially end up working with A.G. Cook on Pop 2?

A. G. [Cook] emailed me over 2 years ago now, when I really feel like I had no good music out, because he found me randomly browsing Soundcloud. We spoke a little bit but I ended up not hearing from him for months until the day of the New York Number 1 Angel show, when he just told me I was on the list for this sold out show on a week night. I was still in high school and living 2 hours from the city at the time but I ended up meeting him there and going to a studio a couple days later and the rest is history, I guess. The Charli track also kind of came out of nowhere, I think I worked on it with him only a couple months before it was released.

How have things changed for you since "I Got It" came out?

I'd be lying if I said that song didn't change my life. It's very rare to have such a major pop track be my first real production credit, and for a few months maybe the song's impact didn't really hit me, but when Charli had me come up on stage at her New York's Pop 2 show it blew me away how anthemic it had become. I've since been able to perform with Charli, AG, Dorian Electra, and many other talented artists in Paris and at Charli's New York events, and they've truly been some of the greatest moments of my life. Words can't express how grateful I am to everyone involved in those nights and Pop 2.

Photo by Max Schramp

What do you hope people ultimately take away after listening to search result?

I hope people find a little of what they've been searching for.

What plans do you have for the future?

Completely by accident, I'll actually have 2 more tracks coming out this montha Ravenna Golden track I produced with Dylan Brady, out on the 26th, and a remix for X&G that I did with Blake Skowron on the 30th. after that, I'm not so sure. I really hope to get into more production for other artists, and also hopefully leave people with just a short wait until the next umru project. I'd also love to play another festival in Minecraft I hope they do another one of those.

Photo by Max Schramp

search result is out now on all platforms. The debut EP also appears alongside the recent launch of PC Music's new weekly playlist, Perfect Music Friday, that looks to contextualize their new releases in a broader pop landscape and hijack playlist culture.
A Senior Lecturer of the University of Ghana, Professor Godfred Bokpin, has urged the government to reconsider tax exemptions being given to businesses, including those in the Free Zones enclave, as the practice is costing the economy more than $2 billion annually.



According to him, the high volumes of exemptions alone could reduce Ghanas borrowing and its subsequent debt servicing.



Delivering his inaugural lecture as a fellow of IMANI Africa, a policy think tank, in Accra yesterday, Prof. Bokpin said the exemptions over the years had been subject to abuse that did not benefit the public purse.



His lecture was on how the 2019 budget would address sustainability concerns after the IMF programme.



The deficit figures



Providing data to back his suggestion, the economist said in 2011, tax exemptions cost the nation $ 2.4 billion, representing 6.13 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP).



In 2013, the amount of tax exemptions jumped to $ 2.5 billion, constituting 5.2 per cent of the GDP, while in the same year, the government issued $750 million Eurobond at eight per cent interest.



In 2014, Ghana lost five per cent of its GDP, amounting to $ 2 billion, due to tax expenditures.



Data from the Ministry of Finance indicates that in 2016, the country lost GH4 billion to tax exemptions.



Over the years, successive governments have used tax exemptions presumably to help the country stay in competition for foreign direct investment, incubate new companies into maturity and create jobs.



But with the public purse shrinking by the day because of burdens, including high emoluments and debt servicing, which swallow almost all the countrys tax revenue, Prof. Bokpin said it was time to re-examine the whole idea and design exemptions that met the countrys specific needs as the current system was denying the country much revenue.



The governments antidote



In November 2017, the Ministry of Finance announced that beginning from January 2018, companies applying for tax exemptions would do so online, as the government planned to roll out a paperless tax exemption system to block the revenue leakages that recurred with the current manual system.



The system would make use of the e-MDA portal on which the investor/company sent an application for tax exemption, along with all supporting documents which would either be accepted or rejected by the MDA.



Exemptions granted by Parliament were to be billed into the system, and when the threshold allowed was exhausted, the system would automatically block any further exemption on the item, thereby saving the country taxes and duties it would have lost through the manual system.



2019 Budget



In the 2019 budget, the government projects to spend GH73.4 billion in 2019, raise GH45.3 billion as revenue, spend GH19.4 billion, representing about 26.5 per cent of total expenditure on wages and salaries and GH18.7 billion on debt servicing.



Turning his attention to the 2018 budget, Prof. Bokpin observed that the government had a challenge because it did not have the fiscal space to fulfil all that it had promised to do.



He said while the government tax revenue over the years had been going up, wages for public sector workers had also been going up alongside the interest the country paid on its loans.



Once you are spending so much on debt servicing, it crowds out priority spending. You can imagine what GH18 billion will do for us if we were not going to spend that servicing our debts, he added.



Financing deficit



With the government planning to spend GH8.5 billion on capital expenditure, Prof. Bokpin said it was impressive that from 2017, government allocation to capital expenditure  infrastructure  was increasing.



The 2018 budget mirrors reality. The feedback is that the roads are very bad and government must respond.



The more than GH14 billion deficit in the 2019 budget meant that the government would have no choice but to borrow to meet its obligations



With all the things the government wants to do, where would the revenue come from? It is borrowing.



This is the reality so we will borrow. If you look at the total revenue and expenditure, the difference is about GH14.5 billion. That alone tells you the borrowing requirements of the government. The government doesnt need to tell you that it will borrow once you see the deficit; they will borrow because the deficit has to be financed, he said.



IMF romance



At the presentation of the 2019 Budget, although the Minister of Finance said Ghana would not go back to the IMF for support after the expiry of the funds three-year extended credit facility, Prof. Bokpin said the trend pointed to the contrary, as since 1965, the country on the average went to the IMF almost every four years for one financial support or the other.

Source: Graphic.com









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Four African First Ladies are holding a meeting in Accra to take a strong stand against early child marriages and other socio-cultural practices targeted at girls in Africa.



The meeting dubbed: The 2nd Girls Summit on Ending Child Marriage, featured First Ladies from Ghana, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone.



Also present were gender ministers, civil society groups and technical advisors from parts of the continent including Mozambique, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.



The two-day summit on the theme: Enough of the silence, is being organised by the African Union (AU) and hosted by the Office of the First Lady of Ghana, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in partnership with Plan Ghana, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA).



The commitment



Speaking at the opening ceremony, the First Lady of Ghana, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, said the high-level gathering was a clear indication of the importance attached to issues that affected girls, and the commitment to make a difference in the lives of girls and young people.



She said girls who were married off at an early age did not only suffer emotionally but were also affected psychologically and physically.



According to her, four out of 10 girls were married off before the ages of 18 years in Africa while in Ghana, the national average of girls in this category was 21 per cent.



We all know the challenges, sometimes tragic that comes as a result of child marriage and female genital mutilation. Child brides and girls, who have been circumcised, have a higher mortality rate from complications of child birth and are at an extremely high risk of developing obstetric fistula, she stated.



It was for this reason, she said, that Ghana had committed to fully implementing its 10-year strategic plan framework on Ending Child Marriage, which was launched in 2016 with a two-year operational plan to ensure youthful livelihood and socio-economic transformation by 2030.



By empowering girls, Mrs Akufo-Addo said, they became better positioned to contribute to national development.



She, therefore, called on all African First Ladies, civil society, the AU and all other stakeholders to work assiduously to end child marriage.



Lets protect the children



In an address, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Mrs Fatima Maada Bio, urged parents and the general society to protect children and allow them to enjoy their childhood, and enjoy marriage at the right age.



While condemning the act of hiding behind religion, culture and power to encourage the act of child marriage, she said, children needed to be educated and empowered to become responsible future leaders and contribute their quota to the development of the continent.



Child marriage, she said, did not only affect the child involved but the mother as well.



Allocate more resources



For her part, the Commissioner of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC), Ms Amira El Fadil, said ending child marriage was a priority of the AU, which recognises it as a development, cultural, health, political and religious issue which needed to be addressed.



She said the AU launched a campaign in 2014 to end child marriage which was adopted by 24 member states.



Madam Fadi further disclosed that out of the number of member states who adopted the campaign, 30 per cent enforced and enacted laws that protected girls, while 41 per cent developed a national strategic plan.

Source: Graphic.com









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A Water Project built to supply safe drinking water to Akim-Oda and some other major towns in the Eastern and Central Regions has been inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a ceremony.



Akwatia, Asene and Winneba are among communities that are going to be served by the project.



It has the capacity to produce 35, 400 cubic litres of water daily.



The project was initiated by the Kufuor Administration and was funded by the Turkish Government.



President Akufo-Addo, who was on a three-day inspection tour of the Eastern Region, assured the people that his government would not disappoint them.



They would deliver on every single promise they made to Ghanaians.



He rallied the people to give strong backing to the implementation of the various interventions and programmes meant to make things better for everybody.



President Akufo-Addo called for the traditional authorities in Akim-Kotoku to move quickly to resolve chieftaincy disputes in the area.



He reminded them that efforts at bringing progress to the place could struggle if they remained disunited and mired in conflicts.



Disputes, he added, did not bring benefit to anybody.



He applauded the Turkish Government for its support for the nations socio-economic transformation.

Source: GNA









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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed 10 staff members for various offenses including stealing and sexual misconduct in their respective schools.



Six of the teachers were found guilty of sexual misconduct, while three others were found guilty of stealing and one other, found guilty of defilement by an investigative committee set up by the GES and convicted by a court.



A statement signed by Ms. Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of Public Relations Unit, GES, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said, the conduct of the staff breached aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct of the GES hence the sanction.



The statement said the decision was taken after they went through the due process at all levels from the school through the GES Council, adding that, the punishment was to serve as a deterrent to others who have the intention of doing similar things.



Those whose appointments had been terminated for sexual and immoral conduct are:



Mr Vincent Nii Armah 0too  St. Francis SHTS, Akim Oda,

Mr Kester Ansah Djan, Benkum SHS, Larteh-Akuapem,

Mr Adjetey Anum James, Okumaning Ugars Basic, Okumaning E/R,

Mr Bright Akpalu, Akwatia Presby SHS, Akwatia,

Mr William Akompong, Nyankumasi SHS, Assin Nyankumasi, and

Mr Robert Seppey, Adumanu D/A Basic School, Asikuma Odoben Brakwa.



The following were convicted of stealing by the Court and has therefore been dismissed:



Madam Comfort Oduro Bruce, Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua,

Mr Alfred Kumah, Regional Education Office, Koforidua and

Mr Kwasi Agyeman, SDA SHS, Koforidua

Mr Wiayuga Mumuni, United Basic School, Tumu, Upper West Region, who was convicted for defilement had been dismissed from the service.

Source: GNA









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The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, has emphatically predicted defeat for all persons who have placed their hope in former President John Mahama for a return in 2020.



Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, mostly referred to as Chairman Wontumi explains that the former President Mahama is the political equivalent of Ataa Ayi and until he removes that tag, Ghanaians cant trust him to be our leader.



A lot of stealings went on under the leadership of former President Mahama. Corruption was no longer a crime under John Mahama. Even if his brother took heavy loans from banks, he wouldnt pay for it and former President Mahama was aware of it and not bothered.



If you think about it you wont be wrong to say former President Mahama is the political equivalent of Ataa Ayi. He was a terror leader, Chairman Wontumi underscored.



Over a period of three months, Chairman Wontumi, explains that he has conducted his own polls and his findings have shown that the absence of former President Mahama and the National Democratic Congress from political power for a minimum of 16 years, would propel Ghanas economy to be more stable.



He touted the social interventions programmes being implemented by President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia as measures that would bring relief to Ghanaians for a very long time.



He added that the NPP government is well on course in its determination to implement policies and programmes designed to formalise and modernise the Ghanaian economy,



Chairman Wontumi however warned that If Mahama and the NDC should be given a chance anytime soon, they would do what they do best.



They would come and dip their hands in state coffers and fill their stomachs. The create, loot and share agenda would be more grandiose.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Newly elected National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has suggested that it will not be a wrong decision for the party to elect former President John Mahama as its 2020 presidential candidate.



Mr. Ofosu Ampofo believes it will not be a bad idea for the NDC to retain Mr. Mahama, who caused the partys worst electoral defeat in 2016; he virtually declared the other aspirants unfit.



Asked whether it would make sense to retain the former president, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo stated: Its not a bad idea, because when you are going for an election you are looking for the most marketable personality.



This, according to him, is because Mr. Mahama remains the most marketable candidate so far in the race for the NDCs flagbearership position.



The chairman made the disclosure on Joy FMs Personality Profile on Thursday, November 22, 2018.



Unfit Candidates



In August 2018, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo declared some NDC presidential aspirants unfit for the top job.



Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; former Rector of UPSA, Prof Joshua Alabi; former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah; former Trade and Industry Minister, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, have all declared their intention to contest the position.



With the exception of Mr. Bagbin, the rest of the contestants are all former appointees of ex-President Mahama.



Some of the candidates have accused the leadership of the NDC of scheming to make ex-President Mahama the flagbearer for the 2020 polls on a silver platter.



During the just-ended 9th National Delegates Congress of the NDC, which saw the election of Mr. Ofosu Ampofo and Johnson Asiedu Nketia, among others, Mr. Mahama was given the opportunity to address the over 8,000 delegates, while other candidates were relegated to the background.



Sources said the rest of the candidates were denied the opportunity to speak because Mr. Mahama had mostly financed the congress.



DAILY GUIDE has gathered that some national executives of the NDC, including Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, are giving undue advantage to Mr. Mahama at the expense of the other candidates because he (Mr. Mahama) has the financial muscle and capable of greasing their palms greatly unlike other candidates.



The congress that brought Mr. Ofosu Ampofo and other NDC executives to power was characterised by allegations of vote-buying, and its unclear if same would not happen during the partys presidential election.



But Mr. Ofosu Ampofo insists that going into 2020 election against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with a marketable candidate like former President Mahama reduces your advertisement cost.

Source: Daily Guide









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KAMPALA- Water resources of a country constitute one of its vital assets that significantly contribute to the socio-economic development and poverty eradication.

And goal six of the UN General Assembly on new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in September 2015, requires countries to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.

According to the commissioner for water at the Ministry of Water and environment Eng. Richard Cong, this goal is premised on the fact that water scarcity or availability determines the quality of life.

While speaking at the release of a new study report titled; The Impacts of Climate Change on food security and Livelihoods in Karamoja sub-region on March 20 at Sheraton Hotel, Mr Cong said Uganda derives this priceless resource either by surface water, under-river flow, groundwater, frozen water, especially in Rwenzori areas, or desalination done by National Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Eng Cong said that Uganda has been losing 34 percent of its water to evaporation and that if no efforts are made towards protecting the water sources, Uganda will be water stressed by 2025.

Despite the fact that it rains in most parts of the country, 80 percent of Uganda has a rainfall deficit due to Climate Change and evaporation, there is need to protect the natural water sources like rivers, wetlands, lakes, streams, all groundwater sources, said Eng Cong.

According to a 2015 report by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), Uganda has 4500 square kilometres of wetlands cover (1.9 percent of Ugandas total area) and a legion of other lakes and rivers, including Lake Victoria, George, Edward, Albert, and Kyoga, along with the River Nile, the country is steadily harnessing the water for economic development.

Dr Tom Okurut, the executive director National Environment Management Authority [Nema] said although safe drinking water seems to be increasing in the country according to the 2015 UBOS report [2015/16, water production was 93.8 million cubic metres compared to 87.3 million cubic metres produced in the 2012/13 representing an increment of 7.5 percent], there was an urgent need to protect the water sources.

But according to UBOS report 2016/217 access to drinking water in urban areas has stagnated at 71% and adds that during the 2016/17FY, a total of 425,000 people had to be served just to maintain the access to safe water and that of these, 290,000 resulted from population growth in the urban councils that existed in 2016.

Dr Okurut explained that the Ubos statistics also show that 65 percent of Ugandans can now access safe water for drinking.

In Uganda rainfall is the major source of water but this resource is unevenly distributed in both time and space and is recently experiencing variability that threatens the distribution of resources and water availability in Uganda due to wetland degradation, said Dr Okurut.

He named other the sources of water in Uganda as surface water (streams, rivers, and lakes) or groundwater [Aquifer, a natural underground layer often of sand or gravel that contains water, this can serve as sources of drinking water, referred to as source water which provides water for public drinking water supplies and private water wells.

The minister of state for water Mr Ronald Kibuule says although Public utilities treat most water used for public drinking, protecting source water from contamination can reduce treatment costs.

And this protection of source water also reduces risks to public health from exposures to contaminated water so our target as government is to ensure that everyone takes clean water whether you are in the village or urban setting, said Mr Kibuule.

He said although the spatial distribution of rainfall has resulted into a network of great rivers and lakes that possess big potential for development in Uganda, these resources are being developed and depleted at a fast rate, a situation that requires people to be taught how to protect water resources.

The Sironko district Water Engineer Mr Andrew Wasukira said of all the renewable resources, water has a unique place because it is essential in sustaining all forms of life, food production, promoting economic development and for general wellbeing.

Water is impossible to substitute for most of its uses, difficult to de-pollute, expensive to transport but a manageable natural resource which we need to protect, said Eng Wasukira.

Eng Wasukira says the agricultural sector is slowly but increasing demand for water for irrigation and that without it, food production will fail.

He said despite invaluable contribution water makes to Ugandas economic development, several water sources are experiencing disruptions from human-made activities like reclaiming wetland, settling around the rivers and lakes buffer zones and cutting down trees which lead to formation of rainfall to refill the water sources.

Mr Paul Mafabi, the director of environment affairs, Ministry of Water and Environment says water is at the heart of every adaptation to climate change and Ugandans should strive to jealously guard these water sources from pollution or even encroachment.

Encroachment on water resources is a threat to human health and wellbeing as well as the integrity of the ecosystems that requires urgent protection, said Mr Mafabi.

The minister of Water and environment Mr Sam Cheptoris recently announced a wetland restoration plan across the country and a national tree planting across the country but whether this will be affected is another debate.

The government has also announced the National Development Plan II, which seeks to transform Ugandan society from a peasant to a modern and prosperous country within 30 years.

Dr Abel Rwendeire, deputy chairman, National Planning Authority (NPA), says under the National Development Plan II, access and maintaining water sources has been given a top priority.

Dr Rwendeire said the NDPII emphases the need to increase sanitation and hygiene levels in rural and urban areas, functionality of water supply system, incorporating gender concerns and crosscutting issues, promoting catchment based integrated water resources management and implement water resources management reforms.

He, however, says attaining the above require everyones effective involvement and a well-coordinated financing mechanism.

Why do we protect the water sources in Uganda?

There is need to regulate and guide the protection of Water Source Points because of the following issues and challenges:

-Fluctuating water quantity.including declining amounts available for use on regular basis +scarcity + exhaustion of water resources

-Declining water qualityresulting into increasing use of unclean/unsafe water + high costs of water treatment before supply.

-Relationship between condition of source and quantity +quality of water for use.

Objectives of Water Source Protection

1. Improved Water Quality

-Health: Minimize the risk to human and livestock health

-Equipment: Minimize risk of damage to pumps and water services equipment (e.g. through corrosion)

2. Reliable Water Quantity

-Yield: Ensure adequate yield to meet water supply demand

-Reliability: Minimize seasonal disruption or halt long term declines in water flows/levels

3. Better Livelihood Opportunities

-Sustainable Land Management: Increase level and reliability of household income from better farming and forestry practices.

-Poverty Reduction: Develop new sources of income and socio-economic security through better catchment management. Ends

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PUNE, India, November 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

 Gynaecologist and Head of IVF, Dr. Puranik gets featured in a Documentary by BBC World Service Radio

 She is the only Doctor from Asian Institute to be featured in this documentary

Popular for handling cases of those who are not fortunate or have to struggle to find a solution to enjoy the motherhood, Dr Supriya Puranik, a leading gynaecologist, high risk obstetrician and Head of IVF & Gynaecology department at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital Nagar Road was recently featured in a Documentary Programme Titled, 'The Changing Face of Procreation' on BBC World Service Radio. BBC had programmed this documentary to mark 40 years since the first IVF baby and to let the world know about the rare IVF / ART cases around the world. The list of interviewer includes scientists, bio ethicists, doctors, and people who have used IVF to enjoy the motherhood. Dr. Puranik from Sahyadri Hospitals Pune was the only doctor from Asian Institute to be featured in this documentary which included broadcast of interviews of ten doctors and some their successful case studies.

The documentary highlighted various ways and cases of IVF and ART that have changed the way people think about motherhood, adoption and the ethical and legal challenges that the technology brings around the world. One of the most intriguing cases discussed during the BBC broadcast was that of a 49 year mother who had lost her child due to cancer and got him back through cryopreserved semen and surrogacy.

Dr Supriya Puranik says "Being an IVF specialist, I am happy that developed science and new technologies are adding pleasure and cheerful moment in human's life. In hospitals, we often see a lot of emotions and happiness whenever a woman delivers a baby and we become a part of their joyous moments." "But, in this case it was about a grief stricken mother whose son was away for studies when he faced health issues and succumbed to death. The persistent desire to have her son back and her spirit convinced me to be by her side when she needed the most. We appreciate the kind of spirit she has shown in this entire process."

This is only one case among those high risk and challenging cases that Dr Puranik handles with her skills and come out successful to bring happy smiles to the patients and their families.

Dr. Puranik's professional journey though has been fascinating but she comes from a very humble background and started her practice in smaller cities like Satara and Karad. Dr Supriya Puranik, an expert with sheer determination, hard work and adoption of latest technologies rose up the ranks in IVF and is now considered as one of the leading IVF experts in India. This can be attributed to her technical and leadership skills and her pursuit for excellence in the subject she has been passionate about.

Dr Supriya Puranik has delivered the First Test Tube baby in Satara District and has performed various high risk and lifesaving surgeries in and around Pune.

About Sahyadri Hospitals:

Sahyadri Hospitals is the largest chain of hospitals in Maharashtra with 8 hospitals across three cities of Pune, Nashik and Karad. The hospital chain has over 900 Beds, 1200 Clinicians and 2300 Support Staff providing round the clock healthcare. To know more: http://sahyadrihospital.com/

For more, please contact :

Amol Pandit, 967-333-0915,[email protected]

SOURCE Sahyadri Hospitals Limited
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, embarked on a high-profile visit to Ayodhya on Saturday, aimed at grabbing centre-stage in the demand for constructing the Ram Temple as elections approach.

They took a flight to Faizabad from where they will drive down for an engagement at the Laxman Killa in Ayodhya, and later perform a 'maha-aarti' on the banks of Sarayu river on Saturday evening.



At the Laxman Killa, he will be felicitated by a large number of Hindu holy men, besides common people and perform a puja there.



On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied by local party leaders, sants and sadhus, interact with the media and later with the public, though plans for a public rally were not finalised yet.



For the Ayodhya visit, Thackeray is carrying an urn containing the earth from the Shivneri Fort - the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune district of Maharashtra.



Over 4,000 Shiv Sainiks from Maharashtra, besides more from other parts of the country have preceded him to Ayodhya since the past couple of days, a party spokesperson said.





Party leaders including Sanjay Raut, Ministers Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and others have been camping in Ayodhya since the past few days to prepare for Thackeray's visit.



This will be the Thackerays' first-ever visit to the holy city, though in the past his father and founder of the Shiv Sena, the late Bal Thackeray had travelled to Uttar Pradesh on a couple of occasions.



The party's prime demand is to expedite the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya by promulgating an Ordinance to the effect.



Upping the party stance on the issue, Thackeray had announced his plans to visit Ayodhya during his Dussehra rally here last month.



Coinciding with the visit, the Shiv Sena has organised prayer meetings and 'maha-aartis' all over Maharashtra with senior party leaders joining them. Representatives of the North Indian community here have also expressed support for the party.
Twenty-six more projects have been granted by the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (G.E.F-S.G.P) in Samoa.

The projects which addresses issues of biodiversity, climate change adaptation and mitigation, international waters, land degradation and sustainable forest management, chemicals and finally capacity development, cost US$636,830 (T$1,622,006).

They were approved by the National Steering Committee (N.S.C.), based on the technical assessment and recommendation from the dedicated and hard-working Technical Advisory Group (T.A.G.).

The funding supports Samoans who are most at risk given their strong dependency on natural resources for their livelihoods, while often living in fragile ecosystems throughout Samoa.

Samoa has had great success in the management of the Small Grants Programme (S.G.P.). So far, 214 projects costing US$4million have been implemented to date.

The S.G.P. management in U.N.D.P. has also advanced additional resources to Samoa with the aim to ensure that the other 27 projects cleared by the National Steering Committee, but not yet funded, will also be implemented soon.

On Thursday, the U.N.D.P. G.E.F.-S.G.P. Samoa Sub Region Operational Phase 6 (OP6) Inception Workshop was held at the T.A.T.T.E. Convention centre for the successful applicants.

The day allowed the project team to answer queries and help grantees to build their capacity to implement their approved work plans and financial reporting.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, addressed the gathering.

She said G.E.F-S.G.P. priority interventions funded in Samoa help to reinforce the focal areas present in the recently published Community Integrated Management (C.I.M.) Plans, which have been signed in 41 districts across Samoa.

For development progress, a strong partnership between State and non-State actors is a prerequisite and is a factor that continues to prove paramount to the success of SGP projects, particularly in Samoa, she said.

She added that the onus now falls on the grantees and their communities to successfully implement the approved projects to ensure the opportunity for future funding in the coming operational phases.

U.N.D.P. Resident Representative, Simona Marinescu, was pleased to announce that the financial grants will provide financial assistance to the fragile and vulnerable communities, but equally importantly, will result in sound financial injection into the Samoan economy.

Moving forward, she said U.N.D.P. will focus on the sustainability of the results achieved with the small grants and the strengthened coherence between S.G.P-led interventions and broader community development plans.

The approved projects fall within one or more of the GEF Focal Areas (FAs) which include biodiversity, climate change adaptation and mitigation, international waters, land degradation and sustainable forest management, chemicals and finally capacity development.

Established in 1992, the GEF Small Grants Programme embodies the very essence of sustainable development by thinking globally, acting locally.

Funded by the G.E.F. (Global Environment Facility) as a corporate programme, S.G.P. is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme on behalf of the G.E.F. partnership and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (U.N.O.P.S.).
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  Samsung Electronics apologized Friday for illnesses and deaths of some of its workers, saying it failed to create a safe working environment at its computer chip and display factories.

The announcement by the South Korean technology giant came weeks after the company and a group representing ailing Samsung workers agreed to accept compensation terms suggested by a mediator and end a highly-publicized standoff that went on for more than a decade. The company's apology was part of the settlement.

Kinam Kim, president of Samsung's device solutions division, said the company failed to "sufficiently manage health threats" at its semiconductor and liquid crystal display manufacturing lines. As detailed in Associated Press reporting over the past decade, dozens of employees who worked there have experienced grave illnesses such as leukemia and brain tumors.

"We offer our sincere apology to our workers who have suffered with illnesses and their families," Kim said during a news conference in Seoul, which was also attended by activists and relatives of the workers.

But while cutting a deal and loosely admitting to lapses in safety standards, Samsung has yet to fully acknowledge its workplace environment as the direct cause of the illnesses.

The standoff began in 2007 when taxi driver Hwang Sang-gi refused to accept a settlement after his 23-year-old daughter died of leukemia after working at a Samsung factory. Hwang's efforts to clarify the cause of Yu-mi's death and hold Samsung responsible for problems related to working conditions galvanized a broader movement to hold businesses and the government accountable for safety lapses in the chip and display industries, which use huge amounts of chemicals.

"No apology would be enough when considering the deception and humiliation we experienced (from Samsung) over the past 11 years, the pain of suffering from occupational diseases, the pain of losing loved ones," Hwang said at the news conference. "But I take today's apology as a promise from Samsung Electronics," to improve the safety of its workplaces, he said.

According to the settlement, Samsung will compensate for various illnesses of employees who have worked at its chip and LCD factories since 1984, including as much as 150 million won ($132,000) for leukemia. The compensation also covers miscarriages and congenital illnesses of the workers' children such as child cancer.

Since 2008, dozens of workers have sought occupational safety compensation from the government. Few won compensation, mostly after years of court battles. Half the remaining claims were rejected and half remain under review.

Families of the victims often have depleted their savings and sold their homes to pay hospital bills. Some workers end up incapacitated and unable to work.
BEIJING (AP)  China will go along with changes meant to update global trade rules so long as they protect Beijing's status as a developing country, a Cabinet official said Friday.

The deputy commerce minister, Wang Shouwen, said any changes also must address protectionism and abuse of export controls and security reviews  a reference to Beijing's trade clash with U.S. President Donald Trump.

China agreed in June to work with the European Union to propose changes to the World Trade Organization to address technology policy, subsidies and state industry  all areas in which Beijing faces complaints. U.S. officials complain the global trade referee is too bureaucratic and slow to adapt to changing business conditions.

Wang said each country's "development model" must be respected  a reference to China's state-dominated economy, which has provoked repeated complaints Beijing is violating its market-opening obligations.

Beijing has accused Trump of wrecking the global trading system by going outside the WTO to hike tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump says that was necessary because the global body is unable to respond to complaints about Chinese technology theft, subsidies and state-led industry development.

China is "willing to assume obligations" that are "compatible with our own level of development," Wang said at a news conference.

"We will not allow other members to deprive China of the special and differential treatment that developing members deserve," he said.

Wang gave no details of changes Beijing might support. But he said they also must address agricultural subsidies  a frequent complaint by developing countries against industrialized economies  and "discrimination against state enterprises," a reference to restrictions on Chinese government companies abroad.

Beijing's insistence that it is a developing country and entitled to special protections despite having grown into the second-largest global economy and a major manufacturer rankles its trading partners. That might dampen chances of reaching agreement on WTO reforms that would satisfy the United States, Europe and other governments.

Other governments dislike Trump's tactics but echo U.S. complaints about Chinese market barriers and technology policy.

Washington and Beijing have imposed penalty tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods in their dispute over U.S. complaints that China steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology.

The United States, Europe and other governments also object to Chinese plans including "Made in China 2025" for state-led creation of competitors in robotics and other technology. American officials worry those might erode U.S. industrial leadership.

The EU filed a WTO challenge in June to Chinese rules on technology licensing that it said improperly discriminate against foreign companies.

Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are due to meet this month in Buenos Aires during a gathering of the Group of 20 major economies. Private sector analysts say there is little chance that meeting by itself will produce a settlement.

Wang, the commerce official, gave no details of Xi's possible negotiating stance. But he said China hopes G-20 members can have an "effective discussion" about WTO reform.

"China hopes the G-20 meeting can support the multilateral trading system (and) oppose unilateralism and trade protectionism," he said.

Wang warned that an issue that "endangers the WTO's existence" is the status of judges to mediate disputes. The Trump administration has blocked the appointment of judges to the WTO's appeal body, leaving only three members on the seven-seat panel.

That is a dispute "between the United States and all other WTO members," said Wang. "We believe this should be resolved as soon as possible."
BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union removed the last major obstacle to sealing an agreement on Brexit after Spain said it had reached a deal Saturday with Britain over Gibraltar on the eve of an EU summit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who arrived in Brussels Saturday evening for preparatory talks with EU leaders, will then have the momentous task of selling the deal to a recalcitrant British Parliament and a nation still fundamentally split over whether the U.K. should leave the EU on March 29 and under what conditions.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday that Madrid would support the Brexit divorce deal after the U.K. and the EU agreed to give Spain a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation.

Spain wants the future of the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral issue between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk assured Sanchez that Spain's "prior agreement" would be needed on matters concerning Gibraltar.

"Europe and the United Kingdom have accepted the conditions imposed by Spain," Sanchez said. "Therefore, as a consequence of this, Spain will lift its veto and tomorrow will vote in favor of Brexit."

May said Britain had conceded nothing on the sovereignty of Gibraltar.

"I will always stand by Gibraltar," May said after meeting with Juncker. "The U.K. position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not changed and will not change."

The move should allow EU leaders speedily to sign off on the Brexit agreement between Britain and a special summit Sunday morning.

Sanchez said the agreement reached would give Spain "absolute guarantees to resolve the conflict that has lasted for more than 300 years before Spain and the U.K."

May was on her way to Brussels when the deal came through and hopes to leave EU headquarters on Sunday with a firm agreement on the withdrawal terms for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, as well as a comprehensive negotiating text on how future relations should look like once both sides agree on a trade agreement.

May was to have dinner with Tusk on Saturday evening.

Winning warm greetings from her 27 fellow leaders on Sunday might be much easier for May these days than getting such treatment from her colleagues in government and Parliament once she returns. May is under intense pressure from pro-Brexit and pro-EU British lawmakers, with large numbers on both sides of the debate opposing the divorce deal and threatening to vote it down when it comes to Parliament next month.

The leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, on which May relies to get her government majority, on Saturday rejected her planned Brexit deal, arguing it would drive a wedge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Arlene Foster said in Belfast that the deal agreed by May is unacceptable and must be improved upon in the weeks ahead.

She said that the draft agreement raises constitutional questions and instead insisted on "an outcome that does not leave Northern Ireland open to the perils of increased divergence away from the rest of the United Kingdom."

The DUP has said it may drop its backing of the government because of the Brexit plan.
Q: Is it a good thing San Diego was passed over for the new Amazon headquarters? (Yes or No)

Phil Blair, Manpower

NO: Its never a good idea to have the San Diego region passed over for 25,000/50,000 jobs paying an average of $150K and an infrastructure investment of many billions of dollars. But it is also unreasonable to think the San Diego region, having one of the highest costs of housing, housing deficits, high water and electricity rates and high taxes to ever be a site for large firms to move their operations. We need to continue the focus of EDC to grow our own innovative companies and keep them based here as long as it makes economic sense for the companies

Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research

NO: It would have clearly been quite beneficial for San Diego to have Amazon establish their second headquarters with high paying jobs, millions in investment, and induced and indirect spending. It would have been a mistake, however, to offer the extravagant crony package apparently necessary to bribe Amazon to move here. Instead of giving all businesses a break, corporate-specific tax incentives distort the market giving some employers an unfair advantage over actual and potential competitors.

David Ely, San Diego State University

NO: San Diego would have benefited from the economic activity generated from a share of the 50,000 high-paying jobs and $5 billion in investments Amazon promises to deliver. An influx of Amazon employees would have pushed up prices for homes and commercial space and generated more traffic. But, if the incentives provided by local governments were modest and some of the new Amazon positions went to residents, the benefits would have outweighed the negatives.

Gina Champion-Cain, American National Investments

NO: One half of the proposed Amazon project would equate to adding two Qualcomms to our economy. You'd be hard pressed to find any segment of the San Diego community that does not benefit from the positive effects of Qualcomm's presence. We should embrace the opportunity to host another high wage workforce such as that which would come with an Amazon scale business. Tax credits are a separate discussion.

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

YES: The local economy is very strong right now, with the unemployment rate low and the labor market tight. That is driving up housing prices and making things unaffordable for many residents, both in terms of purchasing a home and also renting. The addition of the Amazon headquarters would make that situation worse. On top of that is the incentives that would have been needed to attract Amazon, which could be costly, e.g., Foxconn in Wisconsin.

James Hamilton, UC San Diego

NO: If Amazon had moved to San Diego, it would have broadened the tax base and created new economic opportunities for everyone here. But we should be cautious about offering expensive special perks in an effort to induce particular big companies to locate here. A better strategy is to strive for an overall regulatory and tax climate that allows every business, however large or small, to grow and thrive, without needing any special favors.

Gary London, London Moeder Advisors

NO: Had San Diego actually landed Amazons 25,000 jobs it would have been an unprecedented economic boost, the likes of which this region has never experienced. The pressure on the housing market would have been acute, causing a wakeup call to all of our electeds on the need to lift the many restrictions, which are mostly responsible for holding back housing development.

Norm Miller, University of San Diego

YES: Jobs created would be great for our economy. The downside is that housing prices and rents would be driven up, and some residents would complain about that. Others would revel in the appreciation. We would all question whether landing Amazon was worth the $1 billion plus in tax credits required to lure them, money that could be spent on public goods. The payback on the investment required would take 30 years to recoup, so be careful what you wish for.

Jamie Moraga, IntelliSolutions

NO: Even with a lack of affordable housing and increased traffic, San Diego would still welcome the opportunity for more job growth to our county and to attract a large worldwide powerhouse like Amazon. We didnt win the HQ2 bid but we do have the talent, quality of life, and access to international markets to be attractive to another large corporation. We also have an existing vibrant startup and small business market space, that if nurtured and invested in, could encourage entrepreneurship and job growth that is homegrown like Qualcomm, Viasat and Cubic.

Austin Neudecker, Rev

NO: Any rapidly growing, large company establishing a presence in San Diego should be welcomed (as they add jobs and tax revenues). However, the cities that won the Amazon bid did so by providing huge tax incentives, potentially larger than the benefit the company is projected to bring to the region. I wish our bid had prevailed, but I am glad we didnt sacrifice more. I would rather see San Diego attract companies based on the quality of our talent and ecosystem than forfeit the projected benefit to the company in tax breaks.

Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates

YES: We are better than that as we have attractions, beaches, climate, culture and so much more. We are envied and are able to attract businesses without billion-dollar subsidies. We must make it less bureaucratic to create jobs here as our regulations are essentially anti-business. We must also make certain that our employment and technology laws are clear in San Diego and California. New technologies and the sharing economy are now a thing.

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

NO: The gain of 25,000 to 50,000 highly paid jobs plus stimulus from new construction could have countered slowing or a possible downturn over the next few years. The major pressure point would have been housing, where further steps need to be taken to reduce the barriers to more supply. Amazon might have helped drive wages higher, which would have helped affordability. At least taxpayers will not be charged for any promised incentives.

John Sarkisian, Motion Ventures

YES: If the only way to get Amazon to select San Diego was to provide tax benefits, subsidies and incentives that would outweigh the benefits of having the second HQ of Amazon then it is a good thing San Diego was passed over. San Diego was never in the running due to the lack of infrastructure needed to accommodate Amazons requirements.

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

NO: It would have been great for the community and our economy but the decision is no surprise. Housing costs, taxes and other issues will move a major business to other states. Assuming incentives offered to Amazon were reasonable, bringing Amazon to San Diego would have benefited the local economy by creating new jobs and adding to the tax base. The addition of another Fortune 500 company also would have enhanced San Diegos reputation as a business-friendly city.

Have an idea for an EconoMeter question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com.

Follow me on Twitter: @PhillipMolnar
ad nauseam between now and November 2020, or, if Trump takes the Buckeye State again, forever. Next post up today is a look from inside by Tim Russo. First I just want to make few comments on John Russo's piece from yesterday in the American Prospect, In the mad dash into Thanksgiving on Wednesday, I hope you had a chance to read There Was A Red Wave-- In Ohio because the topic is going to be hashed overbetween now and November 2020, or, if Trump takes the Buckeye State again, forever. Next post up today is a look from inside by Tim Russo. First I just want to make few comments onRusso's piece from yesterday in the Ohio: Another Brick In The Red Wall? First a note: Tim Russo understands who and what Sherrod Brown is ; John Russo's understanding of Sherrod is... well, generously, about a quarter millimeter deep. That said, John is correct about Ohio getting "redder."





The state PVI is R+3, primarily only slightly red because of Obama's strong performances against McCain (51.5% to 46.9%) and Romney (50.7% to 47.7%), but it will be imminently sinking like a stone, especially after Hillary's 43.6% wipeout by Senor Trumpanzee. Politically, Ohio looks to have more in common with Indiana and even Kentucky than with Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin, let alone Illinois.

Does Ohio have the worst state Democratic Party in the nation? With so state parties at rock-bottom, there's too much competition to say precisely, but the Ohio party is about as bad as it gets... and has been for longer than anyone I know can remember. "Many Democrats," wrote John Russo, "seem ready to give up on Ohio. Michael Halle, who coordinated Hillary Clintons battleground state strategy before managing Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordrays campaign this year, told the New York Times that it was time for Democrats to jettison Iowa and Ohio in future campaigns in favor of Arizona and Georgia. Clinton campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri now says that that the Clinton campaign should have spent less time and money in Ohio and spent more in Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas. Speaking from ground zero for Democratic crossover voters in Youngstown, Mahoning County Democratic Chairperson David Betras commented after the midterms that it wasnt the people who had left the party. Instead, Betras stated, the Democratic Party had left Ohio."





Jennifer Palmieri is a moron and being quoted by anyone just demeans their work. She should get a job working as the spokesperson for the Arkansas Democratic Party so no one ever has to hear from her again. As for Halle, jettisoning Iowa, where the Democrats did, across the board, incredibly better than he did for Cordray-- after all Iowa Dems flipped half the state's congressional seats and came close to totally wiping out the GOP-- no one's jettisoning them for Georgia anytime soon.

The Republicans in Ohio somehow overcame ongoing scandals involving their promotion of charter schools, sexual harassment charges against Republican leaders, and the schism between the Trump and Kasich wings of the Ohio Republican Party. The Democrats and community organizations also mounted an impressive organizing campaign that generated record turnout for a midterm election. Yet Republicans swept statewide offices save for the non-partisan Supreme Court races.



The Ohio results make Republican dominance clear. The Ohio GOP won 73 of 116 Statehouse races while collecting just over 50 percent of the total vote. That sounds close, but Republicans did not even field candidates in nine races. They also won 12 of Ohios 16 congressional districts with just over 52 percent of the overall vote. The results reflect past gerrymandering by the Kasich administration-- which will only get worse as Republicans will control reapportionment in 2020.



So whats the matter with Ohio? Conventional wisdom says that Ohio is too white, too working class (by education), and too rural to support Democrats anymore. That might seem to explain voting patterns in the midterms. Republican Mike DeWine won the largely white exurban, small town, semi-rural, and rural areas that dominate the state. Cordray won in urban and some suburban areas, mostly in the northeast, where the population includes many people of color. Unfortunately, those areas are chiefly found in just nine of Ohios 88 counties. Some of those blue regions, especially the traditional Democratic strongholds of Cuyahoga, Mahoning, and Trumbull Counties, no longer deliver enough votes to overcome growing Republican power elsewhere in the state.



But conflating race, class, and region misses several complicating factors. First, Ohio illustrates a point made recently by John McCullough, writing for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting: When pundits talk about the working class, they are usually not talking about class but about whiteness. According to a 2016 Brookings Institution report, Ohio is whiter than other rust belt states (82 percent, compared with 77.6 percent in Michigan). And while much of the state is rural, its suburban and exurban areas are growing, and their predominantly white populations include both working- and middle-class residents.

the Ohio Democratic Party still relies on the same leaders, consultants, and lobbyists who failed in past elections and have not developed a bench of future candidates. Twelve years ago, the last time Democrats won Statehouse races in Ohio, the party capitalized on Republican scandals. Not this year. Further, as Alec MacGillis has written in the New York Times, the Ohio Democratic Party, unions, and some progressive organizations failed to support more progressive Democrats or to invest time or money in 'areas where the party is losing ground.'" No, this is all wet and the use of the metric is stupid, lazy and not even statistically correct. Midwestern states that are whiter than Ohio's 80.9%, like Iowa (88.4%), Wisconsin (83.0% and Minnesota (82.7%), saw Democrats triumphing on November 6. Russo was correct however when he pointed out Ohio's Democrats' inbred party leadership and poor messaging . "Despite a series of defeats," he wrote, "Twelve years ago, the last time Democrats won Statehouse races in Ohio, the party capitalized on Republican scandals. Not this year. Further, as Alec MacGillis has written in the, the Ohio Democratic Party, unions, and some progressive organizations failed to support more progressive Democrats or to invest time or money in 'areas where the party is losing ground.'"

Cordray and other statewide candidates also failed to offer concrete proposals that would address the economic challenges facing both working- and middle-class voters. The only candidate who focused on such policies was also the only Democrat who won statewide: Senator Sherrod Brown. Why? Browns campaign embraced his small town Ohio roots and stressed his consistent support of policies-- like protectionist trade rules, increasing the minimum wage, and reducing prescription drug prices-- that would improve the lives of working people. This message, combined with his long-standing commitment to campaigning in every county, red or blue, ensured that his message appealed to broad range of voters across races, class affiliations, and regions.



Unfortunately, Cordray wasnt able to follow Browns model. Despite Cordrays leadership of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which should have defined him as a progressive who would defend ordinary people from Wall Street and corporate misbehavior, he failed to directly address the economic anxieties of working people. While Cordray and Brown voiced some of the same concerns-- like lowering the cost of college education or addressing the opioid crisis-- Cordray waited until late in his campaign to emphasize the kind of economic policies that have long been at the core of Browns political identity. He also lacked Browns track record and his down-to-earth style.



Browns coattails were simply not long enough to carry other Democrats. In fact, Browns numbers may have been pulled down by the other statewide candidates. He won by only 6.4 percent, despite a weak Republican opponent and an 8-to-1 fundraising advantage, according to David Skolnick, political analyst for The Vindicator-- the local paper in Youngstown, a Brown stronghold.



As the 2018 midterms make clear, Ohio Democrats cannot count on a strong organizing effort alone to yield victories. They also need the kind of clear message, wide-ranging outreach, and concrete proposals that Brown offered. If Democrats want to reclaim Ohio, they need to recognize that many Ohio Trump voters are also Sherrod Brown voters and vice versa.



But will the Ohio Democratic Party change its approach? Will there be a return to Ohios history of northern progressivism that Sherrod Brown channels? I doubt it. Even Brown acknowledges how conservative Ohio has become. And unless they embrace the kind of pro-worker world view that Brown has championed, Ohio Democrats will remain helpless as Republicans continue to cement the state within their red wall.

In the 2016 Ohio presidential primary, Hillary beat Bernie 56.5% to 42.7%, primarily because of big wins among African-American voters in Cleveland (Cuyahoga Co.), Columbus (Franklin Co.), Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.), Toledo (Lucas Co.), Akron (Summit Co.), Youngstown (Mahoning Co.) and Dayton (Montgomery Co.).But in less reliably Democratic areas of the state, Bernie did very well. In Athens County, for example, he not only beat Hillary 61.2% to 38.2%, but his 5,663 votes was more than the #1 (Kasich- 2,497) and #2 (Trump- 2,621) Republicans combined. Bernie did better against Clinton-- mostly running even with her-- in predominantly rural and white working class counties across the state. And in some of the counties where Hillary beat Bernie, even second place Bernie managed to beat Trump. Lucas County voters gave Bernie 24,111 votes while Trump got just 17,403. In the next post up, Tim Russo will explain why the only hope for Democrats in Ohio in 2020 is with Bernie.
The new owner of the 92-acre site of a weekly swap meet and the former Valley Drive-In movie theater has received a two-year extension for 10-year-old permits to build the Oceanside Pavilion, the citys largest shopping center.

Zephyr Oceanside LLC, an arm of Encinitas-based Zephyr Partners, bought the property at the corner of state Route 76 and Foussat Road over the summer for an undisclosed price.

Tentative plans call for 4,000 parking spaces and 19 commercial buildings, including mostly big-box retail stores, boutiques, a health club, a movie theater and restaurants, but that could change.

A more contemporary idea might include a wider mixture of uses, perhaps with offices, apartments or single-family homes, which would require the property to be rezoned with the City Councils approval. So far, there are no plans for that, company officials said.

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Our company is 10 years old, Zephyr Chief Operating Officer Chris Beucler said Monday night after the Oceanside Planning Commission approved the extension.

Over the last two years, our emphasis has gone away from residential and into commercial, Beucler said. Our movement is into mixed-use developments.

The company has built luxury homes, townhouses and condominiums in Coronado, Encinitas, Del Mar, and San Diego.

Projects underway include Solana 101, a combination of retail, residential, offices and restaurant space on Highway 101 at Dahlia Drive in Solana Beach, and the proposed bluff-top Del Mar Resort on 16 ocean-front acres along Highway 101 at the border of Solana Beach and Del Mar.

Zephyr prides itself on being a leader in the change department, Beucler said. Well make something happen.

A consultant for Zephyr, Brian Milich, told the Planning Commission that approval of the extension will allow the company to refine the plans and begin extensive grading. The site is along the San Luis Rey River, so about 500,000 cubic yards of fill material will be brought in from off-site sources to raise the property several feet above the flood plain.

Grading alone will take 12 to 18 months to complete, Milich said.

The property was owned for many years by brothers Robert and John Siegel, who owned and operated several theaters in Carlsbad and Oceanside. The brothers died in 2014, and their heirs sold the land to Zephyr.

Georgia-based real estate developer Thomas Enterprises proposed plans for the shopping center in 2006. Oceansides Planning Commission approved the project in 2008, and City Council upheld the approval on appeal.

Thomas specializes in upscale malls and built The Forum on Calle Barcelona in southern Carlsbad.

At 950,000 square feet, the Pavilion was to be three times the size of The Forum. Financial consultants estimated it would employ 2,800 people and bring Oceanside $3.8 million annually in additional revenue from taxes on sales, property and business licenses.

However, the national economy took a turn for the worse, and so far theres been no construction. The projects permits have had three automatic extensions from the state, and one from the city that expired this week.

Adding to the difficulties, Westfield Shopping Centers, the former owner of The Shoppes at Carlsbad mall on El Camino Real, filed a lawsuit against the city in 2008 in an attempt to stop construction of the would-be competitor.

Westfield claimed the city had improperly reviewed all the likely environmental impacts from the project. Westfield dropped the lawsuit in 2010 after a judge ruled that Westfield failed to prove the environmental review was inadequate and Thomas agreed not to increase the size of the Pavilion project.

The Pavilion site is a little more than two miles east of Interstate 5, near Mission Avenue and Oceansides municipal airport.

The four-screen, drive-in theater on the property opened in the 1960s, originally with one screen, and showed its last movie about 1999. The screens were demolished in 2016.

The 20-year-old Saturday and Sunday swap meet first shared space with the theater and has continued since the drive-in closed, but is expected to have its last sale in February.

(An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that developer Thomas Enterprises sold the Pavilion property to Zephyr. Robert and John Siegel owned the property for many years and their heirs sold it to Zephyr.)

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
When Linda Apodaca was hired as the archivist, librarian and exhibition designer for the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum two years ago, it was a great fit for her.

I am very patriotic and although I have never served, I love the military. I like the structure, order and discipline that goes with the military, she says. My son is an officer in the military, most of the employees and volunteers I work with are retired military.  I enjoy the camaraderie and respect they share with one another, even after they retire.

The museum is a Marine Corps command museum at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, with exhibits and artifacts about the history of aviation in this branch of the military. One of the most recent exhibits Apodaca has worked on is the museums Military Working Dogs exhibit, which is on display through June 30.

Apodaca, 58, who lives in Spring Valley with her husband Chris and has two sons, took some time to talk about the exhibit, some of the history of this program with dogs in the military, and how much she enjoys one particular hiking spot in her neighborhood.

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Q: Tell us about the Military Working Dogs exhibit.

A: The exhibit portrays Marine Corps dogs in warfare from World War II to the present, and the dogs used on MCAS Miramar base. Although every base has a K-9 program, not all bases deploy their dogs; deployment opportunities ended for the dogs on Miramar in 2009. However, the garrison at MCAS Miramar frequently send the teams to assist other security groups around the continental United States at events like the presidential inauguration and the Republican and Democratic conventions.

Q: Where did the idea for this specific exhibit come from?

A: We are an aviation museum, so a large portion of the information and artifacts at the museum are related to aviation. Our mission is based on Marine Corps aviation and although we are an aviation museum, it is important to cover other aspects of the Marine Corps at different times and in smaller doses in our museum. The K-9 unit and their handlers are an important aspect on the ground, whether in combat or base security, and we thought, since everyone loves dogs, why not? Prior to this exhibit, we exhibited the Navajo code talkers from WWII. I was taught that sometimes you go outside the mission statement to appeal to a larger audience. Say someone might not think they are interested in Marine Corps aviation, and they come in to see the dog exhibit; when they leave, I guarantee they will be interested in aviation. I learn something new about aviation every day.

Q: What was necessary to put the exhibit together?

A: Most museums spend three-plus years planning exhibits; we spent a year with research, taking photographs, watching and talking with the handlers and most importantly, interviews with the kennel master of the K-9 program here on base. With his and the other handlers expertise, we were able to get the information and artifacts we needed to put together the final product. And the kennel master deployed twice with dogs prior to his current position on Miramar, and we were able to learn about deployments through his experience. At times during deployments, the dogs and handlers are first to go in and secure areas. While most of us would run from a building or other location with explosives, these brave dogs and their handlers go in the buildings and risk their lives every day.

What I love about Spring Valley ...

We have a great area to hike near the Steele Canyon Bridge near Campo Road.

Q: Was there anything new that you learned during the process of putting this exhibit together?

A: Everything about the dog exhibit was exciting and new. It was nice to step outside the box of aviation and learn a new aspect of the Marine Corps and the base. I loved the idea that when dogs retire, the most recent handler, and subsequently past handlers, are given the opportunity to adopt the dogs. Several of the handlers I interviewed had adopted retired military working dogs at home.

Q: What kind of training do these dogs go through?

A: Most of the dogs on base are either Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds and German Shepherds, and/or Belgian Tervuren. Although 75 percent of the dogs are imported from Europe, 25 percent are bred and raised at a military working dog center at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Dogs and handlers from around the country and overseas are trained there. They are trained to patrol, scout, search buildings, and detect either narcotics or explosives. Training methods take into account each dogs natural personality. From birth to 8 weeks old, future dogs are bred at a training squadron in the whelping center. Upon reaching 8 weeks old, the pups go home with foster parents in the area. When they are 7 to 9 months old, they are taken into observation as a military working dog. Although there is no guarantee any pup will become a working dog, pups that exhibit a strong drive, are adaptable to different environments, and respond to reward-for-work motivation, move into the pre-training program. The dogs that are chosen go to their prospective bases at 1.5 years old.

The job of handler is not easy and being in charge of a dog means the handlers bathe, feed, play and exercise their dogs, as well as keep their records up to date. The handlers receive four months of training at Lackland, and then continuous training at their garrison.

Q: Is there a story about a specific dog and/or dog-and-handler relationship from the exhibit that you can share with us, that stands out for you?

A: Yes! I fell in love with a dog on base named Wando. Wando and his handler really stood out to me because the two of them really have a special connection, and they are amazing to watch. Wando is the star of the exhibit in my book. And mind you, this has nothing to do with the other dogs or handlers as they are all excellent. I just think that sometimes things really click and this is one of those times. Wando and his and handler are great together; they won the title of top dawg during the 2018 Max Donahue Memorial Iron Dawg Competition this past June.

Q: What has this work taught you about yourself?

A: I am very obsessive about order! With the type of work I do, organization, inventory, keeping track of things  its all a great job for someone obsessive about order.

Q: What is the best advice youve ever received?

A: Its something that has nothing to do with my job: Years ago, a little girl at my sons school told me I was uptight. She told me I needed to go home and dance like no ones watching. I guess she thought I needed to let loose. LOL!

Q: Describe your ideal San Diego weekend.

A: Having lunch at The Barbecue Pit where I used to eat with my grandparents, back in the day. And going to the San Diego Zoo, I love that place! Ive been visiting the zoo since I was little. My dad helped build the Skyfari aerial tram when I was a kid and I remember visiting while he was on the job. My family has a long history in San Diego.

Email: lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @lisadeaderick
November 24, 1947 The San Diego Union

The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year.

Monday, November 24, 1947

In 1947 the mammoth XC-99 aircraft made its first flight over San Diego.

Described at the time as the largest land plane in the world  Howard Hughes H-4 Hercules seaplane, dubbed the Spruce Goose, had made its first and only flight just three weeks before  the XC-99 was built in here by Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp (Convair), for the Air Force.

The XC-99 was designed as a troop and cargo transport plane. With a wingspan of 230 feet and a length of 185 feet, it was capable of carrying 400 fully equipped troops or 100,000 pounds of cargo.

Only one XC-99 was ever built. The XC-99 was retired from Air Force service in 1957.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the story:

LARGEST LAND PLANE IN WORLD SOARS ON FIRST TEST HOP

Thousands See XC-99 Make its Maiden Flight

Fourth of Populace Packs Streets, Roofs For Air Spectacle

By Richard K. Gottschall

A fourth of the City watched the worlds larges land-based airplane lift itself into the air yesterday afternoon for the first time.

Ten thousand persons lined Lindbergh Field fences or stood on the tops of their cars, parked on Laurel St. and Harbor Drive, to watch the maiden flight of the 400-passenger XC-99, built by Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp, for the Air Force.

NEARLY ALL SAW IT

Police estimated another 75,000 crowded the streets, vacant lots and lawns of the surrounding hills. Nearly every San Diegon saw the flight over the city.

Russell R. Rogers and Beryl A. Erickson, their coats off and their sleeves rolled up, took the block-long airplane into the air at 1:08 p.m. Sixty-two minutes later they set the ship down without a bounce.

The two veteran test pilots used the maximum power of the six 3000-horsepower pusher engines during the takeoff.

Black smoke trailed from the engines as the plane climbed into the sky, but the pilots explained this was a normal escape of surplus exhaust gases.

OFF IN 2400 FEET

The nine-foot wheels of the planes landing gear lifted from the concrete after a run of only 2400 feet, less than a third of the distance of the 8750-foot runway and less than a half of the estimated takeoff run required.

The short run was possible, the engineers reported, because the plane was carrying only 7000 gallons of fuel and no cargo. Gross weight at takeoff was only 204,000 pounds, compared to a normal loaded weight of 265,000 pounds.

The plane climbed in a straight line yesterday until it had passed the end of the field. Then it turned majestically to the north and circled slowly to about 4000 feet.

View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories.
A mother who scaled the U.S.-Mexico border fence near the San Ysidro Port of Entry Friday night fell and was impaled by pieces of rebar, Border Patrol said Saturday.

The 26-year-old Guatemalan woman was with her two children, ages 3 and 5, when she crossed illegally, said Border Patrol Agent Tekae Michael. She told agents she was not part of the massive migrant caravan camped out in Tijuana, Michael said.

The mother climbed the fence east of the port of entry, where construction crews have been working to replace decades-old primary fencing with a new barrier. When she fell, pieces of rebar pierced her side and buttocks.

Border Patrol arrived to render medical aid about 8:25 p.m. and requested assistance from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. She was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

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Her children were also evaluated at the hospital for potential fall trauma and, showing no injuries, were released back to Border Patrol custody.

Entering our country illegally, particularly over our walls is not only dangerous, but also very foolish, San Diegos Chief Border Patrol Agent Rodney Scott said Saturday. This woman placed her own life and her childrens lives in peril. She could have easily died if not for the quick response by our agents and EMS.

Authorities said the rebar was part of the ongoing border fence construction and not related to the militarys recent mission to fortify the fence in response to the caravan. The military has primarily been stringing concertina wire across the top of the fence. It was unclear if there was concertina wire where the woman crossed.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Sickness has started setting in at a sprawling migrant camp in Tijuana, as Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum declared a humanitarian crisis and asked for federal and international assistance for the more than 6,000 Central Americans who have poured into the region in recent weeks.

At the Benito Juarez shelter in north Tijuana, more than 4,700 migrants are in tents and under blankets that are now filling surrounding streets for about a one-block radius.

Inside the shelter, Paula Cortes, 21, and her family huddled around a 2-year-old baby Isaac, who lay feverish, listless and covered with blankets.

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Hes very, very sick, his mother said in Spanish. Im too worried right now but they wont send a doctor in here. They told us to take him outside to the medical tent.

The Office of the Secretary of Public Health for Baja California did not return a request for comment, but a shelter aid worker confirmed the only current option for the young parents is to bring him to a medical tent set up outside Benito Juarez to deal with minor medical ailments.

The Government of Baja California Friday reported treating 818 respiratory infections and providing 1,286 general medical consultations to members of the migrant caravan.

Mayor Gastelum declared a humanitarian crisis Thursday, asking for more federal assistance and for international groups like the United Nations to help with the massive influx of people.

They have categorically omitted and not complied with their legal obligations, the mayor said of the Mexican federal government. So, were now asking them and international humanitarian aid groups to bring in and carry out humanitarian assistance.

An International Red Cross tent that was set up on Thursday was not present Friday afternoon, but there were international aid workers making their way around the streets surrounding Benito Juarez, checking on refugees camped out in the streets.

On Friday, Ingris Aquiles and her 3-year-old daughter, Brittany, waited in line for about an hour to get some cold medicine from the medical tent. The services are only intended for basic medical issues.

Aquiles said they gave her and her daughter some cough medicine.

We just have to wait it out, Aquiles said, referring to making their way to the United States. President Donald Trump has asked us to wait here, so we are going to wait, what else can we do? We have plenty of time to wait.

Some migrants like Aquiles have already been at the shelter one to two weeks, and have settled into a daily routine like an early morning 30-minute wait to use restrooms. Then, theres the long line for food, before waiting in more lines for donated items like shoes.

Today, Aquiles said she skipped waiting in line for handouts to visit the medical tent, which was about an hour wait.

You want to get up and get out of there really quickly, said Bayron, a 27-year-old Honduran who declined giving his last name. Bayron is traveling with his 19-year-old wife and 1-year-old child.

You dont want to sit around inside there and get sick. Right now, everyone inside is really sick, he said.

Conditions inside the shelter are severely overcrowded. Municipal officials have moved to restrict journalists access inside by requiring special badges issued by the mayors office to cover the caravan.

Local journalists responded in a letter to the mayor saying we are not city hall employees and we have a duty to fulfill.

Therefore, we have decided not to collect the accreditations that your office is offering, because we consider this violates the right to information and the free exercise of journalism, stated the letter from a local informal coalition of journalists.

President Donald Trump has threatened to completely shut down the border if Mexico cannot control the situation. Pressing for more Mexican federal assistance, Mayor Gastelum stressed the negative impacts on Tijuanas economy should the border completely close for days.

Since Thursday, after about 150 migrants marched toward the border asking for more humane shelter conditions, the city has brought in more portable toilets and a giant sewage pump to stop overflow from the restroom area from backing into the showers.

Late Friday afternoon, the remaining caravan members were trickling back to camp from Chaparral Plaza where they pushed within hundreds of feet of the U.S. border on Thursday.

They stayed the night on the concrete plaza, surrounded by federal police in riot gear, before Mexicos national migrant rights group convinced them to return to Benito Juarez.

Federal authorities warned the group they faced arrest and deportation for unlawful assembly in the plaza if they did not return to their shelter.

Truckloads of migrants from Mexicali continued arriving in Tijuana late Friday. Mexican authorities estimate there are still about 750 more Hondurans in Mexicali with plans to eventually travel to Tijuana. Another 1,700 are moving through Sonora, according to Mexican federal numbers.

Groups passed the time Friday by making flags, painting them with bright colors and messages for Trump. One read: Trump, Central America asks you for work.

Were making these flags to convince Trump to support us and understand us, said Aquiles.
There is no way to disguise the sad news. Buffalo Breath Costumes, after more than 45 years in business here, is closing forever at years end.

Managers say the shops departure will leave only one other year-round costume rental store of its type here locally  Gypsy Treasure in La Mesa.

I feel heartbroken, said office manager Ryan Varney, who has worked with the family-owner retailer for the past nine years. This is my home, my family.

Buffalo Breath isnt alone in losing the digital battle with online retailers. Its an industry-wide trend, observed Varney.

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As customers rented theater-quality costumes for this years Halloween parties, they were advised that the normally for-rent-only outfits were available for purchase. A sale began in early November with prices slashed 40 percent on most merchandise and up to 70 percent on deluxe costumes.

For instance, deluxe Julius Caesar and Samurai warrior garb, which include realistic-looking engraved armor and heavy-duty helmets, traditionally rented for $199 for one-time use. Valued at about $2,000 each, the costumes are currently being offered for purchase at $449. A Marie Antoinette gown that rented for $129 is selling at $229.

People are coming in and buying their Comic-Con costumes early, Varney said. Theyre also purchasing adult-size Easter bunny and Santa Claus outfits, although Varney still had about 40 Santa suits left in stock last week. Also on the market are masks, wigs, hats, hands, feet, claws and paws, costume jewelry, accessories, theatrical make-up  even store fixtures are for sale.

But the one-time deals hardly make up for the permanent loss of a business that has four full-time employees and as many as 25 sales people during busy party times.

No one seems to want to support local businesses like us any more, Varney laments.

Buffalo Breath first opened in the early 1970s in Pacific Beach. It moved briefly to Little Italy in the early 90s, then became a landmark on Hancock Street for 18 years. Founders John Fitzsimmons and Kathleen Flynn, who started with a vintage clothing store, sold the business to Abraham and Susana Issa more than a decade ago but kept the Hancock Street building for several more years. About two and a half years ago, Buffalo Breath moved to its current and final location at 5630 Kearny Mesa Road, Suite B (as in Buffalo).

I did all the designing, said Flynn, and we made our own costumes with seamstresses in the store. We had high-end, one-of-a kind, really good quality costumes, more like theatrical costumes. The couples attention turned elsewhere after they lost their home and possessions in the 2003 Cedar fire near Lake Cuyamaca.

Im sorry its going to close, she said.

Even before they sold, it was a tough business to be in year-round because of costume rental dry spells, not to mention increased competition from the internet and proliferation of pop-up costume stores.

Manager Martha Lopez says todays customers are sympathetic and nostalgic.

Gail and Gary Moore were married in 2007 in the Santa Cruz Mountains wearing vintage costumes they rented from Buffalo Breath. When they heard the store was closing, they took in this photo to try to buy the outfits they had worn. Behind them is the Roaring Camp Railroads train. (Courtesy photo)

San Diegan Gary Moore walked last week carrying his photo album. He wanted to buy the Victorian wedding costumes he and his wife, Gail, had rented when they married 11 years ago on 7/7/07. Their wedding party rode a vintage train operated by Roaring Camp Railroads into the Santa Cruz mountains for a ceremony in the redwoods.

We were talking about renewing our vows sometime, Moore said. So, when the couple learned the costume store was going out of business, they raced over to buy their wedding outfits. We are heartbroken that we are going to lose Buffalo Breath because they have such a huge variety of costumes, he said.

A date certain has not been set yet for the closing, which will depend on the success of the sale. As space becomes available, costumes are cycled in from the warehouse.

As for the stores unusual name?

When we were in our 20s, we were sitting around with friends trying to think of a name that would make people laugh, Flynn recalled. As the evening wore on, someone mentioned buffalo breath. We all laughed and agreed right away that Buffalo Breath was the perfect name.

Meet pint-sized Kensley Dibble, left, and Soane Viora. The 5-year-old local actresses won auditions to trade off playing the role of Lulu in Waitress when the touring musical hosted by Broadway San Diego opens here Nov. 27. (Courtesy photo)

At your service: Nearly 60 pre-kindergartners auditioned for a role in the touring production of Waitress that Broadway San Diego is bringing to the San Diego Civic Theatre starting Tuesday through Dec. 2. At each city on the tour, producers audition pint-sized actresses to portray the 5-year-old daughter of the lead character, a small town waitress stuck in a stale marriage.

Some sang, some danced and some told stories to express who they were, said Christann Heideman of Broadway San Diego. The two girls selected  Kensley Dibble of Temecula and Sloane Viora of Point Loma  will alternate in performances of the show as LuLu. Although only 5, both already are accomplished dancers.

Kensley plays the piano, won a national tap dance competition and also competes in jazz. Sloane enjoys ballet and tap dance and has performed with San Diego Danceworks since she was 3.

The young ladies will be placed under contract with the Actors Equity Association, the union representing performing artists  a nice start on their resumes.

diane.bell@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1518

Twitter: @dianebellSD

Facebook: dianebell.news
After several years of delays, a mentally ill Valley Center man is set to start trial next spring, accused of murder in his mothers 2010 stabbing death.

Earlier this month, a Vista judge set an April trial date for the defendant, David Leroy Lucero Jr., who has been in custody since shortly after the slaying of 53-year-old Margo Jean Lucero.

Officials at the District Attorneys Office say they are not aware of any other criminal case in the agencys history that has taken as long as Luceros to wend its way though the process.

Now 33, David Lucero has spent more than eight years  it will be nine when his trial starts  in custody, but not always in jail. His mental competency was repeatedly at issue, and he has spent a lot of his pre-trial time in a state mental hospital.

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David Leroy Lucero (courtesy photo)

The case has stretched out for years, in large part because of concerns about his mental competency, which has to do with whether he can understand the court proceedings and assist in his own defense.

It wasnt until a few years ago that he formally pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of murder and car theft for allegedly killing his mother and taking her car.

According to authorities, in the days before the killing, Luceros behavior had grown so troubling that the family planned to have him committed to a mental hospital.

But on March 8, 2010  the day before his planned committal  he was behaving so strangely that his family called authorities for help.

The deputy who responded to the Costalota Road home declined to take Lucero into custody for mental observation.

The next morning, Margo Luceros husband  a medical doctor who had been out of town for work  could not reach his wife. His calls went unanswered.

Later that day, her husband and adult daughter found her dead in the familys upscale home.

Blood was everywhere. David Lucero, Jr. was gone. So was his mothers Mercedes.

Later that night, the Mercedes was found abandoned in the Arizona desert. Police arrested Lucero about 10 miles away from where they found the car.

Early on, the family hired renowned defense attorney Mark Geragos to represent Lucero.

In May 2010, Geragos asked to have his clients mental competency evaluated. Doctors found that Lucero was not competent for trial, and he was sent to Patton State Hospital, a forensic psychiatric hospital in San Bernardino County.

He has been back and forth between jail and the hospital.

Trial was supposed to begin last spring. But during jury selection, Luceros attorneys once again raised competency concerns. Eventually, he was found competent, clearing the way to set a new trial date.

Once his trial begins, it will consist of two phases. The first phase will be to determine whether he is guilty of the charges.

If Lucero is convicted, a second phase of the trial will follow and the same jury will be asked to determine whether he was legally insane at the time of the crime.

If found to be legally insane, Lucero would likely be confined to a hospital. If the jury find he was sane, he would be sentenced to prison.

To find Lucero insane, a jury would have to conclude that he did not understand the nature and quality of the crime  at the time he committed them  and did not know the acts were morally or legally wrong.

The burden to prove insanity falls to the defense. Lucero is still represented by Geragos and his firm.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
The idea seemed simple enough. Last year, Portland passed a law to ease the pain of renters being forced out of their homes or facing large rent hikes.

Officials and housing advocates in particular were worried about those facing no-cause evictions. Such renters arent compelled to relocate because they damage property or fail to pay rent; their landlords just want them out.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said Michael Simon had upheld Portlands new rental law. The ruling was by Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Henry Breithaupt.

The ordinance requires landlords to pay tenants from $2,900 to $4,500 for a no-cause eviction, a rent increase of 10% or more, a substantial change to the lease or a lease nonrenewal.

Now, landlord groups that have sued to overturn the law hope they will prevail when the Oregon Court of Appeals hears the case in January, even as tenant advocates nationwide study the ordinance as a tool to prevent renter displacement.

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As far as I know, no place else has taken this sort of approach, said Emily Goldstein, a senior organizer for the Assn. for Neighborhood and Housing Development in Manhattan.

The group hopes to educate the public and officials about the ordinance and possibly replicate and improve the law in the New York region.

Jamey Duhamel, a policy advisor for Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and co-author of the ordinance, said cities across the nation have asked for information about the law. I think our relo ordinance is unique, and the only one of its kind in the country, she said.

In California, where Proposition 10 was defeated in the Nov. 6 election, tenant advocates see Portlands ordinance as a kind of Plan B to protect renters.

Outside Oregon, tenant advocates see the law as a viable tool to mitigate what Josh Butler, executive director of the group Housing Long Beach, calls a rental housing catastrophe. The Portland ordinance is a really great first step for a city to take, Butler said. I see it more as displacement mitigation.

In their lawsuit challenging the ordinance, Oregon landlord groups argue that, by discouraging rent increases, it violates a state law preempting local rent control. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Henry Breithaupt disagreed and upheld the law last year, triggering the landlords appeal.

John DiLorenzo, the lead attorney representing landlords, called the law the wrong fix for the problem, comparing it to the doctors of old who thought that applying leeches would help a patient.

Ron Garcia, president of the Rental Housing Alliance of Oregon, called it draconian. Garcias group represents 2,000 members, 60% of whom are small mom and pop landlords.

Im a guy who owns a duplex, and Im getting stymied by city government, Garcia said. I want my property back.

Tenant advocates far from Portland see the law as a way to help renters targeted for mass evictions in a deregulated rental marketplace.

Minnesotas Twin Cities have seen a surge in evictions in apartment buildings with as many as 700 units, said Tim Thompson, president of the Housing Justice Center, an advocacy group.

Minneapolis and four suburbs recently adopted tenant protection ordinances, he said, after discussions that included the Portland law. Minneapolis is now considering a tenant bill of rights package, which could include mandatory relocation payments.

The number of renters in the U.S. is near its high-water mark for the last half-century, a Pew Research Center study found. In cities up and down the West Coast, gentrification and eviction have led to increasingly volatile political battles.

In Portland, 123,157 of the citys 265,700 occupied housing units  or 46%  are rentals, Martha Calhoon, spokeswoman for the Portland Housing Bureau, said. The bureaus most recent State of Housing report found that almost every neighborhood in the city is now unaffordable for extremely low income individuals, and many black, Latino and single-parent households.

Duhamel called Portlands ordinance a really big and important protection for tenants in a moment of crisis. However, it doesnt solve all of our problems, she said.

The law allows landlords to apply for an exemption if they meet criteria in any of 12 categories, and it does not stop a landlord from raising rent 9.9% each and every year.

But Portlands law mandates payments that could make a difference to many ousted renters: $2,900 for a studio or single room occupancy, $3,300 for a one-bedroom unit, $4,200 for a two-bedroom and $4,500 for three or more bedrooms. Nationwide, the average renters net worth is a fraction of the average homeowners: $5,400 versus $195,400, the Federal Reserve found late last year.

The law, Ordinance 188219, went into effect in February 2017. Three Portlanders who received payments since then said in interviews that it empowered them to face the daunting challenge of finding a new home in a tight market.

Who has three months of money in the bank that they can just pick up and move? Amanda Potter, 37, asked, referring to the usual payments required to execute a lease. We rent because we are not in a position to buy. Potter and family lived in a Portland neighborhood for 15 years, but received a no-cause eviction notice in July 2017. They ended up 10 miles away, in Troutdale.

Sophia Jarvis, 29, was served an eviction notice in February 2017. Finding out about the ordinance, she said, was the first whiff I had ever caught that there was anything on our side as tenants.

It was the difference between us feeling like we would end up living on the street or sleeping on a friends couch  or being able to stand up for ourselves, Jarvis said.

In 2016, actor Adam Lisser and his parents sold the North Portland duplex he lived in. He remained in his unit as a renter, and a year later, the company they sold to handed him a 90-day no-cause notice. The landlord never tried to get out of paying the relocation fee, he said. On the other hand, it was just radio silence, he said.

Lisser pursued the issue like a pit bull, and he and two roommates shared $4,500.

Having that extra cushion allowed me to look for a new place from a position of strength, Lisser, 35, said. If I didnt have the relocation assistance, I feel like I would have experienced a lot of paranoia and uncertainty.

Is the relocation assistance law working?

Matthew Tschabold, assistant director for the Portland Housing Bureau, sighed when asked about its effectiveness. Thats something were still working on, he said. From community-based partners, he said, the bureau has heard it is having a stabilizing effect.

One possible measure of the laws effectiveness is the number of cases heard in local eviction court. Studies have shown that only a small percentage of overall evictions land in eviction court, but its clear that the number of residential eviction cases in the Portland area is declining.

Data provided by Multnomah County, one of three counties that include parts of Portland, shows that residential eviction cases have declined for a decade, from a high of 6,713 in 2008 to 5,353 last year  a 20% drop. (So far this year, the numbers are similar to 2017.)

Housing experts say the decrease could reflect various factors, particularly an improved economy, but Ann Witte, an attorney who has helped tenants in local eviction courts for four decades, sees it differently. It is clear that this approach that the City Council took is working for cutting down evictions, she said.

Since March, when the bureau began tracking data, 198 landlords have applied for exemptions. Calhoon, the housing bureau spokeswoman, said roughly half of those who apply for exemptions receive them. Landlords have made 168 payments to renters, she said. However, theyre not required to report payments, so the true number is unknown, and likely higher.

Are landlords trying to skirt the ordinance?

Tschabold wouldnt characterize landlords actions that way, but said the housing bureau occasionally fields interesting queries about how the measure can be applied. But such instances are rare  only one landlord out of tens of thousands, he said.

Katrina Holland, executive director of the Oregon Community Alliance of Tenants, which operates a tenant rights hotline, believes otherwise. We see a lot of different methods that folks try to use to get around relocation assistance, Holland said. Weve seen efforts from some landlords to try to trick tenants into thinking that theyre trying to make a choice to leave.

An organizer with renter advocate group Portland Tenants United agreed with Holland. Its true that some landlords are abusing [the ordinance], Margot Black said, but that doesnt mean it was better before there was relo. She called the ordinance a paradigm shift.

Tschabold said the housing bureau is prioritizing education and outreach, responding to what he called a rapidly changing rental landscape.

Landlords, meanwhile, are placing their hopes in the appellate court. Garcia, the president of the Rental Housing Alliance of Oregon, believes the public dialogue over rent has been hijacked by a small minority of radical tenant rights groups who scream the loudest at City Hall. The people that I speak for feel like the city has betrayed them, he said.

Schmid is a special correspondent.
Two weeks ago, California nurse Tamara Ferguson was surrounded by fire and contemplating her own death when she called her two adult daughters to say sorry and goodbye.

The mother of five could see flames, feel the hot wind and knew the ambulance that evacuated patients from Feather River Hospital in Paradise, Calif., shortly ahead of hers already was burning.

Ferguson described the harrowing scene and her groups incredible escape in a Facebook post on Nov. 9.

She posted again Thursday, wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and explaining why she felt that urge to apologize.

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My close friends, children and family know why, and Im ready to share that (now), not for sympathy but for strength to others facing similar situations, Ferguson wrote in her Thanksgiving post.

She described years of living in an abusive relationship and how she felt regret for all the times she wasnt the positive, doting mom she always wanted to be.

Ferguson said all those emotions washed over her as she dialed her daughters Clarissa, 24, and Savannah, 22, for what she thought would be their last, tearful conversations.

She said her ambulance had only driven about a mile during the initial evacuation Nov. 8 when they heard over the radio the ambulance in front of theirs was swallowed by flames.

We turned down a road into a driveway and stopped, she wrote. I looked around as fire surrounded us. Transformers were blowing up and the winds were sooo fierce.

Ferguson, 42, called her kids to say how very much she loved them and how sorry she was for anyway that I let them down, or made mistakes, she wrote.

On Thursday, she explained how she finally felt the strength to share her painful past after surviving the fire and speaking to the Los Angeles Times about her urge to apologize.

My close friends, children and family know why, and Im ready to share that (now), not for sympathy but for strength to others facing similar situations, Ferguson wrote.

To put it simple I was in an abusive relationship for years. I didnt want to fail. I endured years of being called names no woman should ever be called. No words any children should hear spoken about or to their mother. I went from a person who believed I could do anything I set my mind to ...someone who believed the actions and words brought upon me were my fault, she wrote.

I made excuses. I tried to do better. I told my kids it would get better ..it didnt, she wrote. They never knew walking into that door if it was a good day or bad day ...would I be happy and laughing ...or crying and withdrawn?

Ferguson said it took a long time to regain her sense of self-worth, but she did it.

She graduated nursing school with honors and a 2-month-old baby at age 37, she wrote.

She pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a labor and delivery nurse and started a new relationship with a partner who respected her.

I met a man who showed me what love and healthy is, that you can disagree, even argue, or be mad at each other, but you dont have to be belittled and reduced to tears and called names, she wrote. You can talk about things and forgive and move forward.

Ferguson said she was embarrassed to share her story before but now hopes it will help others.

No matter what you think it is NOT your fault, she wrote. Trust me. Its never too late and youre never stuck so far that you cant find yourself and pursue your dreams and happiness.

This is how I live, she ended her post, quoting the LA Times article.
Next week, nearly 24 years after a skinny North Park 14-year-old became a killer, he will get his first chance at parole.

But is Tony Hicks, now 38, suitable for release? A former district attorney says yes. So does the judge who sentenced him to 25 years to life in prison.

Most notable among those who support him is Azim Khamisa, father of the San Diego State University student Hicks killed.

Hicks was still in junior high school when the killing happened on Jan. 21, 1995  21 days after a change in the law allowed prosecutors to try a juvenile as young as 14 as an adult.

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He was the youngest Californian at that time to face that legal fate. Eventually, the teen faced a San Diego judge and admitted killing Tariq Khamisa in a robbery gone wrong.

Im sorry for killing Tariq and his family, he told the sentencing judge in 1996. My grandfather promised me that he will be Mr. (Azim) Khamisas friend and help him in any way he can for the rest of his life.

Promise kept. Grieving father Azim Khamisa teamed with Ples Felix, Hicks grandfather and guardian, to create the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, or TKF, an organization devoted to stopping gang violence.

That kept promise may be one of the biggest factors in Hicks potential release.

Photo of Tariq Khamisa, who in 1995, at the age of 20, was shot and killed by Tony Hicks. (courtesy photo)

Tariq Khamisa was 20 years old, a full-time college student and a part-time pizza delivery driver in North Park when a bullet fired during a robbery ended his life.

Back then, Hicks was known to some as Bone, a 5-foot, 4-inch tall junior high school student, when he pulled the trigger of a 9mm handgun. The shooting came at the urging of an 18-year-old fellow gang member  Bust em, Bone, the older teen had commanded, the Union-Tribune reported in 1996.

By the time he pleaded guilty, Hicks  born to a 14-year-old mother  was 15. He entered the prison system for juveniles.

The next year, the state relocated its 16 and 17 year old inmates, taking them from youth prisons and putting them in with adults. At 16, Hicks was at Folsom state prison.

He was 21 when he stabbed a prison guard with an eight-inch shank in 2002, according to authorities.

Case is unique and compelling

District Attorney Summer Stephan said she cant ignore that part of Hicks record.

That is a serious violent offense, and that is several years after the murder when he was already an adult, she said this week. I have to weigh the real compelling interest of how old he is but also public safety and if he is ready for parole.

Typically, prosecutors formally oppose parole at an inmates first hearing, especially if that person has committed a violent act in prison.

The District Attorneys Office has not taken a position in Hicks case. Not yet.

In Hicks favor, Stephan said, are his age at the time of the crime, that he has been free of violations in prison for a few years, and the support he has on the outside.

At the request of the victims family, Stephan will attend Hicks parole hearing Wednesday in San Luis Obispo.

I am going to listen and weigh and keep an open mind, Stephan said, and hopefully hear enough information that he is ready.

The case, she said, is unique and compelling, and she is mindful of the work of the organization the victims father and the killers grandfather established.

They have turned their pain into optimism, she said.

Azim Khamisa (left) and Ples Felix hug during a TKF presentation to students at Knox Middle School in San Diegos Mount Hope neighborhood in October 2016. Felixs grandson killed Khamisas son in 1995. (John Gibbins /San Diego Union-Tribune)

Khamisa and Felix were working on restorative justice  the idea that reconciliation with victims furthers rehabilitation of the offender  before it became a movement.

Tariq Khamisa Foundation has great reach in San Diego County. The organizations website says it has connected with more than 500,000 young people across the county since 1995 with a goal of stopping teen violence.

In November 2017, the founders gave a TED talk at a conference in New Orleans telling their story. The transcript of their presentation was translated into 17 languages.

I was scared and weak

Hicks has earned a high school diploma and college credits in prison. Hes also been writing a blog for TKFs website, speaking of the shame of his actions and the destructive impact he had.

The blog contains answers to questions from students. It includes what is essentially an open letter to his victim, written earlier this year. It reads, in part:

I cant comprehend what you must have felt that night I ambushed you, turning around to see me standing there with a loaded gun pointing at you demanding the pizza that you had already returned to the back of your car. You were courageous in that moment refusing to allow yourself to be robbed and for standing for what was right.

I often wonder if I would have your strength now? I know that I didnt have it then. I was scared and weak inside trying to hide those feelings and others behind the mask that being a part of a gang provided me and the gun that I pointed at you.

At left is a photo of then-14-year-old Tony Hicks in a pretrial proceeding. (Photo from Union-Tribune file) At right is a 2016 photo of Hicks in prison. (Photo courtesy Tariq Khamisa Foundation)

If he is released from prison, Hicks will work as a TKF spokesperson, according to his attorney, Laura Sheppard.

Sheppard, a San Diego-based attorney handling his parole hearing, works full time representing people serving life sentences in prison who are seeking release.

Hicks, she said, is suitable for parole and I say that having spent a lot of time with him personally.

He has deeply, emotionally and intellectually come to terms with what he did, and why he was so emotionally screwed up that he was capable of doing that, Sheppard said.

His evolution, she said, is legitimate and sustained.

Sheppard also pointed to  like so many others have  the support he has on the outside.

Its an overarching theme.

I chose to forgive Tony

Sheppard provided the Union-Tribune some letters of support for her client. Among them is one from Stephans old boss, former District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis (who was a judge, not a prosecutor, when Hicks killed Khamisa).

Dumanis noted that while Hicks prison record has not been perfect, he has participated in the incredible work by TKFs founders.

I am confident that Tony does not need to serve more time for his crime, Dumanis wrote. His debt to the community has been paid and he has been forgiven by his victims family. For a crime committed when he was just 14 years old, I believe Tony Hicks has been sufficiently punished.

The parole board will also have a letter from San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber, who sentenced the teen back in 1996. She later got personally involved with TKF, inviting its founders to speak at events and presentations.

The judge wrote that she finds the victims father and the killers grandfather two of the most inspiring people I have met in my entire 28+ year judicial career.

Weber noted in her letter that she cannot imagine there is any offender in the state that has more support in the community than does Tony Hicks.

Who could be a more eloquent spokesman for TKF, Weber asked rhetorically, than the man who as spent over 23 years behind bars and who still struggles with the central question of why he pulled the trigger on that gun?

Azim Khamisa (left) and Ples Felix hug during a TKF presentation to students at Knox Middle School in San Diegos Mount Hope neighborhood in October 2016. Felixs grandson killed Khamisas son in 1995. (John Gibbins /San Diego Union-Tribune)

Neither Azim Khamiza nor Ples Felix were available for comment for this story. A news release two months ago included a statement in which Azim Khamisa spoke of supporting Hicks release.

He also spoke of TKF having the opportunity through Tonys powerful personal story to renew its message and its mission against youth violence. It is all possible because I chose to forgive Tony all those years ago.

If Hicks is granted parole, he wont get out until next year. And if he is released in 2019, a coming change to the law gives his case notable bookends.

On New Years Day in 1995  21 days before the Khamisas killing  state law changed to allow juveniles as young as 14 to be tried for murder.

On New Years Day 2019, thats no longer the case. Under a new law, no one under 16 can be charged as an adult in California for any crime.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
The German government has committed a grant of US $34 million (EUR 30 million) to the East African Community (EAC) to support the regional organisations immunization efforts. The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, and the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to the EAC, Jorg Herrera, jointly signed the agreement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

With the additional grant, Germany will be financing the procurement of vaccines for children in the EAC against various diseases including measles, rotavirus, pneumococcus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and yellow fever. The programme will be financed through the German Development Bank (kfW) and implemented in collaboration with the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi). The cooperation aims at reducing child mortality in the region and mainly targets newborns.

This new commitment will bring Germany`s contribution to EACs regional immunization programmes to approximately US$170 million (EURO 150 million) since 2012. To date, German Development Cooperation with the EAC has financed over 60 million doses of life-saving vaccines for the region and the average immunization coverage in the region was substantially increased, making the EACs immunization programmes the strongest in Sub-Sahara Africa.

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Germany is a committed partner to the East African regional integration process. We are proud that our cooperation with the EAC and the Gavi Alliance is contributing greatly to improve child health in the region, said Herrera.

Amb. Herrera further said that vaccinations were a highly effective and cost effective means to fight child mortality, adding that particularly focus needs to be put on children from poor families as they often lack sufficient access to quality health care.

Mr Herrera also commended the EAC for its comprehensive approach to address priority health issues in the EAC region such as the control and prevention of infectious diseases, and pandemics and mother and child health.

EAC and Germany celebrated their 20th anniversary of development cooperation last month after holding successful Government Negotiations at the EAC Headquarters. Health is one of the two focal areas of the two sides, the other being Regional Economic and Social Integration.

Germany development cooperation, through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has to date contributed to regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects in these areas. With the new commitments signed today, Germanys funding for Technical and Financial Cooperation with the EAC amounts to over US$350 million.
The video is crystal clear: A woman hops off her bicycle, runs up to a house and grabs a box off the porch. In a flash, she dashes back to the sidewalk, tosses the package into the front basket of her accomplices bicycle and they pedal off.

A clean getaway?

Well, not really.

The doorbell security camera on the Oceanside home captured every detail of the Nov. 5 theft, in color.

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Later, when the couple living in the home reviewed the video, they decided to share it through the Ring Neighbors app to let others know there were package thieves in the area.

Turns out, Oceanside police were able to use the video to identify the two suspects. They are now seeking arrest warrants and arrests are imminent, said Oceanside police Sgt. John McKean, who oversees property and financial crime investigations.

The Oceanside Police Department is only the second police agency in California to partner with the Rings Neighbors app. The first was the Ventura County Sheriffs Department, Ring spokesman Morgan Culbertson said.

Oceanside police officials stress the city is not endorsing a product or the purchase of any products. Rather, they see the partnership as a valuable tool that gives them access to videos shared by potentially thousands of city residents.

Ring, acquired earlier this year by Amazon, launched the Neighbors app about six months ago. It creates a type of digital community similar to a neighborhood watch operation, company officials say.

The app, available on Android and iOS devices, allows users to access local crime and safety information within a 5-mile radius of their homes. They can view security videos shared by users and communicate with others via text-based messages.

Dozens of law enforcement agencies in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Maryland, Missouri, Illinois and California have joined so far, Culbertson said. The company hopes to enter into agreements with others.

McKean said about 6,000 Oceanside residents have signed up to use the app, including about 4,000 who have Ring surveillance cameras.

Police do not have the ability to turn on cameras or review video in real time. They can see videos that have been posted and search specific time frames to see if anyone posted a video on a certain date, anywhere in the city.

McKean said that means officers may not have to go through the time-consuming step of going door-to-door in an area where a crime occurred to ask whether homeowners and residents have surveillance video of the crime scene.

It is huge. It is a game changer, really, McKean said. It doesnt cost us anything and with all the tight budgets, it is just a good tool for us to use.

McKean said the company ensures only security and crime information is posted on the site. Youll never see anybody selling a couch or looking for an electrician on this website, McKean said. It is all safety and crime related.

As part of the agreement, Oceanside was given 10 doorbell cameras, which McKean said will be distributed to residents who dont have the devices.

As envisioned, Oceanside crime analysts and interns will use the portal to routinely review videos posted by residents and follow up to make sure they file police reports if they are victims of crimes.

Within weeks of the city entering into the partnership, police already have used surveillance video posted on the Neighbors app to identify suspects in two package thefts.

Mail thefts are considered misdemeanors if the value of the package is less than $950. But to those who rely on package deliveries, the crimes are anything but minor.

It is people who are ordering Christmas presents. Some people are shut in and everything they get is delivered to their door, McKean said. It means a lot more to them, even though it is a misdemeanor. It affects them a lot more.

Eve Nguyen said she was surprised at how many of her neighbors commented on the video she shared. Some offered empathy while others offered tips, including places where theyd spotted the thieves.

It was a nice sense of strong community there, she said.

Her husband, Peter Vu, said it wasnt the loss of the package that upset him  he thinks it might have contained candles or a license plate holder. Instead, he didnt like knowing someone came onto his porch to take the items.

You feel violated, he said. People come onto your property and take things that arent theirs.

The reaction of neighbors using the app also made the couple, who have lived in the city about a year and a half, feel like they were part of a community.

All these people were commenting about it, and you feel a little bit better, Vu said. It became a positive thing.

Twitter: @karenkucher

(619) 293-1350

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
Santa always spends some quality time in Temecula during the holidays. No doubt, this is because of the mild weather, the plethora of good children and the cozy cabin the Temecula Childrens Museum maintains on site to make his stay more hospitable.

So it goes that Santa figures prominently in our roundup of favorite Temecula holiday offerings for everyone in the family, from grandma and grandma to the littlest sugarplum. With so much St. Nick, we predict the weeks until Christmas Eve will be that much more joyful.

21st annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

The holiday season begins with the annual Christmas tree lighting at the Temecula Duck Pond. Highlights this year include a visit from Santa, performance by Resonate! vocal group and the tree lighting countdown. The long-standing community tradition offers a chance to enjoy family, neighbors, food and fun, and reminds us why we call Temecula home.

When: Monday, Nov. 26, beginning at 7 p.m.

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Where: Temecula Duck Pond, 28250 Ynez Road

Cost: Free

Details: Online, visit TemeculaCA.gov or call (951) 694-6480

Santas Electric Light Parade

Santa will take center stage when A Storybook Christmas  this years theme for Temeculas beloved annual parade  unfolds in Old Town Temecula. Expect storybook-themed-floats, twinkling lights, holiday music, marching bands and vendors offering festive wares and sweet treats.

When: Friday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m.

Where: The parade travels south through Old Town beginning at the intersection of Del Rio and Jefferson.

Cost: Free, including parking at the Old Town Parking Garage

Details: Online, visit TemeculaCA.gov/SantaParade

Second annual Christmas on the Ranch Holiday Bazaar

The Christmas on the Ranch holiday market returns with beautifully hand-made wares from local, independently owned businesses. A cocoa bar, music by local bands and the festive spirit make a visit worthwhile. An option to take photos with Santa is icing on the gingerbread cookie.

When: Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2

Where: Galway Downs, 38801 Los Corralitos Road

Cost: Admission is free

Details: Call (619) 865-0343 or email contact@christmasontheranch.com

12th annual Pennypickles Winter Wonderland

On Friday, Dec. 7 the forecast is for snow in Temecula. For one night only, the Temecula Childrens Museum  a.k.a. Pennypickles Workshop  is transformed into a winter wonderland with crafts and other activities indoors, and real snow outdoors.

Before and after the big night, there are a dozen opportunities to visit Santa at his on site cabin. Visits with Santa are free and begin this weekend, Nov. 24 and 25, and continue Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 23 (except Nov. 30, when he is the guest of honor at Temeculas Electric Light Parade).

When: Friday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: 42081 Main St.

Cost: Tickets cost $1 each, with foods, beverages and activities requiring from 1 to 5 tickets. Save time in line and purchase activity tickets in advance, through Dec. 6, by calling (951) 308-6376.

Details and tickets: Online, visit pennypickles.org or call (951) 308-6376.

temecula@sduniontribune.com
With her son-in-law, Colin Hinck, serving as the jockey at the handles of her wheelchair, Martine Bellocq sped across the artificial turf of the Del Mar racetrack paddock to send off her horse, Brite Rivers, in Fridays third race.

After jockey Ruben Fuentes, in white and purple silks, climbed into the saddle of the 3-year-old filly and led her away, an ex-jockey in jeans reached his hand out to greet Bellocq.

Retired Hall of Famer Chris McCarron had not seen the 64-year-old Bellocq since she suffered burns over 60 percent of her body while trying to save a horse during the Lilac Fire last Dec. 7. The blaze heavily damaged the San Luis Rey Downs training facility and killed at least 46 horses.

Thrilled to see McCarron, Bellocq, in her French accent, said something to him about being in the Hall of Fame.

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His response: Youre in the heroes hall of fame, Martine.

A few minutes later, when the paddock had cleared, McCarron marveled, Theres no comparison. What she did to save her horses, to try to save lives, its just amazing.

I feel so bad for her and my peers for what theyve endured. God bless her that shes out here watching her horses run.

The day after Thanksgiving marked yet another milestone in Bellocqs long, arduous road to recovery.

For the first time in 11 months, she was on hand with her training partner and husband of more than four decades, Pierre, to watch two of their horses go to the post. Neither challenged for a win  Grey Tsunami was sixth in the first race and Brite Rivers fifth in the third  but it was another move forward.

Sitting in her wheelchair, draped in a blanket, her face protected with sunglasses and a cloth hospital mask, Bellocq said of the occasion, I see the horses. I take them to the track. You know, its all of my life. Its hard to live without horses.

Cheerfully, she added, My family says I should retire, but maybe we have the next stakes horse. You never know.

Martines daughter, Stephanie Hinck, said the family had an enjoyable Thanksgiving at their home in Temecula. Martine shot a Nerf gun with her grandchildren, Liam, 7, and Charlotte, 5. They put up and decorated the Christmas tree.

Speaking publicly for the first time, Hinck said, Were just so grateful shes with us. Were grateful shes going to be with us for holidays to come.

Shes got a lot of challenges, and she is dealing with them as no one else but her would. Thats my mom. Shes a tough cookie.

I look at what shes gone through. It was almost a year ago, and its hard to think about that.  Everything she went through, and shes made it out of it. Its a miracle.

Bellocq has received numerous honors for her heroism, including the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award in an August appearance at Del Mar. She was badly burned while trying to rescue her horse, Wild Bill Hickory, who, tragically, ran back into the fire and died.

Bellocq has undergone many skin graft surgeries  the most recent, she said, on her eyelids and chin. She has more procedures upcoming.

Its day to day, week by week, little steps toward recovery, her daughter said. Its going to be a little while before shes 99 percent of herself. Shes going to get there; I just know it.

McCarron said of Bellocqs determined recovery, Thats what horses do for you  they just promote hope. When its in your blood, like it is for me and her and Pierre, they just give you everlasting hope. Thats what shes living for  to watch her horses run.

Chicago Style takes Hollywood

Favored Chicago Style, with Drayden Van Dyke riding, charged from well off the pace and overtook Eastern challenger Bigger Picture in the final strides to win by a neck in the $200,000 Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup.

Owned by Glen Hill Farm and trained by Tom Proctor, Chicago Style ($5.80) was racing for only the second time since January. The 5-year-old gelding with only 11 lifetime starts had last won in a $62,000 optional claiming race in August 2017 at Del Mar.

The victory, which was the first of the meet for Proctor, achieved a personal milestone for him. He surpassed his father, Willard Proctor, for the familys most stakes wins at Del Mar with 18.

Tom Proctor doesnt speak to the media. Van Dyke, who was seventh through much of the the 1-mile turf race, said, I knew they were going slow, but my horse relaxed and I was comfortable with where we were. Hes a straightforward horse; you ask him and he gives.

The Proctor team had to survive an inquiry due to an objection by trainer Phil DAmato that Chicago Style cut in front of and impeded his horse, Ya Gotta Wanna. The stewards ruled there would be no change.

In an interesting scene in the paddock before the race, there was no trainer tending to Bigger Picture, who was shipped in from Kentucky by Michael Maker, who was not on site. No assistant was in the paddock, and it was Proctor who helped Mike Smith into the saddle.

Of getting caught so close to the wire, Smith said, He ran dynamite. He ran too good to lose.

Notable

With eight different trainers notching wins, Peter Miller stayed on top for the meet with his seventh victory (C.C. Zipp, fifth race).

Van Dyke scored back-to-back wins (Chicago Style and trainer Reed Saldanas Shes a Dime in the seventh) to take a one-win lead, with 11, over Geovanni Franco. Franco won aboard Mark Glatts Eddie Haskell in the second and DAmatos Screenshot in the eighth.

With a carryover of $52,114 and new money of $238,926, Fridays total Pick Six pool was $291,040. There were 21 perfect tickets and each paid $8,559.80. The single ticket Jackpot now is $121,867.

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tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutleonard


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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/24/2018 -- Global Arnica Montana Market: Introduction



The arnica montana is a yellow daisy-like flower, which grows 1-2 feet tall. It is found in the hills of central and Northern Europe and Siberia. This arnica montana can also be found sparsely in the northwestern America. Few common names of the arnica montana are mountain tobacco, leopard's bane and mountain daisy. The arnica montana can be used as a gel, ointment or cream on injuries. It is also taken internally after diluting it homeopathically. Nowadays, the arnica montana is widely used as a homeopathic medicines all over the globe. This product is trusted by professional athletes to relax painful muscles and key cosmetics surgeons recommend it for post-surgery pain relief. Also, to help recover from stiffness in long car drive, arnica montana is essential for each medicine cabinet.



Global Arnica Montana Market: Dynamics



The key driving factor, such as the significantly growing homeopathic industry and its high demand for preparing homeopathic medicines will help to raise the global arnica montana market over the forecast period over the forecast period. The macroeconomic factors such as increasing government healthcare spending across key countries and developing countries such as China, India and Indonesia, which stimulate the demand for arnica montana globally during the forecast period.



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Moreover, the rising inclination of consumers towards homeopathic medicines, due to no side-effects, will fuel the global arnica montana market growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, rapidly increasing R&D to launch new and innovative drugs by using arnica montana that will help to generate a significant growth in the global arnica montana market. With the increase in mergers and partnerships between local suppliers and large arnica montana providers will push the global arnica montana market growth during the forecast period. The key restraining factors including stringent government regulations and low availability in many regions, such as APEJ and MEA, may hinder the global arnica montana market growth over the forecast period.



The farmed segment is estimated to account for significantly high market value in global arnica montana market due to its high demand for preparing homeopathic medicines. Key market players are focusing on increasing the production to meet the global arnica montana demand for the pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, homeopathic medicine segment are anticipated to witness high opportunity and value growth in global arnica montana market owing to its robust demand for preparing pain relief medicines.



Global Arnica Montana Market: Regional Overview



The global arnica montana market is segmented into seven regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, CIS & Russia, Japan, APEJ (the Asia Pacific excluding Japan) and MEA (the Middle East and Africa). Among regions mentioned above, North Americas is estimated to showcase a significant demand growth of arnica montana to produce homeopathic pain relief medicines along with its herbal use among consumers. Moreover, Europe is expected to witness high growth in global arnica montana market due to the robust production growth in the key countries including Siberia, Estonia, Romania and other European countries.



As Europe has the largest production capacity of the arnica montana flowers in the world, followed by North America region. Besides, Romania is the key producer of wild-collected arnica montana flowers, which mainly exports to Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland. Romania exports its approx. 75% of arnica montana flowers to Germany. Furthermore, due to rapid growth in urban population along with consumers inclination towards homeopathic medicines will help to grow the APEJ arnica montana market during the forecast period. Also, Japan is estimated to see a high growth in global arnica montana market attributed to high demand for arnica montana product to prepare herbal medicines and cosmetics during the forecast period.



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Global Arnica Montana Market: Prominent Players



The prominent players of the global arnica montana market are Texas Natural Supply, ORGANIC ARNICA Flower Whole Bulgaria, Starwest Botanicals, Mountain Rose Herbs, Jairamdass Khushiram, Em's Herbals Pacific Botanicals, and other key market players. Besides, key market players are targeting regional expansion through partnerships with local suppliers during the forecast period.



This analytical research study imparts an all-inclusive assessment on the market, while propounding historical intelligence, actionable insights, and industry-validated & statistically-upheld market forecast. Verified and suitable set of assumptions and methodology has been leveraged for developing this comprehensive study. Information and analysis on key market segments incorporated in the report has been delivered in weighted chapters.



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A thorough analysis has been offered by the report onCompilation of authentic and first-hand intelligence, insights offered in the report are based on quantitative and qualitative assessment by leading industry experts, and inputs from opinion leaders & industry participants around the value chain. Growth determinants, macroeconomic indicators, and parent market trends have been scrutinized and delivered, coupled with the market attractiveness for each market segment encompassed. Qualitative impact of growth influencers on the market segments across regions has also been mapped by the report.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/23/2018 -- Insurance industry got a major boost when Danish government permitted 100% FDI in the industry. However, composite insurance is not allowed in the Danish insurance industry. The government imposes 1.1% of insurance premium tax on general insurance barring a few categories of insurance. General insurance has a huge prospect as it accounted to more than 87% of the total non-life gross written premium in 2015. These insights are according to the report titled "Strategic Market Intelligence General Insurance In Denmark Key Trends And Opportunities To 2022,"which has been recently added to the repository of Market Research Hub. The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority oversees the insurance and reinsurance industry. Denmark has banned the placement non-admitted insurance. Having said that, state insurers of European Union have leeway to sell and underwrite non-admitted insurance contracts.



Out of segment's direct premium in 2015, property insurance covered 45.4%. In addition, Denmark is the leader when it comes to the number of clinical trials per capita.



The advent of technology has had the impact on general insurance in Canada as the distribution channel is gradually shifting towards e-commerce. The other distribution channel are direct bancassuracne, agencies, direct marketing, and brokers, to name a few. Out of these, banacassurance holds predominant in general insurance in Denmark.



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General Insurance in Denmarkkey Trends and Opportunities to 2022: Report Content



Scope of this report is to provide authentic and thorough analysis and data associated with the general insurance in Denmark. These data incorporates the market size data, along with the graphical and textual analysis on the leading companies and the market growth trends. Essentially, the report covers major drivers, restraints, trends, predominant players in the market and product categories along with market estimation which has an impact on the market on a global scale.



The report also provides the value for prominent performance indicators such as incurred loss, written premium, government initiatives, total investment income, net earned premium during the review period and assessment period, combined ratio and total assets. Besides, report also gives an exhaustive overview of the Canadian economy and gives thorough information on competitive landscape in Canada. In addition, the report includes details of government regulations and changes in the regulatory structure, FDI, investment opportunities and enterprise structure. It also gives information on major general insurance companies and on the impact of government regulation on them.



The report begins with the executive summary which illustrates market size in terms of revenue, market value and production. Besides, a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape highlights profiles of eminent players in the global market space. In addition, the report also peruses the strategic moves, areas of interest, and developments undertaken by major players in the market.



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General Insurance in Denmarkkey Trends and Opportunities to 2022: Report Content: Research Methodology



A robust research methodology has been embraced with regards to providing a research approach incorporating of secondary and primary research. The insights in the report is the result of an in-depth secondary research, primary interviews and in-house reviews by panel of experts.



The secondary research includes company websites, SEC filings and presentations by investors, industry white paper and statistical database. Whereas, the primary research embodies face to face interviews, phonic interviews and e-mail interaction coupled with honest reviews of the shelf label market regardless of geographies. To provide the readers with authentic and honest report on the general insurance in Denmark, a panel of expert peruses and examines the data collected from various sources.



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Mr. Nguyen Van Binh welcomes Koichi Miyatas visit amidst the Vietnam-Japan relations is growing soundly, especially in economy. He lauded the effective operation of the SMBC in Vietnam with all branches enjoying profits and having no bad loans.

Koichi Miyata said that the SMBC is implementing a new strategy with the focus on Asia, adding that Vietnam is the most important country in the strategy.

Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh (R) receives Chairman of the Board of Japans Sumitomo Mitsu Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsu Banking Corporation Koichi Miyata (Photo: VNA)



Many foreign investors have shown their interests in Vietnam, especially those from Japan, he said, pledging that the SMBC will support their investments.

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh noted that Vietnam is a highly open economy, targeting to record rapid and sustainable growth based on the stable macro-economy and resilient banking system against outside shocks.

Vietnam will also continue improving its business-investment environment, creating more favourable conditions for domestic and foreign investors, including the SMBC, he said.

He expressed his hope that the SMBC will continue its long-term operation in Vietnam, while expanding cooperation and experience sharing with Vietnamese banks and the Vietnamese economy in general.

The same day, Mr. Nguyen Van Binh also had a meeting with Ioanis E. Raptakis, Greek Ambassador to Vietnam, during which Binh highlighted the need for closer coordination between the two countries in raising two-way trade to match potential of both sides.

He proposed that Greece supports Vietnam to promote partnership with the European Union, as well as the signing and implementation of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU, thus expanding economic and trade cooperation space between the two sides.

He vowed that Vietnam always creates all favourable conditions for enterprises and investors from Greece, and welcomes them to seek investment opportunities in Vietnam./.
Press Release

November 24, 2018 INVEST IN JUDGES, RP'S JUSTICE SYSTEM - GORDON Noting that it is high time that the country invests in its justice system which is important in enabling and ennobling Filipinos, Senator Richard J. Gordon called on his colleagues to support proposed measures calling for the creation of judges-at-large positions. "We have been investing heavily in infrastructure--roads, bridges, airports, schools, and the like. It is high time we invest in our judges and in the justice system. It is high time for the government to add judges where statistics clearly prove they are needed. Courts are deeply embedded in every aspect of our country's society, economy and governance. They are very important in enabling and ennobling the lives of our countrymen," he said in sponsoring Senate Bill No. 2065 under Committee Report No. 496. As of June 30, 2018, number of pending cases totaled 178,582, which makes the caseload for trial courts way above what the Supreme Court considers as manageable, which is 300 for second level courts (regional trial courts) and 500 for first level courts such as municipal trial courts and metropolitan trial courts. Since there are 2,663 judges of first level and second level courts in the country, there is therefore one trial court judge per 37,927 Filipinos. Gordon pointed out that there is a need for the proposed creation of 150 judges-at-large positions (100 for regional trial courts and 50 for municipal trial courts) because the quality of justice is adversely affected by the congestion of our courts' dockets since judges no longer have sufficient time to study, analyze and research to come up with good, reasonable decisions. "This is an astounding statistic stressing one of the problems in our country: there are not enough courts or judges to meet the demands of our countrymen. Not just that our judiciary play catch-up with the current caseload, but we want to be ahead. 'Justice delayed is justice denied.' We cannot wait for Godot," he said. The chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights also noted that de-clogging court dockets will help decongest jails, which are currently facing a congestion rate of 114%. Bureau of Correction facilities has a total capacity of 19,268 prisoners, but has an inmate population of 41,258. SBN 2065 proposes to amend Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, otherwise known as "The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980," to create the positions of judges-at-large. The said bill is a substitute for Gordon's SBN 2002 and two other similar bills - SBN 1681 and 1691.
CATMi's spokespersons have been quoted in several reports saying that a shut-down of ATMs could lead to job losses and hit the financial inclusion measures severely. Majority ATMs which may face shut down are situated in non-urban areas, said CATMi, underlining that this can impact the financial inclusion efforts as beneficiaries use the machines to withdraw government subsidies.

The Indian ATM industry, according to a report released on Wednesday is not in the pink of health. The Confederation of ATM Industry (CATMi) warned that non-viable economic conditions and regulations could lead to closure of nearly half of the country's ATMs by March 2019. At risk are the country's 238,000 ATMs. Of this, the association says 113,000 ATMs including 100,000 off-site ATMs and 15,000 white-labelled ones are expected to shut shop.

CATMi's spokesperson was quoted saying, "This [Closure of ATMs] would severely impact millions of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana who withdraw subsidies in the form of cash through ATMs, besides urban centres, resulting in snaky queues and chaos akin to post-demonetisation," said the spokesperson.

Some of the regulations that the ATM industry believes that could lead to closure are recent regulatory guidelines for ATMs hardware and software upgrades, and mandates on cash management standards and a Cassette Swap method of loading cash.

On Friday, NCR's Managing Director Navroze Dastur was quoted in a PTI report as saying, "There is a need for the banks, managed service providers (MSPs) and the regulators to discuss and resolve the issues, just like we had done during demonetisation."

He further explained that costs had gone up without a corresponding increase in revenues. This was owing to contracts between ATM service providers and banks linked on a per transaction basis. Dastur believes that MSPs (Managed Service Providers) and white-labelled ATM operators will be the most impacted.

Managing an ATM requires heavy investment and daily maintenance costs. Service providers have explained that setting up an ATM required a generator, an ATM machine, rent, computer maintenance, costs of generator etc. Earnings on the other hand, service providers say, has not appreciated correspondingly.

New Guidelines:

At the heart of the ATM's industry fears are guidelines associated with ATM business. On April 6, the RBI came out with a fresh list of expectations and mandates. These include:

Maintenance of Rs 100 crore all the time.

Fleet of 300 fabricated cash vans equipped with CCTV cameras, GPS, wireless communication, hooters. Also, two custodians and two armed security guards should man this cash van.

ATM service providers should use lockable cassettes for cash replenishment.

Implementation of a Cassette swap system in all ATMs

The Reserve bank asked banks to implement the new measures within 90 days. And On June 21 it subsequently asked banks to also ensure BIOS password protection for all ATMs.

Besides the RBI, the ministry of home affairs too notified the industry of a new rule after observing an increase in ATM linked frauds. The MHA notification mandated that there will be no cash loading of ATMs or cash transportation activities after 9 pm in urban areas, 6 pm in rural areas and before 9 am or after 4 pm in districts notified by the Centre as Left Wing Extremism affected areas.

Will it lead to days of demonetisation?

Talks of a probability of ATMs facing shutdown have resulted in fears of job-loss. There are also fears of loss in business for ATM service providers including third-party agencies currently replenishing ATMs.

While the ATM industry's concerns gives the current situation a threatening outlook, and place it eerily similar to the days of post-demonetisation, experts say that the probability of such an occurence is unlikely. The government and the banking regulator may step in to prevent such occurrences.

At the heart of CATMi's assertion is the fact that earnings have not increased in line with costs. CATMi's Director V Balasubramanian was quoted in a report saying, "Transactions have increased tremendously for ATMs. So if you compare pre-demonetisation period to now, it has gone up several times."

The Hindu reported in a July'18 that the ATM industry was staring at a expenditure of Rs 3200-4800 crore for cassette swap in ATMs. Radha Rama Dorai, Managing Director for FIS, a banking software and hardware solution provider had been quoted saying that the move prevented pilferage and reconciliation issues for the bank. Bankers however were not enthused with the directive considering the huge upfront capital expenses. The cost of procuring each cassette had been pegged at Rs 20,000 per unit.

Banks, back then said that ATMs operating within premises of branches were adequately secure and need not implement the cassette directive.

Talks of a probability of ATMs shutting have lead to worries of demonetisation version 2. However a reading of RBI's annual data can assure that this could be unlikely. RBI's annual payment systems indicator says "ATMs deployed witnessed a marginal decline from 2,22,475 to 2,22,247.[RBI Annual Report on Payment Systems and Information Technology- August 29 2018]"

Reports so far have also said that cash was back to pre-demonetisation days. Such reports link the cash component to hint that a second version of the demonetisation may be on-coming. However, such reports do not compare the increase in volume of transactions conducted via cards.

RBI's assessment shows both credit and debit card transactions nearly doubling in two years. While the volume and number of Prepaid Payment Interfaces has dropped, the total card payments has increased from Rs 4483 billion (August 2015-16) to Rs 10607 billion (Aug 2017-18).

Talks of unviability in the ATM industry may prompt policy makers to consider an increase in interchange fee. This too, after much deliberations and persuasions. however to claim that dwindling revenues for 15,000-18,000 white-labelled ATMs could derail the financial efficiency of the country's ATM channel appears premature.
Two killed, dozens wounded in China factory blast



Beijing, Nov 24 (AFP) Nov 24, 2018



Two people were killed and 57 wounded in an explosion at a warehouse in northeast China, the official Xinhua news agency reported Saturday.

The blast occurred late Friday at a factory producing machine equipment in Jilin province, causing a fire that was extinguished Saturday morning, Xinhua said.

The cause of the explosion was not given, with an investigation ongoing while rescue efforts continued into Saturday evening.

The incident damaged 370 houses, 15 of which collapsed.
The conference, Enhancing the capacity of Viet Nam in UN peacekeeping operations was co-organized by the Ministry of National Defence - Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with significant support from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations  Department of Field Support (UNDPKO-DFS) and Police Division.

Discussion at the conference focused on important themes to support Viet Nams strategy on global peacekeeping, including Gender and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; policies on rotation, remuneration package as well as coordination of international support, language training and partnership mechanisms to support Viet Nam. In particular, a Discussion Paper on Viet Nams strategy to enhance its global peacekeeping role was tabled.

Illustration for photo. (Source: VNA)

The Discussion Paper, developed by UNDP at the request of the Ministry of Defence and in close consultation with Viet Nam DPKO and UNDPKO-DFS, identified priorities for Viet Nams engagement in UN peacekeeping during 2019-2025 and areas of collaboration between the Government and international partners in Viet Nam.

To meet Viet Nams objectives to efficiently deploy and perform in missions as well as make Viet Nam DPKO a regional training hub and Centre of Excellence for peacekeeping training, the Discussion Paper identified a number of key challenges that needed to be addressed, including financial challenges, incomplete legal and policy framework, language skills, pre-deployment training capacity and mindset.

I highly appreciate the Discussion Paper for having defined the fundamental challenges, which are very close to the reality that Viet Nam has been working to address, Vice Minister of National Defence of Viet Nam, Sr. LG. Nguyen Chi Vinh, told the conference.

The Discussion Paper offered 14 recommendations for Viet Nam to achieve a high degree of professionalism and motivation to operate in difficult terrain with sound leadership at a tactical level.

Mr. Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam, said the Discussion Paper provided key findings and recommendations to enhance the capacity of Viet Nam to participate in global peacekeeping in the most strategic and comprehensive way. He called on UN member states and community to provide support to Viet Nam in this area and coordinate with the UN to make the support most coherent, holistic, strategic and efficient.

The UN in Viet Nam had the honour to receive a request from the Ministry of National Defence to support peacekeeping, including legal procedures, to facilitate the deployment to peacekeeping missions, build the capacity of Viet Nam DPKO to provide quality trainings to Vietnamese troops and those of other countries, said Mr. Kamal Malhotra.

During 2014-2018, Viet Nam deployed 29 officers to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. In 2017, Viet Nam sent its first female officer, Major Do Thi Hang Nga, to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

On October 1st 2018, Viet Nam deployed its first level two field hospital contingent to the UN Mission in South Sudan. The second level two field hospital for rotation is being prepared for deployment in 2019. It is intended that Viet Nam scales up its involvement in UNPKOs in non-combat fields, including engineering, construction, logistics, demining and medicine.

Mr. Kamal Malhotra congratulated Viet Nam on its impressive global peacekeeping effort. He praised the deployment of the first female officer as a positive step by Viet Nam, in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security. Viet Nam has obviously contributed more and more significantly to global peacekeeping, he said.

The international conference was attended by leaders from the Ministry of National Defence, Office of the President, Office of the Government, relevant committees of the National Assembly, Departments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Security. Heads of Missions and Defence Attaches from relevant embassies and representatives of UNDPKO, UN Police and UNDP were also present./.
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The statement was made by Nguyen Quynh Mai, Counsellor and Charge daffaires at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, at the associations congress to review its five-year operation in Moscow on November 22nd.

Delivering a report reviewing the associations operations, its President Vladimir Buianov recalled the associations development process with a number of specific and practical activities held to help Russians understand more about the Vietnamese situation as well as the necessity to continue nurturing and developing their countrys relations with Vietnam.

President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association Vladimir Buianov (left) and Counsellor and Charge daffaires at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Nguyen Quynh Mai (middle) (Photo: VNA)



The association has become a main partner of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, contributing to consolidating the two nations cooperation in economics, culture and education.

It has coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy and social organisations in organising numerous cultural, educational and charitable events, as well as cooperating closely with Russias Foreign Ministry, the Institute of Far Eastern Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Asian and African Studies under the Lomonosov Moscow State University, and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

The association has also published several books featuring Russians views about President Ho Chi Minh, the late leaders political biography, the first Vietnamese in the Kremlin, and important milestones in the bilateral cooperation.

The annual painting competition entitled I draw Vietnam  I draw Russia is one of the main activities held by the association, which has helped nurture the sentiments towards and awareness of the special bilateral relations at an early age, Buianov said.

He affirmed that his association always attaches importance to Russias relations with Vietnam and exerts its efforts to nurture and develop the ties.

At the congress, association members reached a consensus on re-electing Buianov as the associations President for the 2018-2023 tenure.

The association was presented the Friendship Order for its great contributions to developing friendship and cooperation between the two countries peoples./.
Russian FM mocks British army chief over IS comparison



Lisbon, Nov 24 (AFP) Nov 24, 2018



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group.

"In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal.

"I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces."

Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)."

Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, particularly in some of the non-traditional areas of cyber, space, undersea warfare."

Lavrov, speaking after a meeting with Portugal's president, said such criticisms were not "original".

He claimed that former US president Barack Obama had "placed Russia on the same level as the Ebola virus" in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

That appeared a reference to a September 24, 2014 speech Obama made in which he spoke of Russia's threat to the "post-war order" notably through its actions in Ukraine, where a Russia-backed insurgency is being waged. He then went on to speak of US efforts to help contain an Ebola outbreak, without any mention of Russia.



- UK-Russia tensions -



Relations between Russia and Britain have sunk to historic lows this year after London accused Russia's military intelligence service of using a banned nerve agent to poison an ex-Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March.

The incident prompted a wave of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Moscow and the West, as well as a ratcheting up of US sanctions.

Carleton-Smith told Saturday's Daily Telegraph that, following IS battlefield loses in Syria and Iraq, the Western alliance must switch focus to the threat posed by Russia, and do so through NATO.

"We cannot be complacent about the threat Russia poses or leave it uncontested. The most important conventional military response to Russia is the continued capabilities and coherence of the NATO alliance," he said.

It was the first interview by the former special forces commander since becoming Britain's chief of the general staff in June.

He made the comments after visiting British troops deployed in Estonia as part of a NATO battle group intended to deter aggression from neighbouring Russia.
San Salvador, November 24, 2018 (SPS) - Minister for Latin America, Mansur Omar, accompanied by Ambassador to El Salvador, Suliman Tieb Henan, was received Thursday by President of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of El Salvador, Norman Quijano, at the Legislative Palace.



Minister for Latin America briefed the President of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of El Salvador on the current development related to the Sahrawi issue and the future negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco.



President of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of El Salvador reaffirmed his country's position in favour of the self-determinations and independence of the Sahrawi people, stressing the close relations between the two parliaments, which will be enhanced through the Parliamentary Group of Sahrawi-Salvadoran Friendship, whose new members have recently been elected.



062/SPS/TRA
The Vietnamese minister said he believes the visit will contribute to fostering the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India in general and the bilateral adefence cooperation in particular, for the benefits of their people and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) receives Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army Bipin Rawat (Source: qdnd.vn)



He suggested agencies of the Vietnamese and Indian Defence Ministries boost existing cooperation mechanisms such as the deputy ministerial level defence policy dialogue, bilateral defence working group meeting and consultation between officers of naval, land and air forces.

General Ngo Xuan Lich underlined the need for the two sides to promote coordination in personnel training, defence industry, strategic research, and joining UN peacekeeping operations.

Earlier, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) Sen. Lieut. Gen Pham Hong Huong held talks with Gen. Bipin Rawat, during which they reviewed the defence cooperation between the two countries over the past time and proposed collaboration areas in the time to come.

During his stay, Bipin Rawat laid a wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, offered incense to commemorate late General Vo Nguyen Giap at his home, and visit a number of VPA units./.
Shangri-Las Hambantota, Tourism Skills Committee launch Young Tourism Ambassador Initiative View(s):

The Private Sector Tourism Skills Committee (TSC), in partnership with Shangri-Las Hambantota Resort and Spa, and the YouLead project (USAID-funded Youth Employability and Business Start-up Programme) launched an exciting tourism internship programme on November 5.

Designed to familiarise post A/L students from the Hambantota area with the realities of the modern tourism industry, the Young Tourism Ambassador Initiative, introduced 16 young women and men to the sector via an intensive two-week programme that exposed them to the breadth of career options possible in todays tourism industry. Individual sessions were led by more than ten different resources from both inside and outside the hotel, YouLead said in a media release.

The youth studied housekeeping and horticulture; they observed how to cook for 300 and how to conserve Sri Lankas natural heritage; they learned how to engage a visitor and how to entertain them. Following the successful launch of the initiative in Hambantota the TSC also held a similar event at the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya on November 20 with plans for another at Jetwing Jaffna on December 4.

The hospitality industry has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, but our youthand particularly their parentshave never had this kind of opportunity to see the modern tourism industry up close, tourism consultant Srilal Miththapala was quoted as saying in the release. The modern industry is broader than most people realise. Its also more professional, more environmentally aware, better paying, and has great career prospects. Im delighted that the TSC is taking aim at changing youth perceptions through this unique, innovative programme.

Chaired by Malik Fernando, Managing Director of Resplendent Ceylon, the TSC is an informal association of 10 private sector tourism leaders from the hotel and travel sector. These leaders came together based on a mutual desire to take action on an issue that endangers the growth of their industry- the lack of youth taking up jobs in tourism. The TSC launched an eight-point plan in June and has proceeded to implement those initiatives one-by-one. Already the group has developed or revised eight vocational curricula to make it more relevant to the needs of the industry, and circulated a short documentary showing the impact of Sri Lankan women in tourism. There are too many excuses not to move forward, said Shiromal Cooray, TSC Vice Chair and Managing Director of Jetwing Travels. We have made commitment to move forward whilst developing their skills, she noted further.

A participant of the Young Tourist Ambassador Programme in Hambantota, Dumindu Sandaruwan said: Before this programme, I did not have any experience in the hospitality sector, nor did I realise how much tourism has expanded in my region. I gained a lot of new knowledge and I am eager to share it with my friends. We are grateful to the Tourism Skills Committee and Shangri-La Hotel for giving us Hambantota youth a valuable learning opportunity in our distant corner of the country.

The members of the TSC include Malik J. Fernando, Ms. Shiromal Cooray, Ms. Angeline Ondaatjie, Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Sanath Ukwatte, Chamin Wickramasinghe, Dileep Mudadeniya, Timothy Wright, Steven Braide-Miles, and Preshan Dissanayake. Ex-officio members included nominees from the Ceylon Chamber and other state-related organisations.
SLT Group 2018 3QYTD profits up by 23% View(s):

The Sri Lanka Telecom (PLC) last week released its group financial results for the nine months ending September showing a Year on Year (YoY) growth of 23.4 per cent with Net Profit After Tax reported at Rs.3.99 billion.

The continued revenue growth of the group has largely contributed to the improvements in net profit. Backed by all the revenue streams including fixed voice, data, mobile, carrier businesses, television and the corporate business segment the group recorded Rs.60.1 billion in revenue with a 6.6 per cent YoY growth during the period under review, the company said in a media release.

Net profit of the group was impacted by foreign exchange losses of Rs.1.1 billion during the period under review.

Group Chairman Kumarasinghe Sirisena expressed satisfaction on the healthy growth rate and strong results of the group. Despite the challenges in the economy we have been able to achieve a significant level of growth through strategic investments and strategic decision making of the group. Being the pioneer and national telecommunications service provider in Sri Lanka, we strongly believe that we have contributed positively to the economic development and overall growth of telecommunication services in the country, he said according to the media release.

Kiththi Perera, CEO of the holding company, said: We are living in a fast paced digital era where the consumers needs and interest for digital solutions such as Ultra-fast Fibre connectivity (FTTH), wireless 4G connectivity (LTE), and Cloud technologies are growing. It is our responsibility to meet our customer needs. This is why we are transforming our company to become a digital service provider.

Meanwhile SLT reported an outstanding YoY Net Profit growth of 75 per cent to reach Rs.1.3 billion during the first nine months of 2018. The company continued to grow its revenue through its extensive investment programmes carried out during the recent past to expand infrastructure facilities in order to provide high quality services to the customers through demanding technologies such as FTTH and LTE.

As a result, company revenue increased by 5.6 per cent to Rs.35.3 billion in the period under review. The company was able to manage operating costs at Rs.24.9 billionowing to the effective cost management initiatives.

Company EBITDA was reported at Rs.10.3 billion with 19.1 per cent YoY growth.

Subsidiary Mobitel continued to grow its revenue and key profitability indicators despite a challenging macroeconomic environment and intensifying competition in the market.

Mobitel was able to record a growth in EBITDA and EBIT (Earnings Before Interest Tax) for the first nine months of 2018 which grew by 10 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively YoY which was aptly supported by operational efficiencies, the release said.

Net profit for the first nine months of 2018 was recorded at Rs. 2.5 billion compared to a similar net profit of Rs. 2.5 billion in the first nine months of 2017. The depreciation of the rupee during the year triggered a considerable reduction in profits of the company.
Probe on alleged plot to throw acid at Speaker View(s):

Police are probing an alleged plot to throw acid at Speaker Karu Jayasuriya during the commotion in the well of Parliament on November 16, a top parliamentary source said yesterday.

Speaker Jayasuriya was informed of the event and he took additional precautions when he was escorted into the well of the House by a group of policemen, the source said. Asked for his response, Mr Jayasuriya said, I do not want to comment on that since investigations are under way.

He said there were also investigations into two other incidents  the alleged wielding of knives by MPs Palitha Thevarapperuma and Ranjan Ramanayake. The other, he said, is the throwing of red chilli water on policemen. This hit some MPs too.

The source said information reached Speaker Jayasuriya when officials associated with the resumption of Parliament sittings were making preparations. Around 1.25 p.m., just five minutes before the Speaker was to leave for the well of the House, he had been told that a group of MPs had taken his chair away and blocked the table. They had also closed the entrance.

An alternative plan was worked out. The Speaker, escorted by a cordon of policemen, was to enter through a side door, the source said. Just then, a person in robes had come over to the area and had been making a phone call when the Speaker was leaving his office.

It has now come to light that the call had been made to an MP who was in the forefront of blocking Speakers sitting area. That was a signal to get ready to cause commotion, the top official said.

Packet of Chilli branded after politico

Sri Lankan parliamentarians appear to have inspired a multitude of messages on the social media after the chaotic events in Parliament in the past weeks. In one message, a packet of chilli powder is branded after the name of a government politician. The marketing line  the product is ideal for heists.

Another is dubbed as the beginners kit for MPs with photographs of a packet of chilli powder, a knife and a bottle of Coca Cola. It was Minister S.B. Dissanayake who claimed it was this drink and not chilli powder that was hurled at a posse of police officers. Most Sri Lankans are not likely to believe Mr Dissanayake. They saw on live television that it was not Coca Cola.

Another item that went viral is that of Navin Dissanayake, a former Minister. He rushed to protect his father in law and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya when some MPs behaved in a rowdy way in the House. He is shown displaying a middle finger, which is described as an obscene hand gesture.

IGP, CID Chief make serious charges against Chief of Defence Staff

Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera dropped a bombshell this week.

He complained to Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, under whose Ministry the Police Department comes, that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral R.C. Wijegunaratne, has accused a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Inspector of having connections with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The officer was carrying out an investigation against the CDS. To his credit, IGP Jayasundera cancelled the transfer order when it came to light that the officer was only doing his duty fearlessly.

The Police Chiefs letter to the Defence Secretary and a response from the senior DIG in charge of the CID went viral in the social media. The Sunday Times has been able to verify that both documents, somewhat sensitive in nature, are authentic.

IGP Jayasunderas letter dated November 19 says, Chief of Defence Staff Admiral R.C. Wijegunaratne gave me a mobile phone call on 16.11.2018 to notify me about the Security Council meeting discussion held on 13.11.2018. At the meeting, it was said that Inspector Nishantha de Silva, who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), had connections with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

According to the telephone call, I called for observations, recommendations and reports on IP Nishantha de Silva by sending letter marked.to Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police at the CID on 16.11.2018. The senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne had forwarded his report where the following information has been revealed, the IGP has said:

There was no evidence confirming that the officer mentioned had LTTE affiliation and he was not involved in any illegal acts.

The officer is committed and carries out his duties exceptionally well and prosecutions have been carried out in many of the cases and the offenders have been found guilty.

The allegations made against IP Nishantha de Silva that he is connected to the LTTE are false, baseless and done with prejudice. The Police intelligence or any investigation unit has not forwarded any complaint against this officer.

However, according to the advice issued on 18.11.2018 by His Excellency the President as the Minister in charge of the subject, via a telephone call in keeping with service requirements ordered that IP Nishantha de Silva be transferred to the Negombo Police range from the CID.

Among the investigations Inspector de Silva has been handling are the cases against Admiral Wijegunaratne over harbouring suspects who were allegedly responsible for murders, abductions, the killing of journalist Lasantha Wickremetunga and the abduction and torture of journalist Keith Noyahr.

IGP Jayasundera later cancelled the transfer order. Questions over the matter were raised at the post-cabinet news briefing on Thursday. Spokesperson Dayasiri Jayasekera refuted the reports that President Sirisena had given such an order. However, the Sunday Times has confirmed that such an order had gone out to the IGP.

In a separate letter to IGP Jayasundera rebutting the claims, Senior DIG (CID) Ravi Seneviraratne has said:

 Also the current CDS Wijegunaratne has been named as suspect in case 9527/18 filed before Fort Magistrate courts and the court has ordered to arrest him over charges he provided shelter and security to Navy Lt Commander Hettiarachchi Mudiyanselage Prasad Chandana Hettiaarachchi who is a suspect for abductions and murders and wanted to be arrested by IP Nishantha Silva.

I am submitting a letter to you that the current CDS Wijegunaratne . is not suitable to hold a high post with responsibility. I understand that you have already reported this to the Defence Secretary. It shows that Admiral Wijegunaratnes attempt is seen as a move to bring influence on the ongoing investigations by making false and baseless allegations against the chief investigating officer.

It is clear that the actions of the current CDS are a punishable offence under the Witness Protection Act and hereby I am submitting this report to expedite the action against him.

CID detectives said yesterday they had still not been able to execute a court order to arrest the CDS. He had not turned up at the CID for his statements to be recorded, they said.

MR laments he is like a prisoner

Mama hira gedera inna ekkanekta wada antha thathwayaka inney or I am in a worse position than a prisoner, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, declared at the meeting of party leaders represented in Parliament. The remarks came after President Maithripala Sirisena asked him to air his views at the meeting summoned by him at the Presidential Secretariat.

Rajapaksa said even a prisoner is jailed after charges are served and a trial in courts. In his case, there was a vote of no confidence in Parliament but he was not even aware what the accusations were. This was after the Speaker has refused to recognise the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers.
MPs antics blacken Sri Lankas name View(s):

It was still not Black Friday here, a day of little significance to those in Sri Lanka. Still, last Thursday, the day before, was black enough for many Sri Lankans who live here and consider Sri Lanka their second home or owe some allegiance to their country of origin.

On Thursday, a local TV station, Channel 4, which had for many years targeted Sri Lanka with contentious coverage and what some called highly suspicious and noxious video content, carried a story on Sri Lanka on a prime time newscast.

If Channel 4 still harbours a dislike for Sri Lanka as it did during the last months of the anti-LTTE war and after telecasting some of Callum Macraes productions, the last few weeks provided more grist for the channels anti-Sri Lankan mill.

With little pro-LTTE content available in recent times to titillate Channel 4s journalists such as Jon Snow and Jonathan Miller, Sri Lanka had earned a grace period.

But then our politicians are quite adept at creating situations that provide instant material for news hungry journalists. Thursday nights clip on Sri Lanka showing the disgraceful conduct of Sri Lankan politicians from what is called the government side, behaving like hooligans and thugs, was shocking.

Those who engaged in such destructive conduct are easily identifiable. Unlike in the old days when no cameras were permitted to be used inside the parliamentary chamber, times have changed. Advanced technology has provided avenues for capturing events on digital equipment.

But then one does not need to bring mobile phones equipped with cameras to the chamber. Parliamentary proceedings are now telecast, giving parliamentarians the opportunity to play B grade tele-stars.

Such uncouth and thuggish behaviour, as was witnessed recently, might bloat the egos of some who believe that throwing chairs and weaponising the Holy Bible or copies of the constitution are acts of bravery. Actually it only goes to show that some of the countrys legislative representatives are all brawn and no brain. For some reason civilised conduct has passed them by.

The disruptive and destructive behaviour during those few days in mid-November not only dragged Sri Lankas image through the mud but allowed Channel 4 to dig out old video clips from the war days to add to the recent footage.

This was meant to convey a message that was highly derogatory of Sri Lanka. It was to show that criminal offences are committed in both war and peace; that Sri Lanka shows little respect for the rule of law though it parades before the world as a law abiding country that it is more sinned against than sinning.

As these scenes were enacted in parliament before what must surely be a stunned public by the elected representatives of the people, is it not right for the Sri Lankan people to ask themselves whether public money should be wasted on these so-called representatives who seem to represent nobody but themselves and their families?

Parties elect leaders who spend their time fattening themselves and those closest to them, most often with public funds which could be far better used. Quite recently, there was a survey that showed that many MPs had attended parliament only on one day during a given period.

Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise. The less said and heard the better, given the rubbish that emanates from the mouths of uneducated representatives of the people.

It was a surprise to read the other day remarks made by President Sirisena who started all this mess by his sudden  and many say unconstitutional  sacking of the prime minister and the appointment of another, and a train of subsequent events that have left the country wondering whether it has a legitimate government or not.

Speaking at a ceremony connected with the presentation of Presidential Awards for Scientific Publications, President Sirisena was reported as saying that today intellectuals and the public have clearly identified the true and sincere politicians.

It is important for an individual to display composure, patience, moral rectitude and a sense of discipline. People in politics who do not display these qualities are not politicians in the true sense of the word, the President was quoted as saying.

Perhaps the president expects the people to stand up and applaud him for these words of wisdom. But as poet Alexander Pope wrote in his Essay on Criticism:

Words are like Leaves; and where they most abound,

Much Fruit of Sense beneath is rarely found.

So President Sirisena believes the public and intellectuals have identified true and sincere politicians. Would it not be nice if he could tell us about how many such individuals he knows or there are? Then perhaps the public could vote for them at the next parliamentary election he hopes to hold next January 5.

I am sure that President Sirisena, who obviously must include himself among the true and sincere, would want only the true and sincere to be elected to parliament.

There is one problem, though. What are we going to do with all those 225 seats in the parliaments chamber where the not so true and sincere representatives sit?

President Sirisena who must count himself among those who have imbibed all those worthy qualities he says a politician should have and doubtless practices them, surely remembers the sheaf of promises he made to the voters before his election and to the public after he won the election thanks to the support he received from those who believed him.

One such pledge I remember well for I was in Sri Lanka in the pre-election and early post-election days, was that if elected he would serve only one term. Then he even reduced his term from six to five years and the people applauded believing a messiah had descended on the countrys political scene.

But now I am told that he thinks one term is not enough for him, that to complete his task of nation-building and turning that ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa into the granary of the East, he needs more time, and so a second term might not be a bad idea after all.

I also remember him promising to bring those around Mahinda Rajapaksa who, he said, were corrupt and had dipped their fingers into public funds, to be strung and quartered as it were.

Why he even promised to catch the killers of Lasantha Wickramatunge and ruggerite Thajudeen and to do to them what ancient Sinhala kings were said to have done to the criminals of yore.

But, alas, those promises solemnly made, some in the precincts or thereabouts of the Dalada Maligawa, seem to escape President Sirisenas mind as he hopes that friends with whom he enjoyed hoppers and, much more recently, had supper with would help him to continue as president to serve the nation for another term.

Now that is the true and sincere thing that real politicians do. Why just the other day he was quoted as having asked the relevant authorities whoever they may be, to expedite the cases against Tamil political prisoners.

Why the sudden haste I wonder. I mean some of these chaps have been lying around for 10 years or so without being charged for one or more offences. So why the haste now to have everything settled by January next year?

I mean I could understand if similar orders were given to the authorities over the Wickrematunge and Thajudeen cases, after all these are cases that have been investigated and even come to court unlike those of the Tamil prisoners.

Somebody whispered in my ear a couple of days ago to keep January 5, 2019 in mind. Apparently that is the date Sirisena has earmarked for the next election and would want the Tamils to know that he is doing something about those prisoners. The Tamil people have votes, too. Even if some of us forget that, Sirisena will not especially if a second term is in his mind.

Maybe that is the moral rectitude that President Sirisena said real politicians should have.

As some of us Sri Lankans say, lets wait and see, noh, lets wait for that second coming.
In exclusive interview, Sirisena reveals details of why he removed Ranil and insists he wont be reappointed

Politically oriented monk and diplomats trying to work out compromise but success is unlikely

President also says proper procedure not followed in Parliamentary resolutions; as disputes continue, it may not be a Happy New Year Sri Lankas political turmoil entered its second month with no tangible sign of a settlement in sight.

Amidst the continuing chaos and confusion for the fifth week in succession, there was a new entry this week  a politically oriented Buddhist monk who has assumed the role of a peace broker. In back-channel moves he has talked to the two politically warring sides but it is extremely unlikely, if not impossible, that he will succeed. Not even when sections of the Colombo-based diplomatic community are encouraging the endeavours. Of course, they are mindful not to create the impression that they are directly involved, thus obviating criticism against them for interfering in Sri Lankas internal affairs.

It came as a delegation of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and partner groups led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had a meeting on Friday evening with President Maithripala Sirisena. According to one high ranking source, Rajapaksa raised issues relating to the future of the month-old government, particularly in the wake of an absence of a majority in Parliament. The source said Rajapaksa wanted to ascertain what was ahead. The idea, the source said, was to make up his mind for himself and his partner groups. However, Sirisena insisted that he should continue in office and re-iterated that come what may he would not re-appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, the source added. Sirisena and Rajapaksa also had a one on one meeting yesterday.

The Buddhist monks thrust is to have  the largely SLFP-SLPP coalition to get together with the UNF in a caretaker government and agree to go for parliamentary elections. What of the office of Prime Minister? His formula is if one side takes over the Premiership, the other would have to be given the office of Speaker and the cabinet portfolios to be shared. However, the two sides remain deeply dug in their positions, concretised by rising acrimony and bitterness.

A way out of the political turmoil formed the subject of discussion when a four-member SLFP-SLPP delegation met diplomats from a number of countries. The meeting held at the Torrington Avenue residence of the Canadian High Commissioner David Mckinnon was attended by diplomats including those from the United States, Britain, the European Union, Switzerland, Japan, Norway and Germany, according to Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. The government team led by him comprised Mahinda Samarasinghe, Susil Premjayantha and Tharindu Balasuriya, who is a member of the then Joint Oppositions foreign affairs Committee. Most diplomats were worried about protracted delays and the consequent instability it was causing Sri Lanka. The SLFP-SLPP delegation accused Speaker Karu Jayasuriya of acting illegally and causing a chaotic situation in Parliament  a position which the Speaker and the United National Front (UNF) have repeatedly denied.

With their patience running thin, some countries, particularly from the west, had been contemplating punitive action. It was earlier expected to be a halt to aid and other forms of financial assistance. Now, diplomatic sources say it could even shift to sanctions on politicians and their immediate families who were, in their view, directly responsible for alleged violations of the Constitution. That is, if indeed they are found to have done just that. There have also been diplomats, acting on President Maithripala Sirisenas insistence, who have made known that the crisis could be resolved instantly if Ranil Wickremesinghe quits as UNP leader. The remarks met with an angry response from UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim. That is an internal matter for our party. Our Prime Minister has been unconstitutionally and unlawfully removed. We are fighting against that, he told the Sunday Times.

The aftermath of Premier Wickremesinghes removal formed the subject of discussion when President Sirisena invited leaders of political parties represented in Parliament last Sunday. Even Wickremesinghe was present. If this meeting was dubbed as inconclusive by many sections, to the contrary, it appears to have served a purpose. President Sirisena, who chaired the meeting, was able to deliver a message and it did have its positive effect. That is to make clear, once more, that the Speaker should follow Standing Orders and correct procedures in Parliament. Speaker Jayasuriya did so on Friday.

In parliamentary parlance, the ongoing tussle in the House would have been equivalent to filibustering on the part of the government side. Filibuster is when MPs debate over legislation in order to delay or prevent a decision. It is to buy more time. For the UNF side, the countermove is to prompt resolutions in Parliament. One to block funds allocated to the Prime Minister is now listed for discussion. Funny enough, such a move would also cut off funds that are now being spent for activity at Temple Trees where the ousted Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is staying. Another resolution to block funds for ministers is now in the making.

Last Sunday, President Sirisena told party leaders that proper procedure had not been followed by Speaker Jayasuriya in the adoption of the Vote of No Confidence on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on a second occasion too. This was when he took a voice vote and declared amidst mayhem in the House that the motion had been passed. A note formulated for the Presidential Secretariat contains the procedure. It includes:

The no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister should be handed over to the Speaker. A minimum of 20 Members of Parliament (MPs) should subscribe to it.

The Speaker should verify the legality of such a motion through the Secretary General of the Parliament. The Secretary General should inform the Speaker that the motion is consistent with the Standing Orders. Then the motion should be recorded in the Order Book.

The relevant Order Book should be printed and distributed among all the Members of Parliament on a Friday. The motion should be taken up for debate in Parliament after five working days.

Matters stated in the Order Book should be taken in to consideration by the Committee on Parliamentary Business. This Committee is headed by the Speaker and MPs from the governing party, MPs including Leader of the House and Chief Government Whip. It should also comprise MPs representing the opposition including the Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of Committees. Accordingly, priority of government matters in the Order Book is decided by the Leader of the House.

Once such a no-confidence motion is entered in the Order Book, the most recent date for it to be debated in Parliament should be agreed upon, with the auspices of the Leader of the House and the governing party.

President Sirisena did make a point at last Sundays meeting by insisting that Proper Procedures be followed when adopting a vote of no confidence. Although the movers of the two previous motions concurred, the establishment of a Parliamentary Business Committee  a precursor to a no confidence motion  was mired in controversy.

The UNF argued that it had been done in the proper manner by following a five day rule for such motions. They argue that in matters of urgency, like for example the passage of 18 A, Standing Orders could be suspended. The speaker had made sure the motion was in the Order Book for five days and chosen to take an electronic vote.

Ahead of the resumption of Parliamentary sittings on Friday, a party leaders meeting ended inconclusively. House Leader Dinesh Gunawardena declared that weightage should be given to government representatives in the Committee on Parliamentary Business. He had in fact recommended seven names but only five have been included. He argued this was disproportionate compared to previous such Committees. Speaker Jayasuriya reminded that even the UNF had been given only five slots.

Gunawardena alleged that Speaker Jayasuriya had re-iterated that he neither recognised the Prime Minister nor the Cabinet. I told him that he had changed that position after taking up a so-called No Confidence Vote on the Premier for a second time at President Sirisenas request, Gunawardena told the Sunday Times. A spokesman for Speaker Jayasuriya, however, claimed that he (the Speaker) had not changed his position.

Thus, when Parliament met on Friday morning, Speaker Jayasuriya sought to obtain an electronic vote on those in favour of setting up the Committee on Parliamentary Business. Such a Committee, like all others, had ceased to function after prorogation. The government party members walked out protesting against their request not being heeded. Speaker Jayasuriya declared then that the motion had been carried with 121 voting and none against. Here in lay, the new dramatic twist to the ongoing political drama.

Gunawardena, who is also the Leader of the House said, We do not recognise this Committee which has been picked arbitrarily by the Speaker. He has not followed procedures or traditions, he declared. The remarks clearly meant the filibuster in Parliament is set to continue. Some well-informed sections in the government believe it would drag on until the Supreme Court gives it final determination on December 7 on the constitutionality of the dissolution of Parliament. Some even say it could go beyond since the UNF has now filed a Quo Warranto in the court fo Appeal, (a writ requiring a person to show by what warrant an office or franchise is held, claimed or exercised).

Against the backdrop of these new developments, I asked President Maithripala Sirisena, who triggered the ongoing crisis, after ousting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa, for his response. At the second floor office in the Presidential Secretariat, the former Parliament building overlooking the Indian Ocean, he answered questions in an exclusive interview he gave the Sunday Times, the first since the change of Prime Ministers on October 26. It came after a brief chat as President Sirisena signed documents from a small pile of files before him. He appeared in a combative mood as he spoke exuding humour on occasions. Here are his answers to questions put to him;

You have caused a serious political crisis in the country by your actions. Why did you do it? The person responsible is Ranil Wickremesinghe. Not I. After the January 8, 2015 Presidential elections, both of us were sworn in. One minute after I was sworn in as President, he took his oaths as the Prime Minister. We began work as a new government. In the first week itself, he went against our manifesto.

What did he do? He was very stubborn and was not accommodative. He even exercised my powers. That continued.

Can you give an example? It began with the formation of a Cabinet of Ministers in January 2015. We had asked a three-member Committee of University academics to allocate ministerial subjects on a scientific basis. I dont think he even read their report. The allocations were made in a haphazard way. It generated laughter among people. One was the setting up of a Ministry of Higher Education and Highways. Another was how state owned banks which have traditionally been with the Finance Ministry were placed in a different Ministry. He took under his purview the Central Bank which had also earlier been under the Finance Ministry. These financial institutions have never changed hands since 1947.

But you continued thereafter with those arrangements. Why now? He not only exercised Prime Ministerial powers. He also began using the powers of the President. That began to increase.

Why did you allow him to usurp your powers? Some may argue about that. As a gesture of gratitude in electing me to power and not to hurt him, I allowed him to carry on with the work. That was also a gesture of humanity from my side. However, he took advantage of it.

Can you cite an instance? Yes, take the case of the appointment of a Governor to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). I am the appointing authority. He insisted that Arjuna Mahendran be appointed. This man is one of those most wanted in Sri Lanka now over the bond scam investigation. There is a warrant out for him and he is evading the law in Sri Lanka. I was against this appointment. I told then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe that Mahendran is not a citizen of Sri Lanka and there were others more eligible for the post. He was not in favour of those names and insisted that I appoint Arjuna Mahendran. I did so purely to avoid a confrontation with my then Prime Minister. Some may say I am at fault. I did so only because I wanted to work with him.

In just three months, the CBSL bond scam took place. The first one was in March 2015 and thereafter there was another. What were the pledges we gave the people? We ousted the Mahinda Rajapaksa government mainly over issues related to corruption and to ensure we restored democracy. What happened thereafter?

What do you think happened thereafter? Corruption was high in the Cabinet of Ranil Wickremesinghe and it continued. I do not want to speak at length about it. I have revealed some of the instances in public. The UNP leadership should take responsibility. Just a month before Mr. Wickremesinghe was removed as Premier, there was a massive transaction involving the E.A.P. Edirisinghe Group. It had been awarded to a foreigner who had quoted much less. A Sri Lankan had made a higher bid. That was a corrupt deal.

What do you propose to do about it? I hope to conduct a full inquiry when the political situation settles down. It will be a Committee of Inquiry and will go into all aspects. It will also identify those involved. I can name many more such deals that were corrupt. The former Prime Minister also failed to recognise the culture of our people or discern their needs. Local industries were neglected. Mr Wickremesinghes ideology on foreign investment was wrong and tainted with corruption. The term foreign investment was synonymous with corruption. This led to several confrontational situations.

Did you raise issue with the then Premier Wickremesinghe over these matters? What was his response? After the outcome of the local government elections on February 10, I told him that the people had rejected his economic policies and political vision. Some 1.5 million state sector employees had voted against the government. The majority of the armed forces personnel and Police too had voted against. So had a vast section of the Buddhist clergy. I asked him to step down as Prime Minister and hand over the office to someone else. This was the first time I told him such a thing. I invited Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to be Prime Minister. He rejected it. I also asked Sajith Premadasa. He was not agreeable. I experienced a conflict of policies, which were opposed to our own manifesto. They revolved around misuse of state property, lopsided economic policies, lack of political vision, growing corruption and arbitrary decisions.

The second occasion was after he survived a Vote of No-Confidence in Parliament in April this year. I told him people are not happy with the government and were disillusioned. I told him that the best way to move forward was for him to step down as Prime Minister and hand over to a person of his choice in his party. On no occasion did he respond to what I told him. He simply listened.

What forced you to take a hurried decision to remove the previous Prime Minister? Would it be right to call that the proverbial last straw on a loaded camel? It was the conspiracy to assassinate me and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. I can say quite categorically that people in the government tried through various means to disrupt the investigations. A Cabinet Ministers name has transpired. A Deputy Inspector General of Police has been taken into custody.

The mystery behind this plot has thickened. The Inspector General of Police (Pujith Jayasundera) has so far avoided making a statement which the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is seeking from him. It is this same IGP, who declared even before the investigations began, that the claims of the informant on the assassination plot was suspicious. How could he say that even before an investigation has begun? Is it fair for an IGP to make such comments as the head of the Police force? Why is he saying it?

Can you disclose to the people details related to the plot? I do not want to say anything more since the matter is pending before courts. By next week, I will direct that the investigations are carried out in in a new path. There are several obstacles for the investigations today. This is a very serious matter. As a result of all this, I had to ask Mahinda Rajapaksa to take the post of Prime Minister. It is not something that happened suddenly. It is the outcome of a three and half year old conflict with the former Premier. That was the last resort.

Did you warn Ranil Wickremesinghe about this? Yes, I have told him many times. I reminded him that I was left with only one and half years more to serve as President. I implored on him to allow me to function for this period without let or hindrance. I also told him to refrain from the habit of taking arbitrary decisions. He did not pay any attention. I have also periodically advised him about the corruption taking place among his ministers. As a result, public opinion was building against the government. I was concerned about this.

Did you have talks before appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister? When did you take a decision to change premiers? It is between October 20 and 25 that I had been thinking of this. Not that I was having discussions with Mr Rajapaksa. Since I learnt of the plot to assassinate me and the reluctance of those in the government to probe the matter, these things happened.

Meeting Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa at the residence of S.B. Dissanayake in Battaramulla: I did not attend that meeting.

Dissolution of Parliament, the appointment of a new Prime Minister and proroguing Parliament  have you acted correctly? I reject claims that I have acted in violation of the Constitution. The removal of Mr Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as his successor and a new Cabinet of Ministers have been done legally. So has the prorogation of Parliament. No one has gone to courts and challenged them. What has been challenged in the Supreme Court is the dissolution of Parliament.

What happens when a ruling is given by the Supreme Court? I will accept any decision given by the Supreme Court. I am a person who protects democracy. I act according to the Constitution. I have acted in accordance with the law. We will continue to respect democracy. We will implement the law. We will maintain peace. The Parliament should follow Standing Orders and if a majority is shown by the UNF, the issue can be resolved.

If Mahinda Rajapaksa has the majority in Parliament, he can continue the government without any obstacle. If it is proved that Mr Rajapaksa does not have a majority, I believe that he will take a decision. When the majority is shown in Parliament, the responsibility lies in the party leaders to continue with the work. Whoever has the majority of 225 member House will be the Prime minister.

You have said on two occasions that you will not appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. Will that change if a majority is shown? During my tenure, I have removed two Prime Ministers. The first was D.M. Jayaratne who was removed on January 9, 2015. He had the support of 162 MPs. In contrast, Mr Wickremesinghe who only had 41 MPs was sworn in as Premier.

It is the President who has the responsibility to appoint the Prime Minister. Therefore, an acceptable solution should emerge from Parliament itself by showing of the majority. I removed Mr Wickremesinghe from the Prime Ministers position legally. It was in accordance with the powers vested in me as President.

I have no possibility of appointing Mr Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister again. I will stick to that principle. The reasons are the happenings in the three and half years.

How do you explain the imbroglio in Parliament? Many questions have come up. One is on who has the majority in Parliament. In terms of Standing Orders, there are three ways. I have been in Parliament for 27 years as an MP and as a Minister. I have been a Leader of the House. I have an idea. Standing Orders can be suspended and a vote can be taken by a voice count by the Speaker. Another is a roll call of the names. The third is through electronic voting.

Though there is provision in the Standing Orders, a majority voice vote on a matter of changing a government, nationally important, is not suitable. The Standing Orders set out the procedure on how No Confidence Motions should be handled. Since it did not take place in this manner, both sides had an issue.

I condemn vehemently the clashes that took place in the well of the House. It is disgusting when MPs resort to violence, whichever party they may belong to. Knives were brought to Parliament. Technical equipment was broken. The Speakers chair was broken. Police officers were assaulted, chillie powder and books were thrown.

What do you think of the Speakers role? Your members have accused him of acting illegally. If the Speaker had taken a vote by name than a voice vote, that would have been better. I hope he will act in the correct manner. Karu Jayasuriya is a good person. The question was on his failure to follow procedure.

What is the status of investigations into the Central Bank bond scam? There was hindrance placed in the way of the investigators. Some CBSL officers asked my permission to leave the country for fear of reprisals by interested parties. There is a need for amendments to the Bribery Commission Act. The Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which also probed the matter, recommended a series of changes to the law. Three parties  the CIABOC, the Attorney Generals Department and lawyers in the Presidents Office  formulated draft laws. This would have facilitated dealing with the culprits within just one year instead of four or five years.

It was sent to Parliament but was not taken up. At my insistence, the draft laws were taken up in October but only two MPs took part in the debate. On the instructions of then Prime Minister, Wickremesinghe voting was postponed indefinitely. The reason was to avoid persons from his own party being prosecuted over the bond scam.

What do you hope to do about it now? As soon as things return to normal in Parliament, my first task will be to ensure these amendments are introduced and passed. Otherwise, we will not be able to deal with the culprits involved in the bond scam and recovering the looted funds would be jeopardised.

Have you explained your position to the Colombo-based diplomatic community? There are fears of punitive action by some countries. I have explained everything to them. I met the envoys collectively and even individually thereafter. I also told them why it became difficult to continue with the then Prime Minister. I think they have understood my position. Reports of such action are being spread by our opponents to frighten us through a campaign of disinformation and fake news. We know who is behind them.

Are you worried about the state of the economy? Remember, the economy did not deteriorate during the last three or four weeks. It is the result of economic policies pursued by former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. He could not improve the economy. He heaped hardships on the people. The business community was complaining of mounting taxes. He has gone to the extreme of new liberalised policies. People were burdened with rising living costs and a mounting fuel price increases. Who has to answer for all this?

How long more do you think people will have to endure this situation? The issue can be resolved by proving who has the majority in Parliament. The other issue  the dissolution of Parliament  will be resolved when the Supreme Court gives its ruling on December 7.

Have you been preparing with Premier Rajapaksa to contest parliamentary elections under an alliance? We have not thought about an election. Only if the Supreme Court accepts the dissolution we will think about it.

Armed with a vote of 121 in favour of appointing the Committee on Parliamentary Business on Friday, the UNF hopes it will bolster its claim for holding a majority in the House. Apart from the fact that the UNF would wield more clout in the Committee itself in the light of the new composition. The flip side is the fact that the Tamil National Alliance (TNL) cast 14 votes, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) six votes, the UPFA three (A.H.M.Fowzie, Piyasena Gamage Manusha Nanayakkara) totalling 23. UNP MP Chatura Senaratne was absent during the vote. With his vote the UNP would have had 100 if counted with the Speaker.

This is in marked contracts with the Sirisena  Rajapaksa side which has 102. of this number, only 96 are from the Sirisena-Rajapaksa alliance.

Other than their allies, together with that of the Speaker, the number thus demonstrated by the UNF totals only 99. This is in marked contrast with Sirisena-Rajapaksa side which has 103. Of this number, 97 are from the Sirisena-Rajapaksa alliance. Three others are Athureliye Rathana Thera, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Vasantha Senanayake from the UNF. There are two TNA MPs and Douglas Devananda from the EPDP. That reveals that neither side has the required number of 113. For the UNF, it would have to either seek the support of the TNA or the JVP to demonstrate it has a majority to form a government. Like voting for the appointment of the Committee, whether one of them will lend support remains a critical question. More so, in the case of the appointment of a Prime Minister.

On the other hand, the Sirisena-Rajapaksa government is firm in its view that it does not recognise Speaker Jayasuriyas Committee or the electronic vote. Hence, even the adoption of a No Confidence Motion for a third time will not prompt recognition from President Sirisena. He could still say proper procedures have not been followed.

Thus, with Ranil Wickremesinghe ousted as Prime Minister, the battle is now more between President Sirisena and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. The sniping and political warfare will continue until the Supreme Court makes its ruling known on December 7. Here again, it is on whether Sirisenas action in dissolving Parliament is constitutional or otherwise. One way or the other, it does not portend a change of government unless what is called for as the correct procedure is adopted in Parliament in naming a Committee or Ranil Wickremesinghe quits as the leader of the United National Front (UNF). Neither is a likely prospect. The political turmoil, in this climate, is bound to continue with a New Year round the corner. One may have to drop the word happy when wishing another.
Sans a majority, UPFAs woes continue; resorts to walkout to avert more humiliating defeats By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent View(s): View(s):

A month after the shock appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena after sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his government, the new appointee has failed to show he commands the confidence of the majority in the House. Instead the UPFA group has shied away from facing a vote in the House on numerous occasions, the latest being on Friday, during the vote to confirm the nominees to the Committee of Selection. The UPFA lawmakers staged a walkout before the vote was taken. With only MPs of the UNP/UNF, the TNA and the JVP remaining in the House, all 121 members present voted to support the Speakers nominees with no one left to oppose it.

This weeks two sittings days were rather restrained compared to the previous week when Speaker Karu Jayasuirya had to enter the Chamber under police protection to conduct sittings. Probably, the adverse publicity has dampened the over enthusiasm of the UPFA MPs, and even though their enemy number-one is the Speaker, those present in the House remained subdued.

The UPFA had demanded seven slots in the 12-member Committee of Selection, but this was opposed by all the other parties on the grounds that without a majority in the House, the UPFA could not get the majority of seats on this all-important committee. It is this Committee which nominates members to committees such as the Committee on Parliamentary Business which decides on the agenda of the House, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), the Committee on Public Account (COPA) and Consultative Committees.

The Secretary General of Parliament was handed in 16 nominees for the key Committee. The UPFA submitted seven names, the UNP/UNF five and the TNA and the JVP two each. As there was no agreement at the Party Leaders meeting on Friday morning to decide on the composition of the Committee, the Speaker used the power vested in him under Standing Orders to name five members each from the UPFA and UNP/UNF group and one each from the TNA and the JVP. The Speaker chairs the Committee and its members include leaders of political parties represented in Parliament or their nominees.

The UPFA MPs appointed to the Committee are Dinesh Gunawardena, S.B. Dissanayake, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Samarasinghe and Wimal Weerawansa. The UNP/UNF members are Lakshman Kiriella, Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen, Mano Ganesan and Patali Champika Ranawaka. The TNAs Mavai S. Senathirajah and the JVPs Vijitha Herath are the other members.

Dinesh Gunawardena, the UPFA-appointed Leader of the House, said they had no confidence in the Speaker and did not accept the composition of the Committee of Selection as decided by him. Later at a news conference, the UPFA announced that it would boycott Parliament sittings and some of its members had threatened action against the Speaker. But, without a majority in the House, the UPFA is in no position to remove the Speaker.

This week also saw the release of the two Hansards, the official record of parliamentary proceedings. The Hansards have recorded November 14 and November 16 proceedings during the passing of two No-Confidence Motions against Mahinda Rajapaksa, the prime minister appointed by President Sirisena on October 26. According to the Hansards, in both instances, the Speaker is on record as saying that, I am ordering that Ayes will have it after a voice vote was taken amidst unruly scenes in the Chamber. The Speaker has since announced that he does not recognise anyone as Prime Minister or any Cabinet Minister in the House as after the passing of an NCM, the Cabinet stands dissolved.

After the walkout by the UPFA MPs on Friday, JVP MP Vijitha Herath moved an adjournment motion on the ongoing political crisis in the country which was seconded by JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The debate continued till 6 p.m. during which many of the MPs used the debate to vent their anger and frustration with President Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Parliament will meet again on Tuesday but the agenda for the day is yet to be decided. A motion submitted by the UNP to cut funds allocated from the budget under the expenditure heads of Prime Minister and Prime Ministers Office is to be taken up for debate on Thursday, November 29. Given the fast pace, at which political changes have been taking place in the country since October 26, it is likely that between now and the next Parliament sitting date, there could be new developments that would impact Parliament sittings next week.
Receiving the Vietnamese guest, Nokes highlighted outcomes of the talks between representatives of the Vietnams ministry and the UK Home Office a day earlier, particularly their signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on anti-human trafficking cooperation.

She said the MoU reflects efforts and goodwill from both sides in the matter, which is currently a priority of the UK Government.

For his part, Mr. To Lam said the two bodies have worked closely in crime prevention to safeguard social security and order of both nations.

He underscored the exchange and management of immigration information as one of the most effective cooperation aspects between the two bodies.

Minister of Public Security, Sen. Lt. Gen. To Lam (L) meets with UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes (Photo: VNA)



The two sides agreed to further improve the exchange following their signed MoU on the matter. They said they will collaborate in verifying information related to illegal entry and exit and in handling the repatriation of Vietnamese citizens.

They pledged to create favorable conditions for their citizens to enter their respective nations for employment, business, tourism and education, considering this a measure to deal with the illegal entry and exit problem.

At the meeting with Mark Field, both Mr. To Lam and his host praised the fruitful growth of Vietnam  UK strategic partnership since its elevation in 2010.

They also mentioned increasing cooperation between the Vietnams ministry and the UK Home Office in anti-human trafficking via frequent exchanges of delegations and information as well as their signing of the MoU.

Mr. To Lam said his ministry is looking forward to more assistance from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office and law enforcement agencies in offering education, training and technical support for Vietnamese security personnel.

He asked the UK office to facilitate expanding engagement between the two countries law enforcement bodies./.
Sri Lankas first government that will not participate in Parliament? View(s):

Beyond the distasteful power squabbles that presently make up the sum total of Sri Lankan politics or politricks as cynics are wont to say, the three men at the core of the crisis undermining the nations constitutional text, (viz; Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe) need to realise a basic fact. Their currency of political credibility has been virtually exhausted, to a greater or lesser extent as the case may be.

It is time for all three to step aside and hand over their tasks to others in party ranks who may hopefully act with greater discretion if not common sense in the interests of the country.

Parliamentary infamy will not be forgotten

Since that fateful Friday of October 26th, each Parliamentary sitting expending millions of tax rupees exemplifies constitutional comedy of a particularly grim kind. On three consecutive days, the House resembled more a lunatics asylum with former President Mahinda Rajapaksas newly minted Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members attacking Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and defenceless police officers tasked to guard him. That was infamy which will not be easily forgotten.

As their propaganda machine worked overtime, SLPP frontmen literally snarled and howled on the bias of the Speaker. This crude charade was to gloss over the lack of a parliamentary majority by President Maithripala Sirisenas Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the SLPP. This week, parliamentarians of both parties stalked out of the chamber declaring that they will not participate in Parliament as the United National Front, (UNF) demonstrated its majority through electronic voting.

To add to recent unwelcome attention in international media, will this also be another first for Sri Lanka? The first Government that does not participate in its own Parliament? But there is no respite to the nonsense as calls to sanity from key religious bodies, chambers of commerce, professional associations and angry citizens have no effect on the legislative minority of the SLFP and the SLPP which functions as the Cabinet. Meanwhile after bringing these events about, the President adroitly if not unconvincingly wrapped the cloak of a neutral umpire around him, issuing a statement on Tuesday thanking leaders of political parties for holding a peaceful parliamentary session earlier in the week.

Constitutional questions and other flippant thoughts

But we need to refresh ourselves of the basic constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers to ask key questions. How can the President say that a voice vote in Parliament is legal but that on such an important matter as a no-confidence motion against the Government, that a vote by name must be called? And then look on as the members of his party and the SLPP disrupt that vote by name? What is the role of the executive vs a vis Parliament? In what constitutional capacity is the President empowered to determine the proceedings of the House? Granted, these may be redundant questions given that the very Constitution was thrown at the head of the Speaker by SLPP MPs recently.

This Friday, as the President announced that he will write a book about his breaking of ties with the UNPs Ranil Wickremesinghe, the repeated analogy was with a failed marriage. Inherent in this utterance as well as in the thousand and one spin-off rejoinders and risque political jokes caricaturing that analogy by politicians on both sides of the divide is the core inability to draw lines between the personal and the political. Let it be said clearly that ruling a country is not, on any account, similar to making or breaking marital ties. Co-habiting with political partners does not depend on approval of personal lifestyles of one or the other or prissy moralizing on the same. It is a reflection of the unhappy depths to which we have plunged that these self-evident truths must be emphasized.

This is quite apart from the fact that when the President thought it fit to point a finger at a political rivals butterfly tendencies on the stage along with his erstwhile enemy-now turned second spouse or reunited (better?) half depending on the way one looks at at  the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)s Mahinda Rajapaksa, those who sniggled in glee must remember that two fingers of that same hand may be turned back at quite a few loyalists of both the SLFP and the SLPP in respect of that very mocking accusation.

Making the same mistakes again

Put simply, the fact that political debates of great significance on the Constitution and the balance of power between the executive and the legislature should descend to farcical levels of comparing marriages, butterflies and the like is beyond regrettable. Indeed, it is ironic that such hypocritical moral absolutes are rooted in the old Judeo-Christian value system, best exemplified in the repressive ethics of the Victorian age that have long been discarded in Western societies. This indicates the extent to which political  and by extension, societal  thinking has been subverted in our colonial mindsets even as we mindlessly boast about shaking off the colonial yoke. Moreover, despite denials by SLFP spokesmen at the time, the Presidents reference degraded sexual and gender minorities in a manner that directly violated our own constitutional guarantees.

All that being said, the UNPs contribution in bringing about this crisis is in no small measure. Its outlandish style of governance was precisely the reason why the administration lost the confidence of the people in 2001-2004. But yet the very same mistakes were made in exactly that manner for the second time around in 2015, to which was added a new element of corruption as symbolised by the Central Bank bond scam and other scandals.

As has been editorially noted in this newspaper, whatever the flaws may be of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution (regarding which there seems to be little doubt), the fact of the matter is that this remains our law.

That is undoubted. Even so, the UNP must recognise that the trial by anti-democratic fire that Sri Lankas Constitution is presently undergoing is also due to its muddled thinking on the law with particular political objectives in mind. And while the outrageous actions of the SLFP/SLPP have come as a boon to the UNP, this will be cold comfort if the party is not re-energized and stripped of its exclusivist trappings.

Celebrating the resistance

Even so, let us celebrate the resistance that has unexpectedly emerged out of the chaos. Despite sporadic incidents in the early days resulting in two deaths, there has not been spontaneous outbursts of violence across the island. The democratic line has been held by the public, as frustrated with their impossible politicians as they may be.

Appointments of particularly bad individuals to state positions have been reversed due to critical pressure and the transfer of a good officer at the Criminal Investigation Department investigating heinous crimes of the previous regime has been halted. Small victories nontheless, these are important as the nation awaits the Supreme Court to unravel this unfortunate constitutional tangle brought about by power-hungry politicians and their acolytes.
Wouldnt it be better to go now before you are forced out? View(s):

My dear Mahinda maama,

Although I last wrote to you only a month ago, I thought I must write to you again, not only to wish you for your seventy-third birthday but also to find out what exactly your plans are, after you were given a premature birthday present by Aiyo Sirisena, your friend turned foe, who turned friend again.

I hope you wont misunderstand, Mahinda maama. Most Sri Lankans  even those who vote for the Greens and the Reds  respected you as the person who rid the country of terrorism and the Tigers, a task which even political giants like JR and Preme could not achieve despite their best efforts.

You had the courage to stand up to the West and India, telling them that you will wage war, no matter what they said. You believed the Tigers could be defeated and annihilated when the rest of the world told you otherwise. So, for ridding this country of terrorism, we will always be grateful to you.

The people did repay you for your efforts, electing you into office again with a massive mandate eight years ago, ignoring the fact that the chap running against you was the General who led the war effort, another courageous man who risked life and limb and once nearly died in a Tiger bomb blast.

After your victory, you had a golden opportunity to make history. You could have settled differences between our communities because if you supported a plan to do that, the majority would have endorsed it wholeheartedly. However, you chose not to do so. You won the war, but lost the peace.

That is when the rot set in. Those around you made money using your popularity as an excuse. You yourself began to believe you could do no wrong. That is why you punished the General and sacked a Chief Justice who defied you. You also changed the Constitution so you could run for office again.

When Aiyo Sirisena announced that he was running against you for the top job, I am sure you must have laughed. How could that chap take on you with all your charisma, power, money and influence and win? The people of this country thought otherwise. To everyones surprise, they sent you home.

Still, what a disaster Aiyo Sirisena is. He was elected to restore democratic processes and the rule of law and to clip the Presidents powers. He is doing just the opposite. JR once said that all that he couldnt do was to turn a man into a woman. Given half a chance, Aiyo Sirisena will try even that!

If you waited patiently until the election, you would have won the race easily because people have now realised that Aiyo Sirisena was not the angel he promised to be. Also, the Greens are incompetent and insensitive and some of them are corrupt too. So, your actions are puzzling, Mahinda maama.

Some say that you took this hasty step because the wheels of justice, which were slow to turn for many years had suddenly begun turning at lightning speed. Others say you had struck a deal with Aiyo Sirisena, so he could run for the top job again. In return, he will make those wheels turn slowly again.

You must realise that no one for a moment believes Aiyo Sirisena is doing all this by himself. Appointing you, suspending Parliament and then trying to dissolve it  and disrupting it when that failed must have had your blessings. This shows that you havent changed your ways.

Since then, Parliament has been at its worst: Thilanga yelling at his former boss, Arundika sitting on the Speakers seat, Johnny throwing chairs, Dilum ripping microphones, Prasanna playing with chilli powder and slapping policemen, and Wimal literally throwing the book at the opposition.

It is also pathetic to see the ageing Boralugoda cub barking like the lapdog he has now become. It was even sadder to see Sudarshani, one of the supposedly educated people in Parliament, a doctor to boot, dragging away the Speakers seat and showing why the medical profession has no dignity left.

Yes, we have also seen Palitha brandishing a knife and Dilip raising his sarong but even you would concede that the conduct of your chaps has been, by far, disgraceful. While all this was happening, all you could do was to watch with a smile and then walk away  while your goons played merry hell.

Seeing all this and witnessing how state newspaper officers and television stations were stormed by your supporters soon after you took over as PM, seeing how Captain Cool was treated and hearing of various appointments that are being made in a hurry we have to ask- do we really want you back?

Mahinda maama, you have made a foolish decision again. Three years ago, you took Basils and Sumaneys advice and called for early elections. This time, you trusted SB to deliver the numbers and became the PM who no wants to recognise. After what you have done for us, you do not deserve that.

Having come this far with Aiyo Sirisena, it is difficult to undo what you have done. On Friday, it was proved again  this time, with a proper vote  that you dont have a majority in the House. So, wouldnt it be better to go now, before you are forced out? Think about it, will you, Mahinda maama?

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS  We have been told you cant run again for the top job. Still, at the rate Aiyo Sirisena has violated the Constitution, that is not a major issue. You could always say that the 19th Amendment applies only after it was enacted  so you can do two more terms. Or, was that always the plan, Mahinda maama?
Uneasy lies the State View(s):

Come hell or high water; come multiple defeats in Parliamentary votes and continuing chaos in the country, President Maithripala Sirisena is not going to budge from disengaging from his October 26 putsch and re-setting the direction of this country.

This country is not a Presidents private coconut estate to appoint a superintendent of his personal choice. He must abide by the Constitution and if it says the President shall appoint an MP who is likely to command the majority of Parliament, he must do so without prevaricating or vacillating as he is doing now.

The only thing certain about the Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, propped up by the President, is that it will spin out the prevailing uncertainty in the country till December 7 in the hope that a fresh Supreme Court bench will untie the hands of the President from calling for fresh parliamentary elections.

That hope in the Rajapaksa camp is Plan B after attempts  still continuing  to rustle up a majority in Parliament fell flat. The only way to re-set the setback is an election as far as the Rajapaksa camp is concerned with the belief that the agitation for democracy is merely city-based while its popular support in rural Sri Lanka remains unchanged from its resounding victory at the local government polls earlier this year.

The UNP-led UNF, on the other hand, is also waltzing into a make-believe world that the entire country has galvanised behind the party to save democracy from pocket edition autocrats. Democracy is not always given top priority when a cocktail of joblessness, rising cost of living a.k.a. food on the table sprinkled with nationalistic sentiments are at play. The UNF, however, must hand the President a bouquet for helping the party, constantly battling intra-party dissension and leadership challenges, to come together.

Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka has become a lively address of the peoples resistance to anti-democratic forces as our news item last week pointed out. Those who have come to express their solidarity to their Prime Minister still consider Ranil Wickremesinghe the de jure Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, one month after the miscalculated constitutional coup of October 26.

Some of them even believe that all this is a blessing in disguise and will not mind an election as it will be the Sirisena-Rajapaksa combo that will face the anti-incumbency fallout as there are no signs of the economys woes easing. There appear now hints of an escape route being mapped out for the President to re-establish the October 26 status quo ante, and hold provincial council elections to save face in the country and among the world at large. The week to come, however, will probably see the bickering continue and the stalemate with it.

The world is watching

The chronic situation in Sri Lanka is not only watched with eager eyes and ears domestically, but so, too, internationally. It is a matter of equal significance to the Modis (foreign governments) and the Moodys (foreign rating agencies).

The matter could get complicated if some countries recognise the new government, and others dont. This is going to split the country into two camps from a global perspective. Already some Colombo-based Western diplomats are tweeting and commenting on the crisis. It is well within the remit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon them to the Foreign Office either individually or collectively and remind them of the protocols in these matters.

Seeing the planned UNF/civil society call for a satyagraha with suspicious eyes, the new government is accusing the West of trying to instigate an Arab Spring here. On the other hand, Russia and China are showing allegiance with the new government. These divisions dont augur well for Sri Lanka that has, by and large, resisted falling into one of the two camps  the West versus the Rest.

The 52-nation Commonwealth, of which Sri Lanka has long been a member, takes a dim view of military coups and the ouster of democratically elected governments. It has suspended Nigeria, Pakistan (twice), Fiji etc., and a few years back, closer home, the Maldives. The case of the Maldives was not entirely a military take-over.

What happened in Sri Lanka is very similar to what happened in the Maldives. It is not without precedence for the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) comprising ten foreign ministers from member-states that study these happenings in the Commonwealth to act on the Harare Principles of Good Governance. In this instance, a President overthrew his own democratically elected government. Commonwealth leaders must be scratching their heads how to deal with this one-of-a-kind coup.

Recently, when the army in Zimbabwe overthrew long-time President Robert Mugabe, the Commonwealth remained silent. Kissing goes by favour in that Group dominated by nations known as the white Commonwealth. President Mugabe was hated by the white Commonwealth, so selectively, the CMAG turned a Nelsonian-eye because the Zimbabwe army quickly passed the countrys leadership to Mugabes political opponents.

It is not only foreign governments that have shown concern on the constitutional logjam in Sri Lanka. International rating agencies that indicate the credit-worthiness of a country have raised red flags and alarm bells. Their ratings can be pooh-poohed domestically, and the Central Bank is hotly disputing the recent downgrading of Sri Lanka, but they are important for a country living on borrowed money. International money-lenders take these ratings into account and so do foreign investors who keep an eye on the economic and political stability of a country before putting their cash down.

This again opens the doors to countries like China, ever willing to step in to fill the vacuum left by reluctant Western banks. Mindful of the accusations against it, China recently denied it was its policy to have countries (like Sri Lanka) fall into debt traps so they can have a stranglehold on them. But this is exactly what has befallen Sri Lanka, not entirely due to Chinese loans, however.

And what is worse, the country is now faced with a government that cannot pass any money bills in Parliament, and for now relies on the Active Liability Management Act introduced by the Wickremesinghe government which allows the government to approve borrowing money for three months without parliamentary approval. The problem will be the day Parliament says it will not honour these sovereign loans. What an unholy mess this is.
Teachers union plans protest to press students right to sit national exams Several Central Province schools adopt discriminatory practices and this should stop: Union leader View(s): View(s):

The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) will carry out a campaign to protest against what it calls discriminatory practices adopted by some Central Province schools with regard to allowing students to sit national examinations and admitting new students.

General secretary Joseph Stalin said parents too will join trade unions representing teachers and principals from the province to highlight the injustices caused to students who were denied their right to sit the grade 5 scholarship examination and the ordinary level examination after they were assessed and labelled as weak students.

He said these schools adopted the discriminatory practice to boost their image and claim with a sense of pride that they had a high percentage of pass marks at national exams. It is learnt that these schools have prevented several students from sitting next months GCE Ordinary Level examination on the basis they had not performed well at the withdrawal test or the term tests.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has initiated an inquiry following media reports which said some 40 Central Province students had been prevented from sitting the GCE O/L exams.The CTU has also filed a supporting petition with the HRCSL. The inquiry will be held on Tuesday and the aggrieved students and their parents have been invited to attend it.

Mr. Stalin said a Haputale school had prevented 20 students from sitting the O/L exams. He said that, apart from adopting such shocking measures, some schools demanded colossal sum of money to admit children from primary schools, which have classes only upto Grade 5. He said that the applications of seven children from a primary school in Brookside Estate had been rejected by a big school in the same area because their parents could not pay the donation the school administrated had demandtion.

The union leader said most school administrators were focused on improving the school infrastructure rather than improving the quality of education. By constructing buildings, probably they line their own pockets in the form of commissions, Mr. Stalin said.

The CTU called on school administrators to stop such practices and adopt principled policies to treat all students as equals. This attitude among educators have to stop and the mass protest campaign we are planning is aimed at ending these injustices caused to students, he said. (CC)
Api Machan comes alive in Kandy View(s):

If you are someone who enjoys cover versions of our classical music of yester year then the name Api Machan shouldnt be unheard of, entertaining everyone from the past three generations with this new brand of music. Api Machan has already entertained and performed for audiences not only in Sri Lanka but also have toured and performed in several other countries as well.

Api Machan is a young singing band from Sri Lanka, which has peaked high in popularity within a short period of time due to its versatility in its presentation of cover songs of the Sri Lankan music stream.

Staying away from the commercially branded current music that produced on daily as well as the production of traditional classical music for the sake of creating, Api Machan keeps the retro trend. 

Api Machan performs complete classics that everybody loves and enjoys for decades and gives it a new twist whilst maintaining the standards and qualities set forth by the original artistes.

They create the trend for not only retro lovers but present it to capture audiences of all age groups. Api Machan introduces songs of yesteryear with its own unique twist that makes them that much more popular and enigmatic. They intersperse the background music with a touch of percussion and guitar to break the monotony and add that feeling of live band sound.

Catering to the audiences that love their brand of new music Api Machan continues to tour the island and dish out fantastic music. The next live performance of this seven member outfit will be held on the 1st of December 2018 at the recently refurbished auditorium of St. Anthonys College Kandy from 6.30pm onwards.

Performing hits of yesteryear that have not been heard by the current generation and providing these hits a new lease of life in a manner that does not disrupt your listening pleasure and staying within the lines brings a majority of good and positive comments towards the groups performances said the leader of the outfit.

The positive response and reviews the band has received, increased the bands popularity in a tenure of a couple of years, can be proven if you check the feedback on social media sites as such as you tube and facebook.

They have decided to go live instead of limiting themselves to the social media network mainly due to many requests they received with their growing popularity. Api Machan live in Concert is organised and presented by the Group 95 of the Old Boys Association of St. Anhonys College Kandy.

Tickets for this live performance are priced at rupees 5,000/-, 2000/-, and 1000/- and are currently available at A-Pictures (KCC), Nihals Super, Sarasavi Book Shop (D.S. Senanayake street) and Hewage Super Katugastota.

For further information, call Subash on 0773290406 / Chamila on 0777812244 / Kalinga on 0777898307 or Sajeewan on 0773833984.
For a good night out at the theatre, Cold Theatre 7 delivered The Opposite Sex- Reviewed by Francesca Mudannayake View(s): View(s):

Last year Cold Theatre 7 staged the seminal play 12 Angry Wo/Men, a dialogue heavy courtroom drama, under the careful direction of Kevin Cruze. Opening to good reviews, the play featured some of the best thespians in the country and its heavy subject matter provided a lot of food thought. Perhaps it is for this reason that Cold Theatre 7 decided to go the opposite way for their next show and undertake something lighter and more comical, like The Opposite Sex.

The play features two couples with each partner despising their spouse but who have, in some way, been involved with the opposite partner. Mark (played by Shehan Wijemanne on the night I attended), is a cheeky advertising associate who is married to the no-nonsense Vicky (Sulochana Perera). Upon meeting Jeannette (played by Kavitha Gunesekera), Mark recognises her as an old flame and invites her and her husband, Derrick (Wasaam Ismail) to dinner.

The living room, (designed in a typical beige, middle class style), becomes the centerpiece of all the action, flanked by a hilarious caricature of Mark and Vicky. What makes the play come alive is its sparky characters whose different personalities clash  the slightly dim-witted but sweet natured Jeannette is married to the sexist, pseudo-intellectual, yuppie-hating Derrick. Mark takes every opportunity to display his unserious nature and antagonize his vengeful, sassy wife.

The dinner takes a left turn when, after a bizarre therapy session involving Vicky (who is a marriage guidance counsellor), it transpires she previously had an affair with Derrick leading to all sorts of other drama. Theres not much in the way of a plot so the script relies on outdoing itself in its insults and theres plenty of opportunity to do so. Perhaps it was just me but I didnt find the comedy quite as hysterical and laugh out loud funny as some members of the audience but thats not to say it wasnt amusing to watch.Mark throws out most of the gags at the expense of his wife (Vicky memorably comments, I lost most of my friends when I married Mark), and taunts the vegetarian Derrick (Dont you think its immoral to eat animals? Most of the animals I eat are dead already).

When taking into account all the English-speaking comedies that are performed in Sri Lanka, I am struck by two things. Theres a tendency, when performing such British comedies that feature middle class couples, for actresses to thicken and raise their voices by a couple of octaves which strikes me as weird. Its not a bad thing, just slightlyodd. The second thing, is that performing humour here sometimes takes on thebigger is better approach  the gestures are more pronounced and flouncy, the shrieks are louder. Again, not a bad thing, but theres a lot to be said for a comedy where the performance of humour is subtle and works its way into your brain, slowly but assertively.

Having said that, I cant be too critical of the play because in the context of what it was youre not meant to take it seriously. Each actor took on their role with enthusiasm and produced a solid performance and the proof is in how the audience responded  positively AND raucously! For a good night out at the theatre, Cold Theatre 7 delivered.
A/Level student stabbed to death by another student View(s):

An A/L student of St. Thomas College, Matara was stabbed to death by a student of Rahula Vidyalaya, Matara, following a heated argument between two groups of students from the two schools, police said. The stabbing incident had occured outside a tuition class in Ellewala in Matara, attended by both boys.

Police believe the argument had arisen regarding an earlier incident where the victims younger brother had been slapped by the suspect

The main suspect and two others linked to the killing had fled the area following the incident.

The victim was identified as Ravindra Gimhana aged 19. One of his other schoolmates who also sustained cut injuries was admitted to the Matara General Hospital.
Amunugama warns SL diplomats; reverse travel advisories View(s):

Foreign Minister Sarath Amunugama has warned Sri Lankan diplomats that he will have a dim view of those Heads of Mission abroad who are unable to get adverse travel advisories lifted. Britain, Australia and Canada updated their travel advisories after the events of October 26, while the United States issued four security alerts. At a staff meeting chaired by Mr Amunugama on October 31, he ordered Heads of all Sri Lankan Missions abroad to be instructed to get the travel advisories on Sri Lanka, issued by the countries of their accreditation, removed.

In this connection, the Heads of Mission should treat this as high priority and work with the authorities of those countries as well as the travel agents, say the minutes of the staff meeting circulated to Heads of Mission/Post abroad. Hon M/FA [Minister of Foreign Affairs]wishes to know the names of the countries travel advisories of which remain after 2-3 weeks, the minutes state. He indicated that he would have a dim view of those Heads of Mission who would be unable to get the travel advisories removed.

The two-three weeks deadline has now lapsed. All four countries are yet to lift the adverse updates. On October 30, the Australian travel advisory was revised to state: There is an increased likelihood of large protests and demonstrations in Sri Lanka due to political instability. Avoid all demonstrations and large public gatherings, as they may turn violent. Monitor local media for updates.

The Canadian advisory was revised to risk level: Exercise a high degree of caution due to the security situation. That category denotes that the decision to travel is the choice of the Canadian visitor who is deemed responsible for his or her personal safety abroad. The advisory also states: On October 26, 2018, the president of Sri Lanka moved to dismiss the prime minister, which has led to a period of political instability. Demonstrations could occur. Exercise vigilance and avoid all demonstrations and large political gatherings. Monitor local media for the latest information.

British travel advice, updated on October 31, states: On 26 October 2018 the President of Sri Lanka sought to dismiss the Prime Minister, leading to a period of political instability. There have been political demonstrations in Colombo, which are likely to continue and may happen at short notice. You should exercise vigilance and avoid all demonstrations or large political gatherings. Monitor this travel advice for further updates.

The US issued four security alerts regarding demonstrations. Along with advice on areas to avoid, it said: The U.S. Embassy advises U.S. citizens of an increased likelihood of political turmoil, civil unrest, and demonstrations as a result of the President of Sri Lankas decision to dismiss the Prime Minister and suspend parliament.
Basil says SLPP hopes to get 2.5 million members; whither the SLFP? By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):

New partys headquarters buzzing with activity; its main tactician says new policies are also being worked out

SLFP Gen. Sec claims partys support base intact; hopeful of forming a new alliance with SLPP under a common symbol The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)s Battaramulla headquarters is buzzing with activity.

Its a Poya, Thursday. The roads are empty and quiet. But inside the maroon-and-white two-storey building, workers are noisily erecting a cubicle. A new trade union office is about to be opened to accommodate a growing membership. And a woman in a crisp white lungi is busily sweeping the dust out of Basil Rajapaksas office.

First registered in November 2016, the party secured around five million votes at the 2018 local council elections. It is now on an aggressive membership drive. Our target, said Basil Rajapaksa, is to enlist 2.5m, or fifty percent of this, as members. Up to now, we have signed up around 30 percent or around 1.5m.

For a new party, the SLPP is remarkably organised. It was floated to target the local council elections. In 12,000 grama niladari divisions (excluding the North and East), the party appointed conveners who gave a written undertaking to set up party branches.

We started out with conveners, no boards of officials, Mr Rajapaksa, the tactician, said. After pulling off a massive May Day rally in 2017, the SLPP started setting up branch societies and kicked off the membership campaign. And it performed well at the local council elections.

It was the first time in local Government history that a party not in power won, he said. Not only that, the 72-year-old United National Party and the 67-year-old Sri Lanka Freedom Party were reduced to their lowest ever percentages at a local council election.

It was a searing wake-up call to the UNP, something party seniors openly admitted at the time. But what is happening to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as a result of the SLPPs success is starker. Political analysts predict the demise of the old party and its replacement with the new one. This, Mr Rajapaksa unabashedly admits, is also my hope.

In Darley Road on Poya day, the SLFP head office is deserted. Every entrance is locked. In a passage on the left, six multi-coloured dustbins are topped with rubbish. There are two banners on a wall. The bottom one depicts President Maithripala Sirisena hugging Mahinda Rajapaksa, his predecessor. Let the power of the village take the country forward, it says, in bold yellow Sinhala letters.

Despite this apparently warm relationship, not even the SLFP General Secretary knew that Mahinda Rajapaksa would join the SLPP so soon after the events of October 26, when President Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and caused political chaos. Mr Rajapaksa decamped to the new party on November 11, followed by his son and multiple other SLFP seniors.

We knew Mahinda Rajapaksa would be invited but we didnt know he would join the SLPP so soon, said Rohana Luxman Piyadasa, who was appointed SLFP Acting General Secretary in June. We thought that, as a senior politician, he wouldnt do that. Our ordinary members were very disappointed.

But the SLFP will work closely with the SLPP at a future election, vowed Prof Piyadasa. And whatever front they form will contest under a new symbolnot the flower bud, not the hand, nor the betel leaf. We might finalise a symbol next week, he said. The SLFP will draw up its manifesto and discuss it with SLPP. The new fronts constitution is also being drawn up.

While the SLFP seems eager to hitch its wagon to the SLPP, the latter is keen to forge a separate identity  fronted by the man Basil Rajapaksa called our spiritual leader. Everything, he said, pointing to SLPP application forms with former Presidents photo on one corner and the flower bud on the other, is Mahinda Rajapaksa.

We dont want to make the same mistake we made in August 2015, he said. That year, they all contested the general election under the SLFP banner led by President Sirisena and performed miserably. This time, if Mahinda Rajapaksa is leading an election effort, it has to be from a party he heads  and of which is he the star.

I cant speak for the SLFP, said Basil Rajapaksa, wearing a shirt in the SLPPs trademark maroon. The SLFP has to decide its future. Blunt words from a man who had joined the SLFP ten years before Mahinda, while still in school, and even served as its Assistant Secretary and the Youth League General Secretary in the early days.

The SLPPs economic policy will be based on the Mahinda Chinthana, Mr Rajapaksa said, but modified to adjust to the new realities. They were looking for a fresh tagline because sound bites are very important for politics.

I know marketing is an issue, he reflected You can make toothpaste in the lab. But to market it, you have to add colouring and other things. Now we have our own policies and, for marketing purposes, we have to come up with something.

The SLFPs old tagline sangha (clergy), veda (physicians), guru (teachers), govi (farmers), kamkaru (workers)has now served its purpose, he continued. There were new players now, like academics, scientists and civil society.

If the SLFP was the paddy seed and it grew into a rice plant, it is no longer the same rice plant today, Mr Rajapaksa said. We want to create a hybrid rice plant.

We have to consider the son of the son of that farmers son now, he said. There is no use teaching him about farming and giving him a fertiliser or production subsidy. And yet, the policy will also be heavy on local production, on the rural economybecause even Narendra Modis India had embraced Make in India.

There was the usual talk of a globalised, knowledge-centred economy heavy on technology education. Instead of making garments, we can progress to manufacturing microchips, he said. Back then, the garment industry was started to provide jobs to uneducated housewives. It was a good solution at the time. Today we cant provide the same answer.

The SLPP considers Israel to be a good example of how to take an economy forward, Mr Rajapaksa said. There were also a few European countries.and China.

And what of the SLFP? There arent many left today to speak for it or to voice its policies. Its seniors have gone in a steady stream to the SLPP. National Organiser Duminda Dissanayake said he was down with a throat ailment and referred this newspaper back to Prof Piyadasa, whose faith in the SLFPs power to attract voters remained intact.

The SLFP, he said, represented the voiceless and underprivileged. If any of them had gravitated away from the party, it was because they were angry over the alliance of its leaders with the UNP. And that could be the same reason they were moving toward the SLPP.

Now, with the SLFP and the SLPP forging a front, the formers block vote was likely to remain intact, Prof Piyadasa hazarded. I dont think its the end of the SLFP, he asserted. We think we can start a new dialogue. The common peoples aspirations are with us.
Civil society denounces despicable politics By Abdullah Shahnawaz View(s): View(s):

Since the start of the political crisis on October 26, civil society organisations have been in the forefront of protests against the decisions of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Civic groups, professional associations and rights groups have held protests, rallies and conferences to voice their concerns about democracy and the rule of law.

One notable movement was the Rise Up Sri Lanka protest held near Independence Square on November 19, organised mainly through social media.

More than 600 joined this protest. They held placards bearing slogans such as, Shame! Shame! Shame!, Sri Lanka is a Paradise Ruled by Parasites and New Generation of Leaders Needed.

One man had a strong message for the President. Sri Lanka has enjoyed a strong and vibrant parliamentary democracy for over six decades and Sirisena you destroyed that in one act in October, he said. We saw the chaos that you have created. I want to appeal to all party leaders that hereafter when you choose members of parliament ensure that they are not the ruffians, thugs, kasippu [moonshine], and heroin dealers that we saw in parliament last week. Sirisena take note that if you go on like this, we as tax payers will not pay our taxes.

We organised this as a group of young professionals concerned about the state of affairs, said Suchith Abeyewickreme, an education professional and member of the organising committee. Initially we requested other professional groups to join, and then we appealed to the citizenry on social media. Our plan is to carry this forward across the country and raise citizen consciousness. The next campaign will be in Gampaha.

The sathygraha organised by a group of Buddhist monks, a civil organisation and trade unions is another prominent show of anger against the purported government, as they called it. This protest however, was attended by UNP lawmakers Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Dr. Harsha De Silva, Mujibur Rahman, S.M Marikkar and Ashu Marasinghe.

An organiser told the Sunday Times that it was not a protest organised by a political party and that the UNP lawmakers joined only as representatives of a common fight and because pro-UNP trade unions were among the organisers.

Video-clips of speeches from 2015 made by then candidate Sirisena were played on a large screen reminding the people of the various statements he made against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his administration.

Also shown were clips of Wimal Weerawansa scolding President Sirisena in near-filth.

As the convener of the Professional Web Journalists Association who worked hard to overthrow the Rajapaksa regime I am disgusted by whats happened, said Philip Dissanayake who is also one of the main organisers of the sathyagraha.

We took huge risks running articles exposing the corruption in the Rajapaksa administration and urging people to vote for President Sirisena. We received many threats from the government. Some television institutes carried out character assassination campaigns against us denouncing us as traitors. But we persisted and went round the island urging people to vote to overthrow the government, he said. What the president did is a terrible betrayal of all our efforts and the trust of the voters.

He said the sathyagraha will continue until Mahinda Rajapaksa shows his majority in parliament or steps aside and allows a government with a majority to rule. Rallies and seminars will be held in Galle, Kurunegala, Badulla, Anuradhapura, Anamaduwa and Ratnapura in the coming days, he said.

Mr Abdullah, a financial analyst based in Colombo, said he came to voice his displeasure at the fact that due process was not followed. The people who voted for President Sirisena feel what they voted for is not what they got. It is a betrayal of a mandate in an extreme manner, he said. Also, what we have seen since October 26 is how political leaders hold the country hostage to their own ambitions.

Mr Perera, 70, an independent writer, said events in parliament last week set a bad precedent for future politicians. This will sanction wild behaviour as a norm for those thuggish people vying to get into parliament. It has also made the prospect of being an MP more distasteful than ever. This is dangerous for the future of the country, as decent youth will stay away from politics. Who will be left to rule Sri Lanka then, he asked.

Harshana Nanayakkara, a member of Lawyers for Democracy, said he believes that the dissolution of parliament and elections are the best solutions, but stressed that it should be done in line with the constitution.

If a majority is shown by either Ranil Wickremesinghe or Mahinda Rajapaksa it means that MPs were traded. Can you honestly say that such a rule is the will of the people, he asked. It will be a matter of who has more black money. However, one cannot go for a fair election with a set of people who acted the way they did in parliament and didnt allow a vote to be taken. The conspiracy has to be defeated first, and then parliament can be dissolved with a two-thirds vote or after four and a half years.

Mr. Nanayakkara said that a democratic government would be in the voters hands. If party supporters continue to turn a blind eye to the despicable behaviour of politicians or see it as a heroic action needed to defend the party, Sri Lanka will continue to elect thugs. It is about time that this changes, he said.

We as citizens of Sri Lanka expected a lot from the Yahapalanaya regime, said Kamal Perera at a briefing conducted by the Artists for Political Ethics and Democracy. However, the regime since coming into power on January 5, 2015 promising to do away with the corruption seen during the Rajapaksa administration succumbed to the same faults. The epitome of this was October 26, when President Sirisena took a decision that went against all democratic traditions.

Actress Samanali Fonseka said what happened should be of concern to all Sri Lankans irrespective of party colour.

A number of online petitions have been signed, too. One was titled Sri Lankan Citizens Condemn Presidents Actions and Call for Parliament to be Convened! and it received 17,269 signatures. Another petition against the MPs abhorrent behaviour in parliament last week called Sri Lankan citizens demanding action against the Members of Parliament for violent and criminal behaviour in Parliament had 7,462 signatures and counting.